"Yah-" Yeongsu joked again as he grabbed Jimin's face with his hand, squishing his cheeks and making his mouth come together in a pout. "I take that back, Jimin-ah, why are you so cute when you smile?"

Jimin giggled again, one of his arms covering his mouth as the other slapped Yeongsu repeatedly, making him laugh as he tried to protect himself jokingly.

"Spare me! Spare me!" He laughed loudly, attracting the attention of a few more students who looked at the endearing scene questioningly, probably wondering why one of the seniors of the MCSC was laughing and joking around with a mere nerd.

Some of those students were Seokjin and Hoseok, followed by Jungkook as they entered the hall. The couple had previously been reassuring Jungkook about his father, telling him that from what Jungkook had told them about Taehyung and Yoongi, they wouldn't mind him staying longer if he needed it.

Hoseok even offered Jungkook a place on his couch if he needed it in the future.

Their chatters had died down as they turned their attention towards the two boys currently laughing together as the long haired Jimin got his things out of his locker, being nagged by Yeongsu who was next to him, bending over slightly from his much taller stature.

"Didn't know those two were friends?" Seokjin chuckled as he wrapped an arm around Hoseok's waist, the younger nodding along.

"Isn't Park Jimin really cute when he laughs." Hoseok said with a smile, looking at the sight of the younger running a hand through his hair and pushing it off his forehead for a split second.

"Come to think of it, he's always looking down with his hair in front of his face, but when he looks up, he looks pretty handsome." Seokjin added.

"Mhm." Hoseok nodded along.

"Don't you think Jungkook-ah?" Seokjin asked, noticing the younger hadn't said anything yet.

He was looking at the both of them, seemingly not paying attention to what Seokjin had said as his mouth pursed into what seemed like a soft pout.

Seokjin snorted slightly, nudging Hoseok to take a look and making his boyfriend laugh as well.

"He's whipped already." Hoseok said as he shook his head softly.

For the first time in probably five years, Jimin entered the classroom with a soft smile on his lips. Yeongsu had gone as far as to walk him ll the way to his class, blabbering about everything that came to his mind and not once minding the fact Jimin only answered with soft nods or shakes of his head.

Their conversations went something like: "hey you do tricking right? *nod* have you ever tried the double cork flip? *nod* Yaaah! Seriously?! Could you teach me today? You don't have anything planned after school right? *shurg* I'll come then, yo by the way, did you see the latest episode of..."

Jimin hadn't known it was physically possible to be more talkative than his mother, but he definitely stood corrected.

He walked to his desk, tilting his head to  the side questioningly as his eyes fell upon a large flower bouquet set on it.

His eyebrows pinched together, pinking up a small card that'd been stuck between the large flowers, just as Hanseol and Leemin entered the classroom, disrupting the calm atmosphere that had been wrapped around the few students who were sitting quietly at their desks with their loud chatters.

Thank you for everything.

It read in neat handwriting followed with a dozen signatures, one of them being the one of Jaebyul followed by a hand drawn smiley face.

He chuckled softly, the note warming his heart as he looked down at the flowers.

"What's gotten you in such a good mood?" Hanseol sneered as he kicked Jimin's desk, but he was ignored as the boy sat down in his desk, placing the flower bouquet on the ground, resting it against the table's foot.

"Yah," Leemin came next to his doppelganger. "Did you get confessed to or something? You?"

Jimin didn't say anything, simply shrugging as he took out his notes and textbook for the first period, but the duo wasn't quite done with him. Hanseol bent down to take the flower bouquet and examine it condescending.

"What an ugly bouquet, guess it matches you uh?" he said, looking down at Jimin with a small smile.

Jimin rolled his eyes under his long hair, wondering how their insults had managed to become even more childish throughout the year.

A few students looked at the scene worriedly, awkwardly trying to busy themselves in order not to bring attention to them. Jimin extended his hand to try and snatch the flowers form Hanseol but the other raised his own, getting the bouquet out of reach.

Jimin didn't say anything, but he extended his hand to try to claim the bouquet, silently asking for Hanseol to give him the bouquet with pleading eyes.

"Let's play a little game uh? Is Jimin gay?" Leemin said as he snatched the bouquet from Hanseol's hands, looking down at one of the flower and flucking one of its petals.

"Loves me," He said, before looking at Jimin straight in the eyes and plucking another pettle. "Loves me not."

Jimin stood up from his chair abruptly, making his chair fall down behind him.

"Give it back." He growled between his teeth.

Both Hanseol and Leeminn cooed as they laughed.

"Oh? So little Jiminie can talk? What a surpr-"

He was cut off as Jimin finally managed to snatch the bouquet from his hands, a frustrated breath being heard throughout the classroom as bent down to pick up his chair and sat back in it, clutching the flowers to his chest.

As much as he wanted to keep clear of trouble, he'd told his mother he'd stand up for himself, and there as just no way he would let those heartless kids destroy a flower bouquet students had offered him.

"Fucking pathetic, look at him." Hanseol said as he pushed his index against Jimin's temple, then walking away to his seat, followed closely by Leemin.

A/N:
only one week of lockdown left before I get to see the outside world again...