Don't Give Up On Me - Andy Grammer

The bus makes a stop by a market place in a small town before reaching Gwangju, filled with many people and food everywhere for Jimin to buy and try out. The sun is out today, glowing a nice warmth to Jimin's skin as he piles out of the bus and to the area filled with people and historical architecture.

Never has Jimin seen so many fruits, vegetables, clothes or jewelry in one open space alone before, along with such a lively environment filled with people. Everyone seems to be happy as they waltz around the stands, talking amongst themselves as they point out to whatever ignites the light behind their eyes with music of musicians strumming the air here and there.

Jimin smiles.

This feels so.... Natural.

So.... Normal.

Is this what being outside feel like?

This.... Freedom?

This is exactly what Jimin has been craving for after so many years. To be able to walk down along this street with stands on either side of him, offering him any food or clothes, even jewelry that are definitely eye catching. Jimin politely rejected it, didn't reject the food though, and was on his way to look around with a soft smile on his face that nearly blinded anyone looking in his direction.

And one person specifically fell in love with it.

"Hey you! This will look very attractive on you!"

Jimin turns his head to the woman's voice, smiling to the way she has a necklace held out to him from behind her wooden stand; decorated with this gypsy vibe of purple and gold colors with precious jewelry everywhere to catch Jimin's eyes.

In curiosity Jimin approaches the lady, taking in how beautiful the ruby gem glows under the light of the sun from the necklace.

It's so pretty.

"This would look very nice on you!" She edges on with her contagious smile, raising it up with an eye squinted and head tilted to the side, "The perfect jewelry for you!"

Jimin giggles nervously and shakes his head, "I don't want anything too..... Captivating."

The lady with the messy bun on her head and a few strands of grey instantly puts the necklace down and roams through her table full of other necklaces, rings and bracelets before gasping joyfully to a silver ring, appearing like ropes to form a heart inside an infinity sign.

The heart being rose gold.

Such a simple yet cute ring.

"This is it..... This would look so perfect on your fingers," She squeals but then suddenly frowns, "By any chance, do you have a partner?"

Jimin raised his eyebrows by the sudden question, gulping thickly with a shake of his head in embarrassment, "Uh no, I don't."

"Ah such a shame," She mutters and picks at the other ring that was beside it, identical to the other but that one has a golden heart instead, "This is a couple's ring..... I mean you can still get it alone-"

"He'll take it."

Jimin's heart completely stopped, forgetting how to breathe all together. For a moment time froze and his hands began to sweat in anxiety as the male beside him paid for the rings to the overly happy lady.

Who finally got her first customer.

He said he wasn't going to come...

Jimin slowly gained the courage to look up, meeting Yeosang's train of eyes.

Everything around Jimin flowed in slow motion, his heart finding it's ease rhythm, not fighting the excited smile on his lips, "W-What are you doing here?"

"Well, call me pathetic but.... I had to make sure you'll be safe wherever you ended up in ," The younger says indifferently, looking away from Jimin's glowing eyes, "I had to make sure you were okay..... Before going back."

At this point Jimin ignored the unsettling emotion of disappointment in his chest, only letting the thought that he was going to spend a whole longer with Yeosang fill him with joy.

Emotions feel normal while being around him.

Jimin felt like he could be happy without being afraid of being happy.

It's a nice feeling indeed.

"Oh my- OH MY GOD IS HE YOUR BOYFRIEND? WHY WOULD YOU LIE TO ME!" The elder lady squeals, snapping Jimin and Yeosang from their moment, "Oh my- let me take a picture to show my wife later on. Go on, put the rings on!"

Is she serious?

Jimin covers his face with one hand to hide his fierce blush, only squealing internally when Yeosang grabs his left hand, holding out the ring with the rose gold heart on it.

"This doesn't mean we're magically married, I hope you know that," Yeosang huffs, making eye contact with Jimin with his stone cold gaze to make sure the other gets it. The blonde only scoffs back but smiles brightly when the ring slides up his ring finger, snuggling it to perfection in place.

The perfect fit.

"YESSS!!!! You're doing great sweetie! Go on! put the other one on his finger now!" The lady beams as she takes her pictures through her phone, happy tears glistening her eyes.

Yeosang rolls his eyes, "Listen lady! We aren't getting married-"

"Oh hush and let him put the ring on your finger!"

The younger was just about to argue back but when he feels Jimin's hand take his left hand, he stops himself, watching with wide eyes as the elder male takes the other ring with the gold heart from his hand and slides it up his ring finger as well.

Perfect fit as well.

It looks perfect....

"So, what should these rings mean huh?" Jimin asks smugly, an eyebrow perked up suggestively.

Yeosang grimaces at him and shoves his face back with his hand, "Nothing. I just got them because I knew it would look pretty on you-"

"Pretty you say?"

"Minnie, I swear I will return them-"

A loud wail catches their attention once again, turning to the lady who is dabbing her eyes with a tissue, holding her phone up with a shakily grip now, "This is so c-cute, my h-heart can't h-handle it."

Jimin chuckles adoringly at her while Yeosang only sighs heavily after paying and drags him away by the hand, "Thanks for the rings!"

"I HOPE YOUR KIDS COME OUT BEAUTIFUL!"

If the ground was able to eat people, Yeosang would be more than willing to be the first to volunteer to not exist right now. Meanwhile Jimin laughs loudly, subconsciously squeezing Yeosang's hand in his, "She was so cute-"

"Cutely aggravating," He huffs and looks around, "So, anywhere in mind to go before heading back to the bus?"

Jimin looks around, shrugging, "I'm not sure.... I didn't really have an agenda before hopping off..... We still have a lot of time too, they said they will leave later on after dusk."

Yeosang glances at the curious blonde, taking in how he looks around with interested large eyes to his surroundings. It's almost odd seeing someone this curious about the world, almost like a baby that finds just about anything interesting through their eyes. This makes Yeosang feel slightly glad about the life he lived, even though it wasn't a pleasant one.

Jimin never got to see the world; experience a market place or interacted properly with people without them having some other desire for him.

He deserves to feel every bit of this experience of the bright side of life, even more.

So Yeosang smiles and squeezes his hand back, "Well, let's keep it like that then."

Jimin turns to him, smiling softly with a vibrant blush on his cheeks, his insides exploding in excitement.

From there on out, Jimin finally experienced what it was like to live. They stopped at many shops, trying on clothes that they didn't buy, ate free samples of food that Jimin has never tried before, they even stopped by a tattoo parlor and got something done.

Who knew Yeosang has a history being a tattoo artist? Apparently he was the one that made that mural of cards on Jungkook's back many years ago. So the artist of the shop was kind enough to let Yeosang use the gun and tattoo an anchor inside a compass on Jimin's wrist, saying he drew it because that's something that resembles Jimin after everything he went through in life.

Also something that represents Yeosang, and an important part of his life.

So they're always connected.

And Jimin absolutely loved it.

Jimin then insisted on doing something on Yeosang, who was obviously stubborn to say no it at all cost, but then eventually he gave in. Apparently gun skills wasn't the only thing Namjoon taught Jimin, but also how to draw tattoos on people as well.

On the inner part of his wrist, the spot Jimin has his tattoo - which is the same arm as the rings-Jimin tatted a half sun and half moon with most of it covered by the moon. Jimin explained that this represents Yeosang in a way; always cold but warm to those that means something to him, yet either side of him still is beautiful, just like the sun and the moon.

For once after Hwanwoong's death, Yeosang finally felt like he was truly happy again.

He too feels like he was finally given the chance to be alive again.

So the younger paid the artist for letting him use the machine and the pair went on their way to their adventure. They have an hour to spare before the bus leaves to go to Gwangju, where is Jimin's destination on starting a new life. That's the only place that's not coated with mafia or gang violence, it's actually a territory free from any dominance of that type of relation.

A perfect place to start new for sure.

At the moment the two are sitting on the bench for the meantime, spending their last moments in this town here. The sun is slowly setting, cascading an orange glow to the environment it touches here in the market place, while it falls behind them as background, now much more calmer than how it was earlier.

Jimin licks his ice cream with his head on Yeosang's shoulder, amazed eyes to the view of the houses and trees just below the peak they are on with the sun slowly going down. Soft guitar music echoes the background from the cute café in a distance, setting the perfect scenery for the pair as they take comfort in each other's company.

What's even cuter about this moment is how a small stray cat has somehow fell for Jimin's charm, following him everywhere he went to after the tattoo parlor. She is so cute and friendly, finding a home on Jimin's lap as he pets her head while she sleeps and purrs against him.

So peaceful, such a peaceful moment it is right now.

Jimin is so happy he got to experience this, hoping to face many more moments like this again.

Even if Yeosang isn't beside him through it.

It's okay, he'll make more friends when he reaches his destination right?

Hopefully they're just as caring as Yeosang is.

"I can practically smell the strawberries from your ice cream," Yeosang mutters, his nose scrunching up in disgust.

Jimin coils his face in annoyance, "At least I don't like the taste of tooth paste for dessert."

"Hey, mint ice cream is good for your information!"

"Not as good as strawberry," Jimin mocks with a giddily smile, letting his eyes fall to the ring on his finger when he felt the cat's tail caress over it, "Hey we still didn't say what our rings meant."

Here we go.

Yeosang sighs heavily, finishing his ice cream, "Can it just mean nothing?"

Excuse me?

"Oh wow, so our friendships means nothing to you?"

"Don't refer to us like that."

Jimin removes his head from Yeosang shoulder, frowning deeply as Yeosang grabs both of their empty cups and throws it to the trash bin that's a few feet away. His heart slightly ached for a moment, that happiness being complete wiped off from how it was before. Yeosang could clearly see that when he came back and extends out a hand.

"Come."

Stubbornly Jimin crosses his arms over his chest, making the cat somehow sense the discomfort environment and move to sit beside him instead, "No, because you don't consider me impor-HEY!"

Yeosang hauls Jimin over his shoulder, turning around to walk closer to the view and puts the arguing male down, whirling him around to the concrete rail to face the scenery but then covers his eyes with his large hands.

What is he doing?

Jimin sighs heavily, "Yeosang, what are you doing-"

"How would you describe what you're seeing?"

"Dark, nothing, like my life," Jimin mutters bored, still annoyed with Yeosang's response from earlier.

Yeosang chuckles lowly, "So.... Intense," And slowly lets go of his eyes, "Now how would you describe what you're seeing?"

Jimin's let's his intensity drop to the sight, feeling something warm inside to the soft touch to the nature and villages in a distance. A few birds soars the sky freely, moving to wherever their hearts content. Everything Jimin was missing in life is right there before his eyes..... This beauty...... It's so beautiful.

The world is so beautiful.

"I..... I can't," Jimin whispers, twirling with the ring on his finger, breathing in this moment before his eyes, "There's so many ways to describe this beauty."

Yeosang smiles to his words, nuzzling the side of his head against Jimin's, letting his ringed hand fall over Jimin's, "Exactly.... That's the best way to describe what those rings mean."

Jimin furrows his eyebrows in confusion, turning around to face him, "W-What?"

"Nothing always means something," Yeosang says calmly, eyes on their hands interlaced together, "It doesn't have to mean something negative... It can always mean something such as you described what you saw.... Too many beautiful things to pick just one. We're definitely not friends, but not enemies, less being a relationship but we are something. I don't know what that something is, but I like to think it's something that's hard to describe with one word yet it's... Special."

Yeosang can actually talk like that?

That.... Sweet?

Jimin's lips are wobbling now, not expecting this sudden poetic side coming from someone who happens to hate and complain about his guts most of the time.

His heart practically bursts in his chest when Yeosang raises his left hand up, placing his lips over the ring on Jimin's hand.

"You mean something to me Minnie, I hope that's satisfying enough for you," He whispers shyly, clearly not use to being those open about his feelings if it's not towards Jungkook or his beloved dead lover.

In the beginning Yeosang grew drawn to Jimin because of how similar he resembled Hwanwoong, and it was so scary to be around him most of the time that he just didn't want to at all, especially because he's connected with Jungkook somehow.

Now? Jimin is Jimin and Hwanwoong is Hwanwoong.

Hwanwoong will always be the love of Yeosang's life, even if he's dead.

And Jimin helped him overcome his shell of coldness that happened after that experience, to let himself feel warm again.

Something Yeosang told himself he won't ever do to himself, yet..... He likes it.

It's nice to feel cared for..... And Jimin's heart just happens to know a lot about that when it involved him.

"Yes, that's very satisfying," Jimin breathes out, his eyes disappearing behind crescent moons behind his smile, "I guess that's what this ring will symbolize; Nothing yet something."

Yeosang smiles softly to this, bringing Jimin to his chest and wrapping his arms tightly around his waist, pressing his lips against his forehead, "Nothing yet something."

Jimin closes his eyes for a moment, wrapping his arms around his shoulders with a relief sigh, feeling as if he's floating on a cloud right now. His heart is being mended back together, stitching the broken pieces that was once shattered to feel whole again.

To feel..... Human.

Jimin felt human.

Not a whore.

Or a sex worker,

Or kitten,

Or like someone's doll,

Human.

Jimin likes.... Feeling human.

All thanks to Yeosang, who helped him feel this way again.

Slowly he pulls away, staring into his eyes, "Thank you.... For just being you."

A soft smile forms Yeosang's lips, raising a hand to caress Jimin's cheek, "It's time to be free Jimin..... Never let that go, no matter how hard life gets-"

A loud scream suddenly startles the air, forcing the world to slow down from it's once delicate pace.

Jimin's heart dropped.

"JIMIN WATCH OUT!"

Gun shots soars the air and the small stray cat runs away.

_____________________
A/N:
Uh oh....

Also little tease of information, this was also the debut of Jisang! Many people really wanted to see more of them throughout this book, so I just added them in Raw afterwards as an alternative kind of reality for them.

I PURPLE YIU! <333