Pluto Rooms | Jikook

....

"Are you sure you don't want me to drive you again?" 

Jimin leans by the doorway, cellphone in hand. On his legs tonight aren't the same black leather pants from yesterday (they're in the wash) but his old bar pants. I'll have to go shopping for more tight pants later. 

"No, that's alright, Hobi. I think I'll be okay today."

Hoseok emerges from the kitchen, his face sweaty from Pilates. He runs a hand along his forehead and pauses to regard Jimin with a you better not be bullshitting me stare that makes Jimin smile. His friend is so caring, so supportive. 

"You'll be okay driving? Who are you and what did you do with my Jimin?" Hoseok jokes.

"I'll text you if I need anything, 'kay?" Jimin assures his friend, tapping his fingernails against his bubblegum colored phone case. "I'll be back by two AM! See ya, Hobister."

"I told you not to call me that!"

Jimin chuckles as he hurries out the door before Hoseok can slap him, racing down the porch steps and to the black Camry with the keys twirling in hand. The youngest Lee boy stands in the driveway, kindly raising a hand to him. 

Jimin reciprocates it with a equally kind smile, holding a thumbs up to the boy. Hoseok stands by the door, biting back the swears on his tongue as the young Lee boy waves at him too.

"Bye, Hoseok!" 

Jimin enters the car and closes the door, feeling a strange wave of confidence when the doors lock with a pop. The car starts without much noise--a stark contrast to the harsh vrroooomm of the purple Porsche from the game. As Jimin carefully backs out of the driveway, he almost expects to see a short yellow character in the passenger seat.

Jimin can hear himself talking to Pluto now--can feel the weight of the VR headset dragging down his face. 

"So, if there's any way I can make it easier-"

You can't.

Pluto's snot-filled voice cries out to him in the car, and for a moment Jimin considers turning around. Going back to Hoseok. Asking him to drive the car to Radon. Something about the you can't from Pluto is so heart-wrenching, Jimin feels like he has been watching the lead character lose everything on in an episode of some Netflix drama. 

"Why can't I?" Jimin talks out loud to the steering wheel, mind hardly focused on the normal anxiety that would be plaguing him on the road. "Why can't I help you, Pluto?"

A red light stops him in his tracks. He frowns at the stop light, hesitantly pressing the brake to halt the Camry before a crosswalk. Some pedestrians saunter on by, shopping bags from Seoul's numerous stores swinging in their hands. Jimin pays them miniscule attention. He's too focused on the idea of his virtual buddy, some random Busan resident who he knows very little about.

Scratch that. He knows some stuff about Pluto. It's only been two days, but Jimin's observational talent has proven worthwhile in the horror game. 

"I know...Pluto likes dark colors..." The traffic light shines green, and Jimin zooms forward in the Camry. "I know he has watched SpongeBob, I know he fucking loves soup--he hates driving, he must dislike fires in classrooms--no, no! I bet he doesn't like being trapped, he said something about being claustrophobic...hmm...oh! He has some girl making him soup..."

Outside, the strip mall with Radon comes into view. The Camry creeps into the parking lot, sliding into the same parking spot Hoseok had taken yesterday. The dashboard clock ticks away the last few minutes before seven, and Jimin exits the vehicle, mind spinning.