1 Year Later

           It was finally a year later. Months and months of constant training finally paid off and the mission to space was just one month away. Within a year, Jimin learned to breathe without Jungkook clinging onto him every second. It was a tough thing to do, but with time, they were able to go through that boulder in their way. At times, Namjoon was barely around and Jungkook knew why. Namjoon only distanced himself to shake off his feelings for Jimin. Even if it took up to a year, he couldn't doubt the feelings that were once big and now, as small as the stars from a distance.

        Jungkook lost all contact with Namjoon and only stuck with Jimin and his close friend Taehyung. It felt much better to be with the two like always and at times he had a cavity just burning within him each time he'd look at Namjoon right across the unit. After all this time, they've only grew further and further apart now. Of course, other than that, Namjoon tried to kick Jimin out of his own mind and spent more time with his wife throughout the year, but he just couldn't ignore Park Jimin. He could never do that to the one he held so close before. Just because Jungkook and him alone weren't as close as they were before, it just didn't seem right that he would do the same to Jimin himself. Especially since he was going to be the shoulder the young astronaut would cry on once Jungkook was to leave for a few months. Missing out on so much in Jimin's life followed after.

           It was around five forty-one in the early morning as Jungkook woke up and rubbed his eyes from another nightmare he just couldn't control. Recently into the new year, Jungkook received many nightmares of him getting lost or, dying in space. He knew his dreams were nothing but the fear that orbited around in his head and slowly came to him as a nightmare to scare him, but through all of this, Jungkook just never told his lover at all. After five, perfect, loving, and heart-filled months into the new year of their relationship, Jungkook never found a perfect time to tell Jimin how he alone grew nervous about finally meeting with the stars. Surely, Jungkook thought of this as nothing but a phase in his head, but after many rigorous trainings from the past, it carved a deeper cavity into the black hole where Jungkook doubted many things. Even the chances he may come back from space…

             With such negative thoughts holding him awake in the early morning where the moon still shed light through the small cracks of the red curtains; Jungkook sat over the edge of his own bed to roll his hair back and press those hands against the mattress to hold himself up. Jungkook was naked along with Jimin just hiding under the covers from having passionate sex after a free day from training. Jungkook's hair was a mess and as he turned his head to look at Jimin, he smiled to see his lover taking up the whole blanket and only having his small head poke out of the white covers like a child.

           “Just another bad dream…” Jungkook whispered to himself. Of course, after seeing himself suffer through these dreams over and over again, only to wake up like it's nothing; just showed how bad Jungkook wanted to display how strong he was to Jimin. Even though, deep down he was getting eaten alive by the anxiety he developed by the scary thought of getting lost in space. Jungkook stood up and stretched before walking to the bathroom for the morning. It was obvious that now, Jungkook just didn't seem like himself. He was much more different than the little boy who only loved the stars; yet, that just didn't seem like the real him.

          Jungkook was in a relationship with a man now, he never thought how much he'd love someone as Jimin before and making love was something he enjoyed to do with the one he held in his heart. He wasn't innocent and heaven knows for sure, everything in Jungkook changed. Even his love for the stars. Now, he'd look at the stars and wouldn't try to connect them to form a constellation or even get lost trying to count them; No, Jungkook would only look at the stars to remind himself of the big mission he has to take on by the following month. It was such a scary thought he had in his head and once it was in, he couldn't sleep. Even when he was making love with Jimin, that thought slowly made its way in to tease him constantly.

          Jungkook walked over to the bathroom to his room and stood in front of the mirror hanging over the bathroom sink. He noticed the bags under his round eyes and his left eye just aching to twitch from the lack of sleep. It was annoying the man and all he could do at that very moment was to take some sleeping pills. Certainly, Jungkook understood the consequences of taking those pills, so he always knew when to take them. It wasn't every day he'd stand before the mirror to watch himself take one. At times, Jungkook took the pills when the thoughts doubled and when it was here and there, he fought through it and slept it off. However, who said it wouldn't be back once he closes his eyes?

          Jungkook took the pills and dropped his gaze to look down in silence as Jimin's eyes pried open. He was bothered by the light of the bathroom shining over his pale eyelids just sealing his moon-crescent eyes that reflected many star clusters.

        Jimin locked his sleepy stare onto the young man at the bathroom and cleared his throat. “Hey… I hate it when you do that… Close the door next time, you ruined my sleep.”

         “Oh, Mr. Jeon. You're such a child~” Jungkook cooed and turned his focus over to Jimin on the bed; smiling as if the sun itself rose within the dark morning. “Stop complaining, Mochi and get to sleep.”

          “Mr. Jeon?~ Only I can call you that!” Jimin giggled. He then got on his knees and stretched while the blanket over his body, fell perfectly along the sides of his firm curves and small muscles to fit his submissive physique. “Jungkook, did you take another sleeping pill? Don't let the K.S.C.U catch you taking any type of drugs…”

          “Mochi, it's just for sleep. I don't go too crazy with it.” Jungkook assured and cupped Jimin's face to give his plump lips a kiss. “Let's go to sleep, okay? Forget about it.”

           “Jungkook, you know how they are. If you take too much and end up in the hospital, that's going to delay the trip. Remember, the sooner, the better.” Jimin assured and laid back onto the bed as Jungkook joined him. “I worry about you, Honey…”

           “You know me… It takes a while for me to sleep. I guess the training has me way too backed up on so much. I guess sleep is just one of them.” Jungkook lied. It was until now, Jungkook’s lies became more believable and more real. On the other hand, they really weren't. Jungkook had to teach himself how to lie to his lover just so Jimin wouldn't have to learn how to grow sympathetic and guilty. Knowing well that those two mixed together, was bad enough of a lie itself.

           “Ah, you better get used to sleeping on time. I want you to be ready for your trip very soon. But, don't push yourself… It's very tough up there so, you have to be strong for me…” Jimin mentioned and smiled before turning over and moving his naked body against Jungkook's so softly. “At times… If you don't want to be strong and want to feel brave, tell me anything so you could learn to be stronger than before. Of course, being brave is telling me anything.” Jimin spoke as if these words urged him to tell the truth within him, but Jungkook was always blind to see that having the courage to show Jimin his soft side and doubts, ㅡIn an act of braveryㅡ was another way of being strong. “Stop taking those pills, okay? It won't do you any good…” Whispered the worried man as Jungkook began to feel sleepy within seconds.

           “It helps, Jimin…” Jungkook then yawned and extended his arms out against the bed, leaving Jimin to sigh and crawl over him, just to cover their own bodies with the blanket. “Goodnight, Mochi… My delicious, little, cute, Chim-Chim~” Jungkook added and smiled before closing his own eyes and sleeping right after. Jimin remained there, caressing Jungkook's face as if his palm held a priceless, rare, porcelain.

            “This idiot… I need to throw those pills away or else he'll take too much of it! He could end up at a hospital and everyone at the facility will take this as a Suicide attempt if he overdoses on them! Ugh… It will be all over the news, I just know it.” Jimin hissed to himself before hugging Jungkook in between his arms once more. “Honey, you don't think now, like you used to… I’m worried. What’s going on in your head?” With that silent question lingering on in Jimin's mind, he sighed and stood up once more to dispose of the sleeping pills while he still had a chance. There was no way Jungkook was going to grow obsessive and too dependent on these pills alone.

           When dawn broke, Jimin sat on the edge of the bed with a damp towel wrapped around his head as he began to do the buttons on his dress shirt. There, Jimin had on his white underwear, outlining the crease of his ass and his crotch area while the dress shirt was tented over the middle of Jimin's legs. Jimin was silent to get ready; he wasn't upset or mad about anything… It was just the fact that he threw the pills away and since he had sex; the morning always left him looking as if he was bewildered as soon as the sun rose.

        “Jeon Jimin~” Jungkook called out as Jimin slowly fixed his eyes over to his lover's well-rested face. “Ah, should I shave today? I want to grow a beard, but at the same time, I don't want to.” Jungkook teased and walked up to the mirror where he smiled at his reflection and ran his hand along his own, sharp, jawline. “A beard would suit me…”

          “Jungkook, why do you keep putting your family name where mine should be? Don't you want to have ‘Park’ in your name?”

           “No. My name won't sound as good as ‘Jeon Jimin’ besides, I think I should be the one to give the family name to you since I am the dominant.” Jungkook chuckled as he walked back to the bathroom where Jimin began to worry once again. “I don't see what's wrong with using those sleeping pills, I feel way more better when I get help to sleep.” Jungkook stated and opened the bathroom cabinet to find out, that Jimin only got rid of them. With no sight of the bottle with pills, Jungkook scoffed and turned his head to drop tilted at Jimin. “Why did you do that?”

         “You know I didn't want to, but I had to. Too much of those would lead you into shock and then you might have an overdose of that! You need to be smart while handling things like that on it's own.” Jimin mentioned and stood up to grab his own slacks from the cabinet while hickeys were visible along his thighs, leading up until they disappeared underneath his briefs.

          Jungkook remained silent. He took a moment to close the mirror cabinet and then stare at himself within the reflection before him. “What's was wrong with me…? I never used pills to help myself sleep better…” Jungkook thought and picked his toothbrush up to roll toothpaste over the bristles of the brush. “Where did my love for the planets go? My love for our planets afar… suddenly seemed to have vanished.” Jungkook thought to himself and resumed his daily routine before work. Jimin noted how strange Jungkook behaved after the pills were taken and Jungkook just couldn't tell that Jimin caught every, single, sign that was displayed right before his very own eyes.