Winter In My Heart (Jikook/Kookmin)

19

"You're spacing out again. What’s on your mind?"

Mingyu’s voice broke through the silence, his eyes narrowing as he studied Jungkook. Ever since the night they met Jimin, his best friend had become distant, lost in thought more often than not. Mingyu couldn’t help but notice the change. It reminded him of when they first became friends—Jungkook had always been quiet, but now he was retreating even further, his gaze vacant, lost somewhere Mingyu couldn’t reach.

"I don’t know..." Jungkook muttered, his voice trailing off like he was still somewhere else.

Mingyu frowned. "What do you mean, you don’t know?"

Jungkook hesitated before speaking again, almost like he was afraid to admit what was really bothering him. "Cutie..."

Mingyu raised an eyebrow, confused by the sudden mention of Jimin. There was something in Jungkook's tone, something unfamiliar. He could feel the shift in the air between them.

"Why are you talking about my cutie?" Mingyu teased, but there was an edge to his voice. He didn’t like the way Jungkook said Jimin’s name—it felt... possessive.

Jungkook scoffed, rolling his eyes in frustration. "He’s not yours."

Mingyu smirked, though his heart tightened a little. "Oh, I’ll make him mine."

The confidence in his words surprised even him. Mingyu liked Jimin, more than he had realized at first. Jimin was sweet, gentle in ways that made Mingyu feel something he couldn’t quite put into words. But there was something keeping him from fully reaching out to him, something that held him back.

"Anyway," Mingyu pressed, trying to push past his own thoughts, "what about him? Why’s he on your mind?"

Jungkook sighed, running a hand through his hair. He looked troubled, as if he was grappling with something he couldn’t quite explain. "I don’t know. I felt... something when I first saw him. Something I can’t put into words."

Mingyu stared at his friend for a moment, caught off guard by the vulnerability in Jungkook's voice. He didn’t usually talk like this, didn’t usually let his guard down. Mingyu felt a pang of jealousy, but it was mixed with curiosity. What was it about Jimin that had affected Jungkook so deeply?

"Me too," Mingyu admitted quietly, almost to himself. "His presence... it’s like you can’t ignore it. He just draws you in." A small smile tugged at the corner of Mingyu’s lips as he thought about Jimin. "He’s... something special."

There was a softness in Mingyu’s voice now, the kind of softness that only came when he talked about Jimin. He had only known Jimin for a few months, but in that short time, Jimin had managed to weave himself into Mingyu’s life in a way that no one else had. Jimin was endearing, with a warmth that made Mingyu feel at ease. He was, in every sense, a cute, living, breathing human who brought light into the room.

Jungkook’s jaw tightened. "What’s his name?"

Mingyu glanced at him, the playful glint returning to his eyes. "Cutie."

Jungkook rolled his eyes and flicked Mingyu’s forehead, annoyed. "I’m serious, Mingyu. What’s his real name?"

Mingyu rubbed his forehead, laughing. He loved messing with Jungkook like this—it was part of why their friendship worked. "Alright, alright. His name’s Jimin."

The moment the name left his lips, Jungkook froze. His eyes widened, and Mingyu could see the sudden shift in his expression. It was like the world had just tilted, and Jungkook was trying to regain his balance. His heart pounded in his chest, loud enough that he thought Mingyu might hear it.