NOT THE MAIN PROTAGONIST|Kth

14╰┈➤CURIOSITY IN LOVE

He isn't here.

Again.

Lorlei pouted. She had been looking forward to this weekend, she even cleared her schedule to study until mid-day.  For the rest of the day she was free, ready to be in Taehyung's company but alas…

"Stupid politics!" She slapped her brush on her dressing table.

Sora popped into mind.

Momo slipped into the room in her towel. "What's wrong? Split ends? Hair breakage? The sleek ponytail isn't sleeking?"

"Taehyung." Lorlei paused, her fingers needled through her tresses. "He was looking at her."

"Her who?"

"Either Irene or Yn"

"Um…okay?"

"He never looks at me like that."

"Taehyung and Irene?" Momo chuckled at the imagery of them as a couple.

"I don't think Taehyung is into Irene."

"They have been close lately though." She turned in her stool to look at Momo dry her hair. "He texted her over the holiday about transferring. That's ….that's …intimate information. He told her and not me."

Momo shrugged. "He is still here. So….?"

"Yesterday, he was looking at yn"

Momo blinked.

"Sora." Lorlei clarified.

"Who?"

"The girl you blew off."

It took a generous minute for Momo to recall. "Ow, so you mean to say, you think Tae was looking at…That just doesn't equate so no."

"Right?"

"Duh." Momo said with an eye roll. "How did you even…?" She winced. "That's so impossible."

Lorlei smiled. Admittedly, it felt good to hear that. "What do you think if I dyed my hair red, or like a light brown that's kinda red?"

Momo stared at her, rubbing lotion on her arms. "You would make a cute red head but no."

But one could never know, Lorlei thought. Maybe she would like the red, it might suit her best.

She tied her hair into a messy bun.

_____________

"I thought I saw Tae yesterday. "

"His brother picked him up yesternight." Jungkook responded gaze stitched to his sketchbook. Jimin slid into the chair beside him, peeked over Jungkook's shoulder.

"Lucky man " Jimin blew in Jungkook's ear–his hand jerked and he hissed at the unwanted stroke before shrugging Jimin off.
 

"You're such a cute pup." Jimin.

"You're an annoying ass."

"I know." He kissed Jungkook's cheek, the bitter taste that bubbled at the back of his tongue simmering down.

In Jungkook's sketch book the image of Lorlei emerged. He knew of Jungkook's crush and was certain that he would never gain the courage to convey his feelings. He was too shy and busy for that. Love should be the last thing in his mind.

To be truthful, Jimin was relieved that Taehyung wasn't around and he hoped he would come back on Monday or later.

"So I was thinking —"

"Continue in silence."

"– since we are seniors, before we get too deep into our studies, how about we have a small party? Bond and appreciate one another."

Jungkook frowned. Appreciate?  "Appreciate?"

"Yeah." Jimin wrapped an arm around Jungkook's neck. "I came to a weird realisation that—" he lowered his voice. "—I don't know everyone in this class. I should expand my circle instead of sticking to one clique. So a party? Gathering? Whatever you will call it babe."

Jungkook swatted Jimin's arm away. It was an idea he had been playing with in his head since the last term of last year. Unity lacked in his class, most classes to be fair and he wouldn't have paid attention to it if it wasn't for Lorlei who had so much kindness that in some instances she brought people of different life status together. She protected herself from bullying, befriended some of her bullies, Nate eventually falling for her. His classmates didn't mind each other, some didn't talk to one another but it didn't come from a place of hostility. And through Lorlei, some became friends.

"Since when do you appreciate people?" Jungkook asked, setting his sketchbook aside.

"I do. I always do. The hell man."

"Uh huh sure sure."

"So, when is it happening?"

"I have to discuss it with the class fir—"

"No problem bud." Jimin slapped Jungkook on his chest before swiftly rising from his chair with a painful screech. "Hya! Hya! Good morning everyone. Sorry for the disruption but you will love me for it. How about a party huh?"

There was silence before someone grunted and everyone dropped their heads to their books.

"Come on guys. Imagine we have three full terms with no fun, no parents–for those in boarding, no booze. We will be studying to a point we won't have time to look at one another. Let's all sit down and get to know one another. We are all from prestigious families and we know how much connections matter. Someone will need me one day. Some of us might not even finish school here and transfer. So what do you guys say?"

"Will there be booze?" Someone asked.

"No."

"Don't we have the school breaks to do that?" Another said.

"Some of us live quite far, some will travel."

"That's why we have helicopters? Jets?"

"So like, what type of party?"

"That's what Jungkook wants us to discuss. It will also be a chance for someone to explore their event planning skills. It will be fun." Jimin.

"What will be fun?" Lorlei walked in, Momo Infront of her seemingly in a rush to get to a chair. She  plopped beside Jungkook leaning her weight on him.

Concisely Jimin mapped out his idea, took Lorlei 's hand, pulled her close and nudged her to back him up.

Lorlei loved the idea and soon, the class was twittering, chattering. They shared laughs and jokes causing distress to Sora who stood a cautious distance from the door.

She paced, inhaled, exhaled, peeked through the door, inhaled, exhaled. That was a lot of people, too much attention to the front. She peeked again, calculating a path to unnoticeably get to her chair. Her nails dug into her palms. She missed home. Her bedroom. Inhale, exhale. She blinked the forthcoming tears. This was so ridiculous. Annoying. "You can deal with this. It's not a big deal. They don't care. No one is looking at you."

By the time she grasped the rhythm of her breathing, chestnut eyes captured hers in a soft gaze. She couldn't breath as she watched Jimin's eyes glimmer with a flick of delightful bemusement, a soft frown marred his forehead and a small smile lifted the corners of his lips.

This was scary.

Jungkook's approaching frame blocked her view, startling her.

She stepped back almost losing her balance and spun around. Later, she would come back later when everything was calm and still.

Inhale, exhale.

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