Love, Affairs, and Hardships | PJM

7.

No One's POV:

"I think I heard someone scream," Eunji remarked, her brow furrowing in concern.

"Yeah, that was Jimin Hyung. Taehyung Hyung's probably murdering him because he made him lose," Jungkook replied nonchalantly, shrugging as if it were an everyday occurrence.

"But Jimin's good at gaming and still lost?" Eunji questioned, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.

"He was too busy looking at you hugging Chan, you know," Jungkook teased, a playful glint in his eye. Eunji and Chan both blushed, albeit for entirely different reasons.

"Now, for my plan," Jungkook began to explain, and Eunji and Chan listened intently, nodding in agreement. The trio was about to embark on an adventure of their own, one that promised both excitement and hilarity.

•••

Jimin was deeply immersed in the game, determined not to let his guard down this time. He and Taehyung had heard the faint commotion from downstairs but had largely ignored it, given their intense gaming session.

However, when they heard the footsteps coming down the stairs once again, curiosity got the best of them. They turned to see Eunji and Chan descending, with Jungkook following behind them.

Then, the unexpected happened. Eunji slipped, and before anyone could react, Chan's quick reflexes allowed him to catch her by the waist. Jimin's eyes widened, and he instinctively looked at Jungkook, who mirrored his surprise."This was not in the plan," Jungkook thought, bewildered. Their innocent plan to make Nutella strawberries had suddenly taken an unexpected turn.

Jungkook, realizing the awkwardness of the situation, decided to intervene. "Guys, let's go back to our rooms," he suggested, offering a nervous laugh, while Jimin shot him a disapproving glare.

Eunji and Chan swiftly separated and agreed with Jungkook. "Yeah, I just remembered we have homework," Eunji chimed in, the tension still palpable. Chan nodded in agreement, though he couldn't completely shake the faint blush on his cheeks.

Jungkook, ever the supportive friend, offered words of encouragement to Chan as they headed back upstairs. "It's okay, dude. You'll get over it," he whispered, wrapping an arm around Chan's shoulders.

As they left, Eunji glanced back and met Jimin's gaze, noticing an inexplicable mix of emotions in his eyes—love, sadness, and jealousy all tangled together. She couldn't quite decipher it, but Jimin knew deep down that he harbored strong feelings for her. Now, with Chan's presence in the picture, he couldn't help but feel a growing sense of worry and competition.

•••

Eunji and Jungkook strolled into their favorite café, a place where they were known as regulars, and the staff greeted them warmly. Eunji exchanged a friendly wave with Hongjoong, the skilled barista crafting coffee for the patrons. He often had classes with Eunji and Jungkook and part timed in the restaurant for fun.

"How's life?" Eunji inquired, leaning on the counter as Hongjoong prepared their drinks.

"It's tiring, especially with 6 kids to look after," Hongjoong replied, letting out a sigh. He was very clearly talking about his six hyperactive friends. 

"Serves you right for not sharing answers with me back in middle school," Eunji teased, shooting him a playful smirk.

Eunji's attention shifted to the search for someone else. "Where's Felix? I want his brownies," she asked.

Just as she mentioned him, Felix suddenly appeared, surprising both her and Hongjoong. "You're not supposed to show your fairy powers out in public, my dear Felix Starlight," Jungkook remarked, and Eunji and Hongjoong cackled. 

"When are we gonna stop mentioning this" Felix said and whined. "NEVER," all three of them said at the same time and he fake cried.

"The regular for us, Joongie," Jungkook ordered, and they took their seats at a familiar table. Eunji set up her laptop to work on an assignment, while Jungkook passed the time playing games on his phone.

"Send it to me too once you're done," Jungkook requested casually, stifling a yawn.

"Can I refuse?" Eunji playfully challenged.

"No," Jungkook replied with a grin.

"Dumbass," Eunji retorted, shooting him a mock glare. Jungkook chuckled and affectionately pinched her cheek.

Their casual atmosphere was interrupted when a laptop appeared on their table. Startled, they both looked up and saw Jimin, who had joined them.

"Mind if I join you guys?" Jimin asked, taking a seat.

"No, right, Jungkook?" Eunji turned to Jungkook, who nodded in agreement.

As Jimin settled in, sipping his Americano and working on his laptop, he engaged in conversation. "How's life?" he inquired, casually taking a sip of his drink.

Eunji's thoughts momentarily drifted, and she found herself lost in admiration of Jimin's lips. She quickly scolded herself for her wandering thoughts. "Stop looking at his lips; you look creepy," Jungkook whispered in her ear and she playfully elbowed him in the ribs to shut him.

"Ouch, that hurts," Jungkook said with a mix of laughter and pain. To break the tension, Eunji took a big gulp of her Caramel Iced Coffee. However, the conversation took an unexpected turn when Jimin asked, "So, Eunji, do you have a boyfriend?"

The question caught Eunji off guard, and she choked on her coffee. Gasping for air, she struggled to regain her composure. "Are you okay?" Jimin became concerned and started to stand up to check on her, taking her hand in his.

Eunji's face flushed, her mind racing with thoughts like "TOO CLOSE, TOO CLOSE." Jimin couldn't help but smirk; he was convinced that she had feelings for him. He couldn't continue to wait idly by, fearing that someone else might capture Eunji's heart. The mere thought of her dating someone else left him feeling utterly helpless and defeated.