The Bachelors || •OT7• ✔️

Apologies, Love, and Jimin's Goodbye

I was planning to publish this on Friday, but it's Jimin's birthday and this is a Jimin chapter, so I thought it'd be fitting. Hope you enjoy, and happy birthday Jimin!!! 생일 축하합니다!!!

One day after elimination, Y/n found herself in her car. She pressed her head against the window as her ears danced to the harmonic whistling happening next to her. A hand rested itself on her thigh, rubbing the skin there. She was quick to rest her hand on top of his, but he took it a step further by taking it and bringing it to his lips, kissing the back of her hand.

She gave him a small chuckle and turned, Jimin's eye smile coming out as he stopped her car at the red light. "You sure you know where you're going?" she asked, Jimin placing their hands back down on her thigh. He was pretending he wasn't hurt from elimination. Apparently not addressing the problem was his way of handling it.

"I have my GPS on," he said, motioning with his head to the phone propped up on the holder clipped on the vent. "Thanks for letting me drive. It's rare I get control in my life."

"And here I thought you hated cars."

"Oh always," he said with a wink, pressing on the gas as the light flicked back to green. "Well, I don't hate them, but I don't like them either. I only have my license cause I feel like I have to. It's like a way of having freedom. Imagine I had to walk to get McDonald's. That'd suck."

Y/n snorted. "You know what else sucks? Me."

"You're pretty good at it too."

She gave his shoulder a playful whack as he made the next turn, slowing his speed and narrowing his eyes to concentrate on the road. Time passed as they fell into a comfortable silence. Y/n liked silent car rides so she could stare out the window and fall into her imagination. The fake scenarios she could come up with were more detailed than any movie she had ever seen. It brought her joy, but also pain to know they could never come true.

By the time they pulled up to her home, Y/n didn't want to leave her imagination. However, the desire to see Angelica drove her enough to unbuckle, and she departed without waiting to see if Jimin was behind her. She was sure the man would go wherever she would, which was both admirable and scary. Not because him following her around was scary, no. In fact, she loved his company. It was more a mental thing: what if she hurt him and broke his heart?

Speaking of, right as she strode up to her front door, she was halted by Jimin clearing his throat from mere feet away. She halted, swiveling around and watching as the sunset illuminated Jimin's natural skin tone. He had no makeup on, revealing his honey skin. The lighting revealed the little cracks on his face. She could see each pore and crevasse, and it only made her adore him more.

"Before we go in, can I ask you something?" he said, his voice quivering for a moment too long. She motioned for him to continue, and he took a deep breath. "Were you going to eliminate me?"

His eyes were cracking, but she could tell he was attempting to hold it together. She appreciated the effort, but she knew it wouldn't matter. Not when she couldn't bring herself to lie, and when they both already knew the answer. "Yeah..."

Jimin rubbed his lips together, nodding and kicking at the ground. "Then why am I here?"

"Jungkoo-"

"No," Jimin said, his voice harsher than she was expecting. "You aren't a liar, don't start lying now. I told you I don't care if you eliminate me or not. It'll hurt, but I understand I might not be the one for you. I'm not asking because I want to guilt trip you or some bullshit like that. I'm asking so I get closure."