Work Text:
Most people can’t stand being friends with their exes, but apparently, Park Jimin was not like most people. He and his ex, Yoongi, spent years being friends before ultimately jumping into the decision to test the waters out and become more than just friends. Unfortunately for them, it wasn’t what they expected. Jimin couldn’t understand how they were great, amazing even, as friends, but when they started dating, he then started to discover how incompatible they really were. They argued over practically everything, even the insignificant things, and after a year of dating, they finally reached a mutual agreement to call it quits, but ensuring that they remained friends. Which they did. If they ended in bad terms, all the while still maintaining the same circle of friends, it would end up causing a drift between their friends if and when they had to pick sides, and neither of them wanted that.
Two years down the road, they were still friends, and while Jimin expected Yoongi to be the last one to settle down in their little friend group since he gathered from first hand experience that Yoongi had difficulty when it came to long term commitments, he was pleasantly surprised when one day an invitation came in the mail. It wasn’t just any invitation, it was a formal one with the prettiest and most intricate floral details and Jimin even remarked to himself that who in the world still sends snail mail in this day and age. When he unraveled the note inside the envelope, he didn’t know exactly what he should be feeling, because in his hands was a wedding invitation to Yoongi and some guy named Hoseok’s joint matrimony. First of all, nobody was even aware that Yoongi was in a serious relationship, Jimin was flabbergasted to find out in such a manner. But for the most part, he was thrilled that Yoongi finally met someone he could commit to, someone who made him happy in a way he couldn’t. The beautiful thing about their failed relationship was that they both genuinely respected each other enough to end in good terms. He quickly typed out a text in their group chat.
Jimin 3:21 p.m.
What kind of bombshell is this??? You didn’t even think to inform us that you were dating somebody?
Taehyung 3:23 p.m.
What’s happening??? I’m still at work, ugh. I hate work. Hyung, save meee!
Seokjin 3:24 p.m.
Apparently Yoongi’s getting married.
Taehyung 3:24 p.m.
WHAT????? YOU WERE DATING???? SINCE WHEN
Yoongi 3:26 p.m.
Surprise, I guess? See you all at the bachelor party!
Jimin 3:27 p.m.
Don’t you dare leave us hanging like this!
Taehyung 3:27 p.m.
HELLO?????
Seokjin 3:28 p.m.
He probably placed us on mute. Ugh, guess Taehyung and I will see you on Friday, Jimin.
Yoongi 3:29 p.m.
I was going to mute this gc, but wait, Jimin, will you be bringing a plus one along?
Jimin didn’t know why a simple question brought him an immeasurable amount of distress, Yoongi was merely asking and not even insinuating anything by doing so, but still, it bruised his pride to know that his ex was moving on to bigger and better things with a whole new fiancée, and he was still the same, single and alone. Curse his pride that he wished he could let go of, with half a mind, he typed in a reply he would soon grow to regret.
Jimin 3:34 p.m.
Yeah, I’ll be bringing along a plus one.
Taehyung 3:35 p.m.
WAIT WHAT??? HAVE I BEEN LIVING UNDER A ROCK? WHY DON’T I KNOW ANYTHING ANYMORE!!! HYUNG, CAN I COME HOME NOW AND CATCH UP ON GOSSIP? 😭
Seokjin 3:36 p.m.
No.
Taehyung 3:38 p.m.
K fine. See you at home later then. 😭
Yoongi 3:39 p.m.
I’m pretty surprised myself, didn’t know you were seeing anybody. See you guys soon!
Thankfully, the group chat died down after that, but Jimin was still frantically dwelling over the fact that his friends were now expecting him to show up at Yoongi’s bachelor party with a non-existent plus one. He began rummaging through his thoughts, trying to come up with someone plausible whom he could invite on such short notice. Within the last two years, he’s had a couple of casual hook ups, none of which he knew well enough to casually invite to Yoongi’s party. They were booty calls at best. There were no casual flings, friends with benefits, anyone he knew well enough who could at least pretend to be someone he was dating for a night.
No one.
He groaned out in frustration as he slumped against his tattered couch, wondering why the hell he had to say that he was bringing someone along in the first place. This was great. Oh so fucking great. He would be alone at a party where Yoongi would be celebrating the last night of his single life, or he would be tagging along with Seokjin and Taehyung, who were most likely going to spend most of the night sticking their tongues down each other’s throats per usual, neither situation sounded appealing. There was also the viable option of getting completely shitfaced, drunk enough to not come up with an excuse as to why his plus one was nowhere to be found. Jimin quickly discarded the idea when he realized that whenever he was drunk, he got way too chatty and could possibly end up saying things he would regret later on. His mind was spinning as he tried to come up with a solution, at one point, he even considered hiring a stripper to come with him as his plus one, but it was a horrible idea to begin with. Not wanting his negativity to inhabit his thoughts, he gave up. He was going to show up at that party alone and deal with the consequences later on. The party was in three days, surely he could come up with an idea by then.
But three days had passed and Jimin was still rooted to square one, no plans whatsoever. He made the extra effort that night to look good, wearing his tightest fitting pants and an almost see through top layering a black leather jacket over it. If Jimin was bound to embarrass himself tonight, then at least he had the consolation of looking good in his embarrassment. Throwing caution to the wind, he headed out.
While driving to the party he contemplated during multiple occasions on whether or not he should still show up or if Yoongi would even notice if he came or not, tempted to quickly turn the car around. But the thing about Jimin was that he was nice. Too nice. And flaking out during one of the most important events of someone who once meant the world to him was not something he could do. With a heavy heart, he resigned his fate and continued on his way to the party. Yoongi’s bachelor party was going to be held at one of the district’s bars, which he specifically closed down for the occasion, another factor which greatly shocked his friends since as far as they knew, Yoongi absolutely detested bars or anything related to the nightlife. Not to mention, he was probably the stingiest person they knew. It seemed as if Yoongi’s fiancée really made some changes when it came to Yoongi, good changes of course, which was a delight to hear since Yoongi was as stubborn as a mule when it came to change.
There wasn’t a line leading up to the bar since it was closed down, Jimin simply had to mention his name which was obviously on the guest list and entered the dark bar in search for familiar faces. There wasn’t a designated smoking area so the stench of cigarettes filled the air, Jimin ventured further inside the bar, half surprised that Yoongi apparently knew this much people that he managed to gather enough bodies to occupy the congested club. There were so much people loitering and having drinks wherever they pleased, half of which already looked like they made great use of the open bar, heavily intoxicated and it was still early in the night. Thankfully, amidst the large crowd, Jimin spotted Taehyung and Seokjin over by the seated section of the club which had an elongated sofa-type seating arrangement, the two of them kept to themselves at the very corner of the section.
Jimin made a beeline towards them, relieved to finally catch sight of some familiar faces.
“Hi, thank god I spotted you two. Who are all these people and since when did Yoongi turn into a social butterfly?”
They giggled in unison, Seokjin letting out a shrug as well, baffled as to how an extreme introvert such as Yoongi turned into a social extrovert in the span of a few months.
“Beats me. Speaking of the devil, here he comes. And judging by that silly smirk on his face, the man of the night is utterly wasted.”
True enough, Yoongi had uncoordinated steps as he approached his friends, loud and boisterous as he greeted and thanked them for coming, another indication that he was really drunk. He placed one arm around Jimin and Taehyung and took a seat in the middle, plopping down on the couch.
“Ahhh, so glad you guys could make it. I swear once you meet Hoseok, you’ll fall in love with him the way I have.”
He had a sentimental gaze on his face despite the heavy intoxication, and Jimin couldn’t help but feel glad that things didn’t work out between them, otherwise, he would have never come across seeing Yoongi in such an undeniably happy state. Park Jimin had a lot to offer, unfortunately, these were things which Yoongi wasn’t looking for.
“You don’t know how relieved I was to hear that you would be bringing along a date for tonight, Jimin. I know we ended things on a good note, but I still wanted to at least see somebody else make you happy, because you deserve happiness, Jimin.”
This was the ultimate indication to let his friends know that he already had way too much to drink, Yoongi was in no way sentimental, and while Jimin appreciated the gesture, he was almost certain Yoongi wouldn’t remember a word out of his own mouth the next morning. Yoongi suddenly leaned forward, looking around in every direction.
“Speaking of, where’s your date, Jimin?”
Beads of sweat were trickling down his forehead as he anxiously downed a random drink in front of him. This was the moment he had been dreading all along.
“You’re seeing someone aren’t you? Where is he?”
He continued to crane his neck as he tried to spot Jimin’s mystery man, continuously badgering him because Jimin couldn’t bring himself to utter a response in return. Yoongi kept on relentlessly questioning him, and he was obviously too drunk to reason out with, and even Taehyung and Seokjin were awkwardly glancing at each other, unsure if they should even interfere. Jimin was awkwardly glancing anywhere but Yoongi's direction, hoping that he could somehow vanish into thin air so he wouldn’t be in this predicament, when a steady hand was placed on his shoulder, immediately placing his current thoughts at a standstill.
“Sorry it took so long, parking was full so I had to park somewhere else. Did you wait long?”
A handsome man, right about the same age as Jimin, greeted him with a warm smile. Jimin didn’t know who the hell this man was, but either way was grateful that this kind stranger gave Yoongi the impression that he was Jimin’s plus one.
He eyed the man up and down, mild disbelief settling over him that Jimin in fact, did have a plus one.
“You’re Jimin's plus one?”
He grinned at Yoongi, offering a handshake as a formal greeting.
“Jeon Jeongguk, Jimin and I have been dating for a few months now.”
Jimin didn’t know how to play this off as casually as he should have, noticing how Taehyung and Seokjin both had equally flabbergasted expressions on their faces, and so he simply nodded his head, snaking one arm in between this stranger’s arm as he mustered up a convincing smile, fully selling the story to Yoongi, who still seemed skeptical.
“How come Jimin’s never introduced you before?”
Yoongi quizzically asked.
And thankfully, this Jeongguk guy was a quick thinker. He pinched one of Jimin’s cheeks, adoringly staring at his features before glancing back at Yoongi to answer his question.
“Well, my Mimi here is a bit shy. And he's all about waiting for the perfect timing, you know how he is.”
Jeongguk could only hope that Jimin was remotely similar to the way he just described him, otherwise, the jig would be up.
“Jimin does believe in waiting for the perfect timing for things.”
Taehyung interjected, a deep relief washed over Jeongguk upon hearing this.
“Oh.”
In his drunken haze, the scrutiny ceased and Yoongi seemed to be believing that Jeongguk was indeed Jimin’s plus one.
“Well, nice to meet you Jeongguk. Have a good time tonight, okay? Thanks for making Jimin happy.”
Jeongguk felt a pang of guilt, he didn’t know who Jimin was nor was he in any way making the latter happy, he just noticed the dilemma unfolding before his very eyes from across the room, and despite Namjoon’s efforts to talk him out of marching over to alleviate the situation, Jeongguk still went ahead and approached Jimin after hearing tidbits about his situation.
“Its nothing. I’m happy as long as Jimin’s happy.”
He supplied, feeling the intensity of Jimin’s gaze from the corner of his eye.
“See you both at the wedding!”
Yoongi barked out before stumbling to another area to greet some of his colleagues that have just arrived. Just when they thought they’ve solved the problem, another bigger problem was headed their way. This time, Yoongi was expecting Jimin and his new beau to show up at his wedding, there was the distinct problem that there was no new beau. As soon as Yoongi sauntered away to the other side of the room, Jimin instantly retracted his hand from Jeongguk’s arm, whispering out apologies.
Taehyung then giddily approached them, Jimin could already tell that he had a thousand and one questions at the tip of his tongue.
“Hiiiii! I can’t believe you’ve been dating Jiminie for literal months and he’s kept mum about you this entire time.”
“Yeah, it just sort of happened.”
Jeongguk bunglingly scratched the back of his neck, it seemed to be a nervous trait of his.
“When did it start? Where did you first meet? Was this a hook up which turned into something more? Give me all the details!”
Taehyung enthusiastically exclaimed, gratefully Seokjin was with him and tugged on his boyfriend’s arm to get him to stop harassing a man he just met.
“Taehyung-ah.” He lovingly scolded him with a firm tone.
“Nice to meet you, Jeongguk-ssi. My name is Seokjin, this is my partner, Taehyung, feel free to disregard his questions. He’s just excited.”
“Hyung!” Taehyung whined out from behind Seokjin, making Seokjin laugh since if anything, he was beyond endeared with Taehyung and found joy in teasing him incessantly.
“I think Jeongguk is a bit tired tonight. Do you mind if I take him away from you guys for a bit? I haven’t seen him in a while and I miss him.”
Jimin interrupted, feeling guilty for the white lie but it was the only reason he could come up with that wouldn’t raise any suspicions. They said their farewells, and Taehyung made him promise at least three times that the next time they met, he would grill him about questions regarding Jimin, to which he agreed to with a giggle, amused at how persistently he showed how much he cared for his friend. Taehyung finally relented and Jimin pulled Jeongguk towards the backdoor, exiting in a narrow but vacant alleyway. It was rather awkward to meet Jeongguk’s gaze, especially since he didn’t know the first thing about the man standing in front of him, anticipating his words.
“I.. Um.. Hi. I think I should start by thanking you and formally introducing myself. I’m Jimin, Park Jimin. Thank you for what you did back there, you didn’t have to, but it was greatly appreciated.”
“It was nothing. Jeon Jeongguk, apparently, I’m your plus one for tonight.” He flung back in response with a snicker, amused by the whole ordeal so far. If only Jimin could share the same sentiments, he was already dreading the wedding which was still a month away.
“Presumably, you are.” Jimin remarked. “How do you know Yoongi?”
Jeongguk dug his hands into his pockets, placing his weight on the heels of his feet to the forefeet, making a little game out of it. “I don’t.” He shot back. “But Namjoon hyung, someone I work with is friends with him. And well, I couldn’t turn down free booze.” Jeongguk sheepishly added.
Jimin found himself giggling at the blatant admission. “Remind me to thank Namjoon hyung then.”
Jeongguk joined in on the laughter until things simmered down between them and the air surrounding them grew stale and the awkwardness was back.
“How do you know Yoongi?”
“We’re friends. Aaaand he’s my ex.” Whispering the last part out.
Jeongguk's mouth transformed into an O, as if gaining an even better understanding by learning about their past.
“So, what are you going to do about the wedding?”
Ah yes, the bitter reminder once again. What was Jimin supposed to do? He shrugged, unsure of what his future plans would look like, was he going to confess to Yoongi that it was all a lie? It was one month away, it was highly unlikely that he would meet anyone whom he would end up liking enough to ask to be his date, plus it would look strange to bring an entirely different date to the wedding. In short, Jimin was fucked.
“Honestly? I have no idea. I guess you have an idea of the pickle I am currently in, maybe I should just confess and make things easier for myself.”
Jeongguk didn’t know if it was the alcohol, though to be fair, he’s barely consumed enough for it to affect his next course of action, or perhaps he could blame it on the seemingly perfect night wind and how there were more stars in the sky than usual, either way, he felt inclined to help Jimin out.
“Or you can just bring me along.”
He nonchalantly stated, Jimin was undeniably attractive, and Jeongguk truthfully had nothing much to lose. It wasn’t as if he’s been seeing anyone.. for the last four years, but who was counting?
“No pressure of course. It’s up to you if you want to take the offer, it’ll save you from a lot of explanations, especially with your friend.” He was pertaining to Taehyung, and while he wasn’t expecting the offer, Jimin began mulling the thought over. This man was clearly offering and was willing to partake in this act, he didn’t really have a good reason to turn down his offer. Plus, Jeongguk was good looking, wavy disheveled hair, decked in an all black attire, tattoos and piercings on full display, looking every bit like a ‘bad boy’, and if there’s anything Jimin had an unhealthy obsession with, it was men who looked like they would ruin his life. Even if Jeongguk coming to rescue and even offering to come to rescue once more in the next month was anything but something a bad boy would do, it didn’t hurt that he certainly looked the part.
While Jeongguk was nibbling on his lower lip, the decision has been made for Jimin even if he hasn’t even began to contemplate about it. He was attracted to Jeongguk, and if agreeing to his offer entailed spending more time with him, then Jimin would gladly take it.
“If you’re absolutely sure that it’s fine with you..”
“I’m sure.” Jeongguk replied with a smile, so innocent and contrasting to his whole bad boy look, Jimin couldn’t help but swoon a little.
“Then okay. But in exchange, let me make it up to you. For the trouble.”
“Its no trouble at all.” Jeongguk waved his hands, dismissing the idea.
“At least let me buy you dinner. I would feel bad if I accept this and not give you anything in return.” Jimin pressed further.
His innocent smile appeared once more, soon discovering that Jimin didn’t take no for an answer. It was cute, really. Jimin seemed like the type who didn’t want to owe anything to anyone.
“Okay. Deal.”
They exchanged numbers, and Jimin promised that he would be in touch sometime during the next week, his gaze lingering on Jeongguk far longer than what was considered appropriate. They parted ways once they returned to the party, Jimin went back to Taehyung and Seokjin and Jeongguk headed back to where Namjoon was.
Namjoon met Yoongi thru his fiancée, Hoseok, who was a regular customer at the veterinary clinic which he ran with Jeongguk, and was making the most of the open bar, where Jeongguk discovered he was still at, unmoving since he last left him there. Probably knee deep in alcohol by now. He took the empty stool next to him, announcing his return.
“So, how did the meddling go?” He spoke before taking a sip from his glass, in all honesty his palate was probably too fucked up with the amount he’s consumed while waiting for Jeongguk’s return.
“It was not meddling, hyung. I was simply helping out.” Calling the attention of the bartender, Jeongguk ordered a drink for himself. “Aaaand I may have agreed to accompany him to Yoongi and Hoseok’s wedding.”
Namjoon almost spat out his drink. “You what??? Hold on, you’re into him, aren’t you? I mean, I know you’re too nice for your own good, but you’re not that nice, nobody’s that nice unless..” He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, holding back a giggle.
Throwing his hands up in the air, Jeongguk didn’t even bother deflecting the accusation. “Well, I’ve got a pair of functioning eyes, and he’s very easy on the eyes so..”
“So you got yourself a date. I told you it was a good idea that I brought you along tonight.” Prominent dimples on full display as Namjoon proudly gave himself a pat on the back.
“I guess so. Thanks, hyung.” He brought his glass over to Namjoon, initiating a toast, the glasses created a sharp ringing sound while they made a toast.
Jimin and Jeongguk made no other interactions for the remainder of the night, but were undeniably checking each other out on more than a few occasions.
Four days have passed since the party, and Jimin’s been in a daily dilemma since Yoongi’s bachelor party since he wanted to invite Jeongguk out the next day, but decided against it. It would make him seem too eager. He continued to decide against it on the second and third day as well, reckoning that it was still too soon. On the fourth day however, he felt like the timing was just right, not too soon, and not too late either. He typed in multiple messages but kept on deleting them, second guessing how he should even start the conversation as casually as possible without sounding like he was looking forward to it too much. Jimin ended up deciding not to text him but to give him a call instead, keeping his tone neutral as Jeongguk answered the phone, voice breathy and hoarse, which was adding more fuel to Jimin’s already vivid imagination.
“Hey, it’s Jimin. From Yoongi’s bachelor party. You know, the one without a date.” He added a giggle to make light of the way he described himself.
“I remember you. How could I forget?” Jeongguk mumbled out, placing his phone in between his ear and his neck as he tended to a cute little Yorkie with uneven ears.
Jeongguk could have meant that he didn’t forget since the event was literally four days ago, but Jimin still remained hopeful that he meant otherwise. Perhaps it could also mean that he left a lasting impression.
“Are you free tonight?” Cutting right to the chase before his nerves got the better of him.
“For you, I am.” Jeongguk replied with a smirk, he could be as bold as he wanted since they were merely speaking over the phone, Namjoon overheard this and raised an eyebrow at this, whispering out 'kids these days', loud enough for Jeongguk to hear him.
Jimin, on the other hand, was grateful that Jeongguk couldn’t see the blushing mess he turned into over the phone, clearing his throat a few times before speaking. “Let’s have dinner then?”
“Just text me the time and place and I’ll be there.” Unruffled as he replied, Jimin informed him that he would make a reservation first and text him the address before ending the call.
“Gguk, when did you grow up to be so cool?” Namjoon teased, laughing the entire way through.
“What do you mean, hyung? I’ve always been cool.” He whined out.
“Nope. Cool and you have never been in the same sentence. Now get back to work.” Namjoon retorted, further teasing the younger before scurrying off to the next room to tend to other animals, leaving behind an affronted Jeongguk, who was giddily waiting for his ‘dinner date’ with Jimin. Eager to find out if the sparks would become more evident provided that they would be at a secluded setting where they could learn more about each other.
His phone beeped in his pocket, Jeongguk unlocked it to discover a text from Jimin, sending him the address to one of the popular Japanese restaurants around town. Jeongguk heavily contemplated on whether or not he should dress up nicely for his meeting with Jimin, and even ended up asking Namjoon’s opinion on it.
To which he responded with, “Jeongguk, just be yourself. You’ve honestly got nothing to worry about.”, which instantly put his doubts to rest. He decided to just leave work after his shift and wear the casual clothes he normally brought with him.
He was starting to regret not heading back home to get changed when customers in suits exited the restaurant, but realized that if he opted to do that, he would be late for his meeting with Jimin. Looking down at his black cargo pants, black loose shirt and combat boots, he sighed, concluding that there was nothing left to do about his attire.
Upon entering, he was greeted by vibrant colors and tons of bright lighting, approaching the receptionist, he mentioned Jimin’s name and was led to a table where Jimin was already waiting. Steadily approaching the table, he greeted him with a smile on his face, Jimin was as breathtaking as he remembered, swept back hair, a plain white top with a number of accessories scattered across his delicate fingers.
“Sorry, I got here straight after work so I’m a bit underdressed.” He sheepishly stated, pulling out a chair across Jimin.
“I think you look great. You have a very distinct style and it suits you.” Jimin retorted, maybe he was a bit biased since Jeongguk could show up wearing the grubbiest outfit he could find and Jimin would still think he looked amazing. “I hope you don’t mind, I ordered ahead for us but feel free to order whatever you want.”
The air was stale for a few minutes, until Jeongguk began asking Jimin random questions about himself, what he did for a living, how he found himself in such a strange situation and so on. Jimin found himself opening up instantly, chatting away with Jeongguk as if they’ve known each other for years. It came almost naturally for them to find their element and find comfort in each other, each taking turns asking the other random tidbits about his life. They found themselves talking nonstop over their appetizers, main course, dessert and even over a bottle of wine which was suddenly ordered just because the conversations kept on flowing and neither of them wanted it to cease. So over Japanese infused dishes, and a wide variety of innovative desserts that Jimin ordered way too much of, plus a bottle of expensive wine, Jimin and Jeongguk got to know each other better on a much more personal level.
There was no holding back, they touched the most distinguished parts of their childhood, all the way down to their secret fears, which no longer remained a secret. And by the end of the night, Jimin was so drawn to Jeongguk. Besides the fact that he was physically totally Jimin’s weakness, they clicked personality-wise. It was like meeting a stranger whom you’ve known your entire life.
The restaurant was closing down soon and they both prolonged ending the night by idly standing outside, continuing a conversation they were previously discussing indoors, it seemed like the feeling was mutual since Jeongguk suddenly asked Jimin if they could do it again. Dinner, lunch, whatever he wanted to do.
And so for the next two weeks, they were practically attached to the hip. They met up for brunch, quick meals in between work, dinners, and even for movies. Basically anything they could manage to squeeze into their schedule. The more they spent time together, the more Jeongguk began to realize that not only did he enjoy getting to know Jimin, he liked Jimin, perhaps more than a friend. How could he not when Jimin was tantalizing from the way he carefully looked out for Jeongguk even if they just met, to the way he made the smallest but sweetest gestures. Jeongguk was only human, and he thought that it was close to impossible to not like someone like Jimin. During their meetings, he kept waiting for the right timing to possibly move things one step forward, but the right timing never came up, but Jeongguk swore to himself that he somehow had to let Jimin know before Yoongi’s wedding, giving himself a due date and see how things would progress from there.
It was exactly two weeks until the wedding, and in contrast to their other meetings, Jimin wanted to stay in for tonight and invited Jeongguk over to his apartment for dinner and maybe a movie afterwards. From the moment he was informed about this, Jeongguk had nothing but jitters all over, the thought of being in such an enclosed and intimate space scared him. Talking himself out of his nervousness, he headed to Jimin’s apartment, a bouquet of flowers in hand, something he decided to pick up at the last minute. If Jimin got the wrong idea about it, then it would work in Jeongguk’s favor since he would know that Jeongguk was interested in him. Jimin lived in a rather narrow apartment, with only four apartments per floor, luckily his was located on the second floor. He rang the doorbell, and Jimin answered in less than ten seconds, a beaming smile which greeted him. It was almost prejudiced and unfair how Jimin still managed to look every bit as breathtaking in sweats and a t-shirt. Jeongguk came with a bag of takeout since it felt weird to come empty handed, ordering practically one of everything since over the weeks they’ve spent together he thinks he’s gained a better understanding of what kind of dishes Jimin was into. With a huge smile on his face, Jimin thanked him while accepting the bags, and Jeongguk could swear his heart fluttered just a teeny tiny bit. Being ushered inside the apartment, Jeongguk took his time glancing around, while the apartment had minimal space, he could immediately notice how Jimin made use of every single space. The place was homey, comfortable and warm. A lot like Jimin, actually. Instantly feeling at ease inside. His eyes flitted towards a dining table set for two.
“Take a seat. Make yourself at home.” Jimin prompted, adding the finishing touches to the dining table.
Jeongguk pulled out one of the Nordic designed chairs, admiring Jimin’s choice of furniture pieces in the process. Everything seemed to compliment each other and he clearly had a distinct color palette in mind when he moved into his apartment.
He offered to help Jimin with taking out the food out of the containers and transferring them onto various serving platters and bowls, to which Jimin quickly declined, stating that as a host, it was something he should do.
They ate in peace, had their usual conversations while exchanging stories about what happened during work and such, everything was proceeding normally until Jimin suggested opening up a bottle of vodka Jimin had stored, and Jeongguk perhaps made the biggest mistake of his life by agreeing to it. A couple of glasses turned into almost the entire bottle being depleted with neither of them even realizing. Casual conversations converted into longing stares containing desires Jimin nor Jeongguk could freely admit out loud.
Jeongguk lost track of when the conversations ended and how his mouth soon found its way on Jimin’s, crashing together, dinner long forgotten. Neither could he supply an answer to how they stumbled across the hallway, straight into Jimin’s bedroom. There were lots of hands frantically tearing off clothes, sprawling upon every inch of skin it could land on, heated kisses filled with unrestrained intent. Jeongguk could never dive into the specifics, but could vividly recall the warmth acceptance of Jimin’s mouth around his cock, how he skillfully engulfed it entirely. They were naked before they knew it, legs tangled up beneath the sheets, it was vulnerable and intense all at once. Jeongguk remembers how he looked down at Jimin, and how Jimin looked back up at him, through his long lashes, and smiled. Something so small and inconsequential that would easily be forgotten, but somehow it was the one thing that stuck with Jeongguk the most. He remembers how their bodies gracefully moved against one another, uniting as one in the process, and how the feeling was similar to losing your mind, but at the same time, his moment of insanity brought him peace and clarity. Jeongguk briefly recalls how in the middle of everything that was happening, he may have been tempted enough to let the words slip out once or twice but never mustered up enough courage to do so. The claw marks on his back were proof that Jimin had wanted it as badly as Jeongguk did, that the feeling was mutual. While it lasted for hours, Jeongguk could barely remember anything, not when it happened too fast yet too slow at the same time, an indication that he lost himself in the moment.
He remembers watching Jimin’s chest rising and falling at a rhythmic pattern, looking every bit as pure as the driven snow. It could have been right then and there that Jeongguk realized just how much he liked Jimin, and along with this realization came fear. The presiding fear that came with the potential what’s ifs were too much, so Jeongguk did what anyone in their right mind would do. He crept out of bed in the middle of the night and went home. Deciding that this was the best course of action to take after a night of passion and countless of unspoken words.
The days that soon followed that fateful night would prove otherwise. Jimin never responded to his calls and texts. There was precisely one week left leading up to Yoongi’s wedding and Jimin has been blatantly ignoring Jeongguk, his insecurities becoming even more pronounced at this point. Jeongguk was stuck in a daze, recalling the events of that night and how he could have handled things differently. He left Jimin numerous unanswered messages, and once the week ended without him receiving a response, he decided to confide in Namjoon who noticed him sulking but didn’t confront him about it. He told Namjoon about how one thing led to another but how he abruptly left without telling Jimin and Namjoon stopped him right then and there.
“That’s where you fucked up, Gguk. You left without a word, who wouldn’t wake up livid?” Pointing out the obvious to Jeongguk who couldn’t comprehend where he went wrong. Seeing how Jeongguk was wide eyed, staring back at Namjoon, he sighed. “To put it simply, he’s going to think you left because he was just a quick fuck and nothing more.”
“But he’s not! I left because I was scared. I realized how much I liked him after we.. yeah.” Jeongguk began to explain, but Namjoon shook his head.
“You’re explaining things to the wrong guy. You have to tell him, not me. You owe him an explanation.” And somehow Jeongguk knew this was nothing but the truth, just because he was scared, it didn’t mean Jimin wasn’t too, and Jeongguk deciding to leave the first chance he got probably sent off the wrong signals to Jimin. In his own attempt to deal with his steadfast emotions, Jeongguk didn’t stop to consider how his actions might have affected Jimin, and this resulted to an undeniable amount of guilt.
“Ah, shit. I messed up, didn’t I?” Jeongguk let the realization dawn on him, in his reluctance to convey his real feelings, he probably ended up hurting Jimin instead, the last thing he wanted to do. Namjoon sent him a sheepish look, his eyes said it all, nodding his head meekly in agreement. Jeongguk ran his fingers through his hair, frustrated that he acted without giving his actions much thought, it was really no wonder Jimin continued to ignore him when he gave off the wrong impression to begin with.
Since Jimin wasn’t responding to any calls or text messages, Jeongguk decided that if he really wanted to sort things out with Jimin, he had to make an extra effort to get ahold of him first. He ended up in front of his doorstep at 11 in the evening, nervous as hell but determined to deliver the truth. Ringing the doorbell a few times, Jeongguk was tempted to run back home and try calling him again but remained glued to his spot, until the front door opened revealing a slightly disheveled Jimin, who still looked gorgeous despite his unkempt state.
“Oh. I wasn’t expecting to see you.” His tone was cold, hurt. Understandably so.
“Can I come in?” Steeling his nerves, Jeongguk cut right to the chase.
“Hmm. Are you going to run off in the middle of the night again after you get what you want?” Jimin was going off based on pure assumptions, but Jeongguk knew that he brought this upon himself.
“I won’t. I just want to explain what happened last time.” He hesitantly replied. “Please?”
Jeongguk was certain that Jimin was a genuinely good person when it took him no longer than a few seconds to mull over his decision before stepping aside to give Jeongguk ample space to enter his apartment. Jeongguk lowered his head as he entered, both in shame and gratitude. He awkwardly stood by the doorframe, and didn’t move until Jimin was annoyed enough to instruct him to have a seat on the sofa, muttering out a small remark along the lines of, 'its not like you have anything more to lose anyway', giving Jeongguk another pang of guilt.
He tried to make himself as small as he could on the couch, which really, wasn’t doing much, and waited for Jimin to return with refreshments. Even in his most irritated state, Jimin was still a good host, and a wonderful human being.
Jimin placed the pitcher of lemonade down with a thud, expressing his irritation, and on any other day, Jeongguk would probably take this as his cue to leave, but he found himself smitten at how cute Jimin was, even when he was mad. This was when Jeongguk knew for a fact that he was whipped with a capital W, and wasn’t even trying to hide it anymore, he bit back giggles by nibbling on his lower lip, Jimin noticed this and shot him a weird look.
“What’s so funny?”
“Nothing. You’re just really cute.”
“Okay but this is not the time to..” Once Jimin realized what Jeongguk had just said, he was left flustered and speechless, unable to continue what he was saying.
This was the last push Jeongguk needed to summon up the strength to speak his mind without holding back. “I’m sorry for suddenly heading home that night, it’s not because I didn’t like what we did, maybe that was the problem, I liked it too much, I realized just how much I liked you.”
To say Jimin was surprised was an extreme understatement, just a few hours ago he was stressed out about what he was supposed to do on Yoongi’s wedding, but most importantly, how he was ever going to get Jeongguk out of his mind.
“This confession should have been conducted before we.. did all those things.” He blushed. “Jimin, you were supposed to be a stranger I was simply going to accompany to a wedding, but these past few weeks have been amazing, you have been amazing, and so much more than what I expected when I first met you.” With a slight tremor in his hands which he relaxed by loosely placing it on top of his kneecap, Jeongguk sucked in a deep breath. “What I’m trying to say is, I don’t want to be your pretend plus one.”
“You don’t?”
“No. I want to be your real plus one, I want a real shot at this. Because maybe I’m crazy, but you and I? We have an authentic connection, and I don’t know about you, but it’s really hard to establish one in this day and age and..”
Jeongguk was interrupted by a throw pillow being tossed directly on his face, puzzled at his reaction, he sent Jimin a questioning look.
“I like you too.” Jimin stated with a smile reaching his twinkling eyes.
“And you had to throw a pillow on my face to tell me that?” Jeongguk jested, a way to ignore the erratic beating in his chest.
“Jeongguk, we met at the weirdest inconvenience possible, had sex before we could even sort out our feelings, wouldn’t it be lackluster to receive a bland confession in return?” Smirking as he cocked an eyebrow.
“You’re weird.” Jeongguk claimed with a chuckle. “Thankfully, I like weird. I have a distinct fondness for weird.”
Jimin realized that things didn’t have to be complicated or filled with trials, some things in life could be simple and easy, just like what he found with Jeongguk.
“Let’s try this again, will you be my plus one? For the wedding next week.. and maybe for all my future events?” Jimin muttered out the last part as softly and as quickly as possible, but Jeongguk heard it anyway, feeling a sense of contentment, one of which he hasn’t experienced in a long time.
“You don’t even have to ask me twice, Jimin. I’ll always say yes.”
Wedding day.
Exactly one week after their confession, Jimin and Jeongguk started dating and managed to squeeze in as much time with each other before the wedding day. Jimin has honestly never been as happy as he was now, he knows for certain that this was the first time he was experiencing happiness without any other complex problems attached. It was pure, unadulterated happiness emanating from within.
He watched Yoongi as he was waiting for his groom to march down the aisle, and when a tight squeeze in his hand from Jeongguk interrupted him, he smiled down at their interlocked hands, realizing why it never worked out with Yoongi nor his other ex boyfriends. They weren’t Jeongguk. The ceremony progressed and the audience listened intently as Yoongi and Hoseok exchanged their vows, Jimin was overjoyed that his friend finally found someone who settled his heart enough to make Yoongi want to spend the rest of his life with him. He was genuinely happy that Yoongi found happiness with someone else, and he too, could finally say with confidence, that he was without a doubt happy. Although it was way too early to see where their budding relationship would lead to, Jimin had a good feeling about it. Jeongguk had all the qualities he wanted in a partner, and by the day, Jimin found himself feeling more and more for the latter.
During the reception, Jeongguk encouraged Jimin to spend some time with his friends who have been eyeing him from across the room for a while now, and informed Jimin that he would be fine hanging out by himself at the snack bar while he waited. It was a small and simple gesture, but Jimin found himself appreciating Jeongguk even more, adding it to his ever-growing list of things he absolutely loved about Jeongguk.
Taehyung greeted him with a hug, followed by Seokjin.
“Oohh. I see you brought along the same plus one.” Seokjin commented, sending Jeongguk a small wave. “I’ll be honest, Tae and I thought that you brought along one of the guys you hooked up with to save face or something, because we know you’re stubborn like that.”
Jimin giggled, if you told him that a few weeks ago, he might have said the same.
“But when I see the way that guy looks at you..” Seokjin trailed off, seeing firsthand how Jeongguk looked at Jimin as if he was the only other person in the room despite being in a room filled with people. “I think it could be love.”
Jimin glanced back at Jeongguk, meeting his eyes, it was too early to put a specific label to it, or assume anything, but if anything, Jimin knew that whatever he had with Jeongguk was so damn close to something akin to love. And the most exciting part was, this was only the beginning for them.
“I think so too, hyung. I think he could be the one.”
Looking back at the man who willingly offered to help out a stranger, unknowingly meeting the man who could alter his life for the better, was like looking at a glimpse of his future. A glimmer of hope. There was a whole other life waiting for him by Jeongguk’s side, and Jimin knew that he could hold on to the hope that this ‘plus one’ of his could eventually turn into the one he would meet at the end of the aisle. The future was filled with possibilities, all of which had Jeongguk embedded into each one of those possibilities.