misunderstood || bts x red velvet

➣ Twenty One

Heart beating rapidly, Seulgi shook her legs and arms, excited but terribly nervous as well. She was stood back stage, the sound of chattering students filling her ears, making her even more afraid. 

"Kang Seulgi!" She almost didn't hear the third time Ms. Eli called her name.

"Huh? Sorry!" She turned to see Ms. Eli with her hands on her hips, walking towards her.

"Darling let me check your make up please. And stop fidgeting." Seulgi immediately stopped as Ms. Eli ordered her to close her eyes so she could check her performance make up, to make sure the eyeliner was just right. Once the instructor moved on to the next dancer, she went back to bouncing lightly from one foot to the other.

The building was air conditioned but she felt warm in her tight white crop top and flexible, black ripped jeans. She didn't even have her leather jacket on yet. Her hair was down, but it was curled into loose waves. 

"Seulgi?" Someone placed a gentle hand on her shoulder just before she had the chance to peek out from behind the red velvet curtains. She spun around to find Jungkook standing there with his identical outfit, minus the crop top. "Hey."

"Hi." She replied with a forced smile. "I'm scared. You know how scared? So scared. Like terrified." Jungkook didn't reply, but he did wrap his arms around her shoulders and brought her close to his chest. She took in his warmth but made sure to distance her face a little as to not get foundation on his blindly bright t-shirt.

"It's okay to be scared. The nerved just make you perform better." He unravels the smaller body from his and holds her shoulders. "You're going to do great. You dance like a beast and you'll be paired up with me. It's the three dances we've been dancing for these 4 months remember?"

"4 months isn't enough!" She squeals, furrowing her brows, escaping his hold and going back to bouncing. He stopped her again by holding her shoulders again.

"You're. Going. To. Be. Fine." He drawled out his sentence as if trying to engrave the words into her mind. 

"But-"

"Alright dancers!" Mr. Key started with a loud clap. "Christmas performance! You guys are all amazing, go out there, dance hard, and have fun! Positions!" Seulgi inhaled deeply as an attempt to slow her breathing down.

"You'll do amazing jagi." The brunet placed a chaste kiss on her head before moving to the other side of the stage to get to the rest of the boys.

She thought she was going to run all the way back to the comfort of her room without him next to her, but when the first low beat of their hip hop routine's music began, the nerves washed away almost in an instant. Seulgi closed her eyes as she heard half of the girls bounce onto stage in the time with the beat. When she opened them she counted the beats until it was her turn, her mind traveling back to the familiar studio.

She bounced onto the stage and immediately felt light. The dance took over her, each limb hitting each move with precision and pop. As she smiled brightly, she spotted Jimin and the rest of their group sitting smack centre of the audience, beaming excitedly. Beside them she spied Joy with another girl she didn't recognise, but she had a bright smile like Joy's.

The boys finally appeared after the girls had their beginning part and it was the moment Jungkook joined her did she feel perfectly fine. They moved like water together, flowing smoothly and beautifully as perfect as they could. By the end of the routine, the audience were clapping wildly after the final pop and as the dancer filed off, they waited in anticipation for the next dance.

Taehyung was sat only one boy away from Jimin, the only one separating them was Yoongi. He figured that after the talk around a month ago, that he'd understand.

"Psst. Hyung." He nudged the older boy who looked at him quizzically.

"What." He hissed back.

"Can I sit next to Jimin?"

"Why the fuck would I let you do that?" 

"Guys I'm right here." Jimin spoke up, surprising the two. 

"Jimin can I sit next to you?" Whispered Taehyung. He didn't have feeling for Jimin anymore. He's always care for him, but his heart was for Jungkook.

"Yeah okay." He shrugged, leaving Yoongi's jaw hanging. "Switch seats with hyung."

"Gladly." The silver head smiled sweetly at the older boy who moved to sit next to Namjoon.

"Did you want to tell me something?" Asked Jimin as the noise of chattering began to intensify. 

"How did you know?" Taehyung asked slyly. His smile dropped. "It's about us."

"I already told you Taehyung, I'm not going to fake a relationship just so that you can get your Jungkook back." Still facing the empty stage, he willed the dancers to pop back so he could avoid the conversation.

"I'm not asking you to. But I do want to confess something." Jimin finally turned to him, eyebrows raised. "I don't have feeling for you anymore. Deep down, I know I still care for you because you'll always take a special place in my heart." The suspiciousness dropped from the blond's expression as he soaked the words in. "But I like Jungkook. Like a lot. And I know that for the past 3 years I'd had my chances, but I took them with you. Wishing and willing that you would come back to me."

"Tae-"

"Let me finish." He said softly. "I know you'll never come back to me, you never did. I had Jungkook for so long, right there, clear in front of me. Now I've lost him and I don't know what to do. I'm not asking to fake anything, I'm just asking for help. As the boy who helped you for 2 years, I'm just asking for a favour. As a friend." As Jimin watched the other, he realised that he technically did owe him, after all, Taehyung was what kept him alive in the darkest time of his life. And he too, cared.

The hall dimmed again and the chattering lowered to a low mumble. The next dance was about to start. As the dancer filed out, they all got into positions on stage, each boy with a girl and Taehyung's heart stopped. 

Clearly, it was going to be contemporary, with the way the girls pearly, sheen skirts swept the floor, along with their identical bodice's. The boy's were gorgeous as well. But the reason his heart stopped was because of what was on the centre of the stage.

All the pairs began how dances usually ended: a girls being dipped in a boys arms. Some pairs were laughing at each other, some were completely serious, but the one that hit him was the one in the centre.

You guessed it.

Tears pricked at Taehyung's dark eyes as he watched the two. The hall was dead silent, the music still being prepared, but the dancer stood still. He could see Jungkook's biceps flexing as he held the girl for longer, but his expression betrayed the exhaustion of his arms. They stared right into each others eyes, and Taehyung was close enough to make out these words.

You're going to do great.

Something shifted on Seulgi's face, a smile, as the soft music began. They danced perfectly together, each move locking with the other's like pieces of a puzzle. 

On instinct, whenever Taehyung felt upset, he would always hold Jimin's hand. Three years probably wasn't enough. It was totally platonic, but Taehyung wrapped his cold fingers around Jimin's which was lay nicely and perfectly on the arm rest.

Jimin snapped his head to his left, but realised he didn't feel anything. It was totally platonic. He turned their hands so the sides were on the arm rests and squeezed his fingers.

"Thank you." Whispered Taehyung, smiling at the soft boy beside him. Finally, they felt the tension from the past 3 years fade away, and they were okay. They weren't perfect, but they were okay.

I was just unfortunate that Jungkook saw.