"Whoa.. it's so lovely"

4-year-old Jimin stares at his new house surrounded with beautiful flower garden where the butterflies hop around playfully. The house was owned by an old granny who loves gardening, she didn't live there but she does love taking care of the flowers, she doesn't want them to die so she took care of them until Jimin's parents bought the house. The house was not that big, but it is quite spacious, they said the house also have a pond in the backyard and that's where the little Jimin is heading.

"Eomma! Appa! There's fishies here!"

He squealed excitedly, folding his legs and squatting down to touch the water. He noticed the floating bits of dry fish food and looked around, “w-who are you?”

“I’m the spirit of the pond”

Said the person without turning around. Jimin eyed his back curiously. That person is wearing dark grey hanbok with old design. Jimin had never seen such hanbok before, it looks like it came from another century.

“S-So you live in my house?”

“Your pond, yes.” The so-said spirit got up from where he’s sitting, back still facing Jimin, “Do you know the legend about the rule of seeing a spirit? Human and spirit are not allowed to look into each other’s eyes.”

Jimin shifted his gaze from the latter’s back, staring back at the fishes swimming in the pond. “So, I shouldn’t look into your eyes? What will happen if I do?”

“I’ll vanish, forever. Keep your head down, okay?” the spirit walked over to Jimin, “your parents seem busy right now, do you want to play with me?”

Jimin almost lift his head at the offer, but he squealed a “yes” instead.

“Hey spirit, do you have a name?”

“It’s Jungkook”

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Long time ago, there was a kid named Jungkook, his parents were no where to be found, but he’s loved by everyone in the small village because he loves helping them with everything and that’s how he supports his life. He started off in the morning with watering Mrs. Hwang’s garden, cleaning Mrs. Kim’s backyard from fallen leaves, and taking care of Mr. Choi’s pond, his favorite part of the day. Jungkook was taken in by a kind grandma, the woman was so kind that she asked Jungkook to stop working for people, but the child refuses, saying he’s making money for both of them as a way to thank the Granny for taking care of him.

Jungkook gave most of the money he earned for the Granny while he kept some of the money to make his own pond. He discovered an abandoned house in the forest with pond at the backyard and decided to make that house his secret place. It was mostly destroyed except for the pond, so Jungkook made a small tent for himself in case if it rains when he’s taking care of the fishes. He learned most of the knowledge about fish and pond from Mr. Choi, that man sometimes gave Jungkook a fish or two as a gift, along with the food.

Jungkook loves his secret place and he has been taking care of it ever since. He’d still go and feed the fishes even if it’s raining hard.

Until that day in the thunder where the lightning struck a big tree nearby and it fell over the destroyed house, taking Jungkook away in his beloved place.

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“I won!”

Jimin giggled. They were playing hide and seek with modified rules. Instead of seeking each other, they throw a rock towards the place where they think someone hide, if it’s true then the person should get out of the hiding place.

“Jungkook?”

Jimin walked towards where Jungkook hide, keeping his eyes glued to the ground to avoid looking into Jungkook’s eyes. He jumped when his parents suddenly call and approach him. “Who’s Jungkook?” his mom picked him up. “My new friend,” Jimin wrapped his arms around his mom’s neck, giggling when she starts nagging about him scarifying her of his imaginary friend.

It has always been fragile and hard since the start, but Jimin loves the accompany. He loves spending the rest of his day with Jungkook. He thought Jungkook was just his imaginary friend, but Jungkook never leave. Not when he entered the elementary school, not when he entered the middle school, even when Jimin is in high school, he still hangs out with Jungkook. They get closer as they grew up together, well mostly Jimin because Jungkook doesn’t seem to age at all. Jimin is the only child so he shares everything with Jungkook, and the latter would totally help Jimin with anything. Jungkook would wait for Jimin to come home from school, killing time with braiding some flowers together to surprise Jimin with a flower crown or a flower ring. He had to laugh every time he makes a flower crown because there was one time when Jimin freaked out over a caterpillar on the flower crown he was wearing.

He heard the familiar rushing footsteps approaching and smiled. “Hey? How’s your day?” Jungkook stares at the black fila shoes Jimin is wearing. It’s his favorite shoes. “It was fun, someone pranked the teacher today,” Jimin’s laugh has never failed to fill Jungkook with weird fuzzy feelings inside. “Did they get suspended?” The taller closed his eyes and proceed to spread his arms, taking Jimin in his embrace. It has always been their little tradition to hug each other. The 4 year old Jimin started it when he invited Jungkook into his bedroom in a thunderstorm, he said he doesn’t want Jungkook to get wet and he’s scared of the thunder, so they end up sleeping while hugging each other, though Jungkook had to disappear each time Jimin’s parents interrupt them. Jimin said hugging Jungkook comforts him, so he often asks Jungkook to hug him. As much as they spend their time together, Jimin had never seen Jungkook’s face, this is due to the rule of no eye contact between human and spirit, Jungkook on the other hand, saw Jimin from the pictures in his house.

“Nah, he was told to go to the teacher’s room after class hahaha”

Jungkook’s fingers slide through Jimin’s brunette locks. He could feel Jimin’s heartbeat racing as their chest press against each other. “You wanted to see me, right?” Jungkook could feel Jimin nodding his head. “I’ll keep my eyes closed until you say it’s okay to open my eyes, okay?”

Jimin released the hug and took a few steps behind, opening his eyes to take a look at the latter. This is the first time he sees Jungkook without keeping his head down glued on the ground. He could feel his stomach flutter, but why?

Jungkook has such beautiful black hair, a bit long and wavy than his own. Jimin had to blush when he saw Jungkook’s face, he’s so handsome. The light shinning down on him almost making him look like he’s glowing. The beauty marks on his nose and chin makes him look adorable. He doesn’t look transparent or anything like spirit or ghost in the movie, he looks like a regular person, it’s just he gets to choose who could see him and that he could disappear whenever he wanted or when Jimin’s parents are present because he doesn’t want to distract the latter while he’s with someone else.

“Jimin?”

“I–S-Sorry..”

“It’s okay, take your time. Do you want to start a new tradition? We can switch using blindfolds”

Jimin laughed at the suggestion, “it’s fine, I’m used to looking downwards when I’m with you. You can open your eyes now”

“Give me your hand”

Jimin complied, reaching his right hand to Jungkook, watching him slips a beautiful ring he made out of flowers on his ring finger. “It’s so pretty, thank you” Jungkook never fail to turn his face red with all the attention and gifts. The smaller boy reached into his bag and pulled out a meal box with a tadaa sound effect he made with his own mouth, opening the lid to show Jungkook the colorful sweet rice cakes in the shape of flowers, “as promised” he giggled. Jimin lost in the card game they played yesterday and he agreed to brought Jungkook rice cakes as punishment, it’s Jungkook’s favorite food afterall. “It has been a while since the last time I saw such pretty rice cakes, thank you, Jimin-ah.” Jimin smiled, keeping his eyes glued to their shoes while Jungkook took one of the rice cake, “Um.. Jungkook, do you really eat it? I mean.. um..” he got lost in his own question. He had never seen Jungkook eat something before and he didn’t know if spirits do have digestive system. “Kind of? I just eat the essence of the foods, it will eventually go bad after I’m done,” Jungkook explained. “Ah.. so my grandma didn’t lie when she said we should offer food for ancestors and ghosts,” Jimin mumbled.

Jimin wished he could see Jungkook’s face every time they’re together. He wished he could take Jungkook to fun and beautiful places out there, but Jungkook said his spirit was bound to the pond and house. But it’s enough. Having Jungkook here with him is more than enough.

“Jungkook-ah, I’ve always wanted to ask this but I don’t know if it’s appropriate or not..”

“You know you can ask me anything, Jiminnie”

“How did you become a spirit that’s bound to this house?”

Jungkook smiled.