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Namjoon knows he’s not the most handsome guy out there.
Actually, scratch that, if there’s a ranking for physical attractiveness he won’t even make it to the top 50 percentile. With his large forehead, bleached hair, squinty eyes and large cheeks, no one will mistake him for some model or actor.
And the thing is, he gets it. He’s accepted it. He’s not gonna be winning any ulzzang contests anytime soon. He wears horn-rimmed glasses, he’s a klutz, he’s awkward, and anything he touches has a three-month lifespan, even less. Sure, he’s studies well, he can speak English, and he can diss anyone in an impromptu rap contest, but that’s about it. In short: he’s plain, he’s nerdy, and not likely to have someone in a relationship relatively soon.
Motherfucking Hyosang and his crew.
“Joonie? You okay?” A gentle touch on his arm had him jumping, almost breaking the pen he was holding at hand to look up at the direction of the voice.
Unlike Jin. Kim Seokjin is honest-to-god drop-dead gorgeous, with soft, almond-shaped eyes, broad shoulders, tousled caramel-brown hair, and the prettiest laugh Namjoon has heard from anyone, male or female, in his life. He’s sitting on the floor with a hand running through his own hair in exasperation while the other’s gripping the pen with a desperation of a senior student finishing their thesis; long and agonizing, two years older and practically in no position to do a study group with him when Jin’s already a struggling college student.
Thing is though, Jin knows him from a friend and he owes Yoongi-hyung a lot, someone Namjoon can’t exactly blame for the situation because it’s Yoongi-hyung who introduced him to the underground music scene and the one who introduced him to Jin in the first place. Namjoon’s doing advanced classes anyway and he honestly likes Jin as a person; it’s nice to talk to someone who knows what you’re talking about (though that’s just at the beginning, later on he starts understanding Jin’s subjects more than he does and Jin ends up begging for his help), to get to know someone new, and the bright, dimpled smile Jin gives him after he says okay isn’t a part of why he accepted at all.
“Yeah, I’m okay hyung,” he answers quickly, returning to his notes, and Jin’s mouth make a moue of thought.
“You only call me hyung if something’s bothering you.” Jin says gently, nudging at his shoulder, and Namjoon curses inwardly, gives Jin a feeble smile in response. Namjoon’s usually good at this, but now he easily gives himself away, and damn it why is he always so painfully obvious when he’s with Jin? Even after just a few weeks of meeting one another Jin can already read him like an open book, something that Namjoon usually doesn’t mind feeling because the moment they met, Jin already feels like home. He’s light, he’s comfortable, and it barely takes a month for Namjoon to transition from ‘Seokjin-sshi’ to ‘Seokjin-hyung’ to ‘Jin-hyung’ and finally just ‘Jin’. “Did something happen today?”
Namjoon ducks his head down. “Nothing.” He feels Jin’s scrutinizing stare on him, trying to see through the lie and struggles to keep his face impassive. He’s not gonna be a fucking baby about this, people talk shit about one another all the time, and if it’s any other person Namjoon would’ve ignored it easily. Hell, even within his group they do it, Hoseok a frequent victim of tag-teaming pranksters Jimin and Taehyung, while Jungkook (bless his fetus soul) has the most disrespectful tongue Namjoon has discovered on a junior that he equally uses on all of his hyungs, and he too, does a trash-talk hoedown when it’s called for.
But it’s Jin Goddamn Hyosang, and anything he says to Namjoon both matter little and a lot, at the same time. Maybe because today’s a bad day for him, or maybe because he’s alone when he met Hyosang earlier, but their conversation’s still buzzing around his mind like a fucking bee that won’t leave you the fuck alone.
“It’s really nothing hyung, trust me,” he tries again, and the unimpressed eyebrow Jin raises at him tells them both plainly that Jin’s not buying any of his bullshit. Honestly, hearing himself Namjoon doesn’t buy it either. It’s just… well, it’s such a teenager-y thing to be upset about (not that he’s not a teenager, but still).
With an exhale of air Jin drops his pen and closes his book, scoots closer so they’re sitting side by side, staring at Namjoon in a way that makes his nape flare white-hot, suddenly aware of his face, of how he looks like, and close, close, Jin’s suddenly too close—
“Namjoon.” It’s just his name, nothing special, just two syllables that makes up for who he is, spoken out so softly and sincerely by Jin that he feels his breath stutter, his chest constrict. A hand touched his bare arm, not moving, resting with a patience that seems infinite, what’s wrong—I’m here—please don’t lie to me—let me help you—all said and unspoken and Namjoon suddenly feels helpless against it, the sudden urge to lean into Jin and whisper his secrets on that milky-white skin and pray that he won’t be pushed away.
The hairs on his arm rise, his tongue loosens, and his brain-to-mouth filter suddenly switches off.
“Some guys at school are telling me that I look ugly and I’ll never get a girlfriend.” He blurts out and immediately winces because Jesus Christ that sounds terrible when said out loud. He’s expecting the laugh immediately, the smack on the arm and the affectionate ‘Joon-ah, that’s it? You idiot’, because it really is a stupid thing to get worked up with. But Jin hums, thoughtful, eyes serious and considering as he stares at Namjoon and he can feel his face warming up.
“Joonie, you know that’s not true.” It’s said so simply, so matter-of-fact, that Namjoon feels like maybe he’s dying or this is some practical joke, because where does this certainty come from? “I can’t imagine why someone would say something so awful, especially since it’s a lie.”
“It’s stupid, okay?” Namjoon says, shrugs, tries to brush it off despite the heat blooming darker on his cheeks. “It’s just smack talk, me and a person in school aren’t on the best of terms, but he caught me at a wrong time, I guess.”
“It’s not stupid if it makes you upset.” Jin refutes. “Joonie, you’re not ugly. In fact, I think you’re very handsome.”
“Don’t lie.” Namjoon groans, pulls away from Jin’s touch and curls on himself, resting his face on the table and wants to bash his head into it multiple times. He won’t, he won’t think about the fact that Jin thinks he’s handsome. That’s a mental breakdown for another time. “I get it. I don’t have double eyelids, I have a big face, I break everything I touch—”
“Yah, are you calling me a liar, Kim Namjoon?” A vicious poke to his side has Namjoon jumping straight up, startled gaze immediately going towards Jin, who has his arms crossed against his chest, a stern, no-nonsense expression on his face. Oh man, Namjoon cringes. Jin’s in his ‘mom lecture’ mode.
“Attractiveness is a subjective quality and should not adhere to the standards of the norm,” Jin starts, and what the hell, it’s Namjoon who does the waxing philosophical bullshit. But Jin’s just getting started, he has no intention of stopping and Namjoon hastily placates the older teenager.
“Jin, it doesn’t matter, he’s right anyway, I’m not that attractive. I mean, look at me.” Namjoon looks at himself, sees all the imperfections within, and as much as he hates it, silently agrees with Hyosang. Unlike him, Hyosang actually has some game, devilishly handsome along with his crew who also looks like they stepped out of a magazine. Hell, even sitting with Jin now is making him feel worse, because Jin’s always been perfect. Effortlessly pretty despite being a huge dork, Jin’s handsome and tall enough to be scouted multiple times for different agencies. One time he opens a car door and is immediately scouted for a big company to be an idol trainee, but Jin rejects them each time (being an idol or actor isn’t a part of my career path). But most importantly, more amazingly, he’s Namjoon’s hyung, his friend, does their study sessions together despite being in college, listens to him now while he wallows in self-pity.
Seriously, compared to Jin, who would notice him?
“Joon-ah.” Jin’s voice sounds so far away, and Namjoon blinks back into awareness, just in time to notice Jin staring at him, eyes wide and dark and deep, looking into him, inside him, like trying to uncover the layers of Namjoon’s very self through his gaze alone.
“What?” Namjoon asks, touches his face self-consciously, tries to see if there’s something on it. “Do I have something on my face?”
Jin keeps silent, continues looking at him, and Namjoon remembers that Jin can do this, can spend minutes staring at someone without blinking, and it’s disconcerting to be on the receiving side of it. It’s horribly intruding, so Namjoon stares back, and slowly but surely vulnerability’s creeping in. It’s like Jin’s discovering so many secrets in his eyes that he can’t hide, no matter how much he tries to. A chasm’s been suddenly opened, and Namjoon’s breath stops, because there wasn’t anything special, with the way Jin’s looking at him right now, simply focused, intent on his face with no hidden intention or motive.
Jin’s just… staring at him. And paranoia’s settling into his bones because why?
After seconds, minutes, days, Namjoon finally finds his voice. “Jin… what are you doing?”
Finally it seems that Jin has found what he was searching for, because he breaks his stare, seemingly satisfied, returns back to reading his textbook while Namjoon’s reduced into a hyperventilating, blushing mess, pen snapped in half in his hand.
“Looking at you.”
It’s the next day and Namjoon still doesn’t have any idea on what the hell happened.
Jin leaves after dinner the night before, sweet and happy like he hasn’t attempted to place Namjoon into cardiac arrest just hours ago. The rest of the night passes in a daze, and even if you asked he won’t be able to tell you what he ate for dinner and what he did before he went to bed. Even the day after is a blur, his body moving on auto-pilot and Namjoon only comes to complete consciousness during lunchtime, in between Jimin and Hoseok’s energetic chattering and Taehyung’s continuous prods at his shoulder to make sure he’s not the walking dead (or so the younger says, Namjoon’s given up on trying to figure Taehyung out).
What the fuck. What the fuck. What kind of Satanism occurred yesterday that made Jin so goddamned gorgeous and adorable and—and smooth like he’s not trying to charm the hell out of Namjoon’s pants and the scary thing is that it’s working. He doesn’t need an existential crisis along with his self-esteem issues, and the… thing with Jin is a definite Do Not Enter, Dangerous Territory Ahead situation. He’s—They’re friends, and Namjoon’s still figuring out what he wants, and he’s pretty sure Jin’s straight.
(He remembers meeting Jin for the first time, after finishing his stage, an amateur rapper with nothing but bravado behind his stage name. The crowd’s impressed, the energy’s high, and Namjoon returns to backstage victorious and beaming because he fucking killed it out there. He unclasps his earpiece, receives the back pats gratefully, and goes to the side, only to find Suga, Yoongi-hyung in his mind, blond, pale and tiny, talking animatedly to another person and Namjoon pauses at the sight. It’s strange to see Yoongi-hyung so energetic off-stage and a moment of curiosity surfaces in his mind.
“Namjoon-ah! Come here,” Suga sees him and waves him closer, and Namjoon goes. Walks closer and brain immediately flatlines the moment the other person turns around and finally sees him. “I want you to meet this pain in the ass. Jin-hyung, this is Kim Namjoon, a junior from my high school. He’s the rapper on stage earlier. Namjoon-ah, Kim Seokjin. He’s my roommate at college, says he wants to experience the underground. Fuck all if I know why.” Yoongi-hyung rolls his eyes in exasperation, and Kim Seokjin, Jin, smacks Yoongi-hyung on the arm before turning his attention to him.
“Yes, I’ve noticed, Yoongi. Hi,” Jin says then, teeth pearly, lips pink, hair auburn and pushed back and maybe Namjoon’s heart stutters a little, feels his face heat, because wow, he’s really pretty. “You’re Namjoonie? Yoongi-yah talks to me about you.”
“Yeah.” Namjoon manages to answer back, belatedly bowing because if he’s calling Yoongi-hyung so casually he must be older or the same age, concentrates on the words instead of the voice or the face because damn it’s distracting. “Yoongi-hyung does?”
“He does.” The other affirms with a laugh, avoiding the slap on the arm Yoongi-hyung attempts to give him. “I heard your stage earlier, your rap’s really good. I’m a fan now.” He smiles, face brightening.
Namjoon’s heard that phrase a few times before, I’m a fan, usually from girls in the scene who fuck the rappers, but it doesn’t mean to him as much as it does right now. He stumbles on a thank you, and Jin laughs again, bright and tinkling like wind chimes and oh, man.
I see visions of you through the tv screen, bathroom mirror, and the sun, is running through Namjoon’s head right now, words and pieces of lyrics half-forming through his consciousness, before being shaken out of it by Yoongi-hyung, whose eyes seem to be permanently trained upwards at this rate.
“Yeah, yeah, let’s all go back to the crowd, people. My stage is up and you are not watching it from here. Namjoon-ah, the flow of your rap’s complete and utter shit. You have a long way to go before you can call yourself Rap Monster.” Yoongi-hyung snarks, pushing them all out of the backstage. Namjoon blushes darkly in mortification, coughing in surprise, while Jin’s looking at him in amusement and a large amount of interest.
He spends the rest of the night talking to Jin, and it’s definitely the start.)
… Okay, so maybe he’s not completely straight. But Jin? A handsome guy like him is bound to be straight, 99.9 percent sure of it. People flock to Jin left and right, gender notwithstanding, and maybe he’s not in love with Jin (holy shit, even the thought’s enough to give him heart palpitations), but Namjoon likes him. Really, really likes him, and the most obvious sign of a rapper-in-love, Yoongi-hyung says, is when they create a mixtape about the person.
He, Namjoon realizes rather belatedly, after looking down at his half-finished lyrics during class, has two-and-a-half on Jin alone.
Your Jord Your Converse Highs, I’m so much into your Converse Highs
I can’t help it, woah~
I lov I like it so much, woah~
...
Fuck your LV Chanel
Fuck your Alexander McQueens
Fuck your Raf Simmons just come here and see check it
...
You know what I want
Pink White t-shirt, jeans, blue red Converse-highs, that's it
(He remembers Jin, wearing a pink v-neck shirt, dark jeans, beige jacket, and bright-blue high-tops, angelic smile as he waves at Namjoon from the bus stop. “Namjoon-ah!”)
Fuck his life.
Scrunching the sheet of paper in slight panic, Namjoon immediately stuffs it in his bag and stands up the moment he hears the ending bell for classes. He can’t handle this shit right now. Denial is a River in Egypt. He does not have a crush on someone two years older than him. He does not have a pathetic, larger-than-life-itself crush on Kim Seokjin. He doesn’t. He doesn’t.
If there’s a bullshit detector, it would’ve crowed loudly.
He stumbles out of his classroom, almost breaks his chair by tripping on it, Jesus Christ, “Hyung!” Jimin’s waiting for him by the end of the corridor and Namjoon doesn’t even have the heart to talk to him like usual. Apart from Hoseok (crazy, wild Hoseok) his group of friends is pretty much his juniors and he doesn’t mind. He likes them, Jimin with his eternal sunshine smile and Taehyung with his constant positive weirdness. Even freshman Jungkook is already a part of his crew, witty, smart, and completely not-adorable, despite being the youngest, and it makes Namjoon’s heart cry a little. He knows them from Hoseok, who’s in the dance club, with Jimin and Jungkook as his juniors, and Taehyung’s practically a two-for-one package if Jimin’s involved. They’re his little family and Namjoon loves all them fiercely, will fuck anyone up in their name, and he knows that the others are the same towards him.
“Namjoon-hyung, where’s Hoseok-hyung?” Jimin asks, looking behind him, tiptoeing a little and Namjoon would usually snicker because Jimin’s so short, it’s adorable. Namjoon shrugs, maybe he left Hoseok back in the classroom, fuck if he knew. But Hoseok will catch up, he always does, and soon enough Namjoon feels his neck collapsing from where Hoseok had it in a pseudo-headlock, bodies propelling forward as Hoseok squeezes himself between him and Jimin.
“Jesus fuck Hoseok, can you not?” Namjoon hisses, rubbing at his nape because it hurt, while Jimin takes off the arm on his shoulders, pouting.
“What crawled up your ass and died, Namjoon-ah?” Hoseok drawled, Jeolla accent coming out naturally. “The only time I’ve seen you this constipated is during exam week or when you’re finishing up a song. What gives?”
“Namjoon-hyung’s constipated?” Taehyung’s equally loud voice sounds behind them and Namjoon winces. If Taehyung’s around then Jungkook won’t be far either. Taehyung finally manages to walk in line with them, chattering a mile a minute. “Hyung, I told you not to snap those pens in half! Now their guardians are cursing your intestines with slow bowel movement! Hurry! Hurry and offer a sacrificial gift to the gods so they’ll forgive you!”
“Hyung, that did not make sense at all.” Jungkook’s at the rear, shaking his head and adjusting Taehyung’s backpack strung on his other shoulder. “What does a sacrifice have to do with Namjoon-hyung’s diet?”
“Everything, Jeon Jungkook.” Taehyung answers, voice as low and as grave as it can be. “Now give me my bag, I have something Namjoon-hyung can use for his sacrifice!”
“How did you even get that, Tae? Is it even legal?” Jimin asks in disbelief.
“I don’t know Jiminie, I’m pretty impressed. Can I borrow it Taehyung-ah?” Hoseok says back, completely amazed.
“Guys,” Namjoon groans, because he loves them, he does, and if he wants to murder them all most of the time, well, that’s his problem. He’s hanging out with children. Children. “Taehyung, don’t pull out whatever it is you have in that bag. Jungkook, I’m not constipated, it’s Taehyung being himself. Jimin, as you can see, Hoseok is here with us, and Hoseok, I’m fine, I don’t have something up my ass, I’m tired and I want to go home. Okay?”
All at once, the rest of the group turns and stares at him.
“Oh my god, something’s wrong with him.”
“Namjoon-hyung, are you okay? Are you feeling fine?”
“Who do we need to beat up, hyung?”
“Hyung, are you sure you don’t want this? It’ll drive away the bad spirits, I swear—”
Namjoon slaps a hand on his face. This is his life. They all get out of the building, going towards the school gates, talking about going to the arcade and to the food stands for snacks, and honestly Namjoon’s too mentally fucked up to even be excited for it. But the younger teens seem to be bouncing up and down in excitement, and Namjoon can’t bring himself to ruin their fun.
Then things go to hell.
“Oh, if it isn’t Namjoonie,” Hyosang sing-songs, and Namjoon immediately scowls. Just his luck, running into Hyosang and his gang. Beside him his friends turn rigid, and it’s not a secret, that their group and Hyosang’s has a bit of bad blood between them. It starts with them bullying Taehyung for his personality, then Jimin for his weight, and it just snowballs from there.
“Fuck off, Hyosang.” Hoseok says flatly, all cheer and happiness gone in his tone.
“I was wondering why it suddenly stank around here,” Jimin says in disgust, and Taehyung scowls darkly.
“Jung, don’t be rude, I was talking to Namjoon, not you.” Hyosang admonishes while his friends chuckle behind him and fuck him and age superiority. Namjoon clenches his fist tightly, itching to plant a black eye into his face, but deciding against it. “Your seniors are all talking here, so stay quiet and be polite like the junior you should be, Park Jimin.”
“Hyung, can I punch him?” Jungkook asks, eyes narrow and hands twitching, as if its’ itching for a good brawl. Jungkook doesn’t know the details, not really, but they’ve told him enough, and hearing ‘Taehyung did not have a good experience with them’ is apparently enough for Jungkook to want to start a fist fight right in front of the school. “I don’t mind if I get written down for it, you can even try to stop me and say I started it. Can I punch him just once, hyung?”
“Jungkookie, don’t. He’s not worth your time. Remember your karma, it’s not looking good today.” Taehyung places a hand on Jungkook’s arm and looks at Hyosang and his group like they are bugs that he’d like to squash, and it makes Namjoon proud, a little, that Taehyung’s finally fighting for himself. Jungkook backs down, if only by Taehyung’s request, eyes glaring daggers at the senior and his friends.
“Taehyungie, are you still saying that shit?” Hyosang asks, mock and condensation heavy despite his friendly tone, and Taehyung stops, expression closing off, and white-hot fury turns Namjoon’s vision dark. “We’ve already talked about that little habit of yours, remember? That it’s not normal?”
“Don’t call him that, you piece of shit.” Jungkook hisses, standing in front of Taehyung, arms up and ready to swing if not for Taehyung, who immediately wrapped himself behind Jungkook’s back to hold him back. It’s a ballsy move, considering Hyosang’s a senior, but at this point Namjoon can only be glad that someone’s protecting Taehyung. At Namjoon’s other side Hoseok’s growling in rage, with Jimin holding at his arm firmly to stop him from doing anything else. “I don’t give a damn if you’re my senior. Apologize to Taehyung, now.”
“Jungkook, no!”
“Hoseok-hyung, calm down!”
Namjoon ignores the stuggling beside him, keeps his gaze straight at Jin Hyosang, eyes hard as steel. “Namjoonie, is this what you teach our juniors? To be rude and curse at their seniors? I’m surprised.” Hyosang tuts in disappointment and Namjoon stiffens, clenches his hands because the burn to hit, to hurt, is overwhelming. He shouldn’t, he shouldn’t, he’s supposed to be the bigger person, he can walk away from this—Hyosang’s cruel eyes slid from Namjoon, then to Hoseok, lingering on Jimin the last. “Then again, not surprising, considering the kind of people they’re hanging out with. A god of destruction hanging out with Weird, Stupid, Fat—”
That’s it.
“Hold my shit,” he hisses to Jimin because hell no, no one’s going to badmouth his friends in front of his face, and especially not Jin motherfucking Hyosang and his group. Namjoon doesn’t care, doesn’t give a flying fuck if he’s outnumbered and he’s gonna go home with a busted face that day. He’s hurt Taehyung, Jimin and Hoseok so badly, he made his friends doubt their self-worth, and for that, Namjoon’s going to kill him.
His blazer’s off and his bag’s tumbling on the ground before he blinks, and he’s rushing, going straight at Hyosang’s arrogant asshole face. If anyone’s going to be written up, it’s going to be him, with Jimin and Taehyung holding the others back. No one’s holding him back, no one’s stopping him, and a month’s worth of suspension’s nothing to the pulp Hyosang’s face is going to be after Namjoon’s finished with him.
“Jagiya?!”
Everyone stops, even the gathering crowd who’s already expecting the start of the fight, and Namjoon’s grip on Hyosang’s collar slackens immediately, head immediately turning to the voice’s direction.
That voice. The bloodlust in his gaze disappears.
“Jin?!”
And it is Jin, bright-eyed, hair tousled, wearing a white shirt that’s a little too big on him and looks suspiciously like something Namjoon would wear, black skinny jeans and his favorite worn-out bright red converse high-cuts. He looks positively radiant, healthily flushed, and instantly the crowd’s murmuring, pointing fingers, whispering things such as “Is he an actor? He’s handsome,” or “An idol? In our school?!” despite it being an all-boys high school. Such is the power of Kim Seokjin.
Jin finally finds him and beams. “Joonie!” He runs, towards them, pushes through Hyosang’s group with a strength that makes Namjoon blink, anger dissipating as shock and confusion take over. What is Jin doing in his school?!
Jin’s almost in front of him, shoving Hyosang to the ground none-too-gently and running literally into Namjoon’s slack arms, embracing him like a long-awaited reunion on a morning drama. Jin pulls back a little, arm still around Namjoon’s neck, his hand brushing away the stray bangs on his forehead and what the hell.
“I texted you Joonie, and you didn’t respond!” Jin’s warm, oh god he’s really really warm, the scent of his cologne entering his nose and rendering all his thoughts incoherent. “Don’t ignore me! I missed you!” Christ, Namjoon’s half-way into a seizure. Jin’s, holy god above, Jin’s so beautiful it hurts a little to look at him, and Namjoon swallows thickly, feels his heart in his throat and the stares of hundreds of students at him, his friends included. Taehyung’s bag slips out of his grip to flop pathetically on the ground, and it’d be funny if not for the fact that the crowd’s completely silent, watching the scene unfold like an unstoppable trainwreck.
“What—?” Namjoon splutters, because he doesn’t remember getting a text at all, but Jin’s pouting at him and his brain’s not working properly. He must look like a sight right now, eyes wide in shock and terror, skin a few shades paler than usual because he’s in big trouble with his boyfriend. And it's not even real! “I’m… sorry?” He tries, and flinches when Jin thumps his chest painfully.
“Sorry won’t cut it, Kim Namjoon! I want a date! Right now! You’ve been so busy with school lately you don’t have any time for me at all! Just because I’m already in college! Play with me, Kim Namjoon!” Jin breaks out into the most cringe-inducing aegyo Namjoon had seen in his entire life, puffed out cheeks included, and it’s all Namjoon can do to not curl his fingers at the sight. Jin can be pretty cute when he wants to, but that’s because it’s natural. He doesn’t know this Jin, this temperamental, sassy, clingy Jin who’s now passing an evil eye on the crowd, resting on Jin Hyosang in particular, who looks like he’s been walloped by a two-by-four. Even if he’s a complete and utter asshole, Namjoon still feels a little sorry for him.
“Or maybe…” Jin’s face whips back to look at him, eyes completely narrow, and Namjoon gulps. Is Jin wearing eyeliner? “Yah, Kim Namjoon! Are you cheating on me?!” Jin shakes him a little, eyes already starting to mist over.
Shit.
“W-What?! No! I will never cheat on you, Jin! I swear!” Namjoon denies automatically, raises his hands despite having no relationship to cheat on, and Taehyung gasps so loudly it breaks the unnatural silence that fell on the entire group witnessing the entire spectacle.
The crowd roars in surprise, and Jin looks at him, eyes still watery, bottom lip quivering. “…Really? I’m the only one in your life, Joonie?”
“Really. There’s no one else but you,” Namjoon says a little desperately and what the fuck is he doing, acting like a boyfriend who needs to make his girl happy ASAP? It’s not like he’s going to be exiled to the couch for this!
... Right?
In one short, terrifying moment Jin doesn’t seem to believe him, until he smiles so beatifically everyone in his nearest radius is temporarily blinded, Namjoon included. “That’s fine then. I really love you, you know.” Jin wraps his arms around Namjoon’s shoulders, tilts his head up to kiss Namjoon sweetly on his cheek, and his brain short-circuits.
While he’s trying to get himself back online (Jin’s lips are so soft against his skin, pillowy and full and a little damp—what. What.) Jin smiles at him, glances behind his back, and his eyes widen significantly. “Joonie, are these your friends? Hoshikie! Long time no see!”
“Long time no see, Jin-hyung.” Hoseok now looks like a breath away from bursting a vein with how hard he’s trying to keep his laughter in, and Namjoon sort of wants to maim him. Hoseok has met Jin before, during one of his underground stages when Hoseok’s a back-up dancer for one of Namjoon’s raps, and they hit it off particularly well. Beside him Jimin and Taehyung’s expressions range from shock to betrayal and Jungkook just looks plain impressed. Apparently, he has some pretty serious game.
“Joonie, why don’t we go eat out with your friends instead? I’d love to meet all of them!” Jin turns to him, smiles gently, and fuck, how can he refuse that face? He nods, completely on autopilot, and Jin beams. “Wonderful! Shall we go? Come on, it’s Joonie’s treat!”
With a loud cheer, Taehyung immediately slides over to them like an overexcited puppy, mental crisis over, as if he’s known Jin for his entire life. Namjoon gives a violent start.
“Christ, Taehyung, you scared me!”
As expected, Taehyung ignores him and scrutinizes Jin like he’s a new form of alien life he has yet to discover. “Hi, Jin-hyung! I’m Kim Taehyung! Can I say that you’re as handsome as a black hole?” He says without preamble, looking at Jin and clearly expecting some kind of reaction.
Jin’s bemused expression lasts for a second before patting Taehyung on the head. “Thank you, I think. You remind me of a… hmm, galaxy? The Andromeda?” It’s more of a question than an answer really, but Taehyung lights up like Jin’s given him the answer to the mystery of the universe before turning to Namjoon and tugging at his sleeve excitedly.
“Hyung, keep him, please keep him! He’s awesome, he says I’m like the Andromeda!”
“There’s no going back now Jin-hyung, TaeTae likes you already.” Hoseok appears afterwards, with Jimin and Jungkook bringing up the rear. He’s shaking his head, still clearly amused, but at least he doesn’t look like he’s bursting at the seams. Namjoon still wants to dismember his limbs though. “This is Park Jimin and Jeon Jungkook. Guys, this is Kim Seokjin-hyung, Namjoon-ah’s boyfriend.”
He’s not my boyfriend! Namjoon wants to protest, violently, but Jin moves over to his side, slides his arm around Namjoon’s elbow, leans a cheek over Namjoon’s shoulder and his mouth quickly dries. His heart’s pumping so quickly it’s going to give in at any moment, feeling so confused and lost because what the fuck is going on?!
“Hello,” Jimin and Jungkook greet politely with a bow, and Jin bows back, equally well-mannered, smiling at them like a doting mother and—Nope. No. Namjoon’s not doing this. He needs to clear this out, straighten any misunderstandings that may appear and… that’s probably too late, if the chattering crowd and the numerous envious looks being sent his way is saying something. Kim Namjoon’s damn lucky, they’re saying right now; he’s smart, he’s talented, handsome enough to score a hot, older boyfriend. Right now Namjoon can literally feel his image at his school shifting into something more flattering, more positive, all because of one man leaning on his side right now.
“Joonie, since you’re treating, let’s go to your favorite restaurant. I’ll make it up to you, okay?” Jin’s fingers slowly run down his arm, leaving goosebumps in his wake. They reach his wrist, then his palm, before being tangled with his own, a steady, constant presence. If Namjoon isn’t seduced before any of this, then he’s damn well into Jin’s spiderweb right now, and will happily live in it for the rest of his life.
So he grins like a love-stricken idiot, and he wears it proudly. “Sure, Jin.”
They start to walk off, with Jimin and Taehyung flanking their sides, tossing every single question they knew about Namjoon to Jin and Jin trying to answer them as properly as he could. Namjoon’s so deliriously pleased it shows, with Hoseok commenting on his stupid-looking face and Jungkook actually whipping out his phone to snap a picture.
Namjoon has entirely forgotten about Hyosang until he hears a yelp, then a deep groan. He looks quickly; Hyosang on his knees, whimpering in pain, clutching at the middle of his thighs. The one nearest to him is Jin, who looked down on Hyosang with an expression similar to concern in his face.
“Sorry, I didn’t see you there.” Jin might’ve sound sincere to those who don’t know him, but Namjoon knows that right now, Jin’s practically dripping in malice. Namjoom suddenly fears for Hyosang’s life at that moment. “I just can’t keep my eyes off Namjoon.” He continues, leaning into Namjoon’s side. “He’s so handsome, you know, really smart and really talented with his mouth, if you know what I mean.” He winks, and Namjoon just about dies right then and there. “Anyone who even looks at him differently will answer to me, because Namjoon is mine, and thank god no one’s interested in him that way. Right?” His tone’s so saccharine it makes Namjoon’s teeth ache, but Hyosang looks like the fear of God himself is placed inside him.
Hyosang turns a few shades paler and instantly scrambles back, a whimper escaping his lips. “Uh, right. Completely. Absolutely. No one.” He agrees, and his cronies look scared shitless.
“That’s great!” Jin looks up to him, a twinkle in his eye and victory in his lips as he tilts his head, places his ear on Namjoon’s ear, speaking loud enough that only Hyosang can hear. “Shall we go, jagiya? We’re wasting time here when we can be in better company.”
… It’s crazy. It’s insane and out of this world and completely ridiculous. Namjoon shouldn’t even be playing along, he should be screaming because it’s embarrassing, Jin isn’t his boyfriend, and the entire school population will never let him live this down, oh god.
But his schoolmates are looking at him like he’s some new god they now need to worship, having everything he needed in his life: friends, smarts, looks, and a good-looking bombshell hanging on his arm. And Jin’s still staring at him like he’s expecting something, with no little amount of fondness and affection in his eyes. Namjoon stares deep, tries to look for what Jin’s looking for, and realizes that maybe Jin does mean it, when he says I love you. He means it, when he says Namjoon is handsome, and maybe he means it the most, when he says Namjoon is his.
Because honestly? Namjoon doesn’t mind. As long as Jin can be his in return.
So he takes the chance, pulls away from their linked hands so he can slide an arm around Jin’s waist, long fingers trapping Jin’s hip. Pulls Jin close and tucks him in his side, so close Namjoon can smell his perfume again, that he only needs to turn his head to bury his nose into Jin’s soft brown hair. Courage isn’t just for Rap Monster, it’s also for Kim Namjoon, who has Kim Seokjin in his arms but can never really have him, not unless Namjoon asks for his permission.
He looks up, spies Hyosang’s embarrassed, furious look, and gives Hyosang a dirty, dirty smirk, because for all his talk, never has he landed someone as beautiful as Jin. “Yeah, let’s go babe.” He plants a kiss at the top of Jin’s head, hears his quiet, pleased gasp, and smiles. He walks away, his group standing tall beside him, and for once, talking to Jin Hyosang is actually a damn good idea.
Kim Namjoon may not be the most handsome guy in the world, but he has Kim Seokjin, and that’s all he needs, really.