going, gone | jikook

eight

The sky was pale blue, clouds drifting and leaving trails of wisps into the atmosphere. Jimin looked over at Jungkook, who was also admiring the sky. He couldn't help but smile. It had been a month since the two had first hung out, and now they each knew so much more, maybe more than the needed to, about each other. But Jimin still didn't understand what had overcome Jungkook the first time they met at the cafe they never went back to. He wouldn't talk about it.

Despite the curiosity eating at Jimin's sides, he managed to mix it with a tingle of floating-the kind when you went down a steep roller coaster. The past month had been full of floating petals, rushing rivers, and tall evergreen trees. Jungkook was different from anyone he had ever met before. He himself was an aesthetic being, his love for nature pulled Jimin in. Jungkook's kindness towards everything was such a blessing, and Jimin was glad he was let into his life.

"Jimin?" The younger looked over, catching Jimin's soulful gazes towards him.

"Hm?"

"Can you read another quote from the book again? The one by Lang Leav?" Jungkook loved reading, and he especially loved it when they came out of Jimin's lips. The words tumbled out like they were falling down a waterfall, each word more graceful than the one before. Jimin nodded and opened up his book, reading gently.

"Soul Mates. I don't know how you are so familiar to me—or why it feels less like I am getting to know you and more as though I am remembering who you are. How every smile, every whisper brings me closer to the impossible conclusion that I have known you before, I have loved you before—in another time, a different place, some other existence."

His voice slowed to a whisper as Jungkook turned around and looked across the river. While everything around them was peaceful, across the river was a dozen factories, and a plume of smoke that come out of huge pipes on top of the buildings. Each time the black pollution spewed out of the buildings, Jungkook tensed up. He hated it, the people that ruined everything around them. He hated the people who misused nature and dismissed it.

He abruptly stood up from the grass, Jimin following him. "Let's go somewhere else," Jungkook said, dusting himself off, walking back to the car.

Jimin kept his eyes on the road. It wasn't new, he had given rides to many people, many times. But ever since the incident, he became so much more aware of the fact that people could die from one wrong move. In addition to his heavy heart, it was Jungkook in the passenger seat. Not anyone else. He was a life worth living, maybe not perfect, but kind and a gift to the ruined world they lived in now.

I knew I loved you then

But you'd never know

'Cause I played it cool when I was scared of letting go

I know I needed you

But I never showed

But I wanna stay with you until we're grey and old

Just say you won't let go

Just say you won't let go

Jimin glanced over once as Jungkook's voice came to a stop. "Why did you stop? That was beautiful," he said.

Jungkook's face turned tinted pink, a sweet smile placed on his lips. "Because I forgot the lyrics."

//

They ended up going to Jimin's house. Haejin was out with their aunt, and their uncle was at work. It wasn't awkward, though. That was the thing Jungkook liked about Jimin. They could be completely silent, without any words exchanged, but there still wouldn't be that awkward tension in the air. It also gave Jungkook time to rest the butterflies that rose in his stomach.

"Can you sing, Jimin?" Jungkook asked, voice laced with curiosity.

"No," he shook his head softly as they climbed up the stairs to Jimin's room. "I do something else-well, you'll see." Jimin opened his room to show a room with no space of his walls. They were all covered with drawings, paintings, art. All done by the work of art himself. There were pencil portraits, colorful naturistic pieces, and abstract art, patterns, even random swipes of a brush that turned out so be beautiful.

"So Jungkook," he turned to the younger boy. "Do you mind if I draw you?"

//

By the time it was done, Jimin held a piece of paper with a beautifully sculpted face, bright eyes, shaded hair that lightly covered the top of his eyes. He drew Jungkook's bunny smile and the crinkles that appeared at the corners of his eyes when his lips curled into happiness. Jimin even lightly drew the cute indentations at the bottom of Jungkook's cheekbones. Jungkook didn't think it looked like him.

"That's me?" Jungkook asked for the fifth time.

Jimin smiled, "We've gone over this, Kookie, that's you! Have some confidence in yourself."

"C-can I have it?" Jungkook said. "I really like it."

"Of course," Jimin said, rolling it up and sliding the paper into a cardboard tube. He handed it to Jungkook, who took it with glee.

"Damn," Jungkook said without thinking. "He loved drawing too-" and stopped. Sighs overcame his body, tears unknowingly slipping down his cheeks. Jimin's eyes widened as he rushed to Jungkook's side. His forehead creased with worry, as he massaged Jungkook's back, whispering words of encouragement in his ear.

"Kookie, maybe you should talk about it, even just to someone. I may not understand, but holy shit I will be here for you and I swear I won't leave."

"Please don't leave me." Jungkook whispered, the words barely audible. "Please, Minnie, don't leave me." Jimin looked into his eyes, warmth spreading through his chest at the name Minnie.

"I won't. I promise."

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