Low Stress: Publicity Stunt (Jikook)

Episode Six

Jungkook parked his car as he got ready for another day shooting on set. Dark shades rested on his nose, hiding slight bags under his eyes. He felt bad for making the make up artist work harder to cover them up, but no matter how hard he fought himself last night, sleep never came.

He didn't fully view it as a bad thing; Jimin and himself spent hours at the restaurant before parting ways. He even got Jimin to laugh a couple more times and Jimin, without ever bringing any attention to it himself, made every combo of kbbq for Jungkook. He kept an eye on Jungkook's water glass to keep it full too. It didn't seem like a big thing, but for Jungkook it was huge. In Korea, keeping someone water full or helping with what they eat was a way to show friendship.

Which meant Jimin and him were finally friends. Or at least on the way to it.

That energy kept Jungkook up all night. It'd been a month of filming with an actor he respected so much only to constantly get reminded that something was off. He thought it was his own skill maybe or that Jimin hated him for media appearances, but after last night Jungkook was actually excited to go to work. 

"I hope you like iced coffee." Park Jimin suddenly said behind him, like a manifestation of Jungkook's thoughts.

Jungkook jumped, turning to see his co-star dressed in a soft yellow sweater and orange tinted sunglasses. In his hand was a cardboard cup holder where four cups were balanced.

"I guessed iced coffee for you but I asked them to put some sugar in." Jimin added, grabbing the plastic cup nearest him and handing it to Jungkook.

Jungkook smiled, reaching out to take the drink. He could use the coffee.

"Stop smiling like that, it's just coffee." Jimin blushed and Jungkook grinned wider.

"You thought about it though. What I'd like."

"I think about what everyone would like. Iced Caramel macchiato for your manager, black hot coffee for the Director, and a lemonade for my makeup artist." Jimin rolled his eyes, lifting the cardboard holder in his hands where the three more cups were mentioned. "Here, give this to Hoseok." Jimin added, giving Jungkook the Macchiato.

Jungkook's grin widened.

Jimin gave Jungkook a look.

"Seriously, stop grinning. It's scary."

"I mean it's not a black Prada bomber jacket, but I'll still take it." Jungkook said with a grin.

"Ha. Ha." 

Jungkook laughed, taking a sip of his coffee and hiding the smile from his lips. Jimin was a watcher, he knew that from the first day he worked with him. It was why the industry went wild trying to get him on their projects and sets. Jimin simply observed people and knew how to use what he'd noticed to take care of the crew. No one asked him to do things like bring coffee for them in the morning, but Jimin did it anyway because he cared. Jungkook was simply ecstatic to finally get to be a part of it.

Jimin rolled his eyes, heading to the set door where two interns had walked out of. The two girls paused, glancing up from their phones and looking between Jimin and Jungkook and back again. One of them whispered something while the other blushed and they walked past.

Jungkook frowned, the interns weren't usually so skittish.

Jimin didn't wait for him as he walked through the door causing Jungkook to hurry after him before the heavy door shut. When he walked inside he watched Jimin greet their director, handing him his coffee before heading towards hair and makeup. As he walked past, members of the crew had the same strange wide-eyed look following Jimin and then inevitably ending towards Jungkook.

"Hey Hoseok, Jimin bought you a coffee." Jungkook said to his manager who was grabbing some snacks from a table near the wall. The set in front of them mimicked a baking competition show, the scenes slotted for today were the ones where Jimin's character finally baked for the $50,000 prize during the third act of the movie.

Hoseok frowned, odd to see on a face that usually shone so bright most people considered him a walking sun. His manager put down the small plate of fruits and donut holes, grabbing the coffee Jungkook held outstretched for him. He glanced suspiciously at Jungkook's own coffee and sighed.

"Jungkook, just be careful. Jimin could easily be messing with you. I don't want you to get hurt."

"What?" Jungkook blinked and Hoseok paused, confusion furrowing his brow.

"Oh." Hoseok finally said. "Wait. So are you and Jimin dating?"

"Dating?" Jungkook said, his voice a little too loud causing some people to look his way. He gave them a small smile then turned back to Hoseok, his voice more hushed.

"No! No of course not. Is that why everyone's been acting weird today?"

"Dispatch released an article of you and Jimin together."

Jungkook blinked, shaking his head. "No, Hoseok we're just friends. Only friends. I can't - Hoseok you know everything that happened with Namjoon. It's only been a year - how could you even think that I'd be ready for a relationship so fast? And with Jimin of all people? He would barely even talk to me before yesterday!"

Hoseok gave Jungkook a long look before his eyes turned remorseful. He gave Jungkook a small smile, putting a hand on his shoulder and giving it a small squeeze.

"I'm sorry, the photos just looked so convincing."

Jungkook's heart was racing, Hoseok's words muffled as the memories of Namjoon started to flood back into his mind. A name he had tried his best to block off. Suddenly he thought of his soft hair or his bright smile before the world came crashing down around him. 

His hand was about to break through the plastic of his coffee from the grip.

"Just be careful." Hoseok answered, not touching his own coffee. "Focus on finishing this movie the best you can and on how we can keep the momentum you've built so far in your career. Jimin's...well he's trouble, Jungkook. His team will do anything to keep his name first in the media. I believe you if you say those photos Dispatch released don't mean anything and I respect the strength it took to heal yourself after what Nam - what he put you through a year ago. But as your friend, I'm asking for you to keep your head straight anyway."

Jungkook's hands shook, looking off towards hair and makeup where he could hear Jimin's bright voice laughing. Something in his chest flipped at the sound and he reactively burned the reaction away. Keeping his head straight was the wrong way of putting it.

"I know." Jungkook replied. "I know." He repeated, glancing down at the iced coffee Jimin had bought him and suddenly losing the appetite to drink the rest of it.

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A/N:

hey hey, welcome back to another episode of Violette is Starting to Lose it <3

Run down:

 Euphoria: wtf? 

Superbowl < pupbowl

Why are grape (space) fruit and grape (no space) fruit two different fruits?? Its grape fruit as in grape that is a fruit and grapefruit which is its own thing. Why??  I don't understand.

~ Vi