➵ jimin
i left the house around noon. i wanted to get there early, and get myself a drink. i had to admit i was slightly nervous, as i was meeting a potential roommate for the first time without any sort of clue what he looked like.
i quickly pulled out my phone from my bag and opened our conversation from yesterday, and typed out a message to yoongi as i walked down the street.
me: hey, just realized we have no idea what each other looks like! i'm the dude with the silver hair and denim jacket! :)
yoongi: good 2 know! i'll see you soon
when that was done i put my phone back in my pocket. soon the coffee shop entered my sight and i began to walk faster.
when i pushed open the door, taehyung looked up from the counter where he was serving a customer. he shot me a smile and gave me a quick nod, but turned back to tending to the customer's order. i found a spot in the corner, by the window. after taking out the apartment file from my bag, i browsed on my phone for a few minutes.
when the line had died down i approached the counter with a grin. taehyung returned the wide smile. "hey, nice to see you again," he greeted. "i also realize i never got your name?"
"you too. and it's jimin, by the way."
taehyung nodded. "so what can i get you?"
"hmm, you know what, give me the same as last time." i requested.
"can do."
i reached into my pocket to retrieve my wallet and pulled out a couple bills, but a hand reached around me and placed a bill on the counter for me. i turned my head: a boy about my age stood next to me, probably only a centimetre or two taller than me, with a cute gummy smile on his gorgeous face. he was clad in a black jacket and light washed jeans rolled up at the cuff, white sneakers on his feet. blonde hair that looked softer than a cloud parted to one side of his face and the most captivating pair of brown eyes i'd ever seen.
"i'll pay for him. i'll also take a large latte, please." he told taehyung. looking to me, he stuck out his hand. "i'm yoongi."
now a smile spread across my face. "jimin. but i assume you already knew that," i laughed. "or do you do this for every stranger?"
yoongi blushed and grinned as we stepped to the side to wait for our drinks.
"i have to say, you're nothing like what i pictured," murmured yoongi.
i raised an eyebrow. "and how exactly did you picture me?"
he smiled devilishly. "mostly, naked and on my bed–"
"yoongi!" i gasped, lightly smacking him in the chest. my face went beet red and i kept my head down so he wouldn't see.
he just laughed. "i'm kidding. no, to be honest i pictured you more along the lines of a thirty-something, prematurely balding guy in a white cutoff shirt that had recently moved out of his parents house."
i stifled a laugh. "sounds just like me, i don't know what you're talking about."
"drinks up." taehyung called, sliding them across the counter to us. we took them, each taking a long sip, and headed to the table i'd previously claimed.
i sat down, opening up the file folder is left on the table. i rifled through it and removed a short stack of papers to hand over to yoongi. the contract i'd gotten from the landlord, photos, all work orders, you name it.
i gave him time to read through and sign the papers while i stepped outside to make a phone call. i leaned against the brick exterior of the coffee shop, squinting from the sun that shone down on the pavement.
quickly i scrolled through my contact list and dialled. i waited; it rang seventeen times before the voicemail picked up.
"hey, you've reached the number of park jihyun, leave your name and number and i'll try my best to get back to you as soon as possible! bye!"
"hey, jihyun. it's me. um. i don't know what eomma and appa told you, but i'm so sorry. it wasn't my choice. they...they made me leave. i miss you guys so much. please, sometime, give me a call. i love yo–." beep.
i sighed, pain filling my chest. my shoulders hunched as i lowered my head so not to let any of the passersby see the tears trickling down my cheeks.
suddenly, i felt a hand on my shoulder. i turned and looked up, hastily wiping away the tears. "y-yoongi?"
he smiled gently at me, either not noticing the fresh tear tracks or choosing not to say anything about it. "hey, i just came to find you since i finished with the papers. looks like we're all set, roomie."
***
"what about you?" yoongi asked as i put the documents back into my file folder. i stopped and looked up, meeting his unreadable dark eyes.
"what about me?"
"how did you picture me?"
"oh," i blushed. "i'm." i averted his watchful gaze and slid him a short stack of papers across the table. "i don't know, like some sort of an emo, soundcloud rapper?"
yoongi burst into fits of laughter. "well you got the rapper part right! i do rap. it's more of a secret hobby, but i've always dreamed of being a really famous rapper." he looked down as he finished his last sentence, but never lost the smile he seemed to have had engraved on his face all day.
"hey, um, can i ask you something?"
yoongi shrugged. "shoot."
i stared at him, trying to find the right way to phrase the question i wanted to ask. but the longer i got lost in his eyes the more i just wanted to bite my tongue and shut up.
"you know what, never mind," i waved my hand around as if i was dismissing someone. "anyway, it was really nice meeting you, yoongi. i'm excited for this. it'll be fun."
we stood up and shook hands, a weirdly formal gesture. as we walked to the door together, my hand accidentally brushed against his. yoongi didn't say anything or react, although i know he felt it.
the blonde haired boy gave me one last smile before walking off.