00.5

The soul mate of Kim Seokjin was a person, in features and appearance, of unique rarity.

Or so Jungkook hoped.

Kim Namjoon had hair of the color of delicious green wasabi, he had piercings that decorated both his ears, and was a person who thought that wearing sunglasses at 9:30 in the evening was the latest fashion trend. He wasn’t able to give him a look the last time the number two had walked in the community center, however Jungkook didn’t remember to have seen anything so green. Or weird.

But he was the soul mate of Kim Seokjin, Jungkook kind of expected it. In fact it seemed that Kim Namjoon reflected, outwardly, the inner beast of the blond receptionist. But no matter how bizarre and contrasting their appearances were, they strangely worked together. Like two opposite, but complementary, colors in the spectrum.

However, until that time, Kim Namjoon had proven a hundred thousand times more easy going than the best friend of Jimin, introducing himself with enthusiasm and asking Jungkook some questions to know him better.

Despite this, Jungkook had vowed to never go inside a car driven by the number two.

The small bistro Jimin had chosen was across the town, so Namjoon had offered to give a lift to all of them. Jungkook had accepted the gracious offer and had then sat in the rear seat with Jimin. At the first corner taken in their vehicle, Jungkook found himself thrown violently to the side. Halfway to the restaurant Jimin nodded to him as if to say 'it’s fine' but Jungkook had ignored him, and decided to tighten his grip on the handle of the door as he kept praying for the journey to end soon.

Whoever was the instructor who had thought it a good idea to give a license to Kim Namjoon, he was obviously a crazy bastard.

When the car finally stopped moving, Jungkook let out a loud sigh of relief.
As they left the car he felt his legs weak, but none of the other passengers had his symptoms and so followed them without complaining.

"Eventually you get used to it,” Jimin said, giving him a slight pat on the arm. Jungkook was sure of not wanting to get used to.

"I hope your best friend will drive later,” answered Jungkook. Seokjin, who must have heard him,
chuckled.

The place chosen was simple and the boys grabbed the first available table. It was only when they were seated at the table and took the menu that Jungkook became horribly aware of two significant details.

One: they looked like they were on a bloody double date.

Two: he was sitting in front of Kim Seokjin.

He admitted that the first point was probably just an impression of his paranoid brain. But the second one was very, very, real.
He was so terrified by the realization that he replied absentminded at Jimin when the latter asked him what he wanted. So when Jimin and Kim Namjoon rose from the table, Jungkook found himself totally unprepared.

"What?" He asked but Jimin had already disappeared.

"They went to order our dinner," said Kim Seokjin, pointing with his finger to the glued sign "No table service.”

At that point Jungkook found himself completely justified to give in to a panic attack. Honestly there were no rational reasons to justify Jungkook’s fear. Indeed, the receptionist had never done anything that would show his displeasure against Jungkook. Of course, he was not warm but Jungkook was not one himself most of the time. And speaking with Master Lee albeit instead of Jimin only, he had done a favor for Jungkook too.

Jungkook wondered idly if he looked like that to the rest of the world and if it was the reason why Taehyung reminded him to smile. Yet, he had seen Kim Seokjin give fat smiles to the students and Jimin. However, they were people he knew more than he had ever known Jungkook.

It was his eyes, he said, those cold and brown eyes which watched him, what gave the hostile feeling.

Just when Jungkook was considering the idea of continuing to stare at the table as an alternative of conversation (because frankly how many opportunities there would be to meet Kim Seokjin beyond the brief moments at the beginning and end of the lesson) the blonde asked, "So, Jimin tells me that you are a student of economics?"

"Yes. Department of Economics and Finance,”Jungkook replied, unable to further articulate. The blond raised an eyebrow caught off guard by its brevity.

"And do you like it?" He asked.

"Enough. It’s not exactly what I love but it’s useful. After all, law and medicine were excluded and I would never be able to follow engineering due to my poor mathematics skills. Economy has been an obvious choice given the conditions in which relegates me, my status, and the rest.” Jungkook wondered why he was giving all these confidences to Kim Seokjin when he had barely told these things to Taehyung. God, why did their attempts at conversation have to be so painful?

It was nevertheless true that zeroes were 'encouraged' to enroll in scientific faculties for the same reason for which following an artistic career was virtually impossible for them.
Studying humanities was a prerogative of numbers two. Zeroes were directed to those branches of knowledge considered labor useful.
A number two who was studying philosophy would never have been considered inferior, the story was different if a zero did the same.

"If you are powerless, at least make yourself useful,” was the talk going around in many circles. Like of all things of their strange world, there were no laws that expressly forbade you to do anything. It was the society with its endless fixations to stifle any attempt to try and do something different.

"Jimin studied economics and even Namjoon, even though he has fortunately managed to get a music career,” Seokjin said with a slight smile, the first without malice that had turned to Jungkook.

Jungkook expected Seokjin to say something, it was obvious that his smile suggested there was a story behind it, but silence fell again between them. Jungkook wondered if that authorized him to set his gaze on the table again.

“Jungkook," called the voice of Seokjin. Jungkook returned his attention on him, but the expression of Seokjin promised nothing good.

No. Oh No.

Anything Kim Seokjin wanted to tell him, he had no desire to listen to it. Jungkook desperately looked for Jimin and Kim Namjoon with his eyes, to see if they had their orders, and in fact it was so, both were bringing back the drinks at the table.

He was safe, the others were coming.

"Listen..."

But whatever Seokjin wanted him to hear, Jungkook wasn’t able to, because a coca waterfall fell on him wetting him from head to toe and probably ruining his white shirt forever.

Jimin was not sure how it had happened.

At one point Namjoon, as usual, had managed to stumble over his own feet. So the contents of the glasses he was carrying was flown to their table and had finished landed on Jungkook.
Jimin had managed to save his two drinks but it was a small consolation. Seokjin had been ready as a firefighter after a fire call. He spread tissue to absorb some of the liquid that was on the table and then he marched in the direction of the kitchen probably to alert the staff or take a sponge and a bucket himself.

Jimin had thrown away their handkerchiefs, while he made sure that none of the neighbors had been affected by the coca cola waterfall. Namjoon stood there pale and mortified in front of the table.
"Jungkook I'm sorry," he said the number two and only then Jimin finally decided to take a look at the youngest.

Jimin had almost feared Jungkook would take and run away from there instead found him frozen in his chair in his position, wet fringe stuck on the face, the brown liquid that reached from his neck and stretched in a stain on the shirt. Jimin knew he should not have, but maybe it was how ridiculous it was all (Namjoon had managed to stumble again) or the appearance of Jungkook that looked like a wet chick, but he laughed violently.

Jungkook looked dazed from under his sticky fringe, drenched in sugary substance as he tried to mop his neck, but Jimin couldn’t stop and just when he thought Jungkook would no longer speak after this, he laughed with him.

When Seokjin returned with the staff, he found a puzzled Namjoon still standing there and Jimin and Jungkook laughing hard.

Seokjin had to clear his throat, "Jimin take Jungkook to the toilet to clean himself,” he said. He seemed relaxed and perfectly master of the situation. Jimin nodded. "Wait, I almost forgot,” Seokjin added. Then he opened his backpack and pulled out a clean shirt and a towel.
Jungkook looked surprised.

"I always keep one just in case. After all these years with Joonie, I am ready to face any situation. Jungkook you can wear it."

Jungkook seemed genuinely impressed by both the kindness and the efficiency. "Thanks hyung,” said the boys in unison. Seokjin shrugged and turned back.

Once they got there Jungkook ran to the sink and washed his face and his bangs, to take out every possible remnant of sugary liquid.

"You met Kim Namjoon, now you're officially one of us,” Jimin said as he watched the youngest through the glass Jungkook gave him a withering look. Jimin laughed again.

"Don’t worry, now he baptized you. You’ll be safe for at least another two weeks,” added Jimin.

"You know, I thought I had the privilege of strange friends. I mean Taehyung is convinced that there is life on Venus and Hoseok dances to girl groups songs but I think your friends beat them,” Jungkook replied.

"Come on, it was just a bit of coca cola" Jimin teased. Jungkook shook his head but said nothing more.

"I’m sorry,” Jimin then added as he watched Jungkook dabbing his hair. "Namjoon is like that. The first time we met, he poured a whole set of sauces on me. I thought Seokjin would have had a heart attack. Now we are much better. You are not upset, are you?”

Jungkook looked at him before putting on the clean shirt.

"I'm not angry,” he replied after a few seconds as he looked in the mirror one last time and made sure everything was okay. Jimin stared at him, and just at that moment Jungkook turned to face him.

"I know I sound a bit gruff," he continued, "Taehyung says that I can candidate myself for the role of Grinch, but I’m perfectly reasonable when it doesn’t come to that." Jimin realized he was referring to arranged marriages. "If I ever gave the impression of being a lunatic, please don’t take me too seriously. None of my friends do,” Jungkook finished scratching his nape embarrassed.
Jimin smiled trying to hide his surprise at hearing Jungkook adding him indirectly in his circle of friends.

"I'll keep that in mind."

Jungkook said no more, and then they go back the other number two’s.

When they returned to the table, it was all set and the dishes with their food were waiting for them. Namjoon apologized a million times to Jungkook and Seokjin insisted to take charge of his shirt despite the protests of the youngest.

Jimin had guessed that between Seokjin and Jungkook ran a bad atmosphere. He didn’t understand why. He kind of regretted to have told Seokjin of their first meeting, but Jungkook really did escape dramatically that time and Seokjin was intransigent when it came to the people he cared about. After the events that had led to the drift with his family, he had become suspicious and cautious. Jimin had always known him like that, and he loved him. But sometimes he wondered how Seokjin and Namjoon had meeting for the first time went.

Anyway, he was happy to have a good excuse to drag all of them to dinner. He knew Jungkook would never accept for the same reason that he still held Jimin away trying desperately to put, if not a wall, at least a barrier between them. For once he was glad of the bossy ways of his best friend.

He was satisfied. It seemed like now they were getting along quite well. Especially Namjoon and Jungkook.

Seokjin winked at him. Yes, everything would be fine.

They took home Jungkook first, who looked a little distracted but still relaxed. He didn’t forget to thank them and try to bring home his dirty shirt. Obviously Seokjin didn’t let him do it. His number one had stained it with coke and it was the least they could do.

"He is nice, isn’t he?" it was the first thing Jimin asked as soon as Jungkook was gone past the front door of the building.

“Very much!" Replied Namjoon enthusiastically. He was sincere, but probably also wanted to be forgiven for before.

"Not bad. Extra points for not running away screaming,” Seokjin teased the comment directed to his soulmate. Namjoon howled an ‘It wasn’t on purpose’ making all the passengers of the vehicle laugh. Namjoon was a successful producer and composer, known for his talent and for his professionalism, however, if you put him outside his recording studio, he was completely useless. Seokjin loved that man from head to toe, but the truth was the truth.

Jimin in the back seat laughed as Seokjin was maneuvering with the car. He had wanted to spare the poor guy a second trip with Namjoon driving. He and Jimin now had a steel stomach, but an accident was enough and Seokjin had wanted to avoid another humiliating moment for the boy like throwing up dinner halfway home.

He glanced in the rearview mirror. Jimin still had a smile painted on his lips. Seokjin sighed. He had to admit, Jungkook wasn’t bad. After the incident he continued as if nothing had happened and he opened up a little and therefore, all questions that Seokjin had wanted to ask him had died in his throat. Seokjin, in retrospect, probably had scared him to death, and he was a little sorry. Seokjin was a number two, but he thought he could understand the pain of rejection. As well as he understood that the difficulties of having to make something work at all costs could bring out the best but also the worst in a person.

He had thought Jungkook was an evil genius, and instead Namjoon was right: he was just a scared kid like he himself was once and Jimin too.

And he really thought he could understand Jimin, to understand the stubborn attraction to something so pure.

He felt a hand reassuringly lean on his left thigh. He must have had a frown because when he turned his face a moment to look at his left, Namjoon was observing him, worried. Seokjin smiled.

Everything is alright.

Bringing his eyes back on the road, Seokjin then said, "But sunglasses are banished forever.”

Namjoon whined outraged.

He looked one last time in the rearview mirror. Jimin was asleep.

"You met Jimin’s friends and you didn’t invite me?" Taehyung screamed so loud that half the people in the canteen turned to look at them.

"Lower your voice, could you!?” scolded Jungkook, embarrassed, as he sat at their usual table.

Taehyung closed his mouth but was still sulking and generally offended.
Jungkook sighed.

"Look, it was a sudden thing. The blond receptionist, you know the one that makes the blood in your veins freeze if you look him in the eyes?” Taehyung nodded, “well, he practically forced me to this dinner. It was an ambush and in less than no time I was loaded onto a car driven by someone who has true passion for rally, judging by how he cuts curves, and thinks it's a good idea to wear sunglasses in the evening. Once we arrived at the restaurant, I was inundated by coke.”

"What?"

"The guy with the sunglasses tripped and spilled the coke on my face.”

Then after a second of dead silence, naturally, Taehyung laughed.

"Good friend you are, laughing at my moments of humiliation.”
"I'm here for that,” he managed to add between laughs, "I have to tell Hobi immediately," he said as he picked up his cell phone.

After what seemed like an eternity Taehyung seemed to have ended his reserves of breath and so stopped laughing like a madman.

"Are you done? Can we go back to my lunch without you laughing in my face?"

"Sure I’ll save the rest for when Hoseok comes back home.”

Jungkook gave him a withering look.

"So what did you do next? You flipped the table in a fit of fury? You ran away at lightning speed?You hid in the bathroom?” asked Taehyung.

"None of that, , I just continued to eat like a civil person."

"Don’t tell me, you had fun then!"

"I didn’t say this.”

"Don’t lie, when you wrinkle you nose like that you are always lying." Jungkook left his fork in midair shocked that Taehyung demonstrated acumen.

"I want to meet Jimin!" he added determined.

"You can forget about it. What I told you the other day? It’s a transitory thing.” Taehyung snorted as if he did not believe a single one of his words. Taehyung must have decided it was better to fill his belly than to argue with Jungkook, and so he proceeded to swallow an impossible mouthful of mashed potatoes.

Thinking back then, Jungkook indeed had fun. Sure, he had been afraid of having a heart attack at least three times, but he couldn’t say he had a bad night, coke and everything. It was strange. He wondered if there was something wrong with his brain.

His phone, that laid next to his plate, suddenly vibrated. Jungkook looked at the display and couldn’t refrain himself from grimacing. He proceeded to toss it in the bottom of his backpack.

Taehyung raised an eyebrow but Jungkook shook his head. "Nothing important.”

Taehyung shrugged and began to insist to meet Jimin between mouthfuls. Jungkook rolled his eyes, but he thought that anything was better than answering his phone.

His parents could wait, forever

author's note: because I'm happy here it goes another chapter!! =D