“Ah, Jungkook, you truly are good at everything you put your hands and mind to,” Yugyeom sighs, his breath turning white, as they pass through the front gates of their school. He's not even trying to hide the hint of envy in his voice.

 

“Oh?” Jungkook his eyebrow at his friend, titling his head to hide the burgeoning smirk at the corner of his lips.

 

Yugyeom throws him A Look and then he jabs his elbow into Jungkook's side. “That fake humility might fool Jimin-hyung, but not me,” he scoffs. “Dear friend, I know exactly how much of an arrogant bastard you can be,” he says matter-of-factly.

 

Jungkook cackles, throwing his head back. “Alright, Yugyeomie.”

 

“Seriously, though,” Yugyeom nudges Jungkook with his elbow, “singing was your only strength when you started, but now you're good at dancing and piano and you're getting better at acting.”

 

“You're still a much better dancer than I am though,” Jungkook points out. “You've got natural talent and you work super hard—that's an unbeatable combination.” Jungkook feels his eyes glaze over as as images of Jimin practising one of his many workshop pieces play in his mind. The older boy's short, stocky figure belied his ethereal aura and grace on the stage. Even the sweat rolling down the sides of his face somehow accentuating the elegance in his movements.

 

“...and get some carp bread?”

 

“Huh?” Jungkook blinks.

 

Yugyeom turns to face him. “I asked if you want to grab some carp bread before we hit the game centre.”

 

“Oh, yeah, sure,” Jungkook nods. “Your treat? I'm pretty sure you owe me,” Jungkook says with a cheeky grin.

 

“Ha! Not likely, but fine.”

 

It's an odd trigger, but at that moment Jungkook feels a pleasant swelling in his chest at the easy friendship he has with Yugyeom. They've only known each other for three years—when Yugyeom moved to Busan from Soeul—but Jungkook would easily say he's closer to Yugyeom than with people he's known for thrice as long. Maybe it's because Yugyeom sees Jungkook for who he is now rather than remaining stuck on how he used to be in the past.

 

“I'll promise I'll pay next time,” Jungkook says around a wide grin, throwing an arm around Yugyeom's shoulder.

 

“Oh, look, there's your fan-club president.” Yugyeom says airily as he points to one of the benches lining the other side of the road.

 

Jungkook tenses. He leverages his arm to pull Yugyeom so that they've swapped places on the pavement, ducking his head slightly to obscure his face. Jungkook doesn't hate the older boy's overly affectionate ways quite as much as he acts, but he's not in the mood today to be pawed and cooed at.

 

“Whoa, relax, he's not even looking this way. He's talking to some guy.”

 

“Really?”

 

Jungkook cautiously peers around Yugyeom's taller frame. Jimin is perched on a bench, his head hanging over the back and his feet in the air as his shoulders shake. Next to him, some tall, gangly guy shouts and gestures with his hands. He's wearing their school uniform, but Jungkook has never seen him before.

 

“Who's that?” Jungkook frowns.

 

“Dunno. One of Jimin-hyung's friends?” Yugyeom shrugs. “It's kinda cold today, I think I want ramyeon now instead of carp bread. Wanna head straight to the game centre? There's a convenience store right around the corner.”

 

“Yeah, sure,” Jungkook replies, his eyes fixed on Jimin and the strange guy.

 

 

 

 

----16/05/2016 Mon-----

jungkook-ah you like rap right? :D

13:05

 

not really...

13:27

 

:o

:c

:{

13:29

 

why'd you ask?

18:08

 

he asks me this now... >.>

18:38

btw a package came for you

18:39

 

cool. can you bring it to school tomorrow?

18:40

 

no :]

18:41

 

…???

18:42

 

punishment for sending your stuff to my address ;]

18:44

 

plus it's been a while since you've been over

hang out a bit

18:45

 

what time?

22:40

 

-----17/05/2016 Tues-----

hmmm i'm not sure yet. just text me when you're ready

08:04

 

i should be done by 6

11:23

 

my drama rehersal is gonna run a long. is half seven alright to swing by your place?

17:20

 

 

It's quarter past seven. Jungkook feels a crease form between his brow. Is this how everyone else feels when he forgets to text back?

 

Whatever. Jimin gave Jungkook the passcode to his apartment ages ago, he can just go get it himself. He's never used it when Jimin was already home, but Jungkook is aching to see which games he got in the mystery grab. He shoulders his bag and heads out for Jimin's apartment.

 

Jimin lives in a plush complex in the heart of Marine City. Jungkook's own parents aren't exactly poor, but Jungkook is always struck by the amenities at Jimin's disposal. His parents are hardly ever home though—more rarely at the same time—and his younger brother is away doing an exchange programme in Australia.

 

Jungkook has always been able to entertain himself, but it figures that someone as personable and affectionate as Jimin would get lonely. On days when he's feeling particularly smothered by the older boy, Jungkook reminds himself of this fact. Lately, though, the older boy hasn't been nearly as clingy. It's something that Jungkook should be glad for, but instead it leaves him feeling wrong-footed.

 

His watch reads twenty minutes to eight when Jungkook arrives at Jimin's place. If Jungkook remembers correctly, Jimin's mother should have just left for her shift at the hospital and Jimin's father should still be at the firm, probably in a meeting. Jungkook is half-expecting the place to be empty, but he's not expecting the lights to be on when he opens the door.

 

“Hyung?” Jungkook softly calls out as he stands in the entryway.

 

Jimin is usually there to greet Jungkook at the door, his face brightening with a smile as he beckons Jungkook inside.

 

The stillness and silence gives Jungkook pause. Although the older boy has said a hundred times that Jungkook is free to stop by whenever he likes, being here alone feels too much like trespassing. Jungkook is about to pull out his phone to call Jimin when he catches sight of Jimin's distinctive red converse trainers in the shoe rack.

 

“Hyung?” Jungkook calls a bit louder, toeing out of his own shoes. He places them in the corner of the entranceway, frowning when he sees an unfamiliar pair of dirty white trainers. They're too big to belong to Jimin, too masculine for Jimin's mother, and Jimin's father wouldn't be caught dead in anything that wasn't leather.

 

Jungkook creeps into the hallway, passing the living room and the kitchen. He stops outside Jimin's bedroom, his ears pricking when he hears murmuring and the shifting of sheets. Looks like Jimin crashed and fell asleep after practice. Jungkook delicately turns the doorknob and cracks the door open just enough to see. His mouth falls open.

 

Jimin is in his bed. He's not alone. He's lying on his back. There's another boy leaning over him—Jungkook recognises him. It's that boy Jimin was with on the bench. He's got his hands on either side of Jimin's head and Jimin has his hands wrapped around the guy's neck and...they're kissing. Their lips are unmistakeably pressed against each other and—

 

“Ahhh, Joon,” Jimin sighs, his eyelashes fluttering.

 

Jungkook closes the door. For a long moment he just stands there, his chest heaving as his words and his breath get caught in the back of his throat. He removes his hand from the doorknob and raises it to his own face; he can feel the heat even before he makes contact with his skin.

 

“Mph...”

 

The low grunt shocks Jungkook awake. He backs away from the door, slowly at first and then faster and faster. When his back his the wall of the corridor, he turns on his heel and makes a beeline for the front door. Jungkook jumps into his shoes and heads straight for the stairs.

 

Dum! Dum! Dum! Dum! His footsteps and his breathing and his heartbeat all morph into a singular sound that reverberates in the stillness of the stairwell.

 

Ahhh, Joon...

 

Jungkook gasps. He has only a second to realise neither of his feet are touching the floor before pain explodes in his shoulder and ripples down his spine.

 

“Ahhhh, ,” he groans. He lies sprawled on the floor for a few moments, catching his breath, before he pushes himself up into a sitting position. The cool tile eases the pain in Jungkook's back a bit, so he just sits there.

 

The number plate on nearest landing tells Jungkook that he got all of seven floors down before his tumble. That means he's still got...fifteen floors until the lobby. Jungkook heaves a sigh and shakes his head. He's half-tempted to just go inside the main building and take the lift the rest of the way down, but now that he's had a breather he can already feel the nervous energy returning to his body. Rolling his shoulders to release tension, he stumbles to his feet and resumes his trek down the stairs. He walks.

 

Although his breathing has calmed, Jungkook can still hear his blood rushing in his ears, can almost hear his heart pounding against his ribcage. Louder still is Jimin's soft, breathy moan. The mantra plays on endless loop in Jungkook's mind as he makes his way home. Joon, Joon, Joon...

 

 

 

 

“Jungkook-ah!”

 

Jungkook freezes in his tracks.

 

“Hey, Jungkook,” Jimin smiles. It's bright and warm like sunshine, but it leaves Jungkook cold. “I feel like I haven't seen you in ages,” Jimin pouts, casually throwing his arm around Jungkook's shoulder. “Have you been avoiding me?”

 

Yes.

 

“No.” Jungkook's hand clenches into a fist at his side. “Just been doing some extra work to prepare for exams before summer break.”

 

Jimin starts walking forward, his arm tugging Jungkook along. “So studious. I've actually been a bit preoccupied myself,” Jimin admits.

 

I know.

 

“With what?” Jungkook wonders if he sounds as uninterested in Jimin's reply as he feels.

 

“Hmmm, well, it's more of a who than a what,” Jimin giggles, leaning in to rest his head against Jungkook's shoulder.

 

I saw you. With him.

 

“It's this new transfer student that I'm tutoring. His name is Namjoon—“

 

Joon...

 

“— and he's a great writer and an amazing rapper—remind me to email you one of his underground videos—and he could be a half decent singer with some proper training, but he's such a clumsy dancer.”

 

Jungkook hums non-committally.

 

“He's almost like two different people at once: cool, charismatic rapper and awkward dork. It's so charming.”

 

Jungkook presses his lips together so hard he can feel his teeth about to break the skin inside his mouth.

 

“Hey, Jungkook.” Jimin gives Jungkook's shoulder a light shake.

 

Jungkook tries not to wince as he turns to face Jimin. “Yes?”

 

He sees an unfamiliar expression on the older boy's face. It's serious, but not in the way it gets when he works out or practises a routine or studies for a an exam.

 

“What is it, hyung?” Jungkook blinks, feeling like he's being put on the spot. He can see Jimin's throat move as he swallows before he replies.

 

“I really, really like him.” It's a confession and an absolution. “He makes me feel...” The soft smile is back, making Jimin's eyes disappear in a way Jungkook secretly finds cute. “I mean, he just makes me feel,” Jimin laughs helplessly.

 

“I'm happy for you, hyung.” Jungkook expected the words to stay stuck in his throat, but they fall from his tongue easily. “Does this mean you'll be too caught up to bother me?” Jungkook has never imagined he could be so disappointed to have to ask that question.

 

“Of course not,” Jimin laughs, lightly slapping Jungkook's chest.

 

“Pity,” Jungkook quips even as he suppresses a smile.

 

Jimin slaps him again. “To economise on time, I might just drag you along on our dates.”

 

“No, I'd rather you just stop bugging me altogether.” Jungkook can't hide his wince this time.

 

“You little brat.”

 

Jungkook doges a kick aimed at his shin.

 

“You're lucky you're so cute. I can't stay mad at you.” Jimin clicks his tongue before pulling Jungkook back into his clutches.

 

“You love me too much.”

 

“That I do,” Jimin says wistful, a fond smile on his face.

 

Jungkook hesitantly returns the smile.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“So, how did you do on your exams?” The fatigue in Yugyeom's voice is the only hint that he's in bed with the flu.

 

“Not too bad.” Jungkook shrugs as he reclines on his bed.

 

“Okay, that means you're top of the year,” Yugyeom says flatly.

 

Jungkook chuckles. “No, I'm only in the top ten.” If Yugyeom were in the same room, Jungkook knows his friend would throw something at him.

 

“Only the top ten? Jungkook-ah, you're slipping.”

 

Jungkook lets go of his phone, taking a moment to roll on his bed and laugh.

 

“...better than...peace with it...”

 

“Yeah, I'm here.” Jungkook retrieves his phone and hooks it between his ear and shoulder. “Say that again.”

 

“I was just saying that you sound like you've finally gotten over Jimin-hyung.”

 

Jungkook stiffens in shock. “...What?”

 

Yugyeom scoffs. “I told you, you can't fool me. I know you've had a stupid crush on him for ages.”

 

“I did?” Jungkook squeaks, his hand squeezing his phone.

 

In the ensuing silence, Jungkook can practically see Yugyeom blink and frown. “...You really didn't know?”

 

“No. I mean...well, not really.”

 

“Jungkook-ah...”

 

If he's being blatantly honest with himself, some of Jungkook's earlier reactions are now making a whole lot of sense, but he doesn't like the idea that his friend, even—arguably—his best friend, knew about something that Jungkook is only just now getting his head around.

 

“I know your pride has made you go silent, but that's alright. It's alright. So long we're on the same page now.”

 

“Yeah, we are.” Jungkook nods.

 

“How are things going with that Taehyung guy you were talking to? He still still talking in cursive?”

 

Jungkook chuckles helplessly. “He's unique, but that's his charm,” Jungkook smiles.