Him || JiKook

Chapter O6

Of course, finding the guy was easier said than done.

Hoseok didn't know him in person. He only knew that his name was Park Jimin and that his partner was Im Jaebum, both of them juniors, like Taehyung and Jungkook. According to Hoseok, they spent most of the year outside of Korea, training with instructors around the world. Something about Jaebum being loaded and the professors too smitten to care that they missed so many lectures.

And that was it, he didn't have more information on the matter. Jungkook had spent every day, the whole week after the recital, scanning the campus for a mop of orange hair, and every night memorizing every single detail of the recording. The only proof that he had actually found inspiration on a human being. Damn... life could be so frustrating at times.

A little demoralized, he strolled into his Art History class that Monday through the back door, waving at Yoongi and taking a seat. Grabbing his camera, he started checking the last pictures he had taken on the past days, not paying attention to the professor starting the class. After a couple minutes though, the sound of the door opening and a voice startled him out of his reverie.

"I'm sorry Mr. Song, I got the lecture hall mixed up."

Jungkook looked towards the entrance out of habit, only to find none other than Park Jimin standing there. He was looking at the professor in an apologetic way, lower lip caught between his teeth. Jungkook stared at him. The professor stared at him. The whole class stared at him. Everyone knew Mr. Song hated to be interrupted after he had started his class. He had told everyone on their first day that semester that he wouldn't tolerate people walking in after the bell rang.

"Mr. Park," said the professor, clearing his throat. "I was told you were going to join us. Please have a sit and in the future... make sure you are on time."

Park Jimin smiled, bowing politely. A girl beside Jungkook sighed, totally smitten, while Jungkook gaped at the professor. Because what the actual fuck. Was it any other student coming late, they would have been kicked out not without a lecture on punctuality. Talk about favoritism. Maybe Hoseok was right.

Jungkook's eyes trailed after Park Jimin, all the way until he was taking a seat. He had to fight the whole lecture to avoid openly staring at the dancer. At the way his fingers flew over his computer while taking notes, at the way he tilted his head when (Jungkook guessed) he didn't get a concept. By the end of the class, Jungkook was pondering if secretly taking pictures of someone would be considered stalking.

When the bell rang, Jungkook scrambled to grab his stuff to follow Park Jimin. Sadly, he wasn't the only one with that idea. The poor guy was surrounded by girls in seconds, all of them talking to him at the same time. So Jungkook stayed behind, studying as many details as he could get. From the distance, he could make out the curve of his shoulders and the sharpness of his collarbones exposed by the wide neck of his navy blue sweater.

Jimin was smiling softly at something one of the girls was saying. It was such a sweet gesture, Jungkook found himself smiling back. He raised his camera, about to snap a picture of him (screw manners and consent) when a figure appeared on the side of Jimin, easily parting the group of girls.

Jungkook lowered his lens to look at the guy. He was dressed fully in black and Jungkook recognized him as Jimin's dance partner, Im Jaebum. He said something to the girls, flashing them a killer smile that made them giggle, before taking Jimin away. He had his hand on Jimin's lower back and by the way the other was leaning into him, it seemed like they were more than just dance partners.

Jungkook took a picture of their retreating forms, something about the arch of Jimin's neck calling to him.

He didn't even get a chance to talk to the guy.

Defeated he headed back to his apartment to grab some books he needed for an assignment, before heading out again. Yoongi and Taehyung were already on their usual table when he made it to the library.

"Yoongi told me Park Jimin has Art History with you!" said Taehyung clasping his wrist. "You must get me an autograph." Yoongi laughed.

"No."

"But Kookie!" he whined, pouting. It was funny how he still tried to convince Jungkook with that face. It might work on strangers but Jungkook knew better, Taehyung was the devil.

"Listen, I don't even know him," said Jungkook pulling his computer out. "How am I gonna get that for you, huh?"

"Asking?" said Taehyung as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Jeongguk mouthed a No, turning to his assignment. "You suck man. I'm never letting you sleep with me again."

Jungkook smiled, pinching his cheek. More often than not it was Taehyung sneaking under his covers so he didn't feel threatened at all. They worked in silence for the rest of the afternoon, only taking a break when Hoseok came to the table with a tray of coffee cups. He couldn't stay because he was working on a choreography so he gave Yoongi a long kiss on the mouth before leaving, making both Taehyung and Jungkook complain.

Thoughts of choreographies and dance studios poked at Jungkook's concentration and soon enough his mind was once again consumed by Park Jimin. He started sketching on the edge of his notebook: the curve of a neck, the ghost of a smile.

By the end of the night he had half an assignment done and a full on study of the curve of Park Jimin's neck. Taehyung eyed his drawings, giving him a quizzical look, but didn't say anything. He knew Jungkook well enough to know that he was probably just obsessed with a new project. He got like that sometimes. So fixed on an idea that he had to get it out of his brain. Somehow. Taehyung still could remember the thousand copies of cat eyes staring at him from every corner of the apartment last year.

"Get back to work," he told Jungkook, patting his back.