Chapter 11

"How to cheer up a friend"

It was quiet in the dorm room as Taehyung was lying effortlessly on his bed just scrolling through the social media on his phone, while Jungkook relaxed on their couch with his favorite manga in hand, re-reading it for the tenth time.

"You know, you should really read something new," Taehyung said without letting his eyes leave the screen.

"I read new stuff," Jungkook then said after flipping the page, "but sometimes it's nice to read something familiar where I can switch off my brain and just enjoy it."

"If it's really that good, maybe I should read it too," Taehyung said in the same monotone voice as before.

"Do as your please, but I'm not lending you the manga!"

"What why?" Taehyung said and turned his face to look at Jungkook.

"Because it's my favorite manga, just read it on your phone!"

"That's not the same, come on please just lend it to me," Taehyung pleaded, "I'll be careful I prom- OUCH!" Taehyung was cut off as his phone suddenly slipped through his fingers in a moment of unawareness and it fell and landed directly on his face. Jungkook couldn't help but let out a mocking snort and Taehyung just sent him a glare.

"Look," Jungkook then said, "you can't even hold your phone right, no way I'm lending you my manga."

"You-" Once again, Taehyung was cut off, but this time by a knock on the door and both boys looked at each other.

"I'll get it," Jungkook then said with a sigh and put down the manga, "touch the manga and you're dead!" Taehyung quickly raised his hands in defeat and watched as Jungkook walked to the door.

"Min Ji-ya! Where have you been? I've been trying to call you at least 5 times!" Jungkook said but Min Ji just showed a half smile before entering the dorm room.

"Hi guys," she said before putting down her bag.

"Woah wait, are you just coming back from University now?" Taehyung said and sat up on the bed.

"Well I ended up walking home Na Ri-ya but then I realized I forgot my books for tomorrows classes in my locker," Min Ji began explaining, "so I had to go back and get it."

"Is it true what people are saying?" Jungkook then said in a low voice, "that Na Ri-ya fainted after getting her score?"

Min Ji looked at Jungkook and then at Taehyung, wondering if she should be talking about this matter.

"Just tell us," Taehyung said, "it's all people on campus are talking about and it's better if you explain the truth so we won't start believing the rumors instead."

"I guess you're right," Min Ji said and explained the situation to the two of them. Even though they had a lot of difficulty understanding Na Ri, they listened carefully without judgement and even Taehyung felt sad on her behalf.

"So she's okay now?" Taehyung asked after Min Ji had finished talking.

"I'm not sure," Min Ji replied, "I think she's pretending to be okay but in reality she isn't." Taehyung nodded along and then turned his eyes to his phone as he felt it vibrating on the bed next to him.

"Oh it's my mom," he said and got up with the phone in his hand, "I'll be right back." Jungkook and Min Ji both gave him a nod before he left the dorm room to take the phone call outside. There was a short minute of silence as Min Ji just tried to calm down her heart and get her thoughts sorted out.

"What about you?" Jungkook then said and interrupted Min Ji's train of thoughts.

"Me?" she asked and tried to look unaffected.

"I mean, you aren't doing the same as Na Ri-ya, right?" Jungkook then asked and looked deeply into Min Ji's eyes, "saying you're ok when you're really not?"

"Jungkook-a..." Min Ji said and sighed, "don't worry about me, please."

"But friends worry about each other, it's the law of nature," Jungkook stated in a firm voice, "besides, I've known you almost my entire life. I've seen you at your worst, and I know this must've been hard on you. Seeing her like that."

"To be honest..." Min Ji then said and dragged out the sentence as she felt her eyes well up, "it did bring back... some... unpleasant memories. Seeing her act like that, being in denial about her problems. It made me wonder... if that was how others viewed me... at that time." 

When Min Ji stopped talking and felt a tear slide down her cheek, Jungkook reached out and took her hand in his, gently comforting her as she let her tears flow freely.

"Min Ji-ya, I know you want to help this girl, I understand why you want to," Jungkook said in a soft and gently tone, "but don't break yourself in the process. You can't help anyone if you get broken too."

Just as Min Ji nodded along to Jungkook's statement, the door to the room opened and Jungkook quickly let go of Min Ji's hand as Taehyung stepped back inside.

"I'm back!" Taehyung said as he slammed the door shut again, "woah, why is the atmosphere so gloomy in here?" Jungkook just sent Taehyung a glare and the same second, Taehyung's eyes fell on the girl that had curled up on the floor, quietly sniffling as she tried to wipe away her tears in embarrassment.

"Nooooooooo!" Taehyung then suddenly yelled out in the most dramatic voice he could muster and it immediately made Min Ji look up, "why are you crying? Why? WHYYYYYYYYYY?" Taehyung yelled out as he got down on his knees in front of Min Ji who felt her lips curl up in a heartfelt smile. As Taehyung kept up this melodramatic act while he continuously asked Min Ji why she was crying and why her tears were flowing, Jungkook suddenly elbowed him in the side.

"Dude, what's wrong with you!" he said after gaining Taehyung's attention, "this isn't a joke, Min Ji-ya is really upset."

"Duh, don't you think I noticed?" Taehyung just said and turned his attention to Min Ji who had stopped crying. He gently put both his hands on each of her shoulders and looked directly into her eyes.

"Now Min Ji-ya, what can we do to cheer you up?"

"Oh my..." Jungkook said and rolled his eyes, "she just needs comfort and someone by her side." Taehyung again ignored Jungkook and just kept looking at Min Ji.

"Maybe..." Min Ji said and looked at the floor while her cheeks lit up in a pinkish color, "...karaoke?"

Taehyung looked at the floor while taking in a deep breath, still keeping his hands on her shoulders, before he then looked up again and in a low but dramatic voice said:

"YES! Let's go!"

Taehyung got up from the floor and started looking for his coat and wallet, but before Min Ji could do the same, Jungkook grabbed her arm and looked at her with worry in his eyes.

"We don't have to do this, you know?" he said, "Taehyung doesn't understand. I can tell him off if you want me to."

"No it's okay," Min Ji said and wiped away the last tear that had almost dried up on her cheek, "I think this is exactly what I need. To distract myself from all my negative thoughts."

"I'm not sur-"

"Don't worry, I just need to sing my heart out tonight," Min Ji said with a huge smile, "promise you'll sing a song with me, please!"

"Fine," Jungkook said and then put on his jacket as well, following behind his two friends, Taehyung who was still acting all weird and dramatic and Min Ji who couldn't hold back her laughter when Taehyung made the one funny face after another. Jungkook just rolled his eyes but decided to stay out of it for now. As long as it brought a smile to Min Ji's face, he wouldn't interfere.

"So... what song should we sing first?" Taehyung said while flipping through the song selections. Having more than a thousand songs made it almost impossible to chose.

"I wanna sing 2NE1!" Min Ji then exclaimed, "I feel like showing off some serious girl power. Put on 'I am the best' and whoever dares, come sing it with me."

"Oh I never refuse a dare!" Taehyung said and grabbed the mic after choosing the song.

As the base was blasting through the poor speakers and they both sang their lungs out while dancing almost flawlessly to the choreography, Min Ji noticed Jungkook's distant look in his eyes and she quickly moved over and grabbed him arm.

"Come on, you promised!" she said and even though Jungkook wanted to refuse, he just let out a sigh and then moved on to the front with her. It didn't take long before he was just as committed as the other two and one hour went by in no time.

"I'll go renew our time," Jungkook said, "make sure he doesn't destroy anything while I'm gone."

"Hey!" Taehyung said a bit offended.

"Just go!" Min Ji said and laughed.

After Jungkook had left the room, Min Ji sat down on the couch next to Taehyung, who was looking through the songs again.

"What are you gonna sing?" Min Ji asked.

"I'm still trying to decide..." Taehyung said and looked like he was thinking deeply about his choice of song, "OH! OH I KNOW IT!" Taehyung the suddenly said dramatically and Min Ji once again laughed.

"Alright, then put it on," Min Ji said. Taehyung didn't hesitate for a second, but when Min Ji saw the face of BoA appear on the projector, she really wish he would've hesitated.

"Come on, won't you sing it with me?" Taehyung said but Min Ji just moved away.

"No!" she said firmly and Taehyung gave her a confused and worried look, "I mean... my throat is a little soar so I'll just skip this one."

"Sure," Taehyung then said before he began singing wholeheartedly to the song, 'Only One'. 

Min Ji's mind was being flooded with memories, all flashing before her eyes in the brink of a second, just to be replaced with another image. Her head started spinning, the same did her legs and when she reached out for her glass, she realized her hands were shaking. Even though she tried to distance herself, it only felt like the song became louder. It was taking over her mind, taking over her sanity. She couldn't take much more, she knew she had to get her breathing under control or it would end in a disaster, but somehow, she had forgotten all the tips her psychologist had taught her. 

Min Ji felt her throat closing in and she was about to panic, when the room suddenly got filled with an ear piercing sound, making both Min Ji and Taehyung cover their ears and close their eyes. And then, as the room turned dead silent, Min Ji and Taehyung opened their eyes and saw Jungkook standing next to the speaker with the cable in his hand.

"What's wrong with you?" Taehyung yelled as he watched Jungkook angrily throw the cable on the ground.

"No what's wrong with you?" Jungkook yelled back, "first you manipulate Min Ji to ignore her feelings and then you put on this song and bring back all those feelings you told her to ignore."

"What on earth are you talking about?" Taehyung said.

"Min Ji, tell him-" Jungkook stopped talking as he realized Min Ji wasn't in the room with them anymore and he angrily kicked into the thin air.

"Oh yeah, kick the air, that'll solve everything," Taehyung said.

"Just be happy I'm not kicking you!" Jungkook said and took a step closer, making Taehyung draw back in fear.

"Okay okay, I'm sorry!" Taehyung then said and rubbed his hands together in apology, "but can you please explain to me what I did wrong?"

Min Ji was standing outside the karaoke bar in the freezing evening breeze, feeling like a fool as she had forgot her jacket inside the room, but the cold air also had it's benefits. She slowly felt her head clear up, but that didn't take away her feelings. They stayed and lingered in her heart, making her eyes well up for the second time this day.

Seriously! she scolded herself internally, pull yourself together girl!

Just then, as she was shivering in the cold, she felt a warm jacket slide down over her shoulders and she turned around and locked eyes with Taehyung who had a saddened look on his face.

"Hey," Taehyung said and moved over next to Min Ji.

"Hey," Min Ji just said and closed the jacket, trying to warm up her body.

"Jungkook explained the situation about BoA..."

"I see..."

"Why didn't you just tell me, you didn't even have to explain it," Taehyung said a bit annoyed, but mostly sad and disappointed in himself, "you could've just say you weren't a fan of BoA and I could've chosen another song."

"I know... It's not your fault," Min Ji said and turned away her face in shame, "I just thought... I was afraid I was gonna ruin the mood."

"No! Why would you think that?"

"Because you were having so much fun... and if I started getting all sentimental it would just-"

"No Min Ji-ya, listen to me!" Taehyung said and grabbed her wrist, forcing her to look at him, "When someone is sad, I always try to solve the problem by making them laugh. But I know that everything can't be solved like that, that's something I need to work on. But just tell me, okay? Tell me if you want to go dance and sing until you collapse, and tell me if you want to cry your heart out. If you just tell me, I'll do whatever I can to be there for you."

"Tha...nk... you..." Min Ji said and tried to hide her tears.

"Just let it out," Taehyung said but he could tell she was still holding it in. So without giving it a second thought, Taehyung swung his arms around Min Ji and just held her tight. Feeling his body wrap around hers and feeling his warmth spread to her, Min Ji couldn't force herself to hold back her tears anymore, and without inhabitations, Min Ji cried her heart out at Taehyung's shoulder. 

All the while, Jungkook was leaning against the door to the karaoke bar, watching them from afar, his heart slowly killing him inside. But instead of taking a step out to take part in the comfort of Min Ji, he walked back inside and went up to the counter.

"Hello ma'am, can we cancel that extension? We won't be singing anymore tonight."

Hello everyone!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Remember to stay warm and eat healthy and take care of yourself. Stay safe.

Also, don't forget to leave a comment down below.

Love, Annalise~