https://youtu.be/v8oqbWrP1QY

Just the Two of Us - Grover Washington Jr.

Jungkook

Ulrich had to nurse me while Taehyung Hyung drove me back to the hostel. I l was looking outside the car all the way, trying to not expel the contents of my stomach. I was mortified, but not as much as I was drunk. I closed my eyes and thought of what couldn't become my reality. If it was any alternate universe where Jimin didn't exist, I'd have gone for Taehyung Hyung.

But I was stuck in the world where he walked, breathed, and smiled. I wanted to push him to the limits. If he doesn't like me, he should fucking say that then. I thought there were two ways to deal with my situation. One; ignore Jimin and believe that he'll forget that tonight happened. Two; see through it until the end. I had nothing to lose.

A realization came to me, the logical thought of my insane mind. My school years had been the constant rounds of good grades, rules, and facades. A part of the reason why I wanted to study away from home had to do with coming out of that show that I'd perfected so well. I was an obedient son to my father, a loving one to my mother, and a cheerful friend to my grandmother, but I didn't know who I wanted to be on my own. What was my role in that show as myself? What was my character?

I thought it would take months on the path of self-discovery, but it turned out, I needed to put the fear of disappointing my parents in the box and turn back to life with clear lenses.

It only took me weeks to discover that I was adamant, a visionary. The biggest question was, what did I have to lose if saw it through to the end? I was free.

Free to drink beer whenever I wanted.

Free to play any game I wanted.

Free to pursue my heart if I wanted. And I wanted, no, needed to follow my heart. I hadn't yet witnessed someone like Jimin, and I'd never felt so strongly attracted to anyone before, both physically and emotionally. There was something conspiratorial in Germany's air. The divine intervention was so clear that it would take a stupid to ignore it.

The moment my eyes fell on the mop of pink, my breath stopped.

My heartthrob turned out to be an acquaintance of my roommate.

Our paths crossed again on the first day.

God was giving me a hint. He was holding a pen and waiting for me to make my move so he could finalize one stage of my life. I had to take the chance. So what if Rosenow is a perfect anomaly in my path? I had to own my life, and I wasn't going to sulk.

**

I woke up with a hangover. My stomach was growling as if it wanted me to save it from the fire inside. My head was splitting into many pieces, and my throat was as dry as a dune.

The first rule of hostelers; never look drunk, even if you are drowning in the feeling.

I kicked aside my shoes that were placed inverted on the side of my bed as I got up and walked toward the washroom. Ulrich was snoring, his ass up, face down on the pillow. He wasn't a light sleeper, that only strengthened our friendship. He was never bothered by my clumsy attempts of tripping over objects that created sharp noises after bedtime. I was always out in the night, trying to catch one glimpse of a group of seniors. He was always the one to sleep early. I knew he would become a successful doctor one day.

Showering with ice-cold water knocked sense in my body, but also took sensations away. I was a shivering yet numb mass of muscles when I came out in a towel and found that Ulrich was up, a book in his hands that he kept by his bedside for light reading — Anatomy and Physiology of Heart.

I raised my chin at him. He did the same. "Better now?"

"Nothing even happened," I shrugged, hoping he would quit it.

"I don't wanna go back. Take me back to the part-tey. I guess I was hearing things then." He bared his teeth at the book.

The next moment, his wide eyes were tracing my hands as I snatched his "light read" and put it behind my back. "You'll not say one word about that or you'll never find your books."

"Fine, fine," he rose on his knees to go behind me and I let him snatch the book back. Ulrich had a good two inches on me, but when it came to strength, I was the beast.

"Let's skip the medicine class today." I got up and paced to the armoire on my side of the room. Ulrich had an identical one too on his side, but he had far less stuff than I did, so I also used half of his space.

"I agree with you the first time." I heard him snapping the book shut. The thing was so thick that it made significant noise if the spine was straightened.

I cocked my eyes at him. "Really?" He always protested against my ideas and told me I'd get us in trouble. The thing was, I was never sure what I was doing, but breaking rules was addicting after being a follower for a lifetime. The feeling of adventure was growing on me, and I was learning a trick or two to avoid getting caught.

"I'll be a doctor. I'll pet a parrot to learn the medicine names and recite them for me." He got in action.

My face must have given me away. "No, no, no," he held his hands the moment our eyes met as he slipped his feet into the flip-flops. "I am not going to do whatever you have in mind."

"You didn't even hear my plan."

"I don't need to."

"We are going to go enroll in soccer. I met Wolf's gang yesterday."

"Wolfgang," he corrected me in an accent. "His name is Wolfgang."

"Auburn hair, muscular build. You got it." I turned back, choosing the outfit for the day.

"I am not going anywhere with you. I'd rather go see Jimin sir. He said he'll help me with revision."

I was jostled like a lightning rod. "You know, you are always complaining about my ideas. I'll do whatever you are doing today."

He was in the bathroom, already brushing his teeth when he glared at me through the mirror and spat before turning to address me directly. "You," he pointed his brush at me, "will do as I say?"

"Whatever you want," I smiled brightly. It was a small price to pay. He liked boring things like playing the game of life or Spiel des Lebens. I knew these were classics there, but they did nothing more than put me to sleep. I thought I'd meet Wolfgang later when Ulrich was asleep. I put back the hoodie and took out a branded leather jacket.

By the time Ulrich was done with his morning routine, I had cleaned up his side of the bed and brought breakfast for both of us in our dorm. They didn't allow us the take-outs, but I learned quickly the art of convincing and the power of money.

Ulrich was suspicious of me was an understatement. "Did you put your Kimchi in the coffee?" He picked up the cup, sniffing it.

I laughed, my head falling back and my hands clapping together. "Even if I did, it's not poisonous."

He did eat nonetheless without complaints and we were soon on a sweet stroll to the seniors' dormitory. We passed by A-1, which was Taehyung Hyung's room. Jimin's was A-13, right at the end of the hallway. Ulrich stopped and dialed a number. When he spoke to Jimin, I felt jealous. He had his number. It was more disappointment than envy.

After what seemed like a confirmation from Jimin, he nodded and disconnected the call. "Let's go." He told me and I realized he was conversing in German before.

Ulrich knew the door was unlocked, so he twisted the handle and my throat appeared with a ball size of a fist. I couldn't breathe, but I didn't let it show.

"Schließe die Tür hinter dir," Jimin's voice came. (Close the door behind you.)

As Jimin's eyes met mine, his hands in his hair stopped before he let them roll back and pointed towards the sofa set. "Have a seat," he mumbled and disappeared behind a door, which I assumed was the kitchen. When I was here the last and the first time, I didn't notice it. The room still smelled like Dahlias and something like Jimin.

"You wanted to see Taehyung Hyung? Didn't you?" Ulrich wiggled his brows at me, probably noticing how pale my face suddenly got.

"Oh, yeah," I recounted he thinks I like Taehyung Hyung. "But shh." I glared at him indignantly.

We were conversing in secretive and hushed tones when Jimin returned with two big mugs. Ulrich reached out for it at the same time as I spoke. "I already had breakfast, Hyung."

Jimin's eyes narrowed a little bit as he looked at my face. Ulrich also stopped to see what would he say. "This is the good stuff, Jungkook. Drink it. Sharpens the head so that you can get through with it all." There was an edge to his voice. I didn't know why but it felt as though his displeasure wasn't directed at the fact that I was here, but it was at something else.

The moment I took the mug, he fell on the chair which was near Ulrich's side and they began to speak into a book. I looked around, drinking my very tasty smoothie and feeling like an outsider. Even if our birthplace was the same, Jimin had more in common with Ulrich than me.

"Why don't you go and invite Taehyung? He is good with the peripheral nervous system. This thing bores me to death." Jimin spoke and I only heard that Ulrich was going to leave the room and I would be alone with him.

Ulrich shot me an obvious look before he stood up, cleared his throat, and walked out.

Jimin's head was leaned back on his chair as he softly massaged his eyes. "Hyung," I ventured courageously.

His hands stopped before he sat upright. "Don't use that word, Jungkook," his tone was stern, but it also had something that I correlated with a soft spot.

"Hyung?" I asked, my tone incredulous. I remembered Ulrich also told me not to."Why?" I asked after he nodded in confirmation.

He let out a heavy sigh. "You need to know that you don't want to be part of favoritism. If anyone heard you, they'd call you out on it."

"But that's-"

"Consider this a teaching from a senior," Jimin interrupted. "I know you offer respect, but don't let people talk of prejudice against certain groups. All juniors and seniors have to maintain a certain decorum. I hope you understand."

I understood now and he nodded timidly, but even when a very sleepy-looking Taehyung Hyung barged in and sat beside him, even when they all started talking and studying, I couldn't help but smile softly, tangled in my own thoughts. If Jimin warned me about something with the best intentions at heart, it only meant that he cared. It was enough for me...for now.

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24 Feb, 2022