[ months later ]

"Jimin, are you still okay with going out tonight? I know you're still not over your cold. And it's still cold. So I'm really okay with going out tomorrow night if you think resting would benefit you."

"Yoongi, for the tenth time, nothing would make me feel better more than to go on a date with you."

Slipping on his shoes, Yoongi smiled as he held his phone against his ear. "You're sounding like me now."

"Yeah, maybe I've been spending too much time with you lately." A dramatic sigh. Yoongi chuckled.

"Nah. I'm glad you're not canceling on me, though. Even though I'd forgive you, of course. I really wanted to see you today."

"Well, then I'm gonna hang up so I can finish getting ready."

"How much longer?"

"I'll be at your door in fifteen minutes, Yoongi. Have some patience."

"For you, all the patience in the world."

"Mm. Okay, I'll see you soon. Love you."

"Love you, too, sweetheart."

Still with a smile on his face, Yoongi hung up, slipping his phone into his back pocket. He stood up and dusted himself off for no reason. Then came the brief but completely necessary hair check.

"Still green," he sighed, smoothing it down. He honestly didn't dislike it despite how much he pretended to - rather, the look grew on him, enough to have him re-dye once the color started to fade. And he loved how much Jimin loved it. He loved how much Jimin loved him.

They'd been on a million dates but there was nothing more he looked forward to than the next one.

He could never get tired of Jimin's soft cheek kisses whenever the boy would greet him at the door. He could never get tired of Jimin humming happily into his shoulder whenever they hugged.

He could never get tired of Jimin.

A knock at the door, Yoongi made his way over to it and opened it, unable to camouflage his gummy smile at the sight of Jimin with his arms open. And as always, the boy leaned forward to press a kiss to his boyfriend's cheek. Yoongi tried to give him a lips kiss, but was coldly rejected by Jimin's hand and a sad, regretful frown.

"Yoongi, I have a cold."

"And?"

"And I don't want you catching it," Jimin said in a reprimanding tone, though he was clearly upset about it, too. "Give it a few days."

"A few days??" Yoongi rolled his eyes. "What if I told you I could kiss your cold better?"

"I'll go back to my dorm, Yoongi."

"No. My heart will shatter."

They both just laughed softly at themselves, then joined hands and started off on their way to Yoongi's car.

Nothing extravagant, they had planned for their date - just a peaceful, casual dinner at a restaurant, and perhaps a walk afterwards. Identical to many of the dates they'd had before, but none was less special or enjoyable than another.

Upon arrival to the vehicle, Yoongi opened the passenger's side door, waited till Jimin claimed his seat, then closed the door before going around to the driver's side.

Just a short fifteen minute drive to the restaurant. A quaint little place called Seyoung's Kitchen, which happened to be the place Yoongi took Jimin on their first official date. The food was good, the staff was great, and the overall atmosphere of the restaurant was something pleasant and moderate that the two thoroughly appreciated.

There was hardly ever a long wait - the place had good business, but was never packed. So shortly after entering the restaurant the two were seated at a small table aside the line of windows.

"Dinner's on me," Jimin said just as Yoongi had picked up his menu. The latter frowned intensely.

"No," he remarked sternly, "you can't play that card. The older treats. And I'm older."

"That's not how it has to work. I'm the one who asked you on a date this time. So I pay."

Recalling how he had used a similar argument in the past, Yoongi gave in to Jimin's stubbornness. He cracked a smile. "It's a good thing I love you, Jimin."

"Yeah...it's a good thing you love me..."

He got lost in the way Jimin gazed at him - those soft brown eyes, half-lidded but still twinkling. Yoongi reached out to take Jimin's hand gently in his own.

Moments later, a waitress showed up at their table, a polite smile on her familiar face. "Welcome back," she greeted. "Could I get you two something to drink?"

"The usual," Yoongi replied. "Thank you."

"No problem. I'll be right back with those."

She left again. And as soon as she was gone, Yoongi felt Jimin squeeze his hand - but it had a trembling movement to it, one that urged Yoongi to raise a concerned eye.

"Are you sure you're feeling alright, sweetheart?" Sighing, he rubbed his thumb against the other's fingers. "We can skip the walk if you're not up to it. I could just drive you home and you could go sleep instead of-"

"Yoongi, no, I'm not missing out on our walk."

He sounded determined, a resolute gleam in his stern but kind stare. He smiled just to reassure Yoongi.

"I'm okay. So just let me enjoy the evening 'cause I've been looking forward to it all day."

He couldn't argue with him anymore - didn't want to, rather, as Jimin's words and his sweet tone of voice were enough to silence Yoongi on the matter. He broadened his own smile in return.

"Okay, sweetheart. Just for you."

From there on it was a peaceful, pleasant evening; the two soon ordered their meals, ate together, talked as they usually did, and altogether just relished in each other's presence. It had become that sort of relationship. Where they lost track of time from being their own distractions, tuning out the world as though they were the only two people living on it.

Neither could imagine what their life would be like without the other. Yoongi had felt this way for some time now, whereas for Jimin it took a bit more time to develop, but now was just as strong.

They had been dating for over a year now. It felt like so much longer than that.

"Are you ready to go, Jimin?"

"...I am."

With that somewhat hesitant confirmation, Jimin paid the bill for their meals, then allowed Yoongi to take his hand as they exited the restaurant.

This late February night, cold, but not unbearable. Yoongi gaze Jimin's hand a squeeze. He really didn't like the idea of Jimin being out here for too long when he was already in the process of getting over a minor sickness, but the boy truly did seem set on it. And Yoongi wasn't one to crush Jimin's hopes and expectations.

He did make sure, however, after driving the car back to the dormitory, that Jimin was properly bundled up, coat and scarf and gloves and all, despite the boy insisting he would rather ditch the gloves because he didn't like them. But Yoongi convinced him to keep them.

So hand in hand they departed from the dorms again, this time on foot. And Yoongi made an effort to keep a careful watch on Jimin's expression, glancing over at him every now and then. He looked unsettled. It concerned Yoongi, making him worry that Jimin was pushing himself above what he could physically handle at this point.

He'd argue for a short walk this time. For Jimin's sake.

"I want to go to the bridge, Yoongi."

"Hm? Bridge?" Slowing his walking pace even more, Yoongi made yet another glance at his boyfriend. "What bridge? We don't live near any bridges-"

"There is one," Jimin said, "at the park that's not too far from our dorms."

"There is?"

"Yeah. It's just a small, cute little bridge. Goes over a stream. It's really pretty in the wintertime. Tae told me about it."

"If that's what you want."

He smiled fondly at Jimin's somewhat hoarse voice, muffled by the scarf covering his mouth. Yoongi drew in a deep breath then let it out slowly. After they got to the park and saw the stream, they would go home. He needed Jimin safely and warmly tucked in bed within the next forty-five minutes in order to be at peace.

Just as Jimin had said, the park wasn't too far, which did help to ease Yoongi's nerves a bit. Eager to get back home again, he asked, "So where's this wonderful stream you speak of?"

"Just ahead," Jimin said, gesturing at the dirt path they stood on. "But there's no need to rush. We can walk slow. We'll get there when we get there."

But I want you to be home and resting. "If you say so, sweetheart."

At Jimin's request, Yoongi maintained his slow pace, holding tightly to Jimin's hand which he wished he couldn't feel trembling. If the boy ended up getting sicker because of all this, Yoongi would only have himself to blame for being such a softie and doing what Jimin wanted rather than what was best for him.

To the older's relief, the bridge finally came into view. He'd speed-walk Jimin home after this if he had to.

"So, we're here."

So they were. On that small wooden bridge that curved over a stream like a gentle arch, sturdy enough to hold the two lovers which now stepped onto it.

"Now what-"

"Yoongi, just look at it, won't you?"

Too distracted by his worrisome thoughts, Yoongi hadn't even bothered to look out at the stream - until Jimin made sure that he did.

It resembled those ideal, pristine winter wonderland-esque places you see in paintings. Crystal snow that dusted large stones, pebbles and rocks lining both sides of the streams, branches hanging over the water, balancing that same snowfall from the previous night that never melted. The stream itself was clear. Clear, narrow, and Yoongi could see his reflection as he leaned over the bridge's railing. The moonlight seemed to smile on that bridge, that stream. And on Yoongi, too.

He never considered himself a man connected with nature, but in that moment he was mesmerized by something so small.

So mesmerized, in fact, that he didn't fully register Jimin had at some point slipped his hand away.

Much later, when it finally dawned on him, Yoongi shifted himself slightly to glance down at Jimin.

Jimin, balancing unsteadily on one knee, quivering hand holding out a small box which held a ring.

And Yoongi's entire world just froze that winter night.

It overwhelmed him, all at once, the sight of Jimin kneeling in front of him, and not just to tie his shoelaces because the boy had a bad habit of forgetting to do that. No, rather, it was the expression held within Jimin's eyes as he stared up at Yoongi as though he was the only thing in sight.

"I'm sorry I can't have more strength at the moment with this," Jimin began, his voice shaking, and more so as he could see Yoongi's face already starting to break in its composure, "but it was like I said, I've been thinking about this all day, all week...for a long time."

His gaze held firmly, not moving away from Yoongi, not even for a moment. And scarcely, he managed to keep his tears at bay.

"Yoongi, I told you a while ago I wanted to be your husband, you remember? Well...I'm asking you now. Because...I've...I've long since realized I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

It took everything to stay strong.

"Yoongi, my calico cat, will you marry me?"

Yoongi's eyes had at this point already filled with tears, but this question caused the dam to burst. Quivering lips, flushed cheeks, shivering from head to toe from emotions even more than the cold. The tears streamed down his face and collected at his chin.

Being without words, he nodded and held out his shaky hand, which Jimin accepted. He took out the ring and slipped it on Yoongi's finger, then straightaway got to his feet and captured the other in the warmest embrace.

Yoongi had never cried so hard as he did in that moment, had never felt such an intense rush of emotions since perhaps he and Namjoon graduated high school together. If anything, that's what stuck to Yoongi's brain the most right then. That, along with the first time he and Jimin had met, that first embrace they shared, and several months later, that first kiss.

He tried to restrain his sniffling as he pulled his head back so that he could connect their lips - in no way was Yoongi letting Jimin's stubborn 'you can't kiss me, I have a cold' get in the way right now. And frankly Jimin hadn't even thought of doing that. He reciprocated the kiss, hoping it would distract the other from the fact that Jimin had also started to cry. But then he felt Yoongi's thumb brush aside a tear.

"Jimin, I can't believe you..." Forcing a smile, he kissed the boy again. "I can't believe you'd do this to me, just for the sake of reducing me to an absolute mess."

"What do you mean 'just for the sake of reducing you to an absolute mess'?" Jimin fought back the urge to chuckle at him. "I did it for the sake of putting a ring on your finger, Yoongi..."

"And now you did," Yoongi whispered, smiling crookedly as another teardrop caught the corner of his lip. Jimin leaned forward to kiss it.

"It's cold, Yoongi. We should head back."

"That's what I've been thinking this whole time. I wanted you to stay home in the first place."

"I did."

"What?"

"I stayed with you."

"Jimin, please-" He buried his head in Jimin's shoulder just as the boy released a soft, heartfelt laugh. And Jimin just placed his hand against the back of Yoongi's head and began to sway back and forth gently.

"I've got you, my calico cat...I've got you..."

*

*

a/n:
so there's gonna be one more chapter ｡ﾟ(ﾟ'ω'ﾟ)ﾟ｡

and for those of you wanting proposals from all the couples, i'd love to include them but idk how to make each different and special without being repetitive with certain things also i'm lazy¿ sorry pls don't be disappointed lol

but yeah!! we're almost done!! can't believe i'm actually completing this i started it last june lmao ❤️❤️❤️