Jimin:

           He heard the door opening but he could care less. Instead he was focusing on the fact that Seulgi was under him on his bed and he was kissing her to his heart content. Unlike him—she did care and pulled back from the kiss by lightly pushing him off. She looked him in the eyes before he smiled at her, pecking her lips. Her response was to slap him in the arm lightly.

“You should probably see who it is.”

He shrugged. He didn’t want to. He lived alone and it was for the sole purpose of not being disturbed. Right now, was a good enough reason as to why he did not want to be disturbed. He wanted to spend time with his girlfriend. The thought made him smile and he kept smiling when she pushed him off and made him check to see who it was that came in. Seulgi was now his girlfriend and he had everyone—Joy, just Joy—to thank for that. She allowed that to happen by beating him to the punch.

Jimin was about to open the door but Seulgi called to his attention. She shot up. He smirked. Yeah, so they may have only started dating about an hour or two ago—but he did not force her into his room. She came willingly and she willingly took her shirt off midway their make-out. He let her take the reins and so far, he was not complaining. He threw her back her shirt. It was as if she had not noticed. Apparently, she only noticed how his hair was a mess. Did she not care she had ed his shirt and his abs were on display? It did not seem she did. Nope, she did not when she purposely ran her hand down his torso.

“Seul, are you sure you’re okay with this? I mean, I don’t want you to feel I pressured you into coming into my room and letting me kiss you like that.”

She shook her head, wrapping her arms around his neck as he held her waist. She was still just in her sports bra and it was driving him insane.

“I’m sure. Jimin, I have liked you for a really long time and I’ve wanted to kiss you for a really long time as well.” she pecked his lips making him smile. “I also know you won’t push me. Because you and I both know, we’re not ready. I just like your abs.”

“The sentiment is the same for me to you.”

He pulled her close and kissed her gently. He would never get enough of kissing her. She was everything he had been looking for in a girl. It was a plus she was older because he did have a thing for older girls. Seulgi smiled—he found it cute whenever she smiled while he kissed her—something about feeling the corners of her lips go up as they kissed let him know she enjoyed it as much as he did. She pulled back soon enough, making him pout. “You should really check who’s here.”

“Fine. But know I’m not done devouring your lips.”

Satisfied with leaving her crimson and shoving him out, he stumbled out of his room with the biggest smile he could have. His smile faltered when not just one person was there. Hoseok and Taehyung were standing in front of him by the kitchen counter. Hoseok had gotten some ice and placed it on Taehyung’s hand. Whom did Taehyung punch now? Also, why his place? Jimin walked to where he left his phone and noticed the series of texts from Hoseok, all explaining how Taehyung refused to go home or be treated for his hand because he deserved the ache and would only speak if Jimin were there. Did he punch Jin? If that had happened—he was only sad, he wasn’t there to see it.

“Wow, a nice showing of your abs. Were you changing?” Hoseok asked him.

Taehyung only scoffed. “Right, like we totally didn’t see a pair of female shoes at the entrance. And totally don’t notice your swollen lips and Seulgi peeking from behind your door.”

Jimin spun and sure enough, Seulgi yelped as she was caught and she slammed his door shut. He smiled. He was whipped for the girl because everything she did, he found adorable. He nonchalantly started to button up his shirt and shrugged at his friends. “We’re dating now. All thanks to Joy—oh, did you punch Jin or something? I mean if anything I think he should punch you because you kissed Joy.”

“Wait, you what?” Hoseok, who had been gently applying the ice on Taehyung’s knuckles, freaked out and pressed harder. Taehyung screamed in pain. “Oh, sorry. I guess that explains why Dohwan called you the boyfriend.”

Taehyung only grimaced at Hoseok’s half-hearted apology. “No. Damn Dohwan is still looming around Joy. So, I followed him.”

“I take it Yoongi doesn’t know about this little adventure of yours?” he asked as he went to drink some water. He was rather thirsty from all the kissing.

“Why would Yoongi need to know?”

Jimin looked to Taehyung as Hoseok asked. Luckily, Seulgi decided to walk out. She had fixed herself. Her hair was no longer a mess and she seemed to apply some light makeup. She also was wearing one of his hoodies and he figured it was to cover the places on her neck he had left hickeys. A knowing smirk played on his lips—he felt somewhat proud of himself because now he could do that to Seulgi. Hoseok started to greet and tease the girl. Asking how she managed to get him in her grasp and Hoseok, just being Hoseok.

He took that time to slide next to Taehyung. “Hoseok doesn’t know does he?”

“No. And I doubt Yoongi will want him to know. He’s already not happy you know. Don’t mention it—but I do need your help with something. Hence why I came here.”

Jimin took a good look at his friend and noticed his eyes were rimmed red. It seemed he had cried. “What is it?”

“I know this is weird to ask but—Irene was there. She was at the hospital and I recalled her having to have check-ups written down on her planner. She left it open one time, I wasn’t intruding. I just want to know why and if she knows Jin.”

“If she was there, why are you here?”

“I made an excuse. Look, I am not proud of having broken down into tears at realizing how ill fit I am for Joy. Hoseok was right all along, Jin is better for princess. Not me.”

Jimin nodded and patted Taehyung’s back. If only he could get his friends to just confess to each other. Were they that blind or in denial of each other’s feelings? On print, Jin was perfect for Joy. However, life was not just 2-D. Jin didn’t know Joy like Taehyung did. Jin didn’t know how Joy could get grumpy when on her period and burst into tears. None of them had the patience to even deal with her—none of them but Tae who could never stand seeing her cry or in pain so he was on her every whim for a week, every month.

The time Taehyung was with Jisoo and he had to assume that responsibility—it was a nightmare. He hated Joy, every one week of the month he hated her and wanted to strangle her. However, Taehyung, he had that patience because he was driven by love. Joy was the only one who knew how to calm down a riled up or angry Taehyung. Sure, in paper Jin was perfect for Joy with his kindness and gentle demeanor. He was a doctor and had patience but Joy—he wasn’t sure if he could give Joy the happiness she wants because Joy has always wanted Taehyung and no one else could compare. She put him on a pedestal. Taehyung did the same. He was just slower at realizing everything he ever wanted in a woman was what he saw Joy do. It was only normal, the amount of time the two of them spent together. Jimin saw it coming from a mile away. It was why he had given up on the crush he had on Joy, which lasted for two months, back in high school.

Now, if only he could make his two friends see how useless it was for both of them to pretend or even attempt to stay away from each other. Was Yoongi that dumb to not see the fallacy in his plan and thinking?

“Oh, Tae I have something to show you.” Seulgi ran back into his room. She finally managed to make Hoseok stop teasing her—she was visibly red.

“Right, so I officially met Irene. I can see why you liked her Tae; she is really pretty, even more up-close. I still think our princess is the prettiest.” Hoseok wrapped an around him and whispered. “It was a good thing I made an excuse as to why he cried and she bought it. Lucky for me Tae didn’t see Joy and Jin walk out hand in hand. I think ... they’ve gotten serious.”

Jimin faced Taehyung who seemed lost in his own thoughts as he sighed. He wasn’t saying anything but he could see the forming of a tear from the corner of his eyes as his friend mumbled what he knew was, Sooyoung.

He was beside himself. He didn’t know what to do. For the longest time he thought his two friends would finally get together. At least by now they should have. Before the party, he had made a bet with Yoongi that by the end if the night Tae and Joy would be a couple. He seemed to be winning when he saw the way Taehyung couldn’t stop looking at Joy. But—Dohwan ruined it all and now things were complicate because Taehyung thought it a good idea to “fall” for the new girl just based on looks to later realize he already liked someone based on more than just looks. Jimin never thought Jin would be a factor preventing the romance from blossoming between his best friends. Then he found out it was more than that. Taehyung was being forced to stay away.

“Here.”

Seulgi had come back and was holding her sketchpad. She had opened it to a drawing of Taehyung and Irene. He was confused as to why Seulgi would show him such a drawing. Taehyung looked to be in love with Irene.

“Damn, Tae are you in love with Irene or something?” Hoseok looked at the drawing closer. “Yeah, that is definitely how she looks at you. I still think she would fit Jin slightly better. No offense, but their visuals seem compatible to me. But we all know Jin is also practically in love with Joy.”

Taehyung sent him a glare. Jimin hit him on the back of the head and Seulgi clicked her tongue at him.

“Yes, this is how she was looking at him. Even more so, when she tried to kiss him but he rejected her. She still looks at you like this Tae. You however, you don’t look at her like that. I only got this look full of love when you were staring at Joy. Dude, I had many people come up to me and ask if you two were a thing. You stared at her for three minutes straight and not really blinking—with this stupid little smile tugging at the corner of your lips. They got suspicious. Especially how she ran after you. Why did you make her cry if I know you love her? You don’t look at someone like that without having very strong feelings for them. Honestly, ever since I met you, when she introduced you to me, you looked at her like that. Why are you so damn slow?!”

Jimin jumped when Seulgi yelled. She started calmly but then quickly grew agitated. Taehyung only hung his head in response while whispering a small. “I know.”

“So why did you tell her to stay away? Why do you hurt her? Do you know how much she cried last night? Then I find out Jimin did not beat the out of you, so what did you do? She ing lo—”

Both he and Hoseok covered Seulgi’s mouth and shook their heads. That was something Joy wanted to do. He knew Joy wanted to properly confess. Jimin looked at Taehyung and for the first time in the last weeks he saw what looked like, hope. Did Taehyung figure out what Seulgi was going to say? Did he see that Joy also has feelings for him? The hope dwindled as fast as it came.

.

Taehyung was denying it. He was denying it because he thought it would be best to hand her over to Jin and keep her safe. He rather suffer alone like the noble idiot he was. Jimin knew that he had enjoyed the kiss. Every so often, his mind would wander and a ghost of a smile would be on his lips. Taehyung was thinking back to the kiss he had shared with Joy. Right now, Tae was blaming himself too much. Joy was just as dumb to even believe such a lie. The previous days Taehyung had done nothing but to contradict those words he spoke. He figured Joy was also looking for a reason to stay away and suppress her feelings. She was so set on being rejected, she just needed some confirmation to move and she was going to use Jin to do that. It was unfair for everyone involved.

Determined he looked down to his girlfriend who was pouting at him and piecing together the severity of the situation and to Hoseok. “So, my birthday?”

“It’s like in two weeks.” Hoseok answered.

“You mean, force them together?” Seulgi asked and he kissed her briefly because she got what he meant.

“Oh.”

That was Hoseok only reply as all three of them watched Taehyung play with the bag of ice that was melting. It was too disheartening. In the back of his mind, he also knew he would need to get closer to Irene, to understand where she was coming from.
 

⇤〜⑉⑅﹎⑅〜⑉⇥

Irene:

The study still looked the same from when she was younger. She was amazed by it all. She glanced at the boy sitting in the chair behind the desk now. That was where he belonged. She did not want to be there.

“So, why am I here?”

“I was just wondering if you’re doing okay. Dohwan said he saw you at the hospital.”

“I was just visiting an old friend that used to take care of me. Why was Dohwan there?”

“He’s doing something for me.”

“Looking for your ‘princess’?”

She enjoyed the little sneer he gave her. She squared her shoulders off as he came nearer to her. Oh Sehun, the most feared man in the underground world. As far as she knew. Even her own father—who had quite a lot say in the world she grew up in, feared him. She, well she now hates him.

There once was a time when she rather fancied Oh Sehun. He was younger than she was and she used to show him around as they grew up together. Then, Sejeong came into the mix and she fell ill. Sehun rejected her, before she could even say she had feelings for him. His rejection came in the form that he needed someone stronger to be by his side and call his queen of the Oh clan. That was not her. She was just a frail girl with weak lungs. It was not asthma, nope. She really did have a bad pair of lungs.

Irene knew about him and Sejeong as well. She also knew he wanted to find the girl he was meant to marry since a young age. The Park’s girl. The mysterious girl to have died. Apparently, she was alive. After all those years, she was alive and not dead. She rather envied the girl—because the girl grew up outside of their world. Sure, Irene was always at the hospital for majority of her childhood and teenage years; she was still in the loop and part of the world she was born.

“So, I