P-R-O-M-I-S-E || vmin ff

Hi? This is for you?? (💕) 

The campus quad was buzzing with noise—students laughing under trees, couples huddled on benches, a group practicing choreography on the grass. Taehyung wasn't really paying attention to any of it. He was just trying to balance two iced coffees in one hand while texting Jimin with the other.

You're late. again. i'm drinking yours.

Before he could hit send, a voice pierced through the spring breeze like an unwanted fly.

"Taehyung? No way, that is you!"

He looked up, and there he was—HeeJun. Same smug eyes, same too-familiar grin, except this time it wasn't followed by teasing or punches to someone smaller. It was worse.

He was being friendly.

"Wow, you've changed so much," HeeJun said, stepping in a little too close, already reaching for a hug like they were best friends and not people who had once stood on opposite ends of childhood cruelty.

Taehyung barely got out a polite smile before HeeJun leaned in, arm slinging around his shoulders like it belonged there. "Remember that time in sixth grade we—?"

Whatever he was about to say was cut off by another voice. Soft, but tight with tension.

"Taehyung."

Jimin. Standing just a few feet away, expression unreadable but hands clenched tight at his sides. He didn't blink as he walked up to them, eyes locked on Taehyung but not even sparing a glance at the boy slung over his shoulders like a cheap hoodie.

"You left me waiting," he said simply, plucking the iced coffee from Taehyung's hand and taking a long sip, lips pressing around the straw just a little tighter than necessary.

Taehyung flinched. "I was trying to text you—this guy ambushed me."

HeeJun chuckled, tightening his hold like he hadn't heard the word ambush at all. "Oh, you two are meeting up? Cute. So, you guys hang out often?" His tone was annoyingly cheerful, but Jimin still didn't look at him.

Instead, he licked his lips and tilted his head at Taehyung. "Are we hanging out often?"

It was said so casually, so smooth, but Taehyung felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He knew Jimin. And that question was loaded.

"I mean—yeah. All the time," Taehyung said quickly, voice hitching just slightly under Jimin's gaze.

HeeJun snorted. "Nice, nice. I remember when you two used to be tiny little things in middle school. Honestly, Tae, I never thought you two would stick."

Stick.

Jimin finally turned his head toward HeeJun, offering a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"Neither did I."

It was polite. It was perfect. It was deadly.

And Taehyung was starting to sweat. He gave a half-hearted chuckle and finally peeled HeeJun off, gently shrugging him away. "Okay, well... I really gotta go."

HeeJun didn't move. "Wait—just a sec. You're still doing sculpture, right? I was thinking maybe we could do something together. Collaboration or something?"

Jimin stood there, quiet. Calm. His face unreadable as he swirled the last of the drink in Taehyung's cup.

"Collaboration?" Taehyung echoed.

"Yeah," HeeJun said brightly, his hand daring to land on Taehyung's arm again. "You've always had a great eye for balance. And hey, we always made a good team."