Chapter 22: Nosy friends are a pain

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JB's pov.
JB has to go to yoga on Sunday because he missed too many lessons, but he forgets it's Jinyoung who's teaching today.

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JB wakes up with a groan. It’s not that it’s early, because he doesn’t mind waking up early, even if it’s a Sunday. No, it’s the thought of having to drive himself to yoga class later (he still has 6 more lessons to go through, after the one today, and he’s only got a week left to clear it all) that has him sighing loudly, and Nora decides to walk away from where she’s strolling around his feet, probably annoyed by the noise he’s making.

Ungrateful cat, he thinks, putting down the food he’s poured into her bowl on the floor so she can come back to eat it later.

JB forgot who’s teaching this particular 10am yoga lesson, until Jinyoung comes in, with Jackson close behind. He’s struck with a sudden feeling of awkwardness, though whether it’s because he hadn’t fully expected Jinyoung to come into the room (his last lesson was with Yugyeom), or because he’s reminded of being handcuffed to Jackson just yesterday, he’s not sure. He doesn’t get any time to dwell on it, because Jinyoung greets the class cheerily, sending him a wink, and Jackson grabs a mat to unroll beside him.

“Hey JB, didn’t know you were coming for yoga today,” Jackson whispers, a grin on his face, keeping his voice low like it’s not already obvious from the way he’s leaning over that he’s not paying attention to Jinyoung’s instructions.

“Yeah, well, it’s not like I have much choice. I haven’t been coming to yoga for too long. I’m not even halfway through the 10 sessions we were supposed to do for the video,” JB mumbles, trying to follow Jinyoung’s moves. It’s just stretching for now, so it isn’t too difficult to keep up, but he doesn’t particularly look forward to the rest of the more difficult yoga poses.

Beside him, Jackson does a pretty much perfect replication of Jinyoung’s movements, and JB tries to keep up with all the changing positions. He’s flexible, but trying to put his body into postures he’s not familiar with isn’t all that fun, especially when he keeps messing up his balance because he’s not putting his full attention on yoga itself (so he’s usually kind of checking out other guys while doing yoga. It’s only natural, right?).

He forgets that Jackson’s beside him as he tries to copy Jinyoung’s demonstration, checking his breathing, leg position, whether his core is engaged (and the million other things he has to be mindful of…), until Jackson suddenly puts a hand on his shoulders, saying, “You need to relax your shoulders here. Don’t hunch.”

“Uh, right,” JB mutters, straightening his shoulders, noticing that Jackson’s hands are already gone. It’s probably just as well, because Jinyoung’s walking around now, and he stops beside JB.

“Not bad, Jaebum, you’re doing a pretty good job holding the pose,” Jinyoung says in an overly cheery voice which JB has started to think is one he uses only when he’s teaching. So weird, to hear it, he thinks, when he knows that’s not how Jinyoung talks in real life or when acting, but it’s probably just another new aspect of Jinyoung he’s learning about now.

“Hmm,” JB replies, concentrating on maintaining his balance.

“Guess I’ll leave you to it then,” Jinyoung says, before patting Jackson on the back, probably too hard from the loud slap it makes on Jackson’s skin.

“Oh my god, Jinyoung, I was holding the position right! Why did you hit me?” Jackson grumbles, although he’s already getting back into the pose he was holding before.

JB sees Jinyoung give Jackson a cheeky grin, sticking his tongue out even. The short time distracted is all it takes for him to lose the balance he had just found before, and JB quickly puts his foot to the ground so he doesn’t fall.

“Jinyoung’s a terrible instructor,” Jackson laments, once most of the students are heading out of the studio after lesson.

JB feels his cheeks rise from an involuntary smile, “Well, you can always switch back to Yugyeom, if he’s really so bad.”

“I hear you two talking. I’m not deaf and I’m in the room, you know,” Jinyoung declares, although he’s standing in a far corner, arranging the rolled mats. JB smiles just a bit more, because despite the initial awkwardness he felt in the morning, they’re now talking like good friends (or maybe old friends), and he feels kind of comfortable in the midst of the friendly banter.

“Yeah, yeah, Jinyoung, I meant for you to hear. Why would you hit your student, especially when said student is doing a good job at the yoga positions you’ve taught?” Jackson retorts, though it’s mostly teasing, because he’s standing up to go over and help Jinyoung arrange the mats.

JB stays where he is, uncapping his bottle to take a large gulp, missing what Jinyoung says in reply. But when he looks up, they’re both staring at him, and he frowns at them slightly, “What?”

“Nothing~” Jinyoung replies in a sing-song voice, although that just makes it all the more suspicious, especially when Jackson glares at Jinyoung, before hiding his face against Ji