A Modest Proposal (Kim Namjoon/ BTS) (#SerendipityAwards)

13. Wine

"Quick Jungkookie, cover your eyes!” Hoseok yelled, placing his palm over the maknae’s eyelids hurriedly in an attempt to censor the scene unfolding before them.

The youngest sighed at his Hyung’s exaggerated actions. “You’re already doing it for me, Hobi Hyung,” he pointed out, pushing Hoseok’s hand away.

Namjoon and Ji Ah stood frozen, not daring to move even a fraction. “This really isn’t what it looks like,” the rapper clarified, holding his hands up. Ji Ah nodded in agreement hastily but the maknae only smirked.

“Isn’t that what they all say?” he accused them smugly, earning himself a smack from Hoseok whose expression was screaming at him to zip it.

Ji Ah broke the awkward silence which followed by reminding them of the Korean barbeque. Hoseok snagged the chance her prompt thinking provided and dragged the maknae away. He instructed Namjoon and her to follow them to the minivan which Seokjin had somehow convinced Sejin to let him drive.

Once the pair had stalked off, Ji Ah and Namjoon faced each other, their faces blank. The rapper’s eyes seemed to affix themselves on a spot on the wall behind her. “We’re never talking about this. Ever.”

Ji Ah sniggered at his statement. “They will,” she said, referring to Hoseok and Jungkook. Though the pair hadn’t witnessed anything controversial, they had still caught Namjoon and Ji Ah in a contentious position.

The rapper shrugged, not meeting her gaze. “They’ll forget about it eventually.”

Even if I won't.

Namjoon was surprised at the sudden formation of such a thought in his head, shaking it as if in an attempt to erase all that had just passed between him and Ji Ah.

The woman chuckled softly, grabbing her handbag from where it rested upon the dressing table. “C’mon, we’ve kept them waiting long enough.”

Namjoon pulled himself out of his turbulent thoughts, following Ji Ah to the parking lot where the minivan waited for them. The doors slid open to reveal Hoseok and Jungkook seated in the rear with Seokjin at the wheel. Yoongi had called shotgun while Jimin and Taehyung had already departed for the diner.

“Finally,” Yoongi drawled, turning his head to address them. “I thought we’d have to ask the 95-liners to get us takeout.”

“It can’t be helped, Hyung,” Jungkook piped up cheekily. “Noona and Namjoon Hyung were tangled with something. Literally.”

“Yah Jeon Jungkook!” Hoseok remonstrated, flushing furiously while Yoongi simply stared at him in bewilderment.

Ji Ah faced sideways to see the red tint creep into Namjoon’s cheeks and resisted the urge to laugh out loud. 

“Jin Hyung,” the rapper cut in quickly before the maknae could do anymore damage. “Can you please just drive?"
                                ***

Ji Ah squirmed in her seat, discomfiture lacing every molecule of oxygen in the van.

Hoseok fiddled with his thumbs, constantly gazing out of the window. Namjoon, seated beside her, was as stiff as a statue and Ji Ah wasn’t sure if he was even breathing. The only signs of life he displayed were when the vehicle hit a bumper and his shoulder brushed against Ji Ah’s, making him wince.

The maknae, on the other hand, grinned widely throughout the entirety of the ride, sniggering relentlessly and eventually forcing Seokjin to ask him what he seemed to find so funny.

The only person who refrained from engaging in any frivolous action was Yoongi, and that was because he had fallen asleep, being too exhausted to analyze the tension in the vehicle.