Kissing Lessons (jikook)

3: "What's wrong with you?"

Jimin pulled the front entrance's handle, attention divided between where he walked and the video playing on his phone through earbuds. It was a good distraction from the chatter surrounding him, but in turn made him less attentive to his surroundings.

It did, however, make it easy for Jungkook to sneak up behind him and jab him in the sides, which he did with supreme cruelty. Jimin jumped-- yelped, even-- at the attack, spinning to glare at his friend who only smiled an annoying grin.

Jimin tore an earbud out. "What's wrong with you? You can't just do things like that." He gave a quick look around to see if anyone saw what had happened, but only a few people were looking. A few too many.

"What're you listening to?" The taller looked over the other's shoulder to see his screen. "Can I watch?" He took the earbud from Jimin's hand and put in his ear. The older didn't have to look around to feel they were being stared at. He shut his phone off before rolling his earbuds around it, pulling it out of Jungkook's ear in the process.

"I have to get to class," Jimin said without much of a tone. He walked away from the younger, trying not to make eye contact with anyone. By a wicked hand of fate, he did, and it was the last person he'd want to witness it.

Ji-eun gave him a cute smile. Jimin, unsure of how to react, kept his eyes fixed on hers until he bumped into a figure stopped in the commons.

"Get out of the way, shorty," the tall guy he'd walked right into ordered. He didn't really have to say those words, as Jimin had been knocked back just from the accidental run-in. He quickly looked to see if Ji-eun had noticed, but wasn't sure if she had as she was now speaking to her friends.

Jungkook stared at his friend's back as he walked off, only taking a single step forward when he watched the three basketball players push him to the side so easily. He figured it was better to stay back. Jimin would just get annoyed if he intervened. But it was a strange thing to him. . .

Why was he being so distant in the first place?

Jungkook missed the way things used to be. When they could share a pair of earbuds, wipe each other's faces, talk about something other than Lee Ji-eun. He just wanted to know why they couldn't do those things anymore. Maybe. . . it'd be best if the two of them didn't do anything anymore. Jimin didn't seem to be too opposed to the idea.

She had to have been looking past me, Jimin thought while opening his locker. He hung his bag up on the hook and unzipped it to get his homework from Friday out. The male grew worried as he wondered if she'd seen his interaction with Jungkook. Ji-eun didn't seem like the type to believe gossip, but she was basically given a live show. You can't not believe a live show.

He heaved an uneasy sigh. Didn't Jungkook understand anything? Two guys couldn't be this close. The both of them were becoming popular for something Jimin didn't want to be popular for. Jimin would rather be the invisible kid he'd always been, unnoticed and left alone than be the butt of gay jokes and harsh gossip. None of it is any help to his self-esteem.

"Hi!" an upbeat female voice greeted from behind. Jimin swallowed nervously. He tried to even his expression into something amiable instead of a contortion of fear before turning around, smile light, but forced. He was quick to bury his face back in his locker. The girl was greeting the passing Jungkook, not him.

He walked right past her as if he hadn't seen her at all. Jimin was used to that part, but not Jungkook walking right past him. His chest tightened despite mental assertions that it was for the best. Yes, that way he wouldn't have to worry about people watching them.

It didn't help his hurt. As much as he wished to be invisible, he didn't want to be invisible to the only person who's truly seen him.

...