⊱┊ғʟᴜᴛᴛᴇʀɪɴɢ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ ༊*·˚

"Quickly, come on move it I'm running late as it is, I don't need this making me become even later." Jungkook is talking loudly to himself while he is waiting for the traffic to clear. Two vehicles have been involved in a crash and were being moved out of the road so that other road users could be on their merry way. As soon as he saw it was safe, he passed the accident scene and started to make his way to the location Jimin sent him. Using the GPS on his phone, Jungkook was able to take a shortcut that saved 10 minutes on his journey. "GPS, I never thank you enough for finding shortcuts, It's like you can read my mind." 

With minutes to spare he pulls up in space, takes his phone out and calls Jimin, making his way into the building. "Hey, I'm finally here, where are you?" 

A short pause is heard before a nervous voice speaks up. "I almost thought you weren't coming. We're in the big room. It's the 3rd door on your left when you come into the building."

Jungkook frowns at his words, wondering why Jimin is in the room when he asked him to pick him up. "Okay, I'm on my way," is all he says before quickly walking to find Jimin. 

Turns out, Jimin has kept quiet about Minjun having his first small performance in Taekwondo today, performing what he has learned. Jungkook is slightly overwhelmed but he knows what this means if Jimin invites him to Minjun’s performance. It just shows how much their friendship has grown. As he sits there and watches the little angel in his dobok uniform, showing off what he has learnt. Jungkook couldn’t be more amazed and proud of him. He once was there too and having their parents or a person who means everything to them show up, just means the world to them.

One hour and a half later, all three of them come out of the big hall, smiles on their faces. It would seem that nothing could break this happiness. Minjun has earned a badge, a small trophy which shows how brave he was. But it also makes the adults proud of another thing: Minjun’s stage fright. It shows how much he has grown in the time he has known Jungkook. For Minjun, Jungkook is something like an anchor, a person he holds onto and can look up to.

Because of the success, Jimin had promised that if he did well, they could go for ice cream as a treat afterwards. What better way to make a child even happier after winning a competition? Nothing, indeed nothing would make this a better or happier moment- or maybe there actually was one thing which made his son just as happy as ice cream did. He didn’t only keep the performance as a surprise for Jungkook but neither did he tell Minjun that he invited Jungkook. Hence the surprise was big when Minjun looked at the round of parents after the performance, who came to see their children perform and then looked into similar brown eyes, just as sparkling as his own were. 

His reaction was immediate. He was nimble and did not hesitate for a second to move his little legs and throw himself into Jungkook's arms. This reaction drew a soft scoff from Jimin, "and what about me?"

Brown doe eyes peeked out from the back of Jungkook's neck where he had his head tucked inside, one of his hands reaching out to Jimin as a sign for him to come closer, which he eventually did. And somehow Jimin got a little emotional too, even if he denied it, preferring to bury his head in Minjun's hair, murmuring over and over, "I'm so proud of you." 

"What flavour ice cream can I get you today?" The lady from behind the glass counter asks, "Our special today is a strawberry and raspberry swirl. All these fruits have been locally sourced and picked to give the most amazing taste ever. 

"Mint choc chip for me please." 

"Strawberry and raspberry swirl for me, please." 

Jungkook and Jimin say in unison, turning to each other and giggling because of the timing at which they gave their answer. Jungkook’s heart flutters, hearing Jimin giggling. There’s nothing else he loves hearing, because it shows how comfortable Jimin is around him and that he can be himself. “Talking about local strawberries, are you coming on the kindergarten trip tomorrow? I bet there will be thousands of strawberries." 

"Hundred percent I'm coming. I signed up as a parent to accompany the groups. Also, I have a sweet tooth and fresh fruit that is picked fresh is a guilty pleasure for me!" Jungkook tries to keep a straight face but fails when he sees the confidence in Jimin’s face. He’s just so cute.

“What do you want, baby?”

“Hm?” Jungkook lets out, lips pressing shut and cheeks tinting pink after he notices what he just did. He curses innerly for being so stupid. Unable to meet Jimin’s eyes, his gaze shifts towards his ice cream waffle which is now ready. Maybe if he pretends and acts normal Jimin will think he said nothing? Maybe if he will just pretend he didn’t say anything Jimin will leave it at this? Jungkook overcomes the great urge to just walk and hide away somewhere from this embarrassing moment.

“Jungkook? Did you say something?” Jimin asks and raises an eyebrow, facing him right after he tells the lady what Minjun wants. 

“Huh? No, no. I said nothing.” Jungkook shakes his head and coughs, hand waving in a manner of dismissal. He was certain he saw something twinkle in Jimin's eyes before he walked a few steps further, but maybe he just imagined it.

・❥・

The excited cries of children embrace Jimin when they get off the bus they have been sitting in. Jimin rolls his shoulders, hoping to release the tension. He's been sitting in an uncomfortable position for far too long. His gaze wanders around the building they are standing in front of, catching the words "Emily's strawberry farm" written in red letters. To be honest, Jimin has never been to a strawberry farm before, but when the kindergarten asked for a couple of parents who would volunteer to accompany two groups on a day trip, Jimin made sure to ask for a day off.

For some time he had been toying with the idea of going to a strawberry farm with Minjun, but wanted to wait for a little while until he was older and could understand things better. Today seems to be that day when, even though they are in a group, he can show and explain to Minjun and other children how to pick strawberries. The excitement in him rises as they walk together towards the building, his gaze lingering for a few seconds on Jungkook. He's walking a little ahead of them, talking animatedly - hand swishing in the air, nose scrunching at every giggle of the little girl, and big doe eyes blinking a lot of times, making the girl laugh - while holding the child's hand. He would probably make a great dad one day.

His thoughts come to an abrupt halt. Did I actually just think that? Jimin’s eyes widen with a racing heart like he’s running some sort of marathon. Sure, Jungkook would probably make a great dad but why does the thought of Jungkook being the dad of a different child makes his stomach drop with a heavy feeling creeping through him?

Once in the courtyard, they meet a staff member who directs them to the field and hands out small brown baskets. Jimin has to admit that he is only half listening, as his gaze is stuck on the café, which looks rather cute from the outside with its pink and red chairs. The appetite to eat a piece of cake and drink some coffee takes over his mind. 'Maybe I can go there later.'

"Mr Park?" Hoseok's voice snaps him out of his thoughts, causing Jimin to widen his eyes once he notices that not only Hoseok but everyone is staring at him. Jimin clears his throat and stares awkwardly at the group of children and then at Jungkook.

"Hm?" The question consists only of one word, coming out rather unintentionally.

"Are you ready to go?"

"Huh- ehm, yes." Jimin nods, getting the message Hoseok tries to get across. He's feeling slightly embarrassed for having let everyone wait. His cheeks turn slightly red.

"Great, then let's go, everyone." Hoseok puts a thumb up and leads the group to the strawberry field. It's adoring how the small and young children waddle behind him like some ducklings, some even swinging their arms while holding another child’s hand. It reminds Jimin of his childhood days when they used to do day trips. One time he got so confident that Jimin accidentally hurt the kid behind him by swinging his arm and the arm of the child beside him. "Hold each other’s hands well." 'Gosh, that was really a thing back then. Today though it doesn't seem any different.'

Together they walk to the strawberry field, where Hoseok gives them a short introduction and the little children scatter around the field, excitedly picking their own strawberries to fill their baskets. Jimin turns his attention to a little boy he's seen a few times before, trying not to make it look like he's just glued to Minjun. After all, that's not the point of a kindergarten day trip.

"Hana, don't eat the strawberry!"

The single father looks up at Jungkook's alarmed voice, seeing Jungkook take the strawberry from the little girl's hand and put it in her basket instead. Fondness glistens in Jimin's eyes as Jungkook explains that she has to wash them before she eats them. Is this how Jungkook would react as a father?

Jimin brushes his thoughts off and turns his attention back to the boy he just helped to pick some strawberries. What does he care about what Jungkook will be like as a father in the future? Why are these thoughts haunting him so much today?

In order to distract himself, Jimin casts a curious glance at Hoseok, who's wearing a soft smile on his lips, explaining something to two small children with a strawberry in his hand. The kindergarten teacher laughs, eyes forming into crescents. In Jimin’s eyes Hoseok shines so brightly with his mood every time he meets him, the orange hair colour makes it more obvious. Jimin sometimes wonders if there’s anything that can spoil his mood.

When Jimin thought that was enough and his mind would finally leave him alone to think about Jungkook, his eyes stray back to the man in question, who is currently crouching down to look at Minjun with a sparkle in his eyes that appears every time Minjun is near. His small face lights up just like it did when Jungkook appeared after his Taekwondo performance.

'I'm so proud of my little Juju,' Jimin thinks to himself while watching Minjun pick strawberries with Jungkook.

Smiling from ear to ear like a Cheshire cat, Jimin doesn’t realise just how happy he actually is, not being sure if he can exactly pinpoint the reason for this happiness, all he wants is this feeling to never leave.

"Appa! Appa!" The loud call of his name breaks the trance he was in, shaking his head slightly to bring himself back to reality. "Basket, strwaberries." Minjun shows the handful of strawberries in the basket that Jungkook and he have picked.

He hears Jungkook chuckling in the background, only looking at him when he speaks up, “We seem to have found a really good plant that has lots of strawberries and Minjun wants to pick them all."

Giggling at the cuteness of them both, Jimin walks up to where Jungkook is still squatting, he crouches down slowly and takes a look at the fresh and juicy looking fruits. “Now I get why he wants to pick them all. You could use some help?”

“Yesss!” Minjun cries and runs to them to squat between them, a comfortable atmosphere spreads where neither of them says a word, too engrossed in their work. A few times Jungkook’s hand and Jimin’s hand would touch, which then would make either of them blush.

“Kids, listen!” Hoseok claps his hands a few times to get the attention of everyone. “Has everyone filled their basket with delicious strawberries? How about we go back to turn them into strawberry jam which you can take home with you.”

Now it’s time to walk back to the building and then for the messy part, to squish and flatten the strawberries so that they are able to make jam. With some help from employees, the children are able to squish them with a pestle and mortar, before they were once more squished with a stirrer from one of the adults.

Jimin is about to help Minjun when his phone starts ringing. He excuses himself with a slight bow and picks the phone up outside the building, walking towards the middle of the property where a wonderful looking fountain sprinkles water. Answering the phone, it’s like he doesn’t pay attention to his surroundings anymore. He hears the voice of his dad and his lips form into a smile, blending out the background noises from the property.

He actually is about to hang up the phone when he is accidentally pushed into the fountain by a worker, his clothes soaking wet in seconds and sticking to his skin. His phone fell out of his hand during the fall, fortunately on dry ground, but that doesn't change the fact that he is sitting completely wet in a fountain.

“Jimin!”

A familiar voice echoes through the courtyard, prompting Jimin to whimper in response. The immense change in temperature of cold water has his heart pump the blood faster through his body and goosebumps to form on his skin before he meets a set of brown doe eyes. Jimin stifles another whimper as Jungkook reaches out to him, his hand stopping only a few centimetres before him.

"Come on," Jungkook encourages to grab his hand. Somehow, Jimin manages to grab his hand and in the process is pulled out of the fountain thanks to Jungkook's strength. Jimin is ready to tell him thank you when his foot gets stuck on the stone edge of the fountain basin, causing his balance to falter and him to tumble forward. He's ready to face the ground, and get home with some more bruises, but the hard ground doesn't come.

Unexpectedly, Jimin feels arms winding around his hips, pulling him towards a warmer body heat and leaving Jimin with no choice but to bury his head in the conjunction of head and shoulder with his arms placed on the other person's sturdy body surface. Jimin has his eyes closed, still shocked from what just happened. He feels himself being unable to open his eyes and meet the person's eyes who has his arms tightly wrapped around him, afraid the comfortable warmth would be gone once he opens his eyes. Jimin has stared often enough at those arms to know who they belong to.

Contently, he sighs and wants to dive deeper into the wonderful smell of fabric softener, loving how it gives him the comfort he needs right now. Letting go is something he'd rather not do. Jimin is snapped out of his reverie when he feels Jungkook's breath tickling along his neck, making him hyper aware how close they are and how wet he is. A small gasp leaves his mouth as his stomach flutters, skin tingling with a new sensation. Just then Jungkook leans back, one hand placed around Jimin's waist to steady him while a finger hooks under his chin, lifting it. Jimin has no other option than to look into his dazzling brown eyes.

"Are you hurt?"

Jungkook's voice soft, pulling Jimin deeper into his ban. He has no idea if Jungkook knows about the effect he has on him but maybe it's for the best. After all, he's a single parent and Jungkook might not want to be committed to a relationship with a child. Somewhere in the background he can hear the worker apology, but Jimin pays him no mind.

"N-no." Jimin blinks, eyes looking everywhere but at him. Feeling slightly overwhelmed by the position they are in, he digs his nails deeper into the fabric of Jungkook's grey jumper, missing the emotion of disappointment flashing through Jungkook's eyes.

'Right,' is all Jimin hears and then the arms are gone. Jimin wants to say something, but what? Please don't let go of me? All I need is your arms around my waist to not feel cold?

Jimin, as it turns out, doesn't need to say either. Jungkook takes a step backward and pulls his jumper over his head, offering it to Jimin. Jimin's heart skips a beat as he reaches for the jumper and turns around to remove his wet sweater, not knowing Jungkook struggles with the sight of his bare back. He awkwardly clears his throat, uncertain how to go from there.

"Thank you, for the jumper I mean, and for helping me out there of course."

"No, problem." Jungkook throws him a shy smile and tries not to give in to the temptation of staring at how good Jimin looks in his jumper. "Should we go then?"

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A/N: this book will have probably not more than 5 ch left before it ends 😭💗🙏🏻