CIGARETTES AND TULIPS // jikook

26 - strawberries and badminton

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the sun hung high in the sky over the park, casting a golden glow across the green expanse. it was one of those perfect days, where the warmth of the sun soaked into their skin, but a soft breeze kept the heat at bay. 

all of the boys had met for a picknick this weekend. and now they were sitting here, chatting, playing games, eating and studying. the weather was great as well, laughter echoed across the open space, drifting with the wind, as jimin leaned back into taehyung's chest. his body relaxed for the first time in what felt like weeks. the moment felt serene, almost like it used to be before things had gotten so complicated between them. 

almost.

it wasn't that everything was okay. 

jimin still carried the weight of sleepless nights and endless studying, and the awkwardness between him and taehyung lingered, like a crack in the foundation of what used to be a solid friendship. even though they had talked again and taehyung was very understanding and patient, there was still something between them, a distance neither of them could cross. 

jimin knew taehyung was kind of hurt, and he couldn't blame him. he had shut him out, ignored his feelings while drowning in his own pain. and now, even as they sat close like this, taehyung's guard was still up, his presence a little less warm than usual. both of them were hurting, and neither was quite ready to confront it.

jimin wasn't ready to apologize yet. not properly, anyway. 

he wasn't sure how to, when there was so much that still needed to be sorted out in his own head. his grades were important to him right now, and it felt like the only thing he could control in the chaos. apologizing felt like opening a door he wasn't ready to step through, not when the silence between them had been easier than confronting everything that lay beneath it.

"hey, focus!" jin's voice cut through the air, shaking his racket at jungkook, who was grinning like a kid caught mid-prank.

"i was focused, hyung," jungkook laughed, his eyes crinkling in that way that made jimin's chest feel warmer than the sun. "you just missed."

"don't blame me because you're distracted by how handsome i am," jin huffed dramatically, readying his stance as he served the shuttlecock.

yoongi, sitting beside namjoon on a picnic blanket, chuckled. "handsome? is that what we're calling it these days?"

"yah, yoongi, i'm worldwide handsome," jin shot back, his grin giving away his mock offense. "watch and learn."

jimin smiled, watching the scene unfold. it was one of those rare moments of calm, where the people around him felt like an anchor in the storm that had been his life recently. jungkook's carefree laughter, jin's playful banter—it all made his chest feel a little lighter. but even with tae's arms loosely wrapped around him, the familiarity of it all didn't feel the same. jimin could sense the tension between them, the distance that wasn't physical but emotional. tae was right there, but he felt so far away.

"you comfortable?" tae's voice came softly from behind jimin, his chin resting lightly on jimin's shoulder. it should have felt natural, but even now, there was a hesitance in tae's touch, like he was holding something back.

"yeah," jimin smiled. "i'm good."

they were all supposed to be studying for exams, but the day had turned into more of a break than anything else. after weeks of being buried in textbooks and trying to drown out the noise in his head, being outside with his friends was exactly what jimin needed. 

hobi sat nearby, flipping through his notes with tae and jimin while they shared strawberries and iced coffee. he was always the one to lighten the mood, his energy a balm to the heaviness that seemed to follow jimin everywhere lately. jimin found himself smiling more when hobi was around, even if just a little.

"okay, quick study break," hobi announced, setting his notebook aside with a dramatic sigh. "jin-hyung's badminton skills are distracting me from all this chemistry."

"chemistry? is that what we're calling it now?" tae quipped, his voice lighter than before, but still guarded.

jimin chuckled, but it wasn't as easy as it used to be. he poked tae's side, more out of habit than playfulness. "yah, stop with your lame jokes."

"hey! my jokes are great and you know it," tae pouted, but even as he tightened his arms around jimin, the familiar warmth that used to be there was missing.

nearby, namjoon and yoongi were engrossed in a game of cards, namjoon overthinking every move while yoongi remained cool and calculated, no doubt winning without much effort. it was one of those quiet moments that would've felt peaceful if not for the tension between jimin and tae.

"yoongi-hyung's gonna destroy him," jimin whispered to tae, trying to fill the silence with something familiar.

"yeah, poor namjoon," tae replied, but his voice didn't hold the usual amusement. instead, it felt distant, like he was only half there.

jungkook's voice broke through, louder and playful as ever. "jimin-ah, you've gotta try this."

jungkook jogged over, holding up a plate of carefully wrapped rice balls. "i made this for you. open up."

jimin blinked, surprised. "you made this?"

"mmhm. just for you. c'mon, try it."

before jimin could protest, jungkook gently held the rice ball to his lips. jimin opened his mouth, letting jungkook feed him, the taste of seasoned rice and seaweed filling his senses. it was simple, but perfect.

"good, right?" jungkook's eyes sparkled, waiting for jimin's approval.

"yeah... it's really good," jimin murmured, his smile soft but genuine.

jungkook's grin widened, satisfied. "you need to eat while you study, you know."

"thanks, kookie," jimin said, his eyes lingering on jungkook a little longer than usual. he looked happy.

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