Serendipity {Vmin}

43. Months

Jimin glanced to the side in the pleasantly rumbling car. Taehyung sitting by him was pursing his lips in a thin line and stared out of the window, but the boy was sure that the other was probably so deep in thoughts that he didn't see anything passing outside at all.

He turned his gaze away, and tried to keep his eyes open with force, so the tears burning them wouldn't actually fall.

Instead, he started to watch the lights outside. The lit streetlamps and stores' blurred together images ran by them and Jimin could only think that by the time the Sun rises, he won't have a chance to see the city again. Or the country. Or Taehyung.

"Everyone is so quiet today" smiled Seokjin at them through the rearview mirror.

"It's early" answered Taehyung with a dissatisfied grimace displayed on his face.

"Jimin? Is everything alright?"

The boy nodded stiffly, as he wasn't sure whether he could trust his voice enough to speak up. He was nervous and excited at the same time, he had to set foot in a completely new country after all with loads of people who didn't speak his language, another surgery far from the remaining half of his family... And still, he had never been outside of the capital city before where so many horrible things happened to him, which's streets meant only coldness and stealing, not a place that he could enjoy. But a new city? Full of light just as this one, full of people and not bad memories but with hidden opportunities? He couldn't help but await the time when he would be able to go out and explore the place a bit.

The car rolled into the lifeless parking lot of the airport.

Jimin had never seen a plane up close before, but this was a new experience for him too. A plane just took off above their head and the boy watched the huge monster with his mouth wide open, not seeing how something so big could stay in the air.

"I'll leave you to yourselves for a bit, I'll check what's up with our flight in the meantime" Seokjin got out of the car.

Jimin turned towards Taehyung.

"Are you still angry?"

Hesitation showed on the boy's face.

"No. I don't want to part with anger. I just don't understand why you're going without me. School is not that important. Not even the robotics competition."

"You know it too that this is a lie. You want to go to college, so you need to study. And you've been preparing for the robotics competition for almost a year, and you're so close to it... I don't want you to give your dreams up because of me. I'm coming home in a few months. After that, I won't even leave my room, I promise."

"Don't promise something like this. Even if we can't go to Paris this summer, at least next year. And after that we have go to Jeju. And Hongkong, and..."

Jimin pulled the boy closer and kissed him.

"I'm going to miss you."

"I'm going to miss you too. More than anything."

"But it's just a few months. And we'll talk every day."

"I'll win the robotics competition for you until then" said the taller determinedly.

"And I'll learn to walk properly for you" laughed Jimin.

"Sounds good."

Taehyung wiped the corner of his eye with the hem of his sweats.

"Oh, don't cry because I'll cry too..." laughed the boy but already felt the familiar burning feeling in his eyes.

"The house will be so empty without you. You are my only friend..." sniffed the other.