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“I think it’s a crime against humanity that no one had asked me out on Valentine’s day this year.”
Seokjin snorts at Jimin’s defeated pout.
“So what? You had to be here all day anyway,” he says and finishes the tray for booth six.
“That’s beside the point,” Jimin huffs, rolling his eyes. “I would have had to say no, but no one asked me.”
“Fuck’s sake, Jimin-ah. Cry after your shift is done, this food is getting cold as you whine.” Yoongi, one of the chefs, claps his hands as he ushers the two waiters out of the kitchen.
“Seems like no one asked Yoongi-ssi either,” Jimin whispers, leaning closer to Seokjin but flashing a teasing smirk in the chef’s direction.
“Go the fuck back to work,” Yoongi grunts and holds his right hand up, wiggling his very shiny engagement ring before giving Jimin the finger.
Jimin’s smirk turns into a scowl as they walk out of the kitchen with their trays. Seokjin chuckles and softly bumps his shoulder with Jimin’s.
“Will you ever learn to choose your battles with Yoongi?”
“I still can’t believe someone as lovely and nice as Hoseok would want to marry such an asshole.”
“Buzzfeed unsolved, indeed,” Seokjin says and laughs as Jimin right himself to keep his tray balanced after a cackle waves his entire body.
They part after that. Seokjin to tend the booths, Jimin to the small terrace. The restaurant is not big but it’s quite popular, especially on Valentine’s day. They’ve been packed the whole day, even now that closing time is approaching. But that’s a good thing in Seokjin’s opinion. It’s been a good day. Seokjin is pretty sure that they did at least triple of what they do in an entire week worth of tips. Besides, they have fun with each other between orders, being the common joke that they’re all wasting Valentine’s day working here. Seokjin doesn’t really care. He would have been alone in his apartment, playing video games and eating chips.
Just like Jimin, no one asked him out, but Seokjin didn’t expect anyone to do it either.
“The fuck is wrong with you?” Jimin frowns at him when Seokjin tells him exactly that after delivering their orders. “I’m pretty sure there’s an army of guys gathering courage to ask you out in this block alone.”
Seokjin snorts. “Yeah, sure.”
“ Yes , Seokjin.”
Seokjin chuckles, a bit abashed by the sincerity in Jimin’s eyes. “It’s Seokjin- hyung for you.”
“Aish…” Jimin giggles and slaps him in the shoulder. “You’re extremely fucking gorgeous, hyung. Better?”
“Fuck off,” he grunts, but his ears start heating up.
Seokjin nudges a giggling Jimin away when someone in the terraces calls for him. He sighs when Jimin is out of sight and shakes his head, trying to get rid of the half-hearted blush.
It’s not a matter of self-esteem. Seokjin knows pretty well how he looks. Intimidatingly gorgeous , he’s been told more than once, which, okay, is not bad at all, but… But it kind of is. Unapproachable is what people think and therefore they do exactly that, don’t approach. It’s not a matter of self- esteem, but Seokjin is a bit shy. Or a lot, especially when it comes to dating and making the first move.
He had the most embarrassing crush on Hoseok, the restaurant’s host, when he first started working here. It took Seokjin months to work up the courage to talk to him beyond polite greetings or passing comments, and when he finally did, he found out that Hoseok has been dating Yoongi for years. Jimin laughed and patted his back in equal proportions.
“You’re so private, hyung. I could have told you that ages ago and saved you from the disappointment,” Jimin had said back then, and ever since, they became each other’s confidants.
Seokjin is usually the one who hears, not having much to tell himself. As for Jimin, he has a prolific but inconstant list of lovers. In Seokjin’s opinion, Jimin is a hopeless romantic and the men he dates are, well, not.
“Even Jeonggukie has a date, can you believe it? Jeon Jeongguk!”
Jimin has told him variations of the same phrase the whole day. Seokjin sighs. It’s true that Jimin’s roommate finally asking the cute guy from the gym out had been a big surprise. The first few times Jimin commented on it. They had followed the whole story between Jeongguk and Namjoon, the pilates instructor at Jeongguk’s gym, like old ladies watching a drama. In their defense, the story had big soap opera vibes.
“I’m probably getting sexiled from my own home as we speak. Jeongguk was pep talking himself the entire day yesterday.”
“Can we not talk about Jeongguk having sex, please? He’s like twelve in my head,” Seokjin says, rubbing his temples.
Jimin snickers. “It’s a good thing I haven’t told you about the odes he’s written about Namjoon’s thighs then.”
“Dear god.”
Jimin laughs as Seokjin squeezes his eyes shut and covers his ears. The truth is that he does it mostly to make Jimin laugh. He knows Jeongguk is a horny mess and he’s in his right to be.
With his eyes closed, it takes him by surprise when Jimin wraps an arm around his waist and rests his head on his shoulder.
“You can stay with me, you know?” He says and puts his arms around Jimin’s narrow frame, hugging him to his side. “If Jeongguk, um, sexiles you.”
Seokjin was never good at physical affection until he met Jimin. With his constant touches, his throwing himself at people every time he laughs, his clingy koala behavior, Seokjin had no option but to get used to it and to be honest grow fond of it.
“Really?” Jimin smiles at him with the tip of his tongue pinched between his teeth and it's frankly disarmingly cute.
Seokjin rolls his eyes. “Of course.”
“Thanks, hyung,” Jimin sing-songs and gets on his tiptoes to kiss Seokjin’s cheek.
He pretends to be grossed out, but he’s the entire opposite.
*
When the restaurant is finally closed, Taehyung, the manager, opens a bottle of champagne, and they cheer for the bountiful day.
“We’re closed tomorrow, so rest and enjoy what’s left of Valentine’s day…” Taehyung clears his throat and with a playful smile, continues. “The best part, in my opinion. Valentine’s night.”
Taehyung wiggles his eyebrows and the whole staff laughs. They all have a soft spot for their manager.
They finish their glasses of champagne and change quickly. Seokjin is tired to the bone but the bulge of the tip money in his pocket gives him a spark of renewed energy. It’s that energy that makes him blurt the next words: “Hey, Jimin-ah, be my Valentine.”
Jimin stops closing the zip of his bag to look at him with round eyes for what feels like an eternity before he breaks into giggles.
“Okay,” Jimin says in the end, playing coy in that flirty way of his, and for once, Seokjin lets the butterflies bat their wings with all their might inside his stomach.
He’d be a liar if he said that he has never looked at Jimin as a man. Jimin is… Well, objectively gorgeous. Cute and sexy in the most perfect way. All the while he’s an actual ray of sunshine, lighting up everything he touches. It’s easy to like Jimin, and Seokjin guesses it would be easy to fall in love with him, but he never allowed himself even a look in that direction. They’re good friends and that’s better than any half-assed romance he could offer Jimin.
But for tonight, Seokjin is tempted to throw every qualm into the wind and live for once.
“Come on.” He smiles as he takes Jimin’s hand. “There’s not much time left.”
They run through the streets, hand in hand and giggling breathlessly as they rush to the 24 hours convenience store. They want to be there before midnight, which means they have only five minutes. They get there, with two minutes to find a gift for each other. They separate at the entrance, Jimin trying to turn Seokjin around so he can’t see where he’s going. Seokjin escapes Jimin’s grip and runs to the aisle of the flowers.
“Oh.”
His heart deflates when he gets in front of the bouquets the store has left. They clearly are what was left.
“What are you doing standing there, hyung? It’s almost midnight—”
Jimin almost falls to the ground laughing when he sees the flowers.
“I think grass from the park would be fresher than this shit,” Seokjin says, trying to hold back his own laughter.
“Never mind, hyung. Just pick the less shitty. Look.” Jimin grabs his arm to stand upright again and shows him the box of bonbons in his hands. “The chocolate shelves were absolutely empty, except for the sugar-free section.”
Seokjin laughs. “Such a caring date, minding my sugar levels.”
Jimin bats his eyelashes, feigning innocence. “I’m aiming for a second date.”
“Very well.” Seokjin turns around and picks a bouquet with a couple of loose red roses and withering green decorations.
On their way to pay, they pick an armful of cup ramen and two bottles of wine. The cashier looks at Jimin with a worried frown as he laughs his ass off, hugging the ugly flowers to his chest.
He’s still holding his flowers close as they walk to Seokjin’s apartment, still hands in hand. Jimin didn’t react in any way when Seokjin grabbed his hand again when they left the store, but he did swing their hands together as they started to walk. They’re close and Jimin is a very tactile person, but this isn’t something they ever did before. Seokjin is trying not to overthink it much and just go with the flow.
“No need to work out tomorrow. I did my abs routine tonight,” Jimin says with a quiet chuckle as they wait for the elevator.
“And that run…” Seokjin lets out a little whistle and pretends to wipe sweat off his brow.
Jimin giggles. “You do know how to get your date’s heart racing, hyung.”
Seokjin pinches Jimin’s side and smiles when Jimin lets out a little yelp.
*
They’re spread on the carpet of Seokjin’s living room with the box of bonbons opened between them. They ate the ramen and settled on the living room. Jimin lit a few of the candles he has gifted Seokjin through the years – “ to make it more romantic ” – and opened the first bottle of wine and the bonbons. They left the second bottle close, just in case.
The bonbons turned out better than expected, pretty in shape and filled with different kinds of flavors. Or maybe the wine is making them less picky. Whatever.
“I have to be honest with you, hyung,” Jimin says, taking a sip of his mug of wine. Seokjin has no glasses, so the mugs had to do. “This might be my best Valentine’s date ever.”
Seokjin snorts. “I’m really sorry for you, Jiminie. The others must have sucked ass. ”
Jimin laughs. “No! It’s not that…” Jimin turns on his back and looks at him upside down. “I always have so much fun with you, no matter what we do.”
“Me too,” Seokjin says, soft smile on his lips. “Here.”
He picks a bonbon and presses it against Jimin’s lips without thinking. His stomach flips backward, and a jolt of electricity runs through his veins as he watches Jimin’s lips part slowly and wrap around the chocolate, touching the tip of his fingers lightly.
Seokjin draws in a breath that sounds way too loud in the suddenly frozen silence of the room.
Jimin breathes out a laugh, making a deep sound at the back of his throat.
“What is it, hyung? You suddenly realized how freaking sexy I am?”
Seokjin huffs and flicks Jimin’s forehead. Jimin laughs and gets on his knees to seek revenge against Seokjin, but Seokjin easily seizes Jimin’s wrists and pins him to the ground.
“I’ve always been well aware of how freaking sexy you are, Jimin-ah. I have functional eyes,” Seokjin says, leaning forward and putting a bit more of his weight over Jimin.
“O-okay.”
Jimin visibly gulps, and a dark smirk curls Seokjin’s lips. A peasant warmth curls in his chest.
“What? Are you having an epiphany now?”
“Please,” Jimin sputters and rolls his eyes, but he’s not as convincing as he thinks he’s being. “I had the horniest crush on you when we first met.”
The confession actually takes him aback. Seokjin releases Jimin’s wrist and sits back on his thighs he’s straddling.
“I guess it faded away when you got to know me.” He chuckles, forcing himself to not get his hopes up.
Jimin hums, relaxing little by little. “Not really.”
Seokjin chuckles again.
“Are you drunk?”
“Not enough to be making this embarrassing confessions, actually.” Jimin reaches for his hands, an act of comfort he always does.
They look into each other’s eyes for a long couple of minutes. It’s like their relationship is reformulating itself in the silence of Seokjin’s living room, in the flickering light of the candles, in the tension blooming between them.
“Well, um…” Jimin struggles to sit up, but when he does, his face is just inches apart from Seokjin’s and Seokjin can smell the rich scent of chocolate from his lips. “What do you think would happen if we kissed now?”
“Well, um…” He starts, suddenly unable to look at anywhere but Jimin’s lips. “We would kiss, for a start.”
Jimin snorts. “Your brilliant logic always amazes me.”
Jimin’s hands and dragging slowly up his arms, over his shoulders, warm against his neck. They settle there, thumbs tracing the sharp line of Seokjin’s jaw. Seokjin grabs the front of Jimin’s sweater and closes his eyes. The hum under his skin is unmistakable. He really wants to know how Jimin’s lips would feel against his, he wants to know if his mouth is as sweet as it looks, wants to know if he’s feeling it too.
He opens his eyes and finds Jimin looking at him with an intensity that nothing but confirmation. There’s no turning back. If they ruin their friendship… It’s already ruined.
Seokjin is not sure who leans in first, but they meet in the middle, plush lips against plush lips. The soft press lasts a few moments before Jimin pulls back with a gasp. Seokjin panics, fearing that he will find regret in Jimin’s eyes, but—
Jimin is blushing, a sweet smile curling his lips and soon enough he’s giggling.
“The way my heart skipped a beat, hyung.” He puts a hand over his chest and giggles. “Feel it.”
Jimin takes one of his hands and places it over his racing heart. Seokjin’s chest is suddenly too full.
He surges forward and captures Jimin’s lips again, now kissing him for real. Never he imagined that the night would lead to this. Never in his wildest dreams he thought he would ever kiss Jimin. Park Jimin, his best friend in the last couple of years. Sweet, beautiful Park Jimin, sighing into their kiss and wrapping his arms around his neck to pull him closer. Him, Kim Seokjin, now the luckiest bastard on Earth.
They kiss until they run out of breath and then some more. Jimin’s lips travel down his neck, leaving a wet trail behind that only makes goosebumps rise on his skin. When Jimin bites the crook of his neck lightly, a breathless little sound escapes Seokjin’s throat and makes Jimin giggle.
Jimin pulls off and looks at him, sweet smile on his lips and eyes half lidded.
“What did we just do?” He mutters, and god, was his voice always this husky?
“Well, we just kissed,” he sighs, already resigning to think about this for the rest of his life.
Jimin chuckles and pulls his hair lazily. It’s not hard, but Seokjin lets his head fall back with the small force of it and Jimin takes this as an invitation to attach his lips against his neck again.
It feels good. Too good, if this is all he will get.
“There’s no need to make sense of it right now,” he says and Jimin pulls his head forward so they can look again. “I really want to keep kissing you.”
He’s surprised by his own forwardness, and judging by Jimin’s arched eyebrows, he is too. But it’s worth it. Jimin pulls him onto his lips again and they relish every second of it. The wet drag of lips against plush lips, the sweet taste on their tongues of finally figuring out something so obvious. This was meant to be, Seokjin thinks, and maybe it’s the wine, but maybe it’s Jimin’s addictive mouth.
They kiss until they can’t keep their eyes open. They curl against each other in bed and kiss until they fall asleep, easily and content. And maybe they don’t make sense of it in the morning, but falling asleep with Jimin’s lips against his, his warmth against his body becomes a common occurrence, and a year later they take the day off and have a proper date for Valentine’s day.