By: @serendipityswan

The rest of the shuttle ride is silent as Jimin looks out the window the whole time and Jungkook has no idea what to say in this situation. The silence continues as the enter the hotel and cross to the elevators, boarding the same one.

Jungkook can see Jimin fidget next to him but keeps silent. He has probed the elder enough for one day, he thinks. They exit at their floor, still walking in silence until Jimin stops abruptly.

"What's wrong?" Jungkook asks, turning to face the elder who is still fidgeting.

"What are you doing the rest of today?" Jimin asks quickly, forcing himself to make eye contact with the younger. Jungkook blinks at the elder in confusion at the question before speaking.

"Uh nothing specific. Why?"

"Meet me in the lobby in an hour?" Jimin requests. Jungkook can tell by the tone in the skater's voice that this is an invitation, not an order.

"You don't hate me?" Jungkook asks without thinking. It was a worry that built up ever since he saw the panic and vulnerability in Jimin's eyes. He thought Jimin would never want to interact with him again.

"Why would I hate you?"

"You just looked so scared when I asked if you were unhappy. I thought you would never want to speak to me again because I made you vulnerable," Jungkook admits.

"Jungkook I don't hate you," Jimin says softly.

"Really?"

"Really. I know they say keep your enemies closer, but I refuse to do that. So if I hated you, I wouldn't invite you to meet up," Jimin smiles a tiny smile of reassurance.

"Does that make me your friend? You know cause of the saying."

"Maybe," Jimin chuckles lightly.

"Do you at least trust me?" Jungkook asks boldly.

Jimin hesitates, surveying the boarder before meeting his eyes to say, "Starting to."

Jungkook tries to bite back the smile pulling on his lips and fails miserably.

"So an hour?" Jimin asks calmly.

"Yeah," Jungkook confirms. Jimin smiles a bit bigger at him then and Jungkook feels his heart cartwheel in his chest. Jimin walks past him to close the small distance to his hotel room, opening the door and slipping inside without another word.

--

Jungkook takes a deep breath as the elevator reaches the lobby and the doors slide open. He slips past the people waiting to get on and looks around briefly before finding who he is looking for.

Why did he have to dress so hot?!

Jungkook forces himself to remain calm as he approaches Jimin, who is talking to someone he vaguely recognizes. His attention is mostly focused on the blonde who is sporting tight skinny jeans that hug his legs sinfully well and an emerald green oversized sweater. Compared to that, Jungkook looks so lazy in his holey skinny jeans and red flannel he through on after a shower.

When he gets closer, the other man makes eye contact with him and Jungkook's heart drops. There is a look in that man's eye that is unsettling. Maybe even sinister. Jimin must notice the man is looking at something specific, so he turns to find Jungkook approaching. Jungkook watches the smirk pull on the skater's lips and he tries his best not to react too much despite his confusion.

"Good you're here!" Jimin says brightly which throws Jungkook even further off guard than usual. Even through his confusion he can tell that Jimin is faking it and it probably has something to do with the man watching them intensely.

"Of course I'm here," Jungkook says as casually as he can muster. Jimin links arms with him like he did at the athletes' dinner and that is when the epiphany happens. The man Jimin is talking to now is the same from that time. "Who's this?"

"Kim Jongin," the man introduces, an amused expression on his face.

"Oh," Jungkook replies, realizing the connection.

"So you know who I am?" the man asks smugly.

"Honestly, no," Jungkook responds without thinking. Jimin cackles next to him and Jongin's expression flips to more aggressive.

"Well you will when I win gold."

"When? I already know this year's gold medalist," Jungkook taunts, getting harder laughs from Jimin who is clinging to his arm for support. He can see the man get angrier but have to restrain himself since they are in the hotel lobby surrounded by people.

"Well Jongin it was a pleasure as always," Jimin says with a sickly sweet tone that drips with sarcasm. He pulls Jungkook with him and towards the hotel café. They can both feel the piercing gaze of Jongin follow them, but Jungkook is too focused on how he made Jimin laugh and how close the elder is to him right now.

"What the hell was that?" Jimin chuckles quietly as they wait to order.

"Well the first thing just slipped, cause I really have no idea who that is beyond some small context clues," Jungkook explains. "And the second thing was mainly cause you were laughing. And I like when you laugh."

"You're cheesy," Jimin says, but Jungkook sees the blush creep into his cheeks.

"But who is that really?"

"The other male figure skater for Korea. He enjoys attempting to intimidate me. Emphasis on attempt," Jimin replies.

"I thought he had a weird sinister vibe about him while he was talking to you."

"He tries," Jimin laughs. "You can tell he isn't very good at it with how easily you put him in his place."

Jungkook laughs lightly as Jimin steps up to order, summoning Jungkook to order as well and paying for both.

"You know if you told me you were going to treat me like this, I would have dressed nicer," Jungkook teases as they take their drinks and find a small table in the far corner away from everyone else.

"Shut up you look fine. It's just maybe friends getting coffee," Jimin says, sliding into the seat across from Jungkook.

"Okay but if we were basing this off of outfit choices, you're dressed for a date," Jungkook says, openly eyeing the elder to get his point across.

"I'm in a sweater and jeans how is that special?"

"Have you seen yourself Jimin-ssi?" Jungkook laughs, "The jeans alone should be illegal for you to wear."

"So you were looking hm?" Jimin says, highly amused.

"It is impossible not to," Jungkook deflects, trying to avoid becoming a stuttering mess at the intense gaze Jimin is giving him.

"Noted," Jimin replies before taking a sip of his coffee. "And call me hyung."

"Ooh, are we now to actual friends instead of maybe friends?" Jungkook teases, the butterflies in his stomach starting to stretch their wings.

"You're such a brat sometimes," Jimin muses.

"I know," Jungkook says with a smirk. "Hyung."

Jimin feels a shiver roll up his spine being called that by Jungkook. He forces himself to focus on his coffee and act natural.

"Anyway, I did ask you to meet me for a reason other than for you to flirt with me."

"Flirt?!" Jungkook asks in mock surprise. "I've never done such a thing."

"Uh huh sure bunny boy," Jimin rolls his eyes but smiles fondly. "I did want to talk about what happened earlier at practice."

"Oh?" Jungkook says a bit nervously. "I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologizing?"

"Cause I feel like I might have crossed a line," Jungkook explains, fiddling with his flannel sleeves. "You honestly looked terrified before Taehyung came in."

"Well I was," Jimin answers quietly. "Not of you necessarily. Just..." he trails off, taking a deep breath to keep his composure. "You know I am intentionally guarded and defensive and emotionless. I keep people at arm's length always. And then you just come in here seeing through every wall I've built around myself. And that's terrifying. Like you watched me skate twice and could read my soul."

"To be fair your long program is like watching you lay your soul out on the ice," Jungkook interjects.

"You're not wrong, but you are the first person to actually see that. Or at least say anything. I've been doing these programs all season in front of hundreds to thousands of people, and everyone just thinks it acting and I'm talented."

"Well you are talented."

"Not the point," Jimin mumbles.

"Hyung," Jungkook starts gently. "Why are you unhappy?"

"That is a loaded question," Jimin exhales. "There are a lot of things to it."

"I'll listen if you want to talk about it."

Jimin lifts his gaze to meet Jungkook's, and those Bambi eyes have the same patience and care they did earlier that morning. The same expression that was overwhelming before but not as much now.

Do I trust him?

"Let me enjoy my coffee first, okay?"

Jungkook smiles at him softly and lets a comfortable silence fall between them briefly.

"I have a question for you," Jimin says suddenly and Jungkook feels his heart rate speed up.

"Okay?"

"How do you know Namjoon?"

"Oh," Jungkook sighs with relief. "Long time friend. Since diapers long time. He's the one who got me into snowboarding so when I decided to go pro, he was my first choice person to help me."

"You two do seem close," Jimin muses with a soft smile.

"Yeah. Not as close as you and Tae seem to be. How did you meet him?"

"We went to high school together. We like to say we're soulmates, but purely platonic. He's my best friend," Jimin explains.

"So how did he become your manager?"

"My previous manager just up and left without a word in the middle of the season. This was like six years ago, so two years after my first Olympics."

"That sucks."

"That's people taking advantage of your trust," Jimin corrects. "Taehyung, a college student at the time, being an angel jumped into the role with no experience, initially just to cover until the season ended and I could find someone new."

"But that didn't happen."

"Nope. I begged him to stay and help me. And he did."

"That's nice of him."

"More than nice," Jimin adds. "He's my best friend, manager, soulmate, and guardian angel. I don't want to think about where I would be without him."

"I'm glad you have him," Jungkook says with a smile.

"Me too."

Jungkook observes Jimin briefly, enjoying the relaxed presence and genuine smile he has when talking about Taehyung. His enjoyment is disturbed by the earlier questions that popped into his head.

"Can I ask a potentially triggering question?" Jungkook asks nervously.

"Well when you phrase it like that I want to say no," Jimin teases. "Go ahead."

"Why are you coachless?"

Jimin's smile wipes off his face and he just sighs, sinking back into the chair slightly.

"Do you want the PR answer or the truth?"

"Well I'd prefer the truth."

Jimin eyes the younger briefly before taking a deep breath and straightening himself to tell the story.

"I'll start with the PR answer because it is short. We parted because of 'creative differences'" Jimin says with air quotes.

"And I am guessing that had nothing to do with it?"

"Well," Jimin starts, biting back a smirk. "I could say that we had differing ideas about the creative ways he spent my money."

"He what?"

"The man is a legend in figure skating, and not just in Korea. He has a lot of connections and could easily make deals. And he would do that, getting me brand deals and sponsorship opportunities. And when it was his deal, he would take 'a little off the top' as he tried to say. Basically the brand was paying me more than I was actually receiving because he was stealing before it reached me."

"Wow." Jungkook replies quietly. "Was Tae not around then?"

"For some of it he wasn't. When I first made Tae my manager I, being foolish, convinced him to trust the man. Blind faith. Thankfully, Taehyung is too suspicious for his own good and he found the discrepancies going back almost six years."

"Shit."

Jimin simply nodded, dropping his head and staring intently into the contents of his mug.

"When did this go down?"

"Little over a year ago. It was between seasons, so this season was the first without him. And it has been hard in many ways, expected and not."

"How hard?"

"Really hard," Jimin exhales, feeling himself getting emotional. "Being coachless isn't normal. Many people had speculations and assumptions. And those people had many hurtful things to say. Most of them blamed me for it, like my coach dumped me versus the other way around. Others tried to use it to their advantage, like they had the upper hand now. Some said I only won Olympic gold because of my coach, saying that I'm doomed this year."

"And you just put up with that?"

"What else was I supposed to do? By that point it was second nature to ignore and avoid. My walls were built around me and guarded. But even then, it doesn't mean it didn't hurt. It definitely made it harder to keep going. Made retirement look really nice."

"Right. You said skaters retire fairly early," Jungkook remembers.

"Yeah. I can't say I necessarily want to retire," Jimin starts, wrapping his small fingers around the mug in front of him. "But I can't think of a better set of programs to retire with."

"Oh?" Jungkook asks, tilting his head like a curious puppy.

"Let me ask you a question. You've seen both of my programs. What do you think they mean?"

"They have a meaning? Not just like a feeling?"

"Yes," Jimin chuckles lightly. "I can't say every skater has in depth meanings in their programs. They mostly just try to mark all the checkboxes to get the best scores they can. And that is what my old coach would do. But after deciding to just be on my own and create my own programs, I wanted it to mean more than just numbers in the long run."

"I find that really surprising," Jungkook says honestly.

"Why?"

"Because you're all get gold or go home. Everything sucks if it doesn't end with a gold medal."

"Okay fair," Jimin chuckles. "And that is still true. I still made sure to check all the necessary boxes to get the best scores. But both of my programs are actually really personal."

"Will you tell me what they mean?" Jungkook asks, a hint of hope in his tone that the elder will do so.

"Sure," Jimin answers, smiling softly at the innocence in those doe eyes he has quickly melted for. "Simply put the two programs are representations of my career in professional skating. The short program, called White Swan, is the start of my career. As the white swan, everything is innocent and elegant, beautiful and bright. It's happy." Jimin's voice becomes wistful as memories start to flood his mind.

"But the black swan?" Jungkook asks hesitantly.

"The black swan," Jimin sighs, a melancholic expression fading onto his face. "The black swan is now. Jaded and dark, tormented and unhappy."

Silence falls between them and Jungkook watches the forlorn pensiveness of the elder with sad eyes. His instinct it to comfort so he reaches across the table and gently takes one of Jimin's hands into both of his. The elder snaps his head at the younger looking confused and a little weepy.

"I wish I could take back everything you've been through that hurt you," Jungkook says softly. He gently rubs small circles on the back of Jimin's hand with his thumb.

Jimin can feel his heart pound in his throat, overwhelmed by the touch and care Jungkook is giving him. But he doesn't pull away. If anything he wants to be closer to him.

"Is this why you want gold so bad? To prove those people wrong?"

Jimin takes a deep breath and exhales slowly to calm him from crying before answering. "Partially. But it is more for me. To prove I'm the reason I got gold, not him. And fuck that is overwhelming."

"How come?"

"Because it is like I am carrying my entire legacy on my shoulders when I take the ice here. My whole reputation is on the line. Add that this is my last Olympics, and it gets so much heavier."

Jimin feels all the worry and panic about this that he has been repressing crash into him and he feels like he can't breathe. Jungkook must notice because he is quick to move his chair next to Jimin and wrap a comforting arm around his shoulders.

"Hey it's okay. Look at me hyung," Jungkook urges gently, tilting his head to get a better look at Jimin's face. Jimin's eyes have the same vulnerable fear from this morning, but they also have a look that says 'please don't leave me'. "Your worth has nothing to do with gold medals or brand deals, okay? You are worthy just for being you. You are the talented one and everyone will remember you for how beautiful you are when you skate. Nothing else, okay?"

Jimin's eyes are frantically searching Jungkook's for a sign that he is lying to him. But he can't see it. All he sees are nebulas filled with fondness and care as they float around the beautiful brown eyes. The skater doesn't answer, instead resting his head on Jungkook's shoulder while silent tears start to fall. Jungkook stiffens briefly at the action, but quickly chooses to focus on comforting Jimin and not the butterflies fluttering rapidly in his stomach.

I do trust him.

"Thank you," Jimin whispers, so quiet Jungkook nearly misses.

"For what?" Jungkook asks quietly.

"For being here."

Jungkook feels his heart swell with affection. He pulls Jimin into a hug, a little awkward with both of them sitting down, but by the way Jimin holds him close Jungkook knows that is was needy.

"God this is embarrassing," Jimin says after a while, pulling back out of the hug and using his sweater sleeves to wipe his tears.

"What is?" Jungkook asks, trying not to pout thinking it is because of him.

"Crying in public."

"Oh." Jungkook honestly forgot they were in the café he was so focused on the elder. "I'm pretty sure no one is paying attention to us."

Jungkook looks around and his assumption right. All of the other patrons are in their own worlds, much like how they were. As he scans the place, he sees a familiar dimpled smile looking at him before the man it's attached to approaches.

"Now I find you. You weren't answering," Namjoon says once close enough.

"What?" Jungkook asks before pulling his phone from his back pocket and seeing the missed call and unread texts. "Oh sorry hyung."

"It's okay it wasn't crazy important. And it looks like you were busy."

"Do you want to join us?" Jungkook asks before quickly turning to look at Jimin. "Is that okay?"

"Yeah, it's fine," Jimin answers, smiling softly at Jungkook before looking at Namjoon. "I'll try to be less intimidating this time."

"Jiminie oh my god you're so hard to find," a new voice says, quickly standing next to Namjoon. "Do you not have your phone?"

"Of course I have my phone Tae," Jimin says, lifting it off the table where he had it sitting face down.

"Oh so you're ignoring me for bunny boy," Taehyung teases with a smirk.

"Bunny boy?" Namjoon asks, confused at the new conversation.

"That's me apparently," Jungkook answers with a shrug.

"He looks like a bunny when he smiles," Jimin explains, giggling softly after which makes Jungkook smile the bunny smile in question. "See!"

"Yeah, I guess he does," Namjoon comments, earning a weak slap from Jungkook. "Hey, don't blame me for your face."

Everyone laughs at that, but Jungkook only hears Jimin's. After their emotional and personal conversation he was worried about the skater, but he seems lighter now. Like he isn't carrying as much burden as he was before.

Somehow during his brief zone out, Namjoon and Taehyung