Skype | Jinkook

forty-one

The sky is a pearly grey, sunlight filtering through clouds as small snowflakes float down and nestle themselves on clothes or in hair, melting on contact. Jungkook is hurrying down the sidewalk, face pink. He enters the apartment building, pressing the bell to Seokjin's apartment and smiling at the elder when he opens the door.

"Hi, Jungkookie." Seokjin pokes the boy's nose. "Your nose is red."

"It's cold out," Jungkook defends, and tugs off his hat as he steps into the apartment. His shoes slip off as he adds, "I got you a pair of earrings to wear once you're allowed to take those studs out."

"Ooh, really?" Seokjin asks excitedly, following Jungkook as he sits down at the small dining table and pulls something out of a purple paper bag. At the sight of small hoops with a metallic black sheen, Seokjin gasps, "Oh my god, Jungkook, I could never wear these. They look too cool."

"You'll look great," Jungkook argues, and lifts one of the earrings to Seokjin's earlobes. "Yeah, see? It looks awesome."

Seokjin laughs. "No, I can't see." He lifts his phone up and uses the camera as a mirror, tilting his head this way and that. "I guess it looks good."

"You look great," the boy says stubbornly, "and that's that. Don't argue with me."

There's a laugh from Seokjin. "Fine, if you insist. Oh," he adds, "and how was your date with Seojun? Have you guys kissed yet?" He wiggles his eyebrows.

"No," Jungkook says lowly, cheeks burning in embarrassment. "And stop asking me stuff like that, it's embarrassing and awkward."

"Oh, come on," Seokjin groans, "it's like, what, your third date with her? Haven't you guys at least held hands?"

"Just because she agreed to go on a few dates with me doesn't mean she likes me, hyung," Jungkook says. "Patience." When Seokjin sighs loudly, he adds, "You're the one who told me to tell her that I liked her, hyung! It's only been two weeks and three dates; she doesn't like me yet!"

"Yet?" Seokjin laughs. "You're that confident about her liking you?"

Jungkook's cheeks flush a darker shade of pink. "Maybe."

A grin stretches Seokjin's lips from ear to ear as he roughly tousles the younger's hair. "Okay, have fun wooing her."

"Yeah," Jungkook says happily, gently pushing Seokjin's hand away, "I will."

。。。

It's exactly two weeks later when Jungkook practically leaps into the elder's arms the moment he opens the door, squealing an incoherent string of words.

"Whoa, slow down," Seokjin laughs, pulling Jungkook away from him. "Why are you so excited?"

Jungkook just lets out another squeal, this time a bit quieter, and says something indecipherable. When Seokjin just fixes him with a slightly annoyed stare, he takes a deep breath and words fly out of his mouth, this time understandable. "Noona kissed me!"

"Oh." Seokjin's eyes widen a little, his eyebrows disappearing behind his bangs. "Really?"

"Yes, really," Jungkook scoffs, brushing past Seokjin and into the elder's apartment. "Why would I lie about something like that? Oh, I see you're wearing the earrings I gave you," he adds.

"Yeah, I am," Seokjin says, fingers reaching up and touching the cold metal embedded in his earlobes. His voice sounds different.

Jungkook frowns at the elder male as he peels off his jacket. "Are you sick or something? Your voice sounds weird. Don't get me sick, or noona won't kiss me again." He laughs giddily and presses his cold fingers against his cheeks. "I still can't believe she actually kissed me. I mean, she kissed my cheek once last week, but today she kissed my lips—" Jungkook emits another loud squeal again, his bunny-like teeth bared in a wide, toothy grin.