it's just kissing | m.j ✓

CHAPTER FORTY SEVEN.

It's three days since the New Year's party, and everyone is starting to pick up on the slight tension between Namjoon and Jimin. They have already familiarized themselves with Namjoon pining after the smaller man and being a complete idiot about it, but they had not been ready to see the way Jimin now acts around Namjoon.

Jimin, as hard as he tries to act normal (bless him), is not good enough to bypass the sharp eyes of everyone else at the bar. It just gets to the point where both bartenders, the DJ, manager and their resident bouncer have to act as if they don't see the small changes. Yoongi complains that he didn't sign up for this shit, and everyone else sigh in unison, wondering how long they are going to have to keep this up.

It wasn't so much that Jimin was actively avoiding Namjoon or anything. In fact, the man acted more of less the same with his greetings and smiles and jokes, but following every smile he directed at the taller man was a hint of confusion lingering in his eyes. A slight downturn of lips. A barely detectable flinch every time Namjoon spoke from besides him.

And honestly, no one knows what to make of it, because they can't tell if this is a good sign or not. So far, Jimin has not given any indication that he's gravitating towards ending things with Mingyu, which just adds to the confusion, and the lack of any blushing or fumbling isn't helping Jungkook's case of being hopeful that perhaps Jimin's finally seeing Namjoon as more than just their boss.

Taehyung and Hoseok watch Jimin mopping the floor, his shoulders slumped and his head hanging low, and they get the feeling that romance isn't the determining factor behind the man's current state.

"What is it with these idiots," Hoseok mutters, and Taehyung doesn't need any clarification regarding who "these idiots" must be referring to. Jungkook approaches the two of them, looking as disgruntled as he had been during the party when Mingyu had visited.

"Hey can we just add that guy to our blacklist?" Jungkook asks, plopping onto one of the stools, and again, Taehyung doesn't need any clarification regarding who "that guy" is, considering that has basically become Mingyu's name around the bar.

"No we can't," Hoseok states matter-of-factly before ruffling Jungkook's hair. Jungkook pouts and mutters something about how he's going to do it anyway, and Taehyung silently mouths "you really should." Jungkook perks up at the fact that someone is finally agreeing with him and high-fives the bartender behind Hoseok's back.

"Look guys, I don't like him either, but Jimin's going to have to figure this out on his own," the managers starts again, remembering the utter look of dejection on Jimin's face. Normally he didn't meddle in other people's affairs, because he's a firm believer that people are perfectly capable of taking care of themselves. Afterall, he himself had been subjected to a couple heartbreaks and had made it out just fine. But Jimin. He can't help that he has a bit of a soft spot when it comes to their newest. The man was too believing and too eager, which was a recipe for disaster. So yeah, he's incredibly tempted to meddle, but he feels personally responsible for making sure that Taehyung and Jungkook do not go sabotaging the relationship.

"The problem is that Jimin isn't figuring it out," Jungkook mutters, back to his disgruntled self.

"He will. Eventually."

"Are you sure? He's already letting that guy step all over him."

"Patience," Hoseok says, flicking Jungkook's nose. The bartender lets out a garbled noise of pain as he rubs at his nose. "If Jimin doesn't learn it now, he'll just make the same mistake again."