Stay With Me

“Nonna, can you brighten it?”

“Yah, you’re going to turn into an orange if you go any brighter.” Jimin leaned over in his chair, grinning as he stretched out an arm to playfully tug at Taehyungs hair.

“I could never dye my hair that bright, it wouldn’t match my skin tone.” Regardless of the large mirror in front of them Jin was peering at his reflection in a small hand mirror, as per usual, to get an up close view of his self-proclaimed beautiful traits.

Jimin could quite certainly identify the fact that the reason his laundry list of Jins annoying tendencies got an awful lot longer was due to his members obvious attraction to his girlfriend – but even still he couldn’t seem to control his gag reflex as the guy made love to his reflection with his eyes. If the lead scientists in Korea ever conducted a medical study to turn a human being a-sexual – Jin belonged at the top of the list of possible candidates.

“I wonder.. do you think that Jenna really is a lesbian?” He put down the mirror, glancing over at Jimin as he continued to stroke his precious hair with his fingertips.

“Whhattt? Why would you think that?” Hoseok asked, thankfully so before Jimin could give the reply that would point out in detail all the reasons why that was not the case.

“Well… I think I’ve made it pretty obvious that I’d like to get to know her, however… she doesn’t seem very interested.”

“So because she’s not into your reflection as much as you are she’s obviously a lesbian?” Yeah, Jimins filter was about broken by now.

“Eeeesh Jimin, I meant no offence.”

Hoseok was by Jimins side immediately, giving his shoulders a few motherly rubs as his eyes basically set fire to his eldest bandmate who seemed completely unaware. In fact, the asshat settled back in his chair and decided it would be the best time to take a short nap until his hair was attended too.

“You really like her, don’t you?” Hoseok asked quietly by Jimins ear.

Jimin met his Hyungs eyes in the mirror for a brief moment before he forced himself to scroll through phone, trying to remind himself why Bangtan Boys required seven members.
Truthfully he knew that if Hoseok was to find out that he could be trusted with the secret of his relationship. Hiding things from his members did feel a bit wrong in general, but when it came down to it he wasn’t sure how Namjoon would react in his leadership role amidst his dedication to management, or if Taehyung being Taehyung would eventually spill the beans. Even with those two loose ends, he’d need to talk to Jenna about it. They’d find out in the end anyway, wouldn’t they? Besides, if he wanted to at some point salvage his relationship with sleeping beauty over there, something needed to be decided sooner rather than later. He thumbed her a quick text as soon as Hoseoks attention was elsewhere.

Let’s go on a date tonight ^^

“Hoseok, Taehyung – you’re wanted on set.”

Jimin watched out of the corner of his eye as they followed the PD out of the room, and just as could be expected his eyes wandered over to find his sleeping bandmate – mirror still faithfully clutched in one hand even in dream land. When it came to being creative there were many things Jimin lacked. In fact, when it came to producing and coming up with lyrics for new songs the guys made it quite clear that his help was neither required nor desired. Yet when it came to the matter of payback and pranks, however, Jimin could write a book that would make even Oprah blush.

“Nonna,” Jimin gave his best smile to the hairdresser as she gently went to work on Jins hair, standing beside her to drape an arm around her shoulders.

“What is it Jimin?” Even though she tried to act professional – there was very little one could do when it came to his charms.

“Nonna… Jin asked me to tell you to let him sleep, and if you could – he was thinking red would be a nice change to his hair.”

“Jin did? Really? He never….” She paused, about to place a hand on the sleeping boys shoulder.

“Oh let him sleep, he hasn’t been getting enough rest. But he said he wanted it to be as bright as your beautiful smile.” He intercepted the touch, giving her hand a few gentle pats.

“Well… okay..”

“Awwww, you’re so wonderful. You’re my favorite Nonna – you know?”

“Aigoo, get out of here.” She blushed, shooing him away.

Jimin gave her a quick wink before heading towards the door, digging for his phone. Jenna still hadn’t replied.

“Girllll, why you gotta play me like that?” He shoved the phone back into his pocket as he headed toward make up.

-

“Where. Is. The. Bathroom.” I tried again, pointing to each word as I spoke. Regardless, Yoongi continued what he had done for the past ten minutes – stare at me.

“You don’t smell like ramen.”

I blinked - frozen as he took a strand of my hair, bringing it to his nose. “I’m sorry?”

“I don’t understand, I mean .. your boobs aren’t even that big.”

“I think we’re having some kind of disconnect here. Do I smell weird or something?”

A hand flashed in front of my face, swatting at Yoongis hand and then his forehead.

“Yah, do you want to die?”

Even though I had absolutely no idea what was being said, Jimins face told me that I probably didn’t want to know.

“Aisssh,” Yoongi rubbed his head, reciprocating the small hit with one of equal power to Jimins abdomen. “She’s already giving me a headache! Bathroom, bathroom, where is the bathroom. Will I have diarrhea the whole time I’m in America?”

“Woah -woah, easy.” I stood, placing a hand on Jimins chest as I tried to become a human barrier between him and whatever exactly was happening.

“What the hell is your problem?”

Obviously my barrier tactic wasn’t very effective. I tried to give another small push against his chest but I may as well have been trying to move the Great Wall of China.

“She is, man! Jin, Taehyung and YOU are walking around with these big boners all the time. It’s loud and annoying.”

“YAH! WHAT IS GOING ON!? ”

I could feel Mr. Kims footsteps before I saw him and soon the Great Wall that was Jimin was pulled back and away from me.

“Oh, Miss Clark. I’m so sorry! Are you okay? What is the meaning of this!?” The guy was basically frothing at the mouth as he half bowed half stomped to gain the attention of the boys whose eyes seemed locked in an arm wrestling match.

“It’s fine, really! I think there was just a small misunder..” I wanted to say misunderstanding, but Jimin grabbed my wrist and yanked me toward the door faster than my tongue could spit out the word.

“YOU AND ME, MEETING AT THE DORM ,TONIGHT JIMIN!!!!”

Whatever Mr. Kim was saying, Jimin didn’t seem to care as he half drug half lead me down the hallway.

“Jimin,” I whispered harshly, looking around frantically for signs of anyone that could be watching. Thankfully we were alone in the hallway, but that didn’t seem to be private enough as Jimin led me into a dark backroom of the studio filled with miscellaneous lights and props. He didn’t speak as he slammed the door, just released me from his grasp as he did a slow pace back and forth across the floor – rubbing the back of his neck.

I had absolutely no idea what to say. I didn’t want to make it worse but someone was sure to notice our absence if he didn't calm down and we got out to the set soon. There was a music video that needed to happen and most of all – my father was in the building.

Carefully I stepped up behind him, putting my hands on his arms and giving them a gentle rub. “Hey… talk to me.”

“We have to tell my members, Jenna.” He finally turned to face me - a low sigh rushing past his lips.

A nervousness rolled into my stomach from both his statement and the weight of obvious stress that was embedded in all of his features.

I knew from beginning that us being together wouldn’t be an easy stroll in the park, of course it wouldn’t. My father hadn’t exactly said the words – but in our last ‘heart to heart’ conversation he expressed to the best of his limited abilities that I needed to steer clear of any kind of relationships that weren’t of the friendly, English teaching persuasion when it came to the members of Bangtan. That fact was scary enough, but to add to our already overflowing plate of reasons why the odds were stacked against us - idols in South Korea even hinting toward having a significant other was viewed as career suicide. We had to hide what we meant to each other from the world and even though it had only been a day since we gave ourselves to eachother – the walls around us were already crumbling, its after effects were displayed all over him.

He was waiting for a reply, and as per usual in emotional situations I seemed to forget how to formulate sentences. I opted for honesty.

“I.. I don’t know what to do.”

Even though he was the one in the middle of a break down, he was the one stepping in to pick up my tumbling pieces - taking my face in his hands. “Listen, I’ve known these guys for a long time – yeah they can be dumb but I love them. If we explain it to them they’ll keep quiet – I think it’ll make life a lot easier. I know Hoseok will be cool, Taehyung will probably stop trying to hump your leg every time you walk by and I can stop dying Jins hair behind his back.”

The corners of his mouth edged upward in a soft smile and I nodded, putting my hands over his on my face as his sureness slowly eased the nervousness whirlpool that was my stomach.
“Stop that.. I need that.” He put his thumb over my bottom lip that I hadn’t realized I’d been turning into a four course meal.

I smiled against his touch and soon his thumb was replaced with his lips. I could feel his body start to ease at my agreement to follow his lead and soon, as per usual when he kissed me, the recent argument and the stress of our situation started to fade away.

The feeling of being swept away in what had started as just a few small kisses began to tug at the consciousness of where we were as he pulled me against him. It would be so easy to get lost in this, and Jimin already seemed irretrievable as I felt his hands move up the sides of my shirt. I tried to duck my head back when he made the motion of nudging my lips apart.

“Jimin... music… video..” I breathed between kisses, but his smirk just got bigger.

“Mmm.. No English..”

“PARK JIMIN TO SET.”

The voice sounded off from the loud speaker just as my back was pressed against the wall. I could only make out the words Park Jimin, but whatever was said Jimin seemed to understand completely as he groaned against my lips.

“Duty calls.” I smirked, giving his backside a few quick pats.

“Yeah, you’ll just have to make up for it tonight on our date.”

“We’re going on a date?” I asked as he released me from his hold, taking my hand instead as he lead me to the door.

“You’d know if you looked at your phone once a year. What is with you and that thing? Answer my texts woman! Seriously...”
-

If there was ever a question as to the visual appeal of the members of Bangtan Boys, it was answered for me in detail today. They seemed to completely transform as they performed, even Jungkook turned into crooning soulful romantic which was a far stretch from the red faced boy who couldn’t even look me in the eye. Even though they all had an overabundance of talent and individuality in their performance, one consistently outshone them all.

Even if I was lucky enough for fate to turn its diagonally stacked tables in my favor and this person was mine forever, I don’t think a day would go by where I wouldn’t ask myself how I was the one on the receiving end of his affections. I wore my shortcomings for all to see like Boy Scout patches and I had so many even the kid from that Pixar Movie UP would be put to shame. There was nothing I was good at and my life always seemed to point in the direction of my father’s footsteps. Wherever work called him, I was sure to follow. Regardless, here was this boy who had more passion in his pinky than I had in my whole body stealing glances at me as if I was the only person in his universe.

“How goes the English teaching?”

I had to resist the urge to jump as I looked up at my father, fighting back the feeling of being caught with with my hand in the jam jar when I was seven. The flush of remembrance of this morning and what could have been an ugly situation threatened to creep up my neck as I cleared my throat and rembered how to use my voice.

“It’s going well. Jungkook is really making progress.”

“How about Jimin?”

“Huh?” I blinked.

“Jimin? The one who saved you?”

Oh. Him. “He’s doing amazing.” I cleared my throat as irony tried to put me in a choke hold.

“Let’s take five!”

The guys slowly dispersed as the director called out an order. Whatever he said took my father’s attention away from my melting face and I said a quick thanks to the God of all things timing related.

“Hello Mr. Clark, Jenna” Jin, sporting new red hair, bowed as he made his way over. Maybe timing wasn't on my side after all.

“Hello Jin. You changed your hair color.” My father gave a small nod.

“Oh, yes.” He laughed, giving the fringe of his bangs a small twirl between his fingertips as he moved to stand beside me. “I fell asleep in the stylists chair and when I woke up it was red, but I like it.”

“Jenna-yah… are you having fun?” Taehyung smiled brightly at me as he and Namjoon made their way over to join our small congregation.

“Yeah, you guys are doing great.”

“It’s not too boring is it?” Namjoon smiled warmly at me.

“No, not at all.”

“We can make up for it later if you want, we’re all going for some Korean barbeque. Have you ever had it?” Jin smiled at me.

“Oh.. no but, I may be busy…” Apparently I was going on a date. I fought back the urge to look towards Jimin as I smiled apologetically.

“What’s happening tonight?”

Shit. I looked up at my father, racking my brain. “Uh. Jams.. Dad, he really needs a bath.”

“That won’t take all night. You should go, explore some of Seoul. It’s your home for a year after all.”

“It’ll be a lot of funnnnn.” Taehyung shook my shoulder playfully for a second before releasing his hold as the action caught my father’s attention – clearing his throat and grinning cheesily up at him.

I had absolutely no come back and everyone was staring at me. “Okay, yeah sounds good.”

“Ahhhhsaaaa!” Even with my dad’s presence, the force that was Taehyung could not be tamed and drew the attention of everyone, including Jimin who finally made his way over. I wanted to apologize and kick him in the shin for not getting here quicker when I needed him all at the same time.

“What’s going on?” He draped his arm around Taehyungs bouncing shoulders and I did my best to convey a silent apology in my eyes as he looked at me.

“Jenna is coming out with us tonight for barbeque tonight!”

It may have only been obvious to me, but whatever Taehyung said was obviously displeasing news to Jimin. I tried to look up at my father and then to Jin as an action declaring explanation, but I obviously had a lot to make up for even though his small smile seemed to hint at understanding.

“We’re having barbeque tonight?” He said toward Namjoon.

“Not you. You missed cleaning duty this morning on your little three hour ‘jog’ and Mr. Kim wants to meet with you.”

When the smile left his face I knew the situation turned from a low level of suckage to one of overwhelming proportion.

“Okay let’s go!”

The set started to bustle back to life at the directors call and I watched with a heavy heart as Jimin turned back toward the seven chairs in the center of the cameras. I wanted so badly to explain, to kiss him and make him smile. I looked up at my Father who was thankfully engaged in a conversation with another staff member before I dug out my phone from my pocket.
I hadn’t even felt it go off before. I sighed as I clicked the envelope icon that signified I had a new message.

Let’s go on a date tonight ^^

Yup. The level of suck had far exceeded power levels of over nine thousand. I felt my heart twinge in slight pain as I sighed and made my way toward the wall of the studio that was less crowded, thumbing a quick reply.

I’m so sorry. My father insisted. I will make up for it though, I promise. I love you.xoxo

I turned, trying to make contact with him as I held up my phone in the most nonchalant way I could - but didn’t look at me and thankfully no one else did either. I looked around before standing on my tippy toes, trying desperately to get his attention. Finally I caught his eye and I waved my phone with a little bit more purpose. Jimin glanced over at choreographer who was still standing in line of the camera going over some direction with Jungkook then back to me as he pulled out his phone.

There it was, the smile that always set my heart at ease. My phone went off and I forced myself to look away from his face to see his reply.

Prove it.

Prove it? How exactly? I blinked, looking at him questioningly. The smile he wore turned into a smirk as he snaped a selfie, giving a big kissy face to his own camera. My phone buzzed.

Heat flushed over my face as realization hit in the form of his picture on my screen, forcing a cough to break through my chest. I l looked around for a potential audience before meeting his smirking expectant gaze, begging for a reprieve in my own. I was supposed to do this? I sucked at stuff like this. I groaned inwardly as I hit the camera icon, thinking back to the girls who took eight billion selfies in the bathroom at school. I took a breath before doing my best impression and forced myself to take the quick picture before I could back out.

Laughter erupted from the set and all eyes were on Jimin as he about rolled off his chair. If my face wasn’t red before, it was crimson now as I did my best to pretend I had a new found interest in the color of the walls.

My phone buzzed and it took all of my strength to fight through my embarrassment to look at my new message.

I love you Crazy ^^

-

“First the kitchen! Then the bathroom! And then, you will make that practice room sparkle as brightly as the snow on Christmas morning.”

Jimin groaned as his manager added yet another bucket of cleaning supplies to the small temple he was constructing in the center of the dorm room kitchen.

“Do you think that you own the world!? That you can do as you please and not have to deal with the consequences of your actions?! The only thing that you will own is my burial plot, as you will be buying it because you are set on giving me a stroke before I reach fifty!”

He wanted to inform his manager of his own abilities to limit heart failure with the use of exercise that the man obviously needed, but that would get him nowhere. Currently his members were out on the date he was supposed to be having with Jenna and three of them he wanted nowhere near her, at least until he was able to bring light to their relationship.

An escape plan was needed and Jimin had tried his best to formulate one on his ride back to the dorm with the red faced tyrant, but if it had any chance of working he’d have to play nice - which was extremely hard to do with all of the awesome retorts that were fighting to work their way off his tongue.

“Ohhhh Mr. Kim, you have worked so hard. I’m so very wrong, please forgive my immaturity. I am lacking in so many ways.” He bowed, watching the plump feet of his manager slow in their march across the floor.

“Whaaaaat? Aiissshhhh you think I’ll fall for that? I have worked with you for HOW long? Do you think I’m a fool?”

The smirk that was fighting to get past his lips itched at the corners of his mouth and Jimin did his best to turn it into beaming smile. “Mr. Kim. I have seen the error of my ways. You must be so tired, you should sit and rest – let me do that!”

It was true, Mr. Kim had worked quiet a long time with Jimin and should know better. A person even of reasonable intelligence would be able to put two and two together and smell the fish that Jimin was proverbially cooking. Sadly for Mr. Kim, he didn’t seem to fall into that bracket today or any day if he was being honest – but to give the guy a break Jimin allowed himself to chalk it up to his own overly charming nature as he led the guy to Namjoons stuffed armchair in the living room.

“Aigoo,” Mr. Kim laughed a little under his breath, looking up to Jimin before stretching out on the chair. “I am a little tired.. BUT I will be watching you Jimin!” He put up a finger, “No funny business – be a good boy okay?”

Jimin made his way to the kitchen, charming smile still in high gear as he threw back a look to fool. “Jimin the cleaning extraordinar on duty!”

Turning on the water to the sink, Jimin started moving around the dirty dishes to drown out the sound of Mr. Kim laughing contently – no doubt congratulating himself as would a lawyer for conquering his biggest adversary. Clearing his throat, he let the man bask in his moment of glory for moment longer before he started to hum a soft melodic tune.

The laughing quieted and Jimin checked the clock as he slightly increased the volume of his voice – using the falsetto the good Lord gave him to his utmost advantage. He had just finished putting the last of the dishes in the dishwasher when he decided it would be safe to check, and just as his plotting hadn’t failed him in the past – it was right on target. Mr Kim was snoring, mouth open with just the slightest twinkle of drool on his plump, rosy cheek.

Tip toeing into the room, Jimin all but did the running man as he took Namjoons throw blanket and draped it around his passed out manager. “Yesss… Mr. Kim works so hard...”

Jimin spared the guy one last glance before he made his way into the kitchen and out the side door.

He wanted a date night, and a date night he would have.

Notes