Falsettos, Stains, and Drama (for tacocatwrites)
Title: Falsettos, Stains, and Drama
Recipient: tacocatwrites
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 9,511
Warning(s): mild bad language use (sh*t used like nine times and f*cking used once, in a non-sexual way)
Summary: When Jinyoung thinks about it, it really all starts when he becomes Juliet Capulet.
A/N: i’m really sorry if this isn’t what you wanted (and if it seems rushed) omg i wrote and edited this so many times alkjfasldjf i hope you enjoy it nonetheless!
“This year’s spring play will be a very modern rendition of Romeo and Juliet.”
“Does this mean we’ll finally work with the girls again?”
“Unfortunately, like I’ve told you every year, the ban on co-ed school activities, with the exception of school dances, between us and the girls’ school is in effect until 2016, so no, it will just be us this year, again.”
A collective groan echoes through the theater room; this means that, once again, many of them would have to act as girls-talking in a falsetto isn’t as easy as it used to be pre-puberty. Jinyoung can attest to this; last year they had done Alice in Wonderland, and he had been the Queen of Hearts, his voice had cracked when he screamed for Alice’s, Yugyeom’s, head to be chopped off.
Definitely not one of his best moments in the spotlight.
Mr. Park spends the next five minutes passing out scripts and assigning roles:
“Jackson, you’ll be Mercutio.”
Jackson angles his head to Jinyoung, who is sitting in the seat behind him, and whispers, “He’s a dude right?”
Jinyoung rolls his eyes, it figures Jackson wouldn’t remember a thing from their freshman English class, “Yes Jackson, you’re a man, congratulations.”
“Yes!” Jackson cheered softly and turned back to the stage.
“Bambam, you’re Tybalt.” Jinyoung snorts; Jackson and Bambam are always arguing, so acting as Mercutio and Tybalt should come naturally to them. “Mark, Benvolio.” Bambam high-fives the older boy, no falsettos for them this year. “Yugyeom, Balthasar; and Youngjae, you’ll be the nurse.”
“Uh, Mr. Park?” Mr. Park takes his eyes off the cast list and looks at Youngjae, who is staring down at his character description. “Since this isn’t the original version, is it possible to, like, make the nurse a guy?”
Mr. Park hums in consideration, “I don’t see why not.”
“Youngjae, you smart-ass.” Grinning, Youngjae turns to Jackson and shrugs ‘it was nothing’.
“Jinyoung, congratulations, you’ll be Juliet.”
Jinyoung’s mouth drops while Jackson doubles over in his hyena-laughs, “I love this club!” Jinyoung smacks the Jinyoung-proclaimed idiot and glares at his other friends before they can start cackling at his luck. This marks the third year in a row where Jinyoung is a female, oh how he loves his life.
“And finally, Jaebum, you’ll be Romeo.”
All eyes focus on Jaebum, who sits alone in the front, snoring.
Jinyoung exhales in exasperation.
Really, out of all the people, why did it have to be Jaebum Im?
Jinyoung has been plagued by the thought since yesterday. It’s bad enough that he has to be Juliet, making Jaebum Im his love is completely unnecessary. Hell, he would rather have Jackson be Romeo-the thought of Jackson proclaiming his undying love flashes through his mind-okay, he actually wouldn’t rather have that. He gets more than enough of Jackson’s love offstage.
He punches his student number into the keypad and politely asks for pizza. Jinyoung has to admit that, although it irritates him to no bounds, Jaebum isn’t bad at acting-in fact he’s probably one of the best actors in the club, which is probably why Mr. Park gave him one of the leading roles.
No, it isn’t Jaebum’s acting that’s the problem, its Jaebum himself.
His nose scrunches in disgust as he plops his lunch on the table and takes his seat next to Jackson. “For what troubles thee Juliet?” Sometimes he wonders why he sits next to Jackson every day, “What has brought a frown to thy’s face?”
“Jackson, I swear, if you don’t stop talking like that I’ll tie you up and cut off your-“
“Whoa Jinyoung, we have tweens here, save your kinks for later,” Jackson winks. Jinyoung hates his friends-well, actually he just hates Jackson. “I love you too, Jinyoungie,” Jinyoung snarls.
“Hey! I’m fourteen, definitely not a tween!” Bambam makes a point to cross his arms over his chest and humph; Yugyeom readily agrees with him, fourteen-year-olds have to stay together after all.
“Oh seriously? I thought you were like twelve because of how short you are,” Jackson feigns surprise. Bambam mutters something in Thai, and an argument ensues. While the two are busy, Mark not-so-secretly steals their French fries.
Nothing out of the ordinary really.
Jinyoung chomps on his pizza; stupid Jackson, stupid Jaebum, stupid Romeo and Juliet. “Jinyoung is something wrong?”
“No, why?”
“Well,” Mark’s mouth forms a line. “You kind of got pizza sauce there,” Mark uses a French fry to gesture to all of Jinyoung.
Jinyoung looks down at his shirt, “Dammit.” He hears Jackson and Bambam both laughing at him-yeah, Jinyoung hates Bambam too. “Weren’t you two just fighting?”
“This is funnier!” Bambam whips out his phone and takes a picture.
Jinyoung groans, “Bambam, I swear, if you post that on Instagram, you are going to be my least favorite freshman.”
Bambam pouts, “But Jinyoung, it’s not like it matters, you don’t even use your Instagram!”
Jinyoung growls, causing the younger boy to cower, “Jackson, Jinyoung’s bullying me!”
“Don’t bully my wife!”
Jinyoung groans in indignation-when the hell did they get married? “Oh my god, why am I even friends with you people?” Jackson and Bambam wear shit-eating grins while proclaiming that Jinyoung honors them with his friendship because he loves them so very much. “Ha ha, very funny; I’m going to wash this off, I’ll see you guys later.”
“Byeeeeee Jinyoung.” Jinyoung mouths two words to which Jackson suggestively replies, “Oooh kinky, how about we do that later?” Jinyoung’s nostrils flare; as he leaves his friends laugh at him.
Yeah, he hates Yugyeom and Mark too-just not as much as he hates Jackson.
“Stupid pizza,” Jinyoung yanks another paper towel from the dispenser and runs it under water. It’s obvious that in the last five minutes he has spent trying to take out the sauce has only made it more noticeable-man he loves his life. Frustrated, he throws the paper towel and leans over the sink; staring at his reflection he realizes something.
He looks absolutely stupid.
Why did he have to wear a white shirt today?
Jinyoung hears the creak of the restroom door and sighs; well it’s not like it matters whether or not someone sees him now, his whole sixth period and the entire Drama Club are bound to see him anyway. Even though he knows it won’t work, he gets another paper towel to look busy.
“Oh…hi Jinyoung.”
Today is definitely going on Jinyoung’s list of ‘not-so-good’ days.
With a polite smile, he turns to face the boy, “Hi Jaebum, what brings you here?” He mentally smacks himself; they’re in the restroom, what else would Jaebum be in here for?
Jaebum chuckles, “Just felt like getting out of class early, what about you?”
Jinyoung has to keep himself from snorting-typical Jaebum Im-but by doing so he ends up coughing, earning what Jinyoung thinks is a ‘wtf’ look. “Uh, I’m just trying to get this stain off my shirt,” he forces a chuckle. “So you have first lunch?”
“Yeah I do…” Now Jaebum has this weird ‘blank-yet-polite’ face on, and honestly Jinyoung just really wants to leave.
Apparently whoever controls his fate takes pity on him because the bell rings right after that thought; he lets out a faint sigh of relief. “Well, see you at rehearsal Jaebum,” the other boy looks confused but gives a similar reply, and Jinyoung walks pass him. As the door closes behind him, he lets out a bigger sigh of relief.
That is probably the most awkward situation he has ever been in-well there is that one time he thought Mark was confessing to him, but this is definitely in the top five.
“Jinyoung wait!”
Jinyoung cringes on reflex but stops walking; when he turns around he finds Jaebum standing a couple inches away, he takes a step back face flushed. “Um, what’s up?”
“I have an extra shirt in my locker.”
It takes a moment for Jinyoung to process what Jaebum is saying, then a light bulb seems to go off. “Really?”
“Yeah, but my locker’s upstairs, so we might be late to class.”
“Oh, what’s your sixth period?”
Jaebum looks at him in disbelief, “We’re in the same class.”
Jinyoung feels heat rush to his face, no wonder why Jaebum looked confused earlier; why is Jinyoung so stupid?
“Well…Mr. Ok loves me, so I think we’ll be fine,” he offers a small smile trying to cover his embarrassment.
Neither of them talk the whole way to Jaebum’s locker, it causes anxiety build up in Jinyoung. He reaches into his back pocket for his phone and sends a quick text to Jackson:
JR: probably going to be late for class, tell mr ok
Because he’s looking at his phone he bumps into Jaebum, really can this day get any more embarrassing? He mumbles an apology to which Jaebum just shrugs and begins to twist in his combination. Jinyoung’s phone vibrates:
JACKER: wooooow not even a please???
Jinyoung is going to smack Jackson later.
JR: shut up and just do it
JACKER: you hurt my feelings jinyoungie (sad face emoji) but ill do it anyway since I love you with all my heart (kissy face emoji)(kissy face emoji)
JR: thanks dumbo
JACKER: anything for you (winky face emoji)
“Jinyoung?”
“Oh sorry I was texting someone,” he pockets his phone and gratefully takes the white tank top from him. “Well let’s get to class, I think we can still make it.”
Jaebum raises an eyebrow, “Aren’t you going to change?”
“Huh?” Jaebum pointedly looks down to Jinyoung’s shirt. “Oh, like right now?”
“Well yeah, we can still make it to class on time.” Jinyoung wants a hole to open up and just swallow him. Why the hell would he strip in the middle of the hallway when there’s perfectly good restroom downstairs? “Come on man, we’re both guys, if you want I can look away.”
That rude ass…
In that moment, he really has no idea what came over him.
Without a word, Jinyoung drops his backpack and practically rips his stained shirt off. He shivers when the air hits his skin-oh god, he’s half naked in the hallway. Why did he do that? His whole body heats up in embarrassment as he quickly slips Jaebum’s shirt.
“I…uh, okay.” Jaebum visibly swallows, and his face is pink-Jinyoung is so very much done with his life right now. “Well, let’s go,” Jaebum slams his locker shut while Jinyoung awkwardly folds his stained shirt and slings his backpack on.
They walk briskly to class, and the bell rings right as they step into the classroom.
“So you and Romeo are getting pretty friendly with each other, wearing each other’s clothes and all,” Jackson cackles.
Sometimes Jinyoung really questions why he’s friends with this idiot.
“Jackson, one day you’re going to wake up without a penis, and I want you to know that I will be fully responsible.”
“Is there a reason why all your threats are related to my dick?”
Jinyoung groans; he can never win against Jackson. Giving up, he slams his locker shut and starts to walk away, to which Jackson whines about how Jinyoung is so mean to him and doesn’t appreciate the fact that he is basically the light in Jinyoung’s life and-“I’m really going to punch you one day, really.”
Jackson snickers, “I only annoy you as much as I love you.”
“How sweet, you might as well marry me.”
“Sorry can’t, I’m already married to Bambam.”
“Well,” Jinyoung ‘suggestively’ places a hand around Jackson’s shoulders. “We could always have an affair.”
Jackson pretends to give it some thought, “Nah, I’m loyal and dedicated husband!”
“How sweet of you,” he silently retches. “It’s too bad your wife is cheating on you with another.” At his own words Jinyoung breaks out in laughter, Jackson looks forward and is completely ‘heartbroken’ at the sight before him.
Bambam and Yugyeom are holding hands-in reality, outside of the current drama story line, Bambam is dragging a whining Yugyeom to the theater room. Apparently Bambam owes Yugyeom two dollars. No one is paying much attention to them until-“Bambam, how could you?”
Now the entire hallway is watching the scene unfold.
Bambam, keen to sensing when improv is going on, widens his eyes at Jackson. “J-Jackson, this isn’t what it looks like!”
“Then what is it?”
Bambam shoves Yugyeom aside, much to the younger’s annoyance. Jinyoung holds back his laugh and offers Yugyeom a hand, “You totally just got dumped.” Yugyeom snorts and sticks his tongue out.
“Oh like you should be talking!” Bambam’s improv has definitely improved; two years ago the boy couldn’t even look the other actors in the eyes without laughing and breaking character. “You’re always declaring your undying love for Jinyoung-how do you think that makes me feel?”
“Oh hell no, do not bring me into this; I’m not in the mood for improv.”
Neither Bambam nor Jackson break character. Yugyeom whispers to Jinyoung, “Dude I think you’re going to have join in, Mr. Park is here.” Mr. Park’s classroom is literally on the other side of the school, how does he walk so fast? Jinyoung turns his head, and at the sight of Mr. Park, who is clearly enjoying his student’s work, he groans. A stupid mistake on his part as now Mr. Park knows he’s present, the teacher grins at him.
Rule number four of Drama Club: when a member starts an improvisational scene, all present members must join in.
Jinyoung inhales deeply before becoming his character-himself. “Whoa Bambam, no need to get jealous,” he steps between Jackson and Bambam. “I am in no way infatuated with Jackson whatsoever, he’s all yours.”
Bambam scoffs at his words, “Yeah right, have you seen Jackson, he’s hot as hell.” The audience whoops at Bambam’s statement, clearly agreeing. Jinyoung and Jackson make eye contact, and it takes everything in them not to break character. “It’s impossible for you to not be at least sexually attracted to him.”
“I’m afraid I am in no way-romantically or sexually-attracted to him, shouldn’t you be glad?” Jinyoung is seriously about to break character right now. This whole scene has become ridiculously funny. “I mean, he is your husband after all.”
Not believing a word, Bambam squints his eyes at Jinyoung. “You’re obviously in denial, obviously you’re in love with Jackson!”
Bambam looks ready to cry and-whoa what just happened? Jinyoung knows Bambam’s acting has improved, but not well enough to cry at will. No, Bambam is really about to cry, and Jinyoung has no idea why. Bambam was fine literally a few seconds ago, this scene just got all sorts of weird. What the hell is he supposed to do with the whole hallway is watching them?
Well shit.
“Actually, Jinyoung is in love with me.”
Well double shit.
Jinyoung nearly snaps his neck when he turns and sees-“Jaebum?” Jaebum just smiles, and honestly Jinyoung can’t tell if that smile is an act or not.
“Wait what?” Jackson, technically, has broken character, but they all let it slide.
“Yup, he’s totally in love with me, right Jinyoung?”
Jinyoung has absolutely no idea what’s going on, but he has to go with it or Mr. Park will punish him in the most embarrassing way. “Of course I am,” he quickly puts on a grin. “In fact we have a date planned, so I’ll see you two later!” With those words, he links his arm around Jaebum and leads them out of the scene.
“And scene!” Mr. Park calls, the boys in the hallway cheer-both mockingly and genuinely.
Bambam runs off, leaving behind a very confused Jackson. Jinyoung’s eyebrows pinch together in concern; he unlinks his arm from Jaebum, but before he can go after Bambam, Yugyeom rushes pass him. A small smile comes upon his face, he really hopes that Yugyeom and Bambam never let anything ruin their friendship.
“Is he okay?”
“I don’t know,” Jinyoung says pathetically. “But I’m sure Yugyeom can handle it.”
“Boys, we need to start rehearsal now,” Mr. Park motions for them to go inside the theater classroom. “Jaebum, go check on Bambam and Yugyeom.”
Jaebum, Yugyeom, and Bambam are twenty-three minutes late to rehearsal.
Mr. Park stares at them judgingly before speaking, “I’ll leave you boys with only a warning, but next time it’s a citation understand?” Silently, the three nod and take their seats.
Jinyoung whispers to Bambam, “Hey, are you okay?”
Bambam rolls his puffy red eyes and snorts, “Yeah, I’m fine, I just felt sick.”
Not believing a single word Jinyoung nods once. Something is troubling Bambam, that much is painfully obviously. It’s making his motherly instincts kick in. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, Mom.”
He flinches at Bambam’s tone-ouch. Does Bambam have a problem with him?
“Bam, do you-”
Mr. Park clears his throat, “Jinyoung, citation for talking during directions.”
Why is everything today going so wrong?
In the next week Bambam manages to not-so-subtlety distance himself from Jinyoung. When Jinyoung would approach Bambam in the hall, Bambam would literally look right at him and then turn and walk the other way. When Jinyoung would try to offer his unwanted cookie as he usually does, Bambam would pretend to have not heard him.
It’s clear to everyone that the fourteen year old doesn’t want to speak to him at all, yet no one knows why. Except Yugyeom. (But Jinyoung knows that even if he asks the boy, Yugyeom wouldn’t tell him because Bambam has been his best friend for nearly over a decade. Yugyeom is an amazing friend who would take secrets to his death bed; Jinyoung both hates and loves that about the boy)
Yugyeom further proves Jinyoung’s inner thoughts on Thursday.
Wait what the hell.
“Whoa, whoa, repeat what you just said.”
Twiddling his fingers nervously, Yugyeom sighs. “Jinyoung, look, I’m really sorry okay? But it’s just…I know this makes no sense, but Bambam isn’t really listening to reason and I seriously think you should stop hanging out with us-just for now! Until everything…well, like, fixes itself.”
Jinyoung shakes his head in bewilderment, “But why? What’s going on?”
Yugyeom looks ready to start bawling. “I want to tell you, I really do. But it’s not my thing to tell and…I don’t know how to say it Jinyoung, I’m really sorry.”
“Yugyeom, you and Bam are like my little brothers, so this really…” Jinyoung coughs to hide his shaky voice. “Can’t you give me some kind of explanation?”
The younger boy bites his lip, “It’s…Bambam kinda…he has this developing hate for you.”
Now Jinyoung regrets asking for an explanation. He feels even more confused than before he got one. Why the hell is Bambam starting to hate him?
“What why?” Jinyoung places his hand on his head, trying to stop an oncoming headache.
“I can’t…”
“It’s okay…I’m an aide fifth period, so I’ll just ask Ms. Lee if I can eat at first lunch.” He exhales heavily, “Will you tell Mark and Jackson what’s going on? I don’t need my phone blowing up.”
“Of course Jinyoung!” Yugyeom vigorously nods. “And look, the reason why Bambam is like this is really none of your fault, he’s just…it’s complicated?”
Jinyoung plasters on a smile, “It’s okay I understand, I’ll see you around okay?”
“Okay…thank you Jinyoung, and I’m really, really, really sorry.”
His smile turns sincere, “Calm down Yugyeom; you’re fine, you’re just being a good friend.”
Because of that, Jinyoung finds himself awkwardly standing at the side of the lunch room. Mentally he curses at his bad luck-he’s all alone, people probably think he’s a loser, and his pizza is soggy and gross but there isn’t a trash can nearby so he has to keep holding it. It’s times like these where Jinyoung really questions his life choices.
Why did he go to the cafeteria knowing he wouldn’t have someone to sit with?
Why did he get pizza over a simple salad?
Why doesn’t he have any friends outside of Jackson and Mark and Yugyeom and…Bambam?
Jinyoung really shouldn’t have limited himself to just joining Drama Club. Maybe he should join Break or something…
“Jinyoung?”
He flinches from the sudden voice and looks up from his pizza. “Oh! Youngjae, hi!”
Youngjae smiles awkwardly-and adorably, Jinyoung adds mentally, aww he’s so cute-with a questioning expression. “Hi, uh, I thought you had second lunch?”
“I technically do, but I’m an aide so I can eat whenever,” he shrugs.
“Oh…” Youngjae pauses. “Do you, uh, need a place to sit?”
All of the artificial lights in the cafeteria focus on Youngjae, and in that moment the sophomore boy radiates in Jinyoung’s eyes. Bless Youngjae Choi, may only good things come his way.
Jinyoung doesn’t want to seem too eager-“Oh my god, thank you!”
Youngjae bursts out laughing. “Okay, follow meeeee!”
Well that’s funny. As they approach Youngjae’s table Jinyoung realizes that they’re in the same area where he sits with his group. (Or should he say ‘sat’?) He also realizes that Youngjae sits with Namjoon’s group.
“Jinyoung?”
It’s not until they’re right in front of the table does Jinyoung see that Jaebum also sits with Youngjae, which he should’ve have figured out beforehand because Youngjae is practically like Jaebum’s younger brother.
“Jaebum?”
“I thought you had second lunch.”
“I’m Ms. Lee’s aide fifth period, so I can go to either.”
Jinyoung spends the rest of lunch silently watching the others talk, but he doesn’t mind. Sitting silent at a table with people absorbed in conversation is much better than standing alone silently at the side of the cafeteria. It’s interesting watching other people engaged in conversation-he is not being creepy-and he actually finds out a lot about the others.
Like how Jungkook knows Bambam and Yugyeom and is a ‘little cute bunny’-Hoseok’s exact words, much to Jungkook’s dismay.
And how Jimin knows Jimin “Jamie” Park, for obvious reasons, and her best friend, Yerin Baek, who is his next door neighbor-this sticks out to Jinyoung because he met the two girls through Jackson at a Co-Ed school dance a few years ago. And he also remembers overhearing Bambam and Yugyeom talking about how Yugyeom is “totally in love with her,” her being Yerin, and how he looks like a “bright red, stuttering tomato” every time he talks to her.
Jinyoung also learns that all seven of them know him, because of Jackson Wang, and therefore know about ‘JinSon,’ at the mentioning of their ‘ship name’ Jinyoung gags.
“Youngjae, do you have your earphones, I’m gonna take a nap in sixth period.”
Oh and Jaebum is lazy, but Jinyoung already has that established in his head. (Jinyoung also has established that Jaebum is nice, mean people don’t lend practical strangers shirts, so yeah…Jaebum is a lazy but nice boy.)
Rehearsals are extremely awkward. Everyone in the club has some sort of idea of ‘Bambam and Jinyoung have drama right now,’ so no one can act properly. It’s so bad to the point that Mr. Park ends the sixth rehearsal early and tells everyone-although it’s obvious he’s talking directly to Jinyoung-to ‘solve whatever problems are affecting their acting or the play would be cancelled’.
Mr. Park never makes threats like that.
Jackson takes matters into his own hands and makes Jinyoung go to the restroom with him. “Okay this is not good man, you and Bambam need to work out whatever the hell is going on between you two.”
“Jackson, I can’t,” Jinyoung whispers. “Yugyeom said I should just stay away until ‘whatever the hell is going on’ solves itself.”
Jackson scoffs and angrily grabs paper towels to dry his hands. “Dude,” Jinyoung cringes at how Jackson’s voice resonates in the restroom. Thankfully, Jackson lowers his voice. “This is stubborn Bambam we’re talking about, you need to talk to him.”
Jinyoung sighs, he knows Jackson is right. “Okay, I will.”
After rehearsal, Jinyoung requests to talk to Bambam. Unsurprisingly, the younger boy tries to get out of it but fails. Now the two are in the next corridor over from the theater room-because Jinyoung feels like this conversation might get loud.
“So…what?”
Jinyoung slowly looks at Bambam in disbelief. This is going to be hard. “Look, Bambam, I’m pretty sure you know exactly why I wanted to talk to you.”
“I actually don’t.”
Jinyoung’s nose twitches, this boy is starting to really get on his nerves. “Bambam, I’m serious.”
“Tch, okay?” Bambam rolls eyes-but Jinyoung notices his hands are slightly shaking-and wears an annoyed expression. “Look if you don’t have anything to tell me, I’m leaving, I’m pretty sure Yugyeom’s mom is he-”
Jinyoung loses it.
“STOP.” He nearly rips his hair out and screams, “If you have a problem with me you have to tell me! Like fucking hell Bambam I’m not psychic, if I did anything to you I’m sorry okay? But shit, ignoring me and treating me like you never called me your brother it’s…too…much.”
Bambam is crying.
Well, if Jinyoung wasn’t an asshole before he definitely is one now.
“Shit,” he curses under his breath. “I’m sorry Bambam, I didn’t mean to yell at you.” All he gets in reply are Bambam’s sobs. Shitshitshit. Are they okay now? Can he hug him? Or does Bambam still hate him? This is all Jackson’s fault. (Jinyoung knows it’s his, but he needs a scapegoat.)
In between the sobs, Jinyoung hears two words before Bambam runs off.
I’m sorry.
JACKER: how did the talk go??
JR: he cried jackson
JACKER: uhh so you guys are ok now??
JR: dude i dont know he just cried and said sorry?? but then he ran away so uGH
JACKER: shit
JR: i know
JACKER: ill tell you how he is tomorrow okay? dont stress yourself out
JR: thank you, good night
JACKER: night bro
Jinyoung takes thirty minutes contemplating whether or not he should go to school.
It takes him five to get ready for school.
When Jinyoung gets to the front doors Yugyeom is waiting for him. Without a word Yugyeom motions for Jinyoung to follow. Man, he should’ve stayed home; this is more nerve-wracking than time his first presentation in freshman year. By now Yugyeom already knows what happened between Bambam and Jinyoung, the two fourteen year olds tell each other everything-Jinyoung has heard things from them he rather wouldn’t have.
“Yugyeom, are you mad at me now too or-?” Yugyeom just giggles. Well a giggling freshman is always reassuring. They stop outside Mr. Park’s classroom, and Jinyoung feels like throwing up. “Do I go inside?” Yugyeom nods. “You know you not talking is seriously creeping me out, if there is a killer waiting in there for me I’m coming back to haunt you.”
Yugyeom is horrified for a moment before he chuckles cutely, “You’re such a pessimist Jinyoung; I promise there isn’t a killer in there.”
“Okay, I’ll take your word since you’re so innocent.”
“Hey!”
(Un)surprisingly it’s Bambam waiting for Jinyoung, “H-Hi Jinyoung.”
“Hi Bambam…um, did you want to talk to me?”
“Yeah, I, um, well, you see-” Jinyoung feels like placing his hand over his heart because of how cute this is. He can never stay mad at Bambam when the boy is like this. “I’m sorry, I’m really, really, really sorry.”
Oh no, he’s going to cry again.
“Aww Bam, don’t cry its okay.” Jinyoung embraces him tightly. “Can I ask you were you were such an ass-I mean jerk?”
Bambam laughs, “Did you forget that you’re talking to sweet little Bambam instead of Jackson?”
Jinyoung pulls back and grins, “Sure let’s go with that.” He lets go of the younger boy and asks again, “But seriously, did I do something really wrong? Because if I did I’m sorry.”
Bambam vigorously shakes his head, “Nonono, you didn’t do anything, it…it was all me.” Jinyoung sits down on one of the desktops and waits for Bambam to continue. “I...wasjealousofyou.”
“Uh what?”
“I was jealousofyou.”
“Bam I literally have no idea what you’re saying.”
Bambam groans loudly, “This is really hard, only two people know about this.”
Jinyoung feels like a jerk again. “Look if you don’t want to tell me it’s-”
“No!” Bambam voice cracks. “If I don’t tell you I’m gonna feel guilty for the rest of my life.”
Jinyoung smiles in understanding. Bambam twiddles his fingers nervously, clearly this isn’t going anywhere. The bell for first period is going to ring soon, and Jinyoung doesn’t want Bambam to have to dread about this for the rest of the day. “Maybe we should bring Yugyeom in here?”
Bambam lets Yugyeom into the room and explains to him in a whisper what’s going on. “Isn’t that kinda weird for you for me to tell him?”
The bell rings for first period, and Jinyoung’s class is upstairs on the other side of the school.
“Guys look, I have to go or I’ll be late…”
“Wait!”
“Bambam, seriously you don’t have to tell me if you’re not comfortable, it’s okay!”
“No it’s not!” Yugyeom encourages him to continue. “I…I was jealous of you Jinyoung, it was really stupid.”
What? “Why would you be jealous of me?”
“Because…I…” Bambam swallows and his voice trembles. He looks down at the ground as he admits, “I like Jackson, like like like.”
Oh…suddenly everything that’s happened over the last two weeks makes sense. No wonder why Bambam reacted the way he did during the improv scene. “For how long now?”
“The Winter Party.”
Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. At Drama Club’s last winter party, some of the seniors brought alcohol. They were supposed to make sure that no one under sixteen got any beer. But of course, somehow, Jackson, fifteen at the time, was accidentally (Jinyoung isn’t so sure about that) given a cup, or two. Or three. No one really knows.
That night everyone learned that Jackson is not a very good drinker, he was red in the face and completely out of it.
And he kissed three people-Jinyoung, Bambam, and Mark, respectively.
“Oh Bambam, I’m sorry, I wouldn’t have joked around with Jackson like that if I had known.”
Bambam frowns, “It’s not your fault! I was stupid, really, like it’s obvious you don’t like him…right?”
“Dude!” Yugyeom slaps Bambam’s arm lightly.
Jinyoung doubles over in laughter. “Look Jackson is cute and all, but he’s literally like my brother-and he’s a real pain in the ass, so no I don’t like him.”
“Seeeeee, I told you!”
“Shut up Yugyeom,” Bambam sticks his tongue out at the younger boy.
“So we’re all good now? I can sit with you at lunch again?”
The two freshmen look at each other-oh great, not another secret. “Seriously guys?”
They reply in sync, “What?” Jinyoung squints his eyes at them and Yugyeom shakes his hands trying to dispel Jinyoung’s thoughts, “It’s not about this, it’s about someone else’s…thing.”
This sounds a little familiar. “It’s ‘not your secret’ to tell?” They nod together, and Jinyoung sighs. “Will I have to talk to anyone to get answers again?”
“What do you mean?”
“Like how I talked to you yesterday, that’s why you spoke to me today right?”
Bambam purses his lips, “Ehhh, not really.”
“Then what, did you have some kind of epiphany?”
“Yeah, that’s what happened,” Bambam chuckles. “Nah, I ran-like literally ran-into Jaebum after I ran away from you and we talked.”
Jinyoung is honestly really surprised at this. In his eyes, Jaebum has always been lazy, never really trying that hard in anything-except acting, but even then he only ever tries his best at the actual shows. Even in rehearsal he doesn’t give one-hundred percent. (Not that he has too, his sixty percent in acting is an average person’s eighty-but it still pisses Jinyoung off, like is it so hard to work hard?)
So the fact that Jaebum put in time to talk to Bambam-a freshman that Jinyoung doesn’t remember ever seeing interact with Jaebum out of Drama Club-is surprising.
Now Jinyoung feels even more confused than when Bambam and he weren’t on speaking terms.
The late bell rings-what perfect timing.
“I’ll see you guys later!”
“Bye Jinyoung!”
After thirty seconds of running Jinyoung realizes there’s no point, he’s already late. Why be late and sweaty? Maybe he could stop by Mr. Park’s classroom and beg him for a late pass. He could start off by reasoning that, in a way, it’s Mr. Park’s fault for him being late today. After all, Mr. Park had told them to solve their problems, and that’s what he did.
Jinyoung makes a left to take a little detour through the English hallway. As he’s opening the door to the hallway he hears something drop and someone groan.
“Youngjae, how did you even-never mind, are you okay?”
It’s Jaebum and Youngjae. Youngjae’s back is on the floor-that ‘something’ dropping was probably him.
“Yeah, ugh, my backpack broke my fall.” Jaebum offers the boy his hand, but the next thing Jinyoung sees is both of them on the floor groaning. “I think they just mopped the floors and forgot to put up the caution signs.”
Jaebum sputters and starts laughing.
Jinyoung has never seen this side of Jaebum before, and it’s really weird. (And kind of really cute, not that he would ever admit to thinking that.)
“Are you guys okay?” Wait, did he just talk?
Jaebum stops laughing and looks up, “Oh, hi Jinyoung.”
“Jinyoung?” Youngjae cranes his neck up, “Oh hey! Yeah we’re fine! Did you…see all of that?”
“Pretty much,” Jinyoung shrugs and walks over to them, careful not to slip himself, just in case Youngjae is right. “I’m gonna ask Mr. Park for a late pass, do you guys need one too?”
“Yeah that sounds like a good idea!” Youngjae’s eyes flash over to Jaebum and he grins; Jinyoung offers him his hand.
“Youngjae, I saw that and I swear if you-” Jaebum isn’t able to finish his sentence because Jinyoung’s arm knocks the air out of him.
Now there are three boys on the ground.
Lunch comes around and the moment Jinyoung sits down Jackson throws himself on him. “Jinyoungie I’ve missed you sooooooooo much, lunch hasn’t been the same without you.” On instinct Jinyoung looks at Bambam, who just rolls his eyes and smiles. “I take it you and my wife have made up?”
It’s amazing how much more Jinyoung notices now that he knows that Bambam likes Jackson. The boy’s face slightly reddens at being called Jackson’s wife, it’s adorable.
“Yeah we’re good now.”
“I’m glad,” Jackson smiles sincerely at the two of them before going back to his joking mood. “Because without you around Mark has been bullying me!” Mark drinks his milk with an eyebrow raised. “Don’t pretend like you don’t what I’m talking about!”
Mark sets his milk down and rolls his eyes, “Me laughing at you when you make it look like you pissed your pants doesn’t count as bullying.”
“Yeah it does!”
And they argue-really it’s all Jackson messing around-like any other day at lunch.
(Now that Jinyoung knows that Bambam likes Jackson, it makes him pay more attention to his other friends. He notices that Mark has this slight sort of twinkle in his eye, the kind he has when he sees something he really likes; and Jackson has that little ‘happy twitch’ in his mouth, the one he gets when he’s visiting his mom at the hospital and she has enough energy to engage in conversation. It’s making Jinyoung wonder if the two…but then Bambam… This is something to think about on another day.)
Yugyeom breaks Jinyoung from his thoughts, “Hey Jinyoung, did you go to first lunch?”
“No…why?”
Bambam and Yugyeom look at each other. They’re probably thinking about that secret that isn’t theirs’ to tell again, he exhales at the thought.
“Because…” Bambam seems to have a lightbulb go off. “You should go to first lunch and second lunch!”
At that, Mark and Jackson stop fighting and start listening. Jinyoung is really confused now, “…Why?”
Bambam looks at his best friend again, and Yugyeom seems to figure out exactly what he is thinking. “Bambam, oh my god, don’t even-”
“You sat with Youngjae right?” Jinyoung nods and looks at Yugyeom’s red face-ohhh, he gets it now. “Welllllll, Jimin is neighbors with a certain someone-” Bambam coughs Yerin, “and a certain someone here-” Bambam coughs again, Yugyeom, “likes her, so it would be great for him to have a wingman to get a wingman.”
Yugyeom drops his face onto the table and groans.
“Awwwwwwww, Yugi, why didn’t you tell us you had a crush?” Yugyeom groans again. “Okay guys, from now on, let’s agree to tell each other whenever we like someone, deal?” Jackson is completely joking but both Mark and Bambam seem to freeze.
Jinyoung coughs to bring the attention to him, “Yeah, I’ll be Yugyeom’s double wingman thing.”
Jinyoung has to admit, having hour long lunches is actually really nice. Especially since his AP Calculus class is fourth period. He’s been doing this for about four weeks now, and he’s actually really happy about it. In the four weeks he’s gotten closer to Youngjae and Namjoon’s whole group-he and Youngjae may have even recruited Seokjin into Drama Club, and the six others are thinking about it too after Jinyoung said they could be tech crew.
He’s also kind of closer to Jaebum-well, kind of is stretching it…by a lot. He and Jaebum’s conversations are basically ‘hey do you want your fries?’ and ‘did you do the (insert subject here) homework?’ (By the way, Jaebum, surprisingly, actually does his homework.)
Jinyoung drops his backpack on a chair to save it and goes to get his lunch. Usually when he comes back everyone is waiting for him; however, today, for some reason, the only person at the table is Jaebum-and he seems a little pissed off.
“Uh, where is everybody?”
Jaebum looks up at Jinyoung, “Youngjae said something about having to do test corrections for AP World, apparently Taehyung and Jimin are there with him-and for some reason Yoongi went with them.” He pauses and leans back in his chair, “Namjoon is talking to Dr. B about his last Physics test, Hoseok is talking to the Breakdance coach about their next performance, and Seokjin…he’s with one of them, I don’t remember who.”
Jinyoung plops down in his seat and nods slowly.
Jaebum goes on his phone and texts someone while Jinyoung starts putting ketchup on his burger.
Literally three minutes later (Jinyoung feels like it’s been twenty minutes), Jaebum sighs loudly and clears his throat before speaking, “So uh, how do you think you did on that Shakespeare exam?”
It takes Jinyoung a couple of seconds to remember that he and Jaebum are the only ones at the table, and that therefore Jaebum is talking to him.
“Um, if I’m being honest, I probably failed it.” Jinyoung chuckles, that Shakespeare exam was hell. “How about you?”
“I definitely failed it, like, some of those questions were complete BS.”
“I agree,” Jinyoung puts a French fry in his mouth. “Like I love Mr. Park, but sometimes his teaching doesn’t make any sense.”
“For real though.”
Jinyoung throws away his lunch and sends a message in the group chat.
JR: someone please send help rn asap
MARKY: why what’s going on?
BABAM: ARE YOU BEING KIDNAPPED OMG (sobbing face emoji)
JACKER: NOOOOOOOOO JINYOUNG ILL SAVE YOU as soon as i get out of history
JR: i’m alone with jaebum and its hella awkward what do i do
JACKER: LMFAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
MARKY: jackson is actually laughing rn just sayin
JR: I SERIOUSLY NEED HELP WHAT THE HELL GUYS
YUGYUM: didnt you guys have an english exam or something
JR: we already talked about that
BABAM: well what are you guys doing rn
JR: we’re both on our phones
JACKER: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA IM SORRY JINYOUNGIE I LOVE YOU
JR: jackson im THIS close to kicking you out of this group chat
JACKER: (sobbing face emoji)(sobbing face emoji)(sobbing face emoji)
BABAM: how about we add jaebum into the group chat and you two can talk here
JR: uh isnt that kind of lame like we’re right next to each other
BABAM: im gonna do it
JR: BAMBAM WAIT NO DONT HE’S GOING TO KNOW WE’RE TALKING ABOUT HIM
BABAM added JB to the group chat “FAM”
Jaebum and Jinyoung look up from their phones. Jinyoung feels all the blood rush to his face, this is seriously embarrassing. Jaebum snorts and smiles at Jinyoung. “Why did Bambam add me to your guys’ group chat?”
“You don’t want to know,” Jinyoung shakes his head.
JACKER: AYYYYYYYYYYYYYY JAEBUM
JB: hi jackson.
MARKY: hi jaebum
JB: hi Mark
YUGYUM: o m g
JR: ????
BABAM: HAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA
JR: guys seriously ????
JB: Yugyeom and Bambam is2g
JACKER: okay guys whats so funny
BABAM: wouldnt you like to know (crying smiley emoji)
YUGYUM: im going to add youngjae okay
JB: WHY
JACKER: ?
“Jaebum what’s going on?” Jinyoung looks up from his phone and freezes. Is Jaebum pouting?
Jaebum doesn’t look up from his phone when he replies. “You don’t want to know.”
YUGYUM added YJAE to the group chat “FAM”
YJAE: jaebum i heard what happened and LOL
JB: shut up what are you even doing on your phone arent you supposed to be doing test corrections
YJAE: we finished
JB: THEN WHERE ARE YOU
Jinyoung starts laughing because Jaebum’s face reflects caps lock in silence. Jaebum looks up from his phone and smiles sheepishly at Jinyoung.
YJAE: jimin and taehyung want to join choir next year so we’re going to the choir room
JACKER: sorry to interrupt but what happened
MARKY: yeah im confused too
YJAE: hey jaebum (winky face)
JB: no
BABAM: pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
JB: no
YUGYUM: but they can help
JB: maybe the older one but def not the younger one
BABAM: but jaebuuuuuuuuuuuum
JB: no
YJAE: (picture message)
Jinyoung aww’s at the picture Youngjae sent; it’s Youngjae, Jimin, and Taehyung pouting and making pleading gestures. He looks back up from his phone at Jaebum and nearly aww’s again. Jaebum has that sincere brotherly smile on, the same one Mark wore when his younger brother Joey won one of the biggest awards of seventh grade.
“How can you say ‘no’ to that face Jaebum?” To make his point he raises his phone and copies the pouting faces.
Jaebum chuckles, “I can’t.” Then before Jinyoung’s know what’s going on, Jaebum takes a picture of him.
“Did you just?”
“Yeah,” Jaebum grins. “And I just sent it to everyone.”
JB: (picture message)
JR: JAEBUM WHYYYYYYYYYYYYY
JACKER: OMG AWWWWWWWW JINYOUNGIE UR SO CUTE
MARKY: lmao jackson is legit fanboying rn
JR: JAEBUM I WILL GET YOU BACK
JB: (grinning face emoji)(grinning face emoji)(grinning face emoji)
YUGYUM: you know what i just realized
BABAM: what
YUGYUM: jinyoung and jaebum’s usernames match
“Oh my god.”
Jinyoung and Jaebum look up at each other-they had spoken at the same time.
JACKER: awwwwwwwwwww youre right that’s soooooooo cute
JACKER: romeo and juliet are real (winky face emoji)
“Please ignore Jackson I don’t know him,” Jinyoung smiles awkwardly.
Jaebum laughs at him, “Okay, whatever you say Juliet.”
“Oh my god.”
JB: okay guys
YJAE: omg really???
JB: yeah go for it
BABAM: YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES
“Jaebum, what are you guys talking about?”
The bell rings. Jinyoung curses his luck.
Jaebum grins, “Wouldn’t you like to know?”
Jinyoung and Jaebum start to text, a lot. After a little while, texting leads to talking-and the whole Drama Club is in on ‘it’. Jinyoung has no idea what ‘it’ is, but Mr. Park has been in such a good mood because of ‘it’ that his assignments have been extremely easy. Jinyoung’s grade in English has never been this high before.
And rehearsals have never been better. The cast dynamic has never been this close-knit before, the environment feels so comfortable that everyone’s acting has improved dramatically, no pun intended.
It’s a week before opening night when Jinyoung feels like his life is getting weird…again.
(He realizes he may actually sort of maybe have this little crush on someone.)
“Remember guys, we have full dress rehearsal tomorrow!” Mr. Park’s voice echoes through the theater. “If you miss it you’re out of the show!”
Jinyoung snorts, maybe he should come late just to see what would happen. (Yeah right.) He slings his backpack over his shoulder and meets Jackson outside the theater.
“Hey dude, so we were thinking that we would catch a movie tonight with the whole group,” Jackson puts his arm around Jinyoung’s shoulder.
“As in all seven of us right?”
“Well duuuuh!” Jackson rolls his eyes, “We’re meeting at Jaebum’s place at six and then taking his mom’s van, you down?”
“Yeah, I just need to go home and shower first,” Jinyoung’s phone plays the chorus from “Girl” by GOT7-it’s his text tone for Jaebum. “I’ll meet you guys there later, you got Bambam and Yugyeom right?”
“Yeah I got them, drive safe!”
Jinyoung gets to Jaebum’s house a little before six, “Oh hi Jinyoung, you’re really early.”
“Am I?” Jinyoung checks his phone, its 5:48. “It’s only like ten minutes before six, that isn’t that early, is it?”
“Who told you we were meeting at six?”
“Jackson.”
A lightbulb goes off in Jaebum’s head and he mutters, “I’m going to choke him.”
“Did Jackson tell me the wrong time?” Jinyoung wouldn’t be surprised, Jackson always did little things like this just to spite him.
“Yeah…something like that,” Jaebum leads Jinyoung to the living room. “Uh do you want anything to drink?”
“Nah I’m fine, thanks though.” Jinyoung is sitting in that awkward back straight, legs together position. “Where are your parents?”
“They’re at work so it’s just...us.”
Jinyoung nods and Jaebum plops down next to him on the couch, clearly keeping a whole foot away from him. “So, what are we going to do until they get here?”
“I mean, we could practice?” Jaebum takes out his script. “Earlier Mr. Park suggested we practices the lines on these pages.”
“Okay you start?” Jaebum nods, and they both stand up and get into character. Jaebum grabs Jinyoung’s hand. (Jinyoung’s heart totally did not react in any way to that whatsoever.)
”Well you’re right Juliet, but we do have lips.”
“That’s true Romeo, however,” Juliet smiles. “I only use my lips when I go to church.”
“You also use your hands in church, and look at ours.” Romeo brings their intertwined hands up and kisses Juliet’s hand. (Jinyoung is going to die of butterflies.) “So how about we let our lips copy our hands?”
“And what do you mean by that?”
“I mean that I’m praying that you’ll let me kiss you; if you don’t l might just die.”
Juliet rolls her eyes. “Unfortunately, I can’t grant your prayers; you should go to Friar Lawrence’s and pray to the saint statues there, they won’t move when you speak to them, but they will listen.”
“Then don’t move; be my saint and answer my prayer.”
Jinyoung tilts his head in the way practiced, and Jaebum kisses his cheek in a way that makes it look like their lips are touching. (Jaebum’s lips are soft; Jinyoung feels like he’s going to throw up butterflies.)
Jaebum’s phone rings and the two jump away from each other. Jinyoung places his hands over his face in embarrassment. “Hello, Jackson?” Jinyoung collapses onto the couch and tries to listen to Jaebum’s conversation. “I really doubt you’ve been waiting-wait you saw what?” Jaebum reaches up to his collar and pulls it forward-(that’s so cute, he’s nervous about something.) “We were just-Bambam shut up-we were just practicing.”
The door bells rings.
“I’ll get it!” When Jinyoung gets up and goes to answer the door he realizes that the front door has a clear view of the living room. Which means the other five must have seen Jaebum and him… “Oh great.” He opens the door and is greeted with knowing smirks. “Get in here before I slam the door on you guys.”
“I love you too Jinyoungie,” Jackson makes kissy faces, so Jinyoung places his hand over Jackson’s face.
They all situate themselves in Jaebum’s living room, and somehow Jinyoung and Jaebum are squeezed on the couch together.
Youngjae looks at them and asks innocently, “So what were you guys doing before we got here?”
Jaebum looks ready to pounce on the boy.
“Okay I’m just going to say it, who the hell chose the movie?”
Mark points at Jackson, “I told him it was going to be terrible, but noooooo.”
Jackson slaps Mark’s hand down, “Don’t be rude Marky.”
“I’m not being rude I’m being truthful,” and they argue.
Jinyoung looks at Bambam, yeah something is definitely going to happen between those three. Jinyoung feels hot breath on his ear and freezes, “Do Mark and Jackson like each other?”
Jinyoung has to clench his hands to keep from freaking out, he takes a step to the side and whispers back in Jaebum’s ear, “Honestly I think they do but Bambam…”
Jaebum gives him a small smile, “That’s for another day then I guess?”
Jinyoung smiles back, “Yeah, I guess so.”
“EWWWWWWW, get a room, I’m too young for this!”
Jaebum slings his arm around Jinyoung’s shoulder and pulls him. (Jinyoung is pretty sure everyone can hear his heart pounding, and…he thinks Jaebum’s heart might be pounding too, but that could just be his imagination.) “Oh Juliet, you are the sun!”
Jinyoung grins, “And Romeo you’re hot!”
“I’m going to vomit,” Jackson retches and seems to make eye contact with the others before screaming, “GOGOGO!”
All of a sudden Jaebum and Jinyoung are standing alone in front of the movie theater. “Wait wha-”
“I’m going to murder all of them,” Jaebum doesn’t let go of Jinyoung as he starts to walk towards the car. “They don’t even have the keys, there was no point in running away.”
Jinyoung is still confused. “I don’t get what they were trying to do.”
Jaebum chuckles at Jinyoung, “You will soon, don’t worry about it.”
“Okay?”
“Youngjae you were supposed to get Jaebum’s keys!”
“But you didn’t say the word!”
Jinyoung laughs at them and Jaebum rolls his eyes, “Idiots.”
Because of Jackson’s superb advertising-aka running across the gymnasium during the spring assembly screaming, “COME TO THE SPRING PLAY NEXT WEEK IT’S GOING TO BE THE BEST THING YOU’VE EVER SEEN!”-opening night is a complete success.
“Hey Jinyoung, good job yesterday!”
“Dude you’re a really good actor.”
“I didn’t get to watch it because it was so packed, but I’m definitely coming today!”
Jinyoung wears a big smile the whole day. The Drama Club hasn’t experienced this many good reviews since Wicked. Nothing could possibly bring down his mood.
“Hi Jaebum!” Jaebum nods at him and continues to eat his sandwich-uh okay? “Are you ready for closing night?” Jaebum just nods again. Now Jinyoung is concerned. “Hey, are you okay?”
“I’m fine, just tired.”
“Okay…”
Jinyoung sits down across from Jaebum with a frown.
“Um is everything okay guys?”
“Yeah,” the two reply monotonously at the same time.
Youngjae awkwardly sits down, “Um okay I guess.”
YJAE: did something happen btwn you two???
JR: idk he said he’s tired??
Youngjae doesn’t reply right away, but Jinyoung notices that he is typing…which means he’s texting someone else. (Jaebum.)
After a few minutes Youngjae starts laughing while Jaebum glares at him. Jinyoung looks at the sophomore completely confused.
YJAE: dont worry about it jinyoung, he’s fine
JR: um okay?? what were you laughing about
YJAE: (grinning face emoji)(grinning face emoji) wouldn’t you like to know?
YJAE: youll fine out later dont worry (smiley emoji)
“Ten minutes before showtime everybody get over here!”
It’s a Drama Club tradition to get in a big circle before the show starts. Opening night’s circle is always filled with laughter and jokes, and Closing Night is always filled with tears-that no one allows to fall because of makeup.
The seniors give their little speeches about how Drama Club made them feel welcome and all that sap; honestly it’s the same words every year but it’s always gets to Jinyoung.
Jinyoung sniffles and tries to keep himself from crying. “Aww you guys Juliet is going to cry!”
“Group hug!” Jinyoung loves them all, but in that moment he swears he almost suffocated.
“Five minutes, go touch up on your makeup!”
“Break a leg everyone!”
Someone grabs Jinyoung’s arm and leads him to one of the changing rooms, all Jinyoung can think is ‘what the hell’. “Wait Mark? What are you doing, you’re in the first scene!”
“Yeah I know I know, but this is going to be quick.”
“Wha-?”
“Oh calm down, I’m not confessing to you.”
“Hey!” Jinyoung folds his arms across his chest and pouts. “That was one time, and you have to admit it really did seem like you were!”
Mark cackles, “Yeah sure, keep telling yourself that.” Jinyoung smacks Mark’s shoulders, is he ever going to let that go? “Anyways, I’m just here to tell you that no matter what happens on stage just go with it and don’t break character.”
Jinyoung raises a brow, “Uh, duh? Mark this isn’t my first play?”
Mark rolls his eyes at him, “I know, but seriously just go with it okay?”
“Yeah sure okay.”
“WHERE IS MARK IT’S TWO MINUTES BEFORE SHOWTIME.”
Mark grins, “Break a leg Jinyoung!”
“Well you’re right Juliet, but we do have lips.”
“That’s true Romeo, however,” Juliet smiles. “I only use my lips when I go to church.”
“You also use your hands in church, and look at ours.” Romeo brings their intertwined hands up and kisses Juliet’s hand. “So how about we let our lips copy our hands?”
“And what do you mean by that?”
“I mean that I’m praying that you’ll let me kiss you; if you don’t l might just die.”
Juliet rolls her eyes. “Unfortunately, I can’t grant your prayers; you should go to Friar Lawrence’s and pray to the saint statues there, they won’t move when you speak to them, but they will listen.”
“Then don’t move; be my saint and answer my prayer.”
Jaebum gently holds Jinyoung’s face in his hands-Jinyoung is mentally freaking out, this is not how they rehearsed it-and kisses him on his lips.
All Jinyoung can think is: Oh. My. God.
Everyone goes wild, even the people backstage-even Mr. Park.
Is Jinyoung the only person who isn’t in on this?
When Jaebum pulls away Jinyoung has to restrain himself from pulling him back in for another kiss. His brain is completely fried. What the hell are his lines again?
“Now all my sins are cleaned,” Jaebum smiles sweetly at Jinyoung. Oh great Jinyoung really can’t remember his lines, he’s going to die. “What’s wrong Juliet? Cat got your tongue?”
Jinyoung scoffs, “Of course not Romeo, it’s just that…now your sins are all over my lips.”
“Oh now you’re making me feel bad, here, let me take my sins back.”
Oh. My. God.
Jaebum kisses him again.
Every other kiss scene they have, Romeo kisses Juliet for real. And every time Jinyoung needs a few seconds to remember his lines.
Before Jinyoung knows it the play is over and everyone is onstage for the last bow.
“And finally, last but certainly not least, please give a big round of applause to Romeo and Juliet-Jaebum Im and Jinyoung Park!”
Jaebum smiles at him and intertwines their fingers. Jinyoung’s eyes crinkle up when he smiles back and they both go forward and bow.
And then Jaebum kisses Jinyoung again.
“You know he’s liked you for like two years now.”
Jaebum almost strangles Youngjae but is stopped by Jinyoung, who is grinning at his boyfriend. “I actually didn’t know that.” Jaebum groans and pouts.
Mark and Jackson double over in laughter at Jaebum’s expression. Bambam grins at Jaebum and then looks at Jinyoung, “He has! He said that you were the prettiest boy he’s ever seen!”
Grinning, Yugyeom claps like a seal before adding in his own commentary. “He also said that when you took off your shirt he nearly fainted!”
“Oh my god I’m going to kill-wait how…Youngjae.” Jaebum growls at the sophomore boy who just smiles innocently at him. “I am,” Jaebum throws a French fry at him. “Never,” another fry, “telling you anything ever again.”
Youngjae pouts and Jinyoung smacks Jaebum’s shoulder lightly. “Don’t be mean! Look at his cute face!”
Jaebum smiles but continues to act mad, “Jinyoung don’t even-”
“Wait,” Jackson interrupts, pausing from his laughing fit. “When exactly did Jinyoung strip for you?”
Recipient: tacocatwrites
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 9,511
Warning(s): mild bad language use (sh*t used like nine times and f*cking used once, in a non-sexual way)
Summary: When Jinyoung thinks about it, it really all starts when he becomes Juliet Capulet.
A/N: i’m really sorry if this isn’t what you wanted (and if it seems rushed) omg i wrote and edited this so many times alkjfasldjf i hope you enjoy it nonetheless!
“This year’s spring play will be a very modern rendition of Romeo and Juliet.”
“Does this mean we’ll finally work with the girls again?”
“Unfortunately, like I’ve told you every year, the ban on co-ed school activities, with the exception of school dances, between us and the girls’ school is in effect until 2016, so no, it will just be us this year, again.”
A collective groan echoes through the theater room; this means that, once again, many of them would have to act as girls-talking in a falsetto isn’t as easy as it used to be pre-puberty. Jinyoung can attest to this; last year they had done Alice in Wonderland, and he had been the Queen of Hearts, his voice had cracked when he screamed for Alice’s, Yugyeom’s, head to be chopped off.
Definitely not one of his best moments in the spotlight.
Mr. Park spends the next five minutes passing out scripts and assigning roles:
“Jackson, you’ll be Mercutio.”
Jackson angles his head to Jinyoung, who is sitting in the seat behind him, and whispers, “He’s a dude right?”
Jinyoung rolls his eyes, it figures Jackson wouldn’t remember a thing from their freshman English class, “Yes Jackson, you’re a man, congratulations.”
“Yes!” Jackson cheered softly and turned back to the stage.
“Bambam, you’re Tybalt.” Jinyoung snorts; Jackson and Bambam are always arguing, so acting as Mercutio and Tybalt should come naturally to them. “Mark, Benvolio.” Bambam high-fives the older boy, no falsettos for them this year. “Yugyeom, Balthasar; and Youngjae, you’ll be the nurse.”
“Uh, Mr. Park?” Mr. Park takes his eyes off the cast list and looks at Youngjae, who is staring down at his character description. “Since this isn’t the original version, is it possible to, like, make the nurse a guy?”
Mr. Park hums in consideration, “I don’t see why not.”
“Youngjae, you smart-ass.” Grinning, Youngjae turns to Jackson and shrugs ‘it was nothing’.
“Jinyoung, congratulations, you’ll be Juliet.”
Jinyoung’s mouth drops while Jackson doubles over in his hyena-laughs, “I love this club!” Jinyoung smacks the Jinyoung-proclaimed idiot and glares at his other friends before they can start cackling at his luck. This marks the third year in a row where Jinyoung is a female, oh how he loves his life.
“And finally, Jaebum, you’ll be Romeo.”
All eyes focus on Jaebum, who sits alone in the front, snoring.
Jinyoung exhales in exasperation.
Really, out of all the people, why did it have to be Jaebum Im?
Jinyoung has been plagued by the thought since yesterday. It’s bad enough that he has to be Juliet, making Jaebum Im his love is completely unnecessary. Hell, he would rather have Jackson be Romeo-the thought of Jackson proclaiming his undying love flashes through his mind-okay, he actually wouldn’t rather have that. He gets more than enough of Jackson’s love offstage.
He punches his student number into the keypad and politely asks for pizza. Jinyoung has to admit that, although it irritates him to no bounds, Jaebum isn’t bad at acting-in fact he’s probably one of the best actors in the club, which is probably why Mr. Park gave him one of the leading roles.
No, it isn’t Jaebum’s acting that’s the problem, its Jaebum himself.
His nose scrunches in disgust as he plops his lunch on the table and takes his seat next to Jackson. “For what troubles thee Juliet?” Sometimes he wonders why he sits next to Jackson every day, “What has brought a frown to thy’s face?”
“Jackson, I swear, if you don’t stop talking like that I’ll tie you up and cut off your-“
“Whoa Jinyoung, we have tweens here, save your kinks for later,” Jackson winks. Jinyoung hates his friends-well, actually he just hates Jackson. “I love you too, Jinyoungie,” Jinyoung snarls.
“Hey! I’m fourteen, definitely not a tween!” Bambam makes a point to cross his arms over his chest and humph; Yugyeom readily agrees with him, fourteen-year-olds have to stay together after all.
“Oh seriously? I thought you were like twelve because of how short you are,” Jackson feigns surprise. Bambam mutters something in Thai, and an argument ensues. While the two are busy, Mark not-so-secretly steals their French fries.
Nothing out of the ordinary really.
Jinyoung chomps on his pizza; stupid Jackson, stupid Jaebum, stupid Romeo and Juliet. “Jinyoung is something wrong?”
“No, why?”
“Well,” Mark’s mouth forms a line. “You kind of got pizza sauce there,” Mark uses a French fry to gesture to all of Jinyoung.
Jinyoung looks down at his shirt, “Dammit.” He hears Jackson and Bambam both laughing at him-yeah, Jinyoung hates Bambam too. “Weren’t you two just fighting?”
“This is funnier!” Bambam whips out his phone and takes a picture.
Jinyoung groans, “Bambam, I swear, if you post that on Instagram, you are going to be my least favorite freshman.”
Bambam pouts, “But Jinyoung, it’s not like it matters, you don’t even use your Instagram!”
Jinyoung growls, causing the younger boy to cower, “Jackson, Jinyoung’s bullying me!”
“Don’t bully my wife!”
Jinyoung groans in indignation-when the hell did they get married? “Oh my god, why am I even friends with you people?” Jackson and Bambam wear shit-eating grins while proclaiming that Jinyoung honors them with his friendship because he loves them so very much. “Ha ha, very funny; I’m going to wash this off, I’ll see you guys later.”
“Byeeeeee Jinyoung.” Jinyoung mouths two words to which Jackson suggestively replies, “Oooh kinky, how about we do that later?” Jinyoung’s nostrils flare; as he leaves his friends laugh at him.
Yeah, he hates Yugyeom and Mark too-just not as much as he hates Jackson.
“Stupid pizza,” Jinyoung yanks another paper towel from the dispenser and runs it under water. It’s obvious that in the last five minutes he has spent trying to take out the sauce has only made it more noticeable-man he loves his life. Frustrated, he throws the paper towel and leans over the sink; staring at his reflection he realizes something.
He looks absolutely stupid.
Why did he have to wear a white shirt today?
Jinyoung hears the creak of the restroom door and sighs; well it’s not like it matters whether or not someone sees him now, his whole sixth period and the entire Drama Club are bound to see him anyway. Even though he knows it won’t work, he gets another paper towel to look busy.
“Oh…hi Jinyoung.”
Today is definitely going on Jinyoung’s list of ‘not-so-good’ days.
With a polite smile, he turns to face the boy, “Hi Jaebum, what brings you here?” He mentally smacks himself; they’re in the restroom, what else would Jaebum be in here for?
Jaebum chuckles, “Just felt like getting out of class early, what about you?”
Jinyoung has to keep himself from snorting-typical Jaebum Im-but by doing so he ends up coughing, earning what Jinyoung thinks is a ‘wtf’ look. “Uh, I’m just trying to get this stain off my shirt,” he forces a chuckle. “So you have first lunch?”
“Yeah I do…” Now Jaebum has this weird ‘blank-yet-polite’ face on, and honestly Jinyoung just really wants to leave.
Apparently whoever controls his fate takes pity on him because the bell rings right after that thought; he lets out a faint sigh of relief. “Well, see you at rehearsal Jaebum,” the other boy looks confused but gives a similar reply, and Jinyoung walks pass him. As the door closes behind him, he lets out a bigger sigh of relief.
That is probably the most awkward situation he has ever been in-well there is that one time he thought Mark was confessing to him, but this is definitely in the top five.
“Jinyoung wait!”
Jinyoung cringes on reflex but stops walking; when he turns around he finds Jaebum standing a couple inches away, he takes a step back face flushed. “Um, what’s up?”
“I have an extra shirt in my locker.”
It takes a moment for Jinyoung to process what Jaebum is saying, then a light bulb seems to go off. “Really?”
“Yeah, but my locker’s upstairs, so we might be late to class.”
“Oh, what’s your sixth period?”
Jaebum looks at him in disbelief, “We’re in the same class.”
Jinyoung feels heat rush to his face, no wonder why Jaebum looked confused earlier; why is Jinyoung so stupid?
“Well…Mr. Ok loves me, so I think we’ll be fine,” he offers a small smile trying to cover his embarrassment.
Neither of them talk the whole way to Jaebum’s locker, it causes anxiety build up in Jinyoung. He reaches into his back pocket for his phone and sends a quick text to Jackson:
JR: probably going to be late for class, tell mr ok
Because he’s looking at his phone he bumps into Jaebum, really can this day get any more embarrassing? He mumbles an apology to which Jaebum just shrugs and begins to twist in his combination. Jinyoung’s phone vibrates:
JACKER: wooooow not even a please???
Jinyoung is going to smack Jackson later.
JR: shut up and just do it
JACKER: you hurt my feelings jinyoungie (sad face emoji) but ill do it anyway since I love you with all my heart (kissy face emoji)(kissy face emoji)
JR: thanks dumbo
JACKER: anything for you (winky face emoji)
“Jinyoung?”
“Oh sorry I was texting someone,” he pockets his phone and gratefully takes the white tank top from him. “Well let’s get to class, I think we can still make it.”
Jaebum raises an eyebrow, “Aren’t you going to change?”
“Huh?” Jaebum pointedly looks down to Jinyoung’s shirt. “Oh, like right now?”
“Well yeah, we can still make it to class on time.” Jinyoung wants a hole to open up and just swallow him. Why the hell would he strip in the middle of the hallway when there’s perfectly good restroom downstairs? “Come on man, we’re both guys, if you want I can look away.”
That rude ass…
In that moment, he really has no idea what came over him.
Without a word, Jinyoung drops his backpack and practically rips his stained shirt off. He shivers when the air hits his skin-oh god, he’s half naked in the hallway. Why did he do that? His whole body heats up in embarrassment as he quickly slips Jaebum’s shirt.
“I…uh, okay.” Jaebum visibly swallows, and his face is pink-Jinyoung is so very much done with his life right now. “Well, let’s go,” Jaebum slams his locker shut while Jinyoung awkwardly folds his stained shirt and slings his backpack on.
They walk briskly to class, and the bell rings right as they step into the classroom.
“So you and Romeo are getting pretty friendly with each other, wearing each other’s clothes and all,” Jackson cackles.
Sometimes Jinyoung really questions why he’s friends with this idiot.
“Jackson, one day you’re going to wake up without a penis, and I want you to know that I will be fully responsible.”
“Is there a reason why all your threats are related to my dick?”
Jinyoung groans; he can never win against Jackson. Giving up, he slams his locker shut and starts to walk away, to which Jackson whines about how Jinyoung is so mean to him and doesn’t appreciate the fact that he is basically the light in Jinyoung’s life and-“I’m really going to punch you one day, really.”
Jackson snickers, “I only annoy you as much as I love you.”
“How sweet, you might as well marry me.”
“Sorry can’t, I’m already married to Bambam.”
“Well,” Jinyoung ‘suggestively’ places a hand around Jackson’s shoulders. “We could always have an affair.”
Jackson pretends to give it some thought, “Nah, I’m loyal and dedicated husband!”
“How sweet of you,” he silently retches. “It’s too bad your wife is cheating on you with another.” At his own words Jinyoung breaks out in laughter, Jackson looks forward and is completely ‘heartbroken’ at the sight before him.
Bambam and Yugyeom are holding hands-in reality, outside of the current drama story line, Bambam is dragging a whining Yugyeom to the theater room. Apparently Bambam owes Yugyeom two dollars. No one is paying much attention to them until-“Bambam, how could you?”
Now the entire hallway is watching the scene unfold.
Bambam, keen to sensing when improv is going on, widens his eyes at Jackson. “J-Jackson, this isn’t what it looks like!”
“Then what is it?”
Bambam shoves Yugyeom aside, much to the younger’s annoyance. Jinyoung holds back his laugh and offers Yugyeom a hand, “You totally just got dumped.” Yugyeom snorts and sticks his tongue out.
“Oh like you should be talking!” Bambam’s improv has definitely improved; two years ago the boy couldn’t even look the other actors in the eyes without laughing and breaking character. “You’re always declaring your undying love for Jinyoung-how do you think that makes me feel?”
“Oh hell no, do not bring me into this; I’m not in the mood for improv.”
Neither Bambam nor Jackson break character. Yugyeom whispers to Jinyoung, “Dude I think you’re going to have join in, Mr. Park is here.” Mr. Park’s classroom is literally on the other side of the school, how does he walk so fast? Jinyoung turns his head, and at the sight of Mr. Park, who is clearly enjoying his student’s work, he groans. A stupid mistake on his part as now Mr. Park knows he’s present, the teacher grins at him.
Rule number four of Drama Club: when a member starts an improvisational scene, all present members must join in.
Jinyoung inhales deeply before becoming his character-himself. “Whoa Bambam, no need to get jealous,” he steps between Jackson and Bambam. “I am in no way infatuated with Jackson whatsoever, he’s all yours.”
Bambam scoffs at his words, “Yeah right, have you seen Jackson, he’s hot as hell.” The audience whoops at Bambam’s statement, clearly agreeing. Jinyoung and Jackson make eye contact, and it takes everything in them not to break character. “It’s impossible for you to not be at least sexually attracted to him.”
“I’m afraid I am in no way-romantically or sexually-attracted to him, shouldn’t you be glad?” Jinyoung is seriously about to break character right now. This whole scene has become ridiculously funny. “I mean, he is your husband after all.”
Not believing a word, Bambam squints his eyes at Jinyoung. “You’re obviously in denial, obviously you’re in love with Jackson!”
Bambam looks ready to cry and-whoa what just happened? Jinyoung knows Bambam’s acting has improved, but not well enough to cry at will. No, Bambam is really about to cry, and Jinyoung has no idea why. Bambam was fine literally a few seconds ago, this scene just got all sorts of weird. What the hell is he supposed to do with the whole hallway is watching them?
Well shit.
“Actually, Jinyoung is in love with me.”
Well double shit.
Jinyoung nearly snaps his neck when he turns and sees-“Jaebum?” Jaebum just smiles, and honestly Jinyoung can’t tell if that smile is an act or not.
“Wait what?” Jackson, technically, has broken character, but they all let it slide.
“Yup, he’s totally in love with me, right Jinyoung?”
Jinyoung has absolutely no idea what’s going on, but he has to go with it or Mr. Park will punish him in the most embarrassing way. “Of course I am,” he quickly puts on a grin. “In fact we have a date planned, so I’ll see you two later!” With those words, he links his arm around Jaebum and leads them out of the scene.
“And scene!” Mr. Park calls, the boys in the hallway cheer-both mockingly and genuinely.
Bambam runs off, leaving behind a very confused Jackson. Jinyoung’s eyebrows pinch together in concern; he unlinks his arm from Jaebum, but before he can go after Bambam, Yugyeom rushes pass him. A small smile comes upon his face, he really hopes that Yugyeom and Bambam never let anything ruin their friendship.
“Is he okay?”
“I don’t know,” Jinyoung says pathetically. “But I’m sure Yugyeom can handle it.”
“Boys, we need to start rehearsal now,” Mr. Park motions for them to go inside the theater classroom. “Jaebum, go check on Bambam and Yugyeom.”
Jaebum, Yugyeom, and Bambam are twenty-three minutes late to rehearsal.
Mr. Park stares at them judgingly before speaking, “I’ll leave you boys with only a warning, but next time it’s a citation understand?” Silently, the three nod and take their seats.
Jinyoung whispers to Bambam, “Hey, are you okay?”
Bambam rolls his puffy red eyes and snorts, “Yeah, I’m fine, I just felt sick.”
Not believing a single word Jinyoung nods once. Something is troubling Bambam, that much is painfully obviously. It’s making his motherly instincts kick in. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, Mom.”
He flinches at Bambam’s tone-ouch. Does Bambam have a problem with him?
“Bam, do you-”
Mr. Park clears his throat, “Jinyoung, citation for talking during directions.”
Why is everything today going so wrong?
In the next week Bambam manages to not-so-subtlety distance himself from Jinyoung. When Jinyoung would approach Bambam in the hall, Bambam would literally look right at him and then turn and walk the other way. When Jinyoung would try to offer his unwanted cookie as he usually does, Bambam would pretend to have not heard him.
It’s clear to everyone that the fourteen year old doesn’t want to speak to him at all, yet no one knows why. Except Yugyeom. (But Jinyoung knows that even if he asks the boy, Yugyeom wouldn’t tell him because Bambam has been his best friend for nearly over a decade. Yugyeom is an amazing friend who would take secrets to his death bed; Jinyoung both hates and loves that about the boy)
Yugyeom further proves Jinyoung’s inner thoughts on Thursday.
Wait what the hell.
“Whoa, whoa, repeat what you just said.”
Twiddling his fingers nervously, Yugyeom sighs. “Jinyoung, look, I’m really sorry okay? But it’s just…I know this makes no sense, but Bambam isn’t really listening to reason and I seriously think you should stop hanging out with us-just for now! Until everything…well, like, fixes itself.”
Jinyoung shakes his head in bewilderment, “But why? What’s going on?”
Yugyeom looks ready to start bawling. “I want to tell you, I really do. But it’s not my thing to tell and…I don’t know how to say it Jinyoung, I’m really sorry.”
“Yugyeom, you and Bam are like my little brothers, so this really…” Jinyoung coughs to hide his shaky voice. “Can’t you give me some kind of explanation?”
The younger boy bites his lip, “It’s…Bambam kinda…he has this developing hate for you.”
Now Jinyoung regrets asking for an explanation. He feels even more confused than before he got one. Why the hell is Bambam starting to hate him?
“What why?” Jinyoung places his hand on his head, trying to stop an oncoming headache.
“I can’t…”
“It’s okay…I’m an aide fifth period, so I’ll just ask Ms. Lee if I can eat at first lunch.” He exhales heavily, “Will you tell Mark and Jackson what’s going on? I don’t need my phone blowing up.”
“Of course Jinyoung!” Yugyeom vigorously nods. “And look, the reason why Bambam is like this is really none of your fault, he’s just…it’s complicated?”
Jinyoung plasters on a smile, “It’s okay I understand, I’ll see you around okay?”
“Okay…thank you Jinyoung, and I’m really, really, really sorry.”
His smile turns sincere, “Calm down Yugyeom; you’re fine, you’re just being a good friend.”
Because of that, Jinyoung finds himself awkwardly standing at the side of the lunch room. Mentally he curses at his bad luck-he’s all alone, people probably think he’s a loser, and his pizza is soggy and gross but there isn’t a trash can nearby so he has to keep holding it. It’s times like these where Jinyoung really questions his life choices.
Why did he go to the cafeteria knowing he wouldn’t have someone to sit with?
Why did he get pizza over a simple salad?
Why doesn’t he have any friends outside of Jackson and Mark and Yugyeom and…Bambam?
Jinyoung really shouldn’t have limited himself to just joining Drama Club. Maybe he should join Break or something…
“Jinyoung?”
He flinches from the sudden voice and looks up from his pizza. “Oh! Youngjae, hi!”
Youngjae smiles awkwardly-and adorably, Jinyoung adds mentally, aww he’s so cute-with a questioning expression. “Hi, uh, I thought you had second lunch?”
“I technically do, but I’m an aide so I can eat whenever,” he shrugs.
“Oh…” Youngjae pauses. “Do you, uh, need a place to sit?”
All of the artificial lights in the cafeteria focus on Youngjae, and in that moment the sophomore boy radiates in Jinyoung’s eyes. Bless Youngjae Choi, may only good things come his way.
Jinyoung doesn’t want to seem too eager-“Oh my god, thank you!”
Youngjae bursts out laughing. “Okay, follow meeeee!”
Well that’s funny. As they approach Youngjae’s table Jinyoung realizes that they’re in the same area where he sits with his group. (Or should he say ‘sat’?) He also realizes that Youngjae sits with Namjoon’s group.
“Jinyoung?”
It’s not until they’re right in front of the table does Jinyoung see that Jaebum also sits with Youngjae, which he should’ve have figured out beforehand because Youngjae is practically like Jaebum’s younger brother.
“Jaebum?”
“I thought you had second lunch.”
“I’m Ms. Lee’s aide fifth period, so I can go to either.”
Jinyoung spends the rest of lunch silently watching the others talk, but he doesn’t mind. Sitting silent at a table with people absorbed in conversation is much better than standing alone silently at the side of the cafeteria. It’s interesting watching other people engaged in conversation-he is not being creepy-and he actually finds out a lot about the others.
Like how Jungkook knows Bambam and Yugyeom and is a ‘little cute bunny’-Hoseok’s exact words, much to Jungkook’s dismay.
And how Jimin knows Jimin “Jamie” Park, for obvious reasons, and her best friend, Yerin Baek, who is his next door neighbor-this sticks out to Jinyoung because he met the two girls through Jackson at a Co-Ed school dance a few years ago. And he also remembers overhearing Bambam and Yugyeom talking about how Yugyeom is “totally in love with her,” her being Yerin, and how he looks like a “bright red, stuttering tomato” every time he talks to her.
Jinyoung also learns that all seven of them know him, because of Jackson Wang, and therefore know about ‘JinSon,’ at the mentioning of their ‘ship name’ Jinyoung gags.
“Youngjae, do you have your earphones, I’m gonna take a nap in sixth period.”
Oh and Jaebum is lazy, but Jinyoung already has that established in his head. (Jinyoung also has established that Jaebum is nice, mean people don’t lend practical strangers shirts, so yeah…Jaebum is a lazy but nice boy.)
Rehearsals are extremely awkward. Everyone in the club has some sort of idea of ‘Bambam and Jinyoung have drama right now,’ so no one can act properly. It’s so bad to the point that Mr. Park ends the sixth rehearsal early and tells everyone-although it’s obvious he’s talking directly to Jinyoung-to ‘solve whatever problems are affecting their acting or the play would be cancelled’.
Mr. Park never makes threats like that.
Jackson takes matters into his own hands and makes Jinyoung go to the restroom with him. “Okay this is not good man, you and Bambam need to work out whatever the hell is going on between you two.”
“Jackson, I can’t,” Jinyoung whispers. “Yugyeom said I should just stay away until ‘whatever the hell is going on’ solves itself.”
Jackson scoffs and angrily grabs paper towels to dry his hands. “Dude,” Jinyoung cringes at how Jackson’s voice resonates in the restroom. Thankfully, Jackson lowers his voice. “This is stubborn Bambam we’re talking about, you need to talk to him.”
Jinyoung sighs, he knows Jackson is right. “Okay, I will.”
After rehearsal, Jinyoung requests to talk to Bambam. Unsurprisingly, the younger boy tries to get out of it but fails. Now the two are in the next corridor over from the theater room-because Jinyoung feels like this conversation might get loud.
“So…what?”
Jinyoung slowly looks at Bambam in disbelief. This is going to be hard. “Look, Bambam, I’m pretty sure you know exactly why I wanted to talk to you.”
“I actually don’t.”
Jinyoung’s nose twitches, this boy is starting to really get on his nerves. “Bambam, I’m serious.”
“Tch, okay?” Bambam rolls eyes-but Jinyoung notices his hands are slightly shaking-and wears an annoyed expression. “Look if you don’t have anything to tell me, I’m leaving, I’m pretty sure Yugyeom’s mom is he-”
Jinyoung loses it.
“STOP.” He nearly rips his hair out and screams, “If you have a problem with me you have to tell me! Like fucking hell Bambam I’m not psychic, if I did anything to you I’m sorry okay? But shit, ignoring me and treating me like you never called me your brother it’s…too…much.”
Bambam is crying.
Well, if Jinyoung wasn’t an asshole before he definitely is one now.
“Shit,” he curses under his breath. “I’m sorry Bambam, I didn’t mean to yell at you.” All he gets in reply are Bambam’s sobs. Shitshitshit. Are they okay now? Can he hug him? Or does Bambam still hate him? This is all Jackson’s fault. (Jinyoung knows it’s his, but he needs a scapegoat.)
In between the sobs, Jinyoung hears two words before Bambam runs off.
I’m sorry.
JACKER: how did the talk go??
JR: he cried jackson
JACKER: uhh so you guys are ok now??
JR: dude i dont know he just cried and said sorry?? but then he ran away so uGH
JACKER: shit
JR: i know
JACKER: ill tell you how he is tomorrow okay? dont stress yourself out
JR: thank you, good night
JACKER: night bro
Jinyoung takes thirty minutes contemplating whether or not he should go to school.
It takes him five to get ready for school.
When Jinyoung gets to the front doors Yugyeom is waiting for him. Without a word Yugyeom motions for Jinyoung to follow. Man, he should’ve stayed home; this is more nerve-wracking than time his first presentation in freshman year. By now Yugyeom already knows what happened between Bambam and Jinyoung, the two fourteen year olds tell each other everything-Jinyoung has heard things from them he rather wouldn’t have.
“Yugyeom, are you mad at me now too or-?” Yugyeom just giggles. Well a giggling freshman is always reassuring. They stop outside Mr. Park’s classroom, and Jinyoung feels like throwing up. “Do I go inside?” Yugyeom nods. “You know you not talking is seriously creeping me out, if there is a killer waiting in there for me I’m coming back to haunt you.”
Yugyeom is horrified for a moment before he chuckles cutely, “You’re such a pessimist Jinyoung; I promise there isn’t a killer in there.”
“Okay, I’ll take your word since you’re so innocent.”
“Hey!”
(Un)surprisingly it’s Bambam waiting for Jinyoung, “H-Hi Jinyoung.”
“Hi Bambam…um, did you want to talk to me?”
“Yeah, I, um, well, you see-” Jinyoung feels like placing his hand over his heart because of how cute this is. He can never stay mad at Bambam when the boy is like this. “I’m sorry, I’m really, really, really sorry.”
Oh no, he’s going to cry again.
“Aww Bam, don’t cry its okay.” Jinyoung embraces him tightly. “Can I ask you were you were such an ass-I mean jerk?”
Bambam laughs, “Did you forget that you’re talking to sweet little Bambam instead of Jackson?”
Jinyoung pulls back and grins, “Sure let’s go with that.” He lets go of the younger boy and asks again, “But seriously, did I do something really wrong? Because if I did I’m sorry.”
Bambam vigorously shakes his head, “Nonono, you didn’t do anything, it…it was all me.” Jinyoung sits down on one of the desktops and waits for Bambam to continue. “I...wasjealousofyou.”
“Uh what?”
“I was jealousofyou.”
“Bam I literally have no idea what you’re saying.”
Bambam groans loudly, “This is really hard, only two people know about this.”
Jinyoung feels like a jerk again. “Look if you don’t want to tell me it’s-”
“No!” Bambam voice cracks. “If I don’t tell you I’m gonna feel guilty for the rest of my life.”
Jinyoung smiles in understanding. Bambam twiddles his fingers nervously, clearly this isn’t going anywhere. The bell for first period is going to ring soon, and Jinyoung doesn’t want Bambam to have to dread about this for the rest of the day. “Maybe we should bring Yugyeom in here?”
Bambam lets Yugyeom into the room and explains to him in a whisper what’s going on. “Isn’t that kinda weird for you for me to tell him?”
The bell rings for first period, and Jinyoung’s class is upstairs on the other side of the school.
“Guys look, I have to go or I’ll be late…”
“Wait!”
“Bambam, seriously you don’t have to tell me if you’re not comfortable, it’s okay!”
“No it’s not!” Yugyeom encourages him to continue. “I…I was jealous of you Jinyoung, it was really stupid.”
What? “Why would you be jealous of me?”
“Because…I…” Bambam swallows and his voice trembles. He looks down at the ground as he admits, “I like Jackson, like like like.”
Oh…suddenly everything that’s happened over the last two weeks makes sense. No wonder why Bambam reacted the way he did during the improv scene. “For how long now?”
“The Winter Party.”
Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. At Drama Club’s last winter party, some of the seniors brought alcohol. They were supposed to make sure that no one under sixteen got any beer. But of course, somehow, Jackson, fifteen at the time, was accidentally (Jinyoung isn’t so sure about that) given a cup, or two. Or three. No one really knows.
That night everyone learned that Jackson is not a very good drinker, he was red in the face and completely out of it.
And he kissed three people-Jinyoung, Bambam, and Mark, respectively.
“Oh Bambam, I’m sorry, I wouldn’t have joked around with Jackson like that if I had known.”
Bambam frowns, “It’s not your fault! I was stupid, really, like it’s obvious you don’t like him…right?”
“Dude!” Yugyeom slaps Bambam’s arm lightly.
Jinyoung doubles over in laughter. “Look Jackson is cute and all, but he’s literally like my brother-and he’s a real pain in the ass, so no I don’t like him.”
“Seeeeee, I told you!”
“Shut up Yugyeom,” Bambam sticks his tongue out at the younger boy.
“So we’re all good now? I can sit with you at lunch again?”
The two freshmen look at each other-oh great, not another secret. “Seriously guys?”
They reply in sync, “What?” Jinyoung squints his eyes at them and Yugyeom shakes his hands trying to dispel Jinyoung’s thoughts, “It’s not about this, it’s about someone else’s…thing.”
This sounds a little familiar. “It’s ‘not your secret’ to tell?” They nod together, and Jinyoung sighs. “Will I have to talk to anyone to get answers again?”
“What do you mean?”
“Like how I talked to you yesterday, that’s why you spoke to me today right?”
Bambam purses his lips, “Ehhh, not really.”
“Then what, did you have some kind of epiphany?”
“Yeah, that’s what happened,” Bambam chuckles. “Nah, I ran-like literally ran-into Jaebum after I ran away from you and we talked.”
Jinyoung is honestly really surprised at this. In his eyes, Jaebum has always been lazy, never really trying that hard in anything-except acting, but even then he only ever tries his best at the actual shows. Even in rehearsal he doesn’t give one-hundred percent. (Not that he has too, his sixty percent in acting is an average person’s eighty-but it still pisses Jinyoung off, like is it so hard to work hard?)
So the fact that Jaebum put in time to talk to Bambam-a freshman that Jinyoung doesn’t remember ever seeing interact with Jaebum out of Drama Club-is surprising.
Now Jinyoung feels even more confused than when Bambam and he weren’t on speaking terms.
The late bell rings-what perfect timing.
“I’ll see you guys later!”
“Bye Jinyoung!”
After thirty seconds of running Jinyoung realizes there’s no point, he’s already late. Why be late and sweaty? Maybe he could stop by Mr. Park’s classroom and beg him for a late pass. He could start off by reasoning that, in a way, it’s Mr. Park’s fault for him being late today. After all, Mr. Park had told them to solve their problems, and that’s what he did.
Jinyoung makes a left to take a little detour through the English hallway. As he’s opening the door to the hallway he hears something drop and someone groan.
“Youngjae, how did you even-never mind, are you okay?”
It’s Jaebum and Youngjae. Youngjae’s back is on the floor-that ‘something’ dropping was probably him.
“Yeah, ugh, my backpack broke my fall.” Jaebum offers the boy his hand, but the next thing Jinyoung sees is both of them on the floor groaning. “I think they just mopped the floors and forgot to put up the caution signs.”
Jaebum sputters and starts laughing.
Jinyoung has never seen this side of Jaebum before, and it’s really weird. (And kind of really cute, not that he would ever admit to thinking that.)
“Are you guys okay?” Wait, did he just talk?
Jaebum stops laughing and looks up, “Oh, hi Jinyoung.”
“Jinyoung?” Youngjae cranes his neck up, “Oh hey! Yeah we’re fine! Did you…see all of that?”
“Pretty much,” Jinyoung shrugs and walks over to them, careful not to slip himself, just in case Youngjae is right. “I’m gonna ask Mr. Park for a late pass, do you guys need one too?”
“Yeah that sounds like a good idea!” Youngjae’s eyes flash over to Jaebum and he grins; Jinyoung offers him his hand.
“Youngjae, I saw that and I swear if you-” Jaebum isn’t able to finish his sentence because Jinyoung’s arm knocks the air out of him.
Now there are three boys on the ground.
Lunch comes around and the moment Jinyoung sits down Jackson throws himself on him. “Jinyoungie I’ve missed you sooooooooo much, lunch hasn’t been the same without you.” On instinct Jinyoung looks at Bambam, who just rolls his eyes and smiles. “I take it you and my wife have made up?”
It’s amazing how much more Jinyoung notices now that he knows that Bambam likes Jackson. The boy’s face slightly reddens at being called Jackson’s wife, it’s adorable.
“Yeah we’re good now.”
“I’m glad,” Jackson smiles sincerely at the two of them before going back to his joking mood. “Because without you around Mark has been bullying me!” Mark drinks his milk with an eyebrow raised. “Don’t pretend like you don’t what I’m talking about!”
Mark sets his milk down and rolls his eyes, “Me laughing at you when you make it look like you pissed your pants doesn’t count as bullying.”
“Yeah it does!”
And they argue-really it’s all Jackson messing around-like any other day at lunch.
(Now that Jinyoung knows that Bambam likes Jackson, it makes him pay more attention to his other friends. He notices that Mark has this slight sort of twinkle in his eye, the kind he has when he sees something he really likes; and Jackson has that little ‘happy twitch’ in his mouth, the one he gets when he’s visiting his mom at the hospital and she has enough energy to engage in conversation. It’s making Jinyoung wonder if the two…but then Bambam… This is something to think about on another day.)
Yugyeom breaks Jinyoung from his thoughts, “Hey Jinyoung, did you go to first lunch?”
“No…why?”
Bambam and Yugyeom look at each other. They’re probably thinking about that secret that isn’t theirs’ to tell again, he exhales at the thought.
“Because…” Bambam seems to have a lightbulb go off. “You should go to first lunch and second lunch!”
At that, Mark and Jackson stop fighting and start listening. Jinyoung is really confused now, “…Why?”
Bambam looks at his best friend again, and Yugyeom seems to figure out exactly what he is thinking. “Bambam, oh my god, don’t even-”
“You sat with Youngjae right?” Jinyoung nods and looks at Yugyeom’s red face-ohhh, he gets it now. “Welllllll, Jimin is neighbors with a certain someone-” Bambam coughs Yerin, “and a certain someone here-” Bambam coughs again, Yugyeom, “likes her, so it would be great for him to have a wingman to get a wingman.”
Yugyeom drops his face onto the table and groans.
“Awwwwwwww, Yugi, why didn’t you tell us you had a crush?” Yugyeom groans again. “Okay guys, from now on, let’s agree to tell each other whenever we like someone, deal?” Jackson is completely joking but both Mark and Bambam seem to freeze.
Jinyoung coughs to bring the attention to him, “Yeah, I’ll be Yugyeom’s double wingman thing.”
Jinyoung has to admit, having hour long lunches is actually really nice. Especially since his AP Calculus class is fourth period. He’s been doing this for about four weeks now, and he’s actually really happy about it. In the four weeks he’s gotten closer to Youngjae and Namjoon’s whole group-he and Youngjae may have even recruited Seokjin into Drama Club, and the six others are thinking about it too after Jinyoung said they could be tech crew.
He’s also kind of closer to Jaebum-well, kind of is stretching it…by a lot. He and Jaebum’s conversations are basically ‘hey do you want your fries?’ and ‘did you do the (insert subject here) homework?’ (By the way, Jaebum, surprisingly, actually does his homework.)
Jinyoung drops his backpack on a chair to save it and goes to get his lunch. Usually when he comes back everyone is waiting for him; however, today, for some reason, the only person at the table is Jaebum-and he seems a little pissed off.
“Uh, where is everybody?”
Jaebum looks up at Jinyoung, “Youngjae said something about having to do test corrections for AP World, apparently Taehyung and Jimin are there with him-and for some reason Yoongi went with them.” He pauses and leans back in his chair, “Namjoon is talking to Dr. B about his last Physics test, Hoseok is talking to the Breakdance coach about their next performance, and Seokjin…he’s with one of them, I don’t remember who.”
Jinyoung plops down in his seat and nods slowly.
Jaebum goes on his phone and texts someone while Jinyoung starts putting ketchup on his burger.
Literally three minutes later (Jinyoung feels like it’s been twenty minutes), Jaebum sighs loudly and clears his throat before speaking, “So uh, how do you think you did on that Shakespeare exam?”
It takes Jinyoung a couple of seconds to remember that he and Jaebum are the only ones at the table, and that therefore Jaebum is talking to him.
“Um, if I’m being honest, I probably failed it.” Jinyoung chuckles, that Shakespeare exam was hell. “How about you?”
“I definitely failed it, like, some of those questions were complete BS.”
“I agree,” Jinyoung puts a French fry in his mouth. “Like I love Mr. Park, but sometimes his teaching doesn’t make any sense.”
“For real though.”
Jinyoung throws away his lunch and sends a message in the group chat.
JR: someone please send help rn asap
MARKY: why what’s going on?
BABAM: ARE YOU BEING KIDNAPPED OMG (sobbing face emoji)
JACKER: NOOOOOOOOO JINYOUNG ILL SAVE YOU as soon as i get out of history
JR: i’m alone with jaebum and its hella awkward what do i do
JACKER: LMFAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
MARKY: jackson is actually laughing rn just sayin
JR: I SERIOUSLY NEED HELP WHAT THE HELL GUYS
YUGYUM: didnt you guys have an english exam or something
JR: we already talked about that
BABAM: well what are you guys doing rn
JR: we’re both on our phones
JACKER: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA IM SORRY JINYOUNGIE I LOVE YOU
JR: jackson im THIS close to kicking you out of this group chat
JACKER: (sobbing face emoji)(sobbing face emoji)(sobbing face emoji)
BABAM: how about we add jaebum into the group chat and you two can talk here
JR: uh isnt that kind of lame like we’re right next to each other
BABAM: im gonna do it
JR: BAMBAM WAIT NO DONT HE’S GOING TO KNOW WE’RE TALKING ABOUT HIM
BABAM added JB to the group chat “FAM”
Jaebum and Jinyoung look up from their phones. Jinyoung feels all the blood rush to his face, this is seriously embarrassing. Jaebum snorts and smiles at Jinyoung. “Why did Bambam add me to your guys’ group chat?”
“You don’t want to know,” Jinyoung shakes his head.
JACKER: AYYYYYYYYYYYYYY JAEBUM
JB: hi jackson.
MARKY: hi jaebum
JB: hi Mark
YUGYUM: o m g
JR: ????
BABAM: HAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA
JR: guys seriously ????
JB: Yugyeom and Bambam is2g
JACKER: okay guys whats so funny
BABAM: wouldnt you like to know (crying smiley emoji)
YUGYUM: im going to add youngjae okay
JB: WHY
JACKER: ?
“Jaebum what’s going on?” Jinyoung looks up from his phone and freezes. Is Jaebum pouting?
Jaebum doesn’t look up from his phone when he replies. “You don’t want to know.”
YUGYUM added YJAE to the group chat “FAM”
YJAE: jaebum i heard what happened and LOL
JB: shut up what are you even doing on your phone arent you supposed to be doing test corrections
YJAE: we finished
JB: THEN WHERE ARE YOU
Jinyoung starts laughing because Jaebum’s face reflects caps lock in silence. Jaebum looks up from his phone and smiles sheepishly at Jinyoung.
YJAE: jimin and taehyung want to join choir next year so we’re going to the choir room
JACKER: sorry to interrupt but what happened
MARKY: yeah im confused too
YJAE: hey jaebum (winky face)
JB: no
BABAM: pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
JB: no
YUGYUM: but they can help
JB: maybe the older one but def not the younger one
BABAM: but jaebuuuuuuuuuuuum
JB: no
YJAE: (picture message)
Jinyoung aww’s at the picture Youngjae sent; it’s Youngjae, Jimin, and Taehyung pouting and making pleading gestures. He looks back up from his phone at Jaebum and nearly aww’s again. Jaebum has that sincere brotherly smile on, the same one Mark wore when his younger brother Joey won one of the biggest awards of seventh grade.
“How can you say ‘no’ to that face Jaebum?” To make his point he raises his phone and copies the pouting faces.
Jaebum chuckles, “I can’t.” Then before Jinyoung’s know what’s going on, Jaebum takes a picture of him.
“Did you just?”
“Yeah,” Jaebum grins. “And I just sent it to everyone.”
JB: (picture message)
JR: JAEBUM WHYYYYYYYYYYYYY
JACKER: OMG AWWWWWWWW JINYOUNGIE UR SO CUTE
MARKY: lmao jackson is legit fanboying rn
JR: JAEBUM I WILL GET YOU BACK
JB: (grinning face emoji)(grinning face emoji)(grinning face emoji)
YUGYUM: you know what i just realized
BABAM: what
YUGYUM: jinyoung and jaebum’s usernames match
“Oh my god.”
Jinyoung and Jaebum look up at each other-they had spoken at the same time.
JACKER: awwwwwwwwwww youre right that’s soooooooo cute
JACKER: romeo and juliet are real (winky face emoji)
“Please ignore Jackson I don’t know him,” Jinyoung smiles awkwardly.
Jaebum laughs at him, “Okay, whatever you say Juliet.”
“Oh my god.”
JB: okay guys
YJAE: omg really???
JB: yeah go for it
BABAM: YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES
“Jaebum, what are you guys talking about?”
The bell rings. Jinyoung curses his luck.
Jaebum grins, “Wouldn’t you like to know?”
Jinyoung and Jaebum start to text, a lot. After a little while, texting leads to talking-and the whole Drama Club is in on ‘it’. Jinyoung has no idea what ‘it’ is, but Mr. Park has been in such a good mood because of ‘it’ that his assignments have been extremely easy. Jinyoung’s grade in English has never been this high before.
And rehearsals have never been better. The cast dynamic has never been this close-knit before, the environment feels so comfortable that everyone’s acting has improved dramatically, no pun intended.
It’s a week before opening night when Jinyoung feels like his life is getting weird…again.
(He realizes he may actually sort of maybe have this little crush on someone.)
“Remember guys, we have full dress rehearsal tomorrow!” Mr. Park’s voice echoes through the theater. “If you miss it you’re out of the show!”
Jinyoung snorts, maybe he should come late just to see what would happen. (Yeah right.) He slings his backpack over his shoulder and meets Jackson outside the theater.
“Hey dude, so we were thinking that we would catch a movie tonight with the whole group,” Jackson puts his arm around Jinyoung’s shoulder.
“As in all seven of us right?”
“Well duuuuh!” Jackson rolls his eyes, “We’re meeting at Jaebum’s place at six and then taking his mom’s van, you down?”
“Yeah, I just need to go home and shower first,” Jinyoung’s phone plays the chorus from “Girl” by GOT7-it’s his text tone for Jaebum. “I’ll meet you guys there later, you got Bambam and Yugyeom right?”
“Yeah I got them, drive safe!”
Jinyoung gets to Jaebum’s house a little before six, “Oh hi Jinyoung, you’re really early.”
“Am I?” Jinyoung checks his phone, its 5:48. “It’s only like ten minutes before six, that isn’t that early, is it?”
“Who told you we were meeting at six?”
“Jackson.”
A lightbulb goes off in Jaebum’s head and he mutters, “I’m going to choke him.”
“Did Jackson tell me the wrong time?” Jinyoung wouldn’t be surprised, Jackson always did little things like this just to spite him.
“Yeah…something like that,” Jaebum leads Jinyoung to the living room. “Uh do you want anything to drink?”
“Nah I’m fine, thanks though.” Jinyoung is sitting in that awkward back straight, legs together position. “Where are your parents?”
“They’re at work so it’s just...us.”
Jinyoung nods and Jaebum plops down next to him on the couch, clearly keeping a whole foot away from him. “So, what are we going to do until they get here?”
“I mean, we could practice?” Jaebum takes out his script. “Earlier Mr. Park suggested we practices the lines on these pages.”
“Okay you start?” Jaebum nods, and they both stand up and get into character. Jaebum grabs Jinyoung’s hand. (Jinyoung’s heart totally did not react in any way to that whatsoever.)
”Well you’re right Juliet, but we do have lips.”
“That’s true Romeo, however,” Juliet smiles. “I only use my lips when I go to church.”
“You also use your hands in church, and look at ours.” Romeo brings their intertwined hands up and kisses Juliet’s hand. (Jinyoung is going to die of butterflies.) “So how about we let our lips copy our hands?”
“And what do you mean by that?”
“I mean that I’m praying that you’ll let me kiss you; if you don’t l might just die.”
Juliet rolls her eyes. “Unfortunately, I can’t grant your prayers; you should go to Friar Lawrence’s and pray to the saint statues there, they won’t move when you speak to them, but they will listen.”
“Then don’t move; be my saint and answer my prayer.”
Jinyoung tilts his head in the way practiced, and Jaebum kisses his cheek in a way that makes it look like their lips are touching. (Jaebum’s lips are soft; Jinyoung feels like he’s going to throw up butterflies.)
Jaebum’s phone rings and the two jump away from each other. Jinyoung places his hands over his face in embarrassment. “Hello, Jackson?” Jinyoung collapses onto the couch and tries to listen to Jaebum’s conversation. “I really doubt you’ve been waiting-wait you saw what?” Jaebum reaches up to his collar and pulls it forward-(that’s so cute, he’s nervous about something.) “We were just-Bambam shut up-we were just practicing.”
The door bells rings.
“I’ll get it!” When Jinyoung gets up and goes to answer the door he realizes that the front door has a clear view of the living room. Which means the other five must have seen Jaebum and him… “Oh great.” He opens the door and is greeted with knowing smirks. “Get in here before I slam the door on you guys.”
“I love you too Jinyoungie,” Jackson makes kissy faces, so Jinyoung places his hand over Jackson’s face.
They all situate themselves in Jaebum’s living room, and somehow Jinyoung and Jaebum are squeezed on the couch together.
Youngjae looks at them and asks innocently, “So what were you guys doing before we got here?”
Jaebum looks ready to pounce on the boy.
“Okay I’m just going to say it, who the hell chose the movie?”
Mark points at Jackson, “I told him it was going to be terrible, but noooooo.”
Jackson slaps Mark’s hand down, “Don’t be rude Marky.”
“I’m not being rude I’m being truthful,” and they argue.
Jinyoung looks at Bambam, yeah something is definitely going to happen between those three. Jinyoung feels hot breath on his ear and freezes, “Do Mark and Jackson like each other?”
Jinyoung has to clench his hands to keep from freaking out, he takes a step to the side and whispers back in Jaebum’s ear, “Honestly I think they do but Bambam…”
Jaebum gives him a small smile, “That’s for another day then I guess?”
Jinyoung smiles back, “Yeah, I guess so.”
“EWWWWWWW, get a room, I’m too young for this!”
Jaebum slings his arm around Jinyoung’s shoulder and pulls him. (Jinyoung is pretty sure everyone can hear his heart pounding, and…he thinks Jaebum’s heart might be pounding too, but that could just be his imagination.) “Oh Juliet, you are the sun!”
Jinyoung grins, “And Romeo you’re hot!”
“I’m going to vomit,” Jackson retches and seems to make eye contact with the others before screaming, “GOGOGO!”
All of a sudden Jaebum and Jinyoung are standing alone in front of the movie theater. “Wait wha-”
“I’m going to murder all of them,” Jaebum doesn’t let go of Jinyoung as he starts to walk towards the car. “They don’t even have the keys, there was no point in running away.”
Jinyoung is still confused. “I don’t get what they were trying to do.”
Jaebum chuckles at Jinyoung, “You will soon, don’t worry about it.”
“Okay?”
“Youngjae you were supposed to get Jaebum’s keys!”
“But you didn’t say the word!”
Jinyoung laughs at them and Jaebum rolls his eyes, “Idiots.”
Because of Jackson’s superb advertising-aka running across the gymnasium during the spring assembly screaming, “COME TO THE SPRING PLAY NEXT WEEK IT’S GOING TO BE THE BEST THING YOU’VE EVER SEEN!”-opening night is a complete success.
“Hey Jinyoung, good job yesterday!”
“Dude you’re a really good actor.”
“I didn’t get to watch it because it was so packed, but I’m definitely coming today!”
Jinyoung wears a big smile the whole day. The Drama Club hasn’t experienced this many good reviews since Wicked. Nothing could possibly bring down his mood.
“Hi Jaebum!” Jaebum nods at him and continues to eat his sandwich-uh okay? “Are you ready for closing night?” Jaebum just nods again. Now Jinyoung is concerned. “Hey, are you okay?”
“I’m fine, just tired.”
“Okay…”
Jinyoung sits down across from Jaebum with a frown.
“Um is everything okay guys?”
“Yeah,” the two reply monotonously at the same time.
Youngjae awkwardly sits down, “Um okay I guess.”
YJAE: did something happen btwn you two???
JR: idk he said he’s tired??
Youngjae doesn’t reply right away, but Jinyoung notices that he is typing…which means he’s texting someone else. (Jaebum.)
After a few minutes Youngjae starts laughing while Jaebum glares at him. Jinyoung looks at the sophomore completely confused.
YJAE: dont worry about it jinyoung, he’s fine
JR: um okay?? what were you laughing about
YJAE: (grinning face emoji)(grinning face emoji) wouldn’t you like to know?
YJAE: youll fine out later dont worry (smiley emoji)
“Ten minutes before showtime everybody get over here!”
It’s a Drama Club tradition to get in a big circle before the show starts. Opening night’s circle is always filled with laughter and jokes, and Closing Night is always filled with tears-that no one allows to fall because of makeup.
The seniors give their little speeches about how Drama Club made them feel welcome and all that sap; honestly it’s the same words every year but it’s always gets to Jinyoung.
Jinyoung sniffles and tries to keep himself from crying. “Aww you guys Juliet is going to cry!”
“Group hug!” Jinyoung loves them all, but in that moment he swears he almost suffocated.
“Five minutes, go touch up on your makeup!”
“Break a leg everyone!”
Someone grabs Jinyoung’s arm and leads him to one of the changing rooms, all Jinyoung can think is ‘what the hell’. “Wait Mark? What are you doing, you’re in the first scene!”
“Yeah I know I know, but this is going to be quick.”
“Wha-?”
“Oh calm down, I’m not confessing to you.”
“Hey!” Jinyoung folds his arms across his chest and pouts. “That was one time, and you have to admit it really did seem like you were!”
Mark cackles, “Yeah sure, keep telling yourself that.” Jinyoung smacks Mark’s shoulders, is he ever going to let that go? “Anyways, I’m just here to tell you that no matter what happens on stage just go with it and don’t break character.”
Jinyoung raises a brow, “Uh, duh? Mark this isn’t my first play?”
Mark rolls his eyes at him, “I know, but seriously just go with it okay?”
“Yeah sure okay.”
“WHERE IS MARK IT’S TWO MINUTES BEFORE SHOWTIME.”
Mark grins, “Break a leg Jinyoung!”
“Well you’re right Juliet, but we do have lips.”
“That’s true Romeo, however,” Juliet smiles. “I only use my lips when I go to church.”
“You also use your hands in church, and look at ours.” Romeo brings their intertwined hands up and kisses Juliet’s hand. “So how about we let our lips copy our hands?”
“And what do you mean by that?”
“I mean that I’m praying that you’ll let me kiss you; if you don’t l might just die.”
Juliet rolls her eyes. “Unfortunately, I can’t grant your prayers; you should go to Friar Lawrence’s and pray to the saint statues there, they won’t move when you speak to them, but they will listen.”
“Then don’t move; be my saint and answer my prayer.”
Jaebum gently holds Jinyoung’s face in his hands-Jinyoung is mentally freaking out, this is not how they rehearsed it-and kisses him on his lips.
All Jinyoung can think is: Oh. My. God.
Everyone goes wild, even the people backstage-even Mr. Park.
Is Jinyoung the only person who isn’t in on this?
When Jaebum pulls away Jinyoung has to restrain himself from pulling him back in for another kiss. His brain is completely fried. What the hell are his lines again?
“Now all my sins are cleaned,” Jaebum smiles sweetly at Jinyoung. Oh great Jinyoung really can’t remember his lines, he’s going to die. “What’s wrong Juliet? Cat got your tongue?”
Jinyoung scoffs, “Of course not Romeo, it’s just that…now your sins are all over my lips.”
“Oh now you’re making me feel bad, here, let me take my sins back.”
Oh. My. God.
Jaebum kisses him again.
Every other kiss scene they have, Romeo kisses Juliet for real. And every time Jinyoung needs a few seconds to remember his lines.
Before Jinyoung knows it the play is over and everyone is onstage for the last bow.
“And finally, last but certainly not least, please give a big round of applause to Romeo and Juliet-Jaebum Im and Jinyoung Park!”
Jaebum smiles at him and intertwines their fingers. Jinyoung’s eyes crinkle up when he smiles back and they both go forward and bow.
And then Jaebum kisses Jinyoung again.
“You know he’s liked you for like two years now.”
Jaebum almost strangles Youngjae but is stopped by Jinyoung, who is grinning at his boyfriend. “I actually didn’t know that.” Jaebum groans and pouts.
Mark and Jackson double over in laughter at Jaebum’s expression. Bambam grins at Jaebum and then looks at Jinyoung, “He has! He said that you were the prettiest boy he’s ever seen!”
Grinning, Yugyeom claps like a seal before adding in his own commentary. “He also said that when you took off your shirt he nearly fainted!”
“Oh my god I’m going to kill-wait how…Youngjae.” Jaebum growls at the sophomore boy who just smiles innocently at him. “I am,” Jaebum throws a French fry at him. “Never,” another fry, “telling you anything ever again.”
Youngjae pouts and Jinyoung smacks Jaebum’s shoulder lightly. “Don’t be mean! Look at his cute face!”
Jaebum smiles but continues to act mad, “Jinyoung don’t even-”
“Wait,” Jackson interrupts, pausing from his laughing fit. “When exactly did Jinyoung strip for you?”