As Jungkook waited for time to pass and the ceremony to begin, he could hear people gathering in the great hall. He was in a room not far from the hall, so he could hear the voices of their guests as they made their way toward the room. This made him a whole lot more nervous than he already was because the thought of at least a hundred eyes on him did not do his stage fright any good. Even more, the people he was going to stand in front of were some of his closest friends and relatives. He didn't know if he could do it.

 

 

 

"You can do it, Jungkookie! I know you can!" a soft but cheery voice told him.

 

Jungkook stood up and walked to the mirror, fixing himself in his crisp, black suit he had reserved for that special evening. And for the first time in that afternoon, amidst all the headaches and butterflies, he smiled.

 

 

 

 

"Yeah, I can."

 

 

 

 

 

With the doors to the hall still closed, he could hear soft music playing already, indicating the start of the ceremony. After a few seconds, it was his turn to enter and the nervousness started to bubble up in his stomach again as all eyes turned to look at him.

He returned the small smiles their teary-eyed guests gave him, thankful that this event was to be shared with only some of the closest people he knew. Further along down the aisle, he saw his, their, best friends, looking at him with encouraging smiles and his heart managed to slow down as he reached the front, facing the love of his life.

 

 

After a few words from the pastor, it was finally his turn to talk. The butterflies in his stomach refused to die down as he received the mic, but he believed he was calm enough to get through it. For him.

 

 

 

For Jimin.

 

 

 

 

 

"To be honest," he cleared his throat, "I didn't really think I'd ever get to do this in my lifetime. Especially with me the one walking down the aisle,” he half-joked. “But seeing how many of you came and how much you all love us, I couldn't bring myself to back out now. Besides, when have I ever been given the chance to skip out on him, right?" Everyone laughed as he gestured toward his lover.

"Since this isn't really a formal ceremony, would it be okay for me to share with you guys the story of how we met? I know some of you already know but I promise it won't be very long. It won't last for 10 seasons, I swear," he said jokingly, making the guests laugh again. With smiles on their faces, they nodded at him.

 

Jungkook smiled. "I don't think we were even supposed to meet anyway." He gazed lovingly at Jimin. "Someone up there must have had it in for us."

 

 

 

 

 

 

" ― no, no, coach, I can still play. Come on, it's 5 'til half-time and we're only leading by 10. You need me. If I can just―"

"As much as I agree," the coach cuts him off, "I'd rather have you temporarily injured than permanently. So if you still want to be part of my team, go with him to get patched up," he gestured to their left where a student assigned for first aid was standing, waiting.

"But that number 18's one foul away from graduating, if you'd just let me―"

"No, Jungkook." The hand on his shoulder gripping him like an iron clamp made him wince. "Go with him and get patched up," the coach repeated with a stern tone, turning his back on Jungkook to attend to his other team members.

 

 

 

In the locker room, Jungkook was beyond furious. He could have been there, winning the game for his team against their rival school, something they'd been training vigorously for ever since they lost during the finals last season. He knew his coach knew he was the best player, which would probably be why he was also targeted during the game, but he knew he could still play. The pain in his ankle was no biggie anyway, that's why he wondered why his coach was making such a big deal out of it. He wanted to pace around the room because he had a strategy, the whole team talked about it for a whole week before the match, so he had to think about a new one immediately since―

"Your coach was right, you know."

Jungkook blinked, snapping out of his revere to focus on the man before him, tending to his injury. "What?"

"About not letting you play anymore."

The guy was bent over, his face hovering above Jungkook's foot. The injured boy had half the mind to knock the medic's teeth out right then and there but decided to scoff instead. "Who are you, anyway?"

 

“Park Jimin, student volunteer,” he said without looking up. “You’re going to have to alternate applying cold and warm compresses on this when you get home. And you’re going to have to replace the gauze every day.”

Jungkook huffed in annoyance. He was covered in sweat and didn’t even get to cool down after playing. He didn’t need this right now. “I know what a sprain looks like, okay. I’ve been playing basketball almost my whole life, okay? I’ve had sprains since, like, forever.”

“Then you should know,” Jimin replied as he finished up, hooking a metal piece to the cloth wrapped around the athlete’s ankle, “that this isn’t an ordinary sprain. Since you’ve been having them for, like, forever,” he mocked, making Jungkook’s scowl deepen, “you should know that if you had continued to play, you wouldn’t have been able to play anymore. I doubt you could have even walked properly had you pushed yourself to continue playing.”

The athlete was about to protest, to proclaim that he was fine and that he could even do reps of their warm-up routine to prove it, when Jimin took hold of his injured foot, twisting it slightly, making him flinch. He lifted his head to glare at the so-called volunteer medic when his breath was knocked out of him.

 

 

 

It would be really cliché if he said that everything started to play in slow motion and that the only thing he could see was a giggling Jimin and his glowing aura, but he thinks that's pretty much close to what actually happened. He had to lock his jaw in place because dropping it to the floor in front of the guy he was scowling at because of the very guy he was scowling at would hurt his pride so bad. So, feigning interest and mild attraction, he coughed to clear his throat and resumed glaring at Jimin as if he had offended him.

 

Silence erupted between them and nothing but the sound of faint cheers from the gym and Velcro rang throughout the room for a few seconds. After patching Jungkook up quite nicely, and neatly, Jimin stepped back and admired his handiwork. "There," he pat Jungkook on the shoulder and smiled. "That ought to keep you off the court for a while."

"Like anything could keep me off the court," Jungkook murmured as he brought his leg down from the bench, wincing a little bit when his foot hit the floor. Maybe he was going to have to stay off the court for a while. He sighed. Watching his teammates do drills and practice strategies wasn't nearly as fun as participating as well. But Jungkook knew he'd have to rest before being able to play again. Just because he was upset with what Jimin said didn't mean he didn't believe the experienced volunteer.

Jungkook watched as Jimin packed away his equipment into the first aid box and wondered if he should say anything. The sound of a buzzer resonated from the gym and Jungkook knew that they were about to play the last quarter of the game. With his sprain, he knew he couldn't race over to the court but he had to try. It wasn't a wonder, then, when he almost fell down when he tried to stand up. Luckily, Jimin was still around and was able to catch him before he engaged in combat with the floor.

 

"What would you do without me?" Jimin tsk-ed and helped straighten Jungkook up. "I'll help you get there, just let me grab the first-aid bag."

 

 

 

With Jungkook's arm around Jimin, one of Jimin's arms secure around the other's waist, and the other hand carrying the first-aid bag, they set off to the gym slowly but surely. The walk was short, since they came from the locker room and not the nurse's office, but felt like hours to Jungkook and the heat in his cheeks did not help at all.

Alas, Jungkook's team lost the game but everyone knew it was fair play. It was a testament, yet again, of how important Jungkook really was to their team. The game ended with the opposing team having a clean 20-point lead that Jungkook would normally groan at but for the first time in a long time, Jungkook wasn't complaining; he gained something more important than just another huge trophy.

 

 

 

 

A phone number.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"After that, fate just sort of took over, you know. Although we did text and call, we never really got to arrange a meeting―"

"You mean 'date'!" someone with a voice extremely similar to Namjoon's shouted from the crowd. Everyone laughed at this, including Jungkook.

"Fine, you're right. We never really got to arrange a proper 'date' because we were both busy ― him with his volunteer activities and other extra-curricular stuff, me with my trying to pass college trigonometry. But the thing is, we kept bumping into each other in the hallways so I didn't really have to miss him that much." Jungkook had to fight down a blush to continue.

"But all the while, he kept calling me by my last name. He used to greet me "Hi, Jeon!" and "Bye, Jeon!" when we'd go in different directions, so when we met coincidentally for about the third time, I asked him about it. Turns out I was too stupid to give him my real name at that basketball game so he didn't know what to call me by. So he just chose to call me by my last name."

 

Part of the audience laughed and another cooed. Jungkook thinks they already know what really happened - he was basically too dumbstruck by Jimin to have introduced himself properly.

 

 

"Well," he started again, "even though our semi-proper introductions only happened the third time we met, things started falling into place after that. We found time to hang out with each other, sometimes just watching movies in his or my apartment, or walking around the campus, or even eating street food somewhere. But then, I decided that I wanted the number 7, my favorite number, to mean something special to us."

 

 

 

 

 

 

Their 7th date wasn't actually anything special, in terms of planning - they just decided to go to the arcade near the town square and spend their entire day there, or until closing time at least. Jungkook learned something new about Jimin then: he wasn't as competitive as Jungkook was, but he was hella close.

Jimin's only problem, besides the fact that Jungkook was a bit more competitive than him, was that Jungkook was some sort of a pro. At basically anything. Because even though he didn't know how to play it, Jungkook would master the game on his first try. Jungkook likes to think of it as his superpower - however lame it may be - something he could do that others couldn't. And, naturally, he'd want to show it off to the guy he wants to impress.

 

 

"Oh come on, hyung. You can't even beat me at this?" Jungkook teased.

"Shut up, brat. I'm concentrating here," Jimin said through gritted teeth. This was about their 4th round on this game, Tekken, and Jimin was about to lose his patience. Who could blame him, though, when Jungkook kept teasing him? Every time Jimin was so close to beating the younger guy's virtual , Jungkook steps his game up a notch and defeats Jimin with around 4 or 5 combos tops. Every single game, every single round.

 

"Yes!" Jungkook throws his fists up in the air, looking as if he'd won a wrestling championship. Jimin cards his fingers through his own hair and glares at Jungkook. He was about to make another snide remark about the younger being such a rude dongsaeng when a guy came up to them.

 

"Hi, I'm sorry, it's 8pm and we're closing already."

 

The two teenagers looked at each other and at their wristwatches, obviously shocked by how much time had flown by since they entered the building. They thank the guy, who was apparently the manager and tech guy of the arcade, and rushed off outside to find somewhere to eat. They didn't even get to eat lunch and now it was past the normal dinnertime.

Time really did fly when you have fun.

 

 

 

They end up at this noodle restaurant a few blocks away from the arcade, thankful for the warmth the place brought them and regretful that they didn't bring thicker jackets. The wait for their orders was only short and soon enough, they were inhaling their noodles in mutual and comfortable silence.

"What a day, huh, hyung?" Jungkook flashed Jimin his signature cheeky smile. Jimin scowled.

"You're a bully. I don't even know why I didn't just give up and leave your competitive behind." Jimin stuck his tongue out at Jungkook, but he knew that his words had no impact on the younger.

Jungkook laughed. "That's okay, hyung. You still have the best consolation prize."

Jimin raised an eyebrow. "What consolation prize? You didn't even get anything from winning all those games because you threw away all the tickets you won."

"Oh, I got something, alright."

"What?"

 

"I got you."

 

The next few minutes went by in a blur because after Jungkook's little not-so-subtle confession, Jimin started choking on his noodles and became a coughing mess. Jungkook started to panic, standing and moving to Jimin's side, making his hyung drink water as Jungkook rubbed his back. Of course Jungkook didn't know what to think of Jimin's reaction, but the smile Jimin gave him after having calmed down made him think that everything was alright.

 

 

 

"Hey, I forgot to ask. What did you mean by me getting the best consolation prize anyway?" Jimin questioned him as they made their way through the well-lit streets, passing by closed shops and restaurants.

Jungkook stopped in his tracks and Jimin, noticing the younger’s actions, followed in suit. The younger stretched his arms forward, as if asking Jimin for a hug. Confused, Jimin asked, "What―"

"Me!" Jungkook beamed shamelessly, and Jimin laughed the most beautiful laugh Jungkook had ever heard. It was, admittedly, the lamest confession he'd ever done (not that he had done a lot), but he guessed that since none of it was planned, he'd be excused.

 

"Glad we both won, then," Jimin smiled at him as they resumed their walk, shoulders brushing against each other’s along the way. No matter how hard the cold kept trying to bite at him, the only thing Jungkook felt was warm and contentment settling in his stomach, nerves buzzing as his fingers kept brushing against Jimin's accidentally as they made their way to Jimin's apartment.

 

 

 

Because Jungkook was a gentleman and of course he'd walk his (now) boyfriend home, with nothing but a smile on his face and something akin to love in his heart.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Knowing that I had him like he had me was just... the best feeling in the world. That 7th date got me to scream to the world that he, Park Jimin, was now my boyfriend. Mine. Nobody else's. I was so happy." Jungkook smiled as the crowd cooed once again.

"But, as you we all know, real relationships aren't all rainbows and butterflies. Even though I was completely happy being with Jimin, of course we had our fights."

 

 

 

 

 

 

"What should we do this Christmas? Everyone but Yoongi hyung's going away and we can't stay with him because he's working on his music and without Hoseok hyung, he'll stay sour the whole holiday. And I can't have that in the cold." Jungkook scrunched his nose up in distaste, remembering how grumpy their hyung was without his sunshine of a boyfriend. All their plans with their friends were cancelled because some of them had to go back to their families for the holidays and some had overseas work appointments that couldn't get cancelled even if a blizzard delayed every flight at the airport. Finally becoming a full-fledged adult took its toll on them, and Jungkook knew this even though he was a fresh college graduate.

Jimin looked up from the spreadsheets he was working on and thought for a moment before looking at his boyfriend to reply. "Maybe we could just stay with your folks. It's been a while since I got to play with your brother," he chuckled and went back to his work.

Jungkook groaned. The last time they visited Jungkook's parents, the summer before his last year of college, his brother had just turned 18 and was also about to start his last year of high school. He had to restrain himself from fighting with his younger brother because he and Jimin got along so well to the point that Jungkook almost felt neglected, if it weren't for Jimin sneaking in his room and sleeping with him through the night.

An idea struck Jungkook and it made him wonder why he didn't suggest it earlier. "Why don't we go to your parents'? I haven't met them in, like, forever." Jimin looked up and tilted his head at him. "Seriously! I think the last time I saw them was at your graduation dinner, and I didn't even get to introduce myself properly. Didn't they think I was rude?"

His eyes slightly widening, Jimin looked down and busied himself with his spreadsheets again. "Uh, no. I don't think so. They never mentioned it."

"Really? They must be pretty chill to let a thing like that slide by. I remember my mom refusing to talk to me just because I only got to tell her we were dating like 3 months into our relationship. Man, those were some of the coldest meals I've ever had," Jungkook laughed. His mom really didn't like not knowing stuff.

"Yeah, uh, I guess so."

"So? What do you say?" Jungkook looks hopefully at Jimin.

"We can't," Jimin says immediately, without looking up. "They, uh, can't have visitors this Christmas."

"Oh come onnn," the younger whined. "Not even their son and the best boyfriend in the entire world?" He crept up close to Jimin, on his knees, ready to unleash his puppy dog eyes if he had to. Only if he had to. (And that was more or less his last resort because nobody, not even Jimin, could resist it.)

 

Jimin pushed Jungkook’s face away playfully, avoiding eye contact. “No can dosville, baby doll,” he said, sticking his tongue out at his boyfriend. Grabbing a pen, he started scribbling on his notes again, looking from his spreadsheets to his books and back again to his notes. “Now shoo, I have to do this now or I’ll be up all night again. And then you’ll be up again.”

 

Groaning, Jungkook surrendered with a mumbled ‘you’re right’ and moved away from the dining table and into the living room. He flopped down on the couch and turned the TV on. Then, another brilliant idea struck him. He looked over to where they left their yellow pages on the side table and searched for the blue sticky note that had “Mom” in his boyfriend’s writing on it.

 

 

 

"Why didn't you tell them?"

"What?" Jungkook had suddenly stormed into the dining room.

"I called, Jimin. I called your parents."

Jimin stared in disbelief. "I― You― you what?"

"Yeah, I called. I thought I could get their permission and surprise you, but instead, I got the surprise of my life." He looked hard into Jimin's eyes, wanting to make his boyfriend feel how hurt and betrayed he felt. "Why didn't you tell them?"

Tears were threatening to spill from Jimin's eyes. "I-I―"

"We've been going out for almost 3 years, 2 of those we spent living together, and they don't know squat? Does our relationship mean anything to you?"

"Of course it does, Kookie." Jimin was sobbing now. "It's just―"

"Or you could have at least told me.” Jungkook’s heart felt like it was being squeezed. “Told me that you were too chicken to tell your parents about us and that you didn't have the guts to introduce me to them as more than a ing best friend when I―"

"They don't know!" Jimin cut Jungkook off. He buried his face in his hands as the sobs racked his chest. "They don't know I'm gay. I haven't come out to them yet."

 

 

Seeing the love of his life like this made Jungkook's heart wrench but his anger and the pain of the betrayal was overwhelming. "So you didn't think that this," he motioned to the space between them, "was worth telling them? You didn't think I was worth coming out to them, if it meant us being completely happy and free?"

 

"I-It's not like that―" Jimin stammered.

Jungkook wanted to calm down. He truly did. But he couldn't stop his anger. "Then what? Did you think that this was just some sort of a fling? Something that'd go away eventually? Something that wouldn't be in your future anymore?"

"No!" Jimin wailed. "Nothing like that, you don't understand―"

"What do you mean I don't understand?" Jungkook snapped. "You aren't the only one who's gay here, Jimin. I know how scary coming out to your parents is. I know how frightening it is to think of the look your parents could give you, that look of disappointment, when they find out that you're not all they wanted you to be. I know. I've been there. You're the one who doesn't understand."

 

"K-Kookie, I―"

 

"No. I love you so much and I want to be with you, but you clearly don't feel the same." Jungkook turned around and headed towards the door.

 

A hand around his wrist suddenly made him freeze in his spot. "W-where are you g-going?" Jimin was standing now, tears streaming from his eyes, but, at the time, it didn't matter to Jungkook, who was blinded with anger.

"Away from you." Jungkook tore his hand out of Jimin's grip and started putting on his shoes.

Jimin was on the floor beside him instantly. "Kookie, baby, please. I'm sorry. Don't leave. Please." He was half shouting already, trying to get every word through the sobs filling his chest. "Don't go, please."

 

 

Jungkook glanced one last time at his lover on the floor, before opening the door and stepping outside. "Goodbye."

 

 

The moment he stepped out of their shared apartment, he let loose the tears that he'd been holding back. He loved Jimin so much but he couldn't help feeling hurt, especially since they've been together for almost 3 whole years already. He turned his phone to airplane mode, cutting himself off from Jimin completely.

Not knowing where to go, he ran and ran until his legs failed him, making his way to his Namjoon hyung's house. He explained to Namjoon that he and Jimin had a fight, refusing to give out any details of what exactly went down, and just begged his hyung to let him stay for the night without telling Jimin where he was. Namjoon sighed but agreed to let him sleep there, only on the sofa because he and Seokjin didn't have a spare room. Jungkook thanked them profusely and declined dinner (something Seokjin was ready to have a fit about but Namjoon only put a hand on his shoulder and shook his head) before drifting off to sleep.

 

 

 

Before closing his eyes, Jungkook justified (to himself) his actions and the way he was behaving. He thought it clearly better for him and Jimin that they don't see each other for at least that night, until Jungkook could calm down completely. The tugging in his heart and the weight in his stomach failed to disappear, since he knew that he had hurt Jimin, but he told himself it'd be okay and that he'd go back to his boyfriend in the morning.

 

 

 

 

 

"Jungkook-ah."

"Jungkook."

"Jungkook."

"JUNGKOOK-AH!"

 

 

The aforementioned boy sat up, body fully alert, but mind still mid-way stuck in Dreamland. "What? What what is it, is there a fire or―" He looked up and saw Namjoon. "Oh, hyung. I almost forgot that I was here."

"Never mind that." Namjoon yanked Jungkook up by the hand to make him stand up. "Hoseok just called. Jimin's in the hospital. He brought him there."

The words 'Jimin' and 'hospital' in the same sentence got Jungkook awake and sobered up in an instant. "What?? Oh my god I have to go. Thanks hyung. Can't stay for breakfast." He ran to the door to grab his jacket from the coat rack and to put his shoes on as fast as he could.

“Sure, go without knowing where they actually are.” Namjoon rolled his eyes. "I'll text you the details. Just don't forget your phone," he said, tossing the mobile phone on the couch to the younger.

 

Not a second after shouting a 'thanks' to his hyung, Jungkook was out the door. Not wanting to waste any more time than he already had, he took the silent invitation of the staircase instead of waiting for the elevator. Eleven flights of stairs was no problem for him because he knew it was for Jimin. And in Jimin's condition, Jungkook was ready to do anything.

 

 

 

Breathless, Jungkook got to Jimin's hospital room no problem except for the slight traffic he encountered along the way (luckily, he didn't have to step out and make a run for it). He saw Hoseok sitting by Jimin's bed, watching TV, as he stepped inside. Hoseok turned to look at him and stood up.

 

"He was perfectly okay this morning. Well, perfectly okay, if you don't consider the fact that he looked all hell was let loose on him and it looked like he'd been crying all night." Hoseok raised his hand up in time as Jungkook was about to interrupt him. "I know, he told me about your fight. He wasn't particularly happy to see me behind the door, you know. Was expecting you, I assume.

"Anyway, he looked miserable as hell and sounded even more miserable as he recounted the details of your fight. He was crying the whole time. And when he finished, he was still crying, so I got him a glass of water. But when I went back to him, he was asleep on the table. I tried to wake him up, because heaven knows that I couldn't carry him to the bedroom, but he wouldn't wake up, no matter what I did. So I sort of panicked and called an ambulance. They said he still had a pulse so I―"

 

"Oh god, thank you," Jungkook breathed.

 

"―got relieved for a sec," Hoseok continued, "but I still didn't know why he passed out. When we got here, the doctors said nothing really bad happened, but they wanted to keep him here until he woke up and to run more tests on him to make sure. He hasn't woken up yet, and I just about called everyone to ask where you were since I couldn't reach you. Luckily, after Taehyung, only Namjoon and Seokjin hyung's was the only place you'd be."

 

Jungkook sighed in response. This wouldn't have happened if he didn't leave Jimin last night. Or if he didn't even press the matter on him. None of this should have happened. "Thank you, hyung. For everything." He took Hoseok's hands in his and shook it hard, trying to convey how thankful he was because even though nothing really happened, at least someone was there for Jimin.

 

"No worries, kid." Hoseok ruffled Jungkook's hair and smiled. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm late for work and my date with my roommate. And you know Yoongi - if he doesn't get his coffee in the morning, nobody gets anything from him."

"Yeah, I know."

"And, take it easy on Jimin, okay?" Hoseok glanced at the boy on the bed, sleeping soundly. "You're not the only one who's feeling like ."

 

 

 

About two hours after Hoseok left and Jungkook assuming his position, Jimin started to stir in his bed. Jungkook gently took Jimin's hand in his, kissing it softly as he watched his boyfriend wake up.

Jimin's eyes opened slowly, squinted at first, eyes adjusting to the bright light of his hospital room, and started to focus on his surroundings. Finally, squeezing the hand in his, his eyes landed on his boyfriend who still had the most beautiful head of bed hair anyone could ever have. His eyes started to water once again. "Jungkookie, I―"

"Shh, hyung. It's okay." Jungkook rubbed circles on the back of Jimin's hand.

Tears were already spilling down Jimin's cheeks. "No, it's not. You're right, if I did value our relationship, I should have at least told my parents about it. I'm sorry and I―"

"No, I was being stupid, hyung. I'm sorry I got mad, but I understand you. I shouldn't have lashed out on you like that and stormed out. None of this would have happened if I didn't." Jungkook looked down on their intertwined fingers, guilt eating him away at his heart.

"And I'm sorry for hurting you." Jungkook could hear Jimin trying not to sob and the guilt he was feeling intensified. He brought a hand up to Jimin's face and wiped the tears away with his thumb. "And, really, you were right. I should, and I-I will."

Jungkook looked at him, eyes searching his. "I completely understand. You don't have to do this if you don't want to, hyung. Or if you're not ready yet. It's okay, hyung."

Jimin sat up slowly, taking Jungkook's hand in both of his, even with the other one still attached to the IV fluid. Jungkook felt Jimin's grip tighten. "I'm ready, Kookie. I want to do this. No matter what happens, I have to tell them about me. About us." He looked down at their hands. "It wasn't that I was ashamed―"

"I know hyung, I―"

"―of what we are, but I was afraid of what might happen to my relationship with them. With my mom and dad." Jimin a breath in and met Jungkook's gaze. "But not anymore. Not when I have you here with me."

 

 

"Yeah." Jungkook didn't know it was possible to fall even more in love with Jimin. "You got me."

 

 

As soon as he was released from the hospital, they headed off to Jimin's parents' house, only telling them that he and Jungkook would be visiting for a short while. Dinner was ready for them when they got there and there was a bit of a fuss since Jimin's parents had found out about the hospitalization. They refused to let the two boys go home and insisted that they stay over for the night. Luckily, Jimin still had clothes in the house so there didn't seem to be any problem with them staying over.

After dinner, Jimin had invited the whole family to the living room and started discussing their situation. The two boys were finally able to breathe when Jimin's parents said that they already had a hunch and that they were perfectly fine with them being in love, wanting nothing more than for their son to be happy. Jimin was delighted as his parents thanked Jungkook for making him happy and the shy boy couldn't respond with nothing else but "I just do everything I can. I don't know what I'd do without him."

They go to bed blissfully dreaming that night in Jimin's room, with Jungkook on the floor, of course.

 

Breakfast was quick, as they had to go back to the city to go to work, but not before the long goodbyes and thankyous. As soon as they got back to their apartment, Jimin started on the unwashed dishes in the sink and Jungkook got back to the two messages on their answering machine.

 

 

 

 

 

"That particular fight was probably the worst one we ever had. After that, I told him that I'd never leave or walk out again, and whatever problem we had, we'd fix it together, talking calmly with each other, whether in bed or over dinner. But, to be honest, we rarely fought after that." Jungkook saw one of his friends, Taehyung, about to raise his hand to protest, so he continued. "No, it's true. Most of the 'fights' we had after that were just about us missing one another and forgetting events and occasions. Or that one time I tried to cook and made everything taste weird because two pages of the cookbook I was using had been glued together and I didn't notice. It was then that I realized how lucky I really was because instead of getting mad at me, Jimin just took my hand after dinner, after eating everything, and said, 'Hey, I love you. But please don't try to cook this ever again.'"

As their guests smiled and giggled in their seats, Jungkook glanced at his lover and grinned. He turned back to the guests.

 

"Well, now, I think I've taken too long with this. We all know why we're here, right? I'll hurry up, since I'm not the only one who's going to be talking."

 

 

 

 

 

He was staring at his best blazer that was laid out on the bed. Dressed semi-formally, it was the last piece of clothing he had to put on before they left their apartment, and he groaned out loud. Jungkook didn't really want to go out - especially since this was a college reunion of some sort, but Jimin had been looking forward to the event ever since they got the invitation in their mailbox 2 months ago.

"You ready?" An excited voice called out from the hallway. It seemed that Jimin was fetching from the refrigerator the corsages he picked out earlier that week.

Jungkook sighed. Might as well get this over with, he thought. "Yeah, I'm almost there." He grabbed his blazer, and as if it was somehow weighing him down, begrudgingly slipped his hands into the sleeves and walked gracefully out the door.

 

 

Jimin was already waiting in the kitchen, opening the corsage containers. He studied his boyfriend as he entered, taking in all the details of Jungkook's body he could, from the way he walked to how broad his shoulders were. Jimin wondered what he could have done in his past life to have deserved having Jungkook in this one. He smiled. "You look classy."

The boy spun around, showing himself off, and smirked. "You think so?"

"Of course. I picked that out for you," Jimin giggled. "But you're missing something."

"What?" Jungkook crossed the room and the distance between them vanished.

"This." Jimin stood on his tiptoes and captured Jungkook's lips in his. Jungkook's arms circled his waist and he busied himself with putting the corsage he was holding on his boyfriend's blazer before Jungkook could lift him off the ground.

 

Before drowning in the kiss, they broke it off, resurfacing for air but keeping their foreheads together. Still smiling, Jungkook reached for the other corsage on the counter and pinned it on Jimin's blazer, the flower adding a beautiful touch to Jimin's already magnificent glow. Jungkook stooped down and lifted Jimin to spin him around the room again. In between their laughter, Jimin was able to protest and demand that he be put down because his slacks and Jungkook's corsage were going to get ruined.

 

Jungkook put him down reluctantly, the grin on his face never leaving. But when he and Jimin stepped out onto the driveway, him getting into the driver's seat and Jimin sliding into the passenger's seat, he caught himself groaning again. "Why do I have to go again?"

Struggling with his seatbelt, Jimin sighed. Jungkook reached over and put the seatbelt on for him. "Because I can't go alone. And everyone else is going. And no," he raised his index finger up in front of Jungkook's face, "I can't go with Taehyung. He's bringing his own date."

There was really no arguing already so Jungkook turned the engine on and started pulling out from their driveway smoothly, groaning only internally. He didn't really like dances.

"Besides," Jimin interrupted his thoughts, "it's where we met. So, why not?"

 

That shut Jungkook up about the event effectively all throughout the drive. Jimin turned the radio on and switched the station to the one they knew played music 24/7. Once a familiar song came up, they started singing, laughing, and recalling stories from their college days.

 

 

The parking lot was still sort of deserted as they got out of their car, only proving how pointless Jimin's fretting about how they were already late was. They entered the main building of the campus hand-in-hand, just like they should have during their time there, and Jungkook has the sudden urge to run ― run like they used to, when they woke up late and their classes had already started 15 minutes ago. He heard Jimin sigh to his right and followed his gaze.

 

The hall was decorated magnificently. There was no other way to describe it. Drapes of their school colors hung on the walls in that classy manner Jungkook would have never understood how to fix and, coincidentally, they were Jungkook and Jimin's favorite colors. Plants were arranged artistically on either side of the hall, covering the already bolted classroom doors, some of them flowering. The doors to the gym, where the event was to be held, was already open and music started flowing out of the room. Jungkook felt Jimin's hand twitch in his, and when he looked at his partner, the grin Jimin was sporting made him look like he'd been overcome with a strong feeling of childish excitement. Grinning as well, Jungkook tugged Jimin into a run and they rushed past the doorway.

An assortment of blue and red decorations filled the gym, and with the lights dim enough to create a different kind of lighting, the place looked magical. It looked just like the kind of prom everyone in high school would want to go to. The school mascot was even dressed in a coat and tie, greeting people as they passed him. Their school flag was hung proudly above the bleachers directly across the doors and the music playing from the speakers didn't seem too loud and actually fit the mood of the night just right. And since there were only a few people who arrived earlier than them, Jimin insisted on them doing a photoshoot, saying it was only embarrassing if people were looking.

 

 

They made their way to their table, stopping only a few times when their old college friends recognized them and made small talk. Turns out, the people who arrived earlier than them were all friends of theirs. Resistance to mingling was out of the question for Jimin since they still had plenty of time and there were only a few of them there.

 

 

 

At last, when Jimin had run out of things to catch up on with his friends, he found and sat beside Jungkook at their table. To their front, where a stage was set up, a band had started playing a familiar song, Sleeping to Dream by Jason Mraz. Jimin closed his eyes and listened, feeling all the tension in his muscles go away because of the high-quality acoustics of it all. He then heard a chair being shuffled to his left and when he opened his eyes, he found Jungkook standing up and offering a hand to him. Jimin looked up, confused. "What?"

Jungkook smiled lazily. "Dance with me?"

Feeling heat creep up his neck, Jimin flushed hard and refused. One eye-roll from Jungkook and a few seconds of tug-of-war later, Jimin found himself on the supposed dance floor in Jungkook's arms. "You're embarrassing."

"I know."

"We should wait for the others to arrive," Jimin said, still letting Jungkook lead him. Jungkook only smiled in response, knowing there wouldn't be any resistance from Jimin anytime soon.

 

 

Jungkook led Jimin across the dance floor, dancing slowly at first, making the smaller man relax and melt in his arms, heartbeat as fast as Jungkook's and in rhythm. Later, Jungkook picked up speed and started waltzing, making Jimin laugh and have no choice but to follow in suit. In the midst of Jungkook spinning Jimin, though, the music suddenly stopped. Jimin stopped in his tracks, disappointed, and looked towards the stage, where the band members were talking amongst themselves. He started to walk back to their table when Jungkook's hand in his pulled him back.

"Stay here."

Jungkook made his way over to the stage and Jimin just watched his back, frozen in surprise and curiosity. Jungkook took a wireless mic from the singer and they gave each other a thumbs up. He watched as Jungkook returned to him with the most confused look he could muster.

 

 

His heart pounding unbelievably fast in his throat, Jungkook swallowed and looked into Jimin's eyes before speaking through the mic. "I know this looks so unusual and probably not really like me," he says in a shaky voice, "but hear me out. I've been wanting to do this for a long time and I haven't quite had an opportunity to. Until now, that is." He took a piece of paper from one of his coat's inner pockets before speaking again.

 

 

 

"When I was younger, I used to dream about the future. About what I wanted to become when I grew up. I used to dream about being a firefighter, a police officer, a not-so-clumsy basketball player, a zoo keeper, and, if you'd believe it, I even dreamt about being an artist. I'd think that I was seeing the future because I looked so successful and happy with my life. But then that basketball game came and I got injured and I met you. Ever since then, I stopped dreaming. Not because I didn't want to become anything anymore when I grew up, no. Not because I already achieved my dreams of becoming what I wanted to become. No, I didn't dream anymore because I didn't have to. Because my reality had finally become better than my dreams. Because I knew I didn't have to dream about my future when it was already right there in front of me."

 

Jungkook looked up at Jimin and saw that he already had a hand on his mouth and tears welling up in his eyes. He smiled and slowly got on one knee. He put the piece of paper on the floor and reached inside his pants' left front pocket. He pulled out a small velvet box.

"When I met you, as cheesy as this sounds, I... I knew it was fate, intervening. So, now that I've seen my future... can you help me seal my destiny?"

 

Jungkook opened the box, revealing a simple, classy silver ring he knew Jimin would love. "Will you marry me?"

 

 

In response, in one quick motion, Jimin swooped down and kissed Jungkook, hard, before resurfacing, breathless, with a tear-stricken face and the brightest smile Jungkook had ever seen on him yet. "Yes. Of course I will."

 

 

 

Later, Jimin would find out that it wasn't really a reunion they went to ― it was actually their engagement party which Jungkook had been planning for months with Taehyung.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sighing happily, Jungkook regarded the crowd once again with a soft smile. "You all know how perfect that day was, right? Thank you all so much, again, for being there as well." He recalled Jimin thanking him and telling him that he'd be a wonderful actor, since Jungkook gave nothing away and that he had no idea whatsoever.

"It basically the happiest moment of my life. And I hope it was his, too." He looked down at the podium before him, holding a blank piece of paper that should have held all that he was supposed to say, but he never really got to writing it all down. "Because not too soon after that, he got worse. The results from the next lab test he had to take, compared to the last one he had, suprised us all."

 

 

Jungkook remembered it all ― the almost daily visits to the hospital because of Jimin's check-ups and refusal to get admited, the needles and syringes full of blood they had to take from him, the vomit Jungkook was always more than willing to clean up, but none of the medical jargons the doctors tried to get them familiarized with. No, even when stuff like 'malignant tumor' and 'stage 4' started to come up, none of it still made sense to Jungkook.

Just when their relationship had taken a big step uphill, Jimin's health started going downhill.

 

 

 

 

 

"But why don't you want to get the treatment, hyung? I'm sorry, I just don't understand. You could live a little bit longer, you could have more time, more time with me, if you just―"

"Jungkook."

"No, hyung, look. Listen. I'll be there for you. I've always been here for you, remember? So please, I beg you, ple―"

"No, Jungkookie..."

A sob. He was crying now. "Hyung." It didn't matter. "Why?"

"I want to go knowing that I won't be leaving anyone behind unloved. I want to spend my remaining time saying goodbye, telling people how much I cared and still do care about them, because even if that won't make anything better, they'd know and remember my last words with them and how much I love them. That way, I won't be leaving anyone behind."

"You'd be leaving me, hyung." His voice was cracking all over the place.

He brought his hand up, wiping the younger's tears away. "I'd always be with you, Jungkook."

 

He can't remember ever crying this hard before his entire life. The pain in his chest was unbearable, but he knew the pain he was feeling was nothing compared to what his hyung was going through. "I-I don't know what I'd do without you, hyung."

"I know." Jimin smiled.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jungkook finished his story with tears in his eyes, threatening to spill as he proceeded to walk away from the podium and to his husband's side for the last time. Everyone was crying now, and Jungkook could only keep his cool for so long. The pain was still so raw, still so fresh, as if it was only yesterday that he and Jimin were dancing to the beats of their hearts in their living room, carefree and full of nothing but love for each other. It felt like his heart had finally been ripped out of his chest, placed in Jimin's soft, petite hands to be burried with him for the rest of eternity, leaving a void in Jungkook that would nothing or no one would be able to fill. But as he looked down at his husband's peaceful face, taking in every single detail he could, Jungkook knew that heaven was probably having one of the best parties ever to celebrate the return of one of their angels.

Even though he wanted to be alone, to just go home and cry his heart out while listening to the mixtape of self-made a capella covers Jimin gave him on his last birthday, he knew he had to do this. He had to finish everything because this was all for Jimin. Every word that came out of his mouth, every comforting smile he tried to give to others, every breath that came in and out of him that day was for Jimin. For him to be remembered, and for him to be let go.

He whispered his final goodbyes before they laid the love of his life down in his final resting place. He realized, after thanking everyone with a shaky voice for being there and saying that it would have meant a lot to Jimin that they were all there for him, that Jimin would have liked the aesthetic of it all ― bright-colored flowers, balloons, the grass so unbelievably green, and the sky so blue and cloudless, it was almost impossible.

 

Jungkook was the last one to go. He stayed behind after Jimin's parents left, and even after their friends left. Taehyung had even volunteered to stay with him but Jungkook said he wanted to be alone. He was sad, sad as anyone in his shoes would be, but as he glanced upon the tombstone they placed above the grave, he realized he was happy for Jimin as well. The words carved in the stone couldn't be any truer.

 

 

the light we needed for us to see, 
the light that is now free

 

 

A soft breeze blew Jungkook's way, urging him to close his eyes, making him remember the last night he spent with Jimin. That night, those last words he said to him, that very last time he stared into those depthless black pupils he loved to get lost in so much. He remembered the last thing he said to his hyung ― his final 'goodnight' and his first 'see you soon'.

 

 

"I'll keep dreaming until I see you again."

 

 

 

 

---

{an: ok so i didn't tag this fic as angst on purpose. hope you enjoyed it and pls don't kill me!}