CHAPTER SIX
LET ME IN

❀ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ❀

     You'd been awake for almost fourty minutes already. 8:10 on a Sunday morning; you leaned against the wall beside your bed, your arms wrapped around your legs. The thought came across your mind - if you didn't like Jimin, would you have fallen for Taehyung eventually? You sighed. If there was no Jimin, there wouldn't be anyone else but Taehyung who would be able to steal your heart. Dot dot dot.

You pushed those useless thoughts aside before focusing on what was most important. How do you help Jimin regain his memory...

It couldn't be anymore obvious. He just had to spend time with Bangtan Boy Scouts and you until he recognised all of you. With that, you got off the bed and got ready for the day. Normal tracksuit and mid-length sleeved shirt on, you set off. Destination: Jimin. 

     You knocked, and Boyoung opened the door. She wasn't the one you really wanted to see, but you didn't cancel out the possibility that it would be her either. With one hand still on the door, she gave you a polite smile. Honestly, as you glanced at her, you had no idea what position to view her from. You had no idea if she even knew your feelings for Jimin, so how could you hate her... Exactly, you couldn't. 

"Hi, is Jimin home?" 

She blinked and seemed to tense a bit. She shook her head politely once again without a word. 

"Do you know when he'll be home?" 

She finally opened . "Who... are you to him? Are you two... classmates? Friends? Or..." Her words were very polite, to your surprise. It was strange. She spoke very quietly and her voice was fragile - it made people unable to raise their voice at her. 

You gulped and just gave a weird smile in reply. Was she really the obsessive family friend Jimin made her out to be...

"He... went to the hike the mountains. The ones beside the big highway. He left earlier today, I don't know when he'll be back." 

You blinked and looked down to your outfit and shoes. Lucky you wore tracksuit and flats. Well, scratch the flats part - but of course, better than high heels. "Alright, thanks." You thanked her anyway before walking away from the door. Upon exiting his front gate, you gave the house one last long look before leaving. You just hoped you were making the right choice to trust her. 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

     "Hey, who was that?"

Boyoung shut the front door with relief before turning around to be greeted by the person who captured her soul - the soul she allowed to be captured willingly. Jimin ruffled his hair at the back of his head, still slightly yawning. 

"Oh, no one, just a lost ahjumma asking for directions." Boyoung clasped her soft, flawless hands together and leaned against the door, admiring Jimin's sleepy face. It was just how she remembered it had looked like since years ago. 

And as fast as Jimin woke up, his active energy boosted into him. "Hey, how long did you say we've been going out for again?"

She slight smirked happily, enjoying the precious words coming out of his mouth. "Five months." 

"So you would've seen me play many times before, right?" 

She nodded. Any admirer of Park Jimin's would've seen him on the basketball court, shooting away like some angel with magical feet that lifted him off the ground to beautifully slip the ball into the hoop. Whether it's you, Boyoung or any other girl in the school = everyone loved watching Jimin play. There were occasional girls who fainted over Jeongkook and J-Hope of course, but Jimin was always the main attraction. 

He stepped closer to her and she gladly welcomed him to come closer. Their hands slipped into each other's almost by long-habit and familiarity, and Jimin smiled. "Wanna go now? I feel like having a game." He paused for a moment as they admired each other's eyes - the familiarity of Boyoung's face decieved Jimin to really feel all that was in front of him was the real thing. "What do you think? It'll be just like old times. Besides, I want to hear you cheer for me like you always do. You know, the whole nicknames and stuff." He chuckled before letting her hand go and walking down the corridors to get changed. Boyoung smiled as she sent him off before twisting her lips a bit. She had no idea about any special nicknames people had for him while he played basketball. 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

     "Hoo~! We are gathered once again to witness the greatness of Mr. Park Jimin. Woo~! And the crowd goes wild! Yeah!" Jimin raised his arms wide beside him as he imitated a commentor while stepping across the empty local basketball court. He smiled brightly. It was the one place he never felt alone even if he was - his second home, his refuge when he felt frustrated or sad. It was close to his heart, and he saw each shot he scored as his own contribution of love to his home - evidence that he's worked hard for the results, symbolic that he can build his own home from his own hands. It was his own personal world that no one knew about besides him, and no matter who came along with him to the basketball court, they wouldn't be able to see it. 

Boyoung followed his head and stepped forward and he took steps back, their eyes constantly making contact. Jimin felt very comfortable with her. Any stranger could tell. Despite the way he seemed to not look forward to her coming for a visit, it was probably his familiarity with her that let him feel this way. 

"Alright, you ready?" He smiled while bouncing the ball on the ground in front of him. Boyoung nodded as she stepped off the court to the side to watch him. He dribbled down the court and spun around as if there was an opponent in front of him before shooting and letting the ball rebound off the board to enter the hoop. Boyoung clapped loudly and cheered for him as she enjoyed watching all his little, cute tricks. He enjoyed showing off his talents to her too, but he wanted more. 

"Hey, when I do my three pointer, cheer for me like you always do when I get three-pointers. I want to hear that childish nickname again." Jimin chuckled lightly before bending down slightly, preparing to shoot. With his concentration full, he shot the ball through the air and watched it perfectly slip into the hoop. Boyoung clapped again and pretended to be slightly distracted. Jimin waved his arms lightly as he looked at her with a slight, wonderous expression. 

"You... didn't say it."

"What?"

"The nickname." 

"Ahh..., " she chuckled deeply, "the nickname..." 

His small frown became a small smile again as he anticipated her reply to be what he wished, but it wasn't. 

"Hey, let me verse you. One on one. It's been ages since we've played each other." She dropped her bag down and walked to the middle of the court. Jimin shook off his subsconscious disappointment temporarily and met her in the middle of the court. He held the basketball in front of his chest, and watched as it was in the middle of the two of them. A flash of darkness appeared in his mind as a somehow famiiliar scene crossed before his eyes. His eyebrows furrowed. 

"Hey, wait." She giggled before bending down, "You forgot to tie your shoelaces. We don't want you having another amnesia, do we?" 

"Jimin-ah! Your shoelaces!"

With Boyoung at his feet tying his laces, Jimin's hold off the basketball slipped and it fell on Boyoung's head, surprising her.

"Ouch!" She exclaimed before looking up at him. Jimin ignored the situation for a moment and stepped away from centre-court. He let his eyes circle the outside court and its surroundings, imagining the further, distant benches the school basketball court had arount it. But it still wasn't right. There was something missing. The picture wasn't perfect yet. He concentrated and even squinted, but he just couldn't get it.

Standing in the middle of the court, with the basketball in between the two of them...

The weird fact that he never ties his shoelaces unless he's told...

Jimin's eyes looked up to the basketball hoop last. It always had the answers to his problems. He used to be able to just look at it and the answer would just appear. 

"Hey, oppa! What was that for?" 

Boyoung didn't get a reply. She smirked. 

"You're gonna' regret that!" 

She through the ball at the back of Jimin's head and the answer came to him. 

It was the one place he never felt alone even if he was - his second home, his refuge when he felt frustrated or sad. It was close to his heart, and he saw each shot he scored as his own contribution of love to his home - evidence that he's worked hard for the results, symbolic that he can build his own home from his own hands. It was his own personal world that no one knew about besides him, and no matter who came along with him to the basketball court, they wouldn't be able to see it. 

He stepped closer to her and she gladly welcomed him to come closer. Their hands slipped into each other's almost by long-habit and familiarity

❀ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ❀

Hope you liked the sixth chapter!

If you did, please subscribe and leave a comment if you wish!