Low Stress: Publicity Stunt (Jikook)

Episode Twenty-Six

"Come on Jimin, come on pick up." Jungkook muttered, biting his nail as he paced around the entrance to Jimin's apartment complex. He pulled down his hat to cover his face further, hoping it kept him from any prying eyes glancing his way.

"Hey." Jimin's voice flooded in from the other side of the phone, the ringing finally over. Jungkook sighed in relief, breaking into a nervous smile.

"Can you ring me in? I'm at your building."

Silence drew for a second too long before Jimin hung up. Jungkook blinked, slightly shocked before he heard the doors buzz and unlock. He slid his phone quickly into his pocket before making his way inside, glad for the warmth in the building as he headed to the elevator and punched in Jimin's penthouse floor.

"Come on, come on." He urged the elevator to go faster.

When the doors finally opened to Jimin's living room, Jungkook's jaw dropped.

Jimin looked stunning. Well, he was beautiful no matter what he wore or how he presented himself, but tonight Jimin radiated. His lips were a warm pink against a peach shadow above his eyes. He wore a crop top with long sleeves that hug close to his skin and paired it with tight black pants. Silver jewelry on his fingers and dangling from his ear popped against the ensemble and caused his brown eyes to sparkle.

"Where you heading to?" Jungkook asked, knowing Jimin wouldn't go just anywhere looking like that. The man favored Jungkook's hoodies for the most part unless he had a reason to dress up.

The second the words left his lips, Jungkook knew he said the wrong thing. Jimin's expression tightened and there was a slight roll to his eyes despite tears lining them. His cheeks were red, warm with anger and disappointment.

Jungkook grimaced when he noticed.

"A party, Jungkook." Jimin answered, his voice sharp despite his defeated expression. "I don't want to spend my birthday alone."

"Jimin," Jungkook said, taking a step in Jimin's direction. He reached out for him, but Jimin took a step back, shaking his head.

Jungkook stood with his hand out, frozen for a second before it dropped back down to his side.

"Sorry," Jimin said as he scraped away a stray tear that streaked down his face. "I'm a little emotional right now."

"Jimin, I'm so sorry. I got distracted this week. If you'd just let me explain."

"I waited for you, Jungkook." Jimin said, wrapping his hands around his frame and hugging his elbows to his chest, refusing to fall apart. Jimin sucked in one slow breath and then let his arms go, squaring his shoulders back and his gaze finally growing a type of cold Jungkook only felt when he'd first met Jimin back on set.

"I can explain, really. I promise." Jungkook tried again.

"Well, I have fifteen minutes before my driver is here, so better hurry up." Jimin said.

"Jimin, I saw Namjoon last week. With his wife."

Jimin blinked. "I know. You told me, remember. After we had sex and then you ... just disappeared." Jimin's ears went a little red as he spoke, looking down at the floor before putting his gaze back on Jungkook.

Jungkook's heart dropped in his chest. He was so caught up in the whole Namjoon thing he hadn't taken a second to think what that had to have looked like to Jimin.

"Shit, Jimin, I'm so sorry. I - I don't think it hit me until later just how much seeing them together rattled me. Waking up next to you, holding you, it felt so normal that I thought maybe I really was completely okay. That it didn't bother me. I promise I didn't use the sex as a way to cover up how I felt-"