~One Month Later~

Stress is a terrible, terrible thing...

"Fuck..." she mutters, frowning as she looks over the website. Jimin can't help but frown with her. "What's wrong baby?" he asks. "It's just a lot right now... looking at these numbers. I know I'm only a sophomore but this is too much. I'm gonna be in debt for the rest of my life. I want to buy some nice clothes for myself but I can't do that if I'll be broke in two years," she complains.

He comes up behind her, back-hugging her. "Baby you've been on your phone all day... why not take a break? There's nothing you can do about the debt no matter how much or how little you spend. Winter break is only a few weeks away, not too much longer before you can just relax." She shakes her head, "I was thinking I could work through the winter, pick up a job in a restaurant back home." "Baaaby," he whines.

She lets out a huff, "I need to." "But... baby, please at least take a break. Please? For me? You've been doing nothing but research for the past week, we've barely cuddled. I miss you." She softens at that, turning to look at him. "I'm sorry Chim, I guess I just got so worried about the future I forgot about the present..." "It's okay baby girl, I know that the future is scary. I promise we'll be okay. We'll do it together."

He shoots her a soft smile, "now make it up to me by giving me extra cuddles." She hums and nods, bringing him upstairs right away. The two find their bedroom and plop down on the bed, instantly going for each other. His legs end up between hers, their arms squeezing each other as tightly as possible. Jimin sighs as he feels her head hit his chest. This is exactly what he needed.

Jimin wasn't kidding - she's been so nose-deep in her phone and laptop recently that they haven't gone on any dates. Well... they don't really have the money to do that anymore, but not even a walk around the park or something. He squeezes her, loving her warmth. God he's missed her. It's only been a week. A week since she started getting distracted. Imagine if he had to go longer. He'd probably just pass out from lack of love. It's like a lack of oxygen except worse.

"I'm sorry," she mumbles, but he simply shakes his head. "Don't be. It's okay baby, it really is. I forgive you and completely understand. Shit happens." "I love you. I'm sorry if it didn't feel that way for a bit there..." He shushes her small sniffles and whines. Ah, poor girl is feeling so bad right now. He can't let that happen. Operation kiss the fuck out of his girlfriend is a-go.

Jimin pulls back, meeting her pretty eyes. "I love you too... and I know I'm always loved by you. Even when things get hard, we love each other. That's that." She takes a moment, then nods, "that's that." His lips brush past hers, giving her a small teasing before she ends up closing the distance. Needy, hm? Jimin can admire that.

Their lips gingerly play with each other, nibbling and sucking at all the right moments. It's a gentle kiss despite their playful nature, Jimin keeping his arms around her to hold her even closer. His arm ends up getting wrapped around her neck, their lips almost suffocating them but neither of them mind. Why would they?

When Jimin pulls back, the satisfying final smack of their lips fills the room. She lets out a breath, "well Mr. Park, what do you want to do now?" "Make out for two hours?" She laughs, playfully whacking his chest, "you're insane. We'd die from lack of oxygen." "We know when to pull back!" "No we don't! We're us babe! We're so needy that we'd rather die than break the kiss." "Yeah and what about it?"

She laughs, him joining in and laughing with her mere seconds later. It feels so nice to see his girlfriend laughing. For a while there she was so down in the dumps it started to concern him. Her mental health is very, very important and if it's going downhill he needs to know.

"I'm serious," she starts once she dials down from her laughter, "I love you... and I'm sorry." He pecks those sweet lips of hers, "don't be. Really. I love you too. I know you'd never ignore or hurt me on purpose." She pouts, "but even on accident..." "Shh, baby girl come here."

They hug again, his stomach filling with butterflies from her closeness. Over a year and a month into their relationship yet the butterflies are still here. Funny how that works, huh? Jimin almost laughs at his thoughts. Their relationship is deemed 'most likely to last' by the basketball team and by half the school. It's been strong for so long people actually ask them if they're engaged yet. As much as Jimin loves her, he's waiting until after she graduates to do that. Sure, that's a long time from now, but it'll prove that they're here to stay. Forever.

"Are we calmed down now?" he teases. "Yesss," she draws out, "I'm calm, I'm calm. I still feel bad though." "Baby," he whines, "what's with the guilt?" "I don't knooow. You want my advice though?" "Uh... sure?" He pulls back to look at her. She gives him innocent eyes, "I think you should fuck it out of me." And just like that, they end up staying in all night...

~The Next Day~

You can't bring yourself to focus in class anymore. Is that a bad thing? Probably, who knows. There's some good news though: you're an excellent guesser and improviser. It's how you got through high school, but it won't work as well in college. If you can't bring yourself to study and pay attention, your grades will take a serious hit. Hopefully that won't happen but... unfortunately in college this stuff happens all the time.

In a way your biggest fear is dropping out due to stress or bad grades. So far your grades are the best they've been in years, but still... anything can change. Especially when you have several tests coming up. Whatever, thinking about it won't help, especially since you're supposed to be reading right now.

You shake yourself out of your thoughts, your eyes going down to the textbook in front of you. Namjoon and Jin take notice, furrowing their brows. "Y/N? You good?" Jin asks quietly. You're in the library after classes. This is pretty much the only day you don't have work so you finally have time to do group study sessions.

Jin and Namjoon are always with you, always. They're like your best friends now. Granted, all of the boys are your best friends, but Namjoon and Jin a little more than the others. Jungkook is up there too, but he's been busy frolicking in the leaves with Taehyung for the past ever. When they got together everything seemed to change. They spend so much time together it's a little insane, but you don't mind. You're the same with Jimin. Chaeyoung's the same with Jin, it's really a relationship thing. You want to spend a lot of time together.

"I'm okay," you bring yourself to answer, "I'm tired from work and worrying about debt." "Worrying about debt? I'd say you're the most likely out of all of us to come out of school and pay your debt off within ten years," Namjoon replies. "Huh? What makes you say that?" "Well you have a good support system. Not that the others don't but you more than any of us. You have a family that's financially stable and would be more than willing to help if you needed it not to mention a boy who's dead set on being rich and famous to provide for you," Namjoon explains, Jin nodding in agreement.

"R-Rich and famous?" you stammer. You always knew Jimin wanted to be successful... but rich and famous? Really? It definitely seems up his alley but still. A little shocking is all. "Yeah, rich and famous," Jin starts, "just like how I want to spoil my Chae with all the love in the world." You lean forward, giving Jin soft eyes. "What will you do when you graduate? You graduate next year, right? It's a two year master?" "Yup, two year in film and television. Learning about the history of cinema isn't as fun as you'd think," he complains. Film nerds... they're definitely special alright. Jungkook's a film major and everyone knows how 'special' he is.

"You have any plans so far or are you playing it by year?" you ask. You know you should probably get back to studying, but it's rare that you hang out with your friends due to work. You haven't heard about their love lives in a while. "Playing it by year I'd say, all we know is that we really like each other. We're hoping that I can spend the year gap we have finding a good job. By the time she graduates we're hoping I have a good enough job to land a starter house, then she'll land a job and in a few years live in a big house with eight kids and six dogs."

You blink, "I'm sorry... eight kids?" "This world needs as many little Jin's as possible sweetheart, you and I both know that." You look at Namjoon, "how do you put up with him?" "I don't know," Namjoon replies with a blank look. "It's the cooking and worldwide handsome face," Jin brags. He clearly wants to bust out his windshield wiper laugh but decides against it cause... you know, library. His laugh can break the sound barrier, probably best if he doesn't use it here.

Namjoon shakes his head, "don't think you're getting out of our questions L/N. You look distracted. Everything okay?" "I'm always distracted. How can I not be when every night I come home to a shirtless Jimin making food-" "I give up," Namjoon interrupts, groaning. "Sorry Joonie, couldn't resist that one," you snicker, "but seriously, I'm okay. I'm a little distracted but that's because I have a lot on my plate. I'll be fine, really."

At their unconvinced looks you sigh. "Okay... I'll admit it's really hard. Don't tell Jimin, he'll freak out and insist on going back to the old ways. Getting two separate apartments on-campus so I don't have to work constantly." "But if it's really hard, why don't you talk to him about it?" Jin questions, "there has to be a way he can contribute a little, right?" "We went through all possible options but he deserves a break too. Basketball isn't easy and he's the captain now since Yoongi's gone. He has to give his whole attention to that. If he wants to be rich and famous... bam, there's a way right there. It's smarter to focus on basketball when it can lead to a really high paying job in the future."

You give them a soft smile, "I'll be alright. I promise. I can suffer through it now so I don't have to later. It's a give and take kind of thing. Really, I'm still happy. A little stressed but every college student is. Break isn't too far away... maybe I'll listen to Jimin and stop working. I don't want gray hair by the time I'm twenty-five after all."

Namjoon and Jin chuckle, closing their textbooks. "You know what? Why don't we go get some ice cream, take a break. You've earned it," Namjoon offers. "But what if my grades start to slip? I haven't been paying attention too much..." Jin shakes you off, "you'll be fine. And if they start to slip you can always get it back up. Sometimes relaxing can help with grades more than cram studying. The healthier your brain, the better the grades."

You blink at Jin, "did Kim Seokjin just give me good advice?" Even Namjoon looks shocked, "shit... I think he did." Jin, being the dramatic acting student he is, scowls, "I'll have you know I give fantastic advice!" "Sure," you reply, almost snorting, "now let's get out of here before we get a noise complaint." And just like that, you learn that relaxing in the right moments can lead to great things...