My Heart's On Fire For Your Love | Jikook

Chapter 4: Chiaroscuro

After Jimin had been formally introduced to Jungkook, he had been fully aware that the alpha would constitute a reasonably large part of his social life, given his connection both to Jin and Taehyung. What he hadn't bargained for, however, was bumping into Jungkook quite so often as he had, especially given the quasi-itinerant nature of Jungkook's occupation.

The affable alpha had seemed to pop up everywhere, and in the most unexpected of places. He had, of course, been unfailingly courteous to Jimin, ever willing to drop everything and help Jimin struggle home with fresh produce, or to offer him the outer-wear off his own back if Jimin had been caught in a sudden rain shower; he'd even taken to walking Jimin home on those evenings when Jimin, having spent the day with Jin, could not be picked up by an increasingly busy Yoongi. In the course of these walks, Jungkook had been masterly at coaxing Jimin out of his shell, asking endless questions about his preferences and hobbies, while remaining sensitive enough not to push further if Jimin had become guarded after a personal question (usually relating to his childhood).

Jimin had conceded to himself that the exchanges had always left him restless and ill-at-ease, though he had been loath to admit it. Charmed by Jungkook's solicitousness, Jimin had struggled greatly with himself as the acquaintanceship had deepened, and he often had to remind himself forcibly that the alpha, above all else, was known to be nice, and so his behaviour only stemmed from a need to treat a newly-arrived omega with solicitousness. Yet, as time progressed, these little attentions had shown absolutely no signs of waning, and Jimin, with uncharacteristic bitterness, found himself occasionally wishing that he weren't such good friends with Taehyung, or that he didn't have such a strong bond with Jin, as he believed that it was only due to these connexions that Jungkook even realised that he existed in the first place. While Jungkook's gestures had indeed been appreciated, the prolonged contact had served as a form of cruel kindness, and had wrenched his bruised heart with a pleasurable pain.

Though Jimin had never betrayed his fascination in word or deed, it had manifested itself in his dreams, and Jimin had, once or twice, woken up with a sweetened scent and reddened cheeks, recalling scattered fragments. He had become particularly distracted on those days, and, if he came across Jungkook in the course of his day, had habitually become even quieter than usual, withdrawing into himself even as the alpha had attempted to cheer him up.

It had been through these interactions that Jimin had realised how handsome Jungkook actually was. Previously, Jimin had been (unwillingly) drawn to Jungkook's pleasing scent and the almost feral grace with which he moved, exuding an intangible quality of something which had simmered beneath his playfulness. But, as Jimin had become familiar with every plane and angle that made up Jungkook, he hadn't been able to help but see the appeal: the soft wave of his overlong mahogany hair; the liquid warmth in his limpid brown eyes; the predominant bridge of his strong nose; the high curve of his cheekbones; the slight mauve of his chapped pout. Somehow, though, Jungkook was greater than the sum of all these already-beautiful parts, and the strong emotion that animated his every pout, frown or smile made him heartbreakingly beautiful.

Furthermore, time spent had given Jimin a certain insight into Jungkook's character, and he had eventually come to the conclusion that there was much more nuance than he had previously supposed. This realisation had been compounded by months' worth of accidental observation of the alpha in question in various social situations, and anecdotal snippets gleaned from villagers.

For one thing, while Jungkook had never been known as anything but kind and open to those in need, there was clearly an invisible boundary in his head, which, once crossed, would automatically cause Jungkook to extricate himself from the situation, no matter how inappropriate his exit was. Jimin had, sympathetically listening to the complaints of the omegas at his evening dance class (usually when Taehyung was absent), been told that Jungkook had a special knack for saying absolutely nothing revealing despite a veritable outpouring of words, and was adept at politely rebuffing advances. He was so mindful of possible misunderstandings that he had apparently never danced with any omega outside of his immediate family at any festival since he had first presented, bar Taehyung and Hobi, who were clearly demarcated as family friends. An omega called Hojun had shared a traumatising flashback where he had, inebriated, near-begged for a dance, only to find himself led away by a rueful but insistent Yugyeom as Jungkook departed from the festivity with Jin.