❝The best mirror you'll find, is your old friend.❞

ACT I—TEN

AYA FELT the need to detach herself from Jimin or she knew there was a possibility of her turning into nothing but ashes right there and then.

"Excellent! Just the chemistry I want," the director said, grinning and clapping his hands like a seal.

"Mr. Park, thank you so much for accepting my offer. I had a hard time to choose the perfect co-actor for Miss Min. And now I feel you both will look perf-great. I mean great together."

Because of his sudden slip of tongue, the director nervously chuckled and glanced at Aya. He scrunched his nose when he saw Aya's perplexed face.

"Miss Min. Are you feeling sick? You don't look well."

Only then Aya made a small sound which came out like a squeak. She covered her mouth with her hand, coughing few times.

"Y-yeah. I'm fine. Great. Never been this better."

Jimin laughed. He dared to laugh while still hugging her that close. But that's not the point. Because of their close proximity, the sound of his melodious chuckle directly reached her ear and with that, Aya found herself blushing profusely.

If this wasn't already bad, Jimin decided to break their hug at that very moment.

He wanted to apologize to Aya for laughing out loud. I'm sorry－ these were the words he's supposed to say. But when his eyes took in Aya's pink hued face, his mouth fell open and he failed to conceal how amazed he was.

"You're blushing."

These three words skipped through his lips fast and low, replacing the ones he thought to say before.

Aya had her eyes glued on the ground. She didn't want to see his face. For all she knew, there would be a face mocking her with a look of accomplishment of the affect he had on her.

But she's Aya. And no one can make her feel insecure. Aya looked up, ready to fight his smug face. While riddled in her thoughts, she forgot to mention one thing to herself. And that was, the man was no man she met on a daily basis. It was Jimin, the man who never failed to surprise her.

And once again he didn't disappoint her and Aya found herself being redder while looking at him.

Instead of a look that was supposed to mock her, she saw a face full of amusement. Instead of a victorious smirk, she saw a small lopsided smile hinting on his lips. And his eyes, slightly widened, looking at her with his mouth opened a tad bit.

Aya was taken aback. This was the same man who managed to make her skin burn into flames and again warming her heart with a feeling that she couldn't really decipher.

And this made Aya realize one thing that Jimin, was indeed perfect for Clover.

JUNGKOOK DIDN'T realize when he'd head inside his room, he'd find someone sprawled on his bed playing games on his laptop with no care of giving him privacy.

"Woohoo, someone's been working out a lot. Look at those biceps."

Jungkook rolled his eyes when he heard a whistle from behind and threw his white shirt on the source of that known deep voice.

There, on his bed laid a very beautiful man with his shoes on.

"Taehyung, shoes off now!"

"Geez. They are Gucci. Relax," Taehyung replied rolling on his bed and throwing the shirt back at him.

"Why are you like this, Jeon? I'm just a tired kid－ouch! That hurt you piece of rainbow!"

Taehyung rubbed his arm where Jungkook's slipper landed and quickly removed his shoes before another slipper could make contact with his body again.

"Don't worry buddy. My slippers are Gucci too."

Jungkook smirked and took out a pair of fresh clothes from his closet. His only mission now was, to take a shower and clean the dirt that latched to him while staying at that place.

"Put that tongue back, Tae. It's not good to mock someone behind their back."

Taehyung instantly put his tongue inside his mouth and looked at the closed bathroom door with wide eyes.

"How did you know I was－oh yeah best friend facts," with a roll of his eyes, Taehyung chimed.

Jungkook laughed. He finally felt some relief after getting inside the shower, letting all the filth wash away with the flow of water.

"You're so silly, Tae. For what reason am I blessed with your presence?"

Taehyung stayed silent. He licked his lips and finally sat straight after rolling for hours on Jungkook's bed. Taehyung thought deeply while playing with his fingers. He tried to think of a suitable way to disclose the matter to Jungkook but in every way he knew, Jungkook was bound to get mad.

"Tae, what're you thinking?"

Jungkook asked while drying his wet hair with a towel and stopping in front of his mirror.

When he heard no sound from Taehyung, Jungkook looked at him through his mirror.

"Taehyung, is everything okay? You look...constipated."

Taehyung rolled his eyes and heaved out a long sigh before opening his mouth.

"It's called the look of being in tension, Jeon. Where's your vocabularies at?"

Jungkook snorted and shook his head.

"For a minute there, I thought I lost my savage friend. But then, you proved me wrong."

Taehyung smiled.

"It's hard to get rid off me. Try hard, Jungkook."

Jungkook smiled and turned to look back at his best friend.

"That's the problem, you see. I don't want to try and can never think of getting rid off you."

"COULD YOU perhaps get rid of this scene?"

Jimin tried but the director was persistent. He looked at Jimin apologetically.

"I'm sorry Mr. Park but this is the main scene. I can't just get rid off it."

Jimin smiled, feigning his nervousness with confidence.

"Oh that's fine then. We'll uh do it then."

If this was some other girl than Aya, Jimin would've had no problem to do a scene like that because there was no chance he'd meet them again.

But it was Aya and he had every reason to meet her again. With no options left, Jimin was surely feeling devastated.

"I CAN'T see you devastated like this, Kook! Just please, at least take a look at their profiles. I'm sure you'll like one of them."

Taehyung pleaded, trying to get his best friend to agree somehow. He wasn't going to back off and that made Jungkook more annoyed. Jungkook ran a hand through his disheveled hair and sat on his couch, taking his laptop and starting his work.

Taehyung scoffed. Jungkook would never argue with him. All he did was to give Taehyung a silent treatment. If Jungkook was annoyed, then Taehyung was too. He worked hard to choose each girl, taking preference of Jungkook's choice. And now, the man was giving him silent treatment, dismissing all his effort.

"Are you serious now, Kook?"

Taehyung threw the tab on the bed and walked to him.

"It's just a date. I can't see you like this dying each day just to let her live. These girls are from a good background. Choose one and just go on this date. Can't you do that for me?"

Taehyung choked and tried to calm down his breathing. He just wanted the best for his friend. Jungkook glanced at him. He felt guilty but there was no other way to deal with an angry Taehyung.

Taehyung rubbed his forehead. He was done. So done with him.

"Just say yes or decline. You do you, Kook. I don't care anymore."

"You know my answer," Jungkook mumbled, looking at his laptop but glancing at him time to time.

Taehyung chuckled bitterly.

"It's her, right? You still in love with her, aren't you? She's the one who's acting like a full stop in your life, right?"

Jungkook clenched his jaw. He closed his laptop. Taehyung deserved an answer for his misconception and he was sure to give a firm one.

"Yes, Taehyung. I'm in love with her. But love has many colors. You're just seeing one. Try to look beyond that one color. Then maybe you'll find your answer. I'll not move on in my life. Not until the day when Aya will leave Clover ."

And so Taehyung knew there was more to his best friend. Hidden and buried.

Note :

This chapter had a hint on the relation between Jungkook and Aya :') Thank you for 26k. I love you xx