Q/A: What's your favorite childhood memory?
the large group left, they chatted for a bit then did their own things.
Seeing it was pretty late, Taehyung went to go wash up.
Jimin was already in bed, exhausted from today's events. Curled up in his corner, a hidden and safe place, he finally pulled out his phone and started looking through the photos.
The picture Sung Hoon posted also had a high res version, so after he opened that and took a look, he discovered that he really was smiling when Taehyung kissed him. One arm holding a bear, the other holding flowers, his eyes curved, and the corner of his lips arched up.
He never knew he could smile so sweetly.
But what shocked him the most was that afterwards, Taehyung had led him offstage arm in arm.
There were records from the moment they walked on stage to until they left, so it couldn't have been faked, but Jimin had no memories of that part.
He felt like he must have been possessed by an alternate version of himself for those 30 seconds, or how else would he have revealed such a dazed, foolish smile and then obediently allowed Taehyung to lead him away?
Right as he was focused on the photos, a light brown blur flew by, startling Jimin into instantly locking his phone.
...It was that bear. Taehyung had thrown the bear, and it landed near the railing between their beds.
And then, Taehyung himself also climbed up.
"You..." Jimin struggled to find the right words, "...plan to put the bear on your bed?"
Actually, Jimin was originally going to ask, "You're going to sleep with the bear?"...But those words could be taken in a not-so-innocent way, thus he changed his phrasing.
"If not, then what? There's no room to put it elsewhere." Taehyung comfortably lied down on his stomach, using the teddy bear as a footrest.
Jimin peeked at the other's alluring back, firm behind, and long legs, chanted "Pure thoughts pure thoughts" in his mind, then turned his attention back to his phone.
He scrolled back to the picture of Taehyung kissing him.
Just half a year earlier, he could only look at this person's photos and fantasize alone in the depths of the night, but today, this person actually kissed him in front of so many people...... What an unbelievable turn of events.
Although the kiss wasn't quite what he dreamed and wished for, but it was still enough to make him ecstatic for a long, long time.
Jimin rubbed the edge of his phone, pressed on the photo and held, and then tapped the 'save' button.
On 1st day of class after the Freshman Welcoming Ceremony, Jimin finally realized that the teasing their neighbors gave them that night was mere child's play, and the true horror was standing in front of 100+ people as they all grinned at you like wolves.
On Sunday, everything that happened spread to every corner in the school. Whether they were there or not, everyone had heard of the details from various sources.
Taehyung and Jimin were already surrounded by an idol halo, and that halo now turned pink, especially when they walked into class together. As soon as they stepped in the door, almost everyone started banging their tables, wolf-whistling, and heckling to no end.
This lecture was a combined one, so besides their own class, there was also the 2nd journalism major class and the advertising majors.
A real straight man was one capable of withstanding any amount of insinuations that he was gay. Jimin took a deep breath and walked with Taehyung to their seats: the least conspicuous ones in the very last row.
Yet unexpectedly, even the lecturing female professor looked at them with "love and concern", paying them special attention and even asking them to answer questions.
As soon as class ended, the tormented Taehyung and Jimin dashed out like a shot.
Sung Hoon had originally wanted to have a short class meeting following this lecture, but when he stood up, he couldn't even see their shadows.
"Shit, where's Taehyung and Jimin?"
"They...fled......"
'Fled' really was quite appropriate, and the others all started laughing. Only Sung Hoon sighed, "You reap what you sow."
Luckily, they were roommates, so it's not like he couldn't pass on a message.
After their class meeting, KiBum, who was planning to go eat with Sung Hoon, got called out by one of the girls: "KiBum, there's a beauty looking for you!"
Hearing this, KiBum only felt miserable. Fucking hell, how many times has it been just this month!
He bit the bullet and walked outside, and sure enough, there was a quite fashionably dressed girl waiting outside. Wearing sunglasses and a cough mask, she said in a low voice, "Are you KiBum?"
Her tone was very polite, but he could tell immediately from her words that he wasn't the reason she came here.
KiBum helplessly asked, "Look Miss, are you sure you don't want to try using IG?"
That girl: "???"
KiBum held out his palm: "Are you here to ask me to pass on a love letter to Taehyung?"
That girl: "......"
KiBum: "Or is it Jimin this time?"
That girl paused, glanced around them, and then whispered, "Can we change the location to talk?"
KiBum's curiosity was aroused. Why the secrecy?
Sung Hoon also came out of the classroom, and with a raised brow, prompted: "Big Bum, stop dawdling, we're going to eat."
The girl in sunglasses quickly offered, "Let me treat you to lunch."
KiBum: "!!!"
Abandoning Sung Hoon, the "hos before bros" KiBum followed that beautiful girl and left.
"Beautiful Miss, what did you come find me for? There aren't people who know me around anymore, so it should be fine to talk now, yeah? ...Eh, where exactly are we going?"
That girl didn't say a thing no matter how many questions KiBum asked her. But he was really too curious, and the more she stayed silent, the more he wished to know what she was playing at.
After much walking, the two of them reached the almost deserted 9th cafeteria.
This cafeteria was the school's supposedly high-end canteen, and from what Sung Hoon told him, it had terrible food yet was extremely expensive.
Though honestly speaking, the food wasn't that terrible, but it was way too pricey for what it offered. For the same cost, you could eat much more delicious things outside the south gate, so naturally, students wouldn't want to waste money here.
But there were always people with too much money and not enough brains. Some rich students come here just to show off they had money, so with these patrons, the 9th cafeteria was still in business after so many years.
Looking at these ₩70-80 set meals, KiBum once again confirmed: "Are you really treating me?"
The girl finally took off her sunglasses and mask: "Yes."
KiBum vacantly stared at her for a beat... So beautiful, though beautiful in a way that felt uncanny. Eyes so big it was a big scary, and sitting rigidly with a stiff expression, it made for a somewhat frightening combo.
But KiBum was very open minded, and since she said she was paying, 9th cafeteria or not, it would be a waste to give up this free meal.
After ordering, KiBum awkwardly scratched his head and asked, "Then, can you first tell me your name?"
"You can call me Catherine."
......Catherine? KiBum had no words. Even using some weird English alias, this girl was really something.
KiBum: "Can you tell me why you came to find me now?"
Catherine: "We'll talk after we eat."
One silent meal later, Catherine took out her phone, tapped a few times, and showed it to KiBum: "This thread, were you the one to post it?"
KiBum looked at the screen:
[Rare Treasure, Hot Sale!! Giving You a Taste of the Authentic Campus Idol & Department Idol]
"What is this?" He quickly scanned the post, and as expected, the contents were related to Taehyung and Jimin. "Which asshole is this, using my name to post this kind of thing?"
Catherine stared at him, as if trying to see if he was lying or not.
KiBum returned her phone: "This really wasn't posted by me!"
"Really?" Catherine blinked, her already huge eyes even bigger.
Somewhat nervous, KiBum asked, "It can't be that you're trying to find the poster to buy these...personal items of the Campus/Department Idol, right?"
After a stretch of silence, Catherine admitted, "I only want Taehyung's."
"Look, although I also live in room 412, but I swear, I've never seen this post until today." At the same time, he spat in his heart: There's even these kinds of people nowadays?
Catherine wrinkled her brows, and as if unwilling to just give up, pointed to her phone and asked, "Since you also live in room 412, then can you help me get these things?"
KiBum thoughtlessly asked, "Which ones?"
His thought process was very simple. This person was probably one of Taehyung's fans and was too shy to approach the person himself, so she's asking him to act as a go-between.
If Taehyung was willing to give her these things, then there's no problem.
Yet he never expected Catherine to say: "I want everything. The cups he's used, the bottles he drank out of, his towels, his clothes, his pants, his shoes...... You can take pictures of them for me and I'll buy an exact copy, then you can secretly swap the real ones out to give me......"
KiBum almost had a heart attack... Holy fuck, to think he'd actually meet a real live pervert in person.
......No wonder this girl didn't dare to use her real name!
"I......" Looking at his empty plate, KiBum felt infinite regret. Having eaten this meal, he couldn't even righteously refuse with zero guilt.
But he really, really couldn't do something this depraved!
KiBum ground his teeth and decided that he'll pay for this meal himself. Worst case scenario, he'll just report this to Taehyung and have Younger Master Tae reimburse him.
Feeling somewhat complicated, KiBum replied, "I'm sorry...but I can't."
Catherine sat across from him, silent, and just as KiBum felt like he would die under her glare, she pulled out a stack of cash, almost ₩1000 from the looks of it, and placed it on the table.
Then, she took out a pen, wrote a series of numbers on the topmost bill, and pushed the entire stack towards KiBum while softly saying, "This isn't something against the law, so you don't need to be so nervous. No matter what you provide me, I'll pay even more than this for each. Go back and think it over. If you change your mind, text me."
KiBum was completely struck dumb by this stack of money, not even realizing when that girl left. He payed for the meal, walked outside, and ran straight back to the dorm.
However, afraid that Taehyung would also be in the room, he called Sung Hoon. As soon as the other picked up, he started screaming as if out of his wits: "Hoon Bro! Hoon Bro! Hoon Bro!"
Sung Hoon yelled back, "How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me 'Hoon Bro'. Now you're even singing it on repeat......"
KiBum wanted to cry: "Can you not harp with me about names at this critical point in time! I have to tell you something! Something big!!!"
—
[A small interlude]
Catherine: "I want this, this, that, that...... And also Taehyung's pantsu. ●_●"
KiBum: "I really can't ok......" QAQ
Catherine, pulling out a stack of cash: ●_●
KiBum (): What was with this situation that only appears in TV dramas! Did he attend a fake university! Why are the Heavens putting him, a normal college student, through these kind of trials! (╯＃°Д°)╯......Also! Why wasn't there anyone willing to buy his underwear for this kind of price! ( / ω \ ) This world isn't fair~
[[omgggg KiBum, do you actually want to sell your underwear for cash lmao~ This boy is truly a treasure~]]