Chapter Text
There's something so familiar about the biting chill of loneliness— the way it creeps up on you slowly and then all at once until your entire body and mind are numb. Jimin is used to being alone. That doesn't mean he's ever enjoyed it. His favourite memories from when he was younger are all about his older brother, Seokjin. The one touch of warmth to melt the ice crawling around his heart. Seokjin has always shined brightly, never dulled by the harsh people around him.
Growing up in a family of witches sounds like fun, and it was for the first four or so years of his life. Until his family of powerful witches noticed that he wasn't developing his magic like other young witches his age. Then they tossed Jimin aside like he was nothing but an errant thought.
It wasn't all bad though. Jimin had Seokjin and that was all he really needed. Sure, sometimes he wished that he could feel the affection of a parent's hug or the joy of being a parent's first thought. Even for someone to tell him that he's done a good job. But he doesn't and that's alright.
Things have slowly started to change though. A few years ago Seokjin graduated high school and decided to go to an academy for witches to further his magic. Jimin wondered, standing on the edge of the road with tears burning his eyes, if he would ever see Seokjin again when he left for the academy. He should know by now to never doubt his older brother because Seokjin would call him at least twice a week even with his busy schedule, and even come to visit Jimin whenever he could.
Something that Jimin never expected was going to the witch academy himself— yet that's where he finds himself now. If someone told him when he was younger that he would eventually develop his own magic, he would've started crying. All he's ever wanted is to be like Seokjin, to have magic and make others proud. Now he finally has the chance to show his family that they're wrong— that he can be a witch that they'll be happy to have on their family tree.
The crisp fall breeze whirls around Jimin as people rush past him. Excitement simmers in his stomach, mixing with the ever-present flame of anxiety. His heart pounds in his chest so loudly that surely everyone around him can hear it.
"Jimin!" Turning around, Jimin can see Seokjin jogging towards him, his cheeks painted light pink. "There you are! I was worried you might have run away on me."
Tugging at the stray pieces of hair fanning his face, Jimin shakes his head. As tempting as it is to turn away and stay with what he knows, he can't help the pull of want in his chest. He's so curious about the world of magic and what it holds for him.
"I got here early. I couldn't sit still just waiting at home," Jimin replies, voice a whisper in the loud school courtyard.
Seokjin brushes the back of his hand against Jimin's cheek, soft but cold to the touch. Jimin tilts his head, leaning into the only familiar touch he knows. The warmth of Seokjin's palm seeps into Jimin's chilled skin, thawing his frozen exterior.
"You have a history of magic first, right?" Seokjin asks, brushing a stray strand of Jimin's hair back then drops his hand.
Jimin nods, hands clenched tight around the strap of his bag. His heart echos in his ears, thundering louder and louder. He's hoped and wished every night since he was younger that he could have magic but now that he really does, he's not sure what to do. No matter how much he hoped, he never thought it would actually come true. But now he's here and he's not going to back out before he's even started.
With a gentle touch, Seokjin places a hand on the small of Jimin's back, guiding him towards the school building's entrance. The two of them push their way through crowds of students. Everywhere Jimin looks is bustling with energy. Some students are even using their magic, particles of tangible magic floating around them in the air. Jimin can't help but stare, watching with amazement as they manipulate their magic so easily.
When Jimin's magic finally manifested, Seokjin told him that he would have a hard time grasping the use of his magic at first, that it might even be weak to start. He was right that Jimin has had a hard time controlling his magic but it's not weak at all, in fact, it's too strong.
Seokjin rests a hand on Jimin's shoulder as they come to a stop, the weight grounds Jimin and helps to remind him where he is.
"This is your class." Seokjin pauses, peeking into the open room. "You better get in there and grab a seat. Sometimes classes fill too fast that students miss out on getting a seat."
"Okay." Jimin releases a shaky breath, heart quivering and stomach clenching. "I'll see you later."
"I'll come to find you after your second class. You can eat with me."
And just like that, Seokjin steps back, waving to Jimin as he leaves. Jimin watches him for a beat, and then another, waiting for something. He's still waiting for someone to jump out and tell him that he can't be here.
His legs tremble beneath him as he steps into the room. Rows of seats face the front of the room, getting higher and higher as it goes back. Students are scattered through the seats, some sitting in groups and some sitting alone. He doesn't want to sit next to a stranger but selfishly he also doesn't want to sit alone. Even when he was younger he didn't know how to make friends and was always stuck on the outside.
Maybe now it could be different. Who is he kidding? Does he even deserve to have a friend here when he's only disappointed everyone else in his life?
Jimin is knocked out of his thoughts as someone bumps into him. He stumbles forwards, a lurching in his stomach as he's certain he's about to fall on his face. A tight grasp circles his wrist, fingers wrapping around and holding him steady.
Turning around, his breath is ripped out of his chest, a sudden weightlessness taking hold of him. Jimin has never seen a person so stunning. Like dawn breaking over the horizon, a speck of light in the darkest time. The person glows, their brows furrowed as they stare at Jimin.
"I'm so sorry. Are you okay?" A smooth, deep voice washes over Jimin, like a gentle lullaby.
After staring at them like an idiot, pausing for too long after they spoke, Jimin nods. He swallows the lump stuck in his throat, mouth dry and tongue sticking to the roof of his mouth. "Yeah..." Jimin clears his throat, determined to soothe this beautiful person's worries. "I shouldn't have been standing in the entrance but I'm okay."
The person blows out a relieved breath, a boxy smile taking over. Their touch around his wrist burns through Jimin's clothes, the longing for contact in his chest being quieted by this stranger. Jimin can't help but blush. Just how desperate for touch is he that he feels soothed by someone he's never met before?
"I'm glad you're okay." They pause, nose scrunching as their eyes scan Jimin. "I don't think I've seen you around before? I'm Taehyung, second-year student."
"Jimin." Biting his lip, Jimin thinks what else he should say. It's very rare that students start in second-year courses without being there for the first year unless they transferred. But Jimin was put into the second year to be with the same age range, even though he knows almost nothing about magic. "This is my first year here but I'm a second year as well."
Taehyung hums, slowly nodding his head. "Well, do you want to go find a seat together?"
Jimin is beginning to think he'd follow Taehyung anywhere if he asked. A shaky breath escapes him as he nods, quietly relieved that he has someone to sit with, that he won't be alone— for this one class at least. Taehyung might not want to talk to him after he realizes how useless Jimin is— at magic and everything else.
The two of them pass by rows of students, climbing the stairs in the middle towards the back. Taehyung stops at a less crowded row and pulls Jimin towards the middle seats. He flops down into a seat, the chair creaking under the sudden weight. As soon as Taehyung lets go of Jimin's wrist, he misses the touch. He feels cold, a chill racing up his arm as if to strike his heart.
Tentatively, Jimin sits down next to Taehyung, dropping his bag on the floor next to him. He's unsure of what to expect for this class. History of magic seems straight forward but to Jimin who knows next to nothing, he can't help but think it sounds vague.
From beside him, Taehyung yawns, stretching out as far as he can reach. "I wish I could've gotten a later time for this class in my schedule. I hate morning lectures."
"At least it's not the eight o'clock lecture," Jimin quietly offers, forcing the words out of his mouth. After growing up in the background, to be sometimes seen but never heard, he can have a hard time talking. Seokjin always encourages him to say whatever comes to mind when they're together but even then it's still hard.
“I would just give up if I had to take an eight am lecture. I don’t understand morning people and how they can even think so early.”
A smile tugs at Jimin’s lips before he can even think about it. It’s been so long since he’s been able to smile naturally, without having to force it and worry if he looks strange.
For a while, things go well-- almost too well. Jimin swears bad luck just gravitates towards him, but he can’t help but hope that this time fate will be on his side. The rest of the class moves smoothly, the professor lecturing about the deep history of all things magic. Jimin even finds himself leaning forward in his seat, encaptured by how vast the world of magic really is.
And then things start to go wrong.
The professor demonstrates in front of the class what he says is a simple spell, one that all witches would have learned when they were also learning to write. He says it’s what we know to be one of the first spells to come into existence. Then he scans the room, wide eyes looking for an easy target. Unfortunately, those eyes land on Jimin, lighting up with a familiar gleam.
“You there! Would you come up and demonstrate as well, so your peers can get another look,” the professor exclaims, hands gesturing wildly between Jimin and the front of the classroom.
Dread creeps up Jimin's spine, a pit sitting heavily in his stomach. Just like that he feels nauseous. As much as he loves that he can use magic now, he still doesn't have it under control. Seokjin says that it's probably because his magic came to him so late.
“Good luck Jimin!” Taehyung whispers, a boxy grin taking over his face.
There's something so familiar about the biting chill of loneliness— the way it creeps up on you slowly and then all at once until your entire body and mind are numb. Jimin is used to being alone. That doesn't mean he's ever enjoyed it. His favourite memories from when he was younger are all about his older brother, Seokjin. The one touch of warmth to melt the ice crawling around his heart. Seokjin has always shined brightly, never dulled by the harsh people around him.
Growing up in a family of witches sounds like fun, and it was for the first four or so years of his life. Until his family of powerful witches noticed that he wasn't developing his magic like other young witches his age. Then they tossed Jimin aside like he was nothing but an errant thought.
It wasn't all bad though. Jimin had Seokjin and that was all he really needed. Sure, sometimes he wished that he could feel the affection of a parent's hug or the joy of being a parent's first thought. Even for someone to tell him that he's done a good job. But he doesn't and that's alright.
Things have slowly started to change though. A few years ago Seokjin graduated high school and decided to go to an academy for witches to further his magic. Jimin wondered, standing on the edge of the road with tears burning his eyes, if he would ever see Seokjin again when he left for the academy. He should know by now to never doubt his older brother because Seokjin would call him at least twice a week even with his busy schedule, and even come to visit Jimin whenever he could.
Something that Jimin never expected was going to the witch academy himself— yet that's where he finds himself now. If someone told him when he was younger that he would eventually develop his own magic, he would've started crying. All he's ever wanted is to be like Seokjin, to have magic and make others proud. Now he finally has the chance to show his family that they're wrong— that he can be a witch that they'll be happy to have on their family tree.
The crisp fall breeze whirls around Jimin as people rush past him. Excitement simmers in his stomach, mixing with the ever-present flame of anxiety. His heart pounds in his chest so loudly that surely everyone around him can hear it.
"Jimin!" Turning around, Jimin can see Seokjin jogging towards him, his cheeks painted light pink. "There you are! I was worried you might have run away on me."
Tugging at the stray pieces of hair fanning his face, Jimin shakes his head. As tempting as it is to turn away and stay with what he knows, he can't help the pull of want in his chest. He's so curious about the world of magic and what it holds for him.
"I got here early. I couldn't sit still just waiting at home," Jimin replies, voice a whisper in the loud school courtyard.
Seokjin brushes the back of his hand against Jimin's cheek, soft but cold to the touch. Jimin tilts his head, leaning into the only familiar touch he knows. The warmth of Seokjin's palm seeps into Jimin's chilled skin, thawing his frozen exterior.
"You have a history of magic first, right?" Seokjin asks, brushing a stray strand of Jimin's hair back then drops his hand.
Jimin nods, hands clenched tight around the strap of his bag. His heart echos in his ears, thundering louder and louder. He's hoped and wished every night since he was younger that he could have magic but now that he really does, he's not sure what to do. No matter how much he hoped, he never thought it would actually come true. But now he's here and he's not going to back out before he's even started.
With a gentle touch, Seokjin places a hand on the small of Jimin's back, guiding him towards the school building's entrance. The two of them push their way through crowds of students. Everywhere Jimin looks is bustling with energy. Some students are even using their magic, particles of tangible magic floating around them in the air. Jimin can't help but stare, watching with amazement as they manipulate their magic so easily.
When Jimin's magic finally manifested, Seokjin told him that he would have a hard time grasping the use of his magic at first, that it might even be weak to start. He was right that Jimin has had a hard time controlling his magic but it's not weak at all, in fact, it's too strong.
Seokjin rests a hand on Jimin's shoulder as they come to a stop, the weight grounds Jimin and helps to remind him where he is.
"This is your class." Seokjin pauses, peeking into the open room. "You better get in there and grab a seat. Sometimes classes fill too fast that students miss out on getting a seat."
"Okay." Jimin releases a shaky breath, heart quivering and stomach clenching. "I'll see you later."
"I'll come to find you after your second class. You can eat with me."
And just like that, Seokjin steps back, waving to Jimin as he leaves. Jimin watches him for a beat, and then another, waiting for something. He's still waiting for someone to jump out and tell him that he can't be here.
His legs tremble beneath him as he steps into the room. Rows of seats face the front of the room, getting higher and higher as it goes back. Students are scattered through the seats, some sitting in groups and some sitting alone. He doesn't want to sit next to a stranger but selfishly he also doesn't want to sit alone. Even when he was younger he didn't know how to make friends and was always stuck on the outside.
Maybe now it could be different. Who is he kidding? Does he even deserve to have a friend here when he's only disappointed everyone else in his life?
Jimin is knocked out of his thoughts as someone bumps into him. He stumbles forwards, a lurching in his stomach as he's certain he's about to fall on his face. A tight grasp circles his wrist, fingers wrapping around and holding him steady.
Turning around, his breath is ripped out of his chest, a sudden weightlessness taking hold of him. Jimin has never seen a person so stunning. Like dawn breaking over the horizon, a speck of light in the darkest time. The person glows, their brows furrowed as they stare at Jimin.
"I'm so sorry. Are you okay?" A smooth, deep voice washes over Jimin, like a gentle lullaby.
After staring at them like an idiot, pausing for too long after they spoke, Jimin nods. He swallows the lump stuck in his throat, mouth dry and tongue sticking to the roof of his mouth. "Yeah..." Jimin clears his throat, determined to soothe this beautiful person's worries. "I shouldn't have been standing in the entrance but I'm okay."
The person blows out a relieved breath, a boxy smile taking over. Their touch around his wrist burns through Jimin's clothes, the longing for contact in his chest being quieted by this stranger. Jimin can't help but blush. Just how desperate for touch is he that he feels soothed by someone he's never met before?
"I'm glad you're okay." They pause, nose scrunching as their eyes scan Jimin. "I don't think I've seen you around before? I'm Taehyung, second-year student."
"Jimin." Biting his lip, Jimin thinks what else he should say. It's very rare that students start in second-year courses without being there for the first year unless they transferred. But Jimin was put into the second year to be with the same age range, even though he knows almost nothing about magic. "This is my first year here but I'm a second year as well."
Taehyung hums, slowly nodding his head. "Well, do you want to go find a seat together?"
Jimin is beginning to think he'd follow Taehyung anywhere if he asked. A shaky breath escapes him as he nods, quietly relieved that he has someone to sit with, that he won't be alone— for this one class at least. Taehyung might not want to talk to him after he realizes how useless Jimin is— at magic and everything else.
The two of them pass by rows of students, climbing the stairs in the middle towards the back. Taehyung stops at a less crowded row and pulls Jimin towards the middle seats. He flops down into a seat, the chair creaking under the sudden weight. As soon as Taehyung lets go of Jimin's wrist, he misses the touch. He feels cold, a chill racing up his arm as if to strike his heart.
Tentatively, Jimin sits down next to Taehyung, dropping his bag on the floor next to him. He's unsure of what to expect for this class. History of magic seems straight forward but to Jimin who knows next to nothing, he can't help but think it sounds vague.
From beside him, Taehyung yawns, stretching out as far as he can reach. "I wish I could've gotten a later time for this class in my schedule. I hate morning lectures."
"At least it's not the eight o'clock lecture," Jimin quietly offers, forcing the words out of his mouth. After growing up in the background, to be sometimes seen but never heard, he can have a hard time talking. Seokjin always encourages him to say whatever comes to mind when they're together but even then it's still hard.
“I would just give up if I had to take an eight am lecture. I don’t understand morning people and how they can even think so early.”
A smile tugs at Jimin’s lips before he can even think about it. It’s been so long since he’s been able to smile naturally, without having to force it and worry if he looks strange.
For a while, things go well-- almost too well. Jimin swears bad luck just gravitates towards him, but he can’t help but hope that this time fate will be on his side. The rest of the class moves smoothly, the professor lecturing about the deep history of all things magic. Jimin even finds himself leaning forward in his seat, encaptured by how vast the world of magic really is.
And then things start to go wrong.
The professor demonstrates in front of the class what he says is a simple spell, one that all witches would have learned when they were also learning to write. He says it’s what we know to be one of the first spells to come into existence. Then he scans the room, wide eyes looking for an easy target. Unfortunately, those eyes land on Jimin, lighting up with a familiar gleam.
“You there! Would you come up and demonstrate as well, so your peers can get another look,” the professor exclaims, hands gesturing wildly between Jimin and the front of the classroom.
Dread creeps up Jimin's spine, a pit sitting heavily in his stomach. Just like that he feels nauseous. As much as he loves that he can use magic now, he still doesn't have it under control. Seokjin says that it's probably because his magic came to him so late.
“Good luck Jimin!” Taehyung whispers, a boxy grin taking over his face.