ENTICE || JJk•PJm•KTh

Chapter 40 || Bitter

"there's a what?!" namjoon half yells, staring at the equally frustrated younger male, as he groans in his palms, running out of everything in the world to curse at now. "are you fucking crazy, park jimin?! leave that girl alone, come on!"

"it's not my fault!" jimin retorts, then forced himself to pause and take a deep breath, before focusing back on the problem. "i know it's messed up, but hyung, please i really didn't know about this. dad just called me and somehow he knew about me not working and— and apparently 'losing my mind after a girl' to exactly quote his words."

"is it on the news?" namjoon massages his temples, "i haven't seen anything like that before this."

"no, it's not. but i don't know how long it'll be that way. people know me and taehyung, him especially, and there have been rumours about him being involved with a girl. jiah's face and name is not out yet, although i'm pretty sure it won't take too much time for her to be the biggest headline."

"taehyung is careless." namjoon mutters, picking up his phone and dials to his friend, who works as taehyung's manager. the line is answered, making him smile for a second at the cheerful voice as usual. "ah, hello hoseok-ah."

"hey, namjoon. long time, man! how's life?"

"bad," namjoon groans.

"oh— why? what happened?"

"okay, so you already might know this— i mean, about jiah and taehyung?"

"ah yeah. taehyung's crazy after her. i've tried to talking to him so many times but he just doesn't listen. he has stopped responding to me whenever i bring her up now. he's so annoying."

"i can understand, i have a similar guy." namjoon says, clearing his throat when jimin narrows his eyes at him. "anyway, i didn't notice it sooner, but jimin just told me about the rumours going on about taehyung and jiah. is the media after them?"

"i know what you're worried about, and trust me taehyung has got it all dealt with. if he didn't step in in the beginning, this would be all over the news by now. the media will keep their mouths and cameras shut, except for some really rebellious ones. but don't worry aout them either, i'm looking into it. jiah's name and face will not be out, i promise you that."

"great," namjoon sighs in relief, "thank you, hoseok. she's been through a lot, and even right now, jungkook has been so caught up with everything. he didn't even return home since yesterday."

"what?" jimin speaks up, frowning at the information and stands up, "what the fuck? why?"

"who's there with you?"

"jimin." namjoon replies to hoseok, while glancing at the said male, "jungkook is with yoongi ever since he came back from daegu. he called me to fill in. they were at yoongi's place this afternoon with jiah."

"with jiah?" jimin gasps, "how is she? she is okay? why didn't he call me?"

"i don't know? are you guys even friends?" namjoon arches up a brow, making jimin mutters another few curses before looking away. he picks up his keys and motions his hand for namjoon to know that he's leaving. "hey! don't go there right now!" namjoon stands up, only to be interrupted by jimin stopping near the door, as though he saw a ghost entering.

a few seconds later, jungkook comes in with jiah, who doesn't spare anyone a glance but jungkook does make a weird face at the sight of jimin. "yo, what the fuck are you doing at our house?" jungkook hisses.

"i—" jimin gulps, his eyes fixed on jiah and moves closer gradually, "jiah... i— are you okay?" he asks softly, scanning her from head to toe, but never dares to touch her for the fear that she might flinch, considering that she looks so fragile.