Bloom [/blo͞om/] noun:

1. a flower, esp. one cultivated for its beauty

2. a youthful or healthy glow in a person's complextion

3. cauliflower looking marks created when extra moisture creeps back into a damp or particularly dry area of a painting

“Hyung…” Jung Kook whined to the older sitting next to him, “Why did we have to go out? It’s so hot…” He drug out his words to purposely annoy the person next to him. After all, making him come out in this weather… He deserves the extra bugging! Why couldn’t they have just stayed at home…?

“Shut up, it’s better than sitting at our houses.” Jimin mumbled, finishing a small bottle of banana milk. Jung Kook looked at him and sighed, rolling his eyes. He could feel the sweat beading on his forehead, his fringe beginning to dampen and stick down to his skin. He looked over to Jimin, who seemed happy in his own little world with his snapback covering the sun from his eyes… It must be nice.

“At least home has air conditioning! Can’t we at least go somewhere like that…?” His eyes looked at his now melted cup of ice cream… He only got about six bites out of it before it turned into a pool of sugar in the paper container, “Jiminnie… My ice cream melted…” Jung Kook pouted, faking a sniffle like tears were about to spill.

“Yah! Where’s the ‘hyung’!?” Jimin growled, digging through his plastic bag and handing Jung Kook a bottle of his banana milk, “Shut up and deal with it. I don’t want to waste a good day at home.”

Jung Kook let out a disappointed sigh, so much for a good reaction… His eyes scanned the people busily walking around the streets, how could people stand this heat enough to go out? He could see the heat waves bouncing off the pavement… Could anyone else? What makes the heat such a desirable time to be out!? Adults were confusing.

“Hyung, why don’t we go to the arcade? At least it’ll be some shade!” Jung Kook smiled. The heels of his feet bounced off the small brick wall they sat on, he’d do anything to get out of this heat if he couldn’t go home.

“Aish… Can’t you enjoy the outdoors without complaining for once? I can’t take you anywhere that has to do with public places without you whining about it… There’s pretty girls out here, how can you not behave?” Jimin showed off the smolder of his. Jung Kook wanted to vomit on the spot, but held it in for hyung’s sake, “Fine. We can go… Clean up your trash and throw it out properly before we go.”

Jung Kook jumped down from the wall, roaring to go and get out of the summer heat and threw his liquid mess into the trashcan. His senior seemed to take his sweet time jumping down from the wall and throwing away his empty bottles of banana milk… Was he doing this on purpose!?

“Hyung! Let’s go!” Jung Kook whined, bouncing up and down.

“Alright, alright!” Jimin yelped, swatting away Jung Kook’s hands. Why was Jung Kook always looking for ways to annoy him…?

“What the hell is this!?” Jimin yelped, smashing the bright red and green buttons on the arcade machine. Jung Kook had his hands on the other stick and buttons, laughing to himself as he royally defeated Jimin at his favorite arcade game. “No no… no. No no… No no no!” Jimin screamed, throwing his hands from the game in defeat and pulling them through his hair in frustration.

“That’s four games in a row! I win!” Jung Kook giggled, jumping up and down with excitement.

“One more game!” Jimin pleaded holding out his finger, practically begging his junior for one more chance.

“Hyung! I already gave you an extra round, so pay up! Go buy me something to drink, I won fair and square.” Jung Kook whined back in an equally annoying manner. Jimin snarled at him and opened up his wallet, staring at the small amount of won left in it. He had left the house with a decent amount and now there was almost nothing… How could he have let this happen?

“I already spent so much money on you…” He cried under his breath before he let out an upset sigh and slouched off towards the drinks. Jung Kook watched him walk off and stuck his tongue out at the back of his hyung’s head to further enjoy his win. But now that Jimin had went off to the drinks… What was he going to do while he waited for him to come back?

A rather sly smile spread itself across Jung Kook’s face. It took only a millisecond for him to reach into his back pocket and pull out a small amount of folded up won. Of course he hadn’t forgotten the money his mother handed to him before he left the house earlier that day… Why spend what little money he had when hyung had enough money for the both of them?

Jung Kook scrambled over to a token machine and quickly fed the bills into the mouth of the machine, his smirk changing into a big grin like it always did when he knew he had gotten his way. The tokens began plunking into the metal dish quickly but over the loud noise he could hear people yelling… Being in an arcade, this wasn’t necessarily something out of the ordinary. After all, people often got upset at losing games like Jimin had and would throw temper tantrums… When the last of the tokens were spat out he shoveled them out and stuffed them into his pocket for safekeeping.

Jimin would probably be back at the game by now waiting for him… He didn’t even get a chance to play any games without him around, there was always the time after school he could use for fun. Still, his feet scraped along the concrete flooring in disappointment.

“Yah, little girl. What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

Jung Kook jumped slightly at the sudden outburst loud enough to be heard over the constant chaos of the arcade. Quickly he scurried in the direction the voice came from and hid himself behind one of the arcade machines. Who would be making such a big deal over a stupid loss…? Even Jimin didn’t throw that big of a fit and he loved making a scene for attention… There was a small opening between two of machines that was big enough for someone to walk through to the other side, and just through the small hallway he could see a small crowd of boys circled around someone.

“Do you know what game you’re playing?” One of them scoffed, pushing the person in the center on their shoulder, “You’re playing our game, dip.” Jung Kook let out an exhausted sigh and rolled his eyes… There are millions of repeat games in this building, why was he fussing over that one specifically? Could people be anymore pathetic? He was about to walk off when he heard the person in the center of the crowd reply, and it made him stop dead in his tracks.

“There are plenty of games here with the same name, learn to read them and get lost.” The person shot back. Now, this was not what made him freeze in his place and quickly turn back to watch what was going to happen. This was something he himself would have said if he were in the same position… It was the way the person had said it. Well, not the way… But the tone one could say? The voice sounded like it came from a female.

“This girl…” Another boy huffed before shoving her away from the game, she stumbled back a bit and Jung Kook got a decent look at the back of her, “You think high score data can just be routed to all the same games? Are you really that idiotic?” She was rather tiny, at least she looked like she would be if she weren’t wearing bright pink pumps. Why were they being so mean to her? What did she do to them? It made Jung Kook upset just to watch all of this happening, weren’t they raised properly? It made him scowl just thinking about it… But there was a fluttery feeling in his stomach, his mother raised him right and he should stand up for a girl if she needed it... But thinking of it made his knees shake slightly, where was his courage at a time like this?

Watching closely, he saw the girl just pushed back through the crowd and continued her game which apparently made the small group even angrier and whispers break out amongst them, the boy that seemed to be the leader of it all grabbed the back of her choppy deep red hair and gave a rough tug on this that not only made her shriek in pain, but Jung Kook gasp from shock. Was no one going to do anything!? He looked around frantically trying to find if anyone was going to help the poor girl but no one was around… No one but him. Didn’t this place have employees or something? Where was Jimin to flaunt his muscular arms now? It would actually be useful for once!

In front of him the crowd of boys were laughing at her pain and even gave another strong tug on her hair, making her head snap back uncomfortably and profanities tumbled out of , but it only made them laugh harder. By now Jung Kook’s legs were shaking with fear and the palms of his hands were sweaty as he gripped the corner of the arcade machine. He was the only one who could do anything it seemed… It was now or never if he wanted to help her. Umma would certainly be proud of him now, right?

“Y-Y-Yah!” Jung Kook yelled, walking through the small hallway towards the crowd. As much as he wanted to squeeze his eyes shut and take off running, too late now… In his mind he thanked his parents for giving him the gift of unusual height for someone his age, he was at least a head taller than the group of bullies. It felt like he was sitting back out in the heat, sweat made his bangs stick to his forehead again and his palms were clammy and it was all his nerves fault, “Wh-What are you doing? Didn’t your parents raise you right?” His cheeks turned a light pink at his uncontrollable stutter.

“Look at Mr. Hero.” One of them laughed, walking over to place himself in front of Jung Kook. The boy looked up to him, clearly not intimidated by Jung Kook’s height… There went that plan. Quickly Jung Kook began to crumble, what if a fight broke out? Don’t back down Jung Kook, give them your worst.

“Yah, Jung Kook what did you do now?” He heard Jimin sigh.

His head snapped up to see Jimin walked over to them lazily, a drink in each hand. Perfect timing! Jung Kook suppressed a smile of relief that he had been saved. The boy in front of him smirked and let out a light chuckle, “What’s he? Your baby brother?”

“Yah, I’m two years his senior!” Jimin snapped, crushing one of the drinks in his hand. Jung Kook couldn’t help but let out a low snicker, they hit the right nail on the head by saying that. At the insult Jimin took a chance to lazily tighten the muscles in his arms, acting like he was a cat about to pounce on its prey. Jimin’s height was something that couldn’t even frighten a mouse… but when it came to fitness, it was something completely different. After exchanging glances between Jung Kook and the quickly approaching Jimin, the boy and his crew took off leaving the girl behind. A long and exhausted sigh left his lips; thankful he was clear from those boys… If he would have had to fight them off who knows what would have happened? Jimin nudged Jung Kook hard in the ribs to get rid of his thoughts, gesturing to the girl watching the group of boys walk off.

For a moment Jung Kook’s mouth hung open trying to find words to argue, but only squeaks came out. After a swift push from Jimin, Jung Kook tumbled forward a few steps with glowing cheeks. Why was he making him do this? He should be the one comforting her…! He looked back to Jimin who was distracted by picking up the mess he made on the concrete earlier.

“A-Are you okay?” Jung Kook asked, taking a step closer to the girl. As he was about to grab her shoulder lightly she turned around so fast he didn’t even have a chance to blink. She really was on the short side, even smaller than Jimin! Her face was round with large eyes the color of ink and plump pink lips… His eyes ran down her body till they stopped at her bright pink pumps that added plenty of height… They didn’t seem to help much…

“I didn’t ask for your help.” She snapped, scowling at Jung kook with such intensity a shiver twisted down his spine. What…? Was she really going to act this way after everything he and Jimin did for her?

“E-Excuse Me-?” He started but was quickly cut off.

“Buzz off!” She yelled and spun on the ball of her foot; before another word was spoken she stomped off towards the doors of the arcade. All he could do was watch her hips sway as she made her exit in a daze. This really didn’t happen did it…? Someone needed to tell him that didn’t happen.

“You could at least say thank you!” Jung Kook yelled. It was a little too late when he came out of his trance; she already left the arcade when Jung Kook realized what he was suppose to say. His cheeks were bright red with a mixture of humiliation, anger, and embarrassment.

“She’s a sassy one!” Jimin laughed as he took his place next to his junior. When Jung Kook offered no response he looked over to see the baby had balled his fists tightly while looking at his feet, his face a bright red from embarrassment, “Aw, is our little bunny’s pride hurt?” He teased and patted Jung Kook’s back softly to comfort him, all the while sipping on the drink he hadn’t messed up.