Contemporary isn’t an area Jimin dwells upon very often, so choosing that genre as his solo for the dance showcase was a far greater challenge than expected. After all, his experience stems from hip hop and pop, along with the brief waltz he had with someone special a couple months ago.

                  He’s limited all forms of contact in favor of spending time in the dance studio, staring at himself in the mirror until his body miraculously moves in a way that fits what he’s going for. It’s been well over a week and he isn’t completely sure of the results, but there’s always room for perfection.

                  It’d another evening of dripping sweat while the music repeats itself again and again, sparing no room for a breather. Occasionally another member of the dance team would drop in and work on their pieces, but Jimin is too deep in the zone to really take notice of who comes and goes. On some nights a janitor would have to interrupt and usher him out before the school closes.

                  The sun is starting to set when he finishes the song for the nth time, and it’s probably the only time he’s actually satisfied with what his choreography looks like. Performing it live would be an entirely different story, though. He definitely isn’t ready for an audience, so when he hears clapping behind him he almost pisses himself.

                  He whirls around, face completely flushed at the thought of being watched. But then Jimin notices his friends posted by the door, gleaming grins on their faces as they continue to hoot at his dancing. “WHAT THE ,” Hoseok yells, letting himself in. “YOU’RE Y WHEN YOU DANCE!”

                  “I’M IN LOVE!” screeches Taehyung, who starts sobbing dramatically. Namjoon shuffles after the two with a bright smile and two thumbs up.

                  Jimin breathes and reaches to wipe the sweat off his brow. “What are you guys doing here?”

                  “Moral support!” The orange-headed kid offers him a juice bottle and throws a towel over his head. “We’re your personal cheerleaders. Actually, we made up a cheer on the way here, do you want to hear it—?”

                  “Not really,” Jimin jokes, laughing at his exaggerated frown. “Thanks. I-I really appreciate it.”

                  “We got you, man! But for real, your dance looks super hot.”

                  Namjoon nods. “If it looks good now, you’ll probably look amazing on stage.”

                  Jimin purses his lips and looks at the floor, scratching his cheek. “You guys are coming to watch, right?”

                  “Course we are, you nub.” Hoseok brusquely punches his shoulder. “This kid’s gonna kill us if we don’t.”

                  “True. I already asked my boss for the day off,” Taehyung says, winking. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world!”

                  Jimin snorts. “Thanks, guys.”

                  “Okay, but, we actually came here ‘cause Namjoon said he had an announcement to make,” says Hoseok. “But he wouldn’t say anything until we got’cha.”

                  He blinks, turning to look at Namjoon. “What’s the announcement?”

                  The guy coughs and slides off his backpack, crouching down to shuffle through it. “Remember that Robotics Championship I was talking about for months?”

                  Hoseok gasps. “Don’t tell us you ing got first place—!”

                  “I won’t.” He pulls out a ribbon with a telltale ‘2’ written on it. “Because we got second place.”

                  The other boys look aghast. “What—What happened?!” Hoseok starts shaking him. “The Robotics team placed first for the last five years, how badly didja screw up?!”

                  Namjoon shrugs and sticks the ribbon on Hoseok’s head, to which the latter responds with a long hiss (‘you calling me a second-placer, punk?! Just because you finally beat me in Brawl’). “Yeah, we placed second and staff is pretty mad at us because we’re not the school’s prized pets anymore. But you know what?” His dazzling grin warms up the hearts of the other boys to the point they start smiling too. “It was the most fun I’ve ever had at a competition, because I finally made something I wanted to make, and not something someone told me to do. So I don’t really mind being second so much. It… It was fun.”

                  “… Bro,” Taehyung starts, grabbing his shoulder. “You’re first place in my heart.”

                  “Please save that for Jim.”

                  Hoseok starts to holler. “AW YEAH, SECOND PLACE! LET’S ING CELEBRATE! PIZZA, ANYONE?!”

                  “PIZZA!” Taehyung sprints out of the room with his arms waving wildly. “PIZZA, PIZZA!”

                  Namjoon glances at Jimin. “Pizza?”

                  The boy looks at the time on his phone and sighs; it’s about time he took a break.

                 “Pizza.”

--

                 After a long, wild appointment at the pizza parlour topped off with jalapeño pepper chicken and a very emotional Hoseok ranting about how spicy the chicken was, the boys part for home. By then, the sun is gone and it’s on them to face the night.

                 “BYE, ERS!” Hoseok shouts as he climbs onto the late bus, waving back at the others before it takes off.  “Y’ALL ARE NICE KIDS, GOOD NIGHT!”

                 Namjoon lets out a breathy chuckle and turns to walk down the sidewalk. “See you guys at school tomorrow.”

                 “SEE YOU!” Taehyung takes Jimin’s arm in his and together, they start down the silent streets in the opposite direction. He makes a couple comments about his stomach being ‘totally loaded, bro’ and after that, there’s a brief pause in their conversation. Then he says quite suddenly, “I’m really proud of you, Park Jimin.”

                 Jimin glances at him with a startled look. “Wh-What for?”

                 “Because,” he says, grinning. “You’ve come a really long way, and I couldn’t be more proud of you.”

                 The other male stares blankly. “… What do you mean…?”

                 “I mean, you used to be afraid of everything, weren’t you? Now you can actually look people in the eye sometimes.”

                 “Sometimes.”

                 “You seem a lot braver, man.” Taehyung laughs, nudging his sides. “Don’t you see it?”

                 “Well…” He nudges him back and then shrugs. “I guess I’ve made some friends.”

                 “Some friends? There’s me, Namjoon, Hoseok, that Chanmi chick, your study buddies, your dance team,” he recites, numbering off his fingers until he loses count. “And if you really want to include him, Jungkook.”

                 “Do you usually consider casual acquaintances your friends?” Jimin asks, blinking.

                 “I’m optimistic,” Taehyung replies.

                 He nods before frowning. “You forgot someone important.”

                 “Who?”

                 “Yoongi-hyung.”

                 “… Oh,” the latter groans, smacking himself in the face. “Right, sorry.”

                 Jimin glances at his friend. “You alright?”

                 “Yeah,” Taehyung says, glancing back. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

                 “I dunno, you tell me…” JImin stops walking to let a car pass by. “You seemed a little over the top today. Like, you were trying too hard to be happy. Is something up?”

                 He rolls his shoulder as they start walking again. “I’m fine, dude.”

                 “If you say so.”

                 They bid each other a good night and go their separate ways from the stop sign at the end of Jimin’s street. Jimin manages to get into his house before it gets too chilly, and decides to get a cup of milk to accompany his homework. He skillfully hustles all his things up the stairs without waking up his parents, though he’s immediately startled by the incessant tapping he hears the moment he steps into his room. There’s the orangehead again, with his face plastered against the glass.

                 He tosses his stuff down and shuffles to get the window open. “… What are you doing?” he sighs.

                 “Okay, so…” Taehyung rests his arms on the ledge. He hesitates. “I never lie to you, right?”

                 Jimin stares at him. “Yes.”

                 “And you’d believe anything I say, right?”

                 “Sure.”

                 “And you’ll always take my side, right?”

                 “Of course.”

                 “Well… What if…” Taehyung bites on his lip, various emotions conflicting in his eyes. It takes another moment (during which Jimin is seriously wondering how he can hold himself two storeys off the ground for so long) before he in a breath. “What if I told you to stay away from someone? Would you do it?”

                 Jimin considers his question. “It depends. I mean, I guess… You’d have a good reason for telling me to.”

                 “Right. Okay.” Taehyung offers him an awkward smile, as if he’s trying to make light of an otherwise serious situation. “What if it was someone close to you?”

                 “What?” The other boy frowns. “Is it Hoseok?”

                 “No—”

                 “Namjoon?”

                 “No—!”

                 “You?”

                 “Listen,” Taehyung sighs. “You gotta believe in what I’m going to say, alright? Just—take my word for it, no questions.”

                 Jimin swallows and reminds himself to keep breathing; way to start a panic attack. “D-Dude…”

                 “Please,” he says, almost desperately. “Please stay away from Yoongi. He’s bad news.”

                 With such simple words, it’s a wonder how Jimin feels faint so quickly. His chest tightens, and he has to take a step back to keep himself up. “… What? Wh-What are you saying?”

                 Taehyung winces like he’s the one in more pain. “I told you not to ask.”

                 He wants to cry. Instead, a burst of anger takes place of his tears. “But why would I—?!”

                 “DON’T ING ASK!” Taehyung shouts, pink in the face. “God dammit Park Jimin, just listen to me!”

                 Jimin grinds his teeth, clenches his hands, and outright glowers at someone who’s supposed to be a friend; he doesn’t ask anymore. “Get out.”

                 “Excuse me?”

                 “GET OUT!” he screams, tears bursting out of his eyes. “GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!”

                 Taehyung stammers, mouth caught wide open in shock. He blinks and slowly makes his way down the wall. “I-I haven’t lied to you yet,” he adds, disappearing into dusk.

                 Jimin slams his window shut and clambers into his bed. He ignores his parents’ inquiring about who exactly he was yelling at so late at night, and lets his covers take away the constant betrayal gnawing at his chest.

don't kill me.
I haven't written the next chapter yet, whaT DO I DO.
PANICS.
will you guys forgive me if the chapters are delayed. midterms, oh