The playful tone of his voice was reminescent of a time long passed but still it made Jimin's weak heart flutter in his chest. His steps faltered on the way up to Jungkook's apartment. Luckily, the other man didn't seem to notice which left him enough time to recover.
They reached his floor and stopped before a locked door. He watched Jungkook punch the code in the keypad above the doorknob. Light going from red to green signaling with a dull clicking sound that the door had been unlocked. He followed Jungkook inside.
The cramped foyer was lit. The lawyer was taking off his shoes when a distinctly little girl's voice rang out making his back stiffened.
“Daddy!” Naeun rushed to fling herself in her dad's arms. Both hugged. It's touching and he couldn't help his gaze from softening as he watched overt hem
“
Naeunie, you recall this man he is Daddy's friend.” Jungkook introduced him after his little daughter and him had parted and he was back on his feet. Big brows doe eyes pinned him. Jimin gulped as once again he noted how alike Naeun was to Jungkook.
“Nice to meet you again.” He said, holding out a hand for the girl to shake. Which she did, cracking a small, shy smile.
Naeun nodded.
“You saved daddy from the bad men.” It was a baffling statement a little far fetched too but before the lawyer could kindly correct her, she let go of Jungkook's hand and threw herself into his arms. He stilled, eyes widening with shock.
Jungkook smiled.
“She likes you.” Jimin let out a strangled sound. He wasn't used to children as he almost never interaced with them so he didn't know what reaction was appropriate to this unexpected display of affection. The few people he knew were also childless. Of course it happened that clients came to his office with theirs kids but generally his assistant took care of them.
In the end he opted for a light tap on the back, ignoring Jungkook's snicker. He could feel himself blushing. Minutes flied by and she let go of him.
He swallowed down thickly, his gaze skipping Jungkook to directly land on the neighbour that had looked after Naeun.
He didn't miss how Mrs Ahn's eyes travelled back and forth between Jungkook and him, a small smile curving up in the corner of her thin lips. He coughed, uncomfortable. He shoved his hand in his pocket, crossing the fouer to stand before her. She's a lot shorter than him but she held her head high which denoted how unimpressed she was with him. It heightened the respect he already felt for her. He pulled his wallet out, counting a few ten thousand wons bills that he handed her.
She shook her head, waving a hand.
“No, I didn’t look after the kid because I expectd a recompense.” She said after a beat.
Jimin nodded, not insisting as he knew that kind of person. He followed her eyes as she stared at Jungkook.
“I saw what happened the other night.” she tsked. “Handcuffing a man infront of his daughter, law enforcement isn't what it used to be but I'm glad to see you have people on your side.” she added after a sidelong look to Jimin.
Jungkook stuttered, bowing slightly. “Thank you again Mrs Ahn.”
She scoffed, grabbing her bag.
“If you need anything else, you know where to find me.” She stated before exiting the apartment after one last hand wave at Naeun and a smile.
Both men listened the door shut and let out a sigh of relief before catching themselves. They exchanged a glance and burst into a fit of thunderous laughter.
Jungkook shot him a wry look, his hands on his sides.
“She is so scary I never know how to act around her.” he confessed, Jimin who’d noticed nodded. Naeun didn't spare them a glance, too busy watching her favorite cartoons.
“I'm forever indebted, hyung.”
He shrugged like it was nothing. Jimin had just done what anyone else would have. He did not say it though just pulled off his coat as the roomwas warm and he was starting to sweat. He folded it neatly in two and set it on the back of a chaise, sitting down and crossing his legs.
His head whipped up, catching Jungkook staring at him, expression unreadable. His former friend started, coughed and looked away.
“It's my job as your lawyer.” He said after a heavy silence. The tension between them was back and they still hadn't addressed the most important. If Jimin wanted to get the latter out of this mess it was of the utmost importance that they talked. The accusations laid against him was severe. Jungkook could get a life sentence in jail if it was proven that he had a hand in Yuna's death and he didn't want that. So they needed to switch to offensive mode and counter attack quick and fast to bury these ridiculous accusations. Jimin was certain that the younger man was innocent. There's no way Jeon Jungkook could kill someone but his opinion didn't matter and though the police officers who had investigated the case had all concluded that it's an accident, they're still waiting for the autopsy's result.
If this came back positive then there would be a new investigation and maybe even a trial. Jungkook would be prime suspect because of his past with Yuna.
The other man's smile dimmed at his words.
“We will I promise but I need to take a shower first and at something. I'm famished. He let out and immediately Jimin's thoughts derailed off tracks and images of a naked Jungkook with water dripping down him flooded his mind.
He faked a look at his watch.
Grumbling “Fine, take a shower.”
He waited until Jungkook had skipped down the hall to glance up, sighing.
This was going to be a long night.
An hour later, Jimin was sitting across Naeun at the kitchen's table while a mouth watering smell of red cabbage kimchi, diced tofu, mince pork and other vegetable stewing gently in the pot wafted in the air. Dazzled the lawyer watched a Jungkook who'd just gotten out of the shower and dressed quickly inan oversized white tee and jeans so tight they looked like they'd been painted straight on him. His hair were pitch black wet and messy as he hadn't dried them with droplets of water trickling down his temple to his chiseled chin. He squashed the furious need he felt to lick him.
He gulped, enraptured as the latter brought the ladle to his lips, tasting the dish
Jimin shifted around in his seat, feeling himself hardening in his pants. He rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt and rested his elbows on the table.
The younger man's voice rang out, tearing him out of his thoughts, Jiming glanced up.
“Could you set the table?”
He nodded, jumping on his feet grateful to finally have something to do. Idleness led him to have dirty fantasies about the other man. He set down plates and cutleware. All of this was eerily cozy and familiar. A little snippet into what a life with Jungkook would look like.
Jimin didn't know what's wrong with him but as he was done and Jungkook flashed him a big smile he felt a flared of anger burst inside him.
It wasn't directed at Jungkook though as he could never hate the man. He brushed lightly Jungkook's arm as he paused to look inside the pot. He stared at him, puzzled a fuzzy warm feeling spreading inside of him.
“Kimchi Jjigae.”The latter replied to his silent question before grapping the pot and placing it down at the center of the table, urging Jimin to sit back down.
His heart pound in his chest as it sunk in that Jungkook had cooked his favorite dish.
He still remember. He gulped, lowering himself down on his seat.
He realized as Jungkook poured a few ladles of the stew in the bowls that he's mad at Yuna. Yes it was a fierce hatred he felt for the late woman. She had everything he always wanted but couldn't. Jungkook's love and a family with him but instead of cherishing it as she should've, the foolish woman had thrown it away.
He could never understand what possessed her to do something like that because if Jimin could have had just a percent of that he would have been the happiest man alive.
He stifled a tear that threatened to roll out of his eye as he accepted the bowl. He muttered a small thank you before helping himself to some rice.
The dish was delicious, the best he'd in a while.
Jimin had left because he had thought it was the best, selfless decision for them all but perhaps he'd been rash and had given up too soon because look at the result. He'd an amazing career but still felt empty and Jungkook, the brightest of them all was being dragged through the mud after losing all his illusions.
The lawyer wasn't going to let this go further. He would save Jungkook.
A/N: Really sorry for the delay. There's no excuses. For those who hadn't abandoned this fic, thanks and I really want to read what you think. I will update more often from now on.
Ps: Also I have published a 2nd fic so if you want check it out.