vmin au - take it easy //

31 year old taehyung decides to hit up his local gym with the idea of getting fit. it's his first time working out and he's intimidated by all the machines. enter beautiful personal trainer, park jimin, with the glorious ass.

but it goes south.

notes:
• there's a lot of content about exercises and fitness here, nothing about weight however.
• taehyung has a lot of social anxiety.

"I think I need to work out because I'm seriously unfit," Taehyung mumbles.

"Yah, what was that? Speak up, Taehyungie. We can't hear you."

Taehyung heaves a sigh. As much as Yoongi, who's got generalized anxiety, is empathetic about it, he sometimes sets off Taehyung too.

He's on a Hangouts call with his close friend, Yoongi and Yoongi's boyfriend Namjoon who is friend-by-association.

Yoongi insists on doing these Hangouts calls with Taehyung at least twice a week. Once with Namjoon, once without Namjoon.

Taehyung gets it. He's a socially anxious and depressed payroll coordinator in his early thirties who never needs to leave his house because his company that he's been working for five years has given him the option to work from home since last year.

It's actually been going great so far in terms of not needing to meet people. Taehyung gets to work on his laptop in bed while wearing his sleepwear. He doesn't have to wear a suit and tie unless he's requested to show up on site for a mandatory in-person conference.

His manager, a tiny Chinese lady by the name of Diana, doesn't even care about him dressing up for virtual video conferences. As long as Taehyung is online when he needs to be, answers his emails in a decent timeframe and does his work, that's all that matters.

He's subscribed to an online grocery delivery service as well. They have an opt in meal plan and Taehyung opted in for it. The packages come with all the ingredients and all Taehyung has to do is follow the recipe to make the dish. That's perfect for him.

In short, he's set.

He's supposed to be making a chicken penne pasta now and as much as he likes Yoongi, Taehyung is anxious to end this call as soon as possible.

Even online social interactions make Taehyung tired as hell.

"I think I need to work out because I'm seriously unfit," Taehyung says, a little louder.

Ugh. He's fond of Yoongi and Namjoon but sometimes it's a Lot to try and hold a conversation with them. They both ramble a lot and get sidetracked and Taehyung starts to lose focus.

When Taehyung does talk, he can Feel how what he's saying is stupid or unimportant.

It's not true, and he objectively knows that. He is allowed to talk about things. But he starts to freeze the minute he opens his mouth, and his voice trails off, getting softer.

He never finishes whatever it is he has to say. He's long given up by then.

But the reason why Taehyung is still trying to maintain this friendship with Yoongi and Namjoon is because they're nice enough to encourage him to finish his sentences. Which they are doing right now.

Namjoon blinks. "Oh, that's nice," he says. "That's a good idea, Taehyung. Are you going to get a workout mat? YouTube tutorials, I'm guessing?"

Taehyung takes a deep breath and shakes his head. "There's a local gym nearby," he says, uncertainly. "I might go? Maybe?"

Yoongi's eyes widen. "Oh that is a great idea," he says, very enthusiastically. "What's the name of the gym? Let me look it up and see if it has good reviews online."

"It's called Kim Gym," Taehyung says. "I looked up, I. I think it's mainly Koreans working there."

Yoongi's head is bent over, as he looks up the place on his phone. "Everyone's saying nice things," he says. "I think it's a great idea, buddy. You should definitely check it out."

Taehyung smiles, feeling much more encouraged. "Okay," he says, running a hand through his hair.

Like they said, Taehyung could just get a workout mat, some weights and start doing fully body workouts in the privacy and peace of his cozy little apartment.

But Taehyung hasn't left his house in two months or met any new people in a year.

The idea of being in a gym with other possibly-mostly cishet men is very distasteful but honestly, Taehyung just wants to try something new.

He's been stuck in a rut and it might be nice to get out and try something totally new out of his comfort zone.

"Are we still on for Games Night?" Namjoon asks Taehyung. "We got a whole new set of MTG cards and we'd like for you to help us sort it out and make some new decks for us."

Taehyung brightens up at the mention of his favourite card game, Magic.

Before his anxiety got really bad, Taehyung was actually playing with fellow MTG nerds at his favourite card game store just two blocks down. That was one social thing Taehyung could handle doing.

Then some friend drama happened and it almost got Taehyung losing interest in it.

Yoongi just started dating Namjoon recently. How they got together, Taehyung has no idea. Yoongi is a freelance writer and Namjoon is a mechanical engineer. He's pretty sure it was a Grindr hookup. They won't fess up to how they met and Taehyung is not the nosy type.

They're both really taking well to living together though. Yoongi cooks, and Namjoon does the other chores. They're starting to get into playing games and Taehyung helped them out by teaching them how to play MTG. He made all their basic packs for them.

It's funny because Taehyung met Yoongi off of Grindr too. For the one day he had it.

They'd started flirting, and then Taehyung's stupid anxiety kicked in. He was insecure and upset about his very little sexual experience.

Yoongi asked Taehyung if they could call and talk.

And that's how they became friends. Yoongi patiently heard out Taehyung crying on the phone and assured him that he wasn't a freak or abnormal for not having done what a lot of gay men his age have already experienced.

Taehyung uninstalled Grindr but made a new friend instead.

"What set did you get?" Taehyung asks eagerly. He smiles bigger, and rubs his hands in glee.

Taehyung is really good at making solidly playable MTG decks for people. Nothing gives him more joy than hearing feedback that a deck he put together for someone holds up well in a game.

"We got .... vampires?" Yoongi says, looking askance at Namjoon. "Oh, and we got card sleeves too! For our mythic rare cards."

"Card sleeves!" Taehyung says, even more gleeful. "I think you two are becoming hardcore MTG nerds. Yes, I'm down for Thursday evening."

Namjoon grins. "Do you want to see the new cards?"

Taehyung nods, eyes wide and glued to his screen, as he takes in the set they purchased. Yoongi holds them up to the screen, as Taehyung oohs and aahs.

"That's great!" "That card is a Killer!" "I Love playing that card!"

When they hang up, Taehyung's mind is whirring with excited possibilities. He knows what spare cards they have lying around, and he knows how he can mix their new cards up with the spares to give them some new, really kickass decks.

Oh, and he's going to hit up the gym.

He feels really good about himself.

He's not going to have his three succulent plants that he's named Moira, Genji and Ana be the only living organisms he talks to in addition to Yoongi and Namjoon.

Maybe, he'll even feel happier if he tries working out.

~

note:

• so sorry, i forgot to mention but there is an age difference between vmin in this fic. jimin is 24 and taehyung is 31.

He doesn't feel so good about himself right now.

Staring at himself despairingly in the mirror, Taehyung checks out his new workout outfit. It's grey sweatpants and a short-sleeved black top. His hair is a shaggy mess but there's nothing to do for that.

Taehyung has terrible anxiety about going to the barber's shop even at this point. The idea of some random guy touching Taehyung's hair gives him all the shivers and not in a good way. He hated getting a haircut as a child and it's only gotten steadily worse into adulthood.

When he goes to Namjoon and Yoongi's apartment, they now know better than to initiate any kind of touch with him. Taehyung hates getting hugged or having cis guys especially extend their hands out to him for a handshake. It's why he selected the work from home option so fast.

When he had to sign official work documents in front of other people, especially for payroll stuff, Taehyung's hand would start trembling and his palms would get clammy as his heart rate sped up. He wouldn't be able to even talk properly or meet Diana's confused gaze.

He cuts his own hair once in awhile. He's watched enough online tutorials to do a passable job at it. He's grateful for the ability to now add his online signature onto work PDFs.

It didn't used to be this difficult to live life. Now he's a jumpy, sad adult who overthinks.

There's no underlying trauma in his life. His parents are loving and open-minded. They know he's pansexual and have known this fact about him for awhile. He flies yearly from Austin to Jersey where they have been living for the past thirty years for Chuseok.

That's what Taehyung uses his leave for. To be with his parents.

God, he's such a boring adult.

He really wasn't like this. He used to be bright, vivacious and more confident as a child. And then suddenly, he started getting quieter and quieter.

Till he got so quiet that people forgot about him.

Maybe today will be a day of new beginnings.

He grabs the keys to his apartment and his wallet. He might need to sign some paperwork at the gym and he's mentally steeled himself for it. There's nothing he can do about that. He'll just have to grit his teeth and do it.

It's been ages since Taehyung used this elevator.

He hates being in one because he's claustrophobic but it's either this or take the stairs from the 22nd floor.

It's a nice spring day. Everything looks dewy and fresh because it rained. It's like Taehyung's lungs are thanking him for the opportunity to breathe fresh air.

As he sticks his hands in the pockets of his sweatpants, Taehyung takes in deep, greedy lungfuls of the air. He looks up to the sky where the sun is barely peeking out from the dense cloud masses, and smiles.

He cautiously decides that it's nice to be outside.

His mother gave him a lecture this morning (she tried really hard not to make it seem like one) about not cooking Korean food for himself.

"At least make yourself egg rolls or gimbap. Omma can help you through a Hangouts call too."

Taehyung had politely declined.

He does miss eating Korean food. He doesn't have the energy to make it for himself. Yoongi makes very good Korean dishes and Taehyung gets his homesickness fixed from whenever he has dinner at their place.

If there's an online Korean meal plan that pops up, Taehyung will opt in.

This is what he told his mother and she was decidedly unimpressed but hid it well.

He listens to music till he gets to Kim Gym. He's surprised by how nice and posh it looks. It's not a franchise gym so he thought it might not be so fancy but it looks very clean and nice.

There's free WiFi that immediately pops up on Taehyung's phone with a prompt for him to sign up with an email. He does so as he waits in the entrance, not wanting to use his cellphone data any longer.

Once he signs in, Taehyung enters. The receptionist is a friendly Korean girl.

Her name is June, and she's cute with a high ponytail and a big toothy smile.

"Hi," she chirps. "Can I get your membership card to scan?"

Taehyung blinks. "Ah, no," he replies, nervously. "I'm new? I'm new. Looking to sign up."

"No problem," she says immediately, and nods at him. "I'll just get my manager to come and see to you-"

"June!"

The most beautiful man Taehyung has ever seen in his whole life rushes from inside of the gym to the receptionist's side.

June sighs, and gives the man a tired look.

"What is it, oppa?"

The man grins. Taehyung manages to get a look at the man's work shirt. On the side of his sleeve, he reads: "Personal Trainer: Seokjin Kim."

The man, no, Seokjin, gives June a very compelling set of puppy eyes.

"I can't understand why this client who booked me for this slot isn't showing up as having their session checked off. Help me. Please. You know I don't understand this freaking software well."

He says all of that in very fast and panicked Korean. Despite himself, Taehyung smiles.

June turns her gaze back to Taehyung and gives him a long-suffering look. "Please wait for a few seconds?" She asks. "Seokjin-oppa is old and struggles with technology."

"Yah!"

June laughs. "Careful, please don't scare him off with your theatrics, oppa."

She focuses on her computer screen, and Seokjin looks up, giving Taehyung an interested look.

"Hi. Are you here to sign up with us?"

Taehyung squirms under the very beautiful man's scrutiny. Seokjin is stunning with soft, black bangs, full lips and expressive, lovely eyes.

Oh no.

Taehyung's feeling every version of panicked gay at the moment.

"Yes," he manages to say. "Hi. I'm Taehyung. Kim Taehyung."

Seokjin breaks out into a big smile. "Welcome to Kim Gym," he says, in Korean. "My hyung and I co-own this gym. His name is Seokjung and I'll bring him to meet you in a few seconds. June here is my little cousin."

"Unfortunately," June says, not looking up from her PC screen.

"I figured it out," June says. "You need to make sure your clients get their sessions checked off with me before they come to you. Here," she angles her screen towards Seokjin. "Oppa, can you please pay attention so you don't freak out about this again?"

Seokjin grumbles and gives her a dirty look. He stares at the screen, unblinking and definitely uncomprehending, and groans after she's done.

"I have no idea, I'll figure it out," he says.

June sighs.

"Well then," Seokjin says, straightening up and giving Taehyung a very bright smile. "Now that I understood nothing that June told me but she saved me anyway, let me take you in to see my hyung."

"Oppa, it's your own fault-"

"Right this way," Seokjin says blithely.

June mimes throwing a dart at the back of Seokjin's head. Taehyung resists the urge to giggle.

It's seeming more and more like this isn't a bad choice. So far, Seokjin and June seem rather funny and sweet.

Taehyung can see the resemblance when Seokjin introduces him to his older brother. Kim Seokjung is chubby and handsome. Taehyung tries not to ogle the brother just as much.

The cousin is cute too.

Good-looking family.

"Hi," Seokjung says, extending a hand.

Taehyung wills himself to take it. He can do this. He is not going to let his anxiety embarass in front of new people. He manages to do it confidently, even though he's sure his pits are sweating.

"Hi," Taehyung says softly. "I'm Taehyung. Uh. Uhm. Er. I'm here to sign up for a gym membership?"

Seokjung leans back and smiles. "Sure," he says easily. "Have you signed up for a gym membership before?"

Taehyung shakes his head.

"This is my first time in a gym actually," Taehyung says quietly. "I have. Never been to a gym before. First time."

Seokjung's eyes widen. "Ah," he says, cheerfully. "There's always a first time for everything. Would you like a tour of the gym and its facilities, Taehyung?"

Taehyung gives the confident manager a timid nod.

Seokjung gives Taehyung a full-on tour. It really is a nice gym. There's a private room just for women, and Taehyung wishes there was a space like that for his anxious ass as well.

"Here's our personal training area," Seokjung says. It's a large spacious room, Taehyung notes, with a lot of machines that all look extremely complicated. He takes in a deep breath.

These machines are all extremely intimidating to him already.

"This is where you will be training if you decide to take up a personal training package," Seokjung says. "What do you think?"

Taehyung inwardly rolls his eyes. He can sense he's being angled in the direction of paying for more than what he came here for.

But it's a very nice training facility. There are lots of exercise mats, and he can see a few pairs of personal trainers working with their clients there.

"Looks good," Taehyung mumbles, with a couple of what he hopes are convincing nods.

Seokjung gives Taehyung a considering look and hums lightly under his breath.

He seems to be making up his mind about something.

"Jimin," he calls out in Korean. "Park Jimin! Come up here for a second? Hyung wants you to meet someone."

"Yeah hyung. One sec!"

One of the personal trainers, a lithe man, laughingly gets off one of the exercise mats and cartwheels his way across to the entrance.

When Park Jimin stands upright with a huge smile directed at him, it feels like the air leaves Taehyung's very lungs.

Park Jimin is a beautiful man.

He's got blonde hair, and wearing dangly earrings in his lobes, with studs all the way up to the shells of his ears. The man has pretty eyes and a plump smiley mouth. He's lithe and curvy with a nice ass.

A plump ass.

He's Taehyung's ideal type.

Currently, Jimin's got his blonde bangs tied up in a sprout atop his head. He's also wearing a face of light makeup. It's evident that Jimin's wearing a layer of foundation and eyeliner.

Makeup!? People wear makeup in gyms!?

Taehyung combusts internally.

"Jiminnie, this is Taehyung. Kim Taehyung. I'm giving him a tour of the gym. He might sign up for a membership with us."

Jimin's smile gets even wider and more dazzling if that were to be possible. Apparently it is.

Taehyung somehow manages to shake his hand silently.

"Welcome, Taehyung," Jimin says, in English. His hand is smaller in Taehyung's own. "It's nice to meet you."

Taehyung needs to remind himself to let go of the man's hand and actually /say/ something.

"Hi, Jimin," Taehyung mumbles awkwardly, really hoping his cheeks aren't pink.

Jimin giggles at him, and damnit, now Taehyung is sure his cheeks really are aflame.

"I hope you sign up with us," Jimin says, and his voice, even his voice is sweet and clear. Taehyung is in trouble. Big trouble.

God.

"I'll. I'll think about it," Taehyung mutters.

"I should get back to my client, but hyung will take you around," Jimin says. He winks at Taehyung, cheeky, with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Hope to see you around in the personal training facility, Taehyung."

He cartwheels back to his client, leaving Taehyung speechless.

Seokjung snorts, and laughs. "He's a hit with the younger folks," he says, leading Taehyung back to his office. "What do you think of training with him?"

Taehyung bites his lip.

"How much is the cheapest personal training package?" He asks, shyly.

Seokjung makes a satisfied sound. "Great question!" He says. "I'm excited to tell you we have fantastic ongoing deals with our membership plans ..."

15 minutes later, an overwhelmed Taehyung has signed a contract to see a personal trainer ten times a month with a membership.

Jimin arrives at Seokjung's office with a happy smile. He's pulled his hair out of the band and Taehyung can see that he's touched up his makeup again.

"Hello again," Jimin chirps, settling down in the seat beside Taehyung. "I'm so glad to hear you've signed up with us!"

Jimin is leaning up more in Taehyung's personal space than what Taehyung is used to, and usually this makes Taehyung very panicky and scoot away. But he can feel the way his body is leaning right back in, as if it's conditioned to respond.

He'll let himself be embarrassed later.

"Right, yes," Taehyung says softly. He looks back to Seokjung who nods at him in encouragement. "I hope. It goes well? Yes."

Jimin giggles some more. "Let's exchange numbers! I love to make friends with my clients and send them tips! Plus, it makes it easier to book you in."

Taehyung numbly hands his phone out and unlocks it. Jimin adds himself in as a contact and then texts himself from Taehyung's phone. He smiles, and pulls his own phone out to add Taehyung back.

"There we go," Jimin says, bright and confident. "Now we're friends!"

Friends. Friends with Jimin. Taehyung almost smiles wide and happy. He restrains himself.

It's Jimin who leads him out to the entrance.

"Seokjung-hyung said we seem to be the same age," Jimin says in Korean. "I'm 24. How about you?"

Taehyung blanches at that. Jimin seems older with the sure way he carries himself. Next to him, Taehyung feels scrappy and downright uncool with his unstyled hair and sweaty nervous self and drab clothes.

"Oh uhm, we're not," Taehyung says, cautiously. "I'm 31 actually. Er."

Jimin's eyes widen, almost comically so.

"Oh wow," Jimin says. He bites his lip. "You have a baby face!" Taehyung watches in amazement as Jimin flusters a bit and panics. "That's-that's not a bad thing. I just thought you were 21."

Taehyung finally laughs.

He can't help it. It's just so funny. Jimin stares at him in amused consternation, anxiously wringing his hands.

"I'm definitely 31," Taehyung replies, with a sunny grin. "I don't even remember what it's like to be 21 anymore."

"Can I call you hyung?" Jimin asks, sheepishly, scratching the back of his back.

Taehyung immediately shakes his head. "No, please don't," he says. "I don't like it. Just call me Taehyung. Or Tae. Tae is fine."

Jimin laughs, nervous. "I can't do that! It's disrespectful."

Taehyung shakes his head. "I don't think it is," he says. "If you need to call me hyung in front of the manager or others ... sure? But I have never really liked being addressed as hyung. Just stick to Taehyung. Please."

Jimin nods, and shoots him another pretty smile.

Taehyung hates that he's already melting at the sight of Jimin's smiles. And he impulsively signed up for a whole year of this!?

"Whatever makes you comfortable then," Jimin says, regaining his happy confidence. "Nice to meet you, Tae. Enjoy the rest of your day."

Taehyung awkwardly waves at him, and speed walks out, feeling his whole face burn with mortification.

Time to go home, change into his sleepwear, and hide under his blankets again as he overanalyzes his stupidity in front of Jimin for the rest of the day.

~

a new fic~! hope you're all liking it. ♡ ah so okay, things arent very rosy for long and we have a very awkward social situation and lots of anxiety happening in the next part. please remember to stop reading if you're feeling triggered!!!

tips: http://ko-fi.com/vmin 

trigger warnings for the following scene: taehyung experiences a very awkward and anxiety-inducing situation for him, an anxiety attack and jimin is not perceptive/extremely considerate either

"You spent .... how much money again?"

Taehyung winces in irritation. Okay yes, he might have splurged on this personal training package. What's it to Yoongi? Taehyung has expendable cash sitting in his account. It's not like he cannot afford it.

Yoongi is too perceptive for his own good. Having a friend who also struggles with anxiety is both really good and sucky at the same time. Yoongi gets when to leave Taehyung alone. But there are also times when he triggers Taehyung, even though it's unintentional.

"Sorry, I didn't mean it like that," Yoongi says immediately, looking guilty. "I just. Did you really want to sign up for this?"

Taehyung shrugs, and buries his face in his hands. He has been asking himself the same damn thing for a couple of days now.

He's been even more on edge lately. The worst part is Taehyung has been getting in his head so much that now he's wondering if he's really attracted to Jimin or not. That's how anxious he's made himself, to the point where he's not even capable of feeling sexually aroused.

"I don't know," Taehyung says. "They set me up with a really nice guy at the gym. And everyone seems friendly. I just have to figure out how to not lose it in front of people I don't know. Think that's possible?"

"I think you can do anything you want to do," Yoongi says.

Taehyung hugs his knees to his chest. He buries his face in between his knees.

"Hyung," he says, his voice muffled. "I'm sad. I'm really sad."

Yoongi's voice breaks as he replies. "I know you are sad," he says.

"Hyung, I shouldn't be sad," Taehyung says, holding his phone to his ear. He closes his eyes. "I have loving parents. I have you and Namjoon-hyung. I have a job and a place to stay. I'm privileged and I have things. Then why is my brain always stuck in a sludge of sadness?"

"Please look at me, baby."

Taehyung sniffles, and looks up as he wipes at his face with the heel of his palm. Yoongi looks sad too.

Taehyung isn't a fool to think that having Namjoon around has "fixed" Yoongi in any way.

He knows Yoongi is trying to find joy in the little things with Namjoon and Taehyung as well. He cooks and cleans and writes and talks, and tries to somehow be content. Taehyung has always considered Yoongi a just-as-sad but maybe wiser version of himself.

"All we can do is try and get through the days," Yoongi says steadily. "And hope that with the next day, we'll feel better. I cling to that hope. And stop trying to make yourself feel guilty about feeling bad. If you feel bad, you feel bad. That's all there is to it."

Taehyung sniffles some more. He doesn't say anything in response. Yoongi smiles gently at him. He doesn't take offense to Taehyung's silence. When Taehyung gets this down he gets nonverbal after comfort is offered. He just wants to revel in what has been said and reflect quietly.

"You want to watch a Ghibli movie together maybe?" Yoongi offers.

Taehyung smiles. "You know I'm going to keep picking Ponyo."

Yoongi makes an exaggerated sigh but he doesn't mean it. "We're still on for Thursday games night?"

"Yeah. Wouldn't miss it."

~

Jimin confirmed a 25 minute training session with Taehyung for 4PM on Wednesday. He texted Taehyung about it with lots of smiley emojis.

Taehyung is both nervous and excited to see Jimin again. It's kind of ridiculous.

"This is your personal trainer who is being paid to train you," Taehyung tells himself, a million times, as he's dressing up to get ready.

His very hot younger personal trainer.

Dear god. Taehyung is going to lose it. He feels like a nervous teenager all over again.

He manages to calm down with the walk to Kim Gym. It's drizzling lightly, and Taehyung zips his hoodie all the way up with the hood on his head as he walks to the gym. It's a grey rainy day but Taehyung doesn't mind.

He's always liked the rain.

He's at the gym, 5 minutes early, for his session. June greets him with a smile and "Yo" at the reception and scans the barcode on his membership card.

"Is it still raining outside?" She asks Taehyung.

Taehyung nods. "Yeah," he replies.

"Ugh," June says, and makes a face at him.

Taehyung feels a little braver today. He grins. "I don't mind the rain," he says.

"That's only you, buddy," June says, super deadpan. "Anyway, have a good workout."

Taehyung almost says "You too" but catches himself just in time before saying it and definitely sounding like an idiot.

He nods at her and walks past the lines of treadmills and exercise bikes to the personal training facility at the back.

Jimin is already there with a client.

It's a teenage girl, and he's hunched over a desktop at one corner of the room.

"-Appa said he can pick me up only at 6PM because his shift is done at 5:30PM so really, only this slot works for me-"

"-mm, okay look, I can fit you here at 5 on Thursday-"

Jimin's got his back to Taehyung.

Taehyung swallows. Today, Jimin is wearing a skintight pair of grey leggings that hug his ass perfectly.

His figure is so curvy and pretty. Taehyung forces himself to look away, and instead curiously wander around the training facility.

He really only recognizes the treadmill and exercise bike. Every other exercise machine in this room is a weird contraption to him. There are weird foam pad ... things near the mats, and mirrors all around the room.

Literally everything here is a mystery.

"Hi, Taehyung!"

Taehyung looks back with a start only to find Jimin approaching him with a big smile and a notebook in his hand.

"Hi, Jimin," Taehyung returns, with a timid smile. "How-how are you?"

"Good!" It's the most enthusiastic thing Taehyung has ever heard said to him in his whole life. He wonders if Jimin ever stops smiling.

"Okay so, I got you an agenda," Jimin says, and flips the agenda open, to write Taehyung's name in the first page. "This is to keep track."

"Keep track of what?" Taehyung asks.

The first surge of anxiety starts when Jimin looks up to give him a confused smile. "... to keep track of whatever exercises you do for each session?"

Taehyung doesn't want to come across as a clueless novice. "Ah yes," he says, and nods.

"Okay," Jimin says. "Let's start with some alternating lunges."

Taehyung has no fucking idea what an alternating lunge is supposed to look like. Jimin leads and does it so smoothly Taehyung baulks at it.

He's supposed to nail that!?

Jimin gets Taehyung to try them out, and Taehyung manages to do it but feels like he's internally dying the whole time.

And that's how the entire 25 minute workout goes.

Jimin puts Taehyung through his paces.

It's a brutal and hard workout. Jimin has him doing all kinds of squats, especially sumo squats and wall squats. He's set doing more lunges. He's made to pull at a rope continuously for thirty seconds. Taehyung learns what a kettlebell is for the first time in his life.

This is not what Taehyung signed up for at all.

Jimin continues to smile but now an intensely focused energy has taken over his face. He's intimidating, and Taehyung wants to ask him to stop.

He wants a water break. He wants Jimin to take it easy on him.

He's scared to ask.

Taehyung is not having a good time at all. In fact, this is an awful time. He does everything Jimin asks him to do obediently, but the whole time he's having a quiet anxiety attack under the surface.

He feels like bursting into tears, intimidated, scared and overwhelmed.