00.13

"Jungkook dear, how have you been?"

Jungkook didn’t want to. It was his intention to maintain radio silence indefinitely, but both Taehyung and Jimin had insisted on the importance of trying to fix his relationship with his parents even a bit.

"Our parents are not perfect and they do mistakes too. They are family though,” Jimin told him and his words had made a lot more sense than the continuous insistence of Taehyung.

It’s because Taehyung is eloquent as a teaspoon and that’s why I don’t listen to him Jungkook said to himself, although both he and his best friend knew that he was telling only half the truth.

"Yes mom, I’m all right. I just wanted to say hi. I’m about to meet with my friends,” Jungkook replied, trying to maintain a neutral tone. He had called for the first time a couple of days before and Jungkook thought it was better if he was the one to call rather than having his parents show up at his door, to check on him.

It hurt, it hurt to accept that his parents were far from being infallible; that Jungkook was old enough to understand that being an adult does not make you magically perfect but only with more responsibility.

"With Jimin?" His mother asked. Jungkook wanted to snort loudly but tried to restrain himself. "No mom, with Taehyung. But even if it were—what about it?" Jungkook answered and he deserved a prize for being able to remain calm. Those were his glorious days, probably his last days of freedom What Jungkook did and with whom he hanged out were his business. Jungkook actually did not want to give his parents more leverage to force him to follow their plans.

It's always me. My dreams are still the same as my ambitions. And in a sense it was true. It did not matter what his subconscious thought he was feeling: it didn’t make him like his fate any bit more.
It was ironic how he had the support to not marry from his imposed partner but not from his family.
"All right. Have fun dear, and remember to call us, your father is not here but you know when you can find him .. “

"Bye Mom,” Jungkook hastened to end the call.

"I love you,” managed to say his mother before the line fell. He could try to get closer with his mother but his father was another story. He couldn’t forget the words of his father, much less forgive him.

Jungkook put his phone in his pocket as he approached the meeting place with Taehyung who wasn’t there, and was probably going to be late. With his hands in his pockets he sat on a bench in front of the shops. There was so much to think about but the worst seemed to be over. It had not been easy, Jungkook still wondered how he managed to put the pieces together. Thanks to Jimin, said a part of him, yet he didn’t understand that answer.
Was it possible that the one who was a part of the problem was also the solution? Because if it were not for Park Jimin, Jungkook could continue his life as always. Or maybe not, his parents would have chosen someone else, someone less sympathetic, someone who was not Jimin and it would really be the end. No one can understand me like he does.

Somehow Jimin had managed to make him safe—less lonely.

There was a moment, a brief but important moment, before Seokjin came to call them, in which Jungkook had raised his head to look into Jimin’s eyes, a moment in which Jungkook had only seen the boy in front of him, and not all the adverse implications of the situation in which they were. It lasted a few seconds but if Seokjin had not come, Jungkook wondered what would have happened. If something would happen. Jimin had moistened his lips and Jungkook, for a moment, he almost did it.

But then the moment had passed, Seokjin had come and they detached themselves.

"Hey," the voice of Taehyung roused him from his thoughts. "What have I told you about smiling? Smile!” Taehyung said enthusiastically as his fingers teased the corners of Jungkook’s mouth trying to get him to smile.

Jungkook smiled slightly.

"Did you wash your hands at least?”

“Maybe.”

“Ah, Kim Taehyung,” Taehyung laughed in pure joy before jumping off the bench and dragging Jungkook in one of the shops.

"I was joking. I live with a soon to be doctor—a person obsessed with order and cleanliness—so don’t worry. I’m perfectly hygienic.”

Jungkook, not very convinced, wrinkled his nose but he let himself being dragged by Taehyung nonetheless.

"How are you Kookie, feel better? Did you call your parents? Are you going to see Jimin after?” Taehyung asked while looking for new shirts in a shop.

"Don’t you think you should ask me one question at a time?" Taehyung shrugged, making Jungkook sigh.

"I’m ok, and about the last questions the answer is yes," replied Jungkook earning a glare from his best friend.

"You don’t give me any satisfaction. Details, Jungkook , details! I'm happy that you've talked to your parents, but it was just an excuse to ask you about Jimin.”

"Asking me about Jimin for what Taehyung?" asked Jungkook taking some interest in some white shirts.

"Well you tell me,” Taehyung said, smiling.

"There's nothing to say," replied Jungkook putting distance between them. Taehyung put an arm around his neck and pulled him closer.

"I'm just curious. I like Jimin too,” Taehyung said from his right shoulder. It was true. Taehyung and Jimin got so along. Jungkook had kind of expected it and he had one more reason to see Jimin, as if any were needed, now that the latter was on the way of a great friendship with both Taehyung and Hoseok.

"Taehyung." Jungkook said, trying to shake him off without success. "It’s complicated okay?" Jungkook finally admitted. Taehyung had no problem in gluing himself to him for the rest of their time together just to have a response and after all, he wasn’t his best friend for nothing, he knew which buttons to press to make Jungkook confess .

"Okay," conceded Taehyung, releasing him. Fortunately the radio station of the store decided to stream one of Taehyung’s favorite songs, which was enough to distract him and make the subject being dropped for a while. However, instead of making Jungkook sigh in relief the latter got lost in his thoughts once again.

He had forgotten.

Between his parents, and seeing Jimin almost every day, he had forgotten to check why that night Jimin had looked so tense when Taehyung had mentioned Gloss and perhaps he would keep forgetting if they hadn’t played that stupid song on the radio. Taehyung beside him was muttering the lyrics under his breath as he walked towards the dressing room to try on a couple of shirts.
Jungkook took his phone from his pocket and looked for information about it before the moment passed.

Not much was said aside from the general information and the fact that Gloss was a well-known composer and producer in a famous entertainment company. Gloss. real name: Min Yoongi.

Why that name clicked something in his head? He looked for a picture of the producer. There were some recent pictures and somehow those made the sensation of knowing him, stronger.

“Taehyung, come here a moment. Do you recognize him?” Taehyung came out of the dressing room with a bright yellow shirt on and glanced at the phone.

"Isn’t he Gloss? I think at least.”

"He's your favorite composer and you're not even sure?”

"I listen to the songs I don’t go look for their faces, I’m not interested since I see the best face of the world every day and it’s Hoseok’s.”

"Whatever, but doesn’t he remind you of someone?”

Taehyung took the phone from Jungkook to give it another look.

"Maybe? I don’t know. I don’t think so.”

"The name Min Yoongi tells you something?”

"It’s the real name of Gloss, why?”

"Because I think I've already seen him somewhere.”

"Really? Where?”

Jungkook shook his head. Then he was struck by the realization that froze him on the spot. Was it possible that he had seen him outside the apartment of Jimin?

"Jungkook are you all right?”

"I have a feeling." Jungkook said.
Taehyung looked at him inquiringly. “Tell me about it”.

"Hi Jimin,” Seokjin greeted him as soon as he sat at the table. It was the usual weekly appointment for lunch but Jimin felt a bit edgy. He knew that once Seokjin would set his eyes on him, he would understand everything, because Jimin was a damn open book.

He had managed to survive the weekend because Namjoon, for once, had the Sunday off and then Seokjin had not wanted to let escape the opportunity to spend an entire day with his number one. Even though his best friend couldn’t have seen anything, because there was nothing to see, Seokjin had found them at a reasonable distance from each other but still quite close. Enough to imply something. Jimin wasn’t sure of what Jungkook had felt, but he was pretty sure of what he himself had felt in that moment.

"I hope you like Thai, it can’t be compared to my awesome cooking but oh well," he said, handing the menu to Jimin with a smile. Jimin knew his best friend very well to know that Seokjin was trying to create an atmosphere before starting to inquire him.

"True. But Thai is more than okay,” Jimin answered, faking nonchalance. For the record Jimin was bad at pretending. However Seokjin waited until they finished their meal before starting to enter into the discussion.

"The food is great here. I have to recommend the restaurant to Hoseok,” Seokjin said enthusiastically taking his phone.

"I'm glad you and Hoseok get along,” Jimin said hiding a smile behind the glass.

"Are you kidding me? It's impossible not to get along with him, he’s more fun than watching Namjoon trying to assemble furniture,” Seokjin replied.

"You let Namjoon assemble the furniture?" Jimin asked in disbelief.

"Only for the first ten minutes. After that, I go to his rescue because he is honestly able to assemble a tree house with that.”

"You're so bad hyung!”

"Hey he breaks my cups, it seems right to me,” Seokjin said, smiling.

Jimin burst in laughter. He could almost imagine the scene. When he finally finished to laugh his off he noticed Seokjin was staring at him.

Jimin shook his head a little amused.

"You can ask me, hyung.”

"I didn’t want to ask anything!" exclaimed Seokjin.

Jimin shot him a glance.

"Okay, okay. I just wanted to ask you how you're doing, that's all. So much has happened while I was working in that photo shoot,” Seokjin said and he knew that his best friend was just worried. Old habits died hard: Seokjin would always take care of him even when he would be ninety-six and his friend ninety-nine.

"I would say,” Jimin said sighing.

"Jimin, you and Jungkook..." Seokjin looked at him straight in the eye and Jimin knew that he could not keep this thing to himself. However, the idea of saying it out loud was even scarier.

"Me and Jungkook are friends. At least that I can say. But I know what you want to know hyung, you want to know if I like Jungkook. Of course, I like him.” Jimin said.

"I know you like him. I’m starting to like him too by the way,” Seokjin granted and Jimin knew they were talking about something that neither of them was admitting.

"I'm happy. Also because I'm afraid I might like Jungkook a lot, I like him in a way I’m not allowed to hope." Jimin finally admitted. And the weight of his own admission hit him like a punch in the stomach.

Was it possible to run to the other part of the world and pretend that none of this was happening?
That the second when they looked into each other’s eyes, a moment in which it was only theirs, Jimin had realized the deepness of what he was beginning to feel and how terrifying it was.
This sense of protection, my desire to see you smile. This feeling of mine, that even your dreams seem to count more than mine.

"You are allowed to feel whatever you’d like. If anything, he is the one that has to earn my approval,” said Seokjin with the most serious tone he was able to collect but pulling out a smile after.

Jimin laughed.

"Hyung this is such a mess," Jimin whispered. It was so tragic that it looked almost funny.

Jungkook and Jimin both went to class on time and at the same time. The kids in class looked relieved to see that the two had made up. Jimin smiled at the fact that they seemed to think of them like an inseparable pair.

Their relationship was finally back to normal. Of course, there was still some tension but Jungkook wasn’t ignoring him anymore and they helped each other during stretching and while learning the new routine. Plus Jungkook had agreed to have dinner together at the end of lesson. Jimin had asked him as soon as they had crossed the glass doors and Jungkook had nodded in agreement smiling a little.

"I talked with my parents,” Jungkook said during the lesson break a while after. It was even in stupid moments like that Jimin managed to be struck by Jungkook overall beauty. He was sweaty and tired but he still managed to glow under the neon lights.

"Good. I’m happy to hear it," said Jimin, getting a grip on himself, glad that Jungkook had listened to his words.

“Taehyung told me to tell you that he wants to organize another get together and to invite, I quote, even Rap Monster and Vogue Model,” Jungkook concluded blushing a bit.

Jimin laughed. "I like Taehyung even more every day,” Jungkook shook his head.

But whatever could be the latter’s reply, was interrupted by their dance teacher.

"Kids please come here and listen to me, I have an announcement to do! As you know, in mid-April there will be a fundraising dinner organized by this community center. Each year the various clubs organize small performances to entertain our guests and the community and show the world what we do. So we have a month to train for our performance. I haven’t decided yet the order of the performances but in the meantime I would like for you to start to learn the routines for the group exhibition,” said the teacher, and among the boys and the girls spread an excited murmur. Jimin however glanced shocked to Jungkook who seemed equally surprised. They hadn’t set foot on a stage since a long time ago.

"Well that’s all. Let’s resume our lesson and next time I'll show you the new routine,” concluded the teacher ending the break.

Jimin was still stunned by the news. Returning to dance had meant a lot to him but he had never considered the possibility of returning on a stage in front of an audience. Seokjin had never mentioned anything about it. He felt a shiver run down his back.

At the end of the lesson the kids seemed less tired and more excited than usual. It seemed like the fundraising dinner was an appointment recurring every year and there were already discussions about the type of performances the teacher Lee was going to propose that year.

"You two, Park, Jeon, come here a moment," the teacher called them, falling behind with them. The teacher waited for most of the kids to disperse before starting to talk.

"Guys for you two I have something special in mind. Now let me tell you how important it is for us this event. This center is held up thanks to government subsidies but mostly through donations from organizations and privates. There aren’t many community centers like ours, offering courses in performing arts to everyone and the event is an opportunity to show the world what we do and how much our activities are important for the community. You are the most talented students, not because of me, it’s obvious that you have danced for years in the past, but I would like to entrust you with a very special performance. A duet. I already thought about the choreography and it won’t be easy but you’ll be perfectly able to learn it to perfection,” said the teacher.

"Teacher Lee we're flattered but personally the last time I went on stage I was eighteen.”

"The same goes for me," added Jungkook.

"So? it’s like riding a bike once you learn is forever!” he said waving his hand as if to say it was all nonsense.

"Yes, but-”

"No ‘buts’. You joined this course and it includes also the performance. I know you will do your best. Now if you excuse me, I'm late for a date,” the teacher said, heading for the door without letting them add any word.

"Well he didn’t leave us much of a choice, I would say,” commented Jungkook sarcastically next to him.

"It’s teacher Lee. When did he ever listen to his student’s complaints? "Jimin said.

Jungkook smiled sideways. “Hyung, it can sound crazy and I'm scared to death to forget half of choreography once on stage, but I really want to do it.”

Jimin turned to him and he sensed something in the words and in the way Jungkook looked intensely at him.

I want to do it. With you.

It had taken a good half hour to find his old yearbooks. Taehyung was the kind of person who never threw anything away and he was even more sentimental than Hoseok with his childhood toys when it came to past school supplies. Every time he looked at the name plate for the President of the astronomy club, he couldn’t help but smile even after all those years. It reminded him of when they were just Jungkook and him to fight against the world.

In any case, the yearbooks were inside a cabinet box in the basement. Once in his hands, it took him few minutes to find what he was looking for.

He wanted to bury himself in the floor for his stupidity. But how could he remember?

Taehyung was always distracted and terrible at remembering names and faces. Sometimes it happened that people greeted him on the street and he could not tell if it were just weird people or persons which he had forgotten. He had made such a fool of himself.

But he had known the captain of the basketball team as Suga, the shooting guard, and so the name Min Yoongi had never meant anything to him. If during the high school years he had heard of the sad story of the unfortunate number two and zero, Taehyung remembered only Jimin.

Oh he had heard that name so many times from the lips of Jungkook that first year of high school. He had never connected the dots, he was never interested in the story and he had been so blind.

How could he have missed the fact that Min Yoongi, Gloss, was the number two who had broken the heart of the most famous number zero of his high school, Jimin?

He had to tell Jungkook.