Archive of Our Own

They stand at the school parking lot, bleary-eyed and huddled up in their coats, some sitting on their suitcases, others leaning against the stone wall with to-go coffee from the cafeteria that’s probably long cold by now. It’s too damn early in the morning, and Jungkook can barely keep his eyes open as they follow Stella, one of the teachers, tottering between the sleepy students and writing down names.

“Oh, good morning, Jungkook,” she says as she finally gets to him. She glances pointedly at the extra suitcase beside him. “I think I’ve seen Taehyung with you?”

Jungkook grunts an affirmative, not trusting his voice not to come out groggy.

“Alright,” she mutters as she scribbles something on her notepad. “Just make sure he doesn’t miss the bus. We’ll be leaving in ten.”

He grunts again, and leans back against his duffle bag, letting his eyes fall closed for a minute. He’s really not sure he’s packed enough underwear. He basically just threw whatever clean laundry he had left in. Well, at least he remembered to wear a coat. He glances up when he hears the telltale sound of someone plopping beside him to see Taehyung fiddling with his scarf.

“The only open toilet was at the basement, can you believe it?”

“Uh-huh,” Jungkook makes. “Going to school on holidays freaking sucks.”

“Maybe come grab some coffee with me?” Taehyung says, gaze fixed on the dark paper cup a girl nearby is nursing. Jungkook follows the cup up to the familiar face of Lisa from chem.

“Nah, we don’t have time,” Jungkook says, gaze sweeping lazily over her company. There’s Rosé or Rose, he can’t ever remember, standing beside her, and then he freezes when his eyes fall on Jennie, with her back mostly to him, hugging her arms to herself in the cold morning air.

She looks beautiful in a woven white sweater and her hair pulled up into a bun at the top of her head. She throws her head back as she laughs about something one of the girls has said, and Jungkook feels something warm uncoil in his belly.

“Wipe your drool, babe,” Taehyung says with a chuckle, and Jungkook shakes his head as if out of a daze, suddenly remembering where he is, and feeling his face flush as he realizes he’s been staring for too long. “Just talk to her,” Taehyung says. “It’s not that hard.”

Before Jungkook can stop him, Taehyung, the little shit, is calling out, “Hey, Lis, can I steal some of your coffee?”

Three heads turn in their direction, and Jungkook bites hard on the inside of his cheek as Jennie’s face comes into view, cheeks slightly flushed from the cold. He drops his gaze to get himself to stop gawking.

Lisa looks down at her cup of coffee, and says, “It’s kind of cold. You still good?”

Taehyung shrugs, and reaches out for the offered cup, before settling back against his suitcase. There’s not much left in it, and he downs most of its contents in one go, licking his lips as he pulls the cup away from his mouth. “Oh, this shit is good,” he sighs. “Jungoo here was too lazy to buy me coffee.”

The girls chuckle, and Jungkook shoots him a glare, but Taehyung pretends not to notice. Lisa settles down on the asphalt beside them, hugging her legs to her chest.

“I think the cafeteria is still open if you wanna buy something. It’s gonna be a long ride.”

Taehyung hums like he considers it.

“You’ll miss the bus,” Jungkook murmurs, not quite meeting the girls’ gazes as they follow Lisa’s lead to settle down next to them, Jennie taking the spot right across from him.

“Not if you hurry,” Lisa tells Taehyung.

Taehyung pats his stomach sympathetically. “Yeah, I think I can use some breakfast.”

He starts to get up, and Jungkook stares at him with wide eyes, and then at Lisa as she rises to her feet as well. “I’ll come with you.”

Jungkook watches both of them scurry off toward the school, before he reluctantly returns his gaze to the girls, Jennie’s pretty face right in front of him, mostly free of makeup, just the usual eyeliner adorning her eyes. Jungkook swallows before looking down. There’s an uncomfortable silence as the three of them just sit there, not quite sure how to start a conversation with the two more-outgoing people in the group suddenly gone. It doesn’t help it’s freaking ass AM in the morning.

It’s Jennie who eventually clears her throat. “Maybe we should go with them?” she says quietly. Jungkook can see her shifting uncomfortably from the corner of his eye, pulling the sleeves of her sweater over her hands.

“I think it’s better we stay here,” Rosé says. Or is it Rose?

Silence falls over them again, and Jungkook kind of wants to smack himself in the face. He’s mostly alone with his months-long crush, and he can’t bring himself to say anything. She’s going to think he’s dumb or something. He wishes more than anything for the ground to swallow him.

“Rosé! Jennie!”

They all turn their heads to see Jisoo heading towards them, her monster of a suitcase rolling behind her. She looks like she’s going on a vacation rather than on a two-day trip with school. Jennie’s mouth falls open in shock as she draws attention to that indeed. “Oh, my God! What did you put in there? Like, your whole wardrobe?”

She laughs, looking only a little sheepish as she says, “I swear it only looks a lot.” She crouches to give them both a hug, raising her eyebrows as she notices their company. “Where’s Lisa?”

Rosé frowns as she says, “Went to the cafeteria. We started to worry you wouldn’t make it in time.”

Jisoo sighs as she rises back to her feet, staring curiously at Jungkook as she says, “Dad had to drive me to school, and well… You know how it is,” she trails off. “Hey,” she suddenly says, making Jungkook jump. “I think we used to have a class together last year.”

“Did we?” Jungkook stammers out, feeling like an idiot, sitting here surrounded by gorgeous girls and barely able to utter a single word.

She just smiles, though, not unkindly, as she says, “Jungkook, right?”

“Ah, yeah.”

“Ugh, I feel so weird without makeup,” Rosé whines suddenly. “How come you girls had time for this?”

Jennie looks at her incredulously. “Are you kidding?” she says, pointing at her own face. “I almost poked myself in the eye trying to put on mascara.”

“But you look so beautiful no matter what,” Rosé mutters, rubbing a hand tiredly over her face. “Uh, I just want to arrive at the hotel already.”

Jennie gives her a tiny shove, rolling her eyes. “Shut up, Rosé, you look great.”

Jungkook feels weird sitting here eavesdropping to these girls talking about, well, girls’ stuff, and almost breathes in relief when he spots Taehyung and Lisa making their way toward them, Taehyung carrying a paper bag in his hands.

“Missed us?” Taehyung says with a grin as he comes to stand right behind Jungkook, unoccupied hand coming down to massage the scruff of his neck as if he can feel how tense Jungkook is.

“Oh, hi, Taehyungie,” Jisoo says with a warm smile as Lisa slides in to give her a hug. “How’s Miku?”

“I think she’s great considering she’s probably still sleeping while I had to drag my cold ass out at 6 AM.”

Jisoo chuckles heartily. She used to babysit Taehyung’s younger sister. Jungkook still remembers the awkwardness of coming to Taehyung’s a couple times only to have her open the door.

“Tell her I miss her, will you?”

Jungkook can tell Taehyung is smiling as he says, “She keeps asking about you.” The girls coo. Jungkook lets himself tune out their conversation, relaxing into Taehyung’s touch, and his gaze, unbidden, is drawn to Jennie again. Her skin looks especially fair under the pale sky, her nose and cheeks slightly pink from the frost, her little lips pressed together into something resembling a pout. And then she lifts her gaze, and their eyes meet, and Jungkook’s breathing halts. His lips part slightly, but before he has the chance to drop his gaze or do something equally embarrassing, he’s saved by Stella calling out, “Everyone please start loading your bags in the trunk!”

They all get up, and Jungkook hoists his bag on his back and starts towards the buses. There’s the usual bustle around the trunk, as mess of students trying to push their bags through. He manages to get a few thumps on various places on his body as he tries to squeeze his duffle bag through the mass of bags already lying there, and it’s when he steps back that he notices Jennie struggling with her suitcase. Wordlessly, he takes it from her and places it inside.

“Thanks,” she says shyly, and Jungkook merely nods as he helps some other girls with their bags as well.

The bus is mostly packed when he finally gets on it, but Taehyung’s saved him a place somewhere in the middle. Jungkook stares at him for a moment, before saying, “Do you mind if I sit next to the window?”

Taehyung rolls his eyes before shifting to the other seat. As soon as Jungkook’s sat down, he leans in to whisper, “What the hell was that back there?”

Taehyung raises his eyebrows at him questionably.

“Why did you leave me with them alone?”

Taehyung frowns for a moment longer before it seems to finally sink in. “So you could talk with her, of course.”

“It was so fucking awkward. We just sat there. So thank you so much for letting me make such a fool out of myself.”

“Maybe you just seemed uninterested.”

Jungkook tilts his head back against the headrest, staring at the ceiling. “I really don’t know if it’s worse.”

“Girls like aloof boys. And besides, it’s freaking morning. Who will even remember this?”

Jungkook huffs, and turns to stare out the window at the thinning crowd outside.

“Relax, Kook, you’re gonna have plenty of opportunities to talk to her.”

“She probably thinks now I’m dumb or something,” Jungkook mumbles into his fist.

Taehyung sighs, but doesn’t say anything else. Jungkook’s pretty positive that Taehyung’s fed up with his pinning after her. He doesn’t really blame him. He would be too, in his place. Jungkook’s starting to think it’s fruitless after all. Girls like her don’t go with boys like him. The pavement is nearly empty as Stella gets on the bus, riffling frantically through her notepad. Then, she clears her throat and calls out, “James Anderson?”

A student from the front grunts, and a couple students laugh. She shoots a look at them, before clearing her throat again and calling out, “Patrick Bradley?”

“Here,” someone calls from the back.

That’s when Jungkook sees a blur of blonde hair rushing to the bus, before a panting boy is climbing up the stairs, having the decency to at least seem sheepish as he looks up at Stella. Jungkook leans up in his chair to see better.

“Late as always,” she mutters, scribbling something on her pad.

“This time it’s really justified, though,” he says.

“Yes, yes,” she nods. “I surely hope so. Please find a seat.”

He grins. “Thanks, Stella,” he says and turns to go.

“And it’s Mrs. Pegs to you!”

A little smile sneaks to Taehyung’s lips, like he too is finding it amusing. The boy passes them as he searches for a seat, before settling on the one across from theirs. He must be a new kid at school, because Jungkook doesn’t remember seeing him.

Stella finishes checking names, and the murmur of the engine turns into a dull rumble as they drive out of the parking lot, following the line of the few other buses. Taehyung pulls his hood over his head and sticks in his earphones, indicating he prefers a quiet ride, and they both turn to look out the window at the shrinking school. The bus quiets down fifteen minutes into the ride, the morning drowsiness seeping in on them. Jungkook watches the fields open before them as they drive, everything molding into a blur of yellow and browns. Taehyung is out against his shoulder, the quiet buzz of his music barely audible over the hum of the engine and the sounds of the road. Jungkook watches the view become more and more feral until his eyes, too, start to droop, and he closes them for the remaining of the ride.

He comes back to at the soft murmur of students waking up, which he knows means they are approaching their destination. His ears pick up on the soft murmur of Stella talking into her mic about native animals and plants to this site, or whatever that might be, and Jungkook looks out the window in awe at the glistening white covering the expanse of land before him. The first snow he had seen this year. Soon as the chatter in the bus picks up, and Stella demands their attention as she moves on to instructions for the trip. Not leaving the group. Sticking to the schedule she emailed them all. Boys are not allowed into the girl’s quarters and vice versa. All that jazz. He pays her only half a mind until the commotion in the bus suddenly rises and James from English class rises from his seat and says, “Are you fucking serious?”

Stella gives him an exasperated look. “James, first of all, please sit down. We are still driving, for Goddess’s sake. And don’t swear! Now, everyone, please be quiet and listen to me. It was agreed that this trip is a good opportunity for you to form new friendships, and thus the decision that the staff will divide you into your rooms is final. Anyone who has any problems may talk to me later about this, and we’ll think how to resolve it.”

Jungkook huffs. Form new friendships? What they are, five-years-olds? This trip sounds like less and less fun to him. He just hopes his partner doesn’t snore, and that he’d keep his side of the room clean.

As if on cue, Taehyung finally stirs against his shoulder, and blinks up at him. “Are we there yet?”

“Close,” Jungkook murmurs, biting on his cuticle before catching himself and lowering his hand. “By the way, we’re probably not rooming together.”

Taehyung closes his eyes again.

“Why not?”

“The teachers decided to play blind date.”

“Oh no,” Taehyung says.

Jungkook hums. “Yeah.”

“That’s not nice.”

“This place is huge,” Jungkook hears one of the students murmur in awe, and looks out the window to see that surely enough they arrived to the camp. Jungkook’s been once before in a ski site with his parents when he was much younger. His memories are a gurgled blur of himself spending as much time with his face down in the snow as on his tiny pair of skis. He notices Taehyung is staring out the window with his eyes wide.

“You’ve never skied before, right?” Jungkook can’t help but ask.

Taehyung merely shakes his head.

The bus drives through the small, town-fashioned village until it comes to a stop near an inn. They all tumble outside into the snow, limbs stiff from sitting down for so long, and faces slightly swollen with sleep as they gather their belongings and stand in a group, waiting for the to-go to get inside. Some of the students who haven’t thought to pull on a coat, especially some of the thinner girls, are shivering in the cold. Jennie’s teeth are clattering where she stands beside him, shaking like a leaf in her thin sweater. If Jungkook felt braver, he would’ve given her his jacket, but he’s afraid to seem too obvious.

“What?” Jungkook thinks he hears Rosé say somewhere behind them. “I thought they said we’re staying in a hotel!”

“What hotel? You’re in high school!” Someone calls out, and some people nearby start to laugh.

One of the laughing voices comes forward. “Where’s your coat?” he addresses Jennie, a smile still evident in his voice.

It’s Jongin. The team captain. Not that Jungkook really needed to look up to know that. Jennie has the decency to seem a bit sheepish, hopping slightly from foot to foot, whether from the cold or nervousness, Jungkook can’t tell. “Should be buried somewhere in the suitcase,” she murmurs.

What he doesn’t expect is for Jongin to actually take off his coat and wrap it around her shoulders, as casual as anything. Jungkook feels something in his gut shrivel at the pleasant surprise written over her face, the slight blush there that doesn’t have anything to do with the cold.

“Oh, hi Jungkook,” Jongin says abruptly, as if he’d only seen him now. “How you doing?”

“Great,” Jungkook mutters.

“You didn’t come to practice last week,” Jongin says.

“Yeah, had the flu,” Jungkook lies, ignoring Taehyung’s curious gaze trained on him.

It’s then that Stella finally gets down from the bus, still holding her phone to her ear, and signaling them to follow her. Jungkook’s grateful for the excuse to finish the conversation. The inn is a little bigger than what he’d expected, the snowy porch decorated with ivy and tiny ornaments, small pine trees that aren’t higher than Jungkook’s hips are situated at either side of the entrance, glittering gently under the weak sunlight. There’s a collective sigh at the sudden warmth that envelopes them when they step inside. The walls and the floor are all wooden, and so is the reception desk Stella is now heading toward with another teacher at her heels. There’s a cozy sitting area to the side, adorned with high bookshelves and a real fireplace, everything decorated carefully with Christmas and winter tones, a wide, tall pine tree standing just at the corner, twinkling with lights and ornaments.

Jungkook feels warmth coiling in his chest. Back at home they don’t really go that hard with the decorations and such. Just a small tree in the living room that his mother sets up every year, and the occasional mistletoe. But this place is so homey, so warm, so festive that Jungkook aches a little. Stella tells them to wait in the sitting area, and Taehyung seems grateful as he sinks into the couch, wiggling his butt to get comfortable. “Oh, that’s so much better,” he says. “The ride killed me.”

Jungkook silently agrees. He’s sore everywhere. And something about the festive, gentle lights makes him sleepy. Stella returns with a yellow, tinkling sack, and tries to catch their attention. She struggles to make herself heard over the chatter of dozens of students before someone shouts at them to shut up, and they notice her finally.

Albeit a bit frustrated, she retrieves her notebook from her bag, riffles through it a bit, before clicking on the page with the end of her pen.

“Alright,” she says. “Please stay quiet, because I rather not repeat myself. If you have any questions, you may approach me after I finish. Okay?”

“Jongin Kim, and Michael Walter,” she calls, and a silence falls over the room as both Jongin and Michael turn to stare at each other, both a bit perplexed. After a moment Jongin rises to his feet to take the keys away from Stella and returns to his seat on the carpet. Jungkook already knows it’s gonna be tense. Michael’s been trying for the team for a long time. What the teachers even think they’re doing? Stella resumes calling names, and each time nervous students take from her the keys. At one point Taehyung rises to take the key as well, having been sorted into a room with someone Jungkook didn’t quite catch the name of.

The teacher goes on. Serri with Jennie. Arthur and James. Hoseok and Seokjin. The murmur of students grows until Stella has to raise her voice to make herself heard. It seems like many of them aren’t happy with their roommates. And finally, she reads, “Jungkook Jeon, and Jimin Park.”

Jungkook scrunches his face in confusion. There aren’t many Korean students at school, but Jungkook still can’t match a face to the name. It only clicks when a mop of blonde hair steps through the crowd to take the key, and Jungkook bites his lip.

They have to wait for her to finish reading out the inn’s policy before they’re allowed to head to their rooms to settle down. Among the hustle and bustle of students getting up and pulling on their bags as they head toward the elevators, Jungkook and Taehyung wait for the crowd to clear a bit, before they too stand up.

“So, I guess I’ll see you later?” Taehyung mutters, staring down at the tiny, golden key in his hand.

A tall figure then steps up toward them, and Jungkook looks up at a familiar face he’s sure he’d seen a few times in the hallways before. The boy isn’t looking at him, though, but rather at Taehyung. He’s quite tan, and definitely Asian as well.

“Umm, I think we got the room together?” he says quietly, fidgeting with the cuffs of his sweater.

Taehyung frowns. “Namjoon, right?” he says, before pocketing the key. The other boy nods, looking a little lost. Jungkook then notices the luggage behind the boy, Namjoon, and his eyes must bug a little, because Namjoon looks back at it nervously. “Wow,” Taehyung says. “Bro, what the hell is this?”

“It’s, uhh, there’s this exam is physics right after the holidays, so I, um…”

Taehyung’s expression turns flat. “You’re telling me you’re actually planning to study?”

“Umm, yes?” Namjoon says, looking between them nervously. “I swear I wouldn’t, um make lots of noise. I just really need to, uh, pass that exam.”

Both Jungkook and Taehyung exchange a look. Then Taehyung just shrugs and says, “Sure.” He turns to Jungkook to give him a little wave, and then he and his new roommate start rolling their suitcases down the corridor, Namjoon a bit awkwardly so with the extra bag on his shoulder.

It occurs then to Jungkook that he doesn’t know where his roommate is, and he fears for a moment he’s left without him, before spotting him leaning against the wall besides the elevators. The boy, Jimin, Jungkook now knows his name, looks up when he hears him approach. He offers Jungkook a tentative smile, but Jungkook can’t quite make himself return it.

“Seems like we’re stuck together,” Jimin says, a little cheerfully so.

Jungkook just shrugs. Jimin hits the button for the elevator. And as they wait for it, Jungkook lets his gaze drag down Jimin’s luggage. He’s a little startled to see a pair of skies peeking out from the bag on his shoulder.

“You know they give us those here, right?” Jungkook blurts before he even realizes so.

“What?”

He points at Jimin’s bag, and the latter looks at it, before raising his eyebrows at Jungkook. “So?”

“Why did you take them?”

“Maybe because I wanted to?”

“Fair enough,” Jungkook says.

The elevator dings, and they both step inside. And it’s a little, or maybe a lot awkward with just the both of them in there, leaning against separate walls until the doors open and they step into a long corridor with doors on either side of it. The floor is carpeted, and there are many pictures framing the walls, complete with Christmas decorations here and there. Jimin stops before a door, and struggles a bit with the key before opening it. The air inside is a bit stifled, and it seems like Jimin thinks so too as he walks straight to the window. Jimin is in the process of pulling it open, before looking at where Jungkook is sitting down to begin unpacking. “Umm, I forgot to ask. But do you mind if I open the window?”

“Sure,” Jungkook says.

Fresh, cool air and the midday sunlight sneak into the room and make it a bit easier to breathe. There isn’t much in his bag. Just toiletries, which he remembered to pack in the last minute, and a warmer wear for the skiing tomorrow. He did forget to pack more underwear. He curses quietly, before wordlessly heading into the tiny bathroom. He places there his toothbrush, and takes a moment to just look at his reflection in the mirror. He looks bad. He washes his face to get rid of that tired, hazy look. Jimin takes his turn right after him, and Jungkook plops down on the bed and retrieves his phone to send Taehyung a message. Then he lets his back hit the mattress, and allows himself to close his eyes, the warm sunlight making him drowsy.

The next time he opens his eyes, the light from the window has shifted some, and the room is a little darker. He rubs at his eyes and reaches for his phone to see 3 unanswered calls from Taehyung, and one from Seokjin. His eyes widen when he realizes it’s four.

“Shit,” he curses. The dinner is closing in half an hour. “Jimin?” he calls throughout the room, but no answer comes. He sits up and realizes he’s fallen asleep in his shoes. There’s a note on the nightstand with a phone number that reads, “I didn’t want to wake you up. I’m down at dinner. Give me a call if you want me to bring something to the room.”

Jungkook sighs heavily, and runs a hand through his hair, before finally getting off the bed, and making the decision to go down to see if there’s something left. He spots Taehyung right away sitting at a table with Seokjin, and that boy from before, Namjoon. Jungkook knows he’s frowning as he makes his way over, settling stiffly into the empty seat next to Taehyung.

“Aww, our cute baby finally woke up,” Seokjin coos. “Knew you wouldn’t turn down food.”

Jungkook scowls and reaches for the nearest bowl to start loading food into his plate.

“Your roommate told us you’re sleeping,” Taehyung explains. “I think his name is Jimin? He looks really nice.”

“Wait, you mean Jimin Park?” Seokjin says. “Isn’t he on the dance team with Hoseok?”

Jungkook shrugs, mouth already full with fried chicken.

“I have a class with him,” Namjoon then murmurs in his quiet voice, and Jungkook turns his head to see him idly stirring his soup. “He’s a new kid. Started only this year.”

Suddenly it makes sense why Jungkook had never seen him before.

“He seems a bit lonely, doesn’t he?” Taehyung murmurs then, and Jungkook follows his gaze to an empty table at the corner of the room where Jimin is sitting all by himself, scrolling through his phone. As if on cue, Hoseok slides into the seat across from him, and Taehyung amends, “Maybe not.”

Jungkook thinks idly that no one can feel alone when they have a friend like Hoseok.

“I didn’t even know they were friends,” Taehyung murmurs.

A few minutes before they close the buffet, Jungkook excuses himself to make himself something hot to drink. He’s in the middle of spilling sugar from those tiny packages, when he hears someone clear their throat, and turns his head to see Jennie standing there. Her hair is down for a change, and she’s clad in a red sweater. She looks adorable. Jungkook realizes a moment too late he needs to move to let her get close to the coffee machine, and nearly spills his tea in his hurry. She smiles at him, a bit shyly, before retrieving a paper cup. He doesn’t mean to, but his eyes follow her movements as her finger hovers over the buttons, as if considering what to press on.

She must notice, because she says, “Coffee before bed is probably a bad idea, right?”

Jungkook is perplexed a little at being addressed, but he finds himself nodding slowly. “They have hot milk here,” he murmurs. “If you want,” he adds quietly.

“Umm,” she makes, reading over the titles. “I think I’ll go with the hot chocolate?”

She promptly presses on the button, and steam rises from the machine, but nothing comes out.

“That’s odd,” she murmurs, pressing again. “Is this broken?”

“It worked just fine,” Jungkook says, trying to press on the button himself. “Maybe it just ran out.”

“Oh,” she makes, her eyebrows crinkling. “Well, maybe I’ll just go with the milk…”

Jungkook presses on the button for her, but the machine makes a strange gurgling sound, and then milk and dark powder like cacao or maybe even coffee spray from the faucet, and much to Jungkook’s horror, it doesn’t go into the cup like it’s supposed to, but rather to the sides, and Jennie shrieks and jumps back, her mouth open in shock as she takes in the mess on her sweater.

“Oh, my God,” she says, scrambling for tissues to wipe the mess off.

“Fuck, I’m so sorry,” Jungkook says, his eyes very wide. “Are you— I didn’t burn you, right?”

“No, but It doesn’t come off,” she says, voice small, rubbing frantically at the dark stains.

“I,” Jungkook makes, then stops. He really doesn’t know what to say. He looks down at the cup still resting in holder, practically filled to brim. “Umm, at least it looks like the hot chocolate did come out in the end?”

Her expression then turns flat, and she rolls her eyes before going away. Jungkook feels like banging his head against the table. He’s such an idiot. God, why he fucks up every freaking time?

Jungkook returns to the table with his tea, and really does bang his head on the table. “I hate this holiday,” he mutters into the wood.

“Is he okay?” A voice which he recognizes belongs to Namjoon says.

A hand then comes to stroke his hair, and Jungkook looks up through his bangs at Taehyung. “Hey, Kook. What’s wrong?”

Jungkook takes a deep breath. “From one to ten, how much is it bad form spilling something on your crush?”

“Oh, baby,” Taehyung says. “What have you done?”

“I definitely spilled hot chocolate on Jennie,” Jungkook murmurs miserably.

Across the table, he hears Seokjin crackle. “You did what?”

“Like, how? You were there for like two minutes. How did you – What?”

“Please don’t make me feel even worse,” Jungkook murmurs.

 “Dude, it was an accident. Stop being dramatic,” Taehyung says.

“For what it’s worth, it’s not the worst thing that could’ve happened. I mean, you didn’t burn her, right?” Seokjin checks.

“No, no, but I fucked up. I really think I ruined my chances.”

Namjoon sips at his own tea, and says, “For what’s it worth, I was once so absorbed in a book I spilled a whole tray of food on a girl, and she’s now my girlfriend.” When everyone turns to look at him, he shrugs. “I mean, accidents happen, right? It doesn’t always go bad…”

Taehyung snickers. “I’m surprised she didn’t slap you or something.”

“Oh, she did,” Namjoon murmurs, eyes staring into space as if remembering it. “But…” he laughs a little, his shy, nervous laugh. “After a while she forgot about it, I think.”

A staff member then approaches them and with a tight smile asks them to finish eating. They’re scheduled to have a certain activity after that in one of the halls in the inn, and Jungkook reluctantly follows his friends there. Turns out it’s an auditorium, and they take their seats on the middle row while they wait for the rest of the students to arrive. Jungkook busies himself with his phone, when he hears a familiar voice saying, “Do you mind if we sit here?”

And turns to see Jisoo staring expectedly at them. His eyes go unbidden to Jennie, who’s standing behind her, now wearing that white sweater from earlier that day again. She meets his gaze, but her eyes are kind of cold. Jungkook feels himself shrivel. She can possibly think he’s done that on purpose, right?

“Not at all,” Taehyung says, and all four girls pull down the chairs to sit down.

“Have you ever gone skiing before?” Jisoo says conversationally.

Taehyung shakes his head, but he nods at Jungkook’s direction. “Jungkook has.”

Jennie looks at him at that, and Jungkook swallows. Why his hands feel so sweaty all of a sudden?

“Oh,” Jisoo says. “Was it fun?”

“I don’t really remember, it was a long time ago,” Jungkook murmurs.

“Jennie here likes skiing,” Jisoo says.

“Shut up,” Jennie hisses. “I really don’t.”

“She says that now, but when she was younger, see used to ski every year.”

“And I hated every moment of it,” she says with a sigh, looking down at her feet. “It’s just that family thing.”

Jungkook can’t really imagine it to himself, what’s it like having parents who push you to do things you don’t like. It sounds horrible.

Someone then gets on the stage, and taps on the mic to get their attention. “Hello guys,” says the guy with the mic. “I know you must be tired from the long ride and whatnot, but I ask you to still pay attention. We’ll be playing a video in a moment that explains all the safety rules regarding skiing. It shouldn’t take more than half an hour.”

The lights dim then, and the murmur of students rises again until the video starts, and the hall grows quiet again. Jungkook knows already most of the things said there, so he listens only half-heartedly, and finds his gaze drawn to Jennie again. Her eyes are trained on her hands folded in his lap. She looks a little bored, a little tense. Jungkook wonders suddenly if perhaps she doesn’t want to be here at all. If she went on the trip only because her parents pushed her to. After they’re escorted out, this time finally given free time, Jungkook spots Jennie in the crowd, and takes a deep breath before tapping on her shoulder.

She turns, startled, and seems surprised to see it’s him. “Jennie, I’m really sorry about your sweater,” he says.

She lets out a small sigh and smile at him, “It’s okay. I’m not mad… it’s just, I think I’m just tired?”

“Oh, long day?”

Jennie looks behind herself, and makes a dismissive gesture to her group of friends, and Jungkook watches them go with his eyes slightly wide.

“I was actually wondering if I can talk to you about something?”

Jungkook feels something lurch in his chest. “Umm, sure.”

“Just let me grab my coat, okay? Meet me at the reception desk in ten?”

“Yeah, ok,” Jungkook says, feeling a little heady. He doesn’t realize he’s smiling until he’s gotten back into his room, and Jimin shoots him an odd look.

“Someone here looks happy,” he muses.

Jungkook ignores him in favor of putting on his coat and going out.

Jennie is already standing at the reception desk when he goes there. She smiles when she sees him, clad in a dark coat, and a black beanie to match. He follows her wordlessly outside into the crisp air, and they walk idly in the snow side by side in silence for a while. Jungkook can feel his nerves bubbling up. He has so many things he wants to say, but he doesn’t really know how. Jennie beside him looks suddenly nervous, gnawing at her lip, like she is too not quite sure what to say.

“Look,” she says finally. “You’re kind of close with Jongin, right?”

Of all the things he expected her to say, this hadn’t crossed his mind.

“What?”

“You’re on the team together,” she mumbles. “So maybe you’d know, umm…” Jungkook waits for her to continue, and feels his heart sink at her next words. “Is there someone he’s dating right now?”

It’s hard to see in the darkness, but from the few streetlamps here and there he’s pretty sure there’s a blush adorning her cheeks. Jungkook’s throat goes tight. He has a hard time keeping his face free of emotion. She must take his silence as something bad, because she suddenly says, her voice small. “So I guess he is.”

And her voice sounds so fragile that Jungkook finds himself stirring, and saying with a voice a little rougher than he’d like to, “No, he’s… as far as I know, he isn’t.”

“Oh,” she makes, and there’s a careful hope in her tone. “That’s… That’s good.”

“Yep,” Jungkook murmurs, though inside it isn’t good. Like at all.

“Okay. Thank you, Jungkook. And can you like, not mention it to it?”

Jungkook’s throat closes up. “Sure.”

They make the walk back to the inn silence. Jungkook doesn’t really feel in the mood to talk, and Jennie doesn’t seem bothered, her steps light, and a little smile tugging at her lips. They stop at the entrance, and Jungkook says, “Umm… I think I’ll go for a walk,” he murmurs.

“You sure?” she says. “It’s getting pretty cold.”

He just shrugs.

“Goodnight, Jungkook,” she says.

Jungkook just nods and turns around, waits for the sound of the door closing to know that she’s gone inside. For a long minute, he just stands there, looking into the distance. He had always known deep inside that the chance that she’ll actually like him is slim, but there still was that little chance… And now it’s crushed. She like Jongin. Of course she likes him. The school heartthrob. The star player. The team captain. It’s not like they even were a thing, but it still hurts. He really liked her. Likes her. She’d everything he likes in a girl. She’s smart, and shy, and has a beautiful smile. So… it hurts. To know that she likes someone else.

Jungkook’s starts walking without even realizing so, strolling aimlessly through the streets. Suddenly all the decorations and Christmas lights just make him realize how lonely he is. In his mind, he’s imagined himself confessing and taking a walk with Jennie in a place just like this. But he guesses it won’t happen after all. A distant tinkling catches his attention, and Jungkook looks up to see a sleigh carried by a horse moving in his direction. Jungkook steps to the side to let it pass, but much to his surprise, it stops beside him, and an old man pokes his head out.

“What’s gotten you so sad, young man?” the old man says, his eyes twinkling like little lights.

Jungkook looks at him skeptically, but still finds himself saying, “Bad day, I guess.”

“Bad day?” the old man muses. “And why is that?”

Jungkook feels himself getting annoyed. Usually he would ignore strange people like him. But he doesn’t really feel like himself in the moment. “I’ve just been told by a girl I like that she likes someone else, are you happy now?”

The old man runs his fingers through his white beard, considering. “Perhaps I can get you something to make you feel better?” he says, nodding at the Christmas goods in a sack behind him.

Jungkook internally groans. Of course this man will try to make him buy something.

“No thank you, sir,” Jungkook says firmly. “I don’t have money on me.”

“Oh, no,” the old man laughs, waving him off. “I’m offering you for free.”

Jungkook crinkles his nose. “And what do you get out of it?”

The old man sighs loudly, and reaches forward to pet his horse. “Young people these days, always think you have an ulterior motive.” He then reaches behind himself with a wrinkled hand to retrieve a small, wooden box, and thrusts it in Jungkook’s hands before he can protest. “Keep this,” he says. And before Jungkook can say anything else, he pulls on the reins, and disappears down the street as if were never there.

Jungkook looks down, perplexed, at the small wooden box in his hands, half-heartedly expecting it to explode or something, but when nothing happens, he puts it in his pocket and starts toward the inn. The entrance hall is dimly lit when he goes inside save for a few students still sitting at the sitting area. He makes a beeline for his room, hoping not to run into anyone he knows, and opens the door. He can hear the shower running, and figures Jimin is probably in the shower. He sits down on the bed, and feels something digging into his butt, before remembering the wooden box and pulling it out. It looks handmade, the wood uneven, but his eyes widen when he opens it, and a soft melody starts playing. With a start he realizes that odd, old man had given him a music box. How the hell is that supposed to make him feel better?

He puts it on the nightstand, and picks himself a change as he waits for Jimin to come out.

“Oh,” he hears, and turns around to see Jimin standing in the room with just a towel around his hips. “Sorry, I didn’t realize you’re back.”

“It’s all good,” Jungkook mutters.

Jimin is silent for a moment as he’s picking his own change from the wardrobe, before he turns to him with a frown. “Are you okay?” he says.

Jungkook just shrugs, and goes to have his turn in the bathroom. Jimin thankfully left him some hot water, and Jungkook lets it wash down his spine, willing those stifling feelings to go away as easily as the water goes down the drain. They don’t, though. He just feels lost. He changes in the bathroom and goes out with his hair wet, to find Jimin standing nervously in the center of the room.

Jungkook raises his brows questionably at him.

“What’s the chance they gave us a double bed?” Jimin says slowly.

“Huh?” Jungkook makes, kneeling by the center of the bed to try to pull it apart, but it stays in place. “What the fuck?”

“I swear I noticed only now,” Jimin says. “I… Should we tell staff or something?”

“I think it’s a little too late for that,” Jungkook says. “I’ll just take the couch.”

Jimin turns to look at him at that. “You sure?”

“One of us has to do that, so…”

Jimin worries his lip between his teeth for a moment before nodding. “Okay…”

They settle down then, and Jimin turns the lights off. Jungkook’s made himself a makeshift bed on the couch, and he already knows it’s going to be a long night. He keeps on shifting, uncomfortable, but trying to be as quiet as he can so he doesn’t disturb Jimin. But there’s the soft rustle coming from the bed telling him that Jimin perhaps is having trouble falling asleep himself. Eventually, he finds himself calling out quietly, “Jimin?”

For a few seconds there’s no reply, and then, “Yes?”

“You’re new at school, aren’t you?”

“Yeah…”

“It sounds tough.”

He thinks he sees a rustle from the bed.

“It’s… we, um, moved into town last summer.”

“Oh, no wonder I haven’t seen you around.”

Jimin chuckles. “You’re a friend of Hoseok, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Not to sound creepy, but I actually did know you before this. Hoseok talks about you sometimes.”

“Only good things, I hope,” Jungkook says nervously.

“You’re on the football team.”

It’s not a question, and Jungkook stares into space for a moment, before saying. “I’m thinking about quitting, actually. It’s not as fun as it used to be.”

“Oh…”

“Yeah.”

They lay in silence before Jungkook finally says, “I learned today that the girl I like likes the team captain.”

“Oh,” Jimin makes.

Jungkook isn’t really sure why he’s telling him that. “I guess I just wanted to tell that to someone?”

“No, no. I get it. Maybe you still stand a chance, you know.”

Jungkook shakes his head. “I don’t think so.”

“Is it Jennie?” Jimin asks suddenly, and Jungkook is so surprised he shoots off the couch.

“What?”

“Relax,” Jimin says with a chuckle. “You’re just not very subtle about it.”

Jungkook feels his cheeks heat up. “I guess not…”

“For what’s it worth,” Jimin says. “I think you’re really cute. And that you’ll find someone someday.”

“Yeah…” Jungkook says, not sure why his throat feels so tight all of sudden. “I guess.”

“Goodnight, Jungkook,” Jimin says warmly.

“Night,” Jungkook murmurs, and turns around to stare out the window, waiting for sleep to take him.

When he does wake up, his back doesn’t feel as sore as he’s expected it to. He’s rather feeling rather good, well-rested. He lets himself roll around on the couch, waiting for his alarm to go off. It’s his phone ringing that gets him out of his makeshift bed in the end, and reaches blindly for it where he remembers he’s put it on the floor. But it isn’t there. He pops an eye open to see instead of the carpet from the night before, very familiar tiles. He looks down to realize the blanket his familiar too, before slowly getting up to see it’s an actual bed he’s sitting on, and a look around the room confirms that he’s indeed in his own room back home. What the fuck?

His phone keeps on ringing in the background, and he finally retrieves it from the nightstand and answers it.

“Hello?” he calls groggily.

“Where the fuck are you?” he hears Taehyung practically shouting into the phone, and Jungkook blinks sleepily and pulls it a little farther from his ears.

“What..?” Jungkook mumbles.

“The bus is leaving in ten minutes, Jungkook. Get your fucking ass here!”

“What bus? The ski bus?” Jungkook can’t quite grasp what is happening.

“Are you fucking with me? Just come to the school, goddammit.”

And then he ends the call.

Jungkook stares at his phone for a minute.

What the fuck?

Something here just doesn’t click. It’s 6:20 AM, according to the phone, and it’s the 24^th? What the fuck? Rubbing at his eyes, Jungkook can’t help but wonder if he’s still dreaming or something. He gets out of bed, and there, on the floor he finds the duffle back he remembered packing two days ago. Or was it yesterday? Jungkook decides to stop thinking altogether, changes his clothes, and practically bolts out of the house toward the school. Taehyung and Stella are standing just outside the bus as he runs toward them.

Stella gives him a stern look, and writes down his name. “You should be thankful to Taehyung here,” she says. “Or else we would’ve left without you.”

“I’m sorry,” Jungkook whines as he loads his bag in the trunk.

There’s no place for two left, so Jungkook and Taehyung end up having to find different places to seat. When Jungkook takes too long, Stella impatiently calls out, “There’s an empty seat next to Jimin, come on.”

Jimin looks up and they both lock eyes for a moment, before Jimin looks toward the window. Jungkook wordlessly squeezes into the seat next to his, and searches his pockets for his earphones before remembering he’s put them in his bag, and slumps back into the seat helplessly. It’s going to be a long ride.

From the corner of his eyes, he can feel Jimin staring at him, so he turns his head, and says, “What?”

Jimin blinks before returning his gaze to the window. “Nothing.”

Jungkook shakes his head when he realizes Jimin is wearing the same sweater from his dream. Maybe it’s just a coincidence. He turns to look out the window as well, watching as the bus drives out of the parking lot. The murmurs in the bus quiet down as students return to sleep, but not Jimin. Not Jimin who looks out at the city in wonder.

“You’re new in town, right?” Jungkook says, and then mentally smacks himself on the head. It had been just a dream. He really should stop mixing up what happened in it with his life. But Jimin turns to him with his eyes furrowed.

“How do you know?”

Jungkook finds himself tongue-tied. He looks away, and mutters, “Rumors spread fast.”

“Oh, we moved here last summer. The city is a little smaller and quieter than what I’m used to, but it’s nice,” he says with a shrug.

“I like small towns,” Jungkook says. “I don’t really like big cities.”

Jimin hums like he gets it. “You’re on the football team, right?” he asks suddenly.

“Yeah, why?” Jungkook says with a frown.

“No reason. Just was curious.”

“And you?” Jungkook asks.

“Dance. You know Hoseok?”

Jungkook sucks in a sharp breath. That’s exactly what’s been on his dream. It’s so weird.

“Are you okay?” Jimin asks.

Jungkook nods tensely. "I do know him," he says slowly. 

Jimin opens his mouth, then closes it and presses his lips together. "So, I'm on the team with him. He's... really one of the best people I've met since I've transferred to this school."

Albeit the tension, Jungkook still feels a small smile tug at his lips, because it's true. Hoseok is one of the best people he's ever met. Jimin takes out then his phone, and starts untangling his earphones. Jungkook must've been staring, because Jimin looks at him for a moment, before offering him an earbud. Jungkook tentatively takes it, and in the process leans his head closer to Jimin's. They ride in comfortable silence for a while, letting the music and the road fill the space between them. Eventually Jimin's eyes start to droop, and his head lolls until it lands on Jungkook's shoulder. While Jungkook's a little startled, he finds he doesn't really mind, not when Jimin looks kind of cute with his lips slightly parted, and hair falling into his eyes. Jungkook himself tries to get some sleep himself, thoughts about the odd dream all gone.

He wakes up to Jimin stirring against his shoulder, and Stella talking into her mic. Jimin practically shoots up when he realizes his position, and looks at Jungkook with his eyes wide. 

"I'm so sorry," he says. "You should've pushed me away or something."

Jungkook is about to tell him it's okay when the commotion in the bus rises abruptly, and just like in his dream James gets up and says, “Are you fucking serious?”

“James," Jungkook hears her say, and it hits him hard in the gut, just how surreal all of this is. "first of all, please sit down. We are still driving, for Goddess’s sake. And don’t swear! Now, everyone, please be quiet and listen to me. It was agreed that this trip is a good opportunity for you to form new friendships, and thus the decision that the staff will divide you into your rooms is final. Anyone who has any problems may talk to me later about this, and we’ll think how to resolve it.”

 Jungkook is seriously starting to freak out. Could he really had been dreaming all of this? It feels too much like a deja vu. He tries to shut it off and not think until they arrive into the horribly familiar campsite, and the even familiar inn. There's no way. There's just no way, he thinks as he stares at the high building standing proud among the snow. He doesn't understand what's going on. They go inside, and he recognizes everything. The front desk. The carpet. Even the Christmas decorations. Everything is exactly the same as remembers it from his dream. As to not freak out, he slides in close to Taehyung and says, "Is there a chance we've been here before?"

"What?" Taehyung says.

"I mean, don't you think this place looks familiar?"

"Kook, you know I've never been to a ski camp before."

"I don't like this," Jungkook mutters. "I really don't like this."

Taehyung stares at him like he doesn't get it. "You sure you're feeling good?"

Jungkook wants to laugh. He's not even sure where the hell he is. Or when he is. Why does it feel so much like he's living the same day again?

"I think I need to use the bathroom," he says and goes to Stella who's standing at the reception desk. She raises her brows upon seeing him.

"What is it, Kook?" she asks.

"Umm, you know where the bathroom is?"

She sighs exasperatedly. "Can't it wait?"

He shakes his head. 

"Fine, should be across the hall."

The moment he steps inside he goes to the sink, and splashes cold water on his face to calm down. You're okay, he tries to tell himself. You're okay, Jungkook. He looks at himself in the mirror, and then promptly pinches himself hard on the elbow. Nothing happens. Then he pinches himself again. It's real. It's all real. For some reason he's had a very real, lucid dream... Or could it be possible he's actually living the same day again? His brain explodes from the thought alone, and he locks himself in one of the stalls and sits down on the back of the toilet seat, scrambling for his phone, and opening Yahoo Answers. 

"Help!" he types with one hand, biting nervously at his cuticles. "I think I'm living the same day again. All I know is that I've definitely been to those exact places yesterday as well, and I don't know what to do. It freaks me out."

He closes the screen of his phone, and waits for a few minutes. Then, with shaking fingers he opens it and finds a few very disturbing answers.

"It really seems like you need help. Did you think about calling a psychiatrist?"

"It's spam guys, ignore this."

"Maybe you've gone back in time? :O Go fuck as many girls as you can ;))))"

Jungkook, now definitely shaking, gets out of the stall and looks at his reflection. Could it really be he's going nuts? He splashes some more water on his face, and stares at his dripping wet face in the mirror. He's going to pretend nothing is happening. Yes. He's going to act completely normal and forget about this, and perhaps after this day is over everything goes back to normal. He probably takes a bit too long in there, because he hears from the door, "Kook?"

He turns to see Tahyung standing there with Namjoon on his toes.

"Are you okay?" he says, eyeing him carefully. Jungkook wipes the excess of water off his face to get him to stop looking.

"haha, yeah, everything is just great," he says, maybe pitching his voice a bit too high by the arch of Taehyung's brows.

"Okay..." Taehyung says slowly. "By the way, Jimin, your roommate is waiting for you. Don't keep him waiting."

Jungkook isn't even surprised anymore. As he makes his way back to the main area, he spots Jongin and Jennie sitting on the couch by the fireplace, a bit too close to be seen as just a friendly thing. Jungkook feels his throat close up and remembers what she's told him. If everything he's lived and seen is real, then her feelings toward Jongin must be real as well.

"I think that train is taken, body" Jungkook hears by his ear, and startles. 

"What?" he says, turning to see Jimin standing beside him.

Jimin nods toward Jongin and Jennie.

"I've been there before, so I know how it is," Jimin says slowly. "But she really likes him."

"How do you know that?"

"She's on the dance team, too," Jimin says. "We talked about it once. She said she likes one of the football players. It isn't hard to see now who she meant." 

"Yeah, whatever," Jungkook says, turning around to start toward the elevators. "Taehyung said we're rooming together."

"Oh," Jimin says, looking down at the key in his hand as if he's just remembered it. "Yeah."

The scent of wood, all the pictures framing the walls, they're all so horribly familiar to Jungkook that he keeps his eyes trained on the floor until they reach the room. Just as predicted, Jimin goes right away for the window, and Jungkook takes the first turn in the bathroom, but this time he stays away from the bed, because he doesn't want to fall asleep. His phone rings, and Jungkook picks it up already knowing it's Taehyung.

"We'll be going to dinner in a bit," Taehyung says. "Bring Jimin along if you want."

As Jungkook waits for Jimin to come back into the room, his eyes fall on the bag with the skis again, and he remembers the question that had been on the tip of his tongue yesterday. 

"You have your own pair of skis," Jungkook says as soon as Jimin gets out of the bathroom. Jimin looks a bit startled, but collects himself quickly as he pulls on another sweater to wear. 

"I, um, like skiing. It's a hobby," Jimin says.

Jungkook looks at him for a moment, trying to picture it, Jimin clad in a full suit, skiing down a hill. For some reason, it's easy to imagine. 

"Wanna go eat dinner together?" 

"With you?"

"With me and my friends," Jungkook says.

"Oh," Jimin makes, and then a tentative smile pulls at his lips. "Okay."

This time around Jungkook gets there before Tehyung and the other guys, so he and Jimin occupy a table in one of the corners. Jungkook's gaze gets drawn to where Jongin is sitting beside Jennie just in the table across from theirs. He hadn't noticed them yesterday. It makes more sense now why she asked him about him with the way they look so close all of a sudden. Jimin follows his line of sight, and a little frown appears between his brows. 

"It's not healthy, you know," Jimin says.

Jungkook turns to look at him questionably. 

"Just don't think about it," Jimin says. "She looks happy. Be happy for her."

Before Jungkook can reply to that the rest of the guys come to the table, and Jungkook is thankful for the distraction because he really doesn't want to think about Jennie and Jonjin right now. They spend most of the meal laughing at Namjoon and Seokjin bickering back and forth, and Jungkook has to admit Jimin has a pretty laugh. It sounds s little like chimes. 

"I think I'll go make myself some tea," Jimin says at one point. "Jungkook, want me to make you some?"

The idea of not having to go near that coffee machine and possibly not having to come across Jennie sounds like a good idea, so Jungkook finds himself nodding. Still, it's like his eyes have a mind of their own as they go to where Jongin and Jennie are sitting together again. They really do look happy together. Jungkook looks down at his nearly empty plate. Why does he feel so empty?

Before he can even process what he's doing, he's getting up from the table and going toward the exit, ignoring his friends calling his name after him. He doesn't care he doesn't have a coat, he just needs some fresh air. He goes out onto the porch, and settles against the railing, looking out toward the street to the people walking back and forth. Several couples walk among them, and Jungkook doesn't understand why can't he have, too, something like that. 

"Jungkook?" he hears behind himself. 

He doesn't have to turn around to see it's Jennie. Did she really follow him all the way here? She's the last person he wants to see right now. Even as he thinks that, he knows he's lying to himself. Because there isn't a moment where he doesn't want to see her. Still, he doesn't reply, hoping she will get the hint and go away, but she doesn't. She just comes to stand beside him, clad in just her red sweater.

"You should go inside," Jungkook finds himself saying. "It's too cold here." Because even after everything, he still cares. He watches the purse of her mouth, can practically see the clogs in her brain working, and he knows what she's thinking right now, what she's going to say. And he doesn't want to hear it. But he knows it's inevitable when she opens her mouth.

"I was hoping I could talk to you about something..."

Jungkook takes a deep breath. He knows what's coming next. But he still waits for her to continue. 

"You're friends with Jongin, right?" she says. She starts to fidget when Jungkook doesn't reply right away, but still says. "Well, um, do you possibly know if maybe he's daying someone right now?"

"Couldn't you ask him that yourself?" Jungkook bites. He doesn't even know where it comes from. He just knows that he's angry and hurt, and confused. Because it was supposed to be him. She should be asking Jongin about him, not the other way around. "It looks like you've gotten really close."

"What?" she says, clearly having not expected this answer. Not from someone like him. Someone who is shy and quiet and reserved. It feels nice though, hearing the surprise in her voice. 

He turns around then, and finally really looks at her. She's so beautiful. Her eyes practically sparkling in the light coming from the fairy lights curled around the railings. She's everything he's ever wanted, but he can't have her. It hurts him to just look at her. He could say it now. He could say he liked her. But what will it get him except for cold humiliation? So he swallows his feelings down, and says as steadily as he can, "No, I'm pretty sure he's single."

And before he can hear her reply, he pushes away from the railing and goes out into the night. It's so cold out there. But he's so numb inside that he welcomes the feeling. Welcomes the pain. It's so cold it gets hard to think. And he appreciates it. Doesn't want to. Doesn't want anything but the cold and the darkness of the night to consume him. Distantly, he hears a familiar twinkling of bells, and he almost expects it when a sleigh stops before him, and a familiar, wrinkled face peeks out at him.

"Oh, look who I'm meeting again."

"You," is all that Jungkook says.

The old man just smiles, and his eyes crinkle at the corners.

For a long moment Jungkook can't bring himself to say anything else, too many things going through his head, before he finally points an accusing finger at him. "You cursed me."

The elderly man laughs heartily, and shakes his head. "Now, now, I wouldn't call it a curse. But a miracle. I promise you everything will go back into place. There's not a thing that time can't heal."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I suppose you'll have to find for yourself. Happy Christmas, dear boy!"

And with that the weird man pulls on the reins and disappears from view. Jungkook rubs at his eyes. Wonders briefly if he had hit his head on some hard surface and is now lying somewhere unconscious. But the weirdest thing is that he does feel better as he makes his way back to the inn. The room is dark and Jimin is scrolling idly through his phone when Jungkook comes back. He looks up from where he's sitting on the couch at Jungkook.

"Where did you go to? I made you tea."

"I had to breathe some fresh air," Jungkook murmurs.

Jimin studies his face closely at that, but doesn't comment. Jungkook pulls off his shoes and collapses on the bed. For a long minute he just stares at the ceiling. Processes all that he's been through in the last few days. Then, he says, "I almost confessed to Jennie."

He can feel Jimin's eyes turn his way at that. Jungkook takes a deep breath before continuing. "But I didn't. Because it doesn't matter. She doesn't feel the same way. She... asked be about Jongin. If he has someone." 

Jimin wordlessly gets off the couch and climbs on the bed. After those days' events, he had completely forgotten about the double bed, but he can't bring himself to care when Jimin just settles in beside him and wraps his arms around him. "I'm sorry," he murmurs quietly. 

"I'm really sorry you have to deal with this," Jungkook whispers, and swallows around the bile in his throat. 

"What are you talking about? I'm here because I want to."

"Thank you," Jungkook mumbles. 

Jimin pulls the covers over them, and gets Jungkook to turn around so they're properly cuddling, Jimin's chest pressed to his back, and JUngkook is so thankful he could cry. The warmth. Being held. Being wanted. It should be weird, but somehow it isn't. Somehow it just feels right, and Jungkook lets the warmth evolve him until he falls asleep. 

When he wakes up the next morning, it's to warm breathing against his neck, and a leg thrown over his waist. He turns around carefully, and comes face to face with Jimin's sleeping face. He looks so soft in the dim light coming from the window, his lips parted the slightest bit. Jungkook reaches for his phone to see it's just after 7 AM, and just like that, the stone that had been in his heart vanishes. It seems like things are finally back to normal. He feels like he can breathe again.

He feels Jimin stir beside him, and looks down to see him slowly fluttering his eyes open. "It's cold," Jimin murmurs, and curls back into him. 

"Can I tell you a secret?" Jimin says into the silence. 

Jungkook nods, looking up from his phone. 

"The first week at school, I saw you playing in the field. I couldn't stop noticing you after that."

"What?" Jungkook says, perplexed.

"I know it's probably too soon, especially after all that's happened with Jennie, but I just wanted to let you know."

"Jimin..." Jungkook murmurs slowly.

"No, please hear me out. I'm really not expecting anything. Especially not now. Gosh, I don't even know if you like boys. But... I guess I'm saying that I'll be happy to even just be friends." 

Jungkook is silent for a minute as he lets it sink in. "You like me?" he says in the end.

Jimin buries his face in Jungkook's shirt. "Yes," he murmurs.

Jungkook pulls away some so he can look at Jimin's face, at his flushed cheeks, his expectant eyes. "I like boys just fine," Jungkook murmurs. "And I'll definitely like to be friends. And we can like... try. You know. Just maybe give it some time?"

"Yeah, definitely," Jimin says. "No rush."

"Good," Jungkook says, and cuddles in close. Because this feels just right.