[988 words]

Jimin’s mother used to tell him that life is like a box of chocolate, in the way that you never know what you’re going to get until it’s in your mouth. He thought that was little ridiculous because, nine tenths of the time they told you which was what once the box was opened, so in life you could take educated guesses at what would happen once you thought about it.

That’s what Jimin always thought, at least until the day he’d met Min Yoongi.

The day started like any other, it was normal. Woke up, fed his cat, ate a granola bar and then headed to his job at the café near the college campus, which was about when everything went haywire.

Dawned in a green apron and a fake smile, he was ready to clock into work – until his manager stopped him with a shy laugh.

“Jimin” his voice was sweet as he tapped his shoulder, which really meant he was gonna request something from him.

Jimin turned to him slowly, ready for the worst “What’s up Namjoon?”

“We have a new hire” Namjoon told him “I was wondering if you could train him and let him shadow you”

It was an order not a request, and Jimin knew it, Namjoon knew it, but politeness and all that.

“Sure!” he grinned lamely, ignoring his annoyance “Of course”

And so, he was introduced to Min Yoongi – who admittedly was absolutely the prettiest boy Jimin’s gay had ever seen and he seemed like he’d be a hard worker from first impressions.

First impressions aren’t always right though, Jimin knew from when he met this sweet shy kid who ended up being a little who refuses to acknowledge that Jimin is in fact older than him (Jimin swears he’ll hit Jungkook next time he does it). So, he explains everything he does as well as he can while Yoongi follows him listening intently.

Yoongi, although snarky to him on a few occasions was actually a funny person and indeed a hard worker (even if he complained under his breath) and a fast learner. So, Jimin was pretty happy to train the elder.

Min Yoongi was a different kind of man, Jimin learned within a week of meeting him. Confident, sarcastic, coolheaded, blunt. All were words he and their coworkers could use when they discussed him on their breaks. And all were accurate, Yoongi confirmed once with a smirk on his lips, but Jimin felt there was more to the elder and it made him itch to find out what it was.

“You have a problem” Hoseok had informed him once with a laugh “You don’t always gotta know every part of a person for them to be your friend”

Jimin had whined, countering with a “I just like to know about people ‘s all!” because the more you know the less life could be ‘a box of chocolates’ and he’d rather not be surprised.

“Y’know Jimin, there’s a quote by Mark Twain” Namjoon chimed in, looking up from his phone for the first time since he went on break “Everyone is a moon, and has a dark side, which he never shows to anyone. So, there’s bound to be certain things you’ll never know about anyone”

Jimin just pouted for the rest of his break before throwing his professional smile back on his face and started taking orders again. He doesn’t pry into people’s lives, he just asks and people tend to answer because Jimin has a face they can trust.

But Yoongi was different, he’d give vague answers and shrug. Which was fine but it still kinda pissed Jimin off and he was determined to at least learn his favorite color.

He waited until it was just him and Yoongi to bring anything up again “So,” he started as the two of them were wiping the counters to close the shop “How ‘bout them local sports teams?”

Yoongi shrugged “I don’t watch sports so I wouldn’t know”

“AHA!” he exclaimed, finger pointing at a shocked Yoongi “Finally you answered one of my questions”

Yoongi downright snorted at that “Really? Did it bother you that much?”

“Yes!”

“Alright, alright” Yoongi surrendered, chuckling “Go to dinner with me and I’ll answer your weird questions” he paused before backtracking “As like, coworker friend acquaintances.” Jimin could swear he saw Yoongi’s face turn pink (It was the lighting, his brain insisted despite knowing better)

Jimin raised an eyebrow, smiling “Sounds good”

So, they went on a not-date where Jimin learned the basics, and then another not-date where he learned more personal information (Yoongi was a single bi man and suddenly Jimin found himself letting it slip that he was gay) and then one more not-date where Yoongi finally asked him out for a real date and Jimin cheered out loud in a restaurant.

Jimin was the only person at work who knew more than just Yoongi’s name and what he drank on breaks. Jimin was the only person in Yoongi’s life who knew about some of the mental he went through. And Yoongi’s the only one who knows that Jimin’s not an extrovert, just a very good actor and that he’s allergic to citrus (not that it was exactly a secret)

Life is like a box of chocolate, Jimin suddenly agrees with his mother as he sat on Yoongi’s living room floor playing with the elder’s dog while Yoongi makes dinner in his kitchen, you don’t always know what you’re going to get until it’s there and sometimes it isn’t so great but sometimes there’s just a perfect piece that you’ve been waiting for all your life.

And Mark Twain was right as well, that everyone has a dark side of themselves that they don’t show to anyone, but Jimin discovered that if you find the right person you can make that side a little (or a lot) smaller.