Strawberries and Cigarettes | jikook ✓

me

we watched each other through the mirror, my heart skipping a few too many beats.

"I'm not even a dance major," Jungkook complained for the umpteenth time to the Dean of Hongik University, who was smiling at him sardonically and irritating the absolute fuck out of him. "I'm majoring in arts. And now you want me to join this stupid dance collab-"

Hoseok whacked Jungkook's head, eyes narrowing dangerously at the younger boy. "Don't call dance stupid you fool."

Jungkook rolled his eyes and crossed his arms across his chest. "I'm not doing it."

The Dean cleared his throat before speaking. "Jeon Jungkook, you are one of the best dancers we have had studying in our college, disregarding your major." He walked around his table and over to Jungkook, placing a plump hand on the boy's shoulder. "Hence why we have picked you as one of the six who will represent Hongik in the collaboration with K-Arts."

Jungkook was still least interested. He opened his mouth to deny when the Dean pushed a paper into his face. "Before you deny, at least have a look at the names of the students who will be representing K-Arts. They are all exceptionally amazing dancers."

Jungkook half-heartedly grabbed the list and read through the names when his eyes caught a name that made him choke on his own spit.

"Park Jimin? What the fuck?"

Hoseok whacked his head again muttering something about language in front of elders but Jungkook didn't hear a word. His ears were ringing and his eyes were wide with shock. Park Jimin was a dance major in K-Arts, one of the best arts colleges in South Korea? He suddenly remembered Jimin's bruises, and the boy telling him something about dance practice.

"So-"

The Dean was cut off by Jungkook as the boy threw the paper back onto the desk and started walking out of his office but not before muttering something that shocked the Dean, Hoseok, as well as the other four students in the room.

"What did he just say?" The Dean turned to Hoseok with dumbstruck eyes, the latter was staring at the door through which Jungkook had walked out.

"I'm pretty sure he said he's in," Hoseok muttered, a small smile making its way onto his face. "He agreed. Jungkook agreed."

Five hours later Jungkook found himself standing in the dance studio of Korean National University For Arts, face to face with Park Jimin who looked equally shocked to see the boy standing in front of him.

"You know what we're here for," the dance teacher of K-Arts started. "This collaboration has to be the most anticipated, the most breathtaking performance seen in the whole of Seoul. To make that possible, we'll have to work together, practice long hours and put in all our hardwork and energy." She looked at Jimin pointedly when she spoke the last sentence and Jungkook frowned.

"Enjoy yourself kids," the dance coach of Hongik smiled warmly at the students. "No pressure. Just go out there, give it your all and have fun. Feel the music. As long as you feel the music you'll automatically do your best."

Jimin's mouth was parted in admiration as he stared at Hongik's dance coach. He was so much better than their own teacher already. And he had only spoken so far. His words had captured Jimin's soul.

"Come on now. Warm up and just freestyle for today so we can analyze each one of your dancing styles."

The twelve students stood in a line, taking turns one by one to show their dancing skills. Jimin was very much impressed by the students of Hongik. Especially this one boy who had introduced himself as Jung Hoseok. Compared to him Jimin was nothing, absolutely nothing. Jungkook went up after Hoseok and Jimin had to use his hand to close his mouth at how good he was. Not better than Hoseok for sure, but Jimin thought Jungkook was better than him. When it was finally his turn Jimin faced the mirror and started with contemporary, evolving it into slight hiphop and ending with popping. He had locked eyes with Jungkook the entire team he danced, their eyes in contact through the mirror.

"Fuck," someone cursed in the room, so soft it was barely audible but Jimin had seen Jungkook's lips move to form the word.

Hoseok grinned wide as he stepped closer to Jimin and slung an arm across his shoulders. "You're amazing holy shit. It's been so long since I've seen anyone so graceful yet fierce. If I didn't already have a boyfriend I'd be all over you by now."

Jimin flushed from the tip of his ears to his collarbones, a pretty blush adorning his melanin skin at the straightforwardness of Hoseok. When Hoseok kept firing compliment after compliment, Jimin couldn't take it anymore and hid his face behind his hands in shyness.

"Aww," Hoseok cooed, poking at Jimin's cheek. "Look he's shy."

Jungkook stood rooted where he was, his eyes not leaving Jimin. He was amazed by the way the boy had moved when he danced, absolutely amazed, captivated. He hadn't been this shook by anyone dancing other than Hoseok. Finally gathering the courage, Jungkook walked over to where Jimin and Hoseok stood.

"You were breathtaking," Jungkook breathed, his mind still not functioning properly. He loved the way the already present blush on Jimin's face darkened to an almost cherry red.

"T-Thanks. You were really good too."

Jimin smiled at Jungkook, smile widening when the latter grinned back at him. Jungkook almost lost his shit. He had never seen Jimin smile so wide, so wide that his eyes disappeared into pretty lashed lines on his face, so wide that his nose scrunched up the slightest bit ever so adorably. His chest felt odd, his heart was thumping loud and fast, skipping a few beats here and there erratically.

"I'm going to call up Yoongi, be right back." Hoseok excused himself, knowing what was going through Jungkook's mind. He had never seen Jungkook look at anyone the way he looked at Jimin. And Hoseok wanted to cry at the thought of his little Jungkook taking a genuine interest in someone.

"Do you have work today?" Jungkook questioned as he watched Jimin pack his bag and sling it over his shoulder. "I'll drop you there. I have to go to the convenience store nearby anyway."

Jimin thought it over before smiling and following Jungkook to his motorbike. As usual, Jungkook helped Jimin get onto the bike. Only this time Jungkook was a bit too aware of the curve of Jimin's waist. Even as Jimin placed his hand onto his shoulder for support, Jungkook was a bit too aware of how small Jimin's hands were compared to his own. So engrossed was he in his thoughts that he didn't notice a car suddenly take a turn without an indicator. Jungkook swerved the bike out of the way, resulting in Jimin gasping in fear and shifting his grip on Jungkook's shoulder to wrapping his arms tightly around his torso.

"Sorry," Jungkook apologized, fully aware of Jimin's warm chest pressing against his back. "Asshole didn't turn on his indicator."

Jimin sighed against Jungkook's back as if in relief, but he never bothered to move his hands back to Jungkook's shoulder. Instead he let them stay where they were, intertwined around Jungkook's torso.

"Here we are," Jungkook said, stopping in front of the café and holding out a hand to help Jimin get off the bike. The latter scoffed, jumping off the bike by himself and beaming proudly at Jungkook.

"See? I can do it myself."

Jimin walked into the café, messing with the bangs that fell over his brows, one hand fiddling with the strap of his bag. Jungkook simply stared as he watched the boy enter the café, the jingling of the bell behind him sounding as if an angel were walking into heaven. Thinking it over in his head, Jungkook wanted to stab himself for how cheesy that sounded.

He walked over to the convenience store opposite the café, buying a pack of cigarettes and stuffing the box into the pocket of his jeans. He put one stick to his mouth and lit it up, thanking God that he hadn't forgotten his lighter today. The stick burned, one end turning ashy red while the other end filled his air sacs with smoke. Jungkook leaned against the lamppost right outside the convenience store and let out an exhale of grey smoke. After many drags and using up more than half of the stick, Jungkook's coughs returned. His lungs burned and he coughed out smoke, his air sacs trying to get rid of as much poison as they could from his already damaged lungs. He threw the cigarette on the ground and put it out by stepping on it twice.

He then returned to the café, craving the strawberry smoothie that Jimin had made for him the day after he had dropped his order all over the floor. Jungkook had no idea what Jimin put in the drink, but it was as if he were suddenly addicted to the taste of strawberries.

"One strawberry caramel smoothie please," he grinned at Jimin, the latter holding back his smile as he walked into the kitchen.