As soon as the deafening bell echoed in the school, the students rushed in the class rushed out at the same time, for their recess. Sooyeon looked at the scattered students, clueless on what was happening.

“It’s recess time. Want to go to the canteen together?”

Sooyeon turned to the Hyojin who was already standing by her table. Sooyeon stuttered for a while, not sure about what she should say. Jimin said he would accompany her during the recess time that earlier morning.

“It’s okay. She’s going with me.”

The sudden voice cause the both of them to turn at Jimin who was standing by Sooyeon’s table. Sooyeon then turned back to Hyojin, only to find her staring at Jimin with an unreadable expression.

“Sorry. Thanks, anyway.”

Sooyeon sent her a smile before she stood up. Jimin casually put his arm around her neck and walked away, leaving Hyojin alone in the class. Hyojin’s gaze followed them until they got out from the class. A thousand questions filled her mind. How can Jimin and the new girl became so close? What was going on between them? What was their relationship? She couldn’t help but to envy the girl. Hyojin was one of the hottest girls in school yet Jimin didn’t even lay an eye on her. She had liked him since she first entered this school, but Jimin seemed like he didn’t even notice her existance. She rejected so many guys that confessed to her, just because of him. She wanted to confess, but she was too afraid. It didn’t take a genius to know that Jimin was not interested in her. Or even other girls. He rarely interacted with opposite gender, except for school work or project. Seeing him having physical contact with Sooyeon really surprised her, and it hurt her too.

***

Jimin pulled her through the crowd in the canteen, straight to the table where Jungkook was at. Jimin sat down and tapped the chair beside him.

“Sit here.”

Sooyeon sat down with hesistant as Jungkook just stared at her while munching on his food.

“What did you buy?”

Jimin asked Jungkook while he fiddled with the plastic bag.

“Sandwiches. That was all I can grab.”

Jimin suddenly handed her a wrapped sandwich, and she took it slowly.

“Thank you Jungkook. For buying this.”

Jungkook almost chocked when she talked to him, and he didn’t know why.

“Ah.. it’s nothing.”

He answered clumsily before reaching for the mineral bottle.

“Sooyeon, you’re my cousin, right?”

Sooyeon eyed him, feeling weird at his question. But she nodded, nonetheless. Actually, she didn't sure with her answer. Well, they were not real cousin, but they were practically were, right?

Jimin then looked at Jungkook who was staring at her, looking surprised.

“Told you I’m not lying.”

“Yeah.. whatever.”

"But we're not real cousin."

Sooyeon' words confused Jungkook. He didn't know what was that supposed to mean.

"I'm adopted."

Jungkook stared her, surprised. Jungkook turned to Jimin and he nodded. 

“We lived together.”

This time, Jungkook chocked, for real. He helplessly slapped his chest as his eyes started to become teary. Sooyeon panickly handed the mineral bottle to him. He grabbed it and gobbled it down. After finishing the water, he put in on the table and took a deep breath.

“Yah.. Your reaction is the best. Are you that surpised?”

Jungkook glared him, still panting from the incident.

“Is that true?”

Jimin noddded with lifted eyebrows, as if he was proud with the fact.

“My parent’s dead. So I stayed with his family. They’re my only relative.”

Sooyeon stated calmly, trying to erase all the bad thought in Jungkook’s mind and cleared thing up. Jimin turned to her and studied her expresssion, worried that she might be sad talking about her parent. But she seemed fine. He unconciously smiled, glad that Sooyeon could handle her feelings better.

“Ah...”

Jungkook was only able to respond with that at her statement. He was really surprised hearing Sooyeon said her parent died. She sure had been through a really tough time.

***

Jimin stared the the teacher who was teaching in front of the class, but he was not listening. He really wanted to study and scored academically, but studying was extremely boring for him. He couldn’t find anything interesting about it.

“Jungkook, let’s play baskeetbal this evening.”

Jimin asked with his eyes stil on the teacher. Hearing no response from Jungkook, he turned to hm, only to find him staring at his left side. He leaned closer to him and followed his gaze, and his guts was right. He was looking at Sooyeon. That girl, however, didn’t notice as she was extremely focused jotting down what the teacher said. Jungkook was so immersed that he didn’t realise Jimin already noticed what was he up too. Jimin lightly pushed his head which was supported ny his arm. With that little amount of force, his head slipped from his palm. Jungkook immeadiiately turned to Jimin who was glaring at him.

“What are you doing?”

Jungkook scrathed his head while looking away, avoiding eye contact.

“What?”

“Why are you staring her like that?”

Jungkook huffed in annoyance before leaning back.

“So what? You’re her boyfriend??”

“I’m her guardian.”

Jungkook scoffed at Jimin’s words.

“Guardian? The heck was that supposed to mean?”

Jimin leaned closer to Jungkook, as if he was relly threatening him.

“It means, you have to have my permission to do anything with her.”

Jungkook stared the boy in disbelief. He thought he was joking, but his face showed that he was serious.

“Are you serious?”

Jimin nodded without hesistant.

“I need your permission to look at her?”

Again, Jimin nodded with a serious expression. Jungkook scoffed in disbelief.

“Yah, you’re not her dad.”

“I’m her cousin.”

“That doesn’t give you the right to do this.”

“Jeon Jungkook. She had been through a lot. I need to protect her.”

“That’s not how to protect someone.”

Jimin slapped Jungkook’s chest and Jungkook flinched in pain.

“Ouch! What the f..”

“Stop talking already. I’m not talking about this anymore.”

“It’s hurt!”

Jimin ruffled Jungkook’s hair with a wide grin.

“Sorry~”

He giggled when Jungkook threathen to hit him.

“Yah, let’s play basketball today.”

“With who?”

“Me.”

“No one else?”

“Why need someone else? There’s me..”

“Ahh.. it’s going to be soooo boring..”

“I’m going to invite Sooyeon.”

Jungkook eyes instantly beamed at hearing her name.

“For real?”

Jimin sent him a death glare.

“Ayy.. this kid..”

Jimin mumbled those words to himself but Jungkook could still hear it. Jungkook’s lips unconciously arched into a smile. He felt excited, for some reason. He then turned to her again, she was still focused on the teaching lesson.