The next morning dawned with the crisp chill of early autumn. The leaves on the trees around campus were beginning to turn shades of gold and red, painting a picturesque backdrop for the students bustling between classes. Jungkook, however, was oblivious to the changing scenery as he made his way to the computer lab. His mind was occupied with thoughts of the project—and more notably, with Jimin.
Despite his initial reluctance to get too involved with his junior, Jungkook couldn’t deny that he had grown fond of Jimin’s company. The younger boy’s energy and positivity had become a constant in Jungkook’s days, a bright spot that he found himself looking forward to. They had established a routine, and although it was mostly focused on their project, there was an underlying comfort in the familiarity they had built.
When Jungkook entered the lab, he wasn’t surprised to find Jimin already there, typing away at his laptop. Jimin had become increasingly dedicated as their project progressed, often arriving early to work on new ideas or refine their existing code. It was one of the things Jungkook admired about him—Jimin’s ability to combine creativity with a strong work ethic.
“Morning, sunbae!” Jimin greeted him with a smile, looking up from his screen. “You’re just in time. I’ve been working on that dynamic interface we talked about yesterday. Want to take a look?”
Jungkook nodded, setting his bag down and moving to stand beside Jimin. As he leaned over to see the screen, the faint scent of Jimin’s cologne—something fresh and citrusy—wafted up to him. It was a scent Jungkook had grown accustomed to, one that had somehow become associated with the calm and focus he felt whenever they worked together.
On the screen, Jimin had mocked up a basic version of the interface he had described the previous evening. It was simple, but Jungkook could see the potential. The design was sleek and user-friendly, with customizable elements that would allow users to tailor the experience to their preferences.
“This looks good,” Jungkook said, genuinely impressed. “You’ve done a lot since last night.”
Jimin beamed at the praise, his eyes crinkling in that way that always made Jungkook’s heart skip a beat. “Thanks, sunbae! I was really excited about the idea, so I couldn’t wait to start. There’s still a lot to do, but I think we can make it work.”
“We can definitely make it work,” Jungkook agreed, pulling up a chair and sitting down beside Jimin. “Let’s break down the steps we need to take to implement this. We’ll need to integrate the interface with the backend code and make sure everything runs smoothly.”
As they delved into the technical details, the hours slipped by unnoticed. They worked in tandem, bouncing ideas off each other and refining their approach. Jungkook had always been a solitary worker, preferring to tackle problems on his own, but working with Jimin had shown him the value of collaboration. Jimin’s creativity often led to innovative solutions that Jungkook might not have considered on his own, and Jungkook’s technical skills helped bring Jimin’s ideas to life.
By the time they took a break, the sun had risen high in the sky, casting long shadows across the floor. Jimin stretched, letting out a satisfied sigh. “We’re really getting somewhere with this, aren’t we?”
Jungkook nodded, feeling a sense of accomplishment. “Yeah. We’ve made a lot of progress today.”
Jimin grinned, his eyes sparkling with the same enthusiasm that had become a hallmark of their partnership. “I’m really glad we got paired up for this project, sunbae. I’ve learned so much from you, and it’s been… well, fun.”
Jungkook glanced at Jimin, noting the sincerity in his words. It was rare for someone to call working with him “fun.” Most people found him too intense, too focused, too difficult to get close to. But Jimin… Jimin had a way of breaking through those barriers with his warmth and easygoing nature. And while Jungkook wasn’t one to easily express his feelings, he couldn’t help but acknowledge that he felt the same.
