Chapter Text
Seoul, South Korea
Seven boys from different regions of Korea who seemingly had nothing in common came together under one banner. They will henceforth be known to the world as Bangtan boys.
August 31st 2013.
10:30 pm KST
Bighit Entertainment’s Dance Studio.
A popular Kpop song was blasting through the speakers in the room which seemed empty at first glance. If one was curious enough to look twice inside the dimly lit studio, they would’ve been met with the sight of a black haired, chubby cheeked boy with full lips, staring at the mirror, sweat dripping down his nose and chest heaving up and down in exhaustion.
A young boy, barely 17 years old looked on from his spot in the corner as the older boy continued with his dancing. His doe eyes followed every move, mesmerized with the way his body moved, so elegant and graceful and limbs slicing the air with powerful accuracy.
The older boy – Jimin – glanced at his younger friend from the corner of his eye, taking in his expression. He was watching Jimin with wide eyes, mouth open displaying his bunny like teeth for which Jimin and their other friends constantly teased him. Jimin chuckled out loud enough for his entranced audience– Jungkook – to snap out of the trance he had been in and look away in adorable embarrassment.
Cute. Jimin thought and signaled to him to turn off the music.
Jungkook got up from his spot to do so, handing Jimin a water bottle and towel to dry himself off.
“So, what do you think?” Jimin questioned the boy.
“You were amazing hyung,” Jungkook said sincerely, eyes shining the way they always did when he saw something he really liked. Like always.
“Thanks Jungkookie. Let’s go back to the dorm then. Hobi hyung said he would ask Manager Hyung-nim if we could have chicken for dinner tonight,” Jimin said happily.
At the word chicken, Jungkook immediately grabbed Jimin’s hand and took off for the dorm as if his life depended on it (Jimin had to double back so he could lock the studio which he had left open in their haste).
September 1st 2013
12 am KST
“Jungkookie! Happy birthday maknae!” Jimin sang along with the rest as Jungkook secretly tried to wipe tears from his eyes.
The boys were celebrating the success of their debut and the welcoming they received from the world as a whole. It was a coincidence that the maknae’s birthday had fallen on the same day, so the taste of happiness was doubled.
Taehyung managed to smear whipped cream on the unsuspecting maknae’s face by pretending to go for a hug but instead attacking his face with the cream in the last second. The hyungs quickly caught on and did the same, soon turning on each other instead of the birthday boy, starting an all-out food fight in the kitchen.
Jimin who had been on maknae distracting duty the entire day breathed a sigh of relief at having managed to successfully fulfill his duty. He ducked his head to avoid an airborne potato, sidestepped the remains of an unlucky tomato and finally reached an overwhelmed maknae.
Jungkook immediately tried to wipe the snot off his face with the back of his hand at the sight of Jimin who ignored it and pulled him into a bone crushing hug, whispering into his ear, “Happy Birthday Kookie.”
Jungkook inhaled, the warmth of Jimin’s scent enveloping him like a comforting blanket, feeling like the waves of the Busan Sea were just an arm’s length away. They stayed like that, in each other’s embrace, a calm island in contrast to the commotion around them, listening to the rhythm of their heartbeats and loving the comfort the other provided by just being there. Jungkook had never felt more thankful to have debuted in the same group as the boy in his arms.
2014
Pre – Dark & Wild era (2 weeks before the comeback)
The pungent smell of hair dye was still lingering in the bathroom as Jungkook went to take a much needed shower after a long and tiring practice session. He had been curious to see which members were sporting new hair colors and hairstyles, he himself having reverted back to his natural black hair with a mushroom cut. As Jungkook examined himself in the mirror – fogging up from the steam that escaped from the shower cubicle – he grimaced at the sight of his face that had yet to lose the look of an innocent child.
Jungkook shrugged at his reflection, not knowing why he wanted to look more mature, more adult like. He knew it was normal to want to be like his hyungs that he looked up to. But for some obscure reason it was more than just bulking up or growing taller.
When his thoughts started going around in circles Jungkook splashed some water on his face and left the bathroom coming face to face with a brown haired boy.
He frowned, not remembering any staff or manager with this particular shade of brown hair. His confusion was soon cleared when the boy let out a high pitched “Jungkookie! There you are. I thought you were trying to drown yourself in the shower.”
“Don’t be silly hyung. It’s physically impossible to drown in a shower. You look nice with brown hair by the way,” Jungkook’s left hand went up to lightly scratch the back of his neck while the right automatically lifted to run his fingers through Jimin’s newly dyed locks.
“Don’t mess it up. The stylist noona will murder me,”Jimin scolded, slapping the offending hand away from his carefully styled hair.
“Jungkook, Jimin, what’s taking you guys so long? We are about to record the chorus.” An annoyed Hoseok popped his head into the hallway.
“We are on our way hyung,” Jungkook yelled back for the both of them, taking Jimin’s hand and steering him towards the right direction. The hallway rang with Jimin’s whines about Jungkook’s manhandling ways.
19th Aug, 2014
Dark and Wild Era
The boys were really happy as Danger had managed to garner a lot of attention, most of it positive. They were busy with fan meetings and other commitments in between constant practices for their upcoming Red Bullet tour. The boys hardly hard time for each other because as soon as they arrived at the dorm, they would jump in the shower, grab something to eat and hit the sack.
Jungkook had become accustomed to the routine but that didn’t equate to him being comfortable with their busy schedule. He constantly day dreamed about spending a whole day in the company of his band mates, just listening to each other talk, without having to worry about dance practices or getting the pitch right.
He had also noticed that Jimin had started spending more and more time in the gym. He understood Jimin’s drive to be perfect as he himself strived to be the same. But his heart ached when he saw Jimin’s determination to lose his baby fat, the squishy cheeks that Jungkook loved to pinch just to annoy Jimin being replaced slowly yet surely by defined cheekbones and a strong jawline.
Jungkook knew he couldn’t do anything about it and wasn’t planning to do anything. His decision went out the window when he caught Jimin skipping dinner to go to the gym and work out instead.
He tried to persuade his hyung to quit his unhealthy dieting ways but Jimin was nothing if not stubborn. Unfortunately for Jimin, Jungkook could be just as stubborn when he made up his mind.
So when Jungkook announced one day out of the blue that he had gained some unnecessary weight and wanted to diet in order to get rid of it, Jimin was so taken aback that he couldn’t protest with the rest of the members.
Jungkook was visibly exhausted the next two days after his announcement. The hyungs didn’t have the heart to tell him to wash the dishes after dinner. Jimin also looked worried sick on behalf of the maknae and decided to corner him in the bathroom one morning.
When Jimin finally managed to get Jungkook alone to advise him on not following through with his plans, the younger boy rounded on him by saying, “Hyung, if the diet is unhealthy for me the same goes for you as well.”
To which Jimin could only counter with, “That’s not true. You don’t even have any excess weight to lose. I am a different case altogether. I am not even that good looking Jungkookie. I have to at least look the part of an Idol to survive in this industry.”
Jungkook couldn’t believe his ears. Jimin thinks he is not good looking? In what universe can Jimin be not good looking? Sure, they rank each other on their looks in interviews and Jimin always gets ranked last by Jungkook. But they all know that Jungkook is just joking. That it was just for a laugh. His heart hurt to hear that Jimin did not value himself very highly but he stood firm in his decision to continue on with the diet.
Jimin looked visibly frustrated when he ran his fingers through his hair. “What can I do to stop you from doing this Kook-ah? You will only hurt yourself by doing this.”
Jungkook didn’t waste time and pounced on the opening.
“Quit dieting, then I’ll stop as well.”
Jimin considered his offer for a whole minute, eyes narrowed and eyebrows furrowed. Finally he huffed out a reluctant “Deal.”
Jungkook felt so happy he wanted to hug Jimin and spin him around but he had to get Jimin to promise him one more thing.
“If you go back to dieting behind my back, then it’s a deal breaker.”
Jimin nodded, taking the ecstatic maknae’s hand and leading him to the kitchen so that he could personally feed his little bunny and make sure he got some food in him.
Half an hour later a sleepy eyed Jin walked into the kitchen with Namjoon in tow. The leader was still half asleep and true to his reputation he somehow managed to stub his toe on the door frame, the resulting pain causing him to yelp out loud.
Jin who had stopped dead in the doorway shushed him and Namjoon curiously leaned over the eldest to see what had his attention, still hopping on one leg.
Jimin and Jungkook were sat at the kitchen table, a bowl of cereal and a banana peel in front of them. Jimin had his head on Jungkook’s shoulder who had fallen asleep with his head on the table. They looked so cosy even though they were sitting on an uncomfortable wooden chair that Jin didn’t have the heart to disturb either of them. Besides it looked as if they had finally solved the dieting issue and Jin couldn’t be happier for them.
Jin gently pushed Namjoon away from the kitchen and closed the door behind them, leaving the two boys to their dreams.
War of hormones era
Jungkook was sweating in his torn red and black sweater, his hands clutching the black scarf that was draped around his neck. He peeked around the wall he was hiding behind, trying to see if a certain boy in red pants was out of sight and saw that the said boy was offering his lollipop to Hoseok who rejected it with a disgusted look on his face.
Jungkook sighed, leaning back against the wall and tried to will the redness away from his cheeks. He didn’t know what was happening to him, but he definitely knew that those pants should be labelled illegal and put away in the back of a closet, never to be seen again. Every time he saw Jimin’s ass in those snug fitting pants he felt all hot and bothered, sweat forming under his armpits, even in his barely there sweater. The war of hormones music video filming and concept photo shoot was really tiring so he chalked it up to his nervousness of getting everything right.
Jungkook’s head snapped up when he heard the anxious voice of the stylist noona calling his name and he quickly tried to compose himself. He jogged over to her and let her fuss over his messy makeup and hair, making it a point not to look over at the brown haired boy sucking on his lollipop and posing for photos a few feet away from him.
He heard the photographer asking Jimin to drop the lollipop as it was no longer necessary for the shoot and Jungkook felt his feet taking him closer to Jimin. He took the lollipop from Jimin’s hand who was searching for someplace to drop it safely and popped it in his own mouth without a second thought.
Jimin looked surprised when the lollipop was taken away from him but he smiled when he saw that it was just Jungkook and returned to posing for photos.
Jungkook speed walked away from the place, cheeks burning and tongue still swirling around the candy, surprised at his actions and knowing not what to make of it.
Around the afternoon when the staff was having their lunch break, Jungkook decided to walk around the set by himself, figuring he would expend any left-over nervous energy. As he was passing by the building where some members were still having lunch, Jimin came out shivering in his thin white shirt and red pants.
Jungkook immediately untied his jacket from around his waist and held it up to Jimin. Hoseok who had been watching the scene looked at Jungkook in amusement, raising his eyebrows at the jacket and Jimin simply took the proffered jacket with a murmured thank you.
Jungkook felt like he had killed two birds with one stone. Now he no longer had the view of Jimin’s majestic ass in those pants which made him go insane and his hyung was no longer shivering from the cold breeze.
The rest of the day went smoothly with Jungkook struggling to keep his eyes from straying below Jimin’s waist when Jimin inevitably had to discard the jacket for the MV filming.
The boys were in the practice room doing their best to follow the directions of their dance teacher Mr Song. Namjoon kept hitting Jin’s elbow during the chorus and Yoongi and Taehyung were bumping into each other way too many times. Hoseok had to stop and call for a short break seeing as how tired they had all become.
The members immediately laid down on the floor, trying to catch their breath. Jin and Namjoon started quietly bickering amongst themselves while Hoseok consulted with Mr Song. The Daegu boys were off in the corner trying to understand what they were doing wrong during the choreo.
Meanwhile Jungkook was leaning against a mirror, gulping down water and wiping his sweat off. His eyes followed Jimin who was leaning on the opposite wall and trying to take off the grey hoodie he was wearing. Jungkook’s breath caught in his throat when he saw that Jimin was only wearing a white tank top underneath the hoodie. His eyes trailed down Jimin’s body and back up where it finally locked on to the very defined collarbones that was glistening with sweat under the harsh fluorescent lights.
Jungkook gulped and looked up at Jimin’s face, ears turning red when he saw that Jimin had caught him staring. Jimin simply raised an eyebrow and motioned to Jungkook’s lap with his hand.
Confused, Jungkook looked at his lap and yelped when he saw that it was soaked with the water from the now empty bottle he clutched in his hand. He had not screwed the cap shut properly, completely captivated as he had been by a certain boy.
Jimin chuckled as Jungkook cursed under his breath, tossing him an extra pair of sweatpants they kept in the studio just in case.
Jungkook rushed to the bathroom to change and gather his thoughts which were all over the place. He told himself sternly to stop letting his imagination run wild and focus on getting the steps right.
It was easier said than done as Jungkook’s mind kept betraying him as the image of Jimin’s collarbones and the memory of his ass in the red pants from hell came back to haunt him at the worst possible moments.
From then on he kept Jimin at arm’s length, not allowing the boy to unintentionally rile him up. He playfully pushed him away whenever Jimin got too close to his face, his breath brushing over his lashes and making him shiver involuntarily.
Jimin was oblivious to Jungkook’s inner turmoil and kept teasing the maknae for kisses. He wanted to see the flush that rose to Jungkook’s cheeks every time Jimin asked for one. He was intrigued by Jungkook’s reaction and it made him curious about his own reaction to it. Neither of them suspected that they were attracted to the other or in Jungkook’s case – was in denial – but both secretly craved to feel more of whatever it was they were feeling.
Taehyung and Jungkook were lying on Jungkook’s bed, watching YouTube reaction videos of popular Kpop songs. The younger kept getting distracted by Jimin who was lying on Namjoon’s bed, laughing at something on his phone. The moment Jungkook managed to turn his attention back to his phone, the bubbly laughter would ring out again, making his lips quirk up at the sound of pure happiness.
The fifth time this happened, Taehyung closed the tab the video was playing on, turning to look at Jungkook who hadn’t even noticed what had happened and was craning his neck over Taehyung’s shoulder to see Jimin’s face. Tae subtly nudged Jungkook, calling back his attention from Jimin.
“Should I leave you to stare at the mochi? Or are you gonna devour him as soon as my back is turned?” Tae asked with mischief in his tone.
“I don’t know what you are talking about,” Jungkook grumbled, embarrassed at being caught staring at Jimin by his best friend but trying to feign nonchalance.
“Mark my words Jungkook, it’s only going to get harder from now on,”Tae predicted, his words ringing with the weight of truth.
2015 – HYYH begins
I Need You Era
‘Tonight’s winners are Bangtan Sonyeondan! Congratulations!’
The boys looked around in shock when they heard the MC announcing them as the winners. They wondered if they heard it wrong but the screams of ‘Bangtan’ from the audience assured them that it was very much real.
Namjoon accepted the trophy from the host with trembling fingers, the others watching from either side of him. Throughout Namjoon’s Thank you speech Jimin’s voice could be heard yelling ‘Thank you’ to the ARMY. Even the normally stoic Yoongi lost his cool and kept trying to hide behind Namjoon to collect himself.
Their encore performance was very emotional, with Jimin walking to all corners of the stage, thanking all their fans for supporting them, Jungkook and Taehyung joining in.
With popularity comes the possibility of scandals increasing. None of them expected for the happy-go-lucky Taehyung to become a target of the latest scandal. But the members guided him through it, their second win at M! Countdown more than making up for the hate.
Jimin realized that his worries about gaining weight had been unfounded with their back to back wins with Jungkook secretly rejoicing at the return of the mochi cheeks.
He was basking in the feeling of victory and due to this during a radio show he was a little too enthusiastic with answering a question that was meant for Jimin.
"Jimin-ssi, you are known as the maknae lover of the group. Do you really love Jungkook that much?"
Truthfully Ryeowook had caught him off guard with that particular question. Jungkook had blurted a confident yes, his hand immediately going up to play with the hairs at the nape of his neck. Jimin looked at him, his eyes widening slightly in surprise.
Jimin being Jimin, of course decided to tease him by dragging out his response.
“It’s not that I like him...Jungkookie is very cute," Jungkook’s head perked up, a smile tugging at his lips, “Since he is the maknae,” Jimin continued looking straight at said maknae.
Jungkook’s smile froze on his face, his hand still on the nape of his neck when Jimin pulled out the maknae card.
“I think Jimin likes men,” Taehyung quipped mischievously, glancing back and forth between his two best friends.
“I don’t like you,” Jimin bit back sassily, and Jungkook's smile grew once again.
Namjoon and Hoseok gave the two Busan boys weird looks after the radio show was over, but didn’t say anything about the awkward atmosphere between them.
Taehyung, Yoongi and Jin gave each other knowing looks and left the other two to deal with the tension between them.
Jimin and Jungkook acted as if nothing had happened during the radio interview and got back to their usual banter. If they sat closer than they normally did then at least nobody called them out on it.
Dope era
A day before they filmed their music video for Dope, Namjoon found Seokjin and Taehyung outside his room, their ears pressed to the closed door.
“What are you guys doing here?” A confused Namjoon asked his fellow band mates.
“Shhh…” Taehyung and Jin shushed him simultaneously without moving away from the door.
Namjoon rolled his eyes. “I need to get inside the room. You are in my way.”
“In a minute,” Tae said distractedly.
Curiosity piqued, the leader stepped forward and pressed his ear to the door as well. At first he couldn’t hear anything, but then a muffled cry met his ear.
It was undoubtedly Jungkook’s voice – Namjoon could tell after living with him for years – and it sounded like he was screaming into his pillow.
For one horrible fraction of a second Namjoon thought that he was eavesdropping on the maknae’s alone time. But he dismissed the thought from his mind knowing from experience that Taehyung and Jin were not the perverts of the group. He quirked an eyebrow in askance at Jin who was trying to muffle the sound of his laughter by shoving his fist in his mouth.
“Wait for it.” Jin mouthed at him.
So Namjoon did and was rewarded with the sound of Jungkook shouting to thin air the words “Why is god testing me so much? Who thought it was a good idea to dye Jimin hyung’s hair in that shade of red? All I want to do his touch his hair to feel it between my fingers. I want to close the distance and just sniff to my heart's content. He looks dangerous yet so soft. The stylists noonas have a hidden agenda against me! Why me? Why him? Why not Joon hyung? Or Hobi hyung or Taehyungie hyung? Jiminie looks so good, I could just eat him up.”
Namjoon choked on air, understanding dawning on his expressive face. He gestured at Taehyung and Jin to move away from the door, which they immediately obeyed and met him at the end of the hallway.
“Our maknae seems to be having a crisis,” Namjoon said with a best poker face he could manage.
“That’s putting it mildly,” Taehyung guffawed, unable to control himself any longer and setting off Jin’s laughter as well.
They were joined by Yoongi and Hoseok who looked a little alarmed to see three of their band mates losing their shit.
Once they calmed down Hobi asked, “Is this about Jungkook’s reaction to Jimin’s new hair?”
“How did you know about it?” Three voices chorused simultaneously.
“Hoseokie and I caught the maknae ranting to himself in the bathroom after Jimin came out of the shower last night. I gather he still hasn’t recovered yet?” Yoongi spoke up, an amused glint in his eye.
“No a –” Namjoon’s reply was cut off as a very familiar tune drifted down the hallway.
“Jeon Jungkookie…Jeon Jeon Jungkookie…,”Jimin sang, skipping down the hallway, a hand running through his perfect red locks as he knocked on Jungkook’s door.
He waved at his hyungs and Taehyung as he waited for Jungkook to come to the door and went in as soon as Jungkook moved aside to let him in.
Jungkook stood still in the doorway even as Jimin disappeared inside, his hair a mess, and cheeks as red as the latter's hair. He nodded to himself a little, and followed his hyung inside.
The group of five who were watching the scene silently placed bets on who they thought is going to cave and confess soon. Yoongi said that Jungkook’s gonna confess as he only needs a slight push in the right direction but Namjoon contradicted him countering that Jimin couldn’t take his eyes off of Jungkook when he was trying on his police uniform which was his outfit for the music video.
Hobi and Jin agreed with their leader, having seen Jimin’s reaction first hand.
“His jaw was on the floor,” Jin chuckled remembering.
Everyone looked at Taehyung whose opinion held the most weight for several reasons. First he was a member of the maknae line automatically making him the closest to both the boys concerned in the discussion. He was Jimin’s best friend but also the person who got Jungkook to come out of his shell. So his input and take on the matter was invaluable.
“I don’t know if you guys have noticed but Jimin is becoming more popular and prettier each comeback. Jungkook might not be able to hold himself back much longer. He is known to be slightly possessive of people he loves.” Tae stated.
Yoongi shot a grateful smile in Tae’s direction which he returned but he wasn’t done yet.
“Also, Jungkook seems to have gained a lot of muscle mass ever since he became an adult and the company gave him permission to work out. He no longer has to maintain his ‘I am the maknae hence I am cute and harmless’ concept. Everyone and their mothers know Jimin is a sucker for strong, well-built men. This comeback is gonna ruin him, especially with Kookie in a uniform.” Tae concluded with a smirk.
Hoseok, Namjoon and Jin all whooped and cheered but agreed that the outcome was really unpredictable.
The five of them mutually came to a decision: to wait patiently and let the chips fall in place naturally.
Run era
“As Jungkook is coming of age, express with your body how you feel about it.” Jimin read out from a post- it note, raising his eyebrows at the boy mentioned.
“Jungkook sprang up from his chair, sending his tangerine haired hyung a cocky smirk and did what he did best – became a meme.
The promotions for Run was coming to an end and Jungkook couldn’t be more thankful. He had developed a fondness for moles and collarbones during the last few months as Jimin’s collarbones and the cute mole on his neck stood out prominently in the sleeveless tank tops that he wore for the Run promotions. Coupled with the slight change in attitude that he had to adhere to so as to keep in with the concept Jimin was every bit a bad boy on stage, but a fluffy little kitten off of it.
Jungkook had trouble keeping up with the lightning fast changes and for the first time could relate extremely well to their fans. Namjoon cooed at Jimin’s cuteness and Hobi constantly annoyed him by ruffling his fluffy looking hair.
Yoongi’s mint hair contrasted nicely with Jimin’s whenever the two sat together. Taehyung was like a puppy, attached to Jimin’s side 25/8. Jin doted on the 95z like they were his own two dongsaengs.
Jungkook seemed to be the only one who got whiplash from Jimin’s constant mood changes and it irked him at first, but he soon learned to live with it since he figured that it was because he was more aware of Jimin’s presence than anybody else, hence making him more sensitive to his moods. Jungkook was happy that Jimin was at least eating properly even though he had complained about gaining weight during the filming of the Japanese version of Run MV.
He was proven wrong at their first fan meeting in Osaka. Jungkook had been standing off to the side, watching Jimin hold his breath, hands at the ready, waiting to clap.
It had taken only a fraction of a second – the time it took for him to blink – for Jimin to fall off the stage. Jungkook had frozen in shock, unable to move, a wordless cry of Jimin’s name escaping his lips.
He was frozen only for a moment, and then his legs were moving, screaming at Namjoon to call for help. Jungkook had jumped down to pick him up and carried him backstage to let the doctors check on him. In the background, he could hear Namjoon and the others trying to calm down hysteric fans and reassuring them that Jimin would be alright.
Jungkook stared at Jimin’s pale skin, his flawless forehead now marred by a tiny wound, where he had hit the edge of the stage when he fell. Someone sprinkled water on the unconscious boy’s face, hoping to wake him up and Jungkook’s heart restarted in his chest when Jimin’s eyelashes fluttered slightly, his eyeballs moving beneath his closed lids.
The doctors reassured Jungkook and the others who had joined him by then that their friend would be alright. It was stress, they told a distraught Namjoon. He might not have been eating as often as he should be. Jungkook overheard a doctor saying to their manager.
The manager ushered the rest of the boys back to the stage, urging them not to disappoint the fans. Reluctantly, they dragged their feet back to the stage, not wanting to leave one of their own in such a condition. Yoongi handed a handkerchief to Jungkook who hadn’t realized that he was crying. He took it gratefully, giving Yoongi a half-hearted smile and made himself look slightly presentable, make-up be damned.
The fan meeting passed by in a blur, one or the other making slight mistakes in between transitions in the choreo. They had asked the fans to stop filming them and the fans had respected their request.
After the fan meeting, the boys rushed backstage, in a hurry to change out of the clothes and get back into their own. Their manager told them that Jimin was in his hotel room, resting and that he would be ready to join them for the next fan meeting. Jungkook hurried to their hotel with the others in tow, eager to see Jimin with their own eyes.
In the car, Taehyung’s phone buzzed with a notification from Twitter.
Puzzled, he opened the app and saw that Jimin had updated the fans to his condition, saying that they needn’t worry and that he was alright. He showed the tweet to the maknae who was sitting beside him. Jungkook took the phone from his hand and stared at Jimin’s selca, finger’s forming a V and hiding his scar from view.
“If he is well enough to take selcas, then he is going to be fine in no time,” Taehyung said, his words a soothing balm to Jungkook’s aching heart.
“I hope so Hyung,” Jungkook murmured, clutching the phone in his hand tightly and holding on to renewed hope.
Meeting Jimin was bittersweet for Jungkook. He was really happy that no lasting damage had been done from the fall, the scar wasn’t that deep and would eventually fade away. But Jungkook was slightly mad that Jimin had broken their deal. Sure it was made a year or so ago but Jungkook had trusted Jimin to keep it. It hurt him to know that he hadn’t realized that Jimin was starving himself again. He took pride in knowing Jimin inside out so this made him angry and even more determined to keep him safe.
Jimin was lying down on his bed, the covers drawn up to his chin. The other five had left a little while ago, leaving Jungkook alone with Jimin.
Jungkook wanted to scold him, shake him for breaking their deal, but Jimin’s eyes peeking out from the top of the covers stopped him from raising his voice above a whisper.
He was so weak for this baby of his.
Instead he gently brushed Jimin’s hair from his forehead and pressed a soft kiss to the tiny scar just above his eyebrow surprising them both.
“I was so scared hyung. Don’t ever do that again,” Jungkook whispered, his eyes fixed on a spot above Jimin’s head.
“I am sorry Jungkookie. This comeback was pretty stressful for me. I promise it won’t happen again,” Jimin said softly, willing Jungkook to look at him.
“Only make promises you can keep hyung,” Jungkook said bitterly, finally looking Jimin in the eye.
Jimin looked away, regret in his eyes and Jungkook realized that he did remember their deal.
He didn’t want to add to his stress so he decided to take his mind away from self–loathing thoughts.
“Jiminie hyung, can I stay with you tonight?” Jungkook asked, slipping his hand under the cover and entwining his fingers with Jimin’s.
“Of course Kookie, I could use the company,” Jimin smiled, the warmth of it making Jungkook’s heart melt.
So Jungkook slipped under the covers with Jimin and they spend the night talking about everything under the sun, Jungkook’s eyes making a conscious effort not to linger too long on Jimin’s very inviting lips, the unmarked skin of his slender neck, the tiny beauty marks on his perfect face, and the right eye which was slightly swollen due to stitches he had received in his childhood.
Jungkook memorized the little details, appreciating them all the more after today’s incident, taking in their splendor and marveling in Jimin’s beauty. He wanted to freeze time and stay in this moment, Jimin by his side and the semi darkness their friend.
2016
Fire era
Jungkook had woken up to a heavenly sight which he had only managed to catch a glimpse of. He wanted to make sure that what he saw had not been a figment of his imagination.
The first thing he saw as he opened his eyes had been a figure in a very familiar grey hoodie jogging past his door. He had turned his eyes towards the heavens and squealed at the adorable sight because the person was none other than his tiny hyung who was practically swimming in the hoodie which was oversized even on Jungkook.
He wanted to catch Jimin before he could take the hoodie off.
He was currently trudging through the dorm in his pajamas, a piece of toast hanging from between his teeth, hands fiddling with the dials of his camera.
Jungkook found him in the kitchen, pouring milk into a bowl and he wasted no time capturing the sight in film. Jimin turned around at the flash and the sound of the camera shutter clicking, holding the milk carton in front of him like a shield, the hood falling off his head and revealing midnight black hair.
Jimin had not let anyone see his new hairstyle much less his hair color and it has been two whole days since he dyed it. To say Jungkook was curious would be an understatement. Him and the others had coaxed and blackmailed Jimin to reveal his secret but the boy hadn’t budged.
Jungkook snapped several pictures while he was at it, smirking gleefully and throwing teasing remarks in between clicks. Jimin simply stood near the table, his lips pushed out in an adorable pout, making Jungkook want to coo at his hyung.
“Jiminie, why were you embarrassed to show your hair to us?” Jungkook asked, genuinely confused.
“This hairstyle makes me look like a child with squishy cheeks,” Jimin whined, pouting.
“It makes you look adorable hyung,” Jungkook said earnestly.
The sincerity in Jungkook’s voice made the black haired boy blush and Jungkook did coo softly this time.
“Yah, that’s enough. I think you have enough material for blackmail,” Jimin said, trying to snatch the camera from Jungkook’s hands.
But a larger pair of hands snatched them away before he could, the culprit being Kim Taehyung.
“Aww, Jiminie is so cute. I told you I would lend you my hoodie didn’t I?” Taehyung asked smirking at his frustrated friend.
“You are an ass Tae, besides Jungkook’s hoodie is more comfortable than yours,” Jimin retorted at his smug soulmate.
“It also smells like Jungkookie doesn’t it?” Tae continued, once again gaining the upper hand and making Jimin splutter in disbelief.
Meanwhile Jungkook was stuck in the middle, watching the 95z argue like he was watching a tennis match. Not that he would ever admit it out loud but he really loved seeing Jimin in his clothes. Made him want to swaddle him in his blankets and keep him safe forever.
Jimin’s part at 3:33 gained a lot of popularity, fans asking him to show that move during fan signs, interviewers becoming curious about the peculiar name of the choreo and Jungkook drooling over Jimin’s thighs every time he watched him perform that part.
The black haired beauty’s popularity among fellow idols and celebrities – both male and female – seemed to have increased exponentially with the passage of time. Male idols in training from other groups and newly debuted rookie groups from other companies talked about BTS as the Boy group they looked up to. When asked about their favourite member, the answer was more often than not, Jimin.
-----------
Jungkook was boiling with anger when he heard about Jimin’s accident in the airport. The fans were jostling so much that Jimin had lost balance and fallen down before his bodyguard could catch him. Jungkook had regretted not being there with Jimin at the time and he vowed to stay by Jimin’s side every time they go out in public.
This resulted in the increase of airport pictures were the two of them were together, fan sites having a hard time with getting a solo picture of either of them. Jimin found this protective side of the maknae endearing, but he tried to reassure him that nothing bad happened.
Jungkook refused to listen and only continued to stick to his side like glue, causing Taehyung or Hobi to join them occasionally so as not to raise suspicions.
Summer arrived, and Jungkook’s heart faced a lot of trials. Jimin’s hair grew longer, his pants were discarded in favor of shorts. Light cotton shirts came in vogue and Jimin’s habit of pushing his hair back increased more than ever.
Jungkook let out a choked noise, as he watched the fancams from the Ulsan summer festival. Specifically Jimin focus fancams. He was a beast on the stage, a huge flirt the whole day and Jungkook felt the impact of it like never before.
Jungkook had come to terms with the fact that he was gone for this special man, even his pre-debut self could vouch for that.
He thought he had hidden his attraction to the sweaty sex god next to him on the couch fairly well while they were filming the Bangtan bomb at the end of the day. But Jimin – that tease – he knew exactly what he was doing, closing in on Jungkook’s weakness and trying to cuddle up to him whenever Jungkook tried to maintain some distance between them.
He cringed at himself when he thought of how fidgety he had acted when Jimin pressed the side of his sweaty body on him, acting like the concept of personal space itself was foreign to him.
Jungkook couldn’t enjoy the moment fully as they were being filmed and he was afraid that he would jump Jimin if he let himself lean into his touch.
He took a cold shower soon after that and tortured himself further by watching Jimin focus fancams. He could only wonder how the owners of these fancams had survived long enough to upload them as several of them had Jimin looking directly into the camera and licking his lips.
The black shirt that Jimin wore showed off his slender waistline, the tight black jeans accentuating the curve of his ass and his thick thighs straining through the material.
Jungkook’s thoughts took him back to their pre debut days. Jimin dancing to spine breaker for the first time was a sight to see, free styling as the song had no official choreography. Jungkook had walked in on him while he was doing a complicated series of pops and locks and his mouth had fallen open in awe, amazed at the strength and precision of his movements.
A wet towel flicking at his cheeks snapped him out of his thoughts and he looked for the culprit, gulping involuntarily when he saw the boy that filled his waking thoughts standing in front of his bedside table, hips propped on the edge. Jungkook panicked when he noticed that his laptop was playing the Perfect Man fan cam of Jimin which had garnered over 2 million views and he immediately closed the lid and sat on it, crossing his legs for good measure.
Smooth Jeon. Jimin wouldn’t find that suspicious at all. A voice in his head that suspiciously sounded like Taehyung’s sarcastically said.
Shut up I know. Jungkook replied to the voice, annoyed.
“Did you just tell me to shut up Jungkookie?” Jimin asked, a hint of amusement in his eyes.
Jungkook mentally face palmed at his stupidity.
“What! No hyung, I was talking to myself. I would never—“
“Relax Kookie, I was just kidding. But it’s nice to know that I can still read you like a book,” Jimin chuckled.
“... ”
Jungkook was too flustered to speak so Jimin continued.
“I was wondering, do you want to order take out?”
“Chicken?” Jungkook asked hopefully, his ears perking up at the mention of take-out.
“Spicy chicken,” Jimin confirmed, licking his lips, coaxing a bunny toothed smile from the maknae’s lips.
Wings era
“Whoa! That is one gorgeous outfit you got there Taehyung,” Namjoon said enviously, admiring his dongsaeng’s prince like clothes.
“Thank you hyung. But I think you are going to make a lot of ARMYs swoon with the amount of skin you are showing,” Taehyung teased.
“Isn’t that too sexy Namjoon?” Yoongi said, his eyes glued to Namjoon’s chest.
“Nothing compares to my beauty,” Jin said making all eyes turn to him. It was true, he looked magnificent in his outfit, pink hair a nice contrast with the black embroidered jacket he wore over a white button up shirt.
“Whatever helps you sleep at night Hyung,” Jungkook said, smirking cheekily at the eldest.
He turned around and almost had a heart attack at the sight that met him. Jimin looked gorgeous, his outfit making him look like royalty. The silvery grey hair parted on the side, showing off his broad forehead and the tight black pants made him look like a true prince.
Hoseok snapped his fingers in front of Jungkook’s face, trying to catch his attention. “Close your mouth maknae, you will catch flies,” Jin snickered, exacting his revenge on the maknae.
Fan signs were always a wild ride for the boys, especially Jimin and Jungkook. They seemed to always get lost in their own little world whenever they sat next to each other. The elder of the two enjoyed teasing the younger so much that Jungkook sometimes forgot they were in front of fans who shipped them together romantically.
It was on such a day that Jungkook and Jimin were seated next to each other. Jimin on one end of the table and Jungkook on his left.
Jungkook had been talking to a fan when he felt something hit the back of his head. He knew it was Jimin and that he was looking for a reaction, so he acted as if he didn’t feel it. But when Jimin continued to hit him lightly with the rubber toy, Jungkook turned towards him, snatching the toy from his hyung’s tiny hand and holding the now empty hand in his free one for good measure. He returned the favor with double the amount of hits and turned back to the giggling fan with a self-satisfied grin.
Jungkook should have known better. Jimin was persistent when he came to teasing, never wanting to admit defeat. So he jumped slightly when he felt a hand pinch his inner thigh. Thankfully, they had finished interacting with the fans and the other members were simply talking to them with the aid of the mike, answering questions.
Jungkook playfully glared at Jimin, his eyes drifting down to his thigh to see Jimin’s hand travelling further up towards dangerous territory.
Jungkook clenched his thighs together, his eyes squeezing shut for a second before he slapped Jimin’s hand away from his thigh.
Jimin smirked at him and Jungkook just started giving him a massage instead, the former’s eyes closing in bliss as the latter worked magic on his sore neck muscles.
The photos from the fan sign were all over the internet in a matter of minutes and suffice it to say Jimin and Jungkook were not allowed to sit together for the rest of the fan signs in the Wings era.
Jimin and EXO’s Jong In created quite a stir among both fandoms when they were seen interacting and exchanging numbers during DMC music festival that year. Jimin also struck up a beautiful friendship with SHinee’s Taemin, collaborating with him in an end of the year show, much to the delight of the fans of both idol groups.
Taehyung’s prediction from years ago echoed in Jungkook’s ears while watching Jimin dancing to a contemporary song from the audience.
Mark my words Jungkook, it’s only going to get harder from now on.
He hadn’t understood its significance then, but now it was crystal clear to him. There were others lying in wait to snatch him up. If he didn’t act fast, Jimin would slip right through his fingers, Jungkook realized, the truth of it hitting him like a truck.
2017
YNWA era
It was Dope era all over again. Jungkook lamented to himself, watching Jimin’s soft cotton candy pink head of hair in the mirror of the practice room. This time though Jungkook boldly approached Jimin and gave in to his urge to sniff his hair when Jimin’s back was turned away from the mirror.
Taehyung snorted into his hand while Yoongi gave him a disgusted look. Hobi only shook his head at Jungkook, turning his attention back to attempting to teach Namjoon and Jin the choreography for Spring Day.
“What part of ‘Like a tiny speck of dust floating in the air’ do you not get?” an exasperated sunshine asked the sheepish leader.
“I am sorry Hob-ah, this contemporary thing is hard,” Namjoon said apologetically.
“Don’t give me that, you did Butterfly pretty well.”
“That’s right Joonie, besides you don’t have to dance while singing,” Jin consoled.
“Neither do you. All you do is walk from one end to the other while singing. I am the one who has to nearly wipe the floor with my dancing skills,” Namjoon grumbled.
“It’s not my fault the choreography is like that. Look at the bright side, Jimin has to do the sequence twice whereas you only have to do it once,” Jin said cheerfully.
“Jimin has it easy in my opinion, he was born to be a graceful swan,” Joon said enviously.
“If you two are done with your bickering let’s get back to practicing shall we?” Hobi said, finally losing patience.
“But Hobi hyung, watching Jungkook trying to be smooth around Jimin is more entertaining than practicing this wretched choreography,” Taehyung who had approached the trio said, making Namjoon nod his head eagerly at Hoseok like an excited puppy.
“I admit he has gotten better at handling his feelings,” Yoongi chipped in, joining the group.
No sooner than the words were out of Yoongi’s mouth that Jungkook tripped over his own feet, trying to walk backwards while watching Jimin dance at the same time.
“Or not,” Taehyung snorted.
“This year is going to be interesting to say the least,” Jin predicted, the others voicing their agreement as well.
And interesting it proved to be.
Jungkook was disappointed at not getting to sit next to Jimin once again during fan signs. But he figured it was for the best as Jimin looked really yummy in his officer’s uniform and he would not be able to keep his libido in check if Jimin pulled the same stunt as last time.
Perhaps that was why Jungkook was so taken aback when the giant pokeball plushy hit the side of his face while he was innocently trying to pose for a selca with Jin.
Jungkook let out a tiny grunt, his annoyance melting away when he saw out of the corner of his eye that the culprit was an apologetic looking Jimin. He turned his attention back to the selca, grinning widely, not having expected for Jimin to actually tease him across the table. But to be honest it was such a Jimin thing to do.
The atmosphere quickly changed when he felt someone stand behind him – Jimin – his mind supplied. Jungkook tensed, too subtle to be noticeable but melted like a scoop of ice cream in the Sun when familiar fingers brushed across the back of his neck, coming to rest beside his Adam’s apple and lightly squeezing the spot. Jungkook’s eyes closed involuntarily, a barely suppressed shiver tingling down his spine, his mouth slightly open in bliss when he felt Jimin’s hot breath on his neck, his hair tickling his ear. Jungkook waited with baited breath, anticipating Jimin’s next move.
But as fast as his hand had come, it disappeared just as quickly, leaving Jungkook with a feeling of disappointment. His eyes flew open, and he was blinded by the flashes of several cameras clicking at once. He jumped up from his seat, catching a glimpse of Jin’s shocked face and sat back down, flustered and nervous at what went down.
Jungkook knew his reaction to Jimin’s touch was highly suspicious, but he also knew that most of them were so far up their asses in denial that they would write it off as fan service. At this moment Jungkook was truthfully thankful for that mentality as it would have otherwise landed Jimin and him in heaps of trouble.
Honestly, the chewing out they received from the managers after the fan sign ended without further mishap was highly deserved. Even while facing the wrath of Sejin, Jimin moved in front of Jungkook, shielding him from the brunt of the anger and Jungkook’s heart soared in his chest. He knew it was Jimin’s way of apologizing for what he had started but Jungkook had enjoyed himself just as much if not more than Jimin. He would go through this ordeal all over again for that one moment of pure bliss and anticipation he had experienced as though Jimin and him were the only ones in the world.
No matter what anyone said, he did not regret it in the slightest.
“Jungkookie! Taehyungie! Hobi hyung! Where is everyone when I need them?” Jimin half shouted, half muttered to himself, running through the dorm in search of at least one person to share his news with.
“What is it Jimin-ah?” Namjoon poked his head out from the room he shared with Taehyung.
“Hyung, I have good news. I will tell you in a minute if you gather everyone in the living room for me,” Jimin yelled as he passed him by, running to the end of the hallway to Jin and Yoongi’s room.
“Ugh, What is this kid on?” Namjoon muttered, shooting a text in their group chat for the benefit of those who were awake at this ungodly hour to let everyone know that they were wanted in the living room.
10 minutes later a very sleepy and disgruntled looking Bangtan had assembled in their living room, making themselves comfortable on the available seats.
A very excited Jimin practically bounced into the living room, settling into the space between Jungkook’s legs, who was seated on the sofa between Taehyung and Hoseok.
“What is it Jimin-ah? What is your oh-so-exciting news?” Yoongi asked, not having forgiven him for interrupting his alone time with his bed.
“Tell us Jiminie,” Taehyung encouraged.
Jimin took a deep breath. “Wegotnominatedforbillboardawards,” He blurted in his excitement to get the words out.
Everyone looked at him, then at each other, confused.
“I said, we got nominated for billboard awards,” Jimin said slowly, enunciating each word carefully.
Instead of the enthusiastic response he had expected, Jimin was met with silence and worried looks directed at him.
“Why aren’t you celebrating? We just made history!” Jimin exclaimed, standing up and waving his arms to emphasize his point.
“Hyung? How many hours of sleep did you get?” Jungkook asked, looking up at Jimin with worried eyes.
“What has that got to do with anything?” Jimin retorted.
“He has got a point Jimin-ah. Did you lose your contacts by any chance?” Hoseok piped up.
Jimin narrowed his eyes at them and reached for his phone in the pocket of his pajama pants.
“Here, read this,” he said, tossing the phone to Namjoon – probably not the best idea since he was known for his clumsiness even at the best of times.
Thankfully Namjoon caught it and nearly dropped the phone when his eyes caught the article about BTS, them, getting nominated as one of the contenders for The Top Social Artist Award.
Namjoon wordlessly passed the phone to a curious Yoongi who read it silently and passed it on to Jin, who squealed in disbelief. Growing impatient, Taehyung snatched the phone from Jin who had frozen in shock after his little outburst. Hoseok and Jungkook read it over Taehyung’s shoulder, their eyes nearly popping out of its sockets.
Jimin sat down on the plush carpet and watched the news sink in, looking entirely too smug for Yoongi’s taste.
“Do you believe me now?” Jimin questioned, his tone dripping with self satisfaction.
“ARMYs are amazing,” Jin said, still looking dazed.
“I know,” They chorused, a reverent silence following the words.
The rest of the night was spent in talking about the billboard ceremony, reminiscing about their journey to success and a few tears shed by members who wished to remain anonymous for the sake of maintaining their ‘manly’ image.
May 2017
Post-Billboard Award Ceremony
“This is not fair! I am an adult too! I want to go with you guys and drink champagne as well,” Jungkook whined, doing a very good job of showing how un-adult like he can be.
“For the last time Jungkook, you are still a minor in the US. I am sorry, but you can’t join us. We will bring you something when we come back. Now be a good boy and stay in your room,” Namjoon chided, talking in a soothing tone of voice as though Jungkook was an inconsolable child who just got told that he was too young to party (which he technically was).
Jungkook pouted, unleashing the power of his strongest puppy eyes which he knew a particular hyung was totally weak for.
“Namjoon hyung, I will stay with him,” Jimin sighed, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
“Nooooo, I don’t need a babysitter,” Jungkook whined exaggeratedly, while his imagination conjured up mini Kookies waving pom-poms and cheering internally.
“Are you sure Jimin? I can ask one of our managers to stay back with him,” Namjoon asked, seemingly oblivious of the situation.
Jungkook panicked, the mini Kookies in his mind dropping the pom-poms and poofing into tiny wisps of smoke.
“Jimin will be a better choice Joonie, the managers deserve to have a day off for their hard work,” Jin said, winking at Jungkook when Jimin and Namjoon were distracted.
Jungkook perked up, his mind conjuring up an image of Jin in a superhero’s cape, with mini Kookies dancing around him, waving the pom-poms and showering him with flower petals.
The members left after saying their goodbyes to Jungkook and Jimin, leaving the two boys alone to their own devices. Jungkook took Jimin’s hand in his and dragged him towards his room, wanting to play Overwatch with him.
Jimin dug his heels in, forcing Jungkook to stop outside his door.
“Wait up Jungkookie. I didn’t offer to stay back with you so that you can play Overwatch while I watch,” Jimin teased.
“How did you know I was going to play Overwatch?” Jungkook asked, sounding defensive.
“Open book, remember?” Jimin said, leaning in to tap the maknae’s forehead with his fingertips.
Jungkook’s breath hitched, the heady scent of Jimin’s natural musk invading his senses. He leaned closer, his body ignoring all warning signals his mind was sending him.
“Jungkookie…,” Jimin’s voice sounded raspy, causing Jungkook’s heart to skip a beat.
“Jungkookie!” Jimin sounded more urgent, making Jungkook snap out of the trance he was in.
He opened his eyes – he didn’t remember closing them – to the sight of a flustered looking Jimin gesturing to the ceiling with his eyes. Jungkook followed his gaze and couldn’t believe he was going to do something that couldn’t be explained away without outing himself in an extremely public hotel hallway which had cameras every two feet.
He grinned sheepishly, muttering a barely audible ‘sorry hyung’ and swiped his key card to unlock the door to his room.
Jungkook stepped aside to let Jimin in, closing the door after him. Then he found himself being pushed towards the bed, letting himself be manhandled by his hyung. Jungkook was pinned to his own bed, Jimin hovering above him, his arms on either side of his head. Jimin’s dark brown hair fell into his eyes, his breath fluttering Jungkook’s eyelashes, the latter not daring to blink in case the vision above him turns out to be a dream.
Jungkook wanted to reach up and bring Jimin’s head down to meet his lips with his own but he waited patiently, curious to see what Jimin would do now that Jungkook was laid out beneath him.
“Did I tell you that you looked extremely nice in that suit today? Very manly,” Jimin smirked, his lips brushing the lobe of Jungkook’s ear.
“You did Jimin, you even took a short video to let ARMY know what you thought as well,” Jungkook managed to say, even as shivers raced up his spine.
“Say my name again Jungkook-ah,” Jimin rasped, his voice igniting Jungkook’s blood.
“Jimin. Jimin-ah," Jungkook breathed, straining his chin to kiss Jimin’s inviting lips.
“I love it when you say my name like that, like it's the only thing you know,” Jimin growled, finally letting himself succumb to the pull of Jungkook’s imploring eyes and dipped his head down to meet the younger’s lips, tasting what had been brewing between them for a long time.
Taehyung and Jin pressed their ears to the wall, straining to catch any sound from the other side. Namjoon, Yoongi and Hoseok had given up five minutes ago, preferring to be kept updated by the other two.
“Stop shuffling so much Tae, you are distracting me,” Jin scolded the fidgeting boy.
“I can’t help it Hyung. It’s been 30 minutes and there has not been any activity from the other room,” Tae whined.
“Not that we know of anyway,” Yoongi muttered, his head drooping onto Hoseok’s shoulder.
“Do you think Jungkook confessed at least?” Jin asked, his legs aching from standing in the same position for way too long.
“All I want to know is who is topping,” Hoseok said.
“Jungkook of course,” Jin and Tae chorused simultaneously.
Without warning a loud thud came from the other side of the wall, making Taehyung and Jin jump and bump their heads together.
This was followed by a high pitched moan, the owner of it unidentifiable till it screamed, “AAAHH, Jimiiiiiinnn………Harder!”
The boys looked at each other, their eyes wide and scrambled to get as far away from the wall.
Yoongi, now wide awake, ran out of the room, the others following him in a mad rush.
On the other side of the wall, Jimin and Jungkook snickered, having overheard the entire conversation through the paper thin walls and high fived each other for the execution of perfect team work.
They grinned at each other and calmly returned to their heated make out session, as though they had been doing it for years, though only after making sure the music was turned on loud enough to drown out other voices.
A feeling of coming home, intensifying with each minute spend in the other’s arms, overrode every other thought and they spent the night together, wrapped up in each other.