Stronger || PJM

Ch3: Determined

"Never."

The words keep on playing in Jimin's head like a broken record as he lays down on bed, staring at the ceiling. It's late at night, and his brother is sleeping soundly on the other bed, but Jimin can't seem to keep his eyes shut.

Whenever he does, the image of Lee crosses his mind. Her fit body and long braided hair. Her steady punches and firm kicks. Her sharp glare and focused eyes. The way they glowered as she prepared for each hit, calculating her moves like a predator hunting a prey.

A champion indeed.

Jimin sighs, rubbing his face with his hands and gets out of bed, stumbling out of the bedroom in the dark. He walks down the hallway and into the kitchen, grabbing the first thing he sees once he walks in, an apple.

Leaning back across the counter, he munches on the fruit and stares into blank space, his mind occupied with everything that happened today. He hears a small thud and footsteps, slow and steady. Jimin knows it's no way it's Jihyun, because that kid runs like a headless chicken in an apocalypse.

His heart beats fasten when he comes to think of his father, knowing very well that he didn't get the chance to see him today because when Jimin arrived home, his dad was already sleeping. A smile tugs on his lips as he thinks of all the stories he'll tell his father. About the dance competition and the fighting thing.

His smile soon falls when his step-mother walks out instead, and she, too, looks like she hasn't slept.

She smiles at him. "Why are you awake at such an hour?"

Jimin puts the half-eaten apple down, shrugging. He doesn't say anything for a few seconds and instead looks away. The woman purses her lips and heads to the fridge, pulling out a bottle of water.

A second or two passes before she turns to face him, her hand clutching the bottle so tight that her knuckles turn white.

"How was your day at school?" She asks. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Jimin looks at her, face blank as he goes over her question. It's not the first time she attempts to talk to him and get him into a conversation that lasts more than a minute, but Jimin hates it. Why? Just why is she asking? Why isn't she just minding her business and asking about her own son? Why is she trying so hard although he isn't even related to her? And most of all...

"Why do you care?" Jimin asks calmly.

"Because you're my son, Jimin," She answers immediately.

"I'm not." His reply is quick.

"But you're just like my son," She says, fidgeting with the bottle, "I don't know what I did that made you hate me ever since I got married to your father, but I just want you to know that I love you as much as Jihyun, and that I care, and that if you need anything, don't hesitate to talk to me. I'm just like your mother."

The teenager stays quiet for a while, her words still not making sense, so he slowly starts shaking his head.

"No." Is all he says before he walks out of the kitchen, and back to his bedroom.

The next morning Jimin wakes up to his brother jumping on top of him and yelling some song he heard on T.V., and Jimin pushes him away with a groan, making the kid start fake crying and running to his mother.

Typical morning.

He walks out and asks about his father the first thing, and she replies saying that he left early for work. With a disappointed nod, Jimin walks back to his bedroom to get ready.

The bullies don't hit him today, which he is thankful for. It only ends up with pushing in the hallways and shouting insults here and there, nothing new. Dance practice goes a little better than the day before since three pills of painkillers seem to do the trick and make him forget about the dull pain in his abdomen.

On his way out, he purchases some cheap used boxing gloves before heading back to Lee. Like the day before, he opens the metal door, closing it behind him while panting.

The place is empty, and extremely quiet. Jimin decides to wait for her, but when twenty minutes pass with no sign of her, he pulls out his boxing gloves and tries them on, getting used to it. He smiles, feeling like one of those boxers he watches online, and he gets up, walking over to a punching bag.

He hits lightly at first, and the bag doesn't move. With a little more effort, he hits the bag, and it barely flinches. Jimin scoffs, swinging his arm back and aiming a strong punch at the bag, but it only results in him wincing when his shoulder aches and the bag, again, barely moves.

He sighs, his arms falling beside him.

"What are you doing?"

He turns around at the familiar voice only to lock his eyes with Lee's, this time dressed in shorts and a crop top, her hair up in a high ponytail.

"Oh, hi," He smiles, "Sorry for not taking your permission. I bought boxing gloves!"

He lifts his hands with a proud grin. "They're used and kind of ugly, but it's good for a start, right?"

He puts his hands down, taking in her face. Her brows are furrowed in anger, arms crossed over her chest.

Before Jimin comprehends it, she launches at him and tackles him down, his head hitting the ground with a thud, a groan escaping his lips. She has his arms twisted under him by a hand, the other hand up in the air ready to punch.

"Didn't I tell you not to come again?" She growls through gritted teeth, her fist clenching.

Jimin opens one eye and keeps the other closed, the pain at the back of his head stopping him from doing so. The dull ache in his ribs comes back again, and he sighs in defeat, finally opening up both his eyes.

"I know," He says through heavy breaths, glancing from her raised fist to her eyes, "But I really need you to help me."

Lee doesn't move, still glaring down at him. Jimin squirms under her, pursing his lips when his ribs hurt and looking at her still raised fist.

"Please don't punch me," He says, "I already have a bruised face."

She scoffs and stands up, looking down at him, wincing as he slowly sits up.

"Wussy," She says and turns around.

"Wait!" He calls after her, slowly standing up. "Can I at least practice here?"

She turns to him with a raised eyebrow.

"I won't ask anything from you," He says with a nod, a hand clutching his ribs, "I'll just practice here. Like a gym membership."

He reaches for his bag and pulls out the envelope, handing it out to her. Lee scans him head to toe, taking the envelope from him only to throw it at him.

"Keep your money for yourself," She says harshly and turns around, walking back through the door.

Jimin breathes in frustration and picks the envelope up from the ground, shoving it back in his bag.

"Is that a yes?!" He yells after her.