∽𝒟∽
Jieun couldn't stop staring at him.
Her mouth went dry at the sight of his, damn near perfect, smile. As was his hair, his teeth, his eyes.
Truth to be told, for a 19-year old boy, who wasn't athletic like Jimin, Jungkook sure looked like he'd the shape of one. And there was something very appealing about that. She caught herself wondering if his body was really how appeared to be under that dark grey shirt he was wearing.
Jieun had made a "list" of things she liked about Jungkook, but never imagined it could extend so much. Every now and then, she'd find something else on him that made her stomach flip.
Like the way he smelled when he was so close...
Automatically, she bit her lip, thanks to her very inappropriate thoughts.
And as if he could read them, his eyes stopped on her figure and smiled.
"So, which one is it?" someone inside the big circle of friends asked.
"Sorry..." he snapped out. "What was the question again? I wasn't listening."
"How do you like it."
Jieun glanced instantly at Seulgi at her side on the couch.
The girl had her eyes locked on Jungkook because she also seemed to be very curious to know whatever they had asked him, which Jieun couldn't recall what it was.
"Mm..." he mused, slightly frowning.
The students leaned in promptly; no one thought he'd actually answer for real. Jieun's curiosity only grew, and she was about to question her friend when Jungkook opened his mouth to reply:
"It depends... sometimes I like it hard and fast..."
"See?!" a guy shouted. "I knew it!"
The celebrations only stopped when Jungkook's voice interrupted to continue slowly. "But then later," his tone darker as his head turned to meet Jieun again, holding her gaze there. "...nice and slow."
Everybody else had their mouths dropped, except for Jieun, who thought that her heart had stopped beating. Although she couldn't keep looking at him after his response, the strange heat in his gaze had knocked the breath out of her. She wasn't blushing... she was on fire.
The silence was only for a moment until the boys started yelling again, patting his back as Jungkook took his cup up to his mouth, downing fast.
Jieun leaned her back on the couch, trying everything she could to look normal, and not show how agitated she was becoming after each stupid game.
Seulgi fanned herself with a hand. "God... Your friend is just- God..."
"He's just what?" Jieun muttered. "A pervert?"
"That too," she laughed.
"Alright!" Jimin's friend called out their attention back. "What now?"
"We can play truth or dare," suggested a girl.
For a while, they all glanced at each other, considering this comment.
Jimin broke the silence first. "That's stupid. Can we play something else?"
"I think it's cool," Seulgi said, and many others agreed with her.
"Whatever," he shrugged. "You're the party queen. Enjoy yourself."
She grinned satisfied. "'Awesome! San, are you guys done with that?"
San, one of the students, drank the rest from the bottle before placing it on top of the coffee table.
"Ok, who's first?" Seulgi asked, crossing her hands together.
Since nobody made a move, the girl rolled her eyes in annoyance, spinning the bottle herself. "Fine, I'll go."
After a few seconds, the bottle stopped between Jimin and some blonde-hair girl named Mina. Seulgi leaned back to watch.
"Truth or dare?"
Jimin sighed. "Truth."
"Everybody thinks you're quite handsome... Why are you still single?"
Jimin heard giggles around the circle. Grinning, he answered, "I haven't found the right girl yet."
The giggles immediately turned to muffled 'aw's, which made Seulgi roll her eyes 180 degrees. "'Ok, lover boy. Your turn."
The game continued for some time, but Jieun wasn't really paying attention to what was going on... until the bottle pointed at her.
And Mina.
Her eyes went wide as she sat up straight. She clearly didn't expect this ever to happen. She was so quiet. And so not interested in playing that game...
"Truth or dare, Jieun?" Mina smirked.
Before replying, she couldn't help but glance at Jungkook again. To her dismay, this time he seemed busy talking with some girl beside him now; her fingers were playing with the fabric of his dark jeans. He lowered his head so she could whisper something in his ear, laughing at whatever she said afterward.
Jieun, for some reason, found this stance way too intimate. The fact he was giving his attention and enjoying himself bothered her in a way she couldn't explain.
"Jieun," someone brought her back to the circle.
"Yes?"
"Truth or dare? You haven't answered."
"Uh," her gaze slipped back to Jungkook once more but quickly turned to the girl. She decided to raise her voice loud enough to make sure everybody could hear it. "Dare."
And just like Jieun expected, Jungkook looked up.
She smiled innocently.
"Good one," Mina answered, grinning devilishly. "Um, Before anything, I just want to explain my purpose behind the dare I'll be giving here... As some of you may know, Jieun's a cheerleader from our baseball team. And there's been a sad rumor going on around the school related to her for the past two years."
Jieun froze. Rumor? Two years?
"What kind of rumor?" Seulgi asked, frowning. "We don't know anything about a rumor."
"It's not actually a rumor, it's just... an assumption, let's say," Mina told her. "Between some groups."
"Ok?" Jimin scowled. "What are they saying about her?"
"That she's never been a guy before. That she's a virgin, and... that she never even had her first kiss yet."
Seulgi almost choked. "What the hell? Who would say something like this?"
Jieun only stared at her cup as the girl talked, having trouble breathing. So that's what really they thought of her?
Mina shrugged. "I have no idea why, darling. But we've heard many other stories too, in fact. From loner to lesbian. All sorts of things."
"Based on what?" Jieun decided to ask, unable to remain silent any longer. "The fact I'd never walked around holding a guy's hand, and the fact nobody saw me with anyone automatically turns me into a loner?"
"It's stupid I know," Mina said laughing. "But that's what people think. To be honest, I thought that too for a while."
"So, it is true?" a chubby boy asked. "You've never been with anyone?"
"Are you really a virgin?" asked another girl beside Mina.
"I thought you went out with that guy Yeo Jin-goo in high school."
When nobody said anything, Jieun could feel some were shocked. Seulgi and Jimin were also quiet. And check if Jungkook had the same reaction was not something she planned to do.
"First of all, not that it's any of your business, I'm single right now but I had a boyfriend before" Jieun looked over to Minho, grateful that he wasn't inside their circle but talking to some other group. "And second of all..." her words trailed off as her cheeks flushed pink. She was embarrassed enough as it was. Confessing she was a virgin in front of everybody, especially to Jungkook, might just be the death of her.
She never thought that her sex life was going to be a big topic at some point during this party. If she knew... well, she'd be very far away by now.
"Nevermind."
"Ok, let's keep going," Mina clapped. "If you want to clarify these nonsenses, Jieun... you better prove everybody wrong. So, I dare you to make out with my friend Doyoung here."
The shock came much sooner than expected. It didn't sound so bad after all of the things she'd witnessed within a couple of hours of games with drunk people, but she was being dared to do something she couldn't picture herself doing... like ever.
Jieun looked over the guy Mina was pointing at and winced. She never saw him before.
"If you don't do it, you have to drink it," Mina gestured to the small cups of shots on the table.
Only God knows how much Jieun hated parties and everything that came with it. Her past drinking experiences were always the worst.
Pursing her lips, she gave serious thought. "Make out? As in... making out?
Mina grinned, smoothing her soft blonde hair. "Yes, as in making out."
Jieun nodded mutely, biting the inside of her cheek to keep from groaning. Beside, Seulgi cursed herself for dragging her friend into this mess. Of course, she wanted to help, but that was the game. She couldn't change the rules.
Jieun swallowed as her eyes darted sideways to the Doyoung guy. He was looking at her like a predator ready for the signal to get his prey. Then, her eyes shifted to Jungkook again, who just looked unfazed with his forever relaxed posture. Why was he so calm?
Well, he didn't have any reason to be freaking out like she, right?
"What's going to be?" Mina asked, impatiently.
Drink or make out with a stranger? Drink or make out with a stranger? Drink or make out with a stranger...
She drank.
The small glass with soju went up to her mouth, and she took a quick long sip, before placing it down again.
Some people laughed. Others were silent... Like Jungkook.
The awkwardness was too much to handle but luckily for Jieun, Seulgi shouted. "Moving on! It's your turn now, babe."
Jieun spun the bottle, happy when it stopped between to other people she had no idea who it was.
Aware on some less-than-conscious level that everyone had forgotten about her, she took the opportunity to watch the lovebirds again. She clenched her jaw in distress the moment they engaged in a brand new conversation. Apparently, Jungkook only paused to watch her dare, but now that it was over, he went back to his flirt.
His and the girl's interaction made her livid. She couldn't remember feeling so angry before. The feeling was different and very unreasonable but it was his fault, she decided.
Jieun continued to stare at him, realizing that he hadn't looked over at her once. The awful notion dawned on her.
"Mr. Jeon!" Jimin shouted. "Truth or dare?"
Jungkook stopped laughing, turning to his friend to answer, "Dare."
"Hmm, interesting..." he grinned. "Alright, bud, I dare you to-" in the middle of Jimin's challenge, Seulgi grabbed his shoulder, leaning to whisper something. "What? Oh... ok, ok."
"Hey- you can't do that, Seulgi! That's so against the rules!"
"Oh shut up, San," she said. "Do you think somebody here cares about the rules?"
Jimin returned his attention back to Jungkook, who was waiting for him to finish. "I'm not kissing a guy, just so you know."
He laughed. "Don't worry. You'll enjoy this one."
"Be my guest."
"I dare you to choose someone here in this room... and lock yourself inside that closet with her," Jimin pointed at the small coat closet near the entrance, "for fifteen minutes."
Jieun's head snapped up in alert.
"Ok, now you're just changing the games, Jimin," said a guy.
"It's my dare. I can do what I want."
"Huh," Jungkook touched his chin as if thinking. "Whoever I pick?"
"In this room, mate," Jimin winked.
Jieun was dumbfounded. Jungkook was going to lock himself up inside a closet with someone — the girl beside him, obviously.
But why did she care? They were just friends. Maybe he was truly interested in this girl. If anything, she should be... happy for him?
"If you say so," Jungkook stood up, and Jieun was forced to look away, believing that at any moment, he'd be holding his hand up to the girl.
Yet, he never did.
Instead, Jungkook strolled lazily towards the closet, uttering, "Come on, Jieun."
Unsure wheater she heard it right, she stood unmoving on the couch. Her pulse only raced instead of calming down.
"But-"
"You heard him..." Seulgi smiled, pushing her out. "Go! He's waiting!"
Jieun hesitated but got up to follow him, still very startled.
As they both disappeared behind the closet door, Seulgi added, "We should play something else now."
┊𝒟┊
Within the darkness of the so-called closet, Jieun stood awkwardly with Jungkook in front of her in complete silence after he closed the door. A few blinks had her eyes adjusting, but it made it very difficult to feel any type of security if they were going be locked in the dark.
The strangest part? He was looking at her as if there was nothing wrong.
"I won't take advantage of you, so don't worry," he muttered.
"I know," she replied automatically.
Although her hands were itchy for having so many indecent thoughts about him that same day, and the fact the alcohol was getting to her system, Jieun didn't allow herself to do anything else besides staying very quiet until the fifteen minutes were up.
It was her plan, but apparently, not his.
"It takes time... We should talk meanwhile."
She nodded silently, staring down, then remembered it was dark. "Okay."
"Are you having a good time?" his voice was low.
"Kind of," she replied in the same tone. "Drunk people say the funniest things..."
"And the dumbest things."
There was a pause where Jieun took her time to understand what he meant.
She did. "Yeah."
"Why didn't you accept that girl's dare?"
The question had her raising a brow. The gaze went up, even though she couldn't see his face properly.
"Which one?"
"You only had one, Jieun."
"Oh," she rubbed her forehead, sighing. "Because I don't like kissing strangers."
"You don't like kissing strangers, or you don't like kissing in general?"
Silence.
"Why would you say that?"
"You said every time you and Minho kissed, you wanted to stop."
Jieun rolled her eyes. "Are we back to this topic?"
"I can't recall you ever answering me, so yeah, we're back to this topic," he smiled. "Was he a bad kisser?"
"What makes someone a bad kisser?"
"You just know."
"I don't think he's on this category."
"Then, why wouldn't you? Didn't you like him?"
"I told you why."
Silence again.
Taking a deep breath, Jieun leaned back on the wall behind her. "Every time we kissed, I felt... scared. I can't explain. Not that I wasn't enjoying... but he was... rough. His touch and his kisses were never gentle and tender like I wanted to be. I couldn't let him continue... Never. Hm, well, I guess he got tired of me because of it and used the excuse I was too pure so we could break up. I know he said it so I wouldn't feel bad about it. But now that I understand why, I do feel bad, so it doesn't really matter."
Jungkook had no expression on his face when he stated, "And you still wanted to go back with him."
"Yes... I wanted to prove to him wrong. But I changed my mind..."
"What made?"
Her mind blanked and chose to ignore him. "I have a question for you too."
"Shoot," his feet shifted.
"Why'd you chose me instead of her?"
Jungkook paused, raising an eyebrow. "...her?"
"The girl you were talking to. Why me, not her?"
"And why not you?"
She frowned at his answer. "I mean, after all the lovey-dovey out there, I figure that you wanted to use this chance to finally be alone with her, so I don't really get why I'm the one who's here."
The moment her words came out, Jungkook moved in the darkness, looking at her silhouette into the dim light. She moved as well, but not enough to prevent him from almost pressing his warmth against her body.
"Which leads us back to my question..." she could feel his hot breath. "Why not you?"
Jieun stared blankly at his sight, trying to calm her racing heart. It was her fault for bringing this up anyway.
"We were just flirting..."
She somehow found her voice. "Just flirting?"
"Yeah. She's not that important-"
"Jungkook, do you really have to stand this close every time we talk?"
"No," he replied, amusement on his tone. "But it's nicer when I do..." this last was spoken into her ear, teasingly dark. She felt his lips curling into a smirk before he tilted his head to see her reaction, but there was none.
Jieun was too busy telling herself that it was the alcohol that was causing these weird sensations on her body.
"Jieun," he called, brushing his thumb over her cheek.
With some effort, she looked up, "What?"
"Can we play that game again?"
"The truth or dare game?"
"No... this one's different."
Why was his voice so deep? Why was it making her shiver? This was just ridiculous. Jieun had to knock the sense back into herself.
She put her hands on his chest to push him away, but the muscles beneath her fingers pressed forward sending a bolt of electricity through her body.
He looked at her hands, then back up at her. "I'm making you nervous?"
"N-no."
Her breath caught in her throat. The heat in his eyes and the way it kept traveling down to her mouth provoked a desire in her that was impossible to ignore.
"What's the game called?" she whispered.
Jungkook drew back ever so slightly to let his eyes drop to her lips. "Dare..." he whispered back, "or dare."
Jieun was finding it hard to think... or to breathe. She squeezed her eyes shut throwing her head back on the wall.
"You wanna go first?"
Eyes still closed, she shook her head, swallowing.
"Ok, then."
Slowly, his fingers traveled down to her lips, muttering, "I dare you-"
They heard a loud bang on the door. "Time's up!"
Jieun hardly had the time to process when she heard a soft growl from Jungkook and felt him pulling her out of the closet.
The person outside was brutally shoved back as he grabbed her upstairs.
"Hey, Jungkook!" Jieun heard Jimin calling from the living room. "Where are you going?!"
He ignored, continuing on his way until they were locked somewhere else.
Jieun looked around, wide awake as Jungkook let go of her hand. The first thing she noticed was that they were inside a bathroom now. The second thing was that her head was pounding as much as her heart.
She could see Jungkook bright and clear... and he didn't look so calm anymore.
Especially when he pressed his body on her again. "I dare you to kiss me... now."