FORGOTTEN

CHAPTER 1

Jimin thanked every imaginable diety when he saw the company van pull up to the Bangtan house right after he'd closed the door to the car service he'd hired. The small moving van would already be at his new place, thankfully. The car pulled away as the three couples tumbled out and went into the empty house. He imagined them calling his name, asking if he was already asleep. He arrived at his new place; the movers, who he'd paid quite handsomely for working so late, were already finished unloading the few boxes. He waited anxiously to see if Tae would call him once they noticed he was missing. He never did.

And so it was, after a long and sleepless night, Jimin arrived at the photoshoot looking awful. The makeup artist scolded him.
"You really must get more rest, Jimin-ah. Staying up till all hours is not good for your skin."
"Yes, noona," Jimin nodded and accepted the chastisement like a schoolboy. There was no way he was going to tell her that the bags under his eyes were the result of an all-night crying session. Still, he got his individual shots done before anyone else even showed up.

"Take a break, check with wardrobe for what you'll be using for the group shots this afternoon," the coordinator told him. Jimin nodded and headed to the wardrobe and dressing rooms. The others arrived a couple of hours later after their manager went to the house to gripe at them for being late.

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"Jimin already finished his individual shots, and you guys are still sleeping!" Ji-hoon barked at them.

"Sorry, hyung," Joon called out while running to one of the bathrooms to shower quickly.

"Less apologizing, more moving!" Ji-hoon yelled. The members scrambled around quickly, and in forty-five minutes, they were all piled into the van and on their way to the shoot.

The couples remained in their own little worlds on the way to the office, and even in the dressing room while getting into makeup and wardrobe, no one approached Jimin, who was stretched out on a sofa.

They weren't intentionally avoiding or ignoring him, but since he was the only single member of the group, he was often left out. He fought back the tears and sobs that threatened to burst from his lips.

It was times like this when he felt the loneliest. It hadn't always been like this. Once upon a time, he'd been cherished by the other members. Once upon a time, he had been their little mochi. Then Jungkook had turned 18, and Namjoon confessed that he had feelings for the Golden Maknae. Of course, he had feelings for him; everyone had always looked on the child prodigy with love and affection. Once he was of age, it was only natural that someone had fallen in love with him.

"Jin, you're up!" The director hollered. Jimin looked up and saw one of the two most beautiful members as he walked onto the set. He sat mesmerized by the ease with which he moved from pose to pose.

"He's amazing, isn't he?" Tae sighed. Jimin started at the sound of Tae's voice.

"He is," Jimin nodded, shocked that his 'soulmate' was speaking to him. "You are really lucky."

"I am," Tae sighed happily. "He is so good to me."

"I'll bet."

"You'll bet what?" Jungkook wrapped his arms around Tae's waist and kissed his cheek. Jimin wrinkled his nose at the public display of affection. Once they'd cuddled with him and showered him with kisses and attention.

"I was just telling Jimin how lucky I am. And I told him how good Jin-hyung is to me." Jungkook nuzzled Tae's neck, and the two giggled happily, and Tae forgot about the conversation he'd been having with Jimin.

It was normal. He faded into the background when the others were around. He shuffled off and hid in one of the dressing rooms until he needed to have his makeup done for the group shots. Was he just being temperamental? Maybe this was all in his head. He'd almost convinced himself as much, but then he remembered no one noticed he'd moved out. Or perhaps they all noticed, shared a laugh, and celebrated that he was no longer in the way.