“Look what I got,” Yoongi sang out through an excited gummy smile. Jimin looked up from his spot on the kitchen counter, he placed his piece of toast back on his plate, “What have you got?” he asked dusting the crumbs off his jeans. Yoongi pulled a bow-tied bouquet of broccoli stalks from behind his back and tossed it into his boyfriend’s hands. “What the hell is this supposed to be?” Jimin asked looking the broccoli over, “You know, most boyfriends give bouquets of flowers not produce.”

“That, is my very first contribution to our groceries,” Yoongi explained as he closed in on his boyfriend, he placed his hands on his boyfriend’s muscular thighs and smiled proudly up at him. He felt so accomplished. Jimin laughed, “What? You woke up early for broccoli?” he asked skeptically, “Please tell me there’s more.” 

“Well duh, the rest of the groceries are over there, Jimin,” Yoongi answered nodding towards the door where 4 large grocery bags sat idly on the floor. “So what’s so significant about the broccoli?” Jimin curiously asked as he shoved his phone in his pocket and retrieved his toast. “It’s the first thing the cashier scanned, which means it’s the first grocery I’ve ever bought,” Yoongi said pointing at the tiny green trees, “Isn’t that exciting?” 

Jimin tossed the broccoli into the sink and shrugged, “All that matters is that it’s important to you Yoongi-hyung,” he patronized while pinching his boyfriend’s nose. “Whatever Jimin,” Yoongi mumbled smacking away his boyfriend’s hand. Jimin threw his arms around his boyfriend’s neck, “Aww don’t be like that, I’ll make sure we eat the broccoli deliciously tonight to commemorate your first purchase,” he promised smoothing down the back of Yoongi’s hair, “But for right now I have to go to work.”

He pushed Yoongi away and hopped off the counter, he side-stepped the groceries and ran out of the apartment. “I didn’t even get a thank you for buying all this crap,” Yoongi complained through a pout as he scooped up a couple of the bags.

“Hey Jiminnie, there’s someone seated in your section,” one of Jimin’s co-workers informed him with a nod of her head. He grabbed his order pad and made his way over to the booth where a woman sat.

“Annyeong-haseyo, my name is Jimin and I’ll be your server this afternoon,” he formally greeted with a bow, “Can I start you off with something to drink? Perhaps black tea?” “I didn’t come here to eat Jimin-ah,” the woman said flashing him a freakishly familiar gummy smile, “Please have a seat.” “Um OK,” Jimin hesitantly agreed as he eased into the booth across from the woman. 

“If you’re not here to eat, then what do you want?” he asked her curiously. “To speak with you of course,” she told him as she crossed her legs beneath the table. “About what?” Jimin asked. “My son, Min Yoongi,” she revealed. ‘That’s why she looks so creepily familiar. It’s crazy how much he looks like his mom,’ Jimin thought with a mental shudder, “What about Yoongi?” he inquired. 

“Mr. Park, are you aware that my son was next in line to run our company?” Mrs. Min asked him lacing her fingers together on the tabletop. Jimin nodded, “Yes ma’am I am very aware, I’m also aware that he doesn’t want to run your company,” he confidently answered mirroring her hand movements. “Or so he thinks,” she undermined with a shrug. “I’m certain he’s sure,” Jimin retorted.

“The only reason Yoongi thinks he doesn’t want to run the company is because you planted a bug in his brain,” she blatantly accused while pointing at him. Jimin snorted, “I did what?” he laughed out incredulously. Mrs. Min nodded and explained, “He was just fine and happy with stepping up to run the company, but then you pop up and persuaded him to think otherwise. He was sure that he wanted to succeed his father, but then you made him all confused.”

“He was not confused lady,” Jimin rudely snapped, “He plainly told me that he was only going to run the company because it’s what you and your husband wanted him to do. He wants to be a photographer, and he’s a very good one.”

Mrs. Min was angry now, “Listen here you little brat, Yoongi has a duty to his parents. Since you’re an orphan and you don’t understand what it means to do right by your parents, I’ll explain it to you: he’s supposed to do what is expected of him, that’s what a good responsible son would do. He can do his stupid little picture thing on the side, if he has time,  but what’s important is that he takes over our company when the time comes,” she adamantly told him. 

“No he’s supposed to do what makes him happy. As his parents you’re supposed to want him to do what makes him happy, not try to force him to do something that will make him miserable in the long run. Even an orphan like me knows that,” Jimin angrily countered, his thick dark brows furrowed.

“But he would be rich,” Mrs. Min interjected, “he could learn to love it later. We aren’t just thinking about the well-being of our company, we’re also thinking about the well-being of our son. Mr. Park, can you promise that his photography passion can make him as wealthy as he would be if he ran the company? Can you promise even half the wealth? A third? A quarter? Our son is used to being well off, do you honestly think your little apartment and string of odd jobs can compensate for the millions he will be missing out on? Do you think he’ll stick around when this photography nonsense fails and he’s broke? He’ll come back, begging for us to forgive him, you’re only an obstacle prolonging the inevitable,” she smugly told him.

She knew she was back in control of the conversation.

Jimin sat back quietly, would Yoongi really do that? Would Yoongi really run away at the first sign of hardship? Would he just give up if things don’t progress quickly enough? Would Jimin not be enough to keep Yoongi going? Would he miss his money that much?

“How about we just eliminate the long road ahead of us?” she asked pulling her checkbook out of her designer handbag. 

She tore off a fresh check and slid it over to him along with an ink pen, “How much is it going to take for you to break up with Yoongi so he can come to his senses? Write down any number and I’ll sign the check right now, you can cash it in after your shift,” she offered with a charming smile, “The sooner you do this, the sooner Yoongi can resume his duties, my husband and I can be happy, and you can be however-many-dollars richer. Everyone’s happy and the world keeps spinning.” 

‘What kind of person does this woman think I am?’ he thought in disgust, his boyfriend’s mom was actually trying to buy him off. Though Jimin was having minor doubts, he still knew that he was right; he wasn’t about to give in to Mrs. Min’s manipulations, no amount of money she could offer would make him leave Yoongi.

He grabbed the pen and scribbled something down on the check and slid both items back over to her, “Not Gonna Happen,” she read the English words out loud. “Such terrible penmanship and improper English,” she chastised in a condescending tone. “Fine, I guess you and he will both have to learn the hard way,” she added with a shrug, “Just remember that, when this thing falls apart, it will be 100% your fault for ruining my son’s future.” 

“You should have more confidence in your son Mrs. Min, he has the same determination and drive as you and your husband. He’ll get to where he wants to be fast,” Jimin said shoving his order pad into his apron pocket and standing up. It sounded good out loud, but Jimin wasn’t completely sure he believed himself.  “Have a nice day, Mrs. Min,” he respectfully told her with a bow before walking off, he wanted to leave before she said anything to make him doubt his boyfriend further.

Yoongi propped his head up in his hand and stared at his boyfriend curiously. Jimin had barely said anything to him since he’d gotten home from work, he’d never seen his boyfriend so…quiet. “Jimin, what’s wrong with you?” he asked running his hand over the younger’s exposed thigh. “Nothing Yoongi-hyung,” Jimin said as he pushed his eyeglasses back up onto his nose. 

He continued to play his game on his tablet and tried to ignore his boyfriend’s persistent stare. Yoongi grabbed Jimin’s tablet and tossed it toward the edge of the mat, “Now you know I don’t believe you right?” he asked pushing his boyfriend onto his back, “tell me what’s wrong Jimin.” Jimin crossed his arms and looked away, he didn’t want to talk about it. He didn’t want Yoongi to know he was having doubts. 

“If I did something wrong, then tell me what it is,” Yoongi said hovering over his boyfriend, he was becoming annoyed with this sudden silent treatment, “Jimin tell me what I did,” he pried as he poked his boyfriend’s sides. “It’s not what you did, it’s what you might do,” Jimin blurted out.

Yoongi sat back and asked, “What I might do? What the hell are you talking about?” He was even more confused, “What do you think I might do?” he questioned. Jimin sat up and tightened the drawstrings of his hood around his face, “Give up,” he admitted through the scrunched up opening. Yoongi rolled his eyes and reached over to loosen his boyfriend’s hood, “Give up on what Jimin?” he asked scooting closer, “Us? Or myself?” 

“Everything,” Jimin answered hopping to his feet, “What if things don’t go right and you decide to run your parent’s company instead? What if you decide that having a lot of money is more important that your passion? What if it never works out? Then you would’ve disappointed your parents for nothing.” 

“Where is all of this coming from Jimin?” Yoongi asked grabbing his boyfriend’s hand and yanking him back down onto the mat, “A couple of weeks ago we were reading over my interview and planning my next step and now you’re doubting my level of commitment to my future? I know it’s not going to be easy, I’ll have to do without things that I’m used to, but I know it’s worth the struggle. To say that I succeeded on my own and that I’m doing what I love, is worth the struggle.”

“I know you believe that now,” Jimin said, his voice filled with uncertainty, “But some things are easier said than done, you’ve never known a true struggle before; everything’s always been handed to you. You’re used to instantaneous results, what if you become impatient?” 

“So you think that at the first sign of trouble I’ll just say, ‘ it,’ and return to my parents?” Yoongi asked incredulously, “You have to have more faith in me than that, Jimin. You just have to, because otherwise you wouldn’t have helped me get this far. I succeed at everything I set my mind to and I’m determined to become a photographer.  You pushed me to believe in my passion again. You made me believe in myself again. You gave me the courage, confidence, and clarity I needed to stand up to my parents and go my own way. You helped me see that I can do it, and now that I know I can, I’m going to make sure it happens for me. The least you can do is continue to believe in me, don’t start to doubt me now, that’s very wishy-washy of you.”

Jimin sighed and nodded, “It is very wishy-washy of me,” he agreed, “I’m sorry. You know I believe you can do it, I just had a brief lapse in confidence.” 

Yoongi nodded his acceptance and watched Jimin stand up again, “C’mon let’s go chop up your commemorative broccoli for stir-fry,” the younger said. He was already feeling better after their little talk, but Yoongi wasn’t quite convinced yet. “Not until you tell me what happened at work today,” Yoongi denied shaking his head. 

Jimin tossed a nervous smile his boyfriend’s way, “What makes you think something happened?” he asked. “Because you ran out of here this morning your normal happy self, and then you came back looking like someone spat in your face. Clearly something happened between then and now, so tell me what it was,” Yoongi demanded, he crossed his arms and waited patiently. 

Jimin swallowed hard, no use in lying, “Your mother dropped by for a visit,” he revealed as he shoved his hands into his pockets. Yoongi’s face became very serious, “What did she say Jimin?” he questioned. When the younger remained silent, Yoongi had figured it out, “She’s the one who made you think that I’m a quitter right? She told you that’s I’d run at the first sign of trouble?” Jimin slowly nodded, “She also offered me money to break up with you.”

OK now he was pissed off, “Are you ing serious?” he yelled out, “My mother actually tried to pay you off? Does she think you’re that selfish and shallow and desperate?” Jimin nodded again, “How much?” the elder queried, “Any amount I wanted, she gave me a blank check,” Jimin responded.

“Why didn’t you tell me this earlier?” Yoongi yelled as he hopped to his feet. “Because I didn’t want to make you angrier with your parents,” Jimin slowly answered as he watched Yoongi pull on his jacket. “Too late,” Yoongi growled as he grabbed his keys off the hook and pulled on his shoes. “Where are you going hyung?” Jimin frantically asked his livid boyfriend. 

“Where do you think?” Yoongi called over his shoulder as he exited the apartment.