Jimin locked himself in one of the many stalls and buried his face in his hands as the tears cascaded down his face. He quietly sobbed as he tried to get his emotions in check. He couldn't quite place what it was that made him cry. Yes, Taemin not coming contributed but that couldn't be the only thing. Jimin knew himself to be a strong person, he wouldn't cry over just that, but the tears going down his cheeks weren't stopping and he couldn't quiet himself down no matter how much he tried.
"Why are you being like this? There's no reason to cry," he whispered to himself as he wiped away his tears and tried to calm his somewhat erratic breathing. A couple of minutes passed and Jimin had managed to calm himself down a little, enough to stop sobbing, but there were still tears running down his face, which he continued to wipe away.
"Jimin hyung?" Jimin heard Jungkook call out as the younger entered the restroom.
Jimin stayed silent, hoping the younger would think he wasn't there and go away. However, a minute later, Jungkook came to a stop in front of the stall he was in and knocked.
"Hyung? Is something wrong?" Jungkook asked sounding concerned.
"N-no," Jimin stuttered out, cursing himself mentally for stuttering. There was no way the younger hadn't heard the waver in his voice or picked up on the small sob that followed. A moment of silence passed before Jungkook spoke up again.
"Jimin hyung... can you please open the door?" Jungkook requested. Jimin made no move to follow the request and a few seconds later he heard the younger sigh.
"Hyung, what happened? Why'd you run off stage like that? Do you think your performance was bad? Because it really wasn't. It was really beautiful, I was awestruck while watching. Everyone who was looking at you was blown away by your performance," Jungkook said trying to lift Jimin's spirits.
Jimin smiled faintly at that as he wiped away some more tears. Hearing the younger say that was sweet and did help ease the turmoil inside Jimin, despite the fact the younger was completely off about why Jimin had run off stage.
"You don't believe me, do you?" Jungkook asked sounding sad. Jimin made no reply.
"But you really should. I would never lie to you about this kind of thing. You really were spectacular hyung. Hoseok hyung even said he was so glad you weren't doing the hip hop category because he'd totally have lost to you if your hip hop dancing was anything like your contemporary dancing," Jungkook continued.
"That's not true," Jimin whispered just loud enough for Jungkook to hear. His voice was steady this time and the tears weren't coming down his face as much as before.
"It is, you were amazing on stage. If you don't win, I'll be surprised. The judges were blown away by your performance as well, I could tell because they were wide-eyed while watching you and as soon as you left they seemed to be in a daze for a whole minute afterward," Jungkook proclaimed.
"Really?" Jimin asked, perking up at the mention of the judges.
"Yes really. There's no reason to cry, you were incredible," Jungkook answered.
Jimin had stopped crying at that point and he was wiping away the last of his tears. The turmoil he'd been feeling inside had finally dissipated just as suddenly as it came on. After taking in one last deep breath to fully calm himself, Jimin unlocked the door and looked up at Jungkook with a small smile.
"Thanks," Jimin whispered and proceeded to hug Jungkook, burying his face in the younger's neck.
Jungkook hugged him back after a moment, his grip light and gentle. "I meant every word I said," Jungkook promised.
"I know," Jimin whispered, feeling infinitely better then he had only a minute ago.
* * * *
"You two came back just in time, they're starting to announce the winners. Hip hop winners are going to be announced next," Hoseok said as Jimin and Jungkook joined him amongst the other contestants near the main stage.
"They'll be calling your name soon then," Jimin said with a smile.
"I can only hope that's the case," Hoseok replied with a small smile of his own, the elder's eyes betraying he was concerned about Jimin despite his smile.
"I'm okay hyung," Jimin promised and Hoseok nodded.
The three males waited for the hip hop winners to be announced and when Jungkook's name was called for second place, Jungkook went on stage after being pushed forward by Jimin who was clapping enthusiastically for the youngest. After Jungkook took his trophy, the first place winner was announced, and Jimin cheered just as enthusiastically as Hoseok went on stage. He was really proud of his friends.
"Congratulation you two!" Jimin said when they returned to stand beside Jimin.
"Thank you," Jungkook said with a bow.
"Now we just have to wait for your name to be called when they finally get to contemporary," Hoseok said, grinning.
"I can only hope," Jimin reiterated Hoseok's words from earlier causing the eldest to laugh and shake his head.
The three males stood there and watched the other winners for tap and ballet be called up, cheering whenever a fellow dance member from their school won. Finally, the contemporary judges came to the stage.
"This year's competitors were truly spectacular and it was a hard decision but we have settled on the following winners. In third place is, Wen Junhui!" The judge announced and a gray-haired male went on stage. Once the gray-haired male had gotten his trophy, the judge spoke again,
"Now in second place, we have, Myoi Mina!" The judge said and a black-haired girl gleefully went on stage, bowing as she did. After she'd received her trophy, the judge finally announced the first place winner. Jimin waited, barely hopeful that he'd actually gotten first place. For him, that would mean a lot, to receive first place in all categories he entered, he'd never managed that before.
"And finally, our first place winner is.... Park Jimin!" The judge declared. Jimin remained frozen in place, blinking owlishly. Did he hear the judge right?
"Why are you just standing there? Go! Go!" Hoseok said pushing Jimin forward. Jimin walked onto the stage and bowed before receiving his trophy and standing with the other winners to have their pictures taken. All the while, his mind was racing, he couldn't believe it. He'd won first place in every category he entered!
"Congratulations!" His family cheered as he rejoined them. In his brother's hands were his other two first-place trophies. Jimin smiled up at his parents as he handed his trophy over for them to admire.
"I can't believe I won first," Jimin said.
"I'm not surprised, of course, my Jiminie would win first in everything," Taehyung declared as he hugged Jimin tightly and congratulated him while asking how Jimin would like to celebrate his win.
"I'm not the only one who won though, Jungkookie and Hobi hyung won too, how would you guys like to celebrate?" Jimin asked his two dance teammates.
"Maybe a fancy lunch?" Jungkook suggested as he pointed out it was nearly two in the afternoon, well over six hours since they'd eaten breakfast.
"I'm up for that," Hoseok chimed in as Jimin nodded and suggested his favorite restaurant.
"Sounds like a plan, let's go!" Taehyung said already on his feet and gathering his things.
"Ah, sorry we won't be able to join you guys, Jungkook's father has work in an hour and I've got to go to a parent-teacher conference for Junghyun in a bit," Mrs. Jeon said.
"We could take him with us if you don't mind?" Mrs. Park suggested.
"Would you like to go with them?" Mr. Jeon asked Jungkook who nodded.
"Thank you," Mrs. Jeon said to Mrs. Park before turning to Jungkook and saying, "we'll celebrate as a family once you come home." Then Mrs. Jeon and Mr. Jeon hugged Jungkook once again before leaving. Junghyun gave Jungkook a side hug and then followed their parents.
"Can Hoseok join us in your car, Jin hyung?" Taehyung asked. The lavender haired male had already arranged to go home with Jin beforehand since Taehyung's parents had only dropped him off and were busy with work so they wouldn't be able to pick him up.
"Of course," Jin replied as he pulled out his keys and waved goodbye to Jimin and Jungkook saying he'd see them in a bit. Namjoon, Taehyung, and Hoseok followed Jin to the parking lot.
"Come on Kookie, let's go," Jimin said taking a hold of Jungkook's hand and bringing him along towards the other exit that also led to the parking lot. The family along with Jungkook piled into the car and Mr. Park once again drove.
When they arrived at the restaurant, the others were just getting out of Jin's car, and so everyone went in together and waited a couple of minutes to be seated. Once everyone was situated Mr. Park spoke up.
"Order whatever you'd like, it's my treat," Mr. Park said to the children.
"You don't have to do that Mr. Park, we can pay for ourselves," Jin said, Namjoon and Hoseok agreed with the eldest.
"We insist, you're young and don't have a source of income, so let us pay for you all for now. You'll have your chance to repay us when you're older and well established," Mrs. Park said with a kind smile and then motioned for them to pick from the menu.
"Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Park," Namjoon said as he gave a little bow to them.
"It's our pleasure, thank you for coming to support Jimin," Mr. Park said.
Before anyone else could thank each other, Jihyun spoke up and said, "enough thanking one another, let's order and eat! I'm starving!"
The others laughed at this but proceeded to pick out what they wanted and place their orders. The large group talked and ate the delicious food, enjoying themselves fully. Jimin was grateful for the celebratory dinner and that no one mentioned his sudden disappearance after performing his solo. He glanced at Jungkook who was sitting beside him feeling lucky to have the black-haired male as a friend.
Jungkook turned to look at Jimin when he felt the elder's eyes on him, he gave Jimin a sweet smile and then offered him a bite of his meal which Jimin accepted and then stole more of when he found he liked it. Jungkook didn't mind at all.
A/N: Hope you like the update, sorry no double updates this time! Leave a comment if you can, they fuel me ^_^