And The Games Begin

Chapter 16

The second cocktail party isn't nearly as nerve wracking as the first one. This time, the interview chair isn't as unfamiliar, the tie round his neck doesn't feel as tight, and the whole process itself doesn't seem as unnatural. Rather than trying to calm his racing heart like last week, he allows himself to get excited at the prospect of having some alone time with Jungkook for the first time in five days.

All 20 of them dressed to the nineties, waiting in the main living room for Jungkook to arrive, Casey wearing a red rose attached to his lapal from the group date, Jimin wearing two....one from the first cocktail party, one from their date....and he's feeling like a complete an utter jackass because of it.

Jungkook walks in around 8 o'clock, and Jimin tries to ignore how good he looks. His suit is navy, his tie is black, and his dimple is out and ready to kill. Jimin knows he'll be targeted even more for what he's about to do, but....

" Hey, Jungkook, skip the speech, yeah? Come with me." He stands to his feet and heads over to Jungkook, grabs his hand, and starts to drag him outside. Jungkook goes willingly, and when Michael very audibly says.

" This asshole has two roses and he's still taking Jungkook away....Unbelievable." Jungkook just squeezes Jimin's hand reassuringly, and their steps fall in sync.

They step out into the cool LA air, hands still linked together. It was unbearably hot earlier, but now with the sun down, it's comfortable, even in front of the fire pit by the pool.

Settling down on the couch together, Jimin let's go of Jungkook's hand in favour of grabbing the pillow next to him and putting it in his lap, playing with the tassels on the edges. " So heard you forced a bunch of guys to sing fucking opera. " Kind of a dick move from you, mate."

Jungkook throws his head back and laughs. " Wasn't exactly my idea, but it was still fun, regardless."

" I'll bet." He twists the fabric around his fingers. " I'll also bet I wake up with a shaved head tomorrow."

He laughs again. " Yeah, bold move to steal me like that." He shrugs. " Not sure that I mind though."

" No?"

He shakes his head. " Nuh, uh. Been thinking about you a lot since our date."

" Oh, yeah?" He licks his lips. " What specifically?"

Jungkook pulls the pillow out of Jimin's lap and Jimin frowns. " How sarcastic you are, and how funny it always is."

" One of my best traits."

He smiles. " How ridiculous your eyes are, so insanely brown, I can't believe it."

" Thanks. I grew them myself."

" How kind you are." he continues.

" and how smart you are. How good your ass looks in jeans."

" Jeon, please."

" How pliant you get when I kiss you."

Jimin's face heats up. " Did you forget there are cameras recording us right now?"

" No, I didn't."

" Then you might wanna save that kind of stuff for when we're not being filmed."

" Ah, except the other things I've been thinking about you are definitely not appropriate for TV. That was me keeping it tame."

Jimin wants to kind of climb on top of him. He doesn't, though. Instead, he traces along Jungkook's jawline with his finger.

They both start to lean in Jimin's hands gripping tightly on Jungkook's thighs. Jungkook's breathing audible, and he starts to let his eyes slip shut when a voice behind them says. " Uh, hey guys. Jungkook mind if I steal you?"

Jimin turns and sees Michael standing there, looking as smug as ever, and Jimin wants to drown him in the pool's waterfall. He clears his throat. " Go ahead mate. You haven't had much time with Jungkook here yet, right?" He smirks. " Not sure he even knows your name."

Michael balls his fists up and opens his mouth to retaliate, but Jungkook cuts him off. " I know your name is Michael, and it's good to see you again." He turns to Jimin. " I'll see you inside in a bit, Min." He doesn't look annoyed though, or anything, he looks amused.

Jimin nods. " Yes, you will. And you'll see me next week, too, thanks to my beautiful roses. Plural. Have a nice chat, you two."

During the rose ceremony later that night, Jimin stands amongst the other men, safe from elimination. He stands, bored, as Jungkook calls out name after name. It goes quicker than last week, but it's still tedious due to all the stalling and pauses, and by the end of it, Jimin's feet are throbbing from standing in the same spot for so long, his new shoes not properly broken in yet.

Elijah, Vic and Rob go home, leaving 17 left. They all hold up flutes if champagne to celebrate, and if Jimin accidentally bumps into Michael a little harder than necessary on his way by, champagne spilling out of the side of Michael's glass, no one has to know.

Being on The Bachelor starts to feel like a waiting game. Jimin is forced to watch as Jungkook takes guy after guy out on date after date, and he's ansty with the need to get out of this fucking house, to see Jungkook again, to experience more than just the perfectly decorated patio of this Goddamn LA mansion.

And his patience is wearing thin.

He's safe for week two. He didn't go on a date with Jungkook, but he did mange to pull him aside during the cocktail party for the better part of a half hour, luring him to the basketball court around the side of the house. He loosened his tie, set his drink down on the edge of the lawn, and tossed the ball back and forth between his hands.

" Rules are simple, Jeon. Every time you make the shot, the opposing person has to spill a secret. Every time you miss one, you have to spill a secret. Got it?"

Jungkook smirked and loosened his own tie. " I played basketball in college."

" Funny, me too."

" Did anyone ever trample you?"

" Go ahead, get all the short jokes out now, before I know all your secrets and can crush you with them."

He laughed. " You're the perfect size, and gorgeous."

Jimin pretended he wasn't blushing.

" You go first, sap."

Jungkook made his first shot, ball dropping in so easily. " Tell me a secret about the first time you had sex?"

" Oh, you get to pick what kind of secret it is? Alrighty, then." He tapped his foot against the pavement. " I lost my virginity on a dare."

" What!?!"

" Yeah, my best mate at the time dared me to seduce the school's football goalie. I didn't think it would actually work, but, yeah. Kind of a dick move, looking back on it. And I'm not sure if he knows. So, if you see this, sorry, Philip."

Jungkook laughed. " Lucky Philip."

" Shut up, gimme the ball." His one shot made it in with a swoosh.

" How'd your parents find out you were having sex?"

" Ah, Jesus." He crossed his arms under his chest. " My mum walked in on me balls deep inside of my girlfriend."

Jimin threw his head back and laughed. " Amazing."