We are soooooo sorrry that this took soo long. Honestly, it’s been sitting in our drafts forever, and we apologize for just posting it. Hope it’s okay though?
That’s what he told himself as he watched Jumin smile at MC from across the room. He watched as she returned the gesture lovingly, Here they were in the bustle of guests eager to speak to all the hosts of another successful party. All thanks to MC.
V lifted his camera, his focus on MC. He was supposed to take pictures of the party coordinator, but he was beginning to feel like it was an excuse just to look at her through a lense. He loved to watch how her eyes sparkled as she greeted another person. Her hair swayed as she made small gestures with her hands as she spoke. Her lips curved into a beautiful smile that made V’s heart flutter inside his chest in a gentle way…something he had never felt before.
He snapped the pictures hurriedly before moving away. He tried distracting himself by taking some other photos, but he just couldn’t. The image of MC filled his thoughts, and with it, came the acute stab of guilt. He knew Jumin liked her…no, loved her. He saw his friends feelings unfold in the chatroom all that time ago.
At the time, he had encouraged it, still cast under the enchantment Rika had left on him. But that was his fault too, wasn’t it? Rika…her rise and fall…both were his fault, and he would force himself to pay the consequences.
“V…” Jumin’s uncharacteristically hesitant voice carried from the doorway.
V cleared his throat, steadying his voice before speaking. “Ah, Jumin, I was just getting some air.”
V’s fingers tugged against his blazer, but he resisted the urge to drop his smile. “Stop what?”
Jumin sighed, taking a step closer. He adjusted his cufflinks, his eyes suddenly darting to the ground. Was he nervous? “You’re in love with MC.’
V’s entire body froze at the statement. He couldn’t bring himself to plaster that same smile back on his face. He couldn’t even muster a chuckle. Even if he did, Jumin would’ve seen right through him. In this painfully raw moment, he could do nothing but remain silent.
Jumin pursed his lips and nodded. “I see,” he said. There was no mistaking the tightness in his voice. “How long?”
“Jumin, I have no interest in her,” V said quietly.
Something between a scoff and sigh escaped his friend’s lips. There was no mistaking the strain of jealously in the way the muscles on his neck twitched. “No? Then what was that in there? Do you realize how long you were staring at her? Taking pictures? And before, during our last meeting–”
“No,” V interrupted. His words seemed to be lodged in his throat, making it difficult to say anything without his voice wavering. “No, I mean…I’m not pursuing her.”
For a long moment, there was silence. Jumin chewed on his bottom lip…a sign of true distress from the normally stoic man. “Why?”
V shrugged. “A lot of reasons,” he said. “I…I don’t think I can ever ask someone to accept me after what happened to Rika.
Jumin’s brows furrowed. “That doesn’t even make sense.”
