Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

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The park is quieter than ever: unusual compare usual, usual compare whenever it's not supposed to be. It's a little complicated, Jungkook grew used to it.

The usual popcorn-stand sits worn out at the corner of the intersection, its red blending into aging colors of the street cornering the park. It has been there from the day Jungkook settled into the neighborhood up to present. Jungkook likes seeing it there, unoccupied, rusty and extant regardless. It reminds him of stability, the good kind of change that doesn't steal away from the core that matters. Jungkook has seen the trees change colors through the seasons, the concrete be replaced after a car crash incident, the wet laundry come and go strings hanging down the street. Jungkook has never seen the popcorn-stand occupied. It's a pleasant mystery.

Standing purposelessly among the greens, Jungkook scans the area through the smoke vaporing his eye sight when he rubs his fingerless gloved hands together. The weather's still a little cold so it's understandable that people wouldn't want to breakfast through the wind. Displeased by his early morning choice of filming, Jungkook takes ahold of his tripod and black slump bag of equipment, settling on passing time by the window seat of the café he considers his escapade heretofore.

He'll find a few victims soon enough. They always come around.

"Good morning good Sir, and welcome-welcome to Avocado. May your dreams come true, but first try our lovely macchiato!"

It is a sight, with Jungkook juggling his equipment through the little wooden door but as always, he makes it one piece to the counter. He slumps his arms unto the slightly-high surface and throws a lazy grin at the barista who intently returns his expression.

"Wasn't your best, admit it." Jungkook tilts his head in disapproval. It doesn't faze the barista.

"It'll be perfect as long as you keep doing your job."

"Which is?"

The barista shifts unabashedly, tapping a few buttons on his cashier register without taking his eyes off of Jungkook. "Constructive criticism. You're my test subject, if you haven't noticed."

Jungkook snorts. "So you're actually good at the pick-up line thing."

With the barista's duh, Jungkook's snort turns into a shoulder-shaking laughter. It's a routine between them by now, this cheerful banter thing they have going on. Jungkook hasn't dwelled on the friendship they could have levelled up during months of continuous counter chatter. Neither side has shown further interest in advancement, and so they have stuck to being pick-up line acquaintances.

Jungkook takes a brief look around as the barista prepares his order, arching his brows when he realizes he's the only customer inside. It's surprising to see the bustling café so empty, as it's a popular destination for habitants of the neighborhood and by-passers with its homey design and heartening Christmas decoration in the holiday season. Jungkook almost feels like a nuisance at the orderly arrangement, his stomach churning when he matches the feeling to first day of middle school, to being the first kid stepping into a class of neatly arranged desks. 

Yikes.

"I suppose you have a lot of time in your hands today." The barista reappears with a small cup of macchiato – yes, he probably used the damn macchiato line on Jungkook because he knows Jungkook is an enthusiast – and places it on the counter, very kindly. Jungkook likes the little clicking sound that comes out of the gesture, his gaze delayed when he answers.

"I guess I'm a little too early for park meet ups? They'll come around a while later." Jungkook mumbles, absent-mindedly checking his wrist watch. It's 10 a.m., not that late too dang it.

"Hm. Not sure about that bit, but good luck with ambushing." The barista leaves with a pointed look and apologetic smile, at that Jungkook frowning and fighting the urge to allow anxiety surround his body.

Two hours of loitering around with his half-edited videos, Jungkook finally manages a little crowd to work with. There are two senior ladies strolling along the park trails, a few runners sprinting through the sea track and a few families picnicking on the grass now. No one's ideal enough to bring him the desired views, but maybe if he goes with a more-than-unusual crowd he might be able to get some attention. Eccentric is the new trend, and maybe Jungkook needs to go out of his ways a little further today.

He sets his camera at a dependable angle, arranges his collar microphone and gets to work. His first take will be on two young ladies sipping their smoothies on a bench facing the sea. The issue of this video is hilarious to even think about and Jungkook barely manages his laugh. He stays within a distance of their seated location, starting a staring competition on his own with the ladies that take a while to notice him. When they do they slightly panic, exchange weirded looks and uncomfortably shift in their seats.

Jungkook's got them tuned in. He puts into action.

Slowly, just very slowly, he starts raising his feet off the ground one by one in an exaggerated manner. As he advances towards them in slow motion he makes a war-like face expression, mouth chewing on empty air, eyelids blinking slowly and arms limping on air like he is trying to reach something he is being held back from. The ladies watch him stupefied, starting to panic when he gets real close.

They are squealing and grabbing their bags off the bench, backing up to get Jungkook to leave them alone but Jungkook is headed to them full-speed (full 0.5x speed), walking on inexistent water and growling throatily like he is about to destroy them once he gets there.

He looks ridiculous.

But the views and money made off of it will be worth it. He just has to suck up the embarrassment and proceed with the plan.

"Can you stop?" One of the girls asks loudly as her friend dissolves into giggles, both of them somewhat amused with Jungkook's kept composure as he advances towards them regardless of their retrieving steps.

It doesn't last too long before they decide on leaving, but Jungkook catches them with an apologetic smile, explaining to them that he is filming a prank video for YouTube and asks their permission to use their reaction on the channel. They are both flustered and delighted, wishing him good luck with his channel and subscribing right away.

Jungkook feels relieved at every video that ends peacefully like this. It's not always the case, depending on the prank, though most of the time he sticks to harmless jokes and manages to get the people's sympathy when he reveals the camera hidden nearby. They mostly freeze for a while and squint their eyes to spot the camera, and when they do, they break into laughter and let him use the clips.

Jungkook likes his job, his channel.

The day passes with him doing a similar slow-motion action scene to several people, most of them giving good usable reactions while others stare at him like a psychopath. It all works for his case. He is about to wrap it up with around five clips, and then he notices a bunch of college students exiting the convenience store next to the cafeteria, headed to the park where he has been filming day long.

He assumes they're college students from their young looks and the chatty cheerful ambience they radiate. Youngsters tend to give the funniest reactions and these guys are a group. Couldn't get any better for Jungkook.

Standing ten feet or so away, Jungkook is internally hailing himself to get it over with and head home. The group of friends are now seated on the grass, engaged in a joyful chatter while sipping on their soft drinks. Jungkook needs a way to grab their attention, since they are too immersed in their own converse so he clears his throat real loud a couple of times.

The attention arrives. A few of them are throwing distracted looks at him from their shoulders, and Jungkook thinks now or never.

He starts the show. Like he did previously he raises his foot off the ground and moves his arms in the air, headed to the boys in slow motion with a war-like aura. He is calculated in his movements, making sure to play realistically and it appears to be working for the group. They are tapping on each other and showing Jungkook among themselves. Jungkook feels himself blushing a little even, though he doubts they would notice the tint in his cheeks from the horrendous expression he wears on.

His course of action is purely spontaneous – has been – and Jungkook doesn't have time to rethink his plan when he decides to aim a slow-motion punch at the dude sitting nearest to where he is. He can't focus on much of his appearance except for the dirty blonde hair, brown almost, and his raised eyebrows that should have told Jungkook of his fearlessness.

He's three steps away now, slowly bending towards the blonde's direction with a fist on air, until the unexpected happens. The blond guy is standing up in slow motion too, and before Jungkook can perceive what's happening he sees a punch similar to his being directed towards himself.

The dude's game. He is playing.

Jungkook would have laughed and let him mess around with his little skit, but he somehow seems to be so starstruck by the unexpected reaction that he finds his body frozen on air, eyes blinking and following the movement of the boy whose hand flies towards his jaw as if it were an actual movie scene. The boy's eyes are flickering too; he has that similar war face expression Jungkook earlier on had, and for some reason Jungkook believes this boy might have done a better job at acting slow-motion than he did.

He's thinking too much and he pays for it.

The boy must have expected Jungkook to continue his play that he softly lands his fist on Jungkook's jaw and keeps tugging at it until Jungkook's face is moving to the other side – it goes downhill from there. Frozen, Jungkook forgets how to breathe and before he can balance himself his foot is getting caught at a random rock, his body is losing balance and he is getting his head hit on the concrete nearby.

Everything turns silent for a bit. A whispering buzz starts on his left ear, come to his vision the foggy sky and the clouds, the horrified blond boy staring down at him and mouthing something, and then a huge zonk-zonk beat that tears his brain apart into pieces.

Jungkook shouts in pain, unknowingly holding his head and shutting his eyes as hard as he can.

"Oh no, oh no, are you okay?"

Jungkook can't pay much attention, staying focused on the bouncing sensation tearing his cells apart. It's too painful. He fell too hard. He is an idiot.

"Can you hear me? Hello?"

"I-I'm fine." Jungkook mutters clearly not-fine. He just doesn't want to deal with more voices than ones that are echoing in his brain. He's not sure how long he is going to lay here, but he knows that he wants to be left alone.

"I really didn't do that on purpose, I'm really sorry." There are hands grabbing at his arms, trying to pull them apart from himself. Jungkook struggles to keep his balance, again, but this time carefully he is being sat up by the blond boy, who seems worried to death by the burdened look in his eyes. "Does it hurt? You fell really bad." He keeps talking to himself, checking on the back of Jungkook's head and trying to feel any bumps with his fingers.

He is honestly not making it any better with the touching, but Jungkook is too unfocused to talk him out of it.

Only after the blond boy's shadow disappears come into view his other friends that have gathered around him as well.

Jungkook really hates his life, his job. His freaking channel. None of this would have happened if he had peacefully worked at a part-time store. But no. He had to go out of his ways and do 'what I'm good at'. He fell, knocked his head on concrete in a park abounding grass. Momentarily: he has zero expectations from the upcoming new year, let alone his YouTube channel.

"Look, there seems to be no apparent damage whatsoever and you seem to be fine... but I'm not happy about letting you go without making sure everything is okay with your brain." The blond boy sits on his knees in front of him, explaining with the responsibility of a paramedic. "We're gonna have to go to the hospital."

Whoa whoa whoa.

Blondie's taking things a little too far.

"I'm fine! I said... ah." The buzz is back. Jungkook's gonna murder himself. He keeps rubbing at the back of his head but it's not helping. "I'm okay guys, I just lost my balance for a bit there. Didn't expect you..." Jungkook unites eyes with the boy for the first time intentionally, unwantedly feeling shy once he notices how concentrated the blondie is on him. "You to go along with it."

There is a silence of contemplation from everyone, but blond guy is speaking up again.

"What's your name?"

Jungkook blinks at the random question.

"E-excuse me?"

"He totally can't remember his name." One of the friends is failing to whisper to the other bended over Jungkook, pitiful expressions as they analyze Jungkook. "Look he can't even-"

"Jungkook!" Jungkook explodes in disbelief, offendedly huffing at the friends. "My name is Jungkook and I am fine."

Another beat of silence later another one is commenting, a little more taken aback. "Anger issues, he absolutely lost his ability to manage temper."

Jungkook closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. He can't deal with this. He doesn't know how the blond guy got the message since he seemed to be stubborn with his doctors idea despite Jungkook stating he was fine, but he is helping out with the crowd, urging his friends to go back to hanging out so that he can take care of the situation himself.

"Come on, Jungkook."

Blodie helps him up by the arm. He is inspecting Jungkook like a deer caught in light, eyes never blinking as he watches Jungkook straighten up his clothes and catch his breath. The pain is gone a little now, but there is definitely a bump forming at the back of his head. Jungkook can feel his skin growing out of his skull.

"Come on." The boy speaks again, his voice so gentle that Jungkook can't find it in him to reject his offer directly.

"I'm sorry for freaking you out, but I seriously don't think there will be the need to go to the hospital." Jungkook says, trying to ignore the pain as he looks at the blond guy. "Thank you for being concerned, but I will seriously be fine."

He doesn't seem convinced. In fact, he looks so conflicted that Jungkook will almost give on everything he made up about being fine and fine, just take him to the damn hospital.

"Alright, alright, no hospital. But at least come with me to that coffee shop for a treat." He points to Jungkook's regular. The lights are sparkler than ever when Jungkook follows the direction of the blondie's finger, winking at him in endless hues as they hang all over the café's windows. "We'll get you a cold pack to calm down the buzzing too." Jungkook catches the guy looking at where he's been scratching the painful bump. "It's buzzing, isn't it?"

Jungkook doesn't know when he felt the need to be honest with his feelings when he nods, revealing a pout he's been holding back. "It really hurts."

The guy pouts back in misery like he's been expecting the reaction, hurrying him to the café. When Jungkook worries about his camera and equipment the blondie waves his hands and orders his friends around, and before Jungkook knows he is assured of the safety of his belongings and is being guided to the coffee shop where...

Dang it. The barista is gonna make fun of him so bad. He is doomed.

And maybe it's because he's just been hit on the head, but it flashes to him that it's Christmas day. That's why there wasn't anyone around the whole morning, and that's why the barista accused him of loitering.

What a great fucking way to end the year. 

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It hurts even more with the ice pack.

It hurts a little bit more every time they make eye contact and the exchange gets awkward. Jungkook accidentally let the stranger know that the ice pack doubled the pain and now the concerned boy is watching the slip of the ice pack against his skin hawk-eyed, making Jungkook feel like a criminal for shuffling his numb arm, held up too long.

"I just wanted to tag along with the fun." The blond guy sighs, finally letting go of the tenseness in his shoulders as he looks down. "I didn't know you'd... hate it."

Jungkook is startled, almost offended.

"N-no, I didn't hate it." He rambles, gaining the stranger's quick attention. He feels pressured to make it right between them now, at least give the boy his thanks for being such a good sport back then (Jungkook couldn't handle niceness) and helping Jungkook out after he got hurt. "People don't normally join in when I am being weird for the camera." He smiles genuinely for the first time, fond of his experiences that flash before his eyes. "Not that they know I'm doing it as a show during my... acting, you know. I tell 'em later."

A smile lights up the blondie's face.

"So you're an actor."

Jungkook shyly denies all statements. That's absolutely not what he meant. "I'm not an actor. I only run a prank channel and I need to act out of character for it all to work."

The boy laughs and it suddenly feels like the unease has finally been lifted off of the table. "Weird enough, I thought that's how you walked on a daily basis."

Jungkook didn't except sarcasm to be part of their conversation too soon, but he can take dry humor. He will take dry humor, because that is an elated level of friendship allowance and this stranger has been able to walk over all the other levels way too quicker than an average. "Why did you do it? I'm assuming it's unlikely that both of us practice slow-mo war scenes as a lifestyle."

The blondie snorts, eyes fixated on Jungkook like he didn't expect to enjoy this conversation all at once either. "I have no idea, truth to be told. I guess I am a bit of a crackhead too."

Nice. Jungkook likes crackheads. So he nods in approval, lifting the ice pack a bit higher on his head before the boy has to remind him of it. It feels a bit number now. He is not supposed to pay attention to it, he realizes, as the pain has subsided significantly since he has been talking to...

Oh. He doesn't even know the blondie's name yet.

He opens his mouth to ask, but is interrupted by the barista that drops a tray of drinks on their table and pulls a nearby chair to join them invitation dismissed, choosing to twirl the chair around the opposite direction and crossing his arms on the backrest as he grins at the two.

"He did something dumb, didn't he?" The barista asks the blondie, eyes trained on Jungkook who is busy scoffing. "I told you not to expect much of today, man."

Conversation flows for the next five minutes, mostly filled with barista's playful banter and humiliating exposure of Jungkook's failing life as a prankster. It's not that failing, Jungkook will excuse himself, since he's been making quite some money from his videos – well the earlier ones that blew up – and he can make a living for himself. The blondie, surprisingly acknowledges Jungkook's career and praises him for working hard at sustaining himself. He says something similar to what Jungkook's mother once told him about "standing on your own two feet" but he doesn't put much thought into it. Not when the barista beats him into asking what's the blondie's name is.

"Jimin," the blondie says with a blinding smile. Jungkook wonders briefly how intentionally possible it is to be so happy about pronouncing one's own name. "Nice to meet you guys."

Maybe it is the sincerity behind one's emotion or the excitement flowing in their eyes when they talk to you, Jungkook just knows that he wants to feel the same way. He finds himself smiling back at Jimin and holding his hand out, keeping Jimin's surprised gaze at his forward invitation.

"Nice to meet you too, I'm Jungkook."

There is a brief hesitation by Jimin's side to take his hand, but when he finally does he is holding back a laughter Jungkook can't pinpoint the source of. Jimin enlightens him, squeezing his hand once playfully.

"You already told me, remember?"

Jungkook doesn't even have to meet the barista's eyes to know he is being made fun of. He probably earned it.

Half an hour of conversation later Jimin's friends are dropping by the coffee shop to give back Jungkook's equipment and snatching Jimin off to leave. It's a weird moment when their eyes meet and there is a lingering look that refuses to leave Jimin's eyes (totally biased recount), in which Jungkook gets lost for a while. There's an unspoken invitation to extend this short encounter – they click. Pitifully admitting, Jungkook hasn't felt this comfortable and cheered up around someone in a long time. He has friends, he always had as a natural outcome of his fame-calling channel.

But with Jimin it was different. He saw the besties potential for both of them to stay up late nights, get high on coffee and play video games on finals week. He saw sharing his most intimate memories and finding understanding, spending moments without talking because Jimin would be comfortable enough to share such with him.

Jimin is different.

"So... good luck with everything," the blondie presses his lips together for a smile, extending his hand forward coolly. Jungkook takes it and ends the shake faster than he planned in his head, leaving Jimin with his hand half-left on air. Jimin doesn't allow him to panic though, going instead for a natural-looking hug with the barista next to him. "You should use the last clip, it was awkward but it will make the video funnier," he says lastly to Jungkook, wearing the backpack one of his friends hands him.

Jungkook nods. He wishes he could do more.

With a bright wave Jimin and his friends are gone.

Jungkook doesn't want to admit to the depressing feelings creeping up inside him, but he is obviously pouting and the barista's shoulder massage isn't actually helping him feel better about it.

For once, he feels reasonably thankful for living in this small city. People know each other, and maybe, just maybe they'll run into each other again. Jungkook promises, that if that time ever comes he is going to approach Jimin himself first and make sure they are friends before he can disappear again. 

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It's only a week after when Jungkook has a chance to take a look at the statistics of his Slow-Mo themed video.

It did well. Not as well as he predicted (more like wished) it would, but it is good enough to bring him some satisfactory revenue. That's the good thing about prank videos to Jungkook: they don't get old. If the content is hilarious, people will click for the laugh regardless of the time frame or the date of release.

It's just... Jungkook wishes he did better than "regular". He opened the channel with ideas sparking out of his brain at the beginning of the year. He was indeed so excited to create content of his own desire that his parents couldn't resist but gift him a camera set as an early birthday present. Jungkook still remembers fondly how hard he tried not to cry when he saw their kind gesture, and how easily he failed at it. His mother had pulled him into a joyful hug and his father patted his back with a grin, wishing him luck with all his perfect ideas. They probably wanted to leave him with one good memory before he headed to college, cities away from them too, and Jungkook couldn't think of a better way to be seen out.

With all said, he's not very proud of his current stance.

"So what, bro? You are making money, aren't ya?"

He snaps with a huff, tired of listening to the same consolations from Yoongi. They have been the closest of friends since first day of college and Jungkook very much is comforted by his presence at his down times, but Yoongi has been too repetitive for his own good, let alone favoring Jungkook.

"Money is not the problem." Jungkook picks at the carpet with his feet, raising it a little too high from his anxious pulling. He scoffs, annoyed at that too. "Fine, money is a motivation. But I'm getting bored of uploading lame videos just so I can make money, y'know?"

"I don't, actually, know." Jin speaks from next to Yoongi, pointedly grabbing a Lays chips from the package sitting on his lap. "I thought you liked the content you're putting out there."

Jungkook watches his friends, absentmindedly admiring how well they match as a duo. They have incredibly always been in synch, not to fit in with the other but instinctually always managed to stay concurrent with each other's ideology. He normally appreciates the solidarity, although at times like this when Jungkook needs someone to side with him he is simply not finding an escapade with one if not the other.

"It's getting old." Jungkook sinks on the couch, discontented in himself to even try being positive. "I don't know what I want to do with it anymore."

I don't know what I want to do with my life anymore, he thinks briefly, which is the cherry in the cake to enhance his depressive mood.

At the long silence that follows his announcement, his two friends are warily peeking at each other in a way that Jungkook can't really decipher. His attention is now openly fixated on Yoongi who is mouthing something to Jin, who has his eyebrows raised to the ceiling as a way of responding.

"I can see you whisper." Jungkook deadpans.

Jin is the one gathering the pieces of their indecency with a half-assed apology, as Yoongi indifferently goes back to eating the chips, eyes trained at a random spot in the living room of the duo's shared house. And he speaks. "You need us."

Jungkook takes a moment. The memories that pass his mind by are traumatic beyond say, and when he spots Jin's head rolling towards him smugly, he kind of understands why it brings him goosebumps all over. "It's time, bro. Let us in."

"No," Jungkook pitches defensively, very sure of himself when he spits the following words. "I'm not falling at that pothole again."

"It's not a pothole for God's sake." Jin sighs mockingly, while Yoongi makes an offended face, stuffing his cheeks with a couple too many chips to display his grumpiness. "You know last time was an unforeseeable business misunderstanding. It could happen to anyone."

Jungkook doesn't want to fight, because he knows there is no way he is going to win any fight against the most powerful duo in the history of college debates. These two are like fire – once they are settled to convince they will convince, or they will convince at a quicker pace than the first. But stubbornness is in his blood, and Jungkook wants to fight against what caused him psychological pain in a past he doesn't want to repeat: trusting Jin and Yoongi to solve his problems for him.

"Trust us to solve your problem for you, my friend." Jin parrots knowingly and Jungkook almost chokes on his spit. "We know how to get you what you need."

"Which is?!"

The two friends vigilantly eye each other just as they were about to speak. Jungkook almost had them, damn it.

"You know how things work." Yoongi clears his throat, intending to throw his arm at the backrest of the couch and belatedly realizing it's too high for him to do that.

"We gotta talk it out." Jin is following up with a serious nod, making Jungkook want to mock them for whatever gangsta attitude they are taking against him. "We need time to figure things out, do calculations, meet with our people – figure things out." Jin bobs his head around sloppily, fingers stretching in weird angles to expresses his swag.

Jungkook can't handle the comedic situation. He breaks into a laughter and watches his friends stare down at him in amusement.

"I'm not letting you guys rob me again. It's out there," he states his final decision, shrugging comfortably as he sinks back into the couch.

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Standing at the half-open door of the debate club in the basement of the university building devoted to clubs and the seated crowd of five, Jungkook realizes, he is totally letting them rob him again. It was a lost battle even before he got started with it, but a part of him doesn't care about losing too. Not when he already lost the purpose of his channel and there are someones who claim to have a way out of his dilemma.

He readjusts the straps of his backpack and steals a look at the empty corridors of the stuffy basement floor. He has no idea why they gave the Debate Club out of all clubs, the stalest place to conduct their affairs. It honestly makes them look like an illegal base meetup – and if Jungkook is to think it through, maybe they have evolved into an illegal base meetup by breathing the shady air in here so often.

Last time he'd resorted to the "Secret Services" run by the Debate Club following Jin and Yoongi's advice, who happen to be the presidents of the club too, things had gone horribly wrong. Jungkook doesn't want to talk about it further than stating that he'd been embarrassed in front of the entire university and scarred for life, said scars extant to this day.

Sigh.

Jungkook scratches his head in agony and screws everything, pushing the half-open door wider and taking a step in. The laughter in the room dies upon his presence, the chatter fading away and a serious aura taking over the atmosphere. There, are the same five members of the secret service team in their glory, dressed up in suits and ties with glasses hanging off the bridges of their noses, serving him looks as he awkwardly stands in front of the big round table where they're seated.

Same as Jungkook had left.

"Hey, look who's here!" Jin chimes brightly, standing up to receive him into the room. "Let's welcome our revisiting customer, everyone!" He runs a hand over the small of Jungkook's back, almost forcibly pushing him forward. Upon his word everybody breaks into their initial cheerful mood, clapping for Jungkook with full force and whistling upon his presence. Jungkook even spots a too-nerdy-looking girl lose her glasses from the intensity of her head-bobbing excitement.

Yikes, they are all too deep in this thing. But then, monetary affairs. Jungkook can relate to personality change at the mention of said asset, especially if you are a college student who refuses/lacks support from your family.

"Hope your service has improved since last time we met." Jungkook fakes a cloying smile, shrugging off his backpack and Jin's arm fighting to keep him near, settling on the nearest wheeled chair with all abruptness. He ties his arms and raises an eyebrow, watching the alarmed expression on the students' face.

He is not even sure if that shady-looking guy sitting at the corner seat is a student! Where did they even find him?!

"Minji, inform him of our customer satisfaction reports since the beginning of the year." Yoongi speaks up for the first time, seated next to Jin's with a dominant aura. It's hilarious how the suit makes Yoongi look smaller than manlier, the assertiveness melting into some sort of cuteness that makes Jungkook want to coo.

A neat-looking girl with long black hair (Minji, Jungkook assumes) shuffles some papers from Yoongi's other side. Jungkook lets his eyes wonder over, surprised at how decent she looks compared to the other crackheads. He mentally wakes up when she holds forward a paper full of graphics, her face disappearing behind it.

"Since the beginning of year 2019, we have observed 100% customer satisfaction."

Jungkook rolls his eyes, not even sparing the paper a look. "That's a long shot. I've spent athat same year with these two presidents of yours," he points accusingly at Jin and Yoongi, stirring the two at their seats. "And they haven't shown any intellectual advancements that I know of."

"You little-

Jungkook brings his chin forward daringly, challenging Yoongi who is trying to break free of Jin's and Minji girl's hold to come fight him. Well everyone knows Yoongi won't actually jump Jungkook or anything, considering his inexistent build compared to Jungkook. He's just a showman, and people play along for fun. Jungkook finds it endearing, more so.

After everyone has calmed their nerves, there seems to be a shift in mood. Noone's pretending to be professional anymore, and Jungkook notices their humanly nature for the first time ever since he has stepped into the room. They look tired, more than anything – the nerdy girl has her forehead resting against the table's corner, the gangsta boy took his glasses off and he looks totally done with this mess of a meeting, the neatsy girl is not even interested on whatever she's scrolling through her phone.

Jin and Yoongi?

They look guilty, unexpectedly.

Jungkook bites on his lips as he gives tentative looks at the two, both worn out of their acting suits with the way they are sulking indecisively. He shouldn't have a reason to apologize, Jungkook, but maybe he has brought the mood down a little more than was necessary. He might have embarrassed their presidents in front of the club members and stirred up a confrontational atmosphere.

He clears his throat.

It doesn't really work.

He sighs. "Okay, look everyone, I'm sorry for bringing you down. If you still wanna take me on as a client... to hell, I'm in."

It works this time round, indeed, like lightening until everyone's undivided attention is on him. Jungkook doesn't allow himself to question whether they were acting hopeless to get him to agree, nope. He is not doing that cruelty to himself. He did not just get baited.

But Yoongi has never grinned so wide his entire life, and Jungkook just knows. He just got baited. They are the debate club, for God's sake, what was he thinking?

◢

◤

First rule of being the client of the secret services of the Debate Club is to basically follow their instructions, unquestioningly. They supposedly have a made-out long-term plan for the solution of the problem and for Jungkook's case it is enlivening his channel: bringing him a fresh purpose to upload videos. Jungkook doesn't know what in the world they have planned for him this time, and he isn't entirely trusting of the team's spontaneous schedule.

Because spontaneity, is what they proposed.

See, in contrast to the puppy eyes and bubbles of sadness these group of a secret gang make when you turn down their ideas, in charge they reveal their dark side. It pains Jungkook how much money he paid these people to help him out. Truth be told, this time round, their plan was on another genius level. So Jungkook can sort of deal with the pain of agreeing to a 150-bucks-each-task contract (he will triple the revenue when his videos hit the roof, they promised), because he is not going to lie, these students had actually put their lives on the line to get Jungkook his spark for content creation.

"For this plan to work, you can't know the details." Jin had pressed, with all sincerity.

Equally determined, Yoongi had spoken up to the fist-microphone Minji held to his lips. "We're gonna be running a show, Jungkook." He had swatted away the hand that was distracting him from ducking his head forward and gone the extra mile by putting a knee up the table as well. "More precisely, we are going to run your prank show."

"All you have to do is hand us your camera equipment and give us the freedom to film you when and wherever." Jin had added smartly, his eyes sparkling in content when Jungkook's face gave away the chilling flip his heart made. "You'll basically be handing us the freedom to run a prank show on you."

Yoongi pointed a finger at him smugly. "In which you star and only you be the star."

Not even five minutes later Jungkook was signing all pages of the contract they handed him unquestioningly, first rule of the Secret Services complied without issues. He was excited, and so unexpectedly too, that he didn't try hiding the smile in his eyes when Yoongi and Jin raised knowing eyebrows at him when he handed them over the contract.

"See, my dude? Told you we'd fix it for you."

Jungkook nodded in acknowledgement and when they grew too cocky he took their necks into an armlock and whispered at their ears. "If you guys dare doing me dirty with your little spontaneous prank orders, I'll end your careers. Hear me?"

There had been no resistance whatsoever. Jungkook had contently left the room as the rest of the members urgently gathered around a choke-coughing Yoongi and a tomato-faced Jin.

This was going to be good. It was exactly what Jungkook needed for a change.

◢

◤

Jungkook is that one student who doesn't want to stick out too much but falls captive to his curiosity with his major, which ends up with him shouting over his questions from the farthest seat at the back of the amphitheater. He believes his vocal cords have improved ever since the beginning of his junior year, just trying to get himself heard by the professor. 

Notwithstanding, he is not enjoying the current situation where he is really doing his best to pose a particular question yet neither Dr. Yang nor other students are able distinguish the tone of his voice.

"Hold that thought, Jungkook. Give me a second." interrupts Dr. Yang with a wave, clearly annoyed by the megaphone announcement parroting on the hallways numerous times through the morning. Jungkook relaxes back into his seat and wanders his eyes over the little rectangle window pane on the door of the classroom. He sees a little baggage tractor decorated with colorful posters, someone holding a megaphone maneuvering it while endlessly announcing.

"Costumed mascot raffle season for Gidae University, the guy's voice echoes. Put your applications in earlier than tomorrow morning! Good luck to everyone! Costumed mascot raffle season for Gidae University. Put your applications-"

"Do you guys think I should make a complaint to the security? Or secretary?" Dr. Yang asks the class in desperation, fanning her face excessively with a notebook. She is frustrated and Jungkook assumes she doesn't need to hear the rest of his earlier question. He retreats, bulging eyes fixating on his lap and lips pressing shut.

Nope, she doesn't.

"The annoucement speakers are not working today from what I heard? That's probably why they got a truck to circulate on the halls." A female student from the front rows speaks. Dr Yang shakes her head and waves her arms expressing the what-am-I-supposed-to-do-then frustrain of thought although she ends up not saying anything. She puts down her notebook and closes the lecture Powerpoint in one swift move.

"Well you guys will have to do the rest of the reading at home because we can't continue under these circumstances. If you have any questions about the material feel free to email me, we can do an online session later if you want."

Class is dismissed. 

Regardless of how intrigued he was with the first ever made advertisement in history, Jungkook appreciates a class off. He is one of the lasts to exit the class since his bag is unpacked with stationary sprawled across the desk unlike the majority who sat at the edges of their seats ready to dissipate as soon as lecture ended. 

He takes his time heading out, halting upon the image of the truck from earlier failing to fit inside the floor elevator.

He runs over on impulse.

"Hey, hey, be careful!"

The announcer boy is grateful for Jungkook's presence, welcoming his help. The truck is guided inside the elevator with ease and the student can resume with the work. 

"Thank you for your help. Oh, and don't forget to sign up for the Mascot Raffle if you haven't already!" He smiles lastly, throwing a yellow flyer through the crack before the elevator doors shut closed on him. 

"Yeah," Jungkook mutters, catching piece of paper with a funny smile, finding the student's passion amusing for such a random job. But then the school mascot raffle has always been a thing during the sports season in Gidae, stirring up the whole university when the Winter National University Games approach. It's Jungkook's first time witnessing it, since he's a freshman. 

Even if his questions aren't heard over the loudness of the speaker sometimes, Jungkook supposes he likes the commotion, the excitement of an extra-curricular activity enliven the student community. 

◢

◤

Yoongi is in the middle of making a point when Jungkook invades the space next to him in the cafeteria zone where he's lounging with Jin. He assumes it wasn't the best time to interrupt when he observes the opposing vibes circulating in the air: while Jin looks dead from exhaustion, Yoongi combusts with energy like the tale he is telling is the dopest story in the history of dope stories — oh.

"You should never let your guards down when it comes to writing papers, Seokjin hyung. Don't be like the French; one strategy isn't going to help you succeed, no matter how strong you believe it to be!"

Jin disdainfully shrinks into the couch the more that he listens, eyes begging into Jungkook's in a silent a salvation call. Jungkook spaces out a little, unsure of how he's supposed to distract Yoongi without getting caught.

"Isn't it, Jungkookie?" calls Yoongi on cue, throwing an arm around Jungkook's neck and playfully ruffling his hair. He is in great mood, Jungkook can tell from the way his gums show behind his smile. 

The hyung is seriously obsessed with the damn story. It's goosebump-raising every time it surfaces.

"Yup," Jungkook smiles back warmly, peering up at Yoongi through his eyelashes gaily. "We should learn from the warring Germans, find a smart way to hack into every system. Because there is no such thing as perfection as we can learn from the Maginot Line failure."

Yoongi's smile falters for a bit, and Jungkook swears his heart shatters with it. He couldn't have messed up the story, he is confident he knows it by heart now! Hell everyone around Yoongi has memorized it by now.

But then Yoongi is pulling him to his chest abruptly, wiping an imaginary tear from his left eye. "Can't believe the baby learned so well Seokjin."

Jin physically face-palms, figure disappearing from where he completely slides down the couch. Jungkook grins proudly, ditching Jin's earlier save-me call because every praise coming from Yoongi is a 'touchdown' in itself, referencing to sports the main theme of the day with that.

"Oh, right," Jungkook blinks. "Did you guys see the mascot raffle truck go around school? Is it already time for the nationals?"

Yoongi swallows his ice americano sip with a delicious lip pop, finger supporting his chin as his eyes fixate into distance. Jungkook blinks again in distraction, trying to locate the point at which Yoongi is so deeply focused on. Add to that that comical expression on his face, like he is trying not to smile but he knows something. He is not even sure if Yoongi is listening to him.

"Did I just hear 'mascot'?"

Jungkook jumps on his seat, holding back a scream. Jin is sitting on his right side like he didn't just ghost out of nowhere.

"What the hell, Jin hyung!"

"Jungkook-ah." Yoongi waves his hand like it's not a big deal, signing with his eyes for Jungkook to sit back and listen. Jungkook can't process what just happened, still clutching his thumping heart as Yoongi leans into his ear cautiously. "How much exactly do you know about the mascot raffle?"

Jungkook tries waking himself up. "Why are you guys whispering, the truck has literally been screaming at the halls- "

"Sush! Are you trying to get us caught?!" Jin hits him hard in the arm, after which Jungkook turns into a filling of Yoongi and Jin sandwich bodies who are suffocating him to decease.

"We can't do this here. It's too dangerous." Yoongi scans around.

"Think it's time to let him know?" Jin peeks over.

Yoongi sucks his teeth, closing his eyes for a brief in hopes of catching some inspiration. After what seems like forever he apologizes for almost falling asleep and without giving Jin the opportunity to smack him, agrees on the 'letting him know' part. 

Jungkook only remembers the wind hit his face as he is kidnapped across the campus buildings.

◢

◤

"We gather here today to officially initiate Project Resurrection. Thank you for attending, everyone."

"Of course."

"Yeah, no problem Yoongs."

"I told you not to call me Yoongs, Minji."

"Slip of the tongue, Yoongs."

Jin catches Yoongi before an accident happens, windshield-wiper-laughing the tension off the table as he turns all attention to Jungkook to the best of his ability, because at this rate Jungkook is going to snap into his monster persona and tooth every piece of meat he catches on these scammer bodies.

The same fucking five-people committee of the Secret Services sit accross Jungkook with nimbus smiles, ready to finally let Jungkook know of their marvelous plan to save his channel. Project Resurrection, they call it; Jungkook has to bite back a condescending laugh at the idiom choices. As if he was gone with, done for, deceased from the YouTube world or something. He just needed some goddamn inspiration which he is sure (a little) he would get if he waited long enough and these guys decided to play hero for him.

"I'm listening," he announces after everybody stares at each other like time has frozen.

Jin is the one to clear his throat, starting after he gets permission from the committee.

"You must have heard about the mascot raffle Jeon Jungkook-ssi."

Jungkook refuses to answer that question. He will not answer any damn question he knows Jin already knows the answer to. But then that wasn't exactly a question. Hm.

"Well, the Secret Services committee and myself wanted to aim for something big to enliven your channel. We decided to come up with a series that will be unlike any other, something that will tune in the spectators to their screens whenever a new episode drops."

Jungkook doesn't want to get ahead of himself yet but he can't help his insides from tingling either. Jin is working his magic in the art of alluring using speech and Jungkook is letting himself fall for it, because it has been such a long while since he felt excited about doing anything... It was never just about the YouTube channel, was it? 

"The mascot raffle is going to be our trump card," Jin smiles smartly, voice raising in confidence the more that he explains. He thanks the shady-looking boy (Jungkook still doesn't trust that boy) for handing him a paper with a chart drawing on it, going back to explaining. "There is exactly a month until the Winter National University Games begin. February 1st, that is. Our university will be participating in the basketball games as every year, since we have a pretty competent team."

Jungkook remembers reading on Gidae's official webpage that they have actually never lost a basketball match in the Winter Games to any university, yielding as the champion in that area every past consecutive three years that they participated. It's a record in the history of basketball nationals held between universities. The impressive article had left such an impression on Jungkook that he had quickly warmed up to Gidae University, immediately considering it as a top choice just last year when he was choosing between higher education institutions to attend.

Not that he plays basketball or anything. (Not that he wouldn't nail basketball if he wanted to, or anything too but ok.) 

It just sounded... cool to be in a winner university!

"Naturally, the mascots for games in universities are chosen by a recruitment procedure. But Gidae University makes a raffle, just to make things fun for students. Students who want to become the mascot for the Winter Nationals apply through an online system and the system randomly chooses a student to become the mascot of that year."

Yoongi interrupts. "Not even the university professors or rector know who that student is."

Jin nods, thankful for the input.

Jungkook is a little confused now. He didn't know that much about the mascot raffle. He just knew it was a raffle for students who wanted to become the mascot but he had no idea the chosen mascot was kept that secretive!

"Um... I don't get the point?" He asks a little timidly. "Why does the mascot have to be a secret?"

"Because it's more fun like that!" Minji speaks cheerfully. "Since this secret mascot thing started, we have been having a blast at the celebrations in the Nationals! Once our basketball team wins and it's time to celebrate, selected mascot tries to outdo the mascot from the previous year and they only remove their mask at the very end of their performance!"

Yoongi cackles, too joyful. "The guy from last year literally brought a girl group and made a dance performance with them. After he revealed his face Gidae players carried him around the stadium until they ran out of energy."

"A-Pink, to be precise," Jin snaps his fingers.

Wow.

Jungkook feels like he knows too little about his own university now that they catch him up with the traditions. 

"Guess who is going to be the mascot for this year?

Jungkook stares dumb.

The committee stares back at him.

They grin, dreamy smiles on their eyes.

"Guys," Jungkook holds his hands forward, too soon to jump into something he didn't know even existed a minute ago. "I can't. I mean, what the hell am I supposed to prepare?! I don't know any celebrities to invite, let alone have any talent for anything!"

"Are you serious." Yoongi and Jin deadpan on him. 

Jungkook rolls his eyes, getting ready to object but he's cut short.

"Jungkook You sing,"

"You dance,"

"You rap,"

"You draw,"

"You bowl,"

"You wrestle,"

"You video-edit,"

"You game,"

"You run,"

"You- "

"God, stop it!" Jungkook butts in forcefully, face burning red under the praises. "I j-just do those things once in a while, I'm not good at them like that."

"That is the blackest lie I've heard," Yoongi clicks his tongue, eyes surveying Jungkook up and down threateningly. "You are like best the representation of a German mindset in face of the Maginot Line barricade which, remind you, is- "

"Yaishhh, enough with the damn story!" Jin snaps this time, hands slapping at the table harsh enough to send chills to Jungkook's own skin from where he's sitting. He breathes, parting his eyes from Yoongi's daringly as he directs a fast smile at Jungkook. "You get the point. We will help you prepare a huge show. And we will vlog the whole preparations, release them episode by episode. People will wanna watch the channel of the biggest mascot show-maker in history! Ta-daa!"

Jungkook is smiling, wholeheartedly. He kind of regrets not trusting them from the beginning, this is actually a super good idea. He is still not sure what kind of performance he could put as the mascot but he can envision him and the team coming up with crazy ideas!

"Guys, wait." His brain suddenly clicks, eyes retorting at the committee members. "This is... this is a goddamn raffle! How can you be sure that I'll be selected, hell I still haven't even submitted an application!"

A heavy silence settles to the room.

Jungkook doesn't like it, especially when Yoongi is brushing some inexistent crumbs off his shirt and Jin is grinning at him sheepishly. 

"Well..." Yoongi coughs, brieftly staring up at Jungkook. "We're going to hack into the system and make sure you're selected."

Now this is the Secret Services team Jungkook knows. Fucking frauds, little double-dealers who put Jungkook's ass into trouble and embarrassed him in front of the entire school that first time-

Breathes, Jungkook.

"Look man it's not as crazy as it sounds," the shady guy interrupts for the first time, sliding his sunglasses down the bridge of his nose nonchalantly. Jungkook can't even believe he is daring to include himself in the conversation right now. "It's just a little IT work. Doubt the raffle system is even that immune."

Jungkook is getting pissed.

"Once we make sure to direct the system to your account, we can start making preparations for the show! It's going to be great!" Nerdy girl is also involving herself now, and Jungkook has reached his limits.

He stands up.

"You are telling me that you made me sign a goddamn contract and took my money to get me a potential criminal record. Am I getting this right?"

"No, we are not promising you a criminal record, Zeus." Yoongi follows suit, getting on his feet too. 

"And I am not trusting this Shabby Shack to do none of that little IT work," Jungkook twists his mouth mockingly.

Mentioned dude has his finger up to protest but Jin is quick in springing up from his seat too, sighing in loud annoyance. "Who the hell told you that he is going to do the hacking, Jungkook?!"

Jungkook is breathing heavily, eyes locked into Jin's in determination of fighting back when he realizes Jin has a point.

"Then who? You?"

Jin rolls his eyes, walking across the room to sit Jungkook back in his chair from the shoulders. When Jungkook plops down he leans at Jungkook's right ear from the back, silently eyeing the committee for a few seconds. Jungkook is about to end everything right there however in a swift move Jin slides him to the center of the U-shaped table, at which instance Jungkook finds himself surrounded by the members all at once. 

"There is this hacker dude," Jin whispers from behind, and again, Jungkook almost jumps because when the hell did Jin move to the left?!

"He is the best this university has seen," Yoongi continues, eyes wide open but just as small as he paints a scenery on air with his palms. Jungkook gulps. 

"He hacked into Gidae's contact system once and directed all the incoming calls to a McDonalds, so for two days straight nobody could access the university," Nerdy-looking girl slightly raises from her seat, elbows sliding forward on the table as she explains secretively to Jungkook. He really needs to get her name at this point.

"Every veteran in Gidae knows him, but no-one speaks about his existence," Minjae bites her lip erotically, shaking her head to the sides slowly like she is having an... fuck, what the fuck?!

"Why does noone speak about him then?" Jungkook asks subconsciously quiet, only noticing he is tranced after the members quietly lean back at their seats, their gazes all over the ceiling.

Jungkook sighs.

"Guys, why does noone speak about him then, I asked." 

He hears a blab of incoherent words from his left, which is supposed to be the nerdy girl... who is blowing at her nails? Jungkook could believe it wasn't her if he didn't trust his ears. 

Same thing happens again, but this time from the direction of Yoongi, who Jungkook is sure spoke up if it weren't for his detached attitude. What crumbs is he looking for on that shirt of his all day?!

"Hwsspndd."

"Jin hyung that was you!" Jungkook jumps around, finding Jin totally immersed in the worn out corner of the wooden desk more than his words. Jungkook is done. "If you guys don't tell me what is going on in two, I'm leaving."

No one speaks.

Huh. 

Fine! Jungkook will play their game! He holds up a fist on the air, threateningly stretching his lips as he slowly unfolds a finger.

"One."

There still is no movement. 

"Two," he hastily says and without even breathing attempts a flight out of the room but the same dead room is suddenly bustling with protesting voices, ends of words being musically stretched to give the whining effect, arms pulling at him until he is sat back at his chair by force and there are five heads surrounded from above, looking down at him. 

He raises an eyebrow. 

"So?"

"Don't freak out," Jin cracks a smile. "But he... was suspended after that prank. So we'll have to find him and convince him to do the hacking for us."

Jungkook is done here. 

Cussing at the members, he forces himself out of their hold, returning back to his backpack which he tries getting in order as the members beg him not to leave and to trust them, dictating statistics of proof that it will work out and shoving pictures of the hacker dude to get him to stay-

Wait.

Everything blurs for a few eternal seconds as Jungkook's eye accidentally catches on the picture ruffling on the air in slow motion. 

Slow motion.

It's him, the slow-mo video boy, lingering-look soulmate, spirit smile, blond goddess... fuck, this is...

Jungkook grabs the paper promptly, halting everybody's movement. All eyes are fixated on him as he looks and looks to make sure he's not wrong.

"This, is this the hacker dude?" He asks, feeling his voice shake and heart stutter as he depends his life on the movement of Jin's lips.

Jin parts them.

"Yeah," he says slowly, escaping little breath vapors as he waits for Jungkook to react.

Jungkook tries to swallow, this time focusing his attention on Yoongi's eyes.

"Hyung."

Yoongi tilts his head.

"Hyung," Jungkook repeats again, blinking a few times to escape the blur of Yoongi's image from his eyes. When he is sure he can clearly see he goes on. "What's his name?"

There is a beat of silence before Yoongi's voice echoes in the room.

"Jimin... He's Park Jimin."

◢

◤

It was a well-to-be spent Saturday. Jungkook was going to get a lot of his homework done and indulge himself in video games the rest of the day. If he had just enough time left, he would wind off at the skating ring set at the small city's downtown throughout the new year season.

What he is doing instead, is fancying as the sixth member of an unconstitutional party, on the watch-out for hacker boy Jimin to beg their way behind the bush, quite literally. They line up in front of a pink wooden house bounded by a small garden, one of the many traditional cabins in the street. On their way, Jungkook noticed that the house was only two streets away from the park where they met and the cafe where they hung out that day. 

His stomach churns gruesomely. Is Jimin even going to remember him?

"Are you sure this is where he lives?"

"Positive. The source is reliable."

Jungkook sucks in a breath with doe eyes, blinking anxiously. Among these badly-behaved students he feels like the disoriented kid he was back in primary school, except the ends of his dirty shirt don't unevenly poke out of his pants and his snot doesn't run down his lips anymore. Other than that, totes same.

The Secret Services climb up the porch stairs in their usual professional element, easily establishing a bowling formation as they wait for the door to be attended. Jungkook strays behind, eyes glued to the door — he supposes he is a little silly for trying hard to the point that his eyes cross and he has to blink feverishly to regain his eye sight.

It finally cracks. Jungkook holds his breath.

She is a portly senior lady, dressed in a soft pink gown that reaches a little under her knees and pink fluffy house slippers that restrain exactly behind the Welcome carpet front the door. A bit down the frame is a little guy holding her hand mightily, only half of his body showing behind her leg where he shyly hides.

Jungkook can't help but smile when they unite eyes for a brief second.

"Can I help you?" the lady asks pleasantly surprised, inquisitively scanning her surprise visitors.

"Oh, hi!" Jin sings cheerfully. "We are looking for a Park Jimin. He lives here, right?"

She smiles unsurely, taken aback by the question. Jungkook wonders if they are in the right house. There is a chance they are Jimin's mother and little brother (logically guessing), but then he doesn't trust the methodology in which the members attained Jimin's housing information one bit, to begin with. 

"Not really," she replies, petting the hair of the smaller who is pulling at her dress. 

Jungkook sighs. He scolds himself for wasting his time with nonsense, he should know better. Seriously! It's not like Jimin is waiting for him with open arms anyway, even if he lived here! On a second thought thought over more than a couple five times, he is pretty much obsessing over a guy he just met once in his life and it's already been two weeks since that incident!

"But he is my neighbor," she speaks again, at which everybody beams, including Jungkook who throws the entirety of the little rant he just had in his brain meeting out of the window. "I can take you to him if you would like?"

"Yes, please! That would be lovely!" Jin sets the deal and thanks her a million times, shuffling everyone around to make an easy path for her down the porch. The lady laughs at his anticipation, clasping the little boy to her arms as she shuts the door and heads towards the backside of her house.

Now that is confusing. 

"Are we supposed to follow her?" Jin whisper-shouts as the rest of them raise on their tiptoes in curiosity to watch the lady and the boy disappear through the corner of the house's wall.

"She probably went to pick up something from her backyard," Yoongi pulls Jin back by the arm annoyedly, preventing the boy last minute from sneaking behind the lady. "Have some manners you idiot!" He smacks Jin's head sourly, having to cover his mouth in regret right after because Jin is an idiot who will reflexively whine at anything. 

Frustration increasing second by second, Jungkook can't say he is less than startled when the little boy's head suddenly peaks from the corner of that same wall, blinking weirdly at the disoriented group. His head ducks automatically in confusion, trying to make sure that the little boy is now pointing at him.

"Me?" Jungkook mouths, own hand coming to point at himself.

The little boy facepalms.

"What are you guys waiting for?" he asks with voice just as soft as himself, half-slurred half-audible. He sighs when everyone exchanges eye contact unsurely, waving his hand in his direction. "Come!"

Jungkook clears his throat.

"I totally knew we had to follow her. Everyone's a nitwit in here." he shamelessly complains, leading the way in complete ignorance of the betrayed expression of the team, Yoongi and Jin for openers.

◢

◤

Fool's paradise come to life, Jungkook can say he finally hit the jackpot. Something apparently decided to go right in his life for which good deed he doesn't remember doing. He must have, at some point in his life. Because boy, that is one blond beauty in his natural habitat and Jungkook has stepped into said habitat. 

That can't be no other but Jimin.

"Don't get me wrong, but I seriously love you right now," Yoongi whispers with a gone smile, which is pretty awkward because did he just confess to Jimin at whom he is staring, or to Jin whose hand he is persistently holding unto? If Jungkook studies hard enough, maybe he might even take on the confession since he is standing next to Yoongi too. "That's fucking him!"

Jungkook might be side-tracking conversations but honestly? He doesn't give a fuck. That is Jimin right there, sitting at the picnic table under the shadow of the wicker patio umbrella, sipping on some coffee-colored drink as he interchangeably goes through his notes and computer and Jungkook doesn't have a growing head bump this once — so he is pretty much openly ready to admit to himself that he likes what he is seeing, to an unhealthy degree.

"Legend of the blue sea..." Minji sighs from his other side, Jungkook's eyes perking up. She grins dreamily. "I'm just saying... If Lee Min-ho got sick and he needed a replacement, I wouldn't mind watching Jimin run the legend."

Jungkook doesn't particularly like hearing that, however he is not going to bother arguing with some random female student about Jimin's grace (not because he wouldn't mind a Jimin legend either).

As the little boy loiters around in the garden, the lady talks to Jimin, whose attention finally catches their group. He squints his eyes, trying to make out the strangers and visibly decides he doesn't know any of them. Jungkook feels awfully stupid, because why is he even here? Does he realize what he is just going to propose to Jimin? Fuck, Jimin is gonna throw them out!

Breathe, Jungkook reminds himself. Jimin is walking in their direction.

The closer he gets the more desperate Jungkook realizes he becomes to make eye contact. It finally does happen but it's nothing illusory as he intended to be, as Jimin equally distributes his attention between everyone and Jungkook wants to pout at his luck. 

"I don't think we know each other," Jimin says.

Jungkook is close to swearing out loud. 

"Ah, Jimin-ssi. It's a pleasure to finally meet you," Jin butts in with his flattery, tone switching to that mellow overly manipulative debate discourse Jungkook knows too well of. "We heard a ton about you."

Jimin raises an eyebrow. "About me?"

Yoongi chuckles, rolling his eyes obviously. "Who else is Jimin here?"

Yeah Yoongi has expressiveness issues and things don't exactly come out of his mouth as smooth as he thinks of them, but Jimin doesn't know that. And Jimin is not very happy right now. Yoongi is then trying to make up for his rude remark with an apology because Jin is on the verge of murdering him if he doesn't set things right at that place and time.

"Y-you are very famous in Gidae University," Yoongi rambles, face flushed. "We have something to discuss with you." Jimin keeps his composure, waiting for more explanation. Yoongi probably kind of wishes to disappear. "A favor..."

Jungkook bites his lip, praying upon the heavens for Jimin to at least consider. At least agree to listen.

Jimin hums, watching his shoes brush the grass. Then he hums some more. Then he hums some more and some more and Jungkook decides he had some hypertension issues his parents never warned him about because it never came to manifest itself but look! Look, now he is turning a lot red in the face and he totally can feel his left eye twitch! And Jimin is humming some more as if he waited for Jungkook to have his first hypertension episode to get thoughtful. 

"Five minutes," Jimin finally speaks, and Jungkook's lungs empty a chunk of air. He realizes everyone else is on the edge too. Tension has been holding the air captive. "You all are Gidae students, aren't you?"

Jungkook finds himself pointing at Shady (dude he never got to trust since that first day at the Secret Services meeting and decided to name Shady to facilitate association), watching the square sunglasses hang unto the bridge of his nose painfully. They are gonna fall down dude, he wants to say but instead he utters, "We're not sure about him." 

All the members' eyes are on him in lightening speed, which he observes happening in slow motion for some reason.

Belatedly, he gulps in realization. 

He totally slipped that.

Fuck. 

He meets Jimin's gaze hesitantly, telepathically begging for mercy. He swears he didn't purposefully ruin their chances with him!

Dead scared of the outcome he deserved to get in case it happens, he tries not to shy out of Jimin's eyes digging into his. He is sweating bulks, can feel droplets sliding down his back (there are many of them because his back is expansive) — but then Jimin's expression makes a sudden U-turn, corner of lip twitching into an unexpected smile that makes Jungkook's heart stop right in spot.

"Kay," Jimin shrugs, pinching the bridge of his nose and looking away. "Just five minutes."

Yes'es chant in the air as Jungkook tries not to collapse right there and then.

He is fucking hyperventilating.

◢

◤

Jimin is the same person as the day Jungkook met him. That brings Jungkook an immense amount of relief, saving him from the burden of what ifs he drowned himself in since he found out they were visiting Jimin. He is attentive, kind and warm-smiled. He asks questions and indulges himself in the little conversations Jin makes amidst being the spokesperson. He is indeed so invested in this prank idea that Jungkook can already see them working together.

"Well have you guys thought of what you are going to perform? It has to be a dance for sure, I mean, to this day, no mascot has skipped a good routine at the winner games."

Jungkook feels funny in his stomach. He didn't dance in front of anybody before and he definitely didn't think the day would come. He has always been the behind the scenes guy if not for his YouTube channel in which he did nothing more than small-scale pranks. Now he has to face an entire crowd and make 'em love himself. It's tough, adding to the sorrow that his friends are oblivious to his anxiety.

Now Jimin has expectations too.

"Once we get Jungkookie to be selected, everything will pretty much work out," Jin beams, tapping impatiently at the wooden table with his fingertips. He watches and watches Jimin's face for any reaction other than the pretty smile he has been putting on since they have introduced their reason for visiting, but the blond's glued expression is nowhere to go. It's weird a little, like they are in a frozen movie frame that's lagging too long to be comfortable around. Jungkook wishes there was an Esc button he could hit.

"Ahem, so..." Yoongi interrupts, eyeing the two boys who seem to have started a wordless staredown. "When are getting on with the hacking? The selection is made by the end of Sunday so we need to get working as soon as possible."

"What hacking?" Jimin blinks cutely at Yoongi, being the first one to cut the eye contact. It's sickeningly sweet, of a mocking kind Jin is not happy to acknowledge. 

"Jimin-ssi," Jin draws out, not much patience left after all the talking he made. "I thought we were on the same page here?"

"Nope," Jimin shrugs, leaning back at his chair nonchalantly. "I never said I'd do any hacking."

Jin grits his teeth, growing the type of angry that brings about a nagging episode. It's not a good attitude to take on if they really want to convince Jimin. "You sounded interested." And Jimin did, he looked so invested that Jungkook was surprised they didn't have to do any convincing to have him in the team.

Jimin hums, watching Jin go through all sorts of emotions without an ounce of care. "That is probably a misconception, since we all take different point of views to look at things."

"Excuse me but are you toying with us? Do you think this is a joke to us?" Yoongi is bothered too, nodding excessively as he challenges the man next. Jungkook wants to bitterly add that of course it isn't a joke with them since they are taking his money for this absolutely ridiculous mission but this time he keeps his mouth shut.

"Your attitude undeniably isn't, but your common sense? Absolutely." Jimin is sweet no more, in fact Jungkook spots a bundle of angry clouds around him. He isn't even bothering to wear the fake smile anymore. He seems genuinely annoyed. "I respect that you invested in this plan enough to come find me, but did you seriously expect me to agree to it?"

Jungkook wants to flip the table and shout PREACH, because he, told, them. He literally opened his mouth and brought himself to say: Are you people out of your minds. 

"We obviously chose you for a reason," Shady intrudes mindlessly, squaring his shoulders as if that could intimidate Jimin. "Look man, the school system isn't even that secure. This should be child's play for you."

Jimin chuckles bitterly, massaging his eyes to catch some relief. "You guys are impossible." He peeks at them behind his fingers, amused by their obliviousness. Jungkook feels like he doesn't even have to explain himself and they need to get out of here before bothering the innocent boy further, but Jimin is determined in getting the idiots to understand. "I was suspended from Gidae for a prank I made three years ago, and for an indefinite amount of time. You know what that is? It means Gidae doesn't give a shit about taking me back anymore. That I have to spend my life waiting to go back if I want a diploma, because I'm not allowed to take on any credits from any other institution either."

There is absolute silence in the garden, nothing but Jimin's heavy breaths heard.

"Good luck with your prank show, creators. But I don't have chances to take with my life anymore, and I especially don't want to go to jail." Jimin smiles bitterly, specifically aiming at Shady. "Yes, it might be child's play for someone like me. But not everything is a game, okay smart aleck? Do it yourself if you think it's that simple."

Jungkook feels like a bag of shit when he looks up to find Jimin staring at him this time, eyes lacking of that glint he loved by first sight and kept close to his heart when he thought of the blond. Now there is a new look craved into his mind about Jimin, and he will definitely not want it to stick around for too long.

"The bump," Jimin ghosts his hand over the back of his head sloppily, reminding Jungkook of the day he caused him to fall at the park. "It's making you do dumb things, I see."

Jimin leaves after that, shutting himself inside a trailer truck sitting at the furthest back of the backyard. 

Jungkook officially hates the Secret Services team, and yeah, himself a lot more than them. He let this idea grow, and he was stupid enough to trust Jin and Yoongi again. Now he lost Jimin before he even had him and his purpose of life doesn't even hang by a thread. 

◢

◤

The next morning Jungkook stands in front of Jimin's house with a bouquet-ful of flowers. Well technically it's not Jimin's house, since he lives at the backyard of the neighbor (?), but yeah, Jungkook is standing there even though he can't do a very good job at it. His legs are slightly shaky from the anticipation and his feet may be twirling to the direction he came from occasionally — but no, he is going to do this.

He thinks about directly going at the backyard but wouldn't that be rude? It's the lady's property after all, since she lives in the house. Jungkook wonders why Jimin is living at the trailer parked in another person's yard... although there is only a slim chance he is right about all his assumptions too. 

Whatever, whatever. Back to what matters.

He takes a deep breath and mentally prepares himself to come eye to eye with Jimin, ignoring the sweat accumulating in his palms against the plastic wrapper, and steps towards the fence door. 

He pauses as soon as he reaches out to the knob. 

Is that guy running from the other side of the street Jimin?

He blinks in confusion, making his eyes little to better spot him but Jimin apparently is a fast runner and Jungkook doesn't have to doubt his identity anymore when blond lock of hairs spring against the roof of his huge winter coat at a visible distance.

Jimin slows down and eventually stops before Jungkook, coat pulled all the way up to his lips, squishing his pink cheeks cutely. Jungkook wonders if they are in an animation drama when they lock eyes, caught against a pastel background of twinkling snowflakes and saturated pinks. He feels himself running out of breath as the fogs escaping their mouths blend on air, even though it's Jimin who has been doing the jogging altogether.

"What are you doing here?" Jimin breaks the spell of silence, bursting a buzz of DJ record scratch through the air. Jungkook scolds himself to get it together before holding the flowers forward hastily, watching Jimin's eyes fall down to the pink bouquet hanging before him. 

"For you," Jungkook gulps down cold air, shaking a little when Jimin looks back at him stupefied. Come on, you can do it. "Because of yesterday... Apology flowers."

Even though words could have been used better, Jungkook can't bring himself to regret whatever he said, because he can't think at all. Because Jimin has that edgy look in his eyes from the day before when he trapped Jungkook in his line of sight, nibbled on flowery emotions and held back just enough that it wasn't possible to figure out what he's thinking. He's doing it again and Jungkook wishes he could find a floating door out this chapter to catch his breath a little.

"Flowers? Really?" Jimin pokes on a petal, bursting the droplet of water sitting on it. He sighs and looks up at Jungkook. "Your team must think I'm some kind of a Yes Dear, huh?"

What?!

Jimin huffs arrogantly, taking off his coat's hat and hanging his thumbs on his pockets. He angles his head so that his eyes are digging into Jungkook's ones threateningly, and exactly when he has Jungkook where he wants (hooked and terrified) he takes a step forward. 

"What, you think I'll jump at your request when you buy me some what...", he flicks on the flower package condescendingly, splashing Jungkook's face with little water droplets, "...cheap flowers?" Jungkook opens his mouth to protest but Jimin is causing him to back away by coming further again, giving him no chance to speak. Those weren't cheap... "You think you have the right to flirt with me just because I'm pretty, huh?"

"No!" Jungkook bursts unexpectedly, trying to get himself out of the misunderstanding as quickly as he can because that is definitely not what he wants Jimin to think of him. 

Jimin raises an eyebrow. "So you don't think I'm good looking?"

"N-no, that's not-"

"So you agree?"

Jungkook wants to punch something. 

He nods instead, at what he doesn't know. He just prays that it's the answer that'll calm Jimin down. Jimin does calm down in the end, but it's not the good kind. 

"Thought so," he says and simply turns around, fiddling with his pocket to retrieve the key to the fence door.

Jungkook can't let him go, so he clings unto the wooden surface in lightening speed, trying to squeeze himself in the space between Jimin and the door. "Look, Jimin-ssi, I promise I'm not here to convince you to do anything. Please, I just wanted to apologize. I... I got these for you myself," he looks down at the poor flowers in his cradle, feeling shy and pathetic in front of Jimin who judges his every move. He had gotten them with so much dedication from the only shop in town that opened that early in the morning, in high hopes that the kind act would somehow soften Jimin's heart towards himself.

Jimin finally seems to be listening to him. Jungkook is uncontrollable now. "I know it was really stupid to come and ask you a favor like that... without considering how detrimental it would be for you, taking part in such a project," he passes Jimin an apologetic look, unable to prevent himself from pouting when he notices the blooming compassion in Jimin's eyes. "It was stupid of me to agree to it, and to think that you would be okay with it too."

Jimin is silent.

But he doesn't stop staring.

Neither does Jungkook.

"You're not here to fool me, are you?"

Jungkook shakes his head vigorously, like he's offended just by the sound of that. "Absolutely not. Believe me, please." He shies away from his own plea and smashes the flowers into Jimin's chest, feeling his cheeks burn red in realization of what he's doing. He has never bought flowers for anyone. Not even for his mother, and here he is, trying to make things up with a boy he barely knows (maybe not even that).

The plastic wrapper shuffles, and unhurriedly, the weight of it disappears from Jungkook's hands. He knows Jimin took them, can imagine his running gaze on the flowers, can feel him think differently of the gesture, of Jungkook, and he knows that if he looks up now he'll fall — this time unforgivably. 

A small sound, perhaps the sweetest little breath escapes Jimin's nose and Jungkook closes his eyes at it, bracing himself to face a smile. 

Jimin is peeking inside the bouquet for what Jungkook supposes is a note. He looks adorable, flustered himself as he tries not to be discreet about the little investigation he's conducting but of course Jungkook notices it. Notices it like the trepidation in his eyelashes when he blinks, the hue darkening on his pappy cheeks from the cold, and the sudden hesitation as his eyes glance up at Jungkook out of nowhere. 

"You're redeemed, I guess," Jimin smiles slowly, doing that thing where he becomes the purpose of Jungkook's hyperventilation. It's the second time in two days. Jungkook doubts living with it.

So what now? Jimin has accepted the flowers and his apology too. Too bad Jungkook didn't think further than that, now that they are awkwardly standing there. 

"Um," Jungkook scratches the back of his neck; one way or the other, he has to prevent Jimin from going inside. "Do you want to go that coffee shop in front of the park?"

Jimin looks amused. "Why?"

Yeah. Why. How could you not see that question coming Jungkook.

"Because," Jungkook kicks an invisible stone. "It doesn't make any sense for you to walk away like that." He decides he's going to say something else because that sounds like the dumbest excuse to make but the thing is he already said it out loud and now Jimin looks like he is going to laugh at him.

He immediately clasps his mouth with his hand, looking horrifiedly at Jimin. 

"Are you a little silly?" Jimin laughs soundlessly, shaking his head as he goes back to unlocking the fence door. 

Jungkook feels like his whole world crashed on him. He is openly pouting now and he doesn't even care, because he couldn't convince Jimin, even though he apologized and bought him flowers. It's sad...

Jimin peeks over his shoulder before going in once, that sweet expression still across his features. Jungkook really wants to stomp his foot childishly because Jimin is literally showing him what he'll miss and Jungkook can't do anything but watch him.

"Hey," he tilts his head up, eyeing Jungkook comically. "Stop glowering, give me a minute to drop these home," he shows the bouquet. "Unless you want us to walk into the coffee shop with them and get teased by your barista friend."

Jungkook stutters, barely managing to shake his head before Jimin disappears inside. 

Somebody pinch him before he starts believing this is real.

◢

◤

Two tall glasses of pink smoothy sit on the woodsy coffee table, end-stained straws peeping from their surfaces. Temperature is perfect, favorable heat warming the inside of the café through the fireplace at the corner, Christmas decorations still hanging from the walls despite it being two weeks into the new year.

Jungkook tears his eyes from his glass, peeking at Jimin who is busy typing something on his phone. His eyebrows are furrowed, lips propped open in concentration as he scrolls through something and types speedily. Jungkook's mind wonders to whether his cheeks are always stained with pink; it's been a while since they have seated and Jimin still carries that blush on.

"Jungkook-ssi?"

"Huh?!" Jungkook blinks wildly, coming to find that Jimin has been calling out to him. His hand hangs on air amidst waving, an embezzled smile as he check on Jungkook. "S-sorry, did you say something?"

Jimin puts his phone down, resting his elbows on the table and stares at Jungkook with a framing smile. "Are you always this lost in your thoughts?" he asks then, voice creamy and soft, pitching high at the very end kindly.

"Ah," Jungkook blushes. "Sometimes."

Jimin's smile grows, like he's adoring Jungkook. "You're really only two years younger than me?"

Jungkook feels like a much younger kid when he nods, putty. Jimin has this ability to tongue-tie him, even though they haven't yet exchanged much of words. Maybe that's why, Jungkook reasons: maybe I'm not comfortable enough to be loud and disgusting around him, so I turn into this puppy who can't stop daydreaming.

"You sure are thoughtful for your age," Jimin joins his lips together, diverting his gaze down for a second. "I mean... about the flowers," he looks back at Jungkook, much apologetically. "I didn't mean to call them cheap. Sorry about earlier."

Jungkook grins, giddying up. "It's fine, hyung. We evened out."

Jimin laughs through his nose, nodding. "You could say that." Then he parts his lips like he is going to say something, but prolongs their silent stare exchange by keeping the words at the tip of his tongue. Jungkook feels his heart flip-flap as he stays in the moment with him, waits patiently until he decides to go for it. "I am curious about something."

Jungkook wets his lips, nodding to urge him asking. He randomly goes for a sip. How did his mouth get wet so quickly?

"Are you friends with the students from yesterday? Don't get me wrong, but you guys seem to have an interesting dynamic?" 

Oh. So even Jimin noticed the tension between them. Jungkook knew well that the six of them didn't make a good group, personalities extremely un-matching and mindsets all over the place, but hearing that from a Jimin (who only sat 15 minutes with them) is pretty impressive. 

"I'm only friends with Jin and Yoongi hyung among them. With the rest... not really, we're just acquaintances. Especially not with that rude gang member," Jungkook rolls his eyes, getting annoyed just by the thought of Shady, sunglasses staining the image that comes of him in front of his eyes.

Jimin laughs, twirling his straw around mindlessly. "I guess you don't like him that much."

Jungkook shakes his head rigorously, trying to show Jimin subconsciously that he doesn't stand by a person who disrespected him without consideration for his position. 

Jimin hums softly. "Then you must have been together because they are helping you out on the mascot project."

Unwantedly so, Jungkook lets out a long breath, feeling all his energy leave with it. He is so upset with the whole thing, with trusting the guys with an important part of his life and allowing himself to stray even further than his initial purpose for starting the agreement with their Secret Services.

"Hey," he looks up to find Jimin watching him pout. "Did I hit a soft spot? I'm sorry about that."

Jungkook shakes his head, slumping his shoulders. "'S fine. 'S all my fault anyway." He is apologizing for bringing the mood down too, even though Jimin might not be aware of that explicitly.

Jimin only flashes him an encouraging smile, body much closer to him over the table. "The idea wasn't all that bad, to be honest with you Jungkookie," he says his name cutely like it has always been his way of addressing Jungkook, like it's routine for them to be casual with each other. Jungkook feels his heart flip upon the thought of them hanging out always. "I was only mad at the fact that they assumed I would jump into their little thing without even paying me mind."

"So sorry about that..." Jungkook whispers, guilty, guilty, guilty.

"Their attitude got me rolling, probably," Jimin detaches his gaze, a mocking smile on his lips. "It's not like I make an ordinary living now that I supposedly learned my lesson anyway."

That's the first deep thing Jimin probably revealed about himself, Jungkook finds himself realizing. He doesn't want to push his luck by asking too many questions however, so he just lets Jimin speak, listening to him pliantly while sipping from his smoothie. He had almost forgotten there was a drink sitting on his table.

"So if you find a way to be selected as the mascot, are you going to really post the behind the scenes, the preparation for the event and stuff on your channel?" Jimin randomly asks. 

Jungkook swallows quickly. "Probably not."

"Why? Wasn't that the whole point?"

He shrugs. "I don't know what the point is... This whole thing started with me wanting to enliven my channel. My friends wanted to help me out with ideas, so they got me into this 'help group' of theirs where they planned this whole mascot plot." Jungkook eyes the bubbles popping on the surface of his drink. They remind him of his passion in life, slowly fading away. "The entire thing is senseless, like you said yesterday."

Jimin doesn't seem to like the sound of that. "That's not what I meant though..." He taps Jungkook's shoulder over the table, a smile on his lips. "Are you trying to use me as an excuse to give up?"

It's impossible to not laugh at Jimin's goofy cheering up method. 

"I'm just agreeing with you, Jimin-ssi."

Jimin makes a face. "What if I'm not agreeing with you?"

Jungkook snorts, shifting forward on the table to fight for his win. "That's impossible, because we are talking about the same thing."

Jimin mimics his shift, minimizing the distance between them in the little coffee table. It's suddenly too near, keeps Jungkook back from breathing. "You know that's not it." Jimin says softly, too soft that Jungkook tremors in delight. Reminds him of security and comfort of his childhood pillow and the loving look in his father's eyes when he was afraid to admit he had done something really naughty. "I think it would be really funny if you could make it happen. Knowing your editing skills, I would say it would be a dope project for your channel. You'd be happy with the outcome."

Wait.

"How do you know about my editing skills?" Jungkook asks, brain-to-mouth filter erring.

Jimin blinks shyly, holding back a smile as he lags in answering. "Might have looked you up a little, Jungkookie."

Jungkook feels his heart stop beating. Jimin researched his channel. Jimin researched him. He got curious about Jungkook and researched him. And he liked his editing skills, and he brought it up randomly like it was no big deal for him to go around complimenting Jungkook like that. 

Is this a dream?

"That's not our focus here, though," Jimin grins, knowing that exactly is what Jungkook can't stop thinking now. "I don't want you to be discouraged because of me. Do it, Jungkookie."

It's too much for Jungkook to survive through. He probably looks too gone, too red all the same. 

"Don't wanna," he says regardless, his childish side coming forward. Maybe he wants to be soothed by Jimin, maybe he wants Jimin to tell him that he believes in him even though he doesn't know him that well, maybe he wants Jimin to keep looking at him like he won't let him go until he does as he says. 

But Jimin does break eye contact, remaining in his spot as he looks down and slides his bottom lip in between his teeth, contemplating about something Jungkook is scared to admit. They stay like that a little, Jimin thinking and Jungkook watching him. Then Jimin finally sucks in a breath and looks up at him, although he still doesn't seem sure of whatever he came up up with.

"Will you..." Jimin says quietly, trying to read into Jungkook's orbs. "Will you do it if I agree to hack the system for you?

Jungkook has a mental breakdown. He must not be hearing it right.

"What are you talking about?"

Jimin abruptly leans back on his chair, suddenly too far away from Jungkook. He still keeps his eyes on him, a challenging invitation. He looks more confident from afar too.

"I'll do it for you," he grins, tying his arms on his chest.

"J-Jimin no, that's not why I told you everything," Jungkook isn't accepting his words, not in this world, not in the next. He didn't bring Jimin here to convince him, nor bought those flowers so that Jimin would agree to the stupid plan. "I already explained to you earlier-"

"Yes, I know!" Jimin sing-songs, looking proud of himself. As if he wasn't the one who threatened Jungkook with trying to bait him in the morning! "I want to do it anyway."

Jungkook sighs. This is not good. 

"Look, I'm not letting you hack no system. Okay?" He makes sure to stare Jimin dead in the eyes when he says it but the effect isn't coming to life with Jimin so firm about himself. Jungkook wants to pull his hair, this is not what was supposed to happen! There is no force that can take him back into that goddamn Debate Club room, let alone talking to any of the members that belong to it!

"Did I ask for your permission?" Jimin cocks an eyebrows, too cool.

"N-no that's not what I mean-"

"Jungkookie," Jimin ticks his head forward, making Jungkook stop talking. "I don't care what you mean. I'm getting you selected for the mascot thing, and you are preparing the biggest event in the history of mascot events."

Jungkook is wordless. The Jimin from yesterday and today don't match, not one bit. He doesn't get it, why is Jimin changing his mind, why is he risking himself?

"Jimin-ssi, what if you get caught?" he asks in desperation, finding himself leaning over the table restlessly. He just wants Jimin to understand this is not what he really wants, that Jimin doesn't need to try so hard for something as useless as this hell-to plan. "You are suspended, hyung-ssi, you said that yourself. You can't take any more chances with Gidae, or with your university life. If we get caught doing this, you could be charged for hell more serious stuff!"

(Jungkook wonders how he didn't think all of these before he visited Jimin with the Secret Service members yesterday. His brain is really some reckless pile of muscles minding its own business, isn't it?)

"Who said I want to go to university anymore?" Jimin points out. "I'm happy with how my life is right now. Plus, it's been three years, there's no hope for me to go back to school with the shitty way Gidae works these cases out." He sighs, looking outside the window, eyes catching on the falling snowflakes. 

Jungkook can't agree that Jimin doesn't want to return to university when he stares longingly like that. He wants to do something about it, help Jimin smile again, ease his worries, fix his problems and make him feel all better but he can't. What he seems to apparently be doing is urging Jimin into more trouble.

Jimin breathes in and suddenly he is happy again, looking at Jungkook in hopes. "Call your team and let them know?"

Jungkook is so done with him. He doesn't give up, does he? He can see them bickering constantly if Jimin is like this about everything, which he probably is, he means... just look at that irresponsible smile. 

"What if we get caught?"

Jimin rolls his eyes. 

"We won't get caught. You are staring at the biggest hacker in Gidae's days of yore."

"You said we could be exposed, yesterday!"

Jimin snarls at him, starting to get fierce. "I told you that was because I was upset at your friends-"

"Not friends," Jungkook makes a face.

"Whoever they are!" Jimin drops his arms to his sides in exasperation. "We won't get caught."

They stare each other down for an eternity until Jimin tires out, pulling Jungkook in after scanning the cafe for anyone who might be paying attention. "I'm sure we won't get caught Jungkookie, because that's what I do for a living. Okay?"

Jungkook blinks. He's even more confused.

Jimin briefly peeks around again. "My job is to make sure company software systems are hack-proof by hacking into them and reporting the leaks back to the companies."

Jungkook raises an eyebrow. Why is he whispering this?

"Do you do this legally?" 

Jimin pauses for a bit, then relaxes back into his chair with a smile. "Totally."

Jungkook really wants to throw himself from somewhere. Is he really dumb or is Jimin actually contradicting himself? Said Jimin is also... smiling at him cutely and sipping at his smoothie, and Jungkook is starting to focus more on that.

What were they talking about again?

"Okay?" Jimin asks.

Of course okay. Was Jungkook actually thinking of turning whatever Jimin's proposing down earlier? What a crime.

"Cool then," Jimin grins, staring behind his bangs that randomly curtain his eyes. He is too much for Jungkook's heart. "Can't wait."

There is no going back after that, Jungkook figures. 

They finish their drinks and agree to meet at the university campus at night to get the job done before the clock strikes midnight and the selection is automatically complete. Jungkook still can't believe Jimin wants to do this. Jimin could have kept his guard up but he looks okay with being fooled into the project even if Jungkook were secretly fooling him to do it. 

He smiles sweetly at Jungkook before they part in front of the cafe and Jungkook can almost hear his eyes say I'll make your dreams come true, Jungkookie.

As he watches Jimin walk away he wonders what he will do with the flowers. Maybe he'll put them in a vase in the middle of his study table, and maybe he'll think of Jungkook when they catch his eye randomly. He hopes they are good things, and that they both will be safe. 

"My favorite customer is here and I don't know?"

Jungkook gets irked with the familiar sound of the barista, walking from the opposite direction of the street towards him. His shift probably starts late today. 

"How are you doing?"

Jungkook smiles, engaging in conversation as he lets himself be pulled into a hug. His mind is distracted, and by the time he turns around, the pavement where Jimin was walking is empty.

◢

◤

It's dark and quiet. A graciously crispy breeze travels through the campus, sweeping dust off the window frames of the student housing apartments lined to one another, winging some fallen leaves on the air and whistling at the edge of the teapot that serenely boils on the burner stove sitting in front of the safeguard's box office. 

He's the only one out there, enjoying his hot meal against the night air. Hands gloved and body wrapped in layers of an old blanket, he looks too hungry to care about anything. 

Perfect.

Jungkook holds his breath, trying to steady his feet against the muddy composure of the ground  confining Gidae's boundaries. He leans his shoulder to the brick wall, holding on stronger to the plastic bag in his other hand. He briefly runs his eyes across the campus for any signs of life and when he has made sure that it's a dead site he puts into action.

"With a muscular body..."

He thanks the sacked mural at the back of the Student Lodge C for its help in sneaking him in and out of the campus when it's past entry time and jogs with all his might to the main campus area where the bunch of class buildings are located. Faster than the breeze itself he keeps his eyes on the safeguard at all times, letting out a breath when he is out of sight. 

There should be another one for this section of the campus too, but Jungkook is too close to the Clubs Building and it is super unlikely that he'll be caught at this point. 

"Wearing red clothes..."

He peeks around from the edge of the Arts Edifice, a big disproportionate building that doesn't exactly help Jungkook disguise all of himself. He hugs the plastic to his chest all at once to avoid making a commotion, letting out a breath when he gets it done without much noise. 

His eyes sparkle when he spots where he's meant to be, mouth folding eagerly.

"Giving out sweet and sour scent..." he whispers out this time, keeping his voice under his breath as he zooms into the target with his eyes, narrow and sharp. 

Tout de suite.

His mental clock ticks so loud that he doesn't have time to collect himself. He springs with all his might, feeling his head gravitate backwards as he dashes through the wind, determination granting his legs the speed of light. 

"is the Stylish Tomato!"

He is there before he knows it. 

He climbs the steps down the metro tube resembling entrance of the Clubs Building, slamming himself to the door hidden by the walls extending beneath the ground. 

"Ae Cha-yah!" he knocks frantically, praying to the gods that no-one discovers him while he's trying to make it in. That would be the worst, after all this trouble he went through to finally get here. 

It's delayed or maybe his time concept is a bit more advanced after all the running around he did, but the door finally cracks and Jungkook jostles himself inside.

"For God's sake Ae Cha! You were late!" he scolds her as he plummets to the ground, nevertheless careful with the way he holds the plastic. It's like being furious on a call but not being able to throw your phone across the wall because you are poor — he can't just trash around.

"Did you get it?"

He nods.

"Good job, hustla," Ae Cha holds two thumbs up in the air, a bright smile chiming her perfect teeth. Jungkook instantly feels a flood of relief wash over him seeing that everything is indeed alright, but he's not just going to show that to her. They are not even friends or something. He just learned his name an hour ago when she was given the task of keeping watch of the door; if not for that, she would always stay as Nerdy Girl to Jungkook!

"Did the song work?" Ae Cha asks cheerfully, skipping around him as they head to the Debate Clubs room another floor down. 

"I guess," Jungkook shrugs, soon realizing she won't stop asking him questions even if he answers them.

By the time they get to the room, he's drained.

"Woooo, look who made it!" Jin welcomes him as loud as he always his, sprawled across a black computer chair with wheels, not interested whatsoever at the scene playing a couple feet behind him.

Jungkook's eyes travel past him to meet Jimin's. He's glad to find him smiling. That's when he feels like he made it, though again, he won't admit that out loud because he is supposed to be pissed at Jimin but since he can't be pissed at Jimin he will display arrogance for being able to succeed at the dare.

He simply swings the plastic in the air, earning immediate cheers from the team. At this point, it's safe to say he's feeling smug as fuck.

"So did the song work?" Yoongi asks carelessly, snatching the plastic from his hand in a child-like excitement and busying himself with setting the orders on the table. He was the one who proposed humming the Stylish Tomato song to facilitate Jungkook through his anxiety, but also the one who loved Jimin's proposal of throwing Jungkook out to the darkness simultaneously.

"I guess," Jungkook shrugs, smiling as he watches Jimin let out a quiet laugh and get back to work. He currently has three computers displayed in front of him, having created a hacking territory of his own at the very back of the debate room. Minji, Ae Cha and Shady are assembled around him, drawn in to the controls he is running within the system to overtake it at midnight when the random selection happens. 

Jungkook can't contain himself. He grabs one of the fries boxes Yoongi is busy setting on the table and heads directly to Jimin. He looks cute, somehow a bit more approachable compared to always. Jungkook assumes it's because he has a fluffy hoodie on.

Regardless, he needs to make this approaching a smooth one.

"How's it going so far?", Jungkook asks, placing the box of fries next to Jimin and opening the lid to make it easier for him. He leans his elbows on the desk and dips his head to read the code running on the screen, like he knows anything about coding anyway.

"So far so good," Jimin says, experimentally tasting the fries. "How was your walk in the park?"

Jungkook passes him a Really? stare, causing the blond to snicker. Jimin asks the question like it wasn't a big deal for him to make Jungkook get him food in the middle of the night to boost his brain energy brain — and very unhealthily such energy had to be chicken and fries — but there is some truth to Jimin's posing. Jungkook had really squared up when he was dared to sneak out. Indeed, he himself was the one saying it would be a walk in the park.

It wasn't.

"We have an hour left!" Jin claps from the back. "Gather for a bite, team."

"Jimin-ssi!" Yoongi steals Jimin's attention away, in the process of pouring ice tea into everyone's cups. "Want Jungkook to get you anything else? Coffee or desserts?"

Jungkook could work with a regular tape. He'd envelop Yoongi by the mouth, hands and feet into a wooden chair in a dark room and leave him there for a week or two until his rage settled. Yoongi probably wouldn't be so daring if Jimin wasn't in the room, he knows, but of course he'd be taking advantage of the situation to exploit Jungkook to the maximum.

"I'll let him know after dessert," Jimin plays along, choosing to walk past Jungkook with that charming smile in his eyes, breaking interaction with a chuckle only as he accepts the plate Yoongi hands him over and settles on one of the chairs.

Jungkook wonders when he turned into this temperamental kid whose mind wonders to murder plans every two seconds. He truthfully has pictured at least ten ways of inflicting pain upon Yoongi and Jin in the past two weeks, and he couldn't find himself giving two fucks about having such unhealthy thoughts about his friends. He'd have a great university memoire,  fun and love his life... 

Instead he's stuck up with two blockheads that live to make him suffer, damn it.

But then Jimin seems overjoyed with the food, devouring the takeout as if it were a king's bash. And Jungkook feels an odd sense of pride in watching him enjoy eating. Maybe it was a bit of a challenge to sneak out of a campus he wasn't supposed to be in past the closing hour to get food and return to said campus without getting caught, but whatever, y'know? 

He feels like he's going crazier every day which... somehow justifies everything.

"Just reminding you to let me know if you want me to get you anything else," Jungkook finds himself spurting stupidly as Jimin ogles from next to him, caught in the middle of downing his fifth spicy chicken wing. A beat of silence passes before he collects himself and offers more clearly. "If you need me to get you desserts or y'know... coffee."

In response to that Jimin smiles at him, so wide, so dazzling that Jungkook feels himself falling into an endless whirl of fortunes in which he'll either lose everything or gain his meaning. Jimin is a risk he takes every time he involves with, but Jungkook already seems unable to stop gambling.

"Thanks, you don't have to do that much," Jimin resumes his eating, way more reserved in the way he mouths the chicken now that he's aware Jungkook's staring at him unsparingly. 

"Hey man," Yoongi tilts his cup towards Jimin inquisitively. "Why not? You're doing this for free and you get nothing out of it. Let him treat you."

Jungkook opens his mouth to protest.

Jin is faster. "Seriously though. Not to be mean or anything. Why are you here? What did Jungkook say to convince you?"

No one is eating any longer, all eyes on Jimin who carelessly dips a single fried chips into ketchup and chews on it like he is tasting it for the first time. He inquisitively eyes the room, belatedly uniting his gaze with a Jungkook who is nervously staring at him, hands fiddling uselessly on his lap as he waits for Jimin's answer too.

He feels like a primary schooler, like a shy kid who just confessed to his crush and wished stupidly for the answer to be different than all the no's he got to that day. The perturbing fact is that Jungkook wasn't that shy kid, in fact, he wasn't shy ever in his life at all.

Until he met Jimin.

Jimin looks at him like he both knows and doesn't, and Jungkook wishes that he both knows and doesn't too.

"He got me flowers," Jimin says with a smile at the end, asking Jin to pass him more ketchup as he goes back to eating his fries.

Jungkook doesn't know why, but something breaks inside him upon the revelation of that precious information. 

"Wh-what, flowers?" Jin and Yoongi exclaim in shock, peering over Jungkook in disbelief, purpose of figuring Jimin's intentions long forgotten. "This boy?"

Jungkook sighs in dismay, too tired to even deal with their intrusion. Jimin is chuckling rather humored, passing Jungkook a short glance before nodding. "Yeah, he came early morning too."

Jungkook has fully completed an embarrassment round now, feeling his cheeks heat up as the conversation freely progresses. He didn't think Jimin would just... spill everything.

"Jimin-ssi, I don't think you get the gravity of the situation here," Yoongi shakes his head enthusiastically, getting ready to land on gossip like a retired man. "Jungkook never shows affection like that."

"I'm shocked too," Jin is quieter, eyeing Jungkook like he's trying to read into his soul. Jungkook wishes he'd stop. He wishes everybody stopped because he's growing more and more uncomfortable, helplessly unable to do anything to keep them from ruining it for him further.

Maybe he felt more than he admitted to himself. 

Jimin stares at him with an eager expression on his face now, after hearing all that lame shit about him. Jungkook tries not to show his insecurities but he doesn't think he can do it that well in front of Jimin. 

"I don't think so?" Jimin says, delicate as he smiles at Jungkook. "He is always so sweet to me."

Fuck, Jungkook can't be having hyperventilation problems again. He can't afford his heart to drop and work on a nonstop schedule like this, it doesn't make him feel like himself when he shows so much of his first-hand emotions so easily in front of everyone. 

Jimin laughs quietly, never giving up his attention from Jungkook. He cocks an elbow on the backrest of his chair and dives deeper into Jungkook's eyes, rouse and tender. "He is polite and well-mannered, he knows how to apologize nicely, he takes responsibilities well..."

Jungkook feels his throat lock up and his back sweat extensively, unable to detach his eyes from his lap as Jimin leans further and further lowers his voice, until it gets to that sugary point at which honey stops pouring and starts dripping out of the spoon.

Jin intrudes, loud and unmatching to the warmness in Jungkook's chest. He never realized he'd gotten calm that fast just by listening to Jimin slow talk about him sweetly like that, but now that Jin (god Jungkook so wishes he disappeared right now) excruciatingly butted in he feels like he is anxious all over again. "Good job Jungkook-ah. You should show that side more to us too."

Yoongi cackles at the background along with the rest of the members who have been peering in on the conversation.

"He's a good kid," Jimin says fondly, voice almost like a whisper, as he raises his leaned arm from the chair and suddenly starts petting Jungkook's hair.

Jungkook's back at the heart flips, feeling his head dip down more and more every single time Jimin's hand comes to brush it from the top. He can't even do anything about it, but Jimin wants him to look him in the eyes apparently with the way he is peeking at Jungkook under his eyelashes, and Jungkook  has no choice but to compliantly pass him a stare.

Jimin grins at him.

Jungkook feels dizzy.

"Aren't you now, Ggukie?"

Fuck, Jungkook is going to faint.

Someone is squealing from the background and someone else is pushing a chair, and someone someone else is saying something obnoxiously loudly and someone someone someone else is making a stupid noise — Jungkook can't acknowledge none of it. Not when his world is spinning around Jimin and the way he is reigning it over to his will. Not when he can't do anything but let him, helplessly. 

What is happening to me?

There is a flinching grab on his shoulder that wakes him up from the petrifaction mode, and Jimin is not there anymore. Jin and Yoongi hold him still as everybody else leans over the screens Jimin is working on together. Jungkook blinks, struggling to detach himself from the sense of lostness but the girly screech from next to him is loud enough to make him grimace consciously.

"Last five minutes," Jimin speaks, sounding like a completely different person. He is focused and grounded professionally, eyes scanning the system he founded diligently as he clicks and clicks on buttons. "All set," he says finally. "Exactly at midnight when the random selection occurs, the bots will direct the server directory to my computer, which will allow me manual access to Jungkook's file. From then on, it's cakewalk."

Everybody around him takes a deep breath, whispers of praying flying in the air as Shady initiates a countdown on his phone. 

Jimin turns around in his chair, watching everyone with a glowing smile on his face. He is almost too serene, too okay-looking for a man who was worried of getting caught hacking his old school's system a day ago. Jungkook tries not to let the pressure get to him, but something uneasy blooms by watching that serene expression of his, having flashbacks to the way Jimin was staring at Jin the exact same way in his garden right before he gave up the deal.

Nothing will happen.

"Calm down, you guys," Jimin waves his hands like he is making a point. "We'll get Jungkookie up there."

Up where?

"This is the biggest fucking fraud we've involved ourselves in, you realize guys?" Jin is busy giving everyone a pep talk, rising the tension in the room. Ae Cha has curled herself into a ball at the corner of the nearest wall already. "ARE WE ACTUALLY DOING THIS, DAMN IT?!"

"Are you sure... Jimin hyung?" Jungkook asks him one final time, regardless of everything. He just... he feels burdened like he never was for anything. In five minutes, things could actually work out greatly or they could go really south. Yeah he knows Jimin said something about being a real time hacker, and yeah, fuck that too. "We can still stop this if-"

"Stop what?!" Yoongi hits him in the back of his head before he can even speak. "Jimin-ssi, please you do your thing. Unlike the impression they give when you make a deal with them, these are true wimps when it comes to getting actual job done."

Jimin laughs through his nose, tying his arms on his chest. "It's understandable. I was just as stressed out when I hacked the university system that first time which... well, got me here today."

Yoongi raises an eyebrow, detached from the panicky tantrums going in the background. "You don't regret it?"

Jimin bites on his lower lip thoughtfully, lowering his eyes to his fingers where he toys with his rings. "There was a lot at stake." He stares back at Yoongi with a fond smile. "I only wish I wasn't so reckless."

"You never thought that you'd be suspended? Like at all?"

"I just thought that they'd see it as a student-friendly prank and let me off the hook one way or the other. But I was the Student Body President at the time and that position weighed on me," Jimin chuckles bitterly. "They said that I was supposed to be more responsible than a regular student, considering my trusted position amongst them, and thought they'd teach everyone a lesson by well... suspending me," he shrugs.

Jungkook, who has been quietly listening to the conversation, interrupts. "You think it was fair?" One of the girls shout 1 MINUTE LEFT from the background. He feels his feet tapping impatiently. He tries ignoring the tension by focusing on Jimin's answer.

"Maybe. Initially." Jimin glances at the computer behind him shortly. "Three years of expulsion is a long time, though, don't you agree?" he turns back at Jungkook with a smile.

Jungkook can guess how frustrating that must be. He finds himself fully agreeing with Jimin.

"Yeah."

Jimin claps his hand with a breath, swirling himself back at his computers to wait for the countdown. "Assemble, outlaws!"

There they all are before Jimin even finishes announcing. Jungkook finds the room dark out of the blue, the only lights blinking from Jimin's computers to them, who are gathered over his chair, watching the screens start flickering in tabs at a moment.

It's happening, Jungkook realizes. We're actually breaking into the school system.

If we can pull this off, he then thinks, eyes reflecting the many shades of blue twinkling at him. We really will have pulled the biggest prank on the system of Gidae. He feels his lips curl in anticipation. He wants this.

Jimin quietly navigates through the tabs. Past a while he throws his head back and stares at them upside down, a crooked smile on his lips. 

"We're in."

A cheer breaks in the room, the team screeching and jumping. Jungkook though, keeps his eyes locked down at Jimin's, grinning wildly as he tries his best to hold himself from kissing him square on the lips right there and then because damn, Jimin is sexy when he plays dirty.

The room's quick to quiet back down, giving Jimin space to discover Jungkook's file and select it for the final raffle. To Jungkook's surprise there are a lot of people who seem to have applied to become the mascot — so this thing is that big, huh. He understands now why Jin and Yoongi believed this mascot project to carry him forward. People are going to be blown away if he can pull of a well-made series out of this.

"Okay... come to me," Jimin mumbles as he scrolls over the files in slower motions and finally he stops. "Got it. Here it is. I'll only have to click this button and Jeon Jungkook is our mascot of the year."

"Hooolly," Jin breathes out, death grip on Yoongi's forearm. He stares at Jimin in urgency. "Then go ahead and finish it!"

Jimin doesn't expectedly do that, however. He presses a button that causes the main screen to suddenly go black and turns around with a smart smile, watching everyone's shocked expressions.

Nobody can bring themselves to speak, the dense atmosphere in the air suffocating.

"Don't worry I didn't fuck it up. I can still make your dreams come true," Jimin tilts his head, aiming his gaze at Jungkook specifically. "But you have to do something for me in return."

Yoongi curses under his breath, like he regrets not seeing it coming. Jin has this incredulously betrayed look on his face and the rest are speechless too.

"What is it?" Jungkook robotically utters, his heart heavy. He doesn't know what he expects him to say, but something inside him still holds on to the genuine connection he felt with Jimin, that maybe Jimin is not after something that would recklessly ruin them. At this point he already knows too much about their team and if he wanted to leak any information about their intents they would all have to fulfill his wishes to keep themselves in school.

Jimin shrugs, brushing the ground with his shoe heel. He looks foreign and unpredictable like this, someone from another bigger world Jungkook could never even dream of stepping into.

"It's nothing undoable," Jimin says. "You proceed with your plan, do the mascot show and impress your audience. But you don't reveal your identity at the game like everyone does."

The 12 pairs of eyes watch him in suspense, breaths held as Jimin leans his butt on the table and drags his fingertips over the keyboard languishly. He could press just one button and everything could dissipate. He knows that too, lingering his touch more intently on the ESC button as he passes a small smile at the team which almost steps forward to keep him from doing it.

"A week after the nationals there is the Student Body President elections at Gidae. You'll run as a candidate, but not you as in Jeon Jungkook," Jimin fixes his eyes on him. "You as in the mascot. You gotta win the presidency and initiate work. If you can impress the students at the game with your show, they'll surely cast their votes for you."

That was not what Jungkook was expecting. At all. This is not even a spur-in-the-moment kind of thing, this was thought out.

Jimin beams at the end of his story, snapping his fingers in the air. "You reveal your identity only at the first day in office. Task is pretty simple. Your choice."

Jungkook only has one question.

"Why?", he steps forward, wanting nothing but to understand Jimin. Yes Jimin is different than anyone he has met and he might have felt a little betrayed by his intentions taking on this project too, but he is not scared of facing him, somehow wants to dive even deeper into his mess. "Why do you want a mascot to be elected as the Student Body President?"

Jimin smiles impressed, sizing Jungkook as he leans back on the edge of the table. They stare at each other for a while without speaking, but Jimin at last breaks the silence. "Revenge."

Yet again to admit, Jungkook didn't expect to hear that. Revenge... Jimin... He should have somehow guessed though — Jimin can't be easy going just because he is easy on the eyes. 

"How is this plan any good for you?" Yoongi asks sternly, carrying the vibe of a businessman sealing his final deal. 

Jimin touches his left eyelash, staring past his fingers. "Once Jungkook is elected, he can request the dean to revise my file and get me reenrolled."

Oh... so he lied about not being interested in getting back to uni.

Yoongi chuckles bitterly. "Do you think the dean is ready to take you back because Jungkook requests him?"

"Nuh-uh," Jimin holds up a finger. "He won't know it's Jungkook. Because Jungkook won't reveal his identity to anyone unless the dean accepts his offer."

"Jimin," Jin warns him. "You'll be putting Jungkook in too much trouble."

Jungkook bites off the piled bit of his lip. Jin could be right about him risking his position at school. Things are going out of control faster than he predicted and he doesn't know what to think anymore. 

But at that moment Jimin bores his eyes into him and really looks at him. Maybe it's his way of making a point or a fact that he feels like Jungkook understands him the best without words... whatever he is doing, Jungkook is going insane. There he is again, deer caught in Jimin's headlights, giving up a lot more than he can handle before he even realizes he is doing.

"That's how it works between us," Jimin smiles at him calmly like there is no-one else in the room but them, like they have all the time in the world. "He troubles me, I trouble him. I redeem him, he redeems me."

◢

◤

Jungkook's phone pings with the sound of a text message.

It's Gidae University's official contact.

Inside the text, there is a congratulatory message and a barcode of his mascot receipt as the raffle winner, as well as the costume concept reveal of this year.

Gidae never had a fixed mascot animal, changing themes every year to suggest that they are capable of conquering every and any theme to exist.

Jungkook zooms into the image of the particular outfit.

This year's swan.

◢

◤

Jungkook frets with the iron button of his denim jacket, trying to unroll a random white fur that flops from around it. He's not a big caretaker of clothes and such to notice such a frugal detail but impatience has got him fidgety, and here he is battling to get the stuck fur out of the button entrance.

"Sorry for making you students wait!", the cheerful voice of the tailor lady echoes from the crowded room behind the counter, catching Jungkook and Minji's attention immediately. Jungkook is at ease to see her excited about the costume reveal, though he can't say he is still not worried about it all being a fluke. 

He still can't believe they got him selected to be the mascot. 

The lady finally appears, barely fitting the huge box she is carrying through the door of the little room. She chuckles kindly at the concerned students hovering over her to make sure she is fine, waving their worries off by bring their attention to the matter. 

"Your costume is ready, dear. But I'll need to scan your barcode, as your university instructed me," she says pointedly, patting the dust off of her hands and bringing out a little scanner device. She looks Jungkook in the eyes. "You got one, don't you?"

Jungkook hurries a yes, almost dropping his phone in the process of showing her the barcode he got sent by Gidae University when he received the selection text. 

"Alright," the lady pushes her glasses down her nose, tipping her head back to make sure she is seeing everything right. She has an oddly comforting aura in the way she meticulously carries out her job; Jungkook supposes she has worked in partnership with Gidae for long years. "Not to be rude to you students or anything," she smiles at them briefly, making conversation as she scans the barcode. "There have been students who tried to steal the official mascot's costumes in the past, so I have to make sure I'm not tricked anymore."

Stealing. 

Minji and him exchange glances. Jungkook can tell she is feeling just as guilty as himself. 

But Minji is a business professional and she will play it off like Jungkook should have expected her to. 

"Oh my days," Minji laughs in pretend horror, a hand on her heart as she tries getting the lady's empathy. "How can students be so irresponsible?" Jungkook rolls his eyes. 

The lady nods towards her in understanding, though a small smile stretches her lips as she finishes the process and returns Jungkook his phone.  "I get them too," she says fondly, grabbing a scissors from one of the many drawers in her shop. "They want to make university adventurous, after all, you are only on your twenties once, isn't it?"

Jungkook feels sympathy bloom in his heart towards her. He smiles brightly when the lady unites eyes with him, laughing a little nostalgically. "I did all sorts of things when I was in college," she swats a hand in the air, getting Jungkook to join her natural positivity. "But these days it seems like I'm taking my turn doing the patrolling!"

Jungkook makes a mental note to call his grandma and ask how she is doing. The lady reminded him of his own loved ones, leaving a warm impression on Jungkook in such a short time. He thinks of paying the tailor a visit once in a while when he passes from there that day on, just because he feels bad for tricking her but also because he appreciates her open-mindedness towards the younger generation.

The big box is finally cut off with scissors, revealing the swan costume long awaited.

Minji helps Jungkook get it out of the box, and the two of them hold it firmly against Jungkook's reflection in the mirror, the lady disappearing into the same room she came from as they maneuver it atop his body.

It's nothing like Jungkook expected it to be.

"What the actual..."

What they are staring at is an entirely white body-length costume with an extending massive curve around the head part to make up for the curve in the swan's body, the ending of said curve being a huge orange beak resembling that of a duck. There are some wing details on the arms and good thinking, Jungkook resonates, although it is a flunk because they look more like Penguin wings made out of fabric than actual swan body parts!

This must be the punishment of his robbery. 

He is going to make a total fool of himself.

"Minji I can't wear this!", he complains immediately even though he knows it's of no use, dropping the weight of the entire thing on the girl and stepping back in shock. "Am I supposed to dance around in that thing for an entire day and feel myself while doing it? I'm not!"

Minji tries keeping it cool, but she is struggling with the concept too. "It's not that bad, come on..."

Jungkook laughs it off, pointing heatedly at the heavy costume Minji drops on the tailor's table. "It definitely isn't bad! It is atrocious!"

They take a moment of silence just watching the fur details of the costume and the curvatures worked around the body to make it look smooth-edged and swan-like. There is no fricking way Jungkook is going inside that thing — plus it is so heavy and thick! He'll turn into a baked potato!

Minji passes a pleading glance at him from the corner of her eyes. Jungkook raises an eyebrow and shrugs, defying all forms of begging. Minji cracks a little smile at him next, trying the friendly initiative approach this time. Jungkook deadpans to a wall uninterestedly.

However when Minji's smile turns crooked, props up her shoulders and tips her hands up by the wrists, shuffling her feet towards Jungkook in a penguin-like fashion, Jungkook can't hold back his tingling nerves. 

"Yaish," he swings forward and catches her by the shoulders, bending his knees to match her level. He smiles her at smartly, watching her eyes go cross from the nearness. "Since you seem super entertained by the swan costume, I'm going to send you somewhere sooo much more fun, with tons of swans. It's called Swan Land."

Minji snarls her lips, rolling her eyes while trying to shake her shoulders off of Jungkook's hold. "Swan Land? Does that even make sense?"

Jungkook nods innocently. "'Course it does! You just have to believe in it, and then you'll see the swans."

Minji smirks, growing bored of the accusation. "Right right."

"Ready?"

"Pfsh. As if."

Jungkook dips out his tongue, eagerly elevating back to his regular height and even tiptoeing a little to seems intimidating. He raises an eyebrow, looking down at Minji one more time before he takes her on the adventure.

"Jalga!"

Without wasting another second he swirls the poor girls through her shoulders, sending her to a rollercoaster of dizziness. Jungkook smiles victoriously as she loses her balance, never giving up on turning her around over and over again despite her shouts for help. 

"See the swans now?" Jungkook outdoes her voice. "Uuuuuh, so pretty! They have penguin wings and bird beaks, don't they?! You must love Swan Land, Minji-ssiii?"

"S-stop it you j-jerk!" Minji swats her hands around and she finally finds Jungkook's collar absentmindedly, initiating a death grip that causes the two of them to struggle back and forth through the costume aisles, trying to end each other without crashing unto anything. "Enough is enough!"

Jungkook widens his eyes as they near a rack, barely holding on to the corner of an accessories table before they collide with it. Minji seems greedier than ever now that Jungkook only has one weapon (aka hand) to fight her, trying to climb up to push his hair. What happens however, is unfortunate, because she ends up inattentively kneeing Jungkook on his... ahem, privacy.

"Yah!" Jungkook groans in pain, legs cramping together as he slides down the table to the ground, Minji falling down with him. He shoots his feet up and down the ground in pain as he keeps whining, breathing heavily as he watches the tarot cards hanging from the ceiling of the shop. 

He fucking hates his life.

"A-are you okay?", he hears Minji weakly ask somewhere near, closing his eyes in frustration as he tries not to focus on the throbbing hurt of his lower regions. "Didn't really mean to hit your peanuts..."

His eyes spring open to find Minji guiltily staring him down, hands joined in front of her skirt as if that's going to make up for any of the trouble she caused. Well, they caused.

Plus did she just call his thing, peanuts?

"Are you at least going to apologize?", he stubbornly keeps a face, though he knows he already forgave her. He went a bit further, he acknowledges that.

Minji smiles kindly. "Sorry?"

Jungkook throws his head back, laughing sillily as he tries composing himself together. "At least we didn't break anything."

"Yup."

"You know you are gonna have to carry that costume all the way to my apartment now, right?"

Minji's lips purse unimpressed, her gaze going disappointed as he drags her eyes over Jungkook's body. "Where have those pack-built, strong resistant hunter men gone nowadays? Boys can go useless just by one hit on the peanuts. Tsc." She nudges Jungkook's belly with her shoe, signing to the counter before leaving him open-mouthed on the ground.

On top of all the insults she made she doesn't hesitate to roll into the air a random, "I bet Jimin oppa would carry me and the costume no matter what he'd gone through."

Jungkook glowers at her figure through the clothes rack next to him.

Who does she think she is to claim ownership over Jimin's carrying rights?

Jungkook bets Jimin would choose to carry him if he ever had to choose. He puffs out a confident snarl. Heck yeah!

◢

◤

Jimin chooses to carry the costume box.

Jungkook and Minji follow him wordlessly as he makes a turn towards the exit of the Jaebongsa Arcade easily, well juggling a pile of three boxes almost the same size of their own. They had ran into him as they went down the steps of the street bazaar (known mostly for its unusual tailor's picks and antique contexture stores) by total coincidence.  Jimin already had his arms stuffed by two boxes on his own exiting a shop down the alley where they walked, and ran over to help when he noticed Minji struggling to carry the box all by herself. 

Jungkook huffs, sluggishly going down the last two steps. Minji is totally flabbergasted by Jimin's care and concern, skipping like a pigeon next to him, who makes natural conversation with her like he's not under the fervor of the flex those arms are pulling.

Now Jungkook is looking like the asshole, while he was the one punched on his goddamned peanuts. 

Jimin takes them to his car, which to Jungkook's surprise, exists. Dude wasn't kidding when he said he would actually drop them off. 

And it's fucking expensive, like the kind of car you can't even walk by on the street without jeez-ing in panic of its magnificence blinding your eyes. The kind of car you can't even snap a picture of on the road because it shames your cheap looks, let alone posting it on your cheap Instagram.

"Hop in," Jimin says casually, grinning when he adds, "Though. Minji-ssi, mind handing me my keys?"

Minji stares dumb at him, not quite sure whether she is supposed to pick fainting or choking for her flight response. She is shocked, which is very relatable to a certain Jungkook.

"My back pocket," Jimin whispers cutely, signing his jeans as he shifts in discomfort of the boxes heaving on him. Jungkook could help but he can't move a muscle, like he has transcended to another world. 

"O-oh," Minji awkwardly laughs, making sure she heard right before dipping her hand to the pocket of Jimin's jeans, blushing to death under Jimin's gaze that doesn't leave her. Jungkook holds his breath, feeling dizzy in a panicky way as he watches her fingers navigating the tight pocket of Jimin's jeans. "U-uh... are you sure they are here?"

"Huh. Thought I put it in that pocket. Maybe it's in the other one, mind checking?"

That's it.

With some sublime force Jungkook finds himself springing on his feet, snatching Minji away from Jimin and sending Jimin an ill-boding stare as he swiftly gathers the keys from his jeans. He holds the keys in the air as Jimin 'oh's with a smile — which was so fucking rude by the way — and slips his hands under the boxes, lifting them up at once and away from Jimin.

Minji stares at him agape, betrayed at the drop of the pretend act.

Whatever, he doesn't care about darn Minji now. Jimin is already giving him the judgmental looks and the boxes are actually going to take him down if he holds unto them for ten more seconds.

"C-can you just unlock the vehicle so we can get going?" he spurts randomly, feeling his entire neck-to-cheek-area burn as Jimin presses his lips into a smile. 

"Of course."

◢

◤

The only good thing (considerably) about that bloody swan costume is that it brought Jimin to Jungkook, well Jungkook's house. Jungkook refused all kinds of help and treatment due to the peanuts incident because that's embarrassing what the actual fuck, but Jimin was apparently too eager to 'let his peanuts relax' by offering to carry the box into his apartment and now he actually is fricking there.

He made his way into Jungkook's building and Jungkook is on the verge of losing his mind.

He kind of feels like weeping apologies to his mum on the phone because he didn't listen to her when she nicely taught him to be an organized little boy or when she shouted in the mornings when she found supposed-grown-ass Jungkook having breakfast without having made his bed. He wants to catch her feet and grovel on them because who the fuck did he think he was rolling his eyes at her like that?!

"I'm so fucking sorry," he says in horror as he steps back outside his apartment, mentally racing an excuse to make as to why he can't let Jimin in. "But I'm afraid you'll have to give me the box from here."

"Why?"

Jungkook wants to cry, for real now. 

"B-because you already did too much and I feel horrible for allowing you another-"

"Jungkook."

"-second to deal with my problems-"

"Jungkook?"

"-so let me just-"

"That's it, out of my way," Jimin blows at his sweaty bangs, shaking his head as he bashfully struts past him.

Nonononono...

And he just walked in.

Jungkook remembers leaving a pair of boxers somewhere in the living room right before he left that morning, damn it!

He feels a tear ease its way down, except it's not from his eyes. He's crying his forehead out of stress. He knew he'd break down at this rate. He follows Jimin inside in a hurry, ready to hunt for that boxer before Jimin sees it. Whatever he can save out of the mess, right?

Jimin is busy navigating through the living room for a corner to drop the box and before Jungkook can even get his chance to search for the item he drops it somewhere, turning on his heels to face Jungkook. 

"Whew, another parcel delivered."

Jungkook blinks. It's naturally hot in his house.

"Jimin-ssi," he says, stopping Jimin from walking by holding his finger forward dramatically. "Don't move." 

Jimin freezes in spot, warily parting his eyes from Jungkook BUT JUNGKOOK STOPS HIM BEFORE HE CAN AND SHOUTS:

"NO!"

He takes a deep breath when Jimin pauses his quest and focuses only on him. "Close your eyes for fifteen seconds and don't open them until the countdown."

Jimin's head dips forward, eyebrows shooting questioningly. 

Jungkook presses his lips together like he is in pain, nodding once.

"Y-yeah, sure," Jimin finally agrees, closing his eyes.

HELL TO FIFTEEN SECONDS!

Jungkook sets into action on the mark, running around the room like a madman and gathering everything he can in his arms. Jackets, blankets, napkins, dirty socks, that one pillow he came on just last night — wait what? take that back — that one pillow he left on the side of the couch for no reason last night, and empties everything on the huge laundry basket sitting at the corner of the living room, throwing the cap from a distance because he has no time to worry about its correct placement. 

Clink! Clunk! Bam! Donk donk!

"Jungkook? Are you okay?"

"Haha yeah, of course, don't mind me!"

Next comes the chocolate wrappers and the bowl of cereals, two-days old coffee mug and kimchi container along with the bunch of forks and spoons — all gone into the sink in an eye blink.

There is one problem which is the underwear item missing though Jungkook has no more time to ponder upon that when Jimin asks for permission to open his eyes. He probably took it off in the bedroom and remembers wrong.

Jungkook takes a deep breath and dusts off his clothes, putting on the most perfect smile as he okays Jimin.

Jimin takes a moment, only then looking around for the war sounds Jungkook has been making while juggling through the house. Jungkook nervously copies him, coming to the conclusion that he did pretty well for a fifteen minute record. He grins at Jimin naturally when they unite eyes.

"Just had to do a little bit of cleaning."

Jimin has a straight face, until he breaks into a laughter, blessing Jungkook's house with the sweetest sound made by a human being. Jungkook can't help but rub his neck sheepishly, watching Jimin shake his head at him, taking a more careful look at the house with his hands on his hips.

"At least there are no toys laying around. It looks cleaner than mine, that's for sure," he ends up saying.

Jungkook snorts.

"Cleaner than your trailer, you meant."

Jimin makes a face. "Are you implying something?"

"Maybe," Jungkook shrugs mischievously. "Rich guy who lives in a trailer. I'd say I'm intrigued."

"Oh," Jimin sends him a comical stare, walking closer. "Maybe you should focus on your great swan show instead of picking on me, how about that?"

That. Ughhhhh.

"That costume is horrible, hyung. What do I do?!"

Jimin chuckles fondly. "You'll find a way, come on. Your channel is full of pranks with great ideas." He pokes Jungkook's forehead gently, lingering his finger on his skin before retrieving it. Jungkook can't stop grinning. "Work your sexy brain."

Jungkook closes his eyes, making an ooof sound to the side, which throws Jimin into a giggling fit. "Someone is definitely giving advice they are not following." He has a feeling his lips are doing that bunny shape when he is smiling at Jimin this time. "You seem too intrigued by my channel, hyung. Am I wrong?"

Jimin pushes on his shoulder, a tint of pink dusting his cheeks as he closely stares at Jungkook. "You absolutely are wrong. I just took a look."

Jungkook hums repeatedly cuz he knows there is no chance Jimin didn't stalk his channel after all the talking he did about it, twice now. There is no way Jimin doesn't enjoy his company after he basically barged into his house, too. Or Jungkook is a dumbass and he is reading everything wrong.

"Everything aside, thanks for the help," Jungkook tries sounding serious for once. He does appreciate Jimin taking time off his day to drop him and Minji home, plus carry the box upstairs.

Jimin shrugs, stuffing his hands inside his pockets, mood calmly matching Jungkook's. "It was nothing. Hope you find your healing fast enough."

Jungkook ducks his head down in embarrassment as Jimin silently chuckles at him. He's never gonna get out of this one, is he?

It's a little surprising when he feels Jimin's hand on his hair, but he doesn't flinch this time. He allows Jimin to pet his locks one two just like that other time, listening to his heart accelerate again, just like it always does around Jimin.

When he tilts his head up its an eye locking moment between them, time passing quietly as they watch each other. Jungkook feels like it's one of those realization moments in his life as he tries reading into Jimin's deep brown orbs, corners crinkled beautifully as they stare back at him. 

Yeah, he would like to stare at them for as long as he could, please. And maybe Jimin would say yes you can if he asked him out, maybe. Because unmistakably, if he weren't aware of his feelings until now, he sure has a huge crush on Jimin this moment on.

"See you later, Ggukie," Jimin says out of the blue with a small voice, running his eyes away reservedly as he takes a few steps back in the direction of the door. 

Jungkook swallows, he can't let him go. This is not what happens when you stare someone in the eyes for that long.

"Maybe stay a little?" he says as fast as his ability, watching Jimin slow in his tracks.

Jimin smiles, but it's not the kind that makes Jungkook want to reciprocate.

"Got somewhere to be."

Cancel it and stay with me.

"J-just for a cup of coffee," Jungkook forces his throat, feeling Jimin tear a piece of himself as he takes two more steps backwards. "I have a really good coffee machine," he makes out a laugh. "But the one I make is tastier to be honest."

Jimin bends his head, smile growing more sincere. "I'm sure you do... Maybe another time?"

Jungkook sighs, he's not getting him today, is he?

He nods, out of options. He can do something else though.

"Mind giving me your number at least? I'd know how to call you for that coffee."

Bold move Jeon, proud of you, he can hear his conscience hi-five him, although he is not sure whether Jimin is willing to accept his proposal with the way he is doubting with that door knob. 

It takes a while for Jimin to look back at him, no trace of hesitation left anymore. Jungkook rubs his fingers through his sweaty palms, patiently suffering through the suspense. 

"I have to leave," Jimin says, swallowing a lump, not even carrying that forced smile from earlier. "I'm sorry."

With that he disappears, leaving Jungkook staring after him meaninglessly. Maybe Jimin did it to not hurt him, for some reason Jungkook doesn't know or can figure out simply by staring at Jimin, but yeah, his heart did break a little bit.

When he lifts the costume box to carry it to his room later that evening, he spots the pair of boxers laying underneath. Jimin must have put the box there on purpose to not fluster him further.

◢

◤

Beep beep.

Jungkook squints his eyes, waving his hand in front of the camera to make sure it's working.

He hollows his cheeks, popping an imaginary bubble from left to right, watching his image on the camera follow his actions.

Working.

He steps away from the high drawer unit, bare feet dragging through the wooden flooring, sunlight infiltrating his features the more he confronts the bright side of his room.

This is supposed to be the first episode of his mascot series. He doesn't know much about vlog filming, having mostly worked with plots and details he passes through a second (and mostly third, fourth and fifth) process of editing and polishing until the perfect entertainment piece hits universal. He feels fortunate enough to be spared from Jin's 'Vlogging Schedule' proposal; what good does it make if the series isn't full of spontaneity and randomness?

Part of the YouTube world for a while now, he believes he pretty much grasps the tips and tricks of appealing to the mass, hence the current i-woke-up-like-this look he's trying to pull. Seriously, he did wake up like this: hair a mess, because straight out of bed baby (though he made sure he washed his face and followed his skincare routine... debatable, such word too, since his slacking off is more "routine" than the routine itself), going for the natural glow and charm he knows he naturally is born to.

Byung-hoo, is ex-boyfriend used to tell him a lot about how unique his appearance is, which awakened his consciousness towards his attractiveness. He doesn't put much thought into himself to be honest, even though he keeps a self-care groove and minds his dietary cycle for the sake of his happiness, but he has never gone to the extent of confidently declaring himself in front of anybody. Maybe that's part of the charm Byung-hoo was talking about: effortless grace.

"Hi," he says with a groggy voice, showing a soft smile that throws off the focus in his eyes. "I'm Jeon Jungkook, the year's Gidae University mascot for the Winter National University Games."

I forged into the school system to get myself elected and here I am.

"This is the start of a series that'll show all the behind the scene footage of the show my team... and I will be putting at the game day."

He pauses to mentally go over the words he just uttered. My team and I.

"At this point I still have no idea what I'm going to show you," he chuckles, ruffling the back of his hair. "The fact that I have a pretty successful channel doesn't mean I know how I did it. Which brings me to the intro I skipped," he leans in to the camera cutely, pointing a finger for a few extra seconds that causes him to laugh ridiculously. "Gosh, I'm a mess. I'm Jungkook, Communications major, 18. My biggest dream is taking off to the world, traveling everywhere I can and producing a documentary out of it... But for that I have to graduate first.

"Anyway, hope you enjoy this mascot series with me, please show me lots of love and expect a lot! Currently it's..." he reaches out to his phone on the bed and checks the time, "9 a.m. I got a meeting with the team in an hour. They still don't know that the mascot animal, so let's go do a costume reveal, shall we?"

That is if Minji kept her promise to not tell the rest.

He grins and waves, blurring out the camera with the hand he extends forward.

Hell to the enthusiasm. He's going to look ridiculous in that furry damn outfit.

◢

◤

Jungkook parks his bicycle at the bike rack at the entrance of the university, grabs the card-box and heads directly towards the Clubs Building. He can't believe a kick on the balls by a girl got him so dazzled to the point that he couldn't even manage such a weightless package that day.

The wind caresses through his hair as he picks up his pace and makes a run towards the building, eyes roaming around the bustling campus lot busier than the usual day at the same time, reeking of animated students. Jungkook brushes it off, focused on the first meeting he is about to have regarding the mascot show.

The Debate Club room hosts Jungkook with a feast, boxes of hot pizza fogging the air and capturing his nose-buds the moment he enters. He blinks a couple times in embezzlement, catching Jin's eyes the first thing as the elder takes an enormous bite from the crust.

"Dude," Jungkook holds his breath. "You can't bite the crust without eating the middle, are you insane?"

"Hey, look who is here!" Jin mumbles enthusiastically through his bite, inviting him to join the table with his eyes as the rest welcome him with inaudible cheers. Jungkook passes through Jin to take a bite out of the slice Yoongi is extending towards him, smiling gratefully as he drops the box at a random spot to join the crew.

"What'sup?" Yoongi asks as Jungkook launges on the empty chair next to him enthusiastically, taking over the earlier piece from his friend. "Is that the costume?"

Jungkook follows Yoongi's pointy eyes, it's the box. "Yeah," he flashes a look at Minji who has been watching him ever since he stepped in the room. "You didn't snitch about it, did you?"

Minji doesn't even bother with explaining herself and shows Jungkook a curt fake smile, passing him a bunch of sauce packages as if telling him to appreciate that she's even managing to offer him a piece of delicacy regardless of the banter bite in their interaction. Jungkook snickers, a little too excited about the food. He could ruin his mood by questioning why the group of weirdos are having pizza at 11 in the afternoon but like he does towards most of their odd intricacies, he propels his sticky questions to the depths of his mind and indulges in his eating.

It takes them a while to start the meeting even after they finish eating with the meal weighing on their overall ability to animate and focus, but they get there with the coffee Jin orders for them. He is sweet, Jungkook admits; most of the times  as annoying as a slow internet connection especially when he acts ten years younger than his age, but Jin will blanket his bizarre complexes with kind-spirited gestures and eventually ease into everyone's hearts.

Jungkook makes sure to introduce the team members on camera and set the place with multiple equipment to give him various editing angles when they sit down to start their second official meeting as the Secret Services. The costume reveal is supposed to be last, the highlight of the day with Jungkook putting it on and stepping into everyone's mercy.

"We didn't celebrate properly, but wow team, we made it into the mascot," Minji initiates the speech with a bunch of papers held in her hand, a proud expression on her face that reflects back into the others in the room. They did it together, regardless of how distant Jungkook tried to remain to the group's under-the-rug activities initially.

"Jungkook-ssi, how are you feeling? Excited to start planning your show?" Jin elbows him from the side, catching Jungkook amidst a fond expression from what he's been thinking earlier.

Jungkook will be honest, if they want to make this work out smoothly. He has been sort of eager to run the mascot show, even though he still hates that dreadful costume. For the first time in so long he had a full week where he engaged with an enjoyable activity other than school projects and assignments. This mascot show might actually be the big thing bringing him back in touch with his creative side (he is temporarily suspending the Student Body President bit because he is still sort of clueless about how that is going to happen, Jimin be faulted).

"Yeah," he says simply, letting his smile cheer up everyone who has been depending on his reaction. "Though I'm going to kick your asses if it flops and I make a fool out of myself in front of everyone." He might edit that bit out of the footage... or just leave it for the authenticity factor.

Jin laughs obnoxiously and throws and arm around his shoulders, the others beaming knowingly. "Don't you worry my friend. We got the entire thing sketched out."

Jungkook raises an eyebrow. So quick already?

Yoongi clears his throat, placing his coffee cup on the table noisily and rolling his sleeves in display of the persuasion personality — he is getting in the act, that focused and determined facet of himself unfailing to catch Jungkook off guard yet once again, since his hyung is so unmindful and cool on the usual.

"The best way to start a project is by going for the basics. Let's start with yourself, Jungkook-ssi," Yoongi's head bobs lazily, eyes measuring him. "What do you think is the main goal of a mascot?"

Hm.

"Making the show fun?"

Yoongi almost agrees with him but doesn't. "You're going for the sub-headings."

Jungkook thinks harder. He never actually cared about being a mascot — he never even knew it was such a big deal in Gidae or anywhere else really; all the poor boy wanted was a channel boost. That has to change, he realizes with Yoongi's eyebrow raise: he can't be oblivious to his pivotal character.

"Engaging the audience?"

"Bingo."

Jungkook smiles. There, now. He'll do just fine. He has dealt with an audience through his channel and knows pretty well how to keep the attention on himself.

"If you want to be a good mascot, you need to start with the audience, not the show," Ae Cha points a pen to the middle, earning head nods. Her glasses sparkle under the bright lighting of the bulb. "We are pretty lucky too, that our main audience will be enthusiastic students and families, considering that this is a university game setting. Everyone will be welcoming and ready to cheer the mascot on, but only if you capture their interest the right way. "

"Dude, we have a lot of notes in here," Shady chuckles as he runs his eyes through the stack of papers Minji is busy turning in search of the information she needs. "I say we drop the team-shit and genuinely throw random ideas."

Jungkook is surprised Shady knows the word genuinely of the elite literature familia to exist, considering the fact that he is carrying a fresh out of the salon faux hawk punk haircut, spiky and gelled just the right intentions to twitch Jungkook's left eye. Dude's a walking scam right off the bat, Jungkook can't help but judge.

"Well, okay, let's do that then!" Jin agrees with Shady. The fact that Jungkook despises him so much doesn't change the fact that he exists in the Secret Services as a member and is actually taking off a share of Jungkook's money to make it work. It'll be interesting to see him be of any use to the discussion.

"Right," Shady puts his phone away, finally detaching himself from the device to fully be involved in the room. "I say we set up the audience, place a few of our men at random spots that will shift the attention to JK when we need them to."

JK? Since when this-

"Illicit," Yoongi decreases his eyes for a moment, revealing a gummy smile much unexpectedly right after. "Love it. Let's set up a few confederates. They'll help us set the mood."

Shady snaps his fingers in agreement, settling to watch everyone else contribute.

"We can have kiss cams, but with the swan concept — swan cams, precisely, where a pair makes a swan configuration during the spotlight."

"How about freebies? They are a mascot's must. You just throw them at the crowd to get them riled up."

They are surprisingly good, in fact, Jungkook might have underestimated them a couple too many times, something to do with Jin and Yoongi being his friends and acting goofy around him due to the nature of their relationship. He takes in the serious investment of everyone working their brains out and assigning tasks to be run and he realizes... he has to take this more seriously than he ever intended to.

Think about it.

A mascot.

As much as the team is focused on the audience aspect of the show, Jungkook can't help but reiterate around the idea of the mascot itself, which will be him, himself. Wooing the audience during the show might gain him brownie points, adding to the fact that the students will be excited to see the mascot reveal already but Jungkook doesn't want to build a relationship with the audience during the show, per se. Too much is on the line, especially with the unattractive costume.

He wants to be welcomed with cheers of trust and loyalty — he wants to feel that the audience was already his before he even made the appearance, so that he can smoothly guide everyone's emotions to positivity even when a player of their misses a goal, even if (hopefully not) they lose.

Similar to an idol, someone who shows up for his fans.

"Fandom logic..." he mutters quietly, but somehow Jin catches him speak and now everyone is looking at him inquisitively. The unexpected attention makes him shy, but he tries not to run his eyes away and tries to express himself. "I was thinking we could go with the fandom logic?"

"Which is?" Yoongi urges on, always supportive of Jungkook's initiative to speak.

"It's probably because I'm biased with being the mascot itself, but it just seems risky to invest everything on the game day..." he dips his hand under the sleeve of his shirt, rubbing on his arm as he tries putting his thoughts into words. "How about we turn the audience into my fans and think of the game as a meet-and-greet?"

Silence breezes across the room. It's not helping with Jungkook's timidity.

"Wait," Minji sways her hands excitedly. "Are you talking about an emotional attachment?"

Jungkook chuckles. "I wouldn't put it that way. It's not like we'll be manipulating people. I just... felt like it would be much... b-better of a show if the audience knew about the mascot beforehand."

"Oh my god," Ae Cha malfunctions. In a good way, Jungkook would like to think, because she is looking at him with that extra glint in her eyes. "You are Yoongi's legacy, a genius!"

Yoongi rolls his eyes, although he seems to be enjoying himself. Him and Jin exchange approving glance before he talks. "Have you thought of a fandom name for yourself?"

Jungkook presses a smile, shaking his head. He didn't think that far.

"Boy, we are going to make you into a mascot idol," Jin taps the table decisively, stirred out of his guts. "Minji, I want an urgent Twitter and an Instagram account opened under his name where the students can interact with. Facebook too, just in case," he orders, which she furiously notes down. "Ae Cha, you deal with any type of merch and mascot bombs we can come up with. I want you two focused on the advertisement and identity of the mascot profile we'll be putting out there, alright?"

"Sure!"

"Yeah!"

Jin passes a challenging look at Yoongi. "Can your guy come up with a solid mascot anthem for us?"

Yoongi smirks, nodding towards Shady. "I don't know, can he?"

Shady catches the signal immediately, working his swag as he stares Yoongi down micheviously. "You tell me."

Yoongi diverts his gaze, chuckling.

"You got a week, oh?" Jin points at Shady with a pencil, going back to his announcements. He is saying something about the team focusing on the mascot promotions momentarily as Yoongi and himself worry about the content of the show itself, but Jungkook hasn't taken his eyes off of Shady, who is back at typing on his phone.

He is going to write the mascot song? Jungkook didn't misunderstand, did he?

"Jungkook," Jin turns to him, interrupting his thoughts. "Build us a profile, what you want people to know of the mascot and whatnot. Put up some hobbies, come up with some quotes, research about Gidae's basketball past and stars and give us the content you want us to fill these accounts with. Can you do that?"

Jungkook nods, his bangs jumping up and down to his eagerness. "I'll work on it. We won't reveal me as Jungkook, right?"

"Geez, no!" Yoongi snarls. "Jimin dude would hunt us down. We don't reveal you even at the event, God knows the trouble we'll get from it, but. Yeah."

There comes the Jimin deal again. The whole thing just makes Jungkook feel uneasy but he gives reason to the man too... How is he supposed to blackmail the dean though?

"How about you show us the costume now, Jungkook oppa?" Ae Cha chirps out of the blue, pleadingly twisting her fingers into a prayer pose.

"Don't expect too much," Jungkook sighs, standing up to finally reveal it.

The members groan and stretch at the back, obviously tired from the brainstorming in addition to whatever other work they were doing in the morning to be digging into pizza at 11.

"It's not that bad," Minji tries assuring everyone, but Jungkook unfortunately won't be considering the cheer-up because it is bad, heavy and furry.

Jungkook lifts the box off the ground — again, easily, to his surprise — and places it on the table where the team members gather. He fiddles with the unfamiliar tape on top of it (which he doesn't remember putting back on after opening the box at the costume store).

"Ready to lose your eyesight?" he tests everyone's patience comically, finally diving his hand inside and pulling out the material that tangles in between his fingers.

Everyone takes a step back from shock, mouth agape upon the reveal.

Although Jungkook expected them to be thrown off, he didn't plan for the reaction to depend on the colorful clown head he holds in his hand. Deeper inside the box the rest of the ridiculous costume sits, which Jungkook doesn't even dare touch.

"What the fuck is this?"

"Was there a costume change?"

Jungkook doesn't fuckingknow! He is just as shook as everyone because he didn't plan this!

"Did you get it stolen, you idiot?" Minji frets, which gets on Jungkook's nerves because what? Why would someone be after Gidae's mascot costume?

"No! I didn't even take it outside! And last I checked my house, no one broke in."

In that one split second Jungkook and Minji give up on the fight, locking eyes in enlightenment.

"Jimin must have swapped the boxes," a simultaneous whisper.

Jimin may not want him around, but Jungkook's pretty sure the universe can't have them stay away. He knows it's silly to be excited over having an excuse to drop by someone who refused to even give his phone number, but can you blame Jungkook? Jimin is the epitome of gossameriness, and Jungkook can't wait to smell the flowers on him again.

◢

◤

"You have yet to catch me, loser."

Jungkook snickers, buckling up the cardboard box in his arms as he makes the last turn to Jimin's street. It's honestly wearing out to have to be legging to Jimin's house, well trailer, every time he has something to do with the man. Especially when it's a darn clown outfit he is bound to carry around, although the content up for the change is what he really cares about at the moment.

"You don't have a mascot show to run, dumbass. Of course, you get ahead of the game, playing 24/7," he mocks his gamer friend, Eunb-bi, currently busy making inhuman noises as she works on taking down a particularly handy player. "Just use your rocket hammer," he comments, picturing the game in front of his eyes but Eun-bi suddenly breaks into a roar to which Jungkook very well relates.

"Yes! Yes, baby! That's what I call pro-gamer!"

Jungkook scrunches his nose, Jimin's house at sight in the authentic petite line-up. "You wish."

It smells of rain-wet daphne flowers, hang from the various green walls connecting gates of the houses together, a unique feature Jungkook observed in this neighborhood. He straight up gets the feel that it's the perfect place for senior citizens: calm, quiet and safe. He might be right too. All 50 houses inhabited by over-50 year-olds and a Jimin in a trailer.

He giggles at the thought.

"You know you suck for leaving me hanging today, don't you?" Eun-bi complains, seemingly settled into her focused mode again. Her voice comes soft and calculated, but Jungkook knows better than taking her gentleness personally. That's how she gets right before she ambuscades and once she settles a new target she's start fidgeting in her seat, sometimes even somersaulting on her bed to match the action of her hero character.

"And you know I have something important to do. I never missed a game until today, mind you."

"We could have kept our strike, until Mr. Mascot decided to miss a tally and here Song Eun Bi is. Battling on the field all by herself."

She is a lil' manipulative shit. Jungkook knew that the moment she betrayed him in their first coincidental Overwatch game, though after they established a friendship, she has stuck with Jungkook to the point that they decided to game every Wednesday regularly. So far, they've been having a blast, until according to Eun Bi, Jungkook broke the strike.

He's thinking of a comeback until he notices a movement at Jimin's gate, small but noticeable.

Shoot, is it Jimin?

He fastens his steps.

Eun-Bi has changed the topic already, telling Jungkook about her day at the barber's shop where she works part-time. If it weren't for the reveal of a little boy in front of the door, Jungkook would be really interested in hearing how she dyed a man's beard into hot pink but he is busy figuring out what the child is carrying in his hands.

He is holding a bunch of black trash bags, each much bigger than his size but not weighty enough to immobilize the 3-year old. Now that Jungkook carefully looks, he recognizes the boy as Jimin's neighbor. They had met (well, seen each other) the first time they came over with the squad. It's cute, the way he struggles to fit his little fingers around the rolled handles of a plastic and loses balance of the other two in his other hand.

He finally gives into his weakness and decides to carry one at a time. He drags the bag through the pavement and into the road, lips full on pouting as he pulls and pulls on the plastic, walking back on his heels to make his way faster to the huge trash can sitting on the opposite side of the road.

Jungkook has got to give him a hand, so he calls out for him.

"Hey!"

The kid stops in the middle of the road to look at the direction of the voice, noticing Jungkook a couple steps away. What he doesn't see coming is the sudden car accelerating towards him.

No.

Everything suddenly falls into slow motion stream, from the crawling wind that raises his soft bangs to the falling droplets from the tree leaves, the lights of the car to the horn that echoes noisily in the air and the pleading blinks of the little boy that stare deep into Jungkook's eyes. Box long fallen on the ground and his heart pounding on his chest in fear, Jungkook makes the most instinctual run of his life, launching himself to the road at the little boy who presses his eyes shut in a soundless cry.

For a couple beats Jungkook hears nothing but his panting voices, feels nothing but the adrenaline circulating through his veins, his protruding forearm muscles.

Then comes everything rushing in like a thunderstorm.

He is lying next to the trashcan with the little boy nestled securely in his arms as the dust of the car breezes into the distance.

Fucking asshole!

Jungkook is about to run after it when he notices the soundly whimpers of the boy in his arms.

"Oh shoot, hey, hey, are you okay?" he buckles the kid and sits him on his lap, forgetting his own pain as he checks him for any damage. The boy doesn't say a word, lower lip tucked painfully under his upper one as he stares at Jungkook with tears in his eyes. "It's okay, you're safe little one," Jungkook presses him to his chest, hugging him and running a hand on his back to calm him down, though he hears muffled sounds of crying.

He stares at the end of the street furiously, still can't believe that the rude bastard drove off like that. The worst is that he didn't even catch his license plate to make a proper complaint.

The little boy seems to have calmed down a little now, able to make eye contact when Jungkook pulls him back on his knee.

He is such a cutie, flushed cheeks and glossy brown doe eyes, sniffling in his adorable baby voice.

Jungkook caresses his cheek, slowly smiling at him.

"Hi. What's your name?"

The little boy waits for a while before answering him, shy from the interaction after such a heavy incident. He squeezes his shoulders, cheeks puffing in the meantime.

"Byeongie."

Jungkook hums lovingly, relieved that he was able to save him before anything happened. He'd hate himself in such case, because if he hadn't called out to Byeongie when he was in the middle of the street the boy wouldn't have stopped his moves.

"You are such a cute boy, Byeongie," he says gently, "And I'm Jungkook, nice to meet you."

Byeongie doesn't reply, still looking hazy.

"Do you feel anywhere hurting?" Jungkook checks around his body with his eyes, the boy following suit. He shows him his hand, the side of his palm scratched a little from the sudden ground fall.

Jungkook's heart breaks at the injured skin, but of course he is not going to show that to the kid who needs a little encouragement.

"It doesn't look that bad now. We'll get it cleaned and patch it up with one of those cute band aids, how's that sound?"

Byeongie finally seems to be smiling. He nods too, hair fluffing against the wind. Gosh it's so soft Jungkook can't help but brush his fingers through it. He smells so baby-like and sweet that it's making Jungkook's heart flutter with care and wonder. There is just something natural about Byeongie that makes him giddy inside.

"You were such a brave boy back there, you know?" he says keeping his voice soft and melodic, and the boy's smile grows, his eyes twinkling free of tears. "Were you getting the trash?"

"It was weally heavy," Byeongie pouts, sadly watching the destroyed patch on the ground and the other two that are still sitting at their front door.

Jungkook chuckles, rubbing his back soothingly as he stands him up, yet still holding his hand. "Should I help you with it?"

The little boy looks up at him through his lashes, staring in contemplation. "But I have to do it myself."

Jungkook leans in secretively, creating a mysterious aura for his words to be more effective. "I'll tell you what, it can be our little secret."

Byeongie beams at Jungkook though he is still not sure whether he should abandon his pride so easily. Jungkook is sure he left the house with manly promises of getting the chore done himself and would love to brag to his parents.

"I'll only help you lift them, you will still be the main star here," Jungkook explains in a friendly way, sending him puppy eyes that tend to work with others when he needs something. "What do you say?"

Eventually, Byeongie agrees, and so they get to work.

They first throw the enclosed trash bags, with Byeongie holding the bags and Jungkook pinching the side of the plastic to ease the weight of the contents. He lifts the boy and the bag at the trash can, and they successfully swing the packages down. It's only when they are picking up the spilled ingredients on the road that a Jimin appears on the door lane.

"Byeong-ah? J-Jungkook?"

The two 'garbagemen' stare at him simultaneously, an empty carton of milk in one's hand and a banana peel in the other's. The first thing that passes Jungkook's mind is how cute it was that Byeong had given his nickname to him when Jungkook asked for his name: Byeongie. The second thing that he thinks of is, Jimin, well how much he missed him for some reason.

"Hi, hyung," Jungkook says sheepishly as they make a wary eye contact with Byeongie, Jungkook winking at him to ease his nerves. "Uh, I ran into Byeongie throw the trash and I thought I'd... y'know."

Jimin seems baffled for a bit, walking towards them slowly and then bending in front of Byeong.

"Is that so?" he asks Jungkook although he stares at Byeong. "Everything alright, baby?"

Earlier near-accident seems to be flooding back to Byeong, that he develops tears in his eyes again, rubbing at them with the back of his hands which is not a good idea because he is still holding the banana peel in one. Jimin is immediately worried, cradling him and looking at Jungkook for answers as he discards it.

"We almost got hit by a car," Jungkook explains, guiltily tucking his fingers inside his sleeves. "Thankfully I got him before anything happened, but uh, I couldn't get the bastard's license plate-"

"Oh my god, are you okay?!" Jimin exclaims in shock, pushing Byeong into his embrace and burying his nose into his hair, upon which the little boy snuggles though he is not crying. "Are you hurt? Did you-"

"No no, he's alright," Jungkook interrupts him before he gets worried further. "It was a safe landing," he even smiles regardless of the unwavering concern in Jimin's eyes.

"I'm okay, I'm a bwave boy," Byeong says from the other side, making Jimin finally break into a teary smile as he looks at the boy dotingly, caressing all over his face and giving him tons of kisses. Jungkook's heart trembles from the cuteness overload, remembering how he said the same sentence at Byeong just a while ago.

"Of course you are, I just wish I were here,"Jimin whispers and Jungkook is sure he intended to talk to himself though he somehow uttered it out loud. Something tells him Jimin is going to blame himself for missing the moment of the hit-and-miss, though Jungkook supposes he'll be okay once the Byeong's parents comfort him.

He gives them time to talk it out in their own bubble, busying himself with the rest of the trash to not third wheel awkwardly.

"Hold on a second till I drop him at aunt Yumi," Jimin says apologetically before leaving, at which Jungkook very welcomingly agrees, even rushing him when he politely takes his time going in.

The street is calm like nothing happened now, except for the package box that sits groggily at the edge of the pavement. Jungkook sighs, checking whether it is in good shape yet. Whatever happened to it though would be worth saving the child. And then he notices his phone lying next to it, the earpieces scrambled lifelessly.

"Shit," he rushes over, only to encounter the ongoing phone call in which a wild Eun Bi manically screams. "Bi-yah?"

"What the hell happened?! Are you okay?"

He sighs, running a hand over his face frustratedly. "Yeah, I'm good. My phone will probably need some repairing though."

Jimin reappears shortly, now wearing a long coat and a backpack, a similar card box in his hands, presumably containing the swan costume.

Jungkook unites eyes with him and they both smile, which is his cue to hang up. "Hey Bi-ah, I'll call you back later, kay?... Yes, I know, the phone just fell that's why... Bi-" he sighs, sending a polite smile at Jimin before turning around and shooing her off. "Stop bickering you dumbass, I'm hanging up right now but I'll call you at night. ...Yes, you are going to pick up. Bye."

He swirls around, brightly chiming.

"Jimin-ssi."

Said boy strolls towards him, a lovely smile on his lips as he hands the box to Jungkook. "Girlfriend problems?"

Uh, girlfriend?

"Who, Eun-Bi?" Jungkook asks in an alien manner, eyes bulging out of their sockets just at the thought of it. He's not dating a female thug, no thank you.

"I suppose you came looking for this," Jimin taps the box mindlessly, arching an eyebrow playfully but not sticking with the humor for too long. "I'm seriously sorry about the switch Jungkook, I didn't do it purposefully."

Jungkook is still on Jimin assuming dating between him and Eun-Bi but he is forced to swallow his defenses as Jimin sticks to the box issue. "It's fine," he shakes his head absent-mindedly, looking at the half-open package. His ugly swan costume sits inside, and Jungkook is once again reminded of the love-hate relationship he has with it. "I was only afraid you wouldn't be home."

Jimin presses his lips shyly, averting his gaze. He knows Jungkook is addressing the phone number. But Jungkook didn't bring it up to guilt trip him, Jimin is probably juggling his own shit to be worried about Jungkook broken little heart so he shoves the tension out of the way with an interruption.

"Um, is Byeongie okay now?"

Jimin's eyes flicker up at his, a quick nod. "Yes, he is. Thank you... You saved him Gguk."

It's impossible not to blush upon the sweetness radiating off of Jimin's eyes, the way he gives Jungkook all of his attention and makes him believe with the fewest of words that he appreciates him. 

"It was nothing, hyung. I'm still hung up on that idiot of a driver," Jungkook glances at the road behind him, bracing the box on his arms firmer out of resurfaced anger. If only he were a little more attentive, he could have traced the culprit and taught him a lawful lesson for carelessly driving towards a little boy. 

"Are you okay though?" Jimin asks, bringing Jungkook's attention back.

"Oh yeah, I'm all good," Jungkook smiles small. He still can't stop thinking about the incident, in fact, he is surprised Jimin doesn't question it further.

But that's suddenly not very important because Jimin is starting to look at him differently, fidgeting in his spot restlessly. Jungkook swallows, feeling a sudden wave of hotness hit his skin upon the change of demeanor. 

Jimin puckers his lips, finally deciding to let the cat out of the bag. 

"I have tutoring in an hour or so but the student's house is really near," he says with a pause as if he is trying to read into Jungkook's reaction even before he has completed his words. "Do you... wanna have that coffee now? I don't have much time though, is that... is that okay with you?"

Is that okay with Jungkook?

He can't even fucking believe Jimin is quoting him on the coffee date — not exactly date but who fucking cares?! 

"Uh, are you sure you'll be able to catch up to your tutoring?"

Jimin waves his hand, a warm smile on his lips. "'S all good. Come on, I wanna thank you for earlier plus I took your time with the whole box switch." When Jungkook keeps dumbly staring at him, Jimin adds all too sweetly. "Drinks are on me."

Jungkook can't stop his laughter from lightly escaping. He is glad there is the box to keep his hands busy because with this nervousness, he is pretty sure he wouldn't be able to keep his decent image, would probably rub the sweat off of them all over his clothes.

"You got me with the free drinks, let's go."

Jimin laughs at his silly joke and for as long as the moment they stay there with smiles decorating their faces, Jungkook can clearly admit to a change. It's like the iceberg that held Jimin from him melted a few layers. Jimin excuses himself to drop his box inside the house to shortly reappear, a teasing grin on his face as he offers Jungkook to visit their usual coffee shop nearby.

Their coffee shop.

Jungkook wishes he didn't get ahead of himself so easily, but deep inside he acknowledges. That sounds way better than Jimin probably intended it to.

◢

◤

"Why do you tutor if you're so rich?"

Jimin almost chokes on his coffee, barely convincing Jungkook he is fine as he wipes the droplets on his chin, an amalgam of confusion and amusement on his face.

"I'm rich?" he points at himself like there was even a chance that Jungkook wasn't addressing him. "Jungkook I live in a trailer, you know that, right?"

Jungkook takes a three-second long interest on the decoration of the wooden ceiling, deciding that nothing actually makes sense when he tries putting the pieces together, that he actually has no idea who Jimin is based on what he's seen and heard of him so far. 

"And you drive a fancy car," he points out, making Jimin smile in dismissal. "You either stole the car or your trailer is fake."

"So there is no way I'm not an outlaw, is that what you are saying?"

Jungkook snorts. It might be his positive bias towards Jimin, his aura and charm that blinds his eyes from actually considering him as an outlaw but Jungkook can never envision Jimin being a badass of that sort. He did see Jimin in a different light the night they hacked the mascot system but even then he was in his easeful kind element.

"You're mysterious, is all I'm saying," he leans his elbows on the table, careful not to spill his drink as he approximates himself towards Jimin. Jimin chuckles cutely, playing with the straw of his drink as he stares at Jungkook from his seat where he's tucked comfortably. "Do you want me to tell you how you look like from the outside?"

Jimin hums, head tilting to the side as he sips interestedly from his drink, like the 'appearance' Jungkook is talking about is his actual image. Jungkook's eyes briefly fall to his lips and he literally has to force himself from reading too much into his dainty acts.

"You have to be one of those millionaires who practices stealth wealth," Jungkook raises his eyebrows, exaggerating a snobby expression that makes Jimin giggle. "You are a professional hacker, I'll give you that, but the trailer and the tutoring are sticking out to me."

Jimin doesn't answer right away, nodding his head like he is impressed with Jungkook's foretelling. He drops his coffee cup on the table and shifts from his comfortable position, mimicking Jungkook as he leans his elbows on the table and approximates himself as well. It's dangerous to be this close to Jimin, but Jungkook doesn't dare move a muscle, looking intently into Jimin's eyes that sparkle beautifully.

God, he is so beautiful, Jungkook can't keep the reigns of his heart. 

"I am a professional hacker," Jimin says. "But not like you think. It's not a big deal, I'm not rich or anything," he smiles, shoulders cramping shortly. "It's not even a permanent job. I do hack-proof checks for this one company and yes when they pay me it's a pretty good month but they don't have new softwares invented every week of the month so those times I have to find another way to keep it going."

Jungkook blinks slowly, starting to regret being so blunt with his expressions, even though Jimin probably knows he didn't mean them. He didn't expect Jimin to suddenly open up so much about himself all at once, and he doesn't really know how to react. 

"So I do tutor, yes," Jimin tilts his head to the other side, tapping his cup on the table one time. "Side job, y'know."

Jungkook 'ah's quietly. He can't help but turn a little red from Jimin's sudden reveal of information. Jimin seems to have noticed his bewilderment that he nudges him playfully on the shoulder.

"Are you disappointed that I'm not rich enough to get you drinks all the time?"

Jungkook grins at that. Jimin has a great sense of humor, a great way to read into other's emotions and tap into the right ones at the rightest moments to bring comfort back into the table. It all works perfectly for his charm, no wonder Jungkook finds it so easy to converse with and relate to him. "What about the trailer?"

"Aren't you being a little nosy, now?" Jimin teases, bending his head slightly to find the straw with his lips.

"It's not everyday that a Jimin opens up to me about his mysterious life, y'know."

"Then maybe you should be grateful with the much that you can get at a time."

Jungkook hums. "Fair enough."

Jimin giggles at his sudden docility, swallowing his sip and placing his chin on his hand, staring at Jungkook like he is reading into a dream. "How about you? How come you aren't some sort of millionaire yourself with the fame of your channel?"

Jungkook looks down, blushing a little. "I'm saving." That makes Jimin laugh, at which Jungkook pretends to get offended though much of his defense is genuinely justified. "I choose to invest in my future. I'm being smart!"

There is a newfound smile on Jimin's face, one that makes Jungkook feel a little exposed and a lot trapped. He feels like he's in a mine field with Jimin trying to dig deeper into everything he says, putting meaning after meaning behind everything Jungkook rashly does for the most part. On a second thought, that's exactly what he has been doing to Jimin too.

"So you have a dream? What are you saving for?" Jimin ends up asking.

And there Jimin scores.

Jungkook has an abrupt realization moment, a weird moment in which his life, his friendships and relationships play in fast motion across his eyes, every memorable snippet taking its place for a few seconds before swiping past to the next one. He searchs for something similar as to the knots straining his throat, tries understanding why is it with Jimin that he feels so defenseless in a way that he never felt before. Jimin can't be that amazing, can he? He is just a guy asking him questions about his dreams and future, it's not that he cares that deeply to the extent of making poems out of his words, so then why does Jungkook feel heard for the first time without even speaking? 

Is it him who never had reliable people that genuinely cared about him in his life, or is it really Jimin that cares differently enough to make him feel special?

Because he is about to spill some of his tight thoughts to this person he barely had a full conversation with at this very spot just a week ago, and he doesn't know why he is not considering brushing him off since it makes him feel so exposed.

Jimin is smiling at him, looking deeply into his eyes, blond locks brushing past his eyebrows to shade the upper whites of his eyes, his cheekbones rosy and perked up, and Jungkook can't stop himself from feeling, just about everything. Safe, welcome, accepted. He is going to say it.

"When I was younger, my parents would always go to work and I mostly hung out alone in the house, at least until Hayoung was born. My sister." Jimin's eyes grow in understanding, interest peaking up even more upon the seriousness in Jungkook's tone as he shyly speaks. "I, um, didn't like being alone that much. Not because I was scared or anything but I just... wished they were around more, y'know? I missed them even when they were there."

Jungkook looks down, the oily coating that floats on the iced coffee cup, the blurry pictures that it forms cluelessly. He smiles. He can still feel the iron railings of his balcony wrapped around his childly fingers.

"So I made a promise to myself."

He can see the buildings swallow his favorite sun and turn it into nothingness. But then the moon comes and Jungkook has something else to hold unto. Night time means mommy and daddy are coming home — a little exhausted and stressed out — but they'll be home and they play with him sometimes.

After I have a family and make enough money to sustain us for a long time, I'm going to take them on a timeless vacation where we spend time together, only with each other without thinking about anything else but our happiness. 

It was his go-to thought when he felt bad about his parents not being around. It was the promise that gave him strength to go forward, and even years later when he got over his loneliness giving reason as to why his parents needed to work for a better life for them, he was never able to spend that bit of money that would keep accumulating in a corner.

Lost in thoughts as he spills out his most intimate dreams, he almost misses the enamored look in Jimin's eyes, flustering when they make sudden eye contact.

"Are you serious?" Jimin says unbelieving, trying not to show too much of himself but failing with that incredulous grin on his face. 

Jungkook shrugs, pressing his lips together.

And then he feels Jimin's hand on his hair, just like that other time. 

"Are you too cute or am I tripping?" Jimin poses gently, laughing breathily as he holds Jungkook's gaze. "Jungkook that is the sweetest thing I've ever heard in my life, you can't be serious."

Those words send Jungkook straight into a blushing coma that he didn't know he was capable of producing. More specifically, he is suffering through, trying to breathe with the frantic way his heart beats because Jimin might have called him a bunch of cute proverbs that he never knew he liked this much to be.

"It's just a lame dream hyung," he can't fight the smile anymore, and Jimin's even more endeared by its appearance.

"No, no, it's not lame at all. Have you shared this with your girlfriend? I bet it would drive her crazy, it's the cutest freaking thing-"

"Hyung," Jungkook deadpans. Jimin did not just bring up the girlfriend issue again. "I don't have a girlfriend."

Jimin snorts, cutting physical contact and leaning back on his chair, tying his arms together as he keeps Jungkook in his eye lockdown. "Yeah, right."

Jungkook feels like pulling his hair. What is wrong with this hyung?!

"Eun Bi is my friend, she is the machoest girl you can ever meet and I'm not into manly girls."

That entertains Jimin even more, his gums are even showing now. "What girls are you into then?  Cute girls? Ah-sexy girls?"

"I like cute girls," Jungkook ends up saying. And doesn't hesitate to add. "Or guys."

He might have made a declaration. Jimin might have noticed it. 

"Cute girls," Jimin purses his lips, nodding. "And guys."

Did notice.

Jungkook grins, feeling his confidence come back to him. He is glad he is not the type of person to fret over his sexuality, thanks be upon his open-minded family, though he doesn't think he would care less about who he feels attracted to even if they had interfered with his dating preferences. He did have silly high school dates with both genders though things never got serious until the graduation, the summer break in which he turned 18 and in which him and his classmate celebrated a little intimately — meaning, Byung-Hoo stayed the night after his party and the morning too, and then the whole summer. That was his first serious relationship, though it didn't last because he left Seoul to study in this much smaller student city, and that didn't sit well with Byung-Hoo, who couldn't deal with the fact that they would have to work a distance relationship. 

"What about you, Jimin hyung?"

Jimin perks up, as if he doesn't know what Jungkook is talking about. Jungkook is hoping he is not one of those judgmental people, but then Jimin has never given that impression to him.

"Uh, I'm... same. I mean, I like both too."

Jungkook just witnessed Park Jimin flush upon the mention of his sexuality. Jungkook is intrigued, in the best way possible, and Jungkook is going to tease him without wasting time, indeed, starting from now.

"I meant, what is your type, hyung?"

That successfully gets a harder reaction from Jimin, said blondie red in the face for some reason Jungkook would love to look into. He loves science and would dedicate any research into its purpose.

"I don't have a type," Jimin replies. "I've liked different things in different people. Even when I thought I needed to have a type, I kept crushing on people so out of my spectrum that I decided to give up on labelling," he softly chuckles.

Jungkook does the same. But in a more mischevious way. He makes his face innocent and cute, showing Jimin his puppy eyes and sweet side as he leans in, almost making Jimin drop his plastic coffee cup. "How about me?" Jungkook fakes a whisper. "Is there anything you like in me?"

Regardless of how taken aback he was, Jimin is able to recover from his shock pretty quickly and play along. He laughs and runs his eyes over Jungkook's face, stopping his gaze at his eyes last. He's about to say something but Jungkook cuts him out, raising an eyebrow as he sexily pronounces.

"Cuz I think there is definitely a lot I like in you."

A gasp leaves Jimin's lips, mischief  in his orbs giving away how much he might actually be enjoying this. 

"Are you flirting with me right now?"

Jungkook takes a moment to drown at the sight of him, his coral eyes, heated cheeks. The confidence show he masquerades behind which lies wavering anticipations. He wants Jimin, he knows with all his heart, even more so from up close.

"So what if I am?"

Jimin breaks into a smile, body cocooning into its invisible shell as he lets Jungkook's attention wash over him, his pure desire show a glimpse of what's to come if he were to do so much more. 

"I'd say you are playing with fire."

Jungkook bites on his bottom lip, unable to stop himself from approximating his face to Jimin's to the point that their breaths wash over each other's, heat from their bodies mingling in the little space that bakes their desires. He can feel Jimin's pulse from here almost, can count his lashes if they had enough time. "I like trouble, you know."

Visibly affected by Jungkook's unexpected advancements, Jimin seems to be realizing the reality of the situation just belatedly that he takes a little longer in replying, nervousness reflecting in his slowed blinks as he makes eye contact with Jungkook. "I don't."

"Then I'll protect you from it," Jungkook out-speaks smartly, causing Jimin to break into a defeated smile. "Isn't that how we are? You trouble me, I trouble you. You redeem me, I redeem you."

"You realize that you are full-blown hitting on me right now, don't you?"

"I'm not the oblivious one here, hyung." Jungkook chuckles and taps on Jimin's chin playfully, the elder watching his actions unintentionally. "Haven't you been courted before?"

"I tend to do the courting."

"Shouldn't you know better than?" Jungkook teases, receiving a playful eye roll from Jimin, who is about to pull back if it weren't for Jungkook who keeps him near by holding onto his hand. Jimin hesitates for a second and things get serious, but Jungkook has started something and he hates to leave his job undone. He wants to try. He really will. "Go on a date with me."

Jimin doesn't seem to have expected such straightforwardness. He looks around the cafe like he is embarrassed from their little intimate long time lovers show, especially with the way Jungkook is looking at him and caressing his hand and he seems overwhelmed for a second. He presses his lips and looks at Jungkook in contemplation, reflection of the turmoil probably going off in his head.

"You don't find me attractive? Don't like my personality?" Jungkook is the one having a little crisis then, but Jimin shakes his head in complete denial and places his other hand on top of his own. 

"No, no, that's not it Jungkookie, there is nothing wrong with you," Jimin says softly, daring to blush as he adds. "You are very kind, friendly and handsome. Your date would be lucky."

That is enough to have Jungkook's heart racing, because what compares to receiving such compliments from this man who took his breath away the very first day he's met him and managed to add to Jungkook's infatuation each and every time they have ran into each other?

"Then what, you don't do relationship? Is that it?"

"Oh my god," Jimin utters, switching between Jungkook's eyes like he can't believe what he just realized. "You are serious with this."

Jungkook gulps, bringing his other hand to Jimin's cheek with the fear of approaching unknown territories. Jimin does tense up for a bit but he doesn't flinch, letting Jungkook do his things as he speaks. "Does that bother you?"

Jimin doesn't seem to be very aware of what he's doing, but his breathing is a little labored and he looks down when he shrugs next.

"I'd love to get to know you, Jimin, I... I think you are amazing and it might even sound crazy but I think we are compatible with each other." Jimin breaks into a smile, making his eyes big as if he's asking for more and Jungkook jumps at the opportunity. "Really, that's what I think, hyung! Also, you are... very..." Jungkook bites his lip because he doesn't know if Jimin will be bothered by the feminine compliment, but then he remembers the day he got Jimin flowers and Jimin himself had accused him with a similar word. So he goes for it. "Very beautiful."

That seems to have gotten to Jimin because he is now looking vulnerable and shy, flushing when Jungkook moves his thumb on his cheek experimentally.

Jimin was right. He feels like he is playing with fire, and he is actually burning hot inside this coffee shop.

"Yeah?"

Jungkook wants to curse to stress the importance, but he is not sure if Jimin would find it rude so he just nods and repeats. "Yeah. And I think you know that."

Jimin chuckles, adjusting his head so that it's comfortable to look at Jungkook. "I do. I agree that I have a unique beauty."

Jungkook snorts too, and now they are back at their goofy dynamic, comfortable with each other like they have done this forever. Jungkook has a feeling that Jimin is not there where he wants him to be yet however, not as ready to jump into the dating scene at least, but maybe they could get to know each other, he hopes. 

Jimin interrupts his thoughts.

"Look, sweetie this is nothing about you, you're a great guy, I already told you. But I don't do the whole dating thing. I'm sorry that I won't be able to take your offer, but thank you for thinking so highly of me."

He did see it coming, it hurts but not as much. Jimin already did this to him and maybe that's why Jungkook gained some sort of immunity. This time Jimin rejected him again but gave him so much more allowance, opened up to him and let him in so maybe it is not about getting a 'yes' from Jimin, but taking little steps into his world. Maybe one day Jimin will decide he actually wants Jungkook there.

In the end, even if things don't work out romantically, Jungkook thinks they can stay good friends. He has to be mature about this.

"Of course," Jungkook retrieves his hands and body, pressing his lips into an understanding smile. Jimin appreciates the space he is given and that is Jungkook's first unstated accomplishment: showing Jimin that he's respected. "It's a bummer though, you were a catch."

Jimin swats his shoulder playfully, dissolving into giggles as he leans back on his seat, which is equal to having received a 'yes' to Jungkook. "I'm your hyung, watch your mouth."

"Sorry for stating the truth, hyung."

Jimin shakes his head in disapproval, grabbing the coffee cup only to realize that it has already emptied. He pouts in disappointment, checking the time and realizing that he should have been a little more careful with it.

"Shit, I'm gonna be late." 

He scatters in his seat and puts on his coat in a rush, apologizing to Jungkook as he runs to pay for the drinks. When he is back he is ready to dash out but doesn't hesitate to grab Jungkook's phone from the table and type in what looks like his number - Jungkook is speechless - holding it forward with a big smile on his face.

"I had so much fun today, Jungkookie, thank you," he says sweetly as Jungkook stands up in front of him as well. Then the phone is given back to Jungkook, though Jimin doesn't immediately let it go. "I put my number in, just in case another circumstance comes up. We're doing business together after all, isn't it?"

Jungkook grins, giddy and hyper. He still can't believe he got the number without even asking for it again.

"If you want to hit me up some time, I'd love to hang out again," Jimin continues, giving Jungkook a manly push on the stomach. "Though you have to get those naughty thoughts out of head. I'm up for being friends if you are cool with that."

Jungkook thinks his lips will break if he tries to grin harder. "Hell yeah. Let's do it."

Jimin eyes him up and down in acknowledgement, holding his hand forward for Jungkook to shake but Jungkook just rolls his eyes and brings him in for a hug.

"I'm not gonna bite you."

Jimin laughs and relaxes into him, face glowing in happiness when they part. 

"See ya," he flutters his fingers, taking steps backwards but his exit isn't that smooth, as he crashes into the barista and causes the dessert plate in his hand to fall down. 

Jungkook jumps at the loud noise and everyone's suddenly looking at the commotion, murmurs going around as Jimin covers his mouth in shock of what he's done. Jungkook doesn't waste time.

"I'll take care of it, you go," he guides Jimin towards the exit, not minding his complaints.

"Jungkook-"

"Look, it's all good," Jungkook holds him by the shoulders, passing a little wait sign to his barista friend who eyes them amidst his cleaning. "You'll be late, get going already."

Jimin can't let his guilt go. "I'm so sorry for putting you through this, I'll pay you back when I can, okay?"

Jungkook laughs, shaking his head and tapping his hands on Jimin's jacket a few times. "Don't worry about it, hyung. Just go."

They stare at each other for a bit, independent from the events and the night, but Jungkook urges Jimin to leave again, said boy awakening from his daze and accepting his help after taking a final look at the shop.

Jungkook watches him walk away through the glass windows, muttering to himself funnily. 

"Thought you didn't like trouble, Jimin-ssi."

Back inside the coffee shop, the barista is busy cleaning up the mess, an unimpressed look on his face when Jungkook crouches to his level to help him out.

"Not impressed, Jungkook."

It's funny how he uses his name like he knew it forever, when they only exchanged numbers last weekend at the coffee shop - finally after all those months of nameless banter. 

"Nice to see you too, Hobi hyung."