My Cold Muse | Yoonmin

That morning, the practice hall felt eerily quiet. Jimin's footsteps echoed softly as he entered the room, his face adorned with an optimistic smile. Today marked the first rehearsal for their campus art project. Carrying a small box of pastries he had bought on the way, he hoped to lighten the mood—and maybe, just maybe, get Yoongi to be a little friendlier.

In the corner of the room, Yoongi was already seated at the piano, his fingers weaving a melody of deep, somber notes. He seemed completely lost in thought, as if the entire room belonged to him alone.

"Good morning, Yoongi hyung," Jimin greeted cheerfully, setting the box of pastries on a small table nearby. "I brought these. Just a little treat to energize us for practice today."

Yoongi glanced at the box briefly before turning back to his piano without a word.

Jimin felt a wave of awkwardness. He quickly searched for another topic. "Hyung, the piece you were playing just now was beautiful, but… it sounded sad. Did you compose it yourself?"

Yoongi's fingers came to a halt. He looked up at Jimin, his gaze sharp enough to silence him. "I don't need small talk," Yoongi said coolly, his tone firm but not harsh.

Jimin froze. A mix of embarrassment and disappointment stirred within him, but he forced a smile. "Ah… sorry. I just wanted to talk..."

Yoongi didn't respond, only letting out a quiet sigh before turning away. "If it's not important, let's just focus on the project."

Jimin nodded slightly, swallowing the lingering awkwardness. He stole a glance at the untouched box of pastries on the table, feeling as if his effort had gone to waste.

♡♡♡♡

That afternoon, after practice ended, Jimin sat on a campus bench with Jungkook, venting his frustration over the brief and cold interaction.

"Yoongi hyung… I don't get him at all. Why does he have to be so distant?" Jimin sighed, hugging his knees. "I just wanted to have a conversation, nothing more."

Jungkook patted Jimin's shoulder gently. "Maybe he's not as cold as you think, hyung. Maybe he just has walls that no one has climbed over yet."

Jimin frowned. "Walls? What do you mean?"

Jungkook offered a small, knowing smile. "People like him usually have their reasons. Maybe something in his past makes it hard for him to open up."

♡♡♡♡

Elsewhere, in the now-empty practice room, Yoongi sat alone in front of his piano. His eyes lingered on the scattered sheet music, yet his mind drifted far beyond them.

His fingers moved instinctively, playing a tune rich with emotion.

But in the midst of the melody, memories surfaced—fragments of a past he had tried so hard to bury.

A fleeting image: a girl with a radiant smile, sitting beside him, playing the piano in perfect harmony. Their laughter once filled the room, contrasting starkly with the loneliness he felt now. But that cherished memory blurred, shifting into a painful farewell.

The last words she had spoken to him echoed in his mind.

"I can't stay with you, Yoongi. You're too consumed by your music… and I… I don't feel like I have a place in your life."

Yoongi's fingers froze over the keys. The familiar bitterness crept in, wrapping around him like an unshakable cold.

♡♡♡♡

That night, in Jimin's dorm room, Jungkook did his best to lift his spirits in his usual energetic fashion.

"Hyung, you can't give up just because he's cold," Jungkook declared dramatically, slamming his hand on the desk. "You're Jimin, the guy who never backs down! If he has high walls, then you climb them!"

Jimin scoffed lightly but couldn't suppress a small smile. "Climb walls? That's some metaphor you've got there."

"I'm serious, hyung. If he doesn't want to open up now, just give him time. One day, he'll realize how genuine you are."

Jimin fell silent, staring up at the ceiling.

Jungkook's words reminded him of something—the way Yoongi played the piano, how every note carried emotions that felt strangely familiar.

He gripped his blanket tightly, his eyes shifting toward the window, filled with newfound determination.

"Little by little," Jimin murmured to himself. "I'll get to know him, no matter what it takes."