As the sky turned bright, Jungkook watched its sophistication. When he sensed movement, his neck craned to see Jimin getting out of the bigger tent. Smiling at him with a slight wave of his hand, he spoke. "Hi Hyung."

"Hey," Jimin carded his hair, staggering towards Jungkook. "You're up early."

"When do we start the hiking?" Jungkook asked instead, looking behind to see if Taehyung was following too. 

Jimin caught his gaze. "We were thinking to wait a little more for you, but since you are already up, we can start right now."

"Sound good." Jungkook stood up from the folding chair he was sitting at and Jimin turned back towards his tent when the former called him. Jimin stopped to see the younger coming closer with a bag. "This is for you. Thank you for everything that you've done for me."

Jimin smiled, unsure if he wanted to accept the gift. He didn't like the idea that Jungkook was giving him something because, in his mind, he thought he owed him something, but nonetheless, he wasn't going to reject it either. "Thank you, Jungkook. You shouldn't have. But thank you." He accepted the bag and sized it up.

"Open it if you want," Jimin grinned when Jungkook offered. He slowly unwrapped the paper to find the canary bell charm and an oversized white shirt. "You look beautiful in white." The younger hushed, scratching his temple. 

Jimin's grin widened. "Thanks, Jungkook. I'll treasure them."

Taehyung's sudden shriek made the two rush to the big tent.

The man essentially sprinted out. "There's a chameleon in there!"

Jungkook laughed at Taehyung's big frame, a big, hearty chuckle rumbling from inside him for the world to see, for Jimin to see. "Where is it, Hyung? I'll go ask him to be nice to you." He proposed, still laughing and shaking his head as he entered the tent. 

**

Thirty minutes down the line, the three were a hundred meters on the elevation, paving their way through the stones. Jimin and Taehyung were a bit breathless, out of practice, but Jungkook was in full form. "Come on!" He turned and saw the two slowing down. "We aren't even halfway. We have to reach at least there before the sun comes up."

"Yah!" Taehyung pointed his finger at Jungkook, whose finger was pointed at a peak. "Slow down, brat. We are old men."

"Speak for yourself," Jimin smacked Taehyung's head and proceeded further, trying to catch up with Jungkook. 

Taehyung wanted to chase after Jimin for revenge, but he deliberately slowed down, smiling to himself, seeing the two looking at him after a few seconds. He motioned them with the back of his hand to continue ahead in a way to say that he was right behind them. Taehyung kept his pace steady, maintaining a safe distance and allowing them to talk to themselves. 

Jimin was impressed by Jungkook's enthusiasm for adventure. "I didn't know you loved this. We have to do the bigger trek next time." He remarked.

"I beat my father every time," Jimin chuckled, seeing the boyish grin on Jungkook's face. "How long do you think it will take?"

"Half an hour more, and then we can eat and rest for an hour before coming back to base," Jimin answered, wiping the sweat off his temples. 

Jungkook sniffled, the cool air around them making his nose red. Jimin glanced back to check on Taehyung but continued to savor his time alone with Jungkook, talking, and laughing.

**

When they finally reached the peak, the sun was up and shimmering down at them, the warmth licking their cold skin. Jungkook stretched and took out the protein bars, handing one to each older male. There was a small temple on the peak and a few puppies ran out from inside, wiggling their tails and licking the men's boots.

When Jungkook guffawed, picking the brown one and letting him lick all over his mouth, Jimin and Taehyung didn't pick any, but they let the tiny dogs chew on their boots with their small teeth while they sat on a bench.

Jimin couldn't keep his eyes away from Jungkook and how his skin was directly glowing under the warmth.

After eating and feeding the dogs, they were beginning their descent when Jungkook's phone rang and Jimin's eyes moved to his hand curiously, wanting to find out if it was who he thought he was.

The boy walked a bit away to answer the call. 

Taehyung elbowed Jimin's fazed state and he shook his head, disregarding any worry.

When Jungkook returned to the bench in less than a minute, his face was neutral. "Everything good?" Jimin asked, getting up and stepping into the boy's personal space. 

"Yeah, it was Eomma," The 20-year-old turned towards the path they came from. "W-what's the plan now?" 

"We'll go see my sister."

Jungkook nodded, a bit reluctant to accompany the two. He wasn't willing to meet Jimin's family, but he knew that the man would never leave him alone at the base camp or allow him to hitchhike his way back home. He had no other option but to go with them.

They were on the base camp in half the time of their ascent. All three were sweating with their skin red and flushed. While Taehyung decided to freshen up in the makeshift bathroom, Jimin and Jungkook waited to use the one at his sister's home which wasn't far from there. 

Winding everything, they were in the car and on the way to the suburbs.

It was after twenty minutes drive that Jimin stopped in front of a small yellow house.

A woman answered the brown door with a cheerful smile in a minute, her naturally brown hair accenting her cherub cheeks. Jungkook only watched as she stepped forward and squeezed Jimin into a hug. Taehyung was next to get the same affection from her, and then she looked at him.

"He's Jungkook." Jimin introduced.

"Hi, Jungkook," she flashed a vibrant smile but restricted herself from pulling him in any hug, working by putting her affectionate palm over his arm.

"She's Aki, my Noona." Jimin informed Jungkook, who smiled in reciprocation.

"Come on in." The woman chimed, keeping the door wide open and letting them enter one by one. 

While Jungkook settled into the living room, Jimin went directly to the bathroom. Taehyung seemed familiar with the place as he joined the lady in the kitchen.

Looking around, Jungkook spotted a frame on the wall. He walked up to it and let his fingers graze the glass cover, admiring the two flowers in Red Rubies, both similar, yet asymmetric. He thought why did a simple piece of jewelry have to be of such significance that it was framed in gold?

"That's a pair of claret."

"What's pair of claret?" Jungkook turned, startled at the woman's sudden presence.

Aki was holding a glass, that she offered him and he accepted it, immediately bringing it to his lips to taste something salty and sweet, a perfect combination of both. 

"It's a love confession..."

He looked a bit confused at the answer, needing more clarity. 

Aki laughed and continued. "Understand it in this way," she pursed her lips. "A long time ago in a tribe not far from here, a man fell in love with a woman. He made two pairs of jewelry from scratch and offered one to his woman of interest. The jewelry came in two pieces, one Ruby heart, and the next was a pendant socket. She did accept a pair but later found that the shape of the heart made with Ruby was not fitting in her pendant socket. She went back to his house at night and demanded the other piece which fit."

Jungkook's face was more confused than ever, no idea where the lady was going with the story, but he was intrigued.

Aki laughed at Jungkook's pout. "It is a legend really, mostly made by the people who believed that that man had a blessing in his hands. The jewelry was an excuse. That's how they got to talking and one thing led to another. The thing is, folks weren't allowed to get married by choice at the time. The marriages were arranged, and women were very shy and docile that they didn't dare to talk to any men. After first, people started to believe that the jewelry had some sort of magic and after decades, it has become more of a symbol or gesture to show love, more like chocolates on Valentine's day, but expensive and ancient." 

"It must be working for people to still believe in the legend," Jungkook murmured. 

"I guess so... It's about your conviction. People believed that the only way for this to work was if they repeated the entire thing all the same, meaning giving the wrong pair and waiting for your partner to come asking for the right one. My husband gave me these."