letters

1.3

SotC: 1+1=0, SURAN (feat. DEAN)

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JIN WORKED TO MAKE THIS HIS YEAR.

Taking the advice of his professor and Jimin to heart, Jin dedicated his final year in college to himself. He wholly devoted himself to his studies, working hard to make his friends, family, and especially himself, proud.

Instead of thinking about N, Jin would be an active listener in class. Instead of thinking about N, Jin would take careful, detailed notes. Instead of thinking about N, Jin would do his assignments, and work ahead when he was finished.

At first, his friends were somewhat concerned-- they were skeptical over how healthy continuously running from a problem was, and they had good reason to be-- but as Jin argued that this was an excellent distraction, wasn't hurting any of them, and swore up and down that he wouldn't go so far as to hurt himself, they accepted it. His friends would even help him out by encouraging him to go to the library and do his work when Jin was feeling lazy.

And it was on one of those lazy days when Jin’s world turned upside-down.

“I’m tired,” Jin whined as he lay on the floor, using his bag as a pillow.

Hoseok peered over his laptop to look down at him. “Are you really?”

Jin tilted his head. “Yes?”

“I think you’re just being lazy, hyung,” Jimin called from the other side of the room as he sipped on a can of soda. Taehyung turned to Jimin in surprise. "That's exactly what I was going to say!"

"Really?"

"Oh my God, wow! It's almost like you two aren't always joined at the hip!" Hoseok exclaimed sarcastically, causing Jin to laugh.

“Right? And why are you guys always in here?” Jin turned to the duo in confusion. “Don’t you guys have a curfew, or rules, or something?”

Taehyung shrugged. “Our R.A up and left-- some sort of emergency-- so for now, no.”

Jin looked at them quizzically, not helping the thought that flashed in his mind for a split second, and hating himself for even thinking it in the first place.

But N--

“You know, you’re right. I think I’m going to go for a little bit.”

"I'll come with you," Hoseok agreed, sliding his laptop and a textbook in his bag. "These five-year-olds won't even let me work in my own room that I paid for with my own money--"

"Hey!" Jimin and Taehyung protested as Jin deadpanned. "Hoseok, you're here on a scholarship."

"Hey, some rich person decided I had potential and gave me their money to spend here, so it's technically my money. Anyway..." Hoseok opened the door and stepped out into the hallway. "Let's go. Bye Jimin, bye Taehyung."

"See you later, hyung. Bye, Jin-hyung."

Jin waved a quick goodbye as he let the door shut behind him.

»»»

"I love them, but jeez, can't they hang out together in their own dorm sometimes?"

Jin laughed at Hoseok's rant. "And they eat our food, drink our drinks, breathe our air..."

"Right?"

Jin shook his head at Hoseok, a small smile on his lips. Though they may complain about the two underclassmen always being in their dorm, they didn't mind too much. Jin was quite fond of Jimin, and as they got to know each other, Taehyung, too. The boys were genuinely caring, and their youth brought a lightness to the atmosphere that was absent in a room of older students. They were also funny, always entertaining Jin with stories about their trips over the summer (a favorite was how Taehyung started crushing on one of the dancers that they saw at a show one night, but convinced himself to not do anything about it, as he believed that they would never see him again; next thing they knew, they began seeing the mysterious dancer everywhere, only Taehyung never manned up enough to get his number), honest, and down-to-earth.