6/7/18

Jimin waited excitedly on his porch as a car pulled into his driveway. He'd been waiting this whole week, through shifts at the bookstore and endless, soundless nights, for that very car to park in his driveway, as it was doing now. He happily jumped up and down as his best friend climbed out of the passenger side of the vehicle.

"Jungkook!" Jimin shouted as Jungkook, nearly running, made his way up the porch steps.

"Jimin!" Jungkook responded as he hugged the older tightly.

The driver of the car laughed as he climbed out, "It's like you two haven't seen each other in months."

"Two weeks felt like months." Jimin mumbled as Jungkook pulled away from him.

"It really did, didn't it?" Jungkook responded.

"We're going to have to meet up more often now that I'm all the way out here."

"We'll have to set up a schedule."

"That's nice, just forget about the boyfriend who drove for over half an hour so two best friends could meet up."

"Ah, I'm sorry, Taehyung! How are you?"

Taehyung smiled as he joined Jungkook, "I'm doing fine, thank you." Jungkook wrapped an arm around Taehyung's waist.

"I'm glad to see you two are still a dating powerhouse."

"So am I." Jungkook said, smiling as he looked into the eyes of his boyfriend.

"Enough mush on my front porch. Let's go inside." Jimin said, covering his eyes from viewing the couple who looked like they wanted to start a heated make out session, then and there.

Jimin led the two into his house, giving a quick tour before ending in his living room on the sofa, three glasses of lemonade in front of them. He couldn't have been happier having his best friend and one of his great friends here in front of him, though he could never admit that. He was afraid that if he were to, they'd continue to come on repeat and that could lead them to a fate he never wants them to have. Especially Jungkook. If the issue catches Jungkook with him, Jungkook's life could be on the line, Taehyung's too for that matter. Taehyung didn't even know the issue personally, but he was involved with Jungkook and Jungkook was involved with Jimin. That's just how it works.

"Jimin, your house is looking nice." Taehyung said, eyeing the place up and down.

There were still boxes in a few of the corners and books and clumps of paper lodged on random shelves till further accommodations could be made, but other than that, Jimin had nearly fully unpacked. It made him proud and disappointed at the same time. Disappointed because at least when everything was still in the boxes, it at least looked like he could still go home or return to his old life.

Proud because well, he'd managed to take the worst of the worst situations and plow through it. He'd made a plan of attack and followed through with it. He was proud of himself for not becoming frozen with fear and doing nothing till it was too late.

"Thank you, I've been really trying." Jimin said, trying to smile genuinely.

"How's everything been going? Have you heard anything from him?" Jungkook asked, worry in his eyebrows.

"I haven't, I'm really happy about that too. I changed my number so he can't call or track me." Yes, Jimin's issue was a him. A him that he'd been involved with to say the least. Jimin preferred to not look back on it too most.

"That's really smart, Jimin."

"Well, thought out too." Taehyung added.

"Now we know that Jimin is cool under pressure."

"No, no, no. I am in no way usually like this. Pressure kills my sense of calm." Jimin said, moving his hands around a bit too much.

Jungkook narrowed his eyes playfully, "Well, you did good here."

Jimin cleared his throat, "Anyways, how's Taekook been doing?"

"We've been doing great. Or well at least I have, have you?" Jungkook asked looking at his partner who nodded and then Jungkook resumed, "Yeah, we've been doing great. In fact, we've been thinking about doing something recently." Jungkook looked back at Taehyung again.

"Really? What? What are you doing?" Jimin asked, his eyes widening in excitement.

"We're thinking about moving in together." Taehyung said, smiling the boxy smile he smiles when he's happy or excited.

"Really? Oh my gosh! That's so exciting!"

"I know! We've been thinking about it for ages, but only just got around to properly discussing it now."

"If you need someone to help you move in, just call me." Jimin said, forgetting what he had told himself before.

"We will." Taehyung said, his smile widening.

Jimin glanced out his window and was reminded of what he wanted to talk about.

"Have I told you about my neighbor?" Jimin asked, adjusting in his seat.

"I don't think so." Jungkook said.

"Hoseok and I think he's a hoarder. Like, he has shelves everywhere with just so many items on them. It's weirdly organized too. He has this schedule type thing as well. He goes outside for a certain amount of time and then he goes back in and he dedicates certain time in the morning to take care of his plants. He gets his groceries delivered to his house too."

"He sounds odd." Taehyung said, his eyes scrunched as he tried to think of a reasonable explanation for the behavior.

"You sound interested in him." Jungkook smirked.

Jimin choked on the lemonade he had just taken a sip of, "No way. I just think he's weird. That's all."

"You do think he's weird, but that interests you, doesn't it? You want to know why he does what he does, don't you?" Jungkook said, looking at Jimin intimidatingly.

Jimin began to sweat, "N-no-"

"You do! Just admit it!"

Jimin sighed, "Fine, fine. He really intrigues me."

"You two should talk! You'd get your answers and a new friend. Two birds with one stone!" Taehyung said excitedly.

"Yeah, but we'll never get to talk." Jimin said, looking down at his lap.

"Why not?" Jungkook asked.

"The more people I'm around, the more targets he has if he finds me."

"Jimin, please. You've hidden well enough and far enough, there's no danger in making friends. You may need walls, but that's too many." Jungkook pleaded. His best friend had been wary like this since the break up and it changed him from the energetic person he was to the scared and cautious one he is now.

Jimin sighed, "You're right. It's just nerve wracking, that's all."

"I understand, you take your time talking to him, buddy."

Jimin smiled, "Thanks."

"Hey, is the black haired guy on the porch next door the neighbor you're talking about?" Taehyung asked as he looked out the window.

"Yeah, is he out?" Jimin asked, getting up and going to the window to see his neighbor standing on his front porch looking out at the wilderness around him. "That's him!"

"He looks nice." Taehyung said as Jungkook joined them.

"He seems to really enjoy plants." Jungkook commented as the neighbor played with one of the plants that was growing up his porch railing.

"He loves them. That's what he goes outside for, mostly."

"Hey, that's what you two could talk about when you meet! I bet he's like a plant encyclopedia." Jungkook said, excitedly.

"That's a great idea, Kook!"

"Glad to be of service." Jungkook smiled.

"Hey, Kookie, we have to be going. Our reservation will be cancelled if we don't leave now." Taehyung whispered to his boyfriend.

"Right." Jungkook turned to Jimin. "We have to go now, Jimin. We made a dinner reservation for a date and it's one of those places that takes months of waiting for your reservation. We're really sorry."

"We'll visit again soon! I promise!" Jungkook said as he and Taehyung started towards the door.

"I'll see you both soon!" Jimin called after them.

"Hey, Jimin?" Jungkook shouted. "You better talk to him, and soon!"

"I will!" Jimin responded, the door closed a few seconds after his response.

Jimin glanced back out the window at his neighbor who was watching the car pull out of the younger's driveway. Jimin grinned at the thought of discussing plants with the thin, black haired boy next door. His neighbor was a book of secrets just waiting to be opened by a reader and Jimin wanted to be that reader.

Word Count: 1411