🥀 Love is pain 🥀 ' Junoon ❣️ ' ( ✓ )

21.

As Jimin opened his eyes, he found himself enveloped in the soft glow of the cabin lights, the gentle hum of the plane a soothing background. Blinking away the remnants of sleep, he turned his head slightly and froze. Yoongi's face was mere inches from his own, their breaths mingling in the confined space. Jimin's heart raced, pounding in his chest as he fought the urge to pull away, but the warmth of Yoongi's presence was oddly comforting.

Just as Jimin was trying to process the unexpected closeness, he felt the need to stretch his legs. He quietly slipped out from under the shared blanket, careful not to wake Yoongi. As he made his way toward the restroom, he tried to shake off the lingering warmth of their proximity, but his heart still thudded in his chest.

After finishing in the washroom, Jimin stepped back into the narrow aisle of the airplane. However, his relief quickly turned to discomfort when he noticed a boy leaning against the wall, a predatory look in his eyes. The moment their gazes met, the boy smirked and stepped forward, invading Jimin's personal space. “Well, well, what do we have here?” he said, his tone dripping with arrogance.

Jimin instinctively stepped back, feeling the wall press against his back. “Excuse me,” he said, trying to sound more confident than he felt, but the boy didn’t budge. Instead, he reached out, touching Jimin’s arm in a way that sent chills down his spine.

“Why don’t you come a little closer?” the boy said, his eyes glinting with ill intentions.

Just as panic began to swell inside Jimin, he heard a familiar voice cutting through the tension. “Hey! Get your hands off him!” Yoongi’s voice was low and firm, cutting through the thick air like a knife.

Jimin looked up, relief flooding through him as Yoongi approached, a determined expression on his face. The boy’s gaze shifted from Jimin to Yoongi, hesitation creeping in as he assessed the situation. “What’s it to you?” he sneered, trying to maintain his bravado.

“What’s it to me?” Yoongi echoed, his voice steady but edged with danger. “This is my friend you’re harassing. I suggest you back off, or you’ll regret it.”

The boy scoffed, but there was an undeniable tension in the air. Jimin could see the shift in the boy’s demeanor as he took a step back, clearly realizing he was outmatched. “Whatever, man. You’re lucky this isn’t worth my time,” he said, casting one last disdainful glance at Jimin before sauntering away.

As the boy disappeared into the cabin, Jimin let out a shaky breath, feeling the adrenaline start to ebb. He turned to face Yoongi, who was now standing protectively close, concern etched across his features. “Are you okay?” Yoongi asked, his voice dropping to a softer tone.

“I... I think so,” Jimin replied, his heart still racing. “Thank you for stepping in. I didn’t know what to do.”

Yoongi sighed, his expression softening as he reached out, gently brushing his fingers against Jimin’s arm. “I’ve got your back, Jimin. Always,” he said, his eyes searching Jimin’s face for any lingering signs of distress.

Jimin felt a warmth spread through him at Yoongi's words, but he quickly tried to brush it off. “You didn’t have to do that. I could’ve handled it,” he insisted, though he knew deep down that he felt safer with Yoongi there.

“Sure you could have,” Yoongi replied with a teasing lilt, but his gaze was serious. “But you shouldn’t have to. You deserve to feel safe, especially around people who can’t respect personal boundaries.”

Jimin looked down, suddenly shy under Yoongi’s intense gaze. “Thanks,” he murmured, feeling a mix of gratitude and something deeper that he couldn’t quite name.

“Come on, let’s get back to our seats,” Yoongi said, his demeanor shifting back to lightheartedness as he started to lead the way. “I can’t let you out of my sight now. Who knows what else might happen?”

As they returned to their seats, the atmosphere shifted again, laughter and chatter enveloping them as Taehyung and Jungkook noticed their return. “What took you so long?” Taehyung asked, a mischievous grin on his face. “Did you get lost?”

Jimin exchanged a glance with Yoongi, who merely smirked back, seemingly unbothered by the earlier encounter. “Just taking care of some business,” Yoongi replied, the playful edge returning to his voice.

Jimin’s heart still raced, but now it was for an entirely different reason. The tension from moments ago faded into the background, replaced by the warmth of Yoongi’s presence beside him. As the flight continued, he found comfort in the banter with Yoongi, the teasing laced with an undercurrent of something more.

As the plane soared through the night sky, Jimin couldn’t shake the feeling that this trip was going to change everything, not just for Taehyung and Jungkook but for him and Yoongi as well. The connection they were forging felt undeniable, and with each shared laugh and playful argument, Jimin realized he was beginning to look forward to whatever was to come next.

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