Archive of Our Own

Jungkook’s mother is busy talking to the merchant in front of them when he sees it — something so shiny and so pretty in the water behind him. Jungkook looks up at his mom to make sure she doesn’t notice as he slips his tiny hand out of hers, darting across the warm sand and toward the water to get a better look at what the pretty thing is. 

On the beach, Jungkook realizes that whatever it is is further out into the sea than he was initially expecting. Without a second thought, Jungkook kicks his sandals off of his feet and trudges out into the ocean with the type of courage only a five-year-old can possess. With every step he takes, the water gets a little bit higher and higher until it’s almost up to his chest. Still, Jungkook pushes on, glancing quickly behind him to make sure his mother still hasn’t noticed. He can see his pretty object glinting up at him from the ocean floor, just barely out of arm’s reach. Jungkook bends slightly so he can grab it, but before he can, an unexpectedly large wave knocks him off his feet and under the water. 

Jungkook can’t see, the salt of the ocean water making his eyes sting when he tries to open them. He tries to regain his footing on the seabed but he doesn’t know where the seabed is, flails his legs in the water as one wave after another drags him further out into the ocean. 

He tries to hold his breath like his mother taught him to — you can’t breathe under water, baby — but now his chest is hurting and he can’t help it, breathes in deep and feels the saltwater filling his mouth, his chest, his lungs. Jungkook feels lightheaded, opens his eyes the slightest bit as he sinks down to the ocean floor and sees sunlight shining through the water above him.

It’s the last thing Jungkook sees before he blacks out. 

🌊

Jungkook jerks awake when something cold touches his foot, now flat on his back on solid ground. He can see the sun beaming down at him from high in the sky, and when he sits up, he feels wet sand under his palms. Jungkook tries to shuffle around to get a better look at his surroundings; he realizes quickly that he's sitting by the seaside. The stretch of beach that he's on is surrounded by cliffs on two sides — Jungkook doesn't recognize it. 

Where am I? He wonders. Where's my mommy? Tears well up in Jungkook's eyes but before they can spill over, a small voice calls,

"Oh yay! You're alive!" 

Jungkook looks around for the source of the voice but sees nobody. Suddenly, the edge of the water by Jungkook's feet shimmers and a round little head pops out of it, startling Jungkook and making him crawl back a few feet in fear. 

"Wh-who are you?" Jungkook croaks, his throat dry. 

The head pops further out of the water and with it, a torso. Jungkook can see now that the person is a little boy not much older than him with a shock of blue hair on the top of his head. 

The boy doesn't come fully out of the water, rests his head on his arms where he's got them folded in the sand by Jungkook's feet, the bottom half of his body still concealed by the ocean. 

"I'm Jimin!" the boy pipes, a big smile gracing his face. "What's your name?" 

"O-oh. Hi, Jimin. Have you seen my mommy anywhere?" 

"Mommy? What's that?" the boy asks, smile faded. 

Jungkook's initial panic wears off as the confusion sets in. How can this boy not know what a mommy is? 

"W-well, she's a grown up. She sings to me and feeds me and holds my hand. That's what a mommy is. Don't you have one?"

Jimin shakes his head. "Nope! And I don't know where yours is, either. I found you in the water!" 

Jungkook sits up straighter, wincing in pain as he realizes there's a cut in leg. He must've hurt himself somehow as the waves were dragging him around. He pokes at the gash tentatively, scrunching his nose up and not bothering to fight the tears that fall from his face as he watches blood escape from his leg and color the sand. 

"What are you doing?" Jimin wonders, an inquisitive look on his face. 

Jungkook sniffles but doesn't answer, still staring at his foot and wishing his mommy was here to make it better. 

"Why is your face wet?" 

Jungkook's hand instinctively comes up to touch his cheek. "Because my leg hurts and it's bleeding and I miss my mommy," he chokes out. 

Jimin's hand comes out to rest by Jungkook's leg. "Can I see?" 

Jungkook nods hesitantly, Jimin's surprisingly cold fingers pressing against his leg just an inch away from the cut. He watches in awe as the water tickling the shoreline dances up Jimin's arms and down to his fingertips, glowing blue as it touches the bleeding skin on Jungkook's calf. 

His leg feels cold but not wet, and he doesn't understand. Jimin pulls his hand away after a minute, the cut glowing bright blue one more time before disappearing from Jungkook's skin, leaving nothing but a small white line behind. 

Jungkook's jaw drops open. "Are you— do you— magic?" He can't get the words out but Jimin seems to understand, nodding his head.

"Why, don't you have magic?" 

Jungkook shakes his head. "What are you doing in the water?" he asks, head tilted in curiosity. "Aren't you cold?" 

"I live here!" Jimin exclaims, splashing his arms a few times for effect. 

"You live in the water? I live in a house. With my mommy and my dog." 

"What's a dog?" Jimin asks. Jungkook's eyes go wide in shock and he's certain now that Jimin is not a normal boy like him. 

They converse back and forth like that until the sun begins to set on the horizon, Jimin asking questions that Jungkook thinks are obvious and Jungkook not being able to help himself and answering every question Jimin has anyway. 

"Jimin? Can you take me back to the beach — the other one? I think my mommy is over there." 

🌊

"Jungkook!" Jungkook's mother rushes over to where he's lying in the sand, clothes soaking wet. "Oh, Jungkook, I was looking for you everywhere, baby! Where did you go? Are you okay? Are you hurt?" 

Jungkook's mom pulls him up to sitting, brushes the sand out of his hair and wipes the water from his face before pulling him in for a tight hug.

"Mommy, mommy, you won't believe it! There was a little boy like me and he lives in the water and he has blue hair and he saved me!" Jungkook's mom pulls away, looking down at him in concern. "His name is Jimin and he's my friend. Oh and he has magic, mommy! Real magic, not like the stories!"

His mother presses a firm palm to his forehead, eyes scanning Jungkook's face rapidly. "What are you talking about, Jungkookie? There's no boy here. I have to get you to the physician. You must have hurt your head." 

Jungkook is lifted into his mother's arms and carried away from the seaside before he can say anything more. 

🌊

Jungkook doesn't get to go back to the beach for a long time after that. It's only after his sixth birthday that his mom lets him play with the other kids from their village alone, only then that he gets to go to the beach again. 

He waves bye to his friends after a long day of playing outside together. Jungkook fully intends to go home before it gets dark, but the sound of the water lapping against the shore to his left draws him back onto the sand like the ocean is calling out to him. Like magic. 

Jungkook's small feet carry him to the more secluded far end of the beach, away from the watchful gaze of the village. He peers out into the water, unsure of what exactly he's looking for. He watches as the waves crash against the cliffs in the distance but doesn't see anything — anyone — familiar in the ocean. 

"Jimin," he calls, hoping that someone will answer. Truthfully, Jungkook isn't always entirely sure that Jimin wasn't just a figment of his imagination like his mom always tells him. Then he catches a glimpse of the pale white scar on his leg and remembers how Jimin had healed him with just one touch, remembers the way the water had cooled his pain and glowed his leg blue. Jungkook shakes the doubt from his mind and calls out for Jimin again. He knows that Jimin is real. 

Jungkook is just about to give up and head back to the village when the edge of the water shimmers just like it did so long ago and a familiar face pops out of it again. 

"Jungkook!" Jimin's voice rings out and he's absolutely beaming. 

Jungkook rushes over to where Jimin is floating in the sea, his smile matching Jimin's now. "Jimin!" Jungkook shouts, "I missed you!" He plops down in the sand and watches as Jimin swims closer to him. Jimin looks exactly how Jungkook remembers him, blue hair and rosy cheeks and all. 

"I thought you forgot about me, Jungkook!"

Jungkook feels bad. He wonders if Jimin thought about him as much as he did Jimin. "I'm sorry. My mommy said I couldn't come to the beach. And she said you're not real!"

Jimin's mouth opens in surprise. "But I am real! Look!" Jimin wiggles his fingers in Jungkook's face, pokes his own cheek lightly with a chubby little finger. 

"I know you're real, silly! You're my friend, remember!" 

Jimin shakes his head vigorously and droplets of water hit Jungkook's face even though Jimin's hair looks completely dry. "I've never had a friend before. What is that?" 

Jungkook thinks back to the time when he had asked Jimin where his mommy was and Jimin had asked him what a mommy was. He doesn't have a mommy and he doesn't have friends? He must be really lonely, Jungkook thinks. 

"Ummm...a friend is a kid that you play with. Do you wanna be my friend?" Jungkook asks, hopeful.

Jimin doesn't say anything for a moment and Jungkook starts to worry that maybe Jimin doesn't want to be his friend. Before Jungkook's thoughts progress any further, Jimin opens his mouth and he's asking Jungkook a question. 

"There aren't really any kids in the sea, just me. How do you play? I only play with fishies and dolphins sometimes."

It's Jungkook's turn to be surprised, and surprised he is. "You play with dolphins?" he asks, incredulous. 

"Yup! They don't really like to talk to me, though." Jimin affirms, like he didn't just say something so mind blowing that Jungkook's six-year-old brain can't comprehend it. "So how do you play?" 

Jungkook is about to answer when he hears the metallic clink of a bell in the distance. He recognizes it as the final call bell for the merchants in the market — which means it's getting late and he has to get home before his mom gets mad. Jungkook scrambles to his feet, dusts all the sand off of his pants. He's about to turn and leave before he realizes that Jimin is still floating in the water, waiting for him to answer. 

"Sorry — I have to go home now but I'll come back and play with you tomorrow, okay!" 

Jimin nods, "Okay, bye Jungkookie!" before lifting his little arm out of the water to wave at Jungkook. 

Jungkook waves at Jimin once and takes off as fast as his little legs will take him, getting a mouthful of sand when he trips over his own feet. He stands up and dusts himself off, coughing the sand out of his mouth before he swallows any more of it. Jungkook looks up to see an old man watching him from a few feet away, a curious look in his eye. 

He recognizes the man from his village; Jungkook remembers that he sometimes sells fish and tells magical stories about the sea to any willing audience. His mom tells him to be nice to the man — he’s lonely and not entirely in his right mind, Jungkook. He waves to the old man, hoping that maybe his greeting might make the man feel less lonely. The man just continues to look at him curiously but Jungkook doesn't have time to wonder what he could want because his mommy isn't going to let him play outside alone again unless he gets home within the next few minutes.

🌊

Jungkook goes back to the same spot at the same time the next day, waits for Jimin on the sand like he did the day before. He watches in fascination as the water glimmers yet again and Jimin appears out of nowhere. 

“Hey Kookie!” Jimin smiles. “What’s that?” he asks, gesturing to the bucket sitting beside Jungkook’s leg.

Jungkook had nearly forgotten about it. “This,” he says, picking it up, “is a bucket.” 

Jimin looks perplexed. “Well what’s it for?”

“We’re gonna make sandcastles! Lemme show you,” Jungkook waves Jimin closer, crawling over himself to the shoreline where the sand is wetter — perfect for sandcastles. He tilts the bucket over and out come a few smaller cups that Jungkook uses to make the turrets. 

Using his bare hands, Jungkook begins scooping wet sand into the largest bucket and packing it to the brim before flipping it over and onto the ground. Jungkook taps it a few times and very, very carefully lifts the bucket, looks over to see Jimin watching in fascination as the foundation for their sandcastle is laid down. 

"Wow!" Jimin exclaims, "Was that magic?" 

Jungkook shakes his head. "No, it's just a bucket, silly! Do you wanna try?" 

Jimin nods eagerly, gliding as close to sand as he can without getting out of the water. It's supernatural, the way that the water gets deeper wherever Jimin goes, like he's creating tide pools everywhere he moves. Jungkook passes him the bucket and watches as he fills it up eagerly, pressing down on the top to pack in as much sand as possible like Jungkook did before flipping it over and making his own portion of the castle. "This is fun!" 

The two boys continue to build their sandcastle one bucketful at a time until the structure is taller than Jungkook when he's seated. Jungkook takes a step back into the water to admire their handwork, noting the delicate turrets they'd made at the top. He had to be extra careful when placing those, so he's really proud of his castle this time. 

"Now we have to make it pretty!" Jungkook squats into the shallowest part of the water, hands reaching into the sand and seeking something in particular. 

"Um, Jungkook? What are you looking for?" Jimin asks Jungkook, puzzlement clear on his face in the way his eyebrows are drawn together. 

Jungkook stops his searching to look back at Jimin. "We're looking for seashells! And shiny rocks. That's how we'll make the castle look pretty." 

A delighted expression crosses Jimin's face and suddenly he disappears into the sea without another word to Jungkook, who looks up from where he's squatting, utterly confused. 

A few moments later, Jimin's bright blue hair breaks the surface, his head and torso following shortly after. Jimin lifts his hands toward Jungkook, who can see that they're cupped as if Jimin is holding something so gingerly inside, the same way that Jungkook does when he catches pretty little butterflies and wants to show his mom. 

"Look, Jungkookie! Will these work?" Jimin inquires, hands coming slowly apart to reveal what he's holding. 

Jungkook is in awe. In Jimin's little palms sit two piles of seashells and pebbles of all shapes and colors — some white and flat, others colorful and conch-shaped. What really catches Jungkook's eye, though, is a pearlescent shell that seems to glint a different color depending on how the sun hits it. 

The shell teeters on top of one of the piles and Jungkook is afraid it'll fall back into the water and be lost forever. "Hurry let's put them on!" he exclaims, pattering back to where their sandcastle sits. Jimin floats over and sets down the seashells. Jungkook can breathe easy now — the pearly one sits neatly on top of the pile just like it did in Jimin's hands, waiting for Jungkook to pick it up. 

He ignores the urge to put that one on first, picks up a few of the smaller pebbles and shells and starts dotting the perimeter of their sandcastle with them. The bottom of their castle is darker than the rest, slowly dissolving with the tide. Jungkook notices this and begins to work faster, wanting to see the finished product before the ocean takes it away from them. Jimin joins him and they work in silence, alternating pebble, shell, pebble, shell until their masterpiece is complete. Well, almost. 

The pearly shell sits on the sand and shimmers up at Jungkook, waiting to be fixed to its dedicated spot in the center of the castle. Jungkook reaches his hand out to grab it and he catches Jimin's face out of the corner of his eye. Jimin's eyes are open wide in anticipation, his lips parted in a toothy smile. He looks like he can barely contain his excitement, and Jungkook realizes that this is Jimin's first time ever making a sandcastle. Jungkook looks between the shell in his hand and the delight on Jimin's face, at war with himself. On one hand, he wants to be the one to put up the shell — it's just so pretty! On the other hand, Jungkook knows that Jimin would absolutely love to be the one to finish the castle, will probably never forget the experience. Plus, Jimin was the one who found the shell in the first place, so it's only fair that he's the one who gets to put it on. 

Jungkook thrusts his hand out toward Jimin, offering him the pearly shell. "Here, Jimin. I think you should finish the castle!". 

Jimin looks up at him, stunned. "Me?" he asks. Jungkook nods his head. "O-okay."  Jimin takes the shell out of Jungkook's hand, holds it between two fingers as he uses his other hand to delicately press it into the surface. 

He floats away from the shoreline, relishing in the sight of his first ever sandcastle. Jungkook joins him in the water, admiring their handiwork. 

"It's so cool!" Jungkook exclaims, "High five!" Jungkook's arm comes up for a high five and it just hangs there in midair as Jimin stares at him in bewilderment. 

At this point, Jungkook isn't surprised. He reaches into the water and fishes Jimin's hand out before clapping it against his. 

"That's a high five, silly." 

🌊

Jungkook is being pulled to the beach, his feet dragging in the sand as his dog runs ahead of him in excitement. His small hands can barely hold on to the leash — he has a really big dog — and when Coco jumps over a piece of driftwood, Jungkook loses his grip entirely. 

He runs after Coco as fast as he can, but she's already made it into the woods adjacent to the beach. Jungkook gets to the point where the sand meets the trees and hesitates; all his life, he’s been taught to stay out of the forest. Only the most skilled hunters from the village are allowed inside. The forest is big and scary and dark and dangerous and who knows what kinds of animals lie within — but most of all, Jungkook’s mom told him that he is, under no circumstances, allowed to enter the woods. And Jungkook hates to upset his mom.

But he knows that the only thing that might upset his mom more than going into the woods is returning home without Coco. Before he can change his mind, he musters up all of his courage and runs into the thicket of trees ahead of him.

Inside the forest is dark and humid — the treetops above him block out most of the sunlight and it’s taking everything in Jungkook’s willpower to not turn around and run straight home. He continues on, startling every time he hears the hoot of a bird or the rustle of a leaf. 

Jungkook thinks he can hear Coco somewhere in the distance and breaks out into a run, only to trip on a tree root and lose his balance completely. Jungkook tumbles forward for what feels like forever, finally falling to the ground with his palms outstretched in front of him to cushion the fall. 

He lifts his hands to check for any cuts and wait — Jungkook did not in fact, fall onto the forest floor but onto a small and oddly familiar stretch of beach. His hands are dusty with sand and he brushes them off just as he hears Coco’s barking right in front of him.

Coco is prancing in the shallows, splashing water onto her fur with a look of unrivaled glee on her face. Jungkook releases a sigh of pure relief — the dumb dog had him so worried, Jungkook thought he'd be locked out of the house by his mom until he returned with Coco in tow. 

To Jungkook’s right and left stand two impossibly large masses of cliffs, bracketing in the little stretch of beach that he’s on and creating a small little cove. He realizes suddenly why the area looks so familiar — it’s the same cove that Jimin brought him to when he’d saved Jungkook’s life. 

Jungkook looks out into the water and wonders if Jimin is around. “Jimin?” he calls tentatively. Jimin is usually around somewhere in the water — honestly, Jungkook still isn’t sure how that works — and always pops his little blue head up after Jungkook’s first call.

This time though, Jungkook calls for him once, twice, three times and there’s still no sign of him. Jungkook is disappointed, paces around in the sand and finds a stick to play fetch with Coco and distract himself from not seeing his friend.

Jungkook accidentally throws the stick too far and it ends up in the water behind Coco, who looks at Jungkook with what he can only interpret to be doggy-disappointment. “Sorry Coco,” he says, scanning the beach for another stick. 

A small blur of blue bobs in the distance, not too far from where Jungkook is standing in the sand and he can’t help but wonder, “Jimin? Is that you?”

The blur of blue rises up, making way for Jimin’s face and he looks terrified, “Wh-what is that, Jungkookie?” he asks in a voice so timid that Jungkook can barely hear him. 

“What is what?” Jungkook asks, and Jimin’s pudgy little hand comes out of the water, shaking as he points at — oh.

“Coco! Come here, girl!” Jungkook beckons and Coco comes running, nearly toppling him over in excitement. “This is my dog, Coco!”

Jimin shies further back into the water, stutters, "Y-you don't have to bring it any closer, Kookie, it's okay." 

Jungkook looks between Coco’s excited face and Jimin’s half-hidden one, realization washing over him slowly like the low tide on the sand. “You’re scared of Coco?”

He receives a tiny nod in response. “That’s okay. Coco, go play over there girl!” Jungkook gestures toward the opposite side of the beach. He feels bad for a second — Coco loves meeting new people — and then the feeling slips away when Coco bounds away, already joyously distracted by a flock of seagulls pecking through the warm sand. 

Jimin makes sure that Coco is far away before floating closer to Jungkook, face a little bit more at ease. 

“Jimin,” Jungkook asks, “Why don’t you come out of the water and play?”

“I-I-,” Jimin starts, searching for the words. Jungkook waits patiently. “I’ve never come out of the water. I’m not allowed to.”

Jungkook glances around. He remembers Jimin telling him that he doesn’t have a mommy, and there’s nobody on the beach. Surely it wouldn’t hurt if Jimin came out of the water one time. 

He takes two steps into the water, smiling mischievously. “Come on,” Jungkook offers his arm, “I won’t tell anyone.”

Jimin’s expression is positively scandalized — but just for a second. Then he takes a cautious look around like Jungkook did, makes sure the coast is clear before grasping both of Jungkook’s hands with his own. Jungkook takes a step back and Jimin gets closer and closer to the shoreline until his whole body is above sea level. Jungkook watches in fascination as the water seems to flow with him, concealing his lower half in trousers like Jungkook has never seen before. They’re blue like the ocean, almost silky in nature but Jungkook knows they’re not silk, not any fabric he’s ever seen. It’s almost like Jimin’s pants— 

He doesn’t get to think about the trousers any more because one second, Jimin’s foot tentatively presses against the ground — his first contact with land — and the next, he’s toppling over and taking Jungkook with him. 

“Woah woah woah!” Jungkook tries to keep both of them up but ultimately fails, falling into the shallows beside Jimin who is still gripping his hands for dear life. “Are you okay?” he asks, sitting up. 

He thinks that Jimin might cry — his brows are furrowed and his bottom lip is jutting out in a pout. “That was so much fun!” Jimin exclaims, all trace of potential upset gone from his face. 

Jungkook freezes in bewilderment. “You-you’re okay? You didn’t get hurt?”

Jimin shakes his head vigorously. “I’ve never used my legs before. Let’s try again!” He gets up on his knees, legs wobbling as he tries to plant one foot on the ground again. Jungkook jumps up to help him, slower this time. 

After several long, excruciatingly slow steps, the pair finally make it out of the water. Jimin digs his toes into the warm sand, arm wrapped around Jungkook’s shoulders and Jungkook’s arms holding him by the waist. 

Jungkook slowly lets go, wants Jimin to be able to walk on his own and really get to experience what it’s like to use his legs. His legs wobble and then he’s taking one, two, three steps by himself. Jungkook claps in glee, cheering Jimin on from a few steps away. 

What neither of them anticipate is Coco sprinting over in elation, ears flapping in the wind and slobber trailing behind her as she rushes over to where Jimin stands. In the same second that Jimin turns toward Jungkook, absolute terror on his face, Coco pounces on Jimin, knocking him over and licking up and down his face. Jimin lies frozen beneath her and Jungkook doesn’t think he’s breathing.

Jungkook’s eyes are closed in fear — he just killed Jimin. He and Coco really just killed Jimin, and on his first time ever on the beach. No wonder he wasn’t allowed to come out of the water. 

A cheery giggle breaks Jungkook out of his thoughts and his eyes fly open in surprise. In front of him, Jimin is laughing, hands petting Coco’s side as she continues to slobber on his face. “That tickles!” Jimin shouts, still laughing. “Okay girl, that’s enough.” He smooths his hand down her ears and she moves away, lets Jimin sit up before licking one final stripe across his face. 

“Kookie! You never told me Coco was just a big, hairy sea lion!”

“A sea wh-what?” 

“A sea lion! You said she was a dog but she’s just a sea lion with legs!” Jimin pats Coco’s side twice and she rolls over, baring her stomach and wagging her paws in search of some belly rubs. 

Her wish is granted when Jimin kneels beside her, both hands rubbing wide circles into her fur. Coco’s tail wags under her and she’s panting in joy — Jungkook can’t help the jealousy that creeps up on him. Coco rarely listens to him on the first try, always does whatever she wants and goes wherever she wants, dragging Jungkook along just like she did earlier today. 

Jungkook drops the twig he’s using to draw in the sand and stands up. He really needs to get going now. “Coco! Let’s go, girl!” 

Coco looks up at him dumbly from where she’s playing with Jimin. “Oh no, girl! Time to go,” Jimin says forlornly, petting Coco’s head. Coco nudges against him once before running over to Jungkook who’s rolling his eyes. Jimin hobbles over to him, still shaky on his legs. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Jimin.” 

“Will Coco come too?” Jimin asks, eyes pleading. 

Jungkook grumbles and starts walking away. He can’t believe his own dog would steal his best friend from right under his nose! He has no intention of ever bringing Coco back. 

Before he can step away, soft arms circle his waist and Jimin’s tiny body presses into his chest. His mouth is being attacked by Jimin’s flyaway blue hairs, but Jungkook is in no position to complain. “Bye, Kookie! You’re my bestest friend ever.” 

Jungkook’s face heats up in embarrassment and he hugs Jimin back, sticking his tongue out at Coco who’s sitting patiently in front of him. Take that, he thinks, Jimin is still my best friend. 

🌊 

Even more tempting than the smell of the fresh cakes in front of Jungkook is the sound of the ocean rumbling behind him. Jungkook wants nothing more than to meet with Jimin in their cove but for the moment, he's stuck at the market with his mother. 

He's old enough to roam the market by himself now, lets his mom know before leaving her side and going to check out the other merchant stalls. 

Jungkook stops in front of a jewelry stall and admires the necklaces for sale. There's one particular necklace that sticks out to him, glittery blue stones set in the middle of pearlescent shells and strung together with a black thread. Jungkook considers asking his mom to buy it for him — he thinks it would look nice on Jimin — but reconsiders. His mom would only ask who the necklace was for and Jungkook couldn't exactly tell her. He's tried talking to her about Jimin multiple times over the years but she's always dismissed him like he was talking about an imaginary friend. 

He shakes his head and leaves the jewelry merchant, moves on to the next stall in line and oh, it's the lonely old fish merchant. 

"Good afternoon, Grandfather," Jungkook greets him. Some mean kids always laugh about the old man behind his back, call him crazy when he's not looking, but Jungkook never does. His mother told him to treat everyone with respect and he does.

The old man's face lights up in recognition and he shuffles closer to Jungkook. "You! You're the one from the beach!" 

Jungkook blinks at the man, not quite following. The man leans in before whispering, "You have the friend from the ocean. The boy with the blue hair." 

A sharp gasp escapes Jungkook and he claps his hand over his mouth to conceal his surprise. Nobody he's ever tried to speak to about Jimin has ever believed him. Not his mom, not his neighbors, not his friends. "You know? About Jimin?" 

The old man nods and Jungkook is fascinated with the way his wispy white beard hovers in place despite the movement of his head. "I know about him. Be good to him, always. He needs you." 

Jungkook furrows his brow, confused, but agrees with the man anyway. Just as he's about to ask for clarification, he hears his mother call him in the distance. "My mom is calling me, I should go." He steps away from the stall and the fisherman waves Jungkook off, index finger of his other hand pressed to his lips, bidding Jungkook to keep their secret. 

🌊

The sun is beating down particularly harshly on the coast today. Crops are shrivelled from the heat and there's not a single soul to be seen, but Jungkook is determined to meet up with Jimin. His ball is tucked under his right arm and a surprise under his left — something he's been wanting Jimin to try for a while now. 

Jungkook marches into the forest and the shade from the canopy above that used to frighten him so now provides a welcome reprieve from the heat. Minutes later, he's walking out from the woods and into the cove nestled between the bluffs. 

Jimin is already sitting on the rocks that jut out into the water, basking in the sun with his legs stretched out in front of him. Jungkook treads over as carefully as he can, avoiding the jagged or unstable rocks that threaten to topple him into the water with every potential misstep. 

He finally makes it over and places his items down beside Jimin, who's finally opened his eyes. 

"Wanna play in the water?" Jungkook asks, gesturing to the ball. Jimin nods and stands up, stretching his legs before diving into the sea without another word. Jungkook tosses him the ball from where he's standing before following suit, sighing in relief at the immediate cooling sensation the water has on his heated skin. 

He pops his head above the surface, wipes a hand up his face and opens his eyes to see Jimin floating in the distance. Jimin raises his arms above his head and throws the ball to Jungkook, who catches it with one hand. 

They're doing good, tossing the ball back and forth totally normally, both swimming a few strokes backward to increase the distance with every throw. Jungkook is just waiting now for Jimin to throw it back at him. He watches as the ball soars through through the air directly at him, hands posed to catch it — and then a massive wave comes up from behind Jimin, following the curve of his arm and charging directly at Jungkook.

The wave hits him square in the face and he tries to keep his footing but it's just too powerful, pushes him back several feet and spins him around a few times. Jungkook bobs up and coughs the water out of his lungs, wipes his face again and nearly falls back underwater when Jimin pops up beside him out of nowhere. 

"Oh my gosh Jungkook I'm so sorry!" Jimin grabs Jungkook by the shoulders, pats his back a few times to help him expel the rest of the water from his chest. 

"It's—" Jungkook coughs, "It's okay, Jimin, it's fine. But I did think you'd stop trying to drown me after all these years of friendship." 

The concern leaves Jimin's face and is quickly replaced by petulance. "You know it's not on purpose, Kookie! I can't always control it! The ocean is a part of me — I'm the ocean, the ocean is me. You know that!" 

Jungkook laughs and pushes Jimin lightly. "I know, I know. I'm just joking with you. Do you still wanna play?" 

His question is met with a shake of Jimin's head. Jungkook wades back to the shore and pulls himself out of the water, turning to help Jimin who's right behind him. They tiptoe back to the rocks where Jungkook's surprise is waiting. 

Jungkook waits for Jimin to sit down before grabbing his knapsack and pulling out the mango hand pies he'd bought from the market before coming to meet Jimin. 

The scent of sweet mango and buttery pastry invades the air around them and Jungkook hears Jimin inhale deeply. 

"That—" Jimin sniffs, "smells—" sniff, "amazing." he sniffs one final time. "What is it?" 

Jungkook is about to answer Jimin when his hand flies to his stomach and his face contorts in discomfort. 

"Jimin! What's wrong? Are you okay?" 

Jimin's hand presses tighter against his stomach and he gasps, "My stomach— there's something— I don't know what it is, Jungkook—" 

Jungkook shuffles closer, unsure of what to do. He's never seen Jimin this way before and he starts to wonder what his mom would do just as a loud, resounding rumble comes from Jimin's abdomen.

It takes Jungkook a second to understand what's going on and then he's doubling over, gasping for breath in a matter of seconds because he's laughing too hard. 

"Why are you laughing, Kook?" Jimin demands. 

Jungkook brushes him off and catches his breath before answering. "Jimin, you know what that is? In your stomach?" 

Jimin shakes his head in denial. "Am I dying?"

Another laugh wells up in Jungkook's chest but he fights it off, responds to Jimin instead. "That feeling, the rumbling? That means you're hungry. Have you— have you never been hungry before?" 

He's met with a glare. "Obviously not, Jungkook." Jimin watches as Jungkook stifles yet another laugh. "Will you stop laughing at me? Meanie." 

Jungkook relents and hands Jimin a pie before biting into his own. Jimin watches Jungkook curiously, eyes squinted in observation. 

He takes a tentative bite — more of a nibble, really — and absolute bliss blooms across his face. One nibble turns into two and three and four and then Jimin's hand is empty, a few stray crumbs where his pie used to be. 

"Do you...have any more?" Jimin wonders, shy. 

Jungkook shakes his head regretfully. "I don't have any more pies, no," he says, reaching into his knapsack for something else. "But I do have these!" 

He pulls out two cups with lids on them and then two flat wooden sticks. The cups are sticky with condensation and surprisingly still cool to the touch. He hands one to Jimin whose mouth opens in question as soon as his hands touch the cup. 

Jungkook has an answer for him before he can ask. "The man at the market said that this is called ice cream! Do you see? It's cold! It's so hot outside but it's still cold!" 

"B-but how? Magic? I thought people didn't have magic." 

Jungkook shrugs. "I don't know. He said something about salt and alchemy and earthenware but I didn't know what half of the words meant. I bought them anyway! For us to try together."

"How do you eat it?" Jimin wonders, bringing the cup up to his mouth and grazing his teeth on the side. He picks up the stick and points it toward Jungkook. "And what's this for?" 

"No, no, Jimin, you don't eat the cup. See this on top?" Jungkook pulls off the lid. "Now you take the stick and use it to take out the ice cream, and then you eat it. At least that's what the man told me." 

The pair try their first ever taste of ice cream on the count of three, shuddering initially at the icy feeling against their teeth and then humming in amazement at the taste. They don't even speak to each other, instead racing to finish their treats at lighting speed because it's just that good. 

Jungkook finishes his ice cream first and lies back against the warm rock they're sitting on. Jimin follows suit a second later, lays right next to Jungkook and tucks his arms under his head. 

"Kook, my head— it's so cold. What is that? Is it hungry again?" 

Truth be told, Jungkook has no idea what the sensation is."I don't know, Jimin. My head is cold too. It feels like my brain is frozen."

Jimin looks over at Jungkook and starts giggling. "Your brain is frozen, that's funny." 

Jungkook shoves at Jimin's arm playfully only to pull his hand back in surprise. "Jimin, your skin…it's warm!" 

For as long as they've known each other, Jimin's skin has always been cool to the touch. Jungkook always assumed it was one of the perks of being an ocean spirit, but now he's concerned. Maybe Jimin is sick. Can spirits even get sick? 

"Oh," Jimin says, "That's weird. I'm learning a lot of new human things today — hungry, warm. Mother Ocean would be so mad if she knew. She says never to interact with you guys because humans are bad and can hurt us sea spirits, but I don't know what she's talking about. " 

Jimin seems utterly unconcerned but Jungkook is quite the opposite. He knows that Jimin isn't supposed to come out of the water or even talk to him, and he worries every day what might happen if Mother Ocean catches them one day. 

🌊

"Kook, where have you been? I haven't seen you in days!" Jimin exclaims, tone a little sad. 

Jungkook rushes over to Jimin and helps him out of the water before plopping down in the sand next to him.

"Sorry, Jimin. I had a bad cold so I've been stuck at home for a few days." He drops his bag on his lap and chuckles to himself when he sees Jimin peering over his shoulder eagerly.

"Hungry?" he asks. 

"No. Why would you think that?" 

Jungkook pulls out a bag of vanilla cookies and flaps it in Jimin's direction. "I guess we won't be needing these, then," he teases, moving to put the cookies away. 

The bag is snatched out of his hand before he can and Jungkook can't help but laugh. 

"Meanie," Jimin says. "You know these are my favorite." He takes out two cookies and starts munching on one before passing the bag back to Jungkook. 

They sit quietly while they eat, enjoying the cool breeze in their hair. Jimin talks first, turning toward Jungkook with a question on his pretty lips. 

"Do you wanna come with me tomorrow and see a dolphin baby? The dolphin I was telling you about, the one in the far away ocean that has the spot on her back, she's gonna have her calf tomorrow. I told her I would be there." Jimin's tone is buoyant, his eyes blinking up at Jungkook in anticipation. 

Jungkook's eyes lock on to Jimin's and even though they've been friends for over twelve years now  he thinks that Jimin gets prettier every time Jungkook sees him. Today he wears tiny golden shells on his earlobes and his blue hair is tousled from the breeze. Jungkook notices a piece of seaweed trapped between a few strands and reaches out to grab it, pulling it out delicately before tossing it back into the water. He reaches back up, fingers tucking Jimin's hair behind his ears again and brushing one of the little shells on his lobe.

Jimin clears his throat and Jungkook snaps out of his thoughts, snatches his hand back and settles it in his lap before remembering that Jimin had asked him a question. 

"Actually, uh, I won't be able to. Tomorrow. I have a date," Jungkook stutters. Regret washes over him as he answers because he knows what's coming next. 

"A date?" Jimin is curious and Jungkook doesn't want to respond. 

"Yeah. It's when two people spend time together and do things." 

"Oh, so like us? This is a date?" 

Jungkook can't meet his eyes when he answers Jimin, focuses on the sand under his nails instead. "No, not exactly. It's when the people like each other, um, romantically. I'm going to the festival in town with a girl from school." 

Jimin's exhale is one of quiet disappointment and Jungkook is quick to justify himself. "I wasn't the one— she asked me, I didn't—" 

He cuts off in surprise when Jimin stands up and brushes the sand off of himself before taking a few steps into the water. "I should probably get going, Kook. Mother Ocean will be looking for me, I'm supposed to take care of the tides tonight. Have fun on your date." He sounds disheartened, turns away and walks further into the water until it's at knee level. 

Jungkook jumps up and grabs Jimin's hand, exasperated. "Jimin! I'll— I'll see you tomorrow, okay? After the date." 

"Sure, Kook." Jungkook releases Jimin's hand and watches as the water reaches Jimin's stomach, his neck, engulfs him completely — and then he's gone. 

🌊

He does not, in fact, see Jimin the next day. 

Jungkook's night runs late — first, his date wasn't ready when he went to pick her up, and then she insisted on staying at the festival even past sundown to see the fireworks over the beach. 

She had clasped Jungkook's hand with her own at some point in the evening, grip surprisingly tight considering how much smaller her hand is than his. Something about it made him feel uneasy but Jungkook isn't exactly sure what — she's pretty, she's nice, and she's definitely interested in him. 

Well, that's not exactly true. The flashes of blue hair and pillowy lips, bright eyes and gentle smile let him know exactly what — exactly who — has him distracted all evening. 

Everything they do reminds him of Jimin. They get ice cream; Jungkook thinks of the first time he and Jimin had ice cream together. They pass the jewelry stalls; Jungkook can't help but think that no matter how beautiful the jewelry is, nothing will ever quite be as beautiful as Jimin. Merchants sell plush toys of sea creatures and Jungkook is reminded of all the times that Jimin has taken him to meet the marine wildlife in different corners of the ocean, the time that he got to meet Jimin's favorite sea lions.

Jungkook drops his date off to her house after the fireworks, stiffening when he realizes that she's leaning in for a goodbye kiss. He jerks his head to the side and her peck ends up on his cheek. He steps back and waves awkwardly to her, bidding her a good night before heading home. Jungkook is exhausted and the only thing on his mind as he walks to his own house is getting in his bed and going straight to sleep. 

He hopes Jimin isn't waiting for him. 

🌊

The next evening, Jungkook makes his way over to the cove — their cove. He's pleasantly surprised to find Jimin already out of the water, lounging in the sand with his back to Jungkook. 

Jimin is turned slightly to the side, bent over and wiggling his finger at something like he's cooing at it. Upon closer inspection, Jungkook realizes that Jimin is, in fact, cooing at something, and that something happens to be a single baby turtle surrounded by small piles of freshly dug sand. 

"Oh you little cutie pie," he hears Jimin say, "You hatched a little late, didn't you? Don't worry. I'm here to help you." Jimin rises to his knees and shuffles along behind the teeny turtle, who's now using its little flippers to flop across the sand and find its new home in the water. 

Jungkook watches from a distance, positively endeared when the hatchling struggles in a particularly large divot of sand and Jimin brings the tide closer for just a moment, lets the water carry the turtle away before returning it to normal sea level. The hatchling swims away, flippers wading uselessly as the waves carry it out to sea until all Jungkook can see is a small black dot in the distance. 

"Cute," he chuckles, startling Jimin. 

"Goodness, Kook, you scared me! When did you get here?" Jimin pants, inhaling sharply after the surprise of seeing Jungkook made him lose his breath. 

"Hmm, not too long ago. What are you doing?" 

"Oh, I remembered that a bunch of hatchlings were due to venture out into the water yesterday evening and I wanted to see if any of them might need some help. It's a good thing I came. I think that little guy might've been stuck for a while if I wasn't here." Jimin laughs to himself and Jungkook can't help but smile along with him. 

"Are you busy right now?" Jungkook asks, and Jimin shakes his head no. 

Jungkook walks to the rocks leading out to the sea and settles at the edge of the highest one, legs dangling over the side. He beckons Jimin over, patting the spot next to him. 

Jimin takes his seat and they sit awkwardly for a few moments. Jungkook opens his mouth to say something at the same time that Jimin does, 

"How was y—" 

"How is the dol—" 

Jimin shakes his head and gestures for Jungkook to talk first. "How is the dolphin doing? And her calf, was it healthy?" 

Excitement radiates off of Jimin as he recounts his adventure from the previous day. He doesn't miss a single detail, tells Jungkook how beautiful that stretch of ocean is with its colorful reef, how tired the mama was, how cute the calf is. He finishes his story and turns to Jungkook, hesitant. 

"How was your…date?" Jimin asks, eyes not meeting Jungkook's. 

"It was alright. The festival was nice." 

"Just alright?" Jimin sounds hopeful. 

"Mhmm," Jungkook hums, "She was really nice but honestly, I was distracted the whole night, thinking about someone else." 

Jimin huffs almost silently and rolls his eyes. "Of course you were, thinking about someone while you're on a date with someone else, and then there are some of us who have to sit—" he cuts off suddenly, cheeks blushing sunset pink and hands flying to cover them. "What is that?"

Jungkook shrugs in confusion. "What is what?" 

Jimin's hands wave through the air pointlessly as he tries to come up with an explanation. "Right then, when I was saying...something, I got this feeling in my chest and my face was turning hot. Kook, what's wrong with me?" 

In the next second, Jungkook realizes what's going on and he starts laughing out loud, earning him a shove from Jimin. 

"What's wrong with you? Why do you always laugh when I don't know what's going on? That's not nice, you know." 

Jungkook collects himself before addressing Jimin. "That feeling that you're talking about, that's the green eyed monster called jealousy."

He looks on as Jimin blushes harder and buries his face in his hands. "That's so embarrassing," he groans, voice coming out muffled from between his fingers. 

"Jimin, look at me," Jungkook urges, hand coming to rest between Jimin's shoulder blades. Slowly, Jimin's still-pink face emerges and he looks at anything but Jungkook. "You don't have to be jealous." 

"Shut up, please." 

"Let me finish," Jungkook chides. "You don't have to be jealous because the person I was thinking about was you." 

Jimin gasps and his head snaps up in surprise. "Why would you be thinking about me? Cause you feel bad for me, since I can't go anywhere?" 

"You really are so difficult, you know that?" Jungkook's hand glides across Jimin's back and up his shoulder, settles on the curve of his neck. "I was thinking about you," he whispers, leaning in, "because I like you, Jimin. As more than a friend."

Jimin's mouth parts in a silent gasp and Jungkook doesn't wait for him to respond, leans in to fill the spot between Jimin's plump lips with his own. 

It's a short kiss — barely a peck, really — but Jungkook's heart is racing like never before. He pulls away suddenly, face turning just as red as Jimin's and his arm coming back to hang awkwardly at his side again. The pair sit in silence for what feels like an eternity, the only sounds between them coming from the slow roll of waves against the bluffs and the squawking of seagulls in the distance. 

Jungkook realizes that the sound of the water is getting louder and louder and when he looks out into the horizon, he can see the physical waves getting bigger and bigger. The water is slightly darker than its usual crystal blue, more turbulent than it was just a few moments ago. Jimin must be upset. 

He jumps to his feet with the intention of leaving,  apology tumbling from his lips. "Sorry, Jimin, I shouldn't have— I just thought maybe— I'm sorry, I'm gonna—" 

His stuttering is interrupted by soft fingers coming to grip his own. Jungkook looks down and sees Jimin looking up at him with an indecipherable look on his face. 

"Kook," he says, pulling Jungkook down slightly. Jungkook follows, settling on his knees in front of Jimin. "Can we do that again?" he asks, and the shy tone of his voice betrays the sure way he looks into Jungkook's eyes. 

"You're not mad?" Jimin shakes his head no and Jungkook is confused. "But the wa—" 

"I'm not mad, Kook. Just…surprised. I didn't think you liked me back." 

Jungkook moves closer to Jimin and takes both hands in his own, squeezing lightly. "I've liked you longer than you can imagine," he whispers, tilting his head  and planting a kiss on Jimin's cheek and then his lips. 

🌊

"Shit, shit," Jungkook curses as the things he's carrying fall out of his arms one by one. He bends over to pick them up, arms wrapped around his stuff tighter as he takes careful steps onto the beach. 

Jungkook has to move fast — he wants to set everything up before Jimin gets here. He sets his stuff down on the ground, picking up the first thing and getting to work. 

The tent proves to be more difficult to put up than he was anticipating but Jungkook manages. It's a little lopsided and smells vaguely of fish (he borrowed it from the old fisherman from the market), but it'll do the job. Next he pulls out the two cushions from his pouch, placing them in the center of the tent just a foot away from each other. 

He grabs the folding floor table he had swiped from the kitchen when his mom wasn't looking and sets that up just in front of the cushions. Jungkook takes a step back and admires how nicely things are coming together. He hauls the picnic basket into the shade of the tent, hunched over as he rummages around for the final touch. 

Two gentle taps fall on his shoulder and Jungkook almost passes out in fright. He twists around, one hand clutching his chest and the other still in the basket. He feels like a criminal, like he just got caught with one hand in someone's jewelry box. 

"Whatcha doing, Jungkook?" Jimin asks casually, like he didn't just scare the daylights out of him. 

"How did you know I was here?" he wonders, disheartened because this was supposed to be a surprise. 

Jimin giggles and covers up his adorable smile with his hand. "Some hermit crabs saw you and rushed over to tell me that my boyfriend was here and acting suspicious." 

Stupid hermit crabs. Jungkook knows they called Jimin on purpose because he stepped on one of them by accident once and now they all have something against him. 

"I was trying to surprise you, baby. We've been together for how long now? And I've never been able to take you on a proper date since you can't leave the seaside. So I brought the date to you instead. I wanted it to be really romantic but you just had to show up before I could light the candles," Jungkook pouts, offended at the way Jimin is barely concealing his laughter. 

"It's okay, baby," Jimin responds, ruffling Jungkook's hair. "The time that we spend together is always romantic and I consider it a date every time you come to see me. Isn't that what you told me that one time, that dates are when two people who like each other do stuff together? We don't have to go anywhere." He bends over and presses a tender kiss to Jungkook's lips. Jungkook pulls him down until Jimin's perched on his lap, still kissing him softly. 

"Wait, I got you something," Jungkook remembers suddenly, pulling away from Jimin before placing him gently on one of the cushions and shoving his hand into his pocket. 

His hand emerges a few seconds later, dainty chain hanging from two of his fingers. Jimin inhales audibly and Jungkook preens in satisfaction. 

"Can I put it on you?" he asks. Jimin nods in affirmation and Jungkook unclasps the necklace, leaning into Jimin and circling his arms around Jimin's neck. He fastens the necklace, pressing a kiss to the tip of Jimin's nose before pulling away to admire the way the chain sits so pretty against Jimin's collar. 

It's rose gold, small pearls dotting the length of the necklace before halting for a topaz pendant carved into the shape of a wave. "Do you like it?" Jungkook breaks the silence, and he's pretty sure he knows Jimin's answer based on how his lips are parted in admiration and the way that his fingers haven't stopped fiddling with the necklace since Jungkook put it on him. 

"I love it," Jimin whispers. 

Jungkook and Jimin are only twenty — well, Jungkook is twenty and he's pretty sure Jimin is immortal — but he'll remember this moment forever, doesn't think anything will ever be as beautiful as Jimin when he's looking up at Jungkook like he hung the moon, the warm light that the setting sun offers reflecting off of his eyes and making them twinkle a million times more beautifully than any jewel could ever hope to. 

Nothing he's ever experienced has ever made him feel so strongly — not when he broke his leg and didn't get to see Jimin for weeks, not when he met giant turtles with Jimin for the first time, nothing. His hand comes up to caress Jimin's cheek and the emotions crash into Jungkook harder than the waves against the shore when Jimin is angry. 

"I love you." 

🌊

When Jungkook is twenty-one, he makes a big decision. His mom tells him it's madness, that he should reconsider, but Jungkook knows she'll support him regardless of what he does. 

He goes to break the news to Jimin, and anyone who saw him on the way would be able to tell that Jungkook was barely able to contain his excitement. 

"Jimin!" Jungkook shouts well before his feet meet the sand. "Baby! Where are you?"

Jimin emerges from a rolling wave in the same moment that Jungkook makes it into the cove. 

He runs over to Jimin before he can get out of the water, lifting him up and spinning him around before kissing him hard. He pulls back but can't help himself, kisses Jimin a handful more times before setting him back on his feet, still holding him at the waist. 

Jimin's smile is brighter than the sun and Jungkook has to resist the urge to kiss him again. "What's got you so excited, baby?" he asks, one hand coming to ruffle Jungkook's hair. 

"I'm going to the city, love, can you believe it? The city! My friend's brother told me all about it, told us that we can go stay with him and he'll help us find work! I've only seen the city in drawings but they have these big buildings made out of some kind of stone, and they're way bigger than anything we have in town. And there are so many people in the city, so many things to do, I can start making some real money and maybe buy a bigger house for me and my mom and—"

"Woah, Kook, slow down," Jimin laughs. "How far is the city?" 

Jungkook has to think for a second. He knows it's far away but can't remember exactly how far. "I would say maybe a week away from here by carriage. At least that's what my friend's brother told me." 

"So you won't live here anymore? By the seaside?" The light fades from Jimin's face and Jungkook realizes he forgot a very important detail. 

"No, baby, but that's not a problem because you can come with me! The place I'll be living, it's by the ocean, too. We can still see each other every day!" He tries to pull Jimin in for a hug but is surprised to meet resistance. "Jimin, what's wrong?" 

"I can't go with you, Kook," Jimin says, despondent. 

Jungkook is confused. "Why not? Is it because it's far? You've taken me to further oceans before, right?" 

"No, Jungkook. I can't leave here," Jimin turns his face away, doesn't look at Jungkook as he's talking. "When do you leave?" 

His words come out shaky like he's going to cry and Jungkook still doesn't understand. Jimin is a sea spirit — why wouldn't he be able to travel to a different ocean? He's done it before. 

The water around them darkens, tide coming in choppy at their feet. 

"I-in a few days," Jungkook mumbles, mood dampened. "I still don't understand—" 

Jimin steps away from him and Jungkook's hands slip from his waist. "I'm tired, Jungkook. I should get going before Mother Ocean starts wondering where I am." It's a lie and Jungkook knows it. Jimin is a spirit — he doesn't get tired, at least not after being on land for less than ten minutes. 

Before Jungkook can say anything, Jimin disappears with the tide and he's left standing alone, still wondering what happened. 

🌊

Jungkook goes to see Jimin the next day and the day after and the day after that, but Jimin is nowhere to be found. The water is still greyish-blue, the waves still rough and choppy, a visible effect of Jimin's  perplexing distress. 

The night before he leaves, the sky is dark and heavy with rain clouds and the wind whips over the sea so sharply that Jungkook can hear it whistling. It's starting to drizzle just as Jungkook makes it out of the woods, a few raindrops falling into his eyes. He rubs at his eyes to clear them and when he looks up, a familiar figure is kneeling on a ledge over the water.

Jungkook makes his way over, calling out Jimin's name gently so as not to startle him. 

"Jimin," he says, and receives no answer. Jimin's back is toward him and he's staring out into the water, paying no mind to Jungkook approaching him from behind. 

He places a hand on Jimin's shoulder and his skin is hot to the touch, a lot warmer than it has ever been before. Jungkook sinks to his knees beside Jimin, pulling Jimin into his body despite Jimin not reacting to his touch in the slightest. 

"Jimin, baby, please talk to me," Jungkook pleads, brushing a hand through Jimin's hair and turning Jimin's face toward him. "I'm leaving tomorrow, first thing in the morning. I can't leave here like this— can't leave us like this, Jimin, please. If you won't come with me won't you at least tell me wh—" 

Jimin's lips part and he says something so weakly, so quietly that Jungkook has to ask him to repeat himself. "Don't leave me," he says feebly, a single tear falling down his face. Jungkook has to conceal his surprise because he's never seen Jimin cry, didn't even know that Jimin could cry. 

"I-I'll be back, Jimin, I promise, I'll come and visit whenever I can—" 

Jungkook is cut off again when a quiet sob escapes Jimin and he clutches onto Jungkook’s shirt, buries his face in the side of Jungkook’s neck. “Jung-Jungkook, p-please don’t go, I’m begging you, please, don’t leave me. Y-you’re all I have, Kook, and M-mother—” Jimins sobs overpower his voice and then he can’t speak anymore, his anguished voice breaking Jungkook’s heart.

He pulls Jimin as close as he can, rubs a hand up and down his back to soothe him. Jimin is burning up despite the air around them being cool under the night sky. Jungkook shushes Jimin, presses kisses to the crown of his head in an effort to calm him down. He lies back against the rock, bringing Jimin with him and letting his head settle on his chest, wraps his arms around Jimin’s sob-wracked body. It’s far from comfortable but it seems to calm Jimin down, his breaths slowly evening out until Jungkook thinks he’s sleeping — another thing he’s never seen Jimin do. 

To get up now would be cruel so Jungkook decides against it, instead letting Jimin snuggle closer to him, still pressed close. The drizzle around them stops and the sky clears up slowly, the waves in the distance calming and seeming to rise and fall only with Jimin’s sleepy breaths. 

Jungkook wakes up to the sunrise and his back is killing him. Jimin is still holding him tight, cheek squished up against Jungkook’s chest. Jungkook slowly extracts himself from Jimin’s grip, feeling bad about having to leave Jimin asleep on the rock. 

He leans in to leave a lingering kiss on Jimin’s forehead only to be surprised when Jimin stirs awake and the kiss lands on his cheek instead. 

“You’re leaving.” Jimin says, voice hollow with doleful finality. 

Jungkook nods because he doesn’t know what else to do. Jimin sits up and looks at Jungkook but not really, the blankness in his stare making Jungkook feel like Jimin is looking through him instead. 

"I have to go now, Jimin, I'm sorry," Jungkook says needlessly. He plants a soft kiss on Jimin's lips one last time and it's not the heartfelt goodbye kiss he was expecting because Jimin barely moves his lips in response. "I'll visit, I promise, and I'll always love you." 

Jimin gets up on his feet and faces the water. "No, you won't," he scoffs before diving headfirst into the sea, not giving Jungkook a chance to answer. Jungkook looks forlornly over the ledge, hoping to catch one final glimpse of Jimin but he knows it's pointless; Jimin was long gone as soon as the first drop of water hit his skin. 

As he walks away, utterly dejected, Jungkook can't help but feel like their goodbye was Jimin leaving him behind and not the other way around. 

🌊

"Jungkook, there's a letter for you!" Jungkook's friend announces and wakes him. 

"Mmkay Tae, thanks," he grumbles back, still sleepy. 

Jungkook doesn't get out of bed immediately, chooses to stay on his pillow and stare at the ceiling in hopes of recollecting his dream from the night before. He can't remember what the dream was about really — he just recalls flashes of blue hair, of violent storms over the ocean juxtaposed with the image of a serene tide.

Abandoning his efforts, Jungkook rolls out of bed and freshens up before retrieving his letter. Jungkook smiles when he realizes it's from his mom, gets a papercut in his haste to open it. 

The beginning reads like the rest of his mom's letters; she complains about how much she misses her son, how troublesome her new puppy is, gets him up to speed on the most recent town gossip. Jungkook smiles because he knows what's coming next — his mother wants him to come visit. He's lived in the city for nearly two years now and hasn't returned to his village once yet, entirely too busy with any odd job he can take so he can send money back to his mom. 

The next part of her letter is something new entirely. Jungkook's mother details to him about tropical storms that have been ravaging the coastline for a few weeks now, how a tree crashed through her roof during one of them and how she's been living at her sister's place while she tries to get someone to patch it up for her. Most people are reluctant to work these days, she says, because it's almost too dangerous to go outside. The storms are incessant, more violent than any monsoon before, wind ripping trees from their roots and rain flooding the streets every other day. She tells him how the market rarely has vendors now except for the one elderly fisherman, who's been mumbling to himself since the bad weather started. 

An acute pang of something hits Jungkook then and he's not sure what it is but his mind is brought back to his dream. Well, his dreams, plural, because it's not the first night he's had the same dream. It's been months and he sees the same thing every few nights, waves crashing against bluffs or the tide rising and falling rapidly, a quick flash of pale seashells stark against bright hair. 

Sometimes he thinks he can see a silhouette against the shoreline, pretty hands dancing through the air and a delicate laugh ringing over his vision. Dream Jungkook will walk closer to the person, reaching out so he can see who the owner of the blue locks and the soft giggle is but the dream always ends there and Jungkook jerks awake suddenly, feelings of sharp, unanticipated yearning plaguing his heart. 

The emotions that come over him from reading his mother’s letter are a mix of so many things that Jungkook has a hard time identifying what exactly he’s feeling. A few moments pass and two things stand out to him in particular — longing and guilt. He doesn’t know who he’s longing for or what he’s feeling guilty about, but Jungkook can’t shake the feelings for the rest of the day or the day after or even a few days after that.

He decides he’s going to go back to his village at least for a few days, see his mom and fix her roof and maybe pinpoint where the ache in his chest is coming from. 

🌊

Jungkook arrives a few miles from his hometown just two weeks later, making the final portion of his journey on foot because the carriage driver had refused to get any closer to the coast in fear of the storms. 

It’s been a long week of traveling and his back is aching from sitting against the uncomfortably stiff coach seats all day and only getting to rest at night on equally uncomfortable inn bedding. Still, the thought of being home again keeps Jungkook going despite the way his back whines with every step. Life in the city isn’t bad — Jungkook gets to live with his friends and gets opportunities he wouldn’t get outside of the city — but it’s not home. Where the city is crowded, grimy, unfamiliar, his village is open, refreshing, intimate. Even though the city also borders an ocean, Jungkook can’t help but feel that it lacks the distinct salty breeze that his hometown has, air tinged instead with the heavy scents of soot and iron. 

He misses his mom, his house, his friends. There’s something — someone? — else he’s been missing, too, but Jungkook can’t figure it out for the life of him. Since moving to the city there's been an emptiness in his chest that he can’t shake, sometimes barely noticeable and other times like someone ripped away a part of him, especially recently. 

Jungkook reaches the outskirts of the village and with it, the rain. The darkening of the sky is abrupt, the division between blue skies and grey storm clouds so clear it's like someone drew a line between them. The rain falls harder the closer he gets to the heart of the town, by the beach. 

It's eerily quiet in the village, not a peep to be heard over the thundering fall of the rain against the ground. Thunder rumbles in the distance as Jungkook reaches his neighborhood, runs to his aunt's house with the excitement of getting to see his mom again. 

He knocks on the door once and receives no answer, knocks louder the second time in case nobody heard him and still, no answer. Jungkook walks around the side of the house and peers in through a window, surprised to see that the house is empty save for its furnishings. Confused, Jungkook walks to his own house only to find that the roof is still unpatched — there’s no way anyone is in there right now.

The market yields the same result; it’s like his village is a ghost town. Jungkook shakes the water out of his hair and sees a figure in the distance when he looks up, someone walking toward him from the other end of town. He rushes over to the person, realizing upon closer inspection that it’s the elderly fisherman. 

“Grandfather, where is everyone?” Jungkook bows to him.

The man looks at him with that oh-so-familiar tilt of his head — years have gone by and he’s shrunken and wrinkled with age but the head tilt remains the exactly same — before addressing him. “They finally evacuated the town. I’ve been telling everyone but nobody listened to me and now it’s too late. He’s mad, he’s been mad for a long time now.”

It’s Jungkook’s turn to look at him funny, head tilted in puzzlement. “Who’s mad, Grandfather?”

“Jimin!”

Jungkook still doesn’t understand and he expresses his confusion only for the fisherman to glare at him.

“The sea spirit, Jimin! Your best friend! You’re anchored to him!”

“Grandfather, I don’t know anyone named Jimin,” Jungkook reaffirms. The old man had always talked about strange things but it seems that in the time Jungkook’s been away, he’s really gone mad.

Jungkook is met with a look of complete incredulity, the fisherman’s mouth opening and closing several times like — well, like a fish. “Y-you did this? You forgot him, that’s why he’s like this,” he gestures to the black sky above them, the storm pelting down on them. “Because he’s heartbroken. You— he begged you not to leave, didn’t he? And you still left, didn’t even come by to visit. Just like me and m—,” his voice breaks then, and he uses the back of a hand to wipe at his eyes before continuing. “Just like me and my Mina.”

The two of them are drenched and the rain gives no sign of letting up, instead falling harder with every passing second. Jungkook opens his mouth to kindly let the man know that he’s mistaken, he’s talking to the wrong person, when a bolt of lightning strikes the ground at the very same moment that sorrow washes over him, filling the empty spaces in heart like the high tide fills in gaps in the shoreline. 

Whatever barrier that caused him to forget everything — to forget Jimin — is gone and it’s like a dam is broken, memories of his childhood flooding back to him faster than he can process. Jungkook stands in awe as the flashes of his dreams complete themselves, fragmented visions becoming whole pictures as he realizes the sea, the storms, the silhouette — they were all Jimin.

“Jimin,” he whispers, mortified. “Wh-where is he?” Jungkook’s voice is laden with realization, with guilt, with woe. 

The old man shakes his head and shrugs his shoulders, and Jungkook can tell from his posture that he’s reliving memories of his own. “I don’t know. You can still fix this,” he rasps. “You need to find him. Don’t make the same mistake that I did, son. Fix this — save Jimin. Before it’s too late.”

For all the times that people had thought the fisherman to be crazy, he seems perfectly in his right mind as he addresses Jungkook, voice stern like he’s a headmaster instructing an apprentice. His tone leaves no room for argument or questions, and he wishes Jungkook luck before turning on his heel and retreating, cane clacking against the wet ground as he hobbles away. 

A million thoughts cross Jungkook's mind but he pays no attention to any of them, his sole focus at the moment to find Jimin before it’s too late. He doesn’t even know when too late is or what’ll happen then, but he prays that he finds Jimin before they get there. 

Jungkook runs to the thicket of trees that leads into the cove, discarding his luggage and other items on the way there. The canopy above him is dark and creepy and he's reminded of the days when he was younger, too afraid to come into the woods by himself. Right now, though, Jungkook doesn't care. He can barely see with the way the sky has blackened above him, fat raindrops falling from between the treetops in steady torrents. He pushes onward until his feet meet the sand and he sees the angry shoreline in front of him. 

"Jimin!" he cries out in anguish. "Jimin, I'm here!" 

Jimin is nowhere to be seen but a massive flash of lighting hits the water as soon as he's done talking, waves rising higher than the buildings in the city. The sight is absolutely terrifying but Jungkook pushes on anyway, stopping in his tracks when he sees the water rising from sea level in a shape that's not a wave. 

"Holy fuck," he whispers to himself, blood running cold. In the center of the horizon, a massive column of water twists up, up, up, all the way past the clouds and into the sky, approaching the shore at a rapid pace. Jungkook runs to the ledge of rocks that he and Jimin would sit on all the time and tries summoning Jimin again. 

"Jimin, where are you? Please, I'm here! I'm sorry!" his throat is raw from trying to be heard over the swooshing of the wind and the patterning of the rain, and now the violent howl of the typhoon in front of him. 

Jungkook sees something in the center of the cyclone, realizing with a start that the something is in the shape of a person. 

Jimin takes up the entire center of the typhoon — he is the eye of the storm. His eyes are glowing blue so brightly that Jungkook can see them even in the darkness of the tempest. Right now, he doesn't look like Jimin, Jungkook's best friend, but instead like Jimin, a very powerful, very angry sea spirit. 

"Jimin, I'm sorry! I'm sorry and I love you, Jimin, I love you so much! Please," Jungkook shouts to no avail. Jimin doesn't break out of his reverie, still suspended in midair with water whipping around him in a vicious spiral, eyes glued to the rivage ahead of him. If the cyclone reaches the shore, Jungkook can't even imagine the destruction that would follow. Hundreds of lives would be lost, maybe even thousands, and every village along the coast would be wholly decimated. And Jungkook knows, knows that when Jimin breaks out of whatever this is, he won't be able to live with himself. His tender-hearted, turtle-loving, soft-spoken Jimin would be agonized at the obliteration left in his wake. 

Jungkook's mind runs to drastic ideas and he jumps into the water without a second thought. He knows that Jimin would never let harm come to him — prays that the sentiment still rings true. The waves engulf him, tossing him around violently, his lungs filling with water rapidly, and Jungkook is reminded of the first time he met Jimin, when Jimin had saved his life. Jimin's round, smiling face is the last thing he thinks of before consciousness leaves him. 

🌊

When Jungkook comes to, he's shivering and his clothes are soaked. Jungkook thinks for a moment that maybe the events of the last few hours were just a fever dream but then he doubles over and coughs violently, water expelling itself from his chest so he can breathe better. 

He's in the cove, in their cove, but he doesn't see Jimin anywhere. The storm is gone but the sky is still cloudy, the water still choppy. That means Jimin is around somewhere. 

Jungkook stands up on shaky legs and tries to wring the water out of his clothes to no avail. He walks over to the rock ledge with the intention of climbing onto it but stops, surprised to see Jimin sitting on one of the lower rocks with his feet dipping into the water. 

"Jimin," he says, voice barely a whisper. Jimin turns around and Jungkook can't stop the tears that well in his eyes. Jimin looks exhausted, his blue hair a mess and eyes ringed with tired circles of grey. He's still wearing the necklace that Jungkook gave him so long ago, the jewel glimmering so prettily in contrast to the heavy mood around them. 

Jungkook takes a tentative step toward Jimin and Jimin stiffens, turns away from him. Jungkook is not fazed, instead takes a seat on the rock just a few feet away from Jimin. 

His body is sore and he winces as he faces Jimin, hesitant to break the silence. Jungkook doesn't have to worry about the awkwardness because Jimin speaks first. 

"Jungkook…you're here," he murmurs. 

"I don't know what happened but I'm—" Jimin cuts Jungkook off, one hand coming up slowly to stop the flow of Jungkook's words. 

"You left. That's what happened." Jungkook doesn't understand and he lets Jimin know. 

"I know I left, Jimin, but I asked you to come with me and you chose not to. And then when I asked you why, you never told me, just said that you couldn't. What was I supposed to do, Jimin?" Jungkook tries to keep the frustration out of his voice but fails miserably. 

"I didn't tell you because I couldn't, Jungkook, and I didn't go with you because I fucking couldn't!" Jimin is heated now and Jungkook's first instinct is to calm him down before he summons another typhoon. 

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry that I left but I'm here now so please, Jimin, tell me what's going on," Jungkook pleads. 

"It's a long story."

"I'm not going anywhere." 

Jimin takes a deep breath, hand rubbing at his face before he starts talking again. "You remember how I would always talk about Mother Ocean, how sea spirits are banned from interacting with humans?" 

Jungkook nods. 

"Well, all the times that I came to see you, I did in secret. I never told anyone because I didn't want to get punished. Mother Ocean, she — she can be scary, Kook. If you thought my anger was frightening then you have no clue what Mother Ocean is capable of. Anyway, I kept coming to see you even though I wasn't allowed to, and you even taught me how to use my legs, remember?"

Jungkook can't help but smile, the memory of Jimin's first time on land flashing through his head. He thinks about how wobbly his legs had been and how scared Jimin was when Coco tackled him to the ground. 

"Mother Ocean didn't find out until later, not until that day you gave me the necklace." Jimin fiddles with the pendant, fingers brushing along the chain on his neck. "You went home that night and I was roaming around and suddenly this massive whirlpool opens up and Mother Ocean is there, furious. She said that I was anchored to a human even though all interactions were strictly forbidden, and that I was never to see you again. I argued with her, and god Kook, we argued for so long. I told her that I loved you and she laughed in my face, told me that one day you'd leave me and forget me and that I would be heartbroken. I defended you and she punished me for it, forbade me from leaving the waters inside the cove forever."

Shock courses through Jungkook's body  "She forbade you— the cove?" Jungkook can't get the words out, the weight of Jimin's words setting in. His gaze falls on the cove just in front of them and his heart aches at the thought of Jimin being restricted to such a small body of water when he was accustomed to traveling every ocean in the world. "Jimin, I'm— I'm so sorry, Jimin, it's my fault," he blubbers.

"Wait, Kook, let me finish. I was okay with that, you know, because I still had you. I'd never felt anything like hunger or anger or jealousy or love before because those are all human things. And the more time I spent with you, the more human I became. But then you decided you were going to leave, and that meant leaving me, meant that Mother Ocean was right. When you asked me to come with you I couldn't tell you what was going on because I wasn't allowed to, Kook. Mother Ocean also forbade me from meddling in human affairs so if I influenced your decision in any way, she would've known. So you left. And I was here, stuck in the cove without even you to keep me company. Do you know how lonely that was? For me to have all these new emotions that I learned from you and nobody to experience them with? To have you leave me behind?"

Jungkook shakes his head. He can't even imagine how Jimin felt, doesn't want to imagine it. "But then— how did I forget about you? Why?"

"Because you're human, Jungkook. Because the thing that anchors us is magic, and as soon as you leave the source of the magic, it fades away. Why do you think nobody ever believed you when you told them you have a blue haired friend that lives in the sea? It's because they were never anchored by the ocean's enchantments."

"What were you doing, with the cyclone? Why would you do something like that?"

Jimin sniffles and looks away, a look of shame darkening his features. "The punishment for meddling in human affairs is to be dissolved, Jungkook." 

Jungkook has no idea what that means. "Dissolve what? Or who?" 

"Dissolve me, Jungkook. Mother Ocean would have disintegrated me into sea foam."

"What the fuck," Jungkook whispers. That's what the fisherman had meant by saving Jimin before it was too late. A name flashes across Jungkook's head — Mina. Maybe the fisherman had fallen in love with a spirit too, maybe he was too late to save her. Jungkook shudders at the thought, despair engulfing him when he imagines that the old man would've been the picture of his future if he hadn't found Jimin on time. 

"I felt our anchor fading and it hurt so, so bad. Heartbreak, that wasn't something I had felt before you left. So when it hit me, it hurt worse than anything I'd ever experienced before. I waited for you, you know. But you never came, and I put up with it for as long as I could but I just couldn't do it anymore. I figured it was better to be dissolved than to live like that for all of eternity."

"So you— you decided to destroy the coast? So that you'd be disintegrated?" 

Jimin nods and says something unintelligible. Jungkook asks him to repeat himself and he does, wiping his eyes before talking again. "Yes, I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking, just hurting. I know your family and friends are here and—" Jimin sniffles, "—I just, I don't know."

"Nobody's in the village right now, Jimin." Seeing Jimin cry makes Jungkook want to do the same. "You did all this because I left? Didn't you think I would've come back for you?" 

Jimin looks up at him, expression accusatory. "But you forgot me, didn't you? Do you think I wanted to do all this, to hurt people?" Jungkook can tell how much he's still hurting just by how Jimin snapped at him. 

"I'm here now, aren't I? Isn't that what matters?" 

"Actually, nothing matters now. You'll go back to your life, and the second I go back into the water, Mother Ocean is going to find me and I'll get dissolved anyway. The storm alone was enough." 

Neither of them say anything for a while, Jungkook processing what Jimin just said and Jimin sitting in a heavy, crestfallen silence. 

A wild thought crosses Jungkook's mind and he blurts it out suddenly. "You said that the more time you spend with me, the more human you become, right?" he asks. Jimin nods. "What if you just…don't go back in the water? What if you just come with me, what would happen?" 

Jimin's head whips around and he meets Jungkook's eager gaze. "I don't— I'm not sure. I've never left the cove. I don't even think I can. And the longer I spend out of water, the harder it is for me to use any magic later." 

"But you're only banned from any waters outside the cove. Mother Ocean never said anything about land, did she?" Jungkook grasps Jimin's hands in his own and a shiver travels through his body, like touching Jimin was the last piece of the unfinished puzzle inside him.

"Jungkook, that's— it's crazy. I can't leave here. This is all I've ever had. The ocean, this beach. And you— you have your own life to live, Kook." Jimin tries to release his hands from Jungkook but Jungkook grips them firmer, shuffles closer to Jimin.

"And me. Jimin, you had me. You still have me. When I left, it felt like something was missing. Like some part of me was just gone, erased, and I didn't even know what it was until I came back here. Every night I would have these dreams and I didn't understand what they were about until right now. They were about you. I can't live without you, Jimin. I don't want to." 

Jimin looks at Jungkook, really looks at him, the intensity of his gaze so much that Jungkook almost wants to look away. Jungkook doesn't, meeting Jimin's gaze with something that he hopes conveys how much he loves Jimin despite the time that's passed, the things that have happened. 

Jimin looks away first but only to fall into Jungkook's arms and bury his face in the side of Jungkook's neck. Jungkook can feel Jimin's hot tears against his skin, Jimin's soft lips brushing against his throat as he mumbles, barely audible, "Okay. Okay, I'll come with you." 

🌊

No matter where they go, Jimin always gets comments about his hair. 

"How did you get your hair to be that color?" 

"It matches your necklace!" 

"Are you a mermaid?" 

Jimin always laughs them off and tells people he had magic. Everyone always laughs him off and goes about their day, but Jimin isn't lying. He did have magic.

He and Jungkook moved back to the city and got their own place after Jimin made the decision to leave the water for good. Jimin's journey to humanhood is a long and tumultuous one with some days better than others. He's okay initially, just excited to see the different things that land has to offer, the only negative side effect being that he tires quite easily. 

Things aren't always smooth sailing, though. Jungkook comes home from his apprenticeship one day to find Jimin fainted on the floor, face pallid and not breathing. He stays unconscious for three days, breathing so quiet at some points that Jungkook is afraid he's dead. This happens on and off for a while and there's nothing that Jungkook can do about it. The two come to the conclusion that the bouts of sickness come from the magic leaving Jimin's body, slowly making him mortal. 

Jimin's powers go next. He and Jungkook stroll on the beach and Jimin bends over to help a little turtle into the sea like he always does only to find that the water doesn't come when he calls it, that the turtle doesn't understand him when he speaks to it. He cries for a long time that day, glued to Jungkook's side as he sobs about not being connected to the ocean anymore and losing all his marine friends. 

Jungkook gets him a puppy a few days after that, something to distract Jimin while he's away at work. His heart races in panic when he comes home to see Jimin on the floor again, this time on his stomach beside their couch. 

Fuck, he thinks, Jimin is sick again. 

He approaches Jimin's prone figure carefully, bends down to lift him bridal style and carry him to their bed only to almost drop him when Jimin yelps in protest. 

"Aw, no, Kook! Why'd you do that? I was trying to get Mango to come out from under the couch!" 

"Mango?" 

"Yeah," Jimin pouts. "The puppy. And now you scared me and you scared him, you dummy." 

"I love you, you know that?" 

"Stop trying to distract me," Jimin scolds. "I've been trying to get him out of hiding since you left this morning and you just ruined it." Jimin's arms wrap around Jungkook's neck and Jungkook leans in, pecking Jimin on his pouty lips once, pulling away to look at him in adoration. 

He admires Jimin's hair — the only remaining proof that he was ever a spirit — and his eyes (even though they're currently glaring at him), Jungkook's own eyes trailing over to Jimin's red-tinted cheeks. Jimin is smiling now and Jungkook feels a burst of happiness inside of him like fireworks going off over the horizon. 

Jimin may not have infinite oceans to travel and marvel over now, but he does have Jungkook. And Jungkook can't think of anything he'd like more than to keep making Jimin smile for the rest of his life.