The studies resumed after the winter semester break. Jungkook couldn't help but feel that he and Jimin did something, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't remember what exactly happened. He knew he was supposed to stay at Bambam's house that night, but he got caught by Jimin, and when he woke up the next morning, he was in Jimin's bed. The older sneaked him out of the house and dropped him at Bambam's place. He tried to feel if his ass hurt, in case they fucked, but nothing was hurting, except his head, which was because of a hangover. He couldn't also ask Jimin as he felt mortified.
All the days of his break went by rethinking, unable to focus on his studies. Now that classes resumed, he regretted not studying. As he was walking astray in the corridors, staring at grey clouds, he didn't hear the faint voice of the drum. In a matter of two minutes, the crowd broke and he heard Jimin's voice hollering his name.
He realized what was happening, bootlegging, as they liked to call it. He ended up hurt last year so when he discerned panic in Jimin's voice, he rushed towards him, against the hoard of students who were running in his direction
"Hyung!" Jungkook turned his phone's flashlight on and Jimin did the same. The older caught his arm and grabbed him, hugging him tightly and turning around so the younger was secure against the wall in case anyone freely hit.
"What is happening?" Jungkook asked, grabbing onto Jimin's shoulders.
"This is the final year. They are going to be crazy. Stay with me, alright?"
"Yes," the boy nodded and remembered how he was hit by Jimin last year. The thought made him a little gloomy. Jimin hated him, and then he fell in love with the boy who hated him. Now, it was back to where they started. Jungkook could feel that Jimin still deeply cared about him, otherwise he wouldn't give a damn if he got caught in the crossfire, yet here he was.
"Yoongi!" Someone yelled from one corner and Jimin began to drag Jungkook away.
"Wait, Hyung... We have to get Yoongi Hyung too."
"No," Jimin didn't lose the grip over Jungkook's hand. "He can take care of himself."
"I can too," Jungkook struggled now, feeling anger suddenly overbearing his mind. Was Jimin here only because he thought he couldn't defend himself?
Jungkook succeeded in prying his hand away from Jimin and ran in the opposite direction in the dark, disappearing off in the crowd. A few of the students were still on the same floor and judging by the voices that emerged from the lower floors, Jimin could tell that the seniors were now everywhere. He rushed behind Jungkook, feeling annoyed by how adamant he had become.
Just in time the teachers brought out the big flashlights and drew back the blinds in the corridors that the seniors pulled down. Jimin caught Do-Jin trying to push Jungkook down the stairs so he kicked him to the ground. Jungkook turned around, seeing that Jimin was assaulting the other boy.
"What is wrong with you?" Jungkook now pushed Jimin back, making Do-Jin smirk.
"He was about to push you down the stairs." Jimin thundered through his gritted teeth.
By then, the teachers began yelling before getting out in the corridors. "Who's there?"
Everyone knew that this was the class that always rained down chaos whenever it rained and was dark, but they could never catch anyone in action. By the time everything settled, the students would be back in their classroom.
Jimin pulled Jungkook and Do-Jin to drag them into the bathroom."Before you say one more word," Jimin pointed his finger at Jungkook because he looked like he was about to bark out. "Your dear friend Do-Jin and Jaein were the ones who attacked you last year, not me."
"What?!" Jungkook averted his gaze to the smaller boy who retreated his step. "Was it really you?"
"How fucking dumb are you to actually ask him, Jungkook? I thought you had some brains." Jimin scoffed, feeling so much frustration build in his body that all he could do was grit his teeth really hard while closing his phalanges shut.
Do-Jin wanted to say something when Jungkook gaited towards him, directly grabbing his collar and choking him for a good measure. Before Jimin could pull him away, he supplied four solid punches to the smaller. Jimin could have saved two punches, but he decided not to, smirking while looking at the nosy boy getting hit.
"I am sorry, Jungkook. I didn't realize it was you." Do-Jin lied.
Jungkook attempted to charge at him again, but Jimin held him back by his torso this time.
"Get out. Now." The taller emphasized and the boy ran with great speed.
"Why didn't you tell me before?" Jungkook threw Jimin's arms back, causing the older to glare with intensity.
"I was trying to save you from the truth. Ignorance is indeed bliss. I could have told you the whole thing but you would have only developed trust issues, not lived freely as a high school student is supposed to live."
"Don't act like you give a shit about me."
Jimin now filed towards Jumgkook, pinning him against the wall and breathing heavily on his face. "You do know that is not true. I didn't have to act to care if I didn't."
Jungkook's brows were drawn closer, and they remained that way, only his eyes now wavered at the ground.
"Last year, if you remember, a teacher was sacked."
"Hwan Kyung sir," Jungkook mumbled.
"Yes," Jimin released the younger and stood a little away from him. "A year before, I was in middle school and I was walking towards the lab. I had no clue what I was going to see. That fucking monster!" He suddenly saw red, shuddered at the memory of it again.
"He assaulted a student in his lab. And the student was a senior. It changed me and my life. I couldn't remain the same kid anymore I was back then. A laughing, giggling, carefree, and an artsy one. I didn't want to tell you your classmates who feigned to be your friends were the ones to hit you. I hadn't seen them do it, but I was certain of it the moment you accused me of it."
"Why didn't you just tell me? You could have saved a big misunderstanding between us."
"Maybe I didn't want to," Jimin brought his arm to hold the bridge of his nose and scoffed. "If you thought I was so bad to hit you mercilessly, I must have done something to you to have deserved so much hate."
"I did love you too. You just didn't want it." Jungkook spoke slowly, working simultaneously to soften the knot in his throat.
Jimin now padded his gaze to Jungkook and slowly walked towards him. "You did?"
"Yeah, I did." Jungkook nodded his head, eyes doted on Jimin's lips.
"Good to know that I was lucky to have your love, albeit for a few months." Jimin's hand lingered for a moment, trying to touch Jungkook's mole under his bottom lip, but he retreated it at the last moment and turned around to walk away.
"You pushed me away!" Jungkook yelled, having his breathing worked up by just close proximity. How he still wanted to rip the older's shirt off and bite all over really hard, taking the revenge for all the tears he cried for him. "I begged you to come back to me, to choose me. You didn't want me. Or maybe you never loved me at all."
Jimin stopped and smiled sadly without looking back at Jungkook. He wanted to walk away. Staying silent hurt less than explaining how much he loved Jungkook yet he had to choose his career. It sounded too selfish if he spoke out loud, and he was guilty as it was.
Somewhere deep in his heart, he still hoped to become independent and come back to Jungkook. He thought he'd get down on his knees to beg for forgiveness if it took that to bring his baby back. He'd do anything, but he also needed a stable financial support system, not his father's money so he could own him all his life, he wanted to be a free bitch. He had to get away from the claws of his father so he could have the liberty of his own, to choose what he wanted, and to achieve that, he had to sacrifice. If Jungkook would still want him by the time he got his things sorted, he'd do anything to win him back.
Before his feet could regain the movements, Jungkook stopped him. The younger wanted to know what was so traumatic for Jimin that he wanted so much to protect him. "Who was that student?" He asked, getting closer to the older. "You don't know him. He is Jin Hyung's boyfriend."
20 Apr 2022