HAPPY ARTIST OF THE YEAR AMA WIN BTS!!!!

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Nostalgia

Jimin stepped into the stage lights; while bright and casting his entire frame in white, he experienced the eerie chill of stepping into a shadow instead. The theater was massive, the columns hugging the sides scraped the dome shaped roof where intricate carvings of roses and thorns circled. Empty, dark green velvet chairs lined rows that could easily fit a thousand audience members. Jimin could barely make out the single, pink suited, figure in the back row of the floor seats.

A chill ran down his spine and suddenly the rose and vine detail of the theater's interior resembled snakes more than delicate flowers. Kim Seokjin wore his President mask, the polished gold deer antlers struck like a star burning against the dark floors and walls. The antlers connected to a beautifully carved golden mask in the shape of a deer's face, obscuring all but his copper flecked dark eyes.

Even from so far, Jimin could feel those eyes pierce through him. Through his skin; through his thoughts. SADA's President was personally heading the two hundred solo auditions. No one had warned Jimin of that.

Jimin kept his body loose, calm. His toes curled. I can do this, he thought. He was on stage - not in some SADA basement but in one of the most renowned theaters in all of Asia. People killed themselves and killed each other to perform on here and yet there he was. It's only the beginning, he told himself.

Energy pulsed through him the longer he stood, soaking in the cool white stage light. His mom would never understand his decision, but she equally missed out on the intoxication which was performance. There was nothing, in the moments between the start and end of a song, like it and every muscle in Jimin's body sang.

They'd play his music soon - starting the audition. Jimin's muscles, small and lean as they were, felt like they were set on fire. Fire that licked up feet and up his chest, whirling around his heart. Worth it. It's all worth it.

"Why do you want to join?" Jungkook's voice bled into the back of Jimin's head and he shook it away.

There was no warning, no sign, just one moment was silent and the next music played. Jimin instantly moved to it. He did a slow semicircle with the point of his feet, his heart pounding to the tempo. Jimin jumped, his knees bending behind him and his arms flying with strength and control along with them before landing, light as air.

The music - it sounded like rushing water and crackling fire and leaves falling, hitting each other as they flew from trees. He thought of spring in Busan, of the water warming up and the cold beach sand starting to become hot underneath his feet.

He thought of walking with his mom when he was just a kid; running from her with tears in his eyes. He laughed when she'd catch him and swing him up in his arms. Cold water would splash their feet and the salt would cause their noses to itch but the second she'd put him down he'd start the game all over again.

It was a good memory, happy. But felt like acid pouring down his throat to relive it.

Jimin flipped in the air, again landing with no sound, like he was dancing with his feet bare; the stage just sand and the Seokjin a bypasser in Jimin's nostalgia. He missed the beaches near Busan. The salt in the air. The fresh fish and smell of his mom prepping it.

Jimin felt as if he was outside his body, watching it twirl and flex; watching himself dance the story of a young boy now growing up without fully understanding what growing up meant. Watching that same boy forget himself; fear forgetting his family; fear his family forgetting him.

Jimin's body ached and sweat beaded his neck, the mask still secure behind his eyes - purely by some miracle - as he landed the last turn. This pounding in my chest. This freedom. I've felt it before. Jimin thought, his breathe latching.

Jungkook. Sitting next to him, that calm, that sureness of the world around them, he had only ever felt when he was on the stage and now when he was with the brunette boy.

He wasn't sure when the song had ended, only noticing that the violins had stopped at some point and Jimin was still crouched down on the floor. He stood, feeling the story bleed out of him for what felt like years. He would have lost himself in it again, the lull of performance, if it wasn't for the strong grip around his wrist snapping him back to reality.

The hand was digging into his skin, far enough to press against his bone.

Far harder than it needed.

Jimin jumped, realizing that SADA's President was standing in front of him. The man loomed over Jimin's small frame. His shoulders were built, broad enough that they blocked the cool stage light from hitting Jimin. He was tall, a head taller than Jimin. That golden mask shaped like the elegant face of a deer revealed copper eyes burning into Jimin's own underneath.

Jimin tugged at his hand but it didn't budge; Seokjin tightened his grip, pulling Jimin closer while those eyes of his held Jimin's hostage. The masquerade mask on Jimin's face felt as thin as a spider web. He felt bare; Jimin suddenly blushed, with the dance he had just performed he might as well have stripped naked.

A hand, Seokjin's free one, gently pressed against Jimin's raw cheek. Jimin tensed and the golden crown of a mask tilted to the side in...admiration? Curiosity? Jimin couldn't tell. But those hot fingers trailed down from Jimin's cheek to the side of his neck and lingered, watching Jimin the entire time.

Seokjin stepped back, finally letting go of Jimin's wrist and Jimin glanced at the fresh bruises outlining where his fingers had been. Still high from getting to perform, he lifted his wrist and stared at it. With a neutral expression Jimin watched the coloring of his skin start to change, bruising.

Seokjin's deer mask stayed tilted as he swept his attention across Jimin's neck where his hand had brushed. The SADA President nodded when he saw fear absent from Jimin's eyes.

"Dismissed." Seokjin after a moment, he said the word in a voice that made Jimin's spine straighten and heart race. The sound like thunder fully waking Jimin up from the high of his dance, snapping him back into reality.

Not only had Jimin performed in front of the president of the most powerful professional dance organization in Korea, but he had made him stand up from his seat.

A bell rang and Seokjin remained standing, his arms behind his back as two silver masked brothers, a girl who looked like Lalisa and a boy who Jimin had never seen, rushed out. They didn't make eye contact with Seokjin out of respect and Jimin froze realizing his mistake. He hadn't looked away when Seokjin had - when he had what? Grabbed him?

Jimin opened his mouth to speak before a blind fold was thrown over his eyes, surprising him. He was pushed out of the theater without getting the chance to say a word.

* * *

Jimin splashed water on his face in the bathroom of the union center where the pledges were dropped off after performing. He took a deep breath, splashing his face again, wishing the shock of cold water could wash away the confused thoughts and not just make the front of his blond hair stick to his cheeks.

Jungkook would know what to say. Jimin thought.

He snorted. He'd tell me I look good with my hair slicked back.

Not the time, Jimin. Not the time.

"Great, now I'm having convo's with myself and an imaginary boyfriend." He muttered.

"Hey!" Kim Taehyung said as he walked into the bathroom, scaring the living shit out of Jimin. "How did your private go? I can't believe we had to perform in front of the prez!! Did you see him?? Apparently he was hanging out in the back. Most people didn't see but I caught sight of him when he switched the way his legs were crossed."

"What?" Jimin said, blinking. He moved his bruising wrists behind his leg and outside of Taehyung's view. "He didn't talk to you?"

"I mean we all got the solid 'dismissed.' Nearly shit my pants at that."

"Oh." Jimin said. "He didn't like, come up to you?"

"...no.." Taehyung said, the buzz of auditioning leaving his body slightly. "Did he come up to you?"

Jimin swallowed, putting on an excited smile for Taehyung and shaking his head. "No, no I just heard that he had stood up for someone, that's all."

Taehyung gaped at that. "Well damn, I'd love to meet that prodigy. That's actually insane. And here I was thinking leg crossing was a big deal."

Jimin's smile wavered and his heart cracked as Taehyung took him by the shoulders. "Come on Jimin, your audition couldn't have been that bad. Stop with the comparisons. I've seen you dance. You're in for sure. I'd cut my leg - well no maybe not mine, but for sure Hoseok's - off if you don't get a bid."

Jimin snorted and Taehyung beamed, pulling Jimin in for a hug. "One more day." Taehyung said. "Then everything changes."

Taehyung squeezed him extra hard after that and Jimin tried to smile but it felt heavy.

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A/N: HAPPY THANKSGIVING WEEK!!!!
IF YOUR NOT IN THE US THEN HAVE A HAPPY WEEK IN GENERAL!!!

ALSO BTS AT THE HARRY STYLES CONCERT WAS SO CUTE!!! They boys looked so happy and I'm so happy that everyone there just let them enjoy the concert. God LA is treating them right ❤️❤️

Also obsessed with Twice's Cruel from their new album, 10/10 recommend 👏

- Vio