After five days of continuous work and finishing with college midterms, Jimin found himself lying on his bed with an exasperated sigh. He almost fell asleep from fatigue, had he not heard a loud knocking on the door.

“Come in,” he said tiredly and jolted awake at the sudden realization that Taehyung actually knocked for the first time, instead of usually barging in like the annoying roommate he was.

“Tae, what’s up?” He turned his head to face the other, who quietly got under the blanket with him and looked at Jimin with a sullen expression. It was unexpected and sort of a surprise for Jimin, since the two haven’t really sat down and talked for the past five days. While he was working his off, Taehyung had been hanging out with his fake boyfriend, Jungkook, so neither of them really had a sit-down time for each other.

Taehyung gave him a worried look before uttering in the lowest voice, almost to the point Jimin couldn’t hear him,

“… I really like him,” he whispered, before quickly covering his face with the blanket in embarrassment.

“’Him’, as in Jungkook, your client?” Jimin lifted back up the covers to see his friend’s red face and Taehyung nodded swiftly, before pulling back under the covers. Jimin chuckled at how cute the other was being while patting the of his blanket covered body.

“And what’s the problem? Do you think he won’t recuperate with your feelings, or is it about your job?” He asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

“Both.” Taehyung’s sigh was muffled under the blanket, and Jimin pulled back the covers once more. His roommate was acting like a teen girl falling in love for the first time since they’ve been close friends, and Jimin wasn’t sure if he was annoyed or happy for him. Maybe it was both. He gazed at his roommate to go on and Taehyung huff one big sigh before looking at him straight in the eye with a little more determination.

"I've had a small crush on him for a while, but the feeling keeps growing and now I can't stop thinking about him... Our contract is ending in four days, so I’m planning to confess before it ends. If he likes me back, I’m planning to quit my job. I know, this is the only job that’s flexible with my school schedule, but I’ll go look for another one if I have to. But if he doesn’t like me back, then I’m screwed,” The other groaned, and Jimin chuckled while he patted the other’s again in comfort.

“That sounds complicated. I wish you luck,” he said in response, and that’s when Taehyung suddenly changed his expression and gave him a sheepish grin.

“Can you meet him today? You’re not busy, right? He asked, eyes gleaming. And Jimin just stared back at him, arching a sly brow. There was no correlation whatsoever with Taehyung’s romantic troubles and Jimin meeting his fake boyfriend, but if Jimin meeting Jungkook made his friend at ease, then Jimin didn’t really mind. But then he was reminded that he was going to a book signing event which was a hang out (or date, Jimin wasn’t sure) with the bookworm in four hours.

“I’m going to 141th Street for a book signing event, but I think I can meet in the evening." He answered, and Taehyung nodded his head in agreement.

“Okay, that works. Jungkook said he would be there all day too, so meet us at the corner on the wishing alleyway by 8pm?” There was a slight redness in the other's cheeks as he gave Jimin a cheeky smile, and Jimin just nodded in confirmation. Taehyung was never this excited for someone for the two years Jimin has known him until this Jungkook guy came along. He wondered what made this guy so special, out of the other guys Taehyung had dated in the past.

“I can’t wait. Jungkook’s a really sweet guy, you’ll totally love him!" Taehyung's eye lit up like fireworks, and Jimin couldn't help but feel really happy for his friend to finally have the kind of happiness he couldn't give to the other. Even though this invitation was so sudden and out of the blue, Jimin couldn’t wait to meet the other.

'Hey, I'll be waiting in the cafe inside the bookstore in a few mins. Sorry for the late reminder, by the way, I was busy with work and school  :/' - Jiminnie

'No worries, I just got here.'

– Jungkook

As soon as he texted back, his body tensed when he heard the door open, and immediately loosened up when he saw it wasn’t the orange-haired bookworm.

Why was he so jumpy? He wasn’t sure if it was because he got to meet one of his favorite authors face to face or because he was hanging out with the other outside of café. He felt like it was the latter.

Exhaling a deep sigh, he tried to stop the butterflies in his stomach and calm himself down before he embarrasses himself before the other gets here. It wasn’t until five minutes after when the elder walked in with a bright smile on his face, and Jungkook felt his cheeks getting warmer by the second.

“I hope you didn’t wait too long! Let’s go.” Jimin pointed towards the bookstore inside, and Jungkook nodded as he followed in after.

After having a short discussion with his favorite author and getting his book signed, Jungkook got out the door with a huge sigh of relief. It was difficult to stay in that bookstore among hundreds of other people who were constantly chatting up with him and Jimin in line, and he was relieved that the immense social anxiety he felt had slowly faded.

“Well that was interesting,” Jimin followed out after him, and Jungkook leaned against the frame of the door, exhausted.

“You’re tired already?” The elder joked with an amused grin, and Jungkook managed to let out a small smile as he straightened up and stretched his arms.

“No, I’m fine. Do you have any plans after this?” He asked, and Jimin chuckled before dragging him out to streets. “Good, ‘cause there’s a nice vintage café that I wanted to show you! It’s a poetry-themed café, and I have so many poems I want to talk about with you!” The other smiled, pleased.

“Jungkook, is that you?” A thin and monotonous voice stopped Jungkook midway from crossing the street with Jimin, causing him to turn around to see the person behind the familiar voice. When he turned his whole body his eyes were caught by the piercing black eyes of the woman across from him, and he immediately halted. His body stayed frozen as his heart began pounding, and he broke down in cold sweat. He felt a lump forming in his throat when he slightly opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out as he was too shocked from seeing the person he had been trying to avoid for five whole years.

The numbers on the crosswalk began counting down and before a car was able to honk at Jungkook for standing in the middle of the street, Jimin quickly yanked him back safely towards the old mother whose eyes widened, from seeing Jungkook’s reaction which confirmed her suspicion that the boy in front of her was indeed, her very own son who had run away from home without a trace.

“... You've grown up a lot the past five years. How- how have you been, son?" His mother's tone was surprisingly warm to Jungkook's surprise and he shut his eyes tightly as he flinched, expecting her to suddenly change her demeanor into a demon and confront him and lash out at him with cruel words that would emotionally break him apart.

But nothing happened, and he slowly opened his eyes to see his mother gazing at him with no other emotions than slight shock and was it, happiness? He stared at her longer than he had intended, and realized then that she was the exact same as he had last seen her, except for having shorter hair and more wrinkles around her eyes. Him leaving five years ago didn’t seem to have such a devastating effect as he thought which kind of disappointed Jungkook inside.

“I… I’ve been well…” He stammered, eyes darting between his mother and the ground as this were the most uncomfortable and awkward situation he had ever felt in the eighteen years of his life. No offense to his mom and dad, but he didn’t ever want to contact his own parents after running away from home five years ago. He had been living without them just fine. Namjoon easily adapted into being a father figure for him and he was greater at treating Jungkook with love and care than his parents ever had done in those fourteen years, despite only being three years older than him.

“Jungkook, listen…” Jungkook felt Jimin stiffen beside him, and he looked to see Jimin staring back at him with alarmed eyes. Oh… Now that he thought about it, he never told the other his name. But it was a shame, having the other find out his name from this incident instead of formally introducing himself.

“Your father and I… We were looking for you all this time, and to suddenly find you here…” Suddenly, his mother’s grabbed onto his shoulders and shook him. Jungkook stepped back in shock but she held onto him, showing no signs of letting go.

“You’re coming home with me, son. Your father was so angry when you disappeared out of nowhere but you coming home will ease his mind. You’ve missed out on so many things, but better late than never, right? Come on,” and she grabbed his hands tightly, shoving past Jimin rudely as she tried to yank Jungkook to come follow her.

“Wait, mother,” Jungkook’s eyes went round in shock as he looked back at Jimin for help, and the other grabbed his other hand, yanking him back to their original spot. His mother turned around, eyebrows raised in question at the other who was also looking at her in distaste.

“Ma’am, I don’t think your son wants to go back with you.” Jimin frowned, and the old woman’s mouth twitched in irritation.

“And I think you should mind your own business, kid.” She gave him a look, before tugging back at the younger to move along. But Jungkook didn’t budge, heart pounding in fear as she began showing him the glare that he was always fearful of.

“Jeon Jungkook,” She hissed through her teeth, her sharp nails digging in his skin tight, and Jungkook’s face went pale while sweat started forming in his neck. “Move.”

And with that sharp command, the remaining confidence he ever thought he had within him suddenly went down the drain as he lowered his head in defeat and began moving along as his mother began walking away from Jimin. But not before he looked back at the other with trembling lips,

“I-I’m sorry, but I have to go. I-I’ll talk to you-“

"I'm his boyfriend," Jimin cut him off, answering with such confidence, and Jungkook almost fell as his legs started wobbling from nervousness. His mother almost stepped on her feet, looking at the two in shock, before staring directly at the younger in the eyes to see if they were lying but Jungkook quickly avoided eye contact by looking down at the floor.

"So, I have every right to step into whatever is going on in his life. And I don't appreciate you hurting Jungkook like this. He doesn't want to chat and catch up about life to the people who clearly abandoned him first, so we're going to leave now. Until the day comes that he changes his mind and decide to forgive you guys, I suggest you two to never meddle in his life again. Goodbye," Jimin answered icily, and Jungkook tried to hold his tears as he felt the other's strong hand grip his trembling hand tightly, and that was when he was really grateful to have met the elder. Jimin then pulled the woman’s hand away harshly, before guiding Jungkook back to the streets.

“Jeon Jungkook! You can’t just leave-“His mother’s yell was interrupted by the cars passing by, and Jungkook clung onto Jimin’s hands as if his life depended on it as they ran as fast as their legs could take them. His eyes were b with tears by this point, and he couldn’t help but choke a sob as soon as they stopped running and w