How'm I doing?
Eric Nam

"Oh, I'm doing my best, it don't always, work. 'Cause I get distracted and I know it hurts. 'Cause you love so easy and you put me first. And so while I have you, oh."

"So, you're still with her? I see." Out of all people, Jungkook is the last person I wanted here. I'm disgusted by the way he looks at Crystal and I feel how nervous she is whenever he passes our way. Thank god she's in the kitchen washing the dishes with Hobi. Jungkook isn't allowed to get closer to her and I'll make sure of it.

"Jimin, I think it's not a good idea for me to stay here!" My best friend eyes me in shock and shakes his head. I know he planned this months ago as he always did. Jimin loves to celebrate parties, especially since he doesn't see us as often as we used to. Hoseok, Jungkook, Jimin, and I were almost together every day just hanging out and playing games. Wooshik is a good friend as well even though he's not always with us. That guy is busy with work and has to travel a lot because of his job.

"Taehyungie, no, this will be the first New Year's Eve without you, then. I don't want you to leave, please." It breaks my heart to listen to my best friend begging me to stay. He puts his arm around my shoulders and his other one goes around Jungkook's. "No matter what problem you two have, solve it and forget about it. We're brothers."

"That's not that easy. JK did something horrible and I can't just forget about it." I free myself from the arm of my blonde-haired buddy. Jimin is confused and looks at the tattooed younger man.

"Kook, what did you do?" Both arms are extended to the younger one as Jimin holds Jungkook by his shoulders hostage.

"Well, we wanted to spice things up, you know like we did in the early days. But Tae's chic was too prudish_"

"What the fuck, you asshole wanted to force yourself on Crystal since she was unconscious. I didn't want that either, it was your idea to switch partners. I told you at her place, that I didn't want to share her!" Anger boils up in me just by listening to him talk trash. I step forward but before I can grab his collar, Jimin steps in between and separates us. He, however, looks at Jungkook with unbelievable anger in his eyes.

"You did what? Are you crazy? Kook, that's not how this work. You can't just force someone to sleep with you and Tae wasn't ok with sharing his girl, either. What is wrong with you?" Jungkook gets slaps from Jimin on his chest making the younger one collide with the wall behind him. "What the fuck she's his girlfriend. We don't touch a bro's girlfriend!" 

"They weren't a thing as far as I knew." Although he's stronger than Jimin, Jungkook's nudge isn't that hard yet I have to catch the older one and stabilize him. "He recently started dating her. I haven't seen him for weeks now since he was always with her." The tattooed man looks darkly at me and eyes me up and down as if I'm the villain.

"Kook, she isn't even your type_"

"Oh, and you two know what my type is, huh?" Our younger one gets louder and scoffs at Jimin's statement. He's hurt. But my best friend is right, Crystal is the opposite of what he usually targets yet he never dated before and we do not really know what he values in a relationship. Jungkook and Jimin don't date, they hook up or have multiple sex friends. 

"Well, we saw enough to_" Jimin answers but is yet again interrupted by Jungkook.

"Jimin, you shouldn't be the one to smart-talk like that. Didn't you have your hands also on_"

"Ok, stop it!" My best friend turns around to me and throws his arm around my shoulders as he leads us to the kitchen, leaving Jungkook behind. The younger one doesn't follow and lies down on the huge couch. What just happened? Why did Jimin cut him in the middle of his sentence? "Tae, I need you to do some errands for tonight, can you do that?"

"What was that with JK?" I stop to look at my blond friend. Somehow he seems nervous yet pissed. Jungkook loves to play bad pranks on us, especially on Jimin and it often makes him upset since the younger one doesn't know where his boundaries are and when to stop.

"Kook is a fucking, stubborn brat. He talks when he shouldn't. Just shit coming from his mouth. He's been so annoying lately." I don't like how worried Jimin's face becomes. He has a weak spot for Jungkook and refers to himself as his big brother. His shoulders were hanging low when his last words hit me. "I think he has a drug and alcohol issue. Whenever I met up with him he was rather drunk or high, sometimes both. Right now, he's high, did you see his pupils?"

Now that he's bringing this up, I noticed how restless Jungkook's jaw was and his eyes were unnaturally big. Shit, I hope Jimin is wrong but he has a point, Jungkook's behavior isn't that of the friend we have known since our childhood. Even though we're on bad terms at the moment, this is not what I wish for him. As annoying and as bratty as Jungkook can be, he was still an important person to me. It doesn't excuse him that he hurt Crystal, though.

"Love, are you ok?" She's been quiet since this morning. I tried not to leave her side in case Jungkook or her ex would decide to act up. Hobi is mostly the one she's talking to and sometimes with Jimin as well but I saw how cautious she gets whenever Jennie is nearby. My ex approached me a few times but I always made sure not to be involved with her by answering with one-word sentences. This woman loves attention and she wants it from everyone.

Crystal smiles at me and takes my hand while my other hand is stuck to the steering wheel. Her gaze is back on the road after taking a glimpse at me. "I'm good, don't worry." The softness of her warm lips touches the palm of my hand which causes me to melt in my seat. I love when she's affectionate with me. All the butterflies in my system turned into airplanes.

Jimin sent us to buy some stuff for tonight such as alcohol and snacks. We even discussed if it's a good idea to buy alcohol-related drinks. If his assumptions about Jungkook are true it would be a bad idea but it's not confirmed, yet. The other guys have no clue about all this and that would lead to questions and I don't think Jungkook would talk. Our youngest speaks a lot but not about his feelings or serious conversation which involves him as the main reason.

"Wow, this is a lot of alcohol." My panda says with wide eyes since I put the fifth pack of beer beside the vodka and a bottle of gin.

"Well, this is what's on the list." A chuckle leaves my lungs as I watch my girlfriend shake her head in disbelief. What I know is, she's not good with alcohol. She's like Hoseok, they can't drink too much. My friend Hobi is hyped and excited before drinking but when the alcohol hits, he gets quiet and very tired. Crystal is cute when drunk, almost childlike, cute yet attractive.

"I think I will stick to Coke and juices, maybe one alcoholic drink but it has to taste very sweet." There are many different beverages but I know which one would fit her taste. The colorful drink in yellow is very sweet and the bitter taste of the liquor is not too present. 

"This is the right drink for you." Crystal takes the bottle from my grip and studies the ingredients with an interested expression. The drink is mango flavored and she loves exotic fruits. Mango is her favorite. "I think it's better not too get wasted tonight, right?" I snuggle my nose onto her neck which is covered by a turtleneck, and pull her closer to my body. Her scent is heavenly. I think I never loved to smell someone more than her.

"Hmm, you think?" She knows exactly what she's doing when she rests her head on my shoulder. The way she purrs the question with a whisper is sending chills along my spine. "What's on your mind, babe?"

"Don't babe me here, sugar. You know what I want and tonight is New Year's Eve. If that's not a reason to celebrate us, then I don't know." My girlfriend turns to face me and throws her arms around my neck. We share a long loving kiss that pulls the ground under me away. She's a magician or else I can't explain the power she has on me. It strikes me like a lightning bolt whenever she touches or looks at me. I never want this to change. The sparks and tingling feeling I get next to her or let alone the thought she's my woman.

~•~

Every party that I attended, which was planned by thee Park Jimin, was one for sure; fun, fun, and more fun. And tonight is no exception as well. Music is blasting from every corner of the living room, the lighting is well-decorated by Jungkook. He has a talent for technical stuff. Snacks and finger food take place on the coffee table. Alcoholic and non-alcohol-related beverages are available at the bar next to the dance floor.

Everyone is having fun dancing and chatting. Hobi and Kai are showing off their dance skills and battling against each other in teams. I always envied Hoseok and Jungkook for their moves since I can't dance that well. Jimin and I are the nondancer in the group. We're not dancing, we're jamming to the beat so are Wooshik and my girlfriend's ex, Yoongi.

Somehow this guy ended up standing beside me, with beer in both hands. Yoongi extends his arm and gives me a bottle of beer. "You looked thirsty." He casually mumbles with a straight face. I take the bottle with a nod and twirl the top to open it. My girlfriend's ex is drinking with me while we watch the others having a dance battle.

Yoongi gives bad vibes to me but that could be because, well, Crystal was once his woman. I don't know if he's still interested in her but one thing is clear, my panda is mine. His eyes are fixed on Jennie and Crystal, who are battling each other. My girlfriend, however, doesn't take the competition very seriously since she's giggling shyly and dances all kinds of meme dances. Hobi and Jimin are on her team, cheering and hyping her up, and of course, they're cracking up at the Saturday night fever dance. She's so funny but she's dancing very well.

Jennie on the other side, is feisty and swings and rolls her hips sensually. She was always competitive and wanted to be the best in anything. "You were so lucky you had her." The guy beside me says without looking at me but at my ex. "Didn't you lower your standards by dating Crys?"

"What the fuck you're talking about?" My temperature is rising at his nonsense. Did he just insult my woman?

"I mean, look at Jennie, she's fucking sexy, damn beautiful, and has everything a man could dream of. Crys is…" Yoongi stops in the middle of his sentence as he watches Crystal giggling with Hobi who's patting my girlfriend's head in encouragement.

"Crystal is one in a million!" A smile automatically forms on my lips, at her little jumps of joy since she won the round against Jennie. "You were lucky you had her and very stupid to lose this wonderful person by cheating on her. I've never met someone as amazing as her." Yoongi's scowl gets my attention as I look at this man's dark eyes. On his lips a dirty smirk, it's almost evil-like.

"You don't know her secret yet. I bet you'd be disgusted by it. Crystal is a broken soul with so many scars and baggage from her past. You can't heal her. One day she will show you her dark and depressed side, that's when you'll think of my words." The male sips on the bottle before his eyes finally land on me. I can't read him. Yoongi is a person I can't understand and his mindset is off. "I loved Crys so much but she broke me with her silence, it got too loud at the end. I couldn't take it anymore." His eyes seem sad yet apathetic. 

"I don't need to heal her nor can I. All I can do is stay with her during her hard times. I can't take the pain away from her but I can lessen it by holding her, talking about it, or just being with her. You don't know how much love she's giving me. The patience she has with me  and the sacrifices she made is something no one has ever done for me." All I wanted to say is said. Leaving Yoongi behind me, I approach the woman I love and take her in my embrace.

Jimin and Hobi smile weirdly at me but I don't care what they're thinking since I have what I want between my arms. "Babe, are you ok?" Crystal kisses my biceps softly and I could melt immediately.

"I love you." 

The woman to whom I confessed my feelings just now, turns to me and our lips connect as if they found the missing piece after a long time. "I love you." Her voice breaks a little in between the kisses. 

"Yaaah, get a room already!" Hobi, Wooshik, and Jimin are complaining with a winking eye and teasing undertone. Crystal starts to giggle and nudges her nose to mine. I never get enough of this sound.

"I need to see the bathroom, my bladder is killing me." My girlfriend chuckles at my statement while slapping my arm jokingly.

"Go before it explodes." 

This woman is so adorable. It's almost zero o'clock which means the fireworks will start soon. I want to watch it with my love on the balcony on the roof. The whole city is perfectly displayed and we will have the best view from above. I didn't drink too much alcohol tonight and I'm glad. Who knows what could've happened to Yoongi then? It was hard to hold back from throwing my fists against his visage but I managed to stay cool.

Just when I exited the bathroom, a grip caught me off guard. Someone is pushing its body against me in the darkness. But I can smell it's Jennie. Her expensive perfume mixed with the smell of alcohol, engulfs my nostrils. She reaches for my face with her hands. A heavy sigh in annoyance leaves my lungs. "Tae Tae…" This damn nickname.

"Jen, you're drunk. Get some sleep." The way she talks and walks are signs that she's wasted. How many times did I drag her ass home in this state? A lot more often than I wished for. "Come on, I'll take you to your room." Sleep is the only thing that helps her now. It wouldn't be a good idea to continue drinking. Jennie holds onto my waist as I try to lead her into her room. Thank god it's not that far from the guest bathroom.

When I get into her room I lay her on the mattress. She grumbles something I can't hear but I don't really care. I'm in a hurry because of the fireworks. I still need to get Crystal and it's almost zero o'clock. But just when I get up, my ex throws her arms around me, drags me down to the mattress, and hovers over me. Jennie is on top of me sitting on my stomach. 

Her breath reeks of alcohol. She can't even leave her eyes properly open as she stares at me with shiny eyes. "Jen…"

"I love you." My ex blurts out. "Tae Tae, I still love and I miss you!" This person just exploded a bomb on me and I wasn't ready for this confession. She was the one who didn't want me anymore. She said I was too possessive and now she says she loves me? The shock paralyzes me and that's when her lips collided with mine. Her warm, soft, and familiar lips feel so wrong yet it makes my heart flutter.

A crackling sound wakes me up, and the fireworks start but the noise isn't coming from the explosion in the night sky, it's the door. The darkness reveals a picture I wish I haven't seen because it shatters my heart in half but hers into thousands of little pieces. Crystal's sorrowful expression is the last thing I see before she turns around and runs away. Her steps are painfully echoing in my ears but I'm in a state of a sculpture.

an: please don't forget to vote⭐

Yes!
The next chapter will be longer, cause a lot will happen. I don't think im ready for the drama🥺

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