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Author's POV

"Jimin," Mia mouths to herself, not knowing what to do. The rest of the girls rush past her, also attacking the small mochi-like boy. He chuckles from the love he's receiving.

Mia watches the girls hug the boy, envious of their playful selves towards him. After the girls' fuss, they both awkwardly lock eye contact. She eye smiles at him, pursing her lips to smile and he mirrors her.

Mia wonders if it would be fine to hug him. Her mind fights whether it was right or wrong, but heart eagerly yearns for his long awaited touch.

"Okay, let's all celebrate!" Bang PD breaks the awkwardness lingering in the room. They all settle in their seats around the 2 large tables. The staffs sit on one table, while the girls and the rest of BTS sit on the other.

"So, who's getting the cups and water?" Hyeji says before turning her head to Mia who happens to be sitting at the edge of the table.

"Dang, this is why I should be selfish and let myself in before the others," she rolls her eyes as she unwillingly stands.

"It's okay to be selfish sometimes," Jimin chuckles, both locking eye contact again.  "But don't worry, I'll help." He follows Mia towards the cups and water, making the rest of the people on the table stare at the two.

"No, it's okay, you don't have to help-"

"Well then I'll help myself and the others," he cuts off Mia with a grin as he stubbornly grabs most of the cups needed for the whole table.

Mia grabs the remaining cups needed as she follow Jimin back to the table. Her heart suddenly clenches at the nostalgic memory when a similar situation happened back when they were still trainees.

She only then realises how much she missed him. The 2 years of absence from each other felt like she missed the whole lifetime to make memories with him, to be with him.

She didn't want to make that same mistake again.

She won't make the same mistake again.

They all settle back in the table, grabbing foods here and there. Mia is quieter than usual, and the fact that she's sitting at the edge of the table makes it harder for her to join in the conversation with everyone else. Of course the boy in front of her isn't helping her nerves to calm down either, especially when she would casually notice him steal glances once in a while.

"By the way, how was the service? Was it extremely hard?" Kyoungji asks curiously.

"Of course it was hard. But it was for the better, it only made us stronger, obviously," Jin states, flexing his arms and exposing the muscles.

"Oooh," everyone admires and over react, only to make Jin more confident than ever. Jimin covers his face in his palms, embarrassed for his hyung.

They continue to bicker around just like old times. Jimin reaches for the water jug, lifting it, displaying his prominent muscles all around his arms. Mia unintentionally stares at it, eyes a bit wider in astonishment, as she slowly chews her meat.

He notices her stare as he pours water on his cup, making him chuckle. "Want some?" He slightly leans in to indicate he's talking specifically to Mia.

"Huh? Want some what?" She flinches in her seat.

"Water," he laughs at her reaction as her face heats up.

"Oh, no thanks, maybe later." She snaps out of her drooling thoughts, immediately blushing.

"How have you been since your debut?" He still pours water on her cup.

"Uh, fine." She shyly smiles, before quickly looking and poking at her food, face still heated up.

"Fine? Winning a daesang was just 'fine'?" Jimin replies, seemingly unsatisfied with her answer.

"Oh yeah, no it was amazing, actually," she manages to fully focus on his question. "Daesang is such a big award, and yeah, it was a bit unbelievable," she stutters.

Mia heavily sighs, disappointed that she never fails to embarrass herself. The fact that Jimin was right in front of her, made it hard for her to look around as her eyes would always land on his. It was hard for her to eat and chat comfortably, and it was irritating her.

"Jimin." She abruptly speaks out, making everyone look at her with shock, including herself. She gulps, before eye smiling innocently and releasing a scoff. She continues to just smile, glaring at the others to mind their own business. Everyone eventually gets the message and continues their conversation.

"Why did you call my name?" Jimin whispers, leaning in to hear him better.

"Oh," Mia purses her lips. "Uh, can we talk later?" She manages to enunciate, totally surprised by her brave move.

Jimin was also surprised at her brave request, but he couldn't settle properly. He also wanted to talk to her, he had a lot of things to say. But he just didn't know where or how to start it. Guilt still pooled through his veins, and it never left despite how long it's been.

Mia notices him looking down at his food, pushing it around his bowl. She immediately regrets her brave move, thinking Jimin didn't want to talk to her. Her confidence is shut down, as if it's been crushed between two palms before stepped on, mercilessly to the ground.

• • •

"I trust you all can get back with no trouble," Bang PD says his last words before shuffling his way out, drunk, needing a few staffs to keep him steady.

The drivers were drunk along with most of the other staffs, so they weren't reliable to drive. The only way to get back, really, was by foot.

"I need some hope in my life," Soyoung cries to herself.

"Why is everyone so ugly? Where's worldwide handsome?" Jiwon looks at her surroundings in disgust. "Oh there you are!" She hugs Jin who wasn't drunk despite the numerous shots he drunk. He holds her hand, trying to keep her walking in a straight line, trying to avoid touching as much skin.

"I'm friends with the monster, that's under my bed," Hyeji hums. "WAIT!" She exclaims, stopping in the middle to the road, gaining everyone's attention. "NO! He better not friend-zone me!" She stumble towards Soyoung, joining her in her cry.

"So the oldest members in the group manages to get drunk," Mia shakes her head, sighing in disappointment.

Both Mia and Kyoungji tries to keep them under control as they head back. The boys on the other hand is having a hard time to control the lone drunk man, Taehyung.

He would sit on the sides, capturing a few pictures here and there with his signature 'V' pose before tweeting it.

"Ah hyung! We agreed not to drunk tweet!" Jungkook snatches the phone from the now whining boy.

Taehyung stands up with a pout, before jumping up and down, wailing towards Jungkook. Jimin tries to keep him controlled by wrapping his arm around Taehyung's shoulder, weighing him down with his weight, but is struggling from the hopping boy's height.

"Ah behave!" He scolds the taller boy, making him flinch from the loud volume, immediately widening his watering eyes. He slowly walk towards Jungkook, hugging him as he cries on his shoulder.

"Hyung is mad at me. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to," he sniffles quietly as Jungkook facepalms at his sensitiveness, patting his back.

Eventually, they all manage to make it back in one piece. There were a lot of tears, but nothing the remaining sobers couldn't handle.

"Mia," Jimin touches her arm as she was about to enter her apartment. "You said you wanted to talk?"

Mia looks at him, pursing her lips. She didn't know want to say anymore, especially not after he looked uncomfortable when she asked him to talk later.

"Ah, right." She follows Jimin towards the nearby park. The park where both happy and miserable memories happened in her life.

"So, what did you want to say?" He speaks as soon as they reach the bench.

"Uh, actually I forgot," she smiles apologetically. "I think I just wanted to check on how you're doing, and you seem to be doing just fine, so that's great!" She talks in a pitch higher than usual. "I'd love to talk some more but-" she stands up, but is cut off when Jimin grabs her wrists softly, causing a soft wringing to her heart at his warm familiar touch.

"I also want to say something." He utters, making Mia sit back in her seat. "Stop avoiding me- I mean I get why you're avoiding me. I deserve it-"

"I know why you did it," she cuts him off.

"Huh?"

"I know why you did what you did. Everything. Jungkook told me."

Jimin didn't know whether to scold Jungkook for spilling everything for him, or be grateful for spilling everything for him.

"Jimin," she confidently grabs his hand. "I want to try again. I want to try us again." Her watery eyes sparkles from the streetlamp, feeling proud from her first move, yet nervous of his possible rejection and lifetime humiliation.

Jimin eyes her hand on his, quiet for a moment. "I- I..." he stutters. "I don't know," he pulls his hand back, separating it from hers.