Before, Jimin doesn't understand whenever his mother complained about his father's lack of enthusiasm when it comes to shopping, saying that the man has to put those good arms to use and carry the shopping bags because what kind of husband let his wife carry all the heavy bags? He definitely sees his father rolls his eyes behind his complaining mother, whispering a very quiet she's just being dramatic to his sons who only tilts their heads in question and confusion.
Most girls he heard in his class complaining of the same thing was quickly shut down by a few guys in the same class with their own reasons; saying that girls never stopped at one shop and stay to only get what they need. No. Girls shopped like there's no tomorrow, jumping from one stall to another and stayed there for hours only to get one pair of pants. Exhausting was the word those guys and his father described it to be.
His mother, once his father and younger brother was out of earshot, engrossed with watching some sitcom rerun in the living room while he's sitting on the counter watching his mother chopped meat and vegetables, told him the real reason why she likes to go shopping with his father-except the fact that he needs someone to carry her shopping bags-that it's less lonely to walk around malls with company of the person closest to you.
Jimin still doesn't understand it fully, because he's definitely not in a mall doing shop right now, but he thinks he can share the same reasoning to his mother based on his current situation, could be a close one to that. He feels like complaining like how his mother used to when he was still a kid.
He quietly sips his orange soda as he watches with barely concealed amusement in his eyes as Seokjin passes a large bag of chips to Namjoon who tears it open effortlessly, immediately grabbing a handful and shoving it in his mouth making his cheeks puff like a chipmunk's before feeding his boyfriend who flashes a dimpled small smile in return. They stayed like that for a moment, just staring and feeding each other junk foods as they wait for their meal to serve. And it feels like a private exchange for the two elder so he quickly averts his eyes, landing it on his best friend sitting in his right instead.
He watches as the purple-head scoop a spoonful of rice, blowing as it burnt his mouth, eyes watering. He tsks behind the straw, shaking his head at the scene. Hoseok who's sitting at the other side of the younger boy notices the whole scene, quickly reaching for a glass of cold water and carefully guiding it to Taehyung's mouth. The latter took large gulps, face relaxing as the cold soothes his tongue, grinning a box-like smile directly to the older boy in silent thanks. Hoseok's eyes soften as he stares at the younger boy, his mouth closing from the supposed to be chiding words. Instead he leans a little, planting a soft kiss to the side of Taehyung's head and murmuring something out of everyone's earshot besides Taehyung's before going back to his food, leaving the younger boy to nurse his now burning cheeks.
Jimin shifts his gaze to his own empty plate for the nth time of the night, feeling his chest muscle constrict at the telltale sign of envy. He had been practically the 5th wheel of the group the whole night and it's no doubt slowly taking a toll on him. He wanted someone to look at him like how Namjoon look at Seokjin and he wanted someone to take care of him like how Hoseok did to Taehyung. He knows he's being childish right now, being dependent on someone. But he cannot, for the love of God, help the pang of envy whenever any of the pair hold hands; whenever one of the boy's sneak a kiss to their lovers when they think no one's looking; whenever they automatically sit beside each other on the rides and leave him alone to sit beside some alone stranger, too. He wanted someone to ask him if he's fine after all the walks, to laugh at him for screeching his lungs out, to ask if he's hungry or wanted a drink, to check if he doesn't hurt himself.
He wanted someone like that now.
Too bad, he cannot blame the loneliness he's feeling now to Yoongi despite having four other people around him. The half-vampire needs his rest, despite being a natural nocturnal creature, he's still half-human, and his last project in music production had got a toll on him. Jimin can take being alone in the rides and in this table if Yoongi could get rid of those painfully bruise-like eyebags beneath his eyes after getting well-rested in return. It's not a big deal.
