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"I've always wanted to be a bartender you know, I think it would be so much fun!"

Jimin merely hummed as he half listened to a customer drunkenly ramble to him, wiping down the counter to dissolve any of the stickiness that had begun to accumulate from spilled drinks. "I'm a people person, soooo I think I would really shine in a job like yours."

He barely even heard them, to be honest, eyes trained on the stained wood of the counter below him as he tried to keep himself busy to make the time pass faster.

He was ashamed to say that he hadn't stopped thinking about Jungkook since the last time that they saw each other. Jimin thought that ignoring him completely would be the easiest way to forget him, but that was quickly proving to be an incorrect assumption. He was starting to wonder if maybe, he didn't want to forget him at all.

No. Wrong. He definitely did.

Jimin had been fighting back thoughts like that all week.

"Hey bartender! Two yogurt sojus over here please!" He quickly glanced at the owner of the voice, sitting at the end of the bar, giving them a quick nod before turning around to grab a few bottles and glasses. Jimin had really been hoping that his fast paced work environment would be the perfect distraction to cloud his mind and hide his muddled thoughts even just for few hours.

It wasn't working though. This whole night he had just been unusually unenthusiastic towards his patrons, and sneaking glances into the crowd at the bar to see if just maybe he would catch a glimpse of electric blue.

Why was he even secretly hoping for that though? He was supposed to be avoiding him. That was the best option for him, he was sure of that.

Well, maybe he wasn't sure. He kept telling himself that he was, but it was really starting to feel like he was just convincing himself. He wanted it to be true, because honestly since Jungkook had waltzed into his life he hadn't done much except for think about him. He was a distraction and a heartbreak waiting to happen, Jimin didn't need that.

Jimin shook his head, trying to bring himself back down to earth and focus on the two glasses of ice in front of him and he poured cocktails into them. The carbonation in the drinks fizzled, the satisfying sound only growing stronger once Jimin poured the mixer into them. He just wanted to go home, but he knew that he probably wouldn't be much better off there, considering that before his shift he had just been sitting on his floor pondering over how Jungkook had finally given up on reaching out him.

He knew that the taller male had probably went off and found somebody new, finding Jimin to be too much of a hassle for what he was worth.

He walked over to the end of the bar, sighing softly before sliding the two drinks over to the customers who had called for them.

"Two yogurt sojus, enjoy." Jimin knew his tone was bland, but one bad shift wasn't going to get him fired, and he really just couldn't be bothered to fake a cheery face tonight.

"Why the sour face, bartender?" Jimin was just about to turn back around when his customer questioned him, looking up from the counter to see the assumed boyfriend of the couple who sat across from him. He was definitely tipsy, looking up to Jimin with a playful pout on his face, his girlfriend giggling softly as she clung to his arm. "Is this job really that tough?"

Jimin let out a soft chuckle, pushing his fairly sweaty hair off of his forehead.

"No, but life is." He answered, trying to keep his tone light. "Forgot to leave my baggage at home today, unfortunately."

The male chuckled, shaking out his chestnut brown hair and leaning back in his seat. He took hold of the drink Jimin had slid towards him, gulping down about half of it and sighing before setting it back on the table with a clink.

"Tell me about it!" He laughed, his girlfriend giggling softly and reaching up to play with a few strands of his hair. "You're in the right place though, half the people in this building are probably only here because life is tough." He pointed at Jimin lazily. "Find comfort in numbers."

Jimin couldn't help but smile at that, the customers semi-slurred words actually managing to break through to him a little bit. Yes, this whole Jungkook situation was annoying, but... it could be worse. There were probably people in here that literally just got broken up with, or cheated on, or were just straight up deathly lonely. Him and Jungkook knew each other for a little over two weeks, and fell out because they were incompatible.

It wasn't the end of the world, like he was making it out to be. There were surely other people out there, that had the same allure that the blue haired male did.

"I'll remember that." Jimin smiled. "Enjoy your drinks." He gave a small wave before walking back to the other end of the bar, grabbing a few empty glasses off the counter on his way down. His heart definitely wasn't mended, but he had found the reality check that he definitely needed.

Jungkook was just such a captivating person. Wild blue hair, shining piercings, tattoos and ripped denim. He was a fantastic musician, and an even better flirt. Of course Jimin would be hung up on losing out on him, but at the same time he doubted that Jungkook was the type to be held down by someone - so he wasn't the first, and definitely wouldn't be the last.

Jimin just needed to stop hoping he'd change for him. That was the biggest mistake he made going into their little fling, and the reason that he was just a little bit crushed when they fizzled out.

You can't just change someone. They have to want to change. Otherwise, you're just forcing them to do something they don't want to, and they'll probably just revert back in the end.

"What's your drink of choice?" Lost in his thoughts again, Jimin was snapped out of them once more at the sound of yet another customer. He probably should have recognized the voice, but he didn't, too preoccupied in his own mind the make the connection before he looked up to meet the face.

"Vodka cran-" Jimin's words died on his tongue once his eyes flickered upwards, his mouth going dry and the sight of the male in front of him.

Oh for fuck's sake.

Jungkook sat across from him, elbows resting on the counter as he leaned on his hand, his body cast in the neon lights of the bar they were both situated in. He gave Jimin a sheepish smile, his lip piercing glinting in an almost taunting way. "Was hoping you'd be working."

Jimin frowned, tearing his gaze away from the male and exhaling. He wasn't going to let Jungkook pull him in so easily. He knew all of his tactics now - he had an advantage this time around.

"Why?" He asked, turning around and setting the dirty glasses he held near the sink behind him.

"Why?" He heard Jungkook laugh, refusing to turn back around and instead dumping out the ice into the sink and turning on the faucet. "Why else? I've been wanting to see you, and you won't answer your phone."

"Maybe you should take a hint." Jimin shrugged, washing out the glasses and rinsing them off before setting them on the drying rack next to the sink.

"No, I don't think I will." Jimin felt his eye twitch at Jungkook's words. In the days they had been separated and no contact, he had already forgotten how infuriating the taller male could be. It's not like he expected him to change, but man could he at least tone down the arrogance a little bit? "Jimin c'mon, look at me, won't you?"

He voice was just as sweet as smooth as it was the night they officially met, and Jimin knew that his words were his most effective weapon. He was criminally good at saying just the right thing and knowing just how to say it.

It was unfair, honestly.

Against his best interest, Jimin did turn around, crossing his arms over his chest and meeting Jungkook's eyes with a hardened look on his face.

"Jungkook, I didn't want this," He gestured between the two of them, "To happen. Me ignoring you wasn't exactly an invitation for you to come seek me out." He leaned against the back counter, trying to ignore the way the other male's eyes scanned over him. It was hard to though, Jungkook was looking at him like this was the last time they were ever going to meet, and he was trying to solidify every ounce of Jimin in his memories.

It caused something to twang within Jimin's chest, being the first time he had ever really seen a break in Jungkook's confidence. He wasn't certain that he'd be able to win Jimin back - that's what his eyes said.

"I know." Jungkook sighed, finally tearing his gaze away from Jimin and instead focusing them on the bottles of liquor behind him. "But I had to try, right?"

Jimin nibbled at his bottom lip, finally taking the chance to look at Jungkook fully now that the other male's eyes weren't boring into him. He still looked like him, obviously, but there were a few key differences Jimin was able to pick out.

His hair was always messy, but in an effortlessly cool kind of way. The kind of messy that you knew deep down had to actually take him a lot of time to achieve. Now it was just... messy, messy. Like he had been constantly running his hands through it, and haphazardly tried to smooth it down before walking in here. His glistening brown eyes, still easy to get lost in, now had noticeable dark circles beneath them - hinting at an interrupted sleeping schedule. His hands, now resting open palm on the counter as he fiddled with his fingers, were always calloused from drumming but not as much as they were now - dried skin cracked and looking worn.

Woah, wait a minute.

Did Jimin actually have an effect on him?

Jimin's eyes widened, and if he wasn't already resting against a counter he would've taken a step backwards.

What the hell was going on?

"Well you didn't have to." Jimin finally spoke, his voice soft as Jungkook's gaze came to meet his once more. "There's a million other people who would be on their knees begging to take you home." He watched as an unknown emotion flashed in Jungkook's eyes for just a second. "I don't see why you're so hung up over me."

That was the truth. Jimin was extremely caught of guard. He had literally just come to terms with the fact that Jungkook could easily forget about him and find someone else and now here he was sitting across from Jimin, looking like a kid who just lost his teddy bear.

Maybe Namjoon was right about making assumptions.

"Don't you get it?" Jungkook asked, his face coated in an emotion that looked way too close to hurt for Jimin's liking. "I don't want them like I want you." Jimin gulped. "And I didn't just want to hookup with you either." He picked at the black nail polish on his fingernails. "Sure, maybe at the very, very start but you didn't just let me have my way anyway. I could've just found someone else, like you said, and we probably never would've talked again. But I didn't, because I wanted you. I wanted to know you. I still do."

Jimin didn't even know how to respond to that, well aware that he was staring at Jungkook with unmasked shock written all over his face. "I know what you want, and I know that you don't think I can do it, but give me another shot. Please."

Jungkook literally begging for Jimin to give him another chance was definitely not something that Jimin had expected tonight. The Jeon Jungkook, the cocky, head-turning drummer that literally everyone in the city drooled over, was begging him to not disappear from his life.

What fucking universe was he living in?

Jimin took in a shaky breath, quickly scanning the bar to make sure no other customers needed anything from him. Would it be a blessing or a curse to escape this conversation? He wasn't sure.

"I'm not off work until four." Jimin finally spoke softly. "Think about if you really mean what your saying, and then we can talk after that."

Jungkook scoffed.

"You think I haven't replayed what I'm going to say to you over and over before we even spoke?" He asked, one eyebrow raised. "You really don't think highly of me."

Jimin shrugged.

"Just assuming based on what you've shown me." Yes, his words were harsh, but come on. He knew that everyone in Jungkook's life came to him easily, he couldn't just let him win without a fight. Jimin wasn't even sure what he was trying to do here. He knew that he wanted Jungkook back as well, but he had already convinced himself that he absolutely did not need him. He was fighting wars with his own mind, all because of the male sat in front of him.

"I'll prove your assumptions wrong." Jungkook answered, sliding a few bills forwards despite not ordering any drinks. He stood up, brushing off his jeans and shaking out his hair.

Jimin exhaled, not oblivious to the fact that there was a folded piece of paper hidden between the money on the counter.

"You can try."

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a/n:
good evening! (or morning depending where you are) here's a fun little update <33 I've actually managed to get a lot of writing done but editing is the bane of my existence

- Charlie :)