Chapter Text
Jimin:
The walk home was always long. Campus was a bus ride and a fifteen-minute walk, but with the sun hanging right above your head it added an extra five minutes. So when Jimin turned the corner onto a street with more crack in the concrete and more garbage outside of the trash cans than inside them he almost felt relieved. The street sign read Wilshire in faint white letters and the sound from the overpass was more than a whisper. He wiped the last streams of sweat running down his temple, finally looking up at the row of houses. He couldn’t help but smile when he saw a long hunched over figure sitting on his doorstep just a few houses away. He didn’t have to see the face belonging to the body to know it was Seokjin.
Jimin quickly took off his snapback repositioning it to slick back the loose hairs that had managed to escape.
“Anyone ever tell you that you look good in shorts?” Jimin asked leaning down to look Seokjin in the eye. The older boy had drops of sweat pooling across his forehead as he looked up through squinted eyes.
“Do you know how long I’ve been waiting out here?”
“Sorry, bus was late.” Jimin says stepping around the older boy to unlock the door.
“Since when do you guys lock your door anyways?” Seokjin asks finally pulling himself off the concrete.
“Since Namjoon had a key made for you.” Jimin retorts stepping inside the house into the semi-cooler front room. Which isn’t really that cool, just not as awful as it is outside.
Seokjin pauses for a minute. “What? I don’t have a key.”
“That’s because he gave the key to Tae to give to you,” Jimin checks his phone for the time, “who was supposed to be home an hour ago.”
“Why on earth would he give Taehyung the key?” Seokjin asks making his way directly to the air conditioner in the window. The appliance turns on with a low grumble until air begins blowing out of it. Seokjin leaves his face there while Jimin sets his backpack down on the couch.
“I have no idea,” Jimin says as he bends down next to Seokjin to feel the air dry his sweat. The air is just shy of warm but at least it will stop the sweat from running down his face.
“How was class?” Seokjin asks with their faces almost pressed together to share the air.
“Same old same.” Jimin answers and then there’s the sound of the front door opening accompanied by what should only be described as noise.
“Hey Tae!” Jimin calls not moving from his position. There’s no indication that Jimin’s call has been heard considering the noise continues. It’s a stream of words and sounds that you might be able to mistake as music except it’s far more obnoxious.
“Tae!” Seokjin yells louder, and finally the noise stops and the padding of footsteps approaches the living room.
“Hello,” Taehyung says appearing with a basketball under his arm. His shirt is drenched in sweat along with the fringes of hair stuck to his face. Taehyung doesn’t skip a beat reaching for one of the standing fans as he turns it on and places his head directly in front of it.
“I think you have something for me,” Seokjin says staring at Taehyung from across the room.
“Uh…” Taehyung responds eyebrows coming together.
“Key.” Jimin prompts.
“Oh! Here, hyung,” Taehyung says digging into one of his pockets and throwing a small silver key at Seokjin. Seokjin barely reacts at all, but Jimin’s reflexes are too good to stop him from reaching for the key himself. He catches it easily and hands it to Seokjin who immediately puts it in his own pocket. His expression is slightly irritated but his lack of words indicates he’s too tired to complain.
“Where were you anyways?” Jimin asks. All three of them going back to their chosen positions of being hunched over soaking up whatever cool air they can find.
“Basketball with Yoongi. He said he’d be over later.”
Seokjin goes still for a brief second before his head whips around to glare at Taehyung.
“Did you go to class today?” Taehyung doesn’t have time to lie or make up and excuse before the front door is being opened again.
“You know, we all have keys for a reason now,” Namjoon’s voice is low and possibly a little out of breath. When he appears he’s carrying three boxes of pizza. “I want the door to stay locked from now on.”
“But, we’re all home anyways,” Taehyung says wiping at left over sweat along the back of his neck.
“And?” Namjoon says making his way to the kitchen, the opposite direction of the living room. The opposite direction of the cooling appliances. There’s a split second where no one moves. Probably weighing the choices of dying from heat or dying from hunger. Almost simultaneously they all make their way to the kitchen at once.
Namjoon doesn’t hesitate to be the first one to open the box and grab a slice of pizza for both hands. Everyone sort of follows suit.
“Thanks for the key,” Seokjin says with a mouthful. Namjoon just nods.
---
The sun goes down and the heat disappears with its last rays. It’s almost chilly now as Jimin sits on the front step waiting- everyone else is inside. He had left with Namjoon in his room (window open, reading with his radio on; calm) and Taehyung and Seokjin playing video games in the living room (wearing blanket capes; overly competitive). He was waiting for Yoongi to show up like usual.
The neighborhood is actually pretty quiet, at night at least. All the sounds fall away as more people head home and the streets start to fall asleep. There’s only the distant sound of the overpass now, and Jimin closes his eyes slightly resting on the steps of his house. His home. A word that was broken down, and redefined when Taehyung and Jimin moved in with Namjoon. When Seokjin became part of their daily routine.
“Hey!” a familiar voice calls from a bit down the street. The person is approaching fast on a bike and Jimin can’t help but smile as he folds his arms behind his head.
When Yoongi became part of the routine.
The bike comes to a smooth stop in front of him. “I almost thought you forgot about me,” Jimin says lowly, “I almost fell asleep.”
Yoongi just shrugs as he gets off his bike letting it fall to the ground. He takes a seat next to Jimin and offers him a piece of gum from his pocket. Jimin accepts it, noticing Yoogi’s knuckles are just slightly busted open and he hasn’t bothered to wash off the old blood.
There’s certain moods Jimin can pick up on. For everyone else it’s usually happy, sad, angry… but for Yoongi it’s tired, just fine, and no talking. Today seems a mix of the first and last.
“Don’t feel like talking?” Jimin asks as he turns himself to face Yoongi. He shakes his head in reply.
“Hungry? There’s pizza.” Yoongi shakes his head once more. Jimin lets it be. Sometimes they just sit like this. Sometimes they don’t talk and that’s fine.
“It’s not because you’re trading me in, right?” Jimin asks earning him a confused look.
“Tae said you two were at the court today. Trying to replace me are you?” Jimin tries to joke.
Yoongi’s face is like stone, until it cracks just a smidge with a smirk he’s trying to hide.
“Jealous?” he asks avoiding eye contact.
“Only a lot.” And finally Yoongi smiles. Smiles are rare, and they mean something coming from Yoongi that Jimin hasn’t figured out.
“He’s easier to get out of class,” Yoongi taunts. It’s been almost four years, Jimin’s graduation is approaching in a few short months, and Yoongi still hasn’t given up his fantasy of corrupting Jimin out of class- just one.
“You’re right. Seokjin’s going to rip his head off one day.”
They don’t say much more than that. They just sit there, relaxing into the concrete beneath them. There’s no point in looking at the sky above because it’s just flat, grey, darkness but Jimin does anyways. He could sit here forever. Breathing in the air. He could sit outside of his house all night, right until the sun came up.
Home.
“How was class?” Yoongi finally asks sounding like a “by-the-way” or an afterthought. But Yoongi always asks, never forgets to ask.
He’s rolling a gum wrapper in his hand into a small ball, looking at the street lamp across from them. A swarm of small insects circle around it, looking frantic.
“It was okay, probably not worth the walk,” Jimin replies leaning over finding a place to rest his head against Yoongi’s leg.
Jimin wonders what Yoongi would be like if he had went to college. He wonders if he would have majored in music like him and Tae. Or if he’d be just as good at public speaking as he is rapping. If he’d sleep in class… If he would have played the piano, and Jimin would have finally been able to see it.
Unfortunately, he can’t ask any of those questions. Namjoon is the only reason he knows that Yoongi had once wanted to go to college and study music in the first place. Namjoon is the only one who has seen Yoongi’s real brilliance and even though Jimin knows it’s there he wishes it wasn’t masked by all the bullshit that has hardened him over the years.
Instead, Jimin just picks at the fray on Yoongi’s jeans where the knees are cut. And thinks…
Family.
Taehyung:
Taehyung isn’t sure if falling in love at first sight is really a thing. He isn’t sure what to call it, but the second he saw Jungkook he stopped. More like heard to be accurate. It’s not just that the boy looked like he came straight out of a movie, it’s that he sang like he came straight from heaven. Taehyung never thought his university’s music department was all the special sadly, contradictory to its reputation. Most of the department seemed too lax. Taehyung occasionally fell into that category- taking naps in the practice rooms, much like the day he stumbled upon Jeon Jungkook.
He was awoken by the faint sound of someone in the practice room over. It was barely audible and nothing to really even take note of. But as he gathered his things noticing the time, knowing Jimin would be done with class soon, he heard the door next to him open. And with it came a flood of someone’s smooth, angelic voice (a mating call perhaps. Most likely). Taehyung turned to see a black hoodie making its way out of the small booth clearly not realizing someone else had been in there as well… probably due to the fact that Taehyung had been lying inside booth C on the floor with the lights off.
The black hoodie was fast as he made his way to the sign in/ sign out sheet. He quickly scribbled a name down on the sheet as he continued to sing to himself. Then he was gone. Taehyung still standing in the same place. Call it curiosity, but Taehyung went straight to the sign in sheet and read the name last printed.
Jeon Jungkook, Rm. B.
Taehyung didn’t consider himself a romantic, in fact he didn’t consider himself anything. He didn’t consider things. He just was what he was feeling at the time, whatever was on his mind, whatever could grab his attention. And since that day he kept replaying the sound of Jeon Jungkook until his memory became too hazy. His memory wasn’t good to him, it frequently failed him, but something about Jungkook’s voice stayed clear. Even when Taehyung had to fight to remember his name.
The following days he tried his hardest to spend less time sleeping in the practice room. Peeking his head out occasionally to see if anyone had come in. The sign in sheet filled up with a few new names but no Jeon Jungkook. Taehyung wasn’t entirely upset, just a bit disappointed. It would be easy to convince himself he had imagined the singer, but he knew his dreams were never that beautiful.
---
The bus is on time for once on Friday and both Jimin and Taehyung are ready to get home. The excitement of a coming weekend is clearer on Jimin, while Taehyung feels conflicted. Weekend means no class, but it also means no potential run-in’s with singing strangers. Taehyung forgets about his dilemma momentarily when an earbud is pressed to his skin.
“Listen to this,” Jimin says with a wide grin. He presses play and it drowns out the sound coming from the rest of the bus. At first Taehyung likes the beat, he bobs his head while he listens. Jimin raises a finger, signaling Taehyung to pay attention to whatever is about to happen next and then he hears it…
“Yoongi?” Taehyung asks eyes wide. Jimin nods biting his lower lip just to hold back a smile.
The verses are fast and in complete sync with the rhythm. Then it changes, then changes again. Yoongi’s lines are clever and his voice sounds so professional. Taehyung can’t help himself, his hand goes straight up and he’s swaying to the beat. Jimin just laughs and then joins him as the chorus plays through.
They don’t care if people are watching them. Taehyung even tries to give the chorus a try even though he’s only heard it once. Jimin laughs even harder, which only makes him want to do it again.
Taehyung ends up listening to it one more time.
“It almost reminds me of the way Namjoon used to rap,” Taehyung says returning the earbud back to Jimin.
Taehyung used to love catching Namjoon rapping when he thought no one was listening. Especially as a child, he looked up to Namjoon and the way he put everything into the things he created. Taehyung was always inspired to be something when he heard the power in Namjoon’s voice. He missed that more than anything. He missed it so much, he’d go back in time and relive some of the worst moments of his life if it meant seeing Namjoon pursuing his dreams.
Their bus stop is coming up so they quickly grab their bags and make their way to the back exit.
It’s never been a secret that Yoongi is talented. He’s gifted in his ability to compose and write, that’s always been Taehyung’s favorite thing about the rapper. It was like having a back up Namjoon around. Taehyung is surprised however by the fast progress he’s made in the past year. He’s happy for Yoongi, but the look on Jimin’s face is priceless. It’s like looking in a mirror. He’s always been Yoongi’s biggest fan, much like Taehyung is Namjoon’s.
---
The highlight of the week comes the next day when everyone is home on Saturday. Even Seokjin and Yoongi, so they all decide to go to the basketball court. It’s an overcast day, but still bright with no wind. Namjoon makes a show to lock the door as they’re leaving, that even Seokjin rolls his eyes about.
The court is just a large cement square. They usually only play on one side but today they have the whole square to themselves. The lines are faded and the ground isn’t even entirely leveled but it’s good enough. Taehyung loves it.
It’s Namjoon and him against Jimin and Yoongi, while Seokjin has volunteered to keep score. He hears Jimin complain about Yoongi not being much taller than him, and Yoongi reassuring him that it doesn’t matter because he’s the best player. Taehyung smiles and stares out into all the city around them. The court isn’t completely fenced in and it’s just chain link but for some reason Taehyung feels secure. Like he’s being held inside a small fortress or something.
He’s so wrapped up in thinking about his basketball court fortress he misses Namjoon’s pass to him as the game starts.
They played for at least two hours, Seokjin jumping in during their breaks humorously going against Yoongi. Taehyung wouldn’t have thought to assign a word that described simple moments like this but there was one in particular that fit and rang in his head repeatedly.
Small drops of rain finally came down from the sky. The clouds weren’t very thick, and the heat still baked into the ground radiated around them. It felt refreshing against the skin.
Perfect.
Jimin’s body almost immediately fell to the ground, arms spread out as he smiled at the drops falling down on him. Taehyung stood watching him with a smile of his own, arms also outstretched feeling the drops of water hit him. Even Seokjin and Yoongi didn’t seem to mind. It reminded him of a story made up entirely of colors and seasons. It felt like reality was somewhere outside of the fortress and they were the only people, and time had finally fallen silent.
“I’m gonna head home,” Yoongi says mostly to Jimin.
“Sure you don’t wanna come over? What if you get struck by lightning on your bike?”
“There is no lightning,” Yoongi says flatly, “and I have to meet someone soon anyways.”
Taehyung swears Jimin’s eyebrows shoot off his face in shock. Yoongi rolls his eyes and elaborates.
“He lives in my building. He raps and from what i’ve heard he’s pretty good,” Yoongi turns his attention on Namjoon, “You should come over sometimes and check out the stuff we’re doing.”
Namjoon agrees, but Jimin still seems to be wrapping his head around the idea of Yoongi having a new friend that he’s sharing his music with.
“So what is this stranger’s name that you’re blowing us off for?” Jimin asks as he peels his soaked t-shirt off.
“His name is Hoseok, and i’ll swing by later if we don’t run too late.”
“Oh, I’ll be up,” Jimin says stealing the basketball that Yoongi had tucked to his side.
“Then i’ll see you later,” he says heading for his bike.
Yoongi takes off in the opposite direction toward his apartment complex building. Everyone else leaves the fortress and heads down the street in the direction of the house. Taehyung leaves despite the urge he has to stay. Jimin is always happier with Yoongi around, and Namjoon is always happier with Seokjin. He wishes they could all just stay together.
“Maybe Yoongi should just live with us,” Taehyung says as they make their way back. The rain is still coming down and their clothes are pretty much soaked through.
“Where? Build him his own annex in the backyard we don’t have?” Namjoon asks.
“We can share a room,” Jimin says as he flings his discarded shirt around his shoulders. Namjoon and Seokjin exchange laughs. “Yeah, right.”
“What?” Jimin asks sounding slightly offended.
“Yoongi sharing a room with someone? He barely likes sharing air with us.” Seokjin retorts. Jimin considers it and then just smiles. “I guess.”
“The mixtape sounds amazing by the way, you help him?” Jimin asks looking at Namjoon. He shakes his head, “Not really. I only made a suggestion about one song, but he wasn’t ready to put it on the mixtape anyways. All him. He’s getting too good.”
Taehyung doesn’t miss the expansion of Jimin’s smile. But he wonders if anyone notices the falter in his.
Namjoon:
Namjoon sat on his bed, laptop warm in his lap as he focused on the screen. Looking at apartments was Namjoon’s least favorite thing and he had discovered this about himself over the past couple months. Too expensive, too far, too run down.
Taehyung sat in the middle of his floor with his books out. He was attempting to study for test coming up that he was convinced he’d fail. Namjoon never let that happen. He would run through concepts with Taehyung until they made sense and Taehyung could explain them back to him. Taehyung was smart, but his mind was a black hole that swallowed up logic and rational thought. It had taken Namjoon a long time to figure out how to get things across to Taehyung in a way it would stick. Surprisingly it was fun, Namjoon just had to make it interesting.
“How’s it coming?” Namjoon asked looking down at the puddle of Taehyung and paper.
Taehyung just quirks a small smile up at him. “I’m getting it, but i’m also getting tired. I’m calling it quits for tonight.”
“Stop skipping class and you wouldn’t need so much extra studying.”
Taehyung just rolls his eyes as he gathers up his stuff humming a thank you as he makes his way to his bedroom up the stairs. Taehyung usually had trouble concentrating, and the fact that he couldn’t find interest in subjects like math made it much harder. Namjoon recognized that. Seeing Taehyung work quietly and come to him for help sparked Namjoon with something that no amount of easy A’s could compare to. Sure, he was proud of Jimin (if he was even allowed to use the paternal word) but Taehyung’s ability to work through his struggle always hit Namjoon differently.
It’s not like Taehyung was thrilled about college in the first place, but when Namjoon had moved them in with him he was determined to make sure they made it through college. The life insurance and the trust money was enough to see to that both Jimin and Taehyung could get an education. Now here they were. Almost graduates.
Apartments, apartments, apartments…
After circling through the list one last time he decided to call it quits for the night too. He thought back to Jimin’s suggestion that Yoongi should live with them. Unlikely.
He got up from his bed and headed to the kitchen. Seokjin was there washing dishes. Namjoon looked at the time, if he wanted to get back home tonight, and get enough sleep before work in the morning, he should have left an hour ago.
The idea of having another body, another person in such a well divided space. Three bedrooms. One bathroom..
Seokjin doesn’t look up as Namjoon comes over to stand next to him.
“You don’t have to do our dishes.”
Where would another person fit?
Seokjin smiles, “I’m almost done” he says slapping Namjoon’s hand away when he reaches for the sponge in his hand.
Taehyung and Jimin could maybe share a room. Maybe an extra bed could fit in Namjoon’s if he moved his desk to the living room…
Namjoon takes out a rag and begins to dry the dishes Seokjin has washed. He wishes he could give something to Seokjin that doesn’t just say how much he’s appreciated. He wish he could offer Seokjin something that says: Stay.
Something more permanent than just a key that can get lost, or given back easily… But even if he could what kind of thank you would that be? Trap him? Stay here, make us your responsibility Seokjin. Don’t leave us.
Don’t leave me.
Jimin:
Jimin is sitting by his window and he can smell the laundry all the way from the basement. Most likely Namjoon since Taehyung had made his way to bed awhile ago. It’s a nice smell as it mixes with the night air. The scent of rain still hanging around.
Jimin wishes for more days like today. Everyone together, everyone happy. It reminds him how fortunate they are despite everything. And even though he sees Namjoon and Seokjin everyday it’s nice to see them not stressed out about work, or tired because all they really get to do is make sure they can stay afloat. Jimin knows for a fact Namjoon hates the gas station he works at, it’s also not the safest. He also knows that Seokjin works just so he can afford his mother’s round the clock care, which is expensive despite the crappy home she’s in. He also knows that even with the second job Seokjin has it’s not enough to cover his mother’s care as well as pay off their home which is too lonely now that it’s just him. Namjoon has told him to move out, and get something smaller. For some reason it doesn’t seem like Seokjin likes the idea of parting with his childhood home. Or maybe he just doesn’t know where to start.
Namjoon couldn’t do this without Seokjin. Jimin and Taehyung couldn’t do it without Namjoon. It was a perfect mess but Jimin couldn’t help but think they had an endless supply of motivation. Woven in the extreme interdependence was love, overflowing love, that made it all work out.
Out the corner of his eye, Jimin could see the shape of someone approaching. As they passed under the lamp lights Jimin could make out the clear form of Yoongi. He smiled wondering what comparison he could make for their relationship. Maybe Jimin was Yoongi’s Seokjin…
His bike comes to a stop right in front of the house and Yoongi looks straight into Jimin’s window. Yoongi nods for Jimin to come down.
Or maybe the Lucy to his Ethel… Cheech and Chong.
Jimin shakes his head and waves a hand signaling Yoongi to come inside. Yoongi stares blankly for a moment and then exhales, getting off his bike and propping it against the steps as he makes his way into the house.
Jimin wonders if Yoongi is afraid to be part of a family again.
Bonnie and Clyde…
Or something else entirely.
---
When Jimin wakes up he notices Yoongi is gone. Not a surprise. Whenever Jimin falls asleep he doesn’t stay long after he’s figured out. Jimin remembers last night talking about Yoongi’s mixtape. Yoongi acts like the praise doesn’t affect him, but Jimin can see it. He can see how Yoongi’s eyes finally soften when it’s just the two of them and how his body doesn’t seem so tense as they lay on their sides facing each other. It’s one of his favorite things about 3am.
It’s the middle of the day now and Jimin wakes up to a quiet house. Namjoon and Seokjin have left for work hours ago and Taehyung could very well still be sleeping, so when he heads down stairs he’s expecting as much. It’s not as hot today and the breeze from Namjoon’s window rolls through his open bedroom door and meets Jimin in the hallway.
Pretty soon it will be the end of the semester. Pretty soon Jimin will be a college graduate. An orphan, shuffled through a system and ultimately beat it. He wasn’t nothing anymore. Despite taking the bus everyday, walking through their cruddy neighborhood, and coming home to a shoe box that some how stretched to fit four people, he couldn’t be more proud of everything around him.
In just over a month he was graduating college. Unfortunately, Taehyung wouldn’t be standing next to him. Jimin was an honor student, accelerated program, early graduation. Taehyung still had another year to go. Jimin dreamed about graduation. Would they all be there? Would Seokjin and Namjoon get off of work? Would Yoongi ride his bike there? Would he get dressed up... Jimin laughed at the thought as he stood looking around their small living room. He knew better than to think the next question, but it would always remain a thought that ate at him. How could he ever repay the people around him that had so much faith and trust in him?
His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the Taehyung cutting the shower on and only a few seconds later followed by him belting out loud waves of sound. Jimin had to smile to himself.
He remembered meeting Taehyung a few years back. He remembered how much trouble he was. Just a kid who had lost both of his parents, who just wanted to go home with his brother. Jimin had seen so many other foster kids and Taehyung was so different from all of them. Not all sad, not all angry… he was hopeful. More than hopeful, he was determined. And maybe that’s why they latched onto each other.
------
When Namjoon arrived home Jimin remembered what was happening tonight. Namjoon was going over to Yoongi’s to hear what him and Hoseok were working on and Jimin was going because he was too nosey to stay home.
They walked the whole fifteen minute route to Yoongi’s apartment complex, and for some reason Jimin felt excited when they arrived.
The building was as beaten down as a building could get. It was divided into two parts. Half of it was a cheap motel where no one ever stayed, and the other half were very tiny apartments. There was no security, no cameras, just a dumpy place that rented out rooms for a low enough cost that aspiring rappers could afford.
Jimin smiles when Yoongi opens his door, but Yoongi’s face stays completely blank as he says,
“No.”
Jimin immediately starts pleading, which has never actually worked, but, “Come on! Please! Just this one time!”
“You said you asked,” Namjoon says turning to face Jimin.
“No, you said I should ask and I agreed,” Jimin retorts trying to step around Yoongi blocking the door. Yoongi’s small but it’s like he’s made of stone because Jimin almost bounces back when Yoongi’s chest hits his own.
“Jimin, we need focus.”
“I’m flattered that you find me so distracting, but i’ll be-” Jimin pauses when he hears someone from the other side of the door just out of vision. It sounds like someone’s reciting something, so Jimin presumes it must be the voice of Hoseok working on whatever he’s written.
“Can I at least meet your friend?” Jimin asks sneaking past Yoongi finally. Namjoon just shrugs and apologizes. Yoongi rolls his eyes at the lack of response.
“Jimin, Hoseok. Hoseok, Jimin. Now leave.”
Hoseok is tall, he’s thinner but still pretty solid. His whole face turns into a smile and Jimin almost tries to get his face to spread just a bit farther.
“Hello,” Hoseok says politely. He’s speaking to Namjoon and Jimin but he refuses to let Hoseok divide his attention. He wants to get a full read off this guy. Seems handsome, his clothes are little lose, but his hair looks clean at least.
“Sup,” Jimin says smiling even wider, it’s almost painful, “so you’re the mysterious rapper that fell from the sky. Yoongi hasn’t told me anything about you.” Hosoek doesn’t seem as insulted by the comment, not the way Jimin had anticipated.
“Uh, we-”
“That’s enough. Out.” Yoongi says pushing Jimin back towards the door.
“What? Why are you kicking me out?”
“I told you, we have work to do. You wanted to meet. You met. Now go.”
A second later Jimin finds himself outside of Yoongi’s dumpy apartment again. He tries the door once and notices quickly it’s already locked. He give the door one bang with his fist and then decides to take the loss. If he’s being honest with himself, he expects things like this but he thought with Namjoon there maybe he’d at least have a chance.
He heads down the hallway to the stairwell. Noticing the holes in the wall and the garbage piling up. This place might not even have a custodian, it’s probably run by cockroaches he thinks. He makes it to the open doorway and is about to step onto the sidewalk when something comes flying past him.
It’s a kid on a skateboard.
Jimin grumbles, as he fights to keep his heartbeat steady. Not today. I will not be kicked out and run over in one day.
“Hey, watch it man,” he calls after the kid. The kid looks in his direction but only responds by taking his earbuds out. Jimin’s not really in the mood for this, he knows too many punks, and he’s growing tired of the charm. “Watch where you’re riding that thing.”
“Uh, the sidewalk?” The kid says with a condescending laugh. Before putting his earbuds back in.
Jimin just glares, “prick,” he mumbles. The kid rolls on his skateboard a little farther down the street and Jimin sits down on the curb. He doesn’t really want to walk back home by himself but there’s a good chance Yoongi wont be done anytime soon. He likes to beat a dead horse.
A whoosh of wind passes him again along with the rumble rumble of worn out wheels as the kid on the skateboard makes his way back up the sidewalk.
“Aish,” Jimin grumbles putting his head in his arms resting on his knee. Jimin just needs a second to lick his wounds in peace. Why can’t Yoongi see he’s just trying to be supportive?
The kid on the skateboard starts doing something odd with his feet that catches his attention briefly. It’s kinda cool until he messes up. Then he tries something new. I can do that, Jimin thinks to himself. Then the kid does something more complicated as he jumps and manages to flip the skateboard. I can’t do that, he thinks.
“Take a picture,” the kid calls. Jimin raises an eyebrow but he has to admit, maybe the charm, hasn’t worn off yet.
“Anyone ever teach you manners?” he retorts, and yes, he knows it’s lame.
“Anyone teach you? It’s impolite to stare.” another trick…
“You shouldn’t speak to your elders like that.”
“You think you’re older than me?” the kid laughs.
“Don’t be fooled by my youthful beauty,” Jimin says trying to look complacent.
“I was actually referring to your youthful height.”
….
An hour or so later, with some never ending banter and the sun has started to go down. The sky is a swirl of orange and pink like it’s melted together.
“You’re doing it wrong,” the boy laughs as Jimin lands on his butt for the fourth time. There are still tears in the boy’s eyes from the first three attempts to hold back his laughter.
“You’re so small, shouldn’t you have a better center of gravity or whatever?” the boy taunts.
“Ah, I give up,” Jimin huffs as he kicks the board forward almost into the street. Taehyung had once tried to teach him how to skateboard. Once. Mostly because there was a very similar outcome.
“What are you even still doing here?”
“I came to visit my friend, but he’s a… being a bit selective today. You?”
“Well, I actually live here,” the boy jokes, “but believe it or not this palace doesn’t come with it’s own skate park, or regular park, or anything to do really.”
Jimin laughs, “You don’t say. There’s a park a few blocks away. Off of Wilshire.”
“I just moved in. I don’t know where that is. And i’m not stupid enough to follow a stranger that promises to take me to the park.”
Jimin laughs again. But then he hears voices coming from the stairway leading into the complex. It’s Namjoon, Yoongi, and Hoseok.
“I told you he’d still be here,” Yoongi says.
Oddly enough Jimin and the boy both start to speak at once. And then look at each other.
“I meant the red head, not the one on wheels.” Yoongi clarifies, “but go figure, he made a friend.”
“You know this clown?” the boy asks Yoongi. And Jimin feigns offense.
“You know this brat?” Jimin asks staring up at Yoongi like he expects him to defend him.
“That brat belongs to Hoseok.” Yoongi says pointing to Hoseok, who just smiles. Jimin thinks there’s something wrong with this dynamic. Just seeing Hoseok standing next to Yoongi is confusing. The fact that Yoongi voluntarily hangs out with someone so smiley is a straight up mystery.
“Aw, Kookie’s not a brat, guys,” Hoseok says flinging an arm around him.
“Kookie?” Jimin asks eyeing the boy with a smug look of amusement. The boy rolls his eyes.
“And the clown belongs to me,” Namjoon says ruffling Jimin’s hair around, “right, Chim Chim?”
Yoongi seems to be the one to get the most satisfaction from this entire encounter.