Chapter Text
Maybe doing arts and crafts with the kids before Jimin’s first drawing class was the best solution. At least, they’d already be dirty and would be able to draw without fearing making a mess of their clothes.
The kids are sitting on their chairs, painting with big brushes, putting paint all over their hands, Jimin’s arms, their shirt, basically everywhere they can reach, as small as they are.
They’re being rowdy: it’s almost the end of the day and the kids’ parents will soon be here to pick them up.
Jimin loves working with kids, they’re smart, funny and genuine, even though they shriek a lot and stain their clothes. They like reading to them, accompanying them to recess, helping them grow up in a sane and safe space.
The kids finally leave class for the day and Jimin sighs, exhausted. It’s four in the afternoon and their class starts at 5.30, they have time to unwind a little.
They take the subway to the station closest to the painting class and look for a café to sit and relax at, waiting for some time to pass.
They order something sweet and syrupy, a local boba, and sit down on a bench outside, taking in spring’s sunshine. The day is glowing, light beautiful, makes everything metallic shimmer a little, it’s mesmerizing.
When it’s finally 5.25, they get up from the bench, throw their cup away and walk towards the scrawled address they noted down earlier that day.
The building’s just like any other one, nothing particular, it’s residential.They enter the digicode and walk up the stairs to the third floor, knock on the door that reads “Kim Taehyung”.
They hope they’re not too early.
The ad they’ve seen explicitly stated the following words : “I give art classes for a living, I’m a painter but exposing in galleries doesn’t help me pay rent. I’m not a scam, I’m just dirt poor. Oh, and, if any one of you use anything other than gender neutral pronouns to address me, you are not welcome in my class. 35$ a group session, 45$ for a private class.”
Jimin doesn’t have many hobbies, most of their time is used in order to please the kids they teach, or doing house chores, answering the phone and trying to convince their mother that no mom it’s not a phase, please stop telling me I’ll find a husband and be a normal woman . They aren’t a woman. They aren’t a man either. They don’t want to be either one, they’re outside of the binary spectrum, someone who doesn’t want to be referred to as anything else than Jimin, a sweetheart with children, a good friend, a gentle lover, someone nice. Not a man or a woman. They’re tired of trying to explain it to their mother. Their father doesn’t talk to them anymore.
So, when Jimin saw that ad, it resonated within them. They’d always dreamt of learning how to draw better, and those words, these brave words, publicly stating that the teacher didn’t want to follow traditional gender roles, soothed something in them, made them trust Taehyung.
The door opens and who they assume is their teacher is absurdly handsome, it’s unfair. They’re tall, with a mole under their eye, it almost looks like make-up, every facial feature on them is perfect. Jimin is sweating. They’re impressive, and their stature even more.
“Hi!” The teacher’s neutral face breaks into a wide smile, teeth showing, eyes creasing, and they seem genuinely happy to meet them. “You’re not the first, but not the last one either, congratulations!”
Jimin laughs and extends a hand that Kim Taehyung shakes in return.
“I’m Park Jimin, answered your ad.”
“Ah, yes, my fellow gender role smasher, please be welcomed into my working space.”
They turn around, revealing a large room with a magnifying glass roof, letting the sun seep through it.
There are three other students and four empty chairs. Jimin goes to sit next to another person, getting their pencils out and their sketchbook as well.
“We’ll start in a couple minutes, does anyone want anything to drink? I have water, aloe vera, tangerine juice and vodka but I do not advise the latter for precise drawings.”
It makes the students laugh and Jimin finds the teacher endearing. Everyone answers and Jimin goes with aloe vera.
It takes some time but, finally, everyone arrives and they’re all gathered up, ready to start their lesson.
“I’m Taehyung and I’ll be your teacher and sometimes model for the next classes. This is a way for me to make a decent living and for you to get better at drawing. Are you all ready?”
Some smiles, others nod. Jimin’s part of the first category.
“We’ll start with drawing a few gestures. I’ll take postures for two minutes and you’ll have to recreate the movement I’ve imprinted to my position. Don’t be picky about details, the focus here is on movement . We’ll go through your drawings afterwards, but the goal here is to get you to start paying attention to what things look like, free yourself from stiff drawings.”
True to their word, they practice different poses, and Jimin tries finding the curves, the angles. It looks more abstract than figurative, doesn’t look like much if they have to be honest, but they’re enjoying it. It feels natural.
Someone knocks at the door after the third posture.
Taehyung goes to open the door.
“Hi, I’m Jungkook, I’m sorry for running late, my last client took longer than intended.”
Taehyung doesn’t say a thing for a couple seconds, and then shakes his hand.
“Have a seat.” They reply, and the guy, hair flopping around his ears as he half-walks-half-runs to the last empty seat, well, the guy is cute. He’s covered with tattoos, but Jimin doesn’t have time to detail them, as Taehyung picks up where they left off.
An hour passes and Taehyung announces a break, as they’ll be watching everyone’s drawings. The tattooed man, Jungkook, has pulled his hair into a small bun and it’s cute. Jimin likes it. They like cute things, and cute people.
Taehyung walks up to them, goes through their sketches.
“They’re good.” They tell Jimin, and there’s a hint of a blush on their cheeks, receiving praise. “You’ve got an eye for movement. Is it your first time drawing?”
“Except stick figures and collages with kids, yeah.”
“Be bolder in your strokes. You’re promising. Keep up the good work, and don’t forget that movement is everything. ”
From up close, they’re even more handsome, a yellow scarf tied around their neck, and a loose paint-covered white shirt on them. Effortlessly beautiful.
They advise the others and Jimin stares at them, wandering around the room, almost floating in their slippers. They seem like a chill person they’d like to hang around with.
Jungkook is the last one they advise.
Their first words to him are the following :
“Are you an art student trying to get extra studio time?”
At least, it’s frank. They’re smiling
“You’re already skilled, you don’t need my class.”
Jungkook, puts a loose strand of hair out of his face, and his gaze is fierce, determined.
“I have technical talent but I need to find my voice.” He says, stuttering over the last words.
Taehyung nods.
“That, I understand.” They reply. “How do you know how to draw so well?”
“I’m a tattoo artist.” He replies, a bit lower, almost timid.
“You have a portfolio with you?”
Jungkook looks at loss.
“I have—uh, my instagram.”
“Good, will you give me the pleasure of showing me your works after class is over?”
Jungkook rubs at his ears, and he looks flustered, Jimin likes the way he smiles with his front teeth showing, like a small bunny.
“Yeah...okay.”
Taehyung claps their hands and hollers at the class.
“Okay, let’s continue with something a little harder. You’ll have a half-hour to try and draw me. We’ll discuss what you have to work on afterwards, and then vodka is allowed to be poured into orange juice glasses.”
Jimin feels at ease in this class, not judged, and they can be themself for once.
Drawing them is harder than expected. Jimin takes a pencil and tries delimiting Taehyung’s proportions with it, drawing with his other hand. It’s sketchy at best, but the scarf is there, and the smile as well. You can’t really recognize them, or admit that the proportions are correct at all, but they’re having fun, relaxing and enjoying themself.
When the time is over and Taehyung comes by Jimin’s desk, they lean in and pat Jimin’s shoulder.
“It’ll come in time. Your pencil idea was great, I’ll give you a couple tricks on how to better deliberate someone’s proportions. The head makes a seventh of someone’s body, it should already help you a little. I’ll send you an email with exercises and tips.”
A few minutes later, it’s Jungkook’s turn.
“You’re right, your art is stiff, it’s academically beautiful, I’ll admit it, but I don’t feel anything when I stare at it.”
Jungkook doesn’t seem phased by the comment, he simply nods.
“I know.”
“Okay, we’re all good for today. It was a good way to test the waters, evaluate your levels. I was half-joking about the vodka by the way. You can stay for a while and get to know each other.”
Jimin tries mingling with the crowd but they’re mostly tired. They sit on a stool and sip on their aloe vera, slowly, taking in the nice atmosphere of the place.
“So, why are you here?” Taehyung asks them.
“I needed a new hobby and I’ve always wanted to try drawing, so, here I am.”
Taehyung nods, leaning his elbows on the counter.
“It’s never too late.” They smile at them.
Jungkook joins them, looking between them, but not directly at them , he seems nervous.
“You said you wanted to see my work.” He says.
Taehyung nods and Jimin scoots closer.
Jungkook unlocks his phone and opens his instagram page. It’s filled with pastel tattoos, abstract or extremely realistic, but you can feel they’ve all been inspired by templates, that there is no artistic freedom in them. They’re beautiful, but they lack something.
“I need to build up confidence, find my own style, and I won’t do that by testing it on clients.” He nervously laughs. Jimin smiles at him.
“Mine test their skills on me all the time.” They say, reassuring.
Jungkook’s eyes widen.
“What’s your job?”
“I’m a kindergarten teacher with a soft spot for kids so there’s not a week where I don’t end up with colorful flowers drawn on my arms. Look.”
They extend an arm and show a scribble.
“That’s a dragon.”
Taehyung and Jungkook let out an “Ohhh.” in unison.
Jungkook extends a hand.
“I’m Jungkook.” He says and Jimin shakes his hand, gentle but firm.
“Jimin.”
He looks strong, and the contrast between Taehyung’s lean form and his muscles is striking. Jimin has a hard time looking away from them.
“You, for next week.” Taehyung looks at Jungkook. “I want you to draw me ten things without any reference, in your usual tattoo color palette. And you—” He turns around. “Draw me five of your kids for next week. I don’t care if it looks like shit, practice, have fun.”
They both nod and Taehyung leaves them for another group.
“So, kids, uh?” Jungkook tentatively says.
“Yeah, not used to them?”
“Not really the kind of clients I get, no.” Jungkook laughs frankly, and Jimin smiles at him. “I like them though, the way they climb on you like tiny koalas.”
“It’s cute when it’s only one kid, but terrifying when they’re five over you.”
Jungkook snorts and Jimin laughs along.
“I’ll be going, I’m exhausted.” Jimin tells him and Jungkook nods.
“Of course, see you next week Jimin.”
“See ya.”