And The Games Begin

Chapter 34

Jimin, Casey, Cam and Bryce are lined up side by side, all in suits, and Jimin isn't sure about the rest of them, but he's profusely sweating, and it's safe to assume that the other three are too.

Jungkook is standing at the front of the room with a short table next to him, a tray of roses on top. There are only three, and all of a sudden, it's so fucking real that they're nearing the finish line, that this is all almost over. Jimin has to remind himself to breathe.

Chris places his hand on Jungkook's shoulder. " Jungkook, gentlemen, tonight, there are three roses. The man called will have a moment to say his goodbyes and then will immediately leave the mansion following the rose ceremony. Jungkook, you may begin."

Jungkook nods, frowning. " Okay, before we start, I just wanted to say that I had such a great time visiting everyone's homes and families and I can't thank you all enough for inviting me into your towns. It was amazing, and that's what makes this even harder." He swallows hard and picks up a rose. " Bryce."

Bryce steps forward, smile on his face. Jungkook asks if he'll accept this rose, Bryce says yes, they embrace, and Jimin wants to hurl.

Jungkook takes a deep breath, picking up the second rose. " Cameron."

Cam exhales and accepts his rose, as well. Jimin can nearly feel Casey's heartbeat along side his own.

Chris rejoins their group, standing next to Jungkook. " Jungkook, this is the final rose. Take your time." Jungkook nods, and looks down at his hands.

Jimin taps his hands uselessly against his thighs, and it's impossible not to be nervous. He thinks - knows - he has an amazing connection with Jungkook, one that no one can touch. But what if Casey feels the exact same way?

He almost misses Jungkook calling his name, the rushing into his ears nearly deafening, and when he walks up to Jungkook, he sees that his hands are trembling.

" Jimin." he murmurs. " Will you accept this rose?"

" Did you really think I would say no?"

He smiles, his shoulders going lax.

" There's always doubt."

Jimin nods, understanding, but. " Not with me, there isn't. Not really."

Jungkook doesn't say anything else after that, but his eyes never leave Jimin's face, even when he pins the rose to Jimin's lapel. He hugs him, just like he did with Bryce and Cam, but this time, he buries his head in the crooks of Jimin's neck, breathing deeply, Jimin rubbing his hand up and down Jungkook's back.

He's vaguely aware that they're not the only ones on the room, and he suddenly feels very uncomfortable, knowing the rest of the guys are most likely staring at them. He drops his hands and pulls back. " You're crushing my rose, Jeon." he mumbles.

Jungkook smiles briefly. " Sorry."

Jimin walks back to his spot amongst the other guys, the room deadly quiet, and he waits patiently as Casey and Jungkook head out the door together, Jungkook's hand on the small of Casey's back, both wearing matching frowns.

Bryce is the first to break the silence with a loud sigh. " So, does anyone else feel like these are getting less and less enjoyable every week?"

Cam laughs, his voice wavering a bit.

" Let's talk about something else until Jungkook gets back."

Bryce nods. " Please, how where your hometown dates? Min, what'd you guys do? You don't have any family here, right?"

Jimin smiles, twisting his hands together. He could go into a depth conversation about how special it was to have Jungkook there, loving on his makeshift family, but he wants to keep it just between them. That is, until it's aired in national television. " Yeah, no family," he replies. " One of my best mates had a birthday party for his little boy, so we stopped by there, instead."

" Aw, that's nice."

" It was." He turns to Cam. " How'd it go for you?"

Cam rolls his eyes. " Did you know," he says in a tone that implies he's still pissed off, " that is the producers of the network don't think your own home is deemed appropriate by Mr. ABC himself, they make you film in someone else's house and pretend it's your own?"

" What?!" Jimin and Bryce both day together.

He nods, expression on his face hardly amused. " Apparently, my childhood home wasn't 'nice' enough, so we had to shoot at my aunt and uncles house. Unbelievable," he scoffs, shaking his head.

" That is ridiculously stupid." Bryce says.

" What is?" Jungkook asks, walking back in through the door.

The three men turn and look, and Jimin answers for them. " The way you tie your shoelaces. What grown man still has to do the bunny man loops?"

Cam laughs. " That's true, he does do that."

Jungkook rolls his eyes and stands in front of them, gaze going back and forth between each of their faces. He's holding a glass of champagne and takes a tentative sip. " And then there was three."

" Three musketeers," Bryce says.

Jimin shrugs. " More like The Three Stooges."

Jungkook smirks briefly. " This week was hard. Like, it's been getting harder, but now that I've met your families. It's harder to say goodbye." He stares at the door. " That wasn't fun. At all. And I know next week, it's going to be even worse." He frowns slightly, absentmindedly rubbing the stem of the glass between his fingers.

" But I made the right decision. And having you three here makes me feel so, so lucky, and I wanted you to know that."

A crew member walks over to them and hands them each their own champagne glass. Jimin takes his and holds it up. " To us. All four of us."

Jungkook nods, and holds up his glass, too. " Thank you."

They all clink their glasses together, and when Jimin feels Jungkook relax beside him, that's when he feels like he can relax again, too.

They all find out they're heading to Fiji as their final destination, the tropical spot in which one of them will get engaged, and Jimin tries not to let that overwhelm him. Instead, he takes two sleeping pills and passes out for the duration of the nearly twenty-four hour flight.

Fiji is stunning, the most stunning place they've been to so far. The water doesn't even look real, it's so clear, and he's almost afraid to touch it, not wanting to disturb it.

Jimin, Cam and Bryce set themselves up inside three separate houses that all hover above the water on stilts - the most unreal thing Jimin has ever seen - and he's almost reluctant to leave the suite, in awe that he's allowed to stay somewhere so beautiful, so magical.

Chris Harrison knocks on Jimin's door halfway through the first day.

" How are you enjoying paradise so far?"

" I don't want to marry Jungkook anymore. I'd rather marry this island."

He laughs. " I'll pass that message along. But in the meantime." He waves an envelope around. " Date card for you, sir."

" Oh!" Jimin skips over to Chris and takes the envelope from him. " Thank you servant."

He grabs a throw pillow from the couch and throws it at Jimin. " I hope you don't drown in the ocean."

" Now, that doesn't sound too sincere."

" Huh, probably because it wasn't. Enjoy your date!"

Jimin laughs, opening the envelope.

" Thanks, love."

Jimin,

Dive into paradise with me.

Jungkook.