Work Text:
Yoongi is in a borrowed recording studio in LA, editing the new song he recorded a few weeks ago when his phone beeped from across the room. A private message. A specific notification ping for a specific, special person.
His heart thumped for a second there. It has been several months since he heard that unique sound since most of the conversation to and from his band mates are all in their group chats. The only private messages he recently received were either from the CEO, their managers or from Namjoon (asking for opinions on what book to read next).
He also reads the messages of others on Weverse and on Instagram comments occasionally, amused at how bored everyone is at their personal quarantine or rest states.
He looks over the clock beside the computer monitor. It is 10:13 in the evening. Damn. Of all the hours and minutes, why does it have to be 10:13? He has nothing against the certain time but the numbers on both sides of the blinking colon reminds him of someone. And he received the message from that special someone at that particular time. So much for coincidence.
He stares at the blinking colon like it is mocking him to shake his feelings until the second number changes to 14.
He slides his computer chair towards the couch where his phone was placed in the middle. He gets his phone, unlocks it and swipes down the notification tray to view the message.
PARK JIMIN
“Hyung, how are you? Can I call?”
Well, that was unexpected.
They are supposed to be on a long overdue break and based on the group chat, Jimin is either still in Jejudo or resting somewhere else in Korea with family (and/or friends).
He mentally computes Korea’s current time, it’s about 2:15 in the afternoon. He contemplates whether or not to answer Jimin’s message right away. The simple line made him somewhat anxious as he bit a part of his fingernails on his left hand, a bad habit that is really hard to break.
He stands from the computer chair, reaches for his water bottle from a table nearby and sits on the couch. He gulps the water without pause as if that will wash away the anxiousness he is feeling right now. After placing the bottle back on the table, he types a quick response to the message that gives him dread.
MIN YOONGI
“Sure. Give me a minute.”
He decides to lie on the couch for the lack of things to do. He stares at the white light panels on the ceiling. He waits. He is nervous but he does not know why. When no call came through after about two minutes, he bit on his fingernails again.
A few seconds in biting his nails, the phone shrills and Yoongi almost drops the phone on the hard flooring. He looks at the screen and suddenly smirks at the long-forgotten caller ID photo of Jimin. It’s a picture of Jimin in a compromising situation at their dorm where almost everyone is drunk as fuck celebrating a group achievement. Drunk as fuck except for Yoongi. Yoongi was borderline drunk at that time but still has the capabilities of taking pictures of others, thinking that he can blackmail them in the time of need.
Before he goes down the blackhole of memory lane, he presses the green and speaker buttons.
“Hello hyung-nim! Sorry to bother. I just want to know how you are faring in America. Still good?”
Yoongi can’t help but smile. “I am okay. Enjoying my peace away from you.”
“That’s mean, hyung! It has been a long time since I talked to you and I get that?” Yoongi can almost see Jimin pouting on the other side of the world.
Yoongi now laughs. “You know I am just kidding!” Yoongi heard Jimin tsks over the phone. “How’s your family? Life after quarantine?”
Jimin sighs. “Bored as usual. But I finally get to really rest and spend time with family and friends. How about you? When are you coming back?”
“I am not sure actually. This week? You’ll be surprised I am already back in Korea.”
“Let us know as soon as you board the plane, please? I don’t want to be worried.” Jimin sounds like he is pleading but it is just to Yoongi’s imagination.
“Alright.” Yoongi pauses for a few seconds. “ Where are you right now, by the way?”
“Hmm. Somewhere in Korea… Why? Do you miss me?” Jimin laughs, teasing Yoongi.
“Yah! I am not saying that you should update me every time you go to different places in Korea. All I am asking is that you give me any name, any place. And based on your last Instagram post, say Jejudo for all I care.” Yoongi consciously avoided Jimin’s last question.
“Hyung! Back at you for teasing me earlier! You know I am just kidding, too. Right?”
“I know. Who were you with, anyway? The sunset looks beautiful.” Jimin looked beautiful, Yoongi thought.
“I am with… friends.” Jimin’s inflection changes, he sounds a bit hesitant but Yoongi did not pay too much attention.
“As long as you are resting and enjoying the company of others, you are doing fine.” Yoongi hopes that Jimin can hear the sincereness with his voice.
“Speaking of Instagram, I saw your recent pictures. They look amazing! There is even like a shooting star. Did you wish for anything?”
Yoongi hums, not sure what to answer. After a while, he speaks. “None really. I don’t really believe much about it. They are just dust and giant rocks.”
“Killjoy! You are so boring. I have had enough of ‘boring’ for my quarantine days. You should have asked for something, anything! Nothing will be lost if you wish on the falling star.”
Nothing will be gained as well, Yoongi thought. “I did not feel the need to wish for someone.” Yoongi mentally slaps himself for saying ‘someone’. He quickly adds, “Something.”
“You could have wished for health, for your family, for your friends, for happiness.”
Yoongi fights the urge to press on the video call button. When he heard Jimin saying ‘happiness’, he could only think of one thing. One person. He wants to see Jimin. But the urge is bigger and stronger than the fight he is pushing. So, before second guessing himself, feeling courageous inspite of his nerves, he presses the video call button after he shouts ‘fuck’ silently.
He smiles as soon as Jimin’s face is on his screen. Gums on full-display without feeling embarrassed. A lot of people already saw his gummy smile. Men and women alike admire his smile. What’s the point of being embarrassed, anyway? It's just Jimin. Just? That’s the thing, it’s Jimin.
Jimin looks genuinely surprised. “Hyung! What a surprise! I thought you hated video calls? What happened in LA?”
“You hate my face? You hate seeing me? You don’t like it? We can switch back.” Yoongi made it sound like he’s hurt but not really.
“I haven’t said anything! Who said anything about your face? I like your face! Just say that you missed me, hyung and we are even.” Jimin giggles, crescent moon eyes. The one that Yoongi likes most.
Yoongi avoids acknowledging Jimin’s last line, again. “Just… for a change. I don’t hate video calls. I just prefer voice calls.” Yoongi quickly scans Jimin’s background, looks familiar. “Are you in your dad’s cafe right now?”
“Yes! I am about to go out in a while. Just waiting for someone.” Jimin’s cheeks visibly turn pink even when his face is concealed with a mask.
Yoongi’s eyebrows upturned for a second, also surprised at Jimin’s admission. “Well, I guess, I will not hold you for long then if you are going out with someone.”
Someone calls Jimin’s name in the background. A man with a gruff but strong voice. “Speak of the devil. He’s here. Wait, hyung…”
Jimin nods to the person asking to approach him. Another person is suddenly on Yoongi’s screen. “Siwoo-hyung. Yoongi-hyung.” Jimin points at the screen. “Yoongi-hyung. Siwoo-hyung.” Jimin glances at the person standing beside him. Jimin places his hand around the back of Siwoo.
Yoongi does not fail to recognize his favorite smile of Jimin when Jimin looks at Siwoo. Yoongi can’t help but look at Siwoo’s torso where Jimin’s hand is. If Yoongi is hurt, he tries hard not to show it on the screen.
“Hello, Siwoo. It is nice to finally see you in person. Jimin told us about you a couple of times in the past.” Yoongi forces himself to smile. “Hmm. I think you both should get going. It’s getting late.” Yoongi gulps. “Take care of Jimin.” The last line from Yoongi felt like poison he wanted to spit out. In his heart, he should be the one receiving it with Jimin’s hand on his back, not saying it to someone else.
“Hyung! It’s just the afternoon! You, grandpa!” Jimin laughs. “We should do this again soon. More video calls? I missed seeing you. Take care as well.” Jimin waves at the screen then the call ends.
Yoongi closes his eyes and takes deep breaths. He is usually calm after a couple of deep breaths but after three cycles, his heart is still pounding. He opens his phone and out of nowhere plays lo-fi music. His heart stills after several minutes but his mind is still on Jimin’s hand.
“That should have been me.” Yoongi says to no one in the room. He lost his chance ever since their debut days. He lost his chance when Jimin showed him interest before but did not reciprocate, afraid that it will ruin everyone’s career. He lost his chance when he finally showed Jimin interest, Jimin backed away and found someone else.
And maybe that someone else is whom Jimin asked for when wishing stars from Hawaii appear during their third Bon Voyage shoot. Too bad it’s not Yoongi whom Jimin asked for.
To try to forget what happened earlier, he goes back to work but is still very distracted. He tries, he really tries to forget but to no avail. Since he is not making any progress with work, he decides to go out of the studio and look for a place to get something to eat. He resolves to get a dessert at a nearby ice cream parlor. He chose the flavor whatever’s closest to the register as his mind is somewhere else flying to God and his heart knows where.
The staff hands him a plain vanilla ice cream cone. Not only was he ‘boring’ with shooting stars according to Jimin, even with ice cream he is a killjoy. He sits at a park bench to finish his dessert. Even in America, he is even in a ‘park’. What the hell.
Yoongi’s phone pings again after he finishes his cone, a notification that a member posts something on Instagram. He opens the app and sees that Jimin posted a picture. He is wearing that same black coat from the video call from earlier. He seems to be enjoying his time. He looks happy. Happy looks good on Jimin. He is honestly happy that Jimin is happy. He will have to settle that Jimin is happy not because of him. His head and heart ‘need’ to settle with that soon.
Falling stars in truth are nothing romantic at all. Maybe for Yoongi, they are meant for him to literally fall hard, burning the atmosphere before they reach Earth. Luckily for Jimin, falling stars held magic and happiness but unfortunately for Yoongi, falling stars are just there scientifically, a bunch of dust and rocks.