varsity | vmin

12

     "I think it's safe to say you're prepared for the exam coming up next week." Jimin cleared the school supplies that had been scattered across his sheets and returned them to their original location.

     "I second that," Taehyung agreed, helping his tutor with cleaning the mess.

     After the job was complete, Jimin checked the time on the clock that decorated his bedside table and read 12:01 p.m. "So, are you hungry?" He probed Taehyung.

     "I could eat." The jock shrugged as he followed Jimin into his kitchen to find something to satisfy their hunger.

     Upon arrival, Jimin frantically searched through cabinets and drawers and the refrigerator, not seeming satisfied with what he found in any. Apologetically, Jimin settled for a half-empty cereal box in the pantry and set it on the table.

"I'm sorry, I haven't been to the store in a while and this is all I really have." Jimin shamefully locked a gaze with the tile flooring, face burning red as he was embarrassed over not having much food to choose from.

"It's alright, Jimin. I'm not as high maintenance as you might think." Taehyung grabbed the box of cereal and poured it into a bowl that had already been set out by a blushing Jimin.

The pair took a seat across from each other at the table placed in the center of the kitchen, eating away at their lunch.

The short-lived awkward silence was gradually growing into a prolonged one as neither of the boys could find a comfortable conversation topic.

"So... since you've heard a little bit about me... I'd like to know a little bit about you." Finally, Jimin broke the silence by asking his crush to share something about himself.

Taehyung placed his spoon into his bowl and leaned back in his chair. "I don't really like talking about myself," he explained.

Jimin shot him a funny look. "How could you not like talking about yourself? You are the captain of the football team, the most popular guy in school, constantly having girls chase after you! That sounds pretty interesting to me." Jimin encouraged the silver-haired boy to continue.

Taehyung sighed. "That's exactly why," he began, "everyone at this school thinks I live the most perfect life when that's not the case at all. I'm a person too! With real problems and real feelings but for some reason people choose to ignore that."

Jimin sat dumbfounded. "I-I'm so sorry. I didn't realize." He looked onto Taehyung with sympathy, wishing he could go back on what he said previously. "If you want to talk about anything that might help." Jimin kindly offered.

"Thanks... but I wouldn't want to sound insensitive towards you. You know... about your mom." As much as Taehyung wanted to share his struggles with someone he knew genuinely cared, he couldn't help but feel his problems were nothing compared to Jimin's.

"Just because my mom is sick doesn't mean your problems matter any less. Please... talk to me." Jimin leaned towards his crush, hoping to hear something out of him. "Would it help if I opened up first?" With no success, Jimin offered to speak up first.

Taehyung simply nodded, signaling Jimin to begin the talking.

     "Well... my mom was diagnosed a little over a year ago, my junior year of high school. Of course, I thought the world was ending when the doctor broke us the news. She was all I had and I was going to lose her." Jimin paused to clear his throat and let out a deep sigh as many suppressed memories poured into Jimin's brain. "What made it even harder was that I had no one to talk to. Yes, I had Jaehee but she lived almost 500 miles away. I wanted someone that I could cry with every night and hug them just to keep my sanity and have them tell me that everything was going to be okay. I can't thank Jaehee enough though. She helped me the best she could whether it was a quick visit or simply a Skype call to check in on me. However, I just wish someone at school would have cared enough to ask how I was doing. It probably would have made such a drastic difference for me during that time, but thankfully I'm getting better day by day. Even though it still hurts every time I look at her, unable to walk or stand by herself, I know everything is going to be okay." Jimin forced a smile as he was able to keep himself together while speaking about his mother.

     "I can't imagine how that must've felt," Taehyung looked so genuinely touched by hearing what his tutor went through. "If I knew about any of this last year I swear-"

     "It's fine... you didn't know." Jimin cut off his crush who was clearly overwhelmed with guilt over not minding to ask if everything was okay with him last year. "And please, don't pity me. That's the last thing I need." He softly smiled again, repositioning himself in his chair. "Your turn."

     Taehyung nodded again, nervously running his fingers through his hair. "Well... as of right now my family has been having some... issues... I guess you could say." Taehyung paused, stirring in his chair.

     "I'm listening," Jimin soothed.

     That seemed to calm the nervous boy down as he continued. "It's just that... I feel like my parents don't care about me. No matter what I accomplish they just seem to not acknowledge it. They haven't even been to a single football game this year. What kind of parents don't want to watch their own son play? When I made team captain, they didn't listen. When I ask for help on homework, they shut me down. And here I am, getting athletic scholarships left and right, and I don't get a single piece of praise from either of them!" Taehyung immediately brought his hands up to his face. "I know it sounds so stupid and worthless compared to what you have to go through, but I've never told anyone about this. None of my friends would care and I don't want to come off as weak to them."

     "Tae, don't ever feel like you're hurting any less than somebody else. You matter to me and I'm so happy you told me this so now I can help you. I'm so- so sorry you've had to keep that bottled in. Is there anything else you want to say?" Jimin comforted.

     "Thank you... just thank you. I don't know why you care about me so much. I've done nothing for you to be nice to me like you always are. It's just comforting to finally talk to somebody who cares. Thank you." Taehyung joyfully smiled across the table to Jimin who beamed a smile right back.

     "I just thought it was about time to make a friend to talk to as well. And I think I've finally found one." Jimin's rosy cheeks began to hurt from smiling so hard as he reveled in finally building a friendship between himself and his crush.

     "Everyone else is missing out. I'm beyond grateful to have a friend like you. Who would've thought?" Taehyung laughed at the irony of the situation. The jock and the nerd somehow were soulmates. How cliché.

     Suddenly, a loud ringing from Taehyung's phone interrupted the sweet moment. He quickly answered it while Jimin took the empty cereal bowls to the sink.

     "Sorry, that was my mom. She asked if I could head home to help her babysit our neighbor while she runs to the store, so I think I'm gonna head out." Taehyung walked towards his bag and threw it over his shoulder and made his way towards the front door where he first came in.

     "Oh, okay. Don't get lost this time!" Jimin teased.

     "Watch it, punk!" Taehyung played along, opening the front door. Then, he stopped in the door frame and turned around to face Jimin. "Bye, Jimin." With that, he wrapped his arms around the shorter boy, holding him to his chest in a warm hug.

     Jimin acted fast, throwing his arms around the taller boy's waist, smiling into his shirt. "Bye, Tae, see you Monday."

     After what felt like decades, Taehyung released Jimin and disappeared behind the door. Shutting it quietly, Jimin squealed underneath his breath and proceeded to bounce up and down all around his house.

[a/n:
guess who spent yesterday crying and wanting to die?¿?
drum roll please... *drum roll*
me!!
but seriously, not getting tickets really took a toll on me, and i can feel my depression slowly creeping back into my life :(
although, i did talk to my mom about it this time and she's considering putting me on medication which is helpful, i guess.
plus, i'm most likely going to distract myself with lots of writing for you guys!
anyway, did any of you get tickets for the love yourself world tour? if you did, congrats!! xx]