Jimin's POV:
'You're not even going to talk to me?'
He read over the text from Ryu Won for the fifth time that day and got upset all over again. Without responding, he tucked the phone into his pocket and focused back in on the work in front of him.
Dressed in a beanie, shades, a long-sleeved shirt, and jeans, he sat on a couch in the recording studio as Jungkook recorded segments of songs he had worked hard to write. And he hated to admit that the younger man sounded good singing them. He cursed inwardly as Jungkook easily hit one of the notes that he had struggled with.
“Good,” Yoongi coached through the mic leading to the booth. “That was perfect.”
Jimin scowled at the word 'perfect'. “It was okay,” he muttered bitterly beneath his breath.
Jungkook continued with his recording for about forty-five minutes more before they wrapped up.
“Let's take a break before we start with you, Jimin,” Yoongi said, already getting up to leave the room before Jimin consented to or rejected his suggestion.
“All right,” Jimin said as the door was closing. “I guess.”
Jungkook walked to the couch and sat down on the other end. He pulled out his phone to play a few app games to pass the time.
Jimin peered at him. Needing a distraction from all thoughts of Ryu Won, he spoke. “How are things with you and your girlfriend?”
“Good,” Jungkook said with a nod, not looking up from his phone. “They're good. I went to visit her a couple of weeks ago. We had fun.”
Jimin felt bitterness rise in his chest. Here was a kid that just had things coming easily to him. His relationship was going well. He was about to debut, building on someone else's already-established success. He was even unfairly attractive even though his personality wasn't that great. What did he have that Jimin didn't? Why did the universe love the other man and not him?
“Do you think you love her?” he asked, continuing his line of questioning.
Jungkook looked up at the strange question. “I know I love her,” he corrected.
Jimin let out a sound of skepticism. “You're still young and naive,” he said. “There's no such thing as love. At least not the kind found in romantic movies or books.”
Jungkook's focus remained on Jimin. He pursed his lips as if deep in thought and then he spoke again. “I didn't say it was movie or book love.”
“Then what kind of love is it?” Jimin asked, unconsciously being pulled into a conversation he started simply to bait himself out of tumultuous thoughts.
“Real love,” Jungkook answered, as if it was the simplest concept. “The kind of love where we're not always happy with each other but both of us know it's just temporary and it's not gonna break whatever we have together. The kind of love where we're not constantly consumed by the other person like books describe but there is always a small space reserved in the back of our mind for the other and when that person is pulled to the forefront, we smile. The kind of love that reassures us because we know there's someone always in our corner.” Jungkook smiled gently, his gaze not focused on anything currently in the room.
He snapped out of it and nodded, focusing back in on Jimin. “That kind of love.”
The bitterness grew in Jimin's chest. Only because he was so jealous. And he knew he was jealous and he hated it.
To think he wanted what Jungkook had. Why should he? The kid was younger, dorkier, and pretty stupid...so why did he feel like this? Why did he wonder if anyone had ever talked about him like Jungkook had just talked about what he had with his girlfriend? Why did he wonder when he knew the answer?
Probably not.
He had definitely never felt that way about anyone before.
“You sound like an old man who's been married for sixty years,” Jimin snarked. Just because he had nothing better to say.
He frowned with disappointment when Jungkook only shrugged his shoulders and turned back to his phone.
'Life sucks,' he thought.
He got up with heavy bones to record his segments of the song when Yoongi came back into the room.
* * *
It was decided that BigHit Entertainment would make a statement revealing that Jungkook would be the trainee debuting with Park Jimin at twelve A.M. a few nights later. To say Jeon Jungkook was nervous would be an understatement.
“Why are you following me?” Jimin asked the taller man who was practically glued to his ass as they left the company building after yet another long day of recording.
Jimin was dead on his feet. His eyes were red and puffy from no sleep and his hair was a wild mess under the hood of Jungkook's hoodie he would have realized he was wearing directly in front of the other man even though he claimed he had thrown it away if he hadn't been so tired.
The reason he was tired was because his thoughts kept straying back to a loser ex-boyfriend who hadn't even tried to reach out to him again after that stupid text: “You're not even going to talk to me?”
He obviously didn't care that much if that was going to be his only attempt to reach him.
“Umm...” Jungkook said, his eyes searching around for neither of them knew what. “Wanna go get drinks?”
Jimin immediately began to shake his head. “Not tonight,” he said. “Maybe some other time.” He just wanted to go back home, snuggle under his sheets, and pet Mina.
Jungkook's face fell in disappointment. “Oh...”
Jimin hovered, wanting to walk away and start on his plans to wallow but Jungkook's stupid downcast face was stopping him. “What?” he asked, unable to help himself.
Jungkook shrugged. “I just...” He scratched the back of his hand, wondering if it was embarrassing to admit his fears. He decided it wasn't. Not embarrassing enough to overpower his anxiety anyway. “I'm nervous about tonight.”
Jimin blinked. “What's tonight?”
Surprised that what Jungkook was worrying about wasn't even on Jimin's mind, Jungkook's mouth fell open before he responded. “The announcement.”
“Ohh,” Jimin said. He had truly forgotten, his mind preoccupied with other things.
“I'm surprised you forgot,” Jungkook said, voicing his thoughts.
“I guess I was hoping all of this was a nightmare I'd eventually wake up from,” Jimin griped.
“Oh yeah,” Jungkook muttered, reminded that Jimin never wanted this in the first place. He had almost forgotten since Jimin had been mostly civil to him in the past few days.
“What are you nervous about?” Jimin asked.
“What if they don't like me?”
Jungkook didn't have to elaborate for Jimin to understand what he meant. He knew the 'they' Jungkook was referring to was every member of the general public of Korea who listened to kpop, everyone who was already a fan of Jimin, and every international person that logged onto YouTube and other online platforms to eject their opinions out into the universe.
Jimin shifted on his feet, unsure what to say. He knew what he was thinking. He was thinking that the kid didn't have anything to worry about because who could dislike someone as cute as Jungkook? But he wasn't about to say that. Because he still resented the brat.
Instead, he just shrugged and said, “You can't expect everyone to like you.”
Which was true. But Jimin knew it wasn't the reassurance Jungkook was looking for right now.
The younger man nodded with a small pout on his face and murmured, “That's true.”
The conversation was apparently over, but neither man moved. Jungkook didn't move because he was looking for something further to ease his nerves and Jimin didn't move because Jungkook looked like a lost puppy. And Jimin had a weak spot for puppies – lost or not. But especially lost.
He smothered a groan, already regretting what he was about to suggest but speaking anyway. “I'm going to fall asleep the minute I get home but you can come if you want. Just know that cuddles are mandatory.”
He hoped that last sentence would deter Jungkook from taking advantage of his niceties, but his hopes were dashed when a smile began to spread across the younger man's face. “I don't know about cuddles,” he said, falling into step beside Jimin – who had already begun walking once he had resigned himself to the fact that Jungkook's smile meant he was tagging along. “But I can definitely keep you company.”
Jimin held back a scoff when he realized the taller man had turned the situation around as if he was the one asking for company tonight. But he let it slide. 'Whatever,' he thought. 'He's the one entering my homosexual den of sin.'
Never losing a moment to tilt the axis of Jungkook's straight-laced, boring, heterosexual world, Jimin slid his hand into Jungkook's – intertwining their fingers. “Cuddles will happen,” he stated firmly. “Or you can just head home right now.”
Jungkook was silent, frowning and obviously defiant of the dreaded “cuddles”, but he kept walking alongside Jimin and kept the older man's grip within his own.
* * *
Jungkook was awed by Jimin's residence from the moment they were greeted by security at the front gate to the moment they stepped into the complex and elegant high-rise apartment building making their way up to one of the top floors where Jimin's apartment took up the whole level. They moved from the elevator to Jimin's door and when they went inside, Jungkook made sure to follow Jimin's lead in taking his shoes off right next to the front door.
The interior was modern and pristine. Very orderly. Orderly to the point where Jungkook was sure the other man must have a cleaner coming in regularly to help him maintain the aesthetic. Plush, white, carpet covered the living room floor and Jungkook had to keep himself from sighing as he walked across it. Even with his socks on, he could feel from the give how soft it was. He was sure that he could sleep on the floor with no bedding and be completely comfortable with carpet like this.
He was only able to glimpse the kitchen because Jimin was just leading him on a pre-determined, one track path. Jungkook assumed that path was to his bedroom. The other man must not have been kidding when he talked about how tired he was.
When they entered Jimin's bedroom, Jungkook rotated his neck in every direction to see all sides of it.
A large king-sized bed sat directly in the middle of the room, headboard against the back wall. The comforter set that adorned it was a decorative but simple beige and dark brown combination. A large entertainment center with an almost-as-large flat screen TV sat directly across from it against the parallel wall that the bed sat against. The open shelves of the entertainment center held stacks of DVDs – all in alphabetical order – games to various gaming systems and books. Jungkook assumed the actual gaming systems were located in the large cabinet-like section of the entertainment center. He couldn't tell because the door was closed.
A low table sat between the entertainment center and bed. On top of it was a book, laptop, and mug that read: “Most handsome”. Jungkook smiled. He could just imagine Jimin sitting there in the morning sipping on coffee from that mug and trying to read as many paragraphs of a book as he could before his schedule started for the day.
Speaking of Jimin, he had disappeared the moment they entered the room. Jungkook looked around to see him standing inside of a large closet, the sliding door open so that Jungkook could see inside. His mouth dropped open. The closet looked like the inside of a department store. Clothing – branded and non-branded – hung organized between casual, evening wear, and apparently...sleepwear. The sleepwear area is what Jimin currently stood in front of.
He looked at Jungkook and waved him over.
Jungkook went to Jimin, not quite sure why he was being beckoned until something was being pushed against his chest. A rabbit onesie complete with tail and bunny ears attached to a hood. Jungkook's eyes widened in horror. 'Don't tell me...' He was trying to put him in this?!
“I can sleep in what I have on,” Jungkook said quickly.
“What are you, a heathen?” Jimin asked, still appraising his pick against Jungkook's body.
“I don't want to trouble you,” Jungkook said desperately.
“It's no trouble.”
Not seeming to get anywhere through polite rebuttals, Jungkook finally just gave in and pleaded, “Please don't make me wear this.”
Jimin's eyes came up to meet his, an amused look in his gaze. And if Jungkook hadn't been sure of the devil's existence before, he was sure of it now. And he was also sure that the devil presented himself in the form of a five-foot-eight kpop star named Park Jimin. A smirk pulled at the older man's lips and he stated with no empathy, “It's my house.”
Jungkook frowned, looking every bit like a kicked puppy. And that was worse than a lost one.
Jimin sighed in exasperation. “Fine!” he relented, putting the onesie back. “You're such a baby.” He pulled out a plain white t-shirt and stylish black sweatpants. “Here,” he intoned, handing the clothing over to Jungkook.
Jungkook was happy with the styling change. He took it with a smile, his two front teeth which were slightly larger than the rest peeked over his bottom lip.
Jimin narrowed his eyes, certain that the first option he had chosen was a more fitting pick.
He told Jungkook to use one of the two bathrooms in his apartment to wash up while he used the other. He was surprised when he entered into his room twenty minutes later to find that the other boy wasn't out yet. He climbed into bed with a book in his lap to keep him occupied while he waited for the other man to re-emerge. It was a full twenty more minutes later when he wandered in.
Jimin looked up to see him wearing his designated sleep attire with a cloth head band on, pushing his hair back and away from his face. He held a container of skin cream in his right hand. “Can I use some of this?” he asked. “I left all of my stuff at home.”
Jimin stood up and took the cream, gesturing the younger man to sit on the side of the bed. “Do you know how much this cost?” he asked as he uncapped the container and Jungkook lifted his face up and closed his eyes, waiting for the application. The younger man shook his head. “224,372 won,” Jimin answered.
Jungkook's eyes popped open and he ducked away from Jimin's hand, which was coming toward his face with a dollop of the cream on his middle finger. “You're not gonna charge me if I use this, are you?” the younger man asked with wide eyes.
Jimin couldn't stop the chuckle that escaped his lips. “No, you idiot,” he said, touching the cream onto Jungkook's forehead. “I was just telling you because there's a certain way you apply this kind unlike the cheaper creams. You don't have to use as much.” He touched a few more dots of the cream onto Jungkook's face and then took a dollop more onto his fingers before gently rubbing his hands together and rubbing the skin cream onto Jungkook's face in a circular motion.
It was cooling and refreshing against Jungkook's face. He closed his eyes again and sighed as Jimin's fingers gently kneaded his skin. It felt good.
Jimin took advantage of the younger man's closed eyes to really appreciate how handsome he was. Strong jawline, large eyes, sharp nose, cute lips. 'If he wasn't my dongsaeng slash bane to my existence, I'd be attracted to him,' Jimin found himself thinking as he unconsciously gave the man below him a little temple massage before he moved on from rubbing the cream across his forehead.. He didn't even have time to let the shock of that thought sink in before he became distracted by a moan. Jungkook's moan.
He froze.
The sound was a low, deep hum in the back of Jungkook's throat.
He didn't like that.
He kneaded his thumbs gently yet firmly against Jungkook's temples again.
“Mmm, hyung. That feels so good.”
The very bottom of Jimin's stomach fell out and dropped straight to his crotch.
Nope. He didn't like that at all.
He stepped away, abruptly ending the short-lived spa treatment.
“There you go,” he said. “Finished.” He went over to his dresser and re-capped the skin cream, putting much more focus on the task than was needed.
“Hyung.”
'God, can he stop calling me that?'
The minute Jimin thought it, he knew he was being ridiculous since he was the one who had asked him to call him that in the first place. So he didn't voice his request. “What?”
“Do you have face masks? I tend to break out easily so I like to hydrate my face before sleeping.”
Jimin looked over his shoulder with an amused smirk on his face to see that Jungkook was looking at him wide-eyed and deeply serious. He chuckled. “God, you're gayer than I am.” He relished in the deep red that flooded the boy's face before he went to locate some face masks. He came back in record time with face masks which promised to “make you feel refreshed for up to 48 hours”.
“Here,” he said, handing one to Jungkook. “Hurry up and use that then come to bed. I need to go to sleep soon.”
“You can go ahead and go to sleep, hyung.”
'Does it have to be the beginning and end of every sentence though?' Jimin thought, still flustered by the way the moniker sounded coming out of Jungkook's mouth.
“Nope,” Jimin said. “Don't think you can get out of cuddling that easily.”
It was easily readable from Jungkook's face that his hopes had been dashed. “I also have to FaceTime my girlfriend tonight.” He gave one more try.
“That's okay,” Jimin said, nudging Jungkook off the bed and climbing back in with his book. “I haven't even finished this chapter yet. Go take my cream back to the bathroom.”
Jungkook took the cream as instructed and trudged away. He ended up applying the face mask while he Facetimed on Jimin's computer. Jimin tried not to listen in but his eyes were drooping and he needed something to keep him awake so he allowed his ears to tune into most of the conversation. If Jungkook didn't want him to eavesdrop, he should have gone to his own house.
So while pretending to still read his book, he listened to Seon Woo catching Jungkook up on what was happening in his hometown in Busan. It made Jimin realize that he had his own checking in to do. He hadn't talked to his family in about...two months now. He was shocked when he realized that. A pang cut across his heart to think about how easy it was becoming to go longer and longer without hearing from his family. It used to pain him to go even a day without hearing from them. But he had been independent for a while now.
Jungkook then told Seon Woo – with difficulty since the face mask was keeping him from speaking properly - to keep an eye out for news about him that night. He must not have told her that he would be debuting yet. Or that he would be debuting with Park Jimin. Jimin smiled when he remembered how much of a fan Jungkook's girlfriend was of him. She would freak out. He looked at the time on the digital clock. 10:30 p.m. An hour and a half more until the online announcement.
“Hey,” his girlfriend suddenly asked. “Where are you?”
“I don't want to tell you,” Jungkook mumbled, his lips still somewhat stilled by the face mask.
“Why not?”
“You'll freak out?”
“Why? Are you cheating on me?”
“No.”
“Then why?” A smile was in her voice. When Jungkook didn't answer, she spoke again. “I think I know. I think I recognize that bed.”
Jimin's face morphed in shock. 'What?!'
“You recognize the bed?!” Jungkook asked. He looked at the image projected in FaceTime. Due to the height of the coffee table, only the bottoms of Jimin's comforter set could be seen. “Where do you think I am?” He had to test and see if his girlfriend was really as crazy as she seemed right now.
“Mmm...Park Jimin's house?” she guessed.
Jungkook's mouth fell open, forgetting the face mask.
“What?” Jimin said, appalled as he got up from his bed. “Is your girlfriend a sasaeng?” he asked, completely discarding any degree of stealth he may have had while listening in. He sat down beside Jungkook to also peer at just how much was projected on the FaceTime screen.
“Park Jimin!” Seon Woo squealed as he appeared in the frame. She clapped her hands over her mouth and bounced in her seat. “I'm not a sasaeng,” she said, answering Jimin's question with a grin still splitting her face. “You were on the program 'I Live Alone' once, remember? I saw your room then.”
“Oh,” Jimin said. That was less creepy. But it was still creepy that she recognized his place from bedsheets alone. “My manager suggested we rent a place to film in but I didn't want to be fake. Now I'm regretting my decision,” he said, only half joking. He wondered how many other fans could now recognize where he lived.
Seon Woo chuckled.
Jungkook took his face mask off since it was now wrinkled in some places. “Sorry my girlfriend is a weirdo,” he apologized.
Jimin turned to him. “No worries.” Under his breath he stated so that only Jungkook could hear, “That's probably why you two are compatible.” He didn't give Jungkook a chance to hit him with the kicked puppy look because he turned back to the screen. “Is it okay if I cuddle your boyfriend tonight, Seon Woo-ah?”
Out of the corner of his eye Jimin saw Jungkook signaling to Seon Woo by shaking his head. Thankfully, his girlfriend ignored him.
“If I let you use my boyfriend for cuddles, will you send me a secret message tomorrow when you guest on 'Come Together'?”
“Sure,” Jimin said at the same time that Jungkook was saying...
“Why are you asking someone who's not your boyfriend to send you secret messages?”
Again, Jungkook went ignored. Seon Woo clapped her hands and squealed.
“I want you to send me a heart,” she said. “But not a finger heart. I want you to draw it. Like this...” She demonstrated by putting her two index fingers together, drawing two slanting arches in the air, and then bringing her index fingers back together.
Jimin nodded with a smile. “Okay.”
“You just pimped me out for an imaginary heart,” Jungkook complained.
Again, he went ignored. “He's all yours, Jimin oppa. Bye!” She waved happily and before Jungkook could protest anymore, the connection was cut.
Jungkook turned to Jimin and was met with the devil once again. “Did you hear that?” the older man asked. “You're all mine.”
Jungkook's stomach flipped.
He didn't like that.
He didn't like that at all.
* * *
Jungkook hated to admit it, but Jimin's cuddle skills were at a full ten out of ten.
The older man was facing him while nestled against his chest, head under his chin, one arm draped over the younger man's waist. He had situated Jungkook to be in a mirroring position, his own arm draped across the other man's waist and his leg crooked between Jimin's own. He hadn't moved since the older man had settled them that way. That had been forty-five minutes ago.
Jimin was breathing deeply, already asleep. He hadn't been kidding when he said he was tired because he had fallen asleep almost immediately after snuggling against Jungkook's chest. The fact that the bedside lamp on his dresser remained on apparently hadn't bothered the other man in the slightest.
Jungkook couldn't go to sleep. He was still nervous about the announcement. Although...again, he hated to admit it...but the cuddling did help ease his anxiety a bit. It helped to know that there would be someone next to him at the time when his whole life would start to change. Because his life would definitely change. He was about to be catapulted into the spotlight and he didn't yet know if it would be a positive or negative experience.
He was currently scrolling through Jimin's Twitter to get some idea of what he could expect once the announcement was made. Because he was one of the top guesses people had made once it had been revealed that Jimin was going to come back onto the scene as a duo so now some of the comments under their pictures together were opinions about that.
“I really hope Jungkook is who debuts with him. They look so cute together. I would ship!”
“These two seem to get along. I hope they work together.”
“I won't accept anyone except this cute trainee to be Jimin's partner!”
“I think Jimin worked best solo. Who is this newbie trying to ride his coattails?”
Jungkook sighed. Out of all of the positive comments, negative ones like that last one were what stuck in his mind the most.
“Mmm...” Jungkook froze as Jimin made a noise in his sleep and began to move. He didn't move much. He only tilted his head up so that his face was now burrowed against Jungkook's neck instead of against his chest.
Jungkook didn't like that.
He could feel Jimin's soft, pillowy lips and warm breaths against his skin.
He tried to pull away but Jimin immediately followed him. When he tried to pull away again, Jimin's eyes fluttered open. His gaze was unfocused for a second due to the bleariness of sleep but then they zoned in on Jungkook. Jungkook watched as the remembrance of inviting Jungkook back home with him settled in his face.
“Where are you going?” Jimin asked, his voice raspy.
“Nowhere,” Jungkook responded.
“You were trying to get away,” the older man accused.
“I wasn't,” Jungkook denied with a shake of his head. Which was true. He had only been trying to put a bit of distance between them, not get away entirely.
Jimin narrowed his eyes suspiciously but let it die. He inhaled deeply. “What time is it?”
“11:45.”
“That's it? It's only been an hour?” Jungkook nodded. “Oh God. Feels like I've been asleep forever.” He rubbed his face and then settled his arm back around Jungkook's waist. “So the announcement hasn't been made yet, huh?”
“No,” Jungkook said. “I've been up waiting for it.” His body was completely stiff where before he had been lax. There was just something strange about embracing the other man in bed while he was awake as opposed to when he was sleeping.
Jimin propped himself up on the hand that wasn't draped around Jungkook's middle so that he could more easily see the younger man's face. “You've just been lying here awake while I've been sleeping? Just because I wanted to cuddle?” he asked, an amused smirk on his face.
Jungkook's brow furrowed in confusion. There had been a choice? “You said it was mandatory,” he explained.
Jimin laughed, falling against Jungkook's chest. 'He's so cute,' he thought, not even trying to reroute the thought this time. When he rose again, he laid his palm against Jungkook's cheek. “That's sweet. You're a good dongsaeng.”
Jungkook's face burned. He was sure what he felt was visible by the way that Jimin smiled smugly down at him. His face must be flaming red. But Jungkook was also happy. This was the first time Jimin was calling him dongsaeng since the other man found out he'd no longer be working solo.
Jungkook felt restlessness inside his body as he looked up at the other man. He wanted to escape. So he pulled his phone up to his face and began to scroll through Twitter again. Jimin took the phone, turned it off, and then threw it across the room to land on top of the plush carpeting.
“Hey!” Jungkook yelled, sitting up.
Jimin pushed him back down and leaned over him to turn the lamp off, dousing them both in complete darkness. “No phones for the rest of the night,” he said. “For either of us.”
“But-”
“Nope.” Jimin interrupted. “I know you feel like you have to know how people react to you after the announcement, but you don't. Those people haven't even seen you perform yet. You can check the reactions after you officially debut. After you've shown them what you can do. Besides...I have a feeling you'll get an idea of the reaction whether you look for the response or not.”
“But...”
“Trust me. It won't help if you know. It'll only stress you out. Whether it's wanting to meet people's expectations or prove people wrong and show that you have what it takes.”
Jungkook finally quieted down because he knew that was true. It didn't immediately salve his curiosity, but it made him consider the fact that it definitely may be something he wanted to tamp down in the coming future.
“Now turn around and cuddle me,” Jimin demanded, his voice a low whisper.
Jungkook complied without resistance. It was easier in the dark. Everything was easier in the dark.
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