Still with you

Chapter six

❈❈❈

"Hyung." Jimin says sternly, blonde hair still a fluffy mess falling over his eyes. However, for some reason, he still looks stunning. Soft, sleepy, gentle, inviting. "I didn't invite you over just so you could stare at your laptop the whole time." He's pouting now, puppy dog eyes glistening, adorable and aware of it. The look that gets him what he wants no matter what it is. that could break even the strongest of resolves. And Yoongi is a weak man. "I'm sorry Jimin-ah, I'm just on a tight schedule right now." The black-haired man frowns, eyes flicking between the aforementioned laptop on his knees and the disappointed-looking man by his side. Jimin sighs, running a hand through his hair.

"What are you even working on anyway?"

"Music."

"I know it's music, Hyung. I meant specifically. Who is it for?"

"For someone."

"C'mon, don't be an asshole. Just tell me."

Yoongi smiles, double-checking that he's saved the file he's working on before shutting his laptop off, closing and placing it on the brown coffee table in front of him. "Come here." He says softly, extending his arm closest to the other in invitation, Jimin, upon request, practically leaps into the elder's embrace and they readjust their limbs so that they can comfortably hold each other on the navy blue couch of Jimin's dorm room. The TV plays a random episode of an old show in the background but it mostly acts like white noise as the two sit quietly in each other's presence, enjoying the moment of peace they are able to experience during a busy and stressful semester.

Yoongi and Jimin are not officially dating. But they are definitely exclusive. And obvious. All their friends are aware of the thing they have going on with each other. They met when Jimin was looking for a part-time job during his first year and had been accepted for an interview at the pretty coffee shop right outside campus. The manager had forced one of their pretty—and tired—employees to do all the interviewing that day and the rest is history. Yoongi had left the job when he started his third year and wanted to focus solely on his studies and Jimin was fired a little while after that when he had accidentally knocked over an entire bag of the expensive coffee beans the manager had spent their own money on. So while the coffee shop is definitely in the past, their feelings for each other are most certainly not. They have been beating around the bush for the lesser half of two years but both of them are too nervous to take the next step, to make it official.

"Namjoon-ah is writing a song. He wants me to make the music for it." Yoongi explains. Jimin hums in acknowledgment, looking up at the elder he smiles. "That's cool." Yoongi looks down at the younger, also smiling. "I know. He's one of the students in charge of the music for the upcoming party so I think he wants to put it on the playlist. The lyrics are surprisingly romantic so I think he's writing it for J—"

"For Jin-Hyung?"

"Yeah, for Jin-Hyung. Those two are even worse than us."

That makes Jimin giggle. "Don't let them hear you say that, though."

The black-haired man's words, however, ring painfully true. Whilst Jimin and Yoongi are at least seeing each other regularly, holding hands, cuddling, kissing, and whatnot. Namjoon and Seokjin can barely even hold eye contact without turning into blushing, useless messes. And to make matters even worse, they've known each other for three entire years. Everyone knows they like each other. They know they like each other. They're both just too stupid and stubborn to admit it.

"Y'know I recently saw Kook and Tae hanging out at the park, I didn't say anything cause I was in a rush but it looked like they were on a date."

"Oh my god, yeah! Jungkook one day barged into my room demanding that I introduce him to Taehyung. Apparently, he's found his inspiration in Tae. And they're now helping each other out for their projects."

"Really?"

"Yes! Tae ranted to me over the phone the day they met telling me how handsome Kook is and Jungkook won't ever say it out loud but I can literally hear the monologue about how good-looking Tae is playing endlessly in his head. They are both so into each and it hasn't even been a month." Yoongi looks over at Jimin, admiring how cute he looks while rambling. He practically radiates under the harsh yellow lighting of the living room. Yoongi's heart buzzes in his chest and he is delivered a honey-flavoured reminder of, one, how gay he is and, two, how much he adores the man beside him right now. "Damn, they move quick. So do you really think they were on a date?"

Jimin stops to think, he purses his lips together and shakes his head. "No, I don't think so. I think Taehyung was just taking pictures of Jungkook for his work. But I do think they both wished it was a date."

"Who do you think will get together first, Namjoon and Jin-Hyung or Taehyung and Jungkook?"

"Oh, Taehyung and Jungkook all the way. Those idiots will probably fall into a kiss or something and be forced to confront their feelings. Joon-Hyung and Jin-Hyung can't even get close to each other without passing out."

"Okay, to keep things interesting I'll say Joon and Jin get together first, it doesn't matter how helpless they are, knowing what I know about both Tae and Kook, even if they did fall into a kiss, they're both too prideful and stupid to actually talk about it. Plus I feel like Hobi is super close to just locking the other two into a room and not letting them out until they confess to each other."

"That's true. I'm totally helping Hobi-Hyung out when he finally snaps."

"Me too."

The hypocrites laugh together and both, respectively, wonder if now would be a good time to ask the other if they could get together (officially) but then both, respectively, shake the thought away. Sure, they're the furthest along when it comes to relationship status in their list of shared friends but taking it further is uncharted territory. It comes with a whole new set of rules, a new set of implications. Fear is a powerful feeling, it's a restraining feeling, a feeling that stops you from doing something that every other part of you is dying for. But fear keeps you safe. It's better to be safe than sorry. Better to be a maybe than a no. So they both keep quiet.

"Let's talk about the fact that Taehyung and Jungkook look so similar but are also so obsessed with the way the other look's?"

"Oh my god, you're so right!"

❈❈❈

Published: 21/04/23

Word count: 1173