November 23rd, 2023 - Tokyo, Japan

The moment they stepped off of the airplane at Haneda Airport, flashes blinded them. They diverted their eyes to the ground to maintain their footing. The airport lights were bright, piercing and revealing. Jeongguk awkwardly pulled his hoodie forward to make sure that his neck was covered. The two had done quite a bit of canoodling on the flight and he didn’t want anyone to see the love bites that his horny bandmate had left along his skin.

 Jimin held onto Jeongguk’s arm tightly as they were pushed through security. The Keisatsu-cho police huddled around them, holding the mass of people behind security ropes. Mr. Lee, their security guard, gently caged them as he hustled them quickly through the airport crowd. 

“Jeongguk, Jeongguk, look up,” a reporter from The Japan Times chirped as Jeongguk and Jimin were rushed through the airport. 

“How did they even know we were here?” Jimin laughed as he paused to wave at the ever growing crowd of fans. 

What made the fans’ attendance so remarkable was that Jimin had not announced his travel with Jeongguk. Internationally, their trip triggered much speculation about the two of them and what they were doing together. Nasty rumors were planted, causing many to question their secretive travel. Everyone wanted to know why Jimin was there. Everyone drew their own selfish conclusions, even though reality stared them right in the face. The prevalence of those rumors sat well with Jimin. He viewed them as sacrosanct, small vindication against those who hated seeing them together.

As for the fans in Japan, they didn’t seem to care about the why. The news that Jimin had landed with Jeongguk spread fast and elicited a quick reaction. Supporters and lovers of the duo arrived in droves to greet them. Jimin was genuinely touched. He could feel their love.

As members of BTS, they were used to the flashes, the flurry of people and the screaming. But the crowd in Japan was different. The city had become known as Jikookland; the one place in the world where their unique union was respected more than any other. The people of Japan treated them differently. They held them in very high regard; acting as a sea full of bonafide Jikookers. It was one of the reasons that Jeongguk had insisted they visit one last time before entering the military. It was their last chance to be amongst the people of Japan; the country that loved them so much. 

“We love you Jikook, we love you Jikook,” the crowd screamed. 

Jeongguk leaned into Jimin, “They’re calling us by our ship name…they’ve always known, haven’t they?” He said thoughtfully. He lifted an arm to wave out of deep appreciation for them. 

“Always,” Jimin replied. 

Jimin was feeling emotional from the reaction of the crowd. He made eye contact with as many of the fans as possible as they welcomed them as if welcoming a couple from their honeymoon. Without thinking, he reached out to touch his lover who walked beside him. He didn’t mean to hold Jeongguk’s hand, it just happened. 

Jeongguk didn’t reject him even though he knew in his gut that the two of them holding hands would make the news because every media outlet in Japan seemed to be in the crowd, capturing video. But he just didn’t have the heart to break away. Besides, keeping their relationship guarded and innocuous was supposed to be Jimin’s job.

It made them feel good to hear the crowd call them Jikook. It was satisfying for both of them, especially Jimin. Jikookers were Jimin’s favorite part of the fandom because of how deeply they supported Jimin and Jeongguk’s bond, even though they had never validated the romantic connection.

Being in Japan made them feel free; like they didn’t have to hide anything from the people who understood them so well. To both Jimin and Jeongguk it felt as if the entire country of Japan had been in on the secret from the very beginning; from the first moment the two landed in Tokyo in 2017. 

From that very moment, the city embraced them, keeping their confidence, not divulging a word about what they had witnessed. And the people of Japan had witnessed a lot during that time because it was the first time that Jimin and Jeongguk had traveled as a couple. They were seen kissing in the bakery, holding hands during the long walk through Disneyland, embracing to watch the fireworks and buying matching rings to celebrate their official status as boyfriends. Every single moment Jimin and Jeongguk spent together during their 2017 trip shouted the truth about their relationship, making it very clear that they were long past the friend stage. 

And the fans embraced it all. It seemed as if the people of Japan instinctively knew that the couple was in love even before they did. Tokyo was magic. And being there again gave them the chance to make more lasting memories that they would carry forever.

Mr. Lee led them through a detour that emptied onto a side entrance where their black SUV was waiting. But - there was no driver. 

“Damnit! Where’s the driver?” Mr. Lee was not pleased. He did a quick walk around the vehicle, assuming that the driver was someplace nearby - but he wasn’t. 

Jimin and Jeongguk stood patiently waiting by the car. The longer they were exposed, the greater the chance of fans gathering around them. It was a dangerous situation, one they had never encountered before. They needed to get out of there. Mr. Lee gestured for Jimin and Jeongguk to climb into the car while he called headquarters to figure out where the driver had disappeared to. Mr. Lee paced up and down the sidewalk, fussing at the person on the other line as Jimin and Jeongguk continued to wait..

Jimin looked around, gathering his surroundings. He stopped; his expression was reflective, as if he had just seen a ghost. 

“What? What is it? Something wrong?” Jeongguk asked? Protectively he stood in front of Jimin, worried that some of the fans had found them.

“You kissed me. Right here in this very spot, you kissed me. It was October 29th, 2017. Do you remember?”

“I sure do. I totally went for it. My proudest moment,” Jeongguk laughed. “But what made you think of that right now?”

“Jeongguk this place is so special. The memories are everywhere, popping through my mind like firecrackers.” 

“I remember when your dad and my brother drove us to the airport. They knew Jimin. They knew that we were falling in love and they knew that nothing would ever be the same when we returned from that trip. Yet, they supported us anyway.”

“Our family has always been there. Even our dads have become best friends. Karma loves us,” Jimin nodded.

Jeongguk agreed. He thought back to that special day and how grateful he was for their parent’s acceptance of the relationship. “I know this trip isn’t exactly the same because I have to work for a few hours. But our Tokyo stay is going to be mostly private after the production wraps tomorrow. We’ll have one day alone where we can walk down memory lane and reminisce about the moment when we fell in love. No camera crew, no staff, just me and you.”

“I saw chatter online about fans asking why I came to Tokyo with you when I have no schedule. So many tried to justify it by saying that I must have had to work too. If they only knew…,” Jimin giggled. 

“We’ll make a stop by the Chanel store to make it look as if you had some official business,” Jeongguk remarked. 

The air was cool and brisk, frigid enough for both of them to shiver as they waited for Mr. Lee to return. Jeongguk stepped closer to Jimin, longing to kiss him. Watching Jimin get lost in a state of nostalgia was so endearing that Jeongguk just wanted to touch him, hold him. 

“You look…beautiful. Your blonde hair always makes me horny,” Jeongguk ran his sweater paw through Jimin’s neck length tresses that gathered below his hat.

“I know.” Jimin blew on his frozen fingers. He stood closer to Jeongguk to steal his body heat, “You love it so much that you almost fucked me in a storage room. Shit, it’s cold. Get inside.” 

The mystery of their missing driver continued to be a mystery. Wherever the driver had strayed off to, he couldn’t be too far away. Mercifully the door was unlocked.  Jeongguk opened the door and pulled Jimin into the SUV. From the backseat, they watched the puffs of chilled breath float from Mr. Lee’s mouth as he yelled at someone on the phone.  

“Sejin would go ballistic if he knew about this,” Jimin remarked. “Where is this damn driver? He is going to get so fired when Sejin finds out.”

Jeongguk laughed, “Yep. Poor guy. Probably just had to pee or something.” As patient as Jeongguk was, he was growing tired of waiting. He had other things on his mind. “I need you to know that it is incredibly difficult for me to keep my hands off of you right now. I’m showing the restraint of a Priest.”

“I couldn’t even run to hug you when I saw you walking through the gate. I’ve missed you so much.” Jimin said with a surprising degree of frustration.  

“I want to have just a few hours alone before my schedule begins.”

“What time does your video shoot for Hate You begin tomorrow?”  

“Five in the morning. We only have one day to get all of the footage we need before you and I leave for Sapporo. It’s going to be partially animated, but they still need shots of me. We’re filming right there in the hotel.”

“So the video crew is already here?”

“Not all of them, but most. We’re going to be surrounded by video staff in just a few hours.”

Jimin continued to watch Mr. Lee through the window, “But we’re alone…right now,” he said cryptically.

“What do you mean by that?”

“I mean…we need to take advantage of every moment that we have to ourselves, starting now. The keys to this car are right there on the dashboard. We know how to get to the hotel. Why do we need an escort when we have the sexy Jeon Jeongguk, International Driver, at our disposal?”

Jeongguk began to laugh, “I love the way your brain works.”

Mr. Lee had his back to the car. He was still yapping away at someone on the other line. Jeongguk and Jimin took the chance to jump into the front seat. 

“Let’s get out of here,” Jimin said quickly as he pulled his seatbelt over his chest.

“What about our luggage?”

“Trust me, Mr. Lee will make sure that it arrives,” Jimin explained.

They both snickered as Jeongguk started the car. Jimin immediately fiddled with the heat. The growl of the engine caused Mr. Lee to turn around. He expected to see their assigned driver at the wheel, but instead he saw… “Jeongguk!”

Jimin rolled down the window as Jeongguk pulled away from the curb, “Don’t worry about us. We know our way to the hotel. Byeeeeee!”

There was a slight slipping and skidding of the tires as Jeongguk hit the gas. Mr. Lee had no time to say anything. Before he could even process what had happened, they were gone.

 

Jeongguk could drive anywhere, any country, on any side of the road. He was especially adept at driving in Japan. Leaving the rest of their crew behind and driving the one hour route to the hotel was their best idea. After not seeing each other since Jeongguk’s release party, the time alone was important.

The drive was full of their excited conversation. They had so much to share about their individual work experiences; things that just couldn’t be conveyed over phone or via text. With both of their albums still climbing up the charts, they ironically shared the intimate details of two parallel solo careers. After ten years in the same band, it was strange to find themselves in friendly competition. As they spoke about their awards, they shared a strong sense of pride in each other. There was no jealousy or awkwardness, just a natural conversation anchored by love.

Part of the curse of being in love was that every substantial moment needed to be shared. The flush of skin, the gentle smiles, the flashing of eyes with encouraging glances, the rubbing of soft fingertips; it was all part of the journey of two lovers who bared their souls along the tight winding roads of Tokyo.  

Jeongguk had settled into his promotions and with the exception of two more videos to film and the closing of his documentary, he was almost done with his hectic work schedule. Jimin was on the tail end of his new promotion as well.  He carefully recounted every single moment of how he had spent his time while he and Jeongguk were apart. But there was something more that Jimin needed to tell Jeongguk and he didn’t exactly know how to start the conversation. 

“I have a confession to make,” Jimin blurted out. “But hear me out and let me explain.”

“Confession? Oh Jimin, I don’t like the way this sounds. What happened?” Jeongguk braced himself for the worst. With the two of them spending so much time apart, he felt somewhat insecure about all of the other men that Jimin was spending time with. He wondered if that was what Jimin needed to confess about. 

“My new song WHO,  it’s not gender neutral. It’s the only song on the album I didn’t write.”

Jeongguk blew a relieved breath, “Is that what you needed to confess? I already know that. I heard it months ago, remember?”

“That’s not all…,”

Jeongguk interrupted, “I hope you don’t think that bothers me. I mean Jimin, I had a girl in my video and I sang to her for three whole minutes about fucking her seven days a week. If that didn’t bother you, then you singing about looking for your dream girl isn’t going to cause me any heartburn,” Jeongguk laughed.

“No…no you don’t understand. Just let me tell you what happened.”

“Ok…,”

“We worked through the concept of the video and even though we had several female dancers from my crew working lead with me, the song suggests that I don’t really have anyone in particular. I know it’s just a song, but the way I’ve been feeling about you lately, it was really hard to keep saying that over and over. But I dealt with it and moved on. Until…the shooting of the video when the director decided to drop a photo of a woman at a pivotal scene.”

“A woman? Really? Who?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Yeah, it kind of does.” Jeongguk refused to allow Jimin to gloss over that part, “Is it one of the women you’re rumored to be sleeping with?” Jeongguk asked cautiously.

“Yeah…but Jeonggukie…I - I objected to that decision. The plan was to do some post production digital editing to add a face. In fact, I went directly to the technical director and told them that I would not allow them to drop some random woman’s face in the middle of my video. It just felt hurtful. I didn’t want you to see that. We’ve been apart for so long and I didn’t want you to get the wrong idea.”

“It’s just a video. It’s work. I’m not insecure,” Secretly Jeongguk was relieved that Jimin had put his foot down and insisted that they not use a woman’s face in his video. Even though it was at great risk to his project. 

“The director didn’t agree. They felt that the scene was critically important to the overall video so…I couldn’t exclude it. We had to insert an image there or the entire video would be scrapped.”

“So what did you do?”

“Don’t be angry.”

“Why would I get angry over…oh JIMIN YOU DIDN’T?”

“I did. Remember that close up pic from your first CK shoot. The one that focuses on your big beautiful eyes? Well, I used that photo.”

“Jimin you didn’t! You have to change that. You have to remove it. There is no hetero explanation that you could give to explain why you used my image in a video where you’re searching for your true love. This is the equivalent to a blanket admission. This is exactly the kind of stuff that Joonie asked us not to do.”

“I can’t remove it. It’s too late.”

“Did this get back to management? Did they actually allow you to do this?”

“I’m Park Jimin. Me, you and our five brothers built that company. They can’t override my creative decision. Besides, it’s too late. The video has been cut and edited. It premiers in a few weeks. It’s just a quick shot of your eyes. Only a few people will be able to figure out it’s you.”

“Are you delusional? Everyone will know it’s me. Do you not understand how obsessed our fans are with our every move? They even know which side my dick hangs on. Trust me, they will know that’s my face.” Jeongguk couldn’t believe that Jimin had taken such a risk.

He pressed his foot hard against the gas. Hearing about Jimin’s stunt made him nervous, and he drove too fast whenever he was nervous. “You’re the one who says we always have to be careful. You’re the one who begged me not to tell anyone. You’re the one who said this had to be a secret forever. You’re the one. YOU! And now you go and do this? We’re about to enter the fucking military in three weeks. I cannot be the ONE YOUR HEART’S WAITING FOR!” Jeongguk raised his voice.

“One of the benefits of doing this show was to increase our chances of being chosen for the buddy system. The entire world gets a front row seat to our relationship and how close we are. Me flashing your face in my video just feeds into the narrative. As far as everyone else is concerned, we’re just best friends. No one, other than those rabid Jikookers, are even going to think twice about it.”

“I don’t care if you have a female lead in a video. I had one,” Jeongguk stated one more time for the record to make sure that Jimin understood that he wasn’t jealous.

“Ok, more confession time,” Jimin lowered his head.

“Now what?” Jeongguk took his eyes off of the road and glared at Jimin briefly.

“I hated Han So-Hee and Pasha Rulia being your videos. I hated seeing you with a female lead.”

“Jimin, you’re being ridiculous.”

“I know it. I absolutely know it. I know they mean nothing to you. I know that it was just work. But I wanted to smack both of them. See, this is exactly what I knew would happen when we started sleeping together. I am so irrationally jealous.”

“JEALOUS? You’re the Park Jimin. Do you know how many women would be jealous of me if they knew that I was fucking you?”

Jimin laughed. “I know. It’s selfish but I want you all to myself. It’s another reason that it was so hard for me to see you go. A small part of me worried that you might actually see something in one of those women.”

“Why didn’t you tell me this sooner? We could have talked about it. And why would you be jealous of anyone?”

 “It’s irrational. I’ve never felt this way before - NEVER. It’s all because of the sex. It’s hard to explain…you see…when people look at me, they accept me as genderless and fluid. If they were to find out that I was gay, I don’t think it would surprise anyone. But you…you are the sexy tough guy. The tattooed college fuckboy that every girl wants. When you have a female lead in your video, it sends a different message. It’s like…validating your heterosexuality. It’s not fair to you but it’s the image you have. At least that’s the narrative that’s always pushed by fans. I’m already having a hard time with keeping our secret, but sleeping with you just makes me feel so possessive and yes…jealous.”

“Dick is all yours bro,” Jeongguk teased. “I’m gay too…so there’s that.”

Jimin slapped him on the arm, “I know that! But I’m so into you that I can’t even stand the idea of someone fantasizing about you.”

“You’ve always been possessive. Let’s just be honest. From day one, you claimed me. Don’t blame it on the sex.”

“Ok…well the sex made it more intense,” Jimin added.

“You’re my first and my last. So calm down. No girly is ever going to take what belongs to you.”

“Anyway, having that girl’s face drop in my video just…didn’t sit right with me. I put my heart and soul into writing that album. I was very careful to use neutral pronouns. The one song that mentions a woman could have derailed the entire statement that I was trying to make. I know that I can’t come right out and say how I feel, but giving small hints…keeps me sane. I know what this relationship is and I know what we can and can’t do. I know that I have given you a hard time about keeping everything secret. It was important to make this small statement,” Jimin said concretely.

Jeongguk wasn’t upset, but he was confused. They drove for another ten minutes in absolute silence as Jeongguk pondered how the fandom would react to his face being in Jimin’s solo project. What would the other members say? Jimin had promised Namjoon that they weren’t soft launching, yet they were acting bolder and bolder by the day.

It was too quiet, so Jimin tried again to reassure Jeongguk that it was ok. “Everyone loved it when we did the duet for Letter. They’ll love this too. If anyone addresses it directly, we’ll just deny everything,” Jimin tried to help Jeongguk reconcile his feelings. “There are ten-thousand different people those eyes could belong to. Don’t worry, ok? I’m sorry I didn’t discuss it with you first, but you were traveling and so busy. The decision had to be made quickly. Please forgive me.”

Jeongguk suddenly beamed, “Am I really the one your heart is waiting for?”

“Yes. You’re my WHO. It was a statement, not a question. That’s why the flashing of your face was so aptly timed. You’re exactly what my heart has been waiting for. You’ve filled it for seven years.”

Jeongguk glanced over at Jimin. He looked so small and innocent sitting in the passenger’s seat beside him. There was no way he could be angry with him. In fact, he had never been more honored in his life. 

Jeongguk lifted Jimin’s hand to his lips and kissed the back of Jimin’s knuckles, “I could never be angry with you.”

***

Somehow, by the time they made it to the hotel, Mr. Lee and all of their luggage was already there waiting for them in the lobby. Neither of them bothered to ask how he had gotten there so quickly. They summed it up to something they called Lee magic. 

He led them up to their room inside of the Remm Hotel. As homage to their first trip in 2017, they decided to stay in the same place. This time they rented the suites on the top floor.

Even though their trip to Tokyo was confidential, and they had not revealed their accommodations, several bodyguards were posted on their floor as a precaution. No matter how private they tried to be, the fans always found them. 

 

Jimin emerged from the shower to find Jeongguk standing on the balcony in his pajamas. He was staring out over the lights of Tokyo, shivering in the cold. A large camera was in his hand and he appeared to also be filming. Jimin crept up quietly behind him.

“What’s with the camera? I thought we…,” upon closer inspection, Jimin realized that it wasn’t a company camera, it was Jeongguk’s own personal equipment.

“Filming a little B-roll.”

Jimin’s faced immediately flashed into a smile, “B-roll…as in GCF?”

“GCF Tokyo, part two. Smile,” Jeongguk said as he swung the camera in Jimin’s direction.

“You’re making another one? Just after our sixth year anniversary. Oh Koo Koo, how sentimental.”

“Our love is different now than it was back then. Much more intense, much more beautiful. I can’t let this moment pass without capturing the new us. How we are today.”

“My God that’s romantic. You’re so easy to love.” Jimin posed for the camera and did his signature silly move so that Jeongguk could capture it on film.

“But as lovely as this is, can you film B-roll tomorrow? I don’t want you to catch a cold. Come inside. It’s freezing out here.” Jimin grabbed his hand.

“In a minute. Don’t you just love it here?”

“I do. Other than home, it’s one of my favorite places in the world.”

“Do you think…when it’s all over…we can live here? Together?”

“And leave Korea?” Jimin questioned.

Jeongguk laughed sarcastically, “By the time Korea finds out who we really are, I doubt they’ll want us around anymore. When the world finds out we’re dating, we’re going to be shunned. So many people will feel betrayed and led astray”

“Don’t say that. Times are changing and queer people are taking a stand. I don’t know what the future holds for gays in Korea, but we have to live our truth. We can be part of the movement too - when it’s our time.” Jimin hated that phrase but it was the reality. The success of their reveal was all about the right timing.

Jeongguk pulled Jimin into a hug, forcing him to stand on the chilly balcony with him. They peered up at the stars, “Is there a chance that it may never be our time?”

“That’s up to us I suppose. At some point, we’ll need to put ourselves first and not everyone else,” Jimin said wisely.

“I just hope that we can survive that long. I’m worried about military service and how we’ll keep our true feelings hidden.”

“We’ve had years of practice. I’m sure we’ll be fine. We’ll help each other.”

“You make everything sound so simple. It’s not that simple, Jimin. It’s not. I’ve seen video of myself. Staring at you as if you hung the moon. Never even realizing how obvious I was being. I don’t have control of my feelings when it comes to you. I don’t have control over my reactions.”

“Yes, you do. You’re much more controlled than you think. Koo Koo, half the fandom thinks you hate me and you’re in love with Tae. Even though you’re up my ass regularly giving me orgasms, they think you’re dating someone else. I call that pretty convincing acting. Sometimes you slip, we both do. But it’s not enough to give us away…not while so much is at stake in the military. We have to be strong. That’s all there is to it.”

Jeongguk countered, “And what about sex? Under those warm summer nights in the forest, when we’re patrolling under the stars and your beautiful skin is glowing in the moonlight…how am I supposed to keep my hands off of you?”

“I’m sure that my buzzed head won’t be sexy,” Jimin laughed.

“Everything about you is sexy. Everything.” Jeongguk admired Jimin’s blonde hair. He ran his fingers through it, frizzing it at the top.

Jimin didn’t have an answer for him. He understood Jeongguk’s concern. It was one of the reasons he was suffering depression over their enlistment. They both wondered openly if serving together was a good idea.  Of course they would try to hide their relationship behind a wall of just being “buddies” but could they really pull it off? It was an unknown variable in their otherwise carefully derived plan. But joining as buddies was their only choice because being apart for 18 months would be akin to death. They just didn’t have the heart to separate again, not now, not ever.

“Come inside.” Jimin pulled Jeongguk hard by the hand and swiftly closed the door to the balcony. “You need rest. It’s almost eleven. You have to be up and ready for make-up and hair by 4:30am.”

“We promised Namjoon we would tone it down. So are we sharing separate beds when we get to Sapporo?”

Jimin grinned, “Yes. I’ve already requested that we be given two bedrooms or two separate beds. That brings me to another point. With so much scrutiny about the last filming being in overly gay-friendly Sapporo, we have to be extra careful. What I’m trying to say is…when we get there, we can’t have sex.”

“What the fuck? Really? Not even once?”

“Not saying we can’t find off-camera ways to fool around. But I think a fully fledged up-the-ass session is out of the question. But on camera, we have to look platonic, overcompensate for the fact that we’re in such a special place. Jimin climbed onto Jeongguk’s lap and straddled him.

“So this is our only time to cuddle while we’re in Japan?”

“And by cuddle you mean…?”

“Fuck until we see stars,” Jeongguk clarified.

“Well it is our anniversary month. That’s the best time of all to uh…cuddle,” Jimin suggested.

Jeongguk pulled Jimin to the bed. With the softest touch of his lips, he kissed the strong angular jawbone of the elder’s chin. Gradually he slid his wet tongue up to his mouth. There he planted several soft kisses in succession, barely allowing Jimin to breathe. “I think I want to…cuddle…right now. Can you take me? How’s your body feeling?” He asked with great concern.

Jimin could feel Jeongguk’s hands roaming inside the rear of his pajama pants. He released a heavy sigh when he felt two of Jeongguk’s long fingers push into him. 

“Oh…shit,” Jimin gasped. He squirmed as his body adjusted to the intrusion.

“Oh my baby likes that?” The younger one questioned.

“Yeah, yeah I-I…do.” Jimin closed his eyes, rotating his hips in time with Jeongguk’s finger massage. Their warm thighs stuck together as Jimin grinded in his lap.

Without disturbing Jimin’s moment, Jeongguk reached over to his toiletry bag on the nightstand and pulled out their favorite lube. “One second, let me take care of you,” he smirked as he rubbed the lube all over his fingers. With much more force than necessary, he pulled Jimin’s pajama pants off and threw them across the bed, leaving Jimin straddling him naked in his lap. “Wrap your arms around me. Hold on tight, don’t let go.” Jeongguk could feel his baby melting in his lap. 

With his left hand, he pushed a swath of hair from Jimin’s forehead, leaving the perfect canvas for kisses. Once again he assaulted Jimin’s ass with his long oily fingers. 

Amidst a flurry of satisfied moans, Jimin’s body went pliant. He draped over Jeongguk, holding onto him as he’d promised, but barely able to speak as his young boyfriend finger fucked him. 

“Is that good? Am I doing it right?” Jeongguk said innocently as he covered Jimin’s face with his thin lips. 

Jimin began to bounce gently, controlling the pace. He wasn’t interested in feeding Jeongguk’s ego by telling him how much he loved it. He was too focused on what was happening to his own body. His cock sprang upward between their two stomachs as he continued to fuck Jeongguk’s fingers. 

“You make me so happy,” Jimin whispered back as he playfully bit around the rim of his boyfriend’s ear.

“Take me.” the younger whispered into his neck.

Jimin continued to gyrate in his boyfriend’s lap with his legs bent and his naked chest pressed against Jeongguk’s bare one. His eyes closed and then opened, bringing into view the beautiful skyline of Tokyo. He stared over Jeongguk’s shoulder through the balcony window, eyes wandering over the landscape. He was almost blinded by the brilliant moon. The bustling city sparkled just beneath the spot where the moon hung causing his eyes to flutter back and forth between the buildings. 

Several airplanes flew by quietly, strobe lights flashing on and off. He watched their silhouette as they flew before the moon. Frost gathered on the window, doubling his appreciation for the warmth emanating from the man he held in his arms. He felt invincible, boundlessly safe. 

Just as another airplane passed, Jimin felt pressure nudging against him. The skeletal fingers had been replaced with the endless surge of his boyfriend’s dick.  Jeongguk breached him gracefully, pushing oily slick down Jimin’s thigh. 

Suddenly Jimin’s vision lapsed. The view over Jeongguk’s shoulder grew blurry as he was pulled back into the moment. He bit down hard on Jeongguk’s shoulder as the cock ran through him, slipping and sliding. Throbs of heat beat inside of his groin, causing him to shiver. The movement of Jeongguk’s hips was rhythmic, pumping over and over through Jimin’s tight- rimmed tunnel. Yet the young one was incredibly gentle, reaching maximum penetration with almost no resistance. Jimin could feel the diurnal sensitivity that was at the root of Jeongguk’s character. It governed everything about him, including his fucking. Jimin adored his delicate love making - when he chose to share that side of himself. 

The position wasn’t giving Jeongguk what he needed. So he allowed his oily, wet cock to slip free while he twisted Jimin around and laid him on the bed, on his back. Once he had him secured, he entered him again, watching greedily as his cock surged through his hyung’s stomach. The stalwart pace of his gentle fucking resumed.

Jimin looked up at the dark image and broad shoulders that loomed over him. Without realizing it, he rolled his hips forward and whined for him.

“Harder. Harder baby, please?”

 He was ravenous for his boyfriend’s cock and couldn’t get enough of it. Eyes clenched shut, his body reeled from each powerful thrust. He didn’t want to cum first. He didn’t. For once he wanted to hang on until the very end, fully cognizant as he experienced Jeongguk’s pleasure. But the pools of heat burned like fiery coals, starting in his stomach, extending to his thighs and then puddling in his groin. His climax was just beneath the surface, pitching up every time he heard the loud clap of their bodies.

“Pull out,” he screamed, just in time to avert a very messy orgasm.

Jeongguk snickered, laughing into Jimin’s mouth as they kissed. “Yes, sir.” He backed his hips away, pulling his cock from the hot warmth of Jimin’s ass. He focused on a few passionate kisses. He understood perfectly well what Jimin wanted and why. “I’ll slow down.”

“It’s so good, so fucking good. I want to go all night, but it’s too good,” Jimin whined between kisses. 

“You’re so cute. Jiminie, I belong to you. You can cum now, and then again later. And then again after that and then again. I love you, I’ll give you anything you want.”

“I can’t live without you.”

“You don’t have to.” Jeongguk stared into Jimin’s eyes, watching his facial expression as he entered him again. 

Once again Jimin uttered, “It’s so fucking good.”  

He moved his head from side to side, bristling his hair along the cool sheets. Immediately his stomach clenched and his legs shook. His cock was trapped under Jeongguk’s body as the younger one laid on top of him pumping him full of cum. 

Jimin released one final moan before going quiet. The orgasm was so intense that it left him speechless. Simultaneously, Jeongguk released as well. Their bodies were learning each other, vibing and reacting like the Yin and Yang they were destined to be.

Both were tired. Before Jeongguk could withdraw, he fell asleep on Jimin’s chest. Jimin loved the feeling of Jeongguk’s once hard cock, growing soft inside of him. He lay there stroking Jeongguks’s hair and rubbing his back until he felt the younger’s sweet cock wilt away, leaving a velvety edge of his seed that leaked from Jimin’s body.  

In the quiet of the Tokyo night he grasped him even more firmly and whispered his powerful words, “I love you.”

***

Jeongguk’s head drooped into his chin as he nodded off to sleep in the stylist’s chair. Despite him sleeping, his stylist noona managed to trim his hair, curl it and finish his make-up. Even though Jimin had tried to convince him to sleep, their lovemaking severely cut into Jeongguk’s peaceful rest. Naps were needed just to keep upright.

Even though Jimin didn’t have to, he arose early that day to accompany Jeongguk to the shoot. He sat in the corner across the room, face buried in his phone. It was amusing to him to watch as the stylists transformed Jeongguk from Jimin’s sweet and delicate baby bun into JK, the chart topping solo artist with the voice of honey. Jeongguk was many things to many people, but to Jimin, he was his everything. Jimin remained in the background, behind the staff, ever respectful of his boyfriend’s work. 

Footage of Jeongguk overlooking the skyline of Tokyo was scheduled as the first shoot of the day.  The hotel room just above theirs had been booked for the mv shoot, making it convenient for everyone. The shoot began right on time because the rising of the sun dictated how quickly they needed to move. The music began. 

And then they moved on to what would be the opening scene of Jeongguk sitting on the bed in the hotel room. He acted the part perfectly, appearing sufficiently broken-hearted over a failed love affair. Jimin could sense that Jeongguk was thinking through the desperation of a break up and leveraging the misery to act out the role. It seemed that both of them harbored the same fear, losing each other.

The elder brimmed with pride. His boyfriend was so handsome and a great actor too. Hate You was Jimin’s favorite song on the album, not just because of the lyrics, but because of the way Jeongguk delivered it. His vocals were pure, his pronunciation was impeccable. There was true emotion in every line. Jimin very much appreciated the artistry of it all. The song was played over and over for different shots and different scenes. And it was that repetitive nature that slowly transitioned Jimin’s mood.

The cryptically sad lyrics began to burrow into Jimin’s brain. He was already feeling emotionally vulnerable because of everything going on. Watching the love of his life depict such a horrifically sad end to a relationship that seemed perfect, struck a nerve with Jimin. Jeongguk didn’t write the song, the lyrics had nothing to do with their real life love affair, yet every word stung with realism - like  a predicted end to a perfect beginning. 

Less than two hours into the filming, Jimin concluded that he had made a mistake by being there. Tears began to stream down his face, forcing him to realize his fears. His fears couldn’t be pin-pointed because there were so many of them, but paramount amongst them was the unknown of how their lives would be changed with enlistment. What would the future of BTS be after their solo careers? Would everyone feel the same about reconvening after serving apart for two years? They had made a promise to always stay together, but would they? So many times they had come so close to breaking up the group. Would those old desires for freedom resurface for the members? And what about the fandom that had suffered so much during solo era? Could the fractured fandom be healed? 

And then his mind shifted to the fear that gripped him the most - would he and Jeongguk eventually be forced apart? Tolerance for their trist was already in limited supply. At what point would the company or the members force them to end it?  Could their fairytale love affair really stand the test of time? Could there come a day when Jeongguk sang those lyrics to him, about him? Would a day come where Jeongguk actually hated him? 

Jimin found himself trembling, overcome by sadness and anxiety. He couldn’t stand another second of listening. Without making a sound, he slid towards the door and rushed out. He raced down the hall, anxious to get away from the echo of the music. He needed a moment to compose himself and talk himself off of the ledge of emotional despair.  Too many thoughts in his head made everything seem worse than it actually was.

He stopped at the end of the hallway and sat on the floor. He could still hear the booming of the speakers as the filming continued. He sat there with his head down, arms wrapped around his knees. Since when had he become the emotional one? That designation was owned by Jeongguk. Jimin was always the rock, the therapist, the one who fixed the world’s problems. Never had he been the one who crumbled under the world’s problems. But the transition he was undergoing was life changing; there was no playbook on how to handle it.

The music stopped but Jimin barely noticed. He was too pensive in his thoughts. Out of nowhere he felt a light finger-brushing of his hair. He looked up. Of course it was Jeongguk. Of course it was. 

“I saw you run away. Thought I would come and check on you,” Jeongguk said sweetly as he slid to the ground next to Jimin.

“You’re supposed to be working. I’m fine. Just needed some fresh air.”

“I told them I needed to take a break. Jiminie, you know that song isn’t about you.”

“Of course it isn’t. I know that.” Jimin said defensively.

“Do you? Sure about that?” Jeongguk laughed a soft giggle.

Jimin wiped his nose on his sleeve and looked away. He didn’t want Jeongguk to know just how accurate he was with his assessment.

“Let’s go over some key facts that I think you need to consider. One. I can never hate you. Never. Souls that are destined to be together can never hate each other. It’s not how destiny works.”

“Here we go with the destiny talk again,” Jimin said facetiously. 

“Damn right. We are destined, Park Jimin, which means that all of the bullshit that is swirling around in your head right now, is just noise. Your worst case scenario will never happen. Do you realize how lucky we are to have our buddy enlistment approved? That was destiny. Do you know how lucky the seven of us were to be put together as a team? Destiny.”

“I’ll admit that I’m drowning in my own thoughts and it isn’t healthy.”

“Want me to take you downstairs and strip you naked? You can ride me like a bucking rodeo bull and work out all of your frustrations.”

“Yes. I want that very much,” Jimin laughed a loud giggling laugh, “but not right now because you have a video to film. Get out of here.”

“Video? Oh, I almost forgot about that,” Jeongguk teased. He popped up and then pulled Jimin to his feet. “A few more hours and I’ll be all yours. We’re going to the city to eat and see a movie and have a great time in Tokyo. Then, I’m taking you to the snow. We’re going to do all of the things and then cuddle in our cozy cabin and make love. In the meantime, here take this,” Jeongguk reached into his pocket and gave Jimin his credit card. “Go shopping. My treat. I’m rich, I can do these things.”

“You’re going to take every single receipt and expense it back to the company, aren’t you?”

“Of course I am. How else will I continue to stay rich?” Jeongguk laughed. He gave Jimin an innocent kiss on the cheek and then jogged back to the room to continue filming. 

And just like that Jimin felt whole again. His boyfriend’s overly simplified version of their reality was the one that Jimin chose to embrace. He smiled at the black matte credit card in his hand. Maybe shopping was a good idea. 

***

Jeongguk meant every word. As soon as the shoot was over, he and Jimin went on a date. Camera in tow, he filmed every second of their time roaming around Tokyo. Jimin blushed behind the camera, looking as resplendent as a human being could appear. Jeongguk attempted to recreate almost every one of their famous pics from 2017. They went to the same restaurants, walked the same path and kissed the same kisses. They also made love, something they never dared to do back in 2017 when they first became official.

The two private days in Tokyo remained a mystery to the fandom. With the exception of a couple of pictures that Jimin posted, no one knew the full reasoning behind their trip because nothing done in Tokyo was ever made public.

As they rushed through the airport, destined for their flight to Sapporo, Jimin spoke casually, despite the heard of screaming fans, “I think you got some really great footage. Are you going to release this as GCFT part II?”

“No. This is our private diary. Our celebration of seven wonderful years. For now anyway, I want to keep it just between us. The travel show is our gift for the fans, but the GCFT part II, is ours,”  Jeongguk advised.

Once we land in Sapporo, we’ll be on camera again. We’re going to have to find a way to not look like a couple in love,” Jimin advised.

“That’s pretty much impossible, but we’ll do our best,” Jeongguk grimaced.

***