The university that Jimin and Taehyung attended together mark the first era of their relationship. Although it wasn’t love at first sight, for either of them, it was where many of their firsts happened. It marked their first meeting and their first fight. It was in the dorm lounge where the accidentally fell asleep together for the first time, and the university cafe where they had their first date. The steps of the auditorium building was where they shared their first kiss under the warm glow of the street lights reflecting off the snow. Their first fight happened in the dorms, when they couldn’t agree on the terms of their relationship. The first time they had with each other happened not long after, and they eventually became official. The university was the place where they experienced many sides to each other for the first time, and the place that would build the foundation of their relationship. There were many fond memories of the place, and neither of them could ever forget that.

The little apartment above the grocery store where Jimin worked during university marked the first place that the two ever rented together. It was a tight little space, a studio apartment, but it was more than they could ever ask for. After two years of school, and one year of dating, they moved in with big ambitions. They were eventually going to own the whole building, and the condo on the top floor would be theirs. It was in this little apartment that they would learn to share their space, and it was in this little apartment that they realized that they’d be spending the rest of their lives together. It wasn’t very difficult for the two of them to find out how to live in a space for one, and that’s how they knew this was meant to be.

After two years in the little apartment above that grocery store, they both graduated from university. Their graduation from university marked the era in which they found out that meeting each other just may have been the best thing that came out of going to school. Taehyung managed to find a job with his degree in fashion design, but it was an entry level position. He was making coffees for the more experienced people in the business. Four years of studying and developing calluses from pricking his fingers countless times with sewing needles, only to land a job that didn’t have anything to do with that.

That was the second time they moved together. They found an apartment closer to Taehyung’s job, forcing Jimin to leave the grocery store he at which he was working. He tried finding a career with his major in contemporary dance, but he didn’t have the same luck as Taehyung. Instead, he found himself working at a nearby clothing store performing a job more related to fashion than his boyfriend’s job. Which, Jimin didn’t find to be very fair, considering Taehyung’s degree was in the field.

The event in which Taehyung’s grandmother fell ill marked one of the largest changes in their relationship. It was the third time they moved together, and they went back to Taehyung’s hometown. Taehyung wanted to be closer to his grandfather, who would be needing a lot of help after his wife passed away. This time, they didn’t get a house together. Instead, they were twenty-three years old, jobless, and living in Taehyung’s childhood bedroom in his grandparents’ house. Taehyung helped out the local farmers, moving even further away from the degree that he had worked so hard to get, and Jimin found it difficult to find a new job for himself. He was new to the small town that Taehyung had grown up in, and he didn’t have the connections that Taehyung did. So, he volunteered most of his time to staying home and helping out Taehyung’s grandfather.

And then, their fifth anniversary was right around the corner. They hadn’t made it where they expected to in five years. They weren’t in the middle of their career paths, and they weren’t the owners of the building in which the grocery store that gave Jimin his first job was located. They weren’t living in the condo on the top floor, and they definitely weren’t signing any autographs.

They were just living in Taehyung’s childhood bedroom, and they were happy.

“Just think about it,” Jungkook said during a FaceTime conversation over the computer.

Jungkook was Jimin’s underclassman in university, and he grew up in the same city Jimin grew up in. The two became fast friends, and they kept in touch even after Jimin returned, with his boyfriend, to Taehyung’s hometown and Jungkook stayed in Seoul, where he took on a career as a choreographer for one of the entertainment companies. He had more luck than Jimin.

“I can’t,” Jimin sighed. “Taehyung can’t just pack up and leave when his grandfather is getting weaker, and I can’t leave him behind. Not after everything we’ve been through together.”

Jungkook was offering Jimin an interview with his company. A new group would be debuting, and their concept matched the style of dance that Jimin had to offer. The executives in the company were looking for a good contemporary dancer to take on the job as a choreographer to create the group’s debut dance.

“The position won’t be open forever,” Jungkook warned. “I can try to convince them to keep it open for you for up to two weeks, but that’s the best I can do.”

Jimin looked toward the bedroom window, knowing that his boyfriend was out there somewhere, working on the farm with his neighbor. Taehyung was happy here. He loved being back in his hometown, and he needed to be close to his family. There was no way he could even bring himself to mention the job possibility to Taehyung. He would just have to give up his dream of ever working in the entertainment industry.

“Don’t,” Jimin told him. “We’re happy here. I’ll probably work on starting up a dance class or something when I have more time. It’s not what I ever dreamed of, but it’ll do.”

“I’m talking to them,” Jungkook insisted. “Talk to Taehyung.” He hung up before Jimin could argue anymore.

Jimin closed his laptop with a sigh. He left from the bedroom, jumping in fright when he almost walked right into the old man after stepping out. Taehyung’s grandfather was standing in front of the door.

“, you scared me,” The words left Jimin’s mouth before he could filter out the more inappropriate ones, and he bit his lip. He shook his head and looked up at the old man, face flushed from his mistake. “I-I’m sorry,” He hoped the man wouldn’t mind his vulgar language from before, “I just didn’t expect to see you standing there.”

The old man looked down at Jimin, a smile on his face. Even so, he almost looked sad. It must have been the sparkle in his old, tired eyes. “I was just going to ask if you wanted to go to the store with me,” The old man said, “But I heard you talking to your friend. I overheard your conversation.” He admitted.

“Oh,” Was all Jimin could think to say.

“If there’s a job opportunity for you, I think you should take it,” He told Jimin. “Taehyung will understand. In fact, he would be happy for you.”

“Yeah,” Jimin said, and he pulled the bedroom door closed behind him. “I don’t think I’m going to. You still need help around the house, and Taehyung is happy here. Besides, it’s just an interview. I don’t have the job yet.”

“Then what’s the harm in trying?” The grandfather challenged him. “You can go to the interview and make a decision if they offer you the job. If they don’t, then you know you tried.” He smiled and patted Jimin on the shoulder. “Taehyung is happy here because you are here with him. He will be happy in Seoul if he is with you. As for me, I can find help. I can move in with my son if I have to. It’s probably about time I did so. There’s no need for an old man like me, who’s already lived his life, to hold a young man like you back from doing the same.”

Jimin didn’t know what to say in response. He hated the wisdom of the elderly.

“Come on,” The grandfather waved for Jimin to follow him. “You can think about how you want to bring it up to Taehyung while we go to the store.”

*

It wasn’t until after dinner that night that Jimin finally compiled the conversation in his mind and built up the courage to say something to his boyfriend. He and Taehyung were sitting on the front porch together, enjoying the nice, country spring breeze. Taehyung had a cold beer in his hand, and Jimin’s bottle was sitting next to him, empty. “So,” Taehyung said, looking at his boyfriend. “You said there was something you wanted to talk about?”

Taehyung looked so at home here. His hair was a mess, and his face was still a little dirty from work. He washed up a bit before dinner, but he’d still need a shower before going to bed. Somehow, the day’s grime looked good on him, and Jimin got such a strong sense of home from seeing him like this. Which is why it pained him to bring it up, but he knew that he’d have to.

“Jungkook called me earlier today,” Jimin told him, going right for it. He wouldn’t beat around the bush. He’d just get straight to the point. “He said there’s a job opening up at the company where he works, and he thinks that I might be the right fit.”

Then, there was silence. Taehyung didn’t say anything immediately. He looked at Jimin first before looking into the yard in front of them, taking a sip of his beer. “And you want to take it?” He said.

“Well, I don’t know if I have it, yet,” Jimin explained. “But I was thinking that I should give it a shot. After all, I worked my off for four years to get this degree, and I have nothing to show for it.”

“Except the degree itself,” Taehyung pointed out.

“Except the degree itself,” Jimin repeating with a frown, taking that as a no.

“So when is the interview?” Taehyung asked.

Jimin blinked and looked up at him. “I, I don’t have an interview yet,” He admitted. “I wanted to know what you thought about it first.”

“I’m offended,” Taehyung said, clutching his chest with the hand not holding the beer. “Do you think that I wouldn’t want you to take the job? If it’s what you want, Jimin, then I’ll support you. No matter what.”

“And you’ll come with me?” Jimin questioned, “Because there’s no way I’m taking a job if it means I have to leave you here.”

Taehyung tapped his chin in thought, and he gave Jimin a quick peck on the cheek. “Let’s see if you get the job first, and we’ll discuss the specifics later,” He smiled, “I don’t want us to get our hopes too high.”

Jimin bit his lip to hold back a grin, and he pulled his phone out of his pocket to shoot Jungkook a text: “Set me up with an interview.”