Chapter Text
Jin storms into the lunchroom where Yoongi is sitting, eating some ramen.
Yoongi startles guiltily. He’d told everyone that he was on a carbohydrate-free diet and he was hoping he wouldn’t be caught eating ramen. And it’s quite late. But then he notices the look on Jin’s face and all thought of diets and food fly out of his mind.
Before he can ask Jin what’s wrong, Jin has already started speaking breathlessly and much faster than normal (when he’s calm at least).
“There you are! Hey, so um Namjoon came to talk to me earlier today. He said he had something to tell me that was important. I thought it was going to be about our next meeting with Bang PD but instead he just started talking about you."
"He wouldn't shut up about how amazing you are and how great you'd be as a boyfriend. And like, how normal and logical it would be if two people in the group decided to want to date. Saying all this stuff about how after all we’d been through as a group together it was only natural that some of us might bond so closely that it developed into something potentially romantic.
He literally begged me to give you a chance. Very passionately”
Jin pauses to take a very short sharp breath.
“And I know you've both known each other the longest and you’re already partners in ways the rest of us aren't, I guess."
"Rap", he says solemnly, shrugging jerkily and shooting Yoongi what is probably meant to be a meaningful look, but it just looks slightly crazed. Yoongi has no idea what he means, as a professional rapper or just as a regular human who understands language. Jin's face falls back into that weird empty, twitchy expression,"I can put two and two together. Hyung isn’t dumb.”
Jin has started wringing his hands and his ears are bright red while the rest of his face is starting to look worryingly blotchy.
“So - so I just wanted to tell you that it's fine but you - you better not hurt him. Not on purpose, you wouldn’t ever on purpose. But, well – you know Joon is sensitive and overthinks worse than you do, and he's always two thoughts away from a depressing thought spiral of some kind. He's very smart in the things that interest him but you know he can also be a bit naive. Just... I trust you Yoongi but I want you both to be careful.”
He clears his throat a little “For the group, for our incomes and those we employ, and the Bangtan legacy. The kids would be destroyed if things got messy. And I can’t – I wouldn’t – this is one thing I don't think I can help you with right now. I'm dealing with – well I’m just busy with something personal so I won’t have much free time for a while. So just try not to hurt him on purpose and make sure you communicate, ok?”
He stops speaking for a moment; the first real pause since he burst into the room.
Yoongi hasn’t had a chance to do anything but stare up at him as Jin rambles, mouth open and noodles slowly falling out of his mouth.
Now, he splutters a little then swallows. “uh what”
“Hold on, what? Are you saying Namjoon likes me? He wants to ask me out?!”
“Bangtan legacy??”
Jin grimaces “I don't really want to have a whole heart to heart about this – you clearly don't either, even though – but I'd like you to be careful and respectful of the rest of us because I'm still really surprised and I wish you'd said something to me earlier instead of.... Well. We've been getting so close recently that I thought... That we.....” he cycles his hands slightly “were on the same page... But I mean you're studying psychology not mind reading, I was stupid I guess, but it's a bit upsetting and I'd like some time to absorb."
"I don't know what you told him to make him plead with me so desperately to give you a chance.... Do you think I’d ever stop any of us from happiness? He can’t have known that I....I mean...Just... We're better as a team when we know what we're up against and we’ve always said we'd be honest with each other. So, let me know how telling the rest of them goes....I.... Yeah. At least Namjoon thought to say something to me I guess. Otherwise I don't what I would've.... That would've been so... Imagine if I’d...”
His voice which had sounded so angry and betrayed, dwindles until he cuts himself off looking vulnerable and unsure. Then his face immediately clears in the way Yoongi has seen him do before when they’re filming or need to work with anyone outside of their closest staff, but despite his shuttered-off look, his breathing is becoming more and more rapid as he spins around, fumbles with the door and is suddenly gone.
Yoongi abruptly feels like the noodles he’s just eaten are going to make him sick. He pushes away the cup, the faint smell of the ramen-flavoured steam suddenly making him very nauseous. Jin was upset...really upset just now, and Namjoon liked him? Yoongi? Romantically? What the hell.
Does Namjoon have a crush on him???? And he asked Jin for what, permission? Approval? To ask Yoongi out????
Yoongi stood up, his heart racing in panic, chopsticks falling to the floor as he tried to recall his breathing exercises.
What. The. Fuck.
After a few moments his breathing slowed, his heart didn't feel like it was about to burst from his chest and his brain started to slowly restart.
No, Namjoon couldn’t have a crush on him... Surely not. Just a few nights ago they'd been in the studio talking about love and relationships and Yoongi had finally confessed to him that –
Yoongi's head shot up.
“Namjoon, you IDIOT.”