My Sleeping Partner | P. JM

Don't Say Sorry

"Do you let your manager treat your workers like this?"

Before the man can even question the situation, Jimin's furious voice echoes through the café. My eyes go wide as he waves at the sputtering manager, his usual playful eyes darkened.

"I just saw him attempting to hit her. Do you realize that's fully eligible to be reported as worker abuse?"

The owner's mouth drops open as he looks between me and the gasping man, blubbering out indecipherable excuses. And the fact that Jimin had seen this as a customer, seems to make everything so much worse for him.

"You what?" The old man exclaims, glaring daggers at his manager. "You tried to hit a girl? How low can you get, Haneul? And after I took you in as my manager!"

I can see Jimin's dark smirk the entire time we watch the owner tell the man to get out, and as he watches me squirm under his apologies for his manager's behavior.

And it had been just this morning when he was acting like a cute little child.

______________________________

"I want that one!" He points, the wide smile back in his face as he motions at a dark blue scarf. When I give it to him, he wraps the fabric around his tattooed neck and lets the loose end unravel over his shoulder.

"How do I look, Minah?"

"Cute," I admit, already pulling out my wallet. The color complimented his eyes— but to be honest, there wasn't a color that could exist in this world that wouldn't make Park Jimin look good.

At my honest statement, a corner of his lips lift into a devilish smile.

"I'll go pay for it, so you stay right here, okay?" I tell him, quickly rushing inside the shop. When I give a glance back, I see that he's already trying out the other designs hung out storefront for people to try.

Watching him attempt to knot a bow tie around his neck is the most adorable thing I've ever seen.

"Seven dollars, please." The seller's voice breaks me out from my thoughts. "And how about a new purse with that scarf, ma'am? Together you get a discount of forty percent!"

My smile is stiff as I shake my head. "I'm
not planning to buy anything else, actually. Can I just—"

"Oh, but try on this headband! It's the perfect color combination with the scarf, and it's only two dollars more!"

I hate it when this happens.

My words are strictly polite as I quickly tap my feet, the seven dollars already clutched between my fingertips.

"Thanks for the offer, but I really don't think I need anything else today. Can you ring out the scarf, please?"

"That's what they all say before they see our newest accessories! These earrings come at a price for two—"

Have to be polite. Have to be polite.

"Um, that's alright. I didn't even pierce my ears, so I won't be needing earrings."

"Oh, we have clip-ons as well! So it will be perfect if you didn't get the chance to pierce your ears yet! If you don't mind, I can show you some of our best selections!"

It's already been ten minutes, and I finally slam down the scarf on the counter. I couldn't keep Jimin waiting any longer.

"Here's seven dollars," I quickly say as I slide the bills across the surface, wrapping the scarf around my own neck. Then before she can say anything else, I run out of there faster than Taehyung on his Rolls-Royce.