Chapter Text
studio
chat : studio girlz (+ jimin <3)
J: have you guys talked to that new guy?
J: i just ran into him in the kitchen and I'm traumatised i think
C: ????
C: jungkook you mean? I haven't talked to him much :(
J: i just tried to make some small talk and he like stared me down
J: so intense
J: i thought he wanted to fight me
C: it's true he has this way of staring
C: i got all shy
C: do you think he likes me?
M: he hasn't ever looked at me in the eyes
M: it's like he avoids it?
M: maybe that means he likes ME
L: i have literally only ever seen him with sunglasses on
L: even indoors
L: like what even is that? is he trying to be cool?
C: he IS cool
C: silent brooding type
C: handsome
J: : I think he's weird
J: he's got this KEEP OUT vibe
JM: aren't you guys are being so dramatic over this
JM: just because he's new?
M: new and MYSTERIOUS jimin-ah
M: don't you agree?
JM: haven't really talked to him much yet !
J: talk to him and you'll see
J: he is wall. solid stone. hadn't spoken to any of us
in more than a month other than hello and goodbye!!
M: maybe he's a private person!
L: i think it's rude
C: you're just saying that bc you don't think he's hot
L: sorry for being enlightened and liking women
M: we need a tie breaker
M: @jimin it's up to you
JM: challenge accepted :)
corridor.
The door to Jungkook's studio is closed, which is already something.
Jimin's been here for a year already, and he's never seen anyone's door as closed as often as Jungkook's. Fifteen artists scattered over five floors, and Jungkook is the only one with a closed door policy.
But just as well as doors close, they can open.
He's glimpsed at Jungkook in the corridors and heard tale of him from the group chat, but he's never actually had a real conversation with him. As the only other guy in a building full of girls, he might be feeling as alone as Jimin had in the beginning, so it's only polite to extend a welcome invitation.
Definitely only because of that, and not because of the group's rabid curiosity.
There's no response to his first knock, and the second is met with silence too. He creaks the door open slowly, revealing a room filled with soft, yellow light.
Jeon Jungkook is bent over his pottery wheel with clay up to his elbows. Hair escapes from his bun to fall over his eyes, his black headphones completing the look of total concentration.
“Excuse me?”
Jimin doesn’t want to scare him, but he might have to. He uses the light trick. Jungkook startles a little when the switch flicks on and off, jerking his head up. He manoeuvres his headphones off. The wheel slows to a stop.
And then there's silence.
He is a bit intimidating, after-all, full black fit down to his apron and an arm full of tattoos. There's been an ongoing debate among st the rest of the artists over how many piercings he has, too—Jimin spies too many to count right now.
"Can I help you?"
“Hi," he ignores the gruff little tone, "I'm Park Jimin. I work upstairs. We crossed each other in the hallway a couple times. You're Jungkook, right?"
A nod.
"Nice to properly meet you." Jimin offers his friendliest smile, even though Jungkook is giving him nothing. Nothing to inform the asshole or heartthrob debate so far, just big unblinking eyes. "Not to interrupt, but some of us are getting lunch together. Wanna join?"
“Today?”
“Today,” Jimin confirms. “Like, now. Ten minutes?”
“Ah." Jungkook stares down at his wheel. A bowl, Jimin notices. It looks smooth and pretty; not that he knows anything about pottery. “I’m on a deadline with these. I’m behind schedule, so I’ll skip lunch.”
"You sure? Jooyeon-noona is choosing. She knows all the best places."
Jungkook wipes his hands on his apron, getting up with the barest huff, like he's realising Jimin won't be discouraged so easily. Seeing him on his feet, all Jimin can think is Tall. "I don't have time today."
Disappointing, but unsurprising. Jimin had kind of been expecting resistance, based on everyone's comments. Still, he won't give up yet.
“How about I bring you something back so you can eat it here? My treat. I’m older than you, aren’t I? I heard someone say you’re 97.”
“I am.”
“95,” Jimin says, pointing towards himself proudly, feeling a little taller. “I’ll bring you something back. What do you want?”
Jungkook's eyebrows twist into a frown. “I don’t want anything.”
“Come on, Jungkook-ssi, you can’t say no to free lunch!”
“I wasn’t going to have lunch today,” he repeats, slowly, like he's talking to a child. "I’ll eat later, at home.”
That tone again—Jimin almost feels scolded. Half a point for the asshole team, he thinks.
Alright then.
“Your loss.” One last try before awarding the full point, just to give Jungkook one more chance. “That's your order, yeah? You have many left?”
“Twenty bowls. It's custom for a local restaurant.”
"Oh, that's cool! Do you have a palette in mind for later, or—"
Jimin tries to walk further in, but Jungkook steps forward to block his way. “Sorry, but you can’t come in. I really need to concentrate.” Despite the slight head bow, he doesn’t seem apologetic at all. “I’m on a deadline. I wasn’t planning on taking a break.”
Damn.
He shrinks back, a little stung.
“I’ll leave you to your deadline, then.”
And then the headphones are back on, and Jimin is dismissed.
chat: studio girlz (+jimin<3)
D: why didn't he come again?
JM: said he was busy with a deadline custom order
L: did he say it nicely?
JM: not really?
JM: I was expecting resistance, i wasn't expecting complete failure :(
J: imagine being like that faced with the jimin charm!!
J: you see? BRICK. WALL.
shared kitchen
When Jimin pictured the life of an illustrator, he was picturing mornings like this one. In the zone in his sunny little studio, drawing, playing with colours and settings and moods—creativity, feeding his soul and his stomach both.
The post-in-the-zone crash is another business entirely, and he's learned that the only way to fight it is a sugar and caffeine break.
Since their kitchen has been out of commission since the fish-in-the-microwave incident, he makes his way down to the one on the fourth floor, already drooling over the thought of hot, strong coffee.
"—photography," he hears the voice of Nahyun-ssi as soon as he walks in, "and I have actually been looking for models."
"I see." Jungkook is pouring coffee into a mug as black as his outfit. He's not looking at Nahyun, concentrating on stirring some sugar into his drink, but she goes on.
"The project is really cool. It's all about bringing the unsaid to the surface. Being vulnerable, you know?"
Jimin roots through the fridge as he hears Jungkook ask, "And you said the concept was being topless?"
Jimin snorts—he can't help it. His brain is too tired for niceties right now. He coughs, though, in an effort to sound less rude. N turns her head towards him with a scowl, but dismisses him immediately, turning back to Jungkook with a flick of her ponytail. "Right. Interior, mood lighting. I'm thinking red, maybe, or—"
She drones on as Jungkook stirs and stirs, looking like he's dissociating completely.
He darts a look in Jimin's direction, and Jimin takes it as an SOS.
And yeah, last time they saw each other wasn't exactly successful, but Jimin believes in second chances.
"If I could just squeeze in here," he says, getting in between them to reach for the coffee pot, "thank you. So sorry."
Nahyun seems annoyed to be interrupted, and Jimin takes pleasure in it. She's one of the few girls here he doesn't get along with.
Jungkook places the sugar container close to Jimin silently.
"Oh, yes please," Jimin says with a smile, adding a generous spoonful to his coffee. "Boy, I was falling asleep up there. You guys too?"
"Guess you weren't doing anything exciting," Nahyun snarks.
Jimin's frozen smile does not waver. "Oh, I don't know. Double market value for a commission sounds pretty exciting to me." He cocks his head. "What's the budget for your," he waves his hand around, "topless thing?"
A vein is popping in her forehead. "It's crass to discuss money."
"Is it? Me and Jungkook-ssi love to talk numbers."
Jungkook, who had been quietly watching the exchange, nods. "I've been meaning to talk to you about that, Jimin-ssi. I want to re-price my new models, I was wondering if I could get your advice?"
"Absolutely!" Jimin beams. Look at them, teaming up! "This might take a while," he tells her, and wishes he too had a ponytail to flick.
Visibly pissed, she mutters, "I'll leave you to it, then?" She looks at Jungkook expectantly, but Jungkook only nods his goodbye.
Jimin waits until he hears the ding of the elevator to release his giggles. "Well played."
"Should be saying that to you." He looks serious as ever, but Jimin thinks he sounds a bit amused. "She had me cornered for ten minutes. This is my second cup."
Jimin hops onto the counter. "You must be well energised, then."
"Her conversation wasn't exactly riveting," he says, and off goes Jimin into giggles again. "You don't like her?"
"I don't," Jimin confirms, warming his hands around his mug. Oh, coffee, sugar, sticking it to N and gossiping with Jungkook? He's almost got his morning adrenaline rush back. "She brags way too much and she's always starting some kind of petty argument or other. She was all up in everyone's business last month over—"
Jungkook puts a hand up between them—this time he looks slightly more apologetic. Ten percent, if Jimin had to call it.
"Sorry," he says, "but I have to get back to work."
"Right." Really not a chatty guy, is he? "Of course. Cornering threw off your schedule, didn't it? Wouldn't want to be late on that deadline."
With a good afternoon, Jungkook and his black mug leave Jimin behind.
As he munches on a half-stale supermarket brownie, Jimin questions if he can consider this progress in the get to know Jeon Jungkook mission. Jungkook did cut him off immediately, after-all.
Still, that one flash-in-the-pan second they teamed up—perhaps that counts for something. It's not news enough to broadcast to the group chat, but he holds on to that little nugget of hope that they might be getting somewhere.
jungkook's studio
It's late, and Jimin's dizzy from a full day staring at a screen. It had been an admin sort of afternoon, which of course spilled out into admin evening, as it always does. He does tend to be the last one on days like these, so he makes a quick little check of his own floor to make sure noone's left anything on that could set the building on fire before moving downstairs to do the same…
Only to find light under Jungkook's door.
There's his chance. The two of them alone in the building at the end of the day. Surely Jungkook will entertain him for a bit, won't he? The girls are starting to get a bit obsessed. Every time they're out together, the Jungkook conversation dominates. Jimin would like him to be less of a goddamn mystery so they can put the matter to rest.
Music is spilling out of the room, a slow, old-timey balad sounding thing. Intriguing. He wouldn't have guessed Jungkook likes this type of music.
The song cuts off at Jimin's knock.
Jungkook looks a bit like the day stretched out way longer than expected for him too. One hand is painted with clay while another is dripping water down onto the floor, looking flushed and red.
"Going home soon?" Jimin asks.
"Yeah." His voice is tired, a little flat. "Washing up and going."
Definitely his chance. "I'll wait for you."
Jungkook frowns. "Why?"
"What, you want to be all alone in this giant, scary building? We're the last ones in."
Jungkook considers this, then backs away from the door slowly, leaving it open for Jimin to enter.
Jimin has only ever known this room empty, so he takes a curious look around.
Jungkook makes kitchenware, mostly--mugs and bowls and little plates, but what catches Jimin's eye are some little chopstick rests in the form of cute animals.
"These are adorable," he says, smiling at the sight of the smattering of cute pandas on their bellies. "Custom order too?"
"Gift for a friend," Jungkook responds from the little sink in the corner of the room. His voice harmonises with the sound of running water. It sounds softer, worn down. "They were too small for me. Painting them nicely was really difficult."
"Don't know much about ceramics, but they look great. I'm sure she'll appreciate them."
"It's a guy."
"He will, then."
He's not just saying this to get on Jungkook's good side. They're delicate things, obviously created and painted with the utmost care. One of them has a little uneven eye. "This one is my favourite."
Jungkook is suddenly over his shoulder, checking. "I messed that one up. You can have it."
Jimin laughs. "Thanks."
"I mean, I'm not—I'm not giving it to my friend. I'll give him a set of four, and this one is the messiest one, so I can't make that the gift." He frowns. "I didn't mean to say you should have the shitty one."
Jimin keeps laughing, hand over his mouth. "Right. Well, I'd love to take Mr Wonky over here."
"Have it. Him." He pauses. "Mr Wonky?"
Jimin takes it gently into his hands, the little panda lying down on its belly. "That's his name from now on. What's your last name again?" Like he doesn't know.
"Jeon."
"Then he's Jeon Wonky."
How Jungkook's face seems to be stuck in a permanent frown while still remaining undeniably adorable, Jimin doesn't know.
"Do you actually like it?"
"Him, Jungkook-ssi, him." He slips the panda gently into his pocket. "Say goodbye to your son. I'll take good care of him, don't worry."
As Jungkook finishes washing his hands—thoroughly enough to scrub them red—Jimin keeps looking around, looking for something. Decoration, a trace of personality, a hint of interest. Nothing. A black notebook on the desk. A black backpack on the floor. The mug, black too, at complete odds with the gentle earthen tones in the home-ware Jungkook has created, lining the shelves.
More and more, a mystery.
Jimin watches as Jungkook slips on a hat and a dark denim jacket, covering those pretty tattoos. He moves around his studio with steady grace, like he knows exactly where everything is even with his eyes closed.
And through it all, silent.
"Man, I'm hungry," Jimin says as the elevator swiftly brings them closer and closer to the end of the day. "Would die for something fried and cheese-filled right about now."
Jungkook flicks his eyes up from where he was picking at his nails trying to get the remnants of paint out—just for a second. "Right. It's dinner time."
"Are you having dinner?" Jimin asks, trying to sound casual. "Or are you skipping again for something more productive?"
"I am. I'm having a chicken salad. I have everything prepped already." He twists his nose a bit. "I'm not really in the mood for it."
Jimin's ears perk up—his chance, his chance, his chance. "Mm, doesn't sound great. Why don't—"
But the elevator dings, and Jungkook rushes to get out first, with an ever polite, ever formal goodnight, Jimin-ssi.
Jimin stands there, in the middle of the empty building, at a complete loss. Does this guy hate him or what?
chat: studio girlz (+jimin<3)
C: how's the mission going, jimin-ah?
C: any progress?
JM: found out he makes cute mugs!
JM: and makes handmade gifts for his friends
C: girlfriends???
JM: this one was a guy
C: thank god
C: what else
L: does no one else think it's weird this is all we talk about
L: why is jimin our jungkook spy all of a sudden?
C: cause as a guy, he has the easiest time getting close to him
C: i think he's shy with girls </3
L: i think he's rude with everyone
L: why are we wasting all this time on some asshole?
JM: that's harsh!
JM: he's not exactly a rain of sunshine, but
JM: i wouldn't call him an asshole. not yet, anyway
L: whatever
L: gonna mute this group if it's jungkook central
L: letting y'all know
building; exterior
Jimin isn't above admitting that he's starting to become a little bit obsessed with the Jungkook issue, too.
The more he thinks about him, the more things don't add up. No matter what the others say, Jungkook isn't a rude person. He's unflinchingly polite, if anything.
Why isn't Jimin getting anywhere, then?
Can it be that Jungkook can't take a hint? It's hard to tell what he's thinking with that constant poker-face.
So today, he's changing strategy. He's sucking on the dregs of his iced coffee and loitering outside their own building, waiting for Jungkook to come out.
When he does, he doesn’t even glance in Jimin’s direction, heading instead to the giant motorbike parked to the side.
“Oh, that’s yours?” Jimin asks, as if he doesn’t know. The subject of Jungkook and his motorbike dominated conversation among the girls for at least a week when he first joined them.
"Yes," Jungkook says, straddling it with ease. "It's mine."
“Can you drop me off somewhere? My ride bailed on me.”
He sees the gears turn in Jungkook's head for a long second before he says, “I have somewhere to be. I can’t be late.”
“The deadline excuse again? Come on, Jungkook-ssi.” He comes closer, putting a hand on the thing. “It won’t be that big a detour.”
“I can’t,” Jungkook repeats. “I’ll be late if I don’t go straight there.”
“You’ll leave me hanging, then. Fine.” He sighs dramatically. It's okay. He'd planned for resistance, this time. He taps the motorcycle like he's petting a dog’s back. “But how will you make it up to me?"
Jungkook frowns, pausing with the helmet halfway up. “Are you serious?”
“Don't I look serious?How about you buy me a coffee tomorrow? Iced americano.” He smiles, plan executed to perfection. “My studio’s the second door to the left, top floor. I get here at nine, most days."
Jimin feels goosebumps start to raise under Jungkook's stare. Could it be he plays for the other team? Oh, those girls are going to be disappointed.
"Jimin-ssi—"
"Come on, Jungkook-ssi. Buy us both a coffee. Or do you prefer me to do it?" He leans onto the bike on his elbows. "But ah, you’ve already turned me down once, so I don’t think you’d accept this.”
"I didn't turn you down. I was behind on schedule.”
“Semantics.” Jimin waves him away, and backs away as the bike revs to life.
"I'm going now."
“Go, go. Live your perfectly scheduled life.” As the motorcycle starts to move, Jimin backs away, voice raising to be heard over the engine, “I’ll be mad if there’s no coffee tomorrow morning!”
He catches Jungkook flick his eyes towards him one last time through the mirror before he’s off, speeding away.
Much to his satisfaction, when he walks into his studio the next morning, he realises he's not the first.
Jungkook, much too put together for the early hour, is standing by the product shelves, browsing through Jimin's sticker sheets. It could be Jimin's sleepy, blurred eyes, but there might even be a slight smile on his face.
"That's the new collection." He drops his bag onto the desk, shedding his coat. In his baby blue sweater, he feels clownishly colourful next to Jungkook. "You like it?"
Jungkook hums. "I really like the colour palette. And the style, it's very… "
"Cute?" Jimin says, ready for the eye-roll. That's all he ever hears, and frankly, it's getting old.
"Expressive." He cocks his head to the side. "Although cute as well, I suppose. Are they selling well?"
"Not as well as your little pandas would sell, I'm sure." Standing next to Jungkook now, he nudges him. "Would you copyright strike me if I made a collection of wonky-eyed baby pandas?"
"I don't own the concept of pandas. They'd look nice in your style, I think." He clears his throat. "Anyway, I brought—" He jerks a hand in the coffee's direction on the desk, like he wants to be rid of it already, but something else catches Jimin's eye.
"Was that your appointment?" There's black nail polish there that wasn't there yesterday. It's perfectly done, shiny and pretty. Jimin catches Jungkook's hand, holding it steady. "Getting your nails done?"
"Yeah." The hand gets pulled away and shoved into a pocket. Jungkook's shoulders hunch. "Your coffee's there."
"Ah, Jungkook-ssi, thank you. I didn't think you actually would."
Jimin nearly moans after the first delicious, life saving sip, stepping back to give Jungkook some space.
"Didn't want to start a fight or anything." With one last look at the stickers and prints strewn over Jimin's desk, he brushes past him, brusque as ever.
He hesitates at the door, one hand at the handle.
"My chopstick rest."
Jimin smiles. "Your son, you mean?"
"It's not here. What did you do with it?"
"I brought him home, of course. He's on my nightstand, keeping me company."
Jungkook looks at him for one more long second before nodding and leaving, pulling the door shut with a click.
chat: studio girlz (+jimin<3)
JM: [jpegattached]
JM: i think i'm getting somewhere!
C: yay jimin!! <33
L: [eyerollemoji]
rooftop party
In the midst of commission rush and plain old life, the end of the year creeps up, and so does the office Christmas party.
Rooftop parties aren’t exactly ideal for December, but everyone’s taken that as an excuse to warm up through drinking. It's been going for a few hours now already, so the music’s getting louder and louder, the make-shift dance floor fuller by the minute.
Jimin's already loose from several drinks on an empty stomach. He feeds on the buzzing, happy energy of people around him, but when he stumbles one too many times, it becomes clear he needs to get some food in his belly or terrible things will happen; namely, headaches and hungovers.
He tells the girls, dancing in a little huddle around him, "I'll be right back."
"Oh, oh,” Jooyeon says eagerly, grabbing his wrist, “are you going to the buffet?"
"Yeah? Why, you want me to bring you something?"
She tsks. "No, Jimin-ah, look!"
Ah.
Behind the buffet table, holding a beer can so tight it has caved in a little, is Jeon Jungkook in all his somber glory. Whatever stress everyone else has shaken loose seems to rest on his shoulders. He stands rigid, straight-backed and still.
"Go talk to him!" Chohui whispers at him as she shoos him away. "Get him to come dance!"
"As if," Jimin says with an eye-roll. “Does that look like a guy that will dance?”
"Try, try!"
He gets ushered away without another word, leaving a trail of giggles in his wake.
Jungkook watches him approach, silent as always.
Jimin will not let those big dark eyes intimidate him. "Are you guarding the buffet, Jungkook-ssi?"
Jungkook's look turns into almost a glare. "No."
"Mm. Could it be that you don’t know what you want?” No answer. “Well, these," Jimin picks up one of the little pizzas, "are delicious. Very cheesy." He brings it close to Jungkook's mouth. "Open up."
Jungkook looks between him and the pizza like Jimin is trying to feed him poison. Honestly, it's getting a bit old. Has this guy ever smiled in his entire life?
"No? Suit yourself." Jimin eats it in one bite, humming approvingly. "Yum." He feels like bugging Jungkook, so he leans into him, pretending he's looking over his other side. "Mm, what else do we have here?"
He grabs a sausage roll in the end, munching happily. He licks his fingers clean, and almost smirks when he catches Jungkook's eyes lingering.
"Did you dance?" He knows Jungkook didn't.
"I don't like dancing."
"Why am I not surprised," Jimin mutters, grabbing another sausage roll. He leans his hip into the table this time, turning to Jungkook, dropping the teasing. Suddenly, this whole back and forth makes him tired. "What do you like, Jungkook-ssi? Outside of work? One thing."
"Why?"
"What, why? Can't I make conversation? Especially up here with no door to close in my face."
"I—" Jungkook seems stunned, and a little embarrassed. "I don't—"
"You do, every single time. What, am I that annoying?"
"I just don't know what you want from me."
Well, that's a bit dramatic. "Thought trying to get to know the new guy might be nice. I was the new guy, once, you know? I know what it's like."
"Is that it?"
What is this, even? "Of course that's it!"
"Really? Because I heard you speaking to the others.” Jungkook looks upset now, but before Jimin feels vindication at finally pulling real emotion out of him, he continues, "Talking about getting close to me. They called it your mission. So excuse me if I find that new guy stuff hard to believe."
Fuck.
"Jungkook-ssi—no." He puts his drink down, suddenly dizzyingly sober. Fuck, he’s mortified. "It wasn't anything like that."
"So you didn't have that conversation?"
The stare is becoming hard to endure. "I… I did, but—"
"I see you talking about me. I know you do. I'm not saying it to be full of myself or whatever, but I can tell. I walk into a room sometimes and you stop talking, start giggling."
"We're not making fun of you, I swear!" Fuck, he feels so terrible. "We're—fuck, okay. Half my friend group here has a crush on you, okay? And they've all been pushing me to talk to you, because if you're close to me, then you'll be in our circle, and they'll have a shot." He doesn't mention the other half of his friend group that think Jungkook is a rude asshole.
"Crush." He blinks. "Really?"
"Really," Jimin promises. "It sounds stupid, but I swear, that's it."
Jungkook watches him, big eyes intense. "So it really wasn't to make fun of me?"
"No.” Jimin steps closer to him. "Of course it wasn't! Why would you think that?"
"In my experience, when people act that way, it's to make fun of me."
"You say that like it happens all the time."
"It does."
"What, you're that bad at reading people? You're a bit awkward, sure, but…" His brain catches up with his mouth. "Sorry. Rude. I'm a few drinks in." He needs to stop making an absolute ass of himself. Concentrate, Jimin. "And sorry for our behaviour. It was immature. We didn't mean any harm, but I apologise for causing it anyway."
Things got so serious so fast, and Jungkook seems to be suffering from the same sort of whiplash. "Thanks," he mutters, a little lost and soft. "Thanks for saying that."
"Yeah." Jimin licks his lips, feeling like he needs to apologise again. "I was trying to trick you or anything, I swear. Or act like I know you, or anything."
"I mean… you're not so wrong about it."
"Still, I shouldn't have said it."
"I'd rather hear things as they are." He sounds as close to truly awkward now as Jimin's ever heard him. "I can be clueless. It's because I'm autistic."
The whiplash just doesn't end. "Autistic?"
"Yes." He seems a bit embarrassed now, but he pushes on, "so that means… well, it means a lot of things, but one of them is that I can't read people very well sometimes. I try, but I get it wrong often. I just." He's been fidgeting with the tab of his beer can, Jimin realises. "Wasn't sure what you were trying to do, talking to me like that. Asking me to bring you coffee and everything."
That might be the most he's ever heard Jungkook say all at once, and he's not even sure what it all means.
"So, it was for your friends. That's why you were trying to talk to me."
He sounds like he's got one foot out of this conversation, so Jimin rushes to say, "Not just for that!"
"What else, then?"
That stare, god, Jimin can't take it. He's finding it so hard not to squirm under the intensity of Jungkook's eyes. His drunk brain scrambles.
"I was curious about you. Marching about all tall dark and mysterious."
Jungkook blinks, almost offended. "I'm not mysterious."
"I can count on one hand the things I know about you."
"You didn't ask me."
Like it's that easy. This time, the eye-roll is physical and obvious. "Okay, so let me ask you something now."
"Fine,” Jungkook nods, “but I won’t answer it if I think it’s stupid."
Jimin laughs, practically reeling. "Fair enough." He thinks about how to phrase it. "Did you tell anyone else you're," he hesitates, but Jungkook said it, so maybe it's okay? "autistic? From the studio, I mean?"
A shake of the head. "I don't tell everyone I meet. I don't think it's most people's business, frankly."
"So… why did you tell me?"
A long moment passes, and Jimin lets it.
"Sometimes it helps avoid misunderstandings," he says finally, measured. "People think I'm rude otherwise. You thought it too, didn't you? I don't mean to be."
A little something settles in Jimin's head—he was right about Jungkook not being an asshole. All those stares, all those silences, it wasn't Jungkook just wishing to be rid of him.
Should he thank Jungkook for telling him? Jimin remembers coming out to people and hearing that thank you for sharing and how out of place and small it felt. Is this even like that? Shit, this conversation is running away from him.
His knowledge about autism is practically non-existent. He thinks it involves socialisation issues, or was it speech issues..? He doesn't remember. All he knows is Jungkook is definitely not what one would think when hearing the word autistic.
Best say things as they are, isn't that what Jungkook said?
"Jungkook-ssi, I don't really know what to say." He twirls his beer can just for something to do with his hands. “I have to admit, I don't really know what it means. Or what it changes."
Jungkook shrugs. "It doesn't have to change anything. You just know something about me you didn't know before."
Now that's something.
"Oh, but Jungkook-ssi, that changes everything." There's a faint smile on Jungkook's lips, matching the delighted one on Jimin's face. "That means you're starting to let me in."
The drinking and dancing and festivities go on around them, but Jimin and Jungkook sit down, and for the first time, talk.