Work Text:
This isn't the first time but still Jungkook is nervous. He's doing the most dangerous mission in his life-- taking pictures. But not just any pictures. They are pictures of his Jiminie oppa.
(He has a kink in calling Jimin "oppa", it is his life choice.)
And he is now at risk of getting caught doing such act because one, Jimin's only across the table and two, Jimin could just look up from his book and realize that Jeon Jungkook's a creep.
Apparently, both Jimin and Jungkook belong in one squad after they were introduced to each other at a party by no other than the party animal Hoseok. But Jungkook started crushing on the shorty way before that party.
By now he has collected 76 shots of Jimin in different angles, distances and places in school.
He doesn't remember when he started taking candid photos of Jimin but he can't seem to stop. Jimin is just the total embodiment of beauty and Jungkook tends to exaggerate that nobody can be as beautiful and as scorching hot as his Jimin oppa.
This is by far one of the closest proximities he has ever had with Jimin when he's secretly taking photos of him, surely his shots today will be his new bests. And will be printed and added to one of his many photo albums. Aside from the candids, Jungkook also collects Jimin's selfies from his instagram account, also prints them out to compile in another album. He keeps them segregated. The candids must not be mixed with the selfies.
Jungkook drools at the photos on a daily basis. And mind you, he also has a picture of Jimin in his wallet, under his pillow, in a frame on the side table and under his mousepad for good measure.
He takes so much delight in waking up every morning seeing the face he dreams of every night. Though it would be better if he wakes up to the real Jimin.
The latter has been a part of his life, and has touched his heart in a very gentle way that this feeling shouldn't be less than love. He spends a lot of time studying Jimin's whole appearance that he knows he can draw Jimin with his eyes closed.
As soon as Jimin puts his textbook down, Jungkook almost drops his own phone in panic but quickly puts it on his lap that is under the table. Jimin checks the time and after that he hurriedly begins packing up his things and bidding his friends goodbye, but not before giving Jungkook a shy smile before leaving.
"I almost forgot I have class! See you tomorrow! Call me if you guys need anything!" He whisper-shouts. Such a sweet guy.
"Damn, Kookie."
Taehyung starts as soon as Jimin disappears.
"You almost got caught."
Jungkook doesn't respond and instead opens his phone to wallow in his hard work.
"Why won't you just grab that ass and make him yours, huh? You're naturally hot, Jungkook. Plus you're smart and nice. You can basically sweep him off his feet in record time." Jin and Yoongi chuckle at Hoseok's remark.
"He's right, Kookie. Just ask him out!"
"You've been secretly in love way too long, one year and a half is it? You're gonna go yandere someday if you keep those feelings in check forever, especially when Jiminie meets somebody." Yoongi pinpoints.
The youngest out of the four releases a heavy sigh.
"It's not easy to confess," He fears of the possible rejection of course. But that is not the sole reason why he is holding back. "and I think he already got that somebody."
The three hyungs gasp like they just heard the most absurd thing before they protest at once. Jungkook must have mistaken Jimin to be in a relationship with his campus crush room mate Kim Namjoon. "No way!" They catch everyone's and the librarian's attention.
"Shhh!" The librarian glares at them. They whisper an apology to the librarian then fix their gazes on Jungkook again.
"Jimin and Namjoon are nothing more than close friends. And Jimin doesn't even sleep around so what made you think that way?" Hoseok says, Jimin's first ever friend in the university. Jimin is outgoing but is secretive at the same time. It's not easy to see through him. People know the things about Jimin only when he shares it. So none of them has a clue on what's going on with Jimin's love life, like, if he has a crush or something. Nobody even in the circle of friends has stepped inside Jimin's dorm yet. But the squad knows that their friend is a decent kid, and he's so much more than decent.
"I don't know, I just feel it." Jungkook gives empty words just so this conversation gets brushed off. But no, his attempt is a fail.
"You're overthinking, Jungkookie."
This clique of his has bothered him for the umpteenth time, he wants all of this to cease and he be given peace of mind so he stands. "I'll get going."
"What? But your next class is still in an hour-"
Jin interrupts Taehyung's slight squawking.
"Let him be, Taehyung-ah. Let's not pressure our baby boy." He believes that it's only a matter of time before Jimin and Jungkook become the most popular couple in their university.
"I'm not a baby, Hyung." Jungkook huffs as he gathers his books in his arms. "Bye now."
The hyungs scratch their heads. What a big baby.
__________
If Jungkook's going to be honest with himself, he wants to flat out inform Jimin that he's in love with him. Wants to show him all his pictures of him, as proof of his unconditional love--if that's what it's called. He wants to grab Jimin by the waist without self restraint and claim those lips he always focuses on through the lenses of his camera or of his handphone.
He wishes to confess that he sometimes cut classes just to stalk on Jimin on his breaktime; that he chose to stay in his family's house because he's too shy about his collection; that he has a photo vault application on his phone in case some creature from another dimension(Taehyung) steals and unlocks his phone by guessing its password.
He wishes to confess that he'd become quite a strange person ever since Jimin strutted into his life.
But his wishes remain as they are, just because he rather keeps his feelings a secret. But truly his biggest desire is to someday have the courage to turn his dirty secrets into known facts not only to Jimin but to everyone.
Somehow he isn't ashamed of his doings. He's proud even. That he's captured all the expressions that Jimin has made. He even got a few photos of Jimin genuinely crying because a pigeon fell and died outside the coffee shop where they were hanging out. A proof he's an angel on earth.
It's like he's preserving almost every moment of Jimin's life. Making them immortal. It is an art, Jimin is an art. His crooked tooth, his childhood scars, his stubbles when he forgets to shave, his unkempt hair because there's no time to brush it. Jimin's existence makes Jungkook's artistic and appreciative side let loose.
Jimin even uknowingly altered Jungkook's decision for his future, his direction in life. Jungkook was once a medical major turned to photography. Maybe because Jungkook was so into taking pictures of Jimin or 'cause he was too into Jimin that he imitated him again like he always did. Sadly, they're not blockmates.
But Jungkook feels like he's getting ahead of himself, that he's wishing for too much. Jimin could never like a timid boy like him. They probably never became friends if it wasn't because of Hoseok. He thinks and doubts himself all over and over. His thoughts constantly changing from positive to negative.
He gets confident and hopeful in a moment then gets sullen in the next.
If Jimin and Namjoon aren't dating, then why are they so sensitive about their shared apartment? They never let anybody in and solve issues outside or far from there as much as possible. Giving excuses such as "Our place is too small and dull." or "We don't have a fridge to put food and drinks in, so you won't like it there."
Seokjin made a surprise visit one day, Namjoon got the door and unintentionally intimidated the shit out of him, discouraging him from wanting to get inside their apartment.
Doesn't that mean they just don't want their privacy to be invaded? Isn't that too suspicious?
They're pretty secretive individuals and there might be a possibility of them dating.
Jungkook overthinks again. Tormenting himself with his own thoughts.
He goes home with a bit of a heavy heart and a flustered mind, trying to filter his decisions.
In his last class, his professor had chosen him as one of the lucky students who gets to have a photo exhibit for the upcoming school festival.
His uncertainty collides with his willpower.
This is it. This is my chance, he thinks. This festival is his ticket to Jimin's heart. No more cowering. He's good, he's done.
His hyungs' opinions were correct.
Should he do this? What are the consequences? What if by doing what he is planning in his mind, it makes his friendship with Jimin awkward?
But through this exhibit, he can express his love and hopefully makes it come across. Even if he fails and ends up heartbroken by the end of this, well at least he didn't just sit there without doing a thing.
Sitting on the side of his bed, Jungkook grabs a photo album from the third drawer of his study table.
He flips it open revealing a petite baby pink-haired boy smiling from ear to ear. Nothing else becomes of his eyes but thin lines. Who else can it be?
Jungkook grins remembering the day he took that picture. Seokjin made a daddy joke and no one laughed except for the resident angel. He took the opportunity to capture that moment with his camera since Jimin was busy laughing.
After calming his swooning heart,
His eyes then shift to the next page. Three pictures. The first one is Jimin eating mango ice cream with pure enjoyment etched on his face. Jungkook recalls that moment. It was just the two of them, due to strange circumstances everyone else in the squad was absent that they ended up with only each other.
He wasn't so discreet that time that's why the second photo is Jimin noticing him. Jimin turned bashful upon seeing the camera lense pointed at him and so the third photo is him blushing and biting the side of his lip. Ah, happy times for Jungkook.
He's so whipped. Why did he turn out like this? Everyone tells him he can get all the ladies, but he ain't interested in them, he never was. Jimin's the only one he wants. He never wanted anyone so bad before.
"Oppa..." He whispers as his fingers trace Jimin's face on the picture.
"If I don't get to have you... then I'll just become a priest, huh?" He laughs at himself. But he's serious.
__________
The two photography majors are busy for the preparation of their exhibit that they can barely see each other. You must be wondering why 'two'.
Jimin as well got chosen for the exhibit so the squad demanded a celebration. Despite having their hands full, the two boys could never refuse. So that is why one night, they're all gathered at Seokjin's place with a hell lot of bottles of soju.
Now they have come to the point where they're dead drunk on the floor except for Yoongi(the heavyweight champion in drinking), Jimin and Jungkook who hardly drank because Jimin was beside him and it would be embarrassing to be seen drunk.
"Look at him, he's making googly eyes at you." Yoongi observes. Jungkook abruptly looks to his left and confirms. Jimin is as well drunk but he is rather calm, composed and extra quiet. He's just sitting right there with his hands resting on his lap, smiling at anything and everyone. And now at the blushing maknae.
"He looks pretty..." Jungkook mutters but Yoongi's hearing is sharp.
"What are you gonna do about it?"
"Take a picture, of course." Jungkook grins and takes out his DSLR to capture Jimin's bedroom hair, tantalizing eyes, beet red cheeks and those pillowy lips that are curled up. He could have looked cute wearing a blue sweater that's bigger than him but his face says something far from cute. So Jungkook looks away right after.
"There are a lot more things you can do to him if only you were braver." Yoongi says with arms crossed.
"I don't want to just do things to him... I want to do things for him." Jungkook retorts. He'd do things like flourish his photographs of Jimin at the day of the festival. Isn't that the sweetest thing?
"Are you hearing this, Jiminie? Jungkook is a real gentleman~ You're so lucky!"
Jimin only smiles at Yoongi. Is he really okay over there?
"Ah! Jimin-ah, is Jungkook your type?"
The maknae is wide eyed by the sudden question. He holds his breath. Is Jimin going to talk back?
But no he instead giggles before putting his head on Jungkook's shoulder and hugs his waist.
In a minute, soft snores can be heard from him.
Even in his drunken state he's still privy.
"What the hell, he's so difficult." Yoongi complains.
Jungkook about answers his hyung when Jimin's phone vibrates continuously meaning it's someone calling.
"Joonie ☆" The caller I.D. says and Jungkook shivers. He slides the green button. "H-hello?"
"Who is this?" A sonorous voice echoes through the phone.
"I-I'm Jungkook, Jimin's friend." Yoongi imagines himself bitch slapping Jungkook for stuttering.
"Oh... I remember, he's out with his squad. Very well, please do take good care of him. He thinks strangers are family when he's drunk."
"O-okay..."
"Then." Namjoon utters and the call ends. Didn't even say thanks. He's so damn reserved. Are all geniuses like that?
"He doesn't sound like Jimin's boyfriend, Jungkookie."
"You think? He sure sounds like everyone's wet dreams."
"He even entrusted you with Jimin. Are you still not gonna confess?"
Jungkook glances to the boy on his shoulder. "I will, just you wait."
__________
The school festival is jam-packed as expected. Jungkook's blockmates are surprised of his photography exhibit. Asking if Jimin is his boyfriend but he sadly shakes his head and says no more.
He receives plentiful compliments nonetheless, even from critics.
He's so proud he feels like his shoulders are going high up the sky.
Yet Jimin still hasn't visited his exhibit. He's the most important critic, Jungkook needs to know what Jimin has to say about this. And he's so damn ready to confess his love. He can't back out now.
He sees Namjoon nearby also looking closely at a picture of Jimin. Jungkook walks toward the man when a hand pulls him back.
"Kookie! There's something you've got to see!" His entire squad excluding Jimin drags him through the crowd, Jungkook scowls at the excessive hype.
"What is it? Why you gotta drag me like this?"
"It's gonna change your life forever!"
And before he can even react, he is thrown to the entrance of someone else's exhibit. What he sees gives him the shock of his life. He starts walking into the exhibit and he sees himself in every corner. He sees pictures he never knew existed.
Students recognize him as soon as he steps in.
This is exactly like his own exhibit. The photos were evidently snuck but also shot carefully.
He stops at one picture and searches for the name of the photographer. Park Jimin, a slate beside the photo says.
Then it's as if his soul detached from his body.
"How... how is this possible?"
He suddenly collapses but his hyungs catch him fast.
Does this mean all this time Jimin also had hidden feelings for him?
It's so peculiar that they never knew they were each other's paparazzo.
If Jimin was able to take all these photos without even getting any suspicions then he's much more stealthier and discreet than Jungkook.
After being instructed to breath in and out repeatedly by Seokjin hyung, Jungkook regains his composure.
He takes time looking at every picture in the exhibit. Not caring about the hyperactivity of his hyungs behind him, slapping his back, cooing and cheering him.
He just wants to face Jimin now and get this over with. Time to get him a man.
"Okay, children! Let's calm down." Seokjin announces as he notices his son's silence.
"Jungkookie, go. Jimin's at your exhibit." He says.
"Huh?" The younger gives a look that says 'how do you know?'
Seokjin rolls his eyes. Do I need to explain?
"Namjoon told me through text--so go."
"You and Namjoon hyung text each other?"
"Yeah? Um. We're kinda... seeing each other too. No matter! You and Jimin need to talk now!"
"O-okay. I'mma go!" Jungkook nods to his hyung's behest and runs past the throngs. His proud brothers watch him as they wipe their nonexistent tears.
Being tall is advantageous when looking for a person in a crowd and it's a bonus when that person has bright pink hair that outshines every other person's hair.
He immediately spots Jimin. He's looking at a photo wherein he is drunk-- the photo taken the night that the squad celebrated.
"Jimin Hyung..." Said boy snaps his head towards the familiar husky voice and he instantly beams. Both of the boys already are displaying rosy red cheeks.
"Hey." He then completely faces Jungkook. "Did you see my exhibit?"
The latter nods with pursed lips. His heart's skipping more than one beat. This is bad, he might not be able to say something if he's this tense.
"Good. That was for you. I needed you to see that." Jimin smiles a toothy one and glances at the other's photographs.
"I'm in love with you, Jungkookie."
Jungkook's heart shakes and he hates how easy those words roll off Jimin's tongue. How easy it was for Jimin when Jungkook himself struggled for a year and a half. How casual it sounded. But the fact that Jimin said it first gives him feels that'll soon require a defibrillator in case he dies. Should he be choosy? Hell no.
Jimin proceeds. "At first when we were introduced to each other, I did not anticipate that I'd like you this way, this bad. I'm not saying you're my type, but you're definitely my type."
Breath, Jungkook, breath. Don't die today.
"But h-how about Namjoon hyung?"
"Namjoon hyung?" Jimin's face distorts. "Hahaha we're not together!"
"But you never invite us to your place and always making excuses as to why we can't come over. It's like you two had set a rule that your place is only yours to share since it's the only place you can be together. You need privacy."
"Ahh, this is embarrassing... but it's all because of me. " The older scratches his nape. He doesn't even think of Jungkook as overanalyzing.
"What? Why?"
"Well, the walls in my room are full of pictures of... Jungkookie; your selfies and the candids that I took. I was scared that the hyungs would make fun of me if they see my room. They always tease me. A-and I was afraid you'd think I'm a total creep and avoid me to the ends of the earth."
We're actually the same, Hyung...
Jungkook's mouth won't cooperate with him. He almost chokes when Jimin takes a step closer and places his hands over Jungkook's clothed chest, brushing invisible dusts off his sweater.
"I got the courage to confess to you though, after a year and a half. And seeing that you're the same creep as me then I think that means you love me too right?"
Jimin invading Jungkook's personal space pushes him to finally say something Jimin needs to know.
"I even have organized photo albums. And I never delete the digitals. And I have secured them in google drive in case of emergency...I-I also have extra hard copies of each of the pictures."
"You're that whipped?" Jimin's hands then slide to wrap around the taller's neck, fingers touching the back of his hair. Jungkook's hands automatically attach themselves to Jimin's small waist.
"And I call you "oppa" in my mind..."
Jimin blushes harder at that. How can he not when Jungkook's dark orbs are looking at him so intensely.
As they continue to speak, they slowly lean in until their foreheads touch.
"You're such a creep, Jungkookie. I like it..." Jimin lipbites right after.
"Aren't you, too?"
"Of course I am. I'm your creep." After that being said, they give each other their brightest smiles. And the cliché kissing scene takes place between them as a bunch of their fellow students watch. Their squad and groups of girls(probably and most likely fujoshis) squeal at the fluff. The commotion around doesn't disturb the new couple, instead they deepen their open-mouthed kiss because this moment's too good to be short-lived, even when they hear the shutters of cameras and girls yelling "take a video of them, gurl!".
Leave the picture taking to the others, this moment needs to be shot.
News about them spread like wildfire in school and as well across the internet. People find the couple and their story adorable.
Seokjin was right. It took only a matter of time for Jimin and Jungkook to become the most popular couple in their university
__________
*a week later*
Jimin opens the door for his boyfriend, welcoming him with an eye smile. Jungkook does the same.
"Come in, Doll. Why are you so shy?" Jimin's laugh reverberates and gives tingles to Jungkook's spine.
The latter looks around with his doe eyes.
"Is Namjoon hyung he--mmph!"
In a split second, Jungkook gets pulled and kissed torridly. He melts into the kiss in no time and they end up stumbling into Jimin's room.
Jimin breaks the kiss. He has to show Jungkook how he loves and appreciates every bit of him.
When the younger lover opens his eyes, he sees for the first time Jimin's room. As Jimin had described a week ago, his walls are adorned by photos. They all occupy Jimin's entire room so Jimin has more photos than Jungkook does. This is too overwhelming he can feel the waterworks.
When did I get so lucky?
"Baby..."
Jimin immediately holds him and wipes his tears.
"I really thought I'd become a priest because you'll never like me... But turns out, you have more pictures of me than I have of you."
"It's just that you're so beautiful and oppa loves you a lot, Kookie. Can't help it."
"I-I love you too..."
They once again bring their lips together in such position that Jimin stands behind the younger boy who twists his head to the back for the kiss. Jungkook willingly opens his mouth before Jimin's tongue asks for entrance, their saliva mixes and their mouths become one.
They once again pull away from their heated kiss with Jimin tugging on Jungkook's lower lip. He likes how swollen Jungkook's lips have become because of him.
"Doll, did you bring the photos?"
"I won't forget..."
"Awesome! 'Cause I bought a photo album!" Jimin brandishes a large and thick photo album with the colors blue and very dark pink(really close to red). It is a nice choice as Jungkook's eyes sparkle at the object.
They squeeze each other's hands whilst they squeal in joy. They have new pictures to add to their collection. No, scratch that. They have a new collection. A collection of their captured moments--together. Now as a couple.
And their first few pictures are the shots of their first kiss, courtesy to their schoolmates. Preserving the event for years to come and maybe forever. You bet next week that album's going to be full they'll have to buy another one.
Jungkook thinks that he's a creep; that he's the only one secretly and compulsively collecting pictures of the man he's been hopelessly in love with.
But Jungkook isn't the only creep after all.