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Jackson is just about the friendliest person in the entire high school. He is loud, slightly obnoxious and incredibly kind, which makes him that rare breed of popular that the rest of the kids in high school actually, genuinely like. It’s no wonder, really, that Jimin has had a crush on him since forever.
It didn’t help that they ended up in the same circle of friends when Jimin started high school. Turns out, the international kids just sort of gravitated towards each other and Jimin might not be international, but she’s fluent in English which is the one language almost all of the international kids are comfortable speaking. Apart from their mother tongue, of course. (Except for Jackson. Jimin is pretty sure even Jackson has lost count of the languages he’s comfortable speaking.)
The plus side of running with the same crowd as Jackson is Jimin gets to see him, talk to him, laugh at him almost every day including the weekends because there’s always someone bored and there’s always a new movie that needs to be seen. It’s gotten to a point where Yerin has set up a jar where Jimin is supposed to put money in whenever she mentions Jackson and the hilarious thing he did that day. Most of Jimin’s money go in that jar.
There is a downside to it all, too and it’s. Well, it’s that Jimin has to see Jackson every day. It’s glaringly obvious how he would never see her as anything but a little sister and it makes her feel terribly pathetic right after she finishes retelling to Yerin Jackson’s one hundred and one good deeds for the day.
*
Jackson has bleached his hair and Jimin is sure she’s never seen anything so beautiful.
‘Hey, are you even listening to me?’ Yerin kicks her under the table and Jimin glares at her. Yerin looks entirely too satisfied with herself. ‘I was saying, did you see the new guy? Of course you didn’t, all you ever notice is Jackson. Anyway-’ Yerin’s yelp when Jimin kicks her is a lot higher and they get a few looks. Jimin glares some more. ‘Anyway! The new guy is in Jackson’s year and a transfer from the States and he seems so cool.’ Yerin looks like an anime character with hearts spilling out of her eyes (or at least in Jimin’s head, she does). Jimin would probably be slightly more affected if this didn’t happen on an almost-daily basis.
‘And I care about that because?’ Jimin asks in her best unamused tone. She tries to steal glances at Jackson’s table when Yerin is distracted.
‘Because he’s cute, obviously! I swear to God, this Jackson thing has made you socially stunted. Though I didn’t know you pre-Jackson, so you might actually be socially stunted. Are you?’
Jimin kicks her again. ‘Just because I don’t follow gossip! Ugh.’ It’s a lost fight, Yerin is already laughing at her and lunch is almost over already, so she decides to spend the last of it actually finishing her food. She still steals glances at Jackson’s table when Yerin is distracted.
*
Her first impression of Jaehyung when she actually gets to meet him, is that he looks like a bleached Asian Harry Potter. He’s a transfer, so of course he ends up in their circle. He’s supposed to be out of high school already but apparently he missed a few years and now he’s in the same year as Jackson. Nobody blinks twice at that – because they are cool and because they already have Mark with his fucked up documentation.
They bond over guitars since he plays and Jimin has always wanted to learn. He demands Jimin calls him Jae and they end up spending so much time together that Yerin starts giving her these looks that are halfway between confused and jealous. Jae sings, too, and Jimin briefly thinks that if it wasn’t for the Jackson Thing she might have developed a crush on him instead.
*
Jimin’s headed for lunch all alone, sadly. Technically, Bambam was supposed to be with her but he has decided to sacrifice lunch tame for his neverending quest to get into Yugyeom’s pants; he kidnapped Lisa as his wingman, too, and Jimin is all out of cool Thai kids to hang out with.
She finds Jae featuring his guitar under her favorite willow tree, so maybe lunch won’t be that boring, after all.
‘Hey,’ she says, motioning towards the space next to him. ‘Mind if I join you?’
‘Yeah, sure,’ he smiles, as usual, and then adds ‘Jackson already disappeared somewhere with Mark, so you’ll have to settle for me.’ He gives her a very judging look and Jimin has about 3.2 seconds to panic before he bursts out laughing. ‘Oh my God, your face. Calm down, I’m not going to tell anyone.’
He sets his guitar aside, completely ignoring Jimin flipping him off, and gets up to takes a long, slender branch from the tree and weave it in a crown. What’s weird is he puts it in Jimin’s hair and there isn’t a trace of mockery on his face. ‘You know, after that night in karaoke I couldn’t stop thinking about you. I mean, it was an issue even before that, but when I saw you on stage my fate was sealed.’
Jimin remembers that night. Jae had laughed at her, everyone had laughed at her, really, when the Dangerous Woman came on the screen, and when she killed it, the laughter morphed into exaggerated catcalls. She doesn’t really remember Jae’s reaction, because she was too busy trying not to be too obvious about staring at Jackson. Did Jae laugh and catcall, too?
Right. Jackson. The reason why this entire situation is, in fact, terribly, horrendously awkward. She manages an ‘uh’ before Jae waves her off.
‘I know, I know. You have eyes only for Jackson. I’m not expecting things or whatever; I just wanted you to know.’ He doesn’t wait for Jimin to say anything, just starts another Coldplay song.
It’s… surprisingly not awkward.
*
It continues not to be awkward, but that’s mostly Jae’s fault. Jimin, despite her better judgment, was all sorts of jumpy at first, constantly aware of what she did and what she said around him and each time she did that Jae was the picture of casual. It made her look like a lunatic. When shy, adorable Momo got over her fear of branching out of the Japanese transfers to ask her if she’s alright, Jimin decided enough is enough. Everything continued as before, only now she was… more likely to notice Jae’s general existence in a room. Not just Jackson’s. It took some getting used to.
*
Jimin was not supposed to be in that exact corridor at that exact time. She was supposed to be having a free period with Yerin in the library but Yerin kept prodding her about the fact that she has barely had to put money in the Jackson jar for nearly a month and Jimin had quickly excused herself to the bathroom. She had absolutely no plans of going back.
She was not supposed to be in that corridor and people are in class which is probably why the door to a classroom that should be empty at this time of day is slightly open and she can hear someone sniffling from inside it. Now, despite what Yerin might claim Jimin is actually a very nice and kind person and a nice and kind person does not leave people crying alone in empty classrooms. That’s what she tells herself as she opens the door as quietly as possible and.
The person is not alone.
In fact, the person is Jackson and he is not alone because he is situated in Mark’s lap and has his head buried in Mark’s shoulder. Mark is running his fingers through Jackson’s hair and there’s nothing even remotely sexual, or romantic for that matter, about the entire situation but it’s so intimate that Jimin suddenly feels very small and very pathetic even thinking about her entire mental Jackson-shrine. Jackson, who no one has ever seen sad and Jackson who no one will ever see sad, probably, except for Mark, apparently, and Jimin, who should not have been here. She feels sick.
She tries to make a quiet escape but Mark still sees her. There’s a hint of panic in his eyes, so she motions zipping her mouth and gives him a tight smile. Mark tries for smile in return but falls just short. Jimin feels even more pathetic.
*
It’s just her luck that she runs into Jae on her way to somewhere far, far away from that classroom. All Jimin wants is to find Yerin and cry her eyes out and pretend nothing happened three hours later. She’s pretty sure she has kept the crying part in control but Jae is sill relentless. He takes Jimin to the nurse, then proceeds to sweet talk her into letting them go home, because Jimin is obviously not well and someone needs to take her home. Obviously.
Home is not where they end up, though. Jae takes her to a café and is silent the entire ride there. Jimin uses the time to figure out what the fuck is she going to do now. Jae buys her hot chocolate and Jimin cringes inwardly because it’s very likely that he will end up the one she’s going to cry to and that’s just. Awkward.
‘Hey, talk to me.’ Jae brushes the hair out of her eyes and that’s not cool because she was hiding behind that, thank you very much. She tries for a smile but it’s probably as successful as Mark’s earlier. Mark. Right.
Jimin uses her straw to pick at the whipped cream. Usually she’d just steal Jae’s spoon to do it. ‘I’m not sure I should be talking to you about this.’
Jae sighs. ‘Is this about Jackson?’ At Jimin’s nod, he sighs again. ‘I told you already, I don’t expect things from you, you’re my friend before anything else and I have the coolest seat in the friendzone.’
Jimin feels ten times more pathetic as she retells everything but does anyway and. And Jae smiles at her and keeps repeating that it’s okay, it’s normal, you’re not pathetic and gives her the tightest hug ever after he walks her home.
That night she still feels pathetic but somehow it’s not as bad as it could have been.
*
The next day, when she opens her locker, there is a note inside. It says ‘Project ‘let’s show Jimin how not-pathetic she is.’ (I’ll even pretend you never chose Harry Potter over Star Wars) Start!’ There is also a badly cut light blue heart that, unlike the note, has managed to slip in between her books. It falls out when she tries to take them out. She takes Bambam’s glue when they have a class later and glues both the note and the heart on the inside of her Math textbook. (Why Bambam keeps glue in his pocket is a topic she does not want to think about.)
She’s not really surprised when another heart, along with the note this time, falls when she opens her locker the next day. It reads ‘You said you don’t like pizza and we still like you. That’s awesomeness right there.’
Jimin smiles as she glues these in her Math notebook as well and decides Bambam doesn’t need glue anyway.
*
‘Okay,’ Yerin said as soon the door closed behind Jimin. ‘You haven’t mentioned Jackson at all in an entire week. What’s wrong?’
She should have known Yerin’s insistence that they study together isn’t what it looked like. Yerin cared about studying at the end of the week just as much as any other student – which is to say, not at all. Jimin rolls her eyes. ‘Nothing’s wrong.’
‘Yeaaah. Sure. Lady, I am not letting you out of this house until you spill.’
Jimin rolls her eyes again. ‘You are going to nag me until you have it your way, aren’t you?’ Yerin gives an overly cheerful (and a little creepy, to be honest) nod and Jimin manages to not roll her eyes this time. It’s hard. ‘It’s nothing, really. Just… I think priorities are a little skewed right about now.’
Yerin squeals all through the story of the notes. Jimin should have expected this, too. (She doesn’t tell Yerin about Mark and Jackson, though.)
*
Fast forward two days later and Jackson drapes himself over Jimin on her way out of the school. Had it been a few weeks earlier, Jimin would’ve had a near-heart attack. Now, she just pushes him off her with a huff. Jackson falls in step with her.
‘I assume I am not the love of your life anymore?’
His tone is just this side of teasing and Jimin feels herself blush. ‘You knew?’ Though, she isn’t really surprised. It was probably the worst kept secret among their group. Jackson nods.
‘I also know you finally realized Jae has had eyes for you and you only since the moment he stepped into this school.’ Jackson nudges her and Jimin huffs again.
‘Yeah, and what did I do? Talked his ear off about you, that’s what.’
Jackson nudges her again. ‘Do you think he would be writing you all those cheesy as fuck notes if he minded? Well, I’d guess he did mind, but he still wrote you the cheesy as fuck notes. You know what?’ Jackson’s eyes light up and Jimin’s a little terrified to know why. ‘You should outcheese him. You know, so you can make up for torturing him with my awesomeness for so long.’
‘Are you seriously trying to set me up? Considering I spent the last few months waxing poetic about how hot you are? Is there anything that can make you uncomfortable? And how the hell do you even know about the notes anyway?’
‘Nope,’ Jackson laughs. ‘Even I there was something that makes me uncomfortable people acknowledging my majesty definitely isn’t that.’
He swiftly ignores the last question. Jimin elbows him in the gut, but listens to his idea anyway. (She also makes elaborate plans to strangle Yerin later.)
*
Jackson’s initial idea was to make one thousand paper cranes and hang them on the tree behind her house. Jimin immediately shot it down because she can’t possibly make one thousand paper cranes alone in time, and turning project Woo Jae into a team one would ruin the surprise before the surprise is even ready.
Instead, Jackson teaches her how to weave roses into flower crowns and Jimin finds the cheesiest song she can think of on youtube. She proceeds to teach herself the chords of Blake Shelton’s ‘God Gave Me You’ on Jackson’s guitar (because of course Jackson owns a guitar). It was only slightly awkward to plan project Woo Jae with Jackson of all people. Then again, Jackson is, indeed, unaware of the meaning of the word ‘awkward’, so it all goes well.
*
When everything is ready Jae is tricked into thinking he’s meeting Jimin for a guitar lesson in her house. The tree does come in handy, after all.
Jimin leads him through the house and into the back yard, taking a plate of sandwiches with her when they pass the kitchen. Jae looks confused but follows anyway. He still looks confused when he notices the tree, and the picnic blanket, and the red rose flower crowns in a little heap in the grass next to it. He looks confused, but there is a glimmer of hope making its way in his expression.
‘Give me your guitar.’ Jimin demands as soon as they are seated and the plate is a safe distance away from any accidental kicks.
She puts a flower crown on his head and another one on herself. Even though Jimin tried to weave the flower crowns at the last possible minute, the roses are limp and on their way to withering. It looks nothing like the artsy pictures on tumblr and Jimin curses inwardly. She still soldiers on, though, even with Jae’s utterly confused expression. His confusion only grows when she fumbles with the guitar pick but she refuses to meet his eyes, stares at the ground instead, and plays the first chords to God Gave Me You.
It takes Jae all through the first verse to recognize the song (and Jimin is not going to miss the opportunity to judge him about recognizing it at all later). He grins all through the chorus and barely manages to stifle his chuckles through the second verse. He loses it when Jimin sings the chorus for the second time and she finishes the song amongst his (right now very annoying) laughter. A half withered rose petal falls on Jae’s nose and Jimin hopes the next one stabs him in the eye, somehow.
Jae flicks the petal off. ‘Are you trying to ask me to marry you?’ he asks, and he’s still laughing, the fucker.
Jimin curses herself for not making pie for this. She could’ve smashed it in his face. ‘I was trying to create a moment! A memorable story of how I was very cute and clever with how to tell you I kinda wanna do cheesy coupley things with you and possibly get in your pants but. You ruined everything.’
Jimin huffs and throws her flower crown in the grass. It leaves a trail of half-withered rose petals on the ground. Jae’s laughter died down about halfway through her outburst and now he’s staring at her like she’s suddenly announced she’s an alien descendant on an unknown quest to Earth, or something. (She knew she shouldn’t have squeezed in that last episode of Taken.)
Jae is still staring at her and the silence is going from surprised to Very Uncomfortable really, really fast. He finally says, ‘Wait, really?’
Jimin huffs again and it takes another few minutes of her staring angrily at the ground (and not blushing, okay?) for Jae to carefully extract his guitar from Jimin’s lap.
And then he proceeds to kiss her.
Jimin is happy, she really is, but it would’ve been cool if the stem of his withering flower crown wasn’t digging in her forehead.
*
‘Though,’ Jae says a few hours later when the sun is about to set, the sandwiches are long gone and they’ve gone through an entire Coldplay album. ‘You will have to wait a few more years until you’re old enough to get in my pants.’
Jimin does. not. blush.
She does whack him with the sandwich plate, though.