My Mate Is Too Shy {Jiminxreader}

22) Of Numbers and Changes

Date: November 9th
Time: 7:45pm
Location: Work
Mood: Whip-whiplash
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"Guess what!"

Y/n's boss and Jimin's cousin skipped over to where the two were positioned on either side of the front counter, two open cans of root beer between them.

It seemed this was their new custom of sorts during break time. Soda and light conversation with his back always turned her way. Never anything deep or too personal. Mostly their talks consisted of their day and the weather.

The older woman clapped once and laced her fingers together before bringing the interlocked hands to her chest.

"I sold this place! You're both out of a job." The tone was a bright, cheerful one, leading the other two to doubt her words.

"W-what do you mean?" Y/n questioned, her heart sinking. This was the only place she ever saw Jimin. Without it...

"Ah," she nodded, as though realizing that this wasn't exactly good news for them. "The coffee shop next door wanted to expand and made an offer. I barely keep this place open anyway so-"

"NO!" Both women startled as Jimin's voice boomed. "Why! WHY? You can't do that!" One hand motioned from him to his mate as he gave his cousin a pointed look. "YOU CAN'T!"

"Yah!" she snapped. "Watch your tone, young man! This is my business and I'll handle it as I please!" The stern expression morphed into a relaxed one as she set her sights on Y/n. "But for you, Yoon-ssi, since you've been with me for so long I'll be adding on a bonus to your final check. And I'll give you a good recommendation if you need it, dear."

Flushing at the unexpected gesture, she began to thank her before Jimin, still upset, cut her off.

"Thank-"

"Noonaaa!" he whined, his lips coming out to pout cutely. "What am I supposed to do?"

"I'll give you a recommendation too, but since we're family I doubt it'll hold any weight."

"I MEANT about Red!" he motioned to a stunned Y/n once again. "This is the only place I see her!"

Color flooded her face but Y/n couldn't look away from him. She had an inkling that he might like her back, but wasn't this hard proof? Of course it was, but that stubborn inch of doubt lingered.

His cousin rolled her eyes. "Then ask her out for a date already! You never know," she winked in Y/n's direction, "she might like you back."

All the ants on earth weigh as much as all the humans.

Sloths can hold their breath for longer than dolphins can.

You can hear a blue whale's heartbeat up to two miles (4km) away.

All of those facts she needed to stay calm were there but all were wiped out at the extra loud thought: 'AM I THAT OBVIOUS?'

Rejection. Now it was bound to happen. Throwing it all out there like that out of nowhere was too much. Jimin would laugh at her and insist otherwise. That inch was stretching into a mile within seconds.

She barely registered when he shifted so that she was completely blocked from view, his voice a low growl. "Stop it. You're going to embarrass her. Y/n is my friend and you aren't allowed to make her feel bad."

One side of her dropped at the F word he'd just uttered. Friend. She didn't think of him that way. She thought of him as a man. Someone that could potentially be more, if she ever found the nerve to confront him with those feelings. But on the other side, friend felt...comfortable. It was nice to hear that he thought of her as someone close enough to call friend. Honestly if she stood back and looked at it objectively she might describe him the same way. Being friends first and then progressing into more was a possibility. Just as being friends and getting stuck in that zone was another realistic route this could take.