The morning of Jungkook’s departure dawned with a sense of finality that neither he nor Jimin could ignore. The early hours were quiet, almost too quiet, as if the world itself was holding its breath, waiting for the inevitable moment when they would have to say goodbye.
Jungkook woke first, blinking in the pale light filtering through the curtains. For a moment, he forgot where he was, the events of the past few days a blur in his sleepy mind. But then he felt the warmth of Jimin’s body curled up next to him, and reality came crashing back.
Today was the day.
He turned his head to look at Jimin, who was still asleep, his face peaceful and innocent in slumber. Jungkook took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of emotions swirling in his chest. How was he supposed to say goodbye to the person who had become his everything?
He carefully disentangled himself from Jimin’s embrace, not wanting to wake him just yet. Jimin deserved a few more minutes of peace before they had to face the day. Jungkook sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the packed suitcase that sat by the door, a silent reminder of what was to come.
He had made his decision—he was going to pursue his graduate studies abroad. It was an incredible opportunity, one that he couldn’t pass up, but it also meant leaving behind the life he had built with Jimin. The thought of being so far away from him, of not being able to see him every day, made Jungkook’s heart ache.
But he knew that this was something he had to do. For himself, and for their future.
As Jungkook sat there, lost in thought, he felt a gentle hand on his back. He turned to see Jimin awake, his eyes still heavy with sleep but filled with understanding.
“Hey,” Jimin said softly, his voice a little hoarse from sleep. “You okay?”
Jungkook managed a small smile, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Yeah, just… trying to wrap my head around everything.”
Jimin sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He could see the weight of the decision on Jungkook’s shoulders, and it broke his heart to see him struggling. “It’s a lot to take in,” Jimin agreed, his voice gentle. “But we’ll get through this, Jungkook. We always do.”
Jungkook nodded, but the knot in his chest didn’t loosen. “I know we will. It’s just… I’m going to miss you so much, Jimin. More than I can even put into words.”
Jimin’s heart clenched at the raw emotion in Jungkook’s voice. He leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to Jungkook’s forehead. “I’m going to miss you too, so much. But this isn’t the end for us. It’s just a new chapter. We’ll still be together, just in a different way.”
Jungkook closed his eyes, letting the warmth of Jimin’s kiss soothe him. He wanted to hold onto this moment, to freeze time so that he wouldn’t have to face what was coming next. But time, relentless as ever, continued to march forward.
“We should get ready,” Jungkook said after a while, his voice thick with emotion. “I have to be at the airport in a few hours.”
Jimin nodded, though he didn’t move right away. Instead, he wrapped his arms around Jungkook, pulling him close. They stayed like that for a long time, holding each other as if the strength of their embrace could keep the world at bay.
But eventually, they had to face the day. With a heavy heart, Jungkook stood up and started getting ready, the usual routine feeling surreal in the context of what was happening. Jimin followed suit, the two of them moving through the motions in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.
As they left the apartment and made their way to the airport, the reality of the situation began to sink in. The city passed by in a blur outside the taxi window, familiar landmarks taking on a new significance as Jungkook realized that this was the last time he would see them for a long while.
