Our Universe | Jikook |

Chapter 12: Closer than a satellite

           Jimin smiled to himself facing the opposite direction of the room where Jungkook was standing behind him. Thoughts of living under the same house as Jungkook made Jimin smile happily and get excited. “What should we do… First?” Jimin whispered and made a smile as he glanced back at Jungkook. “Once… I get… There…”

            “Well, I can cook anything for you. Name something you like and I can-”

            “C-Can… You make… Me.. Pork or beef…. Or.. Even Kimchi stew?” Jimin asked in his usual whispers as Jungkook smiled and nodded his head after. “I haven't tried those in such a long time…”

             “Of course. Anything you want.” Jungkook promised as he then placed his hand over Jimin's hair and messed the boy's hair around. Yet, Jungkook knew he couldn't touch Jimin and as soon as he did, he gasped and pulled back thinking Jimin was going to lose it, but the older man didn't. He sat there and giggled to himself as soon as Jungkook had that reaction. “I-I'm sorry…”

            “It's okay. Doesn't bother me… Since I… Know you're my… Caretaker…” Jimin spoke quietly as Jungkook smiled and placed his hands in his pocket to gaze at Jimin a little longer. The two then went into silence with just their eyes meeting. They alone didn't know what this was, but none of them wanted to pull back. They sought this moment as something of them becoming close friends after everything. However, Jungkook's mind was silent just like reality… He had no thoughts at all when looking at his inspiration for his work. That's all he saw Jimin as… His inspiration and a good friend. But Jimin on the other hand, found Jungkook as someone he began to enjoy seeing every now and then.

           Suddenly, their contact was broken once Mr. Park walked in with a tray of Jimin's first breakfast on earth. The steel tray contained a main porcelain bowl of green and boiled seaweed soup, noodles along with beef flavored broth that contained small strips of boiled beef, and on the side was a bowl of hot rice and spicy kimchi in a small glass container there as well. It was more than something Jimin could eat in the B248, so the man gawked at it in silence and looked back to his father.

          “Here, this is your first meal back and I made sure it wasn't too much. It's something to get you used to eating bigger portions.” Said the father as Jimin kept staring at the meal. He wanted to eat, but he knew he wouldn't finish it all and put the rest to waste.

          “My...appetite isn't… That… Big…” Jimin whispered as he then glanced at Jungkook quickly before looking away as soon as the younger boy looked at the older in worry. Jungkook wanted the frail man to eat, but the older was worried and this prevented him from eating.

         “If you don't eat, how can you get better enough to go over to Jungkook's place? You need to at least be strong enough to use the crutches.” Mr. Park assured as Jimin then held his hands out to accept the tray. “Eat as much as you can.” Said the elder as Jimin then nodded his head and set the tray over his own lap. “Jungkook, after he's done, can you help him with the crutches? I have to be there to watch over the interns.”

          “Of course. I'm in charge.” Jungkook accepted and folded his arms to smile down at Jimin as he tilted his head after.

           “Yes you are. After the day is done, you can go home.” Concluded Jimin's father and with that, the elder left Jungkook and Jimin alone. Jimin smiled as he picked up the chopsticks for the first time in a while and looked up at Jungkook.

        “I'll be here, Jimin. Take your time.” Jungkook assured and pulled up a chair to the bed as Jimin began to eat. Jungkook could see how much the older man missed eating hot meals and slurping noodles, all he ate for an earth year was nothing but dried fruits, peanuts and air-sealed yogurt or even juice in packages. No matter what was packed for his expedition, Jimin hated eating little food like that. “Do you like it?” Jungkook asked as Jimin nodded his head. Not really talking as he was eating after so long. Just then, Jungkook had no idea of what he was doing; the boy rose his hand up to the napkin, picked the folded cloth up to Jimin's plump lips, and wiped it gently after the man was done slurping the wet noodles sitting in the beef broth.