“I just don’t understand how you’re still not over her,” Jimin says as he dribbles a soccer ball on his feet. Taehyung and his family went out to dinner and even though they offered me to go, I just didn’t feel like sitting at a restaurant for an hour with a girl that practically thought of me as a toddler.  So I went to Jimin’s and we kicked a ball around for a bit before he realized I was frustrated over something.

“I’m going to be a senior in high school, Jimin. It’s not like I’m even childish like Taehyung is. I’m totally mature,” I say resting my head on a propped up arm as I watch him dribble the ball without fail.

“You said that same thing when we were in the eighth grade, Jungkook. What’s so different between then and now?” he asks as he catches the ball and rests it against his hip.

The summer before the eighth grade was when I realized that I liked Taehyung’s sister. But she was going to be a junior in high school and I was just a middle schooler to her.  I guess the situation is pretty much the same. I’m gonna be a senior in high school and she’s gonna be a junior in college.

I thought this would be easier as we all got older, but life’s just not fair.

“I don’t know. I can drive now?” I propose, but I don’t sound too sure. I can’t even think of any aspects of myself that could even remotely impress the girl.

“You haven’t even had a girlfriend before. It’s not like you’re a ladies’ man that has girls swooning at your every action.”

“Taehyung just told me that girls are always throwing themselves at me. What are you talking about?”

“Girl’s like you because you’re cute-”

“Don’t call me that,” I interject and scowl at the word.

“Well what do you expect? You are cute,” he says pinching my cheek. I shove his hand away and slouch deeper into my hand. “But seriously, it’s not like you command an audience or something. You’re not the bad boy type and you don’t make snarky comments to teachers. You just get good grades and play decent soccer and kindly turn down girls that like you. How else are you to be explained?”

I frown knowing everything he’s saying is true. It’s not like I don’t have a personality. I just don’t have the personality Taehyung’s sister likes in guys. Which is definitely the bad boy type.

“It’s not like I can just turn into one of those guys, Jimin,” I complain. “I’m too nice.”

“I think we should start with your clothes,” he confesses and I crease my eyebrows.

“What’s wrong with the way I dress?” I ask, looking down at my attire, which was just a simple t shirt and jeans. And it wasn’t like they were horrendous looking. Everyone wore HBA t shirts these days.

“Nothing. That’s the problem.”

* * *

“This is ridiculous,” I say, staring at my reflection. Somehow Jimin had convinced me to take us to the mall to shop for a “new look”.

“It’s just a leather jacket. It’ll just spice up your outfits a little bit,” he says grabbing my shoulders and propping them up as he stares at my reflection.

I guess I looked a little less of a prude in it, but I just felt weird. I was never the type to be into fashion or anything like that. But if this was what it takes to impress Taehyung’s sister I was willing to at least try.

When I took it off I glanced at the price tag and my eyes nearly fell out looking at the price.

“I’m not spending a hundred dollars on a clothing item.”

“Oh, come on. You had a summer job. I know you have the money. Just splurge on one thing for once,” Jimin pleas. I place the jacket back on the rack but before I let go he adds, “I’m sure Taehyung’s sister will compliment you if you wear it.”

My grip tightens on the hanger and Jimin already knows that was all it took to convince me to buy it. “God what am I doing…” I mutter as I grab the jacket and walk to the cashier. Jimin happily follows behind me thinking he’s made some break through, but it’s not like we even found a whole outfit. It’s just a jacket.

A jacket that costs the amount of a hundred tacos…

But Jimin was right. I never splurged on anything. I just got a summer job because I had nothing else to do in the summer. Taehyung and Jimin had to go to summer school because they failed a class so I figured I might as well do something productive.

When I get home my mom stares at the bag in my hand and she immediately pesters me about what I bought from a department store.

“Do you have a girlfriend you’re not telling me about? Is that a gift for a girl?” she asks as I ignore her on my way to my room. I throw the bag down on my computer chair before collapsing onto my bed face down.

“No, Mom, I just got a jacket,” I mumble, turning my face out of the pillow so she can hear my voice without it being muffled.

“Are you cold or something?” she asks, wondering why I bought a jacket at the end of summer. But I don’t really know how to explain the reason behind my purchase to her. My mom’s always been oblivious of my attraction to Taehyung’s sister and I wasn’t about to just spill everything to her like some teenage girl.

“I just wanted to try something different this year, Mom.”

She peeks into the bag and pulls out the jacket. “Leather? Really Jungkook? Who are you trying to fool?”

I get a little mad that she assumes I’m just using it to put on an act—even though I kind of am. But I just want to get rid of my stupid cute image already. 

I don’t reply and she drapes the jacket on my computer chair. “Dinner’s on the stove when you get hungry, okay?”

I just nod my head into my pillow and I hear her sigh as she walks away. It’s just a jacket. I don’t know why my mom felt the need to react like I was changing my entire wardrobe.

* * *

The next day I walk over to Taehyung’s house just to hang out one last time before school starts. I notice another car in his driveway but I don't think much of it before going up to the door and knocking.

Taehyung answers the door and says, “You’re gonna be so pissed off when you find out who’s here.”

“Who?” I ask following him down the hallway to his room. His sister’s door is cracked open and I hear a deep voice inside. Once were in his room and the door’s closed I sit on his bed and groan. “Namjoon’s here isn’t he?”

Taehyung nods as he hands me a controller. “Take out all your anger on the zombies okay?”

Namjoon is Taehyung’s sister’s ex boyfriend. They dated for a year before they split up because she was leaving for college and long distance relationships just don’t work out and let’s face it; she probably wanted no restrictions going into college.

It hasn’t even been a day since she’s been here and he’s probably begging her to take him back. I could only hope that she just wants to stay friends with him or something because I don’t think I can survive watching her be in a relationship again. 

“Wow that was our best round yet. You should be angry more often,” Taehyung says when we finally die after a couple hours of playing.

“Hey can I come in?” His sister’s voice muffles through the door after a knock.

“Yeah,” Taehyung replies.

The door opens and her head pokes in. She makes eye contact with me and smiles. “Oh, hey Jungkook didn’t know you were here.”

“Hi,” I try to say dryly, but it just comes out as it usually does: sweet and friendly.

“If Mom or Dad asks, I’m going to a party with Namjoon, kay?”

“Cool can we go?” Taehyung asks jokingly.

“Nah, you two are too young for a college party. Next year though,” she replies and although she basically said we could in a year, my mind’s stuck on ‘too young’.

“I’ll take your word on that,” Taehyung replies.

She laughs her beautiful laugh then looks at me. “Take care of my brother okay, Kookie?” she says with a wink, and I probably could have died right there, but the stupid nickname kind of ruins any high I could have felt from the gesture.

“I’ll try,” I say, and I’m surprised because this time it actually does come out dryly. His sister looks at me with a confused look before she closes the door.

“Whoa sassy pants I didn’t think you had it in you.”

“What now?” I ask, still annoyed.

“You actually talked to my sister without sounding like a freaking angel. Maybe you do have a chance with her after all.”

I don’t know if he’s teasing me or if he’s being genuine, but he was right. Even though I only said two words to the girl, I’ve never said anything in that tone to her. I’ve always been so used to speaking to her nicely because when we were younger she always taught us to have manners and to be polite. So ever since then I thought I always had to be so nice to her to impress her, but I guess it’s been long enough that it isn’t the case anymore.

slooooowly introducing the rest of bts hehe