“Jiminie pabo.” You mutter, continuing to eat the cold dessert. Frowning, you offer him a bite from your spot on the floor. He takes it and lifts you into his lap on the couch. “Just promise me, Jimin, that you eat and sleep well, okay? I know how you get when your schedule changes. I will go to your dorm and force feed you if I must.”

Jimin chuckles and leaves a chaste kiss on your cheek. “Okay, Eomma.”

“You laugh, but I’m serious.”

“I know. I love you, ______.”

“I love you, Jimin.”

----------------------------

Two months pass since Jimin became a Big Hit trainee.

Two months felt like two days. You rarely saw your boyfriend and when you did, he was sleeping on his feet and looked miserable. It worried you how he was doing and your nightly video calls turned to every other night, which then turned into the occasional phone call.

Jimin was too busy for you.

But, as you walked into the classroom at the university for the hundredth time for work that night, you realized it didn’t bother you as much as you thought it would. He would text you every time he ate or had a break, which wasn’t often, but it was enough to get you by. Knowing he was alive was enough for you to make it through the day alright.

You were too busy for Jimin.

Work had increased in hours exponentially since the international students came in and midterms were right around the corner. Stress from your classes melted the days together into one neat mess. Your teacher kept your workload manageable, but you could tell he was struggling to keep up with homework as much as you were. He mentioned to you about helping him teach a class or two to get into the hang of speaking in front of people and though the idea was a bit daunting, you accepted. Figuring since you want to become a teacher eventually, it would be best to start early on.

One cold Tuesday night, Jimin texted you after practice had run late and you were on your way home from work. It was nearly one in the morning and it surprised you that he had just gotten out of practice.

‘Jagiyaaaaa, I’m so tired… I miss you so much. I’m off practice and heading to bed… I get a day off soon, keep your schedule open for me?’

A day off meant you could see his beautiful face again, making you smile uncontrollably and your heart raced. But, you thought to yourself, shouldn’t he be using the day to rest? It was his only day off after all.

‘I miss you, Jiminie! Are you sure you don’t want to rest on your day off? I can come visit another time!’

Almost immediately, he responded, ‘No! You come here and we can cuddle all day. My roommates don’t get the day off so I have to dorm room to myself and I’ll be so bored :(’

‘Ahh fine. As long as I get to see your face.’

‘Of course, Jagi. Plus, I have a surprise.’

‘What kind of surprise?’

‘Goodnight, _____! ;)’

‘Aishhhh, sleep well Jiminie!’

You tucked your phone away and smiled, wondering when his day off would be.

-

It was two weeks later, on Saturday that Jimin called you, audibly jumping up and down and giddy for his day off from practice. You giggled as he talked to you, words jumbled together as he talked too fast, making you have him repeat himself fifteen times.

“JagiJagiJagiJagiJagiJagiJagi.......” He sang when you answered the phone.

“Ya?” You quipped, finishing his call.

“Are you free today? I’m free today. I texted you last night but I didn’t get a response, so did you get my message? Hm? Hm?”

“Jiminie, calm down. I did see your message, and I talked to my professor, so I’ll have work to do, but I can do it later. I’m on the bus right now, I’ll see you in a few minutes, okay?”

Jimin clapped and collapsed on his bed, or at least you assumed it was his bed, it sounded soft, and sighed loudly. “I’ll meet you at the bus stop. I think it might be raining.”

You look out the window and notice flakes of white mixed with wet asphalt on the street. “It might be sleet, looks like rain and snow right now. I brought my umbrella.”

“Okay, how far are you?”

“Um, I left like five minutes ago, so maybe another five minutes?”

“Okay! I love you Jagiya!”

“I love you, too!”

You hung up the phone and sighed happily, looking around the bus. A familiar-looking man sat behind you a couple seats across the aisle, his stare sending a wave of uneasiness down your spine. Quickly, you avert your gaze back to the front of the bus, check your phone every few seconds. Where had you seen him before? Your mind ran through all the places you could have seen the man.

He wasn’t the convenience store owner on the street corner, nor was he the man who worked at the coffee shop you always went to study at. You saw that he was older, guessing in his sixties, and his eyes were droopy and somewhat sad. You had definitely seen him somewhere, but where?

The bus bell rings, signaling a stop and you collected your purse and phone, standing to exit. The man stands as well, only a couple people between you and you could still feel his eyes boring into the back of your head. What is his issue? You pondered, spreading your feet as the bus suddenly stopped, making your balance shift. Is he someone important I’m forgetting? He doesn’t look that familiar… But what is his deal?

The doors open and you couldn’t be quicker about getting off the metal box and into the fresh morning air. Opening your umbrella, you lifted it above your head and were met with Jimin standing in front of you, taking shelter in the bus station. Any worry you still had about the old man disappeared in an instant.

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Next chapter will be up tomorrow morning!! <3

Thanks for your patience!

~Nuna