The Mini Reel: Day 1

A/N: This happens right after Yoonmin get together in Daegu, where the main story ended.

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“So. Since when did you fall in love with me?”

Yoongi nearly chokes on the coffee he’s drinking. He sets his mug down and peers up at him as if to ask, Seriously?

Jimin responds with a close-lipped, polite smile, batting his eyelashes while poking his salad with a fork. “Well?”

His (possible) (new) (unofficial) boyfriend glances to the side, where Seokjin had gone for a bathroom break, then shifts his eyes back to Jimin. Watching, scrutinizing, as if Yoongi might be able to read Jimin’s mind if he stares long enough.

It’s only been a day since Jimin and Seokjin had visited Yoongi’s home in Daegu, only a day since Jimin had finally cleared everything with Yoongi and made love for the first time. They’re on the road back to Seoul now, but first they decided to make a pit stop at the gas service station for a late lunch. Though already disguised in a plain black hoodie with his sunglasses on, Jimin feels extra safe with the director by his side. In the afterglow of his budding relationship with Min PD, his bloodstream is singing with starfire.

“Jimin,” Yoongi says, gaze unwavering. His left hand is on the table a few inches shy of Jimin’s; his pinky twitches.

Jimin would be lying if he said he didn’t enjoy such an unsuppressed display of attention. He leans forward and tilts his head. “Hmm?”

Yoongi’s hand rises, reaching out, and Jimin’s inner hoe screams because oh my, he’s going in for a smooch in broad daylight!

But instead of bringing Jimin’s mouth closer, Yoongi simply swipes at the corner of his lips, his touch leaving sparks on Jimin’s skin.

“You’ve got salad dressing on your mouth.” Yoongi withdraws his hand, and then sucks on his thumb.

Jimin gawks, feels his neck go warm, and completely forgets what his question even was.

“You didn’t answer my question,” he grumbles, stabbing his fork into a clump of lettuce.

Yoongi glances down to resume eating his food without acknowledging Jimin, but a smirk plays at his lips.

“You’re a menace,” Jimin remarks, kicking weakly at the side of Yoongi’s shoe. Yoongi only huffs and nudges him back.

Seokjin returns to their table shortly afterwards, and Yoongi engages him with kore details about the role he’s being cast for as a substitute. It’s an indie movie; Seokjin isn’t too confident but at least it’s a ‘quieter’ comeback to the acting scene. Jimin’s heart swells at the sight of his manager’s eyes shining with renewed vigor and interest.

They leave the service stop as soon as they finish their meal, but this time instead of joining Seokjin’s car, Jimin asks—

“Can I ride yours, PD-nim?”

Yoongi chokes on his spit and stops in his tracks. He glances at Jimin, eyebrows knitted together in muted disbelief.

A giggle threatens to burst from the pits of Jimin’s belly and he covers his mouth to suppress it.

“Your car, I mean!” he adds, grinning and pointing to Yoongi’s parked sedan. “I call shotgun! I already rode with Jin-hyung to Daegu, so I want to return to Seoul with you.” He turns to his manager and deliberately lets his eyes widen into saucers. “That’s cool with you, right, hyung? PD-nim’s car windows are tinted so nobody’ll spot us anyway.”

Seokjin scratches the back of his head, exchanging apprehensive looks with Yoongi. He shrugs and bows slightly to Yoongi. “He’s all yours, PD-nim.” To Jimin, he says sternly, “Behave.”

Jimin whoops and does a mock salute, then trots happily after Yoongi who’s already walking back to his car. The doors beep open, but before Jimin can even get to the passenger door, Yoongi is already there, pulling it open for him.

Jimin slithers past him and clambers aboard with a pleased smile. “Thank you.”

Yoongi pauses, standing in front of the open passenger seat door. He bends down slightly, eyes burning into Jimin’s, and briefly brushes warm fingers against the nape of Jimin’s neck. “Welcome.”

It’s like being touched with a live wire. Jimin’s nerve endings stand on end; he closes his eyes and tries to muffle the gasp that begs to punch out of his chest. When his eyelids flutter open, Yoongi is already sliding into the driver’s seat next to him.

The door slams closed. Yoongi turns to him, a quiet electricity humming in the air. It’s still hard to believe that only a few hours ago, Jimin had awoken to the warmth of his naked body, content and comfortable. He watches the way sunlight slants through the windshield and illuminates Yoongi’s eyes, turning them a deep, autumn brown. Jimin loves it when he looks at him like that. Like he too, can’t fathom the reality of them, Jimin and Yoongi, as an ampersand.

“You’re so pretty,” Jimin points out softly, reaching over to tuck a stray lock of hair behind Yoongi’s war.

With a small smile, Yoongi leans over and covers Jimin’s lips with his. It’s a slow, tender kiss that they both savor in seconds that feel like hours—Jimin takes his time cradling Yoongi’s face, keenly aware of Yoongi’s large palm coming to a rest on his knee.

All too soon, Yoongi is pulling away and tugging at Jimin’s seatbelt strap over his torso. “Could say the same of you, starlet.”

“You still haven’t answered me from earlier.” Jimin pouts, still cupping Yoongi’s cheeks.

The director scrunches up his nose, leaning back to adjust his position in front of the steering wheel. He keys in the ignition with a small huff, eyebrows dancing up and down like he’s contemplating hard.

“I’m always looking at you,” he mumbles, eyes on the steering wheel.

It’s something he’s said before, Jimin notes.

Yoongi’s fingers drum against the steering wheel. He licks his bottom lip. “In Paris.”

Jimin blinks. “Huh?”

“At the airport, when we ran into each other. You got separated from Seokjin-ssi because you were trying to avoid a sasaeng.”

“I remember,” says Jimin, hugging himself. That memory still creeps him out.

“When you saw me. You- you smiled,” Yoongi stammers, then clears his throat. “Should’ve seen the look on your face, Jimin-ah.”

“What did I look like?”

Yoongi’s eyes dart momentarily to him, then back to the steering wheel. He shrugs, a smiling blooming across his face. “And then in Budapest, when you were dancing outside the pub. Surrounded by people. You laughed so hard your cheeks looked rashy.”

Jimin scoffs and crosses his arms, feigning affront. “Rashy?!”

Yoongi nods proudly.

“You know, for a critically acclaimed filmmaker, you’re surprisingly terrible at descriptions,” Jimin teases, fighting back his growing amusement.

“I’m no screenwriter,” counters Yoongi as he backs out of the parking lot. He steals a moment to fix his gaze on Jimin’s face. “But I have an eye for money shots.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“And mine’s you.”

The words tumble out so casually, effortlessly from Yoongi that it takes a long pause for Jimin to digest them. His breath catches in his throat.

South Korean Actor Park Jimin Found Suffering From Heart Palpitations in Director’s Car from Undue Stress, he can imagine the next day’s Pannchoa headlines announcing.

Undue stress. The best kind.

I’m in love with you too, Jimin almost says. He doesn’t though, because it’s only Day 1. Only the first page of the script he wants to write with Yoongi for a long, long time.

Instead of responding, Jimin leans in and steals a quick kiss against Yoongi’s dumpling cheek. When he sits back, he shoots two finger guns at his favorite director.

Yoongi’s unfiltered laughter reverberating over Jimin’s hummingbird heart is a hundred times better than receiving any daesang trophy.

*** END OF ONE-SHOT ***

Happy New Year! 🏹

This is a small token of thanks and love for everyone who has supported and continues to support my work — let’s rock 2023! 🫶🏻

I missed Mini Reel yoonmin so… tada!

Thoughts and comments keep an author alive uwu