Chapter Text
The Gift
The one-year anniversary of the "library incident," as they’d come to call it, was approaching. It had become a running joke between them, a symbol of their chaotic beginning. To Jimin, it felt like a lifetime ago. The past year with Jungkook had been the happiest of his life, a whirlwind of comfortable movie nights, shared study sessions, and the easy intimacy of falling completely in love.
The financial differences between them had always been there, a quiet, unspoken fact. It was in the effortless way Jungkook paid for their dates without checking the bill, the designer clothes he wore as casually as Jimin wore his thrift-store finds, and the sheer, breathtaking size of his apartment. Jimin had gotten good at navigating it. He insisted on paying for things when he could; coffee, cheap takeout, movie tickets and Jungkook, to his credit, never made a big deal of it. They had found a delicate balance, and Jimin was proud of it.
That balance, however, was about to be shattered.
A few days before their anniversary, Jungkook texted him.
Jungkook: Hey, are you free tonight? I have something for you.
Jimin: An early anniversary present? You shouldn't have!
Jungkook: Just a little something. My place? 7pm?
Jimin arrived at Jungkook’s apartment at seven on the dot, a small, carefully wrapped gift in his hands. He’d spent weeks saving up for a first-edition book of prints by one of Jungkook’s favorite digital artists. It was expensive for him, but he knew Jungkook would love the thought behind it.
Jungkook opened the door with a smile that could light up the entire city. He was practically vibrating with excitement. "Hey, you made it." He pulled Jimin inside and kissed him, a sweet, lingering kiss that left Jimin feeling breathless.
"Happy early anniversary," Jimin said, holding out his gift.
"You first," Jungkook said, waving it away gently. "Mine's bigger."
He disappeared into his bedroom for a moment and returned holding a sleek, flat box from a notoriously high-end brand. Jimin’s stomach did a nervous little flip. He sat on the sofa as Jungkook placed the box on his lap.
"Go on," Jungkook urged, his eyes shining with anticipation.
Jimin slowly lifted the lid. Nestled on a bed of black velvet was a watch. It was beautiful, with a minimalist silver face and a soft, black leather band. It was elegant, understated, and looked astronomically expensive. It was the single most luxurious thing Jimin had ever touched.
A lump formed in his throat. He looked from the watch to Jungkook’s expectant, happy face. He knew he was supposed to be overjoyed, to throw his arms around Jungkook’s neck and thank him. But all he could feel was a cold, heavy dread.
"Jungkook," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "It's beautiful. But... I can't accept this."
Jungkook's smile faltered. "What? Why not? Do you not like it?"
"No, I love it, it's perfect," Jimin said quickly, the words tumbling out. "It's just... it's too much. This must have cost a fortune."
"Don't worry about that," Jungkook said, his tone shifting from excited to confused. "I wanted to get you something special. You deserve it."
"That's not the point," Jimin said, the frustration and discomfort bubbling up inside him. He gently closed the box and pushed it back towards Jungkook on the coffee table. He felt the small, square shape of his own gift in his pocket, suddenly feeling foolish and inadequate. How could his thoughtful little book compare to this?
"I don't understand," Jungkook said, his brow furrowed. "It's a gift, Jimin. I saw it, I thought of you, and I bought it. That's all."
"But it's not all, is it?" Jimin said, his voice rising slightly. "To you, this is 'just a little something.' To me, this is more than my rent for three months. It just... it highlights the fact that we're living in two completely different worlds, Jungkook."
The words hung in the air between them, stark and uncomfortable. It was the first time either of them had given voice to the quiet inequality that had always hummed beneath the surface of their relationship. Jungkook looked genuinely hurt, his earlier excitement completely extinguished.
"I wasn't trying to make a statement," Jungkook said quietly. "I was just trying to make my boyfriend happy."
"I know," Jimin said, his shoulders slumping. The fight went out of him, replaced by a wave of misery. "I'm sorry. I just... I can't."
He couldn't explain the complex knot of pride, shame, and pressure he felt. He couldn't explain that accepting the watch felt like accepting a role he didn't want to play—the kept boyfriend, the one who was constantly being provided for.
They sat in a heavy, wounded silence, the beautiful, expensive watch in its velvet box a symbol of the new, unspoken distance between them.
Jungkook finally broke the silence, his voice tight with a hurt that pricked at Jimin's heart. "So what am I supposed to do, Jimin? Pretend I don't have money? Should I only buy you things that fit into your budget? That feels... dishonest. And insulting."
"I'm not asking you to do that," Jimin said, his voice cracking. He felt cornered, unable to properly articulate the turmoil inside him. Defeated, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the small, neatly wrapped gift he'd brought. He placed it on the coffee table next to the sleek, imposing watch box. "This is for you."
Jungkook looked at the small gift, then back at Jimin, his expression unreadable. He picked it up and carefully unwrapped it. As he saw the cover of the art book, his eyes widened. He slowly opened it, his fingers tracing the title page.
"Jimin... this is a first edition," he said, his voice soft with awe. "I've been looking for this for ages. How did you even find it?"
"I have my ways," Jimin mumbled, a faint blush rising on his cheeks.
"This is..." Jungkook trailed off, looking from the book to Jimin, a new understanding dawning in his eyes. "This is the most thoughtful gift I've ever gotten." He looked at the expensive watch, then back at the book in his hands. "I get it now."
But the understanding came a moment too late. The emotional whiplash of the evening had left Jimin feeling raw and exposed. "I think... I think I should go," he said, standing up on shaky legs. "I just need some space."
Jungkook stood up too, a look of panic on his face. "Jimin, wait. Don't go. We can talk about this."
"I can't right now," Jimin said, already backing towards the door. "I'm sorry."
He didn't wait for a reply. He turned and fled, leaving Jungkook standing alone in his beautiful, silent apartment. On the coffee table sat two gifts: an expensive watch that represented a world Jimin couldn't belong to, and a thoughtful book that represented a love he was suddenly terrified of losing.