"Life is not about who you once were. It's about who you are right now, and the person you have the potential to be." —Anonymous

**

"DUDE you are seriously unhinged, ya know?" Mark made a face as he spun the basketball on his index finger. He was disappointed in his friend.

"Maybe you never really liked her then," Jackson added while shrugging, "If it was me, even if she doesn't like me back. I cannot stop liking the person. It's futile so..."

"I liked her. I just don't like that she's associated with Taehyung," Jinyoung answered.

They were at the benches by the field, passing their free time and somehow their conversation ended up about Jisoo and Jinyoung's feelings for her.

"Is that Taehyung her boyfriend? Been hearing the rumors around campus," Bambam said while chewing on his shawarma.

"No," Jinyoung's forehead creased and he paused, "But... I'm not sure, honestly, I don't want to think about it at this point. It pisses me off."

Mark scoffed and held the ball with both of his hands. He shot his friend a stare, "Sounds to me you're just convincing yourself not to like her because you hate the fact that she is close with your nemesis."

Jinyoung turned his head to glare at Mark but the latter was unfazed.

"Oof, hit a nerve," Bambam seconded and laughed as he hit Jinyoung jokingly on his shoulder.

"Honestly bro, I'd agree. You're pretty much the problem," Jackson leaned backwards and slurped on his smoothie dismissively, "We're friends so we are telling you that."

Jinyoung rolled his eyes and was not able to explain his side when his phone rang. The moment he saw the caller ID, his mood turned more sour than it already is.

"Hello?" he greeted in a low tone.

"Jinyoung," a voice of an old man spoke from the other line.

"Is he going here?" the man added.

He frowned, "No. You're aware he's stubborn, right?" he heaved a deep sigh, "I don't even know why you keep forcing him. He clearly hates it, just let him be?"

"Just look after him, Nyoung," the old man said with finality before the short call ended.

Jinyoung threw his phone into his opened bag on the grass. He combed his hair in frustration.

What am I, a babysitter?

—

"I'M NOT really good with socializing in the first place," Jungkook said with his head bowed down. He was playing the food with his fork, "Sorry, am I that weird?" he whispered.

"No," Jisoo smiled at him when he looked up, "It's cute," she commented, which reddened his face.

"You blush easily," she laughed as she inspected his reaction before taking a sip from her juice.

"It's hard talking to actual people," he admitted and unconsciously sighed heavily.

"Hm," Jisoo munched on a piece of the fried chicken, "Then what do you do most of the time? Besides photography," she asked while glancing at him.

"Ah, nothing much," Jungkook simply said but he noticed that she was eagerly listening and felt like he should be saying more in return.

So he added, "Just video games and internet."

"I suck at video games," she shared, "It's fun playing with someone though."

"Now that I think about it, you're not part of our block. I don't see you around our building, either. What are you taking?" Jisoo continued, her curiosity taking over.

"Uhm, Business Administration," he answered.

"Oh! That's great! I just thought you are taking a photography degree. The shots you showed me are top-tier! You have a talented eye!" she smiled brightly while complimenting him. It honestly took him by surprise.

"A-ah maybe my eyes are the only talented part of me," Jungkook snickered, mocking himself under his tone.

"Oh, I didn't mean that," Jisoo paused and put down the chicken leg and stared at him, "Of course it takes skill to actually take wonderful photos. I take pictures too but I'm not as good as you," she genuinely said, oblivious of what she just did.

"I... Well..." Jungkook cannot find words to say again.

For someone who has always doubted himself, someone who always had the burden of people expecting something from him, someone who thinks he is not good enough and that he is less than others...

To that person, to him...

A simple compliment means the world.

Because plenty of times, the little good things we plant in other people... grow gardens.

Jisoo paused when he did not reply, "Did I say something wrong? I'm so sorry," she quickly apologized while tapping his shoulder.

"Ah n-no," Jungkook waved his hands and turned the other way, he laughed.

"I don't know how to take compliments," he added, "Dang, I just became weirder now, right? I'll... Maybe I'll just l-leave—"

"Hold up," Jisoo instantly grabbed his arm before he could walk away.

"You've been trying to run away from me many times today," she uttered while smiling, "Seriously, it's okay. I understand."

Jungkook slowly sat down in front of her. He stared and observed her.

"Pretty hard, huh? Socializing is not your best suit so for sure everything feels overwhelming. Besides, we're still strangers. Kind of. It's okay, I know it's hard to come out of your shell," she kindly said.

"I... I don't really get compliments for my hobby so I don't know how to handle it," he elaborated and sighed.

It takes a long time for him to feel comfortable with someone but in that moment, he felt at ease with her. It was as if she's a person you'd lay your armor down to.

"Hm, I must say you just need to show it to people, I'm sure there will be lots to praise your work. I am being honest, you're talented in photography! If it makes you happy, you should pursue it," Jisoo advised him.

"T-thank you," he smiled more pleasantly.

Jisoo beamed at him, noticing he relaxed now. They continue to chat over a few trivial matters while eating. The more she talked to him, the more she realized how fun he is to be with once he put down his walls.

"I can't believe I managed to go through today. Communicating is awfully hard," Jungkook mumbled as they walked by the gutter. They already left the restaurant soon after they ate.

"But hey, you talked to me, right?" Jisoo nudged him on his side with an encouraging smile, "You did a good job today. Just keep it up! Little by little."

"I'm not saying you need to be the most sociable person. It's okay if part of you is really reserved. Just don't be too nervous or closed off to others," she continued while he could only look at her.

A second later, she stopped and faced him.

"Send me my picture, alright? You magically made me cute there," she chuckled while waving the phone in her hand. They exchanged numbers earlier.

"Bye!" Jisoo bid and waved her hands while jogging to the bus stop.

He was so overwhelmed that he cannot say anything else and just waves back. He watched her ride the bus before going home himself.

Did he really just eat with her?

He punched his chest lightly and reprimanded it to stop the awful fast beating. Now that he is alone he finally noticed how much it's pounding because of being around her. He is not dumb but also not foolish to acknowledge his fleeting emotions.

We're just friends. I just want to be friends with her.

Jungkook convinced himself and grabbed the camera on his bedside table. He opened it and clicked onto the photo he accidentally took.

It all started with one click.

One shot.

And then there is suddenly something inside of him that says—

"Do you wanna play xbox?~"

Suddenly, he heard a singsong voice on the other side of his door.

Jungkook heaved a deep sigh, it looks like his friends decided to crash his place with no permission again.

He dragged his feet to the door only to open it for a laughing Jimin with a Namjoon who was done with his antics.

"Yo, Kookie," Jimin tapped his shoulder and entered his room nonchalantly.

"Were you sleeping? Sorry, we must have disturbed your rest time. Jimin barged in my house too because he said he was bored," Namjoon told him while entering.

"Nah, I'm not really doing anything," Jungkook simply said before closing the door of his room.

"Oi," Namjoon throws a pillow to Jimin who is already setting up the xbox.

"If I don't finish my homework tonight I'll skin you alive," he complained before dropping on the bed.

Jungkook went to his minifridge. He took a few snacks and drinks before walking to his friends and putting it on the floor. He is used to them casually barging in his place.

"Shut up, man. You're a genius, that will be finished in a blink of an eye," Jimin mockingly said and started the game.

"You sound like you don't have any tasks to do huh," Jungkook commented as he plopped down beside Jimin and took the game controller.

"Ah! Now that is brought up," he beamed while playing, "I'm done with my needed essay," Jimin looked back smugly at Namjoon and wiggled his brows.

The latter squinted his eyes at him and stared in disbelief, "Did you pay someone to write it for you?"

"Nope, what the heck?" Jimin frowned while tapping on the controller.

"Or he probably plagiarized," Jungkook smirked.

"Just what do you think of me?" Jimin looked at the two of his friends then rolled his eyes before focusing on the screen again, "I wrote it," he insisted.

"As if. You'd doze off during the first sentence," Namjoon contradicted again with his eyes closed and arms under his head.

"Okay fine! I can admit that Jisoo helped me," Jimin said.

Jungkook paused for a second and glanced at his friend.

"Jisoo?" Namjoon, who is now curious, opened his eyes and looked at Jimin.

"Yeah. Earlier. She dropped by the library to return a book and saw me," Jimin narrated while his other hand took a handful of chips.

"Damn, man. You must've looked really miserable for her to lend a hand," Namjoon laughed loudly, Jungkook stifled his laughter.

"Fuck you," Jimin threw chips in annoyance to which Namjoon caught some and munch on it, "Sorry not everyone is as freaking intelligent as you, Einstein," he uttered mockingly.

Jungkook wasn't able to control his laughter as he continued to play while listening to them.

"I thought the topic was hard but she gave me some ideas and also gave me reference materials to work with. She even helped highlight excerpts before she left. When I went back to writing, I didn't notice it was past an hour and I'm done," Jimin said to them, then he paused.

He stared at his friends who were weirded out looking back at him, "Shit, what if I'm actually a secret genius?!" he exclaimed.

"Far-fetched reality, that is," Namjoon scoffed and faced the ceiling again.

"Shut up— JK you bastard! I never win against you!" the screen plastered a game over in caps as Jimin hit Jungkook with a pillow, the latter guffawed.

"She's a little uncommon," Namjoon suddenly commented and caught their attention.

"Huh?" Jimin looked at him confusingly.

"Jisoo," Namjoon cleared his throat and bore his eyes to the ceiling, "I mean, working with her during our group activity, she was very kind and cheerful. Even defending and helping someone as reputationally bad as Taehyung. Honestly, if it wasn't for her, I would never consider the dude," he confessed.

Jimin approved noddingly, "Yeah, I think I have a crush on her," he said and Jungkook choked on his cola after hearing it.

"Shut the fuck up, Jimin," Namjoon turned his head to his friend and glared, "You flirt as entertainment, you don't take people seriously. Don't play a person as good as her."

Jimin laughed and munched on his chips, "Yeah, alright. It's not the flirty I-wanna-fool-around-dating-her type of crush. I don't think I'll ever be worthy if I, for once, even wanted to date her. Not to mention she and Taehyung are in a different relationship we don't know."

"Her kindness is just admirable. I admire her a lot for it," he paused and gulped what he is eating, "In this current world? It's one in a million to find someone as wonderful as her. It's amazing, ya know."

"That's why I decided her nickname will be angel!" Jimin turned to Namjoon and gave him a thumbs up while grinning.

"Nicknaming people as if y'all buddies," the latter scoffed and threw chips on his face.

"Such a fucking hater," Jimin hit him with the soda can but he caught it with his hands and laughed mockingly.

Namjoon noticed how Jungkook cannot add his own quips in their conversation. He got up and sat, "We keep talking about her sorry, you must feel out of place," he said while giving him a glance. His friend met his eyes.

"Hm yeah, you don't meet her much huh," Jimin looked at Jungkook too.

"Yeah, well..." Jungkook scratched his neck and looked away, "I do agree though," he said. 

He didn't know why but he can't find it in himself to tell his friends about her, yet. Deep down, it is because he knew... Talking about her to someone else will make a difference to things he is eager to deny. 

It all started with one click.

One shot.

And then there is suddenly something inside of him that says—

She has captured him all at once.

Jungkook thought of her image flashing in his mind again and then he whispered to himself, burying his face on the pillow he's holding, "She really is an angel."

**

Author's Note:
Hello, thank you for waiting :">