Just Friends

Chapter 11

"No. No way!" Jimin crosses his arms over his chest.

"Why not?"

"Because," Jimin snaps at Yoongi from across the limo. "I'll admit it was kind of fun the first time, but I'm not doing it again."

On the way back to the cabin, Yoongi had come up with a brilliant plan to continue their fancy friendship celebration by persuading everyone to go skinny dipping in the hot spring as soon as they got back home.

"It's too cold," Jimin adds, eyebrows furrowed with frustration. "I honestly don't understand you guys sometimes. There's better things you could do than die of hypothermia!"

Namjoon chuckles, lovingly amused at Jimin's over-exaggeration, because he knows it's coming from his heart. "It's fine, 'Min," he smiles warmly. "We were all fine after doing it the first night we got here. The water keeps you hot enough."

Jimin shakes his head with disapproval. "But see? We already did the let's-get-naked-and-go-skinny-dipping thing. You guys really want to do it again? Why don't we just go back and watch a movie?"

"We can do that literally whenever." Yoongi answers. Jimin wants to retort, but he's coming up short for better reasons as to why he thinks this is beyond ridiculous.

"Yeah, and we always watch movies," Namjoon contends further. "Skinny dipping in the snow is not something we could even do at home. Why not let loose and do something we never get to do?"

"Gotta live a little," Yoongi says, then pats Hoseok on his thigh. "Especially before Hoseok settles down."

Hoseok nods at first, but then makes a face as if he's a little offended.

"Right?" Jin snorts. "I mean, really, who knows how long it will be before we can all be young and reckless like this. We're not getting any younger."

"I won't be the only one getting married," Hoseok says suggestively.

"Well, now I dunno about all that," Jin mumbles, making a grimace face and waving a dismissive hand in front of himself. "No settling down for me."

"Listen." Hoseok smiles at Jimin reassuringly. "You don't have to go down to the spring if you don't want to this time."

"No, it's okay. I'll go--" Jimin tries to argue but Hoseok shakes his head. He knows Jimin well enough to recognize when he's needlessly sacrificing his own comfort.

"Really," he smiles genuinely. "I won't be mad or disappointed at all. You did it once, that was enough for me."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course!"

"I just really--"

"Jimin," Hoseok laughs. "It's okay, seriously."

"Okay..okay," Jimin mumbles, guilt written on his face. "I'll make sure the fireplace is going for you guys," he says with a lighter tone.

Hoseok sends Jimin a nod of approval from across the limo. "Perfect!"

Meanwhile, at the other end of the limo, Taehyung—still slumped back in his seat, inwardly pouting for whatever reason (certainly nothing that has anything to do with his uncomfortable feelings regarding Jeongguk potentially hooking up with some random person)—rolls down the window to let the cold air smack some sense into him.

Why should I care that he exchanged numbers with someone? He's not interested in me.
You could just ask him if he is!
But I already know the answer, he made it clear earlier. I just keep reading into something that isn't there and I don't know why. I guess that dream made me delusional. From now on, when something weird happens, I'm ignoring it.