bangtan mod (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
bangtanmod) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
bangtanexchange2015-02-24 08:02 pm
bangtanmod) wrote in bangtanexchange2015-02-24 08:02 pm
Entry tags:
for rin-cakes: this summer's crazy, man
Title: this summer's crazy, man
Recipient:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
rin_cakes
Pairing: Jimin/Jungkook
Rating: PG-13
Word count: 4.2k
Warnings: underage drinking, minors kissing under the influence of alcohol
Summary: jungkook is cool, calm, and confident, and jimin is sick of it. high school dance crew au.
Author's notes: “high school dance crew au” more like an excuse to write jimin as a nervous kid on summer break (the title is from 'summer madness' by beenzino and i can't believe that song isn't translated into english anywhere). i hope you like this, recipient!! >//< i don't have a lot of writing experience but this was a fun challenge for me, so i hope you enjoy it too and that it's anything like what you were looking for!
"Can you get me a milkshake?" Jimin mumbles to no one in particular, his eyes already closed as he flops loosely into a chair outside of the CU. Sweaty and exhausted, he throws his head back and lets his body melt into the dirty plastic furniture. Seconds later something cold and heavy is dropped into his lap.
"Pick," comes Taehyung's voice, and Jimin—with great effort—lifts one eye open to take a look at the two packets. After a second, he tosses the cookies and cream Seolleim packet back to Taehyung and starts kneading the vanilla one for himself. He catches Jungkook's disgusted look before closing his eye again but is too exhausted to care.
"I don't know why you two keep eating those after every practice," Jungkook says disapprovingly, taking a swig of his Powerade.
"Like that blue sugar water is any better," Jimin responds sleepily before Hoseok clears his throat loudly and Jungkook mutters something under his breath about replenishing electrolytes.
"That was a really awesome run-through," Hoseok says, ignoring the squabbling with an air of practiced patience. "I think we'll be ready for Hongdae next weekend if you guys are still up for it."
Every muscle and bone in Jimin's body aches, but the thought of dancing in Seoul, of attracting a crowd and hearing their cheers and applause just because of the way his body can move, makes his blood buzz and feel as though it's moving in every direction at once. In his opinion, there was no better way to spend summer break.
"Definitely," Jimin, Taehyung, and Jungkook say in unison. Hoseok grins.
The four of them sit around the wobbly plastic table discussing minute improvements they could make to their routine—Hoseok kindly but firmly shutting down all of Taehyung's more unique ideas and Jimin half-heartedly kicking at Jungkook's chair every time the kid suggests yet another way to bring himself into the spotlight—long enough for the sun to start sinking below the surrounding buildings. An employee comes out and lights a mosquito coil at their feet, the spicy lemongrass smell stinging Jimin's nostrils and making him finally open his eyes all the way.
"I hate when they do that," Taehyung complains loudly as the employee goes back inside and he starts swatting and scratching at his bare arms and legs. "I never notice the mosquitoes until they light that."
There is a moment of silent agreement before Jimin's stomach growls and he asks if anyone wants kimbap. He loses a round of rock, paper, scissors and peels his sticky, sweaty skin away from the chair to duck inside and buy it. He purposely selects four tuna triangles, knowing full well that Jungkook doesn't like mayonnaise, as payment for the earlier jab about the milkshakes.
When he's back at the door, Jimin sees that a lanky stranger with sun tanned skin and bleached blond hair is in his seat. A fifth chair had been pulled up to the table, filled by another unfamiliar person who looks shockingly like a small unhappy porcelain doll. After a moment's hesitation, Jimin turns around and buys two more kimbap triangles.
He drops the bag on the table and pulls up a sixth chair as Hoseok introduces Jimin to his friends, Namjoon and Yoongi, who gratefully take the offered kimbap. Jimin does not fail to notice that Jungkook manages to sneak a spam-filled triangle and curses the convenience store for not having six tuna ones in stock.
"So what are you guys up to?" Namjoon asks as he takes a bite. Hoseok had explained to the dancers that the other two were part of the rap crew Hoseok was also in, and Jimin can hear it in this guy's voice. Even through a mouthful of rice, his voice is low and even and rhythmic in a way that is pulling at the lids of Jimin's eyes again.
"We just finished a practice," Hoseok shrugs. "I don't think we've decided on doing anything else."
"Do you guys want to come hang out at my apartment?" Namjoon offers as he swallows down the rest of his kimbap. "It's not very big, but I've got aircon and no mosquitoes.”
The rest of the table looks around at each other, shrugging and nodding, and Jimin is definitely awake now.
"All right, cool," says Namjoon happily. "Let me pick up some stuff and then we can catch the bus back to my place."
Yoongi follows Namjoon into the store, the bells chiming loudly against the glass door, and Hoseok gives the other three a brief low-down on his friends: "Namjoon is our crew's leader, and he just finished his first semester at university studying music production, and he's basically the world's chillest dude. Yoongi is super talented too, but he's really lazy, and also he's in his second year studying photography, so he kind of just… is. Anyway, Taehyung, please try to contain yourself, and Jimin, please don't instigate Jungkook.”
“Hyung,” Jimin protests loudly. There are a hundred and one reasons why he should never be blamed for his spats with Jungkook, and he is just about to start listing them when Hoseok gives him a silencing look as if to say this is exactly what he meant.
“They're cool guys, so just… try to also be cool? Yeah?"
The others come back out a moment later, a bag held in each of their hands. Jimin sees that Yoongi's is filled with snacks, and then glances over to Namjoon's and spots several green bottles through the thin plastic. He immediately looks over to Taehyung, who is looking back at him with widening eyes.
"Do you… do you know we're still in high school, hyung?" Jimin asks, suddenly apprehensive. He knows he must sound every inch the high school second year he is but feels it has to be said anyway.
"Is there a problem?" Yoongi drawls, and Jimin starts as he realizes this is the first time he's heard Yoongi speak.
"No," Jungkook says quickly, glaring at Jimin as Hoseok squeezes Jimin's shoulder. "We don't have any problems."
"Okay," Namjoon says neutrally. "We have to catch the 20 or 50 bus, so let's get going."
Jimin stands up, rifling through his backpack for his T-money card and a handful of coins to shove into Taehyung's hand before the kid can open his mouth to ask for them. Then he strides off after the others, telling himself the sweat running down his back is from the heat and humidity, still heavy and thick against his skin even as the night's first stars glitter above him, and not because of the bag swinging from Namjoon's hand or the annoyingly sure calmness radiating from Jungkook beside him.
“Can't you even pretend to be a tiny bit nervous?” Jimin whispers in Jungkook's ear, feeling embarrassingly like a puppy as he nearly jogs to keep up with Jungkook's long-legged pace behind the hyungs.
“But I'm not a tiny bit nervous,” Jungkook replies levelly.
“Key word pretend,” Jimin stresses, and then a horrifying thought comes to him. “Wait, why aren't you nervous, anyway? You've haven't drank before, have you?”
Jungkook rolls his eyes at him patronizingly but doesn't answer, waving an impatient hand toward the older boys now standing still in front of them—they'd reached the bus stop, Jimin realizes—and Jimin only feels more anxious.
Namjoon's apartment is, in addition to definitely not being very big, a complete mess. Every surface of the one-room studio is covered with clothing, CDs, torn and crumpled pieces of notebook paper, and empty water bottles.
"Is this a joke?" Hoseok asks as Namjoon starts gathering together the clothes from the floor and bed.
Namjoon slides open the glass door to his small laundry room and throws the armful of clothes in. "You're worse than Seokjin," he says, tugging a dark curtain down over the closed doors and taking three steps to his kitchen to grab cups.
"I don't know how he stands coming over here," Hoseok mutters, looking disapprovingly at the sink filled with unwashed dishes. "How does he cook here?"
"You know he doesn't," Yoongi grins as he messes with the aircon remote. There's a series of electronic beeps and cool air begins to blow across Jimin's sweaty skin. "Namjoon has to cab it there every night."
Jungkook smirks and nods knowingly, and Jimin feels both annoyed and slow until he looks over at Taehyung and sees him give a bewildered shrug.
"Anyway," Namjoon says loudly, opening a bottle of soju and idly twisting the metal ring attached to the lid. "Do you all want peach juice or Chilsung?"
The boys assemble around Namjoon's coffee table, and Namjoon passes out drinks. Jimin notes the table is the only piece of furniture in the entire apartment aside from the bed, an open wardrobe, and a bookcase in the corner of the kitchen. The wardrobe is surprising full and the bookcase contains only ramyun packets and pre-cooked rice.
"Here you go," Namjoon says, turning to face Jimin and handing him the soju bottle lid.
Jimin looks down at the lid, which he has absolutely no idea what to do with, and looks up at Hoseok and Taehyung across the coffee table with silent pleading his eyes.
"You flick it," Jungkook says bossily, grabbing the cap out of his hands to show him.
"All right, all right," Jimin mumbles, feeling his ears redden as he grabs the cap back hastily. "Not all of us have older brothers, okay?"
"So what do you guys want to do?" Namjoon asks, ignoring all of this as the bottle cap travels around the table.
Yoongi, however, is surveying the two younger boys beside him with a look of barely suppressed glee. "Who wants to play Never Have I Ever?"
"Come on, hyung, we haven't even had one drink yet," Hoseok protests quickly, taking in Yoongi's facial expression with a hint of alarm.
"Ah!" Taehyung cries. The ring had detached from the soju lid with his flick, landing with a tiny splash in his untouched glass of soju and peach juice.
"Drink," Yoongi commands triumphantly, and Taehyung fishes the metal ring out of his cup before sipping deeply.
"What better way to get to know each other?" Namjoon asks innocently, refilling Taehyung's drink.
"Fine," says Hoseok evenly. "Never have I ever tried to get three underage kids wasted because I thought it would be funny."
Yoongi and Namjoon clink their glasses together with a smile and drink. Jimin frowns.
"Do you know how this game works, at least?" Jungkook mutters in his ear.
"I got it, thanks," Jimin hisses, shoving Jungkook out of his face. He doesn't, but he would rather die than admit it and receive yet another superior look. He says a silent prayer that he may figure out the rules before he's up.
"Never have I ever… rapped?" Taehyung says, shrugging, and Jimin is surprised he isn’t taking about being abducted by aliens or microwaving his underwear or something. He must be on his best behavior for Hoseok, which Jimin finds weirdly cute about also totally gross.
The three hyungs all nod and take their drinks. Wiping his hand across the back of his mouth, Namjoon asks, “You’ve never even tried it, though? You guys wanna?”
Jimin's heart stutters in his chest just as Jungkook leans closer to the table eagerly. "No," he says exactly as Jungkook and Taehyung say yes. Jimin glances over toward Hoseok, who looks amused, and feels betrayed.
"All right, here. I've got this beat I've been working on, I'll play it and we'll try a cypher. Age order," Namjoon instructs, nodding toward Yoongi who licks his lips and clears his throat as the beat begins to play.
Despite the distraction of his heart beating wildly somewhere his throat, Jimin is in awe. His exposure to rapping and hip hop had been pretty much limited to whatever Hoseok picks out for their dance routines and the survival shows he switches past when looking for something to watch on TV.
But this, this, the words tumbling out of Yoongi's mouth and the sheer speed at which his lips and tongue are twisting them out, makes his limbs itch to move along with them. As Namjoon and Hoseok take their turns, Jimin becomes so absorbed he almost forgets he's expected to do this himself.
Before any time at all had passed, however, it's his turn. The hyungs are staring at him and he feels his mouth dry up. His eyes wide with panic, he downs his drink and starts saying whatever he can think of, which is mostly half-hearted insults thrown in Taehyung's direction because he knows Taehyung won't care. After what feels like ten hours but is probably only ten seconds, he trails off and gives up, looking down at his feet as his face reddens and Yoongi and Namjoon howl with laughter.
"I don't think you should rap, man," says Yoongi, still laughing. "Let's hope you're a better dancer than you are a rapper."
Jimin feels Jungkook shake with suppressed mirth beside him and goes even redder, pinching Jungkook sharply under the table.
"No, no, listen, that was better than Seokjin, you're fine. I admire you for trying," Namjoon says, refilling Jimin's glass.
"It's true," Hoseok says, reaching across the table to ruffle his hair. "When Seokjin hyung raps, he mostly just introduces himself over and over again."
"Okay, my turn," Taehyung says then, generously taking the attention away from Jimin, and launches into a verse centered mostly on complimenting his hyungs. Jimin regrets not thinking of that himself.
Then, finally, it's Jungkook's turn, and Jimin is glad, mostly because he’s worried the kid is going to vibrate out of his skin with anticipation and he doesn’t want to witness that. Maybe also because he secretly hopes Jungkook will be terrible.
The minute Jungkook's mouth opens, though, Jimin freezes in dismayed shock at how good he is. The way the hyungs whoop and holler when Jungkook stretches out a second mention of the word "emcee" into a list of fashion brands sets a small fire of jealousy deep in Jimin's chest.
"You should come to our next practice," Yoongi says appreciatively, clapping Jungkook on the back. The youngest grins with unbridled pride and the fire inside Jimin grows.
"Okay, back to the original game. Who's up next?" Hoseok asks, glancing at Jimin with concern.
"Ah, my turn," says Namjoon. With a dimpled smile at Taehyung, he says, "Never have I ever danced in public."
Namjoon and Yoongi sit back while the other four drink, and before he understands what is happening, Jimin has been dragged to his feet by Taehyung. Jungkook is bragging about their upcoming performance in Hongdae, which they will now apparently be performing for the others. Namjoon's apartment is so small that they can't do half of the moves, but going through the motions of the routine calms down Jimin's still rapidly beating heart and dampens the fire in his chest. The applause from their audience at the end doesn't hurt, either.
Until Yoongi speaks up, that is. "It seems you have a slight hole in this group," he observes dryly.
Jimin sucks in his breath, suddenly even more self-conscious as his pulse quickens again, but then Jungkook is talking.
"We keep him around because Hoseok hyung likes the attention," he explains, nudging Taehyung good-naturedly. Jimin relaxes as Taehyung smiles his wide rectangular smile and Hoseok's cheeks pinken.
"Also because Jimin likes being better than someone at something," Jungkook adds slyly, and Jimin feels his heart stop again. He thinks it's probably going to explode before the night ends. This, this tiny messy apartment, is where he will die.
"Aish, you brat, respect your elders," he scoffs, swatting at Jungkook, trying to save face in front of the rest of the group as they laugh.
The game carries on, most of the boys saying very calculated things to get someone in particular to drink ("never have I ever dressed my dog in hair bows," "never have I ever broken a pair of sunglasses just by putting them on my face," "never have I ever stayed in bed through every single hour of sunlight in a day") in between mouthfuls of snacks until Jimin, his face very warm and his head very fuzzy, notices something.
"Wait a second," he says, placing a hand flat on Jungkook's chest, who is up next. "Let's go through the ones you've said so far." Slurring slightly, he holds up his hand and starts ticking down fingers as he lists things like "never have I ever failed an audition for something" and "never have I ever lost a sports game,” and the other four snicker into their drinks. "What's your next one going to be, Jungkookie? 'Never have I ever gotten less than 90 points on an exam?'"
"Never have I ever punched you in the face," Jungkook says in a low growl. Taehyung drinks cheerfully.
"Okay, okay," Hoseok says, the note of alarm back in his voice.
"Wait your turn," Yoongi says, his mouth twitching as his smile broadens. "Never have I ever kissed another dude."
Namjoon rolls his eyes at this, but Yoongi replies innocently with, “Hey, man, technicalities.” Taehyung and Namjoon both drink, and the constant mention of this Seokjin person finally clicks in Jimin's head.
“Never have I ever tried to play puppet master with the underage kids I'm getting wasted for fun,” Hoseok says warningly, and Namjoon and Yoongi drink again. After a second, Taehyung laughs and drinks too, and Jimin is instantly and deeply suspicious.
But Taehyung's next pick is an innocuous reference to the number of computer games Jungkook plays on a daily basis, and the game appears to be back on track for another few rounds until, suddenly, it's not.
“Never have I ever been locked in a dark closet with the boy I'm clearly interested in,” Taehyung sing-songs, the moment Jimin had started to relax. Jimin inwardly congratulates himself for never being wrong when it came to his best friend just as Namjoon seizes him to lift him up and gracelessly push him into the laundry room.
“What? Does it look like I have an actual closet?” Jimin hears Namjoon say defensively before he pushes Jungkook in there with him and locks the sliding door shut.
“What the fuck is this,” Jungkook says to Jimin, who shrugs in reply. “What the fuck is this,” Jungkook says again, this time loud enough for the others to hear him through the glass door.
“You really do need to learn to respect your elders, kid,” Yoongi calls back. “But to answer your question, we're not letting you two out until you kiss.”
Jimin realizes he should have seen this coming from a mile away, but still he feels himself blushing to the roots of his hair. He sits down heavily on the piles of Namjoon's clothes and watches Jungkook stare at the others through the door in horror. Taehyung waves and twitches the curtain back into place, shutting the two of them into darkness.
“What the fuck is this,” Jungkook says for a third time, pacing around the tiny laundry room, almost tripping over Jimin and falling into the washing machine.
“Sit down, you're making me nervous,” Jimin says, tugging at Jungkook's arm. “They'll get bored and let us out soon.”
“What if they don't? Have you even seen the look in Yoongi hyung's eyes?” Jungkook demands, but he sits down next to Jimin anyway.
“If sitting in the dark for a few minutes is so scary, you can always just get it over with and kiss me,” Jimin jokes.
Jungkook's eyes narrow. “You're enjoying this.”
“Of course I am,” Jimin says instantly. “This is the first time I've seen you fail at anything and it brings me immense joy.”
“I'm not failing to kiss you,” Jungkook says, spitting the word out like it's poisonous. “Not wanting to do something is very different from not being able to do it.”
Jimin falls silent, a little hurt despite himself, and leans back against the washing machine. He sees Taehyung lift the curtain up and drop it shut again before presumably reporting the lack of activity to the hyungs.
The minutes tick by, Taehyung looking in every so often to survey the situation, and Jimin’s eyes adjust to the darkness. He wonders if Jungkook wasn't right about Yoongi.
“I have to pee,” Jungkook whines loudly a quarter of an hour later.
“Sorry, you know the rules,” Yoongi's voice calls back, slightly muffled.
“Goddamnit it's just a stupid kiss,” Jimin complains. “Come on, just five seconds and we're free.”
Jungkook looks at the glass door, then at Jimin's face, then down at his lap and full bladder, then back to the glass door again.
“Fine,” he says thickly, sitting up on his knees.
Jimin did not expect this. He blinks several times before also sitting up on his knees, scooting closer to Jungkook and hearing his breath hitch slightly.
“What, are you finally nervous?” Jimin tries to joke again, but it comes out a little stilted and heavy as his own stupid heart skips for the thousandth time that night. He gives himself a little shake to clear his foggy head.
“Shut up,” Jungkook mutters. He inches forward.
“Do you actually like me or something?” Jimin asks, hoping it sounds teasing and not anxious.
“Get real.”
“Don't tell me it's your first kiss, then.”
Silence. It carries on for another beat, then three, then four, and Jimin sits back on his heels cackling with laughter. He barely registers Taehyung's concerned face peeking through the curtain as he continues to laugh.
“Are you done yet?” Jungkook hisses a minute later.
“I'm sorry,” Jimin says, dragging the back of his hand across his eyes. “It's just… you, Jeon Jungkook, King of the World and Better Than Everyone at Everything… It's not actually funny, it's just that I should have realized why you weren't rushing to show me how much better you are than me at kissing.”
“You don't know, I still might be,” Jungkook says petulantly.
“Fine,” Jimin says pleasantly. “Let's find out.” He sits back up, leaning toward Jungkook, who shrinks back into the laundry piles. Jimin keeps advancing until Jungkook is lying back on his elbows.
“What do you think you're doing?” Jungkook says in what Jimin is sure he meant to be a demanding tone, but mostly he just sounds nervous again.
“Do you have to pee or not?” Jimin responds evenly, pleased to finally have the upper hand. He watches Jungkook's Adam's apple bob in the dark as Jungkook swallows hard, and Jimin hooks a finger under Jungkook's chin to tilt his head up. Jimin is straddling him at this point, one knee on either side of Jungkook's hips, and he uses his other hand to brush Jungkook's hair back from his face.
Jungkook swallows again, his wide eyes shining in the dark as he looks up at Jimin, and nods silently.
Jimin lowers his head and brushes his lips softly across Jungkook's a few times, warm and dry and surprisingly soft, before adding more pressure. Jungkook is rigid, his mouth frozen shut and completely unyielding, and Jimin hears himself laughing again before he realizes he's even doing it.
“I will actually kill you,” Jungkook says flatly.
“I'm sorry, I'm sorry,” Jimin apologizes again. “Just… relax, okay? It's fine, you're fine, we're fine, and we never have to talk about this again if you don't want.”
Jungkook screws his eyes shut and furiously mouths something to himself. Jimin is sure it's some sort of curse directed at him and his entire family, but before he can ask, Jungkook is looking at him and nodding again.
Jimin doesn't know what exactly changed, but this time Jungkook actually responds to him, his mouth heated and pliant beneath his. Within seconds, Jungkook is grasping at Jimin's shoulders, pulling him closer, and Jimin is doing his best to press himself flatten against Jungkook who is now lying all the way back on the floor.
“I can't… I can't believe this worked,” comes Hoseok's voice suddenly.
Jimin instantly peels himself away from Jungkook, both of their heads snapping up in surprise. He blinks owlishly at the outlines of the others, dark against the fluorescent lighting of Namjoon’s apartment behind them. Neither him nor Jungkook, it seems, had heard the door unlock and slide back open.
“Everything I do, I do with great purpose,” Yoongi says simply. “In lieu of cash payment, please buy me dinner. Maybe next week when we do this again.” He glances meaningfully between Hoseok and Taehyung and laughs—somewhat maniacally, Jimin thinks.
Jungkook, looking up at all of them in horror, launches himself off of the ground and runs past them to escape into the bathroom.
“Between you and me, I think he's gonna want to talk to you about this again,” Namjoon whispers in Jimin's ear as he steps out of the laundry room. Jimin feels his face flush yet again and rubs at his chest, apologizing to his overworked heart and promising to treat it better the next day.
“If this screws us up in any way for Hongdae next week, I'm quitting the rap crew and bringing you all down with me,” Hoseok vows, ignoring Yoongi's continued laughter.
Behind him, Jungkook cracks the bathroom door open, one bright but terrified eye peeking through. He sees Jimin looking at him and closes the door again immediately with a barely audible squeak, and Jimin smiles.
Recipient:
rin_cakesPairing: Jimin/Jungkook
Rating: PG-13
Word count: 4.2k
Warnings: underage drinking, minors kissing under the influence of alcohol
Summary: jungkook is cool, calm, and confident, and jimin is sick of it. high school dance crew au.
Author's notes: “high school dance crew au” more like an excuse to write jimin as a nervous kid on summer break (the title is from 'summer madness' by beenzino and i can't believe that song isn't translated into english anywhere). i hope you like this, recipient!! >//< i don't have a lot of writing experience but this was a fun challenge for me, so i hope you enjoy it too and that it's anything like what you were looking for!
"Can you get me a milkshake?" Jimin mumbles to no one in particular, his eyes already closed as he flops loosely into a chair outside of the CU. Sweaty and exhausted, he throws his head back and lets his body melt into the dirty plastic furniture. Seconds later something cold and heavy is dropped into his lap.
"Pick," comes Taehyung's voice, and Jimin—with great effort—lifts one eye open to take a look at the two packets. After a second, he tosses the cookies and cream Seolleim packet back to Taehyung and starts kneading the vanilla one for himself. He catches Jungkook's disgusted look before closing his eye again but is too exhausted to care.
"I don't know why you two keep eating those after every practice," Jungkook says disapprovingly, taking a swig of his Powerade.
"Like that blue sugar water is any better," Jimin responds sleepily before Hoseok clears his throat loudly and Jungkook mutters something under his breath about replenishing electrolytes.
"That was a really awesome run-through," Hoseok says, ignoring the squabbling with an air of practiced patience. "I think we'll be ready for Hongdae next weekend if you guys are still up for it."
Every muscle and bone in Jimin's body aches, but the thought of dancing in Seoul, of attracting a crowd and hearing their cheers and applause just because of the way his body can move, makes his blood buzz and feel as though it's moving in every direction at once. In his opinion, there was no better way to spend summer break.
"Definitely," Jimin, Taehyung, and Jungkook say in unison. Hoseok grins.
The four of them sit around the wobbly plastic table discussing minute improvements they could make to their routine—Hoseok kindly but firmly shutting down all of Taehyung's more unique ideas and Jimin half-heartedly kicking at Jungkook's chair every time the kid suggests yet another way to bring himself into the spotlight—long enough for the sun to start sinking below the surrounding buildings. An employee comes out and lights a mosquito coil at their feet, the spicy lemongrass smell stinging Jimin's nostrils and making him finally open his eyes all the way.
"I hate when they do that," Taehyung complains loudly as the employee goes back inside and he starts swatting and scratching at his bare arms and legs. "I never notice the mosquitoes until they light that."
There is a moment of silent agreement before Jimin's stomach growls and he asks if anyone wants kimbap. He loses a round of rock, paper, scissors and peels his sticky, sweaty skin away from the chair to duck inside and buy it. He purposely selects four tuna triangles, knowing full well that Jungkook doesn't like mayonnaise, as payment for the earlier jab about the milkshakes.
When he's back at the door, Jimin sees that a lanky stranger with sun tanned skin and bleached blond hair is in his seat. A fifth chair had been pulled up to the table, filled by another unfamiliar person who looks shockingly like a small unhappy porcelain doll. After a moment's hesitation, Jimin turns around and buys two more kimbap triangles.
He drops the bag on the table and pulls up a sixth chair as Hoseok introduces Jimin to his friends, Namjoon and Yoongi, who gratefully take the offered kimbap. Jimin does not fail to notice that Jungkook manages to sneak a spam-filled triangle and curses the convenience store for not having six tuna ones in stock.
"So what are you guys up to?" Namjoon asks as he takes a bite. Hoseok had explained to the dancers that the other two were part of the rap crew Hoseok was also in, and Jimin can hear it in this guy's voice. Even through a mouthful of rice, his voice is low and even and rhythmic in a way that is pulling at the lids of Jimin's eyes again.
"We just finished a practice," Hoseok shrugs. "I don't think we've decided on doing anything else."
"Do you guys want to come hang out at my apartment?" Namjoon offers as he swallows down the rest of his kimbap. "It's not very big, but I've got aircon and no mosquitoes.”
The rest of the table looks around at each other, shrugging and nodding, and Jimin is definitely awake now.
"All right, cool," says Namjoon happily. "Let me pick up some stuff and then we can catch the bus back to my place."
Yoongi follows Namjoon into the store, the bells chiming loudly against the glass door, and Hoseok gives the other three a brief low-down on his friends: "Namjoon is our crew's leader, and he just finished his first semester at university studying music production, and he's basically the world's chillest dude. Yoongi is super talented too, but he's really lazy, and also he's in his second year studying photography, so he kind of just… is. Anyway, Taehyung, please try to contain yourself, and Jimin, please don't instigate Jungkook.”
“Hyung,” Jimin protests loudly. There are a hundred and one reasons why he should never be blamed for his spats with Jungkook, and he is just about to start listing them when Hoseok gives him a silencing look as if to say this is exactly what he meant.
“They're cool guys, so just… try to also be cool? Yeah?"
The others come back out a moment later, a bag held in each of their hands. Jimin sees that Yoongi's is filled with snacks, and then glances over to Namjoon's and spots several green bottles through the thin plastic. He immediately looks over to Taehyung, who is looking back at him with widening eyes.
"Do you… do you know we're still in high school, hyung?" Jimin asks, suddenly apprehensive. He knows he must sound every inch the high school second year he is but feels it has to be said anyway.
"Is there a problem?" Yoongi drawls, and Jimin starts as he realizes this is the first time he's heard Yoongi speak.
"No," Jungkook says quickly, glaring at Jimin as Hoseok squeezes Jimin's shoulder. "We don't have any problems."
"Okay," Namjoon says neutrally. "We have to catch the 20 or 50 bus, so let's get going."
Jimin stands up, rifling through his backpack for his T-money card and a handful of coins to shove into Taehyung's hand before the kid can open his mouth to ask for them. Then he strides off after the others, telling himself the sweat running down his back is from the heat and humidity, still heavy and thick against his skin even as the night's first stars glitter above him, and not because of the bag swinging from Namjoon's hand or the annoyingly sure calmness radiating from Jungkook beside him.
“Can't you even pretend to be a tiny bit nervous?” Jimin whispers in Jungkook's ear, feeling embarrassingly like a puppy as he nearly jogs to keep up with Jungkook's long-legged pace behind the hyungs.
“But I'm not a tiny bit nervous,” Jungkook replies levelly.
“Key word pretend,” Jimin stresses, and then a horrifying thought comes to him. “Wait, why aren't you nervous, anyway? You've haven't drank before, have you?”
Jungkook rolls his eyes at him patronizingly but doesn't answer, waving an impatient hand toward the older boys now standing still in front of them—they'd reached the bus stop, Jimin realizes—and Jimin only feels more anxious.
Namjoon's apartment is, in addition to definitely not being very big, a complete mess. Every surface of the one-room studio is covered with clothing, CDs, torn and crumpled pieces of notebook paper, and empty water bottles.
"Is this a joke?" Hoseok asks as Namjoon starts gathering together the clothes from the floor and bed.
Namjoon slides open the glass door to his small laundry room and throws the armful of clothes in. "You're worse than Seokjin," he says, tugging a dark curtain down over the closed doors and taking three steps to his kitchen to grab cups.
"I don't know how he stands coming over here," Hoseok mutters, looking disapprovingly at the sink filled with unwashed dishes. "How does he cook here?"
"You know he doesn't," Yoongi grins as he messes with the aircon remote. There's a series of electronic beeps and cool air begins to blow across Jimin's sweaty skin. "Namjoon has to cab it there every night."
Jungkook smirks and nods knowingly, and Jimin feels both annoyed and slow until he looks over at Taehyung and sees him give a bewildered shrug.
"Anyway," Namjoon says loudly, opening a bottle of soju and idly twisting the metal ring attached to the lid. "Do you all want peach juice or Chilsung?"
The boys assemble around Namjoon's coffee table, and Namjoon passes out drinks. Jimin notes the table is the only piece of furniture in the entire apartment aside from the bed, an open wardrobe, and a bookcase in the corner of the kitchen. The wardrobe is surprising full and the bookcase contains only ramyun packets and pre-cooked rice.
"Here you go," Namjoon says, turning to face Jimin and handing him the soju bottle lid.
Jimin looks down at the lid, which he has absolutely no idea what to do with, and looks up at Hoseok and Taehyung across the coffee table with silent pleading his eyes.
"You flick it," Jungkook says bossily, grabbing the cap out of his hands to show him.
"All right, all right," Jimin mumbles, feeling his ears redden as he grabs the cap back hastily. "Not all of us have older brothers, okay?"
"So what do you guys want to do?" Namjoon asks, ignoring all of this as the bottle cap travels around the table.
Yoongi, however, is surveying the two younger boys beside him with a look of barely suppressed glee. "Who wants to play Never Have I Ever?"
"Come on, hyung, we haven't even had one drink yet," Hoseok protests quickly, taking in Yoongi's facial expression with a hint of alarm.
"Ah!" Taehyung cries. The ring had detached from the soju lid with his flick, landing with a tiny splash in his untouched glass of soju and peach juice.
"Drink," Yoongi commands triumphantly, and Taehyung fishes the metal ring out of his cup before sipping deeply.
"What better way to get to know each other?" Namjoon asks innocently, refilling Taehyung's drink.
"Fine," says Hoseok evenly. "Never have I ever tried to get three underage kids wasted because I thought it would be funny."
Yoongi and Namjoon clink their glasses together with a smile and drink. Jimin frowns.
"Do you know how this game works, at least?" Jungkook mutters in his ear.
"I got it, thanks," Jimin hisses, shoving Jungkook out of his face. He doesn't, but he would rather die than admit it and receive yet another superior look. He says a silent prayer that he may figure out the rules before he's up.
"Never have I ever… rapped?" Taehyung says, shrugging, and Jimin is surprised he isn’t taking about being abducted by aliens or microwaving his underwear or something. He must be on his best behavior for Hoseok, which Jimin finds weirdly cute about also totally gross.
The three hyungs all nod and take their drinks. Wiping his hand across the back of his mouth, Namjoon asks, “You’ve never even tried it, though? You guys wanna?”
Jimin's heart stutters in his chest just as Jungkook leans closer to the table eagerly. "No," he says exactly as Jungkook and Taehyung say yes. Jimin glances over toward Hoseok, who looks amused, and feels betrayed.
"All right, here. I've got this beat I've been working on, I'll play it and we'll try a cypher. Age order," Namjoon instructs, nodding toward Yoongi who licks his lips and clears his throat as the beat begins to play.
Despite the distraction of his heart beating wildly somewhere his throat, Jimin is in awe. His exposure to rapping and hip hop had been pretty much limited to whatever Hoseok picks out for their dance routines and the survival shows he switches past when looking for something to watch on TV.
But this, this, the words tumbling out of Yoongi's mouth and the sheer speed at which his lips and tongue are twisting them out, makes his limbs itch to move along with them. As Namjoon and Hoseok take their turns, Jimin becomes so absorbed he almost forgets he's expected to do this himself.
Before any time at all had passed, however, it's his turn. The hyungs are staring at him and he feels his mouth dry up. His eyes wide with panic, he downs his drink and starts saying whatever he can think of, which is mostly half-hearted insults thrown in Taehyung's direction because he knows Taehyung won't care. After what feels like ten hours but is probably only ten seconds, he trails off and gives up, looking down at his feet as his face reddens and Yoongi and Namjoon howl with laughter.
"I don't think you should rap, man," says Yoongi, still laughing. "Let's hope you're a better dancer than you are a rapper."
Jimin feels Jungkook shake with suppressed mirth beside him and goes even redder, pinching Jungkook sharply under the table.
"No, no, listen, that was better than Seokjin, you're fine. I admire you for trying," Namjoon says, refilling Jimin's glass.
"It's true," Hoseok says, reaching across the table to ruffle his hair. "When Seokjin hyung raps, he mostly just introduces himself over and over again."
"Okay, my turn," Taehyung says then, generously taking the attention away from Jimin, and launches into a verse centered mostly on complimenting his hyungs. Jimin regrets not thinking of that himself.
Then, finally, it's Jungkook's turn, and Jimin is glad, mostly because he’s worried the kid is going to vibrate out of his skin with anticipation and he doesn’t want to witness that. Maybe also because he secretly hopes Jungkook will be terrible.
The minute Jungkook's mouth opens, though, Jimin freezes in dismayed shock at how good he is. The way the hyungs whoop and holler when Jungkook stretches out a second mention of the word "emcee" into a list of fashion brands sets a small fire of jealousy deep in Jimin's chest.
"You should come to our next practice," Yoongi says appreciatively, clapping Jungkook on the back. The youngest grins with unbridled pride and the fire inside Jimin grows.
"Okay, back to the original game. Who's up next?" Hoseok asks, glancing at Jimin with concern.
"Ah, my turn," says Namjoon. With a dimpled smile at Taehyung, he says, "Never have I ever danced in public."
Namjoon and Yoongi sit back while the other four drink, and before he understands what is happening, Jimin has been dragged to his feet by Taehyung. Jungkook is bragging about their upcoming performance in Hongdae, which they will now apparently be performing for the others. Namjoon's apartment is so small that they can't do half of the moves, but going through the motions of the routine calms down Jimin's still rapidly beating heart and dampens the fire in his chest. The applause from their audience at the end doesn't hurt, either.
Until Yoongi speaks up, that is. "It seems you have a slight hole in this group," he observes dryly.
Jimin sucks in his breath, suddenly even more self-conscious as his pulse quickens again, but then Jungkook is talking.
"We keep him around because Hoseok hyung likes the attention," he explains, nudging Taehyung good-naturedly. Jimin relaxes as Taehyung smiles his wide rectangular smile and Hoseok's cheeks pinken.
"Also because Jimin likes being better than someone at something," Jungkook adds slyly, and Jimin feels his heart stop again. He thinks it's probably going to explode before the night ends. This, this tiny messy apartment, is where he will die.
"Aish, you brat, respect your elders," he scoffs, swatting at Jungkook, trying to save face in front of the rest of the group as they laugh.
The game carries on, most of the boys saying very calculated things to get someone in particular to drink ("never have I ever dressed my dog in hair bows," "never have I ever broken a pair of sunglasses just by putting them on my face," "never have I ever stayed in bed through every single hour of sunlight in a day") in between mouthfuls of snacks until Jimin, his face very warm and his head very fuzzy, notices something.
"Wait a second," he says, placing a hand flat on Jungkook's chest, who is up next. "Let's go through the ones you've said so far." Slurring slightly, he holds up his hand and starts ticking down fingers as he lists things like "never have I ever failed an audition for something" and "never have I ever lost a sports game,” and the other four snicker into their drinks. "What's your next one going to be, Jungkookie? 'Never have I ever gotten less than 90 points on an exam?'"
"Never have I ever punched you in the face," Jungkook says in a low growl. Taehyung drinks cheerfully.
"Okay, okay," Hoseok says, the note of alarm back in his voice.
"Wait your turn," Yoongi says, his mouth twitching as his smile broadens. "Never have I ever kissed another dude."
Namjoon rolls his eyes at this, but Yoongi replies innocently with, “Hey, man, technicalities.” Taehyung and Namjoon both drink, and the constant mention of this Seokjin person finally clicks in Jimin's head.
“Never have I ever tried to play puppet master with the underage kids I'm getting wasted for fun,” Hoseok says warningly, and Namjoon and Yoongi drink again. After a second, Taehyung laughs and drinks too, and Jimin is instantly and deeply suspicious.
But Taehyung's next pick is an innocuous reference to the number of computer games Jungkook plays on a daily basis, and the game appears to be back on track for another few rounds until, suddenly, it's not.
“Never have I ever been locked in a dark closet with the boy I'm clearly interested in,” Taehyung sing-songs, the moment Jimin had started to relax. Jimin inwardly congratulates himself for never being wrong when it came to his best friend just as Namjoon seizes him to lift him up and gracelessly push him into the laundry room.
“What? Does it look like I have an actual closet?” Jimin hears Namjoon say defensively before he pushes Jungkook in there with him and locks the sliding door shut.
“What the fuck is this,” Jungkook says to Jimin, who shrugs in reply. “What the fuck is this,” Jungkook says again, this time loud enough for the others to hear him through the glass door.
“You really do need to learn to respect your elders, kid,” Yoongi calls back. “But to answer your question, we're not letting you two out until you kiss.”
Jimin realizes he should have seen this coming from a mile away, but still he feels himself blushing to the roots of his hair. He sits down heavily on the piles of Namjoon's clothes and watches Jungkook stare at the others through the door in horror. Taehyung waves and twitches the curtain back into place, shutting the two of them into darkness.
“What the fuck is this,” Jungkook says for a third time, pacing around the tiny laundry room, almost tripping over Jimin and falling into the washing machine.
“Sit down, you're making me nervous,” Jimin says, tugging at Jungkook's arm. “They'll get bored and let us out soon.”
“What if they don't? Have you even seen the look in Yoongi hyung's eyes?” Jungkook demands, but he sits down next to Jimin anyway.
“If sitting in the dark for a few minutes is so scary, you can always just get it over with and kiss me,” Jimin jokes.
Jungkook's eyes narrow. “You're enjoying this.”
“Of course I am,” Jimin says instantly. “This is the first time I've seen you fail at anything and it brings me immense joy.”
“I'm not failing to kiss you,” Jungkook says, spitting the word out like it's poisonous. “Not wanting to do something is very different from not being able to do it.”
Jimin falls silent, a little hurt despite himself, and leans back against the washing machine. He sees Taehyung lift the curtain up and drop it shut again before presumably reporting the lack of activity to the hyungs.
The minutes tick by, Taehyung looking in every so often to survey the situation, and Jimin’s eyes adjust to the darkness. He wonders if Jungkook wasn't right about Yoongi.
“I have to pee,” Jungkook whines loudly a quarter of an hour later.
“Sorry, you know the rules,” Yoongi's voice calls back, slightly muffled.
“Goddamnit it's just a stupid kiss,” Jimin complains. “Come on, just five seconds and we're free.”
Jungkook looks at the glass door, then at Jimin's face, then down at his lap and full bladder, then back to the glass door again.
“Fine,” he says thickly, sitting up on his knees.
Jimin did not expect this. He blinks several times before also sitting up on his knees, scooting closer to Jungkook and hearing his breath hitch slightly.
“What, are you finally nervous?” Jimin tries to joke again, but it comes out a little stilted and heavy as his own stupid heart skips for the thousandth time that night. He gives himself a little shake to clear his foggy head.
“Shut up,” Jungkook mutters. He inches forward.
“Do you actually like me or something?” Jimin asks, hoping it sounds teasing and not anxious.
“Get real.”
“Don't tell me it's your first kiss, then.”
Silence. It carries on for another beat, then three, then four, and Jimin sits back on his heels cackling with laughter. He barely registers Taehyung's concerned face peeking through the curtain as he continues to laugh.
“Are you done yet?” Jungkook hisses a minute later.
“I'm sorry,” Jimin says, dragging the back of his hand across his eyes. “It's just… you, Jeon Jungkook, King of the World and Better Than Everyone at Everything… It's not actually funny, it's just that I should have realized why you weren't rushing to show me how much better you are than me at kissing.”
“You don't know, I still might be,” Jungkook says petulantly.
“Fine,” Jimin says pleasantly. “Let's find out.” He sits back up, leaning toward Jungkook, who shrinks back into the laundry piles. Jimin keeps advancing until Jungkook is lying back on his elbows.
“What do you think you're doing?” Jungkook says in what Jimin is sure he meant to be a demanding tone, but mostly he just sounds nervous again.
“Do you have to pee or not?” Jimin responds evenly, pleased to finally have the upper hand. He watches Jungkook's Adam's apple bob in the dark as Jungkook swallows hard, and Jimin hooks a finger under Jungkook's chin to tilt his head up. Jimin is straddling him at this point, one knee on either side of Jungkook's hips, and he uses his other hand to brush Jungkook's hair back from his face.
Jungkook swallows again, his wide eyes shining in the dark as he looks up at Jimin, and nods silently.
Jimin lowers his head and brushes his lips softly across Jungkook's a few times, warm and dry and surprisingly soft, before adding more pressure. Jungkook is rigid, his mouth frozen shut and completely unyielding, and Jimin hears himself laughing again before he realizes he's even doing it.
“I will actually kill you,” Jungkook says flatly.
“I'm sorry, I'm sorry,” Jimin apologizes again. “Just… relax, okay? It's fine, you're fine, we're fine, and we never have to talk about this again if you don't want.”
Jungkook screws his eyes shut and furiously mouths something to himself. Jimin is sure it's some sort of curse directed at him and his entire family, but before he can ask, Jungkook is looking at him and nodding again.
Jimin doesn't know what exactly changed, but this time Jungkook actually responds to him, his mouth heated and pliant beneath his. Within seconds, Jungkook is grasping at Jimin's shoulders, pulling him closer, and Jimin is doing his best to press himself flatten against Jungkook who is now lying all the way back on the floor.
“I can't… I can't believe this worked,” comes Hoseok's voice suddenly.
Jimin instantly peels himself away from Jungkook, both of their heads snapping up in surprise. He blinks owlishly at the outlines of the others, dark against the fluorescent lighting of Namjoon’s apartment behind them. Neither him nor Jungkook, it seems, had heard the door unlock and slide back open.
“Everything I do, I do with great purpose,” Yoongi says simply. “In lieu of cash payment, please buy me dinner. Maybe next week when we do this again.” He glances meaningfully between Hoseok and Taehyung and laughs—somewhat maniacally, Jimin thinks.
Jungkook, looking up at all of them in horror, launches himself off of the ground and runs past them to escape into the bathroom.
“Between you and me, I think he's gonna want to talk to you about this again,” Namjoon whispers in Jimin's ear as he steps out of the laundry room. Jimin feels his face flush yet again and rubs at his chest, apologizing to his overworked heart and promising to treat it better the next day.
“If this screws us up in any way for Hongdae next week, I'm quitting the rap crew and bringing you all down with me,” Hoseok vows, ignoring Yoongi's continued laughter.
Behind him, Jungkook cracks the bathroom door open, one bright but terrified eye peeking through. He sees Jimin looking at him and closes the door again immediately with a barely audible squeak, and Jimin smiles.
YAAAAAAAS
(Anonymous) 2015-02-25 03:07 am (UTC)(link)AND JUNGKOOK AHHHHH he's such a little shithead, I love it! I can totally see him freezing up in a situation like that. And the ending was great, almost makes me wish there was more but the ending is so perfect that I don't know if there should be more? Idk man but it's great. Thank you so much :D
no subject
also loved jungkook being a lil shit and then completely shutting down in the laundry room, bc accurate tbh lmfao
ahh this was a nice read ♥
no subject
no subject