The day before the audition, I had purchased a one-way ticket back to my hometown. I had called my mother the day before that and informed her about my decision. She said she would be happy to welcome me home should I not pass the audition, but father would be another story. I hadn’t talked to him or connected with him in years. Who knew how he would react when I had left him with the impression that ‘showbiz in the only way’ for me. But, I was still holding onto the idea that you know, this might just work. Maybe I was a lucky bastard after all?

    “I think I’m going to throw up Taehyung.” Jimin said to his reflection. He looked like he was going to throw up. He was clammy, pale, and shaking. It was twenty minutes till his audition, he couldn’t afford to be sick. He grabbed onto Taehyung’s arm for stability. Taehyung laughed at his friends panicked expression and removed the death grip on his arm.

    “Calm down Chim Chim. I’m going right before you. I will be there for you, I promise. I believe in you. Fighting!” Taehyung patted him on the back as he was called by the coordinator. Jimin watched with trepidation as his last support system walked away. Now he was alone with his fear. How was he going to sing in this condition? He’d be fumbling over words, pitchy holding notes, maybe even forget what song he was singing! Jimin ran from outside the changing room into the locker room attached. It was extremely stupid of him, but he needed some space to think. He sat down in one of the shower cubicles and allowed himself one brief moment of venting.

Screaming bloody murder, he bent over and rang out his frustrations into the toilet. When he was sure his voice was ragged, he pulled back and sat down on the cold linoleum. He felt an inner peace settle over him, as if that one action alone had cured him of his insanity. He was sure no one had heard him, and was about to leave without incident, when he heard someone clear their throat. Stepping from the stall, he walked back into the space that held the lockers and found a man standing there. He was a little taller than Jimin, with a more defined frame. He had broad shoulders, a small waist, and toned legs. His arms were lean in their thinness, but his hands looked strong; long and wide like a pianist’s. He had black hair that hung over his forehead, but stopped just below his browline. Even with the large black shades and the beanie pulled low over his face, Jimin could tell he had small eyes, long cheeks, and a defined jaw-line. If he wasn’t so awed by the man’s presence and his decidedly ruggish appeal, Jimin would have realized he had asked him a question.

    “Huh?” Jimin squeaked, ringing the hem of his shirt. The man nodded slowly and pointed to the showers.

    “Did you just murder someone in there?” He repeated, this time with more trepidation. Jimin blushed fifty shades of red in embarrassment.

    “N-no! I, I just, I was venting.” The man cocked his head and started to take a step back.

    “Venting as in…” He still thought Jimin had hurt someone in there, unaware that he was the one to whom the screams belonged.

    “Not on someone! I was just really nervous for this audition today and needed to vent some of my anxieties so I kind of screamed into a toilet. I wasn’t hurting anyone I promise.” The man sagged in relief and began to remove his jacket. It was a thick brown pilot one, and it showed he was wearing a long sleeve white shirt underneath. Jimin could make out his non-existent waistline even better. He didn’t mean to stare, but he couldn’t help it. The man was gorgeous even though he couldn’t get a very good look at his face. The man walked past him to the bathroom section that was next to the showers. He called out to Jimin as he used the restroom.

    “Well that’s good, because I would hate to discover a dead body in the middle of a community center. I’m absolutely hopeless at the sight of blood. Pass out like a bad bulb in a power-outage. You’d have plenty of time to make a clean getaway before I could even remember your face.” Jimin wanted to come back with an equally stimulating response, but his mouth was permanently glued together in embarrassment. Had this charismatic person really just caught him screaming into a toilet? Before the stranger could come out and see him in his horrid state, Jimin fled the room. He didn’t hear the strangers last words as he exited the restroom.

    “Don’t worry about that audition though, you’ve already made an impression on one of the judges. I’m not one for getting people's hopes up, but I can say that I’ll be looking forward to your performance...where’d he go?”

Jimin didn’t stop running until he had come into contact with a very solid object. A very solid human object. Jeongguk grunted as he barely caught himself on the wall, grabbing Jimin with his other arm in the process. Jimin hung limp in his arms, already wishing that this day was over and he would have his answer. Taehyung and Jeongguk still didn’t know about his plan, and he would not be telling them until the very last moment. That’s why Jimin felt a stab of guilt everytime he saw them. He knew that today might be their last day together.

    “Where the hell were you! The coordinator is looking for you! You’re about to go on idiot.” Jungkook carried him on his side, not perturbed by the obvious stares shot their way. Jimin was so mortified that he simply gave up and let himself be manhandled. Any person who didn’t think Jeongguk was strong was seriously mistaken. Jimin found himself being dropped onto the floor not long after being picked up. He looked up and found the coordinator lady glaring at him. She was an intimidating women, aged well into her forties based on the tinges of gray lined through her black strands. She had a permanent scowl pressed into her lips, and it only deepened upon seeing Jimin.

    “I hope you understand how very important this is boy. Opportunities like these don’t come very often for people like you. I suggest you start taking things a little more seriously if you want to stay in this audition.” The lady didn’t wait for a response as she turned back to the stage. Taehyung was talking animatedly with whoever was out in the audience-probably the judges. He looked so relaxed and carefree. Jimin felt jealousy pang his heart. It wasn’t fair how Jimin was a nervous wreck while Taehyung was king of the world. He rarely got jealous of him because he was just so thankful to have someone like him to call a friend, but it was rare moments like this that Jimin realized the complete inadequacy of himself compared to such an agreeable young man. He was a pathetic wimp while his best friend was a such a catch. Jimin wasn't given very much time to wallow in his self-loathing because the lady yanked him up by his arm