THE TRANSFER STUDENT

The Party, Pt. 22

Riiiiing. Riiing, riiiiing.

"Hello?" Jimin picked up his phone with a small shy smile, not even bothering to glance at who was calling. He played with the hem of his shirt, twisting it around his finger into a knot.

No response.

Jimin grinned, and spoke sweetly into the phone. "I'm home already. You getting ready for bed?"

"Hello?" It was a gruff voice of a middle-aged ajumma that responded, much to Jimin's surprise. "Is this Jimin's phone?"

The voice was so familiar, Jimin almost jumped. He pulled the phone away from his ear and glanced at the contact name. "Eomma", it read.

Oh my god, Park Jimin.

"No-" Jimin was so flustered he didn't know how to respond. "I mean, yeah- Yeah, eomma. It's me, Jimin-ie."

"It's really Jimin?" Jimin heard a loud chuckle on the other end of the line. He prayed hard that she hadn't heard what he had said earlier. And if she did, perhaps she'd let it slide-

"I thought I called the wrong number, you know?" Jimin's mom yelled over the phone. Not in a mean, demanding way, she just liked talking loudly... it was kind of her thing. "Why did you tell me you reached home. Did you go somewhere? And you sounded so weird."

Jimin froze. "Oh- well, um- Eomma, I-"

Jimin heard a loud gasp over the phone. "No way, did you get a girlfriend?"

Jimin bit his lower lip. His mom was back in Busan - his whole family was. She'd probably not want him to have a girlfriend, especially while studying, would she? He hated lying to her, but when she got mad-

"No, eomma!" Jimin laughed loudly, as if he was trying to cover up the sound of his nervously chattering teeth. "You're too sensitive. I was talking to Sungwoon. You know, my roomie? He's back in Goyang, since its the holidays. I went to send him off and when I reached back, I thought he'd called."

Another long silence.

"You talk to your friends like that?" Jimin's mom asked suspiciously. "You don't even talk this sweetly to me. You talk like that to your guy friends?"

"Mm-" Jimin swallowed hard. "Haha, yeah. He's my really treasured friend, that's why."

Buy it, please just buy it-

"Oh, well, alright-" Jimin's mom finally said, causing Jimin to heave a huge sigh of relief. "Well, I called to ask you when you're coming home! The whole family misses you. It's the holidays, now. Aren't you gonna come home?"

"Yeah, I am," Jimin scratched his chin, walking over to the window and gazing into the night sky. "I miss you guys, too. I'll come back once I settle everything over here."

"Alright, then. Goodnight, son. I love you!"

"Love you too, mom. See you-"

"Wait-"

"Hm?"

"Remember - no girlfriends, alright? At least, not until you graduate."

Jimin closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "Yes, mom."

"Love you, son. See you soon."

Jimin put down the phone, before heaving a deep sigh. The "no girlfriend" rule still held. It had been so long since she had brought it up, Jimin had thought she might have forgotten about it. But she hadn't. He was even considering bringing Yoojung back home to Busan over the holidays. Looks like there was no hope at all...

Riiiiiing. Riiing, riiiiiing.

Jimin glanced down at his phone again.

Yoojung-ie 🧚🏻‍♀️

A smile spread across his face. This time, it was really her. He coughed several times, making sure his voice wouldn't crack, then he finally picked up.

"Hello?" Jimin was finding it hard to not smile.

"Hello?" Her familiar voice squeaked on the opposite end of the line.

"Yoojung?" Jimin pursed his lips, trying hard not to smile. "You getting ready for bed?"

"Mm..." Jimin could tell that she was smiling on the other end as well, simply from her voice. "I am. You home, already?"

"Mm," Jimin didn't know why, but he was blushing furiously. Their first, and second, kiss had just happened an hour ago... "I'm home."

"Ah, okay. I just wanted to make sure you reached home safely," Yoojung said softly.

"Mm," Jimin had no idea why this phonecall was so awkward. He didn't know what to say - all he could seem to say was "mm".

"Mm," Yoojung seemed to have the same problem.

Jimin let out a small giggle. "Mm."

"Mm," Yoojung chuckled. "Have a goodnight then, Jimin."

The way she said Jimin's name made his heart beat faster. "You too."

"Mm."

"Mm."

"I love you," she said.

Jimin glanced at the bed opposite his, before whispering back into the phone. "I love you too."

Yoojung giggled. "Mm."

Jimin was so happy he felt like his heart was going to explode. "Mm."

"Goodnight, Jimin."

"Goodnight, Yoojung."

Jimin waited until Yoojung finally put down the phone, before he put down his, and he lay on his bed, gazing at the ceiling for a whole minute, unable to function. His heart was still racing at a million beats per minute, and he was smiling so much his cheeks hurt.

"Ya."

Jimin heard a small groan from the opposite end of his room, and Sungwoon's tiny face poked out of his sheets.

"Oh, you're awake?" Jimin smiled sheepishly.

"Ya, Park Jimin," Sungwoon raised his eyebrows cynically. "Since when did I return to Goyang, huh."

"Sorry, I needed a cover," Jimin chuckled, really unapologetically.

"And no girlfriend, my ass," Sungwoon pulled the sheets over his head once more. "You're smiling so much right now I'm surprised your lips haven't torn."

"Sorry," Jimin laughed.

"It's alright, y'all are adorable," Sungwoon muttered, turning his back towards Jimin and trying to fall asleep once more. "I'm happy for you, Jimin."

"I know," Jimin smiled, mumbling to himself this time. "I'm the luckiest guy alive."