15.

                                    

                                          
Clearing things up with Jungkook wasn't as easy as Jimin made it out to be though.
                          
For one, you didn't even know what you needed to clear. 
                          
Neither of you had expressed any liking for each other directly as of yet, so it would feel weird if you just messaged him, "Hey, just so you know, there's nothing going on between me and Jimin and I'm totally available." 
                          
It would be like practically begging him to ask you out.
                          
And secondly, Jungkook wasn't responding to you well. The whole weekend had passed with one worded responses from him, broken by his occasional inquiries about your health. 
                          
Come Monday, you were yourself frustrated with his behaviour and stubbornly decided to stop texting him too. If he wasn't giving you enough value, you wouldn't either. 
                          
Even if he did think you were dating Jimin, was he just going to stop being your friend? Just like that? Did he only help you out to get you into bed? 
                          
Jungkook was behaving way too immaturely and you didn't need that in your life.
                          
Your car was back from servicing and still Jimin insisted on dropping and picking you up from work. Something about the added stress of driving through the packed streets of LA. 
                          
You didn't argue because, hey, free rides.
                          
But by Wednesday, you started to rethink your decision to stop talking to Jungkook. You were already missing him, something  you couldn't understand since you'd known him for such a short period of time. 
                          
At the same time, you didn't want to seem desperate by texting him first after a break of few days. Why couldn't he reach out first?
                          
So you asked for advice from the most sensible person you knew.
                          
"Well, what should I do?" You finished, twirling your pasta around in your dish. 
                          
Jin smacked your hand from across the table. He hated it when people played with food instead of eating it.
                          
Seated beside Jin, Namjoon pushed his glasses up his nose a little.
                          
"Honestly, even I'm not sure. When you said you had a problem I thought it would be work related or like, math or something." He replied, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly.
                          
"Why would I just casually have a math related problem?" You questioned incredulously, looking to Jin for help. He simply shrugged.
                          
"His default assumption is that everyone does math everyday for fun." Jin replied, rolling his eyes. 
                          
Namjoon gave an awkward smile, not bothering to deny the accusation.
                          
"Ughh." You groaned, frustrated with yourself for giving so much time and thought to that mushroom headed Jungkook.
                          
"I say ditch the man. I mean, he's hot but you shouldn't be chasing after men. Men should be chasing after you. You're too great a catch. You're a worldwide beauty Y/N." Jin piped, slurping up his pasta in between words.
                          
"Why shouldn't you chase after him? I mean in today's day and age, does it even matter if the boy is chasing after the girl or the other way around? Follow your progressive feminist heart and just meet with him. Don't overthink it." Namjoon argued, elbowing Jin. 
                          
Jin simply shrugged again and went back to concentrating on his food. It was obvious that he didn't care much either way, as long as he had food in front of him.
                          
You nodded thoughtfully at Namjoon's words.
                          
"I guess you're right. I should at least try one more time before giving up completely."
                          
Namjoon nodded back, seemingly satisfied by himself. You passed him a grateful smile and started to eat with newfound vigour.
                          
Jin called for the waiter just then and you exchanged a look with Namjoon. You both knew this extra as fuck man was about to order something extra as fuck, again.
                          
"Hi, can I get the Caipirinha with Candy Floss? I saw it on the menu earlier." He ordered with a polite smile, one that also screamed 'I have memorised your menu, whatchu gonna do about it?'.
                          
You shook at your head at the scene and Namjoon just smiled fondly.
                          
The waiter noted it down with a impressed eyebrow lift. You gave Jin a look as he left.
                          
"What? I just remembered it from the menu. I wanted something to top this meal off, the pasta is pretty mediocre. I can only hope the drink makes up for it."
                          
"What are you talking about? This pasta is so good!" You scoffed, baffled.
                          
"Well it's not good enough for me. I actually happen to possess taste buds." He retorted.
                          
You scoffed, your mouth open. "If it were up to you, you'd eat only the food prepared by Gordon Ramsey and Jamie Oliver everyday."
                          
"And if it were up to you, you'd eat plain damned porridge and oats everyday. All three meals."
                          
You narrowed your eyes to slits and held up your middle finger in his face, going back to eating your pasta. Jin smiled in satisfaction at having gotten in the last word and Namjoon just laughed at your banter.
                          
"I have plans with an old friend for lunch tomorrow. Don't eat by yourself, you loner." Jin piped in suddenly.
                          
"Excuse you, you're not my only friend in the office." You replied, irritated.
                          
"Oh? Who else, if I may ask?"
                          
"No, you may not ask."
                          
It was Jin's turn to scoff in disbelief while you smirked at him, stabbing your pasta with your fork and eating it sloppily just to get back at him. He hated messy and improper eaters.
                          
"Hey didn't you tell me Mr. Muscle works in a diner close to your office? Why don't you eat there tomorrow?" Namjoon suggested.
                          
You thought about it for a second.
                          
"Yeah that's actually a good idea. It's Thursday and he will have a shift at the Diner for sure. I can just naturally pop by to eat." You thought out loud.
                          
"Wait, Mr. Muscle?" You inquired soon after, breaking out of your reverie. 
                          
"Jin gave him a nickname. The only other option was Mr. Hot-piece-of-ass and I didn't want someone to sue him for harassment." Namjoon explained. 
                          
Jin shot daggers at him and you laughed.
                          
"Well, Mr. Muscle better be at the Diner tomorrow then." You smiled, looking at the couple fondly. You felt thankful to have such good friends to turn to for advice.