Stuck in the past

Familiar face.

Jimin heaved a sigh of relief as the last piece of furniture was moved in, not that he had a lot to move as his old apartment had been tiny but due to the landlord selling the place it had forced him out of his comfort zone and out into the real world to look for a new place, so he had decided to get a bigger place allowing him to work from home comfortably instead of cramped.
He'd used his parents inheritance they had left him but which he'd never touched and some of his savings to buy this place which overlooked a park area at the front and a river at the back so if he felt inclined to he could walk around close to home, as he didn't stray far, he kept himself to himself, eager not to be confronted by others as he knew from old people just didn't care for him. It was why he was a virtual assistant online for people, he only engaged with people via the internet and occasionally by phone. This made him feel safe, he hadn't always been so hermit like but now it was like second nature.
He shopped at night because most people did theirs in the day, he wore loose clothing to hide away, remembering the ridicule he had got which had made him like he was now.
Jimin thanked the removal men and closed the door,time to unpack he thought.
He hung up his meagre amount of clothing he didn't need much working from home, he set out his kitchen ware  then made his bed up looking at the time he realised he hadn't eaten anything all day but he had no food in. He grabbed his wallet and keys and went out pressing the lift, the doors opened and a laughing group of people got out, Jimin kept his head down trying to appear invisible as they walked passed him chatting then going along the corridor. Jimin quickly got in the lift and went down walking to the nearest convenience store.
"Who was that Kook?"
"What?"
"The person at the lift ?"
"Sorry didn't notice, maybe whoever bought the flat opposite has moved in?"
"I'm sure I've seen them before," Hobi frowned he had only glanced quickly but from what he could see of the face he had a vague memory of them, even if it had seemed like the person wanted to shrink into themselves in being confronted by himself Jungkook and Namjoon.
"Don't worry about it Hobi let's go to mine and order takeaway."
Jungkook took his friends to his apartment where they looked at menus before ordering.
Jimin struggled to hold onto the shopping as he got back into the lift someone rushed in.
He saw it was a food delivery guy, he thought how nice it smelt. He went to press the button but good manners made him ask the other which floor.
"Er apartment 202?"
"Oh that's my floor must be my neighbours you need,"
He pressed the button and the lift shot up, once at the floor he let the delivery guy go first then struggled along the corridor. He heard the delivery guy chatting to someone at the door opposite his.
Reaching his door he put the heavy bags down searching for his key he heard footsteps as the food guy left and eventually he got his key in the lock opening the door,he turned round to pick up his shopping only to hear the one voice he'd hoped never to hear again.
"Jimin? Park Jimin?"
Jungkook stared at the small boy , he looked like a deer caught in the headlights, scared stiff. Jimin turned back quickly nearly throwing his bags into the apartment and stumbled in after them slamming the door shut quickly catching a glimpse of Jungkooks puzzled face.
Jungkook took his delivery into his apartment his face still looking puzzled.
"What's up Kook? Did they forget something ?"
"Hmmm....., no......, I just saw my new neighbour,"
"Oooooh what they like?"
"It's Park Jimin,"
They all looked puzzled then Hobi spoke," of course ! I knew I'd seen him before but he's so skinny now and no nerdy glasses with tape holding them together!"
"Park Jimin?Namjoon said," I heard after we graduated that term and he told you he liked you, that he was bullied until he left suddenly."
"Really? I wonder if that's why he looked so scared of me?"
"Tae was in his class, said he was ridiculed constantly for even daring to confess to you, kids made his life hell, told him he was an ugly fat piece of trash who would never have a partner even if they were blind , I can't believe how nasty kids can be, Tae said he stopped mixing with anyone sat on his own in class and never spoke, Tae said he tried but then people bullied Jimin for trying to make friends with Tae. Poor kid couldn't win, Tae said he left and was home schooled by his mother an ex teacher."
"How come you know all this and we don't ?"
"Tae and I had gone out drinking years later,and started talking, he was down because he felt sorry for not trying to help Jimin more as he had seen an obituary for his parents who had died in an accident."
"Wow poor kid, how unlucky," Hobi sighed .
Jungkook thought back to that day, chubby little Park Jimin was all smiles and nervous excitement when the week before graduation he had confessed his feelings to Jungkook. Of course Jungkook had been aware the other liked him a bit as he always turned up with a nice packed lunch every day for him and he left sweets in his locker. He remembered how he had burst out laughing at the other boys confession truly thinking he was joking, only to see his face crumple when everyone else joined in the laughter and the smile that had been there turned to embarrassed tears, he'd run off and Jungkook hadn't seen him until the last day of school, when walking to his locker he'd seen the smaller boy hurriedly slide something inside and run off. When he opened his locker he saw a note in folded paper.
Dear Jungkook I'm sorry for having embarrassed you, it has been brought to my notice how stupid I am for thinking anyone would look at me much less someone like you, I am sorry for my annoying presence around you this school year, I hope you have a bright future (yours scribbled out) PJ
Jungkook always wondered what he had meant by it had been brought to his notice and now he knew, he had never found the boy annoying just thought Jimin looked up to him as an older boy but when he confessed and he realised he wasn't joking he hadn't meant to hurt his feelings, but he hadn't exactly helped matters by ignoring him after.
"Are we eating or what? Namjoon said bringing Jungkook out of his reverie.
"Sure, beers ok?"
They sat eating and drinking Park Jimin forgotten.
Jimin couldn't believe it, his old crush lived opposite,"calm down Jimin, just because he's there doesn't mean he will want to talk to you remember" It was a habit, talking to himself, after he was left alone the only people he really spoke to were clients in the phone and he kept those calls as short as possible.
When he was bullied at school he remembered how he had tried to apologise to the bullies for daring to confess, they had shouted that he wasn't even good enough to talk to them, it made him become quieter and reclusive, his mother had been worried especially when he came home with marks on him inflicted by girls and boys alike, so his mother had home schooled him which allowed him to sink deeper into a solitary person.
His parents wanted to move away but by then Jimin had clients so he wanted to stay in town, so his mother had found the small apartment and he had moved in the day they left town, which was also the day they crashed on the way to their new home . Jimin inherited everything being an only child so the new home had been sold without him ever living there, a few pieces of furniture he kept, but everything else was sold the money sitting in a bank as Jimin led his lonely life.
Some time later Jimin was about to go to bed when he heard murmured talking in the corridor, he tip toed to his door looking through the peephole. He saw Jungkooks friends leaving as they left he saw Jungkook stare at his door and he stepped back quickly," stupid Jimin he can't see you" he berated himself before going to his room and getting ready for bed.
He turned the light off then fidgeted in bed eventually getting comfortable and falling asleep.