It was Friday, the day of the championship football game, and Jimin was at home, staring at the wall blankly.

He should've been at school, but decided it was best to stay home after all of the commotion that occurred yesterday. Besides, Taehyung wasn't going to be at school either. Actually, Taehyung wasn't allowed to be at school.

After the fights were broken up, the school faculty reviewed the cameras and witnessed all of the violence that played out between the three boys. Granted, not everyone left school that day with a clean record. Both Taehyung and Junhyeon were put on a two week suspension and consequently both kicked off of the football team. Unfortunately, the school board had a policy in which if a student is suspended they must be kicked off any athletic team provided by the school. Therefore, Taehyung and Junhyeon would not be allowed to participate in the championship game that night.

Jimin's heart hurt for his crush. He knew how much that game meant to him. He knew how much playing football in general meant to him, and now that was all taken away just because he defended him.

Forcefully, Jimin made his way over to his bedroom mirror and admired his black eye and bruised lip. He wished he could somehow have taken the punishment instead of Taehyung, but it was no use. On the contrary, he couldn't have cared less about what happened to Junhyeon. For all Jimin cared, he wished Junhyeon was expelled and never allowed to step foot into the school again. This was all Junhyeon's fault and even Jimin knew that.

His mind kept thinking about how devastated Taehyung must have been. Jimin just wanted to see him and hug him and let him know that everything was going to be okay. In fact, that's just what he decided to do.

Jimin quickly grabbed his glasses from his bedside table that was covered in pain medication for obvious reasons and dashed down the hallway to find his mother.

"Mom, I'm going over to Tae's house to check on him. Is that okay?"

     Jimin's mother turned around to meet her son's damaged face with hurting eyes. As much as she wanted to tell him to stay home and rest and let her take care of him, she knew ultimately that her son couldn't have cared less about his own condition and was rather worried about Taehyung.

"Of course, honey. Drive safe." His mother gave him permission along with a hug and a kiss, watching him flee out the door.

     "Love you, mom!"

Jimin was in such a hurry to see his crush that he hadn't even bothered to call or text him to warn him that he was on his way. Regardless, he knew Taehyung needed company to cheer him up, and he was more than happy to be there for him.

❦

Jimin pulled up in front of Taehyung's house. He had only been there once before to pick the jock up and drive him to the hospital. Even then, he had never actually been inside.

He stood before the massive, wooden door and went in to knock, only to be met with silence. Another swift knock at the door resulted in the exact same thing, making Jimin wonder if anybody was home. However, the concerned boy tried his luck when he twisted the door knob on his own to find it to be unlocked. Jimin furrowed his eyebrows but, nonetheless, pushed the door further open to walk inside.

The house was dark and seemingly empty.
It opened up to the living room which was quite unkept with heaps of dirty laundry strewn across the sofa and several snack wrappers decorating the coffee table. Jimin shuddered at the cold atmosphere, closing the door behind him. With wandering, puzzled eyes he settled on walking down a long hallway where he examined the old-fashioned wall paper that was peeling at the rims and lack of pictures on the walls. It really threw him off. The entire house gave him weird vibes. It lacked the family feel to it or the aura of love Jimin felt in his own home. The house was almost dead. Ironically, Jimin was so distracted by the strangeness of the energy of the building that he had completely forgotten that he was technically breaking and entering into another person's home.

Finally, he stumbled upon a room with the door swung wide open revealing Taehyung sitting on the carpet next to his bed, head buried in his knees. Granted, the only thing that gave it away was his platinum silver locks since Jimin couldn't see his face.

Carefully, Jimin entered the room and whispered his name quietly to warn him that he was there.

No response. No movement. Nothing.

The closer Jimin got, the more audible a hushed noise became. It sounded like tiny whimpers and sniffles.

"T-Taehyung," Jimin mustered, "I'm here." He crouched down onto the floor to get onto the silver-haired boy's level, slowly reaching a hand out to touch his arm. "I'm sorry I didn't call to ask if it was okay. I just wanted to see how you were holding up."

Hesitantly, The younger looked up to meet Jimin's worried eyes, momentarily leaving his dark ball of sorrow. To Jimin's surprise, Taehyung was crying. He had never seen Taehyung cry before. That's when his heart shattered into a million pieces.

"It's okay... I'm here for you." The older whispered, reaching in front of him to wipe away his crush's tears.

Strangely, Taehyung didn't confide into Jimin and pour out his heart. Instead, he curled back into a little ball and hid his face from the older.

"Talk to me, Tae. It will feel so much better if you just talk to me." Jimin guided, nudging his crush softly.

Seconds that felt like hours passed as Jimin was left to stare at Taehyung holding back pained sobs.

"I'm sorry," Taehyung managed between breaths, using his sleeves to wipe the rivers that flowed from his eyes. "J-just go away... I... I don't want you to s-see me l-like this."

"Don't be sorry! It's okay to be sad. We're all human, and we all have emotions. It's okay to cry it out, Tae." Jimin tried his best at comforting, but second guessed himself each time. The only thing he wanted in the world was Taehyung's happiness, but he wasn't exactly confident in how well that was being achieved at the moment.

Reluctantly, the jock gave into his vulnerable state, his quivering lip releasing a strained sob. "What have I done? I-I'm such an idiot! If it wasn't for Junhyeon... and... and his evil fucking self, I could still be on the f-football team... I-I could be playing tonight a-and you wouldn't be hurt!" Taehyung ranted, letting Jimin taste his anger. He was going from distraught to furious really quick and Jimin was getting increasingly concerned. He knew Taehyung needed to let out his feelings, but the way his whimpers turned into loud cries and his sniffles into hitched breaths alarmed Jimin immediately.

     "It's okay, Taehyung. Just brea—"

     "I shouldn't have beat him like that, but I n-needed to defend you! I should've just killed him right then and there!" In his hysterical state, The younger began contradicting himself. He began convulsing helplessly with each sob, and was beginning to choke on his own sobs, sending Jimin into a worried fit.

     "It's not the end of the world." Jimin soothed, watching as his crush became more and more of a mess. His breathing was rapidly increasing to an alarming rate as sweat accumulated all over his body.

     "Yes... yes it is! You just d-don't understand!" Taehyung's fingers started trembling uncontrollably as it reached his hands and then his arms and then his entire body. "I can't even s-speak at graduation anymore! I've fucked up everything!" At this point he was gasping for air, holding his own hand to his chest. "Th-this is all just too m-much!"

     Jimin was at a loss for words. All he could do was watch as Taehyung struggled for oxygen, shaking profusely. What could he have done?

"Um... just calm down, Tae. The world isn't over... uh... just listen to my voice, okay?" Jimin stammered, totally lost on how to calm the younger down.

"J-Jimin, I'm f-freaking out!" Taehyung heaved, inhaling more than he was exhaling, barely able to form words. He didn't know how much longer his body could withstand the sensation that took over him and clawed at his tight chest. "I-I can't breathe!"

Jimin froze. "I-I think you're having a panic attack!"

Jimin's heart began racing. Fuck! What do I do? What the fuck do I do? Come on Park Jimin! You've gotta help him! Think!

Jimin's fingers were trembling now. He was becoming just as panicked as Taehyung. He had to act fast.

     At last, he knew the only thing to do was the first thing that came to his mind. In tense situations Jimin tended to do impulsive things. And boy... was this an impulsive decision.

     Instantly, Jimin moved his hands forward to cup the panicking boy's face. For only a second he lingered there, staring deeply into Taehyung's glassy eyes, soon exchanging his stare to lock onto the younger's trembling lips. And in an instant, the image was gone as Jimin forced his eyes shut, crashing his lips into Taehyung's.

The exact moment Taehyung felt Jimin's lips pressed against his own, his entire body fell limp. He was no longer shaking or convulsing. His desperate, rapid breathing slowed to a stop as Jimin kissed him intensely, showing no signs of backing off. It was like reality came to a halt as Taehyung desired to taste Jimin's sweet intimacy forever.

And just as fast as he was there, Jimin slowly pulled back, flicking his eyes open to stare at Taehyung who was no longer panicking. He was only staring straight back at the older with parted lips and an unreadable expression. The tears that once streamed trails down his face no longer fell, and finally his body seemed stable. For a while they just sat there, waiting for the other to make a move or say something, both meanwhile processing what had just happened.

     "Did it work?" Jimin breathed, still in close proximity to his crush's face.

     That's when Taehyung looked down at his fingers that were still. He looked at the rise and fall of his own chest that was now slowed to a normal rate. However his heart was still pounding a hundred miles a minute, but this time it wasn't from a panic attack.

     "Thank you," Taehyung rasped, staring back up to Jimin with confused eyes. Jimin saved him from his panic attack and did it in the best way possible.

     Reality began setting in as Jimin became aware of what he just did. The same was happening for Taehyung and neither knew what move to make next.

     "Jimin..." Taehyung started, holding his intense gaze onto the older. "Did... did you just kiss me?"

     Jimin didn't say a word at first. He himself was confused if he had really just kissed his crush or not. Did I just kiss him? Did I really just kiss him? He finally sat up, pushing his hair back in disbelief. "Y-yeah, I was just trying to help. I did the only thing that I thought would work, and it did... right?"

     "Yeah, it worked." Taehyung licked his lips remembering how it felt to have Jimin's thick, plush lips up against them. He wished he'd savored it more, or at least kissed him back. Sure it was just to calm him down, but Taehyung felt more than that. He craved Jimin's flavors again, and the longer he thought about it, the more starved he became. "Jimin..." the silver-haired boy was already taken aback from what he was about to say, but it was the only thing he wanted. It was the only thing he needed. "Kiss me again."

     Without a doubt, Jimin knew he had heard him right, and Jimin did exactly as he was commanded. He moved into the younger's lap, hovering over him slightly, watching the desperation and desire that filled Taehyung's eyes. His right hand snaked it's way behind his crush's neck, entangling it into his hair as his left hand held the side of Taehyung's face, slowly lifting his jaw to angle it just right. Without hesitation, he moved in on the younger, melting into the kiss.

     Jimin's lips latched onto the jock's bottom lip, commanding his mouth open to slip his tongue inside. His tongue danced around Taehyung's mouth, indulging in the sweet taste of the moment he fantasized about ever since he laid eyes upon the younger. That's when Taehyung kissed him back. He leaned upward into the sensation, his hands finding their way around Jimin's waist, rubbing gentle lines up and down his hips. Taehyung then took charge and dominated over Jimin's tongue, slipping his own between the older's sinfully full lips. He took pleasure in dominating the older, moving into a position to where he was now hovering over Jimin, not once breaking contact with his mouth. Jimin pulled back for a moment in a desperate attempt to catch his breath, but immediately found his way back against Taehyung's soft lips, moving along the curve of his smile. The pair continued on, passionately making out as if they had been waiting for it their entire life. Actually, they somewhat had been, just minus a few years.

     After what felt like ages, Jimin finally pulled back one last time, panting aggressively. Taehyung did the same, taking a few seconds to steady his breathing before locking eyes with the older again. The both of them almost felt invincible. As if none of it was real. And the fact that it was made them feel like they could do anything.

     "So," Jimin began, trying to snap back into a stable mindset. "What does this mean?" He halfway laughed, unable to contain his smile. I just made out with the Kim Taehyung.

     Taehyung didn't have an answer. He was just as confused and giddy and overwhelmed with butterflies as Jimin. "I... I honestly have no idea."

     Jimin nodded in agreement. "Well... while I'm here... I've got something to say..." He cleated his throat. "I... I..." Jimin couldn't seem to spit out what he was trying to say. It was like his throat locked up and wouldn't allow him to speak a word. However, Taehyung knew what he was trying to say and knew just how to help.

     "I like you too, Jimin. Like... more than friends." The jock smiled, breaking the tension that surrounded them.

     Jimin suddenly looked up and broke into the biggest eye smile Taehyung had ever seen. The older jumped forward, wrapping his arms around his crush and hugging him tighter than ever. "I love you, Taehyung. Oh my God, I love you."

     Taehyung laughed, hugging Jimin back sweetly. "I love you too, Jimin." He sat the older back up into his lap, watching as tears of happiness trickled down Jimin's face. He wiped away each of them gently, being extra delicate with the ones below his badly bruised eye. "You're gonna make me cry again, Park Jimin! You better stop!" Taehyung teased, pulling him back into a warm hug accompanied with muffled giggles and smiles.

There was no longer a hint of confusion in Taehyung's mind regarding Jimin. He was finally certain on the one thing that nipped at his mind the most. Jimin was his soulmate, but this time it wasn't platonically. They were made to love each other the way lovers do. Taehyung had finally found his happiness, and Jimin did too.

[a/n:
alas, the long awaited kissing scene 👏
!!this is not the end of the book!! (i felt the need to say this bc it kinda sounds like an ending oops)
but don't worry... you've got plenty of angst headed your way ;)
question: do you guys prefer longer or shorter chapters? xx]