#22 - “Open your eyes.”

Jimin or Namjoon

Word Count: 1120

Blink.

Blink.

Blink.

Blink.

Turning your head to the left, then the right, then the left and then the right again, you didn’t know how you ended up in this mess. Sitting across from you were two males, one tall with short dirty blonde hair, very much dyed that color and the other short with longer black locks. You knew both of them quite well. The shorter male you had met at your dance academy and other had pestered you at your part-time job as a hostess more times than you can count. Somewhere along the lines you had become good friends with both of them. Honestly, the three of you would even hang out together. So, while sitting across from in this cute new dog café that opened up wasn’t unusual at all but the things you had just heard come out of their mouths. Well, that you weren’t so sure about. Did you really hear that? Were they joking? It had to be a jerk. Why else would two people just confess to you at the same time and ask you to choose? It was just so bizarre. The longer you looked from each, the less you thought they were joking and the more nervous you became. Twirling your hair around your finger over and over again.

“Jimin-ssi…”

“Namjoon-ssi…”

You didn’t know how to approach this. They attacked you is what it felt like. Your emotions were a jumble, you couldn’t tell what was up or what was down but you knew your stomach was a mess of nerves. This was just too sudden. Much too sudden. The two boys, perked up when you called their name and fought off frowns when you called the other’s name.

“Call me oppa.” Jimin was being stubborn, you could see it. Any other time you’d have laughed at him but not today. There was just no way, your mouth was full of cotton and you didn’t know how to get it to work. At least not with the words you should be saying. The longer you hesitated the worse you felt. A wet nose bumped your leg, looking down you saw a poodle trying to get your attention and oh goodness how you welcomed that interruption. Leaning down, you pet the poodle and scratched behind her ears which she seemed to really enjoy. Muttering ‘such a good girl’ to her, she beamed up at you. It was odd, the emotion behind that dogs eyes gave you yet another shock. Locking your eyes with hers, you stared for a while longer, letting a realization slink down from the tips of your ears to the tips of your toes. Namjoon and Jimin had caught you off guard but you knew, you knew that you wanted to make one of them give you that same expression this brown poodle was giving you. You wanted to be the one to put that sparkle in their eyes. It had always been lingering but it was easy to push it away. Friendship was sacred, no one wanted to break hearts or get hopes up or ruin things. However, you were forced to a crossroad today.

Sitting back up to gazed at both boys with a straight face, not letting either one see anything that you were feeling at the moment. They waited patiently, though you could see the nervousness in both of them. Namjoon couldn’t stop bouncing his leg, and Jimin had this twitch by his lips that he couldn’t seem to control. It really baffled you as to why they decided to do this together.

“Close your eyes. Go on, both of you.” The nervous pair side eyed each other but Namjoon shrugged and finally the two of them did as you asked. Standing up from your chair you decided to walk as quietly as you could over to the one you wanted to make smile with every fiber of your being. The stench of their nerves could be smelt all across the dog café. A twinge of guilt ran through you but shaking your head you cast it aside. Both of them had asked for this, they put you on the spot now they would have to deal with the outcome.

Leaning down to his height, you moved your face close and level with the man in front of you.

“Open your eyes.” The words floated so very softly off your lips but he opened them.

It was just like what you had experienced with the poodle, the wide eyed surprise and then the love and happiness followed directly after.

“M-me?” He pointed to himself, the shock unable to be hidden from his voice. You nodded silently.

“Yes, Namjoon-ssi… I’ve actually liked you for a while.” Pink dusted your cheeks and you shifted your eyes to looking just past him. A large hand cupped your cheek, making you refocus and view that beautiful dimple of his that always made you feel warm inside.

“Call me oppa.” The excitement in his voice was too much and the fact that Jimin had just told you to do so only made you shake your head and playfully smack him on the shoulder. Walking back to your seat, there was a quiet Jimin with his eyes glued to the table. It made your chest tighten and feel uncomfortable. You never wanted to hurt him but you knew as soon as they both asked that one would be hurt, there was no way to avoid that.

“Jiminie oppa, I’m sorry I can’t return your feelings.” He nodded before slowly raising his head to look at you and flash you his signature smile. It was lacking, it didn’t reach his eyes but it was still beautiful to you that he put on a smile to not make you feel bad. He waved away your apology. Namjoon had his arms crossed, annoyed that you had just blatantly ignored him but called Jimin oppa.

“It’s okay, just keep calling me oppa and not hyung, okay?!” He was being cheeky but you liked it, that was the sweet Jimin that you knew. You smiled brightly at him and nodded.

“Okay, O-ppa!” You exaggerated the way you said oppa even sneaking in a bit of aegyo before falling into a fit of giggles, Jimin was chuckling too. He stood up leaned over and ruffled your hair.

“Have fun.” Jimin clapped a hand on Namjoon’s back and left, giving you both an impromptu date. It was the least he could do after the both of them had put you on the spot like that.

“Yah, are you really going to only call him oppa?” Namjoon pouted but you just laughed. This was going to be fun.