Archive of Our Own ^beta

This couldn't be true. 

This just couldn't be true… Jungkook was sure he had to be dreaming. 

Jungkook stood rooted a few steps from the stairs, half hidden behind the banister. His eyes flitted around the hallway, looking at the other people going to class.

This had to be a dream right? 

Jungkook squinted at the people passing him by: Shiyoon… Inwoo… Saetbyol and her giggly friends… two women he had never seen before, conversing in chinese… and Park Jimin talking to his photography teacher at the end of the hall. 

Jungkook swallowed and wiped his suddenly sweaty hands on his jeans. 

God, he wished this was a dream or a hallucination. 

But if this was a dream then he wouldn't be able to see these faces so clearly, right? If this was a dream then he wouldn't be seeing all the tiny details. But there were cracks in the floor and watermarks on the windows, there was a chinese conversation and Jungkook could even see the wrinkles in the back of his professor’s shirt.

Jungkook watched silently as Park Jimin smiled at the professor. It had been years since he had seen that smile...

Could this really be reality?

Jungkook pinched his leg harshly. 

It stung. 

So much for dreaming… 

Jungkook couldn’t look away from the beautiful man that his professor was currently ushering into the photography classroom. Park Jimin was blond now. It looked good on him. Really good. And he clearly knew it. All those years ago he would have blushed shyly at the looks he garnered but today he stood there tall and relaxed, confidently returning the curious and appreciating gazes with a coy smile. 

It wasn't the sweet, eye-pinching smile Jungkook remembered from their past but it was just as beautiful. 

Jungkook's stomach squeezed, tumbling over itself in a whirling, confusing cocktail of happy butterflies, cold dread and burning embarrassment. He had not expected to see Jimin again. Not here, not so soon. 

He had not been prepared for this. Not prepared to face him and certainly not prepared to still feel the same way he did all those years ago. 

The delicate shine of Jimin's swinging earrings drew Jungkook's attention back to the situation, the problem. As he was walking into the classroom, Jimin's head turned towards the stairs Jungkook stood by. Jungkook felt as if he couldn't breathe but Jimin's gaze thankfully never strayed from the professor. 

… his professor. 

… walking into his photography class… 

There was a lump in Jungkook's throat that he couldn't seem to swallow. 

He wanted desperately to just turn around and go back home. To be able to panic properly without witnesses or maybe just to sleep another round so he would be able to write the whole day off as a dream. 

But he had already missed a few sessions when he had been sick last month. He couldn't just skip right now, he wouldn't be allowed to pass the class if he had too many misses. Jungkook rubbed a hand over his forehead in frustration. 

Up ahead Park Jimin had already vanished into the classroom. Jungkook's hand found the shoulder strap of his backpack, gripping it tightly. He would have to follow soon enough. 

Breathe in… breathe out… deeply… again… 

Jungkook set his foot forward, then the other. Repeat. He let himself be carried into the classroom, following Park Jimin. 

It was something he had sworn to himself never to do again. It had only brought him heartache. 

But it was different now, Jungkook told himself. His nails dug a bit deeper into the rough material of his backpack strap. It was different, he did it for himself and his photography grade, not out of naive hopes and puppy love. 

He resolutely ignored the squeeze in his chest, the flutter of nerves in his stomach. 

There still hung a hint of Jimin's perfume around the doorway. Jungkook recognized it right away. It was still the same even if so much else had changed.

The familiarity hurt in a way he hadn't expected. 

After all, Park Jimin had been his best friend years ago, inseparable for most of their school years.

After all, Park Jimin had been the only person he had ever loved - and maybe still did.

After all, Park Jimin had at last become his first boyfriend a few weeks before he graduated, making Jungkook impossibly happy.

… until he had broken his heart in the cruelest way.

Back in elementary school Jungkook had been a quiet student - still was now if he was honest. Getting close to people had never been easy for him. Sure he had gotten along with plenty of other students, had sat and eaten with them, but when it had come down to any outings he had just never quite made the cut. 

That had finally changed in high school. 

Park Jimin and Kim Taehyung were two years older than him. They were basically inseparable but Jungkook had fit into their mittle just fine.

Jungkook had met them in an arcade. He had just gotten the price he had been aiming for. A few of his points had been left over so he had given them to a boy who hadn't been able to get what he had wanted. Kim Taehyung had thanked him enthusiasticly, rushing off to the counter with a gigantic grin. His friend had stayed by Jungkook's side.

Park Jimin had smiled at him for the first time back then, a full, bright grin that let his eyes vanish. He had bought Jungkook a corn dog in thanks and Jungkook's hand had shook terribly as he accepted it. The three had eaten together and stayed at the table long after that, too. Jimin and Taehyung had bantered about anything they could think of and had pulled Jungkook gradually into the conversation.They had been incredibly inviting: always including Jungkook, asking his opinions and giving him time to answer.

That evening, Jungkook had thought it would be a one time thing, a nice little memory and nothing more, but then they had met again a week later and Jungkook had been welcomed into their game of arcade basketball right away. 

They had done the same after Jungkook had joined them in high school. They hadn't been in the same class due to the age difference but the three of them had still managed to spend as much time together as possible, growing even closer over the years. 

High school had turned into university and as their friendship had grown, so had other feelings. The warmth Jungkook had felt when faced with Jimin's smile in the arcade that very first time had not been a fluke. He had written it off as simple happiness at having done something nice and being thanked for it. Maybe even as excitement at the prospect of maybe making a friend. 

But as they had spent day after day together Jungkook had realized that it had to be more than that. He had always been so incredibly happy seeing his friends and spending time with them - but it had been just a bit different with Jimin. Jungkook had always been terribly disappointed when he was too busy to meet, he had always paid extra attention to him and had found himself even helping him out with the smallest things just because he wanted to see him smile. 

And oh, that smile! 

Sometimes Jimin would smile at him in such a way that Jungkook felt like he would just drift up and away if he wasn't careful. 

For a long while he had taken it as something semi-normal in a friendship. He had liked Taehyung a lot and did nice things for him as well - but in the end he had to admit that the feeling was very different. Jungkook had only ever felt the burning thing bubble in his throat when a giggly, hair-twirling girl got a smile from Jimin. He had only ever felt the starbursts in his veins when Jimin leaned against him as he laughed. He only ever wanted to be closer and closer to Jimin, to wrap him up in his own big jacket against the cold, to grab his hand and not let go, to make flirty remarks and watch the rosy flush climb up Jimin’s neck from up close.

It had taken Jungkook until the beginning of Jimin and Taehyung’s last semester, but in the end he had figured out what it was about Jimin. What made his chest squeeze and his hands shake.

Jungkook was in love.

Jungkook’s mouth was dust-dry as he finally settled into a seat - this time as far away from the front as he could manage. He had pulled up the hood of his oversized hoodie in a layer of extra defense but he would still be easy to make out between the twenty students around him, especially considering that the chairs were arranged in a loose half-circle around a low platform. 

Maybe he should just leave again? But he really needed the credits of the seminar… and extending his degree by another semester just because he wanted to avoid his ex? No, thanks. He was an adult and he would deal with the situation accordingly. Surely, Jimin would do the same. 

…Right?

And if he didn’t, well then Jungkook could still leave the class then, he supposed. Maybe retake the class next semester. Maybe take a gap year. Maybe quit university completely, change his name and go on an extended roadtrip to find himself. It all depended on the level of embarrassment he would have to face. At least the curtains were drawn closed so that only the people in class would get to witness this.

More students filtered into the room as time went by. Jimin was still talking to the professor by the platform in the front, not once turning to look at the people in the room, and slowly Jungkook’s heartbeat slowed again. Then Jimin vanished into a small, curtained-off section behind the platform and the professor started setting up the stage. There was a deep green, velvet armchair on the platform that he moved into the center, before he draped a soft grey fur blanket over the side and arranged a few small silvery satin pillows on top. 

While he worked the room grew quieter, the students settling in and watching in curiosity. It left a tension in the room that only amplified Jungkook’s anxiety and had him clenching his jaw. It was only when the professor switched off the main lights and instead turned on a short lamp close to the platform that Jungkook’s shoulders sagged a bit. Relief coursed through him. With the dark room and the bright light directed straight at him, Jimin wouldn’t be able to make out any of the students - not even his childhood friend, turned boyfriend, turned ex.

Jungkook’s relief was short-lived however. 

Not soon after the lights had gone out, Jimin stepped out from behind the curtains, slowly stepping up on the low stage. He was barefoot, wearing nothing more than a thin black robe that reflected the golden light. 

Jungkook’s heart skipped. His stomach flipped. His brain stalled and that was probably the only reason he didn’t start cursing at himself right at that moment. 

Goddammit! After everything that had happened, how could he still feel like this about Jimin?

Logically, he knew that Park Jimin wouldn’t be able to recognize him right behind the bright lamp, but he still scooted down a bit in his chair and burrowed a bit deeper into his big hoodie. (It had nothing to do with the flush creeping up his neck, no.) 

Park Jimin settled on the armchair. He sat on the edge, leaning forwards to brace his arms on his thighs, legs crossed at the ankle. There was a shy smile on his face, not quite the full-blown happy one that made his eyes close, but it was beautiful nonetheless. A small blush painted his cheeks.

Jungkook didn’t look away even after the professor had joined the other on stage and started talking. He couldn’t.

Jimin was just... Just... 

He loved him. 

God, did he still love him.

Park Jimin had been it for him. Still was.

The one.

But Jungkook had never been the same to Jimin.

It hadn’t worked out and now Jungkook was left with less. 

He couldn’t even call Jimin a friend any longer.

And this here, being close to him again, seeing all the beautiful details that made up Park Jimin, seeing all the tiny things Jungkook had loved so dearly and still did…

A heavy stone settled in his stomach, crushing the army of butterflies beneath it.

It had been Jimin’s last semester at university. One last semester before Jungkook would have to say goodbye to their daily lunch breaks, café outings and library hours together. At least he would still be able to see him on some evenings and on the weekends, right?

Jungkook had been aware of all the changes he would have to deal with but he had stayed positive anyway. At least until he had gotten a taste of what the change would mean, first hand.

Jimin had missed a few of their get togethers one week due to a group project, leaving Jungkook to spend most of his freetime with Taehyung. He still had had a lot of fun, don’t get him wrong, but more often than not, his thoughts had drifted off. What was Jimin doing right now? Did he take enough breaks? Trink enough? Surely he would have loved to join them for the barbecue, maybe Jungkook should bring him some other time…

Over that week, Jungkook had slowly come to realise that he always was just a bit more interested in Jimin. He had missed him, much more so than he did Taehyung when he had been visiting family. He had still been working out the reason for that when it basically slapped him in the face.

After so many days of missing Jimin, Jungkook had finally decided to do something about it. He had sent Jimin a text earlier, like so many days before, asking if they could meet for just a bit, but the other had replied the same as always: he was very sorry, he would like to meet up as well but there was the project that needed to be finished so soon…

Jungkook had been a bit disappointed of course, but he had understood the trouble of overlapping projects with too short a deadline. So in an effort to help, he had gone out to pick up Jimin’s favourite coffee from his favourite shop along with a few snacks. He had meant to surprise Jimin - but in the end it had him that had gotten the surprise. 

Jungkook hadn’t even entered the café yet, when a familiar silhouette caught his attention. At a table near the front windows sat his friend, completely relaxed and gently smiling against the rim of a coffee cup. A pretty girl in a pretty lilac dress sat across from him, twirling a strand of hair between her fingers. There was a smile on her glossy lips and Jungkook could see the real flush beneath the rouge on her cheeks.

It had been a sight that had made Jungkook pause.

He… had never really imagined that Jimin would show that smile to somebody else…

It had made Jungkook feel irrationally frustrated. A boiling mix of irritation and disappointment had swelled in his stomach, clawing its way up to sit tightly and heavily in his throat. It had been a lot like swallowing a too hot gulp of coffee - yet just the other way around. The heat had made Jungkook’s cheeks burn and his eyes sting.

Jungkook had just walked past the café, in the end. Instead he had just gotten some beer and chicken the first opportunity he had seen and brought them over to Taehyung’s place. Taehyung had always had an open ear for him, and that day, too, he had sat and listened to Jungkook’s eíncreasingly beer-drenched complaints before gradually and oh so gently nudging him to the realization he had needed. 

Jungkook liked Jimin. He like liked Jimin.

The single thought had been the only thing running through Jungkook’s mind that night. And since he had been too keyed up to sleep, it had been a rather long night. He had been so distracted that he hadn’t even noticed his cell phone ringing in the morning. It had only been thanks to Taehyung’s light sleep and grumpy cell phone flinging that Jungkook hadn’t missed Jimin’s call, the first one in over a week.

“Jungkookie, let’s meet!” he had cheerfully chirped over the line, “I haven't seen you in forever and I finally finished the project yesterday!”

And Jungkook’s brain had stalled. Because he like liked Jimin and now the other actually wanted to meet up ? Oh god, what was he supposed to do?

It had only been Taehyung’s pointy toe that had managed to draw him back to the present.

“Y-Yeah, sure. I mean, yeah, definitely! What were you thinking of?”

He had wanted to feel so embarrassed at the way he had stuttered but Jimin’s bright giggle wouldn’t let him.

“Great! Then let’s go out for food, ok? I already went out for coffee with my project partner yesterday after handing everything in, and I think I’m seriously gonna go stir-crazy if I up the caffeine percentage of my blood even further.”

… project partner… 

The knot in Jungkook's chest had unraveled a bit.

“Yeah, food sounds perfect!”

Taehyung's smirk and raised eyebrow had him wondering what his face might have looked like at that moment. Probably pretty stupid, but he hadn't cared much in that situation. 

"Ok! Then let me get ready and we'll meet for lunch in that grill bar you like."

"Hello, I'm Park Jimin, your model today! It's nice to meet you all!"

Jungkook scooted a bit further down in his seat as Jimin further introduced himself on the low stage. His smile was incredibly bright under the single lamp light, blond hair glinting.

"Ok,, class," the professor called as he stepped up on the stage as well, "Let’s do a short revision of the portraits we did last week before we’ll get right into the new topic: nude photography.”

Jungkook only registered what he had said because of the hush that suddenly fell over the class. From the back came an embarrassed, slightly hysteric giggle; Saetbyol was half bent over her desk. She sat close to Jungkook so he could see the way her hair fell around her red, red ears.

He rather felt for her. 

But at least he wouldn’t be the only one who would embarrass himself in public today. 

The professor continued with his lesson but when Jungkook turned back to the front, he could only focus on Jimin. Jimin, who was frowning slightly, his eyes stuck on Jungkook’s head. 

Jungkook angled his head down at once, pulse shooting through the roof. 

Did Jimin recognize him? Surely that couldn’t be it… The room was just too dark, the backlighting too bright, Jungkook’s hood too deep.

Still, Jimin kept glancing his way again and again. 

Jungkook hadn’t been able to forget that scene in the café: Jimin sitting there with a blushing girl, relaxed, happy, smiling. Like a date.

And it stung. 

He had known that the situation had been different from what he had imagined but the mere thought of Jimin being like that with anyone that wasn’t him just hurt. Of course Jungkook would still be happy for him if he ever dated for real - Jimin deserved any and all happiness possible, after all - but it had bothered him that he himself would never get that chance.

But… why exactly wouldn’t he?

Maybe, just maybe, he could have that, too? Maybe his chances weren’t all that bad.

Jimin always spent so much time with him, even spending hours late at night talking on the phone or just existing together. He would laugh so much and lean on Jungkook, always look at him, sit close to him, take care of him.

Maybe Jimin did those things for the same reason Jungkook did them…

Maybe… Maybe Jungkook just had to take a leap and ask him…?

But one look at Jimin’s smiling face and Jungkook would be tongue-tied, heart in his throat. He just couldn’t do it. Park Jimin had been one of his best friends for ages and while he would love to have something more , he just didn’t want to outright risk having any less.

So Jungkook held himself back. 

For a while.

Locking away his feelings got harder and harder as the hair-twirling, blushing people kept showing up around Jimin - or maybe Jungkook was just noticing them more now. He managed to get through a few more weeks of that and quite a few pointedly applied elbow jabbs courtesy of Taehyung who clearly knew what was going on.

The situation only changed when Jimin made a comment about a book he was reading for class. He had set it down with a frustrated sigh, complaining about how the main character never gave her best friend a chance. He had loved her for ages and they would have been perfect together - if he had had the courage to say something and she had paid him enough attention.

“I mean, how could she not like him back? He’s basically a golden boy like our Jungkookie here. He’s pretty much perfect in every sense of the word: good looking, kind and he always treats her with so much respect and love… “ Jimin closed the book with a huff. “Ugh, imagine turning someone like that down! I certainly wouldn’t, I can tell you that!”

Jungkook’s brain stalled.

Jimin wouldn’t turn down a man like that…? 

A man who he said was much like Jungkook? 

The best friend with the long-time crush?

Butterflies surged up in the younger’s stomach, giddy and wild, but outwardly he remained calm and collected. He just couldn’t react.

Had Jimin actually said that? Had he actually meant it like that? 

Maybe it had just been a stray thought and a misleading choice of words…

Jungkook wanted it desperately to mean what he had understood, he wanted to act on it and finally do something about his feelings. But with an ambiguous wording like that also came a certain risk… 

… unless… 

… unless, Jungkook kept his move just as ambiguous…

“Say, hyung, could you maybe lend me the book once you’re done?”

Jungkook had a plan.

Jungkook couldn’t focus on the task.

The room was quiet and dark, all distractions kept to a minimum, but he still couldn’t concentrate at all. Worry swirled in his stomach, longing in his chest, and all his thoughts were Jimin, Jimin, Park Jimin, who looked as beautiful as he had ever seen him. Park Jimin who was a serious distraction himself, with his probing glances and bare skin draped over an armchair.

Jungkook swallowed, fingers tightening a bit further around his camera. 

It had been years since he had seen the other, since he had been this close to him, and Jimin had certainly never, not once, looked like that around him. 

Jimin had loosened the belt of the silky robe he had been wearing, letting it slide down his shoulders and pool at his waist. Jungkook's mouth had gone dry. 

While Jimin's privates were cleverly hidden from view, he was still so very naked. Jungkook would have expected him to feel vulnerable, maybe embarrassed, but Jimin looked completely comfortable showing almost everything to a room of strangers. There was a slight smirk on his lips. His shoulders were loose, not a hint of tension in his body as he leaned back over the wide armrest, legs pulled up to the seat. 

He looked confident. 

Teasing. 

Beautiful… 

Jungkook lifted his camera to his eye, hiding his face from Jimin - and the blush and puppy eyes, as well. 

He zoomed in. 

Maybe it would be easier, if he didn't have to look at Jimin's face, look into his eyes, and remember all the things that went wrong between them. 

Jimin was stretched back over the armrest, showing off this lean torso and muscled arms. His hand was delicately curled beneath his jawbone, pink palms and pink lips. There was a new tattoo on his wrist that Jungkook could only guess the meaning of. 13. A delicate earring dangled by his neck, a sparkling star on a silver string. It caught the light of the lamp, reflecting it brightly. 

Jungkook pushed the button. 

Again and again. 

He might not be able to show his love but he could capture it in his pictures.

Art had no rules. He could show love, his own love.

And if he wanted he could show a world where they had never grown apart - he could show a world where Jimin loved him, too. 

Jungkook had read the whole book that week despite thinking that most characters were annoying and the writing style tedious. 

But it was for Jimin so he didn't mind too much. 

He found what he was looking for close to the end: The bad boy had been spending more and more time around the main character and so the best friend had decided to at least give it a shot. He had invited her over to watch her favorite film together, Titanic, gotten closer and then confessed. 

Jungkook wanted to do it the same way.

He would invite Jimin over to watch Titanic, reach for his hand during the romantic parts and… well, maybe he wouldn’t confess outright. Instead, he would first see how the other reacted to it all. Jimin would know what he meant, after all he had just read the book and would surely see all the parallels. He had even rooted for the best friend, which was a good sign. And if Jimin - hopefully - didn't seem averse to his romantic interest, then Jungkook would gather his courage and finally ask him out. 

Plan set, Jungkook returned the book two days later with a wildly beating heart. 

Another two days later he asked Jimin if he wanted to come over for film night, stomach filled with giddy butterflies. He almost felt like he would be sick. 

Of course Jimin said yes, it wasn’t the first time they would have a film night. The night itself would be much more important.

Jimin came over that night, wearing glasses, sweatpants and a big green hoodie that Jungkook was sure had belonged to him at one point. He held up a bag of chicken takeout and a case of beer as Jungkook opened the door, a big grin on his face.

To others it might have seemed like a sure sign that Jimin wasn’t interested in dating him, but Jungkook liked that the other was comfortable around him to just be himself without worrying about it. 

Jungkook returned the smile and waved Jimin in silently, the knot of nerves blocking his throat for the moment. But Jimin’s easy chatter had thankfully relaxed him soon enough.

“Say, hyung,” he started as walked over to the TV. Jimin was busy setting up the snacks on the coffee table; he looked up at the words. “I’ve been in the mood for Titanic recently, do you mind if we watch that?”

“Yeah, no, go right ahead,” he replied in an easy tone, distractedly (and distractingly) licking a bit of sweet-and-sour sauce off his finger. “You know I like that film, too.”

Jungkook started it without another word, not knowing what to say. They settled on the small couch together as the recognizable music started, but Jungkook was barely watching the film. Jimin had pulled up his legs to curl them beneath him but there wasn’t quite enough room on the couch for that. The side of his knees rested on Jungkook’s thigh.

It didn’t get much better over the course of the film. Jimin had always been a very touchy person which was absolutely fine but tonight, with Jungkook’s plan in motion, it was quite distracting. 

Well, at least that should be a good sign, right?

Maybe he should move closer, too?

It took him a while to work up the courage, then Jungkook shifted in his seat. He pulled his legs up to sit with crossed legs and placed one of his elbows on his knee to lean in closer. Jimin barely even reacted, eyes glued to the screen as he adjusted his own seat slightly. His shoulder pressed further into Jungkook’s side.

“I used to be so freaked out by that in the past…”

Jungkook hummed in agreement.

Wait. Wait.

On TV Rose was already wading through icy water, lights flickering scarily.

The ship was already sinking! How had Jungkook managed to miss most of the film? He had wanted to make a move during one of the romantic scenes but now…

Jungkook shifted in annoyance, leaning back against the pillows and clasping his hands tightly in his lap. 

He could see Jimin look at him in the corner of his eye. He turned to him slightly and shook his head at the worried gaze he found.

“You alright?” Jimin whispered. 

“Yeah, it’s nothing. Just… I never liked that scene either.”

Jimin nodded at the explanation. He leaned a bit more into him, probably wanting to be comforting, and rested his hand lightly on Jungkook’s knee. The heat of it soaked right into his blood. Jungkook wondered if he was blushing. 

The film played on and Jimin’s hand stayed where it was.

Did this mean…?

Well, there was only one way to find out.

As Rose jumped off the lifeboat and reunited with her love under tears and kisses, Jungkook finally found his courage. He made a small, aborted movement with his hand, hesitated and then finally reached to cover the one Jimin still rested on his knee. He curled his fingers in slightly so that he could properly (if loosely) hold Jimin’s.

An endless moment passed where Jungkook’ felt like his heart was about to explode. He felt hot and cold all over, stomach squeezing and flipping all around. Was his hand as icy as he thought? Or sweaty? God, he should really let go now-

Jimin’s hand moved beneath his, warm and soft. It turned, short fingers curling up to hold onto Jungkook’s own hand.

Butterflies burst out of his stomach and into all the corners of Jungkook’s body.

Jimin was-! 

He-!

They were actually holding hands!

“Hyung, I…” Jungkook trailed off, all the words he had wanted to say gone with the wind. He tried to start again but the words just wouldn’t come. “Hyung…”

But in the end he didn’t even need to say anything.

Jimin squeezed his hand and when Jungkook looked at him, he was smiling gently, brightly, lovely . 

“I understand, Jungkookie,” he said calmly, seemingly unknowing of what he was doing to Jungkook’s heart at that moment.

“You do?”

“How could I not? Jungkookie, I’m not that clueless!”

Jimin was still smiling, still holding onto Jungkook’s hand tightly. His thumb started tracing soft patterns on the back of it.

Jungkook squeezed back and interlocked their fingers to hold on even tighter. 

He didn’t plan on ever letting go again.

“Oh, now this is a beautiful work right here!”

Jungkook startled terribly as he heard the voice of his professor right above his shoulder. He whirled around halfway to look at him, lowering his camera but knowing that it probably was already too late.

“May I take a look?” the professor asked, as if he hadn’t just done that already before. Jungkook suppressed a sigh and handed his camera over to the already reaching hand. Not like he would have much of a choice, really, with Professor Pushy here.

He watched anxiously as the man scrolled through his shots. It didn’t help that most of the people were looking their way as the professor had ended the photoshoot just a minute earlier. At least that meant that Park Jimin was no longer up on the stage wearing barely anything. He had redressed in the robe, somehow managing to hide more than he showed and seeming even more alluring because of it. Then Jimin had vanished in the make-shift changing room behind the stage - as far as Jungkook knew, at least. He had tried really hard to be occupied with something else at the time.

“These are wonderful!” the professor announced loudly. “The way you used the lighting and the contrast to tell your story is wonderful. Every picture is different: passionate, sweet, reverent…” The man trailed off as he looked through all the pictures Jungkook had taken. He reached the last one, lingered on the motive, then looked up at him abruptly.

“Jeon Jungkook, right?” he asked, but didn’t bother waiting for a response. “I would truly like to see what you make of these. Edit them and present them to the class next week - only if you want of course, but keep in mind that I would give you an A for it.” 

“I… I’ll think about it,” Jungkook answered quietly. He tried to take his camera back awkwardly when it was held out for him, but the professor didn’t let go right away.

“I can clearly see the love you hold for photography, Jeon Jungkook-ssi. Please don’t stop taking pictures, it would be a terrible loss for us.” Only then did he let go of Jungkook’s camera. Jungkook smiled so he wouldn’t grimasse. 

Right… 

… love… for photography…

“I won’t, I promise.”

“Wonderful!” Then the professor turned around with a flourish and finally dismissed the class. The people filtered out quickly and a minute later only Jungkook was left in the room. He set his camera carefully in its bag, then paused. 

What kind of day even was this?? Talk about roller coasters…

With a deep, drawn-out sigh Jungkook rubbed his hands roughly over his face.  He should just go home, pick up some beer and greasy comfort food, and then just forget this entire day ever existed. You know, just to celebrate that he had gotten through a terrible day just fine and avoided a minor catastrophe.

“Jungkookie?”

… so much for fine…

After that film night Jungkook couldn’t have been happier. 

Not that much had changed actually. Sure, they spent a bit more time together, stood and walked a bit closer together, touched a bit more, but they didn't change who they were. They both still preferred their usual hangouts over any classic date locations, they weren't completely lovey-dovey and they still hadn't even worked up the courage to kiss. It was just that suddenly going from friends to lovers was a bit… daunting. That's what Jungkook felt and it was what Jimin likely felt, too. He was actually a bit glad that Jimin didn't want to be so couple-ly right from the start, Jungkook just didn't feel quite ready for that yet. They would get there in their own pace; for now this was just fine with them. 

Until it wasn't. 

Around two weeks later, Jungkook was making his way towards a small bar on the campus edges, where Jimin said he would be waiting for him. He had just finished one of his evening seminars and was in a good mood, even humming quietly under his breath. The seminar had ended much earlier than expected and now he would get to see Jimin early! 

The bar was already teeming with life when he entered, a lot of students coming here to grab a bite to eat after class. Jungkook scanned the tables for Jimin but couldn't suppress a small frown when he couldn't find him. Jimin had said that he would be waiting for him here but maybe he hadn't actually meant this early? 

Jungkook was about to go find an empty table near the wall when he did finally see Jimin. 

Though at the same moment he already wished that he hadn't seen him. 

Jimin was playing darts with someone Jungkook had seen him rather often with lately. The tall stranger flung another dart at the board, and by the smug look on his face it must have been a good shot. He turned to Jimin with his eyebrow raised and his arms spread out, slowly walking closer. He took Jimin's cup to sip from, then he said something and Jimin laughed, swaying a bit. The stranger put a hand on his arm, likely to steady him, but the caress that followed was absolutely uncalled for. He stepped even closer, right into Jimin's space, and Jungkook's nails dug into the rough material of his backpack strap.

Why didn't Jimin step back? 

Instead he just smirked and tilted his head up as he answered. 

Didn't he know how flirty that looked?

The stranger clearly noticed. Jungkook's lips thinned as he inched even closer. He raised a hand to cup his jaw and Jungkook was ready to go up to him to ask what he thought he was doing, but… 

… But Jimin didn't . 

Instead he leaned into the touch and let his eyes close. 

Jungkook swallowed heavily. 

The stranger leaned in and Jungkook turned around. His heart thumped painfully in his chest. 

He didn't look back as he left the bar, but he probably wouldn't have seen much through his blurring eyes anyway. 

So much for the situation being fine. 

"Jungkookie, it's you right?" 

Jungkook was tempted to just say no, pull his hood closed around his face and just leave the classroom, the university, the country. 

A hand landed on his shoulder. 

Be a grown-up, Jungkook, he told himself.

As embarrassing as the situation had been in the past, it wasn't him that had been at fault. He had nothing to apologize for. 

Heart steeled, Jungkook turned around. But the sight of Jimin still unsteadied him. He had expected- well, he didn't really know what he had been expecting but it certainly wasn't this. Jimin was looking up at him with a weak smile and wide eyes. He looked… uncertain. Hopeful. 

Jungkook didn't know what to make of it.

"Hi, hyung," he replied quietly. Jimin's face softened, smile looking less strained, and some of the tension in Jungkook's chest dissipated.

"Hi."

They just stood in silence for a moment, looking at each other. It had been over two years since they had seen each other after all, going from best friends to lovers to strangers in almost a blink.

"You really grew up a lot," Jimin said with a teasing smirk, playfully boxing at Jungkook's shoulder. "How have you been?" 

"I've been good. And same to you, hyung," Jungkook replied. He made an awkward, half-aborted hand gesture. "Blond fits you well."

God, he wanted to vanish into the floor.

This honestly wasn't as bad as he had been fearing but it still was painfully awkward. 

Jimin seemed to feel the same way. He brushed his fringe behind his ear and rubbed at the back of his neck. 

"Say, do you want to get a bite to eat maybe?" Jimin's voice got a bit quieter as he talked. "We could catch up a bit. Maybe… talk about what happened two years ago…?" 

Jungkook blinked in surprise. 

"You- What?”

“So is that a no?”

“Yes- I mean, no! I mean, yeah, sure, let’s get some food.” Jimin laughed as he struggled through his answer. The light sound made it much less awkward. He huffed out his own laugh. “Sorry. I really do want to catch up, I just… didn’t expect you to want to apologize right now.”

Jimin blinked two times in quick succession. Then his brow pulled down severely.  “Apologize? Why should I apologize? You were the one who avoided me for ages and even told me straight up that you didn’t want to see me again when I came over to check on you.”

Ah. Right. WIth a sigh, Jungkook tilted his head back and threw the ceiling a sarcastic smirk. 

Of course… nothing could ever be easy for him.

“Well, I’m certainly not apologizing for that. You should know that I had every right to need a break after what you did.”

“What I did?” Jimin crossed his arms in front of his chest. His eyebrows climbed even higher on his forehead. “Please elaborate on that because from where I’m standing it looks very much like you just switched gears from one minute to the next.”

“We were supposed to meet, Jimin, and when I got there you were already looking quite cozy with that buffoon from the basketball team.”

“First of all, Dohyun played on the football team. And secondly, so what ?”

Jungkook let out a short, disbelieving sound that might have been called a laugh once. He looked to the side for a moment to order his thoughts, not caring how weak it might make him look. He just didn’t want to start screaming or even crying. His eyes caught on the camera sitting abandoned by his bag and he thought of all the pictures he had taken of Jimin just earlier. Park Jimin sure had a lot of different sides…

“I thought you liked me.”

Jungkook repeated his words again as he turned back to the other. “I actually thought you liked me.”

Jimin spluttered, eyes raking all over Jungkook’s face in search of something. His voice was thin and a bit shaky when he answered. 

“I did. I did like you. But what difference does it make? If you have a problem with me dating other people, then you should have asked me out first.”

Jungkook was tired and hurt and angry that Jimin would just shove the blame on him.

“I did! I-” Jungkook swallowed and raked a hand through his hair. “I did ask you! I tried to and you just said yes and held my hand all evening. And after you were always so touchy, I thought-” 

Jungkook broke off with a shake of his head.

Jimin’s eyes were wide and wet. He almost seemed frozen, then he drew in a sudden, shaky breath and the moment passed. 

“The movie night, right? With the.. the… Titanic, right? I didn’t realize…”

“Yeah.” Jungkook just felt tired. “How could you not know; it was the exact same date idea as in that book you lent me…”

“What boo- Oh. That book…” Jimin gave a tinny laugh, before wiping his sleeve once over his pink eyes. “I never finished that.”

“Huh?”

Jimin laughed again. “Yeah, I was so frustrated that the main character kept ignoring her best friend, even though they clearly were the best match, that I just… I dunno, I just stopped reading. And after you asked to borrow it I just never bothered with it again.”

They looked at each other for a short while, both just trying to make sense of the situation. Then the laughter just bubbled out of them, disbelieving and ridiculous and to equal parts frustrated and relieved. It was cathartic.

Jungkook caught himself before Jimin did. He just watched the other for a bit, the brilliant laugh and the flushed cheeks. God, he was so beautiful.

…what a waste.

“You know,” Jimin said as he wiped at his teary eyes, “I really would have said yes.”

… what a terrible waste of time…

“Really?”

“Yeah. The only reason I even started seeing Dohyun was because he was a distraction from you but was still similar enough to be bearable.”

Jungkook’s stomach squeezed just a bit. He felt warm all over.

“And now?”

“Now?” Jimin shuffled a step closer. He didn’t look away from his gaze even once. “Now, my answer would still be the same.”

Jungkook swiped his sweaty hand on the side of his jeans, then held it out for Jimin to take. 

“Would you like to go out with me, Park Jimin? On a real date? As hopefully soon-to-be boyfriends?”

Jimin laughed as he placed his hand in Jungkook’s, not hesitating for even a second.

“I got it this time, Jungkook, don’t worry!” His fingers inched further around Jungkook’s palm, squeezing gently. He looked straight at him, eyes and lips curled in a soft smile. “I, Park Jimin, really, really want to go on a date with you, Jeon Jungkook-ssi. On a real date, this time. And if you want, I would be happy to call you my boyfriend right this second.”

Jungkook blushed but he didn’t move to cover it. He wanted this moment to stay just a bit longer, to just touch Jimin after so long, to just look at him - his best friend. His love.

“You okay?” Jimin asked, but his voice was patient and his expression calm and loving.

“Yeah…”

“You sure?”

“Yeah, never been better.”

Jimin giggled lightly at his absent tone. Jungkook had to smile.

Beautiful.

“Hyung? Can I kiss you?”

“I would like nothing more.”

Jungkook breathed in deeply. He hadn’t really realized what he had asked until then. But it wasn’t as if he didn’t want to. He really, really, really did.

It was Jimin that stepped closer, Jungkook’s nerves getting the better of him. His eyes were clear and open, joy hidden in the corners - no, not hidden. It was right there, aimed at Jungkook and much more intense than Jungkook had ever seen it in his friend.

It calmed his shaking hands. Though his heart beat just as quickly as before. 

He felt alive.

He felt in love.

Jungkook smiled. He leaned in closely, until he could count the lashes on Jimin’s eyes, then he brushed a stray strand of blond hair back behind Jimin’s ear, moving oh so gently. His hand trailed down the soft cheek and he leaned in closer, pressing a soft butterfly kiss to the same cheek.

Jimin’s breath hitched. He squeezed Jungkook’s hand a bit tighter.

Jungkook didn’t let it distract him; he leaned over to the other side and left another petal soft kiss on Jimin’s other cheek, then another one on his forehead. His nose pressed into Jimin’s skin as he moved but he just couldn’t bear to move back any further at that moment.

“Jungkook…” Jimin breathed against his face. His head tilted up further.

Jungkook didn’t want to deny him. His lips found Jimin’s, pressing gentle kisses to the corner, the seam, and finally the full lips.

It had been so long since they had even seen each other, but now they stood together, shook together, kissed together.

Loved together.

Jungkook’s heart was bursting at the seams. 

This was what he had been dreaming of.

“Will you show me the pictures you took of me, later?”

“Of course, hyung,” Jungkook answered, pushing another piece of chicken into his mouth. 

“You didn’t make me seem too… you know?”

“Hm?”

“Well, like the evil witch or something…”

Jungkook laughed at the expression. Jimin pouted.

“I just thought… you must have been angry at me. I mean, you thought I had cheated on you…”

“I was,”Jungkook admitted. “But I still loved you. Through it all.”

“Really?”

“Mhmm.” 

Jungkook pulled out his camera, holding it out for Jimin to take. 

“I guess you could say that I made you seem like a witch.” He ignored the vexed squawk from the other side of the table with a smile. “But only because you have me absolutely bewitched.”

Jimin laughed. “That was so bad! We really need to work on your flirting.” 

He said it like that but he was blushing bright pink, so Jungkook counted it as a win on his side. He shrugged, smile still in place.

“I don’t need to practice, I already got myself a boyfriend. He loves me very much, bad flirting and all, you know?”

Jimin laughed again. “Yeah, yeah, he really does.”

They ate a bit more, Jimin slowly flipping through the photos Jungkook had taken of him earlier.

“Wow, these are really good, Jungkookie! Amazing, really!”

“Thanks, but I had a great model, you know?”

“Again with the flirting?”

“Well…” Jungkook shrugged with a ‘you-caught-me’ expression. “But I really do mean it.” He reached for the camera, showing Jimin some of the shots again. “Do you see this? The stark difference between these? That’s all you. A single glance and you can change the whole motive: cute, beautiful, seductive…" The corner of Jungkook's mouth twitched upwards." You might not be an evil witch but you still are quite bewitching."

Jimin reached across the table to hit his shoulder lightly. There was a blush on his cheeks. 

"Shut up…" 

"Never, I have so much to catch up on, Jimin-ah."