Archive of Our Own

0 00:00:00

Jimin bolted upright in his bed, breathing heavily. He touched a hand to his face, felt the sweat dripping down his cheeks. Another nightmare, of course. He closed his eyes, taking a couple of deep breaths before untangling his legs from his sheets. The clock read 4:49 AM, causing Jimin to let out a long sigh. Was there any point in going back to sleep, when all that would come was more nightmares?

Jimin was twenty-two years, seven months, and four days of age, and he had not found his soulmate. With each passing day he grew more anxious, wondering when the tiny numbers printed on his wrist would begin to count upwards. His friend Taehyung had found his soulmate four-hundred and forty-two days ago (last time Jimin checked), making Jimin the last of his friends to have his clock stuck at zero. Zero days, zero hours, zero minutes, zero seconds. Zero, zero, zero.

Jimin stumbled into the bathroom and stared at himself in the mirror, rubbing his eyes. His pink hair was sticking up every which way, face puffy and eyes bleary. "I feel bad for my soulmate," he muttered, dragging a hand down his face dejectedly. "If I even have one." He knew what Taehyung would say if he was awake. Thinking like that won't help you find your soulmate, Jimin! It was easy for him. Taehyung found his soulmate before he was 21, like he was supposed to.

Ripping open the shower curtain, Jimin turned the water on the highest setting and watched as steam started to fill the bathroom. He inhaled through his nose, stripping off his boxers and stepping into the stream of water. When the burning drops touched his skin, he let out a relieved sigh as his tense muscles began to relax. The nightmares had started half a year ago; a result of Jimin's self-esteem problems, as his therapist explained it. Take the pills and they'll go away. Jimin wouldn't take the pills, not for any money in the world. They melted his mind, his emotions, his ability to feel. And Jimin would rather feel sadness as opposed to nothing at all.

He stood under the water for twenty minutes, at one point scrubbing shampoo into his hair. Pink droplets rained down onto the tile floor of the shower, the soapy suds dripping onto Jimin's face and washing away the sweat. Finally, after the water ran cold, he turned off the water and stepped out into the steam filled room. He dried himself off with a scratchy towel, stumbling back into his room with shivering legs. He glanced at the clock again; 5:36 AM. Why did time pass so fast? Fast enough for twenty-two years, seven months, and four days to fly by like a bullet shot out of a gun. Fast enough for twenty-two years, seven months, and four days to pass without Jimin meeting his soulmate.

He knew that his friends tried to help, and they did, truly. But every time Jimin laughed, forgot about his loneliness for a split second, he would catch the sight of the ticking clock on their wrists. He wasn't sure why it hurt so much; his therapist told him that it may be because he's just a natural romantic. Jimin had countless memories of playing with friends, talking about soulmates. Would they be a boy or a girl? Tall or short? Would their smile light up a room? Would their eyes hold galaxies of stars? He had never even considered that he would be an exception to the rule, that he wouldn't find his soulmate before he came of age. 

Jimin realized he was still standing in the middle of his room, stark naked. He looked at the clock again; 5:53 AM. He shook his head, grabbing some underwear and an undershirt and pulling them on. He began rifling through the many clothes hangers, eventually selecting a white graphic T-shirt and a striped button-down. He pulled on a pair of ripped jeans and cast a weary glance at the pairs of shoes littering the floor before exiting his room, slamming the door behind him.

As he entered the small kitchen, he heard a loud groan from Taehyung's room. Jimin winced, glancing at the clock: 6:11 AM. It hadn't occurred to him that Taehyung might not be awake yet, since he usually left for work at 7:30. He sighed, opening the fridge and hoping he wouldn't have to wake Taehyung up. As he pulled a cup of yogurt out of the fridge, he heard a doorknob turn and he whipped around to see a disheveled Taehyung standing in the doorway of his room.

"Jimin?" he asked, rubbing an eye. "What are you doing up? It's Saturday."

Jimin froze, glancing down at his yogurt then back up at Taehyung. "Oh, it is?"

Taehyung giggled sleepily, shuffling into the kitchen and sitting down on one of the wooden stools littered around their living room. "Yeah, stupid. Did you forget to turn your alarm off?"

Jimin flushed, and he stuttered out an answer. "Um... y-yes?"

In his tired state, Taehyung didn't notice his hesitation. "Well, I'm going to get dressed, now that you woke me up." Jimin nodded, smiling slightly at his friend. As Taehyung stood up, he unconsciously rubbed a finger over his wrist. Jimin swallowed as he watched Taehyung's fingers brush over the numbers imprinted in his arm, his smile disappearing from his face. As his friend shuffled back to his room to get changed, Jimin bit down hard on his lip, tasting blood. He glanced nervously at the clock again; 6:15 AM.

Grabbing his phone off of the counter, he started to scroll through his texts. Jin had invited him to go out to coffee with him and Taehyung, but Jimin hadn't seen it before he went to bed. Taehyung made him keep his phone out in the kitchen as a way of pushing Jimin to try to sleep, not knowing that sleep was Jimin's worst nightmare (both figuratively and literally). Jimin hurriedly typed out a reply, saying he would check to see if he was free. And of course he was; it was a matter of whether or not he felt like third wheeling again. His mind drifted to his therapist, pictured shaking her head sadly. "It's very unlikely you'll find your soulmate after you turn 21, Jimin. It's good to have a positive outlook, but you shouldn't get your hopes up." Way to make Jimin feel better, "therapist." If Taehyung was there, he would have told her to suck a fat one. Right on cue, Taehyung's door swung back open, the boy in question skipping out with a boxy grin on his face.

"Morning, Jiminie!" he said cheerily, brushing his hand through his wet hair. Wet? When did he have time to take a shower?

Jimin waved, a small smile turning his lips upward. "Good morning. Again." He glanced at his phone, eyes widening slightly as he read the time. 6:49 AM... he must have zoned out. He opened his yogurt, snatching a spoon out of a nearby drawer. Taehyung's eyes followed his hands, and he let out a snort.

"I thought you'd be done with that by now. Slow morning?" Jimin nodded, pushing the spoon into the yogurt and slipping some into his mouth so he wouldn't have to reply. Taehyung giggled, leaning over to pat Jimin's head. "You're coming with Jin and I today, right?"

Jimin shrugged, swallowing his spoonful of yogurt. "I'm not sure..." he mumbled, guilt spreading through him like a wildfire as Taehyung's face fell.

Taehyung let out a long sigh before replying. "Look, Jiminie. I get that you're sad about the whole soulmate thing, I really do. But you've been all mopey for the past few months, and I would do anything to get my happy, cheerful Jiminie back. Even if that means dragging you out of the house against your will." When Jimin looked sullenly down at his yogurt, Taehyung put his hand under Jimin's chin, tipping it back up to look at him. "Think about it this way. If you don't leave the house, you'll never meet your soulmate."

Jimin gave his friend a long, measured stare, watching the hope bubbling up in his eyes. "Will you take no for an answer?" he asked pleadingly. Taehyung pouted, and he sighed. "Fine."

"Yay!" Taehyung squealed, grabbing Jimin's hands. "We invited Namjoon-hyung, too. It'll be lots of fun." Jimin smiled despite himself, squeezing Taehyung's hands slightly before the brunette released him and grabbed his phone. He started typing furiously, his grin only growing bigger as his phone dinged. "Jin and Namjoon will meet us there in half an hour," he said excitedly, bouncing on the soles of his feet. 

Jimin's eyes widened, and he almost choked on the spoonful of yogurt he had been eating. "Wait, half an hour? I thought we were going this afternoon."

Taehyung pointed at the clock, then at his phone. "The cafe opens at seven anyway, and it's much easier to find a seat in the early mornings."

"Is it really seven already?" Jimin murmured to himself, staring vacantly at the numbers on his wrist. How did time pass by him so quickly? Maybe it was because all he had ever known was zero. Zero, zero, zero. Taehyung replied, but Jimin didn't hear. His mind clouded with a blank fog, and he let out a long sigh. Taehyung grabbed his wrist, shocking Jimin back into the real world. "What? Sorry, I..."

"Zoned out," Taehyung finished for him with a kind smile. "Don't apologize, Jiminie." When he saw Jimin look down, lip trembling, he put his other hand on his shoulder. "Hey, don't worry. You'll find your soulmate. I know you will." He took a step back, holding out a hand for Jimin to take. "But for now, do you think you're ready to go?"

Jimin glanced around, spotting a pair of boots sitting by the door. "Let me just..." he made his way over to them, dodging random pieces of furniture that were scattered across the living room. Letting Taehyung make interior design choices was bound to be a bad idea, but the place had an inexplicable charm to it and Jimin didn't have the heart to tell him to rearrange the many pieces of furniture the brunette had placed in various spaces across the floor. He finally reached the door, bending down and pulling the boots onto his feet. Taehyung bounced over, spanking him with a grin. "Ready, you?"

Jimin smiled at him, whacking Taehyung's shoulder lightly as his back straightened. "Yeah, whatever." Taehyung opened the door, and they walked through the lobby together, Jimin waving at the receptionist as they exited the apartment complex.

The sun had just begun to rise, and the rays seemed to be shining directly in Jimin's eyes as he stepped out onto the busy sidewalks of Seoul. People passed by, each walking quickly and with their own purpose. Jimin turned to Taehyung, squinting against the sun. "Do you have sunglasses?" he murmured as they started to walk in the direction of the cafe.

Taehyung shook his head, his own eyes squinted. "Sorry, hyung." Both of them sighed in relief as a particularly tall building obscured the light, and they quickened their pace together. Jimin looked around him, examining the people walking around them. When his eyes settled on a particularly touchy couple, his heart sank down into his stomach and he trained his gaze on the ground.

"How much farther?" he asked Taehyung, and Taehyung patted his head understandingly.

"Just one more block, and then we make a turn." Taehyung suddenly bounced on his feet, causing Jimin to look up. "I'm so excited! I feel like I haven't seen Jin in ages," he exclaimed, making Jimin laugh.

"Tae, it's been under a week," he pointed out, giggling.

Taehyung placed a hand on his chest dramatically. "It feels like it's been forever." Jimin hit his shoulder, and Taehyung made a noise of protest as they rounded the corner, his pace quickening. In an effort to get away from Jimin's wrath, he walked right past the cafe. Jimin stopped at the door, laughing as Taehyung froze and bolted back towards the restaurant.

"Aish, you made me look like an idiot!" he said accusingly as Jimin held the door open for him, lips curled up into a playful smile.

"I'm pretty sure you made you look like an idiot," Jimin retorted, laughing aloud as Taehyung winced and put his hand on his chest.

"Ouch, that hurt!" he whined as Jimin started surveying the small coffee shop for a table. Taehyung had been right about how the place was much less busy in the mornings; only around three or four people were sitting in the usually packed cafe. One bartender was working behind the counter, humming softly under his breath. When he heard the door close, he called out a welcome, his voice quiet.

Jimin made a beeline to a table with four seats, glancing innocently at Taehyung over his shoulder. "Will you order for me?"

"No, dipsh- dingus," Taehyung amended, looking resignedly around at the people surrounding them. "We're trying out the whole 'Jimin goes outside and is a functional human being' thing. Come on." Jimin groaned in annoyance, turning back around and letting Taehyung drag him up to the counter. The bartender's back stayed turned as he finished up the drink he was making.

"I'll be with you in a moment," he called out, his voice warm. Jimin felt his shoulders relax a little. Okay, so maybe he could do this if the bartender wasn't a dick. The man slid the completed drink over the pickup counter, and Jimin took his chance to examine him. His sleeves were rolled up to reveal muscular arms, and he had a sharp jawline. His facial features were softer, however, with large brown eyes and small, petal-like lips. Jimin managed to catch the name on his nametag - Jungkook - before the bartender made his way over to the cash register, fiddling with his hands.

Jimin fixed his eyes on the floor, heart beating nervously. God, why did even just ordering a coffee make him so damned nervous? "What can I get you?" the bartender asked, and Jimin looked up slowly to meet his eyes. When he did, his heart skipped a beat and he gasped softly.

Because as his eyes met Jungkook's, his arm tingled and he immediately felt a chill roll down his spine. Everything seemed to move in slow motion, almost as if he was in a dream, when Jimin slowly lifted his wrist to his face, saw the numbers.

0:01.

0:02.

0:03.

He glanced back at Jungkook in again, saw his own shock mirrored on the bartender's face. Taehyung frowned, glaring at Jimin. "Aren't you going to order?" he asked, tapping Jimin's shoulder repeatedly. Jimin shook his head slightly, unable to reply. His eyes stayed locked on Jungkook's, even when the bartender started to speak.

"I... it's you."

It was a statement, not a question. Jimin nodded, slowly at first. A timid smile crept its way onto his face, and he whispered a reply. "Yeah."

Taehyung looked from Jungkook to Jimin and back, before proceeding to grab Jimin's arm. He stared at his wrist, saw the changing numbers. A wide grin appeared on his face, and he dropped Jimin's wrist and took a step away. "I'll be... sitting over here." He backed into a table, knocking over a chair. Both Jimin and Jungkook ignored him, their eyes still locked on each other. Jimin felt a rush of emotions fill him, exhilaration making his heart pound. This was the person he was meant to be with. This was his soulmate. And by god, he was the cutest boy Jimin had ever seen.

After an eternity of silence, Jungkook exhaled softly. "Forgive me, but... you're so much more breathtaking than I ever imagined." His eyes glittered as they took in every inch of Jimin's face, a hesitant smile making his wide eyes crinkle.

Jimin felt his face heat up, and he bit down on his lip. "You're... wow," he murmured, cringing at himself. "Sorry. I'm not good at... you know. Talking to people."

Jungkook giggled, his hands flying to his face to cup his own cheeks. "Me neither." He pulled one of his hands away from his face and held it out to Jimin, tilting his head slightly to the side. "I'm Jungkook."

Jimin took it, hoping Jungkook couldn't feel his hand shaking. "Jimin," he replied, mind in a fog. They held on to each for a second too long, Jimin releasing Jungkook's hand first. Unsure if he was dreaming, Jimin pinched his arm. A flare of pain traveled through his arm, but he didn't wake up. This was real. This was real. Jungkook saw and gave him a questioning look, and Jimin laughed nervously.

"I'm sorry, you must think I'm really weird. After I turned 22, I kind of..." Jimin gestured with his hands, unsure how to explain. "I lost hope. For a while."

Jungkook nodded understandingly. "Well, I..." His voice trailed off as his eyes focused on something behind Jimin. Jimin turned to see an excited-looking Jin and an exasperated Namjoon with their faces pressed up against the window of the cafe.

Jimin glanced back at Jungkook, blushing profusely. "Oh, those are my idiot friends." He glanced back and Jin locked eyes with him, mouthing "I want coffee".

Jungkook snorted, grinning. "Do you think I should get your friends some coffee first, and then we can... talk, or something?" Jimin turned back to him, nodding his assent.

"Yeah, that would probably be good." Taehyung leaped excitedly out of his seat as soon as the words left Jimin's mouth, gesturing frantically for Jin and Namjoon to come inside. The two older men burst through the door, staring at Jungkook with wide eyes. Jimin buried his head in his hands. "You guys are so embarrassing," he whimpered as Taehyung back-hugged him tightly before bouncing up to the cash register.

"Hi, mister Jimin's soulmate!" he squealed, immediately jumping right into his order. "So, I'll have a medium mocha frappuccino, and Jiminie will have-"

"I don't want anything," Jimin interrupted, widening his eyes at Taehyung. Taehyung ignored him, continuing.

"Jiminie will most definitely have a small caramel macchiato." He turned to face Jin and Namjoon, smirking as he watched Jimin's face turn bright pink. "What do you guys want?"

"Can I have a vanilla bean frappe? Small?" Jin piped up, shoulders bouncing up and down in excitement. "And he'll have an Americano."

Jungkook nodded, writing things down on a little notepad. He still looked a little dazed, but his eyes had become focused. "Got it." When Taehyung fished out his wallet to pay, Jungkook shook his head. "It's on me for today. Special occasion." Taehyung glanced at Jimin with wide eyes, bowing hurriedly to Jungkook.

"Dude, if I knew stuff like this was going to happen, I'd bring my single friends everywhere!" he said in a stage whisper, prompting Jimin to shove him lightly towards a nearby table. Taehyung fell into one of the chairs with a dramatic thump, causing the other people in the cafe to look over in confusion. Jin and Namjoon followed him, leaving Jimin with no choice but to do the same. He cast a look over his shoulder, meeting Jungkook's eyes before hurriedly joining his friends. 

Jin was picking Taehyung off of the ground after his wipeout, and they were both snickering and pointing at Jimin. "Aish, you brats..." Jimin groaned, rubbing his temples. "You guys are so embarrassing. You're acting like schoolchildren."

Namjoon pouted, ruffling Jimin's hair. "We're just proud of you. Our little Jiminie, gone and found his soulmate." He took another glance at Jungkook, a knowing smile crawling across his face. "And a hot one, at that."

Jimin found his eyes wandering to Jungkook again, a smile resting unrestrained across his face. "I'll give you that one," he murmured, watching as Jungkook worked the coffee machines. He turned to Taehyung, still in awe. "It doesn't feel real, hyung. And he's so..."

His voice trailed off as his mind continued racing, sudden bouts of worry hitting him like a punch in the gut. What if Jungkook thought less of him because of his nightmares? What if he thought Jimin was too short? His worries were interrupted by Taehyung, who was giving him a knowing look. "Minnie, he's going to love you. You're soulmates, and besides; it's impossible not to love our Jiminie."

Jin nodded, smiling. "I second that, Tae-tae." He ruffled Taehyung's hair, causing the brunette to stick his tongue out at him.

Jimin's gaze returned unrestrainedly to Jungkook, studying his face closely. "He's perfect. You guys, I have a soulmate. And he's perfect. Holy shit." He glanced down at his timer, which now read 03:27. He felt the blood rushing to his cheeks as he looked up at the ceiling, an ecstatic laugh escaping his mouth. "Holy shit," he repeated softly.

A bell dinged, and all three boys looked over towards the source of the noise. "Order up!" Jungkook called out with a small wave, beaming from ear to ear. He had pushed his bangs off of his forehead, leaving his brown hair slightly disheveled and wavy.

Jimin immediately shot out of his seat, murmuring "I'll get it." Taehyung snorted, but he didn't say anything as Jimin hurriedly rushed over to the pickup counter. Jungkook's eyes followed him, sparkling in the faint light.

He held out two of the cups as Jimin arrived, circling around the counter to stand at his side. "I've got these two. That one's yours, and the one next to it is your energetic friend's." His eyes dropped to his feet, and he shuffled them nervously as Jimin grabbed the cups with a whispered thank you. They made their way back to the table in comfortable silence, Jimin examining his cup. Jungkook had written his name in messy print, a little heart drawn on either side. Jimin's hands tightened around the cup, and he glanced over at Jungkook only to find him shyly staring back. They held each other's gaze, their pace slowing.

"How long is it going to take for them to walk 200 feet?" Taehyung complained from afar, ruining the moment. Jungkook's face turned a brilliant shade of red and his eyes returned to the floor quickly. Jimin stared accusingly at Taehyung, who scrunched up his nose at the pink-haired boy.

"Here's your coffee, mister annoying," Jimin said, reaching the table and sliding the cup down to the end Taehyung was sitting at. Taehyung widened his eyes innocently, kicking one of the chairs away from the table non-discreetly. 

"Oh, no, looks like there are only three seats at this table," he commented, looking around deliberately. "Looks like you and Jungkook are going to have to sit together. Alone. Without your annoying friends. Isn't that a shame?"

Jimin rolled his eyes. "Nope." He grabbed Jungkook by the hand, warmth spreading through his skin where their fingers touched. Jimin tugged him gently towards a nearby table, far enough away from his friends that they wouldn't be able to hear anything.

Pulling out a chair for himself, Jimin put his coffee down on the table only to realize something. "Oh, you don't have a coffee!" he said in surprise as Jungkook sat down at the other side of the table, the faint hint of a smile still on his face. "Here, you can have some of mine." Jimin took off the lid, and Jungkook protested hurriedly.

"I can't, I made it for you," he stammered, his voice faltering when Jimin tugged his sleeve pleadingly.

"Please, Kookie. I can't drink the whole thing by myself." The pet name slipped out without Jimin noticing, and his eyes widened when he realized what he had said. Jungkook had either not noticed or not processed Jimin's nickname for him, reluctantly sighing in response to his insistence.

"Okay, fine. Can I use a straw?" he asked, reaching into his apron and pulling out a wrapped straw. Jimin looked at him in surprise, giggling.

"You use a straw to drink coffee?" he asked, his laughter growing stronger when Jungkook's face lit up like a lamp.

Jungkook started unwrapping the straw, gesturing excitedly with it. "Everything is better with a straw." He stuck the straw into the cup, sipping it earnestly. Jimin smiled, his cheeks feeling like they were going to burst from happiness.

He intertwined his fingers with each other, resting his chin on top of his hands. "So, I'm interested. What do I need to know about Jungkook?"

Jungkook looked up, the straw falling out of his mouth. He swallowed quickly, scratching the back of his neck. "Oh, right!" he exclaimed, blushing profusely. He thought for a second, coming up with the words. "My name is Jeon Jungkook. I just turned 20, on September 1st... and I really like straws." He sat back in his chair, satisfied with himself. "Your turn."

Jimin felt his heart skip a beat in his chest, not used to having the attention on him. "Uhhh... well. I'm Park Jimin. I'm 22, my birthday is October 13. I also love cats. A lot." Jungkook's eyes widened, and he curiously tipped his head to the side. Jimin elaborated, cheeks burning. "I work at an animal shelter, so..."

Jungkook clasped his own hands together, unconsciously mirroring Jimin's position. "That's adorable, hyung." A thrill ran through Jimin's body, and he tried his best to ignore it. He thinks I'm adorable.

Taking a sip of his coffee, Jimin swallowed quickly and bit down on his lip. Jungkook opened his mouth, hesitating for a second before seemingly making a decision. "Jimin, I was wondering if..." Jimin gave him an encouraging smile, and Jungkook's words trailed off as he stared into hiss eyes. "...if you'd be willing to go on a date with me?" he mumbled, eyes darting to Jimin's lips.

Jimin nodded giddily, heartbeat speeding up. "I would like that a lot, Jungkook."

A radiant smile crossed Jungkook's face, and Jimin studied it closely, trying to commit it to memory. There was something about Jungkook that just glowed, almost like he was a star; bursting rays of sunlight and warmth everywhere he went. One thing was for sure; whenever Jungkook's eyes met Jimin's, everything was suddenly alright. All his darknesses disappeared in the light of Jungkook's bright smile and his sparkling eyes. It was sappy, but it was the truth.

Jungkook glanced back at the cafe counter nervously, knocking Jimin out of his thoughts. "Well, I... need to get back to my shift," he said, frowning slightly. Jimin nodded, reaching out to touch one of Jungkook's hands.

"We can exchange numbers, and coordinate later. For, you know, the date." Excitement shot through Jimin's veins as the words left his mouth. The mess of positive emotions Jungkook was making him feel was a sweet euphoria compared to the darkness and unhappy thoughts that usually plagued Jimin's mind.

Jungkook shook his head in agreement, pulling a pen out of his pocket. "Here, wait." He grabbed Jimin's half-empty coffee cup, scribbling a sequence of numbers onto the surface. "Text me whenever you have the time, if that's okay?"

"That's more than okay," Jimin replied softly, stretching his fingers out a bit more to rest his hand on top of Jungkook's larger one. Jungkook smiled brightly, hesitating slightly before standing up and making his way back to the counter. Jimin found himself staring after him, watching as Jungkook greeted another customer warmly.

"Okay, heart eyes," a voice said from behind Jimin, and he flinched violently.

Whipping around, Jimin stuck his tongue out at the man behind him. "Shut up, Taehyung."

Taehyung grinned smugly. "What did I say this morning? If you never leave the house, you'll never meet your soulmate."

"You're a prophet," Jimin commented, his admiring tone only slightly sarcastic. "Jungkook has to finish his shift, so we're allowed to leave, if you guys want."

Taehyung frowned. "He did ask you out, right?" he asked, casting the bartender a suspicious glare.

"Yeah. On a date," Jimin replied, face reddening. Taehyung pinched his cheek, boxy grin stretched from ear to ear.

"Good. If he hadn't, I would have gone over there and given him a piece of my mind." He held out a hand to Jimin, who reluctantly took it and let Taehyung pull him out of the cafe chair.

"Where are we going, anyway?" Jimin asked as Taehyung gestured to Jin and Namjoon, pointing them towards the door.

As the two stood up, Taehyung faced Jimin put and put a hand on each of his shoulders. "Shopping."

Jimin groaned loudly. "Do I have to talk to people?" he asked in annoyance, taking another sip of his coffee. "I just found my soulmate." A thrill ran through him as he said the words, and his eyes darted to Jungkook quickly. The bartender was not-so-subtly watching the pair, tongue pressed into his cheek, but he looked away when Jimin tried to meet his eyes.

"Jimin, stop staring so we can go," Jin complained, and Jimin slapped his arm, pushing him towards the door.

"Bye, Jungkook!" he called, seeing the bartender's face immediately light up as he looked back over in Jimin's direction.

He waved, beaming. "Bye, Jimin!"

Taehyung started herding Jimin out the door, huffing exaggeratedly. "I'll text you!" Jimin yelled over his shoulder as the door closed, a giddy smile on his face.

Taehyung shook his head, examining Jimin's face fondly. "You've only known him for-" He lifted Jimin's wrist, staring at the numbers. "-an hour and three minutes, but you're already whipped."

Jimin blushed, unable to deny it. "Have you even seen him, Taehyung? It's impossible for me to NOT be whipped. He uses a straw to drink coffee. A straw, Tae."

"Hurry up, losers!" Namjoon called out, already a few yards ahead of the rest of the group.

Taehyung yelled back. "Fine, fine!" He started jogging towards the taller man, and Jimin followed at a slightly slower pace. He pulled out his phone, typing in the number on his coffee cup as he tried not to trip over his own feet. Typing out a message, he pressed send and looked up from his phone a split second before running into Jin.

To: Jungkook :)
8:54 AM: hey! this is jimin :)

Jin let out a surprised yelp as Jimin stepped on his foot, dramatically holding his leg and bouncing around. "Ji-min-ie!" he cried, pretending to start crying.

Jimin clung to Jin's arm, embarrassed. "Hyung, I'm sorry! I was just-"

Jimin's phone dinged, and Jin looked over onto his screen.

From: Jungkook :)
8:56 AM: hi jimin-hyung! u dont have to answer now, but i was wondering when u wanted to go on that date?

Jin's eyes widened, and he pointed at Jimin's phone. "I have never felt more insulted!" he exclaimed, shaking his head. "Cute guys over Kim Seokjin's safety?"

Jimin shook his head frantically. "Oh my god, hyung." Even as they bickered, Jimin's happiness was still there, bubbling up in his chest and threatening to spill out. He had a soulmate. He really, truly, had a soulmate. And this time, it wasn't a dream.

~

168 08:04:43

By now, it had become a routine for Jimin to visit the cafe. Every morning he woke up with a new purpose: to get ready to go see Jungkook before going off to the animal shelter. After Jungkook's shifts ended, they would spend hours talking to each other on the phone and in person, much to the dismay of Jimin's attention-hungry friends. Taehyung would call Jimin obsessed, but Jimin liked to think of it as a... healthy infatuation.

This morning had gotten off to a rough start; Jimin had almost slept through his alarm, and he had to shower quickly to get to the cafe at his normal time. Luckily, it was a Sunday; so Jimin could spend as much time with Jungkook as he wanted to. He had a little skip in his step as he walked down the sidewalk alone, hands in his pockets. As he rounded the corner and saw the logo of the cafe looming before him, a quick rush of excitement filled him, and he bounced on his feet in anticipation.

Pushing the door open, Jimin's eyes immediately fixed on Jungkook, who was placing two drinks on the pickup counter. The bartender's face immediately broke out into a smile, and he waved. "Hey, Jiminie!"

Jimin forgot to scold him for not using honorifics when he heard the nickname, his own lips curling into a grin. "Hi, Jungkook-ah. Long time no see?"

Covering his mouth, Jungkook giggled as a customer came to pick up the drinks. "It's been less than 24 hours."

Jimin shook his head, messing up his carefully styled pink hair. "Too long." He made his way over to the counter, watching as Jungkook fiddled to unlock the door.

"I convinced Luna to take over part of my shift today. I just have to work extra on Monday," he explained.

Jimin flushed as the door opened and he stepped through. "Ah, Jungkookie, you didn't have to do that. You know I like watching you work."

Jungkook shrugged nonchalantly. "Yeah, but I like talking to you more than I like working." His fingers reached out towards Jimin's, and Jimin grabbed his hand, intertwining his fingers with Jungkook's longer ones. The first time Jungkook had held his hand was on day 57, the day Jimin learned that he could count on Jungkook to steady him whenever he needed it. Every landmark, every step forward in their relationship, Jimin remembered the day; because his time wasn't zero, and it never would be again.

Right on cue, a girl with long, dark hair came out of the break room, grumbling under her breath. Jungkook flashed her a smile before opening the door for Jimin, gesturing inside. JImin bowed slightly before entering, the formality making Jungkook chuckle a bit.

They had been back here with each other a few times before, but Jimin still wasn't familiar with the room. He hesitated, letting Jungkook sit down on a couch first before settling down next to him. "So... how was your night with Hoseok yesterday?" he asked, reaching over and playing with Jungkook's fingers.

"It was good," Jungkook said with a nod. "He said that he's almost convinced his boss to give me an interview, which would be awesome." He squeezed Jimin's hand, eyes glittering with excitement.

"Oh, Kookie, that's amazing!" Jimin gasped, smiling. "We'll have to come up with another excuse to meet at the cafe, though."

Jungkook shrugged, stroking Jimin's hand with his thumb. "We could always meet at the dance studio, instead."

"Yeah, but..." Jimin sighed, glancing around the room. "This is where we met. It's special."

A faint smile drifted across Jungkook's face. "You're right. How long has it been?"

Jimin met his eyes, losing himself in the deep, chocolate brown. "168 days," he murmured, not even needing to look down at his wrist. Jungkook held the eye contact, his lips parting in a silent sigh.

"Feels like it's been forever," he mumbled in return, eyes darting to Jimin's lips and back up to his eyes. Jimin suddenly felt the room increase in temperature by 110 degrees - or at least, that's what it felt like. They hadn't kissed before, but Jimin wasn't going to pretend he hadn't thought about it (a lot). He just figured it would happen when the time was right. And oh, did the time feel right.

His voice dropped to a whisper. "Hey, Jungkook?"

Jungkook's gaze flickered to his lips again. "Yeah?" Jimin bit his lip, nervousness shooting through his body.

"Can I... kiss you?"

Jungkook's hand warmed in his, and his face pinkened slightly. "Sure thing." He cringed at himself, shaking his head. "Sorry. I'm lame."

Jimin smiled, raising his other hand to touch Jungkook's cheek. "Nope," he murmured, leaning in and pressing his lips to Jungkook's. A moment passed before Jungkook kissed back gently, hand untangling itself from Jimin's in order to caress the other's face. Their lips moved against each other's softly for a couple seconds before Jimin pulled away.

"Not lame," he murmured, resting his forehead against the brunette's. Jungkook let out a breathy sigh, grabbing Jimin's chin and softly pulling their lips together again. Jimin melted into the kiss, pulling Jungkook's torso flush to his and wrapping his arms around his neck. They moved slowly, exploring each other's mouths with their tongues. Jimin felt his thoughts fade away and give way to only Jungkook; how good he smelled, how passionate yet gentle he was being, and how wonderful his lips felt on Jimin's own. Jimin adjusted their position slightly so that he was sitting in Jungkook's lap, keeping his lips on Jungkook's the entire time. Feeling Jungkook's arms snake around him, Jimin's body started to heat up as the younger kissed him harder.

After about 10 minutes, Jungkook pulled away slightly. "I feel like we should have done that sooner," he mumbled into Jimin's mouth, and Jimin smiled. He chose not to reply, slotting their lips together in another open-mouthed kiss.

Just then, the door opened, and they heard a gasp. Jimin looked over his shoulder in panic and saw Jungkook's coworker, Luna, staring at them with wide eyes. "I was going to ask you if we had any spare change for cash payments," she mumbled, pressing her back against the door. Jungkook sighed, Jimin still on his lap.

"The drawer on the left," he replied, gesturing towards a rickety white desk in the corner of the room.

Luna made her way over to the desk and grabbed a bag of change, refusing to make eye contact with either of them. "Great. Thanks." She opened the door, about to leave, then hesitated. "Don't, like, defile the couch." The door shut, and Jimin looked back at Jungkook. His eyes were wide, and his face was bright red.

"Kind of a mood killer, huh?" Jimin commented, sighing and snuggling into Jungkook's chest.

Jungkook laughed, his lips right next to Jimin's ear. "Tell me about it. I hope she doesn't tell my boss."

Shrugging, Jimin reached up and started playing with a lock of Jungkook's hair absentmindedly. "You'll just have to do that interview sooner." Jungkook smiled in response, burying his face in Jimin's hair. They sat together in comfort for a couple of long moments before Jungkook pulled away, checking his phone. "Wow. Has it only been forty-five minutes?"

Jimin sat back, moving off of Jungkook's lap and onto the couch. "You're kidding, right?" Jungkook showed him his phone screen, shaking his head. "Wow. Bet we could've kept going," he murmured, smirking as Jungkook's ears turned red with embarrassment.

He found himself thinking about how just five months before, he had been reminiscing about how fast time passed. Back then, it seemed almost as if his entire life was slipping away from him in the blink of an eye. Now that he had found Jungkook, though, he could savor every moment; because each second with him was something special, something more.

"Jungkook?" he whispered, turning his body to face the other again.

Jungkook tilted his head to the side slightly, looking at Jimin with those wide, sparkling eyes. "Yes, Jiminie?"

"I think I love you."

Surprise flashed on Jungkook's face, followed by a blinding smile. "I think I love you too," he whispered softly.

Jimin felt a smile of his own spread across his face, and he reached out to squeeze Jungkook's hand. "Okay, now kiss me already."

And when Jungkook's lips met his, Jimin felt almost certain that time had stopped.

~

364 23:49:07

Jimin woke up to the feeling of a hand on his shoulder, shaking him gently. "Jimin-ah... wake up..."

Groaning, he buried his head in his pillow. "Let me sleep, Taehyung. I can take the afternoon shift or something."

The voice laughed warmly, and the hand squeezed his shoulder. "It's not Taehyung, Jimin-ah. Also, it's your break day, remember?"

Jimin lifted his head from his pillow blearily, his eyes adjusting to the muted light of his bedroom. He rubbed his eyes, blinking a couple of times before focusing on the person standing next to his bed. "Ah... Jungkookie?"

Jungkook grinned, waving. "Hi, hyung."

Jimin reached out to him, making grabby hands. "C'mere." Jungkook hesitated only a second before obliging, kicking off his shoes and crawling into Jimin's bed to lay next to him. "Did Tae let you in?" Jimin asked softly as Jungkook rolled over to face him, eyes crinkled into little crescent moons.

"Yeah, but only because I brought food."

Jimin let out a soft, breathy laugh. "Sounds like him." His eyes widened, and he sat upright. "Wait, you brought food?"

Laughing, Jungkook sat up next to him. "Yeah. Did you forget what today is?" When Jimin looked at him in confusion, he raised his arm and tapped his wrist. Jimin looked at his own, eyes widening as he read the sequence of numbers.

365 00:01:29

Jimin reached his arms out, pulling Jungkook into a vice-like hug. "Holy shit," he whispered, his heart pounding against his chest.

"I know, right?" Jungkook whispered back, squeezing him tightly.

Jimin buried his face in Jungkook's hair, inhaling his comforting scent. "Fuck. A whole year." 

They stayed in that position for a couple minutes, clinging to each other like they were the only two people in the world. Finally, Jungkook let out a muffled laugh into Jimin's shoulder. "Do you wanna know what food I bought?"

Jimin pouted, raising his head to lock eyes with him. "Can we just cuddle for a little bit?"

"Duh," Jungkook replied, laying back down on the bed with his arms still wrapped around Jimin. The pink-haired man squirmed a bit in his grasp, but eventually relaxed as they found a comfortable position to lay in. 

After a couple of seconds of comfortable silence, Jimin nuzzled into Jungkook's shoulder. "Hey."

"Hey," Jungkook murmured back, resting his chin on top of Jimin's head. 

Jimin closed his eyes, letting Jungkook's warmth seep into him. "I love you," he whispered, still a bit shy even after a year. He could feel Jungkook's heart beating in sync with his, and an unexplainable happiness filled him. 

Jungkook sighed, and Jimin's eyes fluttered back open to see Jungkook smiling fondly at him, wide brown eyes sparkling. "I love you too, my Jiminie." 

-

Taehyung would find them there an hour later, Jungkook snoring softly. Jimin awoke to his roommate's surprised gasp, eyes wide. Jimin shifted slightly so he could make eye contact. "What do you want, Tae?" he whispered, trying not to wake Jungkook. 

Taehyung glanced at the door, then back to Jimin. "I was going to ask if you wanted your donuts because Jungkook brought them and you still haven't eaten them." He grinned, eyes taking in the scene before him. "If you're busy, I can take the burden upon myself and eat them all." 

"No!" Jimin whisper screamed, scowling playfully at Taehyung. "My donuts!" 

Without opening his eyes, Jungkook spoke in a deadpan voice. "Eat the donuts and you die, Tae."

Taehyung stuck his tongue out at Jungkook, not realizing his eyes were still closed. "Fine. I'll just go eat my soulmate's ass instead." 

"Oh, god, Tae, please not here!" Jimin groaned, carefully trying to extract himself from Jungkook's grasp. Jungkook released him with a sigh, eyes blinking open. 

Jimin sat up on the bed, not minding the slight soreness in his muscles. "You can have a donut if you don't eat anyone's ass in my apartment on my one year anniversary," he said with a yawn, rolling his eyes as Taehyung pumped his fist in the air and danced off into the kitchen.

"You let him off too easy," Jungkook muttered, stretching out with a long breath. He propped himself up on his shoulders, and Jimin reached out to grab his hand.

"He's like a little kid. A little, 18+ kid," Jimin explained, snorting. The two looked at each other for a second before they both started laughing, causing Taehyung to peek into the room again. 

"What's so funny?" he asked, face covered in powdered sugar. 

Jungkook waved his hands in Taehyung's direction, giggling. "Nothing." He leaned over to Jimin, whispering in his ear. "He looks like a crackhead." 

Jimin laughed harder, burying his face in his hands. From behind his fingers, he saw Taehyung pout. "Hey! I heard that!"

The brunette stalked over to the bed, not bothering to wipe the powdered sugar off of his face. "If I'm gonna look like a crackhead, you are too." He grabbed Jimin's arm, yanking him off of the bed and pulling him towards the door. Jimin whined, reaching towards Jungkook, who quickly jumped out of bed to help him.

Taehyung dragged Jimin all the way to the kitchen, sitting him down in a chair. Jungkook followed close behind, looking slightly drowsy. Jimin's eyes widened when he saw all the food Jungkook had brought lain out haphazardly across the counter. "Jungkookie, you didn't have to..."

"Hyung," Jungkook interrupted, combing his hand through his hair with a knowing smile. "I wanted to." 

Jimin shook his head, still in awe. "You're gonna help me eat this, right?" 

Jungkook's grin widened into a bunny smile. "Well, duh."

"What about me...?" Taehyung whispered, and they both glared at him. He winced, pressing a hand to his heart. "Right. Sorry." Just then, his phone buzzed, and he practically leaped towards it in order to reply.

While Jungkook was watching Taehyung, Jimin grabbed a donut hole and snuck up to Jungkook quietly. When the younger noticed him, he tipped his head to the side questioningly, and Jimin grinned. "Open up." The younger complied without thinking, jaw dropping open as Jimin held the donut up for him. Once Jungkook had taken a bite, Jimin popped the rest into his mouth, smirking and meeting Jungkook's eyes.

"You guys are gross," Taehyung called from the couch. The pair ignored him, eye contact charged with electricity. Jungkook reached out to brush a stray piece of hair off of Jimin's face, and Jimin impulsively kissed him, eyelids fluttering shut. Jungkook kissed him back, lips parting in a sigh. Jimin's mind faded into a haze as Jungkook's arms wrapped around him, his only thought being that Jungkook tasted like powdered sugar and he wanted more.

Before their kiss could escalate, Taehyung cleared his throat loudly. "Hey, can you save that for tonight, you two?" Jimin reluctantly pulled away, leaving Jungkook dazedly standing in his arms. Taehyung's ears turned red when Jimin glared at him, and he glanced away. "We- er, you have food to finish," he elaborated, staring longingly at the Kit Kats sitting on the kitchen counter. 

Jimin rolled his eyes, placing another peck on Jungkook's lips before stepping away. He kept his fingers intertwined with Jungkook's as he leaned over to the counter, grabbing a marshmallow Peep and taking a bite. "His lips taste better than anything here," he declared, making Jungkook turn bright red.

"Ah, hyung..." he murmured, glancing shyly at Taehyung before looking back into Jimin's eyes. 

Taehyung sent them both an incredulous look. "Need I say it again?"

"No," the pair replied in unison.

"Gross!" 

Jimin just laughed, letting Jungkook pull him in and press his own lips to Jimin's sugar-coated ones. They ignored Taehyung's protests, losing themselves in each other as easily as if they were alone. Because now that they had each other, they had both become more than a mess of zeroes.