it's just kissing | m.j ✓

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.

"Everyone knows that! Half the people who come to Bulletproof come for you," he mutters, his shoulders suddenly slumped in defeat. Namjoon watches the smaller man sulking in front of him in silence for a few seconds before shaking his head and snapping his fingers. Jimin looks up at the sudden noise, his eyes questioning, and Namjoon gets off the couch slowly.

"OK, I think it's time for another lesson. Get up," Namjoon says lowly, and Jimin doesn't miss the underlying authoritative edge in the tone.

"Huh?"

"Get up."

"...Okay...are you kicking me out of the apartment?" Jimin asks, slowly getting off the piece of furniture he's been sitting on.

"No I'm not kicking you out," Namjoon corrects, doing his best to not laugh at how Jimin is watching him with droopy eyes, looking every part a sad little puppy. "Now, take your shirt off," the bar owners commends gently once Jimin is standing straight.

"...What?"

"Take your shirt off. We're going to have to work on your confidence here."

"But-"

"Look, you keep linking your idea of perfection to defining what is sexy, and instead of seeing what you have, you keep focusing on what everyone else has. So let's practice with you being comfortable in your own skin," Namjoon explains calmly and pretends to not notice the way Jimin is swallowing visibly now.

"But I've never...taken my shirt off in front of someone," Jimin admits meekly, suddenly berating himself for ever coming to the apartment.

"You're going to have to one day," Namjoon points out, and Jimin realizes that he really doesn't have anything to say to that. Namjoon is right. The entire point of their interaction was for Jimin to get sexier and finally be able to sleep with the right guy, and in order to do that, getting naked was definitely one of the crucial steps in making all that possible.

"...Can you take your off first so I don't feel like I'm the only one doing it..." Jimin mumbles, both to stall for time and also to not be the only person to stand in the middle of the apartment without a shirt on.

"Fine," Namjoon says briskly before swiftly unbuttoning his shirt and discarding the fabric over the couch. "Now your turn," he continues, turning his body around to stand in full view of the smaller man. Jimin gapes, taking in the breath-taking perfection that is Kim Namjoon. The bar owner's skin looks flawless and sun-sunkissed, seemingly almost glistening under the living room's light. His broad shoulders serve as a start contrast to his narrow waist, and while the man's abs may not be glaringly obvious, there is enough definition to keep everything tantalizing.

"Uh...." Jimin says dumbly, his eyes glued to all the lean muscles and taut skin, and he immediately regrets having made his request, because now he's definitely feel self-conscious about his own body. There is no way that he can compete against someone so damn perfect, and oh god, he will become the laughing stock of the entire party and he will have to leave the bar forever and then be single until his death and never get to-

"Well?" Namjoon urges, quirking an eyebrow. He doesn't miss Jimin's intense stare. He'd be lying if he said it's the first time he's been at the receiving end of such awe. Hell, most of the time, guys were staring at him with visible boners, so really, he's not at all uncomfortable by the way Jimin's gaze is locked onto his exposed torso.