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How is it all those teen movies begin?
Record scratch. Freeze frame. I bet you’re wondering how I got into this situation…
Jimin feels like one of those American high school protagonists at this moment, clutching his textbooks to his chest, reaching for the classroom door, staring longingly down the hallway at his crush. He’s like that nerdy girl who has a hopeless crush on the jock at the beginning and he doesn’t notice her, but when she takes off her glasses, she’s so pretty that he has to. Except Jimin’s not a girl, and he knows he’s pretty, even with glasses. And also for the fact that his crush isn’t just anyone, it’s Kim Seokjin, ace basketball player, and most importantly, straight boy.
Jimin sighs and his friend, Taehyung, who the movie would be sure to establish is also a nerd, though his costuming choices scream artist, catches him. He has a beret on with his school uniform. But Taehyung is just like that. Taehyung is also annoying. He pokes Jimin in the shoulder, gleeful to catch him in the act of staring at his crush.
“What?” Jimin whispers, turning his back to the door before Seokjin can notice his stare.
Taehyung beams at him mischievously. “How’s the crush-that’s-totally-not-a-crush going for you?” He teases, poking him again. Jimin rolls his eyes and opens the door with a click. He goes instantly for his bag, finding his locker key and dumping his textbooks in there. Taehyung frowns. “What do you have all those textbooks for anyway?”
“Taehyung!” Jimin exclaims incredulously. Taehyung may be a nerd, but he’s also incredibly forgetful. Jimin isn’t sure how he passes all his exams with such high grades and always knows the answer when he often forgets to tie his school tie or bring his lunch. “They’re the revision textbooks? Didn’t your mum pay for them? Collection is in the library,” Jimin adds, watching as Taehyung’s eyes widen.
“Thanks, Minie,” he breathes out. “I’ll go and pick those up before I forget! Have fun daydreaming about Kim Seokjin while I’m gone!” And he scampers off, leaving Jimin in an empty classroom. He sighs.
Jimin's a bit lost without Taehyung. He stands there awkwardly for a moment, then glances to the teacher's desk. As class representative, he's supposed to be helpful, so when he sees Mrs Cho has left their stack of unmarked papers on the desk. He knows she's just next door for next period, so he decides to take them over. Maybe he can catch another glimpse of Kim Seokjin, whilst he's at it.
Jimin clutches the papers close, stopping the top sheets from slipping as he slides open the classroom door with his foot. He walks out and immediately collides with a strong body, dropping the papers everywhere.
Jimin groans, inhaling deeply and pinching the bridge of his nose. He doesn't even bother to look at who he bumped into, knowing they've probably run off anyway. He crouches down, glad Mrs Cho had the foresight to staple. When he looks up, he's met with the handsome face of Kim Seokjin.
Jimin's breath stutters in his throat and his cheeks flush pink. He's the thing that he finds most attractive about Seokjin, it's not his muscles, or his handsome face, or his dumb jokes, it's his kindness. Seokjin is so nice, so generous, he just unthinkingly helps. And when you ask why, he answers dumbly, "why not? You needed a hand."
Jimin smiles at him gratefully, suddenly too shy to speak. He gathers more papers in his hands, tapping them on the floor to get them to align. Seokjin hands him the stack he picked up and their fingers brush together. Now, Jimin feels like a girl in an Austen novel, the chaste touch making his heart flutter and his stomach fills with butterflies.
Seokjin smiles at him and Jimin's breath catches again. "Are you going to Ajeong's party?" He asks, innocently. Seokjin's other sports teams friends are all...quite hostile towards Jimin and his friends, but Seokjin, bless his heart, didn't know that. He thought they were just as nice as him. "No," Jimin murmurs, not adding, we're not invited. And instead opting for "Are you?" Which is dumb, because of course Seokjin is. Even if Ajeong wasn't his close friend, Seokjin is the most popular guy in the school. He's invited to every party. But he doesn't point this out, just nods enthusiastically.
Jimin stands, holding the papers tight with slightly shaky hands, so as to not drop them again. Seokjin stands too, an arm out as if to guide Jimin or steady him if he wobbles. The gesture is much appreciated if the deepening blush on Jimin's cheeks is anything to go by.
"Ah, he must've forgotten to invite you," Seokjin continues, smiling prettily. Jimin runs a hand through his hair, a habit that increases when he's flustered. "Consider this my invitation to you and your friends, Taehyung-ssi and Namjoon-ssi, right? I'll see you there!" He stands and continues down the hallway to the doors leading out onto the sports field. Jimin sighs again, Seokjin really is clueless. He forgot to tell him when or where the party is.
When Jimin gets back to his own classroom, after placing the papers next door with a little post-it note on top, he finds Namjoon leaning against the desk waiting for him.
"Hi Joonie," Jimin says, cheeks still a little flushed. Namjoon gives him a knowing look.
"Seen Seokjin-ssi lately?" Namjoon teases a playful grin showing his dimples.
"Not you too," Jimin grumbles. "Tae gives me enough of an earful every time we see him." He sits down on the desk next to Joon, crossing his legs. "What have you been up to?"
"Oh I was at maths club," Namjoon says and Jimin facepalms.
"I forgot about it! Ah, I was picking up my textbooks-"
"- and then you saw Kim Seokjin and your brain cells went dead-"
"-and then I saw Kim Seokjin and what? Hey!" Jimin slaps his hand on the desk, crossing his arms with a pout.
"So you did see him?" Namjoon slides the chair out from the desk and takes a seat, resting an elbow on the table to listen.
Jimin huffs a sigh through his nose and throws his head back. "I dropped some papers and he helped me pick them up,"
"Aw, cute."
Jimin nods seriously. "He's so nice? An angel," he stares dreamily out of the classroom window, eyes falling on the cherry blossoms, freshly blooming. It's so goddamn cheesy, but the pink reminds him of the tint of Seokjin's lips…
"Oh yeah!" Jimin remembers what Seokjin said to him, just those few minutes ago. "Seokjin invited us to Ajeong's party."
Namjoon winces, teeth gritted. "Are you sure? Taehyung and I too?" Jimin nods, confirming it. "I don't know, Min… those kinds of parties are always dodgy, alcohol and stuff."
Jimin rolls his eyes. Namjoon is smart, he tries hard at school, but he knows his heart is in music, his heart is in rebellion. That's why his hair is blonde now, a little bit out of the box for the 'nerd'. He gives him a pointed look for this, and Namjoon brushes his fingers through his hair self-consciously.
"You've never been drunk before?" Jimin asks, eyebrow raised, even though he himself has never been drunk before. He doesn't think being tipsy at Chuseok and arguing with Tae about whether cats or dogs were cuter counts.
"No," Namjoon whines. Somehow, it makes him seem small, despite his lanky body and being one of the tallest of the year group. "I don't want to be drunk. I don't want to go and do something dumb like pierce my ears."
"You'd look so cool with ear piercings though," Jimin mumbles. He fiddles with his own, plain silver studs as the school demands. He has a small collection of earrings at home, cooler ones, mostly pendants on chains or small hoops. Other than books, Jimin probably spends most of his money on jewellery. He likes how delicate it makes him feel. How attractive. Maybe the shiny reflection of light will catch Seokjin's eye and he'll realise that he’s loved Jimin all this time after all.
Wait. Jimin snaps out of his daydream to tune into Namjoon complaining still. He promptly decides to tune back out.
Glancing through the glass in the doors, he can see students hurrying along to class and slides off the desk and over to his own, where his English textbook and pencil case sit. Namjoon sees his movement and finally stops his rant, heading outside with a goodbye. Taehyung bursts in just in time to dump his textbooks and scuttle to his own desk before Mrs Lee and the rest of the students hurry in.
"Party?" Taehyung asks, Friday evening when they're sitting in Yoonji's bedroom. Being her boyfriend, he gets pride of place on the tatty sofa that she got cheap at a thrift shop, whilst Jimin is forced to balance precariously on the arm or sit on the creaky floorboards. Namjoon is at his own home, he needs to finish his presentation for Chemistry. Jimin’s not worried though, he’s already done it. He knows Taehyung will leave it until Sunday evening, the last minute.
Taehyung clicks a button on his controller and the enemy on screen dissipates, killed. Yoonji shoots him an appreciative grin and Jimin's mouth flattens into a line. He can't believe Taehyung landed a date years before all of them and at the same time, he can. Yoonji is just as nerdy as them, after all, even if she puts on this edgy persona. Jimin knows she could write a 10,000-word essay on the lore of Zelda, or quote the Pokédex or give a lecture on Minecraft. But she's still cool, the coolest girl in school.
"Yeah," Jimin says, eyes flicking away from the couple to the TV. "A party. Ajeong's party, it's tomorrow." He licks his lips, nervous suddenly. Jimin really wants to go to this party, he wants to let loose and have fun in his final year before college, as well as study well, not to mention Seokjin will be there. If Taehyung doesn’t want to go, he’s not sure he can muster the courage to go for himself.
"Tomorrow? Goddam, Jiminie, you should have said sooner!" Taehyung passes the single controller to Yoonji and she pauses the game. "We have to plan outfits! Maybe I should dye my hair…"
Jimin slides off the arm of the sofa to stand, hands on his hips. "So you're coming?" He asks, running a hand through his hair. "Thank goodness, I think Namjoon will bail on me." He cries, frustrated.
"He will," Yoonji says, dryly. "You know I love Joon, but he's a bit of a coward sometimes."
Tae pouts, stroking his girlfriend's cheek like he always does when trying to persuade her of something. "But if you ask him to come, he totally will."
"So?"
Taehyung gives her the puppy eyes. "Please,"
Yoonji gives in easily, too easily, as she always does. Taehyung's puppy eyes are the best persuasive technique there is. It works on Jimin most of the time, unless he physically closes his eyes to stop. That's that, then, Namjoon will also be coming to the party.
Yoonji runs a hand through Taehyung's brown hair, kissing his forehead gently. Internally, Jimin cringes at the PDA, but he has to admit they're cute. "You should dye your hair, baby." She says, sweetly, and unpauses the game, leaving Taehyung's character to die.
"Purple?" He asks. "Like in summer?"
Jimin scoffs. "Taehyung, there's no way school will allow that, maybe something more innocuous?"
Taehyung wrinkles his nose thinking it over, one eyebrow raised. "I think I'll go silver," he ponders aloud. His eyes fall on Jimin and light up, like a lightbulb in cartoons. "You should go blonde."
"What?" Jimin demands, hands still in his hair. It's dark black, darker than his natural, and he loves it. "I'm not going blonde! That'll fry my hair."
"Eh," Taehyung grins. "Only for a little bit. You'll look hot."
"Excuse me, I'm already hot," Jimin fake gasps, because he knows that's not what Taehyung meant. "I'm not dyeing it, Taehyung." He tells him firmly, knowing he won't budge. "But I'll help you do yours?"
Taehyung throws his arms around Jimin, giving him a kiss square on his forehead. Affection is a must with him and Jimin doesn't mind. "You're the best." He squeals, and it's at times like this Jimin realises why everyone thought Taehyung was the gay one, and not Jimin, until he came out and Taehyung started dating Yoongi. "I'll go get the hair dye."
"Wait, now?" Yoonji complains. But of course it will be. The party is tomorrow evening and dyed hair always looks better after a good night's sleep. Jimin follows him obediently to the bathroom.
It's Saturday afternoon and Jimin stands in front of his vanity, peering critically into the mirror. He's happy with his outfit, a slightly oversized faux-silk shirt tucked into dark jeans and highlighted with Jimin's favourite silver pendant necklace and matching earrings. He looks sexy. Maybe the other boys at the party will criticise him for being too fancy, or looking too much like a K-pop idol, but he couldn't care less. This is the kind of outfit that will catch Kim Seokjin's eye, he hopes.
Jimin brushes a stray hair back into the carefully crafted curl, revealing his forehead. He's thinking about doing a bit of eye makeup, but that will definitely incur teasing. Still, a smokey eye would look incredible.
He decides to video call Taehyung, his phone propped up against the mirror. Taehyung answers almost immediately, looking just as good himself with blonde hair, although his outfit is a much more casual shirt tucked into his favoured black trousers. Taehyung always looks effortlessly chic. Maybe it's the moles.
"Minie!" He calls, his voice slightly distorted by the crappy quality of Jimin's phone. "You look stunning!"
Jimin blushes, turning away from the camera for a brief second. He pauses, picking up his eyeshadow palette and showing it to Taehyung.
"Makeup?" He asks.
"Do you want to do makeup?" Taehyung prompts, resting his head on his hand. He appears to be sitting at his desk. Jimin wonders if he interrupted some homework. With how fast Taehyung answered, he expects it’s geography homework. The papers scattered on Taehyung’s desk say the same, although the mess of clothes on Jimin’s bed and the cracking blue paint reflected in the camera and the mirrors behind it stops him from scolding Taehyung for the mess.
"Yeah," Jimin says, knowing what Taehyung will say.
As expected, Taehyung tells him to do it. "If you want to, what's stopping you? Other's opinions? Whatever. You'll look great and we all know it."
"Stop," Jimin squeals, covering his face with his hands. He’s thankful he hasn’t actually applied any makeup yet or else it would have been turned into a large, dark smudge.
"What? It's an objective fact."
Jimin hangs up.
Taehyung’s grandma drops them off in front of Ajeong’s building and Jimin’s mouth drops open. He closes it quickly before he steps out, but he can’t help the awe in his eyes as he regards the high-rise in front of him. Knowing that Ajeong’s home is the top floor penthouse rubs it in further exactly how rich he is. Jimin wonders if Seokjin is the same.
Over by the wall, he can see Yoonji and a handful of girls he vaguely knows from the other classes. One of the girls, dressed in high heels that highlight the length of her legs, Jimin is jealous, reaches up to press the buzzer and the door is opened. Jimin follows them in, Taehyung dragging Namjoon by the wrist inside. They have to wait for the elevator to come back down. Even the buttons are fancy, lit up with little colour-changing LEDs. Jimin has to subdue the excitement he feels, he needs to be cool.
Taking a deep breath, Jimin exits the elevator and heads through Ajeong’s open door. He looks around the spacious apartment, now filled with high school students. There aren’t many decorations, just some string lights and light projectors here and there, bathing the room in neons and soft gold. Jimin’s not sure what to do first, does he get a drink or a snack or does he head right in?
He sees Ajeong from across the room, sitting on what’s no doubt a real leather couch. The football player frowns as he sees Jimin, Taehyung and Namjoon enter, but Seokjin says something to him and he relaxes. Jungkook, the new star of almost every sports team at the school, is there too and he beams at Seokjin. Jimin is surprised to see him, especially when this party’s main advertising point is alcohol. Everyone is underage, but Jungkook is even babier than them when most people here are at least, if not drinking age, adults. Jimin hopes he doesn’t drink. Although Jungkook is a beefy jock himself, the boy is all doe-eyed and innocent. He’s incredibly shy. He just feels like someone who would get drunk quickly and embarrassingly.
“Let’s get drinks,” Taehyung says, slinging an arm around Jimin’s shoulders. He tears his eyes away from the boys and turns to him, grinning.
“Sure,” he says, under the impression being tipsy will help this whole party be less awkward. As they move towards the drinks table, Jimin wonders if there will be drinking games. He’s always wanted to play spin the bottle. It’s something every teenager does in the movies, it feels like a rite of passage.
Jimin decides to go for the peach flavoured soju. He’s tried soju before, but never the flavoured stuff. The first sip is kind of gross and his throat burns, but after the second, the taste is nice. He takes the plastic cup and wanders towards the huddle of teenagers in a circle on the floor. Yoonji is already situated, though she appears to have only coke. It could be spiked though. Jimin’s heard that coke and vodka go well.
“How many points should we start off with?” Someone asks. Jimin recognises her as Jieun, a girl popular for her sheer kindness. The conversation goes back and forth for a bit, bickering over the game. Jimin turns to the boy next to him, Daegi and asks him what they’re playing.
“Never have I ever,” he answers easily and Jimin leans back. “Drinking version. Lose a life, take a sip.”
“We should do ten points,” Jieun decides eventually, and everyone nods, satisfied. Jimin’s excited, he’s always wanted to try drinking games, but as the game progresses, he only loses three lives and is one of the last ones standing.
“You’re boring,” Daegi complains, clearly drunk.
Jimin raises an eyebrow, his veins are buzzing and he can’t wipe the smile off his face. “But I won,”
Daegi claps him on the back and stands, stumbling off to the bathrooms. Almost immediately, his spot is filled by Kim Seokjin. Jimin beams at him and Seokjin smiles back.
“Thanks for inviting me,” Jimin says and Seokjin shakes his head, waving him off.
“I’m glad to see you here,” he says, words slurred slightly and eyes bright with joy and alcohol. Jimin is too caught up in staring at him to notice the girls leaving, as the boys heard them off for a boys-only game of truth or dare.
He’s not sure he wants to be part of this game but it’s too late for that, it would be awkward to up and leave. If he weren’t a little drunk, Jimin would be dreading this, but he is, and instead he feels a little blank.
And of course, they start with Jimin. He rolls his eyes and drains the rest of his nearly empty cup. “Truth,” he says, not quite drunk enough for a dare yet.
“Do you stare at us in the changing rooms?”
Jimin laughs, although his cheeks are hot. Is this the kind of thing they worry about? Because he’s gay? “I have standards,” Jimin quips, cheekily, biting his tongue. He gets a few laughs, but decides to answer more honestly anyway. After all, it’s a truth. “No, I don’t want to make anyone uncomfortable.”
They keep going around the circle, most people being asked about their crushes. Someone gets dared to order pizza, another boy has to kiss the guy to his left on the cheek. The screaming and fuss around that is wholly too much for the chaste gesture, Jimin thinks. Straight people.
When the circle comes back around to him, Jimin chooses truth again, having not been able to get up and get another soju for courage. He’s sure it will be something about his sexuality again, so typical of the boys in his high school. At the very least, they don’t bully him for it. They bully him for being a nerd and a teacher’s pet. Normal stuff.
Ajeong asks this time, maybe a little bit more malicious than the other boy, Jimin’s already forgotten who. “Do you think Seokjin is hot?”
Jimin bites his lip, watching Seokjin laugh next to him. The noise grates his ears, strangely akin to a windshield wiper, but to Jimin it’s endearing.
“Well,” Jimin turns back to face Ajeong, diagonal from him in the circle. “Isn’t that an objective fact?”
Seokjin cackles again, turning his head as if mimicking a model. “It’s true,” he says, although he’s definitely joking. “I’m handsome, you can’t say I’m not,”
“You are pretty hot,” Jungkook adds. He seems to have steered clear of alcohol because he looks and sounds very sober, although his eyes are still lit up with energy and excitement. “No homo.”
“Yeah,” Jimin adds with a giggle. “No homo.”
“But you are homo,” Ajeong complains, confused. Jimin sighs. Brawn and not brains, and yet also, not nice. Niceness, the one key ingredient that makes Seokjin so admirable and attractive.
Jimin snorts, annoyed but able to keep the humour in his tone. “Yeah, but I also have working eyes. And they see Seokjin and say damn! No gay heart involved. Just vision, no homo.” He winks at Seokjin who winks back. It makes Jimin’s heart do somersaults in his chest and his cheeks turn even redder, if that’s possible.
The game dissolves pretty quickly after that and Jimin wanders off to find Taehyung. He sees him and Yoonji making out in the corner and veers quickly away, eyes falling on Namjoon, who is sitting talking to Jungkook on the couch. Jimin doesn’t want to interrupt, so he just stands there awkwardly, nodding his head to the music.
“Hey Jimin,” a voice says behind him. It’s Seokjin, with two drinks in his hands. He passes one to Jimin, and Jimin, trusting him, takes it. It’s peach soju. Jimin wonders how he knew. Or maybe it was a lucky guess. “Did you know the first French fries weren’t cooked in France?”
Jimin frowns, confused. French fries aren’t even French, he wants to say, they’re American, but Seokjin continues.
“They were cooked in Greece!”
It takes Jimin a second to get the joke, but when he does he giggles and finds he can’t stop. Maybe it’s the alcohol. It’s so cheesy, like a dad joke, if Seokjin were a dad and not a high school student.
“Wah,” Seokjin exclaims, and Jimin can finally breathe again without giggling. “No one likes my jokes,” he ponders for a second, one finger to his chin. “Perhaps we should be better friends, I need a friend who laughs at my jokes.”
Jimin grins, wide and almost painful on his muscles. “I’d love to be your friend,” he giggles again, giddy.
Seokjin smiles back, not quite as wide but still excited. “Good! I need some friends as pretty as me,” he adds, ears turning pink. Jimin swears his heart stops beating for a second. “And you're very pretty Jiminie."
Jimin sort of blacks out after that. He's not sure what happens for a while, except that Namjoon's mum drives them all home and Jimin all but collapses into his bed, makeup still on. His skin will hate him for that in the morning, but he doesn't have time to dwell on it because he's already asleep.
In the morning, he wakes up with a mild headache and a throat dryer than the Sahara. He groans and stumbles to the bathroom, brushing his teeth even before he jumps in the shower, morning breath with alcohol is the worst taste in his mouth.
After the shower, Jimin feels a lot more awake, though his temple still throbs with a hangover. He scares himself in the mirror, finally noticing the smeared makeup all over his face.
Finally, when his skincare is done, Jimin grabs his phone, thankfully drunk him had enough sense to put in on charge, and heads downstairs for some breakfast and some painkillers. He sees he's got a text from Hoseok, his older brother.
Hobi:
I heard you went to a party last night
How's your first hangover? 😂
It's okay, actually. Jimin texts back, smiling wryly. I bet college party hangovers are worse.
Hobi:
!!!! everyone goes harder in college, you'll find out next year 👀
Jimin's reminded how close to the end he is, how close to entrance exams. It's terrifying, the thought of leaving his small world of school, the familiar place that has become comfortable over the past years, for the big new one of college. But he's excited too, really excited. He wants to study new subjects and make new friends and live in dorms. It helps that he knows Seokjin is applying to some of the same colleges as him like Konkuk, although for very different things. Jimin also knows he shouldn't focus on this small (read: giant) crush that's just the standard for high school life. He needn't worry where Seokjin is going unless something happens between them.
God, he wishes.
Jimin's fingers type faster than his brain can keep up, last night's party coming back to him
Seokjin called me pretty last night
Hobi:
Wah, maybe the crush isn't so hopeless after all ^^
he's right
Shut up! Jimin types back, annoyed by his older brother's teasing even over text.
Hobi:
You know you love me
Which is true, Jimin does. They've always been like this, like most siblings, he supposes.
Hobi:
What happened after?
Jimin doesn’t remember. His brain goes a little wild with possibilities; did he do something creepy to Seokjin? Did he pass out? Did he make a total embarrassment of himself? He has to stop and breathe, texting Namjoon to ask. Namjoon was sober the whole time, and Jimin trusts him way more than Taehyung to tell him straight up.
Namjoon:
uhhh you listened to Seokjin’s awful jokes for like half an hour. Then he went to talk to Ajeong and he kissed your hand, which made you freak, I think, and you came and asked to go home
I was talking to Jungkook, he’s a really sweet kid, but I was pretty sure that you were gonna cry and yoonji and tae would have sex if we stayed longer so i called my mum
Oh, so pretty embarrassing. Jimin hopes Seokjin’s memory is just as patchy as his.
He glances at his hand, cheeks suddenly heating up. Seokjin kissed his hand? Why? What does that mean? Jimin lets out a strange noise somewhere between a squeal and a sob and shoves the last of his breakfast in his mouth, heading back upstairs to his room.
It’s a few weeks later when the yearbook club holds their last meeting. Jimin has been on it forever, but Seokjin joined it when space opened up a few months ago and ever since yearbook has just been the best thing ever. But now, all they have left to do is choose the colour of the front cover and send everything off. Blue, red or black. Such a small choice to end such a big thing.
“I think blue,” Seokjin speaks up first. “It depends what shade though.”
Jimin blinks, biting his lip. “The shade is on the sheet, Seokjin-ssi,” he points out the little blue tile next to the writing.
“Oh yeah,” Seokjin says as if it wasn’t obvious to everyone else. He frowns a little. “I still think blue. Blue’s more peaceful than the others. Red and black feel angry and mean,”
A few people around the circle chuckle, but Jimin smiles softly. He understands what Seokjin is saying, and he’s technically not wrong, it is true to colour imagery. If these guys paid more attention in literature, maybe they’d get it.
“Blue’s also a sad colour,” Seokjin continues, ignoring the giggles, voice confident and unwavering. “I don’t know about most people, but while I’m excited to leave, I’m also sad.”
Wheein nods. “We’ve spent so long here, with all our classmates and teachers and we’ll miss it, even if we sort of hate it.”
"There are some people I'll miss more than others," Seokjin chuckles, his eyes on Jimin. Jimin looks away.
There’s a murmur of collective agreement and Jimin smiles, reaching over to the table for a pen. “So, blue?” He gets several nods and he ticks off the box, finalising it. And like that, another thing ends.
“Honestly, this is all beneath me, creatively,” Taehyung says as he sticks some more plastic flowers and craft store feathers to the banner. Despite what he’s saying, it looks good.
Jimin snorts, his own hands covered in paint. Of everyone gathered to help make supplies, he apparently has the best calligraphy, which is saying something, because Jimin’s is not good. It’s also not bad. He supposes that’s the best they can do without enlisting a teacher, although judging by their almost ineligible scrawls whenever he gets feedback, they may be even worse candidates.
“We’re making prom decorations,” he reminds Taehyung dryly. “Creatively, it’s beneath all of us.”
Taehyung groans, throwing his hands into the air as yet another flower falls off, the PVA glue not strong enough to hold it. “Why am I even putting flowers and feathers on it? It’s not like they have anything to do with the theme!” He pouts, holding a neon yellow feather up as if hoping it will turn into something a bit more beautiful.
Jimin laughs at his plight, carefully dipping his paintbrush into the paint and letting the excess drip back before he moves it to the sketched out characters.
“There is no theme,” he says, tracing the lines carefully, with some extra flourish here and there. “I don’t even know why we’re having a prom. We haven’t ever before. It’s so American. I’d prefer a graduation trip to Jeju any day.”
Taehyung sticks out his tongue, finally getting the flower to stay on. “Jeju is so cheesy. I go there every year with my grandparents every year,” He fiddles with a feather, trying to align it perfectly even though it’s already partially stuck down. “Still, a trip would be way better. I know Namjoon’s going to Jeju with his parents instead.”
Jimin hums, finishing off the character and moving onto the next. The letters are so much bigger than usual, especially compared to Jimin’s tiny handwriting, and his hand is not used to drawing them this size. It’s awkward, especially on his wrist.
“Have you got a date?” Taehyung asks. “Everyone’s doing the full American thing and asking dates to prom.”
Jimin gives him a pointed look. “Taehyung,” he reminds him slowly. “I’m literally the only gay guy in our year.”
Taehyung shrugs, but his eyes betray his forgetfulness. “You don’t know that. The only out gay, maybe. Anyway, you could go with a friend?”
Jimin bites his lip. “Well, you’re going with Yoonji,” he points out and Taehyung mumbles something he doesn’t quite catch and isn’t sure if he wants to. “And like you say, Namjoon will be away. So that leaves me with no one.”
“What about Wheein? That’s a gay/lesbian alliance right there,”
Jimin barely conceals his laugh and shakes his head. “You didn’t hear? She got together with Hwasa,” Taehyung gasps, clapping his hands together happily. “So they’ll probably go together.”
“Well,” Taehyung says, raising his eyebrows comically. Jimin already knows the suggestion will be stupid. “If Wheein can ask out her long time crush, why can’t you? I’m sure Seokjin wouldn’t mind going as friends if that doesn’t work out.”
“Are you kidding?” Jimin almost screeches. He quiets his voice when some of the other groups, working on balloon arrangements and the photo backdrop, look up. “No way. He’s probably going with Jieun or some other girl. Seokjin isn’t into me and we’re not even that close!”
“You wish,” Taehyung teases and Jimin rolls his eyes.
“Maybe I do, but it’s a daydream that won’t become reality.”
“Wow, that’s poetic for a coward,” he retorts, sticking his tongue out. “Besides, Seokjin called you pretty at the party,”
Jimin blushes and waves his hands in protest. It doesn’t deter Taehyung though.
“He kissed your hand,” he adds, as though whatever point he’s trying to make is obvious.
“Yeah, but-”
“And he escorted you to class and held your hand all the way,”
“He’s nice like that, but again-”
“And,” Taehyung says with extra emphasis, slamming a sticker onto the paper with dramatic flare. “He literally said that you were his ideal man.” He jabs a finger in Jimin’s direction.
“Yeah, if he wasn’t straight-” Jimin protests, having put the paintbrush down long ago.
Taehyung makes a noise of contained frustration. “Which he obviously isn’t. He didn’t even preface that with a good ol’ “no homo”, he just told you that. God, you’re as dumb as him sometimes!”
Jimin frowns, his lower lip jutted out in almost a pout. “Seokjin’s not dumb,” a look from Taehyung silences him. “Okay, maybe he can be. And you know,” he sighs, picking up his paintbrush again. “I’d love for it to be true, that he is into me, but I can’t believe that fully, y’know? And I don’t want to be the one to ask or confess, because if he isn’t into me, I don’t want to be the creepy gay one,” Taehyung opens his mouth to interrupt. “No, you know they’d paint me like that like they’re always trying to do. I don’t want to end high school like that. I’d rather have an okay prom and a hidden crush that will disappear eventually, than that.”
Taehyung doesn’t say anything for a while. Instead, they work in silence until the banner is almost done.
“So,” Taehyung begins, “What are you gonna wear? I’ll obviously have to match with Yoonji and I know she’ll want to wear black, but maybe I can wear a red suit? And have black jewellery? And she can have red touches? That’s edgy enough for her, right?”
Jimin is glad the school rented out a hall. It’s much nicer than the school gym. He’s also glad to see none of their homemade decorations are on the outside, visible to the general public. Instead, there’s a printed banner with the school’s name and ‘prom’ hanging above the black glass of the double doors. He takes a breath and heads into the hall.
There aren’t many people here yet, but Jimin can see Taehyung and Yoonji in the corner, dressed in complementary black and red. Yoonji’s hair is styled in a fancy updo, with flowers. Jimin has never seen her so dressed up. Even her usually sharp eyeliner is turned down a little, but Jimin’s glad her makeup is pretty much the same as usual. It’s her. She shouldn’t betray that for prom.
Slowly, the hall fills up and music starts playing from overhead speakers. Jimin stands in the corner by the bathrooms and watches the pairs arrive. As he thought, Seokjin arrives with Jieun. It makes his heart sink, no matter how hard he tries to ignore it. Seokjin looks so handsome in a black suit with a pale pink shirt underneath. Jimin knows he loves pink, but it also matches with Jieun’s dress more outright than others who only match their bowties. The thought makes him feel even sicker and he has to turn away.
The headmistress goes up onto the tiny stage that the DJ inhabits and speaks into the microphone, welcoming them all. Jimin’s not really paying attention, it’s more like white noise. She gives a shout out to the yearbook committee and Jimin gets a few looks and sends his best appreciative smile back, but then he melds seamlessly into the crowd again. They can collect their yearbooks on one side of the stage, but he’ll leave that for the end like most would. The books would have been given out in school but the shipments had come in late. He’s glad they get them at least, they spent a lot of time on that.
When the music comes back on, Jimin decides to move over to the refreshments and at least get himself a cola and a snack. The kimbap looks good. He pinches one and is about to take a bite when a drink spills all over his white shirt.
Jimin is frozen, the liquid cold against his skin, and sticky. He doesn’t know what to do, but he knows one thing; Ajeong did this on purpose. Jimin clenches his fists, the kimbap somewhere on the polished floors, and bites his lip to keep from cursing him out.
“Why?” He asks, with as much calmness as he can muster, but Ajeong just laughs, and really, Jimin should’ve known better. Just because he went to Ajeong’s party and is friendly with Seokjin and maybe Jungkook at this point doesn’t mean the twat will treat him any better. He’s always been there tripping Jimin up, stealing his pencil case and his books and tackling him without reason in PE. Jimin drops his fists, some tentative peace setting over him. They always say your veins get hot with anger, but Jimin feels cold.
“What the hell?” Seokjin demands of Ajeong and Jimin’s sure that he’ll call him out like the nice guy Seokjin is, but he really doesn’t want to stick around. Instead, Jimin walks calmly over to the stairs that lead to the rooftop garden.
There’s no one here yet, just Jimin and the cool Seoul wind, the sound of traffic below. He looks around, taking in the green space, plants and climbing flowers and the fairy lights and day beds, chairs. He doesn’t take them, instead opting to stand, peering past the flower boxes on the other side of the railing and into the city. His shirt is still drenched and stuck to him, but his brain isn’t functioning right now, and it’s not like he could take it off. It’s too cold and he doesn’t have another.
Eventually, when he feels capable of feeling again, Jimin sits down on the fake lawn and takes out his phone, deciding to text Namjoon about how much prom sucks and he wishes he was with him in Jeju instead, but before he can open up their chat, the tears come. He feels so pathetic, like this shouldn’t be a big deal, but he just wanted a peaceful night to say goodbye to school and have fun. Not this Carri bullshit, not that he’s embarrassed enough to be murderous. Still, he’s embarrassed.
By the time he can quell his tears and has used his pocket square to wipe away his smeared makeup the best he can with the help of his phone camera, an hour has passed. Jimin imagines all the couples downstairs, dancing together, maybe to a slow song. Taehyung will be grinning at Yoonji who will roll her eyes but love it really. Seokjin and Jieun will be dancing, probably. Jimin wonders if they’ll get together by the end of the night. Who will kiss who? He doesn’t want to imagine it, but he does with a sort of morbid curiosity. They’d be a true power couple, he thinks. They’d be good together.
Someone opens the door and comes onto the roof. Jimin doesn’t turn to see who it is, he could care less. It’s probably Taehyung, noticing he’s not there and coming to find him, but instead, the voice behind him is clearly Seokjin.
“They’re so fucking annoying,” he mutters to himself. “I hate this,” he sighs and comes towards Jimin. “Jiminie?”
Jimin turns to face him but doesn’t say anything. He thinks Seokjin can see it, the pain and hesitation in his eyes, because he comes right in to sit next to Jimin, bringing him in for a hug. At first, he freezes, tense, but he soon relaxes into the hug when it’s clear Seokjin means it.
“I’m so sorry they did that to you,” Seokjin apologises, kissing the top of Jimin’s head.
“It’s not your fault,” Jimin tries to reassure him, but Seokjin is already shaking his head.
“No, no, I should have at least helped or come up here earlier to help, but Jieun wanted to dance and Ajeong was blocking my way…” he trails off, frustrated. “I should’ve tried harder, but I just gave into them.”
Jimin pulls away, but Seokjin grabs his hand, squeezing it tightly. “You’re here now,” he says. “Thank you.”
Seokjin meets his eyes, fond. He squeezes Jimin’s hand again and reaches out to fix a stray hair. The gesture is so tender and romantic it makes Jimin freeze up again. Seokjin has done things like this before, but when his hand comes to rest on Jimin’s cheek, something feels different.
Seokjin pulls his hand away as if confused by his own action. His confidence falters slightly and he shakes his head to himself. “Jieun tried to kiss me, that was the last straw,” he laughs, but it’s not humorous, more bitter. “I don’t want to kiss her,” he confesses to Jimin like it’s a secret between the two of them.
Jimin’s heart, so hopeful moments ago, drops in his chest again. “What? Why did you take her as a date to prom then?”
“She asked and I didn’t want to be mean and say no,” Seokjin shrugs as if that’s common sense. He’s so oblivious it makes Jimin laugh.
“Jin,” he giggles, maybe a bit hysterical from all the drama. “She asked you because she has a crush on you! Almost all the girls do! Of course she’d want to kiss you.”
Seokjin looks like this is a revelation to him, his eyes widening, lips parting and confusion evident. “Really? But I don’t want to kiss them,”
Jimin blinks at him, still smiling. The hope is back. “What do you mean? Surely there’s some girl you like?” Please, he thinks to himself, please let there not be.
“No, not really. I mean Jieun is the least I’d mind, but I still don’t like her like that,” Seokjin sighs, running a hand through his hair and fiddling with his blazer button. “Actually, I do like someone,”
Jimin freezes, his breath caught in his throat. He wants to know, but does he? He wants to be hopeful, but is that founded?
“It’s just, I’ve never felt this way before. I mean, I had a crush on Sangmi in first year, but this is different because now the person I like is a guy. I didn’t know I was into guys, but I guess I’m into him.” He chuckles sheepishly, looking up from the fake grass and straight into Jimin’s eyes with such intensity that he’d forget to breathe if he hadn’t already. “I didn’t want to kiss Jieun because I want to kiss you.”
Jimin feels tears well in his eyes, but he’s not really sure why they’re there. Seokjin’s words hit with less force than he thought they would. He thought he’d be struck dumb, but instead, some anxiety settles within him. This feels right.
“Oh,” Jimin manages. “I’d really like that.”
“You would?” Seokjin seems surprised, but relieved and grateful all at once. Jimin would know because his heart is in a similar state. “Okay.”
Before he can process it, Seokjin is leaning in and their lips are pressed together. It’s so soft and tender and gentle, the way their mouths move against each other. Jimin’s heart pounds in his ears and when they pull apart he starts giggling again.
“Oh my god,” Jimin grins. “My crush likes me back!” Seokjin smiles even wider and laughs too, although he notices the tears spilling from Jimin’s eyes before he does. Happy tears, Jimin realises as Seokjin wipes them away. This has been an emotional evening.
“Alright,” Seokjin says, once Jimin has calmed down. Their hands are intertwined where they rest on the ground, but Seokjin detaches them, reaching to unbutton Jimin’s blazer. “I have an idea. If you take your shirt off, you could wear your blazer buttoned over the top? Then you won’t have this god awful stain.”
Jimin’s cheeks flush pink, but he does what Seokjin says, taking off his shirt and exposing his chest to the cold of the Seoul night. He doesn’t miss the appreciative glance Seokjin lets himself have, but rather than be embarrassed, he feels confident. He looks good. Seokjin thinks so too. He tries his blazer on by itself, but it doesn’t cover as much as he would like. This is a school dance after all. Without a word, Seokjin sheds his own blazer, helping Jimin slip his arms through it. It’s much bigger, especially with Seokjin’s broad, muscular shoulders, and so Jimin is swallowed by it. After he does the buttons up, it still hangs loose and Seokjin frowns.
“What if you wore your cummerbund over it?” Seokjin suggests and Jimin complies quietly again as Seokjin stands, wandering over to one of the flower beds. It fits much better, tighter around his waist and leaving most of his chest to the imagination. Jimin is satisfied with it, and he kind of loves the way the sleeves cover his hands, so he doesn’t bother folding them in or rolling them up. He feels cute like he’s wearing his boyfriends’ clothes. And maybe, he realises, he is. He just has to ask.
Seokjin comes back with two pink flowers, still blooming under the bright lights up here. He tucks one into his shirt collar and the other into Jimin’s hair. “Pretty,” he whispers and Jimin blushes under his touch. He offers his hand and Jimin takes it, laughing giddily when he presses a kiss to the back of it as if Jimin is a princess.
“Would you like to be my prom date?” Seokjin asks and Jimin can feel his fingers trembling.
“Of course,” Jimin agrees easily, a teasing glint in his eyes. “If I can be your actual date too.”
Seokjin stares at him again, leaning forward until their faces are impossibly close. “Yah, we kissed on the first date, is that not enough for you?” He teases back. But then he closes the gap, pressing a chaste kiss to Jimin’s lips. “I’d love to call you my boyfriend.”
When they are back down in the hall, holding hands, Jimin spots Taehyung, who raises an eyebrow, as if to say “I told you so,” but Jimin ignores him instead, letting Seokjin lead him to the dance floor.
“May I have this dance?” he asks and Jimin giggles at his ridiculousness, taking his other hand as a yes. They’re lucky it’s a slow song, really. But even after the first, they keep dancing, more and more, until they’re one of the only couples on the dance floor. A couple. Jimin is still giddy with that thought.
As they sway together to the final song of the night, all Jimin can feel is happiness. Maybe, maybe he was the nerdy girl in the teen movie after all.