Third Person's POV

March 2020

"Hey, stop right there!"

Huminto naman ito agad, lumingon siya at tumingin kay Jungkook. He looked surprised.

"Hi." Jungkook greets him, laughing softly and stopped right infront of the smaller. Ngumiti ito pabalik sakanya and wave his hand.

"I thought you went here earlier than I expected turns out kararating mo lang pala." Nakita naman agad ni Jungkook ang namumuong hiya sa mukha nito.

"Oo nga pala, I want to take you out for some drinks later." Nawala 'yung ngiti sa labi nito, napalitan ulit ng gulat. Bigla naman siyang nag-aala sa naging reaksyon niya.

"Okay kaba?" Jungkook asked, kumunot-noo it okay Jungkook. It seems hindi niya lang naintindihan, he wasn't uncomfortable, that encourages Jungkook.

"Why do you looked confused? I'm asking you if you're free later." He cleared out chuckling, Jimin nods his head and Jungkook was satisfied.

"Good." Aniya, yumuko naman agad ito, afraid Jimin might resume walking, he spoke.

"So, uh, can I have your number?" Jimin automatically looked up at him, Jungkook hand him his phone.

"Can I?" Jungkook asked again, hoping Jimin would consider. Nang kinuha niya 'yung phone sa mga kamay niya ay napangiti si Jungkook doon.

Jungkook just stare as he typed his phone number pero agad din niya 'yon in-erase at huminto. Jungkook lifted his head at nagtama ang mga mata nila, ngitian siya ni Jungkook at ang una niyang napansin ang unti-unting pamumula ng pisngi niya.

He's shy.

Binalik niya ulit ang tingin niya sa phone and he re-type his number, Jimin hand him his phone. Jungkook immediately pressed add number but he remembered he doesn't know his name yet.

Binalik ni Jungkook ang phone niya sa binata, Jimin immediately typed his name and this time, sa mukha na siya nito nakatingin.

Panandalian lang 'yon dahil bumalik ang tingin niya sa phone, kinuha niya 'yon sa kamay ni Jimin at binasa ang pangalan niya.

Jimin.

Tumingin ito sakanya at ngumiti, "Jimin," Jungkook tries, "You have a pretty name." Hindi niya maiwasan na i-compliment, not expecting to say it out loud. He notices then, Jimin gets flustered easily.

Maybe Jimin already knew his name, but it didn't stop him from introducing himself.

"In case you didn't know, I'm Jungkook." The smaller had a neutral expression on his face. He knew his name, Jungkook thinks.

"Paano, see you later?" Aniya.

***

"Thank you." Saad ng binata sa staff ng ibinigay nito ang order nila. Iniwas niya dun ang tingin niya at naglakad papunta sa pwesto nila. He stopped, habang pinagmamasdan niya si Jimin. He looked stress and nervous,

this was his first isn't it? Having to meet with someone outside the University.

It saddened Jungkook to see him like this, at the same time he want him to change this attitude, make him understand there's nothing wrong with hanging out, with a friend.

"Oh, I bought this for you." Jungkook said, at ipakita sa binata ang binili nito, missing the way Jimin's face fell down.

"Use this." He encourages him.

"I'm 21 years old, how about you?"

He wrote and showed him, he was 23 years old. He's two years older than him, and it amuses Jungkook. Panandaliang nawindang si Jungkook, this person was not his hoobae but his sunbae.

"You're older than me, huh." He points out, chucking, hindi siya makapaniwala. "Wah, I did not expect this." He said and leaned backward on his chair, head shaking. He looked at Jimin with interest, then he raises a brow.

"You're a hyung yet stalking me? I deadass thought you're my hoobae since you acted like one."

Jimin smiled at tila tumigil ang mundo ni Jungkook dahil duon. He looked so carefree, and this was the first— Jungkook blinked his eyes, now back at his senses. Na-dismaya ito ng bigla siyang yumuko.

"You know what's more surprising? Instead of stalking the popular ones, you chose to stalk me."

"Can you tell me the reason why did you do that?"

'I saw you one time hanging out with them and got curious.'

Oh.

He wasn't interested in Jungkook— it was unnecessary but Jungkook felt a little disappointed.

"You mean Namjoon and his other popular friends?" Jungkook asked, smiling.

"So you're a little jealous about me hanging out with your favorite person? Tell me who among them?" It didn't sound right, parang lumalabas na nagseselos but he wasn't, really. Maybe it's because of his competitive ass. He's handsome and that's a fact, akala niya dahil duon kaya sunod ito ng sunod sakanya, iba pala ang gusto, not that he really do mind, he already has a girlfriend.

"Namjoon is my cousin, don't worry about me." Jungkook says convincing the smaller, "I don't have a thing with any of them." He cleared out for him, natahimik naman ito agad, realizing he's asking Jimin's personal whereabout. He's already crossing the line.

Napagdesisyunan niyang ibahin ang topic, "So, uh, you're in your last year?" He nods, finally reacting to him again. Hindi niya mabasa ang iniisip nito and he's mute, kaya naman it was a relief.

'Ikaw?' That made Jungkook happy.

"Thought you wouldn't ask, I'm in my 3rd year."

Jungkook stared as he erased the whiteboard habang nakayuko, it made his lips looks like pouting. Napailing ito, puno 'yata ng cuteness ang taong 'to.

"I noticed you're always alone." Saglit itong napahinto sa sinabi niya, despite of being worried, he need to carry out the conversation. When he saw him continue erasing the whiteboard, Jungkook spoke again.

"I bet it's hard to find friends with your condition." Jungkook was careful, he need to.

"Since it's your last year let's make it memorable." Jimin looked up at him surprise, binigyan siya ni Jungkook ng isang malawak na ngiti. "And let's start it with building friendship with me." Jungkook suggested, he mean it.

Nakikita sa mukha nito ang sobrang pagka-gulat, honestly, it broke Jungkook's heart. Was this his first time hence he's reacting like this?

"Sounds fun right?" Jungkook says, lighting the mood.

Jimin started writing and showed it to him, "Can I think about it a little more?" It wasn't the response he was expecting, "Oh," Jungkook blurt out, even so, he smiled and nods, as he completely understood.

"It's my bad for rushing things, how inconsiderate of me right? It must be uncomfortable for you." Jungkook says to him guiltily, and it made Jungkook want to bite down his tongue for telling things so casually without considering what the latter would feel.

"You're worrying and I'm telling you, I'm fine with that." Jungkook explained, hoping it would make him less stress, and it didn't work, he's now spacing out.

Jungkook wanted to hold his hand, he want to assure him that it was fine, really.

He waited... until, he sees him calmed down.

"Baka hinahanap ka na nang Kuya mo, ihahatid na kita." Jungkook excuses, diverting the smaller attention.

'Hindi na kailangan.'

"I insist." Jungkook said leaving no room for any argument.

Jungkook suggested to take a cab at pumayag naman ito. Ibinababa naman sila isang alleyway na papunta sa loob kung saan sila nakatira. Walang pumapasok duon, kaya wala silang magagawa kundi maglakad papasok unless they have a personal service or car, Jungkook didn't have one.

Habang naglalakad sila ay panay ang tingin niya kay Jimin. He still feel bad for making him uncomfortable and makes it look like he's pushing himself a bit too much to his life.

Huminto siya sa tapat ng bahay ng pinsan nito. Jimin looked at him, Jungkook shook his head.

"Told you, I'll walk you home." Hindi naman ito muling nagsalita at nagpatuloy sa paglalakad.

Humarap siya kay Jungkook, nasa harapan na sila ng gate ng bahay nito. He bowed to Jungkook, before gazing up at him. He was too polite, Jungkook ruffles his hair softly.

"Pumasok kana, aalis narin ako." Nginitian niya si Jungkook pagkatapos ay tumalikod na.

"Kita na lang tayo bukas." Pahabol niya.

***

Jimin approached Jungkook nakangiti ito habang nakatingin sa binata. He waved his hand, Jimin didn't react to that, yumuko ito agad.

Lumapit siya dito at sabay silang naglakad. Pansin ni Jungkook 'yung lack of interest nito sakanya, he's different today. Bigla naman itong napatingin sa itaas ng mapansin na parang uulan.

Binalik niya 'yung tingin niya kay Jimin, "Sa tingin ko uulan." Hindi siya kumibo sa sinabi niya.

"Kailangan nating magmadali." Habol niya, he knew by then, he's ignoring Jungkook on purpose. Afraid of being caught in the rain, bigla niyang hinawakan ang wrist ni Jimin, yanking him, walking rapidly.

Sobrang lapit na nila sa main entrance ng biglang bumuhos ang ulan, Jungkook and Jimin run inside and sheltered themselves.

Hingal na hingal sila pareho, binalingan siya ni Jungkook ng tingin ng mapansin nitong pinupunasan niya ang braso niya na nabasa ng ulan. He didn't bat an eye on Jungkook, not even a second.

He's ignoring him yet he had this guilty look on his face, it appears he doesn't like what he's doing, Jungkook supposed.

Jungkook reached out his hand and fixes his bangs, Jimin pauses and looked up at him. As soon as their gazes met, Jungkook spoke.

"Nabasa tayo nang ulan baka magkasakit ka, text mo ako kung may maramdaman kang hindi maganda mamaya." Jungkook said, and honestly he waited for any reaction coming from him ng hindi niya nakita 'yon, he brushes it off with a smile.

"Mala-late na ako sa klase ko. I'll see you later." Jungkook lied and taps Jimin's back.

***

"Hey,"

Jungkook calls for Jimin. Hindi siya nito narinig, kaya tinawag niya ulit ito sa pangalan niya.

"Jimin,"

Jungkook pulled him and spin him around, making his whole body turned towards him. He looked surprised while staring at him.

"I've been calling you seems like you're ignoring me." on purpose again, he wanted to add. He was just concern, he looked stressed and Jungkook wanted it to stop, hindi niya lang alam papaano niya sisimulan.

"What's wrong?" dahil ba parin ba 'to sa friendship na inaalok ko?, he wanted to ask but he can't, ayaw niya itong pangunahan. It's better kung kay Jimin na mismo manggaling 'yon.

Jimin pulled his brows together, namumutla rin ito. Jungkook's eyes widens when Jimin turns suddenly collapses.

"Hey, Jimin! Jimin-hyung!"

***

Jungkook's face lights up nang nakita nito ang sudden movement ng kamay ni Jimin, he looked at his face, he's awake now at nakahawak ito ngayon sa ulo niya.

"Gising kana pala." Jungkook snaps, Jimin looked at him in awe.

"Kumain ka muna." Aniya.

He pushed himself up and Jungkook followed his movements. Kinuha niya ang food na nakalagay sa maliit na bedside table. Jungkook didn't leave even when Jimin had woken up, inalalayan niya ito until sa matapos siyang kumain.

"The nurse advices me na iuwi ka muna para makapagpahinga ka nang maayos." Saad sakanya ng binata, hindi naman niya ito inaasahaan na sagutin siya ni Jimin.

"If okay kana, let me know para masamahan na kita."

Jimin climbed off the bed at tumayo na, Jungkook acted right away, tumayo siya para alalayan ito but the smaller slightly pushed him, rejecting his offer. Jungkook understood and didn't push himself to help. Tumabi siya para padaanin si Jimin.

Hindi maganda ang estado nito but Jungkook is being careful, he doesn't want to upset him. Jimin stumble a little, "Slowly," Jungkook mumbled from behind.

Lumingon ito na parang may hinahanap, "Nandito saakin." Jungkook beamed. Jimin looked at him and down to his bag. Jungkook was now wearing Jimin's sling bag.

"Ako na ang magdadala." Iniwas ni Jimin ang tingin sakanya at naglakad na palabas nang Clinic.

"We will take a cab." Aniya.

Tahimik ang buong biyahe, mabigat 'yung loob ni Jungkook. He felt guilty for crossing the line, hindi niya in-expect na, Jimin would get uncomfortable around him.

This would be the last, he thought silently.

Nakarating din sila sa bahay ng binata, he had his back facing Jungkook when the younger calls his attention.

"I see you already made up your mind and I'm not gonna push it. It was nice knowing you, Jimin-hyung." Jungkook said and there's no hint of any annoyance in his voice but acceptance.

"Make sure you rest well, I'll be going now."

At least, he tried to befriend him. Jungkook doesn't have any plan of pushing it further, regardless, he would be still there if Jimin wanted a friend.