As Ki-joo left, Jimin turned to Taeyeon with a reassuring smile. "We can leave now. The doctor said there's nothing serious."

Taeyeon slowly nodded. She finally noticed Jimin—a pair of shorts and a simple shirt—something she hadn't really noticed until now. The realization that he had come out in such a laid-back outfit just to help her made her smile.

"Thank you so much, Jimin," Taeyeon said softly, her voice carrying a deep sincerity.

Jimin met her gaze, and for a moment, he was lost in her eyes. They were very similar to Taehyung's—beautiful almond-shaped dark brown eyes, with a double eyelid on one side and a monolid on the other. The warmth and gratitude in her gaze made it hard for him to look away. In that instant, he felt an overwhelming urge to lean in and kiss those eyes.

He gave her a smile as words had not come out of his lips, gathered her belongings from the hospital table, and turned to leave. She followed closely behind.

As they reached the car, Jimin opened the door for her and, once she was settled in, walked around to the driver's side. He noticed Taeyeon hadn't yet fastened her seatbelt. With a gentle touch, he leaned over the passenger seat, his proximity bringing a soft warmth between them.

"Let me help you with that," he said softly, reaching for the seatbelt. His movements were careful, mindful of her space, as he clicked it into place. Taeyeon's breath caught in her throat as he leaned in, their closeness intensifying the moment.

Jimin's gaze met Taeyeon's again, his eyes holding a mix of tenderness and something else that she couldn't quite figure out. A moment passed, filled with unspoken words and a growing intensity between them.

His mind went blank as he stared into her almond-shaped eyes, their gaze flickering between their eyes to lips. The intensity of the moment was overwhelming. 

Jimin quickly leaned back to his seat, his breath coming in short gasps. Taeyeon looked away, her cheeks flushed. He cleared his throat and started the engine, the silence between them heavy. He knew she wasn't feeling well, and he needed to give her some space.

The ride was so slow that neither Jimin nor Taeyeon dared to speak up. But the awkwardness slowly faded, replaced by an unspoken understanding. Taeyeon's eyes occasionally fell on Jimin's white legs. She bit her cheek and looked away, controlling her smile.

Finally, Jimin spoke up, breaking the silence. "Why don't you move anywhere near Yeongdeungpo? The company is close to that area."

Taeyeon looked at him, a bit surprised by the question. "I used to live around there, but I moved here because it's quieter and closer to some places I like to visit."

Jimin nodded, interested. "Hmm, I see. So you prefer a quieter neighborhood."

Taeyeon smiled, "Yeah, it's been nice. I like the quiet, though it just takes 20-25 minutes to reach  Yeongdeungpo and 5 minutes to reach company."

Jimin glanced at her briefly. "You should have taken the direct bus to Itaewon and then to Yeongdeungpo."

Taeyeon looked down at her lap, a hint of embarrassment in her voice. "I could have, but I wasn't really in a state to think about that."

He nodded, understanding her condition. As they arrived at Taeyeon's apartment, Jimin parked the car, stepped out, and walked around to open the door for her.

Jimin took Taeyeon's bag and walked behind her, like a lost puppy. He followed her into the apartment building, silent, looking around.

As they reached the door of her apartment, he asked, "Do you need anything before I go? Or should I just leave now?"

Taeyeon shook her head, grateful for his help. "No, you've done more than enough. Thank you, Jimin-shii."

As Jimin handed Taeyeon her bag, he noticed her return to formalities. He sighed internally but kept his smile steady. "Take care, Taeyeon. If you need anything, don't hesitate to call," he said softly.

With a final nod, he turned and headed towards the elevator, his thoughts swirling with the day's events and his growing feelings for Taeyeon. The quiet of the apartment building contrasted sharply with the mixed emotions he felt.

Once he was outside and had returned to his car, Jimin sat for a moment, his mind replaying the interactions with Taeyeon.

-----------------------------------------------

Third Person POV:

The next day, Taehyung found out about what happened from Ki-joo. This news led to a huge argument between Taehyung and Ki-joo, and they weren't talking to each other afterwards.

Taehyung made sure to thank Jimin for his help. He sent a message saying:

"Jimin, thank you so much for taking care of Taeyeon and making sure she was okay. It really means a lot to me, especially since I couldn't be there. I love you, my soulmate💜" 

The message made Jimin laugh out. He replied, saying he was happy to help and he would do anything for his soulmate.

Later, Taehyung called their mother, asking her to come and look after Taeyeon. Although Taeyeon initially declined, insisting she was fine, her brother's persistence eventually won out. Taehyung assured her that it was for the best, and their mother agreed to come over to make sure Taeyeon was well cared for.

Taeyeon knew that if her mother came to take care of her, it wouldn't be long before the topic of her decision to become a Manhwa writer and artist came up. She braced herself for the expected discussion, already feeling the weight of another potentially difficult conversation.

As Taeyeon hung up the phone, she sighed, knowing what was coming. If her mother came to take care of her, it meant she'd likely start talking about Taeyeon's decision to become a Manhwa writer and artist. It was a conversation Taeyeon dreaded, as her mother's disapproval was a recurring topic.

Taeyeon's Pov:

True to her expectations, when her mother arrived, the conversation quickly turned to Taeyeon's career choice. While her mother prepared a meal in the kitchen, she began, "Taeyeon, we really need to talk about your decision to become a manhwa artist. I still don't understand why you chose such an unstable career."

Taeyeon, feeling the familiar wave of frustration, replied, "I've told you before, Eomma. I love what I do. It's not just a job for me; it's my passion."

Her mother's face reddened. "Passion? It doesn't pay the bills. How can you be so sure it will work out? I've seen so many people fail in this industry. You could be risking your future for a dream that might never come true."

Taeyeon's voice grew firmer. "Yes, it does pay the bills. How do you think I'm able to afford all of this? Why can't you support me in this?" Her frustration boiled over. "I've worked hard to get where I am. I'm not asking for your approval; I'm telling you what I've chosen for myself."

Her mother's eyes narrowed. "You always had such potential for something greater. All I want is for you to have a secure future. It's not just about making money—it's about stability and being practical."

Taeyeon's voice shook with a mix of anger and hurt. "And what about my happiness? Is it not important to you? I've found something that makes me happy and fulfilled. I'm not going to give that up just to meet your expectations."

Her mother's face tightened with worry. "Happiness? Is that how you'll be happy, working late nights, getting sick, and making your father and me worry about you? We're putting our work aside to take care of you, even though you're an adult."

Taeyeon's eyes flashed with frustration. "Did I even ask you to take care of me? Did I? You only came because Oppa asked you to!"

Her mother's expression shifted to one of hurt and disappointment; her tears piqued up in her eyes. "I came because I care about you, Taeyeon. I want what's best for you, even if you can't see it." Her voice came out trembling at last.

The argument left them both exhausted and emotional. Taeyeon, feeling a mix of anger and sadness, walked out of the apartment, needing space to clear her mind. She slammed the door behind her, the noise echoing in the quiet hallway.

Her mother stood there, her heart aching as she watched her daughter leave. She felt torn between wanting to support Taeyeon and fearing for her well-being.

As Taeyeon wandered the streets, she struggled to control her tears. The crisp air did little to calm her racing thoughts. Her phone buzzed in her pocket, and she saw a message from Jimin asking how she was doing. Even though she wanted to reply, her emotions held her back.

She stared at the screen, the words feeling distant and unreal. 

Jimin's Pov:

It had been two days since Jimin last texted Taehyung. With the weekend here, he decided to visit Taehyung's place, which was conveniently close to Taeyeon's apartment. As Taehyung headed to the refrigerator to grab some beers, Jimin quickly pulled out his phone and sent a message to Taeyeon, checking in on how she was doing.

He saw that the message had been read, but there was no reply.

"Girlfriend?" Taehyung asked, noticing Jimin's worried expression as he returned with the beers.

Jimin jumped slightly, caught off guard by Taehyung's question. He quickly composed himself and nodded his head. "Kind of," he replied, his voice stammering slightly.

Taehyung's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Don't tell me you're texting with that girl you hooked up with in Tokyo."

"Yah, I told you already, it's not hook up." Jimin said, looking away.

Taehyung studied Jimin's expression and let out a chuckle. "Well, well, I didn't expect that. But if she's on your mind, I guess I should be understanding."

"Understand what?" Jimin asked, raising his one eyebrow.

"Your feelings~" Taehyung sang for which Jimin scoffed.

He took the beer can and opened it, drinking it quickly as if it were his lifeline. Taehyung chuckled and shook his head. 

"Yah, slow down; no one's going to steal it from you." He laughed, familiar with Jimin's habit of drinking too quickly when he was stressed.

Jimin set the can down and looked at Taehyung with a grin. "Well, you know I love drinking." 

He gave a wink, making Taehyung roll his eyes and open his can to drink, but a question struck up in his head, and his gaze again fell on Jimin, who is still gulping the beer can. Without any further delay, he asked "Anyway, what's her name?"

Jimin nearly choked on his drink at Taehyung's sudden question which he didn't expected. "W-what?"

Taehyung's eyes widened in mock disbelief. "Don't tell me you don't remember her name?"

Jimin frowned  at Taehyung's reaction. He said, "Uh, no, it's not that... I just—"

But paused, trying to find the right words. The resemblance in Taehyung's eyes to Taeyeon's was striking, adding to his discomfort.

Taehyung's teasing smile widened as he leaned back. "So, you know her face but not her name?"

Jimin's lips curled up at how Taehyung was giving him clues to cover up. "Yeah, I guess. I got so caught up in the moment that I didn't really think about asking her name."

'Name?' .......'Taeyeon'.....'Jimin'.....'That's the name you will be screaming tonight'.....

The thought of Taeyeon's name echoed in his mind, and he felt a rush of emotions from that night. The memory of her face mixed with Taehyung's made him gulp his beer quickly, trying to push the feelings away.

"Woah, calm down, Park; one day you'll find her," Taehyung said with a drunken innocence, clearly tipsy after just a few beers.

Jimin, on the other hand, had a high tolerance and wasn't feeling the effects yet. His eyes kept drifting to Taehyung's face, which reminded him so much of Taeyeon. Without thinking, he cupped Taehyung's face with a serious expression. "Why do you two look so alike?"

Taehyung, swaying slightly, looked at Jimin with a drunken frown. "What are you talking about, Jimin-ah?"

Jimin groaned dramatically, feeling overwhelmed. "Urgh, why is this happening? Why do you remind me of her so much?"

Taehyung blinked slowly, trying to process Jimin's words. "Are you sure it's not just the beer talking, Jimin-ah?"

Jimin shook his head, his confusion mounting. "No, it's not just the beer! I swear, you're like her twin or something."

Taehyung, now completely lost, just stared at Jimin with wide eyes. "Jimin, I think you might be mixing up your drinks with your emotions."

"Taehyung-ah, I'm really so sorry," Jimin blurted out, tears welling up in his eyes.

Taehyung looked at him with a mixture of concern and amusement. "For what? I didn't even do anything!"

Jimin threw his arms up dramatically. "I don't know, Taehyung! I just feel like I'm living in a soap opera!"

Taehyung tried to stand up, gripping the back of the couch for support. "Well, at least you had your kiss and all. But look at me—no kiss, nothing!"

He looked down with a mock pout, as if missing out on drama himself.

Taehyung, wobbling slightly, grinned. "If your life's a soap opera, it's the comedy version. And clearly, you're my tragic hero."

Jimin shook his head, laughing despite himself. "You Kim siblings really know how to create your own drama, don't you?"

Taehyung chuckled, leaning back against the couch. "Hey, at least we're entertaining. Better than being boring, right?"

Jimin grinned, thinking about how Taehyung's likely to forget all this once the alcohol wears off. It reminded him of the day Taeyeon had called him; she'd remembered everything the next day, and he knew she could piece things together.

Then why did she act so awkward on the first day she saw Jimin and say she couldn't properly remember that night? Did something happen that night before she talked to him? Jimin was sensing something had gone wrong that night.

And Minji was also a bit different; she had asked him about Jimin and Taeyeon if they had met before, like she knew something they missed. 

Jimin snapped out of his thoughts as Taehyung's shout echoed through the room. "Han Ki-joo!" Taehyung called out, his voice louder than before.

Jimin looked at Taehyung, bewildered at why he was shouting her name out of nowhere. 

"That idiot always makes fun of me, saying I've never been kissed," Taehyung slurred. 

Jimin chuckled, shaking his head. "And?" he asked

"And also," Taehyung continued, "she didn't say anything when you called my phone to inform me about Taeyeon. But when I asked her about it, it turned into a huge argument the next day, and now she's ignoring me."

Jimin raised an eyebrow, trying to keep up with Taehyung's rambling. "So, she didn't mention anything about my call? Just argued with you the next day, and now she's giving you the silent treatment?"

Taehyung nodded vigorously, almost losing his balance. "Yeah! She was all like, 'You should've known better!' and then just stopped talking to me."

Jimin sighed, as he knew why Ki-joo hadn't said. He said , "She didn't want to disturb your shoot since it was important."

Taehyung groaned, leaning back into the couch. "But still, she could've at least told me! Instead, she just snapped at me the next day. I don't get it."

Jimin patted Taehyung on the shoulder, trying to comfort him. "Maybe she was just stressed out. It's not like her to ignore you; for no reason."

"Jimin~ Let's go; take me to her." Taehyung slurred, stumbling on his feet.

Jimin raised an eyebrow, surprised by Taehyung's sudden request. "What the hell, Tae? You're in no shape to go anywhere right now!"

Taehyung, stumbling on his feet, clung to Jimin for support. "I need to fix this, Jimin. I don't want her to be mad at me anymore."

Jimin sighed, steadying Taehyung as best as he could. "You're drunk, Taehyung. Showing up like this won't help anything. Let's just get you to bed, and you can talk to her when you're sober."

Taehyung pouted, his drunken state making him more emotional. "But what if she doesn't want to talk to me tomorrow?"

Jimin chuckled softly, guiding him back to the couch. "She will, trust me. Just sleep it off, and we'll figure it out in the morning, okay?"

But Taehyung was persistent, struggling to stand up again. "It's only 8, Jimin! She'll be at home. We can fix this tonight."

Jimin sighed, grabbing Taehyung's arm to steady him. "You're really set on this, huh? Fine, how about we call her instead? That way, you can talk to her without, you know, stumbling all over the place."

Taehyung hesitated, his determination wavering as he looked at Jimin. "Call her? But what if she doesn't pick up?"

Jimin smiled, trying to calm him down. "If she doesn't, we'll try again tomorrow. But I'm pretty sure she will. Come on, let's give it a shot."

Taehyung shook his head stubbornly. "No, not tomorrow, only today! We've been friends since childhood, and we've fought plenty of times, but it's never been like this."

Jimin sighed, realizing Taehyung was too stubborn to be convinced otherwise. "Alright, fine," he relented, knowing there was no point in arguing. "Let's go see her today, then. But you better not pass out on the way there."

Taehyung grinned, wobbling slightly as he tried to stand. "I won't! I just need to make sure we're okay."

Jimin held up three fingers in front of Taehyung's face. "How many fingers am I holding up?"

"Five!" Taehyung said confidently.

Jimin facepalmed, 'drunken Idiot'. 

"Alright, let's do a little demo first. How are you going to talk to her when you get there?" Jimin said.

Taehyung nodded drunkenly, his focus wavering.

"Okay, I'm Ki-joo," Jimin said, standing in front of him and adopting a more serious expression. "Taehyung, what are you doing here? Are you okay?" he asked, trying to mimic Ki-joo's tone.

Taehyung burst into laughter, nearly toppling over. "Yah! Park Jimin, have you ever talked to Ki-joo properly? She'd never ask that sweetly! She'd just spit it out like, 'Yah, why did you come? Get out!'"

Jimin closed his head,, letting out a sigh and said, "Okay!, let's try again." 

Taehyung, still laughing, nodded enthusiastically.

Jimin straightened up, trying to keep a straight face. "Alright, round two. I'm Ki-joo, and this time I'll be more... accurate." He cleared his throat and crossed his arms, adopting a more stern expression. "Yah, Kim Taehyung! Why did you come? Get out!" he barked, imitating Ki-joo's sharp tone.

Taehyung snorted, trying to hold back his laughter. "That's more like it!" He puffed out his chest, trying to appear serious. 

"Just say what will you say to this idiot," Jimin said, rolling his eyes for the nth time.

"Okay, okay!" he said.

"I'm not leaving until you listen to me!" he declared, wobbling slightly as he tried to stay upright.

Jimin scoffed still in character, "Ha. You can't even stand properly on your own two feet, and you want to talk to me?" 

"Yah! Is that Ki-joo or you?" Taehyung asked, feeling that Jimin said was out of the acting, for which Jimin shook his head, biting his inner cheek. "Okay," Taehyung said, conforming to Ki-joo's dialogue, but Jimin knows it was his personal.

Taehyung stepped forward but, being drunk, stumbled on Jimin, which caused them to lose balance as they both fell on couch Lucky, but Taehyung hardly laned on Jimin, making him groan.

Jimin, still half-pinned under Taehyung, groaned as he tried to shift the weight off. "Yah, Kim Taehyung! Get off me!"

But Taehyung, this time getting fully in character and refusing to break, stayed where he was. "What? Didn't I tell you I'm not leaving until I talk?"

Jimin rolled his eyes, trying to wriggle free. "Is this really how you're going to talk to Ki-joo? She's a girl, bastard."

Taehyung huffed, still stubborn. "But I never consider you a girl!"

Jimin's eyes widened in disbelief. "What? Taehyung, snap out of it! Get out of character already!"

"No!" Taehyung insisted, his resolve unshaken. "I'm not going to get out. Tell me, why are you ignoring me?"

Jimin, growing frustrated, tried to reason with him. "Yah! KIM FREAKING TAEHYUNG, MOVE! You idiot, you'll regret it if you act like this!"

Taehyung tightened his grip on Jimin's collar, still drunken. "I'm not letting go until you tell me why you're ignoring me!"

Jimin was about to protest again when a voice interrupted them. 

"I didn't think he would go this far."

Jimin got frozen, and his eyes widened as he turned to see Ki-joo standing in the doorway, arms crossed and a bemused expression on her face. "K-Ki-joo-shii," Jimin stammered, trying to explain the ridiculous situation.

But Taehyung, oblivious to her presence, continued his rant. "What the hell are you talking about? You're right here, so why are you ignoring me? Why can't we talk like before?"

Jimin, struggling to free himself from Taehyung's grasp, tried to signal to his friend. "Taehyung, let go! Ki-joo's right here!"

Ki-joo shook her head, a mix of amusement and exasperation in her eyes. "I didn't think you'd go this far just to get your first kiss, Taehyung."

"What? No, it's not like that!" Jimin quickly blurted out, his face turning red. "We were just practicing!"

Ki-joo raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "Practicing what exactly? Your Tokyo night?"

Jimin's eyes widen more as he prays  to god to Taehyung to hear this, "Ki-joo-shi!" Jimin exclaimed.

"Don't worry, he, don't remember that next day like his sister" she said.

Finally realizing that Ki-joo was actually there, Taehyung blinked in confusion and slowly turned his head toward her. "Ki-joo? Is that really you?"

"Yes, you big idiot," she sighed, stepping closer. "Now, let go of Jimin before you fall on him and kiss him by accident."

Taehyung looked from Jimin to Ki-joo, his drunken confusion slowly giving way to realization. He loosened his grip on Jimin's collar and stumbled back, rubbing his eyes. "Oh, Ki-joo... I didn't mean to—"

"Shut up," Ki-joo said firmly, cutting him off.

"It's not his fault," Jimin interjected, running his hand through his long blond hair. "I'm the one who suggested this, but it's turned out like this."

Ki-joo raised an eyebrow, her gaze shifting to Jimin. "Seriously?"

Jimin sighed, smiling sheepishly. "Yeah, seriously. I didn't expect it to turn into this whole thing."

Taehyung, his eyes glittering with drunken tears, turned to Ki-joo. "Ki-joo-ah, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to shout at you that day. I was just so worried about Taeyeon, and even you hid things from me. You know how much I trust you; I thought we would fight. You should have at least told me something."

Ki-joo's eyes have softened her arms, relaxing as she took in Taehyung's apology.  When he said how much he trusted her, her heart ached. She knew how much he trusted her, but she was hiding more than this. 

She cleared her throat, swallowing the lump. "Yah! Stop it; I know how much you are worried for Taeyeon, and I didn't mean to keep anything from you; now stop apologizing." 

Jimin, observing the exchange, stood silently. He hadn't realized just how deeply Taehyung cared for Taeyeon and Ki-joo. The depth of Taehyung's emotions was surprising to him; it was clear he loved them as much as he loved Jimin, may be more.

Jimin's phone buzzed, the screen lighting up with a message from Taeyeon. He glanced down, reading her reply: "I'm okay. Thanks for checking in."

His eyebrows furrowed as he stared at the text. On the surface, it seemed fine—a simple, polite, usual response. But something about it felt off. The words were a little too formal; she talks to him formally, but this looked more formal than it used to be.

She even took a lot of time to reply; where is she now? Is she still not feeling well? 

Lost in thought, Jimin couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. He glanced back at Taehyung and Ki-joo, who were now talking more calmly, the tension between them easing. But in the back of his mind, Jimin couldn't help but worry about Taeyeon and what she might be going through.

Where is she?