^^ JUNGKOOK ^^

I trudged up the mountain making sure not to fall back as I glanced at Shanshan, who was already ahead five meters from me and taking pictures of the forest. "Tss, until now, her passion for photography is within her."

"Faster, what's taking you so slow?" she turned to me before taking a snapshot of me.

I did another smile and a 'peace sign' with my fingers before she could take another picture. I fixed my backpack on my bag before pacing to her. She waited for me, then continued to walk with the camera in her hands.

I had been thinking about that comment last night. "Is it really impossible for a guy to stay friends with a girl without feeling anything for her?"

"There's our treehouse. We're here!" She exclaimed before facing me with a cheeky look, the flat clearing and a hint of the tree house' roof appearing before my eyes. "Wanna race?"

"If I win, the extra cup of noodles is mine," I said confidently.

"Ok. The winner gets to eat the extra ramen." She repeated as we both positioned ourselves. "One... two..."

"Three!"

We sprinted towards the treehouse while playing dirty tricks on each other. There was no way we played a game without cheating on each other. It always happens.

"Stay here! The ramen's mine!" Shanshan yelled as she clung to my backpack, pulling me back.

"That's what you think!" I laughed before tripping her with my legs.

"Ahh! You don't know how to treat a lady right!" She shouted on the ground.

I giggled to myself. Suddenly, Shanshan gripped my leg with her hands. "Get away from me, you sloth!" I yelped while trying to get her hands off.

"I'm not a sloth! Cause I'm fast enough to overtake a rabbit-like you!" She panted, locking her legs on mine. "AHAHAH! You can't get away!"

"Tickle!" I said before tickling her armpits.

"Ah- no! Stop! Hahaha! Stoooooop!" She jerked, trying to resist while I continued to tickle her with amusement.

Our laughter echoed through the forest, only us hearing our own screams and voices. Finally, the stupid sloth became tired and let go.

I winked at her with a sneer before pacing towards the treehouse with victory. I laughed in success, looking back to tease her. "Sloth!"

"You didn't win. You cheated!" She replied, walking towards me while catching her breath.

I smiled, wiping a bead of sweat from my forehead. "This brings back our old memories."

^^ SHANSHAN ^^

We climbed up the ladder as soon as our breaths calmed down. It has been a habit for us to visit our little treehouse each time we go home to Busan. Just like in the old days, we love to go to this small hideout, providing us a healing space and relaxation. I was glad, very very glad, that the things I used to do with him during our childhood were still what we are doing. I am overwhelmed that he is still my best friend, my family. There's nothing more I want to ask.

"Noodles for you," Jungkook spoke behind me, who was already done preparing our snack.

I left the window and took a cup of noodles from the table. I settled myself on the single bed and started to eat too.

"Whoah, this tastes so gooood!" He tried to speak with his mouth stuffed with spicy food.

"What should we do later?" I asked. "We only have a few hours left before returning to Seoul."

"I don't have anything in mind, actually. I just want to roam around the forest and inhale the air."

"And we can take pictures of you! You can be my model." I said, liking the idea.

He answered with a nod, savoring the spicy food in front of him.

^^ JUNGKOOK ^^

"By the way, I have a question."

"What is it?" She asked mindlessly while wiping her runny nose caused by the spicy food.

I gulped. I was not sure if it was a good idea to talk about this with Shanshan. "Do you think, in the future, we can still consider each other as friends?"

"Yes. Why do you ask?" She asked back, putting away the empty cup on the table while squatting on the bed.

"I'm just wondering... what if one of us falls in love?" I dropped my eyes on my food as soon as I spoke.

She shrugged her shoulders. "Then we're in big trouble... ah... n-no, no no no," she murmured while rubbing her arms and belly, trying to shake off the thought. "You can't fall in love with me! And I find it very weird and impossible to fall in love with you."

I scoffed. "Why can't you? And Why can't I?"

"Listen! We've been friends for a long time! We are so used to each other, knowing each other's flaws and the weirdest things we did- ah!" She threw her hand on her head as if she could get a fever from blushing too hard. "I can only go as far as being your sister!"

"Everyone is saying that I am the standard for a perfect boyfriend material, though." I winked at her playfully, grinning at how she reacted. "But my best friend doesn't even have a crush on me. Why is that? Hahaha!"

"Stop doing that. It's disgusting." She said, trying to speak coldly.

"Can't you admit once that I made your heart flutter?"

"Stop asking those nonsense questions on me," she pointed at me. "I may be fluttered by your handsomeness, but I'll never develop any feelings for you."

Once again, I saw her pale cheeks go pink from blushing.

It was beautiful.

I didn't know that flirting with her could shake off her boldness. How cute.

^^. . . ^^

"Oh, you're back, " Hobi-hyung's voice startled me as I was silently opening my room in the hallway of our dorm, trying to walk in without being caught by my members.

"Y-yeah," I answered casually, clutching the pack of food in my arms. "Of course. Shanshan kept her words." She promised to return me to my brothers today.

"And what is that?" Hyung pointed at the thing I was holding.

Suddenly, Jin-hyung's door opened. "Yah Jungkookah!"

The mention of my name made another door open, Jimin-hyung and Taehyung's heads sticking out, their eyes obviously saying that they've been playing Overwatch again.

"Who told you to run, huh?" Jin-hyung said while approaching me with a frown. "Where have you been going with Shanshan?"

"Ops. I'm done."

"Come here!" He growled while I started to step back with a stupid grin.

"Hyung, are you challenging me to a duel?" I chuckled while running along the hallway.

"Stop him stop him!" J-hope ordered the two 95s while watching us amusingly.

Taehyung immediately stopped me, hugging me from behind. "Hyung! Let go of me." I laughed.

"You stubborn pig!" Jimin-hyung said while threatening to tickle me.

"Don't! The food might fall!" I warned him.

Jin-hyung and Hobi-hyung walked towards us as Yoongi-hyung and Rapmon-hyung got out of their rooms, disturbed by our noise.

"Jungkookie is back, I see," Yoongi- hyung yawned before going back in.

"Taehyung, hold him well," Jin-hyung commanded in a facetious manner, threatening to tickle me too.

"Ah, no! Hyung, let me go!" I wriggled, trying to escape, but he just kept on holding me tight with the help of Jimin-hyung.

Rapmon-hyung walked to us. "You outsmarted us yesterday. We almost reported you to our manager."

He's joking. I know they won't do it. No matter how many times I didn't listen to them, they still covered for me. That's how my brothers love me so much.

"Sorry, I won't do it again," I grinned as Taehyung let go of me. "That would be the lasteeeeest time."

"You better keep your word," Jin-hyung replied, snatching the food away from me. "And what do you have here?"

"Ah. Eomma cooked spicy rice cakes for you." I answered, fixing my clothes from the chase while he opened the lid to inhale the smell.

"Oh, really?" Jimin-hyung exclaimed as he looked over the food from Jin-hyung's hands.

"Whoa, your mom made an effort to make this," RM-hyung said, looking at the food.

Taehyung took a look too. "I don't like spicy food, but maybe I can just take a bite."

"Stop hovering over it. It would lose its taste!" Hobi-hyung said while I caught him swallowing his saliva.

I chuckled. "It's all yours," I said before walking away with a smirk, leaving my brothers in the hallway while gathered around the food.

I dropped myself on the bed and let out a sigh. I am back in the city. Tomorrow, things will get back to my usual routine again. After staring at the ceiling for a long, I got up and walked into the bathroom. I threw away my clothes and started to remove my pieces of jewelry. Just then, my fingers came across my new bracelet, the gift I received from Shanshan.

While we were in the forest, I saw her wearing the same one on her own wrist. "She didn't tell me that it was a couple bracelet," I smiled to myself. I finished removing all my bracelets and earrings before stepping inside the divider, except for the bracelet she gave me.

"She told me to wear it forever."

^^. . ^^

^^ The following chapters are going to be insane, I swear. ^^