UNISPECTED THINGS

THE MASK BEGINS TO CRACK

It had been two weeks since Jimin transferred to the school, and every day felt heavier than the last. He kept his routine the same sitting in the back, avoiding eye contact, slipping out of class the moment the bell rang. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't escape the attention. And most of it came from Jungkook and his group of friends.

It wasn't just words anymore. The bullying had been high.

Jungkook would trip him in the hallways, knocking his books out of his hands with a careless smirk. His friends would follow suit, laughing as Jimin scrambled to pick up his things. Sometimes they would block his path, forcing him to take long, winding routes just to avoid them. The words they threw at him were sharp, cutting deeper than he wanted to admit.

Jungkook's presence weighed on him like a shadow. He didn't understand why Jungkook seemed to target him specifically. He wasn't the only quiet kid in the school. But there was something about the way Jungkook looked at him—like he was searching for a weakness, something to exploit.

One afternoon, Jimin found a rare moment of peace in the music room, the one place where he felt like he could breathe. The piano in the corner called to him, its keys a refuge from the chaos of his life. Jimin had always found relax in music. It was the only thing that felt real, the only thing that wasn't dictated by his step-parents or controlled by his disguise.

Jimin sat at the piano, his fingers hovering over the keys, but before he could start playing, the door creaked open. His heart stoped into his throat as Jungkook walked in, leaning casually against the doorframe, arms crossed over his chest. Jimin froze.

"What are you doing in here, nerd?" Jungkook asked, his tone laced with condescension.

Jimin's throat tightened. He didn't know what to say, didn't know how to explain the one place that made him feel like himself.

Jungkook stepped closer, his gaze locking onto Jimin's. "You think just because you hide back here, no one's gonna notice you?"

Jimin felt a surge of anger. He was tired of hiding, tired of feeling like he had to disappear just to survive. But he couldn't speak up. His voice was caught somewhere between fear and frustration.

Jungkook studied him for a moment longer, his expression unreadable. Then, without another word, he turned and left, leaving Jimin alone once again in the quiet, suffocating room.