HELIOS// A Jikook AU.

Six: His Cousin.

"Anybody can become angry — that is easy, but to be angry with the right person and to the right degree and at the right time and for the right purpose, and in the right way — that is not within everybody's power and is not easy."

- Aristotle

***

In his anxious desire to escape the restaurant and find Ji-eun, Jimin barely noticed the sobbing worker that had flung himself out of the staff exit and careered towards his direction, blinded by salty tears. "Woah...woah kid-" The older grasped Hobi's friend tightly, clutching his arms to ensure he would retain his balance and not throw the both of them onto the pavement.

What was his name...? Fuck! Jimin wracked his brain manically, Wait- Kook! Hoseok had called him Jungkook. That was it. "Jungkook, look at me." And the face that caught his gaze shocked him.

Jungkook had taken a bad hit from the other waiter. His right cheek was brightly flushed red, his lip was split and Jimin reckoned he was seeing the beginnings of a black eye. For a moment, Jimin was convinced the young adult hadn't recognised him and would throw him off in a panic, but to the older's relief, Jungkook finally relaxed into their embrace tiredly.

"You-" The kid murmured, rubbing his eyes in frantic desire to ensure Jimin did not notice the tears. Yet after a moment, he realised the attempt was futile, "-what are you doing here?" They had not conversed since the first meeting in Seokjin's cafe and yet both men felt equally at ease, stood in an awkward hug upon the pavement.

A red flush rose to Jimin's cheeks. "I-You...I..."

"Oh my god Jimin are you ok!?" His confession was upbruptly halted at a panicked screech from no other than Ji-uen exiting the restaurant, "I saw you crash into that waiter and then-" in her anxiety to ensure her best friend had left unscathed, the woman had not noticed their new companion until Jimin had turned to face Ji-eun, revealing the tearful youngster in his arms.

"Oh." Her words faltered ubruptly.

"That...that was you?" Jungkook inclined his head towards the older, expecting a form of response and yet... all he saw was an open mouthed, stunned expression. Jimin had rarely found himself genuinely breathless at the sight of an individual, but for some unknown reason, he could not utter a single word.

The face in his vision was etheral. An angelic mix of childish innocence, yet tainted with eyes of intelligent maturity. These widened doe eyes, amid fresh tears, sparkled in such a way that Jimin found himself encapsulated, yearning to lean down and kiss each beautiful droplet away. He wanted to cup his hands around the younger's tear-stained cheeks and whisper sweet nothings, placing lips to his forehead, his shaking cheeks, a flushed jawline... his lips.

For a moment, Jimin could imagine himself stooping down and touching their warm mouths together, capturing Jungkook's trembling lips in his own and moulding the pair into his intimate desire for closeness. But he forced himself to shake free of such thoughts and took a large inhale of breath. This was not what Jungkook needed right now. Jimin didn't even know if it was what Jungkook wanted.

Clearing his throat, he gently detangled himself from the younger and smiled sheepishly, "Uh, yeah. I'm really sorry about that..." His mind raced as he was met with a panicked expression, "It wasn't your fault and I'm alright I swear! I-I just got worried because... well, burn marks are areas of suspicion for my dance fans and I was worried..." He'd never tripped over a lie before.

A deliberately loud cough shattered the thick tension. Embarrassed, Jimin realised he had forgotten about Ji-eun. "I'm going to head off Jimin," she smiled cheekily, raising her eyebrows in a suggestive manner, "Text me about drinks next week, I'll try and drag Jong-suk along." And before either man could protest at being left alone with the other, she had raced towards an approaching bus and disappeared out of sight.