THE DARKEST HOPE

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Jungkook opened his eyes to the bright winter sun. Today seemed like it would be a good day, or was it? What he was supposed to do infused him with worries and his heart started drumming faster even at the thought for it. What would Jimin say if he caught him checking out the basement? He was so angry the previous time... He sighed deeply, trying to ease down his anticipation and sat in the bed, his hair disheveled from the sleep, dark locks pointing in every direction.

Jimin was already dressed, roaming thoroughly inside one of the drawers. He turned towards Jungkook and smiled amused with his adorable sleepy face and funny hair.

"Good morning, did you sleep well?" Jimin asked and approached the bed.

"Yeah, sort of..." Jungkook answered. "Is it morning already?"

Jimin smiled again and sat down next to him. He reached out and gently took Jungkook's hand; his thumb lovingly caressed his palm in slow circles. Jungkook lied back down. Today was a day he didn't want to get out of bed. It would be that much better if they just stayed cuddled under the blankets for hours.

"Please, Jimin," Jungkook asked lazily "come back to bed, it seems too early to be up anyway. Come on, just for a little while."

Jimin laughed and allowed Jungkook to pull him down for a long kiss but then pulled back again and tried to straighten up his wrinkled shirt.

"I can't, sorry. Today I have to read through some long and boring data in the library, but I promise you that when I am finished you will have my full attention."

"Since you promise." Jungkook reluctantly let go of Jimin's shirt.

"Before I go, I wanted..." Jimin silenced, seemed to be searching for words. He looked into Jungkook's eyes, his hand reaching inside his pocket. "I want to give you something."

Jimin pulled out of his pocket a small box and handed it to him. Jungkook took it and looked at it with curiosity. What could that be? He opened the small container.

Inside laid a heavy silver ring. It was decorated with the detailed images of two crows looking at each other. Jungkook's eyes widened with surprise. It was beautiful. He pulled it out and turned it slowly between his fingers. The ring glittered at the sun. On the inside he could read the initials "PM".

"It is beautiful!" He managed to say after a while. "But I cannot accept it, not something like that!"

"I want you to have it!" Jimin insisted. He took the ring in his hands and held it for a while, looking at it thoughtfully. Then he raised his eyes to meet Jungkook's gaze.

"That ring belonged to my father. Here, the letters, those are his initials. He wore it all the time. It reminds me so much of him." Jimin stayed quiet again, his finger trailing round the jewel. "That ring, it has been buried down the dusty drawer for such a long time. I thought that if I don't see it, I would forget all the sadness from the past and how much I miss my family. But unfortunately oblivion never came. And the ring stayed hidden, dead for the world. But it can live again, if you take it. You can bring it back to life just like you livened this old house and my life at the same time..."

Jimin took Jungkook's hand and slipped the ring on his finger. It fitted perfectly. Jimin smiled contently. He was full of happiness and something much more than that. Love? The ecstatic warm feeling that filled his heart, it was too unfamiliar for him to be able to define it with words, not yet. But he liked it and embraced willingly the tingly sensation. It felt so right and good.

Jungkook was smiling happily. Jimin's tender words caressed his fragile soul just as pleasantly and uniquely as his touches caressed his body.

Jimin took Jungkook's hand and touched his lips lovingly to the warm skin. He was going to keep this precious person safe and close; that was all that mattered now.