“We need to do that again,” you spoke, slightly out of breath with your hands on your hips. The sun was just beginning to rise behind you as you stood next to Jungkook near where you were last night with Namjoon. You and Jungkook had agreed yesterday to meet early to get some practice in before you had to leave for campus again. You had found a flat area next to the lake and had suggested the spot since it was far enough to not disturb the others with your noise. Plus the view was glorious and you were hoping it would calm you. 

Unfortunately, it didn’t succeed. You were stressed. 

“We’ve done it eight times already. I think we got it,” Jungkook said and took a sip of his water. You couldn’t tell if it was from being tired, stressed, or annoyed with your boyfriend that you were so frustrated with the littlest things. You had been practicing with Jungkook for already thirty minutes with no stops, but you still weren’t satisfied with anything. 

“It isn’t good enough. Mrs. Seung will be nitpicking everything,” you replied and reached for his phone to play the music again. He was quicker, though, and snatched the phone and raised it above his head. You reached up quickly, trying to grab it before it got out of your reach. Unfortunately, he was faster and you stood there like a child with their arm up on their tip-toes.

You dropped your arm with a huff and glared at him. Why do tall people do this to short people? They are abusing their powers. “We don’t have enough time to be playing games, Jungkook.”

“What happened to Koo?” He asked, teasingly, his hand still raised.

“You only get called that when you’re being good.”

“I am being good. We need a break. I’m helping,” he said and stepped away from you. He put out his other arm when you followed him. “No, no, Y/N. We’re taking a ten-minute break.”

“Five,” you argued, knowing that you weren’t going to win. He chuckled and nodded.

“Okay, five minutes.”

You grabbed your water bottle and took a drink, watching him as you did so. He simply smiled at you, slowly lowering his arm and checking something on his phone.

“Have you been enjoying yourself?” You asked as silence loomed over you both. He peeked up from his phone.

“Anything is better than staying in the dorms,” he said, typing something then sliding his phone in the pockets of his sweats.

“True, but how do you like the cabin?” You reached up and fixed your ponytail as you spoke.

“It’s spacious. Taehyung wouldn’t stop gushing about it last night,” he said with a small laugh. “I can’t blame him, though. It’s impressive.”

You hummed in agreement and averted your attention to the water. In the morning light, the water wasn’t as spooky. You sat silently, allowing your breath to ease, and your body to relax. You didn’t stay there long, though, standing up after a few moments. 

Five minutes had surely passed and it was time to get started again. You needed more time to get your mind off of everything. Simply staring at the water was nice, but it didn’t stop your thoughts. Could anything stop your thoughts? You hated the feeling in your chest. The feeling of regret, pride, stubbornness, disappointment all mixed together.

“We have a minute left,” Jungkook said when you started to reach for his phone again. You looked up at him and stared at him.

“It’s close enough. Let’s get going,” you grabbed for his phone again but he stopped you with his other hand on your wrist. His grip was gentle but firm enough to hold you in place.

“Our routine is stellar. You’re just being picky,” he said, half teasing you while keeping his hand on you. You glanced down at his hand on you. Your skin underneath was heating from his stilled hand. Goosebumps raced up your arm and you suddenly wondered if Jimin’s skin reacted the same when Yun Hee touched him.

“It’s been five minutes now,” Jungkook said gently, interrupting your thoughts. He let go of your wrist and started the music. Your wrist grew cold from the lack of heat and you suddenly missed it. The feeling of his strong fingers wrapped around your wrist. Oddly, you wished it was Jimin’s hands instead. 

You both spent the next two hours practicing and perfecting the routine, focusing on the new partner section since that was the newest addition. Although you had a lot on your mind, it helped fuel your motivation. If you were focused on the routine, you weren’t focused on the other issues. Unlike before in class, you didn’t let those thoughts cloud your mind. You found a safe place while you danced with Jungkook. Despite your limbs feeling sore, you didn’t want to stop. You knew if you did, those thoughts would come flooding in. However, Jungkook was growing tired and insisted you both call it a day for practice since you were already planning to practice later tonight on campus. You couldn’t wait for this midterm to be over tomorrow.

You couldn’t deny the sadness that loomed over you as you helped make breakfast with everyone. Jimin would move toward you, looking as if he was going to tell you something, but retreated after a few seconds of hesitation.

You were being petty. You knew it, but your pride held you back from talking to him. You wanted to talk through this, Tae’s words eating away at you, but you couldn’t help the frustration that came with the thoughts of him and Yun Hee. You were also worried that you wouldn’t be able to talk civilly to him. The mere thought of them infuriated you and you were sure you were going to explode and say things you didn’t mean.

You spent the rest of the morning and the ride back to campus lost in your thoughts. You tried to interact with others, but you couldn’t focus and gave up. Your friends grew worried, trying to talk to you, but ended up leaving you to the mayhem inside your mind when you brushed them off. Were you being selfish for being secluded in your own world? Probably. Were you overreacting? Probably. You knew what you needed to do and you planned to it up and talk to Jimin. It’s been too long since you heard his voice directed to you. Been too long since he called you baby or jagiya, hearing his Busan dialect slip and making your heart flip at the sound of it. Been too long since his hands were on you and his lips pressing against yours.

You would be lying if you didn’t admit that part of you were waiting for Jimin to make the first move. However, he hasn’t, and you wondered if he ever would or if you two would drift away to the point a verbal breakup wasn’t necessary. You two would just know. You hoped it wouldn’t come to that. Although it would tear you apart, you needed the verbal confirmation. You needed the closure that came with it. Sometimes you felt breaking up would be the easiest solution. However, the feeling that came with the thought of it made you falter. The way your heart tightened and your breathing stopped when you imagined a life without Jimin.

You knew you had to do something to fix this.

With this in mind, you were walking down the various dance practice rooms. You had gone to Jimin’s dorm but were greeted by Taehyung and him alone. He had told you Jimin had just left a few minutes ago to practice with Yun Hee. The feeling of envy erupted in your chest but you choked it down. If you succumb to that feeling, this cycle would never end. Plus, you were going to practice with Jungkook soon. You needed to stop these hypocritical thoughts. 

The hallway felt as if it was never-ending. Your feet dragged along the hardwood, passing several empty rooms. When you got to a closed door, you peeked into the small window on the door, moving onto the next when you didn’t see Jimin or Yun Hee. After checking two other rooms, you finally spotted your boyfriend. Your hand was on the door handle, ready to push it open when Jimin pulled Yun Hee against his chest. You could hear the faint sound of music from the room but it wasn’t clear enough to tell if it was the routine’s song. Was this part of their choreography?

You were frozen as you watched Yun Hee’s lips curl up into a smile, pressing her hands against his chest and slowly moving them up until they were wrapped around Jimin’s neck. Jimin was staring down at her. He wasn’t smiling at first but after Yun Hee spoke, he grinned. They spoke for a few more minutes, though it felt like years before Yun Hee moved a hand to caress his face and started to lean forward. Was this really happening? Your heart was racing as you watched the two of them. You wanted to shove the door open. You wanted them to know they were caught. You wanted Jimin to know he had hurt you. Though you did none of those actions. You simply stared, wide-eyed becoming blurry, as you watched in slow motion as she leaned toward Jimin. Before you could catch their faces getting any closer, a hand was set on your shoulder. You jumped, quickly turning and moving away from the door.

Jungkook stared at you, a mixture of confusion and happiness in his eyes.

“I didn’t think we were going to meet until thirty minutes?” He asked. He was happy to see you but was perplexed at your early appearance.

“Oh, I,” you stuttered. You didn’t want him to know you had just caught your boyfriend with another girl in his arms. “I figured I should practice by myself so I was ready for our practice.”

He chuckled, eyes raising to view into the room you were looking into, but you quickly grabbed his hand and moved him away. 

“But since you’re here, let’s start early,” you said quickly and pushed him down the hall.

“Wha-?” He started but let you move him anyway. “Okay,” he said slowly, giving in to your shoves and glancing at you before heading toward an empty room on his own.

You wanted to follow Jungkook without a second glance, but you couldn’t stop your eyes from wandering into the room again. Jimin and Yun Hee were no longer in each other’s embrace. They had moved to grab their water and appeared to be taking a break. Letting out a sigh, you turned and made your way to Jungkook. If you were gone for too long, he’d come looking for you. 

“Did you have anything specific you wanted to focus on today?” Jungkook asked when you entered the room. You realized you didn’t come with your bag and wouldn’t have anything to drink. Remembering Yoongi was going to come with Hoseok later, you quickly sent a message to him asking for a bottle of water. 

“Oh, uh, I was just hoping to review the details to ensure our movements are precise,” you said while typing out your message to Yoongi.

“That sounds good,” he paused. “I was hoping we could also just sit and talk for a bit.”

You glanced up at him with a raised eyebrow. “Koo, you know our presentation is tomorrow. We don’t have much time to spare.”

“I understand, but we haven’t had the chance to get to know each other,” Jungkook said, a little nervous you wouldn’t agree.

“What does that have to do with our routine?” You asked and instantly frowned when you realized how that might have come off. If Jungkook was upset, he didn’t show it.

“We lack emotion, remember?” He replied. “I thought since we’re early, we can use this time to build that connection then we can have Hobi hyung and Yoongi critique us.”

You thought for a second, taking in his words and assessing the situation. Having the presentation tomorrow was making you anxious and all you wanted to do was practice until it was perfect. However, in order for it to be perfect, you needed the emotional appeal. Sighing in defeat, you nodded and laid on the floor. You moved an arm to rest over your eyes to block out the light. You waited while you listened to Jungkook shuffle across the floor before you heard a soft click, the lights in the room turning off. A small smile of satisfaction formed on your lips, but you kept your arm covering your face– too lazy to move it.

“What did you want to talk about?” You asked, feeling Jungkook lay down next to you. Although he wasn’t touching you, he was close enough for you to feel his body heat.

He hummed as he thought. “Why did you major in dance? I know people consider it a useless degree.”

You stayed silent for a moment as you tried to find the right words. It wasn’t that you didn’t know the reason, but you didn’t want to say anything too cheesy. Though you figured Jungkook wouldn’t care. 

“It was my getaway- I mean, it is my getaway. Something I can focus on and it takes me to this place in my mind where I feel everything is okay. It’s almost therapeutic in some way,” you began. Jungkook stayed quiet as you spoke. “It’s so much more than moving your body to music as some might think. It’s becoming who you want to be- whether it’s you or someone else. It’s acting without words, which I find really powerful,” you realized you had been rambling and forgot to answer his question. You quickly added, “In short, I chose it because it’s my passion.”

The only sound in the room was from the AC. Jungkook hadn’t made a movement or noise in a while and you wondered if he had fallen asleep. You slowly moved your arm from your eyes and turned your head to the side to peer at him. To your surprise, he was already staring at you. Even in the darkness, his eyes shined. You couldn’t quite make out what was in his eyes, but it seemed like admiration. That was silly, though.

“Was that too cliche?” You asked after a second of staring at each other. His lips quirked up in a grin, that cute bunny smile showing.

“No,” he chuckled. “It was nice. It’s interesting to hear other's stories.”

“Well, what’s yours?” You asked, shifting to be on your side so you could face him. He continued to smile at you, expecting the question.

“Ahh, I actually didn’t have a passion for it at first. I enjoyed it, but it wasn’t something I could see myself pursuing. However, after Hoseok hyung started to get me to dance more, I realized it was a form of art. I started practicing with him and some other people and thus my passion grew,” he said, adding a playful tone toward the end. Although his story was much more simplistic than yours, you enjoyed it. You believed people didn’t need elaborate reasoning to enjoy something. You smiled at him and you found yourself enjoying his company more than you thought you would. Jungkook was always that person that was easy to talk to. Part of you wondered if after the presentation tomorrow would you still be friends.

The two of you fell into conversation effortlessly. As the minutes passed by, you became grateful for Jungkook to suggest this talk. It was nice to talk about something other than the turmoil in your mind or the presentation. You weren’t sure how long you and Jungkook talked, laying on the floor with the lights off. It felt as if it were ten minutes, but when the door opened and you checked your phone, you had seen it had been twenty minutes.

“Is nap time part of your routine now?” A teasing voice bounced around the room while the lights fluttered on. You and Jungkook blinked several times, trying to adjust to the new lighting.

“Can you believe this? They were napping!” Hoseok said to Yoongi as they entered the room, shutting the door behind them.

“We weren’t napping,” you huffed as you sat up, slowly raising to your feet after a second. “We were working on the midterm.”

“So how many eight counts did you change to just lay on the floor?” Hoseok asked and took a seat on the floor, his back against the mirror wall.

“We were building our connection, as you said,” Jungkook defended and stood up. Hoseok stared at you two, debating to believe you guys or not.

“I guess I’ll see when I watch the routine,” Hoseok shrugged, though a small smile was on his lips. You turned to Yoongi and reached a hand out to him.

“My snack?” You asked, remembering how you had only allowed him to come if he brought your favorite snack. Yoongi reached into the bag he brought and tossed you an orange and white bag. You caught it with ease and flipped over the bag to read the front.

Goldfish.

You smiled and looked at Yoongi. “Alright, you can stay.” Although a smile was playing on Yoongi’s lips, he rolled his eyes at your sassy attitude.

“I was staying regardless,” he shrugged.

“Goldfish? That’s your favorite snack?” Jungkook asked with a small laugh. You scoffed in mock defense.

“Yes! They’re delicious and cute. Do you know how they even came to be? Even the origin is endearing,” you argued and lifted the bag up, pointing to the cute cracker fish on the package.

“What’s the story?” Hoseok asked, intrigued by your sudden energy on the topic. 

“A biscuit-maker in Switzerland created what is now known as Goldfish, for his wife’s birthday. Can you guess what her zodiac sign is?” You asked eagerly, excited to share the origin story of your favorite snack.

“Uhh, Pisces?” Jungkook asked as he watched your face brighten by his answer.

“Precisely!” You exclaimed. “Isn’t that cute?”

The three men nodded slowly, not expecting you to be this joyful over fish-shaped crackers.

“Wait, how did you know Pisces?” Hoseok questioned Jungkook.

Jungkook shrugged as he replied. “Its symbol is a fish and since the crackers are shaped like fish,” he trailed off, letting Hoseok fill in the rest.

“Okay, okay,” Yoongi interrupted, waving an arm lazily in the air. This wasn’t his first time hearing the Goldfish Oregon story. “I really want to see this performance before I have to go.”

“Go? Where are you going?” You asked and gently set down your Goldfish. They weren’t as good if they were crushed.

“I didn’t finish my work so I’m planning to stay up late,” he replied. Typical Yoongi, you thought. You wondered how he ever functioned with the lack of sleep he often got. It wasn’t that he was lazy, he just wanted everything to be perfect and he found himself working on side-projects rather than his actual projects.

“Alright, well, we need to get warmed up, then we’ll show you,” you said and waited for Jungkook to play some music for your warm-up.

Yoongi and Hobi waited patiently as you warmed up, only sitting up when you both started to get in the beginning position. You sat on the floor, facing diagonally with your legs bent and your arms resting on your knees. You peered at Jungkook through the mirror as he set the music toward the end before getting in his stance. He was facing away from you, simply standing with his feet shoulder-width apart. He met your gaze through the mirror, giving you his charming smile before looking away and getting prepared mentally for the routine.

You weren’t totally surprised by the advice Yoongi gave. Although he always gave reasonable advice, you weren’t sure if he was truly there to just observe or to actually give feedback. Hoseok, of course, also chimed in with fruitful advice. They both were proud of the finished product, which made you feel a little better about tomorrow’s presentation.

As you laid in bed, your mind filled with worry. It was a natural occurrence, however, this time the feeling was so strong you couldn’t sleep. The thought of forgetting the steps tomorrow, the failure that it would create for you and Jungkook, what you saw between Jimin and Yun Hee, the need to get answers but also wanting to disappear and avoid it– all of it making it hard to relax. Although your plan to talk to Jimin today failed, you were determined to do so tomorrow. You couldn’t live with the constant weight that was glued to your shoulders. Taehyung’s words filled your mind as you laid in your bed along with your and Jimin’s conversation earlier this week. You had both agreed to not let this come between you two and yet it happened. And though Tae’s words weren’t exactly what you wanted to hear, you were grateful he took the time and tried to help. He did bring up valid points and you were slowly realizing just how valid they truly were. 

Your hand reached out for your phone, typing in your password and going to Jimin’s contact. You brought your finger to hover over the call button. You wanted to hear his voice telling you it was okay again, that there was nothing between him and Yun Hee and it was all in your mind (which it could be, but what you saw said differently). You wanted to hear his velvety voice soothe you. However, you knew that wouldn’t be the case. You wouldn’t be greeted with that breathtaking voice. No, you would hear his cold tone. The one he would use when he kept people at arm’s length. You quickly locked your phone and set it back on your nightstand. 

Tomorrow. You promised yourself. Tomorrow you’ll resolve this. 

And hopefully, it won’t end in heartbreak.

As you were getting ready for your presentation, the smell of eggs and toast filled your senses. Seejun often went out for breakfast since she had to be up before you, but perhaps she brought some for you this time. This would be a late breakfast for her, though, which is odd. 

You pushed aside your confusion as you brushed half your hair into a ponytail. You had already changed and packed your bag, ready to get your midterm over with. After double-checking your hair work, you grabbed your bag and walked out of your room.

“Good morning,” Seokjin said from the living room. You jumped at his voice, not expecting to find him here.

“Where’s Seejun?” You asked, not sure how he could get in without a key. Last you checked, he didn’t have one. Maybe Seejun gave him and Joon a spare recently without informing you.

“She forgot something at the cafe, she’ll be back soon. We just went to the one on campus,” he answered and raised his plate to show you his half-eaten breakfast.

“Why are you both eating so late?” You asked, heading to the small mini-fridge you and Seejun shared to grab a cold water bottle.

“Our midterm was today and we finished early. We both skipped breakfast, too,” he replied before shoveling another bite.

“That’s nice you finished early. I hope you get the score you want,” you paused, checking the time on your phone. “I better go before I’m late. I have my midterm today, too.” Seokjin smiled at you, waving at you as he wished you luck. You thanked him before leaving your dorm.

The walk to the dance studio was surprisingly pleasant until you caught sight of a familiar figure walking ahead of you. Although it may sound creepy, you knew his back like how you knew how many fingers you had. Something about the way he walked was distinctly Jimin.

His lean figure walked briskly to the studio, head staying forward as he didn’t detour from his path. Your hand twitched from where Jimin’s fingers usually interlaced with yours. You missed the way his hand molded with yours. You missed the way he would squeeze your hand every now and then as you both walked. You weren’t surprised when you didn’t find him waiting for you in the lobby this morning, though you couldn’t deny that you weren’t a little upset. You supposed it was better this way. You had time to think about what you were going to say to him today. 

You didn’t realize you had slowed down until he turned a corner and you felt your legs moving slower than usual. You quickly glanced at the time on your phone, cursing to yourself when you saw you had two minutes before class, then following Jimin’s path in a hurry. 

Of course. 

Your (not-so) luck had made you and Jungkook go last, right after Jimin and Yun Hee. If it were up to you, you would’ve preferred to go first or second just so you could get it over with. However, Mrs. Seung had already assigned the order of the presentations. You had no option but to watch and feel more anxious by the second. Maybe this was Mrs. Seung’s way of punishing you for requesting a partner change. As if the rougher grading wasn’t enough. 

So far, everyone’s routine was profound. Your heart rate has slowly increased and you felt as if you were going stir crazy from the amount of anxiety you felt. You didn’t even want to stand up in fear your legs would give out. 

You felt Jungkook lean into you, his ear close to yours as he whispered, “Take a deep breath. We got this.”

You couldn’t even digest his words or look at him for reassurance. You just felt your body grow hot and your palms become sweaty. You felt Jungkook rest a supportive hand on your thigh in hopes to calm you down. It did little to no help, however. 

By the time it was Jimin and Yun Here’s turn, you had gone over the routine enough times to have it tattooed on your forehead. Though even from the countless practices in your mind, you didn’t feel ready. You were too focused on the dark flooring to have seen Jimin’s small frown when he saw Jungkook’s hand on you. 

The start of the music startled you from your thoughts. Your gaze rose as you quietly watched Jimin and Yun Hee. They moved as if they fit for one another, matching the other’s movements fluidly. Shamelessly, you were searching for that connection Mrs. Seung has mentioned. You were analyzing their eyes as they met each other, searching for that spark people usually had when they saw their lover. You weren’t sure if you saw it or not, not fully trusting your sight since your mind was already clouded from what you saw in the practice room. 

While at first, you were searching for that connection, it quickly shifted to focus on Jimin. Your eyes naturally followed him across the floor. Usually, you were in awe, but right now, you were distraught. You hated how he moved with such power yet softness. You hated how naturally talented he was. You hated the way your heart stopped beating just by watching him move. You hated how you yearned for him even more now. What about him dancing made you fall more in love with him even though you were upset with him?

When it was time for the partner section, you were zoned in on both of them. They went for a more fast-past choreography. They moved with power, moving as if the energy came from each other. They pushed and pulled against each other, letting one start the movement and allowing the other to finish it. Their choreography was unique compared to the previous presentations. You couldn’t disagree that their routine was impressive. 

The class erupted in claps when the music ended. Although the class had been clapping after every presentation, this applause sounded louder than the others. Jimin and Yun Hee bowed in thanks before walking back to their spots against the wall. 

Finally, it was time. 

Jungkook gave you an encouraging smile as you both walked to the center of the room. Your body felt stiff yet jittery. You wanted nothing more but to run out of the room and although that was doable, you were positive Mrs. Seung wouldn’t be pleased. 

“I’ve been delighted with all the presentations so far,” Mrs. Seung spoke as you and Jungkook got into the first position. “Since these presentations were not long, I will have your grades in by the end of the day.”

Jungkook peered at you as you lowered yourself to the floor, positioning yourself in the correct position for the start. If he was nervous, he hid it well as usual. He mostly looked worried about your wellbeing at this point. 

“Let’s get it,” he whispered toward you, reminding you of your practices. Somehow, that made you ease up slightly. You glanced at him over your shoulder, nodding with a small smile on your lips. 

“Ready?” Mrs. Seung asked. Jungkook gave a thumbs up and quickly whispered to you again. 

“Get lost in the music.”

And so you did.

Well, you tried to at least. You couldn’t deny the first few eight counts weren’t the strongest. You did the movements fine, but it wasn’t anything spectacular. You simply executed them with minimum effort. It wasn’t until Jungkook was near you and he whispered for you to get lost again that you actually did.

The music slowed and you closed your eyes briefly as the counts became quieter and the music took its place. You were taken back to your last practice where you and Jungkook were laying on the floor with the lights off. You were reminded of what you told Jungkook. Your reason for dancing and why you pursued it. 

Your movements became less calculated and more fluid. You moved to the rhythms of the music, matching Kook’s movements with ease. Your mind was consumed by the music and Jungkook. Your eyes met his every time you had a partner section, and although he wasn’t smiling, you could see he was proud of you through his eyes. 

When it came down to the partner choreography section, your nervousness came back. This was a recent addition and (stupidly now that you thought of it) you and Jungkook had added several lifts in succession toward the end. The lifts were fairly average, but they could be easily messed up with the smallest wrong move. You needed to focus, yet stay relaxed. 

The music slowed, indicating it was time to prepare for the lift. You stepped back slowly, remembering to drag your feet as the sound faded. You waited two seconds then ran toward Jungkook who had his arms out ready to grab your hips. The moment you felt his fingers on your hips, your heart stopped and the music picked up. He lifted you up with ease while you extended your arms to the side and your legs straight out, making sure you were pointing your toes. It was a small detail, but you knew it was important. 

You kept your head held high as you stayed in that position for a few seconds. Jungkook lowered you and you gently repositioned one arm around his neck and the other resting on his shoulder. You met his eyes as you prepared mentally for the second part. Jungkook slowly slid one arm to wrap around your lower back and kept the other on your hip. 

When the music increased in tempo, he quickly swung you to the left– your body lowered slightly to the floor and your legs raised to a pike position. As he did, he lowered himself in a slight lunge. When you were swung for the second time, you straightened out the arm that was resting on his shoulder to the side and let your legs apart in the air to the right. You leveraged your weight by keeping a stronghold around his neck. Jungkook rotated his hips slightly to give your lift more power. He dropped the arm on your hip to his side, using the force of the swing to help hold you up with one arm around your back. The position was held for a second before gravity took over and you landed on the floor, spinning 360 degrees as soon as you landed and stopping in front of Jungkook.

You quickly twisted your body downwards, back facing him as he wrapped his arms around your waist. You held onto his arms as he spun you upwards. Your legs were together at first but parted midway into the flip. Your left leg landed first but you quickly shifted your weight to the right by gliding it backward in a semicircle and facing your body the other way. As you were doing so, you and Jungkook adjusted your hands so they were clasping the other’s opposite wrists. Without a second to spare and with your weight on your right foot, you rocked back and forth and used the momentum going forward to twist your body to the front, leaping off the floor with your legs in a straddle. Jungkook held onto your wrists tightly as you moved from one side to the next in the air, making sure he kept his stance stable since he was there to help support you. You landed gracefully, arms crossed over the other again. Once he made sure you were steady, he rotated his body to untangle your arms. The music slowed as you both slowly stepped closer to each other, stopping when your feet were a few inches away. You both held onto each other, breaths mingling, as the music faded out and the routine was finally over. 

There was silence after the music stopped. Jungkook’s face broke into a smile and he squeezed your waist as the class began to clap. You returned the smile, instant relief flooding through your veins. Your midterm was over. You pulled away from his embrace, bowing before you took a seat. 

The weight from this performance alleviated from your shoulders. You felt as if you could finally breathe properly. While you still wanted a good grade, just getting the performance out of the way put you at ease. 

“I’m pleased with everyone’s performances today,” Mrs. Seung said as she walked to the center of the room. “As I said, your grades will be official today. No changes will be made to them, either. I hope you all enjoy the rest of the day and I’ll see you next class.”

Your heart was still trying to calm itself from the presentation when your instructor dismissed you. Slowly, you were gathering your bag and standing up after you saw some students leave the classroom. You barely noticed Jimin’s figure exiting with Yun Hee.

“I told you we had it,” Jungkook said and nudged you gently.

“We did good, Koo?” You said, but it sounded more like a question. Jungkook chuckled. 

“We did great, Y/N. How about we go celebrate?” He asked and started walking toward the exit with you.

“We haven’t got our grade back, though. What if we did horrible?” You questioned, glancing up at him. 

He shrugged, pulling out a black baseball cap and securing it on his head. “That doesn’t matter, well, not right now. I think we should celebrate getting our midterm over with.”

The small smile you had on your lips gradually turned upside down. While you wanted to celebrate with Jungkook, you really needed to talk to Jimin. You couldn’t keep delaying the conversation. 

“Can we do it tomorrow maybe? There’s nothing I need to do today,” you replied nervously. You didn’t want to disappoint him, however, he didn’t seem to mind your decision.

“Of course. We can celebrate even more once we see our awesome grade,” he said. This made you scoff playfully. Hopefully, you did get an awesome grade. 

“Sounds good. I’ll text you when I’m available, Koo,” you said as you neared the dorms. You were becoming anxious knowing you were about to talk to Jimin. Your relationship has never been in such turbulence before. You were both able to overcome your differences so far, but this was more than a mere disagreement. You were doubting how strong you thought your relationship was.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Kook smiled and stopped outside the entrance. When you gave him a confused look, he said, “Hoseok hyung asked me to keep him company while he worked on his mixtape if I was available.”

“His mixtape?” You asked, taken aback by the news of Hobi creating music. Neither Jungkook nor Hobi had mentioned being interested in making music. It reminded you of your best friend and you wondered what would happen if they collabed.

“Yes, it’s a hobby of his,” Jungkook shrugged.

“Ah,” you nodded. “Well, let him know I want to hear it as soon as he finishes.” Jungkook chuckled and agreed. Mumbling a goodbye, you both waved before you parted ways. 

The walk to Jimin’s door felt different this time. Could this be the last time you visit it? You are so dramatic, you thought to yourself. You began thinking of the things you wanted to tell him when you saw him. You had told yourself you would be calm the whole time. You’ve had enough time to not get angry and, truthfully, you were growing tired of it. You were disappointed with yourself how you’ve been acting. 

You hadn’t realized you had been standing outside his dorm until the door opened suddenly. 

“He’s not here,” Tae said as soon as he saw you. Was it possible for your frown to grow deeper?

“Do you know where he is?” You asked, your voice quieter than normal. He pursed his lips together and leaned on the arm that was still holding the door open. 

“If I tell you, will you promise that you two will stop moping around? It’s insufferable here. He’s so detached,” Tae huffed, though you knew he was genuinely worried. 

“I can’t promise,” you replied honestly since you weren’t sure how this was going to end. “But I’ll try.”

“Try as hard as you can, yah? I need my friends back. Plural,” he emphasized the last part, raising his eyebrows at you. You nodded, wanting to give him a smile to know you appreciate him thinking about you, but you couldn’t find yourself to do so.

Once Taehyung told you where Jimin was, you were on your way.

Somehow you always found yourself here. The same hallway that you’ve visited multiple times this weekend. You peered through each window, looking for his lone figure. 

Of course, he would be in this room– it was his favorite. You always wondered why he chose this practice room to be his favorite. Anytime you had asked, he always gave you a joking reply. You eventually gave up asking him and figured he would enclose the reason on his own sometime.

Faint music was being played as he rushed his body into a sudden movement. You could tell he wasn’t paying attention to his surroundings by the hazy look in his eyes. The way his body connected each movement with the previous had you staring for too long. You snapped out of the trance he put you in unknowingly and softly opened the door. 

The music quickly filled your ears as soon as you entered. It was almost too loud for you. These soundproof walls must be really good. 

Jimin didn’t notice you enter the room. His movements were growing sloppy as his body became tired. Soon, he was collapsing onto the floor. His back was pressed into the floor, eyes closed as he breathed heavily. His lips were ajar, chest rising and falling quickly, and his hair was messily perfect. How could that be?

The next song played directly after the previous one and Jimin still hadn’t moved. You silently took a breath before making your way to his phone that was plugged in. You had thought the sounds of your footsteps would alert Jimin, but it didn’t. Despite the loud music probably silencing your footsteps, you found this odd since he was usually on alert regardless. You slid the volume down, but not completely turning it off. You were nervous if it were too silent, he would be able to hear your pounding heart. A part of you felt a little better about the soon-conversation when you noticed you were still his lock screen. That had to mean he didn’t want to give up on this, right? He hadn’t moved on already.

As soon as the volume adjusted, Jimin’s eyes were open and he was moving his body to see who was in the room with him. He was so out of it, you noticed. His eyes were darker than usual, the shine in them absent. 

You both were silent for a moment— simply staring at me another as the music continued to play in the background. 

Here it goes. 

You put his phone gently as you sat down, back resting against the wall. You figured the distance was good for you both, despite the small craving you had to feel his skin on yours. 

“I think we should talk,” you said, hating the way your voice came out quieter than expected. Jimin repositioned himself so he was no longer laying down. He ran his hand through his damp hair as he took in a deep breath. 

“I think so, too,” he replied. His voice seemed raspier as if he hasn’t used his voice in a while. Although you wanted him to lead the conversation, you knew you needed to get everything out first. Your unspoken words were long overdue. 

“I thought I was going to be okay with you and Yun Hee after we talked on that bench,” you started. You figured starting from the beginning was the best or perhaps you were dragging out this conversation in case it ended with you never speaking to each other. “I wasn’t though. Something about the two of you really got to me. I’m not even sure why,” you said sadly. You tore your gaze from him, finding it easier to talk to him without looking at him. Jimin stayed silent as he let you continue. 

“I overheard your talk with Mrs. Seung the other day,” you confessed. “How she thinks I’m a bad influence on your future. I guess I am a negative influence considering this whole weekend’s mess was caused by my childish behavior,” you didn’t want to fish for reassurance. You knew you were being unreasonable. You quickly tried to move on in case he tried to say differently.

“When you ate breakfast with Yun Hee, I was really upset. I felt as if you replaced me with her since you had just offered to take me out to breakfast. Seeing you with her when it was about to be me with you, was hurtful. It hurt me,” you continued, starting to play with the hem of your shirt out of nervousness. Jimin hadn’t said anything still. You peeked up to see if he was listening. His eyes were still on yours. His eyes appeared softer than before and his facial expression didn’t seem as tense.  He nodded to let you know he was paying attention and wanted you to continue. And so you did. 

“I know you said breakfast wasn’t planned— for both me and Yun Hee, but I just felt you should’ve declined and offered to just practice instead. I know how selfish that sounds now,” you said. “Tae had talked to me at the cabin about us, and at first I didn’t want to agree with what he said, I realized he was right. I was being hypocritical about many things. I shouldn’t have been upset about you practicing with Yun Hee when I was practicing with Jungkook. I shouldn’t have gotten mad when you invited Yun Hee to Tae’s cabin when I invited Jungkook.”

You wanted to include Jungkook and others, but you knew that wasn’t the point. The point wasn’t that you invited extra people, it was the fact you invited Jungkook when you knew Jimin wasn’t fond of him. 

“This whole thing has been eating at my mind since Wednesday. I was finally going to talk to you yesterday, but when I came to your and Yun Hee’s practice,” you trailed off. You felt that tightness in your chest that told you you were going to cry. You didn’t want to, though. You didn’t want to cry. You breathed in deeply before continuing. “I saw how close you two were— physically close. I saw your faces getting closer.” Although you never saw if their lips met, they were so near it was bound to happen. Were you willing to forgive him if he did kiss her? 

“I never believed you were a cheater, which is silly to say since I’ve been acting so jealous and petty, but I still have to know. Did you kiss her?” You asked, forcing the words out of your mouth. You looked up at him as you awaited his answer. The only hint of emotion came from the twitch in the corner of his lips. 

“No,” he replied— simply and matter-of-fact. “I did not kiss Yun Hee.” He paused, his mouth staying open as if he was debating on what to say next. He let out a sigh, running his fingers through his hair again and briefly dropping his gaze from yours for the first time. 

“I thought about it,” he replied truthfully. His words pushed on your heart and you forgot to take a breath for a second. “I hate saying that,” he admitted and he raised his eyes to yours again. You could tell he was forcing himself to look into your eyes. 

“People say it’s the heat of the moment a lot, but it truly was. My emotions were scattered and I didn’t know how to pick them up and put them back together. I felt utterly lost,” he continued. “But I knew it wasn’t you. I knew Yun Hee wanted it, but when I saw her lips weren’t the same shape as yours– when I saw they weren’t your lips, I stopped her. I’ve never cheated on you, Y/N. I’ve never got close to it until then. And I’m so sorry about that. I know my mixed emotions are not an excuse” 

You watched his eyes slowly become shiny from the water gathering in them. He blinked once, then several more times in succession. He wasn’t afraid to cry in front of you, but he didn’t want you to feel sorry for him.

“I know I didn’t kiss her, but just the fact I considered it, makes me feel like I cheated on you.”

While you couldn’t prove if he truly didn’t kiss her, his expression was so raw that you felt his truthfulness through his eyes. It did hurt to know he contemplated it, though. While you found Jungkook attractive and had some moments of gentle touches, you never considered kissing him. 

“Do you want to be with her?” You asked quietly. Did he only stop because he knew he was still in a relationship? Not because it wasn’t you, but because it wasn’t his girlfriend— in general. 

“No,” he replied without hesitation. “No, baby, I don’t. I want to be with you.”

“How did we get here?” You questioned, more to yourself than to him. Although you felt this was mainly your fault, you still wondered why Jimin never offered more reassurance. Everyone could see your somber expressions lately, so surely he noticed as well. Was he growing tired of your jealousy? Was he growing tired of you? If so, why did he just say he wanted to be with you?

As if he were reading your mind, he replied, “I felt hopeless. I felt anything I would say would make things worse. I could tell how upset you were, but I couldn’t find myself doing anything about it. Jungkook was always there with you or Yoongi, and I used that as an excuse to not confront you.” 

“I know how stupid that sounds, but I didn’t want to hurt you more. And I know inviting Yun Hee didn’t help our situation. I confess that was solely out of spite for you inviting Jungkook, which was wrong, I know,” he sighed. “I know you didn’t just invite him, either, but I felt as though you wanted to spend more time with him instead of me. You had been spending so much time together, more than me and Yun Hee, and it got me worried about what was going on between you two.”

You took in his words, trying to open your mind to view things from his perspective. You wanted to reply that you and Kook were practicing so much because you were extremely stressed about failing the assignment– you needed all the practice you could get. Though this wasn’t the time to defend yourself. It was his turn to voice his concerns. 

“Ironically,” he said with a chuckle, albeit there was nothing humorous about it. “I saw you two yesterday practicing. Well, actually, I’m not sure what you two were doing. The lights were off and you were both close,” he said, slight confusion in his voice. Ironic indeed you thought. Was the universe trying to tell you both that you’re both dumb? Probably. 

“Did you kiss him?” He returned the question after a few seconds of silence. 

“No,” you said. “I-“ Never came close to. “We were just talking. Jungkook’s friend, Hoseok, said we needed a better connection for the midterm. Even Mrs. Seung said the connection was important, so we were just doing that- building our connection.”

He watched you closely. You could tell he was analyzing for any signs of lies. From the way his shoulders relaxed, you knew he believed you. 

“About the conversation between me and Mrs. Seung,” he started. “I don’t agree with her. I don’t think you’re holding me back. If anything, you motivate me to work harder. You make me want to be better in all aspects of life—  as a person, in my passions, in anything I create. I want to be better for you.” 

Your heart tightened again, but it was different this time. You felt like crying but not out of sadness. You were touched by his words. Throughout your two years together, he never spoke to you about this. He would mention wanting to do better, but he never said the reason. You had just guessed it was because he was a perfectionist. 

“Because of you,” he finished slowly. 

Silence fell over you two again. You felt as if there was more you wanted to say, but you couldn’t put your finger on it. You wanted to get all your thoughts out since this was the time.

“I think we were too focused on the midterm that it took over our lives. It blinded us from seeing what we needed,” he paused. His eyes were stuck on yours and your moving hands suddenly stilled. You didn’t realize you were playing with your shirt this entire time.

“Each other,” he finished. Although this was supposed to be a touching moment, you couldn’t help the small snort that escaped. You squealed slightly in embarrassment and covered your mouth, looking away from his face to try to hide your expression.

“A-achoo” You fake-sneezed, lamely attending to cover your laugh. Jimin tilted his head at you, the corner of his lips dipping downward. 

“Did you just laugh at me?” He scoffed, though there was a teasing tone hinting. 

“No. I agree. We need each other,” you said and nodded dramatically. You forced your lips downwards to keep the small smile from forming.

“You know that was meant to be a very caring moment,” he hummed, standing up and walking to move closer to you. 

“I know,” you argued. “I can’t help if I sneeze at the wrong time.”

He shook his head in disbelief. “Bless you then.”

Your eyes followed Jimin as he became close enough to touch. He sat back down, legs in a straddle as he stared at you. 

“Thank you,” you said as you felt your body grow hot from the need to be closer to him. You never craved his touch this badly before. You felt guilty for wanting him when you were still having a meaningful conversation.

“You weren’t supposed to laugh,” he pouted. The urge to tug on his bottom lip was strong. 

“I couldn’t help it,” you caved. “It was so cheesy. But cute,” you added the last part quickly. 

“Maybe so, but it’s true. I need you, jagiya,” he said. , did his voice just lower? Your thoughts were no longer on Yun Hee or Jungkook or the midterm. You simply wanted your boyfriend. 

“Come here, baby,” he continued softly, patting the spot in front of him. You didn’t hesitate to move toward him. You wrapped your legs around his waist, fitting perfectly between his legs. Your arms instantly wrapped around his neck while he circled your waist. 

It wasn’t long before his plump lips crashed onto yours. The kiss wasn’t as soft as you were expecting. He was moving his lips fiercely against yours. It felt as though he was making up for the lost time. As if he was about to be taken from you and this was his last chance to kiss you. 

However, you didn’t mind. 

You matched his pace, quickly finding your fingers in his locks. He hummed in content as he pressed you closer to him— if that was possible.

You jumped and pulled away from the kiss when you felt the coldness from his rings on your bare lower back. He simply chuckled, rubbing circles against your warm, smooth skin. 

“I’ve missed you,” you said and ran your fingers through his hair gently. He smiled widely at you, giving you a squeeze, before answering. 

“I’ve missed you, too. I’m sorry for not coming to talk to you when you were so upset. I should’ve reassured you and made you feel at ease.”

You nodded, accepting his apology. “I’m sorry I got so jealous. I trust you, I do, I just got too caught up in my insecurities. I was so scared you’d lose me for someone better. Someone that makes your future more successful.”

Jimin’s hand began rubbing up and down on your sides in comfort, trying to let you know he was there for you. 

“Let’s go on a date tonight,” he said. You raised your eyebrows. It’s been at least a month since your last date. You weren’t opposed to going on a date, but you were not expecting him to suggest this. 

“Really?” You asked.

“Is that a no?” He teased, leaning forward to press his lips right under your jawline. 

“I’ll go on a date with you,” you giggled when he kissed the spot just behind your ear. For some reason, that spot was always ticklish. 

“I missed that,” Jimin said softly and pulled away from you. Suddenly, your and Jimin’s phone dinged. You went to pull out your phone from your pocket, but Jimin’s hand rested on yours to stop you. 

“Focus on me,” he pleaded. You leaned down and pecked his lips. 

“I will after I check. Maybe it’s our grades,” you replied, eager to see how you and Kook did. 

“But I want your attention only on me,” he whined, leaning onto your chest. You quickly felt his lips kiss the top curve of one of your s through your shirt. “Y/N,” he whined into your body, continuing his attack of kisses on you. They were trailing from your chest to your collarbone to your neck and down again.

Despite his pleas, you took out your phone. You placed your arms around Jimin’s neck again and rested your arms on his shoulders, viewing your screen from behind his head.

An email motivation from Mrs. Seung. 

You took a deep breath and clicked the notification, entering your passcode before waiting for the screen to load. Jimin’s kisses traveled back up to your neck. You couldn’t deny that it was getting harder to focus with Jimin buried in the crook of your neck— , , and biting your skin. 

The screen loaded and your eyes scanned the beginning of the message. 

Everyone should be proud of themselves. You all learned the routine quicker than expected and all came up with unique partner sections. 

I was impressed. 

Next class, we will continue on technique and freestyle to get prepared for your final. You will be able to select the partner of your choice. Choose wisely since your final counts for 75% of your overall grade. 

Below you will be you and your partner’s score for your midterm. Reminder there will be no grade changes. 

Y/L/N Y/N and Jeon Jungkook

88

Passing. You got a passing score. It wasn’t as high as you wanted, but considering she was grading your performance harder than the rest, you felt proud. 

“Yes!” You exclaimed, which had Jimin pulling away slightly to look at your cheerful face. 

“What’d you get, baby?” He asked, holding your back securely as he leaned forward to grab his phone. He quickly typed in his password and went to his email. 

“I got an 88! Not as good as I wanted, but I’ll take it. She was grading us harder than the rest, so an 88 is like an A, right?” You questioned happily. Jimin gave you a wide smile, the light tone of your voice making him happy. 

“You did so well today,” he praised and pressed his lips to yours softly. 

“You did, too,” you compliment back, and you mean it. Oddly, the thought of Yun Hee dancing with him didn’t make your blood boil anymore– perhaps just a slight simmer instead. You felt more at ease despite thinking of them together. Although it did hurt to know he considered kissing her, you were grateful he was honest with you. You were also glad he didn’t kiss her because of you, despite the rocky situation you were both in. He stayed loyal. “I’m always so mesmerized by watching you.” 

He laughed bashfully and bowed his head to his phone, partly because he was reading the email and the other part from being shy from your compliment. 

As he was reading the email, you texted Jungkook about your grade. You suddenly thought about how he would feel about Jungkook now. Even though you felt more at peace with Yun Hee, you wanted Jimin to feel the same about Jungkook. However, you weren’t sure what you would do if he wasn’t. You couldn’t just stop talking to Jungkook because Jimin didn’t like him. Could you? Would Jimin do that if you requested he not spend time with Yun Hee?

The circle would keep going. You shook your head at that. It couldn’t keep going. You decided there that you trusted Jimin. More so now than ever. If he wanted to hang out with Yun Hee, you trusted him to stay loyal to you. 

“How’s your score?” You asked when he didn’t say anything for a while. 

“It’s good,” he replied vaguely. You hid your frown at his answer. 

“That doesn’t sound good,” you said. “Tell me. I’m sure you did great.”

He locked his phone and slid it back to where it was. “I got a 99. You know how Mrs. Seung is about giving out 100s.”

Your eyebrows knitted in confusion at his words. He didn’t seem that happy about it. “Is there something wrong? A 99 is great, Jimin,” you said. 

“Yeah, I’m happy, I just…” he trailed off. “I didn’t want you to be upset.”

“Why would I be upset?” You asked and placed your phone on the side. 

“I know you wanted a higher score and-“

“That doesn’t mean I would be upset by you getting a higher score than me. I expected you would. She really likes you,” you said reassuringly. “And you should tell me things even if you think they’ll upset me.”

“I’m working on it,” he replied with a small smile. 

“Good,” you said. “Congrats on your high score, ChimChim.” You gave him another quick kiss. If it were possible, you would give him a kiss every second of the day. You loved the way his soft lips felt against yours. 

“Thank you,” he murmured happily. 

“I do have one question though,” you said. “How do you feel about me talking to Jungkook still?”

You were nervous about his answer since he seemed to really dislike Jungkook. He sighed and took a moment to think. 

“I think I’m okay,” he replied thoughtfully. “I’m not entirely thrilled about it, but I trust you and I can’t force you to stop talking to someone.”

“Or hanging out with them?” You added cautiously. 

“Or hanging out with them,” he replied. “How do you feel about me and Yun Hee?”

Him and Yun Hee. You didn’t like the way that was phrased, but you supposed it was because it was still a sensitive topic. You were more at ease, but it was easy to fall back into those dark thoughts. 

“Like you, I’m not overjoyed, but I can’t do anything about it but accept it. I trust you,” you said. “I said that before and my actions showed otherwise, but I’m going to prove I actually mean it. I trust you, Park Jimin.”

“Even after what I did?” He questioned. His expression quickly became sorrowful. 

“Sounds weird, but what you did kinda helped me trust you more. You were so close, but you stopped yourself,” you replied and began playing with his hair again, hoping it would calm him. “You had control over your actions and you admitted to what you thought instead of hiding it.”

“Aren’t you worried that since I felt those emotions, it would be easy to feel them again?” He replied. He didn’t want you to doubt him, but the guilt of his cheating thoughts had him doubting himself. He was nervous those feelings would arise again. Not just for Yun Hee, but for any other girl who got close. He never wanted to betray you and he was determined to do so. He wouldn’t allow himself to come close to those feelings.

“That’s true,” you admitted. “But I’m trusting you to not feel that way again. No matter the situation we are in. I’m hoping we will disclose our true feelings earlier and talk them out.”

Jimin let your words sink in as you continued to play with his hair. 

“I love you,” he said. His voice sounded desperate as if he was worried you wouldn’t say it back. He was nervous you had fallen out of love with him. He was nervous he was going to lose you despite everything you just said. Your hands slowed at his pleading expression. 

“I’m not going anywhere,” you soothed. “I love you more.”

“I promise I’ll confide in you more. I’ll make sure you never have a reason to go,” he whispered as he hovered his lips on yours. You could feel the subtle brush of his lips as he spoke. 

“Never?” You questioned playfully. He hummed as he moved closer. 

“Yeah, you’re stuck with me. Didn’t you know that?” He replied, lips barely pressed to yours. 

“Maybe you should remind me,” you said teasingly. 

“That’s my girl,” he muttered before closing the space between you. 

Minutes went by easily when you were with Jimin. As cliche as it is, your heart felt whole when you were around him. You hoped this conversation dulled the pain from this weekend for good and that if it ever happened again, you would both learn from your mistakes. You learned staying away from Jimin took a toll on you that was troublesome. You never wanted to experience that again. 

“Let’s go,” Jimin said, lips swollen and barely out of breath despite your long kissing session. “We got a date to attend to.”

You giggled in reply, offering him one more kiss before removing yourself from his lap and tucking your phone in your back pocket. As you watched him gather his personal items, you realized how much he meant to you. Despite the dark times, you were both growing with each other. You were discovering what worked for both of you. You were also noticing more small things that he does without knowing like pouting when he is in deep concentration. Not to mention that you could listen to his soothing voice all day. 

Park Jimin was truly unique in every aspect.