Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

[moodboard by andy]

✩࿐  

If anyone had told Park Jimin six months ago that he would spend Christmas in the back of a police car, he would have had to proudly display, and believe, the subpar fortune he had plucked from a vending machine promising that the winter months will bring you great adventure in your travels if you remain vigilant and observant.

Instead, six months before Christmas as summer crept in, he found himself rolling the little plastic orange ball in his palm, the thin slip of paper curling at the edges as he stared at it, unamused. He heard a soft pop to his left, and then the infectious laughter of his best friend and roommate and co-worker.

“I’m supposed to set aside more time for myself so I can reconnect with my inner child,” Jung Hoseok said as he held his fortune out to Jimin, grinning with his face mask pulled down to his chin. “Are you going to come into money? Or is it doom and gloom?”

“Uh, no.” Jimin held up his fortune. “Apparently I’m going to have a traveling adventure this winter if I pay close attention to my surroundings.”

“Okay, Santa,” Hoseok teased, shoving the plastic ball and the fortune into his bag and slinging it back over his shoulder. “You owe me 1,000 won.”

“Well, when I cosplay as Santa and rob a few houses, I’ll give you the loot,” Jimin replied, and then he tilted his head down the road. “I don’t know why you always make me waste my time on this shit.”

“Because it’s hilarious, and I like to see the look on Namjoon’s face when we tell him that we wasted money on these things,” Hoseok replied, ruffling his mop of brown hair with the same grin. “How many patients do you have today?”

“I’m fully booked,” Jimin sighed as they began to walk towards the practice side-by-side. It was a small practice that Jimin and Hoseok, both chiropractors, owned together called TLC Chiropractic. Jimin thought he was clever naming it after the thoracic, lumbar, and cervical spines, but only he found it amusing. His dream had always been to have his own practice, and TLC was still in its formative years, but seeing as they were housed in the same building as a pilates and yoga studio, Jimin and Hoseok had quite a clientele already.

“I think I have one space open around two o’clock,” Hoseok said as they walked through Gangnam towards their practice. He had pulled the plastic ball out of his bag just to play with it while they walked. “I have those cheerleaders from the baseball team who come in every Monday.”

“I have half the yoga studio,” Jimin sighed, and Hoseok snickered, fishing around in his bag for the keys to the practice. It was almost nine o’clock, which was when they opened on Mondays, and they closed at three. On Tuesdays they opened at seven in the morning instead for the early risers. On Wednesdays, they opened after lunch and closed at eight o’clock for the after-work rush. Jimin’s flexibility was not just thanks to yoga and pilates—it was the business model he and Hoseok swore by every day.

“Okay, are you ready?”

“Hit me,” Jimin said, standing in front of the wall of shelves holding patient files. So many practices were digital only, but there was something about having a file that Jimin loved. He enjoyed being able to mark down exactly what the affliction was on a model of the patient, jot down a few quick notes while the adjustment was settling on the patient, pull out a file and flip through it.

“Bang Sihyeon. Choi Eunji. Oh Seonghyuk. Park Hanjae. Choi Taesuk.”

Hoseok held their schedule book in his hands and rattled off all of Jimin’s patients for the day from the first one to the last one, and Jimin plucked all of their files out and stacked them in order. He and Hoseok each had separate spaces to work in, and they each put two clients on the table at a time, working back and forth between the two.

“Oh, Choi Eunji is bringing her baby today,” Jimin said, delighted. “She texted me and said that Yerin has been gassy and crying the past two days.”

“So basically, you’re going to make the baby fart,” Hoseok joked, handing Jimin the schedule book.

“Among other things, yeah,” Jimin replied with a grin, and then he cleared his throat. “Park Sooah. Kim Seunghee.”

“Jimin-ah.” Hoseok interrupted with only two files in his hands, an impish smile on his face. “Maybe your client’s baby is a sign that I’m connecting with my inner child.”

“Hyung, you speak and I lose brain cells,” Jimin said airily, and Hoseok let out a bark of laughter, spinning back around. “Song Ara.”

[“paradise” by great good fine ok, before you exit]

It was a day like any other. As Jimin welcomed his patients into the practice and carefully adjusted them one by one, he considered that the whole “normal day” idea was what all those true crime podcasters said about the day a victim was murdered. It started off as just a normal Monday! Jimin had heard it a thousand times, which always made him sit on the subway wondering if his normal Monday would end with him being chased by a killer clown or something outrageous. 

But no. He could toy with the idea of it could happen to anyone! Except Jimin had a routine. At age twenty-eight, his life was relatively scheduled thanks to his job, even though he did enjoy a few nights out here and there and a nice vacation every once in a while. In fact, he had gone to a nightclub with Hoseok last Saturday night so they could blow off some steam.

“Good. Deep breath in. Relax your jaw. Let your head fall into my hand. Good—” Jimin did the quick adjustment for Haerin’s neck, and then he watched as she exhaled, watched as the adjustment settled into her body as he stepped back. He saw Haerin giggle as she rolled her head back to a neutral position, and then she peeked at him with one eye.

“I could feel that in the back of my throat,” she joked in a whisper.

“Yeah, well, the next adjustment is to realign your entire ribcage, you weirdo,” Jimin teased, and Haerin stifled a laugh. She was only twenty but she was an avid ballerina and always had the strangest afflictions. Jimin glanced over at his other patient, who was still holding a position while seated that Jimin had requested. Quickly, Jimin beckoned to Haerin. “Relax, relax… Haerin-ssi.”

“Sorry, sorry,” she said with a grin, and then she closed her eyes and wiggled, relaxing into Jimin’s hands as he palpated carefully to find the spot he wanted, standing at her head.

You have magic hands. That was what some of his patients told him. Jimin liked to believe it, liked the temporary ego boost. His self-esteem was fragile sometimes, given his occupation and the half-hearted support he had from his family.

His parents were typical parents. Very normal. His father was a businessman and his mother was a retired school teacher. Jimin was their only son, and they had raised him to be a king, but Jimin knew he was a disappointment to them. Or rather, he always fell just short of the mark. He had the title of “doctor,” but he was a chiropractor, not a surgeon. He had his own practice, but he shared the building with other businesses. He had had relationships in the past, but he was gay. 

So hearing that he was helping his patients? Worth its weight in gold.

By the time they were closing up at three o’clock and Jimin was cleaning his adjusting room, Hoseok appeared in his doorway.

“Did you hear Donghyun fall off the table?” Hoseok asked with a grin, crossing his arms and leaning against the doorframe. “I went to do an adjustment in his hip and he just fucking rolled right off.”

“Uh, I heard a thud,” Jimin laughed, still wiping down the tables with disinfectant spray and a cloth. “He’s not a small guy, either, so—”

“Well, yeah, it’s always fun trying to hold him in that position to set his hip back into place, but today he just let loose and fell,” Hoseok said with an amused chuckle. “Luckily he’s our age and he laughed it off, or we’d be getting sued.”

“Good thing neither of us got a fortune about gaining a ton of money,” Jimin said seriously. “Otherwise, I’d have to believe that those fortunes are a scam.”

“You loser,” Hoseok laughed, grabbing his files to reshelve them. “I’ll reshelve the files. Go before you miss your train.”

“You’re a legend,” Jimin sighed, snatching up his bag. “See you at home. Enjoy pilates.”

“Make dinner for us or order something,” Hoseok responded, and Jimin stuck one thumb up in the air as he departed, fumbling for his AirPods in his bag as he exited the building.

He stuck to his routine—almost every day, he took the 3:32 train on the 2 line from Gangnam Station to Jamsil Station, and then he changed to the 8 line to end up at Seokchon Station, which was near his apartment in Songpa-gu. It was a twenty-minute journey. And there were no killer clowns chasing him.

The station was busy, of course, because when was Gangnam ever truly quiet on a weekday close to rush hour? Jimin entered the station, peeved that he had forgotten to bring his book to read and resolved to doom-scrolling on his phone until he reached Jamsil Station.

“Oh! Sorry,” Jimin apologized to a gaggle of teenagers who rushed past him, and two of the girls bowed in return and then ran off to find another glass door to stand in front of to board the subway. Jimin chose a different door where only a few middle-aged men were waiting with face masks and headphones.

When the subway pulled up and the doors opened, people flooded out neatly before the next influx of people funneled in. Jimin felt his eyes actually widen when he saw an empty seat between two older women. Stunned, he glanced to see if anyone else needed the seat first, but then the doors closed, so he bowed and whispered his apologies as he gently sat down between the two women, settling in and pulling out his phone.

JIMIN [3:32PM]
Hyung, I actually SAT DOWN on the 2 line just now

HOBI [3:32PM]
Jimin-ah ㅋㅋㅋㅋ your fortune ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

JIMIN [3:33PM]
It’s summer, you fool. I have to wait for my WINTER travel adventure

HOBI [3:33PM]
It’s winter in Australia, you know ;)

Jimin didn’t respond. He was pretty sure Hoseok could feel the Herculean eye roll from afar. Jimin blew out a breath and sat back as best as he could, and then he glanced up from his phone out of habit to see who else was on the train.

Middle-aged businessman, two teenage girls, elderly woman with a rolling shopping trolley, hot guy with tattoos, old man with a book…

Hot guy with tattoos.

This guy was worth a second glance. He was alone, and no one was bothering him—obvious, since he had his AirPods in and typically most passengers kept to themselves politely during subway journeys. He had long black hair tied back messily at the nape of his neck, several rogue strands tucked behind both ears, and he was wearing baggy ripped up jeans and a black t-shirt that was far too big on him, probably a stylistic choice. Two sleeves of tattoos, about six piercings in each ear, and a drawing pad propped on his knees… Jimin swiftly looked back down at his phone just in case he was caught.

He’s an artist.

Most people didn’t do much on the subway other than scroll through their phones or chat with their friends. This guy was biting on his bottom lip absentmindedly as he sketched. He was wearing short sleeves, so Jimin honed in specifically on the tiger tattoo that was wrapped around his right forearm, and then up towards his face again—

It was then that Jimin realized he was looking directly into this guy’s eyes.

“Sorry,” Jimin mouthed with a small bow of his head, breaking eye contact and then lifting his phone higher, mortified. He had been gawking at this poor stranger, and the guy had caught Jimin’s eye and stared. And Jimin hadn’t even realized they were staring at each other until the subway shuddered to a stop and pulled into Seolleung Station.

Twelve more minutes of awkward subway silence!

It was like being trapped in an elevator with a stranger riding ten floors up. The crippling silence in an enclosed space, the urge to blurt out random facts about the spine, feeling compelled to unnecessarily shift around all of his belongings to waste time and fill the silence. Instead, a few more people hopped onto the subway, filling the space with bodies instead as the subway took off again, headed for Samseong Station.

Except when they pulled into Samseong, Jimin made the mistake of looking up again because the lady beside him disembarked. And when he looked, there was Tiger Tattoo, eyes trained on Jimin, a tiny smile on his lips. Even worse, he winked before he bent his head and began to draw again as the subway pulled out of the station.

It wasn’t that Jimin hadn’t been winked at in a public setting before. It was that the time was quarter to four on a Monday and he felt like a haggard lump of exhaustion from work, and this was simply not the time or place he had ever expected a gorgeous tattooed man to wink at him. His game was at a negative five right now, because if he was really switched on and ready (a rare occurrence), he would have beckoned to the guy to strike up a conversation. But this was the 2 line, not a nightclub. 

Unfortunately.

The subway eventually arrived at Jamsil Station, and to Jimin’s surprise, Tiger (a good nickname, he figured) stood up to exit as well, gathering his belongings and shoving his pencil behind his ear. He slung his bag over one shoulder, and then he stood back and beckoned to Jimin, seeing that Jimin had gotten up to disembark as well.

“Thank you,” Jimin said with a bow, wondering if he was imagining the scenario or if he was just a mixture of horny and emotional, because why did the bare minimum respect make him feel some type of way? Regardless, Tiger didn’t say anything back. Jimin had half a mind to slow down and attempt a conversation, but then the subway pulled out of the station, and Tiger breezed past Jimin, twirling the pencil between his fingers now as he headed for the station exit.

So Jimin hopped onto the 8 line for the three-minute ride to Seokchon Station, and then he walked five minutes to his apartment, laughing to himself every few hundred feet while tempted to text Hoseok about his own stupidity. I just had an awkward cheesy rom-com moment with a hot tattooed guy on the subway, he thought to himself as he climbed the stairs to the second floor and approached his door to punch in the code. Also may have considered mentally removing his shirt, but didn’t get that far.

This was absolutely not his winter travel adventure.

“Oh. Hey. Good, you’re home. Check out these macarons.”

“Let me guess.” Jimin kicked his shoes off at the door the moment he entered, not even remotely surprised to see Kim Namjoon standing in the kitchen. He knew how to get into Jimin and Hoseok’s apartment and had permission to be there whenever he wanted, and right now, there was a cup of tea on the countertop next to a fancy box that Jimin assumed contained macarons.

“Don’t judge me.” Namjoon held up his hand in warning, and then he turned and crooked it at Jimin. “Come here and tell me if you think these are good quality.”

“Are you trying to pass them off as homemade? Because there’s no way in hell,” Jimin said, and Namjoon pressed his tongue into his cheek, narrowing his eyes at Jimin. Maybe he was a year older, but Jimin was well-practiced in teasing Kim Namjoon.

“I just need to know if he’ll like them, you asshole,” Namjoon replied, nudging the box towards Jimin. “They’re the fancy kind.”

“So you’re gonna show up like ‘knock, knock! Sleep with me, please!’’” Jimin sang out, and Namjoon pressed both palms to the countertop, bowing his head momentarily.

“I’m about to take one of these macarons and shove it up your ass, Park Jimin,” he threatened emptily.

“That’s fine. At least you know what my ass can take,” Jimin teased, and Namjoon inhaled and dragged the breath at the back of his throat, rolling his eyes as Jimin finally conceded and peeked into the box.

Namjoon was his ex-boyfriend. A beautiful, intelligent, compassionate, goofy ex-boyfriend. Jimin adored Kim Namjoon… but as a friend. They met at university when Jimin was twenty and began dating shortly after, but despite being together for two years, the relationship had never progressed. Both of them had dragged their feet for months, offering to move in together but never following through; the passion dwindled. Their love for each other never did, but that was when they had come to a mutual decision to transition to best friends. 

And it was the healthiest decision Jimin had ever made for himself. Namjoon, too. Jimin had spent his mid-twenties dating around and experimenting. Namjoon had dated a few girls, one other guy, and now he lived across the hall from Jimin and Hoseok and was pining over the new guy who just moved in next to Jimin and Hoseok.

“I wouldn’t be doing this if I hadn’t seen him hauling a fucking Pride flag into his apartment on move-in day,” Namjoon lamented. “I would have just introduced myself like a normal human being and left it at that. But no-o-o-o, he had to be queer and built like God’s gift to humanity.”

“You’re an atheist and the only thing you know about him is his name, but I digress,” Jimin said, reaching for Namjoon’s tea and taking a sip.

“False on the second account,” Namjoon declared, straightening up and rapidly rubbing his soft black hair before he adjusted his glasses. He was the cute nerd type. “Kim Seokjin owns the cat café near Jamsil Station and the mall. Rata-Cat-Cat? You’ve heard of it, right?”

“I’m sorry, what the fuck did he name his café?” Jimin asked, raising both eyebrows.

“Don’t make me repeat it or you’ll be shitting out macarons,” Namjoon warned.

“Rata-Cat-Cat?” Jimin said before he burst out laughing. “Christ, if I wasn’t allergic to cats, I’d be there every goddamn day. That’s genius. I’ve actually heard of it now that you mention it, but I’ve never been there because—well, cats.”

“Okay, well, his name is Kim Seokjin and he’s a café owner who clearly loves animals and serves great coffee and pastries,” Namjoon continued. “So if I show up with shitty macarons, I’ll embarrass myself.”

“Well, short of actually trying one, I think you’ll just have to wing it,” Jimin replied. “Are you doing this right now?”

“Yeah. He’s home,” Namjoon replied. “I think. I hope.”

“The dietician delivering sweets to his hot neighbor. I’ve seen it all,” Jimin teased, and then he clapped Namjoon on the shoulder. “Good luck, hyung. I’ll be here to snap your neck if you’re too embarrassed to go on.”

“He won’t reject me,” Namjoon said with confidence.

“Yeah, share some of that attitude with me,” Jimin said as he headed towards the bathroom. “I saw a hot guy on the subway today and just stared at him like a weirdo.”

“Ooh, and you’ll never see him again,” Namjoon sighed, tutting at Jimin. “Bad luck. Should I offer Kim Seokjin some free services? Maybe he wants a dietician’s opinion on things. Maybe he wants free chiropractic adjustments.”

“If you offer free chiropractic adjustments because you’re blinded by love and stupidity, hyung, I’ll take the money from your bank account,” Jimin threatened with a smile, and then he saluted and vanished into the bathroom.

He didn’t stay there for long.

“Hyung?” he called out when he heard the apartment front door close and beep. Grinning, Jimin ditched his laptop and ran out into the kitchen, noticing that the macarons and Namjoon’s shoes were both gone. So, like a good friend, he raced to the front door and pressed his ear up against it, because Namjoon having the balls to actually knock on Kim Seokjin’s door was something he had to witness, even if he could only hear it happening. Besides, if Namjoon was rejected, Jimin would need to provide comfort and reassurance.

“Oh! Sorry to bother you, I—I’m one of your neighbors,” Jimin heard Namjoon say, so he pressed his ear harder to the door and squinted as if that was going to help him hear better.

“Yes, hello? Oh, I’ve seen you in the hallway before,” a cheerful voice said. “I think I introduced myself, but I can’t remember. You’re one of my neighbors? No one’s ever introduced themselves to me in any apartment building I’ve ever lived in.”

“Well, um, I can be the first,” Namjoon said awkwardly, and Jimin pressed his fingertips to his brow, willing Namjoon to loosen up. Not that he and Jimin had done a good job of flirting with one another years ago, anyway. They were both a lost cause. “I’m Kim Namjoon. I live in… that apartment there. Um, and across the hall? My two closest friends. They’re both chiropractors. So if you need someone to—nope, never mind. I’m—I have these for you.”

“If I need someone to break my back, I should ask them? Or you?” Kim Seokjin replied in a teasing tone, and Jimin dropped to the floor laughing in silence. He clutched the door handle on his way down, but he kept his ear pressed to the door in desperation, because this was pure comedy.

“I—I really—I regret even speaking, so here are the macarons I got,” Namjoon said with a pained laugh, but Seokjin’s own genuine laugh covered that.

“Ya-a-a-ah, these are great. I love this bakery. Thank you, Namjoon-ssi. I’m Kim Seokjin. Nice to meet you. What is it that you do for work? Chiropractic?” Seokjin asked.

“No, no. I’m a dietician.”

“Oh, fancy. How often do people joke about eating only salads in front of you?”

“On a daily basis—oh. Yeah, okay. That’s definitely not a salad,” Namjoon said, and this time, his laugh was more relaxed.

“It’s delicious,” Seokjin said, his voice muffled as Jimin snorted with laughter. He’d clearly eaten one of the macarons. “Well, if you ever use Jamsil Station, I own a café there. You’re more than welcome to stop by. First coffee’s on me. If I’m not there, just tell them your name and force them to text me if they don’t believe you.”

“Which, uh…. Which café?” Namjoon asked. Oh, sure, play dumb for the pretty guy, Jimin thought, rolling his eyes as if he wouldn’t be caught doing the same damn thing.

“Do you like cats?” Seokjin inquired with laughter in his tone. Namjoon must have nodded, because Seokjin added, “Then you won’t have any trouble finding my café. I have to—yeah. Ah, I’m sorry. Stop by the café, though. I’m just working from home today. Gotta go.”

“Yeah, cool. Um, it was nice to meet you,” Namjoon said.

“Likewise. See you around.”

Jimin immediately scrambled off the floor as he heard Seokjin shut the door, and his intention was to make it back to his bedroom and pretend he hadn’t heard a thing, but he made the mistake of ramming his hip directly into the table. He let out a loud yelp and collapsed to the floor, rolling onto his back and clutching his hip, and that was when Namjoon entered the apartment.

“Were you eavesdropping?” Namjoon accused immediately.

“Leave me here to die,” Jimin groaned.

“That’s what you get for listening to my conversations,” Namjoon said as he returned to his tea. “He took the macarons.”

“Pretty sure he made a sex joke,” Jimin said, still staring at the ceiling.

“When?”

“He basically told you to break his back, hyung. Let’s not be naïve,” Jimin said, rubbing his hip and then sitting up with his elbows draped over his knees. “Also, ‘which café’? Give me a break.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, did you—” Namjoon set his cup of tea down forcefully, and some of it sloshed over the rim of the cup. “Ah. Sorry,” he apologized to the countertop, fumbling for a paper towel to wipe up his mess. “Did you want me to call him by his name like a creep and say that I’m already planning a visit to his cat café?”

“It would’ve been funny,” Jimin replied, standing up.

“Well, you’ll have to come with me to Rata-Cat-Cat, because I’m not going alone,” Namjoon insisted. “I know you’re mildly allergic, but you can withstand cats in small bursts, right?”

“I’ll be sneezing and stuffed up for the rest of the day, but sure, hyung. Anything to further your dick-wetting agenda,” Jimin said supportively, joining Namjoon in the kitchen and patting him on the shoulder.

“You’re familiar with my dick-wetting agenda,” Namjoon said, and Jimin snickered. A few years ago, they would have never made such jokes. Now they were comfortable, almost too comfortable, with one another. There were even times when they asked each other things like, “did you like when I fucked you that way, or were you lying?” Just so they could make comparisons to their other partners.

“Stroke game was solid, I’ll give you that,” Jimin teased. “Don’t wait too long to go to the café. But don’t go tomorrow. There’s a little window of opportunity.”

“Yeah, yeah. There are rules. I get it,” Namjoon griped. “God, dating is such a scam.” He picked up his teacup. “Can someone just knock on my door and say they’re my new partner so I don’t have to do all this work?”

“That’s what I did with you,” Jimin joked, and Namjoon snickered as he sipped his tea. It was relatively true—he and Jimin had met at the university library, sparks had flown, they had made out in the periodical section a week later, and then Namjoon had fucked the living daylights out of Jimin two days after that. And Jimin had slept over, waking up the next morning and telling Namjoon point-blank that they should absolutely exclusively date one another if they were going to have sex like that. Namjoon had agreed. The rest was history.

“Yeah, except now we’re adult adults,” Namjoon said, knowing Jimin would understand. 

“Oh, sorry, does being twenty-eight make me an old man?” Jimin asked. “I’ll have you know that my spinal health is superior compared to the average twenty-eight-year-old. We just won’t talk about my knees and hips.”

“That’s the running,” Namjoon replied, and then he let out a sigh. “Alright, I guess I should go home. I have a full day at work tomorrow, and I haven’t finished off one of my plans for a client.”

“Have fun. I’m getting basil cream tteokbokki and fried chicken from our favorite spot for dinner tonight because I’m lazy,” Jimin said. “Are you joining us?”

“No,” Namjoon said reluctantly. “I’ve been on a gut cleanse lately. I have two more days to reset my stomach and clear it out.”

“Is your bedtime half past eight, too?” Jimin teased. “See you later, hyung. Good job with Kim Seokjin. I’m rooting for you.”

“That makes one of us.” Namjoon rinsed out his teacup, and then he set a hand on Jimin’s shoulder and kissed the side of Jimin’s head. “Love you. Thanks for the cheerleading.”

Jimin turned and patted Namjoon’s ass with a grin. “I’ve always got your back, hyung.”

Which was the honest truth. Jimin and Hoseok had gotten their apartment together a few years ago, and when a unit had opened up across the hall, they had talked Namjoon’s ear off until Namjoon agreed to move from where he lived near SNU. They had each other’s backs, the three of them, making up a solid trio friendship that Jimin cherished dearly. He had a smattering of friends and acquaintances, but there was nothing like the comfort that came with being around Hoseok and Namjoon.

Hoseok came home to a hot meal that night after pilates, and he and Jimin devoured the food before they collapsed onto the couch to watch The Glory for the second time. With Hoseok’s head in his lap, Jimin told him the story about Namjoon and the macarons, and Hoseok almost fell off the couch laughing. They then agreed that tomorrow, Jimin would make the coffee for the two of them before they got on the train to TLC for their early start.

And, naturally, they were both full of regret when their alarms went off.

“Early start my ass,” Hoseok grumbled as he shuffled into the kitchen with intense bedhead and half-open eyes. He stopped beside Jimin, who was standing in the kitchen staring at the coffee maker like it held all the answers to the universe, his eyelids heavy.

“I regret ever agreeing with you to do early riser hours,” Jimin complained as the first cup of coffee began to drip into the cup. He already had Hoseok’s to-go cup full of ice so they could take it on the run.

“Says the guy who wakes up at this hour to go running most mornings,” Hoseok argued, still squinting at Jimin.

“You look like you just got electrocuted,” Jimin croaked with a laugh. “Also, when I get up to go running, that’s different. I have a reason to be awake. Getting up at this ungodly hour to go to work is not a good enough reason to set an alarm for five-thirty.”

“I guess I should start meditating and journaling and setting aside sunrise to reconnect with my inner child,” Hoseok said as Jimin poured his coffee into the cup of ice. He tiredly patted Jimin’s ass, and then he swept up the cup. “You make a mean iced americano, Park Jimin.”

“I put all my effort into it, hyung,” Jimin said, brewing another with a lopsided smile. “Also, we need to carve out some time to go to this cat café with Namjoon.”

“Oh, suddenly I’m involved, too?” Hoseok asked, walking backwards towards his bedroom. “I do love cats, so I’ll tag along. Can I take videos of Namjoon flirting with Kim Seokjin?”

“What, so you can review them like a coach?” Jimin joked, and Hoseok snickered as he ducked into his room to get ready for the day.

Jimin always dressed comfortably for long days at work, and today was no different. It was still unbearably hot as summer ebbed away, so he shimmied into a pair of comfortable jeans and a white t-shirt that he roughly tucked in before he threw on a black windbreaker jacket, since the weather was rainy today. After a few sips of his own iced americano to wake himself up, he gathered his belongings and banged on Hoseok’s door to summon him.

“Are you ready before me? That’s a first,” Hoseok said, and he wasn’t wrong; Jimin was notoriously late for everything.

“I made your coffee and I’m on time,” Jimin replied, and with matching grins, they were out the door.

Jimin only regretted early starts when he was dragging his feet around the house. Once at the practice, though, he was happy. The patients who came early before work were always so full of gratitude and energy, and almost all of them praised Jimin’s handiwork and said it prepared them for their day in the office.

“Did you look into getting a standing desk like I said?” Jimin asked one of his first clients—a man his father’s age, and a stark businessman. Jimin was one of the few people who could get him to crack a smile.

“I thought about it,” Jiwoong replied with a chuckle, his voice muffled by the table. Jimin scooted to Jiwoong’s feet and carefully lifted them at the same time, bending Jiwoong’s legs at the knee, checking alignment and checking to see if his first two adjustments had taken effect. Pleased, he crawled his fingers along Jiwoong’s spine as he moved.

“Thought about it, or actually did it? Deep breath in… exhale and relax—” Jimin applied the correct amount of pressure with both hands at the right spot just below Jiwoong’s shoulder blades, the adjustment happening immediately. 

“My wife isn’t convinced,” Jiwoong replied. Jimin patted Jiwoong’s back.

“Sit up for me, legs over the edge,” he instructed. As Jiwoong sat up, Jimin raised one eyebrow. “Isn’t she the one saying that you look like a black tiger shrimp when you’re working from home?”

“From my memory, son, it was you who said I looked like a shrimp when I showed you pictures of my setup,” Jiwoong said with an amused smile like a father to a son as Jimin clicked his tongue.

“Well, if you relax your hand, you won’t look like an angry crab—thank yo-o-o-ou, thank you,” Jimin sang as he adjusted Jiwoong’s wrists and carefully pulled on his right thumb to adjust it accordingly. “Seriously, Jiwoong-ssi, look into it. Promise me. Relax, look that way. What’d you have for dinner last night? Don’t say black tiger shrimp.”

“No, no, my wife made— ah,” Jiwoong breathed with a light chuckle when Jimin snapped his left wrist back into alignment. “You and your distractions.”

“You’d be stiff as a board if I didn’t distract you,” Jimin replied. “You’re all finished for the day. I want to see proof that you looked into it. And a good mat for beneath your feet when you’re standing. Don’t be cheap.”

“Yes, Dr. Park,” Jiwoong said, pleased as he slid off the table. “I always feel ten years younger leaving here. And then I come back the next week after aging another ten years.”

“The eternal paradox. If it was up to me, I’d have you here two or three times a week to get you on track. But I digress. Yunjin will take care of you up front.”

And that was Jimin’s daily life. His job. He maintained a good bedside manner, kept himself updated on his patients’ lives and all the gossip, adjusted them and saved them from some horrific pain, and then left for home. Today was Tuesday, no different from any other day. He’d go for a run in the evening when it wasn’t so hot, and tomorrow was yoga day. 

Still no killer clowns.

“Are you coming with me?” Jimin asked Hoseok as they locked up for the afternoon.

“Mm, I’ve been liking the four o’clock pilates class. Less people,” Hoseok said with a grin. “So I’ll see you at home. Can you take out the spicy boneless chicken feet packet from the freezer and put some rice on? I’ll cook when I get home.”

“Yeah, sure. Your mom is bringing more kimchi when she drops by this weekend, right?” Jimin asked eagerly. Sure, he and Hoseok could make kimchi, but mom’s kimchi was always superior.

“If she doesn’t, she’s not allowed over the threshold, because she promised me,” Hoseok said with a laugh. “See you later.”

So again, Jimin slung his bag across his chest and grabbed his umbrella from one of the closets, because he had seen rain splattering against the windows of the practice. He parted ways from Hoseok and headed straight for the station, shielding himself from the steady drizzle of rain and the grey skies overhead.

I’m being vigilant and observant, he thought as he pushed through the turnstiles at the station, trying not to laugh at himself while he skirted around a WET FLOOR sign. He and Hoseok always laughed about their cheap fortunes for a week at a time whenever they dared to waste money on one. This time was no different.

Adjusting his AirPods, Jimin watched as the 3:32 subway pulled in, and then the glass doors slid open as passengers disembarked. Once his path was clear, Jimin slipped past two school boys and found a good spot to stand, because all of the seats were taken today. So he decisively wrapped one arm around the pole and secured it in the crook of his elbow, and then he glanced up from his phone as the subway began to move.

The awkward throat clearing and weird bob of his head in a makeshift bow was all Jimin could do when he spotted Tiger sitting in one of the seats across and to the left. This time, Tiger was wearing a gigantic white short-sleeved t-shirt, baggy black pants, and a Yankees baseball cap. AirPods in. Drawing pad propped on his knees. And he was staring right at Jimin.

Remain calm. It’s just a coincidence.

But Tiger flicked his eyebrows up with a little grin, and then he returned to drawing, his art hidden from Jimin’s view, the tip of his tongue bitten between his teeth. Jimin scrambled to do something distracting on his phone, but all he noticed was that Tiger kept glancing up at him and then looking back down at his drawing pad as the subway sailed along to the next station. And that was the moment when Jimin decided to notice his double lip ring.

He had a fucking double lip ring.

Why hadn’t Jimin noticed yesterday? Better, yet, why was this guy on the same subway as Jimin at the same time in the same car for a second day in a row?

And why did he keep looking at Jimin?

JIMIN [3:38PM]
Hyungs, I’m having a minor crisis

NAMJOON [3:38PM]
Well make it fast, I have a client in 20 minutes

JIMIN [3:38PM]
Remember the hot guy on the subway I told you about yesterday?

JIMIN [3:38PM]
He’s here again today and he keeps looking at me and he’s drawing something

JIMIN [3:38PM]
He has tattoos and long hair and a double lip ring and he’s an artist I’m down bad

HOBI [3:39PM]
yah what if he’s one of those TikTok guys who draws people while he rides trains

NAMJOON [3:39PM]
ㅋㅋㅋ ask him what he’s drawing! 

JIMIN [3:39PM]
He better not be one of those TikTok guys because I look like a drowned rat right now

HOBI [3:40PM]
Plot twist: he’s drawing you as a rat ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

NAMJOON [3:40PM]
Maybe Rata-Cat-Cat will hire you, Jimin

HOBI [3:41PM]
Strip naked and ask him to draw you like one of his French girls

JIMIN [3:41PM]
Neither one of you prays for my happiness at night and it shows

The subway carried on to Jamsil Station. Tiger kept sketching. Jimin kept tapping his heel rapidly and repeatedly until they came to a stop at Jamsil, because he was torn between lunging forward to ask Tiger what he was drawing and bolting through the doors the second he had a sliver of space to do so. He chose the latter, but in slow motion, because he didn’t want to look like a fool. Tiger got off at Jamsil, too, which Jimin half-expected. 

And then he dropped his umbrella.

It was an amateur mistake—he tried to shift his bag and change hands with the umbrella at the same time, and he failed graciously. The umbrella hit the tile floor and rolled, and Jimin’s only thought was how grateful he was that there were glass doors to keep it from rolling right onto the tracks and humiliating him.

“Oh—thank you. Thanks,” Jimin said breathlessly when a tattooed arm reached out to scoop up the umbrella. And then Tiger was standing in front of him, handing over the umbrella with a little smile on his face. Jimin accepted the umbrella with a small bow. “Thank you.”

Tiger’s lips curled into a different kind of grin, one dimple indenting his cheek, and then he scrunched his nose and took a few steps backwards, his eyes trained on Jimin for a moment before he flicked one thumb up at Jimin with one eye closed. Then he pivoted on one heel and walked away.

So Jimin followed.

He felt like an idiot, but this was the second time in two days that this guy had basically scanned Jimin head to toe like Jimin was a book to be read. Either he knew something about Jimin that Jimin didn’t know, or he wanted to strike up a conversation but was too shy.

Or maybe he was the killer clown Jimin feared.

Either way, there were trains to Seokchon Station every eight to ten minutes or so. It wasn’t like Jimin needed to be on the 3:54 train. What he needed to do was just spend maybe five minutes being a weirdo because he was intrigued by this stranger who had just lunged for his umbrella out of nowhere to hand it over without a word.

So Jimin followed far enough behind Tiger that it wasn’t suspicious, bypassing dozens of other passengers and weaving through the hustle and bustle—the people, the shops, the merry-go-round. He watched as Tiger took a right turn, and he followed. Past a clothing shop, past several other shops, and then to—

“Shut the fuck up,” Jimin whispered to himself, coming to a comical halt as he fumbled for his phone and immediately snapped a photo of the outside of none other than Rata-Cat-Cat, the café owned by one Kim Seokjin. He watched as Tiger glanced up at the sign, and then he lifted a hand and waved at someone before he unlocked the cute wooden half-gate and let himself into the café.

JIMIN [3:58PM]
[photo attached]

JIMIN [3:58PM]
SOS hot subway guy just walked into this café

HOBI [3:58PM]
ㅎㅎ no fucking way

NAMJOON [3:59PM]
What in the multiverse of madness

HOBI [3:59PM]
Alexa play “Sherlock Clue + Note” by SHINee because why are we investigating 

JIMIN [4:00PM]
We’re investigating you asshole because I dropped my umbrella and he picked it up

NAMJOON [4:00PM]
Is no one going to acknowledge that that’s Seokjin’s café

NAMJOON [4:00PM]
Fuck of course my client is here on time 

Jimin snorted with laughter as he slowly began to back away from the café while tucking his phone away, feeling foolish. He had followed Tiger, and what had he learned? Not much. Maybe Tiger liked cats, which made sense, seeing as he had a tiger tattooed on his arm. And he was polite—yesterday, he’d let Jimin off the subway first. Today, he went out of his way to pick up Jimin’s umbrella.

But tomorrow, Jimin wouldn’t be on the 3:32 train, since he was working late. No big deal. He laughed to himself as he headed for the platform to take the 8 line to Seokchon, because what kind of fantasy world was he living in? Since when did he follow cute guys to cafés out of curiosity? The last time he had followed a cute guy had been into a nightclub bathroom to make out and jerk each other off, and that was five months ago.

So Wednesday came, and after a long day at work, Jimin hopped on the busy subway and didn’t see Tiger anywhere—as expected. If Tiger had been there, Jimin would have immediately called the police and reported a stalker.

But then Thursday came.

“Maybe just ride in a different carriage.”

“Maybe just bend over so I can shove your head up your ass,” Hoseok said as they entered Gangnam Station together. “You can’t be serious.”

“Hyung, my life is deathly boring,” Jimin said, which wasn’t entirely true, but he was feeling dramatic. “Two days in a row might have just been coincidence. Yesterday I wasn’t on the 3:32 train. If he’s there today in the same carriage at the same time, then my point will be proven.”

“What’s your point, exactly?” Hoseok asked as he brought the straw to his lips to suck down more of his green juice. Jimin had chugged his before entering the station.

“My point is that if he’s here for a third day and we spot each other, then maybe he wants to talk to me,” Jimin replied. “I’m just banking on him being interested in men at this point. Hopefully he’s not trying to gather enough information to murder me in my own bed.”

“When you say ‘murder you in your own bed,’ are we talking about being actually murdered, or are we talking about being railed?” Hoseok asked, and Jimin snorted with laughter.

“Both.”

They approached the platform together. Jimin pleaded with Hoseok to just pretend that they didn’t know one another, and Hoseok rolled his eyes so hard that Jimin swore they’d pop out of his head. But when the subway pulled up and the doors opened, Hoseok walked on first and turned to the right, immediately pretending that he didn’t know Jimin. And Jimin stepped on and spotted one empty seat by the door.

And there was Tiger.

He was sitting across from where Jimin was yet again, just a little further down to the left this time. Today he was wearing jeans with a few rips in the knees, a black short-sleeved t-shirt, and a black bucket hat. AirPods still in. Tattoos fully exposed. Drawing pad propped on his knees.

But beneath his feet and tucked under the seat was a skateboard.

So he’s beautiful, tattooed, artsy, and now he skateboards. Just admit out loud that you have a type, Jimin. Admit it. The first step is acceptance.

Jimin fought the urge to give Hoseok a look, because there was no doubt in his mind that Hoseok had spotted Tiger. And Tiger, it seemed, had spotted Jimin. When they were stopped at the next station, he looked up from his drawing pad casually, and then his eyes locked onto Jimin. Immediately, he cocked his head all the way to one side, lips puckering in a little smile. Mortified, Jimin busied himself with his phone, especially when he saw Tiger’s pencil begin to move on the paper again.

JIMIN [3:57PM]
You see him, right? 

HOBI [3:57PM]
Oh I see him alright. Go say hi to him!

JIMIN [3:57PM]
Absolutely not

HOBI [3:58PM]
MOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

HOBI [3:58PM]
I’m mooing at you because you’re a COW-ard

JIMIN [3:58PM]
Your English puns are awful

The subway continued. Tiger kept sketching, the skateboard beneath his feet as he wiggled it back and forth distractedly. He didn’t even look up when two young guys started screaming and cursing at each other suddenly as they approached Jamsil Station. And all Jimin wanted to do desperately was take one giant step across the subway, hang from the handles above their heads, and take a peek at what Tiger was drawing.

But they disembarked at Jamsil Station, and Tiger exited before Jimin did, his skateboard tucked underneath his arm. Jimin knew that the moment Tiger exited the station, he’d set that board on the ground and either head to his destination or head to the first skate plaza he could find.

“Okay, so I acknowledge that he’s a real person,” Hoseok said as he fell into step beside Jimin.

“What, did you think he was a figment of my imagination?” Jimin asked crankily as he and Hoseok followed a few people behind Tiger.

“Go talk to him.”

“I’m not— hyung,” Jimin hissed, tripping over his own feet and nearly falling face first like an idiot when Hoseok gave him a hearty shove in Tiger’s direction, far too close for comfort. Jimin immediately turned and smacked Hoseok’s arm, and Hoseok recoiled with a laugh. “I’ll kill you, don’t just shove me.”

“Well, you said he picked up your umbrella, so now he can pick up you,” Hoseok teased. “Go live your rom-com dreams, Jimin. Come on. He’s setting it up perfectly for you. He kept looking at you the whole ride. I was watching.”

“I don’t want to hear it,” Jimin said, his heart skipping. “We don’t flirt or hit on random men on the subway just because they’re painfully hot. We’re fucking professionals with ‘doctor’ as our title.”

“What, so we can’t think with our dicks ever?” Hoseok asked, raising his eyebrows. Jimin almost laughed. “Fuck it. You’re gonna have to introduce yourself eventually if he keeps staring at you like that. That’s three days in a row. Live a little, Jimin. The last guy you took a chance with from the yoga studio was a douchebag. Maybe this guy will be a step up.”

Hoseok wasn’t wrong. Jimin had met another guy in a similar way about a year ago at the yoga studio. New guy. Tattoos. Strong but cute. Jimin’s type. He’d shown interest, so naturally, Jimin had decided to go for it. They went to a nightclub for an evening out, and the guy had the audacity to dance with a few other people instead of just dancing with Jimin. But what was life without a little heartbreak? 

It could happen to anyone!

“I’ll… think about it,” Jimin agreed as their next subway approached to take them home. “But it’s awkward. I don’t have a long ride from Gangnam to Jamsil. And what if there’s no seat? I can’t just stand there and stare down at him like a creep.”

“You can talk to him about the café,” Hoseok suggested. “Ask him if he knows Kim Seokjin personally. Namjoon will shit himself.”

But as it turned out, Namjoon was already shitting himself when Jimin and Hoseok arrived home. They walked into their apartment, and there was Namjoon, lying on the couch with a pillow over his face. It was more telling that neither Jimin nor Hoseok commented on his presence or his current position.

“Uh, how was your work day, hyung?” Jimin asked, amused.

“Namjoon-ah.” Hoseok smacked the top of the pillow, and Namjoon let out a muffled grunt. “I saw Jimin’s hot subway guy. He’s real.”

Namjoon said nothing. Instead, he held up the hand that was dangling off the couch, and Jimin lunged and snatched a piece of paper out of Namjoon’s hand that had a folded piece of tape on the top. Probably taped to his door.

Namjoon-ssi! Thank you for the macarons! I ate them all. They were delicious. Come to my café. I just celebrated my half-birthday (31.5, but I age like a vampire), so you missed the festivities, but that’s fine. There are still balloons. -Kim Seokjin (your neighbor)

“Yah, does this note mean that he wants you to actually break his back, or is he admitting to being a vampire?” Jimin asked, handing the note back to Namjoon. Namjoon promptly removed the pillow from his face.

“I’m almost thirty fucking years old and I’m kicking my feet over a stupid note taped to my door from my hot neighbor,” Namjoon said flatly. 

“I’m pining over a hot guy on the subway who I haven’t even met,” Jimin replied immediately. “So we probably both just need to get laid.”

“I can’t believe he ate all the macarons,” Namjoon said, hugging the pillow to his stomach. “And now I know his age. And now he wants me to come celebrate his half-birthday at his cat café.” He paused, and then he snorted with laughter and threw the pillow over his face again. With his voice muffled, he loudly said, “I’m almost thirty fucking years old with multiple university degrees and I have a crush on a cat café owner.”

“Can you at least acknowledge that Jimin’s subway crush is a real person?” Hoseok asked as he reached into the kitchen cabinets for a glass to pour some water.

“Why are you out here acting like I was lying?” Jimin accused him, and then he yanked the pillow off of Namjoon’s face and pointed at Hoseok, making sure Namjoon was looking. “He made us buy fortunes on Monday.”

“Oh, boo-o-o-o-o-o,” Hoseok sang out as Namjoon sat up and Jimin laughed. “That’s a low blow. My inner child is curling in on itself in fear.”

“Yeah, well, it’s fucking summertime,” Jimin snapped.

“You two waste money on those cheap-ass things at an obscene rate,” Namjoon replied, sighing as he stood up. “I just came here to show you both this note so we could discuss it like normal adults, but apparently we’re all teenagers. Jimin-ah, congratulations on your real human.”

“Jesus Christ,” Jimin muttered, and then he sighed. “Are either of you coming for a run with me? I’m doing five kilometers.”

“Yeah, I’ll come,” Namjoon agreed.

“I’ll watch you from the window and absorb the exercise through osmosis,” Hoseok said as he bit into an apple, leaning on the kitchen countertop.

“That’s the spirit,” Jimin replied.

Hoseok took another bite of his apple. “What, you think I want to go running and listen to you two cry over hot men? Pass.”

“We listened to you complain about the threesome you had last month, so you have no room to talk,” Namjoon said, holding up one hand. Then he change his voice to imitate Hoseok, “‘Yah, the girl was a great kisser, and she liked how I fucked her, but her boyfriend just got in the way.’”

“Yeah, well, he did,” Hoseok replied, hopping up to sit on the countertop. “His stroke game was weak as hell compared to me. Pretty sure she’ll dump him soon enough when she realizes she can get better dick than that.”

“God, I can’t stand us,” Namjoon complained, and then he left to go get changed for a run with Jimin.

✩࿐

Today was the day.

Jimin decided Friday was The Day™ the moment he woke up. He didn’t travel to work on the weekend, so he had to make his move now, or he would regret it if Tiger forgot about him by Monday.

He had to work through a chunk of his lunch break because he had a new client—new clients always got the twelve o’clock slot. This time, though, the new client was someone familiar by six degrees of separation.

“So you can come every Friday, right?”

“Right. That would be great.”

“Okay, so that’s… Nakamura Kazuha, weekly, Fridays at quarter to three. Last table,” Yunjin said with a grin, leaning on the front desk. “He’s great, right?”

“He called me ‘interesting,’ so hopefully that’s a good thing,” Kazuha said, glancing over at Jimin.

“It’s a good thing. You’re not the first ballerina I’ve worked with,” Jimin replied with a smile, his arms crossed. “Let me know how your adjustment settles and just text me if something terrible happens.”

“Nothing terrible will happen,” Yunjin promised Kazuha hastily, but Kazuha seemed amused as she handed over her credit card to pay for the initial consultation and set up automatic payments. “Are you coming out with us on Sunday?”

“Mhm. I was actually talking to…”

Jimin slipped back into his adjusting room, letting the two girls talk. Huh Yunjin was twenty-one, and she was his chiropractic assistant who worked the front desk on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays. She was studying the very same profession, and she had somehow tracked Jimin down as a potential mentor. Jimin still didn’t feel like he was established enough to be a mentor, but he supposed four solid years in the field after finishing chiropractic school, plus having his own successful practice, was good enough.

“Jimin-ssi?”

“Yeah, come here.” Jimin patted the table with a small smile. It was quarter to three now, and Hoseok had a patient, but Jimin did not. And whenever that happened, Yunjin loved to jump in and get on the table for an adjustment.

“I’ve had headaches for three days now,” Yunjin said the moment she was on the table face down. “Definitely my C1.”

“Mm.” Jimin ran one hand along her back, and then he carefully palpated the area around her cervical vertebrae, closing his eyes for a moment. He could do this in his sleep. Adjusting for headaches was child’s play. “C1, yeah, but you’ve been clenching your jaw for three days, too.”

“Very likely,” Yunjin agreed. “School stress.”

“Mhm. Flip over for me,” Jimin said, so Yunjin rolled. Jimin moved her hair out of the way, stood by the crown of her head, and then carefully slipped her head into his hands. “Relax your jaw, loose jaw. Relax into my hands, let go—nice. Good one.”

“Jesus,” Yunjin sighed, sinking into the table. 

“No, I’m Jimin,” Jimin replied, now standing by her right arm as he grabbed her wrist and started snapping things back into place. “You’re a mess today.”

“Just today?”

Jimin chuckled and continued the adjustment, checking the wall clock. He minded his time carefully, making sure he finished with Yunjin before three o’clock and left plenty of time to tuck away his files and clean up for the day.

Today is the day.

He’d even worn his nicer pants today just to make a good impression. Not like it mattered—Tiger always wore casual clothes and carried a skateboard and had tattoos and a lip ring and—

Fuck it all. Jimin was flirting out of his league.

But he had to pretend that he wasn’t, just for today. Just to see if he could get anything out of this weird subway eye-flirting thing he had going on with a complete stranger. Just for the rush on a Friday afternoon.

It wasn’t raining today, so that was already a point for Jimin in this game. He pushed through the turnstiles at Gangnam Station, his mouth feeling slightly dry, and then he robotically made his way to the platform he needed, trying to remind himself that this could just be another regular train ride and that he was probably hyping himself up for nothing. He was probably chasing something impossible, or making some grandiose fantasy out of nothing.

[“blue flame (2023 version)” by le sserafim]

But he stuck to it. He made sure he was situated in front of the doors for the same carriage as always. The 3:32 subway rolled in, and the doors opened. Jimin hitched his bag further up onto his shoulder and stepped on, and he immediately grabbed one of the seats close to the door, relief flooding his entire body. His knees weren’t strong enough today to stand for twenty minutes—

He’s here.

Like clockwork, there was Tiger, sitting almost directly across from Jimin today. No skateboard. Just a bag on his lap and his drawing pad, per usual. His hair was tied back messily, half of it hanging in his eyes as he drew. AirPods in as always. Ripped jeans, white t-shirt. Simple. Jimin was shamelessly admiring the view. Tiger’s tongue flicked out to touch the lip ring as his pencil paused, and then he looked up before Jimin could avert his gaze.

He’s not breaking eye contact, he’s—fuck. Oh, motherfucker—

Tiger looked down again, pencil to the paper. Jimin immediately leaned forward with his elbows on his knees, contemplating rolling onto the subway floor and curling up in a ball beneath the seat. Maybe someone would sit on him or kick him. It would be less embarrassing than being caught staring. Mortified, Jimin pulled out his phone and sat back, fingers flying over the keyboard:

JIMIN [3:38PM]
I just fucking held eye contact with cute subway guy I hope I die

HOBI [3:38PM]
ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ did you stare into his soul?

NAMJOON [3:38PM]
Don’t die, I can’t afford a funeral right now

JIMIN [3:39PM]
I’m gonna talk to him

NAMJOON [3:39PM]
ㅋㅋ do you hear this guy? He really wants to die huh

HOBI [3:39PM]
Do it!!!!! The only thing you have to lose is your pride

JIMIN [3:39PM]
Incredibly convincing, hyungs, thank you so much for your concern and love

JIMIN [3:40PM]
I’m just gonna do it. He gets off at Jamsil too, so I’ll stop him before I get on the 8 line

NAMJOON [3:40PM]
We believe in you, Jimin! 

HOBI [3:40PM]
ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ either that or we’ll prepare a coffin… oak or mahogany? 

JIMIN [3:41PM]
Fuck you ♥️

Jimin blew out a breath to release the nerves as he tucked his phone into his bag, and then he promptly wiped his sweaty palms on his pants, pinching the fabric between his thumb and index finger. Now he just had to figure out what to say. A good conversation starter for the ninety seconds he had to speak before he had to make his way to his next train.

Hey, Tiger.

Oh, for Christ’s sake. He was doomed.

The train slowly cruised into Jamsil Station, and Jimin regretted his misplaced bravado. He was, without a doubt, the most awkward human being he knew. His game was painfully weak, and Namjoon could surely attest to it. He wasn’t the flirtatious, forward kind of guy with swagger. He was the kind to crack (ha-ha) a good chiropractic joke and then run away in horror when the other person gave him a skeptical look of confusion. Sure, he’d had boyfriends. And sure, he’d had his fair share of trysts in bathrooms at nightclubs and a one-night stand here or there. But he was about to do this out in the open, in public, in the daytime, with nothing more than a fucking green juice in his system.

The train came to a stop. Tiger ducked beneath his bag strap to sling it across his chest, and then he stood up with his drawing pad tucked under his arm as he gently stuck the pencil into his hair for safe keeping. Endeared but in danger of throwing up from nerves, Jimin gathered his belongings as the doors opened, and he joined the mass exodus onto the platform, trying to stick as close to Tiger as possible.

Just tap his shoulder before he disappears. Get his attention. Do something, you coward, before you chicken out—

Jimin reached forward, feeling like he was pushing his arm through a pool of molasses, but then he tapped Tiger’s shoulder, instantly regretting it. However, when Tiger turned around and gave him a round-eyed look of confusion, Jimin felt a hint of the bravado return, especially when Tiger’s expression softened to something like curiosity as he came to a stop.

“Hi,” Jimin said weakly, and then he cleared his throat. “Um, I just—I’ve seen you on the 2 Line almost every day this week, and I just wanted to—you know. Say hi. Ask what you’re drawing. Or—Um…”

Jumping in front of a speeding train sounded nice. Jimin glanced to his left nervously, but then he saw Tiger narrow his eyes, staring mostly at Jimin’s mouth. Jimin almost subconsciously put his hand over his mouth, wondering if he had fucked up and had something in his teeth or on his face. But then, without a word, Tiger pulled the drawing pad out from underneath his arm and flipped a page, and then he slipped the pencil out of his hair and began to write something furiously, biting the tip of his tongue between his teeth.

“I’m really sorry, I didn’t mean to…” Jimin trailed off, though, when Tiger roughly ripped the page straight out of the drawing pad, clamped the pencil between his teeth, and folded the paper twice. Then he handed it to Jimin with a hint of a smile, tucking the pencil back into his hair and then pivoting and walking away.

“Well, fuck,” Jimin cursed to himself, gripping the note for dear life and hurrying off to his next train home, unwilling to miss it because he was trying to pull Cupid’s pencil out of his ass. He wove diligently through the misshapen throngs of people and found his next train, stepping up to the yellow tactiles just as the train pulled in. He stared at the art on the green pillars in a daze until the train blocked his line of sight, and then he stepped on and found the first available seat.

“Why did he…?” Jimin whispered to himself, but then he unfolded the thicker piece of paper once, twice. He smoothed it out onto his thighs, and then he held it up and read, his heart kicking his ribcage:

I’m Deaf and I’m not great at lip reading, so I don’t exactly know what you said, but you’re cute. I’m Jeongguk. See you on Monday ;)

✩࿐

Chapter Text

✩࿐

“Does this look right?” 

Hoseok glanced up from his Nintendo Switch, one eyebrow arched at Jimin. Jimin had his iPad propped on his thighs, AirPods in, and the amount of YouTube tabs, TikTok videos, and websites he had open was ridiculous. From its spot wedged between the couch cushions, Hoseok’s phone vibrated, and the throaty sigh Hoseok let out was lengthy and comical. 

“Hyung, please,” Jimin begged. “I need you to tell me if I look normal.”

“You never look normal. Next question,” Hoseok said crankily, but he set his Switch aside. “God, I’m in the middle of crossing some animals, and now I have to watch you do what, pray tell?”

“Crossing some—fuck off,” Jimin said with a tired laugh, and he sat up straight, iPad flat on his thighs. “Pull up the video I sent you.”

“Doesn’t look like porn. No hot twink being obliterated. Shame,” Hoseok complained, sinking sideways into the couch and kicking his bare feet up onto the coffee table.

“I’m going to say hello, my name is Jimin,” Jimin declared. “But just—tell me if ‘hello’ looks correct.”

“You could just wave at him,” Hoseok suggested flatly, but then he glanced down at the video before fixing on Jimin. “Go on.”

Jimin swiped his right hand along the top of his left arm close to his forearm and wrist, and then he formed two fists with his hands, knuckles facing upward and outward, holding them at about mid-chest and shaking them once as he did a partial bow.

“That’s ‘hello,’” Jimin said, checking the replay of the video he had of a woman showing Korean Sign Language. He repeated the same sign. “Do I look like she does? Be honest.”

“Hot subway guy called you cute,” Hoseok replied. “You could fuck up every single sign and he’d probably still want to jump your bones. But yeah, you look about the same.”

“Hyung, this is serious,” Jimin said, repeating the same sign over and over. “I’ve literally never met a Deaf person in my entire life. If I’m ever gonna talk to Jeongguk, then I have to at least be able to say hello to save myself the embarrassment.”

“Well, you’re off to a good start. Do I need to watch more? Is this a show? Will you be getting naked?” Hoseok inquired.

“Asking the important questions, I see,” Jimin said sourly as he repeated the same greeting sign over and over. “But yes, you need to watch more. I sent you a second video.”

“Of course you did.” Hoseok referred to his phone. “Oh, okay. This one is introducing yourself. Good luck. Let’s see it.”

“Okay so… my…” Jimin placed his palm on his chest. “Name…” He used his right hand’s thumb and pointer fingers to create a half-circle shape that he tapped against the left side of his chest, as if he was wearing a name tag. “My… name…” He looked up at Hoseok. “Does that look right?”

“I’m the last person you should be asking, but that looks like the video,” Hoseok agreed. Then he grinned. “Now you have to spell your name. This oughta be good.”

“Shut up,” Jimin groaned, and then he blew out a breath and shook his hands a few times. “Okay. My… name… Park… God, why is the last consonant so hard on the wrist?” he complained, trying to name the last consonant of his surname with his thumb extended out and pointer finger extended downward and his other fingers tucked. “I need to do some exercises for my joints. Increase my finger and wrist strength and mobility. This is fucking embarrassing.”

“I think you’re doing great. The only universal sign I know is—” Hoseok held up his middle finger, and Jimin snickered humorlessly, shaking his head.

“I sent you another website,” he said, and Hoseok clicked his tongue in annoyance. “Hyung.”

“If you’re going through all this effort just to get laid, I’m going to kill you,” Hoseok declared. “Seriously. Kill you so dead. You’re my business partner, you dickhead. I need you focused.”

“Says the guy who had a threesome last month,” Jimin griped.

“Yeah. Exactly. No thoughts, just getting my dick wet and moving on. And here you are, learning an entirely different language,” Hoseok said, sounding both annoyed as an older brother would and fond as a best friend would. “More power to you, to be honest. I guess he’s definitely cute enough.”

“Look, I just—” Jimin pressed the heels of his palms into his eyes before dropping his hands palms up against the couch cushion listlessly. “I don’t know. I can’t explain it. I saw him on the subway every day at the same exact time. He kept looking at me and smiling and winking. The signs were all there. And if he’s Deaf, then maybe he was nervous to make the first move and talk to me. So I’m just… taking initiative.”

“Can’t believe you spent your entire Saturday studying a new language,” Hoseok said, shaking his head. “And now I have to quiz you for your subway ride tomorrow. We haven’t even been to Rata-Cat-Cat yet. Namjoon’s about to crawl through our vents and make us eat vegetables.”

“Oh, not the vegetables,” Jimin said in mock horror, and then he waved his hand at Hoseok. “You’re useless. I’ll practice on my own in the mirror. Hello… My name… Park… Jimin.”

“What else have you learned?” Hoseok asked, pulling his legs up onto the couch in a sideways ball. “What comes after ‘hello, my name is Park Jimin’?”

Jimin paused, pursed his lips, and then turned both hands into two middle fingers. Hoseok burst out laughing.

“I’m serious!” he said, grabbing his Switch again. “What else have you learned?”

“I’ve learned plenty, but do you think I have the confidence to actually use it? No. Jesus Christ. I’ll make a fool of myself.” Jimin pinched his brow, but then he shook off the anxiety and unlocked his iPad again. “Okay, it’s fine. I can do this. Next one… ‘how are you?’ Easy.”

“Hello, how are you, I’m fine, thank you,” Hoseok rattled off in English, and Jimin promptly grabbed the closest pillow and chucked it at Hoseok’s face.

Jimin was relentless. The very second he had walked through the door on Friday after work, he had printed out pictures of the entire Korean Sign Language alphabet to tape to his bedroom wall, and he had practiced all night long by himself. Forget his Saturday routine—besides going for a seven kilometer morning run, he had holed up in his room learning as much as he possibly could, pausing only for food and for Namjoon to come over and make fun of him. Jimin’s quick retaliation had been something about Seokjin, but he couldn’t remember now. 

All he wanted was to communicate with Jeongguk. He knew absolutely nothing about this mysterious subway riding man—what if he didn’t even use KSL to communicate?  But Jimin was going to fucking try, even if it exhausted him. He had no clue what to say other than “hello,” but that would be a good start. Beyond that, he was willing to make a fool of himself for this tattooed beautiful human who was winking at him.

So when Monday morning rolled around and Namjoon entered their apartment at the crack of dawn, Jimin gave him a death stare from the kitchen, because he was brewing coffee while practicing a few basic signs.

“Hello,” Namjoon said, and then he signed the same thing with a shit-eating grin.

“I’ll dump hot coffee on your face,” Jimin croaked. “Why are you here so early?”

“Because I decided that I’m working a morning shift today.” Namjoon adjusted his glasses and strolled into the kitchen. The perks of working for a small and intimate practice meant that Namjoon could designate his work hours. It was the same perk that Jimin and Hoseok had. “I only have clients until two o’clock. So I’m here to wish you luck. And also to tell you that it’s been about a week.”

“You can go by yourself, you know,” Jimin pointed out as Hoseok walked out of his bedroom, fully dressed and hopping around to put on his socks.

“Jimin.” Namjoon set a sympathetic hand on Jimin’s shoulder. “You dated me for years.”

“Mhm.” Jimin glanced over, tiredly amused.

“Scale of one to ten—how awkward am I?”

“Eleven and a half,” Jimin replied without hesitation.

“So do you think it’s a good idea for my clumsy ass to walk into a cat café unsupervised to flirt with the owner?” Namjoon asked.

“Well.” Jimin slid one little glass beneath the coffee machine, and the nectar of life began to drip into the cup. “I guess I can handle cats for an hour or so.”

“We have to go this week,” Namjoon insisted, and then he bent slightly and turned Jimin’s face by the chin. Without a word, he used one finger to smooth Jimin’s eyebrow, and then he leaned back. “This week,” he reiterated, pointing at Jimin threateningly. Then he redirected the finger to Hoseok. “You too.”

“Yes, three grown men visiting a cat café so one of them can flirt with the owner,” Hoseok said, yawning. “Sounds great. I’m free on Wednesday.”

“Same.” Jimin slid the iced coffee to-go towards Hoseok, and then he began to brew a second one. “We can go in the morning.”

“Are you telling me I have to rearrange my schedule just to drag you both to Rata-Cat-Cat with me?” Namjoon asked, checking his phone. He sighed. “Fine. We’ll go on Wednesday morning for coffee. Now, Jimin—how can Hoseok and I support you in your very own dick-chasing adventure?”

Jimin popped the lid on his own iced coffee. “You know what, hyung?” He shoved the straw through the hole, eyebrows raised. “If I fucking knew, I’d tell you. I’m just going to go make a fool of myself and I’ll report back later. And who said anything about dick-chasing?”

“You want to ride him like a bicycle,” Namjoon said as he patted the countertop and backed away towards the door. “No one puts this much effort into their game for a cute little friendship.”

“Yeah, look what you did to get Namjoon to fuck you,” Hoseok said, and Jimin nearly spat out his coffee as Namjoon let out a bark of laughter, ducking out the front door as Hoseok scooted to avoid Jimin’s incoming hand. 

The chaos of the morning was the only thing that kept Jimin from overthinking the entire ride to TLC. Hoseok kept showing Jimin new curtains that he wanted to put up in the lobby of TLC, and Jimin kept rejecting all of them because they were hideous. But that was enough to busy his brain until they arrived at the practice and began to open up for the morning. Yunjin arrived shortly after they unlocked the doors.

“Jimin-ssi,” she said the moment she walked in. Jimin took one look at her and gestured to his adjusting room, and Yunjin slumped in relief and dropped her bag at the front desk, hurrying into the room.

“Take all my face cloths out of the cupboard first!” Jimin called out. “Oil, too!”

“Yes!” Yunjin responded politely, and Jimin heard the cupboards opening. He and Hoseok then stood at the shelves full of files and worked together to pull out all their patients for the day in order. Once Jimin had a stack of files, he carried them into his adjusting room and plopped them down on the desk, and then he flicked on his essential oil diffuser, knowing that Yunjin had put in whatever oil she wanted—today was ylang-ylang. 

“What’s happening?” Jimin asked, since Yunjin was face up on the table.

“TMJ,” Yunjin said, and Jimin clicked his tongue and shook his head.

“You’re a mess,” he teased, but he moved to the crown of Yunjin’s head, seeing Yunjin’s smile. “How long?”

“For the pain? About… thirty hours or so,” Yunjin answered. “I’m dying.”

“And you’re dramatic,” Jimin replied, but he began to feel the ligaments of her jaw. “Open your mouth all the way… close. Open… close. One more time… close.”

“Ow,” Yunjin sighed, grimacing after a few small adjustments and pushes. “I felt that.”

“Yeah, good. Let’s go to the base of the neck.” Jimin felt carefully for what he was looking for as Yunjin took a few deep breaths, and then he pressed his thumb to the edge of the joint on her jaw as he turned her head to the right, and then back a bit. When he finally delivered the adjustment, it sounded like a bunch of popcorn popping, and he gently settled Yunjin’s head back into place.

“That was massive,” Yunjin said as she opened her eyes.

“Are you okay?” Jimin asked, looking carefully into her eyes for any signs of distress. She was smiling, though, as she opened and shut her mouth a few times.

“No more clicking. Less pain,” she said, sounding relieved. Jimin patted her arm, so Yunjin crossed her arms over her chest, and Jimin rolled her slightly and slipped his hand beneath her back, feeling for the right spot. As she exhaled, Jimin rolled her onto her back again quickly to deliver the adjustment.

“How are your hips right now?” he asked.

“Oh, those are fine. I was just dying from clenching my jaw like an idiot,” Yunjin replied. Jimin offered his hand, so Yunjin cupped it, and he hoisted her to an upright position. “Thank you so much.”

“Go write down exactly what you think I adjusted,” Jimin advised. “And then bring it back to me and I’ll let you know if it’s accurate or not.”

“Ye-e-e-es, seonsaengnim,” Yunjin sang jokingly, and then she hopped off the table and bowed. “Thank you so much.”

“Easy. Just do me a favor and check our voicemails. The red light is flashing,” Jimin requested with a smile. Yunjin blew out a breath and pulled her hair tie out to redo her ponytail as she headed back out to the front desk, and Jimin began to prepare for his work day.

From one patient to another all day long, Jimin used every opportune moment during transitions to practice his alphabet in Korean Sign Language. Whenever he had his back turned to a client, he practiced his name. Sure, he could have written Jeongguk an entire note with all of his information on it. But language mattered. Jimin wanted to at least show that he was making the effort. It could turn out to be nothing, but it could also turn out to be something. 

“I’m going to pilates,” Hoseok said as they closed up for the afternoon. “Do you have any notes left or patient files to finish off?”

“No. Just re-shelving,” Jimin replied as he heaved all of his completed files for the day onto the front desk. Hoseok tutted at him and then grabbed the first few files from the top of the pile.

“Go.” He shooed Jimin with one hand. “You can’t run to the train and be all sweaty and flustered. You could end up signing a swear word instead of your name.”

“A gesture of goodwill and an insult all in one,” Jimin noted as he backed up towards his adjusting room to grab his belongings. “I’m just gonna take it and run with it. I owe you.”

“No you don’t,” Hoseok said airily, continuing to slip the files into the correct place. He glanced over his shoulder with a grin. “I’ll just wait to hear all about it tonight when you cook dinner for us.”

“Kimchi soondubu jjigae?” Jimin asked, already halfway to the door. “Say yes. That’s what we have in the fridge.”

“Fine, fine,” Hoseok said, waving with his back turned to Jimin. “Order chicken, too.”

“Done!” Jimin declared, and then he rushed out of TLC, his heart racing.

This was ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. This was the most exciting thing Jimin had experienced in months, which just proved to him that he had been too caught up in the mundane and the routine to notice anything—or any one— like Jeongguk. There was a chance for this to go wrong, but Jimin was determined to get it right. He had a good feeling that he didn’t want to let go of, and he hyped himself up as he walked to Gangnam Station, his hands too full to practice what he wanted to practice.

Same platform. Same time of departure. And Jimin was absolutely certain that Jeongguk would be there, given his note. So when the subway finally arrived and the glass doors slid open, Jimin almost tripped as he boarded the busy carriage.

It wasn’t difficult to spot Jeongguk. He was sitting in his usual spot, but this time, there was a backpack and a skateboard occupying the space next to him, as if he was saving the seat for someone. He was wearing black baggy pants and a black t-shirt with a purple Supreme beanie, and when he saw Jimin, his face split into a proud grin. Immediately, he moved his skateboard down beneath the seat and pulled his backpack to the ground between his feet. He flipped his drawing pad to a clean page, and then he patted the seat.

Right. That was for Jimin.

Breathe. Just breathe. You know what you practiced, Jimin coached himself as he slipped between two other passengers and shrugged his bag off his shoulder, sitting down beside Jeongguk. He smelled like baby powder. Like soap. That was the first thing Jimin noticed, and he wanted to cry. Which host of angels had accidentally dropped this man onto Earth?

Immediately, Jimin shifted in his seat and turned to face Jeongguk as much as he could. Jeongguk seemed intrigued as he twisted his upper body, his eyes burning a hole into Jimin. Jimin just cleared his throat, wiped his sweaty palms on his thighs, and then he begged his brain to remember what he had spent all night practicing.

“Hello,” he signed clumsily. “My… name…” 

Jeongguk was just staring at him with his eyebrows raised. Jimin appreciated his diligent attention, but the way Jeongguk was pursing his lips together meant that he was trying not to laugh, and Jimin couldn’t blame him. He felt so silly, but he was committed, so he stifled his own laugh and continued.

“Park… Ji… Min,” he somehow managed to sign, almost messing up twice but conquering the minor task with a sigh of relief as the punctuation mark. Jeongguk finally grinned with a quiet, breathy laugh as Jimin felt his ears burn in a weirdly satisfying way, and then Jeongguk’s hands just began to move. They practically flew. Jimin blinked rapidly, and then he signed “sorry” slowly—another sign he had studied over and over, given his situation.

“Hello,” Jeongguk signed, and Jimin recognized it—what a relief. Jeongguk looked way better doing it, but nevertheless. Jeongguk then added, “Park Jimin,” and Jimin pressed his fingers to his temples and blew out a breath before he nodded.

“Ji…” Jimin signed again carefully, holding up his thumb, pointer, and middle fingers and aiming them downward before he switched to holding up just his pinky. Jeongguk nodded, and then he pulled the pencil out from behind his ear and flipped open his drawing pad. He scribbled, and then he showed Jimin the page:

No one should look that cute signing that terribly, but here you are. Nice to meet you, Park Jimin. I’m Jeon Jeongguk.

“It wasn’t—” Jimin blurted out, but then he snatched the pencil from Jeongguk’s hand without thinking, bending and scrawling sideways on the paper: It wasn’t that terrible. I practiced all weekend. To which Jeongguk replied: YouTube is a good teacher ㅋㅋㅋ.

This was really happening. A fleeting ride home on a regular day of work, and here Jimin was flirting via pencil and paper with cute subway guy. Jeongguk kept the pencil in his hand, tapping it against the page, and then he scribbled something else and showed it: What’s your phone number? Then he handed Jimin the pencil. Jimin gave him a look, and then he wrote: All of the sudden? So Jeongguk snatched the pencil back comically, and then he wrote: It’s easier to text you than to write with pencil. You’re not fluent in KSL, are you? ;)

So Jimin wrote his phone number.

Jeongguk pulled out his phone and immediately typed in Jimin’s number, and only moments later, Jimin had a new text message.

UNKNOWN CONTACT (MAYBE: JEON JEONGGUK) [3:34PM]
Are you a doctor? Take my pulse.

Jimin read the message once. Twice. His brow furrowed. Then he saw a tattooed arm in his line of vision. Gingerly, avoiding the skateboard, Jimin shifted and used his pointer and middle fingers to press against the pulse point on Jeongguk’s wrist. Steady. Maybe a bit faster than the average pulse. But what made Jimin freeze and buffer was the fact that Jeongguk was just staring at him with a mischievous little grin on his face. Jimin removed his hand and texted back.

JIMIN [3:35PM]
Your pulse is normal. How did you know I was a doctor?

Jimin heard the throaty little breath that Jeongguk let out, an indicator of a laugh. Then Jeongguk responded and fixed his eyes directly on Jimin’s face as Jimin read:

UNKNOWN CONTACT (MAYBE: JEON JEONGGUK) [3:35PM]
Are you really? ㅋㅋㅋ I guessed. You just look like a doctor.

JIMIN [3:36PM]
I’m a chiropractor

UNKNOWN CONTACT (MAYBE: JEON JEONGGUK) [3:36PM]
Well, Chiropractor Jimin, do you smell something burning?

Jimin shook his head and signed “no,” glancing up to give Jeongguk a bewildered look. Jeongguk turned his body so much that he could lean his elbow on the top of the seat, angling himself closer to Jimin as he texted back.

UNKNOWN CONTACT (MAYBE: JEON JEONGGUK) [3:37PM]
My heart is burning

“You—” Jimin let out a bark of laughter, his hand twitching like he was going to smack Jeongguk’s thigh. He held back, though, because he had only known Jeon Jeongguk for all of three minutes. Unfortunately, for Jimin, Jeongguk noticed the hesitation. He reached out, grabbed Jimin’s wrist, and used Jimin’s hand to smack his own thigh with a good rebound.

“Yah!” Jimin exclaimed, and Jeongguk gave him a scrunched-nose, silent laugh. Still facing Jimin, Jeongguk fired off multiple texts at rapid speed as Jimin added Jeongguk to his contacts.

JEON JEONGGUK [3:38PM]
I don’t know anything about you but you’re funny

I don’t even know if you like guys but that’s not my priority right now

Though it doesn’t hurt to ask

Since I’m already flirting with you

Cute doctor

Did you learn sign language just to say hi to me?

JIMIN [3:39PM]
I wouldn’t be flirting back if I wasn’t interested in men

I didn’t know if you used KSL so I took a chance

JEON JEONGGUK [3:40PM]
Well, seeing as I was born Deaf, you took a good chance ㅋㅋㅋ 

JIMIN [3:41PM]
I have so many questions for you

Jimin sent the text, but then he hesitated, thumbs hovering over the keyboard. Jeongguk wiggled his skateboard beneath his feet and adjusted his beanie, tongue darting out to push against his lip rings, and then he leaned forward slightly like he was trying to get a better look at Jimin’s face. 

JEON JEONGGUK [3:42PM]
But I’m Deaf so it’s hard to do it all over text when you just want to talk?????

You can admit it ㅋㅋㅋ it won’t hurt my feelings

Jimin drummed his fingers against the back of his phone, his stomach swooping with instant guilt. How could Jeongguk read him so easily and so quickly? How was it that a moment of hesitation on Jimin’s part was a lightbulb moment for Jeongguk?

JIMIN [3:43PM]
I’ve never met someone who’s Deaf so it’s really new to me

I don’t want to do anything wrong or insult you or anything

JEON JEONGGUK [3:44PM]
Well, maybe you can just text me when we get off the train ;) get to know me

How old are you, by the way? I feel like that’s an important question

JIMIN [3:45PM]
I’m 28

JEON JEONGGUK [3:45PM]
Ohhhhh hyung ;) ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ  I’m 26

I don’t bite, I promise. Not unless you want me to ;) I like meeting new people

Jeongguk suddenly set his phone down into his lap, and then he patted Jimin’s thigh politely and scooted in his seat so that he was facing Jimin completely. Flustered, Jimin did the same, turning his body and lowering his phone. Jeongguk unceremoniously stood up halfway and then sat on his drawing pad, shoving his pencil behind one ear.

“My name,” Jeongguk signed, which Jimin recognized. Jeongguk. That was easy. Jimin had practiced that. But then Jeongguk made the sign for the letter jieut, the first letter of his name, and he held it up to his face, his pointer finger touching his cheek as he smiled. Jimin could see the indent of a dimple in Jeongguk’s cheek when he did.

“My… name…” Jeongguk signed slowly, and then he did the same motion, the pad of his pointer finger pressed to his dimple with his thumb and middle fingers extended, the other two fingers curled. He tapped his pointer finger against his cheek a few times for emphasis. Curious, Jimin cocked his head to the side, not quite understanding, so Jeongguk fumbled for his phone.

JEON JEONGGUK [3:48PM]
That’s my sign name. Pretty much every Deaf person has one.

“Oh-h-h,” Jimin whispered quietly, watching Jeongguk do it again. Jeongguk grabbed his phone one more time.

JEON JEONGGUK [3:35PM]
Today, yesterday, tomorrow

“Today…?” Jimin muttered to himself, but Jeongguk patted the air in front of Jimin to get his attention. Jimin watched as Jeongguk mouthed the word “today,” patting the air in front of himself with both hands palms-down two times. 

“Yesterday,” Jeongguk signed, taking his pointer finger with the fingertip to the ceiling, palm facing away from Jimin, and pointing it over his right shoulder. Jimin mimicked cautiously, but when Jeongguk nodded, he repeated the same word, trying to wrap his mind around the fact that this total stranger was flirting with him via text and teaching him signs.

“Tomorrow,” Jeongguk signed, lifting his pointer finger to the ceiling again with his palm facing Jimin this time, and he gently flicked the finger downward until it was flat and parallel to the ground.

“Today… yesterday… tomorrow,” Jimin signed back, and Jeongguk grinned, two dimples indenting his cheeks as he nodded. Overhead, a voice announced that they were pulling into Jamsil Station, and Jimin frowned in disappointment. It didn’t seem to matter, though, because Jeongguk just started gathering up his belongings as he elbowed Jimin, tilting his head towards the doors.

The subway pulled into Jamsil, and the doors slid open. Jeongguk hitched his backpack over one shoulder, tucked his drawing pad under one armpit, and carried his skateboard in the other arm. Jimin disembarked behind him, and for the second time since laying eyes on Jeongguk, he decided that the train to Seokcheon wasn’t important. He could get home at any time. Being with Jeongguk seemed infinitely more important right now.

Jeongguk pivoted on the platform, and then he squeezed his belongings under his arms to free his hands. He signed something Jimin didn’t understand, but then he recognized “tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?” Jimin said out loud, signing the same thing. “Tomorrow? Uh… yes.” He used his right hand with his palm facing to the left to tap against his chin as he nodded. Feeling like a fool, he then gestured to the train. “Tomorrow. Yes. Jeongguk.”

Only knowing the bare minimum was making Jimin feel like a moron. It was like he was a toddler again, trying to figure out how to make sense of words and give them meaning. And it was equally infuriating because he knew exactly what he wanted to say to Jeongguk, but he couldn’t communicate it properly.

Jeongguk didn’t seem to mind. Maybe he was used to it, but that didn’t make Jimin feel any better about it. He wanted the entire language in his brain now. But Jeongguk just turned to face Jimin and began walking backwards in slow motion, offering one hand as best as he could. A train could have derailed and mowed Jimin to the ground and it would have been less shocking. Jimin reached out and accepted Jeongguk’s hand, trying to figure out what nation he had saved in a past life that earned him the attention of this random but beautiful man sharing the subway with him.

You dumb bitch, he could be leading you to your death.

Jimin had lived a good life. Taking a chance was healthy, right? Like he was in some Shakespearean play, he followed Jeongguk, but then Jeongguk bent his head far enough to adjust the AirPods in his ears.

“Why do you have those?” Jimin blurted out without thinking. Jeongguk raised his eyebrows, eyes wide and innocent and trained on Jimin’s lips. “Why do you wear AirPods?” Jimin repeated. Jeongguk seemed to understand, because he touched the AirPods again, and then he grinned and held up one finger to Jimin as an indication to wait. Without releasing Jimin’s hand and without dropping his skateboard or drawing pad, he managed to grab his phone from his pocket.

JEON JEONGGUK [3:40PM]
They’re secondhand AirPods. I wear them so people don’t bother me in public ;)

Also… see you tomorrow

Jeongguk patted the air in front of Jimin to get his attention, and then he signed the same thing he had signed previously. Jimin copied, and the grin on Jeongguk’s face was his reward. Tongue playing with his lip rings, Jeongguk released Jimin’s hand and backed up a few steps, and then he waved and walked away towards the station exit, which told Jimin that perhaps he lived somewhere nearby.

“Oh, Christ,” Jimin said to himself, unnecessarily patting down his body like Jeongguk had walked off with his limbs. A full day of work and everything Jimin had done at his practice was gone. Completely gone. Whoosh, right out of his memory. Instead, Jeongguk seemed to be ricocheting off the walls of his brain.

JEON JEONGGUK [3:44PM]
I stand by what I said earlier

You’re incredibly cute when you’re signing

You have pretty eyes, hyung

I’ll see you tomorrow!

“I’m gonna die,” Jimin said to his phone like it could respond. “I’m actually—”

JIMIN [3:45PM]
You know you just met me, right? ㅋㅋ 

JEON JEONGGUK [3:45PM]
And you look cute signing and you have pretty eyes

Why beat around the bush? ;)

Jimin pocketed his phone. He pocketed it and considered rolling onto the tracks to play Chicken with the next train that came in, but instead, he found his weak resolve and headed for the other platform so he could head home.

And if he spent his entire journey home practicing the signs Jeongguk taught him and getting weird looks from strangers, then it was worth it.

✩࿐

Jimin figured that he wouldn’t hear from Jeongguk until they met on the subway home tomorrow. 

He was so, so wrong.

JEON JEONGGUK [9:01PM]
Jeongguk time ;)

Jimin checked the time—one minute past nine o’clock. September first. That was Jeongguk’s birthday. 

JIMIN [9:01PM]
So you’re a Virgo, huh?

[“rocket science” by vaultboy]

And that was how Jimin became gradually glued to his phone all night long. It was unintentional, but texting Jeongguk was addicting. Jimin learned a plethora of things about Jeon Jeongguk while lying in bed that night, kicking his blankets like a teenage boy.

Jeongguk was twenty-six. He, too, had been born in Busan, and he was born Deaf. Jimin tentatively asked if Jeongguk could hear anything at all, like loud explosions or loud noises. Jeongguk explained that at most, he could hear (mostly feel) the vibrations of such things, as well as music with heavy bass, but that sound mostly meant nothing to him, seeing as his hearing loss was profound. Silently gobsmacked at the idea of hearing absolutely nothing, Jimin then asked what Jeongguk was always drawing. And Jeongguk was coy about it, refusing to share, but he spilled that he was an aspiring cartoonist and comic book artist. Though to pay his bills, he did something a bit different.

JEON JEONGGUK [10:57PM]
I’m actually a bartender in Itaewon at a place called SEVEN

Have you ever been there? It’s really popular

JIMIN [10:58PM]
No… is it any good? I heard the service is shit ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ 

JEON JEONGGUK [10:58PM]
Woooooooooooow

JImin giggled into his pillow. He giggled, and it was embarrassing. Then again, no matter how professional he was and no matter how many accolades he had hanging on the walls at TLC, he was an absolute sucker for this phase of any relationship. The talking phase, the getting-to-know-you phase where everything felt amplified, where he could feel the adrenaline pumping through his veins, where talking non-stop to a new person was exciting and thrilling and an adventure all on its own. He always fell short in the commitment phase of any relationship, but he was getting better with age.

But Jeon Jeongguk… Jeongguk was shameless. Utterly shameless. He used winky faces, laughed a lot, sent Jimin pictures of his facial expressions as a response to Jimin’s texts. Jimin hadn’t flirted with someone like this in years. It had never felt this easy, and it felt like it had been an eternity since someone had shown equal interest in him.

Jeongguk had moved to Seoul at the age of eleven to attend Seoul National School for the Deaf. He had started studying art at Konkuk University, but he dropped out after two years to do his own thing, and because he hadn’t found his university setting accessible enough for his liking. So he took up bartending and excelled at it, and now he was thriving and living life on his own terms.

JEON JEONGGUK [11:25PM]
You should come to SEVEN one night

JIMIN [11:25PM]
Maybe on a night when I don’t work early the next morning

JEON JEONGGUK [11:26PM]
Oh right ㅋㅋ you have a big boy job

Would you like to know how to sign DOCTOR and CHIROPRACTOR?

Jimin was going to respond with a yes, but before he could, a video came through. His pulse quickening, Jimin played the video, and he gripped his blanket beneath his chin giddily. This beautiful man, this beautiful, beautiful man, was lying in his bed without a shirt on with only a dim light. His long hair was tousled and hanging in his face, and he was wearing a guitar pick on a thin chain necklace around his neck. Jimin almost drooled, and then he realized that the video was over.

“Wait, what?” he said out loud to himself, because like a clown, he hadn’t even paid attention to Jeongguk’s hands. So he forced himself to focus, watching as Jeongguk signed “doctor” and “chiropractor.” Jimin mimicked the signs and replayed the video a few times, and on the third replay, he ignored the sign language and instead just stared directly at Jeongguk in all his beauty.

This was bad. Jimin was doomed.

“HYUNG. HYUNG!”

“What, what? Who’s dying?” Hoseok burst into Jimin’s room when Jimin yelled, and he stood in the doorway as Jimin kicked his blankets off and sat up in bed, feeling breathless.

“I—You know what?I shouldn’t be sharing this. It feels illegal. But I need you to look at this man and tell me that I shouldn’t just offer to suck his dick when I see him tomorrow,” Jimin rambled, and Hoseok snorted loudly as he sat on the edge of Jimin’s bed with a toothbrush in his mouth. It clicked against his teeth as he shifted it to rest in one cheek, taking Jimin’s phone, and then he played the video.

“He’s shirtless,” Hoseok noted.

“He looks like a chiseled Greek god,” Jimin declared.

“What’s he saying?” Hoseok wondered, pulling his toothbrush out of his mouth.

“He signed ‘doctor’ and ‘chiropractor’ just for me,” Jimin said with a dreamy sigh. “I should definitely suck his dick, right?”

“Is he thirst trapping you under the guise of education?” Hoseok asked, and Jimin burst out laughing, falling back onto his pillows. “I’m serious! He’s fucking shirtless and he looks like he just had marathon sex and he’s sending you videos of him signing to you at that angle?”

“Hyung.” Jimin lifted one foot and plopped it onto Hoseok’s lap. Hoseok slowly brushed his teeth as he looked over at Jimin. “He’s a bartender in Itaewon.”

“O’ course ’e eh,” Hoseok said, rolling his eyes as he continued to brush. “’Old on.”

He left the bedroom and rinsed out his mouth in Jimin’s bathroom sink, and then he returned, pointing the toothbrush at Jimin in an accusatory manner.

“Are you telling me that you’re chasing the dick of a Deaf bartender who’s sending you shirtless thirst trap videos with tattoos and piercings?” Hoseok listed.

“That’s exactly what I’m telling you,” Jimin replied.

“Is he interested in you? Has he asked about you and your life?”

“Yup. He even asked me about growing up in Busan. We’ve literally been talking for hours, hyung. Almost six hours,” Jimin noted once he looked at the time. “I haven’t talked to someone like this in years.”

“Well, then—Wait, he texted you back. It says…” Hoseok read, and then he dramatically gagged and threw the phone at Jimin. Ears already burning prematurely, Jimin snatched up his phone.

JEON JEONGGUK [11:31PM]
I sent a video and you went dead silent

What are you doing with my video Park Jimin ;)

JIMIN [11:32PM]
Yah my roommate came into my room! Get your mind out of the gutter

JEON JEONGGUK [11:32PM]
ㅋㅋㅋ well when I’m flirting with a smart doctor who looks like you, my mind is kind of…

JIMIN [11:33PM]
Kind of what????

JEON JEONGGUK [11:33PM]
[video attached]

“Hyung.” Jimin stared at the video in a daze. “I have to suck his dick. I don’t have a choice. I just started talking to him today and I already need to do it. I’m gonna die.”

“What?” Hoseok looked over Jimin’s shoulder, so Jimin replayed the video of Jeongguk lying sideways in bed, tattooed arm hanging out of the covers, a little grin on his face as he signed something. The caption he sent with the video said, my mind is going crazy, which was what he was signing.

“Tell me not to send him nudes,” Jimin requested.

“I’m not gonna be your fluffer,” Hoseok complained, and Jimin snickered, covering his face with one hand. “How the fuck is this even happening to you right now? You see a hot guy on the 2 Line a few times and now you’re flirting with him?”

“This was definitely not in my fortune,” Jimin stated, glancing over to his bedside table, where the little plastic orange ball was sitting next to a book.

“Okay, well, no phone sex. Go to bed. We have a full schedule tomorrow,” Hoseok said, patting Jimin’s thigh. “Goodnight.”

“Mhm, goodnight,” Jimin said distractedly, playing the video again and again as Hoseok closed his bedroom door.

JIMIN [11:35PM]
I see you’re not working tonight ㅋㅋ

JEON JEONGGUK [11:36PM]
I don’t work Sunday and Monday nights, but I work the other 5 nights

Come see me at work

Free drinks for the cute doctor ;)

JIMIN [11:37PM]
Oh noooo it’s 11:37… time for me to go to bed

JEON JEONGGUK [11:38PM]
ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ I’ll see you tomorrow, right?

JIMIN [11:38PM]
You will! Goodnight, Jeongguk ^-^

JEON JEONGGUK [3:45PM]
Here’s how you sign goodnight 😉

[Video attached]

Jimin watched the video three times. He watched a very sleepy, cozy Jeongguk sign “goodnight,” and when Jeongguk signed “Jimin” and then finished off with a finger heart and a wink, Jimin had to set his phone down on his chest and contemplate his entire existence.

He needed to study. 

✩࿐

“I just need both of you to act as normal as humanly possible.”

“Meow,” Hoseok responded instead, and Namjoon smacked his ass.

“Jimin? Park Jimin. Earth to Jimin.”

“Hmm?” Jimin glanced up from his phone and blinked a few times at Namjoon. “Oh. Are we going now?”

“Namjoon asked us to act normal. Do you have a cat noise to offer or not?” Hoseok asked, holding up his fist to Jimin’s mouth like it was a microphone. He promptly dropped his hand. “Yah, have you ever seen him like this before? The sun must shine out of Jeon Jeongguk’s ass.”

“He sent me a good morning text,” Jimin emphasized, shaking his phone in Hoseok’s direction. “I’ve known this man for two days and he’s sending me ‘good morning’ texts.”

“It’s too early to be horny,” Namjoon complained.

“Like you wouldn’t suck Kim Seokjin’s dick beneath the café counter if he pulled his pants down,” Jimin fired back. “Don’t make me laugh. My hot subway guy saved me a seat yesterday again and he let me adjust his wrists and fingers for him.”

“Oh, so you give him free chiropractic adjustments, but when it comes to Kim Seokjin, it’s too much to ask,” Namjoon griped, grabbing his bag off Jimin and Hoseok’s kitchen countertop. “You’re thinking with a clenched asshole and it shows, Park Jimin.”

“A what?” Jimin exclaimed, and Hoseok almost collapsed to the ground laughing.

“Clenched! Asshole!” Namjoon repeated, smacking the countertop with emphasis. “You’re a bratty bottom and we all know it, so you’re thinking with your asshole. Now can we please go and pet some cats?”

“That has an entirely different meaning in my bisexual world,” Hoseok declared, holding open the door as he caught his breath from laughing. “Three professionals who offer health services and we’re talking about clenched assholes. Happy fucking Wednesday.”

“Besides, hyung, you’re not going to pet the cats. You’re going so you can awkwardly flirt with a vampire and embarrass yourself in front of us,” Jimin said, patting Namjoon on the shoulder. “My clenched asshole and I are ready to go. Can I film you if you spill your coffee?”

“It’s too fucking early for this,” Namjoon said, pinching his brow as he followed Jimin out the door.

Jimin was currently in a state of total bliss. Nothing could possibly go wrong in his world, because he was consumed entirely by flirting with Jeon Jeongguk. Yesterday, Jeongguk texted him exactly at three o’clock asking if he would be on the train. Jimin had confirmed it. They had sat side-by-side, nudging knees and giggling, because instead of getting-to-know-you questions and conversation, Jeongguk had opened TikTok to show Jimin a bunch of funny chiropractic videos that he had saved the previous night. The things that had made Jimin’s heart do backflips, though, was whenever Jeongguk would rapidly pat his thigh and sign, “what sound?”

He wanted to know the sounds.

In some of the videos, there were sounds or voices or things off-screen or that could be taken out of context. A video of a massive chiropractic adjustment that had been accompanied by a funny song and a scream had made Jimin laugh out loud, so Jeongguk had immediately asked Jimin to explain the humor that he couldn’t hear. And Jeongguk had asked Jimin so casually to explain that Jimin had suddenly found himself anticipating it ahead of time with each additional video.

As much as Jimin knew about the human body, he felt shamefully ignorant of everything that had to do with Deaf culture. He didn’t know the language. He didn’t know the norms. He didn’t know what was acceptable and what wasn’t. He didn’t know if Jeongguk was an outlier or if he represented what many Deaf people were like. There were so many mysteries surrounding Jeongguk and everything he was, and Jimin was on day three of knowing the man while quietly spiraling without answers, terrified that he was doing something wrong.

But answers would have to wait, because it was Wednesday, and he wouldn’t see Jeongguk today. Instead, he had to support Namjoon’s romantic endeavors and see Kim Seokjin in person. Maybe cuddle a few cats before his allergies slapped him in the face.

“If Jeongguk texts and asks where I am, I think I have to lie,” Jimin said as he, Namjoon, and Hoseok disembarked at Jamsil Station. 

“Why?” Namjoon gave Jimin a look.

“Because if I mention the café and he hits me with, ‘oh, I go there all the time,’ then I have to spend my entire life pretending that I didn’t stalk him here one day,” Jimin reasoned.

“We are grown men,” Hoseok stressed, but then he held up his phone. “However, I looked at their menu, and it’s quite extensive. Also, the sizes of the coffees are kitten or cat instead of small or large. So when I order a cat iced americano, don’t give me a weird look.”

“Why—” Namjoon rubbed his temples as they walked— “am I attracted to a man who owns a cat café?”

“It could be so much worse, hyung,” Jimin placated, patting Namjoon’s shoulder as they rounded the corner and saw Rata-Cat-Cat. “You lead the way. This is your adventure. We’re just tagging along for the coffee.”

“You’re paying,” Hoseok said to Namjoon, pivoting and sweeping his arm towards the half-gate entrance of the café.

“This is either going to be the greatest or the most humiliating moment of my life,” Namjoon said, and then he unlatched the gate and stepped in, Jimin and Hoseok behind him. All three of them stood in the entrance, where there were floor-to-ceiling cubbies for shoes and sealed packs of slippers. Jimin kicked off his shoes, ripped open a new pack of slippers, and wiggled them onto his feet.

“Smart idea, taking off shoes. Might step on a cat tail,” Hoseok pointed out. “Speaking of which, we’re being watched.”

“Watched? Oh my God. Oh, look how cute,” Jimin cooed. There was another half-gate, and sitting on the other side was a beautiful shorthair cat with white fur and black splotchy spots over one eye and portions of its tail.

“We’re on a mission,” Hoseok insisted, softly punching Jimin’s arm with his phone in his fist. “You can cry over the cats later. Get Namjoon into this damn café and let’s acquire the target.”

“What is this, Call of Duty?” Namjoon complained, but he was the first one through the gate.

There were plenty of patrons, but there were also cats everywhere. Jimin counted at least seven of them. The café was absolutely gorgeous. The floors were stained wood with mismatched area rugs, all of the tables were unique compared to one another, and the natural light was pouring in from windows that were on the ceiling. Most of the walls were covered in paintings and obstacles for the cats, as well as places for them to rest and to scratch. Jimin stifled a laugh as one cat flew by at the speed of light, chasing a tiny ball with a bell in it, two little girls following after. 

“He’s right there,” Namjoon hissed. “At the counter.”

Jimin directed his attention to the ordering counter, and there was Kim Seokjin. He wasn’t the one taking orders. He was at one end of the counter bent at the waist, leaning both elbows on the surface, and he was on his phone. Between his chest and his hands, though, was an adorable black cat with piercing green eyes, and the cat was staring at the café patrons like it was protecting Seokjin from all harm.

[“sdl” by agust d]

Kim Seokjin was, as promised, handsome in a fairytale way. He looked like Prince Charming. His black hair was pushed back off his forehead, his skin was smooth and radiant with a slight blush to his cheeks, he had full lips and piercing but gentle eyes, and he was wearing dangling earrings. His black t-shirt said MY CAT IS A ROCKSTAR & I’M A MANAGER.

“Alright.” Hoseok clicked his tongue, cleared his throat, and then crossed his arms with a slow nod. “I get it. He’s a beautiful man. I’d give him a chiropractic adjustment for free.”

“Don’t undermine me, you dickhead,” Jimin joked, and then he nudged Namjoon. “Go ahead, hyung.”

Namjoon didn’t even have enough time to contemplate his next move. Seokjin glanced up from his phone to survey his café, and he spotted Namjoon instantly.

“Yah! Kim Namjoon!” he hollered, pocketing his phone and scooping up the black cat in front of him. The cat sank contentedly into Seokjin’s arms, and Seokjin lifted one hip to sit on the countertop, cat in his arms and all. Jimin stared in surprise as Seokjin then swung his legs over the counter and plopped down with a sigh on the other side.

“Hello,” Namjoon said with a polite bow. “Um, these are my friends who live across the hall from me. The chiropractors. Park Jimin—Jung Hoseok.”

“Nice to meet you both. Coffee’s on me,” Seokjin said, stroking the cat’s small head like a handsome villain. “Do you like the balloons?”

“For your half-birthday,” Namjoon remembered. “They’re really nice—wait, does that one say…?”

“Yeah, my store manager who doubles as café cat caretaker has a weird sense of humor,” Seokjin said with an impressed sigh, nodding as he surveyed his own balloons. There were a bunch of gold number balloons scattered around, but the only numbers were 6 and 9. There were birthday balloons, but there was a balloon behind the countertop that said HAPPY RETIREMENT! “Wednesday is his only day off, so unfortunately, you’re missing him. But the balloons are great, right?”

“Has no one asked about the 69 balloons?” Jimin wondered, trying not to laugh.

“Oh, plenty of people have. I just lie and say that I was born in 1996,” Seokjin replied airily, shrugging. “Can I get you some coffee? All of you. Specifically Namjoon, though, since he got me some macarons. What would you like, Namjoon?”

“Ah.” Namjoon let out a soft laugh that even Jimin found endearing. “Um, just a small americano would be great.”

“Perfect. Also, for the future, we have two sizes here—kitten and cat,” Seokjin said, stepping backwards. “So that’s one kitten americano.”

“I told you,” Hoseok said loudly to Namjoon, and Seokjin let out a squeaky laugh, lowering the black cat to the ground and hopping over the countertop in an exceptionally attractive manner. Jimin quickly checked Namjoon’s mouth and chin for drool just in case, because he couldn’t let Seokjin catch his friend slipping.

“And for the other gentlemen?” Seokjin asked, loitering near the machine as he scratched his eyebrow with one finger.

“Cat iced americano,” Hoseok requested, and Jimin lifted his hand.

“Kitten size for me,” he said. Seokjin shot them both a single finger gun with a wink, and then he got to work.

“Hyung,” Jimin said, tapping Namjoon’s shoulder. “Let’s go sit down like normal patrons. Come on.”

“What, you mean I can’t stare at him making my coffee?” Namjoon asked, but he reluctantly followed Jimin and Hoseok over to the first available table that they found. He sank into the chair and pressed his palms together, outer edges of his fingers against his mouth.

“Are you praying for some good dick or what?” Hoseok asked, plucking a sugar packet out of the container and shaking it idly.

“I’m thanking this fucked up universe that beautiful, funny, intelligent, cat-loving men like Kim Seokjin exist,” Namjoon said, lifting his eyes to the ceiling.

“Ouch,” Jimin said jokingly, pulling out his phone to check if he had any text messages from Jeongguk. Before he could unlock his phone, Namjoon patted him on the back.

“Park Jimin, darling, you’re one of a kind and dating you changed my life,” he said sincerely. 

“Oh, don’t worry, hyung. I know when I’ve been outdone,” Jimin teased with a grin.

“I need to know what his hopes and dreams are,” Namjoon declared. “We’re at that point. It’s that serious.”

Jimin was going to respond, but then he unlocked his phone to look at the text message he had, indeed, received from Jeongguk.

JEON JEONGGUK [10:34AM]
Today’s word/phrase of the day for Jimin is…

How are you?

[video attached]

“Oh my fucking God,” Jimin said out loud, and then he covered his mouth with his hand in case there were young ears nearby. He clutched his phone and bowed his head, and that was the moment when Seokjin decided to swing by and give Namjoon his americano.

“Oh. Do you guys pray before you drink coffee?” Seokjin asked, arching one eyebrow.

“No.” Hoseok’s response was flat. “They’re both dick-chasing. Is that for Namjoon? Lovely.”

“I’ll kill you,” Namjoon hissed, blowing out a breath and accepting the coffee from Seokjin. “Thank you, Seokjin-ssi.”

“Eh. Drop the formalities. ‘Hyung’ is fine,” Seokjin said, waving one hand. “Do you want to come watch me make two iced americanos and meet a few of the cats?”

“Me? Oh. Uh…”

“Is he always like this?” Seokjin asked Hoseok as Namjoon snickered in embarrassment, hiding his face with one hand. His cover seemed to be blown. “I figured the note on your door inviting you here was obvious, but maybe not. I’ve never been known to be subtle. Maybe being thirty-one-and-a-half has changed me.”

“Yeah. I’ll come watch you make coffee,” Namjoon blurted out, rising to his feet. It was then that Jimin noticed that Namjoon’s coffee was in a to-go cup, not a regular cup and saucer. Namjoon seemed to notice at the same time, because he cleared his throat and tilted the coffee towards Seokjin. “Nice play. I’m not good at this part of, uh…”

“You’re not good at flirting. You look like that and you’re—? Come with me, you beautiful man,” Seokjin said with a laugh. “You can judge all the sugary sweets we have.”

“Joke’s on you—I love sugary sweets,” Namjoon said, sipping his coffee. “Wow, this is really good.”

“Suck-up,” Hoseok called out, and Namjoon shot him a look over his shoulder before he walked off with Seokjin. Hoseok sighed with a plastered-on dreamy smile and propped his chin in his hand. “They grow up so fast.” He turned back to Jimin. “Why were you praying?”

“I’m going crazy,” Jimin declared, nose twitching as he sniffled. He was starting to reach his limit of being around cats, but there was a salt-and-pepper cat rubbing up against his leg. Hoseok noticed and bent down, scooping up the cat and plopping it into his lap. “What’s the protocol for a guy who flirts with you so hard that you lose your mind?”

“Jimin-ah.” Hoseok lifted the cat by its front paws and made it do a little dance. “You’ve known him for a few days. How crazy can you possibly be?”

“Insane,” Jimin stated, turning his phone to show Hoseok the video. He pressed PLAY.

There was Jeongguk, hair pulled into a messy ponytail, sweat glistening on his body. He was wearing a black tank top and black shorts with a red pattern on them, and his hands were wrapped in white tape. He had a pair of black boxing gloves in his lap, but the camera shook as he propped it up on something and leaned back. Then, licking his lips, he swept his left hand along the top of his right arm from elbow to wrist and then opened his thumb and pointer fingers in an “L” shape, circling them counterclockwise twice, palms facing down. He paused, grinned, and then grabbed his water bottle from the floor and squirted water into his mouth. After setting the bottle aside, he repeated the same sign three times in a row, mouthing the words as his hands moved. The last time he did it, he added Jimin’s name on the end. With a wink, he then leaned forward, and the video stopped.

“That’s what he texted you?” Hoseok asked as Jimin retracted his phone. Jimin nodded. “So he looks like that and he’s a boxer. And this is the second thirst trap video he’s sent you.”

“Mhm.”

“You know, I hate to tell you this—” Hoseok jiggled his straw in the cup, shaking the ice as he grinned. Jimin held up one hand bluntly, palm nearly in Hoseok’s face.

“Don’t. Speak,” he stated flatly. “No. It’s way too early in our relationship to suck his dick. You promised to help me hold out. Tell me it’s too early.”

“It’s definitely not too early.”

“Hyung, I’m begging you to tell me that I don’t need to see this man naked,” Jimin pleaded. He combed one hand through his hair and kept it there, stressed. “I haven’t been this attracted to someone in years. What the hell is happening to me? I met him on the subway by making excessive and creepy eye contact, hyung. Who meets someone on the subway like that?”

“You do, apparently.” Hoseok glanced over Jimin’s shoulder. “Yah, Kim Namjoon is behind the counter with a cat in his arms. He’ll be sleeping over at Seokjin's apartment within a week. Mark my words.”

Jimin slid his cup close enough and puckered his lips to sip on his iced americano (it was damn good; Seokjin knew how to make coffee) as he attempted to formulate some kind of decent response, thumbs hovering over the screen. He could send a video of him signing, “how are you?” in return. He could send back a laughing emoji. Or he could flirt on the same level with false bravado and see where it got him.

He chose the latter.

JIMIN [10:37AM]
Do you want to punch me in the face next? I volunteer.

JEON JEONGGUK [10:37AM]
ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ are you crazy?

JIMIN [10:38AM]
This is easily the second or third thirst trap you’ve sent me in 24 hours

I’m definitely crazy

You want me dead

JEON JEONGGUK [10:38AM]
I’m just at my boxing gym, silly

Are you saying you think I’m good-looking? ;) ㅋㅋㅋ

JIMIN [10:39AM]
I’m saying that you KNOW you’re good-looking

“This has no right—” Jimin turned his phone to show Hoseok— “being that hot. Why is him calling me ‘silly’ making me feel silly?”

“You’ve reached an entirely new level of desperation. Ask him if he likes men who yearn pathetically,” Hoseok suggested, tilting his head towards Jimin’s phone. Right on cue, his own phone vibrated, and he glanced down and checked the screen. “Oh, shit. Oh, shit! What did I say? Shut the fuck up.”

Jimin’s brow furrowed. “What?”

“Did I not fucking tell you that the girl I had that threesome with would come crawling back to me? What did I fucking say? Pardon me,” Hoseok said with a grin, kicking back in his chair with one leg crossed to answer her.

“Ask her if she likes men who yearn pathetically,” Jimin parroted in an obnoxious voice, and then he looked over to the counter to check on Namjoon. Kim Namjoon, the awkward human koala that he was, had Seokjin wrapped around his finger. The world was going on around them, but Seokjin was just leaning against the wall, chatting happily as Namjoon laughed, their heads bent together in conversation. 

Jimin glanced down at his phone, because he was, indeed, yearning. He wanted that. He wanted to stand beneath a bunch of flowers on the wall with a cat in his arms while chatting with Jeongguk. He wanted to flirt like that, with that kind of closeness and laughter, flirt with someone new in his life who seemed interested in him, and endless conversation of connection.

His phone vibrated.

Jimin glanced at the screen and opened the text message from Jeongguk.

JEON JEONGGUK [10:43AM]
I’m about to go back to sparring but

I just drew this for you on my break 

[photo attached]

All of Jimin’s yearning flew out the window, replaced with what felt like a sucker punch straight to his heart. Drawn on a page of Jeongguk’s drawing pad that he always carried with him was a standing vertebra wearing sunglasses, and it was shooting two finger guns that were made of just the bones of the hands. The finger guns were pointing directly at where Jeongguk had written “DR. PARK” in English.

Jimin was just used to being surrounded only by other people who could hear. He had never met a Deaf person before meeting Jeongguk. The connection he felt with Jeongguk was real, and here Jimin was, watching Seokjin and Namjoon chat away and flirt with each other as if Jimin didn’t have that in the palm of his hands. If ever there was a time for Jimin to see life from a different point of view, maybe it was right now.

He needed to practice his sign language.

✩࿐

“It’s just one of—those things where… I wasn’t expecting this to happen.” Namjoon grabbed the bottom hem of his tank top and quickly dabbed the sweat away from his eyes, still running beside Jimin.

“Yeah, well I don’t think— either of us expected anything like this,” Jimin replied, checking his watch as it vibrated to signal that they had just passed the five-kilometer mark at twenty-eight minutes. “This is the kind of shit that just—doesn’t happen to people like us.”

“Like—may I say this to you?” Namjoon asked, but he continued anyway, even though Jimin threw him a thumbs up as they continued to run along the river. “After we split, I was cool with—not dating anyone seriously for a while, because—like, how was I going to find—find someone I was comfortable with the way I was comfortable with you?”

“I felt the same way,” Jimin agreed, holding out his fist for Namjoon to bump. “And now it’s like—at the same time. Look at us. Some gorgeous man eyeballs me on—on the subway and now I’m getting thirst traps. You made—sorry, gave macarons to a new neighbor—”

“You should’ve stuck with ‘made’ to make me feel better,” Namjoon laughed.

“Well, now you’re about to become a stepfather to his millions of cats,” Jimin teased, laughing as he removed his baseball cap, pushed back his sweaty hair with one hand, and shoved the cap back on, still running. “You barely even talked to us about your little private conversation.”

“Honestly, I blacked out,” Namjoon said breathlessly, and Jimin stifled another laugh. “I’m serious! I was—so busy trying not to say anything stupid that—I swear to you, I blacked out.”

“Do you remember anything?” Jimin asked, amused.

“He asked me if I liked sashimi,” Namjoon recalled. “Because he wants to have me over so he can prepare fresh sashimi himself.”

“And you didn’t come in your pants right then and there?” Jimin joked.

“I could have,” Namjoon replied, and Jimin snorted, using one knuckle to catch a droplet of sweat on his temple. “So I’m doing that this weekend. He said it’s a date. Just—straight up said that to my face.”

“And?” Jimin raised his eyebrows.

“Isn’t it too fast?” Namjoon asked.

“Hyung, how fast did you and I move?” Jimin pointed out, and Namjoon chuckled. “Exactly. I should—be taking my own fucking advice.”

“You’re learning an entire—language just to get laid,” Namjoon teased.

“There’s an entire culture,” Jimin said as they rounded a corner towards their finishing point. “Deaf culture is like—I don’t know the first thing about it. I’m totally out of my depth. I don’t want—to fuck this up by being ignorant.”

“Yeah, well, he’s sending you videos like that, so I think—he’s probably willing—okay, sprint to the finish,” Namjoon interrupted. Jimin groaned, but then he dug deep and pumped his arms, Namjoon by his side for the first few seconds. But Namjoon had a better stride and longer legs, so he pushed ahead as Jimin sprinted towards their invisible finish line. 

“Fucking hell,” he gasped, stopping his workout on his watch and doubling over at the waist, hands on his knees. “Yeah. Y-Yeah, he s-seems willing, but—fuck, I’m gonna die.”

“Don’t vomit,” Namjoon warned with a dimpled grin, fingers laced at the crown of his head as he circled himself.

“Jeongguk’s willing,” Jimin said, panting. “He’s—He’s willing to teach me and everything. But I—I feel like I’m not fast enough. And I k-keep thinking that our conversations will just be—be shallow until I can learn more.”

“Find a teacher online or something,” Namjoon recommended, but Jimin shook his head.

“No. That’s, like—the number one rule,” he replied. “Everything I’ve researched says to find a teacher who’s Deaf or, at worst, find a teacher who’s been immersed in Deaf culture from day one. I can’t just learn from some random person who says they know KSL.”

“Well, I mean—” Namjoon set both hands on his hips, licking his lips a few times as he caught his breath. “Is it worth it? Honestly. I’m asking as both your friend and your ex. Is all this effort worth it?”

“Honestly, hyung… I don’t know yet,” Jimin admitted. “The only thing I do know is that I think he’s fascinating and that I want to have deep conversations about life with him but, but I also want him to fuck me into the next century.”

“I’m about to ask you something dumb as hell,” Namjoon said, and Jimin nodded. “How would that work?”

“How would what work? Sleeping with him?” Jimin asked, and Namjoon laughed at himself, running both hands over his face.

“I mean, yeah?” There was a question mark in his tone. “Like, how are you gonna tell him things if he can’t hear you talk? Is there a way to sign that you’re about to come?”

“You’re absolutely fucking vile,” Jimin laughed as he and Namjoon began to walk towards Jimin’s car. “And how the hell would I know? Now you’ve just planted even more worries into my brain.”

“Well, it’s a valid question!” Namjoon exclaimed, turning to walk backwards towards the car with his arms out. “I also have no experience with Deaf culture or someone who’s Deaf, so I know nothing. I just—how would you communicate with each other, you know? Consent and all that.”

“Christ, hyung, I have no idea,” Jimin groaned. “But thanks, that’s just another thing for me to think about when I can’t sleep. Awesome.”

He hopped into the driver’s seat, and Namjoon immediately twisted the cap off a water bottle for him like some kind of apology, even though they were both sighing and trying not to laugh at the absurdity of their ignorance. Jimin drove them back to the apartment complex, since they both needed to shower before work.

“Is it bad to be curious?” Namjoon asked as they climbed the stairs, gluttons for punishment after such a long run. “I mean, I have even basic questions to ask. What if you’re driving and there’s an ambulance coming?”

“The ambulances have bright flashing lights for a reason, hyung,” Jimin said, glancing over his shoulder.

“Okay, fine. I accept that one. But just—I mean, I can’t imagine,” Namjoon conceded. “I think I’ve just never even considered it before. Like, what would I do if I couldn’t hear? How would I feel knowing most of the world can hear and I can’t? If I was born that way, would I feel differently than if I suddenly lost my hearing now?”

“I think we call that ‘putting yourself in someone else’s shoes,’” Jimin said gently with a smile. “You’re the smartest person I know, hyung.”

“Yeah, yet here I am asking you stupid questions,” Namjoon replied.

“They’re not stupid questions,” Jimin said. “At least, not to me. I feel like if you asked Jeongguk, he’d answer all of them. He’s pretty much an open book. It’s kind of funny, actually. I can ask him if he drives.”

“Yeah, I’m curious,” Namjoon said, so Jimin pulled out his phone.

JIMIN [6:49AM]
My friend wants to know if you drive

He wasn’t expecting Jeongguk to answer, since it was so early. But to his surprise, his phone vibrated immediately.

JEON JEONGGUK [6:50AM]
I do ;)

JIMIN [6:50AM]
You’re awake? O_O

JEON JEONGGUK [6:51AM]
No ㅋㅋㅋ

I felt my phone vibrate because I fell asleep with it in my bed

Is your friend asking if I can drive because I’m Deaf?

JIMIN [6:52AM]
Yeah he was curious

JEON JEONGGUK [6:53AM]
I do drive, but I don’t like it because I’m lazy ㅋ

Falling… asleep… sleeeeeeeeeeeeep

Zzzzzzzzzzzz

“There you go,” Jimin said as they reached their floor, showing his phone to Namjoon. “He drives. Any other questions?”

“Actually, I was—”

“Namjoon-ah? Oh! Hey, Jimin.”

Namjoon pivoted so quickly that he almost lost his footing and had to prop one hand on the hallway wall. Jimin snickered loudly enough for Namjoon to kick his shin, but Seokjin was hanging out of his door in nothing but pajamas, hair tousled from sleep, but bright-eyed and smiling.

“Oh, no. Are you two the kind of people who get up early to exercise?” Seokjin asked.

“He’s a marathon runner, and I’m delusional enough to think I can do it, too,” Jimin replied.

“Namjoon-ah, after you shower, do you want to come have coffee with me?” Seokjin asked with a very obvious wink. “I’m being direct like you requested.”

“Yeah, I’d—okay. I’d love that,” Namjoon agreed, and Jimin rolled his shoulders back proudly at the confidence in Namjoon’s voice. “That’d be great. Uh, give me thirty minutes?”

“Easy. Jimin-ah, I’d invite you, but Namjoon told me that you’re in the process of chasing after some hot guy with tattoos,” Seokjin said with an impish grin in Jimin’s direction. “Hope you don’t mind.”

“Oh, not at all. Enjoy your coffee,” Jimin said. Seokjin saluted and let his door fall shut with a beep and a click, and Namjoon immediately let out the breath he seemed to have been holding, slumping against the wall.

“Jimin.” He took Jimin by both shoulders. “Why am I suddenly ready to have a house and seven children with the most gorgeous bisexual man in South Korea?”

“By children, you mean cats, right?” Jimin asked, biting his bottom lip to suppress his laughter. “You’re on your own, hyung. I have bigger fish to fry.”

“You have a single tattooed fish,” Namjoon said, punching in the code for his own apartment. “See you on the other side.”

“Good luck,” Jimin replied with a salute, ducking into his own apartment.

Hoseok was already awake and making coffee for the two of them. As they prepared for their workday, he waxed poetic about the meet-up he was going to have with this girl, and Jimin listened intently, hating how his eyes kept drifting to his phone. He’s not awake, you fool. But each message from Jeongguk was like a shot of adrenaline straight into his veins.

He wanted it to be a normal workday, but of course, he ended up having three kids to adjust and a very pregnant regular patient of his who needed an adjustment desperately. Yunjin even came in to watch Jimin adjust the woman out of sheer curiosity, because these were scenarios she wouldn’t always see.

“The pillow is the key,” Yunjin said to Jimin between patients, sipping on her iced matcha latte. Jimin removed the pregnancy pillow from his adjusting table and returned it to the closet where he kept it when it was needed.

“Well, beyond that, it’s just about gentle touch and safety,” Jimin pointed out. “We want to take care of the mother, but the baby is just as important to remember.”

“She was so relaxed when I did her payout,” Yunjin said, backing up towards the front desk again. “You have magic hands.”

“Don’t flatter me,” Jimin flatly replied, and Yunjin grinned, turning over one shoulder and going back to her post.

The very second the clock ticked over to three o’clock, Jimin tucked away his cleaning supplies and snatched up his messenger bag, slinging it over one shoulder. He could already hear Hoseok shelving the patient files, so Jimin carried all of his files out in a stack, his notes complete since he wrote them by hand on the spot. Yunjin’s job was to then update the digital patient files.

“Here, let me help,” Jimin offered, but Hoseok just swatted at him.

“Goodbye,” he said firmly. “You pulled out the files this morning, so we’re even. Go see Jeongguk.”

“Hyung, I owe you my life,” Jimin said, patting Hoseok on the ass with gratitude.

“Yeah, you say that a lot!” Hoseok called out with a laugh as Jimin shoved open the door of TLC, grinning.

“And I mean it!” Jimin called back, and then he ducked out and began to walk quickly towards Gangnam Station. 

[“are we a thing?” by leidi]

It was crowded, per usual. The difference was that these days, Jimin didn’t mind crowds or pay attention to the chaos because he had a destination (a person) in mind. 

But this time, when Jimin boarded, Jeongguk wasn’t sitting down. He was standing without his skateboard, just with his backpack, elbow hooked onto one of the poles near the doors opposite where Jimin boarded. The moment Jimin stepped on, Jeongguk’s arm shot out to wrap around Jimin’s waist, spinning him closer.

“Hi,” he signed with just a wave and a grin. Baggy black jeans, black Calvin Klein t-shirt, black beanie. He was just beautiful. He had an energy around him that was so strong, a presence that was mesmerizing, like a natural hush should fall over any room or space when he walked into it. Jimin found his footing, steadying himself as the subway began to move.

“How are you?” he signed, and Jeongguk scrunched his nose with a smile.

“Tired,” Jeongguk signed back, and Jimin recognized it proudly thanks to Jeongguk’s many video messages. “So tired.”

“Why?” Jimin asked, tapping his pointer finger to his head twice. It was thrilling to be able to maintain even the most basic conversation with Jeongguk, though he knew that he was probably at his comprehension limit. 

“Work yesterday,” Jeongguk replied, but then he pulled out his phone, because he likely had more to say that Jimin wouldn’t understand. Jimin felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.

JEON JEONGGUK [3:33PM]
I worked an hour later last night than I expected

Got home at 3am

I’m so tired, hyung, you might have to hold me up :(

Jimin raised his eyebrows at the last text, and then he stifled a laugh when Jeongguk slumped into him, his forehead resting on Jimin’s shoulder. Jimin’s heart leapt in excitement as he reached up and patted Jeongguk’s head sympathetically. The subway jostled a little, and Jimin felt his phone vibrate in his free hand. Surprised, he checked it, and Jeongguk straightened up, because he had texted Jimin with his head down, and now he was grinning.

JEON JEONGGUK [3:35PM]
Come to SEVEN this weekend

I want to see you outside of this subway ㅋㅋㅋ

Do you like talking to me, hyung? Will you come see me this weekend?

JIMIN [3:36PM]
I love talking to you

I haven’t talked to someone like this in years and as long as you’re not a murderer

Then I think I could try to come to SEVEN this weekend 😉

JEON JEONGGUK [3:38PM]
I’m not that kind of murderer

JIMIN [3:38PM]
Oh…???? ㅋㅋㅋ

JEON JEONGGUK [3:39PM]
What’s your comfort level when it comes to NSFW jokes

JIMIN [3:39PM]
I have a pretty high threshold 

JEON JEONGGUK [3:40PM]
Then you can guess what kind of murderer I am

Jimin read the text message at the same time that he heard Jeongguk laughing. He looked up and saw Jeongguk with his head turned, using his phone to cover his face, and it was one of those instant core memory moments in Jimin’s life—the subway careening through Seoul, people all around them, Jeongguk’s arm around his waist to keep him standing, the gorgeous man he had a massive crush on laughing at his own jokes about probably railing Jimin into oblivion. Jimin had absolutely no recollection of any other time in his life when he had felt this comfortable with a brand new person in his life.

He was giddy. He was absolutely giddy. Being around Jeongguk was a drug, and Jimin was addicted. He believed that there were some human beings who had infectious energy, an aura around them that made it impossible to stay away. Jeon Jeongguk seemed to be a flame, and Jimin was the moth.

So Jimin touched his thumb and pointer finger together to form an “O” shape. He then made a finger gun with his other hand, caught Jeongguk’s eye, and then pretended to fire into the hole. Jeongguk burst out laughing, a squeaky kind of laugh as he almost collapsed onto the subway floor, clinging to the pole and releasing Jimin’s waist when he crouched down. Jimin saw Jeongguk fumble for his phone, and then:

JEON JEONGGUK [3:42PM]
why Doctor, what crude humor you have

JIMIN [3:42PM]
You’re laughing, aren’t you?

He was. Jeongguk was still crouching, though he was looking up at Jimin with one eye squeezed shut, biting his bottom lip in a grin. As the subway came to a stop, he was forced to stand up and make room for people to board and disembark.

“Excuse me,” Jimin said with a small bow, moving out of the way as well. As the doors closed, he felt a hand grab his hand, and then Jeongguk laced their fingers together and leaned back against the pole, tugging Jimin a bit closer to him. Jimin’s heart damn near dropped into his ass, especially when Jeongguk’s thumb caressed his hand.

“So pretty,” Jeongguk signed with one hand, his eyes wandering Jimin’s face. With his phone in his free hand, Jimin swallowed his fear and tried to keep his phone from slipping out of his sweaty grip.

JIMIN [3:45PM]
I want the drawing you made me yesterday

You’re an artist but I’ve barely seen any of your work

Jeongguk read the texts while chewing on his lip rings, and then he pocketed his phone. With a little grunt, he shifted his backpack from his back to his chest, and then he unzipped the large pocket and pulled out his drawing pad. Jimin watched as Jeongguk flipped through it, and then he unceremoniously ripped out a page and handed it to Jimin.

“Hey.” Jimin tapped Jeongguk’s wrist to get his attention. When he was sure Jeongguk was staring at him, specifically his lips, he said, “Thank you. Really. This is amazing.”

Jeongguk puckered his lips like he could hide his smile, but Jimin could see it in his eyes. Jeongguk returned the backpack to his back, and then he quietly took Jimin’s hand again, this time cupping Jimin’s palm in his, and then he grazed his thumb over the top of Jimin’s hand, along the knuckles, down each individual finger to the nail. Jimin just stood there, paralyzed, as the subway approached Jamsil Station.

“Jeongguk—” Jimin started, but Jeongguk didn’t respond. He clutched Jimin’s hand as the doors opened, guiding Jimin off the subway and onto the platform, and even then, he didn’t release Jimin’s hand. He just began to walk towards the exit of the station, hand-in-hand with Jimin like it was the most normal thing in the world. As if Jimin wasn’t tempted to light himself on fire. He’d make good tinder.

Jimin just blindly followed. He didn’t dare to let go of Jeongguk’s hand. He could miss every train to Seokcheon and it wouldn’t matter. Jeongguk seemed to be on a mission, and Jimin’s heart skipped when Jeongguk turned the corner and brought Jimin right out front of Rata-Cat-Cat.

“My friend works here,” Jeongguk signed, releasing Jimin’s hand to talk.

“Really?” Jimin’s brow furrowed in surprise as he signed back. Jeongguk nodded.

“Do you want coffee?” Jeongguk asked with a lopsided grin, though his posture told Jimin that the expectation was for Jimin to turn him down. And unfortunately, the expectation was correct. Jimin sucked in a slow breath through openly gritted teeth, and Jeongguk laughed. “It’s fine, it’s fine,” he signed. “I want coffee. Work tonight.”

He was signing in short bursts with simple words. Jimin knew that Jeongguk didn’t talk like this to his friends like this. He didn’t sign at a kindergarten level to the people in his life. Jimin was the current exception.

JIMIN [3:56PM]
I have to get the 8 Line home now, but you can text me while you have coffee

And I’ll come to SEVEN this weekend to see you

Friday or Saturday night????

JEON JEONGGUK [3:57PM]
Friday night because that’s tomorrow and it’s sooner rather than later ;)

I like you a lot

Do you like me…? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Jimin felt his ears burning as he locked his phone. His heart slamming against his ribcage, he reached out and squeezed Jeongguk’s hand, and then he took a deep breath and pivoted, walking away. The miracle was that Jeongguk didn’t run after him or text him immediately, even though Jimin looked over his shoulder and saw Jeongguk still standing outside the café, watching him with an amused expression on his face. Jimin waited until he was around the corner to pull his phone out and immediately text Jeongguk a response.

JIMIN [4:00PM]
I like you a little too much

It scares me because I literally just met you

I’m horrible at sign language and I’m worried I won’t be good enough

But of course I like you

JEON JEONGGUK [4:01PM]
Ahhhhh hyung, I’m going crazy

If I don’t get my hands on you soon, I’ll lose my mind

Please come tomorrow night 🙏

JIMIN [4:02PM]
I’ll be there

I promise

✩࿐

Chapter Text

[moodboard by andy]

✩࿐

Jimin woke up on Friday morning and immediately groaned, curling up in a ball and throwing one of his pillows off the bed. It took about ten seconds for his bedroom door to open, and there stood Hoseok, hair sticking up in all directions, toothbrush in his mouth.

“What’s your problem?” he asked, rubbing his eyes.

“Nothing you can help me with,” Jimin complained.

“Oh-h-h-h-h. Well, good morning to you and yours, then,” Hoseok said with a shit-eating grin, laughing and turning away while scrubbing his back molars, and Jimin kicked his blankets in frustration, because he was painfully hard and Hoseok had left his door wide open, so he couldn’t even jack off in peace.

“I hope you can’t hold an erection for longer than two minutes!” Jimin shouted crankily.

“My erections are a thing of beauty and I can hold them for hours!” Hoseok yelled back.

“That’s unhealthy! See a doctor!” 

“Yeah, sure! Come take a look, Doctor! Fully hard! Totally erect!”

“Uh, hello? It’s sixty-thirty in the morning! Why are we talking about erect penises?” Namjoon’s voice called from the kitchen. Jimin burst out laughing and threw both arms over his face, not having realized that Namjoon had let himself in for morning coffee as usual, and Hoseok’s infectious laughter carried out into the living room.

“Yeah, well, I’m not hard anymore thanks to you, hyung!” Jimin shouted.

“Are you saying that I’m a boner killer?” Hoseok marched into Jimin’s bedroom indignantly, and Namjoon appeared behind him.

“Can you two pull it together so we can talk about my date tomorrow night with Seokjin?” he asked. “That’s the only erection we should be worrying about.”

“False. Jimin might get laid tonight,” Hoseok pointed out.

“I’m not trying to get laid tonight, you asshole,” Jimin said, finally getting out of bed and tiredly shuffling towards his bathroom.

“I’m sorry, you’re not?” Namjoon sipped his coffee as if they weren’t discussing erections and getting laid before seven in the morning.

“No.” Jimin took a deep breath, leaning against the bathroom door frame. “As much as I want to sit on his dick and spin myself like pottery, I need to—”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Hoseok interrupted as Namjoon almost spat out his coffee.

“I’m not going there to get laid,” Jimin declared, grinning. “Believe it or not. Plus, Namjoon fucking scared me off.”

“I did not,” Namjoon retorted.

“Okay, well, I can’t just jump into bed with Jeongguk without some negotiations first,” Jimin replied, pulling off his pajama shirt and tossing it on the floor carelessly. “So unfortunately, this time I have to take it slow and be smart about it.”

“Is it not torture?” Namjoon asked, turning to go back to the kitchen.

“What, to not suck his dick? Consult Hoseok on that one,” Jimin said as he closed his bathroom door.

“He’s been frothing at the mouth waiting for a chance,” he heard Hoseok say. “Literally drooling. It’s embarrassing.”

Embarrassing or not, Jimin had to keep his cool and stick with his game plan. He couldn’t just rush into things with Jeongguk. As cliché as it sounded in his head, and as quickly as things were moving, Jimin felt like he needed to take his time when it came to Jeon Jeongguk. Learn. Observe. Feel. Be present. Enjoy.

Which was why Jeongguk’s text message around lunchtime was a small stab in the heart.

JEON JEONGGUK [12:23PM]
Hyung… I won’t be on the subway today

I’ll be at SEVEN tonight, but just not on the 2 Line

My best friend needs me for something else!!!

Please send a selfie of you on the subway so it feels like I’m there

So Jimin, the lovesick fool he was, sent a selfie once he got onto the 2 Line that afternoon and miraculously found a place to sit. He made sure to pout in the selfie on purpose, and then he sent it off.

“You’ve lost your mind.”

“Says the guy who got laid last night,” Jimin fired back. Hoseok was sitting beside him on the subway this time, and he just grinned.

“Totally worth getting only four hours of sleep,” Hoseok replied. “I’ll probably never see her again, but you know what? We had fun. Also, what do you think of this guy?”

Hoseok turned his phone towards Jimin to show him the guy’s profile he was looking at on Afterglow, an app for queer people to find a potential match.

“Thirty-one, bi, vers, open to casual one-offs or exploring a second date, SNU graduate, has two rescue dogs… Have you been messaging this guy?” Jimin asked, impressed as he checked out the guy’s pictures. He was handsome, but in a casual and unassuming way. 

“We matched a week ago and we’ve been messaging on and off, but I uploaded some new pictures this morning on my profile, and he said he wants to hook up, but that he wants to take me out to dinner first,” Hoseok said with a smug grin, crossing his ankles. “I’d be happy to let this guy rail me within an inch of my life, truth be told.”

“I’m not doing an adjustment on you after you get your back blown out and your ass pounded,” Jimin replied, and Hoseok burst out laughing as the subway rolled into the next station.

Jimin unlocked his phone and stared at the icon with a baby pink heart with a neon “A” in the center. He had an Afterglow profile, too. He’d used it for hook-ups a dozen times before, but he certainly didn’t feel like he needed it now. For fun, he opened the app and saw that he had a bunch of new matches and 17 messages, but when he closed the app, his mind drifted back to Jeongguk.

Yeah. He was all set.

[“lowkey” by niki]

Whatever Jeongguk was doing with his best friend, it seemed he had time to text, because as Jimin hung around at home waiting the painstaking hours until nine o’clock when he would go to SEVEN, Jeongguk was texting him.

JIMIN [7:01PM]
Tell me about your best friend

JEON JEONGGUK [7:01PM]
He’s two years older than I am

And he was born Deaf just like me

But he has hearing aids and he can hear a tiny bit

He’s super overprotective and can be mean about it, but I love him

He’s dating my other best friend and they’re annoying as hell

Who’s the guy who was on the subway with you that one time?

JIMIN [7:02PM]
ㅋㅋㅋ you noticed him?

He’s my best friend, roommate, and business partner

JEON JEONGGUK [7:03PM]
He was watching us the whole time 

Not very subtle ;)

Jimin made a mental note to yell at Hoseok for his lack of discretion later. Right now, though, as he prepared for the evening, his phone kept buzzing, and the more it did, the more he learned about Jeon Jeongguk.

Jeongguk was a creative soul. He didn’t have the brain for mathematics, but he loved art in all its forms and even appreciated music in its visual forms or with heavy bass that he could feel. His hearing loss was somewhere between severe and profound, leading Jimin to the Internet while naked before showering to learn a little bit more about decibels and thresholds. When Jeongguk was diagnosed at one month old, his father came home from work to find that his mother had abandoned them, leaving Jeongguk in his crib, and Jeongguk had no memory whatsoever of her. It was Jeongguk’s father who stepped up, getting Jeongguk a dozen different types of therapy and Korean Sign Language instruction and even learning KSL himself. His stepmother, who had come into his life when he was eight, had learned KSL as well.

JEON JEONGGUK [7:43PM]
I have really severe ADHD, in case it wasn’t obvious

And I started boxing because I was getting into a lot of fights with people

I still do get into fights because I have a short temper ㅋㅋ

But I’m a lot better than I used to be

Jeongguk was as colloquial as one could get. Jimin was utterly fascinated by him. What blew him away was that Jeongguk seemed to be just as interested in Jimin.

JEON JEONGGUK [7:44PM]
Why did you choose chiropractic?

JIMIN [7:44PM]
Because I always had hip and knee and back problems from running and sports

And going to a chiropractor really saved me

So I decided to become one to kind of pay it forward

JEON JEONGGUK [7:46PM]
I think you’re one of the coolest people I’ve ever met by accident

JEON JEONGGUK [7:47PM]
I’m clocking in soon - see you in an hour or so!!!

That was Jimin’s cue to get ready for the night without vomiting from nerves.

“Good luck,” Hoseok said from his spot on the couch where he was slurping up ramyeon. “If you’re gonna get laid, send me your location.”

“It’ll be beneath Jeongguk, if that’s the case,” Jimin joked, and then he paused. “Fit check.”

“Ten out of ten,” Hoseok said immediately.

“You didn’t even look.”

“Jimin, you’re beautiful just by existing.” Hoseok glanced up, though. “Ten out of ten. Now go.”

Jimin had gone to SEVEN’s Instagram page to see if there were pictures of patrons so he knew how to dress, and now he was wearing black jeans with a rip or two near the knees and an emerald green vertically ribbed short-sleeved shirt with his favorite necklace and a few rings. He wasn’t always the greatest at styling his black hair, but it was passable for a bar, surely.

A taxi took Jimin straight to Itaewon. SEVEN was in the heart of the town, and it was, of course, wedged between shop 6 and shop 8. The bar was accessible via a narrow and dark hallway with yellow lighting that opened up into a spacious and comfortable bar. The floors were dark wood, but there were a myriad of different things surrounding the bar—a bunch of couches and tables, a fake laundromat corner where people were sitting on top of old washing machines drinking beer, a pool table, a spacious area for dancing if anyone so desired, and a massive Pride flag hanging above the half-moon-shaped bar.

And the bartender was beautiful.

Jimin saw Jeongguk right away. He was wearing black jeans that were basically ripped to shreds front and back and a black cut-up tank top that was slightly cropped, all his tattoos on display. His hair was pulled back halfway, and he had rings on all his fingers that glimmered in the yellow lighting as he reached up onto the second shelf for a bottle.

Pull yourself together, Jimin. You can do this. You can DO this.

Heart pounding, Jimin lifted his hand to wave the moment Jeongguk caught his eye from across the bar; Jeongguk grinned as he flipped a towel over his shoulder, and the movement was far sexier than he probably intended. Jimin excused himself repeatedly as he wove through the other patrons, and then he approached one of the empty seats at the bar that was coincidentally right across from where Jeongguk was standing. The seat on the right was occupied by someone else.

“Are you Park Jimin?” 

“Me? Yes. Sorry, yeah, I’m Jimin,” Jimin confirmed when the seat occupant spun and rested his elbow on the bar, addressing Jimin. He had pale porcelain skin and cat-like eyes, handsome just by existing. His long black hair was wavy and tucked behind one ear, brushing his shoulders, and he was nursing a glass of whiskey.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Min Yoongi, and I already hate everything about being here right now,” Yoongi said, and Jimin watched carefully, because Yoongi was speaking to Jimin but also signing at the same time, and Jeongguk’s eyes were trained on Yoongi signing. Jeongguk promptly yanked the towel off his shoulder and flicked it at Yoongi’s bicep, and then he replaced it and signed.

“I asked you to come tonight, hyung, don’t act like you fought me on it,” Yoongi said, and Jimin realized that Yoongi was interpreting what Jeongguk was saying. Yoongi then answered Jeongguk by saying, “You threatened me within an inch of my life to be here so you could flirt with your subway crush properly. The word ‘ask’ is a bit generous.”

Jeongguk said nothing. He blinked at Yoongi, and then he set one elbow on top of the bar and propped his chin in his hand, staring directly at Jimin with a dreamy smile on his face. Then, with his left hand, he signed, “Yes.” Jimin could understand that, and it made him want to crawl beneath the bar and huddle there for the rest of the evening.

“So don’t mind me,” Yoongi said to Jimin, still signing. “Pay no attention to the man resisting the urge to kill the bartender. I’m just here to interpret for him.” 

“Well, he’s just kind of staring at me right now,” Jimin said in an attempt to be bold, because Jeongguk was still staring at him, using his peripheral vision to see what Yoongi was signing. The moment Yoongi interpreted Jimin’s words, Jeongguk winked, and then he reached to his right and slid something over—a whiteboard with a dry erase marker velcroed to it. He uncapped the marker and began to write furiously, and as he did, he used his other hand to drag a plastic sign stand over so that Jimin could see it.

“What’s…?” Jimin began, but then he read the sign: Your bartender tonight (JEONGGUK) is Deaf! Please use the whiteboards and markers on the bar to write down your drink orders and include a name if you want to open a tab. Thank you! And beneath that, there were basic drawings of Korean Sign Language for the words “please,” “thank you,” “how much?” and “yes” or “no.” 

“This is genius,” Jimin said to himself, and then he patted the bar a few times to catch Jeongguk’s attention. Jeongguk glanced up, his eyes flicking over to Yoongi. “Did you come up with this system?”

“I brought Yoongi to my job interview here like he was my dad, and after they saw that I was a good bartender, they agreed to accommodate me and try it out for a week,” Jeongguk signed while Yoongi interpreted for Jimin. “And the customers thought it was cool, so here I am, all employed and shit.”

“Are you taking creative liberties in interpreting what he’s saying, or is he actually saying that?” Jimin asked, amused.

“Oh, he’s actually saying it,” Yoongi replied flatly, and Jeongguk snickered. “Lower your expectations, Park Jimin. This man is nothing but a pain in the ass.”

Jeongguk nudged the whiteboard towards Jimin, and then he promptly pulled the hair tie off his wrist, secured it between his thumb and index finger, pulled back on it, and then snapped it on Yoongi’s neck. Yoongi let out a yelp and cursed Jeongguk significantly with the signs to match, all of which Jimin didn’t know but all of which made Jeongguk nearly fall over laughing. Jimin stifled a laugh, too, when he looked down at the board:

My subway crush is painfully cute and his bartender is paying for his drinks tonight. Do you trust me? I’ll give you what I think is good. Do you like beer, wine, vodka, tequila, whiskey…? Underline one of them or tell me something else.

Jimin grabbed the whiteboard marker and underlined all of the options. Jeongguk glanced down, and then he pulled a whiteboard marker out of his pocket and wrote upside down and backwards on the whiteboard like he had been doing it all his life: I knew I liked you. He straightened up but suddenly whipped his head to the left, and then he held up one finger to Jimin, sidestepping over to another customer who was flagging him down.

“I take absolutely no responsibility for the shit he says,” Yoongi said to Jimin as he picked up his drink, still staring at the messages on the whiteboard. “I haven’t done this in a while, so I’m rusty, but he’s insufferable when he flirts with hearing people.”

“Hearing people?” Jimin repeated, and Yoongi raised one eyebrow.

“Are we not?” he asked rhetorically, and Jimin slowly nodded, attempting to soak it all in. 

“How…?”

“Oh. Right. Before he comes back to torture me—” Yoongi glanced over his shoulder, saw that Jeongguk was busy, and propped his elbow on the bar. “About me. Min Yoongi. That much is obvious. I’m thirty. I’m a CODA. Before you ask me what that means, I’m a child of Deaf adults. Both of my parents are Deaf. Korean Sign Language is my first language. Korean is my second language. I’m dating a guy who’s both Deaf and autistic and happens to be Jeongguk’s best friend. I work with animals and I can’t live without coffee. If you plan to stick around Jeongguk, you’ll get sick of me very quickly. Any other questions?”

“I think all I said was ‘how,’ so that just about covers it,” Jimin said gratefully, and he saw a hint of a smile on Yoongi’s face. “Thanks for, uh… Thank you for interpreting. I’m—I’m trying really hard to learn the basics, but it’s not easy.”

“Well, at least you’re trying. That’s more than I can say for the other assholes,” Yoongi said ambiguously. 

“You said you haven’t done this in a while?” Jimin questioned, still keeping an eye on Jeongguk.

“Yeah.” Yoongi swirled the whiskey around in his glass a few times, giving Jimin a wry smile. “You wanna hear a good cliché?”

“Might as well, since I haven’t had a drink yet,” Jimin agreed.

“He doesn’t invite people here while he’s working unless he’s really into them,” Yoongi said, and then he cringed and pretended to gag. “God, that was awful. Is he coming back yet? I can’t do this much longer.”

“Well, before he comes back,” Jimin said hurriedly, glancing down the bar, “I should say thank you again. And that I’m sorry.”

“For the cringe I’m about to endure?” Yoongi asked, sipping his whiskey. He tilted the glass towards Jimin when Jimin nodded. “I appreciate it. Unfortunately for you, though, Jeon Jeongguk knows nothing about shame when it comes to flirting. So hopefully I don’t gag in the middle of interpreting.”

“Do you do this often?” Jimin asked, amused.

“Enough,” Yoongi replied. “I go with him to places when he’s in a bind and needs an interpreter on the fly. But otherwise, I’m here out of the kindness of my heart and because I’m a glutton for punishment.”

“Well, at least you’re funny,” Jimin complimented with a grin. “Is, uh… Did he tell you that? That he’s into me?”

“Did he tell me that,” Yoongi muttered under his breath, but even over the music, Jimin could hear him. “Yeah.” Yoongi set his glass down. “He never shuts up about you. I’ve seen him a few times over the last two weeks and every time he’s begged me to do this. So here I am.”

“So you’re not Deaf. You grew up with Deaf parents,” Jimin repeated for clarification, and Yoongi nodded.

“Yeah. KSL was my first language. I was exposed to Korean through school and other family members,” Yoongi replied. “My parents have seen it all, and I care probably a little too much about how everything evolves, but it’s for the people I love, so I don’t really mind. Jeongguk was even involved with the Korean Deaf LGBT advocacy group years ago to create signs for queer people that weren’t offensive.”

“There was a group for that? Holy shit,” Jimin breathed.

“Well, yeah. When the accepted signs for queerness are accompanied by frowns on interpreters’ faces, you kind of have to take action,” Yoongi said with a chuckle. “But I won’t ramble. That’s like opening Pandora’s Box. Jeongguk’s a pain in the ass, but he’s the real MVP here. Speak of the devil—”

Yoongi cut himself off, and with that, Jimin was forced to swallow down the millions of questions he had. Jeongguk returned while flipping the towel onto his shoulder again, and he grinned when he leaned against the bar.

“Did you tell him all my darkest secrets while I was gone?” Jeongguk signed as Yoongi interpreted.

“I told him that you’re severely lactose intolerant,” Yoongi replied, and Jimin snickered as Jeongguk rolled his eyes.

“Great, so now he knows that if I drink milk, I basically shit my pants,” Jeongguk signed, and Jimin covered his mouth with one hand, turning away so Jeongguk didn’t see too much of his laughter. But to his surprise, a hand tugged on his wrist, forcing Jimin to turn on the barstool. Jeongguk then did a simple and universal gesture by pointing his pointer and middle fingers at his eyes first, then directing both fingers at Jimin’s face, eyes narrowed.

“My best friend is a dietician, you know. He can help you with that,” Jimin pointed out. Jeongguk leaned back, eyebrows raised.

“I thought your best friend was your roommate,” Jeongguk signed, and Jimin shook his head.

“This is my other best friend. My ex-boyfriend,” Jimin clarified. The look on Jeongguk’s face was priceless and sent a strange little thrill down Jimin’s spine. Jeongguk puckered his lips, eyes wandering around as he drummed his fingers on the bar, like he was coming to terms with hearing that Jimin had an ex-boyfriend. And maybe Jimin was a tad bit lovesick, because he found it both cute and hilarious, especially when he saw the dimples indenting Jeongguk’s cheeks. 

“Ex-boyfriend, huh?” he signed, and Yoongi’s tone of voice made Jimin laugh because it matched Jeongguk’s facial expression.

“Yeah, don’t worry. He’s too busy pining after a guy who owns a cat café and lives down the hall from us,” Jimin replied. He wasn’t expecting Jeongguk to slap the top of the bar and look directly at Yoongi without a single word. Yoongi didn’t speak, either. The two friends just stared at one another until Jeongguk signed something and then bent below the bar.

“Small world,” Yoongi interpreted ambiguously. Jeongguk popped back up, and then he reached over and hooked the chain of Jimin’s necklace with his pointer finger, dragging it down to the pendant. The gesture shouldn’t have been as hot as it was, but Jimin almost blurted out his desire to drop to his knees.

“You really are beautiful, Jimin hyung,” Jeongguk signed, and then he pressed his tongue into his cheek and glanced at Yoongi.

“Sorry,” Jimin apologized to Yoongi immediately, blushing.

“This is tame,” Yoongi replied. “I’m sure it’ll get a thousand times worse.”

“Weren’t you going to make me a drink?” Jimin asked, digging deep for a bit of courage. Right on cue, Jeongguk lifted up a little shot glass that he had pulled from beneath the bar, wiggling it in front of Jimin with a grin.

[“10:35” by tiësto feat. tate mcrae]

“Tequila shot first,” Jeongguk signed, and Jimin narrowed his eyes warily. Jeongguk, though, looked mighty proud of himself as he turned over his shoulder and reached up to grab a good bottle of tequila. He twirled a clean shot glass in his hand, and then he poured the tequila into it and slid the shot glass to Jimin. Jimin raised his eyebrows, because there was no salt and no lime, but Jeongguk held up his hand, so Jimin waited. He watched as Jeongguk grabbed two lime wedges, and he swiped one lime wedge over his thumb before he casually walked away.

“Where is he—? What—?” Jimin stammered with a laugh, watching as Jeongguk hoisted himself up and over the swinging door that led to the bar area. Suddenly, he was right beside Jimin, and he spun Jimin in his barstool until Jimin had Jeongguk between his legs.

“Christ Almighty,” Jimin heard Yoongi muttered under his breath, but Jimin was too intrigued by whatever the hell Jeongguk was doing. “You have to take a tequila shot properly, right?”

“Yes,” Jimin signed, feeling dumb but then mentally patting himself on the back when he saw Jeongguk’s tongue-between-teeth grin. Jeongguk then held up his right thumb and his left hand. The left hand had the lime wedge. His right thumb was covered in salt.

Well, fuck.

Jimin’s head was spinning without a single drop of alcohol in his system yet. He reached behind himself and grabbed the shot of tequila, his fingers trembling. This was insane. This was by far and large the most insane thing he had done in his ordinary life recently. This was the cringe-worthy shit he saw on TV and made fun of, and now it was happening to him. Hoseok would be impressed. Namjoon would laugh at him for it.

But he was going to do it.

Jimin leaned back on the bar and looked up at Jeongguk, maintaining eye contact despite his unsteady heartbeat and his internal panic. The moment Jeongguk’s thumb was close enough, Jimin pressed and flattened his tongue against the pad of Jeongguk’s thumb, and then he closed his lips over it and sucked the rest of the salt off on purpose. Quickly, he tossed back the shot of tequila, and then he felt the lime near his mouth, so he clamped down on it and sucked, Jeongguk still holding it. Jimin pushed the lime away with his tongue when he was done.

“That—”

He didn’t get another word out, because Jeongguk gripped his chin and kissed him, and Jimin almost dropped the shot glass onto the floor. He was all tequila and lime, and Jeongguk tasted like cherry Chapstick until he traced the seam of Jimin’s lips with his tongue. Jimin let him in, grabbing Jeongguk’s waist with one hand, and Jeongguk kissed him like the bar was a bedroom. The way he kissed Jimin was so purposeful, so confident, and Jimin had half a mind to ask for another tequila shot when Jeongguk sucked on his bottom lip gently before pulling away with one last small kiss.

“That doesn’t come with every shot,” he signed, and Jimin could hear the fond disgust in Yoongi’s voice. “Would you like a drink now? Or another kiss? Whatever you want.”

“Both,” Jimin said, and Jeongguk didn’t even look at Yoongi signing. He looked right at Jimin’s lips and read the word right off them, so he leaned with his hands pressed to the bar so he was caging Jimin in. Jimin chose to trust completely and closed his eyes, and he was rewarded with another kiss that felt like heaven. When Jimin opened his eyes, Jeongguk was already back behind the bar, having hopped over the swinging door.

“Let me take care of a few customers, and then I’ll be back with a drink for you, beautiful,” Jeongguk signed, and Jimin watched as he scooted down the bar and started grabbing whiteboards that were offered to him, pivoting to add the orders to tabs. Slowly, Jimin turned in his barstool to face the bar again.

“Is this embarrassing for you, or just me?” Jimin asked Yoongi, who was already on his phone, screen illuminating his face. Yoongi glanced up.

“Hm? Oh. I don’t even pay attention to his bullshit anymore,” Yoongi said with a short laugh. “He could tell you that he wants to twist you like a pretzel and do terrible things to you, and I’d just interpret it without blinking. Nothing he says surprises me anymore.”

“How long have you known him?” Jimin asked, amused.

“Thirteen years. That’s twelve years and three-hundred-sixty-four days too long,” Yoongi joked, and Jimin snickered. “Eighteen-year-old me ran a Dungeons & Dragons campaign specifically for Deaf kids, and Jeongguk came and brought his best friend, A-K-A my future boyfriend. They both liked my DM skills, so I did another one after that, and they joined.”

“Do you still run campaigns?” Jimin asked. 

“It’s been seven years since the last one, so no,” Yoongi replied with a lopsided grin. “But one day I’ll put them through some good, old fashioned torture. Look alive, lover boy.”

“Huh? Oh,” Jimin said, flustered when he saw Jeongguk coming back over. Without a word, Jeongguk winked at Jimin and pulled out a cocktail glass, spinning it in one hand and setting it where Jimin could see.

“I’ll make your drink now,” he declared, and then he grabbed a shaker and scooped some ice into it. Jimin watched in fascination as one after the other, Jeongguk poured light rum, orange curacao, and orgeat syrup into the shaker, and he did it in a way that was definitely showing off. Each bottle had a nozzle, and he just poured directly into the shaker from a height to create a stream. 

“That’s his big dick bartender move,” Yoongi said, rolling his eyes and signing the same thing for Jeongguk’s sake.

“What is?” Jimin asked as Jeongguk pressed half of a lime against a juicer and twisted it. The smug grin on his handsome face told Jimin that Yoongi was right.

“He’s not measuring because he can eyeball it and show off,” Yoongi complained, and Jeongguk just winked. The lime juice went into the shaker as well, and then Jimin leaned back and wondered if he had hearts in his eyes as Jeongguk turned over one shoulder and shook up the drink, every muscle in his arm flexing as he did.

“Do you think he knows how hot he looks doing that? Don’t interpret that, you asshole, I was saying that to you!” Jimin exclaimed, smacking Yoongi’s arm when Yoongi interpreted immediately. Poor Jeongguk almost dropped the shaker when he burst out laughing, and Jimin covered his face with one hand, mortified. He peeked through his fingers long enough to watch Jeongguk strain the shaken drink into the cocktail glass that had ice in it. He then grabbed a spoon and twirled it between his fingers.

“I only show off for the pretty ones,” Jeongguk signed with the spoon still in one hand, looking directly at Jimin before he reached for the dark rum. With a slight pucker of concentration on his lips, he poured the dark rum over the back of the spoon into the drink, letting it float on the surface. With one hand each, he grabbed a lime wedge and a sprig of mint for garnish, and then he stabbed a cherry with a toothpick and laid it over the top of the drink.

“No tiny umbrella?” Jimin teased. Jeongguk reached beneath the bar without breaking eye contact with Jimin, and he emerged with a tiny cocktail umbrella. With a flourish, he opened the umbrella as Jimin snorted with laughter, and then he reached over the bar and tucked the umbrella behind Jimin’s ear into his hair.

“A mai tai just for you,” Jeongguk signed with a little flourish, leaning one elbow on the bar and using his other hand’s fingers to nudge the drink towards Jimin. Jimin obediently took a sip of the drink—delicious. He hadn’t had a mai tai in ages, and it felt cliché to think it, but this had to be the best mai tai he’d ever had.

“And a kiss for the bartender if he did a good job,” Jeongguk signed with a dimpled grin, tapping his finger against his lips. The gods were smiling down upon Jimin tonight, because three kisses in the span of ten minutes? Whatever greater force he’d pissed off for the first twenty-eight years of his life to be handed nothing but boring status quo bullshit was on vacation now. In its place was Jeon Jeongguk, and Jimin was a believer.

Jimin leaned in and kissed Jeongguk, but he lingered when he felt Jeongguk’s fingers catch on his necklace to play with it, moving the pendant on the chain. With a delighted shiver, Jimin kissed Jeongguk once more before he pulled away and sipped on his drink again.

“I’ll be back. I’m lead bartender and I’m in charge tonight, so I have to look like I’m working,” Jeongguk joked. He turned to Yoongi and signed something far too quickly for Jimin to comprehend, and then he hurried off.

“He told me to keep you entertained. I think he forgot that I’m leaving in ten minutes,” Yoongi said, checking the time. It was already past ten o’clock. “I have to work at the asscrack of dawn tomorrow. But if you finish the mai tai, ask him for a drink called You’re On Mute. It’s his. He made it up himself. It’s one of the most popular ones, according to him.”

“I’ll remember that,” Jimin promised. “You’re leaving soon? Should I steal a whiteboard to communicate?”

“He goes on break at ten-thirty,” Yoongi replied. “I’m sure he’ll steal you for the entire duration of his break. No whiteboard required. Good luck with that.”

“Are you always this encouraging with the guys he flirts with?” Jimin asked with a wiggle of his eyebrows, and Yoongi snickered.

“Only with the ones that I like. You appear to be non-threatening, and he said you’re a doctor, so that already makes you better than approximately one hundred percent of his past attempts at dating,” Yoongi teased, tucking his hair behind one ear. “At least, the past attempts who were hearing.”

“I’m trying to learn as much KSL as possible. It’s harder than I thought,” Jimin admitted. “It’s not just the language. It’s the culture, too. There’s a lot to learn that I didn’t even know about.”

“Yeah, well, again, that’s more effort than a lot of the other dickheads have put forward. It’s probably a dumb move since we just met, but I’ll give you my phone number,” Yoongi said, pulling out his phone again. “If anything goes terribly wrong, text me.”

Jimin pulled out his phone as well and took down Yoongi’s number, texting him so that Yoongi had his number as well. He glanced down the end of the bar and watched as Jeongguk shook up another drink for a patron, clearly in his element, enjoying every second of his work. If he was this good at bartending, Jimin was dying to know what his artistic skills were really like. He had only ever seen the bare minimum.

“Yoongi-ssi,” Jimin started, tucking his phone away. “Why are you giving me your number? Honestly.”

“Honestly?” Yoongi shrugged. “I don’t know. I probably look like a helicopter dad, but I’m used to it. Most hearing people Jeongguk pines after usually end up feeling like they need another hearing person to use as, like, a middle man. They end up talking to me like, ‘tell Jeongguk I said I like his shirt.’ Act like Jeongguk isn’t even there.”

“That’s dehumanizing,” Jimin replied, raising both eyebrows. “I don’t really think you’re going to have that issue with me. I’m chasing him, not you.”

“Oh, so you admit that you’re chasing him? Should I tell him that? He’s coming back here now,” Yoongi said with a small smile. “Keep my number. It might come in handy someday if you stick around. Yah, Jeongguk-ah.”

Yoongi waved his hand in the air as Jeongguk came back over, and at first, Jimin found the gesture to be rude. But Jeongguk hardly reacted; he just grinned and turned his attention to Yoongi, since the movement had grabbed his attention.

“I’m out of here,” Yoongi said and signed. “ If you drag Jimin into the back alley, don’t be weird about it. Love you. Call me if you need me.”

“Back alley?” Jimin repeated as Jeongguk snickered.

“Love you too, hyung. Get home safely,” Jeongguk signed, and Yoongi patted the top of the bar before he set his hand on Jimin’s shoulder.

“Good luck,” he reiterated. “He’s a menace. Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you, too,” Jimin said with a bow of his head, and then he watched as Yoongi slipped into the crowds of people and vanished, headed for the front door. Jimin then felt a tap on his shoulder, so he spun his barstool back around. There was Jeongguk, holding up a whiteboard:

I’m going on my 30-minute break in 5 minutes. I want to spend it with you.

“Yes, okay,” Jimin signed, sipping his mai tai again. He then fumbled and reached behind his ear, remembering that the cocktail umbrella was still there. Jeongguk noticed and stifled a laugh, so Jimin threw the umbrella like a dart at Jeongguk’s chest. Grinning, Jeongguk held up one finger to indicate that he would be back, and then he vanished for another five minutes as Jimin finished off his drink.

At half past ten, Jeongguk approached the screen behind the bar and slid his card, probably clocking out, letting the card snap back into place where it was dangling from a clear coil hair tie on his wrist. Just like before, he hopped over the swinging door of the bar, and then he held out one hand to Jimin.

Jimin didn’t even stop to wonder what the next thirty minutes would look like. He took Jeongguk’s hand, and Jeongguk tugged, an indication for Jimin to follow. They wove through the crowds towards the bathrooms, and then Jeongguk pushed past a door that said STAFF ONLY, Jimin following blindly through a back room area that was much quieter. He watched as Jeongguk approached a second door that had an EXIT sign overhead and pushed it open, a rush of warm nighttime air blowing in. Together, they stepped outside, and suddenly Jimin knew what Yoongi was talking about when he said “back alley.”

["cool with you” by newjeans]

Were it anyone but Jeongguk leading him into the alley, Jimin would have bolted. But he kept his fingers laced with Jeongguk’s fingers and let Jeongguk guide him into the dark alleyway between buildings, blood rushing through his ears in pure excitement.

“Jeongguk,” Jimin said senselessly the moment Jeongguk spun them both and pressed Jimin’s back to the brick wall of SEVEN. One of Jeongguk’s hands found its way into Jimin’s hair, and Jimin almost slid down the wall with weak knees. There was a moment where neither of them dared to move, their chests nearly pressed together, but then Jeongguk brought up his other hand and grazed his thumb across Jimin’s bottom lip, eyes fixed on Jimin’s face.

Fuck it.

Jimin wrapped his arm around Jeongguk’s waist and brought Jeongguk closer for a bruising kiss that felt like all the air was being punched from his lungs. Jeongguk’s right hand slid down to grip Jimin’s chin, and then he began to leave small, biting kisses across Jimin’s lips as Jimin’s hands trembled. When Jeongguk’s lips began to move down the line of Jimin’s jaw and to his neck, Jimin tilted his head and arched into Jeongguk’s hold, sliding his hand beneath Jeongguk’s shirt to touch warm skin.

“Kiss me, just kiss me,” Jimin gasped, wanting desperately to know how to sign it so Jeongguk could understand that he was begging. He was strung out on the mere feeling of Jeongguk being this close to him, so he begged again incoherently when Jeongguk’s lips were on his throat. He felt and heard Jeongguk inhale slowly, lips pressed to Jimin’s pulse, and then he pulled back to rest his forehead against Jimin’s forehead.

“Kiss me,” Jimin pleaded, licking his lips and sliding both hands up towards Jeongguk’s neck. Whether or not Jeongguk understood him didn’t matter. Jimin made his move, meeting Jeongguk for another kiss, trembling when he felt Jeongguk’s tongue push past his lips. He sank into the embrace, feeling the way Jeongguk’s thigh was pushing forward, and his stomach flipped. Every inch of his skin was on fire. He had been kissed well before, but never like this. Jeongguk kissed with passion and purpose, a clear message that Jimin was wanted.

Jimin pressed his body to Jeongguk’s body, his hand tangled in Jeongguk’s hair now. He was practically straddling Jeongguk’s thigh at this point, and when his hand slipped beneath Jeongguk’s shirt again, Jeongguk’s own hands found Jimin’s hips as he broke the kiss, fingers dancing across Jimin’s skin beneath his untucked shirt. Shivering, Jimin gently scratched his nails down the planes of Jeongguk’s abdomen, feeling every ridge of muscle, and then he circled his hands to Jeongguk’s lower back.

“Jeongguk—Jeongguk, baby, please,” Jimin breathed, his eyes rolling back when Jeongguk gripped his chin and kissed along the column of his neck, pushing his thigh forward again like he knew Jimin was aroused and needed to feel it for himself. Jimin had lost his ability to feel shame, anyway, and calling Jeongguk “baby” just felt right. Even if Jeongguk couldn’t hear the word being said, saying it out loud felt like Jimin finally admitting that this was more than just a desire for a one-night stand. Jeongguk was something special. Jimin just couldn’t put his finger on what he was feeling quite yet.

Jeongguk pulled away slowly. He locked eyes with Jimin, and then he leaned in and rested his lips against Jimin’s lips, kissing just Jimin’s bottom lip in a gesture that sent a chill down Jimin’s spine. As Jeongguk pulled away, he lifted his right hand.

“My name,” he signed. Jimin’s brow furrowed as he caught his breath, but Jeongguk just repeated the same thing. “My name. My… name.” And then his fingers brushed Jimin’s lips.

He wanted to see Jimin say his name.

“Jeongguk,” Jimin whispered as Jeongguk swept his thumb over Jimin’s bottom lip. “Jeongguk… Jeongguk…”

It was as if Jeongguk was tasting the way his name formed on Jimin’s lips, and he kissed it off each time. Maybe Jimin didn’t really have a grasp on what was considered “romantic” these days, but he was pretty sure that this qualified.

“Jeongguk,” he whispered one more time, and Jeongguk cut him off with another kiss. Jimin inhaled sharply as Jeongguk’s hand trailed down his sides, and then he felt a rough tug on his hips. A small whimper escaped from the back of Jimin’s throat as he rolled his hips forward against Jeongguk’s in a desperate attempt to feel him as they kissed.

Made out. They were making out. Jimin was making out with Jeongguk.

And he didn’t want it to end. Time melted, and so did Jimin’s brain. All knew he was Jeongguk’s lips as they kissed until Jimin could hardly breathe, as if this moment was the alleviation of all the tension that had been building between them for weeks. But finally, Jeongguk fumbled for his phone in his pocket, leaving one last kiss on Jimin’s cheek as he navigated to his text messages. Catching his breath, Jimin reached into his pocket for his own phone just in time to see Jeongguk’s text message:

JEON JEONGGUK [10:51PM]
Come home with me

Jimin exhaled, dropping his forehead onto Jeongguk’s shoulder, clutching his phone in the other hand. He wanted to. He wanted to accept the offer so badly. He wanted to know what Jeongguk looked like naked. He wanted Jeongguk’s hands on every inch of his skin. He wanted everything.

But he wasn’t ready. Jimin needed more time to learn, more time to figure out exactly what he was doing. More time to explain to Jeongguk that he wasn’t just in this for a quick fuck. And Jeongguk seemed to sense Jimin’s hesitation, because he turned and pressed his lips to Jimin’s neck in a soft, reassuring kiss that felt like a punch in the gut, his fingers toying with Jimin’s hair.

“Fuck, I’m sorry,” Jimin whispered as he typed out his response, pushing himself to be bold but transparent.

JIMIN [10:52PM]
I want to

I want to so badly, baby, but I can’t yet

I don’t know how to explain it

I need more time

You’re more to me than just a single night, you know?

JEON JEONGGUK [10:53PM]
There’s no rush

I just didn’t want you to leave without making the offer

So you know how badly I want you

Jimin paused, leaning away from his phone screen and cradling one hand behind Jeongguk’s neck to pull him in for a kiss. Jeongguk’s hands made their way under his shirt again, fingers dancing across Jimin’s skin. With one last kiss to Jimin’s lips, he pulled one hand away and brushed his fingers beneath Jimin’s chin.

“So beautiful,” he signed. “So, so beautiful.”

Then he signed something Jimin didn’t understand; he signed it three times in a row with a grin, and then he rapidly texted Jimin:

JEON JEONGGUK [10:54PM]
Mine

You’re mine

Said in an affectionate way, not a stalker way

Jimin laughed breathily, watching Jeongguk sign it again and then mimicking him. Unable to help himself, he leaned in for one more kiss, and then he tried (and failed) to avoid blushing as he texted back:

JIMIN [10:54PM]
I’m sorry

I don’t want you to think I’m leading you on or anything

I just want to take my time with you

You’re too special to just fuck and ditch ㅋㅋ

JEON JEONGGUK [10:56PM]
I’m honored 🤣

Also, are we using pet names now?

If so, I’m going to teach you all the signs for those and make you blush

First, though, you need a sign name

I decided on yours

Jimin’s heart skipped as Jeongguk quickly pocketed his phone. With a grin, Jeongguk made the sign for the letter jieut, right thumb out with his pointer and middle fingers extended and pointing downward with his palm facing his own body, his other two fingers curled in. But instead of tapping his pointer finger to his dimple like he did for his own name, he lifted the sign and smiled, making a U-shaped motion with his thumb beneath his right eye. It looked like he was drawing the mouth on a smiley face. Intrigued, Jimin repeated the sign and Jeongguk nodded, pulling his phone out again.

JEON JEONGGUK [10:57PM]
I could have chosen any old sign, but I wanted something good

Something that suited you

And when you smile, your eyes smile with you and it’s painfully cute

So that’s why I picked that for your sign name

Poor Jeongguk barely had time to pocket his phone again, because Jimin yanked him closer and threw his arms around Jeongguk’s neck, kissing him in gratitude. Jeongguk responded by pressing Jimin to the wall again, hitching one of Jimin’s legs up around his waist as he deepened the kiss, pushing his tongue into Jimin’s mouth. Jimin whimpered, regretting his decision to not go home with Jeongguk tonight, but he knew it was the right choice. His dick was furious about it, but his brain was proud of him for not letting where his blood was flowing dictate his decisions.

Breathless, Jimin pulled away and ran his fingers through his hair, watching as Jeongguk texted again.

JEON JEONGGUK [10:58PM]
I have to go clock back in

Are you going home?

JIMIN [10:58PM]
I’m taking a taxi home

Is that OK, or do you want me to stay?

JEON JEONGGUK [10:59PM]
No, go home and get some sleep

Thanks for coming tonight, I had fun 😉

Be careful going home, doll

Text me when you’re there

The pet names were going to be the death of Jimin. He had just opened a can of worms, but he had zero regrets as he shoved his phone in his pocket, because no one had ever called him “doll” before. He took Jeongguk’s face between his hands and kissed him firmly.

“Goodnight,” Jimin signed—another thing Jeongguk had taught him. Jeongguk grinned, leaning for one last quick peck.

“Goodnight, Jimin hyung,” he signed, using Jimin’s new sign name. He then beckoned toward the end of the alleyway, since Jimin could orient himself from there and grab a taxi. Jeongguk squeezed Jimin’s arm, and then he pointed his index and middle fingers at his eyes before gesturing to Jimin. I’m watching you, was the way Jimin interpreted it. Unable to resist, he rose up on his tiptoes and gave Jeongguk one final kiss, and then Jimin turned and jogged down the alleyway towards the street, wondering if his feet were going to lift on the ground in euphoria as he ran.

✩࿐

Jimin had a big, fat crush on Jeon Jeongguk. It was official.

“You had every opportunity.”

“Hyung, I’m in the middle of a crisis,” Jimin said, his eyes still closed. It was bucketing down rain first thing in the morning, which ruined his Saturday plans to go for a long run, so now the coffee table had been pushed aside, and Jimin was in child’s pose on his yoga mat. 

“You could have dropped to your knees in a dark alley, Park Jimin.”

“Inhale… exhale and pu-u-u-urge,” Jimin sighed to himself, and Hoseok snorted with laughter. He was lying on the couch playing his Nintendo Switch and drinking iced coffee while eating a hunk of sweet bread, and he was loitering on purpose just to piss Jimin off.

“He asked you to go home with him—yah!”

The sweet bread went flying across the room as Jimin spun on his knees and whacked it out of Hoseok’s hand. They both burst out laughing as the bread landed like a sad lump near the TV.

“I sucked salt off his fucking thumb and made out with him in a dark alleyway,” Jimin said, leaning his elbow on the couch as Hoseok picked up his iced coffee, glaring at Jimin over losing his carbohydrates.

“He asked you to go home with him,” Hoseok emphasized.

“I was there, you dumb bitch, I know what he said,” Jimin almost whined, dropping his forehead onto the couch. “But I can’t just go home with him now. God, I’d ride his dick like a mechanical bull, but this shit is gonna take time. I can’t just—I mean, how is he gonna know I’m about to come?”

“Pretty sure your face would be enough,” Hoseok said with a snicker as the front door keypad beeped and the door unlocked. “Or you could get those paddles like they have in auctions and hold them up while he’s fucking you. ‘Coming!’ ‘Faster!’ ‘Harder!’ ‘That’s my prostate!’”

“God, I’m so sorry. I warned you they aren’t normal.”

Jimin and Hoseok both looked toward the door and burst into laughter, because Namjoon was standing there with Seokjin by his side, both of them dressed in casual clothes meant for hanging around the house. It was obvious that they had spent the night together, so Jimin saw his opportunity and took it.

“Did Seokjin use those signs with you last night, hyung?” he asked, and Namjoon sputtered, his ears turning red as Seokjin snorted with laughter, perching on the armrest of the couch.

“We don’t need signs. I’m loud enough for both of us,” he replied with an obnoxious wink, and Hoseok snickered.

“Oh, he fits right in. Good job, Namjoon-ah,” he praised, lunging off the couch to grab his bread from near the TV. “Does the five-second rule apply here? Namjoon? You’re the dietitian. Will floor bread kill me?”

“You know what?” Namjoon turned around, since he had pivoted to avoid going red in the face in Seokjin’s presence. “I hope it does. Eat the floor bread, Hoseok-ah. See if I ever bring Seokjin into this hellhole again.”

“It’s a lovely space, actually,” Seokjin commented breezily, and Jimin stifled a laugh. “Jimin, Namjoon said you had a date last night with Jeongguk. I literally just came over here to ask how it went before I head off to the café to watch my staff like an overlord with a cat in my arms.”

“Uh, well, I was trying to do some yoga, but that’s clearly not panning out,” Jimin said, settling down on his yoga mat with a grin. “But it was—wait, hang on. You just said ‘Jeongguk’ like he’s your best friend. Did Namjoon tell you his name?”

“Yeah, he told me his name,” Seokjin replied. “But I already know Jeon Jeongguk, coincidentally. The world keeps getting smaller, and I’m too tall and handsome for it. It’s really annoying.”

“Wait, how—?” Jimin interrupted himself with a laugh as Seokjin winked again. “How do you know Jeongguk?”

“He comes into the café all the time because his best friend is my manager and cat caretaker,” Seokjin replied, and the events of last night smacked Jimin in the face abruptly.

I work with animals and I can’t live without coffee.

That, coupled with the look Jeongguk and Yoongi had exchanged when Jimin had mentioned Namjoon’s budding relationship with Seokjin, now made sense. The puzzle pieces were in place. The dots were connected. And somehow they all seemed to be tangled up with one another in the weirdest way ever.

“Min Yoongi,” Jimin guessed, and Seokjin shot him a finger gun. “He’s the one who got you all the weird-ass balloons?”

“He’s the one,” Seokjin said cheerfully. “Best decision I ever made was hiring him. Rata-Cat-Cat would go down in flames without Min Yoongi running the show. The cats love him, too. Plus, I’m pretty sure the entire Deaf community in Seoul knows about my café, because they come in droves when Yoongi is working. We have signs.”

“Signs?” Jimin repeated.

“Not ‘that’s my prostate’ signs, right?” Hoseok asked, and Namjoon let out a loud laugh that betrayed his attempts at being pissy with his two friends. Seokjin chuckled.

“No, although that would be hilarious,” he agreed. “When Yoongi works, we put up a sign at the register that says he knows KSL. Customers love it. He gets their coffee order right and he tells them which cats to play with. It’s a win-win.”

“I met him last night,” Jimin said. “At the bar. He was there to interpret for Jeongguk.”

“He must have loved that,” Seokjin said sarcastically with a grin, and then he jabbed one thumb over his shoulder. “I’ve gotta run, but let’s get together one night, the four of us. Namjoon talks about you two like you invented the wheel, so I might as well get to know you.”

And then he leaned over and kissed Namjoon on the cheek.

“Oh, shit. You okay?” Seokjin asked Hoseok with concern when Hoseok promptly choked on his iced coffee, some of it spilling onto his lap.

“My nose, my nose, it burns,” Hoseok complained as Jimin fell back onto his yoga mat laughing. “God, my snot is gonna be coffee for weeks, fuck.”

“He’s fine. Generally speaking. Ignore him,” Jimin said, propping up on his elbows. “My date was great, by the way. I made out with him in a dark alley. Don’t tell Yoongi that.”

“I’ll absolutely be telling him,” Seokjin said confidently with a salute, inching towards the door. He glanced at Namjoon and winked, and then he yanked open the door. “See you later!”

The door fell shut. There was a moment of silence. And then—

“Don’t—!”

“You fucking—”

“I have coffee—!”

“ASSHOLE,” Namjoon bellowed, whacking Hoseok at full force with a pillow from the couch. Hoseok grunted with a laugh, holding out his coffee to prevent disaster as Jimin lunged on his knees to grab it. Namjoon noticed and decided to whack Hoseok with the pillow three more times. “You—absolute— dickhead.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, but he just kissed you on the cheek like you have two children and a vacation home on Jeju Island,” Hoseok fired back. “And what did he mean by ‘loud enough,’ hm? What the hell did you do last night?”

“Each other. Now what?” Namjoon snapped.

“Was it good?” Jimin asked, doing a few cat and cow poses while on all fours, rolling his neck. “The sex, I mean. I’m definitely talking about the sex.”

“See, Namjoon did the smart thing,” Hoseok interrupted. “He flirted with Kim Seokjin for a few weeks and then decided to bang him.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry that I’m not a whore,” Jimin emphasized, and all three of them burst out laughing as Namjoon collapsed onto the couch opposite of Hoseok, rubbing his face with one hand.

“Okay, to be honest, we didn’t fuck like that,” he admitted. “As in, my dick didn’t go up his ass. As much as I would have liked it to. We just got naked and did a few other fun activities.”

“I genuinely don’t need to hear another word about you being naked and erect,” Hoseok said, grabbing his Nintendo Switch and bending his knees up onto the couch. “I’ve heard enough of that from Jimin. You two make me nauseous.”

“Uh, don’t you have a dick date soon?” Jimin asked, bending back into child’s pose.

“I do, but I’m not going to come back here and tell you that I got my cheeks clapped by some random guy,” Hoseok fired back, and that seemed to be the final straw for all of them. Jimin rolled over and laughed until he couldn’t breathe, and Namjoon shouted how much he hated the two of them as Hoseok cried real tears.

The rain continued to pour for the rest of the day as the three of them puttered around and relaxed, Hoseok taking a nap on their couch with his head in Namjoon’s lap as Namjoon snoozed as well. Jimin thought about napping, but then he started getting text messages.

JEON JEONGGUK [2:23PM]
I will now teach you about the weather

JSOTD

That’s English for “Jimin Sign of the Day”

Rain + lightning

[video attached]

Smiling like a fool, Jimin opened the video, and he melted. There was Jeongguk, wearing a beanie and a sweatshirt with the hood pulled up, and he propped his phone up against something and settled back against his couch. He then signed “rain” using both hands, giving them a few shakes with his palms facing down, hands near his face. To Jimin, it looked exactly like how he would indicate it was pouring down rain. When Jeongguk signed “lightning,” it also looked exactly like lightning—he curled both hands into light fists, his pointer and middle fingers on both hands only curled halfway with his thumbs touching those fingernails, palms facing out. Then he separated his hands in a burst, opening up his thumb, pointer, and middle fingers on a diagonal like he was creating bursts of lightning.

“Lightning,” Jimin muttered to himself, playing the video again and imitating Jeongguk. Feeling brave, he propped his phone up and took a video in which he signed: “Today… rain and lightning.”

Jeongguk’s response was immediate. It was another video.

“Yes, today is rain and lightning,” he signed, but then he added, “Tomorrow is…” And he finished it off by fanning himself with both hands, his facial expression matching.

JIMIN [2:26PM]
That means hot, right?

JEON JEONGGUK [2:26PM]
ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ yes it does

The doctor is smart, as expected

I miss you

Want to kiss you again 😢

JIMIN [2:27PM]
I’ll see you tomorrow on the 2 Line, right?

JEON JEONGGUK [2:28PM]
Right 

JIMIN [2:28PM]
I don’t think I’ve ever asked you

Why are you on the train every day at that time?

JEON JEONGGUK [2:29PM]
Because of you

JIMIN [2:30PM]
ㅋㅋㅋㅋ be serious

JEON JEONGGUK [2:30PM]
I am!!!!

I was at Seoripul Park in Seocho-gu a few weeks ago and I took the 2 Line home

I live in a tiny little apartment off of Olympic-ro, actually, in Songpa-gu near the station

But I went to the park to skate and draw and I saw you on my ride home

And you were so cute and you looked like a doctor

So I thought maybe I’d see you the same time the next day and I was right ;)

You were a source of inspiration

JIMIN [2:34PM]
Me? Inspiration? ㅋㅋㅋㅋ you can’t be serious ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

JEON JEONGGUK [2:35PM]
I’ll show you one day 😜

You’re so beautiful and I felt like you had a whole story

JIMIN [2:35PM]
I want to see more of your art!

JEON JEONGGUK [2:36PM]
Hmm… I’ll think about it ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

I have something to show you but it’s not done yet

When it’s done, baby, I’ll show you

JIMIN [2:37PM]
Baby…? ㅎㅎ

JEON JEONGGUK [2:38PM]
We swapped spit so yes… baby

Also I know you only have me saved in your phone as “Jeon Jeongguk”

I’m offended

I have you saved in my phone as Jiminie hyung 😍

JIMIN [2:39PM]
[photo attached]

Is that better?

JEONGGUKIE 🤟 [2:40PM]
Ooooooooh ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ very clever

Lightning flashed across the sky outside of Jimin’s bedroom window. The rain splattered on the windowpane. But Jimin just curled up on his bed hugging a pillow and clutching his phone, finally feeling brave enough to wish that he was in Jeongguk’s arms instead.

✩࿐

["can i kiss you?" by dahl]

Stepping onto the 2 Line on Monday afternoon gave Jimin a totally different kind of adrenaline rush. Jeongguk was standing up and leaning near the door in all black—black jeans, black t-shirt tucked in, black baseball cap with his long hair fanning his neck, backpack secured on both shoulders. He was absolutely waiting for Jimin, because he held out his hand and yanked Jimin right into his arms, bending and kissing his cheek.

“Hi, doctor,” he signed with a grin.

“Hi, Jeongguk,” Jimin signed back as the subway began to move. Once they both found their footing, Jeongguk tapped Jimin’s shoulder to get him to pay attention.

“I sign… you watch and learn,” Jeongguk said, his hands moving slowly. Jimin almost pumped his fist in the air when he understood what Jeongguk was saying, so he nodded. “I want…”

Jimin narrowed his eyes and concentrated, because he was seeing new signs that Jeongguk hadn’t taught him yet. Jeongguk signed the same thing again as Jimin chewed his bottom lip, but then Jeongguk patted the air in front of Jimin and pointed to his own lips.

“Ah, okay, okay,” Jimin said to himself mostly, nodding. Jeongguk signed the same thing again, and Jimin took more notice of the way Jeongguk’s mouth moved when he signed, the way his lips formed the words he was signing. Then it clicked.

I want to go on a date with you.

“Date?” Jimin signed, mimicking the gesture. Jeongguk grinned and nodded, and then he signed the same thing at a normal speed. “Okay. When?”

“Sunday,” Jeongguk replied, because he had taught Jimin the days of the week about a week ago. 

“Date… do what?” Jimin signed, feeling foolish but hoping that he was getting his point across. Jeongguk’s dimples appeared when he smiled, though, and he leaned in and placed a quick kiss onto Jimin’s lips as they stopped at the next station. He motioned for Jimin to watch him again.

“We can go to Ttukseom Skatepark in Gwangjin-gu,” Jeongguk suggested. He meticulously signed everything for Jimin, fingerspelling the locations because Jimin knew the alphabet well. Jimin finger-spelled it back to Jeongguk just for the sake of his own brain, and Jeongguk nodded the whole time. “You can learn how to skate,” Jeongguk added, and Jimin knew exactly what he was saying because he had already been taught those signs.

“I can’t learn how to skate,” Jimin signed with a laugh. 

“I’ll teach you,” Jeongguk insisted, and then his grin widened as he added, “It will be romantic.”

Jimin rolled his eyes, so Jeongguk immediately pulled Jimin into an embrace, shifting Jimin’s messenger bag to the side so he could wrap his arm fully around Jimin’s waist. Jimin wasn’t sure whether to be embarrassed or heart-eyed—maybe both—over the fact that Jeongguk was cuddling him and kissing his neck on a busy afternoon subway on one of the most hectic routes through Seoul. Jimin knew that Jeongguk was bold and a bit reckless, but this was above and beyond and had Jimin weak in the knees.

The subway pulled into the next station. Jimin’s phone vibrated, and he felt Jeongguk tapping his waist. Jimin pulled out his phone:

JEONGGUKIE 🤟 [3:41PM]
Your signing is getting so much better

It’s very sexy

I’ve created a monster

JIMIN [3:42PM]
I still feel like a fool

I hate that I can’t just TALK to you when we’re together

That we have to text like this

JEONGGUKIE 🤟 [3:43PM]
Baby, you’re learning an entirely new language

It takes time

You’re doing really well and it makes me feel so happy

Right on cue, Jeongguk nuzzled his nose against Jimin’s cheek, nearly knocking his baseball cap off, and Jimin felt himself blush as he tried to respond without dropping his phone.

JIMIN [3:44PM]
So are we going on a date on Sunday? ㅋㅋ

If I destroy my spinal health over a skateboarding date, you’re going down

JEONGGUKIE 🤟 [3:46PM]
Oh please ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ your spine will be fine

I can think of a few other ways to destroy your spinal health, if you’re game 😉

Jimin lowered his phone and smacked Jeongguk’s chest, and Jeongguk recoiled with a grin, though he pulled Jimin closer and then slipped his hand into Jimin’s back pocket. Jimin’s heart nearly dropped into his ass, because what kind of fucking hallucination was this? He hadn’t flirted with someone so intimately in years. Then again, he hadn’t been so enamored by a total stranger in years, either.

“Oh!” Jimin patted Jeongguk’s chest for his attention, pulling out his phone. “I have a video that I wanted to show you.”

Jeongguk’s eyes were fixated on Jimin’s lips, and he seemed to understand what Jimin was saying, because he leaned in and looked over Jimin’s shoulder as Jimin pulled up TikTok to show a video he had found of two Deaf guys from Korea who played pranks on each other all the time. Jeongguk’s face lit up, eyes sparkling as he watched, especially because there were captions and everything. When the video was done, he even started scrolling and tapping on Jimin’s phone screen to find another video from the same account.

This was what made Jimin so sure that having a massive crush on Jeongguk was different than any other guy he had fooled around with before. Maybe he was just scratching the surface, but Jeongguk seemed to have layer after layer of beautiful complexity to him that was utterly captivating. Jimin was dying to learn more about him—what kind of fights he had gotten into, what school was like, why he chose bartending, what his family was like, if he was actually lactose intolerant. And for the first time in a while, Jimin felt like Jeongguk was just as interested in learning about him. It was mutual, and it felt a bit like a fairytale.

The subway stopped at Jamsil Station, and they disembarked together. Jimin was the one who reached for Jeongguk’s hand, and they walked together away from the platform, Jimin’s heart pounding. This was real. He was hand-in-hand with the beautiful man he had ogled at on the subway a few weeks ago, and they were planning a date for Sunday.

Jeongguk patted Jimin’s arm and turned slightly as they walked, refusing to release Jimin’s hand. “I’m going to Rata-Cat-Cat,” he signed. “Do you want to come with me?”

“I can’t,” Jimin replied with a frown. “I… home… go…” He ran out of signs that he knew and pressed his fist to his mouth with a pained expression, but Jeongguk just scrunched his nose with a smile, cupped Jimin’s cheek with one hand, and kissed the other cheek.

“It’s okay,” Jeongguk answered. “Tomorrow? Thursday? Friday?”

“You just love coffee,” Jimin teased with messy but efficient signing, nudging him. “Okay. One day this week.”

“Promise?” Jeongguk held out his pinky, and Jimin gave him a look, trying to smile as he linked pinkies with Jeongguk. Satisfied, Jeongguk spun Jimin closer to the wall of the café, caging him in, and then he twisted his baseball cap until it was backwards. Jimin laughed, but he was silenced by a kiss instantly, the baseball cap flip making sense the moment Jeongguk’s lips were on his.

“See you tomorrow,” Jeongguk signed, so Jimin kissed the tiny mole beneath Jeongguk’s bottom lip.

“See you tomorrow,” he replied, wondering if Jeongguk was genuinely just going to be on the 2 Line every day for Jimin’s sake. They would have to talk about it if they ended up at Rata-Cat-Cat together later in the week.

And it wasn’t like Jimin intended to, but after cuddling and giggling with Jeongguk on the subway on Tuesday, Jimin found himself wandering over to Rata-Cat-Cat on Wednesday before his shift. Hoseok had gone to an early pilates class before their afternoon work shift, and he had texted Jimin to request some coffee from the café. So here Jimin was, rapidly texting Jeongguk that tomorrow would be their afternoon coffee date, wondering why he now had a cat café in his life that was likely about to become a frequent stop.

Rata-Cat-Cat was bustling for a Wednesday morning, which was no surprise to Jimin. What was surprising was that when Jimin slipped past the gate and entered the café, he saw none other than Min Yoongi standing behind the counter. His black hair was tied back messily, and he was wearing a Rata-Cat-Cat t-shirt that had a sleeping cat curled around a drum on the front.

That was when Jimin spotted the sign near the register: MANAGER ON DUTY IS FLUENT IN KOREAN SIGN LANGUAGE! Paired with some cats that were signing some cute words. Intrigued, Jimin approached the counter and waited in the short line, no one else lining up behind him.

“Next—oh, look who it is,” Yoongi said, tucking a pen behind his ear and then holding up one finger to Jimin. He bent down, and when he straightened back up, he had a black cat in his arms, the same one Seokjin had been cuddling the other day. The cat settled into Yoongi’s arms instantly as Yoongi scratched behind its little twitching ears.

“I thought you didn’t work on Wednesdays,” Jimin said, drumming his fingers on the counter.

“I don’t. My boss asked me to work today and gave me the weekend off,” Yoongi answered with a hint of a smile.

“I like the sign,” Jimin said, gesturing.

“Of course you do,” Yoongi said with a roll of his eyes, sounding amused. “Jeongguk made it.”

“He did?” Jimin leaned back to look at the sign again, suddenly seeing it in an entirely different light knowing that Jeongguk made it.

“Mhm. He drew all those cats. He also designed this shirt and most of the other Rata-Cat-Cat merch,” Yoongi said, tugging at the fabric with the few fingers he could wiggle free. “Uh, he also told me that you’re mildly allergic to cats. Is that true?”

“Yeah, but I can make sacrifices for the greater good. Like this little ball of fluff,” Jimin said, and Yoongi immediately placed the cat onto the countertop. Jimin offered just one knuckle, and the cat came right to him, curling around the register and arching towards his touch, ears flicking, tail swishing.

“That’s Sadie. She’s two. She’s Seokjin’s pride and joy,” Yoongi replied. “He found her abandoned as a newborn and on the brink of death, and I nursed her back to health for a few months. She even lived with me for a little, so we’re best friends.”

“Well, you’re the cat caretaker, aren’t you?” Jimin asked with a grin.

“Yeah. I look after all of them,” Yoongi answered, running one hand along Sadie’s back to the tip of her tail as it curled. He glanced behind Jimin to check if anyone else was lining up; no one was. “I was going to be a veterinarian.”

“Were you really?” Jimin cocked his head to the side. “What stopped you from becoming one?”

“Money,” Yoongi plucked Sadie off the counter and cradled her, letting her swat at his lanyard for no reason at all, her nails catching on the fabric every now and again. “Veterinary school is fucking expensive, and my family just couldn’t afford it. So I said ‘fuck it’ and studied business at a tiny school, got my degree, and here I am.”

“Best of both worlds, right?” Jimin said, feeling a strange rush of fondness towards Yoongi that he hadn’t felt on Friday night. Granted, he had felt immense gratitude towards Yoongi, but now, the man across the counter was his own person with his own life and dreams and goals. Jimin could now easily separate Yoongi from Jeongguk instead of attaching the two of them just because Yoongi interpreted for Jeongguk sometimes.

“I like cats,” Yoongi said simply, and then he rapped his knuckles against the screen after Sadie leapt out of his arms. “Coffee?”

“Yeah, sure. I’m supposed to get something for my friend, but I’ll enjoy my own first. Iced vanilla latte,” Jimin requested.

“Small or large?” Yoongi asked.

“Oh, sorry, I thought it was kitten or cat for the coffee sizes,” Jimin teased, and Yoongi rolled his eyes.

“Do you think I’m going to stand here at my big age in front of you and ask if you want a kitten-sized latte?” he asked, and Jimin snorted with laughter. “Small or large?”

“Small,” Jimin answered, getting his phone ready to pay. But Yoongi just nodded and walked away, so Jimin let out a noise to be acknowledged and waved his phone with his eyebrows raised.

“On the house. Just this once. If you turn into a fuck-up, you pay full price,” Yoongi said, returning with a few more full cartons of milk to tuck beneath the counter for usage. There were two other employees who were making the coffee, but there were plenty of little receipts with orders lined up that required attention. “I’m gonna help with this back-up here.”

“Let me pay,” Jimin requested weakly, but Yoongi shook his head.

“No can do. But hey, since you’re here, you can meet my boyfriend,” Yoongi offered as he grabbed the soy milk. “Taehyung. His name is Kim Taehyung. He’s working right now, but in—” Yoongi lifted his wrist to check his watch— “four minutes, he’ll take a scheduled break. He’s your age, I’m pretty sure. Are you twenty-eight?”

“I am,” Jimin confirmed.

“Yeah, cool. Same age. Just, uh… yeah, you can meet him. I can’t promise you anything, He’s not gonna like you. Just a heads up,” Yoongi said with a pleasant smile that betrayed his words entirely as he poured the milk. “But he’s been asking Jeongguk every day when he can meet you, so you might as well.”

“Why, uh…”

“That’s a can of worms I’m not opening right now. I apologize in advance on his behalf,” Yoongi said as he began to steam the milk, and then he lifted his chin, patting his hand against the small jug a few times to check the temperature. “Table 30. Always table 30. If table 30 isn’t available, he’ll wait until it is.”

“Uh… I’ll… give it a shot,” Jimin said, narrowing his eyes skeptically. It felt very much like Yoongi was throwing him to the wolves, but given that Jimin was head over heels for Jeongguk, he supposed that he was going to have to weasel his way into Jeongguk’s friendship circle eventually. He seemed to be on good terms with Yoongi already, so if Kim Taehyung was Jeongguk’s best friend, then Jimin needed to work hard to make a good impression.

Table 30 was occupied by one person, as Yoongi had said. He had honey blonde hair and a face so beautiful that Jimin did a double take to make sure he wasn’t looking at a statue. Kim Taehyung was wearing grey baggy sweatpants and a white t-shirt with nice white sneakers, and he had black noise canceling headphones on as he stared at a computer screen. He was scrolling with his right hand, but in his left hand, he was twisting a rubber band around his fingers repeatedly.

Jimin approached from an angle where he was sure Taehyung could see him, because Jeongguk had told him once that he didn’t like being constantly surprised or startled, so Jimin planned to apply that to every person who was Deaf that he met.

“Hi. Excuse me,” Jimin said, gently waving his hand in Taehyung’s line of vision with a small bow. Taehyung immediately looked up at Jimin with piercing eyes and raised his eyebrows, scanning Jimin from head to toe.

“Sorry,” Jimin signed, and Taehyung’s eyes narrowed almost instantly. “My name is… Park Jimin.” His signing was still a bit clumsy, but he managed, and he saw the instant flicker of recognition in Taehyung’s eyes.

But then Taehyung just returned to his computer screen, still twisting the rubber band between his fingers, completely ignoring Jimin. 

“Um…” Jimin swallowed the nervous lump in his throat and glanced over his shoulder like Yoongi was going to come save him from his own same-aged peer, but Yoongi was currently taking a customer’s order while cradling a cat in one arm. It was as he was turning back that Jimin noticed the time on the clock—10:59 AM.

The clock flicked over to 11:00 AM.

Jimin heard Taehyung clear his throat, and he watched as Taehyung closed his laptop and set it aside, lifting the rubber band to watch it snap back and forth for a moment. Then he glanced up at Jimin, set the rubber band up on a few fingers, and released it. Like a little bullet, the rubber band flew and hit Jimin in the chest, and Taehyung snickered. Bewildered, Jimin looked at the rubber band on the floor, but then Taehyung flicked his hand at the small armchair across from where he was seated. With a sense of relief, Jimin blew out a breath and sat down.

“Hi,” Jimin said again. “Sorry to… interrupt,” he signed with care, trying to remember what Jeongguk had taught him. Taehyung’s stare felt almost menacing, though, like he was trying to wiggle his way into Jimin’s brain telepathically. Feeling awkward and slightly pressured, Jimin combed through his mind to think of any other decent KSL that he knew so he could communicate, but Taehyung suddenly pitched forward and grabbed his laptop again. His fingers flew across the keys, the little smile on his face off-putting, and then he leaned back and used his sneaker to nudge the screen until the laptop turned on the table to face Jimin.

There, written in a document: 

Hello, Park Jimin. You’re hearing, so I have nothing to say to you. 

“What? That’s… Why?” Jimin signed, his heart sinking. Taehyung rolled his eyes and continued typing, and then he spun the laptop around again.

We have nothing in common. I don’t like that you’re with Jeongguk, but I have to deal with you now anyway. 

Jimin frowned, chewing the inside of his lip as he cautiously reached forward and typed out his response.

I’m learning KSL. I’m studying hard every single day. Jeongguk has been teaching me a lot.

Taehyung’s smirk was like a slap in the face.

That’s what they all say before they disappear after getting laid. Come back when you can sign better. Otherwise, you’ll ditch Jeongguk in a month or two, so I won’t have to see you.

Jimin almost let out a bitter laugh and shoved the laptop away to show his anger. He almost refused to respond at all. Why would he bother to defend himself to this asshole who clearly had a vendetta against him already?

But then, like divine intervention, he remembered Jeongguk’s text message from several days ago: He’s super overprotective and can be mean about it, but I love him.

In so many words, Taehyung had basically just insinuated that any past love interests tangled up with Jeongguk had ditched Jeongguk after getting laid. Basically, after getting what they wanted. The effort to learn KSL had stopped there, and then they had vanished. If Jimin was reading between the lines correctly, then Taehyung’s standoffish attitude was likely justified in his eyes, and he was protecting his best friend by barking at Jimin.

Jimin leaned forward and typed:

I don’t currently have plans to ditch Jeongguk, and I’ll keep studying and get better at KSL even though you don’t believe in me. Then I’ll come back and show you and you’ll be forced to like me ;)

He leaned back with trembling hands as Taehyung turned the screen to read. Taehyung’s eyes narrowed as he puckered his lips, and then he yanked his headphones off and hung them around his neck. Now Jimin could see his hearing aids, which were white and matched his t-shirt. Jimin wondered if he had different hearing aids in various colors for his outfits.

“Aren’t you a doctor?”

Jimin started at the sound of Taehyung’s voice. It was unexpected, but his voice was deep with a bit of a rasp to it, and although his enunciation wasn’t perfect, it was clear what he was saying. He signed at the same time as he spoke, too.

“Yes, I’m a doctor,” Jimin said and signed at the same time. Taehyung’s eyes were fixated on his lips. “I’m a chiropractor.”

Taehyung paused, still frowning as he looked Jimin up and down. He reached down to where his bag was lying on the floor, and he emerged with another rubber band that he started twisting around the fingers of his left hand again.

“Still don’t like you. Goodbye,” he said with a dismissive wave of his right hand. He pulled his laptop off the coffee table and back into his lap, scrolling through as Jimin sat there, dumbfounded. He was about to think of something to say to intervene, but that was the moment Yoongi chose to come over with Jimin’s iced vanilla latte. He also had a cup of water in his other hand. He handed the coffee to Jimin first, and then he turned to his boyfriend.

“Hey,” he said, waving his hand gently at Taehyung. Jimin let out a small noise of disbelief as he watched the way Taehyung turned into a completely different human being. He looked up from his laptop, saw Yoongi, and his face split into a beautiful smile. He set the laptop aside and scooted, and Yoongi sat down halfway in Taehyung’s lap, offering the cup of water.

Thank you,” Taehyung signed as he accepted the water.

“Did you take your insulin?” Yoongi signed while speaking, and Jimin couldn’t tell if it was for his sake or for Taehyung to have both signed and spoken language.

“Yes,” Taehyung answered, and then he closed his eyes and cuddled into Yoongi’s shoulder comfortably. Yoongi brushed Taehyung’s golden blonde hair back and kissed his forehead, and then he glanced over at Jimin. Jimin just raised his eyebrows with a clenched jaw, which seemed to be all the indication that Yoongi needed. Immediately, Yoongi patted Taehyung’s thigh with vigor, and Taehyung lifted his head.

“I told you not to be an asshole to him. You’re the one who wanted to meet him,” Yoongi said and signed simultaneously. Taehyung rolled his eyes.

“I don’t have to like him,” he also said and signed, side-eying Jimin. “He’s interrupting my work day.”

“I told him to come say hello to you, you dweeb,” Yoongi replied. Taehyung, still twisting a rubber band around his fingers deftly, just narrowed his eyes at Yoongi. “How’s the manuscript looking?”

“Better now that I’m the one destroying it,” Taehyung said. “I need to keep working, though, hyung. I’ll get us lunch on your lunch break.”

“Okay.” Yoongi kissed Taehyung softly, twisting a strand of hair around one finger. “Love you.”

“Love you, too. Take him with you when you go,” Taehyung decided, waving his hand at Jimin. He adjusted one of his hearing aids, wiggled his headphones back over his ears, and yanked his laptop back towards him, sipping the water Yoongi had given him from a straw. The rubber band went around his wrist as he squinted at the screen and began typing with both hands, and that was when Yoongi tapped Jimin’s shoulder. Feeling like he had whiplash, Jimin swept up his iced latte and followed Yoongi back towards the counter. Much like Seokjin had, Yoongi just slid over the counter and landed with a small grunt behind it, and he promptly bent down and scooped up a domestic shorthair cat.

“This is Rocky,” he introduced. “He’s a grumpy old man. Thirteen-years-old.”

“Go bring him to your boyfriend,” Jimin blurted out without thinking, though he immediately regretted it and wanted to take it back. Yoongi seemed to absorb the words from where they were hanging in the air, though, and thankfully, he didn’t react in a negative way. He just let out a breath through his nose that hinted at laughter, stroking Rocky’s thick coat.

“He prefers dogs, but he does tolerate cats,” Yoongi pointed out. “Rocky is one of his favorites. Isn’t that right, Rocky? Hmm?”

“I’m sorry,” Jimin apologized as Yoongi nuzzled Rocky’s head between the ears and then gently set him onto the countertop. Rocky leapt down onto the floor and stretched with a tiny meow before walking off.

“Don’t be,” Yoongi replied, snatching up a rag and wiping down part of the counter. “At least we’ve ripped the Band-Aid off. Now he won’t ask Jeongguk five times a day when he can meet you.”

“I, uh… I heard you ask him about insulin,” Jimin recalled, struck by natural curiosity, and Yoongi nodded.

“Yeah. He’s a type 1 diabetic. He takes insulin injections a few times a day,” he replied. “What’d he say to you? Was he actually an asshole?”

“Uh, he wasn’t exactly nice,” Jimin answered. “But we’re all grown ass men here, so whatever. He’s not a child. If he wants to be friends with me, then fine. If he doesn’t, then… I don’t know. I’ll figure it out somehow. He did shoot me with a rubber band, though.”

“Christ,” Yoongi muttered, and Jimin finally stifled a laugh. “I’m pretty sure that was his idea of being playful to see how you’d react. He’s on the autism spectrum,” Yoongi reminded Jimin, and Jimin pursed his lips while nodding, vaguely remembering what Yoongi had said at SEVEN that night. “So he has his fixations and his routines. But he’s also traumatized from some childhood bullying. That’s his story to tell, not mine. I’m just telling you so you know why he wants you to evaporate into thin air. Or why he’s shooting rubber bands at you. Just to give you a reason. Not an excuse.”

“Yeah, well, at least he knows I’m trying,” Jimin said with a small frown and a sigh. “He’ll just have to give me a chance at some point.”

“Mm. I know you don’t think it now, but he’s one of the best people I know. Very loving. Loyal to a fault. Bit of a savant with the Korean language. But his opinions can be kind of, uh… polarizing,” Yoongi said after searching for the word.

“I noticed,” Jimin replied flatly. “Can I grab a large iced americano to go, by the way?”

“Yeah, yeah, of course. 10,000 won,” Yoongi said, ringing it up quickly and letting Jimin pay this time. “Look, I don’t know. Give him time. He’s tough to crack when it comes to hearing people. But when you do crack him, he’s basically a teddy bear in human form.”

“Well, I’m a chiropractor, so-o-o-o…” Jimin shrugged, and Yoongi snorted with laughter.

“Then you’ll be able to crack him.”

Yoongi made Hoseok’s iced americano and handed it over, wishing Jimin well on his way to work. Jimin juggled both coffees as he got onto the subway to Gangnam, but once he sat down and secured the coffees between his thighs, he was able to reach for his phone.

JEONGGUKIE 🤟 [11:09AM]
I heard you just met Taehyung

I’m going to kill Min Yoongi 

Was he nice to you?

JIMIN [11:21AM]
Mm… “nice” wouldn’t be the right word

JEONGGUKIE 🤟 [11:22AM]
Did he at least talk to you?

JIMIN [11:22AM]
He did

JEONGGUKIE 🤟 [11:23AM]
Thank fucking heaven

We’re good here, then ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Jimin sighed and lowered his phone as the subway rolled on towards Gangnam. Having a massive crush on Jeongguk was different than any other guy he had fooled around with before, sure, but it also came with a learning curve. It came with an entirely different language. It came with a different culture. And Jimin felt like he was fumbling in the deep end and dangerously close to drowning.

So he snatched his coffee up and chugged a third of it in one go. And then he texted Jeongguk back, letting the caffeine course through his veins.

JIMIN [11:25AM]
Show me how to sign different colors!

Whatever learning curve existed, he wanted to sail ahead of it. All doubts and false bravado be damned.

✩࿐

Chapter Text

[moodboard by andy]

✩࿐

“I wanted to slap your ass so badly before our headstands. I was so close. My head was right there.”

“I was gonna grab you by the balls,” Jimin replied, his yoga mat slung over one shoulder by the strap as he and Hoseok left the yoga studio together on a sunny Sunday morning. Hoseok squirted some water into his mouth.

“My balls have had enough attention this weekend, thank you,” he replied, and Jimin rolled his eyes. Hoseok had met up with his Afterglow match last night, and he had come home at half past three in the morning yelling that he needed a shower to get rid of the excess lube and that he couldn’t go shirtless at yoga because of the scratches. “You know who else’s balls have had some attention?”

“Can we talk about something normal?” Jimin asked, and Hoseok snickered.

“Namjoon texted us saying he got the blowjob of a lifetime, Jimin. I don’t know which part of that you could consider normal. Are you getting a blowjob, too?”

“I’m meeting him at a fucking skatepark in the middle of the afternoon,” Jimin replied. “No blowjobs involved.”

It wasn’t like Jimin hadn’t thought about it, though. He was daydreaming about seeing Jeongguk naked on a daily basis now, tracing all of his tattoos and bracing his hands on Jeongguk’s abdomen as they fucked. He knew what it felt like now, and he was tempted to ask if he could wash clothes on Jeongguk’s abs. He was also shamelessly imagining countless scenarios, and he wanted to feel guilty about it, but it was clear that Jeongguk was just as eager, given his suggestive text messages. But that just meant that Jimin needed to find some courage and learn what he needed to learn so they could end up in the same bed.

“I’ve never seen you move this slowly,” Hoseok mused as they entered Gangnam Station together. “Like, with anyone. You’ve only hit maybe second base and it’s been weeks. That has to be a new record for you. Namjoon was balls deep in you after five days.”

“I feel like we’ve talked about balls enough to last a lifetime within the last five minutes,” Jimin commented, and Hoseok laughed as he squirted more water into his mouth. “I told you why I’m moving slowly. Jeongguk knows, too, and he’s still sticking around. I’ll give in soon enough. I can’t hold out much longer.”

It was the truth. Jimin was studying KSL diligently by reviewing all of the videos Jeongguk had sent him over the weeks. YouTube was helpful, too, but it wasn’t enough and it wasn’t as reliable. Besides, Jeongguk had already told him not to depend on social media to teach him the entire language. So Jimin found himself in a strange limbo, wondering how he was supposed to approach KSL if he wanted to become more fluent.

“January… February… March… April…”

Standing in the shower after yoga and a quick lunch, all Jimin did was zone out and go over what he had learned recently. Jeongguk had taught him colors and months of the year, and now he was learning different directional words. He was learning a lot by accident thanks to Jeongguk trying to have regular conversations with him, one of which happened as Jimin was stepping out of the shower.

“Shit, shit, fuck—video call? Video—?” Jimin fumbled with his phone, wondering why in the world Jeongguk was video calling instead of just plain old calling him until the realization dawned on him—duh. “Hey. Are you okay?” Jimin signed, propping the phone up against his dresser, feeling breathless.

“I’m okay now,” Jeongguk signed with a mischievous grin, leaning forward and propping his chin in his hands. He flicked one hand like he was motioning for Jimin to move backwards, and Jimin whipped his t-shirt at the phone screen, moving away so Jeongguk couldn’t see him anymore as he put on his shirt. He stifled a laugh when he heard loud clapping, so he peeked his head over and saw Jeongguk clapping and waving at him to get his attention.

“What?” Jimin asked, feigning innocence as he pulled his t-shirt on. Jeongguk was now pouting—full on pouting, lower lip jutting out and all—because he had missed out on seeing more of Jimin shirtless, and he gave Jimin a solid thumbs down. Jimin pouted too, sticking out his lower lip and wiggling his fist near one eye to fake crying, and Jeongguk narrowed his eyes.

“Do you want to eat lunch with me?” Jeongguk signed.

“You call… lunch?” Jimin signed, because that was all he knew how to do. Jeongguk understood, though, and he grinned.

“I wanted to see you,” he replied. “Lunch? Yes? No?”

“Ah, I already ate. I didn’t know,” Jimin said, snapping his fingers quickly because he didn’t know how to sign that. He quickly picked up his phone and texted Jeongguk what he had just said, complete with a sobbing emoji. Immediately, Jeongguk smiled and shook his head.

“It’s fine, it’s okay. Don’t worry,” he swore as Jimin propped his phone up again. “I’ll see you at two o’clock, right?”

“Right,” Jimin agreed. Jeongguk leaned in.

“You look cute, baby,” he signed with a grin, and Jimin turned his head with a sheepish laugh, knowing his ears were turning red. How the hell was he supposed to accept compliments from this man? He saw Jeongguk waving in his peripheral vision to get his attention again, though, so he turned back. “I like flirting with you. You get so embarrassed. It’s adorable.”

“How do I embarrass you?” Jimin signed clumsily, knowing that his sentence structure was all over the place. But of course, like the angel he was, Jeongguk understood and laughed, and then he held his pointer up to his lips.

“I’ll never tell,” he replied. “See you later, hyung.”

“Bye, Jeongguk,” Jimin signed, using Jeongguk’s sign name. Jeongguk ended the call with a wink, and Jimin collapsed backwards onto his bed, staring blankly at his ceiling.

This was bad.

“HYUNG!”

“…Christ, what is it now?” Hoseok said, swinging open Jimin’s bedroom door. “I’m in the middle of my true crime video on YouTube. Guess who committed the murder?”

“The husband.”

“Exactly. And why did he commit murder?” Hoseok held out his phone towards Jimin like it was a microphone.

“Probably for life insurance,” Jimin guessed, still staring at the ceiling.

“Exactly. What’s your existential crisis now, lover boy?” Hoseok asked, plopping down onto Jimin’s bed.

“Jeongguk just video called me,” Jimin said. “And he called me cute.”

“Is that it?” Hoseok’s voice was flat.

“Yes, that’s it, and before you complain—” Jimin rocketed upright and pointed an accusatory finger at Hoseok— “I want you to fucking remember the crisis I went through right before Namjoon asked me to be his boyfriend.”

“I’m remembering,” Hoseok said obediently. “That was a life-or-death commitment to you. Even when you said yes, you still were like ‘I don’t kno-o-ow.’ Are you about to ask Jeongguk to be your boyfriend, or are you afraid he’s gonna ask you?”

“No, I’m not gonna—he won’t—neither one of us is gonna ask the other to make it official,” Jimin insisted. “Not yet. There’s no way in hell. His best friend hates me, I can barely sign his language, and there’s just too much shit to work out. I’m just—I’m having a moment where I’m realizing that I like him way more than anyone else I’ve ever liked at this point in a relationship.”

“Oh-h-h-h, okay. That moment. What makes Jeongguk different from anyone else?” Hoseok wondered, slipping into best friend mode when he realized that Jimin was serious.

“I don’t really know,” Jimin admitted. “It’s just this… feeling. We get along well. We just click. There’s so much we still don’t know about each other, but I can lie here and picture myself with him in ten years. I don’t even know what that would look like, but he just has this vibe. Like, he’s so into it, you know? Which—okay, I know that can be a red flag sometimes. But the way he’s doing it seems…”

“Genuine,” Hoseok offered, and Jimin nodded.

“Yeah. Genuine. He’s really sweet and attentive and interested in what I’m doing all the time. And it kind of… I can’t explain it. It makes me want to be on that level and reciprocate,” Jimin explained. “Not that I’m a shitty person to date or a bad boyfriend or anything like that.”

“No, I get it. It’s like you already kind of know how to date him,” Hoseok replied. “And he’s really easy-going about it. Shit, he’s teaching you a whole goddamn language. If all he wanted was to fuck you, he would have given up a long time ago.”

“Right,” Jimin muttered, still deep in thought. “I’m just scared I’m gonna mess up. We went from eye-fucking each other on a subway to going on actual dates. And I don’t think I’ve ever—oh, Christ, this is so cheesy.”

“Say it nice and loud,” Hoseok requested, grinning.

“I…” Jimin took a deep breath. “…don’t think I’ve ever fallen for someone this fast. And I’m scared. Because what if this is it, hyung? What if he’s it?”

“You can’t possibly know that from, like, three weeks of knowing someone,” Hoseok pointed out. But he clicked his tongue and paused, brow furrowing. “Actually… you didn’t say that about Namjoon when you started dating him.”

“Didn’t say what?” Jimin asked, his heartbeat quickening.

“You didn’t wonder if he was the one,” Hoseok clarified, and he nudged Jimin’s knee with a widening grin. “But you’re wondering with Jeongguk already, aren’t you?”

“Is that the most insane thing you’ve ever heard?” Jimin asked.

“No. My parents met and dated and got married within a year, and they still love each other after thirty-five years together,” Hoseok said with a shrug. “It’s all subjective. Fuck it. If you think he’s a good person, then go for it. But also, get your ass moving. You have a date with your future life partner.”

Jimin grumbled as Hoseok left the room, but he started to get ready. He endured a full skincare routine to make sure he looked as cute as Jeongguk swore he was, cracked his own neck a few times, threw on jeans and a t-shirt in an attempt to be casual and cool, grabbed some sunglasses, and rushed out the door.

After debating back and forth between driving and public transport, Jimin decided to just hop on the train using the 7 Line so he could get off right at Ttukseom Park. It took a bit of swip-swapping, but he was so used to the subway system that going from the 8 Line to the 2 Line to the 7 Line was nothing. It was still summer, but this was a traveling adventure, wasn’t it?

Maybe he needed a new fortune.

Jimin wasn’t great with being on time for things that weren’t work, but for Jeongguk, he seemed to always be early. He walked in the summer sunshine towards Ttukseom Skatepark, curious, watching all of the skaters soar around with their friends on skateboards, BMX bikes, scooters, and more. It was an infectious atmosphere that felt exactly like summer.

The most interesting part of searching for Jeongguk was that Jimin couldn’t just holler out his name and expect him to hear it and come running. He had to look carefully or text him, maybe even video call him if—

“Huh?” Jimin said out loud when he heard loud, repetitive clapping. He whipped his head to the left, and that was when he saw Jeongguk standing at the top of a ramp, clapping his hands to get Jimin’s attention. Jimin watched with hearts in his eyes as Jeongguk dropped into the ramp, soared over the center of it, and continued skating over towards where Jimin was standing, one foot hovering off his board to propel him.

God, he’s so fucking unreal. Jimin couldn’t believe his luck. Everything Jeongguk did was sexy to him, like Jeongguk just kind of knew that he was hot. Even minus the good looks, though, Jeongguk was just attractive. He was charming and funny and sweet as sugar with a little flair of sarcastic feistiness that Jimin was just starting to see, and his talents seemed to know no bounds. And he liked Jimin.

[“love u 2 death” by jonathan & friends, loote, emma løv] (title of fic is in this song)

“Hey, beautiful,” Jeongguk signed as he came to a stop on his skateboard across from Jimin, and Jimin fought the urge to giggle and blush. Jeongguk was wearing black ripped up jeans, an oversized white t-shirt, and a bright pink beanie, sunglasses on. In front of Jimin, though, he removed the sunglasses and hooked them on the front of his shirt, resorting to squinting with a grin as he wiggled back and forth on his skateboard.

“I’m scared,” Jimin signed immediately, pointing to the skateboard. Jeongguk hopped off, propped one foot on the board to keep it from rolling away, and then he wrapped one arm around Jimin’s waist. Elated, Jimin snaked his arm around Jeongguk’s neck and pulled him in for a kiss. Was everything about this man perfect? Was Jimin ever going to stop feeling butterflies, or was that just going to be a permanent thing?

“Don’t be scared,” Jeongguk insisted, signing with just one hand. “I’m a good teacher.”

“Do you kiss all of your skateboarding students?” Jimin asked, and Jeongguk snickered.

“Only you,” he replied, giving Jimin three consecutive quick kisses that had Jimin smiling like a fool. “Come here.” He motioned to the board, and Jimin took a deep breath.

It started off as just a normal Sunday!

But nothing about this was normal for Jimin’s life. His schedule, his routine, his daily life was now shattered thanks to Jeon Jeongguk. Never in his life had Jimin even thought about trying to skateboard, but here he was, mounting a skateboard like it was no big deal because a cute boy was holding his hand.

“Balance first,” Jeongguk said, fingerspelling the word and then signing it for Jimin. Jimin repeated it back, and Jeongguk nodded, holding out both hands. Terrified but resolute, Jimin grabbed Jeongguk’s hands, and then he stepped up onto the skateboard, immediately feeling like he was going to fall over and die.

“Jeongguk, Jeongguk, Jeongguk,” he chanted as he wobbled, laughing. He grabbed Jeongguk’s shoulders, and as he dropped his head on Jeongguk’s right shoulder in fake shame, he could feel Jeongguk laughing.

“Cute,” Jeongguk signed, tongue pressed into his cheek as Jimin pulled away. “I’m here. You’re okay.”

There was probably a proper way to teach skateboarding, but Jimin knew that this wasn’t a serious lesson. This was just Jeongguk sharing part of his life with Jimin, sharing a hobby. He held Jimin’s hands tightly as Jimin found his balance on the board, and then he began to side-step.

“Woah, woah! Jeongguk! Jeongguk!” Jimin hollered, wobbling as Jeongguk began to roll him while walking sideways. Laughing, Jeongguk slid his hands up to hold Jimin’s elbows, and Jimin hung on for dear life, letting Jeongguk turn him in a small circle. Over and over he circled, letting Jimin find his balance, and then he released one hand, letting Jimin balance more on his own.

“This isn’t so bad,” Jimin decided, and Jeongguk must have caught wind of him speaking, because he stopped and patted Jimin’s arm and signed for him to repeat himself. “This isn’t so bad,” Jimin repeated, speaking as clearly as possible as Jeongguk watched his lips.

“Good. More,” Jeongguk signed with the same charming grin.

More?

There was more. Jeongguk jogged around the skatepark holding onto Jimin as Jimin learned how to even out his weight and even propel himself with one foot. More than once, Jeongguk had to catch Jimin by scooping him up and letting the skateboard roll off, and Jimin’s stomach ended up aching from all the laughter. The most glorious part was that none of what they were doing required a lot of communication. Other than a few sweet kisses and purposeful touches, Jimin knew Jeongguk was happy because of his laughter, and surely Jeongguk could see the same happiness on Jimin’s face.

Jeongguk pulled up TikTok as well, and he found some easy skateboarding moves for beginners, showing them to Jimin.

“What is he saying?” Jeongguk signed, nudging Jimin when one video came up without any captions. Jimin held up one finger and brought the phone closer to his ear to listen, and then he resorted to a clumsy mixture of signs and fingerspelling to get the message across.

“Put… toes… beneath… board… bend… knees… pop,” Jimin said as the video replayed. Jeongguk grinned, slung one arm around Jimin’s shoulders, and kissed him firmly.

“Your fingerspelling is really good,” Jeongguk complimented, nuzzling his nose against Jimin’s nose. “That move is a flip on.”

Just to show off—and absolutely for Jimin’s own personal enjoyment—Jeongguk did a flip on, where he set his board wheels up on the ground, wiggled his toes beneath it, and then flipped the board over onto its wheels using his toes as he jumped up and landed on it.

“You think I can do that?” Jimin asked, giving Jeongguk a skeptical look.

“I’ll catch you,” Jeongguk replied with the same mischievous grin. Jimin was getting better and better at recognizing unfamiliar signs just based on the context and the way Jeongguk’s facial expression matched. He trusted completely that Jeongguk would catch him, so he tried it.

He failed miserably several times, and Jeongguk did, indeed, catch him. But when Jimin did nail the move, Jeongguk grabbed him by the waist and held him up in victory, and Jimin kicked his feet, laughing. Euphoria. That was the feeling. That was how Jimin felt in Jeongguk’s presence. He knew that he had people in his life who loved him and cared about him—that much was obvious. But Jeongguk’s attention felt different. It felt like he was slowly and meticulously exploring every nook and cranny Jimin had to offer, and he was doing it with happiness. He was doing it with intention. He wasn’t spending time with Jimin or giving Jimin attention because he had an ulterior motive, and that was what made Jimin so sure that whatever he and Jeongguk had was special.

“I’m going to die,” Jimin signed dramatically, and Jeongguk laughed, back hugging Jimin and kissing his cheek. Now they were standing on top of one of the baby ramps, and it was Jimin’s job to go down that ramp.

“I’ll catch you,” Jeongguk swore. “I promise. It’s a small ramp. You can do this.”

“If I—” Jimin smacked Jeongguk’s chest with the back of his hand, and Jeongguk stifled a laugh as Jimin pulled out his phone to type up a text message:

JIMIN [4:13PM]
If I break any bones, you’re going to nurse me back to health

You’re going to be at my beck and call while I recover in bed

JEONGGUKIE 🤟[4:14PM]
Do you want me to wear a maid’s outfit? 😉

Jimin clicked his tongue as Jeongguk grinned, smacking a kiss on Jimin’s cheek. He motioned down toward the bottom of the ramp, and then he hopped down and found a good spot right where the ramp met the flat ground. Jimin glanced down at the skateboard like it was his mortal enemy.

Relax. He literally held your hand so you could practice dropping in. You’re safe. It’s a small ramp. Just do it. Bite the bullet. Cute boy will catch you at the bottom.

His heart pounding, Jimin inhaled deeply and set his feet on the skateboard just like Jeongguk had shown him. All he had to do was tilt forward and drop in.

Was this a great adventure?

Jimin tilted the board forward, and the wheels connected with the ramp. He bent his knees and tightened his core as he rolled down the ramp, and to his amazement, he didn’t lose his balance until the ground flattened out. The panic started when he realized he was about to go back up the ramp on the other side, but just as he started flailing, Jeongguk was there.

“Woah!” Jimin exclaimed with a laugh as Jeongguk scooped him up bridal style before he could wipe out. “My hero,” he added when he was sure Jeongguk was looking at him, grinning when he saw the flicker of recognition in Jeongguk’s eyes. He was rewarded with a kiss, which felt like a huge win for such a small drop-in. Jeongguk set Jimin back on his feet, and then he pulled his phone out.

JEONGGUKIE 🤟 [4:18PM]
You have no idea how attractive you are to me right now

I mean, you were always smoking hot

But seeing you on a skateboard? I’m having terrible, awful thoughts

Jimin laughed and nudged Jeongguk’s chest, shaking his head. Jeongguk seemed like he wanted to elaborate on those thoughts, but then his brow furrowed as he stared at his phone screen. Jimin could hear the loud vibration from a call coming in.

“Oh. It’s Taehyung. Hold on,” Jeongguk signed, fingerspelling Taehyung’s name quickly and then answering the video call. Jimin, proud of himself for even being able to catch that the name was Taehyung, quietly stood by and watched as Jeongguk signed with one hand. He signed animatedly in a fluent conversation, making a few short noises from the back of his throat and then spinning and holding the phone out to show Taehyung where he was.

Then Jimin saw Jeongguk sign Jimin.

The vibe changed after that. Jeongguk rolled his eyes and made several gestures like he was trying to tell Taehyung to shut up, and then he laughed. Before Jimin could decline, Jeongguk then spun and brought Jimin into the frame.

“Hi,” Jimin said with a weak wave. Taehyung was on the screen with his phone propped up against something, and Jimin could see a cymbal and part of a drum from a full drum kit. Taehyung had drumsticks in his hands that he was twirling around nimble fingers as he narrowed his eyes at Jimin, and then he pointed one drumstick at Jimin.

“Sign my name,” Taehyung demanded, shaking the drumstick at Jimin and then giving Jimin a drumroll. The comedic timing was too perfect; a laugh escaped Jimin before he could stop it, and he waved in apology, trying to be serious so he could focus. Taehyung cut off his drumroll, raising both eyebrows as he leaned forward.

“Tae…hyung,” Jimin fingerspelled.

“Wrong,” Taehyung said loudly, whacking the drumstick against the cymbal as Jimin flinched.

“No it wasn’t!” Jimin exclaimed, signing no along with his words.

“That was fingerspelling,” Taehyung taunted, tapping the drumsticks together a few times, and Jimin rolled his eyes. “Wrong—” Another cymbal— “Wrong—” Another cymbal— “Wro-o-o-o-ong!” A dramatic drumroll. Jimin couldn’t take him seriously, because even Jeongguk was laughing. “All wrong! Bye!”

“Wait—oh.”

Jimin just blinked in confusion as the video call ended. Jeongguk, totally unfazed, just snickered and shoved his phone into his pocket, shaking his head before he patted Jimin’s arm.

“Taehyung,” he fingerspelled, and then he did a different sign. With his right hand, he held up the sign for tieut, the first letter of Taehyung’s name—his pointer, middle, and ring fingers extended sideways with his thumb and pinky tucked, the middle and ring fingers pressed together with the pointer finger lifted. Then he turned his wrist inward so that the three fingers were horizontal with the ring finger brushing his cheek and flicked inward and out until his palm was facing down, fingers away from him. It looked as if he was making the paws on a cat or tiger.

“Like this?” JImin asked, mimicking the sign, and Jeongguk nodded as he quickly texted Jimin an explanation.

JEONGGUKIE 🤟 [4:23PM]
It’s the one-handed sign for tiger, but with ㅌ instead

His mom always called him that as a kid, so that’s why

But he’s a really good drummer, so sometimes, I do this one just to tease him

Jeongguk clamped his phone between his teeth unceremoniously, and then he made the sign for tieut with both hands and drummed the air in front of him several times. Jimin laughed as Jeongguk removed the phone from between his teeth to text again.

JEONGGUKIE 🤟 [4:25PM]
I’m sorry about him, by the way

He always says he hates when I apologize for him ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Apparently he means what he says and he’s not sorry about anything

But I don’t want you think that I feel the same way

JIMIN [4:26PM]
Why don’t you?

Jeongguk’s thumbs twitched like he was about to respond, but then he paused. He puckered his lips in thought with a small frown line in his brow, and then he took a deep breath.

JEONGGUKIE 🤟 [4:27PM]
Well, no one has ever asked me that before ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Can I show you something? It might help me explain

I drove here

Come to my car with me real quick

I’m not kidnapping you

Unless you’re into that kind of roleplaying 😉

Jimin let out a bark of laughter and whacked Jeongguk’s arm, and Jeongguk grinned with his tongue pressed behind his top teeth, proud of himself. He pocketed his phone and extended his hand, so Jimin took it, lacing their fingers together. Unable to help himself, he lifted their intertwined hands and kissed Jeongguk’s knuckles, and Jeongguk froze and gaped at Jimin in disbelief.

“What?” Jimin signed, startled. Jeongguk blinked a few times like a baby deer, but then he just leaned in and planted a kiss on Jimin’s cheek with a smile before he continued leading the way towards his car.

Once they were standing by Jeongguk’s black Kia (Jimin felt tempted to text Namjoon with further proof that Jeongguk drove), Jeongguk unlocked the car and reached into the passenger seat to rummage through his backpack. When he pulled out his sketchbook, Jimin’s heart cartwheeled. With his tongue between his teeth, Jeongguk flipped through a few pages, and then he took a deep breath and turned the sketchbook to show Jimin.

“Jeongguk…” Jimin whispered, his hands feeling numb as he reached out to hold the sketchbook in his own hands.

It was him.

It was a multi-panel comic drawn with different types of pencil, but it was so detailed and so realistic that it took Jimin’s breath away as he pored over it in fascination. The first panel was the bottom half of a set of subway doors that were open, one foot stepping on with some onomatopoeia like rustle and swoosh. The second panel was removed entirely and off to the side, a shot of just Jimin’s eyes. The next panel showed him sitting on the subway with a facial expression that showed surprise, a phone in his hand, and the thought bubble said: An empty seat? It must be a miracle! But the next panels were what amazed Jimin the most.

“Is this what you think of me?” he whispered, knowing Jeongguk couldn’t understand what he was saying. But it didn’t matter. The next panel showed Jimin texting on a phone to some superhero organization, and his hero name was Thoracic Park. His ID card said that his special ability was rapid healing. The following panels showed him moving like an acrobat through the busy subway and instantly healing a woman’s pain and suffering, enough so that she handed Jimin her walking stick in another panel. But the last panel was what made Jimin look up at Jeongguk in disbelief.

“That’s you,” he said, pointing to the page and then up at Jeongguk. The last panel showed Jimin the superhero sitting down beside someone who was definitely Jeongguk, and the conversation was Jimin asking: Are you OK, sir? Is anything broken? To which Jeongguk’s dialogue box said: No, no. Nothing about me is broken! And his character’s face was full of happiness, beaming and starry-eyed, as he signed.

The entire comic was done in a cute and experimental style. Jimin could tell that this wasn’t Jeongguk’s usual approach to art, given the other little snippets he had seen. But to Jeongguk, this comic seemed to explain something.

Jimin didn’t have to wonder for long, because his phone vibrated.

JEONGGUKIE 🤟 [4:34PM]
I didn’t draw you as a chiropractor until after I found out what you did for work ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

But you always looked like a doctor and a superhero to me

You don’t think I’m broken or that anything is wrong with me, and it makes me happy 😍

This is what I was always drawing when you saw me on the 2 Line

Do you like it?

Jimin gently placed the sketchbook on the passenger seat of the car. He then pivoted and wrapped his arms around Jeongguk’s waist, pulling him in tightly for a hug. No kissing. Nothing wild. Just a hug. He rested his head on Jeongguk’s shoulder and gripped the back of Jeongguk’s shirt, and Jeongguk dropped his face into Jimin’s neck and returned the embrace.

You have magic hands. That was what his patients sometimes told him. But Jeongguk seemed to have made it a reality in a comic. To Jeongguk, Jimin didn’t fall short of any mark. He was more than enough. And if Jeongguk could deduce that after only a few weeks of getting to know Jimin, then Jimin had to believe it was true.

Overwhelmed, Jimin pulled out of the hug halfway just to reach for his phone.

JIMIN [4:36PM]
It’s beautiful, Jeongguk

Is that what you think of me? Because I might have to cry

You’re so talented

You have magic hands

JEONGGUKIE 🤟 [4:37PM]
ㅋㅋㅋㅋ golden hands, that’s me

It’s probably dumb to say, but I like you the most out of everyone I’ve dated

Taehyung has a lot of childhood trauma so it’s hard for him to trust

But I think there are a lot of good people in the world still, and I think you’re one of them

I saw you on the subway and I knew I had to see you again and again

And get to know you

The entire time Jeongguk texted, he kept rubbing Jimin’s back and kissing his temple. Jimin didn’t hesitate this time to slide his hand beneath Jeongguk’s shirt and just rest his palm on Jeongguk’s heart as he leaned into the embrace. The time for shamelessness was over. It was pretty obvious to Jimin where this was going, critics (Taehyung) be damned.

JIMIN [4:40PM]
Can I keep that drawing? Or get a copy of it?

I want to hang it somewhere or frame it

JEONGGUKIE 🤟 [4:41PM]
I’ll make you a copy of it ❤️

There was so much more that Jimin wanted to say, but at the same time, it felt like everything that needed to be said had been imparted through a single embrace. Jimin wanted to ramble on and on about how Jeongguk was the first person in a long time to see Jimin as a potential love interest in such a warm light. He wanted to ask about Jeongguk’s love for art—how did he get started? What did he love to draw the most? What inspired him? How was he going to become a webtoon or comic book artist? And why, out of all the random strangers on a subway, had he honed in on Jimin?

Maybe it didn’t matter. Maybe that was all unspoken for a reason. Jimin would learn it eventually, just like he was learning on the fly whenever he was with Jeongguk.

[“only wanna be with you” by amy shark] 

“Jeongguk,” Jimin signed to get Jeongguk’s attention, also patting his shoulder gently. Jeongguk fixed his eyes on Jimin, and as he usually did, Jimin melted. “Uh… date… finished?” he asked.

Jeongguk shook his head immediately, stepping back and finding his skateboard where it was resting on the ground. He did a quick flip on and skated off, making a circle and then doing a move that he had called a kickflip, where he jumped up and popped the board to spin it 360 degrees before landing on it again. Grinning when he saw Jimin applauding, he skated back over and skidded to a stop, bracing one hand on his own car and brushing his fingers beneath Jimin’s chin with the other hand playfully.

This wasn’t just bad for Jimin. This was a catastrophic level of lovesickness.

“Get in the car. I’ll drive,” Jeongguk signed, reaching past Jimin to grab his backpack from the floor of the passenger seat and hurling it into the backseat. He picked up his skateboard and wiggled it through to the backseat as well.

“Where?” Jimin asked.

“I don’t know,” Jeongguk replied with a shrug. “Anywhere. It’s a quick drive back to my apartment.”

Jimin narrowed his eyes suspiciously, but Jeongguk just leaned in with puckered lips until his nose was touching Jimin’s nose. He dropped a quick kiss onto Jimin’s lips, grinning as he fished in his pocket for his keys, so Jimin scooted over towards the passenger seat.

There was absolutely no reason for Jeongguk to look as hot as he did behind the wheel of a car. But when he reversed out of the parking spot by bracing one hand on the back of Jimin’s seat and checking out the back windshield, Jimin had to horny-grip his own thighs. When Jeongguk slipped his sunglasses back on, Jimin leaned his elbow on the window and pinched his own brow momentarily, taking a deep breath.

Do NOT ask to suck his dick while he’s driving.

Hoseok would murder him if he heard Jimin’s thoughts.

The sound of the radio startled Jimin. He looked over and watched as Jeongguk turned up the volume while checking both ways before he could turn onto the main road. Once he was driving again, he stole a glance at Jimin.

“Oh, I can pick?” Jimin said out loud with a laugh, because Jeongguk was grinning and gesturing at Jimin to pick a station or a song. His next motion was to his own ear, and then he shrugged and shook his head, indicating in his own way that he couldn’t hear it, so Jimin’s song choice probably didn’t matter.

“It’s fine,” Jimin laughed, leaning back in the seat comfortably with a smile and listening to whatever song was on the radio. Jeongguk cracked the windows open as a test, and Jimin nodded and motioned, so Jeongguk rolled them down further. The warm summer breeze coupled with the sunshine and the music and the beautiful man behind the wheel was too much for Jimin. He leaned his head back fully, closing his eyes with a small smile.

This was paradise. This moment felt like capturing lightning in a bottle. Rare and electric, something that Jimin wanted to cling to, afraid that if he blinked, he might miss the feeling. Something so out of the ordinary for his meticulously scheduled life, something bright and brilliant and exciting. And like an extra spark, Jimin felt Jeongguk’s fingers on his thigh, and then Jeongguk took his hand and laced their fingers together as he drove.

“Ah, how do I sign…?” Jimin muttered to himself, patting the fingertips of his free hand against his lips in thought. Jeongguk stopped at a red light right near Jamsil Station, and Jimin squeezed his hand. “Romantic,” he fingerspelled the moment he had Jeongguk’s attention. “Sign how? I forgot.”

Without releasing Jimin’s hand, Jeongguk grinned and signed “romantic” with a wiggle of his eyebrows. Jimin then gestured to their interlocked hands and signed “romantic” back to Jeongguk.

“I know,” Jeongguk signed smugly, and then he gripped the wheel as the light turned green. Jimin brushed his thumb along the edge of Jeongguk’s hand, glancing down. He had never actually taken the time to admire Jeongguk’s tattoos. He knew there was a tiger, a lot of flowers, some other patterns, but one day, he was going to have to strip Jeongguk of his shirt and memorize every tattoo on his beautiful skin.

Jeongguk had a tiny designated parking spot in an underground parking garage, since his building appeared to be rather modern. He parked while still holding Jimin’s hand, and Jimin pursed his lips and typed out a message with one hand, showing his phone to Jeongguk once the car was parked: stop driving like you know you’re hot. Jeongguk burst out laughing, and it was the most beautiful sound Jimin had ever heard. It was becoming one of his favorite sounds, actually, and that was mostly because of the glow on Jeongguk’s face when he laughed that accompanied the laugh.

“I know I’m handsome. You don’t have to tell me,” Jeongguk insisted, patting Jimin’s thigh and ducking out of the driver’s seat before Jimin could protest. He yanked his backpack and skateboard out of the backseat, holding up his sketchbook to Jimin. “You want to see more?” he signed with one hand as he wiggled the sketchbook into his backpack. Proud of himself for understanding one-handed signing, Jimin shook his head.

“Later,” he said. “I want to see all of your art.”

Jeongguk nodded curtly, and then he set his skateboard on the ground. Before Jimin could protest, Jeongguk grabbed him by the waist, picked him up, and set Jimin’s feet on the skateboard. Grinning, Jeongguk grabbed both of Jimin’s hands and began to side-step towards the elevator, rolling Jimin with him.

“You’re a clown,” Jimin signed, because he had learned all sorts of fun words from Jeongguk, like “clown” and “fool.” Jeongguk bit the tip of his tongue and rolled Jimin right into the elevator, pressing the button for the seventh floor.

Jeongguk’s apartment, number 714, was a modern one-bedroom space that suited him perfectly. When he walked in and kicked his shoes off in the entryway while shoving his skateboard into a closet, Jimin could see the kitchen table straight ahead, and just past the table was the cozy living room area with a myriad of plants, paintings and art on the wall, a coffee table that looked like DIY repurposed wood, a bookshelf absolutely crammed with books, and a beanbag chair in one corner. To the left of the entryway was the kitchen and just past the kitchen across from the living room was the door to the bedroom.

“Oh, you have a—?” Jimin paused. Contemplated what he was about to ask. And then he bent at the waist and laughed at himself, catching Jeongguk’s eye. Jeongguk dropped his keys on the countertop, raising one eyebrow at Jimin curiously. Embarrassed but amused, Jimin pulled out his phone.

JIMIN [5:05PM]
You’re going to think I have no brain in my head

I was about to ask you why you have a TV

Then I remembered subtitles and closed captions exist 🙄

Jeongguk loudly snorted with laughter when he read Jimin’s incoming texts, and then he beckoned, texting Jimin back.

JEONGGUKIE 🤟 [5:06PM]
Now who’s the clown? 🤡🤣

I’ll show you some cool things I have in my house because I’m Deaf

Smoke alarm first

It has a strobe light so I can see when it goes off

Come into my bedroom

Jimin followed Jeongguk into the bedroom curiously, glancing up at the smoke alarms and noticing that they were fitted with a different kind of light. Jeongguk walked around to one side of his bed, and then he lifted the corner of his mattress and pointed to a pad.

“Oh-h-h-h. It vibrates,” Jimin guessed when Jeongguk shook his hands rapidly in a vibrating motion. Jeongguk nodded with a grin, dropping the mattress corner and taking Jimin’s hand to guide him out of the bedroom. He then pointed to his intercom system, which was again fitted with a special light that likely flashed when someone called up to him. Jeongguk held up his wrist to show off his Apple Watch.

“Oh, you get—” Jimin pulled out his phone and typed a quick note, since Jeongguk wasn’t holding his phone: you get alerts on your watch for visitors and texts and calls and stuff, don’t you? Jeongguk nodded as he read the message, leaning in and kissing Jimin’s cheek. He bent backwards to swipe his own phone off the countertop, but then he pocketed it and took Jimin’s face between his hands, leaning in for a proper kiss.

“Why am I here?” Jimin signed, wrapped in Jeongguk’s arms, his pulse quickening with each small kiss Jeongguk left along his lips. Jeongguk promptly pulled off his beanie and ruffled his messy long hair, and Jimin reached up and tucked some of the hair behind Jeongguk’s ear in an instinctual show of affection. Jeongguk caught Jimin’s hand by the wrist on the retreat, turning it so he could kiss Jimin’s knuckles.

Freeze.

It was a moment in time that Jimin wanted to freeze. He wanted to capture it in his memory vividly—the quiet but bright ambiance of the apartment, the slight glow to Jeongguk’s sun-kissed skin, his sweet and soapy scent, the sparkle in his eyes, the way he was looking at Jimin. The feeling was so distinctive to Jimin—a crossroads. Like life was about to change in the blink of an eye just from one look, one kiss, and for the better. LIke Jimin had the freedom to make a decision that wasn’t part of his mundane daily routine.

Jimin slowly cocked his head to the side. And that was what made Jeongguk reach for his phone to text Jimin.

JEONGGUKIE 🤟 [5:11PM]
Our date isn’t over yet, right…?

We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do

I just want to be with you

You’re driving me fucking crazy, baby

I need you

I don’t care how

Jimin didn’t even bother texting back a response. He threw his phone onto the couch carelessly and ran his fingers through Jeongguk’s hair, gripping tightly before kissing him again—that was enough of a response. He was the one who began to move backwards towards Jeongguk’s bedroom, and Jeongguk followed, his lips never leaving Jimin’s lips once. Jimin’s back hit the ajar door, so he used one shoulder to push it open, and Jeongguk spun the two of them.

“Are you okay?” he signed, pausing. Jimin nodded, using one finger to trace the slope of Jeongguk’s nose before brushing that knuckle over Jeongguk’s cheek. The kiss he got in response was glorious. Jimin sank into it, tracing along Jeongguk’s double lip ring with his tongue, slipping his hands beneath Jeongguk’s t-shirt. In a quick response to the touch, Jeongguk reached one arm overhead, grabbing the back collar of his t-shirt, and he yanked it off in one fell swoop, tossing it onto the floor.

“God, you’re beautiful,” Jimin whispered, his hands instantly flying to press against Jeongguk’s chest. His skin was soft and smooth, and every line and ridge of muscle was defined as Jimin’s fingers flitted down his abdomen. For Jeongguk’s sake, Jimin then looked up at him. “You’re beautiful,” he signed, and Jeongguk bit the tip of his tongue in a failed attempt to hide his smile, his eyes drinking in every inch of Jimin up close.

“Bed,” Jeongguk finger-spelled, so Jimin nodded, and together, they fell onto the bed. Jimin immediately climbed on top of Jeongguk, straddling him and bending to kiss his collarbone, then his neck. Jeongguk’s fingers played with the bottom hem of Jimin’s t-shirt, so Jimin decided he had nothing to lose. He removed his shirt as well, letting it join Jeongguk’s shirt on the floor. Jeongguk’s hands were on him quickly, and he traced the shape of Jimin’s waist over and over, dancing up his ribs as Jimin bent to kiss him again.

Jimin couldn’t really remember many moments of intimacy that had a touch of magic to them. This moment, though, was spellbinding. An instant classic. It was a core memory forming in real time, and neither of them had to say a word. All of the words were on the other’s lips, and kissing seemed to be the way to learn.

Jeongguk scooted up onto his pillows, Jimin still in his lap, and Jimin trailed up Jeongguk’s chest with his lips before finding Jeongguk’s lips for a kiss. Feeling Jeongguk’s bare skin against his was heavenly. Jimin pushed his tongue into Jeongguk’s mouth, Jeongguk’s hands trailed down to grip Jimin’s ass, and Jimin lost all sense of himself. He kissed Jeongguk over and over, reluctant to ever stop, feeling Jeongguk’s heartbeat against his own chest, rolling his hips against Jeongguk’s hips, sinking deeper and deeper.

He still wanted more.

Jimin’s hands were shaking and clammy as he finally pulled away, his heart somersaulting in anxiety. But he scooted back far enough to slide off the bed, and Jeongguk propped up on his elbows, eyes glued to Jimin.

Jimin’s fingers twitched as he unbuckled his belt. Jeongguk’s eyes never left him. Not once. And Jimin held his stare as he shimmied out of his jeans and kicked them to the side. The very moment the fabric hit the ground, Jeongguk reacted. He unbuttoned his own jeans and wiggled a bit until he could kick them off, and Jimin’s heart lodged in his throat nervously.

“Come here,” Jeongguk signed, and then he crooked his pointer finger at Jimin. Feeling like his fear of the unknown was about to devour him, Jimin crawled onto the bed and back into Jeongguk’s lap, and the moment he settled in, he gasped, circling his arms around Jeongguk’s shoulders and dropping his head in towards Jeongguk’s neck.

“Jeongguk,” he whispered, fingernails digging into tattooed skin as Jeongguk grabbed him by the hips. It wasn’t a secret between them that they were both aroused, but feeling Jeongguk hard against him was dizzying. Jimin pushed his hips forward, his lips pressed to Jeongguk’s neck, and Jeongguk’s hands slid to grip his ass again, encouraging Jimin’s movement. But then he felt Jeongguk’s hand pat his hip, so Jimin lifted his head.

“I… have big hands,” Jeongguk signed slowly enough for Jimin to understand. His grin was slightly dazed and so painfully attractive that Jimin swore he was physically melting. As he nodded, Jimin grabbed handfuls of Jeongguk’s hair with both hands and kissed him fiercely, clueless as to what Jeongguk really wanted to do but game to find out.

“Oh, fuck,” Jimin gasped, throwing his head back in surprise, body tensing when he felt Jeongguk’s hand around his hard cock over the fabric of his underwear. Jeongguk’s hand moved slowly as Jimin adjusted to the feeling, his toes curling, and then he came to his senses. Biting his bottom lip to control any moans that were threatening to escape from him, Jimin slid his hand between them and used one finger to trace along the waistband of Jeongguk’s Calvin Klein briefs. He saw the way Jeongguk’s muscles contracted, heard the little intake of breath, and that was all Jimin needed. He dipped his hand in and wrapped it around Jeongguk’s cock, brushing his thumb over the head to collect the pre-come.

Jeongguk snapped.

He snapped in the best way possible. Both of his hands smacked against Jimin’s back, fingernails dragging down as Jimin let out a soft moan, and then he met Jeongguk’s lips for a bruising kiss. It lacked grace and finesse, but Jimin was so aroused that it didn’t fucking matter. He rolled his hips again in desperation, tugging at Jeongguk’s hair, and Jeongguk left rough kisses everywhere, sucking marks onto his neck and his collarbone, fingernails leaving evidence. It felt frantic, and Jimin’s adrenaline was pumping as he felt Jeongguk shifting around.

“Shit,” Jimin gasped when Jeongguk roughly tugged his underwear down as much as possible, doing the same with his own. He spat into his right hand, and when he wrapped that hand around his own cock and Jimin’s cock at the same time, Jimin let out a soft cry, legs trembling as he fell into Jeongguk.

Nothing about what they were doing required talking. There was no need for any communication—Jimin cupped Jeongguk’s neck with both hands and rested his forehead against Jeongguk’s forehead, and that was all the communication they needed. Jeongguk could see how he was making Jimin feel. He could kiss every gasp off Jimin’s lips. Jimin could feel Jeongguk’s breath quickening. And it felt so good.

“Jeongguk, please,” Jimin whispered, hearing the way Jeongguk’s breath hitched. Every little sound Jeongguk made just sent a fresh spark of arousal through Jimin’s body, especially when he looked down between them and saw how easily Jeongguk’s hand could fit around both of them. Every stroke felt euphoric; feeling Jeongguk bare against him was utterly maddening.

Jimin felt frantic. He didn’t know where to grab, what to say, how to move. The orgasm was building from the pit of his stomach, his mind was reeling, and the pleasure was so all-consuming that it made him speechless. He didn’t even have time to think about whether or not he should warn Jeongguk that he was about to come. He wasn’t even the first one to come. He felt the warmth of Jeongguk’s cum on him, and that was what pushed Jimin over the edge. He dropped his forehead onto Jeongguk’s shoulder, fingernails digging into Jeongguk’s biceps as he came, Jeongguk stroking him through every second of the orgasm.

Panting, Jimin lifted both shaking hands and rested them on either side of Jeongguk’s neck, tremors still flying through his body like aftershocks. Eyes closed, he moved to press his forehead against Jeongguk’s forehead again, and as his ears began to ring, he felt a soft kiss on his bottom lip, and he smiled.

“You…” Jimin pulled away enough for Jeongguk to see him. “…have big hands.”

Pressing his tongue against the inside of his bottom lip smugly, Jeongguk laughed, gently removing his hand from around the two of them. He kissed the tip of Jimin’s nose, and then he held up his right hand, covered in cum. Jimin wrinkled his nose jokingly, so Jeongguk rolled off the bed in just his underwear and ducked into the bathroom to wash his hands. He came back out with a few tissues just in case, but he dove onto the bed and tackled Jimin.

“Stop it, stop! I’m ticklish! Stop!” Jimin laughed, writhing as Jeongguk caged him in and rolled around, trying to tickle his ribs. Breathless, Jimin smacked wherever he could until Jeongguk yanked him down, and then they collapsed onto the pillows together. Jeongguk settled on his back and pulled Jimin into his arms to lie against his chest.

“Your phone,” Jimin said, patting Jeongguk’s chest and beckoning to the bedside table. Jeongguk grunted slightly and reached to grab his phone, unlocking it and opening up a new note, since he didn’t have his phone with him.

“That’s one way of relieving the sexual tension,” Jimin said, and speech-to-text worked its magic. Jeongguk snickered and rapidly typed his response.

“I’ve been trying to see you naked for weeks,” he admitted. “I hope you don’t think I brought you here just to fuck.”

Jimin reached over to tap the little microphone button again. “Even if you did, that’s fine,” he answered, and Jeongguk grinned. “I told my roommate a week after we met that I wanted to suck your dick, so you’re fine, trust me.”

“So what you’re saying is that we’ve both been horny for weeks,” Jeongguk said, and Jimin stifled a laugh.

“It’s like I told you before,” he said as the text appeared on the screen. “I didn’t want you to think I was just trying to sleep with you because you’re hot. I mean, you are, but you’re so much more than that.”

“I never thought that. I was probably just too eager to take all your clothes off,” Jeongguk answered, grinning again as Jimin kicked his shin. “I’ll worship your body when I have more time to do it. But for now, you can lie on top of me and fulfill my fantasy.”

Jimin laughed, pretending like the idea of Jeongguk worshiping his body wasn’t the biggest turn-on ever. He rolled on top of Jeongguk, both of them still in just underwear, and immediately, he used a few fingers to graze over the floral pattern that covered Jeongguk’s right shoulder, but then he followed the silver chain necklace Jeongguk was wearing to a spot down the center of Jeongguk’s chest. There was a faint scar there in a vertical line, and Jimin traced it with a furrowed brow, glancing up at Jeongguk. Jeongguk’s single thumb was already flying across the screen, so Jimin shifted so Jeongguk could use both hands to type.

“I had emergency heart surgery as an infant. Congenital heart defect. Nothing too serious. But when I went back for a post-op check-up, my dad told them I wasn’t responding to voices or sounds, and that’s when they realized I was profoundly Deaf,” Jeongguk explained, holding the phone up for Jimin to read as he traced his own scar. “After that is when my mom abandoned the family.”

“So you’re a miracle baby,” Jimin said, fingers dancing over the faded scar.

“I guess. Miraculous enough to be here twenty-six years later to annoy you,” Jeongguk replied after reading, and when Jimin rolled his eyes, Jeongguk patted Jimin’s chest and signed, “Kidding.”

“Your dad learned sign language for you?” Jimin asked, and Jeongguk nodded after reading.

“He and I lived in a tiny studio apartment and he worked full-time while trying to take care of me. He put me into speech therapy and occupational therapy and sign language lessons with a tutor. He stayed up all night studying KSL for me,” Jeongguk explained, and Jimin watched him type while twirling strands of Jeongguk’s long hair around his fingers. He leaned down and kissed along Jeongguk’s jaw, turning his face back to the screen to read more. “My stepmom came into the picture when I was eight. She’s the best mother I could have ever asked for. She put me into different sports like taekwondo and boxing. She learned KSL, too. And she always asks if I have a boyfriend yet.”

“You’re really lucky to have such supportive parents,” Jimin said, making sure to enunciate so his words came up correctly on the screen.

“Are your parents not supportive of you?” Jeongguk asked. “I can fight them for you.”

“No, no, no,” Jimin said out loud, laughing and burying his head in Jeongguk’s neck as Jeongguk playfully patted his ass a few times and hoisted Jimin up further to a more comfortable position. It was so natural, being this close to Jeongguk, that it made Jimin shiver. As if they’d been at it for years. As if this was their daily routine. Jimin tapped the button again. “I’m an only child, and I know that I’m a disappointment to them. I’m a chiropractor and not a surgeon. I’m gay and won’t give them grandchildren.”

“They sound like typical parents,” Jeongguk replied with a small, sad smile. “For what it’s worth, you’re anything but a disappointment. I think you’re pretty cool.”

“That’s just because you saw me naked,” Jimin said, and Jeongguk winked at him with a crooked smile. With a gentle hand, he gripped Jimin’s chin and pulled him down for a kiss. Jimin smiled into it, because being nearly naked with his entire body pressed to Jeongguk’s body was, in his opinion, a recipe for the perfect kiss.

“Jeongguk-ah.” Jimin pushed up until he was sitting on Jeongguk’s hips, straddling him still. Jeongguk’s hands immediately flew to Jimin’s thighs, but his eyes were focused on Jimin’s face. “I’m sorry I don’t know more sign language,” Jimin signed, but Jeongguk rapidly shook his head against the pillow, waving one hand.

“It’s been one month,” Jeongguk signed back. “Look how much you learned in one month, hyung.”

“I know,” Jimin replied, still feeling the heaviness of guilt on his shoulders. “But I want to learn more. You sign so fast with Taehyung.”

“Of course,” Jeongguk signed with a breathy laugh. “We’re both fluent in sign language, and we’ve been friends for fifteen years.”

“I’m impatient,” Jimin signed, and Jeongguk’s grin widened.

“You’re a smart doctor,” he replied with a bit of feistiness. “You want to know everything and be good at everything. Stop worrying. I’m not going anywhere. Do you know how much I like you? Too much. It’s a problem.”

“I don’t see a problem,” Jimin answered, and Jeongguk reached up and poked his sides to tickle him. Jimin laughed and doubled over, pressing his face into Jeongguk’s neck with a smile and kissing beneath his ear as he settled back in. He was going to have to go home soon. The date would have to end. But the idea of Jeongguk not going anywhere felt like shrugging the weight of guilt off Jimin’s shoulders.

Stop worrying.

Jeongguk was right. There was no more time to be insecure in what they had with one another. Now was the time for Jimin to commit and embrace the fear of the unknown, because Jeongguk was his own new adventure.

✩࿐

It was bright and early on Monday morning when Yunjin flagged Jimin down at lunchtime.

“You have a new patient consultation tomorrow,” she announced, and Jimin nodded, leaning against the reception desk. “He specifically requested to see you, not Hoseok, so I was wondering if you knew him or something.”

“I don’t know. What’s his name?” Jimin asked. Yunjin referred to the computer screen again.

“Uh… Jeon Jeongguk.”

And that sent Jimin into a tailspin.

Jeongguk wasn’t riding the subway everyday anymore because he was smug about the fact that he could see Jimin whenever he wanted now. He had even confirmed it with Jimin last night before the end of their (in Jimin’s opinion) perfect first real date. So Jimin spent his entire ride home that afternoon panicking and contemplating whether or not to confront Jeongguk about it and ask why he didn’t tell Jimin he was going to book in.

“Huh? Are you knocking on my door?”

“Let me in,” Jimin insisted, pushing past Namjoon into Namjoon’s apartment and kicking off his shoes. “I need your opinion on something, and I also need to raid your pantry for a snack. I’m hungry. What do you have to eat?”

“I actually had a great morning at work, Jimin, thanks for asking,” Namjoon replied airily as he adjusted his glasses and shuffled behind Jimin. “You’re welcome to make some ramyeon. Help yourself.”

JImin threw open the pantry and found the ramyeon he wanted, and then he leaned back and gave Namjoon a look.

“Do you have your mom’s kimchi?” he asked. Namjoon winked and shot him a finger gun, and Jimin shook his fist in victory and yanked out the pack of ramyeon. Once the kettle was on to boil, he leaned against the kitchen countertop. “Your mother’s kimchi could save a nation, first of all. Second of all—Jeongguk booked into the practice for an initial consultation with me and he didn’t tell me.”

“Ooh, how romantic,” Namjoon said as he plopped down on the couch and roughly brushed one hand over his short hair.

“That’s all you have to say?” Jimin asked, raising both eyebrows and stretching his hands across the countertop dramatically. “I agonized all day long, and you’re going to make it that simple?”

“Oh, sorry, does it need to be complicated?” Namjoon wondered, picking up his book. “He probably wants to surprise you and have a cute little moment with you.”

“Okay, I—right. I acknowledge that,” Jimin said, drumming his hands on the countertop impatiently. Turning over one shoulder, he added, “But I don’t know if he thought about how difficult it’s going to be for me to explain what I’m doing to him when he’s fucking face down on a chiropractic table.”

“Oh.” Namjoon lowered his book. “Right. Didn’t think about that. Well, we solved the mystery about how he drives, so I’m sure you can solve this one, too.”

“Did your brain fall out of your skull?” Jimin asked in exasperation as the kettle began to boil, and Namjoon snickered. “How he drives isn’t a mystery, hyung, for Christ’s sake.”

“No, but how I drive is a mystery,” Namjoon pointed out.

“You don’t drive for the sake of world peace,” Jimin agreed as he poured the water into the cup of ramyeon and tossed the sauce packet on top to close the lid flap. “My problem is that initial consultations are usually an hour, and I don’t know if I can do all the texting back and forth with him when I should be focusing on how to maintain his spinal health. You know what I mean?”

“Ah, right. That’s time consuming. What did you do when you went to the bar?” Namjoon asked. “Didn’t you say you had an interpreter?”

“Kind of. That was his best friend,” Jimin replied, but then he froze. “Hyung, you’re a genius. An absolute genius.”

“So my brain is still in my skull, is what you’re saying,” Namjoon said as Jimin pulled his phone out and scrolled through his contacts until he found MIN YOONGI. Jimin dialed the number and put it on speaker as he squeezed the sauce into his cup of ramyeon. The phone rang once, twice—

“Hello, this is Min Yoongi.”

“Yoongi-ssi?” Jimin grabbed some chopsticks. “Hi. This is Park Jimin. You gave me your number at—”

“Yeah, yeah, I know, I know, I know who you are,” Yoongi insisted, his tone changing immediately. “Are you calling me about a Jeongguk-related emergency?”

“Actually, yeah. I am,” Jimin said, stirring the ramyeon vigorously. “My receptionist at my practice said this morning that I have a new patient booked in for tomorrow.”

“God, he’s such a little asshole,” Yoongi sighed, and Jimin pursed his lips to hide his laughter. “Bet he didn’t even tell you. He probably thinks surprising you is a good idea. Or that it’s romantic.”

“That’s what I said!” Namjoon exclaimed from the couch.

“Sorry. That’s my friend—wait, you know him. That’s Kim Namjoon,” Jimin said, watching the steam billow from his cup of noodles.

“Your ex-boyfriend who’s fucking my boss?” Yoongi asked without missing a beat.

“The very same,” Jimin confirmed, and Namjoon rolled his eyes and slouched into the sofa further, picking up his book again like he was disgruntled over being recognized as Seokjin’s almost-boyfriend.

“So Jeongguk booked in to see you and you’re probably panicking because you have a lot of medical terminology to talk about and not enough sign language to cover it,” Yoongi deduced.

“Exactly,” Jimin sighed. “And it’s tomorrow. I know you work on Tuesdays, but I was wondering… if you knew someone who could interpret for me.”

“Hm.” Yoongi clicked his tongue a few times in thought. “Well, I could contact the local interpreting service that I know, bu-u-u-u-t… you know what? Leave it with me. I might be able to call in a favor. I have connections. If you don’t hear from me by tonight, just assume that you’ll have someone there tomorrow. And text me the address of your practice.”

“You’re my hero,” Jimin praised, and Yoongi just grunted in acknowledgment before the call ended. Jimin hastily slurped up some ramyeon as he texted Yoongi the address for TLC.

“That’s the guy who manages Seokjin’s café and interprets for Jeongguk?” Namjoon asked. Slurping up more noodles, Jimin nodded, hovering over the cup. “He sounds like he should be the hyung-nim of a gang or some big mafia boss. You’re telling me that guy cuddles the cats?”

“Go to Rata-Cat-Cat and see him for yourself,” Jimin said, stirring the ramyeon as Yoongi sent back a thumbs up like he was a boomer. “He’s there five days a week at least. You can’t miss him. Plus, you should get to know Seokjin’s friends.”

“I’m still getting to know Seokjin, thank you very much,” Namjoon replied.

“You’re getting to know your way around his dick, hyung,” Jimin pointed out, and Namjoon snorted gracelessly, slouching again on the couch.

“Yeah, well, at least you finally caught up,” he taunted as his front door opened thanks to someone typing in the keypad code.

“Uh, you know what would be really nice?” Hoseok marched into the apartment, still dressed in his clothes from work. He spotted Jimin immediately, and Jimin just hummed while slurping up more ramyeon. “It would be nice if you waited for your best friend before frolicking off to Gangnam Station without me.”

“You—!” Jimin coughed and choked on the spiciness of the ramyeon, so he reached for the bottle of water on the countertop and cracked it open to chug some water. “You told me to go,” he accused hoarsely, still clearing his throat.

“Yeah, and then I remembered that you said Jeongguk won’t be on the subway as much anymore, you dickhead, so you could’ve waited for me. Give me that,” Hoseok snapped, snatching the ramyeon out of Jimin’s hands, including the chopsticks, so he could take a bite himself. “Now, what’s this Yunjin told me about Jeongguk booking in to see you?”

So Jimin regurgitated the story, incessantly checking his phone in fear that Yoongi would get back to him and say it was impossible. But even after dinnertime, his phone was silent. The only messages he had were from Jeongguk.

JEONGGUKIE 🤟 [10:14PM]
My parents just video called me

I told them all about you

Thy already said they want to meet you but I told them to back off for now ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

JIMIN [10:15PM]
Don’t you think it’s too soon to meet the parents…? ㅋㅋ

JEONGGUKIE 🤟 [10:16PM]
Of course it is

That’s why I told them to back off

Haven’t even made it official with you yet ;)

JIMIN [10:18PM]
Ohhhhh ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

JEONGGUKIE 🤟 [10:19PM]
Don’t worry baby there’s no pressure for that

We’re taking our time, aren’t we?

Doing it right

Making sure we both want this

JIMIN [10:22PM]
Ughhhhhhh I like you so much Jeon Jeongguk

You’re driving me crazy ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Don’t say things like that

JEONGGUKIE 🤟 [10:23PM]
Oh, does that turn you on? I’ll remember that next time I get you naked

But goodnight for now ;) ❤️

JIMIN [10:24PM]
Goodnight, babe

Jimin then brushed his teeth vigorously while pressing one fist to the bathroom countertop, because now was not the time to get hard. He had to endure an entire “surprise” consultation with Jeongguk tomorrow. He needed to be professional, not horny.

Definitely didn’t help that he woke up hard yet again.

“YAH, JIMIN-AH! HURRY UP!”

“Sorry, sorry, sorry,” Jimin hastily apologized as he rushed out of the bedroom, shoving his phone into his pocket. “Thanks, hyung. Looks good.”

“Yeah, well, no comments about the taste,” Hoseok requested, sliding Jimin his iced coffee to go. “What the hell took you so long?”

“Jeongguk,” Jimin replied as he reached for his shoes.

“At this hour?”

“Read between the lines, hyung.”

“Disgusting. Disgusting, I hate it, I hate you, you’re vile,” Hoseok rattled off, breezing past Jimin to grab his own shoes. Jimin snickered.

“I literally had to tell you not to have phone sex on Sunday night while I was around,” he retorted. “So don’t give me that shit.”

“Yeah, well, I decided to video call Yesung with headphones on instead,” Hoseok answered with a devious grin. “And he and I were very productive with no need to talk dirty, thank you for asking.”

“I didn’t,” Jimin whispered, patting Hoseok’s ass affectionately as they both headed out the front door.

Naturally, Jimin spent all morning worrying. Despite having two clients on the table in his adjustment room at a time on a busy Tuesday, his mind was elsewhere, so he tapped into his instincts and went on autopilot, adjusting every patient according to all their needs and smiling when each patient promised to book in for a follow-up session at Jimin’s request. He worked his adjustment room like a well-oiled machine—patients in, patients out, rotating smoothly with Yunjin’s help at the front desk and Hoseok’s laughter echoing throughout the practice from the other adjusting room across the hall.

Right around lunchtime, as Jimin was shoving some gimbap into his mouth, he heard Yunjin apologize for eating as she greeted someone who had just walked into the practice, and Jimin’s heart plummeted. Was Jeongguk here already? Was—?

He heard another female voice. Relieved, Jimin wiped off his hands, quickly brushed his teeth, and hurried out of his small office space to see what was happening in the lobby, since it was almost time for Jeongguk’s appointment.

Yunjin was still eating her huge salad, but she was chatting quietly and happily with a pretty young woman who was loitering near the reception desk. Bangs, short black hair cut above the shoulders, cute face, kind smile.

“Hi, are you the interpreter?” Jimin asked the woman. She immediately turned and bowed to Jimin.

“Yes, hi. I’m Kim Chaewon,” she introduced herself, offering her hand for Jimin to shake. “Nice to meet you. I’m interpreting for an initial chiropractic consultation?”

“If that’s okay, yeah,” Jimin said with a smile, beckoning. “The patient is a friend of mine. He didn’t tell me that he booked in, but his name is on my schedule, so I scrambled to get an interpreter through a friend. Thank you so much for coming.”

“Oh, it’s no problem,” Chaewon said with a scrunch of her nose and a shrug. “I’ve known Min Yoongi for a long time. Our parents are friends, so he called in a favor, since I’m a qualified interpreter. I’m happy I was available.”

“Thank you so much,” Jimin said with another bow, and then he heard the door of the building open. Seconds later, the glass door of the practice opened, and Jeongguk walked in. He had his AirPods in, which told Jimin he had taken the subway. His clothes were perfect for a chiropractic visit and definitively “Jeongguk”—black baggy gym shorts, black t-shirt, black anorak with the hood up, nice white Nike sneakers.

“Oh, look, it’s my new patient,” Jimin said airily as Jeongguk removed his AirPods one at a time with a bewildered look on his face. Chaewon immediately began interpreting as Jimin spoke, and Jeongguk raised his eyebrows.

“What’s this?” he signed with a little smile, something that Jimin understood.

“You know that I can see when a new patient books in for an initial consultation, right?” Jimin asked, crossing his arms. “Did you think you were gonna pull a fast one on me?”

“I was going for the element of surprise,” Jeongguk replied as Chaewon interpreted seamlessly. “You got an interpreter just for me? That quickly?”

“I’m a man of many talents,” Jimin said. “I figured an interpreter would be nice, since there’s a lot of medical terminology I might need to use that I don’t know how to sign.”

Jeongguk slowly nodded, still looking a bit stunned at how quickly the tables were turned on him. Jimin just grinned and held out one hand, and Yunjin passed over a clipboard.

“You know the drill,” Jimin said as he gave Jeongguk the clipboard with the intake form. “Fill out all of your details, and be specific. Indicate areas for improvement, anywhere that hurts, any medical conditions, medical history, etcetera.”

“I could fill out these forms with my eyes closed at this point,” Jeongguk replied, but he accepted a pen and shrugged his backpack to the floor, settling down on one of the waiting room couches and getting to work. Chaewon decided to go sit nearby Jeongguk just in case he needed to ask her anything, and Jimin stayed in the reception area for the same reason. But he turned his back to Jeongguk and looked at Yunjin specifically.

“You know how I said I’ve been seeing a guy with tattoos?” he said quietly. Yunjin bit the prongs of her fork, wiggling her chair with a grin.

“That’s the guy?” she asked, and Jimin nodded. “He’s super cute. Way to go.”

Jimin smirked proudly, watching as Jeongguk filled out the forms and signed some one-handed things to Chaewon every now and again. It was fascinating to Jimin, watching Jeongguk speak his own language so fluently with other people. It also sparked a bit of envy in him, but gave him the motivation to do better.

Jeongguk handed over the clipboard with the form filled out entirely, sliding his hands into the pockets of his anorak and chewing on his lip rings as Jimin pored over the details. Age 26. Born September 1st. Emergency contact #1: Jeon Jinhyuk (father). Emergency contact #2: Min Yoongi (friend). Notable medical conditions past or present: profoundly Deaf from birth, ADHD, congenital heart defect, migraines. And then he had circled several areas of concern on the diagram of the body—right side of the neck, shoulders, lower back, hips.

“Awesome. You can follow me into the adjusting room,” Jimin said with a smile, tilting his head towards his room. Chaewon went first when Jimin gestured to her, and with her back turned, Jeongguk grabbed Jimin’s hand and squeezed quickly before he brushed by, a small smile on his face. Jimin glanced over his shoulder at Yunjin, who was just eating with a grin on her face, using her fork to point to where Hoseok was locked in his own room with a new client.

“Don’t you dare,” Jimin hissed, and Yunjin just shrugged and stabbed some more lettuce onto her fork.

Jimin entered his adjusting room and closed the door for privacy, noticing that Jeongguk was gazing around the room in interest.

“Where is this artwork from?” he asked.

“Honestly, I can’t remember,” Jimin admitted, setting the clipboard down. “If only I knew a really talented artist who understood my tastes and would accept full payment for a beautiful canvas of art to hang on my adjusting room wall.”

“Damn. Don’t twist my arm. Okay. I’ll do it,” Jeongguk replied, and even Chaewon had to hide her giggle as she interpreted. Jimin grinned and looked down at the intake form, lifting it at one corner to look over all of the information again.

“You wrote here that you’ve had plenty of chiropractic adjustments before, and that you’ve been manually adjusted. ‘Cracked,’ for lack of a better word,” Jimin said with air quotes. Jeongguk nodded.

“Yeah, I went to a chiropractor a lot when I was a teenager because of growing pains and stuff. It helped me a lot,” he answered. “I haven’t been in a couple of years, but I know the drill.”

“Then are you comfortable with me adjusting you today?” Jimin asked. “I don’t always adjust during initial consultations, but if you’d like to be adjusted manually, I’m happy to do so. Otherwise, I can just do less, uh… I’ll call them ‘invasive’ adjustments. Gentle adjustments.”

“No, no, no. Adjust me manually. Crack me like a glow stick, daddy,” Jeongguk replied, and then he burst out laughing as Jimin snorted and covered his face in embarrassment.

“I’m so sorry you had to interpret that,” he apologized to Chaewon with a bow, but Chaewon just giggled.

“Oh, it’s fine. Normally, I’m very professional when I’m agency-hired. I interpret literally everything. But since this is a favor, Yoongi warned me that his friend likes to make a lot of ridiculous jokes, so I was prepared,” she said while also signing, and Jeongguk smacked his thigh and snapped his fingers.

“I knew it was Yoongi who helped arrange this,” he said, sitting up triumphantly. Jimin gestured to his table.

“Have a seat on the edge of the table,” he instructed. “Let’s see if we can work out how to do this so that there isn’t any miscommunication. I want to make sure that you know what I’m doing and that you’re comfortable.”

Jeongguk sat on the edge of the table, and Jimin cracked his own knuckles a few times and set his hands on his hips, standing in front of Jeongguk.

“Basically, what I’m going to be doing is assessing your overall spinal health through an initial consultation. We don’t do x-rays here, so if you’d like x-rays done of your spine, let me know and I can give you a referral,” Jimin explained as Jeongguk nodded. “I’m going to see if I can address the main concerns that you’ve noted on your intake form and set up a potential regular adjustment for you if you’re willing to have regular adjustments. Does that sound okay?”

“Sounds perfect,” Jeongguk replied, and Jimin took a deep breath, composing himself. Jeongguk was mostly staring at his lips as Jimin spoke, but every now and again, he would check Chaewon’s interpreting and look into Jimin’s eyes. He still seemed rather surprised by Chaewon’s presence, but Jimin couldn’t deny how much easier it made the consultation.

“I’ve thought about this a lot, so if you’re cool with it, we can try a tapping system so that you know what to do. There’s some breathwork involved in your adjustments. So I was thinking three taps for inhale, two taps for exhale so I can deliver the adjustment. Is that okay?” Jimin asked. He melted as Jeongguk watched him intently as he spoke, his eyes only flicking to Chaewon again for quick glances.

“That’s good,” Jeongguk agreed with a soft smile.

“And if I want you to flip over onto your back or lift your head so I can tell you something… maybe… oh. Maybe I can scratch your scalp quickly,” Jimin offered, wiggling his fingers in a matching motion. Dimples indented Jeongguk’s cheeks.

“Sounds perfect, doctor,” he replied. “I trust you.”

“Good. Lie on your stomach, then. Take a few deep breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth. Bring your breath up towards the top of the chest near the heart. Let me see what I’m working with,” Jimin rattled off. Jeongguk nodded and swung his legs up, and then he rolled onto his stomach and got comfortable on the table.

[“cool” by dua lipa] 

It took every ounce of willpower Jimin had not to just start giving Jeongguk an affectionate massage or a small kiss on the temple as he worked. He was so tempted, and it felt like torture, but he was also giddy and slightly stunned that Jeongguk was lying on his adjusting table right now. He had skateboarded with Jeongguk on Sunday, and it seemed like Jeongguk’s idea of returning the favor and checking out part of Jimin’s life was to book in an adjustment.

Jimin closed his eyes for a moment as he ran his hands up and down Jeongguk’s back and spine, palpating carefully, finding areas of tension that matched what Jeongguk had written on his forms. He noted a misaligned ribcage, potentially misaligned hips, one leg being slightly longer than the other—little things that Jimin could easily work with. Gently, Jimin ran one hand up to Jeongguk’s neck and moved his fingers to feel the vertebrae, the muscles and joints, each spinous process. C1 is out of alignment. C2 might need some attention. L5 definitely needs adjusting…

He went through everything in his head, noticing tightness and discomfort around the neck and tiredness in the scalp as Jeongguk lay perfectly still, breathing deeply as instructed. Pleased, Jimin reached up and scratched Jeongguk’s scalp, and Jeongguk immediately flipped over onto his back, settling in. The moment Jimin came to stand near his head, Jeongguk scrunched his nose in a smile that nearly made Jimin collapse.

“Don’t look cute right now. I’m trying to concentrate,” he scolded, sliding his hands beneath Jeongguk’s head to palpate his neck again. Jeongguk’s eyes flicked over to Chaewon, and when she interpreted, he grinned, closing his eyes, tongue playing with his lip rings repeatedly. Jimin clicked his tongue and scratched Jeongguk’s scalp again, and Jeongguk opened one eye.

“Relax your jaw. Don’t play with your lip rings,” Jimin said softly. Jeongguk immediately stopped, still grinning as he signed an apology, and he folded his hands onto his abdomen, relaxing his head into Jimin’s hands. Jimin carefully tilted Jeongguk’s head in different directions to assess mobility, and he replaced Jeongguk’s head on the headrest and moved to jot down a few quick observation notes.

“Is there anything bad?” Jeongguk asked, and Jimin turned back around and shook his head.

“No. Not bad at all. There’s definitely some work to do to make you more comfortable and give you more mobility in your neck and spine overall, but you take good care of yourself,” Jimin praised, wiggling his fingers. “I’ll start adjusting now, if that’s okay. Roll onto your stomach for me.”

Jeongguk rolled, and Jimin began to palpate again to find what he wanted to adjust. With his hands in the correct spot, he used a few fingers to rapidly tap Jeongguk’s back three times, and he felt Jeongguk inhale. He tapped twice, and as Jeongguk exhaled, Jimin delivered the adjustment. Immediately after, he ran his hand over Jeongguk’s back to feel the change, satisfied. Quickly, he found one more spot that needed his attention, so he repeated the same thing with the tapping, and Jeongguk responded appropriately.

“Flip over onto your back,” Jimin said even though Jeongguk couldn’t hear him, scratching Jeongguk’s scalp. Jeongguk rolled, and Jimin moved to his head, carefully cradling it and palpating with his fingers. Jeongguk cracked open his eyes, and when Jimin looked down at him, they both smiled. Jimin fought the urge to bend down and kiss Jeongguk’s forehead.

“Breathe in,” Jimin said as he used a finger to tap near Jeongguk’s jaw three times. Jeongguk inhaled, and as he exhaled when told, Jimin delivered the next adjustment, savoring the satisfying crack as he gently set Jeongguk’s head back down. “Roll onto your right side for me.”

Jimin pointed to Chaewon, who interpreted for Jeongguk, so Jeongguk rolled. Jimin bent one of Jeongguk’s knees and easily delivered the next hip aligning adjustment on the right and then the left. Jimin asked Jeongguk to straddle the table, and Jeongguk obliged, swinging one leg over and sitting up nice and straight.

“Chaewon-ssi, can I ask you to come in front of him here? Thank you,” Jimin said gratefully as Chaewon moved positions. Jimin stood on Jeongguk’s right and began to touch along his spine to find what he wanted. “Cross your arms and hug yourself for me. Tuck your chin and just relax… I’m going to lean you back and adjust you that way. Bear with me.”

Jeongguk did everything Jimin asked, and Jimin reached around to basically side-hug Jeongguk, keeping him aligned as he found what he wanted in Jeongguk’s lumbar vertebrae. He brought Jeongguk back and tapped him to breathe in, and as he exhaled, Jimin applied pressure for the adjustment, letting it settle for a fleeting moment.

“Nice,” he whispered mostly to himself, and before he brought Jeongguk upright again, he made sure he was covering them from Chaewon’s view as he gently kissed Jeongguk’s cheek. Blushing, he brought Jeongguk upright again and walked off to make a few notes, clearing his throat. When he turned back around, Jeongguk was watching him with a happy pink tinge to his cheeks—good color thanks to a good adjustment. His eyes were soft, and he had a tiny smile on his face.

“Just a few more in the hands, wrists, and elbows,” Jimin declared, standing in front of Jeongguk. As he took one of Jeongguk’s hands and started adjusting his wrists and fingers with satisfying pops, he smiled. “How are you feeling?”

“I feel great. As expected, you’re good at your job. A superhero, in my opinion,” Jeongguk signed with his free hand, winking at Jimin. Jimin clicked his tongue and suppressed his smile, taking Jeongguk’s other hand and getting to work.

“You’re more than welcome to set up a follow-up adjustment with me,” he said conversationally, knowing that Jeongguk coming in for another Tuesday would be the highlight of his week. “After that, if you want to continue your care, Hoseok can work with you. He’s great.”

“Well, seeing as I currently feel like I could fall asleep on the table and my neck pain is gone, maybe I should,” Jeongguk said, grinning. Jimin yanked on Jeongguk’s thumb, and then he patted the top of Jeongguk’s hand.

“All done. Let me talk you through everything that I worked on.”

Jimin detailed everything for Jeongguk and used his diagram of the spine to show his work, and Jeongguk listened intently. Even as he explained everything, Jimin couldn’t help but find it fascinating how quickly Chaewon could interpret things and how Jeongguk asked all of the right questions, fixing his eyes on Jimin as he signed instead of Chaewon.

“Did I surprise you?” Jeongguk asked as they exited the adjustment room.

“Mm, only a little,” Jimin replied with a grin. “Yunjin spoiled it for you. That’s how I ended up bagging Chaewon. Oh—hyung! Hyung, come here.”

Hoseok’s door was open, and he came running as if he had been eavesdropping on the conversation.

“Hyung, this is Jeon Jeongguk. Jeongguk, this is Jung Hoseok, my roommate. He can continue your chiropractic care in the future if you want,” Jimin introduced. Jeongguk bowed and offered his hand, and Hoseok shook it vigorously.

“Wait, wait, wait,” Hoseok said, waving one hand. He stepped back, and then he signed hello from memory, from watching Jimin practice so much. Jeongguk snorted with laughter and gave Hoseok a slow clap, earning a laugh from Hoseok, too.

“It’s nice to meet you. Jimin talks about you all the time,” Jeongguk signed as Chaewon interpreted for them.

“Oh, God. You should hear the shit he says about you,” Hoseok replied. “The amount of thirst trap videos he’s moaned and groaned over—”

“Enough, enough, be quiet,” Jimin interrupted, smacking his hand over Hoseok’s mouth as Jeongguk pushed his tongue against the back of his top teeth, grinning. Hoseok swatted Jimin away playfully.

“Well, if any of us ever have the time, we should all get together. I don’t know sign language, but I’m sure we can figure it out,” Hoseok offered, and Jeongguk nodded. “I have two clients in about five minutes, but it was nice to finally meet you in person, Jeongguk. I’ve seen a thousand videos of you, so—”

“Okay, you know what? Your clients are here early. Isn’t that wild? Wow, look at the time. It’s time to do your job!” Jimin said cheerfully as he pushed Hoseok towards the door of his adjustment room, and Hoseok cackled as he saluted and skipped back into his room, ready to set up for his next two clients.

Yunjin wrapped things up at reception for Jeongguk and booked him in for next Tuesday as Jimin’s last client specifically so that Jeongguk could walk with Jimin to the subway station. As a few clients were strolling in for their after-lunch appointments, Jimin motioned to Yunjin that he was going to step outside for a moment, and she gave him a knowing smile, tilting her head towards the door.

“Chaewon-ssi? Thank you so much for interpreting,” Jimin said with gratitude, bowing to Chaewon as they all exited the practice. “I owe you big time.”

“Yoongi is the one who owes me now, so don’t worry. It was my pleasure,” Chaewon said with a grin, adjusting her bag on one shoulder. “Jeongguk, it was really nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you, too,” Jeongguk signed with a bow. “Thank you so much.”

Chaewon departed with a multitude of bows and smiles and waves, and the very moment that she was out of sight, Jeongguk grabbed Jimin by the wrist and spun him into a quiet corner away from curious eyes. His lips were on Jimin’s lips so fast that Jimin didn’t even have time to breathe.

“Baby,” Jimin whispered with a smile, his hands gripping Jeongguk’s waist as Jeongguk dove back in for another kiss, his hands on either side of Jimin’s face. Jimin melted into it, forgetting that he still had a solid two hours of work and at least twenty more clients to get through before then.

Jeongguk pulled away and brushed his nose against Jimin’s nose. Giddy, Jimin rose up on his toes and kissed the tip of Jeongguk’s nose, which made him laugh.

“Thank you for helping me,” Jeongguk signed. “Really. I feel so much better now. You have magic hands.”

“No, no, no,” Jimin laughed, shaking his head. “It’s my job. You’re a good… patient.” He fingerspelled the last word. Jeongguk offered the sign for it, so Jimin repeated the sentence again for practice. “Thank you for coming. You made me so happy.”

Jeongguk brushed his fingers beneath Jimin’s chin and pulled him in for another quick kiss. “I can wait for you to finish and we can take the subway together.”

“No, it’s okay. That’s two hours of waiting,” Jimin signed, shaking his head with a small smile. “It’s okay. Really. You go home and rest.”

“Okay. I’m gonna take a nap,” Jeongguk signed with a grin. “Work hard, sweetheart. I’ll talk to you later tonight.”

Jimin knew without a doubt that he was blushing into the last kiss before Jeongguk walked off. No one called him “sweetheart” without making Jimin’s skin flush an entirely different shade. And Jeongguk was no exception; in fact, it was even more agonizing to hear it from him, because the expression on his face with the sign…

Jimin blew out a breath. He then turned and pulled open the door to the practice like it weighed ten thousand pounds, wondering how he was supposed to concentrate worth a damn for another two hours.

✩࿐

Going out with Jeongguk to blow off some steam had not been on Jimin’s to-do list, but now he was wondering why not.

["rush” by troye sivan] 

Even though he was working, Jeongguk had asked Jimin at the last minute to come to SEVEN on Saturday night, and Jimin had obliged, especially knowing that Jeongguk was only working part of the night shift from seven o’clock to eleven o’clock. Jimin showed up at quarter to eleven, not sure what to expect. But Jeongguk was ready for him.

He handed Jimin a drink right away, his own drink in one hand. He pulled Jimin onto the dance floor in the middle of the crowd of people, pulling him in close. And even though Jeongguk couldn’t hear what song was playing, he told Jimin he could feel the vibrations of the bass from both the floor and through his drink. That much was evident when he began to dance with Jimin exactly to the beat of the music, Jimin’s hips against his, his lips on Jimin’s neck.

Jimin had never been one for a life of spontaneity, but Jeongguk had come in like a hurricane, and Jimin had never been more grateful for the storm. He was drowning in it, Jeongguk’s hands like waves on his body, his lips like a kiss on the shoreline, and Jimin was letting the undertow take him away. He melted into Jeongguk’s arms and danced and drank and forgot damn near everything about his tough work week. All he knew was Jeongguk.

It wasn’t until an hour later that Jimin’s phone vibrated, because Jeongguk was texting him.

JEONGGUKIE 🤟 [12:34AM]
Come home with me

I need you

Don’t care how

Please

And this time, Jimin agreed.

They were both bordering on drunk when the taxi pulled up to SEVEN, but they held it together long enough for Jimin to confirm Jeongguk’s address so that Jeongguk didn’t need to type anything into his phone. Pleased, Jeongguk held up his fist, and Jimin bumped it before they both fell back into the seat, unable to keep their hands off one another.

And the touching didn’t stop for a single second as they got out of the taxi. Jimin fell into Jeongguk’s arms in the elevator, pushing him into the corner to kiss him, Jeongguk’s hands wandering to dangerous places. They hit the walls of the hallway, giggling and tangled up in one another. Jeongguk started dramatically pacing when he couldn’t remember his keypad code for about thirty seconds, but then it finally dawned on him, and the door opened.

“Bedroom,” Jimin signed immediately, and Jeongguk grinned. It was then as if they were leaving a trail, because as they stumbled towards Jeongguk’s bedroom in a desperate attempt to remain connected, they kicked their shoes off messily, tripping over their own feet. Jimin gasped into Jeongguk’s mouth when Jeongguk went right for the button of Jimin’s jeans, and Jimin let him do it. They bumped into a barstool, both of them giggling, Jimin reaching for the bottom hem of Jeongguk’s shirt. He had no idea what he wanted, only that he wanted Jeongguk.

They tumbled onto the bed together in the dark, and Jeongguk reached over and flicked on a mood lamp that made the room look like a galaxy of purple and pink stars. It was hilarious and romantic at the same time, but Jimin was too horny and too tipsy to think about mood lighting right now. He just pulled his own shirt off and threw it to the side, and Jeongguk did the same. Back and forth they undressed until they were down to underwear, but it was Jimin who stopped them, breathless as he settled into Jeongguk’s lap.

“Hold on, baby. Slow down,” he whispered as Jeongguk stared at his lips. He must have understood in some capacity, because he began to trail gentle kisses down Jimin’s neck and onto his collarbone, reaching for his phone. The screen illuminating his face, he typed in a message and showed Jimin.

“We don’t have to do anything you’re not ready to do,” he said. “I just want to touch you. Make you feel good. Can I do that?”

“Do you have lube?” Jimin asked, his heart pounding as the words came up on the screen.

Jeongguk tossed his phone aside like it was trash, reached into his bedside table drawer and returned with some lube. He fingerspelled “lube” first, and then he showed Jimin the sign for future reference before he cradled Jimin gently and laid him back onto the pillows.

“What…?” Jimin breathed, trailing off and shivering when Jeongguk just started kissing down the center of his chest, pausing to drag his tongue over each nipple before he made it to Jimin’s stomach. He kept going until he grabbed the waistband of Jimin’s underwear between his teeth, and Jimin giggled, lifting his hips, unashamed of how aroused he was. He wanted Jeongguk to see him. He wanted Jeongguk to know the effect he had on Jimin.

Jeongguk reached for the lube, his lips still pressed to Jimin’s skin. Jimin’s hands were shaking in anticipation, because the way Jeongguk was rubbing his fingers together told Jimin exactly what was coming. When he felt Jeongguk nudge his knees apart, he held his breath, his cock lying hard against his stomach, sticky with pre-come. Jeongguk’s fingers grazed his rim, and Jimin nodded when Jeongguk looked up at him for permission.

And that was when Jimin got his first glimpse of Heaven.

Jeongguk’s fingers were long, and it felt so incredible that Jimin had to remind himself to breathe. Just one finger had him writhing on the mattress, but the second finger had him moaning.

“J-Jeongguk,” Jimin gasped, choking on the last syllable when Jeongguk curled his fingers. The way Jeongguk was hovering over him and watching his every move was more intoxicating than any alcohol either of them had consumed. He was soaking up every little movement Jimin made, watching the gasps tumble out of Jimin’s mouth, and he was responding accordingly. He twisted his fingers as he pulled out nearly all the way, and then he sank back in up to his knuckles, curling and pressing again. Jimin’s legs jerked as he threw both arms across his face in a moan, but then he felt a hand pat his hip.

“Don’t cover your face,” Jeongguk signed. “I want to see you.”

“Okay, okay,” Jimin said breathlessly, his legs shaking as he slipped one hand behind Jeongguk’s neck. “Kiss me.”

Jeongguk read his lips and bent down for a kiss, and as he traced the seam of Jimin’s lips with his tongue, he pressed his fingers in deeper, and Jimin’s hand smacked against Jeongguk’s back as he gasped, fingernails digging into smooth skin. That only seemed to encourage Jeongguk, because he started to fuck his fingers into Jimin steadily, stroking deeply and watching Jimin’s reactions.

There was something different about having sex with Jeongguk, something entirely unlike any other sexual encounter Jimin had ever had. He had only been in this state of intimacy with Jeongguk twice, but it was the way Jeongguk watched Jimin that made the experience so much more sensual than any other trysts Jimin had had before. He devoured Jimin with his eyes, unrelenting, shameless, and it made Jimin feel exposed in the best way.

“Jeongguk, I’m—J-Jeongguk,” Jimin choked out, his toes curling as Jeongguk’s strokes became more and more confident. “Jeong—oh, oh, oh—”

Jimin’s entire body tensed, his eyes rolling back, legs shaking when Jeongguk’s fingers brushed against his prostate. The way Jeongguk bent and began to kiss down the column of Jimin’s neck to his chest told Jimin that he knew. He knew exactly what he was doing, because he refused to ease up. Every stroke was just against Jimin’s prostate, and Jimin’s vision was blurring, his breath quickening from the pleasure. He could feel Jeongguk’s lips on his waist, on his hip bone, on the juncture of his hip and thigh, and on the inside of his thigh.

“Fuck, fuck, it feels so good, baby, feels—God, I’m—” Jimin was blabbering now, and when he looked down, Jeongguk’s head was still bent, lips pressed to Jimin’s thigh, but his eyes were fixed on Jimin’s face, half-hooded as he turned his had to brush his nose and lips against inside of Jimin’s thigh again, his fingers still stroking.

“Louder,” Jeongguk fingerspelled with one hand, and Jimin let out a choked laugh, out of his mind. He was about to refuse, but then Jeongguk wiggled his fingers just a bit deeper, sliding his other hand beneath Jimin’s thigh to lift his hips slightly, and Jimin lost all ability to think straight. He kicked his heels against the mattress helplessly, calling out Jeongguk’s name in a desperate moan, grabbing at the sheets, and he didn’t even have time to give Jeongguk a warning. He just started coming. The orgasm was so intense that Jimin’s voice died in his throat, and all he saw was Jeongguk’s ceiling through blurred vision as he came. It felt never-ending, and Jeongguk milked it for all it was worth until Jimin’s legs were trembling uncontrollably, his entire body following. His heart was pounding, his head was spinning, but finally, Jeongguk’s fingers relented.

“Fuck. Fuck, oh my God. Oh my God,” Jimin whispered in a breathless daze, his legs falling limp, his entire body spent as he panted. Still, he could feel Jeongguk’s lips pressing gentle kisses to his thighs and his waist, his hands wandering. Jimin could feel the cum all over his abdomen; he could feel it dripping down his waist to the sheets, and he wondered how much of a mess he had made, but Jeongguk didn’t seem to care. He crawled up to hover over Jimin.

“How was that?” he asked with a shit-eating grin.

“You monster,” Jimin signed with emphasis, and Jeongguk let out a throat laugh. “That was the best… orgasm… ever,” he signed, fingerspelling “orgasm” as he tried to compose himself.

“Orgasm,” Jeongguk signed with the same smug grin. “Best orgasm you’ve ever had. That was a prostate orgasm. You’re welcome.”

“I almost died,” Jimin replied with narrowed eyes, and Jeongguk bit his tongue playfully. He caressed Jimin’s thigh as he reached over to grab some tissues from his bedside table, and the moment he wiped Jimin down, Jimin grabbed Jeongguk by the shoulders and flipped the two of them, and then he rolled off the bed. Jeongguk looked confused, but Jimin tugged his ankle a few times, so Jeongguk moved to sit on the edge of the bed.

“Off,” Jimin signed, fingers sneaking into the waistband of Jeongguk’s underwear. Now understanding what was happening, Jeongguk removed his last article of clothing, and Jimin promptly dropped to his knees to both fulfill his duty and because of Jeongguk’s beauty. Was it normal to think someone had a beautiful dick? Was that a thing?

“Can I…?” Jimin asked, glancing up at Jeongguk for permission. Jeongguk looked slightly flustered at the sight of Jimin on his knees, but he nodded, bottom lip between his teeth, so Jimin scooted forward, draping his arms over Jeongguk’s thighs and taking a deep breath.

Nothing like fulfilling a fantasy!

Jimin turned his head and kissed along the inside of Jeongguk’s thigh, sucking at the skin in the hope of leaving his mark. He turned and focused on the other thigh, and then he flattened his tongue against the shaft of Jeongguk’s cock and dragged it to the tip. He heard the shift in Jeongguk’s breathing, so Jimin took Jeongguk into his mouth, breathing in through his nose and hollowing his cheeks, circling his tongue.

The little gasp Jeongguk let out was gratifying; Jimin bobbed his head, his hands gripping Jeongguk’s waist as Jeongguk lifted his hips slightly, sending his cock deeper down Jimin’s throat. Jimin moaned, on the verge of gagging as his eyes watered, but he didn’t slow down or stop. He picked up the pace, in fact, putting his tongue to good use as he sucked on the tip of Jeongguk’s cock before swallowing him down again. He found a good rhythm as Jeongguk’s hand found Jimin’s hair, and when Jimin felt a pull, his heart flipped in excitement, the lingering alcohol in his bloodstream still doing its job.

“More,” Jimin whispered as he pulled off only briefly, but he was too lost in it to say anything else. He wrapped his lips around Jeongguk’s cock again tightly, feeling another harsh tug on his hair that sent a shiver of pleasure down his spine. Another hand grabbed his shoulder, and it felt like encouragement. Jeongguk was thick and hard in his mouth, and Jimin knew he was close—

“Jimin.”

The voice startled Jimin so much that he froze, thinking he had imagined it. There was a moment of silence and fingernails scratching his scalp, so Jimin thought about continuing, but—

“Jimin.”

Stunned, Jimin pulled off entirely, replacing his mouth with one hand as he looked up at Jeongguk. Jeongguk used one hand to grip Jimin’s chin between his thumb and pointer finger, holding Jimin’s gaze.

“Look at me,” he said, and Jimin almost keeled over. Jeongguk’s voice was a bit breathy and throaty, and his enunciation wasn’t as clear as when Jimin spoke, but there was no mistaking what he was saying.

“Your voice,” Jimin whispered, signing the same thing in shock. Jeongguk licked his lips with a grin.

“I want you to look at me,” he said, his thumb brushing over Jimin’s bottom lip. “Keep going.”

The way that Jeongguk then gently pushed Jimin’s head back down was such a turn-on that Jimin almost leapt up and offered to fall on Jeongguk’s cock with his ass like it was a sword and he was in a Shakespearean play. He took Jeongguk back into his mouth immediately, squeezing his cock at the base with a few fingers, and then he did what Jeongguk asked and looked up at him.

Mistake!

Or maybe the best decision Jimin had ever made. Jeongguk raked his fingers through Jimin’s hair and tugged, forcing Jimin to hold his head back and maintain eye contact, and JImin never wavered. He sucked Jeongguk’s cock like his life depended on it, not faltering when he gagged, gripping Jeongguk’s thighs tighter when Jeongguk thrusted and hit the back of his throat. The way Jeongguk was biting his lip made Jimin see stars. When Jeongguk’s breath hitched and his head fell back, Jimin knew he was close.

“Jimin,” Jeongguk gasped out, and Jimin almost collapsed for a second time upon hearing his name spoken so sweetly but with such purpose. When Jeongguk’s body tensed and he spilled down Jimin’s throat, Jimin swallowed every last drop of cum, completely satisfied.

There was some silent fumbling as Jeongguk yanked Jimin to his feet, and then they both tumbled onto the bed, Jimin on top of Jeongguk as he laughed in a daze. When Jeongguk pulled him down for a kiss, Jimin didn’t even question whether or not Jeongguk cared that Jimin had just swallowed his cum. Jeongguk’s tongue was in Jimin’s mouth, Jimin was tracing Jeongguk’s tattoos as they kissed, and Jimin felt like he was now in the eye of a hurricane, enjoying the peaceful paradise of being in Jeongguk’s arms, sleepy and sated.

With his head on Jeongguk’s shoulder, Jimin could feel Jeongguk shifting around and reaching for things, and then he felt a light tap on his arm. Jimin lifted his head to see Jeongguk holding up his phone.

“Easily the best blowjob I’ve ever had in my life,” Jeongguk had typed, and Jimin stifled a laugh, pressing the microphone button for speech-to-text.

“I wasn’t expecting you to speak,” he replied. “Your voice surprised me.”

“Well, I was trying to get your attention to tell you to look at me, but you were too lost in the sauce,” Jeongguk answered, and Jimin giggled, smacking Jeongguk’s chest. “The only way I could get your attention was to speak. I don’t normally talk.”

“I know that. That’s why I was surprised,” Jimin said, and Jeongguk gave him a soft, dreamy smile.

“I prefer my voice turned off at all times. I’ve never liked talking very much,” Jeongguk replied. “But you were worth it.”

“Well, your voice is beautiful,” Jimin said, and when Jeongguk read the words, he lifted his head and kissed Jimin’s cheek. “But we’ll stick to sign language. Unless I’m too caught up in sucking your dick to pay attention.”

“Not that I mind you being caught up in sucking my dick. You’re good at it. Your ass is a masterpiece, too, while we’re at it,” Jeongguk added, and Jimin burst out laughing, smacking Jeongguk wherever he could reach. Jeongguk giggled, squirming, but he kept typing and turned the screen again. “Do you care that I don’t talk much?”

“What do you mean? You never shut up,” Jimin teased, and Jeongguk rolled his eyes, so Jimin patted Jeongguk’s arm and kept doing speech-to-text. “No. Of course I don’t care. As long as you don’t mind that it’s taking me a while to learn your language.”

“There are a million things I like about you,” Jeongguk typed out. “You’re the first guy I’ve dated who’s put in this much effort and stuck with it. In the past, I’ve had to use my voice a lot more, so it’s really nice that I can just be me.”

“We need to find you better people to date,” Jimin said with a soft smile, crawling his fingers up the center of Jeongguk’s chest. Jeongguk raised one eyebrow.

“There’s only one person I want to date right now,” he replied, and Jimin’s heart fluttered happily. “He’s really smart and funny and compassionate, and he has really pretty eyes that smile when he smiles. He’s a doctor. He does yoga. His ass is phenomenal.”

“Stop it,” Jimin laughed, rolling on top of Jeongguk again as Jeongguk embraced him with a dimpled grin, lowering his phone.

“Sleep here tonight,” Jeongguk signed when Jimin pressed up slightly. “Don’t go home.”

“Are you sure?” Jimin whispered and signed simultaneously.

“Absolutely,” Jeongguk replied, practically cutting Jimin off. “Please stay. Sleep here.”

“Okay.” Jimin didn’t hesitate. What was there to even think about? Of course he was going to stay. He had been dreaming of sleeping in Jeongguk’s arms for weeks now, and tonight, he could make it a reality.

“I have an extra toothbrush,” Jeongguk signed with a grin; Jimin only guessed “toothbrush” because of the way Jeongguk signed it. With a little laugh, Jeongguk lifted his phone up again and typed. “I bought one last week because I’ve been trying to work up the courage to ask you to sleep over.”

Jimin smiled as he slid his hands on either side of Jeongguk’s face to kiss him. Jeongguk once again tossed his phone aside and wrapped both arms around Jimin’s waist, deepening the kiss, and Jimin sank into the feeling.

Honestly, he would’ve brought his own toothbrush.

✩࿐

Chapter Text

[moodboard by andy]

✩࿐

Jeongguk snored when he slept.

It wasn’t super loud or enough to keep Jimin awake; it was more of the endearing type of snoring that showed he was either in a deep sleep or he had hayfever. Either way, when Jimin woke up, he was lying on his back, and Jeongguk was curled up on his shoulder, one hand fisting the material of Jimin’s shirt. His cheeks were a bit pink from sleep and the warmth of being under a blanket on a summer morning in early August, his hair was tousled, and his lips were parted as he slept while lightly snoring.

Uh oh.

Jimin stared up at the ceiling, suddenly wide awake. He didn’t dare to move, because if he did, he might start feeling things he didn’t need to be feeling just over one month into their relationship.

Like love.

[“take a chance with me” by niki] 

Love was dangerous. It was far too soon to be feeling anything like that, wasn’t it? Surely he was just a bit hungover from last night’s escapade. How could Jimin possibly love someone he hadn’t even known a couple months ago? How could he lie in Jeongguk’s arms and think about love right now?

…Easily, apparently.

“Good morning,” Jeongguk signed sleepily, rubbing his face into Jimin’s shoulder a few times and smacking his lips, eyes barely open. With a racing heart, Jimin used one hand to comb through Jeongguk’s messy hair, bending to kiss his forehead.

“Good morning, baby,” Jimin murmured, signing only the first part. The “baby” was just for him right now. Nothing like waking up terrified!

“You’re like a teddy bear,” Jeongguk signed with one hand slowly. “I slept so well.”

“It was the blowjob,” Jimin signed jokingly, and Jeongguk snickered tiredly, scooting up so he could nuzzle into Jimin’s neck, leaving a soft kiss there. He was awfully cuddly in the morning. Definitely not helping with Jimin’s tumultuous feelings.

Love. I love you. Do I love you? Am I out of my mind? I love you. Is that true? Do I? Way too soon. Is it? Is it too soon to love you? Do I really love you?

Lazy Sundays were a rare thing for Jimin; he was usually up and about, going out for a run, hanging out in a yoga class, cooking an early lunch. He was active, never liked to vegetate too much for long periods of time. But if his Sundays were going to consist of waking up with Jeongguk from now on, then maybe he didn’t need to be active.

Unless he needed to distract himself from that feeling.

Jeongguk wrapped one arm around Jimin’s hip and propped up on his elbow, and Jimin started tracing Jeongguk’s tattoos idly, enjoying the feeling of Jeongguk’s hand massaging his hip and the way Jeongguk’s eyes were glued to him.

“Do you want breakfast?” Jeongguk signed curiously. “Or… do you want to stay in bed?”

“Stay in bed,” Jimin replied immediately with a grin. “A little longer.”

“Okay. Let’s watch TV.”

Jimin giggled as Jeongguk rolled with a little grunt and grabbed the remote on his bedside table, and he pointed it at the wall opposite the foot of his bed. There was a small flat-screen TV mounted on the wall, and when it turned on, the morning news program was playing. Jimin yawned and stretched as Jeongguk reached for his phone, and then he tilted the screen towards Jimin.

“See that dude in the bottom right corner signing? That’s for me. I’m special,” he bragged, referencing the man in a suit signing the news headlines in the corner. Jimin snickered and rested his head on Jeongguk’s shoulder, snuggling in further under the blankets and tangling his ankles with Jeongguk’s ankles. The closed captions were on, but the volume was turned all the way down. Jimin tapped Jeongguk’s chest and twisted so Jeongguk could see him.

“Turn the volume up,” he said, tapping his ear and then pointing towards the ceiling a few times before gesturing to the TV. Jimin saw it dawn on Jeongguk that he had a hearing person in his bed, and he stifled a laugh as Jeongguk navigated to the TV controls using his phone and turned up the volume.

“Sorry,” Jeongguk apologized. “I forgot.”

Even as they watched TV, Jimin kept finding that his eyes drifted toward the man signing in the bottom corner. His pride inflated when he realized he understood a bit of the headlines being read, but his ego was crushed when it became too fast for him to comprehend.

Still, cuddling up to Jeongguk on a Sunday morning while Jeongguk idly played with his hair was Jimin’s idea of a perfect day. They were likely both a little hungover, and Jimin was still reeling at the mere thought of how long Jeongguk’s fingers were, but the sun was streaming through the window of the bedroom and Jimin was comfortable.

He could get used to this—

The doorbell began to chime.

“Jeongguk? The door,” Jimin signed, brow furrowed as he patted Jeongguk’s shoulder. Jeongguk seemed to notice the flashing light at the same time, because he checked his watch, and then he promptly threw back the covers and ran towards the intercom. Jimin watched from the foot of the bed, and then Jeongguk turned and gave Jimin a look with openly gritted teeth, like he was nervous.

“I forgot that it was Sunday,” Jeongguk signed, swiftly pulling his hair into a messy bun and rubbing his face with vigor like he was trying to wake himself up. “Yoongi and Taehyung are here.”

“They’re here? Right now?” Jimin signed, his heart slamming against his ribcage. “Why?”

Jeongguk rounded the bed and grabbed his phone, typing quickly.

“They come over almost every Sunday morning and we watch anime together and eat breakfast,” he said, showing Jimin the screen. “I was drunk last night and I forgot to cancel. So they’re here right now.”

Right as Jimin was reading, he saw a text on Jeongguk’s phone—open up, brat—from Min Yoongi. No knocking. Just a text. Jimin ruffled his hair nervously, but Jeongguk just bit the tip of his tongue and typed at top speed.

“Just wash up and put on some of my clothes, and I’ll explain to them that you’re here,” he said. “Go ahead. I’ll let them in. Are you okay with that?”

“That’s fine, that’s fine,” Jimin signed, even though it was very much not fine and he was now about to shit his pants from anxiety. Nevertheless, he decided to man up and do as Jeongguk asked. He splashed water on his face and brushed his teeth as he heard the front door open, and as he was quietly rummaging through Jeongguk’s closet like a guilty thief, he heard nothing but a few sighs and some disjointed vocal sounds. And then—

“Where is he?”

“Taehyung, stop it—”

Just as Jimin finished pulling his shirt on, the bedroom door flew open, and there stood Taehyung. Oversized t-shirt, gym shorts, baseball cap, and a scowl. He was twisting a rubber band around his fingers, and Jimin noticed that his hearing aids were blue this time, only proving his theory that Taehyung had a few different colors.

“Why are you here?” Taehyung barked, but an arm promptly yanked him backwards, and Yoongi appeared in the doorway.

“Sorry. We weren’t expecting you,” he apologized, but Taehyung yanked his arm away from Yoongi’s grasp.

“Why are you here?” Taehyung emphasized as Jimin slowly exited the bedroom.

“I… out… last night… with Jeongguk,” Jimin signed as best as he could under pressure, but Taehyung just pulled the rubber band between both hands until it snapped and broke, tossing it aside when he realized it was useless.

“You can’t even sign well enough to tell me why you’re here,” Yoongi interpreted immediately as Taehyung smirked and shook his head while signing. Yoongi then added to Taehyung, “Taehyung-ah, give him a break. We’re just here to watch TV. We can leave if we have to.”

“No. We’re not leaving,” Taehyung answered as Yoongi sat on the edge of the couch as if he was ready to interpret a tennis match of sorts. “This is what we do every single Sunday, and he should have left before we got here.”

“We slept in. I forgot that you were coming over,” Jeongguk signed. “I’m sure Jimin likes anime, too. He can stay and watch.”

“He’s not going to stay and watch. This is our thing,” Taehyung snapped, vocalizing for emphasis. “And now because you have some hearing guy who lets you fuck him, we have to just add him in? That’s not how this works!”

“Oh, I’m sorry, you can’t sit and watch TV with someone else for a few hours? It’s not like he’s going to steal your bean bag chair,” Jeongguk said as Jimin stood rooted to the spot, trying to follow the chaos of a fully signed conversation in a language he hardly knew even though Yoongi’s smooth interpretation was a huge help.

“You’re missing the whole point,” Taehyung replied in exasperation, reaching into his pocket for another rubber band to play with as he signed with it woven between his fingers. “We have to deal with this shit every single time you decide to chase after some hearing guy, and all of them turn out to be assholes who don’t give a fuck about you. Why are you acting like this guy is any different?”

“Uh, excuse me,” Jimin interjected, and Yoongi beckoned clearly to him and signed his words to Taehyung, who immediately looked at Jimin with fire in his eyes.

“You’re not a part of this conversation,” Taehyung snapped.

“Like hell I’m not,” Jimin fired back without thinking, because now his adrenaline was pumping, and he’d be damned if he let Taehyung talk him out of what he felt for Jeongguk. He didn’t even bother signing, because Yoongi was ready to go. “I don’t really care that you have it out for me. I don’t know what kind of hatred you have towards someone who’s hearing, but clearly it’s pretty intense, because this is only the second time I’ve spoken to you.”

“I told you that I don’t need to know anything about you because I don’t care,” Taehyung retorted; Jimin could now see the panic in his posture. “You’re disturbing our Sunday morning routine. This is our thing. Not yours. And if you knew anything about anything, you’d understand why I hate dealing with hearing people and their ignorance.”

“Yah, can you just accept for once that I found someone I actually like?” Jeongguk interjected, rounding on Taehyung with raised eyebrows and a fighting posture. Taehyung was unfazed.

“You’re rolling around in bed with someone who doesn’t know a goddamn thing about your life or your culture or the shit you’ve had to deal with,” he replied, Yoongi still interpreting for all of them. “And I’m tired of watching you get yanked around. And he’s ruining our Sunday morning.”

“The way I feel about Jeongguk has nothing to do with you,” Jimin replied, and Taehyung whipped his head over and glared at Jimin, but he said nothing. “I’m learning,” he signed with as much emphasis as possible, but then he continued only speaking, too overwhelmed to think straight. “You haven’t even given me a chance. You’re just assuming I’m like every other asshole you’ve dealt with. But guess what? I do like anime. So unless you’re gonna shove your drumsticks up my ass or something, then I’m gonna stay.”

Jeongguk let out a bark of laughter, pressing his hands to the backrest of the couch and bending at the waist, eyes lifted as he waited for a response. Yoongi stifled a laugh at having to sign such a thing. Even Taehyung, in all his anger, snorted humorlessly.

“I didn’t bring my drumsticks. Otherwise, you’d be in trouble,” Taehyung answered coolly. With his hands on his hips, he took a deep breath, lifting his eyes to the ceiling. Everyone stood in defensive silence. Taehyung lifted the rubber band and chewed on it for a second in thought, and then he blew out a breath, lips vibrating.

“I’m staying,” Jimin signed, determined. He didn’t want to stay, necessarily, because if looks could kill, Jeongguk would have been placing him into a coffin at this point. But he was going to stay on principle. He was going to stay to prove something to Taehyung, whatever it was.

“Don’t sit anywhere near me,” Taehyung said, pointing. “And I get the bean bag chair. Not you. Also, I’m not sharing my food with you.”

“Oh, boo-hoo,” Jimin replied crankily, rolling his eyes. “Don’t interpret that,” he added in a panic when Yoongi made mock crying gestures in Taehyung’s direction. Jeongguk let out another laugh as Taehyung rolled his eyes, and Jimin watched as Taehyung marched over and began to drag the bean bag chair so that he could be front and center and directly in front of the couch across from the TV. Because there was a mirror set up near the television, Jimin realized that Taehyung would be able to see everyone on the couches behind him if they were signing—a clever set-up.

“I already ordered food,” Yoongi said and signed to Jeongguk. “I didn’t know Jimin would be here, though.”

“He can share with me,” Jeongguk answered, already in the kitchen to brew coffee for everyone. Jimin saw four cups ready to go. Over on the bean bag chair, Taehyung was lounging with his legs sprawled out, looking up at the ceiling as he pretended to drum while clicking his tongue to match the rhythm he was creating. All of his fiery anger seemed to have vanished, replaced instead with a boyish charm that suited him.

He’s basically a teddy bear in human form, Yoongi had said. Jimin didn’t believe it worth a damn. But if he was going to let himself feel some type of way about Jeongguk, then he needed to learn how to integrate smoothly into Jeongguk’s friendship circle, no matter how foreign it felt.

“Taehyung-ah.” Jimin took a chance and walked over, patting the air in Taehyung’s peripheral vision. Taehyung rolled his head, saw Jimin standing there, and immediately set up his rubber band on his pointer finger and thumb like it was a gun, aiming it at Jimin. He didn’t shoot, though; it probably depended on Jimin’s question. “How many… hearing aid colors… do you have?” Jimin signed slowly, making sure he got everything correct.

Taehyung slowly lowered his rubber band gun. He rolled his head back to stare at the ceiling. And then he held up four fingers.

“One pair of behind-the-ear hearing aids. Different hearing aid skin colors. White. Black. Blue. My skin color,” he counted, snapping the rubber band with each color. He said nothing further. Jimin glanced over at Yoongi like he was seeking approval of some sort, but Yoongi just winked at him and scooted around the coffee table.

“We’re watching Oshi No Ko,” he said to Jimin, plopping down on the couch behind Taehyung with a grunt and pulling his legs up to sit cross-legged. “Do you know it?”

“Of course I do,” Jimin replied as Jeongguk hopped over the top of the adjacent couch and bounced down beside Jimin, grabbing his legs and yanking. Jimin let out a tiny yelp, but he swung his legs over Jeongguk’s lap as requested. It was Yoongi who then grabbed the TV remote and started fiddling around, and Jimin saw Jeongguk texting quietly. Seconds later, his own phone vibrated.

JEONGGUKIE 🤟 [10:13AM]
I’m sorry, baby

JIMIN [10:14AM]
Don’t apologize for him

He needed to get that out

He’s an asshole to me, but it’s not like I don’t get it

He made some decent points

JEONGGUKIE 🤟 [10:15AM]
He sometimes has meltdowns when his routine is ruined

You being here was not planned, so just give him time to cool off

It doesn’t matter if he made decent points or not, hyung

I’m just glad you stayed 😭

Yoongi started up the anime as Jimin quietly tucked his phone away and cuddled into Jeongguk. When Yoongi bent down and removed Taehyung’s baseball cap just to tilt his head and kiss his forehead, Taehyung’s nose scrunched in a smile. Jimin exhaled slowly and rested his head on Jeongguk’s shoulder as the episode of Oshi No Ko began, and Jeongguk responded by taking Jimin’s hands, lifting them up, and kissing his knuckles.

But Jimin couldn’t watch the show worth a damn. He fixed his eyes on the screen without retaining a goddamn thing. He drank his coffee and shared his food with Jeongguk, exchanging sneaky kisses with him as Taehyung pretended to gag, but right up until the moment Jimin left, all he could think about was that maybe there was some merit to what Taehyung was saying.

Maybe he didn’t know enough about Jeongguk’s life or Deaf culture. Maybe he was trying to hack it and he wasn’t fast enough. Maybe he would never be able to connect with Jeongguk or relate to him the right way.

Or… maybe Jimin needed someone to teach him more.

“Hyung,” Jimin said quietly to Yoongi as Jeongguk and Taehyung stood in the kitchen cleaning up and chatting freely. Yoongi stopped wiggling his shoes on and glanced up at Jimin with a hum. “Can I ask you something?”

“Anything,” Yoongi agreed, tightening his little ponytail that was holding back most of his hair.

“If I… wanted to learn a little bit more about… I don’t know. Sign language or Deaf culture or just… tricks of the trade,” Jimin said clumsily, knowing Yoongi would understand. “Is that, uh… something I could talk to you about?”

“You could.” Yoongi shrugged. “I’m a good resource, Jimin-ah, but I’m not as readily available as other people might be. And at the end of the day, I’m not Deaf. Jeongguk’s doing a great job teaching you. He just has a questionable attention span. But yeah. You can always ask me if something comes up and you have questions. I can’t speak for every person who’s Deaf, and it’s not my place, but I can speak well enough on behalf of the two dweebs in the kitchen.”

“Great. Okay. Thank you,” Jimin said with a grateful sigh. “Yeah. If I have any questions or anything I need to know, I’ll come to you.”

“I’m dreading it and looking forward to it,” Yoongi joked dryly, turning towards the kitchen. He clapped his hands twice and then waved, catching both Jeongguk and Taehyung’s attention. “Babe, we need to get home for the kids.”

“Right, right. Sorry,” Taehyung apologized. “I forgot we have extras today.”

“Kids?” Jimin raised one eyebrow.

“His dog,” Yoongi said, gesturing to Taehyung. “And I’m currently fostering two cats, a brother and a sister. They’ll go to the café, and hopefully they’ll be adopted.”

“Oh? The café does adoptions?” Jimin asked, surprised. Yoongi snickered.

“Well, yeah. Otherwise, we’d have ten thousand cats,” he replied. “Most of them sleep very comfortably in our cat boarding space within the café, and sometimes the staff take them home to be loved on. But yeah, we do adoptions.”

“Yoongi hyung wants to adopt at least five of them,” Taehyung signed. The way he signed Yoongi’s (very obvious and very appropriate) sign name made it far cuter than it usually was. It was the sign for “cat” but with the alphabet letter nieun—a closed fist, but instead of circling the thumbnail of the extended thumb in front of the nose a few times for “cat,” Taehyung used the motion but with his thumb up and his pointer finger extended to the side.

Yoongi ushered Taehyung out the door, and although Taehyung hugged Jeongguk goodbye, he just grunted at Jimin. When the door closed, Jeongguk pounced, grabbing Jimin around the waist and spinning him with a grin.

“What were you talking to Yoongi about?” he asked immediately, brow furrowed.

“You,” Jimin said honestly but vaguely.

“About how sexy I am?” Jeongguk asked, the grin returning.

“Oh, yeah. Absolutely,” Jimin signed theatrically, and Jeongguk laughed, burying his face in Jimin’s neck and then blowing a raspberry against the skin. Jimin yelped and smacked Jeongguk’s shoulder blade, but he accepted the kiss Jeongguk gave him, floating somewhere near cloud nine.

Euphoria. Paradise. All of the fancy words Jimin could think of to describe this moment.

✩࿐

Panic. Pandemonium.

New words pummeled Jimin as he moved through his work week. He even got to see Jeongguk again on Tuesday and deliver another adjustment and refer him to Hoseok, but the panic didn’t fade. Jeongguk brought him lunch on Wednesday as a surprise. Jimin video called Jeongguk Thursday night just to watch Jeongguk punch things at his boxing gym. And when Jeongguk (half naked and sweating from his workout) asked Jimin to come over on Saturday night for a quiet date at his apartment, where he’d cook dinner for them both, Jimin agreed.

More panic!

“Deep breath… exhale slowly. Good. Breathe into the top of the chest, into your heart space… lovely.” Jimin gently felt how Kazuha’s breath was moving, hearing the happy exchange of Hoseok and his clients from beyond his adjustment room. “Breathe in… and out—”

Kazuha let out a small squeak when Jimin delivered the adjustment with a thrust in an area between her shoulder blades, and Jimin stifled a laugh.

“Oh my God, I’m sorry,” she apologized, her voice slightly muffled as he rolled over at Jimin’s request. She covered her mouth with her hands in embarrassment, but Jimin just grinned and carefully palpated her left hip, which had been giving her some trouble recently.

“Squeaking is the least concerning noise anyone has ever made on my table,” he promised. “I do like how your legs have kind of a knee-jerk reaction whenever I adjust you, though. That’s fun to watch.”

Jimin finished Kazuha’s adjustment and cleaned up for the day, since she was his last patient. He and Hoseok put away all of the client files in a steady rhythm that came from years of working together, and Jimin let Hoseok do the rest of the tidying up while he dealt with the finances (“You have the mathematical brain, not me,” Hoseok always said).

“So he’s asking you to sleep over,” Hoseok said as they walked to Gangnam Station together.

“He asked me to come over so he could cook dinner for me,” Jimin corrected him, but Hoseok snorted.

“He’s going to wine and dine you and then rail you,” he replied. “Let’s not be naïve. You’re this close—” He pinched his thumb and pointer finger close together— “to touching home base. What’s stopping you?”

“I don’t know,” Jimin emphasized, pinching his brow momentarily. “It’s like I’m having a mental block. Not sexually, just—I’m terrified that I’m gonna fuck things up. It’s like… It’s this feeling I have that if I don’t do the right thing or if I don’t know the protocol or the sign language…”

“Then you’ve blown it and you’ll lose him,” Hoseok guessed, and Jimin gave him a look. Hoseok just pushed through the turnstiles to the station, shrugging and walking backwards as he waited for Jimin. “Am I right or wrong?”

“You’re right,” Jimin admitted as he joined Hoseok. “All I want is to know how to do it without having to be like, ‘Hey, Jeongguk, tell me exactly what to do.’ That’s a complete boner killer.”

“God, you’re making me think of things I never thought I’d have to consider,” Hoseok said as they headed towards their platform. “I’m already nervous enough knowing that he’s going to be a regular patient of mine.”

“I told you that Yunjin is in contact with Chaewon’s agency,” Jimin reminded him.

“Okay, that’s all fine and good,” Hoseok sighed. “But I never thought I’d be wondering what sex is like with a Deaf person.”

“Uh, it’s the same,” Jimin replied as Hoseok snickered. “There’s just no verbalized dirty talk or anything.”

“Right, so if you want to say, ‘fuck this tight little ass, Daddy,’ then you have to figure out how to sign it,” Hoseok said, and Jimin burst out laughing the same time as Hoseok did, both of them clutching the other’s arm to keep from collapsing. “Okay, okay, okay,” Hoseok added breathlessly as the subway rolled in. “Jokes aside, though, I figured it’s pretty much the same. It’s just, like… an extra layer to add.”

An extra layer that Jimin wasn’t sure how to add. He felt foolish—why was he hesitating so much? Why was he making such a big deal out of it? It was Jeongguk. They’d fooled around and enjoyed themselves, and surely Jeongguk wasn’t expecting anything grandiose. But Jimin wasn’t willing to risk losing Jeongguk in any capacity. He was in deep; his feelings were drowning him now, and the thought of messing up the good thing he had with Jeongguk made him panic.

So if Jimin wanted to sleep over again, then he absolutely wanted to seal the deal. Sucking Jeongguk’s dick was a great fantasy fulfilled, but now he wanted it all. He wanted this beautiful man who made him feel all the things to fuck him into the next century, another stratosphere, wherever. He wanted a normal sex life to be part of their relationship now.

Which meant that this was totally classified as a Jeongguk-related emergency.

Jimin bided his time, but by Saturday morning, he texted his personal version of 119.

JIMIN [11:03AM]
Hyung, it’s Park Jimin

MIN YOONGI [11:06AM]
Oh, is it? Never would have guessed.

JIMIN [11:06AM]
I’m going to ignore your sarcasm because I need to talk to you in person

It’s an absolutely massive emergency

Multiple alarm fire

MIN YOONGI [11:08AM]
That feels like a gross exaggeration.

Is it a Jeongguk-related emergency?

JIMIN [11:09AM]
Yes

It’s about the date I have with him tonight

I’m so sorry hyung

I don’t want you to think that I’m only using you because of Jeongguk

MIN YOONGI [11:12AM]
It’s him you’re dating, Jimin, not me.

If it bothered me, I’d tell you to fuck off.

I took off work today. Taehyung is away visiting his parents so you can just come over.

[location attached]

JIMIN [11:14AM]
I owe you my life

Also, you text with a lot of punctuation and it makes you sound very serious

MIN YOONGI [11:15AM]
Well, I’m a very serious guy.

Jimin snorted at his phone and checked the location—Gwangjin-gu. Not far. This time, Jimin would take a chance and drive instead of braving public transportation.

“Hyung?” He exited his room to find Hoseok in the kitchen with his sunglasses pushed up into his hair, looking like he was packing up things from the fridge and getting ready to go out. “Where are you going?”

“On a picnic lunch with my Afterglow hook-up,” Hoseok replied, grinning. “Apparently Yesung and I are good at more than just dicking each other down. We actually enjoy one another’s company. Imagine that.”

“A picnic? How romantic,” Jimin teased.

“I got the idea from Namjoon,” Hoseok replied, twisting the cap onto his water bottle. “Because guess where he is today?”

“On a picnic lunch date with Seokjin,” Jimin guessed, and Hoseok shot him a finger gun with a wink and a click of his tongue.

“Exactly right. And if Kim Namjoon can be successful in dating a rich and handsome small business owner, then I need to follow the blueprint,” Hoseok declared.

“I’m going to tell him that you’re copying him,” Jimin said. “He won’t believe it, because we never copy Kim Namjoon.”

“Well, no, because he doesn’t want to eat five cups of ramyeon and twenty-seven strawberry-and-cream sandwiches while chugging Coke,” Hoseok replied. “So how can we possibly find any joy in copying him?”

“Remember the time you ate five cups of spicy ramyeon and shit your pants?” Jimin commented as he headed for the door. “Worst night of my life, cleaning you up.”

“Jimin-ah, this just proves—” Hoseok used his hip to shut the door of the fridge— “that we’re best friends for life, because you’ve literally wiped my ass. I hope one day I can return the favor.”

“Disgusting,” Jimin said loudly, yanking open the door and hurrying out.

The drive to Gwangjin-gu was just about ten minutes, and for the first time in a while, Jimin didn’t listen to any music. It wasn’t anywhere close to what Jeongguk experienced on a daily basis, since Jimin could hear the sounds of life all around him. But having the silence was oddly comforting as he drove across the bridge. He had never really asked Jeongguk what it felt like to be Deaf, or if Jeongguk ever felt like he was missing out on anything. He’d have to ask someday soon.

Yoongi’s apartment that he apparently shared with Taehyung was a brick building of about a dozen units. Jimin drove down the narrow laneway that could only fit one car at a time, parking in a tiny spot meant for visitors under a carport. He checked the unit number several times (Block 4, unit 421), and then he buzzed up and hopped from foot to foot, still not sure what the hell he was going to say.

The lobby door unlocked, so Jimin entered and chose the stairs up to the second floor until he found unit 421. He didn’t have to wait long after he knocked on the door; he supposed Yoongi had been anticipating him.

“Come on in,” Yoongi said in his deep, scratchy voice, opening the door and gesturing. He was wearing sweatpants and a hoodie in the dead of summer, but at least he looked cozy and comfortable.

“Thanks,” Jimin said breathlessly as he kicked off his shoes. “It’s an emergency.”

“Is it really?” Yoongi croaked, scratching his ribs with a slight squint. “I took off work today.”

“I know. I’m really sorry, hyung,” Jimin said with a bow, but when he straightened up, his brow furrowed. “It’s one in the afternoon.”

“I took off work today,” Yoongi repeated, gesturing. Jimin looked behind Yoongi to see that the large screen TV was displaying a paused game of Bloodborne. The curtains were drawn, the couch was covered in blankets, there was a cup of coffee on the table, and Yoongi was likely living his best life.

“And Taehyung isn’t here?” Jimin asked, glancing around.

“What, are you expecting him to pop out of the kitchen cabinets and ask you to perform Shakespeare in sign language?” Yoongi asked, sighing as he yanked the hair tie off his wrist and messily pulled his long hair up halfway. “Come sit. Do you want some coffee?”

“No, thank you, hyung.” Jimin followed Yoongi into the living room area and took a seat on the couch away from the blankets, and Yoongi turned off the air conditioner that was blasting. On the coffee table was a stack of Korean books and a framed photo of Yoongi sitting sideways in Taehyung’s lap on a boat, both of them wearing life vests. There was a beanbag chair in the corner, the same one Jeongguk had at his apartment. There was also a little dog bed, and Jimin pointed.

“Hm? Oh. That’s Yeontan’s bed,” Yoongi said, kicking his feet up onto the coffee table. “That little guy.”

Jimin followed Yoongi’s pointed finger to another framed photo hanging near the hallway to the bedroom, which showed Taehyung and Yoongi with a beautiful and fluffy black and tan Pomeranian dog.

“He’s Taehyung’s pride and joy,” Yoongi added. “He’s also a spoiled brat. But Tae took him along for the ride, so I’m home alone. You got lucky. What’s the emergency?”

“Okay, well—well, now that I’m sitting here, it feels really dumb, but I promise you that it’s an actual emergency,” Jimin swore, twisting to face Yoongi as he spoke. Yoongi raised one eyebrow.

“Go on.”

“I need to know how to have sex with Jeongguk.”

Yoongi blinked. Narrowed his eyes. Jimin clicked his tongue.

“That… didn’t come out the way I wanted it to,” he admitted, and Yoongi just stared at him. “Don’t look at me like that, this is a legitimate question!”

“You know, I was waiting for you to be an absolute fucking nutjob,” Yoongi commented, and Jimin let out a pained laugh mixed with a groan, slumping sideways into the couch and covering his face with both hands. “What the hell do you mean? Get naked and fuck each other. Do you need to know what goes where? One dick goes into the one available hole. I’m not holding your hand. I barely know you.”

“That’s not what I’m asking,” Jimin emphasized, his ears burning as he tried not to laugh at the absurdity of it all. “Christ, I’m trying to—what I mean is—we’ve already done—”

“NOPE. Nope, nope, nope. Don’t say it. I don’t need to know what you’ve already done,” Yoongi interrupted loudly, holding up one hand as he looked toward the ceiling. “I know you two have fooled around and I don’t want to know a single detail.”

“Okay, well, then that makes it easier to answer my question,” Jimin insisted, sitting up straighter. “I need to know how exactly to communicate with him during sex. I don’t know what to do, and I can’t mess it up. How do I tell him I want him to fuck me?”

“God, I hope I die. Just sign it like this, for Christ’s sake. ‘I want you to fuck me,’” Yoongi said in exasperation as he signed it for Jimin to see. Jimin repeated the sign multiple times quickly in a row as Yoongi stared at the ceiling, probably wondering what kind of life choices he made that brought him to this point.

“Okay, but like what if we’re—you know. What if we’re in the middle of fucking and I want something? Or he wants something? Like—Like ‘more,’ or ‘harder,’ or even ‘stop,’” Jimin rambled.

“Jesus Christ. You’re going to have to have that conversation with him and make up your own signs that work for the two of you. When I want Taehyung to fuck me harder, I just shake three fingers,” Yoongi explained, and then he promptly cut himself off as Jimin pursed his lips, both of them processing what Yoongi had just said. Neither of them spoke. Jimin couldn’t tell if Yoongi wanted to yell or laugh. So Jimin just held out a tentative hand.

“Fellow bottom,” he introduced himself, and Yoongi shook his hand.

“I genuinely wish I was dead right now,” Yoongi replied flatly, and Jimin snorted with laughter.

“God, I’m sorry, I just—This is a lot of new content for me,” he explained, and Yoongi finally snickered. “What we’ve done before didn’t really… you know. Require this kind of conversation. But now…”

“You know what, Jimin? I hate everything about this conversation. I hope a rogue meteor strikes us down right now,” Yoongi said casually, and Jimin clamped his bottom lip between his teeth to keep from laughing. “But I’m pretty sure you’re the first guy he’s ever fucked who actually cares about this kind of shit, so I’ll give you your flowers before we get annihilated.”

“I’d like to thank the Academy,” Jimin said without missing a beat, and Yoongi groaned with a laugh, dragging his hands down his face. “So… So you just made up a system with Taehyung.”

“Mhm.” Yoongi laced his hands together over his abdomen. “It might not work for you two, though. Don’t forget that Taehyung can hear certain frequencies and sounds if he happens to be wearing his hearing aids, so that makes it easier for us sometimes depending on the situation. That’s why I’m saying to just make up your own with Jeongguk. Something easy. Something you can both remember.”

“A fist for stop,” Jimin suggested, and Yoongi nodded. “Things like that. Okay. I can do that.”

“Yeah. It’s that easy.” Yoongi let out a deep sigh, rubbing his face with both hands. “I cannot believe that you think this constitutes an emergency.”

“Okay, I’m sorry, but put yourself in my shoes,” Jimin said in a playful snappish tone. “I have no experience with things like this. Fooling around with him made me panic enough. If I’m gonna—don’t make that face, I won’t give you explicit detail.”

Yoongi kept his hand held up in the air directed at Jimin. “Taehyung asks Jeongguk enough questions about sex for all of us. The last thing I need is explicit detail.”

“Well, you told me that you’re a bottom, so you’re a hypocrite,” Jimin teased, and Yoongi gave him a look. “Yeah, sorry. You should hear me with my two friends. We lost the concept of boundaries a long time ago. Nothing is off limits.”

“That’s what Jeongguk said,” Yoongi replied with a small smile.

“Also, why is Taehyung grilling Jeongguk about sex?” Jimin asked, trying not to laugh.

“Because he’s touch averse with everyone but me,” Yoongi replied, and Jimin hummed in acknowledgment. “But he also likes to ask a lot of questions that wouldn’t be considered socially appropriate with anyone else, and he knows he can ask Jeongguk without repercussions, so he unloads on Jeongguk to avoid doing it to anyone else.”

“As best friends do,” Jimin said with a touch of fondness.

“You’re upset.”

“Hm?”

“You’re upset,” Yoongi repeated. “That Taehyung doesn’t like you. It upsets you.”

“Well, obviously it upsets me,” Jimin replied, but then he paused, realizing that he could hear the hurt in his own voice. “Jeongguk is starting to get to know my friends, and they all like each other. But I’m trying to establish some kind of relationship with Taehyung, and all I get is hate.”

“Taehyung’s trauma is his own to tell in his time,” Yoongi said, and Jimin nodded in understanding. “And there are some things that are just not in his control. I’m not going to apologize for him, but I will tell you that it will get better with time. It took him an entire year to warm up to Seokjin and spend more than five minutes at Rata-Cat-Cat. But now he thinks the sun shines out of Seokjin’s ass and he’s okay with cuddling some of the cats, so just—yeah. You’re dating his best friend. He doesn’t like change. He’ll come around.”

“I just want to understand him,” Jimin admitted. “I’m trying my best to understand Jeongguk and the world he comes from and what his life has been like, you know? Obviously I still have a lot to learn. But Taehyung is his best friend. I’ve seen pictures of them from when they were teenagers with braces. And he’s just shutting me out. He’s like… the opposite of Jeongguk.”

“Yeah, well, the thing about Jeongguk is that he should totally be as jaded as Taehyung is,” Yoongi replied. “Taehyung has no faith in people. He doesn’t trust anyone easily. Love isn’t something that he just gives out for free. Jeongguk… is the exact opposite. And that’s why I worry about him. I shouldn’t, but I do.”

“What do you mean, though?” Jimin asked, brow furrowing.

“Jeongguk just has this sparkling outlook on life,” Yoongi emphasized with an exasperated fondness that only came from an older brother figure. “He’s dated so many people, and they’ve all sucked or failed him at some point. And, you know, if that was me, I’d be like, ‘Fuck it. Fuck all of this.’ But he just keeps on going. Man’s had his heart broken so many times, but here he is.”

“But do you think that’s a bad thing?” Jimin wondered.

“No. It’s not a bad thing. It just makes him more vulnerable,” Yoongi replied. “It makes him vulnerable to assholes who want to use him as their ticket to Heaven or something. And I shouldn’t even be saying this, because he hates when I get all big-brother on him. He doesn’t like people fighting his battles for him. But if you’re here asking me all this shit, then maybe… I don’t know.”

“Do you wanna go full cheesy rom-com with it, or…?” Jimin asked, and Yoongi rolled his eyes. “He has a lot of love to give. I’m not gonna take advantage of that. And I’m going to crack Taehyung if it’s the last fucking thing I do, because Jeongguk is—he’s… I really like him. I haven’t liked anyone like this in a long time. I want to do this right. And I want it to last. So I don’t care how much of a hater Taehyung is. I’ll convince him.”

Yoongi snickered. “I mean, if we want to continue the rom-com, I just… you know. Jeongguk is all or nothing. If he likes you, then he’s going to give you 100 percent at all times without fail. He’ll give you everything. So I guess… yeah. I just want Jeongguk to find someone who makes him happy. He has these big dreams and a brain that just kind of bounces all over the place. Bartending is the only job that really suits him because he never stops moving. But he wants to be an artist and make a name for himself, and I’m a sap and I want someone to be there to support him. Like a partner. God, sorry. Gag.” Yoongi blanched, sticking his tongue out and reaching for his coffee.

“Is it that painful to talk nicely about your friend?” Jimin teased.

“Say nice things about your best friend. Quick,” Yoongi prompted.

“Uh, he’s reliable and optimistic and his cooking is subpar at best, but I can live with him,” Jimin rattled off. Yoongi paused and considered, and then he hummed.

“That’s… actually pretty introspective,” he said, amused. “I guess being able to live with someone is important.”

“Do you have an alarm underneath your mattress?”

“Do I have a what now?” Yoongi repeated, raising his eyebrows. “I’m getting conversational whiplash.”

Jimin stifled a laugh. “Like, one of those—Jeongguk has one. He showed me. It’s under his mattress to wake him up. Maybe for emergencies? Shit like that.”

“Oh-h-h. Christ, I was so confused. Yeah. We have one of those,” Yoongi replied. “But we also have Yeontan, who barks when the wind blows against the door because he’s a pain in the ass.”

“A dog alarm. Nice. Should’ve considered that.” Jimin lounged back against the couch. “I’m really sorry I ruined your day off.”

Yoongi shrugged and flicked one hand at Jimin. “It’s fine. Seriously. I told you I’m available for anything. I wouldn’t really say that asking how to fuck my friend is an emergency, but I’ll let it slide.”

“It’s an emergency to me,” Jimin insisted, picking at the seam of the couch idly. “Do you think I’m learning fast enough? Like, learning sign language fast enough, or about Deaf culture fast enough? I’ve known Jeongguk for almost two months now. We talk every day. But I’m still… not sure.”

Yoongi patted the air in front of him to get Jimin’s attention, and then he signed, “Do you understand me when I sign? I can go pretty fast sometimes. I’ve been signing since I was a baby.”

“Yeah. I understood all of that,” Jimin replied, though he was a bit slower. He had a feeling Yoongi was still signing slower for his benefit.

“You can sign more than just the basics. We can have a conversation,” Yoongi signed. “You may not be as good as native or advanced KSL users yet, but you’ve learned a lot. It’s impressive. You should be proud of yourself.”

“I just get… frustrated when I can’t have conversations with Jeongguk,” Jimin replied. “We have to text a lot or use our phones.”

“That’s normal,” Yoongi promised, his expression reassuring. “If you keep practicing, you won’t need to use a phone soon. Jeongguk will just teach you as you have conversations.”

Jimin was banking on it. He was silently praying and pleading that Jeongguk would just continue to teach him on the fly, because that was how Jimin absorbed the most information. He could sit in a classroom and learn from a teacher in a professional setting, but learning from a peer in a functional way was his preference. And that was what Jeongguk was doing for him.

Jimin thanked Yoongi with a hug that Yoongi returned, enough though it was nothing more than three light pats on the shoulders while grumbling. He sent Jimin off with words of encouragement, telling him to be confident in asking for clear signs to be established. Jimin reviewed, “I want you to fuck me,” one more time before he walked away, and Yoongi groaned and shut the door.

When Jimin checked his phone, he had far too many text messages to make sense of anything.

NAMJOON [1:45PM]
Did Kim Seokjin just fucking ask me to be his boyfriend

[photo attached]

The photo was a to-go coffee cup that had “boyfriend” written on the side next to Namjoon’s name. Jimin grinned and kept scrolling.

HOBI [1:49PM]
Oh my God

You’re dating Catman

Get it

Batman except he’s— *gunshots*

NAMJOON [1:53PM]
For once in your life Jung Hoseok

HOBI [1:54PM]
“Be normal” no????

I just told Yesung that you have a boyfriend

He said congrats ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

NAMJOON [1:58PM]
I’m waiting for Jimin’s response to be normal but I’m not holding my breath

JIMIN [2:12PM]
Sorry, Min Yoongi was teaching me how to ask Jeongguk to fuck me in sign language

I’m an educated bitch now

Namjoon hyung, congratulations on your consistently good dick, I’m proud of you ❤️

From stuttering mess with store-bought macarons to this

NAMJOON [2:13PM]
I had no faith in you

Thanks, Jimin ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Smiling like a fool, Jimin dropped into the driver’s seat of his car and opened up his text message conversation with Jeongguk.

JEONGGUKIE 🤟 [1:19PM]
Darling, do you have any food allergies I should know about?

I never asked you

JIMIN [2:14PM]
No, babe, I can eat anything!

JEONGGUKIE 🤟 [2:15PM]
Are you OK…? ㅋㅋ you never take that long to answer on a Saturday

JIMIN [2:15PM]
ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ I’m fine!

Seokjin made it official with Namjoon

JEONGGUKIE 🤟 [2:16PM]
Ohhhhhh now I can tease him ㅋㅋㅋㅋ hold on let me text him something annoying

Like a GIF of two cats cuddling or something

Also can you be here by 7pm?

And bring wine 😉

✩࿐

Jimin had never put so much thought into purchasing wine before in his life. Like a fool, he chose three different wines—a white, a red, and a rosé, because he didn’t want to pair the wrong wine with whatever Jeongguk was cooking.

Naturally, Jimin was twenty minutes late. Hoping Jeongguk was still expecting him, he buzzed up to Jeongguk’s apartment, preparing to text Jeongguk just in case. But the light flashed and the door clicked, so Jimin let himself in and took the elevator to the seventh floor, clutching a bag with three bottles of wine.

“Hey, beautiful,” Jeongguk signed the moment he saw Jimin walking down the hallway; he was leaning against the doorframe with a grin, hanging out halfway into the hall to look out for his date. Jimin immediately slipped one arm around Jeongguk’s waist and backed them into the apartment, the bag of wine bottles dangling from one hand as he kissed Jeongguk with a smile.

“It smells so good. What are you cooking?” Jimin asked when he inhaled as Jeongguk kissed his cheek.

“I decided to do suyuk and homemade kimchi,” he said, and Jimin shook his shoes off while studying Jeongguk’s signing carefully. Jeongguk had started to teach Jimin in a way where he would sign things he knew that Jimin knew, and if it was something new, he would fingerspell it and then follow that up with the proper sign.

“I brought wine,” Jimin signed as he held up the bag with his other hand. Jeongguk raised both eyebrows, amused as he accepted the bag and pulled it open by the strings to peer inside. When he saw the contents, he laughed, leaning in and kissing Jimin’s forehead.

“How much wine do you think we need?” he asked, signing with one hand as he set the bag on the countertop. Proud of himself for understanding one-handed signing, Jimin shrugged coyly.

“I didn’t know what you were cooking,” he said in his defense. “Sorry I’m late.”

“You’re late?” Jeongguk’s brow furrowed, and he scooted back into the kitchen and checked the time on his phone. “I didn’t even notice. I’m always late. Thanks, ADHD!”

Jimin stifled a laugh and slid into the kitchen as well, seeing everything that was on the stove. The suyuk was still boiling and smelled delicious. It looked like garlic stems were going to be stir-fried. The rice cooker was working hard. A huge container of kimchi was sitting on the countertop.

“Do you like to cook?” Jimin asked. Jeongguk grinned, grabbed Jimin by the waist, and plopped him onto the countertop. Standing between his legs with two large hands massaging his thighs, he nodded, and then he puckered his lips. Jimin giggled and slid his hands behind Jeongguk’s neck to pull him in for another kiss, which Jeongguk reciprocated eagerly.

And there was that feeling again.

Everything about Jeongguk was just so lovable. Jimin had no idea if Jeongguk felt the same about him, but especially after his conversation with Yoongi, Jimin was so certain that whatever he had with Jeongguk was meant to last. He never really paid much attention to gut feelings, and these days, he didn’t enjoy dabbling in such abstract or heavy concepts like love, mostly as a form of self-preservation to keep from getting his heart broken. But Jeongguk was making him want to try love again. Jimin was sure he’d gotten close with Namjoon once upon a time. But with Jeongguk…

There was something different. Something special.

[“22 make” by oh wonder] 

“Will you prepare the kimchi?” Jeongguk asked hopefully, and Jimin nodded, sliding off the countertop and getting to work right away. It was strange to work in such silence. Jeongguk busied himself with slicing up the huge hunk of pork, and when Jimin felt a tap on his shoulder, he turned around with gloved hands to see Jeongguk offering up a slice for him to try. Jimin opened his mouth and accepted it, and he immediately pretended to collapse.

“That is so, so good,” he emphasized, and Jeongguk grinned proudly and returned to preparations.

It wasn’t like Jimin had never had intimate dates like this before. This wasn’t the first time someone had cooked for him. He had cooked for Namjoon all the time. But even as they sat down on the floor of the living room at the coffee table like true Koreans and ignored the actual table near the kitchen, Jimin couldn’t help but be acutely aware of the silence.

“It’s really quiet,” he signed as Jeongguk came back with the bottle of white wine and a corkscrew.

“It’s always quiet in my world,” Jeongguk signed with one hand and a mischievous grin. Jimin was about to reply, but Jeongguk opened the bottle of wine so smoothly and quickly that Jimin considered skipping dinner and going straight for dessert. It was embarrassing, in his opinion, how much of a simp he was for this man.

“That was incredibly sexy,” Jimin said, and Jeongguk snickered, grabbing the first wine glass with the stem between his fingers, the cup in his palm. He poured about a sip of wine, tilted the glass towards his nose, and then sniffed.

“Smells crisp. Crisp,” he signed, fingerspelling and then using the sign for it. Jimin watched as Jeongguk tossed back the little sip of wine. He hummed in approval. “My boyfriend has good taste, as expected. Do you want a full glass?”

Jimin froze, his empty wine glass in his hand. “What?”

“Do you want wine?” Jeongguk repeated, but Jimin shook his head.

“No, no, no.” He set his glass down. With a tremble in his hands, he signed slowly, “Boyfriend?”

Jeongguk blinked. Puckered his lips as his eyes shifted around the room. And then he poured himself a very full glass of wine with purposely wide eyes as Jimin giggled, his pulse racing. When Jeongguk extended his hand to ask for Jimin’s glass, Jimin gave it to him, and Jeongguk poured an acceptable amount of wine into it.

“Boyfriend,” he signed again, plopping down cross-legged on the other side of the coffee table. “I—” Hastily, Jeongguk bent at the waist and reached underneath the coffee table, where he had a stack of books and notebooks. He pulled out a notebook and a pencil and scribbled: I’ve been calling you my boyfriend in my head for about two weeks now.

And JImin was about to respond, but then Jeongguk grinned, biting the tip of his tongue between his teeth as he wrote: Will you be my boyfriend? Check one. ⃞ YES ⃞ NO.

Jimin laughed as he accepted the pencil, and then he made a show of hesitating, moving the pencil back and forth between the two checkboxes before leaving a huge check next to YES. But before he handed the pencil back, he wrote off to the side: But our anniversary is tomorrow, because Seokjin asked Namjoon out today, and I refuse to have the same anniversary.

Jeongguk let out a bark of laughter as he nodded, lifting his wine glass to toast to Jimin. Jimin tapped his glass against Jeongguk’s and took a sip, unable to believe that it was just… that easy. There was no fanfare. No big surprise. No epic moment. It was just the two of them with a homemade dinner and some wine, giggly and happy, pretending they were in middle school passing notes.

And it was perfect.

Jimin had never had dinner with a person who was Deaf before, but if he was going to be Jeongguk’s boyfriend, he was going to have to get used to it. There wasn’t much conversation as they ate, but it was comfortable. Jeongguk just kept signing “delicious” over and over with every new bite of food, and he signed out the entire recipe for the suyuk to Jimin with eagerness. But then it was silent, save for the sound of crunching lettuce or the clicking of chopsticks. So Jimin commented on the quietness again out of curiosity, and Jeongguk dramatically shoved a wrap full of pork belly, kimchi, and garlic into his mouth, cheeks puffed as he chewed with a fist on the coffee table. Even while he was chewing, though, he started signing.

“People always say not to talk with your mouth full, but look at me now,” he joked, and Jimin grinned. “My world is always quiet. I’m not used to having a hearing person around all the time. The hearing people I spend time with are fluent in sign language. I don’t think about the silence. That’s just… life.”

“Would, uh…” Jimin hesitated, not knowing the right signs, and Jeongguk recognized it. He fished around in his pocket and handed Jimin his phone, so Jimin quickly opened a new note for speech-to-text. “Would you find it offensive if I was listening to music or a podcast or a video or something while you were around?”

Jeongguk took the phone from Jimin and typed quickly, and then he turned the phone as Jimin sipped his wine. “No. It would only be offensive if you were doing it to shut me out or hide things from me. If you did it all the time without considering my feelings, then yes, maybe I would be hurt by it. But you’re not like that.”

Brushing off his hands, Jimin tapped the microphone button again to speak. “I hope it’s okay to ask you this, but do you ever feel like you’re missing out on anything?” he asked. “What does it feel like to you, being Deaf?”

“Normal,” Jeongguk replied almost right away. “It’s peaceful to me. I don’t understand how anyone could be okay with hearing noise all the time. It would be so overwhelming. I don’t know how I would cope with the noise. People have asked me why I haven’t gotten a cochlear implant or anything, and the truth is, I just don’t need it. I respect and appreciate and admire people who have them, but it’s not for me, personally. I love being Deaf. Sometimes I feel like there are things I’d like to experience, but otherwise, I never think I’m missing out.”

“What kind of things?” Jimin wondered.

“Like the sound of your voice,” Jeongguk replied, and Jimin averted his eyes, trying not to blush and knowing that he was failing. He felt Jeongguk’s fingers tap him for attention, so he looked back to the screen. “Or music. I’ve always been curious about how music really sounds, like different instruments or singers’ voices. But it’s not something that really bothers me.”

“I always think about how I can’t imagine what it would be like to not hear anything,” Jimin admitted. “I think about how difficult my life would be, and then I end up feeling sorry for myself even though it’s not even real. Is that weird?”

Jeongguk smiled. “No. That’s not weird to me. I don’t know the difference. This has been my life since birth. But you know the difference, and you already know what the world sounds like. So losing that might be harder for you to cope with compared to someone like me who’s been Deaf since birth. Deafness isn’t universal. It’s different for everyone.”

“You really are the coolest boyfriend ever,” Jimin said, and Jeongguk shimmied his shoulders proudly as he put together another wrap, a smug look on his face as his eyes wandered to the screen again. “You’re a bartender, an artist, a boxer, a skateboarder, a chef. And you want to date me? Are you sure about that?” Jimin made sure to add a laughing emoji at the end, but it still earned him an epic eye roll from Jeongguk as Jeongguk snatched the phone.

“I’m good at a lot of things, but I’m not an expert at anything. My attention span doesn’t allow for that. But you’re an incredible chiropractor and a great athlete. You’re sweet and you’re caring and funny and I feel like I’ve known you all my life when it’s only been almost two months. I haven’t connected with someone like this in years, maybe ever.”

Jimin waited patiently for Jeongguk to finish chewing his food. Jeongguk noticed, too, and made a show of sipping his wine in slow motion while leaning back on one hand, bobbing his head side to side. When he finally set the wine glass down, though, Jimin circled the coffee table and pounced, knocking Jeongguk to the side and lying on top of him to kiss him. Jeongguk laughed the entire time, through every single kiss, and Jimin’s heart swelled to a size nearly too big to be contained to his ribcage.

“You…” Jimin sat up, still straddling Jeongguk’s lap. Jeongguk tucked both hands behind his head, elbows bent, looking up at Jimin with sparkling eyes. “You teach me more sign language. Cute boyfriend things.”

Jeongguk grinned so hard that dimples indented his cheeks. Then, still lying down, he just started signing things. “Boyfriend,” “gay,” “queer,” “coming out,” “Pride,” “date,” “anniversary,” “couples rings,” “married,” “engaged,” “crush.” He signed things and explained to Jimin that these were all newer, less heteronormative signs thanks to the Korean Deaf LGBT group. Jimin absorbed it all like a sponge, repeating after Jeongguk, even putting together another wrap and shoving it into Jeongguk’s mouth as both of them giggled.

“Dessert?” Jimin finally asked when the food was nearly gone and their wine glasses were empty. Jeongguk wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, and then he wrapped his arms around Jimin’s waist with a grunt and sat up. Jimin let out a yelp as Jeongguk then stood up with Jimin still in his arms, carrying him towards the bedroom as Jimin laughed and then depositing him in the bathroom. They both brushed their teeth, bumping their hips together, Jimin’s pulse racing, and he was the one who tugged on Jeongguk’s hand.

Remember what you practiced. Remember what Yoongi said.

Jimin watched as Jeongguk flicked on his mood lamp, and when Jeongguk pivoted to take Jimin into his arms again, Jimin held up both hands to stop him. Jeongguk teetered, eyebrows raised, and Jimin took a deep breath.

“I want you to fuck me,” Jimin signed, and almost immediately, Jeongguk burst out laughing harder than Jimin had ever seen in the past; he nearly fell over. But as he toppled, he grabbed Jimin around the waist and flung him onto the bed first, tumbling after him. They rolled around, Jimin giggling, until Jeongguk had Jimin lying on top of him.

“Where the hell did you learn that?” he signed with emphasis.

“Yoongi,” Jimin admitted outright.

“I’ll send him some flowers,” Jeongguk joked. “Say it again.”

Jimin glared at him, because the grin on Jeongguk’s face was smug and triumphant, the look of a man who was about to get exactly what he wanted. But Jimin was a sucker, so he sucked up his embarrassment.

“I want you to fuck me,” he repeated.

“Okay.” Jeongguk immediately slipped his hands beneath Jimin’s shirt, but Jimin patted his biceps to catch his attention.

“Talk first,” he insisted. “I want… signs. I want to use signs so we can communicate when we have sex.”

“Okay,” Jeongguk repeated. “But first…”

He sat up as Jimin rolled out of his lap, and Jimin watched him remove his shirt, tossing it onto the floor. Drooling is not appropriate, Jimin scolded himself, but God, Jeongguk was a sight to behold. Defined chest, small waist, beautiful and colorful tattoos on his biceps and over his shoulders, smooth skin, rough hands with calluses from boxing. He was Jimin’s dream.

“My turn,” Jimin signed, since Jeongguk was looking at him hopefully. He must have read Jimin’s lips, because he began to help. It was effortless, the way they both undressed back and forth. A shirt here, a belt there, pants on the floor, socks tossed aside. Jimin signed “lube,” and Jeongguk kissed him proudly, reached for the lube in his side table drawer, and popped the cap with his thumb. With Jimin naked and situated in his lap now, he drizzled a substantial amount of lube onto his fingers, rubbing it together to warm it a little as he eyed Jimin with pure affection and lustful greed—two of Jimin’s favorite things.

“Go ahead,” Jimin whispered, nodding in agreement when Jeongguk glanced at him and began to slip his hand between their bodies. Jimin held his breath when he felt Jeongguk’s fingers grazing his rim, and when Jeongguk pressed his middle finger in, Jimin squirmed and clenched around it, exhaling and trying to relax as he dropped a soft kiss onto Jeongguk’s shoulder. They’d been here before. This wasn’t new. The only new part would be that Jimin wanted to be unable to walk properly tomorrow morning.

Jeongguk added a second finger not long after, and Jimin let out a breathy moan, grinding his hips down on Jeongguk’s fingers to get them where he wanted. His cock was fully hard now against his stomach, and the arousal was pulsating through his body as little sparks of pleasure hit him in small waves. Jimin was about to return the favor and wrap one free hand around Jeongguk’s cock, but then he remembered what he had asked for in the first place.

“Jeongguk—fuck, fuck,” he gasped, inhaling sharply. Jeongguk must have sensed that Jimin was talking, though, because he leaned back to check Jimin’s expression.

“What?” he signed innocently with one hand, but then he gripped Jimin’s thigh with that hand and twisted his other hand’s fingers.

“J-Jeongguk. Jeongguk,” Jimin emphasized with a dazed laugh, taking Jeongguk’s face between his hands to grab Jeongguk’s attention. Jeongguk’s fingers stilled inside him for a moment, but the proud little smirk on his face didn’t fade as he ran his tongue along the back of his top teeth. “Focus,” Jimin signed.

“I’m busy,” Jeongguk signed with his left hand, curling his fingers inside Jimin again. Jimin sighed while bowing his head, melting into Jeongguk, heart pounding as he rolled his hips to feel everything Jeongguk was doing. His fingers reached depths that Jimin had never even imagined were possible, and it was infuriating.

“Jeongguk.” Reluctant but resolute, Jimin held Jeongguk’s chin and locked eyes with him, and all Jeongguk did was pucker his lips, dragging his fingers out of Jimin nearly all the way before sliding them back in. Jimin pressed a kiss to his lips, but he stared, so Jeongguk paused.

“Okay, okay. I’m sorry. I’ll behave. What do you want?” Jeongguk signed gently, still using just his left hand. He leaned in and kissed the center of Jimin’s chest, but then he lifted his eyes again and focused like Jimin wanted. “Tell me,” he requested.

“Hand signals,” Jimin fingerspelled meticulously, and Jeongguk nodded. He made a fist for Jeongguk to see, trying to remember everything he had brainstormed while on his way to Jeongguk’s apartment. “Stop.” He then tapped Jeongguk three times. “Stop,” he repeated. Jeongguk grinned.

“That’s for if we’re hugging,” he signed mischievously with an obvious wink, and Jimin rolled his eyes, trying not to laugh and appease the beautiful man whose fingers were still inside him. “Okay. What else?”

Jimin held up his pointer and middle fingers only, sticking them together and shaking them. “More,” he signed, trying not to blush but failing graciously. He tapped Jeongguk’s shoulder twice. “More.”

“I like that one,” Jeongguk teased. “Okay. What else? You wanna tell me if you’re about to come? I can give you one.”

Jimin groaned and dropped his forehead on Jeongguk’s shoulder, feeling the vibrations of Jeongguk’s laughter but then trembling when Jeongguk’s fingers circled and stroked inside of him, pressing and searching. Breath quickening, he sat up again and stared, waiting. Jeongguk held up one fist and quickly opened and shut it a few times, which made Jimin giggle. But it was effective, so he nodded.

“Okay,” he signed. “Like. Don’t like.” He signed both things for Jeongguk to see. “We can use those signs.”

“You’ll like everything I do,” Jeongguk joked with another wink, and Jimin snickered. “Any others?”

“Harder?” Jimin asked, just letting himself blush this time. Jeongguk puckered his lips again, this time in thought, and as he did, he massaged Jimin’s thigh with one hand and slowly thrusted his fingers in and out of Jimin, watching the reaction he was getting. Jimin squirmed and held his breath, grinding down onto Jeongguk’s fingers, unashamed over being fully hard while trying to negotiate. Jeongguk was hard, too, and Jimin had half a mind to touch him, but he couldn’t think straight when Jeongguk was fingering him like this.

“Pull my hair,” Jeongguk suggested with a grin, and Jimin agreed with a nod, raking his fingers through Jeongguk’s long hair and pulling experimentally. “Fast. Slow.” Jeongguk signed both words. “Are those still okay?”

“Perfect,” Jimin agreed. “Stop. More. Coming. Like. Don’t like. Harder. Fast. Slow.” He signed everything as Jeongguk watched. “Is that all?”

“One more thing,” Jeongguk insisted, so Jimin nodded, fingernails digging into Jeongguk’s skin as Jeongguk wiggled in a third finger, the stretch making Jimin see stars. “I want to see you,” he signed with his left hand. “I don’t like… from behind.”

“Oh-h-h. Okay. You want to see me,” Jimin confirmed, and Jeongguk nodded.

“I want to see your face,” Jeongguk replied. “So I know how you’re feeling.”

“Do you know how I’m feeling now?” Jimin asked, chewing his bottom lip and resting his forehead against Jeongguk’s forehead momentarily.

“I can guess,” Jeongguk answered with a smirk, twisting and then curling his fingers. Jimin didn’t hold back the moan that escaped from the back of his throat as his head fell back, legs shaking. “Are you ready now?”

“I’m ready,” Jimin agreed, nodding and signing “yes” as well. Jeongguk used his clean handle to cradle Jimin’s head like he was precious, and Jimin shivered as Jeongguk laid him back onto the pillows. Jimin rolled his head and found the lube, and he watched as Jeongguk reached for a condom. Immediately, Jimin snatched it out of his hands and ripped open the foil packet himself, pinching the edge of the condom and pulling it out.

“Come here,” he signed. Jeongguk scooted just a little closer on his knees and bent to kiss the tip of Jimin’s nose, and as he did, Jimin carefully rolled the condom on. With a bit of lube on his palm, he wrapped his hand around Jeongguk’s cock and stroked a few times, and Jeongguk let out a breath of pleasure, head hanging, hips moving forward as he fucked into the tight ring of Jimin’s fist, fully hard. Electrified, Jimin kept his hand where it was and used his other hand to find a pillow, wiggling and bridging his hips as best as he could. Despite being in a compromising position, Jeongguk managed to help Jimin slide the pillow under his hips.

“Good. So good. So good,” Jeongguk signed repeatedly, his eyes closed as Jimin kept jerking him off. “Please…”

Jimin nodded, removing his hand and letting his legs fall open. Jeongguk grabbed both of his knees and immediately bent down, kissing the inside of each thigh as Jimin trembled, licking his lips. Jeongguk’s left hand slid to the juncture of Jimin’s thigh and hip, and he used the thumb of his right hand to press against Jimin’s rim as Jimin held his breath in anticipation.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” Jimin gasped, his head falling back as Jeongguk slowly pressed into him. The stretch was so satisfying, and Jimin’s toes curled as he took Jeongguk inch by inch. When he felt Jeongguk’s hips against the backs of his thighs, Jimin caught his breath and opened his eyes.

“I’m going slow,” Jeongguk signed using one hand, his other hand pressed to the mattress. He hesitated, but then Jimin saw the little smirk on his face. “I don’t want to.”

“Don’t,” Jimin signed, his heart leaping into his throat. Jeongguk pulled out nearly all the way, and then he thrust back into Jimin roughly, rolling his hips as Jimin moaned, reaching blindly for Jeongguk, for something to hold. Jeongguk grabbed that hand and pinned it to the mattress, and then he began to fuck Jimin without holding back.

Jimin had never really been the type to get off on dirty talk, but as he writhed beneath Jeongguk with his legs wrapped around Jeongguk’s waist, he realized that the way Jeongguk was staring at him was light-years more arousing than any combination of words. His gaze made Jimin feel hot all over, made him choke back a whimper or swallow down the desire to blurt out that he would be good, and he reached down and stroked his own cock, sticky with pre-come, following Jeongguk’s rhythm.

“Jeongguk,” he moaned, hips lifting off the pillow when Jeongguk fucked into him at the perfect angle. Frantic, Jimin yanked his hand out of Jeongguk’s hand and shook two fingers in Jeongguk’s line of sight, breathless. A fleeting grin flashed across Jeongguk’s face as he fell forward, kissing Jimin’s throat with the intent to leave a mark, sending his cock deeper and giving Jimin more, as requested. The angle was so good that Jimin tapped Jeongguk’s shoulder twice, feeling out of his mind.

“More, more, more,” he gasped, fingernails scratching down Jeongguk’s back in desperation, heels kicking Jeongguk’s lower back. Jeongguk fucked Jimin so hard that Jimin slid across the sheets, the pillow shifting beneath him, and he pressed his lips to Jimin’s throat. Surely he could feel the way Jimin’s Adam’s apple bobbed, and maybe… maybe he could feel the vibrations in Jimin’s throat from the moans as well. Jimin tried to hold himself back, but when Jeongguk’s next thrust was against his prostate, he choked out Jeongguk’s name around a moan, heels kicking, hips lifting again, head falling back. But still, he wanted everything Jeongguk had to offer, so he lifted his hand and pulled Jeongguk’s hair, forcing Jeongguk’s lips harder onto his throat while also asking for Jeongguk to fuck him harder.

Jeongguk lifted his head and stared at Jimin with dark eyes, pupils blown. Breathless, he smirked again, and Jimin’s own hand tightened around his cock, the pleasure reaching an overwhelming height as he teetered on the edge of orgasm already. Just from one look.

“You drive me fucking crazy,” Jeongguk signed with one hand as best as he could. Jimin responded by clenching around Jeongguk’s cock and lifting his hips, a ploy to get exactly what he wanted.

It worked.

Jeongguk shoved one of Jimin’s knees up towards his chest to create a new angle, and then he began to fuck Jimin harder, faster, his pace brutal, the only two sounds in the room skin slapping against skin and Jimin’s moans. Feeling the burning heat of a building orgasm in the pit of his stomach, Jimin slung his leg over Jeongguk’s shoulder with ease, and Jeongguk immediately turned his head and kissed Jimin’s calf, his knee, his inner thigh as he slowed his pace. Jimin was panting now, sweating, licking his lips as he locked eyes with Jeongguk.

“You feel… so good,” Jeongguk slowly signed. “So beautiful…” He ran his hand down the outside of Jimin’s leg, and Jimin shivered again. Jeongguk’s hand then gripped Jimin’s chin to get his attention before he lifted that hand. “You’re mine.”

“Fucking hell,” Jimin gasped. He’d had enough. As gracefully as he could, he sat upright, dropping his leg, his arms around Jeongguk’s waist, and he rolled the two of them so that Jeongguk was lying on his back, propped up against the pillows. Jimin swung one leg over to straddle Jeongguk and sank down onto his cock again, the new angle sending Jeongguk deeper than before. Jimin’s breath caught in his throat, head falling back as his hands smacked against Jeongguk’s abdomen. Jeongguk’s large hands consumed his waist, and Jimin stifled a moan when Jeongguk shifted inside him by lifting his hips.

“Like?” Jimin signed, studying Jeongguk’s expression as he began to circle his hips experimentally. Jeongguk’s white-knuckle grip on his waist and the way he bent his knees told Jimin everything, but Jeongguk’s tense nod was just satisfying validation. Jimin felt two taps against his right hip and saw the dazed grin on Jeongguk’s face.

More.

Using every muscle in his body, Jimin began to ride Jeongguk while studying his face, realizing for maybe the first time in his sexually active life that eye contact was a turn-on for him. Maybe it was just with Jeongguk, but either way, it made Jimin feel immortal, the way Jeongguk looked at him. When Jeongguk took Jimin’s cock in his hand and began to stroke him in time with Jimin’s pace, Jimin gasped, pitching forward with his fingernails scratching at Jeongguk’s chest.

Remember your signs. Remember something. Anything—

“I’m—I’m close,” Jimin managed to say, and he lifted one weak hand and opened and shut his fist a few times. Jeongguk nodded, thumb swiping over the tip of Jimin’s cock to gather more pre-come as he squeezed and rolled his fingers down the shaft, his eyes dragging down the length of Jimin’s body as he did. Never in Jimin’s life had he had such an attentive lover before. “Overwhelmed” wasn’t a strong enough word for what he was feeling.

Jimin rode Jeongguk faster, angling his hips to get Jeongguk’s cock exactly where he wanted, brushing every sensitive nerve inside of him as his legs shook and sweat began to pool at the small of his back. Jeongguk gripped his ass with one hand, a move that drove Jimin crazy, and his chest began to burn from the exertion in the best way, the orgasm building more and more. Jimin frantically opened and shut his fist again a few times, unable to do anything else, but then he was falling backwards.

“Fuck,” he gasped as Jeongguk grabbed him and flipped their position again, Jimin lying on his back. Jeongguk threw both of Jimin’s legs over his shoulders and wrapped his arms around Jimin’s thighs for a good grip, and then he sank back into Jimin and began to fuck him hard and fast. Jimin tried to jerk himself off at the same time, but he felt like his soul was about to leave his body. He couldn’t bring his hand to move. He writhed with another moan, reaching and smacking Jeongguk’s wrist twice for more, but that was all he could manage.

“J-Jeongguk, Jeongguk, I’m—fuck me harder, harder, harder, I’m—I’m gonna come, I’m coming, I’m—” Jimin’s eyes rolled back, his body tensing, his mind going blank as he the orgasm slammed him; he came across his abdomen and his hand, hardly able breathe, Jeongguk fucking him through it until Jimin was shaking his fist and begging him to stop. He felt Jeongguk’s hips against his ass, felt Jeongguk grinding against him and pulsing inside of him, and then they both collapsed.

Jimin could feel Jeongguk’s heart pounding against his chest, since Jeongguk was lying on top of him, still buried inside of him, his face pressed to Jimin’s neck. Jimin’s ears were ringing, but Jeongguk’s lips were leaving soft kisses beneath his jaw, so Jimin lifted one shaking hand and stroked Jeongguk’s hair, kissing his temple in a daze. Finally, Jeongguk pushed up far enough to look down at Jimin.

“Are you okay?” he asked, and Jimin’s heart clenched. No sign language. Just Jeongguk’s voice, slightly raspy. Jimin reached up and brushed his knuckles against Jeongguk’s cheek, nodding.

“I’m okay,” he whispered.

“You’re pretty when I’m fucking you,” Jeongguk said, and Jimin huffed, smacking Jeongguk’s bicep as Jeongguk snickered, bending to kiss Jimin’s neck. When he pushed back up, he looked rather pleased with himself. He held up one finger, so Jimin nodded and braced himself, letting Jeongguk pull out and remove the condom.

“Wait there,” Jeongguk signed, tying off the condom as he walked towards the bathroom. Jimin rolled his head and admired his boyfriend (boyfriend) fully naked in all his glory, walking around the apartment like he hadn’t just fucked the life out of Jimin. Jeongguk returned with a wet washcloth that smelled like lavender, offering it up to Jimin and keeping a second one for himself. They both wiped down, Jimin stealing kisses when he could, and then Jeongguk leapt onto the bed and pulled Jimin into his arms, grabbing his phone as they cuddled close to each other. It was like they had a specific comfortable position now to communicate with one phone, and it made Jimin smile.

“Not that I’m surprised, but that exceeded all of my expectations,” Jeongguk said, turning his phone so Jimin could see the screen. Grinning, Jimin tapped the microphone button.

“You know I was worried about having sex with you for weeks because I was scared I would mess up,” he confessed. “So I’m glad it was good.”

“Good? It was great. And that was just a warm-up. You had nothing to worry about,” Jeongguk replied, kissing Jimin’s forehead as Jimin read. “Exactly how kinky are you? For science.”

Jimin snickered. “Do you want to experiment? Because I’ll try anything once. I like it rough. I like anything. I’ll take whatever you give me.”

“The universe is finally rewarding me,” Jeongguk teased, laughing at his own words as Jimin smacked his left pec. “Your communication system worked well. I liked it. I’ve never really done that with other partners. It was really nice to have it. Thank you. It’s true that you’re the best boyfriend ever and it’s only been an hour.”

“Well, if I want to hang onto a guy like you, then I need to go above and beyond,” Jimin declared as Jeongguk’s fingers combed through his damp hair. “I found the perfect man.”

“You’re like Heaven,” Jeongguk said, still stroking Jimin’s hair. “You know that? You’re an angel.”

[“iris” by elina] 

Jimin buried his head in Jeongguk’s chest for a moment, closing his eyes and breathing in deeply. As he exhaled, he tried to wrap his head around the current state of his life. Two months ago, he could have never imagined being swept up into such an adventurous hurricane. Now he was lying in the arms of a man he was certain he loved, and it had happened so fast. Jimin couldn’t quite comprehend his heart’s intentions, but he wasn’t going to fight it. It felt serendipitous. It felt like this was exactly where he was supposed to be.

“If I’m an angel, then so are you,” Jimin replied with speech-to-text. He was going to add more, but then his eye caught the sketchbook lying on Jeongguk’s bedside table among other random items. With a little grunt, Jimin reached over and grabbed the sketchbook and two of the pencils that were on top of it.

“Will you draw something for me?” Jimin asked, his heart soaring when Jeongguk accepted the sketchbook and pencils while nodding with a fond smile. Jimin hurried out of the bedroom and grabbed his phone just in case, and when he returned, Jeongguk was propped up on the pillows with a sheet draped over his torso, still naked. Jimin chose to remain naked in solidarity, crawling back into bed and curling up into Jeongguk’s side as Jeongguk flipped open the sketchbook.

“Wait, wait, wait,” Jimin said, cutting his hand in and stopping Jeongguk from flipping. He turned back one page, his jaw dropping. On the page was a side profile headshot sketch of Jimin, a drawing that captured every single detail of him, complete with shading and individual strands of hair. It was so realistic and accurate that all Jimin could do was blink in shock, expecting the image before him to change. It didn’t.

Jeongguk flipped a corner of the sketchbook and scribbled something with his pencil, and then he showed Jimin what he had written: You’re my muse.

“It’s so beautiful,” Jimin signed, surprised to feel a bubble of emotion in his chest. He had never been anyone’s muse before.

“It’s beautiful because you’re beautiful,” Jeongguk answered, looking proud of himself when Jimin squinted at him, trying not to laugh. Jimin kissed Jeongguk’s cheek, trying to connect the man who had just pleasured him into a stupor ten minutes ago to the man giggling and twirling a pencil around his fingers right now.

Jeongguk turned to a clean page in the sketchbook, and then he started sketching. The first thing he drew was a baby chick, and he wrote JIMIN over its head, which made Jimin laugh. He drew random things on the fly, and Jimin just watched, amazed at the talent flowing from Jeongguk’s brain through his hand and onto the paper. Normally, Jimin liked having background music, but there was something comforting about the silence and the occasional scratching of the pencil on the thick paper. It felt like Jeongguk. It felt like home.

His curiosity piqued, Jimin took out his phone.

JIMIN [10:07PM]
What was it like to study art at school?

Jeongguk clamped the pencil between his teeth to text back.

JEONGGUKIE 🤟 [10:09PM]
Too many rules 🤣

Besides the terrible accessibility, I just wasn’t cut out for university ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

I need freedom, not restrictions

I should have known that before I started

JIMIN [10:10PM]
What about in high school? Did you study art there at all?

JEONGGUKIE 🤟[10:11PM]
I had art classes there, but I did a lot of art outside of school hours

During school hours, I was too busy getting in trouble 🤣

JIMIN [10:11PM]
You? Getting in trouble? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ No waaaaaay

JEONGGUKIE 🤟 [10:12PM]
ㅋㅋ well, my high school wasn’t all that great

They focused on teaching using spoken Korean more than KSL

So I got in trouble and got into fights because I refused to speak and lip read all the time

I taught a lot of my classmates KSL ㅋㅋㅋ better than some teachers

The school is improving now, but back then, it wasn’t great

There’s just always this idea that we’re broken and need to be fixed

That if Deaf people could just read lips and speak perfectly, we’d all be fine 🙄

But I don’t need to be fixed because there’s nothing wrong with me

Jimin read the last text message and immediately set his phone aside. In one smooth motion, he rolled until he was lying on top of Jeongguk, using one hand to stroke Jeongguk’s hair away from his face.

“How… sign… ‘perfect’?” Jimin fingerspelled. Jeongguk hesitated, like he knew exactly what Jimin was trying to do, but he showed Jimin the sign regardless. “Jeongguk… You’re perfect,” Jimin signed. “You’re beautiful. Funny. Smart. Sweet. Perfect.”

Jeongguk reached up with one hand and stroked Jimin’s cheek reverently with his knuckles. His thumb brushed over Jimin’s lips, and then his hand slipped behind Jimin’s neck to pull Jimin down for a kiss. The sketchbook fell to the side. Jimin straddled Jeongguk’s hips and deepened the kiss. Jeongguk’s hand slipped between the two of them, and Jimin gasped.

Heaven. And maybe both of them were angels.

✩࿐

Besides the glorious feeling that came with waking up beside Jeongguk in the morning (knowing that Sunday anime day was canceled, thank fuck), Jimin also got to enjoy giving Jeongguk a blowjob in the shower, and then he reaped the benefits of Jeongguk pressing him against the shower wall and jerking him off.

So—basic domesticity.

[“muse” by misterwives] 

Jimin couldn’t believe how little he was thinking about his average weekday work life. Spending time with Jeongguk made the weekends feel endless but fleeting at the same time. He got to watch Jeongguk float around the kitchen making coffee and munching on whatever he could find in the fridge, and Jimin had half a mind to check his eyes in a mirror to see if there were cartoon hearts in them.

“Hey.” Jeongguk patted the air to get Jimin’s attention, so Jimin looked up from his phone as Jeongguk slid an iced americano towards him. “I want to take you to the skatepark again. I go on Sundays a lot. Come with me.”

“Okay,” Jimin agreed with a grin, accepting his coffee. “You’re skating. Not me.”

“We’ll see about that,” Jeongguk signed, narrowing his eyes. Then he popped his lips and patted the countertop. “Happy anniversary,” he joked, remembering that Jimin had said to make it the following day. Jimin snickered and signed it back, and Jeongguk returned to making coffee as Jimin opened up a text message conversation.

JIMIN [10:04AM]
Good morning to single bitches only

So that’s just Hoseok

NAMJOON [10:05AM]
Shut the fuck up did JK make it official with you

JIMIN [10:05AM]
ㅋㅋㅋㅋ yeah, but our anniversary is today so I don’t have to share with you

HOBI [10:07AM]
Wooooooooooooooooooow

Wow

I may be single but we’re all getting good dick so excuse me

JIMIN [10:09PM]
How did we all go from misery loves company to this current predicament

NAMJOON [10:10AM]
The predicament in question being worshiping another man

HOBI [10:10AM]
crickets

A tumbleweed passes by

Wii theme music plays

Yah Jimin you went from thinking JK was a figment of the imagination to dating him

NAMJOON [10:12AM]
I’m pretty sure only you thought JK wasn’t real, Hoseok

Shit sorry I have to go now

Congrats Jimin ;)

JIMIN [10:12AM]
ㅋㅋ thanks hyung!

HOBI [10:13AM]
All 3 of us are being summoned by another man right now, this is pathetic

I love it

Congrats, Jimin 🤣❤️

Jimin started with a smile when he felt Jeongguk’s arms around his waist, since he was sitting on one of the barstools. Jeongguk propped his chin on Jimin’s shoulder and kissed his cheek.

“Tell your friends I said hi,” Jeongguk said, and Jimin smiled at the sound of Jeongguk’s voice. It wasn’t that Jimin expected for Jeongguk to speak all the time, because he didn’t, nor did he want Jeongguk to do so; it was the fact that Jeongguk felt comfortable enough around Jimin to use his voice that made Jimin feel some type of way.

Jimin found himself wearing all of Jeongguk’s clothes to the skatepark, which just made him feel like he was in his boyfriend era. He was closing in on his twenty-ninth birthday and he was giggling to himself happily about both of them wearing white t-shirts and black pants like a real couple. Hoseok was never going to let him live it down, but Jimin took a few pictures anyway, especially because Jeongguk asked if he could splatter Jimin all over his social media accounts.

“I have to show off my boyfriend,” he signed insistently, unbuckling his seatbelt after pulling into a parking space at the skatepark. “This is serious now. It’s official. I need to brag.”

“I want to brag first,” Jimin teased, hastily opening up Instagram like he was going to beat Jeongguk to the punch. Jeongguk snatched Jimin’s phone away and exited out of Instagram, so Jimin leapt out of the car to demand his phone back.

With his phone in his pocket, Jimin watched as Jeongguk grabbed his skateboard from the backseat, tucking it under his arm and taking Jimin’s hand, his sunglasses on. He was so effortlessly cool and so beautiful. Jimin had bagged this man as his boyfriend. Jeongguk was his boyfriend.

“Okay, get on,” Jeongguk said as they entered the skatepark area, setting his board down.

“No,” Jimin said stubbornly. Jeongguk raised his eyebrows and set his hands on his hips, and it was funny enough that Jimin giggled and stepped onto the skateboard, accepting Jeongguk’s hands.

“Whee-e-e-e-e-e,” Jeongguk said out loud, and Jimin burst out laughing, teetering a little as Jeongguk began to sidestep while pulling Jimin along with him. He even did a little sashay, speeding up as Jimin tried to keep his balance.

“I’m gonna fall, you dweeb,” Jimin laughed, signing at the same time as best as he could with one hand. Jeongguk just kept pulling him with a grin as Jimin wobbled, turning in a circle near one of the ramps. It was on the final part of the turn that Jimin lost his footing, and he pitched forward as the skateboard flew out from underneath his feet. He let out a yelp, but his arms flew around Jeongguk’s neck, and Jeongguk caught him instantly, letting his board roll away.

“I told you!” Jimin called out, Jeongguk’s arms around his waist securely, his feet still off the ground. Jeongguk pulled back with one eyebrow arched dramatically, but then he hiked Jimin further up into his arms and slid his hands beneath Jimin’s thighs. Jimin immediately wrapped his legs around Jeongguk’s waist with a short laugh and accepted the kiss Jeongguk gave him.

“You lost my board,” Jeongguk teased, speaking again instead of signing because his hands were busy. Jimin clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes, smacking one more kiss onto Jeongguk’s lips and wiggling out of his grasp to go fetch his skateboard. Jeongguk set him down to let Jimin pivot, but he jogged past Jimin to retrieve the board himself.

“YAH!”

Jimin glanced over to the ramp on his right when he heard a loud voice calling out, wondering what the fuss was about. Surprisingly, the yelling was directed at him. Three guys were standing at the top of the ramp, probably in their early twenties or late teens, all of them with skateboards. The one calling to Jimin had his elbows draped over the railing of the ramp.

“You take that shit somewhere else!” he added. “This is a public space for families!”

“Seriously?” Jimin replied with a short laugh. He shook his head and looked to his left, where Jeongguk was kicking up his skateboard to skate back to Jimin.

“Hey! Pretty boy! If you can’t skate, go home,” the second one taunted, twisting his baseball cap backwards. “No one else here is gonna kiss you.”

“Christ,” Jimin muttered to himself, rolling his eyes and ignoring it. Heckling wasn’t rare, but now was not the time. Jeongguk skated back over and came to a stop, hopping off the board and pressing one foot on it to keep it from rolling away.

“What’s going on?” he signed.

“Talking shit because we were kissing,” Jimin replied. Immediately, Jeongguk looked over to the three guys on the ramp, one of whom was sailing back up after dropping in. They noticed, naturally, and the first instigator waved.

“Yeah, you! Same goes for you! Take that lovey dovey shit somewhere else where we don’t have to see it!” he hollered with the same smug grin as before, a clear indication that he was feeling confident. Jeongguk turned his head to stare at Jimin with a semi-confused look on his face, but when Jimin just rolled his eyes again and gave a subtle shake of his head, Jeongguk’s look of confusion vanished. Instead, he turned back to the three guys, smiled, and then held up two middle fingers.

“Jeongguk, don’t,” Jimin hissed, but it was too late; all three guys laughed and nudged one another and began climbing down the stairs of the ramp. Jeongguk ignored Jimin’s panicked patting on his shoulder and crossed his arms instead, unmoving as the three men approached.

“You wanna try that again?” one of them asked Jeongguk. “Huh? Go ahead.”

Calmly, Jeongguk lifted the middle finger of his right hand and moved it forward, closer to the guy’s face. It triggered a knee-jerk response as the guy swatted Jeongguk’s hand away, but Jeongguk was faster than Jimin could blink, because he caught the guy’s wrist and gripped tightly.

“Yah, fuck you! Let go!” the guy complained, yanking his hand out of Jeongguk’s grasp immediately. “You wanna insult us? Is that it? You want a fight? You’re out here kissing boys in a public place and you want to fight?”

“What’s he saying?” Jeongguk signed to Jimin, brow furrowed. He didn’t seem concerned in the slightest, though, even though Jimin’s heart was racing. This was the kind of confrontation he saw in teen dramas or movies, not something he ever thought he’d have to deal with in real time.

“Oh, what you don’t speak?” one of the guys mocked. “You’re too scared to actually insult us or what?”

“He’s Deaf,” Jimin snapped, and the third guy snorted with laughter.

“Yeah, and I’m the King of England,” he quipped coolly. “This fucker wants to provoke us and then play dumb?”

Jimin was going to interject, but then Jeongguk just started signing. He was signing quickly, too, so quickly that Jimin couldn’t keep up with what he was saying. His facial expressions made his intentions pretty obvious, but nevertheless, Jimin was stumped, and now his heart was gurgling in his throat.

“What the fuck is he saying?” one guy asked Jimin. “If you’re sticking your tongue down his throat, then you know what he’s doing. What’s all that—?” He began to flap his hands and wiggle his fingers as a way to mock Jeongguk, his friends stifling their laughter, and Jimin could feel the heat rising in the back of his neck—not from embarrassment.

From anger.

This was what Jeongguk meant. This was what Taehyung meant. This was the kind of shit that they dealt with every day as two people who were Deaf. The mocking, the ignorance, the lack of understanding, the attempts at jokes, the insults, the discrimination. They had likely been subjected to it for a majority of their lives, and still, they persevered. Still, they carried on with their everyday lives while ableism ran rampant around them and the world taunted them. Maybe it wasn’t this blatant all the time, but to Jimin, it was enough. It was more than enough to piss him off.

“I don’t really think you want to know what he’s saying,” Jimin replied, praying for his voice to remain steady so they wouldn’t know that he was about to lie through his teeth.

“Oh, we wanna know,” the first guy replied, and then he snorted with laughter. “Look at him, he’s still going. What an idiot.”

They were talking about Jeongguk as if he wasn’t even present. That was yet another thing that made Jimin’s blood boil, because Jeongguk was still just signing with a smirk on his face, unbothered, and then he looked at Jimin.

“He said…” Jimin took a deep breath and set his hands on his hips, his mind racing. “He said that you should all be so lucky to see two men kissing because that’s more action than you’ve ever gotten from your own hands in your lifetime.”

“You fucking—”

“And!” Jimin interrupted before any of the three men could react or pounce or hurl further insults. “And… Christ, do you really need me to interpret this?”

“You fucking tell us,” the second guy threatened.

“And your skateboarding talents are so piss poor that you should all consider going back to riding scooters,” Jimin added quickly.

“Oh, this fucker just wants a fight,” one of the guys laughed, stepping into Jeongguk’s space and lifting his hand to strike. Jeongguk’s response was cool and collected—he held up one arm and let the guy’s hand hit the bone of his forearm as he drew himself to full height, silently challenging the trio.

“Uh, the last thing he signed,” Jimin blurted out, holding up one hand before the fight turned physical. “Sorry. The last thing he signed was that all he has to do is get the city to pull up the skatepark security footage as evidence of three grown men harassing a person who’s Deaf. So do with that what you will.”

“Shit, bro, we can’t fucking fight him,” one of the guys hissed instantly, grabbing his friend. “Let’s go. Let’s go, come on. Fuck. Fuck.”

“This asshole was—!”

“Let’s go,” the guy insisted, smacking his friend on the back of the head. “Christ, come on. Move, go. Go, go, fuck these two. Go.”

Jimin could feel his heart dropping into his stomach as the three guys retreated, his hands shaking violently from the adrenaline, a bead of sweat trickling down his spine. Fear. Pure fear. Never in his life had he had to deal with such a head-on confrontation, and he had just jumped into the deep end. He hadn’t even thought twice about lying and challenging three pissed off men in Jeongguk’s defense.

Jeongguk grabbed Jimin’s arm and turned him. “What did you say?” he signed, curious. “I was ready to fight them.”

“I’m sorry,” Jimin signed, and then he hastily reached for his phone, his hands still shaking. “I’m sorry, I…”

He felt Jeongguk’s hands on his waist as he typed up a message as quickly as possible, turning his phone to show Jeongguk: I told them you signed that the only action they get is from their own hands, that they should go back to using scooters instead of skateboards, and that the city can pull up security footage to show them harassing you.

Jeongguk read it once. He read it twice. And then he burst out laughing, covering his face with both hands and tilting his head back. Jimin wanted to scold him and tell him that it wasn’t funny at all and that he was about to shit himself in fright, but the adrenaline crash was smacking him in the face, and he could barely think straight. Jeongguk set both hands on his knees and bent at the waist with a little grunt from stretching and one last laugh, and he lifted his head with a grin.

[“oh shit… are we in love?” by valley]  

“That’s not what I said,” he signed, straightening up and trying not to laugh again.

“I didn’t know what you said!” Jimin exclaimed, smacking both hands against his forehead and circling himself as the panic subsided and he caught his breath. “I didn’t want you to fight them,” he added. “So I just lied.”

Jeongguk rubbed his eyes with both hands, still grinning. When he removed his hands from his eyes, his expression softened. Jimin then watched as he gestured to Jimin with his right hand palm facing up, then set his hand over his heart, and finally, with his left hand, he made a fist with his knuckles facing forward and rubbed the open palm of his right hand over the top of the fist in a clockwise motion.

“What?” Jimin asked gently. Jeongguk repeated the same sign. “Sorry… I don’t know that one. Again?”

Jeongguk repeated the sign. He took two steps towards Jimin, held Jimin’s face between his hands, and pressed a kiss to his forehead.

“I love you.”

He whispered the words for only Jimin to hear, but they were unmistakable. When he leaned back and signed the same thing again, Jimin could see the look in his eyes, the small smile on his face, the compassion in his movement.

“I—Right now?” Jimin asked blankly, stunned. Jeongguk burst out laughing and nudged Jimin’s right shoulder, and Jimin let out a breathy laugh of disbelief, still trying to process almost getting into a physical altercation with three strangers and now dealing with the whiplash of his boyfriend hitting him with a love confession. “We just started dating, and—right now? Now?”

“Yeah. I love you,” Jeongguk signed casually like it was the thousandth time he’d told Jimin such a thing. He looked like he was going to sign it again, but Jimin cut him off with a hug. Jeongguk wrapped his arms around Jimin’s waist and squeezed, and Jimin tangled one hand in Jeongguk’s hair, burying his face into Jeongguk’s neck and breathing in his familiar soapy scent. As he exhaled, he let it sink in.

Jeongguk loved him.

The man who had stumbled across Jimin on a subway one random Monday in June was now his boyfriend who loved him six weeks and ten thousand conversations later. Jimin was head over heels for the whimsical, beautiful, comical, talented, compassionate bartender with artistic aspirations. Jeongguk had taken Jimin’s average life and turned it into something extraordinary just by existing. With love, he had taught Jimin so much. And now Jimin had the chance to shower Jeongguk with love in return.

“I love you. I love you so much,” he murmured into Jeongguk’s neck, but then he pulled away, fingers laced at Jeongguk’s nape to make eye contact. “I love you,” he enunciated clearly, Jeongguk’s eyes trained on his lips. The way Jeongguk’s nose scrunched when he smiled told Jimin that his words were understood. Jeongguk leaned in and pressed a firm kiss to Jimin’s lips. Then another. Then a third.

“Sign it,” he insisted like an eager puppy dog. “I love you.”

“I love you,” Jimin slowly signed from memory, and Jeongguk nodded.

“Again,” he requested.

“I love you.”

“Again.”

“I love you,” Jimin signed, and then he nudged Jeongguk with both hands, all panic forgotten, both of them giggling with a giddy kind of energy that Jimin couldn’t pinpoint. His hands rock steady now, he grabbed Jeongguk and pulled him over towards a shaded small pavilion with a bench, and Jeongguk sat down first and pulled Jimin into his lap. Quickly, Jimin reached into his pocket and pulled his phone out, opening up a new note and going for speech-to-text.

“I’m sorry, by the way. I know you don’t need anyone to stand up for you or fight your battles for you, but I didn’t know what else to do to stop them from fighting you,” Jimin apologized. “And it pissed me off so much. They were mocking you and talking about you like you weren’t even there.”

Jeongguk read the words as they appeared on the screen, and he gently took the phone out of Jimin’s hands and typed.

“Three dimwit assholes mocking me is nothing to be offended by,” he replied. “I know that I’m desensitized and I probably should be mad, but I’ve dealt with worse. I’ve dated people who have talked about me like I wasn’t right in front of them. That’s just something I have to face as a Deaf person.”

“I understand why Taehyung has so much hatred for hearing people,” Jimin admitted, and Jeongguk hummed as he read the words. “I’m just—I’m sorry. You didn’t need me to save you or anything.”

“No, but you were being harassed, too. It wasn’t just me,” Jeongguk pointed out. “Most of the time, I don’t need anyone to save me. It makes me feel helpless and stupid. But there are times when having someone around who’s hearing is actually helpful. This was one of those times.”

“Out of curiosity, was I close?” Jimin asked. “Did I interpret anything that you were saying correctly?”

“Oh, no. Not even close,” Jeongguk answered. “I was signing the lyrics to ‘Sk8er Boi’ by Avril Lavigne. They had no idea that I was talking about punks and ballet.”

“Jeon Jeongguk—!” Jimin yelled, smacking Jeongguk’s arm as Jeongguk laughed, recoiling. “Are you fucking with me? Are—” He grabbed the phone. “Are you fucking with me?” he repeated.

“I’m serious,” Jeongguk replied with the same mischievous grin. “One time, I started signing Julius Caesar to some asshole barista at a coffee shop. If they’re gonna be rude, then I’m gonna sign whatever I want. ‘Et tu, Brute?’”

Jimin burst out laughing again, collapsing into Jeongguk with his arms around Jeongguk’s neck, Jeongguk’s hands beneath his t-shirt and his lips on Jimin’s neck. Love. Jimin loved this man. He was sure he had never felt love this profound before for someone else, someone who had just walked into his life. Maybe it was true that fate brought the right people together. Maybe Jimin had to believe the stars aligned. He couldn’t imagine fighting strangers for anyone else like he had just done.

“I love you,” he whispered, but then he pulled away and took Jeongguk’s face between his hands. “I love you,” he repeated clearly. “I really love you.”

“Next time…” Jeongguk leaned back far enough to free his hands to sign. “Next time I want to see you punch someone.”

“No!” Jimin exclaimed with a laugh, and Jeongguk snickered. “No fighting,” he signed, shaking his head.

“I’m good at fighting,” Jeongguk replied with a very obvious wink, cracking his knuckles. Jimin rolled his eyes as Jeongguk poked his sides playfully and then patted his thigh. “I love you,” he signed. “Am I moving too fast?”

“Too fast?” Jimin cocked his head to the side.

“Yeah.” Jeongguk reached for his phone again and typed. “I don’t want to scare you away. I’ve done it before. I just really like to love people. And I love you so much and I don’t want to run you off because it’s barely been two months.”

Jimin contemplated for a moment, his heart fluttering. Yoongi’s words snuck back into his mind: Jeongguk is all or nothing. Never had that been as true as it was now, and it had been from the beginning. Jeongguk had jumped into the deep end with Jimin, flirting with him from day one and expressing his feelings for Jimin openly and without hesitation. And while it felt like a whirlwind… it wasn’t too fast. Not for Jimin.

“I’m not scared. It’s been fast, but that doesn’t mean that I’m going to run off,” Jimin replied honestly, watching his words pop up on the screen. “I knew you were going to be special to me the moment I met you. I’m not surprised I fell in love with you. It’s fast, but it means that we both know what we want. We’re good together.”

“I think so, too,” Jeongguk agreed with a smile. He paused. Then he added, “Are you sure you can handle me? I’m not easy.”

“I can handle you,” Jimin replied without hesitation, seeing the grin on Jeongguk’s face. “Do you want to keep skating, or should we run before those assholes realize that we tricked them?”

“I know another skatepark. Want to go with me? We can get dinner together, too. I need as much boyfriend time as possible before the work week starts,” Jeongguk replied, nudging Jimin with the same grin. “And I know I already said it, but thank you for sticking up for me. That was pretty badass.”

Jimin hopped off Jeongguk’s lap and pulled Jeongguk to his feet. Jeongguk smiled right into the kiss Jimin gave him, and then he laughed when Jimin showed him a finger heart—a nice shortcut to express his love. Jeongguk leaned forward and kissed Jimin’s fingertips with a dimpled grin.

“I love you, too.”

✩࿐

Jimin could think of absolutely nothing more terrifying than the text he received the following weekend on Saturday afternoon.

MIN YOONGI [3:25PM]
Hi, it’s Yoongi. Taehyung wants you to come over.

Jimin almost choked on his own spit when he read the text message and promptly dropped his phone on his face. Wincing, he scrambled upright on the couch to reply.

JIMIN [3:26PM]
Does he want me to come over so he can murder me?

MIN YOONGI [3:27PM]
ㅋㅋ No. He won’t tell me why. He just said to invite you over.

He doesn’t seem angry, so our apartment won’t be a crime scene.

Plus, I’m home from work now, so I’ll be here.

Are you free? Can you come over, please?

JIMIN [3:29PM]
If it’s important, then yeah

I can be there right after 4

MIN YOONGI [3:30PM]
I just told him and he went to get the vacuum to clean up for you…?

“Date a neurodivergent man,” they said. “It’ll be fun,” they said.

I have not known peace for four years.

I have no idea what’s going on. ㅋㅋ

Neither did Jimin. If Kim Taehyung was inviting him over out of the blue and vacuuming to clean up for his arrival, then something was going on. Something was suspicious. And Jimin’s first instinct was to text Jeongguk and inquire as to what in the fresh hell was happening, but he decided against it. He had already seen Jeongguk four times this week. He had slept over on Wednesday night after Jeongguk’s work shift and they’d had sex three fucking times before passing out together. He was planning on sleeping over tonight so they could spend their Sunday together. So if Jeongguk knew what was going on, he would have mentioned it.

He hadn’t mentioned anything.

Jimin dressed casually, reading his texts with Yoongi again as if clues were suddenly going to pop up. Nothing. He got in his car and drove to Yoongi and Taehyung’s apartment, checking the texts again as he sat in the driver’s seat. Nothing.

“Fuck it,” he sighed, and then he entered the building and took the stairs to apartment 421, making sure he knocked loudly on the door with his phone ready just in case. He didn’t need it; the door opened almost immediately.

“Hi.” Yoongi opened the door further. “I now know why you’ve been invited over. Come on in.”

“Am I going to die?” Jimin asked as he kicked his shoes off, and then he let out a little yelp. “Oh! Oh, this is—”

“That’s Yeontan,” Yoongi confirmed as a little Pomeranian ball of fluff yipped at Jimin, scuffing his back legs a few times before rushing up to sniff around Jimin’s feet in curiosity. Jimin bent down and scratched behind Yeontan’s ears, and Yeontan panted happily, flopping onto the ground and rolling for belly rubs. Jimin obliged, glancing up as he rubbed.

“Hi. Are you going to murder me?” Jimin signed with one hand bravely, because Taehyung was standing there with his arms crossed, twisting a rubber band between his fingers. His honey blonde hair was a mess, and he was wearing gym shorts and a t-shirt, but he still looked handsome.

“No. I vacuumed the carpet for you,” Taehyung signed with a gesture; Jimin only guessed the signs for “vacuum” and “carpet,” but Yoongi provided a quick interpretation to prove him right. “Sit down on the couch.”

“That coffee is for you,” Yoongi added, pointing to the iced coffee that was on a coaster on the coffee table. Grateful, Jimin sat down on the couch and sipped the coffee to be polite, and Taehyung dragged his bean bag chair out and plopped down on it cross-legged. Yeontan leapt right into his lap.

“I’m ready to tell you my life story now,” Taehyung signed bluntly, and Jimin almost choked on his americano.

“Is—” He coughed a few times, thumping his chest. “Is that why you invited me over?”

“Yes,” Taehyung answered, glancing over at Yoongi. “Hyung, please interpret for me.”

“I got you,” Yoongi said and signed, scratching Taehyung’s back and moving toward the kitchen. He grabbed a chair and straddled it, putting himself in a better position where he could see both Taehyung and Jimin at the same time.

“Why am I, uh… listening to your life story?” Jimin wondered as Yoongi interpreted.

“Because I’ve decided to tell it to you,” Taehyung said like it was obvious, yanking Yeontan into his lap. Yeontan’s little tongue poked out as he panted, but he snuggled in and made himself comfortable with Taehyung. “Do you want to listen to it?”

“Yeah, of course I do,” Jimin agreed immediately. “Of course. Go ahead. I’m listening.”

Maybe this was it. Maybe this was Taehyung’s way of trying to bond with Jimin. Maybe the cracks were forming in his facade, and Jimin was finally sneaking his way through. So Jimin made a point of shifting to face Taehyung with his whole body to give his undivided attention.

“I was born Deaf, which is something that the doctors figured out almost right away,” Taehyung began with Yoongi’s interpretation. “But when I started missing all of my major milestones, my parents took me back and got me tested and assessed for everything. I was diagnosed with autism when I was two, and there wasn’t really a lot they could do for me growing up in Daegu. My mom brought me to different therapies, but everyone just told her to keep disciplining me and break all my bad habits. She didn’t do that because she’s a good mother, but then I started school.”

“I can’t imagine that that was a very nurturing environment for you,” Jimin guessed. Taehyung smirked.

“I went to a regular elementary school. I was learning sign language, but all of my therapists were pushing only for speech therapy and for me to speak and read lips. That was how they figured I was going to get by and get a normal education. They didn’t want me to be different. I wore my hearing aids every day, but I struggled non-stop. Every time the teachers would call on me or ask me to read something or answer a question, all of the kids would laugh at me. ‘His voice is weird.’” Taehyung’s facial expressions matched the mocking tone of young children as he signed, and Yoongi even changed his voice. “And I was autistic, so I didn’t know how to make friends, either. So guess what happened to me?”

“You were bullied,” Jimin guessed, his heart heavy.

“That’s the nice way of saying it,” Taehyung replied. “All of my classmates would tease me and taunt me. When we got older, they started sneaking up behind me and taking my hearing aids right out of my ears and running off with them. On two different occasions, they smashed them and destroyed them. And you know what the teachers did? Nothing. They told me to be nice and try to be friends with the other kids so that they didn’t feel compelled to bully me.”

“That’s disgusting,” Jimin commented.

“They would sneak up on me or make really loud noises to scare me, because it would make me cry,” Taehyung continued. “They mocked me whenever I spoke. They used to flap their hands and arms like birds in front of me and say that I talked like I was—insert inappropriate and ableist words here.”

“And nobody did anything?” Jimin asked, flabbergasted.

“Not a goddamn thing,” Taehyung replied. “Even the teachers I was supposed to trust did absolutely nothing to help. I missed school for a month when I was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes, and when I came back and had to go to the nurse for insulin injections, the bullies would try to follow me in there or escort me there and pretend they were being friendly. And then they’d say that they hoped the nurse would give me a lethal injection. I was nine-years-old.”

Jimin didn’t know what to comment anymore. He looked over at Yoongi, stunned, but Yoongi just pursed his lips and nodded—confirmation of the story. It was nothing but the truth, and it was so horrific that Jimin wasn’t sure he really wanted to hear more. But Taehyung plowed on.

“I hated going to school and I was failing almost all of my subjects,” he continued. “So I begged my parents to take me out and homeschool me or do something. That’s when they decided to pack up and move to Seoul so I could go to the Seoul National School for the Deaf.”

“Was that any better?” Jimin asked.

“Yes and no,” Taehyung said. “I was surrounded by other Deaf kids who knew my struggles and understood me. I could use KSL without being mocked. The staff really pushed for speech therapy and lip reading and oralism, but then there were kids like Jeongguk who just defied orders and stuck to signing. So even if the education wasn’t superior, I finally got away from the bullying. Most of it, anyway. If anyone tried to bully me because I was autistic, Jeongguk stuck up for me.”

“Did he fight people?” Jimin joked, trying not to smile.

“Seven different people, yes,” Taehyung confirmed, and Jimin almost choked on air. Yoongi snorted with laughter to his left. “He was good with his fists when it came to defending me. And in return, I worked on sign language with him, because I was better at it. That’s why we’re friends.”

“So, um… why… why did you tell me that story?” Jimin cautiously asked.

“So that you can understand why I don’t trust hearing people and why I hate them so much,” Taehyung answered, and Jimin took a deep breath, nodding as he exhaled. “I never learned how to trust anyone who wasn’t like me. In my mind, you’re all bad people with bad intentions.”

“I get that,” Jimin agreed, blinking and suddenly feeling like he was seeing Taehyung in a whole new light. It was strange what a touch of clarity could do. “I never knew it was that serious. I thought you just had a grudge. I’m sorry if it ever seemed like I was being ignorant about what you went through. I had no idea.”

“It’s because you’re dating Jeongguk,” Taehyung said point-blank. “He’s supposed to protect me. That’s just what I have set in my mind. And he’s really nice and he deserves a good person to be his boyfriend. And I don’t know if you’re a good person.”

“I’d like to think I’m a good person,” Jimin said tentatively.

“I’ll be the judge of that,” Taehyung said, narrowing his eyes. But then he clicked his tongue and sighed. “You’re not as evil as I thought you were.”

“You thought I was evil?” Jimin emphasized, letting out a bark of laughter. Even Taehyung cracked a small smile.

“In my mind, you were evil. Until last week,” Taehyung declared, and Jimin’s brow furrowed. “Jeongguk told us what happened at the skatepark.”

“Oh.” Jimin wrung his hands in his lap, pursing his lips. Was he wrong for lying about what Jeongguk had signed? Had he made a mistake? Had Jeongguk secretly criticized him for foolishly interpreting incorrect information—?

“That was pretty cool.”

“Oh.” Jimin’s tone changed immediately, and he heard Yoongi chuckle. “Cool?”

“Yeah. You stood up to three dickheads who treated Jeongguk like a lesser human being. And you got to see firsthand what we have to deal with sometimes,” Taehyung replied, shrugging. “And you handled it really well. So… don’t get too excited. The jury’s still out. But I guess you’re okay. He said he loves you, so I have to accept that, but… well. You know.”

“I’ll be good to him,” Jimin promised. “I promise you. I really do love him. And I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure you know that.”

“You don’t need our approval, you know,” Yoongi chimed in, amused. Taehyung huffed.

“Speak for yourself.” He carefully set Yeontan onto the ground and stretched with a small yawn, and that was when Jimin noticed the drumsticks that were on the opposite side of the coffee table as he reached for his americano.

“Jeongguk said you’re good at playing drums,” he said cautiously, not wanting to overstep the boundaries Taehyung had clearly set. Luckily for him, Taehyung’s response was to grab the drumsticks and shuffle towards what looked like a spare bedroom. Jimin followed curiously, and he recognized the room from the video call Jeongguk had gotten at the skatepark from Taehyung weeks ago. There was a drum kit and a piano, as well as a guitar and a large bookshelf.

“Woah, woah, hang on. You play the piano?” Jimin asked, stunned when Yoongi sat down at the piano and started playing various runs of different chords, his fingers flying nimbly across the keys. “I had no idea.”

Yoongi pounded his fist on the keyboard, and Taehyung flinched, close enough to hear the sound and see the sudden movement. Taehyung snickered to himself as he sat down at his drum kit.

“You never asked,” Yoongi said to Jimin with a little smirk. “We’re a two-man band. Taehyung gives me beats to work with, and I play along with him. Or sometimes we just Bluetooth a good metronome beat through his hearing aids, and I play while he comes up with something on the drums based on the beat.”

Jimin watched as Taehyung started playing at random, and it was immediately obvious that he had talent. There was no denying that; Jimin nodded along to what Taehyung was playing, impressed by Taehyung’s ability to multitask, because that was the one mindfuck that came with drumming that Jimin couldn’t seem to grasp. Taehyung had it down to a science.

Jimin made sure to applaud (Deaf applause, of course, both hands twisting back and forth in the air) when Taehyung finished, earning himself an eye roll, but Taehyung’s posture said otherwise—he was proud. A bit smug. But he looked pleased with Jimin’s response, enough so that he looked at Yoongi with a smile.

And then it dawned on Jimin.

“Yoongi hyung, can I talk to Taehyung alone?” Jimin asked. “Just for a minute.”

“Sure,” Yoongi agreed, signing Jimin’s words to Taehyung as he got up from the piano. Taehyung’s eyes narrowed in instant distrust, but Yoongi still obliged and left the room, closing the door quietly behind him.

“Don’t make fun of my signing,” Jimin signed immediately, and Taehyung tapped his drumsticks together a few times, raising one eyebrow as he set them aside.

“You make it so easy, though,” he replied, though for once, Jimin could tell that he was teasing. “What do you want?”

“I want to learn about sign language and Deaf culture from you,” Jimin signed carefully, his heart pounding in fear despite his fleeting moment of (potentially stupid) clarity. “I want to be better at it for Jeongguk. I need a teacher. So I’m asking you.”

Taehyung’s eyes narrowed again. He stood up and came around his drum kit, and Jimin remained rooted to the spot as Taehyung walked right up to him like they were two lightweight boxers at a weigh-in.

“Are you only asking me because I work as a manuscript editor for a publishing house and I’m an expert in both Korean and Korean Sign Language?” Taehyung asked, speaking instead of signing. Jimin pursed his lips and shook his head.

“No. I’m asking you because you’re Jeongguk’s best friend,” Jimin signed. “You’re Deaf. You know the language and the culture. I want to learn from you.”

“What’s in it for me?” Taehyung asked, flicking his eyebrows up as he stared at Jimin.

“What—?” Jimin let out a breathy laugh, startled. “I… I don’t…”

“I don’t teach,” Taehyung signed. “People are stupid. And you’re hearing. I don’t like you. Why would I teach you anything?”

Jimin ran both hands over his face, blowing out a breath and cracking his knuckles. “I want… to be the best boyfriend… for Jeongguk,” he signed carefully. “I don’t want to be… ignorant?”

“Ignorant,” Taehyung signed, correcting Jimin. Jimin nodded.

“Ignorant,” he repeated. “I don’t want to be ignorant. I want him to know that I’m trying really hard. I want to be able to talk to him more without using a phone. And… I trust you. I know you don’t like me, but I think you’d be a good teacher.”

Taehyung’s eyes remained narrow. He said nothing. Jimin set his hands on his hips with another sigh.

“I’ll give you free chiropractic adjustments for life,” he bargained without shame. That finally elicited a response out of Taehyung—he jutted out his right hand in front of Jimin’s face and wiggled his fingers.

“My hands and wrists hurt from drumming,” he said like it was a challenge.

“Can I touch you?” Jimin asked. Taehyung hesitated, glancing towards the door for comfort since Yoongi was in the living room, but then he nodded and gingerly offered up his hand. Jimin immediately began to massage and tug on each of Taehyung’s fingers, joints popping, and then he held Taehyung’s wrist carefully and delivered a quick adjustment, all while maintaining eye contact with Taehyung as a silent acceptance of the challenge. He did the right hand, and then the left.

“So?” Jimin asked when he released Taehyung’s left hand, watching as Taehyung wiggled his fingers and circled his wrists like he had been given new hands. He popped his lips once, and then he reached into his pocket and pulled out a rubber band, stretching it around his fingers.

“Let’s negotiate.”

✩࿐

Chapter Text

[moodboard by andy]

✩࿐

Jimin giggled, popping his head out from beneath the covers.

[“all 4 nothing (i’m so in love)” by lauv]

“I really have to go,” he signed as best as he could, but it was useless. Familiar lips blew a raspberry on his stomach and Jimin yelped, flailing and laughing as he attempted to roll away, Jeongguk’s head still beneath his t-shirt. With some wiggling, Jeongguk pawed his way out from beneath the blanket with a grin.

“What did you say?” he signed impishly with a matching grin.

“I have to go,” Jimin signed while laughing, catching his breath. Jeongguk screwed his face up in concentration, eyes wandering to the ceiling, but then he shook his head. “Jeongguk— Jeongguk.”

Jeongguk shimmied down beneath the blankets again, but this time, he pushed Jimin’s t-shirt up and started kissing down his torso, all across his stomach from hip bone to hip bone. When his fingers hooked into Jimin’s waistband, Jimin held his breath, but like a fool, he lifted his hips and let Jeongguk strip him bare. He was about to pull on Jeongguk’s hair to ask what he was planning to do, but he got his answer rather quickly.

“Oh, Christ,” Jimin gasped, one hand flying up and smacking against the headboard of the bed frame when Jeongguk’s tongue dragged up the length of his cock before swallowing him down. Jimin let out a small whimper, growing harder in Jeongguk’s mouth with every swirl of Jeongguk’s tongue around him. Jimin exhaled in pleasure, his eyes finding the ceiling in a daze, his other hand flying down beneath the blanket to grab Jeongguk’s hair for a good grip as his toes curled, heat coiling in his stomach.

This was just his life now.

Jeongguk’s birthday was in two days, and Jimin’s first official lesson with Taehyung was set for ten o’clock at Rata-Cat-Cat. Jimin had agreed to give up his free Wednesday mornings to meet with Taehyung, since that was what worked with Taehyung’s schedule best, but now he was regretting it, because Jeongguk going down on him was far better than any lesson he could learn.

At least, that’s what his horny brain was telling him.

“Fuck, baby, feels so good,” Jimin said breathlessly, because now it was becoming a habit of his to just babble. He was notorious for it, and Jeongguk teased him, but Jimin couldn’t help it. Everything Jeongguk did to him was cause for babbling. Jimin’s sex life was something to brag about now, because Jeongguk was voracious. He seemed insatiable when it came to Jimin, something Jimin wasn’t sure he had ever experienced before, and he was getting used to it day by day. He was no better, though. Last Saturday, Jeongguk had been late to his shift at SEVEN because Jimin had been too busy showing off how he could take both Jeongguk and a dildo at the same time.

Oops.

“Jeongguk,” Jimin whispered, lifting his hips as he hit the back of Jeongguk’s throat. Jeongguk’s hands gripped his thighs, and Jimin began to thrust into the warm, wet heat of Jeongguk’s mouth in a daze, his body tingling with pleasure. He closed his eyes to enjoy his last moments of bliss before he had to join the workforce for the day, trying not to think about what Taehyung would say if Jimin turned up late because of a blowjob.

“I’m close,” Jimin gasped, shoving one hand beneath the blanket and patting Jeongguk’s shoulder. He then opened and shut his fist a few times, wondering if Jeongguk saw, and Jeongguk humming with Jimin’s cock in his mouth was enough confirmation. Jimin’s breath quickened as he let the orgasm build, and then his body tensed, eyes rolling back as he spilled down Jeongguk’s throat.

“You fucking menace,” Jimin said to the ceiling as Jeongguk crawled his way back up, grinning proudly as he hovered over Jimin. Jeongguk cocked his head to the side and pulled at his own shorts, raising his eyebrows, so Jimin nodded encouragingly. He pulled his bottom lip between his teeth and watched as Jeongguk slipped his shorts and underwear down far enough to wrap his hand around his fully hard cock, and then he pressed one hand to the mattress by Jimin’s shoulder, jerking himself off and staring at Jimin.

“Feel good?” Jimin signed, and Jeongguk nodded, licking his lips. Seeing all of Jeongguk’s muscles beginning to pull taut, Jimin slid his hand down Jeongguk’s abdomen and reached down to cup his balls, massaging them as Jeongguk let out a soft moan, bowing his head. When he leaned down to kiss Jimin, Jimin accepted it with a smile, because it wasn’t much of a kiss. It was just Jeongguk gasping into Jimin’s mouth as he came across Jimin’s stomach and chest, and Jimin shivered.

Good morning!

Jimin giggled the entire way to the shower in Jeongguk’s arms, trying not to drip cum onto the floor and telling Jeongguk he needed to hurry as he cranked on the water.

“Why?” Jeongguk knocked on the glass door of the shower to get Jimin’s attention. “Why do you need to hurry?” he signed, still completely naked and distracting Jimin way too much.

“Work things,” Jimin lied, but luckily for him, Jeongguk just nodded in understanding, returning to brushing his teeth.

“Would it be bad if I went back to sleep?” Jeongguk asked as Jimin towel-dried.

“No,” Jimin signed with a shrug. “You worked late last night. I woke you up early. Go back to sleep.”

“So pretty,” Jeongguk signed dramatically, jutting his lower lip out as he ignored Jimin’s advice altogether and unwrapped Jimin’s towel, running his hands along Jimin’s naked body as Jimin smiled, goosebumps erupting on his skin. Jeongguk kissed his shoulder, his shoulder blade, the top center of his neck, and his spine, so Jimin patted Jeongguk’s thigh and made Jeongguk look in the mirror.

“I love you,” he signed, and Jeongguk smiled, his hand splayed across Jimin’s stomach. He lifted his left hand to make a finger heart, and Jimin grinned.

Loving Jeongguk and being Jeongguk’s boyfriend, as it turned out, was as easy as breathing. Not that Jimin was shocked, but the surprised Pikachu face slipped out every now and again. Jeongguk absolutely wanted 100% of Jimin at all times, just as Yoongi had warned, but never once was he pushy about it. Jimin had started off by shyly asking Jeongguk if he could sleep over, but now it was more like telling, not asking, and Jeongguk was always beaming whenever Jimin showed up. And now, just because he could, Jimin found himself walking into SEVEN two or so nights per week just to hang out at the bar to be with Jeongguk. Most nights, he didn’t even drink. Jeongguk just gave him a Coke to nurse and stole a few kisses from him.

They were that kind of couple.

“Are we still having movie night on Sunday?” Jeongguk asked as Jimin was preparing to walk out the door. 

“Of course we are, baby,” Jimin signed with affection, taking Jeongguk’s face between his hands and kissing him firmly. “I’ll do my best, I promise.”

“It’s okay,” Jeongguk replied. “If there are captions, I’ll be happy. I know Seokjin, anyway.”

Sunday night was Jimin’s first double date in a very long time. He and Jeongguk were meeting at Seokjin’s apartment to have a little double date with Seokjin and Namjoon, and Jeongguk was already making jokes about grilling Namjoon as the ex-boyfriend. To Jimin, though, it was exciting to be able to just enjoy the comfort of normal couple things without panicking. Jeongguk made things so simple, and Jimin still couldn’t wrap his mind around the fact that he had a boyfriend and he was in love. He had a boyfriend who drew him cute little things and texted them to Jimin at all hours of the day. That was who Jeongguk was.

“Love you, gorgeous,” Jeongguk signed, kissing Jimin’s forehead. “I’m gonna go sleep some more. Have a good day at work.”

“Love you too,” Jimin replied, stealing one final kiss before he rushed out, checking the time.

If he was even one minute late, Taehyung would never let him live it down.

Jimin was prepared for this lesson. He had his iPad to take notes. He had a notebook and pen for old-fashioned note taking. And he had something to give to Taehyung as a peace offering of sorts, something to show Taehyung that he was going to be taking his lessons seriously. These lessons served two purposes—education and friendship. If Jimin could learn more about Deaf culture and sign language while also tricking Taehyung into being his friend, then it was a win all around.

Jimin made it to Rata-Cat-Cat five minutes before his lesson, and he had a white and brown cat brushing up against his leg the moment he walked through the gate. From behind the counter, Seokjin spotted Jimin instantly and flagged him down, so Jimin checked the time and hurried over.

“Hey,” he greeted. “I’m meeting Taehyung in a few minutes. I can’t be late.”

“Oh-h-h. That’s why he’s here on a Wednesday,” Seokjin said, a flicker of understanding in his eyes as Jimin tried not to laugh at the shirt he was wearing—it was like cat inception. A circular photo of a cat that contained another cat that contained another cat and so on. Seokjin was not one for subtlety. “It’s usually Mondays and Fridays only. No wonder he didn’t know what coffee to order. You threw him off his game.”

“I bargained my life away for him to be my teacher,” Jimin divulged. “Don’t tell Jeongguk. I’m trying to learn more sign language and learn about Deaf culture so I’m not an ignorant moron.”

“I’m pretty sure we’re all ignorant morons. Except for Namjoon. I can’t speak ill of my sweet, dimpled boyfriend,” Seokjin said with a grin, fixing his hair like Namjoon was going to walk in any second. “Hey, speaking of which, how long did it take for his awkwardness to go away when you two dated?”

“Read the room, hyung. If he’s still awkward, then you need to find it endearing and embrace it, because it’ll never go away. He’s a golden retriever in human form,” Jimin joked, checking the time again. “Shit, I have to go. Can I grab an iced vanilla latte? I’ll pay you for it as soon as I’m done with my lesson, I swear.”

Seokjin snorted with laughter. “Friends get to freeload, Park Jimin. I reject your money, and I’ll get you your coffee. Bye-bye.”

Snickering, Jimin gave Seokjin a quick bow of thanks and walked over to where Taehyung was already set up, wearing a white beanie and an all-black fit as he worked on his laptop, headphones on. Jimin stood and waited until the clock flicked from 9:59 to 10:00 AM.

“Hi,” Jimin signed as he sat down at table 30 across from Taehyung, and Taehyung’s first reaction was to check the time. Exactly ten o’clock. Jimin tried not to be smug about it as Taehyung closed his laptop and removed his headphones, adjusting one of his hearing aids as he did. They matched his skin color today.

“I’ll teach you for one hour. No more, no less,” Taehyung signed without prefacing anything. “No talking. Only signing.”

“Okay. What if I don’t know something?” Jimin asked.

“Then you fingerspell or write it down,” Taehyung answered. “You may not like it, but that’s how I’m going to teach you. You already know the basics. We’ll start with life at home.”

“Yes, okay. But first…” Jimin held up his hand as an indication for Taehyung to wait. He saw Taehyung bristle, probably annoyed that his teaching spiel had been interrupted, but Jimin reached into his bag and pulled out the present he had wrapped.

“What’s this?” Taehyung asked, brow furrowing. Jimin just thrusted the present forward, urging Taehyung to take it, so Taehyung accepted, confused. He unraveled the ribbon and slid his finger beneath the seam of the paper beneath the tape to unwrap it, and then he removed the gift inside. “Oh.”

Jimin said nothing as he bit his bottom lip and watched. He had found a collection of patterned and multicolored large rubber bands online and had express shipped them, and they had arrived just in time. He had absolutely no clue why Taehyung was so fascinated by rubber bands or why Taehyung always had them readily available to play with, or why rubber bands seemed to be his stimulus, but it didn’t really matter. He liked rubber bands. So Jimin got some.

“Does this one—?” Taehyung ripped the package open and fished out the first little clear baggie of rubber bands, unzipping it and pulling one out that was blue with white music notes on it. “Wow,” he whispered, immediately wrapping it around his fingers and watching as he pulled it several times, the music notes stretching and contracting. He froze, looking up and realizing Jimin was just watching him.

“Do you like them?” Jimin signed hopefully. Taehyung cleared his throat and tucked the rubber bands off to the side, keeping the music note one around his fingers with his lips pursed.

“Thank you,” he quickly signed, avoiding eye contact. “No more distractions. I will teach you about life at home. If you know the signs, then that’s good. I’ll start.” Taehyung cracked his knuckles, and then he signed, “What time did you wake up this morning?”

Jimin felt himself blushing as he answered, “Eight o’clock.”

“What is your…?”

“I don’t understand,” Jimin admitted, so Taehyung repeated it, but Jimin still couldn’t grasp it. He watched as Taehyung meticulously fingerspelled “morning routine” for Jimin, and Jimin sighed in recognition, nodding and repeating.

“Wrong,” Taehyung signed, scooting forward and lunged to move Jimin’s hands himself. “Like… this,” he verbalized, moving Jimin’s hands and fingers into place. “And change your face. Look at what my face is doing.”

Taehyung was no-nonsense. He had no emotional attachment to his teaching process, which Jimin found he appreciated as they moved through the lesson. Even when Jimin ended up admitting (while red in the face) that he 100% absolutely had sex to start off his morning even though that wasn’t part of his typical routine, Taehyung hadn’t even blinked, instead resorting to fine-tuning exactly what Jimin was signing.

“Good. Now we’ll spend the last fifteen minutes on the culture and history of Deafness in South Korea,” Taehyung declared. “Take notes. I don’t like to repeat myself. It’s important to know that only about 0.3% to 0.6% of the population of our country is Deaf. Given that it’s such a small percentage, we have to consider…”

Jimin’s hand was cramping by the time the clock flicked to 11:00 AM, especially because Taehyung was signing most of it and Jimin constantly had to ask for clarification and get him to slow down and repeat. Instead of giving Jimin a bit of praise and an overview of their session or a preview of what was to come, Taehyung just stopped talking and leaned back in his seat when time was up.

“I’ll see you at ten o’clock sharp next Wednesday,” he signed, still stretching the rubber band between his fingers. 

“That’s it?” Jimin signed, raising his eyebrows. “No, ‘good job, Jimin!’ or anything?”

Taehyung stared at him blankly, and then he lifted both hands and slow-clapped for Jimin, the sound echoing to other tables around them. Jimin rolled his eyes and finished off the last of his vanilla iced latte, which Seokjin had dropped off fifteen minutes into their session, and he began to gather up his belongings. He had time to go home and change into more comfortable clothing before his workday began. Hoseok was texting him asking for coffee, anyway, so he could just bring some home—

“What’s wrong?” Jimin signed, watching as Taehyung stood up too. His belongings were still spread across the table, so he wasn’t going anywhere fast.

“Thank you for the rubber bands,” Taehyung signed, avoiding eye contact again. “Payment accepted. See you next week.”

“No problem. Is, uh… is that it?” Jimin asked carefully. Taehyung raised one eyebrow.

“Do you want homework?” he questioned, and Jimin shook his head, trying not to laugh.

“No, thank you. I’ll go to work now,” he said with a grin. “Thank you, Taehyung.”

“Wait.”

Jimin turned back around when Taehyung called out for him. Taehyung gestured for Jimin to watch, so Jimin adjusted his bag on one shoulder, curious.

“Happy… birthday… to you,” he began to sign with a rhythm to his movement, as if it was the song, and Jimin’s heart skipped. He promptly dropped his bag on the floor and began to mimic Taehyung. He did the entire birthday song three times until Taehyung nodded, seemingly satisfied with Jimin’s work.

“Now you won’t look like an idiot on Friday,” Taehyung signed, plopping back down on the couch. “Goodbye.”

“You think I always look like an idiot,” Jimin joked, and for the first time in an hour, Taehyung cracked a smile. Feeling brave, Jimin added, fingerspelling and all: “I’m going to crack you someday soon. You’re going to like me. Mark my words.”

He walked off, but he caught the sound of Taehyung laughing as he did. 

✩࿐

Jimin rarely took time off from work, but on Friday, he made it a point to cancel his patients and take a day off.

Jeongguk was thoroughly confused.

“What’s this?” he signed groggily when Jimin yanked the blankets off the bed around ten o’clock in the morning on the first of September, since they had slept in. 

“Happy birthday to yo-o-o-ou,” Jimin signed theatrically, hopping onto the bed on his knees. Immediately awake, Jeongguk pulled himself up to prop against the pillows, tongue pressed into his cheek as he grinned, and he let Jimin finish the whole signed birthday song before he gave a proper Deaf applause, eyes sparkling. He then used both hands to beckon to Jimin, so Jimin crawled up the bed and straddled Jeongguk fully. Jeongguk casually slid his hands beneath Jimin’s shorts to grip his ass as Jimin kissed him.

“I love you,” Jimin said against Jeongguk’s lips, leaning back to show him a finger heart, since that was a good shortcut for them to express their love. “Happy birthday, baby. I love you… I love you… I love you… I love you…”

He said it between every kiss, melting into Jeongguk further. His skin began to grow hotter, the kisses becoming more insistent, and Jeongguk’s hands began to wander to more intimate places. It didn’t take too long for Jimin to be completely naked in Jeongguk’s lap, riding his cock in slow motion while embracing him, Jeongguk’s hands spreading him apart as he left kisses across Jimin’s chest and stomach. The deeper he took Jeongguk, the more tempting it became for Jimin to laugh out loud at the thought of telling Taehyung that signing a birthday song got him railed. Taehyung would be appalled.

“No work today?” Jeongguk asked when they were finished, his cock softening inside Jimin as Jimin remained curled up in his arms.

“No work today,” Jimin confirmed with a smile. “It’s your birthday.”

“Where did you learn to sign the song?” Jeongguk asked, raising one eyebrow. Jimin just pretended to zip his mouth, lock it, and toss away the key. “Well, it was sexy. The more sign language you learn, the more I want to…”

“Again?” Jimin signed, amused. Jeongguk signed the same thing again, but Jimin didn’t understand the last part.

“Eat… you… alive,” Jeongguk fingerspelled, and Jimin stifled a laugh. “Since you’re not working today, do you want to come with me to the boxing gym? I go on Friday afternoons.”

“I’m proud of myself for understanding what you’re signing,” Jimin admitted with a grin, still straddling Jeongguk, still naked. That was their level of comfort with each other now. It didn’t matter that they had only known each other for just over two months. Every day, Jimin felt like he found a new reason to love Jeongguk. “I’ll do whatever you want to do.”

“Okay. No surprises, right?” Jeongguk asked, narrowing his eyes. Jimin leaned in and kissed him.

“No surprises,” he promised, because that had been a huge anxiety on Jeongguk’s part all week long. His fear of not knowing what Jimin was going to give him or what Jimin had planned or if there would be a party or blah, blah, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera… Jimin had sat him down last night and promised, right hand in the air, that he had honored Jeongguk’s wishes to not buy any birthday gifts or plan any surprise parties. Not this year, at least, when it came to gifts, and he made it known that next year, he’d be giving presents. Jeongguk’s anxiety had promptly vanished once he understood that Jimin was just going to spend time with him.

“Come with me,” Jeongguk requested, and Jimin nodded.

“I would love to.”

["lightning in a bottle” by fly by midnight]

When Jeongguk made Jimin dress in gym clothing, Jimin side-eyed him suspiciously, and his suspicions were confirmed when they got to the gym and Jeongguk began to tape up Jimin’s hands with about a dozen kisses in between. He was smug about it too, a little smirk on his face, his shoulders pushed back when he finished taping up Jimin’s hands.

“Good?” Jimin asked, holding up both hands in loose fists for approval. Jeongguk took out his phone at top speed to type.

“If we weren’t in a public setting, I’d fuck you until you cried. That’s how sexy you look right now. I’m gonna go bite the ring ropes now,” Jeongguk said, glancing over at the boxing ring as Jimin smacked his arm, his ears burning. Nevertheless, he grabbed the phone to respond.

“If taped hands make you that horny, you can tape my hands up when we fuck,” he said as quietly as possible, the words appearing on the screen. Jeongguk let out a bark of laughter as he finished tying up his hair, so Jimin playfully punched his shoulder and handed back the phone.

“I think seeing you punch something will literally make me come in my pants, but we’ll see how it goes. Might even moan a little bit,” Jeongguk typed back, showing Jimin the screen before biting his tongue in a grin and tossing his phone into his gym bag. Jimin smacked him once more, laughing and following after him.

As it turned out, punching things was not as easy as actors made it look in the movies. There was a nice rhythmic repetition to landing a fist on a punching bag repeatedly and learning different simple combinations, especially when Jimin got to kiss the man behind the punching bag every so often. But it made sense now why Jeongguk always called boxing his own form of therapy.

“I feel like… my shoulder is going to pop out,” Jimin joked once he had the boxing gloves off and he could sign. “From all the punching.”

“I’ll give you a good chiropractic adjustment tonight,” Jeongguk replied with a wink, grinning as he squirted some water into his mouth. “You look so good punching things. Best birthday present ever.”

Jimin stifled a laugh, sitting down on the bench beside Jeongguk. “Wait, how…?” He fumbled for his phone and used speech-to-text. “How do you spar or practice or anything as someone who’s Deaf? Especially wearing boxing gloves. You can’t sign with them on.”

“I found a way to modify my communication when I’m working with a coach or sparring with others at the gym,” Jeongguk answered, making sure Jimin could see him typing. “I’ll pat my head with my glove to tap out. I tap my chest twice for ‘yes’ and make an X with my arms for ‘no.’ My coach will sometimes use a whiteboard to write down his advice or whatever he wants to say while I’m sparring. He gets in my line of sight so I can read it.”

“I think it’s actually amazing,” Jimin said as his words appeared on the screen, “the way you’ve accommodated for yourself. I know you’re used to it because it’s just your life, but it’s really cool. You work a full-time job with no problem. You participate in sports and stuff with no problem. I don’t know how to explain it. You’ve really changed my perspective on how life can be lived. Does that make sense?”

Jeongguk finished reading, used one hand to turn Jimin’s head by the chin, and kissed him firmly.

“You… are my birthday present this year,” he signed, bumping his forehead against Jimin’s forehead playfully. Then, using his phone, he added, “I used to whine to Yoongi and Taehyung about finding someone like you. ‘Why isn’t there anyone out there for me?’ Things like that. And now here you are in all your beauty and glory.”

“You can’t just say things like that and expect me not to explode,” Jimin replied, and Jeongguk stifled a laugh. 

“You can explode. That’s totally fine. It’s my birthday. Do you know what champagne confetti is?” Jeongguk asked, and the moment Jimin read it, he punched Jeongguk’s arm and pretended to storm off in a huff, but Jeongguk ran up behind him and grabbed him around the waist, spinning him in a circle as Jimin laughed, kicking his legs in an attempt to free himself. As two gym goers stepped into one of the rings to spar with one another under a coach’s supervision, Jeongguk set Jimin on his feet again, and Jimin spun around and held up one finger like a warning.

“If I’m here on your birthday, then you come to yoga with me for my birthday,” he bargained. Jeongguk wiggled his eyebrows.

“You want me to see your ass in downward facing dog?” he teased, and Jimin rolled his eyes as Jeongguk laughed, grabbing both of Jimin’s wrists. “Sorry,” he signed apologetically, though his grin said that he wasn’t sorry worth a damn. “Apparently turning twenty-seven has made me horny.”

“Since becoming your boyfriend,” Jimin signed slowly, watching Jeongguk’s face to make sure he was doing it correctly, Jeongguk just narrowed his eyes, trying not to laugh. “I’ve learned that your attention span is five seconds unless you’re focused on my ass.”

“…Yes,” Jeongguk signed after a moment of contemplation. When Jimin gave him another dramatic eye roll, Jeongguk wrapped his arms around Jimin’s waist, the same Cheshire grin on his face because he was the birthday boy and he could get away with murder, in Jimin’s eyes. He was the epitome of OJO— my client is totally innocent! Jimin would defend him. 

“You’re… the one… who wanted… to suck my dick from the moment you met me,” Jeongguk said, leaning back and freeing his hands to finish signing as Jimin snorted with laughter, hanging his head in fake shame. He felt Jeongguk pat his shoulder, so he looked up again. “We’re both horny. It’s beautiful.”

It was. Everything about their relationship was beautiful to Jimin. Celebrating birthdays, celebrating Jeongguk’s four-year anniversary of working at SEVEN and his pay raise, celebrating Jimin’s practice being able to up the price of an adjustment by 5,000 won because of growth and demand… it was all the little things that added up. Jimin had never really celebrated much in his life, because everything had always been so… ordinary.

Not anymore. Nothing about his life was ordinary, including—

“Christ, how many cats are too many cats?”

“That sounds like a philosophical question to me.”

“Actually, it sounds like the dumbest question you’ve ever asked, hyung.”

“You know what? I could’ve gone with pussy. Be thankful.”

“God, my hands are gonna fall off by the end of the night from interpreting this stupidity.”

“Right, yeah. Sorry. Nice to meet you.”

Laughter filled Yoongi and Taehyung’s apartment, where seven people were gathered for a friendship Chuseok before they split off to meet their families. There were five cats in the apartment, and Yeontan was seething about it, even more so because there were five extra humans as well. He was Not Happy™ about the sudden change, and his master was trying his best to be okay with it, too.

“Are you okay?” Jimin signed to Taehyung, since everyone else was distracted—Yoongi was introducing the cats he was fostering to Hoseok. Jeongguk was doing his best to talk to Namjoon and Seokjin, and because Seokjin knew the basics of sign language, he could get by, but Namjoon had his phone out, which made life easier for all of them. Taehyung, though, was standing in the corner with Yeontan in his arms, a small frown on his face.

“I’m fine for now,” Taehyung said, and then he released Yeontan, who only scurried to hide behind Taehyung’s legs. “There are a lot of people,” he signed. “I get overstimulated.”

“Yoongi knows that, right?” Jimin asked.

“Yes. I’m allowed to go into our bedroom,” Taehyung answered, and Jimin nodded. He had just discovered recently that Taehyung and Yoongi’s bedroom was virtually soundproof, and that there was a little hammock in there for Taehyung to cocoon up and soothe himself as needed, as well as blackout curtains for total darkness if he needed to shut off his senses. 

“You’re talking to me without gagging,” Jimin signed, trying not to laugh as Taehyung rolled his eyes. “Three lessons together. Look at our progress. It’s almost like you like me now.”

“I will never like you, Park Jimin,” Taehyung signed, but the way the corners of his mouth twitched told Jimin that he was lying. “Here, learn this.”

Jimin paid close attention as Taehyung taught him how to sign “Happy Chuseok.” It was simple, so Jimin repeated it a few times before he skipped over and interrupted the conversation. 

“Happy Chuseok,” he signed to Jeongguk, and Jeongguk raised both eyebrows.

“Which one of them is teaching you things?” he signed, beckoning to Taehyung and Yoongi.

“Who said they’re teaching me?” Jimin asked innocently, grinning.

“You’re such a bad liar when you want dick,” Namjoon commented, and Seokjin burst out laughing as Jimin reached over and smacked Namjoon’s chest twice, once for each pec. Mortified, Jimin then grudgingly interpreted for Jeongguk, because he didn’t want Jeongguk to be left out of the joke.

“Woah, woah, it’s Chuseok. Why are we talking about dick?” Yoongi said from behind them, speaking and signing at the same time.

“Oh, you should show me the sign for that,” Hoseok requested. “Not that I want to be one of those assholes who only asks for all the filthy and inappropriate signs, but Jimin’s my best friend, so ‘dick’ is a great word to learn.”

Jimin groaned, collapsing to the ground when Yoongi made everyone gather around the couch just so he could show the newbies how to tease at Jimin’s expense. The laughter was contagious enough that Yeontan started barking to be involved, and two of the cats climbed on Seokjin, interested in his squeaky laugh. When Taehyung rolled into the bedroom and emerged with a colorful rubber band to twist around his fingers, Jimin’s heart soared, because it was one of the rubber bands he had given to Taehyung.

Jeongguk patted Jimin’s thigh to get his attention. Jimin turned away from the rambunctious conversation to focus on his boyfriend. Boyfriend. That was still a thing. 

“Having this kind of friendship group,” Jeongguk signed slowly for only Jimin to see, “is what I always dreamed of. Just seven normal guys. All different. And your friends don’t care that I’m Deaf or that Taehyung is Deaf.”

“This is all because you decided to draw a comic about me on the subway,” Jimin replied with a grin. He leaned in and met Jeongguk halfway for a kiss. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Jeongguk replied, speaking it for only Jimin to hear. “I’m hungry.”

Jimin laughed as Jeongguk lunged towards the coffee table, grabbing as much as he could from the huge spread of hangwa, handing Jimin a pink songpyeon that was perfectly sticky on Jimin’s fingers. Jeongguk pulled Jimin into his arms comfortably as Hoseok threw himself onto Namjoon from laughing so hard about learning how to sign something about double penetration, because God forbid they learn normal things like thirty-year-olds should.

Jimin pulled out his phone while chewing and quietly texted Jeongguk in an attempt to be discreet.

JIMIN [7:25PM]
We have little gifts for everyone, right?

JEONGGUKIE 🤟 [7:25PM]
Uh… ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ 

As long as you brought them

I forgot today was the start of Chuseok 

JIMIN [7:27PM]
I brought the gifts ㅋㅋㅋㅋ I just hope we have 5 of them

JEONGGUKIE 🤟 [7:28PM]
Personally, I think your ass alone is enough of a gift

Everyone should be thankful for it

JIMIN [7:29PM]
Are you saying that I should spread my ass for holiday cheer…? 

JEONGGUKIE 🤟 [7:30PM]
I’m not NOT saying you should spread your ass

But only for me 😉

They had five small gifts for everyone, thankfully. Jimin had remembered to bring them, and Jeongguk had made a show of pretending he knew exactly what the gifts were, only to be egregiously wrong to a point where even Taehyung was rolling on the floor in laughter.

“I’m not good with giving gifts!” Jeongguk signed larger than life over all the laughter. “I’m a disaster! Shut up!”

He was, in fact, not a disaster. He was a liar.

Because on the thirteenth of October, for Jimin’s birthday, Jeongguk presented Jimin with artwork.

Jimin wasn’t really a crier. Receiving gifts or experiencing touching moments wasn’t really a trigger for him to cry, but when he unwrapped his birthday present on the thirteenth of October and gazed upon a small little book with a colorful cover and a title of Thoracic Park, he promptly burst into tears. As it turned out, Jeongguk had been spending his free time drawing panel after panel of a comic like a webtoon, and he had printed it out into a book just for Jimin—a short story about a heroic doctor who saved lives on the subway or out in the city, and his trusty sidekick was Deaf.

It was just them.

[“ordinary people” by blake rose]

Through his tears, Jimin signed how beautiful it was, how he couldn’t believe the amount of work Jeongguk had put into a thirty-page comic book, and how Jeongguk had the potential to be a webtoon superstar. It was then, with Jimin sitting in his lap, that Jeongguk shyly explained that he had just started working on an outline for his very first webtoon, one that he hoped to publish within the next year. 

My followers are looking forward to it.

Because Jeongguk had quite a social media presence thanks to his art—tens of thousands of Instagram followers, all eager to see what the cute, queer, Deaf artist from South Korea could create for them. He was well-loved, and Jimin was tempted to gatekeep his own boyfriend, but Jeongguk had whimsical ideas to present about two male characters, one Deaf and one blind, both attempting to navigate the world while falling in love with one another, side-by-side in their respective journeys—a story he could turn into a manhwa to share with the world. So Jimin couldn’t gatekeep, but he could bark like a dog at anyone who looked at Jeongguk the wrong way.

“Are you going to draw porn?” Jimin asked him, grinning. “Is my boyfriend going to draw porn scenes for the world to enjoy?”

“Absolutely. It’s required for this project. And one of the main characters is going to have an ass-to-waist ratio based on you,” Jeongguk answered, bursting out laughing when Jimin started playfully wrestling him while trying to avoid Jeongguk smacking his ass repeatedly. They giggled and giggled, but then Jeongguk stood up and threw Jimin over his shoulder, smacking his ass once more for good measure, and carried him right into the bedroom.

The playful energy died down the moment Jeongguk laid Jimin onto the bed. The way Jeongguk knelt between Jimin’s legs made Jimin’s heart leap, but the way Jeongguk crossed his arms and removed his shirt was enough to do Jimin in completely. The gesture was so simple, but it was everything Jimin wanted. Jeongguk knew by now that Jimin loved feeling Jeongguk’s bare skin on his, especially when he could feel Jeongguk’s heart beating against his own. 

“Are you going to make love to me on my birthday?” Jimin signed in a gentle, teasing fashion with a grin.

“Darling, I make love to you non-stop in my dreams. Your birthday is no different,” Jeongguk replied, pitching forward to hover over Jimin with a grin like he hadn’t just said something romantic as hell (in Jimin’s horny mind). “How do you want it?” he signed with one hand.

“Like this,” Jimin signed, whispering the same words and gesturing to their current position. So Jeongguk stripped him bare, one piece of clothing after the other, and somehow, he managed to kiss almost every available sliver of skin that he uncovered. His lips felt like fire against Jimin’s skin, as if Jeongguk was attempting to make Jimin glow from the inside out. As they kissed, he let Jimin touch him anywhere and everywhere, frantic, as if they’d never find intimacy with each other again. 

“Jeongguk,” Jimin practically mewled, eyes rolling back as he gripped Jeongguk’s hair. Jeongguk just remained between his legs, arms wrapped around Jimin’s thighs, his tongue doing all the work as Jimin saw tiny glimpses of Heaven every time he blinked. Sometimes they were filthy with each other, but other times, like now, they slipped into a mindset of body worship. Pure, untainted, unfiltered love. Time stopped in moments like this.

Jeongguk brought Jimin right to the edge, until Jimin’s legs were shaking. After applying a liberal amount of lube, he slipped one arm beneath Jimin’s lower back as he pushed into Jimin, watching Jimin’s face intently. Jimin just licked his lips and took every inch of Jeongguk in, shivering at the feeling of Jeongguk bare inside of him. No more condoms. They had taken the step of getting tested together a few weeks ago. Now, Jimin could feel everything.

“You better fuck me like I’m one year away from thirty,” Jimin signed, biting his bottom lip. Jeongguk raised one eyebrow, rolling his hips and sending his cock deeper inside Jimin when he thrusted forward.

“Thirty is sexy,” he signed with one hand, grinning. “Don’t tempt me.”

As much as they teased each other, Jeongguk absolutely made love to Jimin. He never let Jimin go a single moment without being ravished, kissing down the column of his neck, running his hands over Jimin’s stomach, brushing over his nipples, stroking his cock as his own thrusts became more purposeful. Jimin wrapped his legs around Jeongguk’s waist, the crown of his head finding the pillow when Jeongguk angled his hips just right. Jeongguk. The name fell from Jimin’s lips over and over again, and Jeongguk watched it happen, kissing his name from Jimin’s mouth and pinning Jimin’s wrists to the bed. 

“M-More. More,” Jimin gasped out, and even though his wrists were pinned, he managed to shake his pointer and middle fingers for Jeongguk to see. Jeongguk responded well, giving Jimin more until Jimin was on the verge of screaming, though no sound was coming out as his entire body pulled taut in pleasure. He heard the gasping grunt that Jeongguk let out and felt Jeongguk spilling inside of him, and as Jeongguk fucked his own cum into Jimin, Jimin’s eyes rolled back, and he came with just a single touch from Jeongguk.

“I love you… I love you… I love you… I love you… I love you…” Jeongguk spoke the words between kisses that he pressed to Jimin’s sweaty skin, and Jimin just caught his breath, savoring the sound of Jeongguk’s raspy voice. Savoring the feeling of the two of them, naked and sweating and breathless, hearts beating rapidly in sync with one another, melting into each other as if they could become one person.

Jimin blinked a few times to get rid of the fucked out haze from his eyes, letting Jeongguk’s beautiful face swim into focus above him. Still slightly dazed, Jimin reached up and traced the faint scar on Jeongguk’s chest, and then he brushed his fingers beneath Jeongguk’s chin, grazing one thumb over his bottom lip.

“My subway crush is cute,” Jimin signed with a sleepy grin. Jeongguk chewed on his lip rings as he gently pulled out of Jimin, neither one of them caring much about the mess. They would clean up later. Right now, the only thing Jimin could focus on was Jeongguk straddling his hips, looking like the man of Jimin’s dreams.

“My subway crush is the love of my life,” Jeongguk signed. “Your signing is improving so much. What’s your secret? Are you studying?”

“I’m just a genius,” Jimin signed dramatically, so Jeongguk poked him in the ribs, making Jimin flinch and giggle. “It’s been… about four months. I’m a fast learner. You’re like a thumb drive with all the knowledge, and when you plug into me, I just download it all.”

“Are you calling my dick a thumb drive?” Jeongguk asked, raising one eyebrow as Jimin burst out laughing. Jeongguk smacked his hip jokingly and added, “You could have at least called it a hard drive. Damn.” He glanced down at his own dick. “Sorry, buddy.”

“Stop it!” Jimin called out, laughing as he delivered his own smack to Jeongguk’s thigh. Despite being naked, despite the mess of cum and sweat between them, Jeongguk just tackled Jimin and rolled the two of them, putting Jimin in a loose and playful headlock as Jimin clutched his stomach from laughing so hard, jokingly kicking his legs in an attempt to break free.

In the dead of summer, he had silently waxed poetic about being one boring day away from becoming a random murder victim on a true crime podcast—local man’s daily routine shattered by killer clown! But now, as autumn bloomed, all Jimin could think about was that this kind of life—full of laughter and happiness and excitement—was exactly what those cheap little fortunes could never predict.

Jimin still kind of wanted to buy another one, though. Just for good measure.

✩࿐

MIN YOONGI [9:35PM]
It’s almost December but I finally figured out where Taehyung got all these rubber bands.

Thank you so much, Jimin. 

It sounds stupid, but I haven’t seen him this excited over something in a while.

He won’t say it to your face, but he’s obsessed with them. ㅋㅋ

JIMIN [9:38PM]
ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ I’m glad he likes them, since it’s been months

Out of curiosity… why rubber bands???

MIN YOONGI [9:39PM]
I have absolutely no idea.

I’ve never asked. It’s never been important for me to know.

He just loves them. So we have thousands of them.

JIMIN [9:40PM]
Well, do you think he likes me now? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

MIN YOONGI [9:41PM]
I think he tolerates you.

So yes. 🤣

JIMIN [9:43PM]
I told you I’d crack him

What’s my prize?

MIN YOONGI [9:44PM]
Absolutely nothing. Hope that helps!

JIMIN [9:45PM]
OK then I have a question for you and be honest

MIN YOONGI [9:46PM]
I’m always honest. I find it refreshing.

JIMIN [9:48PM]
ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ yah, this hyung has an EGO

My question is

Do you think Jeongguk would want to live with me? Move in together?

MIN YOONGI [9:50PM]
I think you’ve waited way too long to ask him.

He’s been asking ME if I think you’d want to live with him.

I’m sick of him.

Ask him and put me out of my misery.

JIMIN [9:53PM]
Thank you for your unwavering support and love

MIN YOONGI [9:55PM]
OK, now I have a question for you

What the HELL do I get Kim Seokjin for his birthday?

✩࿐

“Of all the places for us to go, you pick the most crowded.”

“It’s Christmas,” Jeongguk signed with emphasis, grinning. Jimin couldn’t even find it in his heart to deny Jeongguk of the joy of walking about Myeongdong Street. It was crowded, but Jeongguk was wearing a nice winter coat and a black beanie and with a pink tinge to his cheeks thanks to the cold and his long eyelashes, he looked like an angel. Jimin was clinging to his hand tightly as they shuffled through the crowded street full of Christmas lights, Christmas music, and street food everywhere. Jimin was determined to get a potato tornado.

“How am I supposed to enjoy Christmas with people stepping on me?” Jimin signed in exasperation, and Jeongguk snickered, looping his arm around Jimin’s neck and pulling him in for a kiss to the temple.

“Don’t be…”

“Again?” Jimin requested.

“Don’t be a Scrooge,” Jeongguk signed with fingerspelling, and Jimin rolled his eyes, smiling as he huddled close to Jeongguk again. Maybe he was right. It was nice to be out in the hustle and bustle. Jimin could remember the last time he had properly celebrated Christmas the good, old-fashioned way—by forfeiting all of his earthly monetary possessions to holiday capitalism.

“I want a potato tornado,” Jimin signed, and since he didn’t know the sign for “tornado,” he just rapidly spun one finger, which made Jeongguk laugh.

“Tornado,” he signed for Jimin to learn, and Jimin giggled, repeating it properly. So Jeongguk began to weave through the crowds to find a vendor that sold potato tornados. Jimin couldn’t help but steal quick glances at Jeongguk’s expressions as they inched through the crowds of people. Jimin had already told him about the Christmas music that was playing through the speakers and the sounds of jingle bells ringing and kids eagerly shouting and giggling as they lined up to meet Santa Claus for a photo at one end of the street. And maybe Jimin was biased, but he was pretty sure that Jeongguk’s eyes twinkled more than the dozens and dozens of Christmas lights all around them.

“There’s one,” Jimin signed excitedly, tapping Jeongguk’s arm and pointing out a street vendor that sold what he was looking for. Jeongguk grinned at him and tightened his grip on Jimin’s hand to lead him there, but he leaned back and paused, raising both eyebrows as a group of rowdy teenage boys (young adults?) shoved their way through the crowds, forcing an elderly woman to leap out of the way as they did.

“Losers,” Jeongguk signed, rolling his eyes as they found the end of the line and stood to wait for their own potato tornado. “Thanks for coming with me. I know you don’t like all this commercial Christmas stuff, but I’m a sucker for it.”

“I don’t mind it,” Jimin replied. “We did Lotte World last week and that was fun. It’s two days before Christmas. That’s why it’s so hectic.”

“You’ve done everything with me, though,” Jeongguk said with a soft smile of gratitude; he wasn’t lying. Jimin had helped Jeongguk decorate his entire apartment for Christmas, something Jeongguk had never really committed to before because he had always started and then quit halfway or forgotten about it. He had spent the day baking Christmas cookies with Jeongguk last Sunday. He’d gone Christmas shopping with Jeongguk to get gifts for all of their friends, and to get something good for Jinhyuk and Goeun—Jeongguk’s father and stepmother. 

Jimin would just send his own parents a card.

Holiday seasons were bittersweet to Jimin now more than ever. There was an immense rush of gratitude and appreciation for how wonderful Jeongguk’s parents were—Jimin had met them. They were incredible. But simultaneously, Jimin always thought about how he hadn’t properly spoken to his own parents since his mother’s birthday in May. A five-minute phone call here, a quick text there. But they just… never tried. 

They didn’t know about Jeongguk. They didn’t know Jimin had learned an entirely new language. And sometimes, as disappointing as it felt, Jimin knew it was better that way. It had taken falling in love with Jeongguk for Jimin to realize that he didn’t need his parents’ approval, especially when he knew they were unlikely to give it. For as long as he had sought it out, he could now release that expectation. He didn’t need it. He was free to thrive and live his life as just Jimin.

And “just Jimin” had sent a nice card and was next in line for a potato tornado.

“Hi, two please!” Jimin requested, and the efficient street vendor handed over two towering potato tornados on skewers as Jimin handed over 5,000 won. At the same time, he and Jeongguk bit into the top of the tornado with an equally loud crunch, and Jimin stifled a laugh as Jeongguk opened his mouth wide and slowly began to feed as much of the skewer down his throat as he could before retracting it, grinning.

“I’m the one who can do that without gagging,” Jimin signed slowly with one hand, and Jeongguk almost dropped his skewer. Jimin took another bite as “Winter Wonderland” began to play overhead, but then he nudged Jeongguk with one elbow and pointed.

“Assholes. Seriously,” Jeongguk said out loud, shaking his head and watching as a poor mother and her young daughter stumbled and both steadied themselves on the stroller, which was holding a bundled up baby—all thanks to the same group of rowdy boys galavanting around.

“Do you want to go find the big tunnel of lights?” Jimin asked, clamping his skewer between his teeth so he could sign with both hands. Jeongguk grinned, doing the same with his skewer.

“You know you’re getting close to fluency in KSL when you’re putting shit in your mouth to free your hands up to sign,” he teased. “Sure. Let’s go find the tunnel of lights.”

They both finished up their skewers, and Jeongguk pretended to sword fight Jimin with his little stick before tossing them both out and searching for the tunnel of lights. Surely he was going to want to take some photos, seeing as it was Christmas and he and Jimin were “Instagram official.” Jimin had worn his nice sweater specifically with the mindset that pictures would be happening—

“Watch where you’re going, dumbass!”

Jimin stumbled and barely caught his balance using Jeongguk as the same group of young guys pushed through yet again, laughing and shoving Jimin out of the way. One after the other, like some kind of pack, and Jimin rolled his eyes, still clinging to Jeongguk’s hand. He knew the type. He always steered clear of the type while he was in high school, and he had never dared to bring up his sexuality, because he would have ended up beneath their feet. They were that type.

“Yah, they’re holding hands, let them go,” one of the boys laughed as they all pushed past. Jimin started to tug on Jeongguk’s hand to keep him moving toward the tunnel of lights, but then he saw Jeongguk pivot and, in one smooth motion, grab the hood of one of the boys’ hooded sweatshirts. The kid stumbled backwards, and when he turned around, Jimin saw that it was a Konkuk University student sweatshirt. So this wasn’t a teenager after all.

“Excuse you,” Jeongguk signed, eyebrows raised.

“Let go of me, asshole,” the guy insisted with a humorless laugh.

“Jeongguk.” Jimin gripped Jeongguk’s bicep firmly. “Come on. Let’s go.”

“You and your friends have been pushing people around all night,” Jeongguk signed. “And now you pushed my boyfriend. Apologize.”

“Hey, what’s your problem?” another boy from the group asked, rounding on Jeongguk.

“It’s nothing,” Jimin insisted hastily. “We’re going. Come on. Jeongguk. Come on. Let’s go. Let’s get going,” he added, trying to sign in Jeongguk’s line of vision, but Jeongguk wasn’t budging.

“It’s always kids like you who think they can get away with it,” Jeongguk signed, and Jimin’s heart skipped. 

“Yeah, if we knew what the fuck you were miming at us, we’d do something about it, but whatever,” a third boy laughed, trying to pull his friends away. “What an idiot.”

“He’s not miming, you asshole. He’s Deaf.”

“What’d you call me?” the boy asked confrontationally, pivoting and coming toe-to-toe with Jimin. Jimin clenched his jaw and stared, trying not to let it show that he was one breath away from evaporating in fear. 

“You heard… what I called you,” Jimin said, deciding to sign so Jeongguk could follow along. “He’s Deaf. And he said you and your friends have been pushing people around all night. So apologize and back off.”

“Apologize?” The guy who had originally done the pushing shoved through his friends with a grin, putting himself right in front of Jeongguk. “He’s Deaf? That’s the problem?” The guy flapped one hand in front of Jeongguk’s face, and then he clapped three times loudly in a mocking fashion. “So-o-o-o-orry,” he sang out in a high-pitched voice, wiggling his fingers at Jeongguk as his friends snorted with laughter. He then rubbed his hands together rapidly and bowed his head a few times. “Sorry, sorry, so sorry,” he finished, and then he snickered and nudged his friend. “Let’s go.”

Jimin didn’t have time to tell Jeongguk no, or to come up with a witty response, or to even walk away. All he could do was watch as Jeongguk grabbed the guy by the arm, spun him around, and punched him directly in the left side of his jaw, sending him staggering. It was a phenomenal right hook, and it wasn’t the only punch he threw. The guy’s friend pounced, but Jeongguk easily deflected it and crippled his knee, punching him in the cheek and shoving him away. His next move was to then throw his arm out to block Jimin from any harm, but the other four friends were now privy to what was going on.

“Oh, this bitch wants a fight?”

“I don’t care if this bastard is Deaf, fuck him up.”

“Punch him harder!”

“Make him go blind, too—”

Jeongguk strong-armed one of the guys with his left hand and grabbed another guy by the hair with his right hand, and then it was a frenzy. He started punching whoever came near him, calm and collected, and he made contact too many times for Jimin’s liking without ever getting a fist to the face himself. All Jimin could hear around them was shouting and yelling, and he couldn’t scream at Jeongguk to stop the fight, nor could he intervene without getting punched in the face.

So he chose to intervene.

“Get off of him!” Jimin shouted, shoving one of the guys away who was trying to pull on Jeongguk’s jacket to get closer to him. Jimin saw the guy’s fist hurtling towards his face, so he threw up one arm and got a fist to the forearm instead. Wincing, he watched as Jeongguk practically threw the main instigator onto the ground while taking a punch to the ribs that barely swayed him. He turned, his expression still calm, and grabbed the guy by the front of his shirt, throwing another right hook that landed far too easily.

“YOU DUMB DEAF BASTARD,” the instigator on the ground bellowed, and that was when Jimin had decided that the fight needed to be over one way or another. Knowing it was absolutely the worst decision he could make, Jimin grabbed Jeongguk and turned him long enough for Jeongguk to see him sign.

“He called you a dumb Deaf bastard,” Jimin signed, pointing to the guy on the ground. Jeongguk pressed his tongue to the inside of his cheek, eyes steely, and he shoved the smallest of the guys attacking him off to the side with one rough hand as he bent down. He grabbed the instigator’s ankle and pulled, throwing the guy onto the ground again, and then he knelt down over the guy and pressed one hand to his chest, lifting his fist.

It only took one blow to the face for everyone to pounce. Jeongguk tried to shove five angry young guys off of him so he could punch the instigator again, but Jimin was trying to pull them away, and the shouting was intensifying. It was mayhem, and Jimin felt fists on his back and his ribs and the top of his shoulder far too close to his face. He could see that Jeongguk’s knuckles were bleeding, especially when he lifted his fist again—

“BREAK IT UP! BREAK IT UP! BREAK IT UP!”

The crew of guys began to scramble. Jimin saw flashlights waving around and heard loud footsteps. And then there were two police officers bearing down on Jeongguk, grabbing one arm each and yanking him off the instigator in a makeshift headlock. Jimin staggered sideways when another police officer grabbed him by the shoulder.

“Don’t resist!” the officer shouted to him, so Jimin just swayed and coughed, feeling a pair of metal handcuffs slapping around his right wrist. Instead of fighting it, Jimin just offered his left wrist, and he didn’t miss the sigh of relief the officer let out when he got the handcuffs on both wrists.

The same couldn’t be said for Jeongguk.

“Jeongguk, stop! It’s okay! It’s okay!” Jimin shouted, but it was useless. Jeongguk was struggling against the two officers, pale in the face, panic in his eyes as he writhed, trying to dig his heels in. Jimin could see them attempt to handcuff him, but he was resisting as much as possible, looking around wildly for Jimin.

“Stop resisting! Hands together! Get up!” the officers were shouting at him.

“Stop! He can’t hear you! He can’t hear you!” Jimin called out, trying to pull away from the officer who was attempting to lead him from the scene. “HEY! HE CAN’T HEAR YOU!”

Jeongguk was almost on the ground now, his knees giving out on him as he gasped in what Jimin could only describe as pure terror. He had never seen Jeongguk look scared before, but his body language screamed fear. He spotted Jimin, and his movement became more frantic, eyes wide.

“He’s Deaf. Please, listen to me,” Jimin begged the officer beside him. “Please take these off. I have to—He’s Deaf. My—My friend, my friend, he’s Deaf. He can’t hear them. He’s scared. Please, I have to—You have to let me sign for him. He doesn’t know what they’re saying.”

“He’s Deaf?” the officer repeated.

“Yes, yes. He’s panicking, you have to let me talk to him,” Jimin pleaded. “Please. I won’t run. Please. I can calm him down. Just—Please.”

By some miracle, the officer seemed to understand the gravity of the situation and could see the physical struggle happening with Jeongguk. He fumbled in his pocket and found the key, quickly removing the handcuffs from Jimin’s wrists.

“JEONGGUK,” Jimin shouted, waving his arm frantically. “Jeongguk! Hey!”

Jeongguk, body tense as the officers held him up and fought against him, stopped struggling and locked eyes with Jimin. Jimin could see tears streaming down his cheeks, tears of terror. Jimin recognized it. This was the panic Jeongguk had always talked to Jimin about when it came to law enforcement and doctors and other emergency services—the panic of being unable to communicate or explain what was going on. Being paralyzed with fear and anxiety. It was happening in real time now.

“It’s okay. It’s okay, baby, look at me,” Jimin signed frantically. “It’s okay. You’re okay. Let them handcuff you. It’s okay. Let them handcuff you and bring you away from here. We can talk to them. Just let them handcuff you. It’s okay, honey. Calm down. Deep breath. Stop fighting them. It’s alright.”

Panting, Jeongguk slumped and stopped fighting, trying to find his footing. The officers trying to hold him were looking back and forth between Jimin and Jeongguk, and Jimin could see it dawning on them that the man they were trying to arrest was Deaf. 

“It’s okay. Let them do it. I love you. You’re okay,” Jimin promised, his heart still racing, the police officer hovering over him to make sure he didn’t run off. Jeongguk took a deep, shuddering breath and swallowed heavily, nodding as he offered up both of his wrists. The officers, thankfully, were gentle when handcuffing him, which Jimin considered another miracle. 

“This way,” the officer insisted, grabbing Jimin by the elbow firmly. “I won’t handcuff you, but don’t resist.”

“That’s fine. I won’t. Thank you,” Jimin said senselessly, his eyes still trained on the officers who were adjusting Jeongguk’s handcuffs. “Tell me you’re going to talk to that group of boys too. I know my friend was the one punching, but you need to talk to those boys.”

“We have officers on it right now,” the police officer promised Jimin in a stern but comforting manner, guiding Jimin away from the scene. “You two will get into the back of the car while we sort this out.”

His adrenaline still pumping, Jimin nodded, letting the officer lead him towards the exit where police cars were lined up and parked outside. Never once in Jimin’s entire life had he been in trouble with the law—hadn’t even rubbed elbows with it. He supposed, though, if he was going to get in trouble, he might as well do it properly. Nothing like getting handcuffed right out the gate.

The officer opened the back door of his police car and politely covered the top of Jimin’s head to help him in, and Jimin slid in quietly, wondering if he would get the handcuffs again. He didn’t.

“Stay put. Your friend will be here, too. We’ll talk to the other party and come back for your statement,” he instructed. Jimin nodded, wiping his sweaty palms on his pants and shivering from the cold, glancing around the police car in mild fascination. Twenty-nine years he’d gone without ever seeing the inside of one. First time for everything.

“Oh. Oh, can you take the handcuffs off? He can’t talk with them on,” Jimin pleaded the moment Jeongguk was forced into the backseat of the car. “Please. We’re not going anywhere. We want to talk about what happened.”

“Yes, okay,” one of the officers agreed, which only increased Jimin’s hopes that they would be able to at least explain the situation. If charges were pressed, then fine. Jimin was ready to contest it. Right now, he just needed to calm Jeongguk down.

“Thank you,” Jeongguk managed to choke out when the handcuffs were removed, surprising the officer.

“Was that thank you? You’re welcome,” the officer replied, looking to Jimin for clarification. “We’ll be back. Stay here.”

The door closed. Immediately, Jimin grabbed Jeongguk’s hands and pulled him closer, and he could feel Jeongguk shaking.

“Hey. Look at me,” Jimin signed insistently. “Baby, look at me.”

Jeongguk looked.

“Are you okay?” Jimin asked.

“I’m fine,” Jeongguk signed weakly. “I just… panicked. They were handcuffing me and I could see that they were shouting things at me, but I had no idea what they were saying. And those other boys were laughing, which pissed me off, and I saw them handcuffing you, and—”

“Okay, okay, okay,” Jimin interrupted, seeing the frenzy in Jeongguk’s signing increasing. “I’m totally fine. Don’t worry about me. Are you okay? Seriously.”

“I am now,” Jeongguk promised, clearing his throat and sniffling quietly. “I didn’t mean to get that scared.”

“It’s fine. It all happened so fast,” Jimin justified. “But no handcuffs now. The officer took mine off so I could talk to you. And you can talk, too. It’ll be okay. Even if we get charged with assault, it was worth it.”

“Worth it?” Jeongguk repeated, raising one eyebrow.

“You have a mean right hook,” Jimin replied, and he saw a bit of color return to Jeongguk’s cheeks even in the dark. “You fight like the guys in the movies. Very sexy of you. You can punch losers in the face anytime, and I’ll approve of it.”

Finally, Jeongguk stifled a laugh. His relief seemed to come from the fact that Jimin was not upset or angry, and that he was physically and mentally unharmed. Jimin could imagine the guilt that came with starting a fight and ending up in the back of a police car, but to Jimin, it was entirely justified. Maybe he was losing his mind, or maybe he was just too in love with Jeongguk to see any fault. But in Jimin’s eyes, being in the back of a police car two days before Christmas was…

Kind of hilarious.

“Why… are we in a police car?” Jimin asked with a giggle. “Jeongguk… we got handcuffed. At Christmas.”

Jeongguk bent his head towards Jimin, dimples indenting his cheeks as he fought back laughter, his knee bumping Jimin’s knee. “I told you that I get into fights,” he signed, biting his bottom lip rather sheepishly.

“Yeah, and you look sexy as hell doing it. What’s your point?” Jimin asked, and Jeongguk let out a loud bark of laughter that was absolutely not appropriate for the situation, but Jimin held a fist up to his mouth to muffle his giggles. They were going to hell for this. Coal for Christmas. Santa Claus was going to slaughter them both, and rightfully so.

“I love you,” Jeongguk signed. “Seriously. I was fucking terrified. Thank you for calming me down.”

“I love you, too,” Jimin replied, smiling. “Just keep calm when they come back to talk to us. We need to be mature adults.”

“I can’t be mature,” Jeongguk said, jutting out his lower lip. “Once I stopped panicking, I remembered that they put you in handcuffs and the first thing I thought about was if you wanted to be handcuffed during sex.”

“Jeongguk—!” Jimin smacked Jeongguk’s thigh, and Jeongguk snickered, scooting closer to Jimin for warmth. Jimin glanced down and noticed Jeongguk’s hands again, where the blood was drying on his knuckles. Frowning, he examined the wounds by holding Jeongguk’s bruised and bloodied hands up to the window for a bit of light, wondering if he could get Jeongguk some kind of medical attention—double whammy. Police and doctors in one night.

“Does it hurt? It looks awful,” Jimin signed as he released Jeongguk’s hands.

“Fighting isn’t as easy as it looks in the movies,” Jeongguk replied. “It hurts like a motherfucker to actually punch someone in the face. It’s painful now, but I’ll be okay. It was worth it. That asshole’s nose was bleeding—”

“They’re coming back,” Jimin interrupted, rapidly patting Jeongguk’s thigh. He saw Jeongguk tense up, and then the back door opened.

“Step out of the vehicle, please,” the officer requested. “Keep your hands where we can see them.”

“Get out. Show your hands to them,” Jimin signed to Jeongguk, and Jeongguk nodded, sliding out of the police car with his hands held up halfway. The three officers looked unimpressed as Jimin slid out after Jeongguk, but Jimin could immediately tell that it wasn’t because of them—it had to be because of the other boys.

“I’m Officer Kim. This is Officer Jang, Officer Byun,” Officer Kim introduced. Jimin patted Jeongguk’s arm and fingerspelled the family names of each officer.

“I’m Park Jimin. This is Jeon Jeongguk,” Jimin introduced.

“It’s nice to meet you. I’m sorry for fighting you both about the handcuffs,” Jeongguk apologized instantly to Jang and Byun, and Jimin interpreted with a racing heart. He couldn’t fuck this up. He had to channel his inner Min Yoongi.

“Well, we understand now that you’re Deaf, so I’m sure it was frightening,” Officer Kim said, since he had just witnessed the struggle while dealing with Jimin. “We apologize for not recognizing that sooner. We spoke with the group of boys involved in the altercation.”

Jeongguk’s eyes flitted over to Jimin several times, and even though Jimin hesitated once or twice, begging his brain to remember, he managed to get the point across.

“Look, I’m sorry. I know I started the physical fight. I punched first. I can’t stand here and deny that,” Jeongguk admitted up front. “I don’t know what those boys said, but you need to understand that they were harassing people all night, and my final straw was when they shoved Jimin out of the way.”

“Interesting. They told us that you targeted them and attacked them unprovoked,” Officer Jang commented, and Jimin rolled his eyes, interpreting for Jeongguk. Jeongguk snorted with laughter humorlessly.

“They were marching around like they owned the place,” he replied. “Everyone was in their way, and they made sure people knew it. They shoved a mother out of the way, and she was holding her daughter’s hand and pushing a stroller with a baby. “

“That’s true. I saw that happen,” Jimin added after interpreting to corroborate Jeongguk’s claim. “Everything was funny. They just laughed. When Jeongguk asked them to apologize for shoving me, they just mocked him for being Deaf and laughed it off.”

“So I punched one of them,” Jeongguk added. Jimin supposed there was no point in lying. There were security cameras everywhere, after all. If it came down to it, all the authorities had to do was refer to the tape.

“We’re under the impression that these boys know that they were in the wrong, because we asked if they wanted to press charges against you for assault, and they declined,” Officer Byun said, and Jimin’s heart soared in relief. “They had more insults to offer than productive solutions, and we’ve brought them over to First Aid to be assessed and taken care of for their minor injuries. But no charges will be pressed against either of you on their behalf. As for us…”

Jimin held his breath. Right. He forgot that they could be charged with public—

“No charges,” Officer Byun declared, and Jimin blew out a breath of relief, relaying the information to Jeongguk. Jeongguk raised his eyebrows in surprise.

“Listen, we could easily book you both for assault and charge you with the crime,” Officer Kim explained. “You caused minor bodily harm and incited violence. However, as we said, the boys wanted nothing to do with it. They just walked away from the situation. The worst injuries are a bloody nose and some bruises. It’s their pride that’s likely hurt the most right now. And we talked to a few witnesses who corroborated your claims that the boys had been harassing others most of the night.”

“So what Jeongguk did could be seen as defense?” Jimin asked.

“It could. In a perfect world, Jeongguk would be charged with the crime and brought in for questioning, and he could be brought forward in court,” Officer Jang pointed out. “But there are mitigating circumstances, and quite frankly, it’s not worth the paperwork. The boys walked away from it.”

“We’ll kindly ask you to refrain from fighting like that in the future,” Officer Kim warned Jeongguk. “We’ll take down both of your details and let you off with a warning so that it’s on record. If either of you get involved in an altercation again, there will likely be criminal charges pressed.”

“I understand. Sorry again,” Jeongguk apologized with a small bow. “For what it’s worth, I hope all of the boys are okay.”

“They were okay enough to leave us with multiple insults and negative comments,” Officer Byun said with a tired chuckle as Jeongguk began to reach into his pocket for his wallet to grab his driver’s license. “But it’s Christmas, and neither one of you look much like repeat offenders. Identification, please, so we can document it and all be on our way.”

Jeongguk handed over his driver’s license, and Jimin did the same. Jimin even glanced up at the sky like he was going to make an attempt to thank the stars that they had gotten off easily. Law enforcement didn’t look kindly on public fighting and assault. It could have been a long, long night where the only giggles they had were in the police car. But now they both got to go home for the night, and it was a miracle. Maybe it was an early Christmas present.

The police officers returned with the official warning, and like two law-abiding citizens, Jimin and Jeongguk both bowed and said thank you for absolutely no good reason. Thank you for the warning about being criminals! When Officer Kim suggested that they leave the premises, Jimin knew it wasn’t actually a suggestion, so he linked elbows with Jeongguk and guided him away from Myeongdong Street in the direction of the closest subway line so they could escape.

“Holy shit,” Jeongguk said out loud once they had walked for a solid three minutes in silence.

“We’re walking away from the scene of a crime,” Jimin signed, walking sideways so Jeongguk could see him signing. Jeongguk gave him a dimpled grin, finally looking like he had recovered from the initial shock of the incident. He set one hand on top of his beanie and rubbed, almost like he was soothing himself.

“I was going to buy you a little Christmas present before we left, but I guess not,” Jeongguk signed with a dramatic shrug, and Jimin grinned, his hands still harboring a slight tremor from all the adrenaline.

“You told me yesterday that you had gotten all of your presents for me,” he teased.

“Did I?” Jeongguk signed with one eyebrow raised, but then he gave Jimin an uncoordinated wink as they rounded the corner, still walking toward the subway station. “Jimin hyung…”

Jimin slowed down as Jeongguk signed his name, stepping to the side. Jeongguk took a deep breath and set his hands on Jimin’s shoulders, rubbing them affectionately and then kissing Jimin’s forehead.

“Thank you,” he signed. “Thank you for calming me down and for explaining to the police officers what was going on. If I was ever unsure about our relationship, there’s no way I am now. You just got arrested with me and had my back. I can’t think of a single other person I’ve dated who would ever do that for me.”

“That’s what you do when you love someone,” Jimin signed, feeling a blissful type of clarity as he looked into Jeongguk’s eyes. “I would have thrown punches, too, but you had that covered.”

“I’m so fucking in love with you,” Jeongguk signed with a laugh, slang and all. Jimin reached up and adjusted Jeongguk’s beanie, lacing his fingers behind Jeongguk’s neck afterwards and kissing him. Jeongguk’s hands found his waist to draw him closer, and Jimin momentarily wished he could manifest mistletoe just for the sake of the mood.

Why wait?

That was all Jimin could think as he left quick kisses along Jeongguk’s bottom lip before pulling away. Why wait two days to ask Jeongguk to move in together? What was the point of sticking to a plan instead of going the spontaneous route? That was how they punctuated their relationship, anyway. They’d met on the subway by flirting with each other through a few awkward glances. Their first kiss had been after a tequila shot. The first time they’d had sex had been entirely unplanned. Their first “I love you’s” had come out of nowhere. So what made this moment any different?

“You know what? I was supposed to ask you to move in with me,” Jimin signed, his heart racing. “That was going to be part of my Christmas present, but after tonight, I feel like—”

He was interrupted by a firm kiss, and Jimin laughed, nearly falling backwards as Jeongguk kissed him again and again and again.

“You live—want—me? You want to live with me?” Jeongguk signed so excitedly that he stumbled over his own words—basically, his fingers moved faster than his brain, and he had to repeat himself with a dazed smile. Jimin nodded, unable to contain his happiness.

“Yeah. I do. We can move in together,” Jimin replied. “You keep bringing up that apartment on the second floor that’s going to be vacant in your building by February, so I feel like you were dropping hints. I’m picking up what you’re putting down. Let’s move in together.”

“Oh, you noticed that?” Jeongguk asked with a mischievous grin, and Jimin smacked his chest playfully. “Are you sure? You really want to live with me? I’m a handful. My bed vibrates. My ADHD is off the charts. I have a really weird sleep schedule—”

Jimin gently placed one hand over Jeongguk’s mouth as a joke to shut him up, and Jeongguk snorted gracelessly with laughter, dropping his hands in surrender.

“I want all of that,” Jimin confirmed. “All of it. Every single day. If you can put up with me waking up at the crack of dawn and running multiple miles per day, then we’re a match made in Heaven.”

“Deal,” Jeongguk said, beaming. “You know that meme?”

“What meme? There are a lot of memes. You’re a meme factory,” Jimin reminded Jeongguk.

“The graph,” Jeongguk replied, moving one finger up and down in a zigzag. “Up and down, up and down.” He punctuated the sky like it was making a dot point. “Christmas date!” Another dot point. “Potato tornado!” Another dot point lower. “Big fight with multiple douchebags!” Another dot point even lower. “Handcuffed!” Dot point higher up. “Getting off with  a warning!” Last dot point. “We’re so back—moving in together.”

Jimin groaned with a laugh, knowing exactly what Jeongguk was talking about. “All that in one night,” he signed. “I like the last dot point the best.”

“Our life is never boring,” Jeongguk said as he began to side-shuffle towards the train station again. Jimin followed, feeling like one of those cartoon characters bent forward at the waist in lovesickness with hearts popping out of his eyes. “Oh! Hyung.”

“Yes?”

“Can we get a dog?” Jeongguk signed eagerly, and Jimin laughed, grabbing Jeongguk’s hand and leaning into him as they walked.

“We’ll talk about it.”

✩࿐

JIMIN created the group “DEAF, NOT DEAD”

JIMIN [6:26PM]
Happy New Year, bitches

You are all cordially invited to a housewarming party

You can all also thank Jeongguk for the group name

Housewarming party Sunday February 25th, come join us or perish

KIM SEOKJIN 😼☕ [6:27PM]
What in the WORLD is this ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

KIM TAEHYUNG [6:28PM]
I despise group chats, but I’ll do it for you both.

JEONGGUKIE 🤟 [6:29PM]
Hyung, did you just admit to doing something for Jimin? 🤯

KIM TAEHYUNG [6:30PM]
Kim Taehyung edited the message: I despise group chats, but I’ll do it for Jeongguk.

HOBI [6:32PM]
Not the savage editing 😭

MIN YOONGI [6:33PM]
He’s sitting here giggling. He’s having a blast.

JIMIN [6:34PM]
At my expense, WHAT ELSE IS NEW

NAMJOON [6:35PM]
Exactly how warm does the house need to be????

JEONGGUKIE 🤟[6:36PM]
Hot yoga warm

HOBI [6:37PM]
Hot yoga makes my balls sweat way too much so uhhhhh 

KIM TAEHYUNG [6:38PM]
Why do I need to be in a conversation about ball sweat????

JIMIN [6:38PM]
Can you idiots just come over on the 25th and warm our house please

NAMJOON [6:39PM]
I’ll be there 🤣

KIM SEOKJIN 😼☕ [6:39PM]
By default, so will I ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

MIN YOONGI [6:40PM]
Tae and I will be there.

HOBI [6:41PM]
I’m in, and I’m bringing Yesung if that’s OK…? 👀

JIMIN [6:42PM]
Bring him!!!!

JEONGGUKIE 🤟 [6:43PM]
Namjoon hyung, the house will be scorching hot just for you

NAMJOON changed the group name to “DEAF AND ALSO DEAD”

✩࿐

There was a thin blanket of snow on the ground from last night, and it crunched beneath Jimin’s boots as he stepped out of the car with a deep inhale of the cold air. Jeongguk was still fast asleep at home—at their home, cozy beneath several extra blankets. And Jimin had lied, lied through his teeth with sweet kisses and everything about where he was actually going on a Wednesday morning before he met Taehyung at the café for a lesson. He was in gym clothes, but he wasn’t going to an early yoga class before work like Jeongguk thought.

He was going to an animal shelter.

One week had passed since the big move—one week of playing musical chairs, except with apartments. Jeongguk had moved to the second floor of his building to a two-bedroom apartment, and Jimin had promptly moved in. Namjoon had ended the lease on his apartment and had shoved all of his belongings directly across the hall to take Jimin’s place and live with Hoseok, a happy solution that Hoseok loved. Seokjin’s apartment was one-bedroom and he needed it to foster cats without Namjoon being a constant presence, so it worked in everyone’s favor. 

So now, with the housewarming gathering happening next month, Jimin wanted to complete their home. He wanted to give Jeongguk the ultimate first Valentine’s Day present, something Jimin had been hemming and hawing about on purpose because he had a plan.

[“happy place” (feat. jasmine thompson) by saint phnx]

Pulling his jacket tighter around him, Jimin stepped through the doors of the animal shelter, sighing in relief at the feeling of heat when the doors closed behind him. The lobby of the shelter was bright and cheerful, decorated with silhouette paintings of cats and dogs and bunnies and a few other animals. There were photos on the wall behind the front desk—DOG OF THE MONTH. CAT OF THE MONTH. Jimin resisted the urge to text Yoongi a picture of it and suggest that Yoongi himself apply to be the cat of the month. After all, this shelter had come highly recommended by Yoongi, and Jimin had an appointment.

“Good morning!”

“Oh, hello. Good morning,” Jimin said, matching the cheerfulness of the young girl behind the front desk. She had to be a teenager, because she was cute and perky and had a sparkle in her eyes, her long black hair pulled up in a ponytail, bangs brushing her eyebrows.

“Did you have an appointment?” she asked. “Are you…?” She referred to her computer. “Park Jimin?”

“That’s me,” Jimin confirmed.

“Awesome. I’m Eunchae. Nice to meet you,” Eunchae introduced herself, coming out from behind the desk. “You mentioned in your booking that you’re looking to adopt a dog?”

“I am. My partner and I really want one,” Jimin confirmed. “I’m going to surprise him for Valentine’s Day.”

“That’s so sweet,” Eunchae replied, smiling. “Do you have a preference for the breed? Or are you open to anything?”

“It probably sounds ridiculous, but I think I just want to go in there and see which dog I’m drawn to the most,” Jimin said, and Eunchae nodded.

“That’s a great idea. I’ll warn you now, though—that’ll be harder than you think with all of these beautiful animals. But come on through,” Eunchae said with the same bubbly enthusiasm, ponytail flopping to one side as she pulled another door open. “You’re going to fall in love with every single one of our dogs. They’re all sweethearts.”

Jimin followed Eunchae through the door, and his heart soared immediately at the sight of all the dogs in their spacious little homes, some of them with chew toys, some of them having play time with other patrons of the shelter. There was barking and laughter all around, the energy contagious.

“Oh, look at her. She wants to play. This is Daol. She’s a three-year-old Terrier mix,” Eunchae introduced, grabbing her keys and unlocking the gate as a happy dog rushed up, tail wagging. Jimin immediately bent down and offered his hands for her to sniff, and she inched forward to accept ear scratches and a cuddle.

“And this handsome boy is Tochi. He’s about a year old. We rescued him from a meat farm,” Eunchae said as they moved on to the next dog, a black Labrador mix. Tochi was far more excitable and even barked, jumping up on his hind legs to greet Jimin.

“I’ll take all of them. Every single dog,” Jimin joked, and Eunchae giggled.

“Told you,” she replied, leading Jimin to the next. Jimin was in paradise with the number of dogs he was petting, half of them licking his face and half of them lying down shyly before accepting some love. It seemed like it was going to be an absolutely impossible choice.

“Ah-h-h, look at this little cutie. He’s my little angel,” Eunchae said, crouching down in front of the next crate. Jimin crouched as well and saw a beautiful brown Korean Jindo dog curled up in the corner, head resting on his paws. “This is Saja.”

Saja. Lion. Jimin cocked his head to the side, smiling as Saja opened his eyes and saw that he had visitors. His curled, fluffy tail started wagging first, and then he stretched and cautiously approached the gate, pushing his snout through to touch Eunchae’s hand.

“Here, let me—” Eunchae unlocked the gate and pushed it open, and Saja just backed up and sat, looking back and forth between his visitors. “He’s a little bit skittish,” she warned Jimin. “Not in a bad way. He just needs to warm up to his people, and he’s a dog who would thrive with a good master. He’s super sweet and lovable and loyal and has so much energy. We rescued him from a kill shelter because he was on the euthanasia list.”

“Jesus,” Jimin muttered, shaking his head. “Why? How old is he?”

“Ten months,” Eunchae replied, letting out a forlorn sigh. “It’s a bit sad. He was abused by his owners before they abandoned him at the shelter. Poor puppy had no idea. He was just confused. No one wanted to adopt him, either.”

“Why not? He’s—oh, hi. Hello,” Jimin said with a laugh as Saja, tail wagging at top speed, bumped his nose into Jimin’s chest and began to sniff and nuzzle him, looking for affection. Jimin delivered, vigorously scratching behind his ears and laughing when he dropped to the ground and rolled for belly rubs.

“Well, after a check-up with the vet when we first brought him in, they figured out that he’s deaf,” Eunchae explained. She said something else after that, but Jimin tuned it out completely. He didn’t hear another goddamn word she said. He just rubbed Saja’s belly and beneath his chin in a daze.

This dog was deaf.

Once again, the universe seemed to be moving specifically for Jimin and Jeongguk. The odds of finding such a special dog were slim to none, but said dog was licking Jimin’s hand right now, getting to know his future dad.

Because this was the dog. This was their dog.

“He’s the one.”

“I’m sorry?” Eunchae said, startled.

“I’d like to adopt this dog. Saja. We’ll be his forever family,” Jimin said, a lump forming in his throat. “He’s perfect. I’d like to adopt him.”

“Really?” Eunchae sounded surprised but hopeful. “You’ll give him a home? Oh my God. He’s been here for six months and everyone passes right over him when I tell them that he’s deaf. Are you sure?”

“My boyfriend is Deaf.” Jimin cleared his throat, though it did nothing to help the burning sensation in his eyes. “So Saja will be just like him. He’s perfect for us. Absolutely perfect.”

“Oh, well, now you’re going to make me cry,” Eunchae said with a giggle, kneeling beside Jimin and beaming. “You’ll really adopt him?”

“Really,” Jimin confirmed. “Can I—? Will you let me come here for a month or so just to play with him and maybe train him a little, and then bring him home? I want to try and teach him a few signs. Does he know anything?”

“No. Not really. He’s crate-trained and toilet-trained, and another staff member and I have fostered him for a week or so here and there to house-train him, but it’s difficult to teach him to sit or lie down or anything. He gets frightened easily if you touch him,” Eunchae pointed out. “So we haven’t really had the means to train him. Nobody’s fostered him properly.”

“I’ll come after work as many days as I can,” Jimin swore. “And I’ll play with him and see if I can train him with sign language. I want him to know some signs before I surprise my boyfriend with him. Actually…” Jimin pulled out his phone as he and Eunchae briefly exited Saja’s large crated area. “Min Yoongi. My friend who referred me here.”

“Mhm. The cat guy,” Eunchae said with a grin. “We love him here. He’s a cat whisperer, I swear. He’s so good with them.”

“Can Yoongi foster Saja for a few days at a time to get him comfortable with being in an apartment?” Jimin wondered. “Yoongi is fluent in sign language. He can help with the training, and that’ll keep it a surprise.”

“I think we can work something out. Come with me,” Eunchae said eagerly, beckoning to Jimin. “We can come back and play with Saja after.”

Jimin completed as much paperwork as he could. He paid the adoption fees without even blinking, just swiped his card and didn’t even flinch. His handwriting was borderline illegible because all he wanted to do was get back to Saja, and Eunchae knew it. She brought Jimin back in to Saja, and it took only three or four minutes for Saja to warm up to Jimin and engage in a tug-of-war with a toy, followed by a good round of fetch. 

“Sit. Sit. Sit,” Jimin repeated several times, signing “sit” as Saja just stared at him, waiting for the ball to be thrown. Patiently, Jimin signed “sit” again, and then he reached forward and set his hand on Saja’s rear, forcing him to sit. “Sit,” he signed again. “Sit. Sit.”

He threw the ball. Saja chased after it excitedly, skidding and capturing it in his mouth before barreling back towards Jimin. The ball fell at Jimin’s feet, and Saja backed up, ready to sprint again.

“Sit,” Jimin signed. “Sit… sit. Sit.” He knelt down and quickly put Saja into a seated position. “Sit. Good boy,” he signed with a smile, scratching behind Saja’s ears. Rome wasn’t built in a day, but they would get there eventually with enough exposure. It was only a matter of time, and Jimin had several weeks to work hard.

He didn’t do it without help, though. Yoongi agreed to give up some of his valuable time to visit Saja at the shelter during the first week, and on the morning that Jimin arrived to retrieve Saja, Yoongi was with him.

“Yah, Korean Jindos are a great breed,” Yoongi rambled as they walked into the shelter. “They’re loyal to their masters and they’re highly intelligent and trainable. It’s great that you’re a runner, too, because Jindos need to be active. Have you considered getting any mental stimulation-type toys? If Jindos get too bored or they aren’t stimulated enough, they’ll—”

“Hyung.” Jimin gripped the door handle of the shelter, feeling a rush of affection toward Yoongi. He thought about telling Yoongi that he knew enough about Korean Jindos, and he didn’t need to hear Yoongi’s ramblings. But that was his first instinct response. Instead he said, “That’s really good to know. Do you have any toys that you’d recommend?”

“Oh, I have a ton,” Yoongi said, sounding delighted in his own monotonous way that Jimin had expressed interest. “I can text you a list of good ones. You could work with him on button pressing or light switches or bell training, you know. That way, he can tell you he wants to go out or he wants water or a treat or attention.”

“I thought about that. Anything you can suggest would be awesome,” Jimin said as he pulled open the door. “Thanks, hyung. Seriously.”

“Don’t mention it.” Yoongi followed him through the doors, and then he lifted his hand. “Yah! Hong Eunchae!”

Eunchae greeted them with her usual enthusiasm, and she beamed when she brought Saja out on a leash to see Jimin. To Jimin’s surprise (his poor heart), Saja started tugging on the leash and panting excitedly when he saw Jimin, trying to run to him because he was a familiar face. 

“Hi!” Jimin exclaimed, crouching down to give him a vigorous pat. “Are you ready to go home? Hmm? Saja.” Jimin scooted back. “Home?” he signed. Saja didn’t know the sign, but it didn’t matter. Exposure started now. “Home? Let’s go home. Let’s go home, puppy.”

Going home meant going straight to Yoongi and Taehyung’s apartment. Saja sniffed just about everything the moment he walked through the door, especially because Yeontan’s scent was everywhere. But early socialization was important, so when Taehyung came out of the bedroom with Yeontan in his arms, he let the two dogs sniff each other and circle one another eagerly and playfully before letting them roam free.

“I’ll come over every night when Jeongguk is working,” Jimin promised. “And on Wednesday mornings before my lesson with you, Taehyung, I’ll come play with him.”

“Our lessons will be here now,” Taehyung signed, suppressing a smile. “There’s no greater lesson than trying to teach a dog how to understand KSL. We’ll work together.”

“I told you he liked you,” Yoongi said and signed, and Taehyung let out a snort of disagreement, plopping down in his bean bag chair and rocking back and forth a bit for stimulation as he checked his phone.  Almost immediately, Saja abandoned Yeontan and rushed up to Taehyung, tail wagging.

But then he began to sniff Taehyung incessantly, curiously.

“Yes, hello,” Taehyung signed, leaning back slightly. “I’m a new person with a new scent. Hi, Saja—yah!”

“He likes you,” Jimin said with a chuckle, but Yoongi just crossed his arms, eyes slowly narrowing.

“Taehyung,” he signed. “Are you feeling okay? When’s the last time you ate? What’s your blood sugar like right now?”

“Uh…” Taehyung patted his own chest like he was checking himself. “I don’t know. It might be low. Or high. Let me—” He grunted and stood up, gently moving Saja out of his path. “I’ll go check. Be right back.”

Taehyung just hummed off-key happily as he made his way to the bathroom, but Yoongi shot Jimin a look, gesturing to Saja.

“Train this dog,” he insisted to Jimin. “Train him well. He’s smart. I’m an optimist and I think pets can do no wrong, but why does it seem like your new dog just sniffed out low blood sugar in my boyfriend?”

That alone just sparked Jimin’s determination. Together with Yoongi, he sat and devised a good training program that they agreed on for consistency, knowing that they were pressed for time and that Jeongguk couldn’t know what was going on behind his back. Taehyung promised to work with Saja during the day, and Yoongi would supervise at night. Jimin would stop by as often as humanly possible.

As it turned out, to no one’s surprise, Yoongi was absolutely right. Saja was highly intelligent and highly trainable. Within a week, he was responding to positive reinforcement and understood the signs for “sit,” “outside,” “water,” and “eat.” Jimin took him on walks and worked with him on “stop” and “go.” Yoongi worked with him on “yes” and “no.” Taehyung worked with him on “right paw” and “left paw” and “nose” because Yeontan knew those tricks, too.

And then it was Valentine’s Day.

JIMIN [10:36AM]
Are you awake, my love?

JEONGGUKIE 🤟 [10:37AM]
Grunts like an old man

Yes 😠

JIMIN [10:37AM]
ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ can you be more awake? 

It’s Valentine’s Day

I have a surprise for you

I’m not actually at work today so get out of bed

I promise it’s a good surprise and that you’ll love it

JEONGGUKIE 🤟 [10:39AM]

I should have known ㅋㅋ

Me: no surprises please

You: OK but just this once

JIMIN [10:40AM]
If you don’t love this surprise, I’ll eat my own arm

JEONGGUKIE 🤟[10:41AM]
I’ll hold you to it 🤝

Jimin politely waited in the lobby of the building with Saja on a leash, and Saja sat patiently and accepted scratches behind his ears. Jimin swore he was smiling.

["sweet night” by elina]

“Home,” Jimin signed to him. “Home. Where’s Jeongguk? Hm? Where’s Jeongguk?”

Saja still hadn’t quite grasped the concept of his masters’ names, but he began to look around frantically, searching for someone even if he didn’t know who. Jimin led him into the elevator to the second floor, his heart then racing in anticipation as he tiptoed down the hallway to apartment 219. 

“Sit,” Jimin signed, and Saja sat as Jimin punched in their keypad code. The door beeped and unlocked, so Jimin used his shoulder to push it open, keeping Saja close.

“Jeongguk?” he called out, because it was habitual. When he didn’t see Jeongguk in the kitchen or in the living room area, he peered over towards their bedroom—the door was ajar, and Jimin could hear light snoring coming from inside. “Typical,” he muttered fondly, because of course Jeongguk had fallen back asleep.

Jimin crept into the bedroom, and then he glanced down at Saja. “Up!” he whispered. “Saja! Up!” He gestured to the bed and tilted his head, wiggling his fingers to encourage Saja to leap up onto the bed. A habit they’d have to break, probably, but for now, it was a good way to wake up his sleeping boyfriend. 

Saja leapt up onto the bed excitedly, landing with two front paws on Jeongguk’s blanket-covered shins. Jeongguk immediately stirred, inhaling sharply and stretching out his arms with a smack of his lips. And then he opened his eyes.

“Wah!” he exclaimed, scrambling upright in shock when Saja padded across the bed and began to sniff him curiously, fluffy tail wagging. Jeongguk looked like he was ready to fight, but then he saw the leash attached to Saja’s collar, followed by Jimin standing at the foot of the bed.

“Surprise,” Jimin signed with a grin, and Jeongguk’s jaw dropped. He reached out with both hands to stroke Saja’s fur, scratching beneath his ears as Saja plopped down and tried to roll for belly rubs from his newest friend. Bewildered, Jeongguk looked back up at Jimin for clarification, eyes wide.

“What’s this?” he signed.

“This is Saja,” Jimin signed, fingerspelling Saja’s name. Jeongguk would have to be the one to give Saja a sign name later—maybe just good old lion, but either way, it was Jeongguk’s duty. “And he’s our new dog. He’s only eleven months old, and I adopted him from the shelter. Happy Valentine’s Day, babe.”

“Our dog?” Jeongguk signed. “Our… Our dog? He’s ours?” he asked, seeking clarification. “His name is Saja? He’s our dog?”

“He’s our dog,” Jimin confirmed. “And guess what? Get out of bed. Come here. Come on.”

Jeongguk scrambled out of bed, still stunned, and he followed Jimin into the living room, Saja trailing after them like the puppy he was. Jimin stood by Jeongguk’s side and rubbed his back lovingly, and then he tapped Jeongguk’s arm for attention.

“Our dog is deaf,” he signed. “Tell him to sit. Then right paw, left paw.”

Jeongguk looked like he was going to keel over, but he glanced down at Saja.

“Sit,” he signed, and Saja promptly sat. Jeongguk crouched down, swaying slightly. “Right paw.” Saja lifted his right paw and placed it into Jeongguk’s palm. “Left paw.” Saja switched paws, tail wagging because he was waiting for his praise and probably a little treat for doing a good job.

Instead, Jeongguk burst into tears.

He sat down on the floor and sobbed, pulling Saja into his lap as best as he could and hugging the puppy close to him, and tears burned Jimin’s eyes, too. Jeongguk just rocked Saja back and forth in an embrace, scratching behind his ears and rubbing down the length of his body with love and affection as he cried.

“He’s just like me,” Jeongguk signed with one free hand, his face still buried in Saja’s fur. “He’s just like me, he’s just like me…”

Maybe, Jimin thought as he watched Jeongguk cry and embrace Saja, that was what their life together was about. There was nobody in the world like Jeon Jeongguk. Not even close. He was a unique human being all on his own, and Jimin had the privilege of loving him. But at the end of the day, Jeongguk just wanted to be loved. He wanted to connect with people and receive as much love as he gave, and finding people who were like him or who were willing to embrace who he was at his core was the most important thing in his life. Saja, a dog, was just like him. And Jimin was willing to embrace who Jeongguk was at his core.

“He’s just like you,” Jimin signed when he had Jeongguk’s attention, his eyes burning with tears of happiness. “Do you love him?”

“I love him,” Jeongguk signed. “Immediately. He’s beautiful. I want to take him on a walk. Does he really know sign language?”

“He does,” Jimin confirmed. “And we can teach him more. He’s ours to love for as long as he’s with us in this lifetime.”

“I hate surprises,” Jeongguk signed. “But this is the best surprise ever. How—? How did you even get him? How did you train him so well already? I’m so confused.”

“Confession time,” Jimin said, grinning. “I’ve been working with Taehyung every Wednesday morning on my sign language, and he’s been teaching me about Deaf culture. That’s why I’ve gotten better at it. And he and Yoongi helped me train Saja for three weeks.”

“I knew you had a teacher,” Jeongguk signed with emphasis, laughing as wiping away his tears. “You brilliant, beautiful human being. Do you have any idea how much I love you?”

“I can guess,” Jimin replied, rolling onto his knees and kissing Jeongguk sweetly. “I love you, baby. I love you so much,” he added, signing with as much emphasis as possible so Jeongguk knew. “Do you like our new family member?”

“He’s perfect,” Jeongguk signed, and then he bunched his fingers together and kissed them like a chef, pleased when he saw Jimin giggling. “Hyung, this is the life I always wanted. My life is perfect now.”

“All because we couldn’t stop eye-fucking each other on the 2 Line,” Jimin teased, and Jeongguk burst out laughing, falling onto his back and bringing Saja with him. Saja hopped around and licked Jeongguk’s face, wanting to join in the fun, and Jimin pulled out his phone and filmed the happiness, because he needed to capture every moment of the beautiful, extraordinary life he had built with the man he loved.

He was going to need more storage space on his phone.

✩࿐

4 months later…

[“a head full of dreams” by coldplay]

Jimin shrugged his messenger bag off one shoulder. “I’m home,” he signed, even though it didn’t really matter. Jeongguk was sitting on the couch with his iPad, working on chapter 5 of his webtoon diligently. When he saw Jimin, he grinned and waved, and Jimin bent down to greet Saja, who had abandoned his post protecting Jeongguk to meet his other master at the door.

“I want to show you something,” Jimin signed as he kicked off his shoes. “Don’t move. Stay right there.”

Jimin rushed into their bedroom and pulled open his bedside table drawer, grinning from ear to ear. He rummaged for a moment and used a few fingers to roll what he wanted towards him and out of the drawer, and then he skipped back into the living room.

“Look at this,” Jimin insisted, plopping down on the couch with Saja trailing after him. Jeongguk set aside his iPad to give Jimin his full attention as Jimin pressed the one-year-old little plastic orange ball between his palms to pop it open. With careful fingers, and after pushing Saja away by the snout (“Sit,” he signed, and Saja sat), Jimin plucked out the little scroll of paper, and he unfurled it and showed it to Jeongguk.

The winter months will bring you great adventure in your travels if you remain vigilant and observant.

“I thought it was stupid,” Jimin signed as Jeongguk smirked. “But I got it one year ago in June, the morning that I first saw you on the subway. It was summer, but…”

“You met me on the subway by being vigilant and observant,” Jeongguk pointed out with a grin, because he loved believing in little things like fate and destiny, even though he always argued that he was in full control of both.

“I ended up in the back of a police car with you by the time winter came,” Jimin replied, glancing down at the fortune again. “I still thought it was bullshit, though, so…”

Jeongguk let out a bark of laughter, and Saja immediately wiggled his head, curled tail wagging, and rose up on his hind legs to press his paws to Jeongguk’s thighs in curiosity. Jeongguk scratched behind Saja’s ears with both hands, watching as Jimin produced a brand new fortune that he had picked up from work earlier in the morning, still tucked inside the little orange plastic ball.

“I got a new one,” Jimin signed, grinning. “So I’ll open it now.”

“Saja,” Jeongguk signed, and Saja scooted backwards, eyes fixed on Jeongguk in loyal admiration. “Your master is a fool. Right? Isn’t that right? Good boy, that’s right,” Jeongguk signed as Saja rushed Jeongguk again, scooting between Jeongguk’s legs to accept more affection after being called a good boy.

“They’re only 1,000 won,” Jimin argued with a grin. “And I met you one year ago today, you know. So it’s only right for me to get another fortune. I made Hoseok get one, too. His fortune was about not holding onto things with a tight grip. He had a lot of jokes about it.”

“Of course he did,” Jeongguk signed, rolling his eyes. He leaned over and kissed Jimin’s cheek with a smile. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Jimin signed, and then he pulled out the new fortune from his pocket. “Should I open it?”

“Open it,” Jeongguk encouraged, pulling Jimin’s legs onto his lap. Jimin set the plastic ball between his palms and pressed, popping it open. He pinched the paper between his fingers, unrolled it, and read:

In the eye of a hurricane is peace, clarity, and silence. Embrace these moments in your life with love, for they won’t come again.

✩࿐