And The Games Begin

Chapter 26

They eat horrible pepperoni pizza courtesy of room service at 5.30am in the morning and just as the sun is rising, Jungkook says. " You know what my favourite thing about you is?"

" Do you actually want me to guess, because it might take a while."

He smirks. " No, I'll tell you." He takes a sip of his water. " That you're exactly the same on camera as you are of it. I've already noticed some of the guys have multiple personalities. And that's not necessarily something their aware of. Sometimes the camera makes you do weird things. It's just nice that I don't have to worry about that with you."

" So, what you're saying is that my personality both off and on camera is dazzling and intoxicating?

Jungkook smiles before leaning over to kiss him softly on the lips, fleeting and gentle. " Yes, that is exactly what I'm saying." He stares at Jimin intently, frowning. " You know this." he says, gesturing around, "isn't the only one reason I gave you a rose, right?"

Jimin snorts. " Yes, Jeon, I know."

He kisses him again. " Thank God."

Jimin slides into his bed just before everyone else starts getting out of theirs, and he's bone tired, but the tired cheesy smile plastered to his face says otherwise.

Over the next few weeks, the group moves across the country, stopping in Bar Harbor, Maine, before they head to Iceland, and although Jimin doesn't get another date during that time span, he's okay with it. Jungkook will often leave notes for Jimin...stupid...silly things, like what he had for breakfast, or the song that's stuck in his head, or that he had a strange dream the night before that he worked on a blueberry farm and Jimin was the Aimish boy down the dirt road selling cheese and he keeps them in his wallet for when he's all up in his own head and can't stop missing Jungkook.

And then there's the first rose ceremony after the hotel rendezvous. Jungkook pulls Jimin aside and kisses him, sweet and slowly, a nice contrast to the several times  they'd been left alone together, and murmurs against his lips. " I've missed your mouth so much."

Jimin squirms. " You are a dentist, after all."

He smiles. " Missed your mind."

" It is a good one."

Jungkook nods. " Missed you."

He has trouble swallowing under Jungkook's stare. " Fuck, I missed you too."

And Jimin understands that he can't expect Jungkook to drop everything and everyone for him; that's not the point of the show, or the process.

Doesn't mean he can't pout about it, though.

The number of men is dwindling, but Jimin is still here, safe week after week, and the pang in his chest every time Jungkook calls his name to accept a rose. It's okay for now. It's all okay.

As they pack up to leave Iceland, Jimin overhears Casey talking to Chris from the room over, discussing the weather in London for when they touch down, and he just about has a heart attack in the hotel. He hasn't had a date in two weeks, he hasn't even seen Jungkook in three days, but he's going home and he can't stop smiling.

He's downright giddy when they land at Heathrow, so much...that Jonathan jokingly smothers him with a pillow to get him to shut up just before they hit the pavement, although based on the force behind it, Jimin isn't sure if was actually just playing around.

Christ it's been over a year since he's been back in London, and he's so beyond happy to be home. He has to actively force himself not to bend down and kiss the tarmac. The beautiful, disgusting tarmac.

It's cool, about 54 degrees, and raining as usual. There's a fog that makes it impossible to see just about anything, including oncoming traffic, and the amount of times their driver curses is comical.

Ah, London. Perfect, gorgeous London.

Once their all settled in the hotel, Jimin takes a seat next to Cam on the couch in the common area, squishing into the pillows, warming his hands with a cup of tea.

" So, Cameron. Welcome to me country."

Cam laughs. " Do you think you're gonna be able to see your family at all?"

" I don't know. Obviously, I would love to. But we're only going to be in London for about 48 hours before we move onto somewhere new, apparently, and I'm not sure I'll have time to squeeze them in. Especially if I'm the one who gets the one-to-one date today."

" It's a pretty good chance you will. You haven't had a one-to-one since the first week, and of course he'd want to give it to you in the place you grew up."

" Yeah." Jimin scratches at the fabric on the pillow next to him. " Maybe."

Maybe turns into definitely when Jonathan walks in with the date card an hour later.

" Jimin." he reads

" let's explore. Love J."

Jimin snorts. " Wow, what a specific card." He turns to Lydia. " We're those words your brilliant idea? Because if so, bravo, well done."

" Seriously, Min, we've talked to you about this," she scolds. " Now we have to retake that, unless you want to come off looking like a misreading son of a bitch any time the camera is on you. Try to be excited and not a sarcastic brat for once."

" It's my natural, radiant personality, what can I say."

" Ugh." She rolls her eyes and turns to Jonathan. " Will you read the card again?"

" Jimin, you make everything impossible," Johnathan says, flipping him off. He reads the card one more time, his voice much more less enthusiastic than before, and makes a face that says, if you make me do this again, I'll light you on fire.

Jimin doesn't give it more than two seconds thought before he jumps to his feet and claps, screaming, " Oh, good golly, a date for me! I'm the chosen one! This moment is epic! Live, laugh, love, everyone!"

Cam snorts so hard, yes comes out his nose and Jonathan throws the envelope at him, as if it would cause any actual damage.

Lydia throws her hands in the air. " I give up. You're a lunatic, and I don't care how you look on National television anymore."

He blows her a kiss. " See you on my date tomorrow."