Taehyung watches Jimin straighten, his eyes darting over his shoulder. He goes to turn around, but Jimin puts his hands on Taehyung's face and his eyes go serious, making Taehyung frown in confusion.

"Have I ever told you that I believe in you and that I love you a lot?"

"Um, not really--"

"Well I do, and you deserve the universe, so don't hate me, okay?"

"Jimin..." Taehyung's heart picks up. "What--?"

The shorter boy spins on his heel and runs, his duffel bag still in his hands.

And Taehyung is left there in front of the auditorium, pinching the bridge of his nose because he knows that any moment--

"Well," Jungkook mumbles. "He got us again."

Taehyung sighs, folding his arms across his chest as he glares at Jimin's retreating figure gradually getting smaller.

"It's okay," Jungkook says, not climbing the stairs as he keeps a generous distance. "I'll just leave, and we'll act like this didn't happen."

It's completely involuntary for Taehyung's lips to part, and definitely completely involuntary for the faintest "Wait," to leave his lips.