ㅡ love's paradox.

yugyeom hears them talking about him; his other dance crew members.

he hears them muttering, berating, how he shouldn't be so pitiful for hinself, how he shouldn't snatch the criwn prince away now that he's married, how he should keep his words to himself and not nose into other people's affairs. he hears and he remains silent, not knowing what to do.

what can he do anyway? it's true.

"taehyung!" jimin waves as he sees the blonde at the door, not realising how the other male had a stoic look on his face. "did you arrive home safely last-" he cut his own words off as taehyung walks past him, not a single word uttered to the silver haired.

what the hell was that?

jimin stares into space as mr. choi teaches, wondering what he might have done wrong that made taehyung ignore him in class the whole day. he sighs as the bell goes off and as he keeps his things, he looks up to see someone at his table, smile so plastic it didn't even pass off as a smile.

"i'm sorry if i didn't talk to you today, i wasn't ignoring you, i just have a lot of things im my mind lately" the male explains, remaining silent as jimin stands up from his seat and smiles, "it's alright, but you know you can tell me anything right? is something bothering you?"

you, god it's always been you park jimin and i'm going insane.

"nothing i couldn't take care off, don't worry yeah? besides, you should go, jungkook is probably already waiting for you already" jimin's eyes widen at that, totally forgetting that class has ended and throws a quick goodbye to the male before rushing down.

as night time looms, jimin finds himself in his room doing nothing since he had already finished his schedule for the day and stares at his ceiling for god knows how long. after an eternity perhaps, it was just ten minutes, he makes a move to sit up and pushes his door to leave and spend his time at the garden.

he finds another presence, however, roaming around the garden and hears camera shutters going off. "jungkook" said male hums, and jimin knows jungkook knows his presence there, he just didn't bother to acknowledge it. he hates jungkook.

"what are you doing here? aren't you supposed to be asleep" jungkook finally says after a terse silence between them, jimin just watching as jungkook take shots after shots of flowers and the surrounding, occasionally taking pictures of the sky, sparkly stars decorating pitch black darkness.

"i could be asking you the same thing" and it's now that jimin realises jungkook's been using the camera jimin got him for his birthday and his heart does a weird skip, not that he bothers to find out why, absolutely.

jungkook doesn't reply, instead he lowers his camera for a nanosecond, looking at the silver haired before bringing it back up, angling to the other's face and before jimin could say anything, the shutter goes off. and many more after that.

"jungkook why the hell are you taking pictures of me" the replies he got were more pictures taken at different angles and he's gotten enough, moving from his spot amd going after the male, "jungkook, stop" he sees the smile painting jungkook face and the laugh he emits, not stopping his actions till jimin pokes at his sodes and the camera almost falls if not for the straps around his neck as he yelps, eyes going wide as jimin stares at him, a grin slowly forming.

"are you ticklis-"

"no! go away" he answers, a little to fast to believe and jimin stars poking at his sides again, making jungkook squirm and laugh, backing away and tries to stop the other, until his back hits the wall and since they were sort of fighting, jimin's reflexes didn't kick in and he bumps into jungkook, feels hands around his waist as their faces were an inch away from one another, panting softly.

jimin was the first to move, aware of their position and jungkook removes his hand from the other's waist, hands going to rub the nape of his neck, feels his cheeks heating up as an awkward silence spreads within them.

"that night. . ." jimin starts, jungkook snapping his head up to gaze into brown eyes equally as entranced as he is, "i'm sorry if i kissed you" jimin sighs out. they hadn't talk about it at all, tiptoes around each other for a few days after that kiss, both too afraid to speak out their thoughts until it was as if it didn't happen. but now that they're here, why not?

"sorry? why are you- you didn't mean it?" jungkook asks, a little bewildered, a little hurt that jimin didn't-

"what? of course i did. i just, maybe it was at the heat of the moment you know? i've always- ah it doesn't matter anyways, i know you didn't want it to happen though, that's why i'm sorry. i mean we're nothing right? no feelings, no strings attached, just two people who were asked to marry for the sake of a promise and i'm still sorry you had to marry me. i hope, after two years, i would be able to leave and you would be able carry on your life with yugyeom, because he's the one you really love and really, i'm just" he squeaks softly when soft lips shuts him up and arms were wrapped around his waist, not letting him go.

jimin just gapes, eyes shining with incredulity and jungkook brings a finger up to his lips, rubbing the flesh as he stares, and god, it's as if he holds the galaxies in his dark orbs, gleaming beautifully under the moonlight, or maybe jimin's just drowning in them, he doesn't know.

"don't, please just don't say that. because as days goes by, i-" he whispers, closing his eyes and jimin wants to sees them but his heart is having palpitations he finds it hard to breathe.

"what?" is all he manages to croak out, not trusting his voice at the moment.

"you're beautiful park jimin" jungkook says, caressing the apple of his cheeks and really, jimin's having a hard time to even comprehend anything right now, but he leans into the touch, hand coming to hold the one in his face, enjoying the bliss of the moment, even if it's for a little while.

"the prince had left earlier for his morning greeting your highness" jimin blinks, confused but nods his head, making his own way to the main palace, wondering why jungkook had left first. he usually waits for him.

as the servant announces the crown prince's arrival, his makes his way in and takes a seat beside the other, throwing a glare at him which made jungkook raise a brow before shrugging it off.

"crown prince, you look wonderful today" the great queen smiles and jimin thanks her, bashful and flustered when it comes to complements. "the crown prince is already a grown man" the king suddenly speaks up, smiling at his mother when she looks at him, perplexed.

"he had come in earlier to get permission for the both of them to stay over jimin's house for a few days" jimin looks up in shock, turning to see the smug look plastered on jungkook's face as he stares back. "to me, it's good for the prince to have a change of the environment for a few days, it'll be good for the future royal family's successor, what do you think great queen?"

"the prince is supposed to stay over his in-laws house for a few days after their wedding, isn't it our tradition?" she smiles, and it's settled then, the great queen's words are always final.

"you have no other plans, do you, jimin?"

"no, i'm fine with it, your highness" they make their usual morning greetings afterwards, and makes a mive back to their own domain to start packing.

jungkook walks ahead, not uttering a word after he had gotten that glare in the room but a hand stops him just as they entered their place, "i'm sorry for glaring earlier, i was a little upset you went off without me, but i didn't know you were asking for permission" jimin says softly and jungkook turns, his facade melting off as he sees the pout on his husband's lips. "i'm going to need a room to myself you know? ah, it's going to be hard living in your house, i can already tell. maybe i shouldn't go"

"well then i'm just going to go myself" jimin says petulantly and jungkook chuckles, tipping the male's chin up, "you think so? i was the one who asked for permission, they only allowed it because i'm going"

"why are you being mean?" jimin asks and his pout deepens, he can feel the tears already welling up in his eyes because he just wants to meet his parents, he miss them so much.

"hey love, i was just joking alright? please don't cry" jungkook panics as he sees how glossy jimin's eyes had became, a sheen of tears in them and he wipes them off softly, mentally cooing at how fragile and precious jimin could be. he interlaces their hands and kisses the crown of jimin's head, bringing him back to his room.

"lets go home yeah?"

ㅡ