Wasted Love

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

"This is delicious." Jin sighs dreamily.

He takes another bite of pizza and groans in contentment.

"Do you have to make those sounds?" Yoongi complains, eying Jin with irritation. "Makes eating kind of uncomfortable."

Jin swallows before fixing Yoongi with a serene smile.

"That sounds like a you problem, " he replies.

Yoongi scowls grumpily, but continues to munch anyway.

"It's been a while since we did something all together like this, " Namjoon says, changing the topic entirely. "What brought this on anyway?"

I blush, a beet kind of red, and swallow my current bite of pizza hastily.

"Does it really matter?" Jimin asks playfully, trying to take the attention away from me.

Though I can always count on Jimin to meddle and tease, sometimes he can be really observant. Despite his efforts, however, everyone continues to look at me quizzically. I'm sure that each of them are probably wondering the same thing. After all, this is not normal behaviour on my part.

I sigh, and steel myself, determined to say what I should have a long time ago.

"You know I love you guys, right?" I fidget nervously with my napkin, staring at the floor in embarrassment. "I know I don't say it often enough, but I really do. You guys are like family to me."

Jimin smiles brightly, as does Jin and Hoseok. Jeonguk is wearing a shit eating grin, and Namjoon's smile is gentle.

Yoongi is the first to respond, and I can't help bit to smile at his words.

"Right back at you, " he says, and then shoves his mouth.

Jin simply shakes his head, eyes full of questions that he doesn't ask. Jimin begins to chat animatedly with Jeonguk, and Namjoon preoccupied himself with his food.

"I'm proud of you, " Hoseok tells me softly, turning away from his plate to face me with an earnestly painted expression.

I smile, touched by his sincerity.

"Not really much to be proud of, " I reply teasingly. "But thank you nonetheless."

His hand under the table seeks out my own, enticing his fingers with mine effortlessly. And as his thumb gently caresses the back of my hand, I sigh in contentment.

"What's wrong?" Jin asks between bites. "Is the pizza not to your liking?"

I smile and shake my head.

"Nothing's wrong, " I reply easily. "I'm very content right now."

The rest of our meal passes relatively uneventfully. And before long the bill is paid, and we are marching out the door excitedly.

"Any ideas on where we should go?" Jin asks, sliding into the driver's seat fluidly.

"I know a place, " Hoseok pipes up as he buckles in. Turning to face Jeonguk, he adds, "still not too late to change your mind though."

Jeonguk chuckles heartily, amused by Hoseok's confidence.

"And why would I want to do that? Sure you're not getting cold feet?"

Hoseok's responding smile is almost evil, and the light in his eyes only intensifies.

"Don't say I didn't warn you." He replies, still grinning.

I have to admit that I'm excited. I haven't actually seen Hoseok dance. Last night I'd been far too intent on the way he'd felt to take any sort of notice about the way he'd moved, but I do at least remember that he is an excellent dancer with a wonderful sense of rhythm.

It should be a treat to sit back and watch him.

It barely even seems as if we've started the car, and yet we are suddenly pulling into the parking lot for the very same club he'd taken me to last night. For a moment my confusion is heightened by the fact that the sun has all but disappeared, allowing the night clubs lights to penetrate the dark around us.

I can hear the music from inside the car, as none of us have opened our doors yet. Joonie looks a little green in the gills, and, if the string of curses flying from Yoongi's mouth are any indication, he is none too pleased either.

"You know, " Namjoon sulks, "I'd really been hoping you guys were joking about this. Does no one remember the last time we went dancing?"

Jimin shudders beside me and I can hear Jeonguk nearly retch in the back seat.

"Yo!" he yells, blasting my eardrums in the process as he leans forward in order to have Namjoon hear him properly over the thudding base emanating from the clubs doors. "I think we'd all rather not be reminded of that night, for multiple reasons."

I can't help but find their antics amusing. And I can tell by the way Hoseok's eyes sparkle that he finds them funny too.

"He fits right in with the rest of us, " I muse silently. "Almost as if he belongs with us."

This time we exit the car a little more gracefully. Of course, Jeonguk has to nearly drag Yoongi from the car, but I digress.

Once we are inside Yoongi and Namjoon make a beeline for the bar, followed closely by Jimin and Jin. Jimin's licentious eyes scan the crowd for pretty girls as he navigates his way to the bar and I roll my eyes.

I swear that man is in need of an intervention.

But Jeonguk and Hoseok are clearly too pumped about their little contest to think of any thing else, and I find myself making my way to join the other's at the bar on my lonesome.

Not that I mind, their enthusiasm is adorable.

It isn't difficult to find a seat, seeing as Jimin has saved me one. I slide into said seat eagerly, but once I have done so I realize something. From here it'll be nearly impossible to see Jeonguk and Hoseok, and it seems that Jin too has noticed this.

"Why don't we move over there?" He shouts, attempting to make his voice heard over the music as he points to a booth relatively close to a nearly empty spot of dance floor.

Everyone who is dancing seems to have congregated in the very middle of the floor. I nod in agreement.

We all get up at once, and make our way to the booth. Jeonguk is first to notice the area to which we are migrating, and he grabs Hoseok by the arm, dragging him over to where we are headed.

"So, " Jeonguk taunts, eyes aflame with what I'm sure he considers already to be his assured victory. "You ready to get stomped?"

"I believe, " Hoseok replies smugly, eyes equally aflame as we all settle in our seats, "that is my line."

A/N:

I just wanted to say, Happy Mothers day for those of you who are mothers, and for those that aren't I hope you get to have a very special day with your very special mother. If, by any chance, there are those of you who, like me, do not have a mother, or have a mother who does not care for you as she should, I hope that you are remembering just how special and wonderful and strong you are.

Wishing all the best,
Nim