Episode Seventeen

Jungkook stood up slowly, head dizzy like waking from a daze. His lips were swollen, thick under his tongue as he drew it across them.

He looked over to the bathroom door where Jimin had shut himself inside, barely a second had passed but Jungkook felt the time draw out like a coil being pulled from one end.

What was Jimin thinking right now? What was Jungkook? Less than a month ago they were media's favorite rivals and now - well not so much. 

Jungkook took a step towards the bathroom, his hand reaching out towards it before it dropped down to his side. His lips still buzzed. He pictured Jimin's back sliding against the bathroom door, his own thoughts spinning in his head. Jungkook swallowed, running a hand through his hair before leaving out Jimin's front door instead of banging on that bathroom door.

The wind was warm, the breeze wrapping around him like a soft blanket. He pushed through it, walking as if through water. Only a couple steps away from Jimin's house did his shoulder connect with a girl's. So lost in thought and his own panic, he focused on the ground below him and hadn't bothered to look up. Granted, it was almost the middle of the night and so he hardly expected to find anyone else.

The girl was beautiful. Her skin was dark, shining like crystals born from a long-cooled volcano under the street lights. Her eyes hazel, a blaze of gold ringing around the iris paired with a scatter of freckles across her face as vast as the stars above them. She wore her hair loose, a mass of frizz shaping her angular face, gorgeous in how it floated around her. Her cheeks blushed red and her eyes darted to Jimin's front door before glancing back at Jungkook. Her mouth fell open, words stuck in her throat as clever and surprised eyes darted across Jungkook's features.

"Sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going." Jungkook said, shaking off the encounter as he pushed past her and deeper into the street. She didn't chase after him nor call out. Suddenly Jungkook could feel how alone he was. The street gave way to nature as the road was replaced with rocks which led to dry grass and the edge of a cliff overlooking LA's coast. Jimin picked his house for the view after all, barely a ten-minute walk to the water. Though that was most of California if you were rich enough.

Jungkook couldn't quite name what made him run from the house, just as Jimin had run away himself. He could have banged on the door, fantasized about it now, but at the moment his chest was filled with a great weight.

Jimin. His idol. His role-model. His mentor and friend. Had kissed him back.

Jungkook wouldn't lie and pretend it'd been because of the script. The way their lips moved against each other, Jimin's fingers in Jungkook's hair, that look of bewilderment in his eyes when Jungkook reciprocated, only an idiot would call the whole thing acting. Something was real there, some kernel born, and Jimin had to have felt it too.

Jungkook looked out into the ocean, listening to the waves as he sat down on the patchy grass. He leaned on his back arms, the push and pull of roaring water filtering through his ears. That had been his first real kiss since Namjoon had cheated and left. How many years had Namjoon been in love with someone else? How many years did it really take to fall for someone?

Jungkook's head spun.

Another crash of water against the bottom of the cliff boomed. Jungkook slowed in a breath. He licked his lips and let his heart calm into the pace of the water below him. For the first time in a long time, Jungkook's mind floated away from Namjoon and that pain and instead became a storm filled with thoughts of Jimin. Of their lips against each other, the red on Jimin's cheeks, and the things, the wonderful wonderful things, that he could do to him if Jimin allowed.

Jungkook thought then that he heard Namjoon's voice over the wind and water, a small whisper of Jungkook's name, and Jungkook smiled at the memory of his voice.

"It's time I say goodbye to you." Jungkook said into the air. Maybe a small part of him was relieved Jimin had run; maybe Jungkook needed to do this first too.

He thought of Namjoon sitting at the foot of their bed, a hand rubbing Jungkook's calve as he stared down at the ground, not meeting Jungkook's eyes. The way he took the time to gather those intelligent words that always weighed on the back of his throat like a leather-bound book needing to be hauled open. I love her, Jungkook.

Jungkook blinked, surprised his eyes were dry as he closed them. In Seoul, he always had to travel hours out to Busan to hear water like this. Yet LA was blessed with the ocean one step away. It felt endless, standing up on that cliff with his back to Jimin's house and his front to the vast world before him. Like nothing before mattered and everything after was just a step away. So he let the memory come and go just like the waves beneath him. 

"It's time." He said again, smiling with a nod and gave the water one last lingering look before returning back.

He thought of dozens of things to say to Jimin on his walk. Look, I know there's something between us. I want to try. Or maybe hey since your cooking is bad, come over and I'll make the next meal. Was that too forward? Not direct enough? Maybe not the best wording now that he thought it over. I want to try again with you. No no, he might misunderstand that one. Oh, what about let's go on a real date - and call it that too. I think you're amazing and I respect you so much and your lips feel like fire -

Jungkook stopped short.

There was a car in front of Jimin's house. It was silver and sleek, low to the ground with expensive looking wheels. Jungkook furrowed his brows, it was almost one in the morning.

He checked his phone, surprised to find texts from Jimin. How long had Jungkook been out?

I'm so sorry, can we talk? 12:01

Jungkook are you mad? I can't find you anywhere. 12:10

Please get home safe. 12:58

Jungkook couldn't breathe as his eyes scanned between the text and the time difference each. Shit why didn't I just check my fucking phone. 

Jungkook stepped closer, now only steps away from Jimin's driveway before his feet sunk frozen into the concrete sidewalk. He heard Jimin's voice first, a murmur of its sweet sound carrying over the wind. He watched Jimin lean against his open door. Then Jungkook's eyes trailed to the broad shoulders and lean frame of Kim SeokJin who stood in front of him with flowers in his hands.

They were talking, but Jungkook was too far to hear what about. Jimin swayed, drunk from the wine and his lips clearly still swollen from their kiss. Something about that made Jungkook grin smugly, despite the fact that Seokjin seemed entirely calm. There was no tension in his frame or shake to his grip on the flowers. He seemed relaxed, entirely in control of himself.

Jungkook's smug grin dropped. 

Jimin's eyes sparked with annoyance and his jaw was set as Seokjin talked. Jungkook waited for Jimin to chase SeokJin away so Jungkook can come back inside.

A moment past.

Two.

Three.

And then he watched as Jimin finally invited SeokJin inside, closing the door behind him.

____________

A/N: alright alright my dudes, I have three locations and I need you all to choose one. Private Jet, Restaurant, or Photoshoot

- Vio

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