The Escort

"Your Services Are No Longer Required, Mr. Park."

Suddenly Lee didn't seem as confident as he had before. Jimin theorized he had heard Y/N wasn't coming, it would've gotten around, and had figured now was the time to get revenge on Jimin. Put him in his place. People like him didn't like it when people like Jimin didn't do everything they wanted.

People like Lee were powerful. Technically, they were more powerful than people like Y/N. But still...

Lee stopped.

The truth is, people like Y/N may not be powerful in and of themselves. It's the people behind them that make them powerful. If you're practically guaranteed to make people money through investments in the product or service you sell, then everyone wants to do business with you. Even if you choose to not do business with someone, they won't come after you. Why? Because they know you have other clients. Other clients who will be extremely pissed if they lose money. This puts a target on your back.

Lee knew this well. He was one of the people who would gladly go after others who threatened his ability to make money off Y/N's company. He might not like her but she delivered. The problem for him was....when what he wanted didn't align with what she wanted, he might find himself the very object of the threats he exacted on others.

People like Y/N aren't powerful in and of themselves. People like Y/N are powerful because of the game they play.

Same with Jimin. In and of himself he was not powerful. But people like him get power from the people who protect them. What incentive would Jimin have to not reveal every dirty secret he's ever witnessed if people didn't protect him? He gives you pleasure and keeps his mouth shut unless you cross him. Lee should've remembered that others play games too and that picking on someone who services people other than him might backfire.

But when you're used to people asking how high when you say jump, do you really think about those things?

And thus Lee found himself facing the extremely pissed off person who provided one of his reliable sources of income. The pissed off person who had just protected the escort he held in his grip a couple weeks ago.

At first, when things had started, Hoseok had been closest and had seen what was going on first. Half of Jimin's other friends had either branched off to talk with investors for them or their parent's companies, the others had been too far away to see what was going on in the beginning. Now a slightly winded Taehyung, who had looked over and realized something wasn't right, pushed past people and burst out, right into the circle around Y/N. He took one look at Y/N, one look at Lee, and muttered under his breath,

"Fuck." He started to step forward, to pull Jimin away from Lee, but stopped when Y/N's arm shot out in front of him. She didn't even look at him, just continued to stare at Lee.

There was silence. A long stretch of silence. People held their breaths, some confused, some recognizing the power struggle taking place right in front of them. Jimin felt like the air was heavy, as heavy as the hand that felt like it was crushing the base of his skull, like he could never get enough air. He willed himself to breathe steadily.  To appear calm.  Like this happened to him every day.

And then....

Lee kept eye contact with Y/N but relaxed his grip on Jimin's neck and pulled his hand away. She still said nothing. Y/N dropped her hand and Taehyung was by Jimin's side in an instant, dragging him behind Lee towards Hoseok. One look from Hoseok and people parted, allowing them to get Jimin out of the area and to safety. But they hadn't gotten very far when Y/N's voice rang out loud and clear,

"I didn't know being a therapist was a crime." Such a simple sentence. For those not in the know it would simply fuel gossip. Why had Lee attacked that poor therapist at the party? For those in the know it was a warning. It would be unwise to draw any more attention to Park Jimin's real occupation.

And with that, Y/N turned and walked away, leaving an embarrassed and pissed Lee who could do nothing. Piss her off, he lost money. Piss her off, he pissed off others who would off him. Done.

Jimin was shaking, taking deep breaths to keep his composure, as Taehyung offered him water and Hoseok ran his fingers through his hair soothingly. All three looked up and Jimin's hand shook violently when he realized it was Y/N. She didn't look at him, but at Taehyung.

"How is he?" He was right there and she didn't even acknowledge him. Taehyung pursed his lips, he barely knew Y/N. Most of what he knew about her was from Jin and what little Jimin said.  The fact that she was ignoring Jimin was obvious.

"He'll be okay. Hyung just needs some rest." She hummed and then she looked at Jimin and said eight words that sent a stab of pain through his heart and made him feel like he was falling into an abyss of swirling emotions.

"Your services are no longer required, Mr. Park." She nodded and then....she walked away.

-

At first...Jimin had been in shock. But not because of her words. No, he was in shock at the enormous amount of pain they brought him. Taehyung and Hoseok made excuses to Jimin's client and Hoseok had a car brought around. Both friends eyed Jimin worriedly as he sat in the middle seat, staring straight ahead. He wasn't even blinking at a normal rate.

He remained like that until he was in his apartment, seated on his couch, Hoseok going to get more water and Taehyung going to fluff up his bed.

At first he stared blankly ahead. Her words just echoed in his mind over and over. Each breath felt like a stab of pain and he was afraid if he moved it would become obvious how much he hurt. How every nerve hurt. She didn't want him anymore. In her eyes, he'd betrayed her. She didn't want him anymore. She didn't want him to touch her, to listen to her, she didn't want him. The full import of the words gradually sank in, along with another realization. A realization he'd been trying to avoid thinking about, bringing up, shoving down.

Tears began to run down his cheeks as he felt such a monumental loss. Idiot. He was such an idiot. He'd been careless, he'd played with fire, he'd allowed his desire to be treated with dignity and respect to override his common sense.

When his friends came back out, Jimin's face was buried in his hands and he was sobbing. They looked at each other, unspoken communication, before hurrying over and enveloping their brother in a hug. Jimin gasped, the pain feeling like it was squeezing his lungs. Like his chest was filled with pins, like something heavy was slowly crushing his heart.

"Breathe, Jiminie, breathe." Hoseok pressed Jimin into his chest, soothingly chanting as the man fell apart under him. They knew he was trying to say something but for the longest time couldn't make out what it was. There were worried texts from their friends but neither Hoseok or Taehyung wanted to let go of Jimin to answer.

"Idiot, I'm such an idiot." They were finally able to make out.

"Shhhhh, Jimin. You're not an idiot. You did nothing wrong. Lee is just an ass...."

"I love her, hyung." Jimin gasped out, a new round of sobs racking his body, finally giving in and accepting why this rejection hurt 100 times more than any he'd had before. He'd never reacted to losing a client like this before. "I love her....I'm such an idiot...." Hoseok and Taehyung exchanged looks again. They knew.

Everyone knew. Everyone but Jimin himself apparently. No one was sure how to approach it when they all knew he'd deny it. They all knew that Jimin, even though he wouldn't say it, on some level believed he was incapable of having a relationship. Some of it was insecurity, that sneaking doubt that he wasn't good enough, and some of it was a byproduct of his job.

"I love her, hyung. I'm such a fool....I love her..."