It was so much better with the boys back. Jimin missed Hoseok and Jins energy. He missed talking with Namjoon until 1am about nothing specific.
He missed watching Yoongi cook.
He missed Jungkook and Taehyung most of all because being around them seemed to give him bursts of such energy. He felt so comfortable around them as days passed.
They got back into a nice routine with training for the comeback. And luckily it was Doyun from now on about 90% of the time so Jimin didn't have to worry about being overly sensitive around Jaewon. Or feeling anxious before practice.
Doyun even went out with Jimin again, this time in the evening to a bar where the two got to know each other a little more. They became merry and laughter filled the air for the rest of the night as they bonded. Jimin was thankful for that. Even though Doyun was older he didn't belittle Jimin, or use it as an excuse to boss him around.
He was more like a friend. An older brother. He was grateful to have him around.
During a break they had after a lot of dancing the boys were all sprawled out on the floor in the studio. Jungkooks head was on Jimins lap as they both scrolled through their phones
Jimins sudden giggle made Jungkook look up in curiosity.
"What's so funny?"
"Oh a funny text"
"Oh yeah from who?"
"San"
Jungkook hums out and rolls his back to the side for more comfort.
Giggle after giggle only got Jungkook more curious. So much so that at one point he simply grabbed the phone out of Jimins hand
"Hey!"
"I just wanna see"
San:
Jungkook eyes the photo, hums and hands it back to Jimin who doesn't have too happy of an expression in his face fight now.
"I didn't appreciate that" he said, softly since he didn't want to huff out at Jungkook. He couldn't. He held him in too high a regard.
"Me taking your phone?"
"Yes. Looking at my texts". Jimin clicks his phone shut and crossed his arms over his chest just to show that he meant his words.
"I'm sorry" Jungkook tells him
"Mm"
"Jiminie I am sorry"
"Okay"
Jungkook sits up and starts nosing at Jimins neck before speaking once more. "I really am I sorry"
The blonde purses his lips to stop the smile threatening to show. The action tickled him a little but he was still trying his best.
"Don't be angry with me. I'm the youngest. I don't know what I do half the time"
Such a fake excuse! Jungkook was still nosing higher and higher, managing to press a soft kiss to Jimins jaw as he finally got to his cheek. It was that moment where Jimin erupted into giggles and tried to push Jungkook off of him.
"Okay okay! Fine. It's okay. Stop tickling me"
"But I like doing it" Jungkook said with a smile on his face, his lips once more pressing against the soft skin of his jaw.
"Right everyone! Back to it!" Doyuns loud voice echoed through the room. Jimins heart sunk there and then. Pushing Jungkook off at such a speed, that he was surprised the boy didn't fly.
Heat flooded his whole body and he knew how red he would come off right now.
He was on his feet in an instant, trying to stop the ringing in his ears but to no avail. He was just praying Doyun didn't see anything.
The choreographer seemed to go off to speak to Namjoon and then took his spot in front of the group.
"Yall ready?"
Okay. Seemed fine right?
Jimin cleared his throat and took his spot next to Doyun.
"Jimin, ready?" The brunette turns to him and keeps eye contact. All Jimin can do is nod. But his heart stills
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
That evening after a group dinner Jungkook and Taehyung were chilling in the kitchen and talking about nothing in particular. That was until jungkook brought up the topic of Jimins new friend and it turned into a full blow conversation.
They spoke about how many times Jimin has been out with him. How often they text. And although they hated to say it they both were feeling a little jealous.
They couldn't spend all day every day together because with the new album coming out soon they were ridiculously busy.
They didn't want Jimin to feel lonely. But sometimes you can't help but let your mind stray.
"Don't you feel like he's been a little reserved lately?" Taehyung questions, stroking his black hair away from his forehead.
"Kind of yeah. I can't quite place my finger on it but it's just a little... different. Not even that. It's hard to describe. Shyer maybe".
That was enough for Taehyung to decide to speak to Jimin about this.
Taehyung :
Can you come downstairs to the kitchen for a second?
Jimin:
Sure one sec
The second he made it downstairs Jimin could feel as if he just walked in a conversation. Perhaps a conversation about him. The air felt a little odd but he did try to dismiss that. Afterall it could have just been the way Taehyung and Jungkook were coming off.
He sat himself down on one of the chairs and looked between the two with an innocent smile. "What's up? I feel like I've been called down by my parents to be scolded or something".
Jungkook chuckles and shakes his head. He doesn't want Jimin feeling that way. "Don't be silly. We just wanted to ask if you're okay? It's not that you've been off or different. But maybe a little like..?"
"You're so good with words Kook" Taehyung points out fondly as he rolls his eyes. He takes a step closer to the youngest member and leans down to press their lips together briefly. Jungkook pecks him back happily and smiles at his hyung when he pulls away. He'd let Tae speak then.
Watching the two peck made Jimin purse his lips out of shyness and look away, almost as if he was intruding on their own special moment. Taehyung remains standing between the pair and decides to thread his fingers through Jimins blonde hair, loving how soft it felt between his fingers.
"You don't hold back right? You're fully yourself with us?"
"Of course" Jimin replies, brows furrowing a little from confusion. Was he giving off a different vibe?
"Cos we don't want you to feel nervous or anxious or bad. I know this might still feel like a lot for you at times. I'm sure 4 months ago if someone told you you'd be working with Bangtan as their choreographer in Seoul, and "dating" two of the members your head would have exploded".
Jimin's eyes narrow down on Taehyungs fingers when they make the quote/unquote marks at the word dating. What was it that they were doing then?
That's the confusing part. It's never clarified. All he knows is that they're 'seeing' each other. As this supposed three. Are Taehyung and Jungkook seeing other people? Is it exclusive between the pair of them? Or the three of them? Jimin never asked, something within him prevented him from asking those questions.
It was the fear of being ridiculed. Or being made fun of. Or being so wrong that he would feel shame and embarrassment about what he thought they were, when the other two thought something different. Something lesser.
He wasn't ready to face that. All of these thoughts made Jimin realise how insecure he was about himself and this. But again, he wouldn't voice that out.
The fact that he had said nothing for a while now made Jungkook and Taehyung share a look. "Jiminssi?" Jungkook coaxes "You okay? You zoned out a little there?"
"Huh?" Oh crap he really had. "Oh uh. Yeah. I'm sorry. Didn't mean to. I'm not sure what I was even thinking about...". Lie.
"You know your friend?"
"Which one? San? Wooyoung?"
"San" Taehyung hums out.
Jimin nods and continues looking at Taehyung, wondering what else he was going to say. But in reality Taehyung didn't know either. He was trying to rack his brain to think of what he actually wanted to say without coming off weird. Or possessive.
He purses his lips in thought and just takes a couple of seconds to himself. "He... he knows not to like...He's not after you is he?"
"What do you mean after me?"
"He's not trying to date you. Cos like, you know"
"I don't know" Jimin replies back, cocking his head to the side to prove his point.
"Because you're seeing us. We're seeing you. And like. I don't mean to get jealous but I kind of am" Taehyung tells him. It's hard for him to admit this but I really needed to he said. They can't be avoiding the subject if it was making him feel a certain way. He can't get riled up, Jimin has given him no reason to but he doesn't know the other guys intentions. They don't know him. They've met once or twice sure, but they don't know how he has been texting Jimin.
For all they knew he was looking at Jimin like a predator would its prey, and Jimin would be too sweet or oblivious to notice.
"Me too" Jungkook adds from where he is sitting beside Jimin. He's a little more reserved in his expression but he has been feeling the same way. The thing is Jungkook had a bad habit of being jealous. Most of the time he would stew in his own doubts and jealousy until someone noticed and reassured him or he would just get over it himself.
So seeing Jimin texting that San so often and knowing they hung out quite a lot, well it got him thinking. He didn't want to be the jealous type. Like at all. You really can't be when you're seeing two people as opposed to one. "I just know you guys text a lot, and see each other a lot. And we don't know what he wants".
Jimin quirks his brows in confusion and looks between the pair, "He wants to be my friend. That's all that that's been. He's been here for me when I felt alone"
That seems to be like a dagger for both boys. It made them feel like they really weren't here enough for Jimin.
"Not that I have felt alone" Jimin was quick to add. "It's just nice to have friends. I love being with you two. God don't get me wrong. I do. But you guys have your friends too right? I had no one here but you"
"And it's good you're making friends. But are you sure that he wants nothing more than being your friend?"
"He's never given me any reason to think otherwise"
"How can you be so sure" Jungkook asks awkwardly. Jimin has never seen him in this light before and he tried as much as he could not to just gawk at him.
"He would have given me some kind of indication. Anything. For all you know I'm just his small escape to normalcy. He's famous too. He might have just wanted a friend who wasn't there for the fame. Someone ordinary. A no one like me. Someone they can hang out with. Stuff like that"
"Have you been to their studio?". Why does Jimin purse his lips a the question. Almost as if he was cheating on them or their studio. It was ridiculous really.
"I had a tour yeah".
"Were they all there or just you and him?" Tae can't help but ask.
Again somehow more guilt. But should he be feeling this way? He wasn't doing anything wrong. "What's with this interrogation". His tone had changed suddenly and the two could tell. It became lower, almost as if they more questions they asked the more annoyed Jimin became. And they really didn't want that. They didn't want to make him angry.
It was their own fears and insecurities speaking right now.
Jimin sensed the sudden change in the air the second the sentence left his mouth. So instead he let out a heavy breath, placing his phone on the table in order to be able to grab Jungkooks hand in his left, and Taehyung's hand in his right.
"Look. If he had some kind of backup intention than what he is showing me now, I'd tell him I wouldn't be able to be with him in such a way. He's my friend. That's all. I wouldn't even entertain the idea. You realise that right? "
Jungkook looks down at the way Jimin's small pale hand is gracefully placed on top of his own. It looks the complete opposite of his. Gentle and soft. When he meets the blond's eyes he just nods.
Taehyung finds himself nodding too.
"We're just...really into you Jimin. I don't want to come off jealous I'm sure Jungkook doesn't either, it's just that you're stunning, funny, talented, so sweet..." the more words he listed the more pink Jimin became. "And when you hold back, or are shy I think it's because maybe you're doubting or not wanting to be with us. It's just a worry of mine. Something I need to work on I guess. I'm sorry"
"No it's okay it's-..."
The sound of a new message alert echoes throughout the room. Jimin looks to the side but two more pairs of eyes follow too. Now all looking at the new text message glaring on the screen.
San:
I'm excited to see you tomorrow!
I have some new stuff to show you, see you at 2 blondie!
Unfortunate timing.
Jimin felt Taehyung's hand leave his suddenly and that made his heart drop.
"Definitely just friends huh?"
"That's how he texts"
"I don't like it" the brunette said, lips pursed tightly together, with his expression completely unamused.
"Does it matter? It's not like anything is happening. This is ridiculous".
"No he is" Taehyung almost sneered, voice dripping with frustration, as his finger pointed to the phone. "Why is he talking to you like you're such buddy buddies".
This was getting way out of hand. This was not meant to be how this conversation went.
Jimin gets brave with a very taken aback look he stands to his feet, not wanting to seem smaller by remaining sitting. "What is the matter with you. You just told me how this was a fear and I told you there is nothing you need to worry about. I won't be bullied into anything".
"I'm not bullying you. I'm just saying I don't like what's happening".
Jimin scoffs in disbelief and crosses his arms over his chest. "You're acting insane. You realise that? There is nothing going on between the two of us. We're just friends. How many times do I have to tell you this".
"He doesn't seem to know that" Taehyung exhales loudly.
"He does! Oh my god, if you were there you'd see how we talk about shops, and clothes, and good shoes for dance and the fucking river!"
The swearword echoed across the room and seemed to hang in the air. Like bad news. Jungkook had kept his head low this whole time. He didn't want to get involved. Not when it got this heated.
Jimin is almost shaking from the anger, the fear, the frustration, the emotions. He exhales multiple heavy breaths through his nose and continues looking at Taehyung whilst the elder seems to have his eyes trained to the table, or the ground. Either way he's not looking at Jimin.
It felt weird. Raising his voice at an idol. Someone he has admired. Someone he had grown to care for so much. But he knew when he had the right to speak up. Yes he could have been softer. Assured them. Assured Taehyung but would that have gotten him anywhere? He's already told him multiple times. And none of it seemed to matter. So yes he snapped. It felt wrong and weird. But he was tired.
Jimin takes a step closer to Taehyung and speaks out once more, softer this time. "He's a friend. My friend. One of three that aren't you guys in this whole city. He makes me feel a little less lonely. A little happy. But that's not to say you guys don't. Okay?".
His eyes look for any kind of response from the elder. But all he sees is the way Taehyung's jaw remains clenched, eyes still stuck on the table.
Jimin doesn't wait any more then. He turns on his heel and makes his way into his bedroom for the night.
Only once he's gone Taehyung releases a massive breath that he had been holding in. Once the air left his lungs he felt a little lighter but fuck he also felt bad. And confused. Lost.
Jungkook is up on his feet in the next second with his hand on the back of Taehyung's neck. He presses their foreheads together and allows him a second in silence to just digest it all.
"It's okay" he whispers out to him, lips pecking his hyung's tenderly but quickly. "It'll be fine".