The Definition Of Forever (Inked Hearts 1)

Fifty

AN:
Happy Jimin Date chapter! 😂

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Diana first person pov:

I was so relieved that Jimin liked my "date" idea. It was pretty hit or miss. But he seemed to be having the time of his life as we explored through the park, picking random trails and wandering off-trail. I liked talking to Jimin. He was funny, teasing, and kind, but also serious and heartfelt.

We were walking through the trees, off-trail when we came to a clearing overlooking the city.

"Wow." He breathed. Indeed it was quite a sight to see. I know that by now I should be used to looking at pretty views when you're up high, but it always takes my breath away, every time.

"Do you think we found the trail again?" Jimin asked looking around.

"No, I think that's the trail," I said pointing to another lip of the cliff that was jutted out overlooking the city, and a small bench.

"You wanna sit down for a minute?" he asked.

"Sure. Where?" we looked around. Short of sitting on the ground there was no rock or log to sit on. "What about there?" I said and pointed to the edge of the tree line.

"The tree?" Jimin looked at me surprised.

"Don't tell me you don't know how to climb trees." I teased.

"Of course I do." He said matter a factly but with a twinkle in his eye, and so I lead the way to the tree I was looking at: a maple tree, about forty feet high, with low branches, easy to climb. Or at least easy for me. Jimin it seemed was more acrobatic on the ground and needed a bit of help getting to the nice branch that I was perched upon.

"How are you so comfortable so high up?" Jimin asked, looking at my body sprawled across the branches.

"I'm a trapeze artist remember?" I smile.

"But I thought you were afraid of heights?"

Wait. How did he know that?
Mmh, I must have mentioned it...

"Well, I am. But that's more for cliffs and things where I don't have anything to catch if I fall. Up in trees, I can just grab hold of the branches. Make sense?"

He nods and looks out over the view. "I could forget all my troubles up here."

"Is that why you like hiking so much?"

"Partly. But it also reminds me of when my father would take me out when I was a kid."

"I love those kinds of memories." I sigh.

"What's your favorite one?"

"Oh, that's hard to pick. But if I had to, I guess when my family would rent a boat for the day and we'd go out on the ocean."

"What would you do?"

"Lots of stuff: swim, wakeboard, dive, lay in the sun, talk. I always think best when I'm looking at the water." I admit and look over to see Jimin smiling and nodding. "What about you?"

"I like being in the woods. When I'm surrounded by nature I feel like I can leave all my troubles behind." he smiles down at the ground below us and runs a hand over the smooth bark.

"Troubles as in being an idol?" I ask and he nods, looking slightly sadder. We stay silent for a moment, but then I have to ask a thought that's been on my mind lately: "Jimin, how often do you read hate comments?"

He doesn't answer for a while and continues to look down at the ground below us, but when he does, his voice is soft and broken. "A lot."

His confession makes my heart ache. Being on a YouTube channel I get plenty of hate, and it's horrible. But to be a k-pop idol.... He must have it a thousand times worse.

"Jimin, why do you torture yourself like that?" I ask softly.

"After everything army has done for us, for me, isn't it the least I can do to make them happy?"

"Jimin. First of all, there will always be conflict, there will always be haters and supporters and you can't please them all, all the time. Second, their "happiness" shouldn't come at the cost of your wellbeing. Yes, army has done a lot for you, but you've also done a lot for them. And the way you should repay them is to be happy, to love yourself. Jimin, you are perfect." I quote the hashtag, and I see the faintest of smiles bloom across his face.

"Jimin I want you to promise me something." I say, and he meets my gaze at last, "I want you to promise me, that for every hate comment you read, you read three loving supportive comments."

He doesn't say anything for a second but then nods his head and I see tears in his eyes. "Thank you." His voice cracks and I lean over and give him a hug. We stay like that for a while, and neither of us notices the time until the bright beam of the setting sun lands in our eyes.

"It's been a while since I've seen a sunset." He speaks for the first time in a while. "I'm usually too busy."

"Then let's get a better view," I say, and we make our way down the tree and out back into the clearing. We stand there for a while, content with just watching the setting sun. But since we don't want to get lost after dark, we begin our way back to the parking lot.

As we walk through the woods, I suddenly hear some Robins singing. I smile and whistle out their song, and wait for them to answer me. Their call comes back about ten seconds later, and I whistle the notes again. This time they answer me sooner, and I realize their calls have gotten louder. Jimin seems to notice too, and laughs at the birds that are now following us.

"Sing for them," I say and Jimin turns to look at me with confusion.

"Sing for them," I repeat, and gesture to the birds around us. He lets out a chuckle and starts to sing a sweet-sounding melody in Korean, and I mostly understand the words. But I don't really pay attention as I start to harmonize with him. He seems to get that I don't know the words and drops them, only singing the notes. And so we walk back to the car, singing without words. Some of the birds leave, some stay, and some start to sing with us, the woods now filled with our sweet song.

When we get back to the car, I make a snap decision and ask the driver to take us to get some food. So we stop at a noodle place and get take out, eating on a park bench, and taking turns asking the most ridiculous questions:

"Would you rather design clothing for a walrus, or make shoes for flamingos?"

"I think I'd go with the walrus. Would you rather live inside an egg, or can of beans?"

"The egg, it would be more comfortable. Would you rather have dog ears or tail?"

And so we sit and laugh the night away.

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AN:
What did y'all think about this chapter?

-Leia 💜