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Jimin makes a fashionably late appearance, ten minutes later than he is supposed to meet Jungkook at the campus gate. He is sporting a grey collared winter shirt tucked inside his ripped jeans half-covered by a black cashmere coat, blond hair combed into an array of perfect bangs, and Jungkook thinks it's worth all the time he took to get ready because look at that.
He is always charismatic as far as Jungkook has met him, and Jungkook hasn't met Jimin in that many attires. Jimin is the casual-former dresser outdoors, like to make an impression on people with his looks from what he guesses, but it could also be that he feels himself in clothes of the sort – which is more than sexy for Jungkook's pg-rated imagination.
He receives Jimin with the biggest smile on his face, unable to stop from bouncing on his heels as the elder advanced towards him, engulfing him in a big hug and hi'ing him in the cutest of ways. Jungkook bites his lip into a dazzling grin, heart beating fast when he sees a similar enthusiasm from Jimin's side.
"Are you ready to show me what you got, dancer boy?" Jimin teases as they walk into one of the teaching buildings. Jungkook's eyes go wide, shaking his head as quickly as he can.
"I'm a beginner, Jimin-ssi! You can't have expectations like that."
Jimin dismisses him, approximating himself to Jungkook to the point of their arms pressing as they make a turn into a long corridor. "I bet you are good at everything."
Jungkook doesn't fight him. He is somewhat pleased that it's the impression he left on Jimin without having shown much about his personal life, which be honest, is quite a talents craft. He has too many hobbies, however dancing not being one of them (yet, he is growing into it) which might deter his charms in Jimin's eyes.
Truthfully... he doesn't know why he invited Jimin today. His drunk brain thought it was a great excuse to see the man again but his self-conscious brain is typing a letter of curses to its incoherent form, shipping it to the nearest date Jungkook would grab a beer again. It might be as near as tonight, considering the fact that Jungkook is still mad stressed about everything.
Jimin's presence near him helps and he hasn't figured that bit out yet.
"Oh, Jimin-ah!" Yong-sun breaks into a surprised smile as soon as they enter the practice room, eyes locking into Jimin's wide ones.
"Solar noona!"
Jungkook trails from behind, taking ahold of Jimin's bag as the blond advances towards the cheerleader for a heartfelt hug. They seem close, but it doesn't explain why they would be surprised to have seen each other if they met regularly. As the two ask each other questions about how they have been, Jungkook closes the door, sets the room temperature and works with the playlist. The technical details.
"You never come visit, I was wondering what you were up to lately."
"Been pretty busy noona, I'm sorry about that. But you seem to be doing fine? Still the top cheerleader of our school, I heard?"
Yong-sun laughs, covering her mouth and shaking her head modestly.
"I'm not in my top form, not this year. Seniority is pushing my limits, not just mine actually but all of the dancers'... They expect us to get top grades to keep our scholarship but they load us with work and routines... It's honestly a physical torture lately."
Hearing Yong-sun complain about her life struggles distracts Jungkook, making him think of the possibility of being a burden to Yong-sun's already full curriculum. Sigh. He never wanted this, it's the stupid team that pushed him into creating a damn performance!
Couldn't he just... whatever.
"How do you two know each other?" Yong-sun points back and forth between Jungkook and Jimin, the blond turning around to meet Jungkook's perked eyes from where he'd been fiddling with his phone. There is a beat of silence and it's awkward as hell (oh, Jimin hacked the school for me), Jungkook waiting for his brain to function and Jimin stuttering upon Jungkook's wordlessness.
"Coffee shop," Jimin ends up saying unconfidently, absent-mindedly realizing he just spurted that without giving it much thought. Yong-sun inquires further. "Uh, we frequent the same coffee shop. Eventually we became friends."
"Oh! That is dope!"
"Jungkookie invited me to watch his dance practice today. He wanted an outsider's opinion on his improvement," Jimin smoothly transitions, passing Jungkook a soft smile and walks back until he is standing beside him. "You are nervous aren't you?"
Jungkook chuckles, nervous as heck, dropping the phone next to the speaker system and throwing a glance at Yong-sun. She is covering her smile with the back of her hand as if she knows something he doesn't – it makes Jungkook even more nervous.
"Ay," Jimin swats his arm playfully. "Don't be nervous, Ggukie. I didn't come here to judge you." Jungkook flushes, nodding once which Jimin doesn't register since he is busy asking Yong-sun's opinion about it. "He is good though, isn't he? From what he told me he has been practicing his ass off."
"Come on. I'm just trying to compensate for my inflexibility."
"All lies," Yong-sun skips towards them, poking Jungkook on the chest unexpectedly and smiling at Jimin. "He dances like he done it all his life."
Now Jimin is making goggly eyes at him as Jungkook groans and flushes further, having to cover his face to hide his embarrassment which entertains the two even more, and without his permission he is pushed to the middle of the empty practice room to initiate the dancing. Jimin is huddled up on the floor at the wall behind them, immersed in his newfound mission of starting and pausing the music with the little remote in his hand. Jungkook can't see his face even through the mirror because his and Yong-sun's bodies are blocking half his sight, but maybe it's better this way, he thinks.
How he will do all the body rolls and manage the passionate face expressions with Jimin's – his biggest crush's – eyes fixed on him like that, no idea. He is aiming for 'not looking like a bouncy potato' vibe but they'll see. He gets immersed in his roles easily sometimes once the acting starts, so maybe he'll win over his shyness once the music starts playing.
And start playing does the music.
As he expected, the first minutes of dancing go awfully for Jungkook. He only tries copying Yong-sun without adding much of a commentary, body stiff and legs stumbling unto each other as he sweats unusually much from the pressure. Yong-sun senses how tense he is compared to usual so she slows down the moves, making him follow some simpler ones that will give Jungkook confidence in moving his body.
Miraculously, it works.
They keep adding unto the movements Jungkook's good at, and his confidence boosts with the idea that he has at least shown something impressive to Jimin, whatever that be. Jimin is quiet at the back but they occasionally meet eyes through the mirror, and Jungkook always catches a firm smile on his lips, unable to stay too long in the moment out of fear of breaking flow.
During the last fifteen minutes of dance practice, Jungkook blooms.
Yong-sun asks Jimin to finally play the song, and now that their moves are combined with the hyper-kinetic vibes of the beat, Jungkook naturally falls into his steps, able to express his emotions better with the mix of the bass drops. Their panting noises fill the room as they vigorously tap their feet and show off towards the mirror, now pouring their souls into the routine that started off choppily.
At a specific dance break part Jungkook sports some crazy courage and turns around, locking eyes with a Jimin who hides half his face behind the knees and watches him intently. He tilts his head in this embarrassingly proud way, boosting Jungkook's ego by a thousand percent, causing him to get closer to him while making all these fancy hiphop moves and pouring his attention into Jimin. Jungkook can feel the heat spreading across Jimin's cheeks as an unmistakable crimson red on his own skin.
He wants him to know... feel something, whatever it might be.
He kneels for an improvised final pose with one leg up front and head tilted forward for manly effect, arms punching forward and jawline tensing, eyes boldly digging into Jimin's ones as he finishes the move, stilling like that for a while to catch his breath.
"Uwa!" Jimin claps with his coat-paws, smiling demurely. He looks a little funny because he absent-mindedly slipped down the wall when Jungkook was advancing towards him on the floor. Jungkook can't hold his pose anymore, immediately retrieving himself, slumping on the ground and breathing loudly.
"Good work, good work!" Yong-sun is by side, tapping on his shoulders lightly since she doesn't have any power left from all the dancing workout. "Yah, that was awesome!"
Jungkook nods his head politely, sparing little glances at Jimin who is aaing and ooing at the praises Yong-sun rains on him, a little lost on how to comment on what he just witnessed. Good things, Jungkook hopes. He was feeling himself at the last parts of the choreography but sometimes you come off sloppy on the eyes of the spectator even though in your mind you might be doing the perfect thing.
Judging by the way Jimin can't hide his amusement anymore, Jungkook concludes that he did a good job, indeed.
"Thank you guys, you are just being kind," he tries to brush it off but Yong-sun denies it at all costs, lecturing him to take compliments when he feels like people really mean it. Then she says that she really really means it so Jungkook has no option but to accept them all. "Really?" he asks timidly, more to himself than to anyone. "I appreciate it, Yong-sun noona. I'm taking so much of your time."
"I tell you what," she slides right across him and Jimin, her knees touching both of theirs. "It's all worth my time because I've never seen someone like him," she shows Jungkook to Jimin, fascination in the way she speaks. "I give him classes only two times a week but he is here practicing everyday and you can't believe it Jimin-ah... This type of dancing is not what you see from a two-weeks-old dancer!"
Jungkook hides a laughter, closing his eyes and shaking his head around in embarrassment. It feels awkward being complimented so openly, especially in a society that withholds praises to keep modesty at the peak of human behavior – but deep deep deep inside, he is floating on the clouds from happiness.
All his work is paying off. He really is making a difference.
"I noticed," Jimin comments, tapping Jungkook under the chin cooly. "You looked real charming, Jungoo-ah. Good job."
Jungkook grins sheepishly, scrunching his nose as he cutely brings his head forward at him. "I must be some type of golden card, hm?"
Yong-sun starts clapping with cheers as Jimin breaks into laughter, nodding in approval of his newly taken attitude. Jungkook proudly leans back on his hands, taking the moment in.
"Love the attitude. Quick learner, indeed!"
"That's what you were doing, wasn't it, Gggukie?"
Jungkook cockily raises his chin up, breathily speaking. "Obviously!"
"Jal haess-eo, jal haess-o."
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It might be the consequence of having grown up in a big city like Seoul with specified list of landmarks or mere lack of patience towards research new hang out places — whichever of the two it is, Jungkook is looking forward to a new experience. He had thought of inviting Jimin for lunch however no pre-determined place in mind because well... he never properly explored the town of Gidae. His friends are all from university, so they mostly grab a bite either at the school cafeteria between the breaks or loosen up at one of the bars students frequent around their campus.
Jungkook's apartment is only fifteen minutes away from the campus too, so he doesn't really know much about 'hidden gems' or anything, the way Jimin addresses it.
He couldn't deny the skip in his heart when Jimin grabbed his wrist and jogged backwards with his weight slumping in his direction, uttering a mysterious lemme take you somewhere unlike anywhere else . He'd honestly go everywhere, as long as it was with Jimin.
To the moon. To the end of the world. Anywhere.
The sweetheart he is, Jimin said they were only a 20-minute walk away but since Jungkook might be tired from all the dancing he suggests them taking the bus from across the school's pavement. Jungkook totally appreciates that; he is not really feeling his knees because of one particularly jerky move he made at that kneeling part of the choreography. Jimin is extra concerned for him after he admits that out loud, and Jungkook can't help but laugh because it reminds him of their first time meeting at the coffee shop near their common park. Jimin had been inspecting his head like a detective after he'd tripped Jungkook, not verbally but with his sharp gaze (scarier) reprimanding Jungkook to keep that cold pack still on his head.
Jimin laughs at the memory too now when Jungkook speaks about it at the bus, though he admits he would do the same thing if it happened again.
"I'd rather it not," Jungkook comments with a horrified expression, breaking Jimin into new giggles before he is even done with his previous ones. He looks breathtaking when he laughs, Jungkook notices, and should always laugh – all his life, every single moment of it, he decides.
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The bus drops them at a bohemian neighborhood made up of authentic little shops and an outdoor market. Jungkook is in love the moment he meets the place, so immersed in every little detail that catches his eyes that Jimin makes fun of him for looking like such a cute bunny with his doe eyes. The world he was so busy with suddenly disappears, stopping for a while as Jimin's comment rings through Jungkook's ears.
Cute bunny with doe eyes.
Jungkook swallows, cheeks heating up when he realizes they have both stopped walking and Jimin is staring back at him to figure out why he isn't following him.
Does he look like a bunny to him now, then?
Like, Jimin had previously called him that... but this time it was so natural that Jungkook imagines Jimin seeing him as a cute pet all the time even though he doesn't admit it out loud.
"Let's go, weirdo," Jimin rolls his eyes, grabbing a hold of Jungkook's hand to quicken their steps, which works because they are faster now but so is Jungkook's heart BPM.
At the belt of a street covered with grape ives there is a little cramped passage through a wall where they are headed to. Jungkook would have never for the life of him thought of walking in there if he were alone. Jimin throws him a playful glance as if he heard Jungkook's thoughts before pulling him in with himself, revealing the garden of a warehouse.
Well, an ex-warehouse.
It is restored into a modern bar/restaurant with a classy set-up and fancy interior, the depot features like the ceiling furnishing kept while the tables and counter are neatly polished. Jungkook can see himself taking pictures of every corner of this place and even coming here to study on his free days – it's perfect. There is a subtle indie music pedaling on the background but it's low enough to sound like a sweet murmur, which Jungkook appreciates so much in a cafe. He hates to be seated in places with loud music to make him rip his throat so that he can get a simple sentence across the table.
But again, that might be because he is the talkative type rather than the drinker at places like this.
Jimin beams at him, asking his opinion before taking him inside.
It's so considerate of him to check on Jungkook's preference even though he already agreed to do anything Jimin suggested.
"I love it, hyung," he says brightly, making Jimin smile happily and takes his lower arm. Jungkook bites his lip as he is dragged once again, yet this time with Jimin's warmth engulfing him.
They settle at one of the open-booth areas, pub-style couches with red upholstery and a great view of the garden ahead of them. Jimin walks him through the contemporary menu, a lot of vegetarian options however traditional Korean food involving meat available as well. Jungkook's lips form to an o throughout his speech, his explanations professional like that of an experienced waiter.
"You want something light or stomach-filling?" Jimin asks, putting the menu down when Jungkook can't choose between anything.
"I'm hungry as fuck," Jungkook laughs breathily, his stomach grumbling. It makes Jimin laugh knowingly. "I could try chicken nachos, maybe? Never had it before."
Jimin's eyes widen in assent. "This is a great place to have your first try. They have an amazing chef, he is honestly the best."
"You know him? That's impressive, hyung."
Jimin shrugs, settling back into his couch. "He was a good friend of my dad's. I remember visiting his family a lot when I was younger, and he always used to cook for everyone."
Jungkook smiles. That's a pleasant memory. "Cool."
"Anyway," Jimin blinks, adjusting himself on the couch and putting on a quick smile. "I didn't comment on your dancing properly earlier," he says, eyes turning playful in a way that make Jungkook's stomach drop.
"Ah, it's okay."
"So you are a dancer."
Jungkook laughs, burying his face into his hands. Not this again. "I'm so not a dancer. I barely learned the choreography for one song!"
"That's good enough, Jungkookie!" Jimin insists, still so serious even after Jungkook reveals his face again. "All you have to do is do a good job at the mascot show, you don't need to become a perfect dancer, you now?"
Jungkook fiddles with his lower lip. True.
There is a sudden hit at his shoe, which Jungkook belatedly realizes came from Jimin. He is biting back a grin, and Jungkook can't stop laughing at his silly face when he registers it's meant to mock him.
"What?"
"What what?"
They laugh simultaneously. The sun is beaming lightly into their table now and the blond of Jimin's hair is glowing, making his already pretty face appear angelic in Jungkook's eyes. God, he is so breathtaking. How is he so beautiful?
The waiter finally arrives and takes their orders. It's the smoothest process with the help of his friendly rectitude; Jimin has chosen to order a Cesar Salad while Jungkook went with his early pick, Loaded Nachos, both of them going for natural juices upon Jimin's recommendation.
"Tell me about everything else you've been up to," Jimin extends his hands to the table, a newly found attention directed at Jungkook. "You were pretty stressed over the phone all week. I was worried about you."
Jungkook smiles, though he is feeling his whole body tense up upon the mention of stress itself. He really doesn't like talking about his problems because they end up piling into something neither the questioner nor himself can put into order, and just like that the mood gets ruined.
"Just the preparations for the show. The schedule is tough."
Jimin hums, contemplating. "It's not fun?"
"I mean I wouldn't put it that way, but the fun drains out when it becomes a schedule..."
Jimin agrees, leaving it up to Jungkook to open up further. And just like that, Jungkook is sighing his problems away, forehead planted against the table as he tries to hold his shit together. This was supposed to be a cheerful encounter and it still can be if he swings the subjects just the right amount away from himself, but Jimin's soft eyes and caring questions are messing with his head.
He said he was worried about him.
It's not like he is going to judge him if he spills anything, but Jungkook never wanted him to worry in the first place. Did he ramble too much during their phone calls?
Jungkook raises his head abruptly, smiling and staring at Jimin with lazy eyes. The older laughs at him, eyebrows shot up as he waits for Jungkook to speak.
"I really want you to get enrolled back to Gidae."
Jimin takes a second. He points at himself like there is any possibility that Jungkook is talking about anyone else. "M-me?"
Jungkook nods comically. "Who else, Jiminie?"
Jimin kicks him under the table, a chuckle leaving his lips. "Hyung to you, sillyface."
Jungkook scrunches his nose, slumping his shoulders even more as he tries acting cute to get away with it. Jimin watches him in a daze, not believing this stubborn side of Jungkook to be revealing too soon. But he doesn't push further to Jungkook's relief, letting a comfortable silence sit between them.
"I'm okay, Jungkookie. I'm living a good life."
Jungkook quirks an eyebrow, making a mocking face. "Yeah right. With all your weird jobs, I doubt you are living your best life."
"Yah!" Jimin pouts defensively. It's so cute that Jungkook feels his stomach bubble with affection and attraction both the same. He wants to plant big fat kisses on those cheeks and hug Jimin to his chest so tight he barely has room to breathe. "What's that bad about being a personal shopper? It's not like I'm not working for the richest lady in Korea."
Jungkook snorts loudly. "Hyung, you're still on with that story?"
Jimin laughs too at that, though he is pushing. "Are you still gonna make fun of me? I'm telling you the truth!"
Jungkook doesn't nudge. "Yeah right." He is having doubts though. It just doesn't make sense for Jimin to bring a joke up again purposelessly.
"Yaish," Jimin sighs in defeat, throwing himself back at the couch frustratedly. "Don't believe me then. Don't believe anything I say."
Is Jimin giving him an attitude?
Fuck, that's so adorable.
"Should I believe your crazy stories then? Just like that?"
Jimin doesn't look at him, eyes fixed on the garden. Jungkook giggles, reaching his hands to his side of the table but Jimin is not letting him touch him so Jungkook has to forcefully (just a little) grab his hands and bring him to the table. There is an upset demeanor still on his face, which Jungkook regrets putting there in the first. He might have riled his hyung a little too further. It's nothing unfixable though.
Jimin might be totally telling the truth after all.
Nothing is impossible these days, isn't it?
"Tell me, I promise I'll believe everything you say," Jungkook says with a soft voice, checking him out in a so-not deliberate way. His smile turns flirty the moment Jimin looks up to meet his eyes, the blond shying away as soon as Jungkook quirks an eyebrow provocatively since Jimin still wants to play coy. "Come on, Mmimi," Jungkook tries again, this time successfully getting Jimin to smile.
There it is.
He likes the nickname.
Jungkook slides his thumbs inside Jimin's palms, gently brushing them on his skin as he waits for the blond to respond. Jimin gives in easily after the affectionate move, uniting eyes with Jungkook even though it's still guarded.
"You're so cute hyung," Jungkook can't stop himself from cooing, earning a breathy laugh from Jimin who doesn't fight it. "So you work for Alexa Armanto?"
Testing the waters to see if Jungkook is teasing him again, Jimin bites the corner of his lips in a challenging way, nodding slowly. Jungkook hums (he exaggerates a little to encourage Jimin), dragging his thumbs from Jimin's palms to his wrists, resting them against the pulse spot where he feels the thump under his skin.
Wow, that's something he'd never done before. It's fascinating to be this near to someone's pulse, their proof of life.
It makes Jimin speak though.
"Once a week, yes."
"Shopping for his second son who lives abroad and everything?"
Jimin tilts his head to the side, giving him this tired yet humored look. "Yes, Jungkook. Everything."
"Okay, okay, fair enough," Jungkook smiles too now, lightheaded from witnessing his skinship soften Jimin effectively. He never thought he could calm someone down by being delicate with them, didn't have anyone who he wanted to be cute with like this until he met Jimin and started having these fluffy (though not always that fluffy) thoughts about him. "What else? You're a math tutor, babysitter and oh, how can I forget the big one: hacker."
When he puts it into the daylight like that, Jimin kind of falls into the same track as him, seeing where he comes from considering the fact that Jungkook must be confused with all the fragmented informations he has been giving him.
To Jungkook's disappointment, Jimin retrieves his hands from Jungkook's owns and instead crosses his arms on the table, hands hanging off the corners. He looks at Jungkook seriously, almost scolding.
"Listen carefully. I'm going to tell you my story, and I'm not going to repeat it."
Jungkook's eyeballs might burst. "Are you serious?"
"The day has come, my friend," Jimin nods with pressed lips (he looks a little funny but Jungkook be damned if he laughs). "I'll let you into my crazy world... But you promised to believe everything I say!"
"Heck yeah. Rain it on, hyung!"
Jimin laughs, hitting Jungkook's arm softly. "It's not that flashy, don't worry. Just dramatic." Jungkook doesn't budge, ready to absorb every little information with more diligence than he has shown towards any class in his life. Jimin is pleased with the view, with finally being taken into account that he watches Jungkook like that a couple of seconds, unable to resist his finger from traveling to Jungkook's nose with the intention of bopping it... but stays there.
Jungkook blinks, goosebumps forming on his skin as Jimin drags his finger from his nose to his forehead, randomly fixes Jungkook's parted bangs and ends up resting on the top of his head, petting him affectionately.
He feels so many butterflies that he fears physically elevating off the couch to the roof and then flying to the depths of space.
The moment is broken faster than Jungkook wishes, the waiter placing their respective orders on the table. He pretends to arrange the plates and whatnot, but Jungkook doesn't miss the little smile curving Jimin's lips, neither the burning sensation giving away his own blushing cheeks.
Either Jimin has a thing towards all bunny-looking people, or he has one soft spot towards Jungkook. Jungkook desperately wishes it to be the second one, because by the end of this lunch thing he might admit to be falling for Jimin, all too subtle, just little by little.