Dance of Love

16

Jimin

I step closer to the open window. Did I hear that?

"No dad, I know him well. He won't do that, I can trust him."

"No you really can't, you met him what, four months ago?"

"Yeah, but I see and talk to him every single day. Why are you suddenly saying all this?" She shouts, sounding upset. 

"I just don't want you to repeat any mistakes, honey, these type of people are never good for you... or anyone." He fires back. 

My stomach sinks. So this is what her dad thinks of me.

She was silent for a bit but then I hear her sigh. "I know dad." Her voice says softly. "I'll be careful. But he-" I move away from the window with a heavy heart. I can't listen to the rest. Like always, the idol side of me is taking over everyone's impressions, not the real me.

I mean, what can I expect?

I walk a bit away from the window and see Aera jogging to me with a big duffel bag.

"Hey!" She says brightly as if she never said anything bad a few minutes ago.

I don't return her smile. "Can we go?"Her smile slips away from her lips and she looks back in the direction I came from.

She spots the open window and her eyes widen.

"Jimin..."

I walk away. "Let's go." My voice sounds harsher than I expected.

She silently follows me and gets into the car. The entire 30-minute drive back was in agonizing silence. 

I didn't know what to say to her, and I'm guessing it was the same for her. She knows I heard what they were talking about. 

It shouldn't hurt me this much but something was happening between Aera and me and now it feels like it changed. 

We get to the building and I get out of the car to give the keys to the staff. I see Aera trying to lug around her heavy duffel bag with maximum effort. 

I sigh and walk over to her. I grab the bag out of her hands silently and sling it over my shoulder.

"You don't have to..." I hear her say. 

"It's fine," I mumble back.

We both get to the elevators and I can see her glancing at me every two seconds but I keep my eyes straight ahead of me. I enter the dorm to see Yoongi hyung and Jungkook in the living room. 

"Hi, Aera!" Jungkook says. I had told our separate group chat that Aera is staying over for a few days. "We're going to have so much fun." 

I look over at her and she smiles. It doesn't meet her eyes though. 

"Yeah." She says unenthusiastically.

"I'm going out for a second," I say and I walk to the door. 

"Jimin," Yoongi hyung calls out. "Is everything okay?" 

"Yeah," I say without turning back. I get out of the dorm ad dial the person I want to see most right now. 

"Hello?" 

"Taehyung-ah, where are you?" 

"I'm almost home, be there in 5." 

"Okay, I'll see you outside." 

"Okay..." 

I go down to the lobby and see his car being parked. Taehyung walks towards the building with a small puppy crate in his hands.