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Kim Seokjin was a lot of things. A very handsome man, a talented singer, the owner of a successful business, a responsible son but he was never a quitter.
However life doesn’t always go as planned and even though he was smart and gifted he had to quit university after his second year. His father’s health had taken a turn for the worse and the medical bills were adding up.
The decision had hurt because Seokjin had plans and dreams that had to be shelved and forgotten. It hurt more because he used to be a star pupil, an all rounder that everyone knew of. The one professors would tell stories about. Familial duties though came first. His parents were his driving force, the people he cared about the most so even though it hurt he had let go and dived head first in taking care of his fathers business which was a restaurant that could do with a little upgrade.
With his best friend Hoseok he managed to get the business to a stable place and with input from his cousin Namjoon he had upgraded it to have a more ‘lounge-y’ feel including a small stage where local acts could perform. With Hoseok’s husband Yoongi being a staple who also encouraged Seokjin to sing with him every friday night. Just like that the years had gone by and now with nothing really there to worry about Seokjin with encouragement from his parents decided to finish his degree. If not for the paper itself just for a sense of accomplishment.
He had wanted to do it online but Namjoon, Yoongi and Hoseok had coaxed him into going in person. Something about having the ‘full experience’. So here he was at the gates of Seoul National University looking at the younger crowd in front of him, feeling wholly out of place.
He reminded himself he was here for four semesters to finish his business major and that was it but still he had googled “How to dress like a 20 year old?” last night and had ultimately decided to just be himself.
There was this irrational fear. What if people found him weird? What if they wondered why the hell would he come back now? This fear only increased when he went to his first class and had to do those god awful ice breakers and tell everyone that he was coming back and indicate that he was considerably older. “Wait, you're in your 30’s?” some girls said followed by someone else pointing out that “Damn I thought you were like 21, you look so young!” Seokjin wasn’t sure if that was a compliment.
It was in one of his elective English Lit classes that he met Jungkook. He’d come late and when he entered everyone turned back to look at him like people always do for God knows what reason so he’d gone to sit in the nearest empty spot which was besides Jungkook who had his head down.
When they’d made eye contact though everything paused for a second till Jungkook had smiled and introduced himself. Couple weeks after becoming familiar Jungkook shocked him a bit when he exclaimed a bit too loud for the library “Wait you are Kim Seokjin? Thee Kim Seokjin?” and on being told yes Jungkook had explained how his uncle Taehyung was a professor when Seokjin was in university initially and would brag about him all the time.
It took Seokjin some time to remember said professor and when he did he remembered the rumors about Taehyung having his eye on the cute dance professor Jimin and Jungkook was proud to declare him as Jimin’s nephew.
They would spend time in the library where Jungkook would gripe about having to mandatorily do a science course for his art degree while Seokjin would just smile and listen to his complaints. Jungkook had never judged him for coming back, going as far as to sympathize with him and admire the fact that he was willing to come back even though he was pretty much set in life.
Jungkook too had a story, having to leave his home in Busan to move to a strange city on his own. Fighting loneliness and ratty roommates for peace. It didn’t take long for the unlikely duo to be seen all over campus. In fact they even planned their courses so that they took majority if not all their electives together.
Walking into the library it was normal to see Jungkook asleep with Seokjin’s hand in his hair, while Seokjin read through his notes or textbooks. Seokjin was hot, no denying that so without him asking he had a following of guys and girls wishing to be his friends. He was however happy with just Jungkook. Soon enough Jungkook was a regular at the restaurant, becoming fast friends with Namjoon, Yoongi and Hoseok and Seokjin too had a reunion of sorts, talking to Taehyung and Jimin over video call.
It was during their final semester that things changed. Jungkook’s jealous roommate began spreading rumors of Jungkook being Seokjin’s sugar baby even though the only thing Seokjin bought him was food. That just added to the muddle of emotions Jungkook had for Seokjin because you would have to be a robot not to find yourself falling in love with Seokjin. Jungkook didn’t want to but still avoided Seokjin believing it was for his own good.
It hurt but Seokjin understood, after all who would brag about having a man 12 years your senior as a best friend, even if Seokjin’s own feelings were no longer just platonic. There were no more library hangouts and they would sit separately in class but all that came to a screeching halt when Jungkook saw the same roommate blatantly flirt with Seokjin in the library even offering to do his assignment for the price of a date.
Jungkook had marched right up to them and yanked Seokjin away by the hand shouting at said roommate to “Stay away from my boyfriend!” “So I'm your boyfriend?” Seokjin had asked the bunny boy who was still holding his hand but looked like he’d rather disappear.
Jungkook: No
Seokjin: No?
Jungkook: Yes
Seokjin: Yes?
Jungkook: Well I'd like you to be.
Seokjin realized that he’d want that too. Once official Jungkook had left the dorms moving with Seokjin instead. They still studied together and now instead of seeing Jungkook sleeping on the table you’d see him in Seokjin’s lap, face in his neck, dreaming about Seokjin while Seokjin tried to understand business law.
Seokjin who’s past reputation was common knowledge by now was always bolstered by his class with everyone willing to work as a group to graduate successfully and it warmed Jungkook’s heart to see everyone gravitate to him with questions of the real world and if they’d manage to have a real future.
It was a week before their exam that Jungkook finally kissed Seokjin under the mistletoe the university had put up in lieu to lift everyone’s spirits even though they kept exams during the Christmas season.
It was after his last exam that he was very nervous for, that Seokjin declared “I Love You” when he found Jungkook waiting for him even though the exam was done at 11pm.
The following February they walked the stage together and were surprised by a party with both families with Namjoon, Yoongi, Hoseok, Taehyung and Jimin also joining in.
Seokjin indeed was not a quitter. Going back to university had made him a winner two times over because now at the restaurant it was not uncommon to see Seokjin with Jungkook in his arms swaying to some beautiful melody Yoongi would create and on the walls of the Kim-Jeon household among the paintings Jungkook had made were two degrees and a certificate, that declared them one in the eyes of the law since their hearts were already beating as one.