ᴘᴀsᴛᴇʟ ʙᴏʏ. || ᴍ.ʏɢ + ᴘ.ᴊᴍ ✔️

thirty-two: this aura of you

Earlier that Friday

-

"Hey, Seokjin, can I talk to you for a second?"

It was right before PE when Namjoon approached Jin again, tentatively, not with the usual confidence he had been approaching the boy with when asking him out. Of course, that wasn't his goal this time. And though Jin had a feeling it wasn't, the other boy still felt the need to clarify.

"Don't worry, I'm not here to ask you on a date," he said, holding his hands up almost as a guard, and he laughed gently.

"I know," Seokjin replied. He gave a small smile. "Did you need something?"

"Not really." Namjoon bit the inside of his cheek. "I'll leave you alone in a minute, I, uh...just wanted to apologize again."

Jin opened his mouth to argue but was promptly cut off.

"–and before you say anything, I was absolutely in the wrong, so just let me say this." Namjoon sighed, shaking his head in shame. "Really, it's been bothering me, so I just needed to say it. I was extremely stubborn, I shouldn't have kept on coming back, so I'm sorry for making you exasperated with me. I'm not usually like that, I guess I just..." Shrugging, his eyes made a quick, haphazard glance away from Jin. "...I had in my head that I was being optimistic about your response, but really, I was just being ignorant."

Jin was speechless as Namjoon finally brought himself to look him in the eye again.

"So...I'm really sorry, Seokjin. I hope you're not upset with me."

It was bizarre, the tone of voice in which this boy spoke to him. Jin had never heard such a genuine apology, such humility, and he wasn't going to lie, it was kinda touching. But at the same time, he felt guilty for some reason.

"You're...something else."

Namjoon smiled shyly.

"It's okay, really," Jin added. "I'm not upset with you. Honest. Wipe that...depressing look off your face..."

"My smile is depressing?"

Seokjin snorted. "Not what I meant."

Namjoon smiled again, a bit wider, dimples peeking through his cheeks. He was relieved, in one sense. But again, frustrated at the same time because of Jin's kindness. It wasn't going to make getting over him any easier.

"Sorry again," he added, "and thank you, ya know, for letting me get that off my chest. Like I said it's been bothering me for a while, so I just needed to express that." He bowed suddenly, and Seokjin flinched. "Thank y-"

"For goodness' sake, man, lift your head up! I'm not royalty!"

Puzzled, Namjoon did as he was told, tilted his head to one side as he straightened his back. "Uh, s-"

"If you say sorry to me one more time, I'm going to have a cow, Namjoon, I swear." He heaved a sigh that seemed to have come from the depths of his being and almost urged Namjoon to apologize again. "I don't mean that in a rude way, either, but honestly, man...you're making me feel bad."

"Well, that would be counterproductive, so I'll stop," the boy said in a somewhat forced cheery voice. "I'll leave you be, then, if you so desire."

"I so desire for you to talk less formally to me. We're the same age."

Namjoon's expression softened a bit as his dimples reappeared. "I don't think I've earned that right," he said, "but thank you. I'll, uh...see you later?"

This guy... "Yeah, I suppose so. You going to Minseo's party?"

"Who now? Oh-" He gave a nod. "Uh, well I didn't really think about it. But I might end up going 'cus I really have nothing better to do on a Friday night. I know for a fact Jimin won't even consider going but since I'm more of a party-person...yeah, I'll probably go."