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6:15 a.m. on the dot Jungkook woke up, catching his alarm the moment the first chime sounded. He didn’t even need the stupid thing anymore, but he used it because he could.He hopped out of bed and pulled on some jeans with a white t-shirt. Classic Jungkook style. He quickly went and brushed his teeth, combing back his hair right after.Was Jungkook in a rut? Maybe...probably...yeah. He was.But his mom always said a good morning routine was important.He walked down the stairs, making sure to hold the rail because sock feet and smooth wood stairs were a recipe for disaster.Sitting at the breakfast bar was an older man reading the daily newspaper and Sooja, the little girl who had come with her mom to stay at Jungkook’s boarding house.“Morning,” Jungkook said with a smile, earning a nod from the man and a cute little wave from the girl.It was 6:30 now which meant his coffee should be just about done brewing. He looked over. It was done.
It’s not a rut it’s a routine.
He poured a cup and opened his fridge. “Juice JaJa?” he said, not looking up from the shelves. He heard a little hum and pulled out the juice her mom had gotten her along with his cream.He gave her a glass and she said thank you with a smile, sitting up nice and tall to take a sip.Jungkook smiled at her and took a sip of his coffee, careful as it was still hot. He saw her yawn and said, “Do you know what time it is?”She shook her head, “Isn’t it wake up time?”Jungkook laughed, “It’s my wake up time, not yours. You should sleep in.”“Why?”Why. the top question on every kids mind. Why? “Why? Because you’re young, you’re supposed to sleep in until at least 8:30 in my opinion.”Sooja just shook her head, saying, “What would you do without me in all that time? You’d be as bored as bananas”“Bored as bananas?”“Mhm.” She said, taking a sip of her juice. She looked proud, like she had just said a common smart person phrase.Jungkook heard a knock at the door and ruffled the tired girls hair, walking across the house to answer the door.He put on a big smile to the lady who was holding a flyer at his door. “This is the boarding house I saw in town?”She spoke with an accent and Jungkook nodded to her, opening the door wider. “Yes, you can come in?” he said, ushering his head towards the door.She nodded with a smile and picked up a bag, carefully walking passed Jungkook. “I have two rooms open, just one?”“Yes, just I.” she said, slipping off her shoes. “I'm visit from Belgium. You know Belgium?”Jungkook laughed, “Yes I know Belgium.”She smiled and pulled out her purse, “I'll give you money, yes?”Jungkook nodded, “You can just do it before you leave, don’t worry right now. I’ll show you to your room.”She nodded and followed Jungkook up the stairs of his family manner.There were 14 rooms in total, it had been in the family for generations, first built in 1934 by Jungkook’s great great (maybe another great, Jungkook couldn’t remember) grandpa. He had it now, and he used it for good with others since it was only him.He cooked, he cleaned, he roomed, and he fixed. He probably could’ve been a really good hotel manager or something, but here he was as his own boss. He honestly didn’t think about doing anything else anymore.Once he got the girl - he found out her name was Haven - to her room he went back down, marking out the room on the little map he kept.There were more people in the kitchen now, Sooja’s mom was making breakfast. “Hi Jungkook, I’m making eggs, want some?”“You should have some!” Sooja said around a mouthful of eggs, getting a tsk from her mom.Jungkook smiled and grabbed his cup. “Maybe I’ll have some later JaJa. I have to go fix the fence out back.”She pouted but nodded, letting Jungkook grab his shoes to go walk to the shed in the backyard.He’d turned on a radio out the back and got to work where the winds had swayed the fence. All it needed was some new supports and a new frame piece. He’d gotten some wood the day before and was ready to get 80 splinters.After he’d finished resetting the fence to be straight he nailed in a support at the bottom. He caught the screen door opening out of the corner of his eye but only paid it attention when Sooja yelled, “Jungkookie!”He looked up and smiled, shouting back “What!?”“You have a new person!”Jungkook gave her a thumbs up and finished nailing in the support, standing to make sure it wasn’t crooked. He locked his tool box and jogged up to the house, not even bothering to take off his shoes.“Hi sorry, I was in the backyard.” He said as he wiped off his hands on his pant legs. “So you’re looking for a room-”He looked up and the remnants of a smile fell from his face.“Jimin?”The blond looked up and smiled to Jungkook. “Hi Kookie.”Jungkook’s cheeks turned pink and he nervously wiped his hands on his pants. Why was he only wearing a t-shirt and jeans? Did he even brush his hair this morning? Jimin was wearing an oversized brown sweater and black skinny jeans, that was what you wore when you wanted to make an impression, wasn’t it?He hadn’t seen Jimin in so long, so why was he only wearing a t-shirt and jeans?“What, uh.” he looked back up to Jimin, “What’re you doing here?”Jimin adjusted his backpack string over his shoulder and smiled, “I’m back from LA. I thought I’d come see my favourite ginger snap. Although-” He lightly touched Jungkook’s black hair, “I guess I can’t call you ginger snap anymore.”Jungkook smiled smally and looked down to the ground. “That was a bad dye job anyways, I had to fix it.”“Yes, but what am I gonna call you now, a burnt cookie?”Jungkook looked back at Jimin. He looked like he did in high school, only he’d filled out into an actual man. His hair, the everchanging rainbow, was blond now, and he wasn’t wearing his librarian glasses anymore. He must have finally figured out contact lenses.But he looked tired. Like he’d walked for hours and just needed a place to rest.Jungkook wasn’t totally sure he believed Jimin when he said he’d just come to visit, he bet there was something else going on. With the way they’d ended there had to be more. But he’d let Jimin say what he wanted to in his own time.“Well come in, it’s a little breezy out.”Jimin smiled and walked in, holding his backpack closer. “I can make some tea if you’d like, I know you were never big on coffee.”“That’d be great. Thank you.”Jungkook went and put the kettle on, ushering for Jimin to take a seat at the breakfast bar. “You still run this place with your mom?” Jimin said, looking at the list of people currently staying in the house.Jungkook frowned as he pulled out a mug. “No. Mom actually died two years ago.”He heard Jimin’s breath catch as he set the mug down. “Kookie I’m so sorry, I had no idea. Why didn’t you write to me?”Jungkook shook his head. “You’d changed location so many times I lost track, then when your letters stopped I wasn’t sure I’d ever find you again.”Jimin frowned, his bottom lip turning to a pout. “I didn’t think you wanted to write with me anymore when you stopped answering.”“I still have all the letters I wrote but never sent in my room,” Jungkook said as he rinsed out the rest of his now ice cold coffee, going for another cup. “I thought I might find you again one day. You always said you thought we’d meet again.”Jimin smiled at him as Jungkook poured the warm coffee in, setting it in the microwave for 30 seconds. He leaned back against the counter and looked at Jimin, “Guess I found you now.”Jimin smiled so that cute crooked tooth was visible and Jungkook couldn’t help the smile that he returned.He pulled out his coffee and added cream, grabbing his sugar bowl for once Jimin’s tea was ready. “So, what’d you get up to anyways?”Jimin’s smile fell slightly and he looked down to his hands clasped on top of the breakfast bar. “Well, it’s actually a-”“Jungkook, one of the sides of my bed frame is about to give out could you come take a look?”Jungkook looked up to the man at the entrance to the kitchen and sighed. He looked back to Jimin. He didn’t want to help, he wanted to stay with him, but he had to help. “Let me get my tools.”The man walked back up the stairs and Jimin chuckled at him, “Still as busy as ever I see.”Jungkook hummed as he took another sip from his mug, “You get used to it. Have your tea, I’ll be back in a minute.”A minute turned into 10, which turned into 30, which turned into 45.Jungkook finally finished with all of the people in his house a full hour after he’d left Jimin be and now it was time for lunch.He’d only gotten a sandwich passing by from Sooja’s mom before he was called back to do something else though, saying a quiet apology to Jimin again.By the time everything was handled he’d just finished cleaning the dishes after dinner. He was going to empty out the pot he’d used to boil some eggs but he wanted to have some time with Jimin before he fell asleep so he left it for the next day.He cracked the windows slightly for some fresh air overnight and turned off the kitchen lights, making sure his coffee maker was set for 6:15 in the morning.When he walked out he saw Jimin sitting in the family room with Sooja.Jungkook’s heart slowed. Jimin was still here, he hadn’t left.“...And then you just wrap it around again, yeah like that. Make sure to leave enough space to put the needle in.”He saw Jimin helping the little girl hold up his mom’s knitting needles, the start of what looked to be the size of a dishcloth on there. Sooja spotted Jungkook and whined, “No! Jungkookie’s seen it now! It’s not a surprise!”Jimin looked up and smiled to Jungkook, “I don’t think he knows what it is yet Sooja, it’s still a surprise.”She looked at him with her big brown eyes, “promise?”“Promise,” Jimin said back, linking his pinkie with her. “I’m gonna go talk with Jungkookie for a little bit, keep trying if you want but you can just watch some TV, don’t stay up too late.”She nodded to him and carefully tried to loop the yarn again. Jungkook chuckled as he watched her. “That’s what I looked like when I was little. My mom tried to help me knit a sweater for our dog.”“I didn’t know you knit.”Jungkook laughed, “There’s a reason why I said she tried to help me. I never said I was successful.”Jimin laughed and held Jungkook’s arm. That’s something Jungkook had forgotten, Jimin laughed with his whole body, and if he didn’t have something to hold onto he’d most likely end up on the floor.“You know,” Jimin said with a little chuckle, “I could’ve given you some help.”Jungkook shrugged, “I dunno, I guess I picked up other talents.”Jimin hummed and followed Jungkook up the stairs, stopping once they reached the younger’s room.“We can probably talk in here without being interrupted.”“I like how you have to say probably when it’s your own room.”Jungkook laughed and opened his door, flicking his small lamp on, “Well when people get comfortable living with you they lose all sense of personal space."Jimin laughed and dropped his bag, flopping onto Jungkook’s bed. “People who have no respect for personal space are so annoying.”Jungkook laughed and sat back on the bed beside Jimin, “Oh yeah absolutely, you little troublemaker.”Jimin smiled mischievously, “I’m glad I didn’t lose my reputation.”Jungkook hummed and looked over to Jimin. “Speaking of reputation, did you make one in LA? I’ve heard almost nothing about out there.”Jimin groaned, “Do we have to talk about LA, that’s a long and hard story.”Jungkook hummed and tucked some of Jimin’s hair back, “Alright, then can you tell me why you came back?”“Why else, to see my ginger snap - or, I guess my burnt cookie,” Jimin said, letting his fingers trail fully through Jungkook’s hair.He smiled and took Jimin’s hand, pulling it away from his hair softly.Jimin’s eyes remained ever trained on him, letting his other hand come up to push away the hair he’d messed.As Jungkook’s face came more into view Jimin bit down lightly on his bottom lip, looking between the now exposed forehead, his dark eyes, and his small lips.“You know,” he said quietly, moving ever so slightly closer to Jungkook’s body. “I never stopped thinking about you.”Jungkook hummed and let his own hand trail into Jimin’s hair, “Yeah?”“Yeah.” Jimin moved his head with Jungkook’s movements. “Never stopped thinking about us.”Jungkook let his hand slide down the back of Jimin’s neck, humming for Jimin to continue. “And? What about us?”“How good we were.” Jimin’s gaze fell over the features of Jungkook’s face again, leaving a more longing and dazed look over his lips, “Sometimes I wondered if we were right leaving it.”Jungkook swallowed, lips parting for air. He let his hands slip over Jimin’s shoulders, backing away slowly. “It wasn’t a ‘we’ matter, Jimin.”Jimin pouted and sat up on top of Jungkook, his brown sweater falling off a shoulder, “Fine. I wondered if I made the right decision leaving you.”“And?” Jungkook said, trailing his hands onto Jimin’s knees.Jimin’s face was visibly pinkening, “A-and what?” He said, bringing a slightly shaky hand up to smooth back his hair.“And did you make the right decision?”Jimin felt Jungkook’s leg straightening out underneath him, fitting perfectly in between his thighs. Jungkook’s hands climbed further up, making Jimin go from pink to red.“N-No.” Jimin stuttered, sliding his hands down Jungkook’s chest. He stopped when his fingertips hit Jungkook’s waistband, looking back up to him with soft eyes.Jungkook watched Jimin with a careful gaze, hands fitting over Jimin’s waist, just barely dipping down to his bum.“I agree.”Jimin let out a small puff of breath, something akin to relief dusting his features.“I was stupid, I didn’t think I could have you and LA and-” Jimin’s fingers hooked onto Jungkook’s jeans. “I chose LA.” He looked back to Jungkook and flicked his hair out of his face. “I don’t know why I chose LA.”He looked back down after that, waiting a moment before tugging on Jungkook’s jeans.“Can I take these off?”Jungkook shuddered but nonetheless lifted his hips for Jimin to wiggle them down.“Still wearing comic book underwear?”“Shut up Jimin”Jimin smiled, “I seriously thought that would’ve stopped after high school.”“I said shut up.” He took Jimin’s hips tighter, making the blond groan.“Are we doing this?”Jimin let his eyes slip open again, “I dunno, are we doing this Jungkook?”He pushed up against the blond and sat up, mouthing across Jimin’s neck. Jimin groaned again and let his hands thread into Jungkook’s hair, holding him closer for more.Jungkook did pull back though. He looked up to Jimin after admiring the darkening marks on the shell of his neck. “Go lock the door and turn off the lights, I’m not letting anyone interrupt this.”Jimin got off of Jungkook’s thighs and ran over to the door, locking the knob and flicking the lamp off. He pulled his sweater over his head and tossed it to the floor, smiling widely to Jungkook, his tattoo now exposed.“Nevermind?”Jimin hummed and undid the button of his pants, “It was for LA.”Jungkook helped to slide Jimin’s pants down. “Why nevermind to LA?”He tugged Jimin back onto the bed so the elder was now on the bottom, leaving a few marks on his pale thighs. “I’d made it all that way,” Jimin let out a high breath “Just for nothing to come of it.”Jungkook slid his hands up, fitting underneath the legs of Jimin’s underwear. He whined, high in the back of his throat as his chest arched towards Jungkook.“Quiet, I don’t want us getting caught.” Jungkook mumbled, pulling on Jimin’s underwear.The blond nodded and let his forehead rest on Jungkook’s shoulder, hands holding onto the muscle of his back. His hands trailed down until he grabbed hold of the hem of his t-shirt, pulling up.“Wow.”Jungkook pulled the shirt of his arms and was immediately met with Jimin’s hands fitting over harsh muscle that he’d never known in high school.“I never thought you’d fill out so much.” Jimin said, hands sliding over every bit of exposed skin he could reach.“I never thought I would either.”“It’s all those fences you fix.”Jungkook chuckled and let his own hands hold Jimin’s back, fingers slipping beneath his waistband.Jimin lifted his hips to let Jungkook tug his underwear off, carefully setting himself back down.“Can I please take those damn Iron Man underwear off?”Jungkook chuckled and let his forehead rest against Jimin’s, meeting his brown eyes with a smile. Jimin set his arms around Jungkook’s shoulders and tipped his head up “I missed you.”“I missed you too” Jungkook hummed, a hand roaming down to take Jimin’s hip and pull him closer.“Why am I the only one who’s naked?” Jimin whined, tugging on the back of Jungkook’s hair.“Because you got sappy.” Jimin hummed and pushed Jungkook back to rest on the pillows after finding his way back to the top. He hooked his fingers on the hem of the graphic underwear and smiled as he pulled them down, leaning in to finally give Jungkook a kiss. It started off sweet but once Jimin had rid Jungkook of his underwear and slid up onto his cock it turned heated, all tongue and teeth.Jimin was grinding down as Jungkook was grinding up, letting out little huffs of breath to Jungkook’s neck. He let out a weak moan and grabbed for Jungkook’s cock under his ass. “Jungkook. Come on…” he groaned and ground back “more.”“Wait, wait.” Jungkook said “you're not preped yet.”“I don’t care.”“I do.” Jungkook said, grabbing for his bedside drawer. He ruffled around for a minute - he hadn’t had to make a quick grab for his lube in a while.“Give it to me, I’ll be faster.”Jungkook gave Jimin a look and Jimin gave one right back, grabbing the bottle from the drawer.“All this time and you’re still an impatient brat.”Jimin smiled as he uncapped the bottle, leaning down to kiss Jungkook’s cheek and up his neck as he reached behind himself.“Chim, I can do it.”“No.” Jimin let out a little moan right by Jungkook’s ear “I want you to watch.”Jungkook took in a deep breath through his nose and let his hands rest away from Jimin. Silently he watched, wondering what he did to deserve this. Honestly, he wasn’t sure if he meant that as a good or bad thing, because just as much as watching Jimin throw his head back with his arm reached around him was attractive, it was absolute torture.“Chim, come on.” Jungkook slid a hand up Jimin’s waist, uring him to get on with it.“You’re the one who insisted I wasn’t preped.”“Well you’re the one who’s taking forever and being a fucking tease.”Jimin smiled and pulled his fingers out, wiping them on the bed. “Fine, you decide if that’s good enough bossy.”Jungkook scoffed “I’m bossy?”Jimin smiled and set his hands on Jungkook’s shoulders. “Very bossy, actually.”Jungkook shook his head and without warning pulled on Jimin’s rim, only just covering the boys mouth before he let out a loud moan. “I said quiet baby.”“M’sorry”Jimin had his forehead hovering just above Jungkook’s shoulder, bangs dusting across it. Jungkook carefully spread a third finger, earning a whine from Jimin. “Kookie I-I’m ready, stop teasing me.”Jungkook held Jimin up, looking around for the lube.“I’ve got it.”Jimin poured some onto his hand and reached down, entertained by the way all of Jungkook’s muscles tensed when he twisted his wrist up his cock. Jungkook’s eyes were closed, a deep furrow forming between his brows.Jimin may have gotten a bit carried away in his motions because Jungkook had to grab his wrist with a tense arm. “Stop”Jimin pouted but let go, sitting back so he could rub up against Jungkook. Jimin moaned and held on tighter to Jungkook’s shoulders, bucking up against him. “Jungkook-ah”Jungkook kissed Jimin again and slid his hands under his ass to carefully lift him up, Jimin’s knees sliding to be right around the top of Jungkook’s thighs.The blond reached back and grabbed Jungkook’s cock, lining it up with his hole. Jungkook’s hold on Jimin faltered slightly but after a second he carefully lowered him so his tip was pushing against Jimin.The blond whined quietly, biting down on his bottom lip in an attempt to keep quiet. All of his weight was dependant on Jungkook now but he trusted him. Jimin wound his fingers into the hair at the nape of Jungkook’s neck as he was lowered down inch by inch.Once he was fully seated on Jungkook’s hips he panted by his ear, back tensed from his spot over Jungkook. He moved his hips carefully letting out little broken sounds from the back of his throat.“Take a minute Chim.”“I am.” Jimin said, dragging his nails up Jungkook’s back when he moved too quickly.Jimin carefully lifted himself up, sinking back down quickly after. Jungkook groaned and let his head fall back, hands holding on tightly to Jimin’s hips.Jimin leaned down and mouthed at Jungkook’s exposed neck, leaving little dark marks in his wake. Jimin fell fully forwards when Jungkook thrusted up, making him moan without warning.Jimin clapped his own hand over his mouth, muttering a quiet apology to Jungkook. “It’s okay, I should’ve known better than you being able to be quiet during sex.”Jimin smiled into Jungkook’s neck, whining softly as Jungkook picked up his pace, hands still holding on tightly to Jimin’s hips to keep him in place.He aimed in at a different angle, feeling Jimin bury his face in his neck as he let out a low moan, body bucking up closer to Jungkook.“Is it there?” Jungkook said quietly, grinding slowly on the spot. Jimin hummed with a broken moan following after.Jungkook started thrusting into him with no remorse now that he knew where to aim. Jimin bounced along with him, head thrown back as quiet curse words fell from his mouth.Jimin started getting louder as he clenched around Jungkook. His whines went in time with the creaking of the bed, only spurring him on further. “O-oh god.” Jimin said, following with a whine.Just as Jimin grabbed down for his own cock there was a knock at Jungkook’s door, startling them both.Jungkook stilled his movements. Were they being too loud? Jimin whined and fell to Jungkook’s chest “don’t stop~ Jungkook-ah~”Jungkook could hear the desperation in Jimin’s voice but he knew if he didn’t answer then they wouldn’t go away.There was another knock at his door and Jungkook shushed Jimin before shouting “What is it!?”“No~” Jimin whined, trying to bounce on Jungkook’s cock by himself. He had hands held firmly to his hips to try and keep him still.“Jungkook, can you come out here! I swear there’s a squeaking in my room!”It sounded like the lady in the room next door. She was kind enough but she made Jungkook do everything she had a slight struggle with.So he may or may not charge her an extra 5$ a night. Just for inconvenience.“I’m sure it’s nothing, I’ll check it out in the morning.”Jungkook slid his hand down and thumbed at the slit of Jimin’s cock, earning a low whine from the blond.“I’ve been hearing it for days Jungkook! For all I know it’s a rat that’ll eat me.”Jimin whined again, begging quietly for Jungkook to get the lady to go away with an impatient bounce.“It won’t eat you, I’ll look at it in the morning. It’s very late.”He heard her make a displeased noise from behind the door and damn near shriek when Jungkook’s bed accidentally creaked at another one of Jimin’s movements. “That was it! Couldn’t you hear it? It’s too loud to be a mouse isn’t it!?”Jimin sat back up, sweaty hair sticking to his forehead. You could tell he was down right peeved with this lady at this point and he shouted “It’s our bed not a rat you idiot, now go back to bed you’re disturbing everyone.”There was a knock from the room beside them, showing the other people in the house agreed. They heard the lady gasp and she actually tried to open the door. Jimin absentmindedly remembered Jungkook said that no one had personal space here but he still just couldn’t believe the nerve of this lady.He shook his head and pushed Jungkook down, ripping his hands holding him down off. He put his palms on Jungkook’s chest and started bouncing without concern, letting out moans loud enough that the lady outside the door could here.“Jimin-”Jungkook squeezed his eyes closed as Jimin picked up speed, groaning when Jimin’s hands slid over his nipples. Jimin moaned again, making sure the bed creaked with their movements. “Jimin, Christ, you’re going to get me killed by my own residents.”Jimin smiled with obvious sinfulness behind his eyes and continued bouncing, little drops of sweat falling down his neck. There was another loud knock at Jungkook’s door, from the lady no doubt.Jimin was literally about to hop off of Jungkook’s dick and go slap this girl in the face but Jungkook kept him putt, groaning out little curses as he met with Jimin’s movements.Jungkook opened his eyes enough to see Jimin watching him with a hand wrapped around his own dick, face flushed a light red with precome trailing down his cock.Jungkook grabbed at Jimin’s ass, helping to move him exactly as he knew would feel good. He moaned lowly, just the way Jimin used to love.He started building up again and Jungkook let out the loudest moan he’d dared so far, quietly muttering “J-Jiminie ‘m close.”“Yeah?” Jimin said, fingers trailing over Jungkook’s nipples again, repeating his movements over and over again.Jungkook started tensing up beneath Jimin, signaling for him to quicken his own hand movements. Without warning Jimin buckled forwards, sinking all the way down as he came on Jungkook’s chest, leaving a long whine and red cheeks behind him.Jungkook started thrusting up on his own after Jimin went weak in his arms, chasing quickly after his own release.He meant to pull out but Jimin wasn’t having it, making sure that he was perfectly seated when Jungkook came, a long hiss being let out between his teeth.He panted for a minute before he fell back onto his pillow, pulling Jimin down with him. “Ew, Jungkook-ah” Jimin whined, pushing up from Jungkook’s chest “You’ve still got cum on you.”Jungkook looked down and let out a panted breath. “I’ll clean it later.”“No~ that’s gross.”Jungkook let out a huff and slid a hand down his abs, being careful to avoid the sticky spot on his chest “I don’t wanna get up Chim, I’m sure she’s still out there.”Jimin looked to the door and saw that the hall light was still spilling under the door. He groaned and cracked some of his joints, picking himself up off of Jungkook’s cock.“No Chim, where are you going?”“To get a cloth.”Jungkook saw the scratches and bites and marks that littered Jimin’s body and winced. He really should be the one going but Jimin had never been an easy or pliant person. Jungkook would just have to sit and watch this play out.Jimin opened his bag and grabbed around, pulling out something that looked to be light pink. It was only once he pulled it on that Jungkook realized it was panties with black lace, a thong to top it off.“Now where the hell did you get that?”Jimin smiled as he pulled on the strings “They’ll sell you anything in LA.”He walked over and opened Jungkook’s window in an attempt to air it out a little, quickly going back to the door to unlock it. “You’re going out in that?”Jimin hummed and opened the door “You’re lucky I put on underwear at all.”Jimin peeked out, making sure there were no children in the hall. Just a lady sitting outside the next door looking annoyed.Jimin hummed as he walked out, making his way down to the bathroom.The lady was staring at Jimin with wide eyes as he closed the bathroom door behind him. She peeked to the bedroom door and stood when she saw it was open.To say she got an eyeful when she entered was an understatement.Jungkook thought for a split second it was Jimin but quickly realized it wasn’t when he heard her stutter.He pulled the sheets up to cover himself and furrowed his brows in anger “What part of I’ll check it out tomorrow don’t you understand? Get out!”She stuttered again and backed out of the room, leaving Jungkook to meet eyes with Jimin.“That was hot.”Jungkook raised a brow to Jimin and Jimin smiled back - but it wasn’t a smile that meant anything near cute or sweet.No, it just meant that Jungkook was going to get a round two.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥        When Jungkook woke up to his alarm he was stiff as a board. All of his muscles ached for him to stop moving but the need to get up and use the bathroom was greater than his sore body.He looked beside him, the bed was empty and the coverings on that side were tucked neatly.He frowned and looked over to the other side of the room. All of Jimin’s clothes were picked up and his bag was gone.His head swimmed with the memories of Jimin and his last day together.
Don’t be gone. He can’t be gone.
He frowned again and swung his legs out of bed, picking up a pair of underwear and his jeans to put on. He went and took a shower to try and scrub all of the sweat from his body.By the time he’d showered and blow dried his hair it was 7:00 and he knew his little morning helper Sooja was probably annoyed with him.He pulled on a sweater in attempts of hiding all of the marks left behind by Jimin and walked down the stairs.Sure enough Sooja was sitting at the breakfast bar, a plate with some remnants of syrup in front of her.Jungkook raised a brow at the plate “What you eating?”Sooja looked up to Jungkook and said “Because you were taking forever, Jiminie made me breakfast. We had pancakes.”Jungkook raised his brows at her fully “Jiminie was here?”“Mhm, he went to the store, he’ll be back soon.”Jungkook nodded, a smile fitting onto his face.
Jimin hadn’t left. Again. He hadn’t left.
“He had those bruises on his neck too. What happened to you two?”Jungkook looked in the reflection of the countertop and he saw the marks on his neck. He was not going to tell that sweet little impressionable girl what they were doing so with a straight face he said “We fought an alien last night to keep the house safe.”“You did not!” She said, a big pout forming on her lips “My mom says aliens don’t exist.”Jungkook shrugged and walked over to the coffee machine, pulling out one of his favourite mugs from the cabinet above it. “I don’t know what to tell you, it was a very important battle for intergalactic peace, but I guess if your mom says aliens aren’t real then it didn’t happen.”He looked back and saw Sooja looking at him with wide eyes. “Really?”Jungkook nodded and stirred his cream into his cup. When he looked back Sooja was still there, waiting for further explanation“Could you tell me about the aliens? Please?”Jungkook smiled and set his mug down. “I thought you’d never ask, princess Sooja.”
“Princess?”
Jungkook hummed and took a small sip from his mug “you see, the reason the aliens were here, was for you.”She gasped and slammed her hands down on the breakfast bar “Why!?”“Because, you ran away from your home planet, Annoyingus Maxima.”She shook her head “I would never run away from home!”“Well, you did.”“Oh my God!”“That’s what your mom said” Jungkook furthered, taking another sip from his mug “And she begged Jiminie and I to do something to save you from the alien kidnappers”“And you did it? You saved me?” she said, a bit on edge, eyes wide as she spoke.Jungkook hummed “we sure did, we were heroic AF.”“What’s AF?”“Er-You want some juice?”She nodded with a wide smile “Yes!”Once Sooja had been entertained Jungkook started dealing with other things, first and foremost the lady from the room next to them.Shockingly she had chosen to leave a day early.She still left her phone number though. Jungkook just threw it away.By the time lunch rolled around Jungkook had had another person come by, a man who was in town to visit his grandson and needed a place to stay because the boy was dorming in college.It was only then that Jungkook really realized that Jimin hadn’t come back yet. He was going to walk down to town to see if he could find him when the new man stopped him. “I wouldn’t go to town, sir.”“Why? Is it busy?”“No, it’s the bridge. It’s all backed up with paramedics.”Jungkook furrowed his brows at the man. He’d never recalled anything happening in this town that needed more than one paramedic - two at most “Why? Was there a car crash?”“No” he said solemnly “As I understand it a boy fell over the rails.”Jungkook’s brows must have touched his hairline. “Someone fell?”“Yeah, I saw the boy, they’d just gotten him up from the water. About your age.”“Blond hair”“And a bulky brown sweater.”Some of the coffee in Jungkook’s mouth spilled out onto his shirt, making him quickly wipe the trail.Without hesitation he grabbed his car keys and ran out the front door, cup nearly smashing on the floor when he set it down on a ledge.He was at the bridge in five minutes and he damn near sprinted to the police on scene. “Someone fell over the bridge?”The police man nodded tapping for the next car driver to roll down their window. “We’re trying to ID him now.”He started talking to the lady in the car, describing the boy in too accurate detail. “Yeah he’s dyed blond, brown sweater, black jeans. Asian, early 20’s”The lady shook her head and the officer let her through. Jungkook was stone faced when he processed the details. He tapped the officer on the shoulder and said in a quiet gruff voice “I think I can ID him, sir.”The police man looked at Jungkook for a moment before he ushered for the next car to wait. He saw the way Jungkook’s light had drained from his face and carefully took his arm to lead him over to the ambulance.Around the back (as to be blocked from trafic) there was a gurney with his blond hair and brown sweater on top of it.Jimin.
He wasn’t breathing.
Jungkook felt the tears well up in his eyes as he fell to his knees, the body of his Jiminie right in front of him with pale skin and a blank expression, completely unmoving.It was strange to see someone dead, it almost looked like Jimin was sleeping. But there was no rise and fall of chest, no fluttering of eyes when a breeze rolled passed them too cold to not bother someone asleep. His skin was too pale and he was wet, absolutely drenched.The water - wouldn’t it have broken Jimin’s fall? He never was the strongest swimmer but why didn’t the water stop him?Jungkook wasn’t the best as science in school but he does remember his science teacher telling him that when people came back from the moon they landed in water. If spacemen could land in water from the moon and live then why couldn’t Jimin trip over a bridge and live? That just wasn’t fair.He heard a police officer behind him radio to let all the other cars go before a hand was clapped down onto Jungkook’s shoulder. “Kid-”“No.”Jungkook said, well, actually, he sort of yelled it, but he didn’t mean to.“M-my Jiminie” he sobbed, his voice going high and wavering with every breath. He stumbled closer to the gurney, smoothing his hand over Jimin’s freezing cheek.He let his head fall to Jimin’s chest, his shoulders bouncing with every cry he let out.“Jimin!” he yelled, shaking at his arm slightly “Wake up! You’re supposed to wake up!”A police officer took Jungkook’s arm, trying to get him to let go of the body.“No! Stop!” Jungkook yelled, “He’s my Jiminie, you can’t take him away from me!”Jungkook stood there crying for what felt like hours, only finally being pried off after 35 minutes had hit. “Alright, how about we take you down to the station for a bit kid?”Jungkook shook off the officers arm “No.” He watched the ambulance pull Jimin inside, his face now covered.“No, no. I can’t do anything, not right now. I-” He sniffled and walked backwards down towards his car “I need to go home.”“Maybe one of us can give you a ride home?”Jungkook shook his head again, watching the ambulance slowly drive away.He was in a daze - a complete state of disbelief. And pain. And anger and trauma. It was all clouding his mind “No. I need to walk home.”And Jungkook did. He stumbled all the way home, a police car never far behind him with his own car being driven by an officer behind it.Once he got home he slammed the door closed, knowing full well the police wouldn’t be far behind. “Jungkookie what happened?”He looked at Sooja, she was sitting with her mother putting together a puzzle in the living room.“Are you okay Jungkook?” her mom said.“Jimin’s dead.”Sooja’s mom gasped and the little girl got up, wandering towards Jungkook who was completely numb. He was numb to his surroundings, his own mind, everything.“What d’you mean Jungkookie?” Sooja said, a careful hurt behind her voice.“I mean Jimin’s dead. He died. He fell off a bridge.”Sooja’s eyes started watering “But I never finished making my cloth, Jiminie was going to help me make my cloth.”“You can finish it another time kid.” Jungkook’s voice was bitter and harsh, especially for an 8 year old girl.Her tears started fully falling right when the police got to the door.Jungkook couldn’t deal with all of this. Not the police and Sooja and Jimin.He reached up and touched something that hadn’t been opened since his mom had passed.At the very top of the kitchen wall there was a cabenet, it was Jungkook’s dads, no one else was allowed to open it.It was filled with aged liquors and a box Jungkook was never ever allowed to open because it had his dad’s hand gun in case of emergencies.His hand hovered by the box for a minute before he decided to just grab a bottle of whiskey.He walked passed the sobbing Sooja and the police completely unbothered, marching up to his room to quickly lock his door behind him.He drank, he drank that whole damn bottle.He drank until all of his limbs felt fuzzy and he didn’t know if he’d ever be able to stand again.But he still couldn’t seem to forget Jimin.He looked at the pillow on the tucked side of the bed and made a grab for it, hugging it close to his chest to cry even more. It smelt like sunscreen, and that watermelon gum Jimin loves.
Loved.
In the back of his mind Jungkook wondered if this is what LA smelt like. Sunscreen and watermelon seemed like a pretty good idea for the summers dream come true Jimin described it as in high school.Jungkook stayed like that all night, a complete mess on his bed with an empty whiskey bottle on the floor.He fell asleep at some point, which point exactly Jungkook can’t recall. But everything was a sort of blur right now, because all Jungkook knew was that he’d never get to see Jimin again, not in person at least.He’d plan the funeral, he’d decide what happened to all of the boys belongings but he’d never get a kiss again.He’d never get his hugs or those small fingers trailing through his hair. He’d never get to say sorry for the last week of summer. No more smiles, no more knitting, no more LA, no more watermelon gum. Jungkook would have nothing now, because he was given his Jimin back.But he was already taken away again. ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥        6:15 a.m. Jungkook’s alarm went off. He groaned as he turned it off, quickly scowling at the time.He’d put Jimin’s pillow back some time in the night, he must have been really careful when he slept because the bed side was tucked in still as well.He sat up, expecting a hangover to defeat all hangovers but strange enough - he felt fine.He looked around, Jimin’s things were still gone.So was the bottle of whiskey.He was naked again, and he felt all sweaty. He must have been tossing and turning really badly because he doesn’t recall taking off his clothes. But he did drink a lot of whiskey last night, so how reliable was he?He got up and pulled on some pants. He was kinda hungry, maybe he’d have something to eat before some more people checked out from the show he put on last night.He heard someone padding down the stairs, maybe if he was quiet no one would disturb him.“Jungkook.”He looked over his shoulder to see - was that the lady who’d been banging on his door when he was with Jimin? He furrowed his brows, hadn’t he, you know, already checked her out?“I just want to tell you that I’ll be leaving a day early.”“Yeah, okay.” He said with a little grumble. Maybe this was is hangover. He was predicting the future.He walked down the stairs and stretched his hands over his head. He hadn’t even bothered putting a shirt on, he was too down to really care if he was being honest.“Oh God Jungkook, put some clothes on there’s a kid here.”Jungkook stopped in his tracks. That sounded like - but it couldn’t be.He looked back into the kitchen and saw Jimin holding a frying pan with raised brows.Jimin?“You heard me didn’t you? I said put some clothes on.”“Yeah Jungkookie that’s just yuckie.”He walked further into the kitchen, looking Jimin up and down. “Is this some hangover hologram?”“You were drunk?”He looked to Sooja “Can you see him?”She hummed and looked at Jungkook like he was crazy “Of course I can silly, he’s right there.”Jungkook raised his head and looked down on Jimin, trying to see him from a different angle might work. But he was still there.But you couldn’t touch a hologram, could you?Jungkook walked closer to Jimin and held up his hands. “Don’t move”Jimin’s brows raised and he went rigid. “Why? Is there a bee? I don’t have my epipen on me Jungkook you have to tell me.”Jungkook let his hands touch to Jimin’s cheeks.They were warm, warmer than the other Jimin.Jungkook let out a loud breath in relief and let his head hang “oh my god you’re here.”“Yeah he is, dumbo. Why do you have all of those bruises on you? Did you get into a fight?”“Yeah, with a werewolf.”He heard Sooja gasp loudly but he didn’t pay any mind to her as he kissed Jimin with the widest smile he could muster, lifting the shorter off the ground for a small twirl around.When he pulled back Sooja was making fake vomit sounds and Jimin was smiling, a faint blush tinting his cheeks “What’s got you in such a good mood?”“Ah, I just woke up from the worst nightmare of my life.”“Oh?” Jimin said as he set the frying pan down on a stove burner. Jungkook stepped back and crinkled his nose when he stepped in a little puddle.“Sorry I meant to wipe that up, someone left water in a pot and I was washing it.”Jungkook slid in beside Sooja and grabbed a sweater from Jimin’s backpack to pull on “Sorry that would’ve been me, I hard boiled some eggs last night.”Jimin hummed and turned on the burner “Well I’m making some pancakes for Sooja and I, want some?”Jungkook nodded, he hadn’t had Jimin’s homemade pancakes since high school, no way he was passing it up. “You have the stuff for scratch?”“I checked, you have everything.” Jimin said with a smile, cutting some butter to melt in the pan. As he added some ingredients he said “What was your nightmare about?”“You died.” Jungkook said with a frown “and it felt so real.”“That’s why you were touching all over his face?”Jungkook hummed to Sooja “I had to make sure he was real.”“What if he’s a werewolf?”“I think you’re onto something JaJa.”Jimin laughed so his head threw back “I am not a werewolf Sooja, he’s lying to you.”“I am not lying to you, who do you trust JaJa?”Sooja looked between the two and whined “This is too hard!”They both laughed at the girl and Jimin turned back “So you had a bad dream?”Jungkook nodded “It was worse than a bad dream, I woke up and I thought, I really thought you were gone.”“What happened to me?”“You fell off the bridge on your way to town.”Jimin turned and pouted “I’m sorry you had to dream that darling.”Jungkook shrugged “It’s not so bad anymore, because you’re fine. You’re fine, I’m fine.”Jimin smiled over his shoulder “I’m fine-” he walked over to the other counter and started stirring up his ingredients. He carefully started walking back over to the pan “-you’ve got nothing to worry about.”He smiled once more before he looked back to the pan.Jungkook was getting up to get something to drink when Jimin stepped over to the counter. He was putting down the bowl with pancake batter when his foot squeaked on the floor. Jimin’s arms flew up in an attempt to catch himself on the countertop but instead he just pushed himself away, making himself land with a yell and thud on the ground.“Jimin!” Sooja shouted trying to peak over the counter to see him.Jungkook cautiously stood and walked around the breakfast bar, ushering for Sooja to stay in her seat.“Jimin?” Jungkook said. He was trying to keep the worry low in his voice for Sooja but when he saw a small pool of red from Jimin’s unmoving body forming he started panicking “Sooja call 999. Call 999 right now!”He crouched down beside Jimin and threw the bowl behind him. He picked up Jimin by the back of his head and carefully turned him. There was blood all over the side of his head and it was sticking to his hair. There was pancake batter on his face, some splattered up the wall and window as well.“Jimin, can you hear me?”Jimin’s frame remained unmoving, his body heavy and his limbs holding no resistance to movement. “Jimin”Jungkook was crying. He was trying to wipe the blood and batter from Jimin’s face but it was no use, the blood just kept coming and kept ruining his hair.He tried applying pressure but that did nothing, it just kept pouring out.“I told the lady Jimin had a fall, what do I do now?”“We need an ambulance! Tell her we need an ambulance right now!”“What’s going on down there?” Jungkook looked up and saw Sooja’s mom come down, grabbing at her daughter. “Oh good god”“He fell, and his head it won’t stop bleeding and - and I don’t know what to do! I’m not a doctor! I don’t know what to do!”Sooja’s mom took the phone and started rapidly talking to the person on the phone, sending her daughter off to the living room. She went over and knelt down beside Jimin with Jungkook.She wobbled right by Jimin’s feet and said “I think he slipped on water miss.”Jungkook looked up and saw the pot in the drainboard.
‘He was going to empty out the pot he’d used to boil some eggs but he wanted to have some time with Jimin before he fell asleep so he left it for the next day.’
“O-oh god.” Jungkook looked back to Jimin who was slowly losing colour. “I did this. I - I left the water in the pot I-” he sobbed and heald Jimin closer “I did this to you Jimin!”“Jungkook calm down, a medic is on there way.”Jungkook cried harder and hugged Jimin to his chest “Jimin, I’ve killed you!”He smoothed over the boys hair “When will this nightmare end!?”He banged the back of his head on the counter behind him with a wrecked sob. Sooja’s mom tried to hold Jungkook off the counter but he shrugged her away, continuing to cry over Jimin’s body as his blood covered more and more of his floor and clothes.It smelt bad, this much blood. It had a strange tang in it that made his air taste weird. He could smell burning pancakes above them but it was the blood that was overpowering everything.Sooja’s mom got up after a minute, her nightgown was drenched in blood at the bottom. Jungkook watched her walk away and fear overtook him at being left alone with Jimin.“Wait” he said weakly. She was back in a moment though, a set of paramedics with a gourney following right after her. They had gloves on and were ready to quickly assess the situation.“How long has he been down?”“I-I uh” Jungkook looked down as one of the paramedics took Jimin off his lap, a hand positioned to apply pressure to the wound on the back of his head.“He - I don’t know what time, I- He fell, on the ground, I-”Jungkook grasped for words but all he did was look wide eyed to the paramedic crouching between him and Jimin. The man reached out a hand and heald Jungkook’s shoulder “It’s okay, just breathe, alright? What’s your name?”Jungkook took a deep breath around his gasps and clenched his hands closed. They were slippery from all of Jimin’s blood “J-I’m - I’m Jungkook”“Alright, And what’s your friends name?”Jungkook looked at Jimin, they were carefully lifting him onto to the lowered gourney “Ji-” his voice caught from his tears. He sniffled and said quietly “Jimin.”The man pat his arm and stood to go talk with the other paramedic, leaving Jungkook alone on the floor. He was looking at the ground, his hardwood would be stained red - maybe forever. There was so much red. He heard the shrill beeping of the fire alarm start when the pancakes finally shriveled into nothingness.Sooja’s mom turned the stove off and threw the pan into the sink, fanning at the alarm with a checkers board.Jungkook looked up to Jimin. He was so pale, why wouldn’t they give him an oxygen mask? The smoke could only make him worse.He carefully rose and walked over beside Jimin “you should give him an oxygen mask.”A lady why had been helping him onto the gourney looked up to Jungkook as he tried to grab the attention of the other paramedic. His eyes were wide and even with the black sweater you could tell he was covered in blood. A total state of shock was all you could read from the poor boy.“Jungkook-ssi” it was the paramedic who had been talking with him earlier. “Come on, we’ll take you with us to the hospital, you can stay with Jimin.”“He won’t be staying anywhere, Yeonjun.”Jungkook looked up to the man “He’s gone. We’ll be sending him to the morgue instead.”The other man - Yeonjun - took Jungkook’s hand and pulled him away from the scene. He was going to get Jungkook to put some shoes on so he could go with Jimin but in his state of shock Jungkook just walked out the door completely bare foot.“Jungkook-ssi!” Yeonjun called out.He just waved a hand over his shoulder and climbed up the back of the ambulance. He sat on the one seat and rocked his legs.They’d be out any moment now with Jimin.
“A boy fell off the bridge”
Jungkook blinked, his brows scrunching up. Any minute now.
“What was your nightmare about?” Jimin smiled sweetly
Jungkook tried to swallow but his throat was too dry, his eyes slipped closed. Just another moment and he’d hear them rolling out.
“You died”
He tried to shake his head but he was caught in a trance, it was taking him somewhere much deeper, he could feel himself losing grip on reality as he slipped into his black hole.
“Jungkookie go stay in your room for the night, my goodness”

“Mom”

“Enough of this, the aneurysm isn’t going anywhere, go to bed, you’ve got work to do in the morning.”

“Fine.”
Jungkook felt tears falling again, his bloody hands raised to try and cover his face.
“Mom. Mom I made coffee.”

“Wake up lazy bones.”

“Mom.”

“Mom wake up”
  
“...mom?”
الموت       When Jungkook got home the sun had set and Jimin was resting in the morgue. His body was stiff with crusted blood on his skin and merged into the stitching of his clothes.‘This was Jimin’s sweater’ Jungkook’s mind reminded him. He pulled at it against his chest, he could hear and feel all of the dried blood crack in it’s fabric.He walked over and saw the badly cleaned blood puddle, all of his napkins and paper towels were gone. Sooja’s mom was sitting on the couch with her hands clasped on her lap.“Jungkook”She stood and walked over to him “Jungkook I’ve been worried. Did you only just get out of the hospital?”“Yeah.” He sniffled and looked back to the kitchen “I just finished all the paperwork.”She carefully walked up to Jungkook “Come on, let's go to your room Jungkookie.”Jungkook shook his head and walked further into the kitchen. “I’m just gonna…” He grabbed a towel and glanced up to the cabinet with the bottles.And the box.“I’m just gonna finish cleaning the kitchen. Go up to bed.”She tried to touch Jungkook’s arm but he shook her off “I’m fine, I just need to be alone.”She stuttered as Jungkook dropped down and started scrubbing the floor, eventually turning to leave Jungkook be.Once he heard her walk upstairs he let the tears fall. He scrubbed and scrubbed as he sobbed and eventually hunched over himself. He cried so his tears hit the floorboards and he quickly scrubbed after them.The floor was still red “It’s stained you dumb fuck”He shook his head at himself. “It’s stained, it’s never coming up, you -” He threw the towel at the sink cabinet “You dumbass!” He cried on the haunches of his feet, his shoulders falling up and down as he struggled for breath. He lost his balance after a minute and fell back, tears still streaming non-stop.It was only once the clocks hit about 11:00 at night that Jungkook stumbled to stand. He was going to head to his room but he was tear drunk - he could barely walk.He ended up just stumbling over to the couch to pull the quilt on the back over to himself.And he cried some more, until his eyes couldn’t open anymore and his brain thrummed dully in his head. ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥       6:15 a.m., Jungkook woke up.In bed.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Jungkook furrowed his brows.He was in bedHow was he in bed?No one could’ve gotten him up here - at least no one in residence with him. He was sober when he went to bed too, he knew that for sure.He was sweaty and he was nakedHe pulled on the bed sheets “What the fuck?”In his bed was one thing, but naked and covered in sweat was another.He furrowed his brows - why had he done this before?This felt too familiar.Like a morning he’d done already.He got out of bed and pulled on the first thing he saw - a nasty old pair of blue gym shorts.He ripped open the door and there he was, making his way down the stairs.“Jimin!”Jimin’s head whipped back and gasped as he disappeared down the stairs, thuds following after.There was a shriek down the stairs and Sooja’s little voice yelled “Jiminie!”The lady who’d been knocking on the door when he was with Jimin looked wide eyed down the stairs “What happened?”Jungkook ran down the stairs and saw Sooja standing by Jimin, face down at the bottom of the stairs, neck bent in a weird angle.Wood stairsAnd socks.Jungkook’s breath caught in his throat “What karma?”He looked up to the ceiling “What did I do!?”The lady was talking to the police on the phone, looking concerned between Jungkook and Jimin.Jungkook just shook his head and slid down the wall off the stairs. “How - why?”Jungkook thought it was a dream at first. He thought he’d somehow predicted the future when he dreamt of Jimin falling off the bridge, then it happened for real in the kitchen.But there he was, on the ground.Jungkook shook his head. Was this going to keep happening? Why was this happening? Was this all just some sick dream? Was his grandma right? Was God gonna get him for liking men?He just walked back up into his room and locked the door.He heard the paramedics come and go and he heard all of the people coming passed his door to try and coax him out.But Jungkook wasn’t going anywhere, he was going to stay there wide awake.If he never fell asleep this couldn’t happen again.And he wouldn’t lie, in solitude Jungkook shed a few tears. The image was still saddening to see, his Jimin on the ground like that.He felt his eyes starting to grow heavy long after the sun had set but he kept shaking himself awake.He wouldn’t let himself fall asleep.He couldn’t He couldn’t do this to Jimin again. ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥        Jungkook startled awake, just a moment before his alarm sounded.He watched Jimin close the door behind himself as he went into the hallway. He waited a minute to make sure Jimin was down the stairs before he grabbed his gym shorts again.Jimin was picking up the pot from the stove when Jungkook crept down the stairs. He saw the water spill and his eyes widened.Step one, don’t startle JiminStep two, clean that water up.Jimin drained out the pot and started filling up the sink to clean the dishes, Sooja sitting with a smile at the breakfast bar.Jimin looked so smiley and happy and innocent. It made Jungkook’s heart hurt. He knew that Jimin was there but he didn’t have a good track record with Jimin and mornings thus far.Once Jimin had made himself safe to just generally be near Jungkook walked back up and stepped back down the last few stairs to make his presence known.“Oh my god Jungkook-ah, there’s a little girl down here.”He knew he had a mission but he couldn’t help but smile at Jimin and his pinkening face at Jungkook’s outfit of gym shorts. He winked and grabbed a towel to wash up the floor.
The blood
Jungkook blinked away the memory of all that blood.He saw Jimin lean over the counter to give Sooja something and gave Jimin’s ass a little pinch as he raised back up“Jungkook!”He hugged Jimin close so they were almost spooned together “Be careful for me will you baby?” he mumbled right by Jimin’s ear.He could feel Jimin’s face heating up “J-Jungkook-ah”Jungkook kissed right behind Jimin’s ear “I can’t let anything happen to you this time.”“This time?”Jungkook just hummed and rubbed his nose against the back of Jimin’s head. It smelt like sunscreen. And watermelon gum.Jimin turned around and smooth a hand down the column of Jungkook’s neck to his chest. “As much as I love seeing you like this-” Jimin gave him a look up and down “-are you even wearing anything under those?”“Come upstairs and you can find out.”“Jungkook” Jimin said sternly, giving his arm a hard pinch. “Can’t you pretend that you know how to behave around children?”Jungkook smiled and gave Jimin a kiss “I’ll go put something on, entertain the child.”Jimin hummed and gave Jungkook a kiss back “But as I understand we do have a date upstairs later.”Jungkook smiled “Definetly.”He turned and backed over to the stairs. He distantly heard Sooja say that they were ‘icky’ but he wasn’t listening anymore because he was running up the stairs. He wasn’t leaving Jimin alone for long.He put on a white tee and a pair of jeans. Jungkook style. And then proceeded to sprint down the stairs.Jimin smiled over his shoulder “You’re running like you’ll never see me again.”Jungkook smiled painfully. That was too real.“Sit, I’m gonna finish doing the dishes then make some pancakes. From scratch, just how you like them.”Jungkook kissed Jimin’s cheek as he passed the sink and sat at the breakfast bar.“Jungkookie where’d all those bruises come from?” Sooja said.“A vampire kept trying to bite me but I punched them out so they only managed to bruise me.”Sooja gasped but Jimin just snorted. “What a macho man” Jimin muttered.“You know it baby”Jimin looked over to Jungkook and shook his head “You’re a piece of work Jeon Jungkook.”He smiled widely and sent Jimin a kiss. As Jimin smiled to him he saw a yellow and black striped bug creep in the window.Oh God
'Jimin’s brows raised and he went rigid. “Why? Is there a bee? I don’t have my epipen on me Jungkook you have to tell me.'
No. Not this way.Jungkook stood and slowly walked towards Jimin “Babe don’t move.”“What?” Jimin stiffened up.“Don’t freak out. There’s a bee on the window.”Jimin’s eyes went wide and he looked over to his bag “Jungkook pass me my bag I need my epipen”“No, no I can get it just let me get the newspaper”Jimin whined as he stayed perfectly still “No no no Jungkookie don’t leave me alone here with it.”He opened the door to grab the paper when he heard Jimin shriek. He ran back and saw Jimin madly swatting at it in air until it landed right by his toaster.He saw Jimin’s hand going down to smack it in slow motion as he realized what was about to happen.The toaster, the full sink with water.“No, Chim!”The toaster fell in and Jimin’s hand in the sink was the first to feel it, the volts shooting up the rest of his body quickly after. It made a crude shocking sound and to top off Jungkook’s horror, Jimin twitched with the electricity.He made a grab to pull out the toaster but it gave him a zap, so he dropped it back in.He kept cursing until he was finally able to get it out, Jimin having long since fallen onto the sink top.He pulled Jimin up and looked at him. His hair was wet but he had a certain burnt scent on him.Jungkook felt tears welling up. “No!”Sooja tried to say something but Jungkook was busy pounding down on Jimin’s chest “I was supposed to save you! You weren’t supposed to die this time!”He yelled as he sobbed, body hunching over Jimin’s motionless chest.He didn’t hear the police be called, he didn’t hear them get there, and he didn’t even register when they came to get Jimin.Jungkook made a decision before he went to bed.He wouldn’t even let Jimin get down to the kitchen when it started again.He wouldn’t lose him this time. ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥        Jungkook jumped up the second he felt his consciousness. “Baby!”Jimin gasped and stopped closing the door “You scared the shit out of me Jeon Jungkook.”Jungkook gave him a little smile with a fake laugh and jumped up, not even caring that he was naked. “We’re going out today, I’m - I’m gonna take you on a date.”“Really? I was gonna make pancakes if you had the ingredients for it.”“Yes! I’m sure! Yeah, we’re gonna go have breakfast, at that cafe you used to love.”Jimin smiled wide. “Cafe Daum?”“Yes.” Jungkook had no idea if that was the cafe he was thinking about but he was rolling with it. “You should, uh, you should go have a shower. Go have a shower and get ready.”Jimin smiled and nodded, pulling Jungkook in for a kiss. Jimin’s hands ran up Jungkook’s back and quietly muttered “You sure you don’t wanna have some fun first?”Jungkook was about to say yes when he gave it a thought.What if Jimin died while they-?Jungkook shook his head “Tempting baby, but we gotta go.”Jimin rolled his eyes and pinched Jungkook’s butt. “As you wish, Burnt Cookie.”Jungkook laughed and kissed Jimin on the forehead.He watched him walk off down to the bathroom, making sure to listen for the shower curtain being pulled back before grabbing the gym clothes to rip down stairs.He grabbed his pot and emptied it out in the sink first, then he unplugged the toaster and packed it under the sink. He grabbed Sooja a glass of juice and finally closed the window to keep and bees at bay.Once all was said and done he made himself a cup of coffee, relishing in the slightly bitter taste on his tongue. He smiled to himself. He was doing good. Everything was covered.There was a loud thud upstairs.Jungkook’s smile fell.He put his coffee mug down and slowly made his way towards the bathroom.Jimin was on the ground, bleeding out in the shower.A slip and fall.Even Jungkook should’ve seen that coming.He turned off the water and sat on the toilet lid, a hand sliding down his face. “Jimin-” his voice broke and he swallowed his sadness “What am I doing wrong?”He picked up Jimin’s towel and started to dry off his hair, being mindful of his neck that was already bruising from the fall and the spot where he’d injured his head.“I’m gonna figure this out Jiminie. I’m gonna make sure this stops.” He kissed Jimin’s hand “I’ll make it right. I promise.” ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥        “Baby!”Jimin yelled. “Oh my God you-”“Scared the shit out of you, I know, Stay in here! I need to do something!”Jimin furrowed his brows “I was gonna-”“Make pancakes! I know! I don’t have the ingredients for it so…” Jungkook looked around his room and quickly pulled on some clothes “we’ll-we’ll go get some. Right now we can go to the mart.”Jimin raised his brows “Alright!? Will you stop shouting?”Jungkook looked down. He was shouting, wasn’t he? “Yeah, yeah sorry about that.”Jimin smiled “It’s okay. Maybe I’ll go have a shower-”“NO!”Jimin’s eyes bulged as he looked back at Jungkook. He raised his brows in questioning and Jungkook stuttered“I-um, I” He looked around his room “I-” he looked to his water bottle “I’m behind on my water bill. I need to pay it when I get to town.”Jimin nodded, his face relaxing back. “Oh, I got you. I’ll just wait up here.”Jungkook gave him a thumbs up and walked out of the room, making sure to close the door tight before taking off down the stairs to hide everything in the kitchen (and give Sooja her juice)He tucked away everything that could be even close to a hazard in the space between his room and the front door. Even extra shoes. They were tripping hazards.He was going to drive to town but then he came to his senses.A car crash. No duh.He pulled on his timberlands and his yellow bomber jacket just to make sure when Jimin came down the stairs he’d be able to help him with everything.He double checked the path down before knocking on his door. He cracked it to see Jimin doing what Jimin always did when he was left alone in Jungkook’s room.Cleaning.He was tying the curtains back and the dreamcatcher he’d been meaning to hang was now up. Jimin was dusting the window sill now, a pair of headphones blaring in his ears.Jungkook smiled as Jimin wiggled his butt to the music, still totally unaware Jungkook was there. Jimin was singing quietly to himself as he put down the dust rag Jungkook didn’t even know he had in his room and put the picture of Jungkook and his mom back up.Jimin turned to grab something off the bed and when he saw Jungkook he damn near screamed. He stumbled back and Jungkook ran after him.But it was too late.Jimin stumbled back and went straight through the window screen down to the ground.Jungkook had a hand outstretched after Jimin.He couldn’t believe it.Out the window.Jungkook’s head fell to the window sill as he sobbed “Out the window!?”He looked up to the sky “Out the window!? Really?”He slammed his hands down on the window until his knuckles split, making him let out a hiss of pain.He paced around his room with a hand over his eyes. He wasn’t sad - not anymore. He was mad. He felt burning rage flaring up inside him. Why couldn’t he fix this? Why couldn’t he save Jimin? Why did he keep dying?Jungkook was in pain - physical, indescribable pain. His chest tightened as tears he cried days ago for the same boy fought to surface. He yelled and pulled on the front of his hair, the noise ripped out of the back of his throat like a growl. He banged his fists down on the ground as burning tears fell from his eyes.“Why!?” He hit at the floor, he hit at his bed frame, he threw down his piles of books by his bed and he even went so far to throw his laptop at the wall. It made a harsh cracking noise but he couldn’t be bothered to care anymore. He cried harder, so almost no air squeezed out of his throat. He smoothed his hands over his face as he fought to stop crying.It’s just going to happen again, why was he crying?He started propping himself up and looked around his room.He saw Jimin’s bag. Right by the carnage but somehow untouched.It seemed like some kind of sick joke. Jungkook was falling down in this world, but Jimin remained ever so untouched.He shuffled over and grabbed the bag, making a sound something akin to a growl when he looked at it. “I hate you. I hate you, I HATE YOU!”He threw the bag hard at the wall so everything fell out and spilled onto the ground. “FUCK!” he shouted when the bag spilled out. Out of the huge mess in his room that was what got to him. He went to throw something else down at the bag but he had nothing left to throw.He let out a loud sigh and lolled his head back onto his mattress. Once his crying stopped he started catching his breath. Slowly trying to do the breathe in breathe out thing his PE teacher taught him in the 6th grade.He opened his already swelling eyes and looked back to the bag with scattered clothes and possessions all around it. He started packing all of the clothes back into the bag when he came across an envelope. Jungkook would’ve left it alone, but he saw what was written on it.
Ginger Snap
Jungkook flipped the envelope over. It had one of those fancy wax seals on the back with a cursive letter J stamped into it. He pulled on it very lightly so the envelope came open.Should he be snooping like this? The day was going to reset anyways, wasn’t it? So did it really matter?He peeked inside. There were tons of papers. He pulled on one, it was a letter?
Ginger Snap~ or Jungkookie haha

It’s been a while hasn’t it? You haven’t responded to my last few letters, I really hope you haven’t moved. That’d be really mean of you to do without telling me haha. I got to go to Coachella! It was so much fun! That kid who yodeled in walmart was there I couldn’t believe it lol! I think you would’ve like it, The Weeknd was there, you always liked his music didn’t you? Oh my god Beyonce was there though!!! I was living! I couldn’t believe I got to see Beyonce! In the flesh!!
He skimmed the rest of it then picked up another
Jungkookie

It’s Jiminie. I don’t think you’re getting these anymore but I’d beat myself up if we stopped talking. It’s hard because I want to ask how you’re doing. How’s your mom? You said there was something going on with her, are you two alright? Look at that I just said I wasn’t going to ask how you’re doing because you aren’t getting them but there I went. I know I’m really far away but I’m always here for you Jungkookie. I want you to know that.
Jungkook flipped the paper back closed and looked back into the envelope. There were tons more of them. Just Jimin trying to stay in contact with Jungkook.He thumbed through the letters until he saw a stack of thicker papers. He pulled one out and saw it was a picture of him and Jimin - at prom.

Oh god.
Jungkook had his ginger hair, and braces with bright blue bands. He touched his teeth lightly, at least he didn’t have an overbite anymore. Jimin was standing in front of him with those gorgeous thick librarian glasses and a head of bright pink hair. They were doing that cheesy prom pose. You know where you give your date a back hug? Jungkook’s mom had insisted she got one. Apparently Jimin had kept one too.The next one was them at Disney World. They went over the summer between 11th grade and 12th with Jimin’s rich auntie. They were in the teacups. Jimin had a wide smile and Jungkook was stuck in a half smile half nauseous face. Hadn’t he thrown up after he got off that ride?The next photo was a split moment later, Jungkook running away from the teacups to a garbage can. He could still hear Jimin’s laughter in the back of his mind. He flipped it over and read Jimin’s fancy cursive print:
Disney World Night 2

Poor Jungkookie haha!

Love you baby!
He smiled to himself. It took him almost 3 days to get the tang of puke off his damn braces but Jimin still insisted that they made him look cute and gave him kisses at every opportunity.There were tons of photos - no bigger than a wallet size. There was even a photo from the summer before grade 10 when they’d gotten together at camp. Oh god Jungkook’s teeth, he hadn’t had his braces yet and he looked a little too Freddie Mercury-esk for his liking.He looked back to the still wide open window “You never stopped either huh? Never stopped caring?”He put the photos down and stood on his wobbly legs. He peeked out the window.Sooja and her mom were down with Jimin, paramedics out with him. “I can’t do anything Jimin. I’m sorry. But I promise, I’ll never stop trying to fix this.”He looked back to his room. He had a mess and a damn half to clean now. ♥♥♥♥♥♥        Yesterday’s plan had almost worked so Jungkook decided to try the same thing.Only this time he was a bit more chill with getting Jimin to stay up in his room. Less shouting.Right before he left, though, he made sure to close and lock his window.When he came back up after cleaning his path Jimin was cleaning. He carefully tapped him and caught Jimin by the waist when he startled back.No smashing any heads off the window.“Come on let's go.”Jimin pouted “Jungkookie I’m really hungry, can’t we have something really quick? I’ll make you some pancakes tomorrow”Jungkook let out a sick laugh. Tomorrow. “Yeah you can make me pancakes tomorrow. Make as many pancakes as you want tomorrow.”Jimin smiled nervously “Okay? So we can have something quick here?”Jungkook hummed “I’ll make you eggos. That's it.”Jimin clapped and gave Jungkook a hug. “Great! Let’s go.”Jungkook held Jimin’s hand tight as they walked down the stairs because Jimin was in socks. “Jungkook I haven’t slipped on your stairs since I was 15, calm down.”Jungkook chuckled to himself. Was this Jimin self aware or something?He walked Jimin to the breakfast bar, sat in the seat himself first to make sure it wasn’t going to break, then, and only then, let Jimin sit down.“You seem really tense Jungkookie, are you alright?”“I’m fine.” Jungkook said too quickly. He grabbed the waffles out of the freezer and looked to the side of the sink. Damn toaster. He pulled it out from under the sink and Jimin laughed “I always told you having the toaster right beside the sink was a danger, did you finally listen to me?”Jungkook felt his face crack. It was like this Jimin really did know everything that had happened. But Jungkook knew - there was no way.He put the waffles in and looked Jimin dead in the eye.Jimin flushed under his gaze and tried to clear his throat.“Jungkookie I think you’re making Jiminie uncomfortable.”Jungkook just hummed to Sooja who was in the living room watching TV. He’d given her some juice when he came down the first time.The toaster popped behind him and he carefully grabbed the waffles.He slid them over to Jimin and pulled up a stool to sit.And he watched him again.Jimin looked down “No fork?”“No. It’s too risky.”Jimin nodded (and looked at Jungkook like he was a complete psycho.)He picked up a waffle and took a bite out of it. Keeping his eyes on Jungkook like he was going to take the next chance to run away.Jungkook dared to look away for a second - all he was doing was putting the eggo box away - but of course whatever angel of death was looming over Jimin took their chance.Jimin had taken too big a bite with too dry a waffle and was choking on it. Jungkook didn’t hear him at first because choking on food was surprisingly quiet. It was the sound between a cough and a gasp that made him turn around.Jimin was holding his throat and tears were in his eyes. “Fuck!”Jungkook ran around the breakfast bar and went to help Jimin. Wasn’t it the heimlich maneuver? Jungkook didn’t know how to do that!“Sooja do you know how to do the heimlich? It’s like the diaphragm isn’t it?”Sooja scurried over and looked at Jimin. “I was only taught little kids in scouts! I don’t know how to do adults!”“I-I...fuck! Why didn’t I pay attention in health class!?” He tried to will his mind to remember. “It’s-I I think I’m supposed to, I dunno. Isn’t it like a hug!?”“With little kids you smack them on the back” Sooja said, looking concerned up to Jimin.Jungkook tried to give Jimin’s back a hard smack but it didn’t work. Jimin’s face was turning red.“Oh my god I-I have no idea what to do!” Sooja had run off to go get her mom which left Jungkook to panic in the kitchen by himself.“I-I dunno I-try coughing! Try to cough!”Jimin was already struggling for breath because he was panicking too. He could hardly cough.Jungkook chewed his lip and dropped his head “I told you Jimin I won’t give up. I’ll fix whatever’s cursed you.”Jimin’s eyes were sparkling with tears by the time Sooja’s mom came down stairs. “Did you call an ambulance?”“No, I’ve been trying to remember the heimlich”Sooja’s mom linked her hands over Jimin’s diaphragm and started breathing for him, trying to get the food up.But it was too late. It had been wedged to well by Jimin’s gasping breath.His eyes slipped closed and Jungkook sat back with a disappointed huff.He really thought he had it that time.Sooja’s mom was trying to talk to Jimin, telling him to keep his eyes open and stay with them but Jungkook knew it was a lost cause.He walked over to the two and gave Jimin a hug. A tight hug.His hand twisted to his blond hair and he whispered “I’m sorry” to Jimin’s ear, even though there was absolutely no way he could hear it.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

♥♥♥♥♥        Jungkook pulled on his clothes immediately. He sent a middle finger to the lady who was at their door and took Jimin’s hand as they walked down the stairs. “Put on your shoes we’re going out.”“But I was gonna make pancakes.”“I don’t have the ingredients for it. Let’s go have breakfast somewhere.”Jimin turned to a smile “Like a date Jungkookie?”“Yeah, sure. A date. Put on your shoes we’ll walk.”Jimin kissed Jungkook’s cheek and slipped on his sneakers. “I’ll just leave my bag here then okay?”Jungkook nodded as he slipped on his shoes. He didn’t care what Jimin did. As long as it left him alive. He pulled on his yellow jacket and ushered to Jimin “No jacket?”“Nah, my sweater’s enough I think.”Jungkook shrugged “Alright. Let’s go.”Jimin took his hand and walked with a little skip in his step beside Jungkook. Jimin had started towards the bridge but Jungkook thought about the first time.
“A boy fell off the bridge”
“Actually I thought we’d take the old high school trail. Because you’ve been gone so long.”Jimin cooed at Jungkook and linked them together tighter. “That’s so cute. Let’s go! Let’s go!”Jungkook smiled and turned to the bike trail that went over a little hill that formed over the river. It was in a bit of underbrush but what was one or two mosquito bites?Honestly Jungkook didn’t think this angel of death was crafty enough to give Jimin some weird mosquito cancer. That seemed like too much of a 21st century issue.Jimin was reminiscing as they walked. Talking about all of the bike dates they went on back in high school. “Oh remember when we went to see that R movie? Your mom killed you!”Jungkook chuckled “I am surprised I got out of there with only a weekend grounding.” “I’m surprised you got out of it alive! I saw her face turn red!” Jungkook laughed so his head threw back “Yeah. She was really mad, wasn’t she?”Jimin chuckled along with Jungkook and rubbed his forehead against Jungkook’s shoulder. “I think she was happy you broke a rule though.”“I think she was happy I actually did something fun.”Jimin chuckled. “We were losers weren’t we?”Jungkook hummed “Brace face and glasses.”“The greatest gay dynamic duo.”“Other than Batman and Robin.”Jimin groaned “Robin was Batman’s adoptive son you pervert!”“Did that stop Woody Allen?”Jimin made a fake barf sound “That’s not completely correct but I don’t really want to defend Woody Allen either.”“Exactly. Thus, point Jungkook.”Jimin rolled his eyes “whatever.”He sighed and looked out to the trees and sky above them. “I’m glad to be back.”Jungkook smiled down to Jimin “I’m glad you’re back.”Jimin looked up with a smile and gave Jungkook’s hand a squeeze.That’s when Jungkook saw it.On Jimin’s left shoulder. A bee.“Chim.”Jimin noticed the seriousness take over Jungkook’s features and stopped “What?”Jungkook carefully moved towards Jimin with a hand outstretched to hit the bee away.When Jimin felt it move, and tried to dust it off.He saw the stinger go in and watched Jimin’s eyes widened as he yelled in a startled pain.He knew that Jimin had realized what happened because he was madly patting his pockets. “Jungkook - Jungkook my epipen, it’s in my bag at home.”His neck was already turning red. Jimin was deadly allergic to bees. He’d been stung at school once. Jungkook came back with the epipen within 10 minutes and Jimin’s arm had swollen to almost comical size and he’d gone unconscious.They’d been walking too long to make it back to the house in enough time, but they were so deep in the trail Jungkook didn’t think he could get Jimin to town in time either.Jimins neck was flushing white now where he’d been stung and his throat was already starting to swell up along with his face.“Jungkook.” Jimin looked plain terrified. He knew this was bad. He knew Jungkook knew this was bad. “What do we do?”“I-” Jungkook had already started walking Jimin back to the house but he was slowly losing speed. “Is it like a snake bite? Can I like, suck the venom out?”“No-I don’t think it works like that”Jungkook bit down on his lip and continued to race them back to his house. Jimin’s lips were swelling up too and he was stumbling with his steps, complaining about dizziness.They just got out of the trail by the time Jimin was insisting he couldn’t even see straight anymore. Jungkook ended up picking Jimin up to run with him over his shoulder.He watched for cars but there weren’t any around them. He doesn’t know when Jimin lost consciousness because he was over his shoulder but he knows that once he got them back to his house Jimin’s eyes were swollen closed.He rummaged around until he found Jimin’s epipen and gave him the dose “Orange to the thigh, blue to the sky,” he muttered to himself.Jimin’s swelling started going down but he wasn’t coming to. He called the ambulance because some part of himself hoped that he could save Jimin this time. He got him the medicine, couldn’t he save him?That was only fair wasn’t it?But once the ambulance got there it had been too long. Jimin needed air ten minutes ago. But now there was no point.Jungkook could feel himself getting angry. That paramedic Yeonjun held Jungkook’s shoulder “It’s okay Jungkook. You did the right thing bringing him back here.”Jungkook shook his head and looked at the guy “No.”He looked back over to Jimin who was being put into the back of the ambulance“I can never do the right thing.” ♥♥♥♥        He grabbed his car keys this time.What a stupid thing to do.He knew what was going to happen. And yet there he was. Standing at the intersection he’d been T-boned at.The old man who would be checking into his house in the first Jimin death world was apologizing out of his ass. Jimin was half way out the window, spine broken in probably too many places to count, blood all over his car door.“Sir. Please.” He looked at the crying man with pleading eyes “This one was my fault.” ♥♥♥        Jungkook could feel his grip on reality slipping. Maybe it was insanity, he wasn’t really sure anymore. He didn’t even know if he cared anymore if he was being honest.No car. Car was confirmed bad. Also no bike trails. Bike trails were also confirmed bad. So Jungkook bit the bullet and walked with Jimin over the bridge.He walked on the edge of the bridge so if anybody was falling in it was him. They thankfully made it in one piece. They were almost to town now, they’d been limited to dirt roads right off of their high school at this point. As they approached a cross roads Jimin wandered closer to the edge of the street. “Jimin, babe, be careful.”Jimin hushed him though and said “Is that a puppy?”Jungkook looked out to the street. There was an unmoving ball of fluff Jungkook thought at first was roadkill in the street but at a closer look it wasn’t roadkill, it was a small puppy.It didn’t seem to be moving.“Chim it isn’t moving just leave it”Jimin wiggled his hand out but Jungkook grabbed him again “Chim please don’t go out into the street it’s probably dead.”“I’m not just gonna let a car hit it Kookie.”Jimin looked carefully both ways before stepping into the street.He lifted the puppy up and tried to scratch it’s chin. Jungkook was meanwhile standing on the shoulder of the road watching Jimin like a hawk.He knew something was going to happen, but he also knew there was nothing he could do about it.Jimin frowned and said “He’s gone.”Jungkook nodded and gave him a little frown. His first priority was Jimin of course but it was still a dead puppy.It was still sad.Jimin cradled the puppy to his chest and started walking back in “Let’s bring him to town, maybe someone’s lost him.”Jungkook nodded. Maybe they were actually going to get out of this. Jimin was almost back to Jungkook.When suddenly;He wasn’t.The car came to a screeching stop and Jimin was lying a little ahead of it. It was the man from Jimin’s last death.His windshield was a bit cracked from where Jimin had flipped up and hit it and he had already started crying after taking a glance up to Jimin’s body.“Oh my god, go - go get someone! Get some help!”Jungkook walked up to the man and said “You seriously-” he clenched his teeth and tried to simmer his anger down “need to watch where the fuck you’re going.”Then he slapped that poor old man across the face.He turned on his heel and started his walk back to his house. Cursing to himself about how stupid he was letting Jimin go out to the street in the first place.الموت       Jungkook slammed his door closed when he got home.“Jungkookie-”“Not in the mood kid.”He stomped into the kitchen and grabbed the whiskey.
And the box.
He brought it down and even looked at it for a minute.
But if he’s gone, what happens to Jimin?
He groaned and threw the box back up into the pantry and closed the latch.He was trying to stay positive, keep himself sane enough to fix Jimin. But he needed to just let go one night.He remembered how good it felt to just go numb all those repeated nights ago.And he planned on doing it again.Just one night Jimin;Forgive him for taking this one night. ♥♥        “Jimin it’s not alive, let’s just keep going.”Jimin frowned “I’m not gonna let a car hit it. Let me go get it.”Jimin went out to go grab it but Jungkook stopped him by grabbing his arm “Jimin look out!”Jimin gasped and turned back into Jungkook’s arms for a hug as a car zoomed passed them, just barely missing the puppy. Jimin let out a shaky breath and set his forehead on Jungkook’s chest.“Thank you.” His eyes were closed as he took a moment to calm down. “That scared me.”Jungkook chuckled “Yup. You and me both.”He gave Jimin a hug and pulled back “You good?”“Yeah” he smiled “I just-wow, I thought I was gonna die for a second.”Jungkook’s smile fell but Jimin didn’t notice. He did a double look up and down the road before stepping into the street.He scratched the dogs chin and still frowned when it was indeed dead.“We can take it to town and see if anybody lost it.” Jungkook said with a sympathetic smile. Jimin nodded and smoothed down the puppy’s fur.He’d started turning back to walk out to Jungkook when bushes across the street started ruffling. Jimin looked back then over to Jungkook. “Chim just come back.”“What if it’s more?” Jimin didn’t wait for a response, he just started walking over to the bush. He stopped about a foot away when the head of a dog poked out.Jungkook heard the growl before he actually saw the dog. “Kookie I think I found the mom.”Jungkook’s eyes widened “Then give her back her puppy and let’s go on our merry way.”Jimin nodded and carefully stepped closer. He crouched down and set the puppy down by the mom. “Here you go sweetie.”He tried to usher the puppy closer but the mom just took it as a human touching her baby. She growled and when Jimin’s hands went up she jumped.Teeth clamping down on Jimin’s neck. He yelled in pain but when the dog started shaking her head on Jimin’s neck his yelling turned into high pitched screams. “Jungkook! JUNGKOOK!! JUNGKOOK GET IT OFF!” Jimin wailed when he finished his sentence, tears covering his face.He didn’t really know how to get an angry dog off someone’s neck.But apparently throwing a shoe at it worked fine.The dog yelped and scampered back into the bushes, taking her puppy with her.Jungkook tried to cover Jimin’s neck but he could tell by all of the blood that his artery had been hit.Jimin choked for only a minute before he died, maybe blood loss maybe air loss, Jungkook didn’t know anymore.He just knew that Jimin was gone again.He slid his hand down his face and gave Jimin a hug “I swear Jimin. I...” Jungkook trailed off. “I don’t know what I swear anymore.”“I swear I’ll-I’ll try. I’ll try again.”الموت       Jungkook took the box.He only took the box.He sat on his bed and looked at the box. He’d never even opened it before.He took a deep breath before he undid the clasp. Oh what his dad would say. ‘Jungkook you aren’t supposed to be playing with that.’ or ‘you’re gonna shoot someone’s eye out, boy.’He saw the blood stains on his skin from earlier. It pushed him on.He flipped the lid open.Inside was a silver handgun with brown detailing on the handle. His dad had always told him it was a Dan Wesson Specialist. Jungkook had asked him who Dan was and he got called stupid. He still didn’t know who Dan was. It was apparently a top of the line police gun.He’d been taught how to shoot it when he was younger but his mom had always disapproved of it. It was no surprise that when his dad died he’d never been allowed to touch it again. Well, when he almost shot a birds nest he’d really been told he was never allowed to touch it again.His dad never looked at him the same when he found out Jungkook was such a bad shot.Should’ve seen him when Jungkook told him he was gay too.In the box there was also a bunch of bullets. He pushed on the magazine release and checked the bullets. The magazine was unloaded like his dad always kept it.He’d only need one bullet anyways.Thoughts danced through his head. What if Jimin lived the next time? What if he lasted? Jungkook put the gun down.One more time.He shook his head and looked out the window “I’ll do one more time Jimin.”He pointed to the box “I’ll do one more. If it doesn’t work-” he pointed down to the box with more emphasis, deciding to leave the sentence open.One. More. Time. ♥        As he and Jimin walked he said “You know, I’m thinking about sleeping in on weekends. No more waking up at 6:15 every morning.”Jimin smiled “Good. It’d be nice for you to stop being all business all the time.”Jungkook nodded. “And I’m thinking about getting a landlord. Moving somewhere smaller and just letting the house be rented out. Let other people deal with all the problems.”“Wow, really?”Jungkook nodded. “You know Sooja and her mom? They’ve been staying with me for almost a year now. She helps me run the place. I think if I get a plumber and a handyman on call for her she may be able to take care of things.”Jimin hummed “And what would you do then?”Jungkook smiled to himself and gave Jimin’s hand a squeeze. “I think I’d open the flower shop my mom always wanted. Mr.Chen has been trying to retire for like, 6 years now? 7 years?”Jimin leaned up and kissed Jungkook on the cheek. “You do whatever you want Jungkookie. I’ll support you no matter what.”Jungkook smiled “It’s only a thought though, don’t get ahead of yourself.”Jimin shrugged “I think it’s good for you to have dreams. It’s - is that a puppy?”“Nope, I saw it yesterday, it’s a fat squirrel.”“Aw gross!”Jungkook laughed so his nose scrunched up. “That squirrel had a life Jimin! Don’t be so insensitive!”He frowned for a moment and said “I’m sorry Mr.Fat Squirrel!”Jungkook laughed again “That totally defeats the purpose of apologizing if you’re gonna call him fat.”Jimin laughed so his head threw back and he clung to Jungkook’s arm tighter. “I didn’t mean to insult him, I’m sorry.”“I’m not the one you should be apologizing to, Park Jimin.”Jimin giggled and said “I’m sorry for possibly insulting you squirrel.”Jungkook nodded sternly before cracking into a smile. They giggled a little longer until the houses started to pick up with stores coming into view.Jungkook couldn’t believe they’d actually made it to town. Maybe he’d actually last this time.They’d made it into the store and gotten all of the ingredients for pancakes. Jimin was so cute, he still couldn’t reach the very top shelf of the aisles.“Maybe we could go to Cafe Daum?”Jungkook kissed Jimin’s forehead “Whatever you want.”They were half way there when the loud sound of smashing glass stopped them. The pharmacy they were in front of was quiet for a minute until a tall man kicked the door open, a short girl coming out beside him. They had masks on their face so they couldn’t tell who they were but the people saw them.“On the ground!”Jungkook put his hands up and got onto his knees, pulling Jimin down with him. “Got any cash?”Jimin shook his head and but his shoe against Jungkook’s to do the same. He shook his head and the guy got up and ran around them, ushering for the girl to follow after. She went down the stairs but before she was out of eyesight Jimin started getting up.“Hey!” Jimin looked at her and she had a gun pointed at him. “What’re you doing!?”Jimin sputtered to answer but before he could police drove up with sirens blaring.Jungkook could see the fear flash in the girls eyes and in a sudden move she shot.Still aimed at Jimin.

“NOOO!!!”

She looked between Jungkook who was now shuffling towards Jimin and him - now on the ground bleeding. “You idiot! That was our last bullet!”“Well that’s reassuring” a policeman said as he put cuffs on the girl then the guy.But that didn’t matter right now. Jungkook reached Jimin on the ground and pulled him into his lap.This is the one Jungkook didn’t want. The one way to die he didn’t want. Gun wound.Jimin’s eyes were wide and his breaths were quick and struggled. He’d been shot in the chest, more off to the right.He reached up to Jungkook’s face and lightly touched the underside of his chin as he gasped for air. Jimin smiled to him “You still need to-” he swallowed hard “You need to dye your hair ginger. For me. Properly”Jungkook shook his head “Don’t do this to me. Please, don’t have last words. Jimin don’t do last words.”He’d never had to hear Jimin’s dying words. And he didn’t want to.Jimin swallowed again “You were right - I should’ve worn a jacket. I’m cold now.”Jungkook had started crying because this one, this one in particular, seemed just so real. He shook his head “I knew I should’ve made you wear a jacket.”Jimin smiled and dropped his hand. Jungkook picked it up from Jimin’s side.“J-Jungkook” Jimin coughed and Jungkook felt the hand applying pressure to the wound grow more warm. “T-this hurts. Isn’t there a-” he swallowed “Isn’t there a doctor?”Jungkook looked around. There wasn’t person in sight. They’d all gone off and left him alone with Jimin.“No Jiminie. I-” he squeezed Jimin’s hand “I’m sorry.”Jungkook could tell Jimin was starting to feel the blood loss. His hand was cold and his skin was turning lighter.“J-J”“Stop trying to talk. It’s only gonna make it worse.”“No” Jimin squeezed out. “I need to say this.”Jimin coughed. There was red on his lips from blood. “I came back - be-because I missed you. You mean the world to me Jungk-k-kookie.”He lolled his head on Jungkook’s lap. “And we promised. We promised we’d never say it again but Kookie.”Jimin gasped for air as his eyes watered.“Jiminie don’t say it.”For a minute Jungkook thought he’d passed but he heard it. Jimin gave his hand a last attempt at a squeeze and said
“I love you Jungkookie.”
Jungkook’s eyes squeezed closed tight as he wheezed sobs. He hugged Jimin’s dead weight closer and pulled back his blond bangs to place a kiss.He rocked on the ground for so long he swore he could feel his sunburn form. He couldn’t leave Jimin alone here.Not this time.Because he loved him.And damn it
“Jiminie I love you too.”
الموت       Jungkook shuffled into the house like a mindless zombie.He wanted to drink. He wanted to drink his life away but he knew he had to be ready for what he was about to do.He grabbed the box and quietly walked up to his room.
The box.
He’d never thought it’d come to the box. Not this way - this was his dad’s legacy. Not his.He opened the magazine and put in a single bullet.As he’d said last time.He’d only need one.He loaded it and made sure the safety was off. All he had to do was pull the trigger.There was a split second where he didn’t know if he could do it. He liked being alive, he really did. But he knew that if he didn’t do something to stop this endless circle with Jimin he would quickly stop liking being alive.He already was. It was taking its toll.He held it up to his forehead and felt his finger quiver on the trigger.He wanted to do it. So why couldn’t he do it?He closed his eyes for a minute. He saw Jimin. He was dancing around Jungkook’s room as he dusted, then he was making pancakes in the kitchen. He was at the door.
“Hi Jungkookie.”
After all those years Jimin was at the door. He came back.Jungkook was outright crying at this point. “I’m sorry Jimin but I can’t.” He lowered his head for a moment “I can’t keep doing this.”Jimin’s happy smiling face started fading away, all the times he’d died replacing them.
“No. I need to say this.”

“I came back because I missed you. You mean the world to me Jungkookie.”

“And we promised. We promised we’d never say it again but Kookie.”
Jungkook put the gun against his forehead.
“I love you Jungkookie.”
He shook his head and wiped his eyes.
“I love you too.”
And Jungkook pulled the trigger, sending him back against the bed with a splash of red.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“Hey.”Jungkook looked up from the dock. It was a boy around his age - 14 or 15. He had on a pair of glasses that looked really close to what his mom wore, kinda librarian-ish.“Hi.”The boy pulled up the ends of his pants and sat beside him on the dock. “Jungkook right?”“Yeah. You’re Jimin?”He nodded “I think we were in science together last year.”Jungkook nodded and looked out to the water. He could feel Jimin all tense beside him“Look about last night-”“It’s fine. I don’t judge you alright? No one can pick where the bottle lands.”Jimin tugged on the end of his shirt “You didn’t want to kiss me?”“Look if you’re saying that because everyone keeps saying I’m a gay hillbilly you can shove it right up your-”“Woah woah.” Jimin put up his hands “I-I wasn’t, I wouldn’t. I’d never call anyone gay. At least not in a bad way.”Jungkook rolled his eyes and threw a stone into the water “Everyone does because during truth or dare I said I wanted to kiss-”
You.
Jungkook pinkened “I-uh. I wanted to kiss…” he looked around and saw their cabin counselor Seokjin “Counselor Seokjin.”Jimin shrugged “well I said I wanted to kiss you, so...”Jungkook’s eyes went wide as he looked back over to Jimin. “You did?”Jimin hummed. “I’ve had a crush on you since 9th grade PE.”Jungkook blinked about 8 times before he said “I-me?”Jimin nodded and threw one of Jungkook’s stones. “You were always so nice to all the other kids. And you gave me your science homework when I came to class for the first time in a week after I got Strep.”Jungkook smiled. “I felt bad for you. I had Strep throat last year.”Jimin laughed “How did we go from me having a crush on you to talking about contagious throat illnesses?”Jungkook smiled “because you’re...contagious? That sounded way better in my head.”Jimin laughed again and leaned into Jungkook’s weight. He sat back up but left an arm around Jungkook’s back loosely.They were looking out to the lowering sun on the crashing waves for a minute before Jimin said “so, are you really a gay hillbilly?”“You know what-” Jungkook went to push Jimin away but the smaller grabbed Jungkook’s jacket to stay with him.“I’m kidding! Don’t be so hot headed Jungkook, you need to dye your hair red! Be a red cookie. A Gingerbread cookie - wait. If you’re hot headed and a ginger you could be a ginger snap!”Jungkook shook his head and looked away from Jimin “You’re already getting on my nerves.”“That just means I’m being effective.”Jimin looked over his shoulder and saw Seokjin ushering or them to come in. “we’ve gotta go get ready for bed.”Jimin smiled and kissed Jungkook on the cheek “I’ll see you at the midnight games then?”He stood and started walking away but Jungkook had a burst of courage. He stood and caught Jimin by the arm “I-I’ll see you at spin the bottle?”Jimin smiled wide and dared to lean forwards to give Jungkook a peck on the lips. “You bet cutie. But first.” He pulled out a camera and stretched out an arm for a selfie.Jungkook realized only after the photo had been taken he smiled with his teeth and self consciously covered his mouth. “My smile’s kinda fucked, sorry.”“You just need a set of braces. Then I can call you brace face.”“Only if I can call you glasses.”Jimin smiled again “Glasses and brace face. I can dig it.”He pushed his frames up and gave Jungkook a wave goodbye as he trailed off the dock.When Jungkook woke up the next day he found a slip of paper in his bag with a phone number on it, underneath a PJM written in cursive with a little heart.When his mom picked him up that day he was all smiles, crooked overbitten teeth be damned. He talked all about how he’d made a ‘friend’ who lived right by them and gave his mom the art he’d made on Wednesday.And Jungkook only had to be slightly careful of the small bruise on his lower neck Jimin had given him on a dare the night before.But Jungkook’s heart fluttered just thinking about it. So he didn’t even really care if his mom saw it.حب       “Jungkook come out!”“No. I look ridiculouth.”Jimin rolled his eyes “We have to go to bed some time.”They were in Disney World - more so the hotel room. They’d landed in California a few hours ago with Jimin’s auntie and were waiting to have fun the next day.Jungkook had been forced to bring his headgear for his braces by his mom because it was very important he wore it every night but he was too nervous to leave the bathroom with it on.The bathroom door cracked so Jungkook’s black hair was visible “Could you juth go get into bed? And turn out the lighth?”Jimin caught Jungkook’s eye and could tell he was being really serious. He sent Jungkook a kiss and turned off their lamp to get into bed.He saw the bathroom light turn out and Jungkook’s figure come towards him. He climbed in and turned away from Jimin.That wouldn’t do.Jimin clung onto Jungkook’s back and kissed between his shoulders “I hope you know I don’t care.”Jungkook hummed and smoothed a hand over his headgear strap. “It’th okay Jimin, you don’t have to thay anything.”Jimin snorted and Jungkook turned towards him “what?”Jimin giggled to himself for a moment before saying “tho I don’t have to thay anything?”“Hey!”Jungkook turned over and pinned Jimin down to the mattress “Don’t make fun of my lithp!”Jimin laughed and looked up to the dark figure of Jungkook “I-” he burst into a fit of giggles. He just barely punched out “I’m thorry.” before falling into another fit of laughter.Jungkook took one of the pillows and slammed it down on Jimin’s face, only giving him a split second to cover himself.Jimin picked up his own pillow and hit Jungkook. “Hey woah, hey. You break thith headgear you’re getting me a new thet-a, a new pair.”Jimin laughed and trailed a finger down the metal line over Jungkook’s overbite. “I promith I’ll be careful next time.”Jimin laughed as Jungkook sat back on his thighs “Would you fuck off?”“Only if you ask nicely.”Jungkook rolled his eyes. He knew Jimin just wanted him to say please.“Pleath? You athhole.”Jimin threw his head back with his laughter. He gave Jungkook a teasing smile and pulled him down for an awkward kiss.“You muth really like me if you kith me with thith on.”Jimin smiled again and slid a hand through the hair he could reach. “I do.”He tugged Jungkook down to fall into a hug, his hand moving to the hair on Jungkook’s nape. “I-I love you.”Jungkook gasped and sat back up. “We’ve never-”“I know. I just-it felt right.”Jungkook smiled “I think I liked it.”Jimin smiled back and played with the end of Jungkook’s comic pajamas. “So it’s okay?”“I think tho.” Jungkook rolled his eyes in the direction of his headgear and fumbled with his mouth for a moment then pulled it over his head.“Kookie you’ve gotta keep that on.”“In a minute.”He leaned down and kissed Jimin’s cheek.“Let me kiss my boyfriend first.”حب       Jimin hummed as he walked around Jungkook’s room in his dashing outfit of plaid boxers. There were candles strung around the room and a record playing quietly in the corner. Tiffany, I Think We’re Alone Now.Jimin shimmied his shoulders as he shuffled around the hardwood floor in a mock moonwalk, smiling widely to Jungkook.He shimmied back and forth and said “Come on baby do the Grease dance with me.”Jungkook looked up from his comic book with raised brows. “You know I can’t dance.”Jimin huffed and started doing some weird hippie moves, eventually starting to twist his foot on the floor. “I think we’re alone now~”He walked over to Jungkook’s record selection and let out a little chuckle when he picked up a new 45. Dancing With Myself by Billy Idol came on and Jimin started headbanging across the room.Jungkook couldn’t help the smile that grew on his face. “You’re crazy”“I’m in a good mood.”Jimin raised his arms over his head and started jumping in a circle. “Well there's nothing to lose, And there's nothing to prove, I'll be dancing with myself!”“Quiet down my mom will have your head.”Jimin air guitared to Jungkook on the bed with a wide smile. “But Jungkookie I’m dancing with myself. You know, oH Oh”Jungkook put down his comic and got onto his knees to usher for Jimin to come closer. Once he was right against the end board Jungkook pulled him down by the shoulders onto the bed.They tumbled back with a tangle of limbs and the creak of Jungkook’s self fixed bed. Jimin laughed so all of his features creased up and his now orange hair fell into his face.Jungkook smiled and drew Jimin’s hair back, satisfied in how it fell back to where it was. His other hand fit perfectly to Jimin’s waist as he held him close. “You look pretty tonight.”“Only tonight?” he said with a smirk.Jungkook laughed breathily and drew Jimin’s hair back again.“You know it’s every night.” His hand slid up and down Jimin’s back “It’s just tonight you look extra pretty.”Jimin bent down and kissed Jungkook on the tip of the nose. “You’re such a softie,” he said with a little hum.“You just kissed me on the nose, softie.”“Oh is that how it’s gonna be?”“That’s how it’s gonna be.” Jimin said with a little giggle. He rubbed their noses together and let his weight press down onto Jungkook’s torso.“You’re a bad influence on me Jiminie.”Jimin cackled and turned them onto their sides. “I don’t think anything can be a bad influence on you when you wear iron man underwear.”“It’s cool underwear okay?”Jimin gave him a look and they both laughed; Jungkook covering his face in shame.When Jimin kept laughing Jungkook gave him a flick to the head and muttered “Doesn’t keep you out of them so who’s the one laughing?”Jimin covered his mouth and glared up to Jungkook “Don’t be nasty” he said behind his hand.Jungkook was the one smiling this time. He gave Jimin a bracey grin and messed up his hair.Jimin swatted Jungkook’s hand away and grabbed his glasses off Jungkook’s side table. He sat up as he pushed them on and looked back down to him “You look prettier when you aren’t blurry.”Jungkook smiled again and Jimin just couldn’t help himself. He leaned down and gave him a kiss, quickly pinching at Jungkook’s bunny cheeks after. He flopped back beside Jungkook and sighed when he got his back hug.“You know you and I are gonna cause so much trouble in college.” Jungkook mumbled.He felt Jimin shift in his arms and opened his eyes. He was facing him now. “You know I was actually thinking about college.”Jungkook raised his brows. “What about it. Are you gonna switch your major for the third time?”“No. I- well I’ve actually been thinking about going somewhere else. For college.”“Where?” Jungkook furrowed his brows. There was only one college in area. Where else could he go?“Well, I just got an acception letter from the Los Angeles College of Music.”There was a harsh silence in the room, the only sound being Jungkook’s record playing spinning on the center from when the 45 ended.“You what?”Jimin fiddled with his fingernails “I’ve always wanted to go to school in LA, that’s where dreams are made, that’s what my auntie always said. She told me I should apply and, well-” Jimin smiled “I got in.”Jungkook blinked a few times and put a little space between them. “But LA, that’s-” he tried to count the hours on his fingers “How many hours difference is that? That’s so far.”“But it’s my dream.”“It’s a 4 and a half hour plane ride.”Jimin pouted “Come on Jungkookie don’t be like that. You know there’s nothing left for me out here.”Jungkook’s brows furrowed and he sat up “What’s that supposed to mean?”“Well after my parents found out about us I’m out of the family name, the wills everything. LA could be my fresh start. Auntie Sinjoo is even offering me housing.”“But there’s nothing out here for you.”Jimin shrugged “There’s not.”“So what am I then? Nothing?”Jimin’s eyes bulged when he realized what Jungkook was getting at “No! You know I didn’t mean it like that, you’re always my number one Jungkookie. I-” Jimin paused “Are we having our first fight?”Jungkook raised his hands up “I dunno, are we?”Jimin pulled Jungkook back down and kissed his cheek “I don’t wanna fight. This was never supposed to be a fight. Let’s just leave it okay?”It wasn’t okay, but Jungkook nodded anyways.Jimin got up and blew out all of the candles and put away the record. “I love you Jungkook.”Jungkook looked out to his window where the stars were shining bright. Something had changed that night. At the time he didn’t know what it was, only now he realized it was the moment.The moment he knew he would lose Jimin.“I love you too Chim.”حب       "Jungkook, what’s so bad that you have to talk to me on the phone?”“Chim…” the line was quiet for a moment before Jungkook said “do we have to go to prom? I could take you to a movie or something.”“No way! You even got school blue put on your braces for tonight! I’m coming over a little early, you can’t get away with this.”Jungkook made a string of weird noises into the phone before Jimin just hung it up.And when Jimin got there, he fully understood what was so bad that Jungkook limited him to phone for the day.Jungkook was in a suit (a few inches too short for him) with bright blue braces bands and a head of flaming red - really more orange - hair.“I-I guess I was going for more of an accurate ginger hair colour but I just made myself orange.”Jimin sputtered a laugh and tried to recover by drawing his fingers through his pink hair. “You don’t look that bad.”He touched the ends of Jungkook’s hair and pulled it out of his face a little to try and get rid of the bowl shape.Jungkook caught his wrist and said “I look like a puffy cheeto.”Jimin laughed for a second before he covered his mouth. “Sorry.”Jungkook shook his head “It’s alright. My mom screamed at me for ruining her prom photos.”Jimin smiled and gave Jungkook a quick kiss “I think it was a cute attempt.”“Well remember when we first met, you said I was hot headed and all I needed was a head of red hair to go with it?”Jimin’s heart soared “That’s what you were going for?”“You said ginger. Ginger Snap remember? So-”“You went ginger.”“More or less, yeah.”Jungkook messed up the back of his hair with an awkward smile. “I know it looks dumb but please don’t ditch me at prom.”Jimin smiled wide and pulled Jungkook down for a proper kiss. “I’d never dream of it.”حب       They were dancing in the sea of awkward zitty teenagers on prom night. Jimin had his head on Jungkook’s chest as they swayed to the cheesy love song playing over the speakers.Jungkook had a storm playing in his head. He had to tell Jimin something, but he was questioning if he should do it now or wait.“Chim.”“Hm?” Jimin said. It was a calm little dazed noise that made Jungkook smile.“I’ve gotta tell you something.”“What’s that?”He moved his hand up Jimin’s back a little and said “I applied to that college in LA.”Jimin looked up with wide eyes and pushed up his glasses “You did?”Jungkook nodded and Jimin smiled wide “That’s amazing! Have they responded?”“Not yet. My mom said it’ll be any day now though.”Jimin leaned up and gave Jungkook a long kiss until he had to come up for air.“Oh Jungkookie” He hugged the taller tighter “I’m so happy right now.”حب       Jimin hadn’t been over recently. He’d been packing up the last of his things at his parents house to bring with him to LA. Almost all of his things in Jungkook’s room were gone now too.His mom had been fussing with him a lot recently. Being careful in a strange new place was the big one.“Mom it’s not like I’m gonna go kissing serial killers.”“Enough of that Jungkook. I have every right to be nervous for you. You’re my only baby.”“Mom.”“It’s true. You need to promise me you’ll go to that dentist Doctor Jung recommended or else I wasted thousands of dollars on those teeth.”“Yes mom”“And no pizza and ramen - you get addicted to that stuff because it’s easy for a college kid but it also makes you fat.”“Mom!” Jungkook whined.“I’m telling you Jungkook you have potential to fill right out, but not into a sphere.”She smiled and ushered for Jungkook to give her a hug “My boy. My college boy!” She pulled back his orange hair “You’re dad would be so proud.”Jungkook smiled weakly to her and said “Mom…?”She hummed as she folded up some more of Jungkook’s white t-shirts “I need to get you some new shirts my goodness these are all the same.”He pulled the shirts out of her hands and looked into her eyes. She was 52 now, but she looked just like she did 15 years ago, plus a grey hair or two. She looked concerned.She furrowed her brows and slid a hand over the back of Jungkook’s “What is it bunny?”Jungkook looked to his lap but the stern woman his mom was wouldn’t have that. She lifted his head back up and sucked in a breath when she saw he had tears in his eyes. She cooed and pulled Jungkook in for a hug, rubbing his back in that soothing way only a mom could.“Oh Jungkookie what is it? I didn’t mean to offend you - I don’t think you’ll really get fat or anything-”“Do you think dad would’ve moved away from you to fulfill a dream?”She pulled Jungkook back but kept rubbing his back “I think he’d only do it if he knew I was going with him.”“But what if he knew you wouldn’t go? Would he still do it?”“Jungkook-”“I don’t want to go to LA, mom.”She dropped her head with a nod “I know.”“Then why didn’t you say anything?”“Because it wasn’t my choice to make. It was for you to figure out.”Jungkook was silent for a moment before he said “I love him, mom. I’d marry him right here, right now if I could.”“But” his mom added, carefully assessing his features.“But I don’t know if I can go so long without seeing him. And - and it’s always like this. Jimin does something and I just follow along like a puppy. When will I get to do something for me?”She pouted and pinched at Jungkook’s cheek “You really are growing up. My little boy isn’t so little anymore.”Jungkook smiled smally and held her hand “I’m sorry. I know I promised I’d never grow up.”She smiled wide and messed up the top of Jungkook’s hair “Still my bunny though.”Jungkook looked back to his mom’s eyes and said “What do I do mom?”“You talk to him. And not as lovesick teenagers. You talk with him as an adult talking with his adult boyfriend.”Jungkook nodded and wiped his eyes on the back of his hand. “What if we break up?”“Then it’s his loss. You’re a great man and he’s the one missing out on that.”Jungkook nodded again and wiped his palms on his pant legs. His mom took his chin again and looked straight into Jungkook’s eyes “But know that no matter what happens, I’ll always be here for you bunny. We’re in this together.”Jungkook smiled to his mom and pulled her in for another hug “I know mom.”She kissed his cheek “I’m proud of you Kookie.”He smiled from where his chin rested on her shoulder “mom.”She looked at him.“Thank you.”حب       Jungkook caught Jimin on his way home from his shift at Cafe Daum.It was cloudy out, and it smelt like rain.Jungkook walked towards Jimin and took deep breaths to try and calm himself down. “Jimin”Jimin looked over his shoulder and saw Jungkook walking towards him. He smiled and held out his hand. “Hi baby, what were you doing in town?”“Nothing much. I - I actually needed to talk with you.”Jimin’s smile faltered for only a second before it came back “Sure. What’s up?”“I-” He looked down and swallowed hard. He couldn’t start crying yet.They walked over the bridge and Jimin turned back to look at Jungkook “Are you okay?”Jungkook looked to Jimin’s concerned eyes and felt even more of a catch in his chest.That’s when he started feeling drops of rain on his hair. Jimin made a grossed out noise and covered his now teal hair “I just got this dyed!”Jungkook was immediate to offer up his jacket. Jimin smiled and pulled it over his hair and shoulders to try and keep dry. He pulled Jungkook off the bridge and stopped at the gazebo beside them. They huddled in the structure as the rain started pouring down.“We can wait in here. Your mom will come sooner or later.”“Jimin.” He looked up and caught Jungkook’s teary face. He went to hold Jungkook’s cheek but when his hand was stopped and pushed away he knew it was bad.It was immediate. Was he being dumped? In a gazebo? In the rain? He took a step back and put his hands in his pockets “Jungkook what’s-”“I’m not going to LA.”Jimin’s eyes bulged. “What d’you mean you’re not going to LA? What about college?”Jungkook pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head “I’m not going to LA, I’m not going to college, Jimin-”He made an annoyed noise in the back of his throat and said “LA - Jimin that was never my dream. LA was always for you. It was always about you, and what you wanted.” He pointed to his own chest “I’m finally doing what I want to do.”“So that’s it? You’re just not going? You’re leaving us behind to stay in this shitty town?”“This shitty town happens to have my entire family. Chim…” he ushered to the gazebo window “you have big dreams. You want to do big things, bigger than I could ever imagine. I don’t. I wanna run the house with my mom. And - and I can’t do that from LA.”“What about us?” Jimin bit out, arms crossed over his chest.“I love you. I have for so long now. And I probably always will. And I don’t want to break up with you. I think we could work it out, that whole long distance thing? I think if we really try we could do it.”Jimin looked away for a moment and shook his head “If you loved me you’d come with me. We would do this together.”“If you loved me you’d understand that I’ve been doing every-fucking-thing you’ve wanted to do since the 10th grade!” Jungkook snapped. “You know I had to work double shifts just to try and pay for my half of the plane ticket to Disney World? Did you know that I’ve been paying for you staying in the house because really we couldn’t afford another person in the house for free? Did you know that I begged the college to let me in even though my application was late because I knew I didn’t matter!? If I didn’t go you wouldn’t give a fuck! You’d go anyways and leave me behind! Like I was nothing!”Jimin flinched back as Jungkook progressively got louder. Once Jungkook stopped Jimin tried to make himself bigger “You didn’t have to do shit for me!”“Well I did!”“Why!? Why’d you take that upon yourself prince Jungkook!?"“Because I love you Jimin! I’d do anything for you!”Jimin caught Jungkook by the back of the neck and kissed him with fiery passion and blinding rage. Their hands slid and grabbed everywhere they could possibly reach until Jimin slipped his hands between then and shoved Jungkook back so hard he hit the door to the gazebo.“You’re pathetic.”He shoved Jungkook’s chest again “You say all that shit and you still kiss me like that.”Jungkook tried to take Jimin’s shoulders but Jimin shoved him off again “Don’t touch me”“Chim-”
“Fuck you, Jungkook.”
He hit Jungkook on the chest “Fuck you!” he kept hitting down on his chest “Leaving me like this! Fuck you!”Jungkook hugged Jimin closer until he stopped hitting and fell into broken sobbs instead. “I never wanted to hurt you Jimin. I never wanted to - to make it come to this. I love you. You’re still my boyfriend Jimin. And I still want you to be.”Jimin pulled out of Jungkook’s arms and pointed a finger at him “I hate you.”Jungkook stumbled back at the harsh words “Chim you don’t mean that.”“I do. Jungkook I do. I hate you. Because you’re all I have and you’re hurting me like this. I hate you.”Jimin pulled off Jungkook’s jacket and threw it to the ground “And as far as us being together goes-” He stepped on the jacket.“It’s over.” “Jimin-”Jimin shook his head and held up a hand “Get out of my way.”“Jimin it’s downpouring, baby think about this.”Jimin just shook his head and threw Jungkook out of the way. He pulled up his shirt collar and walked into the rain. Far far away from Jungkook.When he came home all of Jimin’s things were gone.The only thing left behind was a note.
Jungkook

I’m angry. I’m so angry at you. I’m still boiling down but I needed to let you know that I really did love you too. You mattered the most to me in this world. I’ll never have another person like you in my life. I’m sorry that you can’t come with me and one day we might meet again. I hope we do. I hope I get to see how you turn out. Maybe one day I’ll write you a letter. I’ll talk to you again. But for now, I need to be alone. Especially away from you. I’m sorry it came to this ginger snap. Who knew I’d be the hot headed one after all this time? Well, probably you actually. I’m sorry.

Jimin
حسرة

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Jungkook didn’t feel anything when he shot himself.As quick as the pain came it was gone. He wondered if Jimin had any of his deaths that peaceful.But what he did know was that he was in sheets.He carefully opened his eyes. He was in his bedroom and his alarm was going off. He felt tears coming up.
It didn’t work? What was he supposed to do?
He couldn’t keep doing this. What would his mom say? What would his mom do?He moved to turn his alarm off, when he couldn’t.There was a pale back with bruises marking the odd place lying beside him, head folded down into their arms. They groaned and reached a hand up to turn the ringing off.It took them a minute to wake up completely before the figure gasped and sat up straight, a hand winding down to their lower back.They moved to stand when they felt their legs trapped by Jungkook’s who was wound together with them. He looked wide eyed straight to Jungkook.Jimin.“Chim”Jimin blinked a few times before he said “You’re in bed.”“You’re in bed too.”Jimin breathed deeply a few times before saying “What day is it?”“I don’t know anymore.”There was a knock on Jungkook’s door and he saw the lady who’d been pounding on his door about the rat crack the door “Jungkook-ssi?”“Oh my god we know you’re leaving a day early and you think I’m a slut, now go away.”Jungkook looked at Jimin with wide eyes “You knew she was going to say that?”“Of course I did.”Jungkook pointed at his chest “So did I.”Jimin furrowed his brows “How could you…?”“And when we go downstairs Sooja will ask us why we have bruises on our necks when I get her juice.”“And a bee will come in the window.” Jimin added.“Yeah!”Jimin leaned closer to him and said “did you keep dying?”Jungkook took Jimin’s cheeks in his hands “No. It-it was you.”Jimin blinked a few times before saying “Over and over again, always a different way as the day went on. You kept dying.”So, Jimin had been dealing with this hell too?Somewhere, somehow, Jimin had been going through the struggle Jungkook had as well.Jungkook nodded with a frown and when he saw small tears roll down Jimin’s cheeks he wiped them away “Jimin”“Kookie!” Jimin shouted out as he started crying more. He fell into Jungkook’s arms and gave him a tight hug, allowing him to go so far as pull them back onto the mattress.Jungkook held Jimin’s crown close to his head and ran his other hand on every other piece of skin he could reach “Please tell me this is real.”“It’s real! It’s real Jungkook!”Jungkook pulled back and kissed Jimin with as much force as he could possibly muster. He was crying, he knew Jimin was too.“I love you Jimin.”Jimin hugged Jungkook close again and rocked with him “I love you too Jungkook. I’m sorry.”Jungkook played with the hair at the nape of Jimin’s neck “I’m sorry too Jimin.”“No - no I’m sorry for going to LA and not asking you. I’m sorry for saying I hated you and breaking up with you. I never meant it. I never meant any of it. I’m so sorry.” Jimin sobbed. He held on tight to Jungkook’s shoulders as he cried “I’m so sorry Jungkookie.”Jungkook shook his head and kissed Jimin’s cheek “Don’t apologise.” He thread his fingers into Jimin’s hair “Don’t apologise to me.”Jimin cried softly into Jungkook’s shoulder as they rocked. With a soft voice he said “Can I come home?”Jungkook let out a breath and burrowed his head into the hollow of Jimin’s neck “Of course you can.”بداية جديدة       “That’s all of them.” Jungkook said looking over the list of deaths. “That’s all the ways you died.”Jimin read them over “You fell in the shower and down the stairs too.”He looked up “I fell out a window?”Jungkook closed his eyes “Yeah. You got scared and fell back.”“Sorry” Jimin said quietly. He pointed at the end “Your last death was a gunshot too.”Jimin pointed at his chest “Right here.”Jungkook nodded “That’s where yours was too.”Jimin put down the list and gave Jungkook his own list.1. Drowned on a walk to town2. Tetanus from a rusty nail3. Impaled on knitting needles4. Fall down the stairs5. Electrocuted by TV6. Slip in the shower7. Bed Frame crushed you8. Car crash9. Hit by a car10. Razor in food11. Trip on untied laces12. Gun Shot“A razor in my food!?”“It was from a kid on the street. He didn’t think you’d actually eat it.”"And I got tetanus? That takes days though!”“You’re muscles seized up and made you fall down the stairs, the doctors say it was tetanus.”Jungkook shook his head “How did this happen to us?”Jimin shrugged and looked out the window “Maybe it took us dying to realize we still need each other.”“How’d you end the chain?” Jungkook said while ripping up the lists.“Your dad’s box.”Jungkook nodded. “Me too.”“I’m sorry I know I wasn’t supposed to touch the box but I couldn’t take it anymore.”“I don’t blame you Chim. I gave up too.”Jimin nodded “I know. I know. I’m just messed up right now. It was a lot you know?”Jungkook gave Jimin a hug “I understand. We’ll get passed this nightmare.”Jungkook kissed the crown of Jimin’s head and smoothed down the blond hair sticking up at weird angles. “I believe we can.”Jimin’s breathing evened out and his hands stopped moving on Jungkook’s shoulders. He was just living in the close hug he and Jungkook were sharing. He smiled to himself after a moment and said “This makes me think of prom.”Jungkook laughed and started swaying with Jimin “I should go get my record player, I’ve got the song we danced to on vinyl.”Jimin smiled and let his head rest on Jungkook’s chest “It was Take My Breath Away, wasn’t it?”“By Berlin. The greatest love anthem of the 80’s.”Jimin started humming, quietly singing “Take my breath away~” as he did. Jungkook started moving with Jimin’s humming“Watching every motion, in my foolish lovers game.” Jungkook smiled and twirled Jimin around making the blond smile wide“You take my breath away.”Jungkook smiled back and kissed the bridge of Jimin’s nose. “Then I’m doing my job.”“Hey, that’s my line.”“I know.”Jungkook held Jimin’s waist close and swayed to the imaginary music playing in his head “Take my breath away~ Take my breath away~”Jimin spun them around and dramatically sang “Watching every motion in this foolish lovers game!”Jungkook laughed and stretched out his arms with Jimin. “Oh my god he’s crazy” Jungkook said to himself.Jimin jumped up into Jungkook’s arms and spun around with him, giving him a quick kiss “only for you.”“Now that’s cheesy.” Jimin smiled wide and rubbed his nose against Jungkook’s.He was let down to stand again but Jungkook’s arms remained around Jimin’s waist. “What was that other song? It was a Phil Collins song.”“One More Night, Jungkook, come on.”Jungkook laughed and in a mock Phil Collins voice said “oNe mOrE NIghT!~~”“Do not bully Phil Collins like that.” Jimin said with a fake stern voice.Jungkook laughed “You’re right. I’m sorry.”“Hello?”Jungkook looked to the entrance of the kitchen and saw Sooja’s mom looking at them “Sooja said you wanted to talk with me?”Jimin smiled “We do.”Jungkook ushered for her to sit down at the breakfast bar and offered her a cup of coffee.Before he could say anything she said “If it’s because we stayed so long I’m really sorry, I never knew if we were overstaying our welcome here but Sooja is just so happy here and-”“No, no it’s nothing like that Miss.Choi.”“Soojin, please just call me Soojin.”“Alright.” Jungkook took a sip of his own coffee and said “I’ve lived here my whole life, and I’ve been through a lot here.”She tipped her head at him and Jungkook shrugged “I love what I do here, housing all these people. But,” He took Jimin’s hand behind him “I’m starting a new chapter in my life. And I want to live on my own.”Her shoulders fell “Jungkook please just give me some time to find a place to stay so I can-”“Soojin you misunderstand me. You’ve been helping me run this place for almost a year now. And Sooja she’s so happy here.”“What are you saying?”“I’m offering you the chance to stay here. Free of charge.”“What’s the catch?” she said cautiously.Jungkook sighed “I’d be the one moving out. Jimin and I. We’ll be moving to my mom’s home in the country.”“So I’d be the one running the house?”“That’s it.”She bit her lip “But I can’t fix the things you can-”“I have that figured out.” Jungkook took out a list “This is a list of everyone you’d need in case of emergency. A plumber, a handyman, an electrician. As long as you keep up with the feed yourself clothe yourself rule, it should work out.”She read over the list. Jungkook’s number was at the bottom if she needed him too.“Can I think about it?”“Of course you can.”“Take all the time you need.” Jimin added.Needless to say, Jungkook was updating the land agreement to have Choi Soojin on the house owner list within the month.بداية جديدة

Years Later

Jungkook reached up for some of the small peaches Jimin had already separated with one arm, his other holding a baby in a pink bunny onesie on his shoulder.He closed the fridge with his foot and made an airplane noise over to Jimin and their 2 year old son on the floor. “What does daddy have?”Jimin said to the little boy. He looked at the bowl with saran wrap on it and said “Weach!”“Peaches” Jimin corrected with a smile. He pulled the boy onto his lap and rubbed their noses together “But good try baby.”Jungkook grabbed the plastic baby table and put the bowl down. “One with a spoon, then you can go at it.” he said with those wide doe eyes that always made Jimin smile.Their son stuck his tongue out at Jungkook which made him in turn stick his own out.He scooped up a peach and brought it to his lips “Wooseokie, say ah~”“A-a”“A-a-a” Jungkook sing songed back as he fed him the peach.Wooseok chewed with those cute chubby cheeks and Jimin smoothed down his hair “Have you heard from them yet?”Jungkook shook his head as he wiped Wooseok’s bottom lip. “She said she was leaving almost 2 hours ago so it can’t be long now.”Jimin hummed. Jungkook felt the baby on his shoulder stirring so he handed the spoon to Jimin. He cradled her to his chest and smiled at those pretty big brown eyes.“Good morning.” Jungkook said with a smileShe started crying immediately.Jimin laughed as Jungkook stood up to go and check for a diaper change “Poor Jungkookie. Being bullied by his own 3 month old.”Jungkook stuck his tongue out as he walked out of the living room.While he was changing her he heard the door open downstairs and made sure to smooth down her hair. “Auntie’s here.”He walked down the stairs slowly with her in his arms and smiled when he saw the girls at the door“Soojin” he said with a big smile.She gasped from where she was holding Wooseok and said “If it isn’t the newest cutie.”She finished taking off her jacket and took the little girl “Aw she’s so cute!”Jungkook smiled “Isn’t she though?”Jimin picked Wooseok back up and said “she’s absolutely gorgeous.”“I just know she’s going to be a heartbreaker when she grows up.”Jimin hummed and played with one of the little bunny ears “Be careful where you say that, Jungkook might kill you.”Jimin looked to Jungkook and said with a little chuckle “He’s gotten himself into full protective dad mode.”Soojin laughed and pinched the little girls cheek “Well he has every right to be, she’s just such a cutie.”“Are you replacing me mom?”Jungkook looked around Soojin to the way too tall way too grown up Sooja, now an amazing 12 years old.“Hello JaJa”She smiled wide and gave Jungkook a hug “Hi Jungkookie.”She looked back to her mom and said “Is that a baby?”“That’s what we’re doing here silly. They just got her.”Sooja blinked a few times before saying “Did you name her Sooja?”Jimin laughed “No, but we’ll take it into consideration if we ever have another one.”She smiled to Jimin and gave him a high five.Jimin started walking into the living room and Jungkook knew after being married for three years that meant follow.He sat Wooseok down in a play seat and flicked at a few of the dangling fish to get him to start playing around.They all sat in the living room and Soojin just couldn’t get enough of the little girl. “Her name’s Minha, right?”“After Jungkookie’s mom.”Soojin smiled and handed the little girl back over to Jungkook. “Same mom right?”“And dad. In every way they’re siblings. She got pregnant again and wanted the girl to go to the same place Wooseokie had.” Jimin smiled ‘We’d been talking about having another anyways.”“I think she’s cute” Sooja said with a wide smile.“Why thank you, we think she’s cute too.”Sooja laughed and pulled her hair back from her face. She wiped off her hands and said “If I’m really careful can I hold her?”Jungkook ushered for her to come over and he carefully set the little girl in Sooja’s arms“One arm on the neck and one on the butt.” Sooja giggled when Jungkook said butt and he flicked her lightly “Be a grown up you’re holding a baby.”She smiled to him and rocked her lightly “Hello Minha. I’m you’re cool aunt in law Sooja. You’re gonna love me because you don’t have a choice.”Jimin snorted and Jungkook shook his head with a smile “Fair enough.”The Choi’s stayed for the night, spending their time between holding Minha (Sooja even called herself a baby holding pro at one point) playing with Wooseok and gossiping about all the people who’d come to the boarding house in the time between their last visit.“Sooja has a what now?”“You heard me. A boyfriend.”Jungkook raised his brows to the girl in question “Really?”She smiled “He’s from Canada.”“Oh wow, so what you’re trying to tell me is that he’s fake.”Sooja gasped “He is not!”Jungkook pointed his fork at her “You’re looking at the man who has had three boyfriends from Canada.”“So what?”“So none of them were real either.”Jimin threw his head back with laughter as Sooja pouted in her seat “he’s real! His name is Alex!”“Why’s it pronounced like that? Al-eex. Did you try and make up a name real quick?”“He’s French!”Jungkook set down his glass “Ok kid, you may have been able to swing me on Canada but there’s no chance you’re dating monsieur Aleex the french-canadian at 12 years old.”She rolled her eyes and said ‘whatever’ with a pout.But Jungkook brought out ice cream and all was forgiven.And yeah, Jungkook still held on stupidly tight to the railing on the stairs, and he never woke up at 6:15 in the morning anymore. Some things never would be the same after the 12 nightmares he lived through. But he was moving on, and he was happy to be doing it with his family by his side.And for them, that was enough.