Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“I didn’t get any sleep. I was up all night. The sleeping pill didn’t even work,” Suji frowns looking at Jimin. Suji was one of Jimin’s longest patients—never a good thing when you’ve had a patient for too long. Unlike other instances in life, the best reward for a doctor was never seeing your patient again as it meant they were healthy and well. “Can I please get another dose, Dr. Park? I’m so tired. I’m completely exhausted. I just.. want to sleep,” she starts tearing up from frustration.

The room is still dark as the curtains are still drawn and he didn’t turn the light on when entering as it was still very early in the morning. Jimin watches the monitor for a few seconds to observe her vitals. He knew of that hell: not being able to fall asleep when you were utterly tired and exhausted. Mix that with wheezing, chest pain, coughing, beeping sounds, and wires connected all over your body? How could anyone get a proper sleep here?

“Another rough night, huh?” Jimin says regretfully now facing Suji when speaking to her. “You look good though right now, your vitals are stable. Coughing kept you up again?”

“Yep. I just… I just want to fucking sleep.” She’s crying by now. “Can you please give me something doctor? Please,” she pleads with desperateness.

Jimin smiles at her empathetically, “it’s morning now, and the rest of the team will want to see you for rounds and talk to you-“

“It’s…” Suji looks up at the clock and says, “not even 6am yet. You guys never come around till like 9. Sometimes later. I can get a few hours of sleep if I can manage to fall asleep now so can you please give me something. Stronger than what I got last night. I am so tired, Dr. Park. Please.” Tears fill the 22 year old’s eyes.

Jimin wonders every single fucking day if he’s working in the right field. Sure, he has the brains of a genius and he’s renown in the medical world after one of his groundbreaking scholarly article on congestive heart failure was published. And his magical hands full of precision and meticulousness have saved so many lives in surgery. Really, his CV was outstanding by the young age of 31; he was a medical prodigy.

But he was far too much of an empathetic person and wonders when the desensitization affect will kick in for him in his career. He’s already been working in this field for years and still, his heart hurt with each and every single one of his patients.

Jimin would always come into work a bit earlier before his shift so he could make his unofficial rounds alone to check on all his patients, chit chat with them a little, see how they were feeling, even though he’d make his rounds officially with the whole team. He’s been doing this ever since he was an intern, which is understandable since as a junior being on the bottom of the hierarchy you’d want to go above and beyond. But he never stopped this practice even during his residency and now as an attending, he still made his informal quick visits before he started his work shift and sometimes even after on his way out if he still had any energy left. He was that kind of doctor. The kind who genuinely cared about his patients as humans and not a mere patient ID number. Dr. Park Jimin is not only an expert cardiothoracic surgeon, but because of his empathetic heart, he really embodied the definition of a physician.

And right now, Suji’s tears were breaking his heart.

“How about this, I’ll put in orders for another sleep aid and I’ll put you at the bottom of our morning rounds list. I’ll tell the nurse to try to get your labs done right now as soon as I leave so they don’t wake you up later.” he smiles with a small smile. “Sound good?”

Suji sniffles and nods, wiping her nose with the loose end of her hospital gown short sleeve. Jimin walks over to the sink and grabs some tissues for his patient. “O-okay. Thank you doctor…”

“Suji… I know it’s hard. I know you’re frustrated. But hang in there, okay?” Jimin gently touches her shoulder and gives a small, encouraging nod. “We’ll get through this. I’m gonna let you sleep now. I’ll go put the orders in for the Ambien right now, okay?”

“Kay,” Suji nods, pulling up the thin, tough hospital blanket trying to get comfortable again in her hospital bed. Jimin is almost at the door when Suji smiles weakly and says, “I like your shirt, doctor. You have good style.”

Jimin turns around and chuckles. He was still in his regular clothes with his backpack on because Suji was literally his first stop. He’d always be in his plain clothes and not his scrubs if he was starting a morning shift and doing his informal visits. “This old thing? I just threw it on, haha.”

“You’re a good doctor, Doctor Park. And you have good fashion sense too. I’m really glad you’re my main attending doctor. I hope if I ever get out of here you’ll go on a date with me,” she smiles and looks like she has some life in her after all.

Jimin laughs and covers his face with his hand. This was Suji’s fifth time asking him out like this but it was still amusing and cute to the doctor that his patient was so bold and straightforward.

“Please?” She smiles cheekily.

“Let’s focus on getting you better first, okay?”

~

“SERGEANT BAEK, SERGEANT BAEK STAY WITH ME. YOU’RE OKAY, YOU’RE OKAY. STAY WITH ME, COME ON YOU GOT THIS OKAY. WE’RE GONNA BE OKA-“

“AGHHHHHHHH,” the injured soldier screams in pain as Jungkook picks him up and carries him over to a sheltered spot with two other soldiers following behind them.

There was a huge explosion and his comrade was suffering a blast injury, his whole body just mangled, limbs looking like they were hanging on by threads of skin, wires and shards of devices inches deep in his abdomen.

It’s a living nightmare.

Jungkook barks orders at the two other soldiers directing them what to do with the small medical box they managed to keep safe as he himself starts literally tying up the man’s arteries with his bare hands.

Blood everywhere, stomach, chest, legs-

*BOOM*

“Hey. Hey you okay??!” Yugyeom comes flying into Jungkook’s bedroom after hearing him scream.

3:34am. Jungkook pants and looks over at the clock and then at the ceiling remembering he was in his room at home with his roommate, safe and sound.

“Shit. You’re sweating so much, Kook. Again?”

Jungkook is still heaving from the horrible nightmare. Or, in more accurate terms, the flashback. “Yeah,” he answers quietly. “I’m okay. Go to sleep Yeom. Sorry.”

It has been almost 3 months since he’s been out of the army but the nightmares didn’t seem to stop. Sometimes it’d happen multiple times a week, sometimes if he got lucky, he’d go two weeks without one.

I couldn’t save you. I’m… I’m so fucking sorry. He squeezes his eyes shut as if doing so would erase the vivid memories of that day. A tear drop falls from Jungkook’s eyes but he’s glad his roommate Yugyeom didn’t turn the lights on so he couldn’t see.

After Jungkook got out of the army, he spent a two whole months at his parents just enjoying their company and being in the comfort of his childhood home. It was exactly he needed in trying to ease back into the civilian world after all the horrible things he’s experienced while on deployment. 

When he had decided to accept the trauma surgeon job offer at Seoul Medical Center, his good friend Yugyeom had told him he could crash with him until he got settled down or for as long as he’d like. He’s been here for a month now and he’s lost count how many times he’d woken up his friend because of his screaming in the middle of the night. He hadn’t planned on getting his own place just yet as Yugyeom’s condo was huge and he was living rent-free since his friend was a millionaire and wouldn’t accept rent money from him. Plus, the two of them got along really well as roommates, so he was just going to take his time and go with the flow in terms of apartment hunting. But Jungkook is thinking he should perhaps start apartment hunting now after all. He felt horrible for waking Yugyeom up yet again.

“Dude, don’t even be sorry, Kook. You need anything? Water?” Yugyeom was always so kind and sympathetic but Jungkook knew the man still had to get up for work in a few hours.

“No no. I’m okay. Honestly. Thanks man,” Kook says quietly. “Hey. I think I’m gonna start looking for my own place. My job starts next week… so I think I’m gonna look for an apartment a bit closer, ya know?”

“Hey, if it’s because you feel bad or something, honestly, don’t. I told you this, I love having a roommate, much better than coming home to my idiot friend than an empty apartment,” Yugyeom teases. “But if it’s because you really want your own place, then okay, you know I’ll be there to help you move and unpack.”

“Thanks Yugyeom. You’re a good friend. Really. Thanks for everything these past two months.”

~

“She was seven, Jimin,“ Taehyung says staring blankly off into space holding his still barely eaten chicken caesar wrap. He and Jimin were taking their lunch in the hospital cafeteria. They rarely ever took a proper lunch and hardly ate in the cafeteria. Usually, they would just quickly shove down ramen down their throats in their office while reading charts or researching and call it good. But today, pediatric cardiac surgeon Dr. Kim Taehyung had walked out of the hospital doors after losing one of his patients.

As soon as Jimin heard of this patient’s death, he knew his best friend was not okay. He’d wandered around the hospital and finally found Taehyung outside sitting on a bench by the furthest parking lot. The two friends just sat there in silence for about 15 minutes until Jimin finally dragged them both inside to the cafeteria to get some food in their empty stomachs.

“I know,” Jimin says apologetically. “I know babe.”

“I… If I just got there two minutes early, no, maybe even just one more minute earli-“

“Stop Tae. You can’t do that to yourself,” Jimin reaches a hand across the table and gently holds Taehyung’s. “We can’t do that to ourselves. You did what you could. You always do. We always do. Come on, you gotta eat. We have a long shift ahead still. We gotta be good for all of our other patients, right?”

It sounded so cruel. The way they just had to eat their lunch and move on with their work shift as if they were just in some desk job and lost a pen, or a shoplifter ran out with a garment while you were in the middle of stocking the jeans in a retail shop. A long shift. As if he didn’t just lose a human, a child on his watch, a child who loved ballet, coloring, and penguins. She loved penguins. She’d go on and on telling Dr. Taetae all the facts she knew about them whenever he’d stop by for rounds.

“Penguins are the best animals because they only love one penguin for their whooole lives!” She’d say. Taehyung wipes his eyes and starts eating his chicken wrap amidst his tears.

He knew Jimin was right. He had to go on with his day—his shift. He had too many other children depending on him to give them his best. Too many sick children and their parents hoping and praying he can work magic in their lives.

Once the two cardiac surgeons finish up their chicken caesar wraps in which they both forcibly stuffed down knowing they wouldn’t be eating again for many hours, Jimin gives him a long, warm embrace, and they walk out of the cafeteria together.

Across the room by the other cafeteria entrance stands Seokjin, Chief of Surgery, personally giving Jungkook a tour of the hospital. Jungkook had received job offers from all across the country for their trauma surgeon position.

He had amazing recommendations by his government superiors for his excellent service as a military doctor and received many awards and accolades for both his active duty service and for his medical merits. While Seokjin wasn’t surprised Jungkook ultimately accepted the offer at SMC since it was the most prestigious hospital in the country after all and they made him an offer no physician could ever refuse, he was nonetheless genuinely thrilled to have the best trauma surgeon join his team.

Seokjin’s friend was Jungkook’s superior, a major in the military and he had told him about Jeon Jungkook and all his amazing feats in the field. Seoul Medical Center had been doing poorly with numbers when it came to their trauma department as many of the best surgeons had recently retired. There was a sudden increase in the death rates and the board was not happy with him. So when his friend had told him his best medical officer was separating from the military after his term ended, Seokjin made it his mission to get Jeon Jungkook on his team.  

“The cafeteria was remodeled only last year so you got lucky! It was not… definitely not this great before. And the food is surprisingly good, not just bearable. It’s impressive really. There’s a joke around the area that SMC’s hospital food is so good they’d come here just to eat! Then of course there is the restaurant floor on the ground level, there’s a Starbucks, an Udon shop, Lotteria, ah, we’ll go down there too and you can see for yourself…“

Seokjin’s voice trails off as a distant sound when Jungkook spots a beautiful man sitting at a table. A doctor perhaps, as he’s in his white coat. But then again he could be a nurse practitioner, a physician’s assistant, a physical therapist, even a nurse—who knows. White coats weren’t only worn by doctors anymore. He’s got jet black hair, a face that seems both cute yet somehow intimidating, a sharp jaw, huge lips, and the most beautiful set of eyes Jungkook has ever seen, even from this distance. The man reaches his hand across the table and holds the other man’s hands. He’s probably a surgeon, Jungkook guesses. Because he’s wearing blue scrubs and a colorful scrub cap seemingly some sort of cartoon design. Jungkook shakes his thoughts off when he sees the both of them get up from their table and hug. It’s a rather long and intimate embrace. Jungkook looks away and nods at Seokjin pretending he was paying attention the whole time.

“Ah, those two are at it again,” Seokjin chuckles, trailing his eyes from Jungkook’s to the other cafeteria entrance where Jungkook was staring. Seokjin wasn’t blind. He knew Jungkook was staring at his subordinates Park Jimin and Kim Taehyung.

Ah, so they must be a thing, Jungkook thinks upon hearing the Chief’s words. Of course he’s taken. He’s never seen anyone so beautiful. Jungkook was absolutely mesmerized.

“Married?” Seokjin risks asking the personal question as they stroll through the cafeteria, passing by the nice lunch ladies who adored Seokjin. He smiles and gives small bows to them like the still humble, grounded man he is and the ahjummas giggle shyly and whisper amongst each other about the handsome chief of surgery was walking with another new handsome doctor. Seokjin had a way of making people feel comfortable and open up to him. Obviously, Jungkook didn’t have to answer the question as it was completely non-work related, but he does anyway because it’s a conversation starter after all.

“No sir,” Jungkook replies as he awkwardly smiles at the lunch ladies and all the cafeteria-goers’ eyes. No one could look away when two handsome doctors were strolling past them. They looked stunning and powerful in their good looks and white coats.

“Please, call me Seokjin,” Seokjin chuckles and pats Jungkook’s shoulder in a friendly manner. “You’re not in the military any more.”

“Right.” Jungkook says. “No. No I’m not married. Seokjin.”

“Ah, well. That’s never a bad thing for us, right? Less people we gotta feel guilty about when we get called into work or come home too late because of an emergency operation.”

Jungkook just nods. They continue walking past all the options of food and Seokjin points at some sandwiches.

“And that sandwich over there,” Seokjin leans in a bit closer and whispers, “it’s gross. Don’t eat that sandwich, haha. Everything else here has my blessing though.” Jungkook laughs.

“Duly noted.”

~

Jimin fidgets and spins his SMC pen with his right hand as he listens to Seokjin ramble on with his lecture. The lecture hall was filled with doctors for this all hands meeting as they were finally meeting their new trauma surgeon. After he and Taehyung split after their depressing lunch, Jimin was in surgery all afternoon so he didn’t even get a chance to meet, let alone get a glimpse of the new doctor.

He knew the hospital numbers for trauma-related deaths were at an alarmingly high rate ever since a few months ago. The medical board of directors were not happy. Jimin would know—his father was the chairman of the board of directors.

“And that wraps it up for today’s lecture. Please, don’t piss me off like last week and try to bypass the new form standards.” The room is filled with groans by all the doctors. Seokjin adds on, “I know, I know. It’s tedious, it’s boring, and we hate it. I know. We hate paperwork but it’s a part of the job. We save lives and then we fill out paperwork about it. You guys are gonna be doing it for the rest of your careers so I highly suggest you get used to it and stop trying to skimp out or pawn it off for the nurses and assistants to do it for you. Do the paperwork properly.” Seokjin says firmly as he scans the audience of his subordinates trying to make eye contact with each and every one even if it’s for a millisecond.

“Now for the fun part. Come on out Captain.”

Jimin watches from the very last row as he was one of the last ones into the meeting because his surgery had gone longer than he’d expected. He squints his eyes trying to get a closer look at the newbie walking up to the podium. He looked tall, broad, and very, very handsome. Seokjin steps aside and lets the new physician do his own talking.

“My name is Jeon Jungkook,” Jungkook goes straight into it, no hellos or his. He hates, hates public speaking in a formal setting like this. “I’m the new trauma doctor. Just got out of the army few months ago. I was out on the field so I experienced a lot in the four years as a military physician. Anyways, happy to be here and start working with you all.”

It’s a simple and short introduction. He’s already back in his seat in the front row before Seokjin even knows it. “Thank you, Doctor Jeon. We’ve all been anticipating your arrival and can’t wait to work with you as well. It’s an honor for Seoul Medical Center to have you here with us. And of course, we all thank you for your service.” He smiles proudly.

Jungkook gives an awkward and embarrassed small nod and smile back. Another thing Jungkook hated? Getting attention drawn to him like this and being praised. He was always so bashful, feeling embarrassed whenever someone would complimenting him in front of people. Seokjin finally wraps up the meeting. “Please, everyone, take a few moments to introduce yourselves to Dr. Jeon before heading out. Let’s all give him a warm welcome.”

The room is filled with applause and everyone starts getting out of their seats.

Jimin looks at Jungkook being surrounded by doctors but then he sees Taehyung get up and leave the lecture hall and so he goes after him. He’ll have to meet the new surgeon later. If it were any other day, Taehyung would have ran over to Jimin teasingly raising his eyebrows mischievously implying Jimin hit on the new hottie, since Jimin was single. But today is not the day. Jungkook from the corner of his eyes, catches the sight of Jimin leaving. It’s that cute guy from the cafeteria… so he is a doctor. A rude one. Not even introducing himself I see, he thinks.

When Jimin catches up with Taehyung he gently squeezes Taehyung’s shoulder and they walk the whole way back to their office.

“You good?” Jimin asks. “You’re gonna come out to drink tonight, right? You should Tae. We can talk about it. Let it all out over a beer.” They had plans to meet for drinks with Yoongi and Namjoon tonight at their usual bar that all the SMC surgeons went to.

“No. I’m gonna go home. I don’t want to talk about it,” Taehyung says heading toward their office to get his belongings. All Taehyung wanted to do was get in bed and cry. He couldn’t shake off the image of his young patient, Somi dying right in front of him. They eventually hear the bustle of a bunch of doctors behind them. “Okay..” Jimin says rubbing his hand up and down Taehyung’s back to comfort him.

Jungkook answers questions left and right that the doctors all bombard him with; his jaws hurt from forcing on a smile so much. He sees ahead of them, that cute doctor caressing the other’s back and then giving him another hug. Soon, the two doctors enter an office and disappear from Jungkook’s sight.

Jungkook can’t believe just how annoyed he is. The two guys clearly heard all the commotion of the group talking behind them yet they didn’t even bother to turn around and look back to greet him and introduce themselves? But they had enough time to display their public affections with each other at work. Civilians. Lack of basic respect. And they look really young too. Probably residents, Jungkook thinks.

Taehyung had immediately left after grabbing his stuff but Jimin stayed longer than he had planned because Suji ended up having to be intubated. He’s so upset because now they’ll be once again at square one and he’s already imaging the look on Suji’s face when he sees her for his next shift. She will be filled with nothing but utter hopelessness and disappointment. Jimin wants to scream. He wishes there was just more he could do for his patients. But really, doctors are nothing but humans too in the end. Humans who happen to be extremely well-read. That was it. He wasn’t god, he wasn’t a magician, he wasn’t a fairy, though many called him one as a nickname. If only I really were a wish granting fairy.. I’d make all their pain go away… I’m sorry Suju… He’s distressed with thoughts of what to do with Suji’s care plan when he’s finally on his way out of the hospital and runs into Seokjin and Jungkook.

“Jimin!” Seokjin says. “Finally leaving?”

Jimin nods. He looks completely drained and over it. He was already feeling down because he was worried about Taehyung, and now he was feeling even worse having to leave his shift with the image of intubating Suji. So much happens in one work day inside these hospital walls, he thinks. The last time Taehyung lot a patient that he got close to, he had spiraled. Jimin had seen him at his worst, where Taehyung was drinking all day, almost got fired because he hadn’t shown up for his shifts and then altogether considered genuinely quitting his career as a physician crying to Jimin that he just wasn’t made for this. Crying that he killed a baby. Crying that his failure to save the toddler was no different than him being a killer. Crying that he was a doctor and he failed to do his job and save the child. It was a dark time for Taehyung. So Jimin’s mind is preoccupied thinking of how to comfort Taehyung to make sure it doesn’t happen again, what to do with all his own patients for his shift tomorrow, Suji being back on the ventilator, his mind is full of chaos and worry.

So when he runs into Seokjin and the new doctor, he’s curt and appears absent minded; he’s not his usual, cheerful self.

“You okay, Park?” Seokjin asks.

“Yeah. Just… tired,” Jimin says blandly.

“This is Jeon Jungkook. Don’t think you’ve had a chance to meet yet, right?”

“Park Jimin. Cardiothoracic surgeon. Welcome to the team,” Jimin says expressionless. The two shake hands. “Nice to meet you. I’m Jungkook. Sure you already heard I’m the new trauma surgeon.”

“Yeah. Well, I have to go.”

And just like that Jimin turns around to exit the hospital.

What a stuck up dude, Jungkook thinks scoffing internally as he watches Jimin’s small-framed back view get further and further away. He’s really got a bad impression of this Park Jimin now.

No matter how cute he may be.  

Seokjin doesn’t say anything because he assumes Jimin is probably just hurriedly getting back to Taehyung. Seokjin is aware Taehyung’s patient died today on his watch so he knows the pediatric surgeon is not okay but Seokjin has been so busy with getting Jungkook settled in and meetings back to back that he didn’t even get a second to talk to Taehyung today.

~

Things eventually get back to normal again for Jimin and Taehyung, as normal as it can get for the surgeons. By now, Jungkook mostly ignores Jimin and if they have to interact, he’s very cold to him. Jimin is confused why because he doesn’t think of their time first time meeting since he was genuinely distraught that evening when Seokjin introduced them to each other. He doesn’t know why Jungkook is so cold to him but he too doesn’t care. He’s indifferent towards the new trauma surgeon.

No matter how hot he may be.

Their dynamic remains like this for a while. Jimin doesn’t hate the guy but he just doesn’t get why Jungkook seems so irritated by him whenever they do need to interact. One day after Jungkook had been at SMC for about three weeks, Jimin is confronted with an instance of Jungkook not following a minor protocol. It annoys him but he lets it go because in the end, everything had worked out and the patient was fine.

“I didn’t care much about him at first but when it affects work, that’s when I start caring ya know? I mean, yeah the patient is okay but what if he does that again? He thinks he runs the place and can ignore hospital protocol cuz why? Cuz he was a military doctor?? So? He’s not anymore. He’s in a hospital not out in some dessert in camo uniform. He’s slowly starting to annoy me,” Jimin rants. He was on the couch in Seokjin’s huge office while munching on some kimbap, and Seokjin was at his desk working on his computer listening to Jimin ramble.

“It’s just different. Try to remember Jimin, his work experience was a lot different than what we have, he’s just learning to adjust,” Seokjin says. He knew Jimin was absolutely right about the protocol comment, he too had initially been very upset when he first found out but seeing that the patient was fine in the end, and it wasn’t a high-risk action Seokjin just gave Jungkook an informal friendly verbal warning. “Give it some time, Jimin.”

“I know I know. I’m just annoyed. He just.. he’s so cocky? And when he’s not cocky he’s flat out cold to me. I don’t know what I did so wrong like he seems fine with everyone else? Whatever. I don’t care. Hey, this kimbap is really good. Where’d you get it?? It doesn’t seem like it’s from e-mart?”

“He’s just reserved. He’s not the chattiest guy. Don’t be too hard on him, Park. He seems like a nice guy. You know I had a drink with him the other day. Finally. I’ve been so busy haven’t had a chance. But he’s a good guy. And the kimbap’s made from my mom.”

“Oh you did?” Jimin shrugs “Tae didn’t tell me that.”

“Yep, Namjoon was there too.” Seokjin replies. “He’s a nice guy, Jimin. Brilliant too.”

“Well, I’m not saying he’s not a nice person or that he’s not a qualified physician. I honestly don’t care what he’s like personally. But if he dares speaks to me like how he did with patient Woo ever again, I’m not gonna be nice this time. Hospital protocols exist for a reason.” Jimin says with a matter-of-fact tone.

“You really sound like your father’s son,” Seokjin laughs. Jimin rolls his eyes and says, “I’m speaking as me, Park Jimin, a surgeon, a professional of this hospital. Not, Park Jinhyuk’s son.”

Jimin liked order, standards, and structure. He assessed the pros and cons, all the possible options and evaluated what would bring the best long-term beneficial results; he saw the bigger picture. He always made sure he did his medical research and paperwork thoroughly, learned from his mistakes and drew up ways on how to avoid the same mistake twice. To Jimin, it was important he think long-term instead of focusing on just the short-term issue at hand because in the end, the best result was never seeing the same patient coming into the hospital doors ever again. He understood that some things took time, and that was okay as long as there was a bigger picture end goal.

Jungkook on the other hand was trained to think quickly, and act on whatever would save the person now. Immediate results. Out on the field there were no time to research scholarly journals on various medical topics or to make lists on legal notepads of what would be the best next step for the patient or to wait for a prescription order to go through the computer system. Four years as a military doctor gave him a different kind of experience and wisdom that some civilian doctors might never live to encounter. Because of his this, Jungkook thinks very outside the box and found majority of the hospital protocols absolutely bullshit. He hated the hospital politics of doctors in their clean white coats and board members in their expensive suits sitting around deliberating what to do with patient XYZ, while patients were suffering and dying on the floor. It made him sick.

Naturally, the two butt heads a lot with their opposite personalities and approaches to medicine. Based on Jungkook’s first impression of Jimin and the few times he’s now worked with Jimin, he finds the cardiothoracic surgeon to be stuck up and pretentious; Jungkook could give two shits about hospital bureaucracy. And Jimin is just confused as to why Jungkook seems to hate him so much, but he doesn’t care enough to make any issue out of it—he’s stil indifferent about the trauma surgeon. They manage to co-exist inside SMC because ultimately, both surgeons had the same goal: to treat patients and get them well.

~

“What’s going on?!” Jimin runs into the patient’s room and sees Jungkook, his team of trauma residents, and two nurses with worried expressions huddled behind Jungkook who was talking to a violently raging, screaming patient. “Dr. Jeon what’s going on?”

Jimin was in the middle of talking to another patient when he got paged to hurry over to patient Cha, He was a 54 year old man with no serious prior medical history, who’d come into the trauma center about a month ago after being involved in a huge, fatal 5-car pile-up. Jungkook had immediately intubated him that day. After that, everything went downhill for the patient with all sorts of complications in his heart and lungs. He had been on the ventilator for almost two weeks and then had to get a trach tube placed in his throat so that he could breathe. His kidneys weren’t functioning properly so he was also on dialysis and taking heavy doses of diuretics. He was swollen, angry, frustrated and miserable.

“I want this OUT. It’s been 2? 3? Weeks?! GET THIS FUCKING THING OUT OF ME PLEASE. YOU SAID TUESDAY AND NOW IT’S FRIDAY. I WANT THIS OUT. YOU BETTER NOT FUCKING LEAVE FOR THE WEEKEND WITHOUT TAKING THIS OUT OF ME,” Mr. Cha screams at Jungkook. When he sees Jimin has entered the room, he starts screaming at him too. “YOU, YOU’RE THE ONE STOPPING HIM FROM TAKING THIS TRACH OUT, HUH? I’M GOING CRAZY. GET THIS THING OUT!”

Jungkook actually agreed. He thinks this patient is well enough to try taking the trach out of his throat. He wasn’t nearly in the critical condition as he was when he first came in. Frankly, he wanted to try taking the tube out on Tuesday so they could move forward with the next step in trying to get Mr. Cha better and out of here. Jungkook was used to moving onto the next patient as soon as the one at hand was stable at the bare minimum. Other than one setback, Mr. Cha’s recovery seemed to be improving, slowly but surely, which in Jungkook’s mind meant there were more urgent cases that could use his medical attention and more sick patients who could be in this hospital bed. The faster Mr. Cha was out of here, the better for everyone. But when the team was discussing on Tuesday, Jimin had convinced everyone it was just too soon and that they should hold off a few more days.

Mr. Cha was in such a critical state when he first came in and for that first week that he had several attendings from trauma, cardiology, pulmonoly, otorhinolaryngology, and nephrology all on his care team—Jungkook being one of them. Jimin was the main attending and so even though Jungkook was also an attending, he had to get Jimin to sign off on any action. Annoying.

“Hi Mr. Cha, did something else happen? Remember why I said we should hold off until Monday to see about getting that trach out? I just want to make sure that when we do finally get that out, you’ll be truly on the road to recovery and won’t have any setbacks. I don’t want to take it out only to have it be too soon and you unable to handle breathing on your own and us having to put it back in. It’ll just extend your full recovery in the long-run. Does that mak-“

“THEN WHY DID YOU SAY TUESDAY, HUH!? YOU SAID YOU’D TAKE IT OUT TUESDAY. IT’S FUCKING FRIDAY YOU ARE NOT LEAVING THIS HOSPITAL UNTIL YOU TAKE THIS THING OUT. I AM SICK OF IT. I WANT THIS OUT. I DON’T WANT THIS IN MY THROAT, I WANT TO EAT REAL FOOD, I WANT TO GET OUT OF HERE, I WANT THIS THING OUT.”

“Mr. Cha please. Calm down.” The heart rate monitor starts beeping because the man is getting so worked up. “Please. Like I stated this morning, the reason we didn’t take it out on Tuesday is because you still had so much secretion. That day alone you had to suction so many times. I’m just afraid that if we take it out now, we risk-“

“I think we could take it out.” Jungkook finally speaks. Jimin looks at him horrified. How dare he verbally speak his dissent in front of the patient. “As of right now, this instant, he’s fine. If he’s not, we’ll put it back in but we’re wasting tim-“

“Dr. Jeon, can I have a word,” Jimin cuts in as he’s already walking toward the door. “Mr. Cha we’ll be right back, just going to discuss really quick. Mr. Cha curses and continues screaming at him but Jimin ignores it and exits the room.

Jimin is pissed.

“What are you doing?!” Jimin yells at Jungkook in the hall as soon as the Jungkook has fully closed the door to Mr. Cha’s room. The trauma surgeon told his residents to stay in there and wait while he talked to Jimin. The nurses and staff walking around eye each other awkwardly seeing Dr. Park so angry. Jimin walks a few meters away from Mr. Cha’s room and further into the hallway.

“Well Dr. Park, I was trying to treat my patient but now I’m out here wasting time talking to you-“

“That is enough,” Jimin says angrily. “Did you not go to medical school? Did you not socialize with others while in school to know that you don’t do this to a fellow colleague? Or do you just lack common sense? Isn’t it the first rule amongst us physicians, like that unspoken rule we all know to not fucking disagree with and propose shit that hasn’t been discussed first in front of the patient?! You completely disrespected me in there, not just in front of MY patient, but also the residents, you interrupted me when I was-“

“Listen Park, I don’t fucking care for your little pissy power play tantrum. I’m here for MY patient and to get him BETTER. So save your crying fit for later when we don’t have a 54 year old man in there screaming at my residents and about to rip that trach out of his throat himself. We can keep waiting and waiting until ‘the perfect moment’ to take out the trach but when? When is that, huh? That moment is NOW. He’s stable now and he’s been stable all week, we should have went with the original plan and took it out Tuesday and monitored how he’d do all week without it. But no, you had to extend the plan and now here we are on a Friday afternoon. So fucking sign off on the action because I have a lot of other shit to do and patients to treat besides standing here listening to you cry over your hurt feelings.”

Jimin’s jaw is open from shock. Now, he’s even more humiliated because more nurses and people in the hallway hears all of this. His fists are clenched on both sides and he takes one step closer to Jungkook. “Exactly. My patient. You need my sign off. Because he’s my patient.”

“We all know he’s my patient and only yours on paper. But sure, let’s call him your patient. I don’t fucking care. God you and that big ego of yours. Are you a doctor or are you just collecting some weird power trip trophies, get a fucking grip, Park. The time and money we’ve already wasted standing out here because you wanted to talk instead of act and treat the patient is astounding. The salaries of the two nurses, my 5 residents, my time, your time,” Jungkook starts laughing sarcastically. “But I suppose you really must have a lot of time or none of your other patients must really be in urgent, critical condition. Fine. That’s you, but I have a lot of work to do so stop wasting everyone’s fucking time with your hospital politics bullshit.”

One of the nurses nearby covers her mouth, half from shock and half from amusement. Jimin is so angry he could punch this guy right now. Who does he think he is waltzing in here as if he suddenly owns the place when he’s only been here for about two months now? Disguising his nasty and disrespectful attitude as ‘just caring about treating the patient’.

How. Fucking. Dare. He.

Jimin takes a long, deep sigh and tells himself to calm down and not get worked up. He is a respectful person unlike this cocky and rude former military doctor. Jimin speaks softly and tries to reason with him civilly. His parents always taught him, being kind and civil always usually did the trick. “Do you understand though, Dr. Jeon, why I am hesitant? Why this is my stance on Mr. Cha’s trach? Believe me, nobody wants get that tube out of him any more than I do. I hate seeing him so miserable. But even just yesterday, he had to suction seven times, is what the nurse said. Sure, he was your patient to begin with but like you acknowledged, he is my patient on paper and if something goes wrong, it’s on me. My decision is in his best interes-“

“OH FOR FUCKS SAKE JUST SIGN OFF THE FUCKING PAPER, PARK,” Jungkook storms off as if he didn’t take in anything Jimin just said. He opens the door and goes back into Mr. Cha’s room. Jimin paces after him and when he gets inside, Jungkook is huddled by the patient undoing the trach brace around his neck.

“Dr. Jeon!” Jimin says loudly but as convincingly peaceful as possible. This new surgeon was flat out going against protocol again, completely disrespecting him and in front of everyone in the room, and putting the patient in possible harm because Jimin truly believed he was not ready for the trach to be taken out yet. He was not trying to be stubborn or win some ‘power play’ fight. The residents look at him and Jimin just forces a fake smile. They must think Jungkook and he had discussed and agreed to go ahead and take out the trach.

“Dr. Jeon,” Jimin repeats when Jungkook gives no reply. He’s ignored yet again.

“Alright, Mr. Cha. You ready?” The patient nods.

~

“Heard you had a little outburst yesterday in the C wing,” Yoongi says. He looks at Jungkook who is sitting on the couch across from him. Seokjin had strongly insisted, in other words, required Jungkook to see the psychiatrist, Dr. Min Yoongi. It was actually a benefit that came with his job offer—free sessions with the shrink. Seokjin knew someone who was serving his deployment out in the field might suffer some PTSD and so he included it as part of Jungkook’s job benefits. It wasn’t until now that Jungkook was making use of said benefit. Albeit, forced.

“I’d say it was a disagreement,” Jungkook says blandly. He couldn’t believe he was wasting time sitting here in the psychiatrist’s office when he had patients to attend to. “I don’t know why the chief is making me do this. No offense to you. It’s not like I was wrong. Patient’s doing fine without the trach tube.”

“This wasn’t your first time, Dr. Jeon. Disregarding hospital protocol and disrespecting a fellow colleague. Who also happens to be your sunbae in terms of seniority at this hospital.”

“I assessed the situation and I did what I had to do and now the patient is doing fine and ‘on the road to recover’”, Jungkook mocks Jimin’s words from yesterday. “I’m sorry Dr. Park’s pride and feelings were hurt but this isn’t elementary school and I’m not here to give full grown adult doctors hugs and warm fuzzies because his feelings were hurt. The patient was going crazy from the trach and if I didn’t think he could breathe on his own, I wouldn’t have taken it out. It’s done and over with now and the patient is stable. Nothing went wrong. So I really don’t get why I’m here. Can I go now?”

“Dr. Jeon you need to understand what you did wrong. All due respect to you doctor,” Yoongi pauses so he could carefully word what he’s going to say to this ex-military doctor and captain. “This is no longer the field. You are not in Loguay. You are in Seoul. At Seoul Medical Center. Listen, I’ll be real with you. I hate the politics of it all too. That’s what you hate, right? The bureaucracy, the paperwork, I get it. But this is how it is out here in the real civilian world.” He tries to relate with his patient Dr. Jeon Jungkook.

“Yeah. I get it. Sorry. I won’t do it again,” Jungkook says but Yoongi can tell he’s just saying it to hurry and end this session.

“You cannot keep ignoring SOPs. There’s a reason for them all. It’s a huge hospital with many doctors and too many patients. You have to be a team player here. You can’t just go doing whatever you want and then expecting the lead attending to sign off on something in which you already did without their approval.” Yoongi speaks gently the entire time. “Do you mind sharing with me what the dynamic was like with your own team in the military?”

“Okay. So this is actually like my punishment huh. Or..?” Jungkook is annoyed.

“Dr. Jeon, you do know that Chief Kim has been very, very lenient with you, right? Because he understands that you’re coming from a very different work background and things were probably done much differently. If it were anyone else, you would probably have gotten your first formal warning for yesterday’s behavior. You removed the trach from the patient without the lead attending approving the action. I don’t want to say this session is a punishment because that’s really not it. But I do hope you’ll take everything I’m saying seriously and that you’ll open up with what you feel like is preventing you from peacefully cooperating with the team.”

Jungkook scoots his body to the edge of the couch, leans down and rests his elbows on his lap, folding his hands together. He looks at Yoongi dead straight in the eyes, “Dr. Min. Have you seen a man’s limbs hanging off by the threads of his skin? As you’re carrying him to shelter and your eyes burn from the dust and ears are ringing because the explosion was so loud. And your own head is pounding from the debris that hit you and your own legs are shaking while running carrying another full grown man on your back, because your leg has pieces of shard deep inside. And then you see another one of your men dismembered screaming at the top of his lungs because he’s in pain but you only have two hands, one back, and one roll of bandage and maybe a scalpel knife if it’s still even in your pockets. Do you? Have you heard cries of men, men that you spent the last few years with, screaming for help because they’re so in pain but you’re only one person? And the dust and debris won’t stop flying around and all you can do is pray to god that you make it out alive?”

Yoongi doesn’t answer but sits there quietly sipping his coffee allowing Jungkook to go on.

“Do you?” Jungkook is worked up. But this is good. This is exactly what Yoongi was hoping for. He’s worked with veterans before and they often bottled it up inside, suffering alone, trying to bury the painful memories away only for many of these men to end up going down a dark, lonely path of depression. “Do you fucking know what that’s like, doctor?”

“No, I don’t Dr. Jeon,” Yoongi replies earnestly.

“And that’s why you guys can all sit here wasting time with your Starbucks tumblers and clean white coats deliberating for fucking hours, no, days on one simple fucking action that I can assess and determine in two minutes. While more sick people await their turn to receive some medical attention from us. Maybe if Dr. Park wasn’t so busy caring about his pride, he’d actually be right more often.” Jungkook just had to add that last part. He couldn’t help it.

Yoongi sets his Starbucks mug down on the coffee table and folds his hands together on his lap. “Do you feel that the doctors here don’t prioritize correctly?”

“Yep.” Jungkook says.

“How come?”

“I literally just told you?”

“You don’t think it’s possible the doctors are merely following protocol to maintain order and peace for the organization? It’s a big hospital you know. Just like it’s a big military. Didn’t… you have people following your orders too since you were a captain?”

Jungkook and Yoongi stare at each other. Jungkook knows exactly where Yoongi is going with this and he’s not wrong. Yes, it’s true the military is literally based on orders. You only act on whatever order your superior gave you. Nothing more, nothing less. But when you’re in the middle of an explosion or enemy attack, you had to make do with what you had and who you even had left remaining. It’s what Jungkook got used to.

“Look I get it. Yes, rules exist for a reason. I got it. I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.”

“Dr. Jeon, like I said, this isn’t a punishment session. I’m not here so I can get an apology out of you. If anything, perhaps that’s something you might want to do with Dr. Park. You and I, we’re here to talk. That’s all. You can share more. Please do, I think it’ll really help your overall well-being and health. I’m happy to hear more.”

“I’m good.”

“You sure? You got a bit worked up there a second ago. I’d like to hear more, if you’re willing. We can work things out together. I’m sure you’ve suffered a lot being on active duty… it’s… it’s a big transition. I’ve worked with veterans in the past so I-“

“Nope I’m good. We done now?”

“Okay. We’ll end here today and resume next time.” Yoongi doesn’t push it.

“Uh, no thanks.”

“It’s not an option,” Yoongi says.

“What?”

“Chief insists you continue sessions with me. Not too often, just once every two weeks.”

“Ohh for fucks sake,” Jungkook groans. “So it is punishment. Figured.”

“Dr. Jeon it’s really not punishment. You were deployed. You were a military doctor out on the field. You’ve clearly been through a lot and it can affect your life being back in the civilian world and now that you’re here working this job, you have a lot of patients depending on you as well as colleagues that you need to cooperate with. Really, it’s for your own benefit. I will see you back here in two weeks.”

Jungkook shakes his head annoyed while getting up and he leaves Dr. Min’s office.

~

“Sushi. And for you I got you California rolls and Udon, Jimin,” Seokjin says unpacking the take out boxes.

Jimin and Seokjin were at Taehyung’s ready to eat a late dinner. Jimin reaches for his box of California rolls and udon container.

“I’m right here,” Jimin says as he begins inhaling the udon. Taehyung and Seokjin smile at each other and giggle. Taehyung gives Jin one last kiss before diving into his food as well. “I miss the days of yore, before I caught you two fucking in the on call room.” Jimin says completely nonchalantly as he chews loudly and starts flipping through Netflix trying to pick something to watch completely ignoring the… quasi-couple flirting and displaying their affection for each other right in front of Jimin’s udon.

“You’re so crass,” Taehyung says rolling his eyes. Seokjin laughs and grabs a salmon nigiri with his chopsticks and feeds it to Taehyung.

“DO YOU MIND?!” Jimin rolls his eyes. “Tae, you have hands!! What you feeding him for hyung?! I’m gonna lose my appetite. I swear to god it’s like, ever since I caught you two, you don’t even BOTHER to hide anything anymore in front of me!!” Jimin and Seokjin were rather close outside of their boss-subordinate relationship because Seokjin often dealt with upper management and of course the board of directors, which Jimin’s father was a part of. The two just naturally ended up getting along and becoming friends after the multiple times Seokjin was invited to the Parks for dinner.

“Well why should we. We got caught. Red handed,” Taehyung smirks.

“I still have trauma. Oh god,” Jimin jokingly dramatically shivers his whole body. Well, it was true. He was forever traumatized by the sight of his boss and hyung, fucking his best friend against the desk in that on call room. That was already six months ago.

“I mean, why don’t you guys just date already?” Jimin blurts. He was feeling brave today. He knew this was a touchy subject for the two but Jimin was in a mood.

“Because,” Taehyung says quietly, but he doesn’t finish the sentence and instead quietly resumes eating his sushi. “Because Jimin. You know why.”

“No, I know why you guys don’t want people at work to find out, but my question was why don’t you guys date already. I’d get why you wouldn’t wanna come public with your relationship at the hospital but why don’t you guys at least you know, have the relationship? Like actually date. In secret. But officially. Well, secret from work people.”

“Because okay? Just drop it, Jimin.” Taehyung sounds serious so Jimin just drops it.

“It’s just not the right time right now,” Seokjin says. Jimin looks over at Taehyung and sees his expression change. He looks hurt, like he’s about to cry but he’s keeping it in.

“Yeah. Exactly,” Taehyung forces himself to say. He was totally and utterly in love with the older man. But things were so… complicated with the Kim Seokjin. Taehyung was a free spirit. The two lovers had discussed the status of their relationship before, three times now to be exact and it never ended well.

If Taehyung gave a million reasons as to why they should just date officially and openly, Seokjin would return with a million and one reasons as to why it wasn’t a good idea.

At least not yet. Not now.

But when was a good time?

“Hey, there’s no rush. We’re still young. I mean look at me! I am so, so single as fuck,” Jimin chuckles lightly and gives Taehyung a warm smile. He suddenly feels guilty and awful for bringing this up. What he was aiming for was to corner Seokjin and get him to freaking commit and be official with Taehyung. Instead, he’d just made his best friend feel like shit. Taehyung nods slowly and gives Jimin a weak smile back.

“Yeah. We’re still young. 30 is the new 20, right?” Taehyung says as quiet as a mouse.

Jimin quickly brightens the mood by swiftly changing subjects to something really funny that one of his patients had said. The three men talk about work, their patients, they have a healthy medical ethics debate and then the topic comes up. The topic Jimin would like to avoid.

Jeon Jungkook.

“Honestly Min, I don’t know like if you’re blind or what’s the deal because he’s honestly so nice??” Taehyung says. He had introduced himself on Jungkook’s third day at the hospital and by then, Taehyung wasn’t as upset as that first day, when his 7-year old penguin loving ballerina patient died. He greeted and introduced himself to Jungkook cheerfully and welcomed him with smiles and a nice chit chat about the pediatrics department, even offering Jungkook a quick tour.

“You’re supposed to be my best friend,” Jimin says annoyed. At first, he was merely confused and indifferent, maybe a little annoyed at most with Jungkook. But ever since the trach incident with Jungkook screaming and humiliating him in the hallway, Jimin was definitely not fond of the man.

“He’s hot though,” Taehyung says as if it were an objective fact. Which, to be honest, it was. Anyone with functioning eyes could see that the trauma surgeon was insanely hot. Seokjin shoots Taehyung a look and Taehyung just shrugs his shoulders as if saying whatcha gonna do about it? Seokjin wasn’t his, and he wasn’t Seokjin’s, so Taehyung feels smug. He purposely goes on, “Jimin, you know he’s hot. I wonder if he has a girlfriend. Or maybe even a boyfriend. I get a gay energy from him, what do you guys think?”

“I just. I CAN’T FUCKIN BELIEVE YOU REALLY DIDN’T PUNISH HIM, HYUNG!” Jimin blurts out. He’s been complaining to Jin a lot about Jungkook. Poor Seokjin was exasperated being the middle man with Jimin constantly ranting to him about Jungkook and Jungkook ‘respectfully’ sharing to him about his dissenting opinions on many of Jimin’s decisions.

“You don’t know that, Dr. Park!!! You don’t know if I did or didn’t discipline him! That’s for him to know, not you!!”

“Oh, fuck off! Please, I know you didn’t discipline him because if you did, he wouldn’t be so fucking smug. God, why do you kiss his ass so much anyway, huh?! YOU’RE HIS BOSS!! Not the other way around!! Why do you let him get away with shit?! That’s why he thinks he’s invincible like he’s some GOD, ugh!”

Truth was, Jungkook had initially turned his offer to SMC down. Seokjin remembers nearly throwing up that day. He didn’t understand how someone could refuse the job at such a prestigious hospital. When he asked Jungkook on the phone why, the applicant replied saying he didn’t want to work in a huge hospital and that he only applied for the heck of it thinking he wouldn’t actually get in.

“Thanks but no thanks,” are the exact words Jungkook had said. He told Seokjin that he preferred working in a smaller hospital where he wouldn’t have to fight with so much hospital bureaucracy and politics and deal with multiple trustees and stakeholders who cared more about the organization as a business rather than a place where the sick are treated and healed.

Seokjin had mulled over what to do for the next 24 hours and met with the board of directors as well as Jimin’s dad separately for dinner over sake and sushi to work some deal out. He really, really wanted Jeon Jungkook on his surgical team. SMC needed him.

“You have no idea what I had to do to get that guy,” Seokjin says cracking open a can of beer. “The convincing I had to do… to both the board and Jeon. We really needed him for the trauma position. He’s a good doctor, an expert in trauma, really. It’s not that I think he’s god, but he’s good at his job, and right now, that’s what I need. For him to just do his job as a trauma surgeon and deliver me results. He is saving my ass from being fired because our numbers have already improved after he’s come on board.  I know you don’t like the guy, Jimin. And yes, he’s a little rough around the edges and is still learning about the importance of hospital protocols. But he’s good at his job. He knows what he’s doing.”

For some reason, even though Seokjin was merely praising Jungkook, it felt like a jab to Jimin. As if Seokjin was saying he didn’t know what he was doing but Jungkook did, and that the newbie was better than him—that Jimin made the wrong call with patient Cha. Jimin freezes and sets his chopsticks down and looks at Seokjin. Taehyung sits there with a yikes expression. “I’m… gonna go pee,” he says and walks off.

Jimin would be lying if he said Jungkook didn’t completely crush his pride. Not that he was an arrogant person, because he certainly wasn’t. It was more like he felt insecure about his own abilities ever since Jungkook was right again, even after completely ignoring hospital protocol. And the fact that Seokjin, the Chief of Surgery, the one who should be enforcing these rules wasn’t backing him up, was irritating and maddening. Why did this guy get special treatment?

“I mean at this point, why even have SOPs,” Jimin scoffs. “We should all just run around with our scalpels and tweezers and do whatever the hell we want with our patients.”

Friends was playing in on the TV but vibe of the apartment was now anything but funny.

“I heard he apologized, did he not?” Seokjin says. He knows just how brilliant Jimin is and that he really was the golden employee of SMC. It made perfect sense that his best surgeon might be feeling threatened that another genius was here and possibly taking his spot. Seokjin didn’t mind if Jimin was mad at him for this—as a manager, he knew that competition drove innovation and it’d only make Jimin even more brilliant. He’d let Jimin rant to him forever, he didn’t mind.

“Not the point,” Jimin replies annoyed. “Don’t care about my feelings or him apologizing, and you know that. He got lucky, again. It could have gone either way. Mr. Cha could have easily had a setback after taking that trach out and you know I’m right, hyung. Jeon blatantly ignored protocols for the second time, not even the first, and you gave him nothing but a slap on the hand. You’re letting him run free while the rest of us abide by the rules. Why? I don’t know. Maybe he sucked your dick and you’re getting blackma-“

“Alright, that’s enough Mr. Dramatic. You should really consider being a writer or filmmaker you know, you’re so dramatic,” Seokjin teases trying to lighten the mood. Jimin knew the last comment was unnecessary but he was just so annoyed that this Jungkook guy was getting away with so much.

“You could tattle on him. Or in fact, both of them.” Taehyung says sassily as he returns to the dining table. Seokjin gives him a light, playful punch and Jimin rolls his eyes.

Jimin and his father had one rule: they never discussed work outside of the hospital.

It was Jimin who had proposed the idea and pretty much forced his father to abide. He wanted to succeed in his career independently and not because he was the son of the SMC’s Chairman of the Board of Directors. Jimin’s father sometimes failed at it because he’d start ranting when they had family dinners. So sometimes, Jimin couldn’t help but hear the current issues and topics the board was handling, just like when his father had told him they were in dire need of a trauma surgeon.

Certainly, he would never use his position as the chairman’s son to get what he wanted in the hospital—even tattling on Chief Kim Seokjin for failing to properly discipline an employee. Because in the end, Seokjin was right, Jimin didn’t know 100% that he didn’t punish Dr. Jeon. Jimin knew in his gut that he didn’t, but he knew there was the 1% chance that he could indeed be wrong and that maybe Seokjin really did give Jeon an official warning. Who knows. Either way, Jimin would never go running to his dad about this. He wanted to be completely separated and have absolutely no association with the chairman when it came to his professional career.

“Maybe. Maybe I will,” Jimin smirks.

~

“Get the neurosurgeon, NOW!!” Jungkook yells at his residents while he starts assessing the bloody man in front of him. He had two gunshots, and a very bad head injury. Blood was gushing out and Jungkook was already covered in it too from when loading him onto the bed. There were 3 others also involved in the same shooting, but this man Jungkook was attending to was in critical condition and needed to be treated now.

“I-I did…” one of them replies frantically as Jungkook continues to yell. “I am. I’m paging him again.. I don’t. I don’t know where he is-”

“THEN GO FIND HIM. DO YOU GUYS NOT HAVE LEGS?! FUCK YOU ALL STANDING THERE FOR?! DO YOU NOT SEE THIS MAN RIGHT NOW!? DO YOU NOT SEE ALL THESE PATIENTS?! MOVE!” the poor residents had gotten used to Jungkook’s crass sailor talk, but it didn’t mean it still wasn’t scary each time. They scuffle around taking orders from him, some attending to the other level 2 and 3 trauma patients, some setting up and preparing equipment, some putting in orders into the computer, some reading the information off the patient’s chart out loud for Jungkook, and some running around looking for Dr. Kim Namjoon.

Unfortunately for Jungkook, Dr. Kim Namjoon was in the middle of operating on someone else.

“THEN GET. SOMEONE. ELSE. FROM. NEUROLOGY. DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU GUYS EVERYTHING?!” Jungkook screams. The patient needed to get surgery now; he needed a neuro surgeon with him ASAP so they could operate together. Jungkook felt like he was dealing with a group of incompetent idiot residents.

Dr. Jung Hoseok, general medicine surgeon and the attending overseeing the intern program is walking past with a group of interns when he witnesses all of this. He rushes over to where Jungkook is, grabs the clipboard and starts reading his chart.

Jungkook sees Dr. Jung reading the file and the two quickly discuss what the next step should be. Hoseok helps Jungkook out on getting one of the OR’s ready for him to use, ordering the interns to do this and that. Within a few minutes, they’re rolling the bed to the operating room and Jungkook and Hoseok are scrubbing in for the surgery.

“You know, they’re still learning,” Hoseok speaks gently. He and Jungkook are at the sink scrubbing their hands and arms with the antimicrobial soap before heading in the OR. Jungkook had gotten lucky that Hoseok was free to scrub in right at that moment. He was a general practitioner and filled in when he could. He loved teaching and guiding the interns, but he’d never turn down a surgery if he could make it. His interns were already seated in the observation room above ready to watch the surgery, and probably very excited.

“Yeah,” Jungkook says. “I just… they’re standing there and I can’t be telling them what to do every step just—never mind. I know. I’m workin on it.” He says broadly without saying exactly what ‘it’ was. But both men know Jungkook is referring to his temper and yelling.

“I understand,” Hoseok says. “Ready?” He puts finishes washing his hands and positions both arms upward so the OR nurses could place the gloves on for him. Jungkook does the same.

“Ready as always.”

“If you’re worried I’m not as good Namjoon, you’re right. I’m not. He’s the best neurosurgeon in the country, but I’d say I’m pretty good,” Hoseok smiles warmly. He was such a positive and happy doctor. Both of the surgeons feel a sudden rush of euphoria as the nurses finish placing the gloves and their face masks on them.

Surgery. This is what they lived for.

“Good. I like your confidence, Dr. Jung,” Jungkook grins. He already felt high knowing he’d be operating in just a few moments.

“I like yours too, Captain.” Hoseok had spent all day lecturing in the hall, walking around the hospital and doing hands on teaching with his interns. Actually, he hadn’t performed a surgery in three days as he was so busy with his teaching obligations. He felt more alive than ever as the nurse finished tightening his scrub cap so it was perfectly snug on his head.

“Then let’s geddit.”

Chapter Text

Jimin opens his eyes and looks up at the base of the top bunk. Another 12 hours to go. Should I go grab a sandwich instead of just eating ramen today? I wonder how Mr. Sohn is doing with his catheter; he hardly urinated this afternoon, the bag wasn’t even halfway filled. God, I really need to drain all that fluid out of him, think I’m gonna up his diuretics maybe switch him over to torsemide instead of the furosemide. Hope Karla managed to get the MRI done successfully, ugh I really need that MRI. If not again ahh… I don’t know what I’m gonna do. I wonder why the MRI was made to be so coffin-like I mean I don’t blame patients for getting claustrophobic and getting panic attacks. I hope Mia’s getting through the Potassium IV okay, why does Potassium have to take so long to drip and I don’t understand why the potassium pills have to be so damn big, poor thing. If should could just swallow pills she wouldn’t need to go through like 2 hours of that burning IV. Haha bananas, that was cute; she thought she could just eat a bunch of bananas in lieu of getting the fluid. Adorable. If only it was that simple. Jimin’s mind is already swarmed with thoughts of all his patients the second he opens his eyes from his 20 minute nap. He’s stressing over what to do for all his patients once he’s off this one hour lunch, when he hears someone sneezing.

He looks to the left and sees Jungkook sitting at one of the desks studying. He picks up his coffee to drink some but finds it’s empty; he throws his head all the way back with the cup literally a 180 degrees trying to drink every single last drop of the coffee.  

“Bless you,” Jimin says quietly as he sits up ready to get out of the bottom bunk bed.

“Oh. Hey… thanks.” Jungkook says a bit startled when he sees that Jimin is awake. “Sorry did I wake you.”

“Oh, no. I was already awake.”

“Okay,” Jungkook says and goes back to reading his book on diffuse axonal injury. Jimin gets out of the on-call room bunk bed and goes to his desk to grab a cup ramen from his drawer. He’s dispensing the hot water from the water dispenser when Jungkook suddenly gets up, tosses his empty coffee cup in the trash, and leaves the room without saying a word.

Jimin looks over at Jungkook’s desk and sees the book is still open and desk lamp still on. He shrugs. Maybe he’s going to the bathroom—the cardiac surgeon could care less. He takes a seat at the communal circle table in the middle of the room and checks his email on his phone while awaiting his spicy shin ramen to cook.

He’s responding to emails when a cup of coffee is gently set down on the table. It’s not Starbucks or anything fancy but just the small paper cup of coffee from the vending machine right down the hall. Jimin looks up and Jungkook is already getting settled back in his chair at his desk sipping his own fresh cup of coffee.

“Oh, thanks,” Jimin looks around the small room as if he’s confirming this coffee was indeed for him, even though he knows there’s nobody else in here. He’s just so surprised that Jungkook actually did something… nice for him.

“It’s nothing. Figured you’d need it too,” Jungkook says nonchalantly without even looking at Jimin when he speaks. When he came into the on-call room, he saw Jimin was passed out, in deep sleep, snoring, mouth open and everything. It was annoyingly cute how cute he looked. Nobody was supposed to look cute when snoring in their sleep. Jungkook hated that the colleague who dislikes him (or so he thinks), was so annoyingly cute. Jungkook understood how tired Jimin must have been for him to be sleeping that deeply. The work in the hospital never stopped or got less intense.

Sleep was a luxury for the surgeons.

“Thanks. Yeah. Appreciate it,” Jimin says. “Hey,” he says and pauses. Jungkook spins his chair and looks at Jimin. “Yeah?” He replies.

“You want a ramen?” Jimin smiles, “I have more in my desk. A variety too. Not just this kind. If you want?” Jimin offers warmly.

“Oh, I’m good. But thanks,” Jungkook says.

“Did you eat though? I know you’re on the same shift as me today.”

“No, I’ll just grab something in a few minutes,” Jungkook replies. Jimin shrugs and says okay. He was trying to give a friendly gesture back since he was grateful for the coffee but Jungkook seemed to always make any of his efforts go to waste.  

“Are you gonna nap?” Jimin asks another question.

“Nah,” Jungkook answers. “Oh and Meli is back in the ICU…”

“WHAT?!” Jimin looks upset and says, “oh god just now!?”

“Yeah like right before I got on break. Her vitals dropped. O2 saturated to 71.”

Jimin groans loudly and rubs his face with both hands. So much can happen in just a quick 20 minute nap when you work in the hospital. “And how is she now?”

“Well, she’s back on oxygen, I put her on 4 liters. She’s upset but she’s stabilized.” Jungkook goes on explaining some more of her stats. “She’ll be okay.”

“She just told me last night how she really thinks this might finally be the end of her misery and that she feels like she’s really getting better enough to go home soon,” Jimin groans again feeling so frustrated and upset.

“It happens, Park. Nothing new. She’ll get through it,” Jungkook says giving him a weak smile. Jimin just gives a smile small back nodding and forces himself to eat his ramen.

~

“Got this for you, doc,” Janet hands Taehyung a cup of green tea from the Starbucks and then distributes the rest of coffees from the cup holder to her fellow nurses.

“YOU are a DEAR!! I was just on my way to get some tea,” Taehyung takes a long sip and makes the most satisfied face expression as if he just got a dose of life all over again after his 2-hour long surgery. Dr. Taehyung Kim hated coffee so he resorted to drinking caffeinated teas, and energy drinks (on days he was really tired). “Ah~~ How did you even know this is exactly what I need right now!”

“I was getting some coffee for my staff, figured you’d want something too! Surgery went well for little JD I’m assuming?”

“Yes! Went flawlessly! He’s still very drowsy but he’s doing great! God I feel alive already thank you for this tea, you really are the best nurse ever, Janet.” Taehyung’s already walking off and he raises his cup towards his nurse gesturing his gratitude once again. “Thank you!”

Taehyung goes around checking in with his patients and to wherever he’s paged.

“Can you breathe BIIIG like this for me Areum?” Taehyung inhales deeply and dramatically in front of his 5 year old patient to show her how it’s done. She giggles and then Taehyung gently places his stethoscope on her chest and she inhales. Just like how he showed her. They repeat this three more times so Taehyung can get a good listen.

“Perfect! You did great, Areum.”

“Mr. and Mrs. Han, she actually sounds rather clear today. I think a lot of the secretion is gone. She should be good to go… tomorrow I’d say!” Taehyung smiles delivering the good news. This was his favorite part of his job.

“Thank you… thank you so much, Dr. Kim,” the patient’s parents look like they’re about to cry from happiness. Taehyung gives a smile and nods as he’s about to leave the room when Areum speaks.

“Dr. Taetae. I’m not sick anymore?”

“That’s right, Areum! You get go home very soon! No more hospital”

“Oh.” Areum was looking through her sticker book right before Taehyung had come in. She grabs the sticker book from the side table, flips through to the very last page and pulls out a sparkly pink heart sticker. She’s sticking her little arms out and Taehyung’s not really sure what she wants at first so he just comes back right beside her bed and kneels to get eye level with her.

Areum sticks the sticker on the surgeon’s right cheek.

“Areum! We’re so sorr-“ Areum’s mother steps forward to stop her daughter but Taehyung gestures it’s okay with a huge smile on his face.

“Areum-ssi, thank you for this beautiful sticker. But mostly, thank you for being such a brave soldier! You went through the biggest, scariest surgery and you were the bravest patient I’ve ever had!” She had a heart surgery at the young age of 5 only a week ago, but here she was, smiling, recovered, and ready to leave SMC the next morning.

“You’re welcome!” She says proudly. “I gave you my favorite sticker Dr. Taetae! It’s my sparkle one but you’re my favorite doctor!”

Taehyung smiles at his mini patient, “thank you, Areum-ssi, I love it.”

Areum opens her small arms out and Taehyung gives her a hug. “Dr. Taetae can I come see you again?” the little girl had developed a fondness, perhaps even a crush on Dr. Taetae during her stay here. Who wouldn’t fall in love with him when the surgeon with this handsome and sweet?

Taehyung looks at her fondly with a small smile. How to tell his tiny human patients that he preferred never seeing them ever again inside these hospital walls without hurting their feelings? That never seeing them here, hopefully meant they were out in the world living life, healthy and happy? “I’m not sure you can Areum. There are many sick little boys and girls who need my help. Just like you did! Since you were so brave and did so well in your surgery, you get to go home and do fun things with your mommy and daddy, right?”

Areum nods. Her parents watch this entire interaction also with a fondness. They absolutely adore Dr. Kim. He was so good with their daughter and made this difficult time so comfortable and assuring for them as well.

“So, that means, I am going to a bit busy helping those other kids get better.”

“Yeah. Yeah okay. You’re like a superhero Dr. Taetae,” she says nodding with a very serious expression on her face as though she was deep in thought.

Taehyung and Areum’s parents all chuckle. “Am I? Then you’re my little superhero helper. Can you do something for me then, Areum-ssi?”

“Yeah!” Areum shrieks.

“You will feel even better in a few weeks and months, and when you do, you can play outside, sports, run around to your hearts content! So I want you to do everything you ever wanted, okay?”

Areum covers her mouth and cracks up as if she just heard the funniest thing. “DOCTOR TAETAE!! THAT’S NOT EVEN A SUPERHERO JOB!!!”

“What?! You can’t do it!? I thought you were gonna help me out and do what I say, Areum-ssi!! You can’t even do that for me?!”

Areum just keeps giggling, rolling around on her bed laughing when Taehyung’s pager goes off.

“Alright alright, settle down Areum. Dr. Taetae has a lot to do. Tell him thank you and goodnight.”

“Oki! Goodnight Dr. Taetae! I love you!”

“Haha, goodnight, Areum,” he stands up from his kneeled position and faces the parents. “Mr. and Mrs. Han, like I said, she’s ready to go home. I’ll have the nurse start the discharge paperwork and I’ll see you all in the morning one last time.”

Mrs. Areum reaches a hand out and grabs both of Taehyungs. “Thank you. Thank you so, so much, doctor. We will forever be so grateful.”

“It was my pleasure.”

“Where you going?!” Jimin hops right beside Taehyung and puts his arm around the taller man. They ran into each other in the hallway walking the opposite direction. “Drinks tonight??” Jimin says.

“The Chief’s,” Taehyung answers, still walking.

“Oh god. Don’t tell me you’re going there to-“

“No! My god, that’s not all we do, Jimin!” Taehyung rolls his eyes trying not to laugh. Seokjin had paged for him to come to his office. He wasn’t sure what it was about so Jimin could very well indeed be right. Maybe Seokjin wanted a quickie, who knows. If that was the case, Taehyung wasn’t complaining. He was in a good mood.

“Okay then if you’re not going to you-know-what, then you don’t mind if I join ya’ll meeting right? I have some things I need to talk to him about, anyways.” Jimin teases. He didn’t actually plan to as he had a lot of other things to do. “You know you literally have a sticker on your face, right? Haha.”

“Oh!” Taehyung removes the sticker off his face and instead sticks it on his arm. “Haha forgot.”

“I don’t know how you do it, Kim,” Jimin says. “How you work with mini humans… I seriously applaud you. As if this job’s not already heart wrenching…”

“I honestly don’t know how I do, either. Don’t you have somewhere else to be, Dr. Park??” Taehyung says because Jimin is looping his arms tighter causing Taehyung to have to walk being slouched since Jimin is shorter.

“Yeah yeah, I gotta go,” Jimin starts walking backwards in the other direction again as he waves to Taehyung. “Bar tonight. Come. Or else!”

“Yeah yeah! Go away!” Taehyung smiles as he knocks on Chief Kim Seokjin’s office door and enters.

~

“Alix! Alix! Can you see me?? It’s me, Dr. Park. You know who I am, right? What’s wrong with her?!” Jimin asks the nurse. Her vitals keep dropping. The nurse give him a quick run-down of what’s going on and the residents scramble around getting equipment and monitoring the machines as Jimin continues to assign tasks to everyone. It’s a hectic commotion trying to stabilize the patient.

The nurse sets up the oxygen and cannula and all the necessary equipment to stabilize her and Jimin is talking to the nurse who is now at the computer putting in Jimin’s orders for medications. They just needed to Jungkook to get here already so they could submit it.

“What’s going on?!” Jungkook finally barges in; he was with another patient when he got paged for his patient, Alix. Well, both Jimin and his patient but this time, Jungkook was the lead attending physician.

Jimin catches him up on what just happened and gives his input on what the next steps should be, including the medication propositions. Jungkook assesses his patients and after he’s taken a listen to her heart, heard her shallow short breaths, and felt the swelling in her legs, and etc, he’s got a worried look on his face.

“Call for labs, right now,” Jungkook orders the nurse. She nods and starts typing the order into the computer when Jungkook interrupts her. “Now.”

“I am..” The nurse says with a confused expression.

“Something is very wrong with her right now, I need labs now. Call phlebotomy. Enter it into the computer later. Someone call for labs first right now! I want a PLA2 done on her ASAP. Hey. Alix. Hey. How you feeling?” Jungkook yells.

The patient is so weak she can barely nod. Jungkook watches the monitor for a few seconds observing her vitals. The numbers were dancing around right around the edge of being too dangerous.

The nurse looks at Jimin like he’s asking for help as she’s picking up the phone to call phlebotomy so Jimin huddles by her ear and quietly whispers, “go ahead and call them first. It’s okay. One of you, Jia, start putting in the order for labs,” he gestures to Jia, one of the residents while the nurse pages phlebotomy.

“I-I need… bag,” Alix suddenly says weakly.

“Bag?? What’s wrong?” Jungkook asks. One of the residents quickly walks over to the vomit bag dispenser and pulls one out for the patient.

“I.. feel nauseous.”

“Dr. Jeon… she’s.. she’s sweating so much… do you think it’s blockag-“ Jimin says also looking extremely worried now. Everyone was anxiously waiting for phlebotomy to arrive so they could get her blood drawn and confirm their diagnosis.

“Yeah. I think it’s a blocked artery. And the plaque’s about to rupture. If that’s the case we need to get her in surgery now. Where the hell is phlebotomy!?” Jungkook is agitated. “Alix, do you feel like vomiting?” the patient nods. She holds the bag in front of her mouth and gags. But nothing comes out.

“I… doctor.. I- I don’t feel good-“ she starts shaking.

“She has a blocked artery. She has all the symptoms. You know what, I don’t need to wait for phlebotomy this is ridiculous. Does it always take this long for them to get here?! Screw the labs, she definitely has a blockage. Hokyung go book the OR NOW!” he orders one of his residents.

“Dr. Jeon..” Jimin says. “They’ll be here any minute I’m sure. It may very well be atherosclerosis but let’s get the confirmation before we do anything.”

Jungkook looks at Jimin in the eyes and to Jimin’s surprise, Jungkook’s eyes soften. He nods in agreement. But sadly, this lasts only for a few minutes because the patient starts panicking from feeling like she’s even more out of breath, even with an oxygen cannula in her nose.

Still no sign of a phlebotomist, Jungkook storms over to the drawers in the room and starts aggressively opening each drawer. When he finds what he’s looking for, he gathers everything, pulls the rolling stool over by the patient’s bedside and begins to prepare to draw blood himself.

All the eyes in the room widen. Dr. Jeon going at it again… they all think.

“What are you doing, Dr. Jeon?!” Jimin says horrified watching Jungkook wrap the tight rubber band around Alix’s arm. He agrees fully with Jungkook that the patient seemed to have a blocked artery but this was still not it. This was not the way to go about it. Jungkook was a surgeon, surgeons did not do this job. Phlebotomists existed for a reason. And lab results existed for a reason.

“Someone get me gloves,” Jungkook says. Jimin rubs his face from stress from trying to stay in the middle ground between getting this patient treated pronto and taming this wild colleague who clearly thinks he is still in the frontlines of a battlefield and not a civilized hospital. Jimin is getting extremely impatient as well. “Where is phlebotomy?!?!” Jimin raises his voice at the nurse now too seeing the patient desat-ing every second.

Jimin gets closer to Jungkook and leans in closer to speak right in his ear as to not ‘fight’ in front of their residents again. “Jeon. Please. Stop. The phlebotomist will be here any second I’m sure. Then we’ll let them do their job and find out if she is-”

“Dr. Park look at me in the eyes and tell me as a fellow physician that you don’t think she has a serious blocked artery and things could get really bad any second,” Jungkook stares into Jimin’s eyes. Jimin hesitates to speak for a few seconds. Jungkook was right.

But he speaks softly, “I agree, Dr. Jeon. I think she is in very critical condition but please, this is for phlebotomy to do. We are surgeons. This job is for them, not us. They’ll be here any second. I’m sure of it. Even if you drew her blood, we’d have to send it over to labs and see if our diagnosis is even righ-“

“Here for labs. For Alix Choi?” the phlebotomist finally enters the room.

“For the love of god that only took you forever,” Jungkook says getting off the chair and stepping aside for the phlebotomist to do her thing.

Jungkook, Jimin and the residents huddle over by the entrance of the room discussing the next steps, while the patient is getting her blood drawn with the phlebotomist.

“Alright. You are good to g-“ the phlebotomist says getting up to leave the room when the vital monitor suddenly starts beeping like crazy again just like when Jimin first entered the room. All the physicians rush over to the patient. Jimin and Jungkook are 99.99% confident she has a blocked artery with plaque that’s about to rupture even without the official lab results which would take another half an hour or so to find out.

“Fuck! I knew it!! Did you book the OR, Dr. Yang!?” Jungkook yells. Resident Dr. Hokyung Yang informs them that there was no rooms available until another hour.

“Well Hokyung, an hour is not gonna do it, is it?! Do you not see this patient right now?! FIGURE SOMETHING OUT!” He barks at his residents.

 “Jungkook,” Jimin for some reason addresses him by his friend name instead of Dr. Jeon like he normally does. Jimin eyes his colleague to calm down. “We’re all working for one goal, yeah? Let’s try to stay calm.”

“Yeah. Right.” Jungkook surprisingly nods and speaks more gently. Jimin was right. “Please. For the love of god I kindly ask one of you to please book an OR or get things shuffled around with the scheduling team. NOW. We can not wait an hour.” Jungkook talks slowly and calmly, but still assertively.

The patient is freaking out, panicking as her heart is palpitating and she’s finding it seriously difficult to breathe. All the physicians surround her each working on whatever the two attendings tasked them with. “We need to operate. Stat,” Jungkook says.

“Yang is working on a room,” Jimin says.

“No, now. And you know it.”

Jimin looks at the patient and then and Jungkook. Jungkook was right. They could lose this patient any second if they didn’t operate on her right this moment. She was lingering on edge of life and death.

“I don’t need much. I don’t need a whole OR,” Jungkook says facing Jimin sternly. It was true. He didn’t need the state of the art operating room with all its fancy equipment. All Jungkook needed was an anesthetic and a stent to perform this angioplasty, right here in this room. He had performed the most insane surgeries out in the field in Loguay with nothing but his hands and a petty box of surgical tools.

The patient continues to desat and both surgeons panic. They were going to lose a patient on their watch. It’s been awhile since Jimin had a death of a patient. Jimin just stares back at Jungkook while his mind assesses this situation. He finally takes a deep breath and speaks.

“Joyce, go grab everything needed for an angioplasty,” Jimin says. Jungkook’s mouth forms a small smile at the end of his mouth and he gives Jimin a very small closed mouth reassuring smile. Everyone else’s eyes widen. Jimin speaks loudly again, “come on, did you not here me?! We don’t have time! Grab a catheter, a stent, a sedative and a local anesthesia. And one of you start putting in the orders for everything so Dr. Jeon can sign off on it as soon as we’re done operating.”

Jungkook nods approvingly and thankfully at Jimin, and Jimin nods back.

“You’re gonna be okay, Alix. Hang tight, okay? You got this,” Jimin says trying to assure the patient. “Try to stay calm or you’re gonna find it harder to breath if you panic.”

Everything is chaotic for the next few minutes prepping for the procedure. Eventually, the patient is hooked to IV fluids of coagulants, lightly sedated, and Jungkook is hunched over the patient injecting her arm with a local anesthetic. Before they all know it, Jungkook is making a small cut in her arm to place the stent. Right in her hospital room.

Everyone watches silently in awe and admiration as Jungkook performs the surgery with such precision and concentration despite not being in a fully equipped OR.

Everyone including Jimin.

~

“Aww shit,” Jimin says as he gets back out of his car and opens the hood of the car to examine what was wrong. Of fucking course this would happen to him on a day he actually had plans. He had gotten off a little later than planned so he was already late for the bar with Taehyung and some of their non-doctor friends. He calls Taehyung to let him know he’s sorry and that it was probably not even worth him going at this point since he had to figure this car situation out.

Taehyung doesn’t seem to mind much as he’s already drunk and having a good time. The two friends wish each other a good night and say they’ll see each other at work tomorrow.

“Ughhhh,” Jimin groans as he looks around the parking lot. When he finally sees someone getting out of their car, he jogs over to them to ask if they had a car battery jump starter cable and if they could help him out. The passerby apologizes and says he doesn’t.

“UGHHHHHHHH,” Jimin starts walking back to the hospital so he could ask around his coworkers, when Jungkook walks through the automatic sliding doors holding a helmet. They meet eyes.

“Going back to work already?” Jungkook raises his eyebrow, somewhat trying to joke. He knew Jimin was off for the night so he wasn’t sure why the cardiac surgeon was coming back in. The two hadn’t seen each other since the successful in-room surgery for their patient, Alix a few hours ago. They both had packed schedule after that.

“Ha, funny. No. I uhm, my car. Battery died, it won’t start,” Jimin replies. “Helmet?” Jimin looks down at the helmet.

“Congratulations, you know what a helmet is,” Jungkook grins. It’s a sarcastic tone, but not malicious. Jimin rolls his eyes. “You drive a motorcycle? I didn’t know that?”

“You don’t know a lot,” Jungkook says. Jimin’s friendly face turns grave and Jungkook realizes it came off wrong. “I mean, like, about me. You don’t know a lot about me.”

“Right. Well, have a good nigh-“

“You need a ride?” Jungkook cuts him off.

“Uh,” Jimin looks at his colleague awkwardly and then back down at the helmet. “It’s okay. I’m sure someone will have a jumper cable.”

“I have an extra helmet if that’s what you’re worried about,” Jungkook says trying to not laugh out loud but keeps it internally. He found his fellow colleague Park Jimin to be intriguing because half of him found him so incredibly annoying, and the other half of him found him so annoyingly incredible. He really was just… so perfect and it drove Jungkook crazy. “Are you always like this?” He asks implying Jimin was always so prim and proper.

“What?” Jimin is taken aback and finds the question a bit rude even though it’s very vague and he’s not sure exactly what Jungkook is asking. “Always like what?”

“Never mind. I live right in the city on 34^th and Nonhyeon, if you know where that is. Bit south. By Galleria Mall. I can give a ride home.”

“Oh. Yeah I know where that is. I’m not too far away. In the city too. I’m at the Pagoda Apartments by Kookmin bank if you know where tha-“

“Yeah I know.”

“But it’s fine,” Jimin says.

My god, why does this guy hate me so much since day 1, Jungkook thinks. He was trying to be nice and offering a ride to him but of course, if Jimin wasn’t scolding, arguing, or nagging him about his ‘non-conventional’ approach medicine, he was actively avoiding him like a plague. “Alright then was just trying to be a good samarita-“

“I mean. I just. Then I’d have to leave my car here and how would I get to work tomorrow?” Jimin says as if he’d be stranded in the Sahara Desert and not the metropolitan city of Seoul where he had millions of alternate transportation options in getting himself to work even without a car. Jungkook laughs.

“We’re on the same shift tomorrow again. I can give you a ride in the afternoon,” Jungkook tries again. “You’re… you’re literally the hospital’s superstar and you have a designated parking lot, haha. No one’s gonna tow your car overnight Dr. Park.” Jimin finds there’s a hint of mockery in his tone and he feels irritated. As if he was saying he got special treatment or something. He’d earned his position as a highly respected attending physician at the hospital—including that coveted reserved parking space.

Jimin observes the trauma surgeon in silence for a few seconds. He was very handsome, still. He wasn’t denying that fact. But if he didn’t know him, he never would have guessed he was a surgeon judging just be appearance. He feels a bit guilty for thinking so stereotypically but the man was dressed in black jeans, huge oversized black hoodie, a black cap, and a black face mask. He also had on a black backpack. Jimin on the other hand, was dressed in black slacks, a crisp white button up with a royal purple tie and a classy beige Burberry peacoat. He wore a black Giorgio Armani side messenger bag that his mother had gifted him with when he finished his residency.

“C’mon Park. I don’t have all night.” Jungkook slides his backpack to the front, slides open the zipper and pulls out a second helmet. He hands it out for Jimin to take.

“I’m… it’s okay.” Jimin says. He has never ridden a motorcycle. He wasn’t about to die tonight. “I’m sure someone will have a cabl-“

“Oh for god’s sake, Jimin,” Jungkook grabs Jimin’s hand and hands over the helmet to him. “Live a little. It’s just a motorcycle. You have such a stick up your ass, I swear.”

Jimin’s jaws open at the insult and he’s about to argue back but Jungkook is already walking away towards the motorcycles parked in the front row of the parking lot.

When Jimin gets to Jungkook’s motorcycle, he puts on the helmet but he feels so unnatural and awkward as he’s trying to tighten the clasp. When Jungkook sees him struggling, he abruptly shoos Jimin’s hands away and huddles closer to tighten it for him.

Jimin finds himself holding his breath with their faces so close.

When Jimin’s helmet is snug on his head, Jungkook hops onto the bike and starts the engine. “Well doctor, are you gonna get on or you want me to pick you up onto the bike too?” Jungkook says with a playfully mocking tone.

Jimin stands there awkwardly hesitating if he was really going to ride this dangerous vehicle. He could back out now still and just say thanks but no thanks, head back inside the hospital and ask around for a jumper cable.

But Jimin was tired. He had been at the hospital for 16 hours and he just wanted to get home already. So he jumps onto the motorcycle, seating himself behind Jungkook, and awkwardly places his hands on the man’s back unsure what to do.

“Hold tight!” Jungkook says as he slowly starts backing out of the parking space. Jimin feels genuinely nervous once the vehicle starts moving and so he quickly by instinct wraps his arms tightly around his colleague’s waist.

“IF I DIE TONIGHT, I’M HAUNTING YOU DURING ALL YOUR OPERATIONS!” Jimin yells over the loud engine as Jungkook zooms out of the hospital parking lot.

~

The next day, Jimin is outside his apartment complex waiting for Jungkook to pick him up. They’d agreed to meet about an hour and half before their shift started because Jimin had said he needed to go in a bit early. But really, he had other intentions.

“Good morning,” Jimin greets him.

“Morning,” Jungkook replies a bit weakly.

“You look,” Jimin studies the man’s face. He looked awful. He had huge bags under his eyes and there was just something so grim and tired looking about him. How is it that he looked worse now than at the end of their shift last night when he had dropped him off? Jimin had gotten a wonderful 8 hours of sleep and felt so refreshed for another day of surgery. “Tired. Are you okay?”

Jungkook had only gotten 2 hours of sleep. He had woken up screaming and sweating again from a nightmare. And he never was able to fall back asleep. “Yeah. Just tired.”

“You didn’t sleep?”

“Obviously,” Jungkook says blandly not so much sarcastically. “Anyway, you ready?”

“Okay. Yeah. But,” Jimin starts putting on his helmet and this time he figures out how to clasp the straps on his own. “But can we stop by for coffee? And some food?”

“Yeah sure,” Jungkook says unenthusiastically. Jimin had told him to meet this early because he actually wanted to buy Jungkook lunch as a thanks before they went in for their work shift.

“Do you know where Café Dalssi is?”

“I don’t,” Jungkook takes out his phone and starts looking it up on the map and then nods. “Yeah we can go there. Oh, you have your jumper cable?”

“Yep,” Jimin says patting his messenger bag and then gets onto the motorcycle.

Jimin and Jungkook sit there at the café eating their food when Jimin finally breaks the torturous silence. “So, that was really impressive yesterday,” Jimin says. The two didn’t really get a chance to sit down and talk about Alix’s case after the stent procedure because both of them were so busy. “Patient Alix.”

“Oh,” Jungkook shrugs. “Thanks. Just doing my job.” Jungkook takes a bite of his sandwich.

“So that’s what it was like, huh? You just pretty much had to perform surgeries… wherever you could, with whatever you had,” Jimin tries to sincerely learn more about this former military surgeon, they were colleagues after all.

“Pretty much,” Jungkook says. He looks at Jimin’s lunch, “a salad is enough? We’re on a 24…”

“I mean there’s steak,” Jimin picks at a steak piece with his fork. “It’s a chopped steak salad,” Jimin defends his order of choice. He loved this café’s salads. “All their salads are really good, and they’re actually pretty filling.”

“That wouldn’t fill me up even if I ate ten of those probably.”

“Well, that’s why you didn’t order it,” Jimin rolls his eyes internally annoyed that he’s being judged for his food. “So you’ve been at SMC now for a few months. How are you liking it?”

“It’s fine,” Jungkook answers tersely.

“Okay,” Jimin says.

Back to silence.

“You know… we’re a teaching hospital,” Jimin says quietly trying to start a conversation again.

“Uhm, yeah I know?” Jungkook says looking puzzled at what Jimin was now suddenly talking about.

“Just… you know, residents. Interns. They’re still learning.”

Jungkook sets his sandwich down and wipes his hands with the napkin. “What are you trying to say, Jimin?”

“I’m not saying anything. Just… reminding you that they’re still learning. Wouldn’t hurt to let them try things themselves ya know? I know for me personally, I’m a very hands-on learne-“

“Trauma is different, Jimin. Yes, I know it’s a public teaching hospital and not a private owned one but sometimes you gotta sacrifice the teaching and learning aspect to actually save the patient. We’re not playing house in the trauma center.” Jungkook says knowing exactly what Jimin was talking about.

Two days ago when a swarm of patients came into the emergency department (ED) and specifically the trauma wing within the ED after a freak bus accident, Dr. Jeon Jungkook was seen in his usual element barking orders around, yelling at his residents and interns.

There was a perfect teaching opportunity moment for one of the residents to actually perform a surgery in which they had just recently studied, with Jungkook overseeing of course, but instead, Jungkook had just went straight into performing the operation himself.

Jimin had already somewhat noticed this was a pattern and also heard the talk around the residents of them complaining that their attending, Dr. Jeon never let them do the “fun” surgeries.

“I get that, I do. But then how will the next generation ever learn? If you just keep doing it yourself then how will they learn? They’ll lack the skills to be a good doctor if their skills aren’t given a chance to grow and foster, then more people will suffer the consequences. If they do nothing but observe and observe but never actually do a surgery, they’ll never get better. More people will suffer then with bad inexperienced, ill-practiced surgeons. It’s different watching a surgery and actually doing one yourself, ya know? You know that saying ‘teach a man to fish and they’ll be fed for life?”

Jungkook just looks at Jimin with the most smug and annoyed expression. God, his initial impression of him was right. Jimin was such a stuck up know it all. Who does he honestly think he is lecturing him? They were the same level in their careers, Jimin was only a sunbae in terms of how long he’s been at specifically SMC—that was it.

“Are you my boss?”

“W-what?” Jimin says shocked. He was honestly just trying to have a genuine open discussion and sharing his insight with a fellow colleague.

“Are you deaf now?”

“What. No??”

“Well Dr. Jimin Park. Thank you for your unsolicited advice on how I should teach my residents. Thank you.”

“That’s not- I wasn’t-“

“Yes. Yes you were. You even ended your little speech with an old proverb,” Jungkook scoffs. “How righteous of you! But my residents are fine. So instead of insulting my methods of teaching, you just take care of your own, okay? Okay.”

Jungkook picks up his sandwich again and resumes eating. Jimin is flabbergasted. He was just trying to get a conversation going since it got awkward and dead silent again. He wasn’t trying to insult him but offered some friendly insight—candid discussion. This man clearly had no sense of social interaction, Jimin thinks. He and his other friends and colleagues discussed and shared openly like this so what was wrong with this Jungkook guy. It’s like no matter what they talked about, no matter how hard they both tried to be civil, they just never seemed to be able to get past that formal colleague dynamic. It absolutely irritated Jimin because he was such a social, friendly guy that usually made friends with all his coworkers. Jimin thinks he was right after all, Jungkook hates him and he always has since day 1. He didn’t understand why.

“Wow. Wow okay, first of all, I really wasn’t trying to insult you?? God. Jungkook, were at a freaking restaurant and we were just sitting here like I’m just trying to make conversation. God. I’m sorry for trying to constantly break the damn ice,” he says. He mumbles the next part. “If you weren’t so freaking cold and unfriendly I wouldn’t need to try and always break the ice with you. You really know how to twist things.”

“You weren’t trying to insult me??” Jungkook laugh mockingly. “You literally just blabbed on about the future next generation of surgeons and how I wasn’t gearing them up to be ready, acting like you’re my superior and telling me how to do my job just because our methods aren’t the same.”

“I wasn’t… I was just trying to talk! You know, converse?! With the person I’m sitting here sharing a meal with?! Something you seriously are not good at doing. God, I was just trying to freaking have a friendly talk like you said it’s not like I know you or you know me that well so what else do we have to talk about except work???” Jimin is getting defensive now.

“Jimin, just stop. You know you were giving me ‘advice’ because you think you’re better than me.”

“Oh my god, you know what. Screw this. Whatever. I honestly wasn’t but you just have this weird thing against me like I did nothing wrong to you but whatever. I’m over it. SORRY I bothered to try having a conversation with you.” Jimin aggressively and dramatically starts jabbing at his salad with his fork and stuffs the food into his mouth.

“That’s a lovely apology, Jimin. Thank you for that,” Jungkook says sarcastically. He mumbles, “probably never apologized a day in his life.” Jungkook rolls his eyes. He’s seen Jimin’s clothes, his shoes, bags; probably a rich, privileged kid who never had a day of struggle in his life with everything being handed to him. God he was so snobby and pretentious. It didn’t matter if he was cute, this guy was a passive aggressive snob.

Jimin just looks at him and he’s about to open his mouth to fight back again but he just shakes his head and rolls his eyes. They resume finishing their meals in silence.

When they finish they get to the cashier. “I got it,” Jimin says lightly shoving Jungkook aside that the younger couldn’t pay. Jimin hands his credit card over to the café employee. Jungkook sticks his card back out too for the employee to take. “It’s fine. I got my own sandwich.”

“It’s fine, Jungkook,” Jimin says with an irritated tone. “It’s for the ride last night.”

“It was on my way. You don’t owe me anything,” Jungkook says. The café staff looks awkward and unsure what to do.

“I said. I. Got our lunches. Please, put everything on this card,” Jimin shoves his credit card literally into the employee’s hands. Jungkook just stands there annoyed as the employee charges Jimin’s card only.

Ughhh, Jungkook thinks. Now he has to thank Jimin. “Thanks,” he says.

“Don’t need to thank me, I owed you for the ride. Now we’re equal,” Jimin replies curtly as the two men exist the café.

“I’ll catch a taxi,” Jimin says when they’re outside. Jungkook just looks at Jimin for a few seconds and then says, “don’t be ridiculous. We’re literally going to the same place.”

“I’m fine,” Jimin was a stubborn guy.

“Oh my god Jimin. You’re acting like you’re the one that got insulted. Stop being dramatic,” he presses the helmet against Jimin’s stomach.

“I didn’t insult you, Jungkook. You’re… a good surgeon. I even said you were impressive!!”

Jungkook sighs, “just… put the helmet on and let’s go?”

“I’ll taxi-“

“Oh my GOD you are just… URGGG. FINE. Whatever floats your damn boat, Park. My god.” Jungkook gets on his motorcycle and Jimin watches the trauma surgeon drive off.

He didn’t want to be indebted to that asshole by taking another ride from him.

~

“PARK, JEON, MY OFFICE NOW!” Seokjin yells angrily. He storms off to his office and Jimin and Jungkook shamefully trail behind him like two puppies in trouble.

The residents and interns look at each other with a damn expression seeing their superiors about to get in trouble from the Chief of Surgery.

Jimin knew it was going too ‘well’ with him and Jungkook lately. It was only a matter of time until Jungkook would disrespect and snap at him again. He realizes the surgery with Alix the other day went smoothly and he even received a small smile from Dr. Jeon only because Jimin agreed with him. Had Jimin disagreed and tried to stop him from performing the surgery right there in Alix’s room, Jungkook would have probably ignored his professional opinion and yelled at him then too. And lunch? He was genuinely grateful for the ride that one night that he just wanted to buy him a damn meal and maybe, just maybe actually have a decent conversation outside of the hospital and get to know the colleague he’s been working with for 3 months now.

“Sit,” Seokjin says glaring at his two attending physicians.

“I told him tha-“

“This is what happens whe-“

Both Jimin and Jungkook start talking over each other trying to explain their side and then Seokjin slams a file on his desk to shut them both up.

“Do you guys think this is a joke!? Is this… is this a courtroom?!” He makes eye contact with Jimin and then Jungkook. “Huh?! Is this a fuckin court room or a hospital?! How dare you make me look like I’m running a chaotic mess with two immature children instead of a damn hospital with two adult physicians. You were fighting not only in front of your subordinates but in front of the patients and their families?! Do you think I’m running a fuckin zoo here?!”

Jimin’s eyes widen. Seokjin has yelled at him before, but never like this. He looks down shamefully and fidgets with his hands. Jungkook rubs his face and then apologizes.

“I’m sorry, sir.”

“Sorry,” Jimin apologizes as well.

“I. don’t. care anymore for sorries. I have been nothing but patient with the both of you but this… today you made a fool out of my department. Honestly, I should have disciplined you both a while ago because this is just ridiculous. You WILL learn to cooperate and work together because I am not gonna take this shit again. Dr. Park, I know you’ve been my best employee for years and I think you are a brilliant surgeon and wonderful human being and you, Dr. Jeon, I know you’re an expert in trauma and I also know that you’re still struggling to transition into the civilian word but my patience can only extend so far. I’m still running a workplace here, and you both just… you crossed the line.

The two surgeons started off respectfully disagreeing and debating on what approach to take next with one of their patients. Voices got a little more louder, tones got a little more snarky, and before everyone knew it, Dr. Jeon and Dr. Park were yelling at each other in front of everyone. Unfortunately for them, Dr. Seokjin Kim happened to be right around the area when he heard the commotion.

Jimin hates this guy now because he never had problems like this before this fucking Jeon Jungkook came to SMC. Jimin always handled disagreements well, he never argued and fought in front of patients, let alone even fought. The most ‘fighting’ ever done with his colleagues was respectful, healthy debates in which they’d just civilly share their perspective.

This was all Jeon Jungkook’s fault.

“I’m sorry Ji- I’m sorry Chief,” Jimin addresses him formally instead of ‘Jin’. He could see his boss and friend was actually pissed this time. “I apologize for raising my voice in front of everyone. But I got defensive because Dr. Jeon was just wholly disregarding my-“

“Are you apologizing? Is this an apology, Park?” Seokjin interrupts. “I’m sorry ‘but’ isn’t an apology.”

“I wasn’t wrong though? I understand I did wrong in terms of raising my voice and arguing in front of the patients so I’ll apologize for that part. I was right in terms of what steps we should take next for the patient.”

“Is this true, Dr. Jeon? Was Dr. Park correct?” Seokjin looks at Jungkook.

It was true. Jimin was right this time. When they got the CT scan results, it was very clear Jimin had the right idea and his strategy would be the best option. It killed Jungkook to say this.

“Yes.”

Jimin can’t help but smirk. But he immediately stops it before Seokjin can see.

“So why don’t you discuss right now, in front of me what you both plan to do for the patient. Go ahead. Since you need to be babysat while discussing a patient’s care of plan, I’ll sit here and babysit.”

“I’m sorry,” Jimin says again. Jungkook apologizes again too.

“I didn’t ask for an apology?? Talk! Discuss what you guys were yelling about out there, in here. Go! Talk!”

“Chief, we’re sorry, okay? We will discuss the care of plan civilly in our office.” Jimin says and looks at Jungkook. Jungkook reluctantly nods and says, “yeah. We’ll figure it out. We apologize you had to see that and for wasting your time now.”

“Great. I won’t formally discipline you. But this is my actual last warning-“

“What?! What did I even do?!?!” Jimin gasps from shock. The past few times he and Jungkook had fought was because Jungkook ignored protocol. Jimin had a clean record. Of course he did, he was the star employee, the genius surgeon everyone in the medical field knew about. “That’s not fair!” He can’t believe his sunbae, hyung, and friend was seriously going to formally discipline him next time.

“Do you want me to write a formal discipline letter now?” Seokjin looks at Jimin and Jimin glares at him but the chief doesn’t back down. Jimin has every intention to yell at Seokjin when they hang out outside of work next. He is pissed that he’s getting dragged all thanks to Jeon Jungkook. “No,” he answers reluctantly.

“I understand,” Jungkook says sternly. “It won’t happen again.”

Jimin gets up to storm out of the room but Seokjin starts talking again, “I am however, making you both attend, or shall I say help ‘oversee’ the residents teambuilding event on Friday. And you two will be in charge of coordinating the hwaeshik; money will be provided by the social committee. You guys got lucky though! Teambuilding event just perfectly happened to be this week!”

Jungkook brings his hands to his face to pinch the bridge of his nose. He hated this kind of shit.

“Okay,” Jimin says annoyed but he’d take this over an actual discipline on his record. He’s attended these when he was a resident too. He found this totally unfair as he had no problem working in a team setting. It was Jungkook who was the problem. But he doesn’t pout or argue back seeing how dead serious and angry Seokjin is right now.

“You will participate in all of the activities with the residents.”

“You’re joking right?” Jungkook says.

“Does it look like I’m joking Dr. Jeon?” Seokjin says gazing right into Jungkook’s eyes. Jungkook sighs getting the memo.

“Clearly you both lack the ability to work together as a team so you will participate in the team building exercises in addition to helping Dr. Jung with whatever help he needs that day. Now, are there any questions left?”

“No sir,” Jungkook says.

“No,” Jimin answers begrudgingly.

“Great. If I receive any negative feedback from Dr. Jung regarding you both, you will be formally disciplined. That’s all. You both may leave now.”

~

“I HATE HIM. I HATE HIM!!!!” Jimin yells and slams his coffee on the table. He and Taehyung were on the restaurant floor of the hospital at Starbucks. “HOW IS HE SERIOUSLY GONNA DISCIPLINE ME?!!??! I HATE HIM. I HATE YOUR BOYFRIEND!!!”

“He’s not my boyfriend,” Taehyung says indifferently. “And shouldn’t you hate Jeon, not the chief?”

“Whose side are you on??? He’s a given. But right now I hate Jin urghhhhhhhhhhhh.”

“Well obviously I’m on your side, Min but I mean I heard you and Jeon were going at it... it’s the talk around town!” Taehyung laughs. “I’m sad I missed it.”

“It’s not funny Tae!! Ugh!!!” Jimin groans and angrily sips his iced coffee. He rants on and on about everything that happened from start to finish.

“Haha you have to go to team building,” Taehyung cracks up. He can’t help find all of this funny.

“IT’S NOT FUNNY!!! HE’S PUTTING MY CAREER IN JEOPARDY AND YOUR LITTLE BOYFRIEND IS TREATING ME AS IF I’M EQUALLY AS BAD AS JEON!!”

“Stop calling him that. He’s not my boyfriend.”

“You know what I mean, your lover,” Jimin rolls his eyes.

“I’m ending it with him.” Taehyung says casually and sips his iced peach green tea lemonade.

“WHAT?!”

“What? You heard me. I’m ending it.” Taehyung shrugs.

This time, Jimin laughs and says, “ooookay, sure, Tae. Sure.”

“I am. I gave him an ultimatum few days ago,” Taehyung says resting his chin on his hands.

“What. Really?” Jimin gets more serious now.

“Yep. He leaves tomorrow for a conference. He’s gonna be gone for a few days and I told him to think about what I said and give me an answer when he returns. We’re both gonna think about it.”

“Oh damn… Well. You know what Tae. I’m glad you did. Good for you. I support.”

“You’re biased right now because you hate him, haha.” Taehyung laughs but Jimin could see the sadness in his best friend’s eyes. “I want to fall in love and settle down, ya know? I want to be married. I mean, not right this instant, but I want to know that it’s going somewhere. If not, I want to move forward with my life and find someone who will. Commit. And also wants what I want. Ya know?”

“Yeah,” Jimin smiles empathetically and nods. “I know. I really am proud of you for putting your foot down. Sure, I hate Jin hyung right now but I really am proud of you.” Jimin gently teases but comforts his friend.

“Yeah. Thanks, Min. We should get going.”

~

Jimin and Jungkook avoid each other and interact only if they absolutely have to for the next few days. When they do interact, they say the bare minimum and mostly communicate via their residents as messenger. Even for planning the hwaeshik, they only communicated via email in which they both agreed Jimin will just coordinate it so they wouldn’t have to interact with each oher. Jimin new all the best trendy spots in Seoul anyways since Jungkook had lived in Busan until he got this job.  

When Friday arrives, Jimin and Jungkook roll into the large conference room along with the other residents. How embarrassing, Jimin thinks. But he tells himself he’s overseeing and helping Hoseok with the event.

To Jungkook and Jimin’s horror, Dr. Jung Hoseok uses the two attending physicians as the examples for each team building exercise. They play all sorts of team building and trust games for two hours and Jimin and Jungkook end up holding hands for one of the games, falling and catching each other for another, and etc.

Finally at the end of the painful three hour event, Jimin and Jungkook announce to everyone to meet at the bar Jimin had reserved and the group of residents head out of the hospital for a night of good food, heavy drinking, and celebration.

“If you get there first, it’s under my name,” Jimin says while he and Jungkook are walking side to side exiting the hospital doors.

“Okay,” Jungkook says.

“Do you want to carpool?” Jimin rolls his eyes but asks, seeing that all the residents were chit chatting amongst each other trying to coordinate carpools. “I can drive,” Jimin offers.

“You’re not gonna drink?”

“Not if I drive,” Jimin answers. Jungkook rolls his eyes.

“Do you want to drink? I’m not really in the mood tonight. I can drive if you wanna drink,” Jungkook counter offers.

“Okay,” Jimin takes the offer. Jungkook takes out his extra helmet from his backpack and throws it at Jimin. He walks to his motorcycle and Jimin follows behind him. They both put on their helmets and hop onto Jungkook’s bike and speed off together without saying a single word.

~

“CHEERS TO… MEDICINE!” one of the residents exclaims. Everyone lifts their glasses to cheers and they all say in unison, “TO MEDICINE!”

*CLANK*

Jimin one-shots his glass of beer and slams the empty cup on the table excitedly. Jungkook turns his head away so Jimin can’t see him; he can’ help but laugh at how cute the heart surgeon looks. The rowdy group of doctors order food and drinks after drinks and get drunker by the minute. They’re all having a good time. That is until someone very clueless new resident asks if Jungkook or Jimin was older.

“I’m older!” Jimin says. He’s in a cheery mood as he’s getting rather drunk.

“Oooh Dr. Park you look so youthful!!” the residents say flattering him.

“Do I?? Dr. Jeon did you hear that? They thought I was younger!”

Jungkook chuckles and says, “haha yeah I’m younger.”

“Yes you are!!! You’re my hoobae!” Jimin says and smiles at Jungkook. He was drunk.

“I’m… not.” Jungkook says with an awkward smile. Jimin might be two years older in age but they were both the same level of attending physicians. Jimin was only his sunbae in terms of his years specifically at SMC.

“You are!!! I’m your sunbae!” Jimin giggles covering his mouth with both hands cutely. He then to Jungkook’s surprise, put’s his arm around Jungkook and looks at Jungkook right in the eyes. “Call me sunbae!!!” He’s really not trying to be patronizing but literally just drunk.

Jungkook wants to punch him for being such a show off snob and trying to belittle him. But he also just wants to squeeze the shit out of him right now because he’s so cute when he’s drunk. Even cuter than he already was.

“Wait, are you really? Dr. Jeon I thought you were an attending?” One of the residents ask. It was a huge hospital and today was a huge all hands team building event for all residents so there were many that Jungkook has never met or seen before.

“Yeah! Dr. Jeon is my attending! He’s not a resident guys! Haha,” another resident says.

“Oh my gosh, shut up! How do you work at SMC and not know who Dr. Jeon is!?! He’s our trauma surgeon!!” Another adds on.

“Yep. That’s me,” Jungkook says.

“YES. BUT. BUUUUTTTT, I’m you’re SUNBAE because you came AFTER me to SMC!” Jimin says looping his arms even tighter around Jungkook’s neck. Jungkook turns his head left and right to try and crack his neck while in Jimin’s hold- a habit he’s always had when he gets annoyed. Jimin wasn’t dropping this sunbae thing and it was starting to piss him off. They were completely equal in terms of their careers. The only thing ‘sunbae’ about Jimin was that he would be further up on the parking space priority list which was based on a combination of one’s position and years at SMC. But that didn’t even matter because Jimin already had a parking spot and Jungkook didn’t have to stress about parking since there was always plenty of space for the motorcycle spots. Jimin eventually lets Jungkook free from his release.

“Yeah you were at the specific hospital longer,” Jungkook restates. “But that’s it.”

“Yeah! You were not at the hospital before this. You were on the field,” Jimin goes on and on giving Jungkook’s career background for him. Jungkook is so irritated that this guy thinks he knows everything about his professional career. The way Jimin is explaining his work history makes Jungkook feels like Jimin is insulting him again for having a lack of experience in hospitals in a civilian world and for having a different type of residency experience. He finds the drunk man is passive-aggressively shading him.

“It’s good to get a wide variety of experiences,” Jungkook says taking a sip of his ice water. “You’ll never learn if you’re static and doing the same thing all the time.”

Jimin drunkenly squints his eyes and turns his body to face Jungkook. He rests his elbow on the table and his chin on his hands and bats his eyelashes at Jungkook. “I have a wiiiiiiiiiiide variety. Many, many patients!”

“Well under that argument, we all do. Every patient is different,” Jungkook says trying to sound indifferent. He was being petty right back. “I mean a variety of jobs, change of scenery. You know, not staying at the same job forever.” He shrugs casually.

The two start going back and forth throwing passive-aggressive jabs at each other and the residents eventually start eyeing each other feeling uncomfortable.

After about an hour and a half, Jimin is wasted. Jungkook is sitting there completely sober because he’s only had one beer at the start of the night. He’s chitchatting with the resident across from him now while eating fried chicken when he feels a body colliding onto him.

“Haha, Dr. Park is soooo drunk,” the residents say chuckling.

“Jimin?” Jungkook tries not to move too abruptly as to not make Jimin fall on the ground. “Ahahah I feel gooooooooooood,” Jimin mumbles some other jibberish but he’s deadweight. Jungkook gently lifts the older’s head and repositions him so he’s resting comfortably against Jungkook’s shoulder.

They stay in this position for about another half an hour when Jimin starts groaning he wants to go home and sleep.

“I’m gonna head out. Think he needs to go home,” Jungkook says getting up, wrapping Jimin’s arms around his own neck so he had something to keep him standing since he was so wasted.

“Jeonnnnnnn Jungkoooooooooooooooooooooooook,” Jimin slurs and starts giggling. He’s just speaking jibberish. “Homeeeeeeeee take me homeeeee. Sleeeeeeeeeepyyyyyyyyyyyy.” He starts hanging onto Jungkook by the neck like a leech.

When he’s almost at the exit door, one of the bar host’s rush over to the door to open it for Jungkook. “Boyfriend?” She asks fondly. Jungkook is about to open his mouth to say ‘oh, no. Coworker,’ when Jimin bursts out laughing first.

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HAHAHAHAH! Boyfriend?!!!!!!”

“No. Coworkers,” Jungkook says annoyed. Was it that ridiculous that Jimin was cracking up that badly??

“Oh! I’m so sorry! I just I saw you two earlier at the table and then walking here you just looked so natural together, I’m so sorry!”

“Me and him???” Jimin’s arms are still looped around Jungkook’s neck and he turns his head to look at him in the eyes. Jungkook sees Jimin’s eyes sparkle with a glints of drunkenness. They have a weird moment of silence while making eye contact. Then Jimin finally says, “nooooooooo way. Not us.”

I’m not wrong!! Jungkook hatesssss me. God this is so embarassingggggggggg. He would date a frog before he dated me, Jimin thinks in his drunken stupor. Jimin quickly answers all of this host’s questions before Jungkook can so that Jungkook can’t make a fool of him like he does at the hospital.

The host looks uncomfortable and keeps apologizing for assuming wrong.

“Yeah,” Jungkook says still supporting and dragging this drunk man out of the restaurant keeping him stable and standing despite the fact Jimin just completely humiliated and rejected him in front of the host. Not that he had actually asked him out or anything… Still, the way he immediately answered no and laughed when the host asked. The laugh. As if he was so much better him and that he’d never date someone like Jungkook. Just as he was warming up to Jimin lately even with their work quarrels, Jungkook thinks how he really did read Jimin right the first time. He was a stuck up person who thought he was better than others. “We’d never. That’ll never happen,” Jungkook adds on and thanks the host for opening the door for them.

Jungkook gets a cab and puts Jimin inside. Jimin was way too drunk and Jungkook didn’t want to risk him getting on the motorcycle.

“What?! I want motorcycle!!!!!!!!!!! It’s fun!!!!!!!!!” Jimin says even while he’s already halfway in the taxi and fallen over on his back on the seat. Jungkook helps shove his legs inside the taxi and hands the driver a few bucks, enough to get Jimin home to his place since it wasn’t too far away. “Hey! Where you going JEON JUNGGOOO?! HEY! COME BACK HERE YOU BRATTY BUNNY BABY! YOU’RE A BULLYYYYY!! MEANIE!!”

“Good night, Jimin.” He shuts the taxi door and taps the car goodbye.

Chapter Text

“Surprise!!” everyone yells in unison, some blowing their party horns. 

Jimin looks around the staff lounge utterly confused. There are surgeons, his favorite nurses and hospital staff, and even some of the members of the Board of Directors… including his own father. And everyone is smiling at him like it’s his birthday, except that it’s not. There’s a banner across the wall that says CONGRATULATIONS, cake and other delicious snacks on the table, and cups of Starbucks coffee in cup holders. Taehyung walks over to him with his huge boxy smile holding a plastic gold crown and places it on Jimin’s head. Seokjin looks at Jimin proudly and then walks over to one of the tables and picks up a huge plaque.

Jimin had just gotten out of surgery and he was about to go get a coffee when one of the nurses told him someone needed to see him in the staff lounge.

“Huh?” Jimin says genuinely confused. “It’s… not my birthday guys… what’s going on?”

“YOUR ARTICLE JIMIN!!” Taehyung exclaims; he really is such a true best friend. He’s so genuinely happy for Jimin.

Jimin freezes and his heart drops with excitement finally realizing what might be going on. “No… way…” Jimin says quietly afraid that he might be wrong.

“Dr. Park,” Seokjin says walking towards him with a plaque. Everyone else steps back to make a clear pathway for the Chief of Surgery. “Congratulations. Your scholarly research article on cardiac changes associated with aortic stenosis being linked to the death and readmission following transcatheter aortic valve replacement, was accepted by the New England Journal of Medicine. It will not only be published in their journal for their special annual issue, several other journals will be picking it up as well because the NEJM has submitted it to the World Medical Association in which they’ve recommended everyone to publish. I’ve been receiving nothing but praise for your research on pre-TAVR. SMC is proud and honored to have you here still as our very own. And I, I’m so proud of you, Dr. Park. Thank you for your amazing work and research. I know you worked so hard on that research project,” Seokjin says and hands Jimin the plaque. Everyone in the room claps and Jimin’s jaw drops.

Jimin was still mad at Seokjin since a week ago, when he had been scolded right alongside Jungkook and then forced to attend the resident’s teambuilding event. But right now, Jimin decides to put that anger on pause because he’s about to cry from happiness right there in the lounge.

The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) is a medical journal published by the Massachusetts Medical Society. It is one of the most prestigious and oldest continuously published medical journals in the world. It is an honor for any physician to get their work published by the NEJM. Not only that, the hospital benefits as well since their ranking would go up with the more published doctors they had. In addition, being published for the cover story in the annual issue came with a grant or in other words—a big, fat check for the hospital. Seokjin could finally get some of the fancy new equipment like the new 2018 MRI for his department that he’s had his eyes on. Getting published in such a prestigious journal also put the hospital in the limelight for donors and investors to notice. Grants, grants, and more grants! No wonder some of the board members and Seokjin were full of big smiles!

“I’m...” Jimin says taking the plaque from Seokjin and bowing in front of everyone. He had researched and wrote his article for a whole year, practically living in the on-call room and the hospital’s medical library and lab when he was off his shift. When he finally submitted it months ago, he forced himself to forget about it so he didn’t drive himself crazy from anxiety. Jimin has been published many times already in the past in various scholarly medical journals but the NEMJ was a huge deal. “I’m.. just, thank you. So much everyone for the congrats and support. I don’t know what to say. I can’t believe this…”

Just then, Jimin sees from the corner of his eyes, Jungkook sneaking into the room as subtly as possible while taking his scrub cap off and ruffling his hair. He stands along the wall trying to figure out what all the commotion was. Namjoon and Hoseok are also standing against the wall next to him and Hoseok whispers some things to Jungkook, catching him up on what was happening, that Jimin was getting an award for getting published.

The Chairman of the Board, or shall we say Jimin’s father, walks toward Jimin holding another smaller plaque. “This is from the Board of Directors. We are all extremely proud of the work you do for Seoul Medical Center, Dr. Park. Thank you.” He hands the plaque to Jimin, and with his other hand reaches out for a handshake. Jimin bows and shakes his own father’s hand.

Nobody in the room but Seokjin and Taehyung know the Chairman is his dad of course.

“Thank you, Chairman Park.” Everyone applauses.

“Alright alright! I know most of you are busy and have to get back to work but don’t forget to congratulate Park and also grab a slice of pre-TAVR cake on the way out!” Seokjin says.

The rest of the members of the board huddle around Jimin to shake his hand and thank him and they’re ones out of the room first.

The surgeons and staff all take their turn congratulating Jimin, eating the snacks and cake, and some are in and out of the room throwing quick congrats because they had work to do.

“Eat some cake, Jeon! Like Jin said Jimin’s-pre-TAVR-getting-published-by-the-NEMJ cake!” Hoseok says cheerfully as he takes a bite of cake. He finally talks a normal volume instead of having to whisper, “you were coming from a surgery?”

“Yeah I just got out of the OR when one of the nurses told me to go into the lounge because there was some party.” Jungkook says playfully. He figured it was someone’s birthday but that was definitely not the case. He looks over at Jimin who is chatting with some surgeons and they make the quickest 1-second eye contact before Jimin turns his head and looks away. Jimin continues on chatting with the group he’s standing with, pretending like he didn’t see Jungkook despite their eye contact.

“He’s impressive, huh?” Namjoon says taking a sip of his coffee. “Jimin really is a genius. It’s really awesome we have him here working with us.”

“Who’s impressive?” Yoongi says creeping up right behind Namjoon and back hugging him by the waist. He jokes, “me, right, Dr. Kim?”

“Sir, this is a professional work place,” Hoseok says teasingly at the married surgeon couple.

“I gotta go babe, just got paged. My patient tried to stab himself in the eye with his toothbrush apparently,” Yoongi sighs and pinches his nose bridge. “I’ll see you at home.”

“Oh god…” Namjoon says nodding. The two husbands give each other a quick peck before Yoongi is off to the psyche ER.

“I can’t imagine dealing with that… emergency and trauma are hard enough but throw psyche in there? Damn,” Jungkook says. Namjoon sighs and nod in agreement. A toothbrush eye stabbing was on the far mellow side of the things Yoongi had dealt with.

The three of them chit chat for another few minutes and then Hoseok get paged, then Namjoon. Jungkook lingers waiting around having small-talk with colleagues, trying to get a chance to catch Jimin to congratulate him. They haven’t spoken other than the usual bare minimum when it was absolutely necessary for work, and any possible ‘progress’ they made went down the drain after that night at hwaeshik when they were both being salty and passive aggressively shading each other. Or so, Jungkook thinks Jimin was shading him.

But Jungkook is a professional. He could set their differences aside and congratulate his colleague when it was well-deserved. Right?

“Hey,” Jungkook says when Jimin finally isn’t bombarded by people. “Congratulations on the journal article.” He gives an awkward, closed mouth smile. But he means it.

“Uhm, thanks,” Jimin says giving an awkward, forced smile back.

“What’s that for?” Jungkook says hurt, looking directly in Jimin’s eyes. Jimin hated when he did this because Jeon’s gaze was so piercing.

“What’s what?”

“The ‘uhm’,” Jungkook says raising an eyebrow. “Why the uhm?”

“Uh.., I don’t know what you’re talking about. I just said thank you,” Jimin replies. Jungkook sighs and shakes his head.

“You know what, Park. Forget it. Was just trying to congratulate you. Honestly don’t know what your problem is with me,” Jungkook says looking both genuinely hurt and annoyed.

“I mean you don’t talk to me like all week, use your residents to deliver your messages to me, or email. Oh and tell Ji- Chief that you think one of my patients should be yours. Yeah, I know you did that. Didn’t really take you for a snake so I was kind of surprised but then also not? And then on Friday you just left me alo-,” Jimin stops midway his sentence and starts a new sentence. “And then you’re here congratulating me? So, sorry if I find it kind of out of character.” Jimin says now looking at Jungkook right back firmly. “Well, whatever. Forget it. Forget what I just said. Never mind. Thank you Dr. Jeon, if you genuinely meant the congrats. Enjoy the cake,” Jimin says. He’s about to walk away but Jungkook is so flabbergasted he can’t help but laugh.

“So were you?? You were ignoring me too,” Jungkook laughs and shakes his head. “You were using email and your residents to play middleman too all week. Are you serious right now, Jimin? It goes two-ways. And I wasn’t trying to be a snake. Mr. Kwon was initially my trauma patient to begin with?? And when Chief reassigned it over to you I was just stat-“

“Can we not do this here?” Jimin says coldly. He looks angry. “You’re ruining my party.” Jimin walks away and grabs a Starbucks coffee at the table and then speaks to everyone in the room.

“Thank you, everyone! So much! I have to get back to work now but thank you for celebrating with me and for surprising me!!” His face brightens into a beautiful smile where his eyes disappear into thin lines like crescent moons.

Jungkook is dumbfounded how different Jimin’s entire demeanor is when he’s talking to others and when he’s talking to him. He feels both anger and strangely, hurt. Jungkook follows after Jimin exiting the lounge.

“Jimin,” Jungkook says catching up to Jimin in the halls. Jimin ignores him and keeps walking while sipping his coffee.

“Dr. Park,” Jungkook tries again. Jimin stops walking and abruptly turns around to face Jungkook.

“What?” He glares. “I’m busy, how can I help you, Dr. Jeon?”

Jungkook twists and turns his neck trying to crack it because he’s so annoyed. Why does this guy hate me so fucking much? All I did was congratulate him, damn.

“Follow me,” Jungkook says sternly. He didn’t want to resume their conversation in the middle of the hallway in case they ended up screaming at each other again. Which… was a high possibility since it seemed the two couldn’t get along no matter how hard they tried. “Follow me, Park” he repeats, gazing right into Jimin’s eyes.

Jungkook then resumes walking and is confident Jimin is going to follow him considering how serious he sounded. He walks to the stairwell exits and walks up a few flights of stairs until they’re on the hospital’s roof.

“What the fuck is your problem, Park?! Huh!?” Jungkook finally blurts out as soon as he sees Jimin stepping outside from the stairwell door. “I really this time just wanted to congratulate you. And then you somehow managed to flip it around and make me the bad guy and made it weird like wtf are we doing?! I can’t keep working with you like this. Shit.”

“Then don’t.” Jimin says indifferently. It pisses Jungkook off more that he’s the only one agitated and yelling and Jimin’s just standing there looking icy and beautiful, arms crossed holding his coffee. God he’s just such… a fucking… perfect… little … prick, Jungkook thinks.

“Excuse me?”

“Don’t. Don’t work with me. If you can’t work with me and you hate it here, then don’t. Quit.” Jimin takes a sip of his coffee nonchalantly.

Ironically, Jungkook’s anger and temper suddenly subsides upon hearing these harsh words, like a balloon deflating. He can’t even be angry or yell anymore because he’s so shocked. He speaks gently now, sounding completely spiritless.

“I thought we were both avoiding each other so we don’t clash again. We were both communicating via our residents and email so we avoid each other, no? It wasn’t just me, Park. So don’t put that on me. And Mr. Kwon? I wasn’t trying to be a snake. I just really wanted to see him start to finish because his diagnosis is my specialty. When chief told me he’s going to hand his case over to you, I just stated my perspective on why I should remain the attending on his case. If you knew the whole story, you’d know that he was originally my patient. So no, I wasn’t trying to steal him away from you, I was just trying to keep him under my care. You have this idea or some shit in your head that I’m out to get you or something, and I don’t know why. I’m just here to work, Jimin.” Jungkook sighs. “And Friday? What about Friday? Finish your sentence, Jimin.” Jungkook knew Jimin was drunk that Friday night at hwaeshik but he doesn’t know just how conscious or how much the man remembered. He didn’t know Jimin well enough yet to know his drinking levels and habits. What did he mean about Friday?

They just stare at each other in silence for a good minute and Jimin finally speaks. “Sure, Fine. I’m not going to play dumb and act like I don’t know we’re avoiding each other ever since we got in trouble but I also asked you few days ago if you wanted a coffee when I was getting one, you said no. I even invited you to come out to the bar with a bunch of us the other day, you didn’t come. At hwaeshik that night I even- any ways. Yes, we’re both trying to avoid each other so we don’t have another blow up like last time but I feel like I tried enough. Many times. And you just… you are so ridiculous Jeon. You have it flipped backward. You’re the one who has some weird vendetta against me. I’ve done nothing wrong to you but you think I’m out to get you.”

“And Friday? You keep saying Friday but not finishing your point. Why aren’t you finishing your sentence? Friday what?” 

“Friday what?”

“I don’t know, you tell me. You said something Friday and you stopped talking midway,” Jungkook says.

“I don’t know. I don’t remember,” Jimin lies. You left me to go home alone when I was clearly flirting with you all damn night at hwaeshik. Flirting, touching, trying to get friendly, trying to get to know you, teasing you playfully. “Nothing. I don’t remember what I was saying.”

Jungkook stares at Jimin and Jimin looks away not wanting to make eye contact in case Jungkook could tell he was lying. “One, yeah exactly. We were both actively avoiding each other. So don’t put that on me. Two, you didn’t invite me?? Taehyung did?? And I couldn’t come out that night because I honestly had prior engagements already,” Jungkook doesn’t even know why he’s explaining himself right now. It was true that he really declined the bar invitation because he already had dinner plans with him and some former military friends. And frankly, Dr. Taehyung saying ‘Jimin and I are gonna go to the bar with a few others, you should come!’ wasn’t exactly an invite from Jimin himself, Jungkook thinks.

“It’s not out of character to congratulate a colleague for something, damn.” Jungkook shakes his head and places his hands on his waist from stress and starts walking to the edge railing of the roof. He looks down at the bustling city below. It was strangely stress-relieving looking at the view from above.  

Jimin slowly walks to the railing and stands beside Jungkook. He too looks out at the city below. “Okay. Thank you for congratulating me then,” he says quietly and earnestly.

Jungkook turns to face Jimin but Jimin is still facing out at the city. Now he’s being nice? Now he’s accepting what was his genuine congrats from earlier in the staff lounge? Only now, after they’ve argued up here on the roof? After he completely ruined his attempt at genuinely saying congratulations and tainting his honest, intent and gesture?

“Whatever, Park.”

~

“I am busy,” Taehyung says brushing Seokjin off. They’re in the hallway coming out of Jimin’s short congratulatory surprise party.

“My office, now,” Seokin leans in closer to Taehyung’s ear and walks off first, refusing to take no for an answer. Taehyung looks up at the ceiling irritated and anxious, trying to prevent tears from coming out. He’d managed to avoid this confrontation, this ‘talk’ for three days now since Seokjin has been back from his conference.

When Taehyung arrives at Seokjin’s office he stands in front of the door hesitating. He could run off now, make an excuse that he got busy with work, and stall having this conversation again, like he has been for the past few days. But Seokjin’s serious tone ‘now’ rings in Taehyung’s ears.

The pediatric surgeon sighs deeply and slowly twists the door knob and enters.

Not at all to Taehyung’s surprise, Seokjin is sitting on one of his black leather couches, legs crossed, clearly awaiting his arrival. Taehyung makes the dreaded trudge to the couch opposite from his boss and lover.

“You are really using your position to threaten me to talk to you, huh?” Taehyung says.

“You wouldn’t talk to me otherwise, and you’ve been ignoring my calls and texts. So what do you want me to do.” Seokjin says.

“You are so mature,” Taehyung says sarcastically. “How was your conference.”

“Conference was fine. Not that you genuinely care since I’ve already been back for days.”

“Well what do you expect me to say?” Taehyung knows he’s being unfair. He’s the one who had given Seokjin an ultimatum and told him to think about it and get back to him. Yet he’s been avoiding Seokjin like a plague and trying to delay this talk because Taehyung knew.

Taehyung knew the chief’s answer.

He knew that if it was going to be the answer he wanted, Seokjin would have just said it, made him listen to him and blurted it out that he loved him and wanted to be official! He would have sent him texts, left voicemails proclaiming his love that he’s thought long and hard about it and that he’s ready to commit and date officially.

But he didn’t.

So Taehyung knew this talk would end with him in tears and a broken heart.

“Why are you being so difficult? You’re acting like a brat.” Seokjin says. “You’ve been actively avoiding me, I mean, you literally ran away from me yesterday Tae. I know you heard me but you acted like you didn’t and you ran away down the hall like I’m just-“

“Okay. I got your answer. Can I go now.”

“Taehyungah…”

“Don’t call me like that, Chief Kim. I prefer you address me professionally. Thank you.”

“It’s not a good time, Taehyung.”

“Stop. I said I got it. So stop,” Taehyung’s eyes start feeling hot. The last thing he wants to do is cry at his place of work in his boss’s office.

“That’s not fair,” Seokjin frowns. “You’re not even giving me a chance to talk.”

“Because! What more could you have to say, huh?! I’ve already heard it all!! It’s not a good time Tae, it’ll be so complicated with our relationship, being your evaluating supervisor Tae, hospital will gossip so much Tae, I got it, okay? I got your point. May I leave now, Chief.”

“Why can’t we just… take it slow, Taehyung? Go with the flow? Like how we’ve been? It’s been good, no?” Seokjin asks sincerely. It’s not like he didn’t like Taehyung. In fact, he was really falling in love with the younger, too. But Seokjin was at his peak of his career. Chief of Surgery at the age of 41, one of the youngest the hospital’s ever had, well known in the area and the medical field. He wanted to keep going and work towards achieving Head Physician one day.

It wasn’t that there were rules against dating amongst coworkers, there were many surgeons dating each other—attendings dating attendings, attendings dating residents, residents dating interns, every combination possible. Even many marriages came about out of the hospital couples, for instance like psychiatrist Dr. Min Yoongi and neurosurgeon Dr. Kim Namjoon.

But Seokjin and Taehyung aren’t just coworkers, Jin is his direct evaluating supervisor. Which ethically, dating him would be heavily frowned upon. It’s not that it wasn’t possible, but it was just too complicating. The hospital would probably want to reorganize so that Taehyung had a different supervisor—it was all just too much that Seokjin didn’t want to deal with in addition to the gossip that would be spreading everywhere, most likely negative gossip. He had too much going on as is, too much on his plate, too many patients he had to deal with, too many subordinates he had to manage, a surgical department to keep running, he couldn’t deal with this right now in his career.

“Because I don’t want to. I don’t want to take it slow! That’s why! That’s my reason! And there is nothing wrong with my reason! I have a right to feel what I feel and want what I want. And what I want is something real. Something with potential. And you’re not gonna give me that. So I want to go. Okay? I got your answer so I’ll give you my response. We’re done fooling around. I don’t want to do that anymore. Please don’t talk to me again unless it’s work related. Have a great afternoon, Chief Kim. I have work to get back to.” Taehyung stands up, straightens his white coat out and bows respectfully as if he was just another subordinate of Seokjin’s.

“Taehyungah don’t be like that-” Seokjin says but Taehyung is already out the door. 

~

“Fuck him,” Jimin says and takes a long gulp of his beer. He slams it down on the table. “Fuck Jin. I hate him. How dare he.”

Taehyung stares at his glass mug of beer like he’s out of it.

“Hey,” Jimin says waving his hand in front of Taehyung’s eyes to snap him back to reality. Taehyung had told him everything that happened with Seokjin and right before that, Jimin had spilled about his rooftop conversation with Jungkook as well. “You good?”

“Sorry,” Taehyung says finally. “Yeah. It’s okay. I’m over it.”

Jimin knows his best friend doesn’t mean that but he nods agreeably. “Good. You don’t need him.”

“Well, I kind of do,” Taehyung chuckles weakly. “He’s my boss. And I need my job, so-“

“You know what I mean.” Jimin rolls his eyes. “Screw them both.”

“Yeah. Yeah screw Jin and Jeon,” Taehyung offers a weak smile.

“You’ll find someone better,” Jimin says.

“I won’t but, thanks for trying to cheer me up-“

“HEY! None of that negative shit!!”

“What, it’s true. And you know it,” Taehyung says. Jimin is not liking this self-deprecating attitude.

“Listen, sure he’s rich, smart, a surgeon, chief at age 41, has a great family background, and annoyingly handsome and would probably make beautiful babies but you think he’s the only hot, smart, rich surgeon?! Please, you’ll find someone else better. Trust me. It’s his loss. He’s missing out on you, Tae. So don’t say that dumb shit. We’ll find you someone better. Someone who’s down to commit and looking for a potential marriage partner!” Jimin says cheerfully trying to comfort his friend.

“I’m pathetic, huh? I feel like I’m going through a break up when we were never even together to begin with,” Taehyung starts tearing. Jimin hops off his stool and hugs Taehyung.

“What are you talking about?? You have every right to feel the way you do right now, okay? You guys haven’t just been fucking, but acting like a damn couple in private for the last 6 months. This is some bullshit answer he gave you. God, as if he wasn’t already pissing me off lately, now he really ticked me off. How dare he treat you like this. Ugh. Forget him, okay? He’ll regret this.”

Taehyung hugs Jimin back and cries into him.

~

“JEON!” His superior yells. The others on the jeep start yelling his name too to get on. It’s loud with the sound of bombs, people’s screams, including their fellow comrade on the ground injured on the brink of death. “JEON! NOW. IT’S TOO LATE! GET ON, NOW. IT’S AN ORDER!”

Jungkook panics. He looks at his fellow soldier, comrade, friend, brother. He’s bleeding everywhere and Captain Jeon Jungkook knows deep down, that the man is pretty much a dead man in a few short minutes. He’s lost too much blood. Then he looks at the rest of his squad on the jeep screaming at him to hurry up and get on the jeep, leaving their fellow brother to die there alone. But he was not going to let another one of his fellow soldiers die out here. Not if he could help it.

They were warned that there were more bombs coming and Jungkook had to get back to base to treat others who actually had a better chance of surviving.

“JEON! NOW. IT’S AN ORDER. WE HAVE TO GO!”

Jungkook bends down and tries to pick up his comrade, Kim Woosung but Jungkook is limping so bad he can hardly stand himself.

“JEON, I’M SAYING IT ONE LAST TIME, GET ON THE JEEP NOW. WE HAVE TO GO. IT’S TOO LATE FOR KIM. WE HAVE TO GO.”

“FUCK,” Jungkook mutters under his breath when he stumbles and falls. It’s dusty and his eyes burn, he can hardly see straight. Kim cries out in pain from hitting the ground. He cries for someone to help him because he’s in so much pain from his blast injuries.

“GET HERE. NOW. JEON. WE HAVE TO GO. THIS IS MY LAST AND FINAL ORDER OR YOU WILL BE SUFFERING YOUR CONSEQUENCES FOR DISOBEYING MY OFFICIAL ORDER,” his boss yells out. In the military, an order was an order. Willfully disobeying a lawful order of superior commissioned offer could result in dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, or even confinement for up to 5 years.

“FUCK! SIR JUST LET ME GET HIM, WE CAN GET HIM ON THE JEEP-”

“JEON! IT’S TOO LATE. YOU WILL GET ON THIS JEEP IN THE NEXT 5 SECONDS OR YOU CAN EXPECT TO SEE ME AT COURT MARTIAL FOR DISOBEYING ME!”

“FUCK FUCK FUCK,” Jungkook yells while looking at his fellow soldier and friend Woosung who clearly was too weak to speak but he could see it in his eyes. Please Jeon. Help. Jungkook knows his superior is right—the doctor in him also knows that it was too late to save Woosung. He hears Major Yoo literally counting down from 5 and Jungkook wipes his eyes with his dirty hands to try to clear his vision from all the dust, pulls Woosung’s dog tag from his neck and runs to the military jeep, finally hopping on.

~

“You let me die, Jeon. You could have saved me. I could be alive now if I just got the medical attention. But you left me there to die. Thought we were brothers.”

Jungkook gasps and opens his eyes. He immediately sits up and looks around. My room. I’m in my room. Not in Loguay… It was just a dream. Another nightmare.

2:56AM.

Jungkook rubs his eyes. He was drenched in sweat. He gets out of bed and goes to the kitchen where he downs a huge glass of cold water. After he washes his face with even more cold water, he gets back in bed but he’s unable to fall asleep. So he gets back out of bed and takes both an antidepressant and sleeping pill, both prescribed by Yoongi for his PTSD and insomnia.

He actually hasn’t had a nightmare in over 3 weeks, which meant his sessions with Dr. Min seemed to be helping. But since it’s been the longest he’s gone without the nightmares, it hits him harder all over again and Jungkook lays in bed crying because of his survivor’s guilt, until he finally dozes off into slumber thanks to the medication finally kicking in.

~

“Think Dr. Jeon is smarter, to be hones-“

“Dr. Jeon!? Are you kidding? Dr. Park is like… I mean that guy’s literally a genius, what are you smoking.”

“But so is Dr. Jeon?? You’re just saying that cuz you’re scared of him, haha. If you really think about it, Dr. Jeon is smarter because ever notice he’s usually always right? Even after making a judgment call after only a few short seconds sometimes?! He’s a fuckin genius.”

“It seems kind of reckless?”

“Reckless?! He’s a TRAUMA surgeon, idiot! He’s BRILLIANT! And quick to think on his feet what are you on seriously?!”

“Well that’s your opinion and that’s fine. I think Dr. Park is way smarter. Plus, he’s so much nicer and calm like I swear I have trauma. Sometimes I’ll wake up in the middle of the night saying, ‘YES SIR’ because I had a nightmare of Dr. Jeon screaming orders at me,” the residents all roar in laughter.

“But can you imagine? Dr. Park actually mad?!”

“Oh my goddd, don’t even!! He’s sooo nice that even the thought scares me-“

“Oh you are absolutely right. I’ve seen him pretty mad when one of the nurses fucked something up, remember Jia?”

“Yes oh my god you guys are lucky if you haven’t seen Dr. Park actually pissed. It’s fucking scary. I would rather have Dr. Jeon yell at me all day than experience the honest wrath of Dr. Park ever again. It was honestly so scary. We all just froze and stood there scared shitless,” they all laugh again.

“Goddd but Dr. Park is just soooo perfect though. He’s so sweet and kind, he’s really a one in a million surgeon- no, one in a million human.”

“I knowwww,” two of the female residents dreamily and dramatically gushing on. “Imagine who gets to marry him. Ugh, who is the lucky lady?!”

“Lady?” One of the male resident speaks. “Who says he likes women? I’d marry him in a heartbeat. Please, I bet he’s gay.”

“Please- he will probably will marry a wife.”

“Goddd he is sooooo perfect, I wish I could marry him, ugh.”

The group of residents argue and gossip over Jimin’s sexual orientation while gushing over how lucky his future partner would be to marry him.

“Dr. Jeon or Dr. Park?” One of them suddenly says.

“Who I’d rather date and marry?!”

“Yeah. Just in general, for a partner. Who would you all pick!? Dr. Park?”

“I mean have we not just been talking about him for the last like 5 minutes,” a resident giggles.

“Look,” another resident says, “Dr. Jeon. Is hot. I mean, let’s be real. He’s like the hottest guy in this hospital. Actually, hottest guy ever. I may have nearly fainted at that meeting on his first day when he introduced himself.” A bunch of the residents nod in agreement. “But can you imagine?? Marrying someone like him!? With that temper?! Noooo thank you!”

“Well, that’s dumb reasoning. This is work. Doesn’t mean he’d be like that in his personal life-“

“People are who they are,” the resident chuckles and rolls her eyes. “It’d be a nightmare being with someone like that.” The ramble on about Dr. Jeon versus Dr. Park and it seems aside from 2 of them, the majority favors Dr. Park as idea partner and marriage material.

Jungkook needs to sneeze.

He hates his fucking sinus as he was always sniffling and sneezing ever since he was a kid. He lays there quietly on the top bunk of the staff lounge trying his best not to sneeze or make a sound as the residents continue to talk shit about him and praise Jimin. He’s pressed up as close to the wall as possible with the blanket covering him, so that they residents can’t see a body is there. He was an attending physician, and he could very well just shamelessly make a sound, jump off the bunk bed and mortify the residents and punish them accordingly with his own petty punishments.

But really, Jungkook felt like shit. He was already lacking sleep and now here he was listening to his own juniors talking shit about him. He may be a big, tough, former military surgeon, but Jeon Jungkook was a softie inside. He didn’t mean to come off too strong or short tempered, it’s not like he wanted people to dislike him. He just genuinely got carried away during critical and urgent moments. He was honestly trying to be better. Hence, his cooperation, albeit forced, with Dr. Min, still attending the sessions.

He had initially went to the on-call room to take his nap but another attending was already sleeping on one of the beds, snoring loudly and Jimin was at the desk studying. So he came to the staff lounge where there was an open bunk to take his nap. But of course, the residents had to come in and start talking, unaware that he was also present in the room.

~

“Uh?” Jungkook says seeing Jimin in his patient’s room. He clears his throat to let him know he was present. Jimin and his residents look over at him. Jungkook was already cranky and irritated from being sleep deprived and listening to the residents gossiping about him. The last thing he wanted to see was the oh so great Park Jimin in one of his patient’s room. What now.

“Hello Dr. Jeon,” Jimin says. “Chief has transferred Lyly over to me, so she’s in good hands!” He smiles. But Jungkook’s not falling for it.

Not this shit again. Jungkook’s blood boils. Jimin Jimin Jimin. Everything was about Jimin today in this god damn hospital.

Jungkook doesn’t even bother arguing and dealing with Jimin directly. It never worked out anyways with them two. He leaves the room and walks up to the nurse station.

“What’s going on Selma?” He asks one of the nurses. “Why is Dr. Park with my patient Lyly? I don’t recall requesting cardiology to take a look?”

“Oh. The chief has switched things around, so Dr. Park is her head attending physician now.”

“I’m aware of that but I asked what’s going on as in why,” Jungkook says annoyed.

“Let me see,” Selma says moving her mouse around and clicking around on her computer screen.

“Never mind,” Jungkook says lightly tapping the nurse desk counter goodbye and says, “I’ll figure it out. Thanks, Selma.”

He walks over to Seokjin’s office and knocks. Come in, he hears the chief say.

“Hello Dr. Jeon. How can I help you? Have a seat.”

Jungkook ignores him and just stands in front of his desk. “I’d just like to know why you took me off my patient. Again. And to Park?? Again.”

“Sit, Dr. Jeon.” Jungkook is fuming but he tells himself internally to calm down and he obliges, taking a seat on the brown leather chair.

Seokjin folds his arms together and rests them on his dark, mahogany executive desk. “Do I have to explain my decisions to a subordinate? I assign work as I see fit.”

The two men stare at each other as if it’s some stare down contest. Jungkook finally says, “no. But there’s no rule that prohibits me from asking a question.”

Seokjin chuckles. “Jungkook, you know that first day we had that phone call. You have no idea how stressed I was after our phone call. I was ready to beg and plead for you to please accept our job offer here at SMC. You couldn’t imagine the things I had to do to get a good enough job offer package to try and re-convince you to join SMC.” Seokjin leans back on his chair and crosses his legs. “You couldn’t imagine half the things I have to do to keep the surgical department running. Not an ounce of all the back end work I do to manage the place, trying to make sure all of you surgeons are at least somewhat satisfied with your jobs so you all feel like you have some sense of pride in your work to keep you on your feet and constantly challenged, keeping the hospital management happy, keeping the board happy. And you feel you have a right to come into my office in the middle of your work day to come crying to me about why I made the decisions that I did? Jeon, I have far more years on you and I am your boss. There are things I see that you do not, things that I put into consideration when making my decisions.”

“It was just a question. And it’s a valid one. Nobody’s crying. I wasn’t aware you had a closed-door policy? Thought you had an open door policy and environment? Guess I read the environment wrong for the past few months. I never asked for this long-winded non-answer lecturing me about the stresses of your job; I simply asked you a valid question about my patient.”

“Dr. Park is more fit for this patient. Your time will be better spent on other patients. If you would have simply worked with your nurse and staff before coming up here to me, you would have realized that I’ve assigned you a new patient. Priska Nam. The girl with the spine injury. Which spinal injuries are in your field if expertise.”

Jungkook sinks his head down and makes a defeated, damnit expression as subtly as possible. His damn impatient personality. Why didn’t he just wait for Selma to look everything up on the computer?

“You didn’t say anything during the meeting so I didn’t know,” Jungkook says. It was a pathetic excuse of an apology. Seokjin just smiles fondly knowing Jungkook was embarrassed.

“Dr. Jeon, you of all people know things change quickly around here. The meeting was the meeting, and this was later. Sometimes, you have to assess the immediate situation and make quick judgment calls. I would think you would know this, as the expert trauma surgeon.”

Jungkook just sits there with nothing substantive to say anymore.

“I suggest you stop wasting my time like this again, actually, both our times, just because you and Park have bad blood. I am not interested in babysitting or in this child’s play between you two so do not come here like you’re a child as if Park stole your toy away or as if you’re filing some appeals process of my decision, and instead I advise you to do the job I’ve assigned you like you’re supposed to do. Like I’ve said before, since both you and Park seem to think this is a court room, let me remind you that my decisions are my decisions and while I have been nothing but friendly and patient with you, Dr. Jeon, they are not up for debate nor do I need to explain myself to you. If you already made a scene out there with Park, I highly suggest you fix it because if he comes in here crying like you just did, you can rest assured I will be disciplining the both of you formally. You can see your way out now.”

Jungkook gets up and bows and leaves the chief’s office in silence.

Right when he turns around after gently closing the door to Seokjin’s office, he runs straight into a hospital staff and gets coffee spilled all over him. Oh you’ve got to be fucking kidding me.

Why was life so against him today?

~

“Oh Jimin!!! My son!!! Finally I can say it in person. CONGRATULATIONS, HONEY!!” Jimin’s mother comes flying from the living room towards him and hugs him at the entrance foyer. Jimin smiles. He could smell delicious aroma of food and seeing his mother smile always made Jimin happy. Unlike many people his age, Jimin actually loved visiting his parents; it brought back memories of his beautiful childhood. While hugging her, he notices some new paintings and furnishings. His mother was always a stay at home mom when he and Jihyun were growing up; she always did have the place so beautifully decorated. Now, with her sons both grown, she had even more free time to pursue her interior decorating hobby.

Jimin laughs, “hi mom! How’d you manage to keep it a secret for two whole days, huh?!” He hugs her back warmly and kisses the top of her head. Seokjin had told the board of directors of Jimin’s article being published in the NEMJ but everyone kept it hush hush for two days while the plaques were being made and work party being planned. Jimin’s parents had told him to come over for a family dinner to celebrate. He felt bad that he didn’t come over more often but he tried his best to even with his busy life.

“My eldest! Dr. Park! Come in come in,” Jimin’s dad comes walking toward them.

“Hi dad,” Jimin says rolling his eyes. “Where’s Hyunie?”

“Oh he’s just in the bathroom, I think he’s constipated. But I made so much food tonight, what a shame if he can’t even eat! I don’t know why your brother always seems to have stomach problems! Didn’t you say his annual check up results came out fine? Jiminah will you scold your brother? I think he eats ramen and microwaveable instant food all the time. Also, Mrs. Han’s mother isn’t doing well, will you make some time to go see her-“

“Dear, let the man breathe!” Jimin’s dad says putting his arm around Jimin and patting him as a welcome home. “Let’s eat and we can catch up over dinner!” The elder winks at Jimin and Jimin just smiles, nodding a thanks to his dad.

Jimin adores his family, though his mother sometimes drove him crazy, she was a sweetheart. He had an amazing relationship with his family. They all sit at the table and catch up over delicious food that Mrs. Park cooked.

“Dad, did you really have to be the one handing me the award,” Jimin says playfully shaking his head.

“I mean, I am the chairman you know.”

Jimin laughs. He was so paranoid of people finding out that he was the chairman’s son that even when he’d sometimes run into his dad in the hospital halls, Jimin would literally tense up and try to avoid him.

“My own son hates me,” Mr. Park jokes.

“Honey, why don’t you just tell everyone now! There is no shame in having a wonderful father!”

“No mom. That’s not how everyone will think. It looks… it’ll look like-“

“Nepotism,” Jihyun interrupts while ripping the galbi with his hands from his mouth.

“Hyun-ah do you want more rice, honey? I made tons of galbi. So eat a lot.” Jihyun just smiles and his mom and nods. The women gets up, reaches over and takes Jihyun’s empty rice bowl and leaves to refill it.

“Dad, you know what I mean.”

“I know, I know. I understand why you don’t want anyone to know. But, your mother has a point too. It’s not like you cheated your way into the hospital or that I personally chose you! I excused myself from being on the selection board when they were looking to fill your position!”

“Yeah, honey! Exactly!” Mrs. Park returns with a full bowl of rice for Jihyun.

“I know, but others won’t know that. And I don’t want to explain it all and it’s just- just no. I’d rather not, okay?” Jimin says.

Mrs. Park just smiles as she settles back in her seat. “My son is such a man of integrity! Isn’t he, darling?” Mr. Park beams proudly.

“Mommm,” Jimin rolls his eyes and laughs cheekily. She never ceased to compliment and brag about both her sons.

“What!! I’m just saying, my son is such a great, smart, and ethical person!” The family laughs and they continue talking about random things, catching up on everything, listening to Jihyun’s engineer work life, Jimin’s work life, Mrs. Park’s latest gossip amongst her friends, Mr. Park talks about golf and some real estate he’s thinking of purchasing. It’s a warm environment. And then it comes up: the topic. The one topic thing that drove Jimin crazy about his mother.

“Jiminah, still nobody?”

“Mommmm, noooo, I don’t want to talk about this, okay? I’ll do everything on my own time, please,” Jimin says.

“Honey, you’re 31! All my friends’ kids are married with kids!”

“Mom, your friends’ kids are also not on crazy work schedules where they pretty much live at the hospital.”

“So you’re telling me no surgeons date or are married!?”

“Mom, I’m sure he’s dating,” Jihyun says. Jimin shoots him a look and says, “are you? Hyunie you’re dating, huh?” Trying to change the subject to Jihyun.

“Jihyun has some years left, you are 31 Min-ah!”

Jimin groans, “mom, seriously. It’s fine. Don’t worry about me okay? Everything will happen in its own time. I’ll date and marry when I want. You’re soooo good about everything else, mom, why is this that one topic you won’t just leave aloneeee?”

“Jimin-ah are you seeing someone?” Mr. Park finally speaks.

“No?” Jimin answers. His dad takes a sip of his wine and raises an eyebrow at him playfully.

“What? I’m not.”

Mrs. Park gasps as she eyes the eye contact between her husband and Jimin. “Are you!?!? Honey!! Are you dating someone right now?!”

“Ohhh my godddddddd, I’m nottttt. Can we please drop this.”

“How about that new surgeon?” Mr. Park says. “Well, I guess he’s not new anymore. It’s been a few months now hasn’t it? The trauma surgeo-“

“Oh my godddd I’m seriously gonna go home if you guys don’t drop this.”

“Honey why are you getting so upset? Why do you hate talking about this? We just want to see you happy! Like your father and I!” She looks at her husband and Mr. Park leans in to give her a quick peck. Jimin and Jihyun were used to seeing their parents visibly display their physical affections. They really were blessed with such amazing parents who were still so in love. “What’s so bad about dating and lov-“

“Oh my GODDD STOPPPP MOMMMM. I never said it’s bad?? I just don’t want to talk about my love life with my parents!! Okay?!”

Mrs. Park claps her hands together excitedly and shrieks, “a love life?! So you ARE dating!!!! Oh honey, I’m so happy to hear that! Okay, I will drop it now then, since you’re getting shy! You must be dating!! Honey,” she looks at her husband, “he said love life!”

Jimin rolls his eyes and buries his face in his palms. His mother really had a skill.

“Dr. Jeon was it?” Mr. Park says. Jimin rubs his face stressed out and looks at his dad. “Or does he only like women? You’re such a fine husband candidate, Jimin. I know you’re my son, but you really are such a great eligible bachelor and frankly, if I remember correctly, his resume was amazing-“

“Dad, no. I’m done with this conversation.” 

Jihyun just chuckles while going to town on the food. He grabs another galbi and starts devouring it off the bone. Jimin just looks at his younger brother in awe of how much and how well he eats.

“Why are you constipated and how are you eating so much if you’re shi- bowels haven’t moved.”

Jihyun freezes with his mouth full and rolls his eyes at his hyung.

“Jimin!” Mrs. Park says. “We’re eating! Don’t talk about that now!!”

“It’s just poop, mom. All part of our natural body system,” Jimin says nonchalantly and his parents just look at each other shaking their heads trying not to laugh at the fact that their doctor son was really talking about poop in the middle of dinner. Jimin continues to grill Jihyun so he can figure out what was wrong with him. Which eventually just turns into him nagging about Jihyun’s sedentary lifestyle and bad eating habits.

“You engineers need to get away from your computers and desks and ya know, move, every now and then,” Jimin scolds.

Jihyun groans, “I thought you were a surgeon not a nutritionist and gym trainer.”

“I will be all of those to you if you don’t stop being an unhealthy slob Hyun,” Jimin smirks.

“God hyung you are sooo annoying. How does anyone even work with you??! Your poor friends and coworkers!!” Jihyun rolls his eyes. “You’re such a know it all!! You know, whoever you end up marrying… oh god. GOOD LUCK TO THEM!” It’d be a lie if he said life wasn’t hard growing up under the shadow of a perfect older brother. But Jimin was overall such a wonderful hyung to him that Jihyun loved his older brother to death.

But it didn’t hurt to pick at him and make fun of his uptight, know-it-all brother every now and then with some stabs of the truth. The brothers bicker back and forth, and their parents just smile because their home feels alive with their two sons over for dinner.

~

Jungkook exits the large hospital, walking through the sliding doors and stretches his arms out when he feels the warmth of the sun hitting his body. He stands there for a few seconds just soaking in the vitamin D. He’s been in the OR in an intense surgery all morning that had far too many complications. He’s just relieved he was able to successfully wrap up the surgery in the end with a stable, but mostly, living patient.

He walks over toward the side of the hospital where there’s a small ‘healing garden’ as SMC called it; he wanted to find a bench and just sit there doing nothing and destress for a few minutes. Sometimes, surgeons just needed to do absolutely nothing but sit there mindlessly after going through an intense hours-long surgery. As much as Jungkook loves surgery, he was drained and exhausted from almost losing his patient just now in the OR.

When he walks closer to the garden and row of benches, he sees Jimin sitting there on the first one, holding a coffee and staring off into space. Jungkook pauses and hesitates for a few minutes but eventually walks over to the bench and sits down on the opposite end of Jimin.

Jimin turns his head to see who it is and when seeing it’s Jungkook, he doesn’t say a word but simply stands up.

“You get a chance see the new MRI machine?” Jungkook says casually. Jimin stands there debating internally if he should leave so they don’t risk fighting, or if he should sit back down and try to have a civil conversation with Jungkook.

It’s been a month since Jimin’s surprise party for getting published by the NEMJ. The hospital had purchased a brand new MRI machine and a few other things per Seokjin’s request. The chief had shown it off to some of the surgeons who happened to around and free earlier this morning, Jungkook being one of them. Jimin had been so busy all morning that he hadn’t even gotten a chance to see the new purchases that were made all thanks to him receiving the grant for the hospital.

“Nope,” Jimin answers tersely. He sits back down. Why should he leave anyways? He was here on this bench first.

“It’s nice,” Jungkook says.

The birds literally chirp and fills the awkward silence. They hadn’t had a big confrontation or non-patient related conversation ever since their rooftop incident. And Jungkook has been making his best effort to avoid any conflicts with Jimin after the chief had told him off that day in his office.

Jungkook was really, really trying.

And Jimin just didn’t seem to appreciate any of his efforts. Ever.

“Yeah, well, it better be, right? Brand new.” Jimin forces a smile and Jungkook just looks at him.

“What?” Jimin says.

“What’s your deal, Park?” Jungkook asks in a gentle, earnest tone.

Jimin is startled and says again, “what?”

“Are you still mad at me cuz I yelled at you on the roof that day?”

“No?”

“Then what is it,” Jungkook says as softly and warmly as possible, trying not to sound accusatory. “I told you, you completely flipped that one around on me that day… I really was complimenting you but you made it weird-“

“I’m not mad,” Jimin interrupts. He looks at Jungkook right in the eyes and says, “I just don’t care.”

Jungkook laughs and shakes his head at how ridiculous this situation is. The two surgeons just look at each other in silence. Jungkook studies the older man’s face. Objectively, he looked so sweet and almost innocent. With his smooth, milky skin, cute cheeks which were often a natural rose blush, puffy pouty lips, extremely emotive eyes; objectively, he really was such a beauty. He was the sweetest person usually to others but Jungkook. But to Jungkook, he was always so icy. “Okay, Jimin. Sure.”

Jimin just shrugs and faces away from Jungkook. He sips his coffee and watches the people stroll around the garden. All Jimin wanted to do was sit here in silence during his break. But here Jungkook was once again ruining his peace and trying to pick a fight with him. This guy really knew how to get under his skin. And Jimin wasn’t going to fall for it. He knew the moment he’d open his mouth and say anything substantive, Jungkook would somehow twist his words and they’d end up fighting. So Jimin says as little as possible, like he’s been doing this past month. He is not trying to having a screaming match out here in the ‘healing garden’ where patients, doctors, and staff come to destress and relax.

“Read your article,” Jungkook says also looking out at the garden. The two weren’t facing each other but continue to chat. “Really good.” Jungkook makes a few professional, medical comments about the piece, complimenting Jimin’s work.

“Thanks,” Jimin says.

God it was pulling teeth trying to talk Jimin. The same person who was so friendly and chatty to everyone else. Jungkook is really trying to have a civil conversation with him, even genuinely trying to get to know him and not just doctor Park Jimin, but Jimin just answers everything vaguely.

“Jimin,” Jungkook says with a very serious tone. He’s facing Jimin and Jimin turns his head again to look at Jungkook. “What is it, Jimin. Just tell me. What is it about me that you hate so damn much?”

Jimin is about to open his mouth to start listing the reasons for what he can’t stand about Jungkook, first being ‘you hated me first for no reason’, but instead, Jimin just inhales. They’ve done this too many times, he knew how this conversation would end: fighting.

“Look, I just don’t get why you suddenly want to act like we’re buddy buddy as if we’re the type to sit here and chit chat. When I tried that in the past, it didn’t work and ended with you accusing me of shi-,” Jimin slows down and stops himself from raising his voice and getting combative. “Forget it. I just came here to take my break. I don’t want to fight with you, okay? Let’s just go on as we’ve been doing.”

With that, Jimin stands up to leave. Right as he walks past Jungkook, he hears Jungkook sigh and say,

“You really know how to get under my skin, Park.”

~

“I need Dr. Park! Where is Dr. Park Jimin?!” The man yells stomping around the ER looking for Jimin, dismissing the fact that Jungkook, also an attending physician, was already treating his wife.

“Sir, you need to calm down,” one of Jungkook’s resident, Erin says. “Please calm down, or I’m going to have to call security.”

“Security?! HA! Do you know who I am!?! This hospital is running because of me!” The man claims.

Jungkook examines his patient while her husband angrily storms around the room shouting for Jimin. Jungkook tasks his residents to stabilize the patient and he walks over to the man.

“Mr. Rhee, I’m going to need you to calm down. Your wife will need to go into surgery. We’re prepping the OR for her so she’ll be oka-“

“You’re not operating on my wife. I need Dr. Park!” The man starts dialing someone on his phone again and when no one answers he starts yelling from frustration. Jungkook is standing there watching all this and he tries again. “Sir, I’m the attending physician and you can rest assured that I will make sure your wife has a smooth operatio-“

“God where is Chairman Park,” the man mutters and starts dialing on his phone again. Jungkook is confused what Chairman Park has to do with this situation now and Jungkook also starts getting frustrated. Mr. Rhee hangs up the call again after no luck.

“No one is operating on my wife unless it’s Dr. Park! Do you hear me?!” He is so angry and all he keeps repeating is that he’ll only allow Dr. Park to operate on his wife because he was the best cardiac surgeon.

“Sir, I understand you may have preferences but Dr. Park is currently in surgery with another patie-“

“DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM!? HUH?! I’M A VVIP-“

“Dr. Jeon,” one of the managing staffs leans in and whispers something to Jungkook. If Jungkook wasn’t at work, he’d roll his eyes but instead he uses every ounce of his patience and kindness to try and speak to the man again.

“With all due respect sir, I understand you have close ties with the hospital, however, Dr. Park is unavailable to operate on your wife. She is in critical condition and once the OR is ready for her in a few minutes, I will be the one leading the surgery.” Jungkook gives no fucks about who’s rich, who’s a VIP, who’s a VVIP, who was a person of ‘status’—patients were patients. No human life was of more value than another’s just because they were rich. He wasn’t going to pull Jimin out of another surgery just because some rich guy thinks his wife is more important than the one Jimin was currently with.

These are exactly the kinds of people Jungkook hates. Those who think they are better than others just because of they are rich or had status in society.

“WHERE’S YOUR BOSS,” the man yells completely ignoring everything Jungkook just said. “GET ME YOUR BOSS! WHERE IS THE CHIEF!”

Jungkook rolls his eyes internally as he and his residents all eye each other annoyed with this obnoxious man. “Sir, I will have security escort you out if you do not calm down. We are all here working to get your wife better-“

“What’s going on?” Seokjin walks in. Someone in the room must have already paged him considering how demanding and violent Mr. Rhee was getting. The residents huddle around Seokjin and explain the problematic man and Seokjin walks toward Mr. Rhee and Jungkook but it seems Seokjin already knows the man.

“Hello Mr. Rhee,” Seokjin says.

~

“I don’t know where the chairman is! He’s usually so good about answering calls! If I could just get a hold of him, he’d make you all listen to me! And make Jimi- Dr. Park operate on my wife!! Even his wife isn’t answering!” Mr. Rhee says. Seokjin nods empathetically, trying to calm the man down and reason with him.

“The chairman is not in today. Took a day off so I’m not sure either,” Seokjin says apologetically even though he has nothing to be sorry about.

“But Mr. Rhee, Dr. Jeon is very, very good. I would not have hired him if I didn’t think he was the best, just like all of my surgeons.” Seokjin continues to try and convince the man that Jungkook is a great surgeon, just as good as Jimin.

They go back and forth for a bit in the hallway with their lowered voices since Seokjin has successfully managed to calm the man down so that he’d stop yelling.

“Dr. Kim, I am not doubting your choices as the chief of surgery or as a manager. I’m sure that Dr. Jeon in there is great, okay? I get it. But this is my wife. I can’t take any risks. I know Jinhyuk’s son Dr. Park is the best of the best for heart surgeons. I need him to operate. I don’t feel comfortable with anyone else. Please.”

“Mr. Rhee, I understand. Your wife is very important to you, and she’s very important to us too. I respect and value you not only as one of the hospital’s biggest benefactor’s but also just as our patient’s husband. Your wife’s care is our number one priority right now and my surgeons are all extremely skilled. Really, they’re world class surgeons just as much as the chairman’s son. I wish I could continue chatting but I do have to go into another surgery myself, sir.” Seokjin was well aware Mr. Rhee was not only one of the consistent donors for the hospital, he was also good friends with the chairman, Jimin’s father.

“I just don’t know why you can’t do me this favor! The money I have donated to SMC! And you can’t get Dr. Park to switch out and operate on my wife?! I want the chairman’s son to operate!! I know Jimin would operate for her if he just knew I was here! ”

“I’m sorry, sir but I cannot and will not, under my good conscience pull Dr. Park out while he’s in the middle of another surgery,” Seokjin says sternly. “I have to go prepare now for another surgery-“

The man groans, “then I want you to operate on my wife.”

Seokjin rubs his face from stress. This man was clearly not going to give up, and Seokjin did not want to deal with an angry board of directors yelling at him later becaise Mr. Rhee stopped donating to the hospital out of anger. Seokjin wonders why he even wanted to get this Chief of Surgery position to begin with and wonders if he even wants to continue on this career path of management. Maybe he should just demote himself and go back to being solely a practicing surgeon; then he wouldn’t have to deal with this kind of shit and these type of assholes. Chief Kim Seokjin sighs heavily.

“Okay. I will personally do your wife’s surgery.”

Jungkook’s jaws are open from shock. He heard this entire conversation between Mr. Rhee and Seokjin. Jungkook turns the corner and heads back into the trauma center.

Of fucking course he’s the chairman’s son.

~

“I’m shocked but I’m not?? Like if I really think about it, it makes so much perfect sense. Of course he’s the chairman’s son,” Jungkook scoffs. He takes a large gulp of his beer.

“You think nobody else knows?? Or you think they all know except you?” Yugyeon asks, taking a sip of his beer as well. The two friends are at their favorite bar catching up.

“I don’t know… I don’t think anyone knows except the chief obviously. I dunno. It’s just funny. All of it. Ha. Park. Jimin. Mr. Chairman’s son.”

Jungkook can’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction, he’s not sure why. It’s like he won the game, whatever this game was between him and Jimin. Knowing this little secret of Jimin’s made Jungkook want to laugh hysterically. Jimin wasn’t so confident, so stuck up, so snobby, so patronizing for no reason; perfect little Park Jimin felt cocky because he had his father’s backing to fall on, Jungkook thinks. He starts questioning every little thing about Jimin, his accomplishments, awards, job perks, his supposed ‘seniority’ status at the hospital, etc.

It all made sense.

“You know you’re like obsessed with him,” Yugyeom smirks.

“What?” Jungkook says wide-eyed.

“You bring him up every single time we hang out dude.”

“What? No I don’t??”

“You do,” Yugyeon chuckles. “Does someone have a little crush on their rival?”

Jungkook gives him a ‘wtf’ expression as if Yugyeom said the most ridiculous thing. “Nah dude, you don’t know this guy. He’s the worst, honestly. I breathe and he hates me, Yeom. Literally, I stand there in his presence and he can’t stand me.”

“And you hate that, don’t you?” Yugyeom puckers his lips and Jungkook chucks a fry at him. “I mean, isn’t that because you embarrassed him in front of everyone and yelled at him or something? About a patient. Right? I remember you told me about that fight like that first month you started ther-“

“And I apologized. I apologized, Yeom. It’s not like I like yelling at him and getting angry while working. It wasn’t personal. I just get… I get carried away and lose my temper in the heat of things. Which I’m aware of. And also why I’m still doing the damn sessions with the shrink. Because I’m fully aware of my temper. It’s not like I never apologized to him or haven’t been trying to do better. I’m honestly trying. But it’s like he won’t give me the light of da-“

“You like him,” Yugyeom dramatically fake yawns. “You’re obsessssed with this guy, Jeon.” Yugyeom laughs.

“That’s all you got out of everything!?” Jungkook rolls his eyes and laughs too. “It’s really not like that, Yeom. He’s just so fucking… annoying. I can’t… stand him. But that’s because he started this shit. I honestly had nothing against him I don’t know why he hates me so much. Well I mean now it makes sense.”

Yugyeom raises his eyebrows waiting for Jungkook to finish.

“He thinks he’s better than me. I mean I told you, I already had my guesses he was some rich kid and grew up a spoiled brat probably. I could just tell. He’s such a little… prick. Honestly wouldn’t be surprised if everything was just handed to him his whole life. Son of hospital chairman, rich kid, fucking smart, social, I mean he’s really nice on the outside in general to most people, so aside from when he’s with me, he’s likeable, very likeable actually, everyone thinks he’s got a good personality, charming, cute-“ Jungkook catches himself and stops midway. Yugyeom just stares at him smirking with his eyebrows raised. “Anyways, makes sense why he hates me. Probably thinks he’s too good for me or something?? And he hates me because I’m like ‘taking his spot’ or his ‘equal rival’ or whatever the gossip is around the hospital, I don’t know? He’s full of himself.”

“Are you done?” Yugyeom asks grinning. Jungkook chucks a fry at him.

“Shut up and drink!”

~

For the following weeks, Jungkook can’t help but feel smug every time he sees Jimin, knowing that he knows Dr. Perfect Park Jimin’s big secret. But instead of actually being smug to Jimin on the outside, he’s extra nice to Jimin.

It lasts for a while until it doesn’t.

“Why are you being weird?” Jimin finally says one day when the two surgeons were leaving a patient’s room together.

“What?” Jungkook says smiling.

“You’ve been weird lately,” Jimin says looking at him suspiciously.

“I just.. opened the door for you, Jimin. Can’t I do something nice for the hospital’s superstar surgeon? You act like I’m evil and never do anything nice for anyone before,” Jungkook grins. It was true, he had opened the door and gestured with his arms out as if it was some red carpet runway, implying for Jimin to go ahead first.

“I mean you haven’t been the nicest person to me since you’ve started working here so.”

Jungkook smiles sweetly, “so if I’m an ass, you complain. Even after I’m an ass and I apologize, you complain. If I’m nice, you complain. What does King Park Jimin want?” Jungkook smiles. Jimin doesn’t trust it one bit.

Jimin squints his eyes and stares at Jungkook suspiciously for a few seconds. He eventually shrugs it off and leaves.

The two rival surgeons continue on like this, with Jungkook acting unusually “nice” and Jimin being suspicious. Jungkook casually asks around his colleagues about Jimin’s background trying to carefully snoop around to find out if anyone knows the fact that Jimin is the chairman’s son.

Nobody seems to.

~

“I NEED to operate NOW,” Jimin raises his voice over Jungkook’s trying best not to cross the line of ‘yelling’. He couldn’t risk Seokjin walking in and seeing them fight.

“My patient is in much more critical need, Jimin, you know I’m righ-“

“Are you kidding me?! My patient has an aortic tear, Jungkook, he needs to go into surgery NOW, I can’t deal with this okay? I’m not arguing with you. Your patient with osteomyelitis versus an aortic tear, are you joking me right now? You know what, Jia, is the OR ready?”

Jungkook grabs Jimin’s wrist and stops him from walking away. “Jimin, this is not because I’m trying to argue with you, okay? It’s not just a damn usual spinal chord injury. It’s an infection and I know you know this. The infection’s in the vertebral body of the spine now but if I wait any longer-“

“If the tear in my patient’s aorta get’s bigger, the entire blood vessel will expand into the outer walls and you know what will happen then!”

Dr. Park and Dr. Jeon argue with their medical lingo and justifications on who should get the OR first, as civilly as possible with their raised but ‘civil’ voices trying their best not to yell. But of course when things just keep repeating itself and they get nowhere, they’re both utterly panicking knowing both of their patients needed surgery ASAP.

After a somewhat ‘peaceful’ no-screaming match the last few months, the two surgeons’ voices get louder and louder and soon blow up into full on yelling. They both genuinely believe their justifications are correct and aren’t arguing for the sake of arguing. Jungkook genuinely believes he needs the OR first and Jimin truly believe he needs the OR first.

They’re going at it when they’re finally interrupted by their boss’s voice.

“Park, take the OR, Jeon, you’ll get OR #5 when they’re finished in about an hour-“

“Are you kidding me, Jin?!” Jungkook exclaims. Seokjin flips through the two charts he’s holding, one belonging to Jimin’s patient and the other Jungkook’s. He looks at Jungkook dead in the eyes and confirms, “does it look like I’m kidding, Dr. Jeon? Jimin, you have OR #3, they’re cleaning it up now and should be ready in a few minutes. Dr. Jeon, you can keep your patient stabilized until about an hour-”

Just then, they hear a man cry for help. Jungkook’s patient screams from pain and Dr. Jeon rushes over to him. Seokjin follows after him and orders the nurse to get him on a strong pain reliever via IV for the time being.

Jungkook communicates with his screaming patient and he assesses his body again. “Chief, he needs to go into surgery now,” he goes on explaining his medical reasoning. Seokjin counters back with his explanation on why he can wait and why Jimin’s patient was in more critical need for the OR.

“NO, that’s NOT it. Chief, I respect you and I know you’re my boss, but he’s already been showing symptoms. This isn’t some infection like the flu- he’s in dire need of surgery right now sir,” Jungkook truly believed with every medical fiber of his surgeon being that the patient was not going to make it if he didn’t get surgery within the next few minutes. Pain relievers weren’t going to do anything but temporarily relieve the man’s pain; they weren’t going to fix the root of the problem. The infection would spread further down his spine and the longer he waited, the more it’d spread into other areas of his body, possible paralyzing or even killing him.

The attending and chief have a clear disagreement, both backed up by their professional knowledge and experience.

“PLEASEE DR. I- IT HURTS- PLEASE,” the patient cries out in pain.

“Chief, please-“ Jungkook says. “Fuck, I NEED AN OR, CHIEF. I KNOW HOW THIS WILL GO, IT’S GOING TO SPREAD SO QUICKLY, I JUST NEED TO GET IN AND SCRAPE THE INFECTION ALL OUT.”

“JEON, THAT IS ENOUGH. THE NEXT OR WILL BE AVAILABLE IN ABOUT AN HOUR!” Seokjin raises his voice.

Jungkook’s patient continues to scream and cry for help.

“Oh for fucks sake! This is ridiculous! It’s so obvious which patient is in more critical condition! What the hell!? You’re prioritizing Park aren’t you, Jin?” Jungkook shoots a look over at Jimin who’s been standing there patiently just observing Jungkook and Jin going back and forth while waiting for the nurses and staff to finish prepping his patient so he’s ready for surgery. Jimin looks at Jungkook with a confused expression.

“What the hell? He’s prioritizing my patient because he’s in more critical need, Jeon,” Jimin says annoyed. “Just stop. Damn, the chief said what he said. Stop being difficult Jeon.”

“Give me the OR first, Chief. I promise, he really needs surgery right now. This is far more critical than Park’s aortic tear. I read both their charts.” Jungkook has the most serious, even intimidating gaze. He stares down at his boss. But Seokjin says a loud, clear

“No.”

Jimin stands there arms crossed and Jungkook wants to deck him.

“Are you joking me!?!? Oh my god, this is- I can’t even fucking believe this. It’s so clear if you even just read their charts and assess their current symptoms who needs surgery first. This is bullshit. You favor Park for everything don’t you, Chief??” And then Jungkook blurts it. “Cuz he’s the chairman’s son, huh? Isn’t that why he gets all this damn special treatment?!”

The room becomes silent other than sounds of hospital machines and the voices or cries of the patients. The surgeons, nurses, hospital staff all drop their jaws. But no one’s more shocked than Jimin.

Jimin’s jaw drops and he’s wide eyed. He looks at Seokjin as if he’s asking ‘what the hell?’ and Seokjin looks at Jimin and simply nods left and right implying ‘no, I didn’t say anything.’ The hospital employees all look at each other, some smiling from wonder and amusement as to what Dr. Jeon just blurted, some shocked and in awe at what they just heard about Jimin.

“Uh.. Dr. Park… your patient’s ready for the OR..” a nurse finally breaks the silence. Jimin and Jungkook keep their eyes locked for a few seconds until Jimin finally says quietly to his nurse, “okay, let’s go.” He couldn’t deal with this right now as he had an aortic dissection to do. He has no idea how Jeon of all people knew this. Especially when he’s managed to go years without anyone knowing.

God, Jimin really can’t stand this guy now. Why does he hate me so much? Why is he out to ruin my life here? I had such a peaceful work life and he’s ruining fucking everything.

“Dr. Jeon, see me in my office as soon as your shift is over today. I won’t speak with you now since you’re in the middle of treating a trauma patient, but you will stop by my office later today,” Seokjin says angrily.

“I can’t believe this,” Jungkook says shaking his head from both disappointment and anger, all the while the pained cries of Jungkook’s patient fills the room in the background.

Jungkook walks past Seokjin and storms off into the OR scrub room and starts scrubbing down as quickly as possible even with Seokjin literally on his ass yelling at him to immediately cease what he is doing. Jungkook straight up ignores his boss because all he can hear is his patient screaming for help over and over again ringing in his head. It was all within his reach— the ability to help save him.

He grabs all the necessary drugs and tools from the sterile surgical tool room and paces back out to his patient.

“DR. JEON! STOP WHAT YOU’RE DOING IMMEDIATELY. I AM NOT GOING TO REPEAT MYSELF,” Seokjin yells this time. Everyone in the ER is scared, hearing the chief yell like that. “YOU WILL DROP THOSE TOOLS OR YOU WILL SUFFER SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES, JEON!”

Jungkook ignores him and starts cutting his patient open to perform the surgery right there in the ER.

~

“You have a 15-day suspension. It will be officially on your record. Your violation was far too extreme, I could not give you a mere written warning, or even a 7 or 10 day warning. There were many witnesses, you’re lucky it’s only a 15-day suspension…” Seokjin rambles on explaining the punishment and management’s justifications but Jungkook tunes him out.

He has no regrets.

If he’s going to get suspended because he literally saved a patient then so be it. His allegiance as a physician was to the sick, the hurting, the patient—not a bureaucratic entity and its technical manuals and protocols.

And favoritism.

Fucking Park Jimin.

No one could say no to him and everyone seemed to bend to Jimin’s will. Even the chief.

He knows in his gut that his patient would not be alive right now had he not operated on him that moment. And he also fully believes Jimin’s patient truly could have waited another hour unlike his. If their patients were swapped, Jungkook would have stepped aside and had Jimin’s patient go first—this wasn’t about their weird rivalry.

He truly with his honest heart and medical mind believe his patient really had to have surgery at that moment. He could write a whole research thesis on this explaining his medical reasoning. So he’s still utterly baffled at the chief’s judgment call and frankly unamused with his own suspension. It was all bullshit.

“You put the hospital at risk of serious liability, and for that, the board and management is suspending you for 15-days. Do you have anything to say? You can provide your appeal verbally now to me, or in writing and submit it to me within 7-days. After 7 days, your record will officially be submitted to the Medical Board for them to mark and update your physician’s license profile.”

“No sir,” Jungkook says loud and clearly.

Seokjin sighs and sets Jeon’s file down gently on his desk. His tone changes into a warmer one. “Jungkook, I don’t want to keep having to see you struggling with rules and teamwork because you’re a great, no, brilliant surgeon. But you continue to make me think I made a poor decision in bringing you on my tea-. Never mind. Judging from your expression and your whole aura right now, it seems you have absolutely no regrets even with this suspension. I suggest you please seriously take the next 15 days to reflect and think about what you’ve done and how you’ll move forward in the future. Your ego is not welcome in my department and needs serious fixing. This meeting is over. You may leave now if you have nothing to say.”

Jungkook just stares at the chief. He had a lot to say. Oh, he had much to say. But it didn’t matter. He was just another employee, one whose opinion didn’t matter. Seokjin had even said once before what right did he have to come up here and waste his time questioning the chief and his decisions when he was nothing but another employee.

He was nobody important. Just another ant in the surgical ant farm. It didn’t matter if he had the most reasonable or medically justified thing to say—he was no chairman’s son. He was no Park Jimin.

So Jungkook gets up, bows and leaves the room without a saying another word.

Chapter Text

Taehyung takes his colorful jungle animals scrub cap off and takes a seat on the bench in the hospital locker room. He’s just gotten out of a long surgery and needs a moment to just take a breather. He sits there for a few minutes reflecting on the surgery and about what he could do better next time. When he finally gets up and opens his locker, he takes out all of his belongings and starts stuffing them in his backpack; he’ll be out of town all weekend and won’t be returning to work until Tuesday since he’d taken the entire weekend off. He’d already informed his pediatric team, scheduling team, and anyone else necessary that he’d be gone down in Daegu with his parents due to some personal family matters that came up last minute.

He’d also quickly told Jimin earlier in the halls when they passed each other. He felt bad that he wouldn’t be here for Jimin during this sensitive time of rumors and gossip. Ever since the big blow up two days ago in the trauma center, it was the talk of the hospital: was Dr. Park really the chairman’s son?

Whispers and huddled group of hospital staff everyone from surgeons to management employees to residents to interns would break up like birds flocking away from each other every time Jimin would come near. Everyone was talking about him but nobody wanted to tick him off.

“Hey you’re finally off?” Jimin and Taehyung run into each other again on Taehyung’s way out.

“Yeah,” Taehyung replies.

“Everything really okay, Tae? We barely got a chance to talk earlier I know.” Jimin’s eyes look concerned and Taehyung feels awful for what he’s about to say.

“Yeah, every things fine. Parents just have some dumb stuff going on. But it’s nothing too serious don’t worry,” Taehyung says smiling and looking at Jimin in the eyes.

“Okay… can’t help but worry though. You’re taking work off and leaving so last minute so I feel like it’s something really bad. You’d tell me right? Your parents really are okay right, Tae?”

“Yes Min, seriously. Don’t worry! I’ll see ya Tuesday okay?”

“Yeah yeah, okay. Tell your parents I said hello! Miss them!!” Jimin smiles. Taehyung reaches forward and hugs Jimin.

“You’re gonna be okay, right Min? You did nothing wrong honestly so just be shameless. So what your dad’s the chairman-“

“Oh Taetae,” Jimin smiles and pats his friend on the back while he’s still being squeezed in a tight hug. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. I don’t care if people talk. Like you said, it’s not like I did anything wrong. And you know, it was bound to come out one day, right?”

The two friends let go of their embrace and Taehyung places his hands on Jimin’s shoulder, giving him a huge smile and encouraging pat. His best friend Jimin never let his fears or struggles show—it only took Jimin years after they’d become friends in college to show his vulnerable side. And even then, it wasn’t often.

Jimin always brushed his own struggles aside but would be the first to be there for others. It’s been almost two months since Taehyung and Seokjin had their ‘break up’ and Jimin had been so comforting and supportive of him, coming over often to hang out and eat together so Tae didn’t feel alone, showing him pictures of cute eligible bachelors that he could set Tae up with, dragging him out to the bars to socialize on their days off, just all in all being the best friend ever during all of this ‘break up’ with the chief. And here he was again being more concerned for Taehyung and his family when he was literally in the middle of the hospital’s hottest gossip and fiasco with Jeon.

“Love you, buddy. Don’t go home and cry about it alone, ok? Seriously, it’s just your dad is the chairman, who gives a fuck. That’s not a crime!!” Taehyung says confidently.

Jimin flashes his beautiful smile and eye smile, “don’t worry about me!! Go go, get outta here!” Jimin laughs and shoos Taehyung off playfully gesturing his hands. Taehyung laughs and waves as he finally walks away. “OH! Bring back some delicious daeugi mandu if you get a moment!!” Jimin yells out. Taehyung just throws his hands in the air again and waves.

Dr. Taehyung Kim walks toward the parking garage elevators instead of the main hospital doors. He hits the P1 button in the elevators.

When he steps out, he turns the corner and walks toward the reserved executive parking spots. When he’s almost there, the familiar black Lexus SUV stops right beside him. Taehyung opens the back door first and throws his backpack in and then gets in the front seat, letting out a huge exhale and throwing his head back onto the headrest from exhaustion.

“Ready?” Seokjin says. He reaches over all the way from his driver’s seat, across Taehyung, pulls the seatbelt, kisses the pediatric surgeon’s cheek on the way, and buckles the belt up for Taehyung.

“Yeah.”

~

Namjoon sets the bowls of rice down for Jungkook and Hoseok. The two men thank him and begin picking up their utensils ready to eat. Jungkook looks at the array of delicious food spread across the table and he wonders why he didn’t do more cooking. Perhaps he should take the remainder of his suspension to actually go grocery shopping and do some cooking, maybe make a bunch of side dishes so that it lasts him awhile.

The neurosurgeon had invited Hoseok and Jungkook over for dinner. The three of them got along rather well at work and Namjoon’s been meaning to invite Jeon over just to hang out and see how he was doing. He intentionally picked today not only because both he and Hoseok were both off, but also because his husband Yoongi was not off. He knew Jungkook might feel a bit weird of his therapist was there; Namjoon figured Jungkook would feel like he couldn’t just hang out and open up as a friend if Yoongi was there. And so he picked tonight when his husband had the night shift.

“Day four?” Namjoon says getting seated in his chair.

“Three,” Jungkook says nonchalantly. Namjoon just nods and they doesn’t say anymore about the suspension. Both Jungkook and Hoseok are already devouring the food as if they’ve been starved all day. “Didn’t take you for a chef, sunbae.”

“I’m not,” Namjoon says and Hoseok laughs out loud.

“Chef?! This guy?!” Hoseok teases.

“Oh, you didn’t make this?” Jungkook laughs. “Dr. Min?”

Namjoon chuckles, “neither. Well, Yoongi can cook but we hardly do. Too lazy and tired. It’s all store bought from this banchan store that we’re regulars of. Let me know if you wanna know the place! They’re great. I just placed it in our dishes tonight for you guys so it looks nice haha. Sorry buddy.”

Jungkook shakes his head and laughs. He picks up a generous amount of jangjorim (soysauce braised beef) with his chopsticks and stuffs it in his mouth. “Well, I’m not complaining, it’s delicious. Thank you for inviting me over.”

“No problem! Eat a lot!”

The three surgeons talk about various topics over dinner, everything from current events, sports, random medical debates, and pretty much everything except about the blow up and Jeon’s suspension. Once they finish dinner, Namjoon brings out some beer and soju and also some dried squid and peanuts to punch on with their alcohol.

“So how’d you guys even start dating? I know you guys met at the hospital but how’d it happen?” Jungkook asks Namjoon.

“I caught them fucking,” Hoseok jokes. Namjoon kicks him under the table and everyone laughs.

“No, we just I dunno. It just kind of happened I guess? Sounds so cliché I know but we kept running into each other. First you know it was just small talk, then trying to talk to each other for ‘consults’ but really, we were just making excuses to talk to each other. It’s a boring story, really,” Namjoon laughs. “Boring but… he feels like home to me? My little Daegu dumpling.”

Jungkook laughs.

The men all cheers and take a shot of soju together. And then Namjoon finally goes for it. “So how are you, Jeon? You doin okay? What have you been up to at home?”

Jungkook pours himself another shot of soju and gently swirls his glass around staring at the alcohol swirl. The corner of his mouth goes up forming a small, weak smile. “I’m okay.”

Both Namjoon and Hoseok look at him empathetically.

Jungkook speaks again, “I don’t regret it. The surgery. But, I do feel bad for what I said about… Park. I don’t know. It just came out at the peak of my anger and frustration. It wasn’t Park’s fault there was only one open OR at that moment or that the chief’s judgment call was prioritizing his patient I know. When things get… urgent I just have temper proble- doesn’t Dr. Min tell you everything?” He looks at Namjoon.

“He doesn’t,” Namjoon grabs the bottle of soju and pours another shot for all three glasses. He only knew Jungkook saw Yoongi because Jungkook had told both Hoseok and Namjoon Seokjin was forcing him to have sessions with Yoongi. He trusted these two sunbaes. “Physician-patient privilege, you know that Jeon.”

“Heh, yeah. Well, you never know. Thought maybe spousal loyalty trumped that physician-patient privilege,” Jungkook smirks playfully, even managing to joke during this sensitive time of his suspension. It was a horrible mark on any physician’s record to have a suspension but Jungkook was taking the suspension like a good sport. He knew he deserved it because he violated surgery protocols, regardless of whether onto he agreed with said protocols. He didn’t regret it but he took responsibility for his actions and accepted his consequences.

“Nah, he’s a professional,” Namjoon winks.

“Just been bumming at home? Or do anything fun? I mean you might as well enjoy it, take it like a vacation!” Hoseok stretches his arms out and leans back on his chair.

Jungkook chuckles, “I should, huh? But no, I haven’t done much. I mean I guess I haven’t been completely useless. I did do a big deep cleaning of my place the other day, donated a bunch of stuff. Mowed the lawn and fixed a fence and-“

“You have a lawn?? And a fence? Wait where do you live Jeon?! A house in suburbs?!” Hoseok says shocked.

“Wait, I thought you lived right in downtown? I swear I remember you mentioning you were on like the 28^th floor or something? 29^th?” Namjoon adds on. “Or am I crazy and making stuff up?”

“Nooo I don’t live in a house,” Jungkook laughs. “Yes you’re right Namjoon sunbae! I do live in downtown on the 28^th floor, damn how’d you remember that!”

Hoseok laughs and teases Namjoon for being a big brained nerd.

“Then what do you mean mowing the lawn? Your apartment complex hired you or something to do the landscaping and lawn work?!” Namjoon laughs. The older surgeons are confused.

“Nooo, so I just help out with some stuff,” Jungkook says quietly. The two elders stare at him waiting for him to finish. Jungkook gets uncomfortable and shy.

“Oh like your parents or something? Wait no, you said they’re in Busan. Whose house were you mowing the lawn and fixing the fence for?!” Namjoon exclaims. They stare the trauma surgeon down as if waiting for the suspenseful part of the movie; they await his answer.

“Uhhh it’s just this organization I volunteer with when I can. For veterans who are like disabled and stuff.”

Hoseok and Namjoon oooh and ahhh and they continue to grill him until Jungkook finally is cornered to answer.

“I don’t know. I just figured I might as well make some use of my time. Can’t really help out when I’m working and I feel bad because I want to but you know how crazy our schedules get and then on our off days we’re tired as fuck ya know?”

Hoseok and Namjoon nod.

Jungkook tells them how he volunteers for an organization called Helping Hands where volunteers help out with random things, whatever the disabled veteran needs help with from yard work to fixing a lightbulb to vacuuming to grocery shopping to cleaning—it just so happened the man Jungkook was assigned to that day needed his lawn cut and his fenced fixed. Jungkook ruffles his hair shyly and embarrassed from sharing this information.

“Just… you know. I’m so healthy and stuff even after my deployment. A lot of people didn’t get as lucky as me so, yeah. Just doin my part and helping out when I can,” Jungkook says.

“Says the same man who screams at his residents,” Hoseok jokes because the environment is friendly and light enough to tease him a bit. Jungkook looks down shyly and they all laugh. “What a softie!”

“Oh shut up!” Jungkook lightly punches Dr. Jung. “Anyways, if you guys are ever interested or whatever, let me know. Always looking for volunteers…”

“For sure, I’ll keep it in mind. I should really give back more damn. Thanks for the friendly reminder, Jeon,” Namjoon says as he starts typing something on his phone. He writes down in his little reminders app talk to babe about volunteering.

“You talk to Park at all?” Namjoon dares to ask again.

“I haven’t,” Jungkook says. “I thought about calling him and asking him to meet up so I could just… apologize but… I don’t know. I don’t think he’d want to talk to me or see me right now. I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t punch me when we see each other next. Fuck, I don’t know. My damn temper and mouth sometimes… I mean, I still firmly believe my patient needed the OR first and I still think Park is a little- anyways, I shouldn’t have exposed his personal life like that either way. But he was just.. standing there.. looking… smug when the chief assigned him the OR and I don’t know- anyways. It’s not his fault I know. But I let our already existing… beef get the best of me during the heat of the moment.”

“How’d you find out anyways?? I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact he’s the chairman’s son!” Hoseok says. “How did none of us know!? I don’t even know if the Chief knows?? Does he? I wanted to ask him but he’s gone away to that conference in Jeju so haven’t even had a chance to nudge and ask him if he knew.”

“Oh I’m sure he knew already?” Namjoon says. “There’s no way he didn’t know right? I mean if anyone I bet Jin knew at the least?”

Jungkook shrugs. “I just... overheard. It just happened. Didn’t mean to hear but yeah.”

 “You know what,” Namjoon says looking deep in thought. “I bet Dr. Kim knows. Kim Taehyung.”

“Oh yeah?” Hoseok says. “Actually, you’re right. Of course he does. Those two are inseparable. If I didn’t know them, I would think they’re lovers,” Hoseok jokes. All the surgeons knew Dr. Kim and Dr. Park were best friends since college.

Jungkook lets out a quiet, sarcastic chuckle. “You know, I thought they were together. Like, dating, for the longest time at first. Until someone told me they’re just best friends and then when I finally saw them interacting more, yeah, I saw that they were just friends.”

Hoseok and Namjoon laugh, “I don’t blame you for thinking that at first!” Namjoon jokes. “They’re so inseparable and, both of them don’t even date. I mean, they might as well just marry each other at this point!”

“You don’t think they’re dating anyone?” Hoseok asks.

Namjoon makes a funny ‘nope’ expression. “When was the last time you heard about either one of them on a date or having a partner? I mean, it’s been years, what like 2? 3? Years already since Park dated that lawyer. Haven’t heard anything since. He’s too obsessed with work and I don’t know what Kim’s up to or why he doesn’t date. Maybe he is seeing someone who knows.” The two of them start rambling on about Jimin and Taehyung, then about other coworkers and the latest hospital gossip of who’s dating who.

Jungkook just sits there silently listening to this but eventually tuning them out as he reflects on that very first day when he saw Jimin in the hospital cafeteria with Taehyung. And how he misread them as a couple. How he misread Jimin, period.

Lawyer, huh? What kind of people does the oh so great Park Jimin fall in love with? Rich, smart, handsome lawyers huh? Jungkook’s mind wanders off into these superfluous thoughts when really he knows he should focus on what he’ll say to Jimin when they finally have to face each other when he’s back at work from his suspension.

“Jeon? Earth to Jeon,” Namjoon says louder. Jungkook shakes his thoughts off and says, “huh? Sorry, what?”

“You seeing anyone?” Hoseok asks.

“Oh. No. I’m not,” Jungkook replies.

“See anyone you like at work? Any ladies? Or gentlemen?”

“Nah,” Jungkook says.

“You said you like men right? Your preference? If you don’t mind me asking? Pretty sure you like the dudes if my memory is correct. Remind me, so I can introduce you to anyone in the future if there’s someone great,” Namjoon says. He and Yoongi loved setting people up. It was their married couple hobby and they kept points on who ended up with more lasting, produced marriages. Right now, Yoongi was in the lead.

“Yeah. Men,” Jungkook answers. “But, I’m not like… actively looking or anythi-“

“Oh please, why not? You’re a young, hot, surgeon. At least, we’ll find you some good ass. You know, sex is the best stress relieve-“ Hoseok smirks.

Jungkook just shakes them off and laughs. “I’m just… I’m still trying to adjust back to my life ya know? And obviously, try to maintain my job without getting fired, ha.”

“Hey, work is work. Sex is sex. You just gotta get laid. Maybe you won’t be so ya know, like you said, angry at work.”

Jungkook laughs, “don’t worry about me. I’ll date when I date!”

Namjoon and Hoseok nod empathetically.

“Can I ask though Jeon, what is the deal with you and Park, hm? You can tell us, we won’t say anything,” Namjoon asks. “Why do you guys want to rip each other head’s off so much?”

“I honestly don’t know sunbae. That guy hates me. I don’t know? Because I’m not like him? Because I don’t go around acting like I’m superior and better than everyone? Or you know what, it’s probably because I don’t take any of his bullshit or kiss his ass like everyone else does.”

Wow. It felt good to verbalize it in front of people. Jungkook feels pounds lighter. He grabs a dried squid and rips a piece off to snack on.

Namjoon and Hoseok just shake their head and laugh. “He’s not so bad you know,” Namjoon says.

“Oh please, I’m ready to get my head bit off when I return to work. I’m surprised he hasn’t come stomping in front of my doorstep at home to murder me. He already hated me, he probably despises me now after what I did. Exposing his little secret,” Jungkook says. “Not that I’m surprised he’s the chairman’s son. Daddy’s got his back on everything, no wonder he’s so… patronizing? I dunno. Man. Me and that guy just... he hates me. I mean, I get that I’ve yelled at him and we’ve had serious disagreements about patient care but other than that? Outside of work-related issues? I haven’t done shit to him but he’s so icy and rude. Since day 1. I apologized in the past after I yes, I humiliated him in front of everyone because I lost my temper. But I apologized because I know I shouldn’t have disregarded him and yelled at him but damn. I tried sunbaes, I tried. He brushes me off like I’m a roach and he’s disgusted. Never met anyone so damn snobby.”

“He’s really not that bad, Jeon,” Hoseok says wide-eyed. He’s shocked that Jungkook is talking about the same Dr. Park Jimin that he adores and loves. “But I’m not gonna lie, I was dying that day of the teambuilding event. I have never seen two people more awkward and uncomfortable around each other,” Hoseok starts cracking up.

“What happened?” Namjoon is intrigued.

“Well you know Jeon and Park had to participate in the residents teambuilding event, as their punishment. There were a bunch of team building games where they had to like hold hands and stuff, oh man. That was great entertainment watching them two.”

Jungkook rolls his eyes and jokingly hits Hoseok.

“He’s so cute though, Jeon!! How are we talking about the same guy!? Don’t you just want to smile and squish his cheeks when you look at his face?!”

Yes.

“No,” Jungkook answers contrary to what his brain is saying. If Jimin wasn’t such a little bitch to me in the first place, yeah. I’m sure that fuckin cute face of his would have made me smile but nope.

“You know, my wife and I didn’t like each other at first,” Hoseok smirks and takes a drink of his beer.

Jungkook raises an eyebrow, “and?”

“And now we’re married with a kid! Speaking of, I should get going before she kills me,” Hoseok smiles.

“Uh,” Jungkook just replies awkwardly. But Hoseok stands up, gathering his phone and coat, he interrupts Jungkook,

“He’s really not a bad guy like you think he is. Even if he’s the chairman’s son. Personally, that doesn’t change anything for I how I view him. Even if he’s a little oblivious to how he comes off sometimes and a bit of a know-it-all. It’s because he really is a genius and well, he did grow up rather privileged but he means well. I know you hate his guts but that guy doesn’t have a bad bone in his body,” Hoseok puts his coat on.

Before finally leaving he smiles and says, “go easy on him, Jeon. He’s a good guy.”

~

Jimin opens his fridge and he’s ashamed that he’s a 31-year old adult with nothing but beer, two eggs, condiments, some old cheese, rotten tomatoes, old milk, a tub of his mom’s kimchi and the leftover soondae from two days ago, oh and more beer.

Jimin always had his life together but if he had one weakness, it would be his house was often messy and that he hardly ever cooked at home. He pretty much lived off take out or ate out at restaurants. He doesn’t remember the last time he cooked a home cooked meal. It’s not that he didn’t know how, he was usually just too drained to cook after work and take out was just so convenient.

He opens the pantry and takes out a box of cereal and starts munching on it without any milk while walking to his living room. He turns on the TV and eventually falls asleep again, crumbs of cereal all over his couch. He had been so sleep deprived this entire week and even the last few days when he’d get home. His insomnia was so bad he’d just stay up playing on his phone or thinking about that guy.

Jung fucking kook.

Jimin didn’t know what to feel about him. He was a mixture of emotions. On one hand, of course he was so mad at him for spilling his personal life, his secret that he managed to keep for years. How dare he yell it out in front of everyone in the trauma center just because he didn’t get his way with the OR. Jimin did nothing wrong but state his side, his medical reasoning on why he needed the OR first, and Jin had agreed with him. Yet he personally attacked me? Jimin was pissed. How had he even found out his secret? Seokjin had said he didn’t tell him and certainly Taehyung didn’t tell him. He’s been putting on a brave face at work despite all the whispers and awkward glances. He definitely noticed people were treating him differently, being even more proper with him and not really joking around with him anymore; this is exactly what he didn’t want. But Jimin had acted like nothing happened and went on as he’s always been. He’s relieved he was off this weekend so he could get away from the hospital for a bit.

At the same time, Jimin lost sleep because he felt bad. He didn’t understand why because it wasn’t his fault Jungkook got suspended. He was merely standing there when Seokjin had told him he’d get the OR first; he didn’t sneer in Jungkook’s face, he didn’t say ‘I won,’ he didn’t brag that he was right and that Seokjin took his side. Jungkook had gotten himself suspended by violating serious hospital protocols but Jimin felt a strange sense of guilt or whatever this odd feeling was. As much as this is what he had complained and whined to Seokjin about for the last few months, about Jeon deserving a real punishment, Jimin didn’t feel so happy about it anymore now that it really happened. By the time Jimin had heard the news that Jeon was suspended, Jungkook had already left the hospital that day.

When Jimin wakes up for the second time on this sunny Saturday morning, he wipes the drool from his mouth and dusts off the cereal crumbs from his body and couch. He looks around his place and groans seeing how messy it was. If people really knew how he was at home… they’d never look at him the same ever again. He was always so polished and pristine in his speech, his fashion, his studies, his work; but something about being home made him a completely lazy. His second big secret: he’s a messy slob at home.

Jimin drags himself off the couch, turns the TV off and decides he should do some serious adulting. He changes into workout clothes and goes to the gym on the 2^nd floor of his apartment complex. He tried to work out at the minimum three times a week. He does a good solid hour of cardio and weights. When he gets back home, he does his laundry, vacuums, empties his fridge and kitchen of old food, takes out the trash, calls his mother, and then gets ready for the day.

Once he’s out of the house all fresh and showered, he drives over to the supermarket to do some grocery shopping. He usually ate take out but he still liked having some basic ingredients and snacks at home; he couldn’t live off beer as much as he loved his alcohol.

Jimin is peacefully strolling through the market with his cart when he sees him.

That guy.

The two make eye contact but Jimin quickly looks away.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Jungkook mumbles to himself when he sees Jimin walking toward him, well towards the produce section. Jungkook finishing weighing the carrots and throws it into his cart when Jimin stops by the bananas.

Of all the days, of all the places, of all the exact moments at this exact hour he runs into Jimin. He knew he should have just came later before dinner. Why did he decide he’d suddenly do grocery shopping now? Jungkook wonders to himself.

“Hey,” Jungkook says quietly, stopping his cart beside Jimin’s.

“Hey.” Jimin replies uncomfortably.

“How are yo-“

“I’m sorr-“

They both speak at the same time. Jimin gets silent and let’s Jungkook speak first. “I’m sorry, Jimin.”

“How’d you know?”

“Does it matter?” Jungkook says.

“Kinda, yeah. How the hell did you find out?” Jimin starts laughing sarcastically, “you know, it would be you. I didn’t want anyone to know and I managed to keep it that way for years. But there you were, screaming my shit out in front of everyone. Just wanna know how you found out. Knew you hated me but didn’t know it was to that extent where you were looking into my personal shit or stalki-“

“Oh god, get over yourself, Park,” Jungkook laughs and rolls his eyes. “Stalking? Please, you’ll be the last person I will care to ever stalk. Take your head outta your ass, damn. I over heard some asshole patient crying he needed you to operate on his wife. Or I mean, the chairman’s son, Jimin to operate. You were busy that day. Anyways, whatever. Honestly, I’m sorry it came out like that. I was pissed at that moment and-“

“I didn’t even do anything wrong to you. We both made our claim and gave our professional medical reasoning as to why we needed the OR first and the chief merely made his judgment call as the chief an-“

“I know. I know Jimin. That’s why I’m apologizing right now.”

Jimin stops talking and brushes his hair back with his hand. It was stupid how good he looked when he did that, Jungkook wants to punch himself. “I’m sorry,” Jimin says as well.

“For?”

“I don’t know okay? I don’t know Jeon! I didn’t even do anything wrong to you, and you’re the one who got yourself suspended but I’m sorry okay? I’m sorry you got suspended. Your patient was in really critical need too and I know that. I just- I wish there were more ORs that day and the hospital had more, it just sucks okay? I don’t know why I’m even apologizing but I feel bad and I don’t know!”

“Well don’t apologize if you don’t even mean it,” Jungkook says annoyed. “I don’t need your empty apolog-“

*RING*

“FUCK!” Jungkook freaks out yelling and by instinct, pulls Jimin in aggressively and shields him from…

From the fire drill alarm sound.

The shoppers look around irritated and some nervous, but most seem to catch on it’s a drill. The supermarket employees start calmly directing shoppers to the exit, apologizing and informing them it’s just a drill

“Jungkook?? Jungkook what’s wrong? It’s just a drill!”

Jimin tries to free himself from Jungkook’s strong hold. But the loud drill sound continue ringing and eventually, Jungkook lets go of Jimin, covers his ears and sinks to the ground.

“Jungkook what’s wrong!?!?” Jimin goes into full doctor mode. He checks Jungkook’s pulse and tries to bring him to his senses but Jungkook is curled up on the floor covering his ears and closing his eyes.

“Jungkook! Look at me,” Jimin cups the younger’s face and forces him to make eye contact. Jimin yells over the drill sound, “It’s just a drill! What’s wrong!? Look at me! Can you breathe? Are you okay?!”

“Jungkook, come on, lets go it’s just a drill, take my hand, let’s get outside, we gotta go!” Jimin says trying to pull the larger man up. But Jungkook is too strong.

He starts shaking and so Jimin does the only thing he can logically think of right now: he just wraps his arms around the frightened, shaking trauma surgeon and holds him. Becoming Jungkook’s medicine, a remedy, for the anxiety attack. Just like a pill in form of a warm, comforting embrace.

He holds him tight. Very, very tight, while stroking his back comfortingly and repeatedly saying to him, “it’s okay. It’s just a drill. It’s just a drill.”

One of the store employees sees the two men huddled on the ground hugging but Jimin gestures for him to get closer so Jimin could speak to him directly in the ears since it was so loud. He tells the employee that he’s a doctor and this patient was having some sort of panic attack and to just let them be. The employee nods and leaves them be.

When the fire alarm finally stops ringing, Jimin slowly let’s go of the embrace. “Jungkook, are you okay? It’s over. The fire drill is over.”

Jungkook looks up at Jimin and it finally hits him that it was just a supermarket fire drill.

And not an attack alarm back in Loguay.

He realizes he was in the arms of his so called rival. He’s confused because Jimin looks at him with such genuine, concerned, and compassionate eyes—the same man who supposedly hates him and belittles him at work, brushes him off and gives him the iciest of icy shoulders whenever Jungkook tried to be nice.

It’s a really intimate moment with their locked eye contact and everything else in the bustling market is blurred and tuned out for the two men. Jungkook only sees Jimin and Jimin only sees Jungkook. For these silent, intense few seconds of gazing into each other’s eyes, they don’t hear the customers all shuffling back into the store to resume their shopping; they don’t hear the store’s intercom announcing the drill is over and thanking everyone for their cooperation; they don’t see the store employees running around back to their designated spots.

They don’t see anything but each other.

It’s intimate not because it’s sexual, but because it’s a truly vulnerable moment for Jungkook in which Jimin is witnessing and sharing with him.

 “Jungkook, what happe-“

Jungkook looks down and both doctors realize that although Jimin has slowly let go of the hug, his right hand was resting on Jungkook’s lap, closer to his knee. Jungkook immediately pulls away from Jimin, rubs his face and quickly gets up on his feet and starts walking away, leaving his cart behind. Jimin chases after him and grabs his arm.

“Jungkook! Where are you going? Are you okay?? You really panicked in there,”

“I’m fine. I have to go,” Jungkook interrupts.

“Do you.. do you wanna talk about it-“

“No. Thanks but I’m fine now. So just… just mind your own business, okay? Pretend it never happened. Please…” he says abruptly and leaves the market leaving Jimin standing there alone.

~

“Oh god, oh god, right there, fuck. Yes chief. Oh my godddd, fuck,” Taehyung pants, squeezing his eyes shut as his back starts to arch off the bed. Seokjin continues fucking into him, fast and deep. Taehyung reaches his arms to grab the bed frame to keep himself still.

“Fuck. I’m about to, I’m,” Seokjin lets out a loud groan and finally cums deep inside Taehyung’s ass. The younger feels the warm liquid oozing out of his hole when the chief finally pulls out. He pumps his cock a few times to get every drop of his cum out and with his messy, cum covered hands he reaches above and sticks it in Taehyung’s mouth making him suck his fingers clean.

Once Taehyung has licked him clean, he whines that he needs to cum and reaches his hand down starting pumping his own cock but feels Seokjin slap his hand away.

“Didn’t say you could touch yourself baby,” Seokjin says, giving him a sloppy, wet kiss. “For someone who’s usually such a good boy and good at listening to directions, you’re really bad this weekend, aren’t you?” he bends down and kisses Taehyung’s stomach, trailing his tongue downward. “You dirty little boy. You’ll cum when I say you can cum.”

Soon enough, Taehyung then feels the warm sensation of the head of his cock being enveloped by the elder’s mouth.

He gives nonstop short but quick sucks on the head, as if it was a lollipop, while pumping the rest of Taehyung’s cock with his hand. It drives Taehyung crazy.

“Please,” Taehyung whimpers. He just wanted to cum already. “Please, chief. I need, I need to c-cum. Please,” he begs. Nothing else mattered right now to Taehyung except wanting Jin to get him off.

Seokjin finally takes his cock deeper in his mouth and Taehyung’s body starts squirming. Seokjin reaches his arms up while still sucking him off, and pins him down by the hips. “Stop moving, or I’m not letting you cum this morning.”

Taehyung cries and begs to please let him release himself. When Taehyung starts crying louder and losing his mind, Seokjin gives him a final deep suck and says,

“cum for me, baby.”

“Jinnnnnn,” Taehyung moans as he finally cums all over his own stomach. Seokjin finishes him off by giving some last few pumps and then he lays on top of Taehyung, cum smearing in between their skin.

“Good boy,” Seokjin says complimenting the younger. After a few minutes of soft kisses, Seokjin finally climbs out of bed, gets some tissues and cleans Taehyung up.

“Do you really have to go?” Taehyung says quietly and innocently like a cutie, still trying to come down from his orgasm.

“A lot of people will be angry if their speaker is missing,” Seokjin laughs giving one more peck on the lips. He didn’t want to go to the conference but work was work. If he had it his way, he’d stay here all day in bed with Taehyung. “But we have all day tomorrow for us. Forgive me one more time? Just today?” He teasingly pouts.  

“Maybe,” Taehyung smiles.

“What are you gonna do today? You know, one of the guys was telling me his wife went to some green tea farm and café or somethi-“

“I was gonna go there today since I didn’t get to yesterday!!” Taehyung exclaims. He pulls the covers back up and gets cozy again. He wasn’t planning to get out of bed just yet. Probably take another short nap before he got ready for his day.

“Oh good, I know you love green tea. Apparently the café is really beautiful and they have green tea everything. Anyways, I should be done around 4 today. Dinner is at 6 at Seestar, I already made reservations. Do wanna go shopping?” Seokjin says shuffling his stuff around on the table to find his wallet to give his credit card to. He places the credit card on the nightstand and Taehyung nods acknowledgingly.

“You know, I was gonna go horseback riding too but then I think we should do that together tomorrow? Can we?” Taehyung says. “6 sounds great. What kind of food is seestar?”

“Seafood but they have steak and stuff too. Dress nice. It’s a fancy place. We can do whatever you want tomorrow, baby.” Seokjin winks. “I’m gonna shower. Get some more sleep.”

Taehyung nods.

But he doesn’t sleep. He stares at the ceiling and fights his inner battle. He looks to his left and sees the beautiful view of the beach. Seokjin had booked a beautiful luxury suite at a family-run pension that was right on the beach instead of staying at the hotel in which the work conference was at.

He was initially here because of the work conference but he’d also made it into their weekend getaway. Getaway from reality. In which Taehyung had gotten weak and succumbed to when the chief asked him to come along.

“I miss you, Tae,” he said two weeks ago when Taehyung had come into his office to drop off legitimate work related paperwork.

Taehyung had froze.

“I miss you,” Seokjin repeated. Taehyung’s hand was on the door handle ready to walk out. He should have walked out.

Instead, when he felt the chief’s body come up behind him, wrapping his arms around his waist, Taehyung turned the lock on the door handle, and Seokjin slammed him against the door crashing their lips together.

He should have walked out. He should have fucking walked out.

But he caved. He was so weak for the chief. Seokjin was like his drug, an addiction he couldn’t quit.

Now here he was naked in bed at this beautiful suite in Jeju island, living a false paradise of a weekend, unconcerned with anything other than wanting to make love to Seokjin and spending every free moment he had with him exploring this beautiful island.

Yesterday, their first day in Jeju, Taehyung had explored the beach and went on a beautiful hike with another group of tourists. He had his camera with him all day so he took some beautiful photos. He spent the day just enjoying the natural beauty of the island, chatting with both fellow tourists and locals. He even met some of the spouses of the surgeons who were also at the conference Seokjin was at, and had coffee (tea for him) with them. After Seokjin was done with work, they went to a famous Korean restaurant together and enjoyed the well renown meal. But as soon as they finished dinner, they didn’t even bother walking around or exploring the area because Seokjin sped back to their suite and clothes came flying off. They fucked for hours going multiple rounds, orgasming multiple times, each preceded by their uninhibited loud moans and screams. Their suite was it’s own little villa so they got to be as loud as they wanted unlike when they usually fucked in the hospital or even at their apartments because Taehyung was too shy and didn’t want his neighbors or even Seokjin’s neighbors finding out.

He’d lied to everyone at work, including his innocent patients, his best friend Jimin while looking him straight in the eyes, he’d lied to his dogsitter, and he’d even lied to Tannie. He lied to his fucking dog. To make matters worse, he used his parents as his lie. I’m a piece of shit. Taehyung groans at his shameful self.

Not only was it this weekend he lied about, he’s been lying for the past two weeks. Nobody knew he and Seokjin were sneaking around hooking up again. Nobody being Park Jimin. The only one who ever knew to begin with. Jimin had been there for him, comforting him, consoling him, cheering him up. God, Taehyung felt so awful lying to him but he couldn’t get himself to tell him the truth. That after all this progress and big talk of moving on and finding someone better, that he’d fucked the chief again in his office and was back at square one. He didn’t want to tell his best friend that he was weak… after all the pep talk Jimin had given him. After all the food and alcohol Jimin had bought him during his post- “non-breakup”. After all the high and mighty self-respect talk Taehyung had managed to garner up and spew.

One stupid back hug and here he was in Jeju getting fucked deep into the mattress by the chief.

“I’m off now. Have fun today, okay babe? Use my card, get yourself yummy food and buy whatever you want and do whatever fun activity you want!” Seokjin smiles and is out the door.

“Bye,” Taehyung whispers alone.

He shakes his thoughts off and decides he’s going to continue to just enjoy this getaway for what is and not think about anything else for now since he was here anyways. He doesn’t know what this trip means, if Seokjin’s had a change of heart or if this is truly just… a fucking hook up getaway. He doesn’t know. And right now, he doesn’t care. Dr. Taehyung Kim was much too sick in love.

I’ll deal with reality when I land back in Seoul.

~

Jimin is back at work on Monday and even though he had both Saturday and Sunday off, he doesn’t feel refreshed at all like he normally would after a full weekend off. He feels anxious and just all in all weird, like something was off. He knew exactly why but he wasn’t sure why it bothered him this much. Dr. Jeon Jungkook. It’s not like Jungkook was any of his concern. Whatever his issues were, Jimin had nothing to do with him, they weren’t even friends. So why was Jimin so anxious just because of the supermarket incident? Perhaps it was just his physician instincts that cared? And not so much a personal thing? Because if it was personal, he certainly had glaringly obvious issues with the guy—as everyone knew in the hospital. He’s supposed to hate him; after all, he completely exposed my secret when he did nothing wrong to him that day with the OR issue. Why would he care about him?

It didn’t help that Taehyung was still gone. He hopes everything was going okay for him and his family in Daegu. He thought about texting him all weekend, but if Taehyung was taking a whole three days off to go down to his hometown, it must be something quite serious despite saying it wasn’t. So Jimin doesn’t bother him and simply awaits his best friend’s return tomorrow.

“Hey, can I come in?” Jimin peeks his head into Yoongi’s office.

“Hey Jimin, yeah come in.” Yoongi gets up from his desk and sits at his usual couch. “What’s goin on?”

Jimin gives him a hypothetical situation, obviously the supermarket incident, with hypothetical people, obviously Jungkook, and asks what might be going on. He Jimin has no idea Jungkook has been regularly seeing Yoongi for sessions ever since Seokjin required it. And it’s not like Jungkook is the only person who’s ever been deployed while in the military. To Jimin, it’s a very generic, broad question.

Yoongi gives him his input as a psychiatrist and Jimin nods attentively. Everything Dr. Min was saying was exactly what Jimin already knew and had unofficially diagnosed Jungkook with that day at the market. He knew he was right, because he was a doctor too and he had his basic psychiatry knowledge on PTSD, but he just wanted the expert’s two cent to confirm specific to cases involving military PTSD.

“Is your friend okay, now?” Yoongi says.

“I’m not sure. He won’t talk about it,” Jimin lies. He wouldn’t know if Jungkook was okay or not but he’s thinking about texting him today and seeing how he is. He still had over a week left of his suspension. “What can I do to help him?”

“Well, you can’t force someone to talk about their traumatic experience. They have to talk about it on their own time, that is, if they even ever want to. I would just let him know ‘hey, I’m here for you if you need to talk’, but wouldn’t push it beyond that. Is he seeing anyone? Professionally?” Jimin already knows all of this about not forcing anyone to speak of their trauma.

“I’m not sure. I don’t think so? Well I don’t know,” Jimin guesses, since he truly doesn’t know. “Well, thanks sunbae. I should get going. Gotta another surgery to prep for.”

“No problem, Jimin.”

When Jimin is done with his work day, he logs on to one of the computer in the on-call room and searches up the attending directory where he looks up Jungkook’s profile. Their profiles had everything from their home address to their phone numbers to their bio summary of their expertise to their emergency contacts, etc.

Kim Yugyeom

Jimin wonders if it’s just a friend or someone more special. Not that it matters.

Of course it doesn’t matter.

“Hey,” Jimin jumps from shock at the sound of Namjoon’s voice and quickly minimizes the screen.

“Stop looking at porn at work, Dr. Park,” Namjoon teases as he hops onto the bottom bunk of one of the beds.

“Shut up!”

“You on break?”

“Oh no, I only work a 12 today. I’m off. Just checking some stuff and then gonna go home. You here all night? You don’t normally work this shift.” Jimin says.

“Yeah I know but with the chief gone there’s just more work so I took some more shifts. Just here till 11 though, not all night.

“Oh where’s the chief?” Jimin has been so busy all day that he didn’t even notice the chief was out today. It wasn’t like they regularly saw each other. Seokjin was far too busy doing both surgery and management duties. Sometimes he’d go days without even running into the chief. It all just depended on their schedules.

“He’s at some surgical simulation summit conference in Jeju.”

“Ohhh I see. When is he back?” Jimin asks.

“Oh he’ll be back tomorro-“

“WAIT,”

“What?” Namjoon asks startled.

“When did chief leave??”

“Uh I think Friday. Yeah, cuz it’s a weekend conference he said. Think he flew out Friday evening? Anyways. Good night Jimin, I’m dead tired. Needa nap before my next surgery.”

“Night,” Jimin says. He spins his chair around back to the computer screen but he has some big suspicions.

Very big suspicions.

Daegu, huh?

Jimin opens the window back up on the monitor and quickly types the phone number into his phone.

“See ya sunbae,” Jimin says quietly leaving the on-call room.

~

Hey, it’s Jimin. Got your number from our directory. Wanted to know you’re okay..

Jungkook stares his phone. He puts his phone back in his pocket and resumes fixing the window pane for the ahjussi veteran he was volunteering for. He’d spent his entire day going from home to home of different veterans doing whatever they needed help with, all sorts of odd jobs from cleaning the house, vacuuming, yardwork, and of course giving each of them a free check-up. He was a doctor after all.

The busier he was, the better. That way, he wouldn’t have to think about his trauma, or work, or about his suspension, or about Jimin. Jimin who saw him have a PTSD episode.

“Bye Mr. Yong,” Jungkook says smiling half an hour later. The elder thanks Jungkook for all the help today and hands him a bag of tangerines.

“Thank you young man. Hard to find young people like you these days. Thank you for fixing that damn window and for the free check-up. You’re gonna make a fine husband.”

Jungkook laughs and thanks him back for the fruit. He bows and finally gets into his car.

Hey, it’s me again. I hope you’re not mad that I got your number and texted you. It wasn’t like I was trying to be creepy, you know that directory is there for us to use. I just… just wanted to know how you’re doing but it’s okay if you don’t want to talk. I know I’m probably not your first choice but wanted to let you know I’m here. If you ever want to talk about it. Ok. Well, bye.

Have a good night.

Jungkook starts up his engine and stares at the texts.

I’m fine. But thanks. Have a good night.

He sends the text and starts driving home.

Jimin stares at the short response from Jungkook and sighs. He reminds himself what Yoongi had said about not pushing it and so he leaves it at that, not texting him again.

He couldn’t get the image of the tough and cocky trauma surgeon curled up on the floor by the bananas in the market, out of his head. That look of fear and horror on Jungkook’s face. The sweat. The shaking. If Jimin felt guilty before because the man was suspended, he felt even guiltier now. Or whatever this weird feeling was. Guilt was what he was calling it because he wasn’t sure what else it was.

Even though it wasn’t his fault.

Jungkook got himself suspended. Jungkook got himself suspended. Jungkook got himself suspended. Jimin repeats to himself as he curls up on his couch trying to focus on the TV show playing on his TV.

~

Taehyung and Seokjin had spent their free Monday pretty much acting like lovers on a honeymoon in Jeju. They had woken up and had hot morning sex, ordered room service and had breakfast in bed, ended up having sex again, showered together, and eventually left their suite for a fun-filled day.

They went horseback riding on the beach, visited all the monumental spots, went to the green tea café (Taehyung’s second time) and had lunch there. Walked around town hand in hand doing a little shopping, drove around in their rented convertible with the top down just enjoying the island breeze, and ended up at another fancy restaurant for their last meal in Jeju. It was a dream of a day and Taehyung wished he could live like this forever.

But the sweet, pediatric surgeon was smarter than that. No matter how much in love he was.

“What will do we when we’re back home tonight?” Taehyung asks nervously as the two men were seated at their gate in the airport awaiting their flight.

“What do you mean what will we do? We gotta get to work!” Seokjin chuckles.

“You know what I mean, Seokjin-ssi.” Taehyung looks down and fidgets with his hands. He knew this moment would come. He knew this trip would end some day and he absolutely hated it.

“Taehyung-ah,”

Taehyung already hates the sound of the man’s tone.

“Still? Still the same?!” Taehyung eyes water as he looks at Seokjin in the eyes.

“I thought, I thought this trip was just a getaway trip. Time to relax and unwind and just… get away. Taehyung, I can’t, I’m sorry but it doesn’t change anythi-“

It was true. ‘Come to Jeju with me,’ was what Seokjin had said after they had fucked in his office one day. ‘Come with me. We’ll get away together for the weekend. It’ll be fun. We’ll just have a relaxing weekend. I’ll get your tickets, I’ll arrange everything. You just need to bring yourself. Come with me, Taehyung.’ Nothing more, nothing less.

And Taehyung agreed so easily, ‘okay.’

“How can you look me in the eyes like this after this whole weekend we spent together and say this?!” Taehyung tries his best to keep his voice as quiet as possible. He stands up and walks to the restrooms and Seokjin follows behind.

Taehyung goes into a stall and locks it.

“Taehyung, come out. Come on, don’t be like this.” Seokjin says against the stall door. He doesn’t even care if people are looking and wondering what was going on.

“Just go okay. I’ll come out in a second. I just- I just need a moment okay.”

Seokjin stands there for a few seconds but soon enough walks out of the bathroom and waits for him outside the restroom door.

When Taehyung comes out, it seems he had collected himself and he looks Seokjin straight in the eyes. He speaks firmly, “once we get on that plane, we are strangers. Don’t talk to me.”

Chapter Text

When Taehyung walks into his on-call room on Tuesday after he’s returned from Jeju, Jimin is sitting there already.

“Welcome back,” Jimin swivels his chair around to look at Taehyung, greeting him with a huge smile.

“Hi!! Thanks!” Taehyung forces himself to say cheerfully.

“How was Daegu? Everything go well with the parents?” Jimin asks smiling innocently while spinning a pen he’s holding.

“Yeah yeah, it’s all good. Was nice being home,” Taehyung continues the lie.

“Oh yeah?” Jimin raises an eyebrow. “You bring back that yummy mandu for me like you did last time?”

“Ohh, no. Sorry Min. It was hectic. Didn’t even get a chance to go ou-“

“Oh my god Tae! I know you’re lying to me!”

Taehyung face palms and plops down onto a chair.

“You were at Jeju Island, huh?”

Taehyung rubs his face and then shamefully looks at his friend. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I lied to you.”

“What are you doing, Tae?! Please tell me he at least changed then!? Please tell me you guys are officially together at least?”

“I don’t wanna hear it right now, Min, okay? Not today.” Taehyung gets up and leaves the room, slamming the door shut behind him.

The pediatric surgeon avoids Jimin for the rest of the day. But later that same night, he comes over to Jimin’s unannounced with take-out food.

“I brought chicken and beer,” Tae smiles regretfully holding up the food and drinks in front of him. It was always their way of saying sorry. “I’m sorry about today Min.”

“Get in you liar.” Jimin smiles and welcomes his friend in with a big, warm hug.

The two best friends pig out on the chicken and beer and Taehyung tells Jimin everything. About how he’d been hooking up with Seokjin again since two weeks ago, how he’d gotten weak, his lack of willpower to say no to the chief, how he lied to Jimin and everyone else on Friday about his fabricated weekend plans in Daegu, about the trip in Jeju, about being a crying hot mess at the airport, how nothing had changed for Seokjin, and of course his feelings. His ever the same feelings for Kim Seokjin.

He spills to Jimin about how much he loves the chief even though the older man won’t give him what he wants. Unlike Seokjin, Taehyung would do anything for him. He’d give him whatever he wanted. If he told him to jump, he’d probably jump. If he called him again and told him to come over, he’d probably go over. As long as Kim Seokjin would tempt him, Taehyung would fall weak to his knees. He wishes that he had more willpower and self-control, that he could deny the elder, but Taehyung knows himself far too well. So this time, he doesn’t make conclusion or quickly jump to saying bold, baseless things like ‘I’m done with him,’ like he did with the last “break-up”. He knows what he needs to do, which is to cut the chief off once and for all, but knowing something was never the same as what your heart felt.

Jimin doesn’t judge him, he doesn’t scold him, doesn’t tell him what to do. Instead, he just lets his friend vent and let everything out. He doesn’t want to push him away and make him feel like he had to lie even to him.

Jimin hates Seokjin for hurting his best friend like this, but he just reminds Taehyung he’s always going to be there for him. Even if he makes stupid decisions like lying to everyone you know including your dog and flying off to Jeju Island for a whole weekend. The two of them laugh and Jimin assures him he’ll always have his back no matter what.

~

Back at the hospital, Jimin could not be any more annoyed. There board of directors and hospital management decided a full official investigation was necessary to ensure there was no nepotism going on with Dr. Park. The young surgeon is annoyed but at the same time, he is actually kind of glad they’re going to do this.

He had nothing to fear or hide.

Years ago, when Jimin was applying for jobs, his father had excused himself from the selection board for the position, stating that one of the applicants was his very own son. He informed the board that he and his son were professionals and that no matter what happened, they’d keep work separate. Jimin and his father both have strong sense of integrity. The elder stated he’d never make it known which candidate was his son, selected or not; he assured them they had nothing to do worry about ethically, as he’d stay impartial and professional.

The board members naturally of course got extremely curious which was applicant was his son, but unfortunately for them, Park was too common of a surname. There were multiple Parks who had applied for the cardiothoracic surgeon position— Park Jimin was just one of the many.

Jimin had worked for everything with his own merits and no help of his father so he had no reason to worry regarding the investigation. At most, it was just annoying since it would take up some of his work time because of interviews or having to gather and provide whatever requested documents they sought.

Not only was he already annoyed from the meeting with the board this morning, his patients seemed to be extra annoying today. Even the ever so kind Dr. Park had days where he just couldn’t deal with the obnoxious, rude patients as sweetly as he usually did.

To make matters worse, Jungkook pulls him aside to talk in the stairwell and he looks wholly irritated.

“Hey... what’s wrong?” Jimin says confused. How could this man be so irritable when he’s only been back from his suspension for a few days? What could Jimin possibly have done this time?

“Were you going around talking to people about me? About… my market incident?”

“What.” Jimin’s eyes widen. Jungkook wasn’t wrong, because Jimin did talk to Yoongi about him… but he never once mentioned the trauma surgeon’s name. He had used a hypothetical ‘friend’. “No… I didn’t,” Jimin says. Technically, he wasn’t entirely wrong.

Jimin stands there completely shocked at what exactly is going on. How on earth did Jungkook know he’d spoken with Yoongi?

“If you’re lying, just cut the bullshit, Park,” Jungkook brushes his hair back. “I know you talked to Min and told him what happened. I thought I told you thanks but please don’t butt into my business? But no, you go around talking to our psychiatrist about me and my trauma?! It’s not for yours to discuss, Jimin. I asked you before I left the store to please pretend like it never happened…” Jungkook speaks firmly but it’s not aggressive.

“W-what. Jungkook I’m so confused, how did-“

“Did you or did you not talk to Dr. Min about me and what happened at the market?” Jungkook steps closer to the smaller doctor and stares him down; there hardly a foot of space between the two surgeons. Jimin finds his pulse elevating and his face turning hot. Jimin looks at him with genuine confused, puppy eyes, and it confuses Jungkook too because the sweet, pouty face screams innocent.

“So I- I did but I didn’t menti-“ Jimin is absolutely confused what is going on and how this is all linking together.

How could Yoongi assume Jimin was talking about Jungkook when he didn’t even use Jungkook’s name? There were hundreds of other veterans in the Republic of Korea who had had a deployment oversees. And out of them, a fair number of them probably had some form of trauma. Not only that, Jimin was a social butterfly who had one too many friends and acquaintances! Unless... perhaps Jungkook and Yoongi sunbae were closer than Jimin knew of and maybe Yoongi already knew Jungkook had PTSD… Oh god… He wants to explain to Jungkook that he didn’t mention his name at all but Jungkook cuts him off harshly.

“God Jimin,” Jungkook steps back, hands on his waist, and starts pacing around in the small space of the stairwell unsure what to do. He’s irritated but he doesn’t want to get in a full on fight again when only just returned from his suspension. Not only that, he knew he still wasn’t fully off the hook for what he did to Jimin. “You’re so- you’re just. Urghh,” Jungkook says with frustration. But his tone settles down. “I don’t know what exactly you told Dr. Min but please just… don’t okay? It’s not your business.”

When Jimin had talked to Yoongi that day of his ‘hypothetical friend’, Yoongi immediately got a hunch Jimin was talking about Jungkook. Of course, he could only be 99% sure and not 100%, but when Jimin had mentioned the reaction to the fire drill alarm—a lightbulb went off in Yoongi’s head. During one of Jungkook’s sessions, the trauma surgeon had told Yoongi that loud alarm sounds triggered him. He had shared that that was one of his main concerns about being back in the civilian world, and how he was thankful hospital code alarms were calm, spoken words and not loud, ringing, repetitive sounds.

So Dr. Min Yoongi was very well aware of Jeon’s alarm sound trigger. He merely put two and two together and assumed Jimin’s hypothetical ‘friend’ might just very well be Dr. Jeon.

So during Jungkook’s first session back from his suspension, just moments ago , Yoongi had asked him how his days off with his suspension went. How’s he’s been doing at home. How he’s been doing with his nightmares and trauma as a whole… and then he had asked if he’d had any attacks while on his suspension.

Attacks other than his nightmare attacks. Attacks like drills or alarms. Of course, Yoongi asked in a very carefully crafted yet casual and broad way as to not make it obvious he had spoken to anyone about him; because he technically hadn’t. Jimin never once mentioned a specific name for the friend. But Jungkook had suspiciously squinted at the psychiatrist.

Park Jimin.

“What are you talking about Jungkook? I didn’t tell Yoongi sunbae about you! I mean I did but I didn’t say it was you. Okay, so what I mean is that I said-“

“Just stop Jimin. So you did. Wow. Okay. I’m over this. This shit between us. If this was your way of I don’t know? Getting back at me or something because I exposed you, fine. I got it. I said I’m sorry because I honestly was. I truly meant my apology at the market. And yet you go talking about my personal shit in which I asked you to please stay out of because no, I don’t want to talk about it. But you did anyway.” Jungkook looks at Jimin with exhausted, defeated eyes despite the fight he had a whole 14 hours left of his shift. “So we’re good now, right? I exposed your little secret, and now you know I have PTSD and that I flip out at loud ringing sounds, hoorah, congrats, Park-“

“Stop! It’s not like that, Jungkook. How.. how could you even think of me like that? You think of me that lowly, Jungkook?” Jimin argues back, hurt.

Just as much as he truly did see sincerity to Jungkook’s apology that day at the market, Jimin also was nothing but sincere in his concern and embrace for the man when he was going through his anxiety attack. Jungkook starts walking away towards the door, but Jimin grabs him by the arm. They stare at each other and Jimin swears Jungkook’s gaze is so strong that he can feel rays of heat between them. When he realizes he’s still holding onto Dr. Jeon’s arm, crinkling his coat sleeve, Jimin quickly lets go.

“Will you just listen to me! God! YES, I talked to Yoongi sunbae okay?! But I didn’t even mention your name! I gave a hypothetical situation. Because I was honestly concerned. I really was! But you’re just here accusing me of being insincere or trying to ‘get back at you,” Jimin is getting agitated because he’s so passionate in defending himself, Jungkook could feel the cardiac surgeon’s little puffs of breaths as he speaks. “I know you hate me and we obviously don’t get along but I can’t believe you think that low of me? I was concerned okay?! So I went to Yoongi sunbae to ask how I might be able to help. Like how do I specifically help a veteran going through something like this? Military trauma is different and so I just wanted his insight. I have no fucking clue how you know all of this when I didn’t even mention your name, not once. I just… I didn’t know how I could offer help I just wanted his expertise on it so I yes, I talked to him. NAMELESS. Because I wanted to know if you wanted to talk about it then I was here-“

“I don’t want to talk about it.” Jungkook says tersely staring deep into Jimin’s eyes. Jungkook was not ready to share and talk about his trauma openly with just anyone. Especially not with Park Jimin. “I talk about it with Dr. Min and that’s it. Because I have to. Because he’s the shrink.”

Jimin’s eyes widen, “you see Dr. Min? Like… officially?”

Jungkook just stares at him silently.

“I.. I didn’t even know you saw him for that. Okay? I’m sorry. I really didn’t know.. I really didn’t mention your name Jungkook. I just… like my text said that night… wanted to let you know I’m here if you wanted to talk to someone. Because it seemed serious. That’s all..” Jimin says quietly.

“And I don’t want to talk about it. So please. Stop forcing it. It’s not your story to go around discussing or you to try and diagnose me yourself just because you saw that. Just leave it, Park. Okay? Leave it alone. I don’t want to talk about it. I’m fine now. You saw nothing, okay? So just please stay out of my business. And again, I’m really sorry too. For what I did that day, exposing your secret.”

Jungkook opens the stairwell door and leaves.

“I’d… never force you to talk about it…” Jimin mumbles quietly to himself.

It’s not that having PTSD was a secret, but there was still such a negative stigma with mental health issues in the Republic of Korea that it was often kept under the rug. Especially not for a doctor, a surgeon, a trauma surgeon at that—this tall, handsome, tough veteran Dr. Jeon Jungkook shriveling up into fetal position at the sound of some drill alarms. People would doubt professionalism, his authority, and patients might discredit his ability to mindfully treat them.

Some who are unaware of Korea’s culture may call it egotistical or overly prideful of Jungkook to react this way, but when you grew up in a society that associates mental illnesses with weakness, it’s inevitable one’s mind is embedded to think this way. His PTSD wasn’t anything to brag about.

Certainly not to the perfect Park Jimin.

~

Over the next few days, Dr. Jeon and Dr. Park are back to being their usual awkward, ‘rival’ selves, only interacting when it was absolutely necessary. Which, wasn’t much at all because luckily for them, they don’t have any main shared patients. So it’s back to the same old, except it’s not exactly quite the same. They bicker, they’re still a bit petty, but they’re not as hostile as they used to be anymore.

Jimin can’t seem to be bitter or icy to Jungkook like he used to be. But now, Jungkook is the cold one; he more so just tries to avoid Jimin. Every time they interact, there’s a heavy awkward tension but not in the same way it used to be because they were at each other’s throats. It’s a different awkward tension because Jimin has now seen Jungkook at a vulnerable state and Jungkook saw Jimin being there for him…

And that warm embrace… that brief silent eye contact at the supermarket…

One afternoon, Jungkook is in the locker room changing out of his scrubs and into his regular clothes to go home, when he overhears a group of residents coming in gossiping about Jimin and the investigation.

“Well, it’s like someone asking how do you know the Bible is real? And saying, ‘because the Bible says so’.” A resident says chuckling.

“Obviously, the investigation cleared him. I mean… his dad is the chairman of the board and the investigation was done by the board and management,” one of the residents says and they all laugh as they start opening their lockers. “So I mean… you tell me…”

“Yeah but the chairman was excluded from the investigation committee so just shut up. Dr. Park didn’t get any personal favors you idiot,” another resident says. “He’s just a genius with a big brain. Something you could use more of.”

“Well you never know! Hey, if my dad was the chairman-“

“And that’s why you’re not the son of the chairman,” another resident smacks the other and they all laugh.

Jungkook feels horrible. It was true that the investigation had concluded that there was no nepotism or favoritism going on with Dr. Park. But Jungkook still feels guilty because despite the clean investigation result, gossip, rumors, and peoples’ personal opinion weren’t something that just easily went away. It’s not necessarily that he thinks Jimin is entirely clean from personal favors or favoritism; he still thinks Park is snobby and full of himself when it came to work, but he still feels bad he blurted it out like that. He hates his own goddamn temper and anger issues.

Jungkook comes out of the stall loudly to make his presence known, and the residents all awkwardly shut up and greet him with a bow.

“Hi Dr. Jeon… sorry… we didn’t know you were here.”

“Look guys, I shouldn’t have blurted Dr. Park’s business out like that that day. It wasn’t my say. I apologized to him. The investigation is over. So let’s focus on work, yeah?” Jungkook says surprisingly very calmly and almost warmly.

The residents nod guiltily.

Jungkook gives them a gentle smile, grabs his stuff from his locker, and says with a small smile right before he walks out of the room, “save the gossiping for the cafeteria ladies, yeah?”

The residents nod again and bow, bidding the attending physician farewell for the day.

When Jungkook is in the lobby on his way out of the hospital, he sees Jimin in his regular clothes coming to start his shift. Jungkook wants to avoid him but Jimin has already seen him and he’s walking straight toward him.

“Hey,” Jimin says. “Off for the day?”

“Hey. Yeah.” Jungkook answers awkwardly.

“Cool. Well, it’s nice out still. A nice, cool evening breeze.” Jimin wants to die from awkwardness. He’s really there talking about the damn weather.

“Oh, I and I heard,” Jungkook says. Jimin cocks his head a bit and looks at him with a puzzled look. “About the investigation.”

“Oh. Yeah. Well. I’m glad that’s over with.”

“Yeah,” Jungkook says.

The corner of Jimin’s mouth goes up forming a small friendly smirk. “So do you agree with it?”

“What?”

“Do you agree with the investigation results?” Jimin blinks just staring at him. “Or do you still think I cheated my way to my reserved parking spot?”

Jungkook is surprised by Jimin’s ability to lightly make a joke out of this all. He’s relieved. “I mean the investigation said nothing’s wrong so then nothing’s wrong, right?” Jungkook says.

“I didn’t ask you to repeat the investigation results though, Jeon.” Jimin looks him right in the eyes. “I asked what you personally think. Do you still think I cheated my way up? You do, huh?”

Yes. Kinda. “I never said that.”

“Then why can’t you answer my question? You think I don’t deserve my position, my income, my awards, my promotions, raises, and my awesome parking spot, huh?”

“Why do you care what I think?” Jungkook shoots back.

“I never said I cared what you think. I just asked you your opinion,” Jimin replies.

“If you don’t care then why ask? The investigation cleared you, so you’re good.”

Jimin’s face shifts into somewhat of an angry pout. “You still hate me, huh? You have this… this certain idea of who I am and you refuse to think anything otherwise, when you don’t even know me.”

“Well it’s not like I never tried to,” Jungkook answers immediately.

“Tried to what?”

“Get to know you,” Jungkook pauses and hesitates for a bit. “Since you’re complaining I don’t know you. I tried. But every time I did, you were always a little sno- Anyways, I have to go. See ya.” Jungkook walks past him but Jimin turns around and says loud enough so Jungkook could hear.

“Well if you were me would you have acted any different? I mean, all you did was yell at me and humiliate me in front of everyone. And why? Because I was actually following rules? So my bad if I felt I should avoid you so that we don’t clash again. It was only logical but sure.”

Jungkook turns around to look at Jimin again. They’re standing about a two meters apart, “Park. Just go to work. I’m tired.” It was the same shit for them over and over. No matter how hard they tried to be a little more than just the barely civil coworkers, it never seemed to work for them.

“You know what, fine. I’m done too. I was trying to just have a friendly chat. But okay. Whatever. It’s clearly not possible with us so okay. Let’s just never talk to each other again.” Jimin is so dramatic, as always. He turns around first and storms off toward the surgical unit and Jungkook watches the smaller man disappear from his sight.

~

“You’ll both be working together on this case,” Seokjin sets the file down on his desk for Jimin and Jungkook to look at. Jungkook slowly face palms and Jimin sighs annoyed, brushing his hair back.

“New transfer from Hope Hospital. Ariadna Song, she prefers Ari, 19 year old female with history of asthma, diagnosed with an unknown skeletal dysplasia and cardiomyopathy but then, the cardiomyopathy was undiagnosed as her doctor re-reviewed her MRI results and found that…” Seokjin goes on giving a summary of the patient to the two surgeons.

“She’s a very unique case so as much as I didn’t want to put you two on her case, work comes first. She will need surgery done by the both of you. I expect nothing but professionalism from the both of you. I don’t give a damn what personal issues the two of you have. What I need are my top, expert surgeons cooperating to treat this patient. Is that understood?” Seokjin looks at them firmly.

He’d managed to keep Park and Jeon off the same patient as the lead attending physicians ever since Jeon had returned from his suspension but he couldn’t keep working around them just because they didn’t like each other; this particular patient needed the hospital’s expert cardiothoracic and orthopedic surgeon (Jungkook’s other specialty). It wasn’t right that a patient should be stripped from receiving what they deserved just because two doctors couldn’t get along.

“Is that understood?” Seokjin repeats making eye contact one by one with both of his subordinates. Jimin nods reluctantly and Jungkook answers with a ‘yes sir’. Seokjin then adds, “this is your last chance.”

Jimin who is shocked, moves to the edge of his seat and says, “what do you mean last chance?!”

“You may both leave now,” Seokjin says ignoring Jimin. Jungkook gets up and bows but Jimin flies to his feet agitated and says again, “what do you mean this is my last chance?!”

“Park, do not raise your voice at me.”

“Sorry. Just, what do you mean chief?? Last chance?”

“Jeon, was my sentence hard to understand?” Seokjin says over to Jungkook who is already halfway across the office on his way out. He pauses and looks back to answer.

“No, sir.”

“Please then, would you mind telling Dr. Park what I mean.”

Jungkook sighs annoyed. He looks over at Jimin and says, “our last chance to work together or we’ll both get in trouble, possibly fired. Well, at least for me I’m sure. That’s what I took from it.”

“Fired?! I don’t even have a single warning on my record chief!!” Jimin is infuriated. “How is this even fair?! You can’t just skip to firing?!”

“Then cooperate. You have nothing to worry about as long as you two work fine together,” Seokjin says nonchalantly now not even looking at Jimin. He starts opening some of his other files and moving his mouse around to do some things on his computer.

Jimin is flabbergasted.

“Dr. Park, I have a lot of work to do, please see yourselves out. The both of you. I’m sure you’ll have a lot to study and read upon before seeing your new patient.”

“This is ridiculous! I didn’t even do anything wrong! I don’t have a problem working with othe-“

“PARK!” Seokjin slams a folder on his desk to shut the cardiac surgeon up. Even Jungkook is surprised. “Out. Now. Before I call security to have you escorted.”

Jimin’s jaw drops and his eyes widen. He cannot believe Jin right now. He starts storming off towards the door muttering under his breath,

“This is bullsh-“

“Watch your mouth, Park. I can hear you.”

Jimin storms past Jungkook and walks out the door angrily first. Jungkook looks at Jin and bows one more time before he too leaves the chief’s office.

When the two surgeons are gone from his office, Seokjin lets out a deep sigh and rubs his temples.

Of course he wasn’t going to fire Jimin as his first punishment if the two failed at working together again. He just wanted to give Dr. Park some tough love and remind him he still is a subordinate and not just a friend; although it’s true Jimin did earn everything in his career through his own merits, it would be false to say Jimin didn’t have tendencies that showed he was indeed the chairman’s son—like how he just gave his boss, the Chief of Surgery, a serious attitude. His ultimate goal of course, was to make these two surgeons cooperate and get along. Seokjin couldn’t have these two hating each other forever, it was bad for the morale of his department.

He leans back on his chair, closes his eyes and takes some deep long breaths again to try and relax when an email pops up on his monitor from one of the board members angrily informing him of something regarding another issues he’s been trying to resolve. He groans and rubs his face.

“For fucks sake. I hate this place sometimes.”

~

“Listen, I’m not about to lose my job because of you,” Jimin says when they’re both out of the chief’s office and in a quiet, emptier part of the hospital.

“Does it matter though. I mean your dad is the chairman, I’m sure if you really wanted, he could get you your job bac-“ Jungkook says in a completely emotionless and logically, neither accusatory or sarcastically.

“Wow.” Jimin glares at him. “You are just so judgmental wow. You’re demonizing me for being born into my life in which I had no control of.”

“I wasn’t demonizing you? I was just stating the truth. The chairman is your dad and I’m sure if he really needed to, he could pull some strings if you were to hypothetically get fired.”

“UGHH! Oh my god Jeon.” Jimin groans and sticks his hands out in front of him gesturing like he’s squeezing the air because he wants to just squeeze Dr. Jeon’s head until it pops. “You have been demonizing me since day one and you know it. And it’s finally hitting me why. You’re so mad at me because why? Because the chairman is my dad? Ok yes, I’ve had a rather beautiful, blessed life, with a smart, rich dad yes. I have great parents, both very educated yes. A big house because of it, every hobby lesson I ever wanted, nice stuff because my parents are YES, they’re well-off okay?! And its like.. like you hate me for it. I was born into my life. I couldn’t help it. Yet you demonize me for it and you’re like… obsessed with hating me!!” Jimin is going off listing his reasons on why he believes Jungkook hates him. Jungkook scoffs. It’s like they’re both just forgetting or choosing to ignore the supermarket incident because they’re so high on fighting again right now.

“No. I base it on YOUR actions. Not because you’re the chairman’s son. But how YOU treated me, how you acted. Let’s see, need I remind you: pretentious, snobby, belittling, oh don’t forget rude, cold, icy. You being the chairman’s son merely solidified and sealed the deal for what I already gathered and concluded from working with you and seeing your actions. Your actions in which you do have control over. So no, don’t put words into my mouth saying I’m demonizing you because you’re born rich or some shit. The hell??”

Jimin lets out little huffs of angry breaths as he glares at Jungkook. He tried being nice. He really did. Ever since the supermarket incident, he couldn’t help but feel softer for the man but Jimin has had it. In his mind, he’s done nothing wrong to deserve this shit and he certainly wasn’t going to lose his job over this rude trauma surgeon. He wants to go off again and give Jungkook another piece of his mind, but he is exhausted. So so exhausted.

“Look. Are we gonna work together or not, Jeon?”

Dr. Park’s normally soft eyes suddenly turn so sharp and intimidating that Jungkook feels like the smaller could literally bite his head off at this point; it’s so different than the compassionate eyes that he saw at the supermarket that day.

“Fine.”

“Fine.” Jimin repeats.

“Great.” Jungkook says.

“GREAT!”

~

“Say ahh,” Taehyung holds the stick out in front of his 16 year old patient Quinn’s face.

“Ah,” Quin obeys and Dr. Kim observes inside her mouth.

“Hmm, your throat was really inflamed Quinn so it may be a few days until you start really feeling better, okay?” Taehyung says, now getting his stethoscope out to take a listen to her heart.

“How long? What is a few days? I really can’t miss prom doc,” the patient asks. “I will freaking kill myself if I miss prom.”

“Deep breaths please,” Taehyung says ignoring her question for now. She follows his instructions until he’s done listening to her heart.

“And don’t say stuff like that Miss Quinn,” Taehyung gently jokingly flicks her head once he’s finished assessing her.

“Sorry, I mean, you know. I’m not really gonna kill myself. It’s just a joke! A saying! You’re too serious, Dr. Kim!”

“There are a lot of people even in this hospital Quinn that are here because they actually tried to take their own lives. Not funny. Okay?” Taehyung looks at his teenage patient sternly. She nods apologetically. He tells the teenager that she may be here for another day or two and she groans dramatically but is pleased that she will be able to make it to her prom at least.

“My boyfriend you know,” Quinn says playing on her phone now that Dr. Kim was done assessing her. “He’s a senior. Super cute.”

“Oh yeah? A senior?” Taehyung says entering in some of his notes into the computer in her hospital room. “You’re what, you said a sophomore right?”

“Mhm!”

“And you’re going to prom?” Taehyung is busy typing things into the computer while conversing with Quinn.

“Yep!” She says proudly. “He’s really cute. Well, I already told you this like a hundred times but he is! And he’s the captain of the soccer team. Varsity. Obviously. Anyways, my dress is all ready and honestly, I think my dress is the best like some of my friends’ dresses are well, I don’t wanna be mean but-“ when patients have been stuck at the hospital for awhile, they just need anyone to talk to, to cure their boredom.

“Is he a good boyfriend to you?” Taehyung cuts her off as he walks back over to her, arms crossed.

“Of course!”

“You know when I asked you when you first got admitted if you drink or smoke, you answered no for both. Which is what’s in the computer system. Is that going to change?” Taehyung asks in a very soft, friendly tone as to not make her feel nervous like she needs to lie to him.

“What?! Of course not!! Dr. Tae, it’s prom, not a college party!!”

“Do you think I’m dumb?” Taehyung flicks his patient’s forehead again.

“Ow!!” She rubs her forehead. “What was that for!!”

“Listen, I’m not your mom so I can’t tell you what to do or not to do, but I know how prom goes. Especially when you’re an underclassmen and he’s a senior,” Taehyung raises his eyebrows in a ‘do you think I’m stupid’ expression.

“Oh my god, Dr. Tae seriously what are you even thinking, ew!!”

Taehyung rolls his eyes. “Be safe. Okay? Always practice safe se-“

“OH MY GOD!! STOP!! CAN YOU GO AWAY!!” Quinn starts covering her face from embarrassment.

“Hey, it’s nothing to be embarrassed about. Everyone has sex, right? Just make sure you’re safe. Use protection, but most importantly, make sure you do it because you want to. If you don’t want it, you make it clear you don’t want to do it oka-“

“Oh my goddddddddddd, stoppppppppppp Dr. Taeeeee.” Quinn is mortified. Not because she’s a prude or naïve to what sex is, but because her doctor is hot and this is the last thing she wants to be talking about with him. “I got it okay, oh my god, so please stop.”

Taehyung laughs and the two eventually say their goodbyes before Taehyung leaves her room.

When he steps out into the hall, he sees Seokjin walking towards him. They haven’t really spoken to each other ever since the airport in Jeju. Other than required meetings and two other times in the halls, Taehyung has managed to avoid the chief.

Every time he sees the chief, he feels sick and anxious but Taehyung takes a deep breath, holds his head up confidently and strides down the hall. This time, he won’t take a detour like he did the last two times he saw him in the halls. Why should he?

Seokjin gives Taehyung a small smile as they get closer and closer. When their bodies are just about to brush past each other, Seokjin slows down so he can say hi, but Taehyung walks right past him.

As if he was a stranger.

~

Dr. Jeon and Dr. Park’s patient Ari has one too many complications and mysterious unanswered questions as to what’s going on with her body. She’s got every type of wire and medical equipment possible connected to her but she’s positive, spunky, quirky, and absolutely hilarious despite her unfortunate health predicament.

Both of them have been enjoying getting to know her as well as enjoying doing the research for the background of her medical history in preparation for the big surgery coming up. Both Jimin and Jungkook loved new challenges, and right now, Ariadna Song’s case was something fresh for the both of them.

She had already code blued once when she was at Hope Hospital and was there for almost a month before she got transferred here to SMC because Hope had told her they had nothing more left they could do for her but that SMC might be able to help. Hope was a much smaller hospital and weren’t equipped with even half the resources SMC had; they didn’t have nearly the best doctors as SMC.

It was amazing how positive she was for someone who’d already been through so much for the past month.

“You guys are weird,” Ari says one day a week into being her doctors when it’s just the two of them in her room. The two physicians had come in to check up on her and assess her.

“What?” Jungkook looks up from the chart that he was reading. Jimin was assessing her ankles and seeing how swollen it was; he looks at her too with a puzzled grin.

“Are you guys like not friends? Just coworkers?”

Jungkook and Jimin look at each other awkwardly.

“That! What was that?!” Ari points at them smiling.

“Have you been sleeping with your legs elevated like we told yo-“ Jimin ignores her question and counters with his own to change the subject. She has been one of the chattiest patients both Jimin and Jungkook has ever had.

“Yeah yeah I have,” she quickly answers the question and resumes what she was saying. “Dr. Jeon, are you single?”

Jungkook nearly chokes from embarrassment. While Jimin was used to this sort of comment from patients, Jungkook has still not gotten used to it. He’s been at SMC now for almost six months and he’d been complimented on his good looks and asked out by patients a fair number of times, and still, he never knew how to react each time.

Dr. Jeon was bashful like that, and frankly, clueless of just how hot he was.

“What about you, are you single, Dr. Park?” Ari asks since Jungkook doesn’t seem to answer.

Jimin just laughs and starts pressing her other ankle and assessing that one, “you’re quite swollen still, Ari. How about you focus on keeping your legs elevated, getting in that water intake like we told you, and making sure you urinate enough to fill this bag, okay?” Jimin lifts the bag of pee, connected to her vaginal catheter.

“Dr. Park stop changing the subject. I’ve been pretty much drowning in water and I’ll pee when I pee. Answer my question!! It’s for my thesis,” the patient says sassily. Jimin shakes his head laughing.

“Your thesis?” Jimin asks amused. Jungkook just keeps reading the patient’s file, trying not to engage in this non-medical related chitchat.

“Yes thesis. I told you, I’m gonna go into psychology. I was reading this national geographic article on love and chemistry like love as a chemical reaction- so it was talking about like what lust is and what attraction is- anyways, super interesting. But the point is. You guys are so weird.”

Jungkook walks away to the computer to fake browse some shit because he finds himself getting hot and nervous.

“Dr. Jeon come back here!” Ari demands playfully. Jimin looks back and sees his colleague on the computer looking through Ari’s e-chart even though he had her physical file in his hands. “Dr. Jeon!”

“Yes Ari?” Jungkook finally looks at her. “I need to work on this, okay?”

When she finally knows she has both their attention she drops the bomb.

“You guys have this sexual energy that’s like bursting to release itself!” Ari starts giggling. “I don’t know, you guys are weird. It’s been a week I’ve known you both but I can’t seem to figure out your dynamic??”

Jimin and Jungkook both tense up. Jimin is usually so pro at handling crazy, quirky, and even flirty patients. But he is just speechless right now. He feels himself clamming up and his heart is racing.

“Are you guys friends outside of work or not?!”

Both doctors are hoping the other will say something to save the day but Jimin eventually takes charge. “Miss Song did you not get any sleep last night? You are way too hyper right now. Are you delirious-“

“See!! I’ve asked you what? Like three times now already if you’re friends or just coworkers and you both can’t give me a simple answer,” Ari starts laughing louder. She is having way too much fun torturing her doctors. “It’s literally a simple question!”

“We’re coworkers, yes,” Jungkook surprisingly speaks up. Jimin is startled.

“There are a lot of doctors here, Ari. It’s a huge hospital. We don’t all know each other that well. Most of us are just colleagues,” Jungkook adds on. Jimin nods.

“Well clearly you guys aren’t going to tell me if you’re single or taken but I take it that you’re at least not married,” she looks down at their hands. No rings. She’s been at hospitals for too long that she knows most doctors won’t say much about their personal lives to their patients. “Honestly you’re both very good looking and you guys should date each other. Just sayin. Hey, by the way is it okay if I eat some sushi? My friend texted me to ask if I wanted her to bring anything when she stops by tomorrow. I’ll use low-sodium soy sauce, pleaseee? I’m sick of hospital food.”

Jimin laughs at how his patient managed to say a million different things at once. She truly was a character.

“I’m sorry but no. Stick to the hospital food until your surgery’s over at least, okay?” Jimin says regretfully. “It’s not that bad.”

“Well it’s not sushi,” Ari rolls her eyes. “I can not wait till I’m all better and outta here. God I’m gonna eat every damn food my stomach desires!”

Jungkook walks over closer to the patient and Jimin and they both give her a warm smile.

“We’ll get you out of here as soon as we can, okay?” Jungkook says. Jimin looks at Jungkook and when they meet eyes, they both turn away quickly, awkwardly again.

Ari just smiles slyly.

“Just one more week until your surgery! Alright, here, lift your legs,” Jimin says fluffing up the pillows under her legs. Jungkook just watches as his colleague does the things that doctors normally don’t do—grabbing tissues for patients, getting them a cup of water, getting them extra blankets, listening to them ramble on far longer than the average doctor normally does, and now fluffing pillows. 

“Really to keep them elevated while you’re sleeping okay?” Jimin says as Ari thanks him for fluffing the pillows for her.

“You’re really swollen so we really needa get that fluid out of you, okay?” Jungkook adds on. Ari nods and the two surgeons finally leave their quirky patient’s room.

When they’re in the hallway, the two surgeons immediately just jump into medical discussion about the patient’s case, leaving no room to be awkward or uncomfortable about what their silly patient said.

“Alright. Well I’m off for the day,” Jungkook says once they’re done talking about Ari’s case.

“Oh so am I,” Jimin says.

“Oh, why’d I think you’re on a 24 today, never mind.”

“Nope. 12. Just like you.”

“Musta been thinking of someone else. Alright,” Jungkook says.

And it’s awkward. Again. As the two surgeons make their way towards the locker room. It’s so awkward that Jimin starts talking about another medical topic, pretending to ask for Jungkook’s input on one of his other patients, because otherwise, he swears they might both die from the tension.

Jimin ends up stopping to chat with another doctor who had to ask him something and so Jimin and Jungkook say farewell again and Jungkook goes to the locker room first to change out of his work clothes. After he changes, he stops by his desk in his on call room to pick up a book he wants to take home but gets caught up having a chitchat with Namjoon.

About half an hour later when he’s finally on his way out, he walks past a patient’s room in which the door was wide open and to his surprise, sees Jimin inside sitting down on the rolling chair talking to the elderly patient. Jungkook looks at his watch and then back into the room.

He’s heard about how Dr. Park would usually come in earlier than his shift to just check in with his patients and sometimes even stopped by after his shift on his way out. But here Jungkook was witnessing it for himself.

“I know Mr. Lee. It is so painful, isn’t it? I’m so sorry. I don’t think you’re exaggerating. Yes, I know. We’re really doing our best to get you better.”

“Oh wow! Yes, very beautiful, Mr. Lee. Your granddaughter is absolutely adorable!”

“Samsung? That’s so impressive! I’m sure he’s an amazing worker. Yes, of course I know Samsung! You must be so proud of your son!”

 “Oh Mr. Lee, I’m sure they are always thinking of you. It’s hard with a toddler, you know? They’re just probably trying to find the balance. And then work- Mr. Lee! Don’t think like that! You are very important to them! Sometimes humans get a bit busy you know? We forget things. I know I should call my mom a lot more than I do too… but I do love her. And I’m sure your children do too.”

These are some of the things Jungkook manages to hear Jimin saying, while eavesdropping from the hall, right beside the door of the patient’s room.

Jungkook doesn’t even know why he’s standing there listening to this when it’s none of his business. But something in the way Dr. Park talks to this old man, off the clock, when he too must be so tired and wanting to go home. His soft and tender voice, the gentleness of his words, the wise choice of diction, the comforting gestures…

He melts at hearing the kindness of this alleged snobby colleague of his.

Jungkook shakes his thoughts off and quickly shuffles on, ready to leave the hospital so he could go home and get some sleep.

Things only get more awkward and tense for the two surgeons throughout the following week. One day, Jungkook and Jimin run into the chairman in the halls and to Jimin’s mortification, his dad says something even worse than what Ari said.

“Dr. Jeon, if you don’t mind me asking, are you married?”

“I’m not, sir.”

“Oh what great news!”

“Chairma-“ Jimin already knows where this is possibly going. So he cuts in. (Yes, he calls his dad chairman when he’s at work).

“If you’re interested I know an eligible bachelor I’d love to set you up with? He’s a surgeon too, he’s got great credentials, I’d say he’s rather handsome and he’s got a great personali-“

Jimin wants to die.

“DAD stop,” Jimin interrupts this time aggressively not even bothering to address him by his professional title anymore. “We have to go now, we’re busy. With work.” He grabs Jungkook by the arms and pulls his coat sleeve, hastily pulling him away from his dad.

“Relax a little, Dr. Park! Was great chatting with you Dr. Jeon!” Jimin’s dad waves as the two surgeons get further and further away from him. Ever since it was out that the chairman and Jimin were related, they’ve been openly greeting each other at work now; Jimin even reluctantly had lunch with his dad a few times in the cafeteria.

“Sorry,” Jimin says once they’re finally out of his dad’s sight.

“Wanna let go?” Jungkook says eyeing his arm. Jimin immediately lets go of the younger’s sleeve. “Sorry for what?”

“My dad? What else?”

“What? About what?”

“What?” Jimin says confused.

“What??” Jungkook copies.

“I’m confused.”

“What are you sorry about??” Jungkook asks again.

“I said my dad.”

“Why? What about him?”

“I’m sorry he like… bothered you about your personal life.”

“It’s just a question, Park. He just asked if I’m married. It’s a common question for someone our age. And I mean I’m kind of curious who he had in min-“ Jungkook mouth forms a small smirk.

“I have to go. Just remembered I need to check on something,” Jimin scurries off before Jungkook can finish his sentence.

On another day, two days before their patient Ari’s big surgery, Jimin, Taehyung, and Yoongi are at their usual bar, Vudu, having a drink. It’s a Saturday evening so the bar is lively with good music and a happy, drunk crowd.

The place has clean modern interiors with black and metallic furniture, it’s dimly lit with its trendy light fixtures, American pop music from last year’s hits blast in the background as Korea always seemed to be a bit delayed with American music. Bar patrons shove and squeeze through the crowd to get in front of the bar to get their drinks ordered, young hot servers walk around serving their popular bar food: hot spicy chicken wings, and the loud voices of laughter and chatting fill the establishment.

The three of them haven’t been out together on a weekend in so long that everyone’s in a good mood. Good enough to drink some shots instead of just beer; Jimin wants to drink until he forgets about anything work-related and just have a good time tonight. When the three surgeons finish their second round of shots, Jimin says he’ll get the third and leaves their table to go up to the bar.

“Excuse me, excuse me, excuse me can you please move if you already ordere- OW!” Jimin gets shoved to the side by the drunk person to his right. “Watch it, dude!” The drunk man is so drunk he doesn’t even realize he’s slammed into Jimin. He keeps leaning towards him and Jimin is getting squished because it’s packed and everyone’s trying to squeeze by the bar to get their drinks ordered by the bartender.

Jimin shoves his way through people so he could get to the other end of the bar counter, away from this particular drunk man who keeps shoving him, “sorry-“ Jimin says when this time, he hits another person a bit too roughly while trying to get through.

“Oh god-“ Jimin mutters under his breath when he looks up.

Jeon Jungkook. Holding a beer in his right hand and two in his left.

“Oh.” Jungkook says when he sees Jimin. “Hey.”

Jimin looks away and curses at the heavens.

“Hey,” Jimin greets back. “Just got here?”

“What?” Jungkook says leaning his head down closer to Jimin’s face so he could hear. It was crowded with too many people and he could barely hear him.

“JUST GOT HERE?” Jimin repeats louder this time.

“Oh. Yeah, you too?” Jungkook speaks right next to Jimin’s ear.

“No. Third round!” Jimin shouts over the music and loud crowd.

“Here with friends?” Jungkook asks, face still leaning down right by Jimin’s ear.

“Yeah. Tae and Yoongi sunbae. You?”

“Namjoon sunbae and another friend.” Jimin makes a funny face. He thinks how weird Yoongi and Namjoon sunbae are that they are both here but not with each other; what a weird married couple he thinks as he internally chuckles to himself.

“Cool. Well, I gotta get my drinks so I’ll see ya later, have a good ni- OW! SHIT” Jimin turns around and starts yelling at the tall stranger who decked him in the head with his elbow. Jungkook tries to refrain from laughing but he help but smile seeing the petite doctor going off on the rather physically large stranger. Park Jimin really was so sassy and bold.

Jungkook then slides his way through the tight space to stand behind Jimin, blocking him from the stranger so he doesn’t get elbowed again. “Come on,” Jungkook says cocking his head toward the bar counter so Jimin could follow him and use him as a shield to make his way back to the counter.

They’re squeezing through people, literally chest to chest, Jungkook’s arms wide out still holding his three beer bottles in the air so he doesn’t spill them on anyone. When they come to a stop because there’s two people ahead of them ordering their drinks at the counter, Jimin gets pushed again and he’s slammed right into Jungkook, even more than they already were. Jimin doesn’t know where to look so he just keeps looking to his left and right, but never straight ahead at Jungkook because that would mean they’d literally be face to face, possibly nose to nose. He could feel Jungkook’s hot breath against his temples and Jungkook could smell the smaller man’s sweet fresh shampoo scent. He smelled like a mixture of orange and vanilla.

They stand there like this, not saying a word, bodies pressed against each other, chest to chest for about a good two minutes until finally, Jimin makes it to the counter to get his drinks.

“My god! That was a freaking trek!” Jimin exhales when the two of them finally make it out of the crazy, tight crowd, both holding drinks in their hands.

“Your head okay?” Jungkook asks as he eyes Jimin up and down without even realizing it. It was weird seeing his colleague so… dressed up. Casually dressed up, not formal business dressed up.

He already noticed surgeon’s face was a bit different as Jimin had done a smokey eye look with shiny coral pink lips. But now, Jungkook was noticing the full ensemble, not just the makeup. Jimin was wearing a pair of extremely tight black ripped jeans, a rather low cut black shirt accentuating his beautiful collarbones, a trendy white denim jacket, and a thin black choker necklace to top off the look. 

Jimin rubs the back of his head where he got elbowed and says, “yeah I’m fine.” He fake fixes his shirt nervously because he noticed Jungkook stared him up and down. Do I look weird?? Jimin wonders. “Uhm. Well, I’ll see ya later I guess. Well, Monday I guess, right?”

“Right,” Jungkook says. They had a big surgery on Monday and they were both looking forward to it. “Alright, well. See ya.”

“Yeah. See ya,” Jimin says. “Well, I’m that way,” Jimin points and Jungkook points the other way. They both wave and finally walk away from each other.

But unfortunately for Jimin, when he gets closer to their table, he sees Namjoon and another man laughing and chatting with Taehyung and Yoongi.

“Oh come on,” Jimin mutters. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

And when Jungkook finds his table empty, he walks around the bar to find Namjoon and Yugyeom and lo behold, there they are sitting at a table with Yoongi, Taehyung, and Jimin.

“Hey! Over here Jeon!” Yugyeom raises his hands and waves. Jungkook forces a smile and walks over to the table.

“Took you forever!” Yugyeom says taking a beer from him. “Hey I just met your other work friends! Thought we’d just join them! More the merrier right!”

“Sit sit, Jeon,” Namjoon says pulling out another stool.

Jimin and Jungkook eye each other awkwardly both with forced closed-mouth smiles.

“Loosen up already Park, Jeon! Damn!!” Taehyung says. Jimin will kill him later. “Alright alright, let’s cheers to a fun night!! I want to get DRUNK!!” Taehyung lifts his shot glass and everyone follows.

“Cheers to...” Taehyung starts off.

“To… new friendships!” Yugyeom says.

“Yes! To friendship!”

They all clank their drinks together and Jimin one shots his whiskey faster than Jungkook has ever seen a man down their alcohol.

If Jimin’s going to sit here with Jungkook at the same time, he’s going to need a lot of alcohol. Jungkook on the other hand isn’t much of a heavy drinker. Jimin learns that the trauma surgeon mostly preferred beer as his alcoholic beverage and he didn’t ever really drink to get drunk but was more of just a social drinker when the vibe was good. Jimin also learns that Jungkook is a dog person, was born and raised in Busan, has an older brother who is a graphic designer, cuts and dyes his own hair at home, loves pretty much all food, and tries to run every day, well at least on the days he didn’t have too crazy long of a shift. It’s the most Jimin learns about Dr. Jeon, and the longest the two has ever co-existed without talking about anything patient-related without biting each other’s heads off. Albeit it was a group setting.

And Jungkook learns that Jimin is also originally from Busan, has a younger brother who’s an engineer, a mom who loves interior decorating, a cat person, hates seafood and mangos, loves the beach, and loves Dr. Kim Taehyung the most after his family. Oh, and loves loves drinking. Not that that was surprising to Jungkook.

A little into the night when the group is all merrily drunk and having a good time, Taehyung takes his phone out and texts Seokjin. Jimin is too wasted at this point arguing loudly with Namjoon about the best type of kbbq meat that he doesn’t notice his best friend is texting someone.

I hate ypu.

I hae ypu so muxh

But I niss you

I dindt mean what I said at the airprt Jin

You’re not a strnger to me

I don’t wabba be strngers woth you Jin

I’m so drink jin can yiu comw here ? and get me?

He receives the fastest reply from the chief.

Chief Kim: Where are you Taehyung? Vudu Bar?

Taehyung: Yes can u comw here? I’m do drink

Taehyung: I’n sprry I miss u

Taehyung: I souldt say it I kknpw

Chief Kim: Who are you with? Jimin?

Taehyung: Yesand othrts too lotta ppl hwere but I only want yiu

Chief Kim: I’ll be there in 15. Stay put.

“Heyyy guys I gotta pee an I’m gonna go get more drinks okay? I’m gonna be right back so stay here kay?” Taehyung slurs to the group and everyone just nods, hardly paying attention to him because most of them are too wasted also.

“Okay, don’t poop too long, Tae. Hey bring me another shot. No! Bring FIVE! I’ll drink FIVE MORE SHOTS! AHAHA” Jimin starts cracking up by himself as he throws his hand in the air to show his five fingers. Everyone can’t help but laugh at how cute drunk Jimin is, everyone including Jungkook. Taehyung just mumbles something and leaves the table.

It’s not until nearly half an hour later Jungkook, the most sober one, notices Taehyung is still not back.

“Oh, he probably flirting with some boy leave him aloneeee,” Jimin slurs. And that’s what everyone does.

About an hour later when everyone’s ready to go home, Jimin starts yelling for Taehyung. He circles the whole bar, chitchatting and flirting with random strangers along his way asking if he’d seen a tall handsome man by the name of Kim Taehyung and Jungkook just keeps a watchful eye on the intoxicated heart surgeon.

“HE’S GONE! WHERE IS TAE?! WHEREEEEEEEEEEE TAEEEEEEEEEEEEE?? HOLD ON. AHHA I BET HE’S IN THE BATHROOM STILL WAIT,” Jimin says talking to himself. He pulls his phone out of his pocket and texts him.

Where you? Are you pooping still?

Taehyung replies back, sorry. I left. I’m at Jin’s… sorry. Don’t hate me Min…

“OH THAT LITTLE WHORE!” Jimin shouts while giggling walking back towards their table. He trips on his own feet and Jungkook catches him, preventing him from falling face flat on the ground. He helps keeps him standing upright.

Jimin sends one more text to Taehyung: I don’t hate you ok. I hopw yiu get tgat good dickin tobight nite lobeyou. Tell Jin hyung I hate hin tho. Ok Tae I want soondae so I gptta go fibd some. bye lpveyou. Text me tmrw

“Alright, let’s go doc. You’re wasted,” Namjoon says holding onto Jimin’s other arm to keep him stable.

“Does he always get this wasted?” Jungkook asks amused. He saw drunk Jimin at hwaeshik but this was on another level. It was so opposite from the very professional, eminent cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Park Jimin; he was so proper and composed at work even under the most extreme pressures, even under the most frustrating circumstances.

“When he’s feelin good, yeah,” everyone laughs and Jungkook just shakes their head.

When they’re all outside loitering around saying their farewells, Jimin screams that he needs to eat some chicken feet and soondae. Everyone tells him he’s too wasted and that he should just go home.

Jungkook tells the group he’ll share a cab with Jimin since their apartments were both the same way and Namjoon and Yoongi nod and finally get in their own cab and leave. Yugyeom ends up getting picked up by another friend where he’s off to another bar, leaving Jungkook and Jimin alone.

“Look, I’m gonna go get some chicken feet and soondae so I’ll see ya Monday. See ya Captain!” Jimin starts walking away by himself stumbling on the sideway and Jungkook goes after him.

They’re walkin side by side and Jungkook asks Jimin where exactly he’s going to get said chicken feet and soondae.

“There’s a pojangmacha with the best soondae. The one by the movie theater kinda-“

“Jimin, that’s… we’re not even near there,” Jungkook laughs. “We need to drive there.”

“Hey,” Jimin stops walking and turns to look at the younger. He points his index finger out in front of Jungkook’s face. “You don’t tell me what to do. Okay. I will WALK there. Because I CAN!” Jimin starts dramatically taking strides and then,

He stumbles and trips again and falls on the ground. “OW!”

Jungkook runs over to the older but he can’t help but chuckle quietly. He doesn’t mean to laugh because Jimin did actually fall and probably scraped his knee a bit but he was so drunk and being so ridiculous, that Jungkook can’t hide his smile as much as he tried.

“Alright, let’s go. We’ll go there okay?” He helps Jimin get back up but then Jimin jumps on Jungkook’s back.

“GO GO GO!” the older sticks his right arm out pointing ahead. “COME ON, CAPTAIN!!! LET’SA GO! TO THE POJANGMACHA WE GO!! I NEED SOONDAE!!”

Jungkook just shakes his head as he continues laughing internally, he readjusts the man on his back so he could piggyback him more comfortably. He walks closer to the road where he can hail a taxi and Jimin starts whining that Jungkook was being lazy.

“Lazy?! The audacity... as you’re on MY back,” Jungkook says playfully. He has a drunk grown man on his back while he’s trying to hail a cab.

“COME ON LET’S GO!!! WE DON’T NEED A TAXI!! IT’S JUST AROUND THE CORNER!” Jimin yells. He squeezes his arms tighter around Jungkook’s neck.

“It is literally not around the corner,” Jungkook laughs. “You are drunk, Park.” Jungkook waves and waves and finally a taxi stops for them.

“Hey! STOP LYING! I’M NOT DRUNK YOU LIAR!!”

“Okay Mr. Not Drunk,” Jungkook says as he gently sets Jimin down on the ground and helps him get in the cab.

The cab ride is much quieter. Jimin is so wasted and tired that he closes his eyes and shuts up as almost as soon as he’s seated. He says some jibberish here and there but stops screaming about the chicken feet and soondae that Jungkook tells the cab driver the name of Jimin’s apartment complex instead.

About halfway through the cab ride, Jimin falls over and leans against Jungkook. Initially, Jungkook is surprised so he looks down and lifts Jimin’s head to adjust it so that it could rest more comfortably on the crook of his shoulder. But while he was adjusting the older’s head, Jimin groans and says some drunk nonsense again then angles his head where the two make eye contact.

Jungkook abruptly lets go of Jimin’s face and lets the man adjust his head himself. They just look at each other in pure silence for about a good five seconds and Jungkook swears he feels dizzy in that moment. He’s only had a few beers, not nearly enough where he should feel dizzy. Perhaps it was the cab driver’s awful driving, but Jungkook breaks off the silent eye contact and faces the window, rolling it down bit to get some fresh air.

Jimin eventually plops his head back onto Jungkook’s shoulder and the younger doesn’t move or say anything but stays still until they arrive at their destination. Jungkook pays the cab driver and helps Jimin get out of the car, looping his short arms his shoulders.

“Hey. This is my home,” Jimin slurs when he realizes where they are.

“Yes it is, Einstein.”

Jimin turns his and body sideways to look at Jungkook and brings his other arm across, joining his hands together by Jungkook’s shoulder, trapping the younger in. He gazes into Jungkook’s eyes and says in a much calmer, deeper, quiet voice, “Why you here?”

“Cuz… you’re wasted. And I’m nice,” Jungkook jokes because he can’t handle the seriousness in which Jimin’s looking at him. He suddenly feels shy with Jimin this close to him and arms locking him in. He wasn’t confident Jimin could make it from the cab to the inside of his building successfully without stumbling over the sidewalk again and hurting himself; he just wanted to make sure the heart surgeon got inside safely. That was all.

“Nice?? You’re not nice!” Jimin says sounding sassy again.

“You’re not either,” Jungkook teases back.

“You’re a jerk, Jeon!”

“So are you, Park. Takes one to know one.”

“Hey,” Jimin finally lets go of Jungkook and pulls himself off the man. “Don’t copy me.”

“Don’t tell me what to do, Park.” Jungkook exhales deeply.

“You’re an assssshole,” Jimin says again.

“And you’re a snob,” Jungkook retorts, smirking playfully.

“You know. I didn’t tell Yoongi sunbae about your PTSD. Okay,” Jimin suddenly says. “I’m not a snob. You’re mean.”

They’re close to the apartment building and Jungkook’s smile fades and he starts walking closer towards Jimin. Jimin starts slowly walking backwards as Jungkook gets closer and closer. “But I know you think I did. I didn’t! Well, not like how you think. You don’t believe me though I know. Even though I explained myself to you. And I’m sorry. But I know how scary it is. Trauma. Okay, I mean I don’t. Because I wasn’t in Loguay and experienced that but I know it can be scary. And I was just trying to figure out how I could help you. But you think I’m evilllllllll. I’m not. Okay? Just wanted to know how you were doing that’s all…”

Jungkook doesn’t stop but continues stepping closer to Jimin as Jimin continues backing up.

And closer.

And closer.

Until Jimin’s back finally reaches the building wall. Jungkook stands there in front of Jimin, only inches apart. They could hear each other’s breathing and Jungkook can certainly smell the alcohol from Jimin’s mouth. Whether it’s from the alcohol burning inside of him, or the layers of clothes he’s wearing, or the fact that Jungkook is standing too close to him and gazing too intensely into his eyes, Jimin feels like he’s going to combust right there.

He’s about to close his eyes when Jungkook says,

“Don’t. Bring that up again. I said to drop that subject from your mouth, Park.” He breaks off their eye contact and turns around. “Get inside. Have a good night.” 

Jimin lets out a loud exhale as if he was holding his breath the entire time and watches the man walk away. 

~

Back at Seokjin’s apartment, Taehyung is sprawled across the couch in the living room. Seokjin comes back with a glass of water.

“Finish this whole cup. You’re gonna have a horrible hangover tomorrow otherwise,” he hands the glass to the younger.

Taehyung drags his body and sits up, and gulps the whole cup of water. “Thank you,” he says placing the cup on the coffee table. He pouts, reaching his arms out and grabs Seokjin’s pulling him closer so he could bury his face in the elder’s stomach.

Seokjin just stands there in between Taehyung’s legs as Taehyung has his arms wrapped around his waist, face buried in his stomach, breathing heavily still intoxicated from all the alcohol he consumed at the bar. They just stay frozen silently in this position for a few minutes. Taehyung inhales deeply; he always loved the scent of the older man.

In this heavy silence, both of them think about what they are doing with each other. Their minds are clouded with both desire and pain.

Seokjin tangles a hand on Taehyung’s hair and starts gently playing with the younger’s soft brown locks.

Taehyung is his escape, his happy pill. He knows it’s unfair to the younger and wrong to use him how he’s been using him in the past and unfair to keep being there for him like this when he received a drunk text, when he didn’t plan to be there for him seriously or permanently. He knows it’s wrong to be involved with him like this without taking any responsible for the younger’s heart, but it’s like when you come home from work after a day of stress, the last thing you want is more stress. He didn’t want complex from the one thing that wasn’t complex. At least, it wasn’t at first. They were nothing but fun. No strings attached fun. But everything had changed once the younger wanted more. In his heart, Seokjin wishes he could give him more. Of course he does.

But it wasn’t that simple for Seokjin.

It’s not that he didn’t want to love Taehyung too, but the level of burdens and pressures Seokjin carried on his back not only as the chief of surgery but also all the expectations from his wealthy, elite, upper class family weighed heavily on the man.

Pursuing something serious was more than just ‘yes let’s date.’ When Seokjin set his mind on something, he never went back. Pursuing meant he had to mentally prepare himself for the backlash from his family, the complexity at work with the talk of ethics and supervisor reorganization, and all the annoying gossip he’d have to face from the rest of the hospital.

Seokjin came from a very educated, elite family background. They were of old money.

He had went against their will and pursued medicine instead of just working at the generations-old family steel manufacturing company like his brother did and so they told him if he was going to do what he wanted, he better be the best of the best. The most prominent surgeon. They weren’t going to accept just another surgeon working under someone else.

They expected him and his brother to not only be wealthy, but also to be someone prominent and influential. Someone who’d be useful with leverage when they needed something. Something like his medical background as a surgeon coming into use for when the company would get sued for things like safety violations for exposing their employees to dangerous toxins, or needing his expertise when they’d lobby the government regarding air pollution regulations… it was all just ugly and Seokjin hated it. His family, they were good businessmen, but ‘good’ as in their net worth. They got away with a lot of things, found loopholes, and often exploited their workers.

They were an extremely elite family and very formal even with each other. But Seokjin had gotten used to it since it’s how he’s grown up. He had a lot of expectations and challenges but there wasn’t anything he couldn’t handle eventually—even with his very old fashioned grandfather, a cold father, and strict mother.

But the worst part?

They expected a daughter-in-law.

“You may date whoever you want, have a boyfriend, we don’t care. But marriage, marriage must be with a woman. And we will find you the best one that will match with our family.” His parents would tell both him and his brother.

For the past few months, his parents have been pressuring him to meet the daughter of a politician but Seokjin had managed to brush it off at first. His parents eventually got impatient and told his grandfather, which in turn resulted in a good scolding by the elder.

Seokjin was forced to meet the woman for coffee eventually. She was a violinist and part of the Seoul Symphony as First Violin. Her father was the Director of the Ministry of Environment and her mother was a literature professor at Seoul National University. She was charming, beautiful, confident, and even had a great personality. Really, she was the whole package. Seokjin could acknowledge that much.

But Seokjin could never love her.

Because his heart was already with someone else.

“The engagement party has been set. Invitations will go out next month,” his parents had told him just last week. He had absolutely no say. Just like how his older brother also had an arranged marriage.

The panic countdown had already begun for the chief. Taehyung of course knew none of this and it killed Seokjin inside. He has been so stressed out already with work and now he had this shit to figure out. His mind has been nothing but chaos these days.

As much as he knew he could never love the girl he was supposed to marry, Seokjin was such a traditional man. No matter how much he disagreed with his parents and even resented them at times, he would never stray away from his family. They were his rock and foundation. Family was so important to him. The fear of angering his family, of possibly becoming disowned or estranged from them crippled Seokjin from speaking out and living his life how he wants.

He knows it’s wrong to see Taehyung like this when he’s due to marry another woman, but even for someone as intelligent and ‘put together’ as the country’s best chief of surgery, deep down, he was just a boy in love.

And he too had his weaknesses.

His weakness being the ever bright, ever smiling, ever adorable Dr. Kim Taehyung. His weakness of not being able to say no to him. Of not being able to stay away. Of not being able to control himself. Of not being able to cleanly let the younger surgeon go.

Because he loved him.

He loved Taehyung. So much.

“I’m sorry,” Seokjin says, brushing his hands through Taehyung’s hair. Taehyung finally lets go of his embrace and angles his head so he could look up at Seokjin.

“Sorry? For what?”

“For everything babe.” Seokjin slowly bends down and kneels so he was more eye level with Taehyung. He holds Taehyung’s hands in his. “I’m sorry Taehyung.”

Taehyung looks deep into his eyes and he looks fearful. All he wanted was to get in bed and cuddle with the man; he was too drunk to deal with any serious talk. “Why… why are you saying this suddenly?”

Seokjin gently traces his fingers across Taehyung’s forehead and removes some strands of hair from the younger’s eyes. “I never… ever meant to hurt you Taehyung. And I keep… I keep doing it. I’m such a jerk, huh?”

“Stop. It’s okay. You’re not. You’re… you’re the best. I’m sorry I’ve been so mean. And ignoring you at work.. and… and for what I said at the airport in Jeju. Is that why you’re upset? I’m the one who’s sorry again?” Taehyung’s words are slurred and his eyes still drowsy from sleepiness and intoxication. He pulls the older in closer to him again by the neck and just hugs him. “I don’t need anything else. Okay? I just need you, Kim Seokjin.”

Seokjin gently pulls himself back off of this man 9 years his junior and his heart hurts. He hates himself for hurting this pure heart. He looks Taehyung dead in the eyes and says, “no. No Taehyungah. You want more. And that’s okay to want more. Because you deserve more. I just… I just can’t give you-“

Taehyung crashes his lips onto the Seokjin’s to shut him up. He knows what the elder is going to say and he doesn’t want to hear it. He knows it’s foolish but right now, he just wants Seokjin. He’s drunk and horny and all he wants is Seokjin inside of him. He throws his arms around the man, and stands up from the couch, trying to wrap his legs around Seokjin’s waist, melting into him.

“Taehyung, stop,” Seokjin says wrestling with the younger to get him off his body. “Stop. You’re too drunk. We’re not doing this right now.” He pulls the younger off and forces him to sit back down on the couch.

Taehyung starts taking his clothes off and whining. “I’m tired. I want sleep. Come on, let’s sleep.” He whines as he walks over to the man’s bedroom. Seokjin just picks up the clothes off the ground and follows the younger into his own bedroom.

Taehyung is nothing but his boxers now and he throws himself onto Seokjin once again. He kisses him and pulls them both so they fall onto the bed.

“Taehyung. Stop.” Seokjin rips himself off the younger and sits up on the edge of the bed.

“Whyyy, come on,” Taehyung climbs onto Seokjin’s lap and straddles him. He starts grinding himself against Seokjin’s thighs and Seokjin, who has finally had it flips them over so Taehyung is now on his back and he pins the younger’s hands up above his head.

“I said stop. You’re too drunk. Get in bed. Let’s sleep okay? I’m tired, okay?”

“Then why’d you pick me up from the bar?” Taehyung blinks looking up at the chief. “Huh? Why? To put me to bed, really? Then why didn’t you just drop me off at home? Come on, just fuck me. Please… ”

Seokjin looks at the man below him for a few seconds but then gets up and gets in bed and under the covers. “If you’re not gonna sleep, you can go home. I’ll get you a cab.”

Taehyung rubs his face and groans. Hearing Seokjin’s serious tone, he finally gives up and properly gets in bed under the covers too. He snuggles up closer to the chief, in which Seokjin naturally places his arms under Taeyung’s neck, and the younger wraps his arm around the man’s waist, letting out a long exhale. “I love you, you know.”

Seokjin doesn’t reply but merely kisses the younger on the forehead and pulls him in closer. He turns off the bedside lamp and the two finally go to bed.

I know. I love you too.

~

On Monday morning, Jimin and Jungkook are both refreshed and ready for the big surgery. They’re scrubbing down before heading into the OR, both not at all mentioning anything about Saturday night. It’s as if it didn’t happen—the bar, the taxi ride, the backing up into the builder…

The two attending surgeons finish washing their hands and the OR nurses help them get their gloves and scrub cap on for them.

“Ready Park?” Jungkook asks once they’re in the OR looking down at their patient Ari who was already knocked out.

“I’m always ready,” Jimin answers.

He just can’t say a simple ‘yes’ can he? Always so sassy and annoying, Jungkook thinks. Dr. Jeon shakes his head and smiles faintly under his face mask and he’s glad Jimin can’t see his mouth.

The surgery goes well.

Everyone is thrilled, the surgeons, the patient, the patient’s family and friends. And Seokjin. Seokjin is beyond thrilled. Not just for the successful surgery, but because his two subordinates seem to actually be cooperating.

While Jimin and Jungkook have so much tension building up with their awkward moments, stolen glances, still-light arguing and bickering, they’ve finally managed to work somewhat civilly without yelling at each other. They could thank a large part of it to their funny, quirky patient. Ari’s shamelessness for some reason seemed to bring the two doctors closer together because she was just… so shameless.

“You guys should honestly just date. You match. Come on, you should go on a date together, if you’re single that is. Which, I’m convinced you both are since if you weren’t you’d just flat out say ‘no Ari, I already have someone’ ya know? I successfully survived my surgery so you guys should give me a present!”

“A present? Which is us dating?” Jimin raises his eyebrows at their patient. He rolls his eyes and chuckles.

“Alright, that’s enough you crazy girl. Get some sleep, okay?” Jungkook intercedes laughing. He’s gotten much more comfortable now with Ari’s cupid antics and has learned to coolly brush it off. 

“Yes, Dr. Park. That’s the present. You guys going on a date. You can’t even do that for me?? Come on!! Why not?! You are both hot and single! Trust me, you can try lying to me but I know you’re both single. Anyways, when will I be able to go home you think?” Ari says pulling her blanket up to get settled for bed.

“Hopefully in a week?” Jimin says looking at Jungkook. Jungkook nods.

“Yeah. If things keep looking like they do now, you should be outta here by next week,” Jungkook says.

“Really?” Ari wipes her eyes to stop tears from forming. She’s been in a hospital for two months now so it’s an emotional moment.

Jimin looks at her empathetically and squeezes her shoulder comfortingly, “you’ve been tough cookie, Ari. I know you’re exhausted. And so sick of hospitals. But you’re doing great.”

“When you’re out of here you can go eat all the food you want, well, low-sodium of course,” all three of them laugh at Jungkook’s words. “You get the point. You did good, Ari. Just hold out one more week to recover and you can go home. Eat, see friends, drive, shop, travel, back to your life.”

Ari then suddenly breaks into full on sobs because she’s so happiness. “I’m- I’m just. I’m so happy I’ll be able to start college in the fall. It’ll be registration soon for freshmen. I ... I was so sad thinking I might not be better in time for college. I’m so happy.. thank you guys… thank you for doing my surgery. I was… I know I’m like all positive and stuff but I was really scared going into surgery today. I didn’t tell anyone of course because it would make it that much more scarier ya know? B-but I- I was really scared. Like what if I don’t wake up-“

Ari is bawling. Jimin and Jungkook just stand there trying to comfort her.

“It’s scary, I know. But you’re here! The surgery’s over! You did it! So don’t think those sad thoughts!” Jimin says. Ari opens her arms to hug her doctors as a thank you. Jimin hugged his patients often so it wasn’t anything new to him. He gives her a warm hug. And Ari was such a natural people person, that even Jungkook can’t help but hug her. He didn’t normally get this personal or emotional with his patients but he can’t help it.

“Thank you Dr. Park. Thank you Dr. Jeon.”

“You are so welcome! Now get some sleep!” the attending physicians say.

~

A week later, Jimin is over at Taehyung’s playing with Yeontan as Taehyung attempts to cook some decent home cooked food for them. Jimin had come over because he was extremely upset that his and Jungkook’s patient, Ari, did not get discharged today as they’d all anticipated

Instead, Ari suddenly had a small setback with her vitals and she wasn’t doing well at all when Jimin left for the night. It’s eating him up alive inside even while he’s playing with the cute fluffy Tannie trying to cheer himself up, because he and Jungkook had given their best work, researched thoroughly, and had a near flawless surgery.

“I don’t know, Tae. She was so upset today but trying not to be. And I think that’s what’s making me feel worse. She like… tries to put on a brave face… even to us. I don’t know why her heart rate suddenly went up today. Everything went so well and she was doing great…“

“It happens. Min. You know that. We might give our everything and do our best, but sometimes, one’s body just… doesn’t listen to medicine.”

“Yeah,” Jimin says quietly, gently petting Tannie.

“Mushrooms or no mushrooms?” Taehyung asks from his kitchen regarding the pasta sauce.

“Mushrooms,” Jimin answers nonchalantly. “I don’t know Tae. I was reading up on the literature today of the surgery we performed and I don’t get why she’s suddenly not feeling well after a week? I wanna rip my hair out. I fucking told her she’d probably get to go home in a week. Well, a week is today. And guess where she’s not at? Home.”

“It happens, Jimin. Don’t beat yourself up. You and Jeon will figure it out. I know it. Healing takes time.”

“I just don’t get it. We have all this… science and medicine. Textbooks upon textbooks, research after research. So why do things not… listen. Why do our bodies not listen!?” Jimin groans from frustration. “Anyways. Sorry. I keep talking about work. How was work for you? How are you and you know. Jin hyung.”

Taehyung talks about his work day and gives his portion of patient ramblings. When he finishes the pasta sauce he sets their plates on table and the two of them start eating.

“And as for the chief. Well, we’re just. Nothing,” Taehyung says blandly. Jimin knows Tae is answering the latter half of his question about the chief. “I don’t know.”

“When did you guys last see each other,” Jimin asks. Which really translates to: when did you guys last hook up?

“Yesterday,” Taehyung replies. It’s not like he was proud or happy about it that he was back to where he was months ago. Hooking up and sleeping around. That morning after when Seokjin had picked Taehyung up from the bar, they had ended up having sex. Taehyung had nearly thrown himself onto the older and seeing that he was no longer drunk in the morning, Seokjin lost the battle as Taehyung would not give up and literally starting sucking the elder off the second their eyes opened that Sunday morning.

“I see.”

“I’m not happy.” Taehyung admits. He hated saying it aloud, but he needed to. So that it pushed himself to face and deal with it instead of living in his false paradise with the chief. He knew the ‘happiness’ he felt when he was with the chief was temporary. What he needed was something official, something with potential; that hadn’t changed despite his falling back on old habits with Jin.

“Then do what you need to do so you can be happy,” Jimin says encouragingly. He doesn’t take the judgmental or scolding route anymore ever since finding out Taehyung lied about his weekend trip to Jeju. He just wants his best friend to feel like he can tell him anything without feeling judged. “Because you deserve to be happy. You deserve only the best.”

“It’s like an addiction, Min. Honestly. Sounds dramatic I know. But it really is. I shouldn’t have texted him last weekend when I was drunk. And I shouldn’t have went over. I shouldn’t have slept with him, I know,” Taehyung explains despite Jimin not having even asked for an explanation. “But I did. And now here is my dumb ass again at square one. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

“It’s an addiction,” Jimin smiles empathetically, reiterating what Tae just said to him.

“Yeah.” Taehyung sighs.

The two friends eat their dinner both feeling blue and exhausted with life.

~

*CODE BLUE. CODE BLUE. WING B. ROOM 7. CODE BLUE. CODE BLUE*

Jimin tells the patient he’s checking up on he has to go and he runs out of the room towards Wing B. He sprints across the hospital halls, passing nurses, staff, and other patients all with anxious expressions on their faces.

“No no no. Please no,” Jimin pants under his breath as he rushes to room 7.

“What’s going on!?” When he runs into Ari’s room, there’s a sea of hospital staff crowding around Ari trying to stabilize her as she’s going into cardiac arrest. The patient is freaking out from shortness of breath, the machine monitors continue to make desating beeping noises, everyone’s got some sort of wire or some part of Ari in their hands trying to stabilize her.

It’s chaos.

“Dr. Park, her heart rate and blood pressure suddenly increased out of nowhere…” the nurse frantically catches Jimin up on what’s going on and the vital monitor starts beeping like crazy again as Ari’s oxygen level starts dropping at a dangerously fast rate.

A nurse has already set up the defibrillator and gives it to Jimin.

“Doc-doctor Park. Pl-please,” Ari looks Jimin in the eyes; she has fear and panic written all over her face.

And then she’s quiet.

“No! No no no. ARI COME ON. STAY WITH ME,” Jimin presses the defibrillator and gives the patient the first electric shock.

“ARI COME ON. STAY WITH ME, YOU HAVE TO WAKE UP,”

*SHOCK*

Jimin keeps trying as he simultaneously watches the heart monitor praying to god for a response. But no avail.

*SHOCK*

“ARI. ARI. PLEASE, WAKE UP. I KNOW YOU CAN DO THIS.” It’s not like a code blue doesn’t elicit panic with any doctor, but right at this moment, the true panic and fear hits Jimin like a tsunami. He was usually so confident in his work, even when patients got really bad.

*SHOCK*

She has college to register for.

*SHOCK*

She has a lot of sushi she needs to eat. With low sodium soy sauce of course.

*SHOCK*

And lots of dates to go on. She talked about boys 24/7 and how she couldn’t wait to see all the fresh new men at university.

*SHOCK*

“Dr.. Park… she’s not…” the nurses and residents start saying regretfully. But Jimin ignores them and keeps going.

*SHOCK*

“ARI. WAKE UP. YOU HAVE COLLEGE THIS FALL. COME ON. REMEMBER? YOU’RE GONNA BE A PSYCHOLOGY MAJOR. YOU HAVE A LOT TO DO. WAKE UP. WAKE UP ARI,” the emotions start coming out of the doctor. Jimin’s eyes are hot and his chest feels tight from panic.

The other doctors and nurses in the room look at this sight pitifully as they already know this is a lost cause. Jimin throws the defibrillator on the ground and then gets on the bed, positioning himself on Ari so he could try to manually resuscitate her with CPR using his hands.

He starts pressing aggressively at her chest, pleading for her to come back to life. But the monitor makes a flat line sound.

“Park what’s going on?!“ Jungkook finally runs into the room as he was on the very opposite end of the huge hospital. He’s sweating and panting from literally running across the building.

Jungkook freezes when he sees Jimin on the hospital with the patient trying to resuscitate her with his hands and CPR, repeating ‘come on Ari. Come on.’ He looks at the flatlining heart monitor then over at the rest of the staff and they all shake their heads sorrowfully.

Jungkook picks up the defibrillator and gestures for Jimin to move. Jimin gets off the bed distressed allowing the trauma surgeon to take his stab at the defibrillator.

Come on Ari… you got this. Come on. You gotta wake up. Fuck. WAKE UP. You said you had a lot to do with your life. Wake the fuck up Ari. You have uni to attend, boys to date, food to eat, dogs to pet. You said you’d adopt a million dogs. They’re waiting to be adopted. Come on. You had your big surgery, you’re about to get out of here soon. WAKE THE FUCK UP YOU CAN DO THIS.

Jungkook gives a couple of shocks and after no response, he stops defeated, and sets the defibrillator down. But Jimin doesn’t stop. He gets back on the bed and tries to resuscitate her again with his hands.

“Park,” Jungkook says spiritlessly. “PARK. STOP.”

“No. No. No. Come on.” Jimin keeps pressing his hand up and down on her chest, eyes on the monitor hoping to see that straight line curve and make a beeping sound, bringing her back to life.

“COME ON. COME ON. COME ON… No... please… no…” Dr. Park’s speech is choppy as he’s getting choked up and emotional.

Jungkook grabs him gently by his side and tries to get him off the bed and Jimin shoves his hands off him and keeps pressing at Ari’s chest. “No Ari,” a single hot tear falls from Jimin’s face. He hadn’t had a death on his watch in quite awhile. And even if he did, it never got easier for him. “No… No…” He continues to plead with the dead body.

Jungkook looks at the clock on the wall and announces, “Ariadna Song, time of death 8:53PM.”

“No. No no. I can do this. Please… I can help her. I’m gonna resuscitate her. Pl-please. I can-“

“Jimin,” Jungkook grabs the smaller doctor again and he pulls him off the bed. The nurses cover the deceased patient with a white sheet. Jungkook looks at his fellow attending surgeon with soft, empathetic eyes and says,

“she’s gone. It’s over.”

~

When you’re a kid, the world tells you that your teachers, they don’t have a favorite. Teachers are fair and just. Every student is their favorite!

Then when you become an adult, you realize that no, your teachers definitely did have their favorite students. Perhaps one of your own friends became a teacher and you hear them rant about their worst and favorite students. Or perhaps you’re a manager at work and you yourself have your favorite employees and least favorite employees.

In that same way, doctors have their favorites too, patients they like and connect with more than others. Patients that if they weren’t in a physician-patient relationship, they’d love to be friends with outside of the hospital. Patients that simply made a mark in their lives and reminded them why they went into medicine to begin with. Doctors are only humans, too; humans can’t help but have likes and dislikes, favorites and least favorites.

And then of course every surgeon has that one patient they couldn’t save and it’ll haunt them forever. Not that the others who they couldn’t save didn’t matter, but every surgeon has that one patient they’ll painfully think of for the rest of their career.

The what-ifs and how comes, replaying all the possibilities and outcomes of what went wrong and how their death could have been prevented.

Aria Song perhaps was both for Jimin and Jungkook: the quirky, memorable patient they favored and now the patient they lost and will always beat themselves over for the rest of their physician careers.

Was it the fact that Jimin and Jungkook merely favored her because of their natural social, human connection with her? Or was it merely the fact that her case was so medically interesting and unique and they’d studied relentlessly reading her health history and medical literature for hours on end trying to solve the puzzle with her diagnoses?

Regardless of what it is, both surgeons are utterly wrecked. They swore they were so close in getting her healthy and back out into the world. This was completely blind sighting them.

Jimin angrily walks out of her room and paces through the halls, wiping his forehead and eyes of sweat and tears.

“Park!” Jungkook goes after him, following the heart surgeon’s steps across the hospital. “Jimin.”

But Jimin doesn’t stop. So Jungkook picks up his pace and lightly jogs to catch up to him. “Jimin.” He forces Jimin to stop by grabbing his arm. When he sees Dr. Park’s face, he looks so distraught that it shocks Jungkook.

While Dr. Park was a very empathetic and warm physician, he was still always so composed no matter how emotional, no matter how much he bonded with the patients. So it was weird seeing him so emotionally distressed to this extent over a patient.

“You did everything you could.”

Jimin yanks his arms from Jungkook’s embrace and resumes walking. Jungkook sees the man bring hands to face again so he knows he’s wiping more tears away.

“Park!” Jungkook catches up to him again.

“WHAT!” Jimin abruptly stops and turns around to face Jungkook. “WHAT?! We’re done. We’re done with Ari now. She’s dead! We failed! Leave me alo-“

“You did what could. We did what we could.” He says trying to pep talk for the bot of them.

But the truth is, Jungkook wants to cry too. Jimin is not the only one. The guilt Jungkook feels right now is just as heavy as Jimin’s.

If he checked up on his other patient Mrs. Nam earlier then he wouldn’t have been so far away on the other side of the hospital; if he just ran faster; if he could have taken wider steps on the stairwell he could have arrived at Ari’s room faster; if he did this or that… the guilt and sadness is eating Jungkook up alive and he’s suffering just as much as Jimin.

They just look at each other and then Jimin can’t help it: the waterworks release itself fully like a waterfall, and no longer just repressed single drops of tears.

Jimin doesn’t know why he’s crying so much. It’s not like this is his first patient he’s lost on his watch. He feels pathetic for crying in his professional place of work, especially when he was a surgeon. Surgeons shouldn’t cry like this. Patients die all the time inside these hospital walls. He should be immune to such heavy emotions by now, he thinks. He’s frustrated with himself. And he’s frustrated that he’s not only crying at work, but that he’s crying at work in front of the arrogant Dr. Jeon Jungkook.

He’s embarrassed and ashamed that the tears won’t stop and he can’t keep it together so when he sees the storage room, he walks over and goes in. Jungkook also goes in.

“P-please just g-get out. Just l-leave m-me alone, okay Jeon?” Jimin says. He just wants to cry freely in peace without his judgmental, arrogant colleague in the tiny room looking at him.

“Just GO Jungkook. Please,” Jimin says choppily because of his crying. He stands there crying, back against the wall just reflecting on the surgery, what he could have done wrong, where it went wrong, the look on Ari’s face when she said her last words pleading for him to save her… “Fuck. Just GO. PLEASE. I just want to be alon-“

“You did good, Park. You did,” Jimin freezes because Jungkook gets right in front of him to the point they’re chest to chest. Like they were at the bar. Jimin looks up him, eyes darting quickly left and right wondering what Jungkook is doing. For some reason, when someone consoles you or comforts you, it kind of makes you want to cry more.

So Jimin cries. Louder.

“You did what you could. We did, right?” Jungkook’s consoling suddenly turns into insecurity as he ends up saying words also seeking some sort of validation that the two of them did their best. To even his own surprise, Jungkook’s hands cup Jimin’s face. “Right? We did everything… everything we should have, no?? So stop crying. We did our best. Right?”

Jimin nods as his face is still being cupped by Jungkook’s hands. “Th-then why.. why couldn’t we save her? Why?”

Jungkook now feels his eyes getting hot and moist as the two of them maintain the strong eye contact. They had done everything right medically.

So. What. Went. Wrong.

“Fuck. I don’t know, Park. Fuck,” Jungkook’s emotions are finally coming out as he starts mumbling and swearing. He feels the corner of his eyes forming teardrops.

“I.. I don’t know, Jungkook… what did we do wrong….”

“I don’t know, Jimin. I don’t know,” Jungkook says weakly.

(Mood music: Cheetah — Coma 07’)

They just stare at each other, Jungkook still cupping Jimin’s face. Their face are only inches apart, and Jungkook could see the long, beautiful lashes of the heart surgeon’s clumping together because they’re wet with tears. If the tension was unbearable at the supermarket, in the stairwell after Jeon’s return from his suspension, the bar, the cab ride, and all the random little awkward silent moments during work—well, this moment right now could blow up this room with their tension.

They’re both wrecked by the loss of their patient.

They stare into each others’ eyes and when the silence and lingering tension become too unbearable, the two surgeons both lean in and finally

Kiss.

Jimin curls his arms around Jungkook’s neck, locking him in closer and swiftly turns them around making Jungkook’s back hit the wall. But after only a few short seconds, Jungkook flips them back around and they both hit a cart with some supplies that end up all falling onto the ground. Their kiss is wet and sloppy. Their mouths both fight for dominance as they swipe and swirl their tongues in the other’s mouth. Jungkook places a hand on Jimin’s neck as he kisses him and Jimin tries to turn them around again but Jungkook slams Jimin against the wall reiterating he stay put. Jimin pants and releases a quiet whimper.

When he feels Jungkook start to take his scrub shirt off, his hands sliding under touching his smooth skin, Jimin does the same and pulls off the younger’s stop. Once they’re both topless, he grabs a fistful of Jungkook’s hair in the back and pulls it roughly so that the trauma surgeon’s neck is open and accessible for him. He sinks his head in the crook of his neck and starts kissing and sucking around his neck and collarbone.

After a few moments, Jungkook cups Jimin’s face again and starts sucking and lightly biting the Jimin’s bottom lip; he licks the older’s lips with his tongue and trails wet kisses down his jaws, making his way to Jimin’s neck where he takes his turn to kiss and suck on several different spots of the cardiac surgeon’s beautiful collarbone area.

The younger surgeon then holds Jimin’s chin and straightens him out to kiss him on the lips again. They kiss hungrily and desperately, as if they’d been dying to do this for months. As if they wanted nothing more than to taste the other’s lips. Jimin slides his hands down and starts fidgeting with the waistband of Jungkook’s scrub pants. Jungkook too, aggressively slips his hand down Jimin’s pants and under his boxers, palming his bulge. Jimin releases a small moan.

Jungkook starts kissing and biting Jimin’s ear and Jimin asks him if he’s clean. He whispers a deep, low ‘yes, you?’ right into Jimin’s ear. It sends shivers down Jimin’s spine and he too frantically nods yes. Upon Jimin’s confirmation, Jungkook looks around the storage room they’re in and it’s not a room that’d have any sort of potential lubricant. Instead there are random things like cups, paper towers, toilet paper, etc. Jungkook locks the door and then the two men stumble over to a different wall of the storage room, while making out, knocking more things over in the tiny room.

“Lube. Though,” Jungkook pants in between their heated kiss. Jimin shakes his head no and whines. “L-let me. I’ll go. Get. Som-“

Jimin turns them around and slams Jungkook against the wall this time, and barely manages to speak the words, “No. It’s okay. Just. Do it. I’ll. Bear. Through. It.” He whines. If Jungkook left now to go find lube, if they ceased their kiss now, reality would come crashing back down and Jimin wouldn’t go through with any of this. And he really just needed to get away from reality right now.

Jungkook turns them back around so that Jimin was against the wall and he finally pulls down Jimin’s pants and boxers. Jimin starts whining into his mouth and his pretty voice makes his own cock twitch. The more Jimin whines, the more his cock hardens in his pants. He turns the older man around roughly, resulting in Jimin’s face, his right cheek against the wall. The younger presses himself right behind Jimin and reaches his right hand out to start stroking Jimin’s cock.

“Please,” Jimin whines quietly. He still can’t believe he’s really here in this storage room begging the person he’s hated for the past six months to fuck him against this wall.

Jimin feels Jungkook’s mouth and hot breath on the side of his neck and shoulders as Jungkook kisses him while pumping his cock up and down. And then he suddenly feels two large fingers aggressively slipping into his mouth.

Jimin sucks his fingers messily and desperately, imagining it was Dr. Jeon’s cock instead. When Jungkook eventually pulls his fingers out of Jimin’s mouth, strings of drool are everywhere, spit coating his fingers. He reaches down and teases around Jimin’s hole but knowing the spit wouldn’t last too long, he doesn’t waste any time and slowly inserts a finger in.

“Nnnn..” Jimin moans from slight discomfort. He’s still pressed against the wall, cheek against the cold wall. “Just go, put the other in,” he orders Jungkook when he can sense Jungkook is hesitant about going further.

Jungkook obeys and slips in the second finger in. “Fuck, you’re tight.”

Jimin releases a louder moan and Jungkook takes cue to start fucking him with his fingers. He slides his two fingers in and out, slowly then quickly, changing pace as to surprise the older man. When Jimin starts whining louder, he leans forward and kiss him to shut him up.

“You’re.. you’re already leaking? With just fingers, Dr. Park?” Jungkook works his fingers as Jimin’s whimpers keep him going. Jungkook then curls his fingers to hit the man’s prostate.

“Oh fuck,” Jimin says as he starts trying to back his ass and fuck himself onto Jungkook’s fingers. “Jungkook, please. F-fuck me now. Cock. Your cock. Please,” he begs.

Jungkook continues fingering Jimin’s hole but also with his other hand starts pumping Jimin’s hardened cock again.

After a few minutes of driving Jiming crazy, Jimin cries he needs to cum.

“Then cum,” Jungkook growls into Jimin’s ears and kisses his neck.

“I’m-I’m gonna cum. Fuckkkk,” he cums all over Jungkook’s hand.

Neither of them waste any time. Jimin immediately drops to his knee and pulls Jungkook’s pants down. Jungkook was already so hard. Jimin takes the younger in his mouth for a few, quick sucks, not even bothering to do any foreplay, despite how much he wanted to just savor and spend some time admiring the trauma surgeon’s very large cock. He just needed to get the man’s length as wet as possible with his saliva.

They had a time crunch.

Jimin’s cum would dry soon.

Jimin makes sure he sucks off Jungkook with a lot of spit so that his cock was covered in his saliva and then he stands back up and faces the wall again, sticking his ass out for Jungkook to finally take him.

Jungkook strokes his own cock, covering his already spit covered cock with Jimin’s cum. It’s filthy and messy but it’s all they had to work with right now. He positions himself right behind Jimin and finally enters slowly.

“Ahhh Jungkook… fuck,” Jimin moans. It’s nothing like actual lube, but Jimin doesn’t care right now. He’s in a bad, vulnerable state and he just wants to think about nothing except getting fucked senseless against this wall by this hot surgeon who he’s been hating for the past few months.

And Jungkook too can’t help but grow harder just at the mere sight of Jimin’s ass. It deserved to be fucked good.

He holds Jimin’s hips and starts thrusting into him slowly, but deeply.

“Faster, Jeon. Go deeper, fuck. We don’t have all day.” Jimin pants as his hands are against the wall, but plenty of space between the wall and his body since he was sticking his ass out. His body rocks back and forth to the rhythm of Jungkook’s thrusts.

Jungkook brings a hand up and covers Jimin’s mouth and grunts right into Jimin’s ear, “shut the fuck up and take what I give you, Park.”

Jimin hates that he likes this.

“Go deeper, fuck. Come on, Jeon.” He eggs him on some more.

Jungkook grips his hips tighter with both hands now and starts picking up the pace. He starts fucking him roughly and mercilessly, no longer a progressive speed and depth but aggressively thrusts deep into the smaller man. All he could think about is putting this bratty surgeon in his place. He groans and starts biting the back of Jimin’s shoulder and it elicits a soft whimper from Jimin. There’s nothing sensual or sweet about the way they’re fucking, but rather they’re intoxicated and drunk on each other’s bodies, chasing their pleasure. Everything is happening so fast it feels like a blur, as if they’re on autopilot. It’s just sex. Primal and hungry sex.

“You like that, Park? You wanted my cock. This bad, huh?” Jungkook growls right beside Jimin’s ear.

Jimin moans.

“Answer me. Since you like to talk so much. So talk. Talk with that fucking chatty mouth of yours. Tell me, you wanted my cock this bad?”

“Mmhm,” Jimin mumbles. Jungkook lets go of Jimin’s right hip and with his free hand, roughly pulls Jimin’s head back by his hair. “Fucking answer me with words, Dr. Park. You love using that mouth of yours to talk so much shit. So use it. Tell me how much you wanted my cock.”

“W-wanted. Wanted to feel you. Inside me. Your cock. Your big cock inside me, Jeon. Dr. Jeon.”

“Yeah?”

Jimin whines. Jungkook lets go of the man’s hair and kisses him on the nape of his neck, sucking and biting lightly.

“I’m, gonna, fuck you so good you’ll forget what it felt like to not have my cock inside you. That’s what you want right, Jimin?”

Jimin nods yes.

“Use your words.”

“Yes Jungkook. Please. Fuck me harder,” he cries.

Jungkook’s fingers dig deep into Jimin’s hips that surely there’ll be marks later. He thrusts into him, trying to get as deep into his ass as possible.

“Dr. Park, you’re a little desperate for my cock, aren’t you?”

“Y-yes Jungk- Yes Dr. Jeon,” Jimin cries. Beads of sweat start forming at his hairline and his eyes start getting lazy, slowly rolling to the back of his head as Jungkook fucks him deeper and deeper. “F-feels. So. Good. Please.”

“Please what? I’m already fucking you right now, Park.” Jungkook continues thrusting into him quickly and deeply. He too starts sweating and lets out a groan as he continues to feel the tightness of Jimin’s walls clenching around his cock. He feels himself about to climax any minute.

“Wanna feel you inside me… all of you.”

“I’m already inside you, Park. What do you mean all of me? You want me to fill you up?”

“Y-yes,” Jimin can’t even believe the words coming out of his mouth. He turns his head sideways so the two men could meet for a kiss.

Nothing else matters right now except Jungkook getting off now since Jimin has already climaxed from the fingering. They know this isn’t going to solve anything or make themselves feel better about what happened to their patient when. They know once they leave this room, things will be even worse for them. They know they aren’t even friends, let alone work friends. They know they ‘hate’ each other. They know they have a million and one conflicts to resolve.

They also know this was a bomb waiting to explode.

Jimin can think of nothing but Jungkook’s cock inside him and how good it feels, how much he doesn’t want to feel empty again. How much he wants to suck him off again, but properly without being rushed. How much he loves his big, manly fingers. How good his fingers felt inside him. How much he wants to keep kissing this trauma surgeon.

And Jungkook can think of nothing but fucking deep into Jimin, how much he wants to fill him up with his seed and keep it inside him, how much he wants to also get Jimin off again, how much he wants to keep hearing his pretty moans, how much he wants to make him feel good, how much he just wants to eat his ass if they had the luxury of time. How much he wants to never stop kissing these soft, plump, pillowy lips.

“Fuck, I’m gonna. I’m about to cum, Jimin,” Jungkook grips Jimin’s hips so tight it actually hurts Jimin but he bears through it. Jimin whines and begs for him to thrust into him one last time. He loved the feeling of Jeon’s thick cock inside him. Jungkook gives two final slow, deep thrusts and then

he cums.

Deep inside Jimin’s ass.

“Fuuuck,” Jungkook groans as he collapses on Jimin’s back, panting and sweating. He can hear Jimin’s heavy but short breaths as well. When Jungkook finally pulls out, Jimin could feel the hot liquid leaking out of his ass and down his inner thighs.

Jimin stands there, leaning on the wall just panting trying to come back to his senses. Jungkook too steps back to lean on the opposite wall and they just stand there both trying to catch their breaths and now facing their dreaded reality.

They don’t even look at each other but start cleaning up and dressing themselves as soon as they’ve settled down from their climax. It’s like they are completely different people. Back to their usual, awkward, rivalry selves unlike moments ago when Jungkook was deep inside Jimin.

When he was inside him, at the peak of their climax, their pulses were beating at a rapid pace; hearts palpitating when their mouths were locked together; temperatures rising when building up to their climax; oxygen lacking throughout every thrust of pain and pleasure.

It was a code blue.

And now they were resuscitating back to life, back to reality.

When they’re both fully dressed, they silently shuffle things around, placing items they knocked over back to where they belong. Jimin runs his hands through his hair, straightens out his scrubs, gives Jungkook a hesitant look as if he’s going to say something but instead refrains and merely starts opening the door handle.

The two men both walk of out of the storage room, with Jimin going first and Jungkook following a few minutes later, neither one of them saying a single word. 

Chapter Text

Jungkook throws on his suit jacket and straightens out the cuffs of his sleeve. He looks in the mirror and tightens his tie one last time giving himself a full body scan to make sure he looked polished and clean for the funeral.

It wasn’t required that he, or any of doctors attend a patient’s funeral. Some went, others didn’t. Really, it was just a personal preference. Jungkook, Jimin, and their residents who were on we’re care team had briefly discussed about who would be attending and who wouldn’t. With the way Korean funerals were, most of them would probably drop by whenever it fit their schedule, as the typical funeral lasts three days. Today was day 1 of Ari’s funeral.

That was the most Jimin and Jungkook had talked other than about wrapping up all the necessary paperwork on Ari’s death. Her death and their incident in the storage room already being two days ago.

They hadn’t once discussed what happened, nor did either one of them really make an effort to. If Jimin was avoiding him before their storage room incident, he was even more actively avoiding him now as though Jungkook was the Plague of Darkness. But it’s not like Jungkook was trying to talk or run into Jimin either. What could they have to say? It was clearly wrong of them to do what they did for so many reasons and Jungkook can’t believe they really acted so irresponsibility and in the storage room of their workplace after a patient’s death. Frankly, he was disgusted with himself and by Jimin’s active avoidance, he was sure Dr. Park was too. Perhaps it might be the first thing they’d ever probably agree upon:

they fucked up.

Unfortunately for Jungkook, the second he had left that storage room that day, he could not get Dr. Park Jimin out of his mind. Just last night he had jerked himself off while thinking of the heart surgeon. He found himself replaying the obscene images of Jimin against the wall begging for cock, of his thick, plump ass welcoming his cock inside, of his luscious lips moaning into his mouth…

Jungkook shakes his thoughts off and runs his fingers through his hair, ruffling it and then trying to make it neat again.

Now was not the time to think about all the ways in which he’d love to take Jimin again. Now was not the day. Or ever, really. Jungkook face palms and groans, disappointed in himself.

He finally takes a deep breath and leaves his place to head over to the funeral.

When Jungkook arrives at SMC, instead of his usual route walking toward the hospital’s main entrance, he walks over to the left toward the jang rae shik jang (funeral home) building detached just off of SMC’s main building. Most funeral homes in Korea are part of the hospital as they are a sub-entity still ran by the hospital.

When he enters the building, the air is laden with the smell of death and gloomy sounds of crying fill his ears. There were always multiple funerals going on in these large hospital-run funeral homes so Jungkook makes his way through the somber halls until he finds Ari’s name in Chinese character embossed on a wooden plaque outside the mourning room’s entrance. There are also rows of floral wreaths lined up against the wall, all with her name written on the wreath’s white ribbon.

Jungkook suddenly stands there just staring at her written name. He’s reminded of his fellow soldier’s official military funerals. They were a bit different than that of civilian funerals. He remembers the faces of his comrade’s parents crying and screaming of grief at the loss of their son… Where would his fellow soldiers be now if they were still alive? If he could have saved them? He’s lost in his thoughts of memories of his military brothers and survivor’s guilt when another funeral guests taps him to ask if he’s going to please move along or not.

Jungkook apologizes and gets in line, shaking the dark thoughts off of his former military life. When it’s his turn at the small table outside the mourning room, he signs the guestbook, takes out an envelope from inside his jacket pocket, writes his name in Chinese characters vertically on the envelope and slips his donation of 150,000 won into the gift box.

This morning, he had debated how much he should give; the typical amount to gift for a funeral was 50,000 won unless you had a more personal relationship or were closer with the family of the deceased. Jungkook would say he was neither. So why was he giving 150,000? Though Ari was a loveable patient who had shamelessly and playfully teased both him and Jimin, he was only so close to her, as close as a physician could be with a patient. Which wasn’t much. But 50,000 won seemed too little; he felt wrong giving only that much. So he had initially put in 100,000 won. But then he remembered he was indeed a surgeon. He made a lot of money. It was a fact. And these funerals were expensive. So he put in 200,000. And then Jungkook thought maybe that was too much and her family might find it burdensome. Would her parents find it weird? Why was her surgeon giving so much?

Hence he took out 50,000 won and here he was with the final amount of 150,000 won.

When he’s about 5 persons away from entering the mourning room, two of his residents come out together.

“Hi Dr. Jeon,” they bow and greet him in quiet voices.

“Hey guys. You came.”

“Yeah, today was our most free day. Busy for the next two days. Oh, Dr. Park is in there too right now,” Jia says.

“Oh yeah?” Jungkook says trying to sound uninterested. Of course Jimin was here right at the exact time he was. Of course they both come right now when there was a total of 72 hours in which they could have dropped by since the tradition was that it was a literal three-days of mourning all hours of the day. Neither Jungkook nor Jimin had specifically mentioned when they’d drop by but here they were.

“Yeah. Anyways, we’ll see you in there after?” the other resident Hokyung says, referring to the dining hall. Jungkook nods and the two juniors give him a small bow again and walk away.

It was a three-part procession for funeral guests: the reception being the signing of the guestbook and gift donation, the actual paying respect to the deceased in the mourning room, and then finally eating and drinking in the dining hall as to celebrate the wonderful life lived by the deceased.

Just a few minute later, Jungkook sees Jimin walking out of the mourning room in his pristine, black suit. They make eye contact but Jimin doesn’t stop by to chat like the residents did. Instead, both men quickly look away and pretend like they don’t even know each other and Jimin walks right past him toward the dining hall not giving an ounce of acknowledgement.

It was nothing new. This is how they’d been for the past two days.

When Jungkook’s turn finally arrives to enter the mourning room, his heart drops as he sees the beautifully set up altar with flowers and Ari’s photo right in center. To the right wall are her family members, mom, dad, and younger brother lined up thanking guests for stopping by. Jungkook grabs a small incense stick and walks over to the altar to burn the incense following the customary ritual.

Hey Ari. It’s me. Dr. Jeon. No, it’s me. Jungkook. Not your doctor right now. Just your friend.

Jungkook stares at his patient’s face. She was beautiful. And she was just too young.

I’m.. sorry. I’m so, so sorry Ari…

He hated that this was how he had to see her. She was everything but dark, gloomy, depressing, and somber. This is not where she should be.

I’m so sorry.

What more could he say? She was brought into his and Jimin’s life as a patient, as someone who he was supposed to help get better but instead, he had failed. Jimin and he had failed her. He rubs his face before he can get choked up.

Though she is younger, Jungkook bows to Ari.

You really are a beautiful person ya know. Funny and crazy I have to say, but so smart and beautiful. I’m so sorry I couldn’t do better… as your doctor. Thank you for being you. We all miss you already… and I’m so sorry.

He cuts himself off right there, and instead hurries and moves along to the right before he gets any more emotional and bows to her parents.

“Dr. Jeon… thank you so much. We just saw Dr. Park… I’m sure you saw him just now in the hall,” Mr. Song says. “Oh and Ari had something for you both. She gave it to us awhile ago… for if… if just in case she… wasn’t here. Anyways, I gave it to Dr. Park so I’m sure he’ll show you when you’re back out in the hall.”

Jungkook wonders what it could be and he has no idea. He’ll deal with it later like he said, once he’s back out in the main reception area and sees Jimin again. “Mr. and Mrs. Song,” Jungkook says feeling guilty. How could her parents be so kind to him? Their daughter was dead. After all the time in the hospital, after the huge surgery, after being told she’d be going home soon, they were here at her funeral. “I’m… I’m so sorry.”

“Dr. Jeon,” Mrs. Song says taking both his hands in hers. “We want to thank you. For everything. When Hope Hospital gave up, you, you and Dr. Park didn’t. We know you did everything you could. Ari… she loved you very much. Both you and Dr. Park. She talked about you guys all the time. How she had the best doctors in the world. And we’re so thankful.”

Jungkook feels his eyes welling up and he pulls a hand away to wipe his eyes. “I’m sorry.” He says again. “She’s… she’s a wonderful person. We loved her, too.”

“We really appreciate you taking time out of your busy day to be here. Ari would be happy to know that. Please stay and eat and drink in the dining hall. We are really grateful for you.” Mr. Song says.

He nods and give them both another full 90-degree bow, greets Ari’s younger brother, and is finally out of the mourning room.

“Dr. Jeon!” Hokyung says and Jia raises her hand gesturing he join them. Jimin’s at the same table, his back facing Jungkook and the heart surgeon doesn’t even flinch despite the residents calling out for Jungkook. The dining hall is loud and bustling with guests eating and drinking, talking, and some even laughing.

The purpose of this portion of the funeral was to encourage guests to stay and keep the deceased in company, preventing them from being lonely as they made their transition over to the other side.

“Oh you must be another of Ari’s doctors!” A woman suddenly comes out of nowhere and starts guiding Jungkook over to the table. “Come come, the doctors are right over there! Please have a seat! Would you like shiraegi gook or yukae jang?” The woman bombards him before he’s even had a chance to sit down at the empty space right beside Jimin.

“Oh uhm. Either is fine,” Jungkook answers. The woman was probably a family member or close friend as they usually helped keep the dining room running smoothly for the funeral guests.

“Don’t be silly, doctor! Please pick!”

“I’ll have the yukaejang then.” Jungkook starts taking off his suit jacket and gently places it down on the ground. They were all sitting on the floor eating on low tables called sang. 

Jimin doesn’t say a word but continues eating his soup.

“Shot for you, Dr. Jeon? We’ve already had a few,” Hokyung says holding the already opened green soju bottle.

“I’m okay, thanks.”

“Oh come on!!” Hokyung adds. “Here, we’ll all have a shot together!” He starts pouring soju into the shot glasses. “For Ari!”

Jungkook reluctantly takes the shot glass and they all clank their glasses together and one shots the alcohol.

When Jimin has downed the soju, he merely resumes eating his soup in silence.

“Her parents are so nice, no? I mean we knew that already but they really do seem like such great people” Jia says.

“Yeah, definitely.” Jungkook agrees.

“Makes sense she was so sweet.” Hokyung joins.

“Right,” Jungkook says.

“Jimin sunbae are you okay?” Jia asks seeing Jimin has suddenly stopped talking.

“Yeah, fine. Why?” Jimin answers.

“You’re just quiet.”

“Oh I’m fine. Just thinking I guess,” Jimin says quietly.

“About what?” Jungkook asks.

Jimin pauses spoon mid-air almost at his mouth for a few seconds. After he eats the spoonful, he sets the utensil down, wipes his mouth with his napkin and says, “Ari. What else?” He turns his head and looks at Jungkook.

It was weird making such direct and intentional eye contact with Jimin like this when the last two days were both of them actively avoiding each other.

“I don’t know. That’s why I asked. Because I don’t know.”

“Well we’re at her funeral. What else would I be thinking about, Dr. Jeon?” Jimin looks straight into Jungkook’s eyes.

Me. Us. That incident.

“Work? The food? Errands you have to do? I don’t know. How am I supposed to know?”

“Well, I wasn’t. I was thinking about Ari.”

“Okay,” Jungkook says.

“Okay.” Jimin looks away finally.

“Sooooo, do you both have work tomorrow?!” Hokyung asks sensing the awkward tension.

“Yeah they do, idiot.” Jia says. “Do you never look at the board?!”

Hokyung very well knew both Dr. Jeon and Dr. Park worked the next day but he was trying to lighten the sudden tense mood. He glares at Jia and rolls his eyes. You’re the idiot, you cute idiot.

Jia gives him a ‘what??’ look.

Hokyung flicks Jia on the forehead and then she tries to flick him back; the two start laughing and teasing each other.

“Wait, are you guys…” Jimin says looking at them suspiciously.

“What?!” Jia answers abruptly and nervously, taking her hands off Hokyung.

“Are you two…” Jimin darts his eyes left and right at the two juniors.

“Ohhhh,” Jungkook says smirking. “Is this, is this a thing?”

“What?!” Jia says again.

“Did I stutter?” Jungkook smiles.

“Fuck it!” Hokyung puts his arms confidently around Jia and pulls her toward him. “Dr. Jeon. Dr. Park. Yes. We are dating. Jia and I are dating! She is totally in lov-“

“SHUT UP!!” Jia covers Hokyung’s mouth with her hands and immediately removes it when she feels his wet tongue looking her palm. “Oh my god, why are you like this?!”

“I knew it!” Jimin smiles.

They all laugh as Jia just gets red hot and wants to curl up from embarrassment. She will kill Hoykyung later. They had agreed to keep it on the down low for now but now her idiot boyfriend had exposed them to her their superiors. But she doesn’t let her hands go or shove him off her despite her acting like she hates that he’s spilled their secret affair.

Hokyung and Jia share how and when they started dating as the four surgeons eat their humble meal of soup, kimchi, and soju. Hokyung rambles on about how Jia would chase him around the hospital and Jia denies it all; the three of them laugh and Jungkook’s mind wanders off tuning them out. He thinks about Jimin. Jimin against that storage room wall. Jimin pulling his hair to kiss his neck. Jimin on his knees for him-

“Jungkook sunbae?” Jia says. The two residents look at him.

“Sorry. Just. Just got a lot on my mind,” Jungkook says. He glances to his right and Jimin gives him a weird look but he shrugs and resumes eating. What was it about him and Jimin that they not only couldn’t get along, but they had this… this now weird sexual incident attached to them? Why did it have to be like this? Where had they gone so wrong? Why was his relationship with this colleague so fucked up while someone like his two subordinates Jia and Hokyung were happily dating?

The two residents start chatting about one of their patients and they debate over medical topics for the rest of their meal. When they’re finally finished, the two junior surgeons bow and say goodbye to Jungkook and Jimin.

Jimin starts walking away toward the funeral hall exit doors but Jungkook says, “Jimin.”

“What.” Jimin turns around to face him again.

“Don’t you have something to give me?”

“What?”

“I don’t know? Ari’s parents said you had something she gave me and you have it?”

“Oh. It’s nothing,” Jimin says nonchalantly.

Jungkook looks at him suspiciously and Jimin looks away, eyeing other things in the funeral hall, trying to avoid eye contact.

Jungkook walks closer to the smaller man. “That’s not your say. Mr. Song said it was for me too. Something Ari gave me. So give it to me.”

Jimin has a weird look on his face and Jungkook can’t seem to quite figure it out. “Well?? What is it??”

“It’s honestly nothing. I think I lost it.”

“What??” Jungkook raises his eyebrow unamused. “You’re telling me you lost something our patient gave to us. You lost it? Just now?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh really?” Jungkook is now growing even more curious because he knows damn well Jimin is lying.

“Yeah-“

“Cut the bullshit, Park. Just give it to me.” Jungkook lays his hand out, wanting whatever this gift or thing was.

“Can you stop??” Jimin whispers but angrily. “Why are you cussing here?! That is so disrespectfu-“

Jungkook grabs Jimin’s wrist and guides both of them out of the funeral hall. He pulls him along until they’re a good distance away from the funeral building and at the side of another detachment building of SMC. They’re standing next to a janitorial entrance door where it’s quiet and no one else is around.

Jimin pulls his arm from Jungkook’s grip, pushes the younger doctor against the building wall and crashes their lips together. Jungkook brings his hands up placing one behind Jimin’s neck, the other on his face as he kisses him back deeply and fervently.

“Do you live to just piss me off, Jeon? Huh?” Jimin pants between their kisses. After a few minutes of making out, Jungkook stops their kissing and turns them around so that Jimin’s back was now against the wall. Jungkook places both his hands on the wall, locking Jimin in. Their faces are only an inch apart and he can hear Jimin’s heavy breathing, trying to calm down from their intense makeout session just now.

He leans in to the side of Jimin’s face, whispering in his ear, “don’t flatter yourself, Park. You don’t have that much weight on my life.”

Jimin feels shivers run down his spine at Jungkook’s hot breath against his ear. Jungkook brings his face back in front of Jimin’s and gazes into his eyes.

“What is it. What did Ari give me? We’re not in the funeral building anymore, so cut the bullshit and give whatever it is to me, Park.” Jungkook’s speaks with a low voice.

“It’s not yours.” Jimin answers. Jungkook gives him a puzzled expression.

“It’s addressed to me. I don’t know why her parents said that. Stop bothering me. I have to go.” Jimin lies.

The heart surgeon shoves Jungkook’s arms away and he ducks under, freeing himself from being locked in against the wall and starts walking away toward the parking lot.

Jungkook just stands there and face palms, disappointed in himself, disappointed in the both of them for doing what they just did. Again. What is wrong with us. What the fuck are we doing. They hadn’t even talked about the first storage room incident and now they had another to add to their list: kiss number 2 outside on the side of the building.

When Jimin gets in his car, he pulls out the envelope from his pocket and reads the note again.

To Dr. Park and Dr. Jeon:

Love is a chemical reaction. Dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, endorphin are some of the ingredients for this wonderful cocktail called love. For how smart you both are, you sure are stupid! I can’t believe you both don’t see it?? When I can see it so clearly?

Fucking date already you morons.

If you’re reading this, I’m already gone. But you’re not. So you guys still have the chance to love and be happy. Stop wasting your time. Life is short. I’ll miss you guys. Tell my parents and brother I love them so much. Thanks for everything docs. It’s been real.

Always,

Ari

~

“This right here,” Jimin uses his laser pointer and makes circular motions at the projection screen. It’s lecture day and he’s giving a presentation on transcatheter aortic valve replacement in the large lecture hall. All the surgeons take notes as Dr. Park shares his expert knowledge. “This is a 25 centimeter long hydrophilic coated sheath that is advanced into the abdominal aorta to decrease vascular complications, as the bioprosthetic valve and the deflecting guide catheter are introduced into the aorta.”

Jungkook takes a sip of his coffee and tries to focus. He’s distracted thinking about where to take his brother for dinner tonight, what places to show him around Seoul, how to entertain him, if he should take the whole day off tomorrow to play host, or if his hyung will fare the city fine while he’s busy at work in the day time. His older brother Junghyun had literally called him last night saying he’ll be visiting Seoul today, just cause! It is so like hyung to just drop by no notice, that loser. Jungkook thinks. He spaces out trying to plan the day tomorrow when his thoughts are interrupted.

“What do you think, Dr. Jeon?”

Jungkook looks up at the front of the room and sees Jimin is staring at him, arms crossed. Heads turn to all look at him and Jungkook feels himself getting hot. What the fuck? It’s not like he made a sound or anything, how the fuck did Jimin know he was distracted and not paying attention?

“Sorry, could you repeat that last bit?” Jungkook bullshits. Jimin stare at him in silence for a good three seconds but he resumes his lecture.

“The sheaths are equipped with a hemostatic mechanism to decrease blood loss. The T-F delivery system requires a 22F and 24F sheath for the 23mm and 26mm valves as you can see right here,” Jimin points his laser at the diagram. “The T-A sheath is 26F, shorter. And right here, as you can see, has a flexible tip to minimize trauma as it is introduced in to the left ventricle…”

Jungkook jots down detailed notes. The two surgeons make eye contact again but Jimin simply glances over to the next person and starts taking any questions people had. After Jimin’s segment is finished, chief Kim Seokjin gets up in front of the room and goes over his usual announcements, which is followed by massive groans and complaints. The highlight of meeting though, is when Seokjin introduces the new fellowship surgeon, Dr. Choi Jinhyuk, who will be at SMC for his 1-year fellowship in the pulmonary department. The tall, handsome doctor introduces himself and Jungkook is reminded of his first day here. It felt like yesterday but also felt like ages ago. When the meeting finally ends, everyone takes their turn saying hello and introducing themselves to the newbie.

Jungkook watches as Jimin happily makes his way over to the fellow and greets him, with a huge, warm smile on his face. Jungkook scoffs. It was definitely not the treatment he received from Jimin on his first day.

Eventually, Jungkook also gets up and quickly introduces himself to Dr. Choi. The new surgeon is surrounded with people, everyone asking him questions just like how Jungkook was first bombarded. They swarm around him as they slowly make their way out of the lecture hall but Jungkook remains in the classroom seeing that Jimin was still there. When it’s only him and Jimin left he says, “hey.” Jimin ignores him even though he clearly heard Jungkook; he continues gathering his papers and signing out of the computer.

“Jimin.” Dr. Jeon says again.

“Yes?” Jimin says holding a pile of papers messily at his chest, ready to head out of the lecture hall.

“Sorry. I was distracted earlier. Just family stuff.”

“Okay.”

“Are you really not gonna give me whatever it is Ari gave me?”

Jimin sighs. “I told you, it’s not yours.”

“You also said you ‘lost it’. So which is it, Park. You lost it or you’re lying and saying it’s not mine?”

They gaze into each other eyes, both with an intense fire.

“What family stuff? Everything okay?” Jimin asks changing the subject.

“Oh yeah. Nothing bad.”

“Then what? What was so distracting you weren’t paying attention to my lecture? I paid attention to yours few months ago. Why are you so disrespectful to me?”

“Oh my god, it’s not, it’s not like that. I’m really sorry. That’s why I’m here, apologizing to you, right?” It was ridiculous they were being so petty about this when they had a whole sex-in-the-storage-room incident they haven’t even addressed. The two surgeons are really standing here arguing about this petty thing when they’ve seen each other naked.

“Fine. So then what was the reason for your distraction then?”

“Nothing bad. My brother is in town.”

“From Busan? Right? That’s where you’re from?”

“Yeah.”

“Just visiting or?”

“Yeah. Just cause. So yeah. Sorry. I was thinking about where to go for dinner tonight. Which I admit, during an aortic valve replacement lecture isn’t the best time. Sorry. It’s just really last minute he came down.”

“Well you should take him to Golden Pig BBQ.” Jimin says with a matter of fact tone.

“Oh yeah?” Jungkook is a bit startled by this sudden recommendation.

“Yeah. You haven’t been?”

“I don’t think so.”

“What do you mean think? You either have or you haven’t been there,” Jimin says sassily.

“I haven’t.” Jungkook rolls his eyes. It didn’t matter if he saw a soft side to Dr. Park, of him staying late and chatting with his elderly patient off the clock, or of him crying at the loss of his patient, or of him vulnerable and naked begging to get fucked. Dr. Park Jimin was still so petty and annoying. It makes Jungkook chuckle inside but he tries to keep a straight face.

“Okay. Well I don’t know what he likes but Canon is a really good bar. It’s a bit fancy but they have the best cocktails in the city.”

“Canon? Okay. Thanks.” Jungkook gives him a small smile. “Hey Jimin-“

“I gotta go. Have fun with your brother tonight.” Just like that he leaves the lecture hall. And Jungkook still has no idea what it is that Ari gave him.

Jungkook sighs as he’s the last one out of the lecture hall. He can see Jimin ahead of him walking toward the surgical unit and then he stops to chat with someone who seems to be lost and needing some help. Jungkook squints his eyes and that someone looks far too familiar.

“BRO!!” the man yells upon seeing Jungkook.

He sees Jimin turn around and give him an awkward smile. Jungkook rubs his face and lightly jogs over to them. “Hyung what are you doing here?! I’m not off yet!! I told you I’ll meet you at home!”

“Just met your coworker!!” Junghyun says smiling at Jimin.

“Well, now that you found him, I’ll leave you two alone!” Jimin says.

“How is he?! How’s my surgeon baby brother?!” Junghyun loops his arm around Jungkook as if he’s a kid and knuckles his head.

“Hyung oh my god, I’m at work. Stop,” Jungkook says as his body is bent, trying to free himself from his hyung’s arms. Junghyun finally lets go.

Jimin laughs heartily and for what Jungkook can tell, sincerely. He’s got a pretty laugh, and an even prettier smile. “He’s… he’s a troublemaker.” Jimin teases glancing at Jungkook with a grin.

This was a weird side of Jimin that Jungkook has yet to see since his time here. He’s seen Jimin flirty when he’s drunk, he’s seen Jimin overly friendly like this with others, but never this playful and teasing with him. Or well, Junghyun hyung, he supposes.

“Baby brother a troublemaker huh?!”

“Hyung seriously this is my workplace. I have an hour left. What are you doing here?!”

“Maybe you should buy him a coffee and show him around? Instead of being so mean?” Jimin says confidently. Junghyun roars into laughter. “Doctor. I like you. What was it you said your name was?!”

“Jimin. Park Jimin.” Jimin smiles.

“Yeah Jungoo bungoo you hear that? Listen to Dr. Park. Maybe hyung is here to see what my baby brother does 40 hours a week!! Just wanted to see the great Seoul Medical Center that you work at!”

“Did mom set you up to this? And it’s more like 100 hours-”

“Oh my god,” Junghyun puts his arm around Jungkook and faces Jimin. “Can’t a hyung stop by his brother’s work to see what it’s like!? Mom doesn’t even know I’m here! Okay, well she does now because I just told her only few hours ago but do you see what I had to deal with growing up, Dr. Park?! He’s so mean to his hyung! Is he this mean to guys at work too?! Is he always this stiff?!”

“YES.” Jimin answers immediately with a huge grin. Junghyun pats Jungkook on the back so hard Jungkook’s body nearly jerks forward.

“Relax a little, Dr. Jeon!!” Jungkook exclaims.

Jungkook rubs his face and grumbles at his annoying brother. Junghyun was always such a free spirit. They were such complete opposites ever since they were kids. Even now, as an adult, he was a graphic designer, an artist, the literal opposite of working in the medical field. He was silly, loud, flirty, outgoing, and definitely not reserved like Jungkook. His personality had earned him many dates and many exes. While Jungkook on the other hand had exactly two exes.

“Well, it was nice meeting you, Dr. Jeon’s brothe-“

“Junghyun. Please, call me Junghyun. And the pleasure is all mine, Dr. Park. Say, what are you doing tomorrow night? I’m here unti-“

“Allllright, that’s enough. Let’s go hyung. Dr. Park is busy. Come on.” Jungkook interrupts him before his brother can finish the sentence, pulling him along and away from Jimin. “Thanks, sorry,” Jungkook adds as a goodbye to Jimin. Junghyun fights against Jungkook’s pull, trying to turn his body to wave goodbye to the heart surgeon.

Jimin laughs as he waves to Jungkook’s older brother who is being dragged.

“You guys fuck yet?” Junghyun jokes as Jungkook leads them toward the ground floor where the restaurants are.

“What the hell hyung?! We’re at my work place! Damn. Seriously, I have an hour left so just wait for me okay? There’s a Starbucks here. And why would you even say that?!”

“What?! It’s a valid question! He didn’t seem to have a ring! And he’s cuuuute!!”

“Just sit quietly, don’t make a scene PLEASE hyung. There’s a little store, buy a book or something while you wait for me. Just get coffee, not food so we can actually go eat dinner somewhere-“

“He is reaaaaaaaaallyyy cute. That doc.”

Jungkook rubs his temples. He swears he is the older one of the two. “What are you doing here though, hyung? Seriously. It’s so last minute.”

“Damn, I’m starting to feel a bit upset. You really aren’t excited to see hyungah?”

“I am. Sorry. I’m just. It’s just sudden?? You sure everything’s okay?”

 Junghyun’s face finally turns serious. They turn the corner and see the Starbucks. “I got laid off.”

Jungkook frowns and pats his brother slowly on the back. Now he feels bad. “Shit... Sorry hyung.”

“Don’t be. It’s fine. You know, it was time I found something new anyways. I figured, I’d take this gap time to have some fun, visit my baby brother, actually explore Seoul. I mean our family trips when we were kids don’t count. Dad’s the worst traveler,”

Jungkook nods in agreement.

“Do some more traveling. I dunno. Thought I’d stop by and see you. That’s all.”

“Man… does mom and dad know?”

“Nah. Don’t tell them. Mom will just stress.”

“Yeah… I won’t. Well, you know you can stay however long you want, hyung.” As much as Jungkook seemed irritable right now, he loved his hyung and he there was nobody on this planet he was closer to. He was moreso irritated at the fact the visit was so sudden and of course even more surprising dropping by his workplace without notice. Jungkook was an introvert and he needed to mentally prepare for things like visitors; he hated surprises. But hearing his brother’s situation, none of that mattered anymore. 

“Thanks Kook. I won’t be here long. Don’t worry. I booked a flight to Europe, haha! I leave in two days! But thanks for the offer!”

Jungkook shakes his head laughing. Sometimes, he wishes he could be as spontaneous as his hyung. “Where to first?”

“Spain. Then I’m just gonna follow my heart! When I get back who knows when, I think I’ll just start freelancing. I’m sick of working at firms.”

“You’ve been at one firm, hyung.” Jungkook rolls his eyes teasing his brother.

“Shut up, you smart ass. Go go, I’ll be here waiting!” The two brothers laugh and Jungkook leaves to finish the last hour of his shift.

~

Taehyung wakes up to the wonderful smell of coffee. He hated the taste, but loved the smell. When he trudges out of Seokjin’s bedroom, hair messy and hooded eyes, he sees the elder behind the kitchen counter cooking breakfast.

“Why can’t coffee taste as good at it smells?” Taehyung says groggily with his deep, croaky morning voice as he back hugs the chief, resting his chin on the man’s shoulder. Seokjin turns his head back as much as he can and the two share a short but wet kiss.

“Good morning sleepyhead.”

“Mmm that smells good too…” Taehyung looks down at the pot of kimchi stew bubbling and boiling.

On another stove is a pan where two eggs are being fried.

“Go sit down, baby.” Seokjin says. “Everything’s almost done.”

Taehyung makes random whiney noises as if he were a baby and instead hugs the elder’s waist tighter. Seokjin laughs and doesn’t say much more, allowing the younger to stick onto him like a leech for the remainder of his cooking.

When they’re finally seated at the table eating and talking about what to do for the rest of the day, Seokjin receives a text from his mother.

Come home for dinner. Sara will be joining us. Dinner is at 6. Don’t be late and bring her something nice. Flowers perhaps or a nice gift.

“What’s wrong?” Taehyung asks seeing Seokjin’s sullen expression upon reading the text message. Seokjin immediately smiles, putting his phone away. “Nothing nothing, don’t worry.”

Taehyung looks at him suspiciously with a small smile but then shrugs it off.

“Don’t worry it’s just my mom being annoying!” It wasn’t a complete lie. It was his mom and she was being annoying. Seokjin picks up some pickled lotus root with his chopsticks and sets it on Taehyung’s rice bowl.

“I’m so sorry baby. I can’t do dinner tonight. But we’ll spend the whole day together, until then?” Seokjin says flashing the younger man a huge smile.

Taehyung rolls his eyes and nods. “Mothers. She wants you home for dinner, huh?”

“Yes. Exactly. My baby is so smart.”

“I know.” Taehyung smiles so sweetly that Seokjin wants to slap himself. The chief’s stomach suddenly churns at the sight of Taehyung so innocently and happily eating breakfast and so oblivious to the fact he will be sharing a meal tonight with his family and his fiancé.

Seokjin wants to throw up. The sudden rush of panic and anxiety hits him like waves crashing on the shore. “Taehyungah.”

With his mouth stuffed with food, cheeks protruding, Taehyung pauses and looks up at the man. Seokjin would love the sight of this cute little chipmunk if he didn’t feel so awful.

“You trust me, right?”

Taehyung quickly chews the food in his mouth and then he nods. “What do you mean?”

“Do you not trust me?” Seokjin asks again.

Taehyung sets his spoon down and cocks his head puzzled at the sudden question and seriousness of Seokjin’s tone. “I don’t know.” He was being honest. The chief didn’t necessarily make him feel confident in their… ‘relationship’ with their secrecy, refusal to date officially, unwillingness to commit to him…

Seokjin just nods slowly and regretfully understanding it’s the response he deserves. “Can you trust me?”

“What’s going on Jin…” Taehyung’s voice is quiet and loaded with hesitation and worry.

“Nothing. Nothing baby. I just. I know I don’t deserve it, but can you just trust me?” Seokjin reaches his arms across the table and takes the pediatric surgeon’s hand in his.

“You’re being weird. Tell me what’s going on..”

“Nothing. Nothing’s going on. I’m just happy to be here. With you. I love you, Taehyung. You know that, right?”

Taehyung’s eyes widen.

Love.

Did the chief really just say love? After all these months of fooling around and giving him vague responses or merely responding with physical affection… Just like that. On a normal afternoon on their day off, still in their pajamas, while eating kimchi jjigae at the table. He really just said I love you.

Finally.

Taehyung’s eyes start welling with tears. But he smiles. He smiles so big, his big, boxy smile. He’s so happy he wants to jump around the apartment for joy and burst into a million little pieces like confetti.

“I trust you.”

~

Love. A supposed chemical reaction in which falling in love can feel like an addictive rush, similar to the effect of certain drugs or alcohol. The emotion of euphoria, and the release of a combination of chemicals in the brain, one being dopamine like Ari had stated in her note, is no different than any other chemical reaction our brains concoct when we feel happiness and joy. Like coming home after a long day of work and your dog sprinting to you with slobbery kisses, or finding money on the ground, winning a game, passing an exam with 100%, smelling the sweet aroma of freshly baked cookies and taking that first bite.

Euphoria.

But when Jimin sees him, he feels nothing. Nothing more than mere friendliness toward his kind and unproblematic ex.

“Hey stranger.” Dongmin smiles as he and Jimin both walk closer to each other. Jimin had received a text from his dad to come down to the main lobby because Dongmin was at SMC and he wanted to have coffee together. Lee Dongmin. Jimin met the handsome attorney through his and Dongmin’s parents mutual acquaintance. Jimin’s parents had absolutely adored him when the two were dating, and his parents loved Jimin. Mrs. Park was devastated when Jimin had told her they had broken up.

“Hey,” Jimin smiles back. They hug. They had no bad blood and their breakup three years ago was the most civil and peaceful break up in the history of break ups probably. They did run into each three more times since the break up and each time it was cordial.

“What are you doing here?? Everything okay?” Jimin asks genuinely concerned. It was a hospital after all.

“Well, I’m okay. But my mom’s been feeling a bit sick and weak. And some other symptoms so she’s just getting a full body check-up and some IV fluid for a few hours so I’m here keeping her company. She’s getting an MRI right now. Hopefully it’s nothing too serious.”

Jimin frowns and he follows up with a few more questions regarding his mother’s symptoms. They talk health for a few minutes and Jimin promises when he goes back to work he’ll go see her and check out her file. “Don’t worry too much, okay? We’ll get her taken care of.” Jimin assures him.

“Thanks, Jimin. How are you, though?”

“I’m.. I’ve been good. Just busy.”

“As always, Dr. Park. You never take a break do you?” Dongmin chuckles and Jimin shakes his head smiling apologetically. It was the reason they broke up: because Jimin was too caught up with work and hardly made time for him.

“Hey. I’m here taking a break right now, aren’t I?”

“Lee byun!” The two men look over and see the chairman heading towards them. “And hello to you, Dr. Park.” (Byunhosa means lawyer, hence Lee from Lee Dongmin and byun as a shortcut abbreviated slang. Lee Byun.)

Jimin rolls his eyes. “Hello chairman.”

Dongmin chuckles and bows to the elder. “Hi Chairman Park. How are you?”

“Oh I’ve been great Lee byun! Come come, let’s head to the cafeteria and talk and instead of standing out here!”

Jungkook had just finished up a big surgery and he’s famished; all he can think about is getting some food in his stomach ASAP. Just as he’s about to enter the on-call room to take out a ramen from his drawer and take his lunch, Namjoon and Taehyung walk out.

“Jeon! On your break?” Namjoon asks.

“Yeah just got out of a surgery.”

“Oh perfect, join us. We’re about to head over to the cafeteria and eat some real food other than ramen. Come come!”

“Oh it’s okay-“

“Just join us, Jeon.” Taehyung cuts in. If there was going to be a sign-up sheet for Dr. Jeon Jungkook’s best friend, obviously Taehyung wouldn’t be the first one on it but the pediatrician was a kind and sweet man who could share a meal with his best friend’s enemy. He was always going to be Jimin’s best friend, but lunch was lunch and there was nothing more to it. They were still colleagues too, Jimin aside.

“Yeah come on, let’s go. Save your ramen for next time.”

So the three surgeons end up walking down to the main floor and into the bright and naturally lit cafeteria. That’s when Jungkook sees him. Jimin with the chairman and another man dressed in a nice, fancy suit. A handsome man.

“Hey isn’t that lawyer Lee?” Namjoon says when too recognizes Jimin in the cafeteria.

“Oh what the! Yeah! JIMIN!” Taehyung yells out. All three heads look over at Taehyung and all of them wave and smile. Taehyung waves back enthusiastically and all three surgeons give a bow from afar to the chairman. When Jimin’s eyes move over and notice Jungkook, he turns back around. “Dang he’s still hot! God I know Jimin’s my best friend, but he’s an idiot. Dongmin was sooo good to him!! Don’t you think, Namjoon sunbae??”

“Who is that?” Jungkook interrupts.

“Lee Dongmin. One of the best M&A attorneys in the country. Top 30 under 30 lawyers in Seoul for many consecutive years, son of really wealthy parents, not to mention really kind in addition to his extremely good looks.” Namjoon answers as if reading a newspaper ad.

Everyone at the hospital knew of him when he and Jimin were dating. The lawyer would often have food delivered for Jimin and his staff, or would physically stop by himself with coffee and snacks for the surgical team, would take them all out for drinks and paid the entire tab… Jimin’s staff and colleagues adored him. His parents weren’t the only ones devastated when they broke up; the whole surgical department felt like they broke up with the handsome attorney, too.

Taehyung adds, “Jimin’s ex. Anyways, I’m actually gonna get a burger!” Taehyung heads off to the American food line leaving Namjoon and Jungkook alone in the regular Korean food line.

Jungkook casually asks Namjoon about the lawyer. And Namjoon fills him in. Jungkook learns that Dongmin and Jimin dated for about a year, that it was evident Dongmin liked Jimin more than Jimin liked him, that Jimin broke it off because he was too invested with work and couldn’t make time for him, that Mr. and Mrs. Park adored him, and that the two ended on not only civil, but very cordial terms.

“Five bucks if Jimin was for it, he’d immediately take the opportunity and date him again,” Namjoon says adding various side dishes to his tray as the lunch queue moves along. The two doctors respectfully smile, wave, and bow bashfully to the lunch ladies fussing over their good looks.

“Oh really? So he still likes him then. That’s weird they broke up then. I mean if they still like each other why breakup.” Jungkook says nonchalantly and shrugs.

“I mean, that’s the point. He would, cuz he likes Jimin. Well, that’s my gut feeling. But Jimin obviously didn’t really like him that much. He liked work more. You know the saying ‘if you love something you’ll make time for it’ or whatever. Well, he clearly didn’t. Hence, they broke up.” Namjoon waits at the end of the line to pay for both his and Jungkook’s lunch since he was the older and the one who invited Jungkook to join.

“Oh. Yeah. I guess.” Jungkook is about to take his wallet out but Namjoon hands the lady his card. Jungkook thanks his sunbae and the two find Taehyung has already found them a table and is eating his burger.

“Honestly, this burger is so good. I really don’t know why I don’t come down to eat here more. We all need to stop eating at our desks!” Taehyung’s sips on his coke, enthusiastically chomping on his food. He was starving too. Namjoon and Jungkook don’t waste any time either as they start stuffing their faces with rice and galbi tang, todays special.

The three surgeons eat and vent about their patients, discuss their surgeries from today, and the entire time, Jungkook can see Jimin and the lawyer from his peripheral vision. At one point, Jungkook is ripping the boiled soft galbi off the bone with his teeth and pulling the other end with his chopsticks when Jimin starts cracking up so bad that his whole body moves, throwing his head back. The trauma surgeon can hear his laughter and then Jimin’s eyes disappear because he’s laughing so hard. When the chairman and lawyer start laughing too, Jimin then starts clapping his hands from finding whatever it is they’re discussing, so funny.

Jungkook sets his chopsticks down and instead grabs the other end of the meat with his fingers and pulls it roughly so that the meat finally rips off.

The bone drops back into the bowl of soup and splashes all over Jungkook’s face. He didn’t even realize he was glaring until he feels the hot liquid dripping off his skin, splattered over the table and also on his scrubs.

It shakes him back to reality.

Taehyung and Namjoon chuckle, “you okay, Jeon?” Namjoon says as he hands him a napkin. Taehyung then turns around to see what it was Jungkook was glaring at so attentively while he was barbarically trying to rip the meat off the bone.

His eyes scan around the cafeteria, then back at Jungkook, and back behind him. There’s the cafeteria double doors, other patients, staffs, doctors, family members and friend visitors, and then there’s Jimin. Jimin and his table. Taehyung looks at them then back at Jungkook suspiciously, then back at Jimin’s table and back at Jungkook.

“What?” Jungkook says as he’s wiping his face with a napkin. Taehyung is looking at him weirdly.

“What?” Taehyung says back.

“What?” Namjoon joins the confusion.

“How’s the galbi Dr. Jeon?” Taehyung grins suspiciously. “Meat tough? Looked like you were having a hard time there getting the meat off for a second. Is it not good?”

“It’s good-“

“It’s really good! I really love their galbi tang here actually- OW!” Namjoon interrupts, completely clueless of what’s going on. “What was that for?!” Taehyung had kicked him under the table.

“Oops, sorry sunbae,” Taehyung plays innocent. Sometimes Namjoon could be so dense, Taehyung wants to smack the elder. “We should say hi to Lee byun on the way out. Miss that guy.”

“Yeah of course. Was planning to of course!” Namjoon replies.

“What do you think, Jeon?” Taehyung asks.

“Of what?”

“Of Jimin’s ex.”

“I don’t.” Jungkook pauses chewing and adds, “why would I think about Dr. Park’s ex? I don’t even know the guy.”

“Well, what’s your first impression?”

“I… haven’t even met the guy. How could I have any impression?” It was true. He could barely see the attorney other than his back view. Taehyung just looks at him suspiciously then shrugs, dropping the topic.

When the three surgeons finish up their meal, Jimin, the chairman, and the ex are still at the table chitchatting. When they’re making their way over to Jimin’s table, the chairman roars in laughter at something the lawyer said. And Jimin laughs, too. Again. They looked like a big happy family.

What could possibly be so funny inside a hospital? Jungkook wonders.

When they stop by Jimin’s table, they all exchange their greetings and Taehyung and Namjoon ask what he was doing at the hospital. Taehyung introduces the trauma surgeon to the attorney.

“Captain Jeon Jungkook, former military surgeon, now SMC’s very own trauma surgeon! Lee Dongmin, Seoul’s baddest M&A attorney, and I mean bad as in good.” Taehyung says cheerfully proud of his youthful slang he picked up from his patients. Everyone but Jungkook laughs, in which upon realizing, he too forces a chuckle.

“Nice to meet you, Captain!” Dongmin takes a hand out and Jungkook studies his face for a second. He was too pretty. How early did this man wake up in the morning to do his hair? All that gel. Glops of it. Too much gel he might as well not shower and use his own grease. And he looks to have a thick layer of makeup on. There’s no way that’s his real skin. It’s too perfect. And that smile was too… too nice. Has to be fake.

“Doctor,” Jungkook corrects him, finally shaking the man’s hand firmly. “Not in the military anymore.”

Jungkook catches Jimin giving him an irritable, almost dirty look.

“Right. My apologies, Dr. Jeon. It’s a pleasure meeting you! It must be such a change from your previous setting out on the field?” Dongmin says with sincere friendliness.

“Nope. It’s fine.” Jungkook answers curtly. Jimin shoots him a glare.

“You guys must be busy, you should go.” Jimin says.

“As should you,” Jungkook answers. The two lock eyes and have a near staring contest. Jungkook smiles sweetly and adds on, “unless you have no patients today?” 

“Well then! Yes, we should get going!” Namjoon cuts in sensing the tension between the rival surgeons yet again.

“Actually, for your information I took an hour off. Not just my lunch,” Jimin answers rudely. He hadn’t yet taken an hour off but if he had to later, to keep his pride up against Jeon, he will. And he’d use the extra hour to genuinely go meet Dongmin’s mother and talk with her, go over her charts, and take a nap if time leftover. He had tons of PTO to use.

“Oh did you, Dr. Park!? You didn’t say! Then we could have went to lunch somewhere out of the hospital! Could have taken our guest somewhere better for lunch!” Jimin’s father exclaims. Jungkook raises his eyebrow and smiles at Jimin.

Jimin wants to kick his dad under the table but of course he doesn’t, and instead he puts on a sweet smile and says, “oops, I forgot dad. Yes, I took an hour off.”

Just then, Taehyung’s pager goes off and he apologizes saying he has to go first because it was one of his critical patients. He runs off before anyone can even properly say goodbye. Namjoon and Jungkook are also about to leave when the chairman invites them to sit down and join them, if their schedule allowed. Fortunately for Jimin, the neurosurgeon and trauma surgeon say they have to go and they bid farewell to the group, leaving the cafeteria.

“Actually, I…” Dongmin starts scrolling through his phone with a serious expression. “Sorry, I have to deal with some stuff at work. I need to make a call.. may take a while. Chairman, Jimin this was a lovely lunch. Thank you. I will come see you both before we leave for the day.”

“Oh yes yes, don’t worry about us Lee Byun! Please do what you need to do! In fact, I should get back to work too! Great seeing you. Hope all goes well with your mother!” the chairman says. The three men get up from their table, throw their trash and part ways for now.

Jimin walks toward the surgical unit and he sees Namjoon and Jungkook split ways as Namjoon sunbae turns to the right into a different hallway. Jimin speed walks and when he’s close enough he says, “hey.”

Jungkook turns around and sees he heart surgeon walking closer to him. “You’re done? Thought you had another hour off.”

“Well I changed my mind. He had a work phone call,” Jimin says annoyed.

“Sure Jimin.”

“What? He did.”

“Okay.” Jungkook says continuing to walk at a steady pace.

“Hey. I’m talking to you.”

“Yes, Dr. Park?”

“I think we should talk.” Jimin finally says. He’d be lying if he hadn’t thought about Jungkook 24/7 ever since their hook up in the storage room. Of his big hands roaming all over his body, his broad sexy back, his thick thighs, and mostly, thick cock… how he’d never been fucked so good in his 31 years of life.

Jimin doesn’t quite know what came over him the day of the funeral outside the building… but he knew they couldn’t keep on like this. He was a mature adult and if Jungkook wasn’t going to bring it up first he will. I am a grown ass adult. I can have these awkward confrontations and make things right. I am Park Jimin.

Jimin walks past Jungkook, implying the trauma surgeon follow him. They walk past their fellow surgeons, nurses, staff, patients, saying hellos and his whenever necessary as they both stride confidently through the halls, Jungkook following a few meters behind him. It’s another busy day at the hospital bustling with people. When Jimin arrives at their on-call room, he opens it but then closes it again not bothering to go in seeing that it was occupied with other colleagues. So he turns around and walks again through the halls, trying to find a quiet, private place to talk with Jungkook still following him. Jimin passes an empty patient room and he goes inside.

“Okay.” Jungkook says once he’s in the room too. He doesn’t know why he said okay but he doesn’t know what else to say after he’s closed the door behind him. He knew this talk would eventually come but now that it was here, the silence and awkwardness felt like death. “So,”

“So. We shouldn’t have done that.” Jimin blurts out.

“Yeah.”

“We were both in a bad place. And it shouldn’t have happened. I’m not blaming you. Well, I’m blaming both of us. It was irresponsible for us and just… it was entirely fucked up. And I don’t want it to affect how we work togethe-“

“Yeah.” Jungkook agrees. And then he starts laughing quietly. Jimin gives him a pissed ‘wtf’ expression. How could this man be laughing at a time like now??

“Why are you laughing? Do you think this is just a joke? You think this is funny? We messed up and made a mistake and now I’m saying let’s act like adults and forget it happened and not let it affect our work-“

And Jungkook keeps chuckling.

“What the hell, Jeon?”

“Sorry. I agree. Don’t worry, Park. I agree with you. I’m just,” Jungkook rubs face as he settles down from his laughter. “Sorry. It’s just… yeah. It’s kind of funny what you said.”

“What’s so funny??” Jimin’s angry. But his angry means his small hands are at his waist, lips are pouty and eyebrows furrowed. It’s hardly scary.

“You don’t want it to affect how we work together? Jimin how exactly do you think we’ve been working together before… before that, huh?” Jungkook laughs again. Jimin now clenches his fist and paces toward Jungkook who is standing closer to the door.

“Well what do you suppose we do then, huh? I just wanted to talk so we clear the air that it was wrong and it was a mistake what we did. And let’s just do our jobs and not fuck up like that again, okay? Let’s just be professional. That’s all I wanted to say. Forget that… both those incidents happened.”

“Yeah. Okay.” Jungkook says trying not to not smile.

“Great. Move.” Jimin says wanting to leave the room so he could get back to work. But Jungkook is still standing right by the door. “I said move??”

“You’re so bossy, you know that, Park?”

*clank* Jungkook reaches his hand behind him and locks the room door.

Jungkook starts inching forward, making Jimin step backwards further and further back into the room.

“I’m not bossy. I just know what I want.” Jimin says, eyes gazing into the younger’s all the while still stepping backwards. “You’re just an ass and you love pissing me off, Jeon. Even though I’ve been trying to be nice to you.” And then Jimin stops because he’s right by the bed and can’t go back any further.

“And what’s that, Dr. Park? What do you want?”

“For you to move. So I can get back to work.”

“Is that really it? Cuz you know you can just go around me. I’m not guarding the door anymore. I know you’re small but, I also know you’re pretty strong. Go. You can leave this room. Go back to work Par-“

Jimin does it again. He presses his lips onto the trauma surgeon to shut him up. The second he wraps his arms around the younger’s neck, Jungkook lifts the elder and seats him on the neatly made empty hospital bed. He presses himself against the older and kisses him hard so that Jimin begins leaning back and falls onto the mattress. Jungkook then climbs on top of the bed too, hovering on top of the heart surgeon, and Jimin loops his arms around the younger’s neck pulling him in closer as they continue making out. Jungkook’s lips make his way down Jimin’s jaw line, to his neck, and to his collarbone. But when he finds the clothes are in the way, he aggressively slides off Jimin’s white coat and lifts his scrub shirt up above over his head and arms, throwing the garments on the floor. Jimin too desperately takes Jungkook’s white coat off and hands start roaming under Jungkook’s scrub shirt.  

He starts kissing and sucking a spot along Jimin’s collarbone and he can feel Jimin’s hardness under him. Jimin grabs a fistful of Jungkook’s hair and pulls his head back making their lips meet again. “Come on, Jeon. Isn’t this what you wanted?”

“This is what you wanted, Park.”

They kiss sloppily again, Jimin moaning into the trauma surgeon’s mouth and Jungkook can’t help but start grinding their clothed cocks together. Their kiss is wet, messy, and inhibited, worried that just on the other side of the door was the rest of their professional work life.

“Come on, hurry up.” Jimin says again panting in between their heavy kissing. Jungkook finally takes off Jimin’s pants and he begins kissing the elder’s stomach with open mouthed kisses. And then he feels Jimin’s hands on his head pushing him downward. His face is met with Jimin’s cock, already leaking with droplets of precome.

Jungkook takes a hold of Jimin’s length and begins rubbing his thumb over the slit. “I wasn’t even touching you here and you’re already leaking?”

Jimin whines and it makes Jungkook tease his slit even more. He finally gives the tip a soft lick. And then another. And another. And Jimin mewls, hand fisting a handful of Jungkook’s hair encouraging him to fully take him in his mouth.

“Jeon. Just fucking do it alre- nnnnn,” Jimin feels the warm mouth around his cock and his body starts writhing as Jungkook does wonders with his mouth, bobbing his head in and out, licking a long strip from his base to the tip, and swirling in circular motion at the tip. He takes his whole length in as deeply in his mouth as possible and when Jimin feels the tip of his cock hit the back of Jeon’s throat, he moans louder than he anticipated.

Jungkook continues sucking the elder off, deep throating him as Jimin pushes and pulls Jungkook’s head by the hair gently with the same rhythm of the trauma surgeon’s blow job.

“Oh fuck,” Jimin pants as he’s chasing his orgasm. “F-feels. So good. Please. Jungkook.” Jimin has completely forgotten about everything they were literally just talking about. He’s in a different headspace chasing his orgasm and all he wants is to feel Jungkook’s big cock inside of him again. How full and perfect his felt pounding into his ass. How he’s been wanting to feel the weight of Dr. Jeon inside him. How he’s never had such a good fuck and how if it must be this good when they were hurried and in a rush in the storage room fucking out of… grief and distress… how good Jungkook must actually be in bed when he was actually making love because he wanted to and not as an escape.

Jungkook gives one last deep suck and then he gets off the bed as he frantically searches through the drawers in the room to find any sort of lube. Fortunately this time, he finds some water-based ultrasound jelly. He uses a generous amount to lubricate his hard cock and seeing that Jimin was already turned around and on his stomach, ass up in the air, Jungkook positions himself behind him.

“Hurry,” Jimin cries out. Jungkook kneads and squeezes his ass before grips the older by his hips, ready to insert himself into his hot, aching hole.

Jimin buries his face into the pillow and releases a muffled moan when he finally feels his entrance being filled with the tip of Jungkook’s cock. Jungkook slowly pushes his way in and this time, it’s much better than the last when they had nothing but Jimin’s own cum and spit as lube. Jungkook slides in bottoming out and Jimin whimpers.

It felt so, so good. Jungkook’s fingers dig deeper in Jimin’s hip as he begins thrusting in and out. “Fuck. You’re so tight, Park.”

Jimin moans and he backs starts moving his body to fuck himself on Jungkook’s ass despite the fact Jungkook was still moving at his own pace. He presses a hand down on the small of Jimin’s back to keep him still.

Jungkook fucks into him at a faster pace, thrusting deep into the heart surgeon. He wonders if Jimin was always this desperate. When he was with the lawyer, did he back his ass onto that man’s dick too unable to patiently take what was given to him? Was he this desperate with him too? This dirty?

“Ohh my god. P-please. More. F-faster.” Jimin’s cries out from pleasure. He felt like he was on a high, a euphoric trip with Jungkook’s thick cock hitting his prostate. The pretty moans motivate Jungkook to pick up the pace. He grips Jimin’s hips tighter and pulls him closer, the sound of his ass hitting his thighs as he fucked deep into him. Jimin moans again, body rocking back and forth. God, how lewd he sounded right now in this empty patient room.

Did he sound this pretty when he moaned and begged for cock with other men?

Jimin’s back begins to arch and beads of sweat form at his hairline. Jungkook has never a prettier sight than that of Dr. Park Jimin’s smooth, milky body writhing and squirming under him. The trauma surgeon lets out a groan feeling the older surgeon’s walls clench around him and it makes him throw his head back and eyes roll. God, Jimin was so fucking tight.

“Fuck. J-Jungkook. I’m. I’m gonna cum.” He pants, stuttering because he’s hardly able to speak properly with his body moving being fucked so fast and deep.

Jungkook groans as his hips keep the steady pace ramming into Jimin’s tight hole. He leans down to kiss the back of Jimin’s shoulder and he leaves a small bite, growling into his ear that he too was about to cum. He’s so close to chasing his orgasm that he fucks Jimin roughly and mercilessly and Jimin moans into the pillow from sheer ecstasy. Jungkook was like a fucking machine for how fast he was thrusting, the sound of skin slapping against each other, Jimin feels like he’s about to pass out with how deep and perfectly Jungkook is aiming at his prostate that Jimin screams ‘fuck’ a little too loud that both of them get a bit startled.

“Jungkook,” Jimin cries out as he finally cums all over the sheets below him.

Jungkook leans down and covers the older’s mouth as he gives his last few final thrust. “Fuckk. I’m-I’m gonna cum.”

Jungkook pulls out, pumps his cock and splashes of white shoot out and land all over Jungkook’s hand and Jimin’s ass.

While Jimin lies there panting and coming down from his high, Jungkook hops off the bed, walks over to the sink to wash his hands. He grabs the entire box of wet wipes from the wall and places it right the little table beside the bed for Jimin. Jungkook finishes dressing himself while Jimin cleans himself up and puts his clothes on as well. When they’re both fully dressed, they stand there back at square one when they entered the room but now, they had incident number 3 to add to their list.

“Uhm,” Jimin says looking around the room because anything but making eye contact with Jeon is better. Jungkook ruffles his hair unsure of what to say as well. “So. That was. Counterproductive,” Jimin says.

“Yeah.”

“Let’s… never do that ever again. Yeah?” He finally looks at the trauma surgeon in the eyes and Jungkook nods shyly.

“Yeah.”

“Okay. So we’re clear. That was a mistake. Both times. I mean, even just now too. It can’t happen again. We’re… we’re professionals and coworkers.”

“Yeah. Definitely. Sorry.”

“No. It’s not your fault. I mean it is but like it’s both our faults I mean.”

“Right.” Jungkook says awkwardly.

“Okay. I have to get back to work now.”

“Yeah. Same. Uhm-“

“I’ll. Go first.” Jimin says as he straightens out his white coat and runs his hand through his hair. “So just like. Wait a few minutes after me or something.”

“Got it.”

Right before Jimin turns the door handle, he pauses, and says again while looking straight at the door and not at Jungkook, “This… will never happen again.”

“Yeah.”

But it does. It happens again. And again. And again… the two surgeons keep sneaking around and fucking for the next couple of weeks. Quickies in empty patient rooms and bathrooms, in various staff only rooms, in tight storage rooms and closets, handjobs and dry-grinding in the on-call room, quick make out sessions in the small storage shed on the rooftop, and even blow jobs in Jimin’s car parked in a far, secluded area.

“This can’t happen again,” Jimin says while pulling his pants up one day after they’ve fucked again, this time in the single accessible bathroom. They had once fucked in the normal men’s bathroom in the small sized stall but found it way too risky after they almost got caught. So here they were in the separate, single and spacious handicap bathroom.

“Yeah,” Jungkook says trying to still catch his breath and come down from his orgasm high. He grabs some more paper towels from the dispenser and wipes some cum he sees on the bathroom floor. How courteous of him.

Jimin stands in front of the mirror and fixes his hair and scrubs, trying to look as neat as possible.

“This is the last time,” Jimin says right before he leaves the bathroom. They had a whole system set up. Jimin always left first and Jungkook would wait 5 minutes until he left whatever room or location they were fucking in. If someone ever saw them, their plan was to say Jungkook’s stomach didn’t feel that good and Jimin was just helping him by patting his back. Stupid reasoning, but it was all they had.

The trauma surgeons rubs his face in shame, as he’s lost track what number this was that they’ve fucked. It’s become a form of release for them and he simply could not get enough. Jimin was the best sex he ever had, and each time, it only got better.

Another time, the two surgeons had a medical disagreement and they had civilly argued in their office. Jungkook’s anger had gotten much better and Jimin was glad that he no longer humiliated him in front of others.

“He’s not ready for surgery yet, Jeon. Two weeks. One more week is a good aim.”

“Not necessary. He’s ready for surgery now. We’ve already had him on medications for a firm 2 weeks now, he’s ready.”

“If you saw his most recent MRI, you’d see that his…” Jimin trails off explaining passionately his opinion and Jungkook counters back. The residents sit there quietly listening to the two attending physicians go back and forth, providing their input when asked, and when they all finally vote, Jimin wins.

Jungkook leaves the room annoyed and Jimin tells the residents to break for lunch. The heart surgeon sees Jungkook down at the end of the hall, and he follows him. He sees Jungkook enter a door and when he arrives at said door, it’s a storage room. He knocks and Jungkook opens it, swiftly pulling Jimin in.

They crash their lips together, bodies glued to each other, knocking things down in the tight space as they make out. Jimin eventually drops to his knees and pulls Jungkook’s pants and boxes down. “Stay still,” he says assertively, both hands on the side of Jungkook’s thighs.

Jungkook tangles his hand through the elder’s hair and moans. Jimin is already playing with his balls and licking slow but repetitive strips from his base up his length, teasing the slit with the tip of his tongue.

“Fuck. You and that mouth Park.”

“You like that, Jeon? You want to fuck my mouth so bad, don’t you?” Jimin smirks as he looks up at the younger, making firm eye contact while he circles his tongue on the head of Jeon’s cock. The sight makes Jungkook go wild.

“Fuck. Yes. Your lips… those lips. Made to take cock, aren’t they Jimin?”

“Is that what you want? Wanna feel your big cock in my mouth, don’t you?.” Jimin kisses the tip of Jungkook’s cock open mouthed and messily; he then continues teasing with kitten licks. Jungkook groans and starts begging for him to please suck him off. Jimin rubs his slit with his thumb and it nearly makes Jungkook cry because he’s so desperate to feel Jimin’s hot mouth wholly wrapping his thick cock.

“Tell me how bad you want it, Jeon.”

“W-wanna. Feel. Your mouth. Come on, Park. Stop teasing.”

“Maybe I won’t even suck you off today. Maybe I’ll just tease you with my hands, Jungkook.”

“N-no. Pl-please, come on. Don’t do th-this.” His hands pull Jimin’s hair and Jimin finally takes his cock in his mouth and Jungkook releases the loudest groan.

“Fuckk Jimin.”

“Come on, fuck my face Jeon. Isn’t. This. What you wanted?” Jimin says in between breaths. Jungkook grabs Jimin’s hair more firmly and begins fucking into his mouth. By now, Jimin has sucked him off far too many times lately that he’s become an absolute pro at breathing through his nose and not gagging.

His mouth is fed full of cock in and out as Jungkook thrusts his hard length into him while strings of drool fall to the ground. Jimin takes a hold of Jungkook’s cock with his hand and takes control, “that all you got, Jungkook? Can’t even fuck my face right.”

But he was lying of course. Jungkook couldn’t see but Jimin was so turned on he was leaking precum, the slick leaking also onto the ground. It makes Jungkook hold Jimin by the head with both his hands and he starts moving his hips at a faster pace, making sure the tip of his cock hits the very back of Jimin’s throat.

Jimin ends up gagging just slightly, choking on his dick because Jungkook’s facefucking him so fast and rough but Jimin doesn’t complain. They go until Jimin feels hot cum shoot into the back of his throat.

“Fuck,” Jungkook sighs heavily. When he pulls his cock out of Jimin’s mouth, Jimin has a pool of cum on his tongue in which he shows Jungkook. Jimin stands up, his knees hurting from the concrete floor, faces Jungkook straight in the eyes, sloshes his tongue around and swallows.

Jungkook swears he sees Jimin coquettishly grin.

Jungkook just stares at him still panting and in disbelief at how nasty this older surgeon was. Who would have ever guessed the sweet innocent looking Dr. Park Jimin could be so filthy. Who would have ever thought he’d fuck his colleague in various parts of the hospital, and proudly present the cum on his tongue, displaying it before he dramatically swallowed it.

“Jesus. Jimin.” Jungkook wonders if the blow jobs he gives Jimin is nearly as good as the ones Jimin gives him. Probably not. Jungkook was confident with sex but the way Jimin sucked him off was… indescribable. There was no one who had suck perfect lips for sucking dick, no one who looked more sinful, no one who had the dexterity of both their mouth and hands…

“Feel better?” Jimin smiles almost in a patronizing way, alluding to the fact he got Jungkook off after he was disappointed he lost the patient’s medical plan of care vote.

“Fuck you.” Jungkook rolls his eyes shaking his head and grinning, knowing exactly what Jimin meant.

“You already have. No more. We’re not doing this again.” Jimin fixes himself up and leaves the storage room first.

On another day, Jimin is by the nurse station going over some things with the nurse before he leaves for the night, when at the corner of his eye, he catches Jungkook going into a patient’s room. He remembered Jungkook was on the same shift as him today, which meant that he was off soon too, so what was he doing going into a patient’s room now?

Jimin finishes giving his night instructions to the nurse and bids her goodbye. He’s walking toward the locker room when a Hyunwoo, a resident stops Jimin.

“Hi Dr. Park, have you seen Dr. Jeon?”

Kim Hyunwoo. Third year resident. Very petite, cute, and sweet. He was like a mini Jimin, his aura. He was just a bit taller than Jimin, had the same eye smile eyes when he laughed, round face with cute mochi cheeks, brown hair instead of jet black like Jimin’s, a cute button nose, and also very pouty lips.

Everyone knew he had a huge crush on the trauma surgeon. He didn’t necessarily hide it. He would get Dr. Jeon a coffee and place it on his desk whenever he had a chance, always as him for help when he had questions, would ask him with aegyo to treat them (the residents but really him) to lunch, invite him out to drink with the residents, ‘accidently’ buy two sandwiches and give the ‘extra’ to him. Everyone knew. It was cute. Nobody had a problem with it.

Even Jungkook. He didn’t think too deeply of it but just thought of him as a cute hoobae. He didn’t necessarily welcome or deny Hyunwoo’s advances; he’d say thank you for the coffee and sandwiches, he’d laugh it off and say he’d try to make it to the bar when invited, he’d answer any legitimate medical questions Hyunwoo had. He didn’t add to it or take away from it, neither doing any of these things with a frown or added flirtatious vibes.

Jimin had seen it. Hyunwoo doing the aegyo. It was cute. He could admit that much. Because the hoobae really was adorable. Jimin could fully empathize with his harmless crush. Crushes were rampant throughout the hospital. It’s not like he too once upon a time during his first year here, didn’t have a crush. He very well remembers his fat crush on Namjoon sunbae. Of course, that went nowhere, since Namjoon and Yoongi were already blooming their affair into fruition.

It was just a crush.

“Hi Hyunwoo. I haven’t. Why? What’s up?” Jimin doesn’t know why his mouth is lying. He knew exactly where Jungkook was right now.

“Hm, I was going to ask him about drinks. He said he’d be down today but not sure if he remembers since I said it kind of in passing few days ago…”

“Ohh really?”

“Yeah. Hm. I know he’s off now, I was waiting around, I thought I’d catch him. I didn’t even see him change or anything. Maybe he’s still workin-“

“Ohh you know what Hyunwoo, I just remembered. I did see him leave. He already left for the day.” Jimin is mortified at his own self. What am I saying!?!? If Hyunwoo sees him from now until he leaves this hospital doors, I’m gonna be seen as a liar omg.

“Oh.” Hyunwoo frowns and Jimin feels awful now. But he doesn’t do anything to fix it. It was too late to go back. He had to shoo this resident out of this hospital before he ran into Jungkook. “Okay. Guess he forgot... Well, thanks Jimin sunbae. I’ll see you tomorrow. Have a good evening.”

“You too, Dr. Kim,” Jimin says smiling regretfully at his hoobae. What the fuck is wrong with me???

Jimin is now in the locker room packing up his belongings to go home after he’s changed out of his scrubs, when the locker room door flings open and Jungkook comes in.

“What are you doing.” Jimin asks, fake shuffling through and packing up his backpack.

“What?”

“I don’t get it, did I stutter? I’m right here, how could you not have heard me or understood what I sai-“

“Shut up, Jimin. You know what I meant. What do you mean what am I doing? I’m about to change so I could go home?? What else?”

“Come over.”

Jungkook is about to take his shirt off when he freezes at the words. He stares at Jimin. Jimin zips up his backpack and stands up to put it on. He makes his way to the door and pauses right by Jungkook and says in a lower volume, “come over. You know where I live, right? Pagoda Apartments. My place is 707.” With that, Jimin leaves the locker room.

Jimin is hardly home for 30 minutes when he hears a knock on the door. He didn’t think Jungkook would actually come this fast. He hadn’t even finished fully cleaning up his messy apartment. When he got home, he immediately hopped into the shower and then started taking out old food in his kitchen—the dirtiest section of his place. Not that they’d be sitting down to chat like old buddies over a nice meal, it’s just that Jimin couldn’t risk Jungkook seeing his disgusting kitchen with old, rotting food… just in case.

He panics when he hears the knocking again. “HOLD ON!” He shouts as he frantically runs around his living room trying to clean up what he could. He keeps Jungkook standing out there for nearly 10 minutes and when he finally opens the door, Jungkook walks in immediately pressing his body onto Jimin’s, hands holding the older’s waist and capturing his plump lips with his own.

He kicks the door shut behind him and they stumble their way over to Jimin’s bedroom, slamming each other against different walls, knocking things down, leaving a trail of clothes on the ground. And then Jungkook throws Jimin on the bed.

This was the first time they were hooking up at home and not at the hospital. Jimin feels a strange feeling, a good strange with a hint of joy and excitement that was different than before, forming in the pit of his stomach seeing Jungkook really here in his home. All they’ve done so far is kiss from the door to the bedroom yet Jimin feels himself growing hard just at the sight of Jungkook in his bedroom unzipping his pants and climbing onto the bed on top of him. It was no lie naked Jeon Jungkook in his very own room was sexy as fuck.

Jimin doesn’t know what came over him lying to Hyunwoo and then inviting Jungkook over to his home, but right now with the trauma surgeon on top of him kissing him and grinding on his thigh, Jimin could give two fucks about his conscious. The two surgeons fuck late into the night, moaning and screaming each other’s names as they go multiple rounds, climaxing multiple times, until they eventually finally fall asleep completely satisfied and utterly fucked out.

When morning comes, Jungkook wakes up to find the bed empty. “Jimin?” he says when he makes his way out to the living room. He calls for him again, “Jimin?”

Silence.

He sees a box of donuts, an empty mug, and a note on the dining table.

I had to go. Busy with errands and other plans. Feel free to help yourself to donuts and coffee if you need. You should see the Keurig machine in my kitchen. You can just let yourself out whenever.

Mood Music: Zion T - Eat

When the two surgeons see each other at work again, they don’t mention their night at Jimin’s place. They continue hooking up without truly talking about it, except now, they find themselves fucking less and less at the hospital and more and more in the comfort and privacy of their homes where they don’t need to worry about rushing or getting caught. They also stop with their ‘this is the last time’ bullshit at the end of each session. This isn’t just because they know they don’t mean it, but also mostly because Jimin is usually gone before Jungkook wakes up regardless of whose place, so they don’t even have an opportunity to say those words.

Jimin always seems to wake up first and leave so they don’t need to deal with the awkward part of hooking up: the morning after when they weren’t skin on skin or in a daze from their orgasm high. That is until one day, Jimin wakes up in Jungkook’s bed and the trauma surgeon isn’t there.

Jimin quickly scuffles around the room picking up his clothes and dressing himself feeling like a shameful college student all over again, wanting to make a run out of the Jungkook’s apartment when he hears something from outside the bedroom. Jimin was sure Jungkook was gone so Jimin could peacefully leave once he woke up without having to face each other; after all, this had been this system for the past few weeks. Well, Jimin’s system, in which he was sure Jungkook also liked. But the closer he gets to the bedroom door, he hears more sounds. Jimin quietly opens the door, gently turning the doorknob as to not make a sound. He peeks his head out and sees a topless Jungkook in the kitchen cooking food at the stove.

Fuck. Why is he home??

Jimin quietly shuts the door again and looks at the time. 7:33am. It was still so early! He was supposed to be the one who woke up first! Why was Jungkook up so early?! And why wasn’t he gone so they could avoid the post-sex confrontation?! Jimin panics standing there thinking about what to do. He could get back under the covers and pretend he’s sleeping and hope Jungkook will eventually leave his apartment to go do something else, or he could just hurry and walk out just saying a quick bye-

“Hey.” Jimin jumps at the sound of Jungkook’s voice. The topless man is holding a cup of coffee and he reaches his arms out to hand Jimin the mug. “You’re awake. Thought I heard something. Here, coffee.” 

“Oh. I’m okay. I have to go. But thanks,” Jimin says.

“I made omelets. You should eat and go.” Jungkook says not enthusiastically but also not dully.

“Oh. It’s really okay, I uhm. I just remembered I have something I had to do-“

“It’s… just eggs. With some vegetables Jimin,” Jungkook laughs. “I had vegetables I needed to use before they went bad so I made omelets. There’s too much.”

“You eat a lot though.” Jimin says. “That’s what I heard. You can finish it. I’m okay, I should get going. Thank you though.”

“Seriously Park. You’re really so annoying sometimes. It’s just food. Eat and go,” Jungkook says, placing the mug in Jimin’s hand and then leaving his bedroom.

Jimin groans internally and reluctantly makes his way out to the kitchen table where the two sit there in awkward small talk about work, surgery, the weather, food, sharing breakfast together after a night of hooking up with Jungkook topless and Jimin in yesterday’s clothes with disheveled sex hair.

~

“Doctor? Doctor Kim?”

“Sorry,” Seokjin says bringing himself to reality. He was spacing out about work, Taehyung, his job, Taehyung, and more Taehyung while sitting there in the wedding dress boutique.

“Well?? What do you think?!” The shop employee says beaming at Sara standing on the platform surrounded by a trifold of mirrors.

Seokjin nods.

“Oh, Dr. Kim! You always were so shy. Tell her how beautiful she looks!” Seokjin’s mother exclaims, smiling at her beautiful future daughter-in-law. “Trust me, he’s dying inside at her beauty!” the older woman assures Mrs. Kwon, Sara’s mother.

Kwon Sara stands there hoping for a little more than a mere nod from her soon-to-be fiancé. She was donning a nearly 30,000,000 won beautiful Rose Rosa wedding dress.  

“It’s great. Really,” Seokjin forces a smile. He makes eye contact with Sara and she smiles but it’s a sad and weak smile. And Seokjin feels bad. Even though he didn’t sign up for any of this, he remembers that neither did she. They were both pawns in their parents’ game. What woman didn’t want to be told they were absolutely beautiful in their wedding dress, even if it was an arranged marriage? Seokjin sighs and gets up from the cute, pink and gold-lined vintage couch and walks over closer to Sara.

“You look beautiful, Sara.” Seokjin says more convincingly. Because she did. She looked absolutely stunning in that dress. There was no doubt about it that she was already a very attractive woman to begin with.

She smiles empathetically and says, “thank you Seokjinssi.”

“Shall we go with this one then?! It seems like the mister likes this one, yes?” The store employee says smiling her big, over exaggerated customer service grin.

“I love this one too, Sara. You look like a princess! Doesn’t she, doctor?” Seokjin’s mother says again. She never failed to address her son by doctor whenever they were out in public. For how much she and Seokjin’s father were against him pursuing medicine, she sure boasted about her surgeon son whenever the opportunity allowed.

“I love this one as well. Let’s go with this one, dear.” Sara’s mother joins in.

“I’m sorry ladies, will you excuse me for a minute?” Seokin smiles politely and excuses himself. He speeds past an array of beautiful white dresses lined along every wall, past another customer party trying on dresses in another fitting room, past the adorable flower girl dresses, past the cash register, and into the restroom.

He hastily turns on the cold water and splashes his face. He felt a tightness in his chest that he couldn’t seem to rid no matter how much cold water he rinsed his face with. The sink is running, and he knows it’s wrong to waste water like this but he needed the comfort of some sort of sound because he punches the sink counter.

He stares at himself in the mirror, parts of his suit wet from the splashes, some of his hair close to his hairline soaked, drops of liquid dripping down his face. Water and tears. He can’t tell which is which as the droplets continue to fall. Seokjin only sees one thing in his reflection:

A coward.

At work the next day, Seokjin is in his office meeting with Jimin and Jungkook. There was a patient who had woken up from a coma after a month and needed the heart surgeon and trauma surgeon’s expertise. The chief has been rather impressed with how his two problem subordinates have been doing lately that he remembers to first praise them before he unloads this new project onto them.

“It’s been really nice not having to deal with you guys fighting. Not having to babysit. I am really glad you two have sorted things out.” Seokjin compliments.

Jimin and Jungkook nod and thank him politely. Seokjin doesn’t know what changed for the two rivals but he doesn’t care—as long as they were doing their jobs without causing a ruckus in his department, he was happy. He’d been so busy and stressed with life that he hadn’t really hung out with Jimin outside of work as a friend. Any free time he did have, he spent it with Taehyung alone, knowing his clock was counting down to his engagement. Plus, he knew Jimin wasn’t really fond of him right now and was also being distant toward him since he was leading Taehyung nowhere in terms of their relationship… imagining Taehyung’s best friend, feisty Dr. Park Jimin finding out he’s soon to be married to another woman… the thought makes Seokjin shiver. Seokjin didn’t blame Jimin for hating him. He hated himself too lately.

“I’ll make sure to put you guys on some good surgeries,” Seokjin adds to joke and lighten the mood even more. Jungkook chuckles and thanks him but Jimin just sits there as his icy self, arms crossed, eyes sharper than a knife.

“Anyways, I called you both here because of patient Bae Sungjoon.”

“The coma patient?” Jimin finally speaks, interested.

“Yes.”

“As you know, he woke up yesterday and he’s going to need…” Seokjin goes on explaining the situation with Mr. Bae and the unanswered, mysterious questions of his health. Both Jimin and Jungkook nod attentively as the chief tasks them with his case.

“I trust you will work together peacefully?”

“Of course,” Jimin smiles at him. But Seokjin knows Jimin hates him and that smile was nothing but excitement for Mr. Bae’s medical mystery and surgery.

“Great. Well, I’ll let you both get back to work then.”

“Thank you, sir.” Jungkook gets up and bows. Jimin gives a half ass bow and the two attendings leave his office.

About an hour later, while Seokjin is doing some work at his desk, he receives a text from Taehyung asking if he was busy.

I’m just working in my office, come. Seokjin replies.

Be there in 10. Taehyung texts back.

When Dr. Taehyung Kim comes almost exactly 10 minutes later, Seokjin gets up from his desk and walks over to the younger to greet him with a hug. Taehyung barely hugs him back and when Seokjin is about to give him a kiss, Taehyung surprisingly turns his face away.

“Hey. Everything okay?” Seokjin says, hurt.

Taehyung doesn’t lock the office door today like he normally does and just sits down on the couch.

“Sit,” Taehyung says. The chief listens and sits on the couch opposite of him.

“Just coming out of surgery?” Seokjin asks.

“No. I have in 30 minutes though. Seokjin.”

“Yeah?”

“I’m not happy.” Taehyung looks him dead in the eyes. “I know. You must be so sick of this. Not again, right? How many times have we had ‘this talk’. How many times have I come here telling you I’m through with this, right? But just, let me talk for a bit. Don’t interrupt me please. I’ve thought and thought about it. I know I seem happy.. with us. But I’m not dumb. I know it’s… it’s all… a façade. Because we’re not going anywhere in terms of us. And I’m not even blaming just you. It’s me too. I shouldn’t have come back here and let it happen again, I shouldn’t have gone to Jeju with you, I shouldn’t have drunk texted you, I know. It’s me too. And I just. I’ve been thinking a lot lately and it’ll be a year soon, Jin. A year of us doing… what? Fucking around. A whole year. And nothing’s changing. You’re not changing and it doesn’t seem like you’re gonna change and give me what I want. At first, I really believed you loved me. And that you really just wanted to take things slow, but I realized I’ve been an idiot. You don’t love me. If you did, you would commit to me. And it’s my fault for not seeing that and letting myself be played around with like this when you made it very clear this is never going to go nowhere.  And I thought, why? Why isn’t it going anywhere? Why doesn’t he want to commit to me and be official? And I can’t believe how dumb I’ve been! Because you don’t want to! Because you don’t love me enough! And here I was, trying to figure out WHY. But it was so simple! If you loved me enough, you would wanna be with me. Officially. But you don’t. And that’s not something I can hate you or blame you for, for not feeling the same way as me. We can’t help our feelings. I’ve been so dumb. So I’m blaming myself too, okay? I don’t want to do this anymore. I really don’t. I love you but I don’t think you love me. Well, not enough. And I really just finally opened my eyes yesterday after I found myself deep cleaning my entire kitchen and I thought wow, I’d love to be married one day because doing things like cleaning the damn fridge and kitchen would be so much better with a partner. I hate deep cleaning. It’s so annoying and domestic. And I thought wow, I am so fucking alone. And I’m going to keep being alone if I stay… with you. And I don’t want to be alone Seokjin. I want to be in love. Where I’m loved back. And not in the superficial way where we pretend all is well with life and everything is perfect when it’s not. But loved in a way where I am someone that someone else wants to commit to—ugly, messy, imperfect and all. Silly isn’t it? That cleaning my kitchen finally opened my eyes. I love you. So much. But I’m not happy. And I want to be. So, I’m going to truly end this. I just wanted to tell you that and that I really am serious this time. I’m going to start dating, too. Other people, Seokjin. Okay? I want to move on with my life.”

Seokjin wonders if god really had been listening. He had been agonizing over what to do and here Taehyung was bringing up this talk again. Maybe it was better this way, that Taehyung ends it with him so that Seokjin didn’t have to.

“Taehyung…”

“It’s okay. Don’t feel sorry for me. I’m hurt but I’m an adult. I will get over it, right? We always do. That’s why we’re human.”

“It’s not like that, I’m not feeling sorry for you, Taehyung. I’m just-“

“I will ask you one last time before I leave though,” Taehyung speaks gently despite the firm words. “Kim Seokjin, do you love me? No, you said you loved me, but are you in love with me? Where we can work towards... something real?”

Yes. I am so, so in love with you.

“I’m.. sorry.” Seokjin knows the one right thing he could do for Taehyung right now is to not say he loves him, when he knows he can’t be there for him. “I’m… so fucking sorry for everything. I never meant to hurt you, Taehyung.”

Taehyung just nods and Seokjin can see the younger looking upward, eyes blinking quickly, probably trying to prevent himself from crying.

“It’s okay. I’m gonna go now, chief. I’m really going to move on with my life so please, if you could also respect me and only talk to me when it’s work related, and if I happen to contact you when I’m weak, ignore me please, I’d really appreciate it.” This time, Seokjin knows Taehyung is serious because his tone isn’t even angry. He’s not overly emotional, but he seems logical and just… very, very mature. Taehyung says, “I know it’ll be hard at first, and maybe I sound cold right now saying all this to you but, I do want you to know… I don’t regret any of it. I don’t regret you Kim Seokjin.”

When heartbroken pediatric surgeon leaves his office, the chief bawls.

~

Jimin and Jungkook spend a lot of time together at work again arguing (much more civilly now) over the next steps and plan for their patient, Mr. Bae. They spend a lot of time not only with the patient or in their office, but also in the medical library. There is a lot of coffee, books, medical journals, charts, take out food, and sleepless nights reading, studying, and discussing the patient’s mysterious illness.

There is still also a lot of sex.

But it’s not even just sex anymore. Ever since that morning at Jungkook’s apartment in which they actually ate breakfast and talked the morning after, they’d been progressively spending more and more time together even hanging out at the bar after work, eating lunch together in the hospital, getting some sunshine and having a coffee together in the healing garden during their breaks, and spending time at home, post-sex. Their conversations which mostly used to surround Mr. Bae and medicine slowly turn into discussions about other personal things. They were inevitably learning a lot about each other without even realizing it.

Jimin even now made breakfast for them at his place. His first instinct now wasn’t to run away the instant his eyes opened.

“Maybe if you didn’t drink so much coffee, you could sleep when it’s actually time to sleep, and then you wouldn’t be so tired when you need to actually be awake?” Jimin says as he literally sips his mug of coffee after hearing Jungkook yawn and groan that he was tired.

Jimin was well aware by now that Jungkook had insomnia because the younger doctor had shared that information with him. Yes they were spending a lot of time together, but that didn’t mean they were suddenly the best of friends who spoke sweetly to each other or that they still weren’t combative with each other. That didn’t change.

It’s morning and the two surgeons are at Jimin’s place. They had stayed at the hospital late last night doing some research, and when they were stressed out and stumped from something, they decided to call it a night and headed over to Jimin’s to fuck and release some of their tension.

“Maybe shut your hypocrite mouth, Park.” Jungkook teases, rolling his eyes. “You’re so annoying I swear to god.” He trudges over to where Jimin’s standing in the kitchen, leaning on the counter holding his mug, wearing nothing but a big t-shirt and short boxers; Jungkook presses his body onto the older’s. He was in just his boxers, as the trauma surgeon always seemed to walk around topless at home. Jimin thinks he’s about to be kissed and he’s ready to run his hands up and down Jeon’s chiseled abs again but instead, Jungkook takes the mug from his hands and steals it away, smirking.

Jimin rolls his eyes. “Already drank like half of the cup, idiot.” Jimin grabs another k-cup and brews another fresh cup of coffee while Jungkook sips on the one Jimin was already drinking.

“We have a 24. How are you gonna survive today?”

“I’ll be fine. Worry about yourself, Dr. Park.” Jungkook says as he grabs a croissant from the box and starts eating it.

“What makes you think I’m worried about you?” Jimin scoffs. “I’m worried at your ability to perform on patients if you’re sleep deprived. And if you’re still hungry I said I’d make you more food, that croissant is old.”

“Tastes fine to me,” Jungkook shrugs as he begins scrolling through his email on his phone.

“Gross. I was literally gonna throw it out, like today.”

“Sure you were, Jimin.” Jungkook says indifferently, trying not to show his smile. He doesn’t look up from his phone as he was busy replying to some emails.

By now, Jungkook had discovered Jimin’s dirty little secret. Literally, his dirty secret. That the wonderful renown, pristine, polished surgeon Dr. Park Jimin was no Mr. Neatfreak at home. Because if Jungkook was ever over at Jimin’s place, it was without advance planning, or at the most only a few minutes to tidy up. Usually it was the two of them stumbling in together lips locked ready for another session of sex, which meant Jimin did not have time to tidy up his place and Jungkook saw his messy home in true form. Jimin always tried to bullshit his way making up dumb excuses after every time Jungkook was over, about how he was just about to clean, or he had visitors over and didn’t get a chance to clean, etc etc. Jungkook found it funny and endearing that the heart surgeon tried so hard to cover up his messy home life.

“I was!”

“Okay, Jimin,” Jungkook says smiling while still focused on his emails.

“Ughh,” Jimin glares at the half naked surgeon sitting at his dining table, munching on the probably stale croissant, reading his email. After a few minutes, Jungkook finally sets his phone down.

“I’m gonna shower.” Jungkook says getting up from the table. He starts heading over to Jimin’s bathroom. “Join?”

“Fine.”

~

One day, Jungkook gets to work and finds out Jimin had called out sick. “Is he okay?” He asked Dr. Kim Taehyung while they were in the on-call room doing some work.

“No I think he’s pretty sick. Jimin rarely gets sick, he said the last time he got sick was like 3 years ago. So when he does get sick, he gets like sick sick.”

“Oh really?”

“Yeah, he just texted me earlier saying he feels like death. I feel bad… I would stop by but I’m on a 24 today. Anyways, I gotta run, got another surgery.”

“See ya,” Jungkook says waving Taehyung goodbye.

After Jungkook’s 12 hour shift, he shows up at Jimin’s apartment with some abalone porridge.

“Who is it,” Jimin’s voice croaks on the other side of the door.

“Hey. It’s me.” Jungkook answers softly. Jimin opens the door just barely peeking his head out.

“What are you doing here?” Jimin asks suspiciously.

“You sound like shit,” Jungkook says widening the door open and helping himself in. Jimin was wrapped in a blanket he was holding, and he looked tinier than ever.

“Hey, what are you doi- hey, stop.” Jimin says, seeing Jungkook taking his shoes off to enter his home. “Jungkook, I’m really sick, not in the moo-“

Jungkook places his hand on Jimin’s forehead. He sets the food down for a second, opens his backpack and pulls out a thermometer he borrowed from the hospital and sticks it in Jimin’s ear.

“You really are sick, damn. Did you take medicine?” He picks up the take-out porridge again and walks further into Jimin’s apartment as if he owns the place, starts unpacking the food at the kitchen table.

“Jungkook what are you doing?” Jimin says staring at his colleague unwrapping the utensil packet and laying it down gently on the table.

“You’re blind now, too?”

“Seriously, what are you doing here?”

“It’s jumbok jook. I don’t know if it’s any good to be honest. Just googled the closest place that sells it. So I’m sorry if it’s gross. But you should eat, and take your medicine if you haven’t. You’re burning up. You might have the flu. I can swab you, I brought a swab kit-“

“I’m fine.” Jimin interrupts coldly. “Please leave. I feel like shit. I don’t want visitors.”

“I’m not a visitor.”

“Oh? Then what do you suppose you are?” Jimin says with a funny expression.

“A doctor. And you’re really sick right now.”

“So?”

“So… so what?”

“Why is that any of your concern? I didn’t ask you to come by with food. I don’t need anyone to take care of me. I just need to sleep, so can you just leave.”

“Dr. Kim said you were pretty damn sick so I just thought I’d stop by with some foo-“

“Well, you thought wrong. Please leave. I’m tired.”

“Well shit, Jimin. My bad. Damn.”

“What the hell. How are you gonna get mad for something I didn’t even ask you to do?! I’m sick I do not want to fight with you so just go.”

“You know what. I didn’t come here to agitate you, or to fight. Why would you think I came to fight with a sick person?? Why do you see me like this… this horrible person, Park? Even after… We’ve been working together a lot because of Mr. Bae and I thought, I dunno. Fuck. I thought maybe we were actually becoming friends?? Thought I’d see how you were doing since I heard you were so sick. But damn. You really just… nevermind. Enjoy the porridge.” Jungkook then pulls something out of his backpack and throws a small bag of medicine on the table and then walks toward the door to put his shoes on. He’s about to open the door and leave when he hears Jimin speak.

“I don’t think we can ever be just friends, Jungkook.” How could they when they literally started off hating each other, screaming at each other at work, and saw each other naked and fucked far too many times.

Friends didn’t do any of that.

Jungkook freezes, but doesn’t turn around to look at Jimin. He opens the door and finally leaves the apartment. Jungkook angrily gets on his motorcycle and speeds off feeling a strange feeling:

hurt.

When Jimin is back at work, they don’t talk about the porridge night. They don’t talk about ‘them’. They don’t talk about what exactly Jimin meant when he said they can’t ever just be friends. The only thing remotely close to talking about that night is Jungkook asking if Jimin felt better now, in which Jimin shrugs and says ‘yeah. Obviously I’m back at work. And… I… I didn’t really thank you for the porridge. You still did bring it regardless if I asked or not, so thank you.”

“Yep.” Jungkook had said. And that was it.

Typical of them.

Instead, they drown themselves in medical lingo, discussing surgery and medical literature relevant to Mr. Bae’s case. They are in the library one evening and it’s just the two of them on the floor by the bookshelf where most of their research was being pulled from. They had books and notes sprawled out everywhere. Jimin spins his pencil and after a few minutes of silent reading, he states loud and clearly that Mr. Bae should be put on these specific medications Jimin had read about.

“I think we should try it. It’s a less common drug I know, but it’s effective.”

“Have you ever even prescribed it before?” Jungkook asks.

“No. But there’s a first time to everything. Here, read this right here,” Jimin hands Jimin the book, pointing at a paragraph. Jungkook reads the full page trying to get more context and then he sets the book down and disagrees.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea. Why risk using some uncommon drug neither of us have ever prescribed when we can just do surgery on him. Something that’s solid and we’re familiar with.”

“Cuz surgery has zero risks, right? Yeah okay, Jeon.” Jimin scoffs.

“It’s a surgery both of have done before, versus this drug that we both don’t have much experience with-“

“A common surgery on an uncommon, rare, unknown disease and unhealthy, frail patient.” Jimin corrects him. “It’s too risky. It’s way more risky than trying this drug.”

“But it’ll be clean cut when it’s done-“

“When it’s done? You mean if. If he makes it.”

“He will. We’re good at our jobs, Park.”

“I’m not saying we’re not but look what happened last time..” Jimin frowns thinking of Ari.

“This… this isn’t even the same circumstance. Ari didn’t… Ari didn’t die in or from the surgery.”

“No. It’s too risky. We can’t operate on Mr. Bae yet. Not at where we are right now. We don’t know enough Jungkook.”

“Do we ever? When do we ever know enough, Park? That’s why we’re doctors. We take what knowledge we have and we weigh the pros and cons and make a decision when a reasonable time has passed. That’s what you’re doing with your medication proposal, no?”

“It’s different-“

“How?! How is it different? He could react poorly to the medicine and literally oh I don’t know, die.”

“As he could in surgery! He’s not ready yet, Jungkook!” Jimin is getting agitated.

“He will never ‘be ready’. Do you get that?? Yes, he is older, weak, and really, he’s a got a long history of every symptom possible, Jimin. I get that. But It’s so easy for you to just keep people waiting and waiting. They want out of here, Jimin. They want to get better and live their life. Yes, we can wait forever and ever until ‘that perfect moment’ to operate on them, but you know what, Park? It may never come. The perfect moment is now-“

“What the fuck?!” Jimin says irritated. Jungkook keeps going.

“I get that you want to ‘do things the right way’ every time and ponder over and over again until things are perfect but sometimes, we just gotta do it. For the patient. He’s ready. And we should operate on him. Help him get out of this damn hospital and back to his life. I know we have different approaches to medicine but honestly, you’re ways are just… I dunno Jimin. It’s too slow sometimes. Sometimes, it’s not about doing every little damn step just because we’re a teaching hospital. You could sit there for years and justify that it ‘wasn’t the right time yet’. Sometimes, we just gotta advocate for and work for the patient. You need to think about that more.”

“You think I don’t know that?! You think I don’t know that these patients want OUT!? HUH!? You think I don’t think about the patients first?!?!?” Jimin starts laughing sarcastically.

“Calm down. What the hell is wrong with you, Park.”

“DON’T tell me to calm down. UGGH!” Jimin makes loud, frustrated noises and it takes Jungkook by surprise because although they’ve still been argumentative the whole time they’ve known each other, even through their hooking up and the recently hanging out outside of work, it’s been awhile since he’s seen Jimin get this worked up and angry.

“What the hell is your problem?” Jungkook asks.

“Oh shut the fuck up, Jungkook!” Jimin stands up angrily, throws his pencil on the ground, and starts yelling. “You are so fucking full of yourself.”

Jungkook’s eyes widen, he’s utterly confused why Jimin is so personally agitated and triggered suddenly. He knew they were having a medical disagreement but he thought it was still just a healthy, medical debate.

“What the hell Jimin? What’s your problem, seriously.”

“YOU! YOU’RE MY PROBLEM JUNGKOOK! UGH FUCK!”

Jungkook is literally speechless. He knows he gave his insight in which Jimin might disagree with, and yeah, maybe he sounded a little arrogant but he has no idea why Jimin is cussing and yelling at him so aggressively.

“You come in here from the military, thinking you’re the ONLY one who ever faced DEATH. Who thinks you’re the only doctor here who actually CARES about the patients fuck. You are so judgmental and arrogant you know that Jeon?! Since day ONE.”

“Okay, calm down. Damn. I’m sorry. I came off a bit arrogant just now, you’re right. I worded it poorly, I’m sorry. I was just trying to say… your style is a bit too risk-averse for me and-“

“OH SHUT THE FUCK UP, JEON.” Jimin is raging and Jungkook remains speechless.

“The fuck…” Jungkook mumbles. He stands up too. “Can you, calm down though? Seriously. We’re in the library.” Not that anyone else was there, Jungkook just doesn’t know what else to say and he’s trying to calm this heart surgeon down.

“You… you think YOU’RE the ONLY one who’s ever been close to death. So you’re the only one who can empathize and puts the patients first like wtfuck? YES. So you were out in Loguay with bombs and loud shit blowing up in your face where you almost died probably. You really think you’re the only one who has been close to death, huh?! That’s why you’re so FULL OF IT. Treating the rest of us, treating ME as if were some bourgeoisie doctors here playing house not giving a fuck about our patients but just here to ‘play doctor’ and teacher taking our sweet as time. You think I don’t WANT to speed up their process?! Of fucking course I do. I WANT MY PATIENTS BETTER TOO. I WANT THEM OUT OF THIS DAMN HOSPITAL. Fuck you Jungkook.”

“Seriously, what the FUCK is your problem?!” Jungkook finally yells back. “I thought we were just discussing our perspectives why are you getting fucking hostile and attacking me!?”

“Shut up Jungkook. I’m sick of your shit. Guess what Dr. Jeon. You’re NOT the only one who has been close to death. Guess who has been more CLOSER to death than you maybe?! ME. I HAVE. I HAVE LITERALLY DIED AND CAME BACK ALIVE SO DON’T FUCKING TELL ME ABOUT ADVOCATING AND ‘THINKING OF THE PATIENTS FIRST’ CUZ THERE IS NO ONE WHO THINKS OF THEM FIRST MORE THAN I DO. FUCK YOU.”

Jimin starts stepping in between all the books on the ground, to storm over to the exit but Jungkook grabs the elder’s wrist.

“What?” Jungkook just blinks staring at the shorter man. “Jimin, what?”

Jimin tries to pull his arm free from Jungkook’s grip but it just makes Jungkook grip firmer. He pulls the heart surgeon closer to him. “Tell me exactly what you mean, Jimin.”

Jimin just stands there breathing heavily, glaring at Jungkook. But Jungkook could see a glint of sparkle, a wetness in the older’s eyes. They stare at each other in silence for a few seconds until Jungkook gently pulls them both down to sit back on the ground, trying to settle and calm Jimin down.

“Jimin, tell me what you mean,” he says again. He can hear Jimin’s heavy breaths still and so he finally lets go of Jimin’s wrist and instead holds one of his hands in his. It was so small and soft, Dr. Park’s hand. “What do you mean, you literally died and came back alive Jimin?” He asks softly, almost in a whisper.

Jimin starts tearing and then he finally opens his mouth.

“When I was 16… I got pneumonia and almost died. I mean, I nearly did die. I code blued. Twice. Complications. I was in the hospital for three months. It was… It was hell.”

And then Jimin sobs.

Jungkook pulls him in and hugs him. Jimin cries shaking into the trauma surgeon feeling both free and fear. He never told anyone this in the hospital, or really, anyone in his adult life. Not even his best friend Taehyung. He had so much trauma from the 3-month long hospitalization that he was never ready to talk about it.

Until now. When Jungkook had literally triggered him.

Jimin cries it out in Jungkook’s arms and then tells him everything. He had initially been hospitalized for pneumonia, something that should have went away after a few days, at most a week in the hospital. But the pneumonia kept spreading in his lungs, and then complications kept arising. Eventually, he had to be intubated, and when he woke up a month later after a drug-induced coma, he was confused at where he was, why he was connected to a ventilator, why had was connected to a million wires, and the scariest part, why he could not move. Not a single finger.

Jimin’s muscles had been so sedentary during his coma that when he woke up, all his muscles had deteriorated. After his lung and internal complications improved to an extent over a period of month two, he had to literally relearn how to walk. Hence, another third month in the hospital for inpatient rehabilitation where he had daily occupational and physical therapy relearning everything from how to sit up, keep his neck straight, move his fingers, learn to put his socks on, wipe his own shit, and biggest challenge and his life’s biggest accomplishment of all: learning how to re-walk.

Knowing how to move yet your body not listening was the strangest and most miserable experience 16 year old Park Jimin had ever experienced. To know how to stand and walk yet your body failing to listen was a misery that Jimin did not wish upon to even his worst enemy. He had so much trauma thinking about all those days in the hospital. He remembers pressing the call button every time he wanted to toss and turn while sleeping. The nurses had to come and help him turn his body. So learning how to move his body all over again as a 16 year old, was the hardest thing he’s ever accomplished in his life. The proudest. Even more than graduating medical school and becoming a surgeon.

Of course, this experience is what made Jimin want to be a doctor. He had learned a lot while being a patient. There was a lot hospitals could work on, little things that went unnoticed. He remembers when the call button remote fell and he really had to itch his fucking nose one night, but of course, he couldn’t lift his arms and he couldn’t even yell for a nurse at that time because he was connected to a ventilator. That was miserable. Or another day when he really wanted another pillow because the one under his head was lumpy, but the nurse at the nurse station answering the call button through the speaker kept saying hello? Hello? Instead of physically coming into his room. Jimin couldn’t answer because Jimin couldn’t talk with the ventilator in his throat.

It’s why as a doctor now, he always made sure to consider all the little things now. Why he took the extra time to chat with his patients and hear their concerns and frustrations.

Because Jimin knew.

He had fucking lived it.

And to think some cocky military surgeon could waltz in here and accuse him of being too bureaucratic? Too ‘obsessed with doing what’s right’. Of taking his sweet ass time? There was nobody who wanted these patients out of here more than Jimin did.

Sometimes, Jimin wonders if he’s sick in the head for working in the hospital as a doctor. If people knew of his personal hospitalization experience, perhaps they’d think it made his trauma worse. But for Jimin, it was his way of coping, by being there not only as a surgeon but as a patient’s advocate. Because he knew what it was like living in a hospital as a sick patient. It was his way of healing himself of the trauma from being on the brink of life and death. He still remembers in blurred memory of himself slowly losing conscious as he found it hard to breath, of the nurses and doctors running into his room upon the code blue alarm… of closing his eyes and… being ready for death.

He had seen a psychologist for nearly two years after that hospitalization, right up until he started college. This is why Jimin knew Jungkook wasn’t ready to talk about the supermarket incident, his trauma, whatever it was, because Jimin could relate. He wasn’t ready to share his hospitalization experience with anyone. That is until now of course—albeit out of anger. That’s why he didn’t force Jungkook to talk about it when Jungkook told him to drop it months ago.

Jungkook is wide eyed and still holding Jimin’s hand when the heart surgeon is finished talking. To his surprise, Jimin feels a million pounds lighter… even if it was this cocky, judgmental, fuckbuddy of a surgeon he was spilling everything to.

“So… yep. That’s… my story.” Jimin lets out a long, deep exhale. “Now you know.”

Jungkook takes his other free hand and moves some of Jimin’s hair from his eyes, brushing the black locks back. He stares deeply into the older’s eyes but Jimin doesn’t look away. He stares back, locking their eyes together firmly.

“Jimin,” Jungkook says gently. Jimin doesn’t answer but his eyes answer back yes?

“You’re right,” Jungkook says, his heart beating 850BPM. How he’d be so, so incredibly wrong about Dr. Park Jimin. In every way possible.

“Hm?” Jimin’s eyes stare back at him with wonder.

“I don’t think we can ever just be friends,” and Jungkook leans in, softy pressing his lips onto Jimin’s.

The kiss is soft and languid, Jungkook taking his time to savor and taste every inch of Jimin’s beautiful pillowy lips, and Jimin kisses him back with a tenderness that Jungkook has yet to experience until now. It’s nothing like how they’ve been kissing before when hooking up. Instead, everything about the both of them is gentle and loving. Their bodies slowly move so that their backs are against the book shelf, shoulder to shoulder, heads turned facing each other, hands still laced together and lips passionately locked.

They kiss and they kiss and they kiss…

Jimin wonders if Ari was right all along.

Chapter Text

Jungkook was a good kisser. Jimin had concluded that much from this past month of hooking up with Dr. Jeon. But he was a really good kisser. Really really good. They make out softly and slowly in the medical library of the hospital, in their workplace; it still wasn’t appropriate what they were doing just because they were clothed and kissing tenderly this time. They came down here to do research, to work, not kiss. But when Jimin feels Jungkook smiling into the kiss, it makes him smile too.

And it doesn’t feel wrong.

Not at all.

So Jimin’s not sure why he does what he does next. “I… have to go. Sorry. I forgot I had something to do tonight. Sorry.” Jimin stands up flustered the moment he and Jungkook pull away from the kiss. He doesn’t leave any room for further smiles, not a moment for a single word to be said.

He runs out of the library.

The trauma surgeon sits there dumbfounded and confused, staring at all their files and books scattered across the floor. He face palms and groans. He reluctantly begins gathering the files, picking up and placing books back onto the shelves. While cleaning up, he notices Jimin left his little stressball that he always seemed to fidget with when working.

A red heart shaped stressball with the words I aorta tell you how much I love you written on it.

~

There are two things Kim Taehyung was always confident about:

1. Surgery
2. Dating

He lived and breathed surgery; scrubbing down to head into the OR always gave him a feeling of ecstasy. And dating, well, he was always good at that. Nervous didn’t exist in his vocabulary when it came to love and romance. That is of course, until Chief Kim Seokjin came into the picture, like a bulldozer he turned the pediatric surgeon’s world upside own, making him question everything including his own self worth.

He was never one who got nervous for a date. But he hasn’t been on a real first date in over a year. So when he opens the large door to Black Bottle, a trendy upscale bar and lounge right in the heart of Gangnam in which he’s been to a million times, he feels unfamiliarly nervous.

The place isn’t as packed like it usually is because it’s a weekday. Taehyung follows the petite host dressed in a short black mini dress with a slicked back, long ponytail. The workers here always wore black, Taehyung has been here enough to know the employees’ dress code. It fits with the sleek ambiance of the place, the color scheme of the establishment’s interior design being black and monochromatic.

Taehyung sticks out like a sore thumb against the dark interiors. He’s wearing a bright, silky magenta Gucci button up, extremely tight black ripped jeans from his favorite denim brand PURPLE, totally accentuating his ass, his favorite black Ferragamo textured calfskin Gancini loafers that he’d never dare wear to work because they were much too expensive to risk getting blood and bodily fluids on them, three rather chunky rings from Konstanino jewelry. He thought it might be a bit overkill, the rings, but he figured why not? Life was short and he liked his jewelry. When else would he wear all these rings he purchased if not somewhere social like a date? It’s not like he could wear them to work as he was always in surgery.

The man was always bold with his style, wearing bright colors, bold prints, and unique patterns outside of work. If he didn’t go into medicine, in another life he would have loved to pursue fashion. But suddenly today, he feels self-conscious and overdressed, slightly regretting going with the magenta shirt instead of the navy one he had also considered. He subtly takes two of the rings off his fingers and places them in his pockets as the host begins to lead him to his table.

They walk through the posh dimly lit hallway and past the entire wall display of wine bottles that start from the floor up to the very high ceiling—it’s an impressive collection really and an even more creative interior design choice. It’s a shame Taehyung doesn’t like wine much. But his date had suggested the place and Taehyung was familiar with Black Bottle since he’s been here, so he figured why not. When they are almost at the back of the bar, he spots his date immediately because he’s seen pictures.

They were set up for today’s date by their mutual friend Park Seojoon, Taehyung’s close hyung from university. When his date spots him he stands up and gives him a small wave from afar. Taehyung smiles back politely and as he gets closer and closer to the table, he feels so incredibly nervous that he doesn’t feel like himself. Why is he so nervous? He never got nervous on dates.

I want to be happy he had told Seokjin during his long somewhat of a ‘break-up’ speech. I want to be happy. I want to be happy. I want to be happy. Taehyung repeats to himself as he tries to calm his nerves.

I will be happy.

“Hey, I’m Taehyung! Hyungsik right?”

The man smiles even bigger, and it’s such a genuine smile that Taehyung feels himself starting to get calmer.

“That would be me! So nice to meet you finally Taehyungssi,” the two men both end up giving a friendly hug instead of a handshake—it was date after all. They settle down in their seats side by side at the semi-circle booth.

“You too! I’ve heard a lot about you from Seojoonie hyung!” It was true. Seojoon had went on and on bragging about his gaming company CEO friend Park Hyungsik when Taehyung had told him he was looking to actively date again. Of course, Seojoon did the same when speaking with Hyungsik, boasting about his dongseng the sweet natured and extremely adorable pediatric surgeon.

“I hope they was good things?” the CEO chuckles.

“Maybe, maybe not,” Taehyung teases. “You’ll have to wait and find out. I’ll make a final conclusion about Seojoonie hyung’s claims by the end of tonight.” The elder laughs heartily, lightly nudging his elbow on Taehyung to stop teasing him. It’s cute and flirty and natural and it makes Taehyung giggle.

“You look great, by the way. I love the pink shirt.” Hyungsik compliments with such sincerity in his eyes it makes Taehyung regret regretting his fashion choice just a few moments ago.

“Magenta.”

“Magenta.” They both smile.

“Thank you,” Taehyung says cheekily. “You look great too Hyungsikssi.”

“I’ll tell you a secret.”

Taehyung raises an eyebrow and waits for the man to tell him.

“I am usually dressed in a sweater and jeans. My workplace is a casual dress code. Most of us, the engineers especially just come to work sometimes looking like they rolled out of bed and don’t own a comb. Sweatpants, sweater, flip flops or Adidas slippers. Don’t tell them I said that.”

Taehyung bursts out laughing.

“Wait, but I don’t mean I do that! I’m not that bad! I wear jeans at least. And socks. Clean socks. And sneakers. And I do my hair. See.” Hyung fake fixes his hair.

“Are you lying to me?” Taehyung flirts. He’s slowly feeling like he’s himself again because his date is making it so easy to flirt. They have a good, immediate chemistry.

“Okay, guilty. Sometimes, just sometimes, I wear my Adidas slippers to work too.”

“Please don’t tell me… you wear them with socks, Korean ahjussi style…”

Hyungsik brings a fist to his mouth, trying not to laugh, dramatically trying to act guilty. “Oh my god, you do! Huh?!” Taehyung giggles and Hyungsik smiles that his eyes disappear. He’s got such a handsome, friendly, inviting face that Taehyung feels all at ease by now, his nerves gone from when he was entering the bar.

“I like this,” Hyungsik just barely brushes his fingers on the chunky ring on Taehyung’s index finger. “Stylish. I should try to wear rings more often, huh?”

“Not everyone can pull it off like me,” Taehyung jokes smiling coquettishly. “But you can try.” Hyungsik chuckles and keeps his hand there, gently rested partially over Taehyung’s hand, above the ring. They both shyly smile and laugh and their server comes to take their order.

Maybe I will be alright after all.

~

It’s 10:07am when Jungkook hears a knock on his door.

He didn’t have a good night’s sleep because he was up late thinking about what happened in the library. Thinking about the kiss. Thinking about Jimin. If it were any other day, he would have already had his morning run, ate breakfast, and would be wide awake and alert, ready for the day he had off.

But instead, he groans and drags himself out of bed. He throws on a shirt and wonders who it could be at this hour as he makes his way over to the door. He didn’t have any package deliveries he was expecting or guests that were supposed to be visiting.

“Jimin.” Jungkook’s eyes widen at the sight of his colleague standing there when he opens his door.  The older doctor is wearing his glasses and is dressed in a bright orange hoodie, jeans, and white Nikes. Comfy casual. “Hey.. What are you doing he-“

“Why did you do that?” Jimin interrupts him. They both know exactly what the older is referring to.

The silence is piercing for a few seconds as the two men stand there at the door just staring at each other with a world of confusion in between them. Jungkook just smiles weakly, but fondly. He’s leaning against the door in his red plaid pajama pants and oversized white t-shirt, hair still disheveled from sleep, staring deep into Jimin’s eyes. The trauma surgeon’s gaze is strong but it’s soft and Jimin’s not sure how to feel about it.

“Why did you do that Jungkook?” Jimin repeats again this time with a stronger tone, almost as if he’s ready to bring his claws out once again. But to Jimin’s surprise, Jungkook steps forward and pulls him in for a hug.

“Good morning to you too Dr. Park,” Jungkook says warmly while he has Jimin in his arms. “Are you okay? You just… left last night.” Jimin stands there stiff as a statue, not hugging back, not bringing his arms up, and not moving even the slightest bit. Jungkook was right that he had abruptly run out of the library last night so this isn’t the warm, sympathetic reaction he was expecting to receive from his arrogant and prideful colleague. Jimin doesn’t say answer with words but he nods as best he can in Jungkook’s arms.

“Did you eat?” Jungkook asks casually when he finally lets the man go from his embrace. “Come in. I just woke up. I’m starving.” Just like that Jungkook just turns around and heads back inward to his apartment, leaving the door wide open for Jimin to either leave or enter.

Jimin also had gotten absolutely no sleep last night. After running out on Jungkook, he’s done nothing but replay their intimate, soft kiss over and over and over again.

Why did he blow up so bad at Jungkook to the point where he shared his private personal matters? It’s not like he hasn’t heard cocky Dr. Jeon acting as though he’s the only one who ever ‘cared’ about the patients or as if he’s the only one who’s ever experienced difficult and challenging circumstances as a surgeon. It’s not like Jungkook never ticked him off before to the point of boiling anger—the two had literal screaming matches since the trauma surgeon arrived to SMC. So why did he get so triggered and end up blowing up, sharing his personal hospitalization experience with this man who wasn’t even a work friend? He hadn’t even told his best friend Taehyung about his near death hospitalization experience.

And why… why had Jungkook kissed him like that after? Why why why?

Jimin had tossed and turned all night, with flashbacks of Jungkook’s fond and surprised face expression, his thin but beautiful lips, his big veiny hands, the way he brushed his hair away from his face for him, the way he leaned in slowly and captured his lips…

And somehow, at 10 in the morning on their day off, Jimin’s body ended up here at Jungkook’s apartment as if he was on autopilot.

Jungkook is busy in the kitchen cooking up a storm and Jimin just stands there silently watching, eyes following the man’s every movement throughout the kitchen.

“Bacon or sausage?” Jungkook asks nonchalantly as he opens the freezer, not even looking at him. “And do you mind starting the coffee.” He adds on oh so casually considering Jimin has been here and done it before now many times.

“I don’t care,” Jimin murmurs as he reluctantly walks over to the kitchen and opens a cabinet to take out two mugs. He already knew where the basics in Jungkook’s kitchen were located. He starts the Keurig machine, refills the container with water and starts brewing the first cup of coffee.

“Just pick. It’s not that hard, Park.”

“Sausage.” Jimin mumbles while he stands there leaning on the counter waiting for the coffee to brew. The two doctors don’t say much while breakfast preparations are being made; it’s evidently awkward because they’re ignoring the big elephant in the room and acting like cooking breakfast is extremely important as if their salvation depends on it. Jimin doesn’t understand what he’s doing here about to just casually dine with Jungkook when he came over with the sole intention of asking why he kissed him like… that yesterday in the library.

But here he was now seated at Jungkook’s white IKEA table with the wonderful aroma of coffee swirling in his nose and a huge plate of food in front of him waiting to be eaten. Once Jungkook sits down, he starts eating silently and Jimin just watches him for a few minutes. Jungkook could feel the elder’s eyes observing him but he continues chomping down on his food.

“Jungkook.” Jimin says, holding his mug of coffee with both his sweater paws, his plate of sausages, pancakes, hashbrowns, fresh fruit, and scrambled eggs still untouched.

Scrambled eggs.

Jimin stares at the scrambled eggs on his plate and then at the two over-hard fried eggs on Jungkook’s plate. Jimin suddenly tenses up and he feels a weird sense of panic. Jungkook knew that’s how he liked his eggs by now: scrambled. He didn’t even have to ask.

How and when did we get here? We were just fooling around and hooking up… so why… why does he know how I like my eggs cooked?

His eyes then move over to Jungkook’s mug, the coffee he had brewed for him just now and another pang of panic hits him in the chest again realizing he knew exactly how Jungkook liked his coffee: the third large cup option on the Keurig machine with what he personally considered an unhealthy amount of creamer (hazelnut being his favorite) and a little bit of sugar. Jimin internally freaks out and he wants to remake Jungkook’s coffee all wrong so that Jungkook dislikes it; he wants to grab the pile of scrambled eggs on his plate with his hands and somehow undo it and shove it back into the eggshell and stick it right back in the egg carton and into the fridge.

Jungkook ignores him and keeps eating. So he speaks again, “Jungkook.”

Jungkook finally looks up at the elder. “Are you not gonna eat?” He says with a gentle tone, eyeing Jimin’s plate.

“Can you stop with the food! I don’t care about food right now!” Jimin says finally with a little more aggression in his tone. “Why did you do that, Jungkook?” Jimin asks yet again, completely ignoring Jungkook’s food question. Jungkook takes a deep sigh and finally sets his fork down and wipes his mouth with a napkin.

“Well I do. I care. I care about food. I just woke up right when you knocked on my door. So I’m hungry. If you didn’t eat breakfast yet either, then eat and talk. Your food’s going to be cold… do you want me to make you something else? I have instant soondooboo jjigae if you want Korean food. Do you want me to make you it? It’ll be quic-“

“JUNGKOOK!”

Jungkook sighs. “What Jimin,” Jungkook finally answers in reference to Jimin’s desperate plead for an answer about last night.

“What was yesterday. Why did you do that, huh?” Jimin needs answers. He is in fact starving too in terms of his stomach but when Jimin is focused on something, that’s all he could put his attention toward. There was no way he could digest anything if he were to eat right now no matter how hungry he was. What he needed to digest was what Jungkook meant with yesterday’s kiss. He needs an answer from Jungkook and he needs it now.

“I don’t know,” Jungkook replies sternly but gently. He stares fondly at Jimin. “I don’t know Jimin. I just wanted to. I don’t have a good answer for you other than I wanted to, and that I meant it. I don’t know. Is that okay?”

Jimin sits there blinking trying to fully take in Jungkook’s reply.

“I just don’t wanna fight anymore,” Jungkook adds on quietly with a defeated tone. They both just sit there at the table staring at each other for a few seconds of pure silence until Jimin finally picks up his fork to start eating.

“Okay.”

The rest of the afternoon is weird. Jimin ends up staying without Jungkook necessarily explicitly asking him to hang around at first. They clean up and do the dishes together after finishing up breakfast. They talk about work and their research project for a bit and then Jimin gets comfortable on the couch just watching TV as if it’s his second home while Jungkook showers and tidies his place up.

“I have to vacuum,” Jungkook says taking out his vacuum cleaner from the closet. Jungkook was a very, very clean person and if there was one thing he did not compromise with anyone, it was his cleaning schedule. He had to vacuum today or it would bug him all day until he did. He had to vacuum even if he had company over by the name of a very cute Dr. Park Jimin. He was fast and efficient though since he did it so often so he didn’t see it as a big deal even if he had someone over. “Sorry. I was planning to vacuum today. I’ll be quick.“

“Oh. Okay,” Jimin says grabbing the remote to turn the TV off. “Sorry, I’ll go now.“

“No,” Jungkook says immediately. “Sorry, I didn’t mean it like you have to go. I’m just gonna vacuum real quick here so I’m just letting you know it’s gonna be loud for a few minutes minutes and disturb your show. Was giving you a heads up that I’d be interrupting your,” Jungkook pauses and looks at the TV screen to see what the man was watching but he’s unfamiliar with it.

“Suits.” Jimin says smiling awkwardly. “It’s okay, I should go now anyways, I’m in your way. I’ll head out now.”

“Just stay,” he says more firmly. Really, it sounds like a demand than a suggestion. “It’s fine. I’ll be quick. You can go watch in my room if you want. HDM3.” Jungkook says plugging in the vacuum and turning the loud machine on. He tilts his head back to point to his bedroom and Jimin hops off the couch and heads over there as suggested.

About 25 minutes later, Jungkook walks toward his bedroom. “Okay, I’m done if you wanna go back ou-“ Jungkook stops midsentence when he arrives at his bedroom to see Jimin on his bed sound asleep with the TV on.

He had to vacuum his bedroom next. He had to. He didn’t have another day off after today for six days. He had to vacuum.

But Jimin looked so sweet and peaceful lying there curled up on his bed on top of the covers, his squished left cheek on the mattress making his face look even more cute and youthful than it already was, his sweater paws in his big orange hoodie, one of them just barely holding onto the remote.

But he wouldn’t be able to vacuum for a whole six days possibly if not today because he was usually too exhausted on days he came home from work and Jungkook hated doing a half ass job of cleaning. He didn’t half ass anything in life. Even cleaning.

Perhaps Jimin will wake up in a few minutes, Jungkook thinks. The petite man is sleeping smack in the center of the bed on top of the covers so Jungkook grabs another small throw blanket from his closet and covers him with it. He turns off the TV and leaves his bedroom to go clean his kitchen allowing Jimin to sleep a bit more.

Unfortunately for Jungkook, two garbage bagfulls, a deep fridge clean, three episodes of Suits beginning with season 1 pilot, an hour of some medical reading—a total of six hours later, Jimin is still sleeping.

He stands there at his bedroom door wondering if he should wake the man up not only so he could vacuum but also because it was almost dinner time. But he hears a light snore. Jungkook can’t help but smile. He remembers the very first time seeing Jimin passed out in the on call room bunk bed snoring. He found it was adorable then and it was still adorable now.

How does someone look so fucking cute still when they’re snoring.

He walks over to the window and draws the blinds, grabs a pillow and places it under Jimin’s head for him gently, shuts his bedroom door quietly and leaves the man to continue sleeping.

When Jimin opens his eyes, it’s dark. He’s confused and disorientated at first for a few seconds and when he tries to move his body to turn around to look at the time, he can’t because someone is holding him by the waist. He freezes.

Jungkook.

He remembers he is at Jungkook’s. He had come into his bedroom to watch TV while Jungkook was vacuuming the living room… but that was earlier today… what time was it?!

Jimin slowly brings his arms to his waist to try and remove Jungkook’s arms from him but that merely makes Jungkook mumble and instead, pull him in closer.

“Hey,” Jimin whispers quietly. “Jungkook? I should go. It’s late.” Jimin says as if he hasn’t slept over here before. But that was usually after they’ve fucked.

Which did not happen today.

“Jungkook? Hey, I’m gonna go,” Jimin tries again to move Jungkook’s arms so he could free himself and go home but no avail as the trauma surgeon nearly hugs him tighter as if he was his very own body pillow. He feels Jungkook burying his face into the nape of his neck.

“Just stay,” Jungkook mumbles groggily; Jimin could feel the younger’s lips brushing against his skin when he spoke.

Jimin remains still as a rock. Jungkook wasn’t letting him go. “What time is it?” Jimin asks quietly.

“Iunno. Late. Let’s sleep I’m tired.”

“Jungkook what time is it?” He asks again. “How long did I sleep for?”

Jungkook groans and finally moves so he could look at the clock which is on the nightstand on Jungkook’s side. He informs Jimin of the time and the elder is shocked to learn he’s slept for nearly 12 hours, wasting an entire day.

“Holy crapp. Why didn’t you wake me up?!” Jimin asks finally facing the other way at Jungkook.

Jungkook speaks lazily, still half asleep in his deep almost groaning voice. “You were sleeping too peacefully.”

“Well now I can’t sleep more. I don’t think I can fall asleep again. I should go home.” He’s about to get off the bed but Jungkook pulls him back in and he falls on his back again landing on Jungkook’s arm pillow. Jungkook’s other free arm roams around the nightstand in the dark to find the remote and turns the power button on and hands it to Jimin. He then curls his other arm over Jimin, locking the heart surgeon in once again.

“Just watch TV here then. If you get hungry there’s food on the table I made. Goodnight.”

“No it’s okay. You need to sleep, the TV is too bright and loud. I’m gonna go now. Sorry I fell asleep here all day…” Jimin squirms his body to try and get out of Jungkook’s hold but Jungkook is not letting him go.

“Just stay Jimin.” Jungkook mumbles again in his drowsiness.

“Stay.”

From that day forward, every day felt like an exciting new day now for both Jimin and Jungkook. Not that Jimin wasn’t enthusiastic about life to begin with or that Jungkook didn’t find working as a surgeon already exciting, something had shifted in the air between them despite no words having been explicitly said about their dynamic. Nothing is stated verbally.

Yet they stop hooking up altogether.

They just had an unspoken understanding that they weren’t going to fool around anymore. They stop closing doors of closets and empty rooms and slamming their bodies and lips together. They stop the kissing. The blow jobs. The unhinged fucking… They both just stop. It just happens this way.

But it doesn’t make their interactions any less boring. Everyday that they walk through the sliding doors of SMC knowing they will see the other, they can’t wait to start their shift. Even on days they don’t directly have any legitimate work reason to interact, getting glimpses of each other in the halls with nothing but a simple nod of acknowledgment or smiling across the room at each other or sharing a quick coffee in the lobby by the vending machine or taking a stroll in the healing garden to stretch their bodies after an intense surgery or even grabbing a beer after work at the usual bar… all of it makes the two doctors’ heart flutter with nervousness and joy.

As if they hadn’t already seen each other full naked. As if they hadn’t already taken each other’s bodies apart with their hands and lips. As if they were brand new strangers now meeting for the first time all over again …

As if they’re going backwards instead of the conventional order of things.

~

Jimin walks through the OR sliding doors, pulling his scrub cap and mask off when the husband of  patient he just operated on frantically stands up and runs to him upon seeing the surgeon. He tells the man that everything went smoothly and his wife is recovering well and will be out of the OR any minute. The man thanks him over and over again with tears flowing from his eyes even though Jimin had assured him before the surgery that it was a very basic surgery with minimal risk.

A coronary bypass surgery was routine for Jimin. Of course, as with any surgery, going under the knife still had its risks but Jimin was a pro at this specific operation. By now, he knew exactly how to stay calm and collected and resume a successful bypass surgery even if any complications were to possibly arise in the middle of surgery. Usually, the complications with this procedure were relatively minor and treatable.

“Thank you. Thank you Dr. Park. Thank you so much.” Jimin lets the man take his hands and he too bows back; two grown men just bowing back and for to each other as Jimin tells him over and over again that, “Please, you have thanked me enough! I merely did my job, Mr. Joo!” But seeing the man crying, thanking, and bowing to him, he’s reminded that while this was Jimin’s N^th bypass surgery, it was this man’s only wife and her first ever surgery.

The man eventually finally lets the surgeon go, and as Jimin walks toward his office he can hear his stomach growl. All he can think about is grabbing a shin ramen and stuffing it down his throat the second he gets to his desk.

When he nears his office, he hears Dr. Jeon’s voice. 

“Only took you forever.” Jimin looks over and sees Jungkook who was cross-legged get up from a seat in the family and friends waiting area. He had been walking so fast and so focused on getting to his desk to eat that ramen that he’d literally walked right past him. “You’re really unobservant, Park.”

“What?” Jimin slows down and walks toward the trauma surgeon.

“Nice surgery. Was basic, but still nice hand work, Park.” Jungkook smirks. He’s holding two sandwiches. Jimin rolls his eyes with a smile and replies with, “is that supposed to be a compliment? Maybe learn to compliment me without adding an insult?”

“Insult? Would you disagree with me that a coronary bypass isn’t a routine surgery for an expert doctor like you?”

“Shut up,” Jimin says trying not to smile too big. “You saw?”

“Caught the last few minutes of it. You really not once looked up at the observation room, you know that?”

“I’m a very focused person,” Jimin counters brashly. “Something you could learn a little bit more of Mr. Doesn’t-pay-attention-to-my-lectures.”

“Woowww that was one time!!” Jungkook rolls his eyes and then Jimin just scrunches his face at him. Jungkook laughs. “You are indeed a very focused person. I will give you that. You literally walked right past me.”

“I’m a tunnel vision type of person; I only see what’s important. Irrelevant things don’t concern me,” Jimin says dissing Jungkook. But it’s playful and they’re flirt bickering back and forth like they’ve been doing recently.

Jungkook chuckles, head tilting back from laughing. “Irrelevant? Things? Now I’m a thing??”

“Whatever. What do you want, Jeon.” Jimin smiles.

“What took you so long though? You took forever to get here after you finished up.” Jungkook shoves one of the sandwiches he’s holding into Jimin’s hand.

“I was just talking with the patient’s husband,” Jimin says looking down at the sandwich.

“Let’s go outside. It’s nice out.” Jungkook begins walking before Jimin can even reply.

Jimin follows the trauma surgeon with a good distance between them. He can tell the man is walking toward the healing garden and as usual, Jimin is greeted and stopped a million times by fellow doctors, nurses, and patients who are also enjoying the sun outside. It makes him lose sight of Jungkook for a bit but he continues making his way knowing the younger is probably going to be sitting on one of the benches in the garden.

The two surgeons sit there on the commemorative bench with the name of some rich benefactor engraved on the stone seat while inhaling their sandwiches. They talk a bit about Jimin’s surgery, recapping some of his techniques and decisions, his suturing skills, their research project, their residents’ and their progress, about what they did at home last night—Jimin stopping by his parents and doing some paperwork favors for his mother then going grocery shopping to stock his fridge and Jungkook FaceTiming with his brother who was now in Germany and then later catching up on Suits season 2 so he and Jimin can finally start season 3 together.

They banter back and forth about Suits, how Jimin thinks Mike is annoying as fuck and Jungkook defending the young, illegally-practicing attorney. They agree they both love Harvey though.

When they finish eating their sandwiches, they remain sitting there on the bench and just people watch quietly, observing all the various patients, some in wheelchairs, some on crutches trying to take a stab at walking again and regaining their strength, some attached to IV’s and being guided by their loved ones on a very slow and steady walk. They see two of their residents, Jia and Hokyung kiss and then settle down on a bench sharing a coffee, laughing and flirting. Seeing this makes the silence suddenly awkward.

“You know you still owe me something, Park.” Jungkook says breaking the silence.

“What?”

“Ari’s gift. Or whatever it is.”

Jimin tenses up. God, he thought this was a finished subject and wouldn’t ever be brought up again. Jungkook stares at him with a funny expression. “Oh. I told you. It was just to me. I don’t know why her parents tol-”

“Cut the bullshit, Jimin.”

Jimin stands up and dusts off his but to ensure his white coat was free from any outside dirt. “We should go. I have another surger-“

“You don’t have one until another like two hours.” Jungkook stands up as well. “Why won’t you give me what Ari gave us?”

“What are you, my keeper?” Jimin ignores the latter half of what Jungkook said.

“Don’t flatter yourself, Park.” Jungkook smirks playfully and then he pats Jimin on the head. Jimin’s jaw drops and then he gives him an angry pout while shoving Jeon’s hand off his head. “Why are you acting like you don’t know the OR schedule is literally on the board for all to see.” Jungkook rolls his eyes and chuckles.

Jimin lunges forward and reaches out to pat Jungkook on the head too. “Shut up, little one. Don’t get smart with me.”

Jungkook then pats Jimin’s head again and they fake fight, Jimin flinging his arms around and trying to kick Jungkook in the legs. “Little one?! Haha you’re like… so smol. You can barely reach the top of my head. Hahaha you have to tippy toe!”

“SHUT UP JEON.” Jimin swats Jungkook’s hand off his head again. He composes himself as if they did not just act like children, straightening out his white coat again and fixing his hair. “I have work to do now. Goodbye Dr. Jeon. Thank you for the sandwich.”

The heart surgeon walks off as gracefully as possible and Jungkook stands there just chuckling quietly to himself as watches Jimin walk off further and further away for a few seconds. There was something just so comforting about this view. Jimin’s backside. And it’s not even about his delicious ass. Jimin was closest person he had any connection with with Seoul. Sure, Yugyeom and several of his military friends were from here but it’s not like he saw them every day like how he saw Jimin at the minimum 50 hours a week.

Jimin was also a doctor. He knew what this lifestyle was like. Patients, blood, bodily fluids, scrubs, ORs, long work shifts, sleeping in on-call bunk beds, sleeping 15 minutes and feeling like it was 15 hours, the euphoric feeling of scrubbing down and operating, seeing patients leave better than when they came in, also the stress and pain of feeling helpless when patients weren’t improving, hardly having a life outside of the hospital. The elder was passionate and confident about medicine just like he was.  Not to mention Jimin was also from Busan. And also gay. Very, very gay. They were so different yet so alike. Jimin felt like everything familiar in this cold, bustling city of Seoul in which it once felt so unfamiliar to Jungkook when he first moved here.

He eventually jogs and catches up with the heart surgeon and the two attending physicians walk back to the hospital while bickering about which bar to go to for happy hour after their shift.

~

A few days later, Taehyung and Jimin are having a quick coffee in lobby chit chatting before Taehyung has to head into another surgery. Taehyung and Hyungsik have been on 5 dates now but Taehyung’s yet to sleep with him, let alone even kiss him, and Jimin thinks he should. According to what Tae’s told him so far, Hyungsik was handsome, rich, smart, respectful, well-mannered, funny, a bit dorky but in a cute way, generous, and affectionate.

“What’s not to like?” Jimin asks sipping his coffee. “Honestly, you just need to get laid and I swear you’ll feel less stressed and you know, just overall you’ll feel so much better!”

Taehyung raises an eyebrow suspiciously, “says the man who’s literally allergic to dating and forgot what dating is.” He snorts. And Jimin remembers according to the rest of the world, he is a workaholic celibate man right now. He’s gone on a few dates after Dongmin but nothing serious came about those dates. Nobody knows he had been getting plenty of sex.

Sex with Dr. Jeon Jungkook.

Well, that is until their very recent… hiatus.

“I’m not allergic to dating! I’m just… busy!” Jimin counters back. “Listen Tae. We’re not talking about me right now okay!? Date number 6, sleep with him. Five dates and all you’ve done is held hands and cuddled??? What are you guys, 12? Look, he’s hot. Rich. Smart. Kind,” Jimin knows deep down why Taehyung is hesitant to sleep with the man despite the fact he was growing fond of him and actually did like the guy: Kim Seokjin. “I feel like you think you’re... almost betraying Jin? But Tae… you guys weren’t even… Never mind.” Jimin doesn’t finish his sentence realizing it was too harsh.

“You’re not allergic to dating? Ha! Perfect then!” Taehyung smirks ignoring his Jin comment altogether and Jimin cocks his head giving him a puzzled look. “What I was going to ask you and why I wanted to get coffee real quick right now was to ask if you wanted to go on a double date!”

Jimin scrunches his face like he’s already not interested without even hearing the details.

“What’s that look for?? Seriously are you like never planning to date again??”

“I never said that.”

Taehyung rolls his eyes and continues on explaining the double date. “So one of Hyungsik’s start-up CEO buddies is throwing some big party. It’s sponsored by Hyundai and a bunch of other companies and everything. It’s at the W too! It’s gonna be good. Lots of food, booze, and hot guys! Anyways, his other friend Minho is single and Hyungsik asked if I had any friends… oh and he’s CUTE. I saw pictures! COME ON MIN.”

“Eh,” Jimin shrugs.

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN ‘EH’?? SERIOUSLY ARE YOU NEVER GONNA DATE AGAIN????”

“Don’t be dramatic,” Jimin rolls his eyes.

“Wait. Are you seeing someone?” Taehyung stares him down and Jimin suddenly feels like his best friend can see right through him, past his epidermis, his tissues and muscles; like he could see the inside of his bones. He tenses up.

“What? No?” Jimin laughs. Taehyung gives him a weird look.

“Why are you laughing?”

“W-what? I’m just. I dunno-“ Jimin shrugs.

“I don’t get what’s funny?” Taehyung stares him right in the eyes and Jimin feels himself getting sweaty and so he finds himself reluctantly blurting out, “I’ll go. I’ll go to the party! Let’s go!”

Taehyung leans back on his chair, crosses his legs but squints his eyes suspiciously as he remains studying Jimin’s face trying to observe why his friend was being so weird. “You’re seeing someone, huh?” He asks again. This time Jimin keeps himself collected.

“Uh no. Like I have time? You know I’ve been swamped with extra patients and my research projec-“ and right at that moment Jimin wishes he didn’t even bring up the research project he was on with Jungkook.

“Yeah. Of course I do. How’s that going?”

“It’s going,” Jimin says as nonchalantly as possibly. “Why is the coffee so cold already what the heck.” Jimin fake looks at his paper cup of coffee concerned and swirls it around, breaking eye contact with his friend.

“It seems to me the coffee is cooling down at its usual, normal rate Dr. Park,” Taehyung teases giving Jimin an even harder time. “Not sure what you’re talking about. Anyways, I’m onto you, Park. But I better go prep for my next patient. Talk later. I’ll give you more details about the party and your date!! YAY!!”

“Okay okay!” the two surgeons get up from their chair and start walking.

“You gonna eat lunch?” Taehyung asks knowing Jimin still had time left.

“Yeah, I wish you were on lunch too so we could eat together ugh.”

“Go get some real food, Dr. Park! Don’t eat ramen!” Taehyung waves goodbye as he walks off toward the OR.

“Yeah yeah, bye! Good luck Dr. Kim!”

Jimin takes his friend’s advice and he makes his way down to the cafeteria. He’s planning on grabbing the chicken Caesar wrap (his and Tae’s favorite) and taking it back to his office to eat so he could do some reading, too. But when he walks through the cafeteria doors he sees something that makes him extremely annoyed.

There at one of the tables on the very far right, next to the glass wall is Dr. Jeon Jungkook and resident Dr. Kim Hyunwoo.

He stands there observing for a few seconds and suddenly, Hyunwoo is not so cute anymore. He’s never had a problem with this resident before, he was a good junior who was respectful and worked really hard but there were a number of other fellow residents and attending physicians he could have asked to eat lunch with yet he was sitting there smiling all cutesy and shit with Dr. Jeon.

He says something and Jungkook seems to chuckle because Jimin sees him slightly throw his head back and shake it. Then Hyunwoo places both his elbows on the table, rests his chin on both his hands in a way where his hands cover his mouth as he laughs. His eyes disappear too, like Jimin’s when he laughs. And then Jungkook does it.

He flicks the young resident on the forehead. Hyunwoo laughs and rubs his forehead while smiling cheekily.

And Jimin’s never felt so fucking irritable.

He marches over to the left side where the food is and gets in the main Korean cuisine line. Screw the chicken Caesar wrap. He was hungry. He needs some real food. Real Korean food.

The lunch ladies coo and fuss over him as they plop rice and assortment of banchan on his tray. He’s so distracted today that he rushes through the line instead of being his usual warm, overly chatty self that the ladies notice. The shrug with disappointment but figure the doctor must be having a stressful work day.

Once he’s done paying, he walks over to Jungkook and Hyunwoo’s table and shamelessly takes a seat. “Hello! Don’t mind if I join you guys, right!? Oh my god I am so hungry!” Jimin aggressively pulls his chopsticks apart and starts digging in.

“Hey. Of course not- damn. You really must were starving, huh?” Jungkook smiles fondly as he watches Jimin now using his spoon to scoop a huge spoonful of rice and dunk it in the hot, spicy radish soup.

“Hi Dr. Park of course not,” Hyunwoo says meekly. Both he and Jungkook stare at Jimin with amusement as Jimin inhales his food without saying much. They leave him be and continue on with what they were talking about… “Anyways, so yeah. The commute has been so exhausting but my parents just don’t understand why I want to move out and get my own place. I know their house is still in Seoul but like it’s… far ya know? I’m so tired after work. I just want a small little studio close to the hospital. But they think that’s wasteful and they got so upset because they think I’m being disrespectful.” Hyunwoo frowns as he goes on explaining his situation.

It was a pain sometimes being Korean. It was very common people even in their mid and late 20s live with their parents until they got married. Of course, the more hip, modern parents understood times were changing and their children probably didn’t want to live with mom and dad at such an age but people like Hyunwoo’s parents were old fashioned.

“I get it. Both you and your parent’s side. Why don’t you make some sort of set schedule with them or something? Like a promise? That you’ll visit every so often or maybe once a week you do dinner at home with them…” Jungkook gives his input and Jimin just sits there eating feeling like an idiot intruding on these two doctors talking about something so harmless. He should have just grabbed the damn chicken wrap and went to his office.

Yet he can’t remove himself from the situation. It was too late. He was already through eating a lot of his food.

“Dr. Park, are you okay?” Hyunwoo asks when he sees Jimin just staring down at his food.

“Yeah. Fine. Just. Lots on my mind,” Jimin takes a big gulp of water and exhales. “For the money issue part, I mean you could always get a roommate? So many of the residents room together! I did too when I was a resident!” Jimin finally speaks and offers his unsolicited advice.

“Yeah. That’s true. A lot of them are roommates I know. And I’ve totally slept over there too, especially on the days I way too exhausted to go all the way home and I have a shift again in the morning in a few hours but I can’t keep doing that. I feel bad. Their house is already so packed with so many of them, haha."

“Yeah. Commuting sucks.” Jungkook says. “You can crash on my couch too if you need. Have it as backup.”

“Really?” Hyunwoo smiles.

This whore. Jimin thinks. He turns his head to look at Jungkook but Jungkook doesn’t look at him. “And mine too!” Jimin blurts. “My place is closer anyways! Just let me know, Hyunwoo!”

Jungkook laughs, “how is your place closer? We literally live like few minutes from each other, you’re hardly closer. My couch is more comfortable anyways.”

Hyunwoo stares at his two sunbaes and just blinks for a few seconds. As far as he and the rest of the surgical department is concerned, Dr. Jeon and Dr. Park were not the best of friends let alone the best of colleagues. “Oh. More comfortable…? Than Dr. Park’s couch?”

Jungkook and Jimin both get wide-eyed and Jimin kicks Jungkook under the table. “Oh I don’t know! Hahaha. I’m just assuming. Cuz my couch is reallllllllllllly comfortable!” Jungkook scratches the back of his neck and laughs as naturally as possible.

“Oh!” Hyunwoo laughs and Jimin joins forcibly as he side eyes Jungkook.  

“Just let me know whenever you need! It’ll probably be better you stay at my place over Dr. Jeon’s here because we all know he’s a cranky guy. I bet he’d bite your head off if you messed something up at his place or you made a mess or who knows what else!” Jimin shades the man right in front of him and Jungkook just shakes his head but he’s laughing and smiling inside.

“Oh not at all! Dr. Jeon is so nice to me!”

What an ass kisser. Annoying.

“Dr. Park, maybe you’re talking about yourself?” Jungkook smiles sweetly at Jimin. Jimin looks deep into the trauma surgeon’s eyes and smiles right back, their feet playing with each other’s under the table.

“Absolutely not. I love having guests over!” Jimin says. He turns his head back to look at Hyunwoo. “Really, let me know Dr. Kim when you need to crash okay? I have a pull-out bed couch!” He lies.

Jungkook turns his head absolutely flabbergasted by Jimin’s blatant lie. He wants to crack up because this is such a ridiculous lie. Jimin knows it too but he doesn’t care. If he has to order a pull out couch the day of, he will. What’s the point of living one of the top cities in the world with the best quick-service delivery if the citizens didn’t take advantage of it?

Jimin will purchase a fucking brand new pull-out bed couch and order it for day-of deliver if it meant this resident would not sleep over at Jungkook’s.

“Well, thank you both sunbaenims! You are both so nice!”

“Of course. Anytime my hoobaenim,” Jimin smiles.

~

The party at the W is extravagant. Long tables with an array of gourmet food, open bar with a wide variety of the night’s special cocktails concocted specifically for this event, good music, and lots of beautiful people. It’s a great party. Jimin’s date is even greater.

Choi Minho is tall, handsome, and absolutely wonderful. Hyungsik didn’t lie when he said his friend was a 10/10. So Jimin’s not sure why he feels guilty being here arms linked with the shopping mall CEO. He tries to shake off the weird, uneasy feeling and puts on a huge smile and continues chatting with Minho. When Taehyung looks over at him, the pediatric surgeon gives him a huge grin and Jimin smiles back. Taehyung is thrilled that he’s on a double date with his best friend. It’s been so long since they’ve had one.

Hyungsik introduces them to everyone and everyone is immediately charmed by both doctors. Taehyung is a bit more animated while Jimin keeps more to himself and Minho. Taehyung naturally is the life of the party. He forgot how much he loved parties and socializing. And Jimin’s happy to see his friend having a good time and laughing again. It seemed after a certain point in the last year, that Taehyung had lost his sun. Jimin hates Seokjin for it. Loving Seokjin had seemed to suck the life out of his best friend and he’s just so glad to see Tae is smiling again. Even if Jimin knows his friend is half faking it.

Fake it ‘till you make it, right?

Exactly what he was doing with Minho pretending he was actually interested in their conversation as he nods his head and ‘ooh-ed’ and ‘ahh-ed’ at everything his date said.  

Back at home, Jungkook closes his book on ‘Neurotrauma and Critical Care of the Spine’ and stretches his body making loud, ugly noises while doing so. His head has been buried in the book for the last two hours and he was surprised to see the time. He had asked Jimin if he wanted to research and work at his place with some Chinese takeout tonight but the cardiac surgeon had told him he was ‘busy’ and so Jungkook just did a little work on his own since he had nothing better to do.

Books, files, notes, and tons of paper covered the desk that he couldn’t even see the white surface. He stands there staring at his desk debating if he should clean up now or leave everything to be in case he decides to do a little more work later. Out of character, he decides to leave the mess as is for tonight. He was too exhausted to tidy up.

Jungkook takes a shower and when he’s in his sleepwear consisting of well, nothing but boxers, he stands in front of his full length mirror still in his wet hair beauty and all.

“Hey. So remember what Ari said her wish was?”

“Jimin. Haha remember what Ari said about us? Her wish?”

“Hey. When are you free? We should go out sometime.” Jungkook groans and rubs his face. They’ve gone to the bar for drinks after a late night of research. So what makes this different??? He stares himself down in the mirror and tries again.

“Jimin. I’d like to take you out. On a real date. When are you free?”

“Hey so I think we should do what Ari told us to do. It was her wish. Remember? We should go out. Like on an actual date- UGHHHHHHHHHHHH.”

Jungkook plops down onto his bed and starts kicking his feet around, and then he grabs the end of his blanket and rolls himself into a blanket burrito.

What am I doing, ughhh.

~

Vanilla, chocolate, red velvet, carrot, vanilla, lemon, pink champagne… Seokjin could give two shits about the flavor of his wedding cake. But he cooperates and taste tests each small bite placed on a tray in front of him and Sara. The baker goes on and on explaining the nuanced flavors of the dark chocolate and chocolate frosting and Seokjin wants to jump out the window and disappear from it all. Sara nods attentively, every so often turning to Seokjin for his input and the man kindly forces himself to seem interested.

The engagement party invitations were out. It was really happening.

Thankfully for Seokjin, while his family was extremely rich and part of the country’s elite 1%, they were the type that were so rich that they were above and beyond frivolous things like publicity and drawing attention from media and the social public eye. News, magazines, blogs—they appeared nowhere. That was for the tacky, “new money” folks who boasted about their money which didn’t even compare to the wealth and net worth of the Kims. Nobody knew what the owners and family of KOSTEEL Corporations looked like.

The wedding would be luxurious but extremely private and exclusive, the engagement party even smaller and more exclusive. So that was one less thing Seokjin had to worry about—the news getting into Taehyung’s ears before he had a chance to tell him.

The arranged couple had spent the last half hour deciding what flavor to go with for their engagement party cake and now they were doing it all over again for their wedding cake.

What will Taehyung think once he finds out he’s engaged? That he has a fiancé? That he’ll be married to a woman? What was the best option that would leave Taehyung with the least amount of hurt? Tell him now? Before the engagement party? Even though they were ‘broken up’ and haven’t spoken to each other than about actual work-related matters? That was weird too, no? To suddenly say ‘hey I’m getting married, by the way.’ No. Taehyung had to know first. Of course he did. That much he deserved.

“Shall we go with the lemon then, Seokjinssi?” Sara asks softly. “Seokjinssi?”

“Sorry,” Seokjin comes back to reality. “Just a lot on my mind. Sorry. What did you say?”

“The lemon?”

“Yes. The lemon is great. Fine with me.”

But Sara frowns.

“What’s.. wrong? We don’t have to do the lemon! We can do the vanilla! Let’s do that! I liked the vanilla!” Seokjin tries to brighten the mood.

Sara sighs and gently sets her fork down. “I’m sorry, can we get a minute please?” She asks. The baker nods and leaves giving the couple some privacy.

“What’s wrong?” Seokjin asks again.

“You have just been agreeing. With everything Seokjinssi. I know… I know you don’t love me. And it’s not like I love you. We both know that but… I’m… I’m really trying here. I know we have to get married so why not try to genuinely get to know each other? I don’t want to spend my life hating my own husband ya know? It’s… not ideal. Having an arranged marriage. Trust me, I know. I don’t… I don’t want this either, okay? But I’m trying-“

“I’m sorry,” Seokjin interrupts, hanging his head down. “I’m sorry Sara. I just. I can’t. I…” Seokjin gets up from his chair, grabs his coat and looks at Sara firmly in the eyes. “I’m… so sorry. I have to go.”

“What.. Seokjinssi! Wait! What?!” She says as she watches the man exit the bakery. She buries face in her palms and cries right there in the middle of what was supposed to be a happy couple’s wedding cake taste test appointment.

~

When Jungkook walks into work, he sees Dr. Kim Taehyung leaning on the nurse station counter raving on about some party he attended. He’s about to just give an acknowledging nod of hello yes I’m at work starting my shift now and just mind his own business making his way to the locker room, when he hears Jimin’s name come up.

Jimin had a date?

“Good morning!” Jungkook stops by the nurse station.

“Good morning, Dr. Jeon!” Nurse Janet greets him enthusiastically. Two of the other nurses join him with warm smiles.

“Hello Jeon,” Taehyung says but turns his head back to face the nurses and resume their conversation. “Anyways, so he was great. I was so worried at first because I mean come on, you guys know Jimin. That guy hasn’t been on a date in I don’t even know how long?? It was so fun though. They really went all out at the W!”

“Since lawyer Lee, right??” the nurses join in on the juicy gossip.

“Exactly!! Okay, well, I mean he went on some random dates here and there but yea-”

“Dr. Kim, YOU TOO!! You both!!” they all chuckle and continue talking.

Jungkook walks at the slowest pace ever, so he can try to hear as much of the conversation as possible. Jimin was on a date with a CEO at a hotel and that’s why he couldn’t come over two nights ago???? While he was sitting there at his desk working on their research project, and standing there in front of his mirror like an idiot rehearsing how to ask Jimin out.

Jimin was on a date?! With some bigshot CEO!?

Jungkook twists and turns his head to crack his neck. He doesn’t even know why he’s so mad. Of course Jimin was dating. Why wouldn’t he be? It’s not like they were anything. It’s not like he actually had the balls and asked Jimin out. In the end, they were nothing but colleagues. Work friends at most. Who used to fuck around with each other. Of course someone like Jimin was dating.

“Hey,” Jimin pops out of nowhere holding a file, well, one of the patient rooms and it makes Jungkook jump. “You okay?”

“Oh. Hey. Yeah.” Jungkook says staring at Jimin.

“What? Do I have something on my face or something?” Jimin asks with a friendly tone.

“No. No. Sorry. Are we gonna work tonight?” Jungkook asks about their research project.

“Yeah lets. We should.”

“Okay. Library or-“ Jungkook says awkwardly all of a sudden.

“Eh. Let’s do it at home. I wanna be in comfy clothes and stuff,” Jimin suggests.

“Okay. Well, I have a bunch of shit still at my place if you wanna come over and work there?”

“Yeah, let’s do that! Can we still get that Chinese food?” Jimin smiles. “I’ve been craving some General Tso’s chicken!”

“Of course.”

Later that afternoon, when Jimin has about two hours left of his shift, he’s in the bathroom when he hears someone crying. But he knows this familiar cry very, very well.

“Tae?” He whispers, face and ear leaned against the bathroom stall in which the cries are coming from. He knocks gently and asks again, “that’s you huh? Hey… open the door Tae.”

“Hey. I’m-I’m fine.” Tae answers with a stable voice as best he can. Jimin stands there trying to convince his best friend to unlock the door. Eventually, the pediatric surgeon opens it and Jimin just hugs him and lets him cry it out some more. They walk outside to a secluded area of the hospital and sit down on a bench to talk some more.

Jimin knew his friend was still going through the heartbreak and that his enthusiastic demeanor when talking about Hyungsik, the dates, the party was all nothing but a lie. A façade. Taehyung was trying so, so hard to move on. He’d done a rather convincing job to everyone else blabbing on about his new dalliance with the hot gaming company CEO; the nurses and their fellow doctors were all happy for him, saying things like they can’t wait to meet the guy! And Taehyung would nod and smile as though he was proud of himself.

But Jimin knew better.

Taehyung was having a relatively good day today; he had his usual morning gossip time with his favorite nurses over tea and coffee, he had finally operated on one of his longest patients with the surgery going flawlessly, his interns and residents had praised him all afternoon about the surgery, Hyungsik had texted him a sweet ‘hope you’re having a nice day, can’t wait to see you again’ text and Taehyung had replied in between his surgeries when he could where the two exchanged flirtatious texts back and forth, he even ate a real lunch in the cafeteria with his residents offering some quality mentorship time. It was a great day. As great as work could get.

And then he saw him.

Kim Seokjin.

It’s not like they haven’t seen each other at work, of course they have. But when Taehyung had bowed and walked past him as if he were just another subordinate, Seokjin had paused and said, “Taehyung.”

Taehyung.

How he loved the way the chief said his name. The way it sounded as it rolled off his tongue. Taehyung being a respectful employee of course stopped walking, turned around and looked at the elder. “Yes, chief?”

Seokjin walked closer back to him and asked, “how are you? I saw that your surgery with patient Minjoo went really well.”

“Yes. It went great. Thank you.” And then they just stared. They stared deep into each other’s eyes, both longing for the other, frozen in time as if they could see or hear nothing else surrounding them in the busy hospital. He finally broke off the eye contact before his tears truly started forming. “Well, I’ve got to go now. Have a nice day, chief.”

Taehyung paced off before Seokjin could even get another word in or say goodbye. He fast-walked through the hospital halls toward the bathroom, holding back his tears, trying to keep his heart at bay. It felt as though no matter how hard he tried, no matter how handsome and sincere of other men he dated, no matter how wonderful his date nights and conversations were with another man, his love for Kim Seokjin would constantly burst and overflow. One look into the man’s eyes and Taehyung’s heart would bleed all over again. Like an unsuccessful aortic aneurysm repair in which no matter how well the suturing was, the heart would rupture and burst, blood leaking through all over again. A fatal condition.

That’s what Dr. Kim Taehyung felt. Like his heart was dying for Kim Seokjin.

“You’ve got to just keep going, Tae. Keep seeing Hyungsik. Keep talking to him. Keep going out with him.” Jimin says as he gently slides his hands up and down Taehyung’s back for comfort. Taehyung stares off into space.

“I am Jimin. I am. You know I am.”

“I know baby. I know you’re trying. And you’re doing good, okay?” He pulls Taehyung in and embraces him again. He didn’t want to say it because he had his selfish reasons too as he loved working with his best friend but Jimin sighs and says, “maybe… maybe… you need to find a different hospital to work Tae.”

Taehyung also lets out a long sigh and with his face buried in Jimin’s neck, he mumbles, “I just want it to stop hurting. I’m so tired.”

Jimin wonders if it’s a special everyone-is-hurting-today day. Because that same night, Jimin shoots up from Jungkook’s bed upon hearing his colleague screaming and crying.

“JUNGKOOK!? Jungkook what’s wrong?” He turns the lamp on and lightly shakes Jungkook so he wakes up. “Jungkook. Jungkook. Hey.”

The trauma surgeon opens his eyes and his eyes dart left and right in confusion and Jimin sees him slowly coming back to his senses. He’s covered in sweat and he looks absolutely distressed.

“Hey… think you had a bad dream…” he’s about to reach his hand out to touch Jungkook’s forehead when Jungkook quickly sits up and dodges Jimin’s hand, almost rudely. Jimin draws his hand back embarrassed; he’s a bit insulted and hurt but he knows it’s not about him right now.

Jimin had dozed off while reading a huge medical book on Jungkook’s couch while they were studying together and when he awoke, it was already past midnight and so Jungkook insisted he just spend the night.

They were both so tired from work and researching that they didn’t do anything sexual but literally knock out and sleep once they got in bed.

“You’re… covered in sweat. Hold on. I’m gonna go get you some wate-“

“It’s fine.” Jungkook cuts in. He pulls the covers off him and gets out of bed. “Just.. sleep. I’m fine. Sorry for waking you.”

“Jungkook… you know… I’m here. You can talk to me…”

“I’m honestly fine, Jimin.” He gives the heart surgeon a weak smile. “Don’t worry about it. Just a bad dream. Go back to sleep.”

“Where are you going?”

“Just getting some water. Sleep. Jimin. Okay?”

“Yeah. Okay.”

It was amazing really, how Jungkook not once had a nightmare on the days he and Jimin slept together. His nightmares definitely got better over the last few months and his sessions with Yoongi were now only once every two weeks. Whether Jungkook realized it or not, he’s made so much progress with his PTSD since he first came to SMC. The nightmares still happened but they were far less frequent, his yelling and temper issues definitely toned down, he was just altogether just less angry in general.

Still, he can’t help but find himself a bit embarrassed that it finally happened—Jimin witnessing yet another episode. This time, a nightmare. He’s drinking a cup of cold water in the kitchen when he thinks back to the supermarket incident. It was weird where Jimin and he were at now in terms of their relationship. Jimin was in his bed right now. But it’s not like they did anything tonight. They were just colleagues. Friends.

Friends.

They were friends at least, right? Friends could totally sleep over at each other places when too tired to drive back home after a long night of studying, right?

Jungkook washes his face with cold water and then he quietly returns to his bedroom where Jimin appears sound asleep. The bedside lamp by Jimin was still on and so he turns it off and goes back around to his side and gets back in bed. He lies there, eyes open staring into the darkness of his room thinking about his friend Sergeant Baek Jihwan from his squad. His eyes moisten and the guilt settles heavy in his heart all over again as he remembers how much he would talk about his girlfriend and how beautiful she was. And how he couldn’t wait to go home and marry her as soon as their deployment was over.

Jungkook cries silently as possible in bed trying to erase the memory of his fellow solder dying in his arms because he was unable to save him on time. He then suddenly feels Jimin’s arms slowly wrapping his waist and pulling him in. Jimin doesn’t ask questions. Doesn’t make Jungkook talk. Doesn’t say a single word. He simply holds Jungkook, embracing him silently, chest pressed up against his back, hand slowly roaming and trying to find a comfortable spot to rest on the trauma surgeon’s stomach. Jungkook doesn’t stop him but instead, he finds himself finally crying,

out loud.

~

When Jungkook quietly enters the lecture hall for the staff meeting, he takes a seat at the very last row, two people away from Jimin, who gives him a subtle smile and wave under the table. Jungkook nods and smiles back acknowledging the man’s greeting. He settles down trying to catch up and figure out what was going on since he’d missed the first 15 minutes of the meeting because he was finishing up a surgery.

“It will be bowling this year.” Seokjin announces. The hall is filled with clapping and chattering by the surgeons all excited for the annual SMC surgical department social activity in which all surgeons from attendings to interns were expected to attend. Last year, it was softball; the year before that, paintballing, etc.

Jungkook joins in on the happiness by smiling a big goofy grin thinking about how he wished he brought his bowling ball and shoes from his home in Busan, which were probably sitting in dust now. My poor babies. I should have brought them with me when I moved, damnit! Nobody at SMC knows but he’s about to kick everyone’s asses because he’s almost, almost a professional bowler. He’d even considered joining a league but life got busy. It’s been so long since he’s gone bowling but he’s confident he’ll still be the best; he feels excited already for the event.

He catches Jimin looking at him with a funny expression; looking at him as if Jungkook was some loser and Jungkook gives him a playful ‘whatchu lookin at?’ expression right back and Jimin just smiles and mouths weirdo.

“Okay. Settle down settle down! Yes, it will be a fun event. Everyone is expected to come. The entire bowling alley has been reserved and yes, there will be booze,” Seokjin says. The surgeons all clap and hoot all over again, making the chief laugh. “Dr. Jung will go over more of the details in a second but before he comes up here... I do have one more announcement to make.”

Seokjin pauses and for the first time ever standing up there on the podium as the chief of surgery of Seoul Medical Center, he feels nervous. He makes eye contact with Taehyung who is sitting in the third row and Seokjin takes a gulp.

“I unfortunately will not be joining you all for the bowling event.” The looks on the faces of his subordinates are bland and not that interested. They probably just assume he’s busy with other things—he was the chief of surgery after all. Social events were important yes, but the man was more important and probably had other things to attend to. “The 10^th will be my last day here at SMC. I have accepted another job at Koryo Hospital as the head of their neuro department.”

Taehyung’s eyes widen and everyone in the hall could hear a “WHAT?!” coming from the back of the room out of Dr. Park Jimin’s mouth. The room is filled with quiet whispers and Seokjin gives them all a moment to let it out. Jimin raises his hand like the one annoying student from every class who always has a question.

“Yes, Dr. Park?” Seokjin says.

“Why would you step down to a specialty department head when you’re the chief of surgery here?” Seokjin looks at Jimin and then a few rows down at Taehyung who still looks like he saw a ghost.

“It was a personal decision of mine but Koryo is a great hospital and I am excited to be a part of their team. Anyhow, I just wanted to say that while it has been a short time as your chief here, it has been a pleasure working with you all. I know that every one of you sitting in this room is a brilliant surgeon and it’s truly been an honor to be your boss and mentor.” He makes eye contact with Taehyung again. “I wish you all the best in your physician careers. I know you’ll all continue to do great things in the medical field.”

~

It happens again. Jungkook shrieks in his sleep and it wakes Jimin up. They’re at Jungkook’s yet again after another long studious night of researching with take-out food from Jimin’s favorite jokbal and soondae joint.

“Hey,” Jimin nudges the man gently so he could wake up from his nightmare. Jungkook’s head turns left and right and his face scrunches with distress, eyes still closed as he sleep talks ‘no.. no.. come on.. no.. NO!’ He was clearly in deep distress in his dream. Jimin hurts for the man. He brushes Jungkook’s sweaty hair back gently and tries to wake him up again by nudging him a little harder this time to save him from his dark, taunting slumber. “Jungkook. Jungkook. Wake up. You’re just dreaming.”

His big, doe eyes finally open and he’s panting heavily. His eyes meet Jimin’s and Jimin just takes the younger’s hand and softly caresses it, rubbing and massaging. It’s comforting and Jungkook doesn’t ever want Jimin to let go.

“You okay?” Jimin asks with eyes that look warmer and softer than a fawn. Last time, he had merely hugged the man to sleep, asking no questions or prying any further even in the morning the next day. He didn’t want to be pushy; he just wanted to ensure Jungkook was stable and aware that he was safe in this reality. At home. In bed. And not wherever he was in his nightmare. That’s all Jimin cares about. Jungkook will open up to him when he wants. “I’m gonna get you some water okay. You just stay here baby, hold on.” Jimin scoots his body toward the edge of the bed and is about to stand up when Jungkook doesn’t let go of his hand. He looks at Jimin was pain and fear in his eyes. He’s a big, healthy, strong guy but right now, he seems like a frightened little boy. As Jimin just called him, a baby. Jimin’s breath hitches as Jungkook pulls him back to bed almost desperately, pleadingly. Please don’t go.

They stare at each other intensely in the eyes in the dim room with Jimin’s small Himalayan salt lamp illuminating the walls a peach pink. Jimin sits back down on the bed but bends his body down and hugs him.

Jungkook exhales a long breath and starts crying. He doesn’t know why but there was something about Jimin’s hugs that almost triggered his tears, his emotions, his heart to be vulnerable. It’s a bit of an awkward position in that Jungkook is still laying down flat on his back while Jimin is sitting beside him, bending down at an angle to hug him, but Jungkook’s never felt more at peace. He loved Jimin’s hugs so much he never wanted Jimin to pull away. Jimin just continues to holds him while Jungkook cries and he soon feels the younger’s arms slowly hooking under his, hands resting on Jimin’s back.

“You’re gonna be okay, Jungkook.” Jimin says as he slowly draws back when Jungkook’s crying subsides. He brushes Jungkook’s hair back again and gently caresses the trauma surgeon’s face. “You’ll be okay, yeah?”

Jungkook nods.  

Jimin leaves the lamp on and he settles back under the covers and spoons Jungkook so they can both go back to sleep again. He doesn’t know how many minutes it’s been but moments later Jimin is still awake unable to fall asleep and it seems Jungkook is in the same boat.

“He had wires and shard inches deep in his abdomen. Two of his fingers were just… gone. His legs looked like… it didn’t look like a human leg. There was blood just… everywhere… spilling out of his gut.” Jungkook says suddenly, shuffling his body and turning around so that he’s facing the ceiling. Jimin readjusts to the movement and now they’re no longer spooning but laying on their backs side by side, shoulder to shoulder.

Jungkook goes on about the two tragic moments. The moments that keep haunting him in his dreams. The moments in which he lost two of his fellow soldiers, his friends, his brothers out in Loguay. How he feels guilty that he couldn’t save them yet he’s alive and well, still getting to live his life. How unfair it was. How disgusted he was with himself that he hopped onto that jeep and left his friend there to die. He talks with almost a monotone, as if telling some story not of his own, which is completely different than how he was crying just a few moments ago. Some experiences are so traumatizing and painful that victims of PTSD place said memories in a completely different part of their brain, often a place in which it’s not a part of their life’s timeline.

Jimin just listens while holding the man’s hand. They’re not even looking at each other, but rather Jungkook is speaking to the ceiling, letting everything out. He’s sharing everything he’s shared with Yoongi the last several months but it feels different. Opening up to Jimin. By now, he knew Jimin was a kind and warm person. He also knew how patient Jimin was. He’d not once forced him to talk about it after that first nightmare back at his place in his bed last week. Instead, he just held him. Really, it’s all Jungkook needed in that moment. A warm, loving person to hold him and just

be there.

And outside the bedroom, outside of their homes, Jimin acted like nothing happened, like the same old Dr. Park, not once bringing up the nightmare incident, of Jungkook shaking and crying, not once making Jungkook feel embarrassed or uncomfortable.

He’s frustrated that it’s only been a week since he’s had his last nightmare but it wasn’t new news to him that these episodes occurred at random times with absolutely no pattern.

“Thank you for sharing with me,” Jimin says quietly as he turns to his side to finally look at Jungkook. What a handsome profile the man had, he thinks. “I’m really sorry for your loss, Jungkook. They sound like they were amazing people… they do. And I’m glad you got to meet them and have that amazing friendship.”

“Yeah. Yeah they were.”

“But you know Jungkook, you can’t do that to yourself. It wasn’t your fault. What happened. You did what you could, and you did what you had to do.” He squeezes Jungkook’s hand gently.

Jungkook doesn’t say anything but a teardrop falls from the outer corner of his eye and Jimin sees it. He wipes it away for him and says, “you’re a good person. You can’t blame yourself for what happened to them, okay?”

Jungkook stays silent. He doesn’t nod or move. He does nothing. Jimin takes cue the man is done sharing and is just in deep, internal thought now. “Sleep. It’s late. We still have a few hours left still before work.” Jimin stays on his side, facing Jungkook. He looks at Jungkook who is looking at ceiling.

A few minutes later, when Jimin finally gets a bit drowsy and is about to close his eyes, Jungkook speaks yet again.

“Jimin.”

“Hey. You okay? Do you need something?”

“Can I ask you something?” Jungkook now turns to his side so they’re face to face. Jimin gets extremely flustered seeing Jungkook’s face just inches away, his big eyes staring intently into his. Jimin stutters. “Y-yeah?”

“Why did you hate me?”

“What?” Jimin’s eyes widen and suddenly he’s wide awake.

“Why did you hate me so much at first?”

In this intimate, dim atmosphere, Jimin finds himself flabbergasted. He’s baffled but he’s still soft and earnest. “Why did you? Why did you hate me?”

“What? I didn’t. You did first, Jimin.”

“No I didn’t??”

The two talk and backtrack on their entire history going back months all the way to Jungkook’s first day at SMC. They both lay there in bed shaking their heads, laughing when they’ve finally sorted all of this history of ‘hatred’ out.

“We are so stupid, aren’t we?” Jimin says realizing these past several months of their ridiculous relationship came down to nothing but a small, petty misunderstanding and failure to just communicate properly. He laughs at how prideful they both were.

“Very,” Jungkook’s mouth forms a small smile.

“We don’t deserve to be surgeons. We are way too dumb. Well, never mind, I do. I deserve it. But you don’t. Cuz you’re the one who assumed things when I was just having a bad day, which I’m allowed to have. And you’re the one who was so full of yourself that you thought you deserved my full attention on a day I was stressed and overwhel-“

Jungkook lightly squeezes Jimin’s nose, “god, do you ever shut up, Dr. Park?”

Jimin scrunches his nose and playfully sneers at him. “Jungkook.”

“Yeah?”

“What are we doing.”

“What?”

“You. Me. Us.” Jimin says.

Silence falls heavily between them. Jungkook didn’t have the answers. Jimin knew this but he asked anyways. It just came out. The heart surgeon was a patient guy but when it came to these type of matters, he was not very patient.

“I-I don’t.. I don’t know. I think we’re friends… are we not?” Jungkook says nervously. They were far beyond coworkers. Coworkers didn’t lay in bed together like this so intimately. It’s 3 in the morning and he feels his heart starting to race quickly with Jimin just staring at him.

God his lips looked so, so plump and delicious right now. It’s been awhile since he’s tasted them. And his face, so cute yet sexy at the same time. The way he’d scrunch his face when he teased him but also the way he looked so provocative when he was under him when they used to fuck….

Stop. Stop stop stop. Jungkook shakes his thoughts off. They were friends. Friends did not think of friends in this manner.

“Are we?” Jimin says softly.

“We are.” Jungkook says assertively and warmly. Jimin just nods and says, “hm.”

They both know they should try to sleep because they both have work in a few hours but the two men don’t want to stop talking to each other now that it was clear they really were friends and all bad blood and history between them were finally discussed and dissipated.

And so they don’t. They stay up, face to face laying on their sides just talking.

Jungkook brings up his friend again, the one who died in his arms. But shares the good things about him, unrelated to the death. He tells Jimin funny stories about him while they were stationed out in Loguay. Jimin shares funny stories from college. Jungkook tells him about volunteering with disabled veterans and Jimin says, “I want to, too!” Jungkook promises him he’ll take him with him next time.

They talk about Seokjin leaving. And Jungkook finds out Jimin is more than subordinate-boss with him, but that he’s actually kind of friends with the chief outside their professional life.

“I figured,” Jungkook says. He wasn’t surprised considering all the times he’d seen how Jimin acted with the chief. Jimin almost, almost wants to tell him he is sure he knows the real reason the chief is leaving: Taehyung. But he doesn’t. Taehyung and Seokjin’s relationship was their private relationship, and not any of his nor Jungkook’s business.

They talk about food. What they like and dislike. About alcohol. How Jungkook was a weak drinker and Jimin teases him. “What’s the point in being all buff and big when you can’t even hold your liquor?” Jungkook rolls his eyes and chuckles astounded at this small beauty who he admits, could definitely hold his liquor better than him.

“You must be glad you’re so good at everything, aren’t you?” he teases.

“I am. It’s not my fault I’m good at everything.” Jungkook laughs at Jimin’s remark.

The trauma surgeon couldn’t get enough of Park Jimin. He liked everything about this adorable doctor—even his playful cockiness. He wonders how he saw him so differently before. How he ever thought Jimin was actually a snobby, arrogant person. Jimin was everything but that.

Park Jimin was just a confident individual; he was a doctor who knew his worth and capabilities. And there was absolutely nothing wrong with that. His confidence was well deserved. He was a beautiful, charming, forgiving, warm, kind, selfless little genius of a human.

“You’re not good at everything.”

“Dr. Jeon, I understand you’re jealous, but don’t worry, you are extremely smart too.” Jimin jokes back. “What am I not good at, hm??”

“For a heart doctor, you’re really clueless.” Jungkook’s mouth blurts out.

“What?”

Jungkook just looks at him with a weak, regretful smile. God, the time they wasted. Months of hostile tension, all completely unnecessary. He wishes he could turn back time and go back to his first day of the job. Redo it all over again so they could spend the past wasted, precious months actually getting to know each other.

“What?” Jimin says again.

“We just wasted a lot of time, didn’t we Park?”

And Jimin understands right away. He nods. “Yeah. Yeah we did but now we’ve cleared the air, right? Finally.”

“Yeah but all those months we could have actually been friends. Gotten to know each other like this.”

“Well we’re doing it now, no? It’s not too late, Jeon.”

“Yeah. Yeah I guess. You’re right.” Jungkook says. “Hey. We should play a game.” Jungkook’s heart is racing rapidly and it doesn’t seem to slow down. It’s almost 4:30 in the morning but he’s really here suggesting they play a game. “Do you know two truths and a lie game?”

“Who doesn’t? Do you think I live under a rock?” God he is so fucking annoying still and so fucking cute, Jungkook thinks.

“My godddd,” Jungkook rolls his eyes while trying not to smile. “A simple yes would have sufficed, Park.”

“Whatever. Random, but anyways I’ll go first.”

“Sure.”

“When I was a kid we had a dog named Ddosun who I loved so much. But.. so I was outside playing with my brother and Ddosun just like ran out of nowhere and straight onto the road but… but right when he did, a car came and hit him. We… my brother and I saw everything. It was fucking horrible. I cried for days.”

“Well shit,” Jungkook says. If this was real… well, that’s fucking depressing he thinks.

“Mm… two. During my second year of residency, a guy I went on one date with ended up in the ER and as one of my patients… I had to give him a rectal examination.”

They both laugh. Jungkook is sure this was true because Jimin’s laugh was far too real. “And your third?”

“I didn’t serve my mandatory service because I didn’t pass the physical. They deemed me unfit. So… which do you think is the lie??”

“The first one.” Jungkook answers immediately because it was too dramatic. Why did the dog just suddenly come out of nowhere? Who let him out? Why was he not on a leash? And the third option seemed real, along with the second. Now that he knew Jimin had nearly died when he was 16 and had a 3-month long hospital stay, he figures Jimin’s health probably wasn’t the same ever again. “You gave too much detail with your dog story, nice try. They say when one talks too much they’re lying, haha. Am I right?”

“Wrong. I indeed saw my childhood dog die right in front of my eyes.”

“Shit. Damn. I’m sorry…”

“It’s okay. He’s in a better place. Because all dogs go to heaven.” Jimin smiles. He missed his pup whenever he thought about him; he never did get another dog after that because he felt bad, as if he was ‘replacing’ Ddosunnie. “So which is your pick? Now that you have two options left, Jeon.”

Jungkook ponders and he’s genuinely stuck. But after a minute he finally gives his answer, “I’ve concluded that you’re pure evil Jimin. And an amazing actor… and good at laughing on cue. There was no rectal examination of your date was there?”

“Wrong!” Jimin smiles. “Of course there was!! I’m not that good of an actor, idiot! My laughing was very well real. I really gave him a full rectal exam. He was mortified. Hahaha. I win!”

“Oh my god… hahaha poor guy!! Wait- so then, you did serve your mandatory service then??”

“Of course I did, silly.”

“But… I thought-“

“You thought I’d have some big enough medical condition after my hospitalization and near death experience that it’d prevent me from serving my mandatory service. I know. But nope! I recovered. And I’m a healthy guy now!” Jimin smiles. “So you guessed wrong! I win! Your turn!”

Jungkook is just stunned, wide eyed and Jimin’s so playful about it that he also decides to just go with it and not make it all weird and emotional. But he can’t help stare at Jimin with so much fondness.

“What..?” Jimin says shyly feeling the man’s piercing gaze on him. “I’m fine now, Jungkook. See.” He lifts his arm out as if presenting himself. But it makes Jungkook more emotional thinking about 16 year old Jimin in a sleep induced coma connected to every wire possible and completely incapacitated for nearly 3 months. Literally, incapacitated. It’s a hard picture to imagine because he’s only ever known the smart, strong, sassy, healthy, well-bodied, often know-it-all surgeon Dr. Park.

Jungkook’s eyes water and he’s choking up from feeling too much. He’s suddenly hot and he can’t seem to slow down his heart rate. “Nothing. Nothing. Sorry..”

“Okay… well. It’s your turn, Jeon.” Jimin says trying to shift the mood back to playful because he sees Jungkook staring at him with so much… fondness. He feels naked and shy and so he makes the vibe silly again because otherwise, Jimin’s not sure he could handle the heat. “Go go go! I’m ready! I bet I’ll guess right.”

“O-okay…” Jungkook clears his throat.

“One, I miss Loguay, as in the country. The country itself was beautiful. The land. Two, I feel guilty every day… because I couldn’t… I couldn’t save them while I get to continue living my life,” Jungkook’s breath hitches and Jimin holds his hand because he knows with 1000% that this one’s already true—he’d said it tonight himself earlier.

“And your third?” Jimin says quietly. Jungkook pauses gazing into the older’s eyes. Jimin averts his eyes for few seconds because the stare is too strong, but when he returns his eyes back on the younger man, Jungkook is still staring at him with an intensity that makes Jimin feel like he’s the most beautiful creature alive on this earth. His heart thumps and he gazes back in return.

Jimin never realized until now how loud silence could be.

He can’t even joke anymore to try to change this serious vibe because no words come out. He’s utterly speechless, lost in Jungkook’s eyes. He simply cannot escape Jeon Jungkook’s presence, fervently surrounding every inch of his being. He’s never felt so paralyzed.

Jungkook leans in closer and finally says, “the third is,” Jungkook pauses. He brings his hand to Jimin’s neck, gently pulling him in closer.

“I’m falling in love with someone. Very, very, fast.”

He closes in on the space between them and finally captures Jimin’s lips.

Chapter Text

This time, nothing is a blur.

Jimin is well aware of every single one of Jungkook’s actions; he feels every one of his movements. He feels him—his lips, his hands, his fingers, his breath, his nose… his heart. He feels Jungkook.

The kiss Jungkook presses onto him is soft, but Jimin deepens it as their bodies adjust to a new position. He feels the weight of the younger moving on top of him and Jimin’s never felt more safe, more comforted, more desired. He loops his arms around Jungkook’s neck pulling him in closer and opens his mouth welcoming the younger to finally slide his tongue in. They kiss tenderly and slowly, both smiling as they kiss. They take their time to explore and really taste each other with their tongues in a way they failed to do before when they were just hooking up like primitive animals.

It’s been awhile since they’ve hooked up.

But this doesn’t feel anything like hooking up right now. Both Jimin and Jungkook are still caught in the moment yes, but they are so in sync and aware of what they’re doing. This isn’t a fuck up. This isn’t a mistake.

This isn’t just sex.

Jungkook trails his lips from Jimin’s mouth to his ears, to his neck where he takes his time in sucking and biting his skin littering love marks all over the heart surgeon. Jimin’s hands are tangled in Jungkook’s fluffy black hair as he basks in the man’s soft, wet open mouthed kisses. He angles his neck so that Jungkook can have an easier time and it instigates the younger to make his way down to the bottom of Jimin’s neck only to find Jimin’s shirt is in the way.

Jimin doesn’t mean to but he releases a small whimper. He feels Jungkook’s big hands sliding under his shirt, sensually lifting it slowly upward and Jimin looks the man in the eyes with a gaze that screams both passion and love. He brings his arms up above his head to allow Jungkook to take his shirt off. The younger doctor keeps a slow and steady pace even when undressing Jimin. With every inch of moving Jimin’s shirt up, Jungkook’s lips follow behind, leaving a trail of soft kisses along Jimin’s torso until he finally pulls Jimin’s shirt off slowly and throws it on the ground.

“Jimin.” Jungkook says pausing to simply look at the beautiful man beneath him.

Jimin doesn’t answer but responds by making firm eye contact with Jungkook.

“You really are…” he pauses for a second and Jimin wants to hear it. He does. The trauma surgeon sinks down closer so they’re face to face not even an inch apart. He whispers right into Jimin’s mouth before he kisses him again, “you really are beautiful, Jimin.”

They make out for quite a while, drinking in the taste of the other’s lips with Jungkook on top of Jimin. Soon enough, Jimin reaches down and starts feeling Jungkook’s bulge. Jungkook starts grinding their clothed cocks together and Jimin unable to take it anymore, slowly slips his hand inside Jungkook’s boxers, palming his hardening length.

“F-fuc.. J-Jimin…”

“Touch me. Touch me too, Jungkook,” he demands but with a soft, gently voice. Jungkook’s eyes widen and he’s not even sure why he’s suddenly feeling so shy upon hearing Jimin’s lewd request. It’s not like he hadn’t already fucked Jimin multiple times against many different walls in many storage rooms, bathroom stalls, closets and were far more obscene and dirtier than how they were behaving now…

Yet everything felt so new.

“Touch me too Jungkook… please.” Jimin whines again, grabbing a hold of Jungkook’s hand with his other free hand and bringing it to his own bulge. “Jungkook.. please,” he whispers sensually.

He gazes into Jimin’s eyes and he can feel his genuine plea. He can feel his desire. He can feel Jimin’s warmth. This wasn’t just a dirty, selfish request so his body could feel pleasure, but a genuine desire to be intimate with Jungkook.

He starts kissing Jimin’s clavicles again, his left hand down under Jimin’s boxers, massaging the man’s hardening length. Jimin writhes under him and whines, “please” once again. Jungkook kisses his way down Jimin’s torso and when he lands at his pants, he finally takes both his pants and boxers off, and then takes his own clothes off too.

He starts teasing Jimin’s length with his tongue, swirling the head in clockwise then counterclockwise circles, pausing to do short kitten licks and kisses, rubbing his thumb over the slit—Jungkook’s always been skilled and meticulous at everything. Foreplay was no exception because it makes Jimin go crazy and he starts begging for him to please take him fully in his mouth.

And Jungkook does. He envelopes all of Jimin in his mouth, tasting his cock as he bobs his head up and down. He edges him until Jimin on the brink of climaxing and stops.

“Please.. Jungkook… I need.. I want to cum.. don’t stop…” Jimin cries.

“Shh,” Jungkook silences him by giving him a wet kiss on the lips. “I’m gonna make you feel so, so good, Park. Even better than what you feel right now.” He makes Jimin turn around and he starts kissing all over Jimin’s neck, shoulder, and back, not wanting to miss even an inch of the older man. He’s truly worshiping Jimin’s body as if it’s the most beautiful and delicate thing he’s ever laid his hands and lips on. When he finally gets to Jimin’s ass, he continues his soft kisses and licks.

“Damn…” he can’t help but say. He slowly spreads Jimin’s cheeks apart and then he’s suddenly very quiet.

“Jungkook?” Jimin turns his head back and Jungkook’s eyes have a lustful hunger to them that he didn’t have even just a few minutes ago. The man licks his lips and Jimin can’t help but feel both shy and a little brash; he releases a small quiet giggle. He buries his face into his pillow as to try and laugh internally.

“I might be the luckiest person alive,” Jungkook says squeezing and massaging Jimin’s ass, giving it a few slaps here and there. He takes his time playing with Jimin’s smooth, soft, thick ass, squeezing, kneading, and rubbing his hands all over, his middle finger ever so often casually slipping in and sliding between his crack to tease him. When Jimin whines louder, Jungkook finally rubs the outside of Jimin’s puffy pink hole with one finger.

Before Jimin even knows it, he’s crying Jungkook’s name in pleasure and writhing because Jungkook has his fingers then tongue inside him. Jimin screams and cries because he’s never been eaten out so good like this

In his life.

And Jungkook, well, he’s never seen nor tasted such a glorious ass until Park Jimin. He eats him out with everything he’s got, ravishing the man’s ass like his life depends on it. His tongue swirls in circular motions inside him, fucks him in and out, his fingers from one to three fingers one by one, and he switches off the number of fingers to give the man an element of surprise, also making sure he curls his finger to hit the man’s prostate. All Jungkook wants to do is make Jimin feel so good to the point he comes completely undone. He wants to wreck him before he’s even fucked him with his cock so that when he does momentarily, Jimin will have the best orgasm possible.

“F-fuck..” Jimin pants from pure bliss and ecstasy when Jungkook’s long finger touches his prostate again. He screams in pleasure. All he can think about now is getting fucked by the real thing: Jeon Jungkook’s hard, thick cock. “Jungkook… pl-please…”

After he’s been fucked open enough by Jungkook’s fingers and tongue, the younger man reaches in Jimin’s nightstand and grabs the lube. Once he’s generously lubricated he has Jimin get on his back again, hoists the man’s ass a bit off the bed in which Jimin naturally bends his knees in the air. Jungkook positions himself so he can insert himself into the man and actually grabs one of Jimin’s legs to rest across his shoulder.

“Please… hurry… Jungkook…” Jimin begs. He just wants to cum so, so bad.

“You are so fucking beautiful, Jimin.” Jungkook says one more time just admiring the naked man underneath him. Even more beautiful when he begged with that pretty little voice of his.

“Jungkook… just.. hurry already please.. want you…”

“Yeah? What do you want, Jimin?” Jungkook teases despite the fact he too was hard as fuck and ready to fuck the life out of Jimin. It’s just that Jimin looked so cute like this, all needy and whiny. “Tell me what you want or how do I know what to give you, Park?”

“Jungkook… come on… please…”

“Tell me, Park.”

“Want you inside me Jeon. Now. Please. Fuck me already please…” Jimin pleads in near tears. “With your cock please…  wanna feel your cock Jungkook… please.” Jungkook bends down and kisses him tenderly but deeply. As much as he wanted to fuck Dr. Park Jimin hard and deep into this mattress, he could spend hours, days, forever really, just kissing the man like this—every inch of his skin. He was in every way both cute and sexy, hot and elegant, classy and sensual… what an enigma, Jungkook thinks.

A sweet face, the kind that every mother in the Republic of Korea would love to have as a son or an in-law, the kind that every hospital patient trusts and requests for, the kind that every employer, every teacher, every professor loves, the good natured sweet clean Korean boy face, under him

begging for cock.

His cock to be exact.

Call it egotistical and prideful, or maybe he’s got some kink where he gets off on having the best of the best, but Jungkook feels on top of the fucking world.

“You’re so cute like this, Dr. Park.”

“Jeonnnnn come onn,” Jimin cries.

And Jungkook finally gives it to him. He teases Jimin’s hole for just a few seconds with his hard cock and finally pushes himself into Jimin’s tight hole.

“Fuckkkk---,” Jungkook grunts. And Jimin moans as Jungkook’s cock goes in inch by inch, clenched by his tight walls.

Jungkook starts off slow, rocking his hips at a slow and steady pace, not being aggressive at all. They make love, sweet and sensually but when Jimin’s moans get louder and he gets a bit demanding and bossy for Jungkook to “get on with it already, Jeon”, Jungkook laughs and leans his torso down, inevitably making his cock go in even deeper into Jimin.

“You’re so bossy, Park. Ever the same aren’t you?” Jungkook smiles fondly, brushing Jimin’s sweaty hair back for him and peppering his face with kisses while thrusting into him.

“Nnnmmggg,” Jimin moans as Jungkook’s cock hits his prostate. “Jungkook, faster. Pl-please.”

He obliges and picks up the pace, thrusting into Jimin in and out, in and out, every so often slapping his ass while kissing, both getting drunk off each other’s lips. Jimin’s doing a good job of keeping his legs elevated and knees bent now on both sides of Jungkook. Jungkook keeps lifting Jimin’s legs up to rest on his shoulder every time they fall off as he fucks into him. They remains closer than ever face to face and lips locked the entire time as Jungkook’s cock slams into him.

With every thrust, Jimin is crying but he’s crying into Jungkook’s mouth because neither one of them want to break their kiss. Jimin’s arms and hands switch off between being hooked under Jungkook’s arms where his fingers scratch his back and simply looping it around Jungkook’s neck holding him in a tight, close embrace. He loves Jungkook’s cock and the way it feels inside him, he does. But he loves hugging Jungkook more. Feeling close to him. Feeling like he’s both protected by him but also protecting him.

When Jungkook really picks up the speed, Jimin moans loudly, his fingers grip the bedsheet on both sides of him, toes curl, back arches off the mattress, and his eyes start rolling back. They’re skin on skin, panting, moaning, sweating, and altogether just fully immersed in each other’s bodies pleasuring one another.

“Jungkook… I’m I’m gonna cum- oh fuckkkkkkk.”

Hot, white cum spurts out and lands all over his own stomach, some splattering onto Jungkook as well. The cum smears between their skin as Jungkook continues fucking into Jimin and soon enough, in just a few short minutes, Jungkook groans and gives one final, deep push.

“Fuckkk, you’re so fucking. Tight. Jimin. So. Fucking. Beautiful. Fuck.”

Jimin is exhausted and in his high from his own orgasm, but his body rocks to the rhythm of Jungkook’s thrusts as if he were a doll. He wants nothing more than Jungkook to finally get off too. He can feel Jungkook’s fingers digging into his hips but he doesn’t mind. Jungkook looks so hot, so good like this on top of him, naked, with disheveled hair, sweaty, panting, and incoherent because his cock feels so good being clenched by Jimin’s tight walls. He wants this man to feel as good as he does too.

“Cum inside me,” Jimin says. Jungkook looks down at him, eyes hooded, barely able to stay open because he’s on the brink of his orgasm.

“Wanna feel you, all of you inside me Jungkook. Cum inside me.”

And with just those simple words, Jungkook finally cums.

It was the best sex they’ve ever had with each other. And they’ve fucked a lot during that period when they were hooking up. They’re lying in bed now with Jungkook spooning Jimin, back to chest, arms wrapping around the smaller’s waist.

They’re both decently cleaned up, if Jungkook wiping them down with a wet cloth even counts as clean up. But the silence is a bit awkward with Jungkook’s face buried in Jimin’s hair, and Jimin just staring off into the darkness very aware of the rhythm of Jungkook’s breathing. When his eyes adjust better to the darkness he starts counting the number of stripes on the curtains.

Awkward.

Neither one of them can seem to fall asleep despite the fact they both have to get up for work in a few hours. They also both know the other is not asleep. Yet neither of them say anything. They’re in a weird ambiguous relationship and Jimin wishes he could just fall asleep so he didn’t have to think about this blaringly obvious silence. Or he almost wishes he could just runaway… leave.

Should I go home. I should. He thinks to himself. But he doesn’t mean it at all. He loves being held in Jungkook’s arm like this. He just wishes he knew what to say.

Fortunately, the silence is finally broken by the both of them speaking at the exact same time.

“The first o-“

“Jimin.”

“Nothing. Go ahead.” Jimin says. He had nothing important to say anyways, he just going to guess Jungkook’s ‘lie’ in their 2 truths and a lie game was the first one. Jungkook’s “Jimin” sounded much more serious.

“Jimin.” he says again.

“Yeah?” Jimin answers, not moving an inch of his body but remaining perfectly still.

“Will you go to dinner with me this weekend? I wanna take you out. On a real date.”

And just like that it happens so naturally and simply. All of that practicing in his mirror, all of the mumbled jumbled words, all of the moments he felt like an utter loser for practicing on how to ask Jimin out on a proper date. In the darkness and stillness of Jungkook’s bedroom with the two men cuddled, it happens. Naturally and inevitably.

“Thought you’d never ask.” Jimin replies calmly. “I’d like that very much Jungkook.”

~

“Why are you wearing that shirt again?” Taehyung gives him a puzzled look. “Swear you just wore- OHHHH my goddddddd.” Taehyung stops midsentence at his own realization eyeing Jimin and then Jungkook back and forth. He only remembers what Jimin was wearing because it happened to be his personal favorite of Jimin’s. And Dr. Jeon? Well, he looked nervous as fuck. Jimin scoots closer to him and pinches the back of Taehyung’s arm.

“Ow!” Taehyung jumps.

They were huddled together for a quick impromptu morning hallway meeting about one of their patients when the group suddenly gets silent. They all wait, wanting Dr. Kim Taehyung to finish his sentence.

“Go on, Dr. Nam. Sorry. Ignore him.” Jimin smiles at their temporary acting-chief of surgery Dr. Nam.

Dr. Nam eyes him and Taehyung suspiciously but resumes speaking. The four other attending physicians all try to hide their smile knowing very well Dr. Park Jimin clearly did a walk of shame to work. They just didn’t know with whom.

But Taehyung. Kim Taehyung knew in his gut exactly who Jimin spent his night with.

Jimin and Jungkook had woke up in a panic as their slept through their alarms hitting snooze multiple times.

“FUCK,” they’d both jumped out of bed in a frenzy, throwing on their clothes and were running out of Jungkook’s apartment within five minutes of waking up.

They’d both brushed their teeth and washed up in the locker room at work and now here they were trying to act as if they had not had an amazing night of sex and overslept. They try to ignore Taehyung’s suspicious eyes on them, nodding as if they were paying close attention to Dr. Nam. But they could physically feel Taehyung’s eyes shooting suspicious rays out at them with his mischievous smirk.

Jimin eyes Jungkook, moving his eyeball to his right where Taehyung is standing.

He knows.

Jungkook tries to subtly shake his head no. But Jimin shakes his head back implying they are going to be exposed after this hallway meeting is over.

And he’s right.

“YOU SLEPT WITH JEON DIDN’T YOU.” Taehyung hovers right behind Jimin as he closes the door to their office. “YOU DID DIDN’T YOU?!?! TELL ME!!”

Jimin ignores him and takes a seat at his desk, logging onto his computer. But his best friend pulls his chair out and spins it around. “Spit it out Min!!”

Jimin groans and face palms. “Finee.”

“HAHAHA I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT I KNEW IT!! HOW LONG? IT’S BEEN AWHILE HUH?! DON’T EVEN TRY TO LIE TO ME PARK!” Taehyung is laughing with pride that his hunch was very well correct.

 “Ughhhhhhhhh howwww?? How do you ALWAYS KNOW EVERYTHING TAE?!” Jimin can’t help but laugh while he groans.

“I’m not your best friend for no reason. TELL ME. HOW LONG. HURRY. I HAVE TO GO PREP FOR SURGERY.”

For months.

“Go away,” Jimin says shyly, turning his chair around and fake typing on his computer and fake reading some of his emails.

“JIMIN.”

“Whaaaat. Don’t you have to goo you have surgeryyy go awayyy.” Jimin whines.

“Why are you so shy!?” Taehyung chuckles. “IS SOMEONE IN LOVE WITH THEIR ENEMY?!?!”

“Oh my god shut up Tae! Seriously, you have a surgery. GO! I’ll tell you everything later okay. I promise.”

“Ok ok, just tell me now quickly then, how long has this been going on?! And are you guys dating or just hooking up? Just hooking up huh??”

“It’s… it’s a long story, Dr. Kim. I can’t give a quick black and white answer right now. Sorry buddy. I swear I’ll tell you everything when we hang out. Not at work. So GO! BEGONE!!” Jimin playfully shoos his friend away with his hands. Taehyung is so antsy and eager to know all the juicy details but he also can see that the clock is ticking so he reluctantly agrees and leaves for the OR.

“Tomorrow. Tomorrow night I’m coming over and you’re telling me everything.”

~

KKoKko’s BBQ. They had Jimin and Seokjin’s favorite Korean fried chicken and the best beers on tap. They used to come here quite often when they first starting being friends personally outside of their work relationship. It’s been awhile since the two of them have sat here like this across from each other over some chicken and beer, just them two.

Seokjin was Jimin’s friend first, before he was Taehyung’s… lover. So it’s not like Jimin has liked hating on him; he didn’t really hate the guy. He was just on mother bear mode protective over his soft and far too pure best friend Taehyung.

“I’m sorry I took his side.” Jimin admits. He was normally such a mediating type of person, but with Taehyung, he immediately took his side; Taehyung was family to him. He grabs a fry and slowly munches on it. “But can you blame me.”

“I don’t, Jimin.” Seokjin says gently. “I don’t blame you at all for taking his side. You should.”

Jimin sighs. “How are you, hyung?” Jimin asks with a genuine empathic tone. Seokjin had texted him a few days after he announced his resignation asking Jimin if he could meet up with him. It was only now they finally both had a matching open time. “How’s Koryo?”

“It’s fine. They’re great. Really happy to have me. Their neuro department is a bit chaotic but I’m hoping things will get better.”

“I’m sure it will now, with you there.”

“How is he?” Seokjin asks completely shifting the subject out of nowhere.

Jimin pauses. How was he supposed to answer this? Was he supposed to be honest? Was he supposed to act like Taehyung was good, to keep his pride up for him, as if he was ‘winning’? Jimin hesitates how to answer this question. He thinks back on their entire history since about a year ago when he first caught them fucking in the hospital, and then he remembers all of the times he made Taehyung seem a fool, all of the times he made Taehyung cry and suddenly, Jimin feels rage.

“Why hyung. Why did you do this? Why did you play around with him huh? I really kept giving you the benefit of the doubt because it’s confusing you know? I know you as this… this great guy. Not some asshole dick who’d just lead someone on, someone especially as sweet and kind as Tae, but you did. And you-“

Jimin pauses when he sees Seokjin’s eyes water. He was on a roll, ready to finally explode and go off on Seokjin. He had only been keeping to himself as to not put Tae in a more awkward situation, trying to stay out of it and not butt into their business to not anger Tae. But fuck that, they were done and Jin wasn’t even his boss. He was ready to go off and finally give him a piece of his mind.

But he is silenced by the elder’s tears slowly dripping down his cheeks.

“Hyung…”

“I was engaged.”

Jimin’s eyes widen. Seokjin finally breaks down and he keeps talking, spilling everything about his parents, his grandfather, Sara, the engagement, the wedding…

How he ran out on Sara during cake testing; how he told his parents he would not be going through with the wedding. How he’d went over to Sara’s and her parents and apologized saying he could not and would not marry her. How his grandfather had slapped him across the face saying he was an ungrateful brat. How his father then gave him another earful. How his mother cried from embarrassment because Sara’s mother had called her furious.

How he had told his family he would not be their pawn.

“Get out and don’t ever show your face in front of this family if you aren’t willing to respect our wishes,” his father had said.

So Seokjin left.

He tells Jimin with tears streaming down his face how he’s a fucking coward. He tells him how much he misses Taehyung, how horrible he feels that he hurt the one person he loves, how he hates himself for being the cause of Taehyung’s somber aura, how he’s the reason Taehyung lost his smile in the recent months, how despite the fact he left his parents home’ confidently he was still so anxious and scared that he really lost his family, how he just wishes he could run away somewhere with Tae and never come back.

“Hyung…” Jimin is tearing up too. He gets up from his chair and does what he does best: he hugs him. “I’m so sorry I didn’t even once ask your side. I’m so sorry you had to go through that with your family. And that you were… you were bearing all this pain by yourself…”

Jimin cries with him.

“Tell him.” Jimin says once they’ve both settled down and he’s back in his own seat across from Seokjin. For the first time in Seokjin’s life, he had opened up about his personal life, his family life, his feelings to a friend. He feels liberated and wonders why he didn’t live like this sooner. “You need to tell Tae,” he says again.

Seokjin has always been one of those people who was always, always on top of it. He was the banjang of his class nearly K-12. He always get straight As. He studied hours upon hours and got into the best university in the country. He studied yet still had a ton of friends who loved him and a great social life. He came home by curfew even when he was in college, respecting his parents’ rules. He graduated top of his class. Got accepted into the best hospital for his internship and his life from there took off in the most perfect textbook way possible. He lived a righteous, obedient life and he always knew what his next step was. He always had a plan. 

So he has never felt more lost and scared than he does right now.

He’s pissed off his family and parents and also the Kwons, embarrassed a completely innocent person Sara, called off a wedding, downgraded his job by taking a new job with a much smaller paycheck, and lost the love of his life Kim Taehyung.

“I don’t know.”

“What do you mean you don’t know?”

“You have to tell him. Everything you just told me!” Jimin says sternly with a concerned face. “You have to hyung. For him. And for you.”

“What’s the point? I heard he’s dating. Which he should be. And it’s been quite awhile they’ve been seeing each other, no? He seemed happy. I’m really happy for him. I am Jimin. I don’t want to hurt him again.”

“OH PLEASE,” Jimin rolls his eyes.

“What? Is he not dating anyone anymore?”

“I don’t want to speak for him so you need to just talk to him, okay? Please trust me on this one.”

“I don’t know Jimin.”

“BUT I DO. I KNOW. And I’m telling you to talk to him. Tell him everything you just told me. Okay?”

“Are you ever not confident about anything?” Seokjin chuckles and smiles weakly.

“No. I know everything. So trust me on this one. I’m never wrong.” Jimin says with a matter of fact tone. He smiles back sympathetically at Seokjin, with his warm eye smile.

“He misses you, you know.”

~

“Now I know three Jinhyuks!” Dr. Jung Hoseok says cheerfully while sipping on his coffee. Hoseok, Jimin, Yoongi and the pulmonology fellow Choi Jinhyuk are taking a coffee break just strolling down the hospital halls toward the lobby to stretch out their legs.

They were discussing some medical topic on one of the hospital’s most critical patients, then about the best haejang gook restaurant in Gangnam, then about the Nintendo Switch because Yoongi and Namjoon had recently bought one for their home after Hoseok had convinced them and now all they did on their off days were play games at home together like they were kids all over again, and now they somehow ended up at names.

“It’s a common name,” Dr. Choi Jinhyuk chuckles.

“It is,” Jimin nods smiling.

“Your dad,” Dr. Jung says looking at Jimin and then continues on. “My friend from college, and now you Dr. Choi!”

“Oh that’s right. The chairman,” Yoongi takes a long sip of his iced coffee and sloshes his cup around seeing he’s already consumed most of his beverage.

“How are you liking it here though, Dr. Choi? How’s life in the big city?!” Jimin asks genuinely interested. He hates to toot his own horn but he absolutely loved playing tour guide because he knew all the best spots and things to do in Seoul. He loved when newbies moved here and giving them recommendations, making them feel welcomed.

“Well I mean, it’s… an absolute dream considering I’m coming from a small rural side in Pohang!” the fellowship doctor laughs and they all join him.

“That bad, huh?” Yoongi asks.

“It’s just… very… very quiet and… boring? Haha. Great place maybe if you’re 60 and want to retire but not the most exciting place to live in your 20s and 30s. The hospital I was at, well I consider it more a clinic. It was that small. It’s a quaint place but I grew up there my entire life, went to school there, did my internship and residency there… so I’m glad to experience the big city of Seoul.”

“I can’t imagine living somewhere so bo- so quiet.” Jimin corrects his wording as to not insult the citizens of Pohang.

“It’s definitely nothing like Seoul… although I haven’t even really had a chance to do much though here since I’ve just been working and trying to get settled in.”

“We need to go out!! Let’s try to find a time and show Dr. Choi here what Seoul’s nightlife is really like!!” Hoseok exclaims.

“I’d love that!” Jinhyuk smiles warmly. “Dr. Park I hear you’re the master of recommendations!”

“Well you’re not wrong!” Jimin smiles brightly at the doctor.

“I’d love some recommendations from you. I don’t really know anything yet here haha. You should show me around!”

“That’s right! Dr. Park here knows everything and everyone. Actually, you and Taehyung! These two… they know all the hot spots, clubs, restaurants, lounges, fun touristy attractions, parks, literally I don’t even get how! Cuz you work so much!” Hoseok says.

Yoongi laughs and agrees.

“Let’s just say… our motto in college was work hard, play hard.” Jimin grins mischievously. “I believe in doing everything with your 100%, even having fun. No you know what, it’s not my college motto, it’s still my life motto but… it’s just that I’m so old now and when I party too hard my hangovers last me like 3 days instead of a quick next day recovery! Hahaha!” All four surgeons laugh agreeing with the accurate statement of their aging doom.

“You still don’t let that stop you though, Jimin haha.” Yoongi says shaking his head remembering all the times even just recently Jimin had gotten hammered when drinking.

“Hey. Like I said, when it’s time to party, it’s time to part-“

“Coffee break?” a familiar voice interrupts them cheerfully. Hoseok feels a rough but playful pat on his back as he slightly jolts forward from the hit.

“Dr. Jeon!! You must be getting out of your surgery! Saw you had a spinal fusion!” Hoseok happily greets the trauma surgeon. Jungkook smiles sincerely and nods that he indeed just got out of that long and difficult operation. When he and Jimin make eye contact they just smile and Jungkook winks at him. Jimin turns his head away so he can hide his big stupid grin and possibly red cheeks.

“Let’s get you a coffee. I need another. This wasn’t enough. I want Starbucks not vending machine.” Yoongi says shaking his cup. The five of them walk toward the stairwell so they can go downstairs to the restaurant level.

“You were doing a spinal fusion?!” Dr. Choi asks. “I’d love to see you do one of those, Dr. Jeon!”

“Heh, yeah. It’s nothing.”

“It’s nothing,” Jimin mimics playfully. “Says the genius orthopedic surgeon. You’re so modest Jeon.”

“Modest?” Jungkook smirks. Even Yoongi and Hoseok are a bit taken aback because for the last several months, the only thing coming out of Dr. Park Jimin’s mouth in regards to Dr. Jeon was that he was a cocky and arrogant bastard.

“Modest?” Yoongi raises an eyebrow.

“Yeah? Did I stutter?” Jimin says.

“Am… I missing something?” Dr. Choi asks confused but playfully.

Jimin just smirks. “No Dr. Choi. You’re not missing anything. Dr. Jeon here is the best trauma surgeon in the country, specializing in orthopedics and he’s far too humble and bashful that sometimes it’s annoying.”

“Excuse me?” Jungkook raises an eyebrow too but both he and Jimin are smiling; it’s a playful and teasing vibe.

“Can’t tell if he’s actually that humble or if he’s pretending to be just to fish for complim-“ Jimin keeps talking to tease Jungkook.

“Ah! Like when a really attractive person says they’re ugly, right?” Dr. Choi laughs and they all join.

“Right!”

“I must say…” Dr. Choi pauses for a second. “This hospital has… has a lot of attractive doctors.” He wasn’t wrong. SMC was filled with doctors who looked like they could be on the cover of fashion magazines. Even the nurses and staff were beautiful.

“I know. You are all so lucky you get to work with me,” Hoseok dramatically cups his face as if he’s a flower and smiles. They all laugh. To all of the surgeon’s surprise, Dr. Choi looks at Jimin and so casually says, “not going to lie, I was quite shocked when I first got here Dr. Park.”

“Eh?” Jimin says. Jungkook gets a weird feeling growing in the pit of his stomach. He looks at the new doctor suspiciously because he has a hunch where this is going.

“At first, I thought you were a resident. Maybe even an intern for a second, until you introduced yourself… and I couldn’t believe it. Because you looked so youthful… and cute.”

“Oh, haha.” Jimin blushes. Dr. Choi Jinhyuk was no exception to the ‘SMC has the hottest doctors’—he too was very, very attractive. It’s not like he has any interest in the man, but Jimin loved being praised whether it was for his work, intelligence, or even his beauty—he knew he was cute. He’d take a compliment any day, especially if it’s from a fellow doctor who was also very very cute.

“He’s not a kid though. He’s 31.” Jungkook cuts in sharply eyeing the pulmonology fellow down with laser eyes.

“Oh yes yes, I know! I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to insult you Dr. Park,” he says addressing Jimin, not Jungkook. “I didn’t mean to say you looked like a kid or anything! Just, very youthful! Really, it’s a compliment, I swear! Just thought you were adorable but I truly don’t mean it in a patronizing way, I know you’re a fellow attending and a brilliant one at that!”

Jimin looks at Jungkook with a funny expression. The trauma surgeon looks wholly annoyed and it hits Jimin what’s going on: Jungkook was jealous.

“Thank you, Dr. Choi! I’m glad I still have my youth.” Jimin smiles back warmly at the doctor, his eyes disappearing into thin lines and Jungkook looks at him with a weird look. Jimin just grins and keeps going. “I hope I stay looking young and cute for as long as possible! I hate getting old! And you are very handsome, too!”

Jungkook’s jaw drops open and Jimin just keeps grinning, trying not to burst out into full laughter. When he looks down at Jungkook’s hand on his side, he sees the man has clenched his right hand into a fist. It was an objective statement: Dr. Choi Jinhyuk was handsome. Jimin had absolutely no feelings or interest for the man but for some reason, he was feeling skittish. Maybe because he was in a good mood thanks to all his patients doing well this morning and all his surgeries having gone so well so far. He doesn’t know why but he just feels like teasing Jungkook. Work was hard, and it was the little things throughout the day that made it bearable: like getting Dr. Jeon worked up.

“Jeon, what do you want? I’ll get it.” Yoongi says as he’s about to walk away to get in the Starbucks line. Jungkook murmurs “just an Americano please. Thanks Min sunbae.”

The rest of them take a seat on an empty table while Yoongi waits in line. And Jinhyuk speaks again, “so I did want to ask, I know you’re married Dr. Jung. And Dr. Min and Kim are married. What about you, Dr. Park? I mean I know you’re not married but, seeing anyo-“

Why only Jimin? He was single too, Jungkook scoffs internally. So it’s clear he was trying to hit on Jimin because otherwise, he would asked about him too. Before he knows it, Jungkook is putting his arm around Jimin and blurting out, “I forgot to tell you, I’m not on call Friday anymore so we can go out Friday instead of Saturday for our date. Italian okay? I made reservations already.”

Jimin’s eyes widen and he can’t help but break into a huge smile seeing Jungkook is also gazing into his eyes also with a huge grin on his face. Jungkook had just exposed them but Jimin is surprisingly not at all bothered by this spontaneous act.

“WAIT. WHAT” Hoseok nearly shrieks. “HOLD UP. WHAT.”

“Oh, sorry sunbae. Yeah, Jimin and I here, we’re dating.” Jungkook says nonchalantly but with the most smug expression on his face.

Jimin covers his mouth trying to hide his smile and shock. Guess it wasn’t a secret any more. He too had told Taehyung everything the other day so it’s not like they really had a reason to keep it hush hush anymore but still, Jimin is shocked by Jungkook’s overtness. He’s shocked but not disappointed. Not at all.

“WHAT?!” Hoseok’s jaw also drops and Jungkook smiles as he smiles sweetly at Dr. Choi who does in fact look disappointed yet trying to hide it with a forced smile. Jungkook feels like he should feel bad but he doesn’t at all. He’s wearing his smug grin on his face and Jimin wants to laugh out loud and tease him about it but instead, he’s silent, still shell shocked this is how they finally come out.

“I don’t believe this!!!!!” Hoseok is laughing and asking them a million questions of when and how this happened, when they stopped hating each other and how they went from rival enemies to now dating. Jungkook broadly answers every question, leaving out the explicit, sexual details. “YOONGI.”

“Are you ever not hyper Dr. Jung?” Yoongi places Jungkook’s coffee down and the trauma doctor thanks him.

“THEY’RE DATING. THESE TWO IDIOTS. THEY’RE DATING.”

“WHAT?! WHO? THESE TWO???” Yoongi is now full on animated as well and Dr. Choi is confused why this is such a big deal. He only got to SMC recently so he isn’t aware of how bad Dr. Park and Dr. Jeon used to be.

“Surprise? Haha” Jimin says almost shyly but playfully. He suddenly feels Jungkook’s hand taking his and lacing their fingers together under the table. Jimin turns his head to look at him and they just smile at each other as if they’re little schoolkids in love. “It’s true. Jungkook and I are dating.”

In less than 12 hours the whole hospital knows Dr. Park and Dr. Jeon are dating. He’s not surprised; if a gossip magazine was a hospital, it’d be SMC. It’s the talk of the hospital. So when Jimin sees 2 missed from his dad and 4 missed calls from his mom as he’s getting off work and heading to his car, he rolls his eyes and shakes his head.

“Jimin sunbae!” two residents who are on their break scurry over to him. “Is it true??!”

“Is what true?” Jimin smiles, making them even more curious.

“Are you… you and Dr. Jeon…”

“Hm?” He plays dumb. He doesn’t know why he feels so much satisfaction about everyone knowing they’re dating. He’s having way too much fun with this all day. He didn’t know even know he liked Jungkook this much so he’s a little surprised with his own self too. It really must be the early stages because every time he thinks of Jeon Jungkook, he feels butterflies.

“Are you two… dating?? I don’t know! We just heard… but then I thought you guys…weren’t the fondest of each other?”

“Hahaha are we?” Jimin is such a damn tease.

“Are you?!”

“Guys, I really gotta get going. Have a good rest of your shift, okay?” He waves and walks off smugly. They pout and call out Dr. Park! wanting to know if the rumors were true but Jimin just turns around and while slowly walking backwards merely adds on, “and don’t page me or I’ll kill you guys! That’s what the night shift attending is for! So leave me alone because I wanna get some real sleep tonight!” He jokes and waves at them goodbye.

When he gets home and settles down a bit he finally calls his mom back. Before he can even utter the words hi mom, Mrs. Park is shrieking on the phone with glee that he has to hold the phone a few inches away from his ear. This right here… would be the only reason he wouldn’t want anyone to know he and Jungkook were… kind of a thing. His crazy other.

“IS IT TRUE SON?! ARE YOU DATING A COWORKER?! THE TRAUMA SURGEON!? OH YOU’RE FATHER SAYS HES SOOOO HANDSOME AND SMART IS IT TRUE!?”

“Hello to you too mom.”

“JIMIN. TELL ME!! IS IT TRUE!?”

“Mom, aren’t you even gonna ask how my day was? I just got home from a 16 hour shift. I’m tired and hungr-“

“Oh you’re a big boy I know you are taking care of yourself! You’re not Jihyun! Speaking of, he was over here the other day and he went diarrhea AGAIN. What is wrong with your brother?! Scold him because he sure isn’t listening to me! When I went over to his apartment without warning, oh my god, I was horrified to find HOW MUCH INSTANT FOOD AND RAMEN HE HAS IN HIS PANTRY! Jiminah why is your brother so unhealt-“

“Mom. Hahahah you are so insane.” Jimin just laughs. His mother was so…. Much. He wonders how his father handles her.

“Honey I’m just concerned. Please talk to him, okay? BUT TELL ME! IS IT TRUE??” She’s back on the dating topic again. “Jiminah tell your mother I am soooo curious!”

He takes a deep sigh. He really doesn’t want his parents involved because he and Jungkook literally haven’t even gone on their first date yet. Technically, they weren’t even really dating yet… but Jungkook had declared they were in front of Dr. Choi and Dr. Jung so apparently, he and Jungkook were now dating. Jimin doesn’t mind the label.

But it’s not something he wants to have his parents be in his business about because who knows what could happen in the future. He does like Jungkook but, they literally haven’t even gone on their first official date yet. So for his mom to be this… this excited was a bit overwhelming.

“Mom, I really need you to calm down and not make it this huge deal. We haven’t even gone on a date yet, okay? I’ll tell you and dad when I’m ready. We aren’t anything. We’re just.. colleagues who are going to go on a- no you know what. I don’t need to tell you this!! I’m 31 years old mom, just let me be okay? When it’s important and the time comes, I will of course let you and dad know but right now, I really need you to calm down and stop acting like I’m getting married. Because it’s really not that.”

“Okay but you COULD be. If all goes well! You may very well get married to him! I mean why not!? You are both doctors, smart, handsome, what’s his family like? I’m sure they’re great, right?”

“Mom.” Jimin says sternly.

“Okay okay son. Why are you so serious to me about this, I’m just happy for you! Can’t a mother be excited?!”

“I get that you’re excited but you’re being too much. Take that idea out of your head or else it’s just gonna lead to disappointment if things don’t go as YOU wanted it to. It’s literally one date. Which hasn’t even happened yet because we’re both so busy and scheduled with work. I promise I will tell you when things get serious and I feel the time is right, okay mom?” Jimin softens his tone. He knows his mom has all the best intentions and that she genuinely just wants his happiness.

“Okay okay. I got it son. Have you eaten dinner? Did you just get home right this instant? What will you eat? Do you need more kimchi? I can come over tomorrow and restock-“

“I still have plenty of kimchi left,” Jimin smiles even though he knows she can’t see it. “But thank you. I haven’t eaten yet because I literally called my sweet dear mother right when I got home so I’m gonna go now okay? Gonna make some rice now.”

“Oh honey, you’re such a good son. I love you. You must be so tired, do you want umma to come over right now and cook for you? I’m really not busy right now! Your father is at a work dinner with some of the board members. I can come right now!”

“It’s okay mom. I’m just gonna eat something simple and quick and knock out. But thank you. You’re the best. I’m gonna go okay?”

“Okay son. Eat a lot, take care of yourself and get some sleep. And tell me how the date goes!”

“Mom…” Jimin says shaking his head and rolling his eyes and it’s like Mrs. Park can see it through the phone because she says, “okay okay I’m just kidding. You have fun on the date… and… tell me whatever whenever you’re ready to!”

“Hahaha you are ridiculous mom. Love you.”

“I love you Jiminah. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight mom.”

After Jimin hangs up the phone, he does not make rice. Instead, he flips through his neighborhood food delivery book and orders some soondooboo jjigae and galbi which is at his place in a quick 20 minutes. God he loved the quick delivery in Seoul.

He decides to text Jungkook while eating dinner because he can’t stop thinking about the trauma surgeon nor can he stop smiling like an idiot all by himself in his apartment.

Jimin: did you really make reservations

Jungkook: I lied

Jimin: I knew it. You’re an idiot and I hate you

Jungkook: no you don’t

Jimin: No I don’t

Jungkook: dw. I really am gonna make reservations so don’t you fret thinking I wasn’t actually going to take you out

Jimin: I’m not fretting *eye roll emoji*

Jimin: I wanted to go out with him though

Jungkook: …

Jungkook: where are you? Home?

Jimin: yeah. you’re still at work right?

Jungkook: take it back

Jimin: what?

Jungkook: do you really wanna go out with him? Choi?

Jimin: yeah why not? He’s cute.

Jungkook: I’m coming over now.

Jimin: what. You have work Jeon

Jungkook: I also have a lot of PTO saved up. I’ll leave early today. See you in 30.

Jimin: omg I’m KIDDING of course I don’t want to go out with Choi. God you’re so annoying

Jungkook: not more annoying than you

Jimin: I’m the best at everything, don’t you know? Even things like being the best at being annoying :-)

Jungkook: Why does that turn me on?

Jimin: Dr. Jeon that’s inappropriate. You’re at work. Perhaps you should focus on your patients? Maybe if you were less distracted and focused more on work, you’ll one day reach my level.

Jungkook: god I hate you so much

Jimin: I hate you too ;-) <3

Jimin: have a good shift Jeon. I’m getting some good sleep now hehe <3

Jungkook: Goodnight hottie

~

Dr. Nam scans the schedule board quickly and then instructs frantically for the nurses to page Dr. Jeon and Dr. Park. When the two attending physicians arrive to the nurse station, the acting-chief informs them of a huge car accident that took place and tasks the two attending physicians to go on an organ procurement. Both Dr. Park and Dr. Jeon were on the procurement committee but rarely actually got to go on a procurement due to their demanding schedule as the hospital’s top surgeons. So it was perfect timing because Jungkook didn’t have any complex surgeries today so Dr. Nam could have someone fill in for Jeon’s routine basic surgeries, and Jimin’s surgery that should be going on right now was postponed to another date.

“Leave now. It’s a very huge multiple car pile up in Suwon and we were informed that many were organ donors. SMC got the first notice but the other hospitals are probably being informed right now as we speak so go! Go go go!” Dr. Nam orders. “Helicopter should be ready for you by the time you get up there!”

Jimin and Jungkook nod understanding this was time sensitive. They run side by side through the hospital halls and toward the elevator doors and are hopping onto the SMC helicopter in no time.

“BE CAREFUL JEON DAMN!!” Jimin yells, his gloved hands covered in blood as he tries to carefully harvest the heart according to organ procurement SOP. Jungkook’s hands are in the way and he needed the man to move.

“SHIT. YOU WATCH OUT!” another surgeon from another hospital yells at Jimin. Jimin glares at the man and starts cussing at him, screaming that his fat hands are in the way of him trying to get this heart. Then Jungkook pretty much shoves another surgeon standing on the other side of him because he’s in the way when he’s trying to get his kidneys.

“WHAT THE FUCK, YOU WERE TOLD YOU CAN GET ONE FROM THIS BODY. I’M TAKING THE OTHER-“

“SHUT THE FUCK UP,” Jungkook yells over the other man. “No one said shit. We got here first, already claimed both kidneys from this body.”

There are screaming, cursing surgeons everywhere at the accident site and if it wasn’t such a messy and devastating scene, it would almost be comical to a non-surgeon if they were to walk past and witness this. Funny in a morbid way.

They are all screaming over each other trying to harvest organs, completely desensitized to the fact these are real bodies, real people who literally just died from the car accident. They’re yelling at each other that the others are in their way, they’re damaging another organ, they’re being greedy, they’re not being careful enough, etc. It’s a bloody riot and not even the sweetest of surgeons is a meek softie in this situation; there’s a reason why those on the organ procurement team are on the team… Everyone wants the organs and everyone wants their organs to be procured carefully and the rest to fuck off and not damage what’s theirs.

“PARK. YOU ACT LIKE ONLY THE HEART MATTERS. MOVE YOUR HANDS ALREADY DAMN.” Jungkook yells. Jimin glares at him, “SHUT UP JEON. I GOTTA GET THIS DONE CAREFULLY IDIOT, IT IS THE CENTER TO THE ENTIRE BOD-“

“DAMN DO YOU EVER SHUT UP. YOU’RE SO FUCKIN TINY YET SO LOUD. FOR WHAT?! HURRY THE FUCK UP. GOD SMC HAS THE MOST ANNOYING FUCKIN PEOPLE-” another surgeon interrupts him. And Jungkook pauses, looks up at him and if his hands weren’t currently buried deep inside a dead body, he’d punch the guy. I can yell and fight with Park like this but nobody else talks to him like that.

“HOW ABOUT YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP. TAKE YOUR FUCKIN LIVER AND HURRY THE FUCK OUT OF HERE ASSHOLE-“ Jungkook defends Jimin despite the fact he too was yelling at Jimin moments ago. Jimin can’t help but smirk.

It goes on and on like this until the surgeons have procured what they could. On the flight back to SMC, with the helicopter full of properly preserved organs, Jimin hums and merrily looks out the window and enjoys the aerial view; he’s totally satisfied with the outcome of the whole ordeal and how many organs he procured today.

“You’re… really something Park hahaha.” Jungkook shakes his head and stares at the smaller doctor. “Scary. Dangerous actually. You’re like… tiny but poisonous. And how… how does your voice get so loud haha.“ Jungkook laughs into the headset microphone. He could say he’s slightly traumatized at experiencing the full of Dr. Park Jimin at an organ donor procurement site. He was small but potent and ready to rip off anyone’s head when it came to work, or really, anyone who was in his way. Not that Jungkook didn’t know that already considering the two started off on the wrong foot and screamed at each other for months… he feels like he saw another level of Jimin today. And he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t a little speechless as he keeps replaying the image of a petite Dr. Park screaming aggressively at all the other surgeons, including him while procuring.

Jimin just looks at him and smiles, shrugging and then happily resumes humming.

“Who are you though seriously.” Jungkook teases playfully, but really in utter awe. “You’re like… a little scary evil devil packaged in your body.”

“What?” Jimin smiles. “It’s not like you weren’t screaming too, Jeon. Hey look, is that the stadium down there?” Jimin points down at some building trying to figure out what they were flying over.

Jungkook shakes his head while chuckling. Then he suddenly changes the topic, “Hey. Friday. 8pm. Buonasera.” He knows the pilot is also on the line and could hear but he doesn’t care.

Jimin turns his head and looks at Jungkook. “Oh?” He speaks into his headset mic.

“Oh? What are you surprised for? Said I’ll make reservations didn’t I?”

“How’d you know I love that place?”

“I have my ways.” Jungkook smiles.

“Charming.” Jimin nods impressed.

When they get back to work, the two have a joint operation a few hours later and it goes extremely well. After they’ve cleaned up in the scrubbing room and walk through the sliding doors, they high five so naturally like two dorks.

“What a great, fun day today! Suwon and all my surgeries went soooo perfectly! Not that I’m surprised they all went perfectly!” Jimin beams as they walk through the halls in a very good mood. God, he just had to add that last part didn’t he? Jungkook thinks rolling his eyes yet trying not to smile.

“Come over later tonight. Let’s watch Suits. I caught up finally so we can start season 3 together. I’ll make stir fry.” Jungkook says while taking his scrub cap off. He runs his hands through his hair and ruffles it. Jimin just stares at him like he wants to jump on him and devour him right then and there at work.

“What?” the corner of Jungkook’s mouth goes up forming a small smile.

“Nothing.”

“Why are you looking at me like that Dr. Park?” Jungkook asks flirtatiously.

“Like what?” Jimin responds innocently yet coyly—it drives Jungkook crazy. His duality.

“Like… that.” He gazes into Jimin’s eyes and for a split second, he’s tempted to find an empty room or closet and pull Dr. Park inside so he could kiss him. Hard. But to Jungkook’s surprise, the older doctor reaches an arm out and ruffles his hair for him.

“You have some fuzz or something. There. It’s gone.” Something about the act is so intimate that Jungkook feels himself getting hot; he’s sure he is bright red now. But Jimin doesn’t seem to notice. “But no, I can’t tonight, sorry.” Jimin frowns regretfully. “I have dinner plans.”

“That’s okay. With who?” he can’t help himself. He knows Jimin doesn’t have to tell him but he asks anyways.

“A friend.” Jimin smiles.

“Finee don’t tell me.”

“I don’t have to.”

“I know. But it’d be nice if you did. But it’s okay.”

“We’re horrible communicators. But we already knew that.” Jimin giggles. Jungkook looks down at the ground and ruffles his hair again then touches the back of his neck shyly. He agrees and says, “true.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Jimin asks. Jungkook isn’t sure what he’s referring to.

“What?”

“That you were going to expose us that day. Thought you’d be a more of a low-key type of person. I mean, now the whole hospital knows… but it’s like who knows, our date might go horribly and we might end the night hating each other ya know.” Jimin smirks.

“I know I won’t end up hating the date. Or you. It’s better everyone knows.”

Jimin raises an eyebrow and stops walking. He crosses his arms as he stares at Jungkook waiting for him to proceed on.

“Now, the whole hospital has us accountable. Will be harder for you to get rid of me, Park. I’m not goin anywhere and now you won’t be able to either. Or you’ll be known as the asshole for rejecting me.” Jungkook smiles back innocently and Jimin is trying hard not to smile. He’s shaking his head.

“You… are evil.” Jimin says.

“Me? Says the demon himself. I’m just strategic and methodical. I’m smart like that. You’ll get there one day too, Park.” Jungkook teases him with a playful insult. Jimin drops his jaws and he throws his head back laughing. Even in their budding romance, these two were still so themselves; their competitiveness, their innocuous cockiness, their bickering and bantering was ever still present as before except now, both of them

absolutely loved it.

~

Taehyung sighs as he drops his backpack on the floor and plops down on his couch. He keeps sighs heavily reflecting on his extremely long, difficult day. Two of his patients had suddenly gotten really bad, one of them even having to be transferred to the ICU; his residents were being extra irritating today and not at all focused when he really needed them to; another one of his patients guardians yelled and cussed him out; and everywhere he went he kept seeing couples.

 A lot of the residents and interns were all dating each other, he ran into Namjoon and Yoongi which is actually quite a rare occasion in the hospital and they asked him if he wanted to join them for lunch in the cafeteria. They hardly ever can find a matching time to lunch together so why today? When he stepped out into the healing garden he saw couples everywhere both patients and staff. And now, with the whole hospital knowing about Jimin and Jungkook, he saw the two lovebirds from afar in the hallway bickering and laughing about what sounded like organ procurement talk and playfully smacking each other. Taehyung had smiled because he was truly happy for his best friend but it was just another reminder that he himself was dating a guy he didn’t really have any genuine feelings for and that he was still so utterly heartbroken and missing him.

Kim Seokjin.

He looks at the time and groans. He is way too drained to go out tonight. He grabs his phone and he’s about to text Hyungsik to cancel their dinner date but instead he calls him.

He not only cancels the date, he ends it with Hyungsik altogether. Their casual fling. Well, Hyungsik didn’t consider it casual but Taehyung felt absolutely nothing for the man even after so many dates. He does feel bad because he kind of feels like he almost led the man on considering they’ve been on probably about 10 dates now and still, the most they’ve done is kiss. Taehyung has thought about sleeping with the man to see if it would help him get over Seokjin and to just release some of his stress—a win-win. But the pediatric surgeon simply could not get himself to sleep with him.

“I’m really sorry.” Taehyung says over the phone.

“Don’t be.” Hyungsik says surprisingly with zero bitterness. “I can’t say that I didn’t see it coming. I guess I just… I was hoping maybe you might have a change of heart if I kept pursuing you? But I understand. I still had a lot of fun with you, you know.” And Taehyung can sense Hyungsik is smiling. He was a good man. There was absolutely nothing wrong with him which made him feel worse that he was ending things with him.

“You’re… you’re a really great guy Hyungsik. I had so much fun with you too.”

“It’s been great getting to know you. Take care, okay?”

“Yeah, you too. Have a good night.”

Taehyung lays there on his couch just staring at his ceiling and eventually starts crying. He doesn’t know what he’s doing. But all he knows is he misses Seokjin and that Hyungsik, no matter how great the guy was just didn’t make him feel anything.

He knows that breaking up with Hyungsik doesn’t mean he’s going to go texting Seokjin but it also doesn’t mean Hyungsik was it. He’s crying out loud when Yeontan hops onto the couch and starts licking his face. It does make him start giggling a bit and slowly cease his crying.

“I’ll be okay, right Tan-ah? Just gotta keep going, right? Keep meeting more people?”

~

Jungkook doesn’t remember the last time he was this nervous. It’s not like he and Jimin were strangers and this would be their first or second time meeting… they have literally been working with each other for months now and have seen each other naked far too many times. Yet when he’s standing outside of the Pagoda Apartments waiting for his date, he feels like a nerdy high schooler nervous for his date with the hot, popular guy.

To make his nerves worse, there’s no sight of Jimin 5 minutes after their scheduled time, still no sight of Jimin 10 minutes after… He doesn’t text him because he doesn’t want to seem like he’s nervous and maybe Jimin was just running late, as always. He knows Jimin won’t stand him up but the nervous little boy in him wonders if Jimin is going to change his mind and cancel on him last minute. But instead, 15 minutes late, Jimin comes running out of his building looking like a god damn meal. The heart surgeon waves enthusiastically as he rushes over to him and Jungkook waves and is about to yell out hey but he chokes on his own spit and starts coughing.

God I’m such a fuckin loser.

Jimin frowns as he gets closer and closer seeing Jungkook was coughing. “Hey!” He pants. “Sorry! I… was running late.” He smiles cheekily. “You okay??”

Jungkook coughs and coughs feeling utterly mortified because he probably looks like an idiot, until he finally clears his throat. “Yeah. Sorry. Just. Got a frog in my throat or something. Anyways, hey! You…” he eyes Jimin up and down and Jimin catches him licking his lips. “You… look g-great, Jimin.”

The heart doctor was dressed in extremely tight black jeans, accentuating his perfect ass, a slinky silky black low cut blouse accentuating his collarbones, a long dangly thin chain choker necklace, multiple rings on his fingers, glossy lips and smoky eye makeup giving him a sultry sexy look.

“Thanks Jeon. You look hot yourself.” Jimin says nonchalantly and confidentially as if it was a fact—completely opposite of the stuttering Jungkook. Jungkook chokes on his spit again at the compliment and starts coughing. Jimin tries not to smile or tease him, but instead he starts patting Jungkook’s back to help him clear his cough. "I like the leather on you.”

Jungkook had tried on a million different outfits and he ended up with black jeans, black t-shirt, black leather jacket, and his nicest watch. They looked like a hot powerful couple dressed in all black. “You okay Jeon?”

“Y-yeah. Sorry. I’ve.. I’ve had a little sore throat and cough since yesterday.” Jungkook lies. God he felt like such an idiot right now. Jimin just nods and smiles. “Mm okay. Well, I hope you’re not getting sick.”

“No no I’m fine. Anyways, let’s go.” Jungkook says opening the taxi that was on standby. He was originally going to pick Jimin up but then Jimin had told him they should just cab it so they could both drink. He didn’t want either of them to deal with driving and getting home. Jungkook has no idea exactly how wasted Jimin was planning on getting but the heart surgeon had said to him, “We both don’t have work tomorrow so let’s actually enjoy the night and drink instead of worrying about driving. We can cab.”

So Jungkook obliged and hailed a cab.

Buonasera has the vibe of a quaint little Italian bistro despite the fact it was a huge establishment in terms of square feet. It’s got a charming, beautiful vibe to it unlike many of the modern and sleek restaurants that abound in Gangnam. The owner and head chef is a famous celebrity chef, Sam Kim, who often appears on many cooking shows. Jimin and chef Sam were acquaintances because they had finally met at an event once in which Sam was catering and Jimin had introduced himself as a fan and regular patron of his restaurant, complimenting the chef’s cooking and rambling on and on about how much he loved Buonasera.

When they arrive at the restaurant, the hostess immediately recognizes him because there was a point in Jimin’s life when he and Taehyung would dine here far too often because they were literally addicted to one of the pastas. They were devastated when it was finally removed from the menu for the next season’s menu.

“Dr. Park!!”

“Hi Boah-ssi!” Jimin hugs the cute petite host. Jungkook is amazed. Did the whole district of Gangnam know Jimin? He knew Jimin was such a social guy but he starts feeling a little sad realizing how much he still didn’t know about the surgeon. Jungkook wants to know everything about him.

“It’s been so long!! Why don’t you come here anymore! Have you left us for another Italian spot!? I had no idea you were coming in today! I didn’t see your name on our day’s reservations?!”

“Oh I’ve been so busy, Boah-ssi! I’m dying at work!! Save me!!” Jimin jokes around. “But no, ugh of course I haven’t betrayed you guys. You know this is my favorite Italian restaurant! I’ve honestly just been soooo busy with work. But meet my…” Jimin glances over at Jungkook and smiles. “Meet my date. Dr. Jeon Jungkook. He’s the one who made the reservations.”

“Dr. Park!!” Boah nudges and elbows Jimin giving him a sly smile. “Boyfriend??” She whispers even though Jungkook could hear. Jimin just smiles, ignoring her question.

Jungkook takes his hand out and smiles, “nice to meet you, I’m Jungkook.”

“Veryyyy handsome, mmhmmm.” Boah whispers again toward Jimin’s ear. Jungkook looks down trying not to laugh because he still heard her. “Pleasure to meet you, Dr. Jungkook. You haven’t dined with us here have you? No no of course you haven’t. I would have definitely remembered a face like that.” She says grabbing two menus and starting to lead the way to their table.

To Jungkook’s giddy surprise, Jimin says, “Boah-ssi, I’m going to tell chef Sam you’re hitting on my date and get you in trouble! He’s mine!”

Mine.

This time Jungkook does not choke externally, but he’s melting inside. Mine??? And so casually! As if he really was his! God, Jimin was such a damn tease. Jungkook feels like puking because he’s overwhelmed with too many butterflies in his stomach. He never knew he’d ever feel like wanting to vomit over anything other than an illness, but because of something good like the butterflies. He follows silently behind the host and Jimin as they chit chat the whole way there; Jungkook just tries to concentrate on walking and keeping his grin to a minimum as they make their way through the beautiful restaurant.

“Your server will be with you guys shortly. And I’ll tell chef you’re here! He’ll be so happy to see you! Enjoy your meal!”

“Thank you,” Jungkook says.

“Thank you sweetie,” Jimin says with a warm smile.

“So maybe we got a little greedy?” Jimin says cheekily eyeing all the food on their table. Golden beet and burrata salad, beef tartare, pâté with fig jam and crostini, boar pappardelle for Jimin and filet mignon steak for Jungkook, and an expensive $150 bottle of wine. Chef Sam had personally come to greet them and take their order. They’d asked him for the best wine recommendation and Jungkook had assertively went with the most expensive. A 2009 Feudi di San Gregorio Serpico from Irpinia, Italy.

“I think we ordered just the right amount.” Jungkook shrugs. He ate a lot and to be honest, the appetizers were tiny. It just looked like a lot because the table was small and the dishes were taking up every inch of the table. “We eat a lot.”

“Hmmm ya true. This all looks so good!! Let’s eat. No! Wait! Let’s toast first!” Jimin says picking up his wine glass. Jungkook follows him.

“Cheers to…” Jungkook says looking at Jimin straight in the eyes and smiling.

“Cheers to… to medicine!”

“Medicine? We’re not at hwaesik, Park.”

Jimin scrunches his nose and makes a face at him and Jungkook laughs. Jimin pouts and says “fine. Cheers to…”

“To us.”

“Us?” Jimin bats his eyelashes.

“Yes us.”

Jimin just pauses, wineglass mid-air and stares at Jungkook for a couple of seconds and then he says, “cheers to us and getting to know each other for reals this time.” He smiles and Jungkook swears he just fell hard all over again for Park Jimin.

*clank*

And that is exactly what they do starting right then and there. They get to know each other. They talk about everything and anything as they dine over their delicious and very expensive meal. Their mouths get chattier, laughter gets louder, wine bottle gets emptier, their words start to relax and slur as their body becomes more intoxicated with the rich tasting aglianico wine, and their hands and feet get handsier and handsier...

They wonder why they wasted so much time.

At some point during their meal, the topic of their past behavior and hostile rivalrous relationship comes up. They’re both so earnest with each other that even a subject as sensitive as this, it feels so intimate.

“Everything just… seemed so perfect for you I guess? Brains, family, personality, social life… appearance. Just all so perfect. And I don’t know, maybe it bugged me? Because I admired you? Wished I was you? I don’t really know. But it was also like I was crushing on you but in denial… mixed with disliking you.” Jungkook pauses. His hands are placed over Jimin’s on the table, thumb gently caressing the older’s smaller hands. Jimin listens attentively not interrupting. “It’s all dumb because I was an ass just assuming shit without even really knowing you. I’m sorry Jimin.”

Jimin looks at him with such an intense gaze that Jungkook feels himself getting hot and nervous. Maybe he said too much? Maybe certain things you are just supposed to keep to yourself even if you’re asked about it. Maybe Jimin will actually hate him now.

Jimin pulls his hand out from under Jungkook’s and swaps positions, grabbing Jungkook’s hand in his. “You’re right. You were an ass. You were no better than someone who judges someone for being poor. It’s not a crime to be privileged. I’m well aware of my privilege, always have been because my parents raised me to know the value of hard work and acknowledge how blessed we are.”

And Jungkook’s ready to get shit on right now. He’s ready to hear Jimin go off on him, give him his piece of his mind, and for this night to end terribly. Instead, Jimin adds on, “You were indeed an ass. But so was I. I wasn’t the nicest person to you either, Jungkook. I was arrogant, judgmental, preachy, and just as much of an asshole to you, too. But it doesn’t matter anymore. Because that’s in the past and we’re done with that. I like you Jungkook. The Jungkook right now right here. Who I’m getting to know.” He gently traces his fingers over Jungkook’s hand.

Before Jungkook knows what the hell is going on, Jimin is leaning forward across the table and kissing him right there in the middle of Buonasera.

It’s not too long of a kiss but it’s also not a peck. It’s just enough to make Jungkook truly feel drunk and in love. When Jimin break off their kiss, he gives a final lick on Jungkook’s lips. “This wine is good,” he whispers into Jungkook’s mouth and gazing deeply in his eyes, before settling back down in his seat.

Jungkook feels like he could pass out right now and he’s sure it’s not because he’s drunk off the red wine, but rather he’s drunk off of Park Jimin.

How could someone be such a complex person? He’s seen the cold, icy Jimin ignoring him at work or telling him to quit. He’s seen the friendly, supportive Jimin to colleagues and friends. He’s seen the warm and sincere Jimin to patients. He’s seen the professional and brilliant heart surgeon Jimin lecturing or mentoring the residents. He’s seen the heavily wasted and fun Jimin at bars downing shots like the heavy drinker he is. He’s seen the reserved and guarded Jimin who always tried to escape the morning after hookup sex. And now he’s seen the bold and shameless Jimin right now on this date.

“You’ve become really shameless.” Jungkook finally manages to speak after the table kiss.

“And what about it?” Jimin says indifferently, jabbing his pasta with his fork and eating a bite as if he did not just lean across the table to give him the most sensual, hottest kiss Jungkook has ever received in public. “Do you like that I’ve become shameless, Jeon?”

A silence falls in between the two surgeons as they stare at each others for a few seconds. “Can I not like it?”

“You can like it.” Jimin says, wrapping his feet around one of Jungkook’s so his leg can’t move. The two men play footsie with each other under the table and throw each other shy glances across the table while eating their food.

There is so much tension right now, Jungkook wants to grab Jimin and take him to the bathroom or outside in a more secluded alley and pin him against the wall and do things to him that should not be done in public places. He wants to end this meal already and take him home and absolutely ravish him head to toe with his hands and lips. The way Jimin keeps glancing at him, Jungkook can feel himself getting hard and he really is not trying to have a boner in the middle of a fancy meal at the age of 29 as if he’s some hormonal teenager.

Luckily for him, Jimin is definitely getting quite tipsy; he starts talking about various meats and how he once tried rabbit meat and how he felt so bad that he actually ate rabbit.

“You… you look like a bunny…” Jimin says pouting at Jungkook. The younger laughs and tells him he is not a rabbit so he does not need to worry.

Jimin then starts rambling on about different kinds of animal meat and then he nearly starts crying about how animals are killed and how he can’t believe he just ate boar meat in his pasta dish. He mentions a documentary he watched about how animals are slaughtered and all of this makes Jungkook’s hard on quickly subside.

The slaughtering of animals for meat wasn’t sexy at all.

“Jimin… it’s okay… they.. they’re not mad at you.” Jungkook says trying not to burst out into laughter seeing that Jimin was genuinely so upset now realizing he ate boar. He is so cute when he’s drunk Jungkook wants to fucking jump out the window and die.

“Yeah? I hope not… I’m never going to eat meat ever again Jungkook.”

Jungkook giggles remembering how they literally had this same exact conversation one night when they ordered in chicken teriyaki while doing some work at Jimin’s. They had also had soju with their meal and Jimin had started crying about how he can’t believe he just ate chicken and how sad it was for them that they had to die for the sake of human’s gastronomical needs. He swore he’d never eat meat again.

But it was all drunk talk because Jimin definitely did eat meat again.

When they finally finish dinner, Jimin demands they go for more drinks, round two and both of them being in a good mood and not wanting the lovely date to end, head over to a rooftop bar just two blocks up, hand in hand.

Mood music: BTS -- Make it right

When they arrive to the building where Rooftop Kloud is located, it’s a hotel. Jimin leads the way with Jungkook’s hand on the small of his back; Jungkook has never been here before. Jimin maneuvers through the lobby, past the front desks, past a hallway and finally sees a line in front of a set of elevators of well-dressed people ready to party for the night.

“Jimin, what are you doing?” Jungkook says trying to keep up with the older. He had walked right past the line and went straight up to the front of the line by the elevators.

“Jimin hyung!!”

Of course he knows someone here too. Jungkook should have known. He laughs and wonders if there was someone who did not know Dr. Park Jimin in this city.

“Woohyun!!” Jimin hugs the man and introduces Jungkook to him. Apparently, Jimin and Taehyung were regulars here too and naturally befriended some of the staff, Woohyun included. He immediately unhooks the security rope, letting Jimin and Jungkook through, cutting all the people in line. After they have small talk, Jungkook and Jimin are in the elevator heading up to the rooftop bar.

When the elevator opens, they could hear loud music despite only seeing a long hallway with a wall waterfall at the end of it. Jungkook would be lying if he said he was a bit disappointed because when Jimin had suggested they go to a bar for round two, he was thinking more along the lines of a bar where they could actually sit and hear each other talk—not a club-like bar… which is what this place seemed.

Nonetheless he’s a good sport and follows Jimin’s lead, their hands intertwined together. When they get to the end of the hallway, the left side is the indoor covered part of the roof level with a full bar, tables, lounge seats and the right side leads them out to the actual outdoor rooftop which also has a full bar, tables, fire pit tables, lounge chairs, pool tables, and hockey tables, skinny string lights illuminating the rooftop.

Jungkook gets startled when Jimin presses his body right against him so they’re chest to chest, face to face. He grabs Jungkook’s other hand too and looks up at him, pouting. “Let’s drink moreee.”

Jungkook is holding his breath with Jimin so close to him like this, touchy and flirty, that he can’t take it anymore. He presses his lips onto Jimin’s, backing him to the wall, not having a single care about people seeing them and they make out right there in the bar hallway, hands on each other’s face and neck, carding through each other’s hair and tongues dancing in the other’s mouth. They stand there just kissing, intoxicated off each other for almost a good five minutes before they finally snap out of it and remember they were at a bar and came here to drink and not just provide PDA for the public.

“Mmm.” Jimin says licking Jungkook’s bottom lip again like he did at the restaurant right after they finally break off their kiss. He leans in to Jungkook’s ear and whispers, “the things I wanna do to you right now… if we were at home.”

Jungkook’s eyes widen and his dick twitches, but before he can even react, Jimin smirks and grabs Jungkook’s hand, leading them to the outdoor part of the rooftop and they squeeze their way to the bar. They both take a shot of whiskey at the bar, and then order a beer and a second round of whiskey shots to take to their seat.

It was such a typical date. Restaurant and bar. Yet Jungkook doesn’t remember the last time he had so much fun on a date. They’re now playing pool and they’ve of course made it into a competition and bet on who’d win. So typical of them. The game has made both of them sober up quite a bit, and drunk seductive Jimin seems have slowly dissipated and morphed into competitive, loud, very alert Dr. Park Jimin.

“What the hell. You’re so much drunker than me. How… the…” Jungkook fumes because Jimin won and the heart surgeon was rubbing it in his face. “I need a rematch.”

“Nooo moreee. I wanna sittt now,” Jimin presses right up on Jungkook again and whines facing up at him, wrapping his arms around the younger’s waist. “Can we sit down somewhere now?”

What was Jungkook supposed to do? Say no?

“Fine, ugh. Just to let you know, I let you win.”

“Shut up, Jeon. I won! I’m better than you at pool!!” Jimin laughs hysterically. Jungkook hooks his arms around the older, and pulls him in, pressing a kiss on Jimin’s temple. They walk around with Jungkook’s arms around Jimin until they finally find an empty lounge chair to sit. It’s a big circle, comfy loveseat couch meant for two and the two doctors get cozy on it.

“I’m having so much fun. Why didn’t we do this beforeeee. We wasted sooo much time I hate us Jungooooo.” Jimin pouts. They are literally sitting right against each other, with Jimin nearly on top of him because they’re so close. Jungkook has his arm around the man and he just caresses his hand up and down the side of Jimin’s arm, “hey. It’s okay. Like you said, that’s the past. This is now. Let’s focus on now. And we have all the time in the world to do this again and have fun!”

“Nah uhhhh.” Jimin pouts.

“Hm?” Jungkook asks amused.

“We have work on Sunday!!” Jimin exclaims. “We don’t have all the time in the world!! We practically live at work, Jeon! THE HOSPITAL IS OUR HOME!!!” Jimin slurs and then laughs as if he said the funniest thing in the world.

He’s not as hammered as before but he’s still quite tipsy and Jungkook finds it so fucking endearing. He leans in and gives Jimin another kiss. He’s about to pull away because it really was meant to be an innocent peck for being so cute but Jimin loops his hand around the younger’s neck, and doesn’t let go. Instead he deepens the kiss, slowly moving his body and angling it so they could kiss easier. Jungkook can tell Jimin is about to fully straddle him but they’re literally at a public establishment and so Jungkook gives a playful slap on Jimin’s ass which startles him into releasing a cute yelp sound and naturally makes the kiss end.  

They’ve both lost count how many times they’ve kissed ever since they got to this bar. They kissed on and off while playing pool and now they are seated here all cozy sharing a lounge chair unable to keep their hands off each other.

“We do live at work, you’re right. But we still have time to go on dates like this again. So let’s not dwell on our ugly past, yeah?” Jungkook smiles and Jimin nods. They both grab what Jungkook believes is their third beer and cheers.

“Do you like being a doctor, Jungkook?” Jimin asks. Jungkook loves kissing Jimin but he also really really loves having honest conversations with him. He’s glad to see Jimin is slowly calming down and actually wanting to talk again instead of just making out or flirting. Not that he minds that of course.

“I do.” Jungkook answers, his left hands gently gliding up and down Jimin’s arm, and his right hand caressing and playing with Jimin’s hands. “Don’t you?”

“Yes. Of course. I love it. It’s hard work, right? We’re working all the time. It never ends but… but I can’t imagine doing anything else.”

“How do you do it, Jimin.”

“Hm?” Jimin looks at him and cocks his head. “What do you mean? You do it too!”

“Is it… is it not torturing yourself?” Jungkook says with hesitation but he goes for it anyways. Jimin stares at him in silence for a few seconds, but there is no hostility to his eyes. Rather, Jungkook can see Jimin’s mind is racing because Jimin knows exactly what Jungkook is talking about now. He continues to softly stroke Jimin’s hand with his thumb.

“Because… I guess because the benefits outweigh my own struggles.” Jimin answers earnestly.

“Benefits? Like what? Do you not feel like you’re… you’re reliving your hell?” Jungkook adds on further. Jimin had shared with him that night of the library blow up that he had been a patient himself… a patient who was hospitalized for three months. A patient who has literally lived through it all—the pain, sleepless nights, connected to every wire possible, surgeries, ventilators, IVs, code blue… “How… how do you do it?” Jungkook’s voice almost quivers because he’s asking with so much sincerity and genuine concern. He gently moves a strand of hair from Jimin’s eyes. They both look at each other with so much gentle fondness in their eyes.

“No. No I don’t feel like I’m reliving that hellish moment of my life. It’s… maybe some would say my head is fucked up or I’m crazy but to me, it’s… its kind of therapeutic. In my own way. It’s hard to explain. But it’s like, hm. It.. makes what I went through worthwhile. Like I didn’t suffer in vain”

“What do you mean?”

“Because when patients cry, rant, and tell me of the pain they’re feeling. The pain, the hopelessness, the ‘why me’ depressing thought… all of it… when I tell them ‘I understand’, I really do. I really understand them. Being a patient. How frustrating it is, how painful it can get. And sometimes, all humans need is to know that someone truly understands what they’re going through. And that’s enough hope to keep them fighting for their lives.”

Jungkook didn’t even realize he was tearing up while Jimin was speaking. And he can’t believe the words that come out of his mouth next, yet he has no regrets saying them. “I don’t know what I’m gonna do. Cuz I really am falling too fast in love with you, Park Jimin.”

There on their first official date at Rooftop Kloud, they spend it with deep heart to heart conversation. Jimin opens up even more and shares in great detail of his 3-month long hospitalization experience. They talk about both the medical aspects of Jimin’s diagnosis and also about his internal emotional feelings about the whole ordeal. He shares with Jungkook things he never shared with anyone other than to his former therapist and of course his patients.

Jungkook’s heart has never felt so damn full until now.

They talk for hours just sitting there on that cozy lounge seat, hands intertwined, legs crisscrossed and tangled with each other. Despite the continuous consumption of alcohol, they remain level-headed because they’re so engrossed in their earnest and deep conversation and getting to really know each other. There are a few kisses here and there while talking, but they remain quick, sweet kisses—not full on make outs.

Around midnight, the DJ starts playing some more upbeat, club-like music and a small section of the rooftop turns into a dancefloor because people start dancing. It makes the two surgeons get hyped up again and Jimin drags the both of them to the bar again to take shots, ending their soft deep conversation.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5… 6? However many shots later, they’re on the dance floor, Jimin’s back to Jungkook’s chest, the younger’s hands on Jimin’s hips, swaying side to side to the beat of the music. Jimin rests his head on Jungkook’s shoulder as he dances too seductively for Jungkook to handle. He ends up burying his head in Jimin’s neck, kissing it and whispering sweet compliments as they continue dancing in sync.

When a new song comes on, Jimin turns around so they’re facing each other. He loops his arms around Jungkook’s neck and they dance with their foreheads touching, both able to feel the other’s hot breath. They already knew their chemistry in bed was amazing, so it was without a doubt that they were amazing dance partners. Both of them can’t even see or hear anyone else but each other and the music.  When they kiss off and on while dancing, they both can’t help but smile into their kiss. Jimin looks deep into Jungkook’s eyes, their foreheads still touching as they move to the rhythm of the music, and he whispers right into Jungkook’s mouth,

“I’m falling in love with you too, Jeon Jungkook.”

“Jimiiiin…. I drank… oh god I think I drank too much. You’re the devil Park.” Jungkook slurs as he tries to keep his eyes open and keep himself from collapsing onto the ground when coming out of the cab. He doesn’t remember the last time he got this drunk. He really does not normally drink hard liquor but somehow, his date Park Jimin had managed to get who knows how many shots of whiskey into his body.

Jimin just laughs and starts skipping toward Jungkook’s apartment complex.

“Jiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiminnnnnnnnnnnnn. How much. How many shots you feed me oh my god… I’m so drunk..fuckkkkkkkkk” Jungkook rubs his face trying to come to his senses but it does nothing. “You are evil… you’re a baddddddddddddddddd baaaaaaaaaaaaaad influence Park. BAAAAAAD BOYYYYYYYYYY.”

“You barelyyy drank. I had wayyy more than you. Get it together Jeon!” Jimin laughs. “I’m nottt a bad boyyy but I CAN be……”

“How… how are you… so okay???” Jungkook blinks lazily. He can hardly keep his eyes open. “Wait- this is. This is my apartment. THIS IS MY APARTMENT!! WHEN DID WE GET HERE? HOW?” Jungkook says completely forgetting he literally just got out of the taxi.

“Yes it is smartypants! Come on slowpoke I need to peeee!” Jimin says many meters ahead of Jungkook who was still near the road.

“SHIT!” Jungkook yells.

“Jungkook!!!” Jimin feels bad for giggling but Jungkook trips and now he’s rolling around on the ground groaning. “JEON ARE YOU OKAY?!”

“Owwww shit that hurt. Jimeeeeeeeeneeeeeeeeeee… where are we? Int this my apartment??”

“Yes!! Come onnnnnnnnn,” Jimin helps him up to his feet but Jungkook falls down again because he’s so wasted.

“KOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO I HAVEEEEEEE TO PEEEEEEEEEEE COME ONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN. YOU’RE OK YOU’RE NOT BLEEDING YOU’LL BE OKAY DOC I GOTCHU, COME ON GET UP.”

Jungkook groans as he rolls around on the cement ground. “I’m soooo drunkkkkkk oh my godddddddddddd I am so dizzy what did you to meee Park.”

“Get up! Come on! Get up!” Jimin tries to pull the larger man up but Jungkook is like deadweight. He groans and then he starts crawling toward his apartment building in a very zombie-like fashion that Jimin nearly falls to the ground himself from laughing so hard.

“I’m soooooooo drunkkkkkkkkkkk just wanna get in beddddddddd. Wanna go homeeee Park. Take me homeee.”

“HAHAHAHA JUNGKOOK WE AREEE AT YOUR PLACE!! Come on Jeon just stand up! You can do it.”

“No no no I have to go,” Jungkook slurs making absolutely no sense now. “I have to go find the 8ball.”

“What?!?!?”

“Jimin……….. You’re evil. You stole the 8ball. Cheater.”

“HAHAHAH JUNGKOOK I REALLY HAVE TO PEEE GIVE ME YOUR KEYS I’M LEAVING WITHOUT YOU BECAUSE I GOTTA PEE.” Jimin cracks up. He’s more coherent and physically capable than Jungkook but it doesn’t mean Jimin isn’t drunk too. He is not sober-minded either.

Jungkook digs in his pockets and tosses his keys to Jimin who without any hesitation takes it. “You wait here oki? I be right back. Just give me 5 minutes. Don’t go nowhere Jeon. STAY RIGHT HERE.”

And the petite heart surgeon truly leaves his date out there on the street while he goes inside to use the bathroom.

When he runs back out, Jungkook has crawled a few more meters closer to the building. “I’m gonna die, Jimin. I’m so drunk. I’ll never make it. This is how I die isn’t it.”

“You’re so cute, Jeon. Here, come on,” Jimin is less antsy now that he’s finally peed, he can focus more on helping Jungkook get up. He loops the man’s arms around him and stands up, dragging the larger man with him successfully this time.

“I’m gonna die.” Jungkook says again when he’s finally on his bed.

“You’ll be FINE hahaha. Do you like not drink at all or something? Ever? How do you have such low tolerance?!”

“DO YOU MEAN HOW DO YOU HAVE SUCH A HIGH TOLERANCE?! YOU’RE LIKE.. YOU’RE LIKE TINY BUT YOU DRINK LIKE A DAMN TANK, PARK.”

“Alcohol tolerance has nothing to do with size, Jeon.”

“Jimin.”

“Whaaat?”

“What did Ari give me. Give us. I mean give you. But I mean me for us to you. HaAHAHAH wow what a tongue twis- ughhh I feel sick.”

Jimin just laughs fondly and also finally plops on Jungkook’s bed. They’re both lying on top of the sheets and still in their same outfits because they’re too drunk to change.

“Tell me nowwwwwwwwwww Park Jimin. NOW NOW NOWWW.”

“It was a letter. Well a note, but I’ll show you later I can’t think right now, I’m drunk.”

“What did it sayyyyyyyy tell meeeeeeeeeeeeeee.”

“Something about chemical properties and love or something. You know her. She was such a little sassy smartass.”

“Like you.”

“Like YOU.” Jimin retorts playfully.

“So she’s…. Ari’s a chemist? The fuck? I didn’t know that?? Why she would leave a note about chemical properties????? I’m so confusedddddddddd ughhhh I’m so drunk oh my god. Why is it so hot what the fuck.” Jungkook squirms and strips off his jacket. Then he’s back to laying on his back breathing heavily because he’s so wasted.

“Jimin.” He says again.

“Yes?”

“I’m so drunk I’m gonna die.”

Jimin laughs again and then he turns to his side to look at the man. “Sleep Jeon. Go to sleep.”

And in less than 5 minutes, Jungkook does exactly that, passing out with his legs still dangling off the bed.

“I had the best time tonight, Jungkook.” Jimin whispers just before he too starts closing his heavy eyelids to drift off into slumber.

Only a few hours later, Jungkook yells and cries in his sleep because he has a nightmare. It wakes both of them up. Jungkook is covered in sweat and Jimin looks at him with so much hurt and concern. The older goes to the kitchen and comes back with a glass of cold water.

When Jimin gets back in bed, he hugs Jungkook and lets the man cry it out again, not asking any further questions or making him talk about the nightmare or about Loguay or his trauma. Jungkook’s head is buried right under Jimin’s chin and the elder just strokes man’s back and head comfortingly.

“You need anything else baby? Want more water?”

He can feel Jungkook nod no. And so Jimin says nothing further. Jungkook wraps his arms around Jimin’s waist and pulls him in too. He lets out a long, deep exhale and despite the both of them reeking of alcohol, there’s a familiar scent of Jimin that now comforts Jungkook in ways nothing or no one else ever has.

It’s not that sleeping and being in Jimin’s comforting arms after he’s had a nightmare fully solves his PTSD, because Jimin is just a human too—but Jungkook feels a sense of peace that he’s never really felt before.

Jungkook never realized until now just how much the comfort and warmth of another human could be so healing emotionally. To know there was another person willing to stay by him through his darkest and as society considered ‘weakest’ moments. To know someone has seen him curl up into fetal position at a damn supermarket with panic, seen him cry and scream in his sleep, and still want to stay.

Jungkook cries again.

This time, not because of the pain and guilt he feels, but because he can’t believe someone like Park Jimin exists in his life.

Chapter Text

Jimin loves parties. Not even just parties, he loves planning social events in general.

If he didn’t pursue medicine, one of the most demanding careers in this world, he would have loved to go into event planning. Both he and Taehyung loved throwing parties and the eccentric best friend duo was well known for throwing the ultimate social events. Unfortunately for the two friends, life got busier, jobs got more demanding, and over time, their aging bodies inevitably found themselves often choosing sleep over partying despite their love of socializing.

As much as Jimin loved getting dressed up and going to the bars or dancing late into the night, the cardiologist now found himself finding a night on the couch with some chicken and beer, binge watching a show just as appealing. Preferably with good company. Preferably good company by the name of Dr. Jeon Jungkook.

But he was on a mission right now. To plan the best double date, no, the best reunion ever. The reunion of two of his friends. He had rented out an entire restaurant, Abracadabra, one of Taehyung’s favorites. It was trendy spot for a rather small establishment in terms of square feet but it felt very cozy and vibrant. The restaurant is shaped like an L and doesn’t have too many or too little tables. The bar is located on the left side, hidden from the view at the entrance. It’s the perfect place to rent out.

Jimin is now meeting with the owner and chef, Sangwon going over the details. Most would say this is a bit overkill for a double date but this is how Jimin and Taehyung usually did things. And really, this wasn’t just a double date; Jimin wanted to do a grand gesture to hopefully brighten Taehyung’s mood (assuming his plan goes smoothly). If there was anyone he loved most in this world after his family, it was his best friend Tae. Taehyung is like family to him. He’s been in such a slump ever since the ‘break up’ with Seokjin that Jimin just wants to cheer the pediatrician up and make him smile. Big gestures shouldn’t be just for romantic reasons—he and Taehyung loved spoiling each other.

Go big or go home.

He could afford to rent out a whole restaurant for an evening and life was short. So why not?

“That’s great,” Jimin nods as the Sangwon explains and gesticulates how they’ll set up the restaurant. They both go back and forth, pointing at things, and Jimin giving him his every little requests and the chef taking notes. “That’s perfect. And if we could have a bartender too with the full bar open of course, I’d appreciate it. Don’t worry about the expenses. I’ll fully compensate of course. I just want a peaceful, perfect evening!”

“Of course! That will be no problem. You and Dr. Kim are one of our favorite and most loyal customers!” Sangwon says. “So I know you said this is a ‘just cause’ event but now I’m itching with curiosity Dr. Park. Is that really it?! Really just a party for four?!”

“Oh Sangwon, Jimin. You’re so silly, always calling me doctor still! Just call me Jimin!” Jimin laughs as he playfully hits the man. “And yes! It’s a party for four! Party for 100 or party for four, a party’s a party! I just want a nice, pleasant, quiet evening out with people I love and care about. Without the loud distraction of other restaurant patrons, that’s all!”

“You are always Dr. Park and Dr. Kim to me!” Sangwon laughs. Jimin chuckles and shakes his head and the two men make their way to the kitchen as they continue talking and going over the plans. They go over the menu and Jimin chooses a few items off the menu in advance so that it’ll be perfectly ready that night for the chef to prepare. He pays for the entire thing before he leaves.

“Thanks love. You’re the best!” The surgeon compliments as they bid farewell.

“We look forward to seeing you soon!” Sangwoon waves at the doctor. 

Jimin is so satisfied with himself with all the planning that he’s all proud smiles on his drive home.

Seokjin had told him that he had listened to Jimin’s advice and indeed reached out to Taehyung, only to be fully rejected. “He didn’t even want to talk on the phone,” Seokjin had said grimly over the phone to Jimin the other day. “And he certainly would not agree to meet up with me. Saying he had nothing more to say to me and he’s sick of getting sucked into the same cycle. And then he hung up on me before I could get another word in. He really hung up on me, Jimin. I don’t blame him though. It’s what I deserve. It’s really over for us.”

Taehyung’s reaction wasn’t shocking news to Jimin. It made sense his best friend was fighting back really hard in making sure he did not succumb to the handsome Kim Seokjin. They’ve only been through this a million times. So to Taehyung, it made sense he didn’t take Seokjin reaching out to him as nothing more than the elder just being weak without having any real plans for their future. Yet again.

Jimin had held his phone just listening to the elder sob on the other line about how it was truly over and that he lost Taehyung. That’s when Jimin decided he’ll have to take matters into his own hands. He knew Taehyung was still in love with Seokjin and he knew Seokjin was still in love with Taehyung.

They were certainly not over. Not at least with one more try, Jimin thought.

Something had to be done. After some pondering, Jimin had called Seokjin back a few days later casually acting like he just wanted to hang out, not even mentioning Taehyung or about Seokjin’s life really.

“Let’s do dinner again! And I want to introduce you to someone hyung…” Jimin said.

“Oh?? Who?”

“I’m seeing someone.”

“Oh?? Boyfriend??”

“Mmm we’re dating, yes. Saturday are you free? I want you to meet him!” Jimin smirked to himself, like a mischievous kid laughing internally thinking about how Seokjin will react when he finds out the man he is seeing is no one other than Jeon Jungkook.

“Of course. Wow. I’m glad to hear that Jimin. It’s been awhile since you’ve dated. Happy for you, Jiminah.”

“Thanks hyung!”

~

“A double date?” Jungkook says while the two are at his apartment, cuddled on the couch watching Suits and eating ice cream. “Who’s the guy? What happened to that other gamer CEO guy or whatever? I thought they were doing pretty well?”

“They’re over.” Jimin says scraping the inside of his Häagen-Dazs coffee ice cream.

“Oh really? Weren’t they going out for awhile though? Like relatively long? That’s what I heard.” Jungkook says craning his neck forward so his face was near the tub of ice cream—Jimin scoops some of the last bites in the tub and feeds it to Jungkook.

“Are you gonna be up all night now?” Jungkook says.

“Me?”

“Yeah you.” He laughs.

“No?? It’s just ice cream.” Jimin says matter of fact. He reaches forward and places the empty ice cream carton on the coffee table then leans back on Jungkook. “It doesn’t even affect me. There’s hardly any caffeine in here, Jeon. It’s ice cream.”

“You said that last time and you were up playing games all night and then tired for work. Probably still has some caffeine you know. Shoulda just got the cookie dough or dulce de le-“

“You ate it too!!” Jimin says rolling his eyes. Jungkook pulls the man in closer and starts sliding his hand up and down Jimin’s arm.

“I… had like three bites. And you ate like the whole tub.”

“What are you trying to say?? That I’m a pig?!”

Jungkook throws his head back and laughs. “I just don’t want you to be up all night sleepless from the caffeine. We have a long day tomorro-“

“I’m fineee. It’s coffee ICE CREAM not coffee! Stop nagging me!” Jimin whines. Jungkook leans in and kisses Jimin’s temple and they both pull up the soft throw blanket and get even cozier.

“Ok ok. But who’s the guy though, really?”

“It’s a secret!” Jimin says.

“Tell me.” Jungkook demands.

“No. You’ll meet him there too!” Jimin has been dying to tell Jungkook everything about Taehyung and Seokjin but he doesn’t.

“And Taehyung doesn’t know who it is either?”

“Nope!” Taehyung had told Jimin about Seokjin texting and calling him. He proudly told Jimin how he had stopped his advances and rejected his request to meet up. To Taehyung’s surprise, Jimin had told him maybe he should just hear Seokjin out and give him one last try? But Taehyung narrowed his eyes and said ‘no. you’re supposed to be the one helping me say no Jimin.’

“So it’s literally a blind date for him,” Jungkook pauses as he plays with Jimin’s hair. “And... also a double date?”

“Yep!”

“So just tell me at least! I’m not the one going on the blind date! I should be aware of what’s going on!”

“No! I’m not telling anyone so stop asking!” Jimin leans in and gives Jungkook’s nose a quick peck.

Jungkook then leans in again and playfully growls as he bites and kisses Jimin’s ears and neck. “Why do you have to act so mysterious, Park?”

“It’s my charm.”

~

Mood music: BTS – Magic Shop

Seokjin’s eyes narrow when he pulls into the parking lot of Abracadabra, a quaint and chic American fusion restaurant in Gangnam. He’s a bit confused to see how empty the parking lot is. He takes his phone out and checks his text message with Jimin to make sure he’s at the right and indeed he is. He recognizes Jimin’s car so he is even more sure that he’s definitely at the right place but he doesn’t understand why there are hardly any cars especially at such a prime dinner time.

He gets out of his Lexus and starts walking toward the restaurant’s entrance, both hands in his pockets. Even though he was in the middle of an existential crisis with being estranged from his family, losing his chief position job (granted, he resigned himself) and the love of his life Taehyung, today he was here for his friend Jimin. The last time he met up with Jimin, it ended up being a crying fest because he’d finally unloaded everything onto the younger; Seokjin wasn’t about to do that again. Today was about Jimin and his new boyfriend or whatever Jimin considered the mysterious third person that would be joining them today. 

This would be good for him. Socializing. He had to keep moving on with his life now that he really knew any chance with Taehyung was gone. Life still moved on and Jimin was still his friend. Today, he will treat his younger friend and his ‘boyfriend’ to a nice meal and drinks since Jimin had treated him last time in addition to being the best and only shoulder he’s ever cried on as an adult.

Seokjin takes a deep sigh as he opens the door to the restaurant. It’s not that he was dreading it but it’s more like he’s been doing nothing but work and home—he was in the slumps lately with everything crumbling in his life and socializing took so much energy out of him.

Immediately upon entering the restaurant, a restaurant staff named Jenny greets him and Seokjin is confused because the restaurant is literally empty.

“Hi hyung! You’re here!” He sees Jimin waving from the only occupied table. The other man sitting across from him, back facing the entrance also turns around.

“Huh?” Seokjin cocks his head seeing the other man is Dr. Jeon Jungkook. He too looks just as confused as he is and they both just awkwardly bow their heads at each other to give an acknowledgement of each other’s presence. “Did you guys just open for dinner hours or what’s going on?” Seokjin asks the host as he waves back.

“Oh no, Dr. Park has rented the whole place for the evening! Enjoy!”

“Hi hyung!!” Jimin hugs him when Seokjin reaches the table.

“Hey Jimin. Hello Jeon. What are you doing here? No offense of course!” Seokjin says as kindly as possible. He is genuinely confused but he starts feeling a weird feeling in his stomach—it’s not bad, it’s just a feeling.

“Hey chie- I mean. Uh, hi Seokjin.. sunbae. No offense taken. I’m confused too. Jimin you invited chie- Seokjin? I mean, not that I mind you’re here of course! Haha, it’s good to see you. How’s Koryo?”

“Yeah, you too, Jeon. Koryo’s been great, thanks. But Jimin I’m confused. Why did you rent the whole restaurant? Haha and what is Jeon doi- wait. Wait……… a minute.” Jimin had told him he wanted to introduce him to someone he was seeing…

Jimin looks at him with a huge dorky grin on his face.

“Hold on. Are you,” Seokjin stares Jimin down and then shifts his eyes over to Jungkook, then back at Jimin. “Are you… and you… no…”

“… Surprise?” Jimin smiles cheekily.

“WAIT- SURPRISE WHAT?!” Seokjin’s eyes widen and jaw drops. “JIMIN. PARK JIMIN.”

“Uh...” Jungkook looks down and scratches the back of his neck shyly.

“THE GUY YOU’RE DATING IS…. DR. JEON!?!?!?!?” Seokjin nearly yells with flabbergasted amusement. “JIMIN.”

“I...” Jimin laughs and he’s about to finally give a clear answer when Jungkook beats him and says, “uhm. Haha yeah. We are.”

“Oh. My. Fucking. God. You’ve GOT TO BE KIDDING ME. AFTER ALL THIS TIME. YOU TWO… NEARLY KILLED EACH OTHER AT WORK WHEN I WAS YOUR SUPERVISOR AND WHEN I LEAVE YOU GUYS ARE… YOU GUYS ARE DATING!?!? WHAT!?!?!” Seokjin laughs hysterically. He cannot believe his once subordinates who used to loathe each other and almost rip each other’s hair off at work are sitting here telling him they’re dating now. “DO YOU EVEN KNOW HOW MUCH STRESS YOU TWO IDIOTS CAUSED ME!?!? DO YOU?!” He’s yelling at them but it’s completely jovial and all three of them are laughing.

“WOWWWWWWW. You two are… un-fucking-believable. Oh my god I want to smack you both right now I swear to god I wanna kill you.” The elder jokes.

“We…” Jimin says as he and Jungkook make eye contact and smile at each other. Jungkook finishes his sentence for him by saying, “are… sorry haha.” The three surgeons roar in laughter. It then hits Jungkook as he finally puts two and two together. His eyes widen and he tries to communicate with Jimin without any words. He subtly points over to Seokjin with his eyes.

Chief?? Chief is the blind date?? Chief and Taehyung???????

Jimin eyes him back and nods faintly.

Just go with it.

Jungkook looks at him with the most confused yet amused expression. The blind date is the chief and Taehyung?? Jungkook takes a long gulp of his beer that he and Jimin had ordered while waiting for the two others to get there. He thinks back trying to see if he had any clue of the chief and Taehyung but he’s not entirely sure. He keeps trying to eye and speak with Jimin wordlessly but Jimin just keeps nodding to stop it and go with it.

“I cannot fucking believe this,” Seokjin keeps saying. When Jimin and Jungkook tell him everything, Seokjin thinks how funny life is. It really was so full of surprises. As he listens to Jimin playfully tell him how Jeon is obsessed with him and Jungkook playfully smacks him telling Jimin to get over himself and that he was the one who was obsessed with him, Seokjin’s smiles weakly and his mind wanders.

Why was it so easy for others? Even for two rival enemies like Jimin and Jungkook, who literally hated each other’s guts. He’s seen the two attending surgeons scream at each other, humiliate each other, belittle each other… but even them. Even these two compete polar opposite personalities and enemies. Here they were now flirting, openly dating, and looking so genuinely happy as they share with him how their relationship came into fruition and shifted from enemies to lovers. How come it was so easy for others but not for him? It’s not that Seokjin isn’t happy for them—he is. He truly is so happy for them but he wonders if he too will ever truly be this happy one day.

The way Jimin and Jungkook look right now.

Seokjin feels a sad pang of sadness and envy and he feels awful about it because he is happy for his two hoobaes. He is. “I’m really happy for you guys, really. Glad your phase of hating each other is truly ove-“

“HI!!” Jimin waves at the door, interrupting Seokjin.

Seokjin turns his body around to see who it is that Jimin is waving at and there he is:

Taehyung.

Seokjin and Taehyung both freeze upon making eye contact. Taehyung’s eyes avert over to Jimin’s who keeps smiling despite the fact Taehyung looks royally pissed. The last time Taehyung saw Seokjin was on his second to last day of work at SMC at a meeting. The pediatrician didn’t even go to the goodbye party in the staff lounge nor did he give his final farewell on the chief’s last day because he didn’t think he could handle it without breaking down in complete tears.

They just sort of… ended.

Taehyung’s entire body tenses up standing there at the entrance of Abracadabra. The host, Jenny, gets uncomfortable and awkward seeing that Taehyung is just standing there frozen and speechless not saying anything or heading in more into the restaurant. She tells Taehyung she’s going to just check on something in the kitchen and to please take a seat and enjoy the evening.

“Jimin what the hell is going on?” Jungkook finally whispers to Jimin when he sees the silent stare down between Seokjin and Taehyung.

Jimin ignores him and hops off his stool to walk over to Taehyung. “Taeee you came!”

“What the hell Jimin?” Taehyung says angrily. “What is this? Why is he here? You said this was a blind date and I was meeting some professor?? What the fuck?”

“Well, technically Jin hyung is a prof-“

“Jimin.” Taehyung says sternly again with an intensity in his eyes that scares even Jimin.

“Okay okay. I’m sorry. So I lied. Kind of. I mean, I omitted the name. That it was Jin hyung but- ok that’s besides the point. I’m sorry. Come on, sit down first at least, we’ll talk-“

“No.” Taehyung shakes Jimin’s arms off his as if he’s disgusted. Jimin looks hurt and surprised seeing how angry and rough Taehyung was being with him. He only had good intentions. But Jimin does not give up—he expected this much anyways. “I’m leaving. I’m so mad at you right now Jimin. I told you, I am trying so hard. So fucking hard to get over him so what the hell is this, huh?!” he mutters angrily under his breath so only Jimin can hear. “You think I’m just playing around? I am done. I want to move the fuck on. I told you, Jimin.”

But then Taehyung looks up, past Jimin because Seokjin is walking towards them. Taehyung turns around to walk out of the restaurant and right when he’s about to push the door open he hears

“Taehyung.”

Taehyung.

The pediatrician pauses, paralyzed at the door. Seokjin mumbles something to Jimin and Jimin nods and goes back to the table where Jungkook is sitting, munching on fries and absolutely clueless as to what the fuck is going on.

“Taehyung,” Seokjin says again. The younger feels his eyes getting hot. He steps forward and finally opens the door to leave when he feels a hand grab his arm.

“Taehyung.”

He hates the sound of it but he loves the sound of it. He wants to turn around and throw his hands around the elder and melt into his body but he wants to turn around and push him. Push him hard and hit him until he went away and disappeared from his sight. Disappeared from his life. He hates him but he loves him. He feels numb but he feels too much.

“What.” Taehyung says coldly finally turning around, the corner of his eyes moistened with tears.

“It’s… nice seeing you.” Seokjin doesn’t know what to say or where to even begin. He feels like a fool. 10 years older than this adorable man in front of him, and feeling like a lost teenager helplessly and speechlessly in love.

“I can’t say the same.” Taehyung knows it’s harsh but right now he has his full guard up because he knows the second he lets them down, he will fall right back into the vicious cycle in which they’ve already been through far too many times. He’s come too far to go back on that road with Seokjin. “I wouldn’t be here if I knew… if I knew you were going to be here too. Jimin lied to me.”

“He lied to me too.” Seokjin says. He’s still holding onto Taehyung’s left arm and when he realizes it, he let’s go. “Sorry.”

“I’m going to go. Have a nice dinner.”

“Taehyung can we please talk? I’m just… as surprised as you are okay? I wasn’t- I wasn’t in on this. I promise, I had no clue you were gonna be here but now that you’re here… I need to talk to you. P-please.” Seokjin voices quivers. He’s never felt so afraid in his life. He’s not quite sure what exactly Jimin had planned when he set this up tonight but he can get a sense what the cardiac surgeon was hoping and aiming for.

“I don’t want to. How many times have you said that huh? How many times have we said we need to talk and how many times have we had the same conversation only to end up at the same conclusion!? We’ve talked Seokjin! We’ve talked SO MUCH. It’s.. it’s done nothing! We’ve talked and we’ve talked!! What MORE could there be to say-“

“I love you. I love you Kim Taehyung.”

“STOP. NO. I am not doing this right now. NO. You will NOT do this to me again. I’m LEAVING.” He turns around to try and storm off again but Seokjin pulls him into his arms. He can feel the younger trying to fight back and free himself out of his embrace but it only makes Seokjin hold him tighter and finally, Taehyung gives up and starts bawling into the crook of Seokjin’s neck.

“Come on,” Jimin says quietly, grabbing Jungkook’s hand. Jungkook follows Jimin’s lead as they walk away from their table and into a different section of the restaurant, the bar. Jimin wants to give them some privacy.

“Wait, my fries though-“

“There will be fries at the bar too, don’t worry Jeon.” Jimin giggles as he guides the younger through the restaurant hand in hand.

“Jimin tell me what the hell is going on now,” Jungkook says when they are finally seated at the bar’s high stools.

“Two shots of whisk-“ Jimin ignores his question.

“Noooooo way you demon. I’ll have a bee-“

“Come onnn,” Jimin pouts. “It’s BORING to take a shot alone. Come onnn.”

“NOPE. Not happening. You are NOT influencing me tonight you little devil. I don’t know what the hell happened that time on our first date but I am not about to wake up with more mysterious scrapes and bruises!!”

Jimin scrunches his face and says, “fine. A beer and a shot of whiskey please you boring loser. And you fell on the ground and crawled that’s what happened.”

“Yes, you told me that but I don’t understand why I crawled.” Jungkook and Jimin laugh as they cheers their alcoholic drinks. “Jimin.” He says again but with a completely serious tone.

“Jungkook.” Jimin copies.

“Seriously, stop. What’s going on. Was the chief and…”

“Yeah.” Jimin says flatly. “It’s what you’re thinking.”

“Holy shit.” Jungkook’s eyes widen with shock and also amusement. “How long?? Like they dated??”

“Eh, something like that.” Jimin says also now with a serious expression. “It’s… complicated. Can I get a beer too? I’ll have the same thing as him.”

The bartender obliges, and Jimin is sitting there staring at the bar counter with a serious expression. Jungkook reaches his arm out and starts rubbing his hand in circular motion on Jimin’s back. He doesn’t want to pressure Jimin to tell him anything despite the fact Jungkook is still so confused what the hell is going on tonight with Taehyung and Seokjin and he’s really curious to know. He doesn’t push it; he just comforts Jimin in silence, or what he’s concluded as Jimin is trying to see if he can hear the two on the other part of the restaurant. He can see Jimin’s mind is racing and he’s right.

Because after a few hesitant seconds of eye contact with Jungkook, Jimin finally shares more with Jungkook. He tells him that Seokjin and Taehyung ‘had a thing’. He initially didn’t plan on spilling everything, was going to stop at ‘they had a thing’, but sitting there at the bar with Jungkook while nursing their beers— he feels safe with Jungkook. Like he can trust him. Jimin knows he’s still getting to know the younger but he just feels a peace inside him that knows he can trust Jungkook. That he knows Jungkook won’t go around opening his mouth. That any secrets he tells him, will be kept secure and safe with him.

Jungkook gives Jimin the utmost attention and focus as he talks all the while paying with his hand on the bar counter, thumb caressing over the smaller’s hand. Jimin shares how he’s been so hurt seeing Taehyung hurt for the last few months, how he didn’t know how to be the ‘right’ friend to Tae, how he wanted to say things sometimes but didn’t because he didn’t want Tae to feel like he was judging him and didn’t want to end up being pushed away, how he’s been in the middle of Seokjin and Taehyung this recent past week and how he just knew the two were so in love but he felt so helpless and confused as the middle man.

Jungkook is in awe not just from all this news of Seokjin and Taehyung, but also the fact Jimin actually trusts him enough to share things like this with him.

“It’s.. complicated I know. I wanted to tell you sooner, I did. Because I was so stressed out for them too and I wanted your input. There were so many times that I almost told you but… I don’t know. I just felt like I shouldn’t. And to be honest, I probably shouldn’t have told you right now either but I trust you. I know you won’t make a big deal of it and you’ll keep it to yourself.” Jimin says with a tint of sadness in his eyes.

“He’s my best friend. I just want him to be happy. Jin hyung too. He’s a good person too. I know he messed up but… he deserves to be happy too ya know? And I know that you might be thinking, well, ot just you but most people if they knew everything between those two, they’d think Jin hyung needs to grovel a little more but the thing is, he’s the one who makes Tae happy. It’s that simple. He freaking quit SMC Jungkook. And he pretty much quit his family. He just… he just needed that little push. So that’s why I did it. That’s why I set today up. I don’t really know what I’m expecting but I just needed them to talk. Talk with the significant life changes Seokjin has made. Taehyung needs to know the truth about Seokjin. He deserves to know. Their love deserves another chance.”

Jimin exhales. He feels 100 pounds lighter. It felt so great to share things with someone other than his best friend. Taehyung will of course always be his best friend for life, his family away from home, his brother at heart, his confidant, his shoulder to cry or gossip on, but it was so nice to have another person to open up to. Someone who was all ears for him. Someone who was 100% attentive and wanting to listen. And mostly, knowing that the person can be fully trusted.

Jungkook smiles and places his hand over Jimin’s on the bar counter. “You’re a good friend, Jimin. You really, really are.” He leans closer and gives a kiss on Jimin’s forehead.

Jimin wraps his arms around Jungkook, body in somewhat of an awkward position because he’s leaning in while still seated on the stool. He looks up and pouts. “If you tell them I told you the gritty details, I’ll kill you, Jeon. I know where you live and work.”

Jungkook laughs so hard his body moves and he throws his head back. It makes Jimin slip off his stool because he was leaning forward, clung onto Jungkook’s body. “I fear you, Park Jimin. You are the scariest person I have ever met in the world.” Jimin smacks his arm playfully and they both continue laughing and teasing each other.

When they’ve settled down from laughing, Jimin sneaks over to the corner to turn his head and peak at his two other friends in the other part of the restauration. He stands there, body behind the wall but head sticking out. Taehyung can see him but it doesn’t stop Jimin.

He thinks he’s given them enough privacy for Seokjin to have delivered the biggest news to Taehyung: the engagement and walking out on his family. So he wants to make sure the broken couple is at least going somewhere in their conversation instead of circling around pointlessly. But mostly, he just wants to make sure Tae isn’t bawling hysterically like he was earlier.

He’s not.

He seems to have calmed down. Jimin can hear Seokjin is finishing up telling Tae about his conversation with his parents and grandfather, about how he’s now estranged from them. Taehyung looks at the elder with such fondness, such love that it really makes Jimin’s heart ache because he knows that Taehyung is thinking more about Seokjin’s pain than his own.

Taehyung eventually leans forward and hugs Seokjin. He can see Jimin while he hugs Seokjin and Jimin just gives his best friend a weak smile from afar and Taehyung acknowledges him with a small nod. Then the conversation escalates to the most important part: what now?

Jimin hears Taehyung tell Seokjin he of course misses him but… he can’t go back. It makes Jimin’s heart sink. How could Taehyung say this even after Seokjin had told him everything!? He tells the former chief that while he hurts knowing Seokjin is hurting and in pain… it doesn’t change anything because what Taehyung wants is commitment. Marriage. A life together with a partner-

“Marry me. Marry me, Kim Taehyung.”

Jimin gasps from afar and covers his mouth with his hand. Taehyung’s eyes are wide as if he heard wrong.

“I’m not just telling you all this for nothing. Why else would I tell you all of this huh? Why do you think I reached out to you, huh?? Why else would I have even done any of this that I just told you Tae? Quitting SMC, breaking off the engagement, leaving my family. And I’m not even saying this expecting anything from you. I know I don’t deserve you. I know I don’t deserve another chance. You gave me so many and it took me this long to realize what would bring me happiness. You. So I just had to tell you. Even if you don’t take me back. I understand. But I need you to know, I love you. I love you and it’s always been you Tae. I’ve just… I’ve been a coward. And I was trying to solve things by myself but it just kept getting bigger and bigger and- fuck it doesn’t matter anymore. All that shit doesn’t matter now. I’m here now. And I love you. And I can’t… I can’t be without you Taehyung… I-I wanted to…” Seokjin’s voice shakes.

“I wanted to meet with you because I wanted to tell you that I want to be yours Kim Taehyung. I want to be only yours. I want to commit to you. I want to give you what you want… If you’ll still have me…” Seokjin is nearly sobbing.

What Taehyung needed was some sort of commitment. Collateral. Something beyond ‘let’s just talk and take go with the flow.’ He had already done enough of that with the chief. He needed something solid. And Seokjin knew this. “I love you Taehyung. There’s… nothing or no one else. I thought I could stay away. I thought, if I let you go it would be okay. I thought as long as I let you go and you find someone else… it’d be okay. I was so fucking wrong. I love you so much. I can’t be with anyone but you Taehyung. I… I know what you want is commitment. And I want to give that to you. I want you to be mine and only mine. Marry me. I’m not asking you this out of nowhere. That’s why I wanted to meet with you. If you were going to give me a chance again I wanted to tell you this. That I want to marry you. I-I didn’t know you’d be here tonight… I don’t.. I don’t have a ring, I don’t have anything else on me right now Tae. But I love you. And I want to be yo-“

“Stop eavesdropping, Park!” Jimin feels Jungkook’s arms wrap around his waist from behind and buries his face in the crook of Jimin’s neck and starts mouthing at just as things are getting intense. SEOKJIN WAS PROPOSING TO TAEHYUNG! Jimin was hoping the two would get back together but he was not expecting a PROPOSAL tonight! This exceeded everything! He can feel Jungkook nibbling at his neck and kissing it but he really needed to listen to what Tae’s answer would be. Jungkook should go back to chatting with the bartender while he monitored his two friends.

“SHH. Stop distracting me.” Jimin whispers, body squirming at Jungkook’s touch. He doesn’t really mean it but he’s trying hard to focus on Seokjin and Taehyung’s intense conversation and Jeon Jungkook’s lips all over his neck wasn’t helping. He reaches his hand back and tousles Jungkook’s hair. “Stoppp. I have to focusss.” he pouts quietly.

“Focus on what?! Let them be babe. Come on.” Jungkook pulls Jimin away from the corner, away from Taehyung’s view so they could back to the bar. Jimin tries to fight it but Jungkook pulls him in by the waist so they’re chest to chest, facing each other. He gives up on listening to the rest of Tae and Seokjin’s conversation but he has a good feeling.

“Babe?” Jimin raises an eyebrow.

“Ya. What I can’t call my boyfriend that?” Jungkook says smugly, tightening his arms around Jimin’s waist even more.

“We’re boyfriends?” Jimin smirks.

“Are we not?” Jungkook answers with a smirk right back, their face only inches apart.

“We only just started dating, Jeon.”

“So? I don’t think conventional order of things is really our strong point, Park. We’re good at a lot of things, but definitely not that.”

“So you’re my boyfriend?” They’re gazing into each other’s eyes, both with huge stupid grins on their faces.

Jungkook closes in on the small gap between them and crashes their lips together.

It’s a heated kiss but Jimin stops it after a short minute remembering he was not here to make out with Jungkook but he was here to bring his two friends together. He breaks off the kiss and cups Jungkook’s face to pepper him with kisses.

“Does that answer your question, Jimin? I wanna be your boyfriend. If you’ll let me.” These words make Jimin feel so incredibly shy that he looks down at the ground smiling to himself for a few seconds. He doesn’t want Jungkook to see that he’s probably blushing and smiling like an idiot. When he composes himself, he looks up and makes firm eye contact with the trauma surgeon.

“I wanna be yours too, Jungkook.” He smiles warmly while being held in Jungkook’s arms. They both smile and share another kiss, much deeper this time. But Jimin snaps out of it again, leaving a groaning and laughing Jungkook.

Jimin manages to creep up back near the corner, Jungkook’s arms still around him, to see how it’s going with Tae and Seokjin again and the two are full on making out and crying. Happy tears.

“Oh my gosh!!” Jimin squeals as quietly as possible. He jumps little jumps within Jungkook’s embrace. “I THINK THEY’RE BACK TOGETHER!!!”

“NO WAY?! Ya think?” Jungkook says sarcastically, peaking his head out too and seeing the other two kissing. “I mean, it looks to me they’re not together.” He jokes. Jimin rolls his eyes and playfully smacks Jungkook in the chest.

“No you dummy, I think they’re back together as in he said YES. To the PROPOSAL. Wow. This is… omg. THEY’RE ENGAGED AHHH.” Jimin is ‘whisper yelling’ trying to contain his happiness. He knew Taehyung would come around once he knew the truth about Seokjin. He had to. The two really were so amazing together when they were. Seokjin just needed that push and Taehyung just needed some sort of commitment.

“I’m so smart!! I made this happe- wait.”

“Hm?” Jungkook says endeared by Jimin’s elatedness.

“They’re beating us.” Jimin says with a playful smile on his face. Jungkook cocks his head with wonder. “They’re… beating us but… we’re hotter. We’re hotter, right?”

Jungkook laughs out loud. Very loud. He doesn’t even try to be quiet this time because it’s such a genuine laugh. Jimin looks at him with a pout, “whaaaat? Why are you laughing? I don’t care if they’re beating us because I mean we only recently just started dating but… we have to be the hottest. We are the hottest couple Jeon. And nobody can beat us.”

Jungkook isn’t laughing only because Jimin is so cute and ridiculous, he’s laughing because he certainly agrees. Everything was a damn competition for these two. Now that they were a pair, they were now one team.

“We are definitely hotter.”

Everyone finally reconvenes after what feels like an eternity of Seokjin and Taehyung talking it out. Both of their noses and eyes are red from crying but the two never looked happier as they sat side by side together once again as a real couple this time. The four surgeons chat the night away over drinks and food that Jimin had already selected and paid for. All of them jokingly blame Jimin for this ridiculous night of surprises: Seokjin finding out about Jungkook and Jimin dating, Jungkook finding out about Taehyung and Seokjin, Jungkook and Taehyung finding out the mystery ‘blind date’ was none other than Seokjin. They call Jimin a little devil but he can see Seokjin is thanking him with his whole heart because he’s sure he saw Jin hyung give him a little nod and smile.

He can see how grateful and in love Jin hyung is throughout the entire night because he keeps catching Seokjin looking at Taehyung with the fondest, most glistening loving eyes. As if he might lose him again if he looks away for even just a second. Tonight really threw him off because initially, when he contacted Taehyung to request they please meet up, he was going to do exactly what he did tonight—tell him the truth about everything. He was going to ask Taehyung for another chance and if Taehyung accepted, he had every intention to propose. He didn’t see a point in wasting time anymore. The proposal tonight wasn’t out of nowhere or something Seokjin did lightly. Being here, seeing Tae unexpectedly, Seokjin inevitably realized this was his moment. So he followed his heart and asked Taehyung to be his forever—to marry him.

And Taehyung, well, Jimin hasn’t seen that boxy smile of his in quite a while. When Seokjin shares how his new job at Koryo Hospital has been, Jimin sees Taehyung just staring at the elder. He stares with awe and wonder. As if he’s seeing the handsome man for the first time all over again. Seokjin is talking about one of his colleagues being somewhat of an asshole and how he wants to kick him sometimes, Jimin sees Taehyung smile, his face simply lighting up as he cracked up at every word coming out of Seokjin’s mouth. That’s when he knows Taehyung is truly happy and not faking it—that beautiful boxy smile.

Jimin feels so happy and content with life right now. He has a career that he loves, wonderful parents, a nice condo, a wonderful (and extremely hot) boyfriend now, amazing friends, he’s sitting in a trendy restaurant with delicious food and drinks surrounded by people he loves…

He turns his head to look over at Jungkook who is attentively nodding and conversing with Seokjin and Taehyung about the recent groundbreaking journal article on epilepsy by some British physician. Jungkook must have noticed in the corner of his eyes because he looks over at Jimin too. He squeezes the elder’s hand between them and smiles his beautiful million dollar smile. Jimin smiles back.

Jimin has never felt so at home like he does right now.

~

It’s a crisp and chilly Monday morning, but only because it’s still 6:15am when Jimin and Jungkook leave for work. The forecast had said it would get warmer by late afternoon so the two doctors had dressed accordingly. Still wishing he was in bed, Jungkook nearly chugs his scorching hot coffee in the blue SMC coffee tumbler he grabbed from Jimin’s cabinet. “Shit,” he mutters because the coffee spills out a bit when Jimin comes to a sudden halt at the red light. “Be careful. Coffee is hot still, no?” Jimin whispers quietly, barely awake himself. Jungkook mumbles something while searching through the center console looking for any napkins that he could wipe his mouth and pants with. “Yeah exactly. Be careful. You’re like driving with your eyes closed.”

“I’m not??” Jimin says sharply as he quickly glances at Jungkook wiping his pants off just with his hands since he couldn’t find any tissues in the car. “Why are you so grumpy?? I thought you were a morning person, what’s your problem??”

Jungkook had spent the night since both surgeons were on the same shift today but Jimin was right. Jungkook would be lying if he said wasn’t a bit irritated on this lovely Monday morning. Their shift didn’t start until 7:30am but Jimin as usual, wanted to go in a bit earlier to make his unofficial rounds with his patients. He had tried to pull him back into bed and convince him otherwise, reminding him in his deep, groggy morning voice that he was already a wonderful and dedicated physician, to come back to bed so they could sleep a little more since they were on a 24hour shift. He loved his job too but sometimes, he believed Jimin did too much to the point he had no boundary of his personal life and work. He saw Jimin overwork himself and dedicate literally every part of his being to medicine and all Jungkook wanted was for Jimin to rest and relax a little sometimes. But Jimin had peppered him with kisses and told him to get some more sleep as he got out of bed to get ready.

“I’m not??” Jungkook lies. Jimin glances over at him again then back on the road, both hands on the steering well. Now he’s also annoyed.

“You are. You are grumpy and huffing and puffing and shit. I never said you have to go in early with me so stop acting all irritated. You’re the one who got up and started getting ready too saying you’ll just go in early too. I told you to go back to sleep and that I’ll see you at the hospi-“

“I’m not annoyed.”

Jimin laughs sarcastically, “oh my god, Jeon, yes you are. You know you’re not a good liar right? Or good at hiding your feelings. It’s always written very clearly on your face.”

“All I said was you’re like driving with your eyes closed because you were. You’re tired Jimin. I can see it in your eyes.”

“I’m fine. Worry about yourself. No one made you come with me right now. So don’t project your irritability on me just because you’re tired-“

“Jimin. Stop. I just worry damn. Stop demonizing me. I’m sorry I wanted you to get some more rest??”

“See, so I’m right. You are annoyed we’re going early. But again, no one made you come early with me so stop-“

“Do you have anything new to say besides repeating the same thing? Literally, I just think you could sometimes use more sleep and rest. You already work so hard. So my bad. Sue me if I wanted my boyfriend to get some rest. Shit.” Jungkook reaches down to the side of the side to adjust the seat back. He puts his feet on the dashboard, pulls his cap down to cover his face, and crosses his arms and tries to sleep, ending this conversation with Jimin. But Jimin doesn’t stop.

“For your information, I haven’t been going in early as much as I used to. I didn’t the other day because ya, I slept in more. So today I wanted to because it’s been awhile and I really wat to check in on some of my patients before official rounds so excuse me if I care about my patien-“

“Stop. Talking.” Jungkook says in a monotone as if he’s a robot while turning to his side, facing away from Jimin. Jimin rolls his eyes and mumbles some things under his breathe as he continues driving towards SMC.

When they arrive at the hospital, they both get out of the car and silently walk into work side by side not saying a single word until they finally walk through the sliding doors of the entrance. They both simultaneously say, “I’m sorry.”

“I’m just tired. You’re right. Sorry I was being grumpy in the car.” Jungkook says.

Jimin runs his hand through his hair and nods. “Sorry I snapped too. But you were being all angry about the coffee when I accidently made you spill some and-“

“Park,” Jungkook smiles. “Is this really how you apologize? I’m sorry but?”

Jimin can’t help but smile back. Jungkook puts his arm around the elder and says, “come on let’s go, Dr. Park. We have a long day.”

~

Taehyung listens carefully to the beat of his patient Kate’s heart, stethoscope in his ears, hand maneuvering the medical device on her chest. He asks her to take a deep breaths in and out.

Steady. Slow. Quiet.

How he loved this comforting sound. The sound that defined life. Despite some of her other minor side effects and symptoms she will still experience temporarily, the core of her body, her heart sounded as stable as ever. He smiles hearing that everything sounds clear, free from wetness of any fluid or any irregular heartbeats.

Free from pain. She was free.

It’s obvious to the patient too that she’s finally recovering after nearly three weeks in the hospital seeing her doctor smile and of course literally feeling better herself.

“Dr. Kim,” Kate says noticing something new on Taehyung’s hand. “Wait. Is that- do you-“

Taehyung smiles but pretends to ignore her as he looks up at the vitals monitor. He was well aware his 17 year old patient a little bit of crush on him. She would chat him up every time he’d stop by, asking him all sorts of questions everything from legitimate medical questions about herself to very personal questions in which Taehyung would cherrypick what to answer.

“Is that just for fashion or… no. You said you’e single. So it must just be for fashion right?” Kate asks eyeing the shiny ring on Taehyung’s left ring finger. “Dr. Kim!!”

“Kate, your vitals are looking really, really good. And your heart sounds even better. You’ve really come a long wa-“

“DR. KIM!! Is that a couple ring or something?!”

Taehyung turns his ring, fidgeting around with it and he smiles at his patient. “Yes, dear. I’m engaged.”

“WHAT?!” Kate nearly shouts, eyes bewildered. “What do you mean you’re engaged?!!? You don’t go from being single to suddenly being engaged!! You said you weren’t seeing anyone!! Are you really?!”

Taehyung flips through her charts nonchalantly with a huge grin on his face. Strangely enough, Kate was one of the first few people who knew of this news. Seokjin had officially proposed to him just last night. He’d made it a whole romantic event in which he wined and dined Taehyung at a luxurious restaurant, then got down on one knee at the romantically set up beach and officially proposed.

So far only Jimin, Jungkook, his parents, and only a few others knew. He was giddy and wanted to tell the whole world but he and Seokjin were going to wait a bit before announcing publicly because Taehyung had convinced Seokjin to try and make amends with his family one last time before going public.

So Taehyung is not sure why he is telling his patient of this very personal information. He wants to tell the world and perhaps telling someone like a patient is better than telling someone closer. “I really am Kate.” He smiles warmly.

Kate’s eyes suddenly soften realizing her doctor was indeed being serious and very much engaged. “Dr. Tae… oh my gosh… how!? Who! I thought you weren’t even seeing anyone! You were huh!? You lied to me huh!! I knew it!! You doctors are sooo secretive haha. But oh my gosh.. CONGRATULATIONS!!!! I’m so happy for you!!!”

“Thank you, Kate. I’m really, really happy too.”

~

Everyone at the hospital knew by now that Dr. Jeon and Dr. Park were dating. So Jimin’s not sure why resident Dr. Kim Hyunwoo seems to be the only one who doesn’t get the message. While it’s true that the two lovebird surgeons hadn’t yet publicly referred to the other as their ‘boyfriend’, it was clearly well known the two attending physicians were an item as they were still the hottest topic at SMC.

Yet the younger resident still made it very obvious he had the fattest crush on Jungkook, continuing to make his sweet “innocent” advances of offering free coffee, snacks, the light skinship, the aegyo, asking him out to happy hour (albeit it was with others too), etc. It’s been annoying Jimin but he hasn’t said anything because he’s cool. Jimin is a cool and chill person that does not get jealous or care if some cute young resident has a harmless crush on his now boyfriend.

That is, until a sunny Wednesday morning in the west wing hall of the surgical unit when Jimin has finally had enough.

“Dr. Jeon! You’re so funny!!” Hyunwoo laughs and playfully smacks Jungkook on the arm. Jimin is jotting some notes down on a file when he sees this interaction from the corner of his eye.

He and Jungkook, along with their residents had just met with one of their patients and are now wrapping up in the hallway when Jimin notices Hyunwoo is laughing at something Jungkook said that wasn’t even that funny. It’s a busy day with a lot left to do and too many patients still to treat; the two attending physicians finish up their notes and start assigning tasks to their subordinates before breaking off. 

Jimin and Jungkook have a huge, complex surgery coming up in about an hour and he selects two residents to join them, tasks two others on more routine surgeries, three others to meet with various patients and check up on things, and lastly assigns Hyunwoo the worst—paperwork paperwork paperwork. He knows it’s mean but right now he can’t help it and truth be told, someone does have to do it. It just so happens today will be Hyunwoo’s day.

The eyes of the residents who got assigned surgeries light up with excitement as they were thankful for any surgeries, the others tasked with checking up on more patients smile respectfully but die with envy inside, and Hyunwoo… well Hyunwoo frowns very blatantly.

“Oh,” Hyunwoo says. “Okay. I will work on that as soon as I’m done watching your surgery!” His frowns turns into a warm, innocent smile.

“Excuse me?” Jimin says looking up from his file he was reading. Jungkook looks up as well knowing very well that specific tone. He doesn’t say anything just yet but observes what happens next along with the rest of the group. “I said to go work on it now as soon as we break. That’s why I just stood here assigning you all your next tasks for the day. What about what I said was not clear, Dr. Kim?”

Jimin raises an eyebrow, takes his glasses off, and crosses his arms awaiting Hyunwoo’s answer.

“Oh! No, I meant like of course I’ll work on it now when we break too but I meant a-after the surgery too I’ll resume! I-I just thought it would be okay… if- if I watched the coronary revascularization b-because it’s such a com-complex one and every-everyone is really excited to see you two perform it an-“ Hyunwoo stutters but Jimin interrupts him sharply.

“What would give that impression that it would be okay for you to ignore what I assigned you and simply go to the observation room to watch a surgery while your fellow colleagues go running around working hard doing what I assigned them?”

The other residents step back and look at each other awkwardly and in fear clearly sensing the tension from Dr. Park. Dr. Park Jimin doesn’t get angry often, but when he does… the word amongst the residents and interns is that he could make them cry in a second because he’s so scary. Jungkook also makes a mixture of an amused and ‘wtf’ expression on his face now and he crosses his arms as well as he continues silently observing this interaction with slight amusement… that is until he sees Hyunwoo looking at him with puppy eyes as if he’s about to cry, as if he’s asking for help. 

“There’s nothing wrong with sitting in on surgeries and observing, Dr. Kim.” Jungkook says and looks at Hyunwoo. “But I think today isn’t one of those days because as Dr. Park here said, it’s a really busy day. So you all of course will get your turn at performing surgeries as time passes, and of course there will be more opportunities to sit in and watch them. Now is just not one of those days. So please, go to your respective tasks.”

The residents nod and they’re about to walk off when Jimin says one more thing. “Next time you’d like to challenge my authority, I would appreciate you not going to my boyfriend for help to get out of it. This is a professional workplace and you are surgeons. You will face more difficult things in your career than a superior ordering you an assignment in which you don’t like. Also, Dr. Jeon and I dating have no effect on our relationship as colleagues as long as we are inside these walls at SMC, so I suggest you all learn to keep things professional as well. If we can be professional at work, so can you. Including your tears. I am not your mommy here, I am your boss. You can go now.”

They all bow and scurry off quickly, some whispering to each other mostly likely about the fact that Jimin did just confirm the two were an item by calling Dr. Jeon his boyfriend and Hyunwoo rushing off the fastest in which Jimin could see him wiping his eyes. The attending physician sighs feeling a bit bad but then he quickly snaps out of it, reminding himself it was just tough love. He was creating stronger, better surgeons for the future. Hyunwoo needed to toughen up a bit anyways.

“Damn Park.” Jungkook smirks. “Almost made me cry.”

Jimin glares at him without a hint of playfulness back and without saying a single word he walks off. “Hey! Hey what the hell?” Jungkook catches up genuinely confused. He was being completely playful because he had an idea what that whole weird thing was just now. Jimin was jealous of Hyunwoo and Jungkook found it fucking adorable and hilarious he used his authority to assign him the worst assignment.

“I’m busy. I have to check on some other patients before I start prepping for the OR.”

“Okay but why are you actually mad?” Jungkook asks stepping in front of Jimin so that he has to come to a halt. Jimin is holding some files tight at his chest and he tries to dodge Jungkook but Jungkook keeps stepping in front of him. “Park. Cmon. Stop. Let’s go get ready for our surger-”

“Why am I actually mad?? Then should I be fake mad??” Jimin scoffs. He is flabbergasted that Jungkook doesn’t know why he’s mad right now. Sure, he may have been a bit harsh with Hyunwoo but he didn’t say anything wrong. Someone had to do the backed up paperwork and it was going to be one of the residents, Hyunwoo had tried to defy his orders, then proceeded to act like a victim with his dumb puppy eyes, and Jungkook hadn’t supporting his rebuking him.

And Hyunwoo was flirting with him.

“Jimin,” Jungkook smiles even though he can see Jimin is shooting angry laser eyes at him. “Jimin. Are you seriously mad because I agreed with you? Hm?” Jungkook smiles sweetly in a dramatic manner trying to get Jimin to lighten up. But Jimin doesn’t budge. So he pokes his side and says, “c’mon…”

“You didn’t agree with me?!!? You made me seem like I was some evil boss?! You humiliated m-“

“You were being an evil boss Dr. Park Jimin.” Jungkook winks and grins even bigger. It makes Jimin madder but Jungkook almost gets off on pissing his boyfriend off. “Weren’t you? Because someone’s a little jealousss aren’t they? Assigning him the forms hahaha. It’s flattering, Park. A little jealousy is harmless. Really, very very cute but please, trust me. I’ve got my eyes on no one but you. Even cute little Hyunwoo is jus-“

“I’m done with you.” Jimin shoves Jungkook aside and storms off into the hallway and Jungkook laughs as he catches up to him again.

“JIMIN! I’m KIDDING.” Jungkook laughs so genuinely. “Okay okay I’m sorry. Jimin. Seriously. Stop. Are you seriously mad?”

“Do I look like I’m joking? I’ve been patient. That guy has been on your fucking nuts,” Jimin whisper shouts close to Jungkook. “He’s been acting like he doesn’t know we’re dating-“

“So you decided to abuse your power and get back at him by assigning him the paperwork, eh?”

“NO. I did so because someone has to do the job. And today is his turn. You made me look like some irrational evil boss, took his side-“

Jungkook throws his head back and laughs which pisses Jimin off more. “How did I take his side?! I literally just reiterated what you said. I AGREED WITH YOU DID I NOT!? He is on his way RIGHT NOW to do that pile of tedious paperwork that you assigned him, Park!!”

“Whatever. Stop talking to me, Jeon. I’m busy. I’ll see you in the OR later.”

Jungkook puts his arms around Jimin causing the elder to roll his eyes and attempt to escape but Jungkook pulls him in closer. Jimin sighs and gives up and lets his anger go after suspiciously glaring at Jungkook one last time. Jungkook just chuckles again and casually kisses Jimin’s temple right there in the halls of SMC.

“Babe, you are the funniest person I know Dr. Park. Let’s go prep for surgery, my sassy, petty boyfriend.”

Boyfriend.

Jimin feels a bit silly and petty but from that day on, he can’t help generously use the word boyfriend anytime Hyunwoo is around. It’s not that he feels threatened by the younger surgeon, not at all. Jimin knows he’s hotter and smarter, and most importantly, knows that Jungkook is absolutely “whipped” for him as he learned this youthful slang from Taehyung who learned from his teenage patients. But it’d be a lie if Jimin said he wasn’t a bit possessive over his man and that he didn’t get a little off on knowing that everyone knew the hot Dr. Jeon Jungkook was indeed his.

They’ve clearly already been acting like boyfriends way before they labeled themselves with this title just now. Sleeping together, having sex, working together at home with take out, simply hanging out at home lazing around, going out for drinks after work, flirting at work, the list goes on. They know each other so well that they feel like they have known each other for much longer even though they’re a brand new couple, officially.

Jimin knows how Jungkook likes his eggs, his obsessive cleaning habits, how he likes to fold his laundry in a very particular way to the point it was almost hysterically comical because it looked like a clothing store, what shampoo he prefers, how he makes clicking noises with his tongue when really focused on whatever he is reading (highly annoying), how he gets red after a single beer or half a glass of wine, how his Busan dialects gets thicker when he’s arguing or talking to his parents on the phone.

Jungkook knows how Jimin likes his eggs too, the way he lets his dishes pile up and does them ‘when I want to because it’s my freedom to’ instead of doing it right away after each meal, how he always keeps leftovers to ‘eat tomorrow’ even though he rarely really ends up eating it, how he runs his hands through his hair about a million times a day, how he spins his pen and always needs something to fidget when working and studying, how he totally changes his voice and pitch to be sweeter when speaking to elders (it makes Jungkook roll his eyes).

How could they not notice these things when they were literally with each other 24/7 at the hospital and at each other’s places. Now, there are chaste kisses stolen in the hallways, venting sessions in the stairwell after a stressful surgery or patient, walking around the healing garden hand in hand with a coffee in their other free hand enjoying some sun and taking a stretch break, lunch in the cafeteria, naps cuddled together in the on call room bunkbeds on longer their shifts.

The two were simply so in love and Jimin wants to make it very loud and clear just how in love he is for everyone! Especially for a certain resident named Dr. Kim Hyunwoo.

~

When Jimin wanted everyone to know, that was excluding his parents. Jimin is mortified when he walks into the cafeteria to grab a sandwich one day when he sees Jungkook and his dad chatting together. Unfortunately for cardiac surgeon, working at the same place as his dad made it inevitable that he’d find out. He knew the gossip obviously reached the chairman but his dad had surprisingly not once mentioned it whenever they would run into each other. Jimin was happy his dad wasn’t being nosy or embarrassing him at work and he’s sure it’s all thanks to the phone call he had with his mom when she agreed to leave him and his love life alone without prying.

But here Jungkook was sitting at a table inside SMC’s beautiful cafeteria sharing a coffee with the chairman.

“What the hell.” Jimin mumbles under his breath as he squints his eyes at the table. The two have on bright smiles, so it can’t be anything bad. They both look extremely into their conversation and Jimin accidently bumps into someone because he’s so focused on watching his boyfriend and dad’s table. Jimin apologizes and the man says it’s no problem and moves along.

He gets in the line for a sandwich and nervously waits trying to think of what his dad and Jungkook could possibly be talking about. He’s annoyed that Jungkook didn’t tell him he was meeting with his dad because then, he definitely would have stopped him and told him not to. He knew his parents—they were obsessed with getting him married off. Even worse, his dad had made it very clear he really liked Dr. Jeon saying he was “a fine man”. Jimin one day even asked him why he likes him so much, especially when the elder also knew that it was Jungkook who “outed” he was the chairman’s son.

“An honest man!” the chairman merely said with a jolly laugh. Jimin couldn’t believe his ears. “I heard you two were having a big fight in the trauma center and he blurted it out as a mistake! An honest mistake and an honest man! And! Sounds like he can keep up with you if he was fighting with you! Sounds like a fine man to me!”

Jimin had rolled his eyes with disbelief. And now, Jimin groans thinking about what his dad might be saying right now.

He starts to panic. What if he scares Jungkook off with talks of marriage. This was NOT what he needed right now in their relationship. They were still getting to know each other and at such a good place in their blooming love with lots of kisses, hand holding, cuddles, sex, long heart to heart earnest conversations. Everything was still so new for them; marriage wasn’t even in the picture. Not yet. He just wanted to happily date the guy. Why why why was his dad and Jungkook together and what on earth were they talking about?!

Jimin pays for his food and an iced coffee and he debates if he should join them but instead, he rushes out of the cafeteria before he’s spotted. He finds a seat in the lobby while obnoxiously ripping bites off the sandwich and texts Jungkook.

Jimin: I need you. Come to the lobby now.

Jungkook: what’s wrong?? Everything okay?! I’m meeting with someone.. important right now babe is it urgent?? What’s going on?

Jimin: come out now.

No more than two minutes later, Jimin sees Jungkook sprinting towards him. His face changes from concerned to suspicious when he sees that Jimin is fine, safety-wise.

“What’s going on?” Jungkook asks pulling a chair to take a seat. Jimin sets his sandwich down.

“Why were you with my dad?” Jimin asks, eyes narrowed and arms crossed.

“Of course.” Jungkook rolls his eyes and shakes his head. “You know I literally had to cut him off in the middle of him talking, ugh. I hate you.”

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU HATE ME!? WHY WERE YOU WITH HIM, JEON. TELL ME NOW.”

“God. You are so dramatic, Park.” Jungkook says grabbing Jimin’s coffee and taking a drink from the straw oh so casually, ignoring his question. He had literally sprinted over to Jimin thinking something was very wrong, leaving his coffee at the table.

“JUNGKOOK.”

“JIMIN.”

“STOP!! Tell me NOW! Why were you with my dad???”

“I was not with your dad,” Jungkook says setting the coffee down and now grabbing Jimin’s sandwich to take a bite. Jimin reaches his hand out to help the younger rip the paper wrap off the sandwich even as he’s in the middle of cornering him into spilling about what just transpired between him and his father. Jimin replies sassily, “yes you were?? How are you even trying to lie when I literally saw-“

“I was with the chairman. Not my boyfriend’s dad so chill.”

“Do you think you’re like Tae’s patient or something?? Ew.”

Jungkook laughs, mouthful of sandwich. “What? Because I said chill?? That’s not a kid’s word Jimin.” He scrunches his nose and says, “god you are so annoying.”

“Shut up Jungkook and start talking. Why were you with him and what did he say.” Jimin whines.

Jungkook was coming out of a meeting in one of the conference rooms when he ran into the chairman. The elder had asked him if he’d like a coffee break with him and of course, Jungkook accepted. The two made small chit chat as they walked down to the cafeteria. While Dr. Jeon appeared calm and collected, he was sweating inside. The chairman had never given him any reason to be intimidated or scared, if anything, he had always been extremely friendly toward him but now that he and Jimin were officially dating, he felt himself tense up.

They’ve never actually just sat down together only them two. Would he finally bring up the incident in the past of Jungkook yelling at Jimin and exposing his secret? Would he grill him into his personal life and family background and ask him why he loved his son? Jungkook answers every question the chairman asks confidently but inside, he’s so nervous he could puke while they make their way through the hospital.

When they get to the cafeteria, the chairman leads them over to the coffee stand and treats Jungkook to his coffee.

“I hear you and Dr. Park are dating?” The chairman asks gleefully when seated, referring to his son as if he was just another doctor in the hospital.

“Yes sir.” Jungkook answers nervously.

“I heard he’s a great guy.” The chairman merely smiles as he nods and takes a sip of his coffee. He’s got the same warm, smiley demeanor as Jimin and it’s so clear now where Jimin gets his aura from. He even laughs exactly like Jimin, or, Jimin laughs exactly like his father—disappearing eyes, a loud genuine laugh, clapping, throwing head back. To Jungkook’s surprise, the elder doesn’t ask any more about him and Jimin’s love life.

They talk about work, the hospital, Seoul, Busan, sports, food. The conversation is so natural and casual that Jungkook eventually relaxes as he shares an actual good conversation on this coffee break with this elder.

“He just invited me to go golfing with him sometime.” Jungkook says grinning.

“Golf?? You don’t even like golf??” Jimin replies. Jungkook gets up from his chair with a sly smile and starts walking away. Jimin follows after him and yells out repeating the same thing again, “you don’t even like golf!!”

“Never said that.” Jungkook says striding along grinning smugly as Jimin trails beside him. “Said I haven’t gone in awhile, not that I don’t like it. For your information, I’m an excellent golfer.”

“What. So what are you saying? That you’re really gonna go golfing with my dad??”

“No. With the chairman-“

“SHUT UP you know what I mean!!”

“The chairman invited me, Dr. Park. Not your dad.”

“Oh my god, you’re so annoying. Still my dad!! What did he say? Did he say weird stuff? He said crazy things huh? Whatever he said just ignore it okay, it’s not like I go around telling my pare-“

“Dr. Park,” Jungkook comes to a halt and faces his boyfriend. Jimin pouts. “Sorry to break it to you angel but everything doesn’t revolve around you,” he teases with a smirk. “You know I’m a surgeon at this hospital. And he’s the chairman. We have things to talk about. Work, the weather, patients, surgery, the organization as a whole, the meaning of universal healthcare. And as fellow members of this grand entity, he was simply asking a SMC surgeon to golf!”

“You are so annoying I hate you.” Jimin scrunches his face angrily, but it’s completely adorable and Jungkook just smiles.

“No you don’t.” The trauma surgeon boops Jimin’s nose and resumes nonchalantly walking ahead. He throws his right hand in the air without looking back and waves a goodbye as he walks away.

“No I don’t.” Jimin says to himself watching the back view of Jungkook get smaller and smaller as the tall, broad surgeon takes turns the corner to the left toward the trauma center. Jimin feels a sense of anxiousness growing in the pit of his stomach. It’s not a bad anxious, more like a butterflies-in-stomach anxious. It hits him right there in the middle of SMC’s lobby just how much he really, really likes Jeon Jungkook and how much he’s become a part of his everyday life.

~

He’s noticed it for a while now. Jimin overexerting himself, overworking, overdoing it. He’s made the small comments and remarks, nagging him about this and that, all of which is followed by Jimin with either a shrug, pout, an eye roll and an “I’m fine.” And that would be the end of it.

Until one evening when Jungkook sees Jimin popping some pills.

“What are you taking?” He pauses mid-dish washing. Jimin gulps a glass of water and brings it over to the sink handing it gently to Jungkook, who takes it from him.

“Oh just an an Advil.”

“Why what’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Jimin chuckles and answers casually because really, it’s genuinely not a big deal to him. Jungkook turns the faucet off and with a serious, almost annoyed, but mostly concerned expression asks, “what do you mean nothing? Then why are you taking it. Clearly, it’s something so don’t say it’s nothing?”

Jimin’s face changes from a smile to an equally irritable expression. “What the heck. It’s just a headache. Not a big deal. Just a bit tired probably and lack of sleep mixed with stress just probably gave me a headache so what? What’s wrong with taking an Advil??”

Jungkook knows that tone. And it’s not the tone he uses when they’re just playful fighting or bickering. He knows this tone far too well. It’s the tone he’s used back when they were mortal enemies. Back when there was a burning tension between the two rival surgeons, when a fight was about to erupt.

Things have been going well for the two surgeons. They were in love and happily dating with stolen kisses here and there at the hospital on their long shifts or drunken date nights out dancing until the early hours in the morning. Even Jimin’s parents weren’t being as obnoxious as the cardiac surgeon assumed. Perhaps he didn’t give his parents enough credit. He discovered that his dad really did just talk to Jungkook that day as if he was just another surgeon and not his son’s boyfriend, discussing the hospital’s challenges and strengths, Busan food, Seoul’s real estate, and golf. Yes golf. It has yet to actually happen and for that Jimin is glad. Sure, his parents were being cool but who knows what his dad could possibly bring up during a day of 9 or 18-hole round of golf.

It was inevitable that it would happen one day—a real fight. And not one of their egotistical work-related screaming matches of patient care or hospital politics, but an actual fight that couples have. Neither one of them just thought it would be tonight after a lovely home cooked steak dinner that Jungkook had cooked. After Jungkook finished up the dishes, they were going to make some popcorn, pour some more glasses of wine, and watch Avengers, maybe have some lazy couch sex but here they were standing at the sink face to face ready to be on the defense.

“A headache that you could not be having if you actually got some proper sleep and took better care of yourself. Jimin, I know you love work but you act like your energy and health is not expendable.”

“What the heck??” Jimin says defensively. “Is this really about a damn headache?? Everyone gets headaches?! What’s your problem?? So I took an Advil and???? And excuse me? Took better care of myself?? What the hell is that supposed to mea-“

“You think you’re invincible of getting worn out or getting sick. You picked up that extra shift for Dr. Song two days ago when that was your one day off for the first time in days. You went in nearly an hour early every single day this week of your shift and you stayed extra. You did not go home on time for a single day this week. And that day, think it was Wednesday, you didn’t even nap. Like no wonder you have a damn headache?? You don’t SLEEP. Then the other day you were up till 5am playing games or some shit on your phone when it was finally your day off-“

Jimin is fuming as Jungkook goes on and on finally blowing up on all his recent observations of Jimin’s workaholic behavior. He truly loves and respects Jimin so much as a physician; he knows Jimin’s sincerity and love for medicine and his dedication to his patients but now, Jungkook cares about Jimin more as a person, as his boyfriend, than just an admirable fellow doctor. Rather, he cares about him as a human. A human who needs to get some fucking rest before he seriously gets sick. He’s really not trying to nag but he’s been watching Jimin slave himself away to SMC and his patients and it hurts Jungkook to see the person he loves failing to find a good work-life balance.

“All this because I took a fucking Advil!?! Did you have a bad day or something at work??” Jimin scoffs. “Clearly you did cuz you’re your stress or anger out on me what the hell.” It really isn’t just about the Advil. These worries have been on Jungkook’s mind for quite some time now, seeing Jimin’s bags under his eyes, his lethargy at home, his body aches, his headaches (not just the one right now).

“What the hell Jimin?? No?? I actually had a GREAT day at work thanks. This has nothing to do with me?? I’m genuinely just concerned. It’s like you didn’t even listen to anything I just said. I’m not trying to nag you okay? Trust me, I don’t want to. You think I want to be all naggy and shit? No. Of course I don’t but you’ve been over doing it Jimin. You’re honestly gonna get-“

“Then don’t. Don’t nag. I know what I’m doing. You think I’m a new doctor?? I’ve been at SMC way before you came my god. Get over yourself-“

Jungkook takes his rubber gloves off and throws them into the sink. “I wasn’t even trying to fight honestly. I am here telling you all this because I’m genuinely just concerned for you. Standing here teling you I wish you’d just rest and take it easy a bit but somehow you twisted it and made it into where I’m the bad guy???? The hell?”

“I don’t need you to preach to me like you’re some wiser doctor, okay? I’ve been a surgeon now Jungkook. For years if you did not know. I’m fine. Yeah, some days sure maybe I did work some extra hours or I played some fucking games on a night where I don’t have work the next day and yeah, maybe I didn’t get as much sleep as I should but I’m fine??? It’s just life. It’s not like I’m a literal slave or indentured servant to SMC like I don’t understand why you just ruined our fucking evening. I was just minding my own business and took a damn Advil. Because I’m an adult and when an adult has a fucking headache you can take a damn Advil but you’re over here being all-“

“You really told me to get over myself?? How does that have anything to do with the issue at hand??”

“You really just ignored everything I said and are focused on that one sentence??” Jimin counters back.

“Just as you are ignoring literally my main point and everything I’m saying. If you really listened to what I was saying instead of trying to fight with me and trying to be combative you would see that I’m literally just concerned. And that I just want you to rest. Wow sorry I didn’t know that it was a crime to want my boyfriend to get some damn rest and take it easy with work for a bit? I see how you’ve been Jimin. I really truly admire your dedication to medicine babe, I do. You sacrifice everything, your own body, your own well-being for your job. But you can’t be a good doctor if you get sick. And right now, from what I can tell, you’re literally on the verge of getting sick very very soon. You said the other day you were sore too right? Said you felt like you had body aches?”

“Shut up Jungkook.” Jimin snaps.

“Excuse me?”

“S h u t  u p.” Jimin repeats slowly for him. “This is the dumbest conversation ever. All because I took a fucking Advil. You’re saying what? I lack control?? Discipline?? How can you still be this arrogant?!!?!? You really think you’re so much better than me, huh?? You do, don’t you?”

“You do lack discipline. You lack self-discipline. You think if you just kill your body and your life for work that that means you’re disciplined but no. Not really. Self-discipline is self-care too, Jimin. Taking care of yourself. That’s all I meant, okay? Be a little selfish. For yourself. Get some rest. Me time. Relax. SLEEP. Just.. REST more. You call me arrogant but really, you’re so focused on being defensive right now that you can’t even listen to what I’m really saying, the substance of what I’m saying. Which is that I just think you’re overworking and over exhausting yourself and as someone who cares about you, I wish you’d take care of yourself more. That’s all.”

Jimin is breathing heavily because he’s so mad and he glares so sharply at Jungkook. He would be scared but he’s already seen this scary, intimidating Jimin before because of their past when they used to fight 24/7 at the hospital. It’s not brand new to him.

“Just because we’re dating,” Jimin finally speaks, fists clenched at his side, trying not to shake from anger. “Doesn’t mean you suddenly get a say in my life or that your opinion matters on my life.”

The instant the words leave his mouth, Jimin realizes how awful it sounds and he tries to retract. “Wait no. I didn’t mean it like that. I just mean like you can’t control me and tell me what to do. I didn’t mean the opinion part, I said it wrong. I just meant like in the end it’s my choice ya know? I’m still me. That’s what I mea-“

“Wow. Okay. Okay Jimin. I got it.” Jungkook walks away toward his bedroom and leaves Jimin standing there alone in the middle of the kitchen. A few seconds later, he hears Jungkook slam his bedroom door. Jimin then gets his belongings and storms out of there, also slamming the apartment door just as loud when leaving.

This was their first fight as a couple and it hurt more than any of the hundreds of fights the two have had in the first months Jungkook joined SMC.

~

“What Jimin.” Jungkook says blandly the next day when he opens the door and sees Jimin standing there with coffee and take out lunch.

“I brought sushi,” Jimin says quietly and apologetically lifting the food in his hands to show him. Jungkook knows Jimin hates sushi and while he wants to just smile and reach out to hug him for the endearing gesture of buying food he normally hates and just forget about their dumb fight, Jungkook’s expression doesn’t change nor does he budge in softening up. He really did feel hurt and insulted last night from Jimin’s comment and their first real fight that some coffee, food, and a cute pouty face wasn’t to buy him off that easily. When Jungkook just stares at him, still without inviting him in, Jimin frowns and speaks again softly. “Are you really not going to invite me in?”

“Why are you here, Jimin.” Jungkook says again blandly, leaning on his door and crossing his arms. “I have a lot of errands and stuff to do, I’m busy.” He says and starts walking away as if he has no business with Jimin left, leaving the door open for him do whatever he pleased because it didn’t concern him. It’s cold and it makes Jimin feel even worse but he trails inside quietly following after Jungkook.

Jimin starts unpacking the sushi when he gets to the dining table and says, “I got you a bunch of seared salmon, Jungkook, your favorite. I even got myself sushi too instead of just Udon! Well, the spider roll haha-“ Jimin does not like seafood but he wanted to show Jungkook he cared about him too, that he knew how to compromise and try new things for him.

Jungkook ignores him and heads towards his office. Jimin had fought with Jungkook a lot, but this was something else. The cold shoulders Jungkook was giving him right now hurt. He’d switch this fight for a hundred of their fights at the hospital about work-related disagreements. He was really trying to make conversation with him, trying to lighten the mood, redeem himself but Jungkook wasn’t having any of it. He let him in but he was not having any of Jimin’s playful jokes or cuteness right now because Jungkook was genuinely hurt from last night; he was truly just concerned for his health and Jimin had completely twisted it around. It had taken him a lot of effort and balls to bring up his genuine worry and Jimin brushed him off as if he was just tryin to sound preachy or act like he was better than him when it really wasn’t that.

“I’m not hungry. I’m gonna be in my study doing some work.”

“Did you eat lunch though yet? At least take the coffee, here.” Jimin says walking over to him to hand the beverage over.

“I’m good,” Jungkook says going into his office not bothering to even look at the coffee Jimin tried to hand him. “You eat though. I’m not hungry. I have to read so please, if you don’t mind.” Jungkook settles in his swivel chair, opens a book and starts reading; he makes it very clear he wants Jimin to leave him the fuck alone.

“Okay.” Jimin says gently placing the coffee down on Jungkook’s desk despite the face he said he didn’t want it. He sulks out of the office and repacks all the sushi and nicely puts it away in Jungkook’s fridge. He has no appetite either with Jungkook still mad at him.

He looks around the kitchen to see if there was anything he could clean but of course, his boyfriend being the neat freak he is, the kitchen is spotless. He walks over to the living room and fake cleans, fluffing the already fluffy couch pillows, moving some decor by no more than an inch, sits down on the couch, fake browses throught the catalogs on the coffee table, plays on his phone, replies to some emails, scrolls aimlessly on Instagram.

He hardly lasts 20 minutes before he peeks into Jungkook’s office where he sees the trauma surgeon deep into reading a book titled Operative Techniques in Orthopaedic Surgery, looking like a delicious intelligent snack with his glasses and huge black hoodie. Jungkook from the corner of his eyes, can see Jimin peeking his head in at the door but he pretends not to notice and doesn’t look up from his book. He may look extremely focused on the outside but he’s been reading the same paragraph since he sat down to work. Fake reading. He wanted to go off on Jimin again and ask him what the hell he’s doing here if he’s not even sorry, why they’re even dating if his opinion doesn’t matter to him, if he really had that little importance and influence on his life. But he didn’t want to say anything out of anger that he’ll regret later...

So he sat there in his office fake reading knowing very well Jimin was out ther in his living room doing god knows what.

Jimin walks in cautiously and wraps his arms around Jungkook as best he can with the chair in the way. He places his hand and rubs all over Jungkook’s chest, leans his head in to kiss the side of Jungkook’s head and neck and with his sultry voice says, “I’m sorry, Jungkook. I didn’t mean it. What I said yesterday. I’m really sorry.”

Jungkook sets his book down and takes his glasses off. He spins his chair around so he could face Jimin better. The heart surgeon really looked so sorry and genuine that Jungkook’s heart can’t help forgive him already. Jimin sits down on Jungkook’s lap and puts his arms around the younger and Jungkook holds him too so he’s settled stably on his lap. He tries hard not to smile and keep his poker face but Jimin is pouting and sorry and he just looks too cute.

“I’m not good at this boyfriend thing, okay? So you’ll have be patient with me.” He says so earnestly that Jungkook can’t help but break into a smile.

“So there is something Park Jimin is not good at?”

That’s how their first official fight ends. An agonizing 16 hours for the two prideful, stubborn surgeons. Jimin may be stubborn but he isn’t one of those people who refuses to say sorry; he will always apologize when he knows he’s been in the wrong. Just like this incident.

Jungkook loves this about him.

If Jungkook is being honest, it’s not what he expected from Jimin. That he’d be so quick to apologize when he realized he was in the wrong. He feels bad that he didn’t give his boyfriend the benefit of the doubt. Jimin wasn’t just a confident, stubborn, smart, intelligent man, now he knows Jimin is also a grounded and humble person.

He loves every part about him and knows he is quickly falling even deeper and deeper in love with the cardiac surgeon. He even loves his cute little toes right now as they two men are stretched out and relaxing on Jungkook’s couch sitting on opposite ends legs tangled together, each reading their own book. They’ve been reading in silence for the last hour and they are both so comfortable with the silence, that they could just sit there in each other’s company without feeling the need to talk.

That’s how you know when you’re really close with someone— when you can just sit there in silence with each other without it being awkward.

Jungkook gently sets his book down on the coffee table and casually takes a hold of Jimin’s right foot and begins rubbing it.

Jimin seems unbothered; he leans back even more so that Jungkook has better access to his foot and continues reading his book on endocarditis.

“I don’t know. Partial oral or intravenous?” Jimin says nonchalantly without looking up from his book.

“Doesn’t matter.” Jungkook gives his professional opinion while contioulsy giving Jimin a foot massage. “What about you?”

“Same. I mean, I predicted the outcome. I was right. We know patients with ineffective endocarditis on the left side of the heart are usually treated with intravenous antiobiotic agents for up to six weeks, I wasn’t really expecting any change just because a shift in the method to oral antiobiotics.”

“Yeah? What’s it say?”

Jimin flips the page back and paraphrases the words on the page for Jungkook. ”Well the antibiotic treatment was completed after 20 days in the intravenously treated group and 18 days in the orally treated group. The primary composite outcome occurred in 24 patients (12.1%) in the intravenously treated group and 18 patients (9%) in the orally treated group. The between group difference, 3.1 percentage points, 95% confidence interval, -3.4 to 9.6, P=0.40, which met the noninferiority criteria.”

Jungkook lets go of Jimin’s foot and takes a hold of his other foot and starts massaging that one. “So changing to oral antibiotic was noninferior to continued intervenus antiobiotic treatment.”

“Yeppp!” Jimin says cheekily.

“Jimin.” Jungkook says with a serious tone, looking him straight in the eyes.

“Hm?” Jimin answers nonchalantly, as his eyes are focused back on his book. Jungkook continues massaging Jimin’s foot as he speaks.

“What did Ari’s letter say?”

He hadn’t forgotten about it. Not once. Jimin had still not given him or told him what Ari said in her letter to the both of them. He’s so curious as to why Jimin is so adamant in hiding it from him.

The older man sets his book down on his lap, reaches an arm out for his glass of wine on the coffee table and Jungkook lifts Jimin’s foot a bit higher by grabbing his ankle, leaves a trail of kisses on the inside of his leg all the way up to his knees.

“Tell meee.”

“What do you think it says?” Jimin smiles mischievously.

“I don’t know. Which is why you,” Jungkook leans forward and kisses and bites Jimin’s ear and whispers, “are going to finally tell me right now what that letter says.”

“I’ll show you next time we’re at my place.” Jimin says smiling and body squirming from being kissed on his side and ear.

“Just tell meee now Parkkk. I waited long enough!!”

“No! Just read it! It’ll be better when you read it yourself!”

“Ugh fineee.” Jungkook scrunches has face cutely and Jimin does the same.

Jimin just looks at Jungkook and smiles warmly. He can’t believe where they are at today. For how much they hated each other’s guts, Jimin just laughs. He was really over at Dr. Jeon’s on his couch getting a foot massage from the man. Jungkook smirks and asks what’s so funny.

“Nothing.”

“Doesn’t seem like nothing to me,” Jungkook smiles cheekily right back as he continues to gently massage Jimin’s ankles and calves.

“I just like you a lot, that’s all.” It’s so forward. So much more forward than Jungkook was ever expecting, that he just freezes, smiles, and shakes his head while looking down trying to hide his dumb smile. “Aren’t you gonna say it back?”

“I’ve been sitting here giving you a foot massage for the past half hour. I think you should know how I feel about you.”

“How am I supposed to know, hm?” Jimin flutters his eyebrows. “A foot massage is a foot massage, what about it?”

Jungkook rolls his eyes at Jimin’s brattiness. He loves it. He leans forward and smothers kisses all over Jimin’s face, who pretends like he’s trying to escape when really, he’s absolutely enjoying the attention and kisses. “You know how much I like you, Park. You make it impossible not to.”

Jimin’s heart melts at the praise leaving the trauma surgeon’s lips. He can’t help but lean forward and kiss the younger again. They make out for a few minutes with Jimin leaning on top of Jungkook, situated between the younger’s legs, both pair of hands roaming all over each other’s bodies. Soon enough, Jimin ends up sliding Jungkook’s shirt off. He absolutely loved his boyfriend’s muscular body and if he had it his way, he’d make Jungkook be topless 24/7. Jungkook too, slides Jimin’s shirt off and then slides his hand inside Jimin’s pants and squeezes his ass. As much as Jimin loved Jungkook’s body, Jungkook could not get enough of Jimin’s, too— especially his perfect, plump, beautiful ass.

After squeezing and playing with his ass for a few minutes, Jimin slides down off the couch and kneels on the ground. Jungkook takes cue and sits back upright. Pulls his boyfriend’s pants and boxers off and licks his lips hungrily as he eyes Jungkook’s very large cock. He begins stroking it slowly with his small hands, rubbing the tip with his thumb as his eyes remain intensely focused and locked on his cock. It’s as if Jimin’s never seen anything more amazing than his boyfriend’s cock. Jungkook smiles and gently brushes his hands on Jimin’s chin to look up at him.

“My eyes are up here, babe.”

“I’m not gonna suck your eyes, babe.” Jimin playfully mocks back ‘babe’ and just as he’s about to lean his head down to give a small lick, Jungkook lift’s Jimin face up again to make eye contact.

“I’m hurt.” Jungkook jokes. Jimin cocks his head wondering what he means. “Do you only care about my cock?” The younger pouts jokingly. He knew Jimin loved his thick cock and loved it even more in his mouth as the heart surgeon would regularly give him blowjobs when they’d hang out as if it was the most casual thing ever. Whenever he was in the mood for some cock, he would give Jungkook some good head.

The trauma surgeon of course had no complaints. He was only teasing, trying to get Jimin even more off before he finally fed his mouth full of his cock. A little begging never hurt. Especially if it’s by your very cute, very sexy, very needy boyfriend who worshipped his cock and actually deep down loved begging for it.

Their sexual chemistry was no match. Both doctors never had a more healthy sex life and compatible partner until each other. For knowing each other for less than a year and still being rather strangers and getting to know each other, they had complete trust in each other in the bedroom. An unspoken trust and comfortability. It allowed them to be adventurous without shame.

“Shut up,” Jimin rolls his eyes. “You love my blowjobs, Jeon.” Jimin says coyly. He rests both hands on either side of Jungkook’s thighs and finally cranes his neck down to take him in his mouth. He’s only barely got his lips on the cock head when he’s yet again stopped by Jungkook pulling his hair back and away from his cock.

“Nuh uh. Not yet, princess.” Jungkook smirks. Jimin starts whining to stop teasing him and let him just taste him already. But Jungkook yanks the elder’s hair back a little more so that his face is angled to look more up at him. Jungkook leans forward and gives him a sloppy, wet kiss and then whispers in Jimin’s ear, “then beg for it, princess.”

Jimin whines and pouts giving Jungkook puppy eyes. “You heard me, Jimin. Tell me how much you want my cock. Be a good boy and ask properly.”

Jimin straightens his posture by sitting more upright on his knees, straightening his back so he wasn’t slouched, resting both his hands on his lap and makes firm eye contact with Jungkook. “Pleasee, Jungkook.” He whines and begs. Jungkook smiles and gives a small nod and gestures with his index finger to come closer as a sign of permission. Jimin’s eyes move downward back on Jungkook’s hardening cock and the horny heart surgeon licks his lips again. He starts giving him a handjob and finally Jungkook allows him to start kissing and licking his cock.

Jimin leaves a trail of soft kisses from the base of Jungkook’s cock to the very tip of it where he then starts pretty much making out with the tip messily, Jungkook rubbing the tip of his cock all over Jungkook’s fat plump lips. The smaller man holds the base of Jungkook’s length with one hand as he closes his eyes in bliss while sucking and kissing the cockhead.

Jungkook groans and places a hand on the back of Jimin’s head encouraging him to finally take him deeper. But Jimin’s working just the tip of his cock so deliciously as if it’s the best thing he’s ever tasted. He takes his time in just playing with the tip for a few minutes which drives Jungkook crazy. But he loved this sight of Jimin adoring and worshipping his cock as if he had no other purpose in life but to taste him in his mouth.

Jimin makes lewd moaning sounds as he finally takes Jungkook’s cock deeper and deeper in his mouth until he can feel him in the back of his throat. The two men are both moaning and groaning, it’s messy and filthy with a mixture of Jungkook’s precum and Jimin’s slobbery drool as he both sucks him and pumps him with his litte hand.

Hearing Jungkook groan make Jimin hard, too. He could feel himself getting hard and being constricted in his underwear. He shoves his other free hand down his pants to start touching himself as he continues sucking Jungkook’s cock in and out in and out, bobbing his head because he was deep throating him so passionately.

He found his boyfriend Jungkook to be so extremely hot but he was even hotter when getting off. If Jimin could, he would suck him off 24/7, stay in bed all day and pleasure his man. He always thought that his ex, Dongmin had a huge dick but he was so utterly wrong. Jeon Jungkook was blessed and now, Jimin too felt blessed because that massive, thick cock was his boyfriend’s. His boyfriend who gave him the best sex of his life every single time. He loved letting Jungkook know how much he loved his cock and he did so by often worshipping it, taking his time to just kiss and play with it whenever he could.

After Jungkook fucks his mouth aggressively per Jimin’s request, he finally cums in the back of Jimin’s throat, which Jimin handles like a pro and swallows gratefully, not wasting a single drop.

“Fuckkk Jimin. Y-your fucking mouth. Such a good boy.” He pants, still trying to come back to reality from his climax.

“Thank you, baby.” Jimin licks his lips to show Jungkook how much he loves the taste of him. “I’m fully forgiven now, right?” Jimin bats his eyelashes and smirks coyly. Jungkook chuckles and nods. He gently pulls Jimin back up onto his lap and the two kiss again. He eventually ends up picking the elder up and takes him to his bedroom.

They’re fully naked now and making out and fooling around on Jungkook’s bed. Their sexual appetite had no end. Once, they went 5 rounds in just one night, both coming multiple times. So even now, after Jimin had just given him an incredible blowjob, the two clearly weren’t done for the night.

Jimin moves from under Jungkook and switches their positions so that he’s on top

 Jimin loved the weight of Jungkook on top of him but he also liked riding the man. However, today, to Jungkook’s surprise, Jimin seems to have something different in mind.

“You wanna ride me?” Jungkook smirks smugly, hands already comfortable place on Jimin’s waist ready for the heart surgeon ride him. Jimin looked so good under him, but he also looked absolutely beautiful and sinful when he was on top, taking control of his own pleasure when sitting on his cock.

“No,” Jimin answers clearly. Jungkook raises an eyebrow.

“Hm?”

“Switch.” Jimin says with a funny grin on his face. Jungkook cocks his head. Is he saying what he thinks he’s saying?? Jungkook wonders with amusement.

“Switch..? You wanna?”

“Yeah.” Jimin smirks, lookin down at him, hands resting on Jungkook’s chest.

“Wanna what?” Jungkook asks again for clarification. He’s always been the top and Jimin the bottom. He can’t believe what he’s hearing. It’s not that he’s never bottomed before, because he certainly had his share in the past, specifically in college when was first experimenting with men. But he was usually always the top in his relationships and he just never really thought of being the bottom with Dr. Park Jimin.

“Be inside you.” Jimin answers shamelessly. Jungkook just blinks and the two lover just stare at each other for a few seconds, both with a look of amusement on their faces. It isn’t long before Jungkook finally answers.

“Then get to it, Dr. Park.”

“Turn around, bitch!”

Jungkook doesn’t mean to, but he cracks up. “Why are you suddenly bad at this??”

Jimin buries his face in his palms and starts whining to stop teasing him. Jungkook brings his arms up and brushes Jimin’s hair out of his eyes, and gently caresses’s the elder’s face, thumb gently tracing his cheek.

“We’ll just take it step by step, okay baby?”

~

The bowling event was finally here. Jungkook has been looking forward to this night ever since the announcement and Jimin could sense his excitement, or, he’s not really sure what to call it really.

“Are you okay?” Jimin asks as the two attending surgeons walk into the bowling alley hand in hand. He saw Jungkook just grinning like a kid ever since their cab ride.

“Yeah?” Jungkook looks over at the elder, confused. “What do you mean? Why wouldn’t I be?”

“You’re being weird. Like ever since we got in the cab.” Jimin teases him. The trauma surgeon kept putting his hands together, making strange gestures with his arms in which Jimin eventually caught on that they were bowling gestures as if he were practicing with an invisible ball. “Are you like nervous or something? It’s just for fun you know.” Maybe his younger boyfriend was really bad at bowling. Or maybe he was just excited to do a sport. Who knows.

Nervous?

Hilarious. Jungkook cackles internally. If only Jimin knew. If only everyone knew. They were all about to find out tonight when he he’d kick all their asses. It’s such a shame he didn’t have his own shoes and his trusty old lucky green watermelon design bowling ball with him.

He hadn’t told Jimin yet, or really anyone in his new life here in Seoul about his bowling background. Jimin is looking at him as they continue walking toward the alley, waiting for an answer but Jungkook just looks at him and smiles sweetly. He’ll keep quiet for now still and surprise him with his skills when they start playing.

“Oh yeah. So nervous.” Jungkook says.

“So there is something you’re bad at, huh?” Jimin says playfully. “I’ll teach you. I’m pretty good.”

“Oh yeah?” Jungkook says. “Are you?” He leans in to kiss the side of Jimin’s face.

“Yea-“

“Park! Jeon!” The two turn around and see Namjoon and Yoongi coming out of their car. They stop walking and wait for their sunbaes to catch up.

“Hey!!” They both say in unison.

“Ready to drink?!” Yoongi says patting Jimin on the back and Namjoon patting Jungkook’s to greet their juniors.

Jimin laughs and Jungkook replies, “haha drink?! I’m here to bowl!”

“Jungkook here is so nervous. He’s taking this too seriously sunbae. He doesn’t realize, nobody’s really even going to be paying attention to the game, haha.” It was true. Whatever the annual activity was, whether bowling, softball, laser tag, etc— it didn’t matter. It was really about the drinking.

Namjoon and Yoongi laugh as they both put their arms around each of them and finally enter the bowling alley. “Not much a bowler, huh?” Yoongi says.

Jungkook just nods politely, smug inside.

“Don’t worry, Jeon. We’re just really here to drink.” Namjoon assures him. “Well, all of you are. I’m on call.”

“Awwwwww nooooo you’re not!!?” Jimin says pouting at Namjoon. Being surgeons, even on their social events, a portion of them always had to miss it becaus they were at the hospital working, and another portion of them were on call. It sucked but they were all used to it; some would make it and some would have to miss it and hope they’d get luckier with their schedule for the next event. It was part of being a surgeon.

“I am I am. I don’t think I’ll get called in though.” Namjoon says.

“But you can’t drinkkkkkk a lot then!!”

“It’s okay. I’m gonna drink his portion too.” Yoongi says. Jimin puts his arms now around Yoongi too and the two stride forward faster playfully and dramatically, talking loudly about how they’re going to get wasted tonight and Namjoon and Jungkook follow behind smiling at the sight of their significant others walking off in front of them, both with such endearing expression on their faces.

“Are we in love with alcoholics?” Jungkook jokes as he and Namjoon take their time walking. They can already spot a bunch of their SMC coworkers bustling around the alley, some at the counter getting their shoes, others at the bar, and some already putting their shoes on and looking for a bowling ball. They all wave and greet each other as they spot Jimin, Yoongi, Jungkook, and Namjoon.

“Oh?” Namjoon raises an eyebrow and looks at Jungkook.

“What?”

“Love?” Namjoon is sure he didn’t hear wrong. Jungkook freezes. He didn’t even realize he said the L word. Namjoon goes on, “damn Jeon. You really are in love aren’t you?”

He looks straight ahead again and sees Jimin greeting and mingling with people in his usual animated self with full on gestures, head thrown back laughing and talking.

He tries to remember his life before SMC. Before Seoul.

Before Jimin.

And it’s a bland and colorless memory. Jungkook has had a rather “normal” life. He grew up with his mom, dad, and brother as a middle class family. He was healthy, had friends, did well in school and sports. Everything was just... normal. Sure, he and his family had their share of struggles as well as their good memories. But nothing was too terrible and nothing was too wonderful. Dr. Park Jimin enhanced and enriched his life in every way. Even with their often professional medical disagreements, personal fights, Jimin’s sassiness and brattiness. Underneath all of that was the kindest, sweetest, loyal, humble, hardworking, and lovable man who dedicated his life to medicine and the people he loved.

Hoseok and Namjoon were right that day months ago when they told him he doesn’t have a bad bone in his body.

Jimin comforted him emotionally. He more than satisfied him sexually. He challenged him intellectually.

“Yeah. Yeah I am, sunbae.” He looks out at Jimin who was saying something to the bowling alley staff at the counter and he was pounding his fists on the counter cutely as if he was a kid demanding for something. Jungkook smiles.

“I really am.”

Soon enough, the entire bowling alley is filled with surgeons. It’s loud and rowdy, filled with the chatter and laughter of the nation’s best surgeons all drinking and trying to find their team’s lane. The names were already entered in advanced so all the doctors had to do was look for their name on the screens.

A simple task. But half of them are already a hot drunk mess all over the place as Dr. Jung Hoseok tries to instruct everyone to go to their lanes with their teams. 

He made each team have a mixture of attendings, residents, and interns. Although Jungkook and Jimin are not on the same team, their lanes are next to each other... which without a doubt will inevitably make the both of them feel even more competitive.

Jungkook is tying his shoe laces when he looks up and sees Jimin just staring at Jungkook’s team’s score board with his arms crossed and face looking... sour. Jungkook looks up at his the screen as well to try and see why Jimin was making that expression.

Jungkook, Namjoon, Joyce, Mikyung, and Hyunwoo.

Hyunwoo.

Jungkook continues observing Jimin quietly with a fondness, and sees Jimin eventually start lacing up his shoes too. They make eye contact and Jungkook winks at him and Jimin just rolls his eyes even though he blushes.

Everyone is looking for their bowling ball, changing their shoes, drinking, chatting, when Jimin starts looking around for Tae because no ones seen him still and they’re all about to start bowling and his best friend Dr. Kim Taehyung is still nowhere to be seen. When he calls and receives no answer, he shoots him a text.

Jimin: Where are you??

Jimin: Hello?? Tae??? We’re about to start bowling where are youuuu??

Tae: Was running late! I’m almost there! See ya in literally like a minute!

Jimin: We’re you sleeping? Haha you were napping huh?

“We’ll play two rounds, the winning team will win a very special prize of...” Hoseok says enthusiastically, making Jimin shrug and just put his phone away. Tae said he’ll be here soon, so I guess he’ll be here any second, he thinks. Dr. Jung then takes out what looks like a handful of envelopes from his bag “Gift cards to Serendipity!”

Serendipity was an extremely fancy, gourmet restaurant located on top of one of the highest skyscrapers in Seoul. Known for its Michelin star rating, exquisite view of the city and river, and amazing fine dining, the foodie surgeon’s particularly clap with joy. It was a very expensive restaurant, and nearly impossible to get a seat unless you made reservations very early on in advance. The surgeons are all loud and rowdy, jokingly smack talking with the team next to them how they’re going to win and it just sounds like a hilarious high school locker room full of cocky jocks, except that they’re happy drunk surgeons at a social event about to throw weighted balls down a lane to knock some pins over.

“But what’s the punishment for the losers?” A familiar voice echos throughout the alley.

Everyone turns their head and sees no one other than Kim Seokjin, their former Chief standing next to Taehyung.

“CHIEF!!!?” Many of them shout, despite the fact he was no longer SMC’s chief.

Jimin’s eyes widen when he sees the couple. Taehyung gives him a small smile and nod and Jimin gives it right back and then he turns to look at Jungkook. Both Jungkook and Jimin look at each other with excited, anticipating eyes having a hunch about what was going to happen.

“What are you doing here!!?”

“Chief!! What are you doing here?! We missed you!!”

“Chief!!” More doctors say and then turn to Taehyung to say, “Oh hi Dr. Kim, you’re finally here too!”

“Dr. Kim you’re late!! Go get your shoes and find a ball!!”

“Long time no see, Chief!!”

“Did you guys just come in together?? See each other out in the parking lot??”

“How’d you two end up coming here together?!”

Everyone is just bombarding Seokjin because they’re so happy to see him. Taehyung just stands there next to him also greeting everyone. Finally, Seokjin and Taehyung look at eachothe and smile. Seokjin places his arms around the younger and Seokjin clears his throat.

“So... I know you all must be wondering what I’m doing here... and especially with Dr. Kim Taehyung here... I also remember I said I won’t make it to the bowling event, didn’t I? Haha well I guess I lied haha.” Seokjin chuckles. Everyone is so confused. “Well, we have something to tell you guys.”

Jimin is a few meters away just observing everything, with Jungkook behind him giving him a shoulder massage. They’re like two parents watching their children proudly, because they just know what’s about to happen in 3... 2...

“I’M ENGAGED!!!” Taehyung blurts out and flings his left hand in the air to show off his ring.

“Wait-“ some of their colleagues say with puzzled looks. “TO????”

“Who do you think, you morons!” Jimin shouts out from behind. Jungkook cackles at his boyfriend’s sassiness.

“YOU TWO?!?!?!?!?” Everyone starts freaking out realizing the truth. Taehyung just throws his head back and starts laughing with so much joy and Seokjin starts laughing too and everyone is just screaming and it’s a whole screaming party with everyone dying from shock, laughing, and congratulating the happy public engaged couple.

“Holy fuck.” Yoongi says n his usual calm, quiet voice, jaws dropped. The way no one had absolutely any idea that Taehyung and the chief had a thing blows Yoongi’s mind.

“Holy fuck is right indeed,” Namjoon says, arms around Yoongi. He too is also unable to close his mouth from shock.

Everyone is still asking the couple a million questions when Hoseok finally announces, “Alright alright! Let’s give one more huge congratulatory applause for Dr. Kim Taehyung and Dr. Kim Seokjin!!!” Everyone claps and roars with cheer. “NOW LET’S START THE TOURNAMENT!!! Jin sunbae, I’ll add you to my lane!”

“I’m so happy for you,” Jimin hugs Taehyung when he finally gets a chance. “You look so happy.”

Taehyung squeezes his best friend right back and says, “I am Jimin. I really am.”

“Come on, Dr. Kim!!!” They hear one of the residents Jia shout. “You’re up first!!”

“Get out of here, loser!” Jimin smacks Tae’s ass and shoos him off so he can go bowl.

“Please, I’ll beat your ass today!” Taehyung smirks.

“You’re literally like the worst bowler in the history of bowlers.”

“Stop talking about yourself, Dr. Park.”

“Last time we played, I had double your final score so-“

“Is it weird that I’m slightly turned on?” Jungkook interrrupts the two bestfriend’s playful fights while massaging Jimin’s nape. Jimin giggles.

“Ew!” Taehyung laughs and makes a disgusted face. He rolls up his sleeve and high fives Jia. “Good luck Dr. Kim!! Start us off with that strike!!” She says.

With the first round finally started, everyone is really into it, trying to bowl their best. As time passes and the surgeons get drunker, people start bowling horribly.

“What the fuck.” Jimin says, eyes stunned, amused and about to burst out laughing because was completely tricked by his boyfriend acting like he couldn’t bowl. Jungkook so far only had spares and strikes except for one turn where he bowled an 8 and a 1, missing one pin.

“Yes, sweetheart?” Jungkook says walking back smugly after hitting another strike. He cranes his neck forward smugly asking for a kiss but Jimin sticks places his index finger right on the trauma surgeons lips.

“AND you’re good at bowling too!?!? I hateee you!!” Jimin whines. Jungkook grabs him and pulls him in by the waist while chuckling and Jimin pretends to fight back from being held. “What CAN’T you do!?” the heart surgeon groans and pouts.

“I can teach you, baby.” Jungkook just hugs him tighter so Jimin can’t escape.

Their colleagues all look at them, some making dramatic disgusted faces as if they’re going to puke from the public display of affection.

“Hyunwoo! you’re up!” Joyce says. Jungkook finally lets go of Jimin after giving him a chaste kiss on the forehead so he can focus on his teammate’s bowl. His team wasn’t doing too well; he was the only real good bowler. Mikyung was okay but everyone else was so bad, they had a pretty bad total team score and he wasn’t about to lose. Dr. Jeon Jungkook didn’t lose anything— even team games.

Hyunwoo gets close to the lane and bowls his turn, only to end up with a 0 because he bowled a gutter.

“Hyunwoo, you gotta go like this,” Jungkook says letting Jimin go and gesturng with his body how to bowl better. Hyunwoo nods and practices in the air before he takes his next bowl.

“Like this, right?” 

“No, here. You gotta...” Jungkook gets closer to Hyunwoo, stands behind him and gently grabs his wrist to show him. Jimin is watching his own teammate bowl but really, he’s watching this Hyunwoo Jungkook interaction from the corner of his eyes, and he wants to roll his eyes so fucking hard because he knows exactly what this annoying resident is doing.

“You got this!” Jungkook says encouraging his hoobae. Hyunwoo nods and bowls his second turn.

“Yay!!!!!!” He had gotten a spare. Jungkook’s team all cheer and high five Hyunwoo. Hyunwoo smiles at Jungkook with his cute eye-smile and then grabs his drink to say, “cheers! Dr. Jeon!”

Jungkook grabs his beer and they clank their glasses together.

Jimin over at his lane, cracks his neck obnoxiously twisting his head to the left and to the right, and then with the most concentration ever when his turn comes up, he bowls a strike and his whole team screams and yelps with joy.

“Good job baby!!” Jungkook shouts. He walks over to Jimin and gives him a two-hand high five, even though they’re not on the same team.

Jimin pulls Jungkook by the collar hem of his T-shirt and then kisses him right there in the bowling alley. A full on, deep, sexy kiss. They can hear people teasingly boo-ing and telling them to ‘cmon get a room!’ But when Jimin finally breaks off the kiss and Jungkook looks dazed, the heart surgeon shrugs nonchalantly as if he didn’t just plant a deep, long, went kiss in front of all their colleagues, scrunches his nose at him cutely, and then says, “thanks baby.”

He has his second turn to bowl and Jungkook slaps the heart surgeon’s ass to wish him good luck. When Jimin picks up his pink bowling ball and turns his body around to bowl, he sees Hyunwoo just standing there with what looks like a mixture of blankness and disappointment. He looked sad.

Jimin wants to feel bad, he does. Because the junior’s face really does look sad, but then he remembers this resident is a grown ass adult and he should know to cut his bullshit in trying to flirt with HIS boyfriend. Jimin feels cocky and it shows because he bowls another strike which is followed by his whole team screaming and running up to him to high five him.

Jungkook hangs his head laughing because he knows he wants his own team to win but he finds his boyfriend Jimin so cute. The buzzed cardiac surgeon skips back to the seats and score board happily and winks and Jungkook. Jungkook’s been winking at Jimin here and there ever since they’ve started dating, especially at work, but now that he’s the one being winked at, he feels incredibly shy. He just chuckles and scratches the back of his head shyly.

Many bowls and hours later, everyone is finishing up the last bowl of the second round. To Jungkook’s unfortunate surprise, his team was doing horribly because everyone was nearly bowling gutters or only hitting a few pins. He was the only one keeping their team above waters. Even if he himself were to bowl a perfect strike for the last turn, they were going to be one of the bottom losing teams, and definitely weren’t going to beat Jimin’s team.

He bowls a spare for his last turn, but when Namjoon, Mikyung, Hyunwoo and Joyce all bowl horribly for the final bowl, Jungkook accepts his defeat while groaning.

Jimin’s team is finishing up and when it’s his final turn, Jungkook walks over to his boyfriend who is standing in front of the lane holding his pink ball staring at the pins with the utmost focus, and gives him a shoulder massage. “You got this baby,” he rubs with just the right amount of pressure on the crook of Jimin’s neck and shoulder. “Remember, move your wrist, but not too much or it’ll spin too hard.”

Jimin nods.

“You got this, Dr. Park!” Jungkook says again one last time and slowly backs away to allow Jimin to bowl. If his team wasn’t going to win, his boyfriend’s better win. He and Jimin both were so weirdly competitive that even after they themselves had no chance of winning, they would high five each other for the other’s sake to do well and now, Jungkook was watching like a proud Olympic coach as Jimin carefully threw his ball into his lane.

Jimin’s team roars because the heart surgeon bowls a strike. When he finishes his actual final turn with yet again another strike, resulting in a turkey, he runs over to Jungkook who picks him up and kisses him with pride as if he just won the Olympic gold medal. The rest of Jimin’s team and Jungkook all jump around yelling with joy and cockiness rubbing it in everyone’s faces.

It’s a cheerful and rowdy environment. Jimin doesn’t even care about Hyunwoo anymore.

“Looks like SOMEONE is better at bowling than you!” Jimin says kissing Jungkook on the lips and then finally jumping off the man as to let others breathe without their disgustingly cute PDA.

“Looks like you are.”

“What.” Jimin says abruptly.

“What?” Jungkook says wrapping his arms aroud the elder’s waist. He can’t help but grin just looking at how cute and happy Jimin is.

“I thought you were going to say something like you let me win.”

“Nope.” Jungkook smiles. “You won. Fair and square. Looks like someone needs to brush up on his bowling skills, huh?” Jungkook disses himself.

“Did you eat poison?” Jimin smiles back even bigger. He too then wraps his arms around Jungkook’s neck. “What’s wrong with you? You’re supposed to diss me, tell me you’re still better at bowling than me, that I just got lucky, or-“

“Park.” Jungkook interrupts. But Jimin keeps going and interrupts him right back.

“Well, I mean, fine. Technically you didn’t lose. Your individual score is better than mine but-“

“Jimin. Shut up for a second my goodness.” Jungkook cuts him off again and smiles. He has the softest, sweetest tone. Jimin finally shuts up and gazes into Jungkook’s eyes. They’re both unable to see or hear the rest of the loud chaotic bowling alley. Jungkook opens his mouth to speak again and says,

“I love you, you weirdo.”

Jimin eyes widen and it almost looks like they’re watering but before Jungkook can really tell, the elder, pulls Jungkook in by the neck and gives him the most perfect, sweetest kiss.

He hopes Jungkook can hear his heart with the tenderness and warmth of his kiss.

~

Jimin currently has two children he sponsors through World Vision; one child in Haiti, and the other in Uganda. Both he and Taehyung had signed up to sponsor a child as soon as they got their first paycheck as a real doctor. When they were in college, they always dreamed of making a difference one day and that they’d do great charitable things with their money—beyond a luxurious life for themselves. That was already several years ago. Still, every month, a good portion of Dr. Kim and Dr. Park’s paycheck went towards their kids, whom they really grew to love, albeit continents and oceans away.

When Jimin first found out about Jungkook’s volunteering with Helping Hands, the elder doctor felt ashamed that he hasn’t really done too much hands-on volunteering domestically, other than the free clinics that SMC coordinated together as a hospital.

So he was really excited that he and Jungkook were finally going to volunteer together with the organization that Jungkook worked with. Helping Hands suggested Jungkook and Jimin work with a senior rec center that happened to have many disabled veterans. The two surgeons both had the same days off and so they were taking a weekend trip to Pocheon, a rural city about an hour drive outside of Seoul. They had coordinated with the senior citizen rec center to do a free clinic and also just to help out with whatever else they could for the two days. It wasn’t really a full on vacation vacation since they’d be volunteering and working but it was still the couple’s first ever trip together, and Pocheon was a very beautiful place; they were both anxious and excited.

“Don’t you think we need one more set?” Jimin asks, his hands on his waist, eyeing the medical kits in the back of his trunk along with all the other medical supplies, snacks, beverages, light bulbs, toilet paper, random household necessities. All purchased with their own money of course.

“I think we’re good, babe.” Jungkook replies loading in the last case of juice. He reaches his arms above and shuts the trunk door and looks over at Jimin who still looks deep in though as if he was doing calculations in his head. “I did a good estimate, don’t worry.” He reassures the heart surgeon again. He had gotten a headcount from the senior citizens community rec center and perused each first aid and clinic kit and estimated thoroughly.

“Hm. Okay.” Jimin says.

“Jimin,” Jungkook smiles, pressing his body right up against the elders to cup his cute little face. “Why are you so nervous?”

Jungkook laughs and Jimin playfully smacks him. “I’m not.”

“It’s not like you’ve never done a free clinic?? Why are you so nervous, babe. You’re being weird.”

“I’m not! Stop saying I am! I’m just concerned because I don’t feel like we have enough!”

“You know,” Jungkook says brushing a strand of hair away from Jimin’s forehead. “Not everyone is going to be sick. We won’t need to swab everyone.”

“I know I know! Okay let’s go! It’s already 8 am almost!! We said we should AIM to leave at 8!”

“And we are. Hahaha chill out Mr. Stick up his pants.” Jungkook teases.

“Maybe, you should NOT chill out so much Mr. Everything-is-always-fine!” Jimin pouts. “You’re too relaxed about everything!”

“And why is that bad, Dr. Park? Hm?” Jungkook smiles sweetly, fluttering his long, beautiful eyelashes.

“Stop talking and get driving, peasant!” Jimin exclaims getting in the passenger seat. Jungkook shakes his head and laughs as he too finally gets in the driver’s seat. Jimin buckles up, takes his shoes off, places his feet on the dashboard as if he’s so relaxed, turns on the radio, and says “but first, gas station. I need coffee and some breakfast for the road! Let’s go, Jeon!” He says gesturing one hand out pointing to the road to get going.

“You are...” Jungkook is speechless by his bossy but adorable boyfriend. “I can’t stand you, Park.”

“Yes you can.” Jungkook freezes and eyes widen because right as he was starting the engine, he feels a soft pair of lips on his cheek. Jimin had reached over to give him the sweetest little peck. “GO GO GO!”

~

The moment Jimin and Jungkook arrive at the Pocheon senior citizen rec center, everything is so hectic and busy because there were already so many elderly already loitering, waiting to get their free checkup by two renowned SMC doctors! The rec center had already promoted the free clinic session as soon as Jungkook had confirmed with the coordinator. So the word was out! The best doctors from the nation would be here giving free check ups!

There’s nothing Koreans love more than free things.

While basic healthcare is universal in Korea, small rural towns like this only had a certain level and quality of medical care. It was big news that two surgeons from the big city of Seoul would be here for providing free checkups and so the lines were already out the door before Jimin and Jungkook were even done setting up.

One by one, Dr. Park and Dr. Jeon meet with the elderly, each telling them of their qualms and pains. Jimin and Jungkook are both such kind people, they give every single individual their full attention, not brushing off their concerns or looking down on them as if they’re being overdramatic.

“Hey you,” Jungkook says smiling but also a bit startled when an elderly woman comes forward with a little boy on her turn.

“Ma’am, this clinic is for senior citizens onl-“ one of the rec center staff interrupts. But Jungkook gently paces his hand out to stop them and nods it’s okay.

“What’s your name?” Jungkook asks as he starts doing his routine check up on the boy, and gives a small head bow to the grandma.

“Seo Wongyu.” The boy says quietly.

“Doctor, this is my grandson. I’m.. I’m sorry. I know it’s not for children but this is my boy. He lives with me, his parents passed away w few months ago… he’s been having constant stomach aches and every time we go to the clinic by our neighborhood the doctor just gives him..” the elderly woman trails off explaining her grandson’s symptoms.

Jungkook listens attentively and chats with her and the young boy and finally gives his diagnosis, which is much different than what they’ve been told. He writes up a prescription for a medication because he and Jimin only brought very basic medicines today, and a referral note to see a specialist. And then he gives the grandma her check up too.

“I don’t think you should stress too much, halmoni (grandma). You are doing great raising your grandson. Look how handsome and mannered he is! I think after he takes this medicine I prescribed, he should be feeling a lot better. Don’t beat yourself up okay?” Jungkook says gently as he conducts his free exam on the grandma. She was going on and on about how her grandson isn’t feeling well probably because she is lacking as a guardian in raising him because she is old and how guilty she feels.

“If you’re stressed out, your body will be affected too. Stress does a lot more direct impact on our physical bodies than people think. Wongyu needs you! You must stay strong and healthy, right halmoni?” Jungkook smiles his beautiful, gorgeous smile as he wraps up his examination. He takes out a few things from his medication kit and hands it to the grandma.

“Oh, you are such a sweetheart doctor. So handsome and so kind. Thank you.. thank you for checking my Wongyu here… I know it goes against the rules but… thank you doctor. So much. Wongyu-yah, say thank you here to Dr. Jeon.”

“Thank you, Dr. Jeon.” The little boy says. Jungkook pats the boys head. “Be good to your grandma, okay?”

“Yes sir.”

Jimin, just a few feet away could hear and see bits and pieces of this entire exchange from this corner of his eye.

He is so in love with Dr. Jeon Jungkook.

After the free clinic hours are over, Jimin and Jungkook throw on an apron and get to work in the kitchen helping cook and serve food. Every certain days of the week, the rec center provided free dinner for the citizens before their weekly activity. Most of the elderly who came here were pretty poor, living in shabby old, traditional Hanok-style homes where they walked miles to get to the rec center. The rec center was like a small little nirvana where they could socialize, have fun, eat together, laugh, dance, play card games, and whatever other activity was planned. They could also request for assistance in advance whether that be help with switching a lightbulb, moving and lifting things, even laundry, anything really. It was just unfortunate that the list was so long and they only had so many volunteers, so sometimes it took days, weeks for someone to get assistance with their request.

Tomorrow, Jimin and Jungkook plan to help out with the request to-do list. But today happened to be one of the dinner and activity days and so the two surgeons were put to work in the kitchen. After they served the food, also ate themselves while chatting with the elders, cleaned up, did the dishes, everyone gathered in the main hall for the karaoke and dance competition, in which Jimin MCed. Prizes being all sorts of household items donated by Jimin and Jungkook.

“Are you ready to sing!?!?” Jimin shouts into the mic.

The room is filled with applause and cheers by grandmas and grandpas all clapping and goofily dancing in their spot. Jungkook watches from the side fondly, back leaned against the wall. He would rather die before doing something like MCing a karaoke competition and getting an elderly crowd hyped up. He doesn’t know how Jimin does it.

“Let’s get…. Contestant number one up here!!!” Jimin looks at the clipboard. “MR. KO! Come on up!!” Jimin is totally in his hosting zone, and Jungkook doesn’t understand how a professional heart surgeon is just such a natural at entertaining a group of senior citizens and MCing as if he’s done this a million times. He will never understand the enigma named Park Jimin.

Mr. Ko picks his song and starts singing. It’s an old upbeat, fun song and so a few of the other start dancing in their spots, some coming forward to dance more boldly around Mr. Ko and Jimin too sings along, laughs, even dances when one of the ladies grabs him by the hand to dance with her.

Jimin eyes Jungkook a few times and gestures for him to come! But Jungkook just smiles and nods it’s okay, you have fun as he remains just standing by the wall casually clapping rhythmically to the song, but nothing more than that.

Jimin smiles and shrugs it off each time thinking suit yourself. This happens for a few rounds, as people take their turn at karaoke. Finally, after some time has passed, it’s a complete party in the rec room with all the elderly and Jimin dancing and singing to the fun traditional Korean music.

“Jeon!” Jimin yells out for his boyfriend. Jungkook is still standing there just observing and smiling, every so often clapping calmly. But Jimin says something to one of the ladies he’s dancing with and respectfully lets go of her hand and comes running toward Jungkook.

“Nooooo,” Jungkook says as Jimin begins dragging him to join. “I’m good, Jimin. You just go!! Don’t worry about me!!”

“Come onnnnn!!” Jimin says taking both of Jungkook’s hand as he continues dancing goofily. Jungkook groans playfully. “You’re so lame! You look so bored just standing there! Come on!!”

“Noooooo I’m honestly okay! I’m having fun just watching you all!!” Jungkook yells over the loud music. It’s not that he hated dancing. He and Jimin danced all the time when they went clubbing but… that was different. It was moreso he was loving the time with Jimin and appreciating Jimin’s extremely sensual dancing skills and going with it, more than the fact Jungkook loved dancing. He could live the rest of his life without ever going clubbing and dancing ever again. “Seriously, babe. Don’t worry about me! I’m having fun so go go!” He tries to shoo Jimin off as to not make him feel burdened like he had to babysit Jungkook or something.

But the younger can’t win. Jimin drags him to the front and keeps dancing goofily with the silliest moves, copying some of the elderly and their groovy dances that Jungkook soon enough finds himself leaning his head back in surrender and laughing.

And so he dances.

He dances and dances the night away with Jimin and about hundred other senior citizens all filled with a simply type of joy that can’t be put into words.

~

Pocheon is known for its beautiful mountains and clean air. It’s a nice little town if one wants a break from the bustling, polluted metropolis of Seoul. There are many scenic sights, hiking trails, gardens, and parks; it’s the perfect place to relax on a sunny afternoon.

But Jimin and Jungkook have another packed schedule on their second day too. They had passed out the second they got to their lodging after the karaoke contest, because they were so tired from their long day.

Thankfully for the two lovers, they set aside a little time in the morning on their second day for themselves, before they’d start volunteering again and helping out with the assistance/chores requests. The two men set off for a nice morning walk, in which they then stumbled upon a cute little café at a park. They had a nice breakfast there in the beautiful glass-walled café overlooking a field of beautiful green pastures. Nothing like they could see in Seoul.

Afterwards, they walked around some more, hand in hand, enjoying the sights and going to see the famous beautiful waterfall where they took one too many selcas together. They also followed the crowd and ended up at some fountain and gazebo bar where the local makgeolli (Korean rice wine) was being made.

“This… is so good, oh my god.” Jimin says gently wiping his mouth after tasting a sample of the fresh makgeolli from the traditional bamboo ladle.

“Damn, that’s good.” Jungkook agrees after taking a sip.

The elderly man working the stand asks the couple if they’d like to take a seat in the gazebo for a drink but Jimin politely declines.

“You sure?” Jungkook asks, surprised. It was freshly made makgeolli right there in front of them. Nothing like they could get at the supermarket back home in Seoul. Bottled makgeolli just didn’t compare.

“Of course I’m sure, what do you mean?” Jimin says twining their hands together again and bowing to the elder as a goodbye. He starts guiding them both away from the makgeolli stand.

“I dunno,” Jungkook glances at his watch. “We still have some time. If you wanna get like just one drink?”

“Nah,” Jimin says striding along slowly, enjoying the green and fresh air.

“You sure?” He asks again. He felt bad that they came all the way here for a mini weekend getaway and all they were really doing was volunteering. Even though this was the main objective of the trip, Jungkook still felt a little bad because he just wanted his boyfriend to still have a good time and do things he enjoyed. One being drinking. He knew Jimin loved a good drink.

“Yes babe! I’m sure! It was really good obviously but, I’d rather not risk getting hammered before we’re about to go build fences or something haha.” Jimin giggles. As much as Jimin loved drinking, and as tasty as that freshly brewed makgeolli was, he was just as equally as responsible when it came to serious matters. Jimin wasn’t going to fuck up volunteering when people were depending on him to show up and work.

Jungkook smiles so fondly and then gently pinches Jimin’s nose playfully. The trauma surgeon says for the second time ever now, “I love you.”

I love you too.

But Jimin just smiles and cranes his neck forward, protruding his lips to ask for a kiss. When he’s with Jungkook, hugging him, holding him, kissing him, making love to him, or even just silently in his presence whether that be on a walk together like this or studying and reading together at home—when he looks at Jungkook, his heart hurts because he feels so much love for the younger. Yet he’s afraid to say it back. He wants to say it back, he does, he really, really does. Because he’s is pretty sure he loves him too. But while Jimin was someone who was very generous in showing his love, the words I love you scared him shitless. And so he freezes again in replying and instead, opts for a kiss hoping to make the vibe more playful and less serious.

Jungkook doesn’t seem to be hurt at all because he obliges, giving the elder a kiss on the lips, and the two happily stride along the beautiful scenic path. He didn’t tell Jimin he loved him because he was expecting to hear it back; he just loves Jimin and he wanted the man to know.

~

The cardiac surgeon is finally sitting down after standing all day doing various household chores. He’s enjoying a popsicle that Mr. Shim, the grandpa bought for him and Jungkook from the corner grocery store while the two doctors were doing the man’s hefty laundry like all his heavy blankets and sheets. The grandpa was too old and too frail to handle such large and heavy laundry items as he hand washed everything old-school style because he did not own a laundry machine.

There were huge tubs laying out and the hose on the concrete floor; blankets hanging on strings by the clothes hangers, the heavier winter blankets sprawled across a wooden board to dry.

This was their final stop today. They had stopped by multiple homes of senior citizens, most career veterans or their widowed spouses, who had requested assistance for different tasks around their house and as healthy as Jimin and Jungkook were, they were both exhausted and ready to go home and fall onto their comfortable bed.

Jimin sucks on the last drops of the frozen popsicle as he squeezes the plastic tube to making sure he ate all of it. It was hot and this was really cooling him down. Jungkook still hadn’t even touched his popsicle because he was over by one of the doors with the grandpa, nodding attentively as the elderly man explained to him about the broken latch.

After the two had finished washing the blankets just moments ago, Jungkook told Jimin to go rest and that he’ll finish up with this door issue.

Jimin observes Mr. Shim leave and come back with what looks like a toolbox. He hands it over to Jungkook, who eagerly starts to get to work on the door. The grandpa pats Jungkook back and mumbles something with a huge grin. He looked extremely grateful and proud of Jungkook. That’s what Jimin guesses. Jungkook then tells the old man to please sit down and rest and before he does, he goes back inside and comes out with a cup of cold water in which Jungkook downs it all in one go. The grandpa then finally sits down on the side and chats with Jungkook to keep him company as the trauma surgeon works on fixing the door.

He would try to listen and observe more to Jungkook and the grandpa’s conversation and interaction but… the sun makes Jimin even sleepier and so he slowly lays back on the large, low, wooden table on the terrace (these low wooden tables are common in Korea; people just sit out there to chill, or even eat on), eyes drooping feeling sun drunk, one hand still holding onto the eaten popsicle tube.

“He’s a keeper.”

Jimin was just about to doze off when he hears the Mr. Shim’s voice. The cardiac doctor immediately gets up into sitting position as to not be rude. “Sorry. Hehe the sun is so hot, it made me drowsy!”

“Dear, you’re fine. Lay back down. You did a lot today. Thank you so much for all your help. Did you enjoy the ice cream? I don’t know what young people like anymore so I picked the most expensive one.” The elder takes a seat on beside Jimin.

Jimin’s heart melts. He knows this old man isn’t loaded with money. “Harabuji (grandpa), it was delicious. Thank you so much! It really cooled me down! Although, I’m flattered… that you think I am young!” they both chuckle.

“You are still young, my dear.”

“How old do you think I am, harabuji?!” Jimin smiles. He can see Jungkook ahead of them starting to hammer something. He feels bad as if he should go over there and help him but he also knows Jungkook would find him a distraction and would just tell him he got it, to go back and rest.

“27?”

“27?!” Jimin laughs loudly. “I wish!! Thank you!! Wow 27!!”

“I am close, no?”

“I am 31!”

“That is still young. So young! You have your whole life ahead of you!” Mr. Shim says.

“Do I? I don’t know. Sometimes I do feel like that, like I have the whole world at my hands, the world is my oyster! Type of thing. But sometimes, I feel like I’m running out of time harabuji.”

The two continue talking as Jimin absorbs all of the wisdom the old man shares with him. The surgeon tells him about his job, the hospital, being a physician, his family, his dreams he still has left to achieve even at age 31, and then Jeon Jungkook. He tells the grandpa about their still new love story. How they met and how amazing Jungkook is. Of course, he leaves out the scandalous details.

“He’s a keeper, ya know.” The grandpa says again like he did at the start of this entire conversation. Both the elderly man and Jimin look over at Jungkook who suddenly blurts out the word SHIT! Because he accidentally smashed his finger too hard against the door while trying to fix it. The trauma surgeon merely turns his head back to look over his shoulders to give Jimin and the grandpa an ‘OK’ gesture.

The two observing just smile and Jungkook resumes his work on the door.

“He is, isn’t he?”

The man smiles and speaks gently, “when you have something good, hold onto it. Don’t let it go.”

~

Mood music: Dynamic Duo – Eat Pray Love

The original plan was to hang around Pocheon a bit more on their second day after they finished volunteering to see some more sights. But after their last stop with Mr. Shim, the two were completely exhausted. All they wanted to do was get home and relax. They felt sweaty and sticky from being out in the sun all day and helping out with odd jobs.

So as soon as they said their farewells to Mr. Shim, they were on the road back to Seoul.

“Where should we eat? I wanna like… shower and freshen up though I feel gross.” Jimin says. He had offered to drive this time because he got to rest a little bit while Jungkook on the other hand was working hard fixing that door and even helped out with some more last minute heavy lifting for Mr. Shim.

“Let’s just eat at home. I just wanna shower and chill at home.” Jungkook mumbles, only half awake.

“Yeah let’s do that. What do you have at home?”

“Uhhh. Damnit. Nothing really. We can go to your place?” Jungkook suggests.

“I don’t either… Hey! Should we do kbbq at home?? I can stop by the store real quick.”

“Oooh should we?? Eh I’m so lazy though. Let’s just… eat out somewhere real quick actually. Like don’t even stop by home. Who cares if we’re stinky and sweaty.” Jungkook pauses and then speaks again. “Ehh nahh nevermind. I wanna go home. Ugh I don’t know.”

“I’ll just stop by the store and grab everything real quick. You can just stay in the car no biggie.”

Jungkook mumbles an ‘okay’ quietly and nods. The two surgeons naturally laces their hands together between them in the middle console as Jimin continues driving.

“Sleep baby. I’ll wake you when we’re home.”

But Jungkook wakes up when Jimin parks the car at the supermarket and he ends up going in with his boyfriend. Now that they were back Gangnam and so close to home, both of them suddenly got a burst of energy and their hunger was making them very eager.

Jungkook and Jimin stroll into the store together with the younger pushing the cart and leading the way, and Jimin linking his arm to Jungkook’s.

“Oh damnit.” Jimin suddenly whispers. He holds the cart handle and starts pushing it away from their path and toward a different aisle. “Move move move!” He tries to whisper yell to Jungkook.

“Huh?”

“Jiminie?”

“Ughhhhhh noooooooooo.” Jimin lets out a huge groan and Jungkook is utterly confused. The younger looks around and then sees an elegant middle aged woman walking their way holding a basket.

“Jiminah!” the lady exclaims joyfully with a huge grin on her face.

Jimin sulks forward surrendering. “Hiiii mom.”

Jungkook’s eyes widen and he suddenly stands up straight, fixing his posture because he was pushing the cart while leaning and slouching a bit since he was so tall. He feels his face getting hot and heart beating faster with nervousness.

“Jiminah!! What are you doing here!!!” The mother and son hug and Mrs. Park just has the biggest grin on her face as she just stares at Jungkook. Jungkook immediately lets go of the cart and steps forward and bows a full 90-degree angle.

“Hello ma’am. I’m Jungkook. Jeon Jeongkook.” Mrs. Park looks like she is going to explode from happiness and Jimin wants to run off a cliff and die. This will be the day he dies, he thinks. At the supermarket. He knows his mother is going to embarrass him and go overboard, making Jungkook uncomfortable, probably mention marriage and then Jungkook will freak out and Jimin will never hear from him again.

He’s such a drama queen.

“Hello Jeongguk-ssi! Please, just call me uh-muh-knee (mother)! It is SO nice to finally meet you!!!”

(In Korean culture, we often call our friends’ parents mother and father, or just anyone we are close to. Yes, ahjumma and ahjussi is what’s generally used for strangers but when people get close, they can address their parents as mother and father. But the caveat here is that mother and father is also what is used for your in-laws. Hangul is complex. So it can be for both friends but also a significant other… so it’s kind of a funny situation Mrs. Park is putting Jungkook in because she could be intending it for either or. But we all know which way she is hoping it means haha. It would require a whole lesson to fully explain this but yeah, hope you get the gist.)

Jimin wants to die. Yes, he and Jungkook were dating and he was his boyfriend but they were still getting to know each other and to be told to address his mom as mother- oh god. I bet Jungkook is so uncomfortable right now he’s probably like wha-

“It’s so nice to finally meet you too, uh muh knee.”

Jimin freezes and just stares at his boyfriend so fondly. The trauma surgeon chuckles nervously and scratches the back of his head. “I’m embarrassed you have to see me in the state and at the market. I’m sorry I’m so… not put together right now. I’m all sweaty and gross. And not dressed nicely… We were outside in the sun all day.”

“Nonsense!! You are so handsome Dr. Jeon!!! Where are you two coming from!? Jiminah are you not even going to introduce your mom properly to this handsome young man?!”

“Please, just call me Jungkook!” Jungkook smiles.

“Mom what are you here to get? Jimin finally speaks as he looks at his mom’s basket, ignoring her question. He really just wants this encounter to end already but he knows it’s not going to be that easy with his mom.

“Oh I just needed to pick up a few things I was missing! Going to make some japchae! I was going to pack you and Hyunie some too. I’m so happy to see you! But do I really have to see my son at the market for me to see my doctor son’s face more often?! Oh! Dr. Jeo-, Jungkookssi do you like japchae? I will pack you some as well! I don’t want to toot my own horn but I am kind of famous for my japchae, my friends all say they-“

“MOM.” Jimin interrupts, laughing internally because he can’t believe this is happening. This is not how he wanted the first meeting with his mom and Jungkook to go. Not because it’s at the market or anything like that but because it was just so unexpected and unplanned—he really just came here to quickly grab some pork belly. It’s got him completely off guard because he wasn’t mentally ready. “We’re… we’re really tired. We just drove back from Pocheon after doing a free clinic so we’re reaaaallly tired and wanna get going. Jungkook here is exhausted so can we please chat next time?” He smiles sweetly and leans forward to hug his mom again.

“Okay okay! You two must be so tired! But you have bad manners, Jiminah! I thought your father and I taught you better!” She says playfully.

“Noww whatttt??”

“We can chat properly next time since I know Dr. Jeon must be tired but at least introduce us properly!! I can’t help it if I ran into my son and his… his you know what!” She smiles. Jimin rolls his eyes and groans. He swears his mom should have pursued drama and theater. She was so… much. “So you might as well introduce us properly!”

“Oh my godddd mom, you already know who he is haha!!”

“Park Jimin!”

Jimin groans and Jungkook is just standing there smiling. “Yeah Jimin. Who is this lovely lady here that I’ve had the pleasure of meeting, hm?” Mrs. Park coos at Jungkook and they both chuckle as if they’re suddenly best friends and they’ve turned on Jimin.

He will kill Jungkook later at home.

“Mom, this is Jungkook. Jungkook, this is my mom, the wonderful beautiful lovely great japchae maker Park Soojung.”

“Yes, I know he is Jungkook. He already introduced himself because unlike you, this man here has manners!” She teases.

“Oh my god mommmm. THIS IS JEON JUNGKOOK. DR. JEON JUNGKOOK, MY BOYFRIEND. BOYFRIEND JUNGKOOK, THIS IS MY MOTHER!”

He groans but they all end up laughing. They chitchat for a little more, nothing deep, but just about groceries and Pocheon and then Jimin’s mom is finally on her way.

“It was so good to meet you finally, Dr. Jeon! Please come over with Jimin soon for dinner, okay??!”

“Will do uh muh knee!”

The second Mrs. Park is out of their sight, Jimin nearly speedwalks ahead and starts looking for ingredients. Jungkook catches up with him and he can tell Jimin is embarrassed.

“Slow down babe, damn.”

“I thought you’re the one who was dying to get home? I just want to hurry home shower and eat.”

“I love her.” Jungkook smirks.

“Stop. Please. She’s crazy. I’m sorr-“

“Nah I love her. She’s great. Very opposite from my mom.”

“Oh really? So your mom is mature, reserved, respectful, not nosy, and calm?” Jimin counters back. Jungkook laughs, throwing his head back.

“Reserved, yes. She’s not very talkative or fun like yours.”

“She’s crazy. I’m sorry if you felt uncomfortable with anything she said. You really don’t need to call her uh muh knee, honestl-“

“Jimin.” Jungkook stops walking and lets go of the cart to cup Jimin’s face and kisses him right there by the produce. When they break off the chaste kiss, he says, “it’s okay baby. I’m fine. She’s great. I’m glad I got to meet her.”

Jimin pouts and looks up at the taller man, both with such fondness in their eyes. “Really?”

“Really.”

“Then I’m glad you met her too. I give her a lot of crapp, but she’s the best mom in the world.”

Jungkook then pulls Jimin in by the waist and peppers the older with more kisses, not caring about the fact there were many shoppers just trying to get some damn grocery shopping done.

“Yeah I know. Because she raised you. And you’re the cutest, sweetest boy I know.” he says smiling down at Jimin. He’s still holding the man in his arms and both surgeons are just so lost in love in this awfully casual setting.

“I’m not a boy. I’m older than you. How dare you talk to your hyung like that!” Jimin jokes still pouting.

“You’re the cutest boy. My cutest babyboy.”

“Well this babyboy wants to hurry home and eat some damn samgyupsa!” Jimin pulls away playfully and taps Jungkook on the ass to imply he start pushing the cart and moving again.

They both laugh and resume their grocery shopping, which they end up buying more than just tonight’s KBBQ ingredients. Since they are at the store anyways, both surgeons figure they should shop and restock their fridge. When they’re almost done, Jungkook is looking at all the various ice cream options and Jimin is now the one leaning on the cart patiently waiting.

The trauma surgeon stares at two different shelves debating on which ice cream to get. He eventually grabs two different kinds, a tub of coffee ice cream and a box of chocolate almond ice cream bars.

“Which?” He turns around to face Jimin, holding both options in the air. He’s dressed in black Puma basketball shorts, plain sleeveless shirt, black Nikes, his hair is curly and messy, he’s got a really bad shoulder tanline, but nonetheless he looks good.

So damn good just standing there grinning and holding two ice creams for Jimin to decide on. The heart surgeon stares at the younger, and his heart start beating like crazy. It was a simple question: chocolate or coffee ice cream. But why was he suddenly frozen and his pulse pumping like crazy?

He couldn’t wait to get to Jungkooks, shower, change, grill samgyupsal with Jungkook, and then end the meal with either one of the damn ice creams.

He did not care which ice cream.

All he cared about was that it was with him.

Jeon Jungkook.

His heart feels like it wants to explode and burst out of his chest knowing that that was exactly what was going to happen in just a few short minutes after they leave this market. How could life be this… sweet? This wonderful? Did he really find someone that made him this happy to the point he was so excited to do something so mundane as eating KBBQ and ice cream at home? He couldn’t believe this man standing in front of him, sweaty and sticky from the day’s labor asking him about which ice cream to get, was the one who was making his stomach want to flip upside down and heart jump out of his body.

“I love you. I love you, Jungkook.” Jimin blurts out.

Jungkook just stares at him, his boyish grin turning into a huge, uncontrollable smile.

“I love you.” Jimin says again. And he doesn’t feel weird. He doesn’t feel awkward. He doesn’t feel regret. While his heart is beating with passion and love, he also feels a sense of peace and contentment that he’s never felt with anyone else. The two of them just stare at each other grinning like two idiots in love, standing only about three feet away. “I love you, Jungkook.”

Jungkook walks over and hugs the elder, both hands still holding the two ice creams.

“I love you too, Jimin.” He says holding Jimin in his arms in a tight embrace, this time in the ice cream aisle.

“Then can we get both?” He asks cheekily and mumbled because Jungkook was hugging him too tightly.

“We can get all the ice cream you want, baby.”

~

There is nothing like eating some good ole Korean BBQ at home, grilling the delicious meat with your loved ones in the comfort of your own home, accompanied with some refreshing cold beer.

After stuffing their faces with samgyupsal, Jimin and Jungkook sprawl out on the couch feeling like overstuffed pigs.

“I have food coma.” Jimin says.

“I know, I could fall asleep right now…” Jungkook replies.

“I should go home before I really do fall asleep. I’m tired.”

“Just sleep here tonight. You’re already here.” Jungkook says rubbing his full belly and then reaching his arm out to hold Jimin’s hand.

“Nahhhh. I should go home. I wanna shower and stuff and just. I should go home since I’ve been gone last two days.” When the two surgeons got home to Jungkook’s, they were so famished they instantly started grilling instead of washing up first. Plus they realized it’d be stupid to shower before eating since KBBQ always made clothes smell.

“You talk like you have a pet at home or something, haha. You can shower here. You even have clothes in your suitcase. Do you not have clean clothes left?”

“I dooo but-“

“Then just stay.”

“I should go home.” Jimin says firmly. Of course he wanted to stay. He loved sleeping and waking up with Jungkook but Park Jimin believed in boundaries. While the two surgeons very regularly stayed at each other’s places, Jimin always tried to make an effort to not over do the overnights because he didn’t want to get too used to it.

Personal space and time away was important for a healthy relationship anyways, he thinks.

“Jimin.” Jungkook suddenly sits up and gently pulls Jimin up by pulling on his arms.

“Yeah?”

Jungkook looks at him deep in the eyes. “You should move in here.”

“WHAT?!” Jimin exclaims, now sitting fully upright instead of being leaned back comfortably.

“What are you screaming about now, drama queen. You heard me.” He smirks and then takes both of Jimin’s hand in his. “Let’s move in together. You’re always here, and I’m always at your place… I mean we practically already do live together.”

“Except that we don’t.” Jimin responds firmly.

Park Jimin wanted nothing more than to come home after work to Jeon Jungkook, eat breakfast lunch dinner with him, watch TV shows with him cuddled on the couch, make love to him in bed every night, shower together, leave for work together, and even do things like dishes together. But he had his values and he would not budge for anyone.

“I don’t believe in premarital cohabitation.” He says sassily. Jungkook is looking at him so endearingly but also trying not to laugh.

“Wait. You’re.. you’re serious aren’t you.”

“Dead serious.”

“Ohh come onnnn Park. Really?! We already pretty much live together!! Think about how nice it’ll be… you wouldn’t have to leave to go home like right now… we’d just… we’d be home. Together. And we could go to sleep together, wake up together, eat together.”

“No.”

“Seriously?”

“Does it look like I’m joking, Jeon?” Jimin folds his arms and raises an eyebrow.

Jungkook groans and his head leans back and has the audacity to pout.

“Nuh uh. Don’t care how cutely you pout. I’m firm on this and I’m not moving in with you.”

“Why. Fine. Tell me why though. I didn’t know you’re religious.”

“Religious? Who said I was religious? This isn’t about religion. It’s just what I want. I don’t want to cohabitate with my partner before marriage.”

“Whyyyyyy,” Jungkook dares to now whine. “It’s literally what we’re doing nowwwww.”

“It’s not. You would think it is, but it makes all the difference us still having our own places and going back to our respective homes every now and then. It’s totally different. I’m not budging, so you can keep pouting and crying but I’m not moving in with you. Even if you’re this cute- stop it!” Jungkook is leaning in and trying to kiss all over his face.

They’re both play wrestling and Jimin is giggling his head off.

“But if we lived together, I could give you kisses like this every day, babe.”

“Still no!” Jimin says cupping Jungkook’s face and squeezing it so hard that he looked like a fish. He gives Jungkook a short, wet kiss and then gets up from the couch. “No husband, no cohabitation! Alright I’m gonna head out. Get some sleep tonight, okay?”

Jimin walks away to go grab his belongings.

“Come over tomorrow? If you don’t get called in of course. I’ll make us lunch!”

“Ughhh seeeee, we’re gonna see each other again tomorrow anyways! So it’s such a waste of time going back and forth and MONEY! Money!! Think about all the money we could both be saving not paying two rents!”

“Still no! It’s different! It makes it… more romantic. Less… lazy? Less comfortable not in a bad way but ya know what I mean? So you better come over tomorrow looking like my hot boyfriend, Jeon. Impress me.” Jimin winks as he grabs his backpack and keys and is on his way out the door.  

Jungkook hangs his head down smiling despite the fact he just flat out got rejected about moving in together. At least I tried, he thinks, actually not at all the least bit surprised by Jimin’s reaction and cohabitation rule. It was very… Jimin of him.

“I love you.” Jungkook says walking toward the door where Jimin is bent down putting his shoes on. When Jimin stands back up straight, he leans forward and the two share one more goodbye kiss. He places a hand gently on Jungkook’s face and says,

“I love you, too. Goodnight Jungkook.”

“Goodnight. Drive safe.”

~

As instructed by the sassy heart surgeon, Dr. Jeon Jungkook shows up at Jimin’s door the next day in a casual but trendy outfit—not his usual sweats and sweatpants home attire. Jimin compliments and praises his appearance and truthfully, his physique, sliding his hands up and down the trauma surgeon’s chest.

“I love when you wear button ups like this. You look so sexy,” Jimin purrs, greeting the man with soft, sensual kisses all over his neck.

“Good morning to you too.” Jungkook chuckles at Jimin’s theatrics. Ah, now I finally know where he gets his dramaticness from—his mother, the trauma surgeon laughs internally to himself.

“It’s afternoon now actually,” Jimin says with a matter-of-fact tone.

Jungkook rolls his eyes and shakes his head while smiling, not even bothering to argue. “What’s for lunch?”

“Daeji bulgogi and dwaenjang jjigae!”

Jungkook squints his eyes looking at his boyfriend suspiciously. “You ordered delivery didn’t you.”

Jimin’s eyes widen. “W-what?!” He laughs nervously. “No?!!? I cooked! We went grocery shopping! Hello, I bought groceries too!!”

Jungkook folds his arms and stares him down, trying so hard not to laugh. “Uh huh. Did you now?”

“Yes?? What the heck. I know how to cook! Why are you acting like I’ve never cooked for you!”

“Jimin.” He says again after taking a glance at the table set with the assortment of delicious food. The younger has a huge smug grin and he just stares at the heart surgeon to the point where Jimin finally breaks.

“OKAY FINE I ORDERED! WHAT THE HELL?!!? HOW DID YOU KNOW!? I EVEN MOVED EVERYTHING ONTO MY DISHES?!?!?!”

“Babe,” Jungkook is cracking up now. “Your red bean paste ended up in my grocery bag HAHA. So I have both of them at my place. Never ate daeji bulgogi without red bean paste… amazing! How’d you cook that?! You must be a culinary genius!” He completely teases Jimin. Even if Jimin did have red bean paste, Jungkook would have still doubted Jimin cooked all of this on the table because well… it was a lot of fancy food to cook all in one morning for someone like the heart surgeon who did not regularly cook this much, and such complex side dishes at that, too.

He found it absolutely adorable Jimin thought he could lie and get away with it, though.

“I hate you.” Jimin whines. “BUT I ORDERED FROM THE BEST PLACE, OKAY?!”

“Hahaha, honey. I don’t care if you cooked or ordered. Just happy to eat with you.” Jungkook says kissing the side of Jimin’s face.

“Ugh. You never let me just have it!!”

They both laugh as Jimin continues pouting and whining as they settle down to eat.

Fortunately for the two lovers, Jungkook does not get called in all day and so they just got to enjoy their third day off lazing around at home, watching TV, pigging out, napping, reading, eating some more, making love, and all in all doing absolutely nothing together.

It was always a battle of feeling both happy and slightly bitter when not getting called in; they were a bit bitter because they could have spent another full day in Pocheon actually having a vacation day. But the two surgeons were used to it— they could get called in any minute on their on-call days. The life of surgeons.

Jungkook was on call the next day as well and so the couple made tentative plans for a picnic date at Haneul Park, one of Jimin’s favorite places in Seoul. They planned to make some food at home together and pack it along with some wine and a blanket, maybe do some biking by the river, catch a movie in the evening. Jungkook had a feeling he wasn’t going to get called in so the two were excited for a less-lazy date day outside the home.

The younger ends up spending the night at Jimin’s so they can wake up together to start making kimbap for their picnic. But Jimin is awoken by the sound of shuffling noises around 7 am. He barely opens his eyes when he sees Jungkook changing.

“Kook?”

“Hey,” Jungkook says quietly. “I got called in babe. Sorry… looks like no date for us.” He frowns. He feels awful because all last night, he was acting confident and cocky saying he’s ‘almost positive I won’t get called in again.’ And Jimin sounded so excited to go biking together along the river.

He finishes zipping up his pants and then comes toward Jimin who is still only half awake. “Sorry baby,” he apologizes again. “I know you were excited for our park date today.” He runs his fingers through Jimin’s hair, carding through his thick, luscious black locks. Jimin gently grabs Jungkook’s hand and then kisses it, mumbling something, eyes still hooded and clearly still sleepy.

He’s not even upset. Not the tiniest bit. He understands Jungkook has to go to work and that the hospital, his patients are his first priority. Jeon Jungkook was his truly ideal man. Being doctors, they both understood each other. This is why many doctors marry other doctors, because they understand the crazy lifestyle. That often times, plans had to be broken, families would sometimes have to be put second, and romantic dates like picnic dates would have to take a raincheck. Jimin remembers his first day of his internship where his supervisor said medicine comes first. Sometimes even before family and love. He remembers being utterly frightened on that first day.

But he quickly got used to it. 

Their first priority would always be medicine. For the both of them.

“I love you.” Jimin says in his groggy morning voice. Jungkook leans down and Jimin gives him a good morning kiss and says once more, “I love you. We’ll go next time. Have a good day at work, Dr. Jeon.”

“Jimin.” Jungkook shakes his head as if he is just out of words. He looks down at his sleepy boyfriend and smiles fondly. “I’m so crazy about you. I love you. Sorry I woke you up. Sleep more, okay?”

“Mm.” Jimin nods while smiling and stretching his arms. He makes an ugly stretching sound and Jungkook laughs. How could someone look so fucking cute while sleeping and waking up? He’ll never understand it. He didn’t understand it then months ago when he first saw him passed out in the on call room bunk bed and he didn’t understand it now with Jimin’s hooded eyes and messy bed hair. He was just so damn cute and loveable.

“No no, stay in bed. Sleep more.”

“Oh I plan to. But Jungkook,” Jimin says.

“Hm?”

“Open the top drawer,” he says lazily pointing to his dresser. “There’s an envelope. Sorry. It’s late and random. But I just remembered. Read it later though like after you leave my apartment.”

Jungkook walks over and takes out the envelope. Ah. Ari. The letter.

“Why can’t I read it now?”

“I’m shy.” Jimin pulls the covers over his hide and speaks from under the blanket. “Byeee! Have a good day at work! Oh! Take a banana or yogurt or something to eat!”

Jungkook chuckles and shakes his head. “Alright babe. I’ll see ya later. I love you.”

“I love you,” Jimin says, cutely pulling the covers down so only his eyes were showing. They smile at each other and bid farewell. Soon enough, Jungkook is out the door and waiting for the elevator when he unfolds the letter.

To Dr. Park and Dr. Jeon:

Love is a chemical reaction. Dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, endorphin are some of the ingredients for this wonderful cocktail called love. For how smart you both are, you sure are stupid! I can’t believe you both don’t see it?? When I can see it so clearly?

Fucking date already you morons.

If you’re readying this, I’m already gone. But you’re not. So you guys still have the chance to love and be happy. Stop wasting your time. Life is short. I’ll miss you guys. Tell my parents and brother I love them so much. Thanks for everything docs. It’s been real.

Always,

Ari

Chapter Text

“Kim Taehyung, I vow to make you laugh, to cherish you forever, to always hold your hand, to make you happy. I promise to not only be your husband, but best friend, cheerleader and supporter in everything you do, adventure buddy on all your crazy shenanigans, Instagram husband for all your eccentric outfit of the days,” the wedding guests all chuckle and Taehyung’s smile widens into an even bigger box than it already was. Seokjin continues on. “your personal physician when you’re sick, but mostly, I promise you myself. To give you all of me Kim Taehyung…”

The groom continues on with his vow and Jimin looks over at the back of the wedding hall and sees a small lady standing in the corner. She’s not taking a seat on one of the beautifully tulle wrapped chairs and it looked as though she was trying not to be seen. He squints his eyes and recognizes her face. 

Seokjin’s mother.

It was a small but beautiful wedding. At a chapel, though neither Taehyung nor Seokjin themselves were religious, Taehyung wanted to do it at a church. It worked out perfectly because the couple didn’t want a huge wedding at the usual fancy hotel wedding halls that many of their friends and colleagues got married in. A quaint church located just half an hour outside of Seoul was just what they needed. Taehyung used to attend church with his family up until he graduated high school and while he tried to make it to the university campus service on Sundays, hangovers and sleep usually took a win. As for Seokjin, he only has vague memories of attending catholic mass 1-3  times a year usually for Easter or Christmas. But the two doctors looked so at peace right now standing at the wedding altar surrounded by their loved ones.

Jimin looks around the rest of the church, at familiar faces smiling fondly and nodding as Seokjin continues his now silly portion of his vows. He then scans his eyes where he lands on Jungkook who is sitting in the third row next to the rest of their friends and hospital colleagues. When Jungkook meets his eye contact, the trauma surgeon gives his boyfriend a wink and Jimin blushes turning away to focus back on the couple at the altar. 

He can’t see Taehyung’s face because he’s standing beside him as his best man, but Seokjin’s eyes are teary as he speaks. Singing words of commitment and affirmation, of promises and happily ever afters. Right behind him is Seokjung, Seokjin’s older brother. How glad he was to see Seokjin’s brother was there as best man, despite his parents’ being against the wedding. It would have been heartbreaking had no one from Jin’s family came to support the union. As of very late last night at the rehearsal dinner, there was no sign or knowledge that Seokjin’s mother would be attending. He wonders if Seokjin has any clue his mother is there in the back of the church, watching. She must have softened up, wondered how the wedding would go, how handsome her youngest son as a groom would look, how happy he is, and maybe even snuck here against her husband’s wishes to witness it, Jimin thinks.

They’ve come a long way to be where they are today, Seokjin and Taehyung. 

The last three months have been a trail of endless chaos, the type of madness where you feel truly blessed to be busy and fussing over such trivial first world things. The big wedding debate between served courses vs a buffet? A DJ or a live band? Bali or Maldives for the honeymoon? Move to the suburbs or redecorate Seokjin’s condo? Give Seokjin’s parents a third visit as their last attempt to get his approval or accept what is and move on with their lives with the blessing they have from those who do support their union? 

Unfortunately for them, Seokjin’s parents did not relent. They had already no-showed to the family sang-kyun-nae dinner, a tradition in which both sides of the family meet to discuss the marriage, wedding, finances shortly upon the news of engagement. That was the first attempt. The next month, the two found themselves on the Seokjin’s parent’s front porch with Seokjin holding a box of very large and perfectly ripe Korean pears, and Taehyung holding a box of hanwoo beef set and a small Rolex bag. All bought by Taehyung’s parents who convinced the engaged couple to try and make peace and get approval one more time. 

It didn’t work. Seokjin’s dad didn’t even bother uttering a single greeting to either of them and left to his study room leaving Mrs. Kim alone with her maknae son and his fiancé. She offered them both some tea and fruit. “Please tell your parents thank you for the gifts but we cannot accept,” she had said politely. She pleaded with them to please just date, date all they want! But to not go through with the marriage as Seokjin had to marry a wife. Not a man.

Taehyung could see she didn’t mean it. That it hurt her to say these words to her own son pursuing his own happiness. And that was enough for him. For both him and Jin. He believed Jin knew deep down knew this too and that his mother still loved him but was confined by the standards of society and the only world she knew. She loved him in the only way she knew how. Nobody wants to proceed with such a life milestone such as a wedding without the blessing from your own family, but nobody will also live your life for you. 

It took Jin so long to realize this but now that he had, he couldn’t go back to living for anyone else, including his parents. It is painful for both the children and parents to be estranged, but in the same way, Jin knew his life would be filled with other blessings, especially from his now partner Taehyung. Life does not always go the way we planned but somehow it always works out in the end. 

Jimin would not have ever imagined he would be standing here eye flirting with the cocky new trauma surgeon. Had someone told him this back then, he would have laughed in their faces as he proceeded to ramble on about how arrogant and condescending he was. Now, he couldn’t imagine life without Jungkook, let alone who he even was without him. 

Jimin still felt like the proud, smart, independent person he was and no man, no boyfriend, no relationship would ever make him feel “complete” because he always felt complete. But he could not imagine himself as Park Jimin anymore in a way where he has never felt so loved and at peace, so himself. He has had many flings and partners, but everytime he would date them and break up, he still felt like the same Park Jimin. Before Jungkook, he was Park Jimin. But after Jungkook, he felt like Park Jimin Who Was Loved By Jeon Jungkook. Everyone always says they want to feel loved when in a relationship - that was a given for Jimin. With Jungkook, he felt deeply understood . And there is no greater way of feeling loved than feeling understood. Jungkook understood and accepted him for all his crazy, chaotic, sassy, smart-ass self and he didn’t love him in spite of it or solely because of these qualities- but rather, he loved Jimin for all of it. And he too, loved Jungkook with all his heart for everything that he was: calm, reserved, man of few words who only spoke when it was necessary, hot-tempered, all of it. He never loved anyone so much as he loved Jungkook he felt his heart could burst just looking at him. He doesn’t know if it was the atmosphere being at a wedding that was making him feel mushy, but Jungkook looked extra handsome right now and extra lovable he wants to shout that he loves the man right this instant but he knows he’s in the middle of a ceremony for his best friend. And so he just smiles as they make eye contact again and they both nod knowingly. I love you. I love you more. 

Somewhere along the lines of caffeine assisted mornings, screaming matches, the pettiness, the saltiness, scrubbing down for the OR, bodily fluids of blood, sweat, and mucous,  the steady and far too familiar sound of the beeping vital monitor, the two surgeons had fallen deeply and unconditionally in love. 

– 

8 months later

“Do I look like I have time to listen to your personal issues? We have to head into prep for surgery soon, I don’t want to hear excuses.” Jungkook says as he paces quickly through the halls. His one stride could be 2-3 steps for someone more petite and he was so quick in his walk that his residents scurry almost at a light jog to keep up. 

The new young intern at the end of the group looks like she is about to cry but quickly wipes her eyes before she gets yelled at even more by Dr. Jeon. 

The group of doctors all come to a sudden halt when Dr. Jimin Park appears. 

“ Don’t forget tonight 7:30.” Jimin says to Jungkook.

“I know I know. But do I have to? I’m so busy today, why do I even need to be-”

“You will be there or I will kill you,” Jimin interrupts him and murmurs, but the residents and interns all can hear. 

“Literally so awkward-” Jungkook groans and signals with his two fingers for his team to go on first without him. His subordinates huddle away towards the OR leaving the two attending surgeons to talk privately. 

Jungkook continues on more comfortably now. “Dude, this is so awkward, do I have to?? Can’t you just go, you’re good at this stuff and making the vibe all comfortable and whatnot. I’ll send my blessings.”

“Absolutely not, DUDE. You don’t even have work tomorrow! And you do not get to scapegoat my extrovert just because you don’t want to have dinner with your brother and Hyunwoo. You better come or I swear to god I’ll-” Jimin threatens. 

Jungkook groans again and rubs his face. He was so tired and he wanted to just get these surgeries done and pass out into deep slumber at home. Jimin was absolutely correct, the last thing he wanted to do right now was have dinner with his older brother and work subordinate, Dr. Kim Hyunwoo. The two had coincidentally met at the hospital when Junghyun stopped by for lunch one day and the two have been dating since. Except now, it was starting to get serious, considering Junghyun actually arranged this dinner. He rarely did this with his partners. Jungkook could count the very few times Junghyun had introduced his partners to him. 

But Jungkook was still trying to figure out how to act with one of his direct reports dating his older brother. It was awkward, but at the same time he was very happy for his hyung. He would light up when talking about Hyunwoo. Of course, the biggest fan of this union was none other than his own boyfriend, Park Jimin. Now he could relax knowing Hyunwoo’s crush on Jungkook ceased to exist! He was completely in love with the older Jeon. 

Jimin had played cupid for them so hard in the early stages, and Jungkook could see right through him. He knew Jimin was a jealous person, despite always denying it and saying only he was the jealous one. Jungkook may be overtly jealous as his Virgo can not contain his facial expressions, but Jimin was equally as jealous of a partner, but subtly and pettily. 

Jungkook found it so cute. 

“I will be there, my love. But I have to go now, surgery soon.” Jungkook finally surrenders. “I love you.” He gives Jimin a quick kiss on the forehead and heads off toward the OR waving his hands. 

“Oh you BETTER be there or I swear to god! I love you!” Jimin yells as he crosses his arms smiling like an idiot as he approvingly watches the trauma surgeon jog off into the distance.  

2 surgeries and piles of charts later, Jungkook is seated in Dr. Min’s office for his last ever session. So close to being done. One more awkward dinner to go and then I’m free. Bed… sleep… I want sleep…

Jungkook drifts into thoughts of his schedule for tomorrow as he is off. Vacuum, deep clean fridge, lunch with Jimin, golf range, maybe do a 9-hole not full 18, meal prep, read a bit, sleep early. He is so, so tired all he can think about is finishing this session and leaving SMC. 

Jungkook was thrilled when Dr. Min told him a few weeks ago that he thinks he is ready to be done with therapy. He has made vast improvements in the workplace that he found it safe Jungkook no longer saw him. Of course, you could still catch Dr. Jeon yelling at interns and residents, but nothing out of the ordinary. You could not walk into a hospital in the Republic of Korea without finding an attending yelling at one of their juniors. But it was nothing like the huge blow ups and fights with other equal attendings as he had when he first joined SMC. He still had the nightmares, but not nearly as often. Actually, Jungkook doesn’t even remember the last time he had one… it may have been 3? 4? months ago. 

As for the last fire drill the hospital had a few months ago… it definitely startled him, and made him feel extremely uncomfortable and out of control, but he was able to recognize it was just a drill. He did not fall to the floor in terror from the sound, but managed to do as directed and walk outside. 

“So how do you feel today?” Dr. Min asks. 

“Good.” 

Dr. Min chuckles. “Just good?” 

“Yeah. I feel good. Tired. But good. Today’s my last, right?” he asks, even though he knows the answer. 

“A man of few words. As always. Yes, it is your last session, today. How is everything going? We can start anywhere.” 

Jungkook sighs knowing he had a whole 50 minutes still and so he sucks it up and starts actually talking. They had talked about the nightmares and his anger issues like a broken record for over a year now. He didn’t want to talk about it anymore. 

“Okay. Uhm. I guess we can talk about my relationship with Jimin?” He says almost nervously. Yoongi is now intrigued. 

“Of course. How is it going with you two?”

“It’s… good.” Jungkook hates that he just recycles the word ‘good’ during his sessions but it really was good. He’s never felt so happy and at peace in his life. It truly was good.

“I am so glad to hear that. I know you two have come a long way. I would love to hear more about how it is ‘good’.” Dr. Min replies. 

They were happily dating. They still lived separately, despite Jungkook asking Jimin again if he wanted to live together 8 months ago. Jimin being Jimin of course said no. He was so firm on who he was and what he believed in. And him being anti-cohabitation before marriage did not change. 

But…

He did give Jungkook a key. And vice versa. They pretty much lived at each other’s places despite not “officially” living together, moreso at Jungkook’s because he usually had more groceries and food at home. Also because he was closer to Jimin’s favorite dessert shop. It made Jungkook laugh but he went along with it. They worked tirelessly together, still arguing over medical care plans because being lovers did not equate to agreeing on medical matters - that did not change whatsoever, and fought still over petty things at home as their personalities truly were the opposite. They fought and made up just as couples do, but nothing like they used to fight. They loved more than they fought. 

Undoubtedly, Taehyung and Jin’s wedding definitely added a certain… mood to their relationship as weddings always made singles feel a type of way. At the time, they both decided they wanted to focus on their careers while happily dating. But dating with intention - intention for marriage. And that is exactly what they were doing.

They had met each other’s parents and were adored by both sides. Jungkook obviously met Jimin’s parents first and he did indeed go golfing with Chairman Park. He did embarrassingly bad which triggered his competitive nature and so he had practically lived at the range and greens any free time he had for a good 6 months. He now felt comfortable to get back out there with the Chairman. Jimin would sometimes tag along but he wasn’t nearly as interested in the sport as Jungkook (Jimin and Taehyung had gotten severely into pickleball). Jungkook had genuinely ended up falling in love with golf and Jimin would roll his eyes accusing him that he was just trying to impress his dad. It was half true. 

He still remembers the first time he introduced Jimin to his parents. He was shocked at how both his parents instantly fell in love with Jimin, not because Jimin is hard to love, but because his parents really never showed much interest in his last exes. They always were indifferent about them - didn’t love them but didn’t hate them. His mom simply adored Jimin and was so fussy over him, always asking Jungkook how Jimin was doing and when she’d get to see him again. His father also got along with him so well. Jimin was such a natural with parents, but he should have known, considering he was just a natural with all humans. Well, except with him when he first joined SMC. But that’s a story to tell their grandchildren one day.. 

“I think I’m going to propose.” Jungkook blurts. 

“Congratulations, Jungkook. I think you are too.” Yoongi smiles fondly. 

It was about damn time, these two.