Best friends - vmin

3

Everyone is back to their partners they had the day previous. The class is bouncing with students talking about their assignment and helping each other, all except for a pair. Taehyung and Jimin finish their work in silence.

Occasionally, Taehyung awkwardly and subtly raises his head to look at Jimin through his eyelashes. There is the small desire to start a conversation with him, but there isn't one thing that pops into his head. He doesn't know how to hold a conversation or anything about the person in front of him.

"If you have to say something, you can say it," Jimin says, not even looking up from his paper.

Taehyung flinches. How did he know?

"You're very easy to read," he continues.

Embarrassed, Taehyung still has nothing to say. Again, there is silence. The only sound is the scratching of their pencils on paper.

"Aish, I don't know the answer to number fifteen!" Jimin groans, placing his pencil down in frustration.

Taehyung is already answering question twenty. He doesn't find the work to be difficult. "For fifteen, you're supposed to put an adjective in front of the noun. It's like a modifier. Are you having trouble spelling them in English?"

Jimin stares at his paper as if he is processing everything Taehyung just explained. Suddenly realizations hit him. "Oh! Now I get it! But yes, sometimes it is hard to translate."

"I can help," Taehyung whispers.

Without another word, Jimin gets up from his seat and sits next to Taehyung. He closes the distance between them, almost to the point their thighs are touching. "How are you already on question twenty?!"

Taehyung only shrugs and continues to explain everything on the worksheet until he and Jimin are on the same question. In less than ten minutes, the two boys are working together without stopping. From afar anyone can assume the two boys are close, even Taehyung knows it. As for right now, he feels comfortable sitting next to Jimin.

"Hey, we actually finished!" Jimin boasts loud enough for everyone in the class to hear.

Taehyung and Jimin go up to the teacher and turn in their work. Smiling, their teacher says, "You two make an oddly great pair."

Taehyung expects for Jimin to ignore the fact. Instead, Jimin drapes an arm around his shoulders while smiling brightly. "We sure do!"

This is a new reaction to Taehyung. It's been such a long time since someone accepts him. For anyone to acknowledge him. However, he has a feeling it is only for a little while.

He looks up at Jimin, who is still smiling like an idiot.

The more Taehyung looks at him, the more he knows that the smile on his face won't last long.

༻❁༺

At the end of the school day, Taehyung slowly puts his stuff back in his book bag and exits the classroom. The hallways crowded with students who are rushing to leave, as he takes his time walking down to his locker. There isn't a rush for Taehyung to get home or even hurry out the school. There isn't anyone waiting for him.

When Taehyung is putting on his sweater, and about to put in his earbuds, a figure appears next to him. Turning his head slightly, he looks down to find Park Jimin, who has the same goofy smile.

"What is it?" Taehyung asks, in a tone harsher than expected.

Jimin's smile doesn't fade. "Let's hang out!"

Taehyung furrows his eyebrows. "Why?"

Shrugging, Jimin says, "I want to know you better!"

Taehyung relaxes as he believes that the boy in front of him doesn't have any bad motives. He isn't used to hanging out with someone, or even anyone trying to start a conversation with him. Maybe it is best to play it safe and decline.

"I actually have something to do today,"Taehyung lies, placing his book bag on his shoulders.

The usual would be for Jimin to give up and walk away, this is what Taehyung expects. However, it surprises him when Jimin stays. "We can go eat and then I will walk you home! I promise it won't be that long!"

Taehyung opens his mouth to argue the fact he doesn't need a friend to be by his side. However, saying that will be a lie. A friend is what he dearly needs. But can Park Jimin, a boy he just met, fill the position?

"Alright," Taehyung says in a low tone. "Only for today."

With a great, big smile, Jimin links his arms with Taehyung's. "Let's go!"