At the Crossroads

005

"Good morning everyone. I am Kang Daniel and I am your batch representative for the student council."

Everyone's attention was focused on the male in front. He continued speaking, "Now, officials from the government would come in our school in the next two weeks. Each batch has a designated place to decorate. We decided it by draw lots and ours is... the school quadrangle. "

Grunts and complaints echoed in the classroom for everyone knew that the quadrangle was the largest part of their school.

Daniel coughed again, as a cue to focus back their attention to him. He said, "Your class's task is the school's gate. Besides that, we also need someone to play any musical instrument, or maybe even sing. Unfortunately, in the other classes, there was no one willing. How about here?"

Jungkook swore that he saw Dahyun attempted to raise her hand, but then, one of his classmates, Kai, already suggested, "Jimin! He's a musical genius!"

"Who is Jimin?" Daniel asked.

"Me," Jimin raised his hand.

"Would you mind doing it?" Daniel questioned.

But instead of Jimin, it was another classmate which answered, "Of course, he won't! Jimin is kind after all.'

Daniel nodded before adding, "Then, what about the one who will lead your class in decorations? Any volunteers for leaders?"

"Jimin can do that too!"

Daniel casted a glance at Jimin and the latter said nothing but just smiled in reply. Daniel nodded in understanding before informing that all have been settled. He bowed in greeting before leaving and the class resumed as usual.

However, Jungkook kept looking at Jimin.

Here we go again.

----------

"I didn't know that you play instruments too," Dahyun spoke.

Too? So she already knows that Jungkook plays musical instruments? Jimin asked himself before replying, "Yes. Jungkook and I met in a musical competition when we were young and that's how we became friends."

Dahyun looked at Jungkook to confirm and Jungkook nodded in reply. He then said, "Jimin, I will meet my dad today so I'll be going early and the two of you should not wait for me."

When the two nodded, he stood up but only to halt midway as he thought, How will things go between these two?

"Where are you going? It's still lunch time," Dahyun asked.

"I already have permission to cut class," Jungkook answered.

"Take care," Jimin and Dahyun said in unison.

Jungkook smiled before walking away but his thoughts remained to the two.

I hope everything will be okay.

----------

"Jimin, I'll be going!" Kai informed and waved at him in goodbye.

Jimin beamed and nodded in affirmation while Dahyun furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. There was no one in the room now except the two of them and all the work have been left undone.

Sighing in frustration, Dahyun asked Jimin, "How can you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Let people go," Dahyun uttered, "There are still lots of work to be done for the decorations."

"Let them be. I can do it," Jimin tried to smile at her but Dahyun kept staring at him.

This has been going on for days. No one would stay to help Jimin except for Jungkook and Dahyun.

"How can you do that?" Dahyun muttered.

"Do what?" Jimin asked again, confused.

"Fake a smile," Dahyun answered seriously.

Jimin chuckled in reply, "You can go home too if you want, since Jungkook is not here."

"Why are you like that?" Dahyun kept asking.

"What again?" Jimin asked back, his voice turning stern.

"You don't show people your true feelings. You are clearly irritated when our classmates leave without helping but you don't say anything about it," Dahyun said, her voice still soft.

"It's okay. They are my friends," Jimin gazed at anything but Dahyun's eyes.

"But I don't think you even consider them as friends," Dahyun walked towards his front, demanding him to look at her as she spoke, "You just want people to like you, that's why you put on a mask which has a smile on it."

A long silence followed as their gazes met.

"I told you to go home already," Jimin insisted, irritation clearly marked in his voice.

"Even me," Dahyun continued, "You don't even consider me as a friend. I don't think you even like me. You're just like that because you don't want me to say bad things about you, right?"

The smile on Jimin's lips had already vanished when he told her, "That's right. I don't like you. You... you are just like everybody else."

"Everybody else whom you want to please. Pleasing won't do anything Park Jimin!" Dahyun argued, "You want people to accept you but you, yourself, do not accept people. You want people to understand you, but you do nothing to make them understand. You don't even say anything."

"Shut up," he uttered – his playfulness long gone. Her arguments struck him so hard that anger ignited within him. He started breathing slowly as he stared at Dahyun.

He muttered, "You. You are the reason why I need more people to please now."

Dahyun creased her forehead, confused.

"You, you are stealing Jungkook's attention," Jimin told her, "That's why I need to gather friends, so that if Jungkook leaves me for you, I... I would still have people around me."

Dahyun was about to speak but then Jimin yelled, "And don't you dare pretend that you know me!"

Without another word, he stormed outside the room, leaving Dahyun alone.

"But I want to know you," Dahyun whispered before sighing.