“I’m so bored.” Jimin complained. He rested his head on my shoulder. “Hang out with me.”

I shrugged him off. “Jimin, I’m in the middle of work.” I was on my laptop, writing up a piece for a client back in Seoul. My workload had decreased significantly since I moved back to Busan and it was starting to stress me out. Where was I going to find new clients?

“Play with me.” Jimin moaned, dropping his head back down on me.

“I can’t type with your big head weighing me down. Just go do something else.”

“My head is not that big.” Jimin grumbled. “C’mon, baby, you’ve been working for three hours. It’s already 11 p.m.”

“I can’t, Jimin! This is due soon!” I shrugged him off again.

Far from being deterred, Jimin kissed my shoulder. “Just take a break.” He murmured against my bare skin. “Please?”

“I can’t.” I said shortly. “I need to get this done.”

“C’mon, let’s just make out for a little while.” Jimin pleaded in a hoarse whisper. He pulled at the strap of my tank top with his teeth.

“What are you doing?” I muttered. “Is that supposed to be y?”

“Yes. Please get and pay attention to me.” Jimin replied as he leaned in closer and nuzzled his face in my neck.

“Jimin, seriously, I need to work.” I protested.

“You can take a twenty minute break.” He said softly. He reached over and placed my laptop on the coffee table. He pulled me into his lap and kissed me. “Play with me for a little bit.” Jimin murmured against my lips. “I miss you.”

“Jimin, I’m so stressed right now.” I told him seriously. “I really need to get this done.”

“Let me relax you and then you can finish it. Hmm? I’ll recharge you.” Jimin tried to persuade me with a few more kisses.

I was considering giving in when my phone began to ring. “.” I muttered, climbing off of Jimin’s lap. He tried to pull me back in, but I wrenched myself away. “It could be a client.”

“At this hour?” Jimin asked skeptically.

I checked the caller ID. It was Young Jae. Why was he calling me? I glanced at Jimin before picking up the phone.

“Hello?”

“Hey, it’s me. It’s Young Jae.” It was hard to hear him. I could hear loud music in the background. Was he at a club?

“Hey. What’s up?” Jimin stood up and came behind me. He tried to put his hands on my waist, but I broke free from his grasp and went into my bedroom. I didn’t want him to hear this conversation.

“I just really miss you.” Young Jae mumbled into the phone.

“I can’t really hear you. Where are you?”

“I’m at a bar. There’s a band playing. Sorry, I’ll try and find a quiet place to talk.”

I heard him shuffling around until gradually the noise faded.

“Is this better?” He asked.

“Yeah.” I said quietly. “What’s up?”

He hesitated for a moment before responding. “Can we talk?”

“About what?” I laid down on my bed and gazed up at the ceiling.

“I know you said we couldn’t be friends and all, but I’m having a really hard time.” Young Jae said softly. “I used to see you every day. And now I just see you at work…and you’re just with Jimin then.”

I didn’t answer him. What was I supposed to say?

“I’m sorry.” He muttered after a minute. “It was stupid of me to call you. I just…I just really miss you.”

“I know.” I sighed. “I miss you, too.”

“Do you?” Young Jae’s voice sounded hopeful.

“Yeah, but I love Jimin. There’s really nothing I can do for you, Young Jae. I’m sorry.” I added gently.

“How’s it going with you guys?” Young Jae asked after a tense moment of silence.

“Good.” I told him.

“That’s good.” He sounded miserable.

“Did you have something you needed to tell me?” I asked, trying to wrap up the conversation.

“No.” Young Jae said quietly. “I just wanted to hear your voice.”

A wave of guilt washed over me. “I’ll see you at work tomorrow, okay?”

“Okay.” He muttered and hung up the phone.

Jimin knocked on my bedroom door. “Come in.” I called softly.

He poked his head in and smiled at me. “You okay, baby?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” I said tiredly.

Jimin came over and laid down next to me. He took my hand in his and kissed it. “Was that a client on the phone?”

“No.” I sighed.

“Who was it at this hour? Was it your mom? Is everything okay?” Jimin’s worried voice touched me. I didn’t want to tell him the truth, but I knew that I had to.

“It was…Young Jae.” I admitted reluctantly.

“Ah.” Jimin said dully. “So that’s why you look so sad.”

“I just feel guilty.” I sighed and turned towards Jimin. I brushed his bangs out of his eyes. “Because I’m so happy to be here with you and he called just because he wanted to hear the sound of my voice.”

“That’s the way it goes, baby.” Jimin told me quietly. “Love doesn’t always work out for some people.”

“I should have never gone on a date with him.” I reproached myself. “I should have just told him we could only ever be friends.”

“He would have still liked you, baby.” Jimin my hair soothingly. “It’s not your fault he caught feelings for you.”

“Yeah, but I just feel like I led him on.” I murmured. A few guilty tears sprung into my eyes.

Jimin brushed them away patiently. “You didn’t.” He reassured me softly. “You probably would have ended up dating him if I hadn’t come back.”

“That’s even worse.” I sniffed. “I got his hopes up and then crushed them. I’m a horrible person.”

Jimin sighed and pulled me close to him. I snuggled into his chest and cried a little bit. “I’d really like to comfort you, but it’s really hard to see you cry over another guy. Especially Young Jae.”

“Sorry.” I said into his shirt. “I’m just trying to cope with the fact that I’m a terrible human being.”

“You’re not a terrible human being.” Jimin denied as he kissed my hair. “It’s just very easy to fall in love with you. I know you’ve broken hearts before; why is Young Jae the only one you’re feeling remorseful about?”

“He’s not the only one.” I argued. Truthfully, he basically was. “I was just having fun before. Guys liked me but I didn’t really care. I didn’t fall in love with any of them. Even if they liked me. We just dated, you know? Even with the guys I dated seriously, it wasn’t love. Not like I love you. It was just sort of going with the flow.”

Jimin chuckled. “How were you such a player if you were so shy?”

“I’m only shy around you because I have feelings for you.” I grumbled. “I’d never been in love before I dated you. I didn’t know how sad it was to feel like the person you loved didn’t love you back.”

“Ah, so are you admitting that Young Jae loves you?” Jimin crowed. “Are you actually admitting that I’m right?”

“No. I’m just saying that I know how he feels now.” I said softly. “I know what it’s like to just want to hear the sound of someone’s voice. To stay up all night just thinking about the way they used to look at you. To just wish that they were there with you, even just for a second. I just don’t want to make anyone feel that way ever again.”

Jimin didn’t answer me right away. He just patted my back and pulled the blanket over us. “Who is this empathetic person? Are you my girlfriend? Did you undergo a lobotomy while I was gone?”

“Shut up.” I wiped my tears off on his shirt. “I’ve always been a nice person.”

Jimin kissed the top of my head. “You need to go to sleep. You’ve been overworking yourself.”

“I can’t.” I protested. “I have so much work to do. I’ve been putting it off for like a week and a half. Ever since you were here to distract me.”

“Have we really only been back together for a week?” Jimin mused. “It feels like it’s been forever.”

“It feel like it’s been the most emotional week and a half of my life.” I grumbled. “Just fighting with you and then making out. What the , Jimin? I just wanna be emotionally stable for like half a second.”

“That’s why I’m telling you to go to sleep.” Jimin said. “You’re already in your pajamas.”

“I didn’t wash my face.” I mumbled, already feeling myself drifting off.

“It’s fine. You won’t die just from one day of not washing.” Jimin rolled me over onto my side of the bed. He climbed over me and hopped off the bed.

“No, stay.” I tugged on his shirt. “Don’t go home.”

“I’m not.” Jimin reassured me. “I’m just putting on my pajamas.”

He pulled off his tank top and jeans and threw on a pair of sweatpants. He climbed back into bed with me and I snuggled against his bare chest.

“Why aren’t you wearing a shirt?” I asked. “The apartment gets cold at night.”

“That’s why I have you to warm me up.” Jimin said. He tucked my head under his chin.

“I can’t breathe. Your abs are smothering me.” I complained. Jimin giggled. I turned over so his body pressed against my back and let out a sigh of relief. “This is much better.”

“For you, maybe.” Jimin said. “Your hair keeps getting in my mouth.”

“Cuddling sounds so nice in theory, but in actual practice it’s just kind of uncomfortable.” I replied as I tried to wriggle out of his arms. He tightened his grip around me.

“You’re not going anywhere.” He whispered. “I’ll just eat your hair if I have to.”

“You’re so weird.” I laughed.

“I just missed this.” Jimin murmured. “I can’t get enough.”

“Yeah, me neither.” I sighed, snuggling closer to him.

I closed my eyes and soon fell asleep, feeling safe and warm in Jimin’s arms.

I woke up in the middle of the night to loud banging on my front door and Yukon barking. Jimin moaned in his sleep beside me, disturbed by the noise.

“Jimin!” I whispered, shaking him. “Jimin, wake up!”

He yawned and rubbed his eyes drowsily. “What is it, baby? What’s that noise?”

“Someone’s banging on my front door!” I hissed, terrified.

“What time is it?” He mumbled, sitting up.

I checked my phone. “It’s 2 in the morning. Who the hell is banging on my door at 2 a.m.?”

“I’ll go check.” Jimin yawned once more and climbed over me. He picked his tank top up from the ground and threw it over his head. “You stay here.”

Reluctant to leave Jimin alone with a possible axe murderer, I tiptoed quietly behind him. Jimin ambled over to the door, not even worried at all. Like he was used to people trying to break in in the middle of the night. I scooped up Yukon and tried to soothe him as he continued to bark angrily at the front door.

“Can I come in?” A drunken male voice asked from the other side of the door.

Jimin looked through the peephole. “It’s Young Jae.” He turned to me with a frown on his face. “What do you want me to do?”

I came and stood beside him. “Let’s just let him in. He sounds really drunk.”

“Yes, I doubt he would do this kind of thing sober.” Jimin muttered, irritated.

I unlocked the door and opened it to find Young Jae leaning against the doorframe. Yukon growled in my arms as Young Jae blinked at me sleepily. “Hey. I just wanted to say hi.” He mumbled. He scrunched up his face. “I don’t feel well.”

“Just come on in.” I said, taking his arm. He stumbled beside me. I led him over to the couch and sat him down. Jimin wandered into the kitchen and returned with a glass of water. He sullenly handed it to Young Jae.

“Just drink this.” He grumbled. “You’ll feel better.”

Young Jae obediently took a sip. He definitely had had way too much to drink. We usually drank together, but I’d never seen him get drunk like this.

I put Yukon down and kneeled next to Young Jae. “How did you get here?” I asked softly.

“I took a cab.” Young Jae mumbled. He reached out and my hair. I heard Jimin sigh impatiently. “I just wanted to see you.”

“Finish your water and I’ll take you home.” Jimin said shortly.

“Noooo.” Young Jae moaned. “I want to stay here.” He tried to take a sip of his water, but spilled it all down his clothes.

“You’re a mess.” I told him.  “How much did you even drink?”

Young Jae sighed mournfully. “A lot. I drank a lot.” He continued to my hair softly.

“Why did you drink so much?” I asked quietly.

“Cause I love you.” He mumbled and my cheek. Jimin hissed and pulled me away from him.

“I don’t care if you’re drunk. Get it together so I can take you home.” Jimin said angrily. “What’s your address?”

“I’m not telling.” Young Jae said resentfully. He turned to me. “Just let me sleep on your couch. I’ve done it before! Please? Please, please?”

Jimin turned to me, open mouthed in angry astonishment. “He’s slept on your couch before?” He demanded, furious. “Why the has he slept on your couch before?”

I flushed and shrugged sheepishly. “He wouldn’t wake up one night when we were watching a movie.”

“Are you kidding me?” Jimin hissed. “That never stopped you when we were first dating. I always had to go home! What, are you nice to everyone except me?”

“No, I had roommates then, you moron.” I snapped.

“Oh please.” Jimin scoffed. “They didn’t care. When I slept over on the couch that one time one of your roommates came out and cuddled with me while I was sleeping!”

“Yes, and that’s why you weren’t allowed to sleep over.” I scowled at him. “Cause you ing cuddled with my roommate that one time. Never again, you brat.”

“I don’t care. Young Jae’s not sleeping over.” Jimin insisted stubbornly.

“This is my apartment!” I cried. “I can decide who can or cannot sleep over.”

“Fine.” Jimin snapped. “If Young Jae sleeps over, I’m going home.”

“Oh really?” I asked skeptically. “You’re going to leave your girlfriend alone with another man?”

“Yeah, I will.” Jimin bluffed. “Have fun sleeping alone.”

“Well, maybe I won’t be sleeping alone.” I suggested angrily.

Jimin glared at me. “Don’t even joke about things like that. If Young Jae sleeps here, then I’m taking you with me and we’re sleeping at my parents’.”

“Right.” I agreed sarcastically. “I’m going to just let someone sleep in my apartment.”

“Well, you certainly just let him do whatever else he likes in your life.” Jimin retorted. “Why not just let him move in with you?”

“Shut up.” I pinched him. “Just stop acting so childish.”

Jimin pinched me back. “You stop acting so childish.”

We both turned at the sound of a snore. Young Jae was sitting on my couch sleeping, his head fallen to one side.

“Just let him sleep here.” I pleaded with Jimin. “I don’t know his address, anyway.”

“You could just put him in a cab and let him find his way from there.” Jimin grumbled.

I rolled my eyes. “He’s sleeping here.” I decided. “Go get him some pajamas. He can’t sleep in those wet clothes.”

“It’s not like he went swimming.” Jimin pointed out sullenly. “It’s just a bit of water.”

“Jimin.” I said warningly. He sighed and disappeared into my bedroom. I gently shook Young Jae.

“Young Jae, wake up. You need to change your clothes.” I whispered.

“Mmph.” He mumbled in his sleep. I shook him again. “What?” He moaned, blinking at me.

“You have to change your clothes.” I told him. “You spilled water on yourself.”

Young Jae sighed and tried to stand up. I threw an arm around his waist and draped his arm across my shoulders. He was so much taller than me that I had a hard time moving him.

Jimin reappeared with a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. He took in the sight of me practically hugging Young Jae and frowned. I finished helping Young Jae to his feet and let go of him. He swerved unsteadily and fell back against me. Jimin came over and took Young Jae’s other side.

“Go to sleep.” He told me softly. “I can handle this.”

“Are you sure?” I asked. Jimin nodded.

I cast the pair of them one last doubtful glance as I made my way to the bedroom.