Jungkook's POV
People spoke over each other and rushed here and there as Jimin weaved effortlessly through the crowd. Jungkook made sure to stay close to him as he looked around, trying to take in everything. His heart pumped in excitement upon seeing all of the filming equipment, and he caught a glimpse of what he assumed was the set - already built and decorated to perfection. Though a few crew members still darted around on the brightened area, making sure everything was where it should be.
They were inside of a studio having been ushered there by Jimin's manager the minute they stepped out of the van. A production assistant had immediately rushed over to them to give them a quick rundown - "The director's late, but he should be showing up shortly. You can go ahead and start getting ready. My assistant will let you know when we're ready to shoot." Jungkook had zoned out after that, unable to keep up with her rapid-fire speech. Jimin had seemed to understand everything though because he nodded afterwards and even had time to give the short brunette woman a soft smile that left her blushing.
Jungkook bowed slightly and continuously as they passed through the crowd because Jimin was introducing him to everyone he knew. And apparently he knew a lot of people.
"This is Jungkook, my dongsaeng," he was currently saying to an older man with dark black hair and glasses. The hair was messy and the glasses were smudged. From the way that the man constantly looked around, Jungkook assumed it was a lack of time issue that had the man looking a little less unkempt than many. "Jungkook-" Jungkook almost jumped when he felt Jimin's hand wrap around his wrist gently to pull him to stand next to him. "This is Jun Hye, a famous CF producer. He's the one who got me this job."
"Ah," Jungkook said, realizing that this was Jimin's way of telling him that he was in front of an important person. "Annyeonghaseyo," he greeted politely, bowing deeply.
Jun Hye chuckled and immediately spoke to Jungkook in a casual manner. "Jimin is the first one I call whenever I see that a casting director needs a pretty boy."
"Ah, hyung~!" Jimin whined, affronted. "I'm not pretty; I'm handsome!"
Jungkook pressed his lips tightly together, tempted to agree with the producer.
Jun Hye waved his hand dismissively in Jimin's direction. "What about you?" he asked Jungkook. "Are you an actor?" He held his hand out as if he was framing Jungkook in a picture. "You're handsome enough."
"A-ani-" Jungkook started to say but Jimin cut him off.
"He's with BigHit," Jimin said. "And you should definitely keep him in mind if anything comes up."
"Arrasso...Great." Jun Hye pulled his phone out from his pocket and snapped a quick picture of Jungkook before the younger man could even say anything. "I'll let you know if anything comes up. But anyway...I gotta go. Catch you guys later. Yah! Min Young Hye! Stop right there!" He left just as soon as he had arrived, yelling after someone over Jungkook's shoulder.
Jungkook stared at Jimin with wide eyes as the older man resumed walking. "I...I don't know anything about acting," he said.
Jimin waved his hand barely glancing a look back over his shoulder towards the younger man. "Commercial shooting is more modeling than acting. And even still...It doesn't matter. Lesson number one...Never say no to an opportunity. Especially in this business. You never know what can happen so say yes to everything, be nice to everybody, and remember birthdays. Networking 101."
Jungkook nodded, feeling as if he should be taking notes.
"Besides," Jimin continued as they reached his dressing room and Jimin settled into a chair in front of a large vanity table neatly stocked with makeup and hair products. "I know trainees don't get paid so if you book an individual project like a modeling gig or a commercial...that's money in your pocket. So why not, right?"
Jungkook nodded again. He couldn't argue with that. He watched in amazement as a hairstylist and makeup artist immediately swooped in to begin prepping Jimin for his upcoming commercial shoot. The star engaged them in idle chatter that kept them laughing. Envious of the ease in which Jimin maneuvered and controlled social interactions, Jungkook allowed himself to stare, somewhat mesmerized by the amount of charisma Jimin had. 'This must be why he's so famous,' he pondered. 'Park Jimin attracts people.'
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Jimin's POV
Jimin felt Jungkook's eyes on him, and he enjoyed it. The kid was cute. Almost like a child being taken to an amusement park for the first time.
He purposefully acted natural under the kid's stare, not looking up to meet his gaze. Park Jimin didn't consider himself a psychic, but he was very good at reading people. And he could tell pretty early on that Jungkook was an introvert. He knew skinship and close proximity to strangers made Jungkook feel awkward and uncomfortable, and he knew if he looked up to catch him staring now that Jeon Jungkook would be embarrassed. Jeon Jungkook would quickly turn away, averting his gaze. And he didn't want that. He wanted Jeon Jungkook to keep staring at him.
He parted his lips to accomodate the makeup artist's quick swipes across his lips in application of the makeup meant to accentuate his already plump features.
"I'm hungry," he said, suddenly aware of the fact that he hadn't eaten anything that day.
The makeup artist - Do Yeon, a young woman with dark hair falling around her shoulders, pulled air between her teeth. "Don't you dare," she whispered.
Jimin smirked, recognizing the frustration. It always seemed to be when he was sitting down getting his makeup done that he was hit with the sudden urge to eat. He blamed it on the fact that, usually, the amount of work he did throughout the day kept him so busy that he forgot to even grab a snack and it wasn't until he was sitting down - fairly idle - that he realized he was starving. But, of course, his makeup artist didn't understand that. She thought he was purposefully being a pain in her side and threatening the smooth and careful paint she had already applied to his lips.
To support his statement, his stomach produced a mighty growl.
"See?" he said proudly, pointing to his stomach.
Do Yeon sighed loudly and ignored him, moving to the table to grab a tool to brush his eyebrows into a neat line.
"I can go get you something." It wasn't until he spoke that Jimin looked over at Jungkook again. A smile grew on his face at the offer and the earnest expression on the younger man's face. 'Cute,' he thought for the thousandth time that day.
"Don't you dare," Do Yeon said again, this time the order pointed at Jungkook.
Ignoring her, Jimin spoke to Jungkook. "Can you?" he said in a soft, slightly whining voice. A tone he was used to using to get his way. "Do you know where the snack table is?"
Jungkook nodded. "I saw it coming in."
"They should have sushi. Bring the whole tray," Jimin requested.
Jungkook nodded while Do Yeon tugged at her hair in frustration. "Sorry," Jungkook said to her with a bow before heading out to grab the tray.
'So cute.' Jimin thought. One thousand and one.
"I'm going to make you do your own makeup next time," Do Yeon muttered grumpily.
"Noona~" Jimin implored softly, taking her hand. "Aniya~"
"Tch." Do Yeon snatched her hand away but her demeanor was already softening. "Okay, okay..." She grumbled. "Just sit still."
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Jimin leaned back in his chair, hair styled and makeup done - ready for his close-ups. But the director still was yet to arrive, so he just lounged against the back of his chair with his head lolled back and his mouth open, allowing his new dongsaeng to carefully place pieces of sushi in his mouth with chopsticks. "Make sure not to smear my lip gloss or Do Yeon will kill both of us," Jimin said before opening his mouth wide again.
Jungkook picked up another piece of sushi between the chopsticks
he held and placed it delicately on Jimin's tongue, making sure to
completely bypass his lips. Jimin closed his mouth over the slightly
spicy sushi roll and tried to hold back his amusement at seeing the
amount of concentration on Jungkook's face, as if he was completing
an action that was equivalent to disarming a bomb. "You eat
too," Jimin urged, speaking around the food in his mouth.
"I can't," Jungkook said. "I'm on a diet."
Jimin glanced around the room before looking back at Jungkook. "I don't see anyone watching, do you?" he prompted.
A secret smile pulled at Jungkook's lips before he picked up a piece of sushi and popped it into his own mouth. His eyes widened slightly with the taste. "Mmm," he said.
"Good, right?" Jimin said, his chin propped on his hand. He enjoyed watching every little expression that passed across the young man's face. He was animated in a very subtle way.
Jungkook nodded and hurriedly put another piece in his mouth when he was done with the first.
"My advice in regards to the diets," Jimin said. "Is to ignore them. There will always be someone telling you you could lose a little more weight or look just a little bit better. You can't satisfy everyone, so you need to just listen to your body. It's the most important critic. When your body tells you it's hungry, eat. When your body tells you it's tired, rest. When your body tells you it's in pain, heal it. Then you'll be in your best condition."
It wasn't until Jimin stopped speaking that he took notice of the way Jungkook was looking at him...with a deep intensity that caused Jimin to get caught in his stare. It was the same way he had looked at him back in the vocal practice room. Jimin couldn't help the slow upturn of his lips that came as a result of the eye contact. This was the second time he was getting a first-hand look at the confidence underlying Jungkook's reserved nature. It made his stomach perform a mysterious somersault. Unknowingly, he pulled his bottom lip between his teeth, running his tongue over it.
That broke the spell.
"Hyung!" Jimin's eyebrows rose at Jungkook suddenly addressing him with wide eyes. "Your lipstick!"
'Oh no!' Jimin quickly turned his eyes to the mirror and leaned in to see what damage he had done. As expected, his lip tint was slightly faded. He hurriedly looked around the makeup products to see if he could find the lip product Do Yeon had used so that he could recreate her work before she saw him again and scolded him. He sighed a breath of relief when he found and quickly uncapped it to apply more. As he handled that task, his mind could finally catch up to what Jungkook had said. "Lipstick?" he said. "Yah. This is lip gloss! Lip gloss. I'm a man." He glanced petulantly at Jungkook.
Jungkook smiled and took the makeup the minute Jimin was done with it, looking at the label. "It's lipstick, hyung," he said again, after having apparently gotten affirmation from the label on the makeup. He could barely contain the giggle that escaped him until it became a full-blown snicker, his nose wrinkling with the effort of his laughter.
Even though he was the target of the other man's teasing, Jimin couldn't help but to start to laugh along with him. He reached forward to slap Jungkook's chest lightly before snatching the makeup away and replacing it on the vanity. "Let's just call it lip stain."
Jungkook laughed harder at that.
"Don't laugh," Jimin said, even though his own words were being drowned in bubbling amusement. "You better get used to it because you're going to be wearing it too when you debut. Come here." Jimin stood up with the lipstick in his hands, uncapping it. Still laughing, Jungkook half-heartedly tried to hold him back from touching the makeup wand Jimin was brandishing onto his lips. He gently held Jimin's small wrists as the other man used all of his body weight - to not much avail - to fall into him. "Be still. Be still," Jimin commanded mockingly.
"All right, all right." Jungkook said. "I'll stop, I'll stop laughing."
"Stop lying. You're still laughing right now," Jimin said as he continued to try to get to Jungkook's lips while the other man held him off.
"That's because you're making me laugh."
"What's going on in here?" a voice suddenly interrupted.
The smiles melted off of the two men's faces as they turned to see who had entered the room. A sobering atmosphere immediately descended when Jimin recognized the director, Michael. He was an older Korean man with sunken jaws and thick eyebrows partially hidden by large square-shaped glasses. He had a permanent five o'clock shadow and always wore a blue snapback cap, facing forward. He held a rolled up script in his hand and chewed gum slowly, his shrewd gaze taking in the two men in the room. Jimin stepped away from Jungkook with a somber expression. He clasped his two hands in front of himself and bowed slightly to greet the other man. "Annyeonghaseyo, sunbaenim," he said. "This is Jungkook." He turned to Jungkook and pointed towards the director. "This is the director, Michael." Jungkook bowed politely with the greeting, his expression back to that slightly shocked and curious expression that would normally make Jimin want to smile with amusement. But he suddenly wasn't in the mood. And he was sure it was all due to the director's entrance. He wasn't exactly a fan.
He looked up at the apologetic and slightly frantic expressions on the faces of the assistants that trailed behind the director. Jimin had been expecting some kind of notification when the director stepped foot on set. He would have been grateful. He needed to mentally prepare whenever he had to deal with working with this man.
"Jungkook..." Michael said, his eyes taking in the younger man before turning back to Jimin. "This your new boy toy?" he asked. "You know my rules. I don't like personal relations on my set."
Jimin bit his tongue to keep his annoyance at bay. "He's my assistant," he lied.
Michael's eyes went back to Jungkook as if studying him and then he nodded. "Sure, sure." His eyes slid back to Jimin. "Let me look at what they styled you in and see if they followed my directions." He stepped forward and walked slowly around Jimin, looking at his outfit. A white, slightly see-through button-up dress shirt tucked into tight, white leather pants.
Jimin couldn't help but to tense up as the older man circled him as if he was prey. He could almost feel the man's eyes on his skin as if they were hands. He clenched his teeth to control the shudder that wanted to travel through his body.
Having worked with Michael on multiple projects before, Jimin knew his discomfort was rational. The man was overly touchy and had insinuated more than professional interest in Jimin many times before. Many times in which Jimin had had to deliver a polite way of saying, "No, I don't want to fuck you," without jeopardizing his career and having rumors spread about him being "difficult to work with" from the very man who was currently sizing him up like a piece of meat.
Michael was a powerful man with extensive connections in the industry. It was unwise to get on his bad side.
Jimin felt a tug at the bottom of his shirt and he couldn't help but to flinch slightly. A small smirk lifted the corner of Michael's mouth. "You realize this shirt can't stay like this for the shoot. It'll have to come out. And we'll unbutton it."
Jimin's stomach turned in a similar way to whenever he drank too much and the contents wanted to come back up. "I know," he said, keeping his voice clipped. "I'll take care of it when we start filming."
"Good, good. You do that," Michael muttered. His eyes traveled down to the way the tight pants hugged Jimin's ample bottom, and Jimin could feel the director's eyes linger. He rolled his eyes and forced himself to stay still. But after a few more seconds, he couldn't help but to speak.
"Everything should be fine," he said, his tone a little harder than normal.
"It sure is," the director muttered, his voice disgustingly heavy and low. When Jimin felt a slap on his bottom, there was nothing slight about his flinch. He physically jolted as if wanting to jump out of his skin. "Let's get started then," the director said, walking past Jimin, that sickening smirk still curving his lips.
When he left the room, Jimin let out the breath he didn't realize he was holding and grabbed a bottled water angrily from the table next to him. He gulped down half of it to cool the burning rage within himself that was built of both frustration and helplessness. It wasn't until he heard Jungkook's voice that he remembered his new dongsaeng was in the room. He had immediately been blinded by simple anger towards one man the moment he entered. "Hyung."
Jimin turned to Jungkook and saw that he was holding the lip stain out to him, but it was Jungkook's expression that held Jimin's attention. His face was colored with concern and confusion. Jimin blushed, suddenly embarrassed about the display that had just taken place. He had spent two hours putting on the act of a cool sunbae only to have it come crashing down with a demonstration of his powerlessness. "Thanks," he said, taking the lip stain. He didn't meet Jungkook's eyes. "You can come watch me if you want."
'Though I don't know why you would want to watch someone as pathetic as me,' Jimin thought.
Jungkook nodded. "Arrasso."
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Jungkook's POV
Jungkook frowned.
He had been watching the process of Jimin filming his commercial for the past two hours and he couldn't enjoy it. Watching how the equipment moved and was manned would have fascinated him in normal circumstances, but he couldn't pay attention to the moving cameras or how the images were captured onscreen because every couple of minutes, that director was making some inappropriate comment.
Watching how Jimin played to the camera and accentuated his best features would have fascinated him as it had before throughout the day, but he couldn't focus because the director kept calling cut, telling Jimin to undo another button or expose his shoulder.
Jungkook pressed his hands into his pockets and shifted on his feet, agitation making him restless.
The longer Jimin posed for Michael, the more uncomfortable he felt. It read on his face and in his body. He hadn't genuinely smiled once ever since the man showed up. And it was as if Jimin's own agitated feelings were feeding Jungkook's.
Jungkook remembered the stray thoughts he had had in the van about Jimin, and he immediately knew he had been mistaken. Jimin was no pervert. Michael was a pervert.
He growled low in his throat when Michael called cut once again. He wasn't entirely sure why this was upsetting him so much. Maybe it was a personal affront to his own sense of justice; maybe he was upset that the once smiling Jimin was now tense and angry; maybe he was upset that so many people clearly saw what was happening and couldn't - or wouldn't - do anything about it. And maybe he was upset that he was one of those people. He cracked his neck when Michael began to unbutton Jimin's shirt.
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Jimin's POV
Jimin glowered and looked straight ahead. He consciously had to restrain himself from pushing the director away. His muscles shook with the effort.
"We're probably gonna have to oil you up too," the director was saying, his voice disgustingly heavy again. "To make you shine on camera."
Jimin couldn't take it anymore. 'No,' he thought. 'I'm not letting this man rub oil onto my chest.' He was just about to shove the man away and lose all care for his image when someone stepped in.
"I should do that. I'm his assistant after all."
Jungkook.
Relief washed over Jimin in waves. He cast thankful eyes upon the man, not bothering to hide his expression.
Jimin watched the director slowly and reluctantly relinquish his self-made task, casting a sharp glance at Jungkook. "Make it quick," he said.
Jimin smiled once the man had retreated back to his director's chair, whispering instructions to one of the crew. "Thank you," he said to Jungkook, knowing he didn't need to express what he was thanking him for. They both understood. And Jimin was grateful when Jungkook only nodded and didn't comment on the issue further.
The tension left his body as Jungkook finished what the director had started, unbuttoning his shirt until every button was unclasped. "Nice abs," Jungkook said once they were in full view. Recognizing that Jungkook was throwing his own comment back at him, Jimin chuckled. Jungkook's eyes flitted to his face for a second and he responded with a smile of his own before he asked for the oil he must have heard Michael mention.
Almost as quickly as he asked for it, a crew member came forward and put a bottle in Jungkook's hand.
Once he had it, Jungkook looked as if he didn't know what to do with it. He stilled for a moment, that amusing expression on his face once again. Jimin hid a laugh behind his fist. 'Why is he so cute?' Yes, he wondered it for the thousandth and second time. But he couldn't help it. The confident man who had stepped in to help him in his time of need had so quickly and easily flipped back to being a boyish figure who seemed to have the sensibilities of a deer on the lookout for predators.
"Here," Jungkook said, trying to hand the bottle over to Jimin.
Jimin lifted his eyebrow. 'I'm not letting you off that easy,' he thought. "No," he said, refusing to take the oil. "You do it. You're my assistant, remember?"
"Hurry up! We don't have all day!" Michael shouted.
At the shout, Jungkook uncapped the bottle and poured oil into his hand. Jimin watched as the tips of the younger man's ears grew red. He had the sudden urge to want to reach out and touch them, but he held himself back. He waited while Jungkook rubbed his hands together to gather the sheen on both of his palms, and he realized he was anticipating Jungkook's skin to touch his own. Just so he could watch the younger man squirm, of course.
His lips curved upward when Jungkook reached out and hesitated to touch him, his hand hovering just a couple of inches from his abs. He held his breath and was completely still, not wanting to spook the deer. And eventually, Jungkook began to move again. He placed his hand on Jimin's stomach, gently at first. Jimin's abs automatically clenched at the feeling of the cool oil against his skin and the hesitant touch. He continued to hold his breath until he felt Jungkook's hands begin to roam more confidently and press against his skin more assuredly.
His eyes focused on Jungkook's hands, large and strong, as they moved smoothly over his skin leaving a trail of sheen. The side of his hand brushed against the top of his belt as he slid his touch across the plane of his stomach. And then he began to move up his chest. Jimin's eyes followed the line of his arm, to his chin, to meet Jungkook's own gaze. He almost drew in a breath of surprise when he realized Jungkook was looking at his face. And once again, he got caught up in the eye contact. He couldn't pull his eyes away. He assumed the other man felt the same because though a flush crossed his face at having been caught staring, he didn't turn away as Jimin would have expected.
It felt as if they were playing some kind of game. Some challenge issued that neither was quite sure why they wanted to enter and win, but they did. And today's challenge was apparently a staring contest. Jimin's smile grew. He was good at those.
Jungkook, not so much.
His gaze fluttered downward to focus on his hands at the change in Jimin's expression. A small laugh left Jimin's lips. But the man before him didn't have to know that the laugh was more born of surprise than victory. Surprise that his heart was fluttering strangely and that small, mysterious somersault was happening again somewhere in the lower regions of his stomach.
Jungkook poured more oil onto his hands and applied more to Jimin's chest, brushing over the tops of the star's pectoral muscles. As his hand roamed over the area, Jimin impulsively made his chest jump, one and then the other. Jungkook pulled his hand back as if scalded and then the reaction Jimin wanted came. He laughed. That cute, boyish laugh that caused his eyes to grow narrow and his nose to scrunch. He glanced at Jimin's face before going back to his task, his hands now moving quickly and deftly over Jimin's skin. Before long, he was finished with the process and stepping away.
Realizing he missed the touch when it was gone, Jimin's mind traveled to the man who had called him earlier. His boyfriend, a model by the name of Ryu Won. He realized he missed the intimacy of his touch much more than he had previously thought, the days in which they hadn't seen each other all melding into one busy rush of distraction. He decided that he would clear time in his schedule for this week rather than next week so that he could see him.
As two hardworking adults in the entertainment industry, it was always hard to cut out a free piece of time that worked for both parties but... 'I'll just have to make it work,' Jimin thought with determination.
It had taken him years of struggling with his sexuality, self-doubt, worries, and three failed relationships to even find Ryu Won - a man who doted on him and made him happy whenever they met. This relationship, his first serious one, meant a lot to him so yes...He would find the time.
None of his fans knew that he was in a relationship, of course. Neither did his stylists, his CEO, nor many of his friends. Only a select few that included his manager and his two closest friends - Kim Taehyung and Jung Hoseok; a fellow model that was signed to the same company as his boyfriend and was a personal elementary school friend to Jimin and a dance instructor at BigHit Entertainment - knew about Jimin's sexuality and his relationship. And his family knew, of course. He had told them - terrified of their reaction - when he realized he couldn't hide it anymore. It had taken some getting used to on their end, but they had assured him they loved him no matter what. Now they supported him in whatever way they could. Especially his younger brother. His younger brother was protective over him to the point where sometimes he forgot he was the hyung. His lips twitched upward when he realized there was a certain someone here that reminded him of his brother back home.
His eyes found Jungkook, who gave him an emphatic thumbs up to cheer him on. He held back a laugh. 'So cute.' One thousand and three.
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It was dark outside by the time Jimin, Jungkook, and Jimin's entourage left the building to head to their respective homes. Jimin's manager bid him farewell for the night. He usually acted as Jimin's driver, but they had employed that position to someone else for the last month because his manager - Ho Shik - had a newborn at home. "Give your baby a kiss for me," Jimin said with a smile. "Your wife too."
"Aish!" His manager playfully raised his hand as if to backhand him. Jimin laughed. "This punk."
He walked away saying something about seeing him tomorrow and as people disbursed, Jimin glanced around for Jungkook - something he had found himself doing from the moment they had stepped off of the van together. The kid was quiet, so he always had to make sure he hadn't lost him. He grabbed his wrist and gently pulled him closer when he saw him standing nearby. "When are you traveling to Busan tomorrow?"
"Eleven," Jungkook answered.
"Good," Jimin said, noting that the night was still young. "So you won't mind going to get a drink with me? My treat." He was happy that work was done for the day and he wanted to celebrate with a couple of drinks. He was also still a little on edge after having to deal with Michael so liquor would definitely help edge some of that off.
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Jungkook's POV
Jungkook settled into the van again with a small smile on his face. He was never the type to reach out and make friends, so he always appreciated when someone else took the initiative in the act of getting closer. It took a lot of the burden off of his shoulders. Because he enjoyed connecting with people; he just sometimes lacked the social skills to get the ball rolling. So he was grateful that Jimin had asked him out for a round. He was happy to spend more time with him. It seemed the longer he was with him, the more he wanted to know.
The other man was currently looking down at his phone as the van started, a small smile creeping onto his face. Jungkook assumed the message that had caused him to smile so softly was from the woman that had called him earlier. He smiled at that and settled back into his seat, not worried about initiating any kind of conversation. He took out his own phone instead to scroll through social media, giving Jimin privacy. It was comforting to him to know that Jimin had a girlfriend. The man was in the successful years of his career and there was no rumor, no scandal, no mention of any kind of the celebrity possibly being in a relationship. If someone of Jimin's status could do it - Jungkook's mind wandered to Seon Woo - he could too.
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They sat in the booth of a BBQ restaurant in a back area, out of view of any regular patrons that might wander through looking for a late-night meal. Apparently, Jimin was a regular here and knew the owners. The place was somewhere in the middle between upscale and everyday man. It was intriguing.
Jimin and Jungkook sat together on a thick, wooden bench attached to the wall. They were partitioned in on two sides by tall seating booths and a table sat in front of them loaded with meat and alcohol. Jimin was well into his second bottle of soju and Jungkook was halfway through his first. He never drank much as he always liked to be in control of his senses, so he always took it slowly.
He cut the strips of meat in front of him into slivers and turned them over on the grill that sat in front of them. He could feel Jimin leaning into him. There was no space between their bodies. He wasn't sure when it had gotten to that point because they had started out with at least five inches between them. But somewhere between the alcohol, the meat warming their stomachs, and casual chatter, they had found themselves physically closer. Jungkook found he didn't mind it so much. He had spent the entire day with Park Jimin so far, and he was growing comfortable with him and his need for almost constant physical contact at an alarming rate.
"Feed me that piece," Jimin said in a soft, cute tone that made Jungkook wonder who the hyung was in this situation. He chuckled and caught the piece of meat Jimin pointed at between his chopsticks. He then placed it on a large sesame leaf followed by a stack of rice, a piece of kimchi and another piece of meat before wrapping it and proffering it to Jimin who opened his mouth readily. Jungkook pushed the wrap gently into his mouth and watched the man's full lips close over it. He had never particularly thought watching another person eat was attractive until now.
A notification sounded on Jungkook's phone, which was placed beside him on the table, and it lit up. The lock screen photo was one of Seon Woo staring out at him with her index finger placed cutely next to her pursed lips.
"Who is that?" Jimin asked, nodding towards his phone.
'Shit.' Jungkook grabbed it and turned the screen off. "Uhh..." He thought about lying for a moment, but he decided against it. Not only was Jimin a labelmate, but he was also quickly growing to become a friend and he had a trustworthy vibe. Besides...Jimin himself was in a relationship, right? "My- my girlfriend," Jungkook answered.
"...She's cute," Jimin said after a slight pause. Jungkook nodded. "You might wanna change your lock screen when you start to get fame though."
Jungkook nodded again. "Yeah, I've been meaning to," he said. "I'll do it now." He unlocked his phone but before he could go to his pictures, Jimin gently took it from his hand.
"Here," the other man said. He leaned in closer against Jungkook's side and put their cheeks together before snapping a quick selfie. "You should use that one," Jimin said, handing the phone back.
Jungkook looked at the photo. Jimin wore a soft smile and his expression looked slightly startled as he looked into the camera. "Eh? Why do I look like this?" he asked.
"Why?" Jimin asked with a soft smile, leaning over to take a second look at the photo. "That's what you look like all the time. It's cute."
Jungkook ignored how pleased he was with that compliment and simply changed his lock screen photo from the one of Seon Woo to the one Jimin had just taken. "She's gonna freak when she sees this picture," he said.
"Why?" Jimin asked.
"She's a big fan of yours," Jungkook answered, putting a piece of meat in his mouth. His cheek poked out, full of food, as a result of the action. When he turned to see Jimin smiling at him, he had no idea why. He assumed it was because of what he just said.
"Really?" Jimin asked. He pushed his hand through his hair.
'Eighteen,' Jungkook thought.
"Send her the picture," Jimin prompted. "I want to see her reaction."
Jungkook smirked, not hesitating to send the picture off through text message. He knew the response would be amusing. And not two seconds after he sent the photo, he received a text message reply reading: "AIFEANFK IAF HF;AIJRE;FHRHA!!!!!!!!!!!" And then his phone began to ring. Both Jungkook and Jimin held back laughs as he answered the phone, putting it on speaker. "Hello?"
"OPPA! OPPA! OPPA!" Jungkook lowered the volume on his phone as Seon Woo's shrill screams filled up the restaurant. Jimin held his hand tight over his lips to stifle laughs and fell over onto his side. "WHAT IS THAT PICTURE?" Seon Woo continued. "WHERE ARE YOU? ARE YOU WITH HIM? JIMIN OPPA, I LOVE YOU!"
She continued on for a few more minutes, professing her love to Jimin before Jungkook was able to interject. "Seon Woo," he said. "Calm down. He's beside me right now."
A shrill shriek came over the phone. Jimin threw himself to the side again, wracked with laughter. "Is she okay?" he asked Jungkook through his laughs. Jungkook shrugged. For all he knew, she could have just been murdered from the sounds of it.
"OPPA! I LOVE YOU! JIMIN OPPA! I LOVE YOU!" Seon Woo continued from where she had left off.
"What about me?!" Jungkook asked petulantly. "What about me?!"
"OPPA, BE QUIET!!!"
Jimin fell against Jungkook's shoulder, slapping him lightly, highly entertained as the couple started to bicker. Eventually, Seon Woo finally convinced Jungkook to pass the phone over to Jimin. Jimin held the phone lightly in his hand and tried to keep the mirth out of his voice. "Seon Woo-yah~" he said, laying on the charm. Jungkook watched with a smile on his face as Seon Woo's high-pitched squeal came over the speaker. "How are you?"
"Ahhh~" Seon Woo whined cutely. "Oppa~" She was no longer shouting. Her tone was a honeyed, soft and gentle whine. Jungkook scoffed, unable to believe she was trying to pretend to be demure when Jimin had just watched the way she had verbally abused him to get him to pass over the phone.
Letting it slide, he focused once again on the food in front of him while they talked. He meant to give them their time to talk, but he realized he couldn't give Seon Woo those privileges when the conversation took a turn a few moments later.
"What's something embarrassing Jungkook has done?" Jimin had asked with amusement in his voice.
"Oppa," Seon Woo started, her tone exasperated at the memory. "During our first kiss, Jungkook was so bad that he bit my lip to the point of bleeding-"
Jungkook's eyes widened and he choked as he inhaled the food in his mouth too quickly. Coughing, he hurriedly snatched the phone back from a doubled-over laughing Jimin. "Yah! Seon Woo!" he yelled around the food in his mouth. "I'm hanging up!"
"Oppa! Jongkook oppa! Don't! Don-!" Jungkook hung up, embarrassed, and then he turned off his phone because he was sure Seon Woo would try to call again.
He tried to ignore Jimin who was still doubling over with laughter. "How could you..." he said between peals of mirth. "Be so bad...That you bit her..."
"It was my first kiss," Jungkook mumbled, his face burning with shame. "I was nervous." He still remembered that day vividly. Seon Woo had needed to get two stitches in her lip because of him. He still had flashbacks about that day. It was the embarrassing moment that would just spontaneously come back to him on certain days and make him cringe. It was that bad. He stuffed his face with rice and refused to look at Jimin, who - still laughing - reached over to pinch his cheek.
"You're cute," Jimin said aloud for the second time that night. This time, Jungkook didn't get a sense of pleasure from it. He was still wanting to curl up and smother himself under the overwhelming sense of embarrassment.
Jimin's laughter finally died down and he poured himself another drink. "It's brave to have a girlfriend during your trainee period," Jimin said. "Are you planning to break up with her when you debut?"
Jungkook shook his head and leaned back, full from the meal. "No," he said. "We're not gonna break up."
A smile spread across Jimin's face as he looked over his shoulder at Jungkook. "Whoaaa~" he said. "That confidence. What makes you so sure? It's harder than you think, you know. Our company doesn't have a dating ban like some others, but fans don't like an idol who's taken. It can affect your success and then it becomes about choosing your career or love. And that sucks." He threw back the drink he had poured for himself.
"Well, it can't be that hard," Jungkook said. "Maybe you could give me some pointers."
"About what?" Jimin asked tearing off a piece of dried squid between his teeth and chewing it.
"Dating. You're in a relationship, aren't you?"
Jimin froze. For a moment, Jungkook wondered if he had overstepped his bounds. And he was sure that Jimin struggled with the same dilemma he had struggled with just a few moments before about whether to lie or not but then he just turned to Jungkook with an impressed look. "How did you know?" he asked. "I haven't told anybody."
"Just a feeling," Jungkook said with a casual shrug. "The way you were talking on the phone when we were in the van made me think you were talking to someone special."
"Oh..." Jimin said, a slight blush staining his cheeks. Jungkook didn't know whether it was due to the alcohol or the fact that his secret had been revealed when he didn't want it to be.
"I didn't mean to pry or anything," Jungkook said quickly.
"No, no, it's fine," Jimin said with a wave of his hand. "If the news reaches the tabloids tomorrow, I'll know who to blame," he said playfully.
Jungkook waved his hands in front of himself. "I would never say anything," he said earnestly.
"I believe you," Jimin replied, the response coming naturally. He paused for a moment before speaking again. "But I don't think you should be asking me for pointers. You figured out I was dating by spending a couple of hours with me. What do I know?"
Jungkook laughed, realizing Jimin had a point.
"How can I help you when I can't help myself?" Jimin continued, laughing along with Jungkook.
They laughed until they became tired - Jungkook leaning against the padded backseat of the wooden bench and Jimin leaning on Jungkook's shoulder while he played with the hem of Jungkook's oversized hoodie. It felt oddly natural. "I'm full," Jimin said, his voice soft and low. But Jungkook had no trouble hearing it because he was so near his ear. "I don't wanna move."
"Neither do I," Jungkook agreed, feeling lazy and warm. "What time is it?"
Jimin pulled his phone out of his pocket and checked the time. "11:00."
"We should start heading home."
"Yeah."
Neither moved.
"Hey..." Jimin's fiddling fingers came across a square-shaped object in the pocket of Jungkook's hoodie. "What's this?"
"Hmm? Oh." Jungkook reached into his pocket and pulled out a small pocket-sized bible. "I forgot that was in there."
"Are you religious?" Jimin asked, taking the small bible in his hands and flipping through it. There were underlinings and markings on various pages throughout.
"Mmm...So-so," Jungkook responded. "I'm a Christian, but I don't exactly go to church every Sunday or anything. Don't tell my mom that." He laughed. "She's the one that gave me the bible."
"Ahh..." Jimin said.
"What about you?" Jungkook asked. "Are you religious?"
Jimin handed the bible back. "Not really," he said. "I don't think about it much."
Jungkook nodded. "I used to be very devout," he said. "Bible study every Wednesday, church every Sunday, praying every night. But then I guess I got too busy. The only thing that could take priority over bible study for my mom was me getting an education. She wanted me to be a doctor."
Jimin raised his eyebrows in interest. "And how did your parents react to you deciding you wanted to be a singer instead?"
"Not good," Jungkook said, chuckling. "But they're trying to understand. They're not giving me the silent treatment anymore at least. For a second there, I thought I was going to be stricken from the family registry."
Jimin smiled sympathetically. He remembered having some of the same fears when he thought about coming out. "Yeah," he said. "They'll come around." He thought of his own family's support and hoped for the same for Jungkook. "Do you have any siblings?"
"Yeah, an older brother."
"Oh!" Jimin turned to him in surprise. "I have a younger brother. Same age as you. How old is your brother?"
"Twenty-one," Jungkook responded.
"Same as me!" Jimin said, his smile taking up his whole face. "Yah! You were fated to be my dongsaeng. Also..." he slipped into his hometown dialect. "We're Busan brothers."
Jungkook smiled. "Right!" he said. "I forgot you were from Busan!"
"Let's make a pact," Jimin said, holding out his hand.
Jungkook laughed. "What? What kind of pact?"
"That I'll be your favorite hyung forever, and you'll be my favorite dongsaeng."
Jungkook laughed, his nose crinkling. The more he got to know Jimin, the more he found him to be cute. Thinking back to when they met in the hallway those couple of months ago, Jungkook was starting to wonder why he had ever been intimidated. "Hyung," Jungkook acquiesced, giving Jimin his hand.
"Dongsaeng~" Jimin sing-songed, taking Jungkook's hand and curling his four fingers around Jungkook's before pressing their thumbs together. "Press," Jimin instructed as he maneuvered their hands. "Now kiss. You kiss your thumb and I'll kiss mine." Jungkook blushed but followed along as they held their pressed together thumbs up between them and kissed their fingers.
He was happy. Since moving to Seoul, he hadn't made many friends apart from some of his fellow trainees. And they weren't exactly call-you-out-to-meet-up friends; they were more like we're-in-the-same-room-so-we'll-carry-on-a-friendly-conversation friends. With Jimin, he felt as if he had made a real and lasting connection.
"Ah."
Jungkook opened his mouth wide to receive the wrap Jimin had made for him. As he chewed, he was comforted by the feeling of Jimin casually stroking his hair as if to say he was doing a good job. Maybe missing home would be a little more endurable.
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That night, when he got home, Jungkook settled onto his stomach with his iPad and visited YouTube. 'Park Jimin,' he typed. 'Live stages.'
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Jimin's POV
Jimin settled into the seat of the van after dropping Jungkook off and pulled out his cell phone. He checked a message from Ryu Won and then began to surf the internet. Before he knew it, he was looking up whatever available information he could find online about one particular BigHit trainee, Jeon Jungkook.
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