[21+] Tropical Kiss [Y/N x Maknae-line]

Part 75 - JM - Trust Me

Jimin turned to Jungkook, his expression serious and unwavering as he looked into the younger's doe eyes. "Jungkook, do you trust me?"

"Trust you?" The younger asked, cocking his head a little to the side as he seemed to think it over. The subtle crashing of distant waves and underlining the tension between them. "I do, but how-"

"Because, for this to work, I need you to trust me." Jimin pressed on, his fingers gripping his friend's shoulders with a firm resolve. "I do have a plan, but I need you to follow my lead."

"Okay? Yeah?" Nodding first once, then twice, Jungkook was about to nod a third time, when it seemed he thought better of it. "What exactly do you mean by that? Your lead?"

"Yes. Exactly that. I need you to follow my lead - to do what I say." Jimin's demeanor turned even more serious and unyielding as he drew on the authority of being the older one of them. "I mean it, Jungkook. You can't just go ahead and act on your feelings all at once. You need to listen to me. I'm not stopping you, but I won't let things spiral out of control either."

"Then why didn't you stop me before?" Driven by his emotions, the younger pushed back, frustration clear in his voice. "When it's clear you were going to stop me anyway?"

"What? Jimin blinked, caught off guard by the accusation.

"Why did you tell me to act on my feelings? To confront her, to tell her - when you're going to intervene and prevent me from doing so." Jungkook clarified, a hint of accusation in his tone. His gaze held Jimin's, searching for answers. "If I can't go ahead and express my feelings, then why are we doing this?"

"She has Taehyung." Jimin began, emphasizing each word to drive in the complexity of the situation. "He's deeply ingrained in her heart, and you can't expect her feelings to change that easily - especially not by you acting on your feelings, and let alone, rushing into a physical relationship with her."

He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in, before continuing in a softer voice: "Feelings are intricate, you know. They don't all magically change after a simple confession or a heated moment. Taehyung is a significant part of her life, and we need to be respectful of that."

"I know, but-" Jungkook started, but was cut short as Jimin shook his head.

Leaning closer, Jimin lowered his voice, as if sharing a secret. "What we're doing is not about stopping your feelings - it's about guiding them. Letting them evolve naturally. Rushing into things might give momentary satisfaction, but for lasting change, we need to be strategic. I don't want you to regret the way you approach this." Pulling back, there was a mix of concern and determination in his eyes. "Though we don't have much to go on, we need to give her some time. Time to let her see you for who you are - for you to show her the side of you that's hard to resist? We will find the right moments to bring out your genuine connection, and when the time is right, all we can do is hope she'll see the depth of your feelings too."

Jungkook nodded.

"But before we can get there..." Jimin smirked, his tongue darting out to wet his lower lip. "We just have to refresh her memory a bit. Remind her just how much she's reacting to us."

"It's interesting that you'd say that." Jungkook countered, looking up at Jimin with narrow eyes. "Maybe you're interested in her too?"

"No."

"No?" Jungkook raised an eyebrow, skepticism burning his expression. He leaned back slightly, his gaze fixed on Jimin as he probed for a more detailed explanation. "You sure about that? Because, honestly, I've never seen you approach the same prey more than once - and twice at most."

"That's not it." Jimin insisted, shaking his head. "It's not what this is about."

"Then what is it? Tell me." The maknae pressed on, clearly not satisfied by the answer he'd been given.

"What I'm trying to say, Jungkook, is that you need to be careful. Before either of you - or both - get even more hurt than you already are." Jimin explained, his tone carrying a mix of concern and sincerity. "Trust me, the best way to do this is to be sure if it's likely she'll turn you down or give you a chance. So we'll go in together, make her comfortable - let her enjoy herself, and then we-"

"We?" His brows furrowed, Jungkook didn't look the least bit happy. "What do you mean 'we'? It's not like you'll- wait..." Cutting himself off, the frown grew deeper. "You're gonna be there?"

"Not in the way you're thinking," Jimin sighed. He had anticipated this reaction, but he had hoped that Jungkook would trust that he knew what he was doing. "I'll be there to support you, not to interfere. My role will only be to make sure things go smoothly. Not to influence her decision, nor to compete with you.

You'll have your chance to express yourself, trust me, but we need to approach this the right way. That is unless you don't want my help?"

"Arg, yeah, I do, but..." Jungkook groaned, letting out a frustrated sigh, before collecting himself. "But it doesn't explain why you have to be there."

"Because we need to create an environment where both of you can be honest without the unnecessary pressure of being alone. Trust me, Jungkook, it's for the best. Besides..." Jimin pointed out."You can't control yourself."

"I can control myself."Jungkook protested, frustration showing in his face as he crossed his arms over his chest in defiance.

"Really now?" His voice stern, Jimin raised a brow at the younger. "Like when you made her run out of a bathroom in tears?" He reminded him, bringing up the memory he knew still haunted his friend. "You don't want that to happen again, do you?"

"It's different now. I can do it!" Jungkook insisted. "I can handle it!"

"Well, then prove it." Jimin challenged, pointing toward Y/N as she walked along the beach. "But I won't let you be alone with her. Not yet."