Chapter Text
The workshop smelled of turpentine, and jasmine tea, that Jimin kept in a chipped mug on his workbench.
It was his sanctuary, a basement level of an old brick building where the world’s chaos couldn't reach him.
The bell above the door chimed. Sharp ring that made Jimin drop his magnifying glass. He looked up, expecting no one in particular.
But, there he was...
Jeon Jeongukk.
Standing on the doorway, frame blocking the afternoon sun. Looking out of place among the crates of broken clay and jars of pigment.
A shark in a koi pond. If one say.
"Mr. Jeon?" Jimin muttered confused, to himself. Rising from his stool.
Jeongukk entered, and the room shifted. All eyes on him, recognising the bachelor, millionaire.
Voices lowered. Movements slowed, and whispers...
'Isn’t that… Jeon?'
'Why is he here?'
'Is he buying this building, or something?'
Jimin could feel it crawling up his spine. The attention. The weight of silent questions. He listened to them all quietly.
Just as confused as them.
On the other hand, Jeongukk didn’t care. As un-bothered as ever, hands in pocket. Face expressionless. Slowly walking, eyes scanning the space from ceiling to floor, left to right, pupils going 180°. Until they landed on one particular man he was looking for.
Jimin.
Jeongukk walked towards him. Who was standing still, mouth little opened in shock.
Jeongukk stopped just in front of his workbench, glancing at the messy table. Tools, tea cup, keys, papers, gloves, carelessly placed cellphone.
And in between it all. A torn painting, in process of being restored.
'He's here to talk to... Jimin?!'
'What? How do they know each other?'
Jeongukk heard them all, ofcourse. But ignored. They were insignificant to him.
He bent down a little. Picking up a small, jagged shard of blue glass, probably of the frame. Rolling it between his thumb and forefinger until the edge drew a bead of dark blood.
But he didn't wince.
"What are you doing here Mr. Jeon? I haven't even sent the invoice yet."
No answer came.
Jeongukk just stared at that bead of blood. Smearing it in between his fingers, as if merging it back in himself again.
"I woke up this morning and realized, I disliked the color of my walls."
Jimin blinked like an owl. Confused.
"I’m a restorer, Mr. Jeon. Not an interior designer."
"The walls were fine a day ago. Maybe because you were standing in front of them. Today, they looked like a tomb."
"Wha... i... I'm not understanding, what you're saying?"
Jimin said nervously. Though his heart began to gallop against his ribs. An uneasy feeling settling inside him.
Jeongukk dropped the glass shard. It shattered into smaller pieces on the floor.
"I get fixated."
"O...kay?"
"Do you know me?"
Jimin felt a cold prickle of dread, in form of sweat dripping from his forehead. The questions were puzzled and unexpected.
Ofcourse he knew Jeongukk, but just as much as any other person presented in the room.
"I prefer to judge my clients by their collection Mr. Jeon, not by their reputation."
"Ofcourse you do."
Jimin tilted his head in confusion. Irritated.
"I spent the last twelve hours watching the security footage of you working. Spent more than twenty four hours thinking about you."
Jeongukk said, walking aside the table. Closer to Jimin.
"Watched how you hold a brush. How you form a pout when you’re concentrated. How you talk to random things, believing no one is listening."
Jimin tried to move back, but Jeongukk had caged him between himself and a shelf.
Not too close, but enough to signal that escape was an illusion.
A chair scraped somewhere behind. Watching and listening them.
"That... that's a breach of privacy." Jimin said, gaining all of his strength and confidence.
"I own the privacy in that house."
Jeongukk's hand came up, reaching to touch Jimin’s face. But he stopped, upon hearing some gasps from the people around.
He closed his eyes for a second, and locking them with Jimin when opened.
"You fix things, and i thought that was a problem. But something settled in my chest while you were there. The moment you walked out that door, cracks came back. Deeper than before."
"You're talking weird Mr. Jeon."
"I'm talking like a man who have found a rare artifact and foolishly let it walk out of his sight."
Jeongukk said moving back. Putting some distance between them.
To keep himself grounded.
"And i don't make the same mistake twice."
Jimin swallowed. Hard.
"Are you saying...that you...i. That..."
"That i like you. Yes."
"Why?" Jimin choked out.
Jeongukk held his gaze, and for a moment, it almost looked like he might answer.
But then, he looked over his shoulder. Eyes flickering slightly at the room. At the people pretending not to listen.
“I could explain.” he said calmly. “Not here.”
Jimin’s brows pulled together. “Then don’t say things like that here.”
Jeongukk didn’t react to the irritation.
“I’ll take you to dinner.”
Not a question.
“No.”
Too fast. Jeongukk tilted his head, he had expected that.
“Call it a meeting, if that helps you.”
Silence.
“I don’t go to meetings over… this.” Jimin muttered.
Jeongguk stepped just a fraction closer again.
“This is important.”
And the way he said it, made it sound like Jimin didn’t get to decide if it was or not. He let out a quiet, disbelieving breath.
“Are you serious?"
“I’ll send a car this evening.”
Not 'can I? or, will you come?'
Just fact.
Jimin stared at him. “I didn’t say yes.”
Jeongukk's gaze dropped briefly to Jimin’s hand, which were formed in tight fist. Before returning to his eyes.
“I know.”
Jeongukk turned and left without waiting for Jimin's answer. The door clicking shut behind him softly.
For a moment nothing moved. No one spoke.
Even the usual background noises disappeared, like the room itself was holding its breath.
But then, there was loud chaos around him.
“Jimin... what was that?”
“Do you know him?”
“Why was he so close to you..?”
“Was it a confession?”
“No freaking way.”
Voices overlapped. Too many at once. Too close.
He could feel it. Stares. Weight of something shifting around him. Curiosity.
“Hey… hey... hey.” Minsoo said, coming through the crowd. comforting hand wrapping around Jimin's shoulder. “You okay?”
Jimin nodded. "…yeah.”
Whispers picked up again.
'What does Mr. Jeon want with Jimin?'
'That didn’t look casual to me.'
Jimin shut his eyes feeling overwhelmed.
"You all cut it out. Don't crowd him. Get back to work, or I'm gonna call Mrs. Ji-eun."
Minsoo scolded everyone. Physically pushing all of them back to their desks. Then turning towards Jimin again.
"Jimin, you're standing too stiff. Relax and sit down. I'll make sure no one bothers you."
He said with a small smile, and going back to his own space.
Leaving behind Jimin, to think about the most bizarre 20 minutes of his life.
__________________________________________________________
The studio felt off all day. Everyone kept glancing towards Jimin’s direction. Murmuring.
Not at all subtle.
Jimin was fully aware, but he ignored them. Or atleast tried to.
It was almost six, everyone was wrapping up their work. It was time to leave.
But his mind kept circling back to the same voice.
Thought of Jeongukk saying.
'I'll send a car at evening.'
'Like hell, i am going.' Jimin told himself.
He was frustrated, angry and annoyed. Getting up abruptly, he packed his bag and opened the door with force.
The air outside was cooler. Hitting him on the face.
He glanced around, and across the street was actually a car.
Black. Polished. Waiting.
It had to be...
A man stepped out of driver's seat. Well-dressed, composed, unfamiliar.
He approached with measured steps.
“Mr. Park.”
“Yes?”
“I’m here for you.”
Straight to it. No confusion or hesitation.
Jimin let out a small, disbelieving breath. “God... You’re kidding right?"
The man didn’t react.
Jimin frowned. “Who are you?”
A slight nod.
“Chae Hajun. Mr. Jeon’s secretary.”
Secretary.
Jimin stared at the man, intently. His attire, way of standing, way of talking. All was so... Jeongukk.
Definitely much human. But still, very Jeongukk.
"Ofcourse." He said sarcastically. “I’m not going.”
Hajun inclined his head slightly. "Okay.”
He stepped aside. No argument. No insistence.
Jimin hesitated.
That wasn’t what he expected.
No pressure?
No push?
He shifted, looking down the street, then back at the car.
He scoffed under his breath and walked past Hajun.
One step.
Two.
Three...
Then stopped.
This was stupid, and he didn’t have to go.
Then why did it feel like...
Jimin turned back, and found Hajun still standing where he was. Hands folded in front of him, gaze lowered.
Just waiting.
Jimin stared at him for a long second.
With a quiet, annoyed exhale, he walked back.
Hajun opened the back door without a word.
Jimin paused briefly at the opened door. Then got in. Door shutting with a soft click.
After a minute or so, the car started moving.
Smooth and quiet.
Jimin leaned back comfortably on the seat, arms crossed, gaze fixed out the window.
The city blurred past.
“Does he always do this?” Jimin asked.
Hajun’s answer came calm and even. “No.”
Jimin huffed softly.
Figures.
Silence returned.
Jimin didn’t ask anything else. And Hajun didn’t offer.
City lights outside flickered across the glass, and with every passing second one thing settled.
He could’ve walked away. But he didn’t.
__________________________________________________________
The car didn’t stop immediately.
It glided slowly through a quieter part of the city, where the noise dulled and the lights sharpened.
Finally car came to halt, in front of wide driveway. Soft golden lighting, tall glass doors.
Jimin stepped out of the car, upon Hajun opening the door. And he looked at the expensive building.
This was money. The kind that doesn’t shout.
A uniformed attendant opened the door before Jimin can even reach for it. Inside everything was dim in the most intentional way. Warm light spilling over polished marble floors, soft clink of cutlery that sounded expensive.
Jimin instinctively looked down at himself.
'Great.' He thought to himself.
Clothes too dull and casual for a place this expensive. Sleeves covered in color. Old, walked in sandals.
He hated this, being judged. Feeling less.
He shook his head, composing himself. Trying to remember why he was there. Who is he was there for.
Jimin turned around, nearly bumping into him.
Jeongukk was right there. Behind him.
Close enough that Jimin didn’t even hear him approach.
“Do you just appear like that?” Jimin muttered, stepping back.
“Yes.”
“That’s not normal.”
Jeongukk didn’t respond to that. Just slightly tilted his head toward the particular direction.
“This way.”
Jimin followed.
Jeongukk was moving slow enough for Jimin to keep up. And kept moving, knowing that Jimin will follow.
They reached the table, settled slightly away from the rest. Taking their place.
“You came.” Jeongukk spoke suddenly.
Jimin rolled his eyes. “You sound surprised.”
“I’m not.”
“Of course you’re not.”
A pause.
Jimin leaned back. “Are you always this confident?”
“When I’m sure.”
“And you’re sure about me?” Jimin raised a brow.
"Yes.”
No hesitation.
"Why?"
'Because you're the only thing I've touched in a decade that didn't turn into ash.'
Jeongukk thought to himself, but couldn't tell same to Jimin.
"We have known each other for a week. Mr. Jeon. How is it even possible?" Jimin continued.
"Nine days. And i know, what you are implying. I also thought that it would pass.”
Jimin exhaled, a small confused laugh slipping out. "Maybe it's just infatuation."
“It's not. I confirmed it."
Silence.
Jimin didn’t speak immediately. He just looked at Jeongukk. Trying to make sense of all of it.
"Wha... how?"
“You stay when things take time." Jeongukk said. “You don’t cut corners. Don’t pretend to be comfortable when you’re not.”
Jimin huffed a quiet laugh. “You’re really set on this, huh?”
“Yes.”
A server approached them. Jeongukk ordered without looking. And Jimin didn’t interrupt, he just watched.
The server walked away, Jimin's eyes chasing him. When they were alone again, he spoke.
“You do realize this is fast.”
“It is.”
“And weird.”
“Probably.”
“And I barely know you.”
Jeongukk nodded once. “Also true.”
Jimin squinted at him. “You’re not going to argue?”
“There’s nothing to argue about.” Jeongukk said. “You’re stating facts.”
"Then why are we still doing this?”
Jeongukk leaned forward, eyes steady on him.
"Because none of that changes the fact that I want to know you.”
That landed.
Jimin looked at Jeongukk for a second longer than necessary.
“Are you always this straightforward?”
“When it matters.”
“And this matters.” Jimin asked quietly. More like confirming.
“Yes.”
Jimin exhaled, looking down at his hands. Fiddling them.
“You’re too intense, Mr. Jeon.”
Another pause. Then...
“Our world is too different." Jimin said. And something dark, unsaid flashed in Jeongukk's eyes.
"We are too different. Look around.” A small pause.
“This place. You. Everything about this... It’s not me.”
Jeongukk's eyes stayed on Jimin. “And?”
“And that’s the problem. Your world is clean, controlled and expensive. Mine fits nowhere in it." Jimin said, shrugging his shoulders, looking down, embarrassed.
“That doesn’t make it a problem."
“It does,” Jimin said, more firmly now. “Because people like you don’t just step into lives like mine. And people like me don’t fit into yours.”
“You’re deciding that already.”
“I’m being realistic.”
A beat passed in silence. Jeongukk getting angry, but not on Jimin. Just about, how persistently he was trying to prove himself less.
"You’re assuming.”
“I just know how this will end. Trust me Mr. Jeon. I will feel out of place. You’ll get bored, and that's it."
Jimin said with surety.
“You told me, you don’t walk in expecting things to go wrong.”
Jimin looked speechless. His own words biting him back. “But... but this one is obvious.”
“To you.” Jeongukk corrected. "I’m not asking you to fit into my world. I’m asking to be part of yours too.”
That made Jimin still. Warmth creeping up on his neck.
"It’s not that simple.” Jimin said, too softly. Looking vulnerable.
Jeongukk's jaw ticked.
“I didn’t say it was.”
“We’re still different.”
Jungkook nodded. “We are.”
Jimin frowned slightly. “And that doesn’t bother you?”
“No.”
“Why?”
Jeongukk met his eyes. “Because I’m not looking for someone same as me.”
None of them said anything for a while, server came in, served their food and left. Still quiet as ever.
“I need to think."
"Sure."
Jimin pulled his eyebrows together. “Just like that?"
“I can wait for you."
For some reason, that made Jimin’s chest feel tighten.