Chapter Text
The thing is, everyone who knows Jeon Jeongguk knows that anywhere Kim Namjoon goes, Jeongguk is sure to follow. It has been that way since they were children. Jeongguk was four years old, following seven year old Namjoon around their shared backyards. The large, grassy area that led from the back door of his house connects to the one behind the Kim’s. The two families do not have a fence separating the properties, and when the boys are younger, they built a large treehouse in the tree that stands as the only clear division between the properties. It became their hideaway, where the two of them would meet and tell ghost stories or listen to the portable radio until the batteries gave out. As they got older, it would become “their spot”, the place where they would meet to talk about anything that might be bothering them. Such as the night before Namjoon was to start high school. He didn’t want to go to a school where he knew Jeongguk was not just down the hallway. It was a scary notion. For both of them. Jeongguk had hugged his friend tightly and patted his head before wiping away his tears and doing the best he could to reassure Namjoon. Everything would be alright, and at the end of the day, they always had their spot.
It came as no surprise that when Namjoon was seventeen and his soulmate mark came in on his ribcage (beautiful stars surrounding a crescent moon with a sun next to it, both partially covered by a cloud that made Namjoon smile dopily as he ran his fingers over it when looking in the mirror), Jeongguk attempted to draw the same design on his own side. It made Namjoon smile and squish Jeongguk’s cheeks after he found out. Jeongguk had tried to hide it, but… well. Summer led to sweating, which led to the black marker staining Jeongguk’s t-shirt, which Namjoon noticed. If Jeongguk was to be asked about it, he would deny it ever happened while stammering over his words and getting all red in the face. Anyone who said otherwise was obviously lying; and a traitor. If he were to be asked about how he cried when his own soulmate mark came in and it wasn’t a match to Namjoon’s… Well, he would deny that as well.
(Namjoon had held Jeongguk tightly and pet his hair as they sat in their treehouse. Jeongguk was inconsolable for hours, and it was only after many, many promises that Namjoon was never going to leave him that Jeongguk finally calmed down. “Hyung will always be here, Ggukie,” Namjoon had promised, flashing the younger one of his closed eyes, big dimpled grins of his. They fell asleep holding hands in their treehouse that night.)
What was even less of a surprise was that after Jeongguk graduated from high school, when Namjoon got offered an opportunity to study his final year (and maybe even into a master’s program afterward) in New York City, Jeongguk followed after him. His English wasn’t the greatest, but his portfolio and grades got Jeongguk a scholarship to study at NYU. Namjoon had been prepared to turn down the acceptance into his own program, having only applied to see if he could even get in; but, when Jeongguk came running up to him with a big smile and pink cheeks waving around an acceptance letter to NYU, they started making plans on making the trip together.
Which is how Jeongguk finds himself standing on a New York City sidewalk next to Namjoon with only a few weeks left to go before the start of term. Adjusting to life in the United States is difficult, and Jeongguk still is not sure he had made the best decision. But they are there, a few hundred feet away from the building that they are supposed to meet someone who, like Namjoon, is going into his final year of study for an undergraduate degree that would be showing them a tour of campus. Everything around him is just so busy. Jeongguk isn't sure how he can keep up. “Come on, Jeongguk-ah. We don’t want to be late,” Namjoon says, speaking up over the hustle and bustle of the people around, the familiar words in Korean feeling like a safety blanket to Jungkook with all the English around them. Jeongguk picks up his pace a little and grabs a hold of Namjoon’s arm, clinging on to him the rest of the walk to the admissions office. Jeongguk is even more nervous as they walk into the building; but, he is glad that he has Namjoon at his side. Namjoon always makes things better.
Jeongguk does not say anything as Namjoon talks with the person there in the office. She says their guide will be there soon, that he is finishing up talking with the admissions officer. Namjoon and Jeongguk take a seat and wait quietly until the lady they talked to stand up and starts talking to a young man that came out of one of the offices. “Great, thank you,” the guy says to her before turning his attention to the two of them. He has a smile that has Jeongguk suddenly no longer feeling so nervous as he stood up, still hanging onto Namjoon’s arm. “You two must be our transfers. Namjoon and Jeongguk, right? Welcome to NYU.”
“Yes, that is correct. I am a transfer student,” Namjoon replies with a nod of his head and a kind smile. “Jeongguk is a freshman this term.”
“Yah, hyung,” pretests Jeongguk, nudging him with his elbow and growing a little red in the face.
“Oh! Well, welcome to NYU, anyway. How are you settling in?”
Namjoon continues to lead the conversation and Jeongguk tunes it out for the most part. He is more focused on keeping up with Namjoon and their tour guide as they walk, in looking at the park and the architecture of the buildings around them. He is already imagining several video projects that he could do there. He barely notices when they were shown the buildings where a majority of their classes will be held, focusing more on the way the light reflected off the windows with the evening sun hitting them just right. “Well, that concludes our tour, I believe,” their guide says, catching Jeongguk’s attention again. He reaches up with one hand to rake his fingers through his hair, and Jeongguk almost swears out loud because no man has the right to look so good doing something so simple. “Unless you needed to see student housing? You didn’t need to, right?”
“No,” Namjoon answers. They aren't staying in student housing, after all. It would be a waste of everyone’s time to tour it. Their tour guide smiles, and Jeongguk wonders how he didn’t notice before just how nice the guy’s smile actually is. It’s the kind of smile that just immediately makes you feel comforted and like everything else was going to be okay - at least, that was what Jeongguk thought.
“Oh! I’m Hoseok, by the way. I forgot to introduce myself. Sorry .” His last word is spoken in Korean, and Namjoon can not keep himself from laughing at the obvious wave of relief that seems to wash over Jeongguk next to him at the familiar word.
“You speak Korean?”
Hoseok chuckles, smiling in a manner that can only be described as sheepish . Cute. “A little bit. I’m afraid it is a bit rusty. My family moved here from Gwangju when I was about five. We don’t use much Korean at home anymore. Unless mama is mad. Ooh, then we get an earful of it.” They all get a laugh at that, even if Jeongguk’s was too quiet to be heard by anyone other than Namjoon since he is still clinging to Namjoon’s arm. “My friend Seokjin does, though. He’s from Seoul, I think? I know he grew up in Korea, anyway.” Hoseok nods, rocking back and forth on his feet a couple of times while sliding his hands into the back pocket of his jeans. “Well, unless you’ve any questions for me, you’re free to go on your way. Maybe I’ll see you around.”
Jeongguk can only hope so.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
The thing is, even though he was heartbroken at his soulmate mark not matching Namjoon's, Jeongguk can't stop playing with it. Sunflowers and daisies and some other flower he doesn't know the name of color the inside of his right thigh in reds, yellows, and purples. Whenever he wears shorts and sits with his legs crossed underneath him, the very bottom of the design peeks out and Jeongguk unconsciously finds himself brushing his thumb back and forth across what part of the mark that can be seen when he glances down. He can't help but wonder who has the matching piece. Will they be the best of friends, or will they be more? Even just thinking about the last possibility has Jeongguk blushing as he sits alone in his room of the apartment he shares with Namjoon. Namjoon would laugh at him if he were there right then. Jeongguk is glad it's just him.
Or it was just him. Jeongguk can hear the sound of the front door opening and shutting, followed by the sound of Namjoon taking off his shoes to put on slippers waiting just inside the doorway. Jeongguk takes a deep, slow breath, willing his reddened cheeks to lose some of the color so he doesn’t have to explain to Namjoon what has him looking so flustered. He knows, he knows Namjoon won’t tease him too much; but, he still just doesn’t want to deal with it. Being able to reach up and not feel heat beneath his fingers as he presses them to his cheeks, Jeongguk gets up from his bed and makes his way to the main room of the apartment, where he finds Namjoon sitting on the couch. “ Good day, hyung ?” Jeongguk asks, the Korean slipping from his lips faster than he can remember that they’re supposed to be attempting to use more English. He only remembers when Namjoon gives him a look in response. Jeongguk smiles sheepishly and sits down next to Namjoon.
“Tell me you did not stay in the apartment all day,” Namjoon says instead of answering. Again, Jeongguk smiles sheepishly and Namjoon sighs. “Come on.”
“Huh?”
Jeongguk’s brow furrows but he doesn’t fight as Namjoon takes a hold of his hand and drags him up off the couch. “Go change. We’re going out.”
“Out where?” As he speaks, he lets Namjoon drag him down the hall back to his bedroom. Namjoon doesn’t answer, just lets go of Jeongguk’s hand to start to pick out clothes for him - grumbling about how Jeongguk needs more colors than black in his wardrobe - and Jeongguk watches him curiously.
“To meet up with a friend.” Namjoon sighs and grabs one of Jeongguk’s black t-shirts and a pair of jeans out of the closet. He then shoves them into Jeongguk’s arms. “Change into this. We need to get you clothes that are not just black.”
Jeongguk giggles and shakes his head. “My clothes are fine, hyung. Where are we going?”
“Out. Just… don’t take too long, kiddo.” Namjoon smiles and leaves the room so that Jeongguk can change out of the basketball shorts and ratty tank top that he’d been wearing all day.
Jeongguk sighs once he’s alone. He isn’t sure if he really wants to go out and deal with other people. But he knows that Namjoon will pout if he says no, and, well… Jeongguk is whipped for his best friend. Everyone knows it. So, Jeongguk changes - even runs a brush through his hair and checks his reflection to make sure his face isn’t too awful. He knows he needs to do better at regularly washing his face, but… effort . “Okay, I’m ready,” Jeongguk announces as he returns to the living room.
Namjoon has changed, too. He’s wearing a pair of lightwashed jeans that, admittedly, make his legs look amazing with rips in all the right places, and a t-shirt that’s almost a size too big in a pale pink that Jeongguk would never be able to pull off like Namjoon does. He can faintly see the black outlines of Namjoon’s softly colored soulmate mark through the thin material of his shirt. “You look nice,” Jeongguk complements as they start out of the apartment together. Namjoon just smiles and Jeongguk is reminded all over again why he had wished that Namjoon had been his soulmate. That love and admiration he had always felt for Namjoon is still there, but it’s softened, faded into something strictly platonic that nobody could ever touch. Their friendship is one for the ages, Jeongguk is sure of it. He only hopes that Namjoon’s soulmate is okay with how physically close they can be sometimes.
They talk as they head to wherever it is that Namjoon is taking Jeongguk, hands brushing together until Jeongguk reaches out further and tangles his fingers together with Namjoon’s. Namjoon gives his hand a gentle squeeze but doesn’t let go. They walk - apparently, it’s not far; and before Jeongguk realizes it, they’re heading into a bar. Jeongguk can’t drink, and he points this out to Namjoon, who ignores him and just keeps leading him through the crowd over to an empty booth along the far wall. “Hyung, why are we her-- Yoongi-hyung?” Jeongguk’s smile becomes almost impossibly wide as he rushes over to hug the shorter man that he hasn’t seen in years.
Yoongi chuckles as he stumbles back, but wraps his arms tightly around Jeongguk and somehow manages to keep them both upright. “Christ, kid, you’ve gotten tall,” replies Yoongi, letting go of Jeongguk only to grab ahold of his chin and direct his face this way and that to inspect him. “Who let you grow up?”
“That’s what I asked him the other day,” Namjoon says, smiling as he sits down in the booth. “You on break?”
Yoongi nods and directs Jeongguk to sit down in the booth, ignoring Jeongguk’s whines and complaints about being able to walk by himself. “I didn’t know you were here. I thought you were in LA?” Jeongguk says as they settle into the booth.
“Yeah, well. Some things came up and-”
“Drinks!” interrupts a tall, intimidatingly pretty boy that Jeongguk is sure had to have walked directly out of a fashion magazine. He places down a glass of whiskey in front of Yoongi, what looks like orange juice but probably has vodka in it in front of Namjoon, and a Coke in front of Jeongguk.
Yoongi looks at the boy with an incredibly fond smile that makes Jeongguk look back and forth between them several times. Yoongi seemed to have thoughtlessly placed his hand on the boy’s wrist, thumb brushing against the pulse point there. He smiles back at Yoongi and Jeongguk elbows Yoongi’s side a little too harshly, earning himself a glare from Yoongi. “Shit. Right. Jeongguk, this is Taehyung. Tae, this is-”
“Kookie! Hyung’s told me all about you and Namjoon. When he found out you two were here, he got all excited,” Taehyung speaks rapidly, all in English and Jeongguk is surprised to find that he follows it easily enough. “Guess moving out here was a good idea.”
“Oh, so this is why you moved,” teases Namjoon, smirking as he takes a sip out of his glass while Yoongi grows all pink in the face.
“Are you soulmates?” Jeongguk finds himself asking before he can stop himself. He apologizes almost immediately, ducking his head. That was incredibly rude - he shouldn’t have asked.
Taehyung smiles, if possible, even more brightly and nods before he drops himself down on Yoongi’s lap - Yoongi’s hands immediately find a home on his waist as if it were second nature. “Yup! Took him long enough to admit it. He hated the idea at first, but I won him over.” Taehyung winks at Jeongguk, grabbing Yoongi’s glass to take a drink out of it. “I’d love to stay and chat, but I think Seokjin-hyung would kick my ass for taking another break. It’s good to meet you, Kookie. We’ll have to talk later.”
Taehyung is gone before Jeongguk can gather himself enough to say anything. Yoongi stares after him fondly before turning his attention back to Namjoon and Jeongguk. “So, how are you settling in?” he questions, taking a drink out of his glass. Jeongguk lets Namjoon answer, settling for fiddling with his own glass instead. He’s glad to see Yoongi again. The last time he saw Yoongi was just before Yoongi moved to the States about three years prior.
Namjoon tells Yoongi about their apartment, about classes starting up soon, and Jeongguk inputs a little as well, saying that it’s difficult sometimes but he’d like to think that his English is getting better. Yoongi reaches over and squeezes Jeongguk’s hand reassuringly. “When Jin and Tae get off we’re going to get food,” Yoongi informs them. “You should come too. Unless you have an early morning?”
Both of them shake their heads while Namjoon states that of course they’d like to go. Jeongguk isn’t sure. He hasn’t been overly social lately, mostly out of nerves, he’s sure. But it’s Yoongi. He knows Yoongi. Jeongguk could use more time out of the apartment, Namjoon is right. So, Jeongguk smiles and finds himself leaving with the other two once it is time to go. Taehyung shows up and immediately plasters himself to Yoongi’s side, taking a hold of his hand like it’s the only thing keeping him going. “Oh, who is this cutie?” a tall man that Jeongguk hasn’t met before asks as he comes over to them while shrugging on a zip up hoodie that seems to be almost too small for his shoulders but too long in the arms.
“Jin, this is Jeongguk, th-”
“The one Hobi-ya was telling me about. Right.” Jin nods as a confused expression folds Jeongguk’s features. He asks who ‘Hobi-ya’ is, but Jin just smiles. “Well, come on, then. Kyun can only promise us a table for so long.”
Taehyung snorts out a laugh as they start to leave the bar, Jin leading the way. “You say that like the diner isn’t going to be empty when we get there. Don’t act like you’re not just in a hurry to see your man.”
“Ignoring you.”
“Love you, too, hyung.” Taehyung blows dramatic kisses Jin’s way, and Jeongguk can see where Jin is struggling to not smile at the action.
Namjoon falls into step next to Jin, talking to him about some movie the two of them had seen the other day - Jeongguk didn’t realize that Namjoon had made so many new friends. Not that it’s a bad thing, he always loved how friendly and full of love that Namjoon was. It just makes Jeongguk realize just how much time he’d spent shutting himself away from everything. It really was good that Namjoon dragged him along, Jeongguk realizes as Taehyung starts asking him questions about what he’s studying (“If you need an actor for anything, let me know. My face blesses any screen,” Taehyung says when he finds out Jeongguk is a film student, blatantly ignoring the way that Jin states his would be better than some bratty kid’s) and they talk about how Taehyung is at NYU as well, only he’s studying fashion and design.
“Jimin and I are going to be sophomores! If you ever need help, just let one of us know, yeah?” Taehyung insists with a smile as they all crowd into a corner booth at a diner that was, indeed, empty of other customers. He exchanges usernames with Jeongguk so he can add Jeongguk to a chat with Jimin, insisting that the three of them are going to be the best of friends. Jeongguk finds that he really hopes so. Who wouldn’t want to be friends with someone so bright?
They aren’t seated very long before someone comes stumbling out of the swinging door leading to the back. He’s got a t-shirt and some jeans on that seem worn-in but comfortable with a black apron tied around his waist. Jeongguk can see a notepad and pen poking out of one of the pockets. The guy is pretty, if not a bit intimidating with the metal bar through his left eyebrow, but he smiles and Jeongguk is immediately reminded of the way that Namjoon can seem incredibly intimidating if you don’t know him and he’s lost in his thoughts with that serious face on that makes people not want to approach him, because he seems infinitely less intimidating with that smile. “Hi,” he says, seeming almost a little breathless, as he focuses more on Jin than any of them after he finished glaring over his shoulder toward the door he’d stumbled through. “What can I get for drinks?” Everyone rattles off drink orders that the guy jots down on the notebook, but he pauses as he realizes that Jin hasn’t said anything in response, looking up to see that Jin’s just smiling at him. “What..?”
He smiles but blushes a little when he sees the way that Jin is tapping his cheek near his lips, and then ducks down to quickly kiss him. Jin rests a hand on his forearm, but he straightens back up and moves away before Jin can deepen the kiss any. “I’ll be right back with drinks,” the guy that Jeongguk is assuming is named “Kyun” says as he rushes back through the door he came from with his face even more bright red than it had been before the kiss.
“Jin, don’t kill the poor guy,” Yoongi chuckles as he settles into his seat more, getting fully comfortable there. He glances over at Jeongguk, then. “That’s Changkyun. He and Jin just started dating.”
Jeongguk nods in understanding while Jin rests his elbow on top of the table and his chin in his hand. “They’ve been flirting for ages ,” Taehyung groans only for it to turn more into a whine when Jin kicks him underneath the table. “What? You have. Hobi even says so.”
“Who is ‘Hobi’?” Jeongguk asks, figuring it is the same person that Jin was talking about before.
“Me,” answers someone Jeongguk didn’t even see come out of the back, balancing a tray with several drinks scattered across it. Hoseok, the tour guide from NYU, smiles at him across the table and Jeongguk feels himself smiling before he can even really register he is. “Namjoon, Jeongguk. It’s good to see you’ve settled in more.” As he speaks, Hoseok sets everyone’s drinks down, getting the placement correct - even though he was simply assuming when it came to Namjoon and Jeongguk’s orders. He even brought a drink for Jin despite him not having actually ordered one.
It’s when Jin takes his cup of what appears to be tea of some kind that Jeongguk notices Jin’s soulmate mark on his left wrist and how it matches the one clearly visible on Hoseok’s left wrist. “Oh. You’re soulmates?” he asks before he can stop himself. Jin is dating someone not his soulmate? When his soulmate is Hoseok? Jeongguk just... can't wrap his mind around it.
“Yep,” replies Jin, popping the ‘p’ in the word as he places his drink down on top of the table. “Which is why he’s going to bring us a whole bunch of french fries and onion rings without charge.”
“Says who?” questions Hoseok with a laugh to his words. He shakes his head but presses in close as Jin’s arm wraps around his waist, hugging him close to Jin’s side. Hoseok’s arm casually drapes over Jin’s shoulders and he ducks down enough to press a kiss to the crown of Jin’s head. Jeongguk just watches them, not sure what to make of the dynamic or why his heart feels like someone just kicked it.