Chapter Text
Jungkook can't help the smile plastered on his face as he carried his tray of food towards the table with Yoongi and Seokjin. The heavy boots he is wearing feel light as a feather and the rough material of his military uniform seems like silk against his skin.
"Can you stop smiling like that?” Yoongi mumbles as he picked up his chopsticks and started eating. “You're starting to creep me out."
"Yah! Let him smile like that. He'll be seeing his best friend who he is secretly in love with after two years." Grains of rice spill from Seokjin's mouth as he scolded Yoongi, smiling at Jungkook and stealing a piece of meat from the younger's plate. "Look at him. He's so much in a good mood, he won't hit me even if I steal his food."
Jungkook entertains Seokjin and places a big piece of meat on the elder’s plate. He is definitely in a good mood.
"I'm finally seeing Hoseok, too, but I don't smile like that," Yoongi replies, nibbling on a pickled radish.
"You and Hoseok are boyfriends and Jungkookie here is… well, he's just about to confess."
Jungkook feels his face heat up. Seokjin is too loud and soon enough, the other men eating in the cafeteria hear it, and everyone is suddenly cheering Jungkook up.
"Fighting, Jungkook! Get yourself that girl!" Yugyeom shouts from the other table.
"Yah! Shut up. It's not a gi-“
"Hyung," Jungkook stops Seokjin. Of course, people will assume it is a girl. Their fucked-up country is filled of homophobic people who think that being a gay is a disease.
"Oh, sorry." Seokjin apologizes but still sends a glare towards Yugyeom.
"Tss. It's your fault for being too loud, stupid." Yoongi rolls his eyes at Seokjin, as he sipped on his can of cola.
"Yah! I'm older than you!"
Jungkook just shakes his head as the two bickers with each other. Nothing can sour his mood even homophobes because he'll be seeing Jimin tomorrow already.
"He's starting to creep me out, too," Seokjin whispers to Yoongi but Jungkook hears it anyway and he just smiled even wider.
"Told you." Yoongi stretches his back that is strained from too much bending forward as he arranged his luggage.
Jungkook zips up his own luggage, ready to sleep. He watches the other two settle on their beds before going for the lights to turn it off.
"Good night, hyungs!" Jungkook says as he slips on his bed, the metal making a noise from his weight.
"Ugh! Stop that! You'll give us nightmares. You never say good night kid! Just sleep."
Jungkook laughs at that, burying his smile on his pillow. He can't help but feel like a teenager who is finally seeing his crush in school after a long summer vacation.
He closes his eyes and his mind is immediately filled with the images of Jimin. He can still remember the day before he entered the military and it makes him more excited because Jimin promised to be the first one to welcome him after.
"Shit. I think you need an extra blanket." Jimin lets go of the luggage and scrambles towards Jungkook's closet. "Oh, and a jacket too. Do you have enough socks? It can be cold. How about boxers? Most of your boxers have holes in it. You can't use that. Oh. Toothbrush. I'll get it."
Jimin slams the closet door in his haste, creating a loud thump as he went for Jungkook's bathroom. Jungkook grabs him on the waist in time before he can do just that.
"Jimin." Jungkook sits comfortably on the edge of his bed and he pushes Jimin down on his lap.
"Shit. Jungkook. I need to get you a toothbrush.”
"Stop now," Jungkook whispers, right hand running up and down Jimin's back and the other pulling Jimin's legs towards him as the older sits on his lap sideways. "It's okay. I'm going to be fine."
He nuzzles on the elder's shoulder, smelling the lavender-scented detergent they always use. He feels Jimin's tense body sagged at his ministrations and seconds after, he can feel drops of tears on his hand that is placed on Jimin's lap. He tilts his head up, only to see Jimin crying, eyes brimmed with tears, cheeks wet, lips quivering and his nose red.
Jungkook shakes his head with a smile as he pulls Jimin's head on his shoulder. The position is awkward and Jimin feels it so he moves, putting both of his legs on either side of Jungkook to straddle him. His arms wrap around Jungkook's neck as he buries his face on Jungkook's shoulder, more comfortable this time.
"It's not like I'm not coming back. Stop crying." Jungkook tries to calm his best friend down but Jimin only shakes more violently this time, his hiccups getting louder.
"J-just go next year. Can't y-you?" Jimin sobs in between his words. "You're just 23 anyway."
Jungkook plants a kiss on Jimin's temple before pulling Jimin's face away from his shoulder. He cups his tear-stained face with both hands. "God. You're so ugly when you cry."
Jungkook teases him, one thing that always gets Jimin worked up because he knows he's beautiful but instead of snapping at Jungkook like usual he just cries louder.
"D-don't go.” Jimin manages to get out from his quivering lips.
"You know I can't do that. Even you served at the military. I can’t keep on postponing it." Jungkook wipes the tears on Jimin's face using the sleeves of his sweater.
"But it's unfair, we weren't even best friends when I entered military but now we are and then you have to go. Do you know how it will be to not have a best friend beside you for two years, huh?"
"I will know. I won't have you inside either," Jungkook says as to make a point but that does not help, turning Jimin into a crying mess once again.
Jungkook lets him. He wants to cry with him, too, but that will be a disaster. He has only one day already before he enters the military.
So instead of making Jimin stop, he just hugs him tighter. He'll miss him so much.
It took almost half an hour before Jimin calms down, his shaking shoulders steadying, only momentary hiccups left.
Jimin has been helping him with everything since the past weeks, from his requirements to his clothes, and to everything he needs to settle before going to service and it is the first time he breaks down.
Jungkook knows Jimin will but he does not expect it to be like this.
"You should sleep," Jungkook murmurs, not sure if Jimin is actually awake.
"Nooooo." Jimin's voice is hoarse from the crying. "I don't want to waste my few hours with you sleeping. You're more important than sleep."
Jimin's eyes are red and puffy when he finally raises his head and looks at Jungkook.
"Damn. I'm not even lying now. You're really ugly this time," Jungkook teases.
The pinch or slap on the chest doesn't come. "I'll miss your teasing."
Jungkook snorts and that small thing made the slap come, small hand hitting his shoulder. "I'm not joking I'll really miss you."
"And I'm not teasing you, you're really ugly."
Jimin glares at him and Jungkook laughs.
"Wait here. I'll get you water. You sound like cookie monster."
"No. Carry me. I'll stick to you until you have to leave. Maybe you can even pack me on your luggage. I'm small."
"Stop saying nonsense." Jimin gasps as Jungkook lifts him up as he stands, carrying him out of the room towards the kitchen.
He sits Jimin on the counter as he goes for the fridge for water. He poured some on Jimin's cup which has a printed BEST on it. Jungkook's cup has a FRIEND printed on it. They won it on a Christmas party's parlor games. Jimin took the BEST cup because Jungkook quotes Jimin 'I'm the best and you're a friend, Jungkook.' Jungkook did not argue.
"Here." Jungkook hands the cup and Jimin drinks the water in one go, even asking for another one.
"My throat feels like sandpaper."
"And whose fault was that?"
"Yours."
Jungkook does not argue. Jungkook cages Jimin on the counter, his palms flat at the cold marble on either side of Jimin.
"As much as I wanted to spend the whole night doing whatever you want, I need to sleep. I don't know what will happen at the first day at the military so I need to sleep and you, you have a shift tomorrow. You need to sleep, too." Jungkook pokes Jimin's nose and the older pouts.
"Fine. Let's sleep. I want to sleep in your room," Jimin says, arms already wrapping around Jungkook's neck for him to be carried.
"Okay. You can sleep on the floor. I won't mind."
Jimin huffs, warm breath fanning on Jungkook’s bare neck. "I hate you."
"Yeah?" Jungkook asks with a smile as he lifts Jimin up again.
"No. Never."
"Hey, listen to me. I've gone to the military already so you should take my advice." Jimin opens the car door as he continues to ramble on.
"Yeah? What advice? Like act cute towards the officer so that they will let you sleep longer and give you extra chocolates after lunch?" Jungkook asks, getting all his bags from the trunk.
"H-how did you know that? I didn't-" Jimin's gaze goes in an instant towards Taehyung who suddenly has the ability to talk to the parking signage. He went to the military the same time with Taehyung. "Whatever. That's a strategy, anyway. I got chocolates and enough beauty rest. Hey! Slow down!"
"I'm going to be late, Jimin," Jungkook replies, walking faster. He still has 20 minutes but it's better to arrive early.
He marches towards the gate where a few men are entering already. "Jimin, I'm going to-“ He looks back towards Jimin, only to see him a few meters away from him, just standing.
"Fuck." He leaves his bags on the ground and runs back to Jimin.
"Hey." Jungkook lifts Jimin's chin with his index finger, and his best friend’s eyes are already brimming with tears. "Why?"
"Are you that much in a hurry to leave me?"
Jungkook sighs. "You know I'll miss you the most, Jimin. I'm sorry. I just don't really want to fuck up in my first day. Now, go ahead, tell me your advice, military expert."
Jimin wipes a tear that escaped his eye, he promised Jungkook not to cry today but he broke it.
"Okay," Jimin hiccups. "If the officer asks you, who are you willing to die for? What will you say?"
Jungkook knows he should answer the country. It is an advice even five-year old kids know already and he finds it endearing that this is the advice that Jimin wants to give him.
"I'm willing to die for you. Park Jimin,” Jungkook answers instead.
Jimin's eyes widen, taken aback by Jungkook's answer and Jungkook is so tempted to just sneak his best friend inside his luggage so he’ll have him every day.
"Nooooo." Jimin whines after recovering. "Gosh. I knew you will not know this one. This is why you need to listen to me. That's not it. You should say the country. You say you're willing to die for the country. God. Do you really want to survive the military service or not?"
Jungkook chuckles. "But that's the truth. I'm willing to die for you."
Jimin smiles and blushes. "Whatever. Just lie and say the country. And…"
"And what?" Jungkook prods, memorizing every feature of Jimin especially this one at the moment with his cheeks flushed red. Jungkook feels a sense of fulfillment that he caused it.
"I don't want you to die for me. I want you to live for me and live with me forever." Jimin's gaze falls on the ground, cheeks flaming.
Jungkook is never the type to cry too much but he wanted to right now. It is slowly dawning on him that he will not be with Jimin for two fucking years. But still, he holds his tears back. "Welcome me, okay? After my military service, I want you to be the first one I see. Promise me?"
"I will. I promise." Jimin offers his pinky finger and Jungkook links his.
Jungkook brings their tangled pinkies and kisses it. "I sealed it. You can't break it."
"I won't."
"I'll tell you something important once I got out." Jungkook tucks Jimin's hair on his right ear.
"What is it?"
Jungkook laughs, playfully flicking Jimin’s forehead. "When I get out, you'll know."
Jungkook plants a kiss on Jimin's forehead as he whispers take care before running away, waving his hands.
"What's with you now?" Yoongi complains as Jungkook paces back and forth on their room. The older is putting on his socks and Seokjin is fixing the beds.
"He's nervous."
"Fuck. Hyungs, do I look okay? I think I should style my hair a little better. Should I wear another jacket?" Jungkook asks, frantic, hands already shoved inside the luggage to pick another jacket.
"Yah! Stop that! You'll mess your luggage again. You won't have time to do any of that, we will be called out anytime soon. Do you want to get a punishment on your last day, huh?"
Jungkook bites on his lips in thought. He doesn't want that of course but he wants to look good for Jimin. Jimin has been sending him pictures and his best friend looks more beautiful each time but he hates that he can't do so much on his look since there is a specified haircut for him in the military.
The last time Jimin sent a selfie to him, his hair is colored a bright orange and it suits him so much. He hopes that the latter hasn't dyed his hair yet since he wanted to see him in that hair color in person and bury his nose on the silky hair to get a whiff of his floral shampoo Jungkook wished he is still using.
The speakers blare out, disrupting Jungkook's thoughts, ordering for everyone to go to the designated ceremony area.
The ceremony didn't last long. Time passed by so fast that Jungkook only snapped out of his reverie when Seokjin is already hugging him and tapping his back. He hugs him back and Yoongi joins in with a forced whine.
"Thank you, hyungs!" Jungkook says as they untangle themselves from the hug.
Yoongi messes with his hair with a laugh. Jungkook bends a little since Yoongi is smaller than him.
"Shall we go?" Seokjin asks and Jungkook feels his anxiety spike. He'll be meeting Jimin now. For his two years of staying at the military, he only happened to meet Jimin twice due to the limited times they can go out of the barracks and because the barracks is located far away from Seoul. The other times that they plan to meet up was ruined because of Jimin's schedule. The last time they saw each other was a week before Christmas which is a year and two months ago already.
Jungkook hears the metal gates of the barracks opened and some of the men cheered in unison, only to be scolded by the higher-ranking officers.
The three of them walk along with the others towards the exit. Yoongi is still almost a meter away from the exit but a loud voice can already be heard calling out his name.
"Yoongi baby! I'm here!" The man is waving both of his hands in the air, his lips forming a heart shape as he smiles. His choice of clothes stands out in the ocean of army green color of military uniforms. He gets the attention of almost everyone but he ignores everyone, eyes only fixated on Yoongi.
"Oh Gosh! Does he really have to do that?" Yoongi shakes his head but his smile is the widest Jungkook has ever seen on him.
"Hey. Don't forget I'm riding the car with you. Please don't make out in front of me. Please. I've had enough of those."
Yoongi stumbles backwards as the man runs towards him and throws himself at the smaller figure of Yoongi. Jungkook smiles as the man showers Yoongi's face with kisses but it does not last. His eyes wander around the swarm of people, looking for a hint of his best friend. He's sure he'll stand out as well with his bright, orange hair.
"Jungkook!" Yoongi calls him out. "Meet Hoseok, my boyfriend."
"Oh. Nice to meet-” Jungkook is taken aback when the man, Hoseok it is, hugged him.
"Jungkook! Of course, I know you, the one who has a crush on his best friend. Yoongi told me."
Jungkook's face heats up, eyes searching for hints of his best friend around who might hear it.
"Babe, don't be too loud. He hasn't confessed yet. You might spoil it." Yoongi pulls Hoseok onto his side and the taller man giggles.
"Is he here?" Hoseok asks, neck swinging from left to right.
"I haven't seen him yet. Maybe he's late, he's got a habit of being late and our apartment is quite far, maybe he got caught on the traffic as well." Jungkook is saying those excuses more to himself than to Hoseok. He can't help but feel disappointment creep in his chest as the people go on their own ways.
"Don't worry, Jungkook. He'll be here any sooner for sure. Shall we stay and wait with you for a while? We also want to meet him." Yoongi offers but Jungkook shakes his head.
"It's okay, hyung. I know your family prepared a feast and they're waiting for you. You can go first. Maybe we can set up a meeting with Jimin another time."
"Jimin? His name sounds familiar?" Hoseok tilts his head to the side, trying to remember something.
"There's a lot of Jimins in Korea, babe. Come on, let's get going." Yoongi pats Jungkook on the shoulder before giving him a hug.
Seokjin follows as well, receiving a playful smack on his back from Jungkook.
Jungkook watches the three walk towards the parking lot and waved at them as they drive their car away.
He stood there for a while, eyes searching for that one man he loves, until he felt droplets of water stain his black sweater, and seconds later, rain is pouring hard. He runs towards an empty waiting shed, shaking off his now wet hair as he glanced around, feet thumping in a rhythm on the damp ground.
A voice in his head screams at him that Jimin might not be coming but he pushed it aside. It wasn't that long anyway. He's just 30 minutes late. He'll come.
But an hour passed already, the rain getting stronger and his boots are now wet, water seeping inside and damping his socks.
Maybe he forgot. He can be forgetful sometimes. Jungkook thought with a sigh.
Just when he's about to reach for his phone to contact his hyung instead, he sees a glimpse of orange hair from a distance. His heart skipped a beat and he's suddenly very concerned with how he looked. Jimin is running under the rain, his denim jacket pulled over his head to protect himself from the rain as he swings his neck from left to right.
Jungkook waves his hands towards the older and it took a good minute before Jimin notices him, pausing for a second on the rain just looking at Jungkook then running towards him.
"Hey-"
"Sorry, I'm late." Jimin murmurs on Jungkook's neck, his soaked clothes dampening Jungkook's as he hugs the younger.
Jungkook hugs him tight, lifting Jimin on the ground and spinning him once. "God. I miss you so much."
He plants a kiss on the now, wet orange locks of his best friend as he pulls away a little to get a good look of Jimin's face.
He’s perfect. Jungkook thinks.
"I miss you too."
"Of course, you should. I thought you're not coming already. I almost dialed my hyung's number."
"I won't miss this for anything, you know that. I just got stuck from work since my boss didn’t allow me to have a day off and the traffic is bad. Sorry."
Jungkook stares at Jimin, just feeding his heart with the images of his best friend. His heart thrums against his chest. He's freaking in love with his best friend.
He pulls Jimin again into a hug, squeezing him tight as if he's going to run away.
"Hey! What is it?"
"Hmm?"
Jimin puts both of his hands flat on Jungkook's chest to push him a little, enough to look at each other's faces.
"You said you're going to tell me something important once you got out of the military. What is it?"
Jimin has to look up at Jungkook to stare at him straight in the eye. Jungkook watches a droplet of water travel from Jimin's forehead to his nose, down to his chin then gone.
It's time. Jungkook licks his lip once. He practiced this over and over again, even rehearsed it together with Yoongi and Seokjin. He can do it.
"Jimin," Jungkook starts.
"Yes?"
Even Jimin’s voice is perfect to his ears.
"We've been best friends for six years now and we know everything about each other, well maybe except for this one that I've been hiding from you."
Jimin's brows furrowed and his mouth opens but he chose not to speak whatever questions he has in mind so Jungkook continues.
"You've been there to witness everything - the happiest and the lowest parts of my life and you're still here. I'd like you to stay. Forever. This is a risk I'm taking right now. This might be an end to us or a start but I'll still do it because I trust you more than anyone."
Jimin's eyes are now glassy from tears. He knows it already. Jungkook just has to seal it, confirm it.
"Jungkook, I-"
"Please," Jungkook kisses Jimin's palms together and feel his own tears roll down on it. "I know it might not be the same for you but maybe we can just try. Jimin, I love you. I'm in love with you."
Jimin stares at him but does not say anything. He pulls his hands away from Jungkook and use it to wipe the tears on the younger's face.
Jungkook stops him. "Jimin, please say something. I want to he-"
"Jimin!" A man calls out from afar, coming from the direction where Jungkook first saw Jimin.
Jimin does not look back and just bit his lips.
"Hi. You must be Jungkook." The man speaks up with a smile as soon as he closed the umbrella, taking shelter on the waiting shed with the two.
"Who are you?" Jungkook snaps, not minding how angry he sounds.
"Oh, I'm Namjoon. I'm not sure if Jimin has mentioned it but I'm his boyfriend."