THAWING FIRE • VHOPE

C21 - I won't stop wanting to be your friend

I don't know if we can win against him.

Knowing him, he's a very competitive person.

And he might play dirty, right?

I just chuckle to myself, shaking my head in disbelief.

What have you got yourself into, Taehyung?

--

I almost fly, running as fast as I can to the gym to get to Jimin who is probably waiting for me and planning how I should die in his hands.

I'm late, yes.

I don't bother looking back at the people I've bumped with in the halls and just continue dashing to a certain entrance even when they tell at me to not run in the hallways. When I finally get inside the gym, my eyes instantly look around for Jimin.

There he is!

He's standing near the bleachers, beside some students, and wearing an unamused expression on his face, arms folded over his chest, shooting daggers at me.

"I'm sorry!" I mouth, running towards him.

He picks up a water bottle and unscrews its cap, gulping the contents down.

I just stand in front of him, guilty and afraid to move.

He unsticks the tip of the bottle from his lips and stares at me.

"You're five minutes late," he declares, eyes dark, digging a finger onto my chest.

"I know!" I almost whine, throwing an arm up. "Yoongi just invited me for a talk at the cafeteria. I couldn't say no, you know?"

"Wait, what?" he asks, surprised.

"Yoongi invited me to play basketball with him and the boys this afternoon," I say. "I'm on his team."

"That's exactly why I wanted you to come here!"

He puts an arm on my shoulder and starts shaking me.

I look at him and arch an eyebrow up.

"What do you mean?" I ask, pushing his hand off my shoulder.

"I wanted you to be on our team!" he replies, pouting. "Too bad Yoongi already had you. That idiot, stealing you from us!" He forms a fist and punches in mid-air. "What a snake!"

"Hey, hey, hey!" I almost shout. And this time I'm the one who has my hands on his shoulders, shaking him. "You are on Hoseok's team?"

His head bobs up and down repeatedly.

"I thought we were playing Tennis?" I ask in disbelief, crossing my arms.

"I said we're playing Basketball with Dennis!" he corrects me and smacks my arm.

"Ouch, that hurt," I complain. "I thought you said Tennis back at the dorm."

I clearly heard him say Tennis. I'm not deaf.

"You weren't listening earlier. Dennis is on Hoseok's team as me. You were supposed to be, too, but you already signed up at Yoongi's," he sighs and massages his temples. "I can't believe this. I'm going to be rivals with my friend."

I smack his arm playfully and he glares at me.

"What was that for?" he squeaks, pouting.

I roll my eyes.

"I'm practicing for later," I say and receive a playful punch on my chest from him.

"We're not joining boxing, Tae!" he laughs. "It's Basketball."