UNDER HIS SKIN || JungKook

10

First thing I do when I'm done with one of the customers is drive to Tae's pub to hang out with him and Jimin. I have been meeting Tae quite frequently these two weeks, but it's been impossible to hang out with Jimin at all.

I get it though. Out of the three of us, he's the only one who's still in a committed relationship. I used to be like him when I dated Leslie. I even stopped hanging out as much with Tae because of her -even after we both came from Korea together, because neither of us knew what we would do without the other. And probably that was one of the reasons why he never really liked Leslie that much -he almost threw a party when he got to know we both broke up, and almost fought her when he learned that she cheated on me.

—Hey, cutie —Brooke greets me with a malicious smile.

—Hey —I greet her, eyes fixed at one of the tables in the middle of the pub—. Give me a coke, please.

I don't really wait for her to say she got the command. I make my way to their table, although I regret it the exact moment they lay their eyes on me.

—Oh, look who dared to come after thirty minutes —Tae jokes.

—Yeah, all the whining, just for you to be late —Jimin complains.

—Don't get me started —I lift my finger at him—, when you're the one who has been standing us up continuously.

—Says the one who forgot he had friends for five years —Jimin looks at me with one of his eyebrows raised.

—Wait, that's right —Tae looks at me—. Why am I even hanging out with you?

I roll my eyes when they both team up to come against me. They always do this, it doesn't matter what the context is, I'm always the one on the losing team.

—How's Nori doing? —I ask, trying to stop the joke before we three actually get worked up on it.

—Fine —Jimin shrugs—. We barely had any free time with the whole moving thing.

—Will you throw a party at the new place? —Tae asks.

—What's this obsession with parties? —Jimin squints his eyes at him.

While they are about to start an argument between them, I feel my phone shake in the front pocket of my jeans. I bite my lip, playing with my lip ring, as I try to hold back a smile when I see her text.

Cocktease: Tam won't be here today

Cocktease: Just in case you want to put my observing skills to test after you're done with your customer.

Me: I probably will finish late today

—Cocktease? —Brooke gets my attention— Do you really have someone saved that way?

—It's no one —I lock the screen—. Thanks —I dryly say, moving the iced drink closer to me.

Brooke seems to get I don't want to talk about it, nor find her question funny, because she leaves without saying a word. I know she meant no wrong with that question, but thanks to her now I have Jimin and Tae looking at me, and probably waiting to see who will be the first one to start the interrogatory.

—Who the fuck is "Cocktease"? —Tae frowns at me.

—And why haven't you talked about her with us?

—Her? It could be a man —I give a sip to my drink after I mention that.

—Kook —Jimin snorts—. Come on. Who is she?

—She's no one —but I know they won't let it go.

But of course, that still doesn't convince them, and that's why I end up giving in and giving them the vaguest explanation.