Y/n POV
"Morning Y/n."
His cheerful greeting pierces through your earphones.
You take one earphone off right away & lift your face up. Jimin is smiling at you as he plops down on the chair beside you.
"M-Morning." You stutteringly reply.
"Hey, have you done your math homework? I'm stuck at number 5. Can you please teach me how to do it?" He asks while scratching his temple.
"Well.. Ok, I guess."
"Yeay, thanks." He immediately takes his book & pulls his chair closer to yours.
His fresh soapy scent instantly fills your nostrils. He looks even more stunning up close, with his long lashes & cherry lips. You can see his pulse beating underneath his milky white skin & you feel like your heart is pounding in sync with its rhythm.
Why is he so friendly to me?
"Shall we start?" He searches your face, confused by your silence.
"O-Oh, yes. Sure."
Focus Y/n ah. He only talks to you because he needs help with math. Don't look too much into it.
You clear your throat & begin explaining the equation to him. His presence is so overwhelming that you lose track at times, but you're able to pull yourself together & help him finish the rest of the homework before the bell rings.
"Thanks a lot. I owe you one." He winks at you as he goes back to his desk.
Your heart skips a beat at his flirty gesture. You know that you must be blushing like a tomato right now, so you quickly lower your head & pretend to search for your books.
Shut it Y/n. He's from America, maybe it's common to wink at classmates like that. It doesn't mean that he's interested in you.
But deep down, there's a sliver of hope that wants you to be wrong.

Time for lunch.
You carry your tray & scan the cafeteria for Jimin's face, but he's nowhere to be seen.
"Let's have lunch together tomorrow."
His words ring in your ears.
See? He didn't mean what he said. Why would you take it seriously?
You scoff bitterly &, head lowered, walk towards the restroom like you usually do.
You're scolding yourself inside for hoping for something that will never happen when you feel a presence blocking your way.
"Excuse me, please let me through." You say without lifting your head.
"Where are you going? I asked you to have lunch together with me, didn't I?"
Your wide eyes shoot up & are met by Jimin's smiling ones.
Completely surprised, your brain loses the ability to form a response, so you just gape at him like an idiot.
"Let's go find somewhere to sit." He grabs your tray in a swift move & walks ahead of you.
"Wait! Where are we going? Wait!" You have no choice but to follow him.
"You want to eat here?" You ask him in disbelief.
"Yeah, why not? It's quiet & shaded from the sun." He says innocently as he sits down on the bleacher.
Little does he know that the place he brought you to is a popular 'dating' place for the students in your high school. Couples would go there to make out during breaks or after school.
You look to your left & right, no one is around right now, but you still hesitate whether you should join him or not.
"Come on. This is much better than the restroom, don't you think?" He raises his brow & teases.
"Huh.. Fine." You heave a deep sigh & decide to join him after all.
"Here you go." He hands you your tray & bites into his own sandwich.
It feels very awkward as you don't know what to say, so you just eat in silence.
"Do you remember where we first met?" He suddenly asks.
"Uhm.. School?" You know it's not the right answer, but you still haven't remembered where you'd seen him before.
"No. At the columbarium. Remember?" He turns to you & all the memories from that day flood your mind.
Your birthday. The day you dread the most for the whole year. Your lonely birthday party of one. Your tears. Your uneaten birthday cupcake.
And him. That guy you bumped into on your way out.
"That was you?" You ask in surprise.
"Yeah. I was wearing a pair of sunglasses so probably that's why you didn't recognize me."
You instantly feel exposed. Everyone knows about your tragic life, but no one has ever seen you at your most vulnerable state. And he has.
Your fingers begin to tremble & you feel like running away from him. But before you can say anything, he opens his mouth again.
"Don't you want to know what I was doing that day at the columbarium?"
Now that he asks, you begin to wonder.
Did he lose someone as well?
"Why were you there?" You ask timidly.
"I got back from the US that day & I went to visit my mom straight away." His lips curve into a sad smile.
"Oh. I'm sorry." And you really mean it, because you understand too well the pain of losing someone important.
"It's alright. I've never met her actually. She passed away when she gave birth to me & not long after that my dad brought me to live in the US." He shrugs.
How coincidental. Mama passed away after she gave birth to me too.
"It was your birthday when you visited your parents at the columbarium, wasn't it?"
Your heart stops at his question.
"H-How did you know?" Your eyes open wide in shock.
"I saw the cake you left in front of your parents' cabinet." He says flatly.
He knows too much. I can't stay here anymore.
"I'm leaving." You abruptly grab your tray & stand up to leave.
"You know what?" His call halts your step.
"That day was also my birthday. And my mom's death anniversary."
You abruptly turn your head to face him.
"N-No way.. How is that possible?" You stutter.
"I don't know. Such a coincidence, isn't it? I was surprised myself too." He shrugs.
"Is that why you're trying to befriend me?"
"My dad never wants to talk about my mom or the day she died. I miss her a lot even though I've never met her. I grew up feeling lonely & lost, but then I met you. I thought that there's finally someone that can understand my pain. If this isn't fate, I don't know what is. So.. with all that said.. do you want to be my friend?" He asks hesitantly.
You stare at him for the longest time, trying to digest the information he just shared.
"So you think we should be friends because I have a more tragic life than you? You lost your mom on your birthday, but I lost both of my parents on the same day. I make you feel at least that much luckier, is that it?"
"What? No, that's not what I meant at all. I-" He panics & abruptly rises from his seat.
"I was just kidding. I'm not that big of an ass." You chuckle & extend your hand at him.
"Phewww.. I thought you were really mad." He blows a sigh in relief & take your hand.
"Friends?" He asks.
"Sure, let's be friends & be lonely together."
For the first time in your life, you can smile genuinely from your heart.