Please... Love Me

38

Soft jazz playing in the background, warm golden lights casting a relaxed glow over plush seating.

Jimin and Taehyung, both looking effortlessly stylish, are seated at a small table, laughing and sharing stories over drinks. They’re deep in conversation, clearly enjoying each other’s company, with Taehyung occasionally gesturing animatedly as he tells a story.

"Do you think you can’t make it? Living without Jin hyung? Living happily without my brother?" Jimin asked seriously, not expecting Taehyung to laugh in response.

"Shut up! I already made it, Chim. I mistook something for love – You know Jin… That guy you suddenly saw on the screen because he won first place in that swimming event… I think it was in Paris? About nine years ago. It all started there! I thought it was love at first sight. He was super handsome, a total gentleman, well-mannered, and his body – Oh my god! He was so delicious! Really! I was invited to light the torch, and we met there. I asked for his phone, we took some selfies, and… of course, I gave him my number, hoping he’d call. And yeah! He did… after a week… maybe nine or ten days."

They both chuckled.

"He said he asked for your number?" Jimin looked a bit confused, remembering a different story.

Taehyung's brows furrowed as Jimin continued, "Back at the airport? He said you met at the airport, and he asked for your number?"

Taehyung burst out laughing. "Oh! Because he forgot I had already given him my number when we first met! He said, 'Hey! Can I have your number?' He wasn’t even smiling; he was so serious!"

"Yeah, he's always been like that. He didn’t know how to smile back then," Jimin recalled, remembering how Jin used to be a lonely boy.

The two keep on talking and sharing stories.

On the other side of the bar, Yoongi and Hoseok walk in, scanning the room. They spot Jimin, recognizing him as Jin's younger brother. They exchange a look, both a little surprised but amused to see him with Taehyung, someone they hadn’t realized Jimin was close with. Yoongi raises an eyebrow, and Hoseok chuckles, nudging him.

Jimin notices Yoongi and Hoseok out of the corner of his eye, and his face lights up with a friendly grin. He waves them over, calling out,
“Hey, Yoongi! Hoseok! Come join us!”

Yoongi and Hoseok stroll over, and after quick greetings, they pull up chairs to join the table. The four of them slip easily into conversation, with Jimin introducing Taehyung as his good friend. The vibe is light and full of laughter as they get to know each other better, with Yoongi occasionally teasing Jimin about how Jin is going to want to hear all about this "little hangout" with his ex boyfriend and his younger brother.

"I'm sure Jin would be Jealouse of this little hung out"

"I bet he won't! He's happier now.."

Taehyung tried to hide the pain, he didn't know it was obvious.

"He is! "

Hoseok confidently said without looking at Taehyung..

“And you are, too, right Taehyung?” Yoongi says with a slight smirk, a hint of curiosity in his voice as he glances between him and Jimin. Hoseok leans back with a subtle smile, clearly enjoying the unexpected twist of the night.

Jimin, a bit oblivious to the undercurrents, beams and starts talking about how he and Taehyung met, sharing little anecdotes that make them both laugh. Taehyung, for his part, is relaxed but keeps his reactions measured, aware that Yoongi and Hoseok know him as Jin’s ex.

The memories of his long relationship with Jin seem to linger just below the surface, but he keeps them in check, focusing instead on the present.

Hoseok can’t resist, leaning in with a grin. “So, Jimin… does Jin know you two are hanging out?” he asks with a teasing glint in his eye.

Jimin laughs, not picking up on the subtext. “Probably ! And he told me to take it easy ,” he jokes. “And Tae’s great company; so he approved.”

Yoongi raises his glass, sharing a glance with Taehyung. “Well, Jin would definitely have… thoughts,” he says, carefully choosing his words, “but hey, what Jin doesn't know won't hurt him, right? "

" Believe me, he knows! "
Jimin said seriously while staring at Tae

Yoongi and Hoseok are keenly aware of the backstory—Jin’s long relationship with Taehyung, and the eventual end of it when Jin entered into an arranged marriage with Jungkook. It was a decision driven by family expectations, and although Jin and Jungkook were married, everyone knew it wasn’t exactly the storybook romance Jin had once had with Taehyung.

Yoongi, glancing at Taehyung, can’t help but remember how close Jin and Taehyung had once been. They’d always looked like they were meant to be, and seeing Taehyung here with Jimin—Jin’s younger brother—is like watching a memory resurface in a new, unexpected way.

After a while, Yoongi can’t hold back. He leans forward, his voice casual but with a hint of curiosity. “So, Taehyung…  are you two together? For real? ” he says lightly, though his words carry weight.

Taehyung’s smile softens, and he gives a slight nod, acknowledging the history they all know but don’t speak of directly. “Yeah… well, things change, you know?” he says simply, and there’s a depth to his tone that makes Jimin glance at him, curious but not entirely understanding the layers beneath the conversation.

Hoseok raises an eyebrow, a playful look on his face as he directs his attention to Jimin. “So, Jimin, does your brother really agree on this? I mean you.. hung out with his -
You know.. his ex boyfriend..” There’s a hint of mischief in his eyes, but there’s a kindness too.

Jimin chuckles, a bit confused by the undertone but still unaware of the full story. “yeah! And I don’t think he’d mind!” he laughs. “I mean, they are not together anymore, like what you believe.. My Jin Hyung is happier now? Doesn't Tae also deserve to be happy? .”

Yoongi and Hoseok share a knowing look, each silently acknowledging the complexities Jin and Taehyung had faced, especially with Jin’s arranged marriage to Jungkook.

Taehyung, sensing the tension, lifts his glass in a lighthearted toast. “To… family and friendships,” he says, choosing his words carefully. There’s a flicker of something deeper in his eyes, a quiet strength in the way he holds his glass, as if he’s acknowledging both his past with Jin and his current relationship with Jimin.

The four clink their glasses, and for the rest of the evening, they laugh, talk, and enjoy each other’s company. The past lingers softly in the background, unspoken but acknowledged. Tonight, they choose to live in the moment, leaving the unchangeable complexities to settle quietly in their memories.