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stellalunatmblr · 2 years

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The Flower Path | Chapter 3

Genre/Tags: isekai (kinda?), bangtan x fem!reader, not poly, oc!bestfriend, surprise romantic pairings; rom-com, slow burn, fluff, angst (will update tags along the way)

Status: Ongoing

Summary: What would you feel if you find yourself transported to the world of a cheesy web novel? Ecstatic, of course (well, among other things), except you’re stuck being the main character’s best friend slash sidekick. Fair enough, you don’t think you’re main character material anyway. Determined to get through your life that has changed all of a sudden, you try to keep yourself in the shadows of your “best friend.” Let’s just try to get through the last year of high school in peace. You thought it was gonna be easy – like a walk in a flower path– but the thing about walking that road is that there are bound to be thorns along the way.

Inspired by the web novel and manhwa: Inso’s Law

Word Count: 7.1k

Chapter warning: mean teenagers

Chapter Note: oh hello there! i just wanted to say, due to popular demand (lol) i opened a taglist. (See this post). i'll start the tagging next chapter.

please don't be shy and let me know what you think of this chapter by commenting or sending an ask! it makes me really happy. enjoy~

masterlist

As soon as you stepped inside the school gymnasium, you could hear shoes squeaking and balls thudding on the hardwood floor. When you inhale, the smell of muscle relief patches fills your senses. You were grateful that, although with such a large space, it was well ventilated because the smell of sweaty teens was the last thing you'd ever want now that you have the obligation to come here frequently.

You didn’t expect to get called to the faculty that day after class, but even more than that, you did not expect that your application to be the volleyball team’s manager would be approved by the coach and team adviser.

"We were supposed to pick only one, but then I suggested having two managers for both teams would be more efficient since they don’t always get the same venue for away games. They already picked the other one, so you’ll get to know them eventually," the volleyball coach—coach Kai as he introduced himself to you—says as he hands you a binder.

He also mentioned that you and your co-manager will be rotated between the boys' and girls' teams, so he recommended you become acquainted with all of the team members to make your job easier.

"Here are some documents the former manager left for whoever replaced him because he thinks it would be helpful. He used to supervise both teams, and so he left a lot of whatever is in that." He pointed to the binder that you were now holding, "I'll leave this with you because I forgot to give it to the other manager." He dismisses you after that.

So now you're standing here, confused, unsure how you got into this predicament in the first place. Given you did apply for the position, but you thought your application would just be brushed off. You clasp the binder to your chest even closer, feeling a bit small. You have done a lot of half-assed things in your life. Your academics, learning to cook, heck—even that crocheted blanket you pushed to finish before winter one time. But this… this is what gets you results? You were barely qualified for the position.

To be fair, this wasn't your world, and perhaps the rules of the real world don't apply here—clearly. Maybe it was the kind of world where you didn't need to know anything about volleyball to participate in it. You scoff quietly to yourself. Or maybe I'm simply here to help move the plot along, you think. You were uncertain how it would help, though, because you do not really know what to expect in this novel. You only knew what this world was like.

You were still perplexed as to why you were cast as Minyoung's best friend when you lacked her exceptional traits. You'd offer nothing except that you'd always be the one who supposedly followed her about like a dog as her sidekick. To be honest, she didn't need you; she can make it on her own here with all of her main character privileges. But alas, you can not escape your fate. You know Minyoung has every intention of keeping you by her side.

You looked around with astonishment, as it was the first time you stepped into the school gymnasium. It was large enough to house two volleyball courts divided by a floor-to-ceiling net. You're assuming that each side is designated for each team.

Your snooping was cut short as you heard a ball roll onto your feet. You stare down at it before moving your gaze to the individual whose squeaky shoes have moved closer to you. Minyoung lets out a shriek.

"It's you! Please, please, please tell me it's you!" She hugs you tightly, the binder digging uncomfortably into you, and you brace yourself so she doesn't knock you over. From behind her, you can hear her teammates laughing, and you can even hear someone warning her to let you go before you both fall over. Minyoung ignores them and squeezes you even more.

"Uhm.. it's me?" You answered, puzzled as to why she was asking because she knew who you were.

"No, I mean, you're here as the new manager!" She says, pulling away from you to shake your shoulders.

"Oh, right. Co-manager, but sure," you shrugged, and she jumped up and down and embraced you again, so you laughed and hugged her back.

"You must be ___. We've heard so much about you." A team member extends her hand to shake yours, and you shake it as you cast a tentative glance towards Minyoung.

"All good things! Don’t worry," she continued when she noticed your expression.

Minyoung comes to a halt at her spot. "Wait, did you just say co-manager?" she asks, her face knitted, as she walks in front of you again.

"Yeah, they decided at the last minute to get two and split them between the teams," you say, nodding. "So I think I'll be switching between the guys' and girls' teams."

You watch her pout and cross her arms.

"I can't believe I have to share you with Jeon," she muttered but you don't hear her.

"Huh?" Your brow furrowed as you inquired of her.

She suddenly smiled and shook her head, "Nothing. I didn't say anything. Come on! I'll introduce you to the rest of the team."

The other girls must have found Minyoung's antics entertaining, obviously fond of her, because they were all smiles and chuckles when you were presented to the team. You could tell they were polite and had a lot of respect for your friend. Ah, so that’s why she’s captain, you thought as you saw them all interact with her.

You and the others were all smiling as Minyoung proudly displayed her jersey with the number 1 highlighted to you.

Her teammate, who you know as someone from another section of Year 3, taps her on the back and looks at you, "She worked really hard to earn the position of captain; please look after her—and us."

You grin at her sincerity. It's comforting to know that even when you're not around, people are looking out for Minyoung.

The introductions were cut short, however, when you saw someone raising the net in the center of the court and approaching the girls' side.

"When will we get our turn?" The silver-haired boy grumbled.

"You've had your time with her, so I'm taking her now," he said as he gently yanked at your free wrist and dragged you across the gym.

"Taehyung," you said sharply, rolling your eyes, "I can walk on my own." You pulled your hand back and grabbed the binder with both hands, hoping he wouldn't try to pull it back to him. He glances at you, and you give him a fake grin, but he only laughs in return.

You swear to the heavens this guy is giving you whiplash.

After that incident in the library– which made you think he actually hated you for some reason – he went back to being casual like nothing happened. You almost tripped over your own feet when he nodded at you in recognition in the corridors when you ran into each other at school; you were expecting him to just start ignoring your presence.

He boasted, "Be careful, I know I'm stunning, but you should watch your step."

You glared at him and scoffed, "as if," loud enough to be heard throughout the hallways. You saw that people were paying close attention to you, glancing your way and then looking at him. You had no regrets about that one, almost wanting everyone to know how appalled you were by his statement.

Taehyung called out to Jungkook once you both arrived where the others were. He turns around and collects the rest of his team when he sees you.

You bow to them and introduce yourself more formally than you did to the girls' team because you know it will take them longer to warm up to you. You didn't mind, and based on what you've heard from Minyoung, the boys' team is under a lot of pressure following their loss last year.

"I'm looking forward to working with you," you said softly.

"Please take good care of us," Jimin said as he took a step forward and bowed, followed by the others.

You reciprocate with a smile. Jimin was the most courteous of the three musketeers to you, with Taehyung a close second but more bothersome than polite, and Jungkook last since he never actually talks to you.

"You guys should get back to doing what you're doing," you say, and they started bowing slightly towards you before dispersing.

You see Taehyung reach out to ruffle your hair, but you catch his wrist and give him a cold stare. You attempt to break free from his grip as he reaches out his other hand to cover your eyes.

“Stop! You're really annoying!" You eventually broke free from his grip and pinched at his side, which he gripped tightly and dramatically whimpered. His antics make you roll your eyes.

Taehyung was a dangerous one, you thought, and certainly someone you should be wary of. You can never figure out who he is as a character because he acts one way one minute and then the total opposite the next. You think his charming smile is deceiving.

“Fine, fine,” He held his hands up in surrender, “You’re just fun to rile up,” he adds.

You breathed a sigh of relief as he finally stepped away, grabbing a ball from the cart and lifting it up to spike it to the other side. Just from that interaction, you feel like you've aged. You're hoping to be assigned to the girls' team more since you don't want to deal with Taehyung's erratic behavior any longer.

You take one final glance around before choosing to leave, but before you can even turn away, Jungkook jogs back towards you.

"Hey," He says tentatively.

“Hmm?" You hum back, uncertain how to respond since this is the first time he's really spoken to you directly.

He clutches the back of his neck.

"Would you mind if — I mean, did the coach say anything about..." He pauses, and you wait for him to finish, prompting him with a cocked brow.

You observe him hesitate for a moment before letting out a deep sigh.

"I– nevermind, I'll ask another time," he says as he walks away, leaving you to wonder what the hell just happened. That wasn't really a conversation; they were just a few words he uttered to you–which, by the way, didn't make any sense.

You shrugged as you shifted your gaze to the other side of the gym, waiting to attract Minyoung's attention before waving goodbye. She returns it with a nod and resumes giving directions to her teammates during a drill.

Taehyung notices your retreating figure and calls out your name.

"Bye!" You hear him yell in a singsong manner.

When you saw several kids looking in your direction as you approached the court's exit, you quickened your speed and covered your face with the item you were holding.

You can hear Jimin chuckle alongside him.

You were walking back to your building, taking your time and kicking on some pebbles along the way. Even though it was the end of the school day, many students were still there, engaged in their various extracurricular activities. The typically empty field was crowded with various clubs, some of which were practicing and others doing routines.

You slowed your pace as you turned away from the open field and peered beneath the purple tree nearby. You noticed Jin underneath it, clutching his phone to his ear and seemed to be engrossed in a serious conversation.

You feel like a creep doing it, but you couldn't help but notice how beautiful he looked with the wind brushing his hair and the tree's fallen petals dancing around him. The warm glow of the almost-setting sun gave him a serene look, and you couldn't help but grin when you noticed the tree's petals were almost the same color as his hair.

For a few moments, you just stood there, enthralled by the scene before you. It seemed like something out of a movie, only the peace and quiet contrasted with the grimace currently decorating his face.

You see him purse his lips while on the phone, brows knitted in what seemed to be exasperation, then converse again before his expression changes to a dejected one. His other hand brushed over his face, but it didn't smooth out the wrinkles caused by his frown.

You didn't realize you were approaching him slowly, so as he moved his weight to the side, his eyes landed on you.

You were taken aback by his attention, but you smiled and waved nevertheless, and you observed him halt for a second. His eyes softened and his face morphed into something akin to relief.

You can see him thinking about something, then he turns aside and talks into the phone once again, this time with more conviction than before.

He puts the phone down and walks toward you, meeting you halfway.

“That looked like an important phone call,” you point out once he reached you.

“Yeah, my dad.”

His dad?

You narrowed your eyes at him. But it looked like they were fighting over the phone, you thought.

"You haven't gone home yet?" He inquired as you both began walking back to your building, him matching your steps because you have shorter legs than he does.

"No, I'm returning from the gym." You turned your head away from him. "I'm apparently a manager now," you stated as casually as you could, trying to hide your embarrassment.

He must think I'm ridiculous for even considering going through with the application.

"No way! That actually worked?" He gasped exaggeratedly, and he nudged your shoulder with his. You rolled your eyes and shoved his shoulders away, causing him to trip over his feet as he cackled.

"You’re like, the least qualified applicant for that."

You huff in response, denying him the satisfaction of a spoken retort. I mean, he was right, but he didn't need to say it right to my face!

His laughter died down eventually and you were enveloped in silence. It wasn’t awkward, but it did seem uncharacteristic of him to be quiet around you. This was Jin, and he, like Hobi, practically never shuts up when he's with you guys, so it did cause you some concern. You wonder whether it has anything to do with the phone conversation he had with his father.

Because of his silence, you peered at him and noticed his eyes reflect his thoughts that were racing at a breakneck pace, his poker face gradually morphing back into a frown.

You feel your hand twitch. You kept your head straight and continued walking. After a few minutes of stillness in the atmosphere, you decide enough is enough and stop in your tracks.

He kept strolling aimlessly, and he would have kept walking if you hadn't grabbed his wrist to stop him. He staggered for a moment before looking at you, wide-eyed.

"You okay?" you ask casually, not wanting to seem nosy.

A few beats pass before he decides to reply.

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?" he replied, flashing the million dollar smile that you're used to seeing him show.

You responded with a hum and continued to stare at him. He attempts to hold your gaze for a few moments before turning away.

He began walking away again, and you followed suit, strolling side by side.

"You’re going to be alright, you know? Whatever it is." You tell him without looking, and you feel him turn to face you.

"And even if you're not fine now, that's okay too."

He waits a little longer before saying, "How do you know that?" like a whisper in the wind — as if he both wants and doesn't want you to hear it.

"Because," you laugh quietly, "I just know."

He's a protagonist, so you can tell him that in confidence. Things will always work out for him, even if they don't right now. Whatever he's worried about, you can be sure he'll overcome it with the aid of whatever forces the novel gods throw his way.

You, however, were lost. You had no notion why you were here, much less how things would turn out. You were blindly navigating your existence here, like if you were wandering down a long, dark corridor. You groan inwardly and forcefully push down the bitter sensation that had begun to sneak up on you.

You were so preoccupied with your own thoughts that you didn't see Jin staring at you as if you were the most complex puzzle ever devised.

How can she say that to me when she appears to be in the same boat as me?

"I don't know if I will, though. Be okay—I mean." He adds, his gaze fixed on you despite your lack of reciprocation.

You can't exactly explain to him why you were so certain of his future, so you settle on giving him a small shrug. You felt your fingers twitch as he gazed down on his fumbling hands and furrowed his brows even more. You turned to him to poke his cheek, and as soon as you did, you froze. He did too. You don't know why you just did that.

That's so embarrassing! Why did I poke his cheek!

You notice a menacing smirk forming on his face and before it could fully form, you let out a defensive huff.

"I just– you were frowning so much that you could nearly play the Grinch!" To emphasize your point, you flail your free arm about, although you doubt it helped. It only made you appear dumber.

When you heard him chuckle, you crossed your arms and walked faster.

"This face? C'mon, you're just spouting shit now."

You rolled your eyes at his reply. You can hear him closing in on you before you feel a tiny pat on the head and hear a hushed "thank you."

"Huh? For what?" you asked, but you were left with no reply as he raced ahead of you and opened the door to your classroom.

"You have been blessed with my presence!" He yells inside, and you shake your head before stepping in after him.

You notice him grabbing your seatmate's chair and twisting it around to annoy Yoongi when you finally get in after him. You gather the rest of your belongings and stuff them into your bag along with the new binder.

"Oh! Are you about to head home?" Hobi asks as he watches your movements. Only the four of you were left in the classroom, along with just a few other classmates.

"Minyoung is practicing until the end of the day today, and she told me to go ahead."

You were about to walk away with your bag hiked up on your shoulders when you heard a chair screech, which caused you to pause and look back.

"Wait a minute! Let's go hang out!"

Your brow furrows as you look at Jin.

You turned around and pretended not to hear him when you heard the sound of another chair being dragged back.

You think you know exactly what will happen. You sigh and pinch the bridge of your nose as you close your eyes.

"I don't want to go home yet, either, because no one is home and I'd get bored," Hobi says.

"Then you guys hang out and be bored together," you groan with your eyes still closed, your hand now covering it.

Jin pried your hands away from your face and had you headlocked before you could even move a centimeter away.

You try to push his arm away from you, but the man is much bigger and stronger than you.

"Let go right now," you threaten with a scowl before he lets go and pouts like a child.

You brushed off the imaginary dust on your blazer and straightened your hair before taking a deep breath and glaring at each of them.

"Look, I don't have energy for any more social interactions today. I'm all spent," you said, rather than attempting to explain that you're not exactly fond of whatever force of nature occurs every time they are exposed to other people's presence, just like that time at the library.

"Don't go home yet," Hobi exclaims as he snatches your wrist and swings it back and forth between you.

You sense yourself faltering a little and you hate yourself for it. You yank your hand away. Again.

"Nope, I'm leaving." For the nth time, you begin walking away.

"In that case, I'm coming with you!"

You yank your hair in frustration and turn around to see both of them ready to follow you like you're their kindergarten teacher and they're, of course, the kindergartners. You quickly cover your lips to avoid a chuckle from escaping due to the image before you, but your eyes betray you by crinkling up. The muted laughter you tried so hard to conceal wasn't lost to the two in front of you, and you watch them slowly smile triumphantly. You shook your head as you rolled your eyes. You knew you'd lost the first time you looked back.

Fine. Fuck. Whatever.

You straighten up before letting out a fake huff of irritation and glancing towards the back of the classroom.

"Are you coming, Yoongi?"

You see him sitting up straight and looking at you for a split second before unhooking his bag and standing up.

He came to a halt in front of you and formed a line with the other two. You turned around and raised your hand as if it were an invisible tour guide flag.

"All right, my ducklings, let's go!" you exclaimed as you led the way.

What you don't see is them glancing at each other in confusion before following you.

❀。• *₊°。 ❀°

You snapped a picture of them playing with your dad's gaming console in the living room and opened your messaging app.

[From: You] minyoung why did you leave me alone with the children :(((

[From: Choi Minyoung] im coming home soon from work my sweet, dont worry

She also included a kissy sticker with this one which made you smile.

[From: You] lol you're an idiot

[From: Choi Minyoung] i cant believe ur hanging out without me !!

[From: You] come over when you get here then

[From: Choi Minyoung] you know i will !!

You placed your phone down your side on the couch, and stretched your body that was now clad in comfortable clothes–some sweatpants and a loose shirt. The guys opted to just remove their navy blazers so they can move more freely.

"You guys hungry?" you inquired, but you received no response since they were too busy shouting at each other over Mario Kart.

You walk to the kitchen to see if you can make something, and as you're searching through the fridge, you hear the front door open.

As you padded along the foyer, you had a panicked expression on your face, and you heard the boys pause their game.

You exhale a sigh of relief as you see your father enter with paper bags in his hands.

As you approached him, you remarked, "I thought someone was breaking into our house." He chuckled.

"I left early since business was slow. They could all manage by themselves." You grabbed one bag from him to assist since he did bring a lot.

"And look, I packed so much food!" He looked down on what he was holding with a glimmer in his eyes. You bask in his joyous warmth, which brought a grin to your own face.

You walk ahead, but you hear him stop as he sees the figures who are occupying the living room. They all froze as you turned around to see them looking at your father looking at them. You rolled your eyes and huffed amusingly.

"These are my—" you hesitate, unsure what to call them "classmates. They've come to hang around."

Your father looks at you with wide eyes.

"You have friends?!"

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"I mean, you have any friends besides Minyoung?"

"How does that wording make it better?"

You heard muted laughter from the sofa and cocked your brows at the three guys, your eyes giving them a warning. Your father promptly lays the paper bags to the ground and begins shaking their hands and introducing himself. You're surprised he's taking it so well, given that his teenage daughter just brought home three male friends, and he's casually shaking their hands. You grin at the notion that, while your father is extremely protective of you, he trusts you to surround yourself with nice people, and you know – or think – at least that these ones are harmless to you. You can see it as they all gently smile back, suddenly humble in the presence of an adult.

When he's done, he stands up straight and exclaims, "This is wonderful! I can't wait to embarrass her in front of you!"

"Embarrass—dad!" You scold him, but he ignores you and picks up the bags from the floor again, this time taking the one you were holding.

"What? You never invite friends around, this is a rare opportunity for me," he says, hiking the paper bags more tightly in his arms as you try to follow him to the kitchen, but he turns back.

"Let me prepare you all some dinner before I pull out the photo albums," he says to everyone.

"Wha- albums? Are you serious, Dad?"

You turn around in a panic, seeing both Hobi and Jin gripping their stomachs and laughing, and Yoongi with his head averted but his shoulders obviously shaking.

"Yah!" you scolded, stomping your feet childishly.

You approached them, pulled the controller from Hobi's grasp, and scowled at Jin.

"I'm going to beat your ass in Mario Kart just for that," you remarked, only to be met with an "I'd like to see you try."

After beating Jin in three games, gloating to him, "I told you so," and hearing him complain about how you were "cheating," you rose up and slipped the photo albums into your room, shoving them deep into the closet. You know your dad will not enter your room if you prohibit him, but you can't risk the albums falling into the hands of your friends. You think that seeing your baby photographs – which your father would undoubtedly bring out – and images of you as a child with different kinds of dirt on your face and clothes would be too embarrassing for you and too intimate for the degree of connection you currently have with those people in your living room.

You returned to find the coffee table full of food and your father talking to the guys, so you sat next to Jin and began eating as well. After putting the meal down, your father excuses himself and leaves you alone.

Minyoung arrives not long after and wraps her arms over your shoulders.

"I'm exhausted! And I miss you!" She complained in a whining tone while helping herself with a serving of food.

"We only saw each other a few hours ago."

"A few hours too long, you mean," she jokes, rolling her eyes before turning to the others. "What were you thinking when you chose to hang out here? I'm surprised she let you in."

"I didn't, they let themselves in," you claimed, but Yoongi interjected with a "No we didn't," which you didn't contradict because you were just kidding.

When Minyoung notices something, she glances around. "Where is Joonie?" She specifically asks Jin.

He swallows his food and then purses his lips.

"He had an important event to attend."

"Really? And you're not accompanying him? But don't you come in as a package?" She chuckles.

Jin frowns and has a distant expression on his face, and you suppose he didn't plan to show anybody, but you picked up on it. You raise an eyebrow at him, but he has his face turned away.

"They are joined at the hip." Hobi quips in, "Like me and Yoongi," he says, and you and Minyoung laugh because Yoongi doesn't dispute it and just keeps munching on his meal more intently.

When you glance at Jin, you see him playing with his food a little. You feel your hand twitch and sigh, remembering how distressed he looked earlier that afternoon and wanting to help him feel just a little bit better.

"All right, enough of that. Stop bothering him. Jin is his own person, you know?" You remarked, taking a piece of bulgogi with your chopsticks. From your peripheral view, you notice him turning to face you.

You sympathize with him a little because, while Hobi may not mind his name being linked with his best friend, Jin may. You sympathize because you, too, are now affiliated with Minyoung since you are there wherever she goes. Because you, too, come in a package. Her "best friend" is you. When people address you, they say, "___, you're Minyoung's friend, right?"

But you want to be more than that. You want to be more than just someone who people associate with Minyoung– or even with the sevens. You’re you, albeit sometimes irritable, shy, and prideful, you like to think there’s something in you that makes you special and exceptional as well. Your mom ingrained that in your brain as you were growing up.

"He may suck at Mario Kart, but I'm sure he has something amazing in there," you joked as you looked up but not directly in his eyes, and patted his head. You could feel his stare at you. He shrugged your hands off and turned away with a humorous sneer after a beat.

"I do not suck at Mario Kart," he said with genuine amusement.

"Yeah, sure. Whatever helps you sleep at night, Jin."

You see him try to headlock you, but you push him away first.

"Hey!” you tsked at him. “You're in my house, don't you dare." You warn him with a pointed finger.

You let them play some more after you finished eating, even indulged Hobi as he took pictures of and with you guys – which is something he seems to like to do. After a while, Hobi checks the time and tells the boys they should leave so as to not impose any further. You call out to your dad so they can say their goodbyes.

As you guide them all to the door, you notice Hobi wrapping his arms around Minyoung as they bicker, and Yoongi strolling with his hands in his pockets as usual. Even with his companions being as raucous as they were today, he remained calm.

You trailed after them, with Jin strolling alongside you.

"Thank you for having us today," he murmured quietly, and as you approached the door, he turned around to look at you.

You raised your head and simply shrugged at him. "It's whatever," you responded, earning a grin from him.

He was usually brazen and had little to no sense of personal space around you, so it startled you when he asked, "Can I have a hug?"

You were stunned, but you didn't think much of his request, so you nodded casually, and he drew you into an embrace, exhaling a long sigh.

He felt a weight lifted off his shoulders when he drew away.

"All right, enough of that! You could miss your train." Minyoung chides them and shoves them towards the direction of the elevators.

She waves them goodbye as you lean against the railing in front of your apartment doors, gazing out at the city lights.

It now occurs to you that you have let them in, entering your home, your bubble, and your personal space. It was terrifying because you were unaware of it as it was happening. Or maybe you were, but chose to ignore it. But a voice in the back of your mind tells you that you can't deny that you had a good time today. Maybe it's alright. Maybe this isn't that horrible. You consider getting caught up in this life, planting your roots here, but knowing what you know, it is all easier said than done.

The light in the hallway starts to flicker. You turn around and don't see Minyoung; you assume she's gone back to their flat, despite the fact that you didn't hear the click of their door. You simply shrugged.

You close your eyes and lean against the railing once again. You wait for the thousand thoughts in your brain to calm before opening them, and as soon as you do, someone pulls you into an embrace.

You gasp in surprise and shove them away, turning around to find Minyoung startled and even a little offended that you pushed her away.

"Minyoung? What are you doing there?" You said, your mouth agape after speaking.

"What do you mean? I've been here the entire time. I just waved the guys off." She looks at you incredulously.

What? She offers you another embrace and pats your behind as she coos, before you can even grasp what she just said and what she meant.

"I'm going in now. Don't stay out too late–there could be bugs."

When she turns around, you can hear the distinctive chime of the door opening and the click of it closing.

You shook your head and exhaled a confused sigh. Maybe you just exhausted yourself today. You don't want to acknowledge it, but hanging out with the others today was enjoyable. It did drain a significant amount of your energy, though.

You give a little smile and stroll back into your flat, almost unconsciously.

❀。• *₊°。 ❀°

It was break time, and you were returning after speaking with the volleyball team adviser about organizing a practice game with a nearby school's team. You've been taking your manager responsibilities seriously, and you've done a lot of research and worked hard to be an efficient one. You reasoned that even if you obtained the job by sheer luck, you may as well give it your best so you don't humiliate yourself.

The coach has even commended you on your organization skills.

"See, there's a reason I knew I had to choose you," he remarked, smiling.

You were ready to enter the classroom when you noticed the sight inside and came to a halt. You notice the sevens gathered around your table conversing, and Minyoung has taken a seat in your chair. You marvel at the fact that they look like they're in the middle of a photoshoot, with their nice looks, faint smiles, colored hair, and all.

But, soon, the smile fades from your face.

They looked picture-perfect in this position. You have the feeling that if you step in, you will seem completely out of place. You gaze down at your own dark hair, a stark reminder of your place. You know you're supposed to keep in their shadows, yet you can't help but feel spiteful. It's not a pleasant feeling to always feel inadequate. Being around all of these great personalities would gradually sap your self-confidence, and insecurity is an emotion that does not settle well for you. It makes you want to claw at your skin.

You were ready to suck it up and take a step when you felt a tap on your shoulder. You notice a girl with short black hair beaming at you.

"Hello, my name is Jinah." She said, "And these are my friends," pointing to two girls behind her.

"Would you want to join us at the cafeteria? We were on our way there," she said with a warm smile. You take a peek around before pointing at yourself.

“Me?”

“Of course silly, who else?" she playfully rolled her eyes. "So?”

You pause for a moment. They actually want to befriend me? You take a breath in.

This may be your chance for a taste of normalcy, away from the sevens and Minyoung, and you seize it impulsively, too elated to think too hard about it.

You nodded eagerly, and Jinah took your arm in hers as she led you to the cafeteria. In any other circumstance, you would avoid the cafeteria and would not go anywhere near it. But, because you were certain that the main protagonists were in the classroom, you were confident that there would be no incidents in the cafeteria today. It was simple, and unlike the library, you didn't feel like you were suffocating. You find yourself just talking about whatever you want with Jinah and her two other pals, Minji and Ayeong.

They asked about you and told you stories as you ate food. You were in the midst of laughing at something Jinah said when Minji tapped the table to gain your attention.

"Are you friends with Minyoung?" You pause for a beat before nodding cautiously.

“Right! And I've seen you around the Seven Princes as well," Ayeong adds and you grimaced at the nickname.

“Uhh.. yeah, I guess." you looked down at the table and felt Jinah nudge her companions in the shin under the table.

You look up to see her turn to you and say, "Don't mind them, you didn’t have to answer that."

She gives you a smile and you tilt your head at her when she looks away. She slid a carton of chocolate milk across the table to you and resumed casual conversation.

You tightened your grip on the beverage in your hand. You felt another piece of yourself chip away. You're no longer just you. You may be exaggerating, but you feel like you've been reduced to just being "someone who is friends with Minyoung and occasionally hangs out with the sevens."

You don't think they notice your silence as they continue to talk.

When the warning bell rang, they waved you goodbye, and you parted ways.

As you walked inside the classroom, you noticed that the group that had earlier gathered around your table had gone. You sat in your chair, but you couldn't help but feel a lingering gaze on you. You simply stare down at your hands and allow your thoughts to overwhelm you, not caring to listen to anything the teacher says in front of you.

You were sitting in a fast-food restaurant, caught up in conversation when Jinah clears her throat from beside you.

It was after a few days when Jinah and her friends invited you to hang out again after class, but this time you had the courtesy to text Minyoung about it, although you didn't identify particular names. She was already occupied during training, anyway, and your manager duties aren’t always needed during it. You decide to give it another go – perhaps they were simply genuinely curious and didn't mean to pry into your relationship with Minyoung and the Sevens.

“So, Minyoung, huh?” She starts off and you give her a questioning look.

Suddenly?

"Uhm," you cough awkwardly, "Why’d you bring her up suddenly?"

She shrugs, but you catch a glimpse of mischief in her eyes. "Nothing. It's just.." she shrugs innocently. "Must be hard to be friends with the golden girl, huh? Don’t you ever feel insecure? That you’re always being compared to her?"

I am?

In retrospect, you should have known better. The warning lights should have flashed the instant she opened her lips. You've dug yourself a hole with this one, but you were not aware of it.

“She – no, she’s nothing but nice to me. It’s not..” you trail off because you couldn't bring yourself to lie. It is hard. You can’t deny that. It’s hard being blinded by Minyoung’s light when you know you can never compare to her.

Jinah lets out a triumphant smile that you don’t see. Bingo, She thinks. The moment she caught news of the girl that’s hovering over Minyoung whom she hasn’t seen with her the years before, she knew it could be an opening to rip that girl apart. And now that she’s hooked you in, she’s going straight for it.

That bitch. What’s so special about her? She’s not even all that, yet people are always all over her.

She looked at you, seeing you chew on your lip. This is too easy, she’s obviously insecure, she thinks. It looks like it wouldn’t be hard to poke on her wounds.

“Come on, you can tell us. We understand you.” Minji coaxes. “We know how she can be, we’ve been her classmates before.”

You knitted your brows. They know how Minyoung can be?

You recall all the times you've spent with Minyoung. You recall her scared eyes when she felt the stares from that very first day, as well as the desperate look in her eyes when she tried to keep you close. She always looked at you with warm eyes and made you feel included in her own way. She was the reason you were finally, slowly coming out of your shell.

But then you remember how you merely stood beside her and felt like you couldn't breathe, with intrusive thoughts about your own anxieties nagging you. You recollect the moments when you couldn't even be considered your own person since you were nothing without her in this world.

You look up to meet their eyes and see them look expectantly at you.

"I..." you said instinctively beneath their stare, and you could feel their excitement grow. You narrow your eyes at them, thinking Jinah let her guard down too much since you noticed a wicked glimmer flash in her eyes. The realization hits you, and your blood runs cold, as if you've been doused with ice water.

They're using you. They’re using you to dig dirt on Minyoung.

And you almost gave in.

You felt sick, felt the bile threaten to rise up from your throat. You abruptly stood up from your seat, never minding that the chair almost toppled over.

They think you were an easy target to get to her.

You felt tears prick your eyes from the anger.

You straightened up and gave them the coldest stare you could muster, and you swear you almost saw Ayeong flinch.

"Don't ever talk to me again," you muttered in a low growl as you grabbed your bag and walked away, but Minji grabbed your forearm in her grasp.

“Wait! Do you know the phone numbers of the seven princes?”

You return her look with one of horror, astonished at her audacity, and scoffed loudly before ripping your arm away from her.

“You stupid bitch! You drove her away!” You hear Jinah yell at her friend as you walked away.

You stormed out of the establishment, furiously brushing away tears you hadn't realized were falling from your eyes. You despise the fact that you were played only because of your affiliation with them. You wanted to blame them, to believe it was their fault.

You were so naïve to think that someone else would want to be friends with you just as you are.

#bts au #ot7 x reader #bts fluff #bts x reader #jungkook fanfic #taehyung fanfic #yoongi fanfic #namjoon fanfic #jhope fanfic #hoseok fanfic #oc reader #isekai #jimin fanfic #seokjin fanfic #alternate universe #bts fic #bts fanfiction #bangtan x oc

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stellalunatmblr · 2 years

Text

The Flower Path | Chapter 2

Genre/Tags: isekai (kinda?), bangtan x fem!reader, not poly, oc!bestfriend, surprise romantic pairings; slow burn, fluff (will update tags along the way)

Status: Ongoing

Inspired by the web novel and manhwa: Inso’s Law

Word Count: 7.2k

Chapter Note: it’s finally hereeee! midterm exams, pre-election anxiety, and post-election depression made me take forever to write this. please let me know what you think by commenting or sending an ask! enjoy~

masterlist

Falling into a routine was surprisingly easy—well, as easy as you could make it in a situation like this. After the initial shock of that morning has worn off, you find yourself almost instinctively blocking the part of your brain that came to the conclusion that this was the world of a web novel, and that this is your new reality. You didn’t, though, because you thought it beneficial to keep at the back of your mind that your knowledge of this world would help you survive. You didn’t know exactly how, but you kept it tucked away in the corner.

Staying in the background should also be easy. You didn’t have to do anything special to do that because you were always easy to adapt to or blend with the crowd. In addition, you considered the nature of your character as Minyoung’s friend. Your character. It felt weird to address yourself as that, and quite frankly, a little disheartening. It felt like parts of your real self were chipping away with every day you spent here.

School was by far interesting. Your idea of completely avoiding or cutting off the sevens and Minyoung has gone to shit too early, to say the least. The following days you spent with them proved that maybe not only your fate makes it so that your life is entangled with theirs, but also your own personality. You find yourself not having the heart to turn them away, especially Minyoung, whose eyes always hold a warm feeling when they look at you.

You have no idea why, but sometimes, when you meet any of their eyes, a part of you wants to turn away and run. There’s always a tiny voice inside your head telling you that this isn’t where you're supposed to be. It sends an ugly feeling in your chest, so you try to brush it away. You learn pretty quickly that being indifferent to a lot of things helps with that dilemma. Things like knowing that these characters just naturally gravitate towards each other, or that they catch everyone's attention wherever they go.

Hobi is a very bright and cheerful person. He has a very welcoming smile, and it always feels like he’s radiating positivity everywhere he goes. It was no surprise that he was the first person that got through to you the quickest after Minyoung. The first few days of school, he made a habit of asking you mundane questions, tapping at your shoulder just to talk to you, or even borrowing a pen even though he clearly had one (you know, because you peeped into his open bag and saw one). You have no idea why he was so adamant about being your friend. You had thought maybe it was your connection with Minyoung, that maybe he felt in order to get closer to her he should get close to you first. But that didn't make any sense. Minyoung was approachable, and with her personality and his, there wouldn't be a problem for them getting close.

Yoongi is... well, he is always with Hobi. You think they sort of come as a package deal. You learned that they have been friends since childhood for the reason of their parents' being friends, aside from being colleagues. You got that information from Hobi, of course, and unprompted at that. He caught you looking at Yoongi one time, and he just blurted it out. Why were you looking at Yoongi? He always had this faraway gaze that, with your knowledge of this world, almost seemed comical to you. He seemed like a mysterious type of person, and you felt like he was unconsciously doing that because he was programmed to be. You notice, however, that when you catch his eye, his gaze changes to an emotion you couldn’t quite identify. It felt like he was trying to read you, trying to reach into the depths of your soul. Sometimes, you would hold his gaze with an equally blank look, and he would be the first to turn away, as if he couldn’t find anything in your eyes. You chalk it up as him being a curious person.

You don’t know the right words to describe him, but Jin is fascinating, to say the least. He is the typical friendly, kind-of-knows-everyone, Mr. Congeniality type. You say it is fascinating because he is a textbook social butterfly. It seemed like among the sevens, he was the one who got approached the most. It was understandable because, much like you, you think Jin had a hard time turning people away. He was a people-pleaser like that.

Namjoon was introduced to you by Jin. He even formally shook your hand, and you found yourself laughing at the gesture. What you took away from the (short) time you have known him was that he was quite bashful (and clumsy, but in a cute way), but despite his shy dimpled smile, he held himself with an air of confidence. You quickly learned that he was really smart, as he was top of the batch, and a close second to him was Minyoung. He also proved to be the responsible type as he held the role of the class leader. He even told you at the time you were introduced that you could come to him if you had any concerns.

Three of the sevens—Jungkook, Taehyung, and Jimin (whose name you had learned only recently)—were a mystery to you so far. You haven’t really had the chance to have a conversation with any of them aside from the polite nods of acknowledgement from Taehyung and Jimin (Jungkook never glanced your way, and quite frankly, you did not care), and to be honest, you weren’t really enthused about having one with them. If you can manage to not have ties with three out of seven of them, then you’re already one step closer to a more peaceful school year. Anyway, all you really know about those three is that they’re part of the school’s boys volleyball team.

You had to admit, it was quite nice having sort-of-friends around you. It was a new experience, and you indulge yourself a little bit. You let yourself have this—this feeling of belonging somehow.

Sometimes, you even indulge yourself a little too much that when you find yourself laughing too hard at Hobi or Jin’s jokes, or letting the warm feeling Minyoung brings you envelope you too much, you abruptly step back. An invisible string pulling you from behind brings you to your senses and you remind yourself that this isn’t your place and, somehow, it was enough of a wake up call. Enough to keep your distance while still being present enough to not raise concern from them.

It was enough for you to keep your ground.

❀。• *₊°。 ❀°

You eye the scene in the hallway from your seat. You see Jimin shyly bring his hands to the back of his neck to squeeze it before turning to gently shake his head. You see the girl in front of him slump her shoulders and lower the box of chocolate she was holding up to him. You see her mouth move to say something to him, her eyes glossy with tears. You think you saw Jimin flinch in panic before he held himself back and shook his head no again. She took the box she was holding and forcefully made him take it in his hands. "At least take this," you read her lips say before she started speeding off, likely embarrassed by what had just transpired.

He stood there dumbfounded for a few seconds before sighing and bringing himself to come back inside, dropping the box atop the lockers at the back, along with numerous piled up snacks and beverages. You had a snack pantry in your classroom—yes, a whole ass pantry of it. Year 3 Class 4's room was frequently visited by admirers, both boys and girls. The stockpile of food that was collected at the back of the room was courtesy of said admirers, and there were a lot. Sometimes you even wish the room had an automatic doorbell that said if someone is outside looking for any of the sevens and Minyoung (surprise-not-surprise, she also gets confessions) so that your classmates didn’t have to use up their energy yelling it from across the room with how often it happens. You sometimes snicker at how cliché it is.

It was no wonder that some classmates had a hard time concentrating when studying during breaks, and you were one of them. The frequent knocking at the door and the screeches of the chairs pulling back breaks you out of the zone, and quite frankly, it starts to get annoying after some time. As a sort of apology – not that they had this under their control – when the eight of them were unable to turn away the admirers and decline their gifts, they would put them at the back for everyone to share. It seemed to appease everyone.

Aside from the fact that no one can really get mad at them because of this (and because of their reputations, let's be real here), who wouldn't want free snacks? Not broke high school students, that's for sure. You even managed to snatch one of the strawberry milks that were given to Minyoung.

You can tell they really feel bad when these events cause disturbances in the classroom, but your other classmates have always assured them it's not their fault. You just think everyone has gotten used to it. You can tell the sevens are used to the attention, although they don't necessarily like it. You even started ranking how they turn their admirers down, and it's safe to say Hobi and Jimin were definitely up there with their welcoming smiles and polite “I'm sorry”s.

Now, did it feel bad to be the ones benefiting from all these gifts when they’re not for you? It did at first. But then you thought about the nature of this world. Those people only admired them because of who these characters were known as, not who they were. At least that's what you concluded. You can bet that the majority of those people weren’t even in control of their feelings. It was easy for you to feel disconnected from other people’s emotions when you put it in that perspective.

Minyoung comes back to the room through the front door, waving a paper. She collects Jin and Namjoon on her way to your chair before placing the paper on your desk.

"The application is finally here," she said in a singsong voice.

"Uhm, yay? Why do we have to be here?" Namjoon looked at Minyoung, and you dropped your gaze towards the paper.

"Application?" You picked it up and saw written on the paper that it was for the manager of the volleyball team.

"Because," she says in a tone that screams duh, "We have to convince her to apply for it."

You chuckle nervously, "I’m not even qualified for this, Minyoung. I don’t know a thing about volleyball!" Which, unless you count having watched Haikyuu, isn't entirely a lie. Does anime even exist in this world?

She pouts and pulls up a chair to sit in front of your desk. "You can always learn, and I’m very willing to teach you." She said it a little too enthusiastically, maybe to really sell it to you.

You sigh, looking down at the paper. You fidget with the flap at the corner, pretending to think about it. You have thought about it ever since she first brought it up, albeit only for a short time because you came to the conclusion pretty quickly that you did not want to do it.

Every time you try to pull yourself back, keep yourself at arms length, Minyoung pulls you back towards her and tightens the strings that connect the both of you. Sometimes you catch her doing it in small ways, almost desperately, but you have no idea why. Sometimes you fear that you were giving away too much, that you were being too obvious about being out of place. It's the same reason you keep yourself in check when you get too close. And this paper presented to you right here is just like that; an act to tighten the strings.

"You said you would think about it." she said, a defeated tone almost peeking its way through before barely managing to cover it up with something steady.

"I did," you could not take it upon yourself to look at her, "And I don’t think I wanna do it."

The plan to stay in the background and in the shadows means that you shouldn't have to be with them always. It shouldn't be a problem because if you're surrounded by people who cast lights as bright as they did, it should be easy to keep yourself tucked away in the corner. If you go through with the application, there is a chance that you will get caught in the spotlight. It could be interpreted as you being desperate to cling onto Minyoung’s popularity, and that couldn't be further from the truth.

You almost got shaken when you looked up and saw a slight tremble in her hands, so you forced yourself to bring your eyes up and look at her. Minyoung is fairly easy to read sometimes; she wears her heart on her sleeve. But the other, rare times, she manages to wear a mask that is very convincing, trying to hide her real emotions. It's either one or the other, but right now she looks as she always does when she tries to pull things like this. Almost desperate. Longing. She tries to hide it, but it's clear in her eyes.

Why?

Why do you look at me like that?

You try to treat her normally, as normally as you can. You try to be what she could really treat as a friend, so you don’t understand when that kind of expression washes over her.

She lets the expression pass through her eyes but dismisses it just as quick, making you wonder if you’re the only one who noticed. Maybe you were.

She puts on a bright smile. "That’s exactly why we’re here." She starts off.

"We have gathered here today to persuade ___ to apply to be our—I mean the team's—manager." She said in a dramatic way, like she was reciting an old poem. You let out a giggle. It was genuine, but you also wanted to let her hear it to appease her.

She lets a small, genuine smile slip through at the sound, as if she could not stop it, however hard she tried. You almost think she was relieved.

"The floor is now open for suggestions." You hear her say and you look around to see Jin’s expression turn serious, as if he really needs to think about this.

"You guys really don't have to—" you exclaimed again and made an x gesture with your arms, but someone interrupted.

"Shouldn't you know how to convince her? She's your best friend." You see Minyoung falter for a bit before schooling her expression and you almost wanted to face palm at what Seokjin said. You can read Minyoung most of the time, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you understand her. And there’s always a pang in your chest whenever she looks dejected, however quickly she masks it.

"I don’t know, strength in numbers?" She playfully glares at him.

You find yourself putting your hand on top of hers. "Fine, let's hear it. There better be some very convincing arguments," you said with a grin as you leaned back in your seat. You see her brighten up immensely.

You think you’re setting yourself up. You think that if they all joined forces, it would be very hard to refuse. You can feel yourself faltering, too.

"All right," Hobi says from behind you, and you turn to face him. Oh, okay, so he’s in on it too. "I’ll let you copy my homework," he starts off. He gets a smack — no, more like a light, playful tap — on the back of his head.

"You copy your homework from me." Yoongi scolds him, and Hobi smiles playfully, earning laughs from the rest of you.

"Also, I thought we were here to convince her, not bribe her into saying yes," Namjoon adds.

You raise your hand. "Well, that’s one way to do it." He looks at you in disbelief, a smile slowly creeping its way up his lips before shaking his head.

"Oh! I’ll escort you to your seat every day." Jin tries to offer, and you couldn't have shaken your head any faster. Is he crazy? With all the attention on him, you're just going to put a target on your back if you agree to that.

He frowns before going back into thinking, and you smile at how serious he’s treating this. You think he’s just trying to humor you and your friend.

"Why did you think that was gonna convince her?" Namjoon says, earning a bark of laughter from Hobi.

"You laugh, but your idea wasn't any better." Jin points at Hobi before turning to Namjoon.

"Let’s hear yours then!" He crosses his arms.

"Hmm… I’ll let ___ copy my notes." He let out a dimpled smile, satisfied with his answer.

You looked at him and chuckled.

"You’d let me borrow and copy your notes without anything in return, Namjoon." You see Minyoung nod exaggeratedly from the corner of your eyes in agreement.

He squints his eyes at you, "And how would you know that?"

You shrug, "That’s just how you are." He’s too nice like that. You see him open his mouth to reply, but nothing comes out. Instead, he stays silent in agreement, earning a pat from Jin.

"There, there," he said in a teasing tone.

A beat passes before everyone turns to Yoongi, making you look at him too. You tilted your head in anticipation, wondering what he was going to do.

He raises his eyebrows at all of you, "What?"

You, along with the others, snicker when you see Hobi nudge his side. Yoongi averts his eyes.

"I’m not part of this." He says this with a small, almost imperceptible pout of his lips.

You all continue staring at him before he rolls his eyes and looks at you. "Fine. I'll let you copy my homework." He turns to glare at Hobi, who is looking away with a faux innocent smile.

"Why is everything about me copying something from someone else? I assure you all that I’m capable of doing things on my own." You playfully roll your eyes at them, a small chuckle leaving your lips.

"That’s right! And if she needs to copy anything, she can do it from me." Minyoung puffs out her chest and you playfully poke her cheek, making her giggle.

"Why are you guys so determined to convince me anyway? You guys are not even on the volleyball team." You question them all, and you see them all glance at Minyoung's determined face.

Ah. Right. Brownie points from the female lead, maybe?

You sigh and lean your face against your palm, one hand tapping against the desk.

"You're all gonna need a stronger argument than that, then. Being a manager would take away a lot of my rest and study time. And I especially would not like it to occupy my weekends. That's why I'm hesitant." You try to make an excuse and they seem to buy it.

They all start thinking again, and you almost want to laugh at how serious they're taking this. You think you’re the one humoring them this time.

After a few moments, Minyoung claps her hands once and exclaims, "I got it!"

She takes your hand in hers and looks you straight in the eye

"I. will. pay. for every single one of your strawberry milk purchases from the cafeteria for the rest of the year!" She lets out a triumphant smile.

"What?" You laugh incredulously "no--" you paused. Wait. Hmm, maybe.

"See?" She leaned back in her own chair like victory was already in her hands. You hear someone laughing.

"Seriously? That's what convinces you?" Jin leans his arms against your desk, and you quickly shush him with a pointer finger on his lips.

"Shh! I'm thinking," You knew it was going to be hard to say no to Minyoung when she tried to bring the others into this, so you were just trying to see where it went.

You took a glance at all of them, and they all wore the same determined expression, which made you smile internally. You felt a flicker of fire warm up from inside of you, but you put it out before it consumed you. It is during these moments that you want to give in. It is during these moments when you want to indulge yourself a little.

So you do, just for now.

You turn to look at Minyoung again, and you squint your eyes at her. She let out a cocky smile. You raised your hand across the desk and offered it to her.

"Deal." She squeals and shakes your hand before standing up and doing a victory dance. You see fond smiles all around you, all directed towards her.

You lean back in your chair as you hear someone mutter "strawberry milk, huh?"

But before you could trace whoever it was coming from, Minyoung was already pushing the application form right in your face again. You just smiled at her and picked up a pen.

You didn’t know it at the time, but with every stroke your pen made that day, you were slowly walking yourself toward the edge of a cliff.

❀。• *₊°。 ❀°

Pop quizzes.

You don’t understand their purpose; why do teachers give them to students? You think it’s not a helpful assessment of knowledge — it's lousy, ineffective, and stressful. You think it is unfair to expect students to retain a chunk of information in such a short amount of time without preparation.

You weren’t surprised when a glaring red mark with a barely passed score screamed at your face once the results were in. You would've made an excuse of being too caught up in all this whole transported-into-a-web-novel mess that you couldn't concentrate, but honestly, you were a mediocre student at best, and it has been that way ever since.

You let out a frustrated sigh and allow yourself to have an existential crisis. Why should I study for real if this isn't even my real life? Shouldn't all of this be simple for me because I'm a character who is related to the major characters? Isn't that an advantage I should have? You grumble and look down at the sheet in front of you.

"How did you do?" There was a touch on your shoulder, and a shadow was cast as a figure attempted to look over your shoulder. You were quick to clutch your sheet against your chest and let out a "hey!" to scold him for peeping.

"What? Let me see." Hobi tries to snatch the paper from you, and you lean away from him, earning a tsk from your seatmate. You apologized meekly and scowled at Hobi.

"I passed. That's all you need to know." Technically, you didn't lie; you did pass. But only barely. When you frown at him, he simply smiles back.

"Ey, show me!" He managed to catch you off guard and take hold of the paper, like the true menace that he is. He scans it and you see him freeze. You pout again in shame and you can almost see him feel bad for forcing you to show him. He hands it back to you slowly while looking away and pretending he didn't see anything.

That’s right, you didn't see anything. You squint at him.

You feel a presence come up from beside you, and you look up to see Minyoung reaching out her hand to you.

"Can I see how you did?" she asked, her voice kind and her eyes without malice. She did mention she would be the last person to pass judgment on you. It didn't mean you weren't embarrassed to show her your grade, especially because she was one of the top students in the class. You give her your best puppy eyes, almost as if to convey your reluctance to show her. She simply chuckled and rolled her eyes in amusement.

"That won't work on me," she adds, contradicting her feelings. Minyoung had a soft spot in her heart for you, and she didn't want you to feel like you couldn't tell her anything. You give in when she nudges her offering hand towards you again.

You slid the paper into her palm slowly while looking away, exactly like Hobi had done before, and you heard him snicker. You give him another teasing glare, but he simply smiles.

"Ah.. This is fine for a pop quiz. I'll help you and we can do better next time, okay?" she said brightly, and you nodded absently, hypnotized by her sincerity.

You sulk as she returns the paper to you, the red mark mocking you.

Someone on the other side of the room is going through the same ordeal.

"Okay, one, two, three!" yelled one of the three boys as they flipped their papers over to view their scores. Only Jimin let out a triumphant smile.

Taehyung breathed a sigh of relief. "I passed, I don't even remember what I wrote down, but I passed," he grumbled, bringing his forehead to rest against his desk.

Jungkook's shoulders fell as he said, "I was only one point away from failing."

This cannot happen again, he thinks. It was his responsibility to keep his grades up or else he could risk getting suspended from the volleyball team. That simply cannot happen; his team relies on him. He was their captain. He can feel his anxiety rising, but before it can spin out of control, Jimin pats him on the back and smiles reassuringly.

"Jimin~ help us," Taehyung lets out in the most whiny voice he could muster. "You’re the only one who got decent marks." Decent was an understatement. He got a fairly high score.

Jimin gave his friend a sidelong glance. "Do you think I've never tried to? Every time I did, you both lured me into playing video games or tossing balls for you."

Taehyung laughs mischievously and pokes his friend's plump cheek. "Ey, c'mon! This time we'll take it seriously."

Jimin murmurs, "I don't think I believe that," but he thinks neither of his friends heard him.

Taehyung and Jimin both turn to face their friend, who has gone silent and looks to be lost in thought. Jimin sighs. He was about to comply with his friend's request when they heard a commotion on the other side of the room and turned to see what was going on.

"I have an idea," Jin slid into the conversation from behind Minyoung. You have to wonder whether these people have some type of superpower that allows them to appear out of nowhere whenever they choose. But then you consider how, like a magnet, they all simply attract each other's presence.

"Let’s form a study group!" You look at him incredulously as he suggests it out of nowhere. You see the papers he's holding and reach for it. Your eyes widened. He did amazing! Namjoon too! You snatched up all of their papers, including Yoongi's, who grunted but didn't try to fight you off. They all passed with flying colors, with two of them, Namjoon and Minyoung, practically receiving full marks.

Who gets such a high score on a pop quiz? You grimace. Isn't this unfair? You complain to the novel gods.

These people are unreal. Well, they are unreal.

"With these scores, why would you need a study group?" you asked, skimming through their papers and looking back on your own pathetic one.

Jin merely shrugged and continued, "So we can help you." You pinch at the bridge of your nose.

"Why would I need five people to tutor me?" you inquire, your brow furrowed.

He joked, "I don't know, strength in numbers?" He got a smack on the chest from Minyoung for the reference, and he clutched it exaggeratedly and groaned dramatically before addressing you.

“You don't think it would just be fun to hang out?” he remarked, pouting.

“I think it would be fun!” Hobi raises his hand to bring attention to him, and you smile at him. You don’t want to believe you were developing a soft spot for this guy. “We’re in.” he nodded towards his seatmate.

“I never said that I am.” Yoongi told him, his brows scrunched.

“Well, do you not want to be?” Hobi asks and you see him look away without saying anything. Hobi grinned and shook his head. “We’re in.”

Jin raises his fists lightly in celebration. “Well, obviously me and Namjoon are in.” When his name is mentioned, the guy at the front desk turns to your area in question, but Jin brushes him off with his hands as if to say, "Don't worry about it."

"I'm only in on it if she is," Minyoung said, motioning for you to scoot over and share your chair. You obliged.

You couldn't believe you were being trapped in their spider web once more, with nowhere to flee. You can't believe these guys will continue to persuade you to follow their every whim. You groan and put your head against Minyoung's shoulder, which she pats.

"You guys should major in marketing in college," you mumbled absently, and they all looked at you, puzzled. It was just a suggestion; with all of their persuasion skills, you'd think they'd make a decent profession out of it. You simply shrugged back.

"We're in too!" says a voice coming from behind all of you, and your necks turn to see who it was.

In all his boxy grin glory, Taehyung stepped closer. "We want in on it too." He glanced at his friends from the other side of the room.

Minyoung shifts, and you completely remove your head from her hands, allowing her to turn a little, "What do you mean?" she asked.

Taehyung shyly scratches at the back of his neck. "We need to get our grades up, too, and we’re gonna need all the help we can get."

"Well, why can't Jimin help you?" Hobi asks and looks at the person in question.

"He would, but he gets annoyed at us easily and would probably give up on us one session in." In an attempt to appear more appealing, Taehyung clasps his hand in front of him. Jin appears to be deliberating, but you can tell he's already planning to agree. He seemed to thrive when he was surrounded by people with whom he felt at ease.

Is it even possible to get work done if this goes through? You ponder by yourself.

"I don't know," Minyoung hummed from beside you, "only if Jeon swears not to be an ass."

"Ah. Well. Will you let us go if I can persuade him to be civil? He needs this, too, after all," Taehyung states firmly.

"Okay, that seems reasonable. In my study group, there is no fighting!" Jin replies, raising his finger to drive the point home.

You hear a laugh, "Oh, so you proclaim yourself the leader of this thing?" says Yoongi.

Jin puts his hands on his hips and asks, "Do you want to do it then, Yoongs?" You giggle at the nickname and catch Yoongi’s eyes. You see surprise paint his facial expression for half a second before he looks away. You hear him grumble something indecipherable under his breath, but you pay it no mind and look back at Jin again.

This was causing you a headache, though. You know that feeling you get when you stare at something bright for too long? And your eyes hurt as if they were strained. It's similar, except these are human lanterns. When you're near them, you think about wearing sunglasses.

Damn them. Why do they have to literally glow brightly only to convey that they are important people? It was subtle, but you noticed it. You scoff at the novel gods.

"We’re doing this, then!" Jin seemed ecstatic, and you simply shook your head, unaware that you were unconsciously smiling.

❀。• *₊°。 ❀°

Namjoon fights the temptation to keep Jin still as he sees him alternately shift his weight on his feet. "You're being too enthusiastic," he says.

"I am!" Jin exclaims, shaking his nerves from his hands, "I have a nice feeling about this for some reason." Namjoon grins and shakes his head; knowing his friend, he's holding back now because if he weren't, he'd be hopping up and down like a kid on a sugar high right now.

"Nice feeling about what? The study group?" Namjoon wonders.

Jin shrugs his shoulders, unsure how to express his inner feelings. "It's the group, not so much the studying."

They were standing in front of the local public library, where you all agreed to meet up for the day. Jin tries to distract himself from his excitement by looking around the area. The place was bustling with the crowd, young people gathered to hang out, and shops were flooding with people since it was the weekend.

"Me too," Namjoon murmurs, and Jin nearly misses it, but he doesn't. Instead, he hummed and raised his eyebrows in a puzzled manner.

"Just.. It's easier to just.. be, for some reason. It hasn’t been long since we all knew each other so I'm not sure how it makes sense, but... it does," he sees Jin nodding as if he doesn't need to elaborate, as if he already fully understands.

They see you being pulled by Hobi's arm out of the corner of their eyes. He raises both your and his hands to the two waiting boys. When you get there, you take a moment to collect your breath.

"You guys are early," you remarked, huffing.

"We live nearby," Namjoon replies, and you notice him looking behind you for something. "Where are the rest of them?"

“They’re gonna catch up, I heard the sports teams had a general assembly today.” Hobi replied and nodded towards the entrance. “Should we go on ahead before we run out of tables?”

You nodded in agreement and you see Namjoon and Jin do the same.

It was impossible to ignore the glaring eyes your way, the cause for which was, of course, the three fine specimens you were with, but mixed in with the looks of admiration were the looks of curiosity, as if they were wondering why you were with them. You didn't know what to do, so you let yourself fall behind a little to give the impression that you were simply walking by.

It was difficult to conceal yourself, though, after you all located a table large enough to seat everyone. You sucked it up and sat next to Hobi since it would be strange to sit far away from the three and leave empty chairs between you.

People clearly wanted to approach the table, and some were courageous enough to do so. They asked if they could sit in the vacant seats, but the boys respectfully rejected, explaining that the chairs were already taken and that they were only waiting for the rest of the party. People were displeased, and they didn't do a good job of concealing it. You swear you almost caught someone sneering at you, but you ignore it.

Minyoung took the seat next to you as soon as the rest of the group arrived and sat down. You smiled as you welcomed her and asked about the meeting.

"It was okay, just some pointers on training schedules and new management recruiting." She pulls out her book and notes and says, "I think they'll be reviewing the applications next week."

The other four boys trickle in and settle on the rest of the empty seats.

"Sorry we're late by the way, Jeon was taking too long to pack up his stuff," she says, sneering in the direction of the man in question.

"Me?" you hear someone scoff. “Sorry for staying a little longer than the rest to check things out as a captain," he says, glaring at her.

"Are you suggesting that you're a better captain than I am?" She lifts her head a bit from her seat, and you almost hold her back before Jin interrupts.

"Woah! First and foremost, there'll be no fighting in my study group! " Jin spoke a little too loudly, and Yoongi shushed him. When he realizes it, he takes a step back and repeats what he said in a shout-whisper tone.

"We're not fighting, I'm simply stating the truth! I'm not sure why he responded that way." Minyoung crosses her arms in front of her and you massage her shoulder to calm her down.

You hear Jungkook groan and bring out his notes instead. "Can you assist me with this? There's one part that confuses me..." He says to no one in particular, but you see Namjoon lean forward to take a look.

The rest of you follow, and after a few minutes, the group appears to have found a decent system. If someone had a question, the group would decide whether it was something that needed to be explained to everyone, and you would all pay attention to the person who answered it. Namjoon was the one who took on that role the most frequently, and he was excellent at it.

You also seemed to grasp what Taehyung meant when he said Jimin would get irritated while teaching them because you frequently spotted Taehyung staring out the window and twirling his pen instead of paying attention.

"This is precisely why I don't study with you," Jimin sighs.

"It's also why I got us in this study group," Taehyung explained, "so the others can keep me in check." You could almost hear him send out an audible hihi! with his tone, a playful smile painting his face.

Hobi took it upon himself to exchange seats with the boy so that he would be closer to Namjoon and would not be able to slack off.

After that, it was smooth sailing, and everyone appeared productive, save from the looks from the other tables, which the group simply ignored and grew accustomed to. Jungkook caught up with what he didn't grasp, and even Yoongi, who didn't seem to want to be here, took it upon himself to help the others, much to your surprise.

"Ah, my eyes are tired," Jungkook said, rubbing his eyes and sitting back in his chair. Jin suggested a break because it had been a while since you started. Small groans arise from the table as you and the others stretch your limbs and necks.

You see a figure approach the table from your left.

“Uhm, excuse me.” A young girl around your age tries to get Namjoon’s attention. “Can I ask for your number?” you see her turn beet red at her own request.

Namjoon looked uncomfortably around the table, as if he was asking for help, but it appeared that everyone in the group was just as flustered. Except for you. You reclined back in your chair, watching it all unfold.

"Sorry, I don't feel comfortable giving it," he responded as politely as he could, both of his hands raised. When the girl doesn't falter and instead nudges her phone closer, you can sense the group holding their breath even if they aren't directly watching.

"I swear I won't spam you," she laughed, "so, can I have it?" she asked, sweetly.

Namjoon sighs under his breath but no one notices. His pupils tremble, and he opens his lips to speak, but nothing comes out. Someone from beside you sighs.

"Excuse me, but we're all here to study. Perhaps you can do this later? " Minyoung tries to dismiss the girl gently as she feels the situation slowly escalate.

She was met with a glare. Even you were perplexed by that awful fucking glare. But you didn't step in; this was most likely Minyoung's thing.

"Well, I wasn't addressing you, was I?" The girl remarked in the same sickeningly sweet tone, but you only realize the poison behind it now. You took a glance at Minyoung to see that she was caught off guard.

The people around the table are visibly growing increasingly uneasy. Yoongi, who appeared to be the most concerned with the situation of all the guys, fiddled with his hand under the table. Even Hobi appeared to be managing his expression, even if he was obviously nervous as well.

You feel your hand twitch but you look back down and start scribbling on your notebook. You see Taehyung look at you from your peripheral vision, his silver hair shifting and catching your attention.

"So, your phone number?" she asks again as the table falls silent.

You wanted to interfere. You were itching to do something, since the tension around the table was starting to get to you. You weren’t really a confrontational person, but if you were in reality right now you probably would’ve done something already. But it wasn’t your role to step in.

A beat passed before Jin was standing up. He smiles, but a chill runs down your spine with how different it looked from how he usually was. You couldn’t place it, but it almost looked cold. "Since he said no, we'd really appreciate it if you could just leave us alone."

The girl’s eyes widened before she stepped back and sped away. You hear the group release their breaths that you didn't even realize they were holding.

"I'm getting us drinks," you said as you abruptly stood up from your chair, and you turned around and walked away without waiting for any response.

"I’ll help." You hear someone shuffle closer from behind you.

You walk in silence until you hear the person inhale a sharp breath, as if bracing himself.

"You’re weird." Taehyung says as he catches up to walk alongside you."I can tell you wanted to do something, but you didn't." He adds.

You stop in front of a vending machine and pull out your purse. "Well, why didn’t you do something?" You fired back without looking at him. You hear him hum as you insert the bill and start pushing the buttons for random beverages.

"Because I wanted to see what you would do." He said in a low voice as he leaned against the vending machine, pushing himself towards your line of vision.

You shifted your eyes to him and held it. You almost felt compelled to look away, but you didn't.

"Don’t look at me that way." he says after a few moments, still holding your gaze.

You raised a brow in question but didn't say anything.

"Don’t look at me like you looked at them earlier, it’s annoying."

He reaches down to take the drinks and starts to walk away, leaving you bewildered, wondering what he meant.

#bts au #ot7 x reader #bts x reader #jungkook fanfic #taehyung fanfic #jimin fanfic #yoongi fanfic #namjoon fanfic #bts fanfiction #jhope fanfic #seokjin fanfic #bts fluff #hoseok fanfic #isekai #alternate universe #bts fic #bangtan x oc

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