One

A world for two

 

One



Someone had been ringing the doorbell insistently for at least fifteen consecutive minutes.

At first, Jungkook had simply decided to ignore it. For once, he had a human schedule. No lecture until afternoon. Therefore, whoever it was would have to get over it. Jungkook wasn't going to answer.

However, the trill didn't seem to stop anytime soon. The ring started to follow a rhythm of three and every time, it came back more powerful and Jungkook was done. He had no choice but to sneak out of his warm and comfortable cocoon of blankets and crawl barefoot toward the entrance.

With eyes still closed and a look not in the slightest threatening, he opened the door.

Something hit his face. Jungkook let out a high pitched scream.

"Jeon Jungkook! What the hell did you think you were doing?” The thing that had slapped his face was replaced by the furious face of Kim Taehyung. Jungkook was not sure if it was an improvement.

Confused, he rubbed his eyes, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep.

“Taehyung, it’s too early for one of your scenes,” he grumbled but stepped aside to let him in anyway. He didn't want for him to wake up the whole neighborhood.

Taehyung entered, stomping his feet and he shut the door behind him with a crash.

"My scenes? My scenes?!” continued his best friend.

Jungkook looked puzzled and if possible, that angered more Taehyung.

"Do you think I like talk to the walls? What did I tell you yesterday? Do not do anything stupid and I thought, ‘what could he possibly do in less than 24 hours?’” Taehyung threw his arms in the air and then took his cell phone from his pocket and shoved it under Jungkook's nose.

"Act of vandalism at the new supermarket…," Jungkook read. Oops. The blood froze in his veins.

"I didn’t…," his hands started shaking as he zoomed in on the article. A part of him had hoped that he had dreamed that part. Or that during his sleep it would have been like nothing had happened.

"I know it was you Kookie! You were lucky that they didn't install the CCTV yet! But really, what were you thinking?” Taehyung scolded him again.

Jungkook seemed unable to generate a proper answer.

"I thought- I..didn't think actually,” he concluded painfully, running a hand over his face, worried. The fact that the great Jeon Jungkook lowered himself to admit that he messed up big time… it was an event that happened once every five years, because Jungkook was more stubborn than a camel in the desert.

That fact seemed to soften Taehyung almost immediately and to his surprise, or maybe not, Jungkook felt himself embraced. They had only one year apart but damn, Taehyung often acted like the older brother. Which was ridiculous because Taehyung had succeeded in making a cactus die. Yet he took care of Jungkook like no other.

"I'm an idiot,” Jungkook whispered over his shoulder.

"Mmhmm," was the only thing Taehyung replied. Sometimes he thought Taehyung was too good. In general. Especially with him.

At that time both of their stomachs grumbled.

"Let's eat something!" he said after a while, putting more physical distance between the two, and giving him a painful slap on the back. He was probably embarrassed by their sentimental moment. Taehyung was the guy who took you by the hand and then kicked you in the shin just to balance the situation.

"I didn't have breakfast before coming here and I'm hungry,” he said accusingly.

Accustomed to his ways of an arrogant cat, Jungkook nodded and together they moved to the kitchen.


It was then, seeing him sitting alone, that Jungkook noticed something strange.

"Where is Hoseok?" he asked as he took the milk from the fridge. It was so unusual to see one without the other, he thought. Jungkook was pretty sure those two barely disentangled themselves except for when they had to go to the toilet. Maybe not even then (with Taehyung you never knew).

"At work of course. Or he would be here kicking your . He had to replace a colleague in the hospital,” Taehyung sighed dreamily.

Jungkook smiled. Number 2’s.

“Now, don't try to change the subject."

Jungkook caught in the act, tried another tactic.

"But I gave you my coupon yesterday! A weekend for two, for you and Hobi, remember?” Jungkook smiled from ear to ear. He didn't believe himself either and he was sure that his smile was faintly hysterical.

"The supermarket gave it to me. You just destroyed the façade."

"I did not destroy the façade,” Jungkook said sheepishly, as he let the pack of cookies fall on the table.

"No, just the screen that covered it."

Jungkook sighed and sat down at the table, assaulting said cookies.

"You destroyed my face with whatever you used to hit me."

"Now don't be a wimp, it was a single music sheet.”

Jungkook glared at him, but he preferred to keep eating rather than commenting.

"It's been a while since it was just the two of us,” continued Taehyung. "This obviously has created holes in your head, dummy,” he spoke as usual with his mouth full.

"Eww. You are disgusting.”

Taehyung opened his mouth on purpose.

At 15 Jungkook, crushed by his fate, had watched his best friend, Taehyung, and had hoped the latter would tell him ‘surprise I'm your number one.’ Good thing that crazy thought had gone away. Hoseok had to witness this sad spectacle for the rest of his life.

"...You," he said after a while. Taehyung looked at him while stuffing himself like a pig.

"Do you think my parents will ever find out?” Jungkook asked hopefully.

 



Jimin thought time had stopped. Because he had been there for a good half a minute and Seokjin was still looking him straight in the face without blinking. Which was creepy.

Namjoon had managed to break a cup in the meantime.

"Jin, are you ok?” Jimin asked worriedly.

Namjoon came back and sat down on the couch and only then Jin seemed to recover. His perfect face turned crimson with embarrassment.

"I apologize, it's just- I'm surprised?"

"Just a little," Namjoon poked him back with a new cup.

Jin elbowed him. "I hope for your sake that you weren't using my favorite mug,” he warned menacingly.

"I could never,” Namjoon replied and Jimin was sure that he had bought a second set just in case. It made him chuckle.

Jimin was glad Seokjin's number one, Namjoon, was there. Where Seokjin was apprehensive, Namjoon was calm and logical. They were the most unconventional pair of number 2’s that Jimin had ever known.

Jimin secretly found them hilarious.

"I'm happy for you? If you are, Jimin, of course,” Seokjin added, looking at him with infinite tenderness. Jimin settled on the couch, a little uncomfortable.

"I'm not crazily happy." Jimin shook his head. He wasn't sure how to give voice to the whirlwind of thoughts in his head. On one hand he had always looked for love, no matter what. On the other, he had always hated arranged marriages between zeroes. He had seen them with indignation and had considered those zeroes weak.

He realized now how much of an arrogant brat he was in the past. He didn't know back then what it meant to lie with open eyes for infinite hours of the night and have no more dreams left.

"On the paper he looks like a good guy,” Jimin stopped, to continue with a more confident tone, "I have no illusions. I know that a zero marriage ends badly most of the times. But I would like t ... whoever he is, if he wants it, I'd like to try to be there for him."

It sounded too delusional to his own ears. The thought of number zeroes seeking company— of them possibly making it work, was alien.

“Jimin," Seokjin got stuck in his throat for the intensity of his emotions.

“Ok," Namjoon intervened, trying to take control of the situation. Jimin was thankful because he wasn't sure he would be able to maintain his composure and not burst into tears, for example. "Jimin, Jin and I will support you, whatever your decision. We love you, you know, and we would also love your new partner. " Seokjin nodded fervently to the words of his soul mate and Jimin felt overwhelmed with gratitude.

Zero partners were not well seen between the number 2’s. Many said, with immense ignorance, things like ‘better to die than being with a fake soul mate.’ The sad thing wasn't only what the number 2’s said. No. Since they were born, the number 2’s went through the stages of life with the certainty of not being alone in this world, with the certainty that someone was made especially for them. A nice character or look didn't matter. Jimin had hated them for it, but it was to be expected. The sad thing, however, was that the same zeroes uttered those words. The social conditioning was so deep that every zero had considered the possibility of dying. Even Jimin.

Most of the number 2’s preferred not to know what zero numbers did and gladly let themselves be fooled by the attempts of zeroes to seem normal. As long as no one ever knew, the farce was well accepted.

Seokjin and Namjoon thought otherwise.

Seokjin came from a family of three generations of number 2's and logic wanted him to be one of those number 2's with no heart. Seokjin instead possessed a different sensibility from his family and the number 2's. The most important encounters of his life had cemented his beliefs: the encounter with his number one Kim Namjoon; and the meeting with his best friend number zero Jimin.

Both Seokjin and Namjoon were volunteers for the associations which promoted the rights of the zero numbers. The family of Seokjin had disowned.

"I'm going to make a cup of tea, ok?" Seokjin suddenly said, standing up. Seokjin was one of those creatures who thought that tea could raise any atmosphere. It was Jimin’s turn to nod.

"So, when's the meeting?" Namjoon asked casually, once Jin was gone.

"I don't know. My parents told me sometime next week."

"Are you nervous?"

"A little,” said Jimin. "Actually, no, I'm terrified," he admitted finally.

"It's normal. I was too when I had to meet Jinnie."

"But Seokjin is your soulmate,” Jimin exclaimed, surprised.

Namjoon smiled.

"Have you seen me? I was and still am a disaster. I thought that even my soul mate would run like hell."

Jimin laughed, but soon returned seriously.

"I... am I doing the right thing?"

"Jimin, there's nothing wrong. Believe me, there's nothing wrong in this."

"Thanks," Jimin closed his eyes and let the words heal a bit of his wounds.

When Jin returned with the tea, some of the nervousness that Jimin had those days, from the day of announcement, was gone. He was still scared to death.

But at least he had the support of his friends.





Taehyung left early because he had music lessons late in the morning and a lot of things to do. Jungkook shamefully went back to sleep and he woke up only at noon to eat something and go to class. He felt a little nervous but if no one came to get him, it meant that they didn't know that he was the responsible for the act of vandalism.

Jungkook, that afternoon, took notes furiously. He was an idiot. Taehyung was right. Taehyung, who had put a rubber worm up his nose for a bet.

As for the rest of the afternoon, nothing happened. And when his classes ended, Jungkook deduced that nothing going to happen and so he stopped torturing himself. The police were tremendously fast when it came to number zeroes and if they didn't find him until then, they wouldn't in the future.

His cell phone rang. Jungkook almost tripped on the sidewalk. That afternoon, his paranoia stopped him from taking his bike.

"Dad," said Jungkook answering the phone.

"Jungkook, where are you? Your mother and I are under your apartment.”

Oh.

"Oh, okay. I'm coming back. 10 minutes and I'll be there."And he hung up.

Jungkook was 23 but every time he spoke with his parents he felt 17. It was also his fault. He had given a lot of headaches to his parents, but it was also true that his parents didn't take him seriously. They had allowed him to go to live alone. And that was it.

"Jungkook dear,” his mother greeted him affectionately. Jungkook let her lift his cheek and watch him for good. He looked down.

"Son," his father told him, formal but not unkindly. "Can we go?" Jungkook nodded.

Jungkook your parents love you, fifteen years before Taehyung had said those words, and he had clung to them with all his might.

Jungkook sighed. His parents were not bad, they loved him and he loved them too. And yet he had tried to put as much distance as possible between them.

He knew then, as now, that a part of his parents, no matter how well hidden or how infinitesimal, would have always seen him as their biggest failure.

 

 

 

 

Author's note: We met vhope. Now Namjin. Jikook is coming! Thank you so much for reading and leaving feedback. No proofread. I'm so so tired. Forgive me. Tomorrow I'll re read it.
https://www.tumblr.com/blog/iwaslookingforhope

 

 

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selena32197
41 streak #1
Chapter 35: Wow, it's amazing how you created such a beautiful and unique fanfic from your friend's comment. And the fact that you dreamed about it and remembered it too. This was a great journey that I'm glad I was able to be a part of :')
selena32197
41 streak #2
Chapter 34: I live for Jimin sassily correcting the cashier
selena32197
41 streak #3
Chapter 33: It's sad how their meeting wasn't as perfect as it ahould've been and that they might not even be each other's soulmates :( but I'm glad their relationship's healthy and loving now!!
selena32197
41 streak #4
Chapter 32: Ahh, this chapter was really cute with vhope!! :')
selena32197
41 streak #5
Chapter 30: A split soul and heart sounds hard to deal with :( but I'm glad things are finally sorted now!!
selena32197
41 streak #6
Chapter 29: I was so ready for things to be all fluffy between Jungkook and Jimin, but with you as the author, I'm not too surprised from the cliffhangers anymore : ) Oops I Did It Again is one of my favorite songs by her though :')
selena32197
41 streak #7
Chapter 28: This was a sad and beautiful chapter. The details to Yoongi's and yoonmin's backstory was great. I would love to give you as many compliments as I can give you
selena32197
41 streak #8
Chapter 27: Jungkook is finally ready to accept his feelings (yay!) but confrontation with Yoongi (ejdjsk)
selena32197
41 streak #9
Chapter 26: oHHh sNAp
selena32197
41 streak #10
Chapter 25: This is going to get interesting