Playing Favorites {BTS | Namjin}

Under My Skin

"You look exhausted. How late did you stay out with Hoseok last night?" Namjoon chuckled, patting the blonde boy's back as they sat in the cafeteria for lunch.
"Around three I think? But I didn't sleep at all when I got home. Not like that!" He snapped in response to Namjoon's smirk and raised eyebrows. "I just couldn't sleep."
"Why couldn't you sleep?" He asked, stuffing half a burrito in his mouth.
"I said something dumb to Hoseok-Hyung and then pretty much ran away," he sighed.
"And that was?" He prodded, still eating.
"I told him if shots turned him into a kissing monster, I'd like to know what kind of alcohol it was."
He choked on his food. "You said what?"
"I basically told Hoseok-Hyung I want to kiss him," he groaned, putting his head in his hands. "How am I supposed to face him at choreography rehearsal this afternoon?! Hyung, stop laughing and help me! I'm in crisis here!"
He couldn't stop laughing, feeling almost bad for the way Jimin glared at him, obviously hurt.
"I'm sorry, Jimin, but I can't believe you did that. What did he say?"
"He just looked at me like a deer in headlights and then I ran away," the boy groaned again.
He rubbed his back sympathetically. "I'm sure you aren't the first person to get infatuated with him, so don't feel too bad."
"You aren't helping," Jimin grumbled, lowering his hands to his lap. "I really like him, I think."
"Ok?"
Jimin huffed, stabbing his burrito with his fork. "He's our instructor, Hyung."
"Ok?"
"That means he's like a teacher."
"Ok?"
"Stop saying ok!" The boy snapped. "It's not ok to date your teachers, Namjoon-Hyung!"
They both blushed in embarrassment when they realized nearly the entire cafeteria was staring at them, thanks to Jimin's outburst.
"Now there will be rumors about me," Namjoon sighed.
"Sorry," Jimin mumbled.
He chuckled. "I don't care, so don't worry about it. But I don't think you should worry about Hoseok, either. He might be our instructor, but he's still our age. What the both of you do with your private lives has nothing to do with the company."
"It does, though. Didn't you read the contract? We're not supposed to date openly. If we do, we have to be discreet about it."
"So be discreet about it."
"You make it sound so simple," Jimin chuckled, sadly. "You didn't see his face, Hyung. He was completely shocked when I said that."
"Wouldn't you have been?" He snorted.
"I suppose."
He patted his head, flattening the red beanie he wore and earning himself a curse from the boy. "You'll be fine. Hoseok likes you, so I'm sure you just caught him off guard. Hey, if you're lucky you might even get to experience the kissing monster without all the alcohol."
Jimin elbowed him in the side, laughing. "Shut up, Hyung."
Namjoon chuckled, returning his attention back to the food in front of him. He was selfishly glad he wasn't the only one in crisis over their attractive superiors. Although, the source of his crisis wasn't their dance instructor but a certain black-haired manager with broad shoulders and a model's face. Every time he thought about him, he wasn't sure which urge was stronger—the one to punch him, or the one to kiss him.
"That's a pretty intense frown." Speak of the devil.
"Jin-Hyung, good afternoon!" Jimin chimed.
"How did vocal rehearsals go this morning?" He asked, sitting across from them at the table.
Namjoon focused on finishing his food, leaving the conversation to Jimin. In all honesty, he still felt a bit uncomfortable about the manager after the night before. He could still feel Seokjin's hand on his thigh, and he shifted in his seat. It wasn't like the man had done anything inappropriate, but it made Namjoon's heart thump in his chest when he thought about it.
The entire car ride, which had only, thankfully (regretfully), lasted about ten minutes, Seokjin had sat directly beside him in the wide backseat. His hand had rested comfortably on Namjoon's thigh, as if he hadn't even realized it was there, until the car has stopped at Namjoon's apartment and he had practically thrown himself from the vehicle—mostly because he didn't want to leave.
"How hungover are you today, Hyung?" Jimin giggled at Seokjin, getting Namjoon's attention.
The older man blushed. "Not too much. I had a headache this morning, but that went away after some breakfast and coffee. I apologize for drinking so much last night."
"Don't be," Jimin grinned, "it was actually pretty entertaining."
"I promise I don't usually go out drinking with trainees," he sighed.
"Then why'd you go with us?" Namjoon couldn't stop himself from asking.
Seokjin met his eyes, holding them quietly for a long time before speaking. "Hobi invited me to go out with him. I didn't know you two and your friend would be there too."
"So, you wouldn't have come, had you known we were there?"
Seokjin frowned at his question. "I still would have gone, since Hobi invited me."
"Are you going to watch our choreography rehearsal today?" Jimin asked, diffusing the sudden tension and shooting a confused frown at Namjoon.
"Yes." Seokjin nodded. "I'm excited to see the progress all of you have made."
"Don't be blown away by how awesome I am, Hyung," Jimin teased.
Seokjin laughed. "If you weren't at the top of your group in scores, I'd tell you not to be so cocky."
"Who's being cocky?"
Namjoon noticed Jimin's entire body stiffened at the sound of the choreographer's voice, so he patted his knee under the table in encouragement.
"Just Jimin-ssi," Seokjin chuckled. "I guess he gets to be cocky, though, since he's the most advanced of the new trainees."
"He's already memorized the choreography we started learning last week, too," Hoseok said, his heart-shaped mouth pulled wide in a proud smile.
"I'm not that good," Jimin mumbled, staring down at his plate.
"Speaking of class," Namjoon said, getting to his feet, "we should be going."
Jimin followed him, and he heard him sigh loudly as soon as they were out of the cafeteria.
"Thanks for saving me."
"You're going to have to talk to him eventually."
"I know, but I'd rather not until I have to."
Namjoon shook his head, "ok."
"You're one to talk," Jimin huffed, "only talking to Jin-Hyung to start a fight."
"I wasn't starting a fight," he snapped.
"It sounded like it. Why do you get so bristly when he's around?"
He frowned. So, Jimin had noticed it, too. "I don't know."
"Try kissing him—it might make you feel better."
"Or I could punch you. I'm sure that would make me feel better," Namjoon threatened, chasing the shrieking blonde up the hallway as he laughed like the little shit he was.

~~~~~

"What did you do to Jimin?" Jin asked Hoseok, watching as the younger boy practically ran after Namjoon out of the cafeteria.
"Nothing."
Jin quirked an eyebrow at his tone. "So what happened?"
"Nothing."
"I know how you get when you drink," he scoffed. "So tell me."
"It wasn't me, alright? Just leave it at that."
Jin smirked, leaning towards him. "So what did Jimin do that has him all flustered?"
"You're not letting this go, are you?" Hoseok sighed.
He chuckled, shaking his head. When Hoseok sat down beside him and told him what had happened, he couldn't help but laugh, earning him a curse from the dancer.
"It isn't funny, Hyung!"
"Sorry," he laughed. "It's just cute how embarrassed he is about it."
"It's not cute if he avoids me now," Hoseok grumbled.
"Well, it's half your fault for not saying anything."
"What was I supposed to say? Oh, I don't need alcohol to want to kiss you? I only think about it all the time?"
He smiled at his friend sympathetically. "You like him more than I thought."
"More than I thought," he sighed, propping his head on his hand. "This has kind of given me false hope."
"It will work out. When you two start going out, no hooking up in the practice rooms," he teased. "And watch the PDA."
"Says the one who's already making moves on Namjoon."
"I am not."
Hoseok snorted. "You had your arm around him every chance you could get last night. And don't think I missed the waist-holding in the booth."
"You make me sound like a creepy boss who doesn't know his boundaries."
When Hoseok laughed, he groaned. "Oh god. I'm a creepy boss who doesn't know his boundaries."
"I don't think Namjoon took it that way, so don't worry about it. If anything, you just flustered him from what it looked like."
"I think I touched his thigh, too," he mumbled, head against the table. "In the car when I took him home. Thinking back, he practically jumped out of the car when it stopped at his apartment. What if he thought I was making moves on him?"
"Weren't you?" his friend teased.
"Shut up, Hobi."
"As much as you talk about him, I assumed you liked him."
"He's good-looking," he agreed, "but he acts like he can't stand me."
"So, that's a yes?"
He sighed. "I don't know. Maybe? I don't know anything about him. Like I said, he acts like he can't stand me, anyways, so it doesn't matter--don't roll your eyes!"
"I never thought I'd hear Mr. Worldwide Handsome complaining about someone not liking him."
"I've been complaining about him since he became a trainee," he grumbled.
"And you still haven't made an effort to let him get to know you."
"And how am I supposed to do that?"
Hoseok thought a moment before smiling mischievously. "Go on the trainee trip with us next month!"
He stopped himself as he began to protest, changing his mind. Actually, that was a good idea. It would give him an opportunity to get to know the new trainees a bit better, and at the same time let them get to know him. He didn't usually go on the annual trip that the company gave to the trainees, but he didn't see why he couldn't make an exception this year.
More like an exception for Kim Namjoon.
"Fine."
The younger man beamed at him. "Great!"
"Don't you have a class to teach in five minutes?" He asked, glancing at his watch.
"Oh shit!"
Jin chuckled, watching him sprint from the cafeteria.

~~~~~

"You're overreacting," Yoongi sighed, his back to Namjoon as he worked on a song at his computer.
"I'm being serious, Hyung," he frowned. "He stared at me the entire rehearsal. I think he's looking for excuses to throw me out of the company."
"Or not?"
"Why else would he be focusing on me so much? If it was about talent, he would have been looking at Jimin, since he's the best on our group."
"You're kind of an idiot sometimes," Yoongi sighed again. "Did you think that maybe Seokjin's giving you all this extra attention because he likes you?"
"Why the hell would he like me?" He scoffed. "He's the heir to a multi-million dollar company, and he has beautiful men and women swooning over him all the time. I'm just a wannabe rapper."
"You're also smart, talented, and an annoyingly good person. What's not to like?"
"Why don't you just date me, then?" He joked.
Yoongi laughed, turning around in his chair to look at him. "Grow a beard and I'll think about it."
He shook his head, laughing. "I'm serious, though. I have nothing to offer someone like Kim Seokjin, so I'm sure that's not it."
"You sound disappointed."
"Why would I be disappointed?" He huffed.
"Sounds to me like you might like him," Yoongi commented, turning back around to continue working.
"Don't be stupid," he snapped. "Of course I don't like that arrogant asshole. Sure, he's good at his job, and he's ridiculously hot, but I'm sure he's as shallow as a puddle. And he's a giant flirt. You should see him throwing finger hearts and blowing kisses to all of the girls when he's visiting the trainees."
"Sounding that jealous kind of proves my point," Yoongi chuckled.
"I'm not jealous!"
"Alright, don't get so defensive. I'm just trying to help, since you're being paranoid about getting thrown out of the company."
"I'm not being paranoid, I'm just saying that he kept staring at me, and that's the only thing I can think of."
Yoongi sighed. "Joonie, stop worrying so much. Just do what you've been doing, and don't focus on Seokjin. If you get kicked out, it won't be the end of the world, anyways."
"You know, you are really not helpful," he frowned.
Yoongi chuckled. "Then go complain to someone else."
"No one else will listen," he grumbled.
"How about some dinner?" Yoongi sighed, getting to his feet and stretching. "Food will make you feel better. Come on."
He followed Yoongi to a small restaurant near the older man's apartment, frowning at the menu as he continued thinking about Jin.
"Hey." Yoongi hit him on the head with his menu. "Stop glaring at the menu and tell me what you want to eat. I'm paying."
"I'll just get whatever you're having, as long as it isn't seafood."
Yoongi nodded and ordered for them when the waiter came to the table. "Now," he said, turning back to Namjoon, "tell me how that new song is going."
Namjoon was thankful for the distraction, gladly talking about the new song he had been working on for the last couple of weeks.
"Namjoon?" Shit. Jin approached their table, holding a to-go bag in his hand. "Hi, Yoongi. It's good to see you again."
His Hyung nodded in greeting. "You too."
"This is a funny coincidence," Jin chuckled. "I rarely come here, but I was craving their dumplings, so I made a special trip."
"Don't you live kind of far from here?" Namjoon asked.
"About twenty minutes by car," Jin shrugged, as if it wasn't a big deal, "but they have the best dumplings in the city."
"Tell me about it," Yoongi grinned, "I only live a few blocks from here and it takes all of my willpower not to stop in every day on my way home from work and order some."
"I--"
"Jin-Oppa!" a pretty young waitress exclaimed, rushing over to their table and wrapping her arms around Jin's free arm. "I haven't seen you in over a week! How have you been? I missed you!"
Jin blushed, gently pulling his arm free. "I've been well. I was just stopping to talk to my friends."
She saw them and gasped. "Oh, I'm sorry! Would you like me to pull you up a chair?"
"Yes-"
"No. He was just leaving," Namjoon snapped. Even Yoongi gave him a startled look at how harsh his tone had been. He didn't know why he was suddenly so pissed off, but it was too late to take back what he'd said.
"Yes, I was on my way out," Jin told the waitress. He glanced at Namjoon before turning to Yoongi. "It was nice seeing you again. Have a good night."
His Hyung waited until Jin was gone before looking at him and raising an eyebrow. "What was that?"
"What was what?"
"You might as well have stood up and shoved him out the door. Why were you so mad?"
"I wasn't."
He frowned, not buying Namjoon's bullshit. "You sounded mad to me."
"Can I just keep complaining about music?" He sighed. "I thought you brought me here to get me to stop talking about Jin."
Yoongi shrugged. "I don't really care one way or another, but you should figure out why you let Seokjin get under your skin so much."
"Yeah, I know."