March, 2012
They were working in units that day. Jimin noticed that Tae was working again with Jungkook and Hoseok and some of the other trainees in a small group.
He knew some of them had been training together for years. Namjoon, Hoseok and Yoongi had literally been working together and rapping together for two years already. Now Jungkook, a freaking 15 year old, had been their first choice of the next permanent member... He rolled his eyes, but inside him, it was the honest parts that hurt, as he thought Golden Maknae with the perfect voice, of course he's first choice.
He watched out of the corner of his eye as Tae alternated between bright laughter and hard work as he worked with the other trainees, trying not to get too jealous that he wasn't working in the same group with those senior trainees...
Days seemed to blur together, especially as now almost everyday Namjoon, Yoongi, Hoseok, Jungkook, Seokjin and Taehyung worked together. Jimin tried to stay focused on learning everything he could...staying late many nights to practice singing or choreography... especially because Tae had been elusive, hard to find after practice, not answering texts. Jimin never exactly got the impression that something was wrong...and yet Taehyung hadn't wanted to talk about whatever it was...
A touch on his shoulder woke him with a start. He jumped and then relaxed when he saw Taehyung. "Hyung!" He kicked him, "You startled me."
Taehyung looked funny. "Can we talk?"
The look on his face made Jimin's heart pound. What was he about to say? "Okay." He sat up and crossed his legs to face his friend.
"So you notice I've been practicing a lot with the new Bangtan Boys Group?" Jimin nodded silently and Taehyung squirmed. "Yeah so...I guess I haven't been completely honest with you." Jimin's eyes seemed to bore holes in him. "Well, they sort of asked me to be the 6th member of the group."
Jimin's eyes widened and then narrowed to slits. "Oh congratulations, Taehyung, that is amazing." He said hollowly, "You are going to be an Idol!"
"Jimin.." Tae's voice was filled with concern.
"SO, when did you get the good news?"
Taehyung hesitated. "Well..." Jimin's eyes narrowed more.
"What?"
"Well I've actually been an official member for a while now."
"What's a while?" Tae squirmed again, and mumbled something Jimin couldn't hear.
"Ahm, ah, a few months I guess." Said Tae, trying to avoid Jimin's eyes.
Jimin stared at him in shock. "You knew and didn't tell me, since when?"
Taehyung seemed to lose strength at being elusive and said dully, "August".
Jimin stared at him in shock. He hadn't even joined Big Hit until February, and it would be April soon. "You were lying to me this entire time?"
"Jimin, please, I didn't want you to be upset like this." Jimin felt like he'd been stabbed with a knife. His friend had been lying to him for over 6 months.
"Oh my God... this is why you would never let me see your place...Oh my God... you already live in the dorms with them, don't you?" Hot tears of betrayal sprung to his eyes. "Why did you do this? Why did you lie to me?"
"Jimin, please, I didn't want you to be too discouraged, Hyung!" Jimin walked away, leaving Tae calling after him.