Shimmer Gloss | VMIN

5

What if he knew what I was doing all along?

Did I blow my cover?

Endless thoughts about Jimin swamped Taehyung's mind, inhibiting him to walk any faster to the employee's stall. It was nearly closing time; saccharine smiles were painted on relieved workers as they switched off their stall lights. A swarm of them scampered to the exit, colleagues sighing and guffawing together, happily leaving work early. As they passed by, Taehyung noted the only lit kiosk at the opposite end of the store.

Frozen, the younger stood on his spot, examining the petite makeup artist leisurely tidying the equipment. Jimin did it so slowly, like he didn't want to leave the store anytime soon. Even further away, Taehyung found his cheeks inflating as the employee quirked a small smile to himself.

Jimin took his time with everything, despite the store closing in ten minutes. Miraculously summoning a piece of cloth, he wiped it along the mirror while placing some eye palettes back into their initial displays. Meticulous, the employee made sure that they were aligned, one behind the other.

"Just go up to him." Taehyung assured himself, now plodding towards the stall.

Fortunately for him, there were not a lot of people to block his way, yet he would take the slowest steps. However, when the younger noted the latter dimming the kiosk lights, he sped up his pace.

"Wait!" Taehyung pounced forward towards the baffled employee, who was about to leave his designated kiosk, "Hi, Jimin, again. That's your name, right?"

Revolt pervaded the younger at his own corny greeting, hoping he would've been more professional, shifting glances around the room to avoid the latter's eye contact.

"Yes...Taehyung." Jimin replied with a muted snicker after enunciating his name, eliciting the said man to go into malfunction, "Oh, and, um, thanks for helping me from that guy earlier..."

"Of course, that guy was a dick-" Realization hit him, halting his words halfway, staring blankly at the employee, "You knew it was me?!"

Still chortling, left hand over his mouth, Jimin nodded his head shyly. A tint of pink spread across Taehyung's cheeks, losing himself to the latter's natural cuteness. Just the way he would speak coyly and act demurely - Taehyung's heart would thump at the speed of light, growing larger with each thing Jimin did.

"That happens all the time. It's no big deal, you didn't have to intervene." The older faked a toothy beam, spinning his head away from him to look towards the exit, "I should get going. My shift ends now-"

"It is a big deal." Jimin furrowed his eyebrows when he noticed Taehyung's stoic stare, "You should tell someone...Your boss?"

"What could they do?" Doe eyes appeared on the employee's face, gradually turning and tilting his head towards the latter, "I don't really want to go home either."

"Why not?"

Silence.

Once again, Jimin's gaze averted to the floor as he took a minimal step back. Taehyung could discern a trail of cold sweat sliding down the older's jaw before it was hastily swabbed off with his uniform. Already filled with regret, Taehyung huffed.