19. Truth Untold

Jimin was grinning like a stupid teenager in love as he unlocked the door to the apartment sometime past three in the morning. 

It was stupid. So incredibly stupid to feel what he felt, but his night with Jungkook... Oh, what was he saying, it had been a date. It had been such a date, going to that Jazz Club, hearing him sing, then dance with him until their feet hurt and they sat down to drink, both smiling wide and for the first time, there was no fighting. Almost as if they had made a secret contract to forget about everything around them for a moment. 

He wasn't Jeon Jungkook, his boss and he had no fiancé or other responsibilities. And Jimin wasn't his employees, no commitment issues and no track record of being kind of a man-slut. 

They were just two boys with no responsibilities or worries. Just a moment in time. And Jimin wasn't ready to let it go just yet. He wanted to fall asleep with a smile and dare think about what it would be like to have Jungkook, not be against him all the time. He wanted to remember the way the younger had held his hands on the drive here, then kissed him under the lamp light in front of the apartment, not caring about who might see, not caring that this was only a small escape from reality. 

But it had felt real. It had felt like Jungkook really wanted him in more ways than just physically, or he wouldn't have brought him home and kissed him goodbye with a gentle, yet dizzying kiss. 

In the morning he would regret it, and Jungkook surely too, but for tonight- just a few moments longer, he wanted to keep dancing on this cloud where nothing mattered but the two of them. 

He was sill grinning as he stepped into the living room- then came to an abrupt stop, the smile slipping of his face as he caught sight of them. 

Two boys asleep on the sofa.Yoongi had his head on Hoseok's chest, the taller's boy arm around the small, raven-haired boy's shoulders, holding him close. Both of them seemed utterly relaxed and he could have sworn, there was a soft smile on Yoongi's face as he nuzzled his head closer in his sleep, taking a deep breath before letting it out with a soft sigh. 

Jimin didn't know how to feel about it. This was... amazing. He would love to see two of his friends get together. Would love to know they were happy. But he knew Hoseok. Knew he was probably the sweetest boy in this world, but sometimes wholly oblivious to the things right in front of him. 

And Yoongi... there was a reason he hadn't told the other's he was gay yet. 

He hoped they would find their way to each other, but like he knew the best, matters of the heart could get super complicated and he would hate to see them loose the friendship they had created. 

With a sigh, he let them sleep and went to his own bedroom. But seeing them on the sofa- it brought back some reality- the truth of what he was doing. What he was getting himself into. He lay awake for a long time as all the consequences swirled in his head, mixing with how happy he had been today. 

He had to stop this with Jungkook while he could still walk away, because if he kept going down this road, he would only get his heart broken. But just for a few more days... just until Ji-Eun would come, he could have Jungkook and pretend he would never leave, even if that was stupid. Just one more week. And then he would let him go.

***

Since the weather had ruined their plans to hang out at the lake again, with the rain pouring down like it wanted to drown the world, they had decided to invite both Jungkook and Namjoon over to their apartment. 

Jimin had been nervous all morning, busying about the house that even Jin, Hoseok and Tae got suspicious. Yoongi, of course, knew why he was acting like this. Jeez, he felt like a schoolboy having over his first boyfriend and it was absolutely ridiculous. 

"Bloody hell, Jimin, sit your ass down or I'll bind you to a fucking chair!" Jin yelled annoyed after Jimin had started cleaning the cupboard over the kitchen, standing on the sink to do so, since he was too small to reach up there. 

"What?" He fired back, pretending this was his normal Saturday routine. "I'm just cleaning!"

"Yeah-" Hoseok commented, eyeing him suspiciously. "Exactly. You're cleaning! Since when have you turned into such a snob? Look, we know JK's technically your boss, but he's coming over as a friend! You really think he's gonna be bothered by a bit of dust?"

"And who says I'm doing this because of JK? I just feel like cleaning!"

Tae groaned, currently helping Yoongi make some delicious smelling pan-fried dinner. "Just get down before you break something ChimChim. Help us with the chicken instead!"

Jimin grumbled a curse, but decided it wasn't worth a fight as he got down, then nearly stumbled to the floor if Jin hadn't been there to catch him. "Jeez, can anyone be more clumsy? It's a miracle you've never broken anything!"

Jimin sighed and leaned back into his friend, pretending to be swooning. "Well, I always have my knight in shining armor to catch me!"

Jin chuckled and pushed him away. "If anything I'm a prince, not a knight. And you, my princess, should really start telling us what has been going on with you!"

Jimin righted himself and quickly glanced away, pretending to clean the sink he just stood on. "Nothing's going on!"

"Bullshit!" Tae and Hoseok called out at the same time. 

Jimin glanced to Yoongi in plea. The boy sighed, rolled his eyes and opened his mouth. "AHA! You know something Yoongi, don't you?!" Jin yelled, pointing at him. "I saw that! Jimin was looking at him like he was looking for help!" 

Yoongi snapped his mouth shut and bless him, turned red, then shook his head. "N-no. I don't know anything." 

Hoseok narrowed his eyes, then pushed himself on front of the small boy and took his face in his hands staring at him intently. Yoongi was frozen, starring up at him with a parted mouth, which Hoseok apparently didn't notice as he clicked his tongue, let him go and announced to the other's: "Yep. He's definitely  lying! He knows something!" 

"Uhh!" Tae screamed, turning to Yoongi with expectant eyes: "Well, tell us! Jimin's not speaking, so you have to! Tell us!"

"Yeah, Yoongi! You have to!" Jin pushed and now it was Yoongi's turn to look at Jimin in plea. Sweet Lord, they were like vultures, seizing Yoongi up like prey. 

Jimin groaned, then threw his hands up. "I got boy trouble Okay?!"

All four sets of eyes snapped to him, staring with an open mouth. Jimin fumed and let out a deep breath. "Now you know, so stop pestering Yoongi!"

There was a moment of dead-pan silence, until chaos erupted. There were so many questions and accusations, he had no idea who said what. "Who is he?" "Do we know him?" "Why haven't you told us?" "Since when?" "Why does Yoongi know and not us?" "Is that why you've been acting strange?"

Jimin's mind was about to explode. That's when the doorbell rung loud and shill and Jimin couldn't suppress the groan. Seriously? Couldn't they have come just a few seconds earlier?

"This ain't over yet!" Jin warned as he hurried to the door and he saw the same promise in Tae's and Hoseok's eyes. 

His gaze met Yoongi's and the boy shot him and apologetic smile. Jimin rolled his eyes, then tried to ignore the fluttering of his heart and stomach as Jungkook's voice drifted over, happy and loud, greeting everyone. 

Jimin closed his eyes and took a deep, steading breath. He could do this! It was just Jungkook.

He joined the other's at the door- then stopped dead when he caught sight of him. 

He was dressed in ripped blue jeans, a checkered dark blue shirt and a leather jacket on top. He looked... oh Jesus, he looked just like that night in the club. Bad boy in persona, and grinning like one too. Yoongi, not so gently, shoved an elbow in his stomach and Jimin snapped out of it. "Hey, Jimin," Jungkook announced, then came forward to hug him. 

For everyone else, it must look nothing but a friend saying hello, but none of them heard the low whisper against his ear; "Missed you, angel." before Jungkook pulled away with an innocent smile. 

And boom, Jimin was both mad and turned on again. Because Jungkook looked more than a little smug at Jimin's slightly blushing cheeks and angry cause he was making it so God-damn obvious that something was going on between them. "Hey," he breathed, then quickly turned to Namjoon, ignoring Jungkook completely. 

"Lovely to have you here, Joonie," he said and meant it, especially when the other boy smiled brightly and ruffled his white hair. "Love to be here, ChimChim."

There really was no way not to love Namjoon. "So, let's get this party started!" Tae hooted, running to the stereo and turning up the music. 

***

Jimin had probably never laughed so much in his life, falling of the chair twice at dinner because he was laughing that hard, and later rolled on the floor as Namjoon and Hoseok battled each other in karaoke. Just that neither of them hit a single high note, sounding like two drunken foxes fucking in the bushes.  

Everything just felt- just right. 

Jungkook was sitting next to him on the sofa, close enough for Jimin to feel his heat while his best friends were having fun around them. This was what Jimin had always dreamed about. To find someone who would fit in with his friends and family while making him happy too. And Jungkook was all smiles too- the dazzling kind that often had him gobbling until Yoongi snapped him out of it with an unnoticeable little slap. 

Okay, Fine. Maybe Jimin was making it obvious as well by staring at him like that. 

The evening went on and on with laughter and jokes and close to mid-night, they found themselves sitting in a circle on the floor, munching on crackers and drinking beer, sharing stories and laughing and giggling, everyone happy and carefree. Jimin felt stupid for being nervous earlier. This felt natural. This felt right, all seven of them together. 

"So JK, you happy about Ji-Eun coming next week?" Jin asked with a grin, slapping the boy on the back. Everything in Jimin froze, reality settling in once more, and he could feel both Yoongi's and Namjoon's worried eyes on him. He did his best to call upon a fake smile. 

Jungkook looked taken by surprise and quickly glanced over at Jimin as well, before playing it over with a smile. "Yeah, really looking forward to it."

Tae smiled wide and happy. "Ah, love is something so beautiful." He looked up from his place on the floor and nudged Jimin with a bare foot. "Speaking of love, you still have to tell us about that boy trouble you're having, ChimChim!"

Jungkook choked on his beer while Jimin wanted to sink into the floor. They couldn't do this now!

"Oh," Hoseok exclaimed, having noticed Jungkook's reaction. "Shit... didn't you know Jimin is gay?"

Sweet Lord... topic change! Topic change!

"Ah," Jungkook said before clearing his throat. "Now I do."

Jimin tried not to show any reaction, which probably made him look like a carved stone-statue.

"Uh, sorry ChimChim," Tae whispered for everyone to hear. Jimin couldn't help the little snort, immediately regretted it, then made it worse by shooting Jungkook a long look saying: "I'm sure Jungkook won't have a problem with that, right?"

Jungkook's eyes blazed for a second, before a wicked grin formed on his lips. "No problem at all." 

Jimin let out a relieved breath. Thank God- crisis averted- mood restored! His heartbeat managed to return halfway to normal. And then his sweet, cute little brother ruined it all. 

"Oh, you're so awesome Jungkook! Maybe you could have a talk with my brother then! Tell him how awesome love is so he'll finally stop sleeping around all the time and get himself a boyfriend!"

No... no, no, no. "Tae! Stop it," Jimin ground out trough a faked smile. "Jungkook is still my boss, he doesn't have to know about everything." 

He glanced over at Jungkook, whose eyes had narrowed and Jimin's stomach dropped. He had the weird feeling he just made it worse.

"What?" Tae pouted, crossing his hands. "JK is our friend! And you don't have a problem with it, right?"

Jungkook took a slow, steading breath and with a fake smile said: "No problem. I would love to know more. So, Jimin, you like sleeping around?"

Jeez. Fuck! "I-I used to.. they'll make it sound worse than it is."

Hoseok snorted, his cheeks already red from the drinking. They were all a little tipsy already. "Ha! You keep calling me out for my one-night stands. Time for revenge. Jimin is so much worse than me! He's out like every weekend!"

Panic started to spread in Jimin's heart, unstoppable especially when Jin joined, seemingly unaware of Jimin about to loose his shit.

"Yeah. You know, I actually thought that dark haired stranger would satisfy you for a bit." 

Jungkook gaped, then chuckled loud and heavy. "Dark haired stranger?" he asked, raising his eyebrows with pursed lips, then took a deliberate sip from his beer. Jimin went very, very still, hoping he wouldn't catch on to what exactly Jin had ben saying, being too focused on the dark-haired stranger part. He could still safe this conversation... 

"Yeah, well, nothing special. Now, who wants some more Cheetos?" He went to stand but, Tae pulled him down with a smile, giggling absolutely unaware. 

"Avoiding the topic again, hmm? You're such a liar Jimin. You said he was the best you ever had."

He could swear Namjoon mumbled a "sweet Lord," under his breath and Yoongi's eyes said the same thing.

And Jungkook- he was grinning like a damn fool. 

"And I would really like to stop talking about this!" Jimin hissed out, and finally the other's picked up on Jimin's expression and mood. 

"Hey," Jin offered, trying to lighten the situation. "Why are you so mad? We're not judging you. We never have."

"Yeah," Tae added, patting his shoulders in comfort. "I mean, I want you to find love, but I'm not blaming you for having some fun."

"Yeah Jimin," Jungkook chuckled, and his eyes glittered with mischief as he added: "What's wrong with a little bit of fun?"

That son of a bitch! "Nothing, I suppose," he ground out, hoping- begging, they would change topics. 

"See?" Hoseok beamed pointing at Jungkook. "No problem and no blame.""But..." Jin added and shot him his 'mother' look, shaking his finger like he was warning him.  Jimin's stomach dropped. No... please no...

"I won't ever let you leave the house dressed like last week."

Jimin's head snapped around to Jungkook, who was still smiling, before he realized what Jin had said. His eyebrows narrowed, a shadow falling over his face before he slowly looked over to Jimin. "Last week?"

Oh... Oh fuck!

His eyes flew wide at seeing Jimin's horrid expression- the guilt and shame he couldn't hide. "Damn it," Yoongi breathed under his breath and he saw him and Namjoon shared a glance, the other boy looking as shocked as Jungkook did, only making the connection now. 

"You went out last week?" Jungkook asked again, very slowly, very calmly, even though he knew he was anything but. Tae laughed, obvious and not picking up on the changing atmosphere."Stayed at some guys place again, no doubt. He was out all night. My brother is a bit of a wild one."Jungkook sucked in a breath, sharp and quick, before his eyes narrowed on Jimin.

"I- look... I-"  Jimin stuttered, no idea how to talk himself out of it. 

"What.. what's going on?" Tae asked confused, skipping his head between Jungkook and Jimin. 

Jungkook had grabbed the bottle in his hands so hard, his knuckled were turning white and the look on his face...Jimin screwed up. Screwed up royally!Jungkook didn't look mad- he looked absolutely enraged, his breathing turning heavier and heavier as he glared at Jimin. 

"JK?" Namjoon let out in a tight voice, shaking his friend. "Take it easy."

"You went out last weekend? Last Saturday? Really?" Jungkook only hissed again and his anger- it just had a way of fueling his. "So what?" he hissed back and Yoongi cursed before turning to him and whispered urgently under his breath: "Stop it, Jimin."

Jungkook growled so murderous, everyone flinched, save for Jimin who stared him down. "So I wasn't enough for you, hmm Jimin? You had to crawl into some strangers bed only a few hours after you were in mine?"

Shit. Fuck. Everyone gasped in utter shock at the words. Double Fuck. 

But Jimin was mad. Mad and angry, mostly at himself, but also at this whole situation. He jumped to his feet, his hands balled into fists.

"You have no right to say that, Jungkook. You're the one with the fucking fiancé !"

Jungkook snarled and jumped to his feet too, stepping towards him to tower over him. "A fiancé I don't love and have never even slept with, you stupid idiot! Is that why you were so mad on Monday? Is that why you came storming in my office and hit me?"Jungkook's voice had risen to a shout, and Jimin matched his in rising volume. 

"I hit you because you're a freaking self-observed prick who thinks the whole world just turns around you! So what if I slept with someone else? It's not like we ever made any promises to each other. This thing between us was never anything more than fun!"

Jungkook snarled and rushed him, grabbing him by his neck as he slammed him into the wall. He heard the other's shouts of surprised and disbelieve only in the back of his mind, captured by that look on Jungkook's face. 

Hurt. He never seen someone so hurt as he screamed with shimmering tears: "It wasn't just fun for me, Jimin!" Jimin's anger flew away like a blown out candle as the words settled in. As an angry, hurt tear slipped down Jungkook's face. "I fucking care about you, Okay? I didn't plan to, but you just... you just.. fuck!" 

He pushed away, leaving Jimin leaning into the wall in utter shock. He what? 

"Jungkook, clam down," Namjoon tried, coming to his friends side, but Jungkook slapped his hand away and with a last devastated look to Jimin, turned on his heels and stormed to the front door, ripped it open and left. 

Jimin stood there, shaking all over as he tried to understand what just happened. 

"Fuck," Namjoon groaned, pulling at his hair and staring at the door Jungkook had disappeared too. Yoongi had stood too and was shaking his head with a worried, sad expression, like this was something he had feared from the beginning. 

The other's- They all sat on the floor, staring at Jimin wide eyed, utterly perplexed. 

"J-Jimin and.. J-Jungkook?" Tae gasped out, like he still couldn't believe it. 

"Wait," Jin croaked out, his voice trembling with disbelieve. "Jungkook is the guy you met at the club two week ago?"

"He's... the boy trouble?" Hoseok added wide eyed. 

And Jimin... Jimin was still going over Jungkook's words- seeing his hurt expression. 

Yoongi groaned, holding his head like it hurt. "That's why I told you to tell him, Jimin!"

Namjoon snapped around in surprise, then hurt. "You knew? And you didn't stop this?"

Yoongi snorted. "I told Jimin a thousand times, but this wasn't my secret to tell, just like you never told Jin about this either."

Namjoon had opened his mouth, but snapped it shut at the last part, glancing down to his boyfriend with an apologetic expression. "Sorry, babe. It wasn't my place to tell."

"You knew?" Jin let out, then skipped his eyes to Yoongi. "And you did too?" Both boys glanced at the floor in shame, but nodded. 

"Oh.. Jesus Fucking Christ!" Hoseok let out, summoning up everyone's thoughts. 

Then Namjoon turned back to Jimin with a sad and yet accusatory look. "Why Jimin? Why would you do something so stupid?"

Jimin still stood there. Jungkook... cared. He cared about him. 

Slowly he looked up at everyone. "Did he just... did he just tell me he likes me?"His voice sounded as disbelieving as he felt. 

Namjoon sighed, deep and sad. "No Jimin. He doesn't just like you. I've known Jungkook for over ten years now and I've never seen him like this. Never seen him loose it like that. No. He doesn't like you, he's in love with you, you idiot."

Jimin didn't know how to breath, but still gasped for air. Impossible. He chose Ji-Eun. He was still engaged to her and had not made a move to stop it. But Namjoon was his best friend...And what he had seen in Jungkook's eyes just now... 

Jimin pushed of the wall and ran to the wardrobe next to the front door, grabbing his jacked and pulled out his keys. 

"What are you doing?" Yoongi asked as he and all the boys came to the hallway where Jimin was trying to put his shoes on in a frenzied hurry. Jungkook loved him. Jungkook cared. Jungkook was hurt because he thought this was just fun for him after all. 

"I have to go to him. Namjoon," he called out, righting himself and staring at the boy in plea. "Where did he go? You know him best. Tell me," 

Namjoon let out a long sigh, then shook his head. "It' not a good idea, Jimin. Let him cool of first.""No," Jimin snapped. "I have to see him now. Tell me where he went."

"Damn it, Jimin." Yoongi groaned exasperated. "For once, fucking listen! Don't do this now! He's hurt and angry. Nothing good will come out of it.""But I have to tell him!" Jimin screamed, unable to stop the tears and the sobs. 

"Tell him what?" Jin asked slowly, and Jimin couldn't stop it. Couldn't stop the truth he had known ever since he went out that weekend. "I didn't sleep with anyone else!"

There was a moment of dead silence, before Tae snapped out of his stupor first. "But... you only came home Sunday morning?"

"Yes!" Jimin cried, overwhelmed by his own emotions. "Yes, because I went to some strangers house and couldn't sleep with him, because Jungkook was all I could think about. So I left. I left and wandered around the city for the whole night, trying to forget him."

Another long shocked silence, before Yoongi connected the dots. "That's why you were so angry on Monday. Not because you felt guilty. Because you realized you loved him."

And what was the point in denying the obvious? He nodded. 

Namjoon groaned then hurried back to the table, grabbing for a napkin and a pen, scribbling something before rushing back to Jimin and handed it to him. "He's at his apartment in Songpa. Go. Jungkook is good at many things, but dealing with his feelings isn't one of them." 

"Something they clearly share," Jin let out on a breath, but Jimin had already turned and ripped open the door. Jungkook was all he could think about- had been able to think about ever since he met him. 

And Jimin knew it was already way too late for him. There was no walking away from him. There was no leaving him without breaking his own heart. He was way beyond that. 

_________________

I just love it when the truth comes out and everyone is like: