Kissing Lessons (jikook)

14: "People are watching!"

Jungkook was the first one to class as usual, waiting impatiently in his desk and watching the crowd leak in as the time ran out for them to be in their seats. His foot tapped uncontrollably. It wasn't that he was angry at Jimin. It was more of a worried type of thing.

The anxious boy stared at a specific spot on his desk instead of watching the door. Watching the door for Jimin was the equivalent to watching a pot until it boiled. Right as the bell rang, Jungkook's head lifted itself to find his friend walking past him without so much as a glance. The younger turned around in his chair to sit sideways. He rested an arm on the older's desk, his other hand putting itself on Jimin's knee right after he sat down.

"Where were you at lunch?" Jungkook asked. He eyed the other closely, trying to figure out what was going on. He knew Jimin didn't eat the night before, didn't eat that morning, and since he wasn't at lunch he must not have eaten that either. The last time Jungkook had witnessed his friend eating was at the food court Wednesday. "And you weren't at your locker either this morning."

"I had a presentation last period. I was practicing." That excuse was a good one. One he'd fabricated while hiding in the library at lunch. "The teacher's here; turn around."

"What could you be presenting in math class?"

"Jungkook," Jimin whined, frowning to look victimized. "We're going to get scolded."

The younger tightened his fingers around the knee in his grip, a warning almost. "We're having a talk tonight." He turned to sit normally in his seat after allowing Jimin free.

The older looked around nervously to see if anyone had seen or heard what'd just happened. The girl next to him was staring, and right as they made eye contact, the boy felt the embarrassment. That rumor was going to eat him alive.

...

"Let go of me," he hissed. "People are watching!"

The complaining would do him no good. If he were to try pulling his wrist back from Jungkook's cold hand, he could free himself. Jimin didn't struggle though. He allowed himself to be dragged like that when it would only take a twist and pull to get the taller to let go completely.

Jungkook stopped once they were back in the locker room. "What's your problem?" he asked loudly, angrily, abnormally while turning around. He pushed on Jimin's chest. The way the shorter had to step back forced the hold on his wrist to release.

"I didn't do anything," he replied quietly. If he did do something, then he didn't know what it was. They'd just finished bench pressing when Jungkook began to drag him there, and Jimin didn't say so much as a word to irritate him. Evidently, it wasn't words that irritated him.

The taller sighed, clearly from frustration. "What happened? Why are you doing all this shit, lately, huh? Do you think I don't notice things you do?"

Jimin looked at the floor. He wanted to know what could make his friend so angry, when he himself had always been the one to get angry easily. Even if he didn't know what he did wrong, he felt ashamed. "What do you think I did?"

"Why can't you trust me with things like you used to? Why can't you tell me what's bothering you?" Jungkook dug his nails into his palms. "Lately you've really been getting on my nerves, you know. All you really care about is Ji-eun, right? Why are you pushing me away? You can have a friend and a girlfriend at the same time! It isn't rocket science."

"I haven't-"

"No, but you have. I notice things. I notice everything. How you avoid eye contact lately. How you don't lift long when I'm spotting you. How you walk farther away from me each day. How you didn't sit with me at lunch after complaining about me not sitting with you. I'm just someone here to help you get the girl, aren't I? Or is it something else? Is it because I'm not good enough to be your friend? Is it because of my Timberlands, the stuff I wear? How I look? How I act? What is it, Jimin?"