Chapter 2 – Jimin’s Orbit

If Jungkook was the sun—burning wild and warm—then Jimin was the spark that danced in its orbit. Bright, unpredictable, and impossible to ignore.

He came into the classroom like he owned it.

Not with arrogance—but with the kind of confidence that bloomed only when you knew you were deeply loved. His cheeks were chubby with baby fat, his eyes sparkled with mischief, and his laugh? It was the kind that made people turn their heads.

“Jungkookie!” he yelled from the door, running across the classroom before the teacher could even greet him. “You didn’t wait for me today!”

Jungkook, who had been coloring with Taehyung near the window, looked up with a sheepish grin. “Sorry, Chim. I got excited.”

“Excited?” Jimin pouted, dramatic as always. “You forgot about me?”

“No!” Jungkook stood up quickly. “I didn’t forget! I was just—”

His eyes darted to Taehyung, who was quietly erasing something from his sketch, head down, fingers trembling slightly.

“I was showing Taehyung the crayons,” Jungkook explained. “He’s new. He sits with me.”

Jimin blinked.

Then turned.

His gaze landed on the quiet boy by the window—soft brown curls, cardigan sleeves hiding half his hands, lips pressed into a nervous line.

So this was the new kid.

Jimin tilted his head, eyes narrowing thoughtfully. “He’s pretty,” he said out loud.

Taehyung’s ears flushed red.

Jungkook coughed. “He’s nice.”

“Hmm.” Jimin strolled over, standing right in front of Taehyung now. “Do you talk?”

Taehyung hesitated. His lashes fluttered, unsure.

“I—I do,” he whispered.

Jimin raised a brow. “You talk like a cloud.”

Taehyung blinked. “A cloud?”

“Yeah,” Jimin nodded sagely. “Soft and floaty.”

Jungkook giggled.

Taehyung didn’t know what to say.

“Do you wanna play with us?” Jimin asked, suddenly offering his hand, chubby fingers outstretched.

Taehyung looked at it. His heart thudded.

The other kids never offered.

He looked to Jungkook for help.

Jungkook smiled at him, eyes crinkling. “It’s okay. Jimin’s nice. Mostly.”

“Hey!” Jimin frowned, offended.

Taehyung laughed—just a little.

It was enough.

He reached out and took Jimin’s hand.

Warmth. Acceptance.

Maybe a bit of gravity, too.

Because from that moment, something shifted. The orbit realigned.

And for the first time, the three of them were together.

They spent the day building block castles and arguing over animal crackers.

“Why do you always eat the lions first?” Jimin huffed.

“Because they’re the kings,” Jungkook shrugged.

“That’s not fair! The giraffes are tall!”

“But lions have fangs!”

Taehyung sat between them, quietly nibbling a cracker shaped like a panda. He watched them argue like it was a dance—perfectly choreographed, chaotic, and endearing.

He didn’t interrupt.

But when Jimin pouted extra hard, Taehyung reached over and placed one of his own lion crackers into Jimin’s palm.

Jimin paused.

Then grinned wide.

“Okay, you can stay,” he declared.

Jungkook rolled his eyes, but his smile was soft.

And Taehyung? He felt... included.

Not completely.

Not yet.

But something was blooming in his chest.

During nap time, the lights were dimmed and lullabies hummed from the speakers. All the kids had their little mats and blankets sprawled across the classroom.

Jungkook was already lying down, blanket kicked off like always.

Taehyung curled up neatly, hugging his bear.

Jimin flopped down between them like a starfish, sighing dramatically. “Today was tiring.”

“You just talked too much,” Jungkook whispered.

“Did not.”

“Did too.”

“Shh,” Taehyung mumbled, hiding his smile in his bear’s fur.

They giggled.

And then—quiet.

A rare moment of peace.

Until Jimin peeked one eye open and looked at Taehyung. “Do you miss home?”

Taehyung blinked.

The question was unexpected.

He thought about his old room, his grandma’s garden, the tiny stars his mom used to stick to his ceiling.

He nodded. Slowly.

“Do you miss your friends?” Jimin asked.

“I… didn’t have many.”

Jungkook opened one eye too, frowning. “Why?”

Taehyung shrugged. “They said I was weird.”

Jimin sat up slightly, indignant. “Well, we’re weird too. So now you have us.”

Taehyung stared.

Jungkook added, “Yeah. We can all be weird together.”

Taehyung felt something warm unfurl in his chest.

Maybe he’d found his new home.

Maybe… he wasn’t so alone anymore.

But as the days passed, something small—something invisible but sharp—started to shimmer beneath the surface.

Jungkook laughed loudest with Jimin.

Jimin always knew how to steal his attention.

And sometimes, when Taehyung reached out—Jungkook didn’t notice.

It was tiny.

Like a hiccup in a perfect song.

But Taehyung felt it.

And so, one day, he sat quietly at the art table, coloring with soft strokes, while Jungkook and Jimin giggled on the floor with plastic dinosaurs.

Miss Han came by and gently touched his shoulder. “Aren’t you joining them?”

Taehyung shook his head. “I’m okay here.”

She didn’t press.

But Jimin noticed.

So did Jungkook.

Later that day, while Jimin was washing his hands and the classroom had mostly emptied, Jungkook came up to Taehyung, fidgeting with his sleeves.

“You were quiet today.”

Taehyung shrugged.

“Are you mad at me?”

Taehyung looked up. His lips parted.

Then closed again.

“No,” he whispered.

Jungkook looked sad. “Do you… like being my friend?”

Taehyung’s chest ached.

“I do,” he said softly. “A lot.”

“Then why—”

“I just… sometimes, I feel like I don’t belong in your world.”

Jungkook blinked. “But you do.”

“You and Jimin are… loud. Bright. I’m not.”

Jungkook reached out.

Touched Taehyung’s sleeve, like he had earlier with the crayons.

“You don’t have to be loud,” he whispered. “You’re already my favorite part.”

Taehyung looked up.

Eyes wide. Breath caught.

That night, he dreamt of stars.

And hands that always reached for his.

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