Chapter Text
“I want nobody nobody but you~”
Jimin sings along to a familiar tune while swinging his hips and preparing a breakfast for two. It’s a familiar routine he’s been doing for years, but today there was an extra skip in his step. If you asked him a week earlier, then maybe his answer would've been different, but as of today Jimin could easily say he's perfectly happy with where his life is at the moment. A nice apartment, middle class wealth, and a lovely boyfriend, there isn't really anything more he could ask for.
However, the real reason for Jimin’s current state of bliss is for something a little more special than that. Earlier this week, his boyfriend had returned from a business trip in Japan, and while helping him unpack, Jimin had spotted a diamond ring buried in the pocket of one of the blazers Jungkook so often wore.
Lately, Jimin had been feeling a bit worried that Jungkook was never going to ask for his hand in marriage. The younger had been an amazing boyfriend for the past 10 years, but lately he seemed to have gotten more & more caught up in his work, leaving Jimin to feel like he, along with their relationship, was thrown into the backburner. And with his best friend’s third, and hopefully last, wedding around the corner, Jimin had been growing even more anxious, hoping that the day when he’s the one walking down that aisle would come soon. However, with the discovery of the ring, all his doubts were washed away.
‘Looks like he’s keeping his promise after all. I should’ve never doubted him.’
Smiling at the memory, Jimin continues making their meal, making sure to shape the rice into a heart. Since his discovery, he’s been dropping hints here and there pushing the younger to just ask him already. He doesn’t mind a simple proposal; as long as Jungkook puts a ring on it, Jimin thinks he’d be happy either way.
*beep* *beep*
Hearing a familiar groan and the silencing of the alarm clock from the other room, Jimin knows that the younger is getting up to start his day. It takes his boyfriend a little while to get ready, so Jimin’s in no rush to get everything ready on time.
Before he knows it, Jungkook walks out of their shared bedroom all dressed up in his tailored suit, hair styled back ready for work. Jimin, who’s already seated, takes a good moment to appreciate the sight before him. The younger greets him with a simple “good morning” and a side comment about how good the breakfast looked as he takes a seat directly across from Jimin. Jungkook begins to eat the food, and Jimin can only stare, a fond smile decorating his face.
Jungkook eventually notices the other staring at him and looks back at him, his doe eyes wide and curious. He suddenly looks years younger, and Jimin is reminded of how he fell in love with the other in the first place.
“What is it?” Jungkook asks, slightly tilting his head. Jimin looks down at the suit the other was wearing and notices that it was the same one with the ring inside of it. Filled with a sudden burst of confidence, Jimin smiles at the other and reaches over into the pocket and pulls out the ring.
“Care to explain?” Jimin asks, only teasing. What other reason would his boyfriend have a ring this nice for other than to propose? Especially one so nice.
Jungkook, if anything, looks shocked at what had just happened. His shocked gaze rotates between looking at the ring and looking at his husband. Jimin smiles again, thinking that the other wasn’t expecting him to discover the ring.
However, to his own surprise the shocked look on his boyfriend's face disappears, and is replaced with a guilty one, looking anywhere else but at Jimin.
“Um.. actually, that’s for Mr. Lee, you know, my boss.." Jungkook looks up to gauge Jimin's reaction, before quickly avoiding his eyes again. "His wife really likes diamonds.. So I thought that I should bring him back something from Japan to show that I kept him in mind.”
Like flipping a switch, the happy state that Jimin was in all week had come crashing down in a matter of seconds. He didn’t know if he wanted to cry in disappointment or flush in embarrassment for misunderstanding the situation. He feels like such a fool for being so quick to assume things. Is he so wrong for being hopeful? Jimin could literally feel all the insecurities he had about their relationship coming flooding back in.
“Oh.. is that so?”
“Yeah.. You know I’ve been trying to get a promotion. The higher I get, the more money I make. That’s what’s important right?” Jungkook explains, sounding at least a little guilty. Though at this point, Jimin’s not sure if he’s sounding guilty because Jungkook actually feels bad or if it’s because he doesn’t want to deal with an upset Jimin.
Jimin didn’t respond, not finding it in himself to say anything more. The whole thing’s drained the energy out of him. There were plenty of scenarios Jimin was expecting for this morning, and this wasn’t one of them. Instead, he let the silence go on, with only the sound of the television playing in the background, not really caring to fix the tense atmosphere quickly growing between the two of them.
“A-anyways, I should be heading out now, don’t wanna be late. Breakfast was good. I’ll be back late so don’t wait up okay?” Jungkook speaks up, not being able to stand the silence any longer. He gets up and gives Jimin a farewell kiss on the head before quickly heading out of their shared apartment, the ring in hand.
Picking up the dishes from the table, Jimin heads over to the sink and begins to wash them. He's not in the mood for it, but he knows that Jungkook's never liked a mess so he pushes himself to do it anyway.
After finishing everything up, Jimin slumps down on the sofa, mindlessly watching whatever was playing on the television screen. Jimin’s not really sure what he’s going to do considering what just took place. He doesn’t know the exact moment it started to happen, but Jimin knows that his life basically revolves around Jungkook. He had his own dreams once, but when Jungkook asked him to move away with him, he left it all behind to suite Jungkook and his needs. At the time he didn’t regret it, in fact, he still thinks he doesn’t, but with how Jungkook’s been acting lately Jimin begins to wonder. He loves Jungkook with all his heart, but he wonders if Jungkook loves him even half as much as he does.
With the final bell of school ringing, Jimin packed his stuff and began to head home like he would any other day. As usual, his fellow classmates were being loud and noisy again, but he never paid them any heed and continued to walk out.
It wasn’t until he reached the school gates when he realized that his classmates were following him, and Jimin was suddenly very nervous. He didn’t remember doing anything wrong, so why were they following him? He attempted to pick up the pace, but before he could, he was trapped in a large circle of students.
Frightened, he tried squeezing himself out of the circle, but none of the others budged. He received cat calls and other teasing remarks about how lucky he was, but Jimin was too worried to pay any heed to what they were saying. Students had out their video cameras, and were filming him. All of a sudden, part of the circle opened up directly across from him, and Jeon Jungkook, his junior & long time crush, had walked through.
Jimin had assumed the worst. He was always a bit more affectionate with the younger, hoping to give the hint that he was infatuated with him, but not too much to the point where he thought the younger would be uncomfortable. While he couldn't say he had it easy now, people were a lot less tolerant to his kind of people back then as compared to the present. So now, with the crowd and the younger across from him, Jimin was scared that Jungkook wasn’t happy with him and would humiliate him publicly for even the thought of being with him.
It wasn’t until Jimin saw Taehyung in the crowd behind him holding a camera and the bouquet that the younger was holding that he realized just what was about to happen.
“Jiminie hyung.. Please do me the honor of being my boyfriend. I’ll make you happy, I promise.” Jungkook stated, an earnest look on his face, and eyes full of affection.
Jimin blushed, recalling that at the time he couldn’t believe that the guy of his dreams actually reciprocated his feelings. It was practically a dream come true. The chanting of his classmates urging him to “say yes!” in the background only only served to make the small bud of hope he had bundled deep down begin to bloom.
“Do you.. do you mean it?” Jimin asked hesitantly. He loved Jungkook, but he couldn’t let himself just say yes if this wasn’t going to be anything serious.
“Of course I do!” Jungkook replied with the utmost confidence.
“For how long will you mean it? A year? 5 years? 10?”
“That’s not enough. I’ll mean it until the end of time. We’ll grow old together. In ten years, we’ll get married, I’ll propose to you and we’ll adopt kids and start a family.”
“We’re only teenagers, you don’t know what you want for your future yet.”
“You’re right, but the one thing I'm certain of is that I want you in it. You doubt me? Well then if I ever break your heart, I’ll run across the busiest street in Busan butt naked proclaiming my love for you just to make it up to you.”
Jimin looked up at Jungkook in shock at his words. When he looked straight into his eyes, Jimin saw the conviction in his eyes and finally gave in.
“Yes, I’ll be your boyfriend.”
Jimin smiles bitterly recalling the memory. Whenever he had doubts about where he was in life, he’d watch the clip Taehyung recorded of Jungkook asking him to be his boyfriend. He wonders if Jungkook even remembers the promises he made to him all those years ago. If he remembered, he would’ve asked for his hand by now, and if what happened over breakfast was any indication, Jungkook didn’t have any plans of asking him to get married any time soon, if at all. Jimin knows that he could also be the one to propose to him, but he holds on to the memory of Jungkook promising that he’d be the one to ask for his hand. For Jimin it's his reassurance that Jungkook's still as dedicated to their relationship now as he had been throughout all these years.
Sometimes when he was feeling particularly low, he couldn't help but to wonder if Jungkook was seeing someone else at work behind his back. People Jungkook worked with all had a drive & similar goals, unlike Jimin, who really didn’t do anything more than take care of Jungkook at home.
Sighing in defeat, Jimin knows that dwelling on the topic any further will just make him sadder. Trying to get his mind off of it, he flips the channels on the television aimlessly until one commercial in particular catches his eye.
“Don’t know what you’re doing with your life? Thought you found the perfect man, but you realize the relationship’s not going anywhere? You’ve been together for years yet he still hasn’t proposed?”
Jimin watches and sees Kim Namjoon, a famous rapper who retired from the entertainment industry to start a business, promoting some sort of chocolate. He remembers Namjoon always being a little eccentric, but nonetheless he had always enjoyed his music. ‘He quit rapping to do this?’ Jimin knows that he knows better than to believe these commercials, aimed at those stay-at-home partners who don’t do much, but hearing his words has peaked his interest. Jimin related a bit too much to Kim Namjoon’s words.
“You want to know why? It’s because you’ve lost your youthful charm. Youthful on the outside, yet old on the inside. You feel like you have little worth in yourself without your partner.”
It’s sad, but Namjoon’s right. It’s exactly how Jimin feels. Jimin continues to watch, Namjoon having his undivided attention.
“Well I have the solution for you right here in my hands!” Jimin sees Namjoon holding a box of chocolates in his hands, a dimpled smile on his handsome face. “RM’s The Most Beautiful Chocolates in Life! Ingredients made from the rarest of ingredients, these chocolates are so magical you’ll feel your youth come right back to you and remind your partner why they fell in love with you in the first place!”
Namjoon goes on for a few more moments, getting a little too passionate about his product in Jimin’s opinion, but he listens on anyway, waiting for Namjoon to reveal the contact information so he could buy some of the product already. If Jimin wasn’t so desperate, he probably would’ve never given these chocolates the time of day, but Namjoon’s speech moves his sensitive heart and he immediately grabs his phone to buy a box.
He knows how stupid he sounds, but maybe, just maybe these chocolates are his answer to his stagnant relationship. Maybe Jungkook will fall in love with him all over again.
-
“Um, Tae..”
“Shh.”
“But-”
“I said shh!”
Jimin’s currently looking at his best friend, who had his eyes shut and seemed to be occupied shaking some container that smelled like incense. His best friend was always more in touch with his spiritual side, always interested in feng shui and the like. Taehyung, as weird as he can be, has always been there for him, so Jimin never questioned him. He was just curious.
He had come to his best friend’s house, one that he shared with his fiancee, to tell him of what had gone on earlier in the morning from the big misunderstanding to his impulsive splurging on the chocolates. Taehyung had only stared at Jimin as he spoke, a blank look on his face. After Jimin finished his story, Taehyung had gotten up without a word, pulled out a book from a shelf and the container that smelled like incense, and ended up to where they were this present moment.
After a good minute, Taehyung finally stops shaking the box. His eyes are still shut, but Jimin otherwise thinks he’s done.
“Tae-”
He’s interrupted once again by Taehyung raising a finger, indicating for his friend to be quiet.
“Next week.”
“Next week? Your wedding?”
“Yes, at my wedding, that’s when we’ll act.”
“Act on what? Tae, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Jungkook’s a pussy. He’s got no balls. He doesn’t deserve you.” Taehyung mutters, “I knew I should’ve dated you when I had the chance.”
Choosing to ignore the last part, Jimin responds. “Look, I’m not happy with him either but you don’t have to insult my boyfriend like that..”
“He hasn’t proposed to you after 10 years, even though he promised he would! If he won’t propose to you, we’ll force him to propose to you! If it wasn’t for that stupid he promise he made to you, I would’ve made you propose to him ages ago.” Taehyung grins, almost maniacally. He opens the book that he had pulled out from before and flips through the pages until he finds what he’s looking for. “It even says here, next week is the perfect time to push for a change in relationships! The almanac is never wrong!”
“At your wedding? No way.” Jimin replies, frowning at the mere suggestion of it. “That’s your day, I’m not stealing your spotlight.”
Taehyung sighs and rolls his eyes at Jimin, as if he just said the dumbest thing. “Get over yourself. Jimin, it’s my third wedding. It stopped being special after the first one, and you were right there by my side for each one. You’re my best friend. A lifetime of happiness for a day? It’s the least I could do for you. I love Seokjin hyung and he loves me. And as long as we get married I don’t think he’ll mind either. Unlike the two of you, we manage a balanced relationship where our wants and needs are both equal.”
Jimin sighs, because he can’t even disagree with Taehyung. “But how will Jungkook feel about that? You know he doesn’t like attention. He likes to keep things on the down low.”
“Oh, you mean like that time he asked you out? Yep, I remember that being pretty down low.”
Jimin just blushes at the memory.
“I just don’t want him to feel forced into doing something he doesn’t want.”
Wrapping his hands around Jimin’s from across the table, Taehyung sighs and looks right at his best friend.
“Jimin, he’s just a pussy. He won’t break up with you, and he won’t propose to you. Your relationship’s been stagnant for a while now. Do you really think that you bending to all his needs with nothing in return is right? At least he used to treat you like you were the world to make up for it, but what about now? Do you even see him outside of breakfast? Is this how you want to live the rest of your life? Waiting for him to come home while he's out living his life? You're asking him for one thing and he won’t even give it to you. If he doesn't want this, you at least deserve to know where the two of you stand. This way at least he'll be forced to do something.”
Jimin bites his cheek after a moment of thought. Taehyung had a point, his relationship with Jungkook hit a wall, and pretending like it didn't wasn't going to solve anything. He can only sigh in defeat. “I guess you’re right.”
“Of course I am! Best friends know best.”
-
The week passes by in a blur and before Jimin knows it, it’s already the day of Taehyung’s wedding. The days leading up to the wedding didn't show any improvement in Jimin's relationship with Jungkook. If anything, Jimin takes solace in the fact that nothing seems to have changed. Jungkook's still focused completely on work, and Jimin's still left behind. Jimin wonders if Jungkook didn't even care about what happened that morning. Deep down the rational part of his brain knows it won't, but Jimin clings onto the idea that forcing Jungkook into proposing to him will magically fix all of their problems. As he takes the half hour drive up to the wedding, Jimin takes that time to think. It’s his best friend's third wedding, and he prays it’ll be his last. As happy as he is for him, Taehyung’s first two marriages had less than amicable results. And as his best friend, Jimin’s always the one left picking up the pieces. Seokjin in Jimin’s opinion seems like a nice guy, spoiling his best friend and treating him like a prince, but he had also said similar things about the first two.
There’s also his other dilemma that takes form in Jeon Jungkook. He and Taehyung had both agreed to push him into proposing during the post-wedding reception. While the thought of finally being able to get married to the man of his dreams makes a part of him feel giddy, a bigger part of him worries that things are going to end up in disaster.
Right as he turns into the venue, a man suddenly appears in his line of sight and stands directly in front of his car, forcing Jimin to step on the breaks before he hits him. Jimin’s confused as to where the man had come from, because he could've sworn there were no people nearby when he took that turn.
When he checks to see if anybody was injured, Jimin sees the man waving through his windshield. Taking a closer look, he recognizes the man as Kim Namjoon. The same Kim Namjoon who he had bought the chocolates from. The same Kim Namjoon who had quite a career in music to sell those very same chocolates. Namjoon, completely unfazed, walks up to Jimin's window and gives the man a friendly smile, acting as if he wasn't about to be run over only moments ago.
“Hi, you must be Park Jimin.”
“Yes, that’s me. How’d you know?” Jimin asks because he’s honestly curious. How would someone as famous as him know someone like him?
Namjoon just gives him a knowing smile. “I know all my clients. I’m here to give you your order of RM’s The Most Beautiful Chocolates in Life.”
“But how’d you know I’d be here?”
“I make sure I take the time to know all my clients. May you find your youth again Park Jimin. I hope to hear from you again.” With a final wink, Namjoon walks away, disappearing as quickly as he appeared.
Jimin looks at the package in confusion, still not completely processing what had just happened. Did he really just meet Kim Namjoon? He takes a moment to appreciate the chocolate's pretty packaging before remembering what he was supposed to be doing in the first place.
The entire wedding ceremony is as sweet as ever. Taehyung looks happy, and Seokjin really seems to be as well, looking completely smitten with the younger. Jimin only hopes that it lasts this time around. Like the best man that he is, he stays by Taehyung’s side the entire time. Unfortunately, he can’t bring himself to be completely happy. Jungkook was supposed to be at the wedding by now, but if his empty reserved seat was anything to go by, he hadn’t arrived. The longer the ceremony goes on, the bigger the ugly feeling inside Jimin grows, and the more Jimin begins to realize just how bad the idea he and Taehyung planned was.
Before he knows it, the ceremony is already over and there was still no sign of his boyfriend. The recipients all begin to shuffle out to the reception and Jimin can only hope that his boyfriend at least attends that. Luckily for him, Taehyung’s too absorbed with everything to notice Jungkook’s absence. Jimin didn’t want to have to admit to Taehyung that he has no idea where his boyfriend is. The reception starts to go by and Jimin feels any remaining hope starting to fade.
Finally, as the two begin their final speeches, Jimin sees Jungkook sneaking inside, cell phone & suitcase in hand. Jimin tries to avoid visibly deflating at the sight of it. Jungkook’s shown up, but the ugly feeling still hasn’t gone away.
‘Of course it’s because of work again. It’s always work.’
Jimin tries to ignore it, and instead focuses on the main couple at hand. He watches Seokjin as he grabs Taehyung’s free hand, looking at him with so much love and affection. Jimin turns to look at Taehyung and is surprised at how nervous he looks.
“I’m not your first, but I promise I’ll be your last. I love you and I’ll mean it until the end of time.”
‘I’ll mean it until the end of time.’
The familiar words bring a familiar ache in Jimin’s heart. Jungkook had promised him the same thing years ago, and Jimin's beginning to believe that they're all lies. Shaking off the tears he feels welling up, he takes a quick glance at Jungkook, who seemed to be completely unaffected. A loud round of applause shakes him out of his thoughts, and he watches on as the newly-wed couple share a passionate kiss. Jimin can no longer hold back the tears he’s been trying so hard to hold back, and prays that they pass as tears of joy. Taehyung takes this moment to grab the mic from Seokjin, and begins to speak.
‘This is it.’
A few of the women in the crowd mutter in excitement and get ready to get up. The ugly feeling coiling inside of Jimin is as strong as ever, and every fiber in his body is telling him to tell Taehyung to stop it now.
“As many of you know, this is my third, and definitely last, wedding. I’ve made it a tradition each time to toss the bouquet to a lucky woman in the crowd.” Taehyung starts. “This time I’m going to make it a little different.”
The women from before let out a couple of disappointed groans but listened nonetheless. Taehyung looks over at Jimin and gives him a warm smile. “Jimin here is my best friend and has been with me from the start. Through all of my weddings and divorces, he’s the one who’s stood by my side and taken care of me through it all. I know he’s been waiting for his turn for a long time, so I want him to have the bouquet this time.”
He passes the bouquet over into Jimin’s arms, and looks over in Jungkook’s direction, a mischievous grin on his face. “Just to put some context into this situation, he has been with his boyfriend for a decade, yet they still haven’t gotten married. Jeon Jungkook, get up here!”
Jungkook looks toward Taehyung in shock. The people around him begin to cheer, and the youngest could do nothing more but give uncomfortable smiles and bows to those around him. He walks quickly up to the stage and the moment he gives Jimin a hard look that he reads as “did you two plan this?,” Jimin realizes how foolish he was for ever thinking that this was a good idea. The crowd chanting things like “propose!,” and “say yes!” reminds Jimin of back when Jungkook had first asked him out, with the nerves in his body going to overdrive.
Jimin finally looks at Jungkook properly, trying to give him a hopeful smile. The ugly feeling in his stomach hasn’t disappeared, but he still hopes that Jungkook will ask him for his hand. He prays that Jungkook proves him wrong, that he won’t break his heart, that he won’t-
“I.. I can’t."
'What?'
"This isn’t right.” Jungkook begins, averting his gaze and scratching the back of his neck. It’s one of the many habits Jungkook has that Jimin’s noticed throughout the years.
Jimin can feel his entire world collapse, but he still musters up the strength to ask the question he doesn’t want to hear the answer to. “Can’t do what? Please, at least look at me when you talk.”
After what feels like an eternity, Jungkook finally raises his head and looks Jimin directly in the eye.
“Jimin, I can’t do this.”