"I made my decision," Hoseok announced as he poured a glass of wine.
Taehyung sprinted over to the kitchen island where Hoseok stood. "You did?! Who won? Please tell me I'm getting paid tonight."
"Calm down, Tae," he hushed. "I'll tell you when Jimin gets here."
The younger man was impatient; however, he agreed not to nag Hoseok until their other friend showed up. Eunha was staying at Jimin's parents' house for the night, so the three boys decided to have a sleepover of their own. They planned to spend their evening drinking red wine, eating takeout food, and watching some movies.
Eventually, Jimin arrived at Hoseok's house. Taehyung immediately rushed to the front door to greet him, shouting, "Hyung has the bet results!"
"Tae, he just walked in. Let him breathe," scolded Hoseok.
"I can't! I'm dying to know."
"Ready to lose, huh?" Jimin smirked prior to removing his shoes.
"I never lose."
"We'll see about that." Jimin and Taehyung then rejoined Hoseok in the kitchen who handed them a glass of wine. "Better tell us before Tae explodes."
"Okay," Hoseok began, "as I told Jimin, I chose to be completely unbiased in my decision." His eyes flickered back and forth between the men, pausing to build up the anticipation. "The winner of the bet is..." Hoseok let his words trail off.
"Spit it out, Hyung!" Taehyung demanded.
"Alright, alright!" he giggled. "The winner is me and Tae."
"Yes!"
"Fuck!" Jimin cried.
Taehyung laid his palm out. "Pay up, Park."
"Hold on," he requested. Jimin then looked at Hoseok. "Can I ask why you two won?"
"Because you totally have the hots for Jungkook," Hoseok replied. "You blushed whenever he made eye contact with you. You smiled whenever he would talk to you. You laughed at all his jokes. You guys danced together the entire class. Shall I go on?"
"No," Jimin shook his head. "That doesn't mean anything though."
Taehyung crossed his arms. "Face it, Min. You're lovesick."
Jimin sat down on a bar stool, his shoulders slouching as he sunk into the seat. His expression fell. "Oh, my god. You're right."
"I am? Wow, I don't think I've ever heard you say that to me."
"It's 'cuz it only happens once in a blue moon," Hoseok quipped.
He stuck his tongue out at the older man.
Jimin buried his face in his hands. "What am I gonna do?"
Taehyung tenderly rubbed Jimin's back. "You're gonna ask him out."
"I can't," he disagreed. "You know I have a rule against dating my students."
"Fuck the rule!" he bellowed.
"Tae's right," Hoseok remarked.
"Again? Damn, I'm on a roll!"
"Isn't it wrong though?" Jimin wondered.
"Not at all," Hoseok imparted. "Hope World doesn't have a rule against instructors dating their students. I don't know why you made one for yourself."
"Areum," Taehyung mouthed to him.
"Oh."
Jimin lifted his head. "Oh, what?"
"Nothing."
He narrowed his eyes.
"Uh, Jimin?" Hoseok was going to tread carefully with what he was about to say. "Does your rule have something to do with...you know who?"
"Areum?"
Hoseok nodded.
"Not at all," he disputed. "My life doesn't revolve around her, y'know."
"I know, Min, but I truly think this does. I also think you're afraid of another person leaving you and Eunha the way she did."
"You sound just like Tae."
Hoseok looked at Taehyung. "You've said it too?"
"Yeah, I have," he responded. "But he told me it was only about Eunha. He didn't want her getting her heart broken."
He gave his attention back to Jimin. "What about your heart?"
"Eunha's is the only one that matters," Jimin stated.
"You can't live this way forever, Min. You deserve happiness too."
A single tear streamed down his cheek. Taehyung quickly wiped it away for him. "Hobi hyung and I love you so much, Jimin. We just want to see you happy."
"And we know Eunha makes you happy," Hoseok added. "But there's a hole in your heart that she can't fill all on her own."
Jimin nodded. He understood what his best friends were trying to tell him. Eunha has made him the happiest he'd ever been in life. While this was true, he had missed the companionship of a romantic partner. Not that Areum was ever really his romantic partner in the first place. They were more like best friends than anything—the same way Taehyung and Hoseok were to him. The only time he and Areum had sex resulted in the birth of Eunha. Although Areum walked out on them, Jimin would never regret that night. That night gave him the greatest gift of all.
"Will you at least consider dating again?" Taehyung entreated.
"Yeah, it's not like you have to go out with someone tomorrow," Hoseok chimed in. "Just...think about it."
"Okay," Jimin acceded after much thought. "I'll try dating again."
Taehyung grinned. "You will?"
"Yes."
"Now, we just gotta figure out if Jungkook is gay."
Jimin groaned loudly.
"What?"
"One thing at a time, Tae," said Hoseok.
"Making a plan doesn't hurt."
"Well, genius, do you have any ideas?"
"We could just ask him," he suggested.
"That's a little personal, isn't it?" questioned Jimin.
Taehyung shrugged. "Then I got nothin'."
"Min," Hoseok began, "I think you should keep hanging out with Jungkook and keep building your friendship with him. You'll learn more about him. And, sooner or later, you're bound to figure out his sexuality."
"Good idea, Hyung," Taehyung commended. "I actually didn't know you were gay until six months after we became friends."
"You really thought Hobi hyung was straight?" Jimin giggled.
"Mhm. I was shocked when I found out," he shared.
"How did you find out?" asked Hoseok.
"I saw you kissing a dude," Taehyung laughed. "It was that Mingyu guy."
"Gross," he shuddered. "I can't believe I dated him."
"Yeah, what were you thinking?"
"Nothing, apparently."
Jimin chuckled. "I hope I don't have to wait six months to find out if Jungkook's gay."
"I doubt it. You two seem a lot closer than me and Tae were in the beginning."
"That's because you thought he was weird."
"You did?" Taehyung piped up, feigning a sad countenance.
"Just a little bit," Hoseok replied with a laugh. "The first time we hung out, you took Jimin and me to a sketchy underground club, drank a pitcher of alcohol, and danced with a bunch of shirtless foreigners on a table. How could I not think you were weird?"
"Hey, man. I just like to have a good time."
"I have to be honest though," Hoseok went on. "You're a great dancer."
"Are you saying I should join Hope World?"
"Sure. You can join one of Jimin's classes."
Jimin cackled at that.
"Really feelin' the love, Hyung," Taehyung lamented.
"Oh, hush. You know I love you," crooned Hoseok.
"Maybe I would know if you bought my food tonight."
"No, no," Jimin interjected. "I lost the bet. Dinner's on me."
***
The boys had sushi delivered to the house, and finished off two bottles of wine as they watched Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum. Wine made Hoseok sleepy, and at the start of their second movie, he passed out on the loveseat. Jimin was beginning to doze off too, so he rested his head in Taehyung's lap.
"Min," Taehyung mumbled.
"Hm?"
"You can't do this to me."
"Do what?" Jimin wondered.
"You know how I get when I'm drunk. And laying your head there isn't helping."
He gazed up at him. "Tae, we agreed it was a one-time thing."
"Yeah, we did," Taehyung concurred. "But can we make it a two-time thing?"
"Tae!" Jimin giggled. "I thought you wanted me to date Jungkook."
"So? You're not together yet. You're a free man, Min."
"We're not fucking," Jimin declared. "Besides, Hobi hyung is on the other couch. What if he woke up and saw?"
"Well, you have a car, don't you?"
"What are we? Teenagers?" he laughed.
"Oh, c'mon. When's the last time you had car sex?"
"When I was a teenager," Jimin deadpanned.
Taehyung ran his fingers through Jimin's hair. "You're no fun."
"Hey, I'm just sticking to the agreement."
"I get it," Taehyung nodded. "Friends shouldn't fuck anyway."
"I mean, they can."
"Just not when there's an agreement in place."
Jimin hadn't fucked anyone since Taehyung all those months ago. He was needy, and touching himself wasn't really cutting it lately. Jimin craved sex.
He considered hooking up with someone random to get his desires met. Jimin (and his dick) would feel better if he did. But why would he do it with a person he hardly knew when Taehyung was right in front of him?
Suddenly, Jimin grabbed the back of Taehyung's head, forcing him to lean down. Against his lips, he whispered, "Fuck the agreement."