Still With You [A Jikook Fanfiction ©️ Book 2]

Chapter Twenty Six: The Story Of Lee Ji-Seok Pt. 1

In answer to your guesses, I am 19 (update I'm now 21)
Most of the time.

Back to the story....

And just when you thought I was done torturing you all.

Morning by the way!! 💚

---

Lee Ji-Seok had joined the stylist team very early on into BTS' career, taking over from a young woman who had left for maturnity leave as the band's first birthday rolled around. He'd been especially prominent during their first tour, as many of their stage outfits were per his design and was always on hand backstage to help fix them, or make last minute changes.

Despite his presence however, Jimin initially had barely any interaction with him. Even as he retold their meeting, none of his hyungs had even noticed that they grew close. For sure,  the teenager thought the twenty year-old was attractive, and he'd known early on in his trainee days that he wasn't straight, but he wouldn't have intiated anything had Ji-Seok not approached him first.

"When did he?" Bang PD asked earnestly, growing more concerned that he'd allowed such an interaction to go unnoticed by himself and other staff.

Jimin sighed, biting his bottom lip nervously before continuing.

*

"Noona! My jacket just ripped! I'm sorry I wasn't paying attention-!" Jimin yelled, hurtling through the bustling mess backstage towards the team of stylists in the far corner. He was due on with BTS in five minutes and from the look of his jacket, the short time period led to inevitable doom.
"Oh gosh Jimin!" A young eighteen year-old make-up and costume stylist gasped, running forward and peeling off the teenager's jacket, "I'll patch it up if I can- we have a spare though in the next room on the outfit rack. It'll be a little big, but I doubt fans will notice." Jimin nodded and rushed out of the room.

Hurtling into the room the noona had directed him to, Jimin faltered in his tracks. As he had been intending to stumble forward towards the outfit rack, one of the male stylists had been on his way out. The young singer tripped, cursing loudly as he anticipated his collison with the floor.
"Easy there little one." A calm, wafting voice flushed past his ears. Having opened his eyes, the teenager suddenly realised he wasn't sprawled across the floor. Instead, two strong arms were tightly grasped around his waist, stopping what would have been a painful fall.

"I-uh-" Jimin prised his way out of the man's grip as politely as he could. Ji-Seok smiled, sending a warm feeling across the younger's chest. At once, the singer wanted to trust this man with everything, "Sorry I need to grab this-uh jacket!" and prising the clothing off of the rack, he raced out of the room.

*
"But when did he-?"
"I'm getting to that." Jimin sighed.

*
Although he had great respect for all the staff that aided them - few as it were due to financial prioritising - Jimin admittedly gave no second thought to running into their lead  stylist. The concert, his performance and the fans were the only thing in his mind as he raced off stage in a bundle of giddy joy. In fact, he had become so worked up over the entire thing, that he hadn't realised just how much effort he'd put into performing.

Slowly, as the adrenaline buzz decreased, he began to feel a nauseating feeling creep into his stomach. It was not long after that, he found himself on his knees, hurling the contents of his stomach into a toilet bowl.

"Woah... What happened little one?" A warm, melodic voice resonated around the bathroom. Footsteps neared the open cubicle and a hand comfortingly grasped his shoulders, gently supporting the young singer as he continued to painfully retch, "You ok?" he respectfully rocked back onto his heels to give Jimin space as the younger wiped his mouth and lifted his head.

He nodded, "Just lost too much energy."
"Where are the others?" Ji-Seok replaced his hand across Jimin's shoulders, gently helping him too his feet.
"I didn't want to worry them. We're all tired."
"Ah." The stylist nodded in understanding, his face full of nothing but patience as Jimin leant against the bathroom counter and hurled up into the sink. Arms gently wrapped around the younger's waist to support him, but he thought nothing of it. Being one of their outfit stylists, it was not always out of the ordinary to be in so close proximity.

Hauling himself upright again, Jimin found himself face to face with a pack of tablets, "Here. Nausea pills." The younger shook his head, pushing them away with a hand weakly.
"N-no-" he muttered, a dizzy feeling enveloping him, "They're yours-"
"-Nonsense. You need them. Here," he shoved them into Jimin's hoodie pocket. He had little time to mutter thanks before he heard Namjoon call out to them all from behind the door. The cars were here.
Stepping away from the sink, fingers grasped his wrist, blocking his retreat, "Wait. Room no.35, same floor. You can return those once you feel better."

Jimin hesitated, his brow furrowing as he attempted to figure out where exactly this stylist was heading with their odd interaction, "We're moving to a new hotel tomorrow though."
Ji-Seok let a brief smirk waft onto his face and he shrugged, "And?"

-
Jimin's heart pounded as his right hand hovered inches away from the hotel door, right below the number 35. In his left, the box trembled within his shaking palm, small beads of sweat seeping through the bottom corners as he grew more nervous. Taking a deep breath, he knocked.

"Little one-!"
"-It's Jimin." Jimin muttered, reaching out his hand with the box of pills. He ignored Ji-Seoks lack of apology for the undesirable nickname. "I don't feel sick anymore. Thank you." Bowing slightly in thanks, he turned to leave.
"Wait-" Once more, firm fingers grasped his wrist and the singer faltered, "Do... Do you want to come in?" The stylist asked, perhaps slightly more timidly than future Jimin usually recalled.

The young artist frowned, initially confused at such a question. "Why would you-?" Then his eyes grew wide, his mouth pulled into a wide 'oh' as a little voice in his head provided him with the answer. On one hand, he was anxious to leave, not wishing to continue conversing with someone he'd only recently grown to significant speaking terms with. Yet on the other, a flicker of rebellion flushed through his stomach, reaching out in tiny flares and spreading the warm feeling of desire and curiosity wherever the tongues of flame traversed. He knew it would be an opportunity to explore a part of him he'd been so desperate to venture into, to understand that one puzzle piece which, whilst wasn't missing and did fit perfectly, it's picture was a little hazy.

"Yes."

***
"So what happened?" Their manager cautiously urged on. The tired young adult sighed, tugging at his hair in frustration. He stifled another yawn, brushing a tear from his flushed cheek before taking a deep breath.
"We... Engaged in various... Sexual activities."

And that was only the beginning. That night had been simply an explorative moment for both of them. For Jimin to understand and grow comfortable, and for Ji-Seok to learn how he could guide and encourage Jimin in what the younger saw as a fascinating  journey into a new part of his sexuality. Carefully scheduling their meetings around free days and time off, each night together grew more and more adventurous, each riding off the immense addiction of adrenaline racing through their veins that came from each risk they recklessly took.

"This cycle went on for about four months." Jimin admitted, not daring to look any person within that room in the eye. He tangled his fingers together and glared fiercely at the floor, "Then everything went very wrong."