Jimin focus

Jin had pinpointed Saturdays as another good opportunity to find Choi at the club, so Jimin currently was preparing for another little show. Today's evening outfit was a way more frivolous one than the black tunica dress from the first encounter, and he checked himself nervously in the mirror. It was made of a silvery fabric, that felt like water woven into a solid texture, and was slung around his neck so that his back was completely bare and even a soft wind could cause his nipples to be on display, but from the hips down it covered him properly. Even the black heels vanished under the shiny fabric.

The fact that kept him in the bathroom and in front of the mirror was that he felt conscious about his muscular stature (and maybe that Jeon was on the other side of the door). The tunic dress with its long sleeves had hidden his muscles quite nicely, but this dress put everything about him that was eye-catchingly manly on display, so what if Choi did not like it?

"Jimin?" Jungkook's voice seeped through the door and made him jump in shock.

"What?" he asked a little more pissed than he had wanted to.

"Taehyung asks if you're ready," the younger said in a tone that bordered disinterest. It was maddening to live with the guy. The bumper slept in only his boxers and they had a damn shared bed. And every morning the muscle pig would do his push-ups in front of the sky-view window, and Jimin was so done with fighting down an erection every fucking time his roommate decided to randomly take off his clothes. But the worst was that the man did not even seem to notice his struggle. Jimin was just another pawn in the game which was not worth giving a second look, and Jimin hated it. If Jungkook would have done all this to tease him, he would have known how to act along, but the way it was now was simply maddening.

"Send him in," he demanded of the younger and turned back to the mirror.

A muffled hum could be heard from the other side of the door, then some shuffling, and finally the door opened, and a boxy smile flashed over his shoulder into the mirror.

"You look hot," was all the redhead said before a warm finger traced down the line of Jimin's spine and made him shudder violently.

"Fuck! Don't do that!" he snapped at the artist and turned around to look at the other directly.

The coffee eyes looked shocked and Taehyung's hands snapped up in surrender. "Sorry. Won't happen again."

"Go, shag your boyfriend," Jimin murmured frustrated and turned around to take another unsatisfied look at his bared shoulders and arms. Taehyung only mumbled incoherent words, so he decided to bring the man's attention to the important topic. "I look awful. Way too masculine."

The redhead's mumble stopped, and confused eyes looked at his reflection. "Why would you think that? Wait until I'm done with your makeup."

"This dress is shit," Jimin went on without listening. It should have been golden to match the club's atmosphere and the black heels looked terrible with it.

"Jimin."

Taehyung's voice had gotten about an octave deeper, and all the useless thoughts that ran through Jimin's head suddenly evaporated.

"You're a man," the artist stated and pinned him down with his annoyed stare, "You have a six-pack, a flat breast and damn godly thighs. Every normal man would be jealous at your looks. And Choi is gay, for Jupiter's sake! He doesn't want a woman, he wants a dick in his bed, and you look fantastic. So, would you allow me to finish this masterpiece-" The crimson gestured at his whole body in a fluid motion of his hand. "-and proceed with tonight's plans?"

Jimin did not know what to say. Taehyung was right, and he was an idiot. But the image of the blond woman/man from the club had stuck to him. He had asked himself how he could possibly compete with them when this was what Choi liked. But then again, the man had obviously been interested in him on first sight, so maybe he was thinking about it too much and should just lean back and let it come to him.

"Okay, doll me up," he said determined and sat down on the small bathroom stool.

"That's the Jimin I know," Taehyung said with a grin and grabbed the makeup box.

"Can I help you?" Jungkook's voice asked through the small gap in the door and they both froze in their place, staring into each other's widened eyes. No, this was bad. The bumper should not see him like this. This straight-as-a-pole guy would never look at Jimin again if he saw him now.

"No, thanks," Taehyung said cautiously, "You can ask Namjoon for a Chinese lesson and I'll teach you the trick with the signature once I'm finished."

Another hum and the sound of a closing door later, Jimin breathed out relieved. "Thanks."

"You're welcome."

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"Park Jimin," the well-known husky baritone hummed behind him and he turned around on the bar stool. Choi Seunghyun looked even more stunning today. He was in all black with a silver handkerchief poking from the chest pocket of his suit jacket. They matched! "What a pleasure to meet you again."

The mischievous smile that curled those hard lips caused Jimin's stomach to drop. It should be forbidden to look this attractive.

"Hi," was all he managed to reply until his brain checked in again. "The pleasure's all mine."

"Oh, why so formal?" Choi said and opened his jacket to sit down next to him leisurely.

"The atmosphere here forbids anything casual," Jimin spoke his mind and earned a soft chuckle. But it indeed felt like he had to sit a little straighter and speak a little posher than he would in any other bar. Acting lesser than respectable seemed to disrupt the harmony of the establishment.

"You are a peculiar being," the man said and looked at him fondly. How could this guy have connections to the triads? He was so beyond boyfriend material that it hurt. "Let me treat you to something."

"I-" Jimin wanted to protest with a gesture at his wine glass, but Choi already leaned over the bar to talk to the barkeeper.

"Jīnsè de shuǐ," the black-haired said and the young man behind the counter nodded with a smile.

"What did you order?" Jimin asked curiously and pushed his glass out of the way.

"You'll see," the other just said and smiled mysteriously.

One intense minute of just looking at each other and an occasional nervous sip on his wine, Jimin was presented with two Champaign glasses that held something he had never seen before. Apart from the unexpected colorlessness, the liquid shimmered with what looked like fragments of gold leaf that floated through the glass, levitated by the chains of bubbles that promised a prickle on the tongue.

"Golden water," Choi explained and took one of the glasses, "for a golden guest." With that he toasted at blushing Jimin and sipped on the foreign liquor.

It looked expensive, that much Jimin could tell, but how would it taste? Curious he took his glass and let the liquid run over his tongue. "Oh my..." slipped from his lips before he could stop it, and he looked at his host with wide eyes. This tasted heavenly. It was something between peach and lime, and now that he gave it a more sorrow inspection he could see the soft creamy tint. "How's that made?" he asked eagerly.

"Secret recipe of the club owner," Choi answered and looked satisfied with Jimin's reaction.

"I need to visit Hongkong more often, then," Jimin replied and took another sip. He really should. This drink was worth it.

"Will you have to wait for another invitation of your friend, or...?" Choi left the question open-ended and raised an eyebrow. Was he hinting at the costs?

"I'm perfectly able to pay for my own vacation, if that's what you're hinting at," Jimin replied offended and pulled back from where they had somehow leaned in very close.

"That's not what I wanted to say," the other apologized politely. "I was more asking whether you would be bound by friendship activities or free for other things."

Wow. Now, this was very direct. Had Jimin really been doubting his looks an hour ago?

"I'm...that's..." he stuttered, completely thrown off-track by the blunt invitation. "I'm also perfectly able to schedule my own vacation," he said finally.

"That's good to know," the other hummed and some of the tension that had built up between them dissolved when the black eyes looked into the Champagne flute instead of Jimin's eyes. "I know this is no place for business, but you got me interested." The attentive gaze was back on him. "What do you make your money with, Jimin?"

Had the man not added his name to the question, it could have sounded nice, but now it sounded like a threat. Choi was questioning his persona and his motives with one single innocent question, and that did not sit right with Jimin. No matter that he had ulterior motives, he also was a part of the gray side of society and not some cop or fun-killer. He might not have his fingers in business as black as Choi's if he believed the blond beauty from last time, but he sure as hell was part of the party.

Time to plant the bomb. "I'm in antiquities and jewelry," he said, playing nice although he was seething inside. Of course, this made his thefts sound like something bigger than they were, but who could blame him when he was up against men of the level Seokjin? "The friend who invited me is in the art section. Kim Seokjin. Maybe you heard of him."

"Drag-and-drop-art," Choi said to Jimin's astonishment, and he nodded at the man's words.

"Yes, indeed."

His earpiece was crackling. "Call Jin and tell him I'll kick his ass if Choi is one of his customers," Suga's voice growled. Poor Jin.

"So, you met him during a job?" their target asked interested and swirled the shimmery content of his glass.

"Stay vague!" the hacker hissed into his earpiece and almost caused Jimin to twitch.

But he held his smile and pretended like this was not a shitty situation. "You could say that. I occasionally have a piece he's interested in," he lied, but Choi seemed satisfied judged by how his lips curled into a knowing smile. Whatever assumption the man had made, it seemed good enough not to ask further questions.

"Maybe we should exchange numbers, in case you have something I could be interested in," his acquaintance suggested and pulled out his phone.

Jimin was startled for a moment. But of course! He had just claimed he worked with jewelry, and this man had a jewel they would steal, which was probably not the only piece in his collection. Maybe his future deals would become way more profitable than with Suga. But then again, this man might have connections to the triads, and Jimin was absolutely not interested in being sucked into that business.

"Don't expect too much," he tried to moderate his words, "I'm only at the beginning of my carrier."

Choi chuckled, and the anxiety that had begun to claw Jimin's chest eased. He was just a tourist for now, no strings attached. And who knew; maybe this was just a gentleman's excuse to exchange numbers. "Who knows what this is good for," the man said lightly, confirming Jimin's last thought, and handed him his phone.

Slightly nervous, he took the device and punched in his number and name, and before he knew it, his own phone was vibrating in his clutch and he had Choi's number.

He had Choi's number!

Pride filled his chest and made him smile widely. He had tricked the most powerful man he ever met into giving him his phone number. That he was a good actor was obvious, judged by his success with women, but this was a on a different level.

"You're great, Jimin," Suga's voice came through the transmitter in his ear, and the hacker sounded genuinely impressed. "Good job."

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