Chapter Text
The soft drone of florescent lights is often the only sound keeping Jimin company this late at night. Aside from the occasional shuffle of some poor, tired soul cracking open another textbook, he loved the peace and quiet working the graveyard shift at his university library allowed him.
Jimin's days were always loud. And fast. And busy. Not in a bad way - he would never actively complain about getting to work towards his dream every day. But as a Junior, his class schedule was stacked with dance rehearsals, lectures, workshops, and that one stupid freshman level math class he failed and never retook until now. Combined with giving up most of his weekends to participate in the local theater's spring musical, it's no wonder Jimin willingly chose the midnight shift. Where it's maybe a little lonely, but well worth it for the unbroken silence.
Jimin clocks in at midnight and does a quick lap around the stacks and study area, where a handful of students are scattered around in various stages of all-night study sessions. One kid even brought a pillow with him. Jimin admires the dedication, but silently prays he just doesn't start snoring. He returns to the check-out desk and settles in for the night.
He pulls out some headphones and a thick contemporary dance textbook - might as well get some studying done tonight. Jimin is only a few minutes in to the newest episode of his favorite murder-mystery podcast when a violent CRASH makes him jump right out of his skin.
A few feet away from the check-out desk, a startled and red-faced young man sits on the floor surrounded by scattered textbooks and loose papers. He blinks a few times, obviously exhausted, staring at all his things on the floor almost in disbelief, before anxiously rushing to clean everything up.
Huh, Jimin thinks. Does he look familiar?
None of the other students are really bothered by it. They glance up from whatever their focus was on to see what the racket was, but continue like they were in less than a minute. No one offers to help the poor guy, half-asleep and scrambling to gather his notes, so Jimin rushes over quietly to lend a hand.
"Hey," Jimin whispers as he crouches near the frenzied boy, helping to gather some of his loose papers. "Are you okay?"
The young man keeps his head down, embarrassed. "Yeah, yeah I'm fine. Thanks," he lets out softly. "I must have fallen asleep."
His cheeks are red as he stacks his textbooks back on the desk. Jimin sees that one of them has the impression of a zipper from where he rested on his jacket and his hair is sticking up on one end. He can't help but laugh quietly to himself.
"Literally fallen," Jimin jokes as he offers his hand to the boy and they both stand.
"Heh. Good one." The boy runs a hand through his hair, letting out a quiet chuckle.
"I'm Jimin, by the way," he offers. "I work here, so if you ever need anything, I'm just right over there." He motions toward the check-out desk.
"Oh, cool." He shuffles his feet, awkwardly. "Jungkook. My name is Jungkook."
"Well, Jungkook, looks like we picked all your stuff up," Jimin says, placing Jungkook's last book on the desk. "Anything else I can help you with?"
"No, no. I'm good. You've helped plenty," Jungkook says as he sits back down at the desk. "Thank you," he looks up at Jimin, "sorry about all that. I'm just gonna sit here and try not to die from embarrassment now."
"Sounds good," Jimin laughs. "Just try not to break anything while you do that."
Jungkook just groans and throws his head in his hands onto the desk. Jimin feels bad for the kid, but he's also very endeared by him. He gives Jungkook's hair a pat down as he heads back to his desk.
Jungkook, head still down, brings a hand to the spot where Jimin touched him. He lifts his head a little to turn and watch him leave, a small smile growing on his face. Then Jimin turns around, catching him watching, and Jungkook slams his head back down on the desk.
Jimin returns to his desk with a smile on his face. One that refuses to leave for the rest of his shift.
---
Students start to slowly trickle out of the library as the night goes on. Jimin tries his best to focus on the material he needs to learn for an upcoming quiz, but he can't seem to stop himself from stealing glances at the clumsy young man, still studying in front of him.
At about fifteen minutes to 3 AM, when Jimin will close the library down before the morning shift comes back at 5:30 AM, Jungkook gets up from his table and starts to put his things away.
Jimin tries not to notice, not to watch his every move - but it's hard. There's something very captivating about this kid and Jimin's not sure what it is. He averts his gaze as Jungkook starts to leave.
Head down, trying to look like he's very into studying, Jimin doesn't notice that Jungkook stops by his desk on the way out until he coughs quietly to get his attention.
Jimin would be embarrassed about the whiplash he caused himself from snapping his head up so quickly in response, but this is a guy that he met on the floor with books fallen around him. Probably not in the best place to judge.
Jungkook is standing in front of him, eyes darting between the ground and Jimin's face, clearly not used to this.
"I just-" Jungkook starts. "I just wanted to say thanks. For helping me earlier. You didn't have to do that," he smiles softly to himself before looking up at Jimin. "It was very nice of you."
Jimin could melt right then and there.
"It was no big deal," Jimin says, nonchalantly. "Just doing the decent human thing and all that." He flashes a toothy grin in Jungkook's direction that immediately sends the boy's eyes racing back to his shoes.
Heh. Cute. Jimin can't stop himself.
"Well anyway," Jungkook scratches the back of his neck, nervously rocking on the balls of his feet. "It was nice to meet you. See you around?" He looks up sheepishly at Jimin.
Jimin feels a pang in his chest.
How can someone so clumsy and clueless be so endearing?
"It was nice to meet you too Jungkook." He smiles at the boy before teasing, "I'll be around."
And with that Jungkook blushes and just nods a bit before slinging his backpack on his shoulder and moving to leave.
"Hey Jungkook!"
The boy stops in his tracks at Jimin's voice. He turns back to Jimin. "Yeah?"
"Get some sleep," Jimin says. "And maybe try a bed this time," he adds with a smirk.
Jungkook groans as he turns back to walk away. "Thanks... I will," he grumbles. "You too, Jimin."
And then he's gone. Jimin takes a second to sit in what just happened. A small smile on his face as he replays the clumsy kid's words and actions. He's thrown off by the immediate impact he left on him, but he likes it. It makes him feel giddy, excited - something he hasn't felt in a long time.
As Jimin makes his last rounds through the stacks to close up, he finds himself still thinking about Jungkook. And his sleep-disgruntled hair. His round cheeks that blushed when Jimin looked at him.
He flips the last light switch and sets the alarm on his way out. As he locks the door behind him, Jimin knows he might never see Jungkook again, but he can't help but hope he does.