[Y/N]'s Poetry Book
"silly girl
you think
you're watching the stars
but those stars
are watching you"
- r.h Sin
Your POV
"[Y/N]. [Y/N]!"
"Wait- what?"
I snapped out of my trance and Jimin smirked at me. Probably finding it funny that I get distracted so easily.
"You're always in your little imaginary world. This is why you never noticed me in school before."
The traincar arrived at our destination and I pushed passed the bodies to exit. Jimin was behind me, calm and cool like always. We made our way to his building, worry was far from my mind since I had already called Itō-San and told her where I was going.
"Ah! It's boyfriend again isn't it? I go tell your mother!" She said playfully through the phone. I told her I'd be back in time for dinner and she waved me off, telling me to just try and have fun.
So here I am walking the streets with this boy again. I can't understand what goes through his mind yet, or why I was so fascinated with going on trips together, but it made me want to know even more. He linked his arm with mine as we walked through the district.
I didn't mind it since it was starting to become chilly around this time of year and he was warmer than I.
"By the way, I didn't notice you in class because I focus on school, not boys."
"Aw, that was cute. So what changed?"
"Nothing? I still prioritize."
"Oh really?" He smirked again. "You're supposed to be home doing your homework but instead you're going to a boy's house."
I scoffed and looked ahead. "I'm only going so I can learn some more Japanese."
"You could've asked anybody else."
"But no one I know has it down better than you. Not even Meiji. And it'd be hard learning from my foreign exchange family because they don't even have English all the way down either." I said in one big breath.
Jimin chuckled and pulled his beanie back down over his ears.
"Aish, I was only picking fun at you. In fact, I'm amazed that you're even willing to go anywhere with me at all."
"'Amazed'? What am I to you? A bougie little bitch?"
"[Y/N], shut the fuck up before you ruin the moment. I'm saying that we're complete strangers from two ends of the earth yet here we both are walking through Setagaya like longtime friends,"
I only shut my mouth because I pondered the idea of never meeting Jimin. We officially met yesterday. But when we talked on the phone that night (all night to be exact), I felt like I knew him for much longer. We talked about history, politics, the universe, more about music, and even the cultural differences of the west and eastern hemisphere. He was also very considerate and took great pride in opening doors for me, letting me speak first, and actually listening when I do. Maybe his crowd wasn't the best for me to be around, perhaps it's because 'his crowd' isn't what I'm used to. But I still feel stupid for not introducing myself to him sooner although that's something I'd never admit out loud.
"A penny for your thoughts?" He said cutely as we neared his block. The mix of cars and people brought the ward to life every afternoon but right now I could only hear the sarcastic tone of his voice.
"None of your business." I regained focus on the sidewalk in front of me. I knew he was smiling beside me.
Around the last corner, we had finally reached the large apartment building and I was in a haste to get inside since it was still chilly. The lobby was no different from a lot of complexes in the ward, just a little more spacious. I followed Jimin into the elevator and watched him push a button for the fifth floor.
I didn't bother talking to him for obvious reasons. I preferred our silent moments just as much as I enjoyed the air being filled with conversation. Once the rickety elevator slowed down to a stop at the fifth floor, I followed him down the hallway to his apartment door and watched him play with the keys.
"No one's home?" I asked out of caution.
"Maybe Hoseok is. The boys might be out doing god knows what right now,"
"You all live together? Where's your foreign exchange family?"
Jimin laughed and opened the door, allowing me to step inside.
"We don't need one. We all put down money to live here,"
I stepped into the living room of the apartment and was amazed that a group of rowdy boys were able to keep the place from looking like a complete pig pen. The spacious area had a few couches which was enough for all of them, positioned opposite to a flat screen TV with a few gaming consoles sitting under it. Everything still wasn't clean enough for my liking, but I had no room to judge. He dropped his bookbag on the floor and playfully ushered me to his room. Sure enough, the skinny boy known as Hoseok was already in there, sitting on one of the three beds.
"Oh you brought your 'friend'," he says with a hint of sarcasm and a wide smile. Jimin rolls his eyes and says something in his native language. Hoseok took it as a cue to leave, slipping a wink at me before exiting the shared bedroom.
"So you're roommates?" I say to ease the annoyance on Jimin's face.
"Unfortunately. But I prefer him and Tae over...the others." He replies with the worst rendition to a horror movie voice I ever heard. I giggled and made my way toward one of the desks in the corner near the window.
"May I?"
"Aw, you're such a lady, [Y/N]."
"Answer the question before I start cussing,"
"Aish! Go ahead!"
I planted myself in the desk chair waiting with an open workbook and a smug little grin. Jimin came over with his own chair and plopped down beside me.
"So what are you trying to learn today, princess?"
"Don't call me that. But I need help with pronunciations and grammar."
"That's all? Piece of cake since you're already adept at pronunciation. Your grammar on the other hand..."
He looked at me as if he wanted to laugh and I glared back like I was warning him.
"Uh... the grammar just needs more work. You'll be fine," he says quickly and flashes that same deep eye smile.
"Mhm."
I click my pen and skim across the homework that stared back incomplete.
"Can you help me with this?" I turn to him. He already has his notebook and a few pens out. He stops staring through his notes to read mine.
"You're familiar with Hiragana, aren't you?"
"Hai,"
"Then I think we should start with grammar first."
A few hours of explanation went by and I had to admit, his teaching was pretty good. Only every so often, the lesson would stray into a joke or another reference about music. Soon, I began practicing on my own and the words flowed better than before. By the time 5pm had rolled around, my homework was done and I moved to put his textbook back in it's spot when I noticed a rather large speaker at the foot of his bed.
"Oooh, you got aux?" I say once I bend closer to inspect it. Jimin turned around in his chair clearly confused about my use of slang.
"I mean, does this have an auxiliary cord?" I corrected myself. He shrugged his shoulders and hit me with an excuse about how he could never get it to work. I took that as a challenge.
I literally kneeled over the speaker looking at the control system to see what was wrong. The problem was simple... he didn't connect it. I shot another one of those glares at his clueless figure while he had his back turned scribbling away into his notebook, clearly still studying.
My phone was already queuing up my playlist, and I hovered over the box hoping the Bluetooth would pick up. A small 'yes' left my lips as Pink + White began to fill the room with its heavy bass and light, airy piano.
Jimin turned around again, this time closing his book for good.
"How'd you get that thing to work?"
"Brains. Now I dedicate this song to Park Jimin's get-up ," I laughed. It was true the boy's pink hair sided with his white button down had ironically complemented the title of the song and he couldn't help but smirk and shake his head at my corniness. I carelessly laid on his bed, arms outstretched and staring at the ceiling, For a moment Frank's voice took over my thoughts.
I felt the mattress sink next to me and looked over to see Jimin doing the same thing.
"Stop copying me," I joke before lightly grabbing his cheek.
"Shhhh," he smiled before closing his eyes. I turned my attention back to the ceiling and did the same. We stayed like that for a while in a position that would remind someone of kids making snow angels.
By now, there was obviously something that separated him from his peers.
There was peace.
A peace that I wouldn't have to provide for him. One that he culminated on his own.
The playlist shuffled on and smoothly started playing Nights. We let the song play.
Maybe that's why I felt so uncomfortable around a boy if he wasn't Grey. Even today, I couldn't wait to get away from Namjoon and Jin. People like those two always move much too fast, not really taking the time to pick your brain apart and find the good. Yet here's this strange boy with a big smile, who didn't mind wasting time to grow closer.
I turned to him and popped open one eye.
He was already staring at me.
He shut his eyes quickly to hide the blush and turned back to the ceiling with a hand covering his eyes.
"I'm sorry, I know you don't like that."
"...It's okay. It's not like I said you couldn't look at me," I found myself getting flustered too.
"What song is this?" He said to change the subject.
"Nights. I thought you listened to the album?"
"I didn't get through the whole thing yet." He turned red and laughed. He slowly opened his eyes again still looking up.
"But I think this one will be my favorite..."
"I can see why."
He sat up and leaned on his elbow while looking my face up and down.
"...No you can't..."
"What makes you say-"
"Chiminnnnn! What'd you do with the- oh." Hoseok bursted through the door and stopped in his tracks once he saw us on the bed.
"Whoops, sorry, sorry!" He said as he backed right out and closed the door.
Jimin slapped a palm to his face and rolled out of the bed.
"Do you want to see the roof?" He grinned. I nodded and followed him out of the apartment and up the staircase.
It was definitely different from my roof. There was a lot more space, and with its height, the sky felt close enough to touch. Evening brought an orange hue, as it usually would at this time of the season.
"I usually just come up here when I need to get away from people," he chuckles while stuffing his hands in his pockets. "What's your excuse?"
I roll my eyes at him and admire the distance ahead.
"I don't have one. I go on the roof to stargaze."
"[Y/N]...There are no stars above Tokyo."
"Ah, shut up! You can see one or two on a good night!"
"Is that why you always draw stars on your notebooks?"
"How'd you-"
"Cause you drew one in my notebook!"
"Whoops! I'm sorry!"
I laughed and walked back to hug him. He accepted it, wrapping his arms around my back and pulling me until I was lifted off of the ground.
We didn't even laugh for long when his phone started buzzing.
I was placed back on the ground before he whipped it out of his back pocket and put it on speaker.
Immediately I could hear Taehyung's deep voice spitting at Jimin in their mother tongue.
Jimin started shouting back into the phone and it sounded like an emergency.
After a back and forth for about thirty more seconds, Tae finally hung up. Jimin was smiling and shaking his head again.
"Is everything okay?" I asked.
"They're going to the carnival now."
"Oh...well I guess since-"
"They want you to come."
I blinked twice and looked at him like he was crazy. He shrugged at me.
"Meiji's already in the car."
"Meiji?!"
"Yeah. They're downstairs right now."
Jimin walked to the edge of the building and leaned on the railing that overlooked the street. I followed him. Behold, there was all seven of our friends who somehow fit in a truck, hollering and honking the horn at us like it would get us down from the roof any faster. Jimin sighed and began for the door.
"Let me hurry up before the neighbors start complaining. Are you sure you wanna come?"
I should say no.
I should just go home instead.
But I nodded and followed him back down instead.
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A/N: you guys have every right to be mad at me, I've been busy but I promise I'll update sooner.