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For starters, Jungkook was never the type to sit down and study quietly for hours. He is the type who’s always so restless—whether it be his fingers tapping rapidly on the edge of his book, his feet marching (not so subtly) under the table, or he just simply reads out everything that he’s reading.
It’s not that he does it on purpose, okay. He just gets bored easily, and he really needs all this knowledge to enter his brain without him stopping every five minutes (usually just to play with his phone, but then that would take longer than the time he actually spends on studying). Also, he’d rather not go back to his unhealthy habit in eighth grade when he used to eat all the snacks from that crappy convenience store down the street, just to stop his hands from pulling at Taehyung’s hair out of boredom.
Hence, he has no idea how he is now stuck here, in a library.
Where all the strong and courageous men and women, whose focus spans are much, much longer than Jungkook’s, are.
He gulps nervously.
“Tae, please, you know me, I can’t study here. You said we’re going to the benches today!” he starts tugging at Taehyung’s sleeve.
Taehyung sighs, looking apologetic. From all the years they have been friends, he has indeed experienced and is familiar with Jungkook’s antics when the boy studies (or at least, when he is trying to).
“Kook, I’ve told you. I’ve checked the benches today and they are all occupied. We can’t go to my house because Jin-hyung is with Joon-hyung, and I’d rather not watch them make out in the kitchen under the pretense of making lunch. Also, we can’t go to your room because we’ll end up playing Overwatch for hours, again! So please Kook, just this once, okay?” Taehyung tries.
One take at Jungkook’s rather loud, defeated whine, and he knows he’s won.
“You know how it is… everyone becomes a nerd during the exam period,” he pats Jungkook’s head fondly, “You’ll survive a day in the library, Kookie.”
“… fine.”
—
Jungkook is really, really trying to stay put. Trying to be as civilized as how a decent university student is supposed to be, as he tries to read from his Introduction to Documentary Filmmaking book. But for Jungkook, a simple task such as that is arguably the hardest thing he ever has to do.
It has been more than three times that he had to physically stop his hand with his other hand from making beats on the table, but every time he tries to read barely three sentences off of his book, his mind would wander somewhere else because he doesn’t have anything to occupy his subconscious.
It has only been ten minutes, and he is fully aware of the glances that people not-so-occasionally throw at him.
“Kook…” Taehyung softly calls out to him, “You’re okay?”
Jungkook feels bad. He knows Taehyung has two major exams in the next three days, so he really needs to be concentrating instead of worrying over Jungkook.
“I’m fine, just,” he pauses, frustrated, but not wanting to worry his friend further. “I think I’m gonna walk around for a bit,” he finally says as he pushes his chair to get up, bringing his book with him. Taehyung just watches with a knowing look on his face.
—
He doesn’t really know what to do, or where to go, but he just needs to move his feet. He sighs for the umpteenth time that day, looking around to find an at least just a little bit less crowded spot so he can make very soft tapping sounds, or just do something.
He really must get something inside his brain today, as he can’t afford to cram everything just one day before his exam. Jungkook was not given that kind of superpower, sadly.
So now, Jungkook is a desperate man. He turns to another corner, just to find that the spot is full as well. He groans exasperatedly as he lays his head to the nearest shelf on his left. Can’t a man study in peace?
He pauses, before internally chuckling at the irony that he is literally the living epitome of the exact opposite.
He’s running out of options as he knows that if he forces himself to study here, he really won’t be getting much, and he will be way behind his schedule. Maybe he can just go back to his dorm room and try his best there. Taehyung doesn’t need to come back with him, because as much he loves Taehyung and Overwatch combined, he doesn’t want his best friend to fail his last exams in university. So with a final sigh, he turns to go back to Taehyung.
But as he does, a boy comes into view.
The first thing he notices is the cart of books the boy’s holding on to, so he concludes that the boy’s probably working here. The second thing is the sweater paws from his oversized baby blue sweater (the boy drowns in it, but he looks so soft and huggable and Jungkook suddenly craves for a hug).
Are those really sweater paws, though? Damn, he’s cute.
“H-hello,” cutie whispers softly, his head is tilted slightly as he regards Jungkook.
Correction: he’s very, very cute. That deserves a capital C.
Cutie has a fluffy brown hair with a fringe that falls perfectly on his forehead, just above his eyes, making his eyes look even smaller than they really are. He’s now smiling shyly, his eyes turn into slits beautifully and Jungkook can feel his heart go boom boom.
“Hi,” Jungkook whispers back lamely. Damn it, he could’ve at least sounded a bit more macho, with the Elvis Presley voice that he had perfected with Taehyung! His fast brain is about to ramble and nag about it, but then he remembers the fact that Cutie is trying to talk to him, so he cleverly adds,
“Wazzup?”
He freezes instantly. Wazzupp? WAZZUP? Jeon Jungkook did not just ‘WAZZUP’ Cutie. He mentally smacks himself. If Cutie didn’t find him lame, he must do now.
Jungkook wishes he had a more functional brain-to-mouth filter. ‘Brain,’ he tries, ’Stop. Help me out, please, just this once. I need a Cutie in my life, so please stop embarra-‘
“I saw you walking around the library for the past twenty minutes, is there anything I can help you find?”
His brain short-circuits. Cutie has been watching him. Did he do something embarrassing? Knowing himself, he probably did. “I… just want to find a place to study.”
At that, Cutie tilts his head again. Jungkook wants to coo so badly, but he manages to stop himself, resulting something that sounds similar to a strangled bunny. Cough, Jeon. Cough it out. A few people throw disturbed glances at him, but he doesn’t care. He’s trying to talk with a Cutie, so they can just stuff their noses up in their books.
He clears his throat, making an act of rubbing his chest, then continues, “The spot I was at was becoming more crowded, so I went around trying to find another one, but everywhere’s full.”
Cutie looks confused. “But… there’s a spot right there, behind you. Why don’t you just sit there?”
The spot is indeed empty, but the surrounding is not. He would definitely make a fuss there. Jungkook sighs. “I’m a loud person.”
“Um… okay?”
“As in, I can’t study quietly. I have to do something else simultaneously to keep me grounded, and that something is usually very loud and distracting.”
Looking down, Jungkook scratches the back of his neck, his tongue in his cheek. Cutie will probably find him odd and think that he’s not worth his time. “Ah, sorry. I know it’s weird.”
Unexpectedly, Cutie smiles, and not just a normal smile, but it’s a kind smile that reaches his eyes (and maybe Jungkook’s heart). “No, it’s okay! I understand. My brother is also like you, he can’t study unless he’s squeezing his stress ball!” Cutie pauses, seems to be thinking for a moment before saying, “I think, I can help you.”
“Hmm? How would you help me?”
“I might have an idea, but can you follow me to the backroom so we can talk normally instead of whispering?”
The backroom? Normal, clear-headed Jungkook would be suspicious, but his head is filled with the earlier images of Cutie smiling, and his heart feels a bit light and warm with something he can’t really pinpoint, so he just nods slowly before trailing the brunette like a lost puppy.
Cutie closes the door behind him, and Jungkook takes a look at the room. Turns out, the backroom isn’t a creepy room with dark vibes, but just a simple room with a pantry and a table for six, probably where the employees take short breaks during shifts.
“Is it okay for you to be here now? I thought you are working?” Jungkook asks as he takes a seat, putting his book in front of him. Cutie takes the one across, his hands on top of each other neatly on the table, body leaning forward a bit. He looks focused on Jungkook and Jungkook only, and for the love of all the good things in this world, Jungkook can’t describe him as anything other than cute.
Jungkook swears he is usually better than this.
“Yeah, it’s fine. I was actually going for a break when I approached you.” Cutie waves off with a hand, before putting his elbow on the table, supporting his head with a fist under his cheek. The said cheek is pushed upward, making him look like a chubby chick. Everything about this boy is so soft and Jungkook doesn’t understand anymore. What is this torture?
“Ah, I see,” he answers with a smile that he hopes is decent enough. Honestly, his face feels numb due to his efforts not to coo at every single thing Cutie does, so he doesn’t really trust his expression at this very moment. Is it normal to have heart palpitations this early after meeting someone?
Cutie throws a smile back.
Boom boom.
“Now, about the idea,” Cutie straightens up. “Can you study while walking around?”
At that, Jungkook raises his eyebrow. “Walking around? I prefer to do that, actually. But are you saying that I do that here, in the library?”
Cutie nods, eyes round and bright, plump lips forming a big, beautiful smile and Jungkook is momentarily blinded. How can someone nodding be that cute?
Get a grip, Jeon.
“I can’t see how I can do that? I mean, you even caught me loitering trying to find a spot. I’d rather not make any more disturbance.”
The boy seems to be hesitating, just for a slight moment, but Jungkook catches it. “How about,” he fidgets with his fingers, perhaps a nervous tick, “you help me to arrange the books? You can just push the cart while I put the books back, nothing else. That way, you can walk around while still being able to study!”
His tone gets higher as he gets more excited, his whole body rises with his excitement. Jungkook thinks it’s very endearing. But after he finishes, he looks like he realizes something and goes back shrinking a tiny bit, fingers back to fiddling with one another. “I-i swear I’m not trying use you, or anything. I just thought that maybe I could help you.” He shakes his head as a shy smile forms, looking more regretful than what Jungkook likes. “Forget it, now that I think of it, it sounds stupid. I sound like wanting to take advantage off of you. I’m sor-“
“I’ll do it!” Jungkook blurts out before his mind catches up. For a fast brain, his is quite slow today. “I mean, let’s do it. We can try. Honestly, I’ll try anything now because my finals are so near and I’m quite desperate. So thank you, really, for offering to help,” Jungkook finishes with a sheepish smile.
That earns an equally shy smile and a little squeak of okay from Cutie.
Then, he sees a tint of pink starts to adorn Cutie’s soft cheeks. Cutie just sits there, blushing, looking down at the table in between them. Why is he looking down? Why isn’t he saying anything else?
But then Jungkook looks to where Cutie is looking, and suddenly thinks, Wow, these are very soft hands.
Hands?
With a jolt, Jungkook removes his hand from Cutie’s and quickly lifting both of them in the air like a criminal caught in action. “I-I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to- I didn’t realize that- I-“ he stammers, like a fish out of water. Jungkook isn’t exactly an awkward person, but it does seem that during the twenty minutes of his encounter with Cutie, he has proven himself wrong.
“I’m sorry,” he finishes weakly. And if he also gets the blush plague, he doesn’t show it and lowers his head in embarrassment instead.
A quiet moment passes by with Jungkook freaking out internally, but when he hears a giggle, he finally gets the courage to lift his head slowly.
Cutie’s hair bounces slightly as he shakes his head with the softest smile, and Jungkook would be lying if he said he’s not at least a little bit in love.
—
Later that day, after a couple more awkward exchanges, a lot of eye smiles from Cutie, and irregular heart rates from Jungkook, they get up when it is time for Cutie to start his next shift. Jungkook follows him, hugging his book with both hands. Excitement runs through his veins and he feels a bit giddy. He tightens his hold on the book.
They are about to reach the door when Cutie suddenly turns to face him.
“It just came to me, that I haven’t got your name,” he says, amused.
Jungkook’s eyes widen in surprise.
The funny thing, is that Jungkook didn’t realize that either. He’s already so infatuated with the boy, it didn’t even pass his mind that Cutie has a real name. A name that’s most likely is as lovely as the owner, and is definitely not Cutie.
“I’m Jeon Jungkook,” he offers, giving out a hand.
The brown orbs disappear as the beautiful slits greet him once again, and warmth engulfs his outstretched hand as the boy answers, “And I’m Park Jimin.”
And Jungkook was right — it is lovely.