LAST RESORT | JIKOOK ✔️

18. SECRETS

To say Jeongguk got any bit of sleep last night would be a complete lie.

After finding his brother's business card in the pocket of Jimin's hoodie, he hasn't been able to think about anything else. This isn't at all what he expected to come out of their night together after a week of zero contact.

He lets out a sigh, pressing his palms to the shower walls as the hot water travels down his toned back. His head is hanging, low and heavy with all of the questions running rampant in his mind.

How do they know each other? Why would Ro-un give Jimin his business card in the first place unless he had some kind of ulterior motive? Obviously, the youngest Jeon has been keeping secrets. Not to say Jeongguk himself hasn't because every other word that comes out of his mouth is a lie when he's talking to any of his family members.

But this... this secret is something he could have never possibly fathomed. And it's the fact that Jimin has to know who Ro-un is. Why did he take the card? What situation did they find themselves in that made the exchange possible?

Jeongguk can feel his body tense up. He breathes in and out, trying to relax himself. Ro-un has always had some kind of personal vendetta against him. It stemmed from his childhood wherein their father never showed him as much love as he did Jeongguk. It's only become his main objective to sabotage his older brother's life.

But the thing is, is that Ro-un has no idea about him and Jimin. And in fact he's clueless - the total opposite of Soomin. So what could he possibly gain from contacting the blond? It doesn't make any sense. Jeongguk isn't sure he wants to make sense of it, no matter how royally it messes with his head.

Being so lost in his thoughts, he misses not only the bathroom door opening but also the shower door. Jimin is now behind him but the student doesn't move a muscle. And Jeongguk wonders what he's doing but can't find the courage to look at him right now.

"Hyung?" Jimin calls out to him softly and his voice is almost muted entirely by the running water. "Is everything okay?" he asks.

Jeongguk chews on his bottom lip. The tips of his fingers pale as they press deeper into the shower wall. "Fine," is all he says, keeping his gaze locked on the water disappearing into the drain.

He feels soft hands graze his back. It's insane how quickly he can sense his body relaxing beneath Jimin's touch. He hasn't been like this with anyone in a very long time - hasn't been this effected. He stands up straight and finally turns around, looking the blond in his eyes.

"I can tell you're upset," he points out. "I'm not sure what I did. Whatever it is, I'm sorry." Jimin's tone is super gentle, Jeongguk feels like he's going to break on the spot.

He has seen Jimin in a vulnerable state but nothing similar to this before. He's so quiet, whatever he's saying is very inaudible. Not to mention how docile he's being in contrast to his typical behaviour. Although Jeongguk has never been very good at relationships, he's very good at reading people.

What he assumes is that it's because Jimin is very sensitive right now, not just physically but emotionally and it's because he's finally letting his feelings through, out in the open. Maybe even a little insecure and worried because of how his ex-boyfriend treated him, especially when it came to intimate things like sex.

"Hey, look at me." Jeongguk tilts Jimin's head up by his chin, looking the blond in his eyes and the way they widen slightly makes him look like an expectant puppy. "I need to talk to you about something, alright?" He brushes his thumb against Jimin's bottom lip.

"Okay," he replies, clearly nervous.

Jeongguk exhales through his nose, leaning down to place a soft kiss against Jimin's lips. The latter hums into it quietly, threading his fingers through the man's soaked brown hair. The water travels down his arms, down his sides and he releases a small gasp, pulling away.