((For the sake of this fic just pretend Hoseok, Yoongi, Seokjin and Namjoon are juniors and the maknae line are sophomores because the age differences in Bangtan are really inconvenient when it comes to fics like these))

((Also I can’t seem to put my one-shots in actual one-shot formal lately so eh))

            “I swear to God Seokjin, if you keep staring like that your eyeballs are going to pop out of their sockets,” Namjoon said bluntly as he sat down, placing his tray on the table with a loud clunk. “Just ask her out already, for ’s sake.”

            The addressed person didn’t respond, his attention fixed on a girl across the cafeteria.

            “Forget it,” Jimin commented. As usual, the leftovers of his plain dressing-less salad sat on his plate, accompanied by a crushed carton of soy milk. When he’d first announced to the table that he was planning to go on a diet, nobody had believed him. He already had one of the best bodies in the entire school – what more could he possibly want? “He’s too whipped to even form coherent sentences in front of her.”

            “Get your feet off the table, Jimin,” Hoseok scolded, appearing seemingly out of nowhere with his lunch tray in his hands. Jimin ignored him, continuing to type away at his phone – probably updating his Twitter or some – with a bored expression on his face. “Jeez,” Hoseok huffed, sitting down beside Namjoon, “someone needs to teach this kid manners.” He leaned over and stole a French fry from Namjoon’s tray.

            “Jimin, get your ing feet off the ing table,” a deep, sleepy voice spoke up, oblivious to the way everyone jumped and immediately snapped their eyes over to look at him. With the way Yoongi was half-snoring on his makeshift bed of three chairs, everyone had thought he was sleeping (which was nothing new, really). But apparently, he’d been awake – or as awake as Min Yoongi can get – the entire time.

            “Fine,” Jimin mumbled, sheepishly lowering his feet.

            Hoseok was about to start ranting about how Jimin listened to everything Yoongi said but not him when Seokjin let out a squawk and dove for cover behind Jungkook, who was eating quietly and sharing a manga with Taehyung.

            “Jesus Christ,” Namjoon mumbled under his breath.

            “Hey guys.” Moments later, Lee Bian approached their table, wearing her signature smile. “Do you mind if I interview you for the student newspaper? It’ll be really quick.”

            “Sure, no problem,” Jimin answered with a devilish smile on his face, blatantly ignoring the looks Seokjin was shooting him from behind Jungkook.

            “Great. Thanks.” Bian beamed at him, propping her clipboard against her hip. “So, do you think the parking lot should be renovated?”

            “YES,” Hoseok and Namjoon immediately said in unison.

            Bian laughed, pushing her hair out of her face. “I’ll take note of the enthusiasm. Any reasons why?”

            “Half the parking spaces are in really bad condition,” Hoseok explained. “You have to get there really early to find a decent parking space.” He raised an eyebrow at Bian, who looked surprised. “You don’t have a car?”

            “I take the bus,” she explained, jotting something down on her clipboard with a studious black pen. “I knew there wasn’t enough room for everyone, but I didn’t know it was that bad.”

            “Believe me, it is,” Namjoon said, shaking his head. “People – JUNG HOSEOK I SWEAR TO GOD IF YOU TAKE ONE MORE FRY I WILL SHOVE MY FORK UP YOUR NOSE – have gotten into fights over parking spaces. No one wants to risk getting their car towed by parking at the side of the road.”

            “True,” Bian agreed, jotting some more stuff down. Then, just remembering something important, she jumped. “Oh, by the way, Seokjin?”

            All eyes turned to the addressed, who was now blushing a deep shade of pink and sitting completely unprotected as Jungkook told him to ‘man up, hyung’ and refused to be used as a shield.

            “Y-yeah?” he stammered, choosing to ignore his friends’ looks. “What is it?”

            “Are you free on Saturday? I at History, and I was wondering if you could help me study for it, since we’re in the same class and all…”

            Saturday was when Seokjin, Namjoon, Hoseok and Taehyung were going to go watch the new Fantastic Four movie. Seokjin, being the ever-thoughtful guy he was, shot a look at the people he had plans with. Are you guys okay with that? His eyes asked.

            Namjoon shrugged. Everyone says it anyways, so we can cancel. That, and he didn’t need a terrified Seokjin clinging to his shirt during all the fight scenes.

            “S-sure,” Seokjin got out, turning back to Bian. “Yeah. Sure. When?”

            Bian opened , about to speak, when a girl called her name from across the room. “Oh, I have to go guys. Seokjin, can I have your phone for a sec? I’ll just put my number in your contacts.”

            “Sure,” Seokjin said again, staring wide-eyed and slack-jawed at the girl before him until Jungkook sighed, grabbed the phone out of the elder’s pocket, and tossed it to the girl, saying “His password is 3333”.

            “Wha- Yah!” Seokjin scolded Jungkook as Bian laughed and typed her number into his phone.

           “Here,” she said, handing the device back to its owner, who stared at it as if it was the most precious thing in the world. “I have to go now, but it was nice talking to you. See you soon, especially you, Seokjin, hm?”

            With a laugh, and a joking wink, Lee Bian walked back to the other side of the room, leaving seven wide-eyed guys behind her.

            No, actually six. Yoongi had apparently fallen back asleep.

            Actually, five. Hoseok took the opportunity to steal Namjoon’s last fry.

--

            Hey. This is Seokjin.

            Oh, hi. No wonder I couldn’t recognize the #, lol. When r u free?

            On Saturday? Any time?

            Kk cool. How about we study and then go 2 the movie theatre afterwards? I wanna c if Fantastic 4 rly .

            Sure. So, um, where? I don’t think your parents would approve of a random guy coming over to your house to ‘study,’ if you know what I mean. And my parents are beyond immature, they’ll probably go all ‘Awwww lovebirds’ and .

            Believe me, my parents put the word immature 2 shame. How abt we meet up at school and I can show u a café I rly like?

            You’re evil. I have to go back to school on the weekend? What kind of sadistic person would force that on someone else?

            Lol. So it’s done, then? Is after lunch (1-ish) ok?

            Yeah, sure. See you! Wow that came out more enthusiastic than I’d intended it to.

            Haha, no worries. U know, ur much more articulate thru text.

            I know, I know. *sigh*

            But ur stammering is cute. I gtg now, bye~

            Bye. 1-ish, Saturday, in front of the school, right?

            Yup.

            Ok. Bye~

            Bye~

--

            Seokjin couldn’t stop grinning all the way through the week. His friends were equal parts amused and irritated.

--

            Saturday rolled around much too slowly for Seokjin. Tuesday to Friday was filled with long droning lectures and uninteresting assignments. The History teacher kept reminding them of the huge test that was coming up on Monday, at which Bian would turn around from her seat in the front row and smile at Seokjin, who was seated safely and inconspicuously in the middle.

--

            Seokjin thought he’d arrived too early at their location, and had already condemned himself to long drawn-out minutes of waiting as he pulled up in the (for once) empty parking lot of the school. But, much to his surprise, Lee Bian was sitting on the front steps, eyes sweeping the grounds. She was wearing a thin grey cardigan over a white shirt, dark jeans that hugged her legs perfectly, and caramel-brown boots. She saw him approaching her nervously and smiled, standing up and making her way down the steps.

            “Sorry, am I late?” Seokjin asked, walking up to her. He mentally congratulated himself for not sounding like an idiot, for once. He’d dressed nicely today, and knowing he looked well-put-together gave his confidence a boost.

            “No, you’re five minutes early, don’t worry,” Bian said. “I had some other stuff here before you came.” She stole a quick glance over her shoulder before turning back to Seokjin. “It’s all done, though.”

            Seokjin nodded, pushing down the uneasiness in his chest. “So, where are we going?”

            “There’s this café I really like, just down the street. They make the best – well, everything.” She laughed. “You look nice, by the way. All fluffy and cute.”

            “Oh, thanks.” Seokjin had called his friends at 5 in the morning, and over Skype they’d figured out what he was going to wear. They’d all unanimously wanted something with more of a manly and confident vibe, but then they looked at Seokjin and went ‘ah, screw it’. So he found himself wearing a navy blue cashmere pullover, black jeans and Converses – something his sister could wear, if he had one.

            Bian raised an eyebrow. “You’re literally the first guy I’ve met who hasn’t been offended by me calling them fluffy.”

            “Ah, I get it a lot,” Seokjin said, shrugging nonchalantly.

            She laughed. Seokjin kind of wanted to drown in her laugh, in the light melody that filled the sky and warmed his heart. “I’m not surprised. Oh, we should start going now. We’ve spent ten minutes talking.”

--

            Bian aced the test, which she constantly thanked Seokjin for even though she’d gotten all the questions in their study session.

            “Did you really need my help for History?” He asked, to which she just smiled mysteriously and wriggled her fingers.

--

            “Hey.” Seokjin wrapped his arms around a familiar girl’s waist from behind, nuzzling his nose into her shoulder and inhaling her familiar vanilla scent. “Did you wait long?”

            “You’re so gross,” she complained playfully, leaning back and pressing a light kiss to his jawline. “And no, I got here like a minute before you did.” Wriggling out of his arms, Bian grinned at him and took his wrist, the touch still sending sparks shooting up his arm. Seokjin marvelled at how they’d been dating for two months now, and he still felt the same as he had on their first study session two months ago. “So where are we going?”

            Seokjin smiled, pulling her along on a familiar path through the forest that bordered their school. “You’re the first person I’ve shown this to.”

            “Wait, so you’re a ?” She joked, following behind him as the path narrowed until it was barely visible.

            “And to think I once thought of you as innocent,” Seokjin laughed, looking for the familiar marking. “Ah, here.”

            “What do you mean? I’m totally innocent!” They went off the path and started walking through uncleared brush, barely walkable from the times Seokjin came here alone. “I’m the most innoce…” she trailed off. Seokjin grinned, imagining her wide-eyed expression as she took in the scene before her.

            “Here we are,” he announced, gesturing to the tree.

            “Holy…” she breathed, looking up at the massive pale oak that towered amidst scrawny birches. Its branches were leafless but majestic nonetheless, spiralling upwards until the upmost branch, which looked like it was touching a cloud. “It’s beautiful. And we’re the only people who know about this?”

            “Yep. And look – perfectly climbeable.” Seokjin gestured to the knobs running up and down the massive trunk – handholds and footholds.

            “Seokjin, this is…” Bian shook her head, breathless. “This is amazing. Thank you so much for showing me this.”

            Seokjin laughed, taking her hand, feeling the way it fit perfectly into his. “Come on. Let’s go see the view.”