Archive of Our Own ^beta

Jimin feels someone staring at him.

He finishes re-applying his lip gloss and turns to see a man standing a few sinks down from him, staring.

The man is his height but looks a few years younger. His round race is free of any makeup and framed by short blond hair. There’s sweat beading along his forehead from the heat of the club. His silk blouse has a few buttons left open at the top and it's tucked into a pair of black skinny jeans.

Something about the man reminds Jimin of himself from a few years ago.

With age his face has grown more defined, he’s let his hair grow long and dyed it black, and his club attire has upgraded to a halter top and leather pants.

The man realizes that Jimin has caught him when they make eye contact and he lets out a gasp.

“Forgive me for staring,” the man rushes to say.

Jimin gives the man a nod and turns towards the door when the man calls out, “you look very familiar.”

He turns back to the man and reassesses him. Jimin can’t say he’s ever seen the guy before, but he decides to humor.

“Oh, do I?” Jimin asks with what he hopes is a pleasant smile.

“Y-yeah, probably just have seen you around here before.”

Jimin wants to respond and tell the man that it's unlikely. He just moved to this general area a few weeks ago and learned about this club the other day. In fact, he came out with his friends tonight to celebrate them finally wrapping up the move process.

“Yeah, probably,” Jimin says.

The man is about to say something else when they both hear a “Sungmin!”

When Jimin turns to the door he sees a face that he thought he left long in the past.

Choi Doyoung.

The man looks Jimin up and down with a slimy smirk on his face. “Park Jimin, is that you?”

“In the flesh,” Jimin bites back. He’s not happy to see Doyoung and he won’t pretend to be.
The last time he saw Doyoung was five years ago during their messy breakup.

Jimin swore the next time he saw him he would punch him in the face.

But that was five years ago. Jimin has moved on since then and let go of much of the anger and embarrassment the man gave to him. He’s not going to act like they’re the best of friends, but he also refuses to catch an assault charge thanks to him.

“Well, it’s good to see you Jimin, but I’m afraid I can’t chit chat. Came here to get my boyfriend so that we can go.” He wraps an arm around the other guy’s waist and pulls him against his chest. A blush that Jimin knows all too well comes across the other’s face.

Jimin doesn’t know if it's the petty or the protective part of him that wants to tell the boy to run away from Doyoung as fast as he can.

Before he can say anything, Douyoung turns the two around and they head towards the door. Doyoung leads the guy out before he looks back at Jimin and says, “See you around, Jimin-ah.”

Jimin holds up his middle finger in response.

He waits a few seconds to make sure they’re gone before he leaves the restroom. He’s only a few steps out when he nearly collides with a broad chest.

“Jimin, are you alright?”

He looks up to see the concerned frown on his boyfriend’s face.

“Hey love, missed me?” He asks with a cheeky smile.

Taehyung rolls his eyes but takes Jimin’s hand and walks him down the hall back to the main area of the club. “Of course I did, you were in there for a while.”

Jimin stops in his tracks and pulls his boyfriend close to him. Once there’s little room between them he leans up and plants a kiss on Taehyung’s cheek. He melts at the boxy smile he gets in return. “Sorry it took me so long. I was fixing up my make-up and started talking to some guy.” Taehyung knows about his past relationship with Doyoung, but it’s not something he cares to bring up.

“Someone you knew, or some random guy?”

“Some random guy. He said I looked familiar. Funny enough, he reminds me of when I was younger.”

“So he has chubby cheeks and a bowl cut?”

Jimin lets out an indignant “hey,” as he smacks his boyfriend on his chest. The two laugh as they make their way back over to their friends.

“The things I do for Kim Taehyung,” Jimin grumbles as he makes his way up to an office building.

Fresh out of college Jimin worked for a corporation in a building just like this one. He hated it and only lasted two years before he quit. Thankfully, his friend Jungkook had talked him into getting a personal trainer certification during college. Now he works at a private gym and enjoys getting to help other people. It was through this job that he met the love of his life.

One day, another trainer on staff, Namjoon, invited Jimin to hang out with him and his friends.There he met Taehyung and they instantly hit it off. Four years later they’re still going strong and have just moved in together.

Jimin is currently disgruntled with said boyfriend. Taehyung is working with one of the companies located in the building to redo their interior design. It’s a big job and his boyfriend wakes up each day excited to go to work.

So excited that he left his work tablet at home and called a still sleeping Jimin and asked if he could bring it over to him.

Taehyung promised to make it up to him and Jimin plans on holding him to that.

“Jimin-ssi.”

He stops in his tracks and looks around to see who called his name. Besides Taehyung, he doesn’t know who he would know in this area unless it's one of his clients.

Coming towards him is the guy from the club last week.

“Oh! Hello…Sungmin-ssi, right?”

“Yes, that’s correct!”

Sungmin looks dressed for work. He’s wearing a pair of brown slacks and a plain white button down. There’s a brown leather messenger bag hanging on his side. He’s a stark contrast to Jimin who currently stands there in a black tracksuit.

“Do you work here?” Jimin doesn’t know why he is making small talk. He needs to drop off Taehyung’s tablet and get back to their apartment, which is thirty minutes away, and get ready for work.

“No, I don’t. My boyfriend works here and I just stopped by to drop something off to him on my way to work.”

The tone of Sungmin’s voice sets Jimin on edge. He’s had his fair share of petty squabbles where he’s sounded the same. The only difference is that Jimin actually has a boyfriend worth bragging about. He wouldn’t say the same about Doyoung.

“I have to do the same for my boyfriend.”

Before Sungmin can say anything else Jimin decides to end the conversation there. “I’ll let you get on your way. See you around.”

He gives the guy a wave but Sungmin just stands there staring.

Jimin shrugs it off and heads into the building. Worrying about Doyoung and his boyfriend is the last thing he plans to do right now.

“Jimin!”

He snaps his head up to look across the table at Taehyung whose eyes are wide with worry.

“Yes?”

There’s a slight tilt to Taehyung’s head as he studies Jimin. He recognized this habit early in their relationship and it used to make him nervous. As beautiful as Taehyung is, he can also look quite intimidating. His sharp eyes can carry such an intensity that Jimin used to worry that Taehyung was scrutinizing him, looking for something wrong in order to criticize.

With time he’s learned better. It’s not about critique but about concern. Taehyung wants to get a good read on him before jumping into any questions. It’s one of his habits that Jimin has come to love.

“You’ve been zoned out all night. What’s on your mind?”

Jimin sighs as he looks back down at his plate. He didn’t have much of an appetite after his experience earlier, so he’s mostly been pushing his food around.

“I had a…weird encounter earlier.”

Taehyung puts his crossed arms on the table and leans forward. “Want to talk about it?”

Although he worries that he could possibly be overreacting, Jimin knows that if there’s anyone he can talk to, it’s Taehyung.

“Remember when we all went out a few weeks ago, and I said I ran into somebody who reminded me of a younger version of me?”

Taehyung nods his head, so Jimin keeps going.

“Since that day I’ve seen that guy at least five times! The first time I thought it was just a coincidence. It was the day I had to drop something off to you at the office you’ve been working on. He was there to give something to his boyfriend too. “

“But then the next week I saw him at my usual cafe. I was leaving and he was walking in. After that I saw him at the restaurant I went to with Yoongi-hyung. Today was the most recent time and I saw him. I was on break and saw that he was getting a tour of the gym!”

Jimin doesn’t mean to get loud, but thinking about his encounters with Sungmin has him on edge.

If Taehyung looked concerned before now he looks downright alarmed. His eyes are wide, like they’re about to pop out his head and his mouth hangs open.

“Taehyung look–”

“Jimin, why didn’t you tell me this sooner!”

Jimin looks back down at his plate, unable to meet Taehyung’s worried eyes. “Because part of me feels like I’m just reading too much into it.”

“Jimin, he’s stalking you!”

“No he’s not, Taehyung!” Jimin fires back. “When I came to your job and when I went to the restaurant he was already there and leaving. I would just write it off if…”

Taehyung doesn’t say anything, and the blank expression on his face doesn't make Jimin feel better.

“If?” Taehyung asks with a slight eyebrow raise.

“If he wasn’t my ex’s boyfriend.”

“Jimin, what the hell!?”

For the next half hour the couple go back and forth on the severity of what’s happening. Both adamant in their positions, Jimin thinks it’s just an unsettling coincidence while Taehyung insists that something more sinister is at play. After they reach a standstill, Taehyung finally offers a compromise.

“Okay, let’s remove your ex from the equation. You and this guy have probably crossed paths before and now that you know him you can recognize, you’re seeing him everywhere.”

Jimin nods in understanding. He can see that possibility.

“Now with your ex. You said the guy looks like you did when you were younger. Sounds like he has a type, and that’s you.”

A shiver runs down Jimin’s spine at the thought. “Oh god I hope not.”

“I hope not either,” Taehyung takes his hand and pulls him out of his seat. He brings Jimin into his lap, wrapping his arms around his waist and resting his chin on Jimin’s shoulders.

“So do you get why I’m concerned?”

Jimin turns to face his boyfriend and kisses his forehead and smiles when he sees the tension leaving Taehyung. “I do, but Taehyung, I know Doyoung. I need you to trust me that I know how to handle him.”

“Jimin-ssi.”

Jimin rolls his eyes hearing that voice.

He had avoided running into Sungmin at the gym for weeks now. In fact, since his conversation with Taehyung, he hasn’t noticed Sungmin or Doyoung anywhere. Jimin felt like things were getting back to normal. The last thing he wants to do is start his workday with drama.

Jimin spins around and does his best to give Sungmin a smile.

“Hi, Sungmin-ssi. What can I help you with?”

There was a scowl on the younger’s face. Jimin wanted to scoff. How dare he look annoyed when he approached Jimin first?

“What are you doing here?” Sungmin asks with a bite to his tone.

Jimin points to the gym’s symbol on his shirt. “I work here.”

“Since when?”

“I’ve been here for four years.”

Sungmin takes a second to take in Jimin’s words. Once the realization sets in, he lets out an exaggerated and drawn out “Oooooohhhhh.”

“That explains why Doyoung left you.”

The trained expression of coolness and disinterest instantly drops from Jimin’s face. He knows his mouth is hanging wide open when he can only let out a hoarse “what?”

“Yeah. He told me all about how he left you because you were holding him back. I also know that you’ve spent years trying to get him back. It’s honestly really pathetic of you, Jimin-ssi.”

Jimin knows that those words are meant to sting. That Sungmin wants him to back down in shame. Part of Jimin wants to humor him and feign those emotions just to get the other to back off.

If only it wasn’t so damn funny.

Jimin takes one look at Sungmin, body rigid, arms crossed over his chest, lips tight, eyes narrowed. It just makes him look ridiculous.

What starts as a few chuckles develops into full blown laughter. Sungmin jumps back when Jimin starts laughing so hard he doubles over and puts his hands on knees for support.

He doesn’t know how long he laughs. At some point Sungmin finally grumbled, “such a weirdo,” and stormed out of the hallway.

Jimin barely makes it to a nearby bench, collapsing on it in fits of giggles. He doesn’t know how long it takes him to regain his composure. When he opens his eyes again, Namjoon stands above him, his face an endearing mixture of concern and amusement.

“Are you okay?”

“Just peachy,” Jimin lets out with a chuckle.

Jimin doesn’t know why he let his friends talk him into going clubbing again.

He didn’t get much sleep last night due to a very eager and frisky Kim Taehyung. Then at the gym Jimin worked with some new clients that tested his patience.

If he had it his way right now, him and Taehyung would be curled up on the couch, eating take out, and catching up on the vlogs of their favorite youtubers.

But because he’s a good friend he’s currently sitting at a booth at a club, waiting on their drinks, and nodding his head to the music.

He’s not paying attention, getting into the beat of the song, when he hears Jungkook blurt out, “Why is he coming over here?”

He turns to his friends, Jungkook and Hoseok wear matching scowls on their faces. He follows the direction of their eyes and finds himself joining them.

Walking towards them is Doyoung with Sungmin tightly wrapped around his arm.

“Hoseok-ssi, Jungkook-ssi, long time, no see.” Doyoung says

Jimin watches Sungmin. The younger is trying, miserably, to match Doyoung’s cockiness by holding his head high and looking down on the rest of them. But the way his eyes shift and the shuffling of his feet broadcasts his nervousness to everyone.

Hoseok gives Doyoung a curt “Hi Doyoung-ssi.” Jungkook just nods his head.

As if the atmosphere wasn’t awkward enough Doyoung turns to Jimin and offers him a predatory smile. “Hi Jimin.”

Jimin levels him with a blank stare and hopes that he gets the message. After a few awkward seconds, Doyoung finally takes the hint as he grumbles “see you around,” and drags Sungmin into the dancefloor.

There’s a tense silence looming over the table. Jungkook and Hoseok were there with Jimin the last time he saw Doyoung. They knew all about their relationship, the ugly breakup, and Doyoung’s petty efforts afterwards.

All three are lost in their emotions until their other friends present speak up.

“Sooo,” Seokjin starts with an equally confused Namjoon beside him, “what was that all about?”

Hoseok and Jimin both turn to Jimin, who lets out a deep sigh at their expressions.

“That was my ex-boyfriend.”

“And the guy that was shaking like a leaf?”

“His boyfriend.”

“Poor boy,” Seokjin mumbles while shaking his head.

Jimin nods in agreement.

Moments later, Taehyung and their friend Yoongi return with their drinks.The second Taehyung takes his seat, Jimin grabs him by his waist to pull him closer.

“Hi love, missed me?” He asks with a tilt in his voice, mimicking Jimin from some weeks ago.

“You know I did,” Jimin whispers before he kisses his cheek.

After a few shots Jimin has managed to drag Taehyung onto the dancefloor. Taehyung’s chest is pressed against his back and his large hands grip his waist. The longer they rock together the more everyone else fades away.

This is how he always feels when he’s with Taehyung. When he first met him at that party the two of them sat together in a corner and spent the whole night talking to each other. A first for Jimin he considered himself an avid partier.

Over the years they have repeatedly found themselves in the same situation. It’s just them. Jimin and Taehyung in a world of their own. It’s brought them countless teasing from their friends but they could care less. They’ve created their own universe together and no one can make them feel bad about it.

Jimin turns himself in Taehyung’s hold and loops his arms around his neck. Taehyung’s hooded eyes are trained on his lips. Right where Jimin wants them to be. He’s bringing his boyfriend closer to him when suddenly the two are knocked to the side.

The couple instantly turn to see who was responsible just for Jimin to be met with Doyoung’s glare.

“Sorry,” he barks, before making his way through the crowd.

“The hell is his problem,” Taehyung turns as if to go after him, but Jimin pulls him back.
“Let’s just go back to the booth for a minute.”

When they get back Jimin sees Hoseok and Jungkook giving him concerned looks.

“Hobi hyung, Jungkook, can you come with me to the restroom?”

“Wait, Jimin are you okay?” Taehyung asks.

“Yeah, just need a break,” he says with a smile before he walks off with Hoseok and Jungkook in tow.

By some sort of divine intervention the restroom is empty. Which is perfect for the moment.

“I can’t believe he would do that! It’s been four years and he’s still–""Hobi hyung.”

Hoseok stops his rant to look over at Jimin.

“Don’t waste your breath on him.”

Hoseok and Jungkook's eyes go wide as if Jimin cursed them.

He gets it. Five years ago Jimin would have been crying and cursing out of frustration at Doyoung’s antics. Now he’s just mildly annoyed.

“Honestly, you all should probably thank him. He brought me and Taehyung back to reality.”

This draws a giggle out of Jungkook. “You have a point there.”

Hoseok, however, remains worried. “Jimin, I was watching him. His eyes were on you the entire time you were on the dance floor. He only paid attention to his boyfriend when the poor boy literally turned his head towards him.”

Jimin turns to the mirror, unable to handle the concern in his hyung’s eyes. “Hyung,I just came here because I needed a breather and I doubt I would get that if I had brought Taehyung in here.”

They both turn at Jungkook’s loud gasp. “Oh my god! Remember the first time we all went out together!”

They spend the next few minutes picking fun at Jimin and Taehyung’s antics. Early on in their relationship there was a lot of tension, with both of them scared to make a move. It finally came to a head when they brought their friend groups together for the first time. Him and Taehyung only lasted an hour before they snuck out without telling their friends. The next morning they woke up, intertwined, and their phones filled with notifications from the group message their friends created when they realized the two had left.

Their laughter comes to a stop when the restroom door bangs open.

Sungmin stands in the doorway, a shocked expression on his face. “Oh, umm…”

Hoseok and Jungkook move out of his way so he can get to the stalls. To everyone’s surprise, Sungmin walks up to Jimin.

“Can we talk?”

Jimin looks over his shoulders at his friends. Both stand there ready to jump in if Jimin asks. “I’ll be back out in a minute,” Jimin tells them with a smile.

They both hesitate, but after a few seconds of making sure Jimin is okay, they finally drag themselves out.

Jimin looks back at Sungmin. The cockiness from their last confrontation is missing from his eyes. Now the boy just looks sad. “What is it, Sungmin-ssi?”

“I need you to tell me the truth,” the younger man pleads.

“Shouldn’t you be asking your boyfriend?”

Sungmin looks away from Jimin as he fidgets with his hands. Jimin's heart sinks when he sees the irritated skin around his fingernails.

He barely makes out Sungmin’s response of “I don’t think he’s telling the truth.”

“Sungmin, how old are you?”

“24,” he mumbles.

“Figured. That’s how old I was when I broke up with Doyoung. And let me guess, you met him at an internship?”

Jimin feels his heart sink as the boy nods. He has to take a deep breath himself before he continues.

“I met him during an internship my senior year. We started dating when I started working there. He was my senior but I was doing the majority of his work for him. I bet you’re doing the same.”

He hears Sungmin’s breath hitch, but decides to keep going.

“When I told him I was overwhelmed and absolutely miserable at that job, want to know what he told me? ‘To stop complaining and be grateful I even had a job. I broke up with him after he said that. I put in my two weeks notice and refused to do any work that wasn’t in my job description. On my last day I blocked him everywhere and told him I never wanted to see him again. Of course, he couldn't take that and showed up to a party for me and caused a scene so bad the bouncers had to escort him out.”

“Not even my best friends know about this one, but the next day he showed up at my apartment apologizing and begging me to take him back. He did that for a week before one of my sweet neighbor’s chased him away with a broom.”

Jimin manages to let out a wet laugh. The more he talked the more his heart ached. Not for himself. Not even for his younger self. But for Sungmin who, with each word, became nothing more than a scared shaking boy.

He stepped closer to Sungmin and gently placed his hands on the boy’s shoulders. His eyes brimmed with tears, but Jimin saw a small flicker of anger and knew exactly what to do.

“Let me help you.”

Jimin sits in a private room, hidden from all his friends. Jungkook and Hobi were waiting for him outside the restroom and he briefly filled them in on his plan. He instructed Hobi to tell everyone else that he was helping out an old friend that he ran into in the bathroom.

He asked Jungkook to go get Doyoung.

He’s pretending to take selfies on his phone when he hears the door to the room open. Jimin keeps up with the act until he sees Doyoung standing just a few steps behind him in one of the pictures. Jimin resists the urge to slam him into the ground, as he puts his phone down and turns to face the man.

“Doyoung.”

He smirks as he takes a step closer. Doyoung looks pleased with himself, like a predator who has finally cornered his prey. “Hi doll.”

If it was any other situation Jimin would be gagging at those words. He can’t believe that a younger Jimin was once so enthralled by this man.

That was before he met Taehyung. Taehyung who always looks at him as if he was the only being to exist in the universe. Taehyung, who calls him angel or love. Taehyung, who

Who he needs to stop thinking about so he can wrap this up and get back to him, Jimin’s inner voice chastises.

“I knew you were just pulling a stunt with that guy.” There’s so much disgust in his voice as if Taehyung had done something to personally offend him.
Jimin wants to say “fuck it” and give Doyoung a piece of his mind, but he bites his tongue and goes along.

“Oh really? Why would I do that?” Jimin asks with a tilt to his head, feigning confusion.

“Come on, Jimin, drop the act. You know the two of us are supposed to be together. Surely you don’t think it’s just a coincidence that we kept running into each other after the night we saw each other again. The universe is trying to tell us something, but you refuse to listen.”

“But don’t you have a boyfriend?”

“Me and that guy…I said he was my boyfriend just to make you jealous. We’re just casual, you know. Just hanging out and occasionally having sex. He knows it too. I told him I’ve been thinking of getting back with you and he supports it!”

“You bastard!”

Jimin smirks as Doyoung jumps at Sungmin’s outburst. The younger had been standing by the door the entire time and heard everything Doyoung was saying. Doyoung looked back and forth at the two men in confusion.

“Oh Doyoung,” Jimin chuckles, “one day you’ll learn.” He walks up to Sungmin and whispers, “you got this,” before he leaves the room.

Jimin stands outside the door, listening to Sungmin passionate curses and Doyoung’s pleas for forgiveness. He’s enjoying the moment, body racking with laughter when he hears a deep, “Park Jimin.”

He turns around and comes face to face with an enraged Kim Taehyung and a sheepish looking Jeon Jungkook.

At least Jungkook has the decency to mumble, “sorry, hyung.”

The next morning Jimin lays tucked in bed. His body is strumming with his favorite mixture of pleasure and pain thanks to Taehyung.

Taehyung was understandably upset about Jimin’s plan to set-up Doyoung. It was risky, and if Doyoung had been any other person, it could’ve ended badly.

Of the many methods Jimin could have used to calm down his boyfriend. But he decided to go with one he knew was tried and true. If it left him unable to walk the next day, so be it.

Jimin manages to sit up when Taehyung walks in with a tray of food.

“Breakfast in bed for me? Oh you shouldn’t have!” Jimin laughs when Taehyung rolls his eyes as he sets down the tray.

“I only did this because I felt bad for going hard last night. I will take this tray back to the kitchen and make you walk to go get it.”

“No you won't," Jimin says, smiling at Taehyung before he takes a bite of toast.

Taehyung presses a long kiss to his temple, “I won’t.”

As they enjoy their breakfast together, Taehyung asks Jimin to go in detail about what happened the night before. Jimin recounts everything, from their first run-in to what happened the night before. He can tell that Taehyung is frustrated by some of what Jimin tells him, but by the end he’s laughing along with him.

“I still can’t believe you did all that.”

“I don't know why you’re surprised. I told you I knew how to handle him.”

“And you did angel, you surely did.”