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bean: found a really good coffee shop close to ur place!!
bean: come with me tomorrow?? c:
1
"Hi!"
The man sitting at the table ignores him completely, fingers flying over the keyboard of his laptop.
"Um, you with the green hair?"
His fingers still and eyes rise up, small and impassive, surrounded by puffy circles and he's actually cute, like a grumpy teddy bear. Jimin swears that he can feel butterflies in his stomach because this is it, this is the moment he's been waiting for so long and it's finally here, and soon these eyes will look upon his face in unconditional, loving adoration.
"What?" the guy deadpans, a distinct lack of adoration in his voice, and Jimin hesitates for a short moment before brushing over it because hitches happen in every plan, even the best ones.
"I couldn't help but overhear when the barista called out your name. Min Yoongi, right?"
He bats his eyes at the guy in a way that he knows is cute because Taehyung has complimented him on it before but the guy must have steel nerves because he doesn't even blink.
"What's it to you?"
Jimin bristles at the hostile tone because isn't it just kind of rude to talk so coldly to someone? He still manages to paste a smile on his face, for which he's rewarded with a suspicious narrowing of already squinting eyes.
The smile going a bit stiff on his face, Jimin rolls up the sleeve of his sweater and shows the man the thin letters inscribed underneath his beaded bracelet.
"Hi! I’m Park Jimin!” when he gets no reaction, Jimin pushes on, a little hesitantly. “As in, your soulmate?”
The man looks at the letters for a couple of short seconds, then whips his head back around and keeps typing like nothing's happened.
Jimin stands frozen on the spot, and from the corner of his eye he can see a couple of girls giggling at him over their pumpkin spice lattes. His face feels like it's burning through but he turns his back on them staunchly and stares the guy down.
"Did - did you hear what I said? You -"
"Impossible," the man lets the word roll off his tongue.
Jimin sputters, still holding the sleeve of his shirt hiked up. He pushes his wrist into Yoongi's view and demands, "How - how is it even impossible? It says right here 'Min Yoong-'"
"You've got the wrong guy," Yoongi says, waving him off with a quick flick of his fingers.
"You - can I see your wrist, at least? Won't you even-?"
Yoongi curls his fingers over a cup of very dark coffee, writing rapid speed with one hand. "I'm busy."
"Just - a second-" Jimin reaches forward, as to take a hold of Yoongi's hand, but the look the other man shoots him is so poisonous that he flinches away.
"Do I need to call the cops on you?" Yoongi sips out of his cup, eyes cold under his frizzy fringe. "I'm not interested."
"I-" Jimin clenches his sweaty fists, then unclenches them again. "O-Okay. I’m, um, sorry."
Jimin turns on his heel like a doll on strings and marches back to his table, slumping down into it with a stiff spine. He feels eyes boring into his back, even as Taehyung leans over the table to give him a worried look.
"That didn't go well."
"Yeah, no kidding," Jimin tells him, unable to quell the slight shaking of his voice. He lowers his head on the table and squeezes his eyes shut.
“Hey, what happened?”
"He didn't even - He didn't even ask for my name. Do I look that bad?"
"What?"
"I knew that I should've worn make-up today, I just knew it, he took one look at me and just went 'I'm not interested', oh my god," Jimin lifts his head and looks at his best friend through bleary eyes. "This is so embarrassing, Tae, let's just-"
"You know what?" Taehyung smacks him palm on the surface on the table. "I'm going."
"You're going?"
Taehyung nods firmly. "I'm going to defend your honour."
"Taehyung, no-" Jimin reaches for his wrist but Taehyung evades smoothly, getting up on his feet and waltzing over to Yoongi's table. Jimin watches in faint dismay as Taehyung talks, very animatedly, and Yoongi lifts his gaze slowly. His eyes flicker to Jimin's table and Jimin whips around so quickly he manages to bang his knee on one of the table legs.
"Fuck," he rubs at his bare knee and regrets the ripped jeans once more. He can sort of hear Taehyung's voice but the words are a bit of a jumble and he's honestly glad because he doesn't think that he could take it right now. He take a violent drag of his Vanilla bean and wipes at the name on his wrist like it written in sharpie and it'll fade out.
Taehyung marches back a couple of minutes later, looking a bit flushed. He sits in front of Jimin and sets one of his hands on his. Jimin pulls his hand away and glares at him.
"I can't believe you did this, this is so embarrassing."
Taehyung ignores him and grabs his hand all the same. "So, like. There's no way this is the Min Yoongi."
"Did - did you-?"
"No, I didn't see. I'm just saying, in general, this guy is so rude? There's no way he's your Yoongi, no way."
Out of some masochistic impulse, Jimin asks, "What did you talk about?"
"Do you really want to know?"
"No. Tell me anyway."
"Well," Taehyung starts mildly, fingers tightening over Jimin's. "I just told him how rude he was, basically, and then he said something about how if you were his soulmate you'd have enough guts to say that to his face? Or something like that."
"Or something-" Jimin bangs his head on the table, the pain in his forehead matching the dull throbbing in his knee.
He hears a small ping over his head and when he resurfaces, sees Taehyung typing away on his phone. He stares at him until Taehyung catches on it, face shining with the gleam from the screen.
"It's Kookie, isn't it?"
Taehyung looks away for a moment, biting into his lower lip. "Maybe."
"I can't believe you. My life literally ended right now and you're texting big dick Jeongguk?"
"Damn," Taehyung breaks into a giddy beam. "You right."
"Taehyung. Do you understand how much pain I'm in right now?"
Taehyung gives a short cough before typing off a couple of letters and putting his phone away.
"So, revenge?"
Jimin smiles. "Now we're talking."
2
"So, what are you guys gonna do about it?" Jeongguk asks over his controller, eyes glued to the TV screen and looking like he couldn't care less about anything at all but is in fact only humouring Taehyung by asking.
Curled by Jeongguk’s side, one arm looped over his, Taehyung is currently staring at his face with moony eyes and Jimin thinks it's pretty gross but Jeongguk has a PS4 and this is the only way he'd ever agree to let him play it.
"Not sure. Something bad," Jimin bites down on his lip, Jeongguk sneaking a goal in while he was experiencing a short flashback of his embarrassment.
"There's pretty much nothing worse than what he did, though."
"Piss off," Jimin grinds out and Jeongguk lets out a pleased noise as he scores again. "I'll think of something."
"Doubtful."
"How about you try to be useful for a change?"
Taehyung pipes in with a soft but vaguely chiding, "Jiminie."
"Are you kidding-"
"I won again," Jeongguk announces, putting his controller down.
"I was distracted, this is unfair-"
Jeongguk cuts him off with a snort and a smug smile. "Someone's a sore loser."
Jimin puts his own controller down and rubs at his temples. "Will one of you let me live already?"
"I still don't understand why you're in my house. As much as I love kicking your ass in Fifa, it still confuses me a lot."
Jimin glares at Taehyung, who's currently resting his head on Jeongguk's shoulder and looking blissed out of his head.
"What?" Taehyung sing-songs, nuzzling his cheek on Jeongguk's shoulder.
"The double standards here are freaking unreal," he pushes his bangs back irritably and looks at Jeongguk's frowning face. "The sooner we come up with a solution, the sooner I'm out of your hair. "
Jeongguk closes his eyes for a moment, looking like he's experiencing an intense pain. He opens them to scowl at Jimin.
"Since when did this become a we thing?"
"Since you started dating my best friend, deal with it."
Jeongguk throws a small look at Taehyung, smiling impishly on his shoulder and lets out a sigh.
"Get to know the barista, bribe him to put laxatives in the dude's coffee."
"Not bad but could get me in jail."
"I'm not that lucky," Jeongguk mutters. Taehyung leans away from his shoulder and Jimin thinks that he's finally going to hand it to him but he just leans forward to rub on his chin pensively.
"I actually know one of the baristas? Kim Seokjin.”
Jimin opens his mouth to ask but Jeongguk beats him to it.
"What?"
"Yep. Helped me with my acting for that one project."
Jeongguk wrinkles his nose, and if Jimin didn't know him better he'd think he looked jealous. "Your acting sucks, though."
Taehyung nods. "That's why he was helping me."
"But didn’t you barely pass?"
Taehyung shrugs. "Yeah."
Jeongguk gives him a quiet look and then cracks an actual laugh and pats Taehyung on the thigh once. Jimin doesn't understand how their relationship works and never will, but he thinks that the fact that someone weird as the two of them managed to find their soulmates is somewhat comforting.
"Anyway," Jimin says, and the lovey-dovey haze clears up from Jeongguk's eyes. "Back to me, please."
"Why don't you just tell him your angry feelings straight away and be done with it? Didn't the guy drag you for being a pussy already?"
"No way," Jimin says decisively. "It'll look like I care about what happened."
"But you do, right?" Taehyung asks, innocently tapping his chin.
"I don't! I totally don't!"
Jeongguk starts, sounding patient in a forced way. "Then get a date or something."
Jimin claps his hands and beams at Jeongguk. "That's it, Jeongguk! You're a genius!"
"You're welcome," Jeongguk gives him a tight grin back. "Okay, can you please go-"
"Taehyung, you won't mind, right?"
"Ok. Just this once," Taehyung grins and gives him a thumbs up. Jeongguk looks between the two of them, looking very lost.
"What-"
"Jeongguk," Jimin says sweetly, clapping a hand on Jeongguk's shoulder. There's a small moment in which Jeongguk's eyes go wide and Jimin feels a bit offended at the amount of terror reflected in them.
"No, no way-"
"You're going to be my fake date."
5
Jimin thinks that maybe all of his plans are destined to fail. When he walks into the shop, a glowering but completely dolled up Jeongguk hanging off his arm, Yoongi isn't there. He tells himself that maybe he'll come later in the day, but even after half an hour he's still a no-show.
He tells Jeongguk his theory, and Jeongguk throws Jimin an irritable look over his History flashcards.
"Or maybe you just aren't planning them out enough," he scratches the side of his cheek. "How much longer?"
"Am I really such a pain to be around?"
"Yes," Jeongguk says within a single beat, and goes back to studying his flashcards.
Jimin exhales through his nose and slurps his frapuccino, opening up a racing app on his phone.
"Do you really have nothing to do?" Jeongguk asks him.
"Yes."
Jeongguk pushes his cards into his face. "Then quiz me."
"Don't wanna."
Jeongguk hitches one eyebrow up, in a gesture his adolescent self probably thinks looks cool. "Seriously? I'm doing you a favour."
"You're doing Taehyung a favour."
"Nah. I could've set you up with one of my friends, but I decided to go with you myself because I'm the hottest person I know."
Jimin gags into his straw. "Did you really just say that with a straight face?"
Jeongguk shrugs and gives him a tiny smile, and even though he doesn't want to Jimin has to agree that it looks a little bit hot, even though Jeongguk's that type of a guy who never goes out without offensively strong cologne.
"Also, you don't have friends, so that's a lie."
The smile is wiped clean off Jeongguk's face, and he pulls his flashcards back to stare down at them resolutely. "You bitch."
Jimin sniggers and plucks the notes from his fingers. Jeongguk opens his mouth, eyebrows furrowed, but Jimin interjects with, "Tell me everything you know about the Korean war."
They spend fifteen more minutes revising Jeongguk's flashcards, which he has memorised absolutely by heart.
"You overachiever," Jimin tells him, to which Jeongguk counters with, "I'm just not stupid", and bullies Jimin into treating him with another Green Tae latte.
As they're leaving the coffee shop, Jeongguk leans close and whispers into his ear, "Isn't that him, by the door?"
It takes a second for Jimin to get over his disgust at having Jeongguk breathing down his neck and another to process the message. He jumps a little and his eyes stray to the door and sure enough, Min Yoongi is there, setting up his laptop and looking as haggard as last time, a black beanie pushed over his head and that outrageusly green hair peeking out. However, this time there's another guy with him, tall and bleached with his hands pushed into the pockets of his black sweats.
Jimin links elbows with Jeongguk and pulls him into his side, faking that he's fussing over Jeongguk overworking himself as they pass the table.
He hears snippets of their conversation, something about Americano and 'snares', before they push out of the coffee shop.
Jimin takes in a deep breath, keeping his arms linked with Jeongguk until they round the corner. They break apart so fast that Jeongguk manages to elbow him in the ribs and Jimin stumbles and steps on his foot.
"You're a mess," Jeongguk tells him while Jimin's rubbing his bruised ribs.
"Shut up, Jeongguk."
"Are you even sure that he's your soulmate?"
"That's not the point," Jimin tells him. "It's all about getting revenge now."
Jeongguk snorts. "You're such a mess."
9
Poring over his notes on The Four Seasons, Jimin bemoans ever deciding to take Vivaldi as an ''easy'' elective. He's nursing a pounding headache from his chronic lack of sleep and the violins crooning into his ears aren’t helping his case much.
He sips on bitter coffee, a foul tasting film on his tongue, and wants nothing more than to tell the violinists to shut the fuck up already.
As if adding insult to injury, when he stands up to order another Americano it's Min Yoongi standing by the counter, hair standing up on every end and didn't he get the memo that morning is Jimin's time at Caffee Bene?
He shifts from one foot to another, unable to decide whether he should wait to Yoongi to order and then go but then Yoongi's eyes look over the coffee shop in an uncommitted fashion and Jimin tells himself that it's been half a week and he doesn't care.
He goes to stand behind Yoongi and finds that they're around the same height, which makes him a little sad.
"One Americano, Min Yoongi."
When Yoongi turns Jimin stands to the side, keeping his eyes glued on the menu over the counter that he already knows by heart.
"It's you again," he hears a rough voice say, and he jumps up, eyes finding Yoongi's narrowed ones. "Are you stalking me?"
"Stalking you?" Jimin lets out a scoff, picking at the skin on the side of his nail. "As if. I just like coffee and I have a boyfriend, anyway."
Yoongi gives him a derisive snort.
"I do," Jimin pushes past him and sets his hands on the counter, looking the rather handsome barista in the eye. "One Americano, please."
"That'll be two thousand won."
Jimin pays the barista and turns around, one finger up in the air. "And also-"
The girl waiting in line behind him gives him a shocked look, and Jimin trips over his tongue as he mutters apologies and scuttles back to his seat.
When he looks over to Yoongi, he's staring at his laptop with big headphones over his head, here and there tapping on the keyboard. Jimin wonders if he's a composition major because it fits him, the pretentious green hair and beanies. Yoongi suddenly lifts his head, and Jimin's too far gone in his daydreaming to turn away before he's caught.
Jimin can swear that there's a slight smirk on Yoongi's face as he mouths at him across the room: Stalker.
10
Jimin plays with his fries, absentmindedly pushing them across the paper napkin and watching as they leave greasy marks on the flimsy material.
"Do you maybe know a Min Yoongi?"
Jaebum looks up from his phone. "Min Yoongi? He's in composition?"
"I think so."
"Hm," Jaebum stares off into space. "Can't say I've really heard of him. Is he an underclassman?"
"I'm not sure, really."
"I could ask Jackson. You know him, right?"
"Yeah, the loud Chinese guy."
Jaebum gives a short laugh. "Well, that's a pretty accurate description."
He pops a fry into his mouth and leans his elbows on the table.
"He's friends with virtually everyone on campus. If he doesn't know, then a Min Yoongi is not enrolled here."
"Well, okay. Text me when you find out?"
"Sure," Jaebum suddenly gives him one of his devil-may-care grins, wriggling his eyebrows up and down. "So , why are you asking?"
"No reason."
Jaebum lets out a knowing noise. "It's perfectly normal to be curious about that stuff. You're around that age now, anyway -"
"Please don't give me the birds and the bees talk."
Jaebum lets out a hearty laugh. "I'm just saying."
"Thanks," Jimin says sarcastically, but it flies completely over Jaebum's head, who answers with a sincere, "No problem."
Jaebum looks down at his phone and smiles in a dopey way when he looks back up.
"So, Jinyoung is coming here in a few-"
"Got it," Jimin says, grabbing his tray and getting up on his feet.
"You don't have to leave," Jaebum says, a slightly wounded note in his voice.
"No, I'll go. If I see someone making eyes one more time today I think I'll have to choke myself."
Jaebum laughs and shrugs. "Well, okay. Text you later, yeah?"
"Sure. Thanks, hyung."
11
JB: so jackson doesn't know him, but he thinks he knows a guy who knows him. i think he's in my year, actually. i could ask him for you, if you want
Jimin: (typing...)
Jimin:
Jimin: (typing...)
Jimin: Nah it's fine
JB: if you're sure?
Jimin: Yep, tnx hyung
JB: np (Y)
JB: oh, jackson wants to know why you want to know
Jimin: Jackson should mind his own business
JB: ouch haha, rude
Jimin: Sorry, but it's nm really
Jimin: (typing...)
Jimin: Thanks again
JB: sure sure
JB: (sticker sent)
13
"Shouldn't you be partying on a Friday?"
Jimin looks up, wondering why it has to be that he bumps into this asshole every time when he's feeling completely under the weather.
He runs a hand through his fringe and gives Min Yoongi, holding a laptop under one arm and a Styrofoam cup with what must be Americano in his other hand, what he hopes is a cold look.
"Are you stalking me?"
A corner of Yoongi's mouth quirks up. "Hardly. Your table is the only empty one next to a plug."
Jimin lifts his chin up. "Well, I'm waiting for someone."
"How many someones?"
"Just - just one."
Yoongi settles in the seat across from him and plops his laptop down. "Then, don't mind if I do."
"I mind."
Yoongi just puts his headphones on, not caring about him in the slightest. Jimin takes out his phone under the table.
Jimin: MAYDAY MAYDAY
Jimin: JEONGGUK QUICK YOU HAVE TO COME
Junkkook: (online)
Junkkook: what
Jimin: YOONGI SAT AT MY TABLE
Jimin: I SAID I WAS WAITING FOR SOMEONE BUT THERES NO ONE YOU HAVE TO HELP ME
Junkkook: oh wow romantic
Jimin: ITS NOT THE OTHER TABLES ARE TAKEN JKOOK S O S
Junkkook: literally no
Junkkook: get someone else
Jimin: HE ALREADY SAE M E WITH YOUJUNGOOK PLEASE
Junkkook: he wasn't even looking dude
Junkkook: i don't think he cares anyway
Jimin: JEONGGUKKKKK
Junkkook: lol bye
Junkkook: (offline)
Jimin: Jeongguk I won't come to your house for a week I swear
Junkkook: (online)
Junkkook: (typing...)
Junkkook: 2 weeks
Jimin: Okay please
Junkkook: be there in 15
Jimin: Be hot pls
Junkkook: what do you take me for
Junkkook: (offline)
Jimin sets him phone back in his pocket and wipes at the sweat in the corner of his temple. Yoongi doesn't react when he gets up to order a Green Tea latte as an apology to Jeongguk.
They sit in very stilted silence, but Yoongi, infuriatingly enough, just keeps working calmly and doesn't look perturbed in the slightest. He lowers his headphones for a second, and without looking away from the screen, says:
"Could you maybe stop staring at me?"
Jimin flinches at the dry remark and digs his nails into his palms.
"I wasn't even - staring."
Yoongi makes a vague noise in the back of his throat and slips his headphones back on.
Jimin keeps his head glued to his textbook, only lifting it to pick up his order. Jeongguk walks in some five minutes later, the door chime announcing his arrival.
Jimin whips his head up with a grateful smile already forming on his face, and he has to remember to thank Taehyung for having such a fashionable boyfriend because he looks so well put together that Jimin even feels a bit shamed. Then, Taehyung walks in and the smile dies on Jimin's lips.
He shoots alarmed looks at the both of them but Taehyung just waves enthusiastically at him.
They saunter over to his table leaving a curiously big amount of space between them, in an exercise of some impressive self-control.
"I bought a plus one," Jeongguk says, leaning down to briefly brush his lips against Jimin's cheek. Jimin feels a little like puking but manages to hold back. "Hope you don't mind, babe."
Jimin actually shivers at that and Taehyung hugs him loosely and whispers: "Don't look so grossed out."
"Sorry for this, Tae," Jimin replies in a hushed voice, and Taehyung whispers back: "It's fine. Mi casa es su casa."
Taehyung leans away, and Jimin tries not to think about what that particular analogy would mean in this situation.
"I'm going to go order something," Taehyung chirps, clapping his hands together. His eyes wander over to Yoongi, who hasn't acknowledged their arrival in any way at all, and says, very loudly, "You two lovebirds have fun together."
Jimin almost slaps himself but Jeongguk kicks him in the shin under the table before he can make the move. When Jimin looks at him he shoots him a pointed look that turns to a sickly sweet smile alarmingly fast.
"Aw babe, you got me my favorite?" Jeongguk smile goes even toothier, and he nudges Jimin in the arm in a cute fashion. "Thanks."
"U-um, you're welcome."
Jeongguk stares at him like he's expecting something, and Jimin pastes on: "B-Babe?"
Jeongguk clears his throat, looking precariously close to losing his temper.
"So,” Jeongguk drags out. “How are your studies going?"
"Yeah, they’re – they’re fine.”
“Yeah?” Jeongguk crooks his head, looking strangely attentive as he sips on his latte. Jimin wonders if this is how he looks at Taehyung, and finds himself strangely touched to be treated with the same amount of interest, even if he's just faking it.
"Okay, I actually really hate this elective and it's annoying and boring as hell and it's a morning class, can you believe? I regret taking it so much, but they won't let me switch it because they hate me and also "I can't wake up before noon" isn't a good enough of a reason to-"
Jeongguk's eyes go a bit glazed over, looking over Jimin's shoulder.
"Hey." Jimin smacks him on the arm. "You listening?"
Jeongguk's eyes refocus on his face again, and he blinks, a small frown settling over his face. "Mm, yeah, sorry."
His gaze flits over Jimin's shoulder again and when Jimin turns around he sees Taehyung getting pretty chummy with the barista, both of them laughing very hard and leaning over the counter.
"Is that the Seokjin dude?" Jimin mutters out loud, and when he glances to the side he finds Yoongi looking the same way, headphones hanging around his neck and an indecipherable expression on his face.
Seokjin slugs Taehyung on the shoulder and Jeongguk goes as stiff as a washboard. Jimin isn't sure if it's cute or a little pathetic. He's about to try to amend the situation somehow, when he's surprised by Yoongi, letting out a sharp exhale and slapping his laptop shut. He watches him unplug it and tuck it under his arm in one swift motion, giving the staring Jimin the briefest of glances before he strides out of the cafe, leaving his coffee on the table.
"Who lit a fire under his ass, huh?" Jimin mutters, turning to Jeongguk only to find him getting up as well. "J-Jeongguk-?"
"A second."
He marches over to the counter and throws an arm around Taehyung's shoulders, who looks back to Jimin's table in confusion.
Jimin can only shake his head.
16
A tall, platinum blond guy slides into the seat next to Jimin's, smacking his tray down on the table.
Jimin snaps out of his tractate on the uselessness of morning classes and stares at the vaguely familiar stranger glowering at him from his seat.
"U-Um, sorry?"
"You're Park Jimin?"
Jimin has the peculiar feeling like the sentence is the introduction to, Someone sent me to take care of you.
"Uh, who's - who's asking?"
The guy opens his mouth but is interrupted by Taehyung, sliding his arm over the table with a bright: "I'm Kim Taehyung, second year, singing major!"
The guy blinks and somehow the intimidating look on his face is broken, replaced by polite confusion. He accepts Taehyung's hand and shakes it once.
"Kim Namjoon, third year, composition."
Jimin feels a cold foreboding creep up his limbs. Namjoon takes a look at his face and nods once, and goes on to say: "Sorry for interrupting, but I was wondering if I could have a second with you. You are Park Jimin, right?"
Jimin takes a second too long to answer and Taehyung pats him on the back and cheerfully exclaims, "The one and only!"
"Right. Well, I don't want to come off as rude, but there's been this thing happening recently that I'm somewhat invested in," Namjoon cocks his head to the side. "You been going to Caffee Bene often?"
Jimin jumps in his seat, incomprehensible gibberish leaving his mouth.
"Hm. Thought so. You've got some bad luck, kid," Namjoon says before biting into his burger.
Jimin blinks at him, trying to figure out how his going to Caffee Bene equals to having bad luck. Namjoon chews complacently, looking at Jimin with faint interest in his eyes.
"Well, you do look the type," he says after he swallows the bite. Jimin stares at him and Namjoon lets out a small chuckle before biting into his burger, finishing it off in two bites.
Mouth still full, he takes his platter in one hand and gives them a salute with two fingers. He moves as to leave, and then pauses, throat bobbing with a swallow.
"Yoongi's an economy major. See you later."
He walks off to another table filled with upperclassmen, and Jimin feels them all stare at him with varying degrees of vulture-like curiosity on their faces.
"What-" Jimin looks at Taehyung, whose eyes are still trained on Namjoon's retreating back. "What the hell was that?"
Taehyung shrugs and shoves a fistful of fries into his mouth.
17
"Why do you think he dyed his hair black?" Jimin asks, peeking at Yoongi behind the covers of his textbook.
"I don't know, maybe he was hoping you wouldn't be able to recognize him anymore?" Jeongguk suggests, playing with his straw. "Like, you're pretty much bordering on obsession right now."
"I'm not obsessed," Jimin hisses. "I like this coffee shop and I'm not going to stop visiting because of some random dude and don't you have school?"
"I have a day off today."
Jimin squints over the borders of the textbook. "Why?"
Jeongguk gives him a cheeky grin. "Because Taehyung only has classes until noon and you can't come over this time."
"Ugh, just don't."
"Anyway, I don't see how you liking this coffee shop has anything to do with you spending an unhealthy amount of time angsting over some dude."
"Aw, Jeongguk," Jimin lowers his textbook and bats his eyes at Jeongguk. "Are you worried about me?"
"Not even," Jeongguk wrinkles his nose, idly flicking his wet straw at him. "I'm just worried how hanging out with a future sex offender might affect my future."
"Fuck off, dude," Jimin wipes at the green drops on the cover of his brand new textbook. "This shit cost a kidney and a leg."
"What? You can't even see anything."
"I can see it and I hate it."
Jeongguk rolls his eyes. "Whatever, I'm gonna go now. Thanks for the latte, hyung."
"Later, asshole."
Jeongguk blows him a kiss before walking off.
Jimin glares at the persistent smudges and debates calling Taehyung to hang out just to foil Jeongguk's plan. Suddenly, there's a rustling noise and when Jimin looks up, Yoongi's seated across from him, laptop closed and headphones slung around his neck.
The white of his teeth is stark against the darkness of his hair, and he leans his chin on his fist as he says, "Stood up by your boyfriend?"
Jimin rubs his thumb on the plastic of his book and grits out, "Do you always walk up to people with a snarky line, or is that reserved for me?"
Yoongi snorts. "Don't get ahead of yourself."
"Congratulations, you're an asshole. Do you want a medal or something?"
"How about a date?"
"How about a - huh?"
Jimin looks up, blinking at Yoongi who's giving him an honest look, and is he actually smiling?
"I-" Jimin's voice trembles and he clears his throat. "Don't - Don't fuck around with me."
Yoongi leans his head to the side, quirking his eyebrow a little. "I'm not."
"Oh yeah? Then why-" Yoongi’s eyes flicker down his face as he talks, and Jimin pushes his words out in one shaky breath. "You said you weren’t interested."
An amused glint in Yoongi’s eyes. "Maybe I changed my mind."
"I..."
"Don’t overthink," Yoongi reprimands him in an almost gentle way. "Either you want to go on a date, or you don't."
"And- And if – just hypothetically, if I said yes?"
"Then, hypothetically, I'd ask for your number and we could figure something out," Yoongi takes phone out and shoots him a small smile. "So, your number?"
Jimin blinks at him and recites his phone number almost mechanically.
"Great. I'll text you with the details."
"Um-"
Yoongi picks his laptop up and gives him another smile, waving a little with his other hand, "Bye, Jiminie."
"Uh, y-yeah."
Jimin watches him go, and the moment that he's out of the coffee shop his phone buzzes.
(add contact?)
unknown: I knew you didn't have a boyfriend.
unknown: you stalker.
18
"Does this mean I can stop pretending to be your boyfriend?"
Jimin takes his phone back, glaring daggers at the two messages on the screen. "No. I can't let him win like this, there's no way -"
"So what, you'd rather end up looking like a cheater?"
"Maybe we're in an open relationship-"
Jeongguk levels a steady look at him. "Hyung, this has to stop."
"Sorry, Jiminie, but I agree," Taehyung says, giving him an emphatic smile. "You can't build your future relationship on a house of cards."
Both Jeongguk and Jimin give him silent looks and Taehyung breaks into a huge grin. "Namjoon sunbaenim taught me that phrase! Isn't he so cool?"
"Namjoon sunbaenim?"
"Since when are you guys friends?" Jimin asks, but when Taehyung opens his mouth to explain he cuts him off. "And what future relationship are you talking about? He hasn't texted me ever since yesterday."
Jeongguk lets out a wheezing sigh. "Is that what this is really about?"
"What do you mean?"
"You're butt hurt because he hasn't texted you about the date yet."
Jimin smacks his fist on the table, and the couple sitting at the table next to them throws them dirty looks.
"I'm mad because he's making fun of me!"
"Well, in his defense, you're making it extremely easy to do."
"You-" Jimin jabs a furious finger in Jeongguk's direction. "Whose side are you even on?"
"I'm on the side of you building a bridge and getting the fuck over it," Jeongguk picks up a fry and nibbles on the edge. "Seriously, for how much longer will I be subjected to your soap opera troubles?"
Jimin inhales, anger burning so high it makes him short of breath. Luckily for Jeongguk, Taehyung cuts in then.
"Jiminie, you know what?" Taehyung gives Jimin's back a reassuring pat. "You could text him yourself!"
"I'm not texting him," Jimin spits out, shaking Taehyung's hand off. "I don't want to text him."
Jeongguk snorts. In that moment, he reminds Jimin of Yoongi so much that he almost punches him in the face. Instead, Jimin lets out a high pitched whine.
"There, there," Taehyung says.
23
unknown: you haven't come to caffee bene in a while.
unknown: is everything okay?
24
"Oh," Yoongi looks up, black rings under his eyes. "Hi."
"Why do you always look so tired? Are you a vampire or something?"
"Or something," Yoongi says, giving him a wry smile. Jimin lingers by his table, hands in fists, and Yoongi's eyes flick up and down his figure in an off-handed manner.
"Well, won't you sit down?"
"Why should I? Are we friends now?"
Yoongi levers a steady look at him. "If you want us to be."
"If I- " Jimin's voice rises in pitch.
"Could you sit down, Jiminie?" Yoongi says, voice as smooth as honey. "You're disturbing the other customers."
Jimin slams down on the chair, hands crossed over, and Yoongi lets out a dry chuckle. He snaps the laptop shut and leans on top of it with his elbows.
"Do you always listen so obediently?" Yoongi asks, a slow smile spreading on his lips. "Or is that just for me?"
Jimin sputters, feeling the skin of his cheek burning and palms sweating at his positively salacious tone.
"Don't-" Jimin clears his throat, fumbling with the cuff of his shirt. "I - I want you to delete my number."
"Oh?" Yoongi's mouth rounds. "Is that so?"
"Yeah. Just delete it."
Yoongi blinks at him sweetly. "Sorry, I can't do that."
"What - what do you mean you can't?"
"You have a habit where you just disappear for days on end," Yoongi leans closer to him, resting his chin on his hands. "How would I contact you?"
"You - you-" Jimin feels like his face is going to combust, and he really doesn't know what to say anymore.
Yoongi reaches forward. Jimin goes rigid at the sudden touch, the pad of Yoongi's finger cold on his burning skin.
"Eyelash."
"Eyelash", he repeats dumbly, thinking about how Yoongi must have felt how hot his face was and oh god, what if he's sweating? What if his entire face is greasy and eyeliner smudged in the corners of his eyes?
He shoots up from the chair and Yoongi leans back, eyebrows raised.
"I'm - I'm going to go now."
"So soon?" Yoongi makes a face at him that faintly reminds Jimin of a pout, of all things. He holds a cup up at him. "At least take this."
Jimin takes it dazedly. "Va-vanilla bean?"
When he looks back at Yoongi, he throws him a smile so sweet Jimin thinks he must have hallucinated it.
"I've acquired a taste for it."
24
unknown: did you get to college safely?
jimin: (online)
jimin: (offline)
jimin: (online)
jimin: (offline)
jimin: (online)
jimin: delete my number
yoongi: (online)
yoongi: :)
25
"He's fucking with me," Jimin bemoans, face against the table top once again. "He's fucking with me and I don't even know what to say."
"You could block him?"
"What's it matter? I'll still see him whenever I go to Caffee bene," he lifts his head and grabs onto Taehyung's hand sadly. "I love Caffee bene, Tae."
Taehyung pats him on the head sadly. "I know you do, Jiminie."
It feels comforting, even more so when he imagines how petty Jeongguk would get over the innocent touch. Suddenly, karma comes for Jimin in the form of a boisterous voice and a harsh smack between his shoulder blades.
"How are my favourite underclassmen doing?"
"Jackson hyung!" Taehyung exclaims, his entire face transforming into a wide grin. Jimin leans away a little, looking to the side with a frown. It's Jackson's grinning face, so close that Jimin can see the faint stubble on his chin and upper lip.
"What's got you down, little buddy?" Jackson says in that heavily accented Korean of his. Jimin leans away a little, "Nothing."
"Hey, hey," Jackson straightens, fixing his backwards snapback. "Don't worry, I won't pry! I only wanted to invite you guys to the hottest party in town."
"I'm guessing that you're throwing it."
Jackson smacks him on the back too hard again, and Jimin yelps.
"You guessed right! It's this Friday, come or stay virgins forever!" He looks from Taehyung to Jimin and winks at Taehyung. "Well, one of you, anyway."
"Can my boyfriend come?"
"Sure! The more the merrier!"
"Cool," Taehyung beams.
"Oh, Jiminie," Jackson leans down and penetrates Jimin's personal bubble with flourish again. "You didn't hear this from me, but someone whose name rhymes with 'Moongi' might be showing up."
He leans back and throws him an exaggerated wink. "If you know what I mean."
Jimin looks at him mutely, and Jackson just gives a high-pitched laugh before standing back and pushing some tables away from him.
"What-"
Suddenly, he does a back flip and lands on his knee, only wobbling a little. A couple of students sitting to the side erupt in applause and cheers, and Jackson stands up and bows a couple of times.
He points at the two of them with finger guns and beams. "See you there, amigos!"
Jimin only realises that he's clapping too when he puts his hands back on the table again.
"Is this guy even real?" he asks at the same time when Taehyung trills, "We're going, right?"
26
yoongi: you're going to wang's party on friday?
jimin: How tf does everyone know him
yoongi: you didn't answer my question.
jimin: Delete my number already
yoongi: :)
yoongi: see you tomorrow.
27
Jeongguk’s parents are out of town, again, and they rendezvous at his place before going to the party.
(“This is in direct breach of our agreement.”
“It’s been exactly two weeks since then, don’t be petty.”
“Today counts, hyung. You owe me a latte.”)
Taehyung helps Jimin ‘sculpt out his cheekbones’ and Jeongguk makes him change, throwing out clothes from his own closet in his face.
“Finally,” Jeongguk says, looking up and down his figure. “You have reached your potential.”
“Gee, thanks,” Jimin sits on the bottom of Jeongguk’s bed and opens up his phone again. No new messages. His stomach feels unsettled, and he tries to calm his raging nerves with a deep breath.
“When are we heading out?”
“Soon,” Jeongguk says, reaching into his trashcan. Taehyung comes to sit next to Jimin, settling a hand over his knee and tapping on it absent-mindedly.
Jeongguk comes over, a clear bottle of tequila in his hand, and he shoos the two of them away.
“Scoot over.”
They both move and Jeongguk settles in next to Taehyung, so close that they look like their sides are stuck together.
"It's rude to come to a party sober,” Jeongguk tells him wisely.
Jimin gives him a scandalized look. "Are you even of age?"
Jeongguk uncaps the bottle and takes a healthy swing completely unflinchingly. He gives Jimin a wolfish grin.
“What, scared?”
"Give me that."
Jeongguk smirks, pressing the neck of the bottle into Jimin's hand. He takes a heavy swig and immediately starts hacking out a cough, the tequila searing past his throat and pooling warmth in his stomach instantly. Taehyung reaches over to pat him on the back, giggling a little.
"What the fuck is this vile shit?"
He hands it to Taehyung, who drinks as placidly as Jeongguk had. Jimin just stares at him, throat still burning slightly.
"Are you guys human?"
Jeongguk cackles, drinking once more.
"You need to get your tolerance up, hyung, or you'll never survive in this man-eats-man world."
"What are you blabbing about?" Jimin mutters, holding his hand out again.
Jeongguk gives him an appraising look. "Are you sure you can take it?
"Jeongguk," Jimin scoffs. "I'm sure."
Jeongguk passes him the bottle, and Jimin takes another swing. The more he drinks, the more he thinks that tequila isn't that bad at all.
???
Jimin clutches at someone's sleeveless shirt, almost toppling back when he lets go. There's a hand on his back and a voice at his ear asking him if he wants another drink.
Jimin thinks he nods his head and then he's led through a dark space, people dancing all around him. He rides the rhythm on his way through the room, bumping into people here and there, some of them looking vaguely familiar. He wants to stop when he sees a girl from his class and shouts her name out but then someone grabs his hand.
"Hey, Jimin,” the grip on his fingers is firm and a little bit cold. “Is that you?"
"Where were – you?" Jimin hiccups, giggling as he stumbles a little. A hushed curse and he's being led forward, sweaty fingers knotting together.
Light spills all around him and when Jimin blinks the bright spots away he recognizes a kitchen. Tiles swim around him and then he's being pushed down. He plops onto something hard and looks up, "H-heey-"
Suddenly, there's a sharp sting on his cheeks, and he lunges forward with his hands, catching himself on slim shoulders. There's a pale face very close to his, furrowed eyebrows and mouth in a hard line.
Jimin leans forward, his forehead resting on something damp.
"I don't - I don't feel that good."
There a sigh somewhere to his side and Jimin feels like crying because he's being such a pain in the ass anywhere he goes.
"I'm so-sorry," he mumbles against the shoulder.
"Yeah," the husky voice says. "It's fine."
Jimin's nose is full of a fragrant scent, the smell of skin mixed in with something faintly sweet. He nuzzles his face into the shoulder, breathing in deeper. He’s only ever hugged two people this tightly before, his ex and Taehyung, and this hug feels so comforting, so right, that it just has to be his Taehyung.
“D-Did you see Y-Yoongi?” Jimin sniffles. “I d-don’t think he came. H-He s-s-stood me up.”
He winds his arms around Taehyung tighter and arms come up around him, enveloping him in a comforting heat. “Easy, tiger.”
“Maybe Yoongi thinks m-my s-skin looks b-bad?”
A small laugh in his ear. "Your skin is fine."
Taehyung is always so nice to him, why couldn’t he be his soulmate? Jimin pries his eyes open, but the only thing he sees from this angle are kitchen tiles, more and more kitchen tiles. He laughs, and the person holding him flinches.
He’s so obnoxious. Maybe that’s why he can’t find his soulmate. Maybe there’s been a mistake, and someone accidentally printed out a name on his wrist, it would make sense because Yoongi said that it was impossible too-
“Stop babbling nonsense.”
There's a brief moment of clarity where he thinks that he might be talking out loud, but that’s okay because he has to tell Taehyung that he’s grateful to him for staying by his side even though he’s so obnoxious and Jeongguk for putting up with him even though he hates him too. There was a time where he thought that he was stealing away his best friend but now he's important too and even if they can never care about him the same way because of the whole soulmate business Jimin still loves them just as much.
“Shut up, for god's sake,” the voice says something about polyamorous love confessions, but Jimin isn't sure he knows exactly what it means. The body holding him shakes in laughter and Jimin thinks that he needs to check his phone for messages because Yoongi might have texted him again, and there are more voices filtering in and hands on his head. Jimin thinks that it feels pretty good.
"He's so out of it... unbelievable... were you guys smoking?"
Jimin suddenly feels pretty sick to his stomach, the comforting heat twisting it in knots and the hands around his back feel too tight, too constricting.
Someone goes, "What did he say?"
"Let's...."
Jimin doesn't hear the rest of that sentence, head thick, feeling like his gut is lodged somewhere in his throat. Someone pulls him upright again and the comforting support leaves his body, replaced by two pillars by his side.
He lets himself be led to a bathroom, and then his head is being bent forward, and hands pat his back insistently. A hand smoothes his hair back, cold on his sweaty forehead, and then his stomach lurches and it hurts, it hurts his throat and his stomach.
A gentle voice encourages him and Jimin leans back, hands braced on the toilet seat. He wants to look at who it is but his arms shake too much, and then the nausea hits him again and he retches, the bile burning his throat. He almost takes a dive for the toilet but hands hold his shoulders back.
There’s a huffy remark that he can’t quite place, and when Jimin twists his head he sees swept back hair through teary eyes. A hand runs through his sticky fringe, and the same voice informs him that he owes him something called tenlattes.
Jimin tries to laugh, but instead he starts vomiting again. He mumbles out apologies again and someone says hushed reassurance into his ear, and Jimin is pretty sure that this time it's really Taehyung and that he loves him.
The toilet is flushed again, and Jimin leans forward, unable to care for the drops of water that sprinkle his face. He takes a couple of breaths, stomach still pained but the heavy weight in his throat mostly gone. His head is still swimming, vision blurring in and out, and the taste on his tongue is absolutely disgusting.
And then his stomach lurches again.
After it ends, Jimin's left panting with his head on the toilet seat, vaguely thinking about how much he hates drinking and that he’s never doing it again.
He doesn't get to dwell on it for too long because suddenly, hands push him off the toilet seat. Jimin whines, the focus of his balance shifting, and there’s a terrifying moment in which his legs feel like absolute jelly and he thinks he’s going to fall. He’s steadied with a hand on his back and arms around his waist, and then he’s bending over and his face is cold and wet, and it’s really uncomfortable.
“-drink, come on, Jiminie.”
Cold liquid fills him mouth and he swallows it down. The taste in his mouth is marginally better.
He straightens and grabs the first person he can get a hold of, and arms come around him immediately. He feels that scent again, briefly, and reaches out to catch it in one hand. He holds it like his life depends on it and presses his face against it.
He thinks he hears Taehyung apologize for something and isn’t Taehyung hugging him now, so why is his voice coming out from in front of him? Jimin wants to open his eyes but his eyelids feel too heavy. A hand on the back of his head, combing through the strands gently, and Jimin sags, losing all of his remaining willpower.
28
bean: hey
bean: how are you??
Jimin: (online)
Jimin: So much Regret
Junkkook: lmao
Jimin: Wtf that’s fcking mean I almost died
Junkkook: do you know whats fucking mean
Junkkook: (typing…)
Junkkook: Getting so nasty drunk that your friends have to hold you up so you don’t drown in your own puke. fuck
bean: :/
Jimin: sorry. You’re right it’s my fault
Junkkook: it’s whatever, shit happens idc
Junkkook: you still owe me ten lattes tho
bean: me too c:
Jimin: I can’t buy 20 lattes wtf do u think im rich
Junkkook: should’ve though about that sooner
Jimin: …
Jimin: hey jk
Jimin: are you home alone
bean: he is!!
Junkkook: no
Junkkook: tae…..
Jimin: I’m coming over to play fifa
Junkkook: don’t u have better things to do
Junkkook: like, apologising to people
Jimin: I said I’m sorry aleady what more do u want
Junkkook: chill hoe, I don’t mean me
Jimin: ?
bean: :o
Jimin:?? ?
bean: you don’t remember???
Jimin: (typing…)
bean: (>-<)
Jimin: (typing…)
Junkkook: (photo sent)
Jimin:
bean: awww you guys look so cute *--*
bean: ukno I said he was an asshole but hes kinda okay??
bean: he was suupper nice yesterday
bean: and u kept hugging him it was sO cute
bean: u need to find out his letters quick
bean: jimin???
Jimin: (typing…)
Jimin: (typing…)
Jimin:
Jimin: (typing…)
Jimin:
Jimin: Im
Jimin: Just
Jimin: I m goin g to k ill m yself
Junkkook: lmao
Junkkook: rip in peace
28
(new message)
yoongi: how are you
28
Jimin: I’m fine. I want to apologise for bothering you while I was drunk and allegedly babbling a lot of stupid shit. I don’t really remember a lot but people said that you took care of me and I’m really sorry. I’m also sorry about springing that soulmate stuff on you because I wasn’t really thinking about anything and how other people might feel about it. Also because Taehyung came over to chew you out and stuff. And for stalking you. Don’t worry, I’ll stop bothering you from now on. Thank you for yesterday.
29
(add number?)
unkown: do you want to meet up Monday at Caffee Bene?
unknown: and you’re welcome.
30
“Hello.”
Yoongi closes his laptop without even looking up to confirm who it is. He leans back on his chair and looks up with a slight smile, pushing up his thickly rimmed glasses. He’s dressed in a white dress-shirt and Jimin feels sorely underdressed in his casual white-tee and ripped jeans.
“Hi,” Yoongi gestures to a cup on the table. “I got you your favourite.”
“Ah. Thanks,” Jimin sits down in the chair in front of him, taking the Vanilla bean frapuccino in his hands, the plastic comfortably cool on his skin. “You – You wear glasses?”
Yoongi shakes his head. “I got into some trouble with the dyeing stunt a while back. I’m overcompensating.”
“Oh. Looks preppy.”
“Well,” Yoongi leans forward, the shirt dipping a little and uncovering pale collarbones. “That’s what I was going for.”
Jimin looks at him silently, and Yoongi’s eyelashes flutter when he gives out an unexpectedly bashful smile.
“Looks weird, huh?”
“It looks really hot,” Jimin blurts out exactly what he was thinking. He catches Yoongi’s surprised look, then dips his head to turn his straw around the plastic holder, face burning about a hundred degrees.
The drawn-out “hm” that Yoongi lets out does unfair things to Jimin’s stomach. “Maybe I should dress like this more?”
Jimin looks up and sees Yoongi fixing the left cuff of his shirt, glasses low on his nose. He pushes it up to his elbows nonchalantly and Jimin’s eyes immediately trace the lightly portruding veins running down to his wrist.
Yoongi’s dark eyes flicker up. Jimin realizes that the weird noise he just heard came out from him so he slaps his hand down on the table and stares up at the ceiling.
“S-So, how was your day!”
Yoongi snorts and Jimin bites down on the insides of his mouth, feeling like he’s going to dissolve into a puddle of embarrassment. He waits for some kind of a witty remark to finish him off, but the moment passes and it’s still not there. When he looks down, a little perplexed, he finds Yoongi leaning back on his chair, eyes pressed closed and a hand over his mouth, shoulders shaking.
“What?” Jimin says, too transfixed by Yoongi’s laughter to sound properly offended. “What’s – what’s so funny?”
Yoongi cracks his eyes open, takes a look at his face and lowers his hand a little, all teeth and gums. Jimin feels a tightening in his chest that he can only characterize with an inner “uh-oh”.
“Nothing,” Yoongi tells him, a little breathlessly, still grinning at him, and Jimin drinks his frapuccino and tries to force his stomach to calm the shit down. Yoongi lifts his other cuff up, and Jimin ogles his arm again. His eyes catch on the thin black band around his wrist, and some of his giddiness ebbs away.
The remnants of laughter still linger on Yoongi’s features when he says: “Hey, wanna get out of here?”
Jimin looks up, mouth still around his straw.
“And go where?”
Yoongi’s eyes flicker down his face, then up to his eyes again.
“Somewhere more quiet.”
Stomach twisting, Jimin chews on the straw.
“Sure.”
They stand up, and Jimin waits as Yoongi packs his laptop away.
“Do – Do you need a hand with that?”
Yoongi throws him a brief smile. “No, that’s fine.”
He slides the band of his bag over his shoulder and throws his empty cup away. He holds the door open for Jimin, who looks away and gives him a small: “T-thanks.”
They walk the dark streets of downtown Seoul side by side, Jimin deep in his thoughts, until they reach a small park.
Yoongi gestures towards it with his chin. “Wanna go sit there?”
“Sure.”
They settle down on one of the benches, and Jimin draws his arms around himself, trembling more from the nerves than the chill.
Yoongi clears his throat.
“So. You must’ve thought it weird that I called you out.”
“Well. You did say you would.”
Yoongi gives him a conflicted look, the flickering light casting shadows under the rims of his glasses, and Jimin exhales from his nose.
“So, you were messing around after all.”
“It’s a bit complicated.”
Jimin gives out a laugh, small in the silence around them. Yoongi shoots him a questioning look, and Jimin shrugs. “Don’t people always say that? It’s complicated. It’s not you, it’s me.”
Yoongi’s lips quirk up in a smile. “Fair enough.”
They sit in silence for a moment, Jimin crossing his ankles over and huddling into himself.
“I could explain it to you. If you want.”
Jimin exhales and gives Yoongi a determined look. “What do you want, Min Yoongi-ssi?”
Yoongi crooks his head, a funny expression on his face. The look he’s giving him makes Jimin a little nervous. He turns away to put his frapuccino on the ground next to him.
“Did you date, when you were blank?”
Jimin jerks up, surprised.
“I – yes.”
“How’d that end up?”
“We broke up before we got our names.”
Yoongi nods.
“I used to date too, until one day, I woke up with someone else’s name on my wrist.”
“Oh. I – I’m sorry.”
“Nah. That was a while ago. It was pretty dramatic back then, though.”
A second passes, and Yoongi takes another breath.
“I spent a good year loathing whoever the person on my wrist was, and then another trying to convince myself that soulmates didn’t mean anything.”
Jimin bites his lip, and a Yoongi lets out a sudden laugh.
“Do you know the barista at Caffee Bene?”
“Um, which one?””
“The tall one. Handsome, looks like a model.”
“Oh, yeah,” Jimin nods. “I don’t really know him, but my friend does. Seok-something."
“Seokjin,” Yoongi supplies.
“Oh, yeah.”
“Well, he sent me a text about a month ago, telling me that Americanos were half off,” Yoongi says. Jimin gives him a look, feeling like he's missing something obvious. “So, I come and he says that I have to give out my name this time, since ‘there’s a lot of patrons waiting on discount Americanos'.”
Yoongi snorts. “He’s a shit liar, for all of his acting lessons. So, I sit and wait for my order, I pick it up, and – well, you pretty much know how that ended.”
Yoongi gives him a smarmy look, and Jimin feels a bit like he was suddenly dipped into a cold pool.
“You have to realize, Seokjin’s been going on about my shrivelled up heart for ages. This isn’t the first time this has happened, so I was kind of pissed. However-” Yoongi takes off the thin black band off his wrist. “This is the first time I’ve actually liked a person in ages. And, well-"
Yoongi trails off, holds his right hand out for Jimin. Jimin stares at his own name, written in black ink on the underside of Yoongi's pale wrist.
“So, can we start over?”
Jimin blinks at him blankly, eyes stinging at the corners. Yoongi flicks his gaze to his hand, still hovering between them. Jimin reaches out slowly, curling his clammy hand around Yoongi’s.
“Hi, I’m Min Yoongi,” Yoongi’s fingers tighten over Jimin’s, a gummy smile spreading on his lips. He gives him a quick wink. “As in, your soulmate.”