Archive of Our Own ^beta

moodboard by @/vamphsk on Twitter

***

CLOSED

That hurt. Even for Jimin. He and Jungkook stood staring at the sign in bold, big, red letters at the ice rink’s front door for a few long minutes. 

“They had gas leak problems.”

Jungkook and Jimin turn to their left and see a mailman in his uniform, carrying a big bag with him. He takes out a few pieces of paper from the bag’s front pocket, and searches for the right one. He smiles when he finds it, and then puts it through the hole in the door of the rink. 

When the man notices that Jungkook and Jimin are still staring at him, he shrugs and adds, “They closed for maintenance.”

“On Christmas Eve?!” Jungkook asks, shocked. 

Jimin puts his hand on Jungkook’s arm and squeezes tightly to calm him a bit down. “Thank you for telling us. Have a good day of work, sir!”

The mailman nods and bows his way out of their view as he turns around the next corner. Jimin looks at Jungkook with a gentle, yet sad smile, and slides his fingers up and down his arm. Jungkook looks furious. 

“Jungkook-ah, it’s okay,” Jimin says quietly, stepping forward to stand right between Jungkook and the ice rink. 

“Hyung…” Jungkook whines, finally looking back at Jimin, with a pout in his lips. 

Jimin giggles softly and wipes a tiny bit of snow from Jungkook’s hair. “I mean it. It’s alright. We can do something else.”

Jungkook huffs and furrows his eyebrows. “Hyung, this is scandalous! Me and my brother used to come here every single Christmas Eve to skate. I still don’t go about Christmas without coming here at least once!”

Jimin nods along, staring at Jungkook’s sad eyes. “I know, you told me. And I think it’s very sweet of you to take me here, too. Maybe the rink will open back in January. We can come back then.”

Jungkook shakes his head, his eyes almost teary. “Hyung, I really wanted this to go right. You deserve a happy Christmas.” He pauses to sigh. “You would love it here! The rink is so big, hyung! It’s so nice to skate with so much freedom…”

Jimin cups Jungkook’s cheeks with his gloved hands. “Jungkook-ah, I know. It’s okay. But your attempt to make me love Christmas is not over yet! The day has just started, we can still do a lot of things!”

Jungkook frowns, but still nods along. Jimin smiles. He doesn’t want to see his best friend sulking because of him, or because of something he can’t control, like gas leaks in an ice rink. 

Jungkook is doing this for Jimin’s own happiness, after all. They have been friends for a long time, almost five years now. Jungkook has always known that Jimin doesn’t really celebrate Christmas. Even though he grew up a Christian, Jimin never really paid attention to religion anyway, and Christmas at home with his parents has always been more of a boring task, than a celebration party. 

When he was young, Jimin still had some kind of Christmas hype inside him. He used to stay up all night playing with his brother and the neighbors’ kids. Jimin’s parents would usually invite almost the whole neighborhood to celebrate with them. Jimin had a Gamebox and they had a big backyard at home, as well as a big dog, and that was enough to keep Jimin and the rest of the kids entertained while the adults hang out together in the living room.

When Jimin was only ten, his parents broke up their marriage. They tried to make everything look normal, as if nothing had happened. Jimin’s dad rented an apartment on the other side of the street so he and his brother could visit him any time. His mom would still bake with the two boys on Saturdays, and, on Sundays, his dad still took him to football practice. 

Jimin only noticed the biggest changes on Christmas day. Everything was as it was before—Jimin’s mom would invite the neighbors to come over, Jimin would hang out with his friends in the backyard, they would exchange gifts under the tree. However, some little things changed. Like how mom and dad sat at opposite corners of the table, or how dad only came for dinner, or how grandma stayed to play with and distract the kids from the adult conversations, or how mom and dad would send the neighbors home earlier. 

Jimin didn’t tell this to anyone, but he also used to hear mom and dad fighting after the guests had gone home and he and his brother went to their bedrooms. 

Christmas days started to feel underwhelming. Jimin’s parents tried to keep it fun and entertaining, but, in the middle of their picture perfect lavish attempt, they were never able to bring back the joy and the happy spirits of Christmas anymore. 

By the time Jimin was sixteen, his mom stopped trying. Jimin and his brother rarely saw their dad anymore as he went to work overseas. From then on, Christmas days were spent playing Mario Kart in the living room, eating leftover candy from Halloween, and watching trash movies on TV. In the evening, mom would let the kids do whatever they wanted, while she drank and smoked in the backyard, with the dog sleeping on her lap. 

Jimin never hung out with friends on Christmas Eve’s night. He never saw the purpose of it. While his brother went out to the nearest disco and had fun with whatever strangers he'd found, Jimin would stay in his bedroom, dancing to his favorite songs and staying up all night playing video games with online friends—the ones who didn’t celebrate Christmas either. Somehow, Jimin found comfort in those people, people he couldn’t even see, people he didn’t even know. However, those people had something in common with him—Christmas didn’t appeal to them—so Jimin felt less alone. 

When he met Jungkook, Jimin already had his own rented tiny apartment, the first one he lived in when he moved to Seoul to study. With his busy schedules and the need to study even during breaks to be able to pass his classes, Jimin barely had time to think about Christmas. 

During his second year of university, though, Jungkook knocked on his door one week before Christmas, before he left the campus and went back to Busan to spend the holidays with his old friends and family. When Jimin opened the door for him, Jungkook had a frown on his lips and big curious eyes. 

“Hyung, why do you hate Christmas?” Jungkook had asked, eyes almost teary.

Jimin had laughed as he let Jungkook into his apartment. “I don’t hate Christmas,” he had replied, sitting on the couch and turning on the TV.

Jungkook had stood in front of him, hands in his pockets. “Namjoon-hyung said you hate Christmas.”

“I just… it’s indifferent to me, you know?” Jimin had then said with a shrug. 

Jungkook had nodded, still visibly sad, which only made Jimin giggle. Then, Jungkook took his bag out of his back and put it on the couch to open it and search for something inside it. When he found it, he gave it to Jimin. 

“For you,” he had said, with a small gift on his hands, wrapped in shiny green paper and a yellow ribbon. “So you don’t feel so alone on Christmas day since me and Namjoon-hyung are not going to be here.”

Jimin smiled softly, his heart feeling warm. “You didn’t need to, Jungkook-ah…”

Jungkook shook his head promptly and put the gift on Jimin’s hands. “Please, hyung. It’s nothing special and you deserve it for being such a good friend to me. When I first came here, I didn’t know anyone, but I was lucky enough to have you as my uni mentor. You showed me around, you introduced me to your friends. You’re my gift. And now I gift you something back.”

Jimin only started to cry when Jungkook left. Every time he stared at the small snow globe on his tiny kitchen counter, he was reminded of Jungkook’s pure heart and how Jimin didn’t deserve him. Even though Jimin still didn’t get the Christmas hype, he would remember that day forever. 

As the years went by, Jungkook never once forgot to pass by Jimin’s apartment on Christmas Eve to give him a heartfelt present. Jimin started to buy gifts for Jungkook, too, specially plushies, which he knew Jungkook adored. Soon, Jungkook had a collection of adorable plushies on his bed, and Jimin had a special bookcase for Jungkook’s gifts to him. 

Over the years, Jungkook also started to realize that he couldn’t make Jimin change his mind about Christmas. While he went out or hung out with family, Jimin preferred to stay at his apartment. 

Last year, though, Jungkook decided to stay at Jimin’s apartment, too. Jimin tried to convince him that he would be alright on his own and that he didn’t want Jungkook to not have fun just to keep him company. Jungkook, however, was determined to stay with him all day. He cooked lunch for the both of them, he watched a movie with Jimin, they ate and cuddled together on the couch, they talked a lot, they shared gifts, and they had a genuinely good time. Even without a Christmas tree in the room, or a lit up fireplace, Jungkook looked happy and excited all day to spend Christmas Eve with his hyung.

This year, Jungkook tried something different. One week before Christmas, he checked with Jimin if it was okay if he tried to make Christmas special, by doing the things Jungkook used to do with his family. Jimin didn’t have the heart to say no to him. When Jungkook started to plan things out, Jimin realized that Christmas Eve and Day would feel more like a cute friendly date with the two of them, than a full-on traditional-heavy couple of days. 

As the date approached, Jungkook became visibly more excited. He jumped around Jimin’s apartment while they played video games, he wouldn’t stop talking about his plans, he would tell Jimin all about his greatest and happiest memories from spending Christmas with his family and friends. Even Jimin started to get excited, too, not because he got the Christmas hype, but because Jungkook was happy and adorable. 

Jungkook’s main goal is to make Jimin like Christmas for once, but Jimin has low expectations for that to actually happen. However, the moment Jimin saw Jungkook’s disappointed and sad face when they realized the ice rink was closed, Jimin was determined to at least try and give Jungkook the time of his life. He will try his hardest to make himself happy on this day, and forget all about his ordinary and sad Christmas past. 

When Jungkook gets in the car after they’ve left the ice rink, he looks like a new man, determined to still make his plans work. He grabs his notebook and checks the second point on the list. 

“Gifts!” Jungkook exclaims, putting down his notes and putting on his seatbelt. “Christmas is all about gifts!”

Jimin chuckles. “What happened to the whole Bible storyline?”

Jungkook giggles as he starts the car. “Hyung, don’t question it, just feel the spirit. Me and my family would usually spend a whole day shopping for cute gifts for all our friends! And the gifts themselves are not even the high point of the shopping spree. Have you ever gone to the city’s market during the Christmas season? It’s so beautiful! It’s really worth going there, even if we don’t buy anything.”

Jimin is convinced by Jungkook’s wide smile and excited eyes. They drive smoothly to the center of the city, while listening to Jungkook’s Christmas playlist, which has a mix of traditional western Christmas songs, Korean power ballads, and modern Christmas inspired songs from all over the world. Jimin is enjoying the ride and the view of the illuminated city, covered in white snow, until Jungkook stops the car.

When Jimin looks through the window, he sees a big traffic queue, all the way up to downtown. The cars in front of them are completely stopped, only accelerating a little bit when they’re close to an exit from the main road. 

With a loud gasp, Jungkook quickly opens the GPS on his car’s touch screen and looks for alternative routes. He frowns when he only finds two, both still very far away from where they are at the moment, and both with unnecessarily big routes around the city.

“Hey,” Jimin calls to make Jungkook look at him and focus on anything else but the sad thoughts that are now probably clouding his mind. Jimin smiles softly and puts a hand on Jungkook’s thigh. “It’s Christmas Eve, of course people are rushing to the markets,” Jimin says with a giggle. “We’re all last-minute buyers.”

Jungkook looks at his hands on his lap. “Hyung, we’re really far from the next exit, now. Let alone from home. I didn’t know there would be this much traffic. Argh, this is frustrating,” he adds, bringing his hands to his head. “What should we do?”

Jungkook sighs and puts his hands back on the wheel to drive a little bit forward and to then stop again. Jimin caresses his hair, his fingers close to the back of his neck, the spot that he knows that Jungkook likes to receive soft messages on because it gives him funny goosebumps. Jungkook chuckles, almost desperately, and then looks back at Jimin. 

“How are you not even a tiny bit mad at all of this?” he asks. “Even if we give up on our plan to go to the market, we’ll be stuck here for at least one more hour.”

Jimin giggles and leans back on his seat. “Let’s turn up the music.” 

Jimin stretches his hand to reach the touchscreen in front of them and turns up the volume of the radio. There’s now The Weeknd playing through the speakers, filling up the car with nostalgic and soft tunes.

“Hyung, how does that help?” Jungkook asks, raising his eyebrows. 

Jimin closes his eyes and starts singing the English lyrics, improvising the parts he doesn’t know. When there’s a break in the song, he looks at Jungkook, who is already staring at him with an amused smile. 

“Just sing, Jungkook-ah.”

After a million frustrated sighs, Jimin starts to hear Jungkook’s quiet voice, humming along to the chorus. Jimin smiles and encourages him to keep going. In no time, they’re both screaming the lyrics from the bottom of their lungs, with huge smiles on their faces and giggles here and there, teasing each other for not knowing the lyrics or the melody. 

After just a few minutes, it seems like Jungkook has forgotten all about the dreadful traffic ahead of them, as he completely focuses on the impromptu sing along session. He keeps moving his car when he sees too big of a gap between them and the car in front of them, but, other than that, he barely looks at the road, preferring to stare at Jimin’s smile instead. When Jimin notices that, he feels like blushing and digging a hole to hide from those adorably wide eyes, but, at the same time, he’s glad that Jungkook is feeling better. 

At some point, when they’re almost at the right exit, their voices start to get raspy and sore. They start singing more quietly now, giggling in between verses at how they probably shouldn’t have screamed lyrics for half an hour, nonstop. 

“It’s starting to snow more, I’m glad we’re leaving the traffic now,” Jimin says as Jungkook takes the turn and they finally start moving quicker. 

“Tomorrow is gonna be a white Christmas,” Jungkook adds on with a smile. 

Jimin leans back on his seat, closes his eyes, and sighs. He’s happy to know that Jungkook is feeling a bit better. They’ll be safe and warm at home and their Christmas Eve will be great.

“Hyung!” Jungkook suddenly calls, as he takes a U-turn and points at something outside. “The amusement park is open and I read somewhere that it’s free today! Should we go there?”

Jimin looks through the window, too, and immediately sees a huge ferris wheel, illuminated in bright neon colors. Around it, he can see a lot of colorful lights, beautifully decorated stalls, and a bunch of other rides at the back. 

“I had actually written the amusement park on my list, but I thought we wouldn’t have time to go there,” Jungkook says, turning the wheel and looking for somewhere to park the car after Jimin nodded in agreement to stop by there. “My dad loved the rides here. We used to come here often during the holidays.”

Jimin smiles. He helps Jungkook to find a good spot for the car and he gets out of it as soon as he parks. It feels good to breathe in some fresh air again after spending about an hour inside a car. Jimin stretches his legs and puts on his fluffy jacket. Jungkook giggles behind him. 

“What?” Jimin asks, with an eyebrow raised daringly. 

Jungkook shrugs as he puts on a warm beanie. “You look adorable in that jacket, hyung.”

Jimin chuckles and shakes his head. “Shut up, let’s go on the ferris wheel.”

Jungkook follows him right behind as Jimin walks to the entrance of the park. He would be lying if he didn’t feel his cheeks warming up at Jungkook’s compliment. Jungkook is such a genuine and pure man; he always has the best of intentions and he just wants to make other people smile. That’s why Jimin adores his compliments—he knows that he means them. 

They get inside the park pretty easily, even though it is very crowded. Jimin holds Jungkook’s gloved hand in order not to lose him in the middle of the people passing by. He is determined to make it to the ferris wheel queue alive; he has a good feeling about this one activity after two of Jungkook’s plans have gone wrong already, but it’s always good to be careful, anyway. 

The queue for the ferris wheel is quite big and it walks forward slowly. Jimin doesn’t let Jungkook frown even for a second, though; he stands in front of him, holding both of his hands, and makes him look at him, not the queue. 

“There’s snow on your hair,” Jungkook says with a chuckle, bringing his hand to Jimin’s hair to wipe it out. 

“I like snow,” Jimin replies.

Jungkook nods. “Well, at least not everything is going wrong today. I would have given up right now if you told me you hated snow.”

Jimin laughs. “I love snow, snow is my ultimate passion, I’ve never been happier in my entire life, Jungkook-ah,” he playfully says with a smile. 

Jungkook rolls his eyes softly and chuckles. “Hyung, I know you’re joking around now, but I don’t want you to pretend to enjoy everything we do now just because you want to see me happy. I’m serious.”

Jimin sighs. Jungkook looks extra cute in that yellow beanie, and his rose cheeks and tip of his nose look adorable. He has always had a boyish face, with cute features and a youthful appearance. That’s part of his charm. That’s what makes Jimin’s heart twist in adoration. 

“I’m genuinely enjoying this day, Jungkook-ah, don’t worry,” Jimin reassures. 

Jungkook doesn’t look too convinced, but he smiles at Jimin’s little giggles, anyway. They keep steadily walking forward, anticipating the ferris wheel ride more and more after each small step. 

Jimin looks up at the wheel, his eyes shining because of the cold and because of the excitement. He hasn’t been to an amusement park like this in a long time.  

“Don’t be scared, hyung, it’s gonna be fun,” Jungkook says, staring at Jimin’s face with a smirk. 

Jimin rolls his eyes. “I’m not scared,” he replies, bringing his face daringly closer to Jungkook’s own. 

Jungkook opens his eyes widely like a little boy accepting a dumb challenge. “We’ll see.”

His big, giddy smile is what breaks Jimin’s composure and makes him step back for a moment. He feels like his heart is going to explode, he feels like he won’t stop smiling ever again, he even feels a little bit light-headed. It has happened before—Jungkook is so important in Jimin’s life at this point, that Jimin can’t help but feel overly joyful when he sees him. It’s something that Jimin can barely explain, it’s something not even he understands that well, if he’s being honest. He just knows that he likes it. He likes the way Jungkook makes him feel. 

After a few more long minutes and a lot of teasing from Jungkook’s part, they finally get to the front of the queue. The staff guide outside of the wheel gives them instructions on how to get on the wheel, and Jimin and Jungkook patiently wait for their turn. 

Once they get inside one of the cabins, Jimin is impressed by how large it actually is. When he was watching the cabins from the outside, especially when they were up high in the wheel, they looked tiny. 

Jimin then sits on the right, Jungkook on the left, both on the same side of the cabin so they can sit closer. Jungkook is already looking through the window, amazed at everything he sees from there before the wheel even starts moving. For the next five minutes, they keep stopping frequently because there are people still getting in, but after that, they start to move faster, and faster, until they reach the very top of the wheel. 

Jimin has to admit that the view is absolutely gorgeous from the top. He gets distracted while trying to look at every building in the skyline, every illuminated street, every crowd of tiny people around them. It’s mesmerizing, even, to see the world from this spot. Jimin thought that he would get dizzy or motion sick from the height (even though he preferred not to tell that to an already sulking Jungkook), but, right now, all he can think about is how beautiful the city is.

And how lucky he is to be able to get such a view on such a beautiful snow day with Jungkook by his side, bumping his shoulder, just as hypnotized as Jimin is. 

Before they realize it, they’re going down again, now with a view to the other full cabins. Jimin takes a moment to look at Jungkook and check on him. 

“This is amazing, hyung,” Jungkook says with a gasp, staring at Jimin, too, with a beautiful glint in his eyes. 

Jimin is scared, for a moment, that he won’t be able to look away from Jungkook ever again. As beautiful as the city around them and the scenery may be, Jimin is pretty sure that Jungkook, right now, is the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen. 

“Are you enjoying it?” Jungkook curiously asks, his voice quieter this time.

Jimin holds Jungkook’s hand again and squeezes it softly while he nods. He loves how warm Jungkook’s body always is, even when it’s freezing outside. It makes him feel safe, somehow. 

“I’m loving it,” Jimin replies, deciding to lay his head on Jungkook’s shoulder for a little while, closing his eyes as they go down and then back up. 

“I’m glad,” Jungkook answers when they’re already almost back at the top.

This time, when they reach the top, Jimin keeps his head on Jungkook’s shoulder and plays with his hands, drawing invisible patterns with his fingers on Jungkook’s palm, and letting him enjoy the view once again, in silence. 

“Hyung,” Jungkook calls softly as they’re going down again. 

Jimin hums quietly, lost in his own thoughts. 

“I wish I could stop time and just stay here with you forever.”

Jimin lifts his head slowly and stares at Jungkook’s sincere eyes. His heart stops for a second as he sees Jungkook’s shy smile and blushed cheeks. An overflow of emotions run through his veins as he realizes just how much he likes Jungkook and his way with words, his way with actions, his way with feelings . It makes him feel excited, adrenaline full, all over. 

And that’s when everything goes wrong again. 

Jimin jumps when hears a loud clank coming from underneath them. He also sees the cabins in front of them jumping and stopping all of a sudden, including theirs. Then, he hears the screams of worry. That’s when he looks at Jungkook with wide concerned eyes. 

“What was that?” Jungkook asks hurriedly.

Jimin slowly turns to his right and looks at the ground underneath them. They’re very high up in the wheel, almost at the top of it. There is a crowd forming on the ground, and everyone is looking at them. There are a couple of staff members running to the wheel, as well as two security guards observing the wheel from a distance. Jimin only realizes what’s happening when he sees the staff members pressing on the buttons on the wheel’s control box, and then giving up and calling someone on the phone. The security guards start walking to the wheel, too.

“I think the wheel stopped working,” Jimin reports to Jungkook, trying to keep his voice stable, but failing miserably.

“ What? ”

Jungkook takes a look for himself, too. The crowd staring at the wheel has grown bigger now. Jimin can see the people in the cabins that stopped at the bottom of the wheel getting out of them safely. 

“Hyung, what do you mean the wheel has stopped working?!” 

Jimin looks back at Jungkook and he notices his worried eyes and nervous frown. Jimin quickly gives him his hand to hold onto and caresses his hair softly. 

“Hey, it’s okay. I’m sure there are people trying to make it work again as fast as possible,” Jimin tries to reassure him. “It’s gonna be alright.”

Jungkook has no time to respond before they hear someone calling the people on the wheel through a megaphone. Jimin and Jungkook listen attentively to what the person says. Their speech is mostly one of reassurement. The wheel had a technical issue, and they’re now calling the experts to fix it. They will probably be ready to make the wheel work again in about half an hour to one hour. In the meantime, the people stuck inside the wheel are safe; they will just probably get a bit bored. 

Jungkook didn’t seem to enjoy the little inspiring speech from the expression on his face. 

“This is not what I meant when I said that I wished I could stop time to spend it with you, hyung, I swear,” Jungkook says, distressed. 

Jimin chuckles. “Well, we might as well enjoy it, right?” he asks with a sigh. 

Jungkook nods. He’s biting his cheek from inside his mouth, Jimin can tell. He slides closer to Jungkook and presses three small kisses on his cheek. 

Jungkook giggles. “Okay, I’ll stop biting my cheek,” he says with a smile.

“Thank you,” Jimin replies playfully. 

Jungkook sighs. “Why is everything going wrong, hyung? Do we not deserve a nice Christmas Eve?”

“Don’t say that,” Jimin answers softly, his fingers now on Jungkook's chin, pulling his face towards him, slowly. “Things happen. Don’t try to change what you can’t control, Jungkook-ah.”

Jungkook shrugs and lets his shoulders fall down, releasing some of the tension. “What do we do while we’re here, then?”

Jimin tilts his head slightly. “Well, you said you wanted to stop time to be with me,” he says, daringly. “What do you want to do together now that it kinda happened?”

Jungkook chuckles. Jimin doesn’t fail to notice the tiny hint of a nervous and shy expression on his smile.

“I didn’t know we would get to this point,” Jungkook answers honestly, staring back at Jimin. Even though he’s still clearly upset by the events of the day, Jimin notices the little glowing stars in his eyes when he’s staring at him. They give them comfort. They tell him that Jungkook is happy to be with him no matter what.

Jimin smiles and then nods. “Alright. Let’s play a game, then.”

“A game?”

Jimin is still not sure where he’s going with this either, but he wants to keep Jungkook distracted from the crowd and the chaos outside. Plus, it has started to get windy, along with the snow, and Jimin is starting to wonder just how strong these ferris wheels are against the bad weather. 

“Twenty questions,” Jimin says from the top of his head, just so he wouldn't keep the silence for much longer. 

Jungkook raises one eyebrow. “What are we? Teenagers at a birthday party?” he asks with a chuckle. 

Jimin rolls his eyes. “Do you have a better idea?” Jungkook shakes his head with a chuckle and turns his torso to face Jimin better. “Do you know the rules?”

“You have to guess an object or something the other person is thinking about through twenty yes-or-no questions.”

“Let’s do it with people!” Jimin says, just to make it more fun. 

Jungkook laughs. “That’s basically just ‘who am I?’.”

Jimin nods. “Then, let’s play that.”

Jungkook shakes his head softly and sighs. “Let’s go. You start guessing.”

“Sure. Have you got someone in mind?” Jimin crosses his legs and turns to Jungkook. “Someone I know, if you don’t mind.”

Jungkook giggles and nods, scrunching his nose. “Go.”

“Are they a celebrity?” Jimin starts asking, putting his index finger up to keep track of how many questions he’s asked. 

“Yes,” Jungkook replies, apparently amused by the game already. 

“Are they a man?” He puts another finger up, trying not to get distracted. 

Jungkook rolls his eyes softly. “Such basic questions. Yes.”

Jimin smacks his arm and shakes his head. “I’m trying to win! Is he younger than us?”

“No.”

“Is he a singer?”

“I never heard him singing.”

“Yes or no, Jungkook?” Jimin insists with a smile. 

Jungkook laughs. “No.”

“Is he a dancer? Don’t you dare tell me that you never saw him dancing.”

“No, then.”

Jimin bites his lip and thinks about what other professions can give you celebrity status. “Is he rich?”

“Yes, probably.”

“ Probably ?”

Jungkook giggles as he pulls his knee close to his chest with his arm, his foot now between him and Jimin. “Yes, he’s rich.”

“Is he famous because he’s rich?”

Jungkook shakes his head with a sneaky smile. “Nope. Hard work can take you places, too, hyung.”

“Shut up,” Jimin says with a chuckle. Then, it hits him—one of the most powerful ways to get rich. “Is he an athlete?”

Jungkook smiles widely “Yes.”

“Is he an Olympic athlete?”

Jungkook nods. “I think so.”

“Stop being so unsure!” Jimin playfully says with a fake pout. “Has he won gold?” 

Jungkook sighs. “Most certainly, yes.”

“Winter or Summer sports?”

Jungkook raises his eyebrows. “That’s not a yes-or-no question, hyung.”

Jimin looks at him, almost surprised. He was so into the game that he forgot about the rules. “Sorry. Got too excited,” he adds with a giggle. Jungkook’s little laugh in reply warms his heart. “Is he a winter sport athlete?” 

Jungkook is about to answer, when Jimin shushes him. 

“No funny answers, a winter sport has to do with ice!” he says before Jungkook comes up with something like 'oh yes, you can play this from December to February, too'.

Jungkook laughs harder and then shrugs. “No. It’s not a winter sport.”

Jimin gives himself a moment to think. He doesn’t know a lot of athletes, so it must be an easy one to guess. He’s inclined to think he has something to do with football, maybe basketball, but he tries to think of a question that will reduce his options more.

“Oh!” he exclaims suddenly. He’s an idiot. “Is he Korean?”

“Hyung, you should have asked that so long ago,” Jungkook says, with an amused smile on his lips. “Yes, he’s Korean.”

Jimin’s eyes widen. He knows quite a few Korean athletes from watching them on TV. Now, he knows what to do, starting with the most obvious one.

“Is he a… baseball player?” Jimin tries his luck, hesitantly.

Jungkook sighs again, letting his foot fall back to the floor, visibly disappointed. “Yes,” he answers, crossing his arms. 

Jimin laughs and puts his arms around his chest, laying his head on his shoulder. “Is it Ryu Hyunjin?”

“I thought you are bad at knowing sports stuff,” Jungkook simply replies.

Jimin hugs him tighter in the middle of giggles. “Ryu Hyunjin is too easy. Besides, Yoongi-hyung never stops talking about him.”

Jungkook smiles shyly. “I know. He has a poster of him in his bedroom, did you know?”

Jimin steps back a little bit to look at him with wide eyes. “Really? I never noticed it.”

Jungkook nods. “Yeah, I saw it every time I went to his place for Computing tutoring .”

That’s how they met Yoongi, after all. He started helping Jungkook after classes as a mentor for the most difficult subjects in university. Jimin was usually the one to keep Jungkook company on the way to Yoongi’s apartment. The three of them became good friends over time, which Jimin is glad for, because Yoongi is like an older brother to them now. 

“He’s got a crush,” Jimin says with a smile. 

“He does. He won’t admit it, though.” 

Jimin laughs and sits straight up again on his seat. “Alright, it’s your turn!”

They play a few more rounds of the game, each round harder than the last one, to the point where they have to make it to the twentieth question before being able to guess. After losing for the first time, Jimin tries to think of someone unique and hard to guess so Jungkook will fail, too. 

“Can it be a cartoon character?” Jimin asks. 

Jungkook giggles. “Hyung, don’t ask me that, or I’ll know it’s a cartoon character. Just surprise me.”

Jungkook draws patterns on his seat with his fingers, distracted, while Jimin thinks of something. The crowd underneath them has calmed down meanwhile, and Jimin is sure that soon they’ll be able to get out of the cabin. In the middle of the third round of the game, someone had used the megaphone again to make sure that everyone was feeling alright on the ferris wheel, and informing them that the technicians were on their way. 

Jimin looks back at Jungkook, with an idea in mind. He wonders if he should be doing this, or if he should pick someone a little bit easier, but then he realizes that, even if Jungkook doesn’t get it in twenty questions, he’ll let him keep guessing. This one is for the fun of it. 

“Alright, I got it.”

Jungkook straightens his back and smiles. “Is it a woman?”

Jimin chuckles. He’s been making Jungkook guess women for the past three rounds. “No. Good deductive guess, though,” he adds playfully. 

Jungkook giggles. “Is it a man?”

“Yes,” Jimin replies, anticipating the next question. Which route will Jungkook take this time?

“Is he older than us?”

Jimin tries really hard not to laugh. “No.”

“Younger?”

“No.”

Jungkook looks at him, perplexed. “Is he our age?” 

Jimin smiles. “Yes.”

“Hyung, we’re not even the same age.”

“Only yes-or-no questions, Jungkook-ah.”

Jungkook sighs and gets his head back in the game. “Okay. Do we know him personally?"

Jimin pauses for a moment. “Do we ever truly know a person?”

Jungkook rolls his eyes and slides closer to Jimin. “Hyung, please, help me out here.”

Jimin laughs and then sighs. “Yes. We know him personally.”

Jungkook then steps back and turns into thinking mode. Jimin knows what he’s thinking. They have lost contact with most of Jimin’s friends from uni and only kept contact with the friends the two of them have in common. Jungkook has kept a couple of friends from college, but Jimin doesn’t hang out with them that much. Without digging too deeply, there is only one answer right now that makes sense. 

“Is it Taehyung-hyung?” Jungkook asks, hesitant. 

“Nope,” Jimin replies, not being able to contain the smile on his face. 

Jungkook sighs and goes back into thinking. “He’s our age. Mine or yours?”

“Yes or no, Jungkook.”

“Is he my age?”

“Yes.”

Jimin tries to play along and think of other possibilities, too. The first one that comes to mind is his own brother, who is only a few months older than Jungkook. Then, he thinks about the nice young man that sells ice cream across the street from where Jimin lives. He doesn’t know his exact age, but he has mentioned once that he’s younger than Jimin. He also thinks of Jungkook’s first neighbors in the first room he rented after college. They were a young and happy couple, with whom Jimin and Jungkook would often hang out with. 

“I don’t know, does he live in this city?” Jungkook tries, probably going to bet on Jimin’s brother. Too bad that he lives overseas.   

“Yes.” At this point, Jimin is just worried that Jungkook will get impatient and unmotivated to keep guessing. But he also knows that Jungkook usually does everything to win.

“Is he a friend of yours?”

Jimin thinks about it for a little bit. “The simple answer is yes.”

Jungkook gets curious with that one. “What’s the complex answer?”

Jimin looks at him and bites his lip, thoughtful. He should have just said yes and moved on. “I feel like he’s more than a friend to me,” he admits, giving up on sticking to the rules of the game. 

Jungkook gasps and goes back to thinking to himself. Jimin finds it endearing how his eyebrows furrow in concentration, and he scrunches his nose when he discards an option.  

When Jungkook looks back at Jimin, Jimin is already staring. “Hyung, do you have a crush on anyone?” he asks, hiding an emotion that Jimin can’t quite figure out what it is. 

Jimin chuckles. “Back to the game, Jungkook-ah.”

"It's a yes or no question."

Jimin sighs. "Just ask another question."

Jungkook huffs. “Right. Do I know him well ?”

“I hope so,” Jimin mischievously answers, watching Jungkook’s frustrated reaction.

“How tall is he? Taller than me?”

“He’s right about your height.”

Jungkook stares at him with a poker face, then he opens his mouth, slowly. Jimin can almost see his brain working faster than it ever did. 

“Hyung,” Jungkook calls, quietly.

Jimin simply smiles. “Yes?”

Jungkook straightens his back and nods. “Does he like going to the gym?”

“Yes.”

“Does he like Christmas very much?”

Jimin rolls his eyes. “Annoyingly much.”

Jungkook chuckles. “Come on.”

“You haven’t guessed it yet,” Jimin insists.

Jungkook seems like he wants to keep going, though. “Does he like that Chinese food place down the street from his best friend’s apartment?”

“We’re getting specific now, aren’t we?” Jimin jokes. “Yes, he does.”

“Does he really want to have a dog when he grows up a bit more?”

“Yep, he won’t shut up about it.”

Jungkook giggles. “Is he trying to grow his hair a bit long, but he can’t find the right hair products to keep it healthy?”

“I told you to talk to a hairdresser about it.”

“So it’s a yes.”

Jimin sighs. Jungkook looks so happy now, so unbelievably amused that Jimin would choose him as the person he has to guess that he can’t stop smiling. 

But then, the mood shifts. It’s subtle, but Jimin feels it. Jungkook suddenly gets more serious and his expression drops. 

“What do you mean by ‘more than friends’?” he asks, quietly, probably not really sure if he wants to know.

Jimin gets nervous, too; he can’t help it. He didn’t think Jungkook would mention it. This was supposed to be funny and end with Jimin making Jungkook laugh on the floor. They were supposed to move on. 

However, Jimin also feels like this was where he wanted to head to, as if he wanted Jungkook to ask him that. Because, hell, Jungkook is so freaking adorable, and he brings Jimin so much joy that he might as well let his feelings out for once and see how it goes. 

Right?

“I don’t know,” Jimin ends up replying. “The round hasn’t, um—ended.”

Jimin scratches the back of his head, while Jungkook seems to get even closer to him. This is not a game anymore—Jimin’s heart is beating so fast and he can’t even breathe with Jungkook this close, it’s not even funny. Jimin might freak out. Maybe he already is. 

“Do you see him as more than a friend?” Jungkook asks, slowly, testing the waters. 

Jimin feels his hands sweaty. He can’t lie—he won’t lie. Jungkook drives him insane.

“Yes.”

“Do you see him as a—as a best friend?”

Jimin scoffs. “Yes.”

“Do you see him as more than a best friend?” 

Jimin sighs. “Sure. Jungkook-ah, I—” He stares Jungkook in the eyes and chuckles. “I see you as family. I see you as one of the most important people to me, the one who makes me smile, and laugh, and cry, and enjoy life. The one who always has my back, the one who supports me no matter what. Of course you’re more than a friend. You’re, like, my whole world,” he says with a small laugh. Jungkook looks petrified. Jimin isn’t quite sure yet if that’s a good thing or not. “You’re important to me, Jungkook-ah,” he adds, pulling his knees closer against his chest, hiding half of his blushed cheeks. 

Jungkook takes a little while to process Jimin’s words, which is understandable. They were just playing a fun little game to pass the time and distract themselves from the fact that they’re stuck at a ferris wheel. Jimin didn’t have to go this deep. 

“Does—” Jungkook starts asking, taking a deep breath. "Does he love you back?”

Jimin looks at him for a moment, astonished. He didn’t even mention love; love is a strong word. However, somehow, now that Jungkook says it out loud, it doesn’t sound nearly as strong enough when talking about what Jimin feels deep inside his heart. 

“I—I don’t know,” Jimin replies, hesitant. “Does he?”

CLUNK

“Oh, man,” Jungkook mumbles after they both hear the loud noise coming from the ferris wheel. 

Jungkook looks through the cabin’s window, while Jimin is still frozen with his eyes on him. The moment he feels the tiniest movement from the cabin, though, Jimin perks up. He looks in front of him and sees the other cabins slowly moving, too. 

“We’re moving!” Jungkook realizes, with his big eyes and relieved smile. 

From the ground, still very far away from them, but gradually coming closer, they see the megaphone person again, announcing that the wheel is now working. They will help the people in the wheel get out and then they’ll close it for maintenance and to make sure it works correctly for the rest of the winter holidays. 

They move slowly, but steadily. They stop every two or three minutes to let the people at the bottom get out. Jimin nervously waits for their turn, praying—he’s not even a man of prayers—that the wheel doesn’t stop for some reason again. 

“Hyung,” Jungkook calls as they’re almost reaching the bottom, both of them a bit calmer now. 

Jimin looks at him, a million thoughts left unsaid, now waiting for the next best moment. Who knows when that could be? Jimin just hopes that things are not awkward now between the two of them.

“Let me treat you to dinner,” Jungkook says with a small smile. “Please. It can be in your favorite restaurant. I feel really bad that things are not working out…”

Jimin smiles, too. Jungkook just really wants the best to happen, he wants Jimin to have a happy Christmas. Nothing that's gone wrong so far is his fault, obviously, but Jimin understands what he’s feeling. 

“I know the best place in town,” Jimin replies with a nod.

Jungkook smiles wider before they finally get to the ground and the wheel stops for them to come out. There is a woman at their door, helping them to step out of the cabin, while making sure that they’re both okay. Jungkook and Jimin thank her for the kindness. When Jimin starts walking, he can barely feel his legs because of the time he spent sitting in the small cabin space. 

At this point, they’re both tired from the long day, and looking forward to a warm place where they can eat. They walk to Jungkook’s car, carefully not to fall in the layer of snow that has developed on the ground in the meantime. They get to the car with cold noses and red cheeks. Jimin giggles in relief as soon as he steps inside the car and immediately feels the difference in temperature. 

“Are you okay?” Jungkook asks, as he takes off his beanie and his gloves. 

Jimin nods. “I’m good. Let’s eat!”

Jungkook smiles, excited too. The ride to the restaurant is quiet, maybe a little bit uncomfortable from the unfinished conversation floating in both of their minds. Jimin doesn’t want to break the silence and potentially ruin the day even more. He knows that Jungkook will talk to him if something starts bothering him too much. Besides, they have a whole lifetime to be together and talk about whatever they want, they can take their time to think. 

When Jungkook parks the car, he has a huge smile on his lips. “It’s like I can already smell the food,” he playfully says. 

Jimin giggles. This is his favorite restaurant in the city because their food is just extraordinary. He wants to know all their secrets. “You’re gonna love this place.”

Jungkook nods and looks at Jimin. It seems like he’s hesitating to say something. Jimin tilts his head, silently asking him what’s on his mind. 

“I—um,” Jungkook starts, scratching the top of his head. “Every place with you is my favorite place, hyung,” he says, turning his face around right away to open his door. 

Jimin stays on his seat, watching as Jungkook steps outside with a nervous chuckle. When Jungkook closes his door, Jimin clears his throat and steps outside, too. His eyes can’t leave Jungkook’s own. 

Jungkook really is special.

Jimin walks around the car and catches Jungkook’s arm, intertwining it with his own. They walk down the street side by side, finding comfort in each other’s warmth, in the middle of the snow covered pathway. 

When they get to the restaurant, they realize, much to Jungkook’s disappointment, that there is a queue forming by its door. It is rather long, too, now that they pass by it. Jungkook looks like he’s in denial until he reaches the door of the restaurant and speaks to the waiter at the door. When he walks back to where Jimin was waiting for him, he comes with an angry pout and bearing bad news. 

“The place is full,” Jungkook simply says, teary. “They’re letting people in as they get empty tables. They're estimating a two-hour wait,” he huffs as he looks around them and sees the queue again.

Jimin sighs and bites on his lip. He should have chosen a less crowded and popular restaurant. Of course the best restaurant in the middle of the city would be full on Christmas Eve. He feels like an idiot for not thinking about it earlier. 

Jimin holds Jungkook’s hands tightly and makes him look at him. “Hey, it’s okay. Do you wanna wait in line, or find another place? I'm fine with whatever, I mean it.”

Jungkook rolls his eyes and lets out a frustrated laugh. “Sure, okay. It’s not the end of the world, right? Not yet.”

Jimin giggles and caresses Jungkook’s cheek with one of his hands. “You’re really cold. We could also pass by the grocery store on the way to my apartment to buy something to eat, and go home. I wouldn't mind that, either.”

Jungkook looks at him with serious and concerned eyes. He then looks around once again, and tilts his head. 

“There’s a food street nearby,” he states. 

Jimin looks at him, worried. “I really like street food, too. But are you sure that’s a good idea? It’s warmer at home.”

Jungkook smiles. “Food streets are usually warm, too, from the crowds and the cooking. Besides,” he adds, looking at his feet. “I have you to warm me up.”

“Oh, God, stop with the cheesy pick-up lines already,” Jimin replies with a giggle, afraid to step on an invisible tense line between them, but also just going for it and watching Jungkook’s reaction. Maybe his remarks are pick-up lines, after all. 

Jungkook clears his throat and signs. “Hm, right. Let’s go eat something on the streets, then.”

Jimin nods and takes Jungkook’s arm again, ready to follow him. They walk through the main street in silence, looking at and bumping into people passing by, in the middle of the big crowd, like what happens on any other typical Christmas Eve Day. 

As soon as Jimin starts smelling the food coming from the parallel street just a few steps away from them, he closes his eyes and smiles. He and Jungkook haven’t eaten in a while, and having street food is always a good experience, a memory to hold onto in the future. The mixture of spices and sauces in the air and in everyone’s dishes is something that stays engraved in your head for a long time.

When they turn to the right street, they are immediately overwhelmed by the colors, the smells, the noises, and the overall festive and warm ambience of the place. Jimin likes the million Christmas lights above them, hanging like rope from the windows of the apartments surrounding the street. Jungkook seems to be mesmerized by the street artist in front of the first stall in front of them, who is, quite literally, playing with fire, executing well trained and stunning tricks with two torches. 

“What do you wanna eat?” Jimin asks Jungkook, scanning through the stalls along the street. 

Jungkook shrugs. “Whatever you’re having, hyung,” he replies. “I’m not picky,” he adds with a small smile, putting his hands in his pockets and looking away from the street artist. 

“Hey,” Jimin calls, standing in front of Jungkook, sensing that kind of odd tension again. "Is everything alright?”

Jungkook nods, still avoiding eye-contact, which probably means that he’s not exactly telling the truth. Jimin doesn’t blame him—there will be more opportunities for them to talk—, but he also doesn’t want Jungkook sulking today because of him, and his bad timing for complex feelings. 

Jimin knows he’s at fault for most of it. He insisted on it, even though Jungkook seemed to play along at the ferris wheel. He just felt so vulnerable and so close to Jungkook for that split moment when their inner thoughts connected that he got carried away. But maybe Christmas Eve is not the best time to delve on your maybe-not-so-platonic feelings for your best friend. 

This was supposed to be the day Jimin fell in love with Christmas, after all. However, he’s learning that he's probably falling for something (someone) else instead.

“Look,” Jimin says after taking a deep breath. “Let’s just eat. No one can think straight on an empty belly. Let’s eat something yummy and have fun and watch some street performers. And then we go home and rest. We can talk then, or we can do anything else, okay? No pressure.”

Jungkook smiles shyly and looks at Jimin’s eyes. “Okay. Oh, I know! I want spicy chicken.”

Jimin nods with a chuckle and starts walking in the direction of the stalls, Jungkook following right by his side. Jimin looks at every stall’s specialties, usually printed in big menus on the side of them, trying to find something he would love to eat right now. Maybe he’ll eat some spicy chicken with Jungkook, too, but he’s also craving something sweet. 

“Look!” Jungkook exclaims as he points at the stall on their left. “Those look good!”

Jimin looks at it, too, and sees people leaving the stall with deliciously-looking fried chicken. He approves of the looks of it and he and Jungkook walk to the stall.

“You can wait by that empty table, I'll bring us the food,” Jimin tells Jungkook as he gets in the queue. 

As Jungkook walks to the table, Jimin waits for his turn to order, his hands in his pockets, and his mouth letting out short warm breaths into the air that form little clouds in front of his face. He has so much on his mind that he doesn’t even want to think at all. When he looks back at Jungkook, already sitting down and looking around, he sees his soft smile and his bubbly eyes—the only things he needs to immediately feel his heart aching in adoration. 

He needs to talk with Jungkook. He needs to tell him he’s been having the best day of his life. He needs to let him know just how much he enjoys his company. He needs him to understand that Jimin would do anything to see him smile. 

Never in his life has Jimin ever struggled this much to realize he was in love with someone. But now that he knows that he is, there is no other feeling that has given this much excitement and joy before. 

After ordering the food, Jimin rushes to the table and sits in front of Jungkook, their knees bumping into each other from how small the table is. Jungkook chuckles as Jimin tries to put everything that has come with his order on the table without letting their drinks fall over. He helps him out with the napkins and spreads the chicken in smaller bows. 

“Thank you,” Jimin says as he is finally able to grab one of the bowls and put it next to him so he can start eating. 

“Hm, hyung!” Jungkook calls, his voice muffled by the food in his mouth. He has wide eyes and his cheeks are round and full. He looks like the impersonation of happiness. “It’s so good!”

Jimin laughs. Jungkook has always been such a happy eater. He eats a little bit of everything and when he loves something, he clearly lets the people around him know. 

“I’m glad you like it, baby,” Jimin replies, noticing his little slip up right away, feeling his cheeks warming up after his realization. He doesn’t intend on making Jungkook uncomfortable on top of everything else that has happened today. 

Jungkook doesn’t look too shocked, though. He stops munching on his food for a moment, but then smiles shyly, as he takes another bite of his food. Jimin lets out a quiet breath of relief. 

“You’ve called me baby before, hyung,” Jungkook says quietly, looking at his bowl. “It’s cute. I like it.”

Jimin probably blushes even harder, but he doesn’t know it because he’s too busy thinking about what Jungkook’s words could possibly mean. 

“I don’t—” Jungkook starts again, sighing. “I don’t wanna make things awkward, hyung. I really like you.”

Jimin bites his lip and eats a little bit from his bowl of chicken to give himself time to respond. He knows what he wants to say. He has the perfect words forming inside his mind, he wants to let them out. 

I like you too. A lot. 

“Let’s not make things awkward, then,” he says instead. He doesn’t know why it feels so hard to be honest with Jungkook. Maybe there’s too much at stake. Maybe he’s just overthinking. Either way, a crowded and noisy food street may not be the best place for sudden confessions. Nor was a stuck ferris wheel. “Did you eat street food with your family too during the Christmas season?” he asks, letting the elephant in the room rest for a moment. 

It looks like Jungkook is not bothered by Jimin not wanting to talk about the underlying tension now as he starts ranting about he and his brother trying to eat something from every single food stall on this street one time. Jungkook’s stomach hurt for two days straight after that, but he won against his brother, so not everything was bad. He did have to promise his parents that he wouldn’t do that ever again. 

One conversation leads to another, and, suddenly, it feels like the tension between them is not there anymore. Jimin realizes just how easy and comfortable it is talking with Jungkook; he is reminded of how much he likes to see him laughing and smiling and being excited when talking about something he loves.

Suddenly, being in love with Jungkook doesn’t feel so scary—it feels natural. Inevitable, even. Jimin can’t imagine a lifetime where he wouldn't fall in love with his best friend. 

After eating the chicken, and as if he had read Jimin’s mind, Jungkook offers to go buy some dessert. Jimin stays at the table because the street is getting even more crowded and he’s afraid that they’re going to lose a place to sit at if they both leave for just a second. Jungkook comes back a few minutes later with an ice cream and a caramelized apple, which Jimin absolutely loves and hasn’t eaten in quite a while.

“You know me so well,” Jimin says as Jungkook hands him the apple with a big smile. 

“Yes, I know you like disgusting things like apples with caramel,” Jungkook replies with a giggle. 

Jimin rolls his eyes, but eats his delicious apple anyway. No one can stop him from doing it, not even Jungkook’s playful shaming looks. He can have his tasty-looking and colorful ice cream, but Jimin wouldn’t trade a caramelized apple for anything. 

They decide to walk for a little bit while they eat their desserts. Jungkook says there’s a fountain at the end of the street, which is usually illuminated on Christmas. Jimin thinks that he has a framed picture of him and his brother there, when they were younger, on one of his bedroom shelves. 

Jimin knows they’re getting closer to the fountain when he starts to hear the water and a street artist busking nearby. As they get closer and closer to the shining lights, Jungkook steps behind Jimin and covers his eyes. 

“It’s a really pretty scenery, hyung,” he justifies, and Jimin knows he has that playful smile on his lips. “I don’t want to ruin the surprise for you.”

“Okay, don’t let me bump into people, then,” Jimin replies with a giggle. He feels one of Jungkook’s hands on his eyes, and the other on his waist, guiding him through the crowded road. He also feels his heart beating faster from the anticipation (and maybe from feeling Jungkook’s warm breath so close to the back of his neck).

“Okay, you can look now!” Jungkook says after they’ve taken a few more steps, taking his hands away from Jimin’s face. 

When Jimin opens his eyes, he doesn’t know where to look first; however, the fountain is giant and it is the first thing he notices, with its big waterfalls and the gorgeous sculptures in the middle. There are people sitting around it, taking pictures, talking with each other, and eating. But his eyes are also driven to the wonderful view of Christmas lightning and decorations all around him. The lights reflect soft colors on the white plain snow on the ground. The water contributes to the whole scene's dynamic, as its own living thing. 

It’s an entire Christmas experience that Jimin never thought he would witness. His idea of Christmas is staying at home, cooking a nice dinner, watching some movies, and calling it a day. Jungkook’s idea of Christmas is this—this fun, bright, refreshing holiday, with happiness and comfort at every corner. 

Jimin understands why Jungkook loves Christmas so much. And, when he looks into his bright glistening eyes, as Jungkook stares at the fountain with a wide smile, Jimin understands why he loves Jungkook. He is the one that is by his side no matter what. He is the one who wants to see him happy. He is the one who fills his stomach with the most beautiful butterflies. He is the one who shares his world with him, and the prettiest places inside his heart. 

“Do you like it?” Jungkook asks, interrupting Jimin’s thoughts with a gentle voice. 

Jimin smiles and nods. “I love it.”

Jungkook chuckles. “Well, I hope a meteor doesn’t fall over our heads. Today has been weird.”

Jimin laughs and shakes his head. “Don’t jinx it.”

Jungkook raises his eyebrows and then starts walking to the fountain. “Hyung, don’t say that. What if it actually happens?”

Jimin follows him. “Well, if a meteor falls on Earth on Christmas Eve, I’m at least happy I would be with you.” 

Jungkook stops by the fountain and sits down on a dry spot. He rolls his eyes and licks his ice cream. 

“Cheesy.”

Jimin sits next to him with a giggle, laying his head on Jungkook’s shoulder. They stay like that for a few long minutes, with the crowd’s casual chatter and the sound of the water splashing behind them as their background noise. Jimin closes his eyes. Jungkook’s usual smell of sweet perfume is enough to make Jimin feel relaxed. 

After a few more minutes, Jimin hears a loud splash right behind them, and then he feels his back getting suddenly cold. When he opens his eyes, he sees Jungkook looking behind them with wide eyes and an angry frown. Only then Jimin realizes what happened: one of the water splashes from the fountain has completely wet their back and their seats. 

“That’s it, we’re going home,” Jungkook says, more frustrated than ever, standing up and trying to look at the damage. 

Jimin stands up, too, his back freezing cold now from the slight wind breeze coming from behind them. His jacket and his trousers are wet. Jungkook’s clothes are wet, too, including a little bit of his beanie and his hair. 

Jimin giggles from how ridiculous the day is becoming. “Yes, we’re going home.” He holds Jungkook’s hand before Jungkook does something even more ridiculous, like punching the fountain. Jimin can totally picture him doing that. 

“What have I done wrong, hyung?” Jungkook whines, following Jimin anyway, and leaving the fountain behind. 

“Nothing,” Jimin simply answers, as they enter the main street again. “Let’s go to my apartment, it’s closer. Once we get there, we’ll change into warm and dry pajamas, drink some good hot chocolate and turn on the heater. It’ll be great!”

Jimin looks at Jungkook and sees his tiny shy smile. 

“I’m looking forward to it, hyung,” he says, squeezing Jimin’s hand tighter. 

Jimin chuckles and starts walking faster. “Let’s get to the car fast before that meteor you talked about decides to show up.”

Jungkook giggles and starts to almost run to the car, too. Jimin lets go of his hand so he is able to keep up with Jungkook's big steps. Running only makes things worse, though, because his clothes are still wet and cold, and the wind hits his freezing back. It’s an awful feeling and Jimin can’t wait to enter the car and take off his jacket. That only motivates him to run faster, catch Jungkook as they’re passing by the restaurant they were supposed to eat at, and by the time they get to the car, Jimin is already ahead of him. 

“I win,” Jimin exclaims, out of breath, not even feeling his legs or his back or the tip of his nose, but proud of his achievement. 

“It wasn’t a competition,” Jungkook says as he opens the car remotely and lets Jimin get inside first. 

“It’s only a competition if you win, right?” Jimin playfully asks as Jungkook gets in the car, too. 

Jungkook takes off his jacket with a defeated smile. He turns on the car’s heater and sighs of relief, leaning back on his seat. Jimin takes off his jacket as well and closes his eyes. The car is not as warm as his apartment probably is, it isn’t even warm enough to heat up his face, but it is way nicer than it is outside. 

“Okay,” Jungkook says with a huff, turning on the radio and connecting it to his phone. “You choose the playlist.” He hands Jimin his phone and puts his hands on the wheel to start driving. “I was gonna play Christmas songs again, but I think you’ve had enough of Christmas for now,” he adds with a nervous giggle. 

“Believe it or not, this might be my favorite Christmas Eve ever since I was, like, six,” Jimin replies, taking the phone and scrolling through Jungkook’s playlists. He has playlists for everything—shower playlists, cooking playlists, travelling playlists, cleaning playlists, and so on. “I don’t think I’m ever in the mood for Christmas songs, though, I’m not gonna lie.”

Jungkook chuckles as he takes a U-turn to enter the highway. “Fair enough.”

Jimin nods and keeps scrolling. At the bottom of the page, there is one playlist that sparks his attention. 

“Why do you have a playlist named after me?”

Jungkook looks at him for a moment, and then at his phone in Jimin's hand. He then stares back at the street in front of them and clears his throat. 

“Maybe it’s another Jimin?”

Jimin giggles. “It’s literally called ‘Jiminie-Hyung’s Playlist’. Jungkook-ah—”

“I don’t know, hyung, just—,” Jungkook snaps before taking a deep breath. “I don’t know,” he mumbles, fidgeting his fingers on the wheel. 

Jimin puts one hand on Jungkook’s thigh. “Sorry. Can we listen to it, or would you prefer me not to?”

Jungkook sighs and shrugs. “I’m—Well, sure. It’s your playlist, after all.”

“What do you mean?”

Jungkook stops by a red light and looks at Jimin with nervous eyes. “It’s all the songs that remind me of you. It’s your essence.”

Jimin looks at him, surprised that Jungkook would do something like that, but also feeling honored. He wonders what type of songs Jungkook associates him with.

“Can I play it?”

Jungkook shrugs as he starts the car again and passes by the green light. “Sure.”

Jimin clicks on the playlist. It has over two hours worth of music so they probably won’t be able to listen to it all (though the meteor possibility is still on the table, and that would surely make them take a little longer to get home). He tries not to peek at the songs before pressing the play button. As soon as he does, he locks the phone and puts it down on his lap. 

Jimin recognizes the first song from the first chords. He knows it’s one of Jungkook’s favorite songs; he’s surprised that it also reminds Jungkook of him. 

“Why do you associate me with Ending Scene?”

Jungkook takes a moment to think and then he sighs. “It’s intense.”

“Am I intense?” Jimin asks, playfully pretending to be offended.

Jungkook giggles. “No. I mean, a little bit,” he adds as he looks at Jimin for a moment. “I guess, um—I guess our friendship is intense?"

Jimin is at a loss for words as the music plays in the background, not letting them fall into silence. He feels like Jungkook is trying to tell him something more, maybe telling him everything he needs to tell, but he’s still hesitant. Jimin lets the song speak for itself. It is an intense song, emotionally, but it’s also pretty sad. What takes Jimin aback is that Jungkook always looks happy and bright when they’re together. Obviously, there are times when he feels a little blue, but his mood seems to always lighten up when he’s with Jimin. This song, however, almost shows the opposite. It tells Jimin that Jungkook sometimes also feels conflicted and hopeless towards him. Jimin wishes that he could just hug Jungkook’s sadness away. He deserves everything that is happy and good in the world. 

This first song by IU feels like it's only an introduction for what’s to come, a short moment of vulnerability before the hyper vibes. After Ending Scene, comes 2U, a song that Jimin remembers hearing quite frequently whenever he lets Jungkook pick the songs. So far, Jimin is impressed by how many of Jungkook’s favorite songs and artists are also the ones he associates with Jimin. 

Jungkook quietly hums along to the chorus as he drives. Jimin likes this song, too; he doesn’t listen to EDM often, but he does know how to appreciate it. It’s mostly a song to dance to, it’s a song to feel the rhythm to, and just enjoy it. But now that he’s trying to capture the lyrics, he can’t help but blush a little bit. 

“Cool lyrics,” Jimin comments, trying to hide the sound of his heart. 

Jungkook smiles, shyly. “I thought you were gonna ask me why I associate them with you.”

Jimin nods, avoiding eye contact. “I think I know why.”

He doesn’t want to think about it, though. As they come towards the end of the day, Jimin has realized that there are a lot of things going through his mind that he wants to let out. Finding out that Jungkook possibly has those kinds of thoughts, too, should feel comforting (and he knows that, deep down, it does), but he can’t help but feel a tiny sprinkle of fear in his stomach. 

They keep driving in silence as the playlist plays out. There are some songs about love and appreciation, there are sadder songs like Ending Scene, and then there are songs that Jimin has mentioned he liked before, which he can relate to. Overall, it’s a pretty unique and well-thought playlist, which leaves Jimin wondering when did Jungkook start making it. When he unlocks Jungkook’s phone again to check the date the playlist was created out of curiosity, he holds a breath. 

Has Jungkook been feeling these emotions towards Jimin since so far back? The playlist was created just a few months after they met each other. 

“We’re here.” 

Jimin looks through the window and sees the familiar pathway to the apartment complex he lives in. The road is snowy and it looks even more dangerous now. He's glad that Jungkook has driven them safely here and now they're finally home. 

Jungkook steps out of the car first and Jimin follows him right behind, disconnecting Jungkook's phone from the car's Bluetooth and handing it over to him as they walk to the entryway. (When the backs of their hands touch for a single moment, both of them pretend that it didn't happen). Jimin quickly walks to the elevator as soon as he opens the front common door. Once inside the elevator, he sighs. He can already feel a wave of warmth running through his body. 

When he steps into the apartment, Jimin is a bit disappointed, to say the least. The inside of the house is not much warmer than the elevator was. Surely it is not as cold as it is outside, but Jimin was looking forward to getting inside, taking off his shoes, and immediately feeling better. 

“I’m gonna change into my pajamas,” Jimin says as he leaves the shoes by the door and takes off his wet jacket. 

Jungkook nods before Jimin starts quickly walking to his bedroom to get into the cozy clothes as soon as possible. 

“I’ll bring my largest clothes for you, too!” Jimin exclaims from his bedroom’s door. “You can grab the heater that’s in the kitchen and turn it on to warm up the house, if you want.”

“I will!”

Jimin steps inside his room and walks straight to the closet. He picks the warmest and fluffiest pajamas he has, a baby blue one, with a cute and tiny yellow chick on the right side of the chest, and sleeves too long for Jimin’s arms, but still incredibly cozy. 

After he has put the pajama on, he looks through his closet to find something warm enough for Jungkook. He finds a white sweater that almost looks like a dress on him, but he’s sure that will fit Jungkook perfectly. He also finds some old grey pajama pants that look big enough to fit Jungkook’s long legs. Lastly, he decides to also choose a pair of big black socks, with fuzzy and soft fur. 

“I found clothes for you!” Jimin tells Jungkook as he’s leaving his room and walking through the hallway to get back to the living room. 

Jungkook is sitting on the floor in front of the couch, his hands on one side of the heater, focusing on something at the back of it. Jimin walks closer to him and puts the clothes on the couch. 

“Have you turned it on yet?”

Jungkook sighs loudly and avoids Jimin’s eyes. It’s not a good sign.

“I turned it on,” Jungkook says, his voice building up on tension. “But I think it’s not working,” he adds, defeatedly putting his arms down.

Jimin asks him to step aside so he can take a look too. “What do you mean it’s not working? It was working yesterday.”

He turns the heater back on, making sure that it is correctly plugged to the power source. The red light at the bottom of the equipment doesn’t light up as it usually does when it’s heating up. 

“Weird,” Jimin mumbles. “Did the light ever turn on?” he asks Jungkook, pointing at it. 

Jungkook shakes his head, frustrated. “I even tried to plug it to the socker in the kitchen, but it didn’t work either.”

Jimin sighs. He can’t believe that the heater will let them down, too. 

“Here,” Jimin says as he stands up and grabs the clothes for Jungkook again. “You can try these on. I have plenty more sweatshirts in my closet, if you’d like, but that’s the largest one. I’ll stay here and see if the heater just needs a few more minutes to work. It’s too cold inside, maybe it’s just a matter of time.”

Jungkook nods, visibly trying not to think about the worst case scenario. “Okay. I hope you're right,” he says with a frown, as Jimin hands him the clothes. “Thank you, hyung. These are perfect.”

Jimin stares at him with sadness. He caresses his cheek with his hand and takes a stand of hair away from his eyes. “Everything’s alright, Jungkook-ah. Even if the heater doesn’t work, we still have a lot of blankets.”

Jungkook giggles softly and nods. “Okay.”

He then turns around and walks to Jimin’s bedroom. Jimin can’t help but feel like Jungkook has given up. It aches his heart tremendously, but he doesn’t know what more to do to make things better. 

After a couple of minutes, Jimin gives up on the heater, too. Frustrated, he unplugs it and carries it back to the kitchen. He opens the door next to the fridge, to the storage closet, where he keeps everything that he owns that he doesn’t use anymore. He grabs the heater and puts it inside, leaning against the wall on the left side. He’s about to close the door again, when his eyes catch something on the top shelves. 

Blankets. A lot of them. Probably, the ones Jimin brought from his old bedroom in his parents’ house, and the ones that his mother gave him a long time ago. He didn’t know he still had all of those there. 

He decides to give them a good use, then. He climbs to the first shelf on the bottom, careful not to fall, and stands on his tippy toes so he can reach the blankets. He tries to grab the one at the top of them all so he can start making a pile of them on the floor next to him to carry them all together to the living room. However, his hands can’t reach it and he ends up slipping and making all the blankets fall with him. 

“Hyung?” Jimin hears Jungkook calling him from the living room as he tries to escape the pile of blankets that have fallen on his head. “Hyung, what are you—oh.”

Jimin looks behind him, with a pile of blankets around his body and all over the ground, and sees a surprised Jungkook standing at the door of the tiny storage room, with an amused smile growing on his lips. 

“I’m—um,” Jimin starts, letting out a laugh. “Well, you see, I’m not the tallest person, you know?”

Jungkook giggles and shakes his head. “Were you trying to reach the top shelf?” he asks with a fake pity pout. 

Jimin smacks his chest with a roll of his eyes. “Hurry up and help me bring these blankets to the couch. The heater doesn’t work, so these blankets are now our best friends!”

Jungkook only laughs harder when Jimin tries to escape the blankets around his body. However, after just a few seconds of enjoying watching him struggling, Jungkook decides to help him. He grabs the blankets one by one and helps Jimin fold them into a pile. After a lot of giggles and untangling (and a dangerously big amount of, yet again, hands brushing against each other that put too many little butterflies on Jimin’s stomach), they can finally grab the blankets that they’ve folded in two piles, and take them to the living room. 

“We need pillows,” Jungkook states after he’s put the blankets down on the floor, his hands on his hips. 

“I have, like, four? Maybe five,” Jimin replies with a small frown. 

“That’ll do!”

Jimin laughs and walks back to his bedroom, Jungkook following him right behind. He hands Jungkook the two pillows on his bed and then goes on a hunt in his wardrobe for more pillows. He finds two more at the top, smaller than the ones on his bed, but just as fluffy as them. 

When Jimin goes back to the living room, Jungkook is already setting up a sort of fort on the couch. He puts each pillow on one armchair at the two ends of the couch and one of the blankets is already on the floor, to make it fluffier. Jimin giggles as he puts the other two pillows on top of the other ones. Then, he takes one blanket and puts it over the pillows, creating sort of a ceiling above the seats. It isn’t high enough for them to sit under it, though, so he goes back to the bedroom. He grabs the two cozy blankets on his bed and brings them with him too. He folds them and adds them to the piles of pillows. With this extra layer, they’re able to create a blanket ceiling high enough to sit underneath it. 

“Let’s watch movies!” Jungkook asks with a wide smile, as he covers himself with one of the blankets that are left. 

Jimin smiles, too, and turns on the TV. He’s sure that there will be at least a handful of Christmas movies on there that they can watch. He hands the TV remote to Jungkook as he goes to the other side of the room to turn off the lights. When he goes back to the couch, Jungkook has already picked a TV channel, with some generic Christmas family movie playing.

“Have you ever watched this one?” Jimin asks as he covers himself with a blanket, too. 

“I’ve probably seen bits of it,” Jungkook replies, trying to sit on the couch, under the blanket ceiling. “I know that there’s a big cute dog in it, though, so it’s definitely worth it,” he adds with a giggle. 

Jimin nods. “Oh, it must be, then,” he says, sitting next to Jungkook. The space is definitely cramped and dark, but Jimin finds a spot perfect for him. He leans against Jungkook's arm and shoulder and tugs his blanket closer to his chest. 

Jungkook leans against the couch's arm, letting Jimin rest against him. They stay like that for a long while, as they silently watch the movie and find warmth in each other. Even though the apartment is still cold, they don't feel it as much now; not when they have each other. 

"Are you enjoying the movie?" Jungkook suddenly asks as a new scene takes place on the TV, his voice quiet and husky.

Jimin feels chills down his spine when he hears Jungkook's voice so close to him, resonating on his body. If he's being honest, he hasn't even been paying much attention to the movie; all he's been thinking about is Jungkook. His mind has Jungkook written all over it. Jimin feels like he's on fire in every single spot of his body that is touching Jungkook's. 

"I—" Jimin starts replying before laughing softly. "I'm not paying much attention to it, honestly. It's not that exciting. The dog is cute, though."

Jungkook, still looking at the screen, smiles widely. His arm is around Jimin's shoulders, his fingers playing every now and then with the wrinkled fabric of Jimin's pajamas, close to his chest. 

"Well, I should be expecting the worst at this point, shouldn't I?"

When Jungkook looks back at him, Jimin sees the playful glint in his eyes. Their faces are so close that Jimin can see every single detail of Jungkook's skin, even in the darkness of the room. He can count every single mole on his face and his neck that he, deep down, has always wanted to kiss.

"Sorry," Jimin answers with a small chuckle.

Jungkook shrugs. He doesn't seem to be able to get his eyes off of Jimin either. 

"Sorry for the chaotic Christmas Eve," Jungkook then says with a giggle. "You deserved better."

Jimin feels like he has to do something about Jungkook's negative thoughts, so he shakes his head and sits up straighter, as straight as the blanket ceiling lets him, anyway. He makes sure that he stays close to Jungkook, though, one hand on his thigh, the other on the back of his neck, tenderly touching his skin. He feels a new wave of nervousness running through his body, the same kind of adrenaline that he felt on the ferris wheel. 

"Honey," Jimin sweetly calls, loving the way Jungkook's lips curve into a tiny nervous smile. "You gave me the best Christmas Eve I've ever had. I understand the hype now. Christmas is not about exchanging gifts, or decorating a tree, or waiting for Santa Claus, even though I'm sure those are all awesome. It's about being with the ones you love. It's about recalling old memories and creating new ones. It's about feeling happy and cozy and cuddling under a wannabe-fort." He giggles at Jungkook's wide and bright eyes. He's adorable. "Today was about all of that and even more. It was about being with you and us genuinely enjoying our time together. It was about—well, maybe, realizing that I can't imagine a lifetime without you, and just how important you are to me. You make me happy."

Jimin can barely feel his hands or his legs, from how nervous, but excited he feels. These thoughts have been stuck on his head for so long that it's weird to let them all out. However, Jungkook's hand holding his own is enough to tell him that he's okay. He doesn't need to be scared around Jungkook. He's his safe place, now more than ever, and Jungkook deserves to know that. 

"Hyung…" Jungkook calls quietly, not taking his eyes off Jimin's. 

Jimin believes that if they weren't in such a small, limited space, Jungkook would actually be jumping around like an excited bunny. 

"I—I don't know what to say," Jungkook confesses, hiding his face with one of his hands, the one that isn't rubbing its thumb in circles on Jimin's palm. 

Jimin giggles. "You're adorable."

Jimin bets that Jungkook blushed even harder. Everything feels so weird, and they're so awkward, but it also feels so right . 

"Hyung, don't say those things…"

"I'm only speaking my heart out." It's true and Jimin doesn't know if he'll be able to stop any time soon. 

"You're amazing," Jungkook says with a chuckle. Then, after a short pause, "He does love you back."

Jimin tilts his head, completely lost in his own thoughts to understand the reference. "Who?"

Jungkook laughs. "The guy you mentioned on the ferris wheel."

When realization hits him, Jimin smiles widely, a new kind of joy bubbling in his chest. "Oh."

"Yeah."

They stay silent for a few more seconds, way too long for the amount of things they want— need to share with each other. All of that can wait, though, because, for now, Jimin just has one thing on his mind.

"I want to kiss you so bad."

Jungkook giggles. “What about you kiss me real good?” he asks with the lamest smile Jimin has ever seen. 

Jimin laughs and smacks his chest softly. “Suddenly I don’t want to kiss you anymore,” he says, crossing his arms against his chest. 

Jungkook grabs his hand back, making Jimin unlace his arms and putting his hands on Jungkook’s thighs. Jimin looks into his eyes and holds his breath. He looks so gorgeous under the dim light coming from the fabric and the TV. The silence between them is so fragile, but so precious; Jimin can feel the sweet, delicate feelings floating in the air, patiently waiting for one of them to make a move to explode into a million tiny pieces of joy and youthful excitement. 

“Okay, you do it,” Jungkook whispers, biting his lip to contain a giddy smile. “Hyung goes first.”

Jimin chuckles. “Why does this feel so hard to do?”

Jungkook shrugs, his fingers playing with Jimin’s own. “Because it’s important to both of us.”

Jimin sighs quietly, lost in Jungkook’s eyes. “It is.”

“A big deal.”

“The biggest deal.”

“Kiss me.”

Jungkook sounds extra serious this time, his eyebrows furrowed as he wets his lips slightly with his tongue, his breath heavy from the nervousness. Jimin doesn’t want to make him suffer anymore, and he’s also getting pretty impatient. It’s been so long since he started feeling something other than friendship for Jungkook that, even though he didn't notice it at first, he feels like he has waited for too long already. 

“Okay, I will,” Jimin says, almost teasingly, trying to bring up the mood a little bit in the middle of their worries and anxiousness. 

In a sudden move, Jungkook is actually the one to kiss him first, almost without a warning; he simply does it. And Jimin doesn't hold back: he closes his eyes, kisses him back, and enjoys the moment to the fullest. 

Kissing Jungkook feels like coming home after months away from the country, holding onto something beautifully familiar after feeling like a foreigner for so long. 

Jungkook's lips are warm and soft and careful, making sure that he's doing everything right, treating Jimin with tenderness. Jimin almost feels bad for wanting more, for pushing further, for grabbing Jungkook's hair and pulling their faces even closer. It's like he's already addicted to the feeling, diving deep into it. He's afraid he's only pushing Jungkook away with it, going too fast. Is a first kiss supposed to feel this intense? 

"Hyung," Jungkook mumbles against Jimin's lips, still not letting go. "Need to breathe," he manages to let out, with a small giggle.

Jimin breaks the kiss apart, dazy in his own emotions and feeling the adrenaline of his heart, which is beating faster than it probably should. Jungkook caresses his cheek sweetly, laughing at Jimin's small pout. 

"Hyung, what's wrong?"

Jimin looks at his eyes, completely absorbed in him. "That—um, that was amazing," he confesses, smiling too. 

Jungkook nods, a little bit of his shyness showing up as he bites on his lip. "It was," he replies, his lips turning into a big smile, the biggest Jimin has ever seen on him. 

Jimin feels proud, almost, knowing that Jungkook is smiling like that because of him. For him. Excitement bubbles on his chest as he realizes that he feels the same way. Happy. Happier than ever, exploding in joy just by staring at Jungkook's glistening eyes. Without even noticing it, Jimin mirrors his wide smile, his heart accelerating even more. 

"That was the best Christmas gift I ever got," Jimin says, playfully.

Jungkook laughs. He doesn't seem to be able to look away from Jimin's eyes. "That's a shame. I bought you a really cool Christmas gift."

Jimin's eyes widen. "You bought me a gift?"

Jungkook rolls his eyes softly, his thumb rubbing against Jimin's jaw. "It's Christmas, hyung. Of course I bought you a gift."

Jimin's expression softens and he replies with a giggle. "Yeah, I bought you one, too."

Jungkook chuckles. "Too bad I have to leave your side and this incredibly warm and cozy blanket fort to go get it."

Jimin quickly shakes his head with a smile and puts both of his arms around Jungkook's shoulders, making his torso completely turn to face him. "Hm, that can wait. Kiss me again."

Jungkook giggles and puts his hands on Jimin's waist, delicately. "So bossy," he complains, already leaning forward to kiss Jimin as many times as he asks him to. 

Jimin catches his lips in between giggles and whispered nothings. They're both so happy and giggly that it's almost impossible to kiss properly, but there is nothing in the world that Jimin would rather be doing right now than this. 

"See, not everything went bad today," Jimin whispers after pressing a quick kiss on Jungkook's nose.

Jungkook bites his lip and then sighs, with an amused smile on his face. "You know," he starts, breaking away from Jimin's lips for a moment and rubbing his fingers in small circles on Jimin's skin under the hem of his pajama shirt. "I'd been thinking for a while about confessing to you. Telling you how much I love you, how much I care for you. I had this whole speech planned out with a lot of reasons why I like you, why you're such a good hyung to me, my favorite things about you. But when you started telling me all those things, too, and how much you enjoyed today because of me, my brain went completely blank," he says with a shy and embarrassed giggle. "The only thing I could think about was you. All you. Floating around my mind in all directions, everywhere. I'm still speechless, to be honest. You're my first love, hyung, you've always been, and I should have told you sooner, but I'm glad that you seem to feel the same way towards me."

Jimin's heart stops for a moment, staring into Jungkook's eyes, listening carefully to his meaningful and sweet words. All of that, every Jungkook's thought, every word, every emotion makes Jimin feel loved, and cherished. He knows Jungkook cares about him, he knows their bond is, and always has been, special. Hearing Jungkook say it, though, letting him speak his mind, is something Jimin is honored to witness. He is one hundred percent sure that everything that comes out of Jungkook's mouth is authentic, and he couldn't feel prouder and happier to hear those words spoken to him.

"I love you, too, baby," is all Jimin can say before he feels a couple of tears running from his eyes to his cheeks and his mouth. 

Jungkook giggles again, the most beautiful sound in the world, and wipes away one of Jimin's tears, rewarding him with a tiny kiss on that spot right after. 

"Thank you for making my days brighter, too, hyung," Jungkook whispers, his forehead leaning against Jimin's own. "I love you."

The cheap Christmas movie plays in the background, lighting up the room, as Jimin presses his lips against Jungkook's own again and feels his heart exploding with love. This is, without a doubt, the best and most perfect Christmas Eve he has ever experienced. He hopes many more like this are to come.