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Hoseok never meant for YouTube to be his full-time career.

It all started when he was at SNU, studying for his communications degree. He had just finished an absolutely awful exam, and not even sweating it out with his dance crew was enough to lift his spirits. Instead, he’d gone back to his tiny studio apartment in Sillim-dong, had three beers and found himself recording an impromptu rant about his exam, how difficult adjusting to life in Seoul was after Gwangju, and the general purpose of higher education. His drunk, impulsive brain had thought it would be a great idea to then post his video online. Hoseok had uploaded the video to his YouTube account (boasting a solid 73 followers, mostly for his dance videos) and promptly fallen asleep afterwards, his laptop screen still glowing in the darkness of his apartment.

The next morning, he’d woken up to the shrill ringing of his phone. Slowly dragging himself out of sleep, he’d picked up the call in a surly mood – only to have Namjoon yelling excitedly in his ear that he should check YouTube, immediately. Hoseok had started up his computer again, and when the screen flickered back to life (still on his YouTube account page), he was genuinely sure he was dreaming.

His follower count had skyrocketed to over 100,000, and his video from the previous night – titled The time I failed my communications exam – had somehow accrued millions of views. Hoseok had scrolled through the comments below his video, still caught in that fuzzy state between sleep and wakefulness. Namjoon’s voice was still echoing from his phone, but Hoseok had been too caught up in reading comments.

So true – I’m glad university students are having more courage to talk about these things!

He has such a sweet voice, I could listen to him talk for hours

Kekekekeke the way he imitated his professor! I went to SNU three years ago, I’m pretty sure I know who he’s talking about

Can’t SNU sue for defamation?

Okay but literally who cares it’s just an exam, it’s not that deep

Why do I feel like I just want him to be my friend?

Hoseok had stared in utter bewilderment at the flood of comments – mostly positive, some negative, some just trollish – and had pinched the sensitive inner skin of his elbow to make sure he was actually awake. When the sharp pain brought tears to his eyes, he had decided that he wasn’t dreaming.

He’d picked up his phone again, asking Namjoon what the hell was going on. His friend had simply replied that he had no idea how the video had first gone viral, but that many current and former students seemed to empathize with him.

“Don’t forget me when you’re famous, Hob-ah,” Namjoon had teased. Hoseok had rolled his eyes and told him not to be ridiculous. He had hung up on Namjoon, given his laptop screen one last glance and exited out of YouTube.

For all he knew, this would just be another fun story to tell his friends in ten years.

It did not remain just a fun story. Instead, three weeks later when Hoseok rescued a shivering puppy and brought it back to his apartment, he’d ended up recording another video – The time I rescued a puppy – speaking about the experience, but also about the callous way many people treated pets as disposable objects. All he’d hoped for was for some people out there to realize pets weren’t toys, and start treating them properly.

Instead, the video had gone semi-viral again.

I guess I never really thought of it that way ㅠㅠ but that poor puppy, I hope it’s doing better now

I want to see the puppy! Can you show him to us pleeeease

You’re such a nice person

My dog was a rescue too and he’s been with my family for 7 years now – fighting!

It was with the second video that Namjoon finally actually watched both videos. Hoseok had busied himself in the kitchen, concentrating a little too hard on making kimchi fried rice. He made sure to turn the heat up just a little more so that the sizzling sounds in the pan masked the sound of his own voice.

“Hob-ah,” Namjoon had said later, his tone and gaze completely serious. “You really have a knack for this. You’re funny, engaging, and not afraid to speak about risky topics. I think a lot of people really like you.”

Hoseok had dismissed his words without much thought, but after uploading a few more videos just for the fun of it (The time I made kimchi from scratch, The time I tried b-boying), he noticed how people would start leaving requests. Just on a whim, he tried out a few of them (The time I stayed up for 24 hours, The time I ate ten bowls of ramen, The time I tried busking in Hongdae) – and received positive feedback every time. His follower count had continued to grow, until it had been a year since the first video and Hoseok was sitting pretty at 500,000 followers.

It was then that he’d finally, reluctantly, invested in better cameras and actually created a setup in his studio for filming (instead of just doing it on the couch each time).

Now, a few years later and done with university, Hoseok is big enough to even have an agent handling his communications. Kim Seokjin is a friend of Namjoon’s, and the rates he charges for managing Hoseok’s career are far more affordable than any other agent (Seokjin insists that it’s just because Hoseok gets the friends and family discount). Hoseok’s moved out of his Sillim-dong studio into a two-bedroom apartment in Ichon-dong. Seokjin is his roommate, though they’re both quite good at turning off their “work modes” and operating as just regular roommates. It helps that Seokjin’s boyfriend, Jimin, is often visiting – Jimin is excellent at getting both of them to stop working, especially considering how Seokjin turns into absolute mush with his boyfriend. Hoseok can’t blame him – Jimin is gorgeous, with pale blonde hair and sparkling eyes, but he’s even more gorgeous on the inside. He’s kind, loyal, empathetic and supportive, but also not afraid to speak his mind. Hoseok often jokes about stealing the younger man away from Seokjin, but all three of them know that he’d never do that to his friend.

Hoseok’s YouTube channel has continued to flourish. He’s set up a regular schedule (the “time” videos, as he likes referring to them, every two weeks – a dance video every two weeks – a regular talking vlog video every week – a livestream every month – random videos on other subjects here and there) and Seokjin manages his sponsorships with a suave grace that he never displays at home. Hoseok’s been contacted by numerous sponsors across many different industries, because he doesn’t really feature one particular type of entertainment on his channel. He knows there are amazing skincare vloggers, makeup vloggers, even dance vloggers. So his greatest strength is that he’s flexible with his content, because he’s really always willing to try anything.

(Well, anything that doesn’t involve bugs. Or hauntings. Or, god forbid, needles.)

So Hoseok is living fairly comfortably in his mid-twenties, with a solid group of friends, a great apartment and a very affectionate dog. He should be happy, thrilled even, that he’s been able to make a career out of the Internet. His mother is still never sure what to tell relatives when they ask what he’s up to, but he knows she doesn’t care. She just wants him to be happy.

But the problem is, Hoseok isn’t sure he is happy.

It feels selfish, irresponsible even. He should be so grateful for what he has. And he is, but there’s something inside him that just itches for more. He loves being able to chat with his subscribers, either through comments or on his livestreams, but it’s not enough. Hoseok has always thrived on face-to-face interaction – it was one of the reasons he’d studied communications in the first place, with dreams to one day be on television, exploring stories and interviewing people.

He tentatively brings up the idea to Seokjin one night when they’re halfway through a bottle of soju. Seokjin blinks at him, eyes slightly glassy with intoxication, and opens his mouth –

Only to let out a belch. (The frustrating thing about Kim Seokjin is that even his belches sound delicate, of all things.) Hoseok sighs and knocks back another shot of soju, staring hard at the surface of their nice coffee table.

“So wait, let me get this straight.” Seokjin’s voice slurs a little but is otherwise admirably steady. “You want to see if I can find you something as a presenter? Like on TV?”

“Yeah,” Hoseok mutters, running a hand through his hair. “It’s a long shot, I know. The media companies are pretty hard to break into, and I don’t know what they’d think of a social media influencer trying to enter the fray.” He laughs bitterly, flopping back on the couch. “Seriously, don’t worry about it, hyung. It was just a dream of mine.”

Seokjin purses his lips and searches his face but doesn’t speak further. Instead, they both fall asleep on the couch, and Hoseok is snappy the entire next morning as he cleans up their mess from the previous night.

Seokjin doesn’t bring up their conversation again, and Hoseok assumes that he doesn’t remember it – after all, they had had a lot to drink. He continues with his regular uploading schedule, meets Jimin for coffee occasionally, even goes on a few dates (including two that were not requested by his subscribers, thank you very much).

Something about his life now feels routine, repetitive. He realizes how long it’s been since he actually went out to socialize with new people, and has a meltdown about it with Namjoon.

“You know that being a YouTuber doesn’t mean you can’t meet people, right?” Namjoon pats his back awkwardly as Hoseok wipes at his damp cheeks, grunting quietly to indicate he’s heard. Namjoon is hopeless at physical affection, but after knowing each other for so long, he knows that it’s Hoseok’s main form of comfort – so he tries, despite that. Just the gesture makes Hoseok smile, even through the tears.

“I know, I know. The job isn’t inherently keeping me from enjoying other things. I just…” Hoseok trails off, letting out a small frustrated sound. How does he explain it properly? “It’s like. It’s my job, right? So I have to make sure it’s done perfectly. But there’s no – there’s no final finish line to reach, to ensure it’s done perfectly. Like when I’m dancing, if I execute the choreography flawlessly and with the right attitude, then it’s perfect. It’s done, if that makes sense. But this stuff… it’s never really done.” And Hoseok hates leaving things undone. So he spends so much of his time just thinking about his channel, about his online brand, how to make it better.

Namjoon hums understandingly. “I think I get it, even if I can’t really imagine myself feeling the same way.” He scoots closer, until their shoulders are pressed up against each other – a silent, steady reassurance. “You didn’t know that being an online personality would include all of this stuff. If it’s not making you happy, then you should find something else.”

Hoseok almost laughs but manages to stop himself. Namjoon makes it sound so easy. Is it really that easy?

“Not all of us can find our calling as a composer and lyricist at an amazing music company, Joon-ah.”

But as much as Hoseok teases Namjoon that day (and Namjoon takes it, like the good-natured friend he is), he can’t stop thinking about what his friend said. It makes him think of his previous conversation with Seokjin too, about how he wanted to be a presenter. Now that job – that job would have the type of closure he’s looking for. He’d be able to interact with people face-to-face, enjoy himself during the process, and once the event was done – it was done. There would always be something else to work on, of course, but the goal and outcome would make so much more sense.

“Mickey,” Hoseok speaks solemnly to his dog as he hoists Mickey up like Simba from the Lion King. Mickey lets out a disgruntled sneeze. “Do you think I made a mistake, getting into YouTube?”

Mickey stares at him with his usual droopy expression, but despite the uncomfortable position, his tail still wags at Hoseok’s voice. Hoseok sighs and nuzzles his face into his dog’s fur, resolving to put the thought at the back of his mind for now. Maybe later, he’d be able to give it some proper thought.

A month after his meltdown with Namjoon, Hoseok is about to start filming his next “The time I…” video – but first, he takes the time to admire his reflection in the bathroom mirror. Quite a number of subscribers over the years had requested for him to dye his hair – many of them insisted he’d look just as good as an idol with dyed hair and a few earrings. While Hoseok would never pierce his ears (too much of a scaredy cat, and he wasn’t afraid to admit it), the idea of dyeing his hair had been lurking on his mind for a while. Recalling his feeling of being stuck in a routine, he’d figured that a good dye job might help shake things up a bit. So he’d called Jimin over the day before and he’d dyed Hoseok’s hair.

He’d debated on the actual color for a while. But as he examines himself with the pale silver hair in the mirror, he sees a smile spread across his face. It’s perfect – simple, but impactful. The new hair makes him look softer, more peaceful. He hopes that he can feel peaceful inside himself soon, too.

He settles down in front of his filming setup after adjusting the ring light ever so slightly. His setup is fairly minimal and clean – a pastel green wall behind him (his room walls are painted green, and Seokjin complains about it every time he enters) and a little desk in front of him, to give him somewhere to rest things if filming requires it. The chair he uses, though, is absolutely top quality – beautifully cushioned, and sitting on it feels like sitting on a cloud. Filming can sometimes take a long time, and there was no way he was going to suffer with an uncomfortable chair.

Hoseok also rarely messes with the camera setup, too afraid of accidentally damaging something. But he does make sure to keep the space fastidiously clean, and usually lights a softly scented candle when he starts filming. Today’s scent is a slightly spicy one, with notes of ginger as well as something vaguely floral.

He messily pulls a bucket hat over his hair to cover the silver and reaches out to turn on his camera. He then settles back and smiles directly into the lens, doing so in the perfect way to make his little dimples pop.

“I’m your hope, you’re my hope, I’m J-Hope!” he speaks into the camera, giving it a little wave. “Hello everyone, I hope you’re doing well! It’s a sunny day here in Seoul, but I can feel that autumn is somewhere in the air. August will pass too soon, and it’ll be time for the colder months – which you know I love.” He beams. “But enough about that! I’m sure you’re curious what I have in store for you today, aren’t you?” He winks flirtatiously as he slips into his J-Hope persona with ease, pitching his voice just a little higher, making his movements just a little more animated. “I think you’ll all be pleasantly surprised! It’s something everyone has been waiting a long –”

“Seok-ah!” Seokjin bursts into his room without any sort of warning, and Hoseok flinches slightly, completely shaken from his filming headspace. Seokjin’s eyes are bright with excitement, but Hoseok isn’t sure what his friend could possibly have to say that was important enough to interrupt his shooting time.

He gives a strained smile to the camera. “Excuse me, my agent just walked in – I think he has something to share with me! I’ll be right back~” With that, he reaches up to shut off the camera, already knowing that he’ll have to restart shooting the entire segment.

Hoseok sighs and rises to his feet, his lips pursing into a little frown. Seokjin, he can see, is practically vibrating with excitement now. Despite his urge to scold his friend, he’s also intrigued by what could be making Seokjin so enthused.

“You know I always shoot on Wednesday afternoons,” he whines, turning on the cuteness factor that he knows Seokjin is particularly susceptible to.

But this time, Seokjin ignores the obvious aegyo. Instead, he settles down in the chair Hoseok just abandoned, smiling smugly.

“You’ll never guess who I just got off the phone with.”

Hoseok blinks. Is this what Seokjin interrupted him for? A phone call? He exhales loudly through his mouth and folds his arms. “I have no idea.” Was there a particular partnership Seokjin had been trying to secure lately?

“You’re no fun! You should at least try to guess.” Seokjin pouts at him, even as his eyes continue to sparkle. “But okay, I’ll tell you.” He pauses (for dramatic effect, of course he does) and Hoseok can hear his own heartbeat in his ears.

“Park Sohee at KBS,” Seokjin finally declares, a giant grin spreading across his face.

KBS. Korean Broadcasting News. The biggest television network in the country.

Hoseok suddenly feels as if he’s about to pass out. He shuffles over to his bed to flop down on the soft duvet before his knees give out entirely. There’s absolutely no way. He must have misheard Seokjin.

“KBS?” he finally chokes out, raising his eyebrows. “Is that a new sponsor? Funny they go by that, you’d think they’d be afraid of getting mixed up with the other KBS, you know.” He’s aware that he sounds faintly hysterical, but he absolutely needs Seokjin to tell him that this is all a joke.

Seokjin stares at him pityingly. “KBS as in the media channel, Seok-ah. This isn’t about a sponsorship. It’s about pursuing your dreams.”

Hoseok lets out a high-pitched squeak.

“Oh, but – wait, maybe I shouldn’t have led with that.” Seokjin suddenly looks alarmed, and Hoseok can feel his stomach plummet. “So basically, Sohee-ssi said they weren’t really looking for new presenters right now, and that they rarely hire people with no experience. But she did say that there’s a local news station looking to grow their footprint, and part of that is hiring new presenters.” Seokjin beams again, clapping his hands together. “It’s run by a friend of her brother’s, so she was able to put me in touch. I’ve already sent them your resume, and I’ll call them tomorrow just to be sure too, but I think you honestly have a chance with this.”

A chance. A chance to be a presenter. A chance to be on TV, to conduct interviews, to do everything he’s dreamed of doing.

Hoseok blinks hard to hold back the burning in his eyes. He’s not typically the type to cry when he’s happy – that’s much more Jimin’s style – but he feels so overwhelmed that he’s not sure how else to release his emotions.

“Hyung,” he hears himself say in a voice barely above a whisper, “you’re not joking with me, are you? This isn’t a joke?”

Seokjin’s triumphant expression immediately softens, and he gets up to come sit next to Hoseok. He doesn’t reach out for him – similar to Namjoon, Seokjin isn’t the biggest fan of physical affection – but his presence is comforting all the same. “Seok-ah, of course not. You know I’d never joke about something like this. You just sounded so sad talking about it that time… I had to see what I could do. Hyung will take care of it, always.”

And now Hoseok is crying, tears dripping down his cheeks silently. He rubs at his eyes, trying to steady his breath as Seokjin reaches out to wrap an arm around his shoulders, holding him closer and humming softly.

Hoseok remains in disbelief as Seokjin continues to update him on his progress with the local news station. The owner of the station, Min Yoongi, is interested in meeting Hoseok as conversations progress, so Hoseok meets him in a café and is fully prepared to pitch himself as a viable presenter. Instead, Yoongi is amused by how they both order iced Americanos and spends most of the time talking about the station as well as the music production work he does on the side. Hoseok relaxes about half an hour into the conversation and opens up, cracking jokes that make the other man smile around his straw.

“I like you, Hoseok-ssi,” Yoongi tells him as they’re exiting the café. “Your agent has already pitched your entire background to me, but honestly, I don’t necessarily care about that. As a smaller local outlet, we focus more on the type of stories that the bigger news channels don’t pay attention to – so I need passionate, engaging people who really care. And I think you’d fit right in.” Yoongi smiles widely, flashing his teeth and gums as his eyes curve into friendly crescents. “I’ll continue discussing the details with your agent, but thank you for taking the time to meet me. I’m looking forward to working with you.”

It’s a few days later when Seokjin informs him that he’s lined up Hoseok’s first event – covering a local boxing match between two aspiring pros. Hoseok has a full week to prepare, so he spends it reading up as much as he can on the sport, as well as begging Jimin to re-dye his hair and do his makeup for the day.

When the day finally arrives, Hoseok makes sure to choose his most professional outfit. Though his personal style tends to lean more street with brighter colors, he figures he needs to make a good impression for his very first presentation. So he dresses in a crisp white shirt tucked into tight blue jeans, and Jimin does soft natural makeup for him, and Hoseok feels about as ready as he’ll ever be.

He’s read up on the competitors too – Jeon Jungkook and Kim Yugyeom, both rising stars in the local boxing community. Apparently the match isn’t part of a tournament, but more for charity purposes, as both competitors are donating the proceeds from the tickets and winner’s prize to nonprofits. Hoseok feels warm inside when he reads that Jeon Jungkook is donating his share to a cruelty-free animal shelter.

What can he say? He’s a sucker for anyone who loves animals.

Hoseok arrives at the venue nice and early, greeting the filming team and watching as they take a few preliminary setup shots. Then, one of them waves Hoseok over and lets him know that it’s time to shoot the introduction.

Hoseok takes a deep breath. He’s gone over the script multiple times, knows exactly what to say and how he wants to say it. This part, this part is no different from his regular videos. He’s a pro at charming the camera.

He flashes a smile at the camera, knowing that the way he moves his mouth will result in a perfect heart-shaped smile. “Good afternoon to everyone watching! My name is Jung Hoseok, and it’s my great pleasure to be here at a charity boxing match between two well-known names in the community. In just an hour, Jeon Jungkook and Kim Yugyeom will be battling to see who emerges triumphant. I’m so excited to watch them, and I hope you are too!”

The lead cameraman gives him a little grin when he finishes. “Very good energy,” he approves, “but you might want to tone down the dramatic language a little. I like your style though, so keep up that energy for the later shoots too.”

The audience starts to filter in as Hoseok continues to update his audience on the background of the match and the two boxers themselves. He’s read up plenty about them, knows they’re both the same age and younger than him. Knows that this is far from their first match with each other, and that they’re actually quite good friends outside of the ring.

Finally, as the anticipation builds, the announcer declares that the competitors are ready to enter the ring. Hoseok grins at the camera and turns slightly to gesture behind him towards the ring, making sure not to turn too far and hide his face from the camera.

“And we’re ready to get started here! First to enter the ring is Kim Yugyeom, 25 years old, weighing…”

Hoseok flawlessly makes his way through the introductions – the camera crew then focuses on shots of the actual ring, and Hoseok is able to turn around and view the boxers properly.

Holy shit, he somehow forgot that they boxed completely shirtless. Hoseok has to remind himself not to drool at the sight of the two ripped men circling each other in the ring. The taller one – Kim Yugyeom, he thinks – is built more broadly, with dark brown hair that just barely falls into his eyes. Jeon Jungkook, on the other hand, is a little smaller – Hoseok might even describe his frame as delicate under other circumstances, and if not for the fact that he’s incredibly fit. Jungkook’s hair is longer, with part of it tied back from his face in a small ponytail. He thumps his purple boxing gloves together and shoots Yugyeom a cheeky grin.

“Ready to lose for the third time in a row, Gyeomie?” Hoseok can hear their voices because of the camera crew’s mics, and he shivers a little at the sound of Jungkook’s teasing tone. Electricity sparks down his spine as he keeps his eyes on the shorter competitor.

Keep it together, you’re a professional, he chides himself. He licks his suddenly dry lips and turns back to the camera, switching his smile back on and continuing with his presentation.

He continues reporting on the match as it goes on, so doesn’t really pay attention to the actual fight behind him – he allows the commentators to do that for him. He feels like he’s floating through the rest of the match in a little bit of a daze, and later he’s unable to really remember any details. His cognitive energy only kicks back in when the winner is declared as Jeon Jungkook, the entire crowd cheering in response. Hoseok does turn around then to look at the referee hoisting Jungkook’s arm in the air, and his stomach does a somersault at the sight of the younger man’s scrunch-nosed grin.

He hasn’t had a crush in ages, and he’s forgotten how simultaneously thrilling and nerve-wracking they were.

With the match over, he figures their work is done. He’s about to turn back to the camera and wrap up when the camera crew starts moving their equipment down towards the ring instead. Hoseok blinks, forehead furrowing in confusion as he glances at the lead cameraman with an unspoken question in his eyes.

“We’re interviewing them after the match,” the cameraman answers. “That’s part of what people love to see when they tune into our channel, the real human element. So we’ll do a really quick one with the loser, and then a more extensive one with the winner.”

What? An interview? Hoseok doesn’t remember reading anything about an interview. He’s not opposed to the general idea of interviewing – if anything, it was one of the things he’s most looking forward to – but he feels flustered and unprepared. And Hoseok hates feeling unprepared.

He swallows and makes his way down the stairs, to where Kim Yugyeom is standing with a light jacket thrown over his shoulders. The losing boxer still has a relaxed grin on his face, and Hoseok finds himself smiling back.

You can do this, come on.

“Yugyeom-ssi, well fought today!” Hoseok chirps, slipping back into his energetic presenter persona. “Tell me a little bit more about the charity you’re donating your portion of the sales to.”

Yugyeom is an easy subject to interview – he’s laid back but catches onto cues well, and speaks at length in responding to each question. Hoseok finds himself smiling throughout the conversation, and he gives Yugyeom a little bow once they finish, thanking him for his time.

The lead cameraman studies his phone, presumably to check what else they have left to complete. “So now there’s just the interview with the winner – ah, Jungkook-ssi! Jungkook-ssi, over here, please.”

Shit. Hoseok blanches but fights to keep his smile on his face as he turns, only to be faced with the sight of Jungkook dressed in a thin black tank with black joggers. And somehow, he looks even more attractive than when he was shirtless.

“Hi.” Jungkook smiles shyly at them, ducking his head. His hair is still pulled back in a ponytail, and Hoseok finds himself wondering what it would feel like to play with his hair. “Uhm, it’s a pleasure to meet you…?”

“This is Hoseok-ssi, with our company,” the lead cameraman swiftly responds as soon as he sees that Hoseok isn’t moving. “We’d like to hear some of your thoughts regarding the match and your victory, how does that sound?”

Jungkook’s eyes widen and he bites his lower lip. Hoseok follows the movement, until he realizes that he’s ogling on the job and tries to snap himself out of it.

“Sure, I wouldn’t mind that.” Jungkook gives Hoseok a smile this time, tilting his head to one side. “Nice to meet you, Hoseok-ssi. Thanks for coming.”

“Uh.” Hoseok’s mind is completely empty save for faint white noise. At the sound of a cough from one of the camera people, he blinks rapidly. “Yes! Likewise, Jungkook-ssi!” Hoseok bows to him in greeting, and Jungkook returns it with an even deeper bow. Not only attractive, but also has amazing manners. “Uhh, so, can you tell me how you’re feeling after your win?”

Jungkook grins, and Hoseok sees a dimple appear in his cheek. “I mean, it feels amazing, of course. Yugyeom and I have sparred together a lot before, so we know each other’s styles pretty well. So getting a win over him is always great, because I know he knows how to read me.” He laughs softly, and Hoseok feels his stomach flip again at the sound. “I’m a pretty competitive person, so boxing is a really good fit for me.”

“Right.” Hoseok licks his lips and tries desperately to appear calm and collected. “So, how did you get into boxing? What else inspired you?”

“Ah, I actually just started at my local gym? Just as a way of getting more exercise, I guess. But one day one of the trainers told me he’d been watching me and that I should consider trying out some amateur tournaments. He helped me get in touch with a few people, start making my name in the space. And now here we are.” Jungkook shrugs, a little self-deprecatingly.

“Right,” Hoseok repeats, scrambling for something to respond with. “I mean, it’s hard to imagine that someone as fit as you would need more exercise.”

Jungkook’s eyes widen and Hoseok immediately wants to die.

“Oh! That’s, haha, that’s very kind of you.” Jungkook raises his hands to cover his ears a little, but Hoseok can see the tips turning red. “Um, boxing keeps me in pretty good shape, I guess. Working out makes me feel good, and winning makes me feel good, so why not combine them?”

Hoseok nods, relieved that Junggkook doesn’t linger too long on the very inappropriate comment. He continues through the interview without another major faux pas, though he does occasionally catch himself sneaking a look at Jungkook’s defined and muscular arms. They’re right there, and it would be a crime not to admire them at least a little.

Finally he wraps up, stuttering just a little as he thanks Jungkook for his time. Jungkook smiles politely and responds that it was his pleasure, and one of the camera crew finally gives them a thumbs up and the filming lights turn off.

Immediately, Hoseok feels himself relax. He’s been so worried about remaining professional while on air, but now they’re not filming anymore, he can finally breathe. Jungkook’s lips quirk up as he notices the change in Hoseok’s body language, revealing a tiny set of dimples right above his lips. Right where Hoseok has them, too.

“Thank you again, Jungkook-ssi,” he says, this time without fumbling his words. “You’re so talented, and your story is absolutely inspirational. I’m sure there are a lot of young people in Busan looking up to you now.” He gives Jungkook a proper smile, not the fake ones he’d had to push on during the live broadcast. Jungkook looks a little stunned.

“Y-yes, of course.” The boxer coughs, one hand rising to rub the back of his neck. Somehow, the roles are now reversed – Jungkook appears unbearably shy, while Hoseok is the one in his comfort zone. “It was really nice talking to you. You made me feel very at ease, Hoseok-ssi.”

Hoseok laughs, shaking his head. “I wish I could say the same.” When Jungkook’s eyebrows pull together in confusion, Hoseok hurries to clarify. “Not in a bad way! Just, you know you’re really hot, right? I’m pretty sure my brain was a melted puddle during our entire interview.”

Now Jungkook’s eyebrows shoot up, and his cheeks flush. Hoseok finds himself terribly endeared as the younger man coughs again, biting his lip and lowering his gaze. At first, Hoseok assumes it’s because he’s shy – but then he realizes that Jungkook is checking his legs out. Wow.

“That’s quite the compliment coming from you, Hoseok-ssi.”

Hoseok laughs again, feeling a little self-conscious this time as Jungkook’s gaze rises again to meet his. For the first time, Hoseok notices that he has a line of piercings traveling up each ear – he must have taken them out when he was boxing. The earrings on one side are silver while the other side are black, and for some reason, Hoseok feels an additional lurch of attraction in the pit of his stomach. God, Jungkook is so hot that it’s unfair.

He runs a hand through his slicked back silver hair, loosening it up and letting it fall softly onto his forehead. Jungkook’s eyes follow his movement, and he suddenly lets out a small yelp.

“Wait, I recognize you! Aren’t you J-Hope, the YouTuber?”

There was absolutely no way that this man, who was walking sex on legs with an adorable face to boot, was a subscriber of his channel. Absolutely no way. Life doesn’t work that way.

“I am, yes,” Hoseok admits, scrunching up his face a little. “But I’m trying out live TV now too. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do.”

Jungkook grins. “Your videos helped me procrastinate so much during university, so thank you for that.”

“Always happy to help a fan.” Hoseok winks flirtatiously at him and is rewarded by the sight of Jungkook’s cheeks flushing again. Jungkook’s hands play with the hem of his tank, clearly restless and unable to settle. Hoseok can relate to that type of nervous energy.

He’s about to say something else, strike up a new conversation topic, when the lead cameraman calls out his name in an impatient tone. Hoseok startles and turns to see that the entire camera crew has packed up and are preparing to leave. He has to make sure he leaves with them since he’s debriefing with Yoongi afterwards.

He hears a long sigh and realizes it’s coming from him. Hoseok turns back to Jungkook, not even attempting to hide his regretful tone. “It was so nice meeting you, Jungkook-ssi. I really enjoyed our conversation.”

“Me too,” Jungkook breathes, and he’s poking his tongue into his cheek as if deep in thought. Hoseok wonders if he feels as disappointed – there’s clearly been a spark between them, at least when Hoseok wasn’t being a panicked gay mess.

He starts to walk towards the rest of his team when he hears Jungkook’s soft voice behind him. The boxer moves to step in front of him, blocking his way and holding out his phone with big, hopeful eyes.

“Hoseok-ssi... could I maybe get your number? I would love to talk to you more about your channel, I really love it.” Despite his clear nervousness, he holds Hoseok’s gaze steadily – so Hoseok can see the moment he lights up when he reaches to take the phone from Jungkook’s hand.

He opens up KakaoTalk and types in his ID, adding himself to Jungkook’s friends and sending himself a quick message to be safe. He returns the phone and meets Jungkook’s shining eyes.

“I really look forward to it. And please, call me hyung.”

From: Hoseok

jungkookie did you see this video of a hedgehog in a tiny little pool float? it’s so cute!!! [link attached]

From: Jungkook

kekekeke hyung i was the one who sent that to you last week, remember?

From: Hoseok

i forgot >:c can you please not be so good at interneting

From: Jungkook

i don’t think that’s a real word

From: Hoseok

WHATEVER you know what i mean!!!!

From: Jungkook

[image attached]

“And who has you smiling at your phone like that, hyung?” Jimin asks with a sly smile on his face. Hoseok flinches and looks up from his screen, where Jungkook has just sent a ridiculous “haters gonna hate” meme. He immediately feels heat rise to his cheeks.

“No one,” he protests, but it sounds flimsy even to his own ears. In truth, he and Jungkook have been messaging back and forth for a few weeks now – Hoseok had been determined to ask him out on a date the day after interviewing him but found out that Jungkook had already left Seoul to compete in a few matches back in Busan. So they’ve just been messaging as friends, because Hoseok doesn’t want to ask a question like that over text. They’re not teenagers passing notes in the classroom anymore, after all.

“Sure it isn’t,” Seokjin chimes in, an equally sly smile on his face. Hoseok growls and picks up one of their throw pillows, launching it at Seokjin’s face. Unfortunately, the older man just catches it with a grin.

“You look like a lovesick schoolboy, Seok-ah. It’s a flattering look on you,” Seokjin sings as he lays the throw pillow on his lap and Jimin immediately rests his head on it. Hoseok makes a face, but he’s always secretly touched by how easily the couple show affection. It’s just so simple between Seokjin and Jimin – they’ve known each other for years, even before dating, and everything seems to come naturally to them.

Hoseok has always wanted that. And now, he wants it with someone in particular.

He huffs and rises to his feet, sticking his nose in the air – he knows his friends love melodrama. “Well then, with that, I may as well go to bed,” he sniffs. Seokjin breaks out into his squeaky laughter while Jimin giggles with his entire body, and Hoseok gives them both a quick smile before heading towards his room.

Jimin calls cheerfully after him – “Might want to wear your earplugs tonight, hyung!”

Unfortunately, it’s not the first time Hoseok has heard those words, and it likely won’t be the last.

He changes out of his clothes and into his soft, worn pajamas. Already feeling a little sleepy, he pads into the bathroom to do his skincare routine, being careful to be as meticulous as possible. By the time he returns to his bed, he’s practically half asleep already.

He slides under the covers with a sigh and wiggles around to get comfortable, double-checking his phone to make sure his alarm is on. That’s when he sees a new KKT notification from Jungkook. Curious, he opens it up.

From: Jungkook

are you awake?

From: Hoseok

just barely kkkkkkk what is it?

From: Jungkook

nothing, just can’t sleep. should already be asleep since i’m taking an early train tomorrow back to seoul ㅠㅠ

Hoseok feels a fluttering in his stomach. That’s right, Jungkook is coming back tomorrow.

He doesn’t realize he hasn’t responded until his phone goes off with another notification.

From: Jungkook

you can say no

but can i call you, hyung?

Immediately, Hoseok is wide awake. He sits up in bed and calls Jungkook instead of replying, holding his breath until the younger man picks up.

“Hi.” Jungkook’s voice is low and rough, and Hoseok feels a flicker of heat dance down his spine. “Sorry, I know you said you were almost asleep…”

“Don’t worry about that,” Hoseok chides. “Why can’t you sleep?”

“Dunno.” Hoseok hears a faint rustling sound, assumes Jungkook is fidgeting in bed. “Just. Nervous, somehow. Being back home for the past few weeks and now going back to Seoul… it feels weird.”

Hoseok hums quietly in sympathy, settling down further into the warmth of his mattress. “Any type of change is hard, right? But you’ll be fine, Jungkookie. You have a life here too, and you can always go home again if you want to.”

“I guess that’s true.” Hoseok can hear the smile in Jungkook’s voice. “How do you always make everything seem so simple, hyung? I really like that.”

Hoseok feels as if his heart might burst. Before he can stop himself, he’s speaking again.

“Hey, Jungkookie.”

“Mmmm?” Jungkook hums on the other end, already sounding a little sleepier. Hoseok takes a deep breath.

“Go out with me tomorrow. After you get back.”

“Tomorrow?” Jungkook groans, clearly not grasping the actual meaning behind Hoseok’s words – unless he’s maybe just not as interested, a small voice says meanly in his head. “I’m not going to get back till the afternoon hyung, I think I’m going to want to sleep after that.”

“No, I mean…” Hoseok clears his throat. “Go out with me. On a date.”

Silence. Hoseok waits, his heart hammering frantically in his chest.

Finally, Jungkook exhales softly. “I would really like that, hyung.”

The next day, Hoseok finds himself waiting outside Euljiro 1-ga Station a solid twenty minutes early. He knows that Jungkook didn’t get back to his apartment until 1:30, and that he’d wanted to shower and change so he could arrive in proper style. So they’d decided on meeting at 3, but Hoseok has too much nervous energy to just be waiting on his couch. So instead he’d gotten to Myeongdong early, walking from his station over to the Euljiro one where Jungkook told him he’d be getting off. “Meet me by exit 5, hyung,” he’d said, and once again Hoseok had been able to hear his smile in his voice.

Hoseok taps his foot against the ground in a nervous, staccato rhythm. It’s been so long since he’s been on a first date, so Jimin is the one who ended up dressing him – in skinny jeans and a bright yellow button down, untucked and rolled up at the sleeves. Hoseok’s hoping he hits the sweet spot between casual and dressed up.

Finally, he sees Jungkook emerging from the crowd exiting the station, and his breath catches in his throat. Every time he sees the other man, he somehow forgets just how gorgeous he is. Jungkook’s not wearing anything special either – a thin long-sleeved striped shirt and a pair of jeans as well – but he carries them as if he’s walking on a runway, with easy grace. Hoseok can hardly believe Jungkook is here to see him.

“Jungkookie!” he calls out, waving his arms above his head. Jungkook spots him and smiles, his pace picking up a little as he makes his way over. He comes to a stop in front of Hoseok, brushing his bangs out of his face and offering a shy smile.

“Hi, hyung.”

Hoseok almost moves forward to hug him but pauses at the last second – he’s not really sure yet how Jungkook might react to any form of physical affection. So he drops back on the balls of his heels instead, tucking some hair behind his ear and feeling (rather absurdly) like the main female lead in a tvN drama.

“I thought we could maybe get some coffee and something light to eat? You must be hungry.” Hoseok masks his nervousness with a bright grin, but he senses that Jungkook can see behind it. The boxer chooses not to comment and nods in response.

“Yeah, I could definitely eat.” As if on cue, his stomach lets out a loud grumble, and Hoseok snorts out a laugh. He turns and begins to lead them through the streets of Myeongdong, relishing the hustle and bustle surrounding them.

“Have you ever been to Beansbins? They have the most amazing waffles, they’re so sweet and filling.” Hoseok feels like he needs to fill up the silence, like they can’t simply walk to their destination without talking. This is what first dates are like, right? Learning about each other?

He suddenly realizes he has no idea if Jungkook even likes sweets, let alone waffles. He turns back to him with a faintly alarmed look, about to ask, but Jungkook beats him to it.

“That sounds amazing, I love sweet things,” he smiles. Jungkook scoots a little closer until they’re walking side by side, at least where the street is wide enough to allow it.

When they’re settled across from each other at an intimate table inside the café, Hoseok peruses the menu with pursed lips. Across the table, Jungkook fidgets slightly as he does the same, eyes quickly scanning the different options. Hoseok already knows what he wants to order, but Jungkook is the one who’s come off a long trip – he should be the one to choose.

Finally, after a few minutes, Jungkook lets out a small frustrated sound and sets the menu down. “Honestly, hyung, I just want a hot chocolate and. Whatever you want to eat, there’s too many options for me to choose.” Hoseok has to bite the inside of his cheek to prevent himself from laughing at Jungkook’s adorably pouty expression.

“All right, you big baby,” he laughs. “I really like the strawberry waffle here.  So I’ll get that, okay?” Jungkook nods enthusiastically and Hoseok rises to his feet, making his way to the counter to place their order and gather the little buzzer that would alert them when the drinks and waffle were ready.

When he sits back down, he sees Jungkook still shifting a little in his seat, as if he’s agitated. Hoseok nudges the other man’s ankle with his foot under the table, and Jungkook looks up with surprised eyes.

“Relax, Jungkookie,” he says in a light tone. “It’s just me. It’s just us, right?”

Jungkook’s gaze softens, but he shakes his head. “It’s never been just you, hyung. You – I thought you were beautiful the moment I saw you,” he confesses quietly. Again, Hoseok is struck by how even though Jungkook is clearly embarrassed, his tone and gaze never waver. “I’m really glad I didn’t see you before my match, actually, because I might have lost otherwise.”

Hoseok lets out a surprised giggle at that, eyes crinkling up as he smiles. “No way! I was the one who basically hit on you on live TV, remember?” Jungkook giggles as well, and Hoseok’s heart feels lighter. It’s awkward, remembering what it’s like to date again, but he has a feeling that Jungkook will be worth it.

When the buzzer goes off, Jungkook insists on being the one to get their food and drinks. He makes a face at the sight of Hoseok’s iced Americano, grumbling about how bitter coffee is. Hoseok laughs and teases him for having the taste buds of a child. Jungkook rolls his eyes at that.

“You haven’t seen me drink yet, hyung. When you do, you’ll know that I definitely do not have the taste buds of a child.”

Hoseok divides up their waffle neatly, making sure to give Jungkook a slightly bigger helping before digging in. The sweetness of the strawberries and cream paired with the crispiness of the waffle fill him with satisfaction, and he wriggles happily in his seat.

Jungkook watches him with a smile while he shovels food into his mouth, making loud enthusiastic eating sounds.  Hoseok swallows his mouthful and laughs again, his stomach almost starting to feel sore with how much he’s laughing already.

“We both eat quite deliciously, don’t we?” He waggles his eyebrows at Jungkook, who almost chokes on a chunk of strawberry with how hard he’s giggling. “We’re going to make everyone else here jealous of our meal.”

Jungkook clears his throat and takes a sip of his hot chocolate, smacking his lips in satisfaction. “Or of our company,” he responds sweetly, and Hoseok swears he can feel his heart skip a beat.

Jungkook groans instead, rubbing a hand over his face. “That was so cheesy,” he mutters, and Hoseok nudges his foot under the table again.

“I happen to love cheese, so please don’t worry.”

They both smile at each other, more softly this time. Jungkook finishes off his waffle first and leans backward, the picture of contentment. Hoseok notices a smudge of whipped cream still lingering on the corner of his lips.

“Jungkookie, you’ve got a…” He taps the same spot on his own face, and Jungkook goes cross-eyed as if trying to see the spot himself. Hoseok laughs and shakes his head, tapping his own lips again.

“It’s some whipped cream from the waffle…” His mouth suddenly goes dry as he sees Jungkook’s tongue peek out and try vainly to swipe the cream away. Because Hoseok’s entire life has somehow transformed into a romantic comedy, Jungkook misses the spot completely. Hoseok swallows and leans forward a little. “I can get it for you, if you’d like?”

Jungkook immediately nods, leaning forward as well. “Please,” he says in a whiny tone, clearly frustrated with his inability to do it himself. Hoseok cups Jungkook’s chin and gently wipes the streak of cream away with his thumb, noting the way Jungkook’s eyelashes flutter and his lips tremble a little at the movement.

Hoseok leans back and wipes his dirty thumb on a napkin (because he’s not trying to get them both hard in the middle of a family friendly café, thank you very much, so there will be no thumb sucking today) and Jungkook almost looks… disappointed? But the expression quickly vanishes and Jungkook smiles at him in thanks.

They linger in the café even after the waffle is consumed, sipping slowly at their drinks and gently feeling each other out. Hoseok mentions how touched he was that Jungkook donated the proceeds of his boxing match to an animal shelter, and Jungkook’s eyes light up.

“Yeah, I really love animals,” he says, sounding shy again. “My dog back home, Gureum – he’s a rescue, so I always want to make sure to help other animals in the same situation, you know?”

Hoseok nods in understanding, tucking some hair behind his ear. “I know what you mean – my dog, Mickey, he’s a rescue too. One of my first videos was actually about him.”

Jungkook’s eyes widen and he insists on Hoseok pulling up the video on his phone, scooting his chair around so they’re sitting next to each other as Hoseok plays the video. Jungkook leans in a little, watching the phone screen intently as Hoseok watches him instead, picking up on small little details – a faint scar on his cheek, a little mole on his neck and another under his lips, his dangling earrings catching the light…

God, he likes Jungkook so much.

Jungkook gives him an impressed look when he finishes the video, nodding his head slowly. “Wow, hyung. I knew you were charismatic, but even back then – I had no idea. Watching this just made me want to go out and save a hundred abandoned pets.” Hoseok snorts in disbelief, and Jungkook throws back his head as he laughs.

Eventually, the staff comes over to let them know that the café will be closing soon – where did three hours even go? Hoseok and Jungkook exit out into the busy streets of Myeongdong again, but Hoseok doesn’t want to be the one to suggest parting just yet.

Luckily, Jungkook glances around before asking if Hoseok wants to look around the shops. Hoseok nods eagerly, and they make their way through the throngs of people. Hoseok learns that Jungkook is just as invested in skincare as he is when they enter a skincare shop together, and they have fun showing each other different product suggestions. After they exit the store with a few purchases, Jungkook reaches out to take Hoseok’s hand without a word, interlacing their fingers gently.

Hoseok doesn’t pull away.

They continue to wander the streets together, Hoseok learning that Jungkook considered becoming a photographer before getting into boxing, and Jungkook learning that Hoseok has never ever in his life watched a single anime. Somehow, this makes him extremely indignant, and Hoseok can’t help baiting him a little just to see the outraged look on his face.

“They’re not cartoons, hyung! We’re going to have to change this immediately. I can’t date someone who’s never watched anime.” His eyes widen as he realizes what he just said, and he ducks his head immediately. Hoseok feels something squirm in the pit of his stomach.

“So we’re dating, huh?” he manages to respond, even though he’s sure he’s flushing just as pink as Jungkook is. Jungkook peeks up at him through his bangs, biting his lower lip.

“Not until you watch at least one episode of anime.”

It’s Hoseok’s turn to look offended now, and he pretends to try and yank his hand out of Jungkook’s grasp. Jungkook giggles and tightens his hold, tugging him closer instead.

Finally, it grows dark and Jungkook admits that he’s ready to go home and crash. Hoseok feels a twinge of regret, but it’s almost immediately quelled by Jungkook asking if he’s free next Friday. “It’s my turn to wow you,” he says with a determined expression. Hoseok feels ridiculously fond as he says yes, and they agree to message closer to the time to figure out details.

Hoseok walks Jungkook back to his station, wishing he didn’t have to let go of his hand. Though he’d been nervous about the date, it had helped to see just how nervous Jungkook had been too. At least they’re doing this together.

He sighs and pulls his hand reluctantly out of Jungkook’s grasp. The younger man turns to look at him, nibbling on his lip again, and Hoseok can’t help but stare.

“You know,” Jungkook muses, pursing his lips a little. “I don’t usually kiss on the first date.” Hoseok raises his eyebrows.

“Oh? I usually don't either.”

Jungkook hums, tilting his head to one side as his eyes sparkle. “But I think I could make an exception this time.”

His lips are curling into a grin when Hoseok leans in and captures them with his own, and he almost feels as if he can taste Jungkook’s smile. He keeps the kiss gentle, his heart racing at the thought that he’s finally kissing Jungkook, just like he’d wanted to do the moment he first saw him.

Jungkook lets out a small sound when they part, his cheeks a little flushed and eyes a little glassy. He licks his lips and steps closer, reaching out to cup the back of Hoseok’s neck.

“One more for the road?” he says innocently, and Hoseok grins and nods in agreement before Jungkook leans in again, kissing him tenderly. His lips feel so soft against Hoseok’s, and he moves them in a languid rhythm – like he’s in no rush, like he has the rest of his life to keep kissing Hoseok.

Finally Jungkook pulls away, his eyes sparkling with a million stars. Hoseok immediately wants to lean back in but restrains himself, licking at his lips instead. Jungkook’s eyes follow the movement and he groans softly.

“Don’t wanna go,” he mumbles, pouting outrageously. Hoseok laughs and strokes some hair out of his face.

“You’re exhausted, Jungkookie. I wouldn’t be surprised if you fell asleep on the subway.” Hoseok presses his lips gently to Jungkook’s nose and is rewarded with a smile. “Besides, we’ll see each other on Friday, right?”

“Too far away,” Jungkook grumbles, but finally steps back. Hoseok keeps his eyes on him the entire time as Jungkook waves and disappears into the crowd, watching for him even after he’s long gone.

Hoseok walks into Jungkook’s apartment on Friday to find an absurdly handsome man sitting on his couch, munching on pocky.

The stranger looks up as he enters, brushing honey blonde waves out of his eyes and smiling brightly. “Hi! You must be Hoseok-ssi, right? Kook wanted me to leave before you got here, but I really wanted to meet you. I’ve heard so much about you.”

Hoseok is frozen, unsure of how to process the situation. Jungkook had offered to have Hoseok over for dinner on Friday, claiming that he needed to “start his anime education.” He’d given Hoseok his passcode as easily as if he was telling him the weather, and Hoseok had fallen even deeper for him.

This, though, is a surprise twist in their plans.

“Taehyungie-hyung!” Jungkook emerges from the kitchen, glowering at the man – who must be Kim Taehyung, Hoseok realizes. Jungkook’s best friend, who works as a photographer.

It seems a shame to have him behind the camera instead of in front of it, Hoseok muses.

“Can you not scare him off already?” Jungkook looks peeved, his lower lip sticking out in an adorable pout. Hoseok just barely resists the urge to close the space between him and kiss him straight on the mouth. “I’m trying to impress him.”

Hoseok laughs, taking his shoes off and toeing on the house slippers that Jungkook has left out for him – yellow, he notes fondly. He bows to Taehyung, fighting to hide his smile.

“Pleasure to meet you, Taehyung-ssi. I hope you’ve only heard good things about me.”

“The very best.” Taehyung grins, rising to his feet and brushing past Hoseok on his way to the door. “But now that that’s done, I think I’m going to make myself scarce. I’m not interested in being a third wheel, unless it’s part of a tricycle.” He turns to wink cheekily at Hoseok. “If you know what I mean.”

Jungkook groans loudly and makes a shooing motion as Taehyung finally leaves with a wave and another wink. Hoseok grins, crossing the room and sliding his arms around Jungkook’s (tiny, tiny) waist.

“Hi,” he murmurs, pressing their foreheads together. Jungkook’s scowl immediately melts off his face, and he nuzzles his nose against Hoseok’s with a smile. “Missed you so much.”

“Missed you mo- mmph.” Hoseok doesn’t even let him finish before he’s kissing him, arms tightening around Jungkook’s waist to pull him closer, closer, closer. He keeps the kiss fairly innocent for now – it’s only their second date, after all – but can’t resist drawing Jungkook’s bottom lip between his teeth, tugging lightly. Jungkook moans breathily and melts in his arms, hands rising to tangle in Hoseok’s soft hair.

They stand there kissing until Hoseok has to pull away, breathing heavily. Jungkook stares at him with wide eyes, cheeks flushed and bottom lip just a little swollen.

“Hello to you too,” Jungkook finally speaks, and he sounds just as breathless as Hoseok feels. He swipes his tongue over his bottom lip, and Hoseok briefly wonders if they can skip dinner altogether.

“I couldn’t resist, sorry.” Hoseok gives him an unrepentant grin, his arms loosening around his waist and hands coming to rest lightly on Jungkook’s hips instead. Jungkook giggles, leaning in to press a kiss to his jaw.

“Did you see me complaining? Dinner’s almost ready though, so I need to make sure nothing burns.” Jungkook steps away and turns back towards the kitchen, where Hoseok can smell something absolutely delicious.

“I like having dessert before dinner,” Hoseok sings, and Jungkook snorts at the cheesy joke. As he moves around the kitchen, Hoseok allows himself to take a good look at him. He has his hair tied back in a little bun today, bangs still framing his face. He looks so good, and Hoseok has missed him so much.

“What are you making for us?” Hoseok steps up behind him, sliding his arms around his waist again and resting his chin on Jungkook’s shoulder. Jungkook hums, leaning back into his chest briefly before crouching down to examine whatever is in the oven – Hoseok is forced to let go of him as he does so.

“I’ve been really into making pizza lately? It’s a lot of fun, and much easier than you’d think.” Jungkook straightens up again, pulling his phone out of his pocket and setting a timer. “And I figured that pizza and anime were a perfect combination. Only thing better is ramyeon and anime, but I wanted to impress you.”

Hoseok smiles, touched at his thoughtfulness. “Trust me, I’m already impressed. I’ve been impressed since day one.”

Jungkook gives him an adorable scrunch-nosed smile, moving forward to give him a brief kiss. Hoseok tries to offer his help in the kitchen, but Jungkook tells him firmly that he’s a guest and he’s not allowed.

“Go pick out an anime for us to watch instead! I put a couple of options on my Netflix list.”

“I thought the anime thing was just a way to lure me into your apartment,” Hoseok grumbles as he moves over to flop down on the couch. “I didn’t realize you were being serious.”

“I would never joke about anime, hyung.”

Hoseok grunts and picks up the TV remote to start flipping through the options, wrinkling his nose in distaste at the ones that appear to be too violent and bloody. He ends up just searching “anime” and scrolling through the extended list, humming thoughtfully as he finally settles on one with a cute art style that seems to be about people turning into animals.

Jungkook calls out that dinner is ready just as Hoseok hits play on episode 1, so he hops up quickly and makes his way back to the kitchen. He gasps in awe at the sight of a beautiful looking pizza with an array of vegetables, steam still gently rising from the surface. Jungkook looks incredibly proud of himself as Hoseok sniffs appreciatively.

“I think the most complicated thing I’ve tried to make is kimchi fried rice,” Hoseok admits. “Seokjin-hyung does most of the cooking.” Jungkook cuts him a few generous slices of pizza and hands the plate to him, eyes soft.

“I would love to try your kimchi fried rice, then.”

“Be careful what you wish for, Jungkookie~” Hoseok chirps. He waits for Jungkook to serve himself as well before heading back to the living room and settling down on the ground, back against the couch for support. Jungkook lets out a chuckle when he sees what’s loaded on the screen and sits down next to Hoseok, their knees bumping against each other.

“Of course, you’d choose Fruits Basket. It was the animals, wasn’t it?”

Hoseok blinks innocently. “Maaaaaybe. But you did say that I could pick, so I pick this.” He makes sure the Korean subtitles are on before hitting play again, reaching for his plate to scoop up a slice of pizza.

The pizza is delicious (which he tells Jungkook multiple times) and the anime is actually quite amusing (which he refuses to admit, because he wants Jungkook to invite him over again). When they finish both dinner and two episodes, Hoseok insists on being the one to gather up the plates and take them back to the kitchen.

“Just let me feel like I’m helping, just a little bit. Please?” Jungkook finally relents, but Hoseok can feel him pouting from all the way in the kitchen. Once he’s rinsed the plates lightly and washed his hands, he strolls back into the living room and sees that Jungkook has relocated to the couch. Hoseok licks his lips and sits down next to him, clearing his throat.

“So, we’ve watched not just one, but two episodes of anime tonight.”

Jungkook lets out a hum, trying to appear nonchalant even as a grin creeps onto his face. Undeterred, Hoseok shifts closer and bumps their thighs together.

“Do you remember what you said about me watching anime?” he presses. Jungkook hums again, lips pursing in an exaggerated thoughtful look.

“Did I say something, hyung? I really don’t remember,” he responds, turning to look at Hoseok with sparkling eyes. Hoseok sticks out his bottom lip and puts on his cutest expression. Jungkook’s pretense immediately falls away.

“Of course I remember,” Jungkook murmurs. His voice has gone softer and lower, and it sends a thrill through Hoseok. Jungkook moves smoothly to climb onto Hoseok’s lap, his strong thighs straddling Hoseok’s leaner frame. Hoseok’s breath goes uneven in anticipation as Jungkook leans down to press his lips to his ear.

“Will you date me, hyung?” The words are innocent, but the tone is decidedly not. Hoseok shivers, resting his hands on Jungkook’s hips and biting his bottom lip.

“Yes. A thousand times yes,” he breathes out, and Jungkook nips at his earlobe before drawing back and kissing him.

This kiss is unlike their previous ones – there’s clear purpose in the way Jungkook moves his lips, sucking roughly on Hoseok’s upper lip before tracing the shape of his lower lip with his tongue. Hoseok groans, parting his lips easily as his hands move to slip under the hem of Jungkook’s shirt, fingernails digging into the skin of his lower back. Jungkook growls as he deepens the kiss, and Hoseok is thrillingly reminded of Jungkook’ competitive spirit.

Jungkook licks hotly into his mouth and Hoseok tilts his head a little to make the angle better for them. Their mouths make a wet sound as they part momentarily, but Jungkook gulps down a quick breath before diving in again, his blunt fingernails scraping against the nape of Hoseok’s neck. Hoseok responds by clutching at Jungkook more desperately, heart hammering in his chest as he blindly chases moremoremore.

Jungkook eventually reorients them to lay Hoseok back against the couch, hovering over him. His hair has come loose from the bun (Hoseok’s work, trying to run his fingers through Jungkook’s hair) and it tumbles around his face as he stares down at Hoseok, lips slick and swollen. Hoseok moans and arches up, trying to capture his mouth.

“Fuck, you’re so hot,” he mutters. Jungkook gives him a blinding grin before lowering his body and closing the space between their lips, kissing him again.

They make out on the couch for what feels like hours, until Hoseok feels completely boneless and floaty from just kissing. There’s a simmering warmth in his stomach as Jungkook tucks his face into the side of his neck, mouthing gently at the skin there – not in an urgent way, but just to remind Hoseok he’s there, just to be able to keep touching him. Hoseok lightly skims his hands up and down Jungkook’s back, not even minding his heavy weight on top of him. Instead of being oppressive, it makes him feel grounded.

He thinks it would be very easy to fall in love with this man.

Hoseok and Jungkook have been dating for four months before Hoseok has the idea to feature him on the J-Hope channel.

Jungkook has been at a loose end recently – other than a few competitions in other cities, he hasn’t had much to do. He tells Hoseok that the quieter season is only because all boxers are gearing up for a big championship in mid-February. So Jungkook mostly spends his days at the gym, or on Hoseok and Seokjin’s couch. He even falls asleep in Hoseok’s bed more often than not, insisting that the older man’s bed is much more comfortable than his own.

“That’s because I actually have pillows, Jungkook-ah. And 800 thread count sheets.”

“Exactly my point, hyung. Now shhhh, I’m trying to nap.”

One day, as Hoseok films one of his more casual vlog segments with Jungkook sleeping on his bed, he glances over at him a few times throughout the filming with a soft smile. He hasn’t told his subscribers that he’s dating someone – he would want to discuss it with Jungkook first – but later, when the video is uploaded, multiple people ask about who he’s looking at with that expression.

Jungkook finds it hilarious at first.

“I can’t believe you just couldn’t take your eyes off me,” he sings as he drapes himself over Hoseok’s back, shoving his nose into the nape of his neck and sniffing loudly. Hoseok’s long stopped asking him why he does it, because he gets the same (adorable) answer every time – “Smells good.”

“Aish, you brat,” Hoseok grumbles, but there’s no actual bite to his tone. He clicks through more comments, lips pursing thoughtfully. “What do you want me to say?”

Jungkook hums, sliding his arms around Hoseok’s middle and moving to hook his chin over his shoulder instead, reading over the comments with him. “I dunno, hyung. What do you want to say?”

There’s no hesitation in Hoseok’s response. “I want to tell them you’re my boyfriend.”

Jungkook lets out a surprised sound and pulls away. Hoseok spins in his chair and turns to face him, nibbling on his lower lip. “Or… do you not want that?” He doesn’t mean for it to happen, but his voice comes out small.

His boyfriend immediately softens, moving to settle down in his lap. “It’s not like that,” Jungkook reassures him, and Hoseok is struck again by how grateful he is for this man. Out of the two, Hoseok is naturally the more confident and energetic one, while Jungkook tends to be shyer and more reserved (at least, with other people). But in times like this, when Hoseok becomes unsure and shrinks, Jungkook never hesitates to step up and take his role as the confident one.

“I’m not ashamed or anything, hyung. You know I’ve introduced you as my boyfriend to Taehyungie-hyung and Gyeomie and Mingyu and all the rest.” Jungkook ducks down to kiss him gently. “It’s just. You have… a lot of subscribers.”

And suddenly, Jungkook is the nervous one again. Hoseok runs his palms over his back, making a soft understanding sound.

“I get that. And if you don’t feel comfortable, I won’t say it.” Hoseok licks his lips. “I hope you’ll feel okay about it someday, though. I want to be able to brag about you everywhere.”

Jungkook’s eyes crinkle at the corners. “At this job, sure. But not at your day job, surely?” he jokes. “I’m sure Yoongi-hyung would fire you outright if you started just talking about me during your broadcasts.”

“Hey, it’s a local interest story!” Hoseok protests, although he doesn’t even believe his own words. “Besides, I’m not even close to being your only fan. I’ve seen all those fan accounts on Twitter, you know.”

Jungkook groans and drops his forehead to rest on Hoseok’s shoulder. “Stop, there’s a reason I don’t look myself up on social media. It makes me feel so weird to see everything people say about me.”

Hoseok giggles, hugging Jungkook closer. “I don’t know though, some of them give me ideas,” he muses out loud, giving Jungkook a cheeky grin when he pulls back to glare at him.

“I promise you that my fans do not have intimate knowledge of my kinks,” he grumbles. Hoseok starts laughing in earnest as Jungkook groans and buries his face back in his shoulder.

Hoseok loves him so much.

So he doesn’t respond to the questions in his comments, but the idea of introducing Jungkook on his channel doesn’t leave his mind. He’s seen many cringey couple tags on YouTube, and previously he’d never understood the appeal. But now, he gets it – all he wants to do is show Jungkook off to the world.

To his surprise, Jungkook brings up the idea a week later. They’re sitting on a picnic blanket by the Han River, eating spicy ramyeon that Jungkook picked up for them on his way back from practice. They’ve been able to watch the sunset, and now Hoseok is feeling content in every way possible – surrounded by peaceful low murmurs from other visitors, his stomach full of delicious ramyeon, and his head in Jungkook’s lap.

Jungkook combs his fingers through Hoseok’s hair, scratching lightly at his scalp. The silver has faded to a paler shade, and Hoseok’s considering just letting it wash out for good. He closes his eyes, feeling himself drift off with how full and comfortable he is.

Above him, he can hear Jungkook clearing his throat. Hoseok yawns and cracks one eye open.

“What’s on your mind, bun?” Jungkook gives him a shy smile, like he always does when Hoseok uses that particular nickname. At first, Hoseok had worried that Jungkook might be offended by the comparison to a rabbit, but his boyfriend had loved it. Hoseok usually slips into it when he’s feeling particularly affectionate.

“Hyung, I’ve been thinking.” Jungkook’s fingers pause in his hair and Hoseok lets out a little whine, turning to nuzzle his face in Jungkook’s stomach instead. “About what you said, about introducing me to your subscribers.”

Hoseok lets out a surprised sound and sits up, blinking rapidly. Now there was a conversation he hadn’t been expecting to have.

“I told you, we’re not doing it if you’re not comfortable,” he reassures Jungkook. The younger man shakes his head, even as a fond smile creeps onto his lips.

“It’s not that, I promise. I’m not uncomfortable, I’m just…” Jungkook fidgets, playing with his own fingers until Hoseok reaches out to take his hands, threading their fingers together. “Like, how would we do it? Would it have to be a big thing?”

“Bun, of course not,” Hoseok soothes, scooting closer so Jungkook can rest his head on his shoulder. “It can be however you want it to be. I was thinking we could do one of those fun tags, like you doing my makeup and answering questions about me, or something.” He turns his head to kiss lightly at his hair. “But we don’t even have to do a video for it, if you want. I can just post about it, end of story.”

Jungkook hums thoughtfully, and Hoseok stays silent and lets him think. He lets go of one of his hands but rests the other one, still intertwined with Jungkook’s, on Jungkook’s knee. He hopes it serves as a steadying presence and a reminder that he’ll still be here, no matter what Jungkook decides. The fact that Jungkook is even putting thought into this, when it’s just Hoseok’s selfish desire to flaunt his beautiful boyfriend – well, Hoseok thinks as he gazes at their clasped hands, he’s very lucky to have met Jeon Jungkook.

Finally, Jungkook shifts away a little to meet Hoseok’s gaze. His eyes are shining.

“I hope you’re ready for the absolute art I’m going to make on your face, hyung.”

Jungkook chooses for them to do a pre-filmed video together, to lessen his own nerves. So on a sunny Wednesday, Hoseok sets up his filming space and settles down with a bare face, smiling at the camera.

“I’m your hope, you’re my hope, I’m J-Hope!” he cheers, clapping his hands together. He can hear Jungkook’s soft snort of laughter, somewhere out of eyesight. “Today is a little bit of a special episode, if you couldn’t tell from the title. I know many of you have been asking about my love life, and he’s finally agreed to come on camera. Say hi to everyone, baby.”

Jungkook steps into view, dressed down in his usual attire of a comfy hoodie and joggers. Today, as if to mark the specialness of the occasion, only the joggers are black – the hoodie is a gorgeous deep blue. He gives the camera a little wave.

“Hi, I’m Jeon Jungkook.”

Hoseok gestures for him to move closer and Jungkook does so cautiously. When he’s within reach, Hoseok quickly swoops up to plant a kiss on the mole under Jungkook’s lip. His boyfriend lets out a startled little giggle, playfully pushing him away with a fake glower even as his nose scrunches up in delight.

“That’s my boyfriend, everyone,” Hoseok tells the camera, beaming from ear to ear. Jungkook moves to stand behind Hoseok, leaning down to wrap his arms around his middle and kissing gently at his ear. Hoseok hums and squirms happily at the gesture.

“So today, we thought that Jungkook could do my makeup while answering a few questions you all have about me. I did tell you to ask whatever you were curious about, but I never said I’d be the one answering.” He winks at the camera with his usual flair. “It’s also why I’m barefaced today. But I’m sure you couldn’t even tell, right?” He cups his hands around his face in a flower pose, dimpling adorably. Jungkook laughs softly into his ear, and Hoseok turns around to pout at him.

“What?”

Jungkook grins and leans in to kiss his nose. “Nothing, nothing. Just – I’ve seen your videos, but I’ve never seen you film them. You look so natural.” Hoseok flushes a little at the compliment and ducks his head, unusually shy for when he’s filming. He’s never really taken compliments very well – but Jungkook loves complimenting him, so he’s gotten a little more used to it.

“Aish, this is my job after all,” Hoseok grumbles to hide how pleased he is with the sincere compliment. “Enough sweet talk, time to start!” Jungkook gives him a little salute and disappears off camera to gather all of the makeup he’s selected. Most of it comes from his own collection – Hoseok usually just has Jimin do his makeup, so he doesn’t keep much of his own.

While Jungkook gets ready, Hoseok turns back to the camera to explain the process. “I’ve compiled all of the questions from your comments, and Jungkook will answer whichever ones he feels like.” Hoseok bites his lip, suddenly wondering if this is even a good idea. He’d been so enthusiastic coming up with it, but what if his subscribers feel cheated? What if Jungkook finds it boring? What if –

“Hyung, I’m ready,” Jungkook sings out – and just the sound of his voice helps Hoseok’s heart settle in his chest. Jungkook has a way of quieting the anxious voices in his head, even if he doesn’t know it.

Jungkook pops up on screen again, waving more enthusiastically this time. He’s pulled his hair back in a proper ponytail today – “I need my hair out of my eyes so I don’t make a mistake, hyung!” – and he looks so cozy and huggable that Hoseok just wants to turn off the camera and spend the rest of the day cuddling.

Instead, he turns so that he’s in profile to the camera and facing Jungkook. He shoots him a curious look at the sight of the sheer volume of makeup Jungkook has, but his boyfriend does nothing except smile at him.

“Close your eyes,” Jungkook instructs. “You’re not allowed to look at anything till I’m done.” Hoseok obliges, sliding his eyes closed and wiggling a little in place as the anticipation builds. There’s something incredibly soothing about the sound of Jungkook’s quiet hums as he putters around with his makeup.

“You’ve done your skincare already, right?” Hoseok shivers a little as Jungkook’s fingers suddenly touch his jaw, tilting his head up a little. Hoseok nods minutely, eyes still closed.

“I’m a blank canvas for you, Jungkook-ssi.” He hears Jungkook’s snort of laughter and a soft patting sound before he feels the gentle press of cushion foundation against his skin. Jungkook works slowly, carefully patting the cushion over his cheeks first and then moving out to the rest of the face, humming quietly under his breath. Hoseok recognizes it as the newest IU digital single.

When his boyfriend moves away, Hoseok finally decides to speak again. “You know that you also have to answer some questions, right bun?” Even with his eyes closed, he can clearly see Jungkook’s little startle and accompanying flush. Jungkook clears his throat and there’s a pause where he’s presumably skimming through the available questions. Eventually, Jungkook lets out a satisfied little sound, and Hoseok can feel his body heat moving closer as Jungkook begins to tap something lightly on his skin.

“Someone asked what’s something you collect that they might not know about.” Jungkook chuckles deep in his throat. “Hyung really, really loves stationary! It’s so funny, I don’t think we can pass by a stationary store without him wanting to at least take a look. He especially likes little card and envelope sets, like for little notes you might attach with a gift or something.” Hoseok can hear the fondness radiating from Jungkook’s voice, and he wonders what his boyfriend looks like to the camera. “It’s really cute. I would have never guessed he was the type, when I first met him.”

“I was a communications major in university,” Hoseok huffs, trying to defend himself. He feels Jungkook boop his nose lightly.

“Well, I didn’t know that when we met, did I?” Jungkook moves away again, presumably to pick another question and start the next step for his makeup. “Oh, I like this one. What’s your favorite color? Haven’t you told your subscribers even something like that, hyung?” Jungkook’s voice is teasing but full of warmth. Hoseok turns blindly towards where he assumes the camera is and gives it a pout.

“Do you all see what I have to deal with here?” He hears Jungkook giggle at his words.

“Ah, you know I was only teasing.” Jungkook grasps his jaw and turns his face back in profile to the camera, beginning to apply something lightly on his cheeks – blush, Hoseok guesses – as he answers. “Anyway, hyung’s favorite color is green. I thought it was yellow at first, actually! He wears a lot of yellow, and it fits his personality, right?” Hoseok feels a funny little fluttering feeling in his stomach at how relaxed Jungkook sounds – like a complete professional, and not as if he’d woken Hoseok up twice the previous night to ask if he should make cue cards for himself. “But I think we were talking about clothes, maybe? I think we’d gone shopping... anyway, hyung says he likes green because it’s the color of hope.” A soft laugh. “He’s sentimental like that, it’s really cute.”

Jungkook continues through the makeup process, answering a handful of additional questions, and Hoseok is fairly certain he dozes off a little at some point – the atmosphere is just too comfortable, with the warm rumbling sound of Jungkook’s voice and the gentle way he touches Hoseok’s face. So he’s not sure exactly how much later it is when Jungkook lets out a pleased sound and shakes his shoulder.

“It’s done, hyung. Want to take a look?”

Hoseok grunts sleepily and opens his eyes, his heart thudding fiercely as he’s met with the sight of Jungkook’s shining gaze. He knows that there’s nothing in this world quite as beautiful as a happy Jeon Jungkook with stars in his eyes.

He licks his lips, and Jungkook immediately lets out a distressed sound. “Not before you see it,” he scolds. Hoseok sits back with a little pout, feeling properly chastised and a little sulky as Jungkook reappears shortly with a handheld mirror. He’s about to raise it with a flourish when Hoseok reaches out for him, tugging him onto his lap without warning. Jungkook yelps and lands hard on his thighs, knocking the breath out of him momentarily.

“Ow, Jungkook-ah, you’re heavy!”

Jungkook reorients himself more comfortably, straddling Hoseok’s lap and sliding his arms around his neck. The cool glass of the mirror brushes against the nape of Hoseok’s neck as Jungkook leans in to rest their foreheads together.

“Excuse me, that’s all muscle.” Jungkook grins, darting in to give him a quick little kiss. Hoseok squeaks in surprise and wonders if the fluttering in his stomach will ever die as long as Jungkook is around.

“Yah, I’m not allowed to lick my lips but you’re allowed to kiss them?” Hoseok wrinkles his nose in mock outrage. Jungkook raises his eyebrows and pulls back at that, eyes sparkling with mischief.

“Oh? Does that mean you don’t want me to kiss you, hyung?” he asks innocently, even as a grin grows across his face. “I guess I can stop that, if you really want me to.” He shifts his weight a little as if to hop off Hoseok’s lap, but Hoseok grips his hips firmly and yanks him closer instead.

“I never said that.” Hoseok swoops in for another kiss as Jungkook begins to laugh, so he doesn’t get much except for teeth, but he doesn’t even care. Jungkook is happy, and that’s all that matters. That’s all he needs to be happy, too.

He appropriately compliments the natural makeup look Jungkook did for him once he finally sees it in the mirror. “I look like myself, but better,” he tells his boyfriend, eyes wide in astonishment. “Jiminie always does it a little more dramatic - it works for the camera, but not really for everyday wear. Where’d you learn how to do makeup, bun?”

Jungkook hums and lowers the mirror, setting it to the side before threading his fingers through Hoseok’s hair again. “Taught myself. Actually learned quite a bit on YouTube, come to think of it. When your videos weren’t distracting me, makeup tutorials were.” Hoseok giggles, nuzzling their noses together.

“You were cheating on my videos with makeup tutorials? I should be offended, but right now I’m just grateful.” Jungkook snickers before tilting his head slightly to capture Hoseok’s lips in another kiss, this one deeper and more purposeful. Hoseok allows himself to sink into it, to immerse himself fully in Jungkook.

It’s only after at least twenty minutes of heavy making out that Hoseok remembers the camera. He pulls away, frowning at Jungkook’s whine and giving him a quick kiss on the nose as an apology. “Gotta turn off the camera, baby.” Jungkook’s eyes widen and he whips his head around to stare straight into the lens of the camera, the tips of his ears flushing crimson.

“I forgot it was there,” he groans as he scrambles off Hoseok’s lap and promptly flops down on his bed, face-first. Hoseok can’t contain his bright laughter, and he thinks he can see Jungkook’s cheeks rising in response. He turns off the camera, tidies up his filming space and moves to join Jungkook on the bed, nudging him insistently until Jungkook rolls onto his back with a dramatic sigh.

“I’ll edit it out, you big baby,” Hoseok laughs. Jungkook purses his lips thoughtfully and nods after a few seconds of deliberation, his blush fading. Hoseok waggles his eyebrows salaciously and clambers on top of his boyfriend, lowering himself down to nibble along his jaw. Jungkook shudders beneath him, tilting his head back to give Hoseok better access. Hoseok hums, moving up his jaw to press his lips to Jungkook’s ear.

“I don’t want anyone else to see this side of you, anyway. Just me.”

(Later, when Hoseok starts editing the video to post, he can’t believe how many times he catches one – or both – of them smiling. They hadn’t forgotten the camera just towards the end – all throughout the video, they seemed to be in their own little world. Hoseok’s chest tightens at the sight of Jungkook’s focused expression as he works on his makeup, and the soft smile his boyfriend gives him whenever he’s done with a step.

He remembers thinking a few months ago that it would be easy to fall in love with Jungkook. Now, he’s not so sure. Now, he thinks maybe he’s been in love with him all along.)

Jungkook’s big boxing match is two days after Hoseok’s birthday. Jungkook insists on taking Hoseok out to dinner to celebrate – at first, his plans include rooftop dinners and rose petals, until Hoseok reminds him with a laugh that it’s just his birthday and not a proposal. (Yet, a sly little voice chuckles in his mind.) Finally, they agree on visiting a new photography exhibit at the Daelim Museum, followed by dinner at a night market. Hoseok doesn’t let go of Jungkook’s hand all night, and hand-feeds him tteokbokki despite his protests.

“That was so much fun,” Jungkook sighs as he spread-eagles on Hoseok’s bed. “But I feel bad. Feels like I had just as much fun as you, and it was supposed to be about you.”

Hoseok lets out a sound of disagreement from the bathroom, pausing mid-skincare routine to duck back into the room and poke Jungkook’s side.

“None of that. I had fun because you had fun, too. Spending time with you is always my favorite thing to do.” He kisses the top of Jungkook’s hair, smoothing a hand over the curls – Jungkook impulsively decided to get a perm a few weeks ago, and Hoseok hasn’t yet been able to articulate just how sexy he finds it. It makes Jungkook look like even more of a heartthrob.

“Awww, hyung,” Jungkook breathes out and rolls onto his side, eyes sparkling. “Are you getting sentimental in your old age?” Hoseok swats at his arm and marches back to the bathroom to finish his routine. He smiles all the way through toning and moisturizing at the sound of Jungkook’s giggles.

Once they’re in bed together, Jungkook hikes a thigh over Hoseok’s hip and snuggles in closer, pressing his lips to the hollow of Hoseok’s neck. Hoseok stirs a little when he feels Jungkook’s lips trembling just slightly against his skin.

“Hey bun, something on your mind?”

Jungkook sighs quietly and doesn’t look up, mumbling his words into Hoseok’s skin. Hoseok frowns, unable to make out much from the soft murmurs. He lifts a hand to scratch gently at the nape of Jungkook’s neck.

“Can’t hear you, bun. Want to talk about it or just sleep?” Jungkook lets out a tiny groan and rolls away so that he’s on his back, staring up at the ceiling. Hoseok props himself up on one elbow to watch him, finding it difficult to read Jungkook’s expression in the dark. For someone who wears his heart so proudly on his sleeve, Jungkook can be surprisingly hard to read at times.

Finally, his boyfriend sighs again. Hoseok scoots a little closer, making sure their hips are touching so Jungkook knows he’s there. He waits patiently, watching Jungkook’s eyes shimmer in the darkness.

“It’s silly. I’m just nervous, I guess.” Jungkook lets out an impatient little sound, closing his eyes as if in frustration. “About the match. Feels like it’s been a long time since my last one… just feel like I’ve forgotten how to do it.”

Hoseok leans down to press a kiss to his forehead, and he can almost hear Jungkook’s body relax. He has things he’d like to say, but Jungkook’s main source of comfort – like his own – has always been touch. And Hoseok’s always been better at showing people how much he loves them.

“You haven’t forgotten, bun.” His voice is firm and leaves no room for argument, even as Jungkook lets out a weak protesting sound. “You’ve been doing this for so long, your body knows exactly what to do. And you’ve been sparring with Yugyeom and the others too, haven’t you?”

Jungkook squirms a little and shifts onto his side, blindly reaching out for Hoseok. He goes willingly, letting Jungkook wrap his arms around his middle and cling tightly. Hoseok strokes his back in a slow soothing motion, shivering a little as Jungkook presses his lips to his collarbone.

“Yeah, I have.” Jungkook’s voice is barely above a whisper. “Told you it was silly.”

“It’s not that either.” Hoseok pets the small of his back, trailing his fingers over a spot on Jungkook’s side that he knows is ticklish. Sure enough, his boyfriend lets out a squeak and pulls away to look at him, lips pursed in a pout. “It’s really normal to be nervous, baby. But you’ve practiced, and you’re going to do your best. And I’ll be there too to cheer you on.”

Jungkook’s eyes widen, and with the wisps of hair falling into his eyes, he suddenly looks very young. “You’ll – you’re going to be there?” He sounds incredulous. Hoseok swallows, abruptly feeling nervous – maybe he should have kept it a surprise after all.

“Yeah, Taehyung bought us tickets as soon as they went on sale.” Hoseok squirms a little, scratching at the back of his neck. “Joonie really wanted to come too – is that okay? Sorry, I probably should have checked – I knew it was your first match in a while, I just wanted to –” He’s cut off mid-sentence as Jungkook launches himself at him, pressing him back into the mattress and covering his face with kisses. Hoseok’s nervousness dissipates immediately, and he finds himself laughing under the onslaught of kisses, arms moving to circle Jungkook’s waist.

“I’m guessing I did good, then?” he teases, just before Jungkook smacks a messy kiss right on his lips. Hoseok yelps and rolls them over, hovering above Jungkook and drinking in the sight of his smiling face, eyes sparkling in the dim light, dark hair spread over the pillow like a halo. Mine, he thinks fiercely.

“You did the best. You’re my good luck charm. Of course, I want you there,” Jungkook breathes, arching his neck up to try and kiss him again. Hoseok obliges and they kiss lazily until they fall asleep, Hoseok still settled on Jungkook’s broad chest.

Hoseok spends the night before Jungkook’s match at his apartment, and is awake before his alarm goes off. He remembers Jungkook telling him he prefers a lighter, protein-filled meal on the day of a match – something that will give him energy, but not make him feel sick. Keeping that in mind, Hoseok digs around his boyfriend’s fridge to find the makings of some doenjang jjigae, with a small bowl of rice, gyeranmari and lightly grilled mackerel as the only side dishes.

He’s finishing up the rolled omelettes when he hears the soft pad of feet and feels strong arms wrap around his middle. Hoseok hums and leans back briefly into Jungkook’s strong chest, twisting his neck to give him a light kiss on the jaw.

“Sit down, breakfast is almost ready. Do you usually have coffee before a match?” Jungkook’s arms tighten around him, and Hoseok feels hair brush against the nape of his neck as Jungkook shakes his head.

“Don’t wanna go,” Jungkook grumbles, resting his forehead against the base of Hoseok’s spine, kissing the warm skin there. Hoseok laughs, playfully nudging him away when Jungkook starts tugging on the collar of his sleep shirt to reveal more skin.

“None of that, bun. You have a busy schedule today, and I want to make sure you eat with plenty of time to digest.” Jungkook pouts, and Hoseok’s heart does a backflip in his chest at the sight – his boyfriend shirtless, pouting, with sleep-mussed hair. He almost wavers, but reminds himself that this day is important for Jungkook, and it needs to go perfectly.

Hoseok finishes up the gyeranmari and ladles the jjigae into a small bowl, setting the food in front of Jungkook. The boxer, now looking slightly more awake at the smell of food, digs in with gusto. Hoseok eats his own serving of jjigae and rice, occasionally stealing a morsel of mackerel from Jungkook’s bowl just to make him laugh.

Jungkook eventually gets dressed and leaves, needing to meet his coach at the gym for final preparation. Hoseok busies himself with cleaning up after breakfast and gives the kitchen a little more of a deep clean while he’s at it. It strikes him, as he’s wiping down the counter and whistling softly to himself, how at home he feels. He’s barely known Jungkook for seven months, dated him for six, and yet their lives have slotted together just like missing puzzle pieces. They know the passcodes to each other’s apartments, barely spend a night apart, and Hoseok – someone who is often uneasy about using other people’s spaces – has no hesitation when it comes to cooking in Jungkook’s kitchen. For some reason, the realization brings sentimental tears to his eyes.

He’s still sniffling a little when Taehyung arrives with a crowd in tow – Namjoon, Yoongi and Yoongi’s girlfriend Suran. Namjoon pauses at the sight of Hoseok’s slightly red eyes, but Hoseok shakes his head and gives his friend a smile. Nothing to worry about, he mouths. Later.

He’s eager to catch up with Taehyung and Namjoon on the subway ride to the arena, but the two men seem much more interested in chatting with each other. Hoseok sees the stars in Taehyung’s eyes as he watches Namjoon talk about the new mixing software he’s using, and bites back his smile before turning to Yoongi and Suran instead.

“Seok-ah, I forgot to tell you, but I have an interest story on a local elementary school tomorrow. Are you up for it?” Yoongi cocks his head to one side, a smile playing at the corner of his lips – as if he doesn’t know how much Hoseok loves children and has been clamoring for an assignment involving kids for weeks.

Hoseok keeps a straight face as he replies, Suran snickering in the background. “I think I can squeeze that into my schedule, hyung.” Yoongi’s face is equally straight as he nods in response – he manages to hold the expression for thirty whole seconds before his face cracks into a grin.

“It’s a live broadcast at a perfect afternoon slot, I wouldn’t trust anyone but you with it.” Yoongi pats his shoulder before launching into a complaint about one of the new interns at the studio. Hoseok listens attentively, making sympathetic noises as required while Suran teases her boyfriend.

When they arrive at the arena, Seokjin and Jimin are waiting for them at the entrance. Jimin is holding a Korean flag with “Jungkook, fighting!” printed in huge letters. The rest of them busy themselves in taking Jimin’s marker to write their own words of encouragement for their friend.

Once seated, Hoseok finds it difficult to sit still, charged up with too much adrenaline. He steals the flag from Jimin and tries to burn his energy by waving it around and cheering – he gets a few perplexed looks from other audience members (considering the ring is still empty) but it’s worth it when he thinks of Jungkook in the dressing room, hearing his voice.

His cheering gets louder as the announcer finally lets the crowd know that the competitors are ready. “First, we have Lee Hoseok, on an unbeaten streak of five matches so far!” Hoseok blanches a little at the sight of the other Hoseok and his incredibly fit body as he moves into the ring, waving to the crowd. Seokjin and Jimin both let out whistles of admiration, and Hoseok kicks Jimin’s foot lightly.

“Hey, no cheering for – or ogling – the competition!” Jimin shrugs and gives him a shameless smile while Seokjin continues to whistle.

Hoseok’s heart leaps into his throat as Jungkook’s name is called and his boyfriend makes his way to the ring. Gone is the sleepy, bratty Jungkook from the morning – this man, with his defined muscles and an intense look in his eyes, feels like a completely different person. Hoseok’s mouth goes dry as he sees that Jungkook’s hair has been pulled back into a bun at the back of his head. He knows Jungkook is hot – has known it from day one – but somehow, seeing him back in his element with a confident lazy smile on his face makes Hoseok’s knees go weak.

He holds up the flag higher and shrieks out Jungkook’s name, waving the cloth vigorously. A ripple of laughter passes through the audience, and Hoseok lowers the flag just in time to catch Jungkook’s fond grin. But just as quickly as it appears, it’s gone and Jungkook turns back to face his opponent with a determined expression.

The referee calls out for the start of the first round, and Hoseok holds his breath as Jungkook dances out of reach of his opponent, his eyes darting all over the ring. When the first hit is landed – Jungkook’s glove slams into other Hoseok’s ribs – Hoseok starts to yell excitedly, jumping up and down. His friends soon join in, and they continue to cheer for every hit Jungkook lands, groaning appropriately when he’s the one to be hit.

Hoseok had expected to be nervous, even frightened for Jungkook’s safety – but as he watches, he can see the pure glee on Jungkook’s face as his boyfriend ducks and weaves and braces himself against hits from his opponent. Jungkook is clearly in his element, even when he stumbles due to a particularly powerful blow. So Hoseok commits himself to cheering as loudly as he can, hoping Jungkook can still hear him even through the adrenaline rush.

The match is a tense one, with both fighters trading blows at a similar rate. Neither Jungkook nor the other Hoseok are knocked out before all rounds pass – once they are completed, the referee huddles with the judges briefly before walking back to the ring, expression solemn.

Hoseok can hear his own heart, thumping madly in his chest.

“And the winner is… Jeon Jungkook!” The referee hoists Jungkook’s gloved hand in the air, and the boxer blinks in astonishment – transforming back to his Jungkookie almost immediately. Jungkook gazes around the arena, and Hoseok feels his gaze as a physical weight once Jungkook’s eyes land on him. His boyfriend gives him a crooked smile accompanied by a wink, and Hoseok feels heat simmer in the pit of his stomach.

He tells his friends he’ll wait for Jungkook and take a later train home. Seokjin waggles his eyebrows at him salaciously and Hoseok thumps his shoulder in return, hoping his blush isn’t too evident. Their friends make their way down to congratulate Jungkook in person while Hoseok slips away, thanking his stars that he knows exactly where Jungkook’s dressing room is – and more importantly, that it’s secluded.

Hoseok closes the door behind him and sinks into one of the chairs in the dressing room, squirming a little. He’s already half-hard in his jeans – he knew he was attracted to Jungkook’s boxing, he remembers having a similar reaction the first time they met, but now? Now, he can actually act on it.

The door finally creaks open and Jungkook enters with his coach behind him, sweat still dripping down his forehead. He stops abruptly at the sight of Hoseok, who tilts his head to one side and purrs, “Hey handsome.”

“Uh – hyung?” Jungkook’s voice is strangled, and it takes Hoseok a second to realize Jungkook isn’t talking to him. “I-I’ll – I’ll debrief with you later, okay? Let’s get dinner later in the week.” Jungkook tries his best to block his coach’s line of sight into the dressing room, but the older man lets out a knowing chuckle.

“Sure, Jungkook-ah. Make sure to celebrate properly, hmmm?” Hoseok can hear footsteps as Jungkook’s coach disappears down the hallway, and rises to his feet as Jungkook hurriedly slams the door closed.

“Hoseokie-hyung.” Jungkook’s voice sounds wrecked already, and Hoseok shudders at the deeper tone. “I thought you’d already gone home with everyone else.” Hoseok snorts and prowls towards his boyfriend, backing him up against the wall. He dips his head to nip at Jungkook’s bottom lip, relishing the moan that rises out of his throat.

“Leave without congratulating you? I don’t think so, baby.” Hoseok’s head drops lower as he begins to nibble at Jungkook’s neck, the sweat leaving a tangy, salty taste on his tongue. Jungkook’s hands rise to clutch at the small of Hoseok’s back.

“I figured I’d give you my congratulations in a more private location.” Hoseok pulls away suddenly and blinks innocently, lips curling into a grin at Jungkook’s little whine. The boxer licks his lips as Hoseok trails a finger down his bare chest, his touch feather-light.

“You know how sleazy that sounds, right hyung?” Jungkook attempts to deflect with humor, but his boxing shorts don’t hide much and Hoseok can already see how turned on he is. He smiles again, leaning in to flick his tongue over Jungkook’s nipple. His boyfriend lets out a strangled groan and digs his fingers more firmly into Hoseok’s back, breathing becoming a little uneven.

“Sleazy or not, you still like it.” Hoseok hums and lowers himself to his knees, tilting his head back to look at Jungkook’s face. Jungkook looks faintly shell-shocked, as if he can’t quite process what’s happening. Hoseok understands – he’d probably be feeling the same, if the roles were reversed. They haven’t really done anything sexual yet, apart from some heavy making out that transitioned into grinding against each other messily. Somehow, the timing had never felt right for taking the next step, and neither of them were in any hurry.

Now, though. Now, Hoseok wants nothing more than to suck his boyfriend’s dick.

He reaches out to snap the elastic of Jungkook’s shorts, and the younger man jumps a little. Hoseok laughs and Jungkook pouts down at him, cheeks flushed and hair still sticking to his skin with the sweat.

“Can I take these off, Jungkookie?” Hoseok snaps the waistband again and Jungkook lets out a muffled curse, nodding his head so fast that Hoseok’s almost afraid it’ll fall off.

Hoseok slowly drags the shorts down, keeping eye contact with Jungkook as he does so. He can see Jungkook’s pupils dilate and feels proud of being able to elicit such a reaction. It’s not like he ever thought Jungkook wasn’t attracted to him, but, well – it’s satisfying all the same.

When Hoseok pulls the shorts down to the floor, he licks his lips and drops his gaze – only to be met by the sight of a very large bulge in his briefs that is definitely not his dick.

Hoseok stares at his crotch blankly for a few seconds. Jungkook frowns and lets out a confused sound, sliding his fingers through Hoseok’s hair. “Hyung, what’s wrong?”

Hoseok coughs and reaches out to prod the bulge. Jungkook winces a little.

“This… is not your penis.”

Jungkook returns his blank stare for a heartbeat – before dissolving into laughter, sliding down the wall a little as he giggles. Hoseok isn’t sure what’s so funny until Jungkook yanks his briefs down to reveal a groin protector. At the sight of the equipment – in bright red, no less – Hoseok starts laughing too, tears sliding out of the corners of his eyes as he wheezes.

“That was the last thing I was expecting to hear from you, hyung,” Jungkook gasps out as he finally pulls himself together. “Did you not realize we wear protection here? Getting punched in the balls is not fun.”

Hoseok wipes away his tears of laughter and shakes his head, reaching out to unfasten the protector. “I just – I wasn’t expecting it!” he tries to defend himself, even as a smile creeps back onto his face. Jungkook grins down at him, eyes growing darker as Hoseok finally removes the groin protector and lets out a faint groan.

“Fuck, of course you’re big.” Hoseok reaches out to stroke his thumb lightly over the head of Jungkook’s cock. His mouth is already watering, aching to get his lips around Jungkook. His boyfriend’s head drops back against the wall, fingers tightening in Hoseok’s hair and nails digging into his scalp.

“Don’t tease,” Jungkook rasps out, hips bucking up slightly as Hoseok wraps a hand loosely around his cock. “Hyung, please, you’re driving me crazy right now.” Hoseok leans in to nip at his inner thigh and Jungkook groans again, tugging insistently at his hair.

“Okay, okay. We’ll take it slow next time,” Hoseok agrees, running his fingers over Jungkook’s prominent hip bones before leaning in to press a kiss to the head of his cock, tongue flicking out to taste the precome pooling there. “Because I want to take you apart next time, Jeon Jungkook. Want to find out every single spot that makes you moan.”

Jungkook curses, his hips moving up again at the stimulation. His cock slaps lightly against Hoseok’s bottom lip and Hoseok feels as if he’s about to burst into flames.

He wraps his lips around Jungkook’s cock, testing out the weight and girth of it in his mouth. Jungkook lets out a choked sound above him, but Hoseok ignores it in favor of sliding his lips further down his cock, jaw stretching wider to accommodate him. It’s been so long since he’s last given (or received) a blowjob, he has to continuously remind himself to tuck his teeth away. The heavy weight of Jungkook on his tongue makes him feel melty and floaty inside, and he sighs happily as he begins to bob his head.

“Fuck, you look so beautiful hyung,” Jungkook breathes as Hoseok takes him deeper. He whines at the back of his throat in response, hands moving to grasp Jungkook’s hips and encourage him to move. Hoseok relaxes his throat further as Jungkook begins to thrust shallowly into his mouth, moaning as drool collects in his mouth and drips down his lips, making the glide smoother.

“That’s it,” Jungkook encourages as Hoseok begins to meet his thrusts with the movement of his head. “Just like that, so pretty for me hyung, so good. Wanted to do this for ages.” Hoseok can barely hear his praises, his mind more or less filled with pleasant white noise as he continues to suck Jungkook’s cock. His jaw begins to ache, but it’s a dull comforting sort of ache, one that only spurs him on further.

He pins Jungkook’s hips back against the wall to stop him from moving and takes back control. He experiments with different speeds, finally settling on a faster pace that makes Jungkook’s pants come out in more uneven staccato notes, sucking his dick as if his life depended on it.

Finally he has to pull away, coughing and gasping for air. He can feel Jungkook’s concerned gaze on him and makes sure to meet his eyes, giving him a reassuring smile. “’M fine,” Hoseok croaks out, shivering at how fucked out he sounds. “You’re just big, baby. Takes some getting used to.” He grins in delight as Jungkook flushes at his words, leaning in to lick gently at the head of his dick. He knows he’s probably teasing Jungkook a little too much right now, but part of him wants to see how far he can push his boyfriend.

Jungkook, predictably, has the patience of a saint. Despite how red and angry his dick looks, he focuses on stroking Hoseok’s hair and letting out little hums of encouragement. Hoseok begins to stroke him instead, keeping his grip firm and his rhythm steady as he watches Jungkook’s face scrunch up in pleasure.

“That’s it, baby, come for me,” Hoseok murmurs, speeding up the timing of his strokes as Jungkook begins to thrust into the circle of his fist. He’s taken by surprise when Jungkook suddenly starts to come, squeezing his eyes shut to make sure he doesn’t get hit as it splatters over his face. He licks his lips and lets out a low moan at the taste on his tongue, slowly cracking open his eyes when he feels the come start to go a little tacky. He’s met with the sight of a ravenous looking Jungkook staring down at him.

“You’re going to make me hard all over again hyung,” Jungkook mutters as he kneels down to wipe gently at Hoseok’s face. “You look so hot like this.” Hoseok wiggles his eyebrows and sticks his tongue to show him the come still sitting there, and Jungkook lets out a different kind of groan.

“I changed my mind, you’re gross.” Hoseok laughs and leans forward to kiss him, Jungkook obliging almost instantly despite his previous words. But Hoseok has to pull away almost immediately, making a face at the feeling of come still on his skin.

“Jungkookie,” he whines, “wanna get clean. Do you have baby wipes or something here?” He pouts dramatically and Jungkook giggles, rising up to his feet to disappear deeper into the dressing room. Hoseok can hear the sound of him rummaging around before he reappears with a packet of wipes, using one to clean himself off before pulling out another and kneeling down to start gently cleaning Hoseok’s face. Hoseok closes his eyes and allows himself to be taken care of.

“All done,” Jungkook finally whispers, pressing a light kiss to his lips. Hoseok slowly opens his eyes, drinking in the sight of Jungkook’s flushed cheeks and soft smile.

“Hey,” he whispers back, feeling as if he’s overflowing with affection. He can’t believe how lucky he is to have this man – to support him, to be taken care of by him, to share his life with him. “Congratulations on your win. I think I love you.”

Jungkook’s eyes crinkle around the corners as his smile widens, and he cups Hoseok’s face between his big hands. Despite the strength that radiates from his entire body, Jungkook holds him with utmost tenderness. Hoseok knows, no matter what happens, that he’ll never regret trusting Jungkook with his heart.

“Hey,” Jungkook responds, eyes shining. “I know. I love you too.”