⊱┊ʏᴏᴜ'ʀᴇ ᴍʏ ʀᴇᴍᴇᴅʏ ༊

If there's one thing Jungkook thought wouldn't happen, it's the fact that he would find himself in Jimin's flat at 5 pm actually studying for the upcoming exams. Often he didn't give a shit whether he would pass the exams or not. Thinking back to small tests or exams, Jungkook feels so stupid to have simply not even sat down for maybe a few hours and looked at the material. It makes him wonder how he made it this far in the first place...

Frustrated, Jungkook groans into his hands, elbows placed on the table, and in the next second, he throws a head into his hands. He wants to die. With the current topic, he is reminded of why he has avoided studying or even giving a damn about school stuff. Why can't what he reads just automatically stay in his head and stay in there until after the exams?

"Jimin~ How long do I have to look at this topic in the book until we do something else?" You'd think Jungkook's character has changed so much that he even whines willingly just to get Jimin's attention. With a deep sigh, he rests his head on his arm, which has since been pressed on the table. Even though he's finally studying, it doesn't mean his persistence will last, especially not when the best distraction on the planet is sitting in front of him at the coffee table, looking all so unworried while reading something.

Jimin, who is in the middle of reading a book, looks up and his eyebrows drawn together. Confusion streaks his expression as he was completely engrossed in the book until just now. "Until you understand at least half of it. You know you can always ask me if you don't understand something."

"Hmm, I do. I need a break," Jungkook complains and pouts, his gaze fixed on the pen in his hand he's playing around with. His dreamy gaze lingers on it until Jimin's voice makes him look up.

"I'd like to know how you got into being so bad at studying."

Jungkook's frown deepens, feeling a bit offended by what Jimin says, even though deep down he knows he's saying nothing but the truth. "Hey!"

"Am I lying though?"

"Noo, I just didn't give a fuck before. I had no motivation." Jungkook shrugs his shoulders and adjusts his thin black-framed glasses with a finger on his nose. A playful grin plays across his lips. "Now I have motivation."

Jimin raises an eyebrow and slams his book shut, looking at him expectantly and leaning closer, elbow then placed on the hardcover book. His tongue swipes over his lips and catches Jungkook's attention rather quickly. Gosh, the teasing- Jungkook would absolutely go crazy seeing him fluttering with his eyelashes in a teasing way if it wasn't for Jimin who made him sit down and study. "Oh yeah?"

Tentatively, Jungkook nods his head that's still resting on his arm, a sudden glint in his eyes. Contentment settles in his chest while looking at the blond male in front of him. A year ago he would have thought that he would never have such a thing—that he would never feel contentment or warm feelings when he looks at another person, let alone that someone would feel these feelings for him.

"Hm." He peeks at Jimin, eyes flickering over every feature of his face. Jungkook can't stop admiring Jimin for his beauty. He likes the fluttery feeling of his heart when he looks or thinks of Jimin.

"Stop staring at me, baby. You better look at your notes; you have to study."

"I don't stare. I admire," Jungkook asserts smugly of himself with a dreamy expression on his face. It was not a wise decision on Jimin's part to sit there after preparing tea for both of them earlier. However, Jungkook has to admit, if he hadn't done that, he surely wouldn't even have looked at the notes. So maybe there is something good about Jimin sitting there and trying to get him to study.

"Then I seem to be very interesting in your eyes. Are you studying me too?"

The reaction is immediate. Jungkook swallows and coughs, not believing what the other has said. "What did you just say?"

"You heard me." Jimin looks at him intensely and tilts his head as if to challenge him. Jungkook gets the urge to bang his head against the wall. That's just not fair, the way Jimin teases him, knowing full well that there's nothing Jungkook can do but sit here and suffer.

"You're mean," Jungkook murmurs, lips pressed into a thin line. Despite them hanging out more frequently, teasing and some kisses here and there over the past few weeks, they're not together in that sense yet and he knows exactly why.

"Hmm, you're right... If you'd really make an effort with your studying, I'd even consider going a step further with you." Jimin huffs and turns back to his book as if he hadn't said anything.

Take it a step further?

"What do you mean?" comes out of his mouth before he can stop it.

"Jungkook, listen to me," Jimin closes his eyes, puts the book aside and then crawls towards Jungkook. His hands cup Jungkook's cheeks, eyes filled with adoration and warmth, and he rests his head against Jungkook's forehead. "You have been trying hard to learn these past few days. I know it's hard for you. If I'm here, I'm a distraction, if I'm not here, you're probably studying next to nothing. I'm proud of what you've done so far and how much effort you've put in.

Look, in the end, I don't care about the grades because you are and will always be the same loving person to me, but I know there are people out there, potential employers, who value certain things and I want you to have a chance to do whatever it is you want to do, wherever it is you want to go. And I wanted to wait until you're done with your exams so you don't get distracted. I've come up with a few things to get you more motivated, but it doesn't seem to be working. What I'm saying is, even though we're not officially together yet because you know you're supposed to focus on school first, what if I give you little tests and you get a reward?"

"What are you saying?"

"What I'm trying to say is, what do you think if we take a step further and if you have at least half of the test correct, I'll give you a small reward. For example," Jimin stops and takes one of Jungkook's hands in his to put it on his ass, slightly grinding against it. Feeling the younger freeze, makes Jimin want to giggle, but he holds back. "No sex though. I'm not—I don't—"

Jungkook shifts and he looks up through his glasses at Jimin. He completely understands what he's struggling to say. "I understand. Jimin you don't have to do something that makes you uncomfortable and if you offer this only to motivate m—"

"—I don't." Jimin shakes his head, eyes closing momentarily as he breathes out. "I wouldn't say this if I wasn't comfortable with the idea and if I wasn't craving for you to touch me."

Gasp.

"Don't say things like this." Jungkook groans and throws his head back, fingers digging into Jimin's jeans that are covering his ass cheeks. "Why do you have to be such a tease, hm? How am I supposed to study now?"

"You say it like you haven't been staring at me for the past 5 minutes." The blond man laughs, his eyes forming to crescents, looking just like the moon that shined brightly in the sky yesterday and oh, is Jungkook whipped for this man.

"Let me stare at my soon-to-be-boyfriend as much as I want to."

"No, can't do. Also soon-to-be-boyfriend?" He grins and pecks Jungkook's lips. "You are so cute my soon-to-be-boyfriend, but I can't deny how sexy you look with your glasses."

"I always do!"

"Hm..." Jimin pretends to think about it for a while, puts his finger on his chin and looks at Jungkook as if thinking about how to answer. "I think you're right."

"That we're clear, you are the only person who gets to see me with them."

"Oh? You don't even wear your glasses in school? I mean now that I come to think of it, I never saw you wearing them in kindergarten..."

"That's because I'm popular in school and I don't want to ruin my image," Jungkook jokes, not being serious about it for a second. "I'm just kidding. Even though I seem to be quite popular in school, I don't give a damn about it. I'm just not comfortable wearing them outside yet."

Jungkook sees Jimin rolling his eyes, but the smile on his face makes it clear that it's only meant to be playful. He snorts. "Sure you are."

"You don't believe me?" Jungkook asks, but the look on Jimin's face makes it evident that he doesn't believe him. "I'm not joking. There are people staring at me as soon as I walk along the hallway. Some people try to talk to me but I ignore them. I don't even know why. I just want to be left alone."

"Ouhh, Jungkookie gives off the "stay away from me" aura? Did you maybe have a bad boy image before too?" Jimin teases him with a wink. He doesn't expect Jungkook to tease him too, though.

"Some even tried to use pickup lines."

The smugness Jimin felt until now, is gone, washed away and replaced by a different feeling, something darker. He feels annoyed and squints his eyes at Jungkook, pushing his tongue against his cheek. Jimin doesn't know why he's getting annoyed though.

Is it perhaps because he cannot be there to show that Jungkook is his or perhaps if he believes Jungkooks words, that there are actually people trying to throw themselves at his boyfr- well soon to be boyfriend?

This makes him realise that he could not show Jungkook is his loving boyfriend even if he would go to his school.

Annoyed, he glares in thought at Jungkook. "What do you think you're doing?"

Jungkook licks over his lip, knowing it would catch Jimin's attention and places a finger under his chin to kiss him on the cheek. How badly he wants to kiss him now. Jimin is just so adorable when he's jealous.

"Maybe you should come and pick me up with Minjun to make them stay away and show them how happy and content I am with someone, my love."

Jimin's eyes widen, but not because of what he suggests, but because of how he addresses him. Jungkook has given him a few cute nicknames, yet none of them included 'love' and the way he said it made his heart flutter. "I—"

His cheeks flush as he realises he's unable to come up with an answer. For that reason, he decides to change the subject. "While we're on the subject of Minjun...how can it be that Minjun can play the piano, but I've never paid for a piano lesson for him before? And just by chance, he also mentioned your name...can you explain that to me?"

"Can I ask how you know that first?"

"The one time we were at the mall, it was a few days after the supermarket incident...there was a piano where anyone could play it and Minjun suddenly disappeared. I was confused at first and then I saw him climbing on the piano bench and playing something, despite the stage fright he had at the beginning. It surprised me so much that it almost brought me to tears."

"Then it seems to have worked as a surprise after all. You know, he was standing in front of the room... I didn't know what was behind it because the door was closed and I had only been there briefly. He stood there in his cute overalls and communicated with me through gestures and facial expressions. It turned out to be a soundproof music room with a grand piano. I didn't know you at the time, but I saw his immediate interest and asked him if he would like to surprise his parents and then I taught him to play the piano."

Silence descends on the room as Jungkook arrives at the end of the story. He is puzzled at first why Jimin doesn't say anything but quickly finds an answer when he looks into his eyes and they gleam with unshed tears.

"You had a soft heart for him back then even though you didn't know it? Jungkook, why didn't we meet earlier?" Jimin sniffles and rests his forehead on Jungkook's shoulder.

"I guess you can say I did. I still do. Just remembering how shy he was and didn't really interact with the other kids well. I thought that something like this may help him to build his own confidence. I hoped one day it would help and it seems to have worked." Jungkook states to Jimin with a soft smile placed on his lips. "But on the other hand, if we did meet earlier, then you might not have had Minjun," the younger one whispers softly.

"Ohh Kookie. I don't know what to say. Thank you so much. As a parent, it's worrying to see your child struggling and not knowing what to do to help, but you came along and helped him so much. I can't thank you enough." Tears are about to fall from Jimin's eyes. Jimin feels like he is on a rollercoaster of emotions during this study break with Jungkook. He set off so fast with the teasing and promise of a small reward; going around loops hearing about the other students at Jungkook's school and then finally, the slow but steady end to the ride with how Minjun started to learn the piano.

"Honestly? I think you're my remedy."

"No, you are mine. You made me a better person and the person I am today."

"Then I guess we are each other's remedies."

"Hmmm that... I can totally accept it." Jungkook grins and pulls Jimin closer, enamoured with him. "Now, give me kisses."

_________

A/N: next up is the epilogue :) thank you for reading and supporting ♡

I DO NOT allow translations for this book.