Second: I just finished chapter 28 of The Answer, which I basically binge read whenever possible these last few days am I'm????? Lol I wanna say brainwashed but probably just stunned into absolute silence because it's so good? I honestly didn't expect a fic with such a triggering subject to be this good😵 but here I am about to confess my love so pls take it as a compliment I guess? Anyway... Patiently waiting for updates now and I'm excited to see where the story goes🙏🏼💕
hehehe hi !! im really good thank you hehe thank you for reading !! <3 im glad that you like it and thank you sm for letting me know ! hehe im working on the next ch rn and actually have quite a bit so? it shouldn't be super long until the next update hehe thanks again !!
Pairing: Kim Seokjin x Reader, Min Yoongi x Reader, Park Jimin x Reader
6915 Words
Genre: Fluff, Idiots Friends to lovers, crack
Warnings: Use of some swearwords, (Still) an unhealthy obsession for Jimin’s cakes, flirting, A Kithhh possibly?!👀 Excessive use of the word booth, Introduction of Arch-Nemesis, Rivalry in more than one case, Exo Baekyhun and WayV Lucas make an appearance (if you think I should add something to this list let me know)
Part one is here !
dedicated to my peeps @the--world--behind--my--wall and @a-noona-mous who encouraged and motivated me to keep going 💖💖
If you like it pls don't hesitate to Like and reblog, send me an ask or message me! 🥺💖
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The first day of the festival was finally here and you felt even more excited than you had throughout the days leading up to it. The thought of having all of your friends around you made you feel all fluffy and warm inside and you couldn’t wait for them to come and meet you and Jimin at the booth.
Jin had to cancel at the last minute but with the help of Namjoon, the booth was set up in no time. You could finally start assembling all your tools and materials around the very limited workspace in the back, while Jimin worked on the perfect presentation of the already prepared cakes, pastries and other treats.
Namjoon helped himself to a few of those before either of you could tell him no.
The official festival kick-off was still an hour or so away, so you and Jimin had some time to yourselves, before all the visitors would be arriving. Namjoon had excused himself for now but he would re-join you later in the evening with the others.
You still needed to change into your cute bakery uniform and it would probably make sense to prepare a few other things beforehand but right now, you wanted to admire your own work. You stood behind the display cases, eyeing every little cake in the selection carefully and making sure they were all still presentable after the journey,
“You need to stop worrying, everything will be fine.”
Jimin stepped behind you and tried to reassure you,
“The display looks good, the booth is holding up, we didn’t forget anything in the shop... We're prepared for today, ok?”
He put a reassuring hand on your shoulder, easing your worries. You took a deep breath,
“I know, I know I just… I don’t know, I can’t help feeling like we forgot something important, you know?”
He smiled and rolled his eyes,
“I know. But I also know, that we planned this for so long, there is no possible way we forgot anything. We brought back-up dough for the back-up dough; I think we’re good”
You pouted slightly, realising how ridiculous you were behaving,
“But how do you know?”
You asked and you heard Jimin sigh before he gently turned you around to face him, with both of his hands resting on your shoulders,
“Because I know you”
He stated matter-of-factly,
“And I know that you’ll do your best, just like me”
With your big, round, innocent eyes looking up at him, how could he not want to encourage and reassure you? All he wanted was for you to feel confident in your abilities.
Suddenly, you took his hands in yours and wrapped them around yourself, then you circled his middle with your own arms, hugging him tightly to you. Neither of you spoke for a few seconds. Jimin was too bamboozled to say anything until he felt you take a deep breath,
“Thank you”
You mumbled into his chest and he felt a tingling warmth spread through his chest. He’s never gotten to hug you like this before. It felt way more intimate than it should, when he let his head rest on top of yours,
“No need to thank me”
Could you feel the way his heart almost beat through his chest right now? He hoped not because that would be awkward. You pulled away and smiled before you could get any more emotional than you already were,
“Ughh, I don’t know what’s going on with me, I hate being so emotional”
You said and immediately punched Jimin’s shoulder to kill the mood. He tumbled backwards a little, acting cute,
“You? Emotional? Who said that? They won’t be getting any rice cakes today!”
Jimin aggressively pushed up his sleeves and made you laugh again,
“No need to involve the cakes, Jimin”
“With me, the cakes are always involved”
“I should have known”
“You love my cakes, though, right?”
It was definitely true, you did love his cakes, especially the ones that weren’t for sale. He didn’t need to know that, though.
Maybe it was time you changed into your uniform and got ready for the official opening of the festival. Jimin had already put on his, so you should probably get to it now.
You left him in the front of the booth and changed in the back, neatly folding your clothes and stowing them away for later.
A few of the other vendors and shop owners, who had some attractions set up, came by and checked out your little corner and wished you a successful day before they returned to their own spots.
To your surprise, Yoongi showed up early to the festival and greeted you and Jimin in the booth while some other people were already eyeing the display carefully,
“Yoongi, what are you already doing here?”
You smiled when he casually strolled up to you and Jimin, hands in his pockets, as usual,
“I know, I know, I’m early”
He said, as he walked up and let his eyes roam over the decorations and the cakes on display,
“But practice finished early today and I thought you might want some company or needed some help, or whatever…”
He looked cool and nonchalant but you saw right through him. Cutie that he was, he thought you could need help and he knew what a big deal this festival was to you and he wanted to be there for you. And Jimin. But mostly you,
“Thank you for coming, that’s really nice of you”
You said and went around the front so you wouldn’t have to talk over the display,
“Yeah, thanks for coming but we’re all set up already”
Jimin added and nervously wiped his hands on his apron. Yoongi looked a little discouraged at Jimin’s statement,
“Oh, well… then I- “
“Let me show you around a little, hm?”
You excitedly grabbed onto his arm and pulled him away to the other shops. That wasn’t what Yoongi had planned when he got here but he could never say no to you, anyway.
He wasn’t really a people person but he would gladly wade through a crowd of scolding parents and screaming toddlers if it meant he could spend a few hours with you after the festival ended. Even if it was just to help you and Jimin pack up and close the shop for the night.
For now, he let you pull him from shop to shop and from attraction to attraction and introduce him to everyone who would listen.
____
“And this one is my favourite! Well, except for our own”
You said excitedly and pulled Yoongi to stand in front of the last shop and greet the owner,
“Hoseok, are you in? I want to introduce you to my friend!”
As you looked around the small space, a young man appeared from behind a shelf and greeted you with a bright smile,
“YN, you’re here already! I just finished setting up”
He walked up to you and put down a few more flyers and pamphlets around the open spaces,
“This is my friend Yoongi, the one who plays piano”
You introduced Yoongi to the guy in front of him and he shyly held out his hand,
“Hey, nice to meet you”
He said, trying to sound cool,
“You, too. I’m Hoseok, I work at the local animal shelter”
He shook his hand, sporting a radiant, charming smile and Yoongi immediately felt like he’d known him forever,
“Oh, the one near the park?”
He asked and Hoseok nodded,
“That’s the one. I met YN when she came in for Snuggle Sunday the first time a few months ago”
He explained and Yoongi mentally aah’d, remembering how you had called him a while ago, screaming unintelligible nonsense into the phone about how you were going to steal all the puppies and lil kitties, while some birds screeched in the background. He had to hold the phone away from his ear because you were so excited,
“Ah, yes, I remember. She told me all about the puppies”
Yoongi said and turned to you, smiling gently,
“Seemed like she had a really great time”,
Hoseok laughed and nodded,
“I’ve never seen someone cry so hard over a baby chameleon”
He said and you playfully hit his shoulder,
“Hoseok! You swore you wouldn’t tell anyone!”,
“I’m sorry but it was just so funny”,
“You’re unbelievable…”
You sounded stern but you smiled anyway,
“It’s a miracle you still have a girlfriend”
You said jokingly and started to wrap your hands around Yoongi’s arm again,
“Oh, by the way, she asked if you could save her some rice cakes, if there are any left tonight?”
Hoseok asks, as you already turn to walk away,
“Sure, come by later, I’ll pack some for her”
You answered and then waved your hand at him to signal him goodbye, so Yoongi did the same,
“Where to now?”
He asked you, after you had walked a few steps together,
“Well, that was everyone I wanted you to meet, for now. And I should get back, the festival’s about to start”
You said and Yoongi hummed in agreement. He escorted you back to the booth, where Jimin was already pacing back and forth, looking like he was anxiously anticipating your return,
“Ah you’re back, finally!”
Jimin exclaimed excitedly and walked up to you, as soon as you and Yoongi came back in view,
“I just saw Fluffy Clouds walk by and apparently they have a completely new concept cooked up for the festival!”
He reported and you immediately looked around you, trying to spot the booth of your arch nemesis,
“Where are they set up? What concept?”
You asked and Yoongi also started looking around, confused as to what you and Jimin are talking about,
“What are we looking for, here?”
He leaned in and asked you,
“Fluffy Clouds is the other bakery down the street I told you about. They’re basically, our arch nemesis”,
You explained while keeping an eye on your surroundings in case that smug bastard Byun Baekhyun was anywhere near and dared to come close to your booth again,
“They’ve been trying to steal our customers from the start”
Jimin chimed in and Yoongi raised his brows in surprise. Apparently, this small town did have some exciting drama going on after all,
“They always set up their advertisements in front of our shop and lead all the nice old ladies away when they know Jimin isn’t in”
Yoongi chuckled,
“Why only then when he’s away?”
He asked for clarification,
“Have you seen Jimin? He looks like an adult baby. Old ladies eat that shit up”
You turned to Yoongi, the disbelief at his serious question clear on your face,
“Yeah, have you seen me? I look like- wait-”
Jimin stuttered but you were already walking off, searching for the Fluffy Fools, as you and Jimin had (un-)lovingly dubbed them,
“Hey, wait!”
He called after you and pulled Yoongi with him to go after you,
“What are you doing? The festival is about to start”,
“I just want to have a look at their display, real quick…”
You mumbled,
“Just a friendly visit to our rivals on this fine day, that could very well decide the fate of our business, you know?”,
“She doesn’t look like she’s going for friendly”
Yoongi mumbled to Jimin from behind.
The look on your face was scary. It got even scarier when you spotted Baekhyun and Lucas setting up some decorations in their display case.
The fake customer service smile, that etched its way onto your lips and the lifeless stare in your eyes could make a grown man cry with terror if you set your mind to it and the two men in question had definitely been on the receiving end more than once. However, they still didn’t let you continue your business in peace.
You confidently walked up to them, chest puffed and fists balled at your sides,
“Hi guys! Wow the booth looks amazing!”
Both of the guys inside the little tent looked up at the sound of your voice.
You sounded so incredibly threatening that even Yoongi felt a chill go down his spine. When he looked at Jimin, the boy was obviously bracing for a storm; pressing his lips together, squinting and not daring to look at you directly. Yoongi chose to observe quietly for now,
“Thanks, YN! We worked really hard on it!”,
says the taller of the two, a bright, oblivious, dopey smile on his face,
“Yeah, it took a lot of planning and custom work”
The other one adds and sets a pretty bouquet of flowers on the counter
“Unlike your train wreck of a booth”
He mumbled under his breath and you immediately caught it,
“Sorry Baekhyun, what was that? I didn’t quite catch your snarky, hateful comment towards Jimin’s and my booth, would you care to repeat it?”
You retorted and slightly leaned forward, pretending to listen more closely
“I said yours looks wonderful, too, YN”
Baekhyun mocked and you took a deep breath,
“Anyway…”
you started to say,
“I just wanted to wish you good luck and I hope you sell lots of pastries during the festival”
You clasped your hands in front of you and smiled,
“Aww, thanks, YN! That’s so nice!”
Lucas was genuinely happy to receive nice words from you, for a change,
“Maybe then you’ll finally be able to afford to stop blocking our door and window with your signs and advertising, hm? Maybe acquire some of your own customers for a change”
You added and the mans face immediately fell and he looked to his older friend for emotional support,
“Nice try, YN”
Baekhyun sneered and looked between you, Jimin and Yoongi,
“Now, if you would be so nice as to collect your puppies and bring them back before they wet themselves, hm? They look a little lost”
God, you hated him so much,
“Rot in hell, Byun”
You yelled and turned on your heels, pulling Jimin and Yoongi with you to walk back to your base.
Yoongi had always known you were passionate about the business you led with Jimin and now he knew just how passionate,
“Dang… that was hard to watch”
He said while you trotted back,
“This was one of the more civil encounters we’ve had, actually…”
Jimin mumbled and you breathed deeply,
“They just make me so angry”
Well, it was actually just Baekhyun who made you google inconspicuous ways of disposing of a body late at night. His partner Lucas was really not the issue here. Baekhyun was the brain behind all their operations and Lucas was the muscle. Muscle, that was nice to look at, admittedly, although that didn’t really help his case. The yeast in the bread he baked day to day worked harder than Lucas’ brain and that was just a sad fact of life,
“If Baekhyun comes anywhere close to the booth again, I want you to throw the waffle iron as hard and as accurately at his head as you can, ok?”
You said to Jimin, who just sighed and mumbled a silent ‘yes…’
It was useless to try and convince you to try and find non-lethal solutions to the problem.
Yoongi checked his watch absentmindedly,
“It’s almost time”
He announced calmly and you composed yourself with a few centered breaths. The festival goers didn’t need to see you like this if you wanted to sell some cakes today,
“I’ll let you get back to it and meet you later, ok?”
Yoongi said and waved you and Jimin goodbye before he casually strolled away over the festival area.
-------
Time flew by as the customers kept coming and you and Jimin did your best to brighten up their day with your delicious treats. Some of them even decided to leave with your business cards in hand and it made you incredibly happy to know that people appreciated your hard work and dedication to your craft,
“Jimin, quick! Hand me the frosting!”,
“Where is it? I can’t see!”
Jimin was frantically rubbing his eyes, trying to clear the powdered sugar out of his vision,
“Shit, I have so much flour up my nose, if security sees me like this, they’ll tackle me on sight”,
“Tough it out and put the next batch in the steamer, we can’t afford to lose this group of pre-schoolers!”
So far, things were going better than expected and soon, after the initial onslaught of customers had retreated, you could take a few minutes to yourself to breathe and sit down.
Jimin put the ‘back in 10 minutes’ sign up in the front and you retreated to the back for a much-needed break. Both of you let out a long, exhausted sigh and plopped onto the camping chairs,
“To be honest, I didn’t think it would be this exhausting”
You slurred with your eyes half closed,
“I can’t feel my legs”
Jimin replied,
“And also my chubby, pinchable cheeks… these sweet old ladies really are relentless”
He carefully rubbed his reddened cheeks and huffed,
“But we almost sold out completely in such a short time! We’ve never had so much business before”
He was right,
“Let’s just hope it takes off”
you mumbled, leaned back and tried to apply every quick relaxation method known to man all at once. It wasn’t working particularly well,
“It’s almost time for all the sellers to close down for the day, anyway”
Jimin said after a quick look at his phone,
“When we closed up, we could check out the other attractions, maybe ride the-“
“Strawberry Flavor, are you in?”
Jin’s voice suddenly disturbed Jimin in his attempt to score a Ferris Wheel date with you later,
“I’m done with my shift for today so I came straight here”
Surprised at Jin’s sudden appearance, you mustered up all your strength and got up,
“We’re in the back, you need to go around”
you called and went to the tent flap in the back to hold it open. When Jin stepped in he was holding a few delicious smelling paper bags,
“I brought you some food, I thought you might need some sustenance”
He smiled brightly and handed you the bags. You ripped them open immediately and found some sandwiches and a variety of sides inside. The smell was hitting you right in the face and made your stomach rumble with impatience,
“Are you serious? Thank you, this is amazing, you’re my hero”
Your face lit up and Jin waved it off like it was nothing,
“Jimin, look! Food!”
Your eyes went glossy and Jimin smiled when he saw how happy you were after taking the first bite out of your sandwich,
“Ugh, this is so good, I can literally feel my body soak up the energy”
You mumbled while chewing and Jimin grabbed one, too, when you handed him the bag. When he wanted to hand it back to Seokjin, the man declined,
“Oh no, I had plenty back at the hotel. They miscalculated how many guests would be there for lunch and prepared way too much food”,
“Thank you for thinking of us”
Jimin said politely and finally took a bite, too.
You were happily munching away at the food when Jin started looking around,
“Woow, it looks like you almost sold out!”
he commented and you nodded
“It went better than expected!”
You answered proudly in between bites,
“I’m sure we’ll sell the rest, too, until closing time”,
“People are going crazy for your cakes, huh?”
Jin asks jokingly and it makes you chuckle,
“You only notice that now? YN’s cakes have always been amazing”
Jimin added and Jin looked up, sensing a little more than innocent cake-talk,
“I wasn’t implying anything different. I’ve always thought they were the best cakes I’ve ever seen”
He said and Jimin squinted at him suspiciously,
“I’m just making sure they get the appreciation they deserve”,
“I wouldn’t expect anything else from an avid cake-lover such as yourself”
Jin raised his brows expectantly and Jimin felt the need to puff up his chest a little bit.
Meanwhile you were completely oblivious to the intense staredown between the two men and focused on the sandwich in your hands.
Silence fell over the three of you and soon your break was up and you needed to get back into the thick of it. It was Jimin’s turn to man the selling position in the front now, while you took care of preparation in the back. Jin decided to hang around a little longer and watch you guys at work, partly to help out if you needed him and also because you looked cute enough to eat in your uniform.
He couldn’t help you set up because he got called into work on short notice but he was glad Namjoon was there to help you. Now, he was here and ready to take on anything you threw at him, even if it was only verbal abuse,
“Jin, you need to move! Your shoulders may be broad but they don’t need to take up the whole space in here”,
“Relax, Strawberry Flavour, I’m just getting acquainted with the workspace”,
“Sure, why don’t you have some coffee and a rice cake while you’re at it, hm?”,
“Do you have coffee back here?”,
“Jin!”
He laughed at your desperation and got to work on rearranging the baking forms for you.
------
“Here you go! Thank you, please enjoy them”
Jimin handed the cakes to the last customer for today and let out a satisfied sigh. He was proud to say that every last rice cake you planned to sell today had gone over the counter and found a new, happy owner. Working the booth had been exhausting, to say the least, however, Jimin felt more energized than ever when he turned around and saw your happy smile directed at him,
“We did it!”
You said and held up both of your hands for a high five, which he gladly put his back into. He didn’t let go and intertwined your fingers while your hands fell into the space between your bodies,
“It was one hell of a day but we did it!”
You repeated and Jimin felt his heart warm up at the relief in your voice,
“I never doubted it”
He said and you pulled him into a quick hug. Without warning Jin slung his long arms around both of you,
“Ah, don’t thank me for doing all the work, it was my pleasure”
He boasted and you wrangled yourself free from his embrace,
“You are so shameless, it’s ridiculous”
His high-pitched laugh sounded through the tent and Jimin also brought some distance between himself and the older man again. As much as he was intimidated by him, he also couldn’t deny the effortless charm the guy possessed and he would lie if he said he wasn’t jealous of the way he could make you laugh so easily. He knew Seokjin was important to you, so he did his best to make friends with him. Or at least be polite to him,
“What? Are you going to deny the essential part I played in selling all those cakes?”,
“You rearranged the forms and then blocked me every time I turned around!”,
“And it made you even more determined to work harder, didn’t it? Case closed”,
“I swear to god, Seokjin-“,
“Hey losers, we sold twice the normal amount of pastries today! Suck on that!”
Baekhyun’s voice suddenly cut through the banter and you all turned around to catch him and Lucas waving wads of cash in your direction,
“Maybe we’ll consider buying your shack and finally turn it into a successful business, how’s that sound?”
Jin’s brows raised in confusion,
“Who are these clowns?”
He asked and watched the two men dance around while pretending to make it rain,
“Just the bane of our existence”
Jimin answered and crossed his arms in front of his chest,
“They’re the owners of the bakery down the street from ours. The fools I told you about”
You explained and Jin just huffed out a ‘Huh…’,
You turned to them and angrily pointed your finger,
“You better get the hell out of here before I shove my whisk up your-“,
“Ok, that’s enough of that”
Jimin pulled you away from the front and he and Jin watched a smiling Baekhyun and Lucas disappear in the distance,
“I hate them so much”,
You struggled to say through clenched teeth,
“Let’s just move on and forget about them”
Jimin patted your shoulder gently and Jin pulled out his phone,
“Namjoon just texted me, they’re on their way here”,
“See, our friends are here to distract you”
Jimin happily announced and you breathed in deep to relax again,
“You’re right, let’s clean up and get going”
------
The thing about these kinds of festivals, fun fairs, or whatever people liked to call them, was that, unless you brought your family along, they possessed an inherently romantic atmosphere. Which was now becoming more and more obvious, even to you, as you strolled along the attractions and rides, which lit up the night sky like new year’s fireworks.
Jin and Jimin, 2 out of 3 of your best bois were accompanying you on the way to find the rest of your friends at the festival’s exit area. It was on the way to the beach, where your friends had planned to end the night with a bonfire and some drinks.
The way there, however, was not linear and Jin and Jimin made a show of vying for your attention at every possible moment. You were being pulled from mini game to mini game, watching the boys taking turns at winning toys and stuffed animals for you. Carrying all of it would be a challenge but that was the least important thing on your mind as you watched Jimin throw darts at the small balloons on the wall. Clearly, accurately throwing tiny, beat-up, plastic darts at miniature balloons was not one of his secret talents but at least he was determined,
“YN, look! I almost got one this time!”
He yelled proudly and smiled so wide that his eyes disappeared,
“Careful, don’t do too well, or the owner will have to file for bankruptcy”
You said jokingly, trying to motivate Jimin a little,
“I don’t think we have to worry about that”
Jin observed, giving Jimin the side-eye,
“Don’t be mean”
You murmured to him and lightly shoved him with your elbow,
“I’m just being realistic, Jimin might be the king of cakes but he sucks at balloon dart”
He commented and held up his hands in defense,
“Like you could do it any better. Literally every time Manager asks you to throw him the keys, they land in the pond in the hotel lobby instead of his hands!”
It was important to bring Jin back down to earth sometimes,
“Not every time…”
He mumbled a little embarrassed,
“How do you even do that? Last time we were standing in the kitchen and somehow, they still ended up in there”,
“Are you shaming me for my bad eyesight? You know I wear contacts!”,
“I’m shaming you for your non-existent hand-eye coordination!”
You snickered and Jin shook his head, wrapping an arm around your shoulders and pulling you close,
“Yah! You want me to throw you in there next time?”
He tried to sound threatening but you just giggled like a child when he gently bumped you with his shoulders,
“You’re welcome to try! I control the chicken so I would think twice before messing with me”
You knew this would hit Jin right in the feels and immediately he clasped his hands together in an apologetic gesture, bowing his head a little,
“Ah, I apologise deeply, Chicken-Overlord! I’ll be good from now on!”
He lamented and you went along with it,
“It’s forgiven. For now”
you booped his nose and directed your attention back to Jimin, who just won a tiny, pink, plastic rose and made his way back to you and Jin,
“Look! I won something!”
He happily presented the flower to you,
“Woow, Jiminah, you’re so good at this game! Let’s get some candy cotton, hyung will pay!”
Jin grabbed Jimin by the shoulders and praised him some more while you couldn’t contain your laughter,
“Really?”
Jimin asked, smiling sheepishly and Jin nodded,
“Would I lie about that? Only the best players deserve cotton candy, come on!”
Jin looked at you and winked like the absolute smug clown he was and you smiled back at him,
“Thank you for being nice”
You mouthed and followed the boys to the nearest self-operating candy cotton machine.
-----
Satisfied with your gifted plastic rose and happily munching away on your cotton candy, you and the boys finally reached the others at the beach.
They already prepared one the of the fire pits and had a nice flame going, while they passed around drinks and snacks.
From the distance you could see Yoongi talking animatedly to Namjoon and next to them, Hoseok annoying his girlfriend with stupid faces. Taehyung, one of your regular produce supply guys from the hotel and his little brother Jungkook busied themselves with making smores over the fire and poking it with sticks. This bunch of weirdos always brought a smile to your face,
“Hey guys, we finally made it!”
You announced as you got closer to them and they all turned to greet you, handing you each a bottle and a bag of something fried to go along with it,
“Hey guys, I hope the booth didn’t collapse”
Namjoon said and held up his bottle to clink it with yours,
“I’m usually not the best at handling literally any kind of tool so I hope everything held together and no one got killed in an ugly accident”
He added and smiled hopefully,
“Don’t worry, we lived and the booth did too”
You answered and Namjoon wiped the metaphorical sweat off his brow,
“I’m glad you could help. I would have done it myself but they called me in to help with the shift”
Jin mentioned and Joon waved him off,
“Don’t worry about it! I wouldn’t have come tonight if you hadn’t asked me to help so I’m happy it worked out this way. I desperately needed to socialise…”
He took a long, relatable sip of his drink and Yoongi joined your conversation,
“Almost seems like it was fate”
He said,
“I didn’t know you guys knew Joon. We met in university and haven’t seen each other in a long time”
He explained and Joon smiled fondly,
“Kinda lost touch”
Yoongi awkwardly scratched the back of his head,
“Yeah, we’ve got some catching up to do…”
He mumbled and you sensed there was more to it. Not wanting to pry,
you let them continue their conversation and made your way around the fire to Hoseok and his girlfriend, telling her the rice cakes were all sold out but you would set some aside first thing tomorrow. She was the cutest lil’ bean and you could see how they adored each other. It was a healing relationship to witness and you definitely needed their energy in your life.
Behind you, on the other side of the fire, Jin and Jimin stood side by side, awkwardly trying to maintain a conversation while they were both aware of each other’s attention being focused on something(-one) else.
They rarely spent so much time together and it was clear that, even though they were part of the same circle of friends, they didn’t really have much in common, except their shared infatuation with you.
And they both knew it, which made this situation a little difficult.
They both watched you talk to the couple for a little while and kept some light small talk going while Taehyung and Jungkook kept them fed with smores, freshly melted over the fire.
As it was getting later, the drinks were starting to affect some (Hoseok) more than the others and soon, Hoseok’s girlfriend and Jungkook were trying to keep him from taking his clothes off and go skinny dipping in the ocean. It was a very entertaining sight and you may or may not have encouraged his shenanigans with some passive comments.
Drama was in your nature, sorry not sorry.
You had noticed that Namjoon and Yoongi had found a spot on the beach a little farther away from the group and were still engaged in deep conversation. You were relieved to see, that your friend was having a good time and that he got to reconnect with Joon, whatever that meant. He had never mentioned him to you before but judging by the looks of it, they had been pretty close.
Since you sometimes felt a little lost in the grand scheme of things, it felt good to see other people were finding new things and meeting people that gave them more reasons to be happier and feel connected.
It wasn’t like you didn’t feel happy; in fact, since moving to this quaint little town, you’ve felt the happiest and most fulfilled since you could remember. However, seeing Hoseok and his girlfriend, Yoongi and Namjoon, or even the random couples at the festival, sharing food and being cutesy with each other… it reminded you, that there was something like that missing in your life.
Or was there? You would say that a lack of companionship or human connection in general was not the problem per se.
Romance and relationships had never been at the top of your list of priorities but as you were getting older, you felt the slowly-growing need for something other than friendship in your life.
Or maybe that was just the liquor and the third-wheeling talking.
Meanwhile, Jin and Jimin had formed a delicate connection over their shared love for sweet foods, treats and definitely alcohol. They were probably responsible for the majority of the empty bottles that now lined the lukewarm cooler, and they were still going strong. They even laughed at the occasional joke together.
No one could resist Jimin’s natural baby charm forever, not even stoic Seokjin. It was clear, that they were finally warming up to each other.
You only noticed after Jimin had called you over, pouting and complaining about being tired and wanting to go home. He got a little whiney when he was drunk and it was better to just give him what he wanted.
It was fine anyway. It was getting late and you both needed to be up early again for the next day of the festival so you decided to leave soon and say goodbye to your friends until tomorrow night. Taking Jimin home before he turned into an even more whiney little baby was the top priority mission right now.
Hoseok barely registered when you said goodbye and you guessed he would tap out soon, too. You refrained from disturbing Joon and Yoongi and said bye to Taehyung and Jungkook before leaving with Jimin tucked into your side. Jin accompanied you for a little while and promised to swing by again tomorrow before you parted ways and he went home, as well.
From then on, it wasn’t long before you and Jimin reached home. Jimin sighed tiredly as the shop came into view and a last surge of drunken energy sped up his step. He skipped ahead, wanting to unlock the door but stopped short as he reached the glass façade.
What was that paper taped to the door? He ripped it off and found it to be a folded piece of paper that your shop’s name written on it,
“Huh?”
He whispered to himself and turned it around in his hands before opening it.
On the inside he found a crude drawing of you and him in the booth today at the fair. There was nothing unusual about it, except for the sign above the booth, that, instead of the cute rice cake logo and writing you had printed on it, now showed a generously sized, disturbingly detailed, pile of-
“What the absolute shit?”
Jimin jumped at your voice, spinning around and trying to hide the paper behind his back and you tried to reach around him to steal it,
“YN! Don’t look!”
He wiggled out of your grasp and ran to the closest trash bin to dispose of the drawing,
“Jimin, what the heck? Was that taped to our door?”
you came running after him. Jimin needed a second to regain his balance. Running around while still drunk was not the best idea. When his eyes were able to focus on your face again, he nodded,
“Yeah…”
He mumbled and watched your shoulders slump,
“Do you think it was the fluffy fools again?”
He asked carefully,
“Who else?”
You replied, turning around and walking back to the shop. Jimin followed you. Without a word you opened the door and both of you went inside, taking the stairs up to the apartment. While standing in the narrow hallway, only illuminated by the light of the street lamps outside, you turned around to face Jimin,
“I don’t understand what their problem is. Sure, we’re kind of a similar shop but it’s not like we’re monopolising the bakery business! We sell so many different things! They didn’t even think of selling pastries like we did and now they act like they’re the big ballers in the game? Like we’re stealing their customers? Ugh…”
Usually when you ranted about the fools, you sounded angry and agitated. However, even drunk Jimin noticed that now you just sounded exhausted and sad,
“YN… don’t overthink it. They’re just acting like dickheads because they’re threatened by us”,
“But why couldn’t they just come and talk to us like adults? This is all so childish…”
Jimin wrapped an arm around your shoulders,
“I know”
He knew that there were few things he could say to make you feel better right now but he still wanted to try,
“Sometimes people need to feel better about themselves and they have to put other people down to get there. It’s not right and it’s not fair. But we’re good at what we do and they clearly know it. Don’t let it get to you, Rice Cake”
Hugging his side, you let out an exasperated breath,
“I know you’re right but I’m just so tired of it”
You mumbled. Jimin let go of you to gently place both of his hands on your shoulders,
“We’ll get some rest now and it’ll all be better in the morning, ok? Maybe I can go and talk to them; try and find some sort of common ground”
he sounded so sure of it, that you could only nod in agreement,
“Really?”
You whispered and smiled at him,
“Of course. I’ll do anything for you and our shop”
Jimin answered and took in your hopeful eyes and slight pout and felt his throat close up at the sight. You looked so small and cute and Jimin suddenly felt even more drunk than before. He didn’t even notice that he had moved his hands up to cup your cheeks in his hands until he felt the soft skin under his fingertips.
Goosebumps rose on your skin at his touch and you weren’t sure if this moment was still about a friend comforting another friend as they were feeling upset. Seeing Jimin’s glossy eyes, his slightly parted lips and messy, fluffy hair in the soft lighting from the street lamps had you feeling like the mood had suddenly changed,
“Jimin, what-“
You didn’t get to ask the full question, as Jimin had already pressed his lips to yours in a gentle kiss. Plush lips moulding to yours with careful movements and shy pecks until you ran out of breath and needed to pull away. Lightly pushing at his chest, you brought some distance between the two of you. Your heart was beating a mile a minute and Jimin seemed to be equally out of breath.
Even though there had definitely been some kind of atmosphere surrounding you just moments before, this was the last thing you expected to happen. You needed to sort through your brain and find the ability to speak before the silence grew too awkward. Jimin just kissed you, you were sure he expected at least some kind of response.
You brought a hand to your forehead, combing through some of the hair in the front and trying to find the right words.
Jimin on the other hand was too starstruck too even realise your inner turmoil. He was having a hard time just coming to terms with the fact, that he had just kissed you without any warning or build-up and that he was still drunk as heck. His brain was working overtime right now, trying to process all the different feelings and experiences that had occurred in the last thirty seconds. He could still feel your skin under his fingers, could still feel his lips tingle from the way they moved against yours and the taste you left on them. It was a lot,
“Umm… I- I need to go”
You stammered and suddenly turned around to flee to your room, leaving a perplexed Jimin standing in the hallway.
Shutting the door behind you a little too forcefully you took a deep breath. What the hell just happened?
Do u ever stumble upon drafts of old fics u never wrote and then desperately wish u could read the full version?👀 Like u just KNOW you have an unwritten masterpiece in ur hands?? Why the fic not just write itself smh... Hello RUDE😭🤬
(I was really feeling my idea rn and I needed to vent sorry lol)
ADFKLJ yes!!! i think that’s such a common occurance because we write tropes that we ourselves wanna read, right? ahahah. seriously why don’t fics just spring from our brains fully formed?!?!? i hate that i actually have to work. the audacity!
(but seriously ride that wave if ur feeling it & maybe you’ll write it out?? hahah)
Pairing: Kim Seokjin x Reader, Min Yoongi x Reader, Park Jimin x Reader
8789 Words
Genre: Fluff, Idiots Friends to lovers, crack
Warnings: None except some super light swearing, an unhealthy obsession for Jimin’s cakes ( I think i might have a problem idk ) and some light flirting ( I tried to create some mild tension at the end... not sure I did it right )
Summary: What’s a girl to do when her handsome colleague, her sweet business partner and her mysterious, piano playing friend compete for 1st place on the list of her favourite people?
Heavily inspired by the “Another Story” individual stories in the BTS World game but with a twist. The final pairing isn’t fully decided, yet, so if you have some input or some suggestions or just a burning desire for me to twist the story into a certain direction please let me know and maybe we can work something out ;)
IPlease don’t hesitate to give feedback and like & reblog if you enjoyed <3
______
“Strawberry Flavor! Strawberry Flavor, where are you?”
Hotel-service intern Kim Seokjin rushed into the kitchen of the hotel restaurant to find you, his colleague and only friend in this hell of an establishment,
“Yah, Strawberry Flavor! This is important, where are you?”
He knew the kitchen area would be empty at this time, save for you. Most of your colleagues had already clocked out for the night but you usually stayed longer to wait for Seokjin to finish his shift as well. Which is why he busted through the doors of the locker room, guns blazing, to find you already waiting for him and packing your things,
“Ah, there you are! Didn’t you hear me?”
Accusingly, he thrust his hands in your direction, which were full of laundry items. You turned around, wide-eyed and flabbergasted at Seokjin’s dramatic entrance in the break room,
“Kim Seokjin, I swear on all that’s holy in this world, one of these days I will bash your head in with a frying pan, if you yell at me like that again!”
You pointed at his smug face and tried to look like you actually meant it,
“I could have been changing in here, you punk! Don’t you have any manners? Jeez, you give a guy leftover chicken and suddenly he thinks he owns the place…”,
Jin took a moment to process your words before he smiled at you and rolled his eyes,
“Ah, Strawberry Flavor, I’m sorry, I’m just so excited! You said there’s more leftover chicken again today, what am I supposed to do? Stay calm?”
You didn’t actually mean anything you said, of course, you adored your tall, handsome and broad-shouldered colleague and were glad that you had become friends. Or so he liked to think, at least,
“Yes! That is absolutely what you are supposed to do!”
You tried to answer without a smile creeping on your face but seeing Jin just did that to people. He was handsome, sure, but his face, when he got a little worked up over something, was one the funniest things known to mankind,
“You know I can’t be held responsible for my actions when chicken is involved…”
He dropped his gaze and kicked at imaginary dirt on the ground. You took a deep breath and remembered that Seokjin was essentially an overgrown child with an even more overgrown appetite,
“I saved it for you, no one’s going to steal it”
You said and Jin huffed, pouting at you,
“Ok…”
You noticed the laundry in his hands just now,
“Did Areum give you more laundry, again?”
You asked as you pointed at the various blankets and stuffed animals he was carrying,
“She said she wants them dry cleaned by tomorrow morning. How am I supposed to do that? Everyone already left…”
He explained and you sighed. That girl knew how to keep him on his toes,
“Well, you just have to come in early tomorrow and beg the guys from laundry to run an express load”
You checked the contents of your purse, before turning back to Seokjin again,
“Hm, you’re right. I should drop this in the laundry bins, right? Be right back!”
He mumbled and turned on his heels to leave,
“Can you heat the chicken up for me, please? Thank you”
You heard him say as the doors closed behind him. You shook your head and let out a long breath,
“This guy really has no shame”
You said to yourself as you grabbed your things and went to work on the chicken for Jin, so you both could finally leave, as soon as he got back.
------
As you walked along the beach promenade, a Tupperware in hand containing Jin’s chicken, you listened to him munch on a piece of it while he tried to recount all events of the day to you. Apparently, the lady, who had been staying in 306 for the last week, wasn’t as sweet as you thought. Jin told you about this morning, when he went to bring her breakfast to her room and she pinched his butt while he was on the way out. His eyes almost bulged out of his head, he was so invested in his own story,
“And then she said the bacon looks good this morning! The bacon, Strawberry Flavor! As in MY bacon! Can you believe?!”
Were he not so busy to stuff his mouth full of the wings you had saved for him, he would have ranted on about it for hours,
“No, Jin, I can’t, in fact, believe”,
“I know it looks good, I have eyes, after all, but just pinching my bacon like it was a cheap side dish…”
“Absolutely outrageous”
You commented while typing away on your phone. You knew by now that you just needed to pay attention at the right moment to appease Jin’s ego,
“Exactly!”
He flung his hand around and looked like he tried to fight someone with the chicken leg, that he was currently holding,
“Did you say anything to her? Or did you just do that creepy customer-service fake smile”
You asked, already knowing that, even if Jin talked a big game now, he probably just squeaked like a squirrel when the thirsty grandma felt him up and looked like a deer caught in the headlights when she shut the door in his face. Deep down, he probably enjoyed the attention, though,
“No, I didn’t. can’t risk an additional complaint from any of the guests with all the negative points I keep scoring with Areum…”
He mumbled and his puffed chest deflated a bit at that,
“Ah Seokjin, don’t worry! I’m sure Areum will see soon how much effort you put into everything she makes you do!”
You patted his shoulder reassuringly and handed him a tissue to wipe the spicy chicken sauce off his face,
“Thanks, Strawberry Flavor, you always know what to say…”
Unbeknownst to you, Jin was thankful for more than just your kind words and company today. He was thankful for a lot more when it came to you and the chicken was only the cherry on top of the biggest, most delicious scoop of heart-shaped ice cream, he had ever imagined in his life.
When you two met on the day you were examined as a potential addition to the kitchen staff at the hotel, he didn’t think you’d become such an integral part of his life but he’s certainly thankful things played out the way they did. Even though he wishes he was brave enough to ask you for more, he is content to just be the best friend to you, that he could be. You deserved it. If not for you, he would have been kicked out of the hotel multiple times already because he just kept messing up so much. Most of the kitchen staff still avoided him because of the wedding cake incident a few months back. He cringed inwardly; it had not been pretty,
“And even if she doesn’t and tells Manager about all your shortcomings and he kicks you out, you can count on me to save you chicken from time to time!”
He almost chokes on said chicken when he has to laugh at your poor attempt to lighten the mood,
“Jin, you need to swallow!”
He could only laugh harder and it made you smile,
“Yah! Stop laughing! You’re gonna choke! I don’t know any first aid…”
You clapped him on the back and he slowly calmed down, still cackling like a little kid. You wanted to see him laugh like this more often, lately, because interning at the hotel wasn’t working out so well for him. He had a lot of difficulties with the service and it didn’t help that he was assigned as Areum’s caretaker during the time she would be staying at the hotel. That little girl… you knew she was only 7 but she drove you up the wall sometimes. Especially when she scolded Jin for all the things he did wrong, which was a regular occurrence,
“I’m fine, I’m fine, do you have any more tissues, though?”
Jin asked and you dug around your purse until you found one. He coughed roughly and then took a deep breath,
“Phew… Let’s just hope Manager keeps me around a little longer, yeah?”
He smiled at you and you nodded,
“He has to, or I’m going on strike. See how he handles the rioting guests when there are no more Special Strawberry Flavor Pancakes around!”
Jin puts his arm around your shoulder and hugs you to his side a little awkwardly,
“Ahh, don’t do that, you’ll be fired, too! And then who will be my chicken hero?”
You cough out an awkward laugh at the physical contact and quickly try to get your bearings back,
“Ok, ok… I won’t go on strike”
“And I’ll figure something out with Areum… she’s just a kid, how hard could it be to find something she likes to do? Do you think maybe I should try bribing her with candy?”
You opened your mouth to answer when a familiar voice interrupted you,
“Hey Rice Cake, I’m over here!”
It was your roommate Park Jimin; passionate dancer and number 1 rice cake enthusiast. He was waiting for you at the bus stop like he usually did to pick you up after work. He insisted on doing so, even if he had to take a few extra buses after dance practice to get here.
You happily waved at him and turned to Jin to say goodbye for tonight,
“There’s my ride. Well, my companion for the bus ride, anyway… You should probably come up with something more creative than bribing a little girl with candy, though, ok? I’ll see you tomorrow! Good night!”,
“Yeah, ok… Good night, Strawberry Flavor”
He smiled and waved half-heartedly after you already turned around and walked towards your friend. Park Jimin seemed like a good guy, as far as he could tell; he obviously cared about you enough to go out of his way to get you home safe and in Jin’s books that was the least you deserved. Still, he would rather he was the one to accompany you on your way home.
_________
As Jimin watched you say goodbye to your colleague he briefly wondered why you still let him be the one to take you home when there was this tall, good-looking man in your life, who, clearly, was head over heels for you. He had known the minute he met Kim Seokjin for the first time a few months ago, that the handsome hotelier had the hots on for you. He couldn’t fault the guy, though; he knew first-hand the power your pretty smile and beautiful personality held. If Jimin didn’t feel so insecure and small in the presence of the other man, maybe they could have become friends but all Jimin could see, was a really tall, handsome and impressively built obstacle in the way of his plan to get you to be his girl when he looked at Kim Seokjin.
Jimin loses his self-deprecating train of thought pretty quickly though, when you enter his personal space and hug his arm to your chest,
“Jiminahh, I had such a good day! I can’t wait to tell you all about it”
You smiled at him and for a few precious moments he just felt lucky to have you in his life at all. Kim Seokjin and his good looks be damned. He reached for your hand and took your bag to carry it for you. He knows you would never admit it, because you’re a strong, independent woman, who don’t need no man but you secretly loved that he did all these little things to make your life a little easier. Even if it was just carrying a bag, that, quote unquote: wasn’t even really that heavy,
“Yeah? Tell me about it”
He smiled down at you, as you both went to sit down on the bench and waited for the bus to arrive and take you home,
“It was my turn to decorate all the little pastries and cakes today! Well… after I fried a shit ton of chicken for the buffet in the conference room”
You answered and Jimin smiled to himself. Decorating cakes was one of your favourite things to do, even when you helped him out in your spare time in the little rice-cake shop he inherited from his late grandmother. He was quite good at it himself, too, having watched his grandma make and decorate rice cakes with a burning passion for years, but he let you do it whenever possible, just so he could watch your face scrunch up cutely in concentration when you bent over the sweet little treats and painted fantastic floral works of art on them,
“Sounds like you had a lot of fun today”
He commented and you nodded,
“I did. And Manager even said I did good today, so that was worth all the hours I spent covered in chicken grease afterwards”
You stifled a yawn after you said that and Jimin laughed quietly. You did actually smell faintly of fried chicken but honestly? That was just a bonus because you looked like a snack already.
Just as he was about to comment on your fried chicken smell, the bus rolled into the station and you took your seats and fell into a comfortable silence for the duration of the ride. It wasn’t too long of a way home but it was enough for you take a quick nap on your friend’s shoulder, before he gently shook you awake again, to signal the imminent arrival of the bus at your station. You followed Jimin outside and as the bus rode on peacefully, you walked the rest of the way towards the rice cake shop and the apartment you shared upstairs.
You felt thankful for it every time you set foot in your shared home because it had been the first good thing to happen to you in a long while. Starting off as Granny Park’s apprentice in the rice cake business, you first met Jimin as he was about to head out and handle some deliveries for the day. He was shy at first but quickly warmed up to you when he noticed how seriously you took your work and how respectful and hard-working you were with his grandmother. Granny Park taught you and her grandson how to make the most delicious little cakes and she had even let you live in the spare room in the apartment she shared with Jimin. She had given you so much and you were determined to prove worthy of her trust. Sadly, not long after she had taken you in and you and Jimin became close friends, she passed away and left you and her grandson to continue to run the shop. You and Jimin had made some significant changes to the way the shop operated and now, it ran more profitable than ever before. You hoped Jimin could see how happy and grateful you still were now, months later.
Jimin dropped your bag in your room and you took a few minutes for yourself to change into more comfortable clothing and wash up. Even though you got to do something fun at work today, doesn’t mean you weren’t exhausted and ready to drop dead on the bed. You took your phone out of your bag and swan dived onto the sheets. A few notifications were waiting for you, including a few texts from Jin and Yoongi, another friend of yours. Apparently Jin had finished all the chicken before he arrived home, which was a new record for him and he had sent you a selfie of him and the empty Tupperware to prove it. You snickered and replied with a few thumbs up.
[You 20:34]: Glad u liked it! U know I never met anyone with such an unhealthy love for chicken, right?
[SeokJerk 20:35]: Ha… then stop feeding my addiction! Shaming me while enabling me… smh
[You 20:36]: Ugh why am I friends with u…
Jin sent an angel emoji and you decided that was enough Jin for today and then switched to Yoongi’s chat. It was just a series of pictures of a few different outfits and a question mark at the end. He was a man of few words. You knew Yoongi had an important gig coming up and he desperately needed your input, so it didn’t surprise you that he didn’t send an entire paragraph voicing his concerns about the wrong choice of attire. You answered with number 3 and a few flame emojis and heart eyes. Going for the fancy choice while also maintaining his casual style seemed like the best way to go. He replied a few seconds later with a thumbs up. Just as you were about to put down the phone, it dinged with another text from your roommate. Why he didn’t just knock and ask whatever it was he wanted, you didn’t know. He was probably being lazy like you right now.
[Mochi 20:46]: u still up? Netflix? Or u too tired?
You debated that for a second; it was only 9 pm, you could probably remain conscious for another 2 hours or so. Even though you had to pass by the hotel to meet Jin for lunch, you could sleep in.
[You 20:48]: Sure, u gotta come here tho bc I’m not moving
2 minutes later your door creaked as Jimin opened it and walked in the room with his laptop balanced on his arm,
“I picked something good this time, I swear”
He did, in fact, not pick something good.
________
When you woke up the next morning, Jimin was already out and about, busy bee that he is. You didn’t have to worry about getting ready just yet, since you didn’t have to meet Jin for another few hours, so you enjoyed the feeling of your soft and warm sheets for a few more minutes and played around on your phone until there was nothing left to do but get up.
Should you have breakfast? A question you asked yourself every day, regardless of the fact that the answer was always no. So, you skipped the trip to the kitchen for now and jumped in the shower straight away.
You should take care of some boring chores and house work today, as well, preferably before you met Jin.
The rice cake shop was closed for today so you didn’t have to worry about the mess downstairs for now. Maybe Jimin had left out some treats for you to take with you. You would go through the shop and check when you left.
___________
“Yah, Seokjin! Stop hoarding the sauce!”
You snatched the little bowl from under his nose while he was distracted and finally, you could dip your food into the spicy goodness,
“Leave some in there for other people”
You added and Jin tried to act like he didn’t know you were chastising him, of all people. It was no use anyway, so you changed the topic,
“Did you get Areum’s laundry done on time?”
Seokjin nodded his head, while chewing on a spoonful of rice,
“Luckily, yes. I owe the guys from laundry big time”
He swallowed the rice and took a deep, sobering breath,
“Don’t know what she would have done, if I didn’t show up with her favourite blanket, this morning…”
He visibly shuddered at the thought and you also felt an unpleasant tingle slide down the length of your spine,
“Let’s just be thankful you’re still in one piece, hm?”
You smiled sweetly at him and Jin briefly forgot what had him so shook just seconds ago. He watched you eat some grilled vegetables for a few moments until he snapped out of his reverie,
“Thank you for meeting me for lunch, Strawberry Flavor, it would have been so boring alone…”,
“You mean there would have been less food for you to devour”
You snickered to yourself and Jin huffed,
“Don’t make me look so bad, you brat! I’m still older than you, show some respect!”
He couldn’t help but smile at how, even he, couldn’t take himself seriously. You started laughing and had to put down the food you were about to put in your mouth,
“Alright, alright, I’m so sorry, Seokjin-Oppa… I promise I’ll be a good girl from now on, ok?”
You dragged out his name and your lips formed the most adorable little pout. Although he knew you were teasing him just now, Jin felt warmth flood his cheeks and he cleared his throat,
“Ah… yes… don’t worry about it, Strawberry Flavor”
He tried to sound casual but his voice betrayed him. Alas, he was but a man, sat in front of the prettiest woman he knew, trying not to look like the complete simp he was for you. A few moments of food-related silence ensured until you put down your bowl,
“I almost forgot, I brought these for you”
You suddenly started digging around in your purse and produced a little package wrapped in simple brown paper,
“These are from a batch Jimin and I made last night. They didn’t come out shaped as nicely as usual but I thought you wouldn’t mind having them, since we can’t sell them like this”
You held the package out to him and he put down his chopsticks to receive it,
“Seriously? You didn’t have to!”
He stumbled over his own words because he felt a little touched. You thought to bring him some of your lovely rice cakes? He unwrapped the package and found a colourful assortment of sweet rice treats in the paper,
He slapped a hand over his face in a theatrical way,
“Ahh, I can’t look at them for too long, they are so pretty! Strawberry Flavor, what are you doing to me…?”
You giggled happily like a little kid when you saw his reaction to the cakes and he had to smile,
“You have to look, though, if you want to eat them!”
You tried to gently lift his hand from his eyes,
“It’s too dangerous, I’ll go blind…”
He loved making you laugh, so he would ride this wave as long as you would let him,
“So, you’re never gonna look at my cakes again?”
Well. Not that he would mind looking at your cakes once in a while, he just felt really inappropriate doing so. Or were you talking about the rice cakes? Probably the more likely option…
“Don’t sound so disappointed”
He lifted his hand and put the cakes down on the table in front of him,
“What if I feed you one? You won’t have to look then”
“Ah, Strawberry Flavor, you’re so smart! I never would have thought of that”
You rolled your eyes at him but still you smiled. You picked up your chopsticks, lifted a rice cake from the package and held it to Jin’s lips. He slowly opened up and let you place the small treat inside his mouth.
You stared at him expectantly, eyes wide,
“Good?”
You asked and, even if the cakes didn’t taste as amazing and sweet as they did, Jin would have told you they were the most delicious thing he’s ever tasted. He closed his eyes and savoured the taste before he answered:
“They are amazing”
Your lips spread into a shy smile,
“Really?”
“Really”
“Maybe you can share them with the laundry staff as a thank you?”
You suggested and Jin’s eyes went wide in disbelief,
“Are you kidding? I may owe them but I don’t owe them enough for that”,
“You are impossible”,
“Impossible to please, yes, but these are pretty close to perfection”
He grinned and you tried to hide your smile,
“Now give me one more”
He opened his mouth and waited for you to feed him another rice cake. It really was the simple things in life, huh?
_________
Over the course of the next week you and Jimin perfected the new recipe for the revolutionised rice cakes you were going to permanently keep in your assortment of treats in the shop and they turned out to be just the right amount of chewy and sweet. You might have used Jin as your personal lab rat and fed him an obscene amount of cakes until his eyes got glassy and his shoulders sagged in satisfaction. ‘This is heavenly’ he had mumbled while chewing and you knew it wouldn’t get any better than that. Jimin trusted your opinion but he had, of course, also tasted a fair amount of cakes before he agreed with Jin’s judgement. Both of you were lucky you got a few extra days off, since you had collected some overtime in the last month, which gave you enough time to work on the cake recipe. Jimin was grateful for the extra time he got to spend with you, even if Jin had intruded on some of it. At least he got to feed you some of the extra cakes while Jin watched and tried to hide the, very much obvious, jealousy on his face.
That evening, when Jin left, he had touched your upper arm for just long enough for Jimin to consider it inappropriate. Of course, you were oblivious to their childish behaviour.
Today was your last day off before a new week of work started and there were no more cakes to prepare for the shop. Last night, Yoongi had texted you to ask if you wanted to join him for coffee and keep him company while he practised a piece for another upcoming show. You had said yes, since you hadn’t seen your friend in a while and you were happy, he wanted to spend time with you. He was the elusive kind of friend that surfaced out of the blue after periods of being completely dead to the world.
On your way to the university he studied at, you picked up coffee for both of you and a snack for Yoongi, since he usually forgot to eat when he was working on something. You found him in the usual place, already sitting at the piano on the far side of the room, playing away and not noticing your arrival until you plopped down on the bench next to him,
“Hey, Piano Man, take a coffee break”
He stopped playing and turned to you, clearly not having expected you yet,
“I didn’t think you’d be here so soon”
He said, a surprised pout on his lips. You smiled and handed him the coffee and the snack you brought him,
“Left early so I could get you some sustenance”
“How do you know me so well, hm?”
He squinted his eyes at you suspiciously before opening the paper bag and taking an experimental sniff, then nodding approvingly,
“Well, I don’t have that many redeeming qualities but I like to think keeping the people I care about fed, so they stay healthy, is one of my better ones”
You smiled shyly and took a sip of your own coffee. You were wrong though, Yoongi thought. You had a ton of good qualities; far more than he ever thought could be found in a single person. You were the reason he was still in school, after all, and to hell if you didn’t think that counted for something,
“I don’t like it when you do that”
He mumbled under his breath and took a sip of that sweet, sweet bean juice that would bring warmth back into his heart and soul,
“Do what?”
You asked, creasing your brows in confusion,
“That thing where you talk badly about yourself and cover it up with humour”
You huffed and ran a hand through your hair,
“You act like you don’t do that, too”
You accused him and he gave you a look that just said ‘really?’
“I don’t, not like that, anyway. I know I’ve got some good qualities, I’m just super insecure, anxious and nervous at all times, there’s a difference”
Well. He got you there,
“So, stop talking like that, yeah? You know you’re a good person, Serenity, no need to doubt yourself”
He knew he didn’t have a way with words as much as he had a way with the keys on the piano. He just hoped that the essence of what he meant bled through the words and reached your core. He really did mean it like that: you were a good person. In fact, you were the best person in his life, even if he couldn’t show it in a way that he felt would be meaningful enough for you. Through all the problems and hardships thrown at him by his professors and the university and all the obstacles placed in his path by all the policies, regulations and deadlines, you had been there to support him and provide him with advice. You grounded him when his nerves threatened to reach a breaking point and you helped him find the calm and peaceful place in himself that he could retreat to when the world became too much.
He had told you so in his own way; calling you his Serenity, when he felt you needed a push to take his words seriously,
“Alright… I’ll work on it, ok?”
You picked at your nails when you agreed and he was satisfied with the conclusion,
“Ok”
He said calmly and sipped his coffee,
“So, how’s practice going?”
You asked, changing the topic,
“You tell me. You heard me playing when you snuck in like a damn ninja”
Yoongi answered and grinned,
“Everything you play sounds good to me but I’m also not a professional musician, so my opinion isn’t really gonna help you much…”
You would always tell him when you liked a piece, he introduced you to but beyond that? You had close to zero knowledge about music and all the terms and whatnot used to describe it, so Yoongi would have to be satisfied with you either saying ‘it’s great’ or ‘I love it’ repeatedly,
“Hm, fair enough”
He grumbled and turned back to the keyboard. To anyone else, he probably sounded condescending but you two were close enough for you to know, that was far from his intention. He just gave off particularly grumpy and unapproachable vibes at all times.
He sighed loudly and rolled his head around to loosen up some tension in his neck and shoulders,
“Alright… well, will you listen to it anyway?”
He asked and placed his hands on the keys according to the notes on the music sheet,
“Take it away, Maestro”
You said and the smallest smile crept its way onto his face before it scrunched up in concentration and he started playing.
_________
Work was really slow today for some reason. Well, as slow as work in the kitchen of a hotel with hundreds of guests can be. But it felt slower than usual and you had yet to feel like ripping your uniform off and quitting dramatically in the heat of the moment, like you usually did. The majority of the guests currently occupying the rooms were tourists, who only visited the small fishermen town for the yearly celebration of exactly that: the fishermen who had inspired the people of the town to celebrate their work over the hundreds of years since the town had been established. By now fishing wasn’t the main source of the town’s income anymore but regardless, the tradition of celebrating was still going strong. The main source of income was now tourism.
It also meant dinner shift didn’t make you want to repeatedly punch the wall. Who would’ve thought that less guests equals less work?
As you enjoyed a few minutes of relative peace and quiet in the kitchen, you thought about your own relationship with the festival. A while ago, you and your friends, and also some of their friends, had decided you’d all visit the festival together this year and you were looking forward to it. You and Jimin would have to man your little rice cake booth for a while but since you were the business owners you could decide when you would close up and enjoy the rest of the festivities. You would probably only have the booth up during the day and leave it closed in the evening so you would have time to join your friends and get the party going. The festival was approaching fast and you had a feeling it would be a series of nights to remember.
Your thoughts were interrupted by a few new room-service orders, delivered by none other than your favourite colleague and intern, Seokjin. He entered the kitchen through the big double doors and invaded your workspace like it was nothing. Classic Jin,
“Strawberry Flavor, do you have time to make all this? It’s for Areum and another guest”
He handed you a note with a couple of orders scribbled onto it in terrible handwriting. Luckily you were accustomed to Jin’s writing by now and deciphering it was no problem for you anymore,
“Hm, sure, although… it’s already pretty late, Areum shouldn’t have any sugar before bedtime, don’t you think?”
You answered and Jin nodded, looking thoughtful,
“I guess you’re right… what else can you make for her? I don’t wanna show up empty handed”
You mulled it over for a second, tapping you bottom lip with your pointer finger,
“How about something light like a yogurt with a little bit of fruit in it? Nothing special but I can make it look really nice for her”
You suggested and taped the note to your workstation, so you could get started on the other orders, as well,
“Sounds good”
Jin simply said and leaned against the counter to watch you prepare the food. Like yours, his day had been a little less eventful than usual and he was thankful for the extra time he got to relax in between chores. He chose to use a few minutes to talk to you and watch you work. He liked seeing you whirl around the kitchen and grabbing ingredients here and there to put together a perfect meal. He loved food and he loved it even more when you were the one to prepare it. He was sure all the guests that were lucky enough to have their food made by you could taste all the love and effort you put into it,
“Jin, can you come help me? I can’t reach the damn pan on the shelf!”
Jin listened up and pushed himself away from the counter to walk over to where you were standing on your tiptoes, trying to reach the highest shelf,
“Sure”
He said and before you could step aside to make room for him, he stood behind you and placed a hand right next to you to support his weight while he slightly pushed his body forward to reach the shelf. You felt his chest pressed to your back and suddenly your hands felt a little clammy,
“I can reach it but I can’t move it, there’s too much other stuff around on the shelf”
Jin said and you cursed the person who reorganized the shelves the other day,
“Wait a second, I’ll get you something to step on”
You mumbled and tried to move away from Jin but he had a different idea,
“Don’t bother, I’ll just pick you up and you can get it. It’ll be easier, just do it like this”
He maneuvered you around until he was leaning with his back against the shelf and you stood in front of him. Usually you would have protested against this. So much physical contact was not only strange for you and Jin but it was also inappropriate in your place of work,
“Jin, what are you doing?”
You mumbled to yourself while Jin was already bending his knees and wrapping his arms around your middle. You took a deep breath and let out a surprised squeak when Jin lifted you off the ground. The position was more than inappropriate but Jin didn’t seem to mind,
“Is this ok? Am I holding you too tight?”
He asked, seeming concerned with your uncomfortable expression,
“No, no”
You cleared your throat and started to support yourself with your hands on his shoulders,
“It’s fine, just… don’t drop me, ok?”
you looked down at his handsome face and he smiled gently up to you,
“Don’t worry, I won’t”
You held onto his shoulders a little tighter. They felt nice, strong. Did he work out?
“Can you get it?”
He asked and you remembered the pan, so you let go of his shoulders,
“Ah… yes, just a second”
No rush, thought Jin. You started rummaging around the shelf and moving things around to make room for the pan. While you moved around a little more you felt Jin squeeze you a little tighter and it didn’t feel as uncomfortable anymore.
Jin knew he had taken a risk with this but he also just wanted an opportunity to get closer to you. He didn’t do anything too inappropriate; he would never touch you in a way that would make you feel uncomfortable or unsafe. He knew you trusted him and he knew you knew that he valued that trust. Thus, he also knew, you wouldn’t mind it if he held you like this. Granted, he didn’t think his face would be this close to your boobs but it wasn’t like he would ever complain about that. He wouldn’t mind being even closer.
You had finally managed to procure the pan without pushing anything else off the shelf and Jin had let you slowly slide out of his secure grip until you were the one looking up at him, again. You brushed your shirt off and cleared your throat once more before awkwardly thanking him,
“I’ll get back to work…”
You mumbled and walked back to your station. You couldn’t exactly explain why you felt a little nervous all of a sudden. Or why your mouth had run dry. Or why you felt a tingle in the places where Jin’s big and gentle hands had touched you. You also couldn’t exactly explain why your innocent friendship suddenly didn’t feel so innocent anymore.
_________
Jimin couldn’t pick you up from work tonight and when you got home, you peeked through his open door and found him already fast asleep in his bed. You had hoped he would still be up when you came home but you guessed practice must have been especially exhausting today. You quietly closed the door and retreated to your own room to unwind and then go to sleep, too. Tomorrow would be an eventful day for both of you, since you needed to transport your little booth to its spot on the festival area and decorate it; make it look pretty and approachable for all the visitors and potential customers.
Together, you had developed a nice decoration scheme and decided to go with minimal but effective. Small but cute decorative figures and little Stickers for the children to take with them. Working with Jimin was always so easy. You couldn’t remember even a single time when you and him had to argue about something because you both preferred to stay rational and talk it out like adults.
You had recruited Jin and one of Jimin’s closer friends, Namjoon, to help you transport and set up your booth. You weren’t thrilled at Joon’s involvement in the delicate process because the independent writer had a reputation for being one of the clumsiest people alive. And even if you were thankful for the help, you were going to need to be prepared to deal with any major damage Joon would most likely cause.
For now, all you wanted to do was sleep and recharge for the events of the next day, yet you felt restless.
Nervousness started to creep in on you and you only tossed and turned in your sheets, unable to fall asleep. Were your rice cakes really going to sell tomorrow? Would the visitors of the festival actually consider your booth and try the cakes? Maybe the recipe wasn’t perfect, yet, after all… Suddenly you sat up and sighed deeply,
“Ah.,. let’s just check the recipe one last time, I won’t be able to sleep, anyway”
You mumbled to yourself and pulled a thin nightgown over your body before you made your way back through the dark apartment. Stumbling over a box you or Jimin left in the hallway, you made your way down into the shop and started putting together the ingredients for the dough. You tried to rustle around the kitchen as quietly as possible, not wanting to risk waking up Jimin, who clearly needed the rest more than you,
“Ok… let’s do this”
Cracking your knuckles, you looked at the prepared work space.
The bowls of ingredients stared back at you, taunting you and your skills as a baker,
“Ugh, this is ridiculous”
You rolled your eyes and took a deep breath. It couldn’t be so hard, could it? Why was this making you so nervous?
“Rice cake? What are you doing in the shop so late?
Jimin’s soft voice pulled you out of your thoughts and you turned around to see him standing on the last step the stairs and leaning against the wall. He was looking at you, squinting his eyes sleepily and trying to adjust to the light,
“Jimin, why are you up? Did I wake you? I’m sorry, I tried to be quiet”
You said and moved around a little to try and cover up the bowls behind you,
“Are you ok? You look stressed”
Jimin walked over to you and put his hand against your forehead, trying to feel your temperature,
“I’m fine, I just couldn’t sleep”
You pulled his hand away from your forehead,
“Do you need something to help you sleep? Tea, maybe? I can make you some soup or porridge- “
“Jimin, I’m fine, really”
You smiled at his suggestions, loving how he wanted to care of you,
“Thank you, though. I think I just need a minute or so, to calm down”
He nodded and pursed his lips, then he noticed all the stuff behind you on the counter,
“What’s all this?”
He craned his neck to get a better look and you gently pushed against his chest to avoid having to explain yourself,
“You want to prepare cakes, right now? It’s the middle of the night”
His creased brows and confused expression made you feel a little bit guilty,
“What’s really going on? Are you nervous about tomorrow?”
He asked and you felt yourself at a loss for words,
“I- “
You were surprised time and time again, how well Jimin knew you and could how easily he could tell what really went on inside your head,
“Well… if you really wanna know, then, yes. I’m a little worried”
You confessed and turned your eyes to the floor, then continued your explanation:
“I’m worried people won’t like our booth and the cakes. We’ve put so much work into this shop… what if it was all just a waste of time? I know the locals like what we do but that won’t be enough to sustain a growing business for long, you know? I was hoping we’d branch out eventually, maybe open up another shop in the next big city, or something. If we can’t convince a few lousy tourists to buy from us, then how are we going to establish ourselves anywhere else?”
“That’s what you’re worried about? That people won’t like the cakes?”
He asked and you pouted. When he said it like that, your worries seemed so small and unreasonable,
“Yeah…”
You kicked at some imaginary dirt, wanting to avoid Jimin’s kind eyes at every cost but he wouldn’t have it, trying to wiggle into your line of sight even if you turned your head away from him,
“Hey, Rice Cake, look at me…”
“No, I feel stupid for worrying”
“It’s not stupid to care about what you do. This shop and the cakes, they’re your babies. They’re also my babies but without you, I wouldn’t even have made it to this point. So, don’t feel stupid for wanting to succeed”
Maybe he had a point, you thought. You let out a quiet breath and lifted your gaze to find Jimin smiling reassuringly at you,
“Ok”
“Ok? You sure?”
He asked and gently nudged your arm with his elbow,
“Yes, I’m sure”
You said, finally smiling again,
“Good. Now tell me… is it only me, or are you suddenly craving something sweet?”
Jimin raised his brows expectantly,
“I don’t know, I guess I could eat something”
You answered and Jimin chuckled,
“Then it’s a good thing we’re both so good at baking, right?”
Jimi whipped past you and started to mix up all the stuff you had laid out and you just watched in astonishment, unable to believe the nerve of this guy,
“What are you waiting for? Get to it, the flour won’t sift itself”
You just shook your head, smiling to yourself and thanking every higher power out there, that Park Jimin existed in your life.
The two of you worked in comfortable silence for a while. You worked well together in the kitchen. All the time spent down here, working on recipes, manoeuvring around the limited space without bumping into each other had really helped your coordination as a team. Jimin had whipped up some creamy dough and you were about to prepare the steamer. You watched Jimin whisk the mixture a little more until he was satisfied with the consistency. You watched him curiously, prepared to take the batter off his hands and form little balls to put in the steamer but you found yourself not only watching the whisk but also the arm whisking it. A very nice arm, one might say. Smooth skin, visible veins and strong muscle, all working together to create a picture you found yourself admiring a little, if you were being honest. Objectively speaking, Jimin was handsome; no one, not even you, could deny it. Years of passionate dancing had shaped his body in a way, that you could definitely appreciate. Even though you lived together, you had never seen Jimin wearing less than jeans and a t-shirt. An unspoken rule about decency had always kept you two from crossing each other when you were wearing anything other than a full outfit. The fact that he was standing before you in a tank top and sleeping shorts, was what made this situation feel even more out of the ordinary, than it already did.
You pulled your nightgown tighter around yourself, more aware of your own state of (un)-dress. Your shorts were even shorter than Jimin’s and you wondered, if he also felt a little weird about the situation. If he did, he didn’t let it show,
“You ready for me, Rice Cake?”
He asked you without looking up from the bowl,
“Yes, I’m ready”
“Wanna taste it first? Make sure it’s good?”
Jimin’s voice suddenly didn’t sound so soft and gentle anymore. You stuttered and then cleared your throat,
“Um, I trust you”
You replied, sounding a little insecure,
“You sure?”
Jimin looked up at you now, focused on your unsure expression. He put away the whisk and slowly dipped a finger into the batter and then placed it in his mouth, without breaking eye contact.
A quiet moan left him and he smiled,
“Come try it, have a little taste”
He beckoned you forward with a curled finger and your feet moved on their own accord until they were planted firmly on the ground, next to Jimin’s
“Ok”
You mumbled and looked up at him,
“Close your eyes”
He said and you sighed and let your eyes fall closed,
“I’m sure it’s good, we’ve worked on the recipe for- “
You were caught off guard and simply obeyed without a second thought, opening your mouth. A second later you felt Jimin place his finger on your tongue, covered in batter. You closed your lips around it and opened your eyes, finding Jimin’s gaze fixed on your lips, with his own slightly parted. You tasted the sweetness of the batter and let the taste overrun your senses. With your tongue slowly starting to move around Jimin’s finger and gently sucking on it, you were able to taste all of it; the sweet, the tangy and the slightly salty taste of Jimin’s skin.
“Good?”
He asked, voice sounding a little strained. You nodded,
“Yeah? You like it?”
He asked again and you looked up at him with wide eyes, slowly letting his finger slide out from between your lips,
“I like it”
You said and Jimin ran his other hand through his hair. He had to look away; you were too sexy for your own good.
And you didn’t even notice it! The worst of it all was, that he had never seen you wear anything like this before: just a camisole with thin straps and sleeping shorts. Not to mention that scrap of a night gown. He’d never seen so much of your skin and he had to admit, it was becoming harder and harder no to reach out and touch the smooth-looking skin of your upper arm, where your shoulders started, or accidentally brush his fingers against the soft skin of your thighs in passing.
He was about to pop the most uncomfortable boner while you licked your lips and didn’t even pretend to acknowledge the sexual tension in the small room,
“Ok, good…”
Jimin mumbled and wiped his finger on his shorts before he grabbed the bowl and stepped around you to the steamer. He quickly needed to focus on something else because he didn’t want to risk accidentally bumping his problem into you and making things awkward. He thought maybe you didn’t notice how his shorts slightly tented and he did his best to turn his body away from you, while he filled small portions of the batter into the steamer. Maybe he could get you to leave and have some time to cool down again,
“Ah… Rice Cake, why don’t you go ahead and wait upstairs, hm? This won’t take long. I’ll bring them up when they’re finished”
He smiled at you reassuringly,
“What are you talking about, this was my idea. I can’t let you slave away over this alone…”
You pouted slightly and took a step towards him,
“No, no, don’t worry! I’ll take care of it, get some rest, ok?”
You considered it for a second and then sighed. He may have sounded slightly more panicked than necessary but hey, if it did the trick,
“Ok, if you’re sure… I guess I’m a little more tired than before”
You said and promptly yawned,
“Go to sleep, you need the rest”
Jimin ushered you out with a wave of his hands and a last cute smile and then he could finally let out a deep breath,
“Well, that was close”
He said to himself, after he heard the door to the upper floor close, then wiped the metaphorical sweat off of his brow,
“Ah, seriously Jimin-ah, what are you, 12?”
he looked down at himself and pointed a finger at the, still very much visible, tent in his pants as a warning,
“You could have gotten us in trouble…”
Then he shook his head and sighed, remembering the little cakes in the steamer. He hoped you would already be asleep by the time he brought the last batch upstairs because he wouldn’t be able to handle the visual of him, feeding you a few of them, after what had just happened.
Later, when he was finally back in bed, he still wasn’t quite sure what had possessed him. You, however, slept like a blissfully ignorant baby that night.
_________
Thank you so much for reading! Part two is now here !
