If I Ask You to Stay (A BTS Jin Fanfiction)

Chapter 9: What Is This Feeling?

(Jin)

I met Namjoon, Hoseok, and Taehyung for coffee the morning after the party. The barista at the counter was very flirtatious and kept stopping by our table to ask if we needed anything else. Her eyes were always on me, though. At any other time, I would have welcomed the attention, but for some reason, today was different.

I caught Namjoon's eye across the table. He was smirking. "Same old Seokjin."

"I'm trying to be a better man," I drawled. "I'm in graduate school now. I need to be serious about my work and my life."

Namjoon laughed. "Yeah, whatever. Didn't I see you run off with Bella last night?" He raised an eyebrow. "So? Anything interesting happen? Inquiring minds want to know."

I chuckled. "Interesting, yes, but not what you think." I sat up straighter. "It was actually quite strange and quite a shame, too. I thought it was a done deal after she agreed to leave with me. She seemed interesting---nice, easy to talk to, intelligent."

"So why didn't you seal the deal?" Namjoon asked with a grin. "Was she intelligent enough to see through your bullshit?"

"The way she saw through yours?" I retorted and laughed at his mock frown. "I wish I could've talked to her a little longer. There was just something about her. I think it was her eyes."

"Very pretty eyes," Namjoon said. Tae murmured in agreement.

"More than that," I continued, "it seemed that there were actual thoughts behind those eyes, not just a desire to go to bed with me," I paused, "which would have been a given, except I think I lost. She left with Jimin. I guess they must still be together."

"No, they're not," Tae said suddenly. At our confused looks, he continued, "Not anymore. Jimin dated her last year for a little while. They've been friends for a long time, but the whole dating thing didn't go well. It's been over for several months."

"I heard. What's the story with them?" I asked.

Tae pressed his lips together as he thought. "Um, it's hard to explain. They're friends, but it's very weird. I think Jimin was best friends with her brother when they were young. He and Bella dated in high school and again when she got to college, but as a couple they were bad. Always fighting and complaining about things that made no sense. It was a relief when they broke up actually. I couldn't get any peace and quiet at the apartment when they were there. So loud."

"Hot and heavy, huh?" Namjoon asked. "And she seems so quiet." I scowled at him.

Tae's face colored a little. "Uh...what I meant was the constant arguing. I-I never asked about...about that."

"I wonder how much of that was going on. Jimin's a total loser," I mumbled, in spite of myself. I both wanted to know about her relationship with Jimin, but I didn't want to know at all.

Tae seemed a little flustered, then composed himself a bit. "Well, uh, you know Jimin." He must have seen my expression because he rushed to explain. "I mean that I never actually saw or heard anything, but we know how Jimin is with girls. Although Bella seems like a very nice girl."

Namjoon sipped his coffee. "It's probably safe to say that they slept together."

I felt myself getting upset. "Fine, whatever. Then Jimin cheated on her?"

Tae nodded. "One morning I was making breakfast and some random girl walked out of Jimin's room wearing only his shirt. She had the nerve to tell me to serve her--which I didn't, by the way. Later, I asked him if he and Bella broke up, but he just laughed and said no. When I told him that I knew another girl had spent the night, he told me to mind my own business. I did, but Bella found out anyway and broke up with him. Jimin accused me of telling her, but I hadn't told her."

I hadn't realized that my hands were clenched into fists until Namjoon cleared his throat. I saw the silent question in his eyes and shrugged. "I heard about that last night. Not in detail, just that he'd cheated on her. Why does Jimin have to be such an ass? I swear sometimes I feel like punching his face."

"He's pretty cool most of the time," Tae said. "We've been roommates since freshman year, and I've noticed that it's only at certain times that he becomes a grade-A jerk. He starts drinking too much and hitting on girls. But the rest of the time he's normal. I've always thought he had mental issues, but that's just me."

I exhaled. "He's definitely got some mental issues to have broken the heart of a nice girl like Bella. I can't believe he took advantage of her. She's too good for him. Much smarter and classier than him. I told you she's intelligent. You know, she's studying to be a school counselor, and she told me that she volunteers with kids who..." I noticed that Namjoon and Tae were staring at me curiously. "What?"

Namjoon grinned. "Since when do you know so much about her?"

"I asked her," I replied, indignantly. "I can have normal conversations with women, you know."

"Uh-huh," he grunted. "Because all you ever want from women is conversation."

"I said I was turning over a new leaf," I said with a smile and a shake of my head.

"You can't be serious," Namjoon chuckled. "So no more girls?"

Before I could reply, the barista came to our table and plopped down another cup of coffee in front of me. "Here. I just thought you'd like...this. Don't worry. It's on me. Let me know if you want anything else." Then she sashayed back behind the counter with an extra swing in her hips.

I left a twenty-dollar bill on the table and got up, chuckling. "I guess that's our cue to leave."

"I don't think she wants you to leave," Taehyung said. His round eyes looked back at the girl.

"I know," I said. "That's why I need to go." They followed me out the door.

"Hey, you forgot this." Namjoon caught up to me. He was holding out the coffee cup. She had written her name and number on the cup.

"Ah, did I?" I smirked. "You can have it. Enjoy. I'm not in the mood today."

Taehyung stared at me. "Wh-What?"

"Because of Bella?" Namjoon asked.

"Because of..." I stopped because I had been thinking about Bella. How did he know? I became annoyed at his smirk and turned away. "Just because, okay?" I heard them laughing as we walked to the car. It wasn't because of her, I told myself.