lipstick & mascara | j.k ✓

CHAPTER TEN.

Jungkook stops asking Jimin if he's told anyone about his sexuality. Instead, Jimin oftentimes finds Jungkook just staring at his lips with a look of concentration on his face. Jimin asks him what his deal is, but all he gets is a "nothing" before more staring.

-

"Do you like glossy or matte?"

"...Excuse me?"

"You know, like glossy is shiny finish and-"

"No, I know what the words mean. Why are you asking me this? And how do you even know the-"

"Just answer."

"I like something in between. But more glossy, I guess."

"OK. Cool."

"What are, hey, where are you going!"

-

It's Friday again, and Jimin is just about to head home when he sees Jungook standing by the main door of the department building, digging his feet into the floor.

"Waiting for someone?" Jimin asks, adjusting the laptop he's holding in one arm, and Jungkook looks up and straightens his back.

"You," Jungkook answers, his hand subconsciously flying up to scratch the tip of his nose. Jimin cocks his head to the side, knowing that something is different about Jungkook but not being able to pinpoint it.

"...Did you need something?"

"Um. I wanted to give you something."

"...Okay?"

"Here," Jungkook lets out rather sheepishly, pulling a small rectangular box from behind him. The box is a simple black one, not a single letter printed on it. Jimin shakes it slowly and hears nothing. It's not very heavy.

"What is it?"

"Open it."

Jimin wordlessly obliges, carefully removing the top half of the box.

Needless to say, Jimin is completely taken by surprise at the piece of item he sees.

He pulls the long tube out slowly and rolls it around in his hand. It has no label. The only color he sees are the gold lining the area connection the lip and the rest of the bottle and the shade of pink inside that has a hint of something peachy as well. The color is reminiscent of first love. Shy. Innocent. Yet bold in its need to express itself. It asks to be loved back but isn't overwhelming in its demand. It's such a beautiful color that Jimin finds himself simply staring at it.

"...What is it?" Jimin finally manages to whisper, his eyes still fixed on the color in his hand.

"Liquid lipstick. Kind of like the one you tested at The Lab," Jungkook answers, his feet digging into the floor beneath him again.

"It's...beautiful. Is it from your mother's brand?" Jimin asks, looking up to face the other man. He doesn't remember seeing the particular color when he was testing the samples.

"Um. Kind of."

"Kind of?"

"It's from the place, but I made it."

"You made this."

"Well, I got some help, but I came up with the color. I thought it'd look really good on you."

Jimin says nothing. He simply looks back down onto the tube in his hand and lets himself be mesmerized by the color again. It's perfect. It's the kind of color he had searched for ever since he started getting into makeup. It's so...him. 

"Do you...not like it? I'm not like an expert or anything so-"

"No. I love it. Thank you. It's....perfect."

"Oh."

Jimin looks back up at the man standing in front of him, the realization hitting him that Jungkook, who doesn't even like makeup, had created a unique liquid lip just for him. So that's why Jungkook had been staring at his lips for the past few days.

"Well, I'm glad you like it," Jungkook says shyly, scratching the back of his head. "I will uh...I'll see you on Monday, I guess," Jungkook continues, fidgeting in his place, looking more than ready to flee the scene. Jimin reaches out and grabs onto the hem of Jungkook's shirt, suddenly feeling heat rising in his cheeks. 

"Wait."

"Hn?"

"Do you maybe want to grab dinner together?" Jimin asks, peering up at Jungkook from beneath his lashes, and is surprised to find that the other man's cheeks are tinged a soft shade of pink as well.

"Oh. Yeah, I can do that. I need to eat," Jungkook answers, the corners of his lips twitching. 

"And maybe you can see me try this on?"

"That...seems like an appropriate course of action."

Jimin smiles, letting his eyes disappear into crescents.

And Jungkook smiles back, letting his eyes do the same.