baby i’m the one (and you’re the only one) (1/2)
jimin/taehyung | nc-17 | ~11k | warnings : consensual alcohol influenced sex, a lot of lame
jimin really likes taehyung’s dog, and taehyung really has very little tact. more like university!au
written for chansoos for btsx 2015 here
Winter is secretly Jimin’s second favourite season ever, once the early months of the year hits, when the air takes the drop dramatically into temperatures below tolerable. Secretly, because he’d have an excuse to eat more (“It’s cold, I’ll burn off fat to keep warm.”), bundle up in thick layers of heavy coats without regard for his image (“There is nothing wrong with wearing two layers of socks.”), and opt to stay at home on weekends (“it’s below zero out there, there is no way I’m leaving my bed.”)
It's utter bullshit, but who's going to tell him otherwise?
Winter also means winter school, and a part time job teaching dance at an academy near his faculty. He only has classes twice a week and he loves dance, so all in all, winter is turning out to be a great time in his second year of life as a university student.
Until one morning he’s rushing out to his god-awful 8am class from hell and walks straight into a body of fur, faceplanting none too gracefully into the ceramic tiles of his apartment building hallway.
“What the fuck,” he scrambles to get up, a few choice words ready to assault whatever he just tripped over, only to pause in shock at the sight, “oh my god.”
A snow white canine stares back up at him, its beady eyes glinting in the morning sunlight, ears perked and tail wagging and Jimin is just about to keel over with delight.
“Oh my god,” he repeats in a whisper-shout, getting on his knees properly to shuffle closer, “hello.” He makes to touch its soft, soft looking fur, only to have the majestic beauty squirm away from his hold and even bark at him. Jimin swears he’s never felt his heart plummet so hard. (Other than that one time he got rejected by Jungkook in highschool so many years ago.)
But Jimin is a persistent person. And he likes to think that there is no reason why a dog would shun him. So he reaches out tentative fingers again, determination burning in his eyes. This time the lovely creature is tugged from him just when he was within reach.
“Ah fuck,” a low, rumbling voice sounds from above him, causing him to snap his head upwards, only to be assaulted by bordering offensive orange hair, “I can’t believe I left the door open. I’m sorry, was she bothering you?”
“No, she’s lovely,” Jimin answers too quickly, straightening up and trying to fight the flush of embarrassment rising across his neck, “is she yours?”
“Yes,” Carrot Top replies, his lips spreading into a strangely shaped grin, “her name is Soonshimie,” there is a pause where he sounds like he has more to say, so Jimin waits, “and my name is Kim Taehyung, and your name is...?”
“Jimin,” he answers on autopilot, “Park Jimin.”
Kim Taehyung beams like a billion megawatts of sunshine and Jimin has to struggle not to squint as he offers a smile in return. Then something occurs to him about this whole situation.
“Hey, are you new?” He’s only asking out of politeness. Jimin knows everybody on their floor by their first names. Plus there was no way he could’ve missed the orange hair. And the cute dog.
Taehyung is indeed new to their building, having moved to Seoul for university. He’s scratching Soonshim behind her ear as he tells Jimin all this, and Jimin has to resist the urge to coo at her.
Clearing his throat, he continues slowly, “you do know that our building doesn’t allow pets, right?” He sort of trails off, unsuccessfully keeping the skeptically raised eyebrow from his expression. As much as he wants to disregard rules and regulations right this moment, he has to be the civil, responsible neighbour here, but the way Taehyung’s face drops dramatically has his own brows furrowing in concern.
“Oh shit,” Taehyung gasps, eyes widening with panicked realisation, “yeah, uhm. Soonshimie usually stays with my family. But they’re all the way in Geochang. And I know I’ll miss her too much so now she’s here!” At some point, the boy has reached both his arms outwards like he was describing a particularly big imaginary circle.
Jimin tilts his head as if in thought. Taehyung takes it the wrong way, hurriedly bringing his palms to chest level and waving them defensively.
“B-but she’s really behaved! And quiet! She won’t cause any trouble, I just forgot she was here this morning and left the door open by accident when I went back in to grab my phone!” He starts chewing on his bottom lip, eyes shifting, “please, please, please, don’t report her to management,” he claps his hands together and starts rubbing them as a sign of begging, “I swear she won’t bother you again. You won’t even know she’s here.”
Jimin breaks out into a smile then. Taehyung is so loud and animated. He’s just about to tell him that he’ll keep it a secret, but only if he gets to play with Soonshim, when Taehyung speaks first.
“Your smile is really cute.”
Jimin swears he must have misheard. The tone Taehyung uses is as if he’s describing the weather. “What?”
“Your smile,” Taehyung gestures a ‘U’ shape around his face, “you’re really cute when you smile. Your eyes do this thing where they disappear.”
At this point, Jimin is reconsidering his choice of words. And his life decisions when he catches Taehyung checking him out, eyeing him as if through the layers of his winter battle gear, like he has fucking x-ray vision.
“You’re really hot.”
Sputtering, Jimin grabs the straps of his backpack tighter, ready to make a run for it. Being late to his 8am class suddenly seems like the biggest crime in the history of ever.
“Fuck, I gotta go,” he turns on his heel, “uh, nice meeting you. Bye Soonshim!” And then he’s off, only turning back around to catch a glimpse of orange down the hall before the metal doors of the elevator close shut.
Jimin is only half an hour late, ‘a commendable effort’, says Hoseok. But he tells him nothing when he’s asked what his excuse was this time.
-
He does, however, tell Jungkook. Despite having once been rejected by the Dark Prince himself, Jimin still values their friendship, occasionally marvelling at how there is a friendship at all, seeing as Jungkook is the very spawn of satan on his bad days.
“Describe quote-unquote ‘weird’ to me again?” Jungkook drawls from his seat in Jimin’s campus cafe. He’s supposedly ‘visiting’ Jimin and his friends, but really he’s here to survey schools to attend once he graduates.
“I mean, he just, outright told me I’m hot,” Jimin sucks vehemently at his iced mocha, “I was wearing my ugliest winter jacket, you know the one with the spots,” Jungkook cringes, “that’s weird, right? Saying that to my face?”
“I’m starting to think that the reason you’re telling me this is just to brag,” Jungkook stares disinterestedly at his own hazelnut cappuccino, “congratulations, someone thinks your ugly ass is cute,” his lips morph into a sly smirk as he tags on a hyung to the end for good measure.
“You are so rude,” Jimin pouts, almost desensitized after years of receiving the same treatment from the younger. Jungkook only snickers like he’s told the funniest joke in the world that only he himself is worthy of getting.
“He’s got a really cute dog, though,” Jimin sighs dreamily, “she’s so furry, and cute, and cuddly.”
“I thought your building didn’t allow pets.”
“It doesn’t,” another sigh, this time forlorn, “it doesn’t, but she’s so cute, I couldn’t possible report her,” he wails melodramatically, “but she doesn’t like me.”
“Hyung, I have a dog too, but you never want to play with it,” Jungkook points out, pitching his voice to sound indignant, while his fingers are busy texting.
“Your dog is small and weird looking,” Jimin spits, unflinching to Jungkook’s face of mock-hurt, “Soonshim is majestic and she looks like she would be so warm to hug.”
“Whatever, man, your loss. Look, it sounds like you’re in love with your neighbor’s dog,” he gets up, “maybe you should hook up with your neighbour then. That way both of you can adopt his dog as your lovechild.” Jimin grimaces really hard, to Jungkook’s delight. “I’m gonna go. Seokjin and Namjoon are taking me to tour their building.”
“I hope you trip and fall on your face in front of all the pretty pharmacology noonas.”
At that, Jungkook smiles pleasantly, “oh fuck you.”
-
Jimin doesn’t scare easily. He’s worked too damn hard to achieve this ‘tough guy’ image, honing his body and slicking his gestures in public. He really doesn’t scare easily. In public. But behind closed doors, he’d always vote for the Avengers rather than Saw VII. Jungkook ends up marathoning Saw on their movie nights anyways.
Like right now, when there are scratching sounds coming from the direction of his dark living room, he tells himself he’s hearing things, turning up the volume of the drama he’s watching on his laptop. But the scratching is undeniably real, and insistent. When he finally decides to not send the ‘dude im freaking out’ text to Jungkook, he takes a deep breath and tears open his front door with his eyes scrunched shut.
Nothing happens for about ten seconds before he chances a peek through one eye. There’s nobody at his door, but there is an adorable Soonshim on his crummy faded welcome mat, looking every bit like a pet calendar spread of his favourite month. All thoughts of fearing a machete wielding psychopath disappear as he drops to his knees, immediately cooing.
This time, Soonshim doesn’t yelp at him, but she does squirm every which way when he tries to pet her, hardly staying still enough for Jimin to run his fingers through her fur for more than fleeting moments. Even so, Jimin is over the moon. He’s always liked animals, cats and dogs alike, but he’s never had the luxury of owning one. It’s a nice thing to have, he thinks, a companion always waiting at home, to keep him company during the loneliest of times.
He sits there on the step of his front door, watching Soonshim for a few long moments before realising that she’s alone outside, and their building hallways aren’t heated. Even in his favourite comfort hoodie and sweats, the winter chill is undeniably seeping in through his clothes.
There is no response when he rings Taehyung’s doorbell multiple times. He even knocks obnoxiously and calls out for good measure. Nothing.
“Where’s your owner, hm?” he says more to himself, successfully scratching behind Soonshim’s ear as she lets him, “where is your strange, orange-haired, slightly socially imposing owner.”
He ends up shrugging on his winter coat and thick socks and putting a throw over Soonshim as he sits outside his door, waiting while trying to beat Yoongi’s high score on Timberman. It’s 8:23pm. Taehyung’s gotta come back at some point, right?
Taehyung comes back at around 9:45pm, Jimin notes the clock on his phone when he spots a dash of orange appearing down the hall. He’s bundled up in a green coloured scarf that clashes horribly with the bright shade of his hair, humming to a tune in his ears, a spring in his step. When he draws nearer, Soonshim dashes out from Jimin’s hold and nearly crashes into Taehyung’s legs, tail wagging excitedly.
As bitter as he really feels, Jimin tries to tell himself that he’s not jealous. Soonshim is Taehyung’s dog, after all. But he does nothing to dampen down the annoyance bubbling in his gut at the owner who left this precious creature outside in the cold.
“Soonshimie?” Taehyung starts, pulling his earphones out hastily. “What are you-” He then looks from Soonshim to Jimin straightening up in front of his door, and then hangs his mouth in shock.
“I think you left her outside, she was scratching at my door,” Jimin chuckles drily, shoving his freezing fingers into the depths of his coat pockets, “I put a blanket over her for a bit and gave her some water.”
“Oh my god,” Taehyung scrambles to get his door open before ushering Soonshim inside without saying another word, leaving Jimin to stand awkwardly outside.
“Ooh-kay,” Jimin frowns, shaking his head slightly, turning to enter his own door and muttering, “you’re welcome.”
“Jimin wait!”
He reflexively whips around at the sound of his name to find that Taehyung has re-appeared from his apartment. He’s shredded the scarf and heavy coat, leaving him in a light grey turtleneck and jeans.
“Hey, thanks a lot for taking care of Soonshim earlier,” Taehyung starts, rubbing the back of his neck, “I must’ve left her outside by accident when I went to work. Ah, sorry if she bothered you.”
Jimin watches as Taehyung takes his own bottom lip between his teeth, eyes shifting, “I know I told you she won’t be any trouble, but she was and it was my fault, so coule you please not report her?”
He can’t help the chuckle bubbling up his chest at how distressed Taehyung looks. So he decides to have a little payback, purses his lips up and looks to the side, “I don’t know…” The panicked whine that escapes Taehyung has him cheering with victory inside.
“I’ll make it up to you,” Taehyung says quickly, “I’ll buy you lunch, how’s that sound? As an apology,” when Jimin continues to play dumb, Taehyung rattles on, “and dessert, free coffee and cake at the cafe I’m working at!”
At that, he finally relents. Watching the other struggle so hard for his forgiveness proved much too fun while it lasted. Jimin drops the act with a warm smile, “I’m just playing, I won’t tell.”
Taehyung’s shoulders slump in relief following Jimin’s cackling. “But I’m serious, about lunch.”
Jimin arches one eyebrow at him as he considers the boy before him. Large twinkling eyes, an impressive nose, heart shaped lips, tall and lean too, judging from the way his turtleneck hugs his stature. He isn’t bad looking, Jimin supposes, but there is an odd air surrounding him that would require some getting used to.
“Jimin?” Taehyung prompts, head tilting to the side.
“Sorry, uh,” he tries to pitch his voice as nothing but polite, watching as Taehyung’s face continues to shine with confidence, “sorry, winter school is taking a lot of my time, and I have work too, I don’t think I could take time off.”
To Jimin’s horror, Taehyung pouts. And it’s ugly.
“You gotta eat lunch sometime, come on, I’m buying! It’s free food!”
There it is, the extreme forwardness, causing a headache to creep up the sides of Jimin’s temples. “Maybe some other time, okay? Thanks for the offer, though. Good night, Taehyung.”
He thinks nothing more of his new neighbour that night, instead falling asleep to dreams of petting Soonshin’s soft, white fur in his hands.
-
“You are fucking kidding me,” Jimin groans, turning around on his heel and completely disappearing behind Hoseok, the one time he’s grateful for his unfortunate height.
“What, what?” Hoseok darts his head this way and that, “why are you hidi-oh.”
As if there was a big, red homing target placed on Jimin’s very being, Taehyung spots him anyways, his face lighting up in recognition.
“That’s him, isn’t it, orange-haired neighbor with the cute dog,” Hoseok says over his shoulder, eyes blatantly scanning the subject of their conversation, “you didn’t tell me he was hot, too.”
“He’s not hot,” Jimin hisses, “hyung, quick, head in a direction away from him, act natural.”
“Too late, he’s making a beeline towards us,” Hoseok actually laughs at Jimin’s misery, before he’s waving and turning his signature smile towards the newcomer, “hi.”
“Hi,” Taehyung says, peering behind Hoseok’s shoulder, “hi, Jiminnie. What are you doing.”
“None of your business,” he huffs, “and the answer is ‘no’, Taehyung.”
Over the past few days, Taehyung has been nothing less than persistent. Almost every day without fail, he’s managed to catch Jimin either leaving or right before entering his home. And every time, he’s offered to buy him lunch. And Jimin has come up with an excuse to each attempt. Frankly, it’s creeping him out.
He had not anticipated Taehyung to be going to the same university as himself. But of course he is. Their building is the only place closest to campus renting to single occupants at a student-friendly budget. He’s too busy sulking and spacing out when introductions are exchanged and acquaintances are made.
“Taehyung is on campus to clear up some administrative work with his transfer and enrollment,” Hoseok chimes, turning towards Jimin, "he’s done and says he would like to-”
“I said ‘no’.”
“-take his dog for a stroll in the park,” Hoseok finishes, snickering at the surprise flashing across Jimin’s face.
“Oh.” It’s then when Jimin finally notices Soonshim sitting obediently at Taehyung’s feet. His heart immediately flutters. He’s ‘bumped into’ Taehyung a few times (a lot) outside his door, but all of those times were devoid of Soonshim.
“Do you want to come with?” Taehyung offers, eyes hopeful.
Jimin stares from Soonshim to Taehyung to Hoseok and back to Soonshim. His fingers are itching to pet her, so much so that he gives in and agrees. It won’t be so bad, right? Hoseok would be there. Yup.
Somehow, Hoseok reads his mind and excuses himself so smoothly that he’s already halfway down the block before Jimin could process the situation.
This is how he ends up walking side by side with Taehyung, trailing behind Soonshim. Early February is still ridiculously cold, but Soonshim looks utterly ecstatic once Taehyung unhooks the leash from her collar. She canvasses the expense of the small park within minutes, barking curiously at every plant and wagging her tail at other park-goers.
And Jimin can’t stop the damn smile taking over his face when Soonshim rounds back to the both of them seated on a bench, peering up at them expectantly. He brushes his fingers through her fur, delighted that she doesn’t shy away.
“You could come on her walks more often,” Taehyung’s voice startles Jimin out of his trance, “she gets agitated when cooped up in the house for long periods of time.”
Jimin hums in response.
“You could also come out to dinner,” he prompts with a hint of caution, “with me. And Soonshim. Tonight. I found a nice chinese place when taking Soonshim for a breather the other day.”
At that, Jimin heaves a sigh, eyes not leaving his latest infatuation. The sun is already setting. He feels the late winter chill pick up, and looks up to find the tips of Taehyung’s ears bright red. They won’t be able to stay out for very much longer. He considers his options. Either he eats dinner for free with Taehyung, or ventures on a solo date with instant ramyun, again..
“Fine,” he jumps when Taehyung whoops in victory, “you’re paying.”
-
When the semester starts, Jimin has actually pondered about the chances of them crossing paths on campus ever, coming to the conclusion that the engineering building is on the far side of the grounds opposite from his lawschool.
It doesn’t play out according to the scenario in his head. Taehyung is double-majoring in engineering and business, so half of his classes end up being in the building right next to his. They’ve met so many times that Taehyung is already initiated into Jimin’s whole gang, having worked out a free hour in their schedules in which they all coincide to have lunch twice a week.
Jimin hmphs from his seat between Yoongi and Seokjin. It's only the second time they’re all hanging out together with Taehyung, but it seems as if they’ve been friends for years. He’s being childish, he knows, watching Namjoon laugh at something dumb Taehyung says until there are tears in his eyes.
Get over it, he decides to tell himself, taking a bite of his kimbap with a scowl.
-
“Jimin?”
Now he is certain that the universe is playing a joke on him. Today, he has taken three subway trains to arrive on the other side of Seoul, visiting a few favourite apparel stores. He’d been looking forward to spending some alone time.
“Lay it on me, Taehyung, are you following me?” He’s joking, but there is very little humor in his voice.
Taehyung’s undeniably low laughter sounds behind him. When Jimin finally turns around, his eyes widen in mild shock. Gone is the obnoxious orange hair, but in its place is the lightest platinum blond, shimmering under the soft spring sunlight, almost too difficult to stare at for long moments. He eventually has to lower his eyes to meet Taehyung’s smiling ones.
“What a coincidence,” Taehyung says without answering his question, “I read online about a good pet store around here, so I’m checking it out.”
Soonshim announces her existence there as if on cue. The suspicion dissipates into adoration when Jimin kneels to greet the pup. He is over the fucking moon when Soonshim seems to recognise him and allows him to cradle the soft fur around her neck.
“It must be destiny, Jimin, we’re Destined.”
Jimin rolls his eyes so far back he might lose them in his skull.
"You should come with us, we're gonna go look for some toys," Taehyung announces, nodding his head sagely.
Jimin wants to refuse, he had a Plan coming out today. Even so, he finds himself following in the direction of the pet store Taehyung mentioned, taking Soonshim's leash from Taehyung's hand naturally when offered. He watches with mild fascination as Taehyung converses with the store attendant, asking questions and comparing products. By the time they’re at the cashier, it’s slightly past 4pm.
“Fuck,” Taehyung exclaims the moment they leave the store, “fuck, fuck, it’s four, my shift starts at four-thirty, oh my god.”
“At the cafe near campus? It’s twenty minutes away, you’ll make it, chill out.”
“No, they don’t allow pets indoors!” Taehyung wails, disregarding the side-eying from passerbys while Jimin’s head dips constantly in apology. “I don’t have time to leave Soonshim home and then come back out-Jimin,” he slams one large palm down on Jimin’s shoulder, making him jolt, “could you do me a favour.”
No, Jimin wants to say, but instead, “what?”
“Can you please take Soonshim with you while I work my shift? She doesn’t seem to hate your guts anymore.”
Ouch. He’s ready to decline Taehyung, the words poised on the tip of his tongue-but then he looks down at Soonshim, her glistening canine eyes peering up at him and he knows he’s defeated.
Taehyung texts him three hours later.
bring my baby over
i still owe u coffee and cake ;)
Jimin scoffs, quickly packing up his books from his spot in a park nearby. The weather is finally warm enough for him to study (take naps) outdoors. Plugging his earphones in, he tugs gently on Soonshim’s leash to guide her towards the cafe.
True to his word, Taehyung appears in a flourish, apron tied to his hips, cradling a coffee in one hand and a slice of cake in the other. After setting them down on a table outside, he bends over to nuzzle his nose into the top of Soonshim’s head.
“Caramel macchiato and cheesecake for you,” Taehyung grins at him, “the cheesecake is fantastic, that’s the last slice today, you better appreciate!”
Jimin wordlessly shoves a fork of cheesecake in his mouth as he watches Taehyung coddle Soonshim on the pavement. “Is your shift over?”
“Mmhm,” Taehyung straightens, chuckling as he unties the straps of his apron, “thanks, for taking care of Soonshim. You seem to have to do that a lot.”
Jimin shrugs, “it’s cool, I don’t mind it.” He finds that those words are true as he looks up from Soonshim to meet Taehyung’s eyes, a genuine smile in place, “you’re so lucky you have her, you’re never alone.”
Something flicker across Taehyung’s expression, but Jimin doesn’t notice it, turning his attention back to Soonshim curled up by his feet.
“Soonshim can be there for you too, Jimin,” Taehyung teases, his grin turned cheeky, “all you have to do is come over.” He's wagging his eyebrows ridiculously so Jimin smacks him right across the chest with the back of his palm.
There is more caramel than there is coffee in Jimin’s drink, but he downs all of it anyways.
-
Taehyung meets Jungkook two days after what Jungkook unilaterally terms as their 'impromptu coffee date', at the dance academy Jimin is an assistant teacher at, that Jungkook also attends. He had positively begged to come along, once he found out about what it is Jimin actually goes off and does on the days when he catches him at his door, sweat evaporating on his skin, face flushed a healthy pink from exertion.
Jimin figures there was no harm. At this point, he’s convinced that Taehyung is just a super friendly person who really, really loves his dog.
What he doesn’t expect, is the 180 degrees complete flip in character displayed by one Jeon Jungkook. Jimin stares in mild horror and amazement as Jungkook chatters away with Taehyung about everything and anything. His brows are pinched tightly together by the time his name comes up in their conversation.
“Jiminnie, Jungkook says he has a puppy too, look!” He shoves Jungkook’s iphone in Jimin’s face, Gureum’s beady eyes stare back at him, “so cute!”
While Taehyung continues to coo, Jungkook takes the chance to turn an innocent smile at Jimin, causing the older to balk wordlessly.
“Who are you and what have you done with Jeon Jungkook,” Jimin hisses.
“What are you talking about,” Jungkook laughs heartily, “I’m normally this charming.”
His little devil horns come out to play anyways. Jimin narrows his eyes into slits. “Your dog still looks weird.”
Soonshim is allowed to sit near the back of the studio with Taehyung while Jimin works. Out of the corner of his eye, he takes in the awe in Taehyung’s expression, the anticipated reaction he hopes to achieve in every person whom he lets watch him do what he’s good at. The follow up words of praise that tumble from Taehyung’s excited mouth are also expected, and Jimin allows the glee that fills him as he watches Jungkook sort of falter at Taehyung’s enthusiastic gushing, arms flailing, complete with sound effects.
He’s long since gotten used to that.
-
Jimin flops onto his bed that night after his shower to find a series of texts from Jungkook.
hyung
taehyung hyung and i are hanging out tomorrow
do u wanna come
That wasn’t completely unexpected. From personal experience, Jimin knows that Taehyung really gets straight to the point in a friendship. The two of them had hit it off pretty well. He hasn’t seen Jungkook open up to someone new so quickly.
And then of course, they bonded over their dogs.
Jimin scrunches up his face at the image of Jungkook’s dog, turning onto his back. He’d initially planned to hang out with Jungkook tomorrow anyways. Just as he’s about to reply, Jungkook’s text bubble indicates that he’s typing.
don’t be jealous we’re just getting food
;)
Jimin bristles. The little shit still won’t drop it. Ever since day one, Jungkook has been teasing him about Taehyung’s displays of affection, sometimes making immature kissy faces as if they were children in grade school.
i will hurt u jeon jungkook
Jungkook replies with a series of gleeful emoticons before they decide on a place to meet up.
Hanging out with the addition of Taehyung isn’t that much different. Taehyung just seems to be able to go on and on about anime or video games with Jungkook, leaving Jimin to peacefully shower Soonshim with all his attention. Honestly, it warms his little heart, a sort of pride blooming, to see two of his friends finding great company in each other.
(Jimin does, however, frown when he bumps into them at the convenience store just as he was leaving one day. Jungkook’s arms are slung casually around Taehyung’s shoulders, supporting himself from falling over with how hard he’s laughing. Soonshim is nowhere to be seen.
Something bubbles in his chest cavity, dull and unsuspecting. He doesn’t know why he turns on his heel and leaves before he’s discovered.)
-
In summer, Taehyung’s hair is a creamy lavender, like the ice cream cone rapidly melting in his hand, trailing long lines down his elbow. Jimin has to stop him from touching Soonshim’s fur with his sticky sweet fingers, watching with distaste as Taehyung licks the sugary goodness off by curling his tongue around every digit, equipped with a very stupid grin.
“That’s so fucking gross,” Jimin spits, hugging Soonshim close to his chest. Taehyung just smiles wider.
Their entire little group decide to hit the beach one mid-July day. Once the shimmering blue waters come into sight, those opting to swim excitedly strip down into trunks, Jimin included.
“Wow.”
He whips his head to the side when he hears low whistling, a little taken aback by how blatantly Taehyung is gawking at him. Jimin follows his eyes as they move slightly, intensely tracing the lines of his torso. Jimin is very proud of his body, he’s worked overtime and then some to achieve this, skin pulled taut against defined muscle, and normally he has no problem pulling off his shirt in public.
But right now, he feels the urge to cover up, incredibly self-conscious.
“Remember what I said on the first day we met?” Taehyung starts, still transfixed below Jimin’s face level, “I was right,” he meets Jimin’s eyes then, gaze unwavering, “you’re really hot.”
It comes as unexpectedly as the first time he had said it, throwing Jimin off kilter for a few brief moments as he stares back blankly at Taehyung. He tries to fight the flush of heat rising through his whole body, forcibly laughing and slapping Taehyung’s shoulder, just for the sake of having something to do with his hands.
“You’re really weird sometimes, Tae,” is all he manages to say before he has to turn away, racing Jungkook across the beach.
Unsurprisingly, the cool seawater doesn’t help dampen the memory of Taehyung’s heated stare, still clear in Jimin’s mind. It doesn’t go away when he’s taking Soonshim on a walk along the sand later in the evening, while everyone else is crowding the barbeque, not even when he’s curled up in bed that night.
-
Nothing really changes after that. Jimin packs a duffel bag and gets on a train together with Jungkook, heading home to Busan for the first time since coming to the Seoul for highschool. He’s finally saved enough money for the trip, and very little aside from his family occupy the next few weeks.
On the last day before he has to leave home, Jimin scrolls down their group chat, lazily trudging through everyone updating about their holidays. He’s about to turn off his phone when a photo of Soonshim loads and he coos aloud despite himself. A few minutes later, Taehyung sends a short video of himself, crouching in what Jimin assumes is the front yard of his home.
He says he’s too lazy to type, so he figured a video would be faster. Jimin snorts, typical Taehyung logic. Taehyung talks about his home, with an overexcited Soonshim jumping around him, dead set on interrupting his monologue, and Jimin finds his lips twitch into an uncontrollable smile, just as Taehyung is knocked over from his crouching position, landing squarely on his butt.
“Hey!” Video!Taehyung yells, “behave!”
At this point, Jimin is rolling on his side, wracked with giggles, his Note 2 held loosely in his palm.
“You miss Jiminnie too, don’t you?” Jimin sits up then, grip around the device tightened. In the video, Taehyung has moved on to talking about other things, finally bidding goodbye before the image stills, the replay button appearing at the centre.
The chat carries on, moving onto Seokjin spamming them with photos of his own dog. Within minutes, it spirals into an impromptu dog show, and Jimin realises he’s the only person without a dog.
You miss Jiminnie too, don’t you?, echoes in his head again. Before he could change his mind, he types and hastily hits send.
‘yah i miss you too’ is swept away between photos of Jjanggu and a short video of Micky too quickly and Jimin finds himself sighing in relief. Maybe nobody caught it.
A few moments later he sees the banner at the top of his screen indicating a text from his private chat with ‘TaeTae’.
jiminnie misses me? lol
Jimin frowns, fingers flying over his keyboard.
i meant i miss soonshim stupid
And it’s true, that’s what he meant. Mostly. Taehyung just sends a bunch of ugly winking emojis in reply and Jimin flings his phone to the other end of his bed, cursing under his breath.
-
Autumn is Jimin’s true favourite season. He senses the change in the seasons when there are more cool breezes than scorching sun, more cloudy grey afternoons than 5:30am sunrises.
Not so much his favourite is the workload. His second semester kicks off with a barrage of written assignments, his calendar marked magnificently with red circles screaming deadline!!! Jimin finds himself more often than not drowning at the bottom of his coffee mug, holed up in the lawschool library.
It’s when he’s dozing off in the middle of bullshitting a constitutional law essay that he gets startled by something cold pressed to the back of his neck.
“Fuck!” He hisses quietly, jolting upright. The culprit plops down next to him, snickering behind one palm not as discreetly as Jimin would’ve liked.
“Don’t fucking do that, Tae!” Jimin whisper-screams, before realising the cold object was a can of iced coffee. It’s definitely not as good as the fresh stuff, but he makes a grab for it anyways, hushed words of gratitude tumbling from his lips.
For the next hour or so, Taehyung just hangs out at his desk, doodling onto the margins of Jimin’s con-law notes and updating Jimin on Soonshim’s most recent trip to the vet. He has no reason to be here on a Saturday night, but Jimin has long since stopped questioning the workings of his mind anyways.
“Your birthday is soon, right?” Taehyung asks, eyes not leaving Crossy Road in his hands, right when Jimin is reaching the concluding paragraph. For some absurd reason, he’s exclaimed a week ago that he’d wanted to reach a high score of 601. Jimin thinks he’s plain crazy.
“It’s in October,” he makes a face, blanching like he’d just tasted something nasty, “near finals season.”
“I’ve been thinking about your birthday present, early, because I’m an awesome person like that,” Taehyung grins like the smug creature he is, “and I’ve got tickets to Big Bang’s Seoul gig next weeken-”
“Shut the front door,” Jimin cuts him off, eyes going wider than Taehyung has ever seen them, “how did you get tickets? They sold out weeks ago.”
“I know a friend,” is Taehyung’s ambiguous reply, “who knows someone.”
“Taehyung if you’re implying what I think you’re implying, then I fucking love you, my man my homie my brother from another mother.”
Taehyung’s grins, but there is reservation behind the usual light in his eyes. Jimin senses it, and as tactful as he is, which isn’t very tactful, calls him out on it.
“What is it, are these black market tickets? Are you in trouble, Tae?” Jimin squints until his eyes are mere slits of suspicion.
“No, stupid,” Taehyung huffs, locking his phone, “I only have two tickets, and I know how much Jungkook has a boner for G-dragon.”
Oh. That’s nice of him, Jimin thinks. So fucking nice. He shakes his head slowly.
“Whatever, Jungkook can see GD some other time, he’s young and loaded,” Jimin feels considerably less remorse than he should as he declares this. Whatever. It’s every VIP for themselves.
Taehyung straightens up then, turning a curious expression on Jimin. Something akin to disbelief and hope colour his tone, “really?”
“What?”
“So we’re going to a BB concert next weekend together?”
Together. Alone. Without Soonshim.
Suddenly Jimin realises that all of their interactions have included someone else at the time, either their mutual friends, or Jungkook, but revolving mostly around Taehyung’s beautiful canine companion.
Jimin gulps, reluctant to think about it any more than he needs to right now, “yeah, man! I still can’t believe you have tickets, oh my god.” He lightly punches Taehyung’s shoulder to dissipate a strange vibe hanging between them, “thanks.”
Taehyung’s face scrunches up into his box-like grin in response, declaring it a ‘date’, to which Jimin rolls his eyes at.
-
By the time the following Saturday comes around, Jimin is positively hyperventilating. Taehyung had managed to get them into the mosh pit, right near the front quarter of the audience. As the lights dim and the crowd starts screaming, Jimin is chanting loudly so that Taehyung can hear him just barely above the steady reverberation of noise.
“Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, i love you i fucking love you, Tae-,” and then the opening beats of ‘Alive’ tear through Taehyung’s eardrums, drowning out Jimin’s voice.
(Later, Jimin will tell Jungkook that he felt like he has seen the light of God smile down upon him, when in actual fact it was just Taeyang.)
Halfway through ‘Ringa Linga’, Jimin turns to his right to where he last saw Taehyung only to find him nowhere in sight. Instead, he hears the familiar baritone of his voice from behind him, right next to his ear, singing along. He’s instantly aware then, how close Taehyung is, pressed up against his back. It’s not uncommon in a riotous mosh pit, but the heat radiating from Taehyung’s body, through the layers of their t-shirts, is scathing.
He misses it when Taeyang tears off his flimsy tank, and promptly loses his footing when the crowd starts pushing frantically. He’s mid-curse when Taehyung’s right arm wraps securely around his middle, saving him from a potentially life-threatening fall.
“Ok?” Taehyung mouths, flashing a concerned smile, retreating his arm to lay a hand loosely on Jimin’s waist instead.
All Jimin could do was nod dumbly, gulping when Taehyung’s hand stays there on his hip the remainder of the song, way too warm for comfort.
“Hold on, hold on,” Jungkook stops him mid-sentence fawning over Taeyang’s Superior Splendour, “you’re so whipped.” His jaw is hanging slightly, eyes shining bright with mischief.
“Like you’re not whipped by GD!” Jimin retaliates.
“No, no, hyung, you just spent five minutes telling me about how Taehyung hyung broke your fall,” Jungkook gets out of his seat and oh no, he starts dancing right in the middle of the library, what Jimin recognises as his Victory Dance, “Five minutes. I totally called this. You’re screwed.”
“Jeon Jungkook,” Jimin hisses, slapping his palm futilely against Jungkook’s thigh, “sit the fuck down, you’re embarrassing!”
Long after Jungkook has settled down, Jimin still can’t shake the image of Taehyung’s smile appearing and disappearing under flashing strobe lights, how his voice sounded next to his ear chanting along to ‘Fantastic Baby’, how intensified the heat was trapped between his front and Jimin’s back.
And then he realises Jungkook is probably right. He’s certified fucked over.
→2/2
jimin really likes taehyung’s dog, and taehyung really has very little tact. more like university!au
written for chansoos for btsx 2015 here
Winter is secretly Jimin’s second favourite season ever, once the early months of the year hits, when the air takes the drop dramatically into temperatures below tolerable. Secretly, because he’d have an excuse to eat more (“It’s cold, I’ll burn off fat to keep warm.”), bundle up in thick layers of heavy coats without regard for his image (“There is nothing wrong with wearing two layers of socks.”), and opt to stay at home on weekends (“it’s below zero out there, there is no way I’m leaving my bed.”)
It's utter bullshit, but who's going to tell him otherwise?
Winter also means winter school, and a part time job teaching dance at an academy near his faculty. He only has classes twice a week and he loves dance, so all in all, winter is turning out to be a great time in his second year of life as a university student.
Until one morning he’s rushing out to his god-awful 8am class from hell and walks straight into a body of fur, faceplanting none too gracefully into the ceramic tiles of his apartment building hallway.
“What the fuck,” he scrambles to get up, a few choice words ready to assault whatever he just tripped over, only to pause in shock at the sight, “oh my god.”
A snow white canine stares back up at him, its beady eyes glinting in the morning sunlight, ears perked and tail wagging and Jimin is just about to keel over with delight.
“Oh my god,” he repeats in a whisper-shout, getting on his knees properly to shuffle closer, “hello.” He makes to touch its soft, soft looking fur, only to have the majestic beauty squirm away from his hold and even bark at him. Jimin swears he’s never felt his heart plummet so hard. (Other than that one time he got rejected by Jungkook in highschool so many years ago.)
But Jimin is a persistent person. And he likes to think that there is no reason why a dog would shun him. So he reaches out tentative fingers again, determination burning in his eyes. This time the lovely creature is tugged from him just when he was within reach.
“Ah fuck,” a low, rumbling voice sounds from above him, causing him to snap his head upwards, only to be assaulted by bordering offensive orange hair, “I can’t believe I left the door open. I’m sorry, was she bothering you?”
“No, she’s lovely,” Jimin answers too quickly, straightening up and trying to fight the flush of embarrassment rising across his neck, “is she yours?”
“Yes,” Carrot Top replies, his lips spreading into a strangely shaped grin, “her name is Soonshimie,” there is a pause where he sounds like he has more to say, so Jimin waits, “and my name is Kim Taehyung, and your name is...?”
“Jimin,” he answers on autopilot, “Park Jimin.”
Kim Taehyung beams like a billion megawatts of sunshine and Jimin has to struggle not to squint as he offers a smile in return. Then something occurs to him about this whole situation.
“Hey, are you new?” He’s only asking out of politeness. Jimin knows everybody on their floor by their first names. Plus there was no way he could’ve missed the orange hair. And the cute dog.
Taehyung is indeed new to their building, having moved to Seoul for university. He’s scratching Soonshim behind her ear as he tells Jimin all this, and Jimin has to resist the urge to coo at her.
Clearing his throat, he continues slowly, “you do know that our building doesn’t allow pets, right?” He sort of trails off, unsuccessfully keeping the skeptically raised eyebrow from his expression. As much as he wants to disregard rules and regulations right this moment, he has to be the civil, responsible neighbour here, but the way Taehyung’s face drops dramatically has his own brows furrowing in concern.
“Oh shit,” Taehyung gasps, eyes widening with panicked realisation, “yeah, uhm. Soonshimie usually stays with my family. But they’re all the way in Geochang. And I know I’ll miss her too much so now she’s here!” At some point, the boy has reached both his arms outwards like he was describing a particularly big imaginary circle.
Jimin tilts his head as if in thought. Taehyung takes it the wrong way, hurriedly bringing his palms to chest level and waving them defensively.
“B-but she’s really behaved! And quiet! She won’t cause any trouble, I just forgot she was here this morning and left the door open by accident when I went back in to grab my phone!” He starts chewing on his bottom lip, eyes shifting, “please, please, please, don’t report her to management,” he claps his hands together and starts rubbing them as a sign of begging, “I swear she won’t bother you again. You won’t even know she’s here.”
Jimin breaks out into a smile then. Taehyung is so loud and animated. He’s just about to tell him that he’ll keep it a secret, but only if he gets to play with Soonshim, when Taehyung speaks first.
“Your smile is really cute.”
Jimin swears he must have misheard. The tone Taehyung uses is as if he’s describing the weather. “What?”
“Your smile,” Taehyung gestures a ‘U’ shape around his face, “you’re really cute when you smile. Your eyes do this thing where they disappear.”
At this point, Jimin is reconsidering his choice of words. And his life decisions when he catches Taehyung checking him out, eyeing him as if through the layers of his winter battle gear, like he has fucking x-ray vision.
“You’re really hot.”
Sputtering, Jimin grabs the straps of his backpack tighter, ready to make a run for it. Being late to his 8am class suddenly seems like the biggest crime in the history of ever.
“Fuck, I gotta go,” he turns on his heel, “uh, nice meeting you. Bye Soonshim!” And then he’s off, only turning back around to catch a glimpse of orange down the hall before the metal doors of the elevator close shut.
Jimin is only half an hour late, ‘a commendable effort’, says Hoseok. But he tells him nothing when he’s asked what his excuse was this time.
-
He does, however, tell Jungkook. Despite having once been rejected by the Dark Prince himself, Jimin still values their friendship, occasionally marvelling at how there is a friendship at all, seeing as Jungkook is the very spawn of satan on his bad days.
“Describe quote-unquote ‘weird’ to me again?” Jungkook drawls from his seat in Jimin’s campus cafe. He’s supposedly ‘visiting’ Jimin and his friends, but really he’s here to survey schools to attend once he graduates.
“I mean, he just, outright told me I’m hot,” Jimin sucks vehemently at his iced mocha, “I was wearing my ugliest winter jacket, you know the one with the spots,” Jungkook cringes, “that’s weird, right? Saying that to my face?”
“I’m starting to think that the reason you’re telling me this is just to brag,” Jungkook stares disinterestedly at his own hazelnut cappuccino, “congratulations, someone thinks your ugly ass is cute,” his lips morph into a sly smirk as he tags on a hyung to the end for good measure.
“You are so rude,” Jimin pouts, almost desensitized after years of receiving the same treatment from the younger. Jungkook only snickers like he’s told the funniest joke in the world that only he himself is worthy of getting.
“He’s got a really cute dog, though,” Jimin sighs dreamily, “she’s so furry, and cute, and cuddly.”
“I thought your building didn’t allow pets.”
“It doesn’t,” another sigh, this time forlorn, “it doesn’t, but she’s so cute, I couldn’t possible report her,” he wails melodramatically, “but she doesn’t like me.”
“Hyung, I have a dog too, but you never want to play with it,” Jungkook points out, pitching his voice to sound indignant, while his fingers are busy texting.
“Your dog is small and weird looking,” Jimin spits, unflinching to Jungkook’s face of mock-hurt, “Soonshim is majestic and she looks like she would be so warm to hug.”
“Whatever, man, your loss. Look, it sounds like you’re in love with your neighbor’s dog,” he gets up, “maybe you should hook up with your neighbour then. That way both of you can adopt his dog as your lovechild.” Jimin grimaces really hard, to Jungkook’s delight. “I’m gonna go. Seokjin and Namjoon are taking me to tour their building.”
“I hope you trip and fall on your face in front of all the pretty pharmacology noonas.”
At that, Jungkook smiles pleasantly, “oh fuck you.”
-
Jimin doesn’t scare easily. He’s worked too damn hard to achieve this ‘tough guy’ image, honing his body and slicking his gestures in public. He really doesn’t scare easily. In public. But behind closed doors, he’d always vote for the Avengers rather than Saw VII. Jungkook ends up marathoning Saw on their movie nights anyways.
Like right now, when there are scratching sounds coming from the direction of his dark living room, he tells himself he’s hearing things, turning up the volume of the drama he’s watching on his laptop. But the scratching is undeniably real, and insistent. When he finally decides to not send the ‘dude im freaking out’ text to Jungkook, he takes a deep breath and tears open his front door with his eyes scrunched shut.
Nothing happens for about ten seconds before he chances a peek through one eye. There’s nobody at his door, but there is an adorable Soonshim on his crummy faded welcome mat, looking every bit like a pet calendar spread of his favourite month. All thoughts of fearing a machete wielding psychopath disappear as he drops to his knees, immediately cooing.
This time, Soonshim doesn’t yelp at him, but she does squirm every which way when he tries to pet her, hardly staying still enough for Jimin to run his fingers through her fur for more than fleeting moments. Even so, Jimin is over the moon. He’s always liked animals, cats and dogs alike, but he’s never had the luxury of owning one. It’s a nice thing to have, he thinks, a companion always waiting at home, to keep him company during the loneliest of times.
He sits there on the step of his front door, watching Soonshim for a few long moments before realising that she’s alone outside, and their building hallways aren’t heated. Even in his favourite comfort hoodie and sweats, the winter chill is undeniably seeping in through his clothes.
There is no response when he rings Taehyung’s doorbell multiple times. He even knocks obnoxiously and calls out for good measure. Nothing.
“Where’s your owner, hm?” he says more to himself, successfully scratching behind Soonshim’s ear as she lets him, “where is your strange, orange-haired, slightly socially imposing owner.”
He ends up shrugging on his winter coat and thick socks and putting a throw over Soonshim as he sits outside his door, waiting while trying to beat Yoongi’s high score on Timberman. It’s 8:23pm. Taehyung’s gotta come back at some point, right?
Taehyung comes back at around 9:45pm, Jimin notes the clock on his phone when he spots a dash of orange appearing down the hall. He’s bundled up in a green coloured scarf that clashes horribly with the bright shade of his hair, humming to a tune in his ears, a spring in his step. When he draws nearer, Soonshim dashes out from Jimin’s hold and nearly crashes into Taehyung’s legs, tail wagging excitedly.
As bitter as he really feels, Jimin tries to tell himself that he’s not jealous. Soonshim is Taehyung’s dog, after all. But he does nothing to dampen down the annoyance bubbling in his gut at the owner who left this precious creature outside in the cold.
“Soonshimie?” Taehyung starts, pulling his earphones out hastily. “What are you-” He then looks from Soonshim to Jimin straightening up in front of his door, and then hangs his mouth in shock.
“I think you left her outside, she was scratching at my door,” Jimin chuckles drily, shoving his freezing fingers into the depths of his coat pockets, “I put a blanket over her for a bit and gave her some water.”
“Oh my god,” Taehyung scrambles to get his door open before ushering Soonshim inside without saying another word, leaving Jimin to stand awkwardly outside.
“Ooh-kay,” Jimin frowns, shaking his head slightly, turning to enter his own door and muttering, “you’re welcome.”
“Jimin wait!”
He reflexively whips around at the sound of his name to find that Taehyung has re-appeared from his apartment. He’s shredded the scarf and heavy coat, leaving him in a light grey turtleneck and jeans.
“Hey, thanks a lot for taking care of Soonshim earlier,” Taehyung starts, rubbing the back of his neck, “I must’ve left her outside by accident when I went to work. Ah, sorry if she bothered you.”
Jimin watches as Taehyung takes his own bottom lip between his teeth, eyes shifting, “I know I told you she won’t be any trouble, but she was and it was my fault, so coule you please not report her?”
He can’t help the chuckle bubbling up his chest at how distressed Taehyung looks. So he decides to have a little payback, purses his lips up and looks to the side, “I don’t know…” The panicked whine that escapes Taehyung has him cheering with victory inside.
“I’ll make it up to you,” Taehyung says quickly, “I’ll buy you lunch, how’s that sound? As an apology,” when Jimin continues to play dumb, Taehyung rattles on, “and dessert, free coffee and cake at the cafe I’m working at!”
At that, he finally relents. Watching the other struggle so hard for his forgiveness proved much too fun while it lasted. Jimin drops the act with a warm smile, “I’m just playing, I won’t tell.”
Taehyung’s shoulders slump in relief following Jimin’s cackling. “But I’m serious, about lunch.”
Jimin arches one eyebrow at him as he considers the boy before him. Large twinkling eyes, an impressive nose, heart shaped lips, tall and lean too, judging from the way his turtleneck hugs his stature. He isn’t bad looking, Jimin supposes, but there is an odd air surrounding him that would require some getting used to.
“Jimin?” Taehyung prompts, head tilting to the side.
“Sorry, uh,” he tries to pitch his voice as nothing but polite, watching as Taehyung’s face continues to shine with confidence, “sorry, winter school is taking a lot of my time, and I have work too, I don’t think I could take time off.”
To Jimin’s horror, Taehyung pouts. And it’s ugly.
“You gotta eat lunch sometime, come on, I’m buying! It’s free food!”
There it is, the extreme forwardness, causing a headache to creep up the sides of Jimin’s temples. “Maybe some other time, okay? Thanks for the offer, though. Good night, Taehyung.”
He thinks nothing more of his new neighbour that night, instead falling asleep to dreams of petting Soonshin’s soft, white fur in his hands.
-
“You are fucking kidding me,” Jimin groans, turning around on his heel and completely disappearing behind Hoseok, the one time he’s grateful for his unfortunate height.
“What, what?” Hoseok darts his head this way and that, “why are you hidi-oh.”
As if there was a big, red homing target placed on Jimin’s very being, Taehyung spots him anyways, his face lighting up in recognition.
“That’s him, isn’t it, orange-haired neighbor with the cute dog,” Hoseok says over his shoulder, eyes blatantly scanning the subject of their conversation, “you didn’t tell me he was hot, too.”
“He’s not hot,” Jimin hisses, “hyung, quick, head in a direction away from him, act natural.”
“Too late, he’s making a beeline towards us,” Hoseok actually laughs at Jimin’s misery, before he’s waving and turning his signature smile towards the newcomer, “hi.”
“Hi,” Taehyung says, peering behind Hoseok’s shoulder, “hi, Jiminnie. What are you doing.”
“None of your business,” he huffs, “and the answer is ‘no’, Taehyung.”
Over the past few days, Taehyung has been nothing less than persistent. Almost every day without fail, he’s managed to catch Jimin either leaving or right before entering his home. And every time, he’s offered to buy him lunch. And Jimin has come up with an excuse to each attempt. Frankly, it’s creeping him out.
He had not anticipated Taehyung to be going to the same university as himself. But of course he is. Their building is the only place closest to campus renting to single occupants at a student-friendly budget. He’s too busy sulking and spacing out when introductions are exchanged and acquaintances are made.
“Taehyung is on campus to clear up some administrative work with his transfer and enrollment,” Hoseok chimes, turning towards Jimin, "he’s done and says he would like to-”
“I said ‘no’.”
“-take his dog for a stroll in the park,” Hoseok finishes, snickering at the surprise flashing across Jimin’s face.
“Oh.” It’s then when Jimin finally notices Soonshim sitting obediently at Taehyung’s feet. His heart immediately flutters. He’s ‘bumped into’ Taehyung a few times (a lot) outside his door, but all of those times were devoid of Soonshim.
“Do you want to come with?” Taehyung offers, eyes hopeful.
Jimin stares from Soonshim to Taehyung to Hoseok and back to Soonshim. His fingers are itching to pet her, so much so that he gives in and agrees. It won’t be so bad, right? Hoseok would be there. Yup.
Somehow, Hoseok reads his mind and excuses himself so smoothly that he’s already halfway down the block before Jimin could process the situation.
This is how he ends up walking side by side with Taehyung, trailing behind Soonshim. Early February is still ridiculously cold, but Soonshim looks utterly ecstatic once Taehyung unhooks the leash from her collar. She canvasses the expense of the small park within minutes, barking curiously at every plant and wagging her tail at other park-goers.
And Jimin can’t stop the damn smile taking over his face when Soonshim rounds back to the both of them seated on a bench, peering up at them expectantly. He brushes his fingers through her fur, delighted that she doesn’t shy away.
“You could come on her walks more often,” Taehyung’s voice startles Jimin out of his trance, “she gets agitated when cooped up in the house for long periods of time.”
Jimin hums in response.
“You could also come out to dinner,” he prompts with a hint of caution, “with me. And Soonshim. Tonight. I found a nice chinese place when taking Soonshim for a breather the other day.”
At that, Jimin heaves a sigh, eyes not leaving his latest infatuation. The sun is already setting. He feels the late winter chill pick up, and looks up to find the tips of Taehyung’s ears bright red. They won’t be able to stay out for very much longer. He considers his options. Either he eats dinner for free with Taehyung, or ventures on a solo date with instant ramyun, again..
“Fine,” he jumps when Taehyung whoops in victory, “you’re paying.”
-
When the semester starts, Jimin has actually pondered about the chances of them crossing paths on campus ever, coming to the conclusion that the engineering building is on the far side of the grounds opposite from his lawschool.
It doesn’t play out according to the scenario in his head. Taehyung is double-majoring in engineering and business, so half of his classes end up being in the building right next to his. They’ve met so many times that Taehyung is already initiated into Jimin’s whole gang, having worked out a free hour in their schedules in which they all coincide to have lunch twice a week.
Jimin hmphs from his seat between Yoongi and Seokjin. It's only the second time they’re all hanging out together with Taehyung, but it seems as if they’ve been friends for years. He’s being childish, he knows, watching Namjoon laugh at something dumb Taehyung says until there are tears in his eyes.
Get over it, he decides to tell himself, taking a bite of his kimbap with a scowl.
-
“Jimin?”
Now he is certain that the universe is playing a joke on him. Today, he has taken three subway trains to arrive on the other side of Seoul, visiting a few favourite apparel stores. He’d been looking forward to spending some alone time.
“Lay it on me, Taehyung, are you following me?” He’s joking, but there is very little humor in his voice.
Taehyung’s undeniably low laughter sounds behind him. When Jimin finally turns around, his eyes widen in mild shock. Gone is the obnoxious orange hair, but in its place is the lightest platinum blond, shimmering under the soft spring sunlight, almost too difficult to stare at for long moments. He eventually has to lower his eyes to meet Taehyung’s smiling ones.
“What a coincidence,” Taehyung says without answering his question, “I read online about a good pet store around here, so I’m checking it out.”
Soonshim announces her existence there as if on cue. The suspicion dissipates into adoration when Jimin kneels to greet the pup. He is over the fucking moon when Soonshim seems to recognise him and allows him to cradle the soft fur around her neck.
“It must be destiny, Jimin, we’re Destined.”
Jimin rolls his eyes so far back he might lose them in his skull.
"You should come with us, we're gonna go look for some toys," Taehyung announces, nodding his head sagely.
Jimin wants to refuse, he had a Plan coming out today. Even so, he finds himself following in the direction of the pet store Taehyung mentioned, taking Soonshim's leash from Taehyung's hand naturally when offered. He watches with mild fascination as Taehyung converses with the store attendant, asking questions and comparing products. By the time they’re at the cashier, it’s slightly past 4pm.
“Fuck,” Taehyung exclaims the moment they leave the store, “fuck, fuck, it’s four, my shift starts at four-thirty, oh my god.”
“At the cafe near campus? It’s twenty minutes away, you’ll make it, chill out.”
“No, they don’t allow pets indoors!” Taehyung wails, disregarding the side-eying from passerbys while Jimin’s head dips constantly in apology. “I don’t have time to leave Soonshim home and then come back out-Jimin,” he slams one large palm down on Jimin’s shoulder, making him jolt, “could you do me a favour.”
No, Jimin wants to say, but instead, “what?”
“Can you please take Soonshim with you while I work my shift? She doesn’t seem to hate your guts anymore.”
Ouch. He’s ready to decline Taehyung, the words poised on the tip of his tongue-but then he looks down at Soonshim, her glistening canine eyes peering up at him and he knows he’s defeated.
Taehyung texts him three hours later.
bring my baby over
i still owe u coffee and cake ;)
Jimin scoffs, quickly packing up his books from his spot in a park nearby. The weather is finally warm enough for him to study (take naps) outdoors. Plugging his earphones in, he tugs gently on Soonshim’s leash to guide her towards the cafe.
True to his word, Taehyung appears in a flourish, apron tied to his hips, cradling a coffee in one hand and a slice of cake in the other. After setting them down on a table outside, he bends over to nuzzle his nose into the top of Soonshim’s head.
“Caramel macchiato and cheesecake for you,” Taehyung grins at him, “the cheesecake is fantastic, that’s the last slice today, you better appreciate!”
Jimin wordlessly shoves a fork of cheesecake in his mouth as he watches Taehyung coddle Soonshim on the pavement. “Is your shift over?”
“Mmhm,” Taehyung straightens, chuckling as he unties the straps of his apron, “thanks, for taking care of Soonshim. You seem to have to do that a lot.”
Jimin shrugs, “it’s cool, I don’t mind it.” He finds that those words are true as he looks up from Soonshim to meet Taehyung’s eyes, a genuine smile in place, “you’re so lucky you have her, you’re never alone.”
Something flicker across Taehyung’s expression, but Jimin doesn’t notice it, turning his attention back to Soonshim curled up by his feet.
“Soonshim can be there for you too, Jimin,” Taehyung teases, his grin turned cheeky, “all you have to do is come over.” He's wagging his eyebrows ridiculously so Jimin smacks him right across the chest with the back of his palm.
There is more caramel than there is coffee in Jimin’s drink, but he downs all of it anyways.
-
Taehyung meets Jungkook two days after what Jungkook unilaterally terms as their 'impromptu coffee date', at the dance academy Jimin is an assistant teacher at, that Jungkook also attends. He had positively begged to come along, once he found out about what it is Jimin actually goes off and does on the days when he catches him at his door, sweat evaporating on his skin, face flushed a healthy pink from exertion.
Jimin figures there was no harm. At this point, he’s convinced that Taehyung is just a super friendly person who really, really loves his dog.
What he doesn’t expect, is the 180 degrees complete flip in character displayed by one Jeon Jungkook. Jimin stares in mild horror and amazement as Jungkook chatters away with Taehyung about everything and anything. His brows are pinched tightly together by the time his name comes up in their conversation.
“Jiminnie, Jungkook says he has a puppy too, look!” He shoves Jungkook’s iphone in Jimin’s face, Gureum’s beady eyes stare back at him, “so cute!”
While Taehyung continues to coo, Jungkook takes the chance to turn an innocent smile at Jimin, causing the older to balk wordlessly.
“Who are you and what have you done with Jeon Jungkook,” Jimin hisses.
“What are you talking about,” Jungkook laughs heartily, “I’m normally this charming.”
His little devil horns come out to play anyways. Jimin narrows his eyes into slits. “Your dog still looks weird.”
Soonshim is allowed to sit near the back of the studio with Taehyung while Jimin works. Out of the corner of his eye, he takes in the awe in Taehyung’s expression, the anticipated reaction he hopes to achieve in every person whom he lets watch him do what he’s good at. The follow up words of praise that tumble from Taehyung’s excited mouth are also expected, and Jimin allows the glee that fills him as he watches Jungkook sort of falter at Taehyung’s enthusiastic gushing, arms flailing, complete with sound effects.
He’s long since gotten used to that.
-
Jimin flops onto his bed that night after his shower to find a series of texts from Jungkook.
hyung
taehyung hyung and i are hanging out tomorrow
do u wanna come
That wasn’t completely unexpected. From personal experience, Jimin knows that Taehyung really gets straight to the point in a friendship. The two of them had hit it off pretty well. He hasn’t seen Jungkook open up to someone new so quickly.
And then of course, they bonded over their dogs.
Jimin scrunches up his face at the image of Jungkook’s dog, turning onto his back. He’d initially planned to hang out with Jungkook tomorrow anyways. Just as he’s about to reply, Jungkook’s text bubble indicates that he’s typing.
don’t be jealous we’re just getting food
;)
Jimin bristles. The little shit still won’t drop it. Ever since day one, Jungkook has been teasing him about Taehyung’s displays of affection, sometimes making immature kissy faces as if they were children in grade school.
i will hurt u jeon jungkook
Jungkook replies with a series of gleeful emoticons before they decide on a place to meet up.
Hanging out with the addition of Taehyung isn’t that much different. Taehyung just seems to be able to go on and on about anime or video games with Jungkook, leaving Jimin to peacefully shower Soonshim with all his attention. Honestly, it warms his little heart, a sort of pride blooming, to see two of his friends finding great company in each other.
(Jimin does, however, frown when he bumps into them at the convenience store just as he was leaving one day. Jungkook’s arms are slung casually around Taehyung’s shoulders, supporting himself from falling over with how hard he’s laughing. Soonshim is nowhere to be seen.
Something bubbles in his chest cavity, dull and unsuspecting. He doesn’t know why he turns on his heel and leaves before he’s discovered.)
-
In summer, Taehyung’s hair is a creamy lavender, like the ice cream cone rapidly melting in his hand, trailing long lines down his elbow. Jimin has to stop him from touching Soonshim’s fur with his sticky sweet fingers, watching with distaste as Taehyung licks the sugary goodness off by curling his tongue around every digit, equipped with a very stupid grin.
“That’s so fucking gross,” Jimin spits, hugging Soonshim close to his chest. Taehyung just smiles wider.
Their entire little group decide to hit the beach one mid-July day. Once the shimmering blue waters come into sight, those opting to swim excitedly strip down into trunks, Jimin included.
“Wow.”
He whips his head to the side when he hears low whistling, a little taken aback by how blatantly Taehyung is gawking at him. Jimin follows his eyes as they move slightly, intensely tracing the lines of his torso. Jimin is very proud of his body, he’s worked overtime and then some to achieve this, skin pulled taut against defined muscle, and normally he has no problem pulling off his shirt in public.
But right now, he feels the urge to cover up, incredibly self-conscious.
“Remember what I said on the first day we met?” Taehyung starts, still transfixed below Jimin’s face level, “I was right,” he meets Jimin’s eyes then, gaze unwavering, “you’re really hot.”
It comes as unexpectedly as the first time he had said it, throwing Jimin off kilter for a few brief moments as he stares back blankly at Taehyung. He tries to fight the flush of heat rising through his whole body, forcibly laughing and slapping Taehyung’s shoulder, just for the sake of having something to do with his hands.
“You’re really weird sometimes, Tae,” is all he manages to say before he has to turn away, racing Jungkook across the beach.
Unsurprisingly, the cool seawater doesn’t help dampen the memory of Taehyung’s heated stare, still clear in Jimin’s mind. It doesn’t go away when he’s taking Soonshim on a walk along the sand later in the evening, while everyone else is crowding the barbeque, not even when he’s curled up in bed that night.
-
Nothing really changes after that. Jimin packs a duffel bag and gets on a train together with Jungkook, heading home to Busan for the first time since coming to the Seoul for highschool. He’s finally saved enough money for the trip, and very little aside from his family occupy the next few weeks.
On the last day before he has to leave home, Jimin scrolls down their group chat, lazily trudging through everyone updating about their holidays. He’s about to turn off his phone when a photo of Soonshim loads and he coos aloud despite himself. A few minutes later, Taehyung sends a short video of himself, crouching in what Jimin assumes is the front yard of his home.
He says he’s too lazy to type, so he figured a video would be faster. Jimin snorts, typical Taehyung logic. Taehyung talks about his home, with an overexcited Soonshim jumping around him, dead set on interrupting his monologue, and Jimin finds his lips twitch into an uncontrollable smile, just as Taehyung is knocked over from his crouching position, landing squarely on his butt.
“Hey!” Video!Taehyung yells, “behave!”
At this point, Jimin is rolling on his side, wracked with giggles, his Note 2 held loosely in his palm.
“You miss Jiminnie too, don’t you?” Jimin sits up then, grip around the device tightened. In the video, Taehyung has moved on to talking about other things, finally bidding goodbye before the image stills, the replay button appearing at the centre.
The chat carries on, moving onto Seokjin spamming them with photos of his own dog. Within minutes, it spirals into an impromptu dog show, and Jimin realises he’s the only person without a dog.
You miss Jiminnie too, don’t you?, echoes in his head again. Before he could change his mind, he types and hastily hits send.
‘yah i miss you too’ is swept away between photos of Jjanggu and a short video of Micky too quickly and Jimin finds himself sighing in relief. Maybe nobody caught it.
A few moments later he sees the banner at the top of his screen indicating a text from his private chat with ‘TaeTae’.
jiminnie misses me? lol
Jimin frowns, fingers flying over his keyboard.
i meant i miss soonshim stupid
And it’s true, that’s what he meant. Mostly. Taehyung just sends a bunch of ugly winking emojis in reply and Jimin flings his phone to the other end of his bed, cursing under his breath.
-
Autumn is Jimin’s true favourite season. He senses the change in the seasons when there are more cool breezes than scorching sun, more cloudy grey afternoons than 5:30am sunrises.
Not so much his favourite is the workload. His second semester kicks off with a barrage of written assignments, his calendar marked magnificently with red circles screaming deadline!!! Jimin finds himself more often than not drowning at the bottom of his coffee mug, holed up in the lawschool library.
It’s when he’s dozing off in the middle of bullshitting a constitutional law essay that he gets startled by something cold pressed to the back of his neck.
“Fuck!” He hisses quietly, jolting upright. The culprit plops down next to him, snickering behind one palm not as discreetly as Jimin would’ve liked.
“Don’t fucking do that, Tae!” Jimin whisper-screams, before realising the cold object was a can of iced coffee. It’s definitely not as good as the fresh stuff, but he makes a grab for it anyways, hushed words of gratitude tumbling from his lips.
For the next hour or so, Taehyung just hangs out at his desk, doodling onto the margins of Jimin’s con-law notes and updating Jimin on Soonshim’s most recent trip to the vet. He has no reason to be here on a Saturday night, but Jimin has long since stopped questioning the workings of his mind anyways.
“Your birthday is soon, right?” Taehyung asks, eyes not leaving Crossy Road in his hands, right when Jimin is reaching the concluding paragraph. For some absurd reason, he’s exclaimed a week ago that he’d wanted to reach a high score of 601. Jimin thinks he’s plain crazy.
“It’s in October,” he makes a face, blanching like he’d just tasted something nasty, “near finals season.”
“I’ve been thinking about your birthday present, early, because I’m an awesome person like that,” Taehyung grins like the smug creature he is, “and I’ve got tickets to Big Bang’s Seoul gig next weeken-”
“Shut the front door,” Jimin cuts him off, eyes going wider than Taehyung has ever seen them, “how did you get tickets? They sold out weeks ago.”
“I know a friend,” is Taehyung’s ambiguous reply, “who knows someone.”
“Taehyung if you’re implying what I think you’re implying, then I fucking love you, my man my homie my brother from another mother.”
Taehyung’s grins, but there is reservation behind the usual light in his eyes. Jimin senses it, and as tactful as he is, which isn’t very tactful, calls him out on it.
“What is it, are these black market tickets? Are you in trouble, Tae?” Jimin squints until his eyes are mere slits of suspicion.
“No, stupid,” Taehyung huffs, locking his phone, “I only have two tickets, and I know how much Jungkook has a boner for G-dragon.”
Oh. That’s nice of him, Jimin thinks. So fucking nice. He shakes his head slowly.
“Whatever, Jungkook can see GD some other time, he’s young and loaded,” Jimin feels considerably less remorse than he should as he declares this. Whatever. It’s every VIP for themselves.
Taehyung straightens up then, turning a curious expression on Jimin. Something akin to disbelief and hope colour his tone, “really?”
“What?”
“So we’re going to a BB concert next weekend together?”
Together. Alone. Without Soonshim.
Suddenly Jimin realises that all of their interactions have included someone else at the time, either their mutual friends, or Jungkook, but revolving mostly around Taehyung’s beautiful canine companion.
Jimin gulps, reluctant to think about it any more than he needs to right now, “yeah, man! I still can’t believe you have tickets, oh my god.” He lightly punches Taehyung’s shoulder to dissipate a strange vibe hanging between them, “thanks.”
Taehyung’s face scrunches up into his box-like grin in response, declaring it a ‘date’, to which Jimin rolls his eyes at.
-
By the time the following Saturday comes around, Jimin is positively hyperventilating. Taehyung had managed to get them into the mosh pit, right near the front quarter of the audience. As the lights dim and the crowd starts screaming, Jimin is chanting loudly so that Taehyung can hear him just barely above the steady reverberation of noise.
“Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, i love you i fucking love you, Tae-,” and then the opening beats of ‘Alive’ tear through Taehyung’s eardrums, drowning out Jimin’s voice.
(Later, Jimin will tell Jungkook that he felt like he has seen the light of God smile down upon him, when in actual fact it was just Taeyang.)
Halfway through ‘Ringa Linga’, Jimin turns to his right to where he last saw Taehyung only to find him nowhere in sight. Instead, he hears the familiar baritone of his voice from behind him, right next to his ear, singing along. He’s instantly aware then, how close Taehyung is, pressed up against his back. It’s not uncommon in a riotous mosh pit, but the heat radiating from Taehyung’s body, through the layers of their t-shirts, is scathing.
He misses it when Taeyang tears off his flimsy tank, and promptly loses his footing when the crowd starts pushing frantically. He’s mid-curse when Taehyung’s right arm wraps securely around his middle, saving him from a potentially life-threatening fall.
“Ok?” Taehyung mouths, flashing a concerned smile, retreating his arm to lay a hand loosely on Jimin’s waist instead.
All Jimin could do was nod dumbly, gulping when Taehyung’s hand stays there on his hip the remainder of the song, way too warm for comfort.
“Hold on, hold on,” Jungkook stops him mid-sentence fawning over Taeyang’s Superior Splendour, “you’re so whipped.” His jaw is hanging slightly, eyes shining bright with mischief.
“Like you’re not whipped by GD!” Jimin retaliates.
“No, no, hyung, you just spent five minutes telling me about how Taehyung hyung broke your fall,” Jungkook gets out of his seat and oh no, he starts dancing right in the middle of the library, what Jimin recognises as his Victory Dance, “Five minutes. I totally called this. You’re screwed.”
“Jeon Jungkook,” Jimin hisses, slapping his palm futilely against Jungkook’s thigh, “sit the fuck down, you’re embarrassing!”
Long after Jungkook has settled down, Jimin still can’t shake the image of Taehyung’s smile appearing and disappearing under flashing strobe lights, how his voice sounded next to his ear chanting along to ‘Fantastic Baby’, how intensified the heat was trapped between his front and Jimin’s back.
And then he realises Jungkook is probably right. He’s certified fucked over.
→2/2