Jimin wakes up the next morning with a crick in his neck and a swooping feeling in his stomach. He has a date. He has a date with his best friend. He has a date with his best friend Jungkook and extremely conflicted but mostly excited.
And happy. He's feeling pretty happy.
He forgot to close the blinds the night before and the sun is beaming in, bright and hot, unusual for April but not unwanted. He sits up and rolls his shoulders, stretching, and he sees Link peering in through the tiny opening in the doorway.
" Come on in, if you want."
Link nudges the door open with his nose and it slams against the wall. He simply stands there, not so much as even attempting to enter the room any further.
Jimin rolls his eyes. " Was that honestly necessary?"
Link barks once, twice, and saunters back away from the door. A moment later, Jimin can heat him scratching at his bowl, followed by the sloshing of water. He barks for a third time.
" Okay, okay, I'm up. I'm coming. You're lucky Jungkook bought you food. Otherwise..." He doesn't finish the thought. Link barks several more times, knocking over his bowl of water even more in the process, spilling across the kitchen tiles. Jimin swears and throws down the dishrag to soak up the water.
After he's ripped open the bag of food and Link is quiet - well, not necessarily quiet, because a 250 pound dog eating is never a silent event - Jimin can finally replay last night over again in his head. It Suddenly dawns on him that they never discussed if their plans for tonight is an actual date or not. They've gone out to dinner plenty of times. Just because they got a bit handsy at a concert doesn't mean this qualifies as a romantic outing.
" Fuck," Jimin mumbles under his breath. Is it too early for alcohol? He glances at the clock above the cooker. It reads 10.14 Yup, too early.
He pours a shot if Tequila, anyway.
Jungkook texts him a few hours later saying he'll be at Jimin's house around eight, giving Jimin the rest of the afternoon and early evening to psych himself up.
This is so very unlike Jimin. This isn't typical Park behaviour. Normally, he's calm, he's collected, he's cool as hell. When he proposed to Tyler, he did so without shaking hands or a nervous belly. When they stood up before all their friends and family, reciting their vows, he didn't falter. Not once. Graduation, job interviews, the birth of six siblings...piece of cake.
But this?
He's changed four times, not knowing if the vibe of the restaurant will be casual or not. He's styled his hair three different ways, trying to look like he's not trying too hard, but also not like he just rolled out of bed. He's played fetch with Link, walked him, brushed his fur, brushed his teeth...Just to keep his hands and mind occupied.
Oh, and he's had two more rounds of self-served tequila shots.
It's because he isn't certain. He doesn't know the outcome. He has absolutely no inkling as to what could happen, tonight and in the future. And he doesn't know where Jungkook stands. Hell, he doesn't even know where he stands.
Jimin is changing his shirt for the now fifth time when he hears Jungkook pull up the driveway exactly one minute before 8 o'clock. He stalls in front of his mirror, waiting for the beep of the horn, but instead, the car goes silent. Several moments later, he hears the telltale sign of the screen door creaking open, followed by several harsh knocks against the wood of the front door.
The only time Jungkook has showed up at the front door is when he's coming over to hang out inside, never if he was taking Jimin out somewhere.
This date is material.
Okay. Date.
Jimin pulls open the front door to a casually dressed Jungkook. His skinny jeans don't have holes in them, but his boots are worn like always and his shirt is something Jimin has seen about 100 times.
Okay. Not a date?
" Hi, Min," Jungkook says smiling briefly. " You look nice."
Jimin self consciously touches the name of his neck, holding down the piece of hair he knows is still sticking out. " Thanks." He doesn't know what else to say so he gestures at Jungkook and says. " So, do you."
Jungkook furrows his brows and blushes. " I probably looked better before I got on the road. I was drinking water on my way over here and I hit a pothole and the water went everywhere and my jumper got soaked and this was the only thing I had in my car..." He's rambling and that's when Jimin realises: Jungkook is nervous, too.
Date.
It shouldn't make him feel better, that Jungkook is equally out of sorts, but God, it does. Jimin reaches out and touches Jungkook's hand, instantly silencing him. " You look good. I promise. Really good." It's the truth.
Jungkook's smile is genuine this time. It's deep rooted and that fucking dimple. Jimin has clearly been oblivious for the past decade because now, it's all he can do to not reach up and trace over it with his finger. Christ.
" Okay, are you ready, then? Link is all set?" Jungkook asks.
Jimin nods. " Believe me, he's set for a while."
Jungkook shrugs. " I made reservations, so let's go."
As Jungkook starts making his way down the pathway to the Jeep, Jimin has to look down and take a deep breath. He can't remember the last time someone made reservations for him. It's so sweet, that Jungkook is obviously going out of his way to try and impress Jimin. He can't believe it, really.
And when Jimin looks back up, there stands Jungkook holding the passenger door open for Jimin to climb in, blush creeping back up his neck and onto his cheeks.
The rest of the date could be an honest to God absolute disaster and Jimin will still consider it the best one he's had in years.
They arrive at the restaurant downtown that Jimin has never been to before. It's in the centre of the city, sporting candle sconces on the brick exterior and through the windows, Jimin can see thick, wooden floorboards throughout the interior of the building. They're surrounded by crowds of noisy happy people enjoying their own Saturday night, and the energy is contagious. Jimin is impressed that Jungkook was able to find a place to dine that is as fun as it is intimate, and it must show on his face because Jungkook smirks.
" You ready?" he asks.
Jimin nods. " Let's do it."
They enter the restaurant, Jungkook guiding Jimin with his hand on the small of his back, and they stop at the hostess stand.
" Good evening," a woman with bright red hair greets them.
Jungkook smiles. " Hi, table for two? Under the name Jeon."
She looks down at the list of names in front of her. " Excellent, you can follow me this way." She takes them to the back of the restaurant and Jimin is prepared to sit down at the secluded booth to the left, but the hostess takes a turn and starts climbing a set of stairs. Confused, Jimin looks up at Jungkook.
Jungkook raises a brow. " She told us to follow."
" Okay."