Chapter 43: It's a no
A bouquet of blue roses takes up all the space in the trash can under Jimin's work desk. It is seen by people who've been walking by since it's too big to actually fit.
"Mr. Park?" One of the receptionists reaches out to him. A young lady in her mid 20s who Jimin has been saying 'good morning' to everyday.
"Oh not again." Jimin lets out a sigh. "If it's from the same person, I'm not still accepting calls."
"There's another message for you from that same person." The same lady informs me casually. "The Jeon Jungkook."
Jimin lets out a sign. He knows it must be disturbing for the receptionist who's been walking to his desk many times.
"Here." The lady hands Jimin the post-it. "I wrote it down. It's his order to write the exact words he said."
'Let's go and have lunch? Can we talk about things over lunch?'
Jimin scraps the post-it into a tiny messy ball before he throws it in the bin to join the other messy balls at the bottom waiting for more to come.
'Jimin, please pick up the phone.'
'Jimin, I said the truth. It was not what you believed. I swear.'
'Jimin, please reply to my text.'
'Jimin, can I go to your office? Can we talk?'
All the messages Jungkook passed on. How desperate can he be to pass this kind of message to the receptionist?
He looks up at the receptionist. "I'm sorry for your inconvenience. Seriously. Chung-ah right? Please call me Jimin."
"I know what your name is." Chung-ah says, glancing at the trash can. "Beautiful roses you threw away." She chuckles. "The Jeon Jungkook is actually getting rejected. This is satisfying."
"I'm not rejecting him. Just. I won't talk to him." Jimin says. "Why is it satisfying though?"
"Who would have thought I'd get to see Jeon Jungkook in this state? Normally, he's very strict at work. I used to work at Tradi, his mom's company. He always looks intimidating. We like him. He's hot and all , but like, how can someone be so serious all the time with his assistant trying to follow his walking pace. It's funny. Anna Wintour's assistant energy." Chung-ah continues. "It's not that he's known as a player, but my friend went to college the same year as him. He's not the one who chases. He just breathes, and it works like a magnet."
"Trust me. He's not chasing." Jimin rolls his eyes, knowing Jungkook is doing this for his own good. It's not new to Jimin though. Jungkook doesn't chase. "What kind of coffee do you like? I'm asking because I feel bad that the calls have been disturbing you."
"Black coffee is fine, but seriously, it's already busy at our desk. Can you please just answer his call from your phone? That would help us much better than coffee."
Jimin bites his bottom lip. He knows it's disturbing, and Jungkook doesn't seem to stop calling any time soon. "I'll make sure to stop him. Sorry again."
"It's fine. I'll make sure to throw away the other things delivered to you from Jeon Jungkook." Chung-ah says. "I would appreciate coffee though. Not only me. There's two of us at the reception desk."
"Noted. Two black coffees? I'll bring them tomorrow morning." Jimin informs.
"Yes, it sounds great. Hope you make up with your man."
"He's not my man!" Jimin raises his voice at Chung-ah who's already walking away. Jimin just quickly unblocks Jungkook on his phone. He doesn't have a choice but to send a text to stop further interruption at the reception desk.
'Stop spamming. Stop calling. Just back off. I'm serious.'
Jimin
Letting out a sigh, Jimin looks at the screen of his laptop. He's been trying to focus, but he's not been able to. Actually, Jimin has not been able to focus since the last couple days when he was informed about the arranged marriage. Stupid arrange marriage. Jimin never imagined it would occur to him in this lifetime with the era he's born in. And with the stupid Jeon Jungkook who's been breaking his heart many times.
Jimin scoffs at how Jungkook was trying to explain things, saying that this is not about the benefits. Who would buy that? It's Jungkook he's talking about.
However, the reason why Jimin can't seem to put his mind to rest is the fact that he has to give an answer. It's beyond irritating to think about it because in this condition, it seems that he only has one answer without any choices. His parents have been extremely kind to him. They accept him for who he is, and Jimin wants to return the favor, but marriage?
As much as Jimin wants to stay away from the thoughts, he can't because whenever he tries to focus on work, it'd remind him about his mom losing Ploy magazine to Lee, and that marriage is the only way to save it.
However, their parents are known as best friends. Isn't that already powerful? Do they really need this marriage? Jimin guesses it's just more trustworthy. He never cares much about business, but if this is for business only, then it can simply be just documents for the press. He doesn't need to actually live that marriage life with Jungkook. It would not be that difficult, but wait.
What about his sex life? Getting married to Jungkook only means he can't have fun in that field. They'll be in the public eye. It's not that they're super famous, but they're known in the business world, and this is a social media world we're living in.
How long would this marriage last? Don't even think about having more sex with Jungkook. Jimin doesn't even want to look at him right now. Sex with Jungkook is off the table in this case. He hates those big doe eyes so much. They make his stomach twisted so badly from anger and... and...
"Jimin-shi." The familiar voice calls out to him, waking him up from his thoughts. He's sure it's Chung-ah, the same receptionist. "Mr. Je-"
"I'm so sorry. Is it another call? I sent him a te-" Jimin says while he's turning his head to Chung-ah, and the person who's standing behind her makes his eyes grow bigger. It's Jungkook. The owner of the big doe eyes that make Jimin's stomach twist. "What are you doing here?" Jimin raises his voice before looking around to see if people are watching them. Fortunately, most of them seem to be working on their things. "This is my work time. You're not supposed to invade like this."
"I'm here to meet ajumma. Yuna-shi, I mean." Jungkook informs, looking at Jimin in a serious manner before he glances at Chung-ah who's not so intimidated by him. "Thanks for leading the way. Please go back to work."
"Alright. Yuna-shi wants you in her office too." Chung-ah informs us before she turns around. "Looking forward to the coffee." She then walks away.
"What coffee?" Jungkook asks.
"I'm buying her coffee because some stupid motherfucker won't stop spamming." Jimin says as he gets up.
"That's the only way to reach you." Jungkook follows Jimin who starts walking.
No word is uttered from Jimin until they reach Yuna's office. He pushes the transparent glass door to enter, making sure he won't hold the door open for the taller figure who's behind him. "Because I don't want to hear from you. Can't you just listen and stay away?" Jimin says once he's already in the office. It wouldn't look nice if his mean words are heard by the employees.
"Hello, ajumma." Jungkook bows. He then turns to Jimin.
"Eomma." Jimin utters.
"Have a seat." Yuna orders. "Jungkook, sorry about what happened. Jimin, you're not supposed to tell the security to ban Jungkook like that. He's a family."
And her words cause Jimin to roll his eyes. "He's acting so much like a stalker nowadays."
"That's fine ajumma. I believe I deserve this. I may have crossed the line."
"You definitely have." Jimin assures. "Did you know he tricked me to talk to him when I said I needed time. He came to my apartment, and he tried to act like a delivery guy. Thanks to the security guard who remembered his face. He also kept sending me things. He can't take no as an answer and become a stalker. This doesn't include him using other random phone numbers and spamming me with tons of text, but don't worry. He's blacklisted at my apartment." The calls from random phone numbers stopped when Jimin finally reached out to his parents.
"What was I supposed to do? For god sake, you can't just go silent like that. No one has been able to reach you. Not even your parents." Jungkook's voice became stronger.
"First, I always check in with Tae. He will always know when I'm in a risk situation. Second, I'm not a kid who doesn't think. I know how to take care of myself very well. It was even less than the whole two days. Last, I said I'd reach out. Did you lose your ears somewhere?" Jimin raises his voice.
"Who knows what could have happened? You could have been in danger. I needed to make sure you're fine. You were alone, and I was not sure if you're fine, mentally." Jungkook raises his voice too. Knowing that he's caused pain so many times, Jungkook doesn't want Jimin to go through mental struggles again ever.
"Are you my parents now? I thought it's something like fiance the last time we met." Jimin won't back down. "Why? Are you worried that if I ghosted you, you won't be able to make profits out of this marriage?"
"Jimin, I made it clear. It's not about that." Jungkook's voice keeps getting louder.
"And I made it clear I needed time. Why are you even here?"
"Enough." Yuna utters casually like the fight is not affecting her that much. "It's good that Jungkook is here."
"Did you call him here?" Jimin asks his mom, crossing his arms and legs after he sits on the couch. "Don't come near me." He glares at Jungkook who sits beside him on the couch. The taller male just decides to sit on the single couch that's placed next to the one Jimin's sitting on.
"I came here for you, but the security didn't let me in. I was banned, not surprisingly." Jungkook looks down on the floor. "I had to call ajumma."
"And Jimin, it's not professional to ban Jungkook out of the office over something personal. It's a bad reputation for him and us." Yuna lets out a sigh.
"I'm sorry eomma, but do you know how many times he called the reception? He even sent the hideous bouquet. This is a workplace. He's not so professional himself."
Yuna shakes her head looking at Jungkook. "It's so not you."
"I was desperate." Jungkook hates this kind of behavior. Sending flowers to the workplace. Passing personal messages. Doing things he hates just to talk to Jimin. To meet Jimin.
Letting out a sigh, Yuna takes out her glasses before she looks at Jimin and Jungkook. "Jimin, I don't want you to feel forced. I know that our last talk might make you feel you have no choice. It's bad to say that you guys are getting married like that in a forced manner. We didn't know you and Jungkook had such a serious fight. I had no idea what was going on between you two is not going well. I thought it's romance, and that's why I thought you guys getting married would be an ok option. We were wrong to think that. It's still wrong to speak about marriage even if you guys were a couple. I mean it's something you guys should decide along the way. We shouldn't just drop that bomb on you guys. It's selfish of us."
"Eomma, I-I just needed time."
"I'll choose for you." Yuna utters. "It's a no."
"What?" Jimin and Jungkook speak in unisons.
"We thought about it clearly. We don't want to force you. It'd be difficult, and it's my mistake. You're not supposed to take that responsibility for me." Yuna lets out another sigh. "No marriage. We'll take care of everything, and we'll take the consequences."
"Ajumma, it's your company we're talking about. We're trying to save it." Jungkook says.
"It's fine Jungkook. This brain can create another 10 companies if it wants." Yuna smiles. "I don't want you guys to struggle. Marriage should happen naturally."
"Eomma." Jimin utters, not knowing what to say. He can feel the pain through her soft smile.
"You have a life to live." Yuna smiles.
"Are you sure about this?" Jungkook asks.
"I'm sure about this. We are sure about this." Yuna glances at her desk. "By the way, Jungkook, I'll see you tonight at that cheesecake opening event? I forgot the name"
"Yes, see you." Jungkook lets out a quiet chuckle. "It's 'Puff'"
"The name is kinda cute." Yuna chuckles too. "Jimin, are you coming? You love cheesecake."
"I-I don't know." Jimin utters. His mind is still on what his mother mentioned earlier, but Jimin doesn't know what to say. No words he can squeeze out of him at this moment. "I'm gonna go back to work. I'll call you tonight, eomma." Jimin doesn't wait for his eomma to say anything back. He just walks out from her office, feeling so many things at once.
"Jimin."
A strong hand holds his arm, pausing him from walking. "I really need to be alone right now."
"Marry me."
No sign of anger. Jimin doesn't know where all her anger went. Jimin doesn't have that energy to be mean to Jungkook. Not right now. He just looks at Jungkook, confusingly. "I'll see you later."
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End of chapter
A/N: As promised.