Pluto Rooms | Jikook

Well, Back to the Ol' Grind.

"It smells just how I remembered it!"

Varying scents of alcohol, sweat, sugar, and cigarette smoke reach Jimin's nose the moment he enters Radon with Jungkook. His eyes take in the same neon glowing signs peppering the dim interior space with a fondness. Reading over their vague yet hopeful messages makes him remember when he used to stare at them, pleading them to make his shifts pass by faster. Now they're merely symbols of his past, pink, red, and green lights of reminiscence.

"Jimin! I haven't seen you in forever!"

A friendly voice meets them from behind the counter. Jungkook leans heavily on his walker as he shuffles forward with Jimin's hand on his hip...always there to make sure the younger maintains his balance. The younger dislikes being so waited on, telling his boyfriend that he's perfectly fine moving around with the support of the walker. However, only one month of physical therapy for Jungkook's legs doesn't quite sell Jimin. During the last few weeks stubbornly practicing, he's fallen a total of eight times while trying walk on his own. Preceding every fall, he had pushed his purple-haired supporter away...and felt the consequences.

"Yeonjun! It's nice to see you back at work, the king back in his castle! Man, it's been weeks." Jimin and Jungkook move at a snail's pace towards the bar. This early in the night, not many guests are at Radon, especially since school is back in full swing mid-September.

Yeonjun grins sheepishly, running a hand through his yellow hair. His eyes float in the space between Jungkook and Jimin, studying the way the couple move together. "Yes it has. And I haven't had the honor of meeting your man. Nice to see you, Jungkook, right?"

The wheelchair boy nods, releasing a hand from his walker to temporarily wave. "Hi Yeonjun. Jimin tells me you suck ass at being polite but make the best drinks in Seoul."

"Damn right he is there." Yeonjun snickers in honor, tossing the rag he holds over his shoulder. From behind the counter, a few individuals emerge next to Yeonjun--curious from the inflections of delighted voices carrying louder than the EDM pop music. "Glad Jimin isn't lyin' about stuff anymore. Glad I'm back at work and you're happy with your guy."

Jimin smiles brightly at Yeonjun. In a way, the lead bartender of Radon feels so old in a weird sense, almost older than Jungkook. Yeonjun's cool yet snappy nonchalance makes Jimin remember all the times he spent working the night shift with the boy. The job-training, the drink mixing. Yeonjun's sudden smoke breaks whenever the boss came in for a surprise visit. The Ujjujju Melonies and drunkards and their violent 'nosies!' whenever they found out there was vomit on the premises and they had to clean it up.

"It couldn't have worked out better." Jimin comments, now turning to face the others. "Hi Jackson. Soobin...Yeji!"

"Hi." "Heya Jimin." "Hello Jimin!!"

Radon's best all wave at the couple, and Jungkook bows against his walker to show respect for the team of Radon workers. 

Yeji steps forward, her red hair in a high bun. Since the incident, Yeji has been through countless hours in court, charged with manslaughter in self-defense. Even though she got out of years in prison, she's on probation and had to pay a lofty fine for the funeral and lawyer costs. Before Jimin could even offer to pay the amount himself--he'd pay anything, getting rid of Gyuri was priceless--Jinyoung covered all expenses for him. Like the law stud he is.

"Hi guys I'm Jungkook and I'm Jimin's boyfriend now." The younger blurts, smiling cheesily at the trio. "Well, me and Yeji have met before, but you two haven't seen me. Hey! Soobin...don't look down--hey, all of that is over...it's not your fault, oh, don't turn away! It's over with, neither Jimin nor I blame you, so you better not flake out on my friendly hellos. Hello! Say it back, Soobin! You have nothing to be ashamed of!"