Taehyung admits feeling a little bad that Jimin can’t come with him to his online game tournament, but he quickly brushed it off and decided it’s not too much of a big deal to make a fuss over.

His favorite arcade is holding a special convention for video game enthusiasts, including activities like cosplaying, trading of collectors’ items and playing online game tournaments. After his classes were done for the day, he asked his two buddies Chanyeol and Baekhyun from biology class to go with him to the event.

What he didn’t expect though was for Hyeri to come along too, deciding on her own that she’s tagging along after overhearing the three of them talking about it.

And another thing Taehyung didn’t expect was for his two friends to suddenly vanish without any notice right after arriving in the convention, leaving him alone with Hyeri.

The online game tournament started while being projected to a huge screen. It’s the highlight of the event, and everyone halted from their own individual activities to watch the broadcast.

Hyeri doesn’t look like she has a single ounce of idea with what's going on, but she cheers whenever she sees Taehyung’s character on the screen, regardless if he’s winning or actually getting beaten up.

The tournament eventually ends and Taehyung got 2nd place, which he finds devastating. He got a trophy, a special toy figurine and actual cash. Hyeri congratulated him in an overly excited way as if he just graduated college.

They eventually decided to head back to their own places after that, mainly because Taehyung is still kind of pissed off for getting second place. Hyeri stays in an all-girls dorm near the area so he decided to walk her home while he's at it. She did help her out back in biology class anyway and it wouldn't hurt to be nice.

"You looked really cool during the tournament!" Hyeri suddenly tells him, breaking off their silence.

"You couldn't even see me, I was inside the booth where the games were held," Taehyung replies, still a bit irritated with his opponents in the game. "But thanks for hanging out with me though. I'll make sure to use Chanyeol and Baekhyun as fertilizers for our next biology class. Those heads."

Hyeri laughs with that. "It's fine! I had so much fun..."

"…Huh,” was the only reply Taehyung was able to come up with. It doesn’t feel quite right for him to spend time alone with a girl. He believes he's heard of occurrences like these between a boy and a girl in his high school drama video games and animes. He's just unsure if this is what it actually is.

Are the two of them having a date? Kim Taehyung is starting to get a headache due to confusion.

"Um, by the way," the girl beside him suddenly says, pulling him out of his messy thoughts. "I kinda have a reason for joining you guys today..."

"Hm?" Taehyung hums in reply.

"Well... Do you know… Seokjin-sunbaenim?" she asks.

Taehyung has no idea as to why such a random question was asked but he answers it nevertheless. "Um... yeah? He's Pink Daddy right?"

Hyeri choked and almost stumbled on the flat surface they’re walking on. "W-What do you mean with that?!"

"Oh. That's his nickname," he says without hesitation, as if calling someone the 'Pink Daddy' is the most normal thing in the entire planet. "He's the head of the DADs, right? Drama Arts Division? So he is essentially their daddy, and he loves pink, hence the nickname."

was widely agape in surprise, wondering if people actually use such horrible nicknames. "Well... I guess it's true, in a way."

"In all ways," Taehyung proudly says, feigning a smug face. "I am the king of clever names, after all. But anyway, what's up with pink daddy? Why're you asking if I know him?"

Hyeri cringes every time she hears Taehyung mention the name with a straight face. "Yeah, um, well... He's actually interested in you."

Now it's Taehyung's turn to trip on a flat surface. "W-WHAT THE HELL?!"

"N-No! I-I didn't mean it that way!" Hyeri just realized how weird her statement actually sounded.

"Okay, then explain," he says while letting out a deep sigh. "I almost got a heart attack!"

The girl apologizes before proceeding to explain what Seokjin must be interested with him about.

And Taehyung got even way more confused after that.

---

The next day, Jimin was awaken by a loud banging in his bedroom door. He knows his best friend is the only one capable of doing such things so he ignores it, collapsing back to his bed and covering his head with a pillow.

5 minutes passed and the banging even increased in intensity, this time accompanied by a very familiar voice that continuously shouts silly names ("HEY SUNSHINE FLOWER-BOTTOM OPEN THIS DOOR!” and “GET YOUR LAZY JIBOOTY UP!" and "OH MIGHTY JIMINNIE GOD OF THE HAN RIVER AND SLAYER OF STRAIGHT MEN PLEASE HEED MY CALL!") and he realized that he doesn't have much choice but to get up and let him in his room before he utters every single horrible name he can think of.

"What the , Tae?!" He says while lazily scratching his eyes, hair all messed up and face puffy. "Can you even let me sleep in peace?!"

The other completely ignores him and hurriedly walked past him, settling himself on the frayed sheets of Jimin's bed before shooting him his puppy dog eyes. "I need your help."

"Oh," Jimin was a little surprised with that. He closes the door behind him and crossed his arms while still standing and facing his sitting friend. "So what did you do this time, young man?"

"I didn't do !" Taehyung suddenly exclaims, then he proceeded to violently ruffling his own hair into a mess. He looks like a shih tzu trying to dry itself off.

"The last time you were like this, you placed small rocks and an 8-inch into our teacher's bag in 11th grade and your parents had to apologize and literally beg for the principal to not expel you," Jimin elaborates, arms still folded in front of him like a mother scolding her teenage son, “which is actually still baffling me even until now; how the hell did you get your hands on such an item anyway?"

"That's not the topic here, and no, I haven't done anything like that," he says in his defense. "Do you... know Hyeri from my biology class?"

Jimin was astonished for a second before feeling something he doesn't specifically like. "Yeah, she's the girl that Shownu's been hitting on but keeps turning him down."

"Really?! Wow, she must be popular," Taehyung says while scratching his head.

"So what about her?" Jimin asks.

"Well, you see... She kinda went with me last night to the gaming convention," he says and Jimin is starting to feel weird bubbles inside his stomach, partly caused by guilt because he couldn’t accompany his friend. "It wasn't a date or anything like that, although for a second I did think that it might be, but that’s not what I’m trying to say."

"I see, so this is a love problem?" Jimin tries to . "Our Taehyungie is now an adult—”

"No, it's not," the other cuts him off. "She's asking me a favor. She's part of the DADs, right? Seokjin-sunbae told her that he's interested in me and wanted me to help him with his modeling project of some sort," he explains. "I mean, he has this fashion class and they have a group project of putting up an actual fashion show in our university, with runways and all that stuff."

Jimin started becoming confused too, but the weird feeling bubbling inside him minutes ago started subsiding little by little.

Taehyung continues to explain. "Hyeri is going to be part of it coz she agreed to be one of his models, but they need one more guy, and pink daddy asked her to basically ask me if I can join them..."

"Oh. That's... surprising."

"It is, right?" his friend says while lying down on his bed now, waving his arms on the sheets like a starfish, further messing it up. "I don't understand why he'll ask me though, what if this is all a big prank?"

"Why would he do that?" Jimin asks while sitting on the bed as well. "I mean, you could pass as a model, with your height and looks, but I'm wondering how he even knew about you in the first place... You’re a sociable guy and kind of popular in your own way but not to the point that even the seniors will have interest in you…”

"He must have seen me one time in biology class, I guess," Taehyung says while groaning, as if he's in pain. Too much thinking hurts him.

"Or maybe... that Hyeri girl talked to him about you," Jimin says and the other just stares at him questioningly. "Anyway, did you agree? What did you tell her after that?"

"I said I'll think about it first," he says, sighing in what seems to be due to contemplation. "And that's why I'm here too, to ask for your opinion."

"Well... I don't think you'll ever have any problems with walking on a runway," Jimin says. "Considering your carefree and overall shameless attitude towards everything, I think you'll do just fine."

"But it's pressuring to do something as important as that," Taehyung reasons out, showing how doubtful he really is about the situation. "I don't like serious stuff. I don't like pressure."

Jimin just exhaled deeply and stared at the ceiling, remembering how simple-minded his friend is all the time.

This is basically the main reason too why Taehyung never became a member of any clubs or organizations ever since middle school; he's too outgoing and relaxed with everything that he stays away from things that have responsibilities attached to it.

It's probably why he didn't get into any romantic relationships either, Jimin realizes. He hates pressure too much that he became scared of it—unintentionally becoming frightened over something that can potentially make him grow as a person.

This favor being asked of him could be his stepping stone, Jimin thinks, like a threshold that will slowly introduce him to a much wider world. Not that he wanted Taehyung to change completely, but he just wanted him to have growth.

“You know what? You should join it."

Taehyung stares at him with rather worried eyes. "...Really?"

"Yes," Jimin tells him before patting his head. “You’re handsome and you’re confident! You’ll undoubtedly outshine any other guys in there, even Seokjin.”

Taehyung smiles lazily and props himself up a bit to lie down on Jimin's thighs. "That’s impossible. But please continue patting my head. It makes me think better."

Jimin chuckles. He was about to push his friend away but he changed his mind. "When is this event though?" he asks while petting his hair.

"Before summer break. It's like their class' final project or something," the other replies, voice much calmer now than before.

“That’s a lot of time to prepare,” Jimin says as if trying to convince the other. “Think about it. I think it’s a good idea to join….”

Taehyung just hums, enjoying the way his best friend caresses his hair.

"Don't be scared," Jimin continues to coo at him. "You'll do well."

"I'm not scared, ," Taehyung teases with a sudden scrunched face. "You wanna fight me bruh?!"

Jimin laughs playfully and flicks a finger on his friend's forehead, inciting silly giggles from Taehyung.

He then refrained from teasing his friend any further, because in reality, Jimin is the one who’s scared

--

this chapter is ty af i apologize

but i'll make it up on chapters 9 and 10! they're going to be fun chapters i swear lol