The sun was already setting by the time classes ended, and the whole day, Jimin busied himself trying to find Jungkook, and even though they took P.E together, it was hard to talk to the younger one in private since he knew a lot of people would ruin their moment. Ever since Jungkook's been backing him up, always walking next to him in the hallways, sitting next to Jimin in the cafeteria, the older one noticed how a few students would give them space, like they were scared to mess with Jimin just because Jungkook was there. In a way, Jimin liked it. He liked seeing people knowing they couldn't hurt him because no one deserves to get hurt, and Jungkook staying by his side all the time made him feel safe, and he couldn't ask for anything more.

What happened between Jimin and Mina, only both of them knew. Jimin, feeling guilty, wanted to explain things to Jungkook since he knew he messed up, knew that he had some serious thinking to do, and that he was stupid. He felt stupid for letting Jungkook wait without telling him what happened between him and Mina. He felt sorry for the both of them, and he was in the middle, confused and his brain was ready to explode. He felt sorry for Mina because he left without explaining things to her, and it was the same thing to Jungkook - Jimin never explained what happened, so he left, feeling down, feeling like Jimin didn't care about him at all.

After their class ended, people getting out of the pool and heading for the showers, Jimin showered as fast as he could so he could catch up to Jungkook and at least tell him what happened. One by one, they all left and when Jimin scanned everyone's faces as they exited, with him waiting outside the door, he couldn't find Jungkook.

Not until a tall, dark haired boy came out, heading to his locker, that Jimin just had to follow him because he knew that familiar side view all too well. He knew those shoulders from the back, knew everything as the guy opened up his locker, getting his things. Just by the way he stood, without anyone in the hallways but them, Jimin knew.

"I called you," Jimin started, looking at Jungkook with pain-stricken eyes and his lips forming into a small pout. Jungkook must've turned his phone off because he didn't want to talk to anyone at the moment. Jungkook always answers his phone calls, but today, he didn't talk as much, didn't laugh as much - Jimin was trying to understand. Seeing as how Jungkook was getting his things from his locker and shoving them in his black backpack without glancing at him even for a short while, Jimin couldn't help but put a hand on Jungkook's right arm. "Jungkook..."

"How was it? Did you have fun?" the younger one replied for the first time in the last few minutes Jimin was there. Jimin looked at him with eyes full of shock since he was surprised Jungkook spoke up, but he had to keep his composure. Judging from the feel Jungkook was giving off, Jimin knew better than to hold onto his arm, so he just brought it down slowly, eyeing Jungkook as he was bringing out a blue folder and putting it in his bag.

"No, I didn't have fun. I missed you," Jimin replied, giving Jungkook a small smile to ease the tension, but when he heard a loud slam as Jungkook closed his locker door, Jimin jumped up, immediately explaining, "J-Jungkook, nothing happened."

"I gotta meet Taehyung hyung since he wanted to go out with me. I'm running late," Jungkook was already walking fast, not until Jimin stopped him, and it was his turn to slam Jungkook's back against a locker, his eyes red and teary, but Jimin didn't care if he'd break that second - he had to let it all out.

"I said nothing happened, Kookie. Don't you trust me?!"

"How am I supposed to believe that when I was waiting for hours and you didn't even tell me if you were alright. Something could've happened, hyung!" Jungkook screamed back, not backing down as Jimin locked gaze with him.

"Like what?" Jimin couldn't help but ask, even though he knew what Jungkook meant. He knew very well, but he just had to ask the younger one himself to confirm his thoughts. "Jungkook, I'm asking you a question-"

"-What do you want me to say? That you had sex and that's why you never replied to any of my calls, any of my messages, and maybe that's why I'm mad at you right now? Ha! 'Mad' isn't even the right term for it, let me call Taehyung hyung and ask him what the term is because unlike other people, he actually answers my calls and is always there when I feel like crap, thanks to you," Jungkook's bag slid down his shoulder, falling to the ground, and that was the only thing that could be heard as the defeaning silence was taking over.

"No way..." Jimin's hands which were on Jungkook's shoulders tightened their grip, and Jungkook couldn't bite back the tears that were now going down his cheeks, but he figured Jimin didn't care if he cried anyway. "No way...Jungkook, nothing happened. We didn't have sex. Nothing...Jungkook, I- You actually think I'd have sex with her?"

"What else do you do when you stay at a girl's house and it's been hours, even past midnight? I waited, hyung. You never came out," the younger one cried somemore and Jimin just had to listen to him as his chest was heaving, as his heart was beating so fast. "You always leave me behind. I'm always here for you, but now that this girl shows up, telling you she's the one sending the letters, you go to her? Forget me like I never existed? Was she there when people made you feel like you weren't worth it?"

"Jungkook, stop it. Just stop it," Jimin felt tears cascading his cheeks and he mentally cursed at himself. "I'm sorry for everything. When I went there, I expected her to explain why she gave me those letters and why she liked me, but she never explained anything. She then wanted to have sex with me, but I left because I knew it wasn't right. Even though she'd still come back and tell me over and over again that it was her who sent all those letters, I wouldn't believe it anymore. It feels different, I just know every single letter I got isn't from her. If it's true that all those letters are from Mina, I already know I wouldn't feel the same way," Jimin had to clear the misunderstanding, clear it and have Jungkook in his arms again because that's where Jungkook belongs.

It was silent and those hands that were on Jungkook's shoulders were now gentle, Jimin trying to ease the tension as he smiled a sad smile, massaging Jungkook's shoulders that were now beginning to get less tensed. Letting one hand set Jungkook's hair to the side to see his face better, Jimin sighed, noticing that the spark in Jungkook's eyes seemed to disappear. His eyes were no longer bright, and although Jungkook's eyes contained the galaxies, it seemed as if the stars were lost.

"Kookie, I'm so sorry. I feel so bad and my chest hurts so much that it feels like I wouldn't be able to take it any longer. Seeing you down makes me feel like I'm not doing my part as your hyung, not doing my part as your friend, and you saying I always make you feel like crap, just- I'm just so sorry. If you want me to disappear, I will. If you want me to distance myself from you, I'll do that. If you need us to have some space, I'll give you that," Jimin whispered, but Jungkook's tear-stained cheeks were already so flushed as he shook his head frantically, gripping Jimin's hands like his life depended on them.

It hurt Jimin saying the words 'hyung' and 'friend' as he looked at Jungkook's eyes. He didn't even know where he stood in Jungkook's life, or what he was to him. Thinking that he'll always be Jungkook's hyung gave his heart a bittersweet feeling.

But he's willing to do anything to let the younger one keep that sweet smile of his.

"But you're more than a friend to me. You're all that I need, hyung. Are you crazy? You distancing yourself from me? I can't live with that. If you hate me that much, just tell me, you don't have to tell me you'll distance yourself from me; if you want me to go, just say it to me right now. You don't have to lie to me," Jungkook sniffed, his eyes still red. "What is it that you want hyung? I'm doing everything that I can for you to accept me."

"No, Jungkook, that's not it, I- I can't explain it. You mean a lot to me, I just..." Jimin couldn't find the right words to say. "It's not about me. It's about you. What do you want from me? I'll do it just for you."

"I want you to..." Jungkook couldn't say it. When he brought his head down to avoid Jimin's eyes, Jimin leaned closer to cup his cheek and stroke it so he wouldn't cry anymore. It was useless for Jimin to tell Jungkook not to cry because he, too, was crying. It hurt. The moment Jungkook shook, the second his lips quivered, Jimin had to lean in even closer to wipe Jungkook's tears away.

"Jungkook, don't cry. Please don't. What do you want from me? Please tell me," Jimin kissed his tears away like Jungkook was a baby, and it broke Jimin because Jungkook rarely showed this side of him. He rarely opens up, but now he was crying. The younger one must've kept all of this in for a long time, and now he couldn't keep it all inside anymore.

"It's not wanting, hyung. It's needing. I don't want you - I need you. I need you to come back to me," Jungkook let it out this time, and he couldn't take it back. He said it.

The pain in Jimin's eyes was evident as he let his tears fall, and it hurt him. It hurt him how all this time, Jungkook felt like Jimin was drifting away, like he wasn't there for him anymore.

"Baby, I'm always yours," Jimin broke as he trapped Jungkook in his arms, as he let the younger one drown in his warm embrace. All Jimin could do was hear Jungkook's silent cries and the only feeling that reached his senses were Jungkook's hands bringing him closer, so strong, so needy.

I'm yours even though you were never mine.

No one ever told him.

No one ever told Jimin why Jungkook was so scared of losing him.

No one ever told the older one why Jungkook was so protective of him, why he didn't want Jimin to fade away, didn't want him to get taken away by someone else.

Because of this, it made Jimin so confused as he continued embracing Jungkook in his arms.

If he was just a hyung to Jungkook, the younger one wouldn't mind as much.

If he was just a friend to the younger one, Jungkook wouldn't take this thing so seriously.

He was confused.

Park Jimin was confused.

He was so confused that when they went out the school building, it started raining, and they ran to his place with their clothes soaked, with their bodies wet and breaths heaving, their laughter resounding in Jimin's place, with smiles radiating his once dark house, but that was the past now.

This was the present.

Jungkook was clouding his mind and Jimin couldn't think straight that he didn't even mind if he let Jungkook's hands roam around his body, slathering him with soap, didn't mind as Jungkook's chest touched his back, as his arms were on either sides of Jimin's shoulders as he'd whisper, "I'll take care of you."

He let the water from the shower head continue to pour like the rain outside, the thunder crackling and rumbling, the lightning lighting up the skies, but that didn't stop Jungkook from making him feel like he was worth it.

Jungkook was younger, but he knew how to take care of Jimin like he was older than him, like he knew how to treat him by the way he handled him like he was fragile, like he was some kind of glass that's about to shatter because to Jimin, that's what he thought he was.

But Jungkook drying him up and covering him with his bathrobe with that big, adorable grin of his - that gesture itself was so pure, so innocent, that Jimin couldn't help but pull him down to the bed with him, gathering all the courage he could find to plant a kiss on Jungkook's cheek, so gentle, so chaste.

Jimin felt at peace as he felt Jungkook's lips on his cheek, too, going lower until he reached Jimin's neck, his lips so soft, so warm, so right. The younger of the two intertwined their fingers together, and without him knowing it, Jimin held on tight.

"Hyung..." was all Jungkook could say as he buried himself in the crook of Jimin's neck, as his body was on top of his, both of them all snuggled up like there was no tomorrow. He couldn't stop himself from bringing his lips to Jimin's hand and kissing it, kissing it till he reached his cheek and his neck once more. The older one would let out contented sighs while smiling to himself, his mind in a haze, but as Jungkook's kisses would reach his ears, his breath reaching Jimin's skin, Jimin would let out a whimper. "Hyung..."

"I'm here," Jimin whispered once, twice, till he lost count, not even noticing that his hair was still damp, that both of them were still wearing their bathrobes. He loved running his hands through Jungkook's hair, hearing Jungkook breathe, hearing his heart beat against his chest, and it felt so good that Jungkook was going to be the death of him. "I'm here, Jungkook."

Always here.

"This feels so good," Jungkook said, his voice hoarse, his voice low that Jimin shuddered. The older of the two knew Jungkook was going through a lot inside, but he wouldn't open up that easily, unlike Jimin. It took time for Jimin to show Jungkook what was going on with him, that he was bullied, that he was depressed and he had insecurities, and now it was Jungkook's turn to show his side of the story - Jimin was just waiting patiently. "I like this - when it's just the two of us. I like it," Jungkook said, now looking at Jimin's eyes. "And these..." he showed Jimin their hands that were interlaced. "Your arms..." Now Jimin was looking at his arms full of scars and bruises, and it was as if they were humans screaming, begging for attention. "The bruises, the scars, they all have to go away, okay? Hyung? Promise me?"

Jimin's heart ached because Jungkook cared so much, and it just pained him because he noticed. He's been trying his best to hide the scars and bruises, but Jungkook found them anyway, like how he found Jimin.

"How?" Jimin asked him, and he didn't even need to continue as Jungkook kissed his arms, his hands. Jimin melted beneath him, his eyes filled with tears once again.

"You thought I wouldn't notice? It's been months. I didn't want to bring it up while we were in the shower," Jungkook gave him a sad smile, but he continued, "You still have to promise me that you'll take care of yourself, that you'll make all these go away," he said, and Jimin nodded with a smile.

"I promise," he had to let go of Jungkook's hand to give him a pinky promise, locking it with their thumbs touching. He then smiled. "Jungkook?"

"Yes, hyung?" Jungkook diverted his eyes from Jimin's arms to his dark brown orbs, but he still continued stroking Jimin's cheek, feeling that buzz in his insides, probably because he felt like he wanted this moment to last.

"I love you."

~