Three weeks had come and gone all too quickly once Jungkook had settled into his new living situation.  He and Jimin had seemed to find a comfortable rhythm in their home, which made it easier for them both to come and go as they needed.  He'd even managed to land a job in sales and giving guitar lessons at a music shop not far from the studio.  It was the most independent and fulfilled he'd ever felt in his life – something that would have shocked his father to hear.

Jungkook would be lying if he denied the part his roommate had played in making all of that happen, though.  They hardly knew one another, and yet Jimin had been nothing shy of supportive and understanding during the job hunt.  He'd even offered pointers and taken the younger man shopping for some slightly more professional clothes to help the process along.  In the short time they'd lived together, he'd started to feel like he'd made one of his first true friends in years.  

Hearing the shower shut off, Jungkook gathered his robe around his body and checked his unruly bedhead in the mirror.  There was no point in trying to fix it before it was washed, and he knew as much, yet his fingers still fussed over the strands that refused to lay in the right direction.  Finally accepting his fate, he stepped out into the hall and leaned against his door, waiting for his turn in the washroom across the hall.

This routine was almost like clockwork now.  Jungkook could practically set his watch to the amount of time it took for Jimin to towel off and gather his belongings before slipping out and retreating down the hall to his own room, where he had a vanity of his own to finish getting ready for the day.  The shower curtain closed, and Jungkook stood, his lips curving upward slightly as he began to mentally count.  Five, four, three....

Jimin practically jumped out of his skin at the sight of his roommate a few short feet away.  His hand flew to the knot in the towel that was wrapped around his hips, gripping to ensure it didn't slip and expose him.  Mouth slack, his cheeks flushed deeply as he fought to regain his composure, eyes falling on the dongsaeng across from him.   “H-how long have you been waiting?”  he asked, eyebrow quirking slightly as he finally found his breath.  He didn't know what to make of the smug look on his roommate's face, let alone the way his eyes seemed to wander downward toward the towel before coming back to his face.  
“About ten seconds,” Jungkook replied, his eyes lingering a moment longer than the should have over the marks the dotted the other man's torso.  The flush that still possessed Jimn's cheeks served to make his own smile grow.  He loved how easy it was to ruffle his hyung, even in the smallest way.  It made the days that much more entertaining.  “You're ah... a little predictable.  And, you know, I'm good at efficiency what with a military family.”  He offered a shrug, finally relenting in his gaze as he pushed off the door and stepped forward.

Jimin swallowed under the intensity of the stare that seemed to cling to him, still unaccustomed to the way Jungkook's gaze not only lingered but seemed to burrow beneath the surface of it's target.  “Ah, that's,” he started in response, hand lifting to run through his hair.  Of course, in the moment of surprise, he'd already used his free hand to secure the towel, and as he lifted his arm, his pajama pants fell to the floor, sending him into a flustered state all over again.  “,” he hissed as he bent over, but rather than pants and hardwood, it was dark hair he found in his line of sight.

A low chuckle rumbled from Jungkook's chest as he swiftly bent over to grab the pajama pants, holding them out for his roommate as he stood again.  It took all his control to refrain from commenting, but he wasn't ready to let up on the game yet.  He took too much joy in prodding Jimin to see how he could get him to react.  Or whether that precariously placed towel might just slip and expose the glorious thighs that were poorly concealed by most of the man's fitted slacks and jeans.  “We're heading out at eleven, right?” he asked as the pants were collected hastily.

Jimin's plump lips pursed for a moment as he considered the taller man across from him.  It was almost as if he was doing this intentionally. He wasn't about to suggest that, though, so instead he inhaled deeply and closed his eyes as he thought about timing.  “Actually, if we could be ready and heading out by quarter to, that'd be great. That way we can catch the train at 11, so we beat the worst of the lunch rush,” he suggested.  “You have a.... ah well.  Shower's yours,” he stumbled over his words, cheeks flushing yet a deeper shade of crimson.  As the bathroom door shut behind Jungkook, the older of the pair was certain he heard laughter bubbling out between the cracks.

An hour later, Jimin's fist rapped politely at the door of a tenth floor apartment, Jungkook standing behind him with his hands stuffed into the pockets of his pants.  He kept his eyes trained on the door, not daring to let them drift before they walked  into this party.  As it was, the shorter man was looking his best in a pair of fitted navy slacks and a grey button-up with the sleeves rolled up just below the elbows.  The worst – or best – part, though, Jungkook couldn't quite determine.  It was somewhere between the way the top button of the shirt had been left loose and the large, black, thick-rimmed glasses that framed his face.  
Jungkook was saved as the door swung open, and a familiar head of mint-green hair greeted them with the kind of smile even they rarely saw on the man.  “Jimin!  Jungkook! I'm glad you could make it,” Yoongi beamed, reaching out to take each of their hands as they stepped in.  It was enough to catch the maknae off guard, and he tilted his head as he started to remove his shoes.

Jimin hardly skipped a beat as he grabbed Yoongi's shoulders though, his only bright smile practically outshining that of the man of the hour.  “I'll be damned, you really did it, didn't you, hyung?  She's really the one!”  The older man braced himself as he was pulled into a tight embrace, but he laughed at the words and shoved a hand through his hair with a shrug as he was released.

“She really is,” Yoongi confirmed, nodding his head toward the living room.  Jungkook felt a knot in his stomach. He had known today would be different, perhaps difficult, even.  He just hadn't quite expected for his friend to be so... different.  It wasn't that Yoongi was an unhappy person, but the younger could not deny that he'd never seen him quite so light, so free of the concern that often possessed his features.  “Come on then,” their host turned, encouraging them to follow, “meet my fiancée.”

A soft giggle floated out of the living room, and as the three rounded the corner they were greeted by the sight of all of their friends, accompanied by a beautiful woman with hair that fell in waves to her mid-back.  She stood as they entered, offering the bow that Yoongi had taken the time to teach her during their trip back to Korea.  “Marie, this is Park Jimin, dancer extraordinaire, and Jeon Jungkook, youngest in the band and resident pain in the .  Guys, this is Marie St. Clair.”  There was a look of pride and total affection on his face as he spoke, eyes lingering on his bride to be.  Not one person in the room had ever seen their friend so completely enamoured with anyone or anything, and even in his discomfort, Jungkook had to admit it warmed him.  There were few people who deserved true happiness the way the brilliant producer did.

“I've heard so much about y'all!” Marie perked up as she stood, taking in each of the men before her. “Yoongi, you weren't kidding when you said Jungkook was tall,” she mused, looking up as a slight blush graced her cheeks.  Her hair was a dark sort of brown that resembled coffee, but about halfway down it transitioned to a deep purple that swirled into her curls and gave her a youthful, joyous sort of beauty.  Her heart was racing again as she looked between the two men, already having pushed herself socially that day.  “I... please have a seat,” she finally muttered, setting herself down again.

Before they could sit, Sumi came bouncing out from the washroom, her eyes going wide at the sight of the new arrivals.  “Sookbu Jimin!” squealed the child as she rushed forwards into his arms.  The man laughed as he lifted the girl into the air and squeezed her to his chest.

Behind him, Jungkook smiled at the scene and leaned down slightly to try and catch the girl's eyes.  “Hi Sumi-yah.  How are you today?”  He had a soft smile on his lips at the sight of the child, who always seemed to brighten his day.  Her head lifted from where it had come to rest on Jimin's shoulders, and then her eyes were going wide with awe, dropping open as she seemed to try to form some sort of speech.  Jungkook's smile grew at this, which in turn sent a bright pink flush to the girl's cheeks.

“H-hello, Jungkook-oppa,” Sumi stammered, pushing away from her uncle's arms.  Jimin drew his head back, eyebrow quirking as he set the girl down.  His gaze turned to Namjoon, who was scowling, and Jin, who was trying to hide a smile from his husband.

“Sweetheart,” Jin spoke quickly before Namjoon could start in, moving to kneel next to his daughter. “You call Jungkook sunbae or sookbu, remember?  Why did you call him oppa?”  He had to physically turn the child to get her to break her gaze upon the youngest man in the room, who was grinning from ear to ear at the encounter.

As she turned to face her father, a furious pout had formed on Sumi's face.  “But Appa!  Sookmo Marie calls Sookbu Yoongi Oppa!”  At this, Jin could no longer hold back the laughter that he'd been desperately trying to control.  Namjoon's frown deepened as he looked to Jungkook, who held up his arms in a show of innocence.

Jin's hand fell to his daughter's shoulder as he affectionately tugged one of her pigtails with the other.  “That's because they're close in age, Sumi.  It's like you call Eunjae-ah at school oppa, you understand?”  Sumi was still frowning, but her face paled in comparison to that of Namjoon, who was now standing from his place on the couch.

“Besides, Sookbu is going to marry Marie-sookmo, and you'd better not be planning to get married anytime soon,” he warned, trying to combat his admittedly absurd irritation with t