Work Text:
Life as an art student was very different than what Kim Taehyung had thought it would be. Long hours classes, requiring to turn up a number of different types of paintings, sketches and photographs, building a portfolio and trying to push himself through the theory of art. It didn’t leave much time for other things that one would imagine university life to entail, namely, partying, drinking, gaming, trips to different places, relationships, sex, etc. Though his hoobae and friend Jeon Jungkook; majoring in graphic designing, always seemed to rave about the above, it was beyond Taehyung’s comprehension. The most he could squeeze out were the weekends where he wasn’t required to fill in for his colleague’s shift.
He worked at a small book shop a few blocks from his apartment that he shared with his best friend; Park Jimin. The story of how he met the shorter raven-head was a funny tale. He had come to Seoul in High School years, his parents finally able to afford to pay for his studies. He left his grandparents, who promised to still send him some pocket money on which his daily expenses depended. He had decided to stay in a hostel, not yet comfortable with living with his parents and two siblings in a single room apartment. And that is where he had met Park Jimin; his roommate.
The ride had been turbulent, for both of them were quite different. Where Taehyung was used to living in the countryside as a free spirit, Jimin was much more composed and reserved. Their first impression of each other wasn’t great either; with Jimin complaining to his sunbae- Hoseok (his earlier roommate who had joined an entertainment company to pursue his dreams of dancing). Taehyung had just thought Jimin was too stuck up and arrogant, leaving the raven-head alone for most parts.
Yet it was through little things that they became closer without even noticing. Both were good at heart and couldn’t hate the other. So one of them would leave a snack for the other on the shared table, or bring medicines when one was sick, wake each other up for school (mostly Jimin). And somehow over the course of a few months, they became friends. Though it wasn’t till the dumplings incident in their junior year that they became really close.
‘Why can’t we order the jumbo dumpling? I really want to eat it Park Jimin!’ Taehyung whined as the pair stood outside a small dumpling shop near their hostel.
‘Don’t be a pabo Taehyung-ah! We couldn’t finish it the last time you ordered it and it was a total waste. Also, their fried pork dumplings are way way better.’ Jimin retorted.
‘Why do you never listen to me? We clearly ordered what you like for the last few times. Why can’t we order what I want this time? Why do you have to be such a jerk?’ Taehyung said back, folding his hand and Jimin internally groaned.
‘Why don’t you ever listen to me Kim Taehyung? I said last time as well that we’ll not be able to finish them and what happened, exactly that. And you still want to order them and waste our money and the food, yet again. Why would I listen to you then?’ Jimin shouted and Taehyung just looked at him in shock. Clearly he wasn’t expecting the shorter boy to shout at him like that.
‘Fine. Do whatever you feel like. I’m out.’ and just like that, Park Jimin was left alone watching the silhouette of his roommate growing smaller.
It was silly really, to fight over what kind of dumplings to order. But Taehyung and Jimin were nothing if not silly. So they fought and Taehyung left Jimin in the snacks shop. By the time Jimin knew where to find his roommate, and two bottles of soju with Hoseok and a dramatic whining session later, he asked Taehyung to meet him at the park. He had hugged Taehyung and cried, pouring his heart out and how he felt that Taehyung and he were meant to be.
And gradually, they became best friends, and then to soulmates, graduating together and going to the same university, renting out a small apartment and living together. He had taken up visual arts while Jimin had gone for dance and arts. It wasn’t easy but they couldn’t live without each other. Living on his own, he had to work hard to keep up with his rent and expenses as his parents and grandparents could only afford his education. So he worked part-time in the book shop that helped him keep his head above water. He had started teaching two kids in the posh neighbourhood, thanks to his long time friend’s recommendation, and he was hoping it would leave him enough. All this didn’t leave him much time to actually enjoy his life as others did but he wasn’t complaining.
He had been living his life contently, with good friends, a nice apartment, a nice college and degree and a good future to look forward to. That is until his eyes fell on a girl in his last year. It was a Saturday when he was walking back home from the campus that he stopped to look at a cherry blossom tree. He smiled as he pulled out his trusty old camera, gifted to him by his grandmother, and started to click a few pictures. It was through the lens of this that he saw a girl sitting underneath the tree. He paused for a second as he felt a weird tingle in his finger. Putting the camera away from his face, he looked up to see the girl.
Sitting under the tree, the girl was focussed on the book in her hand. Her brown locks fell over her shoulder, swaying lightly, she was nibbling on the back of her pen, eyes furrowed in concentration. He admired her overall aesthetic and her chic dressing sense. And as he scanned her, the image got imprinted in his mind without intending it to. He had gone back home, thinking of the same image and got teased immensely by his best friend for getting a crush. Though he had a shift later and decided to focus, that is until the same girl walked in the shop.
He had to keep himself from falling from the stairs he had been using to rearrange some books. She was looking even prettier up close and he had to remind himself to act like a normal human being. And her soft voice asking him help in locating an old mythology book didn’t help his case. He had the awed expression till he reached home and somehow after telling Jimin everything, he had burst out crying. Jimin held his friend, comforting the younger by telling him it was ok to be overwhelmed.
‘I don’t even know why I am crying Jiminie… Am I weird for this?’ Taehyung asked, tears slipping down the slope of his face.
‘Ah… Taehyungie… No, it’s not weird. You are just overwhelmed with everything going on and now you suddenly find a girl and. It’s ok. You’ll figure it all out.’ Jimin said pulling the younger in a hug.
Taehyung had soon found out that the girl was in the same year as Jungkook and pursuing the same major as the younger. Though somehow Taehyung could never push himself to pursue her, choosing to admire her from afar. Jimin had tried to push him but Taehyung had brushed the older off saying it was just a crush. And life hadn’t been too kind to Taehyung either, having to work more to save up and the constant pressure to get a job or something more permanent. And it had been just a few months after his and Jimin’s graduation that he received the news of his grandmother’s death.
To say Taehyung was devastated would be an understatement. He had been hit hard and moreso with getting to know that his grandmother had neglected her own health and care just so she could send Taehyung a little extra money every month. Taehyung had been shattered, and looking at the healthcare gift package kept in the corner of his room, the one he had bought with his first paycheck as a gift for his grandparents didn’t console him in a bit. He did end up giving it to his grandfather though and spending a month in his hometown with the elder.
His parents had shifted back to his hometown to support his grandfather while both of his siblings stayed in Seoul in a hostel for education. Taehyung had vowed to himself that he would make a lot of money and never let his family suffer the way they did. So when he was given a card from a modelling company while he was showing a group of people around the art museum he had been working at, he had taken it up. Jimin had been there as his rock throughout and supported him in this endeavour too.
Jimin tried his best to take care of his friend, but he knew something had changed in him. Taehyung was much quieter, more serious and felt like had matured so much in such a short span of time. Jimin was worried for the younger but he knew there wasn’t much he could do. Taehyung was broken inside and he needed to heal. The problem was, the younger wasn’t ready to acknowledge this or talk about it. And then when one day Jimin visited Jungkook’s house, he met someone who could help his best friend out. Because Jimin had never seen Taehyung so affected by anyone else than her apart from his family and Jimin, ever.