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Well, shit.
It was getting harder and harder for Jimin to believe that tall people weren’t actually some alien race trying to conspire against the short people. The book he needed for his oh-so-important, worth half his grade, book report for a class that had absolutely nothing to do with his major, was just out of his fingertips. Not figuratively, but actually quite literally- the book was placed on the top shelf of the library, and let’s just say Jimin was lacking a bit in the height department. Running a hand through his cotton candy pink hair, he took a breath and tried to stretch just a bit more, to no avail.
Usually, Jimin wouldn’t be one to admit defeat, but the report was due Monday and he had no time, or dignity left, to waste standing on his tip-toes trying to reach the book. So, the short boy looked around for the nearest person that looked like they wouldn’t either ignore him or laugh at him. Sadly, there weren’t many options, as it was a Thursday night- aka 75 cent drinks night- aka the night everyone was out trying to get laid. Leaving Jimin debating between asking the girl currently tugging her hair out, poured over three textbooks and talking to herself, or the sane looking, quite cute, black haired boy drinking coffee with his sweater pulled over his palms reading. Jimin weighed his options and approached the cute boy with the sweater paws.
“Excuse me,” Jimin mumbled blushing and running his hands through his hair, feeling bad for interrupting the boys reading as he clearly wasn’t asking for any company if he was reading alone on a Thursday night curled up in the library. However, it didn’t seem the boy heard him, and Jimin really, really needed that book to pass the class or else he was facing paying for extra classes just to come back the next year.
“Uh-I’m sorry-but I really need your help-there’s-uh-I need a book-and uh-Ican’tseemtoreachit. Please just-“ Jimin stuttered a bit louder, words getting more and more jumbled as he realized just how cute the other boy was looking up at him through his eyelashes with such a confused look on his face.
“I’m sorry, what? I was totally immersed in this book.” The cute boy said making Jimin feel even worse, adding to both his guilt for interrupting his reading and the fluttering in his heart. Not to mention the embarrassment he’s been feeling for not being able to get a book without assistance.
“There’s this book I need for a dumb class, but it’s on the top shelf, and honestly I’m pretty short so I need help reaching it- if you wouldn’t mind.” Jimin rephrased, slower this time.
“Oh, yeah sure, where’s it at?” The few seconds it took for Jimin to lead the boy to the proper shelf were some of the most intense seconds of his life, trying not to embarrass himself anymore. His attempt was in vain, however, because Jimin stood right where the book he needed was, but got distracted by the boy’s eyes and didn’t even think to tell him which book exactly he needed. So much for not having time to waste.
Once again, Jimin finds himself blushing and running his hands through his hair. “Fuck, sorry, the blue one up there.” He says shuffling out of the way when he catches the cute boy stifling giggles at him. The raven haired boy stretches up and Jimin totally doesn’t stare at the strip of skin exposed under his sweater.
“Uh- slight problem,” The boy mumbles and it’s just now that Jimin realizes that the cute boy is too, targeted by the aliens described as tall people.
“Oh god, what am I going to do? I really, really need that book.” Jimin rubbed his eyes with his hands before tugging at the cotton candy strands, the three cups of coffee and the four hours of sleep were starting to get to him.
“Dude, it’s okay, just ask the librarian- it won’t be that bad come on, maybe she has another copy she knows of.” He tried to reassure Jimin when he saw his eyes grow big at the thought of asking the librarian for help, she wasn’t exactly known for being nice. Plus, it meant he’d have to let the boy go back to his own life, and he really enjoyed his company. Unless-
“Okay, okay I can do this. Come with me?” Jimin pleaded, even adding his puppy eyes.
“Alright, alright, but after this, I’m going back to my book.” The boy gives in with a roll of his eyes but a small smile on his face that makes Jimin think that just maybe, he enjoys Jimin’s company too.
The pair of boys make their way to the help desk, Jimin reluctantly leading the way. When the boys neared the desk, Jimin realized two things. One: the mean old hag called the librarian wasn’t there, in her place was a young girl. Two: the book Jimin needed was sat right by said girl’s bag. Taking another look at the librarian’s replacement, he saw that the girl was stunning, regardless of the fact he ‘plays for the other team.’ Her brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail, glasses sat low on her nose, and she was drowning in an oversized cardigan. Now, now Jimin had a game plan.
“There, that’s the book. I’ll distract her, you go take it.” Jimin said, eager about his plan walking towards the desk without waiting for a reply, leaving the raven haired boy with no choice in good conscious than to do as he said.
For the umpteenth time that night, Jimin ran his fingers through his hair, although this time it had a whole other reason. Biting his lip, he approached the girl.
“So…what makes a beautiful girl work here on 75 cent drinks night?” Jimin flirts and places both his palms on the desk maintaining a suave exterior. Surprisingly, Jimin was very good at flirting when he had no intentions following through with it.
“Not being able to afford regular priced drinks, I suppose.” The girl quips back taking her focus off her phone and instead, grinning up at him. “Librarian refused to continue working nights, something about not being able to stand the smell of espresso and existential crises any longer.”
“Couldn’t say I blame her, what’s your name?” Jimin asks. He keeps the conversation going for a couple minutes seeing the boy panicking. Out of the blue, and in the middle of a story she was telling, he asks for her number. A bit startled, she begins writing it down. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees the book being shoved down the boy’s pants as he turned away making a break for it. Embarrassingly enough, with the book still half exposed, he walked straight into the return cart causing a loud clang to sound through the quiet library. Without time to escape, the boy is being told off by the pretty girl, soon being smacked by the same book Jimin needed oh so dearly.
Giggling, the two boys finally made it through the girl’s onslaught. Then they crashed onto the ground, still giggling, at the end of a random aisle of books after being shushed by the insane girl still tugging on her hair.
“Why was your first idea to shove it down your pants?” Jimin laughed unconsciously leaning his head onto the newly acquainted boy’s shoulder.
“Yah, you should be thanking me for trying, you’re the dumbass that blurted out asking for her number out of nowhere. Did you think you could just charm her and she’d hand over the textbook and her first born child?” He defends himself playfully shaking Jimin’s head off his shoulder.
“Hey, you can insult my flirting, don’t insult the plan, that was a good plan.”
“Not a good plan if you can’t flirt.” The boy says getting up off the floor and reaching his hand out to help the other up.
“Got you to talk to me for this long, huh? Checkmate.” Jimin joked accepting the help as the giggles made his muscles weak. Apparently, the sleep deprivation made him lose his filter, turning him into a complete flirt, not that he was complaining.
“Whatever you say, perhaps I’m just jealous you asked for her name and not mine, Park Jimin. Unless your elaborate plan involved a fake name as well? I’m Min Yoongi.”
“Sadly, no. I didn’t think that far. Next time I’ll have a whole back story prepared: prince of an overthrown kingdom needs to survive in the real world while on a search for a perfect princess to help restore the realm.” Jimin quipped back using hand gestures to convey it as a corny headline. He supposed he should be a bit embarrassed they never covered formalities.
“Oh, so you often fool around in libraries with strangers?” Yoongi asked, eyes showing he knew full well what that question implied.
“Only with cute boys,” Jimin mumbled looking down at his shoes, once again finding a new reason to run his hand through his hair. Quickly, Jimin moved on before the other boy could comment on that, saying “back to square one I guess, or maybe not.” He trails off, just now noticing a step ladder tucked in the corner of the aisle.
“You’re kidding me, I got torn away from my book, and almost thrown out of here because you didn’t think to look for a step ladder.” Yoongi deadpans.
“Hey for all I knew the tall people were conspiring against me again.” Jimin defended himself. Yeah, the sleep deprivation was definitely getting to him and he was way too lazy to explain. Luckily, Yoongi felt the same way about questioning it. But he still had no book, so he picked up the step ladder, now sad that there was no more excuse to keep talking to Yoongi.
After banging the step ladder against his calf and probably scuffing a bookshelf or two, Yoongi cut in, “Yah can you do anything without my help?” He said quickly taking it from the pink haired boy.
“Well if I knew any better, I’d say now you’re looking for ways to keep talking to me.”
“I’m looking for ways to keep you from getting yourself thrown out, or from dying,” Yoongi says, setting down the step ladder at the proper place for the hellish book that wasn’t looking so bad now since it caused all this.
“However you want to show your affection, Min Yoongi.” Jimin quipped back, reaching up, pretending as if he couldn’t see Yoongi staring at his stomach the same way Jimin was staring at him just half an hour ago. Immediately, Jimin realized that he still wasn’t tall enough. Perhaps the entire universe was against him.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” Yoongi once again deadpanned. “Get down from there let me try.”
“Alright, but we are basically the same height.”
Before either of the boys knew it, they were both on the ground. Jimin fell off the goddamn step ladder, and now he was on top of Yoongi. The universe was definitely against him.
“Jimin,” Yoongi whispered, only now taking in the fact they are in a library. “You didn’t really want that girl’s number did you?” He continued after hearing a hoarse sound of acknowledgment.
“God no, I’m as gay as they come,” Jimin whispered back, his lack of filter striking again. Before he could backtrack and salvage whatever weird friendship they’ve formed overnight, considering he was currently lying on top of the raven haired boy, Yoongi smiled up at him making Jimin’s breath hitch. Before he knew it, the boys’ lips were fitting together like puzzle pieces on the floor of the university library surrounded by silence while everyone else was buzzing about shitfaced. Perhaps the universe was working in Jimin’s favor this whole time.
When they finally broke apart and stood up, Yoongi asked, “What book is it you need so badly anyways?” Jimin murmured back the stupid title and he was shoved into the bookshelf behind him before being pecked again.
“You goddamn idiot that’s the book I was reading when you came up to me. Come on, we can share my copy, top shelves be damned.” Yoongi murmured, grabbing Jimin’s hand and leading him back to his seat.
Yeah, maybe the universe wasn’t so mean after all.