Yoongi doesn’t really like malls, doesn’t go unless he really needed to buy something from there. But Jimin always, always made him go with him and Yoongi can’t say no for all he tried. It’s already been seven years of that.

This time, they needed new pans because Jimin wanted the legit teflon one, not a crappy pan claiming that it is indeed teflon when the eggs wouldn’t come off when cooked. Also, new underwear. But they’re not as important as the pans, though.

Jimin maneuvers them with ease within the mall he knows by heart now. There are too many people on a Saturday evening, and Yoongi would rather cuddle in bed with Jimin, thank you very much, but there’s no stopping Jimin when he’s on a mission. “Teflon pans, teflon pans~” He sings as he tugs Yoongi’s hand that is clasped with his. Yoongi has a fond smile on his face above all the (fake) annoyance.

Jimin reaches the kitchenware section, allowing himself to get absorbed within too many pans. For a moment, Jimin wanted to buy the pan with the pink handle but it wasn’t teflon so that’s a no-no. Alas, he found what he was looking for, quickly grabbing two of those and making a beeline for the counter to pay. Jimin always made it quick because he knew Yoongi couldn’t stand crowded places. Yoongi appreciates that a lot.

“Anything more you needed to buy? Because I swear to god we aren’t going back to this place for another pair of mittens, babe.” Yoongi reminds, and Jimin goes blank for a second—a sign that he’s deeply thinking.

“…no, we’re good.”

“Alright then. I want froyo.” Yoongi deadpans, suddenly craving. He’s the one tugging Jimin along this time, and the younger one happily follows because he can’t deny froyo and Yoongi hardly initiates stuff like that. Jimin likes his froyo with lots and lots of kiwi and strawberry. Yoongi only likes mangoes because he’s boring.

The purchase was made quick because there was no one on the counter, and Jimin is walking out of the store with a skip in his steps as Yoongi follows not too far behind.

Upon reaching the center of the mall, a huge crowd is already gathered, and Jimin being Jimin, he wanted to know what was going on. He tugs Yoongi along, giving the older one his best puppy eyes that Yoongi can never refuse. For some reason, they made their way to the very front of the crowd, and suddenly—

Love is an open door. Love is an open door. Life can be so much more with you, with you, with you, with you! Love is an open…door…

A flashmob. People are dancing everywhere, like in Friends With Benefits, except this is not Grand Central Station—this is COEX, and Jimin and Yoongi are witnessing a proposal right now…in the middle of COEX. That’s some cheesy right there. In Jimin’s nine years of living in Seoul, not once did he ever witness a public proposal.

The flashmob comes to a stop and the man goes down on one knee in front of the girl who is totally in a state of pure shock. She’s crying, and the guy stands to hug her, and suddenly she’s screaming ‘yes, yes I’ll marry you!’ in the top of her lungs and the people cheer, including Jimin. Call him a sap but he’s totally a hopeless romantic. It’s totally alright.

“Aw, I’m so happy for them!” He coos as the people around them slowly disperse.

Yoongi just hums. “Show’s over. Let’s go home.”

It’s a week after The Grand Proposal (as Yoongi liked to call it) that Jimin drops the hints.

First, it’s an open Chrome window on a website of some wedding planner. Yoongi and Jimin share a desktop, and when Jimin went off to pee, Yoongi sees the open window and frowns at it. The website is obnoxiously white with a huge Weddings & Events by Kim Seokjin as the header. The knob of the bathroom door opens, and Yoongi immediately disappears to the kitchen because He Didn’t See That.

Second, it’s that reality show on TLC called Little People, Big World. Yoongi doesn’t watch that show, but Jimin does sometimes, and when Yoongi comes home one evening from work, Jimin is cooing at the TV because apparently, Jeremy is getting married. The couple is saying their vows, and Yoongi didn’t have to look to know that Jimin is teary-eyed. “I’m home.” Yoongi announces, making his presence known as he drops a kiss on top of Jimin’s head.

Third, it’s a magazine subscription. Jimin is away on a Saturday brunch appointment with Taehyung when it comes. WEDDING EXPO, it says, and Yoongi doesn’t remember subscribing to this one. “For Park Jimin-ssi?” The mailman (helpfully) supplies and then it hits Yoongi. “.” He curses under his breath.

Fourth, it’s a trip to the tailor’s. Jimin wanted a new custom-made suit for work because he threw the too-worn ones the week before, and he wanted to buy Yoongi one, too, in case there’s an occasion that they needed to wear suits. Yoongi told Jimin that it was pointless, but Jimin insisted, so here they are having their measurements collected. The man went off to get fabric samples when Jimin spots the all-white suit from the mannequin display. And there’s only one thing you needed an all-white suit for. “That suit’s really pretty, right baby?” Jimin asks with a beautiful smile on his beautiful face and Yoongi doesn’t have the heart to tell him no.

Fifth, it’s a real wedding. Jimin’s high school best friend, Hoseok, is getting married in two weeks and Jimin was all over the place saying ‘I told you we needed those new suits!’ That is how Yoongi found himself in a cramped table beside Jimin as he chatters away with his old friends, gushing over how perfect the wedding is and how handsome Hoseok looks and how happy his bride must be. And Yoongi pretends that he does not listen to the conversation as it traversed from Hoseok’s wedding to other wedding plans of Jimin’s other friends. Jimin’s friends are all getting married soon, and Yoongi knows how hard it must be for Jimin to be the only gay one out of his group of high school friends. They accept Jimin wholeheartedly, Yoongi knows that, but he also knows that Jimin is longing for his own wedding, too, and Yoongi is beyond scared right now.

After that, he finally asks Jimin a few days later. “Jimin, I want to ask you something. It’s been bothering me for a while.” Yoongi starts, and Jimin looks away from the TV to look at Yoongi.

“What’s up?” Jimin asks back happily as he sips on his smoothie, Reply 1997 totally forgotten.

“I…do you…you want to get married, right?”

And Jimin freezes on his seat. It’s not actually a proposal (and not a proposal he wanted) but is Yoongi really asking him that.

“What made you say that?”

“Hints. You kept leaving hints and I was starting to think that after the proposal we saw weeks ago, you wanted to get married too and I—“

“Baby.”

“—just—what?”

“You’re rambling.” Yoongi must be really bothered with this because he never rambles like that. He only ever did when he’s particularly stressed about something.

“Sorry.” He heaves out a tired sigh, running his hand all over his face. “I just—“

“Listen to me, alright?” Jimin scoots closer to Yoongi in the couch, resting a comforting hand on the older one’s chest. “I’m sorry if I made you think that way. I honestly didn’t do that on purpose. I was just excited, I guess. You know I’m easily excited, right? But please don’t think that I’m rushing or anything. I’m not. I like us the way we are.”

But it’s been seven years,Yoongi wants to say. He wants to give Jimin everything, but he’s scared at the same time. He knows he wouldn’t be able to give Jimin what he wanted in a perfect way. But he can try.

But he says it anyway. “Jimin, we’ve been together for seven years. That’s way too long for you to wait anymore. I’m sorry.” Yoongi looks down at his lap, playing with his fingers.

“No, no, no—don’t be sorry, dammit.” Jimin cups Yoongi’s face in his tiny, little hands, making the older look up to him again. “It’s really fine, baby. Don’t feel too pressured. It’s totally fine if you want to—“

“No, Jimin. This is not about what I want. It’s about you--what you want.” Yoongi says, sitting up straight to look at Jimin dead in the eye. “I love you, and I want to give you everything you deserve. A grand proposal? Fine. A grand wedding? Also fine. You do realize how much I’m willing to get out of my way just to do those things, right? Because you matter and you’re the only one that matters to me. So what I’m saying is…it’ll take me a while, but I promise you you’ll get everything you want. Just give me some time.”

Seven years ago, Jimin wouldn’t have thought that he would end up with the grumpy junior he met in one psychology class. They didn’t go along very well in the beginning, but after one forced date courtesy of Kim Namjoon (they might have to thank him later), they ended up together for seven years (and counting) in a shared penthouse in the middle of uptown Seoul. Yoongi’s love grows bigger by the day, and he didn’t really think that it only took one Park Jimin for his life to magically become worth living.

Jimin stares at Yoongi in pure disbelief because is he actually saying all of these things? Yoongi, who isn’t very vocal, isn’t very outgoing, lethargic and stubborn, is saying all of these things in one go Jimin might have him repeat it again. But he just gapes, teary-eyed, because that’s just the way he is and Yoongi can tolerate crying babies but he cannot bear a crying Jimin.

“Baby, don’t cry—“

“I’m not--” Jimin is. He’s crying, wiping his eyes like some toddler in daycare. “Just—I love you too and I want you to know that you’re the best thing that ever happened to me.” He moves to settle on Yoongi’s lap, grabbing the older by the neck to hug him tightly. Yoongi’s neck is wet with Jimin’s tears but he doesn’t care. Eventually, Jimin stops crying, but he does pepper Yoongi’s face with tiny little kisses that soon melts into one slow, sweet kiss. Jimin pulls away first, smiling and sighing in content against Yoongi’s lips. Yoongi nudges his nose against Jimin cheek, making the younger one giggle in delight.

“Wait, okay? When the time comes, I promise you it’ll be perfect. For you, all for you, baby.” Yoongi says, tugging Jimin closer by the waist.

“Okay. For you, I will.”