Candid Camellia {Jikook}

Dead Leaves

It's some sort of paradox.

Jeongguk decides this as he looks upwards at the large image hung onto the smooth wall of the hallway. It's framed; the black wooden longing around the photo he took telling him so. He's not sure how long he stands there, eyes unwilling to leave his art that is now up for everyone to see. There's not much space to walk in the tiny corridors of his school, so he must be adding to the congestion of students rushing towards their classes to make sure they aren't late, but he can't find it in himself to care. Jeongguk really doesn't mind missing the first few minutes of his professor’s lecturing, especially if it's because his art is getting recognition. It's not the first time his work has been displayed, but it happens to be the first time he's shown so much interest in it. Probably because it's a picture that demonstrates the idea of beauty so well he almost wants to keep it for his eyes only.

He doesn't even know Jimin. But, for some odd reason, when he looks at his photo, he feels like he does.

Jeongguk takes one last look at his photo before shuffling off into the direction of the lecture hall.

“So, you're attracted to him?”

Jeongguk nods at Taehyung's words, trying to focus on their conversation rather than impaling the garlic and herb seasoned chicken on his plate with a fork. It sounds sort of stupid. He meets a guy, an incredibly beautiful one, and can't stop thinking about him. This wasn't something a person over the age of fourteen did. So why did Jeongguk’s thoughts veer off towards Jimin constantly?

“It's not just his looks,” Jeongguk tries to explain without sounding too clichè, “he has a pretty voice too.”

Taehyung pauses in order to take a bite out of the greasy french fries that sit in front of him, raising an eyebrow at Jeongguk’s explanation. “But all you know are his looks.”

Jeongguk can't necessarily roll his eyes and brush his comment off, because, well, it's true. He'd only met Jimin one week prior to the conversation he was having with Taehyung, and yet he felt like he's known him for longer. Maybe it was because Jimin had made such a lasting impression in Jeongguk’s mind, and hasn't left since the day he allowed Jeongguk to photograph him.

Jeongguk decides he's done eating, pushing his plate of food out of his line of vision. Their conversation wasn't really going the way he wanted it to, and it was starting to lessen his appetite.

“Listen. Since I know you're a hopeless romantic that believes in “love at first sight,” and all that shit,” Taehyung starts, making direct eye contact with Jeongguk, “I won't kill your vibe completely. Why don't you just call him or something?”

Its that easy.

All he had to do was dial a few buttons and press call,but for some odd reason, he was starting to get cold feet. Maybe a text would be easier. If he were to call Jimin without any purpose behind it other than to hear his angelic voice, he's sure he'd flounder once Jimin picked up. The idea itself made him nervous.

Jeongguk is trying to conjure up some sort of reason to bother Jimin when he remembers that the photo he took is hung up for thousands of students to see. He's sure Jimin would be intrigued by that. Besides, Jimin had given Jeongguk his number by his own free will, so it was definitely okay to call. Right?

Jeongguk’s eyes fall onto the digital clock on his bedside cabinet, Pleasantly surprised when it reads 5:00.Five in the evening was a time where most people we're coming home from work, and students were most likely to be cramming for a test or procrastinating. Jeongguk types out Jimin's number and presses call before he can talk himself out of it, nervously chewing his bottom lip when he hears the first ring. Its followed by a second,then a third, and then stops ringing completely. He's met with a gentle voice, one that a sounds as if it's just woken up, which is absolutely adorable.