The Foolproof Plan

Chapter 9: DEFEAT

On Friday, I sat hunched over my tall glass of beer. Namjoon, Hoseok, and Taehyung had been talking about who knows what for the past hour or so, but I had tuned out long ago. The only thought reverberating around in my head was the fact that I hadn't spoken to Bella in a week. All I could think about was that I had seen Jimin and her walking to his apartment two days ago, and it was driving me crazy.

My thoughts and her absence were making me feel more dejected than ever before. I took a lazy sip of my beer before I realized that they were all looking at me.

"What?" I asked.

"Really, Seokjin?" Hoseok exclaimed. "You haven't heard anything we've said, have you?"

I gave him a bored stare. "About what?"

"About why Yoongi couldn't make it today," Hoseok continued. At my concerned look, he gave a little shake of his head. "It's nothing bad, really. Just working on his music. Anyway, how are things with Bella? I imagine that's who's on your mind."

"Would I be here with you guys if things were going well with Bella?" I replied with a sneer. "Things are going like shit!"

Namjoon cleared his throat. "She's not doing too well, either."

"Well, you could've fooled me!" I snapped. "I saw her very happy and friendly with Jimin!"

"She's not involved with Jimin," Namjoon said curtly.

"It was just a coincidence on Wednesday," Taehyung added. "She and Cindy had come over to our place, and she and Jimin volunteered to go pick up ice cream for everyone. That's what you saw. They weren't doing anything. We were all just watching TV."

"Hm," I grunted, unconvinced. Her smiling face turned toward Jimin seemed way too intimate to my eyes. I had stopped dead in my tracks when I saw them. She hadn't seen me, but Jimin caught sight of me and smirked before disappearing into the apartment. I remember a red haze of jealousy clouding my vision, and I had to restrain myself from marching over and kicking Jimin's door down. Before I could say anything else, the devil himself walked in and slid into a seat at our table.

"Hey!" Jimin said brightly. "Sorry I'm late. I was... busy with my friend Bella. You know." He smiled at everyone then winked at me.

I made a low hissing sound, but Namjoon touched my arm.

Jimin's smile faded. "What?" he asked innocently, then looked at me. "Ohhh. Seokjin's jealous, I see. Don't worry. She's good." Then he smirked. "She's really good."

I half-rose out of my seat before Namjoon caught me.

"Shut the hell up, Jimin!" he roared, looking across the table at Jimin.

Hoseok punched Jimin in the arm not too gently. "What's wrong with you?" he demanded.

Jimin glared at me. "Payback's a bitch, isn't it?"

"Is this a game to you?" I said through my teeth. "Because I swear if you're just using her to prove a point, you midget, I will--"

"Who are you calling a midget?" Jimin exclaimed.

Both of us rose up from our chairs only to be pulled back down by various hands.

"You two stop it!" Namjoon said in a voice that brooked no argument. "Just shut up!" He took a deep breath and leaned forward to look at Jimin.

"I swear, Jimin, if you're just trying to cause trouble, I will be the one to kick your ass. Now we all know that you're not doing anything with Bella, so quit your dirty insinuations. You just sound pathetic," Namjoon hissed.

"Fine," Jimin replied, pulling his arm out of Hoseok's grasp. He made a great show of straightening his shirt. "I've known Bella for a long time. We're friends. That's never going to change no matter what happens. Just because Mr. Handsome fucks around with every girl he sees, he thinks everyone else is the same."

"Damn it!" I again made an aggressive move, but Taehyung held me down.

"Okay!" Jimin yelled back at him. "The truth is..." He paused for a few seconds, then continued in a softer voice. "The truth is I think she's incredible, but she's not interested in me."

I clenched my fists.

"And," Jimin continued, "I wish I could change her mind---Lord knows I've tried, but she doesn't want to see anyone right now. She doesn't mind having friends, but she doesn't want to date." He scowled at Seokjin.

All of the guys turned and looked at me.

"I don't understand," I muttered.

Jimin rolled his eyes and leaned back on his chair. "Yeah, of course you don't."

I bristled. "I've tried everything. She won't give me a chance. I don't think there's anything else to do. She doesn't want me." I sighed. "I'm not too proud to say that I love her, and if I lose her...if she doesn't come back to me, I don't know what I'm going to do. This is not something I will get over."

"Bro," Namjoon said softly, but I didn't let him continue.

"No, Joon, there's nothing you can say to make this better. I tried my best, and I lost. I don't want to talk about it anymore." I stood up. My face was an expressionless mask. "I need to be alone. I might as well get used to it." I said nothing else and walked out. My posture was that of a defeated man.