"Minah."

"Why don't you do Taekwondo anymore?"

The insides of my mouth instantly go dry at his sweet-voiced question. His eyes are curious as I swallow deeply.

"I want to." I say, my eyes looking towards the clouds out the window because I can't bear to look at his face. "But I can't."

He gives me a serious look. "Minah, if you want to do something, you should do it. Like I dance, I want you to do what you want."

"It's not that simple." I say with a sigh, rubbing the tips of my fingers against each other. "I just can't—"

Then I look up at his face, and the hope in his eyes stun me. It had been a while since a person had looked at me like that, and I didn't want to see it turn into disappointment.

"How about this?"

"Huh?"

"I can't promise you anything yet." I suggest, leaning back against my chair. "But for the three hours of your dance lesson, I'll train in the building next to it."

"Really?"  His eyes grow wide, and he shifts forward in excitement. "You'd do that?"

"I'm doing it for you." I mutter under my breath, thinking that he doesn't hear me. But Jimin suddenly pulls on my hand, and I tense in surprise when I fly off the chair at the swift tug.

He wraps his arms around me and presses his soft lips against the back of my ear.

"I dance for you, did you know that?"

________________________

"Jungkook!"

He's back, his pale face turning a bit more brighter when he sees me and Jimin. His hand subtly reaches up to pull down his sleeves over his wrists, and I purse my lips.

"I'll be at the athletic building." I say, and Jimin nods, giving me a careful look. "Ends in three hours, right?"

"Yeah."

Giving them an encouraging smile, I walk out of the room trying as hard as I can not to give one last look at Jungkook. My hand closes into a small fist— I had to act normal.

It would probably just hurt him more if I pried.

Pulling my hair into a tight ponytail, I breathe in excitedly as I walk into the empty dojo. My heart leaps at the same place where I'd had the sparring session with Im Jisung, which I lost.

Maybe I should've just done this a long time ago, instead of always avoiding everything and running away.

I'd wasted so much time that I could've spent training.

But I would've wasted even more if I didn't have Jimin by my side.

Slipping my shoes off, I flex my bare feet on the cold mats as I do a light stretch. When I aim the curved front of my foot towards the sandbag hanging from the ceiling, I wince at the sudden pain in my kneecap.

But it's not really there.

I knew that for sure— I'd gone to too many doctors and spent way too much money making that one thing certain.
That this pain was just me dreaming it up.

It's not really there, and I know it.

The next time I aim, the pain has dulled into a constant ache. It's not great, but it's better. Drawing my leg back, I hit the heavy sandbag as hard as I can.

It trembles for a little bit, which makes my teeth grind.

Was this how weak I'd gotten?

I used to break sandbags.

Pushing my lips together in frustration and shame, I crash my right foot into the unmoving bag again. It swings a bit further this time, but it's a millimeter difference.

I sigh, falling down on the ground and already feeling exhausted.

There was a long, long way to go.

_________________________

"Jimin, you okay?"

He's been sitting quietly next to the window for an hour now, when he'd usually be begging me to buy more chocolate for him. And his eyes have that distant look in them, which only worries me even more.

"I'm fine." He mumbles, silver hair glowing in the moonlight as he pulls the sleeves down on his white sweatshirt. "I'm just thinking."

"About Jungkook?"

He gives me a glance that's almost shy, and I nearly melt where I'm sitting as he nods.

"I mean, I can't stop worrying when he's going to actually realize, you know?" He starts, words all swirling together because of how fast he's talking. "And who knows what that person is doing—"

He's so much like a baby.

"So cute." I can't stop myself as I wrap my arms around his shoulders, squeezing him as tight as I can to my body. He feels soft and warm, and I smile when he gasps in surprise.

"Minah— I was trying to be serious!" He exclaims into the crook of my neck and shoulder, voice muffled. "I can't breathe."

"Sorry." Laughter bursts through my lips, and he presses his hand against his shoulder. "Keep going."

"You've gotten so strong." He says out loud, the expression on his face thoughtful. "Maybe I should start Taekwondo, too. You're going to get stronger than me."

"You're an AI!" I exclaim, laughing. "I wouldn't ever get better than you at something."

"Minah."

His voice suddenly comes deep in his throat, more serious than his usual soft light tone. Realizing that fast enough, I quiet down and look at him with expecting eyes.

"The Competition— the National one." He starts, looking uncertain as he tightens his fist together. "It's in Seoul, not Busan. Not here."

"Does that matter?" I say nonchalantly, but the look on his face grows more cloudy at my unknowing tone. "Oh— I get it. Is it because of the transportation? I could ask—"

"I know I could take a taxi or a subway." He murmurs back, and I look at him in curiosity. Then there wasn't anything wrong, was there? Why did he look so guilty?

"I think you should come and stay with me."

"What's wrong, Jimin?" I say, my lips pursing with worry when he suddenly sighs in frustration. "You know I'm not allowed to. That could get you disqualified."

"I know, but—" He finally looks at me straight in the face, eyes sad. "But I won't be here. To put you to sleep."

Oh.

Ohhhhhh.

"Oh my God, Jimin." My heart leaps, like it could burst any moment as I cover his pale, surprised face with kisses. "You're so precious I can't."

"But—"

"I can't believe you were so worried about something like that." I say in the most reassuring tone I can pull up at the moment. "Besides, I'm not like before. I've gotten used to sleeping by myself now— I just keep you beside me just because."

"Really?"

When relief relaxes his tense features, I smirk and hop on his back, wrapping my arms quickly around his neck and my legs around his waist.

"You're so clingy today." He laughs out loud, worry gone from his face as I smooth his silver locks down. "I like it."

"You seem so happy."

Sorry for the late update!