A playful tune passed through Jimin’s full lips as he walked towards Taehyung and now Jungkook’s class. It was lunch time. And what better way to spend it than to eat it with two of his best friends?

The said student literally skipped through the halls to the classroom and slid the door open, as if he owned the room. “Heyoo!” he wished, “Jungkookie! Taehyung!” he called out and wasn’t disappointed to see that the two of them had stood up in response to hearing their names. “Let’s go get some lunch!” he announced a little too brightly for anyone to handle.

Both Jungkook and Taehyung chuckled to see their bubbly Jimin being all flowery and happy. If there was one thing which could keep them happy, it was most definitely Park Jimin. The duo exchanged knowing looks with each other and sighed as if they were parents to the most adorable child in the world. Taehyung chose that moment to burst out, refusing to accept the fact that his best friend was getting more attention than him.

“Heyoo, Jiminnie! We were actually thinking of the same thing!”

Jungkook almost slapped his forehead in embarrassment. Yes, they were planning on doing that but Taehyung didn’t have to shout about it, did he? And that too, in such a way that he was announcing to the whole world, on a microphone. He hid his laugh and ignored the giggling of the other students. They must be like this always, he concluded. What was that about Taehyung ssi being the weird one again?

“So, how were your first few classes?” Jungkook heard Jimin ask him as the elder walked in front of him. Taehyung chose to walk beside the shortest male of the group while the addressed to student walked behind, following the two companions to the cafeteria.

“So-so,” Jungkook simply replied. He was grateful that Jimin was really being considerate of his first day, asking him questions and checking up on him to see if he was doing alright. Although, this gratefulness was rooted deeper than just at the level of being thankful.

Taehyung turned back and gave Jungkook a snicker. “Don’t listen to him, Jiminnie!” Taehyung called out in that deep voice of his. Jungkook thought that it was unnatural how a person as childlike as him was blessed with such a sonorous and matured voice. Talk about a complete mismatch. “He almost fell asleep in the second and third period. And by the fourth period, he was busy doodling in his book,” Taehyung tattled like a kid. Jungkook looked at him, more amused than shocked. Was he a child?

Jimin knitted his eyebrows but retained his contagious smile. “Old habits die hard, huh, Jungkook?” he laughed. “But try staying awake for the next few classes, yeah? You should at least try to stay awake for the first few days. Oh and Taehyung,” he turned to the cotton candy haired male right beside him, “that’s ‘hyung’ for you. Seriously, Taehyung, how many times will I remind you that I’m elder to you?”

It appeared that Taehyung was no longer paying any more attention to the speaker. Instead, his focus and eyes went towards the window and the world outside it.

Jungkook noticed this sudden sullenness in his behavior and turned towards the same place. The outside world did indeed look peaceful. He just wanted to run out there without a care in the world and let go of everything. Live as free as a bird with nothing to tether him down to the ground…

“Let’s go to the river sometime soon,” Taehyung heard Jimin say all of a sudden, interrupting his thoughts. That husky voice compelled him to turn towards the owner and he was caught in a sight that he had never seen before. And what he saw intrigued him a whole lot more than the fairy like pink trees, silent through the transparent windows of the school.

He saw Jimin’s eyes fixated on the youngest student, who loomed taller but looked way more innocent and ignorant than him. His gaze was glued to the newest student’s features, unable to turn away for no particular reason. The sight seemed very, very sparkly to Taehyung. He had seen a similar scene like this before – this sparkly look in Jimin’s eyes, the soft features on his face upon staring at an innocent and completely unaware Jungkook… What was this look called again?

Jungkook heard Jimin suggest that they go to the river. “Mmm,” he replied, his voice almost a whisper. He turned to look at Jimin - the very same Jimin who was super considerate of his friends, the very same Jimin who was really observant of his surroundings when it concerned his loved ones, the very same Jimin who knew him like his own family. But the moment his eyes met the shorter statured males, he felt something inside him. All his thoughts about running away into the world of fantasy and wide spaces vanished like the fog in the mornings. It was a calm relaxing feeling; a sensation that reminded him of home, a place where he was the happiest, a place where he could truly be himself.

Call it melodramatic or over exaggerated, but the winds rustled past the trees and pushed the slightly ajar window open to let the fresh gust of air into the hallway where several students stood, laden along with it, the vibrant pink of the cherry blossoms.

The tallest of the trio felt his movements stop suddenly. He felt his sense organs heighten at its peak but his motor senses failed him miserably. He took sight and notice of his two hyungs in front of him but he couldn’t get himself to say anything. It was as if the whole world was in slow motion and this was caused by his best friend’s mere voice.

“Hey, Jimin, Taehyung!” a sudden call from the far end of the corridor broke Jungkook out of his fantastical reverie. Just what on earth was that?

Taehyung was the first one to turn towards the sound. It seemed familiar to him, this voice. The light nature of it, the somewhat small and feminine aura of the wispy voice reminded him of none other than the eldest member of his group – Kim Seokjin. And it was a given that wherever Kim Seokjin was, one would find his ever trusted and loyal bodyguard, Kim Namjoon.

Jimin and Jungkook turned towards the call to see two students, both of whom were from the third year as made certain through their green ties, waving out at them.

“Hey, Jimin, Taehyung. I was wondering whe…” the eerily pretty student, whom Jungkook was confused to be a female if you only looked at his face and mannerisms, said but stopped right in the middle. “Uhh…” the person stopped right in front of the three of them and gave them a wide smile. The person behind him, who was taller than the first one by a good five inches, was smart enough to realize first that the tallest one in the newly approached trio was Jimin’s childhood friend.

The mentioned student made an approach to the boy before Jimin could introduce the stranger. He didn’t fail to notice the color of his tie though. It was blue. Which meant that he was a second year. But wait, didn’t Jimin say that Jungkook was two years younger than him?

“Hello,” Jungkook heard the ivory haired senior approach him. A few things about this person struck him. For one, besides the white hair, he had a really outward posture. But it didn’t come off as proud. If at all, it came off as the perfect amount of confidence. And he had a really charming smile in addition with his good looks. He seemed like the type of person who thought a lot and this thinking had led to him figuring everything out about the entire universe – it’s past, present and future.

Oie, Jungkook, his brain brought him back to earth at the correct moment, don’t wander off now.

“I’m Kim Namjoon,” the person with whom he was shaking his hand introduced himself politely, if not respectfully, though he was elder than him. “I’m in the third year. I major in Politics. You’re Jungkook ssi, right?”

Jungkook managed a small nod. This guy was really, really smart. And based on the way he had spoken just now, this smartness was nothing forced. Totally inborn, Jungkook’s consciousness made a small comment at the back of his head.

“Yes, I am. I’m Jeon Jungkook. Department of Literature. Second year,” he returned a firm grip as he bowed down and accepted the shake of the hands with utter respect. “It’s nice to meet you.”

 The unbelievably pretty student at their backs called out and decided to join the conversation. “Hi, Jeon Jungkook ssi. I’m Kim Seokjin. You can call me Jin, that is, if you want. A third year and Namjoon’s classmate. And I know,” he was quick to clarify, “the two of us have the same surname but we’re not related in any way.”

Upon hearing this clarification, Jungkook couldn’t help but laugh. Jimin really did have a very interesting group of friends.

“Pleasure to meet the both of you,” Jungkook replied politely, making sure that he impressed Jimin’s friends, though he had no understanding why. Taehyung and Jimin both chose that moment to in, like all friends were prone to doing. “Enough with the formalities, Jungkook, hyungs,” Jimin said and pulled Jungkook’s blazer sleeve. “I’m hungry, so let’s talk more in the cafeteria,” he added and dragged Jungkook by the arm. The newly arrived members laughed alongside Taehyung, who seemed a little too determined to reach the cafeteria.

After finally managing to get some sandwiches and flavored milk for themselves, and with Taehyung getting an extra bowl of noodles along with some pudding, the group began their conversation and their case of socializing.

“So, you’re in the second year. Are you Taehyung’s classmate by any chance?” Namjoon asked Jungkook as he took a bite of his chicken sandwich. Jungkook nodded while sparing him a distracted glance. He was a little busy peeling off the plastic covers of his egg sandwich.

“I am his classmate. In fact, I sit two desks behind him,” he replied and finally took a bit of the long awaited sandwich.

Jimin and Taehyung were sort of busy fighting over the chocolate layer in the vanilla pudding so they didn’t bother joining the conversation. Besides, they both thought that they knew Jungkook well enough.

“How’s the school treating you so far?” Seokjin asked the question next. “Do you intent to join any clubs?”

The addressed to male swallowed neatly and answered only when his mouth was empty, unlike two certain people who were practically spilling food everywhere. “It’s good. I like it here. And I’m not sure about the club thing. I think I’d rather try to observe and get to know the place well before being too courageous.”

“But,” Taehyung suddenly interrupted. The trio turned towards the voice to find a cute squirrel like animal looking at them with big sparkly eyes. “What’s the fun in that? Choose one and grow to love it. Isn’t that more exciting?”

Seokjin rolled his eyes. “That works only for selective geniuses like you.”

Taehyung scowled. “What does that mean?”

Namjoon explained in a manner to appease both the parties. Jungkook could feel the tension but the frankness of both members from his seat. “He means that not everyone is determined as you in excelling something, Taehyung. No harm meant.”

As if noticing Jungkook’s internal enquiry, Jimin, who sat right next to Jungkook explained that Seokjin and Taehyung were cousins. “So they’re always like this, Jin hyung always nagging and taking care of Taehyung like he’s a baby or something. Which isn’t Jin’s fault because Taehyung definitely needs the attention.”

Jungkook nodded, understanding each word that passed out of Jimin’s mouth. It did make sense.

“Speaking of which,” Seokjin suddenly changed the topic. “Where are Yoongi and Hoseok?”

Jimin was quick to answer for Yoongi’s case. “Yoongi hyung’s busy with work. Their first exhibition for this year is coming up so he said that he had to work extra hours,” he replied, not really bothering that pieces of his sandwich were falling out of Jimin’s mouth.

“Jimin,” Jungkook sighed and cleaned his mouth with his handkerchief instinctively. This always happened when they were younger so it was more of a reaction than him cleaning his friend’s mouth. “Don’t be so clumsy while eating. It’s not nice.” It was always like this. And this familiar scene made it feel like Jungkook had never even left in the first place. But then, the mothering male heard something which was entirely new.

“Jimin, are you okay?”

Pausing his movements of wiping his hyung’s face, Jungkook noticed that Jimin’s face had become noticeably red. And his eyes seemed startled and disarrayed, like his whole body had undergone something incredibly stressful and shocking. Which was not possible. Why was Jimin acting like this? Then it hit him…

“Crap!” he quickly pulled his hands back and shifted a good distance away from Jimin. Even he began to heat up around the cheeks and began stuttering nervously. He didn’t realize that they were older now. This sort of skin ship wasn’t normal amongst teens, and that two between boys. “I’m sorry. It was an instinct. You see when we were kids, Jimin would always…” Jungkook heard himself fumble with his words, which he normally would not do.

Taehyung and the rest laughed. “It just shows how close the two of you are, no worries,” Seokjin reassured them, adding that it was nothing weird. “Besides,” he continued, “Taehyung too tends to get super clingy, and I’m not talking about mentally or emotionally.” Jungkook heard Taehyung mumble something about that being a lie but honestly, he could no longer concentrate anymore. Forgotten were his small juice box and the half eaten egg sandwich…

Just what in hell was that?

The lunch continued in a slow and steady pace with Seokjin and Namjoon asking Jungkook some questions about his past friendship with Jimin. This was accompanied by Taehyung’s constant interruptions about something entirely unrelated and irrelevant but Jungkook supposed that this was normal. However, there was one thing that Jungkook did notice throughout the rest of the lunch.

Jungkook noticed that Jimin had become audibly quieter. Ah crap, Jungkook mentally cursed, that was something completely uncalled for. You stupid idiot. He felt like hitting himself in the head but seeing that he was amongst company, he refrained from it. He would most definitely have to apologize later. He didn’t think at that moment that something was definitely not normal with the way Jimin had reacted; after all, it was something both Jimin and Jungkook were entirely used to since Jungkook always did that during meals.

But still, Jungkook clenched his fist under the table and gritted his teeth out of sheer nervousness. Why was I so nervous when I found out about Jimin’s reaction? Was he being a little too conscious? Or was he being too insensitive about the gap created between Jimin and him due to the years that they had spent apart?

Goddammit! This is frustrating! And why do I even bother anyway?

He coerced himself to rejoin the conversation which Jimin was, by then, taking an active part it. The raven head had no clue what it was about but he decided that joining it was better than racking his already small and incapable brain. And within a few minutes, he caught the wavelength of the topic and breezed through without worries. Unbeknown to him was that there was a certain candy haired male one seat away from him that caught every facial expression he had made when he had gone through that momentary turmoil. This exact fluffily dyed head continued to sip his strawberry milk without the slightest change in his expression.

Jungkook walked out of the school building with cringed eyes. The sun was right at that spot where it seemed to be deliberately targeting him, aiming the rays for his eyes even though he had done nothing against it. Cursing the sun and its position (yes, Jungkook is THAT matured) he continued walking towards the school gates, not even considering that he may have to wait for Jimin, or even Taehyung. Well, he should be forgiven as he had been away for three years during which he always walked home alone.

A cold wind blew past the student in question and he had to squint his eyes to prevent anything from blowing inside his visual line. He walked right out to the gate when he heard a completely unfamiliar voice, which sounded strangely lazy and annoyed, call out a very familiar name, one which even Jungkook’s cells had even memorized probably.

“Don’t scream into my ear, Jimin. I’m near the gate.”

Jungkook turned towards the voice swiftly. By now, the wind had died down and this allowed him to open his eyes fully in addition to hearing clearly. “Hah?” he heard the stranger questioned rather rudely, “You were the one who told me that you wanted to introduce me to whoever this Jung Jeonguk was and now you tell me you… Nevermind. Just,” he pinched his nose. “Where are you?”

The person was a student. He was wearing the same uniform as Jungkook but there was an aura about him which spelled out that he didn’t belong; not mentally. His white shirt being loosely tucked in his black trousers, his green necktie hung looser, lower than a normal student’s. The dark colored blazer of the school fit him well; it resembled the look in his eyes. Even from that distance, he could see that the boy was unnervingly fair. But what Jungkook noticed besides all that was that expensive looking camera around his delicate looking neck.

“If you’re not here in ten minutes, Park Jimin, I’m leaving,” the student, who was by now leaning against the wall, looking up, demanded. He had a tiny smirk on his face, like he was enjoying his torture upon the receiving end of the call. “I don’t care if that’s too less. You’re an athlete, aren’t you?” he asked then paused.

“Yes, yes. Dancer too but same difference. So get here by then. I’m counting,” he concluded and cut off the phone abruptly. Jungkook walked up to him because he felt that there was something about this guy that he didn’t like. It wasn’t his face or anything because he looked like a decent person. But it was the way he had just addressed Jimin.

But when he walked up to him, he swore he heard something quite unexpected. He saw the boy taking a look at his cell phone, checking something on the screen. “Ten minutes?” he heard the dark haired student question himself. That self righteous smile had wiped off of his face by then and he clicked his tongue. “As if.”

His very own cell phone picked the perfect moment to ring at its loudest volume. Startled by the sudden noise, Jungkook wailed out in a not so manly manner, gaining the attention of the person who had caught his interest just a few moments back. He saw the student turn towards him with a somewhat confused look but he didn’t say anything.

Bowing in apology for disturbing the environment, Jungkook quickly answered his phone only to hear another voice which made his heart skip a beat.

“Hel…”

“Oie Jungkook! Wait for me near the gate. I’ll be there in three minutes. I want you to meet someone.” And the line went dead.

“Jimin? Hey!” Jungkook tried to scold into the phone but he realized that he was deliberately cut off, that too in an extremely harsh manner. The stranger before him had immediately turned upon hearing Jimin’s name and finally, Jungkook saw a sight which he immediately recognized as suspicion and concern, if not surprise.

“Don’t tell me you’re,” the guy, whom Jungkook noticed also that he was undeniably short as compared to him, “Jun Jeoncook.”

Jungkook could’ve fallen down dead at the murdering of his name but he decided against it. Instead, he exchanged it with a cringe.

“Yes,” he replied politely, as if it was his nature, which it was.

Then the new student whom Jungkook was beginning to really grow curious about said something which Jungkook never expected someone to say during an introduction. “Prince charming is finally here, huh?”

Surprised, and trying desperately to process what he had just said, Jungkook had to ask him what he meant by that. But before all that, “What?”

“Nothing,” the guy suddenly brushed away and straightened his body and held out his hand towards the taller. “I’m Min Yoongi. Jimin wanted to introduce you to me,” he said and added the next few words with something which seemed a little more malicious that it should have been. “It’s nice to meet you finally, Jun Junggock.”

Jungkook smiled and returned the handshake. “It’s actually Jeon Jungkook,” he finally corrected, though he didn’t mind, that much. “And it’s good to meet you too.”

Yoongi clicked his tongue all of a sudden and it was followed by a cringe of his face, as if everything in life was a burden to him. “Ah,” he said. As it turns out, he was only mad at himself. “You’ll have to excuse me. I’m really horrible at remembering names. It actually took me a week to remember Jimin’s name altogether.” The second year let go of their hands and smiled, assuring him that it was perfectly fine.

The shorter of the two suddenly turned away from the junior and gave out a long sigh. “So do you think we should wait for that idiot still?” he asked, not realizing the fact that Jungkook felt a little bad for Jimin to be addressed as an idiot. Yes, he was kind of dumb at times, but…

“Relax kid, I just call him idiot because his name’s too burdensome,” the boy with the camera said and clicked his tongue again. Where was this idiot? Then he heard the glorious voice from within the school gates.

“Yoongi hyung! Jungkook!”

“Well what do you know?” Yoongi mumbled, “It took him just nine minutes.”

Jimin was sweating buckets by the time he reached the two. He also resembled a walrus, trying desperately to catch his breath but nevertheless, he spoke. “You…huff… introduce…”

Yoongi smacked his head. “Breathe first, ,” he scolded and before Jungkook could even think of anything, Yoongi had already handed the new arrival with a bottle of water that he had pulled out from his bag. “Don’t drink everything at one go, nitwit.”

The wheezing boy smiled that eye disappearing smile and which could make anyone’s heart skip a beat. And in this case, it made a certain someone’s heart do exactly that. Jungkook, on the other hand, felt his heart pace relax when he saw the wonderful sight.

Yoongi hated it. That stupid smile. He hated it all. He couldn’t stand humans in general but when Jimin smiled that annoyingly dumb and ignorant smile which shamed every toddler, he just wanted to punch the nearest passerby. And in this case, it was Junkoog.

“Are you alright now, ?” Yoongi enquired, distracting himself from his urge to punch a completely innocent boy who was younger than him by – yes, that’s a red tie – a year. Wait, a year? I thought Jimin said that he was plenty younger?

Finally catching his breath, Jimin answered affirmative and he finally stood straight to get the introductions done. Mentally agreeing to go along with the flow to avoid further explanation and waste energy, Yoongi simply carried out the courtesy again and introduced himself normally this time. Jungkook decided to do the same.

“Now that that’s done,” Yoongi said abruptly at the end, “I have to go.”

Jimin made a face which lasted for only a fraction of a second. It seemed that Jimin didn’t want him to go just yet. But no one besides Jungkook caught it. “Alright,” Jimin replied and added an apology. “I’m sorry for taking up your time when you’re so busy.”

Yoongi rolled his eyes but Jungkook was, again, quick to catch that small smile on his lips. “It’s fine, Jimin.” He ruffled up Jimin’s normally smooth hair and turned his back towards the duo before which, he made eye contact with the youngest of the three. After this, he walked away with Jimin calling out to see him tomorrow.

Jungkook had expected something, from this sudden glance. Yoongi ssi did deliberately make that eye contact with him, didn’t he? But there was nothing. No hostility, no smile, no sigh, nothing. It was as if he had…

“He’s a really nice person,” Jimin suddenly said, breaking Jungkook out of his thoughts. “I’m sorry?”

“Yoongi hyung, I mean. He just takes time to warm up,” Jimin explained. “And he’s really funny too. But like I said, he doesn’t get along with people in the first few tries.” The boy turned to Jungkook and that eye blinding smile returned. “You know Hoseok hyung is still in that stage. Though they’re classmates, Yoongi hyung still hasn’t opened up to him yet.”

“Oh,” Jungkook simply said, unable to pay much attention to him. There was just something about Yoongi that unsettled him. It was not a bad feeling that he was giving off but it was definitely not pleasing to the mind.

A/N:

And the tension builds up...

Enjoy the new chapter. 

Also, happy birthday JoSarang!

Indefinitely,

TypicalFangirl09