Fake Love 《Jikook》

3

Any normal college student would spend their weekends curled up in the comfort of their sheets behind the familiar dorm walls. They could also be outside with friends, hanging about doing whatever it is normal people do.

Jimin, however, is not normal. Or at least, Taehyung is adamant in believing so.

Taehyung has always been the overbearing friend who tries to inculcate some sort of good outgoing habits in Jimin whilst Jimin proves to be the hobbit in the cave. They connect on a spiritual level and honestly that’s all you truly need in a friendship. Knowing the other reciprocates how you feel and where Taehyung isn’t good with words, Jimin makes sure to convey properly how much Taehyung means to him. Just not the other thing because Jimin has dug himself a grave – more accurately a trench at this point, to go hide in.

When Jimin announced he was going to campus to practice, Taehyung had yelled at him. He proposed going out with Jeongguk as if it was that easy to do. Jimin doesn’t want to waste Jeongguk’s time unnecessarily. The other could clearly use time to himself. What would they do anyway?

Taehyung soon took note of Jimin’s stubbornness and resorted to being despicable; hiding Jimin’s entry pass to the building. He then danced around rather dramatically waving his phone in the air and closing the door but not before announcing he’s off on a date and that Jimin should be too.

Little does Taehyung know: Jimin is already two steps ahead of him. Or in this case, Jimin knows where Taehyung hides things.

He spends some time with Miri who only softens around Jimin, feeding her and stroking her head. It’s funny how Taehyung was the one to adopt the kitten, but she took to Jimin more. Now she’s Jimin’s property (or as Taehyung describes in pettiness, Jimin’s problem) and he couldn’t be happier. Once Miri is satisfied by the attention, he goes to Taehyung’s bed and retrieves his entry pass that was hidden in the pillowcase.

He silently apologizes to Taehyung and leaves to practice.

Sadly, practice is anything but fruitful. The silence is something Jimin needs to get used to again after two whole weeks of socializing with his group and Jeongguk’s friends. They’re friendly, loud and appreciative of him and though their company is admirable and joyous it makes Jimin queasy at times. Queasy because it reminds Jimin of how stupid he was for not letting people in earlier. Being a perfectionist, he allowed nothing to get in his way as he worked his way to the top of his class and now to the top of the student records.

The only proper friend he had managed to make was Taehyung who came as a roommate first and a battering ram second shattering any sort of walls Jimin put up when talked to or invited to hang out after.

That and the fact this dance he’s practicing religiously for is not his taste.

It’s too plain – too classic. Something that literally looks like it came out of the 1800s and Jimin is not from the 1800s. He didn’t speak against it because his teacher had praised him endlessly and coaxed him into performing but now the more he thinks about it the more he doesn’t want to do it. Had he only spoken up before he’d be enjoying this far more. Now it seems like the instructor wanted him to fail or so. How is he supposed to impress any of the representatives that will be present at the showcase if all he does is a simple set of classic spins.

Though it’s too late to fight against it now. The long-awaited showcase is almost four months away and the schedules are fixed.

“Jimin, what are you doing here?”

Jimin looks to his left to find Yugyeom staring at him with a towel in his hand. He’s probably here to practice too.

“Procrastinating.” Jimin replies in a heartbeat.