Chapter Text
. ִֶָ☾.࣪ ִֶָ☾.࣪ ִֶָ☾.࣪ ִֶָ ☾.࣪ ִֶָ☾.࣪ ִֶָ☾.࣪ ִֶָ☾.
The conference hall is empty. It's dark and cold. The air is thick, with no scent in the surroundings, and it somehow calms something within Yoongi.
The sounds of footsteps echoes as the door creeps open, and the steps halt after a few seconds.
“Sir, Mr. Park has sent his side of the contract, his secretary called and asked to fix another date for the meeting.”
Yoongi doesn't turn around. He keeps staring outside the ceiling to floor window of the hall, looking at the skyline wrapped in the blanket of lights.
“Leave it on the table and close the door after you.”
The door closes after a few seconds and then there is silence again. The silence is so loud that Yoongi can hear his heart beating in his ears.
Yoongi knew it.
He knew Jimin wouldn't come.
He never gave the omega any reason to show up in the first place.
Yoongi walks over to the table and picks up the envelope, opening it to find the marriage contract they signed 2 years ago. It's the copy Jimin owns. Or, he used to own.
Yoongi's phone vibrates in his pocket. He fishes it out and the screen flashes open. He opens the messenger to find the text from the omega.
-‘Did you receive the file?’
Yoongi’s eyes waver over the name of the contact.
-‘Yes’
Another text comes after a few seconds.
-‘I have to leave the country as it is urgent, let's reschedule.’
Yoongi tries to ignore the fact that omega might be leaving for a long while, because his overseas work usually takes time. He wants to stop him, ask him to meet right now, or just show up at his doorstep and pull the omega in his arms and beg him to not leave, but he knows it will be futile. He has already done enough damage to this relationship.
-‘Okay, pick the date and location, I will be there.’
The chat bubble appears a couple of times before disappearing, then there's nothing for a moment, and the text comes about a minute later.
-‘Only if you were this considerate during the marriage we might as well have lasted longer. I am not even expecting that you would ask why and where I am going, but I wasn't expecting this carelessness to come this soon. And just in case you forgot, we are STILL married right now, or maybe you forgot about that in the midst of a recent visit to that club of yours.’
Yoongi reads the text and types out a few lines, he reads them once, twice, thrice and then erases it all.
-‘Let me know the details whenever you are ready.’
He closes the phone and pockets it in his coat.
He walks out the conference room, waving at Soobin, “prepare my ride, I will attend that invite.”
Soobin, his PA, bows and gets behind his desk immediately and picks up the landline.
Yoongi takes the private elevator, and closes his eyes as the door closes and the elevator moves. The envelope in his hands feels heavy. The weight of it gets heavier as the time passes. The bell dings as it stops at the parking lot. Yoongi walks up to the car where his driver opens the door for him.
“To Jungkook's.”
“Yes sir.”
“Hyung!! You made it!” Jungkook is hugging him before Yoongi can say anything, “I thought you would skip, like you did the last 124 times.”
Yoongi laughs dryly, "I couldn't miss this one. You are finally the operating officer eh? Big deal.”
Jungkook has his bunny smile out as he gets Yoongi his whiskey, "I couldn't have done it without you, thank you for teaching me hyung.”
Yoongi waves him off, “so, where is Taehyung?”
Jungkook shrugs and looks around, “somewhere here, must be meeting with the guests,” he looks at a waiter and gestures him towards some guests who doesn't have any drinks at them, and then he looks back at Yoongi and leads them to a personal area, "I am glad you came hyung, lets sit there, I think Seokjin hyung will be here any moment.”
. ִֶ☾.࣪
“Shall I add the ring in the papers as well sir?”
Jimin looks at the papers that read the segregation of the spouses, he gulps and nods, “Yes.”
“I will let the attorney know about it, the final draft will be ready by the time you will be back. I will send you the final soft copy once it's done sir.” The secretary bows and leaves.
Jimin looks at the ring that glows under the faint overhead light of his office. He looks over at his phone, Yoongi still hasn't asked him about where he is going, and for how long.
He lets out a deep breath and picks up his land line, “are the tickets and visa ready? ”
“Yes sir,” Sohee says from the other side, "I was actually catching up with Mr. Min’s secretary, he mailed me Mr. Min's side of the contract.”
Jimin huffs out a bitter laugh, “couldn't bother to send the hard copy now? When we were getting married he was all about hard copy contacts and signatures, and now when it's about separation he doesn't give a flying fuck.”
Sohee stays silent for a moment before she speaks again, “shall I ask them to send in a hard copy sir?”
“No, let it be. Bring in my tickets, I will leave from my apartment itself.”
“Yes sir.”
He hangs up the line and packs up his laptop and other work essentials. Sohee brings in his ticket, boarding pass and his passport to him. He still thanks the heavens that he hired Sohee for his secretary post, she is like a pillar that holds his falling life together.
“Thank you,” Jimin puts everything in his bag and switches off the lamps before leaving his cabin, “and keep the patrons and clients on hold, don't cancel any meetings, just postpone them, I will meet with them after I come back.”
Sohee nods as she walks him to his car, “shall I take in any calls, or messages?”
“Just take calls and forward messages to me. And don't forward me any of the calls, from clients or patrons, only the legal ones.”
Sohee nods, she is hesitant as if wanting to ask something. Jimin waits but she shakes it off and waves at the driver to open his door. She bows as Jimin gets into the car. He waves her goodbye and asks the driver to take him to his apartment first.
. ִֶָ☾.࣪ ִֶָ☾.࣪ ִֶָ☾.࣪ ִֶָ ☾.࣪ ִֶָ☾.࣪ ִֶָ☾.࣪ ִֶָ☾.
He opens the lock of his apartment and the dusky pheromones hit his nose as soon as he steps inside the hallway.
The living room is dark, only a small wall lamp is on, the only light source into the hall is the night city lights that filter through the floor to ceiling glass that separates the living area and the balcony.
The silhouette gets more visible as his eyes adapt to the darkness.
Jimin stops just at the edge of the living area, looking at the sofa that faces him on the other side of the room.
The glass of whisky gleams in his hand, hanging over those thick fingers, the smell of it never strong enough to overpower that dusky scent.
He is wearing a white silk shirt and dress pants, whereas the coat lies over the arm rest of the single seater sofa. That's all Jimin can make out in the darkness.
“Where are you going?” Yoongi's voice rumbles into the living room. It somehow feels smaller in alpha's presence.
Jimin can't bring himself to say anything, his eyes resolutely on the alpha's attire.
Yoongi looks breathtaking. He looks clean, smart, and beautiful. He doesn't like dressing up, but whenever he does, it's definitely for something special.
But Jimin knows it was not because they were supposed to meet. The meeting he ditched because he has to leave for the airport in an hour.
“I asked you something, Jimin.”
“Why do you care?” Jimin says with hurt and anger coating his voice, he throws his bags at the sofa next to him, “and how the fuck did you get in?”
“I own the building angel,” Yoongi gets up and puts the whiskey glass on the centre table, "I asked you something,” he walks up to Jimin to stand just a few feet apart, his scent now more prominent, “where are you going?”
Jimin gulps down his anger, or something so similarly strong he doesn't know about. If he is honest, this is why he didn't want to meet Yoongi in the first place, because the alpha still has that effect on him. He makes Jimin break down the walls he built around himself.
He makes Jimin feel again.
“San Francisco.” Jimin whispers, he turns around, goes to the wall to switch on the lights, and turns around to finally see the alpha.
“There is an art exhibit there, some renowned artists will present their works there. And a client of mine, who is a patron,” Jimin walks up to Yoongi, “owns some rare artworks that will be up for the exhibit. He wants me to help him set them up.”
Yoongi's face is paler than usual, his face holds zero emotion, his eyes look empty, but something about it all wrongly satisfies Jimin.
Yoongi is affected by the separation too.
It's not just Jimin who is going through hell. It's not just Jimin who is fighting a turmoil in his heart. Yoongi is affected too. And it somehow calms his erratic heart.
Maybe Jimin is wrong to feel this satisfaction, maybe Jimin is a villain in this scenario, but he will gladly take it if it means that the alpha's coat will crack and Jimin will be able to see at least some emotion for himself in him.
“When will you be back?” Yoongi's eyes are steadily on Jimin's. His gaze never wavers, “How long will you be gone?” his voice is rough, deep and commanding, as usual.
Something Jimin fell for. And he fell hard. And he is still falling for it, every time.
“I don't know yet. Maybe days. Weeks, even.”
Yoongi hums, “fine.” His voice rumbles, sending chills down Jimin's spine.
And this is exactly why Jimin did not want to meet him.
“Please leave,” Jimin says in a pained whisper, “just leave, don't stand here, asking me what and where, just don't, okay? And don't show up at my place like this,” like you still care, as if it still matters to you, Jimin thinks, and tries not to say out loud.
Yoongi's eyes are empty, he doesn't say anything as Jimin almost loses himself again, he takes a few deep breaths and paces around the living area, “just leave me alone. Please.”
Yoongi doesn't move, he doesn't say anything either, he just stands there, his hands in his pocket as he watches him. Jimin takes off his glasses and palms his face as he tries to hold back his tears.
“Why do you want to return the ring?”
Jimin's body freezes, he looks at Yoongi with his eyes wide, “how did- I- I just got it listed- how do you know about it-?”
“I asked you something Jimin,” Yoongi's voice is calm, “why did you list the ring in the things you want to return?”
Jimin gulps as his face falls, his voice wavers as he looks anywhere but at Yoongi, “I- I don’t want to talk about it, I just got it listed. Anyways, it's not the final draft-”
“I am not signing the papers until you come back from the exhibition.”
Jimin's skin rises with goosebumps, he plays with the ring that rests over his finger, feeling the texture of it, “alright, I have to pack now, I think you should leave-”
Yoongi's phone rings and Jimin can't help but see the slight change in Yoongi's eyes as he looks at the screen, “yes hyung, I will be there later, you guys go ahead and eat.” He hangs up and puts the phone back into his pocket.
Yoongi's face goes back to that impassive glare, and before Jimin can ask anything he picks up that glass of whisky again, “get ready, I will drop you to the airport.”
Jimin's entire body can feel it. Yoongi's presence has a tight hold on him and he hates the fact that it's not getting any better. Jimin packs his suitcase and an add-on travel bag and opens the door of his room to walk out into the living area.
Yoongi is facing the window and Jimin thinks it's his scent that makes him turn around to look at him. Under the dark lights, Jimin can feel the alpha's gaze darken as he takes an overall look at him.
Yoongi walks up to him and takes the suitcase from his hands. He gestures at him and Jimin hands him over the travel bag as well.
Yoongi looks at him for a good minute before he turns around to leave. Jimin feels the alpha's scent burst into the room. The scent wraps around Jimin like a blanket. It sticks to his skin and Jimin can feel the change in his own pheromones as they bloom in response.
Jimin follows the alpha and Yoongi is opening the car door for him.
“Terminal 2,” Yoongi narrates to his driver and takes the seat next to Jimin at the back.
Jimin feels the scent thicken as the time passes by and he can't help but ask, “what are you doing? No. No. Why are you doing this?”
Yoongi doesn't answer. He doesn't even look at him. He keeps his eyes resolutely on the window of the car.
“The entire time we were together, you barely showed up. And now, you want to drop me to the airport.” Jimin’s voice falters, “you were barely there in the marriage, and now you want to know everything, now you are fucking scenting me-”
Yoong turns his head to finally look at him. His eyes have a golden hue to them that halts Jimin's breakdown.
“Who is this client of yours? That you are meeting?”
Jimin’s anger resurfaces, he takes a deep breath and turns his head away, “why do you care?”
“I have to. My husband is travelling half-way across the world to meet this, client,” Yoongi pauses at the word, “who is it?”
“Namjoon Kim,” Jimin sighs, “he is a non-resident Korean living in San Francisco. He became our patreon earlier this year when he attended the auction at the museum of Seoul.”
“But your artists didn't exhibit there,” Yoongi’s voice deepens, “neither your company had any artwork presented there.”
“What are you trying to say?”
“I am trying to understand how this rich patreon who doesn't even live here, is trying to get close to you, despite you being an extensive Korean art representative.”
Jimin turns to look Yoongi in the eyes, “because he is a patron of Korean traditional folk art. He has been following our exhibits for the past year ever since we held ours in Tokyo.”
Jimin can feel the thick scent of the alpha blooming in the car. This is the most Yoongi has talked to him in the past months. It feels surreal to actually have a conversation with the man where it isn't about something related to other things.
Jimin feels his stomach turn into knots as Yoongi clenches his jaw, “and he invited you to this San Francisco art convention?”
Jimin nods as the city lights flicker through the car windows and leave a soft reflection of Yoongi's face. The golden hue flashes over the alpha's eyes and Jimin is quick to notice the scent thickening further.
“Sir, we are here,” the driver says as Jimin realises they are at the airport.
“Keep driving.” Yoongi commands without removing his gaze from Jimin's.
The car moves and Jimin's eyes widen, “what? I need to catch my flight! I need to board-”
“Where will you stay in San Francisco?”
Yoongi's words just boil the anger in Jimin further, “fuck- why do you care?!”
“Did he book your hotel too? Like he booked your flight?”
Jimin feels his stomach drop and he frowns, “how did you-”
“He also got your visa approved, valid for six months.”
Jimin feels his stomach turn upside down when he realises what the alpha is implying, “are you trying to say that I am cheating on you?”
“Does he know your heat is due next month?” Yoongi says as if he didn't even hear what Jimin said.
“Yoongi!!” Jimin seethes, trying to lower his voice, “stop it! Just stop!”
Yoongi looks at him in a way that Jimin knows isn't right, there is something going on in his mind that Jimin can't pull out, “there is nothing going on between me and Namjoon, so please stop this!”
Yoongi just nods lightly as he asks the driver to pull over at the gate. The car comes to a halt after some time.
Yoongi steps out of the car and walks to the other side, opening Jimin's door. Jimin looks up at him from his seat. He sighs as he steps out and Yoongi is closing the door behind him.
Yoongi takes the bags from the car and follows him to the inside of the airport.
“What are you doing?” Jimin is confused when Yoongi walks in with him to the waiting area, “Yoongi you don't even have a ticket how are you-”
“Call me when you land,” Yoongi hands him a phone that he fishes out of his pocket, “it will work once you land in San Francisco, my number is already there. Don't tell anyone about it, keep it to yourself.”
Jimin looks at him for a brief moment once Yoongi explains to him all about the phone and how to call him, “and why are you doing this?”
“For your safety.”
“I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself,” Jimin chews out in a hurry as puts the phone in his bag, “or maybe you just want to keep a tab on me, since I am cheating on you.”
Yoongi shakes his head and waves at the boarding counter, “go, you will miss your boarding otherwise.”
Jimin looks at Yoongi with a slight frown. He wants the alpha to say something, do something, anything. Anything to stop him from going. Anything to stop the div-
Jimin shakes his head. It's not possible.
There is nothing left in their relationship. The damage is done and the contract is over as well. Parting ways is the only option left and the only right thing to do.
He takes his bags and leaves to board his flight. He takes one last look at the alpha who stands at the waiting area.
Something breaks in Jimin, looking at Yoongi, standing all alone, dropping him off. Before he can feel anything anymore, he is moving his bags to the counter to board his flight.
. ִֶָ☾.࣪ ִֶָ☾.࣪ ִֶָ☾.࣪ ִֶָ☾.࣪ ִֶָ☾.࣪ ִֶָ☾.࣪ ִֶָ☾.
Yoongi watches Jimin disappear over the business class lounge as he clears security. He pulls out his phone and calls a number after going through his contacts.
“Hello.”
“You were right.”
“I told you,” Hoseok sighs from the other side, “you set me back five million won trying to get out this information. Obviously it was correct.”
“Check your account.”
Hoseok’s voice hitches as he gasps over the line, “wao, okay.. I like this.”
“What else did you find out?”
“He is an alpha. Generational wealth flows in his blood, the sole heir of the Kim estates in Ilsan. Owns his own estate in Seoul as well, but resides in San Francisco for the past twelve-something years.”
Yoongi hums as he walks back to his car and gestures to the driver to drive back to his penthouse.
“What about personal life? Spouse? Partner? Mate?” Yoongi asks.
“Nothing on the public records. And yes, he is the sole owner of some very, very rare artworks. One of the prime reasons for his massive wealth. If he were to sell any of it, he could enter the top 1% of the richest Koreans alive. With ease.”
Yoongi hums as he pinches the bridge of his nose, “so he is an extensive collector.”
Something Jimin himself wanted to be.
Something Jimin loves too.
Jimin always loved art and the preservation of it. Yoongi thinks about how the omega’s eyes sparkle as he talks about some piece. Yoongi wonders if this Namjoon person also will bring out that same sparkle in Jimin. The sparkle that he lost after marrying Yoongi. The sparkle that the omega lost after getting weaved into the web, that is Yoongi's life.
The omega should be set free. To love, to be loved. Passionately. Something Yoongi isn't capable of. Something Yoongi fears he will never be capable of.
He looks outside the tinted window of the car and Hoseok’s voice travels through, “do you need more? I can try but this is pretty much all I could get in a few hours.”
“No, it's fine. I just needed to see if he was safe.”
“Safe?” Hoseok says with a tint of condescension, “Yoongi, you made it very clear in the past few months that you wanted to free Jimin, from you and your shackles or whatever it is that you believe your marriage is. And now that he is doing that, you want to put those exact shackles around him.”
“These are not shackles-” Yoongi grits out and Hoseok cuts him off.
“Oh please! I know you gave him a tracer. You also have this weird sense of protection for him in you that you just can't control, and I am not saying you shouldn't care for him,” Hoseok sighs a deep breath, “but if you really want to let him go, then let him go. Don't confuse him further. He has already suffered enough.”
Yoongi doesn't say anything and Hoseok hangs up the phone.
He looks at the screen and finds a folder in his gallery. His fingers stop at that one photo. The photo from back when they were in Daegu, visiting Yoongi’s ancestral home.
Yoongi can still feel the trace of the warm sunlight over Jimin's soft features. His long hair back then made something shift inside Yoongi. Something he himself wasn't sure about.
He closes the screen and lays his head back at the headrest of the seat. A ting of pain thrums in his chest as he feels that picture unravel itself behind his closed eyes like a scripture.
That entire moment is engraved in him, as if it was just yesterday.
. ִֶָ☾
Jimin looks around the room and it's a presidential suite with a personal man-in-waiting for him. Jimin keeps his handbag over the small tea table and takes a look around.
He is impressed.
Although Namjoon is paying him to come here to help him with the exhibit, he wasn't expecting him to go all out like this. He sighs as he flops down the bed and decides to check his phone.
th: did you reach safe? let me know???
Taehyung's texts float over the notification and he immediately replies him back.
-“yes.”
-“wait, did you tell Yoongi about Namjoon?”
th: what? No?
Wait, did he know? istg I am gonna kill Jungkook!
-“never mind…it's alright.”
th: are you okay? wanna call? VC?
-“i am going to freshen up I will call you later.”
th: okies
Jimin reads the text and closes the phone to flop it over the soft mattress. He looks around and finds a small basket of utilities kept for his stay. He reaches over to find a note attached to it.
“To Mr. Jimin Park, a dear friend to Mr. Namjoon Kim, we are happy to make your acquaintance, we hope you enjoy your stay with us.”
Jimin smiles briefly at the word, ‘dear friend’.
He thinks about it. Are they really friends? He has only known the man for less than a year and met him not more than four times.
He shrugs it off and goes on to freshen up to start his day.
. ִֶָ☾
Jimin showers and gets ready after relaxing a bit in the lounge of the suite. He looks at the itinerary that was mailed to him by Namjoon’s team.
It has a bunch of places to visit before preparing for the exhibit. And this doesn't start till evening, meanwhile the exhibit will start the day after tomorrow morning. So they have the entire day tomorrow to prepare the setups.
He closes his laptop and as he puts it back in the bag, his gaze falls on the cell phone that Yoongi gave him.
Something deep settles down in his chest as he looks at the phone in the bag. Alpha’s face at the airport falls over his mind. There was something in his eyes that Jimin could not comprehend. Something akin to longing. Or maybe loneliness.
He takes a shallow breath as he pulls out the phone to switch it on.
The network catches on and a small comfort washes over him. As if the alpha is here, with him, calming his nerves in a foreign land. Calming his omega in a place devoid of scents.
He pockets the phone into his pants before leaving the suite altogether.
. ִֶָ☾.࣪ ִֶָ☾.࣪ ִֶָ☾.࣪ ִֶָ ☾.࣪ ִֶָ☾.࣪ ִֶָ☾.࣪ ִֶָ☾.
Yoongi feels the tick of the clock over his ears in the eerie silence of the conference room. He feels his wolf in him go restless as he looks at the screen in front of him.
He looks at the clock on his wrist, 15 minutes till the meeting.
His focus goes back to the screen that shows Jimin’s location. It keeps changing every half an hour. It looks like the alpha is giving him a tour around the city.
He turns into the other tab of the screen that holds the entire flyer of the exhibit. There’s time for that. So the alpha invited him earlier, for the setup. He scoffs at the notion.
He closes the slides and turns off his screen and closes his eyes to lay back in his chair.
Jungkook’s footsteps get louder as he opens the door with a noise, “ahh- I knew you would be here early!”
“And you should have been earlier. You are now the chief operating officer kook, you need to keep up.” Yoongi rolls his eyes and lets the young alpha take his assigned seat.
Soon after the other board members join them and before the clock hits the time, the meeting starts, distracting Yoongi from something happening oceans away from him.
. ִֶָ☾.࣪
Jimin feels the cool breeze graze his cheeks as he sips the hot chocolate from the cup in his hands. The cafe is cozy and is situated over the edge of the city with a much calmer note compared to the rush of the city.
Jimin can feel the eyes on him. He has been the receiver of it ever since they met, but today it feels different. Namjoon’s dragon eyes are a sight to behold. There is no doubt about it.
“What?” Jimin smiles as he feels the crisp air hit his cheeks, “why are you looking at me like that?”
“Like what?” Namjoon smiles back, “I am just enjoying the view, that's all.”
The cheeky grin on the alpha's face actually brings out a smirk from Jimin.
“Again, thank you for coming all the way down here,” Namjoon says as they walk out of the cafe.
“Come on,” Jimin waves him off.
They walk around some more before Namjoon finally walks him back to his hotel. They walk together till the lounge and as Jimin is ready to bid him goodbye, Namjoon holds out his hand.
“Have dinner with me. At the hotel's restaurant, if you want obviously..”
Jimin smiles softly as he thinks about it, “okay.”
Namjoon smiles back, “nine works? I will text you once I get back here.”
Jimin nods and takes his leave.
He goes inside the elevator and lets out a deep breath as he slumps over the elevator wall. He drags himself into the suite and finally opens the phone Yoongi gave him back at the airport.
It only has one message.
-Did you reach okay?
Jimin scoffs.
-As if you don't know what I am doing every second of the day thanks to this phone of yours.
Jimin anticipates a snarky reply or maybe no reply at all. What he doesn't expect is for the phone to ring as soon as the text box says ‘seen’.
He looks at the ringing phone and picks up after a second, “hello.”
No response. As usual.
“If you don't want to say anything then just hang up. I don't have time for this,” Jimin says with a sigh as he looks at the time, “I have a dinner reservation to attend.”
“With him?”
The voice burns something in Jimin. Something deep, something he can't explain to himself. Something he doesn't want to acknowledge.
“Why do you care?” Jimin closes his eyes as he lets that voice settle inside his chest, “you already believe I am cheating on you with him.”
“I don't believe that..”
“Oh but you do,” Jimin says with a frustrated tone, “I am going to get ready. I have to be up early tomorrow for the preparation of the exhibit.”
There is absolute silence from the other side of the line when he hears glass clicking, “are you drinking? So early? Are you serious?”
Yoongi does not respond. He just keeps the line on as Jimin keeps the call on speaker and goes to freshen up. There is some faint sound of glass clicking and someone talking to Yoongi to which he gives out small replies.
Despite Yoongi being distant and quiet, his presence feels stronger as Jimin keeps the phone close to him during the entire time he freshens up and gets ready.
He applies some blockers over his scent gland and a faint memory of it clouds over his mind.
Around eight months ago when he and Yoongi had to go to this party and things kind of, escalated, in between them. Jimin ended up with a ripped dress, holding onto Yoongi, while the alpha fucked him in the car. He remembers the alpha giving him scent blockers because of how feral he went for his scent.
A small smile adorns his lips as he looks at the phone which still has an ongoing call.
He takes the phone and puts off the speaker phone, “I am ready, I will have to put down the-”
“Text me as soon as you get back, please..”
The urgency in the alpha's voice stirs something so deep in Jimin he feels a shudder creep into his spine. He closes his eyes to let those words absorb into him. He lets that voice imprint into his mind.
Jimin bites down over his lower lip and a tense gasp leaves his mouth, “fuck you…”
He hangs up the phone and looks at himself in the mirror.
He is still affected.
So affected.
As if Yoongi will….
He scoffs at himself.
He knows nothing is to happen. Yoongi said it before and made it very clear at the beginning itself that this marriage was nothing but a contract for them both. He would never be able to give Jimin the love he expects. And that Jimin would never ask for anything other than mutual arrangements from Yoongi.
Jimin feels that agonising fear crawl and sit deep into his stomach.
The fear of falling.
Falling deeper for him.
He shakes his head and decides to put the tracker onto his bed. He looks at the phone and puts his personal cell into his bag before leaving the room.
He feels like leaving the alpha behind.
“The divorce will be finalised in the coming months anyways..just get used to it..”
He says to himself as he leaves for the hotel's restaurant.
. ִֶָ☾.࣪
The lights reflect so well from the chandelier that the lack of it around the table actually makes up for all the darkness they are sitting in. Jimin looks at the alpha and smiles as Namjoon looks at him from behind the menu.
“I have to say this,” Namjoon closes the menu, “you look beautiful tonight.”
Jimin shakes his head with a shy smile, “please..”
“I was actually thinking about saying that earlier, but I didn't know how to say it without sounding creepy or anything.”
Jimin laughs softly, “it's alright. You can compliment me.”
Namjoon's eyes widen and he is placing the menu back on the table, “in that case, you are beautiful, Jimin.”
Namjoon places his elbows over the table and leans over it a little, “one of the most beautiful omegas I have ever come across.”
Jimin's face heats up at the compliment and he is looking away, hoping to look at literally anything other than the alpha, “Namjoon, please..”
“Sorry if I made you uncomfortable, but that's the truth.”
Namjoon waves over at the waiter and places their orders.
Jimin notices the alpha. There's something so soothing about the alpha. Maybe it's the absence of dusky alpha pheromones, or maybe it's just how Namjoon carries himself. But Jimin has to admit, Namjoon does have a sense of calmness that radiates warmth.
“So you live here alone?” Jimin asks as he sips on his water, “does your family also live here?”
“No, I live alone. My family is back in Korea.”
Jimin nods, “and…..your…mate? Partner..?”
Namjoon smiles wide, his dimples pop in and Jimin can't help but notice it, "I don't have a mate, or a partner, of any kind.”
“Does it get lonely?” Jimin asks with a hint of curiosity. Because someday, at that age, Jimin might be alone too.
Namjoon gives him a long look before nodding, “it does.”
Despite sitting here, miles away from a certain alpha, Jimin's mind still manages to get that image in his mind.
Yoongi standing at the airport. Dropping him off, all alone. With a look that churned something so deep in Jimin that he is rethinking all the decisions he has been making in the past months.
“You okay?” Namjoon asks with a raised brow, “you look lost..”
Jimin shakes his head, “I am fine.”
And Namjoon gets the hint.
He changes the topic to the exhibition preparation they need to do tomorrow and Jimin is glad. They talk for a few more minutes about it before the waiter comes in with their starters.
“I see that you are married,” Namjoon points at the ring on Jimin's finger, “how long have you two been together?”
Suddenly the weight of the ring returns to his finger. The texture now digs into his skin, reminding him of the alpha all over again; reminding him of the marriage that he is in. Reminding him of the contract they have signed which is now near its end.
“Its been so long that I don't even remember,” Jimin says as he looks at the ring, traces it with his other hand, “the time flies..” when you are with someone you love.
Jimin whispers more to himself than to the alpha in front of him. He smiles as he looks back at Namjoon and finds the alpha's gaze on him. Namjoon smiles back, and they resume their discussion about the exhibit and the schedule they will follow tomorrow.
. ִֶָ☾.࣪
Jimin rushes back to his room and immediately reaches for the phone he left on the bed.
*Two new messages*
Please stay safe.
Text me once you are back from dinner.
Jimin feels the pit of his stomach turn and twist as he types back that he is back and will sleep the night off as he is tired.
He holds the phone to himself the entire time he freshens up. He takes it to bed and as he pulls the comforter over himself, he buries his nose to the phone's hard surface and takes a deep breath in.
Yoongi's faint scent wraps his lungs and Jimin feels the pull of pure slumber over his eyes as he hugs the phone to sleep.
. ִֶָ☾.࣪ ִֶָ☾.࣪ ִֶָ☾.࣪ ִֶָ ☾.࣪ ִֶָ☾.࣪ ִֶָ☾.࣪ ִֶָ☾.