𝔸𝕔𝕣𝕠𝕤𝕤 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕊𝕥𝕣𝕖𝕖𝕥

eight

"Actually, I was the top student in Literature class."

Hajoon gasps as she sees Yoongi who stands in the same corner Jimin had first seen him in when he entered the house this morning. "Min Yoongi!" She exclaims excitedly, shaking her husband wildly "Hun! This was the boy who had a major crush on me back in the day!" She tells him. He doesn't look jealous, though. "Sweetie, you say that about everyone." He laughs quietly.

"Anyways, weren't you and Jimin always at each other's throats or something? I re--" Taehyung cuts her off as he enters the conversation "They still are!" Hajoon doesn't look offended or upset by Taehyung jumping in as she turns to him "Really?" She seems flabbergasted "Yes! they are always arguing, like, twenty-four-seven!" The silver-haired boy complains, walking closer to them - away from Jungkook who had decided to keep his distance. "My god!" Hajoon sighs.

"Anyways, that doesn't change the fact Min Yoongi and Park Jimin were both always fawning over me like thirsty fanboys!" She's joking, it's obvious in her tone and everyone chuckles slightly; it seemed as if she hadn't changed a bit. "As if." Yoongi scoffs, not being fully serious, but there was truth in his words. Hajoon giggles "Oh~ I see then, you had a crush on Jimin instead, huh? That's why you two were always fighting!"

Both Yoongi and Jimin immediately turn bright red "No!" Jimin denies as everyone begins laughing harder. The black-haired man doesn't say anything as he brings a hand up to fiddle with his ear. He didn't deny it. The words suddenly infiltrate Jimins mind but the pinkette quickly pushes them away not wanting to even think about Hajoons statement being even a little bit true.

-

More people had arrived at the party now. They all squeezed together and danced to the generic pop songs played on the strong speakers; sweaty bodies pressed up against each other like they were fish in a can - no space to breathe. However, nobody seems to mind the lack of air or cleanliness as they party to their heart's content.

Jimin is sat at the makeshift bar. (it's really just a couple of stools Jungkook and Taehyung had found placed around the kitchen island.)  Everyone who had showed up brought something with them. It was mostly alcohol but some people brought other non-alcoholic drinks. One person even brought some pretty cool party lights and - with the permission of Seokjin - plugged them in the living room where the 'main' party was. The flashing multicoloured lights flood into the kitchen through the opened door but they don't make it very far before fading back into the harsh white light above.

Taehyung had abandoned Jimin as soon as the party started getting more hype, saying something about how he was going to try and 'get some action' as he put it. Jimin had zoned him out the minute he said he was leaving and stayed where he was safe, not daring to follow the silver-haired boy out of the room.

It was still very crowded, but the kitchen was at least less populated than the living room. The pinkette sat on one of the stools with a plastic cup full of some random alcohol that he doesn't know the name of - but it's good. He doesn't know the name of the song that booms through the house either, but it's in English and catchy.

Jimin already knows that it will be stuck in his head for days and the fact that he cannot even understand what the singer is saying will make it even more frustrating. But he dismisses all of that right now, he can worry later. Right now he gets to sway to the romantic tune and sip on the drink that gets tastier every time he goes in for more. It's a nice, boring experience.

The snacks him and Yoongi had prepared were already half finished. People came in waves, grabbing large handfulls and many cupcakes at a time before disappearing into the large crowd, only to snake their way back for more a little while later. Jimins able to recognize some of the same faces after some time.

He thinks of Yoongi. Wonders where he is. He hadn't seen him in the kitchen or the living room. Where could he have gone? Jimin then feels confused as to why, in this drunken state, he thinks of the person he hates most.

("You had a crush on Jimin instead, then!")

"Hey." A deep voice snaps Jimin out of his alcohol-induced daze and he looks over his shoulder to see Hangyeol with a plastic cup in his hand "Mind if I sit?" He asks. Jimin thinks back to the look Taehyung was giving him. But ultimately decided that everyone deserves a chance to show they are a good person. "Sure." He says.

Hangyeol takes the empty stool next to him and the pinkette notices he has taken off his black jacket. Under it, he was wearing a very tightly fitted white T-shirt. Without the long sleeves of his jacket, Jimin can clearly see all the tattoos adorning his arms and crawling up his neck. He is immediately reminded of Yoongi. Although Yoongi didn't flaunt his tattoos like Hangyeol was doing right now. "Nice tattoos" Jimin compliments, Hangyeol smiles "Thanks, they mean a lot to me."

Then they start talking. At first, it's awkward small talk about the weather and why Jimin had dyed his hair. But slowly Jimin starts to warm up to Hangyeol and their conversation begins to grow more personal. "So, you got a partner?" He asks. "No... What about you?" "Same," he smiles. "You looking to find someone tonight?" He questions with a teasing grin. Jimin chuckles slightly, a bit thrown off by the question. He answers it anyway. "No... Not really... Not tonight, anyway. I'm just here to have fun."

Jimin swears he sees Hangyeols smile falter but that could've just been his imagination because when he blinks, the smile is back to normal. "Fair enough." He grins before changing the topic to something else. The pink-haired boy completely forgets that he was feeling uncomfortable and finds that he and Hangyeol have a lot in common. For instance, they both have an interest in flowers. When Jimin had told Hangyeol that he owned a flower shop his face lit up and he asked a million questions. He felt happy at all the attention he was receiving and gladly answered all the questions the other had.

Time ticks on as Jimin and Hangyeol talk like there's no tomorrow whilst quickly drinking the two large bottles of unlabeled alcohol a faceless partier had brought in. Right now, Hangyeol is talking about the piece he's working on - he's an artist - and Jimin feels interested in every word that falls out of his mouth.

"Oil paint is my favourite median because--" "--nie! -Minie! Jiminie!" Taehyung comes crashing down into the stool on the other side of Jimin. He wraps his free arm around the pinkette whilst jugging down a cup of neon pink liquid. Jimin giggles at his drunk friend "Hey Taetae, you find anyone yet?" The silverette pouts. "Nah~ not yet, sadly. Needa go toilet though, come with?" He asks, reaching for another bottle of alcohol, Jimin stops him. "Of course, let's go."

He grabs Taehyungs arm and drags him to his feet. The taller instantly slumps his entire body weight against his shorter counterpart and Jimin struggles to keep his balance. "You don't mind, do you?" Jimin asks, suddenly remembering Hangyeol "No, you go help your friend I'll be waiting." "Okay, thanks!"

Taehyung then makes eye contact with Hangyeol and the brown-haired boy is made aware of the fact that the silverette is not drunk. Taehyung glares at him before he is pulled away by Jimin in the direction of the bathroom. Right before they turn the corner, he makes eye contact with Hangyeol one last time to make he knows that he's watching.

-

"Hey, sorry about that." The first thing Jimin does when he gets back from helping Taehyung is apologize. Hangyeol waves his hand in an action of dismissal "No worries!" He says whilst subtly looking around for that silver head of hair. He can't see him. Good.

Jimin sits back down and grabs his plastic cup "So, where were we?" He asks before taking a sip of the alcohol. He vaguely registers that it tastes different. But that thought is rapidly filtered into the back of his mind as Hangyeol beings talking again.

"Ah, yes, I was speaking of my art experience. Oil paint is definitely my favourite to work with but I find myself using watercolour more often. Oh, coloured pencils are a classic and..." Hangyeol continues to speak but his voice gets farther and farther away.

Jimin then starts to feel sick.