REDAMANCY

Twenty One

Twenty One
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Balter
(v.) to dance artlessly,
without particular grace or skill
but usually with enjoyment.
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Just for a time reference, this was during his second year as a high school student. Daehyun was in his third year and Yoongi had graduated. Present time Yoongi is currently with Jimin, and Jimin tells him the story.

Jimin paused from eating to momentarily to sneak a look at the upperclassmen that came filtering into the cafeteria.

"They're so cool..." Taehyung muttered from beside him. "Will we be like that when we're third years?"

"What do you mean?" Jungkook asked in confusion. "I'm already that cool, and I'm only a first year. It's you two who need to catch up."

"You rudeass." Taehyung lightly punched Jungkook's shoulder and the two of them laughed before they began eating again. But Jimin couldn't be bothered by his two friends. He was too focused on one upperclassmen in particular.

He was tall, with a warm look in his eyes— surrounded by a group of his friends, boys and girls alike. Everyone seemed to love him. He seemed to have the life Jimin had always wanted, yet Jimin could only feel attracted to him instead of jealous. He had dark hair, lightly swept to one side, and black framed glasses propped atop his head. His uniform looked crisp and ironed, and Jimin honestly couldn't detect a single flaw. He fell in love at first sight.

"Daehyun!" One of the girls called from another table. "Over here!"

The older boy winked in response and headed over, his friends trailing behind. Jimin sighed.

"What's got you drooling like that?" Jungkook asked, giving Jimin a nudge. Jimin near jumped five feet.

"Damn!" Jungkook yelled, startled too. The people at surrounding tables looked over, and both Jimin and Jungkook's faces flushed with embarrassment. Tae clicked his tongue irritably and went back to eating.

"I was just daydreaming..." Jimin mumbled to his friends as the other people went back to their lives.

-

For the next two weeks, he would see Daehyun often, walking to and from classes, flanked by friends. Daehyun took the same bus route home as Jimin, which didn't make anything easier. To him, Daehyun was his small source of happiness. His heart went ballistic whenever he'd see him. To Daehyun he was simply another face; someone who didn't exist enough to be relevant.

Then one day that changed.

It was getting colder now, as fall was in full flight. The leaves had begun to fall, spreading over the ground like splatters of orange and red paint on an artists' canvas; the country. Jimin began to take longer to get to the bus, as he would stop and admire the leaves. He began to take a sketchbook with him, sometimes quickly sketching a leaf or two if the bus was late. Today he was sitting on the bench at the stop, gingerly holding a leaf in his hand and roughly sketching the outline.

"Nice drawing!" A deep and familiar voice said from beside him, making him jump. In his shock he dropped the leaf and the wind carried it away.

A flash of black and gray uniform and Daehyun had grabbed the leaf and now held it out to him. "Here you go." He said with a smile.

At that moment, Jimin wondered if faces could explode if they got too hot.

"T-thanks." He managed to say, but his voice came out in an awful squeak. To his suprise, his senior laughed.

"You're cute." Was all he said, placing the leaf in Jimin's hand.

"Thanks." Jimin said again, not quite registering what was happening. His existence had suddenly been validated, and his drawing and appearance were the last things on his mind right now.

"I often see you sitting here drawing something." Daehyun said, sitting down beside him on the bench. "You an artist?"

Jimin was tempted to ask why Daehyun hadn't spoken to him before if he'd noticed him but his heart was fluttering too much. All he replied was, "Yes."

"I wish I could draw." Daehyun sighed.

You're perfect in other ways. Jimin nearly said.

"I could draw you something." Jimin blurted out before he could stop himself.

But Daehyun's eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Y-yeah I could do that."

"Then could you draw me?"

Jimin grew still in shock. Meanwhile, his thoughts went haywire. "Sure, but what do you mean?" He asked lamely.

"Draw me." Daehyun repeated with a smile. "After school tomorrow in the old art room."

"I—I..." Jimin stammered stupidly.

"Hey listen," Daehyun chuckled. "If you don't show up I'll just accept the rejection and take the late bus home."

-

"The old art room?!" Jungkook nearly choked on his coke. "Oi, oi, oi!"

"That's quite a romantic rendezvous." Taehyung winked.

"You guys, stop!" Jimin hissed. "It's just so I can draw him. That's all."

"Yeah, draw him naked probably." Jungkook mumbled around bites of his burger.

"Shut up!" Jimin's face went red. "Nothing dirty, he just likes my art."

"You are the art he likes." Taehyung said mockingly.

"I hate you both." Jimin snapped. Then the entering group of upperclassmen caught his eye. Among them, he spotted Daehyun, flanked by two of his friends.

"There he is," Jungkook nudged him from across the table. "Go say hi!"

"Are you crazy?!" Jimin shook his head. "I won't be caught dead walking up him here. Not with all those third years." He quickly ducked his head.

"Well maybe it won't be like that." Taehyung said, his voice gone level.

"What do you mean?"

"Look, look."

Jimin raised his head slowly and nearly fell out of his seat as Daehyun and his friends approached their table.

"Hey, Jimin." Daehyun said with a smile.

Jimin gulped and gave him stupid wave.

Taehyung and Jungkook face palmed.

"See you later?"

"Y-you bet!" Jimin managed to say.

"Great, I look forward to it." Daehyun mimicked his wave in a friendly manner, before heading off to his table. A few of his friends gave Jimin some strange looks before following.

"Oi, oi, oi!" Jungkook repeated. "What just happened?!"

"What was that gross wave you did?!" Taehyung snapped. "You couldn't have looked any stupider."

"Thanks a lot!" Jimin sighed, covering his face with his hands. "I was caught in the moment, ok? I don't know what I should do now."

"Well I know what you should do."

"What?" Jimin asked miserably.

"Get your ass over to that art room first thing after classes," Jungkook said with a smirk. "And if you don't, Taehyung and I will drag you there."

-

sorry I was M.I.A for so long.
my Wattpad got jacked up and
I couldn't access anything,
but it's all good now.

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