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Tap-tap-tapping his foot under the cafe table, Yoongi's hands fidget in his hoodie pocket when a very radiant and cheerful Jimin, practically skips in with a bulky tote bag over his shoulder, a bouquet and an unmistakable box of chocolate in his arms.
"Didn't keep you waiting long, I hope," Jimin singsongs as he plops down in the chair across from Yoongi with a lip gloss smile. He lets the bag strap slide off his shoulder, bringing the collar of his button shirt down, revealing honey-toned skin. He is pleased to catch Yoongi looking. Jimin’s confident gaze stuns Yoongi silent, only being able to shake his head with a simper in answer to Jimin's question.
Clearing his throat, Yoongi defensively starts joking right away. “What’s all that stuff? Did you swipe Cupid's bag from him?! Should I go search for the roughed-up lil' angel in the back alley?”
Jimin made a Duh face in response. “I got gifts today from a few admirers at work I didn’t know I had; flowers, chocolate, bath bombs, and yesterday I got some sugar cookies! Valentine’s is the best day to declare your interest in your crush, after all," Jimin replied, voice softening at the end. “Aren’t they pretty?” he asks, looking at the rose bouquet he placed on the table.
“In a standard sort of way, maybe,” Yoongi answers flatly.
Jimin grimaced at him, “It’s nice to give and receive flowers, especially for Valentine's Day.”
“But they cost triple this week than any other time of the year. It’s ridiculous!”
“Just because you've probably never received pretty flowers doesn't mean you have to be jelly of mine.”
“That's not the point. It's not romantic if you HAVE TO give flowers,” exasperated, Yoongi throws his napkin onto the table after wiping his mouth. “You’re not even a red rose type of guy,” Yoongi grumbles, looking at the cliche flowers in the bouquet.
“Maybe not to you, I guess,” Jimin exhales, dropping his eyes to his lap. Yoongi winced at his own unnecessary comment.
To break the uneasy moment, Jimin gets up to order a coffee. As he carefully shuffles around occupied tables to reach the cafe counter. Yoongi notices Radiant-Jimin looks dimmer than when he walked in.
Why did I say that? Yoongi mentally face-palms himself.
After a purposeful deep breath and carding fingers through his pink hair, Jimin settles back into his seat when Yoongi points out the heart the barista drew around Jimin's name on the cup. Jimin giggles when he sees it, “It was free, too!”
To avoid saying something stupid about unsolicited flirting on coffee cups, Yoongi stuffs his mouth with another bite from his sandwich.
Trying to start the conversation again, Yoongi ad-libbed, "Mmm, Cupid is usually shown as a cute, naked baby with wings, holding a bow and arrow, right?"
Jimin nodded in agreement.
"Well, did you know Cupid was the god of sexual love in ancient Rome? He was more of a heartthrob that inspired desire, than a chubby cherub with a bag full of chocolate."
"Damn, I beat up the wrong guy then."
Yoongi's shoulders bounced with chuckles and relief as Jimin willingly ran with his off-hand comment. When the bouncing slowed to a stop, Jimin notices Yoongi’s reluctance to continue talking, probably scared he will stick his foot in his mouth again. Pretending to check his phone, Jimin scrambled for another conversation starter. He asks Yoongi if he has noticed the new emojis that were added probably for Valentine's Day.
"You know I don't use emojis. They're for lazy people," Yoongi mumbles with food in his mouth.
"They're not lazy! They're useful. They prevent misunderstandings by providing an expression,” crossing his legs and arms, Jimin states matter of factly.
“The last time humans used pictures to communicate was in prehistoric times. And for centuries after, we evolved and wrote letters and used words to communicate how we felt clearly, with actual ink! We have regressed to cavemen.”
“Well, I did receive a greeting card...with ink!” Jimin emphasized the latter.
“Yeah, well those mass-produced generic greeting cards are the worst, too,” Yoongi gave him a stretched lip smirk.
“Oh, you’ve never gotten a Valentine's card either, have you? Some can be cute, you know. Try being less grumpy, maybe you'll get a cute card sometime.” Jimin’s sass leaves Yoongi quiet.
Sassy-Jimin continued with a wide smile, “My little neighbor, who I babysit sometimes, gave me a box of message candy hearts.”
“Those taste like dry chalk but it's sweet coming from a kid, I suppose.” Yoongi stuffs his face full of sandwich again to keep his big mouth shut. Jimin sips his coffee and puts his phone down to avoid being called a lazy emoji user.
“Soooo, is it gift-giving in general, or are you just a Valent-scrooge?” Jimin playfully tries to get past another awkward moment.
“No. I’m not against thoughtful, meaningful, personal gestures. Those are nice. It’s The Corporate Valentine’s Man that I can’t stand. It's a $20 billion economic boost for retail. It doesn't make people fall in love at all. You can say…you can say, that, that you love someone any day of the year, not just tomorrow, on the 14th and, and even that date was manipulated to keep the masses in check.” Yoongi turns his snapback around on his head and leans his elbows into his thighs to talk clearer.
“Some Pope abolished a pagan fertility ritual and then proclaimed it as martyr Saint Valentine's Day because Saint Valentine was imprisoned for secretly marrying Christians under the Roman Empire. It’s all pretty dark shit and WE, the modern-day people, are expected to blindly accept The Corporate Retail Man like spineless, unimaginative, push-overs.”
Jimin squeezes his palms together between his knees, shoulders curled into himself. He quietly breathes, “Dinners can be nice on Valentine’s.”
“Good luck getting a table anywhere in this city tomorrow. The wait times are gonna be horrendous. Menu items are limited and simplified, purposely chosen to speed kitchen production to serve as many couples as possible. Food made generic and impersonal. Its fakeness is the worst thing to happen to genuine expressions of love. It makes relationships lazy by letting them choose Dinner Special A or B.”
Seeing Jimin shifting and looking disappointed in his seat, Yoongi mentally yells at himself again.
Shit, why am I ranting?! Why can’t I shut up?!
"I agreed with your stance against The Corporate Medical System Man, but Valentine’s seems pretty innocuous. There doesn't seem to be a losing side,” Jimin argues for the depreciated holiday while trying to smooth out his shaky, insecure tone. “Yeah, The Corporate Man wins, but couples can have a nice time, too. It’s helpful for those that have a hard time expressing themselves by taking advantage of all the pretty things in stores right now."
"Says the pink-haired man that leapt in front of Cupid’s arrows repeatedly, today."
Shut the fuck up Yoongi, what are you doing?!
Getting flushed, Jimin straightens his shoulders, voice raising defensively he retaliates, “I got a silk scarf, sent from an ex that tries to keep in touch, and a pair of concert tickets from my boss. I think they like me and THOSE gifts are not generic.”
“Hmm, no they’re not,” Yoongi defeatedly drops his head and speaks to the twisted-up napkin in his hands. “I’m glad you have so many admirers. Look, ah, I gotta go. It's getting late. I have a long day tomorrow.”
“You haven't finished your sandwich, though.” Jimin’s pleading eyes see a flustered Yoongi fidgeting with his hands. Yoongi considers Jimin's words then hastily wraps the sandwich in a napkin and stuffs it into his hoodie pocket.
“I won’t keep you then,” Jimin says curtly, sweeping his things back into his arms. He hesitates but leaves the box of chocolate back on the table. “Here, I got more anyway,” Jimin turns and leaves the cafe quickly.
Yoongi stays in his seat for a while, alone in the crowded cafe. He stares down the attractive barista who is smiling stupidly at another customer. Pulling a cassette tape from his hoodie pocket, Yoongi turns it over and over in his hands.
I just fucked up any chance I had.
Jimin looked so pretty today, bright and bubbly. Yoongi angrily looks at the shiny red, heart-shaped box across the table from him, realizing he hadn't said one positive thing to his friend. Jimin had received so much from his admirers, that he had given Yoongi his overflows. He can’t blame any of the admirers for trying. Knowing he doesn’t even stand in Jimin's long line of suitors, he accepts his continued single status.
Snatching up the chocolate box to put it in the trash, he reads, ‘Assorted Orange flavored Biscuits, Cookies, and Chocolates.’ His hand finds an envelope taped to the bottom of the box. Very curious to know who else isn’t standing in Jimin’s suitor line, having had their gift passed down as a pity hand-out, Yoongi sits back down to analyze this loser's greeting card. The doodled hearts and stars on the envelope seem childish to him. Pulling out the card he sees a fluffy, twinkly-eyed kitten with black marker lines added across its eyes, making it look like a sleepy kitty. ‘Be My Meowentine, ♡ Jimin, ’ he reads.
This was for me? “I’m an asshole.”
Feeling like shit for all he had said to Jimin and not knowing how to fix it, Yoongi berates himself while walking back to his apartment. Once inside, he is starkly confronted by his finished colored pencil drawing of a delicate Bat-plant flower he had left on the kitchen table. Pulling the cassette mixtape from his pocket and Jimin's box of orange chocolates, Yoongi places them next to the thrift store find, cassette tape player with a gift bow around it. He turns to look at the kitchen counter where all the laid-out ingredients he had ready for tomorrow’s, now most probably canceled dinner, uselessly sat. Then he remembers;
The telegram. “Ah, fuck.”
💝😾💌 Yoongis unheard mixtape 
(with Okinawa a song irl Jimin posted on weverse)
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3BllmydIj4pHirIDIfq1MD?si=c2559f4da4cc438a
💝😾💌
Storming out of the cafe, Jimin speed walks past the evening, home weary, foot traffic. Rubbing at his bleary eyes, he bumps into a group of rowdy teenagers, dropping his bag and flowers to the ground.
“Ow! Sorry, are you ok?” Jimin asked them, rubbing his probably bruised arm.
“Slow down, bro!” one of the teens yelled.
“Sorry! I wasn’t paying attention.”
Upon seeing how distraught and teary-eyed Jimin looked, the now-sobered teens help gather his things and hand them back to him. Jimin looks at his bag full of meaningless things in frustration.
“Here,” aggressively shoving the cumbersome bulk into the teens’ arms, Jimin huffs, “please take them. Give it to your mothers or anyone special.” Distressed, he leaves the confused teenagers and runs home.
💝😾💌
“Ah, Min Yoongi! Why are you like this?!” Disheveled-Jimiin yells into his empty apartment as he shoves the front door closed with his tense body.
“You give me such a hard time with your stupid soft hair and, and, and shy smiles and uninterested glances! I know you looked, Min Yoongi!”
Gesturing angrily with his hands, Jimin starts pacing in circles around the living room.
“Why? Why?! I know you don’t mean half of what you say. You're just a defensive, little, SOFTY! You, you just need love, someone to hold you. I know it’s an act! You should be responsible for this, MIN YOONGI!” He grabs a throw pillow from the couch, squeezes the hell out of it, and yells into it. The doorbell rings.
“What?!” Jimin yells as he yanks the front door open. A startled woman hands him an envelope at his door. “What’s this? Am I getting served, sued or something?!”
“N-n-o, it’s a telegram,” the shaky young lady stutters.
“A what? A tele…oh, okay. Thank you. I’m sorry for my rudeness.” Remembering his manners, Jimin receives the envelope with both hands and then closes the door.
“Telegrams still exist?” looking at it suspiciously, Jimin tears the typed paper from its envelope.
***
Think upon the situation I am in
Think on my heart
Can I leave him be one more day?
It may be in my prowess
To leave his clothing in disarray
Perhaps his pity may change my single being
Perhaps his mercy may settle my heart
The fool I know I am grows desperate
Though time has shown I may be the unfairest
Grace me with chance
Grace me with dinner
Join me on the morrow
Desire abundant blooms
Aching in this desperado
reply post haste :]
***
Rereading the telegram, looking for who it’s from, Jimin doesn't find the sender's name anywhere but,
“Ha! You thick, grumpy, old man kitty! Why are you like this?! I KNEW you looked, Min Yoongi!” Jimin whacked the telegram across his thigh triumphantly but then realized, “Damn, you probably feel terrible now.”
💝😾💌
Back at the loser's apartment, Regretful-Yoongi is holding his breath until he receives the telegram delivery confirmation text. Accepting Jimin’s silence as a well-deserved rejection, Yoongi picks up his Bat-plant pencil drawing and tells it, “You are graceful, delicate, intimidating, exotic, so beautiful, not a cliche red rose.”
💝😾💌
The doorbell rings.
Defeatedly, Yoongi opens his door but disbelieves his eyes, “Jimin?!”
Very out of breath and sweaty-faced, Jimin dagger-stares at a bewildered Yoongi.
“Jimin. C-c-come in, please. I can't believe you're here. Can I get you something to drink? Water, soda, Kloud? I got some soju.” Stopping his rambling, Yoongi drops his head into curled shoulders, “Ah, I'm so sorry. I'm an idiot.”
Finally hearing the right words, Jimin pushes past the stuttering mess of a man and starts pacing in circles around Yoongi's living room. He questions the carpeted floor instead of Yoongi.
“Why, Yoongi?! Why do you do this? How are you so rudely opinionated? Infuriatingly argumentative?!” Red-faced, Jimin shakes his hands to find his next words, “Can’t be bothered to be polite. Sometimes you sound like a walking Wikipedia! Do you try to be hard to get or difficult?! But then sometimes, you seem so thoughtful,” Jimin absent-mindedly swipes at the water bottle he’s being handed, and continues pacing, “and attentive, observant.” He pauses mid-step and gawks at the bottle in his hand he was about to twist open. “And then you write poetry?” Jimin stops his laps around the couch and looks up to find Yoongi looking small and guilty. Expectantly he waits for Yoongi's explanation.
“I, um. I’m not enough. You're going to realize, you probably already know, you're too good for me. So I don't let it happen. I panic. A lot.” Yoongi is clenching his shoulder tightly with an arm across his chest.
“You cockblock yourself? Idiot,” Jimin snickers.
Yoongi’s amused huff relaxes his tension. He knows it’s Jimin's grace that is allowing for the opportunity to repair his brutish behavior. He won’t squander it.
“I want to be the one that tells you, you’re radiant, to make you giggle and, and skip. I’d love to take you to a concert, but I only have a mixtape for you. Still, I want to be the one that makes you realize, you’re so much more than a common rose.”
The sudden inhale Jimin takes, releases tears down his cheeks. Softly Jimin asks, “Did it bother you that I got valentines from people? Or maybe, was it that I accepted the gifts? Maybe, I shouldn’t have accepted anything.”
“No, no. That's not it. Not really.” Taking a few steps forward, Yoongi lightly cups the back of Jimin's arm. “You deserve all the nice things. You must glow to everyone, not just to me. OF COURSE, you catch the eye of everyone around you. It’s that I realized that I am one of many, of SO MANY and I’m probably not your best choice. My defensive, insecure ass, sabotaged.”
“As smart as you are, you're pretty thoughtless. What do you mean SO MANY?! I might have caught other people's eye but,” Jimin clears his throat, “in my best Hallmark Greeting card voice, you're the apple of my eye. I only have eyes for you.” Jimin continues. “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” Tilting his head, Jimin searches for Yoongi's eyes.
Yoongi is snorting and drops his head to hide a smile.
“Eye love you.” Jimin stuns himself with that one.
“Jimin?! What?” Yoongi pops his head back up at the revelation.
“Wait, no. I meant, eye, not I.” Jimin points at his own eyeball first but hesitates when he points to his chest. “Well, I don't know, maybe I do.” Now it’s Jimin who drops his gaze sheepishly and makes himself very small.
“Jimin.” Yoongi quickly wraps Jimin's hunched frame into his own body and buries his face in Jimin's neck. He had always wanted to hold Jimin like this.
“I just wanted a chance to date you,” Yoongi mumbles into Jimin's collar.
“Right. Sorry. I just got carried away with the silly one-liners.” Jimin tries to recover from his accidental omission.
“Shit, I’m doing it again. My words come out rough sometimes. And after the insensitive fool I made myself to be, I can do better.” Yoongi grasps Jimin's face with both hands and drags his lips over Jimin's plump ones, feeling them bounce back into place. Emboldened after Jimin doesn’t pull away, Yoongi speaks into Jimn’s mouth. “I want to be the one to give you all the pretty things, feed you strawberries, dip your fingers in chocolate, lick them clean.”
Jimin gasps so Yoongi dives in, sucking Jimin's lower lip into his mouth, so satisfied that he is finally tasting Jimin's mouth and resolving that he wants so much more. Jimin's lips feel even better than he had fantasized.
“Will you be my corporate unimaginative push-over?” Yoongi asks.
Jimin giggles and says into Yoongi's smile, “I’ll cancel the reservation I made for tomorrow's table at the horrendously packed and fake restaurant.”
“I'm such a dick. Thank you for this chance.” Yoongi softly kisses Jimin again. “Do you, do you really feel like, like that for me?”
“Hmm, ask me again in the future, future. As of right now, you’re lucky I’ve learned to decipher your defensive, insecure rants, while I have been swatting away the oh, SO MANY better choices.” Jimin begins kissing him in between words. “And a telegram, really Yoongi?!”
“Of course a telegram! In the 1800s it was the first form of electronic data communication. It’s your texting addictions, granddaddy, but still the undisputed predecessor to the modern world, unifying communication. Before telegrams we had primitive methods; signal fires, smoke signals, drums…yelling. Sending electrical current pulses along a wire is so fucking sexy, too.”
“Yeah, it’s sexy?” Jimin gives his walking Wikipedia a smirk.
“Am I ranting again?” Yoongi asks, still holding Jimin close.
“Should I make you shut up?”
“Fuck, yes.”