With his hair being blown away gently as the wind caressed his face, Jimin closed his eyes, content just by being there, his back leaning on a wall as he sat down by himself, alone on the school's rooftop.

The sky was blue with a few fluffy, cotton candy-looking clouds hovering over him, with the sun peeking behind them, too shy to come out, but he still felt the warmth, and that's what he needed that moment.

If he wanted to escape, he would always go there to clear his mind, to get the peace he needed, to have the silence he wanted because he knew he couldn't have any of those in class. He felt at ease there.

Not hearing the door click open as he was still so busy trying to erase the memory of what had happened to him just earlier, being put down by the teacher, he felt a presence near him, and by instinct, he whipped his head to his left to find the younger one staring into the distance, looking ahead as he sat down silently next to the older one.

Jungkook.

Jimin took in the features of the younger one: his jet black hair, his pale skin, those long eyelashes that suited his dark brown orbs, his high nose bridge that fit him perfectly, and those pair of pink, plump lips that seemed to be moving that second, but Jimin couldn't hear a single word because Jungkook was too alluring, irresistible, making Jimin lose his sense of hearing, and everything in general, even his mind.

"I knew you'd come up here," Jungkook repeated when he knew Jimin hadn't heard him, a small smile on his face as he looked at the older one, his gaze fixed on him. "I haven't been here before, but it had Jimin hyung all over it, so I just continued to find you, and I followed my senses and now here I am," he chuckled, hoping Jimin would happy up because that frown on his face wasn't supposed to be there. It broke his heart when Jimin just gave him a tiny smile, the one without his teeth showing, without his eyes turning into two cresent moons, and his heart just clenched and he didn't know why it affected him so much. Jimin wasn't smiling Jungkook's favorite smile on him.

"You found me, huh?" Jimin brought himself to say, and for a moment, they stayed silent. Seconds turned into minutes, and it felt like forever, but not until he spoke up once again. "Thank you..." he whispered, looking up to the skies to see the clouds move slowly, to let the sun's warmth hit his face. "...for standing up for me," Jimin continued, and a smile wider than what he had worn just a few minutes ago was seen, making Jungkook's heart leap.

He'd been staring at Jimin, and he was worried that he must've looked like a fool because Jimin was that beautiful, and the sun's rays on his face, showcasing his delicate features made his heart beat even faster than before and deep inside, he knew he'd go nuts.

Seeing Jimin with his legs stretched in front of him and with his back leaning against the wall as he still had his head high up to look at the sky, Jungkook took advantage of the fact that he could look at Jimin for as long as he wanted that moment because this was a rare opportunity for him to be alone with the older one; it was only them without the rest of their friends, without judgmental teachers and students - it was just the comfortable silence and just them. They were communicating through their whole beings and not just through their words.

Mustering up all the courage he could find, Jungkook, though he was shy, brought his hand up slowly to rest Jimin's hand on his, securing it in his hold, making the older of the two look at him in surprise, his mouth slightly agape because he didn't expect this to happen, especially from the younger one. Jungkook knew this, so that made him intertwine their fingers tightly as if he was telling Jimin 'I'm sure of this.'

"You shouldn't thank me, hyung. This is what people do to the ones closest to their heart: they stand up for them no matter what, and should always be there to lookout for them. I care about you," Jungkook continued to look straight ahead, and Jimin just wanted the younger one to repeat what he said while looking at him straight in the eye without feeling nervous at all because he didn't need to be.

He wasn't supposed to feel shy when he was around Jimin.

"Are you nervous?" Jimin asked him since Jungkook was looking anywhere but him, and he just wanted to let the younger one face him, to put his gaze on him, without feeling tensed and frightened at all. He was worried, yet, he was curious of what the younger had to say. Hearing his sentence, Jungkook's attention was now on him as he locked gaze with Jimin, their dark brown eyes having that connection, and it was intense - so intense that Jimin forgot to breathe for a short while.

"Are you nervous?" Jungkook corrected him, a side smile on his face, and Jimin, within a second, just had to shake his head no because he knew the younger one was trying to divert the topic to him to hide his nervous self, to hide the fast beating of his heart that was beating like a drum in Jimin's ears, but the older one wouldn't take any of that. "I'm not nervous."

"You are," Jimin forced himself to say, still looking at Jungkook who went back to looking straight ahead. The older of the two looked at their fingers entwined for a second before putting his attention back to Jungkook, saying, as gently as possible so the younger one wouldn't run away, "You're looking straight ahead, you're not looking at me. I can hear your fast heartbeat, and you say you're not nervous?" he continued, and when he saw the younger one looking down, his other hand fiddling with the hem of his shirt, he knew Jungkook would speak up. "You don't have to lie to me, Jungkook."

"It's because it's only you who makes me feel this way," Jungkook looked up, noticing that Jimin scooted over to sit shoulder to shoulder with him, and the younger of the two could've sworn he couldn't take the close proximity because it made it harder for him to breathe properly. All of a sudden, Jimin scooted even closer and, to Jungkook's surprise, brought his free hand to Jungkook's chest, his heart, and the younger one couldn't help but lock eyes with him, noticing how Jimin's eyes shined so bright, filled with something he didn't quite know.

"Your heart is beating so fast," Jimin said in a low whisper, his breath hitting Jungkook's face, and Jungkook looked away almost immediately, to Jimin's dismay, but not a second later, the older of the two brought his fingers to Jungkook's chin, whispering in a sweet tone, "Jungkook, you don't need to hide from me. Look at me."

So that's what Jungkook did.

Dark brown eyes met those gentle eyes once more and this time, he felt like he couldn't focus.

He needed to focus.

"Do you only look at me as a hyung?" Jimin questioned, and the second after he said that, he noticed Jungkook's look changed, but he quickly shook his head no, making Jimin question him. "Then what do you see me as?"

"Please, you don't need to ask me this. Please," Jungkook said, his eyes begging for Jimin to stop because this was hard for him to answer. Tears were brimming at the corners of his eyes as he continued to speak. "You already know I care about you, hyung. You know I'd do anything for you."

"So is that why you always stand up for me? Because you only look at me as a hyung? Because you pity me just because I look weak?" Jimin brought his hand down from Jungkook's chin, hurt, and Jungkook immediately panicked, shaking his head violently from left to right, saying no, that Jimin misunderstood his actions, and the younger one immediately held onto Jimin's hand which was starting to drift away. He held onto his hand so tight, not wanting Jimin to let go, not wanting Jimin to fade away.

"You've got it all wrong," Jungkook whispered in Jimin's ear when Jimin stood up, when he succeeded in putting his arms around the older one's waist, Jimin's back pushed up against Jungkook's chest. Jimin stopped breathing for a second when Jungkook held him so tight, and knowing that he was trapped in the other's arms, Jungkook's lips only a few millimeters away from his neck, his ear, as he continued to whisper, Jimin couldn't help but feel so small, so fragile, under him. He was already so flushed by the time Jungkook held him even tighter than before, saying, "I stand up for you because I care about you, because I want to - not because I think you're weak and I pity you. I'm fully aware that you can stand up for yourself, but I stand up for you because I honestly do care about you, and seeing you struggle alone kills me. I want to help, hyung. Just let me."

His hands around his waist only stayed there longer, and Jungkook didn't plan on letting go of him, not until Jimin fully understood him.

Jimin couldn't help but put his hands on Jungkook's, feeling how the younger one held him tighter than before, like he was going to lose him, and when he wanted to speak, Jungkook knew what was about to come out of his mouth so he spoke once again before Jimin could bring himself to say anything.

"Stay, please," Jungkook pleaded once more, his voice reaching Jimin's ears and the older one felt his stomach bubble with something he didn't quite know. Eventhough he was still down, he couldn't ignore the fact that Jungkook had the most angelic voice ever, like music to his ears, and he couldn't stand seeing Jungkook break right in front of him.

Right after Jungkook let out those words, what came the next second shocked Jimin.

Jungkook buried his face into the crook of Jimin's neck and that alone made Jimin want to jump out of his touch if it weren't for Jungkook putting him in place. When Jungkook spoke, his lips and his breath only hit Jimin's neck even more, making him shudder under his touch this time, and he didn't even try to hide it anymore. "Please don't get mad at me. I don't want to disappoint you, hyung. I just want to be with you and help you get through this."

I want to be with you, too, Jimin couldn't help but think, now with a tiny smile forming on his face as he turned around and met eyes with the younger one.

Jungkook's eyes were wide and full of dreams, hopes, and everything beautiful that Jimin didn't want him to cry. As his tears fell down from his eyes down to his red cheeks, Jimin just leaned in and though he was sure Jungkook would get startled, and though he knew he shouldn't do such a thing, he tiptoed even more to kiss Jungkook's tears away, his hands on either side of Jungkook's cheeks, his lips on his skin.

With his eyes closed, Jungkook took in the feeling of Jimin's lips on his skin, on both of his cheeks, and though the feeling gave him warmth all over, it didn't last long as Jimin pulled away. The moment he met eyes with the older one, he had that strong urge to bring him in for a tight hug, especially after seeing Jimin's wide smile that made him go weak all over.

And that's exactly what he did.

He brought Jimin in for a warm embrace, feeling Jimin's heartbeat beating fast against his own. It felt so good, so right, that it didn't even matter if someone walked in on them that moment; he didn't want to let go. He just wanted to stay there, with Jimin, forever.

If only Jimin felt how much he cared about him then Jungkook would die of happiness.

"You always manage to find me, always manage to make me happy, I don't know how you do it," Jimin said, sounding like he was mumbling as his face was still buried in Jungkook's chest. Jungkook only gave him a small chuckle as a reply as he brought his hands to Jimin's head, caressing his hair slowly.

"And you always manage to hide, always manage to run away from me, I don't know how you do it," it was Jungkook's turn to say this as he smiled a small smile, Jimin mirroring his expression as he hugged the younger one tighter. Unconsciously, as Jungkook's hand was in Jimin's hair, he placed his other arm around his waist, and before he knew it, he hugged Jimin against his chest, his chin resting on Jimin's head as he whispered, "But I won't let you run away from me this time."

Stay with me, hyung.

---
Author's note: Hello, my dear readers! I'm back!

I'm so sorry it took long for me to update. I really thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything and waiting patiently for me to come back. I also thank you for understanding my situation and for your kindness and sympathy during my family's time of loss. Your messages have helped me a lot. I sincerely thank you.

I also thank my friend for making the story cover for me since she volunteered! I wasn't able to properly credit her before, but I thank you @krcarnations! You're amazing! ♥

And I love you and miss you, my dear readers. I hope you've been well and please take care and stay safe!

Love,
Jammie