Ever since that day, Jimin became louder and bolder, and never missed a party or any opportunity to get himself wasted. Taehyung kept him grounded as best as he could, but most of the time he was chided as a nag. He wondered if Jimin only kept him around to be his ride home. This was just one of the many nights Taehyung was responding to Jimin's call to pick his drunk up from a club downtown.

It was no surprise either when Taehyung arrived at the club to see Jimin cornered by a guy who wanted to get cozy, while Jimin was already boozed up and flushed with the flattering attention. Taehyung swore under his breath and headed straight for them.

"Get your hands off my boyfriend."

Taehyung smacked aside the stranger's arm snaking around Jimin's shoulders, and Jimin shrilled ecstatically as he bounded on his feet to welcome Taehyung.

"Tae Tae!"

Dashing his knee against the corner of the table like the clumsy idiot he was, Taehyung had to catch Jimin with extended arms who would no doubt have fallen flat and kissed the floor otherwise.

"Watch yourself, Jimin." Taehyung cautioned through gritted teeth. "I'm not at your call 24/7. You should look after yourself too."

Jimin disengaged from Taehyung's embrace with a sullen expression.

"Just trying to enjoy the party, Tae... Look, these are our frat mates... Don't you know Chanyeol?"

Their supposed mutual friend Chanyeol raised a stiff glass and smiled icily as a greeting. He was very much unfamiliar in Taehyung's memory, and on top of that, Taehyung's narrow social circle did not serve him well at frat parties.

"I doubt so." Taehyung mumbled as he mirrored the guy's patronizing stare.

"Are you really with this wise guy?" Chanyeol turned to Jimin like only he could validate this relationship.

"Don't be a , Channie."

"Only for you, Chim Chim."

Chanyeol winked in jest, and gave a toast to Jimin to show he held no hard feelings. Jimin laughed along, and Taehyung was more aware than ever that he would never fit in with this crowd.

"You're in good company, I see." Taehyung's tone was steeped in sarcasm. "Don't mind if I make a move then."

"Tae!"

Jimin clutched his arm to stop him from leaving, and just as Taehyung was about to shake Jimin off, he felt their hands being linked together and Jimin stubbornly held on.

"W-wow you guys are really a thing huh..." Chanyeol sputtered over his spilled drink, eyeing the couple's hands as he absorbed this new development. "Jungkook was just talking about your fling with him..." 

"I'm with Taehyung now."

"But Jungkook said—"

"He's with me now."

Taehyung stepped in to end the conversation, and just as he focused his energies on staring Chanyeol down, his hand wrapped over Jimin's and applied just the right amount of pressure with a reassuring squeeze. The knot in Jimin's gut eased up a little.

"Whatever you say, bro." Chanyeol shrugged off the animosity, and eased his way off the couch. "Catch ya later, Jimin." With a little wave, Chanyeol sauntered off to the bar counter for a fresh order of drinks, mingling with frat mates along the way who seemed to be casting dirty looks at Taehyung. Taehyung was never known to be friendly with these guys, and was worse for it now that he was apparently the third party between their varsity's golden couple Jungkook & Jimin. 

Taehyung groaned inwardly. He hated the limelight, and never understood what it did for Jimin. Taehyung always shied away from public eye, while Jimin was radiant, highly attractive and all too popular. Everyone wanted to be Jimin's friend, and Taehyung was the best testament of that. He had kept Jimin close long before they entered Uni, but Uni seemed to have driven a wedge between them. Jimin was someone special to Taehyung, and they used to be so in-tune with each other even their sneezes followed in rhythm. Ever since they entered Uni, Jimin made more and more friends and their conversations became run-of-the-mill. 

"You didn't have to be so hostile, Tae." Jimin stated quietly. "Chanyeol is a friend."

Taehyung understood that Jimin had a public image to maintain, and he slowly released his hold on Jimin's hand ruefully.

"Everyone starts off as friends, Jimin... But not everyone is worth trusting. Unlike you, I don't have so many friends and I'm only here in this bloody place because you called and said you needed me. But if you're already surrounded by friends, maybe I should just go? After all, I'm just another one of your "friends" right?"

Author's Note:

Jimin's outfit is so perfect and spot-on here, its what I imagine him to be wearing in this scene. Look at nerdy Tae, I love him. But I can't find the HD photo :(

But Taehyung would probably be dressed like this, in one of his pajamas shirts, like the nerd he is but classy:

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I miss vmin. I hope I write them happy soon, but there's more chapters to go hehehehehe