Chapter II-From Stranger to…

Bell rang, signaling the end of school. It was time to go home. The first day had ended exhaustedly, especially for Jin, who had been trying all afternoon to talk to Namjoon, but couldn't get a chance because of the swarm of sophomores, juniors, and seniors surrounding him.

Let's Recall:

"Hey!----" Jin yelled at him.

"What's up, RM!" From the right middle side, someone close to Namjoon approached him with warm vibes.

Jin was about to talk to him when this guy appeared and caught his attention. It would have been rude to disrupt the reunion, so he waited patiently.

Until the guy asked Namjoon to join him and his friend for lunch.

"Yeah, cool," Namjoon accepted the invite and joined them as they left the room. Jin was left surrounded by girls who were dying to get to know him.

"Where'd you live?"

"Are you rich?"

"Do you have IG?"

"You're very attractive."

And many more random questions came up. "Oh no, he's getting away," he thought, though he was flustered by the praise and compliments, his mind was set on Namjoon.

"I appreciate the compliments, girls, but I have to go," Jin said in a hurry.

"Why the rush? It can wait, you know. Seriously, chill," she said, snapping her fingers with a roll of her eyes.

Jin went up close to this girl, pulled her chin, and whispered right to her ear, "Why? Would you rather want me to pee in your mouth?" A wicked grin spread across his lips.

The girl was stunned, and Jin left, leaving her like a statue.

"Girl, you're red! What did he say?!" Her friend asked, anticipating a steamy reaction.

"Girl, I just felt butterflies in my stomach," the girl replied, in awe of admiration.

Then all you could hear from the hallways were girls yapping, giggling, and laughing.

"Where is he?... I can't find him anywhere."

Jin searched for him in every corner, but there he was, on the campus in broad daylight, surrounded by students.

One thing about Namjoon that Jin didn't know was that Namjoon was a very well-known, respected scholar in the university.

"Is he some kind of celebrity?" Jin wondered as he tried to squeeze himself through the crowds but couldn't, as he was pushed back.

He was frustrated, not because he was pushed away, but because Namjoon was a force to be reckoned with.

At first, he thought he would be the center of attention, a transfer from a small village was something odd for a civilized industry, as he planned to conquer and take the top spot, to show everyone not to underestimate him.

He played on his mind what his first day would be like, and it was a huge disappointment.

As he stared blankly at Namjoon on the side, a burning sensation ignited in him. Determination showed in his eyes.

"Just wait, I'll take that spotlight off you," he whispered.

When the second bell rang and class was about to start, he had no choice but to go back.

End of Recalling

"How was college life, honey?" His mother asked, occupying herself in the kitchen, cooking dinner. She heard the door creak open, thinking it was her son.

"Honestly, Eomma, being this popular is exhausting," he said with a mock grimace, "All these admirers..."

"Glad to hear that, Seokjinnie," his mother said, a smile softening her features, "Dinner's almost ready. Why don't you go wash up?"

"Okay, Eomma," Jin mumbled, already heading for the bathroom.

In the shower, with the water pouring over him, his mind was preoccupied elsewhere.

"Is something wrong, dear?" his mother asked, "You haven't touched your food. Is everything okay?"

"Uh-huh, everything's fine, Eomma," Jin forced a smile, trying to sound convincing.

The response was unsettling for his mother, so she told him, "When did my boy start keeping secrets?" Her voice softened, "You can tell your Eomma everything."

Jin hesitated, his gaze lingering on his mother's concerned expression. He couldn't bear to see her like this, so worried about him.

"Eomma," Jin began, "I was wondering... why did we move here?"

"I guess you're having trouble adjusting here," his mother said, her voice tight. "I'm sorry for forcing you to live with me here. I... I just wanted what was best for you," she said, her eyes hardening. "I thought Seoul could give you the life you deserve... the life I never had... but I guess I was wrong."

"No, Eomma, you're wrong," Jin said, reaching across the table to take her hand. "I never said I didn't want to live with you. I love being here with you. And I'm so grateful you thought of me. I was just a little curious, that's all." Jin reassured her.

His mother felt her son's warmth, "Jin-nie, promise me you won't get into trouble?" She showed great concern.

"Yes, Eomma," he hugged her tightly.

...****************...

Rain was pouring heavily, the road was wet and the soil was muddy. Jin was on his way to school, wearing his jacket and holding an umbrella. He was now waiting for the bus while scrolling through his phone.

"Phew... why does it have to rain on a lovely day?" A guy arrived to take the bus and shelter himself from the rain.

Jin looked beside him, "You...?" He seemed to know him.

Their eyes met, "Uh hello?" The guy had no idea who Jin was.

"Ah nevermind," Jin turned his head back to his phone, choosing not to get to know him.

This guy, intrigued by Jin's reaction, made his first move, "Hi, I'm Jung Hoseok, but you can call me Jhope for short," a lovely smile played on his lips.

Jin arched an eyebrow, his expression questioning. "Uh..."

"Oh, are you curious why it's 'hope'?" He fidgeted with his hands, unable to contain his enthusiasm. "I'm your hope, you're my hope, I'm J-Hope... Ta-da." Then he did a K-heart pose with his hands.

Jin's jaw dropped, his eyes widening in surprise. He blinked, as if trying to process what he had just heard, and then a slow grin spread across his face. He started to chuckle, the sound growing louder and louder until he burst into laughter.

Jhope felt relieved to see Jin laughing. A wave of warmth washed over him, a smile blooming on his face as he watched Jin's laughter. No one else shared his sense of humor, not even Namjoon, his best friend.

Jin wiped his tears off and introduced himself, ".... I'm Kim Seokjin, Jin for short," as he extended his arm to shake hands with him.

"What's with the hand, hyung?" Jhope grinned, nudging Jin playfully. "That's so old-school! A fist bump is the way to go, you know," he said, grabbing Jin's hand and curling it into a fist.

Then they fist bumped just as the bus arrived, right on cue. They laughed and chatted all the way inside.

...****************...

...End of Chapter 2...

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