Caught in a Lie (Jimin's Heart #1)

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Hae Mi was positive she had stopped breathing. He remembered...

Everyone in the room was shocked into silence as they turned to look at Jimin. He was the soft-spoken member of the group and it was very rare to see him so brave around a stranger - especially a female stranger. But he ignored their glances and was staring at Hae Mi with his deep brown eyes.

Hae Mi remained silent, but felt a deep blush rising on her cheeks.

"You two... know each other?" Kyung Eun said slowly, being the only one brave enough to break the silence.

"Yes," she replied. Better to save Jimin from the impending embarrassment. "We were neighbors when we were younger. We also attended the same dance academy, but I moved to America when I was ten and we lost touch..."

Short. Simple. Sweet. Hopefully, it would be enough to curb the curious glances being shot Jimin's way by the members of BTS.

"Ah, I see," Kyung Eun said, glancing between Hae Mi and Jimin with knowing eyes. "Well, as much as I would love to give you two time to have a reunion, I need to keep Hae Mi and get her up to speed on the dance department here. Hae Mi, why don't you go change and meet me back here in five?"

"Okay."

Hae Mi quickly gave a shallow bow to BTS - what was she to call them? Her sunbae's? Oppas? Technically, she was above them in rank, according to the company organization, but she was also in the middle of their age group... It would be a confusing thing to figure out, but that was something to worry about later.

She headed towards the women's locker room to change into her dance attire - she wasn't about to make her nice work clothes sweaty with more dancing, even if it was a moot point. The door was inches away from her fingertips when a hand clamped onto her wrist. She froze, hesitant to turn to see who it was.

"Wait," Jimin said, dropping his hand from her arm as Hae Mi turned to face him. He shook his head as if denying the fact that his childhood friend was standing in front of his eyes.

There were so many things she longed to say to him, but she didn't know where to begin.

"When did you get back to Korea?" he asked, sincere curiosity in his gaze.

Hae Mi met his eyes. "Three days ago." She paused. "1I would've told you, but it's been eleven years and I didn't know if you remembered me or not..." Her cheeks burned with embarrassment. Why did things always sound better in her head versus in the air?

Jimin looked at the floor as if he, too, were feeling the embarrassment of the moment. "How could I ever forget my friend and duet partner?" he mumbled.

That's a nice wall. Really fascinating to look at. Hae Mi didn't know what to say. Years of silence between them felt like concrete bricks beneath them.

Jimin tugged his phone out of his pocket. "As an employee at Big Hit, it's only right that I have your number in case of emergency." His voice sounded unusually brave for one who was notorious for being shy around girls.

Their fingers brushed as Hae Mi took the device from him. Biting down on her lower lip, her fingers flew across the screen as she gave Jimin her two numbers - for Korea and America. "Emergency, huh?"

He shrugged as he took his phone back. "In this city, anything could happen."

"True..." Hae Mi pressed a hand against the door handle. "See you later?"

"We'll catch up soon, I promise." With his killer smile lighting up his face, Jimin bounded away in search of the rest of BTS.

The promise hung in the air between them, a tantalizing string holding them together.

*****

Kyung Eun had not held back during their rehearsal and Hae Mi was positive that she would be feeling the effects of it for the rest of the week. She knew she shouldn't have taken a break from dancing, but she did it anyway, against better judgment. Stretching her arms over her head, she departed for the day. Her stomach growled with the prospect of dinner on the horizon, as it was past seven o'clock at night, and her mouth watered with the thoughts of jjajangmyun and a cold glass of beer.

She pushed through the front doors of the building and spilled out into the cooling evening air. Sunset was on the cusp of ending and Hae Mi was eager to return to the comfort of her neighborhood. She may have only been living there for a handful of days, but the area was already beginning to feel like home.

Her phone chirped with a message. It was from an unknown number.

[What are you doing tonight? ~JM]

Hae Mi couldn't help it - a smile grew across her face as she entered his number into her contacts. In the past, Jimin was always one to hold true to his promises, but she never thought he would be this quick to cash in on the new one he had made hours before.

[Kyung Eun sunbae just set me free, so I was going to catch a bus back home and rest up for tomorrow.]

Surely he wasn't going to try to see her tonight? Hae Mi began walking away from the building and down the block towards the bus stop.

[Nam Joon hyung wants you to come to the dorm. ~JM]

RM wants me to come to the dorm? Or is it Jimin who actually wants me there? Hae Mi was puzzled by the sudden turn of events. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to play along with what they want...

[Is this for some initiation ritual?]

[Tae Hyung swore me to secrecy. ~JM]

[Ah, so it is!]

[Are you coming over or not? ~JM]

[Only if you pay for my taxi fare and I'll need the address. :)]

Hae Mi began nervously chewing on her fingernails - an old habit she was never quite able to curb from her performance days. She was being brave by pushing Jimin with that last message, but, then again, that always was her job when they were younger.

Rather than pushing her luck at the bus station and confusing the drivers, she decided to burn time at the nearest 7-Eleven. There would always be another bus to take, but there would rarely be time to hang out with Jimin and the rest of BTS. Besides, at least this way she could grab snacks or something to bring over if they did want her over badly enough.

[Cool. I'll text you the address. ~JM]

Hae Mi felt like a conspirator by texting Jimin so openly like this. Hiding in the ramen aisle, she glanced around, as if needing to confirm that no one was reading her phone over her shoulder. Fears pushed aside, Hae Mi sent one last text before gathering some of her favorite snacks together.

[See you in an hour.]

*****

And so it begins! What do you all think of the coy and bashful Jimin? I'm having a lot of fun with his personality and representing him as a character.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Please vote and comment, and give this story lots of love. :)