Falling Tears

Chapter 27

Jimin's POV

Some schooldays were worse than others and usually the warm hand in mine would have helped. It did this time too, a little, but I wasn't sure if it was, because of only the few short seconds it found mine before anyone noticed. Of course Jungkook's words in the bathroom had helped, too. I couldn't spend my whole life wondering what everyone else thought, I knew that. But it was hard. I cared and I wondered, even though I knew I shouldn't and that it was stupid. I was stupid, my head was stupid, telling me that everyone was staring with judgment in their eyes even when in real life they were probably glancing quickly and looking away, if even that.

And the situation didn't get any better when we ran into Tae, who I hadn't seen for a couple of days and I had enjoyed those days, as Jungkook had just reached for my hand to give it a little squeeze. Jungkook tried to let go and shove me behind him but I didn't move at all.

Tae raised his brows at our linked hands and smirked as he looked up at our faces. "Well, who do we have here? The kid and the chubby kid, what an unpleasant surprise."

"I could say the same", I said and tried to keep my expression normal.

"Is it because you have gained weight, Jimin? Because everyone can see it." He came closer and I focused all my energy on trying not to flinch. He faked a sad smile, like he was sorry for saying what came out of his mouth when he poked my cheek. "You're getting more and more chubby every day."

I felt Jungkook shaking beside me and when I turned my head to look at his face, he was narrowing his eyes and frowning at Tae. I could see he was getting angry and part of me wanted him to hit him. Maybe more than I should have.

I knew I looked like I was okay and cool from the outside, that's exactly what I wanted, but that wasn't the truth. From the inside I was panicking, so hard. Had I really gained weight? Why hadn't anyone told me? The sane part of my brain was shouting to the other one to shut up and tried to talk it into being reasonable. That wasn't me. I wasn't reasonable about these things. I knew I should've started to work out more but I hadn't. I knew the reason very well because he was standing right beside me.

Jungkook. The way he looked at me, his eyes filled with something I wasn't sure I could face yet but something wonderful. It didn't change to worse if I was shirtless, not at all. It was the complete opposite.

The sane part of my brain told me it was because I looked good and sometimes I believed it.

Other times I didn't. Like right now. I knew I could do better, I could get my body to better shape, the way I wanted it to be. I told myself it was for me but I wasn't sure. I didn't want to hear Tae's harsh words even if they weren't true. Who knows if they were, I didn't know or see myself clearly enough to tell nor did I trust Jungkook's opinion of me being perfect just the way I was. I knew I was 'okay', but maybe I wanted to be more.

But that was just the inside. From the outside I just pressed my palm on Jungkook's chest to calm him down and letting him know I could do this by myself. I turned to look at Tae, who was being an annoying brat with his smirks yet again. "That's too bad." I fake-pouted. "Why does it bother you, though?"

"Bother me? Pfft." Tae rolled his eyes. "Why would it bother me?"

"Because you pointed it out? Or..." I took my hands off of Jungkook and put my fingers on my cheeks, still pouting. I tilted my head down a little and looked at Tae through my lashes. "Are my cheeks just too cute for you?" I asked, using my cutest voice.

Tae scoffed. He pushed me back and I fell against Jungkook's chest. Jungkook immediately wrapped his arms around my waist and held me up when I smirked up at the clearly annoyed Tae.