On-Way Passage || ᴠᴍɪɴ

Chapter 24

Jimin had yet to figure out what was currently happening. His upper body was at Taehyung’s mercy, his feet stumbling over each other as the other man towed him along. “President Kim, what are you doing?” he asked.

Taehyung’s tone was laced with stifled fury. “I told you not to call me President Kim.”

“Huh?” said Jimin.

Taehyung dragged Jimin all the way to the bathroom and dumped him in the bathtub, saying, “Strip!”

Jimin covered his chest in alarm. “What are your intentions towards me?”

Taehyung towered over him, looking down. He was practically gnashing his teeth as he asked, “Jimin—are you sick in the head?”

Jimin put down the hand covering his chest and wrapped them around his head instead. “Oh no, I’ve been found out!”

Taehyung took a deep breath, took off his suit jacket that had been creased from dragging Jimin, unbuttoned his shirt, and rolled up his cuffs.

Jimin sat cross-legged in the bathtub. He looked up at Taehyung and called out, “President Kim.”

Taehyung paid him no heed.

Jimin patted his chest. “Look at me.”

Taehyung turned on the shower. In an instant, hot water sprayed out and drenched Jimin’s head.

It didn’t take long before Jimin was soaked from head to toe, but the fact that he was sitting cross-legged in the bathtub escaped his notice entirely. He patted his chest again and bellowed, “Taehyung, I told you to look at me!”

Taehyung glanced at him at long last. “I told you to take your clothes off.”

Upon hearing this, Jimin grabbed hold onto the edge of the bathtub and stood up on shaky knees. He was still wearing slippers and narrowly slipped in the tub.

Taehyung reached out to steady him.

Jimin batted Taehyung’s hand away. “I don’t need your help.” He took hold of his sopping wet T-shirt and pulled it over his head, cast it aside, and said, “I told you to look at me.”

Taehyung looked at him expressionlessly.

Jimin then began taking off his pants, slipping off his damp shorts and slippers and wrapping them in a bundle, before reluctantly removing his briefs. Standing under the showerhead, he took a deep breath, but before he could speak his mind, he inhaled water through his nose and bent over and coughed in pain.

It took a good while before he could prop himself up against the wall and stay on his feet, which was when he told Taehyung, “I’m an upright and dignified person. I don’t have anything to hide.”

“What on earth are you on about?” Taehyung’s voice deepened.

“Although my brain isn’t working like it’s supposed to right now,” Jimin began, “as long as I, Park Jimin, am alive, I’ll always be that amazing, genius perfumer.”

Taehyung was silent for a moment before he said, “You are.”

The water got into Jimin’s eyes. He scrubbed them with his hand and flung his head back in discomfort, asking, “I’m what?”

The water on Jimin’s face landed on Taehyung. He wiped it away with a finger. “You’re whatever you want to be.”

Jimin reached out to clap his shoulder. “You get me.”

A damp handprint was left on the fabric over Taehyung’s right shoulder. “Has your shower sobered you up yet?”

In lieu of answering his question, Jimin barrelled on, “You were the only one by my side when I woke up. Even though I’ve never said so, I’m actually really grateful to you.”