Trainee | 박지민

XXIII

23

Author's POV

"Hyung, can we talk?" Jimin turns to look at the worried boy.

"Why are you... treating her like that?" Jungkook reluctantly asks.

Jimin's neutral face drops further, unable to say anything.

"I saw her confronting to you about it the other night, but you didn't even say anything. Why are you holding back?" Jungkook's eyebrows connect.

"What do you mean holding back?"

Jungkook sighs at Jimin's obliviousness. "I know that you like her. You used to be so happy whenever she's around, and I know how much you've developed feelings for her. But why are you trying to stop your feelings?" Jimin stays quiet in deep thought.

"Is this because of me?"

*Flashback to chapter X*
"Do you perhaps, like her?" Jimin asks the question fearfully, hoping he would deny.

Silence grew upon the atmosphere, as Jungkook's lips slowly rise, releasing a chuckle.

Jimin's jaws clench in disappointment.

"Aww, our golden maknae finally having a crush! Look how much you've grown!" Jimin ruffles his hair.

"Stop it hyung." Jungkook covers his wide smile in embarassment.

*Back to Present*

Jimin chuckles, somewhat surprising Jungkook. "I guess everyone got that impression from our friendship huh? If you like her, then, I support it!" He cheerfully shoots his fisted hand in the air. "You've been crushing on her since like- kindergarten right?"

"Hyung, Mia likes you." Jimin's jaws tick at the mention of her name. "She asked me about you." Jimin's sight swiftly flicked toward's Jungkook.

"Well, that's too bad. I.. don't really see her that way." Jimin clenches his jaws, looking at the dusty ground. "You should make her change her mind towards you. I'll help you," he leans closer to Jungkook's ears, whispering.

"Hyung! Why are you being like this?" The boy raises his voice at the elder. "If I'm the reason why you're stopping yourself, then.. you need to stop this."

Jimin was tongue tied. He had many other reasons to block his feelings towards Mia. But all those reasons are slowly losing its importance when the consequence is losing her. He'd have accepted it better if they stayed as friends, but he's hurt her too much.

Jimin looks down, avoiding Jungkook's serious gaze. "It's too late."

His memory takes him back to when Mia chased him out of the building despite the roaring prickly air that night. He remembers how hard it was for him to have rejected her like that, to have lied about his reasons. He despised himself, that the insults she received... was from him. He was twice as hurt. He turned his back on her, leaving tears on both their faces.

He was afraid that he would turn that pretty smile of hers into tears. But that was exactly what he did.

He was still confused as to why had to hurt her. He was full of regrets.

"It's too late now."

"No, hyung. You can't always be like this. You can't always force that smile on your face. Stop pretending you're okay. Go make up with Mia, and be truly happy."

. • . • .

*Earlier*
"How are you?" Jungkook places the flowers on the bedside table as he takes a seat beside the bed.

Mia sniffs, looking like her face has sucked the rest of her blood towards her puffy red nose. "Well I'm not dying, so that's a relief."

Jungkook missed this side of Mia- her playful positive side.

"Or that would've been the most shittiest way to die- from running after an asshole in Antarctica, only to be left with humiliation." Mia pouts as she plays with her fingers.

And this side of her, is back, dropping the smile on Jungkook like a domino effect.

"Anyway, how is everything back there?" She changes the topic, trying to forget what just happened that past 24 hours.

"It's the same." Jungkook shrugs his shoulders. "Still working hard in improving and perfecting stuff. Although it's more lonelier without you, which makes it very tiring." He cutely frowns.

She chuckles, "don't worry. I'll try to get better as soon as I can so I can annoy your ass again." She finally smiles that reaches her sparkling eyes that Jungkook has been missing to see again.

His bright face didn't last long as his face drops again. "What's up? You seem to have a lot on your mind," Mia notices.

He sighs, hesitating whether to say what's on his mind, on his heart. "I just-" his lips are pursed. "I know this may seem selfish of me, but..."

Mia has no idea what the boy could be thinking. "Can you..." He continues to prolong his thoughts, leaving Mia irritated.

"For goodness sake, spit it out."

Mia was in the middle of rolling her eyes when Jungkook babbles "can you like me instead?"

Her sight immediately widens toward the boy, dumbstruck. Her lips slowly part as she continues to stare at the boy. Jungkook flushes and looks elsewhere in the room, snapping Mia back into her senses.

"I- um.." She mumbles as silence permeates throughout the room.

"I'm sorry." Mia breathes out her held in breath before biting her bottom lip in guilt.

"It's fine. It was worth the try." Jungkook softly smiles as if he already knew this was going to happen.