"Jungkook-ah!"

Jungkook half-opened his eyes and threw AC's remote at the man who caught it and jumped on the spring mattress, causing the younger to slide towards the edge.

Scrunching his nose into a scowl, Jungkook picked his pillow and beat Jimin with it until all around them were cotton fibers and the two were sneezing like a hurricane.

Jimin had to drag Jungkook out of the room after turning the air filters to full capacity. The two sat with red noses and ears, looking at each other with lifeless eyes.

"You had to make one of the happiest days of my life into a tragedy, didn't you?" Jimin asked, leaning back on the couch.

"And I told you I wanted to keep sleeping in until late. Why do you have to always wake me up early on holidays?" Jungkook let his head fall onto Jimin's thighs and wrapped his arms around his torso.

The older immediately tended to Jungkook.

"What was it about?"

"I got the job, Kook."

"You did?" Jungkook sniffled and got up, shoving his face right across Jimin's. The older nodded with the grandest enthusiasm he could muster. "Oh, God! Why didn't you say so?" Jungkook instantly hugged the 22-year-old.

The older male rolled his eyes, but went on to hug back the younger male anyway. "I have a stronger case now."

"What case?" Jungkook bit Jimin's neck muscle, causing the man to muffle his moan inside.

"Did you forget we are going home tonight? I need to do something for your brain, Koo."

"This is because all of the blood just rushes to my nether region that my brain has stopped functioning, Hyung. I blame you."

Jimin licked the corner of his lips and smirked. "Can't you wait till marriage now? We are so close?" He patted Jungkook's head.

"Close?" Jungkook asked, standing up in offense. "You call this close? What if my parents say no? What if the marriage never happens?"

"Baby..." Jimin got up to cup Jungkook's cheeks and raised his brows. "We can do this."

"Ugh, fine!" Jungkook slapped Jimin's hands away and started brushing his white matching nightwear. "But in my opinion, we should. What if your stick doesn't stick well? What will I do then? I can't divorce you."

"As a person who has stuck his stick before, I can assure you it works just fine. What about your hole? What if it doesn't work? Did you ever think about that?" Smacking Jungkook's forehead with his fingers softly, Jimin walked past him and into their kitchen.

"It's a hole, Hyung!" Jungkook yelled from the living room. "What wrong can it do? What about your hole, huh?"

"You'll never find out."

Jungkook didn't scream, but his feet retreated when Jimin pulled off a successful jumpscare in front of his face. "Now shut up." Pulling Jungkook by his waist, Jimin began to kiss him wildly. Just as he felt the younger's boner rubbing against his, he released the 20-year-old man.

"Are you sure you wanna wait?" Jungkook asked, lurking ahead and making Jimin wear his arms around his neck.

"Yes."

"Are you sure you can wait?"

"No," Jimin groaned and pushed Jungkook back. "Stay away from me, you tempter." He pointed his finger at the younger in warning while the latter grinned mischievously.

Jimin was holding restraint on behalf of the two of them. The only thing that stopped Jimin was his integrity, knowing that Jungkook was never the one to herald the hook-up culture and he looked up to romance from novels. What was the better way than to wait until marriage?

**

"How do I look?" Jimin asked.

"Like a frog, a total frog face."

Jimin shot a glare at Jungkook.

"You are effortlessly beautiful, Jimin Hyung. How can you look any other way when you took three hours in a salon, one hour choosing the outfit, and another hour in choosing your shoes?"

"I still couldn't get the tie."

"What's wrong with the one you have?" The younger pouted in the offense.

"You got me this when you were seventeen."

"So?"

"So? It has puppy faces all over it and I am going to ask your parents for your hand in marriage."

Jungkook held the bridge of his nose. "Hyung," he breathed, now hands fixing over Jimin's shoulders patiently. "If they are going to say no to you, it's not going to be because of puppies."

"Jungkook I don't have patience today. Please don't play with me."

Pouting indignantly, Jungkook scowled. "Look at me. I am in knickers."

"That's because you are adorable, my baby," Jimin pouted, creasing his brows as he pulled Jungkook in his arms to hug him, to reverse the knots in his stomach that was rendering him nauseous and dizzy.

"It's going to be alright, Jimin-ah," the younger patted Jimin's head like the older often did whenever he was downcast. "My parents like you. No. They love you. Since-"

"I know since when," Jimin pulled away enough to grab Jungkook's chatterbox shut. "But it's still early, baby. We haven't graduated yet. We have a whole college year. What if they feel we are too young to be married. I don't think I can live without you anymore. Once we graduate, you would have to come back home. I would have to stay alone. Why don't you say something? I can't stop speaki-"

It was now Jungkook's turn to shut Jimin up, but he used his lips instead of his hands after he managed to pull Jimin's palms away from his mouth.

Jimin's creases straightened within seconds as he felt the sweet lips on his own, the feeling of home and the sense of protection and belongingness passed over him. It was like Jungkook dissolved intoxication from his mouth into Jimin's heart, he calmed suddenly. His fingers curled around the hefty man's tiny waist and with closed eyes, he let Jungkook lead him, dominate the kiss because it felt so good to relax and let his lover decide what ecstasy he was willing to show.

With a wet and soft smacking sound, the two separated. "It's going to be okay, Hyung. Trust me. We are young, sure. But we are in love and there's nothing wrong in marrying early if we know we are doing it for love. I have seen people marrying for so many reasons at their right age, but there's no love."

"Really? Whom did you see?" Jimin asked, eyes squinting as he tried to recollect.

"I have read in novels. There was one when a man asked his partner to say no at the altar, but he said ye-."

"Jimin?" Mrs. Jeon called the young man and his breath got caught in his lungs. "What are you two doing outside. It's hot out here. When do your parents arrive?"

**

Jimin sat between their fathers and Jungkook sat between their mothers. Up until now, anyone could feel the tension if they walked inside the room, yet no one was talking about the elephant in the room.

Mr. Park slightly patted Jimin's knee, indicating that dinner would be over soon and he should strike the conversation now.

Jimin gulped for the nth time and exhaled, looking at Jungkook for a moment and seeing the boy smiling through his predicament. The second youngest male in the room cleared his throat. "Would you like some dessert, honey?" Mrs. Jeon interrupted and Jungkook rolled his eyes.

Jimin smiled slightly, politely waving his hands in denial.

He cleared his throat again. "It's really good. You should try it, Jimin. Jungkook tells us that you love dark chocolate."

Jungkook scowled, feeling frustrated and the next thing was everyone flinching when he picked up the glass and clinked it hard with the spoon. "Jimin Hyung is trying to say something if you all can stop talking about the damn chocolates."

Jimin's heart threatened to jump out and splash into the dessert kept in front of him. The sudden onslaught of hormonal rush didn't help at all, just like Jungkook. "Go on, Hyung." The supportive boyfriend smiled.

Jimin forgot everything as he looked at Jungkook beaming at that moment. He had to have him. This was his time. Mr. Jeon and Mrs. Jeon looked clueless as they exchanged glances.

Clearing his throat for the third time, Jimin got up from his chair and sat on the floor, folding his legs and just letting the floor be one with him. With his head bowed, he let out another exhale. "As you know, uncle and aunty... I have been dating Jungkook since high school. I wouldn't say that we are dating anymore because we have matured above that phase in our relationship."

Mrs. Jeon now smiled, the tears hit her so suddenly and she covered her mouth. She knew what was happening. "I want to say that I love Jungkook with all my being. I want to take care of him for the rest of my life. If I could have your permission, I'd like Jungkook's hand in marriage."

Mrs. Jeon waited for Mr. Jeon to say something, but the man sat frozen on his chair. The Parks' looked at Jungkook closing his fingers so tight that his knuckles turned white and red with pressure. Jimin was sure he would pass out if no one spoke soon.

"Isn't it too early for marriage?" Mr. Jeon finally said something.

The eyes of the man on the floor suddenly stung. His head whipped up, quickly glancing at Jungkook whose chin was starting to quiver, and he couldn't let that happen. "No, uncle. I mean, yes. Yes, it is kind of soon, but we have everything planned. We already live together and we are familiar with each other's habits. I got the job this morning. The pay is really good and I have a whole plan of having my own dance company in Korea within the next five years."

The desperation in Jimin's voice caused Jungkook's tears to freely wander. He felt that his parents weren't going to approve. Mrs. Park held his palm under the table, rubbing her thumb over his soft skin. Jimin didn't know a proper way to say that he couldn't imagine living without Jungkook anymore.

"Hmm," The man hummed. It was technically not a word, but at least a sound came out of him. "How much are you going to earn?"

"50K$ annually, but that's initial salary. If I work harder, I can have incentives too," Jimin added quickly. He felt that Mr. Jeon wasn't impressed by his opinion. "I-I will work harder, uncle. I promise."

"When do you start?"

"After a month."

"How about your studies? How will you cope with your business major and dance final year?"

"I will take online classes that are pretty flexible. My company knows and they support my education. I will adapt."

"And Jungkook doesn't want to work after marriage. You don't have a problem with that?" Mr. Jeon squinted his eyes.

Jimin gulped in order to hydrate his throat, but his lips and insides were so dry that he felt his throat walls stuck together. He opened his mouth with difficulty. "Of course not, sir."

Mrs. Jeon saw how Jimin quickly wiped his sweat with his cuffs and she felt pitiful toward the young man. At the same time, she hardly saw this side of her husband, so it surprised her and also turned her on.

Jimin flinched when Mr. Jeon suddenly got up from his chair and sat on the floor. Leaning towards Jimin's ear, he whispered something. Everyone looked curiously while Jimin nodded his head excitedly. Mr. Jeon then helped the younger get up. He could feel Jimin's body trembling so he supported him to walk around and stand beside Jungkook's chair.

Jungkook let go of his semblance as he pouted and sniffled, wanting so badly to be held into protective arms after feeling frightened. "Will you marry me, Jungkook?" Jimin pulled out a ring in front of him and the younger's eyes went wide as his jaw trembled.

The two went over the plan over and over, deciding what to say, and how to say it, yet he had no clue Jimin was keeping the diamond from him all this time. "Mm," Jungkook nodded his head, not finding his voice when he needed it as the older slid the ring on his finger.

Jimin looked at his face, taking in the happiness in his eyes, it made him complete, it brought him confidence after the admission of his love, after taking permission to love. Leaning down, he placed a sweet kiss on Jungkook's cheek and hugged him.

The two shaking bodies when met with each, they found warmth, plying the coldness away. "Yes," Jungkook found his voice again. "I will marry you, Hyung." He whispered and gripped Jimin's shirt hard, pulling it out of the belt where it was tucked.

Jimin looked like he had worked twelve hours straight in the sun which was evident by the patches of sweat on his shirt around his neck and underarms. He spent hours only to become like this. But he didn't care about his shirt or his face. All he felt was a desire to never pull away from his hug.

25 May 22