When the engine of Jieun's ride faded into nothing more than a whisper, both Jimin and Jungkook had yet to move. The beautiful brown haired boy pressed the back of his hand to his lips as he rested his elbows on his knees, back still against the wall. His golden flaked eyes were staring at the blades of grass that brushed against his feet. Jimin was surprised; Jungkook was disheveled, muscles tense, jaw set, but his eyes were clear of tears. Not that Jimin expected Jungkook to cry, but with Jimin feeling hot tears press against his own eyes, it fascinated him that Jungkook was so dry eyed.

Jimin swallowed, the distance between them was no less than five feet and yet Jimin felt like it was miles.

"Jungkook, who was she?" Jimin asked. His voice was steady, like the question was nothing out of the ordinary. Jungkook looked up then.

"She-" Jungkook stopped, frowning at the shake in his voice. He poked at something in the ground, his brows furrowing as he shook his head. He licked his bottom lip in one frustrated sweep then tried again. "Jimin," Jungkook said, hissing through his front teeth pained, as he tore at the grass more forcefully. He had to even his breathing for a moment, as if he was fighting every single nerve in his body for self control, "I'm sorry, I - I can't."

"That's bull." Jimin said, taking a step back. He felt his heart racing in his chest, the pouding deafening to his own ears. A moment ago he had fallen asleep on this boy - had laughed with him. A moment ago when goosebumps kissed Jimin's skin, it was Jungkook's warmth he thought of first. As Jimin stared at Jungkook now, he felt nothing but cold. "You - You know that's bull. Is she an ex? Or - or is she -" Jimin couldn't bring himself to say exactly what she was. As if keeping the words to himself could somehow stop them from being true. Is she your girlfriend?

He bit his lip. For some reason, Jimin couldn't imagine it; maybe that was his own disappointment speaking, maybe it was something more. She was beautiful, in a way violent waves crashing against the beach might be beautiful. Jimin couldn't deny that. But when she had walked away Jimin noticed that there was no real amusement in her small face - only a darkness that caused Jimin to shiver. Jimin's chest felt tight. He had no right to feel so betrayed, it's not like Jungkook and himself were dating; they never officially stated what they were to each other. But somehow, somehow Jimin thought maybe they were on their way.

"Have you been messing with me this whole time?" Jimin managed to ask, wrapping his hands around himself tightly. It was hard, forcing the words out of his throat. Painful, even.

He thought of Jungkook's amused smile as Jimin struggled to open his own door; Jungkook smirking as he leaned against the metal beams of his construction site, grinning because he knew he looked hot; Jungkook who hugged his arms around Jimin's immobilized body while a storm waged above them, whispering kind words to cut through Jimin's fear; Jungkook who unironically owned a Kylo Ren blanket; Jungkook who didn't actually like lemonade but drank it anyway; Jungkook who brought a sandwich with and without crust because he wasn't sure which one Jimin liked; Jungkook who's touch made Jimin feel like he was the most fascinating person in the world, a single touch that'd burn on Jimin's skin for days. He thought of that Jungkook and wondered, wondered if he had made him up. This entire time, was it possible Jimin misunderstood so drastically?

"Because-," Jimin croaked out, his lungs felt like boulders filled them instead of air. Jimin formed his little hands into even littler fists and dug his nails into his palms; he refused to cry, "- if you were just messing with me this entire time, that'd be a really cruel joke, Kook."

When Jimin called Jungkook by his nickname, something that had become so natural that Jimin didn't realize he let it slip until after the fact, Jungkook looked like Jimin had punched him. He scrambled up to his feet, the self pitying daze suddenly snapped out of him. Sweat clung to his hair, his hands shaking, but he seemed suddenly very alart.

Jungkook shook his head, searching Jimin's eyes rapidly, "What? No, of course not." Jungkook said, "I told you at the construction site, remember, I'd never mess with you like that. Never. Because, Jimin I-"

"Don't-," Jimin said as Jungkook's hand moved to reach out to Jimin. Jungkook stared at it; he didn't realize his hand left his side. Slowly, it fell back down. "Don't - Don't come any closer until you explain."

"Her name's Jieun." Jungkook swallowed, eyes searching Jimin's face. Jimin kept his gaze level, forcing Jungkook to look him in the eyes. Jimin waited and Jungkook's thumb was pushing into his own palm, making nervous little circles. An action Jimin refused to find adorable because finding anything Jungkook did adorable at this moment felt like stepping on a knife. "And no," Jungkook answered, "She's not my girlfriend. We're not dating, we never dated. I - I could never think of her in that way. In fact I'd rather never have to think about her at all." He finished with acid in his throat.

"I-I don't understand."

"We have history." Jungkook answered truthfully, "I've known her for years," his voice suddenly lowered, sounding soft, "I can't tell you how or why, not now, not yet. I'm just asking you to trust me. Please. It's...God it sounds awful if I say complicated, right?"

Jimin was silent, his chest raising and falling slowly. He fought to control the shaking in his hands as he bit his lip and furrowed his brows in confusion. Jungkook's hands ran through his thick hair, it had gotten longer and curled at the base of his neck.

"She messes with me Jimin. She shows up and does stuff like this because she can." Jungkook closed his mouth, shaking his head. He raised his eyes to meet Jimin's own, a sort of desperate hunger in them. There was no amusement, no cocky grin, only raw pain. "She shows up," he continued, his face contouring in disgust, "And I can't say no to her."

"Because she's beautiful?"

"Because she's a monster."

Jimin was going to respond when a second car pulled into the driveway, the familiar acid red van of Jung Hoseok hocking loudly which caused an old man crossing the street to wave his cane in anger and almost topple over. The sound must have reached Taehyung, signalling him away from the backyard because it was at that moment that the front door swung open and the tan boy walked out with some goofy smile on his face. He was humming happily when he caught sight of Jungkook's disheveled self and Jimin standing in front of him, Jimin's cheeks warm and red. Taehyung, completely misunderstanding the situation, slowly spread a cheeky grin and playfully punched Jimin on the shoulder.

Hoseok honked again and Taehyung swore, patting Jimin proudly, glancing at the purple bruise on Jungkook's collarbone then at Jimin's lips, before looking back at Jungkook. With wide eyes, he shook his head in disbelief before whistling loudly as he sauntered over to the van, muttering something about owing Yoongi ten dollars. Jimin sighed, any energy left in him crashed. He just wanted to get away - sit on the living room floor with his best friend and watch a shitty movie - away from Jungkook.

"I know you don't understand," Jungkook said helplessly, reaching for Jimin's wrist in desperation. His eyes were wide and pained and even through Jimin's anger, it hurt to see Jungkook like that. "But Jimin, please, trust me about this. It really is more complicated than you think."

At that, Jimin almost hit him. Then, looking at his tiny hand forming its tiny fist and thinking how it would match against Jungkook's perfectly muscled up body, he thought better of it. Frustrated, Jimin pouted and could barely keep the rage from pouring out of his voice.

"You're right, I don't understand. I don't understand any of this Jungkook." Jimin snapped before turning on his heel and running to Hoseok's van. When the door was firmly shut, both Hoseok and Taehyung glanced at Jimin in concern, but Jimin ignored it - he was too busy allowing the tears to finally roll down his cheeks.

_________
A/N:
*evil author laugh*

*evil author apology for evil author laugh*

New music story board! Happy Labor Day you guys!!

- Violette