You Only Live Once

On the way...

We'd gotten everything set with the ahjummas. Their store inventory was bought by some wonderful person who was a collector of knick-knacks... **cough** the boys. Jiminie had spearheaded the effort. Thankfully, it kept us from having to either find someone to run the store or close it and leave them without the money they had put into the store.  We presented them with a big fat check and now they were going to be paid as caretakers of Jin's (thank you Jin) parent's new property. I showed them how to order all the supplies they'd need via computer so they could minimize having to go into town and they were set. They had all our numbers and Det. Ryu on speed-dial.  

Jiminie and I got ourselves packed and met in the kitchen. I started to comb the fridge for snack materials. 

"Hey, Noona. We haven't been able to really talk since last night. Are you really alright?" Jiminie spoke softly.

"Yes. I mean, I don't like what is going on with these... I don't know what to call them, seizures, visions... memories...but I'm fine. Why?" he obviously had something on his mind.

I sat down at the kitchen island and motioned for him to sit. His hand rifled through his hair and settled on his neck as he found his words. He made his way to the other side and parked. Clearly disturbed. I reached across and beckoned for his hand. 

"You were shaking and both of you were going... and ... I've been trying to be strong and not say anything, but I'm so scared for you two," tears welled in his eyes, "I love you both so much."

"I know, Sweetie. We love you too," I tried to comfort him.

He stood still holding my hand and walked around the island. Jimin closed the distance between us pulling us into a bearhug. Burying his face in my neck, his tears began to fall. I held him close, his arms shaking.

"Angel," he spoke softly, lifting his head from my shoulder, " You know that I love you, right?" His last word was punctuated by the look on his face, his breath leaving him in a soft sigh leaving no question in my mind exactly what he meant. 

"Jiminie, I..."

"Angel, even back then when we were kids...that was no crush. I knew it was wrong then, but I couldn't shake it. I have always loved you."

The tears welled in my eyes as I saw his pain and the love he had held for me all this time. His gaze softened and tears licked the edges of his eyes as well.

"Please don't cry, Angel. I don't think my heart can handle it," his hands cradled my face as his thumbs wiped away the first of many tears.

"Jiminie, I can't stand to see you hurting," I confessed.

"Angel, I know your heart belongs with Jungkook, and this is so selfish," he faltered for a moment before the next words left his lips, "I promise never to ask again, but, can I please have just one ki..."

My hands flew up around his neck and pulled his face a hair's breadth from mine. 

"Kiss me," I breathed onto his lips.

His lips touched down on mine softly and loving, with a sweetness I'd only felt once before. We lingered there for a moment. I felt his arms wrap around me and pull me closer. A soft moan escaped me. Jimin pulled back seemingly stunned as if he thought his ears had misheard and then licked tentatively at my lips.  

I breathed in and my tongue moved to meet his. A small gasp left him. He tasted sweet. With one hand wrapped around my waist, the other slid up my back between my shoulder blades claiming me, if only for a moment. Our kiss deepened. I could feel all the love, angst and heartbreak swirling within him. 

Suddenly, he broke the kiss, leaning his forehead on mine. 

"I'm sorry Angel. I just... if this was my one kiss, I was going to make it worth it. I'm sorry if I went too far."

"I was right there with you. No apologies."

"You're not going to shy away from me now... right? I'm still me, you're still you with Jungkook. I don't want this to make things... well... weird."

"No weirdness. I promise."

Our phone notifications went off. 

Group text:

Kookie: We're on our way back. We have an idea.

Reality hit Jimin like a ton of bricks. His hand flew to his head, running through his hair.  "Jesus, what the hell is Jungkook going to think?"

"He's going to listen to us. This isn't something that is going to continue. It was one kiss."

"You and I know that, but he's such a jealous kind of guy... You don't know..."

"It's going to be okay, I'll talk with him. I'm the one who told you to kiss me."

"Yeah, but I asked...and that doesn't make it any better... that makes it look like you wanted me to kiss you..."

"Jiminie..."

Jungkook exhaled loudly, alerting us to his presence. 

"Okay, before you ask, I heard your notifications go off that I messaged you as I walked in. So, I heard pretty much everything," he looked disappointed.

"Kookie, I ..."

"Stop, come on... let's sit." Jungkook was serious. 

Jimin looked over at me, with a shrug, but there was dread in his eyes. He had known Kookie longer in this life, but I knew how we felt about each other. I tried to reassure him with a gaze.

Kookie sat on the couch and I realized that I had no idea if he wanted me to sit next to him right then. Jimin sat on the ottoman. Smart move. That way he wasn't sitting next to either of us. I paused and Kookie grabbed my hand, pulling me to sit next to him. He gave my hand a soft squeeze of reassurance.

"Yes, I am a very jealous human. I'm not going to lie, what I heard made my vision go white for a second. But then I listened to what you were saying, and this didn't seem like a normal situation. Then again, what is normal right now? This has been a roller coaster from the word go. So, tell me what happened."

"I asked her for a kiss... " Jimin started trying to take the blame, his face buried in his hands.

"No, from the beginning." Jungkook knew there was more to this.

"Jiminie was upset about last night. That episode we had really shook him." 

"And I was telling her how much I love you guys... how much I love her and I told her that I'd never ask again, but I wanted a kiss." Jimin's face was still in his hands, he shook his head, "I don't know what I was thinking..." 

"So I told him to kiss me." 

Kookie looked knowingly at me. He knew I was his. There was no doubt in his eyes. I was thankful for that unflinching love. 

Jimin lifted his head, ready to plead his case. "Jungkook, I should never have asked..." he really was stressed. You could tell he thought he had ruined everything.

Kookie was almost laughing, "Jimin, look at me," he sounded amused.

Jiminie took one look at him and was confused, "You're not mad?"

"I was toying with acting mad like 'IVE SEEN HOW YOU LOOK AT HER!' But I just couldn't. I heard your conversation. I know it was a one-time thing. I also know you guys weren't even going to try to keep it from me. You're my brother... and she's my heart. Yes, I have known you had feelings for her. I get it. Just breathe. If it was anyone else or if you had kept it from me, I might be mad. But it never crossed your minds."

Jimin reached over and put his hand on Kookie's forehead, "Are you sure you aren't sick?"

Kookie grabbed Jiminie's hand from his face and held it, "Look, this week has been intense I know you thought you were going to lose us. I was scared too. You didn't know if she knew you had feelings for her or not and you felt the need to tell her in case something happened and you never got the chance. Also, I know you love me too... but I'm telling you now, if you try to kiss me, you're going to get a black eye," Jungkook smiled.