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Taehyung decided to move to Seoul in November to start a new life.
He had moved from Geochang after his boyfriend of two years had dumped him and now, at 25, just thought of moving.
He wanted to get over him and get on with his life but after a year of thinking of him, he realized it wouldn’t be easy. So he moved to Seoul, trying to find a new life for himself. He had found a job as a vocal coach, and prided himself for that.
Taehyung had lost contact with his parents, as they had basically disowned him for being gay.
As he walked up the stairs of the apartment building he moved to, he saw someone race past him.
”Yah, watch where you’re going!” he scolded.
”Sorry, sorry.” the person apologized, turning around.
Taehyung’s eyes widened. It was a young man, around his age, with slightly long dark hair and doe-like eyes with a smile on his face.
”Haven’t seen you around before.” the man said. “Are you visiting a friend?”
”Oh uh-no. I just moved here.” Taehyung responded.
”What floor? Maybe you’ll be near my room.”
“I’m in room 14 on the third floor.” Tae stated.
The man’s eyes widened. “No kidding! I’m on the same floor in room 13! I’m across from you!”
He nodded awkwardly, not knowing how to keep the conversation going.
”Anyways, I’m Park Jimin! When were you born? Maybe I’m your hyung.” the man said cheerfully.
“December 30, 1995.”
“Wow! I am your hyung! I was born October 13 of the same year. Need help unpacking?”
”That would be nice, thank you.”
Jimin cheerfully led Taehyung to room 14, the latter following shyly behind.
Jimin smiled secretly, going through the younger’s belongings. There were picture frames and books in the box he was going through. The moving company had moved Taehyung’s bookshelf and tables and couch and chairs into the room, so all they had to put out was the smaller things.
”Where do you want these?” he asked, waving around a small plush dog.
”Rest him on the couch after the pillows are out.” Taehyung answered.
The two continued their work silently.
The next morning, Taehyung was sitting on his couch eating breakfast when there was a knock on his door.
He got up and opened it, seeing Jimin standing there with a huge eye smile (cute).
”Hi Tae! Do you want to do something today?”
”Okay … I don’t have any plans.”
”Great! Meet you in the hallway in an hour!”
Jimin ran back into his apartment, leaving Taehyung confused at the door.
He quickly closed the door and got changed, not wanting to keep Jimin waiting.
Exactly an hour later, he stepped into the hallway. Jimin was already there, dressed in a white sweater and overalls, a newspaper cap on his head.
’Cute’ Taehyung thought, internally smiling.
”Taetae! Are you ready?” Jimin asked, looking over from his phone after hearing Taehyung’s apartment door close.
”Yeah. Where are we going?” he asked.
Jimin grinned. “I’m gonna surprise you.”
Jimin took his hand and led him to the stairs, Tae blushing hard.
Jimin led him down sidewalks, past cafes and restaurants, little shops and big brand shops.
After a while, they stopped in front of a museum. Taehyung was in awe. It was a huge white building.
”A photography museum?” he asked once he saw the sign. Was Jimin psychic? He loves photography.
”Yeah! When we were unpacking your boxes yesterday, I saw a bunch of photos you took!”
“Thank you.” he said gratefully, a rare smile on his face.
Jimin grinned back, touching Taehyung’s cheek. “You should smile more. It suits you.”
Taehyung just about died that day.
He didn’t know if he was hearing things, but he thought he heard Jimin coughing from across the hallway.
He was half asleep, so he didn’t worry about it.
He started hanging out with Jimin more, not that he really minded. He found out more about his neighbor, like his favorite foods and the little things about him. Jimin helped him find himself. Jimin broke down the walls he had put up after his breakup.
Today, they had planned a picnic. Jimin had packed a basket full of sandwiches and fruit.
“What do you want to be when you grow up, Tae?”
Surprised, he turned to face Jimin. “Well, I like photography, but that’s more of a hobby. I’m a vocal coach now, but I want to do something that excites me, you know?”
Jimin nodded. “I do.”
”What about you?”
”Dancing is fun, but eventually my bones will start to wear out and I won’t be able to anymore. I want to be happy forever.”
It was silent for a while, the two stared at the blue sky, at the clouds rolling across. The birds flew, flying free.
”I want to be like a bird.” Jimin said, breaking the silence. “No worries or burdens, flying free without fear.”
Tae was confused, but didn’t question him. Jimin looked ethereal under the sun’s rays.
Jimin and Taehyung went to their picnic spot a lot. Whether it was just to get a breath of fresh air, or look at the sky, maybe even vent their frustrations, the two were always there.
It was the spot where Tae first confirmed his feelings for Jimin. The younger was still working out how to confess. He wanted to know what Jimin thought of him. Was it more than a friend?
”Hey Tae,” Jimin asked one day, “What do you think of me?”
”Hyung, you’re really nice and patient. If you weren’t here, I don’t know what I would do.” he said sincerely.
Taehyung was about to get ready to go meet Jimin when his phone buzzed with a text from Jimin, who had texted that he couldn’t meet today and was busy with something else.
With nothing else to do, he decided to take a walk down the busy streets of Seoul.
As he walked, he thought of how much Jimin had helped him and how much he had grown since moving. Jungwon wasn’t worth it. Jimin was.
He needed to talk to Jimin.
He passed a park, filled with children and couples. There weren’t any same sex couples, as it was not very accepted in Korea. Children were running happily, dogs barking, and people skating.
As he passed the hospital on his walk, he spotted a man who looked suspiciously like Jimin, but the man had a mask on, so he couldn’t tell. He didn’t worry himself over the matter. He could ask Jimin about it later.
Jimin cancelling their plans became more frequent. Taehyung was worried, so he asked Jimin, but Jimin had told him not to worry about it.
Taehyung’s love for his thing was so much, he knew he needed to confess soon. But when was the right time?
He was about to go across the hallway to go check on Jimin, but another man walked out. Tae felt his heart stop.
Tae mustered up the courage to go up to the man.
”Excuse me?”
The man looked over. He must have been younger than Tae, with huge doe eyes and a bunny-like smile.
”I’m Taehyung, one of Jimin’s friends. Is he in there?”
The man sighed in relief. “Hi, I’m Jungkook, Jimin-Hyung’s other friend. He isn’t there at the moment. He’s been sick recently. I was concerned so I came over, but he wasn’t here.”
”Sick?”
”Yeah. He’s been wheezing and coughing and he’s been having frequent dizzy spells.”
”He didn’t tell me.”
”Hyung never wants anyone to worry.” Jungkook said. “But I always end up worrying anyways.”
”Thanks. I’ll go check on him tomorrow then.” Tae said.
”Wait! Can you give me your number and text me if something happens with Jimin?”
Tae nodded, putting his number in Jungkook’s phone.
He saw Jimin the next day. Jimin was pale, with bags under his eyes, but with the same smile on his face. “Hi Tae!”
”Jimin-hyung, are you alright?”
“Yes. I’m fine.” he said. “What did you want to do?”
”We can have another picnic.” Tae suggested.
Jimin nodded. “I really like that place.”
Tae sucked in a breath. Today he was going to confess to Jimin.
As they drove to their picnic spot in Tae’s car, Jimin looked so exhausted.
”Hyung, are you sure you’re alright?” he asked, worried.
Jimin smiled again. “Of course.”
They got out of the car and went to set up their picnic blanket. The weather was slightly colder out, but it was still ok to picnic.
As they lay down on the blanket, Taehyung decided to make a move. “Jimin. Can I say something?”
Jimin sat up to look at him. “Yes.”
“I-I really like you. I like the way you act and the way you think and you’re so perfect. And you’ve helped me so much after my boyfriend dumped me last year. You’ve completely changed me, and I really love that. But if you don’t like boys, then we can stick to being friends.”
It was silent for a minute. Taehyung was worried. Then, he felt Jimin’s lips on his.
”I like you too.”
Every night, all Taehyung could think of was Jimin. The two had agreed on dating, and he could barely function properly because all he could think of was Jimin’s lips on his.
The coughing from Jimin’s apartment was becoming more frequent, and he was worried.
He would text Jungkook with updates every couple days, and Jungkook would come every week.
One night, he was sleeping until he heard a knock on his door.
Taehyung sleepily looked through the peephole of the door. Upon seeing it was Jimin, with tears streaming down his face, he immediately opened the door.
”Jimin, what’s wrong?” asked, bringing his crying boyfriend into his arms.
Jimin didn’t answer. Taehyung didn’t want to push him, but if Jimin was this upset, he wanted to help.
Eventually, the two ended up falling asleep.
Christmas time rolled around and Tae realized he hadn’t bought a tree. He sat on his couch next to Jimin, thinking about what he was going to do when Jimin came to his rescue.
”Taetae, did you buy a Christmas tree yet?” the elder asked.
“No. Is it alright if we go buy one soon?”
Jimin nodded. “Yes. I think we’ll be able to find the perfect one. Oh! We’ll need to buy you some ornaments as well! I’m very excited.”
Later that afternoon, the two drove out of the city to get a live tree.
“How do you expect us to drag a live tree up three flights of stairs?” Tae asked.
”Don’t worry, Taetae. I believe in us.” Jimin grinned, patting the younger on the back.
Jimin eventually found the perfect tree. It was about 6 feet tall and very green on all sides. All the branches seemed perfectly healthy, so Taehyung threw away any common sense he had and bought the tree. If it made Jimin happy, he would drag a hundred trees up a hundred flights of stairs.
“Merry Christmas!”
Jimin and him were eating dinner at Jimin’s apartment. Neither of them were great cooks so they had ordered takeout, but to them, just having each other was enough to celebrate.
”Do you want to exchange gifts?” Jimin asked.
Tae nodded, pulling out a small box which held the present he got for Jimin.
Jimin opened his, tears springing to his eyes. “Tae, it’s beautiful.”
He had gotten Jimin a ring with the words “It’s Definitely You” engraved on it.
”Jimin, I love you.” he said. “My one true love is definitely you.”
Wiping away a tear, Jimin leaned in and kissed him on the lips slowly. “I love you too.”
Today was the day everything would go wrong, not that they knew it. The two were at the picnic spot again. It was cold out, so they were both bundled up.
Jimin was coughing and he was pale again.
”Jimin, are you sure you’re alright.”
”Don’t worry Tae, I’m fine!”
After a while, it started snowing a bit. The weather was dropping.
Jimin started coughing uncontrollably. In between coughs he told Taehyung he couldn’t breathe.
”Jimin, I’m going to bring you to a hospital.” Tae said, worried.
He quickly carried Jimin to the car, who had stopped coughing, but he was wheezing.
He drove just over the speed limit to the hospital, carrying Jimin in.
“Taehyung, I have lung cancer.” Jimin said as he was getting examined.
His eyes widened. “What?”
”I was diagnosed with it a couple years ago, and there’s no chance that I’m gonna survive so I’ve just been living my life.”
”Hyung, that’s dangerous! You shouldn’t have been outside today.”
”Don’t tell me what I can and can’t do!” Tae was surprised, Jimin hardly ever raised his voice. “I wanted to be normal for a change. Not known as ‘the boy with lung cancer.’ That’s all anyone’s ever known me as. But then you move in, and it’s like I can start all over with you.”
By now, the both of them are crying.
Each day, Jimin’s condition worsened. The doctors were certain he wouldn’t live to the next month.
Each day, Taehyung went to the hospital to visit Jimin. He would bring flowers to liven up the place. It’s how Jimin liked it.
Each day, Jimin grew more pale. He now relied on a feeding tube to get the nutrients he needed.
Each day, Taehyung blamed himself for not noticing sooner. If he had noticed sooner, maybe Jimin wouldn’t be as sick as he was.
Each day, Jimin refused to let Taehyung blame himself.
One day when Taehyung was with Jimin, the elder spoke.
”Tae? Can you do me a favor?”
”Of course, Jimin. What is it?”
”When I die, can you fulfill my dreams for me?”
Taehyung’s mind flashed back to those days with Jimin in their secret spot. The spot on the hill where the clouds would roll through, where the birds would fly free, something Jimin would never be able to do when he was this sick.
”Yes.”
He walked into the hospital the next day only to see Jimin’s room empty.
”Jimin? Jimin? Where are you?” he panicked, blood running cold.
A nurse walked over and put a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry, honey. He passed this morning.”
He felt the world crash down on him. Was this how it ended? Once he had finally found happiness, it was all gone within a day?
One year later
Taehyung lay on the hill where he experienced many feelings.
At first, he had gone into a depressive state, only Jungkook had been able to get him out of it.
At first, he wouldn’t even come to this place. But now, he needed to do it. He wanted to be able to remember Jimin as much as possible.
This place used to be where he would run off with Jimin. Now, he stood alone. It was almost like he could feel the warmth of Jimin next to him.
“How are you doing Tae?” Jungkook asked the next day.
”Pretty well. I’ve decided to do what Jimin asked of me. I finally realized that instead of avoiding his dreams, I should honor them. He wanted to be free, so I’m writing his dreams in a book.”
”Wow, that’s cool! Have you started it yet?”
Taehyung handed Jungkook his laptop. “Take a read.”
Jungkook scrolled to the first page. “It’s called “Me From the Moon, You From the Stars?”
”I figured it was fitting, as Jimin and I were polar opposites. I was in the darkness until he became my light and guided me where the right path was.”
He started reading.
Although I only knew you for a couple months, it felt longer than seven summers and cold winters.