Nineteen | SeulMin FF

-13-

He feels so astonished, that he cannot even speak. What did Joohyun say? What is he supposed to do? Everything echoes in his head like a broken gramophone, the sentence repeating, but its meaning lost in time.

And then, he feels the soft brush of her full lips press against his dry ones, and his eyes widen upon realizing what is happening. Her plea returns in his head stronger than before, and when Jimin is about to push her away, Joohyun ends the act, stepping one step behind and looking at him with a broken expression.

"See? It wasn't that bad. My lips aren't poisonous." She then tries to joke, but her voice comes out weak and struggling.

Joohyun's eyes redden and her thin body starts to tremble.

It takes him a minute just what has happened. But Jimin can't feel anger towards her. And especially not when she's on the verge of crying.

"Joohyun," he calls out to her, after taking out his handkerchief and running it over his lips, seeing if she left behind her lip-gloss. "Why did you do that?" The man then asks, his brows drawn in a small line.

She shrugs, as she inhales air. "Because I'm too proud to ask you to let me stay. So instead, I'm running away. I want this to be our parting gift, the motive you could hate on me."

He opens his mouth to interject, but she raises her hand, asking him to let her finish first.

"I wholeheartedly wish for you and Seulgi to be happy. She's bearing your child, and that child will certainly be blessed, to have the two of you as his or her parents. I love you, Jimin. Not as a lover, but as a friend. Because... first of all, we started off as friends." She chuckles painfully. "Looks like this is framed quite prettily. We start like friends and end like friends..." She then trails off.

Jimin rolls his eyes and tucks at her forehead, making Joohyun flinch. "Silly. We're not parting. You're getting married, and I have ten thousand of reasons to stay alive. Still, that was thoughtless and very silly of you."

She shrugs, once again. "Yeah, I'm a thoughtless person. I only think of my own self."

Joohyun starts to walk towards the door, with Jimin next to her.

"True. There used to be a period of time when you were like this." She glares at him and he grins back, in that boyish way Seulgi loves. "But you've grown, kiddo. You are now thinking of others too." He opens the door for her. "I'm proud of you." 

"But of course!" Joohyun tries to look strong, although her hands shake in the slightest. "I know Seulgi, and I also know you. I'm tired of acting selfish in front of people I cherish." She steps out of the room.

Her father hurries towards them. Knowing the short time, Jimin quickly whispers something in her ear. Something which only the two hear, before her father arrives and ushers him to take his seat.

"Where were you?" Seulgi asks with narrowed eyes, her voice lowered, once a rather pale Jimin occupies the righteous seat form beside her.

"Sorry. I talked with Joohyun." He says pleadingly, and rubs her arm, his way of telling her that everything was alright.

Instead, Seulgi rests her hand on his right thigh, the back of her palm touching the material of his trousers, and she looks at him meaningfully. Seeing the gesture, and realizing what she expects, Jimin intertwines their fingers, then brings her hand to his mouth, to place gentle kisses on her knuckles.

"I'm sorry it took so long. Don't be mad, okay?"

And how can she stay mad at him, when he's showering her with that beautiful and cheeky smile? The edges of his eyes curl into smiling, his mouth wide and his teeth milky white. His dark hair a mess, and Park Jimin is continuously playing with her heart.