Butterfly

16. The Questions

"Well, fancy meeting you here."

I glance up from my book, seeing Jimin. "See, you say you don't come up here looking for me, then you manage to know when I'm in the pool."

He grins, sitting down next to me, brushing a kiss to my temple. "Coincidence."

"Mm, I don't think so."

"Think whatever you want."

I roll my eyes, smiling a little, and I rest my book on my knees, opening it again. "I always do."

Jimin chuckles slightly, leaning over as if he's looking at my book, close enough I can feel his breath on my cheek. "I like that about you."

I close my book, turning to look at him, widening my eyes slightly, feigning shock. "You like something about me?"

He chuckles, gently flicking my forehead. "Nope."

"Are you sure? Because I could have sworn you just said how you like how I think how I want how - " I stop, tilting my head, confused.

"You also can't put together a simple sentence." He raises an eyebrow at me and I laugh.

"You're an asshole."

"I know."

I hesitate, then say it anyway, meeting his eyes. "I like that about you."

His eyes widen slightly, caught off guard, a grin pulling at his lips. We're both quiet for a minute, then the corners of Jimin's mouth pull up and his eyes crinkle at me.

"I knew it."

"Knew what?"

He grins, reaching over to pull out my ponytail holder, letting my hair down in loose waves over my shoulders. "You do like me."

"Uhm, incorrect. I do not like you." I reach for my ponytail holder, shooting him a glare as he pulls it just out of my reach, then pockets it.

Jimin chuckles lightly at the expression on my face. "You've been making out with me for the past few days, I sure as hell hope you like me."

"Well, I don't." I open my book again, leaning back against the edge of the pool, starting to read again. Jimin is quiet, then scoots closer, looking over my shoulder at the pages of my novel. I stiffen slightly as he rests his chin on my shoulder comfortably, his eyes skimming the page with mine.

Jimin lets out a soft sigh after a minute and I shift, turning my head to face him. "You okay?"

He nods, his face holding that same pale, drawn look of the day he held me on the bus, and I know he's thinking of the cigarette he could be smoking right now. "I'm out of nicotine patches."

"What can I do to help?" I close my book, glaring at him when he smirks at me. "God, Jimin, I meant that in the most innocent way possible."

He chuckles lightly. "Talk to me?"

"We are talking."

Jimin chuckles again. "Babygirl, you know what I mean."

"Fine." I hesitate, unsure what to say, and Jimin smiles slightly, shifting so his face is more thoroughly buried in the crook of my neck.

His voice is low. "Why were you so upset over me smelling like chlorine the other day?"

My stomach turns and I for e a slight smile onto my lips. "I thought we were talking more on the lines of, 'what's your favorite color?' Easy stuff like that."

Jimin chuckles, the low rumble sending a slight shiver through me. "I meant real shit, not easy stuff. I barely know anything about you still, and we've been making out for almost a week."

"Stop saying that." My cheeks heat and he grins at me.

"We've been dating for a week. Better?"

I flush, smiling a little. "Yes."

Jimin grins, pressing a kiss to the base of my neck, speaking against the skin. "You never answered me."

"Choose another question." Hell, almost any other question would be better.

He lets out a soft sigh against my skin, and I close my eyes, breathing in his closeness.

"All right, you win." Jimin chuckles slightly against my neck, pressing another kiss to the skin, his tongue darting out to flick over the spot, his voice muffled. "Why did you move here?"

"I moved here..." I hesitate, not wanting to go into detail, nor reveal a lot of it. "To live with Sandra. And get away from where I was living before."

"Could you be less descriptive?" He says it almost playfully, and I smile a little.

"That's another one you'll have to wait to know all of."

"Wait?"

"Yeah. I can't go spilling all my secrets yet, can I?"

He chuckles slightly. "All right, fair. Can I at least know why you live with your sister now?"

"Well..." I choose my words carefully. "She adopted me this year, so I kind of have to live with her."

"Adopted you?" Jimin pulls back to look at me, his forehead slightly scrunched up. "You're her sister, how does that work?"

"Our father passed away last year," I say quietly and Jimin's eyes widen slightly. "So she adopted me to keep me out of foster homes and shit."

"That's really amazing of her."

I nod slightly and he leans his head on my shoulder again. "So, you live with your sister because she adopted you when your father passed last year. What else do I not know?"

"Technically, she's my half sister. Our father, he married twice and slept around when neither of the marriages lasted, so all three of us have different mothers."

"All three of you?"

I catch my slip as he does and my breath catches in my throat as Jimin continues, oblivious. "You have another sibling? Sister or brother?"

He doesn't realize I've stiffened, and I can't reply, can't get the words out. Jimin pulls away slightly, catching the look on my face. "Hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say something." He presses a gentle kiss to my neck, slow and sweet.

I nod, swallowing, pushing down the feelings, forcing a smile. "Ha, you apologized for something. Maybe the lack of nicotine is doing you some good."

He tilts his head at me, his eyes serious. "You're changing the subject."

I pull away from him, standing. "I should go."

"Hey - Y/n, you can talk to me. I'm not trying to - "

I lean down, pressing a kiss to his lips to shut him up before I straighten up, heading out of the empty pool.

"I'll see you later, Jimin."