There's a complication that exists with Jungkook when it comes to Chaeyoung - Jimin figured this out not long ago, when he first admitted to having feelings for she who must not be mentioned in a non-platonic way. If it had been any other guy, Jungkook would have avoided the subject like the plague. But Jimin is a walking, breathing version of that plague that haunts him because they've been best friends since Jungkook purposely made fun of Jimin's drawings in art class, expecting to get a rouse out of the older boy, only to receive a pitiful “I know” that somehow melted his bitter sixteen-year-old heart. 

And then there was Chaeyoung - the introverted girl from choir with a golden voice, silky hair and a memorable fragrance. She was sweet, emotional (she cried the first time Jimin played a self-composed song about his mother on the piano), and the kind of person he never would have guessed in a million years would be associated with the likes of Jeon Jungkook. In a way, he's glad the two are close, primarily for two reasons. The first being that he never would have mustered up the courage to talk to her if it weren't for Jungkook, and the second being that for some reason Jungkook lures out a side of Chaeyoung that only exists when they're together.

What is Chaeyoung to Jungkook? - It's become a philosophical question that even the greatest of minds (greatest being Jimin and the flock of hormonal high school boys too intimidated by the scowling face of her childhood friend to approach her) still ponder about at locker room gather abouts. They've had their theories. It could be a protective brotherly instinct - that happens when two people have known each other for a while. Or perhaps he was afraid that Chaeyoung having a boyfriend meant she would spend less time with him (understandable, he is with her constantly). Or maybe, just maybe, there's a deeper meaning behind—

“Why does your room smell like , dude?” Jimin pinches his nose, eyes already watering from the stench. He doesn't have to wonder for long as they come face to beak with his pet chicken pecking away at the papers on his desk. “I don't suppose you tell your teachers that your pet chicken ate your homework.”

“Oh, I do. And everyone laughs,” Jungkook chuckles amusedly at the memory of walking into homeform chemistry with a torn up lab report. Everyone laughed at his excuse - everyone but Chaeyoung. Still, she refused to back him up in his story that sounded like something straight out of a cartoon. “So what is it you wanted to ‘talk to me’ about?” he asks as he flops onto his bed and pats the spot next to him only to have Jimin decline his offer because he isn't about to have his roommate questioning why he smells like a barn when he gets home.

“It's about Chaeyoung.” The words barely leaves his mouth when he sees the dread wash over Jungkook's face. He almost doesn't want to continue. “I've been thinking about asking her out.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

Jimin sighs, “because if I don't tell you, you're going to ask me later why I didn't tell you.”

He's not wrong, but it doesn't stop the sudden chill that goes through Jungkook's body at the bluntness of his statement. “When?”

“I don't know, some time this week. I just wanted to be sure that you were cool with it. I know you keep saying that it's none of your business and I'm not going to argue with you about that but I just need to be certain that this won't change anything between us.”

There's a lump that forms in his throat, and he swallows it with a shaky sigh and a cough. “Of course, I told you it wouldn't.”

“For someone who lies all the time, you're really bad at lying about your feelings.”

“What feelings?”

Indeed, what feelings? Jimin struggles to decipher the mess of a human being Jungkook is without Chaeyoung included, but he's certain he can wrap his head around them better than Jungkook could. He's a teenaged boy who knows too much about anything and everything but himself. Nonetheless, Jimin is hellbent on not letting the uncertainties of Jungkook's emotions overwhelm him — he's let it slip past him for the past three years.

“Doesn't matter,” he huffs a sigh, “point is, you're cool with it.”

“Yup,” his attempt at nonchalance withers as his voice cracks, but Jimin tries his best to ignore it otherwise he'd crumble again. 

“Alright then, I guess we're done here. I'll see you around,” he pats his shoulder, eager to escape the smell before it finds a new home in his clothes.

As he turns to leave, there are a multitude of questions firing off in Jungkook's head - now disturbed with so many inexpressible feelings. Everything that just happened is sort of akin to standing by the ocean on a beach, expecting a wave to hit you in the face but still not being ready when it does—and Jungkook is still suffering the shock of simultaneously knowing exactly what happened while not really sure if it happened at all.

Maybe not—it was a quiet utterance, more to herself than to him, but it lifted that unknown weight off his chest that night. What she tells him when he walks into her apartment today is like that same weight, a hundred times heavier, crushing him back down as he lays with his head resting on her lap.

“You said yes,” he reiterates, blinking at her with furrowed brows.

Her face tints with pink, and for the first time he doesn't find it cute because he isn't the cause. “Yeah, I know it's unexpected but it's been a long time since I've been on a date with anyone,” she says, and thinks back to her last boyfriend from middle school. It was the longest relationship she had ever been in though not the most pleasant one—Kim Taehyung was the loudest kid in class, deemed her the prettiest girl in her grade and unhesitatingly asked her out at a school dance. Jungkook also liked him a lot, more than Chaeyoung ever did — they were best friends until their ultimate split at graduation, and if Chaeyoung thought Jungkook was already a handful, he and Taehyung combined was her worst nightmare (though Jungkook toned it down going into high school). Chaeyoung and Taehyung were day and night, soft ballads and punk metal, roses and venus fly traps—incompatible down to the last date. She thinks perhaps it will be different with Jimin because they're so alike in every way. “It's kind of coincidental how he asked me today because last night I was just talking about it with my mom,” she adds.

“Talking about what?”

“How I haven't dated anyone in so long. She said she was worried about me being single forever.”

And what would be so bad about that? he almost wants to say, then gulps at the thought. “I thought you said you were too focused on academics to date.”

“I know but... Jimin wouldn't be a distraction, right?” she momentarily drops her gaze from the tv to look at him for reassurance.

The tables have really turned, because it's him that's left speechless with a burning in his face as their eyes lock. Orange locks of hair caress his face, emitting the citrus smell that he's certain isn't just from her shampoo. Her eyes are relaxed but carry a hint of doubt that she expects him to relieve because who would know better than him? There's no question in his mind that the two would get along fine as even in high school they studied together and talked endlessly about the music they liked and the books they read. It's that very fact that scares him, and he doesn't know why.

He coughs a little, turning his head away, “yeah, you two would be fine.”

Chaeyoung smiles happily, ruffling his hair before looking back up at the screen - his favourite show is on but his eyes are glued to the ceiling. He wasn't lying when he said they would be fine—he never said the same for himself.

Jimin doesn't like cologne but tonight is not the night to be smelling anything like Jungkook's room. 

“Is she cute?” Jimin is startled by the sound of his roommate's voice, turning to find him leaning against the doorway to his room with a popsicle in hand and a devilish smirk on his face. He's very nosy, this kid, but somehow amongst the hundreds of thousands of students entering this university, the two naturally gravitated towards each other. Jimin doesn't think he's ever had such an instant connection with someone since high school with Jungkook. 

“Yeah,” he answers shyly.

“Damn, it's been forever since you've been on a date, what happened?” the taller boy chuckles, playfully tossling Jimin's hair.

“Unlike you, I don't date every girl that looks at me from across the room,” Jimin shoots back, slapping his hand away.

He laughs as Jimin pushes past him. His voice is deep and sultry - perhaps why women are so drawn to him despite his strange mannerisms and reluctance to commit. “You must really like her then.”

Jimin smiles to himself, recounting all the times she's made his heart flutter with just a glance from down the hall. Just as he's about to answer with something witty, there's a knock on the door and his heart skips a beat before he can. 

“Ah, must be the lucky lady—” he doesn't get a chance to finish teasing before Jimin hurriedly scrambles for the door, leaving his jacket hanging off the edge of his bed.

Chaeyoung stands at the door in an oversized white sweater, pleated black skirt, and hair curled neatly at the ends. Her sense of style has always been so simple, and Jimin thinks it's because her natural beauty overpowers everything else. In contrast, Jimin is wearing a black vest over a white dress shirt, sleeves rolled up with black jeans - she seems to appreciate that he's aimed for simplicity as well.

“You look great,” he says with a sigh. 

“You look better,” she says with a grin, but doesn't add how she's just realized that he smells heavily of cologne and particularly one with a scent that she's not fond of. “What movie are we seeing?” 

“Keith.”

Chaeyoung quirks an eyebrow, “an english movie?”

“Yeah, I figured it would be more impactful for you. Is that alright?”

She doesn't quite get the logic behind his choice but can't find it in her to disagree. She nods, and he smiles happily, a hint of a blush creeping into his cheeks. This really is their first time alone together - there's a feeling of happiness, but also some underlying anxiety. They both feel it - that weird emptiness that wasn't there before, like something is missing. Maybe they'll find it later on.

Just as Jimin is about to suggest they leave to get a good seat, his roommate comes running up to the door, “dude, you forgot your jacket on your—” he stops abruptly, Jimin's jacket slipping out of his hand as his eyes widen and smile drops. 

“Taehyung?” Chaeyoung gasps. 

“Wha—Chae, is that really you?”

Jimin freezes in his spot with wide, confused eyes darting back and forth between the two staring slack jawed at one another. “You two know each other?”

“Yeah, we dated a long time ago,” Taehyung says, never tearing his eyes away from her. He's taken aback by how much she's changed—her cheeks have become rosier, her hair - silkier, her legs much longer and prettier. She's always been pretty, but this is a startlingly pleasant change. “Why are you going out with this loser?”

Jimin shoots him a glare, to which he laughs off the way he always does. It occurs to him now how much Taehyung reminds him of Jungkook, and makes him wonder if these were the kind of guys Chaeyoung was drawn to. Taehyung flashes the two a wide toothy smile, not saying another word as he disappears back into his room because he senses an awkwardness growing. Jimin fetches his jacket from off the floor, mumbles a quiet apology for his disruptive roommate and gestures for them to leave.

It's already starting to become a night of surprises, and with his karma, he only hopes they'll end there.

“So...you and Taehyung, huh?” Jimin begins a few minutes after they had settled down in their seats. He didn't want to bring it up on the drive there, afraid it would make him sound paranoid (of what? he didn't know, but he was sure it would).

Chaeyoung giggles, not phased in the slightest by the mention of her ex. “Yeah, it's really weird, isn't it? How we're all connected in a way.”

“When did you two start dating?”

“The start of middle school. It wasn't anything serious. We were just kids fooling around.” At least it was how she saw it from her perspective, but she's almost certain it was the same for him too. They had a lighthearted breakup, exchanging smiles and ingenuine hugs because they both knew it would happen and if Chaeyoung could remember properly, Taehyung simply wanted to get it over with. Seeing him again didn't conjure up any unwanted memories or feelings - just the realization of how small this world really is.

Jimin can only nod at her answer, unsure of what to think but quickly brushing it off. There's a pause, an awkward silence as trailers playing on the screen in front of them only partially fills the void. After a moment, he clears his throat and says, “we never got to finish our game of two truths and a lie.”

“Oh, that's true,” she tilts her head to look at him, “where did we leave off?”

“You told me about how you believed babies came from two people in the same bed together, how you spilled hot coffee on a homeless man, and,” he's only half aware of how his eyes turn slightly away as he says, “and that kiss with Jungkook.”

She lets out a soft gasp and claps her hands together as the memory rushes back to her. “Yes, yes, that's right. What was your answer?”

Jimin bites his lower lip, now remembering how conflicted he felt over simultaneously wanting and not wanting to know the answer. He figures he'd take this over dead silence any day. “It's true that you spilled coffee on a homeless person. And... you did believe that's where babies came from.” The third answer is self explanatory, and subconsciously he thinks it's what he wants to hear.

“Correct!” she playfully snaps her fingers. “My favourite disney movie is actually The Little Mermaid,” she announces proudly. 

“So was Jungkook your prince Eric?”

“No, he was more like queen Ursula.”

Neither are able to contain their laughter at the comparison - the awkwardness vanishing in an instant. Fortunately, the theatre is vacant aside from them and a few other casual watchers curious enough to see an old American romance film brought back for the weekend. Somewhere in between laughing and making references to disney movies, it was almost like Beetlejuice what happens next — like they've said his name too many times, because in the blink of an eye, they're both slightly shaken in their seats by the weight of another plopped down to their left. 

“Hyung! Chaengoo! I didn't know you guys would be here!” His voice is like a wedge that instantly fills the gap in their interaction. 

“What the hell, Jungkook?!” Jimin looks at him with wide eyes as he casually opens up a bag of popcorn from home because he always complains how the food here is too expensive. “why did you follow us here?”

“I didn't follow you, I just happened to want to see this movie too. Small world, right?” he laughs.

“You don't even like romance films,” she adds, “and you at reading English subtitles.”

He sighs, “it's not about understanding, Chae. It's about the experience.”

“What?” she and Jimin look at him with identical looks of utter confusion, immediatetly hushed by the few people around them because the movie is about to start. There's no way they could question his motives without causing a ruckus now. 

As the lights dim, the pair manage to catch a glimpse of the all too familiar smirk on Jungkook's face—the one that reads I always get what I want.

Chaeyoung thinks she sees that same smirk for the second time that night - except on the face of a young Jesse McCartney instead of Jeon Jungkook.

He plays a conniving love interest in this film that really starts out as anything but romantic. It begins with a friendship that blossoms out of frustration and misunderstandings—the boy appears childish, reckless, trying to steer the girl away from her perfect life with top grades and extracurriculars. But there's something exhilirating about watching them. The boy's carefree nature influences her - infects her, even - to the point where she starts to see life beyond the dull greys of classroom walls and mountains of paperwork to fulfill her parents' dreams. 

For some reason Chaeyoung begins to think of those days when Jungkook would convince her to skip class with him to lounge in the park or have snacks on the rooftop. He would always say something along the lines of 'life is so short, why waste time on the boring things when you can skip ahead to times like this?’ as they drank in the sight of the bustling city or the peacefully swaying trees. She always thought those excuses were beyond naïve until he brought her to places she never thought twice to visit. They took walks down by rivers, the sight only ever that beautiful during the daytime as the entire forest is brought to life by the sun. She can't remember a time she had ever felt more at peace than there.

“What's the rush? We're in a yellow truck, the road ahead of us, and nothing but opportunities,” Keith says with the most carefree smile spreading across his face. Chaeyoung feels a chill go through her at how familiar it is. To her left, Jungkook seems to have the exact same smile (though in the darkness of this theatre, she could be imagining things).

“You don't care what people think. You're just... you.” — the line echoes in her head, and for a moment she turns her head slightly to look at Jungkook again. Something about Keith - with his dark hair and thin lips pressed into a smirk - reminds her so much of the boy sitting next to her. 

The of the movie is more heart wrenching than Chaeyoung expects - discovering the truth behind the character of Keith. His outlook on life is attributed to the fact that he's been diagnosed with cancer, and instead of retreating into sorrow and dread, he possesses a twisted sort of optimism, deciding to live life on the edge instead of being afraid of teetering off it. His decision to mess with Natalie, to screw up her perfect life, was done out of contempt, but he ends up ruining himself in the process when he falls in love with her. 

“I had it all figured out, so I cut out early? Who cares? It's probably a good thing. Life , anyway. Then I met you, and it got weird.” 

Even through his heartfelt monologue, not a single tear falls from Keith's face. In fact, not a single trace of emotion aside from joy and anger has shown on his face at all, yet the story hints at some deeper pain inside him that only the audience can see. Chaeyoung's chest tightens, her eyes starting to water at how tense and frustrating the whole story is, about how the main characters wouldn't be together at the end. Subconsciously, she finds herself turning to her left, where Jungkook is staring blankly at the screen, some unreadable emotion in the glint of his eyes as his teeth sink into his bottom lip. She doesn't know if he's even aware of the gravity of the scene. His fingers cling tightly to the armrest as he watches the two separate, and Chaeyoung believes that he probably knows more than she thinks.

Chaeyoung rushes to wipe the tears from her eyes, fanning her face in the hopes that it won't be noticeably red when the lights come on. She hates getting so immersed in movies like this - empathy is in her nature. The look of concern on Jimin's face tells her she's probably a total mess right now - smeared mascara and puffy eyes.  

“Chae, are you alright?” he asks, and she nods with a small laugh, trying to hide her face with the sleeves of her sweater. “I was going to ask if you liked the movie but I'm guessing that's a yes?” He smiles as she looks up for a moment, nods again, and buries herself back into warmth of her hands. She's so incredibly cute and sensitive, he thinks his heart may have grown three sizes.

He shifts over a bit, contemplating whether or not he should wrap an arm around her to calm her down, but then remembers they aren't alone. Jungkook sits with his arms folded, staring blankly into his lap as if in some sort of trance from the movie, awfully quiet for some reason. Jimin loudly clears his throat to grab the younger boy's attention, successfully snapping him out of his daze. “Jungkook, can we talk in the restroom for a minute?”

He tells Chaeyoung they'll be back in a moment, smiling as he hands her a bill so she could buy herself a snack or something as she waits, and in the blink of an eye, Jungkook is hauled off - still somewhat zoned out - to one of the theatre's restrooms. 

“I thought you said you were okay with this,” Jimin says quietly the moment they're inside - it's conveniently empty, just the two of them, but he doesn't know why he's whispering. Perhaps it's to not sound angry even though he's slightly irritated.

“I am.”

“Then why did you follow us here?”

“I didn't. I told you, hyung, it's a coincidence.”

“Bull. You've never been interested in movies like this in your life, I knew that. That's why I chose it yet here you are.” There's silence, the blood rushing to Jungkook's face, and then the echoing sound of Jimin sighing reverberating around the restroom. “Jungkook, what's up with you?” his voice is much calmer, the sympathy dripping from it makes Jungkook frown, “I wish you would just talk to me about these things. You never tell me anything anymore, especially when it comes to... her.”

Jungkook's face downturns in the stubborn way it always does when the subject is brought up and Jimin can't help but let out another exasperated sigh. It isn't like he can get mad, he could never hold a grudge against him for something so expected. This whole thing - whatever it is - is more than just complicated. Even he couldn't explain what it is, so he didn't expect that Jungkook could either.  

“I know it's hard but... can you at least try? For me.” After a pause, he adds, “for Chaeyoung.”

It takes him a while to respond, still shaken from the anxiety of direct confrontation. “You really like her?” he mutters under his breath, the dark bangs shielding his eyes giving him a childlike appearance. For once, Jimin thinks he resembles the vulnerable, confused kid he's always been on the inside.

“I do,” Jimin replies without hesitation.

And so, with a long, drawn out sigh, his resolve shatters, and he forms a new one—to not show up to Chaeyoung's apartment anymore. Whatever this is between her and Jimin, he thinks it'll grow to the point of spreading there - his second home becoming a dreaded place. But Jimin and Chaeyoung are his friends - his best friends in the whole world - but he's afraid, if that's even the word to describe it. He doesn't know what this feeling is, but he hates it, loathes it, needs to run away from it.

A week later, Jimin and Chaeyoung are on their second date — Jungkook is notified ahead of time through a text message that he briefly glances at before closing. It's like high school all over again, when they would study together at a table in the cafeteria and wave him off because he has no business being there. 

And like high school, he takes it upon himself to find entertainment without them. 

“I thought you said you never wanted to go anywhere with us if there's alcohol,” Yugyeom says with a smug smile the second the door swings open, revealing the one face he didn't expect to see tonight. From the sullen expression on Jungkook's face, it's clear he didn't expect to be here either. Nonetheless, the boys gladly welcome him to the Friday night party in the comfort of Bambam's basement, which - although it doesn't sound like the most luxurious place - is decked out with a pool table, leather couches, a mini bar and plenty of booze. 

“I'm glad you're here but it's also a shame that you showed up,” Bambam says, handing him a beer as he takes a seat next to him on the couch. 

“Why's that?”

“We have a lot of fun talking about you when you're not here.” The boys break out laughing at the sheer confusion on Jungkook's face. Although he's the most troublesome of the bunch, there's an innocence to him that they love toying with. “I'm kidding.”

“Why are you here?” Seokmin asks, leaning over the couch. 

“I was bored at home,” Jungkook shrugs.

“Aren't you always with Chaeyoung on nights like this?” 

“She's busy.”

“Like that would stop you of all people,” Jaehyun scoffs. “She got a boyfriend, didn't she?” His intuition is astounding, leaving Jungkook wide eyed for a second.

“Ahhhh,” Mingyu suddenly pipes up enthusiastically from the mini bar, “our Kookie is heartbroken.”

“Shut up,” Jungkook mutters.

“Hey, let's not poke at him while he's here or he'll run away again. This is a special occasion. We should celebrate,” Bambam raises his bottle, and the rest follow suit. “Tonight is going to be about our dear friend, Jeon Jungkook. We're going to drink, go out, crash some bars and have a good time until we can wipe that frown off his face,” he announces like a vow before they all take a swig of their beer. “And no strippers, I promise. Unless that helps,” he finishes with a wink. 

Somewhere deep down, Jungkook has a gut feeling that this night can only be headed for disaster. But when he closes his eyes and remembers the kiss he witnessed at the Tigers game, he can picture it again on whatever candle lit dinner they're having at this very moment, and suddenly the grip on his bottle tightens as he takes a large gulp of the drink.

This is a bad idea - but he's willing to follow the boys into hell if he can scratch that image from his mind for just a second.

Taehyung has a point by point system he follows that he assures will make any girl fall for him over the course of 48 hours or less, and Jimin doesn't doubt that at all - judging by the many nights there's been a red tie slung over his doorknob and unfamiliar voices coming from his room. But Taehyung is Taehyung and Jimin doesn't play into dirty tricks like that, especially not with the girl he's been pining after for years. Yet at moments like this, where painful awkward silences make him wonder if progress was coming to a standstill, he'd be lying if he said he didn't find Taehyung's tactics tempting. 

Their conversation had started off with the typical 'how's life?' drifting into 'get to know me' topics until the silence engulfed them for some unknown reason. They've grazed over music, art, literature, science - everything they thought they both adored in the world of academia - but it all felt like forced, empty talk. Was it ever this hard before? Maybe it's simply the added pressure of not knowing where this is headed romantically, or even the fear of not knowing what would happen if it didn't. 

His heart doesn't pound with infatuation anymore, just raw nervousness. “Chae.”

She looks up from her hands, just a moment ago playing with the rings on her fingers to distract from the awkwardness. “Yeah?”

“Was it like this before?” It's a vague question, but she gets it because she feels it too - the uncertainty of being together. They could have so much to talk about, but there's that fear of moving forward. On top of that, Chaeyoung is afraid of acknowledging a fact that she thinks she's known from the beginning—the fact that their feelings might not be the same. The one difference that creates this gap between them.

“It wasn't,” she answers with a sigh. 

“What do you think changed?” he asks, though part of him already knows. In the years they've known each other, in every interaction they've ever had, there was one thing in plain sight that's been present through it all. 

“Jungkook,” comes out as a whisper, but at the quiet of their table; it's a loud, audible name that somehow fills the space because they both understand. Almost every conversation started with it — Where's Jungkook? What's Jungook up to this time? Remember the time when Jungkook... — because he's the pillar that holds up their friendship. Many of their similarities boiled down to the mutual inexplicible affection they had for the boy. Beyond that, were they alike at all? Everyone else seemed to think so. Everyone believed that if they were to be reborn into the opposite , they would be each other - at least that's how it was back then. They've changed in many ways - they're different now, not by a lot but enough to make them doubtful.

That really is the one thought that's been plaguing her mind for the past week — where is Jungkook? Why has he been avoiding her? It was weird, even frightening when he didn't show up to her apartment the day after the movie. Even more concerning when he wouldn't answer her calls or text messages. She can't deny the way her heart sank when she finally reached Jungkook's mother, only to be notified that he's perfectly fine at home - he just didn't want to come over.  

Jimin notices the sudden change in her expression - from indifferent to painfully despondent, but before he could make an attempt to console her, the waitress returns with their dishes, muttering a quiet apology for the wait (though they hardly noticed) and gingerly placing them down. The food is gorgeously plated, a mouth watering aroma sweeping their senses - yet somehow all of that is dulled by the atmosphere that seems to overpower everything else. They dine in silence, listening to the now heightened sound of conversations around them. 

There's a fact they've come to realize in the short duration of this night—it wasn't Jungkook that was holding them back from being together. Jungkook hasn't been in the picture for a week and here they are, struggling to grasp why what seemed like a perfect idea is suddenly falling apart. 

It's like the kiss they shared at the baseball game — sudden, unexpected; and emotionally, one-sided.

There's a line between drunk and faced, and Jungkook has only ever crossed that line once at Bambam's seventeenth birthday party (by accident, not that it makes it any better). He couldn't remember what had happened the night before but the boys wouldn't let him live it down - they played a twisted game of 'what is the truth?' as they told him things he may or may not have done to rile him up. 

Even in his cloudy state of mind, he makes sure not to cross that line again, ending up somewhere in between instead where he's drunk enough not to sulk over the small things but not so drunk that he would blackout. Jungkook is most honest when he's drunk - that's one of the things they told him. They never confirmed whether it was true but from the overtly suspicious looks they gave him once in a while - especially when Chaeyoung would cross their path - he can't risk it.

By 2AM, they're stumbling down the vacant streets, howling nonsense at the ink black sky. This is the norm for them - every Friday night filled with reminders of how good it feels to be young and obnoxious. On nights like this - when the air is cool and the stars are visible - the streets are their home and they don't give a damn about what harsh punishments await them when they stagger home in the middle of the night with the stench of alcohol lingering on their clothes.  

But to Jungkook, this is far from home. Home is the taste of specially made kimchi stew with fluffy rice. Home is his head resting upon soft thighs as an airy, melodic voice sings him to sleep. Home smells like light perfume and citrus, not the earthy stench of wet pavements and unknown odours. Before he knows it, his legs go putty, causing him to flop onto his back beneath one of the streetlights. The other boys follow, chuckling hysterically as they drop down around him. 

“So? Feeling better, Kookie?” Bambam prods.

“Sure,” he slurs, the stars in the sky beginning to dim in his haze. 

“, it's 2AM,” Yugyeom's expression melts into utter panic as he looks at his watch.

“So? It's Friday,” Seokmin responds.

“It doesn't matter what day it is, my mom's probably already called the police by now,” he retorts, slipping his jacket back on in a haste to leave. “I'll see you guys tomorrow... if I live.” And in the blink of an eye (not that any of them could keep their eyes in focus long enough to see him leave), he's gone - stumbling somewhere down the road. They all joke about hoping he doesn't get hit by a car on the way but silently really hope he doesn't. The group would truly be incomplete without Yugyeom.

“We should probably start heading home too before someone tries to rob us,” Jaehyun suggests.

“The five of us could totally handle him,” Seokmin argues.

“Seokmin please, the five of us sober couldn't stand up to anyone slightly heavier than Jungkook,” Bambam refutes, already beginning to pull himself up off the concrete pavement with Jungkook's arm in his grip to get them both to their feet in one go. He nearly falls back with the weight of the taller boy in his clutch then looks at Seokmin with a knowing look, proving his point. “C'mon let's go drop this one off first.”

“Where?” 

“In a dumpster down the street, where do you think?” Bambam rolls his eyes at Seokmin, “at his apartment.”

“Are you sure, though? His parents are both away on a trip again. What if he suddenly dies?” Mingyu says, and Bambam thinks it's the dumbest thought he's ever heard. 

“Where else would we drop him off, hmm? At Chaeyoung's?”

Jungkook coughs, the name almost sobering him up a bit. There aren't many coherent thoughts in his throbbing head right now, only the ones that matter and the ones that linger around to torment him. He knows that he needs to get home before sunrise because his parents will inevitably go looking for him. He knows he's perhaps crossed that line after all and that his memories will be fragmented in the midst of his hangover tomorrow. He remembers the tight feeling in his chest like a knot when Jimin told him he had feelings for Chaeyoung. He remembers how that knot got tighter when he saw them kiss, how it seemed to choke him all at once when she said yes to dating him. All of that seems to pale in comparison to the overwhelming knowledge that all he wants right now is to feel at home again.

“Yes,” he manages to blurt out, startling the four. “Take me to Chaeyoung's.”

It's like his nineteenth birthday all over again when they show up at her door - Jungkook's weight resting on the shoulders of his friends - except the smirk is missing from his face and instead of a bloodied knee, it's the sour smell of alcohol. She lets them drop him off on her couch before waving them off with a quick reminder not to drive while drunk and to make it home safely. Bambam shoots her a thankful smile before leaving, but unlike the one he gave her on Jungkook's birthday, it isn't suggestive - just grateful for her kindness. 

Jungkook's vision is dotted in various specks of whites and greys like the grains of a broken tv, but Chaeyoung emerges clear as day, and he registers the concerned expression on her face.

“You never drink this much,” she says, plopping down next to him.

And you never go on dates, he thinks but doesn't blurt out because it sounds petty even in his intoxicated state. “How was your date?”

Chaeyoung inwardly shivers at the memory - the discomfort that ran through the whole night. There was an emptiness that neither of them could deny, and so they ended it early, deciding the time wasn't right. Yet they both knew it was a bunch of empty excuses—the time would never be right, not when they know how skewed their relationship has always been.

“It was fine,” she answers.

Jungkook sits still for a moment, eyes flickering from her eyes to her lap before he lets the weight of his body fall over her, resting his head on her pajama-clad thighs. For once (or perhaps he's too numb to feel it), she doesn't jump from the shock of it, and simply starts to softly his hair. Somehow the throbbing subsides under the caress of her fingers, the citrus smell from her pajamas seeping through and lifting the stench of earthy streets and pungent alcohol from his senses. Cold air is replaced with warm hands and soft skin, and he thinks he wouldn't mind drowning in this warmth because it feels like home. It is home.

The throbbing in his head disappears for the duration of the night, and returns with a vengeance the moment he regains consciousness, the rays of sunlight from the living room window keeping his eyes squinted. The smell of kimchi fried rice wafts through the air, invading his senses and encouraging him to turn around. The leather of the couch sticks to his sweaty skin, an audible squeak sounding as he turns. 

“Ah, you're awake,” Chaeyoung looks at him for a moment before turning back to the stove, “you haven't eaten for a while, right?”

He doesn't reply for a few seconds, still trying to blink away the blurriness in his vision while straining to remember the details of last night. He is hungry, but he has eaten last night - not good things, from the burning in his throat. Pork rinds and potato chips are never kind on the stomach. He shakes his head no. 

She walks over to him, placing a bowl of kimchi fried rice and a cold glass of water down on the coffee table in front of him. “Eat,” she says, and he does because it feels like forever since he's had something good. His mom hardly cooks anymore, too occupied with a menial job that doesn't pay her enough, so he's resorted to packaged ramen and seaweed snacks for the past few weeks. He's developed a taste for Chaeyoung's cooking, especially after having been deprived of it for a week. 

She watches him take spoonfuls of it into his mouth, a small smile appearing on his face at the taste he's missed. “You usually never go drinking with them,” she comments.

“I had nowhere else to be.”

“You could have stayed here.”

“I didn't know if you would bring Jimin hyung home,” he answers truthfully.

She thinks for a moment, then nods in understanding, internally relieved that he wasn't just avoiding her. And then it occurs to her how much this whole thing bothered him - how she was oblivious to all of this, how his appearance on their first date should have rung some bells but didn't, and her heart sinks. From the corner of his eye, he notices the guilt ridden expression on her face but doesn't comment on it. 

He takes a few more bites of rice, pauses for a second as a thought runs through his mind then clears his throat. “Chae,” he begins, grabbing her attention, “I'm sorry.”

She raises a brow in confusion, “for what?”

“For being like this,” he lets out a humourless laugh, “I kept encouraging hyung to ask you out because he liked you. I didn't think it would actually happen but then it did and it... bothered me. It shouldn't have, I know it sounds stupid—”

“It doesn't.”

“I'm just really confused about,” he groans, irritated. “Whatever this is. Point is, I'm sorry. I think I'm fine now,” he says, but the look on Chaeyoung's face is both concerned and skeptical, “if you and hyung continue dating, I promise it won't be weird. I'll be there to support you two because you're my best friends that just happen to like each other—” Chaeyoung subconsciously coughs at his last sentence, and his eyes widen. 

There's a brief silence, the two of them staring blankly into each other's eyes. “You... like Jimin hyung, right?” he questions, because there's no doubt in his mind that Jimin likes her. He's never considered the vice versa. 

“I don't know,” she gives the same answer she did the night they came back from the amusement park - the night she thought her heart somehow beats differently around Jimin, and the night she thought perhaps they were right about the two of them being destined.

“Maybe?” he smirks, referencing her own words, making her laugh as well. She's missed that smirk - the last time she saw it was back at the theatre, when his dimly lit face somehow reflected the quirky, clever protagonist of the film. 

“No.”

“What?” he freezes, spoon hovering above the bowl. 

They were just too different, she's learned. They were similar in the ways people could see—their faces, their demeanors—but they differed in the ways that mattered. “I don't like him,” she says with an air of certainty that makes his heart race, “not like that, anyway.”

“Are you sure?”

“Maybe not.”

“Chaeng,” he frowns.

“Yes, I'm sure!” she giggles, not sure why he needs the reassurance but amused at his reaction.

He simply shrugs nonchalantly, returning his attention to his food. Though he wonders - what drove them to call it off? Were they too similar? Jisoo's words echo in his mind and he thinks maybe she was wrong after all. They say opposites attract yet most couples end up splitting due to irreconcilable differences. Was he the root of their problem? He's tried his best to keep out of their way. Maybe it's—

“What's that on your neck?” Chaeyoung's voice shakes him from his thoughts.

“Hmm?” his hand instinctively slaps against his neck, thinking she may have been pointing out an insect. But he feels nothing - nothing on his skin at least - except a dull sting that makes him flinch. For some reason the skin of his neck doesn't feel flat - there's another texture, much smoother than his own skin and a little wrinkly in some areas. As he moves his hand further down, he hears Chaeyoung gasp as she sees something.

“You got a tattoo?!”

“I—I did?” his eyes widen, already hopping off the couch and leaping towards one of the mirrors of the tv stand. Just as she exclaimed - on the side of his neck, he's been inked with an intricately drawn blue rose, encircled by vines and thorns, perfected with shading and everything. In the back of his mind, he's able to conjure up the memory of his friends chatting up a stranger at one of the bars they raided who agreed to tattoo him for a cheap price, and for some reason he agreed because why not when he felt like he had already hit rock bottom? He chose the rose on impulse, he didn't know why or what he had in mind - too drunk to care. “, my parents are going to murder me,” he says, though he thinks it'll be a while before his parents stick around long enough to notice.

“It's actually really pretty,” she comments, kneeling down beside him to get a better look. And it really is - cheap doesn't always equal bad, he realizes.

Looking over his shoulder, attempting to catch a glimpse of the tattoo with his own eyes, he catches Chaeyoung's bright smile. Is it really that pretty? He doesn't think anything could be prettier than how she looks now - silky hair cascading down her shoulders, framing rosy cheeks and a warm smile. Curiously, she reaches for the mark with her fingers, encircling the outlines of the rose - he goes putty under her touch, his heart pounding away in his chest, and he wonders why it's always like this - why always with her. He realizes how their faces are a mere inches apart, and if he leaned, just a little, maybe he could experience what Jimin did at the baseball game. Maybe it would be better. Maybe—

“Ahem, yeah it is. I should be heading home, my parents are probably freaking out right now,” he gets up. “Thanks for the meal,” he says before heading for the door.

“Jungkook, wait—” she looks at him with furrowed brows and a slight pout, “you're not going to ignore me all week again, are you?”

He smiles back at her - part of him thinks he might have to. “No,” he shakes his head, “I'll be back this afternoon to own you on ODE.” 

She grins - that's the Jungkook she remembers. “I'll be here.”

A/N: Sorry it took so long. And sorry I had to smuggle in movie references, I know I'm lame af. Again, thank you for supporting this fic, I really appreciate it. I also hope you'll check out my newest blacksonyeondan collection "Love On Shuffle" and maybe follow my rosekook graphics IG (rose.kooks) where I'll be posting graphics to maybe inspire some new fanfic ideas [yeah gurl get that promo in]. Next update will come soon (sooner than this one at least).