The day of Yoongi’s basketball game finally arrives. Jimin manages to drag Taehyung along with him, even though his friend isn’t especially keen on cheering for ‘someone who made his soulmate do a boo-boo’.

After a little reassuring and a little pleading, Taehyung is dutifully sitting beside him in the front, a hotdog in hand. “I still don’t understand why you’re so in love with him.”

“Yoongi isn’t a bad person.” He finally peels his eyes away from the court where Yoongi is practicing his free throws. “He’s protective and loyal to his friends, he listens to me when I complain, even though he pretends to be annoyed and when he writes-”

Taehyung lifts a hand to stop him. “I got it, please stop gushing over him before I’m too weirded out to eat my hotdog.”

“You were the one who asked.” He pouts  and gives Taehyung a little nudge on the shoulder.

“I admit, he’s not a complete douche. After all he did apologize in his own way, but I'll be watching him.” Taehyung says around a mouthful of food, which lessens the seriousness of his words. “If you’re in love with him, I know he can’t be a bad guy but he still needs to pass the best friend test.”

He pulls Taehyung in a quick hug. “Tae, what would I do without you?”

“Most likely get swindled out of your college tuition and then end up on the streets.” Taehyung’s quick reply tells him it’s not the first time he’s thought of such a question.

“I’m not that hopeless, Tae Tae.”

The rest of Taehyung’s response is drowned out when Yoongi looks up to the stands and their eyes lock. Yoongi gives him a gummy smile and he waves back at him enthusiastically.

The older boy passes his basketball to a teammate and jogs over the them. “You came.”

“Of course, I said I’d come.” He scoots over so Yoongi can sit beside him. “I really wanted to see you play.”

“Thanks for coming, Jimin.” Yoongi nods and takes the cold water he hands him.

“What am I? Chopped liver?” Taehyung grumbles from beside him. He elbows Taehyung lightly in the ribs.

“Score a three pointer for me” —he latches onto the end of Yoongi’s basketball jersey— “to show your appreciation.”

“Why?” The older boy lifts the bottle to his lips and Jimin loses track of what they had even been talking about when Yoongi’s adam’s apple bobs.

“Um, why?” he repeats Yoongi’s question dumbly.

“Why 3 pointers?” Yoongi looks amused as if he knew what had him in such a daze.

“You’d look really cool.” He tugs at the jersey again. “For me, please Min PD?”

He can see the moment Yoongi gives in. “Fine but you better be cheering the loudest when I score.”

Taehyung barges into the conversation abruptly. “I’ll take a photo of the two of you to show the others they’re missing Gramps in action.”

“I don’t-” Yoongi begins but Taehyung cuts him off and shoves Jimin into him.

He can definitely feel the warmth radiating off Yoongi and his pale arms wrapping around him lightly to keep him from slipping off the bench.

“1, 2, 3-” Taehyung drops his hands abruptly. “No, you two need be closer to fit into the frame and Yoongi, at least smile. Smile!”

Taehyung takes a significantly longer time to snap the photo.

“Imma head back to the court and warm up.” Yoongi says once Taehyung deems the photo good enough. “Let’s have dinner together after this.”

“Okay!” He waves to Yoongi as he stands from his seat. “Good luck!”

It’s only when Yoongi is back with his team does he realize he’s holding the bottle of water Yoongi drank from. He feels like a teenage girl with her first crush all over again when his cheeks begin to warm at the thought of Yoongi drinking for the same bottle.

“Why did you even bring me along?” Taehyung asks with a small laugh. “It’s like the two of you can’t even see me.”

“That’s not true. He did talk to you too.”

“Yeah.” Taehyung’s agreement is completely dry. “For like 2 seconds.”

The game starts when they’re in the middle of laughing over over Taehyung’s partner in his photog class had tripped over a branch and rolled off the side of the mountain.

They both stop talking and turn to the court.

Yoongi, he finds out from the girl sitting beside him, is the point guard.

Even without knowing much about basketball, he can tell Yoongi is an amazing player. He’s amazed with his swift passes and agile footwork. It’s like his blonde senior always knew where everyone was on the court, making sure all his passes went to the player best situated to score. He marvels over the natural leadership role Yoongi takes on on the court, shedding his usual ‘Motionless Min’ image.

“You’re drooling.” Taehyung slots a finger under his chin to close his mouth.

He spares Taehyung a quick glance before his eyes drift back on the court, following the number 3 on Yoongi’s back with rapt attention.

The game is fast paced and competitive. He realizes that now that he’s watching the game carefully.

The ball is barely in one player’s hand before it’s fired off to another.

When Yoongi shoots an actual 3 pointer, he turns towards them and winks.

Although he doesn’t want to admit it, his heart skips a lot faster and his cheeks heat up.

He hurriedly claps along with the others.

One of Yoongi’s teammates, the one he saw Yoongi talking to when they were warming up, turns to follow Yoongi’s gaze and when their eyes meet a knowing smirk forms on the other boy’s face before he quickly turns back towards the court.

Jimin sits there flushing in embarrassment for the rest of the game.

It’s no surprise, Yoongi’s team wins.

The entire team is celebrating and hugging each other when the game ends.

He heads down the bleachers with Taehyung in tow to join the others in congratulating the team.

It’s not hard to spot Yoongi’s bleached blonde hair in the crowd, it’s like a beacon calling him in.

“Congratulations on winning! You were amazing, Min PD! It’s like you always knew where the rebounds were going to be and were always positioned right there when the ball bounced off the rim.” He knows he’s babbling but it’s like the crowd’s excitement is rubbing off of him. “I wish I knew how to play. I was always horrible back when we had to play during PE.”

“Thanks.” Yoongi chuckles.

Someone throws their arms across Yoongi’s shoulders. “Yoongs, where’s the loud guy you always bring along?”

He bites back a gasp. It was the same guy who had smirked at him.

“I told you, his name is Hoseok.” Yoongi’s reply verges on annoyance and acceptance. “He has to meet a few back up dancers for his showcase and today was the only day all of them were available.”

Kihyun looks over at him. “So you brought over two cuties instead?”

Yoongi sighs. “Jimin, meet Kihyun, a perpetual pain in my .”  

“Hey.” Kihyun sticks out a hand and before he can take the other boy’s hand, Yoongi slaps it away. Kihyun levels a look towards Yoongi but doesn’t say anything about it. Kihyun is all smiles again in a blink of an eye. “I’m Yoo Kihyun. I’m a fourth year like Yoongi.”

He gives Kihyun a little bow. “I’m Park Jimin and this—” He quickly pulls Taehyung forward. “—is Kim Taehyung. We’re both second years.”

Taehyung gives Kihyun a slight dip of his head like he had done.

“Are you two dating?” Kihyun looks to their linked arms.

“Kihyun.” Yoongi admonishes the other boy. “Learn to have some tact.”

Taehyung laughs but doesn’t correct Kihyun so he takes up the job. “No, Taehyung is my best friend, we’ve been friends since forever.”

“Excuse you, platonic soulmate.” Taehyung interrupts.

“Platonic soulmate,” he repeats. “It’d be weird to date him when I witnessed him pee his pants. Plus Tae doesn’t exactly swing that way.”

Kihyun laughs, it’s a nice sound but he likes Yoongi’s laugh more.

“Then would you go out on a date with me?” Kihyun stares straight at him.

It takes him a while to register the words because it’s hard to believe that the boy in front of him just asked him on a date, sort of.

“I…” He struggles to find a way to give the boy a proper answer. “I don’t think it’d be a good idea.” He hears Taehyung muffle a snort and he panics, waving his hands in the air. “It’s definitely not because you’re not attractive and I’m sure you’re a really nice person but I don’t really know you and I’m the type of person who prefers to get to know someone more before I go out on dates with them.”

“You’re a real sweetheart.” Kihyun laughs again. “Let’s exchange phone numbers then. That way we can get to know each other first.”

He’s not completely averse to the idea but he’s still not sure he wants to give a practical stranger his phone number, even if said stranger seems to be friends with Yoongi.

He gives Yoongi a pleading look because based on the way Taehyung is almost shaking from trying to suppress his amusement beside him, Jimin knows that he’d be no help.

“Ya, Yoo Kihyun.” Yoongi’s voice is curt, no hint of mock exasperation from before. “Stop ing around.”

“I’m not.” Kihyun shrugs at Yoongi before turning back towards him. “So, what about that phone number, sweetheart?”

He’s just about to pull his phone out when Yoongi ’s long fingers encircle his wrist. Without a word, Yoongi begins tugging him out of the gym.

They finally come to a stop when they’re right outside the changing rooms. The older boy rubs at the back of his neck, tongue darting out to his lips.

When it seems like Yoongi wasn’t going to say anything, he speaks up. “Thank you for helping me out back there.”

“S’no biggie.” Yoongi shrugs. “You seemed uncomfortable.”

“How did you meet Kihyun?” he asks. “You’ve never mentioned him before.”

“Don’t really remember.” Yoongi shrugs. “He was just there one day and never left.”

He laughs because that was such a Yoongi thing to say.

Yoongi gives him a small smile in return.

“Hey, Yoongi, good game!” Someone in the opposing team’s jersey smacks Yoongi on the back. “Ah, sorry, sorry. Did I interrupt something?” The boy gives them an apologetic smile before hurriedly making his way into the changing room.

He realizes that Yoongi is still holding onto his wrist, probably the same time Yoongi does.

They quickly let go of each other.

“I’m going to get changed and shower.” Yoongi takes a small step backwards.

“I’ll go meet up with Taehyung.” He gestures awkwardly where the gym is. ‘’We’ll wait for you in the gym.”

“Okay.” Yoongi takes another step towards the locker room. “See you in a few.”

He hurries away when Yoongi disappears behind the doors of the locker room, wondering what just happened the entire time he tries to find Taehyung.

Jimin finds Taehyung easily. His friend is just waiting for him outside the gym, talking to someone from the opposing team.

When Taehyung sees him, he quickly wraps an arm around his waist.

“This is my boyfriend.” Taehyung smiles at the other boy.

He knows what Taehyung is doing and quickly plays along. “Sorry I took so long babe.”

The other boy gives them both an awkward tilt of his head before he hurries off.

When they’re both sure the boy is gone from sight, Taehyung drops his hand and Jimin steps away to a more comfortable distance. “Another boy hit on you again?”

Taehyung groans but nods. “I don’t even understand why.”

“Doesn’t Jin always say that you had an ‘aura of gayness’ surrounding you? I think that’s what has guys hitting on you.” He laughs at his friend. “Maybe you ought to join the club after all.”  

“I’m not exactly against dating guys, I just haven’t tried it before.” Taehyung scrunches his face. “I’d rather try that out with someone good looking. Someone who can get my up.”

Jimin almost shrieks. “Tae! We’re in public.”

“Who cares, no one is listening to us anyways.” Taehyung waves his hand dismissively. “That aside, you and the monosyllabic seem to be getting along pretty well.”

“Tae,” he admonishes when he props his hands on his waist. “I’ve told you before, he’s not that bad.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Taehyung says sarcastically. “That’s not the point I was trying to make. I was talking about the blatant flirting you two were doing.”

He’s tempted to refuse the idea but it’s Taehyung, his best friend. They’ve been friends forever, they’ve taken baths together and he’s seen Taehyung cry because a puppy ignored him. There wasn’t much he kept from Taehyung.

“Do you think it was a good idea?” He asks Taehyung hesitantly. “He didn’t seem to hate it but he didn’t really react to it much.”

“It’s levels above the line you tried out at the coffee shop.” Taehyung’s boxy grin is on full display as he starts recounting Jimin’s sad attempt. Jimin hides a laugh when he sees a few people turning to look at Taehyung’s bright smile. “You’ve been pretty obvious about your crush, I’m amazed he hasn’t found out yet.’’  

“I have mixed feelings of him finding out.” He pulls Taehyung to a more secluded corner so they can talk. “Plus there’s someone he likes.”

“You’re lucky enough he swings the same way.” Taehyung shrugs and takes a seat beside him. “Just stick to him and win him over with your charm. That’s how you won over Sejun and turned him gay. The poor boy barely had a chance, one smile and he was yours.”

“I didn’t turn him gay.” He laughs as he tries to set Taehyung straight. “He was already wavering in the first place.”

“Who cares, the pretty boy is still trailing after you like a puppy.” His best friend waves his hands in the air as he speaks. “Speaking of pretty boys though, you gotta stop collecting them. First Sejun, now Kihyun, who else are you going to seduce next time?”  

“If I’m lucky, Yoongi.” They both laugh over that for a little while before Jimin turns serious again. “But that’s a lot of wishful thinking.”  

Taehyung snorts. “Please, he practically pushed his way through a crowd to get right between you and that Kihyun guy when he tried to ask you out.”

“Don’t get my hopes up, Tae.” Jimin sighs softly. “He was just trying to help me out because I looked uncomfortable.”

“Chim, I love you, but you’re an idiot.”