"So it's okay if we exchange numbers then? You know, to communicate about the project and whatnot."

"Yeah...that's fine."

"You sure? I'll warn you beforehand, I'm probably gonna have a lot of questions."

"...it's okay."

"Also, if I get too annoying, I won't be offended if you just mute my texts. Even Jungkook says I text too much, so like, I'd completely understand."

Yoongi's hands shook as he inserted his number into Jimin's phone, and watched as Jimin did the same with his phone. He couldn't recall what the two of them had said that led up to this happening, but he had a feeling that even if he did, he would still be confused. Lately confusion was the only thing Yoongi could really comprehend.

"There." Jimin smiled and tapped at his screen. "I'm gonna save your contact name as something cute. Do you have any nicknames, Yoongi?"

"N-nicknames?"

"Yeah." He paused for a moment, looking thoughtfully into space. "Ah...I think I remember your friend calling you something cute at the coffeeshop. What was it?" He smirked. "Baby?"

Yoongi's pale cheeks grew several, noticeable shades redder. His instinct was to give the boy's arm an admonishing slap, but he quickly locked his hand in place, reminding himself that it was not Namjoon doing the teasing. And besides, he didn't really want to hit Jimin anyway. Who would ever want to hurt such an angelic person?

"I wanted to ask you about that, by the way..." Jimin's voice trailed off and his gaze wandered. Yoongi stared back at him, puzzled.

"About what?"

"Are you and Namjoon...you know..."

"What?"

"Are you two dating?"

Had he a drink in his mouth at the time, Yoongi would have surely sprayed it all over Jimin's poor, unsuspecting face due to shock alone. Instead, to express this shock, Yoongi could only knit his brows together and widen his eyes a bit. Even then, he felt the need to clarify his feelings verbally.

"Why on earth would you assume that?"

"Well, him calling you 'baby,' for starters." Jimin stifled a laugh. "And I don't know, you do seem fond of him."

"He's my best friend," Yoongi blurted, so as to end the misunderstanding right then and there. "Best...friend. So of course I'm fond of him. But not...I mean, not like how you think. He was just messing with me."

"Really?"

"Yeah. He does that. He's kind of the worst person ever."

"I see."

"And not my boyfriend."

"Not your boyfriend?"

"Not my boyfriend."

Silence. Jimin's lips twitched.

"Um, well, it looks like Tae's getting impatient waiting for me." He scratched his cheek nervously. "Think I see Namjoon waiting over there for you, too."

Yoongi glanced over towards the classroom door. Their last class had ended, and yet he was still here, all because Jimin had requested them exchanging numbers and whatnot. And now he could see Namjoon leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed, a suspicious eyebrow raised in silent question. On the other hand Taehyung wasn't ready to keep his thoughts silent.

"Hey, Jiminie, are you done talkin' with your boyfriend?"

He rested an arm on Jimin's shoulder.

"Not my boyfriend," Jimin and Yoongi blurted in unison. Taehyung not-so-subtly rolled his eyes at them.

"Mm. So anyway, Jiminie, do you have work today?"

"Nope."

"Cool. We're going bowling."

"But I can't bowl."

"Me neither. I have coupons. Let's go."

Against his will, the orange-haired boy was dragged away from Yoongi by his forearm. Before he disappeared from sight, however, he called back, "I'll text you tonight, Yoongi! Bye!"

Namjoon's gaze followed Jimin until he couldn't see the strange boy anymore. The second he was gone, Namjoon rushed into the room and collapsed dramatically into the seat in front of Yoongi. And Yoongi, already predicting what his friend would say, stood up and speed-walked away to avoid responding to the blond's obnoxious comments.

"Min Yoongi! You've got some 'splainin' to do!"

I'm going to kill him some day.

His fast-paced walking didn't allow him to escape. Namjoon caught up to him before he reached the exit.

"Yoongs."

Yoongi froze as his friend's arm wrapped around his neck.

"I didn't hear everything you were saying," Namjoon began in a slow, drawn-out voice, "but I saw you. Y'all have each other's numbers, don't you?" He pulled his friend closer and tightened his grip. "Yoongs...did you make a friend?"

"I...I think I did."

Despite having asked, the last thing Namjoon actually expected was for Yoongi to respond to his question. And with an honest answer, too. He stared at the mint-haired boy's face with genuine surprise, eyes wide open as he pulled down his mask.

"Unbelievable." He blinked. "Absolutely unbelievable. I'm gone for two days, and the first day I'm back, this happens? Am I dreamin', Yoongs?"

Namjoon was smiling. He was smiling with something akin to pride spread across his countenance, joy dusted on his parted lips. He turned his head to cough, and when he turned back, his smile had only grown bigger. Yoongi sunk beneath his shoulders.

"Yoongs. This is great. Like, really great."

"You're being dramatic," Yoongi said with a scoff. "It's not that big a deal-"

"It is and you know it."

Yoongi bit his tongue.

"You haven't been okay with talking with anyone for..." Namjoon pretended to count his fingers. "...well, forever."

"Jimin's different."

Namjoon couldn't believe his ears. Or his eyes, for that matter. Was this really Yoongi he had his arm around? Or had some other mint-haired boy taken his place? He thought about voicing his thoughts, but soon decided against it. While Yoongi was in a good mood, he wanted to preserve that. Let him be happy. Even if he wasn't smiling, even if he was a little confused, Yoongi was happy, and Namjoon knew it.

"I'm so proud of my salty little bean."

"Stop pinching my cheek or I'll stab you in the chest."

"...love you, too, Yoongs baby."

Both Namjoon and Yoongi were scheduled to work today, and so they yet again had to part ways, though at the moment Yoongi was a little grateful for that. Without something to occupy himself with, his friend would undoubtedly spam him with texts such as: has Jimin contacted you yet? are you two making plans yet? has he stolen my title as your bestest friend yet? on a scale from one to ten, what would you rate him?

That last one was actually what Namjoon sent him the second Yoongi arrived at work.

Yoongi: how about i rate u instead

Joonie: ok

Yoongi: -7

Joonie: fair enough. have a good day at work

Yoongi: u too

Unfortunately, it wasn't the best day for Yoongi. On top of having to deal with some picky customers complaining that he hadn't scooped enough chocolate chips into their child's mint-chocolate-chip ice cream cone, he had to endure his coworker Hoseok breaking into song every ten seconds, purposely off-tune. At least he assumed it was off-tune. He especially wasn't a fan of Hoseok's "fanclub," a group of teens who were apparently his classmates and who loved to cheer him on every time he would rap a verse flawlessly.

It was exhausting. Yoongi had just wanted to survive the day.

At 9:35 pm, he left the ice cream parlor, made his way sluggishly to the bus stop, then opened his messaging app to text Namjoon as he always did after finishing work. But then he remembered that his friend didn't get out until at least 10:00, and so he put his phone away.

"I'll bet he's having a blast right now," Yoongi muttered to himself, not noticing the bouncing bottle of sunshine approaching him from behind. He let his guard down and suffered an arm thrown over his shoulders as a result. Instinctively, Yoongi threw himself backward, which caused his "attacker" to stumble backward as well and nearly lose his balance. Both managed to catch themselves just in time.

"Holy crap, dude." Hoseok brushed himself off as though he had been shoved into a pile of dirt. "I don't know whether or not to apologize, get mad, or be very concerned."

Yoongi just stared at him, feeling exactly the same way.

"You could not do that ever again, how about that?"

The redhead pouted, and he looked genuinely apologetic for all of two seconds before a mile long grin replaced that sorry look. "I'll think about it," he said, chuckling. "Anyway, your name is Yoongi, right? You take this bus home, too?"

Yoongi sighed. Then nodded.

"Huh. I guess I didn't realize it since I got let off work earlier than you yesterday. So, Yoongi, you go to Daesung High, right? You have the same uniform as me."

"Well, then, doesn't that answer your question for you?"

Hoseok gave a low, thoughtful hum.

"You're sassy. I like you."

You're loud and obnoxious. I don't like you.

Right then, a bus pulled up to the stop, and Yoongi and Hoseok boarded it. Yoongi sat by the window near the back of the bus. Hoseok sat next to him. Yoongi switched seats. Hoseok moved to sit next to him.

He's laughing. I can't believe this guy has the audacity to be enjoying himself.

"Could you stop?"

"Why? I was thinking we could talk."

"I don't want to talk to you."

"Why not?"

Take a hint. "I'm tired," he told Hoseok. "It was a long and stressful day for me and I just want some peace. Please understand."

"Yeah, I kinda noticed the murderous intent in your eye when that lady and her screaming child came up to you."

"Really?" Sarcasm dripped from his tone. "I thought I was hiding it quite well."

"Nah. Jaeun and I made a bet that you would spit in the kid's ice cream. You didn't, and now I owe her five bucks."

"You've been working here for two days and you're already making bets with your coworkers?"

"Is that bad?"

Yoongi turned his attention towards the window, making the decision that right there was a perfect place to end the conversation. Thankfully, Hoseok didn't try to talk to him anymore, instead plugging in his earphones and listening to music until the bus arrived at his stop--only a couple blocks away from his own, Yoongi noted. Not that that really mattered to him.

Yoongi came home to all but the hallway light off, as usual. His parents both went to bed early, typically around 9:00 which was always earlier than he got home on weekdays, and they made sure to leave at least one light on so that their son wouldn't have to be greeted by total darkness every night after he worked. He kicked off his shoes, trudged upstairs to his room, and collapsed onto his bed. It took a little while, but he eventually managed to drag himself to the bathroom to take a quick shower.

By then all Yoongi could think about was sleeping. But he figured he would at least text Namjoon once before turning in for the night.

He picked up his phone.

2 new messages from Jimin

Yoongi had forgotten completely. He sat down on his bed and made himself comfortable before opening his message app.

Jimin: hey yoongi! in case u didnt name my contact yet, this is jimin !!

Jimin: [image sent]

He was adorable. It didn't matter how stubborn Yoongi could be or how strongly he denied it, Park Jimin was the cutest human being he had ever seen. Yoongi swallowed his breath.

Yoongi: hey jimin

Jimin: hi !! how are u?

Yoongi: ok i guess. just got home from work, so i'm a bit tired

Jimin: aw. well u should get some rest then yoongi. sleep is important, ya know

Yoongi: uh huh. i was about to

Jimin: that's good :))

Jimin: ah, but u can't yet

Yoongi: ...and why is that

Jimin: u have to send me a pic of urself

Yoongi: u don't want to see that

Jimin: aw don't say that yoongi ! i do. and besides, it's only fair, since i sent u a pic of me

Yoongi: i didn't ask for it tho

Jimin: :,( pleease?? I'll make u gimbap again !

Yoongi: [image sent]

Yoongi: this is all ur getting

Jimin: yoongi ur so cute im jealous

Yoongi: don't even start

Yoongi: im going to bed now

Jimin: ok good night yoongi ! sweet dreams :) i'll see u tomorrow

Yoongi: night