Jimin's POV
"You staying". Yoongi Hyung says beside me skimming the building enveloped with pitch darkness, to have a better look I turn the lights on. It's difficult to tell if that was a question or a suggestion. Hoseok is snoring softly, comfortably tucked in Hyung's jacket. He slept just after entering the car mumbling about some bratty dancers.
"I have to attend a meeting tomorrow, so I'll probably leave". I tell him, looking at him I find him already observing me, he contemplates, eyes soft as the golden light descends on him, his usually pale skin flushed red after drinks.
"It's getting late", I open my mouth to make an excuse, but he beats me to that "stay". Stay, such a simple utterance, he makes it sound a a proposition, you can negate but you won't, it won't be a bad idea I believe after pondering, I'll just leave early in the morning. Yeah.
After dragging Hoseok into the apartment and pushing him onto the bed, "is this your bedroom?" the question slips mindlessly. I have been here before, in Hyung'a apartment ,waiting for him, having discussions about projects, and occasionally with Taehyung. But never in his bedroom, it was just a few steps away but felt like a an intimate space, reserved for him and his close friends. He didnt turn the lights on probably to let Hoseok sleep peacefully.
He hums, the lights from the living room illuminating the room to some extent, removing Hoseok's shoes, and the bright neon socks on display, we both share amused looks, and tucking him we leave the snoring dancer alone.
Before backing off I trail behind to have a good look, hoping to find something, the grey curtains flutter with a gust of wind as I near the windows, and a frame yield my attention, with dim light its arduous to comprehend but it must be memorable, the first thing he encounters after waking up, maybe another day i'll catch a glimpse of it.
"Taehyung said you are not comfortable with people invading your personal space ". He regards the words for a moment, barging into the kitchen and opening the freezer for the water bottle, he passes one to me. I decline, a warm cup of green tea with lemon slices would suffice the proceeding headache and puffy eyes. The headache accompanying during meetings where eyes bore to every fucking move i make , lingering and wishing for me to make a a clown of myself , the hangover are worse.
"Is that why you made excuses when I asked you to stay". He question, and no, I didn't. I just thought he wouldn't let Hoseok sleep in his bed. But maybe that also. Shaking my head I try to negate the questioning gaze.
"He didn't mean it like that, I don't like when people invade my space but that's for people, strangers, you are not a stranger and I asked you for that", He explains, Taehyung has once let out when one of the piano students was being too friendly with him.
He takes one of the bottles and drinks the water studying the contents of the fridge back facing me. "You prefer lemon slices on green tea or not ". His voice resonates in the empty kitchen.
Collecting a few tea bags he points at the lemons on the left side. I nod, sharing the previous thoughts, it was as if he could read my mind.
"You once mentioned you take green tea to stave off hangovers". He adds with a smile, not the whole gummy smile, Taehyung can easily evoke that smile. He has maybe got some super powers to make anyone like him. He even has capability to make Jeon Jungeuk laugh , all giddy a sight worth seeing.
With the water set on the stove, he joins me, sitting beside me on the swivel stool. "You dance really well". His eyes glisten with an emotion I couldn't put a finger on, his genuineness always astonishes me without any sugar coating, the genuineness i'm not used to, he would state if he appreciates you or not. There isn't a middle way, I even in million years couldn't relate to that.
"it was nothing, I don't usually dance -you know, I was just drunk maybe that is it, yeah, I was just so drunk". And here I go my wordiness, My dance or pole dancing to be exact was a senseless idea and I was stupid enough to work on that thought, too drunk to think clearly but he had laughed as i proposed the idea. Without much thought i swirled around ,in my fuzzy thoughts I recall his expression, the surprise flickering on usually calm features, it was worth the amazement in his eyes directed at me.
"It was great, I had no idea you could perform with that excellence. Taehyung and Hoseok became your fans right there.", he adds further a smile appearing, and I remember the hollering as Taehyung shouted at the top of his lungs 'Jimin you rock ', with each swing his smile widened maybe it was the naively soft-hearted nature that Jungkeuk adores greatly.
Yoongi Hyung gets up, searches the cabinets, and comes back with the jar, of brown chocolate cookies with cute smiley faces, "You keep a cookie jar, that's so unlike you". I couldn't hide the shock.
With a childish look he opens it, "you don't know me, I am full of surprises ". Even though I try to hold back my giggles but the way he sings songs in a measly rap line, I burst into laughter. He passes me one, a round cookie with small chocolate chips, the fragrance of chocolate wafting, making it irresistible. I take the jar, observing them all to know his taste.
He stuffs his mouth with more cookies. I follow, tasting the sweetness melt on my tongue, it's been so long since I had a sweet, these sugary sweets at late night must be avoided but who cares. "Jimin, don't tell Tae about this". His voice is soft merely a whisper, someone else would probably think we are discussing a top secret.
Seeing the serious expression I inquire further, his body leans further our elbows brushing"He has a sweet tooth, once he knows I keep cookies he will raid this whole place and eat up all of them, Jungeuk already spoils him a lot".
And he would, from the time we have spent together I could confirm. Taehyung barging into the kitchen with a kicked-puppy expression accusing Hyung of the biggest betrayal in the century.
"Taehyung and Jungeuk seem quite close". I ask sounding casual.
Without much thought Yoongi Hyung agrees, this was a quick response as it was a universal truth, getting the mugs and poring tea, he adds " They have been friends for as long as I remember, ever since Tae came to Seoul, I guess. They never fight, not even little arguments. They are just best buddies".
Friends, yeah, they are just friends. But friends don't look at other like that, the way Jungeuk gaze at Tae, his doe eyes sparkling, a soft smile accompanying his whole attention. The attention many would die to have but Taehyung would have it, the undivided attention. Taehyung doesn't have to be like those girls with ostentatious cosmetics and appealing bodies, he would talk about stupid ice cream flavors and Jungeuk would stare with adoration.
With more time spent together, I saw and I wish I was not observant enough to notice, the way on arrival, Jungeuk's eyes would trail the whole gathering, and then not seeing Taehyung he would state restless, eyes roaming 'where is Taehyung Hyung?' as if he was the only person that mattered and how a smile blossom upon finding him, friends he says and maybe I am just exaggerating things, but why the softness is reserved just for him.
I have witnessed, Jungeuk with his girlfriends, hookups he never looked at them with that dazed look. Even at those crazy parties, lips on lips, his hands trailing their waist. He never smiled at them, they were only granted a smirk.
"Taehyung, he isn't from Seoul?" I ask instead, perhaps assuming things that are not even authentic, and I wish it is mere my over thinking. Maybe, they are friends, really close acquaintances . Jungeuk, out of all people knows the consequences of these things, finding comfort in places he isn't supposed to will only be a dead end.
"No, he is from Daegu, came here for studies", comes a quick respose.
"You know Jungeuk, you both are from Busan?" he inquiries his fingers moving lazily on the mug lid, and my thoughts involuntarily wander back to the past, I used to know him, once he was a shy boy all big eyes roaming around 'Hyung, should I do this he would ask, innocently. And I being an elder used to scold, 'I am your Hyung, listen to me', my orders would go deaf ear as he continued the mischievous acts.
"We used to, our parents still share an amicable bond but we just kinda drifted apart as we came to Seoul". I shrug, showing casualness, of course, he never talked about me, Hyung sips his tea, and nods "It happens, Jungeuk well..." he hums, his scrutinizing gaze flickers "he didn't use to talk a lot when he first came, only Tae could manage to interact with him and he would let him, he is introverted and reserved but he opens up slowly, it just takes time". With a reassuring smile he tells, Hyung it's better this way, I want to let out but keep it to myself. It's better this way.
"Reserved and introverted", with wiggling eyebrows I tease, "you sure not talking about yourself Hyung". His brows shoot up arms moving upward in defense "Me!"
"Hyung, it took me months of pestering to let you introduce me to your friends".
"It was because I thought you all won't get along, your friend circle is so alien to mine". He sputters. I had insisted on meeting Hyung's friends the ones he would talk about, partially because I never believed he had companions in the first place.
We stay silent only the slight ticking sound of the clock and our shallow breaths being noticeable sounds.
I look around at the mugs, Taehyung had once held each of them, introducing them like family members, the yellow one with bright flowers and a YOLO printed belongs to Hoseok Hyung, the one with giant russet orbs, a puppy was his and a mug, white plastered with a bunny the eyes peeking and only ears clearly shown were, of course, Jungeuk, he had said grinning ear to ear, the last one was a sleepy cat which for apparent reasons belonged to Yoongi Hyung, as I guessed, and was an inside joke comparing Hyung's irregular sleeping to kitten naps. Mine is yet to bought, a purchase for another day. Hoseok and Taehyung said they know a shop where they sell self designed or selected prints, for now it was a plain mug and I wish I could go earlier to buy it, just to have my possession here with them.
After having our tea and some additional talk I slept, with a pleased feeling. It's the first time someone has appreciated my dancing, even though not a lot of people know about it in first place but Yoongi Hyung, saying that he likes it was something worth remembering, the amazement directed at me was enough to pacify any leftover headache.
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Here goes Jimin's first POV nd hopefully Jimin will appear near future.
Hope y'all enjoy, it's a short chapter though 💜