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Even with the bonfire emitting flaming waves of heat, the crisp beach air soon became too uncomfortable for Jungkook, especially when the wind picked up at random, who was only in black jeans and a thin red hoodie, not enough clothes for his sensitivity to the cold. Not just that but the large group of teens circled around the bonfire were animalistically loud and closed in tight over one another's personal space. Jungkook long stopped counting on how many times someone bumped into him, jerking the peace inside of himself he tried to keep together in this unfamiliar environment. In the end he caved with some grumbling and stood up from his beach towel, destination set for the beach house where he could hide somewhere quiet, hopefully.
Trudging through the cold sand barefooted, Jungkook chastised himself for getting dragged to a beach party of someone he didn't even know. The power of Kim Taehyung he mused to himself dryly. Hyung knows too many people for his own good . He hunched his shoulders together when the wind surged through him easily, spreading goosebumps across his covered skin, and jogged the rest of the distance to the lively lit beach house.
The house was considerably warmer than outside but just as, possibly even more, rowdy and loud. Do You Mind by DJ Khalid was blasting through expensive speakers hooked onto the four corner walls and bodies were littered everywhere in his path. Still, Jungkook managed to squeeze by until he was safely making his way up the plush carpet stairs, hand lightly on the golden rail. Whoever's beach house this was, they were clearly loaded and enjoyed displaying their wealth.
Jungkook made his way down the hall flooded with pearl light and was happy that the noise of the party was definitely numb on the second floor. However, all sounds of the party vanished into white noise as soon as midnight doe met pretty mocha. Jungkook froze up at the sight of his ex boyfriend, hand still on the knob to the last door on the right he'd just opened, a leg already halfway inside of what appeared to be the guest room. Jimin, who stared back at him with his mouth parted in surprise, seemed to have definitely made himself at home on the king bed snuggled back against the many lavish pillows with an open book in his lap.
Mouth dry, Jungkook swallowed hard as he grazed his eyes over Jimin who still looked gorgeous as ever even in his simple garment of grey sweats and an XL black shirt. It was the red beanie set atop Jimin's messy black ink hair that made Jungkook's heart thud a loud off-key rhythm in his chest though, the red beanie he still remembers putting on Jimin during a cold day at school, still remembers Jimin's sweet laugh when Jungkook kissed his soft button nose afterwards. Jungkook had searched for the thing on many occasions and finally deemed the beanie lost because it never once occurred to him that Jimin would keep it after two months of their breakup. But there Jimin was, looking absolutely soft in Jungkook's beanie with tufts of hair curling just over his pretty eyes.
"Jungkook?" Jimin called out to him, sounding small and hesitant. He closed his book while keeping his eyes locked on Jungkook, taking in every detail of the younger like he was a fascinating art piece.
"I'm sorry, I'll go." Jungkook stammered and clumsily tried to back track out of the room but Jimin moved quicker and far more gracefully. Tossing his book aside, Jimin slid off the bed and, taking a few steps closer, asked Jungkook to wait. "I don't want to bother you." Jungkook murmured, voice quiet and thick.
"No, you wouldn't. I was just thinking how some chill company would be nice. Please stay?" Jimin asked him softly. A prominent part of Jungkook wanted to refuse but the smaller part wanted to stay so badly. Seeing Jimin alone was different from seeing Jimin in the halls of school where they're both surrounded by their respective groups of friends, and small glances shared between them were only a mere hallucination. But face to face with Jimin was something more real and grounding, a much deeper pull of past feelings and emotions. The air was thicker almost as if both of their barriers they put up against each other were trying to break the other down, trying to end the stupidity of separation and bring them back together again.
"Okay." Jungkook finally conceded in a hushed breath. He stepped all the way in the room and closed the door behind him with a gentle click. The atmosphere thickened further but neither one of them pretended to notice. Instead, Jungkook walked over to the loveseat that was against the wall and a safe distance from the bed which Jimin returned to and awkwardly spiked up a conversation. "Um, so why are you up here? You like parties."
Jimin nestled back down against the pillows before curling on his side giving Jungkook his full attention. "I was down there earlier but snuck away when it began to crowd. Wasn't in the mood for it really. Why are you here? You hate parties." it was faint but Jungkook still caught the teasing tone laced in Jimin's words as he parroted Jungkook's earlier comment.
With a heavy dramatic sigh (and knowing Jimin would understand off the bat considering Taehyung was a mutual friend to them both), Jungkook pouted, "Taehyung."
As predicted, that was the only answer Jimin needed who launched into a soft fit of giggles and Jungkook felt a warm pull inside his chest from hearing the sweet nostalgic tinkles. From then on, the tense air between them slowly but surely dissolved the more time passed as they talked and somehow, almost an hour later, Jungkook found himself on the bed with Jimin. They weren't touching but were close enough so their shoulders brushed every so often when one (or both) of them laughed. Jimin was in the middle of showing Jungkook a picture of Jihyun, his younger brother, on his phone and retelling the story behind it.
"They were so cute, you should've seen them." Jimin was gushing about his younger brother's middle school dance and how he helped him get ready before being the chauffeur for Jihyun and his adorable date. Jimin's mocha eyes glittered speckles of gold expressing his fondness before they curved into crescents. In the photo, Jihyun was donned in formal attire and pouting at the camera with a noticeable blush on his face. Jungkook found it cute. "He kept getting mad because I was taking so many pictures but I couldn't help it. And this is them together. I'm getting it framed." Jimin said with conviction, his phone screen displaying his brother and date shyly pressed together wearing bashful smiles.
Jungkook laughed quietly and took the phone from Jimin so he could study over the twenty something shots Jimin had taken. "Jihyun would kill you."
"Not my fault it’s perfect framing material." Jimin defended himself cutely and subconsciously drew himself closer to Jungkook who wasn't distracted enough with the pictures to not notice the sudden press of their shoulders, the soft touch of their hips, and Jimin's lavender mint shampoo. Hyper-aware of Jimin's warmth, Jungkook tried not to let it get to him and continued scrolling. "I'm gonna go get some water. You need anything while I'm down there?" Jimin moved away while asking his question that Jungkook barely heard because he was too busy releasing the breath he unknowingly held, nerves fluttering.
Playing nonchalant, Jungkook warned half jokingly, "Nah. But be careful, those are animals down there." Jimin laughed, a beautiful feat on its own, and Jungkook watched him saunter out the room. With Jimin's absence, it finally kicked in Jungkook's brain that he was with Jimin. Park Jimin. Jimin, his ex. Talking to him, laughing with him, even almost touching him. Jimin . It's been two months since the last time they were together like this, lost in their two combined worlds. It felt like a missing piece of Jungkook's life mended itself back together in the time frame since he found Jimin up here alone.
Feeling somewhat light at the unexpected turn of events of bumping into Jimin, Jungkook continued to thumb his way through Jimin's gallery, snickering at how Jihyun looked flustered in almost all of them. Jungkook won't lie, looking through the pictures made him realized how much he missed Jihyun's goofy awkward self. The kid had always been an interesting character. After swiping past a selfie of Jimin and Jihyun cheesing at the camera, Jungkook's thumb froze over the small screen at the new photo in place.
It was them. Jimin and him. Jungkook bore holes into the screen as memories of that night rushed into his head like it happened yesterday even though it was last summer. They went out to eat with friends and near the end of the meal, Jungkook got cold under the restaurant’s air conditioner and tugged Jimin on his lap before snuggling into him, calling the smaller his blanket. Jimin had taken the pic and coaxed Jungkook to look up too but Jungkook was feeling camera shy and only smiled against his then boyfriend’s shoulder.
It would be just like Jimin to save their pictures. Jungkook wished he had.
Jungkook swiped again and the next photo was like an arrow to his heart.
Karaoke night. They did a duet of We Don’t Talk Anymore by Charlie Puth and Selena Gomez. They got lost in each other on stage, voices mixing together like honeyed harmony, and their chemistry was high. Ironic how they don’t talk anymore now.
Jungkook swiped.
And again.
Each photo he went through was still a fresh memory that left him feeling vulnerable and longing.
Jungkook didn’t hear the door open as he moved on to a different photo, only looked up with lidded doe eyes when Jimin spoke, re announcing his presence. “I’m back. You weren’t kidding when you said they’re animals. It was a battle trying to find the damn exit in the kitchen.” Jimin huffed as he padded to the bed, two bottles of water wrapped in his small hands. “I brought you one anyway, here- hey, what’s the matter?” Jimin stopped with one knee on the bed as Jungkook’s downcast expression caught his attention. “Jungkook?” Jimin asked softly and climbed the rest of the way on the bed facing Jungkook while resting on the back of his knees. It wasn’t until then that he noticed Jungkook staring down at his lap. Following the younger’s gaze, Jimin froze when he saw Jungkook still had his phone in hand and a year old picture of them back when they were a couple occupied the screen.
It was clear they both of them remembered this day if the slight awkward change in the air was of any indication. It had been their one year anniversary and they spent it at a weekend trip to an Hawaiian resort Jimin had won. This was taken on their last night and in their canopy bed which they had christened both nights on many occasions. Flustered as he stared at the photo, Jimin recalled what happened straight afterwards when he’d taken this picture, remembered how the phone was plucked from his fingers when he barely finished typing the caption and Jungkook was on him, remembered every scorching kiss, every inch of pleasure he felt that night. They had, without a doubt, enjoyed themselves to the fullest, drunk on each other's comforting presence.
Jimin could feel the quietness overpowering them both, he could feel the growing thickness between them and that was honestly the last thing he wanted to happen. He didn’t want the last hour and a half of them interacting so comfortably with each other go to waste. But Jungkook wouldn’t meet his eyes, was unresponsive when he hesitantly rested a hand on the younger’s arm for what he hoped was comfort. Jimin gave up after a bout of silence passed and dropped his hand from Jungkook and let his hands fall into his lap where he twiddled with his fingers, an anxious habit. Jimin only stopped when Jungkook placed his phone over his moving hands, making sure Jimin got hold of the small device before drawing away.
With a bowed head, Jimin licked his lips in preparation for explaining because he’s sure that whatever photos Jungkook had on his phone of them as a couple were long gone deleted and honestly, Jimin was working his way to do the same, he really was. It’s just, it was hard. Moving on and trying to erase all history with Jungkook, was hard.
“I should go. It was nice talking to you, Jimin-hyung.” abrupt and swift despite stiff muscles, Jungkook heaved himself off the bed and headed towards the door, his thoughts tumbling dangerously against his skull.
“Wait, Jungkook-” heart panging at the younger’s detached tone using honorifics, Jimin scrambled off the bed after his retreating broad back with a tight throat and misty eyes. He hated the distance between them and quickly rushed to close it, small hand reaching out to snag a patch of Jungkook’s shirt. “Please don’t go, Jungkook, let me-” Jimin’s pleading was cut short when Jungkook whipped around, hand catching Jimin’s which he used to tug the smaller towards him and, without a single pause, collided their mouths together in a searing kiss.
Caught completely off guard, Jimin stumbled off balance but strong hands gripped his hips like an anchor, holding him down and pressed against a warm, firm body. Jungkook. Grabbing a fistful of the front of Jungkook’s shirt, Jimin closed his eyes and responded wildly, desperately. It had been too long since his lips have been claimed by Jungkook and the plush folds were tingling from the familiar sensation of the rough assault they were receiving. They were already swelling and coloring into that alluring rose blush from Jungkook’s bites and moist from Jungkook’s tongue. Jimin didn’t care, he missed this. He welcomed it all with soft whimpers and broken moans.
It had been too long since he tasted Jimin’s lips, too long since he held Jimin in his arms, too long since he heard Jimin spilling gorgeous sounds from his lips, and Jungkook was gone. Fuck, he was gone and he loved it, he missed it. He missed this . He missed Jimin. So he kissed him with vigor, held him closer by his slender waist, delved his tongue deeper into Jimin’s pliant mouth. He was sorry for ever thinking them being apart would be better when it only caused them pain on both ends. It was a mistake and he wanted Jimin back. It hit him like a wave and those pictures were the trigger. God, he wanted Jimin back , wanted every ounce of love he knew Jimin was capable of giving and wanted to return his own. Jungkook did his best to convey just how much to the smaller pressed so flushed against him who was just as eagerly responsive. And when they finally broke away, lips swollen and flushed, no words were needed when pretty mocha and midnight doe got lost in each other, breaking down all barriers, before they closed again and lips slid back together sweetly.