By: @serendipityswan

"What do you want to do this weekend?"

"Oh did I not tell you?" Jimin asks, returning from the kitchen to sit beside the younger. "This weekend there is an auditions workshop I planned on going to."

"All weekend?" Jungkook asks curiously.

"Most of it, yeah. I'll be home in the evenings so we can do something then."

"We don't have to," Jungkook says. "You'll probably be tired after dancing all day."

"Maybe but we could just do something here, right? Dinner and a movie and cuddling," Jimin offers. "I know you like cuddles."

"Says the koala," Jungkook teases. Jimin laughs and proceeds to cling onto Jungkook's side like a koala hugging its mom.

"You love it," Jimin giggles.

"I do," Jungkook admits like the completely whipped boyfriend that he is. "So what does this workshop entail?"

"Well," Jimin starts, shifting so his legs are over Jungkook's lap in a more comfortable position. "It's something the company is offering prior to their auditions to help dancers prepare. Like audition practice, if you will."

"What company is this?"

"NYCT," Jimin says, and if Jungkook didn't know better he wouldn't have noticed the slight tension in Jimin's body and the tiny lilt in his tone to suggest apprehension.

"Will that guy be there?" Jungkook asks carefully, watching his boyfriend carefully.

"I don't know. But I can't let it bother me, right? He didn't actually do anything."

"Only because I showed up."

"We don't know that."

"It was pretty obvious hyung," Jungkook adds. "Why are you trying to diminish your feelings over it?"

"Because whether I like it or not, he's the artistic director of the best contemporary company here. So I should get over it right?"

"You shouldn't ignore your feelings though."

"I won't Kookie," Jimin says. "I just don't want to let that stop me from trying."

"Fair," Jungkook mumbles.

"You trust me right?"

"Of course I trust you. It's him I don't trust."

"Well trust me to take care of myself and not let him do anything," Jimin requests.

"Okay," Jungkook resigns. "Just don't ignore your feelings. Trust your gut hyung."

"Okay Koo," Jimin assures with a smile, leaning forward to softly kiss Jungkook on the cheek. "I love you."

"I love you more."

Jimin just giggles, having learned that trying to debate that was useless with how adamant Jungkook was about it. Instead he just presses his lips to Jungkook's in a sweet kiss, letting the action speak for him.

"So dinner and a movie?" Jimin asks after.

"And cuddles," Jungkook adds, making the elder giggle softly.

"Of course. Always cuddles."

Jungkook scoops Jimin closer to him, nuzzling into his neck, forcing himself to focus on the right now instead of the what-ifs.

--

Jungkook jumps when the apartment door opens, signaling Jimin's return from the first day of the workshop. He's been a little on edge ever since Jimin left that morning. Trying his best not to worry. But when he sees the elder slump into the couch, his worry gets the better of him.

"Baby, what's wrong?" Jungkook asks, abandoning making dinner to check on his lover.

"Nothing just tired. They kicked our ass," Jimin answers.

"So just the dancing?"

"Yes, just the dancing," Jimin assures with a sleepy smile. "I'm going to be so sore."

"Go take a shower while I finish dinner," Jungkook suggests, feeling a bit relieved. Jimin simply nods and gets up, pecking a quick kiss to the younger's cheek before going to the bathroom.

One shower and cooked meal later, Jimin is wandering into the living room where Jungkook has already made him a plate. The younger can't stop the smile that tugs at his lips seeing that Jimin is wearing one of his t-shirts that is adorably too big for him. But that smile doesn't last long seeing Jimin's own expression seem a bit strained.

"You okay?" Jungkook asks, observing the elder in curious concern.

"Yeah just," Jimin sighs, seeming torn on what to say. "He was there."

"He-oh," Jungkook realizes, worry sparking. "Did something happen?"

"No, he just watched. I just didn't expect him to be there since it was a workshop, not a real audition."

"Were you uncomfortable?"

"A little but it's fine, I promise," Jimin says, giving Jungkook a reassuring smile. Jungkook isn't fully assured, but he doesn't want to be the partner that nags his significant other when the latter insists they're fine. So he lets it go, for now.

"What movie do you want to watch?" Jungkook asks instead. "Whatever you want."

"So if I say The Notebook you'll be okay with it?" Jimin asks playfully.

"Yeah," Jungkook answers, even though they've watched it at least ten times together. But he would be lying if he said he didn't enjoy cuddling with the elder and kissing his tears away after.

"Then The Notebook it is," Jimin says, his usual bright smile returning. Jungkook pulls up the movie while Jimin takes their dishes to the kitchen, returning just as the younger hits play and immediately clinging to him. Jungkook wraps an arm around the elder, pulling him closer and letting the warm weight soothe his remaining worries.

--

"Kookie!" Jimin calls, rushing into the apartment to find the younger who was lying on the couch drawing.

"Yeah?" Jungkook asks, grunting as Jimin sits on top of him and surges into an excited kiss. "B-baby what-"

"I have news," Jimin announces, sitting back and looking down at the younger with a huge, eye-crescent grin.

"Okay, what is it?"

"So NYCT is going to continue doing some workshops with their directors and top choreographers, but it is invite only based on how this weekend went. And they picked me!"

"That's great baby," Jungkook replies, Jimin's smile infectious.

"It is! If they liked me for this then maybe they'll like me for the company too!"

"They'd be stupid not to like you hyung," Jungkook adds sincerely, a nagging reminder of Yoongi's question all those weeks ago poking at him. This isn't the time for that talk though, not with Jimin so excited. "I'm proud of you baby."

"Thanks Koo," Jimin says softly, a loving look in his eyes. He leans forward and kisses the younger softly which Jungkook returns easily, melting into the sweetness to soothe his inner worries.

Jungkook knows they need to talk about the future, but it scares him. He's scared that by presenting Jimin with a choice between following his dreams or following Jungkook back to Seoul, he'll be rejected. Or worse: Jimin will resent him by giving up his dreams for him. This relationship is so new to him, was unfathomable to him for years, so he doesn't want to risk it just yet. Not when Jimin is there, kissing him with such a loving sweetness it makes his heart flutter.

"I love you," Jungkook mumbles against the elder's lips, kissing him after and feeling Jimin smile against it.

"I love you too," Jimin mutters back quietly.

But do you love me enough to stay with me?

--

"Hi baby. How was it?" Jungkook asks, finishing one last stroke on his tablet before looking up and frowning. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Jimin sighs. "I don't want you to worry."

"You saying that makes me worried, hyung."

"No, don't worry Kookie," Jimin insists, sitting beside the younger. "I just forgot that when they said these workshops would be run by the directors, that included-"

"Mark," Jungkook interrupts, blood boiling just saying his name and the way Jimin frowns while he nods. "Did something happen?"

"No! No, nothing happened. He's just...there. And I can't ignore him because he teaches so..."

"How does that make you feel?" Jungkook asks carefully.

"It's a little weird," Jimin answers carefully, which makes Jungkook frown. "But it's only professional. He didn't try anything so it's fine."

"Are you sure it is fine? You can just not go if-"

"I can't Jungkook," Jimin sighs. "I'll get nowhere if I don't deal with this. I can't run away just because he's there, especially if I want to dance with his company."

"I mean if you're sure," Jungkook mumbles.

"I am," Jimin replies firmly, finalizing it. Jungkook is still worried, but says nothing, just nodding and turning his attention back to his art.

--

"You okay?"

"Yeah, why?"

"You seem distracted," Daniel points out. Since he is a resident student, he has a studio space reserved for his use that they meet at to work on their project. They decided to create a 3D piece combining watercolor, illustration, and origami, making a butterfly with one wing made out of origami flowers while the other is created with layered watercolor pieces. It was mostly Jungkook's vision and, because of what it was, it made focusing hard when he was so torn about his relationship.

"Just some personal stuff," Jungkook murmurs, adding some illustrated details to a flower Daniel just folded.

"I know we're not close necessarily but if you want to talk about it," Daniel offers.

"No it's fine," Jungkook says, cringing internally saying the same phrase Jimin keeps giving him. "Could use a distraction though."

"Is folding hundreds of paper roses not a good distraction?" Daniel jokes and Jungkook manages a weak chuckle.

"To be fair, I'm not the one folding them."

"Well you could. It is your fault we decided to make this piece so big."

"It'll look better than way," Jungkook defends.

"And I believe you," Daniel chuckles, handing the latest folded flower to him. "And I'm sure your boyfriend will love it."

"What?" Jungkook questions, surprised. He's never mentioned Jimin to him.

"Maybe I'm assuming, but that blonde guy who used to have pink hair seems like a little more than just a friend," Daniel explains with a smirk. "Particularly when he was asking about Christmas gifts for you. Just friends don't buy a Cintiq."

"We weren't together then," Jungkook mumbles, thinking fondly back to the holidays when everything was blissful between him and Jimin.

"Well, he must have really liked you a lot."

"Yeah," Jungkook sighs. "He does."

Jungkook knows Jimin loves him. He feels with every touch, every kiss, every small gesture. But what he doesn't know is if he loves dance more.

Daniel drops the topic then, which is a relief to the younger. He's already spending all of his free time thinking about it, he doesn't want to spend his studio time doing it too. Art is his escape and he'd like to keep it that way.

--

It has been a month of these new workshops, and Jungkook is going crazy. Jimin was not fine, despite his continued insistence that he was. He'd come home from a workshop exhausted in a way that lingers long after rest and it hurts Jungkook to see him like this. It lingers in the air between them, the elephant in the room of the relationship right now. But he's bothered Jimin about it enough that he isn't sure what to do at this point.

When Jimin comes home on a Friday from another NYCT workshop looking frankly distraught though, Jungkook can't take it anymore.

"Hyung-"

"Don't Kook-ah," Jimin tries to dismiss, but Jungkook can't let it go anymore.

"Why are you still going when you're not fine?"

"I am fine."

"No, you aren't. He makes you uncomfortable and you come home looking worse each time. I hate seeing you like this. Do you really have to interact with him?" Jungkook questions gently.

"He's the artistic director of the best contemporary company here so yeah, I do," Jimin answers, tone tired and slightly bitter.

"What about other companies? What about Seoul? Is that no longer an option?"

"There isn't anything good enough in Seoul."

That felt like a knife to the heart. Jungkook knew he had to return to Seoul when the year ended. And the elder just confirms he wasn't good enough to return with compared to Jimin's dreams and NYCT.

He didn't even know how to respond, feeling devastated. As much as it hurt, he couldn't stop Jimin from striving for his dreams, even in a situation like this. He had no words but too many thoughts. He needed to get away and think. So he just got up from the couch and walked away, ignoring Jimin's questioning calls as he grabbed a jacket and his shoes and left the apartment.