Friends To Forever|| Jikook||

Chapter 3

                  {12 YEARS LATER}

Third person's POV:

Jimin sits at the cafeteria table with Hoseok and Taehyung, sipping on his iced latte as he listened to his friends banter. His delicate features are as striking as ever, framed by soft, raven curls that fell just above his eyes. His skin is flawless, a smooth canvas that glowed even under the harsh cafeteria lights. His almond-shaped eyes, lined with a hint of eyeliner, made his gaze look both innocent and alluring, and his lips—soft and naturally pouty—had a pink tint that only enhanced his beauty.

He wears a lavender cashmere sweater that clung to his slender frame, accentuating his narrow waist and broad shoulders. The sweater's sleeves are rolled up slightly, revealing thin, silver bracelets around his wrists. His jeans were high-waisted and perfectly tailored, hugging his hips. His outfit is effortlessly stylish, and he wears it with a quiet confidence that turned heads—both envious and admiring—all around him.

But as much as people admired him, there are always those who couldn't handle how beautiful he is. It wasn't long before Sejin, the guy who seemed to have a personal vendetta against Jimin, strutted over. With a sneer, he looked Jimin up and down, his eyes narrowing in disdain.

"Well, isn't it the princess himself," Sejin mocked, his voice laced with scorn. "Are you sure you're in the right place? Shouldn't you be hanging out with the girls jimin?" Jimin's face flushed, and he instinctively wrapped his arms around himself, feeling small. He was used to comments like this, but they never hurt any less. Before he could even respond, Hobi was on his feet, glaring at Sejin with unfiltered rage.

"Why don't you take your miserable ass somewhere else, Sejin?" Hobi growled, his fists clenched. "Jimin didn't ask for your opinion, so get lost."

Taehyung stood up too, folding his arms and giving Sejin a cold, disdainful look. "Yeah, don't you have anything better to do than pick on someone who's a thousand times prettier than you'll ever be? Fuck off."

Sejin scowled, but he wasn't about to back down. He looked at Jimin again, sneering as he spoke."You guys really think looking like that is going to get you anywhere? It's pathetic. Real men don't wear makeup and prance around like some fucking doll." Jimin felt his heart tighten, and he blinked quickly, trying to keep the tears from falling.

But Hoseok wasn't having any of it. He stepped closer to Sejin, his eyes blazing with anger."Listen, you asshole," he spat. "You're just jealous because Jimin's got style, grace, and the looks you'll never have. He's twice the person you'll ever be, and he's got more people who actually give a damn about him. You, on the other hand, are just a sad, insecure little prick who can't handle the fact that someone like him exists."

Jimin's shoulders began to tremble, and tears pricked at the corners of his eyes. He tried to hold them back, but the harsh words cut too deep. The moment Hobi and Taehyung saw Jimin's tears start to fall, their expressions hardened.

Hobi squared up to Sejin, his eyes blazing with anger. "You really think you're tough, picking on someone like Jimin?" he snarled. "Guess you forgot about Jungkook. You know, the guy who could wipe that smug look off your face without even breaking a sweat."

At the mention of Jungkook, sejin's bravado faltered. He swallowed hard, his face paling slightly. Everyone at school knew that Jungkook was not someone to mess with. Though he usually kept to himself, he was fiercely protective of Jimin, and the last time someone had teased Jimin, Jungkook had made it clear that there would be consequences.

"Jungkook?" he scoffed, though his voice wavered."Yeah, Jungkook," Taehyung shot back, stepping forward until he was almost nose-to-nose with Sejin. "You know damn well that Jungkook would make your life a living hell if he found out you were making Jimin cry. He doesn't let anyone mess with Jimin."

Hoseok leaned in closer, his voice dripping with venom. "And trust me, we'll make sure Jungkook hears every word you said. You're going to wish you'd kept your mouth shut, asshole." Sejin's face went pale, the mention of Jungkook's name clearly rattling him. He knew better than to cross Jungkook—everyone did. Jimin's best friend had a reputation, and no one with half a brain wanted to end up on his bad side.

"Fine, whatever," Sejin muttered, taking a step back. "It's not worth it." He turned on his heel, quickly retreating and muttering curses under his breath as he left.As soon as he was gone, Taehyung turned back to Jimin, gently wiping a tear from his cheek. "You okay, Minnie? He's not going to bother you again."

Jimin looked up at them, his expression full of guilt. " I'm sorry, guys. Because of me, you're always getting into fights."

Taehyung shook his head, crossing his arms. "Don't you dare apologize, Minnie. You didn't do anything wrong. That jerk deserved what he got."

Hobi nodded, his gaze softening as he placed a hand on Jimin’s shoulder. "Exactly. You have nothing to be sorry for, Minnie. We're here to protect you, always."

"But I just… I hate seeing you both get into trouble because of me." Jimin bit his lip, lowering his eyes. Taehyung sighed, reaching out to ruffle Jimin's hair. "We're fine. You're worth it. But, hey, there's one more thing. We need to tell Jungkook about this. He'd want to know."

Jimin's eyes widened, and he quickly shook his head. "No! Please don't tell Kookie. He'll get so mad, and he might do something reckless. I don't want him to worry." Hobi raised an eyebrow, sharing a look with Taehyung.

"But, Jimin-ah, he deserves to know. He'd want to protect you too." "Please," Jimin pleaded, his eyes full of desperation. "I just don't want him to worry. I promise I'll be careful. Just don't tell him." Taehyung sighed, glancing at Hobi. "I don't know, Minnie. He'll be pretty upset if he finds out later."

Jimin clasped his hands together, giving them his best puppy eyes. "Please, Tae. Please, Hobi. Just this once?" Hobi and Taehyung exchanged a look before they finally relented, sighing in unison.

"Fine,"Taehyung said, crossing his arms again. "We won't tell him. But if this happens again, we're going straight to Jungkook. No more hiding it from him, okay?"

To be continued...

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Hey lovelies! I know you've all been waiting for Jungkook and those Jikook moments—well, the wait is almost over! In the next chapter, Jungkook will finally make his appearance, and you won’t want to miss it. Stay tuned!

Thank you for reading!💜