Chapter Text
The mall buzzed with music and chatter, lights gleaming off every surface. Jimin trailed between Hobi and Minsoo, getting pulled from one store to another. The energy was chaotic and fun.
“You’re glowing.”
“I am not glowing.”
“You’re literally shining.” Minsoo said, squinting at Jimin like he needed sunglasses. “Should I call the government? Is this radiation?”
Hoseok slid his sunglasses down his nose and gave Jimin a slow once-over. “It’s not radiation. It’s romance.”
Jimin kept walking. “It’s skincare.”
“You use the same face wash as me.” Minsoo snapped. “Don’t lie.”
Jimin moved away from them, going through the rack of clothes. Hand stopping at a black tshirt.
It reminded him of Jeongukk.
Hoseok was holding three shirts, Minsoo had somehow picked up five snacks, inside a clothing store.
And Jimin...
Jimin was distracted.
“Okay, enough.” Hoseok said, grabbing him by the arm and dragging him toward a seating area. “Sit. Talk. Spill everything before I start making things up.”
Jimin groaned. “Ugh...there nothing to tell.”
“Yeah, right." Hoseok replied, while rolling his eyes.
“Rude.”
“Start, Jimini” Minsoo demanded.
Jimin sighed. “Fine. We went out last night.”
“ANOTHER DATE!?” Minsoo yelled immediately.
“Shh...and no. It was not a date.”
“Then?” Hoseok raised a brow.
“Just...ice-cream.”
"Oh...have the convenience store near your building stopped selling them?" Hoseok asked innocently, with a teasing tone.
"Shutup."
“That’s a date.” Minsoo added.
Jimin ignored that. “Then he dropped me home and...”
“And?” Minsoo leaned so close he almost headbutted him.
Jimin hesitated.
Then, quickly... “I kissed him.”
Silence.
Pure, stunned silence.
“You initiated? Park Jimin? The very picture of demure.” Hoseok asked slowly.
“Don’t exaggerate. It was one small peck, on the cheek!” Jimin defended himself instantly.
Minsoo grabbed Hoseok’s arm and shook him violently. “HE MADE THE FIRST MOVE?? THIS IS HISTORY.”
Hoseok replied. “Yeah...he is evolving.”
They all gushing and giggling like a bunch of teenagers with a crush. When suddenly, Minsoo gasped dramatically.
“Wait!” Back up. He dropped you… in what car?”
“His car?”
“No shit. I'm asking the brand.”
"I don't know the specifics, but it was definitely a Rolls-Royce.”
Minsoo choked on air. “EXCUSE ME??”
Jimin blinked. “What?”
“You KISSED A MAN IN A ROLLS-ROYCE.” Minsoo yelled. “WHO ARE YOU??”
Hoseok leaned back, satisfied. “I told you he was rich.”
Minsoo screeched near his ear. “You said rich, not 'I-own-half-the-city' rich!”
Jimin covered his face again. “Can we not make it weird?”
“It is already weird.” Minsoo said. “You’re living in a K-drama.”
After that interrogating conversation, they resumed shopping, but Minsoo was not okay.
He kept staring at Jimin like he had unlocked a secret tressure.
“So like… does he have a driver?” Minsoo asked.
“He is always by himself, when we go out.”
“A private island?”
“Wha...that’s a stupid question.”
“A secret underground lair?”
“Probably not??”
Hoseok sighed heavily, smacking Minsoo’s back of head. “Stop it.”
Inside another store, Minsoo held up a ridiculously overpriced jacket. “Can your rich boyfriend buy this for me?”
“He my boyfriend. Not my sugar daddy.”
“Aww...i wish he was.”
“MINSOO!”
Hoseok snorted. “Relax. Jeongukk doesn’t look like the type to spend on random people.”
Minsoo gasped. “Oh so I’m random now??”
“You are extremely random to him.” Hoseok said.
“Rude.”
A while later, bags piling up, they collapsed onto a bench with cold drinks.
Jimin was smiling again.
Suspiciously.
Hoseok noticed immediately.
“So...” he said, sipping his drink. “When are we meeting him?”
Jimin choked. “WHAT?”
“Yeah,” Minsoo perked up. “I need to see this man in 4K. For research.”
Jimin stared at both of them. “I am not introducing you two to him. You’ll embarrass me.”
“We are very charming.” Hoseok said.
“Minsoo asked if he had an underground lair.”
“That was a valid question.” Minsoo chimed in.
“Also I want to sit in the Rolls-Royce Phantom.”
“Of course you do.”
“And test the seats.”
“Of course.”
“And maybe accidentally never leave.”
“MINSOO.”
They burst into laughter again, loud and messy, drawing a few looks.
Jimin shook his head, smiling despite himself.
“Seriously,” Hoseok added, nudging him lightly, “soon, okay?”
Jimin smiled gently. It was important for him. For Jeongukk to meet his friends, and them to approve him.
"I'll ask him."
Minsoo grinned. “I’m wearing my best outfit.”
“You don’t have one.”
“Wow. Betrayal.”
Hoseok stood up, clapping his hands. “Come on, lover boy. More shopping. You need outfits worthy of your billionaire relationship.”
________________________________________________________
By the time Jimin reached home, the sky had already begun to dim into that soft evening blue.
His feet hurt, his shoulders ached from carrying bags, and his social battery was hanging by a thread.
He kicked off his shoes near the door, dropped his shopping bags carelessly, and collapsed onto the sofa with a long, dramatic groan.
“Never going out again.” he muttered loudly, while hugging a pillow.
Silence wrapped around the apartment.
Calm. Quiet.
Jimin reached for his bag, pulling out his phone, more out of habit than anything.
And then, he froze.
Screen lighting up.
Multiple missed calls. Exact to be thirteen.
All from Jeongukk.
His stomach dropped. “What the...”
He unlocked his phone quickly.
Messages.
Where are you?
Pick up.
You haven't called me whole day
Call me.
He shot up from the sofa, exhaustion forgotten, fingers already dialing.
The phone barely rang once and It connected.
“Where were you?” Jeongukk's voice cut through instantly.
Low and heavy. Sharp enough to make Jimin go still.
There was something off about it. Something dark. Like his control had stretched too thin.
Jimin blinked, a little thrown off.
“I...I went out.” he said quickly. “With Hoseok and Minsoo. For shopping and my phone was in my bag the whole time, I didn’t...”
“You didn’t check it, even once?” Jungkook interrupted.
Jimin frowned slightly, shifting on the sofa. “I just said it was in my bag.”
There was pause. Filled with something Jimin couldn’t quite place.
Then Jeongukk exhaled, slow.
“You’re home now.”
“Yeah.”
Jimin answered little confused, of Jeongukk saying it as a statement, instead as a question.
But he pushed the thought away just as quickly. With he was probably worried.
Right?
“I’m fine." Jimin added, gentler now. “Really. You don’t have to...”
“I called you.” Jeongukk cut in again, quieter this time. “More than once.”
“I know. I’m sorry for worrying you.”
“You should’ve told me.”
That made Jimin pause. Not because of what he said, but how he said it.
Firmly. A warning.
Jimin shifted again, a little uncomfortable now, though he couldn’t explain why.
“I didn’t think I needed to report my location.” he said lightly, trying to brush it off with humor.
Wrong move.
The air on the other end seemed to drop a degree.
Jimin let out a small, awkward laugh. “No...i mean like...i just...”
“It's okay. This time.” Jungkook said finally.
Jimin frowned slightly, lips parting. Something was off, but instead of pushing, he softened his tone.
“You were worried?” he asked.
A pause.
“Yeah.”
That made sense.
Jimin relaxed a little, leaning back into the sofa again.
“See? That’s normal.” he said, a small smile tugging at his lips. “You could’ve just said that instead of sounding like you’re about to punish me.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Jeongukk said, with seriousness.
“Good." he said lightly. “Because that voice was a little scary, not gonna lie.”
“Was it?” Jungkook repeated.
“Totally.” Jimin said, teasing now. “Very intense. 0/10, wouldn’t recommend.”
There was a shift on the other side, about Jimin was unaware of.
About the way Jeongukk's grip tightened on his phone. The way his jaw clenched slightly. The way something possessive, sharp, and dangerous settled into its place.
“Noted.” Jungkook said finally. Calm.
Jimin yawned, completely missing it.
“Anyway, I’m exhausted.” he mumbled. “Shopping with those two is a sport.”
“Hmm.”
Jimin smiled, eyes fluttering shut for a second.
“Talk later?” he murmured.
“Okay.”
But Jeongukk didn’t hang up immediately. And neither did Jimin.
Soft breathing on both ends. Like neither of them really wanted to disconnect first.
Jimin didn’t think much of it. Just smiled to himself tiredly.
On the other end. Jungkook sat very still. Phone pressed to his ear.
Dark eyes, stuck on the small window of Jimin's apartment.
Mind not nearly as calm as his voice.
Because 'worried' was only the surface of, what he was feeling.