Stronger || PJM

Ch10: Just A Fragment

"Don't push him away, Lee."

Those few words play in Lee's mind like a broken record over and over again. At some point, it feels like not only Namjoon's voice, but another small one somewhere inside this hard rock head of her's.

"F*ck this," She mutters to herself, removing the tie from her loose ponytail to tie it properly.

"Are you alright?" Jimin asks, pausing his practice to look at her.

She freezes for a second, wondering how he managed to hear it when she thought her voice was as low as possible.

"Yeah," She replies non-chalantly.

Jimin eyes her for a second, then goes back to the punching bag. Lee puts her hands on her waist, shifting her weight from one leg to the other. No harm in making a friend, right? If only she knows how to make friends.

"Do you... " She trails off, and Jimin pauses again, looking at her in anticipation.

"Do you smoke?" She asks.

It goes silent for a few seconds.

"No?" Jimin replies hesitantly, a hint of confusion in his voice.

"Good," She nods. "Don't smoke. Smoking is bad for health... especially kids."

He nods slowly, eyes squinting. "Okay?"

She nods. "Yeah."

Jimin eyes her again, still bewildered from her out of nowhere questions. Adding to the fact that she never asks personal questions.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Jimin can't help but ask, scanning her head to toe.

She nods. "Yeah, just... Forget what I said a few days ago. I was just in a bad mood."

A smile makes its way to his plump lips, eyes crinkling. "Is that an apology?"

She furrows her eyebrows. "No, it's not. I'm just saying it's better to hear you rambling than this awkward silence. It's killing me."

Jimin chuckles. "Okay. So how was your day, Lee?"

"None of your business, next."

Jimin laughs, hand involuntary going over his mouth as he throws his head back. He can't help but notice the faintest hint of smile on Lee's face, and she looks away and bites the inside of her cheek to hide it.

"So can I talk about my day?" He asks.

She shrugs. "I don't have any other option than to listen."

"Okay," He smiles again, turning back to the punching bag. "I learned the whole dance for my performance. All I need to do now is practice it as much as I can. It's in two weeks. I'm really excited."

She hums.

"Can I ask a personal question?" He asks.

Lee thinks for a second. "I can't promise I'll answer it."

"Who's that tall guy with tattoos?"

"Oh, Joon?" She nods in acknowledgement. "He's a friend."

"You guys seem close," He notes.

"We are," She assures.

"So are you guys like." He looks at her, wiggling his eyebrows in a teasing manner. "You know."

"No," She replies, crossing her arms. "We're just friends. I don't suppose you have a girlfriend either."

Jimin scrunches his nose. "No one really wants to date the bullied guy."

"That's true."

"So... " He hesitates, contemplating the question again. "Will you tell me how old you are?"

Lee takes a while to respond, and Jimin stays still awkwardly, scanning her blank face.

"Twenty one," She replies.

Jimin gasps dramatically. "No way! Are you serious?!"

"Do I look old to you?" She raises an eyebrow.

"And you keep on calling me kid!" He yells in disbelief. "You're not even that old! Why would you do that?!"

"Done with the surprise? Go on with practice."

"No, this should be discussed." He turns his body to her, hands limply falling beside him. "Why do you call me kid?"

"Because you looked like a middle schooler when I first saw you."

Jimin laughs.

Lee doesn't.

His laughter dies down. "You're not serious, are you?"

She shrugs, arms crossed over her chest.

"Ouch," He says in a low voice, turning back to the punching bag.

-

Jimin rests his chin on his hand, elbow on the table as he looks around the cafe. His eyes boredly scan everyone, then they fall on the door, waiting for a particular person to walk in.

Mrs.Kim had called him earlier, mentioning her son again and how unhappy he is right now, and suggested that he should reunite with his old friend, Jimin.

Jimin doesn't mind. Mrs.Kim's son had been a good friend. He was cheerful, outgoing and very friendly, but they were of different societal class and in different schools, Jimin being in some governomental school while the other is in one of the most expensive schools in the country.

Jimin was caught up with dance classes, bullies and studies, and on the other hand, his friend was busy with piano and etiquette classes. They stopped talking for days, months, years, and when Jimin regretted not being in touch with the said boy, the boy had already changed his phone number.

And just like that, four years passed without seeing or talking to each other. And today, they're meeting again for the first time in years.

The doorbell chimes as it opens and a tall figure walks in, Jimin immediately scanning it, a small smile forming on his lips.

The boy that walks in is tall and slim with caramel brown hair that falls over his eyes and long legs clad in tight-fitting jeans. Anyone who would see him wouldn't hesitate to call him handsome with his beautiful eyes and sharp jawline. He's dressed lavishly for a hangout at a cafe, a designer belt hugging his hips and some sumptuous cardigan over his shoulders.

Jimin realises how much his friend has grown up, but he can recognise him anywhere. The boy finally sees Jimin, and quite surprisingly, he doesn't smile back. His face stays blank, eyeing his friend lazily.

Only now Jimin notices the drastic change the boy had gone through. It's still him physically, same features and extravagant clothes, but his eyes aren't twinkling anymore. They're dull, too dull, as if they've lost all the light in them. He's handsome, but he looks like his soul has been suck out of him.

Whatever it is that Mrs.Kim refused to tell Jimin about, the thing that made his friend go to therapy and lose himself, it must have been hard, because as he looks in his eyes, he can't see the carefree young boy anymore.

What's left is just his body, and empty eyes with no emotions. A fragment of the once bright boy.

The said man approaches his friend, expensive shoes clicking on the floor tiles. His aura seems almost intimidating.

"Jimin," He says once he stops in front of him, voice deep and silk as smooth.

Jimin can't force himself to smile anymore.

"Taehyung."