Straight Until Proven Gay (kissing doesn’t count) • chapter 20 • 5.2K (Patreon)

< Chapter 19

——————

Ah, how does he deal with this?

Jimin and his smug smile and that twinkle in his eyes is way more dangerous than Jimin who just ignores his existence.

Jeongguk watches him walk towards their other teammates, hypnotised by the elegance of his silhouette. It strikes him then that he knows Jimin is a dance major, yet he’s never once seen him dance. He doesn’t even know what type of dance, even though Taehyung probably mentioned it a hundred times.

He should really work on striking up a normal conversation with Jimin.

Maybe next time.

When he finds Hoseok in the crowd he just walks up to him and rests his head on his shoulder, groan escaping him.

“What? Couldn’t find Jimin?”

“No I did.”

“Really?” Hoseok grabs his shoulders, makes him look up. “How did it go?”

He looks over the crowd on the dance floor, sees Jimin talking to Yonghoon. However, as if Jimin can sense his stare, he instantly turns his head and makes eye contact across the room.

Fuck.

He quickly looks back at Hoseok, who just snorts.

“So, it went well.”

“Sort of. I didn’t tell him everything though.”

“You don’t have to, we’ll be here another 4 days. Let’s just grab a drink and enjoy our time.”

Hoseok nods towards the bar, and Jeongguk thinks that maybe, yeah, he deserves a drink.

They head towards the bar, order some beers, and as Hoseok clinks their glasses together he gives him a smile.

“To you, finally figuring out you like dick at the ripe age of 22.”

Jeongguk chokes on his first sip.

Hoseok just snickers.

“Don’t call it ripe, how old were you when you came out?”

“12, I think.”

Jeongguk blinks.

“Damn.”

“Yeah, then again, I didn’t have your mom, so.”

A cold shiver runs down his spine at the mention. He hasn’t dared to check his phone since he blocked her, it’s on airplane mode in his pocket.

“Are you gonna tell Taehyungie soon?”

“Mm? Oh, yeah, I should..”

He looks down at his drink, something slightly uncomfortable twists inside of him.

“What is it?” Hoseok asks, nudging his shoulder. “You know he doesn’t mind, right?”

“I know.”

That’s not even it. He bites on his tongue.

“It’s just.. I think I.. used to like him.”

“You mean Tae?”

Jeongguk nods.

Hoseok looks at him like he wants to say something, but he just nods instead, says a barely believable “ooh really?”

“You knew that too, huh?”

“Yeah, sorry.”

Jeongguk sighs, pinches the bridge of his nose. Can’t believe he’s been in denial for years while Hoseok just knew all along.

“Was it that obvious, then?”

“Mm.. yes and no? I mean, you hated all of his boyfriends.”

Oh, right.

He feels slightly embarrassed.

“They were shit, though.”

“Yeah, but no straight guy gets that passionate about it.”

“Really? But isn’t that normal? I want my friends to be loved right.”

Hoseok chuckles.

“Why are you defending yourself? You’re the one who said you used to like Tae.”

Jeongguk purses his lips, feels his cheeks burn.

“Yeah, but, it’s annoying that I only just found out while you already knew.”

Hoseok takes a sip of his beer, shrugs then.

“Well, okay, I must say, it wasn’t as obvious as your blinding crush on Jimin.”

“Sssh.”

He looks around, just to make sure Jimin is still out of range.

“Oh come on, as if he doesn’t know.”

He whips his head back to Hoseok, who just gives him a raise of his brow, small smirk.

“He doesn’t. And he won’t. So.”

“Right.” Hoseok draws the word out. “You’re going to ask me to switch tents again before the end of this trip.”

Jeongguk feels his heartbeat pick up, memories of the night before invading his mind.

“I- I’m not gonna ask. I don’t want to switch tents again, I sleep better next to you.”

“Oh Jeonggukie, I’m willing to bet on it.”

Hoseok just stares at him, and that smug, confident expression pisses him off.

“Fine.” He offers a hand. “If I win, I’m giving you your first tattoo.”

The grin is wiped off Hoseok’s lips immediately, and for a second it seems like he wants to back out. But then, he shakes his hand.

“If I win, you have to tell Jimin you love him.”

Fuck.

He stares at Hoseok, wide-eyed, long enough to see that smirk reappear.

“Deal?”

He pokes his tongue in his cheek, pretends he doesn’t feel those nerves everywhere in his body.

“Fine. Deal.”

They shake on it, and then Hoseok’s eyes shift to something over his shoulder.

“My cue to leave, see you later.”

Hoseok just walks off, gives him a grin, and before he can ask, he feels a shift in the atmosphere.

There really is some sort of voodoo going on because he can always tell when Jimin is near, somehow all the hairs on his body just stand up straight, the air gets harder to breathe.

“Two beers please.”

That smooth voice sounds close behind him, so close that he can’t pretend he didn’t hear.

He slowly turns.

Jimin is leaning on the bar, looking right at him. Pretty blonde hair pushed back, a few locks curling elegantly around his brow bone. He’s got that pretty blush on his cheeks that he gets when-

yeah.

good. good thoughts.

and his dark brown eyes are glinting in that way that always has him on edge.

The silence stretches and he feels nerves spreading through his body, clears his throat.

“You.. uh..having fun?”

That’s the best he can muster. For some reason talking to Jimin feels like the hardest thing ever. He forgets what human interaction is supposed to be like when it comes to him.

Jimin chuckles softly.

“Yeah, you?”

“Yeah.”

Good. That went well.

He nods once more, then just takes a sip of his beer because, what else is there to say?

Jimin studies him up and down, then snorts.

“How did you ever manage to get a girlfriend?”

Jeongguk blinks, slightly offended.

“What do you mean?”

“You have zero conversation skills. What did you and Jae even talk about?”

“Lots of stuff.”

“Yeah? Like what?”

“Like..”

He trails off, needs to think about last time he had a normal conversation with her. But all that comes to mind is how they used to argue all the time.

Jimin quirks a brow, small smirk spreads on his lips the longer he stays silent.

“Like?”

“Games, and stuff.”

“And stuff.”

“Yeah, like volley, or about her job.”

Jimin nods slowly, still with that smug look on his face.

“Riveting.”

Jeongguk burns up a little, feels pressured to say something else.

“And, you know, fun things too, movies and stuff.”

“And stuff.”

“Shut up.”

Jimin chuckles.

“Okay, so, your conversations were just as bland as your sex life, I gather.”

“It- it wasn’t that bland.” He stresses, a bit too proud to admit. “Just because I don’t have foursomes.”

“Mm.” Jimin hums, smiling as if he’s reminiscing it. “Last time we spoke about it you said you couldn’t remember the last time she sucked your dick.”

Jeongguk almost chokes on his spit. Hates that Jimin remembers that conversation so well. He quickly takes a sip of his beer.

“Any changes?”

Jimin asks, tapping his fingers against the wooden bar.

“We broke up like, right after that conversation so, no.”

“Yeah but you must have fucked some other girls in the meantime, right?”

Fuck, he’s not nearly drunk enough for this conversation.

“Oh..” Jimin’s eyes widen, and then a glint appears in them. “.. just me?”

“Not- like, not just you. I mean.. there was Seo-eun.”

Heat flares up his face, and Jimin seems to revel in it, because that annoying lazy smirk plays on his lips right after.

“Right. I was there.”

“Yeah.”

How humiliating, the only time he had a girl after Jae was with Jimin.

“Did she blow you? I can’t remember.”

“She did.”

Not that he can remember that well either, but he remembers that dark look in Jimin’s eyes, something that looked like jealousy.

“Must have missed it since you were fingering my mouth.”

Oh.

The imagery instantly makes it back to his mind; Jimin’s plump lips wrapped around his index and middle finger, how he sucked them into his mouth.

Arousal slowly licks down his body. He bites the inside of his cheek in attempts to stay sane.

“Sorry, we were talking about your thrilling conversations with your ex, we seem to have trailed off.”

Jimin says then, as if he didn’t just intentionally derail this conversation.

“You trailed off.”

“Bad habit, I like talking about sex.”

Jeongguk swallows, still doesn’t know how to compose himself around Jimin.

“But if you’re curious about me, you can just ask something else, you know?”

Jimin says then, giving him a wink right after.

Butterflies.

Man, is it embarrassing to know that feeling. He looks down at the bar, tries to muster the confidence, because he’s been dying to have a normal conversation for once.

“You.. you major in dance right?”

Jimin blinks a few times, and then he chuckles.

Fuck, did he remember wrong?

“What? You don’t?”

“No, I do. I just didn’t expect the question after all this time.”

“Oh, sorry.”

“Don’t apologise, I like it.”

There is a type of air around Jimin that makes him almost more nervous than their previous conversation. Something about the sincere smile on his lips, it’s making his heartbeat increase.

“So.. uh.. what type of dance?”

He asks.

“I major in contemporary, but I can do other styles too.”

Jeongguk hums, almost looks down at Jimin’s legs.

“Isn’t contemporary like ballet?”

“Not entirely.” Jimin shakes his head. “contemporary is more of a blend of genres, but it does use ballet techniques yeah.”

“Ah.”

He nods. Can definitely see Jimin do something along the lines of ballet, he has that elegance about him, something about the lines he makes with his body when he walks.

“So.. after you graduate, what do you want to do?”

Jimin’s eyes glint with something else, small smile pulls on his lips.

“Not sure yet, but I’d love to travel around and perform on stage, so..”

“Like an idol?”

“More like, in dance competitions, big productions, things like that.”

Something tugs at his chest a bit as he sees that spark in Jimin’s eyes. He can tell it’s his passion, and it reminds him kind of harshly that he doesn’t have one.

“You study business, right?”

Jimin asks then.

“Yeah.”

“Guess your mom wanted you to do that?”

Even though Jimin is right, it feels like a punch to the gut. He doesn’t know what to say for a second, feels his phone burn in his pocket.

“Sorry, too depressing?”

“No it’s just.. I blocked my mom’s number today so..”

“You did?” Jimin’s eyes widen. “Why?”

“She kind of went insane cause I called my brother.”

He’s sure Jimin has no idea what that means by the look on his face, and he’s about to brush the topic off when Jimin leans closer.

“Since when are you going against your mother?”

Heat rushes up his neck, and he just shrugs as if it’s not that big of a deal. Though he knows it’s all because of that stupid black folder and the guy he’s speaking to.

“She’s just been a bit much lately, and I guess I’ve changed.”

He looks down, afraid Jimin can read his mind if he looks into his eyes.

“Yeah, you have.”

Jimin tone is a bit softer than normal.

Warmth rushes through his body, and it’s a different type of warmth than what he’s used to when he talks to Jimin. He doesn’t even know what to say, almost doesn’t dare to look up either, but since it’s silent he’s got no choice.

Jimin’s eyes are just as soft and gentle as his smile, and fuck, this is-

Fuck.

Sweat breaks out on his skin and he looks at the bar quickly.

It’s always in those moments that Jimin just seems to know. And instead of giving him space, he leans closer.

“Does it make you nervous when I’m kind?”

The comment makes his ears buzz, and he looks up just to see that glint in Jimin’s eyes.

It’s an accident, his eyes dart down to Jimin’s lips for a split second. So plump, so pretty. They kissed just yesterday but somehow the need to kiss again gets worse each time.

The bartender comes up then, hands Jimin the beers he asked for.

Jeongguk only notices how close they were standing now that Jimin is at a normal distance again. He really is like a magnet.

“I’m gonna go back to Yonghoon now, but, if you feel like confirming or denying anything, I’m right here.”

Jimin trails off, small smirk on his lips.

He’s about to open his mouth for a super cool comeback when Jimin walks off without another word, and he just stands there with his heart in his throat.

Ah, he doesn’t think he can handle it tonight.

———————

It’s only when he’s back at the tent that reality starts gnawing at him again.

He turns on his phone, sees 6 missed calls from an unknown number, and about 12 text messages.

Pick up the phone.

One call with your brother and you’re acting like this?

Don’t forget I have been taking care of you.

He left us behind after your father passed away, don’t believe a thing he says

I’ve raised you, I’m paying for your university, I’m helping you taking over the family business, and you want to throw that all away?

This isn’t like you

You’ve always listened to me, and everything turned out well. Your brother betrayed us, he left when you and I needed him

Are you going to leave me too?

I know I can be strict but I’ve always looked after you, I just want you to be ready to take over the business

If this is about the marriage, we could postpone it. Just go on the dates and see which girl you like the best, you don’t have to marry right away

I can see you need some time, that’s fine. Don’t make rash decisions.

Call me as soon as you read my messages

Jeongguk stares at the screen for a while longer, sighs. She’s told him many times before how Jung-hyun betrayed them, and when he was younger he used to believe that. But now that he’s older he’s come to realise that Jung-hyun was probably right to leave. Even if it is unfair.

And he gets that his mom feels betrayed, and that in her mind she’s probably doing the best she can under the circumstances.

For a while he’s lived a life she wanted for him, and she’s right that everything was going according to plan, to her plan.

He eyes his bag, the black folder sticking out from his pile of clothes. His stomach twists when he grabs it, doesn’t even dare to open it.

he gets a call then, and his panic levels skyrocket. Lucky for him it’s Taehyung on the caller ID.

“Hey.”

“Hey Jeonggukie, your mom has called me like 4 times, is everything okay?”

“Oh, she did? I’m sorry, I blocked her number. Did you pick up?”

“Only the last time, she just asked if I was with you. When I said no she hung up. Something going on?”

“Uh..” he stares at the empty air mattress next to him. “I called my brother, and she somehow found out and freaked out.”

“You called Jung-hyun?”

“Yeah.. I guess I had a mental breakdown. Sorry she called you. How are you holding up?”

“Wait, don’t brush past that. Are you okay? You haven’t called him in like.. all the time that I’ve known you.”

“I’m okay, I’ve just.. realised some stuff.”

Should he have said that? It’s weird to say that without also explaining it, but he’s not sure if over the phone is the right way.

“Way to make it cryptic.”

Ah. It can’t wait.

He takes a deep breath.

“I’m gay.”

There’s a short silence, and then;

“Oh. Well, that’s- Less cryptic, yeah, very direct.”

“Sorry, should I have told you face to face?”

“No, it’s fine it’s- I just did not expect that so soon.”

Jeongguk blinks, his heartbeat steadily increasing.

“So soon.. as in, you have been expecting it?”

“Well, yes, I thought you were bi, though. But fuck, I’m proud of you ggukie, you’re finally out.”

Taehyung sounds so happy from the other end, and he feels a weight lift off of him, small smile tugging on his lips.

“Thank you.”

“How did you find out?”

“Uh..” He shifts in his bed, tries to find the words. “I don’t know.. I just felt something was different for a while..”

“Since you met Jimin, you mean.”

There is no judgement in Taehyung’s tone, so he feels more at ease when he admits it.

“Yeah..”

“Mm.. have you told him?”

“No.”

Teahyung chuckles from the other end.

“Of course not.”

Jeongguk feels heat rush up his neck, and he turns on his stomach, buries his face in his pillow.

“You like him, right?”

It’s not even a question.

He bites his lower lip, slowly lifts his head. Somehow even though Taehyung knows, it’s difficult to confess. His chest tightens a little, as if bracing for impact.

“Yeah.”

There’s another silence, and then Taehyung snorts.

“You sound like you’re in active pain.”

“Well-“ He sits up. “He’s your ex, of course it’s weird to tell you this.”

“I know I know. It’s okay though, I assure you.”

Jeongguk rubs over his forehead.

“Really?”

“Yeah, I mean, I‘ve known for a short while so.”

“That doesn’t mean you have to be okay with it.”

Taehyung laughs now.

“I am okay with it, honestly. And realistically, what would I do if I weren’t? Yell boo at you when you kiss him?”

He stiffens a little, the thought of kissing Jimin in front of Taehyung is terrifying.

“I’m just glad you realised, I know you’ve been going through it lately. And all I can really say is that I’m proud of you.”

Jeongguk swallows, but he feels a lump in his throat.

“Thank you.. and I’m sorry.”

“Why are you sorry?”

“For not realising earlier. And hurting you.”

“Oh don’t say that, the road to realisation is different for everyone.”

“Yeah but, I did hurt you in the process, so, I’m sorry.”

A second passes, and then a warm, soft laugh sounds through the speaker.

“Thank you. You’re forgiven.”

A sense of relief washes over him, and he feels his throat ease up as he breathes out.

“So, how are you holding up at home?”

“Oh, you know, breaking the house down.”

This time around he chuckles softly.

“Still no good alone?”

“I’m terrible at it. I was thinking of just taking the bus to you.”

“Yeah? I think you should. It would be fun.”

“Really? Won’t I interrupt the group?”

“Nah it’s fine, we’re just playing beach volley, swimming, and sitting around campfires all day. And everyone is still at the beach bar right now.”

“Why aren’t you?”

Jeongguk feels his heartbeat pick up; dark playful eyes flash through his mind.

“I needed some alone time.”

Jimin-free time, to be exact.

“Sounds emo.”

He snorts.

“It is a little, I’m in my tent.”

“Okay, you alone in a tent instead of partying at a bar? I’m definitely coming over.”

He hears Taehyung move around, presumably packing his stuff. A smile pulls on his lips.

“See you tomorrow then?”

“Yeah, and don’t tell Hoseok! I want to surprise him.”

“Of course.”

“Okay see you tomorrow! Love you.”

“Yeah, love you too.”

The line goes silent.

He puts his phone down, looks at his lap. The black folder stares at him, doesn’t even let him celebrate the fact that he just came out to Taehyung.

Realistically he should have thrown this folder out the moment he got it. He doesn’t even understand why he still has it; but somehow, somewhere, he thinks he’s still scared of all the consequences.

He opens the folder, looks at the pictures, the family names, the hobbies, the majors. He wonders if they all have to do this for their parents too, or if they’re happy to get married off.

Crazy to think that he probably would have done it at the start of the semester. Even if he wouldn’t have liked the idea of arranged marriage, he’d have done it for his mother.

Would he even have found out he doesn’t like women? Or would he just have thought that love was supposed to be like that; an agreement with a set of rules.

The sound of a zipper opening interrupts his thoughts, and when he looks up he finds bleach blonde hair and dark brown eyes right at the opening of the tent.

“There you are.”

Jimin stumbles inside, two beers in his hand, spilling just a little bit as he sits down on the other air mattress.

“Told you to come find me but you went back to the tents. Is this your idea of playing hard to get?”

There is a blush on Jimin’s cheeks that isn’t just from sunburn, and the way one of his eyes is slightly more lazy kind of gives away that he’s either tipsy or drunk.

“Are you just in here jerking it or-“

Jimin’s eyes find the folder that he’s still got wide open in his lap.

“What’s that?”

Oh fuck.

He closes it quickly, blush spreading over his cheeks.

“Nothing, just, some stupid thing my mom gave me-“

Jimin grabs it from his lap, and he instantly panics, tries to confiscate it but Jimin is surprisingly strong, small hands clutching onto the folder, forcing it open.

“Choi Minji, 21, Model, likes to do pilates-“

“Stop-“

He half climbs on to the other air mattress but Jimin keeps it out of reach. In his attempts to get it he knocks over one of the beers.

He curses, sets the bottle back upright while Jimin keeps reading from the damn folder.

“Favourite food: sushi, preferred date: amusement park-“

“Jimin give me that-“

“Preferred dates to get married-“

Jimin stops reading, eyes going wide.

“Married?”

Shit.

He yanks the folder from Jimin’s hands, panic and adrenaline running through his body. He can’t even open his mouth, just sits back on his own air mattress, tries to find the words.

Jimin slowly sits back up, but his expression doesn’t change.

“Married? You’re getting married?”

Oh man, he shouldn’t have brought this thing.

Jimin is looking into his eyes with a type of desperation that he’s never seen before, like he’s trying to force the answer out of him by sheer willpower.

He shakes his head.

“I’m not.“

“Then why does it say that?”

“My mom wants me to marry.”

Jimin blinks once, looks from one eye to the other. A soft ‘oh’ leaves his lips.

Jeongguk think this is the first time Jimin actually sees what his mom his like. Even though he’s met her before, he’s never known her true nature, not to this extent.

“She handpicked these..” He looks down at the folder, opens it to show Jimin all the different pages. “All from influential families.”

Jimin’s jaw drops the slightest bit, and very carefully he takes the folder back, flips through the pages while the crease between his brows increases.

“Your mom.. made a catalogue for you to choose a wife?”

Now that it’s said out loud like that, he can’t even deny how fucking insane it is.

It’s almost embarrassing that he even considered going along with it.

“Yeah.”

He looks at all the different girls while Jimin reads the pages intently, as if he’s gonna have to choose.

“What the fuck Jeon..” Jimin runs a hand through his hair, holds on to his blonde strands as he flips another page. “There’s like 20 of them.”

“I know.”

It gets sadder by the second.

“Are you okay?”

Jimin looks up, something glinting in his eyes that Jeongguk hasn’t seen before. It twinkles in the orange hue of his small tent light.

He wants to say yes, brush it off, but the longer he looks at Jimin the more he realises.

“Not really.”

It’s not that they’re any good at this. Comfort, that is. However he feels kind of safe in the silence between them.

“I haven’t told my mom.”

He says, looks down at his feet.

“Told her what?”

“That I don’t want to marry.”

“Oh.” Jimin is quiet for a few beats, but then he nudges his foot with his own. “Are you gonna?”

“I have to, yeah. But, when I tell her, she’s either going to try to move me away from here, or cut the financial support and disown me.”

Jimin nods slowly, hands him one of the beers.

He snorts, takes it.

“Which one are you more afraid of?”

He doesn’t even have to think about that one.

“The first. Even though I’m considered an adult, she’s a lawyer, and I’m scared of what she’s capable of.” It’s embarrassing really, to fear your mom at this age. He’s sure Jimin must think so as well. “But if she cuts financial support then basically, I can’t afford the apartment or tuition.”

“Not even if you work more?”

“I already work as much as I can to be able to afford therapy.”

Jimin’s eyebrows raise a bit.

“Your mom doesn’t pay for that?”

Ah, right, he never told him.

“She doesn’t believe in therapy. She’d freak out if she saw my money go there each month. So I made an arrangement to pay in cash.”

“Wait, see your money go? She has access to your bank account?”

“Oh, right, yeah.”

He nods a few times, and though it’s fucked up, the way Jimin just blinks as if he can’t fathom it, is kind of funny.

A small smile tugs on his lips.

“Is my mom winning the toxic mother competition?”

Jimin’s eyes widen, but then a surprised laugh falls from his lips.

“Don’t think mine can participate in the competition.”

Damn.

His smile vanishes, and Jimin in turn just snorts.

“Gotta work on your comebacks if you’re making fun of a dead woman, Jeon.”

“You took me by surprise.”

“I usually do.”

Jimin takes a sip of his beer then, looks down at the folder.

Jeongguk looks at it as well.

What a weird situation, him and Jimin talking about his marriage in a tent. He didn’t think the evening would turn out like this. They’re sitting pretty close too, their knees brush against each other every now and then.

“Well, I don’t know much about the law, but, if you want, we could do some research together to make sure she’s got no legal right to move you away.”

Jimin proposes.

He feels his heart skip a beat, and when he looks back up Jimin just looks away as if it’s no big deal.

“And my uncle works at a bank, so, I could ask him how it works with loans and stuff.. you know, so you can keep the apartment, and stay in uni.”

Jeongguk sits there, wide-eyed. He didn’t think he’d get offered help, especially by Jimin. He’s too embarrassed to even accept it.

When Jimin makes eye contact, he clears his throat, looks away again.

“What? I’d do that for anyone.”

“Yeah, no, sure.”

Jeongguk nods, averts his gaze.

Silence fills the tent. For a while they just sit in it.

“That would be.. that would be nice.”

He says softly.

“Good.”

Good. Great.

His subconscious reminds him then, that he’s alone with Jimin in a tent. Heat rushes up his neck, and he takes a big sip of his beer.

“So.”

“So..” Jimin closes the folder, holds it up. “What do you wanna do with your 20 wives?”

Jeongguk raises a brow.

“What do you mean?”

“Well.” Jimin nods his head to outside, small smirk appearing on his lips. “There’s a campfire.”

———————

“Here’s the next one, Min Yuna.” Jimin hands him the paper. “She loves golf, and wants to have.. 4 children. Bless her.”

“Mmh.” Jeongguk hums, looks at the picture, then tosses it on the fire. “Hope she does.”

The paper burns easily, and it is quite satisfying to see his mother’s plans literally go up in flames.

Jimin sits next to him, takes another resume out of the folder.

“This is the last one. Choi Minji.”

Jeongguk takes it, eyes it over.

Jimin shifts a bit closer, looks at it as well.

“You sure you wanna say goodbye to her? She is a model.”

He snorts, turns his head to look at Jimin. His bleach blonde hair colours gold in the light of the flames, there are specs of amber in his usual dark brown eyes.

There’s only one model here.

“She could be a good wife.”

Jimin nods at the paper.

He tears his eyes away to look back at the poor unfortunate girl.

Maybe in another life.

“She’s not my type.”

He crumbles the paper, throws it into the fire, and then finally, sighs a breath of relief.

No more of living his mother’s life.

When he looks over at Jimin, he detects that small, proud smile before the blonde reaches out his beer and clinks their bottles together.

“To not getting married.”

Jimin says.

Jeongguk chuckles.

“To not getting married.”

Even though the beer is lukewarm by now, it’s one of the best sips he’s ever had.

He feels more like himself than he ever has before. It’s kind of weird to be sharing it with Jimin, but at the same time, maybe he’s always been most like himself around Jimin.

The night breeze is quite cold, it comes straight from the sea. He shifts just a bit closer to the flames, and maybe just a bit closer to Jimin.

“So..”

Jimin starts.

Something about the tone of his voice already makes Jeongguk brace himself.

“Minji is not your type.”

It’s posed as a casual remark, but somehow, he still feels nerves surge through him as he lands his gaze on Jimin.

Sharp eyes take him in, his eyebrow quirks up once.

“What’s your type then?”

Jeongguk swallows, wants to look away but something about Jimin’s aura is magnetic. He glows in the light of the campfire.

“Don’t know.” He lies, clutching his beer a little tighter in his hand. “What’s yours?”

Jimin smirks at his lack of reply, as though he knows exactly why he’s not saying it, and then he shrugs.

“I told you, I like pretty boys.”

Jeongguk scoffs.

“That’s not a type.”

“No?” Jimin tilts his head. “Want me to be more specific?”

On one hand he wants to say yes, but something about that glint in Jimin’s eyes is dangerous, as if he’s daring him to say it.

He hesitates, nerves jumping around in his chest. Then does it anyway.

“Yes.”

Jimin’s smirk grows just a bit, and he leans a little closer.

“I like pretty boys with black hair, big brown eyes, and a severe case of mommy issues.”

Oh.

Fuck.

Jeongguk feels like he’s vibrating out of his skin, can’t move a single muscle. Can’t look away from that intense stare.

“What about you?”

He counts his heartbeat, feels it in his slam against his chest.

One.

Two.

Three.

His throat runs dry as soon as he opens his mouth

“I prefer blondes.”

——————

Chapter 21 >