By: @CalicoChimmy

"Hello, Jimin-ssi, thank you for sitting down with us." The upper house had transformed from a busy hive of gaming and cooking into a quiet spot, now that they'd reached the end of their week here. The members were leaving first, and once they were gone, staff would come through and pack everything else up and clean up. Jimin was anxious to get this final step over with so he could get home, to the familiar — and unfamiliar.

"This is the exit interview, yeah?" Jimin asked, getting more comfortable in the seat he'd spent so many hours gaming on in the past week. He squirmed a little, the pain still making it a bit uncomfortable to sit for too long.

The man across from him nodded. "Yes, you know how this works. We'll ask a series of questions about your time here. Just answer as honestly as you can, in whatever way makes you most comfortable. If you don't want to answer a particular question, that's fine. Just let us know."

Jimin nodded in understanding. He'd been through this how many times before? He'd lost count. Actually, Jimin had always sort of enjoyed exit interviews — it gave him the opportunity to think back to what they'd done and how he felt about it. Sometimes in his day-to-day life things happened so quickly Jimin didn't get a chance to reflect at all. Photoshoots blended into practices blended into team meetings blended into recording sessions, without a moment in between to breathe.

This week in the forest had been all about self-reflection for Jimin. Actually, the best part of the past two years he'd spent a lot of time reflecting on his life, and the world, and his place in it, if he was being honest. Jimin had really opened his eyes, and his heart, to how his own outlook and expectations impacted how he viewed the things that happened to him — both in the past, and the present. Not only that, but he could clearly see how he might use those same principles to shape his future. This idea, this revelation, had literally changed his life — never more so than right now.

The questions the producers had put together were exactly what Jimin had expected. They always were — and while each member had an interview individually tailored to them, the questions still never varied that much. So when they asked Jimin what the most memorable part of the trip was, he was prepared for it — and he had decided to answer honestly. Mostly.

"The night of the fifth day going into the sixth day was the highlight for me," Jimin said, carefully thinking about how to phrase things without giving away too much. "The other night — I was so happy then, having a drink with the members — it was so great, and when everyone went back inside, Jungkookie and I played around all night. We drank more, played ping-pong, ran around — and yes, I broke Jungkook's mosquito net," he added with a laugh, "which I was running away from when I fell and got a bruise." When the production team looked less than convinced by his story, he stressed, "And that's what happened." He nodded in finality, just the hint of a smirk on his face.

Two days earlier

"Want another?" Jimin asked Seokjin, lifting his hyung's beer can and giving it a little shake, a tiny bit of liquid sloshing around at the bottom. Jimin added it to the empties he was already carrying and headed to the kitchen of the main house, placing them on the counter with the others they'd obliterated that night.

The other members had already headed to their respective bedrooms one by one, and it was only the three of them left now. The raucous laughter and animated discussions from earlier had given way to a pleasantly languid conversation, all of them mellowing out as they got drunker. From the kitchen, Jimin could hear Jungkook in the other room telling Seokjin yet another story that both Jimin and Seokjin had heard before — but that didn't make it less funny, especially when they'd drunk as much as they'd had that night.

"Jin hyungie!" Jimin called again, paused in front of the open door of the fridge. "Beer? Yes or no?"

"No, no Jiminie, I'm done. I can't keep up with you youngsters anymore."

"That's right, old man, it's bedtime," Jungkook said with a chuckle. Jimin surmised that Jungkook must have given Seokjin a playful smack as well, because Seokjin immediately reacted with a shocked shout.

"Yah, don't hit me, you brat! My ancient bones could break under the force of all those muscles."

Jimin reentered the room with an easy smile, sliding a bottle of soju over to Jungkook and putting a beer and a soju in front of his own spot. "I don't blame you hyung, Jungkookie is getting even stronger. I guess it's all that boxing." Jimin leaned over, wrapping his hands around Jungkook's bicep, squeezing. "Old people like yourself should be careful. One punch and you'd be on your back."

Seokjin waved him off, annoyed. "Hey, it's ok if I say I'm old, but you should respect your hyung. You're just as bratty as Jungkook-ah here. I'm sick of it. I'm going to bed."

"Hyung," Jimin protested, "I'm sorry. You don't have to go."

Seokjin chuckled ruefully. "Nah, it's ok. I'm beat. I always wake up so early in the tent, it's so damn bright in the morning. If I stay up any longer I'll regret it."

"Ok, suit yourself," Jimin said with a shrug. "Jungkookie and I are staying up." He held his soju bottle up to Jungkook and they clinked them together in cheers.

Seokjin looked from one to the other. "Don't stay up too late, or get too drunk. The cameras will be up and running early again tomorrow. Don't make it any harder on the editors than you already do."

Jungkook clicked his tongue. "What do you mean, hyung? We don't do anything all of you don't do."

"I know you two like the back of my hand," Seokjin laughed, "but ok, if you say so. I'm just saying — be careful."

Jimin rolled his eyes. "You severely underestimate us, but fine. We won't get too drunk, and we'll be good. We're not going to trash the house or anything."

"I'm gonna hold you to that," Seokjin said, pointing at both of them. "Just a couple more days and we'll be back home where you can do... whatever it is that you two do when you stay up all night together."

Jungkook and Jimin shared a look and laughed. "Ok, hyung, whatever you say. Go to bed, old man," Jungkook said with a grin.

Seokjin just shook his head as he shuffled out of the room, only slightly unsteady from the amount of alcohol in his system. "Ah, didn't realize how much I'd drank," he complained, hands on his head. "I'll have a headache tomorrow for sure."

"Lightweight," Jimin said with a chuckle. "Sorry, sorry," he said, his hands up in surrender, when Seokjin shot him a look.

"I'll make you hangover ramen, hyung!" Jungkook chimed in.

Seokjin waved them off and stepped out the door. A moment later he stuck his head back in. "Rain's stopped," he said, nodding towards the dark yard.

Jungkook raised an eyebrow, grinning at Jimin. "Rematch on the ping pong?"

"What?" Jimin said. "That's not even fair, I'm too drunk for that. You'll murder me for sure."

"I'm drunk too, so we're even," Jungkook retorted. "C'mon, Jiminie hyung. It'll be fun." Jungkook stood up, bouncing excitedly as he looked at Jimin.

Jimin eyed him skeptically, but finally caved. Jungkook didn't have to work very hard to convince Jimin of anything, really. Ever since they'd first met, all Jungkook had to do was look at Jimin with those big eyes and Jimin turned to putty in his hands. It would be embarrassing if it was anyone else, but Jungkook was just as fond of Jimin. Theirs was a friendship that seemed meant to be. "Ok, fine. But I want the side you were on before." Jimin followed Jungkook out the door, then stooped to round up the dozens of stray ping pong balls that had rolled into every nook and cranny.

Jungkook snorted at him as he downed the rest of his soju, tossing the empty to the side. "Why? It's the same as the other side."

"It's not the same," Jimin replied, brows furrowed. "That's my lucky side," he explained seriously, pointing to the spot Jungkook was standing.

"Oh," Jungkook laughed, "so that's why I kicked your ass last time." Jungkook grinned, switching to the opposite side and handing him a paddle. "M'sorry," he murmured when he saw Jimin's pout. "I won't tease anymore. C'mon, show me what you got, Jimin-ssi." He bounced the ball toward Jimin, setting an unopened bottle of soju by his feet.

"I'm going first?" Jimin asked, taking a long swig of his beer.

"Losers go first," Jungkook said with a nonchalant shrug. Jimin scowled at him.

"I wouldn't be so confident if I were you," Jimin retorted, pointing at Jungkook with his ping pong paddle. "I'm about to show you all the skills I've picked up the past few days." Jimin held the ball up, preparing to drop it for his serve. He blinked, trying to clear his vision that was starting to swim, the alcohol catching up with him.

"Ok, hyung," Jungkook said with a smirk. "Whatever you say."

Jimin bristled. Jungkook knew exactly how to get under his skin. Jimin was about to argue, but the sight of Jungkook flailing drunkenly around as he tried to cover his giggles made Jimin soften immediately, and he found himself giggling along. "Fuck, this is going to be a nightmare," Jimin laughed. "I'm too drunk for this. I'm gonna suck."

"Wait, wait," Jungkook said, reaching for the bottle. He chugged half the soju in one go, gasping and wiping his mouth on his sleeve when he'd finished. "I'll just get drunker, then it'll be fair, even for an amateur like you."

"Ah, fuck off," Jimin shouted, slamming his paddle on the table. "I won't play at all then." He stormed back towards the house.

"Hyung, Jiminie hyung, wait," Jungkook appealed, grabbing Jimin's wrist as he passed by. "I'm sorry, really," Jimin wasn't really all that mad, but if Jungkook knew how to get under Jimin's skin, Jimin knew how to get under his, too. Jungkook spun him around, wrapping his arms around Jimin. Resting his head on Jimin's shoulder, he mumbled, "Are you mad at me? I didn't mean to push it so far."

Before Jimin could open his mouth to tease Jungkook back, he was cut off by Seokjin's voice piercing through the darkness. "How do you expect me to sleep with you guys yelling out there?"

Jimin giggled, burying his face in Jungkook's chest. "Shit, I forgot all about hyung," he said, pressing a warning finger to Jungkook's lips. "Shhhh, he'll kill us."

Jungkook reached around Jimin to set his paddle down. "Maybe we shouldn't play tonight, you know? I think we're going to be too loud," Jungkook said. "Rematch tomorrow instead?"

"Yeah. Tomorrow," Jimin agreed. "C'mon, let's go drink down by the water. The moon's coming out," he said, pointing toward the glow breaking through the previously thick clouds.

It was a good plan — except everything was soaked once they moved away from the protective overhang where the ping pong table was kept. The picnic table, the grass, the benches, and the deck around the floating house all were too wet to sit on. After much debate, they resigned themselves to pulling two of the chairs from the dining tent down to the water, slipping and sliding and tripping over each other as they wrangled the unwieldy chairs, their barely suppressed giggles earning another reprimand from Seokjin.

"You're a grumpy old man, hyung," Jungkook said, snickering as he passed by the tent, headed back to the house for more liquor.

"Jungkookie!" Jimin shouted as quietly as he could as he ran to catch up. "You're making it worse."

"Yah, listen to Jiminie! I'm gonna come out there and beat you if you don't shut up!" Seokjin bellowed.

Jimin met up with Jungkook already on his way back down the hill, his arms loaded with beer and soju. Jimin giggled at him. "Do we need that much?" he whispered, taking an armful out of Jungkook's grasp.

"I just grabbed what we had," Jungkook said with a shrug. "M'not tired — I figured we'd be up for a while."

Jimin just hummed, smiling as he watched Jungkook lope toward the floating house, his face illuminated by the moonlight. "Well, you know I'm not tired," Jimin said, the fresh air energizing him.

"I do know," Jungkook agreed, knocking his shoulder against Jimin's as they walked. "Hey, do you think we'll ever fix our sleep schedules?"

"I'm such a bad influence on you," Jimin sighed. "Every time you try to go to bed at a reasonable hour I sabotage your efforts." Jungkook was always ambitious to begin all sorts of self-improvement routines — learning another language or a new instrument, improving his health with intermittent fasting or taking fistfuls of supplements, new exercise routines like boxing or swimming — and, for most of the past few years, he'd tried numerous times to switch his sleeping patterns so that he could get up earlier. Unsuccessfully, thanks to Jimin.

"Nah, it's ok," Jungkook said. "It's not your fault at all. Besides, I'd rather stay up with you than toss and turn all night."

"But if you got up earlier, you could go work out in the morning, like you always say you want to," Jimin pointed out. Guiltily, he vowed to himself that he would do more in supporting Jungkook.

Jungkook shrugged. "I can just work out with you at night, like we usually do."

Jungkook attempted to walk backwards as he talked, but stumbled over his own feet and almost fell, only barely managing to keep ahold of the bottles in his arms. His sandals flew off in the process, and Jimin kicked his off gleefully as well. He almost fell over himself as they laughed together — the slippery grass, plus their full arms, bare feet, and the downslope conspiring against them.

"Oh my god, we're going to kill ourselves," Jimin gasped, relieved when his feet touched the relative safety of the wood deck surrounding the floating house.

They set the chairs up on the deck on the long side of the house near the boats, the fishing poles belonging to Seokjin and Yoongi propped up in the corner. Their conversation flowed easily, freely — just like the alcohol. Jimin didn't know how long they sat there just talking and chatting and laughing, about anything, and everything — and nothing. He and Jungkook had been friends for so long that they could finish each other's sentences.

Sometimes Jimin thought that he knew what Jungkook wanted before Jungkook did, and vice versa. It was a little unnerving, how their minds worked like that. Jimin had always chalked it up to all the time they spent together over such an extended period of time, but now he wasn't so sure. He couldn't really think of anyone who had that kind of a bond with a friend, not anyone he knew anyway. He and Jungkook were special. Everyone told them that they envied their friendship, and Jimin couldn't disagree with them. He knew how lucky he was.

After they'd sat for what seemed like forever, Jimin started getting antsy. They'd consumed all of the soju, their conversation becoming more animated, their speech becoming progressively more unintelligible to anyone besides themselves. "Let's do somethin', Jungkookie. Wha' can we do?" he said, bounding up a little too quickly. Jimin swayed on his feet, clutching onto the metal railing to keep his balance. "Shit, m'drunker than I thought."

"Thass what happens when y'drink—" Jungkook stopped to count on his fingers, "— three beers an' two bottles of soju, on top of what we had b'fore, hyung."

"Aish, you had just s'much, Kook-ah." Jimin hung his head over the railing, watching the sluggish waves flow downstream. "M'bored, c'mon. Get up."

"Not sure I can, Jiminie," Jungkook said, his arms hanging off to the side, slouched in the chair with his legs splayed before him. "I'm comfortable here," he shrugged, wiggling his bare toes, a lazy smile on his face.

"No, you can' do that t'me!" Jimin whined. "I know you — if you keep sittin' there your drunk ass will get tired an' flake out on me. You said we'd stay up 'til dawn, 'member?"

Jungkook stood slowly, rolling his shoulders as he stretched sluggishly. He stifled a yawn. "Yeah, ok. You win. Wha' d'you want t'do?" he slurred.

Jimin thought for a minute. Ping pong, soccer, fireworks, or any other loud activity by the house was a no go, but maybe they could play down here. Wait...

"Ping pong!" Jimin said excitedly.

Jungkook laid a heavy hand on Jimin's shoulder, shaking his head in slow, exaggerated motions. Jimin giggled — drunk Jungkook was even cuter to him than regular Jungkook, and that was saying something. "We can't, hyung," Jungkook pointed out. "Jin hyungie's sleepin', an' he really will kill us if we wake 'im up."

"No, no, Kookie. Beer pong," Jimin said proudly, hands on his hips.

"Ah, we haven' played that n'forever. But where?"

"Here." Jimin gestured to the deck they were sitting on. Jungkook furrowed his brow in confusion. "Why not?" Jimin asked with a laugh.

"Because iss surrounded by water, hyungie, " Jungkook replied, looking around. "The balls'll go ever'where."

"No, I 'ave a plan for that," Jimin said confidently. "We can turn the chairs sideways t'block the balls from goin' over the side this way," he pointed, "an' any goin' this way will land in the boats."

Jungkook didn't seem entirely convinced but he shrugged in agreement. "Ok, why not?"

Jimin beamed at him, giving a clap and heading toward the door. "Hey, help m'grab the cups an' ping pong balls."

Ten chaotic minutes later they had the triangle of cups set up on the deck, with the chairs placed sideways against the railing behind it. Jimin emptied the balls, which he had cradled in his shirt all the way from the main house, into an empty bucket Seokjin used for fishing. Jungkook started popping open cans of beer, putting a few inches in each cup.

"That's too much," Jimin complained, peering into one.

"Never t'much," Jungkook disagreed, his eyebrows wiggling mischievously. "S'only beer, Jiminie — an' we're so drunk already we'll prob'bly miss every shot 'nyway."

That statement proved to be prophetic as the first five out of six missed the cups entirely. As each one rebounded every which way — bouncing on the wooden deck, off side of the house, slipping through their clumsy hands — the two laughed harder and harder. Some of the balls ended up, as Jimin had thought, in the boats — and some ended up being stopped by the chairs — but many, too many, ended up sliding underneath and landed in the lake, or dribbled off the edge, missing the boat entirely. After they'd put more than a dozen balls in the lake, Jimin began to panic — he belatedly realized they'd have to explain what happened to the balls in the morning if they were missing.

"Ah, shit, Jungkookie, we have t'get the balls back," Jimin said, watching as they bobbed leisurely further away from the dock. "They're gettin' away."

"Fuck, here,