three weeks.

three weeks had gone by since jimin had even spoken a word to namjoon.

and in all honesty, jimin missed the boy like crazy.

he missed how things were before.

but he couldn't just crawl back now. namjoon had been so rude to him. he really hurt his feelings and jimin knew going back after everything that happened wouldn't be the right thing to do. and, on top of all that, he had some new friends that he couldn't just leave in the dust- no matter how different from them he was.

the new group consisted of jimin and three other boys named jungkook, yoongi, and hoseok. they were all pretty much your typical college boys. they liked to party and drink and talk about girls. hoseok was the only one out of the three of them who seemed to be a bit different. he was quieter and liked to keep to himself a bit more.

jimin sighed, staring down at joon in the stands, who was sitting all alone, reading his book.

why isn't he sitting with areum?

jimin thought it was strange, but was quickly broke away from his thoughts when jungkook started speaking to him.

"that's namjoon, right?" the boy asked, seeing jimin staring at him.

"...yeah," jimin said, with a sigh.

yoongi chimed in, immediately.

"didn't you two use to hang out?" he asked, "i don't know how you put up with that kid for so long. he seems like a real weirdo."

"yeah, good thing you got out of that," jungkook said, with a chuckle, "what i want to know is how that loser got the hottest girl in our class to go out with him. like... what the fuck? maybe i should start acting like a fucking pansy and see if it gets me laid."

the other boys laughed, but jimin stayed quiet, with a frown on his face.

"joon isn't a loser," jimin said, turning to the boys, "he's... he's quiet... and shy, but he's not a loser. he's one of the sweetest people i've ever met."

yoongi snickered, turning to jimin.

"what happened to him screwing you over? i thought you two weren't friends anymore?"

jimin just sat there for a moment, thinking.

"he... he was mean to me... and he said things that hurt my feelings," jimin started, "but... that doesn't mean he's a bad person. that doesn't mean... i don't care about him anymore."

the boys just stared at jimin for a moment, then immediately broke out into laughter, aside from hoseok, who just sat there and watched the confrontation.

after they calmed down, jungkook spoke up.

"jesus, jimin," he said, still laughing a little, "we were just joking around. no need to go all gay on us."

the boys all started laughing again, making little jokes here and there.

jimin just bit his bottom lip, and turned to them, seemingly becoming a bit angry.

"gay on you?" jimin asked, as soon as the boys quieted down.

jungkook just looked over at him, a smile still on his face.

"sorry," he said, with a laugh, "i was just joki-"

jimin stood up from his seat, flinging his bag over his shoulder.

"no, i'm sorry," he said, staring down at them, "i'm sorry that your overly-masculine brains can't understand the concept of caring for someone else. i'm sorry that you're more concerned with being stoic and entitled, than decent fucking human beings," he said, silencing them, "and i am so, so sorry that you all think you have some sort of hierarchy over people, because of your fucking sexuality, because i can assure you, you don't."

jimin usually wasn't the type to go off on people. he didn't like confrontation.

if they were just picking on him, he would have handled it more calmly or just let it go.

but, this time was different.

this time, they were picking on namjoon.

"jimin, are you serio-"

he cut him off.

"yes, i am," jimin said, "i'll be moving elsewhere now."

jimin grabbed his notebook from his seat and turned around.

when he did, he was shocked to see namjoon looking up at him from his seat in the stands.

he had seen the whole thing.

namjoon just stared at jimin for a minute, locking eyes with the boy.

but, jimin quickly broke away his gaze, going to the opposite side of the room and sitting down alone.

-

"alright, class is dismissed."

the classroom filled up with loud noises of people chatting and getting up from their seats, heading out of the room.

"but, jimin, i'd like to see you after class for a moment."

jimin halted in his seat, hearing the laughs from his old friends across the room, who were about to leave.

jimin glared at them, then grabbed his things and walked up to his teachers' desk.

mr.kim waited for all the students to clear out before he started speaking.

"hello, jimin," he started, with a smile, "how are you doing?"

jimin just smiled back lightly, still confused as to why his teacher wanted to talk with him in the first place.

"sit," his teacher said, motioning to the chair by his desk.

jimin nodded and sat down, feeling a bit nervous.

mr.kim reached into his desk and pulled out two small chocolates. he handed one to jimin and started unwrapping the other one for himself.

"you're not in trouble or anything, don't worry," he said with a laugh, popping the chocolate into his mouth, "i just want to have a little talk with you."

jimin nodded, starting to unwrap his chocolate.

"well... i guess you just seem a little bit down. i've noticed you don't sit by... namjoon... anymore," the teacher said, "and then i noticed you sitting by some of the other boys in class... and now you just sit alone. your grade has dropped a letter, as well. i guess i just want to make sure you're doing okay."

jimin just looked at the man for a second, then glanced off to the side.

"i... i'm fine," jimin said, with a shrug, folding the candy wrapper in his hands.

mr.kim looked at him, doubtfully, reaching into his desk and pulling out the whole container of chocolates. he set them on his desk, pushing them closer to jimin.

"this is a safe place," he said, trying to meet eyes with the boy, "you can talk to me. i just want to help you out."

jimin glanced up at him, still a little nervous.

"well... i guess... me and namjoon... we're sort of in a fight."

the teacher nodded like he already figured that was the problem.

"i'm sorry," he said, "what happened?"

jimin grabbed another chocolate, with a sigh.

"well... you know how joon won the poetry contest?"

mr.kim nodded.

"well... he didn't really want to enter."

"he didn't?"

"no..," jimin said, sighing, "i... i entered his poem in the contest."

mr.kim's mouth parted, a little surprised.

"you did?"

"...yeah," jimin said, softly, "i-i felt so bad, mr.kim. i still feel bad. when i did it, i honestly thought i was doing the right thing. i thought... i thought he just needed a little push. i knew he would win and i thought when he actually did, he'd be happy. i wanted him to see how brilliant he is, you know? i wanted... i wanted him to stop doubting himself."

mr.kim nodded.

"but... he got upset with you, huh?"

"yeah... so, so upset. he said i only did it for myself to prove i was right and that i'm always trying to change him," jimin said, "i understand where he's coming from.., but i don't actually want him to change... at all. i just... i know he's holding himself back. i know he's not being fully himself and all i ever wanted was to help him, you know? i just wanted him to be happy. i still apologized and everything, but he just got more upset and started accusing me of things that weren't true."

"like what?" mr.kim asked.

"he said i was jealous that he gets to date areum."

mr.kim looked a little surprised.

"well... are you?"

"no!" jimin said, enthusiastically, "that's the thing. sure... them being together means we hang out a little less, but i've always supported them. i just... i know namjoon isn't interested in her and it's frustrating how he just... plays her," jimin said, beginning to talk frantically, "just because i said i know he doesn't like her... that automatically means i'm jealous? it's stupid! i'm not jealous," jimin said, shaking his head, "i don't like her."

mr.kim nodded, taking a sip of his water.

"how do you know he doesn't like her?"

"he wouldn't even kiss her, mr.kim! they've almost been dating for two months and he hasn't kissed her!" jimin said, clearly annoyed, "and every time he's with her he just... he seems so miserable. i've seen him happier when he's doing his homework."

mr.kim laughed, "well in namjoon's defense, he does seem to love homework."

"that's besides the point!" jimin said, digging into his fourth chocolate, "he doesn't like her. i know he doesn't."

mr.kim just sat there, thinking for a minute.

"well... what would be the point of pretending to like this girl?" mr.kim asked, genuinely curious.

jimin just sat there, letting the words his teacher said sink in, his shoulders slouching.

"well... i don't know exactly, but-"

"jimin, listen," mr.kim said, "i'm not saying you're wrong. really, i'm not. but... they must hang out without you some of the time, yeah?"

jimin nodded, hesitantly.

"well... then how do you know they haven't kissed? how do you know he's always miserable around her?"

jimin just sat there for a minute, not believing all the different perspectives he had missed.

"well... i guess i don't know for sure, but-"

"you know him a lot better than i do," mr.kim said, "and you could very well be right. you're a very smart boy. but i think you need to accept- whether he does like her or not, it's his story to tell. if- for whatever reason- he is lying, then that's something he has to live with, not you. he has his own reasonings for putting up a front. you can't force honesty from someone."

jimin was very focused on what the man was saying, trying to process everything coming from the wise man's mouth.

"so... even if i strongly think joon isn't being honest... i should just... live with it?"

"not necessarily," mr.kim said, "the truth always ends up coming out- whether we want it to or not. it's just a matter of time, jimin. you shouldn't put so much pressure on yourself."

jimin nodded, feeling a little refreshed after the conversation. he felt like he could ask his teacher anything and he'd know the answer. the man was beyond brilliant.

"so... should i try to talk to him?" jimin asked, "like... apologize and see what he says?"

mr.kim shrugged.

"you could," he said, a small smile forming on his face, "or you could wait for him to come to you. that's what i'd do."

there was a pause, both men breaking out into laughter.

"you're right," jimin said, trying to calm down, still smiling, "but..."

"but what?"

"what... what if he never comes to me? then what am i supposed to do?"

mr.kim chuckled like the idea was crazy.

"oh, jimin, he'll come back. i can assure you of that."

jimin looked confused.

"w-what do you mean? how do you know?"

mr.kim looked straight at jimin, making sure they made eye contact.

"jimin, i've talked to joon many times since the beginning of the year. i've noticed the people he's associated himself with and talked to- and i can assure you that from an outsiders perspective, none of them compare to you," he said, "he looks at you like you're his entire world, jimin. and he may have made a few stupid decisions, but that boy is not stupid. he's not stupid enough to lose you. i can promise you that. it may take him a little while longer, because he's very diffident- as you know, but he will come around. he'd be an idiot if he didn't."

jimin smiled brightly at the man, leaning in and giving him a big hug, almost knocking him from his chair.

"thank you," jimin said, pulling away, "i didn't realize i needed to talk to someone so bad."

mr.kim smiled at him.

"of course, jimin. and i'll always be here if you need an ear again."

jimin nodded, with a smile, standing up from his chair.

"see you, mr.kim! thanks again!" jimin shouted, on his way out of the classroom.

"bye, jimin."

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😓 seokjin's the teacher i wanted but never had lmao