For the first time in years, Jungkook was content. Kookie. He'd called him Kookie. Jimin used that nickname only when they got intimate.

Last night was perfect in every sense. Jimin had once again made his first move, taken him, and claimed him on the couch. An involuntary smile curved his lips at the memory. Nothing had changed. It was as if six years hadn't passed between them.

The way Jimin kissed his, savoring every inch of his body left Jungkook breathless and longing for more. Sex with Jimin had always been explosive. There wasn't a single boring moment. They always kept their moments spicy. Every time felt as good as the first time.

There was nothing Jungkook wanted more than to make love to Jimin at the moment, showing how it was between them. As much as Jungkook would love that, he also knew he had to take it slow. Last night happened on an impulse. When Jimin walked out on him, he had followed him, wanting to please him. Because he never liked to see Jimin upset. Jimin had given him that look that said he was disappointed, but he would never force him to do anything.

Even during the initial stages of their relationship, Jimin always listened continuously asked if he was okay, and stopped when Jungkook claimed it was too much. So when Jimin stepped back, Jungkook had thrown the caution to the wind. In his defense, he was also aroused and his cock felt like it'd explode if Jimin touched as much as breathed anywhere near him. He didn't expect to last for even a minute. After all, he had never been intimate with anyone in these six years.

As stupid as it sounded, he never wanted anyone. The first two years after their breakup, he was nursing his wounded heart. A few times, he tried to move on he couldn't do it. For him, sex involved emotions. He was never the one for meaningless sex and it did not surprise him when he felt nothing for random men he met at the gay club Taehyung dragged him into.

Taehyung wasn't gay, but he also never shied away from the attention he received from both sex. The man liked to tease. Jungkook always teased him and told him to come out of the closet. The youngest didn't know if Tae had ever realized, but Jungkook always thought him as a bisexual.

Exploring their sexuality wasn't as easy as it sounded. They were always being watched. Jungkook and Taehyung stopped going to gay clubs after a close encounter with paparazzi. They barely made it out without being noticed. The only reason they went unnoticed was that the paparazzi were there for a k-pop idol. The media backlash and hatred the idol received the next day would forever haunt him. It was one of the reasons he didn't bother with dating. No men were worth the risk. They weren't Jimin.

Jimin was currently with Dr. Jin, who came to dress his knee and check on him. Last night after Jimin fainted, Jungkook followed Jin's first aid steps and fortunately, Jimin had woken up shortly with a massive headache. So, Jungkook massaged his scalp until he fell asleep. It had been close to an hour and Jin was still inside the bedroom with Jimin. He decided to give them space as he hung out in the kitchen with his beloved friend and brother Taehyung.

Jungkook always felt blessed to have Taehyung in his life. This man was a pillar of his strength, closer to him in every aspect than a blood relation was. He'd taught him what life was and showed him the world from a different perspective. Thanks to Taehyung, his teen years had been great and filled with wonderful memories, unlike his early childhood that was only filled with disappointment and memories of being neglected.

As Taehyung flitted around the kitchen trying to fix nurungi, Jungkook let his mind wander to the past. It had been a while since he heard from his mother. Not that they spoke to each other a lot. They kind of drifted apart after he moved to Seoul. She only called on his birthday and later those calls turned into texts.

Perhaps, his mother didn't want his father to find out about her secret affair with another man. That didn't explain why she would want to cut him out of his life entirely. She was a great mother, always took care of his needs. But as years went by she started growing distant. When he turned ten, he understood why his father never visited them. It was also the same time he found her and with the other men.

She began coming home late and sometimes never came home, asking him to order something. Money had never been an issue. His father always took care of it. Even when he was in school and college, every month he received a lump-sum in his private account. It was always more than he needed and it also attracted a bad company. People wanted to be friends with him only for the benefits that came along.

So, when he moved to Seoul, he decided to hide his real identity as Jeon the heir of the Jeon Corporation. He told everyone that his father was a middle-class employee working in Busan. There were days when they had barely anything to eat at the end of the month. But Jimin never allowed him to pay. His eyes stung at the memory. Jimin and Taehyung never took the money he offered, they simply pushed the money away and said it was their responsibility to take care of him.

Jungkook knew that was something that brought them closer. Living with them had shown him a way of life. He learned life wasn't always roses and rainbows. Those experiences taught him to be humble and appreciate the small things he always has taken for granted. Most of all, they were happy despite the hurdles life put them through.

It was when his father bought him the apartment close to his university, he asked them to move in with him and they found out his father was loaded enough to afford something luxurious as the flat they lived. Again, they never asked for an explanation.

However, that didn't mean they never faced trouble. During a fight with Jimin, he had arrogantly asked him to leave the job as Eunji's assistant and said he had enough money for both of them. Something he shouldn't have said that time. Jimin had cut him off saying he was man enough to take care of his boyfriend's needs and would never live off his beloved daddy's money. Jungkook still remembered that argument like it happened yesterday.

The phone rang interrupting his train of thoughts. A scowl pulled at his face and his thumb hovered over the screen. After a moment of contemplation, he swiped his finger on the screen and lifted the phone to his ears. In his peripheral vision, Taehyung turned to him with a lift of his brow. Jungkook mouthed 'dad' and he rolled his eyes.

"You're ignoring my calls now?"

Jungkook shrugged as if his father could see his reaction. "I haven't been well. What do you want?"

"You sound well to me."

What a typical response from a loving father. "You haven't answered my question yet."

"Watch that tone of your's, boy. Now that Jeon is leading in South Korea, you think you can slack off? Is that how you work? I thought I taught you better than that."

"What's your deal dad? I already told you I was sick and don't start lecturing me on what I should or should not do. Let me remind you that I've never taken leave since I started working in your company and I'm fully entitled to take a few days off at my convenience," Jungkook hissed. "And for your information, I've been working."

"Is that so? Then where's that personal manager of yours? Huh? Jimin, isn't it? Why hasn't he gone to the office?"

"When did my personal manager became your concern?" Jungkook huffed. "Of course, he's where he should be. Taking care of me." Heat rose to Jungkook's cheeks at the memory of how Jimin took care of him last night. He cleared his throat. "What do you really want dad? I'm tired. So, if you're done talking, I'll go get some rest."

"I heard JH Inc. CEO visited you at the office."

Ah, just what he was waiting for. "He's a friend."

"A friend?" The line was silent for a moment. Jungkook looked at the screen to confirm his father was still on the line. "I never knew you were friends with that Jung kid."

"Is that my problem?" he questioned too eager to end the call.

His father sighed, so out of his character. "Finally, you seem to move with the right crowd."

Right crowd? He must be kidding. "When have I ever been with the wrong crowd?" Jungkook could already imagine his father clenching his jaw. "Thanks for worrying about me, dad. I gotta go." He disconnected the call without waiting for his response.

Taehyung chuckled handing him a plate of nurungi. "He asked about Hobi hyung?"

Jungkook nodded as Tae took the seat beside him. "It's not my best," he said popping a bite of nurungi into his mouth. "My mom makes the best nurungi. But Jimin loves my nurungi. He always says my nurungi is so similar to the one that my mom makes."

Jungkook smiled. "Hyung, we need one more assistant at the office. Jimin hyung cannot handle everything alone and Byeol's work is also increasing." Though she was at the front desk, she also functioned as an assistant to him and helped Jimin.

"I've been telling you to hire one for a long time. You also need someone to hire someone to handle Chinese operations efficiently. Your father is overworking you and at this rate, you'll only crash and burn."

"I already instructed human resources team to find a suitable candidate." He swallowed the delicious snack and washed it down with milk. The door to his guest room opened and Jin walked out with Jimin following closer.

"Hey hyung," Taehyung waved Dr. Jin over. "I made nurungi. It's Jimin's favorite. Wanna try?"

"Sure." Jin approached them with his signature smile. His eyes widened with excitement when took one bite and went for another. "This is really good. Reminds me of my mother's cooking."

Jimin took the seat opposite of them and helped himself with a serving of nurungi, slowly eating. He didn't meet their eyes. Jungkook frowned as he wondered what he was thinking.

Taehyung flashed his trademark smile. "Thanks, hyung. How's Minnie?"

"He's fine. Jimin has always been sensitive to emotions. So, when he feels overwhelmed he passes out." Besides the doctor, Jimin pushed the snack around in his plate, biting his lips. "You have nothing to fear though. He hasn't responded to this well to any of the cognitive therapies. I think being with you changes things for him." He checked his watch. "I have to go. Anyways, you can tell him about the happy stories you have to share. But don't flood him with the information. Just take one step at a time." He then turned his head to Jimin. "Jimin-ah, if you're feeling overwhelmed you should tell them to stop."

Jimin nodded. "Yes, hyung."

"Happiness, sadness, anger are emotions that could overwhelm you. So, you need to find a balance to not let it affect you the way it always does. In simple words, take a step back and breathe when it happens."

"I will." Jimin met his gaze and gave him a small smile. "I'll be fine, hyung."

"Good. I'll see you guys later then."

"I'll walk him out." Taehyung jumped to his feet following Jin.

Jungkook turned to Jimin. "Hyung... how are you feeling now?"

"Good," Jimin mumbled, gaze trained to the plate.

Suddenly he appeared so small and vulnerable Jungkook couldn't help but go over to him and hug him from behind. "Hyung," he whispered as he buried his face into his neck, inhaling the calming scent that was all Jimin. "It's okay, you know. It's just me."

"I...Jungkook-ah..." Jimin bit his lips and Jungkook felt his body tense. Jungkook guessed what he must be thinking. Katy had told him Jimin felt guilty.

"Let's not talk about the past, hyung. I've always loved you. You left me broken, but guess what... I never moved on. When you came back, I realized I never stopped loving you." He put a hand on Jimin's mouth when he tried to say something and went to kiss the shell of his ear. Jungkook took his time, softly sucking on Jimin's earlobe and nibbling it before placing another kiss. The eldest shuddered in his arms. "I don't want to talk about it hyung. I want to forget that night." Jungkook meant what he said. He wanted to forget the incident as Jimin did. Erase the memory altogether. "Just promise me that you won't break my heart again," he sounded too vulnerable and he didn't care. It was his Jimin. "Promise me that you'll always come home to me."

Then Jungkook suddenly realized something. Jimin might not love him the way he did once. When he forgot he also forgot the love he had for Jungkook. Tears stung Jungkook's eyes again.

"Hyung, I know you don't love me the way I love you. I understand it's too soon and I don't expect an answer immediately." He took a deep breath and released Jimin from his embrace. "If you want space to think things through, I'll give you that. If you figure out that you can't love me, I'll respect your decision. I don't want you to be with me just because you think you owe me. You owe me nothing." Jungkook's heart clenched and he had to pause so his voice wouldn't break. "Give me a chance, only if you think I'm worth it."

"Jungkook-ah..." Jimin turned fully to face him, tears rolling down his cheeks.

"I love you so much that it hurts, hyung." Jungkook let his own tears fall. "But guilt-tripping you is the last thing I want to do. I want to court you again because I like you. Will you give me chance, hyung? Not as your past lover. We can start over. I'll just be the man you met at work. I—"

Jimin silenced him with a kiss. Jungkook froze but started moving his lips when Jimin moved his lips gently. Jimin coaxed his lips with his tongue and Jungkook opened his mouth giving full access. He let Jimin take control once again, just relishing the way the eldest kissed him—full of love and passion."

Jungkook always thought Jimin's kisses were full of passion. If anything, the intensity of his kisses had only gotten deeper and he loved every moment. Jimin's hands tugged at his hair, angling his head in a way so he could kiss him deeper. Jungkook bent pouring all the love he felt into the kiss. He threaded through Jimin's hair and—

"Oh, ah...I'll come later then."

They broke the kiss, breathing heavily. Jimin's face turned red as he quickly averted his face. Taehyung approached with a smirk and Jungkook rolled his eyes. It didn't bother him because he'd walked in on them in far worse situations in the past.

"I left something under your pillow for near future use," he leaned to Jungkook's ear and whispered.

Jimin looked up, a frown tugging at his lips. "What are you telling him?" he asked, narrowing his eyes at Taehyung.

Jungkook chuckled. Jimin hated when Taehyung did that. He immediately assumed it was about him because there were no secrets between them.

Taehyung's smirk widened. "Oh, I was just saying that I left a pack of condoms and lube under his pillow in case you guys needed."

Jimin's eyes went wide like saucers, his face resembling a tomato.

"Oh, please..." Taehyung rolled his eyes. "I've walked in on you guys far more than I can count and I helped this kid plan your first time together. So, don't go blushing at my expense. Now, I'll go and give you guys some space." He pivoted on his heels before Jimin or Jungkook could respond. "Have fun," he shouted over his shoulders and soon the front door was closing.

"Ah..." Jungkook scratched his neck. "Sorry about that."

Jimin bit his lips and nodded. "I think I have to get used to this now."

Jungkook chuckled giving him a nod. "So...um, what do you say?"

This time when Jimin met his gaze, he smiled. "I want to start over, Jungkook-ah. I don't know what I feel for you now, but I like you. Like...a lot." He looked down and took another breath. "Thanks for giving me another chance, Jungkook-ah. I won't disappoint you this time."

Jungkook kissed him.

Until we meet again...💜💜💜