*sorry i had to republish this chapter, somehow it kinda disappeared. Also again, Jungkook is 22 and jimin is 24, i have no excuse for the typos except that my phone has serious autocorrect it drives me insane 😩*

Jimin

"So here are the future dates for each meeting..."

Jimin listened in on his boss's conversation with Lisa's manager, watching how he easily communicated with the latter whilst taking note of how easily the words slipped off his tongue. As he eyed Jungkook's side profile, he once again took in his strong features, including how strong his jawline was, and how his nose dipped slightly toward the end. All in all, there was no doubt Jungkook was incredibly handsome, and now apparently charming. Jimin would maybe start to believe that if Jungkook actually directed that kindness toward himself.

Gently shaking his head to himself, he gathered his thoughts before focusing back onto the discussion. He was sure his boss hated him.
I mean, what with their first meeting, it was no wonder.

Jungkook hated gays. He was sure of it.

I wonder...would he have acted differently if we had met at work under different circumstances, where he didn't know my sexuality?

"Mr Park?"

"Yes?!" he hastily replied once Lisa raised her voice.

She smiled sweetly at him, before handing him some change from her purse. "Is it okay if you buy me some tea? I would get it myself but I can't risk being recognized by anyone..."

"Oh of course, it's fine! How many sugars?" He asked, as he stood from his seat.

"Two please, and only a bit of milk!"

"Okay...I'll be right back," Jimin said with a nod, glancing over at his boss who remained vigilantly discussing plans with Miss Lee. He walked over to the counter and inserted the coins into the hot drink dispenser, and watched as the steaming beige liquid poured into the plastic cup. As he grabbed two sugar sachets from the holders, Jimin sighed to himself as he again became lost whilst thinking.
Who would've thought...? That he'd be here learning to converse civilised with the one person he had ever despised?

Did he really hate Jungkook? If he thought about it, the younger may seem arrogant and cocky, but he had every right to be so. The guy was only 22, barely out of university, and he was already the project manager of a very important Korean cosmetics line. There was no doubt that the younger must have had some connections, but still...he must've really sold himself to the interviewers. While Jungkook was self-confident and prideful in himself, Jimin lacked the security to even present his own ideas to his team, let alone 'sell himself.'
Perhaps he didn't hate Jungkook.

"Why are you getting mad? Look I'm sorry I'm not a fucking fag but I can't control my sexuality."

Jungkook's previous words echoed in his mind. Never mind. At the very least, Jimin could admit that he could get along with the younger, but it was only for work. There way no way he could ever befriend that man.
With the hot tea in hand, Jimin made his way back to the table. As he looked up, he saw Lisa stood up and leant over the table, her face only inches away from Jungkook's as they both annotated Jimin's design with a pencil. A strange feeling welled up inside of him, but he chose to ignore it as he approached the kpop star with the tea. "Here."

She turned around, and beamed at Jimin as she quickly took a seat next to Jungkook, in his seat. "Oh thanks Jimin-oppa!" She whispered, as she took the cup from his hands.

Jimin eyed his boss, who seemed indifferent to the celebrity who had taken a seat beside him, so he sighed before taking a seat next to Miss Lee. It didn't even matter did it? Jungkook probably felt more comfortable around a lady rather than a gay man, such as himself.
It didn't even matter, so why was he even debating about it in his head?

"-So is everything clear?"

Miss Lee nodded, as she picked up her purse from her lap. "Our next meeting will be in the same place at the same time next week."

With a firm expression, Jungkook interlaced his fingers together on the table. "We'll have the entire team focusing on what we discussed today, so hopefully this time it will be perfect for Miss Lalisa and her fans-"

"Just call me Lisa Jungkook-oppa!"

"A-ah, sure..."

Swallowing a mass of saliva, Jimin found himself fidgeting with his fingertips underneath the table once he had heard the younger stutter. Was he nervous around Lisa? Did beautiful women make him so vulnerable? Was he interested in her?

No no no! Stop that Jimin! You don't care! You're definitely not jealous...?!

Jealous? There was NO way. He would never admit it to himself, or to another person. Not when it directly involved Jungkook.
Lisa and her manager quietly disappeared from the cafe, and they both stood at the window as they watched them climb into the black SUV before their driver swerved around the corner and out of sight. They both remained still and unmoving, with the smaller looking down and the taller looking to his right and away from Jimin.

"Hey, Jungkook...?"

"Hm?"

"Just a random question but...how did you gain such a high position in our company, at such a young age?"

"..."

"You don't have to tell me, I was only wondering..." he whispered, as he gripped the ends of his shirt whilst staring at his feet.

"I know. I don't have to tell you anything if I don't want to."

"Y-yeah, true."

They both fell into silence again, and the gentle pattering of the rain drumming against the glass pane in front of them was the only sound that could be heard, aside from the distant clattering of ceramic stationary from behind in the cafe kitchen. Taking a risk, Jimin looked up from his feet and at Jungkook. To his surprise, he found the younger staring down at him with those same dark eyes that emitted a sense of longing which Jimin had seen not too long ago. What was up with that?
He didn't feel embarrassed, or even flustered, but instead Jimin found himself drawn even more into those dark orbs that struck his own pupils with such intensity. Why wasn't he looking away? Why was he looking at him like that?

For a few moments, Jimin was sure he felt the air around him weigh him down, and in those moments he was sure the younger had taken a step closer.
Or maybe, he had taken a step toward the other? He wasn't too sure anymore, because all he could think about at that moment was the way Jungkook's damp hair flopped over his eye in such a dishevelled manner, it almost diluted his known sense of power and authority that came with being a project manager.

As if on cue, the younger's gaze dropped to Jimin's lips, and on instinct, he swiped his tongue over his lower lip in response. And on cue, the younger took a step back, before eyeing the window once more.

"Mr Park."

"Y-yes?" His voice was barely audible, as he tried to latch onto his consciousness which felt like it had slowly started the fade the moment their eyes had locked.

"Despite your punctuality, you did good today."

"What? You're actually complimenting me?" Jimin gasped, as he folded his arms against his chest.

Jungkook rolled his eyes. "I will fire you if you continue showing up late."

"I'll believe it when it happens."

"Don't test me Mr Park."

"Listen, our client is already informed with who I am and my designs, so it would be useless to fire me now just because I was a little bit late-"

"A whole hour late."

"Yes, well, it was above my control!" he retorted, his cheeks warming up.

"Just get your car fixed-"

"I will!"

Jungkook sighed, as he paced away from him and out the door.

"H-hey, wait up! Where are you going...?!" Jimin called out, while sprinting out after the younger who was now headed toward a black Mercedes-Benz which was parked on the corner. "Jungkook, don't just leave me-!"

"Are you coming with me or walking?" he replied, with his car keys in hand. This expensive car was his?!

"What?"

"Do I need to repeat myself or are you just deaf..." the younger mumbled, which struck an angry chord in Jimin.

"There's no need to be rude about it...I was just surprised that you offered..."

"If you were late again, I'd have to fire you."

"What? But-"

"Are you coming or not?" Jungkook repeated, as he opened his car door without turning back around.

"Y-yeah..."

That was it. He didn't understand the younger at all. One moment he's saying he doesn't mind if Jimin is fired, the next moment he's implying that he doesn't want Jimin to be fired? What does Jungkook want from him?! He was sure, and maybe certain, or maybe his mind had been playing tricks on him but...

He was pretty sure that it had been Jungkook who had taken a step toward him.
But, also the one who had taken a step back.

___________________
guess who finally updated?

that's right beesh, me :)