The day started out normal. Well, as normal as it could be with Jimin and Yoongi chatting and walking with each other. This was new to them, as well as to the other students in school. So, maybe it wasn't quite so normal after all.

But Jimin and Yoongi were having a good time nonetheless. For the first time in years, Yoongi felt free at school. He didn't have to worry about bullies, and he had someone to talk to. He had a friend. And it felt great.

Jimin, meanwhile, was enjoying the most interesting and coherent discussions he'd had at school for the entirety of his high school education. Yoongi was smart and well-versed. The idiot army was the opposite. Jimin began to wonder how he hadn't lost every last one of his braincells by being forced to listen to them talk for so long.

Once they made it to lunch, Jimin scanned the room for an open table. There weren't any, but there were seats by none other than Junho, Hwang and Garam. He quickly led Yoongi over to them.

The three boys stared as Jimin and Yoongi both sat down.

"Hey, guys," Jimin said conversationally.

"Um, what. is. happening?" Hwang asked confusedly.

"What do you mean?" Jimin asked.

"Why is he here?" Junho asked bluntly.

"Because I asked him to sit with us."

The three continued to stare. "But...why?"

"What, are you scared of him or something?"

Garam laughed. "What the fuck, Jimin? No, he's afraid of us." He eyed Yoongi with a mischievous grin. "As he shoul – "

"Not anymore, he's not," Jimin interrupted. "Because you're going to continue to leave him alone."

"Jimin," Hwang suddenly changed the subject. "I heard a rumor that you were telling people yesterday that you're gay." He whispered the last word as though it were taboo.

Jimin shrugged. "So what if I am."

Garam choked on his food at Jimin's response. "What?" he asked as he coughed. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah," Jimin said nonchalantly as he took a bite of rice. "What of it?"

"Jimin," Junho said seriously. "Don't go around telling people that."

"Why not?"

"You'll be dropped by the popular crowd like a hot potato. You're already risking it hanging out with him." He gestured toward Yoongi.

"Most people I told yesterday weren't phased by it," Jimin explained. "I'll be fine."

"But you weren't hanging out with Yoongi when you told them," Hwang interrupted. "Now they're all gonna think you guys are together or something."

"How do you even know if Yoongi's actually gay?" Jimin snipped. "You – and everyone else here – have always just assumed."

"But...you're the one who started calling him a faggot first."

Jimin sighed. "I did," he said with shame in his voice. "But I shouldn't have. It's his business, not mine."

"So, are you saying he is, though?" Garam asked.

"Again, his business, not mine," Jimin said harshly. "Why don't you ask him yourself instead of talking about him like he's not here."

The three exchanged looks, but none of them would even look at Yoongi.

"Look, Jimin, just be careful," Junho said seriously. "We don't want your reputation to be affected."

Jimin rolled his eyes. "I'll manage."

But Jimin would eat his words just a couple of hours later.

-

"Hey, Park!"

Jimin sighed. Classes were in session, but he was going to the bathroom. He had not expected to run into anybody in the halls, but here Myeong and her friends were, sitting outside the library.

"What do you want?" Jimin asked.

"Heard you came out yesterday."

"And so what if I did?"

"Never pegged you for a faggot," Myeong said with a smirk. "And now you're hanging out with biggest one at school, too. What, are you guys fucking?"

Jimin's hands balled into fists. "No. I don't even know if he's gay."

Myeong laughed loud and long. "Of course you do. Wasn't it you who started all those rumors years ago?"

"It was," Jimin said with gritted teeth. "But now I – "

"So, what's it like?" Myeong interrupted. "Having a cock up your ass?"

Myeong's friends gasped in surprise at her bold words, but then began snickering.

"I wouldn't know."

"Ohhh, you're the pitcher, huh?" She cocked her head. "Never would've guessed."

"Shut up, Myeong."

"So, how does it feel then? Having your cock up Yoongi's ass?"

"I wouldn't know!" Jimin said again, more forcefully this time.

"Sure, sure."

Myeong turned to her friends and they all burst into laughter. Jimin could feel his cheeks getting hot.

"So, you haven't consummated this new little friendship yet?" Myeong asked. "When do you plan on doing it?"

"We're not even friends," Jimin shouted at her. "Why would I fuck someone I'm not even interested in talking to?! He just follows me around is all. I was nice to him like one time, and he won't leave me alone now! So, just shut up!"

Suddenly, Myeong looked up and over Jimin's shoulder. She smirked, and then turned to her friends as she snorted and pointed.

Jimin's eyebrows furrowed before he turned and looked in the direction in which Myeong was pointing. He could've sworn his soul left his body in that moment. Because there stood Yoongi, staring at him with sad eyes.

Jimin's own eyes widened. "Yoong – "

But Yoongi just turned on his heel and walked away.

"Well," Myeong said, standing. "At least he knows where he stands now." She laughed another hateful laugh before snapping her fingers. All of her friends rose and followed her down the hall.

Jimin stared after them. What the hell had just happened?

-

Jimin I'm so sorry, Yoongi.

Jimin I didn't mean any of those things I said.

Jimin Please, believe me.

Jimin Can we talk? Can I come over? Or I can call you.

Jimin Yoongi, please.

Jimin At least let me explain.

SMS Message Your previous message was not delivered.

Jimin Yoongi?

SMS Message Your previous message was not delivered.

Jimin Did you block me?

SMS Message Your previous message was not delivered.

Shocked, Jimin pressed the call button on Yoongi's contact. After just one short ring, the call was answered.

"The user you are trying to dial is not available." And then it hung up.

Jimin's mouth fell open. Yoongi had blocked him. He couldn't believe it. He felt tears prickling the corners of his eyes. What was he supposed to do now?

He looked down at the clock on his phone. The next group session was supposed to start in 30 minutes. He quickly stood to begin getting ready. He sincerely hoped Yoongi would be there.

But he wasn't. Of course he wasn't. And Jimin couldn't blame him.

Jimin did share some during the session; vague comments about losing a friend and being scared said friend would never talk to him again. He received a good amount of advice from the room, but there was one message that resonated the most.

"If you're truly sorry, don't give up on trying to connect with him. Real friendships can survive a lot. Just keep trying."

And so Jimin quickly got into his car after the session and hurriedly made his way to Yoongi's house. He needed to talk to him.

-

Jimin knocked on the front door, but no one came to answer it. He tried the doorbell. Still no luck. "Yoongi," he shouted. "Yoongi, please answer the door!"

After a few more times of calling out, the door finally opened. Yoongi's mother stepped out onto the porch.

"I'm not sure what's going on," she said. "But he says he doesn't want to see you."

"Please," Jimin begged. "Please let me in. I just need to talk to him for a few minutes."

Yoongi's mother shook her head. "I'm not going to force him to talk to you. You'll need to contact him another way."

"But there is no other way!" Jimin exclaimed desperately. "He's blocked my number! And he didn't show up to group!"

Yoongi's mother blinked. "You're in the same support group?"

"Yes!" Jimin said, hoping to keep Yoongi's mother talking so she wouldn't slam the door in his face. "Yes, and he didn't go tonight. Please, Mrs. Min. I'm so worried about him!"

Yoongi's mother sighed. "Are you okay?" she asked kindly. "Did you need him due to something that may have been discussed in group?"

"No," Jimin said emphatically. "No, I'm not okay! I need to talk to Yoongi!"

Nervously, Yoongi's mother looked over her shoulder. "Okay," she finally said. "I'll take you up there. But if he doesn't want you to stay, you'll have to leave. My main priority is Yoongi. And if you being here is a stressor for him, I won't tolerate it."

Jimin nodded his head. "I understand."

Yoongi's mother stepped aside, allowing Jimin to enter the foyer. He quickly kicked off his shoes and followed her up the stairs.

"Yoongi-yah," she said, knocking lightly on the door. "There's someone here to see you."

There was silence for a few long moments until, "I said I don't want to see him."

"He's very concerned about you, Yoongi-yah. And he says you've blocked him on the phone."

"Yeah, because I don't want to talk to him."

"Isn't this the same boy who came over about a week ago?" his mother persisted. "I thought he was your friend."

"He's not my friend," Yoongi growled. "I don't have any friends. You know that, mom."

His mother suddenly looked like she was about to cry. "Yoongi-yah, please. I think this boy wants to be your friend. Why don't you give him a shot?"

"Because I already did!" Yoongi yelled. "And he fucked it all up!"

Yoongi's mother stepped back from the door and looked at Jimin with a sad expression. "I think you should go," she said quietly.

But before she could take him downstairs and kick him out, Jimin reached out and began knocking on Yoongi's door.

"Please, Yoongi! Please talk to me!"

There was a sigh. "There's nothing to talk about anymore."

"I'm so sorry, Yoongi. I made a mistake. Can we please at least talk about it?"

There was silence on the other side of the door. Jimin hesitantly looked up at Yoongi's mother.

"I want to explain," he said to Yoongi, though his eyes were locked with Mrs. Min's. "You've been a great friend to me. And I know I haven't been that for you, and I'm so, so sorry. Please just give me one last chance to explain; to talk about it."

"Yoongi-yah," his mother said quietly as her eyes were still trained on Jimin's. "I think you should let this boy explain."

There was still no response. Finally, Yoongi's mother sighed and reached out. She turned the doorknob and slowly opened the door. Then, she excused herself and went downstairs.

Jimin nervously looked into the room. There was Yoongi at his music desk, headphones on as he listened to some of his newest music he was working on. He hadn't even bothered to listen to Jimin or his mother the whole time. He'd just put on the headphones and ignored them.

Jimin cautiously approached him, not wanting to scare him as he was coming up behind him. He gently reached out and placed his hand on Yoongi's shoulder. "Yoongi – "

Yoongi shrieked, which caused Jimin to shriek, and they both fell backwards; Yoongi tumbled out of his chair and Jimin onto the bed.

"I'm sorry!" Jimin exclaimed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare – "

Yoongi ripped his headphones off of his head. "Just get out!" he shouted.

"Yoongi – "

"Why can't you just take a hint!" he continued angrily.

Jimin didn't say anything further for a few moments. He waited for Yoongi to calm down and get his bearings.

Once he had, and he had gotten himself back into his chair, he threw Jimin an angry look. "Why are you even here?" he demanded.

"You blocked me," Jimin explained. "And then you didn't show up to group."

"Yeah, I had pretty valid reasons for doing that," Yoongi spat.

Jimin nodded. "You did. I know you did. But I'm hoping you'll give me at least this one chance to explain."

"What's there to explain?" Yoongi asked, snark dripping from his tone. "You made your position pretty clear at school."

"I'm sorry," Jimin said for perhaps the hundredth time that evening. "I didn't know you were behind me."

"So, you're sorry you got caught."

"No! I mean, yeah, but no! I mean – "

"God, just shut up, Jimin. Get out of here!"

"I didn't mean any of it. Myeong just got to me, and I – "

"'I'm not afraid of her,'" Yoongi mocked. "'She's still behind me in academics. She – '"

"I know!" Jimin lamented. "I know I said that. But it still happened. I let her get to me, and that's my fault. I should've just walked away when she started running her mouth."

Yoongi just glared at him.

"I got scared," Jimin admitted. "Scared that – "

"Oh, Jesus, is this about your stupid reputation again?!" Yoongi demanded. "No one cares about your fucking reputation, Jimin. No one but you! Even if you get booted out of the popular crowd, you'll still be the golden boy for the teachers. You'll still have the best grades. And you'll be out of high school in less than two years anyway!"

"I know!" Jimin said. "I know that! Which is why it's so stupid that I'm so concerned about it in the first place! I dunno, I guess I just thought this would be a lot easier than it ended up being. I – "

"You said we weren't even friends, Jimin. You basically told them I follow you around like an annoying, sad puppy."

Jimin sighed. "I know."

"You might as well have just left me alone all along."

Jimin met Yoongi's eyes. "I don't regret becoming your friend," he said fiercely. "And I don't regret kissing you. And I don't regret that I've fallen for you and that eventually, I'm going to tell the whole school." Yoongi blinked in surprise. "But I do regret that I said those things. And the thing I regret most is making you feel this way. I hate myself for it."

There was a long pause.

"Don't hate yourself," Yoongi muttered. "That's stupid."

Jimin raised his eyebrows. "But – "

"You don't deserve to feel like you hate yourself, Jimin. So don't."

Jimin sighed. "I – "

"I forgive you," Yoongi suddenly said. Jimin met his eyes.

"Yeah?"

Yoongi finally smiled. It was a small smile, but a smile nonetheless. It made Jimin grin.

"C'mon, Mr. Tutor," Yoongi teased. "I need help with maths." And he joined Jimin on the bed with his book.