He doesn't particularly want to tell Taehyung what happened, but more than that, Jeongguk knows he'll suffer the guilt of keeping it a secret later on. So when the topic of how are you comes up, he confesses about his sprained ankle while striving to make it seem as minor as possible.

He's not up to going into school the next day. Stress and pain and an overall lack of motivation to go, he's encouraged by his mother to take it easy and rest. And Jeongguk hates staying home from school, but he believes it'll do him some good - physically, anyway. Pushing himself to get around certainly won't help.

At the same time, he absolutely hates not being able to move around so much. There's only so much entertainment his DS can provide him at this point. It's not very fun, at least not right now, because he'd so much rather be playing with someone, or even be at school because that's where his friends are.

Jeongguk's not a homebody. That's all there is to it.

It's Monday now, nearing the time he would typically get out of school. He feels a little bad, Jeongguk thinks to himself, that he couldn't go today, because that meant Taehyung had to get a ride from Yoongi, who lives a bit out of the way. Taehyung, of course, insisted it was no issue, but that's because he has no shame whatsoever in inconveniencing Yoongi. And it's a mutual feeling.

Those two have such a bizarre friendship.

His best friend texted him not long ago that he's making Yoongi swing by Jeongguk's house so he can drop off the textbooks for boy's assignments. It's not much, Taehyung told him, but he doesn't want Jeongguk to fall behind just because of his stupid ankle.

Well, he didn't word it that way, but it's how Jeongguk feels.

"I'm going to the store, Jeongguk, do you need anything?"

His mother enters the living room, her purse around her shoulder as she carries her shoes in one hand. Jeongguk shakes his head.

"I'm okay, Mom."

"If you change your mind, just call me, alright? Or if you want anything to eat or drink, I'm sure Hyungi can manage that."

"It's fine." He forces a brief laugh. "I'll see you later, Mom."

"Be careful, you hear?"

"Mhm. Being careful."

It takes a bit of persuasion, but finally Jeongguk convinces his mother he'll manage the next couple of hours just fine. Though he's not enthused about it, Jeongguk is in possession of a brace and a pair of crutches his father pulled out of storage, both of which haven't been used in years, apparently, but they're enough to get him around without the need for aggressive hopping or limping.

There's a knock at the door roughly ten minutes after Jeongguk's mother leaves.

"Tae?"

"Mayest I open thy door??"

"Go ahead..." Sighing, he picks up the remote to turn down the volume of the TV. The front door opens, and Taehyung walks in.

"Brought your stuff."

"Thanks, Tae." Jeongguk puts on the slightest smile of gratitude. "You can set them on the coffee table."

"I also brought the gang."

"What?"

"Hey, Guk, Tae told us you broke your leg."

From just outside the front door, Hoseok pokes his head out, and Jeongguk can catch the smallest glimpse of Jimin trying to gaze through the gap between his friend's shoulder and the doorpost.

Then there's Yoongi, who casually brushes by the two boys and waltzes in like this is his home.

"I picked up some tacos," he says, holding out a fast-food bag. "I ate one on the way, though."

"Yoongi, you mongrel."

"I'm the one who bought them, Taehyung."

"I told you to. 'Cus they were supposed to be for Guk."

"Look, Jeongguk probably isn't even in the mood for more than one taco."

"Guk?"

Disregarding his friends' incomprehensible antics, Jeongguk returns his attention to his other two friends still standing by the doorway. "You guys can come in, you know."

"Thanks." Hoseok urges Jimin inside and closes the door.

Jeongguk's eyes watch the smaller boy curiously. Happily. He doesn't notice at first Jimin holding a gift bag in his hands.

"Your...leg?"

"It's just my ankle," Jeongguk clarifies once the boy steps closer to the couch. "I didn't break anything."

"Oh..."

"Sorry, are you disappointed?" He chuckles, and Jimin immediately shakes his head in a shameful manner.

"Wait, you didn't break it?"

"I fell down the stairs, Hoseok, that's all."

"Well, that's embarrassing."

"Yoongi, I will personally kick you out of Guk's house for him."

"Don't touch me."

He's not annoyed, but rather amused by the rapid exchange between all of them, except, of course, for Jimin who can't seem to wipe that upset look of his face.

It's such a sad sight. And it's worse for Jeongguk knowing he probably has something to do with it.

"You guys are welcome to get something to eat or drink from the kitchen," Jeongguk says, gesturing towards the adjacent room with his hand. "My mom's going shopping today so you don't have to feel bad. Oh, and Jimin-"

His mentioning of the boy's name catches Jimin's attention instantaneously.

"-we have coffee, if you're interested."

"I'll make some," Taehyung volunteers and soon disappears into the kitchen. Hoseok offers to help, and Yoongi goes just because he probably feels like it. Jimin, however, hesitates, clearly wondering if he should go with them to help, too, but he ends up freezing and not moving from his standpoint beside the living room couch.

"There's room, if you wanna sit down."

Jimin looks at the brace around Jeongguk's foot propped up on the coffee table. His frown deepens. "No, it's okay, I'm sure you'd like the space."

"I've been sitting in this same spot for hours, I'm comfortable enough like this." Jeongguk pats the empty spot on the couch. Timidly, as always, Jimin approaches the other boy. He sits down and places the gift bag he was holding on the floor beside him. "What's that?"

"Oh, nothing..." Jimin pulls his feet closer together, trapping the bag between them as if expecting the other to take it. "It's just..."

"If it's none of my business, you don't have to tell me," Jeongguk says. He smiles as their eyes meet for a second. "I know I have a bad habit of being a little too nosy sometimes. So don't worry about it."

"No, it's for you, just-"

"It is?"

"Guk, did you want coffee?!"

He has to bite his tongue to refrain from snapping back. "I'm good, thanks, Tae. Just make a cup for Jimin and yourselves if you want."

"Okayyyy!!"

"Jeongguk, what's this pink liquid in the fridge?"

"Lemonade, Yoongi. And yes, you can have some..."

"Cool, I already poured myself a cup."

"Yoongi, you're so shameless, man..."

Jeongguk draws in a deep breath only to release it a moment later, slowly. He glances at Jimin. "Raiding my fridge. Some friends they are, right?"

Jimin offers a silent laugh, but it seems absentminded, as if there's something he wants to say, but can't find the right approach to say it. Once again, Jeongguk's eyes find their way to the gift bag on the floor. He refrains from asking about it again, though, instead waiting till Jimin's ready and finally lifts the bag from the floor to place on the couch between them.

It's then that the three other boys all emerge from the kitchen, Taehyung carrying two mugs of coffee, Hoseok carrying his own, and Yoongi already sipping from a plastic cup of pink lemonade.

"You guys can use the table," Jeongguk says, "I'll just move my textbooks."

"I'll do it."

Jimin's small voice is barely heard but his actions are faster than Jeongguk's, so he manages to transport the books to the empty space underneath the coffee table before the other can even lean forward.

Taehyung sets both mugs on the table. He pushes Jimin's closer to him, then scoots over to make room for Hoseok and Yoongi to also sit on the floor.

Jeongguk almost misses how quickly Jimin moves the gift bag off the couch and hides it between his feet again.

"So you really fell down the stairs, Jeongguk?"

"Yoongi-"

"It's fine, Tae." Jeongguk stops him. "Yeah, I did," he confesses. "My little brother left his toys at the top of the stairs...I didn't see them..."

"You have a little brother?" Hoseok asks curiously.

"Mhm. His name's Hyungi. He's probably taking a nap in his room right now."

It draws a smile from his friend. "Really? How old is he?"

"Four."

"That's cute. I have two younger sisters."

"They're the worst, aren't they?" Taehyung adds jokingly and Jeongguk rolls his eyes.

"Oh, shut it, Tae, you and Youjin are like the same person."

"We are not."

"Are, too."

"Sure, whatever you say."

Jeongguk stifles a laugh, then allows his eyes to drift once again over to Jimin, quietly sipping his coffee beside him. He blows air over the surface of the drink to cool it, his plump lips puckering cutely.

For a minute the other three people in the room with them become shielded from his mind, and he stares at Jimin with the softest smile on his face - that is, until a comment from his best friend draws him back to reality again.

"I hate that I gotta be the one to end our fun little gathering," Taehyung begins, sighing dramatically, "but I actually need to be home soon to help my dad. He's been trying to fix up our kitchen recently, even though there's nothing wrong with it..."

"Wait, let me finish my pink lemonade first-"

Yoongi holds up his index finger right as Taehyung turns to him, then proceeds to down the rest of his drink, scurrying to the kitchen to put his cup in the sink. Hoseok also hurries to finish the rest of his coffee and do the same, whereas Jimin only looks around at everyone strangely, as if he's processing what's going on. He glances at Jeongguk, then immediately away as he discovers the boy's eyes already on him.

"C'mon, guys, I'm driving, everyone to the car."

"That might work on Jeongguk, Tae, but not me. Do not get in the driver's seat."

"I've got my permit let me drive."

"Yoongi, let Hoseok drive."

The three of them are out the door within the minute. Hoseok pokes his head back inside just briefly to say, "you're not walking home, are you, Jiminie?"

"I-I'll be right there."

"Okay, we'll be in the car."

The boy's face is pale now, his breathing unsteady. Jeongguk watches him with concern.

"It's for you."

Jimin picks up the bag again. This time, he holds it out to Jeongguk directly.

"You can open it, if you want."

"What's it for?"

"A get well gift..."

It touches his heart. The thoughtful gesture, and the sweet, shy manner in which Jimin is looking at him right now that makes Jeongguk wish they were in a relationship at this point so he could grab the boy's face and kiss him.

Instead, he purses his lips and pulls out the tissue paper from the gift bag, then takes out the contents with care.

There's a little crocheted Pikachu and Pokéball, both roughly the size of Jeongguk's finger. He can fit both in the palm of his hand.

"Jimin..."

"I hope your ankle feels better soon. Don't push yourself, okay?"

He hurries out the door and shuts it behind him.

And Jeongguk's heart somersaults.

—