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“I think he’ll come,” Namjoon affirms, as if he’s sure of it.
He eyes his friend’s black sweater, which has a skeleton stamped on it. Jimin thinks it’s a lazy choice, not really a costume, but he also knows Namjoon wouldn’t put more thought into something like this. It suits him well though.
“I don’t think he will,” Hoseok singsongs and he’s a little more than tipsy, he can see his flushed face and it’s a little amusing that his friend’s alcohol tolerance doesn’t match his pirate costume. And he’s only had like two beers, “Jungkook said he’s a homebody so he might back out,” but Jimin isn’t keeping track this time, if his friend ends up wasted this time, let Seokjin or Namjoon deal with him, he already has enough on his plate.
He feels his insides twisting, and it shouldn’t be this nerve wracking, shouldn’t make him as anxious as he is feeling.
But he guesses that’s how crushes work, right? He hasn’t had one in a long time. Jimin takes a sip of his beer, he’s not drunk enough for this.
“Hmm, I think he will, Kook said he would,” Taehyung adds, shrugging.
Jimin just rolls his eyes. They’re so annoying sometimes. He shouldn’t have said anything to these guys.
Seokjin waves his hands, shaking his head too, “Yah, yah, children, as much as I love to have you chatting here in my bed, I really think we should get out and you know go join the rest of my guests? And dance? And get drunk? Since this is supposed to be my Halloween party,” the oldest ends with a sweet yet sarcastic smile, eyes crinkling behind the white mask. He clearly put a lot of effort into his costume, so of course he wants to show it off, Jimin supposes. Also, Seokjin looks unfairly handsome as Tuxedo Mask.
“Agree,” is all Jimin says. He doesn’t want to keep listening to his friends speculate about the situation, doesn’t want to get his hopes up.
Namjoon sighs loudly before getting up from the spot on the bed he was laying down on. Hoseok starts to make a little dance as he walks and heads to the door. Seokjin joins him, and Taehyung laughs.
“Let’s go, Chim,” his friend urges him, bumping his shoulder against Jimin’s. A boxy smile that contrasts with the red horns adorning his head. Well, it makes him look mischievous, Jimin thinks.
He snorts, well, he’ll just have to cheer up, after all he did put a lot of effort in his own costume. Also he looks way too hot, with his white sleeveless baby tee and booty shorts, to be moping around. So, he fixes his way too short shorts and brushes his hair, finishes his beer in a long chug.
“Yeah,” he says as they join back the mass of people.
***
Jimin feels droplets of sweat rolling down his back. This apartment is clearly way too small for this amount of people, but it’s not like it’s a new place, either, they’ve always partied at Seokjin’s apartment, and how it doesn’t bother him, is still a mystery to Jimin. But this time there’s a lot of new faces, though not the one he wants to see.
He’s pulled away from his thoughts by the heat of a hand dangerously close to the hem of his shorts.
“Yah! Hands up!” he shouts at Minwoo, frowning at him, but the guy looks barely present, too inebriated. He was too deep in thought, not paying attention to the fact that he was dancing with someone else. It’s like he can hear the music louder.
“Sorry, Jim-nah,” the man slurs and Jimin clicks his tongue, pulling away from Minwoo. He storms to the bathroom, and he can hear a faint complaint.
He doesn’t bump into any of his friends on his way to the toilet, Taehyung left his side long ago along with a guy dressed as a Squid Game guard, to do god knows what. He slams the door shut, grabbing the edge of the sink, Jimin takes a deep breath, his head spins slightly.
He looks in the mirror, his face is pink and sweaty, dabs off the sweat with toilet paper. He reapplies his lipgloss, since it smeared a bit, and he notices his eyebrows are furrowed deeply, he relaxes. Jimin feels- annoyed, this night hasn’t turned out like he pictured it, honestly he’s not enjoying himself and it pisses him off that the mere presence, or lack thereof, can influence his mood so strongly.
“It’s just a goddamn crush,” he says under his breath, so he shakes his head, washes his hands and then fixes his wings, since they’re a bit crooked.
There is an insistent knocking on the door as he’s grabbing the handle.
“It’s free now,” he announces to the person, who turns out to be Taehyung.
“Jimin-ah! He’s here!” his friend says excitedly, almost jumping. His stomach drops.
“He is?” he croaks out.
“Yeah! Let’s go say hi,” Taehyung says and before Jimin can think, his wrist is enveloped by a big firm hand, and he’s being dragged to the main door.
His heart thudding faster. He sees Jungkook first, who lightens up as he sees him and Taehyung. The youngest is dressed as Detective Conan, he looks cute, Jimin has to admit.
And there’s Min Yoongi beside him, the man he’s been fretting about almost all night, dressed as a vampire, who has a long black cape and two red strings drawn from the corner of his lips to his chin, mimicking blood of course. And Jimin notes it’s a rather unoriginal costume, but how pretty the older one looks, makes up for it.
“Hi, hyung!” Jungkook greets, excited, “Jiminie!”
Jimin frowns at the youngest, “Jungkook-ah, it’s hyung .”
Jungkook just giggles and Taehyung has the audacity to snort, “Yeah, I know,” to which Jimin just rolls his eyes. It seems like he’s incorrigible.
Yoongi just bows to the both of them and greets them with a barely audible “Hey.”
“You’re really late, what happened?” Taehyung asks.
“Well…” Jungkook starts, and glances at Yoongi who just raises his eyebrows at him, “just stuff, but we’re here now,” the youngest ends with a shrug.
“Whatever, you’re late to get drunk, come,” Taehyung says as he grabs Jungkook’s wrist despite the youngest’s protests, and to Jimin’s horror, drags him to the kitchen area, leaving him alone with Yoongi.
Jimin gapes at his best friend’s retreating figure as he mixes with the rest of the bodies, and then turns to look at Yoongi, whose eyes are fixed on the floor.
“Um- uh,” he starts to fill the awkward silence, well, not silence since the music is booming, “It’s good to see you, Yoongi-ssi, we didn’t know if you’d come along Jungkook.”
Then Yoongi looks at him, a puzzled expression, “Sorry, have we met?”
And it feels like a punch in the gut, a wound to his ego, have they met? Have they met?! Of course they have! Two months ago at Jungkook’s birthday event, they didn’t get to talk much, but when Jimin first laid eyes on Yoongi, he knew he was doomed.
He’d asked Jungkook about his friend, not stalking, just interested, is your friend single? Is he, y'know, into men? To which Jungkook had huffed, hyung, you know I don’t have that many friends and none of them are straight, right? It was a good thing for Jimin, but as for his relationship status, Jungkook had said he wasn’t sure, he supposed not, since they’d never touched much on the subject, and he barely met up with his Yoongi-hyung, since he barely left the dorm, or his room, holed up in his studio writing lyrics, making music.
So when Seokjin organized his party, he obviously invited Jungkook, and Taehyung, his soulmate ever so quick, suggested he invited Yoongi too. Though, given all the information about Yoongi, being an introvert and shy person, it wasn’t granted he’d come.
Thus, this was the perfect opportunity to talk and get to know Yoongi, but to know Jimin hadn’t made a strong impression for the older one to not remember him, stings, stings like a bitch and Jimin’s already been feeling sulky.
He gapes at Yoongi, but tries to regain his composure, smiles politely, “We have! At Jungkookie’s birthday?” the older squints his eyes as if trying to conjure Jimin’s face, “Park Jimin.”
“Ohh, yeah, I remember you, I just-” Yoongi says as he gestures to his own head, “didn’t recognize you.”
Jimin frowns before realization dawns on him, “Ahh, yeah, I bleached my hair recently, back then my hair was brown I think,” he lets out a laugh.
Yoongi hums, “Yeah, sorry…” he rubs the back of his neck.
“It’s fine, don’t apologize,” Jimin tries to reassure him.
Another silence stretches, Jimin is racking his brain trying to come up with something to say, something to start a conversation, but he’s too damn nervous, shit.
“Um, excuse me, I’m going to look for Jungkook,” Yoongi says and bows again.
“Oh- sure, yeah, of course,” Jimin babbles as he looks at Yoongi leave.
Well, that went great, wasn’t awkward at all. Now he’s going to have to make another excuse to talk and get close to Yoongi. He’ll need another drink…
***
And turns out a few shots of soju did not help at all. He got coaxed into playing a drinking game along Seokjin and Hoseok. Now Hoseok is passed out on a corner of Seokjin’s bed, Jimin knew that it would end like this, well better than having his friend puke his insides out. Now his senses are too altered, he almost got the wrong guy, who was dressed as a vampire too. He couldn’t get a hold of Yoongi, and he wonders how the fuck is that possible in such a small space.
And now he’s sat between Namjoon and a guy dressed as a scary clown, they’re debating about whether or not idol rappers are real rappers. Namjoon is way too passionate about it, and honestly, if Jimin had to give his opinion, Namjoon is the one who’s winning.
So he just decides to slip out of that situation. He heads to the balcony and as he’s opening the sliding door, he notices there’s someone else, a vampire, probably the one wrong one, leaning over the railing with a beer in hand.
“Mind if I smoke?” Jimin asks as he takes one of the cigarettes out, puts it between his lips to light it.
“No, go ahead,” and ah- it’s Yoongi, who looks over at Jimin and surprise crosses his face for a second. So it wasn’t the wrong vampire.
Jimin just stays silent though, as he smokes, hugging himself since it’s cool outside and he’s barely wearing clothes. Better to stay quiet, or else he’ll make a fool of himself again. He just steals glances to Yoongi’s back and side profile. Somehow he looks prettier with Seoul’s city lights dimly illuminating his face. That or Jimin is a tad too drunk.
“Too crowded inside, right?” surprisingly Yoongi is the one to break the silence.
“Yeah… but it’s always like that,” he lets out a chuckle.
“Hmm, not used to it.”
“Not a party person, huh?” Jimin barely teases.
Yoongi lets out a dry laugh that startles him, “Not at all,” he shakes his head, “not my scene, too overwhelming.”
Jimin hums and dares to get a bit closer to the railing, takes a drag, “I like it usually, but sometimes it’s too repetitive?”
Yoongi glances at him, “How so?” he asks and his curiosity takes Jimin aback, he thought Yoongi didn’t even want to talk to him, or that he was just making small talk to be polite, to be nice. And he’s continuing the conversation.
“Well, it’s always the same people, the same kind of drinks, always the same drunks too, almost the same playlist, so I don’t know, it becomes boring somehow.”
“Maybe you should party less, Jimin-ssi,” Yoongi says and is he teasing him? Because it makes Jimin blush a little, and god is he sixteen? The older takes a swig.
He chuckles, “Maybe, but I like it, even if it’s repetitive,” he takes another drag, blows out the smoke so it doesn’t end up in Yoongi’s face, “I like spending time with my friends, and also I would feel bad if something amazing or funny happened and I wasn’t there.”
“That’s just FOMO, Jimin-ssi,” and Yoongi grins and it’s the first time Jimin’s seen him smile, a very cute gummy smile that makes his eyes crinkle.
He flusters and takes a nervous drag, there’s not much left, “Perhaps.” He throws the cigarette butt into the makeshift ashtray, that’s just a can of soda. Jimin considers staying more, but he honestly feels like he’s iterating with a cat, walking on eggshells not to scare him away.
So he turns around, “I’m heading inside,” he announces and Yoongi just nods, as he takes another sip of the beer. But when Jimin tries to open the sliding door, it doesn’t move, he tries again, with more strength and nothing.
“Uh, Yoongi-ssi, I think we’re stuck outside,” he says with doubt.
Yoongi turns around, confused, “Huh? Really?” the older tries to open the door, and nothing. Jimin panics only a little, before he starts beating the glass repeatedly so the ones inside see them. But it seems like the music is too loud, or the people are too out of it.
“Hey!” Jimin calls, raising his voice but to no avail, “shit,” he says under his breath, he didn’t bring his phone to call Seokjin or someone else.
“Could you text Jungkook and tell them we’re here?”
“Uh, I left my phone inside…” Yoongi admits, apologetic.
“Damn, me too, and I don’t see Seokjin anywhere,” he tries to look inside, until he sees a familiar face, “Hey, hey! Yah, Taehyung-ah!” he knocks harder and manages to capture his friend’s attention.
Taehyung approaches the door, at first with a smug smile, since he sees Jimin is with Yoongi, but then turns into a confused face, Jimin can barely hear what he’s saying, but can read his lips.
“The door doesn’t open! We’re stuck!” Jimin says loudly so his friend can hear, and shows him the unmoving door. Taehyung tries to open it too, then he frowns and shakes his head, he says something and Jimin thinks maybe he said something Jin-hyung. He sees as Taehyung starts to dodge people.
Jimin sighs, “We’ll have to wait,” and feels goosebumps down his spine from the cold wind.
He turns around and Yoongi looks calm, even a little amused, and shrugs.
“Can’t be helped,” he says and then Jimin sees how Yoongi scans his outfit not so discreetly and frowns, he covers his arms a little self conscious. Yoongi’s just plainly checking him out? But then he sees the older man untying his cape and draping it over Jimin’s shoulders, even over his angel wings.
Jimin’s eyes flutter at the sudden proximity, he can smell Yoongi’s woody perfume, heat raises to his face and neck. And Yoongi says nothing else, Jimin is a little stunned.
“Th-thank you,” he stutters and pulls the coat to cover him more, since it’s big enough and it’s actually warm. His face too.
Yoongi then leans over the railing again, “Can’t get used to Seoul’s temperature changes yet,” he mutters, almost to himself.
“Oh? Where are you from?”
“Daegu, autumn’s a little gentler there.”
Jimin gasps, “I’m from Busan!” he adds suddenly excitedly.
“Really?”
“Yeah, Busan’s a lot warmer than here, Seoul’s cold makes me a bit miserable to be honest, but I do love the snow.”
Yoongi lets out a chuckle and Jimin is marveled and at the same time wonders if he sounded too childish. Or maybe he thinks it’s funny they’re talking about the weather.
“You’re right, the snow here is pretty,” the older one agrees.
“You know that’s where we met with Jungkookie, we met during middle school, he was such a brat,” Jimin says and rolls his eyes at the memories.
Yoongi snorts, “Has he stopped being one?”
Jimin giggles at this, “I guess not.”
“Hyung!” they both turn around to see Jungkook and Seokjin finally open the sliding door, “We’re leaving!” Jungkook adds.
Yoongi exhales in relief, “Speaking of the devil,” Yoongi whispers so only Jimin can hear him, he snorts.
“Sorry, guys, this door is a little shit sometimes,” Seokjin apologizes and then stares at the vampire cloak wrapped around Jimin, “but I see you didn’t freeze to death,” he says in a barely perceptive teasing tone.
He frowns at the oldest, as he gives the cape back to Yoongi, “Thank you so much, Yoongi-ssi.”
Yoongi smiles softly at him, “No problem, Jimin-ssi.”
He accompanies Seokjin to escort Jungkook and Yoongi to the door.
“Get home safely,” Seokjin says as he waves.
And Jimin feels like he has to do something, say something, feels like this moment will slip away and he won’t see Yoongi again, or if he does, it will be just as awkward as the beginning.
“Yoongi-ssi,” he says suddenly, startling the three of them.
Yoongi looks at him curiously, “Yes?”
Jimin does all he can to keep eye contact, even if he’s blushing furiously and his stomach feels queasy, “Would you like to meet up- with me?” he stutters.
Seokjin giggles beside him and Jungkook gapes, and Yoongi- raises his eyebrows again, looking incredulous.
Though he regains his composure, Jimin can see Yoongi’s neck start to flush, he averts his gaze and rubs his nose slightly, “Sure, I would love that.”
And Jimin feels like he could jump around right now. He grins at Yoongi, still not being able to reciprocate eye contact.
The two say goodbye again and Seokjin finally closes the door, looking at him with a knowing smile.
“Well, that turned out better than expected, huh?”
Jimin agrees, feeling giddy.