So eventually Taehyung gets his pants fixed.

And the boys attempt to get a start on the project, Jeongguk setting out the research materials he brought and making the tiniest effort to set out a plan with Hoseok, but Taehyung quickly distracts everyone with the announcement he's going to put on a movie.

And that's where chaos begin and project efforts end.

The movie Taehyung intended to put on is The Dark Night Rises, which everyone agreed on beforehand, what he actually puts on is The Bee Movie, and Jeongguk, for one, has seen the movie enough times to quote it line by line, so although he's not particularly interested, he says nothing.

Jimin sits down on the sofa next to the armrest, Hoseok sits next to him, and Taehyung - since it's "his house" - gets the last available spot. Absolutely not - he replies to Jeongguk's text - because he wants to sit next to Hoseok. He just likes the sofa better than the armchair, where Yoongi ends up sitting, because Jeongguk insists he doesn't mind sitting on the floor. So that's where he is now, leaning against a pillow in front of the end table right next to Jimin.

And Jeongguk can't help taking frequent, subtle glances at the boy. Again, he's seen The Bee Movie a million times so he knows he's not missing out on much. More so, Jimin looks absolutely invested in the movie. His wide, curious eyes hardly blinking, as though he would regret not seeing a single frame of this absolutely ludicrous film. He must not have seen it before, Jeongguk guesses. He wants to ask but also doesn't want to bother the boy.

He ends up doing so anyway.

As subtly as he can, Jeongguk nudges Jimin's leg, unintentionally startling him. "Oh, sorry," he whispers, cracking a smile. "I was just gonna ask, is this your first time watching this?"

Jimin gives a tentative nod. And Jeongguk is about to speak but he stops upon noticing Jimin opening his mouth again. "Have...have you seen it?"

"Have I?" The other says in a blatantly sarcastic tone. "Enough times to reenact the entire thing myself. Here, listen — according to all known laws of aviation-"

He stops abruptly at the sensation of a popcorn kernel hitting the side of his head.

"Dude, shut up, Hoseok can't hear the movie," Taehyung hisses. Jeongguk rolls his eyes and mocks his friend's words under his breath.

And he almost - keyword almost - misses the way Jimin's cheeks raise as a result of a barely perceptible, but completely genuine, silent laugh.

Jeongguk's heart leaps in his chest against his will.

He turns his attention back to the movie screen and shuts his mouth. For a short time.

"...isn't this bestiality?" Someone says.

"It's bee-stiality," Jeongguk replies out of habit, not even registering it's Jimin who uttered the question and not Taehyung. The giggle from behind him acts as a trigger.

Hoseok laughs, too, but by this point Jeongguk's heard Hoseok's laugh plenty of time, but never Jimin's.

Which he decides may be the cutest thing he's ever heard. Even in its softest form.

His eyes linger on the smile that stays on Jimin's face until, that is, the boy registers Jeongguk looking at him. Then the smile fades, shyness resettles, and a warm shade of pink stains Jimin's adorably round cheeks.

Again, Jeongguk's heart acts up.

He takes out his phone.

-

me
tae dude

Taegchi
guk wth we're watching the bee movie

Taegchi
also why u texting we're like three feet away

me
i need help

Taegchi
and i need more popcorn. we've all got problems.

me
no i'm serious

me
jimin's making my blood pumping organ do gay things

Taegchi
what do u want me to do about it dude i'm on a mission

me
you're not gonna get any closer to dating hoseok if u insist u don't like men

Taegchi
guk wth i don't, thats gay

Taegchi
but like also peep hoseok's side profile rn

Taegchi
i've got the best view

Taegchi
no cap my mom's home cooking has a serious competitor cus mmmmmm

me
what if i just screencapped our conversation and sent it to him

Taegchi
alright what u need help with

me
what do i do??

Taegchi
lean your head on his thigh you're literally right next to it

Taegchi
boom you're welcome 💁‍♀️

me
tae no what i'm not doing that

Taegchi
why not what if it's more comfortable than the pillow you're leaning on

Taegchi
you don't have a ton of support sitting right in front of the end table like that, i'm sure jimin wouldn't mind if Sacheon High School's #1 voted hottie leaned on his legs for support

me
did u vote for me

Taegchi
what

me
as sacheon high school's #1 hottie

me
did u vote for me

Taegchi
dude why are u asking me that it's weird

Taegchi
of course i voted for hoseok

me
my feelings are shot, man

Taegchi
you won third place

me
third??

me
you know what nvm i'm tired of u breaking my heart like this tae :( this conversation is over

Taegchi
wait refill the popcorn bowl pls

me
no thanks i don't need any popcorn

me
also what happened to working on the project?

Taegchi
sshhh after the movie

-

Shaking his head, Jeongguk sets his phone on the floor beside him, making the smallest attempt to focus on the movie. And quickly failing.

He hears Jimin giggling cutely from time to time throughout the rest of it. Jeongguk doesn't quite understand what it is about it that sounds so sweet, so pleasant, that it recreates the feeling of when he first heard Hyungi laugh when he was a baby.

It's too early for a crush. Jeongguk mentally slaps himself across the face. I just like his laugh. And I think he's really cute.

"Uh, excuse me, Taehyung?"

Jimin's soft voice speaks up in an even softer tone, catching Jeongguk's attention immediately but taking a moment to reach the conscious part of Taehyung's brain.

"Where's your bathroom?"

"Bathroom?" Tae turns his attention towards the staircase behind them. It appears he's about to give directions, so Jimin lifts his eyes and ears attentively in preparation so that he won't need Taehyung to explain it more than once. "Just turn left at the top of the steps and it's the door at the end of the hall."

"Okay, thanks."

Jimin starts to stand up, reaching for his phone which he placed on the end table next to his cup of soda while he was watching the movie - his nearly untouched cup of soda, in fact, as the boy was so distracted by the movie that he didn't partake much in snacks or beverages like the others did.

He's not watching what he's doing. More concerned with not tripping over Jeongguk sitting so close to his legs on the floor, Jimin clumsily knocks the open cup of soda off the end table in the process of lifting his arm.

The drink spills onto an unsuspecting Jeongguk.

And it's an immediate mix of reactions from the four other boys, Taehyung's shameless eruption of laughter, Yoongi's minor look of disgust watching the sticky liquid drench Jeongguk's hair and shirt, Hoseok's conflicted expression not knowing whether it's okay to crack a smile or if he should act concerned, and finally Jimin, poor, mortified Jimin, with his face having not a shred of color whatsoever, looking as closest as he can possibly be to passing out.

"J-J-Jeong, Jeongguk, I-I'm so sorry, I-I..." His voice trembles uncontrollably, as do his hands which poke out in fear from the comfort of his sweatshirt's roomy sleeves. Jeongguk wipes the liquid from his eyes as he begins to stand up. He's got the slightest smile on his face, but Jimin doesn't notice it - rather, it seems he already prepared himself for all hell to break loose, so instead of his nerves easing at the sight of Jeongguk's expression, they skyrocket.

"It's just soda." Jeongguk chuckles as he licks his lips. "It's fine."

"At least the cup wasn't made of glass," Hoseok adds, breathing a sigh of relief as he permits himself a grin. "Also, his shirt's ugly, anyway."

"Ouch, Hoseok."

"I'm kidding! I like your shirt. It's different than what you normally wear to school. Kinda."

"Yup." Taehyung snorts. "Slightly different variation of white."

"Oh, shut up, Tae. I do have other clothes..."

Without warning Jimin suddenly darts around Jeongguk, scrambling towards the stairs which he doesn't hesitate to put behind him in an obvious escape to the bathroom.

The living room goes silent for a moment as the four other boys exchange awkward glances. Hoseok stands up. "I'll, uh..." He forces a smile at the ground. "...I'll go talk to him."

"No, let me."

"Jeongguk, he's very sensitive-"

"I'm not mad." Jeongguk stares Hoseok directly in the eye, not looking away even as the other glances down at his soda-stained shirt. "I'll just go see if he's okay. I have to use the bathroom anyway."

He doesn't wait for approval, but rather chooses to take responsibility, feeling guilty about the situation despite being the victim of it.

In a few seconds he's the top of the stairs and turns left to head towards the bathroom.

There, at the end of the hall, Jeongguk finds Jimin standing outside the bathroom, clutching one hand with the other as he shakes and whimpers. Jeongguk feels his stomach turn over. He's not crying, is he?

"Jimin?"

The boy lifts his head in a panic, then turns it down again just as quickly. "Someone's...in the bathroom," he whispers.

Probably Tae's sister.

Jeongguk takes several slow steps towards him, all the while keeping a close eye on Jimin in fear the boy will tense up even more. And he does.

"I-I'm sorry," Jeongguk hears him utter breathlessly. "I-I swear I didn't mean to, I'm sorry, I'm so stupid, I-"

"Jimin, relax, I'm not mad."

It's a bit overwhelming to Jeongguk, and if he's honest with himself, he doesn't really know what to do in this situation. Clearly, Jimin feels absolutely awful about it, but it seems the boy's exaggerated the problem for himself, taking the phrase make a mountain out of a molehill to a whole new level. More than unsettling, it's saddening to Jeongguk. It really isn't a big deal to him. But for some reason it is to Jimin.

He's got tears in his eyes now.

Just as Jeongguk notices this, the door to the bathroom opens and Taehyung's fourteen-year-old sister, Youjin, steps out. She stops at the sight of her brother's best friend and a teary-eyed stranger standing right outside.

"Hey, Youjin," Jeongguk greets her before she can open her mouth. "He's fine, just got something in his eye, don't worry."

"Oh." Puzzled, she offers a wave, then slips by the two to get to her room.

Jimin hurries into the bathroom and closes the door.

And Jeongguk sighs, wishing he could have stopped him, but instead lowers himself to the floor and sits down.

-

me
it's really okay. i promise i'm not mad or anything.

me
i'm sorry if you're upset

me
come and join us soon ok?

—