THE TRANSFER STUDENT

The Prom, Pt. 3

"I don't get it."

Yoojung stared blankly at Jimin. He still liked her? All this while... he still had feelings for her? It seemed completely... illogical.

"What do you not get?" Jimin laughed. "I tried getting over you, but I couldn't - no matter how hard I tried."

"But-" Yoojung frowned. "I thought- Everything you did- I really thought you liked Doyeon."

"What?" Jimin chuckled. "No, not in that way, come on."

Yoojung scratched her head. "The way y'all said 'hi' to each other in the corridors, the way you grabbed on to her wrist when she asked you to prom, the calming medicine you got for her - all that was nothing?"

"Well..." Jimin bit his lower lip. "To be honest, that was all... well, that was all for your sake."

"My sake?"

"Well," Jimin continued. "After you rejected me... I was trying to get over you, wasn't I? I thought I might be having feelings for you simply because you were the only girl I hung out with. That's why I decided to... broaden my horizon."

"What?"

Jimin laughed. "Sounds stupid, but that's exactly what I was trying to do. I began talking more to Doyeon and Jieun, even going to that anti-fan meeting of hers, trying to get closer to them... so that I could you know, maybe, forget about you. But then I saw you at the cafe and at that moment, my feelings were rekindled."

Yoojung stared at him in absolute shock.

"Don't stare at me like that," Jimin laughed. "I know I sound crazy. But I did so much to hide my feelings for you. You have no idea how many times I've wanted to hold your hand, hug you, k-"

Jimin stopped short upon seeing the look on Yoojung's face.

"My heart literally tore whenever you cried," Jimin swallowed hard. "It was that hard, Yoojung. It was so freaking hard trying to get over you. That calming medicine... it was meant for you. I bought it with you in mind, thoughtlessly. I didn't even think of Doyeon. But at the last minute, I doubted myself. I didn't want to go through the same hurt I went through all over again. Being rejected- it hurt. It hurt slightly because you rejected me, but it hurt more because I couldn't even come close to you."

"Jimin-"

"That day, at the corridor," Jimin took a deep breath. "I really was going to ask you to prom. But I had second thoughts... So many scenarios went through my head: What if you rejected me again? What if you found out I still had feelings for you and pushed me away once again? I hesitated. But when I saw you with Yoongi, I was jealous, somewhat. I took advantage of the fact Doyeon asked me to prom, and here we are now."

"Jimin, I didn't know-"

"But..." Jimin swallowed hard. "I got mad seeing the two of you together. I now know that what you did earlier was to make me jealous, but I didn't know earlier- And I was so mad. I felt like walking over and grabbing your hand."

"Jimin-"

"But what did you say earlier?" Jimin grabbed Yoojung by her shoulders, looked into her eyes. "Can you say that again?"

Yoojung hesitated. "I-"

"Please?" Jimin pleaded. "For my sake?"

"I... I'm jealous of you and Doyeon," Yoojung took a deep breath, mustering up her courage to look into Jimin's eyes. "And Jimin, I know I've said otherwise before, but right now, I really really like you."

Jimin closed his eyes, a look of relief spreading across his face. He pulled Yoojung closer to him, wrapping his arms around her tightly into a hug.

"Jimin-"

"We've wasted too much time, Yoojung," Jimin said, his face beaming with satisfaction and overwhelming happiness. "I don't want to waste anymore time caring about who likes who, who likes who. I want you to know what I've liked you since many years ago and I'm sick of this one-sided love. I'm never gonna let go of you now, Yoojung."

Yoojung beamed, as she wrapped her arms around Jimin as well, thoroughly enjoying the hug. She closed her eyes, feeling his warmth spread through her entire body.

"I didn't manage to ask you out to prom, but-" Jimin took a shaky breath. "Would you be my girlfriend?"

This was the best day of her life.