"Hi, my name is Park Jimin. I hope we can get along." The brunette bowed and gave a warm smile to the rest of the students in his homeroom.
As nervous as he was, he tried to put on a cool face as he scanned through the sea of faces until his eyes landed on a particular redhead about his age. The boy smiled and waved at him cheerfully in return, making Jimin smile.
"Okay, you may go sit beside Mr. Yang over there. That's all for today." The teacher pointed at the said boy sitting a seat behind the redhead who was surprisingly giving Jeongin venomous glares which sent shivers down Jimin's spine.
"Hi, I'm Kim Taehyung!" A boy with black hair turned to him and gave a box smile.
"Oh new boy! Hey, I'm Jeon Jungkook." The redhead beside him exclaimed with an enthusiastic bunny smile and shook the shocked boy's hand.
"P-park Jimi-." Before the answer left his mouth, Jungkook shoved him closer and cupped one of his ear and and whispered.
"Now, my advise as a friend, you should be very very aware of the punchbag beside you."
Surprised, Jimin glanced at Jeongin and back at the redhead who nodded with a serious look on his face.
After discussing with Taehyung and Jungkook, he learnt that the three of them had the same timetable, which meant that they'll have the same classes together.
"Omo! We'll be able to hangout more often!" Exclaimed Taehyung as he clapped with a smile on his face.
"Yah! Take that Jeongin! I call dibs on Jiminie!"
Both Jeongin and Jimin looked startled.
"You what?"
Jungkook stared at the two boys and nodded with a laugh and then brought the brunette closer and whispered.
"See that? He is very dirty minded. Don't even think about talking to him!"
Again, all Jimin could do was nod uneasily. He wasn't expecting to make friends so early.
"Okay."
The three boys had their first class, which was maths. The whole room was pin-drop silent as the teacher went on explaining how to calculate the value of X in a quadratic equation.
In other words, it was quiet until the redhead sitting in front of him decided to mess around.
"Teacher."
"Yes Mr. Jeon?"
"I saw this note in my drawer, apparently someone has been passing notes with very bad things written on it." He said in a matter-of-factly tone and eyed the anxious looks on the students around him as the teacher opened the folded paper with a serious look on his face.
In a matter of seconds, the teacher was grinning and a cheeky smile spread across the redhead's face confusing the whole class except for Taehyung who face palmed and sat back relaxed.
"This is a good joke Jeon but whether we like it or not, we still have to find the X." Said the teacher and turned to face the board.
"But that relationship is over! Can't algebra just accept his fate and move on with his life and leave his X alone without asking why?!" Whined the redhead as the class burst out laughing.
"That's Jungkook for you." Taehyung whispered to the confused brunette who somehow had a smile on his face.
"Now now, we're far behind the curriculum, so no wasting time." With that said, the class went back to study mode.
Time skip: after class
Once it was over, Jimin decided to head to the lockers. Standing up, he found out that the redhead and the ravenette was already gone.
"I guess it's just me." He said and walked out.
The corridor was full of students fetching their stuff from lockers, chatting with their friends or on their phones. It was loud and noisy with shouts, laughter and anxious whines or yelps.
Jimin was so busy that he accidentally bumped to a tall and rather frightening looking guy, obviously older than him.
"Yah, what's the big idea shortie?!" He growled dusting off his uniform.
"I'm sorry." The brunette bowed trying to hide his fear.
"You better be, because next time, you're not going to be forgiven." Snapped the guy and stormed off making Jimin sigh with relief.
"You better keep your promise." Said a familiar voice right behind him making him jump.
"Oh, it's you." Sighed Jimin as he walked over to Jeongin who was at the lockers.
"That's Kim Namjoon, he's a senior and you better keep well away from him. He's famous for bullying kids like you." He said without making eye contact.
"I'll keep that in mind." Answered Jimin as he took out the books for his next class, suddenly feeling nervous.
Kids like me? Do I look that pathetic?
Just as he was about to leave, Jeongin blocked his path by walking infront of him and glared with a serious look on his face.
"Just for your information, stay away from Jungkook as well." He said in a dark tone which had a hint of jealousy and anger in it.
"O-okay, but he does seem like a harmless-"
"That's what I thought too. But in the end, I'm his favourite 'punchbag'. "
Again, the brunette nodded and started to walk only to be caught in the wrist again as a wave of panic washed over him.
"Since you're new, I'll show you around." Jeongin gave a smile which made the brunette shiver.
"Sorry, maybe next time. Let go of my hand." Jimin shoved his hand away and scurried away quickly.
The next classes went by quite fast and before he knew it, it was already time for recess. If it wasn't for the bubbly and overdramatic Jungkook, Park Jimin would've had to have lunch by himself.
"Yah! New kid!" He called on top of his lungs.
"He does have a name you know."
"Whatever, Jiminie, let's go eat together! Then I'll-"
"Kookie~" Two loud voices called behind them as two boys approached.
Inhaling sarcastically, the redhead bounded towards them excitedly. "Hobi hyung! My marker!"
"Hey, who's that cutie?" Said Mark and gestured towards Jimin who was watching with Taehyung.
"Ah! Wait wait! " Jungkook scurried off to the brunette and dragged him over to the duo.
"Jimine, this is Mark Tuan and Jung Hoseok. Mark, Hoseok, this is Park Jimin AKA new kid." The youngest said all in on breath as Jimin bowed timidly.
"You know you can't be shy around us." Grinned Mark and extended his hand to shake with the brunette's.
"Park Jimin." He said and gave another smile.
Gosh! So many friends in such a short period of time!
"Ah! Let's eat! I'm starving!" Said Hoseok as his stomach gave a hungry growl.
The cafeteria was loud and full of chatter and clanging of utensils. Though it was a little too crowded for Jimin's liking, he went in anyway.
The whole place was way foreign for him and it'd be best to go on with whatever was ahead of him without hesitation for now.
Right before the brunette got to sit with his new friends, the seats were already full. He didn't mind and simply walked over to an empty table beside the window and had his lunch.
Time skip: after lunch
"I told you so." Said Jeongin as they walked through the grounds during the "School Tour" as he said.
"What?" Asked Jimin who was seemingly lost in a world of his own.
"Jungkook is the kind of guy who hangs out with you and leave you when he's fed up." Sighed the ravenette.
Jimin on the other hand, simply nodded even though he had no idea what the guy was talking about.
But he felt like the redhead and Jeongin held a grudge against each other though he didn't know why, especially on his first day that someone whom he just met was warning him about somebody he never even knew before.
"He loves boasting and acting like the know-it-all. Jungkook deceived me more than I can count. He really isn't the type to hang out with."
After a pause, Jimin couldn't help himself but ask after debating with his hesitant and timid self.
"Why are you telling me all this? Not to be rude but, I don't know why you hate him so much."
Jeongin answered him with a smile though the brunette could see that it was a fake.
"I'm just giving you an early warning. Jeon Jungkook is a toxic friend."
Without further discussions, the duo continued their tour around the school before the end of recess.
As for the brunette who was hoping for a relaxed and an easy life of high school, he was already starting to feel nervous whenever he saw the redhead or his raven haired partner.
Fortunately, his day was soon over and the boy was more than happy to pack up and head out where he knew he had someone waiting for him.
With an uncontrollable smile forming on his face, he hurried out of the class and breezed down the stairs as his pace increased.
A well-built guy with warm eyes and dark hair stood beside a white BMW on the other side of the cross road as Jimin walked out.
"Hyung!" I exclaimed and hugged the man tightly.
"How's my little brother doing on his first day of school?" Park Jihoon ruffled his brother's hair and took him to the car.
Soon, their talking was muffled by the sound of engine and tyres screeching as they drove off through the busy town.
"Hyung-ah. "
"Hmm?"
"I've made new friends."
"Wow, I really wasn't expecting you to get close to other kids this early. What happened to my quiet and shy little dongsaeng?" Jihoon grinned as he caught his little brother's pout from the rear mirror.
"Ah Hyung~! They offered me to be their friend. It's not like I opened up at first like I did before." Said Jimin.
"I see. Well, I hope you guys get along. Maybe bring them over one day."
"I hope so." The brunette muttered under his breath as gazed outside at the sky with pink fluffy clouds and the setting sun, thinking of what Jeongin said.
Both brothers laughing and exchanging stories of their day headed home under the magical sunset over the busy roads of Seoul.
"Jiminie, I have something to tell you." Jihoon sat down in their apartment living room beside his younger brother who was resting on the couch.
Concerned, Jimin shot up and glanced at him, reminding Jihoon about seven years ago when he informed about the three-year long trip to America to study abroad in order to become a Neurosurgeon and also to earn a living and keep his brother happy and healthy.
Flashback
"Why do you have to leave me too?" Sobbed the ten-year-old, clutching his hoodie with his small hands.
"Chimchim, hyung is not leaving you. If I could still take you with me, even if it's in the last minute, I would and will take you." Jihoon hugged his dongsaeng in a warm and comforting grasp as tears made it's way to his eyes as well.
"B-but, how will I know you're coming back? Eomma... Appa... Halmeoni... they all left. I don't want you to go away too!" Jimin kept on sobbing making his eyes red and puffy, his face swelled.
End of flashback
"Hyungie, what is it?" Jimin's curious and worried voice snapped him back to reality and giving him a smile, he said.
"Chim, work is going to be rather tough for me the next few months. So I won't be able to spend much time with you."
An intense silence grew between the two siblings as the younger digested what he heard in his head.
"I know you've just started your juniors and we've moved into Seoul only recently. I understand how much you'll need my support and all but I really have no choice." Jihoon went on until the brunette released a long and heavy sigh before making eye contact.
"Hyung, it's okay. I will feel lonely but please don't worry too much about me , I'm not the ten-year-old Park Jimin who got himself into trouble all the time." The brunette answered with a sharp nod trying to look determined which Jihoon took note of.
One thing Jihoon hated his brother for was telling him not to worry about him no matter how much he struggled. Even if he was in the verge of death.
As selfless as he may be, Jimin was just as fragile and sensitive.
Jihoon could understand it. He had a family when he was young. A mother and a father to love and care for him.
But his brother lost the chance to experience it earlier before he even was ten and though Jihoon was playing both mother and father for his dongsaeng, it wouldn't be the same for he was a mere teen and now an adult.
"Jiminie, I love you." He said embracing the brunette who crawled and slipped into a comfy position beside his brother.
"I love you too." He said.
Hyung, thank you for looking after me up until now. I promise I'll repay you one day...
Next day: at school
"Jiminie~" Two hands grasped him from behind making Jimin jump out of his skin.
He tried to pull away but the arms only bound around him tighter scaring him even more. A wave of panic washed over him as he tried to free himself again.
"Let go of me!" He yelled.
"Okay, okay. Aish! you're such a-"
"Hi punchbag!" Jungkook's bubbly voice cut off the guy holding Jimin's.
"J-jungkook. H-hi. " Said Jeongin sounding so scared as if he peed in his pants.
Taking the opportunity Jimin shoved his arms away, breaking free from Jeongin's embrace.
Brushing off his uniform, Jimin stepped back until he was with Taehyung who gave him wierd looks.
"Jimin-ah, what happened?" Taehyung's question was left unanswered as the brunette was too busy watching how intimidating Jungkook was towards Jeongin who was shaking like a leaf.
"Jeongin, can you cut off that habit of yours while I'm being nice? Hmm?" The redhead glared menacingly as he moved his hand towards the boy's collar.
"Y-yes." Shuddering, Jeongin answered with a nod.
"Marvellous! Now go apologise Jiminie for me please." Jungkook clapped his hands and put on his typical bratty and childish smile on though making sure that he held a dangerous warning tone deep in his sweet voice.
"Koo, he left already." Sighed Taehyung not even amused by the bipolar, two-faced friend of his anymore.
"Oh man holy shit! He must've thought I'm a big bad bully!" Panicking, the redhead shook poor Taehyung who was thinking of when the world would end.
"Hyuuuuuuuuuungieeeeeeeeeeeee~ what do I do, what do I do, what do I DO?!"
"What do you do?"
"Oh God! Yang Jeongin this all your fault!"
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~かずこ~