Butterfly

10. The Seat

"Did you leave the apartment last night?"

I glance up at the question, my hands stilling from where I'm zipping my books into my backpack. "Uhm..."

"I was just wondering, because the door was unlocked and I could swear I locked it before bed." Sandra perches on the edge of the sofa, looking up at me expectantly.

"Uhm, yeah, just a late night walk. Get some air, clear my head."

"You not able to sleep?" Sandra's brow furrows, worried. "You can wake me up next time, I don't mind."

"I know." I smile at her. "It's just that I knew you're tired."

"Is it, uhm..." Sandra hesitates. "Nightmares?"

"No. Just the noise in my room, it's too much. The traffic, you know." I shrug nonchalantly, not wanting to delve into my recurring nightmares, the fruitless struggle against the water.

"Okay. Let me know if you want to take melatonin or something, okay?"

I give her a small smile. "I will. See you later."

"Bye."

I slip out the front door, startling as I turn, almost running into Jimin where he lounges next to our door. He straightens up, giving me a lazy grin.

"Morning."

I blink at him, surprised. "Were you waiting for me?"

"Nope." He walks ahead of me, pushing open the door to the stairwell. A smile tugs at the corner of my lips and I watch the door close slowly behind him, his voice echoing as he calls back to me. "Do you always take so long in the mornings?"

I grin, hurrying after him, catching up to him in the stairs. "I woke up late."

"All those late night rooftop rendezvous will do that."

I laugh slightly. "You act like you weren't part of them."

"Well, I wasn't up there with the plan to see you." He smirks slightly, pushing open the outside door, his hair falling into his eyes.

"I wasn't either." I follow him out the door and he stops walking to raise an eyebrow at me.

"Every time I'm on that roof, you happen to be there. Coincidence?"

I nod as he shakes his head, and I roll my eyes even though I can't help the tiny smile on my lips. "Trust me, if I could avoid you being there I would."

"Mm, I don't think so." He starts walking again and I fall into step beside him, glancing up at him as he brushes the hair out of his eyes. His uniform shirt has four buttons undone, his tie insanely loose, his shirt untucked and oversized, three earrings in each ear.

"You know you're going to get dress coded, right?"

Jimin smirks, leaning against the bus stop as we reach it, running a hand through his hair so it's even messier. "Babygirl, I've gotten away with this for four years. They really don't care."

I roll my eyes. "I can't wait for the day you really do get dress coded."

"You know I look pretty damn good dressed like this. Little perfect schoolboy Jimin, how's he supposed to get the girl?"

I flush a little, clearing my throat. "I don't know what you mean."

He smirks, running his hand through his hair again, and my breath catches as he takes a step closer, reaching out to brush my hair off my shoulder, holding eye contact, then undoes another button of his shirt, loosening his tie deliberately. His smirk grows as my face heats. "Ah, I think you do know what I mean."

I clear my throat, searching for things to say to make it less obvious that I'm completely flustered. "The bus is here."

He chuckles softly behind me as I hurry ahead of him, swiping my bus pass. I head to the back of the bus, taking hold of a handle, and Jimin follows me, holding onto the bar right next to my handle, way closer than normal.

"Uhm." I glance up at him and the corners of his lips pull up.

"You're red."

"I'm not."

He raises an eyebrow but doesn't say anything else, instead inhaling and exhaling slowly. I glance up at him as the bus starts to move, noting for the first time how pale he is.

"You okay?"

He glances down at me, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. "Just fine, babygirl."

"You don't look like it."

"Ouch."

"No, you're just pale."

The corner of his mouth turns up. "Withdrawal can do that to a man."

"Oh." I glance up at him, and he raises an eyebrow down at me, obviously trying to seem like he's fine. "You're really quitting?"

He chuckles, his voice low. "That's what I said."

I smile a little. "Good. Now you won't kill me."

He laughs softly and I glance at the empty seat in front of us. "Sit down, you look really pale."

He raises an eyebrow, letting go of the bar to unwrap a peppermint from his pocket, slipping it into his mouth. "Worrying about me?"

"No."

He chuckles. "You sit down, I don't need to."

"I'm fine."

"Well then, I guess neither of us is sitting."

I glare at him. "Could you not be difficult for once?"

He chuckles again. "Nope."

I roll my eyes and he tilts his head at me. "If it matters so much to you, I'll sit down."

"It doesn't matter to me."

He laughs softly. "Then I won't sit."

"Fine, I want you to sit down, okay?"

Jimin grins at me, resting a hand on my waist as he slips around me, sitting down on the empty seat. "Happy?"

"Yes."

We're quiet for a minute, then I startle as Jimin's arms wrap around my waist, pulling me into his lap. I try to push him off but he doesn't let go, and I freeze as I feel his nose gently brush the skin of my ear as he presses his face to my neck.

"What - what are you - " I stumble over the words and I can feel the corners of his lips pull up as he mumbles the words against my skin.

"Just a couple minutes."

I take in an unsteady breath as he inhales slowly, breathing in my scent, and I swallow, insanely nervous at his closeness. I notice the glances of the other people on the bus and start to say something, then notice Jimin's hands, shaking slightly where they rest around my waist. Another symptom of withdrawal. He's really trying to quit.

I hesitate, then finally give in, leaning back slightly, my back pressed against his chest. He smirks against my neck, making no comment, and my cheeks burn as his arms tighten around my waist, holding me closer to him.