* * * * *

The leaves and the mud were squeaking under his boots as Jimin made his way through the small park at the back of the school. He stopped for a moment to notice just how beautiful of a day it was, before waving his head and laughing it off. The fact that it was a beautiful day had absolutely nothing to do with him taking a smoke without the teachers seeing, which was really the only reason he was there. Yet, somehow, he couldn’t help but notice how the light reflected prettily off the reddening leaves. In fact, Jimin seemed to notice pretty thing a lot lately – especially small things. It puzzled him to no end. Who the cares about leaves?

Almost like a secret agent or a mafia member, he scanned left and right for any sign of teachers or students. Finding no one, he quickly ducked and disappeared behind an old trashcan. The thing was probably decades old – a huge block of concrete that randomly stood in the middle of the park. How and why, Jimin had no idea. He supposed someone just wanted to get rid of it and dumped it there.

“Hey, kid.”

Just as he had expected, there was a person behind the trashcan already. He was two years older, a senior by the name of Seokjin. With hair as red as the leaves, he was crouching behind the trashcan, boots sunk deep into the autumn mud. His plump, pink lips were toying with a cigarette – nibbling it a bit, then on it, despite the fact the cigarette wasn’t even lit.

It was a miracle, Jimin thought, just how cool Jin managed to look, despite his muddy boots and his “elegant” location behind a smelly trashcan.

Jimin assumed an identical position right next to the older boy, Jin’s right and Jimin’s left thigh brushing together. It was the only way to make sure the teachers couldn’t see them, even when looking from the third-story classrooms.

Only then did Jin finally pull out a lighter and a pack of Marlboro reds. Jimin was just about to take one from the pack when Jin abruptly pulled his hand back, offering the other cigarette instead – the one he’d been chewing on. Jimin thought to protest, but somehow wasn’t in the mood, and a senior was hardly a person he wanted to mess with. Moreover, the third period had already ended and he really needed a cig right now, germs and bacteria be damned. Not to mention, Jin was practically Jimin’s only source of cigs in the school.

He let Jin light his cigarette for him, as he always did despite being the older one. It might’ve been a trick of the light, but he thought he saw Jin smirk while he did so.

Finally at ease, Jimin took a deep pull and tried not to let his boots sink too deep into the mud. He leaned back against the concrete can, shoulder to shoulder with Jimin. The concrete felt warm.

Just like always, they didn’t really talk. The lunch break only lasted for so long, so they needed to smoke quickly.

Checking his phone, Jimin saw the bell was about to ring. He dumped the remains of his third cigarette into the mud and moved to stand up, before he was stopped by a hand at his thigh.

For a moment, he froze, gripped by an irrational fear. This has never happened before. Their routine was broken – the routine he had established with the older boy during the course of the previous month. They’d come here, they’d crouch in the mud and smoke, and then they’d leave for their respective classes, in different buildings and on different floors. It was scary to see that stability go.

Jimin stood up abruptly, for once uncaring about the teachers that could be watching. He wanted to start running through the park, to run and run and run until he stops feeling afraid.

But before he could do that Jin stood up next to him. He grabbed Jimin’s shoulder and violently pushed him against the concrete trash can. For a moment Jimin wondered what the hell must’ve possessed Jin and if he ever did something to enrage the older boy.

By pure instinct, Jimin’s arm sprang up to block a punch, but no punch came. Instead he felt two calloused hands grabbing his face and the taste of Marlboro reds on his lips.

* * * * *

KissTheDream: Find me on AO3 for more fanfics