First Snow

Chapter 12- I Purple You

There was nothing Jungkook could do, but get back to the concert hall. He found the boys in the second row, an empty seat next to Namjoon.
He saw him and waved him over.
His eyes practically screamed the question of how it went. Like Jimin earlier, Jungkook could only shake his head, defeated. He didn't wait to see Namjoons reaction. He sat down, and stared at the stage.
He hoped, more than anything that Jimin would do great tonight.
He once heard him say that when he danced, he wasn't thinking. He just let his body take over and trusted his training and practice.
He hoped Jimin wasn't thinking today. Because if he knew one thing from the look he had given him earlier, it's that he was not okay.
He felt terrible.
He learned his lesson. He would never lie or withhold anything from Jimin again. No matter what.
And there was just one thing he hadn't told him besides Lisa.
The one thing he was itching to say, more than anything.
The lights went out, and the music started. The moment Jimin made an appearance on stage, Jungkook could look nowhere else.
He was perfect.
His movements were graceful, elegant and marked themselves inside Jungkook's heart with every beat of the music.
He didn't look down to where he sat. He didn't seem to look anywhere, completely taken over by the music, the beat and feeling of his feet beneath his ground.
Jungkook took out his camera and started filming, knowing he wouldn't get enough just watching this one time. He wanted to replay and replay this moment forever.
When the music stopped, the applaus was roaring.
Jimin finally looked down at him.
He didn't smile.
Then the dancers disappeared backstage and he lost sight of him.
"Well?" Namjoon asked from the side and Jungkook turned to see all the boys looking expectantly at him.
They were waiting for him to explain.
"I don't have a girlfriend.", he flat out said.
"Then who is Lisa?" Suga asked.
"A friend, I swear. I met her by accident and we meet for lunch sometimes."
"Then why didn't you tell us? Or Jimin?"
Jin looked at him with crossed arms.
"Because..." he stammered, trying to think.
Why?
Why hadn't he told them?
He sighed and took a deep breath. He guessed they knew about him and Jimin already, and if they didn't he was no longer afraid if they knew. Worrying that he lost Jimin was much, much worse than anything.
"Because- Well at first because I wanted to prove myself that I didn't like Jimin. And then because I had to hide my feeling in front of him and all of you because I didn't know he liked me back. And at the end, because I could talk to her about him the way I couldn't talk to you guys, because she wasn't so deeply involved."
When he was finished he was out of breath.
As one they looked at him.
As one they smiled.
" So... You love him? " Taehyung asked bluntly.
Jungkook nodded, his cheeks on fire.
" Well, " Hoseok said with a grin.
" What are you waiting for then? "
He pointed at the backstage area.
Jungkook looked at them all.
He saw support and love and felt his tears rise up.
" Thank you guys." he said relieved.
He turned and ran.
He heard Najoom call after him.
" Don't mess it up again, Golden Maknae!"
Followed by Taehyung's: "Tell him you purple him!"

They were having drinks as a celebration in a small practice room. The door stood open, which is the only reason Jungkook had found them at all, blindly running through the massive building. It had taken him ages.
As he walked in, he could hear cheers and laughing.
He searched for Jimin, but there were just too many guys in such a small room.
"Ah, everybody, look who it is! Jeon Jungkook! Isn't he tall and strong?" Jungkook turned to the sound of the familiar voice and saw Jimin surrounded by some of his dance partners. His face was flushed and he was holding a glass of champagne in his hands. Jungkook watched as he drowned it in one sip. It looked hot even as he worried how many of those he had already had.
He startet walking up to him.
"Did you know that he was the one person I know who has never lied to me? And yet I had jo idea he had a girlfriend?"
The others around him shot him confused looks.
Jungkook didn't slow down as he reached Jimin, took him by the elbow and dragged him out of the room.
Jimin protested and struggled, but Jungkooks grip on him was too hard  for him to do anything but stumble after him. Outside there were still some people, shooting them strange looks.
Jungkook ignored them all and opened the first unlocked door he could find.
He shoved Jimin inside.
Probably already drunk, he stumbled and Jungkook was just fast enough to catch him from falling.
"Sorry, I underestimated my strength.", he said into the silence of the room.
Jimin looked at him, then shook himself off Jungkook grip.
"What do you want? I was just enjoying myself with some friends."
He sounded angry.
He had every right to be and Jungkook felt lost. He had no idea how to start explaining.
The silence dragged on.
"I'm sorry.", he finally said quietly.
"Sorry for what? Not telling me about Lisa or sorry that I found out?"
"She's not my girlfriend, Jimin! She never was!"
Jimin laughed and shook his head in disbelief.
"I know you Jungkook. You could never lie to your mom. Remember middle school? Everybody got scolded for skipping class because you couldn't lie to your mom. They were all mad at you. Not me. I always thought it was so honorable that you never lied.
Oh, and I saw her name in your phone. I didn't ask because I thought she was a friend from America and I'm not the jealous type."
He stared at Jungkook reproachfull.
" I did meet Lisa. And I did ask her out for a drink. ", he admitted.
Jimin looked away hurt.
" But only... Because I tried to prove myself that I wasn't in love with you!"
Jimins head snapped back, his eyes going wide.
"What?"
Jungkook took a step towards him and gently, as if he was afraid Jimin was going to pull back again, took his face into his.
And then he said what he had wanted to say since that day in the charaoke bar.
"I love you, Jimin. And only you."
Jimins mouth parted in surprise and Jungkook almost laughed at his cute expression.
"But Lisa.. Your mom..."
" You're right. I've never been good at lying. I told her I met a girl, and she just assumed she was my girlfriend. All I did, was not correct her."
Realization dawned on Jimin.
"So you don't have a girlfriend?"
"No,"Jungkook said, suddenly feeling nervous as he looked deep into Jimin's eyes.
" But I would like to have a boyfriend. " If it was possible, Jimin looked even more astonished.
" Me? "
Jungkook laughed and stroked Jimin' cheek.
" Yes of course you! "
And then Jimin smiled. The most heartbreaking, happy smile he had even seen.
"One condition." he said.
Jungkook raised an eyebrow in question.
"You have to quit your job and become a photographer."
Jungkook couldn't hold back a giggle.
"Done.", he said.
"Really? You'll really do it?"
"Nope", he replied shaking his head, unable to keep the smile from his face.
Jimin looked up at him in confusion.
"I can't quit because I already have. Today. I was going to tell you earlier but..."
Jimin suddenly started to jump up and down, clapping his hands excitedly.
"I knew you had it in you. I'll help you find the best, dream job you could ever imagine and then we could.."
Jimin went quiet.
Maybe because Jungkook had decided he was being way too cute and had leaned down to kiss him.
"I love you too, JK.", he said in between kisses which made Jungkook legs feel like jelly.
When they broke apart they lost themselves in each other's eyes.
It was like he could feel the happiness like a living thing- their love as real as if they could touch it.
"We'll figure things out. About my mom and us, but we'll do it together, all right?"
Jimin nodded, then shot him a secretive smile.
"JK, do you remember when we talked about the First Snow?"
He nodded, and chuckled as Jimin gave him a quick kiss before he spoke again.
"Experiencing it together means that a couple will stay together for a long, long time."
Jungkook put his arms around Jimin's waist and pulled him closer.
"Forever", he whispered.