Bangtan's Baby | 18+

thirty-nine༄˖°࿔*༄heated sex

Li's POV

Unfortunately, ice cream doesn't help ease the crease in Namjoon's forehead. It stays—even grows when he becomes lost in thought—and by the time we arrive home, he's disappeared into his room.

I look after him, turning my concerned expression to Jimin. He's looking in the same direction as I am, but when he senses the tilt of my head, he turns to meet my eye. He's adorning a slight frown, although the crease in his forehead doesn't quite match the intensity of Namjoon's.

And I realize that nothing he or the others tell Namjoon will make him feel better.

"I'm going to talk to him," I say decidedly.

Jimin sighs, the sound soft and kind. "We've all had a long day. It might be best to let everyone cool off."

I twist my lips, nodding slowly. "Maybe, but I don't think he'll cool off. I think he'll keep blaming himself."

Jimin mulls this over, and his features loosen their rigidness. "It's your call."

"Do you think it's a good call?" I tilt my head. "Should I wait?"

His lips inch into a miniature smile. "You have a funny way of making us feel better within minutes. I think your call is a pretty good one."

This draws a smile from me, and I step forward to hug him, my lips pressed closely to his shoulder. I kiss the area softly. "Thank you."

He returns the kiss to the top of my head. "I'll be in Jungkook's room with a few of the others. They thought playing a few war games would help blow off some steam."

"It might," I concur, giving him one last kiss before pulling away. "Maybe I'll stop by later to see if the steam has been blown far, far away."

He chuckles, squeezing my waist fondly. "I'd like that."

My smile turns soft. "Me too."

When I reach Namjoon's door, I can't hear anything from where I stand. It's quiet, and the silence remains untainted until I knock. It's baffling how quickly the volume of my knuckles evokes a response. His footsteps approach, close but not close enough, and then he's asking, "Who is it?"

His voice is deep, laced with rasp and something else. Anger? Frustration? Infuriation? Maybe all of the above. Maybe they're all working together to cause a strain on his mind and limbs.

I clear my throat. "It's me."

He unlocks his door, and in the next moment, the door opens to reveal him. He stands a few feet taller than me, his brows furrowed as he looks down at me. His features are pinched tight, and his shirt clings to his chest.

He's changed into workout attire, and I realize he's on his way to burn off steam.

I take a deep breath, feeling somewhat small compared to his towering frame and presence. "Hi. I just wanted to see what you were doing."

"I'm going to work out," he responds gruffly, his eyes trained solely on mine. Sharp, but unfocused. "The gym at our building has some goddamn privacy."

I take this in, my eyes flitting to the tight grip he has on the doorknob. "Okay," I say after a moment. "That sounds good." I shift forward, watching as he tracks the movement. "Do you want some company?"

His gaze shifts, flickers, considers, then, "I'd prefer to be alone right now."

I take a step back, nodding to show my agreement. "I'm here if you want to talk later. You know, after you kick ass at the gym."

His grip on the doorknob eases slightly. "I'll keep that in mind." After a moment, he adds, "While I'm kicking ass at the gym."

My features ease into a smile. "Okay." I take another step back, this time adding a wave. "I'll see you later."