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"Here."

Jimin opened his eyes to the fancy glass of rum dangling in front of him. The amber liquid sloshed inside the tulip-shaped glass with a wide bowl that tapered toward the top.

"Looks like you need this more than me today," Hoseok snickered.

Jimin accepted the glass, inhaling the aroma of rum before taking a generous sip and relishing the distinct nectarous flavor. He remembered buying this long-aged French Caribbean rum during one of his trips. Just as he expected, tasting it on the rocks was just as rewarding.

"Chic troubles?" Hoseok's warm cinnamon scent washed over him.

Jimin chuckled. "I don't have a chic." He sipped his drink silently. "I have fancy booty calls who are allowed to carry a short moment of fame as my date."

"Jiseung isn't meeting your expectations, I suppose." Hoseok was a close friend. They all ran in the same circle. Their parents were friends, and by default, they also grew to be thick as thieves. He was also someone who understood him on a deeper level.

"Disappointing as usual. Fun part is that he's playing hard to get." Jimin reclined on the couch, kicking up his feet. "Doesn't know how to keep the chase interesting. Got bored in two weeks. It's all the same old tactics. I now don't see what this hype is all about."

Hoseok rolled his eyes. "I still don't understand the point of all this charade if you're just looking forward to getting your dick wet."

"Dating is a polished term for short-term hookups," Jimin reasoned. "It's fine as longs as it's physical, but after a while, they all tend to be clingy and think they hold something against me. It's almost comical how these bunches think alike," he snorted. "I mean getting me to kiss or knot them, going as far as to put a hole in the condoms, or trying to seduce me with their heat pheromones. Puh-lease..."

Hoseok scoffed. He ran his thumb over the rim of the glass with a thoughtful look on his face. They weren't new to these short-sighted tactics. Everyone had a fair share of people trying to seduce them for various reasons. Sometimes it was money or fame the relationship could bring or a beneficial alliance.

"Well, can you blame them? You're a catch."

Jimin shrugged. That was why he despised it the most. They all loved his wealth and status.

"Why don't you stop dating for a bit and focus on work?" Hoseok asked. "Take a break from this dating scene until this unwanted attention on you dies down a little. I'm sure Jiseung is thriving in it. Heard he landed a new project because of all this buzz around your dating rumors."

Jimin hummed thoughtfully. "Hyung, you know it's not possible. I like sex, and dating is a safe way to find a suitable fuck buddy, so I don't have to be wary of every omega or a beta I hook up with. Also, the media would have a field day if there's no dating in the picture."

It was just a cover-up. Everyone knew that. His partners were aware of that. Yet, they all wanted more. Something he wasn't ready to give.

"Yeah? For someone who loves sex, you never knot, kiss, or ever had a rut partner for that matter." Hoseok grinned. "I feel like you're searching for your 'one' in all the wrong places."

It wasn't his fault they couldn't get him to knot. First, he wasn't interested in knotting any omega or a beta who wasn't his mate. Second, his wolf was too picky. They weren't enough to rouse that primal possessive urge to knot and breed. He wasn't protective of any of them or felt that insane need to claim them as his own, as his other friends describe about the ones they were attracted to.

Jimin downed his drink, regarding Hoseok's words. He wasn't entirely wrong. Most of those actions felt too intimate, and his wolf didn't like being held or coddled. And he definitely couldn't risk spending his ruts with someone because his wolf was always in control, and he didn't want to knock up someone he wasn't in love with.

Love.

Jimin wanted to laugh. "How do you know when someone is special?" he voiced out his thoughts. "How did you know you like her?"

Hoseok's features suddenly softened at the mention of his crush. "I don't know," he whispered. "It just happened."

"Come on." Jimin poked his side. "Jeong-seon is a beta. It's not like you were drawn to her pheromones. Their scents are lighter."

Hoseok shrugged. "She's always calm with a smiling face. She works hard, and there's something about her that keeps drawing me to her. Maybe because she's different from the others. She doesn't give me attention or throw herself at me at every chance. She's indifferent to my presence and always treats me with the same professionalism she extends to the others. I don't know how, but my wolf acts like a tamed puppy when she's near. She grounds us."

His beau was a restaurant manager, and Hoseok visited at least thrice a week just to see her.

Jimin stared at him for so long, watching through all those emotions crossing his face in a matter of seconds. "Oh, you're down so bad."

Hoseok chuckled and didn't refute. "Maybe." He threw his head back on the backrest of the couch. "She's just so beautiful, like a calm storm. It feels like no matter how hard things are, just a smile from her could solve it all. Whatever stress I have during the day just ebbs away when I step into the restaurant and see her working."

Jimin somewhat understood and averted his gaze. "I hope she gives you a chance."

Hoseok nodded. "I understand her hesitation. She has too much at stake unlike me. I just know she likes me, too, but is holding back for some reason. Every time I ask her out, she looks torn." He exhaled loudly, turning his head to face Jimin. "She hasn't rejected me entirely, you know. It's always 'I can't and we shouldn't,' not 'I don't like you' or 'I don't want this.' I'm gonna find out why."

"All the best, man." Jimin reached out to squeeze his thigh. "I'm rooting for you."

Hoseok hummed. "So you know what the deal between Yoongi and Taehyung is? They're never the same after Seokjin's bachelor party. Yoongi always looks like he wants to tear Taehyung apart, and the other is clueless about what he did wrong."

Jimin bit his lip. As a matter of fact, he did. But it wasn't his place to tell something Yoongi confided to him in his drunken state. "It's something they should figure out." He offered a tight smile. "Something we should stay out of."

Curiosity filled Hoseok's eyes, but he nodded. "I see." He reached for the bottle to pour another drink. "This is good. I knew I could find something at your place."

That's what he liked the best about Hoseok. He was so understanding and never pushed.

Jimin laughed. "I'm the best, hyung." He winked. "Want something to eat?"

"Yeah, something spicy."

"On it."

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