* * * * *

Some of his friends, though, were a little too helpful for Jimin’s liking.

“So, are you coming on Friday?” chipped Hoseok cheerfully, catching up to Jimin who was on his way to a particularly boring History lecture.

Jimin had a feeling he knew where this was going. He sighed. “Am I coming where on Friday?”

Hoseok’s smile got even wider. “You know. Dance practice.”

Jimin rolled his eyes. “In case you didn’t notice, I quit a month ago, Hoseok.”

“Doesn’t mean you shouldn’t come on Friday~”

 “I’m assuming he’s gonna be there?” Sometimes it was hard to even say Jungkook’s name.

“Yup!” – Jimin made a face –“What? I’m only trying to help!”

Jimin started walking faster, but Hoseok was catching up with no trouble. Damn those long legs. “Why are you so obsessed with my love life anyways?”

“Uhm, does running away from Jungkook count as a love life?”

Jimin tried to hit him, but Hoseok just dodged and laughed. Honestly, Jimin could never quite decide if Hoseok was cute or annoying. Or maybe a bit of both.

Hoseok’s proposal was quite tempting though. and Jimin eventually gave in. Jimin did miss dancing . It was one of the few things he considered himself good at. He missed the boiling room with barely functional windows, the haphazard screech of a dozen sneakers against the floor, and even Hoseok’s obnoxiously cheerful leadership.

 “O-kay! Great! You’re doing great guys! But let’s try that one more time, ‘kay? Three- two- one-!”

The dance class was only starting, yet Jimin already felt exhausted. His legs were heavy and clumsy. His month-long hiatus was taking its toll.

“All right! That was better, a lot better! But one more time, okay?”

Either Jimin was going crazy, or Hoseok had already said one more time ten times already. He sighed. As cheerful as Hoseok was, he was damn demanding.

“He’s so nice, but sometimes I really wanna punch his face.” whispered someone behind him, voicing Jimin’s thoughts. Jimin was already chuckling before realizing whose voice it was.

As if scorched by fire, Jimin spun around. Right at that moment, Hoseok announced a break, and Jungkook grinned at Jimin before striding to the benches and grabbing a bottle of water.

“Glad you decided to come back,” said Jungkook. He chuckled. “Although you are a little rusty.”

“Don’t be mean, Jungkookie~” sang Hoseok, joining them and wiping his face with the towel around his shoulders. “He didn’t practice for a while. He’ll be back in shape in no time!”

Jungkookie? thought Jimin, a pang of jealousy slashing across his chest. Since when are Hoseok and Jungkook so close? Then, Jimin had to remind himself he really had no right to feel jealous. Jungkook wasn’t his. And Hoseok was clearly just being his usual friendly self.

After the practice was finally over, Jimin felt as though his legs might give in at any moment. They headed to the changing rooms, and Jimin suddenly had an idea.

Pretending he was busy rummaging through his bag, he tried to sneak a look at Jungkook, who was now only in his underwear. It was hard not to get distracted by his slim but muscular body, but Jimin was looking for something (arguably) more important than abs. A name.

He even risked staring at him longer than was probably wise, turning back around only when Jungkook got dangerously close to noticing. But still, no matter how long he searched (and how hot and flushed his face was getting), he could not see any inscription at all. Jungkook’s milky white skin was clear and unmarked, with only an occasional mole and a thing on his thigh that looked like a childhood scar.

When Jungkook finally deigned to put on some clothes, Jimin felt his stomach drop.

Well, that was that. I’m not his soulmate. Great.

He didn’t even feel sad – just completely and terribly empty. It was worse than sadness. It hurt like hell.

Grabbing his stuff without really noticing what he was doing, Jimin was just about to storm out (and probably start crying as soon as he was alone) when someone grabbed his hand. Getting ready to punch Hoseok in the face just to feel a bit better, Jimin spun around and was halfway into a punch when he realized it wasn’t Hoseok he was about to facesmash.

Jungkook blinked at him in shock.

“I, uhm, sorry.” said Jimin, pondering whether to just run for it. He really wasn’t in the mood to talk to Jungkook now. Or ever again.

It’s not me. I’m not his soulmate. Maybe no one is. So what’s the point?

“Can I ask you something?”

Jungkook didn’t wait for an answer.

“Wanna come here and practice tomorrow? You know, to get back into shape. The room should be free.”

Jimin just didn’t get it. It’s not me, he wanted to yell at him. I’m not your soulmate - and you know that! So why are you trying so hard to get close to me??

He mumbled something without even noticing what he was saying, quickly muttering goodbye and practically running away, down the hallway and out of the building. He would usually walk back to their rooms with Hoseok, but he really needed to be alone right now.

He wandered around for a while, half-running, even though his legs were already dead tired from the dance class. Finally he collapsed onto a bench. It was getting dark.

His phone started beeping frantically.

JImin are you okay

You seemed weird, did Jungkook say something?

Jimin

JIMIN

Where are you??

What happened??

JIMIN

Listen, I need to talk to you

Jimin I REALLY NEED TO TALK TO YOU

However, Hoseok was the last person Jimin wanted to talk to right now (okay, except maybe Jungkook).

Speak of the devil.

Hey, Jimin? U okay? U looked a bit upset back there.

“How the did he even get my number?” muttered Jimin out loud.

Right at that moment, Hoseok called. After a moment of internal debate, Jimin hung up.

Without a doubt, Jimin thought, Hoseok would try to reassure him. He’d tell him he was wrong. He’d say that Jimin might have missed the name. Maybe it was really small. Or it was in a place that was hard to see, like Jungkook’s elbow crease or something.

But, although Hoseok’s suggestions might make sense, they would not be able to cast away Jimin’s doubt. Since day one, Jimin was sure, without really having proof, that Jungkook didn’t have Jimin’s name on him. And it was tearing him apart. He’d distract himself during the day, but at night, more than once he fell asleep sobbing.

Maybe it’s because I have so many marks, thought Jimin, fingers curling aimlessly around the edge of the bench as darkness fell and the streetlights tentatively flickered on. Maybe because I have so many marks, I feel everything related to him 23 times more strongly that a normal person would. It's like everything is somehow... magnified. That’s why I felt so drawn to him as soon as I saw him. That’s why I felt so anxious when I couldn’t figure out if he had my name or not. And that’s why, even though I barely knew him, I feel so devastated now.

A soft rain started falling, and then it was no longer important whether Jimin was crying or it was just raindrops sliding down his face.

* * * * *