It's Okay [JIKOOK]

3.

Not that bad

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As the bell rang, signaling the end of the day's classes, Jimin felt a sense of accomplishment. The trio of subjects not only broadened his understanding of architecture but also solidified the connection between him and his classmates.

Outside the classroom, underneath the comforting canopy of their favorite tree, the four friends settled onto the weathered bench, the rustle of leaves and the distant hum of campus life providing a backdrop to their quiet conversation about personal lives.

"Who would've thought Geometry could be fun?" Hobi grinned, slinging his arm around Jimin's shoulder.

"It's all about perspective," Kai added with a smirk.

Taemin, who had been relatively quiet during the discussions, chimed in, "I guess there's more to college than just textbooks."

Jimin nodded, appreciating the sentiment. The journey of academic exploration had just begun, and he couldn't have asked for better companions to navigate it with.

Jimin, gazing into the distance, began to share his story with a measured tone. "Growing up in a big family... it's like navigating a complex maze." He said suddenly, wanting to share something with his friends. And his friends looked at him, also curious about his life.   "I'm the youngest boy with an elder sister and elderbrother. We've faced financial struggles, but it's the unspoken understanding and support among us that makes it bearable." He looked at his friends and smiled sadly.

His elder brother and elder sister, stopped their college because of some reasons. His older siblings just find a job to help their family for living, and also help Jimin for his education expenses.

The words hung in the air for a moment before Taemin, choosing his words carefully, responded. "I get that." He smiled assuringly.  "In my family, we're just average. An older brother, an older sister. There's a simplicity to it, but it holds its own challenges." Then he smiled when he remembered something he wanted to share. "Hobi and I, we've been friends since pre-elementary, seen each other through thick and thin.

"Really?" Jimin asked for shock and he received nods from the two. "Ahh, that's why you know each other already when the first day of this school year"

"Yeah" Kai confirmed suddenly. "I knew them before this school year started, I always saw them on our campus. They are also officers in our art class" He said making Hobi and Taemin chuckled. "So when I learned that they are also my classmate, I took the opportunity to be friends to them. So that's why you saw us together as a small circle" he explained to the curious Jimin.

Hobi, leaning back against the tree trunk, added to the unhurried exchange. "Yeah, Taemin and I practically share a history. It's like having an extended family, you know?"

Kai, his gaze lingering on the leaves above, spoke of his own experience. "Living away from home brings its own set of complexities. I have an older sister, and she has own family now." He smiled sadly, because now he doesn't have a sister who was always tutoring him, and he was feeling lonely in the house, so his parents decided to rent an apartment for him so he can have some friends to be with. "And now, me and Hobi were sharing an apartment. It's nothing fancy, just average, it's enough for 3 people."

Hobi nodded at the statement. "Well my house was far from this campus, so I insist to my parents that I need to move to a small apartment." He added

Jimin looked at them, thinking if he should also rent an apartment because his house was also far from this campus, Imagine always 2 hours travel, 2 hours going to school and 2 hours after school. As an architecture student, they need more time, they need to manage their time. And also Taemin mentioned that their apartment was enough for 3 people, and there are only two(Hobi/Kai) in that apartment. But thinking about the expenses, he felt sad.

His three friends noticed it and Taemin was the one who asked "You okay, Jimin?"

Jimin shook his head to clear his thoughts. "I'm fine" he smiled. About the apartment, he should discuss this with his parents first.

Kai looked at him for a second before he shugges if off

Jimin, absorbing the shared reflections, spoke again, "It's intriguing how our individual stories shape us." He tried to change the topic

Taemin, his eyes thoughtful, chimed in, "Absolutely. It's the quiet moments like these that allow us to understand each other beyond the surface."

Hobi, with a contemplative smile, mused, "Our lives, like the leaves above us, sway in different directions, yet somehow, they come together in this shared space."

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Days turned into two weeks, and the bond between Jimin, Kai, Taemin, and Hobi deepened. They became the envy of some classmates, forming a tight-knit circle that seemed to defy the typical timeline of friendship.

Their camaraderie was evident in the way they casually draped arms over each other's shoulders and exchanged banter, a comfort level that surpassed the boundaries of conventional friendships. The four friends navigated the challenges of college life together, finding solace and laughter in one another's company.

One day, as Jimin immersed himself in his artwork during a lecture, he mumbled in frustration, "It's harder than I thought." Unbeknownst to him, his friends were quick to notice his distress.

"Jimin!"

"Jimin!"

"Jimin!"

Startled, Jimin removed his earphones, turning to Kai, who was sitting on his left.

"Why?" he asked quietly, mindful not to attract the professor's attention.

"You're famous on Instagram without telling me?!" Kai exclaimed, tapping Jimin's shoulder excitedly.

Jimin's eyes widened in shock. How did they find out about his Instagram? He hadn't intended for his friends to discover his online art sanctuary. For him, Instagram was a private space where he could share his creations without the judgment of those he knew personally.

"H-how did you know?" He stuttered, looking nervous.

Kai loked at him. "It's obvious, @pjm_13 is your username, your name is Park Jimin and your birthday is October 13, right?"

Jimin looked at him in horror. Oh... how stupid he is, of course it's totally obvious. But can you blame him?

"Kai!" Hobi whisper yelled

Kai looked at the front where hobi was sitting and mouthed a 'what?'

Hobi poited at the professor who was teaching something about space planning, their class was Design 1 anyway. "You are so loud"

Then Kai looked at his surrounding, fuck, some of his classmates was looking at him, they have probably heard what he was talking about to Jimin. So he just bowed his head on the table because of the embarrassment.

On the other hand, Jimin was just staring at the table, thinking about something. He sighed tiredly, realizing that his carefully guarded haven of artistic expression was no longer a secret. He debated whether to explain his desire for anonymity but decided against it, knowing it might sound like a peculiar request.

As Kai continued to express his excitement, Jimin felt a twinge of disappointment. The sanctuary he had built on Instagram, his haven for self-expression, was now exposed. The peace he found in sharing his art anonymously was gone, replaced by the awareness that his friends had peeked into this personal realm.