To Jeongguk's relief, Jimin agrees to staying for dinner, but explains he's afraid he'll make things awkward if the boy's parents try to make conversation with him - which Jeongguk can completely understand, given the boy's introverted personality. So he compromises and gets the 'OK' from his mother to have dinner in his room, just for tonight, for Jimin's sake.

How romantic, Jeongguk's lovestruck heart thinks, enjoying a peaceful dinner alone with Jimin in his room.

Alas, their "date" comes to an end as evening approaches and Jimin says he wants to go home. Jeongguk, although sad to see him go, happily obliges and drives the boy home.

"Do you need help with the knitting supplies?"

"No, Jeongguk, I'm okay. But thank you."

"Thanks for spending time with me."

It's such a soft-spoken, genuine comment that Jeongguk makes from the heart, all the while as he gazes tenderly at the other boy. Even with daylight having abandoned the sky Jeongguk can still see Jimin's blush.

"I'll...see you Monday..."

"Mhm. Goodnight, Jimin."

"Goodnight."

He watches Jimin until the boy makes it to the door, opens it, and enters the house. Not even realizing the enamored grin on his face, Jeongguk slowly pulls out of his parking space to head home.

At the end of that street, there's a red light, so he stops.

It's quiet. There aren't many cars on the road, no people out - at least not around here. At least it doesn't seem.

But Jeongguk makes a haphazard glance out his car window towards the sidewalk on the other side of the street.

He swears he sees someone staring at him.

But he blinks, and they're gone.

It's the most unsettling, stomach-dropping feeling he's ever experienced, the oddest sensation, the kind of ridiculous paranoia people typically get after watching a horror movie late at night. Sure, it's night, but Jeongguk has never been particularly afraid of the dark, nor being out at night.

But again, there's just something deep in his gut that flips over, and all of a sudden he's in a rush to get home.

He's careful not to speed, though, and acts natural even upon re-entering his house and walking upstairs to his room.

It's just in his imagination, Jeongguk tells himself. And he's certain of it, so he goes to sleep that night without much of an issue.

—

The next Monday is a somewhat warm one, to make a minor understatement. It's not "middle of the summer" hot, but considering spring started not too long ago, it's certainly a step up.

Jeongguk's ideal weather. Being able to waltz outside in a short-sleeved shirt, no jacket or anything over his arms.

As usual, he picks Taehyung up in the morning and drives them both to school. The two boys walk in together, start making their way in the direction of their lockers, and unsurprisingly come across Jimin whose own locker isn't far from Jeongguk's. Taehyung's aggressively nudges his friend's arm.

"Dude, really?"

Taehyung scoffs. "Don't 'dude, really' me. You serenaded him with your guitar a couple days ago and probably made out afterwards, there's no 'dude, really', we're past that-"

"We didn't make out, you're being ridiculous again."

" 'Again' ?"

"Go get your stuff for history class, Taegchi."

"You're a party-pooper."

Giving his friend a gentle shove, Jeongguk starts to make his way towards his locker, already feeling his mood improving as Jimin sees him and doesn't run.

The boy is wearing a long-sleeved shirt as always. No hoodie this time, but even the shirt looks a little too much for today's unusually warm weather.

"Morning Jimin."

Jimin repeats the greeting back to Jeongguk, who smiles at him.

"Not to be 'that person', but it's really nice out today, don't you think?" The other boy nods. "That shirt's not too warm for you?"

"It's fine," Jimin insists. He tugs at his sleeve and looks down at himself. "I always wear the same things."

"What about when it's hot?"

Jimin nods again.

"You must have a high tolerance for the heat, then, I guess." Jeongguk chuckles softly. "But you should still be careful. Don't wanna overheat or anything."

"Indoors usually have air conditioning, anyway. It's fine."

Jeongguk makes a noise of understanding, shutting his locker door just after retrieving his history textbook. He worries, for a moment, that his question may have upset Jimin, because an odd look dawns on his face, but it washes away as the boy's gaze lifts itself to meet the other's.

"Uhm, in case I didn't mention..."

"Hm?"

"About Friday..."

He looks down again. A tint of red on his ears, he crosses his arms, holding his textbook against his chest.

"It was fun. I'm...glad you invited me."

Jeongguk's heart flutters as Jimin makes eye contact for a brief moment. Can I hug you? Can I please just hug you? "I'm glad I did, too."

Following the soft-spoken exchange, the two end up making their way to class together, unaware of Taehyung walking just a few steps behind - until, that is, they arrive to the classroom and Jeongguk stops at the doorway just to glare at him over his shoulder.

"You're not subtle, Tae. Like, at all. At this rate, Hoseok will find out you have a crush on him."

"I do not."

"You doodle his name in your notebooks."

"That is false. I doodle Taeseok."

"And you're telling me that's not Hoseok's and your names combined?"

"No, it is."

"I'll push you."

"Owie."

Just then, to cut off their conversation before Jeongguk can argue with Taehyung any more, the bell rings, urging both boys to hurry to their seats before Mrs. Choi arrives.

To everyone's surprise, she enters the classroom with a big smile on her face. Taehyung leans over to Jeongguk.

"Steve found a clue. Bet."

It takes an immense level of self-control not to burst out laughing. But both somehow manage to get a hold of themselves and convince their childish nature that the joke isn't that funny.

"As I'm sure you've all noticed, the weather is splendid today."

"Splendid? Nobody uses that word."

"Tae, shh."

"I left the windows open," Mrs. Choi continues, "because our air conditioning needs a bit of repairs and none of us expected it to get warm so quickly, so hopefully the fresh air from outside will suffice."

Jeongguk did notice it, too, shortly after sitting down. The warmth of the classroom. It's a comfortable temperature for him, and probably for most people, but he can't stop his worried gaze from drifting over to Jimin several seats away.

He looks pale.

He's probably used to it. It's fine. He'll be fine.

For a while, he is, or at least it appears as much, so Jeongguk is able to relax his nerves and focus on the classwork they're assigned.

But about halfway through first period, Jimin's timid voice breaks through that slight wall of assurance Jeongguk built up.

"Mrs. Choi? I need...to...to go to the restroom, please."

His voice trembles as he speaks, weak, almost sickly sounding. Jeongguk turns in his seat to look back at the boy who he finds even paler than before, sweat visible on his face.

"You may. Are you feeling unwell, Jimin?"

"N-no, I'm, I'm fine, just—restroom..."

He slides unsteadily out of his seat, then starts a slow walk which quickly turns into a rushed attempt to make it out of the classroom before collapsing.

"Mrs. Choi, I need to go with him."

Hoseok speaks up without waiting to be called on. At this point, Jimin successfully managed to make it out of the room, but it was clear as he turned the doorknob that he's not as well as he insisted.

Typically Mrs. Choi would turn down such a request. But even she can tell Jimin could use help.

"If he needs it, take him to the nurse's, will you?"

"I will. Thank you, Mrs. Choi."

He's out of the room in the blink of an eye. Jeongguk's frantic heart causes his chest to tense.

He wants to go, too. To see if Jimin's alright, to make sure it's just the sudden heat getting to him and not that he's sick or anything. But there's no way, he thinks, Mrs. Choi will allow him after already allowing Hoseok to go.

So he has no choice but to wait until first period is over.

Without waiting a moment later than the bell, Jeongguk picks up his bag, tells Taehyung he'll meet up with him later, and races to the nurse's office to see if Hoseok ended up taking Jimin there after all.

He did. And Hoseok is still there with him.

Jimin's lying on one of the beds, eyes closed, a glass of iced water on the table beside him, in front of which sits Hoseok, watching his friend with saddened eyes.

"He's not sick, is he?"

At the unannounced question, Hoseok turns slightly to face Jeongguk as the latter enters the room. He doesn't think to ask permission to enter because the nurse is hardly ever around, anyway. She has one job...

"He'll be fine," Hoseok answers, turning towards Jimin once again. "I guess he just came to school feeling a bit lightheaded, and the sudden rise in temperature didn't agree with him. He's usually susceptible to the heat, though, so it doesn't happen often, but that doesn't mean I like him taking the risks..."

Jeongguk tentatively makes his way over to stand beside Hoseok. He looks deeply into Jimin's still expression. "Sleeping?"

"He passed out, but yeah, you could call it sleeping."

Disappointment in the form of a soft exhale left Hoseok's nostrils as he reached out to brush a lock of hair out of Jimin's face.

"...I wish I could say I'm used to it now, but it still upsets me."

"This happens often?"

"I don't mean this exactly," the boy said, his tone heavy. "Just...the reason Jimin wears oversized clothes to begin with, why he never wears short sleeves or sleeveless things or even shorts anymore. If he liked them just for the style then that's one thing..."

Jeongguk bites his tongue to resist the urge to ask outright. He has his suspicions at this point, but he can't say he'll be particularly happy to find out he's right, either.

"Tell me your opinion, Jeongguk, do you think Jimin's handsome?"

"Absolutely." Did I answer that too quick?

"Right, and he's cute, isn't he? His face, I mean, not just the clothes he wears."

"Yeah. He doesn't seem to think so, though."

"No, he doesn't." Hoseok draws in a deep breath, clearly discouraged. "He also doesn't think he's healthy weight, either."

For a few seconds it appears Hoseok holds a bit of regret for letting the truth slip, but acceptance wins over him soon enough.

"If I can still carry him on my back like I used to, he's not overweight. If I can still pick him up mid-hug, he's not overweight. He's healthy. Physically, but he won't acknowledge it. He's never...been..."

He stops himself mid-sentence. Tired eyes meet Jeongguk's for a moment, guilty, then fall again.

"Please don't mention this to him, Guk. Don't make me regret trusting you with this."

"I won't."

It hurts a bit to say.

Because now Jeongguk knows it's going to be running through his head every time he talks to Jimin, and he'll have to refrain from bringing it up.

The possibility of it being linked to whatever traumatic experience Jimin went through doesn't sit well with Jeongguk, either.

But he's willing to endure it, to let it bother him, because he can only imagine how much it's affecting Jimin.

—