BLIND DATE. ❪ PJM + JJK ❫

eleven

jeongguk should have known.

he should have known that other people named jimin existed in the world, therefore instructing someone who he didn't know and didn't know him to lead anyone, anyone who gave their name as jimin to his table, was a risky, terrible idea.

he should have known, with every flash of confusion that had passed through his mind, he should have known with jimin's confusion, that something wasn't right. he should have said, at the very moment he'd heard jimin breathe, "hey, jimin. it's gukie. the guy you've been talking to for half a year. how's it going?"

he should have known, despite the fact that jimin's voice had been oddly high-pitchedㅡto nervousness or if it had been natural, he didn't knowㅡthat it wasn't a girl's voice; despite the fact that even if shin jimin had had a raspy, phlegm-layered voice, he'd still have loved her all the same.

he should have known that the jimin he was talking to wasn't the same jimin he'd chatted with online for so longㅡhow hadn't he known that? he should have known that.

how hadn't he known that?

"i should have known."

"excuse me?"

jeongguk looked up with a startㅡthe cab driver had one hand outstretched and one eyebrow raised, eyes flickering between the cab meter and him. jeongguk looked at the fare himself, then out the windowㅡthey'd come to a stop.

"that's my house," he said, pretty obviously.

"good, you should know that." the driver snapped the fingers of his extended hand, and jeongguk shook his head to snap himself out of whatever state he was in and handed him the required cash.

stepping out of the cab and into the cold of the evening, jeongguk felt a sudden wave of dreadㅡhow would he explain what had happened with the whole date to her? she'd probably accuse him of making up excuses to get out of a date with herㅡand she'd been planning for it and looking forward to it for so long, how could he let her think that?

he fumbled with his keys and let himself in with some considerable difficulty, thanks to his mind being completely elsewhere. as his phone connected to his house's wifi, a volley of dings sounded from his pocket, causing jeongguk to wince and pull it out reluctantly. what was he going to say?

21:02, the time on his phone read. more than an hour after their scheduled date.

"something'll come to me," he mumbled to himself nervously, checking the notifications. "it's going to be okaㅡ"

57 messages from 14 chats

none of the fourteen chats were jimin's.

was she ignoring him? understandableㅡhe deserved it. with a sigh, he scrolled through his contacts, opening his chat with jimin and considering what to say.

traffic.

sick.

i forgot.

the truth?

jeongguk shook his head resolutelyㅡno. even he still couldn't believe that what had happened had happened, and even if jimin could somehow believe it herself, what would she think of him? the fact that he'd mistaken a guy for her ...

he'd mistaken a guy for jimin. he stared at the phone screen glumly until it dimmed into blackness. he'd never hear the end of it from seokjinㅡ"i told you that online relationships don't work. i told you that you didn't know this girl at all. you just wouldn't listen, huh? thought you were all that, wouldn't give your hyung's well-meaning advice a thought? now you can suffer for eternity, brat."