THE DAWN - VMIN ONE SHOTS

I DON'T WANT NOBODY ELSE 2

After Jimin realized that things were spiraling out of his control-that his heart had started to beat a little faster around Taehyung, that he'd begun thinking of things he wasn't ready to name-he did the only thing he could think of.

He started avoiding him.

Because it was one thing to wonder if Taehyung liked him, to entertain the warmth behind every lingering touch, every too-long stare, every gentle word. But it was another thing entirely to let himself want more-especially when he wasn't even sure if Taehyung actually had feelings for him. So Jimin pulled away.

If Taehyung offered to walk him home instead of going out with his basketball team, Jimin would mumble something about a dance submission being due and dart off before Taehyung could argue.

When Taehyung suggested grabbing dinner, Jimin would sigh as if burdened and say that he wasn't feeling well. When Taehyung called to hang out, Jimin would let the phone ring a little too long before answering with a halfhearted excuse.

He even stopped letting Taehyung carry his backpack, which had become such a casual, familiar gesture between them. Now, the moment Taehyung's fingers reached for the strap, Jimin would fumble with his zipper and pretend to dig through it, then bolt away saying he had things to do or someone to meet.

It only got worse later on.

When they walked together through the corridors and Taehyung instinctively reached for his hand-like he always used to-Jimin would tuck his fingers into his hoodie pocket. And if their hands accidentally brushed, Taehyung's warm grip closing around his fingers before Jimin even noticed, he'd slip away like the contact burned him.

Jimin knew Taehyung noticed. Anyone would. He could see it in the way Taehyung's smile faltered when Jimin turned him down. He could feel it in the way the calls came less frequently now.

It made Jimin ache. The excuses were flimsy, and yet, Taehyung never called him out-didn't try to confront him.

He looked hurt and just... let Jimin go each time. Let him run.

And Jimin ran like a madman. Because knowing that Taehyung might love him-truly love him-was more terrifying than anything else. Jimin didn't know if he was ready, or if he could even afford to be loved like that.

The guilt built up like sediment. And it was on one of those nights, curled up on his bed with his phone pressed to his chest, that the ache in his chest almost made him cave.

He debated calling Taehyung, thumb hovering over his contact for the last ten minutes. The screen glowed in the dark, mocking him. What would he even say? Would he say he called just to check in, just to say sorry?

Jimin hadn't meant for things to go south this way.

He had always been careful with his heart, cautious with how he let people in-especially people like Taehyung, who loved too easily and too loudly. Taehyung, with his honeyed voice and bright, unwavering affection, had always lingered at Jimin's periphery. Until he wasn't at the periphery anymore. Until his presence started anchoring itself deep into Jimin's days.

His heart kept flipping, unsure if he was doing the right thing by staying away, or if he was just too much of a coward to face how deeply Taehyung had burrowed into him.

Just when he was about to give in and dial, his phone rang-Yoongi.

Jimin picked up the call, surprised, given the ungodly hour. But the voice that greeted him wasn't Yoongi's.