Skin Deep | JJK

09 | drinks

09: 음료수

AS FAR AS I knew, I had been great at handling startling and shocking situations. It was part of being an SC President, since most of the time, events and seminars planned out have their own twists and turns every now and then. Adapting to situations was supposed to be my thing. 

Strangely enough, it was a different case for handling a Park Jimin. Or a Jeon Jungkook, even. It seems to me that these two boys have a habit of catching people off guard—like they were charming people out of fun.

"Uh—" I stammered, averting my gaze as Jimin stared at me unabashedly, a small delicate smile on his lips as he watched me combust. "Sure. Drinking Cola. Fun!" I replied with racing thoughts, my stomach rushing with adrenaline.

Jimin chuckled lightly, "Alright," Jimin tilted his head to the side, squinting as though he was thinking of something before taking another step towards me. "I've decided. You'll be my drinking partner tonight. Minus the alcohol, of course."

I pursed my lips. "Of course. Alcohol is prohibited until you reach legality." I nibbled on my lip, wondering how Lee Sooha had gotten her hands on alcoholic drinks. "The Cola tastes good too, you know?" I mutter, looking up at Jimin.

Jimin's lips parted in amusement, a chuckle coming out of his lips as he winked, "I bet it tastes better with a good view and company, don't you think?" 

"Yeah." I breathe out, smiling as my heart simultaneously lunged back and forth like a boomerang, "I think so, too."

• • •

JIMIN AND I stood in front of a massive landscape, that being the city, with twinkling glitter from buildings as our only light and the Cola as my only excuse to talk to him. 

Taehyung's penthouse had a balcony only a select few knew about, which explained the lack of people loitering around. In any case, I was glad the lights were dim because Jimin wouldn't have noticed my trembling form and flushed face.

It was embarrassing, really—how he had this effect on me when I only ever talked to him a few times and only Jungkook to rely on for information about Jimin. And yet, he stood there so casually, so brightly, that it was almost hard to look for so long.

So I averted my gaze back to the view in front of us, sinking my fingertips to the cold can of Cola. Beside me, Jimin took a gulp and sighed in contentment. 

"Were you having fun?" Jimin utters, turning to me, "This house party?"

I pursed my lips as I stared back at him, "It's okay-er than I thought." I shrugged, before opening my Cola and drinking, hoping this would be a better alternative to calm my nerves, "Though I have yet to understand the fun part in all these."

Jimin snorted, chuckling as he turned away to face the view again, "You really are blunt that it's almost endearing." 

"Almost?" I teased, my voice surprisingly lighthearted as I spoke.

Jimin laughed softly, eyes twinkling, "Alright, you got me." He said, lips curling into an amused smile.  I grinned in response. 

"Charmed you, huh."

"Yeah. You did." Jimin replied almost instantaneously that it caught me a bit off guard. 

My smile dropped for a little as my eyes focused in on him, my heart tapping lightly onto my chest like frantic drums. I didn't even realize I was holding my breath until he said his next words. 

"You remind me of someone I know." He said afterward, to which I drew a little breath in. 

"Someone?" I murmur, snapping my eyes back to my Cola, the black little murky drink on my hand somehow appearing more interesting as my head repeated: someone, someone, someone. Someone Jimin knows.

Why did he sound so sad when he said it?

"She was something else, too." Jimin laughed a little, eyes a little slanted as he stared at the city lights. "But she was kind. And she made people around her forget the bad parts about life." 

There was something so magically alluring about Jimin as he talked about this someone, but also something so heartbreaking that I felt like my throat was blocked. And as the gust of wind passed by us a little, he closed his eyes finding serenity in his memories.

Whatever those memories were, I was so sure they were so precious I couldn't dare speak a word for a while. 

And then he snapped back to reality in a moment.

"Sorry," he laughed, as if he didn't casually show a little piece of his heart to me just a moment ago, "I talked too much."

"Oh, not at all!" I burst, laughing nervously, "I'm sure I would be so flattered if someone said that about me too." I said, holding back my treacherous feelings myself.

Someone Jimin knows. Someone Jimin knows. Someone Jimin knows.

Pull yourself together, Yuri. 

"Still," Jimin said, looking a little apologetic as he chuckled, "It's not like you came here with me to listen about that. I apologize, Yuri."

I waved him off, "Ah, it's no big deal at all." I said, "It's kind of flattering you're comfortable enough to share these things with me." I continued, turning to him. "But you can trust me, Jimin."

Jimin only smiled, eyes twinkling as the city lights blinked before us. "Thanks, Yuri." 

I smiled, gripping my cup a little tighter.

"Sure."

• • •

I laid my back on my bed softly, my towel still hanging around my shoulders as I stared at the ceiling. Washing my face really did help me freshen up a little bit. Both my mind and heart were a little calmer than before.

After that little talk Jimin and I had, it felt like we grew a little close, but also more distant than before. Although one things was for sure—Jungkook's plan had worked. Jimin definitely did see a side of me that he didn't. 

But it was more of like a friend than a potential partner. 

"Agh, whatever!" I said, pushing the towel across my face. The fact that Jimin was comfortable to share something so precious to him was a big step. And wasn't this a part of my goal? To get to know Jimin better? 

I sighed again, staring once more at the ceiling. 

Someone Jimin knew. 

So he had someone, too. 

Someone he liked, maybe? 

"Ah," I sighed, muttering to myself, "Of course he does. It's only natural. I mean, it's Jimin we're talking about here..." I continued, crossing my arms as I pursed my lips. 

Right. It would be weirder if Jimin didn't have someone he liked. But judging by his expressions earlier, that someone he knew seemed to be a mere memory, no longer a part of his life. 

Aren't I being a bit too bold?

I shook my head, "That's mean." I said to myself. That someone Jimin knew was someone precious, and this is not a good thing to think about. 

"Well," I said to myself as I pushed myself off the bed, lightly throwing my towel to my chair, "Tonight ended well." 

That's right, I thought to myself, I shouldn't be focusing on the past, but with my achievement. I took a step that I wouldn't have imagined taking—and that was going to the house party, dressing up, and even talking to my crush. 

I smiled at the thought, giggling as I snuggled into my comfortable sheets. I talked with him! 

And tomorrow, things will only get better. Or so I thought. 

• • •

hi. i'm alive hehe.