Forever & Always || Yoonmin

.7.

Yoongi went back home to look for Jimin, but he wasn't anywhere to be found. He even went to Jimin's house and managed to get his father to come to the door. Nothing.

He stood in the middle of their road scratching his head—trying to figure out where the younger had gone.. But then it dawned on him. There was a small lake through the woods that they had accidentally stumbled upon one day when they were exploring. "He's gotta be there." Yoongi mumbles to himself as he goes towards the woods.

He finally makes it to the lake and sure enough he finds a frustrated Jimin throwing rocks into the water. He stands there watching him quietly.

"..Fucking liar!" He yells as he throws a rock. "I'm the one who needs help. Not fucking strangers!" He throws another rock, then looks down for another one but sees that he had already thrown them all. "Aaahhh!" He screams at the sky. "Fuck my life!"

He turns his head and sees Yoongi standing there. His face turns bright red as Yoongi walks closer. "How long have you been standing there?!" Jimin screeches as he raises his eyebrows.

"Long enough." Yoongi utters making Jimin cover his face in embarrassment as he drops to the ground. "Fuck. My. Life... again." He groans as Yoongi walks up to him.

"Jimin, it's not the end of the world. I'm just going to spend some time in a different country to help people in need."

Jimin looks up at him with doleful eyes. "But what about me?" He says putting his hands to his chest. "I need you. You said you'd be here for me and you're just going to leave me!"

Yoongi sighs. "It's just temporary."

Jimin furrows his brows while crossing his arms. "Oh really? How long?"

Yoongi looks towards the lake, the sun setting off in the distance as the sunlight bounced off the water's surface making it shimmer. "Two years." He looks back down at Jimin.

Jimin's eyebrows turned up towards the center of his forehead as his jaw dropped. "Two years?!"

"Yes, but it's going to be okay!" Yoongi tried to comfort. Jimin quickly gets up from the ground and begins to walk away angrily. Yoongi follows, "Jimin don't be like this. Jimin!"

Jimin just ignores him continuing to walk away. Yoongi picks up his speed and runs after Jimin, grabbing the sleeve on his arm, trying to stop him. "Jimin wait!"

Jimin yanks his arm away. "Don't!" He yells as birds fly out from the trees as if his voice startled them. "You don't get it do you? I need you Yoongi. You might not need me, but I need you." Tears start to well up in his eyes. "You have made my shitty life better and now.." he lowers his head. Yoongi just stands there listening to him, watching every emotion, every movement he makes. He really did feel bad. Jimin lifts his head up, tears falling down his pink cheeks. "It's just gonna suck without you." He begins to sob and Yoongi doesn't hesitate to embrace him.

He holds him tight letting Jimin get it all out. "It's gonna be okay Jimin. It will! Just because I'm leaving doesn't mean I will stop talking to you, or stop being there for you. You'll always be my best friend."

He pulls away from Jimin but keeps his hands on Jimin's arms. Jimin was still sobbing a little. "It doesn't matter how far apart we are. I will always make an effort. That's all we have to do. Is keep talking." He takes his hands away as Jimin kept his head low, just nodding. "Besides, those two years are gonna fly by and by that time, you'll be graduated and everything will work out."

Jimin still hung his head low but wasn't nodding anymore. Yoongi lowers his head down to his. "Okay? This will benefit us both in the end." Jimin finally lifts his head and looks at Yoongi. "If I do this, I'll get a degree and I'll be able to take care of you. You won't even have to do anything. So please Jimin, please understand."

A smile creeps up on Jimin's face. "Okay. I understand." Yoongi smiles back. "I'm glad you do." He puts his arm around Jimin and they begin to walk back home.

"Hey Yoongi?"

"Yeah Kid?"

"You'll always be my best friend too."

Yoongi chuckles and pulls Jimin closer as they disappear into the woods.

•••

Summer passes and it's time for Yoongi to leave for the program. They had a really good summer together and Jimin didn't let the fact that Yoongi would be gone for two years, ruin it.

They stood at the bus stop, waiting for Yoongi's bus to come take him to the airport. Since LA traffic is so bad he didn't want to make his mother sit in it for a long time.

"I can't believe you're leaving.. though I do understand, but what if something happens to you?" Jimin asks.

"What would happen?"

Jimin lowers his eyelids into a squint. "Yoongi, you're going to Africa. I'm sure a lot of things can happen."

Yoongi puts his hand on Jimin's shoulder giving him a side smile. "I'm sure I'll be fine. I got my shots and the program will keep us safe. Also we're staying in South Africa but going to travel to surrounding countries that need help. So it's mostly a lot of traveling but it will all be okay."

Jimin nods. "Just be careful.. And don't forget to message me when you get the chance.. And write me!"

"Of course!" Yoongi yells back as they both share a laugh. He looks over at his mother who was sobbing into a napkin. "Oh mom, it's going to be okay. I'm just going to Africa, not the military."

She blows her nose into the napkin making the two boys give a look of disgust. "Don't worry mom, Jimin will be here to keep you company." Yoongi says putting his hands on Jimin's shoulders as Jimin gives her a thumbs up and a smile.

The bus pulls up and they all turn to look. Jimin's smile fades as Rita began to cry more. People start to get in line to get on the bus as Yoongi turns back to them to tell them goodbye. "Well it's time to go." He hugs Jimin but then quickly pulls away before Jimin can even hug back and then he hugs Rita but she grabs him, pulling him close, making him stumble. "Mom. I gotta go. I love you! Don't worry." She lets him go and he goes to walk towards the bus. Jimin and Rita stand there watching as he approaches it. He stands at the door and looks back at them waving.

Rita waves back aggressively, still sobbing into her napkin as Jimin just lifted his small hand up and gives him a little wave with a blank expression. Yoongi then walks onto the bus and soon after it drives off.

..And that was the moment, everything would change.