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In a few months’ time, Jungkook may call this city his home, but for now he’ll settle for getting on the right bus in time.
There’s something different about Seoul, this energy that crackles in the rapid footsteps of passersby and the zooming cars on the street. To avoid getting flattened, Jungkook waits for a red light to turn green but he could really do with an opportunity to jaywalk right about now.
Not that Busan doesn’t adhere to the laws of traffic—it does—but he lives in a quiet neighbourhood that sees maybe one percent the amount of cars he sees here, so obeying the red man has become less of a concern for him.
Still, even if he wanted to dash across, the moving traffic won’t let him and neither will the people he stands shoulder to shoulder with on the sidewalk. If it wasn’t such an important day, he wouldn’t care one bit, but it’s likely one of the most important days of his life.
In this very city, Park Jimin is about to graduate university, and Jungkook is not about to miss it.
Only he thinks he’s really about to miss it. The ceremony is going to start in less than half an hour and his map is saying the bus is going to take, well, half an hour. And sure, maybe he’ll come in part way and still get to see Jimin walk. Maybe it won’t be the end of the world.
But the thing is, Jimin doesn’t even know he’s coming. And Jungkook wanted to catch him ahead of time, surprise him with a bouquet of flowers and a hug to show him that he’s here, and he cares.
His hand closes tighter around the stalk of flowers.
He cares, so much, and that damn light just won’t turn—
Oh.
It turned green.
Jungkook barrels across the street, practically sprinting before turning a corner where, oh god, his bus has just arrived but he’s still forty steps away, thirty, twenty, ten—
“Wait!”
The bus comes to a jerky stop, and Jungkook jumps on.
He made it.
That was close.
After getting a seat, he looks at the flowers in his lap. They look a little (a lot) worse for wear.
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It’s the thought that counts.
Jungkook takes the entire half hour bus ride to Jimin’s university to convince himself of that fact. The thing is, though, well, the reason he’s late in the first place is because he went out of his way to get the flowers in the first place.
See, he’s not paying out of his own pocket to be in Seoul. Of course he would have, but when Jimin’s brother heard he was planning to come, he spoke to Jimin’s parents who said Jungkook must stay with us, he must!
And so, Jungkook is staying at Jimin’s family home, and he woke up there this morning, and he could have hitched a ride with them to the university. That would have been the obvious option. Instead, he decided he needed to do more.
More meant flowers.
More did not mean squished flowers.
What’s he going to do?
He shoves that thought aside when the university comes into view. There’s no time to think about that right now. Jimin awaits him. Maybe, just maybe, he’ll be able to greet him just before the ceremony starts. There should be time for that. Surely the event won’t start on time?
Jungkook walks confidently to the field where the graduation is taking place. He can see a bunch of people standing around, and he’s sure that means there’s been some delay. Somehow he convinces himself of it, believes it in his very soul, so imagine his surprise when a voice blares through the speakers.
“Four years have come and gone, and now we say goodbye to these students…”
Oh no.
Jungkook’s footsteps quicken, those flowers getting battered by the momentum of his movements.
A sea of students in graduating gowns are seated orderly at the other end of the field, and in the crowd before that, most guests are sitting. Only the stragglers, the late comers, and Jungkook, are left standing.
He really hopes Jimin doesn’t see him here like this, standing here with messy flowers in one hand, hair windswept from running, face shiny from sweat.
But Jungkook is realising that things never ever go his way. He should have known that when he was forced to remain in Busan two years ago in lieu of joining Jimin in university here. Yet it still surprises him when a single student in the crowd turns, scanning the people sitting behind him, and proceeds to settle his gaze on Jungkook.
And Jungkook can’t look away.
He retracts his earlier thought. He’s very, very happy Jimin is looking his way. Not just because of the surprise that dots his features, followed by a delighted, yet disbelieving, smile, but also just because he’s beautiful. Simple as that.
Jungkook raises his flowers to wave at him, only to remember the state of them. Eyes widening, he quickly hides the flowers behind his back, using his free hand to wave instead. He’s pretty sure he can hear Jimin laughing from here.
Should have waved with his free hand to begin with.
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“What are you doing here! Jeon Jungkook!”
Currently, Jungkook is being suffocated by his beautiful—but apparently deadly—boyfriend as he hugs him—that is, to death. Okay, he exaggerates, but the hug really is very tight and it’s in the midst of a bunch of other students greeting families and friends so it just feels like that—suffocating.
In the very best way.
“I just wanted to. Then your parents let me stay with them which made it even easier. And you know it’s been almost a month since I saw you and I had to, how could I not?”
Jimin’s hug, if it’s possible, grows even tighter.
It doesn’t last forever, though Jungkook would have liked it to. They step away to give each other space and Jungkook suddenly remembers the flowers he so painstakingly picked up today, only for his rushing around to ruin them.
Jimin doesn’t seem to care though. He takes them with probably the biggest smile Jungkook has ever seen and drops his nose right into it. “You got all my favourite flowers, all in one, Jungkook!”
“Well I know your favourite flowers, why wouldn’t I get them?” Jungkook says—shyly, bashfully… a little proud.
“I love them,” Jimin tells him, in a way that sounds like he’s saying I love you.
Jungkook feels absolutely giddy. He still has so much to say, so much, and he’s buzzing with it, but he doesn’t know where to start, so he starts with what’s in front of him.
“Congratulations on graduating.”
He’s already said it, as soon as he saw Jimin and they were within earshot of one another, Jungkook said it, but he says it again because he wants Jimin to know how proud of him he is.
“Thank you, Jungkook-ah.”
“Right. Um, right…” Now that it’s here, and he’s here, he’s suddenly feeling nervous. Jimin looks at him expectantly. Jungkook wipes sweaty palms on his jeans. “I have something to tell you,” he says ominously.
“Ominous,” Jimin says, chuckling.
Jungkook swears sometimes they share the same brain cell.
“Yes, that’s sort of the point.”
“Okay, so tell me!” If Jimin is nervous about what he might say, he keeps it very well hidden. The thought doesn’t help ease Jungkook’s own nerves whatsoever.
So he blurts, because he’s a blurter, and he just needs Jimin to know.
“Okay, okay, so you know how two years ago I decided I wanted to get into photography but then I hadn’t done much of it so when I applied to study it here, I was rejected?”
Jimin winces. “Yeah. I remember.”
Sad times those were.
“I’m over it,” Jungkook says, and he is. What he’s not over is the fact he’s had to spend so many years away from Jimin’s side. Which brings him to this: “I actually reapplied, you know? Because they have a transfer programme and you know I’ve been working really hard.”
Jimin is no longer smiling. He seems to be holding his breath.
Here goes nothing.
“I got in,” Jungkook says. He lets himself feel the flutter of happiness once again. Saying it out loud makes it more real. In a few months, he’ll be here.
He’ll be in Seoul.
He’ll be with Jimin.
Jimin’s initial surprise morphs into shiny eyes. He covers a mouth as he says, “No way, you’re not saying, are you saying that—”
“I’ll do the last two years of my degree here, in Seoul,” Jungkook confirms.
Once again, Jimin throws his arms around him. His mumbles are almost unintelligible. “I can’t believe it. You’re coming here. I can’t— You didn’t have to—”
“How could I not?” Jungkook means it. He missed his opportunity to be by Jimin’s side two years ago, and he wasn’t going to miss it again. “I want to be with you, and it’s a good uni. Why would I stay away when I can be with you?”
“I would have,” Jimin blubbers. “I would have moved for you. I was applying for jobs there hoping—”
“But you love it here,” Jungkook says.
“I do.”
“And I want to love it here too, even though the traffic lights take way too long to change.”
Jimin laughs. He sounds a little in disbelief, but mostly happy, maybe even giddy. He pulls back to look at Jungkook, sniffing. It’s like he doesn’t want to believe it quite yet, in case it’s not real.
“You’re really moving?”
“Really,” Jungkook says, hand lingering around the back of Jimin’s neck. He misses him. Everyday, he misses him, and he wants to build a life with him. Some high school sweethearts don’t last, but Jungkook always believed they would, and he still believes it, and he’ll believe it forever.
“Do you have room at your place for one more?” Jungkook asks.
Jimin takes one of Jungkook’s hands, placing it on his chest. “I always have room for you, baby.”
Jungkook has to stop himself from cracking up. “That’s nice, but I meant… at your apartment.”
Jimin falters. “Oh.”
Jungkook starts to crack up. “But that was really—”
“Shut up!” Jimin says, though he’s giggling too, eyes turning into crescents. “I do have room. ‘Course I have room. If it’s for you, I’ll even kick my roommate out if I have to.”
It’s the adamance with which he says it, the tone that makes it seem like he really means it too—as if he would do anything for Jungkook.
Well, Jungkook knows what that feels like. Fondly, he cups Jimin’s chin. “I love you.”