Chapter Text
"You know you can ask Bang PD to just drop that fan service agreement with Jungkook, right?"
Hoseok commented upon seeing Jimin plopped on the bed next to his, browsing Twitter. Again. Jimin turned his phone off and buried his face on his pillow.
"I can't," Jimin answered after a few seconds, voice muffled by his pillow.
"Why not?" Hoseok prodded, removing his face mask and easing to his bed, his eyes still on Jimin.
Jimin turned his head sideways, so he is facing his hyung. His lips curled into a pout. "Of all people, it's you who know why I can't, hyung."
Hoseok shook his head, knowing exactly what the younger means. He pulled out his phone from his bedside table and set his alarm. He's had this conversation already with Jimin quite a few times, and it all ended the same way.
"Hobi hyung, your bed looks really comfortable tonight."
Hoseok eyed him once before scooting sideways and lifting his sheets. "Tss. Get in here. You can just say you want to cuddle."
Jimin giggled as he crawled out of his bed and went to Hoseok's, drowning his body under the sheets.
"At least stop reading tweets, you know. It won't make you feel better," Hoseok said, facing the ceiling while Jimin put his feet on top of his legs. "You know how it is in there. People are too deep in their own shit that they don't care if they are hurting you already. You don’t deserve those people.”
"I know I should, but you know, I can't actually blame them if they say mean things because I guess most of them are true."
"Hey, Jimin. Don't think like that. What mean things do they even say? They don't know you. You should not let them affect you."
Jimin sighed as he brings himself closer to Hoseok. "The fans knew that we're just fan service or they are probably hinting. It's too obvious. It is too one-sided to be believable. I even watched a video. Jungkook kept on going away from me. I'm too much for him. Like, even though we're supposed to flirt on stage, Jungkook just can't and it always looked like I was forcing him. If you’ve seen the videos, he looked uncomfortable with me.”
Hoseok seemed to not like Jimin’s words as his brows furrow. He almost looked like his mad.
“If Jungkook is uncomfortable with you, he will say it. He’s not a kid anymore. Whatever these videos you are talking about, none of these can confirm anything. Only Jungkook knows what he really feels. You should talk to him.”
Jimin shook his head. “I can’t. I’ll just… I think you're right. I should just ask Bang PD to end it."
"You sure?" Hoseok asked, his hands already caressing Jimin’s hair.
Jimin nodded. "Can you come with me tomorrow to his office?"
"I can, but I think you should talk to Jungkook about your plan first."
"There's no need. I'm sure he'd be glad, relieved even."
Hoseok shrugged as he hugged Jimin tight. "Oww. Jiminie. Don't be sad."
Jimin felt a little lighter as his hyung forced animated sounds that made him laugh until he fell asleep.
Jimin had a good sleep, something he couldn't enjoy for the past three weeks since he has been thinking about many things like Jungkook, Jungkook, and Jungkook. Yeah. Things.
His mood was bright when he woke up. Hoseok was not on the bed anymore, but Jimin was not surprised, knowing that his hyung liked waking up early.
He went out of the room to find Hoseok and found the older in the kitchen. He instantly jumped on him and showered him with kisses, saying thank you for the night and the sound sleep.
"Aish. Okay. Stop it. Eat now. You slept too much, but because I'm an angel, I saved you some pancakes.”
"You'll still go with me later, right?" Jimin whispered, pouring himself a glass of milk.
"Where are you going?" Jungkook chimed in, and Jimin almost knocked his glass off.
Jungkook sat on the chair in front of the two, peeling his banana. Jimin swallowed as if he's caught stealing.
"We're just going out since it's a free day," Hoseok answered for Jimin.
Jungkook hummed as he stuffed his face with the banana. Jimin had to look away to brush off unwanted thoughts.
"Can I go with you?"
"No!" Jimin responded firmly that even he was surprised at how he sounded.
"Oh... okay, fine. Enjoy then!" Jungkook uttered before walking out, obviously pissed with the way Jimin refused.
"Why? You could just talk to Bang PD together," Hoseok asked once Jungkook was back in his room.
"I don't want to. He'll definitely jump happily with the news and I'm not that much of a masochist to see that."
Unlike Jimin has expected, the talk with Bang PD went smoothly. Jimin was nervous at first, thinking that their boss would scold him, but he just smiled and said okay.
But he still got a problem. Now that he has talked it out to Bang PD, he was given the task of delivering the news to Jungkook.
"Told you, you should have just brought him with you." Hoseok teased as they made their way to their dorms.
"Hyung, come on. Can you just say it to him for me? I don't think I can." Jimin looked up at Hoseok, batting his eyelashes at him, showing off his puppy eyes that always worked for all of his hyungs, but Hoseok just looked away.
"Come on, Jimin. Just tell him. We've been together for more than seven years, why are you like that?"
"Hyungggg," Jimin whined. "You know I've liked him so much for that seven years."
Hoseok paused, and Jimin thought that the older was actually considering it already. But, Hoseok sprinted to their dorm all of a sudden, and Jimin's legs were too shocked to move and run after him.
Taehyung wanted to slam the game console on the television in frustration, but obviously, he can't, so he just dropped it harshly on the soft cushion.
"I don't want to play this with you anymore. What's wrong with you? You kept on killing me," Taehyung whined, throwing daggers at the maknae whose gaze was glued on the screen.
"It's a game, hyung. Stop being a loser." Jungkook spat out.
"Seriously, did I do something wrong with you? Normally, you would let me play in peace. What's up with you today?" Taehyung blocked Jungkook's view to make him stop playing.
"Nothing." Jungkook shrugged, but Taehyung didn't move away, still waiting for an answer. "Tss. Fine. It's just that Jimin hyung pissed me off this morning."
Taehyung was shocked, his eyes going wide at his answer. "Jimin? Park Jimin? There’s no way you can be pissed off with him."
Taehyung scooped Jungkook's collar, attempting to lift Jungkook on the couch but of course it didn't work. "You did something bad, didn’t you?"
As if he was summoned, Jimin entered the dorm. His brows furrowed upon seeing Taehyung and Jungkook.
"Jungkook, let's talk." Jimin spoke, already making his way to his room.
"I don't want to," Jungkook brushed Taehyung's hands away from his collar and lifted his console to continue playing.
"What did you just say?" Jimin stopped on his tracks, lifting a brow at the younger.
"You don't want me to go with you this morning, now you're acting like a boss ordering me around? Tss."
Jungkook gripped his console tighter, as he fumbled on the setting of his game. Taehyung just sat there watching the two, a scene he never knew could happen. The two rarely fight and Taehyung was finding it intense.
"Stop being a child and just follow me, Jungkook."
"You're the one who's being a child here, not me. Gosh, I really hate you."
Jimjn was shocked at the younger's words. "Know what? I really fucking hate you too, Jeon Jungkook."
Jimin walked off towards his room, closing the door with a loud bang, making Yoongi curse just as loud from the other room.
"What did just happen?" Taehyung finally managed to speak. "You didn't mean that right? You don't hate Jimin right?"
Jungkook cursed, letting go of the console and staring at the door of Jimin's room. "Of course, I don't."
"Tss. Idiots. I knew you both don't mean that. Just go talk to him now. If he's mad at you, I'll suffer too and I don't want to lose my cuddle membership fee on my best friend, so go." Taehyung collected the consoles and made himself busy by collecting pieces of chocolate wrappers on the floor. Seokjin would definitely freak out if he saw he finished his chocolates.
Hoseok was not in the room when he got in, which added to the frustration building up inside Jimin. He threw his hyung's favorite pillow on the floor, but picked it up immediately, knowing he won't be able to handle Hoseok's wrath.
He plopped himself on his own bed, and glared at the Shooky plush toy that was on top of his bedside table.
"What are you looking at? I hate you," Jimin directed his anger to the innocent Shooky. As if it understood him, it fell on the table, getting out of Jimin's sight. "Tss. Stupid maknae."
As if summoned, there was a knock on the door followed by a soft 'Hyung'. Jimin rolled his eyes, and laid down on his bed, facing the wall, away from the door.
He heard the door clicked once, then twice. He could feel someone walking towards him, and in a second, his bed was dipping from the added weight.
He felt a strong arm gripped his waist, and his back was covered with warmth.
Jimin fought the urge to put his hand on top of his arm.
"Get your hands off me. You don't need to do that. We're not on cam or on stage." Jimin ordered but didn't make a move to take the arm off.
"Hyungggg," Jungkook whined from behind him, his breath tickling Jimin's nape.
"Didn't you say you don't want to talk? Even going as far as saying you hate me," Jimin spat out with so much fake hatred. He could never really be mad at Jungkook.
Jimin could feel Jungkook pouting behind him, the tip of the younger's cold lips brushing his sensitive nape. He wanted to move away from the torture Jeon Jungkook was giving him, but instead, he buried his back more on the younger's chest. He could just regret his actions and scold himself later. After all, it may be the last since the fan service agreement was now void.
The thought of not being able to fall on Jungkook so many times while laughing, jump on the younger for a piggyback ride, or jokingly ask him for a kiss sent a deep ache on Jimin's chest. So, he let himself melt onto Jungkook's arms.
Just one last time. One last. Jimin told himself.
"I don't hate you, Jiminie hyungie. I'm just a little upset about how you acted this morning."
Jimin frowned as he sat up, instantly regretting it because he lost Jungkook's warmth. He tried to collect the scenarios this morning and remembered how he said no when Jungkook asked to go with them.
The younger sat up with him, reaching out for Jimin's hands and playing with the rings in his fingers — a habit Jungkook does whenever he feels anxious or extremely shy. On what he is feeling right now from the two, Jimin didn't know.
"I'm sorry. Hyung didn't mean that," Jimin said, lifting his hand to caress Jungkook's hair but froze midair, remembering he wasn't supposed to.
Jungkook noticed it, so he grabbed Jimin's hand and put it in his hair, and like on autopilot, Jimin started running his hand on Jungkook's hair.
Jungkook hummed as he closed his eyes. "I love it when you do that."
And just like that, Jimin's hands were off of him, as if he was burnt.
"Why? What's wrong?" Jungkook's brows were drawn in the middle, clearly displeased at the loss of Jimin's hands.
"We need to talk," Jimin started, clearing his throat and trying to let go of the feeling of Jungkook's silky hair in between his fingers. Jungkook just nodded, waiting for Jimin to continue. "Well, you know this fan service we agreed on with Bang PD, I went to his office to call it off. That's where Hoseok and I went this morning."
Jungkook was surprised at the news. "Oh. B-but why?"
Jimin was taken aback. He didn't expect the question that fell from Jungkook's lips. He was expecting to see him smile, laugh or sigh in relief after hearing it, but if Jimin could read it right, the younger looked somewhat disappointed.
"Did I do something wrong that made you want to end it?" Jungkook asked again when Jimin didn't answer.
"No. It's not like that. It's just, uh, you know I don't want you to feel uncomfortable with me or be forced to do something you don't like to. I even think it is absurd of me to agree on this, but it worked since our songs are doing well and maybe it's time to just go back to how it is before, you know. Fans are starting to notice anyway that everything we are doing is just fan service, so-"
"Who said I feel uncomfortable? Who said you are forcing me, Jimin?”
Jimin was caught off guard at the sudden drop of honorifics. Usually, Jimin would've smacked him on the back of his head for being disrespectful, but right now, Jimin felt intimidated.
"I-I just..." Jimin stuttered. "I watched videos of our concerts and guestings, and you don't seem at ease. I also saw some tweets-"
"Tweets? Didn't the other hyungs already told you to stop going through Twitter? Hyung, I-I'm offended. I'm just a few doors away from you. You should've just asked me directly what I am feeling and not jump to conclusions nor be swayed by what people on Twitter are saying. Do you trust them more than me?"
Jimin felt like he lost his ability to speak. He should have listened to Hoseok. Of course, Jungkook was disappointed, and Jimin himself was, too.
Jungkook got up from the bed when he sensed Jimin will not answer him. He walked towards the door, opting to let Jimin think by himself.
"Kookie," Jungkook froze at the nickname, hands on the door handle. "The truth is..."
Jimin could not get himself to look at the younger. He was biting his lips hard, debating with himself if he should just say it. Just tell Jungkook what he really feels, the real reason.
"What is it?" Jungkook was feeling a bit impatient. He's frustrated, and he just wants to be alone. He felt like he was betrayed by one of his best friends.
"There's one more reason why I decided to call it off."
Jungkook's hand fell from the door handle to his sides as he turned around to Jimin. The older's hands were shaking on his lap, as well as his shoulders. His head hung low in an attempt to hide his tears, but his trembling shoulders and sobs gave him away.
Jungkook wanted to just run to him and say that he was not mad, but he would be lying, so he just stood there, waiting.
"Jimin, we don't have all the time in the world. Just spill whatever it was because I can't-"
"I like you." Jungkook's mouth fell open at the sudden confession. Jimin lifted his head and Jungkook was met with glassy eyes, tear-stained cheeks, and quivering lips. "I like you a lot, more than just a friend or a brother. And the whole fan service thing, it's... it was like an imaginary world I get to live in for a few minutes we’re on stage, and I love living in it b-but I can't. I don't want to fool myself anymore and believe that you feel the same way for me. I'm sorry, Jungkook. Sorry that you have to put up with me and sorry for forcing you in this."
Jungkook blinked away the tears that were forming, blurring his eyesight. Jimin has turned into a sobbing mess after the speech, and Jungkook didn't know what to say. His hyung and best friend, Jimin, confessed to him. It was too much to handle.
His hands fumbled towards the door. He needed time. He didn't know what to say and he didn't want to mess things up more, so he chose the easier option. Escape.