The two showered and cooked dinner, leaving their scalding hot jacuzzi behind. They cozied up on the couch with glasses of vintage whisky and dedicated themselves to filming as much friendly content as possible for their last night. 

The film crew were invited over to have a few drinks and eat dinner. To everyone’s surprise, the on-site producer offered a special episodic preview for Jimin and Jeongguk. He arrived with ready-to-watch episodes of Are You Sure that had already been completed. The footage from the U.S. and Jeju was ready to air. At Jimin’s request, each episode had been put through additional scrutiny by senior staff members. It was a promise that he’d made to Namjoon, bringing in neutral perspectives that could flush out problematic content. And the senior editors delivered because what started as tens of hours and days and days of footage had artfully been sanitized and edited down to only six. 

It was Jimin and Jeongguk’s first time viewing the finished product. Jimin was admittedly nervous. Based on Namjoon’s preview and subsequent freak-out, he could only imagine what kind of blatantly romantic dalliances were going to jump out from the screen. With their glasses of whisky in hand, they watched; nervously holding hands beneath the pillow whenever a potentially revealing scene came on. But to their surprise, much of the damaging footage really had been removed. 

What was left was a true tale of two friends - best friends - enjoying each other effortlessly. The undertones were still there and some of that couldn’t be helped, but the overall message of the show was wholesome and healing. The two of them were magnetic on screen as well as funny and entertaining. Jimin released a relieved breath. 

After viewing the entire series, minus the Sapparo footage, the two of them gratefully applauded the work of the crew. They hugged them all and wished them goodnight. It was the last time they would see many of them for the next eighteen months because most of them were flying home that evening. It was a somber but sweet goodbye. The staff left them alone after agreeing to turn off all of the cameras for the evening. Filming would resume the following day as the traveled back to the airport. 

***

The two boyfriends returned to the kitchen to talk, reflect. “We’re not out of the woods yet. It’s the Sapparo stuff that I’m really worried about,” Jimin confessed to Jeongguk.

“Jimin - so many staff members are going to know the truth after this is over. They’re going to know that we’re in love. The stuff they’re going to see when they’re editing will be a real awakening about our true relationship. I mean we can edit all of the stuff on our personal handhelds, but some of the other stuff…,”

“...like the jacuzzi? Like when we disappeared into the bathroom together? Like the bottles of lube that I had to hide?”

“Exactly that. We better have iron clad NDA’s with all of them. They’re going to know all of our secrets by the time this is all over.”

“KooKooSan, they already do. They’ve known for years. They are our most trusted allies and always have been. Don’t worry about that. Leaks won’t come from them, they practically raised us and we’re family. Look how well they’ve protected us for all of these years. Trust them.”

“Yes, I hope so.”

“The one thing that keeps me up at night is knowing that someone tried to set us up. Someone inside of our own camp - and it’s not the staff.” Jimin wrung his hands. 

“I’ve thought about that alot and I have a different opinion. Just hear me out.”

“Ok, I’m listening.”

Jeongguk continued, “Maybe we need to change our perspective. Within days, our lives are going to change. What if war breaks out during our enlistment period? What if we experience things that change how we view each other? What if - we fight or bicker constantly. The bottom line is that we have no idea what enlistment is going to do to us or our relationship. We think we know - but no one really has a crystal ball. What we are about to do with the buddy enlistment is unprecedented, it’s never been done before. What if someone from the outside looking in, is worried about those same things and loves us enough to make this time truly special because our future is unknown? Think about it, Jiminie. Were we really set up or were we given the best time of our lives, no expense spared? There are two ways to look at this.”

Jimin felt his heart melt. Jeongguk’s innocent view of the world was so refreshing. It was truly why he loved him, “To live in your world…is truly a blessing. Everything you’re saying is possible. But…we won’t know the motive until we know who did it. We still need to get to the bottom of this.”

“Any word from Sejin?”

“Still nothing. I’ll call again later today. But Koo Koo, there is one thing that gives me hope. The editing is really incredible. After seeing what they can do, I have no doubt that we’ll be ok. The extra layer of protection from the senior editors really changed everything. I feel hopeful that they’ll be able to do the same thing with Sapporo episodes…even that moment with me jerking you off in the hot tub. I shouldn’t have done that by the way,” Jimin dipped his head in embarrassment, “I don’t know what came over me.”

“I loved every moment of it…but I was surprised that you were willing to take such a bold risk after only minutes earlier admitting to how worried you were about what we were feeding the cameras. You’ve been hard to read lately. I can’t always tell what you want…what you need,” Jeongguk said lovingly.

“If it seems like I’m all over the place - it’s because I am. I’m torn between savoring our last few days, doing whatever the fuck we want to do and protecting our image and the innocents around us. That thing in the hot tub…I just wanted to be close to you, pleasure you, turn you on. And now here I sit with regret again, wondering if I crossed the line, dishonoring my promise to Joonie.” Jimin rested his face in his hands.

“You didn’t cross the line. And can you please stop internalizing everything? I’m not a kid, I’m your partner and I allowed that to happen because I wanted it. I wanted to feel you all over me. Cameras or no cameras.”

“You’re so kind to me. You never allow me to self-destruct,” Jimin laughed. 

“Because kindness is probably the most important thing that I learned…from you.”

Jimin didn’t feel much like talking. He was starting to feel that heavy burdensome weight again. That tinge of depression and emotional upheaval. He still had not come to terms with enlistment. Finding the courage to face it was difficult. Not to mention that it was the end of their trip and he was greatly going to miss his private time with Jeongguk. Once again, the uncertainty of their future haunted him. He didn’t want to bring Jeongguk’s spirits down, so he opted for the safe choice.

“Let’s go to bed. We can get up early tomorrow and pack. There’s a three hour drive to the airport.”

“Since the crew took down all of the cameras, I guess it’s ok for us to sleep together in the same room, same bed?”

Jimin held his hand forward for Jeongguk to grab it. Together, they climbed the steps to the upper bedroom.

***

Jimin was stirred from his sleep by a horrific nightmare. The screams that escaped him startled Jeongguk awake, causing him to spring from the bed with a fight or flight impulse. He looked around the room for several minutes before realizing the screams were coming from a semi-conscious Jimin. Immediately, he fell to his side and gently tried to wake him.

“It’s a dream baby, it’s just a dream. Wake up, please. Wake up. It’s ok. It’s ok.”

Jimin’s eyes burst open. He was wild and frenzied, heart thundering in his chest. He was screaming Jeongguk’s name. Clamoring at his chest, begging him not to die.

“Die? No, no baby I’m not dying. I’m not dying. I’m right here, standing next to you. I’m right here.”

Even after laying eyes on Jeongguk and getting confirmation that he was alive and well, Jimin still screamed. The nightmare had been just that horrific. He threw his body into Jeongguk’s chest and wept loudly, openly.

“Oh thank God. Thank God. It was so real. The dream was so real. I can’t live without you. I can’t. I won’t.” Jimin’s words were jumbled but his fear was real. He wrapped his arms around Jeongguk, squeezing him, holding on to him for dear life.

“Tell me all about it. Tell me what happened,” Jeongguk encouraged.

“No. Never. I will never repeat it, I will never s-s-s-say it aloud.” Jimin was terrified. The raucous confused kiss that followed housed all of his feelings. He grabbed Jeongguk and pushed him hard to the bed.  “I need you. I need you now. Please, please. Show me that you have life. Please Koo Koo, please. I have to have you.” Jimin ripped at his own clothes, revealing his naked body.

The tears that flowed from his eyes were the most devastating that Jeongguk had seen in all of their years together. So much fear, so much anguish, yet he was unable to convince Jimin that it wasn’t real. 

“No, baby we can’t. We promised not to do it here.”

“Please don’t say no,” Jimin screamed again. He was frantic. His eyes were red and swollen.

Jeongguk realized that not giving Jimin what he wanted would be cruel given Jimin’s state of flux. They were sleeping in the bedroom with on cameras and most of the staff had already flown home. He had to make a very quick decision in the midst of Jimin clawing at him, begging him to make love. 

“I can never say no to you. You’ve loved me for most of my life.”

“And mine.” 

He gripped Jimin’s tearful face in his hands, his thumbs skimming the trace of tears beneath his eyes. His gaze was gentle, loving and understanding. His hyung was going through so much. It pained him to see him suffering, to not be able to take the pain away. He pulled Jimin’s head to his and kissed him with life-sustaining pleasure. The intensity of the kisses grew, pushing them to the point of no return.

“We just have to be careful,” Jeongguk warned. 

Jimin knew instinctively what his young lover meant. He didn’t care what the terms were. He just wanted to feel him again. They had gone the entire trip without making love, insistent upon staying true to their promise. But at that very moment, giving in to each other seemed like the only thing to do; the only way to bridge the gap between today and the unknowns of tomorrow. 

Jeongguk undressed with haste, stripping himself until he was completely naked. Their skin laid bare, colliding with urgency and rolling about the bed. They moaned each other’s names, whispering proclamations of love as they held hands. 

Jeongguk, true to his word, took his time. He lubed every inch of his hard cock. He held Jimin down by pressing his palm gently against his abdomen while he pushed two overly lubricated fingers into him. He didn’t want him to hurt or sting or have lasting soreness, so his entry had to be delicate. 

Jimin pulled his knees to his chest as he was being worked open. He shut his eyes, titillated by the massage, aroused, pleasured. He could feel his own cock sprouting into a heavy lean against his stomach.

Jeongguk spent an eternity conditioning him, stretching him until he was pliant and ready to receive him. Before he entered him, he caressed Jimin’s cheek with a silky whisper, “How do you feel? Can you take me?”

Jimin simply nodded. He rolled over and then climbed on all fours to present his supple hole, eager for Jeongguk to feed him. His hands crept blindly across the sheets as soon as he felt the pressure push against him. Shaking slightly under his own weight, he inhaled deeply to gather the smells around him. He was especially seduced by the earthy aroma of the man he loved more than anyone else in the world.  

“Sweetheart, you’re so beautiful down there,” Jeongguk groaned.

Jimin was mesmerized by how skillfully his lover took him. He felt almost nothing except the weight of his cock inside of him. With one small buck of his hips, Jeongguk was completely inside, filling him fully. Jimin caught his breath. His hands tangled around the sheets, desperate for stability as he felt the force of his lover’s rocking hips. The glide of Jeongguk’s cock was so satisfying. He’d never felt more loved than when he was being fucked. 

 Jeongguk’s strokes were deliberately slow, lazy and delicious. There was not one errant move. He rotated in and out with varying degrees of depth, increasing the speed in tandem with his breathing. As he always did when he felt he was cumming too soon, he withdrew rapidly, leaving Jimin with a cold emptiness that unsettled him. 

Jimin allowed his lover to go through the motions and do whatever necessary to return to him. He could feel the sweetness of Jeongguk’s soft lips kissing the outline of each of the moons on his back. The younger one briefly buried his face in Jimin’s back as he hitched his hips forward to enter him again. After several more strokes, he stopped once again.

“Ride me,” he begged.

They maneuvered themselves into position. Jimin climbed on top and lowered himself over Jeongguk’s glistening cock. As gingerly as possible, he began to bounce, taking Jeongguk’s dick at his own pace, to his own satisfaction. His eyes remained open and he watched the beautiful facial contortions of his baby bun. He pushed himself all the way down causing Jeongguk’s cock to completely disappear inside of him. He sat there, refusing to move, staring down at the sexy beast that he called his own. 

Jeongguk gripped his waist, not able to speak. The bed violently began to shake in tandem with Jeongguk’s quivers. Being so deeply embedded inside of Jimin’s body was surreal. His orgasm was triggered. The last memory before he exploded was the vision of Jimin’s ethereal beauty floating over him. With his eyes clenched shut, he begged Jimin not to move. 

Jimin touched his stomach. He could feel the tip of Jeongguk’s cock throbbing in his guts. He sat as still as possible, despite his instinct to ride him hard. But there was only so much he could take. Just as Jeongguk exploded inside of him, he began bouncing again, his tight ass siphoning every drop of fluid from his boyfriend’s tip. He fucked him savagely, leaking a mess of cum all over the sheets of the expensive bed.

How quickly their moans became tears when they realized that this may be the last time they made love before enlistment. The reality hit them both hard - mid orgasm before they even had a chance to reconcile their competing emotions. It was over. There was no guarantee of a time or date they would be together again. 

***

The following morning began with Jimin pensive in thought. He arose early and packed for both he and Jeongguk to allow Jeongguk to sleep in a little longer. It was a sad morning for him, one that started and ended in tears. But the tears were for a good reason. They were due, they were needed.

As Jimin sat quietly on the steps of the Jacuzzi, he peered reflectively over the chilly grey sky. His thoughts roamed everywhere from playing cards with his brother and longing for his mother’s stew to sitting with his father in the cafe and talking over a cup of coffee. All of it ran through his mind. In a sense he was mourning his most cherished memories coupled with the people he loved the most; simply because of how much he was going to miss them. Managers, friends, the other members, all of them rested on his mind as well. Life as he knew it was coming to an end, albeit temporarily, an end just the same. Because even after military service, everything would be different. 

He worried about everything. The quality of the food he’d be eating. His weight. His skin. His overall health, especially considering his chronic shoulder injury. He had an Idol life to maintain and his body had to remain in top form. He had to protect his career while protecting his country. He had mixed feelings about the concept of war, fighting, and taking up arms. There were so many morally reprehensible positions taken by the military that stood staunchly opposite his own. How was he going to battle through all of it? How was he going to be a good little soldier? It felt like he was selling a part of his soul.

Would life be better? Worse? Intolerable? Would the wasted years serving his country steal irreplaceable moments of his youth? 

How would he be treated? Would he be bullied, abused, taunted? Or would he be able to make life-long friends just as his hyungs did? Would the name Jimin of BTS get him places or make his life miserable? He didn’t know. And it was the not knowing that made him sick to his stomach.

Time was ticking. December 12th was quickly approaching and there was still so much to do. The list of tasks kept growing: closing out his utility bills, rerouting his mail, giving away his furniture, moving his belongings to storage, even visiting everyone at the office one last time. Again, tears dropped. Again, he felt so unsure.

A quick check of his watch revealed that it was time to go. If they wanted to stop and have a nice lunch before heading to the airport, then they needed to get on the road. The drive back to the airport was a full three hours. He needed to wake Jeongguk and get him sorted. 

There was one source of comfort in his life. One man who sacrificed it all just to be there with him. One man who planned to enter the military four years early to stay with his brothers. The man who lost more of his youth than any other, yet never complained a single day about it. And that man lay snoring soundly in Jimin’s bed. 

“Koo Koo. Wake up honey. Wake up.” Fully clothed, Jimin cuddled behind him and snuggled against his back. Together they lay agglutinated like baby peas in a pod. 

After several comfortable reassuring minutes, Jimin called him again, “Baby, we have a flight to catch. Time to get up.”

Jeongguk rolled to his back and pulled Jimin to his chest. He stroked his hair and kissed the crown of his head. “You ok? How’s your body?” His first concern was always Jimin.

“I’m good. A little sore but nothing compared to the muscle aches I had after we went snowboarding. I’ll be able to do my choreography and everything with no problem. You did good…you felt good.” Jimin smiled. 

“Just good?”

“Ok, incredible. You felt absolutely incredible. And you…how are you feeling? I wasn’t exactly easy on you either.”

“I feel better than I ever have. Thank you for a wonderful night.”

“You’re welcome. Now get dressed. It’s time for us to go. We have a flight to catch,” Jimin gave his boyfriend a sloppy kiss. 

Jeongguk pulled away to take a closer look at Jimin’s face. “You’ve been crying. You always get so melancholy at the end of our vacations.”

“It’s more than that.”

“I know. Trust me…I understand.”

Jimin needed to get a few things off of his chest, “Every single day I thank God that we’ll be serving together. I couldn’t live without you…not for eighteen months.”

“I’m grateful too. Plus…I’m going to be cooking for you. An added bonus. You’ll always know what’s in your food. You’ll know what to eat and what not to eat. You’ll get homemade seaweed stew for your birthday.”

“Good, maybe you can help me keep my weight down by making sure they serve more healthy stuff.”

“I can’t guarantee that, but I’ll definitely give you the dirty little secrets,” Jeongguk laughed. More importantly, he made Jimin laugh. 

Jimin pulled Jeongguk to his feet. He was still naked and mildly bruised from their lovemaking the previous night. Jimin surveyed him, adored him. He wanted him all over again, but time was not their friend. Just as he moved in for a kiss, his text buzzed. 

“Whoa! It’s Sejin. It’s about time. I’ve been trying to contact him for almost three days.”

“Call him, right away. I have to go shower, but I’ll be right back. I need to know what he knows,” Jeongguk disappeared into the bathroom.

Jimin was already dialing. Sejin picked up on the very first ring. “Hey Jimin. Sorry I’ve been out of pocket. My mother was in bad shape. It was a tough few days, but she’s home now and everything is good. What’s this question you have about strange accommodations? I’m hearing from the staff that arrangements were changed at the last minute? What arrangements?”

“Upgrades, bottles of champagne, luxury restaurants, couples suites, honeymoon suites, matching pajamas, candle light dinners, rose petals, and a bunch of other stuff we never asked for. Stuff that really made the show look overly romantic. We were painted as a couple at every turn and it wasn’t us doing it. We’re hoping you can tell us what happened. Who did this? It had to be someone from the inside. Someone is trying to ruin our show and get it pulled from Disney. Someone is sabotaging us.” Jimin hated to ask, but he had to know “Was it…,” Jimin paused, “someone on our staff?”

“No Jimin, it wasn’t. You should know better. These people have been with you since you were kids. And by the way, you seem pretty ungrateful for all of the “upgrades” and gifts that were showered onto you.”

“It’s not that we’re ungrateful. It’s just…it goes against everything we wanted to do with this part of the show. We made promises. We vowed to keep this show platonic and…,” Jimin paused. He didn’t want to say too much. Even though he knew that Sejin knew all of their secrets, he didn’t want to come out and confess anything willingly. 

“Oh cut the bullshit. I know Jimin. I know about you and Jeongguk. I know you’re fucking. I know you’ve been fucking since that night in Jeju. I know you were making out in the closet at Jeongguk’s GOLDEN party. I know that you sneak away from the cameras to be together. I know that you cut vital conversations out of your footage because you’re talking about private matters. I know you sneak into each other’s hotel rooms when we’re on tour. I know Jeongguk bought that house because he hopes you will move in with him. I know that you’re in love. I know you’ve been in love for years, possibly since the beginning. I know everything. And I will take all of that information to my grave,” Sejin unloaded. 

Jimin was silent. The truth was sobering.

“As for sabotaging this show…no one on our team would ever do that. No one is trying to sabotage your show. In fact, I think just the opposite is happening here. I have to go. I need to check on my mom. I’ll see you when you get back in town. But one more thing, if you want answers so badly, give Namjoon a call.”

“Namjoon? What does he have to do with anything?” Jimin asked.

“Call him.” Sejin disconnected.

Jeongguk returned just in time to hear the latter part of the conversation. “Why does he want us to call Joonie?”

“No idea. He says that Namjoon has answers. Answers to what I wonder?”

Jimin did as Sejin suggested. He dialed Namjoon immediately. His first thought was that Namjoon had somehow seen the pre-edited Sapporo footage and he was angry. He likely assumed the worst, just as he did when he saw the original Jeju and U.S. footage. Jimin was terrified to talk to him, but he had to if he was going to get to the bottom of the mystery. 

“Jimin! Have you guys made it home yet?” Namjoon answered happily.

“Joonie…uh hi. No, we’re still in Japan. Our flight leaves in about six hours. We’re going to stop and get some lunch and then we’re heading straight for the airport.”

“Well toughen up soldier. We’ve only got a few days of freedom left. Are you going to the states with Jeongguk to film with Usher?”

“No…I-I have work of my own to do. He’s going alone.”

“We’re scheduled to all do a final V-Live together.”

“Yea, I know.  Look Joonie, I didn’t call to make small talk. I need to ask you something.”

“Sure. What is it?”

Jeongguk sat on the bed next to Jimin. He placed both of them on speaker phone. 

“Hey RM,” Jeongguk said politely.

“Hey Jk! How’s Japan.”

“It’s been like a fairy tale. I’ve never been happier in my life,” he said as he held Jimin’s hand.

Jimin intervened. He really had no time for bullshit. He needed answers. “We can tell you all about the trip when we get home tonight. But I need to talk to you. This is going to sound strange but please be patient. I don’t know exactly what I’m supposed to ask you or how to ask it. Sejin told me you had answers, but I don’t know the questions.”

“Making me a bit nervous, but go ahead. What are you trying to figure out?” Namjoon waited patiently.

“There’s been some really strange shit going on while we were traveling. Joonie, I made a promise to you. We promised to behave, to keep our feelings under control…and we did that. But other things outside of our control happened around us.”

“I have no idea what you’re trying to say. Explain, please,” Namjoon laughed at Jimin’s feeble attempt to ask him the question.

“We believe that someone from inside of our camp has been trying to sabotage this trip.”

Jeongguk chimed in to help. “Weird shit RM. Like being booked in couples lodges with heart shaped tubs and sex lube all over the place.”

“Roses, candlelight dinners, and private outings,” Jimin added. “Joonie, we’re going to work with the editors to make sure that this stuff gets edited as tightly as possible. But we just want you to hear it from us. We didn’t do this. We didn’t plan this.”

Jeongguk tried to explain again, “On film it’s going to look very suspicious, very deliberate. But you have to know we had nothing to do with it. Everywhere we went, we were the only ones there. Someone paid to give us exclusive access to the whisky museum and the hotels. The entire ski resort was empty. We had the entire place to ourselves like a couple on their fucking…”

“...honeymoon?” Namjoon interrupted.

Both Jimin and Jeongguk went quiet. They stared at each other in stunned silence.

“Yes…exactly like a honeymoon,” Jimin reiterated.

Namjoon continued, “Like the honeymoon you never had.”

Jimin immediately started to tear up, “It-it-it was you!”

Namjoon laughed at their stunned expressions. “It was…us. Me and the rest of the guys decided to chip in to really amp up your last trip together. Yoongi is the one who changed all of your hotel reservations to honeymoon suites and exclusive mansions. I’m the one who paid all of the local attractions to remain closed for the day while you were visiting. Tae and Hobi had each of your rooms filled with roses and fancy liquors. And…that asshole Jin is responsible for putting designer astroglide in each of your rooms. He thought it was hilarious.”

“We used most of that…,” Jeongguk began to speak but Jimin shoved him in the ribs. 

“We hid most of it…from the cameras…before throwing it out…that’s what he meant to say,” Jimin covered. Under no circumstances was he going to admit to using Jin’s lube to fuck. 

Namjoon said more, “Our conversation was important Jimin. I heard every word you said. I could feel just how deeply in love you are. I just…I just wanted to do something in return to show how much we support you. The other members agreed. This was our last chance to do something grand, to show you our love. To give you that honeymoon. It was a bit sneaky, but fun nonetheless.”

“I can’t believe you did this. After all of that talk about not making a scene and being discreet. You made the biggest scene of all,” Jeongguk said quizzically. 

Jimin chimed in, “I’m so confused right now. I thought we agreed to keep this under wraps, to keep our relationship private.”

“We agreed to that. And we will all keep that agreement. What goes on between you and Jeongguk is not anyone’s business. We especially can’t let this get out to the public or to the fandom. I’ll make myself clear once again, you cannot go public with your relationship.”

“Well then why did you set us up by making everything so couple coded?” Jimin raised his voice.

“Because we love you and we wanted you to have something special. It wasn’t a set up. It was a gift, a wish for you to have the best time ever. We had faith that the editors would take care of everything. Disney editors stepped in as well because there was a conversation about labeling the show as LBGTQ+.  Hybe disagreed, so they took special care to clean up after our clean up.”

Jeongguk laughed, “Wait! Disney wanted Are You Sure to be a LGBTQ+ show?”

“Yep. The people who saw the first few uncut versions tossed the idea back and forth. They even changed some of the ratings. From what I hear, your team worked overtime to make sure that it didn’t get a 18+ rating. They made cut after cut after cut until they finally got it right,” Namjoon explained.

“How do you know all of this?” Jimin asked.

“Because I was called in to answer questions. You two have a lot of freedom but at the end of the day, I’m still the leader and I’m held responsible for what happens in the group,” Namjoon said calmly.

“We’re sorry you had to defend us,” Jimin stated.

Namjoon smiled with his perfect pinpoint dimples, “I will always defend you. I will always fight for you, until my last breath. It’s all good guys. Nothing came out of it. And anything that does squeak through, well, there’s nothing we can do about it. But trust me, we’re in the clear. You two are the best of friends and no matter what you do, that will always shine the brightest.”

 There was nothing more for them to say except, “Thank you. And thank the other guys. This truly was the best trip of our lives. Every detail mattered. Nothing was missed or overlooked. We didn’t have to worry about fans wanting autographs or people sneaking pictures of us. We were really able to relax and be ourselves. It was truly extraordinary. I guess we were just so paranoid that we thought it was too good to be true,” Jeongguk explained.

Jimin added, “We were so blinded by skepticism that we missed the generosity. Joonie, we will never forget this. It really was an act of love.”

“Anytime fellas. I know this is hard. I know you want the world to know but that’s the one thing I can’t give you. For now, you must keep your lips sealed. Your day will come, eventually.”

“Yea,” Jeongguk sighed. 

“Yea, thanks Joonie.” Jimin disconnected.

He sniffled and wiped a tear. This was not the ending he expected, but it was an ending that he could accept. 

“Not our time. I’m so fucking tired of hearing that,” Jeongguk complained.

“Me too. But this story has a happy ending. I just know it does.”

“Until then, we have to be dutiful. We have to protect everyone, including ourselves. We can’t allow any slip ups during enlistment. We have to be good little soldiers,” Jimin said sadly.

“At least, we’ll be together.”

“That is the most important. Grab your stuff, let’s go eat. We have a long drive.”

“I’m going to drive us all the way back to the airport. I want our last few hours to be alone. I have to fly to the states in a couple of days and I don’t know when I’ll see you again. The next time we meet, it’ll almost be time to head to camp.”

“One last V-live before we go.”

“Yea. I’ll take all of the luggage downstairs to the car. You check to make sure I didn’t leave anything. You know how bad I am about forgetting stuff.”

“Yea.”

“Your lips look beautiful when they’re sealed,” Jeongguk leaned in and gave Jimin one last kiss.

“And so do yours. I love you.”

THE END

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