Chapter Text
Jeongguk’s Best Date EverTM did not turn out the way he’d planned.
Well, it started out smoothly…
-
It’s now the fourth of December, which is a hell of a time for Jeongguk to finally indulge in one of Yoongi’s fantasies.
His Best Date EverTM starts at 2 pm sharp.
Yoongi’s late.
“Yoongi, you’re late!” Jeongguk yells up the stairs, hopping from one foot to the other trying to keep himself warm before he takes the plunge.
“I’m fashionably late!” is the response yelled down.
“You can’t be fashionably late for a date when we live in the same house! Get down here, or you won’t get my first surprise!”
He hears tired feet on the stairs before he sees Yoongi. His hair is still wet from the shower, and he gives a loud yawn as he trudges down the stairs.
“Hyung, it’s 2 pm in the afternoon. No,” he checks his watch, “2:07 pm in the afternoon. You’re late. And half asleep. This is gonna be your best date ever! Be excited!”
“You said we weren’t leaving for the best date ever until 5,” Yoongi argues, finally reaching Jeongguk. “I thought I had more time.”
“We are leaving at 5, but the date officially starts now with some at home fun!” Jeongguk says enthusiastically, giving himself an internal peptalk. He’ll need it to do what he has planned.
“As long as it’s inside. My hair’s still wet.”
Jeongguk takes Yoongi’s hand and drags him towards the back door. “Nope, it’s outside, but it’ll be worth it, trust me.”
Yoongi grumbles but allows Jeongguk to dress him in his winter coat. Jeongguk ensures he puts a big wool toque on Yoongi, so he doesn’t get hypothermia on his Best Date EverTM.
Once he has Yoongi dressed, he takes a deep breath and opens the back door.
“Jeongguk, you’re not dressed,” Yoongi points out, following him out the door. “You’re wearing a tank top and shorts for god’s sake.”
“I know,” Jeongguk jogs over to Yoongi’s car and steps aside to reveal the bucket and sponge. “I would like the biggest blowjob after doing this.”
“How would I give a big blowjo-“ Yoongi cuts off as he finally steps out far enough to see the bucket and sponge. He looks from the bucket to Jeongguk and back again, expression unreadable.
Jeongguk slowly lifts up the bottom of his tank top and he watches Yoongi’s eyes widen. “You wanted your car washed, right?”
“It’s December, Jeongguk,” Yoongi says, eyes glued to Jeongguk’s abdomen.
“I know,” he takes a deep breath and fully pulls the shirt over his head. “That’s why I need a blowjob to warm up after.”
Yoongi nods, licking his lips, eyes wide. “I can do that.”
Jeongguk grins and lifts the sponge out of the soapy water. In truth, he’s never washed a car in his life, but how hard could it be?
He leans over the hood and makes sure to pose and flex as he starts soaping down the headlights. “You have such a dirty car, hyung,” he says as seductively as he can.
Yoongi throws a hand over his mouth and Jeongguk can see his eyes crinkle trying to hold in a laugh. “Yea? How dirty is it, Jeongguk?” Yoongi asks back, voice cracking at the end as he coughs to cover a laugh.
“Sooo dirty,” Jeongguk says playfully, sticking his butt out a little as he moves onto the hood. “You’re such a dirty boy, hyung.”
This time Yoongi can’t hold back, and he bursts out laughing, bending over double as he wipes his tears.
“Is this everything you hoped for, hyung?” Jeongguk asks, moving onto the side of the car. As much fun as this is, he is quite literally freezing his ass off, so he would like to be efficient.
“I couldn’t ask for more, Jeongguk,” Yoongi leans around the car to watch Jeongguk wash the side. “You missed a spot,” he teases.
“Oh no, I wouldn’t want to do that,” Jeongguk continues in his seductive voice. “Gotta get you all clean.”
Yoongi looks up at the sky and mutters something under his breath. “You sure my car won’t freeze when you’re done?” Yoongi asks.
“It’s 9ᵒC today. I checked the internet; it should be warm enough to dry before it freezes.” He’s prepared, he waited weeks for a day warm enough to enact his plan.
He moves onto the back and Yoongi follows him, eyes alight. “The rear of the car is very important, Jeongguk.”
“Oh, I’ll make sure your rear is perfect for me.”
Yoongi drops his head into his hands and seems to have to compose himself before saying, “what, my rear isn’t perfect already?”
“Oh, your rear is flawless,” Jeongguk winks salaciously at Yoongi, enjoying himself immensely. “Just gotta make sure your car matches, hyung. All shiny and new.”
“I hate this,” Yoongi laughs, “but I can’t stop.”
“ Please don’t stop, hyung,” Jeongguk moans, moving on to the last side of the car. “Washing your car feels sooo good. Please don’t make me stop.” He stretches up dramatically to reach the roof.
“I like watching you rub my car, Jeongguk.”
This time it’s Jeongguk that loses his composure and snorts out a laugh having to pause in his cleaning to catch his breath.
“Nooo, don’t stop,” Yoongi teases. “You need to rub the top too. Don’t neglect the tip… I mean top.”
“Oh, I would never, hyung,” Jeongguk chokes out, having fully lost his composure now. “You know how much I like to top.”
He steps back and admires his handy work. “Did I do it right?” he asks Yoongi seriously in his normal voice.
“Looks good. When you hose it down, don’t forget to hose down the wheel wells and undercarriage,” Yoongi answers seriously.
“You seriously want your car cleaned, don’t you?” Jeongguk laughs.
“I mean, since you’re doing it, might as well do a thorough job of it,” Yoongi grins at him as he goes to fetch the hose.
“Don’t worry hyung, I’d never forget the undercarriage,” he teases, winking as he sprays down the car.
“Disgusting,” Yoongi says affectionately, standing back to avoid being in the line of fire.
Jeongguk makes quick work of hosing down the car. “Okay, now there was something I was supposed to do with the windows and rubber around them to prevent it from freezing,” he says, looking around for where he’d placed his phone.
Yoongi waves him off, “I’ll finish, Jeongguk, don’t worry. Just get inside and warm up.”
“Are you sure?” he hops in place to keep his blood pumping, arms feeling like ice.
“Yes, yes, go inside and don’t freeze to death on me,” Yoongi physically pushes him towards the door.
“Did you like the wash, hyung?” Jeongguk asks.
Yoongi presses a cold kiss into the side of his neck. “Yes, dove, I still have heart palpitations,” he reaches around and gives his bare nipples a squeeze.
Jeongguk yelps and Yoongi slaps his ass, ushering him inside the house.
Step two of The Best Date EverTM is where it started to go off the rails.
Jeongguk planned for a one-on-one dinner with Yoongi at a Korean barbeque that just so happens to have karaoke. But while Jeongguk is tucking in his only white button up shirt, he gets a call.
“Hey Tae, don’t worry since I planned the date this time, I don’t need your advice on what to wear. I set the dress code,” Jeongguk answers, putting his phone on speaker as he wrestles with his belt.
“Fuck, I forgot you had your date tonight,” Taehyung swears over the phone.
“Not just any date, but the best date ever, remember?” Jeongguk replies cheerfully, now in a search for socks.
“Uhh, right,” Taehyung says awkwardly, voice a bit muffled. “You know what would really make a great date? Hanging out with your two best buds.”
“I’ve told you a million times, Tae, no double dates.”
“Jeongguk, I need you,” Taehyung whispers desperately over the phone. “Something came up.”
“Nice try-“
Jeongguk moves to hang up the phone, but just before his finger reaches the button, Taehyung rushes out, “I’m proposing!”
Jeongguk freezes, “What?”
“I’m proposing to Jimin! It was supposed to be in a month on our sex anniversary, but Jimin just got his work placement for January and it’s really far away and he’ll be working 12 hour shifts, so he won’t be available for the time I had planned with the hotel! So, then I figured, I could propose to him in the first restaurant we had a date in that has this exclusive back area, but the back area is booked solid until April! So, I had them put me on a waitlist and they just called me with a cancellation for tonight!” Taehyung rushes out at top speed.
Jeongguk stares dumbly at his phone. “You’re… proposing to Jimin? Proposing what?”
“For him to marry me!”
“O..oh.”
“If you’re wondering why I didn’t tell you, it’s because you’re a terrible liar and Jimin can read you like a book.”
That’s fair. “Oh, wow hyung,” Jeongguk’s brain finally catches up. Tae and Jimin getting married. He grins at his phone, “Jimin will be so happy.”
“Yea?” Tae asks a little worriedly. “You think he’s ready and everything? I mean, we’re not getting married tonight! We don’t have to get married for years, I’m just asking him to marry me… eventually, tonight.”
“Yes, of course he’s ready, Tae,” Jeongguk says, getting emotional. “Jimin loves you. He’d have married you years ago. You guys are so perfect together!” Jeongguk sobs out the last part, completely losing his composure.
“Thanks for the support Jeongguk, it really means a lot. But… I still kinda need your help.”
“Anything,” Jeongguk says, wiping his eyes.
“I want to make everything perfect for Jimin. So, when I think about what Jimin would want for a proposal… I think he’d like to celebrate with his friends. I want you to be there after I propose, Jeongguk.”
Jeongguk’s heart drops, finally picking up on the direction of the conversation. “But, I’ve planned for a dinner with karaoke then a basketball game. I’ve bought a jersey for it and everything, Tae!”
“I’m really sorry, Jeongguk. You guys could leave early to catch the game?”
“What time?” Jeongguk asks, checking his watch.
“We have the back area reserved from 6 until midnight.”
Jeongguk groans. “The game starts at 7! When are you proposing?”
“Probably shortly after 6. Before 6:30!” Taehyung says quickly. “But… the restaurant is a bit far from the stadium…”
Jeongguk sighs, “we’d have to leave immediately after getting there.”
“Yea.”
Jeongguk drops his head on his nightstand. “There’s no other time? Can’t you do the hotel thing just before January?”
“No, the exact room we had is booked until January.”
“You need the exact same room?”
“It’s the honeymoon suite, Jeongguk.”
“Gross.”
“Jeongguk, will you come? I’m sure you could sell the tickets off to someone, you still have time.”
“But I’ve been planning this for so long, Tae,” Jeongguk replies sadly, sitting down on his bed and twiddling his thumbs. He’s already completed phase one of the date.
“I know,” Tae replies sadly. “And I’ve kinda been planning this since I first laid eyes on Jimin.”
Jeongguk gags into the phone, “You should wear a trench coat to the restaurant.”
“Absolutely not.”
“Why not? You wanted it to be all sentimental. Wear the outfit you wore when you first met. He’d remember. It’s really hard to forget.” Jeongguk giggles, “The trench coat was huge on you.”
“It was my dad’s, okay?”
“At least try to sell him a shitty iPhone or something,” Jeongguk continues to giggle.
Jeongguk thinks back to his first meeting with Taehyung. Jeongguk had come to Toronto with Jimin and his parents to help move him in and see him off as he started school at U of T. It was also a chance for Jeongguk to see the campus and consider whether he wanted to apply to U of T as well.
Jimin happened to be in desperate need of a new phone, so he had bought one from some random person online who was selling a brand new, unopened iPhone in Toronto, and arranged to meet with them on the day he moved in. So, naturally, he brought Jeongguk with him so he wouldn’t be meeting this random person alone.
What Jeongguk and Jimin were met with was Kim Taehyung in an oversized trench coat and massive sunglasses looking sketchy as fuck huddled in the corner of a shopping mall.
Jeongguk tried to pull Jimin away, not ready to get mugged that day, when Taehyung suddenly took off his glasses and turned their way. And of course, he was beautiful. So Jimin, against all sense, pulled out of Jeongguk’s hold and approached Taehyung. Jeongguk later berated him for approaching a sketchy person just because they were hot, but obviously, it turned out alright. Taehyung was noticeably tongue tied around Jimin, but the two of them hit it off quickly once they realized they were both Korean. It turned out Taehyung was moving into residence at U of T as well, and that they would actually be living in the same building.
The day ended with Taehyung and his family giving Jimin and Jeongguk a tour of campus and the surrounding area.
Jeongguk still wonders why Jimin and Tae always like to make up elaborate stories on how they met, when the story of how they actually met is funny and eventful enough. Tae, wanting to look like a real under-the-table seller, wore a trench coat to sell a fucking iPhone he’d won in a radio contest to an unsuspecting Jimin. How could you fucking top that?
“Jeongguk,” Tae sighs. “Will you come?”
“Let me just talk to Yoongi,” Jeongguk finally replies, trying to figure out how to word this without revealing what he had planned.
“No need,” a voice yells from outside the door. “The insulation in this house is shit.”
Jeongguk jumps off his bed and whips open his door.
Yoongi is sitting on the living room couch, dressed and ready in his blue button-down shirt, looking like a wet dream in Jeongguk’s favourite smokey eye make-up.
“Do you know what makes the best date ever?” Yoongi asks quietly from the couch.
Jeongguk shakes his head at him, feeling disappointed that Yoongi had heard Jeongguk’s whole date plan.
“Doing something memorable that only happens once,” Yoongi looks up at him. “Your friends getting engaged only happens once. Attending an engagement celebration with your closest friends is a date I’ll never be able to forget.”
Jeongguk’s bottom lip quivers as he nods at Yoongi, “I have tickets…”
“I know people we can sell them to,” Yoongi says, standing up from the couch and approaching Jeongguk. “But don’t think for a second this means we aren’t going to go to a game together.” He reaches Jeongguk and places his hands on either side of his face and squeezes. “I am dragging you to a basketball game whether you like it or not, and I am going to scream in your ear during every play.”
Jeongguk lets out a breathless laugh. “You would have liked the date, hyung?”
“I would have loved it,” Yoongi whispers. “But today, let’s go celebrate your best friends getting engaged.”
Once Jeongguk and Yoongi enter the restaurant and explain the situation to the hostess, she ushers them towards a large group of people hidden behind a bunch of plants.
“Hey!” Dave, who’s standing next to Hobi, Jin, and Namjoon, waves them over. “Jeongguk, you made it!”
“Hey Dave,” Jeongguk pulls Yoongi next to him by the hand. “I dunno if you’ve ever officially met Yoongi, but he’s my partner. Yoongi, Dave is Jimin and Tae’s neighbour who-“
“Yes,” Yoongi snorts, extending a hand towards Dave. “I’ve heard all about Dave. You’re the poor unfortunate soul who happens to own a car.”
Dave laughs and shakes Yoongi’s hand. “That would be me. But I really don’t mind. They keep me on my toes.” He smiles. “But I didn’t even know that Jeongguk had a partner. I’ve heard Jimin and Taehyung scheming about setting Jeongguk up with someone on a few drunk occasions, but I didn’t know that they were actually successful!”
“They weren’t,” Yoongi deadpans. “We hooked up just fine on our own.”
Dave laughs. “Congrats, Jeongguk. I remember last year when you lived across the hall, you were so shy, and you were in the apartment all the time even on Friday nights-“
“Ah, that’s enough!” Jeongguk jumps forwards and throws a hand over Dave’s mouth playfully. “We want Yoongi to think I’m really cool and go out all the time...”
“We live together, Jeongguk,” Yoongi shakes his head at him and pulls his hand away from Dave. “The last time you went outside was when Miguel set off those fireworks in our front lawn.”
“Not true! I went out to wash your car a few hours ago,” he gives Yoongi a smug look and a wink.
“Ah yes, how could I forget.”
Dave is still laughing. “Well, I’m happy for you Jeongguk. I didn’t know you liked boys too, but you guys look really cute together. Will I be hiding behind a tree for you two next-“ Jeongguk leaps at Dave again and this time puts him in a headlock.
“Don’t you dare jinx it,” he whispers to a laughing Dave.
As Jeongguk finally lets the man go, he lets the reality of what he said sink in. Dave didn’t know Jeongguk liked boys, of course he didn’t. But Jeongguk just casually introduced Yoongi to him as his partner. Like it was nothing, natural. Because it is. It’s the most natural thing in the world.
He grins to himself, proud.
“I think the next people you will be hiding behind a tree for are those two,” Yoongi supplies, pointing towards Hobi and Namjoon who are currently holding hands behind the tree.
“Woah, woah, woah,” Namjoon protests. “You guys have been dating longer.”
“Yea, but you guys are cumulatively older and have been pining for a hell of a lot longer. You gotta add that pining time in there,” Yoongi winks at them.
“Excuse all of you, I believe I’m the next person to force you all behind a tree,” Jin interjects looking offended. “I’ve been dating Eunice for three years!”
“Oh yea, I honestly keep forgetting about her,” Namjoon says wistfully.
“Three years and no proposal? Sounds fake,” Hobi teases.
“We’re both still in school!”
“So are Jimin and Tae, and yet here we stand between the begonias,” Hobi leans against the wall smugly.
“They are actually hydrangeas,” Dave interrupts quietly. “And while I am happy for your successful relationships, I doubt I’d be invited to your engagement celebrations,” Dave says, pointing between Jin, Hobi, and Namjoon.
“Nonsense!” Jin says loudly, slapping Dave on the back. “Of course you’re invited, Dave! You’re my favourite, Dave!”
“Yea!” Hobi agrees. “Who else will drive a drunk Jimin and Tae home?”
They are all cracking up when they hear a Jimin-like shriek.
“Is that our queue? What’s our queue?” someone near the back asks.
As Jeongguk finally looks around. He sees all of Jimin’s dance team, and all the friends he remembers from Jimin and Tae’s many parties. He feels a little bit of a pang in realizing that if he did have an engagement celebration, there wouldn’t be half as many people here for him. But he would have the rowing team, and his roommates… and Dave of course, and that sounds like the best time in the world to him.
After about a minute, one of the waiters peeks their head behind the tree. “It’s time guys!” he whispers excitedly. “It’s just through the door on your right, and Taehyung requested that someone named Jeongguk enter first with his partner, and the rest can follow once those two give you the green light.”
Jeongguk feels butterflies in his stomach as the crowd of friends separate to allow him and Yoongi to go through. He doesn’t know why he’s so nervous, he knows Jimin will say yes, he knows the two of them are so happy right now.
Jeongguk slowly pushes the door open and pokes his head through. Tae has tears on his cheeks and is beaming at Jimin who has his back to the door. Tae looks up when he sees Jeongguk and gestures him inside.
Jeongguk fully steps in the room and clears his throat. “So… did you say yes?”
Jimin whips around, face stained with tears and looks at Jeongguk with wide eyes. It takes him a second to process that Jeongguk is there, but once he does, he bursts into tears and runs towards him.
Jeongguk catches Jimin in the air as he jumps at him and holds him tightly to his chest as Jimin cries on his shoulder. “Oh, I’m so happy you’re here, Jeongguk,” Jimin sobs, squeezing him tightly. “I’m so happy! Of course I said yes, you dumbass!”
Jeongguk laughs and cries along with Jimin with no shame. He is incapable of holding it in when Jimin is crying. Happiness makes him cry so much easier than sadness does.
“I’m not the only one here,” Jeongguk mutters.
Jimin lifts his head off Jeongguk’s shoulder and yells, “Yoongi!” happily. “I didn’t see you behind Jeongguk, you’re so short!”
“I don’t believe I came here to be insulted by someone who can barely reach my chin,” Yoongi grumbles, but Jeongguk can hear the smile in his voice.
Jimin laughs and lets go of Jeongguk to pull Yoongi into a hug. “You are my brother-in-law now,” Jimin tells him as he squeezes the life out of him.
Yoongi chokes over his shoulder. “I don’t see how you getting engaged to Taehyung makes me your brother-in-law.”
“Jeongguk is my brother,” Jimin answers easily, and Jeongguk feels his eyes well up again. Jimin has and will always be his older brother, blood or not. “You will be my second groomsman,” Jimin announces as he finally lets go of Yoongi.
Yoongi stares at Jimin in disbelief. “You have been engaged for five seconds, man!”
“But I’ve had two years to plan my wedding to this man,” Jimin replies easily, smiling so wide his eyes disappear. “Jeongguk has always been my man of honour, but now you will stand next to him.”
“I’m man of honour?!” Jeongguk whoops. “Sick!” He fist pumps as Jimin giggles and jumps with him.
He sees Yoongi roll his eyes at the two of them before he kicks the door open to reveal the rest of Jimin and Taehyung’s friends. “When Jeongguk said he wasn’t the only one here, he wasn’t talking about me,” he tells Jimin.
Jimin gasps and bursts into tears all over again as all his friends start pouring into the room with congratulations.
So overall, the Best Date EverTM didn’t go exactly to plan, but it was definitely unforgettable.
-
Jeongguk can’t lie, he’s really missing rowing.
He took Alex’s advice and kept up a morning ritual with Yoongi. But instead of cooking some cheesy breakfast together like Alex suggested, it’s coffee. With Jeongguk’s classes revving up and effectively killing him, and Yoongi officially graduated and now stressfully filling out job applications all day, they need a strong morning coffee to survive.
They found a cute little coffee shop with some of the strongest brews in the city just a 10-minute walk away, and now it’s their daily stop. Yoongi and Jeongguk drag themselves out of bed at a more reasonable time of 7 am and start their day with a brisk walk to get their coffee. It’s good exercise on top of the caffeine for survival. The walk back is infinitely more lively than the walk there.
Jeongguk has been stressed though. He’s been stressed ever since Yoongi officially graduated, because now that means that he needs to find a real adult job… and with a real adult job comes the possibility that he will have to move away, exactly like Namjoon did.
On top of that, both Jin and Hobi are graduating this year. Jin will be moving back to Hamilton with his girlfriend while she finishes law school and Hobi plans to move in with Namjoon, which means they will be giving up their lease… which means Jeongguk will be homeless next year unless he finds a place to live and moving back in with the newly engaged couple is absolutely not an option. They have been so unbearably sappy with each other, Jeongguk can barely stomach being in the same room as them for any length of time.
And while Jeongguk should be discussing his nervousness about Yoongi’s job and living situation with Yoongi himself, Jeongguk being Jeongguk, means that he absolutely has not. So, he’s just been a happy, but nervous ball of energy, waiting for the day his boyfriend will announce he’s leaving him.
This is why the invitation to the year-end varsity awards was extremely welcomed. At the end of the year, there is an award ceremony for the university’s varsity teams, with a team dinner and team specific awards afterwards. And Jeongguk is no longer embarrassed to say that he has missed the men’s eight team like hell! With everyone’s busy schedule, they have not had a chance to meet up since the season ended, which means five months of men’s eight team withdrawal, minus the little coffee shop meet ups one on one with Alex and Matt, and the random gifts from Miguel that show up on their front lawn in the middle of the night.
Yoongi has a job interview just before the awards start, so Jimin insisted Jeongguk get ready at his place and meet up with Yoongi at the awards when his interview is finished.
What Jimin failed to mention was that he didn’t intend for Jeongguk to get himself ready at his place, but rather be made up by Jimin at his place.
“A smoky eye, really?” Jeongguk asks Jimin in disbelief as he steps away and finally allows Jeongguk to see himself in the mirror.
“The invitation says formal, smoky eyes are formal,” Jimin says, looking over his work proudly.
“You look hot,” Taehyung chimes in from his seat at the door.
“Thanks, but I don’t think this strictly fits the dress code, nor does that body chain.” Jeongguk looks over at the clothes Jimin picked out in disbelief. “This is a formal award ceremony, not a BDSM convention.”
Jimin rolls his eyes. “A body chain is hardly BDSM.”
“The leather thigh garter?”
“A classy statement if anything,” Taehyung comments.
“The skin-tight jeans filled with holes?”
“They’re designer,” Jimin sticks his nose in the air. “They’re more expensive than the dresses that will be there.”
“But jeans aren’t formal wear!”
“Yea but the vest and tie on top are. It balances out,” Tae defends.
Jeongguk stares at Jimin in disbelief. Arguably, he looks good. He looks fucking good. Jimin did his foundation and whatever other stuff he put on his face to make his skin pop, highlighting his cheekbones and strong jawline. He’s never felt hotter in his life, but he’s afraid he’ll look way out of place. “Most of the guys won’t be wearing make-up.”
“And they’ll look like trolls compared to you now, won’t they?” Jimin pinches his nose. “The eyeshadow isn’t that noticeable; it just gives your eyes a darker look.”
Jeongguk sighs, regretting coming here. “What about a good old-fashioned suit and tie?”
Jimin gags. “I’d rather you kill me before wearing the most boring shit. This is Yoongi’s last year, Jeongguk. You want to look hot, don’t you?”
“So, is that what this is about?” Jeongguk asks, looking between the two of them with eyes narrowed.
Jimin and Taehyung exchange a glance before Jimin takes a seat beside Jeongguk. “Miguel texted me,” he starts off with a bang.
“I’m sorry, who?!” Jeongguk asks him in disbelief.
“Miguel. From your rowing team.”
“I know who the fuck Miguel is, how the fuck does he even have your number? Why are you guys texting?!”
“We’re not texting . He asked for my number at provincials, and he seemed like a laugh, so I gave it to him.” Jimin shrugs. “This is the first text I got from him other than a video of fireworks going off in your front yard.”
“I knew he was still close-by!” Jeongguk seethes.
“Anyway, he texted me to let me know that Yoongi is winning one of the big awards.”
“He is?!” Jeongguk perks up.
“Yea, I guess at the main award ceremony, they award MVP for each of the varsity teams. Yoongi is winning MVP for the rowing team.”
Jeongguk fist pumps, “Hell yea! He sooo deserves it! You know who he had to put up with every morning?! He taught me how to row! Me ! A complete novice! Not to mention that third a provincials!”
“Yes, yes, I know,” Jimin laughs, waving Jeongguk down as he stands up passionately. Damn straight, Yoongi is winning MVP! “Miguel texted me because they want you to present the award to him, and they wanted you to emerge from backstage looking, and I quote,” Jimin looks down at his phone. “ ‘as hot as humanly possible. Turn that 9.5 into a 10’ . And I don’t know who called you a 9.5 Jeongguk, but I would like a word with them,” Jimin tells him, looking back up from his phone.
“Some lady in a lingerie shop,” Jeongguk says absentmindedly, now looking at Jimin’s clothes with more interest.
“I’m sorry, come again?”
“So, I’m not going to see Yoongi before I present the award to him?” Jeongguk asks.
“No, they want you to hide backstage until they present the award. But it’s the first award of the night so it won’t be long.”
“And they want me to look hot, just to see Yoongi’s reaction?”
“That’s correct.”
“Awesome,” Jeongguk inspects the clothes again. “I’m in.”
-
As the announcer takes the podium, Jeongguk peaks out from around the curtain for the first time. The gymnasium is elaborately decorated in colourful streamers, banners and balloons. The lights are dimmed other than the stage lights, only a single candle illuminating each of the tables.
The gym is packed, and as Jeongguk does a quick sweep in the dim lights, the tables look filled to the brim with large muscular people. Not surprising considering the teams in attendance include the football, rugby, track, basketball, and swim team. And, of course, the rowing team is also stupidly tall.
Jeongguk scans the tables on the right where Miguel said the team would be, in search of a small person in the crowd. It only takes him a second to locate Yoongi’s platinum blonde head bent over his phone.
Jeongguk feels his pocket vibrate.
Yoongi <3: R u here yet? It’s starting
Jeongguk feels a wave of guilt as he watches Yoongi lift his head and search the people around the door.
He turns around to Jimin and Tae who were allowed to stay and watch backstage for some reason. “He’s looking for me,” he tells them worriedly.
“Yea, and he’ll find you once they announce the award.”
“I feel bad.”
Jimin widens his eyes in disbelief. “You’ve got to be shitting me. You’re here to present his award for him looking like an absolute snack! There’s nothing to feel bad about.”
Jeongguk looks back out the curtain as the announcer finishes the introductions and starts in on the first award. The rowing team will be one of the last teams to be presented because they’re going alphabetically.
JK: I’m almost there!
He watches the other presenters closely to see how they hold the trophy and the plaque. They have to hold both at the same time. The winner of the award gets to keep the plaque, and the trophy gets their name engraved on it and kept in the trophy case for the next year. Jeongguk shakes out his arms, preparing himself. Nothing would be worse than fumbling around and dropping the trophy.
Yoongi <3 : How close are u? U might miss the first award
Jeongguk bites his lip and looks up at Yoongi. He’s looking towards the door again.
JK: Sorry, I might. But I’m close, just a few more mins I think!
As the MVP for the hockey team gets awarded, coach Steve joins Jeongguk backstage. “We’re next, Jeongguk, you ready?” he asks him cheerfully.
“How are we after the hockey team? It jumps from H to R??” butterflies fill his stomach. Shit. He’s nervous. He doesn’t even really know why. He’s not the one getting the award!
“Yep,” the coach replies cheerfully. “After Yoongi reaches the stage, you can come out and present the trophy and plaque, okay? Let him keep the plaque, don’t wrestle it out of his hands,” he chuckles at his own joke, “but you keep the trophy and bring it back to the table. Then you can follow Yoongi back to his table. You have the seat next to his.”
Jeongguk nods and looks back to Jimin and Taehyung for reassurance. They give him matching thumbs up.
“The next team MVP is the rowing team, presented by the head coach, Steven Smith.”
Steve slaps him on the back before he exits onto the stage.
Jeongguk hops from one foot to the other nervously, watching Yoongi through the curtain. Yoongi is looking back at the door again, and Jeongguk feels like a real asshole.
“I have the pleasure of announcing this year’s MVP for the varsity rowing team,” Steve starts, leaning into the mic. “I’m supposed to say a few words about the winner, but this year’s winner may deserve more than just a few words.” He chuckles. “This year’s winner is more than just a member of the team. He is also the coach for the most unruly group of men we have ever had on this team.” The men’s eight team whistles, and even in the dim lighting, Jeongguk can see the realization hit Yoongi. He turns quickly towards the door again and searches a little more desperately this time. Fuck!
“He is coming to the boathouse earlier than the rest of the team to set up every morning, he is booking buses and hotel rooms for the team on top of leading them to a third-place victory at nationals as the coxswain. He really is the only brain cell on that whole mess of a men’s eight team, and he is the glue, the solid foundation that has kept them going, and winning race after race this season.” Jeongguk has to fight back his tears. “It is my extreme pleasure to announce that this year’s MVP for the varsity rowing team is Suga!”
Jeongguk watches as Yoongi desperately looks towards the door, stalling a bit as the team nudge him to get up. Jeongguk feels so bad. He’s looking for him. Yoongi wants him to be here to see him win the award. I see you, Yoongi. I’m so fucking proud. And you’ll see me in a minute, hold on.
Yoongi stands up slowly, looking longingly at the door one last time before he walks towards the stage. When he enters the stage lighting, Jeongguk’s mouth goes dry and he can feel his jaw drop, because holy fuck! Jeongguk no longer feels out of place.
Hobi had to have dressed him, because he is without a doubt wearing his fuck me pants, and you had better believe he has on his smokiest of eye liner that makes Jeongguk want to die. He is wearing a tight suit jacket on top with the sleeves rolled up and a dress shirt with no tie, the first three buttons undone, revealing his glorious pale collar bones.
As Yoongi reaches Steve and shakes his hand, Jeongguk has to snap himself back to reality. Right. Award. Present now. Yeah…
Jeongguk steps onto the stage and reaches for the plaque and trophy, hearing a wolf whistle from the crowd. He doesn’t even need to guess who that’s from.
Yoongi faces out to the crowd as Steve tells him. “I won’t be presenting you the award, we thought we’d let your most difficult team member do that for me,” he laughs.
Jeongguk is prepared, trophy in one hand, plaque in the other, when Yoongi turns towards him.
Jeongguk grins at him as Yoongi’s face goes slack and looks Jeongguk up and down in disbelief. “Hi hyung,” he says softly, walking towards him. He can see Yoongi visibly blush under the lights, a lovely pink staining his cheeks. “Congratulations, hyung, you really deserve it,” Jeongguk tells him quietly as he hands him the plaque.
Yoongi accepts the plaque, eyes still glued on Jeongguk.
Jeongguk stands next to Yoongi, holding the trophy between them, Steve on the other side as they pose for a picture.
He can see the men’s eight team on their feet clapping, as Yoongi wraps his free arm around Jeongguk’s waist and shamelessly squeezes his ass. “Hyung!” Jeongguk yelps trying to maintain his smile for the camera.
“I swear to god if you call me hyung one more time, Jeongguk,” he squeezes his ass harder.
The pictures finally end, and Yoongi turns to him, eyes scanning him from head to toe again. “You little shit,” Yoongi finally says, laughing as he looks into Jeongguk’s eyes.
Jeongguk smiles back, “I was asked to present your award.”
“And did they ask you to do it in a fucking body chain?!” Yoongi asks, slapping his arm as he turns to step off the stage.
“Ah, well, that was more Jimin’s request. But it was just so pretty that I couldn’t say no,” he laughs to himself as he sets the trophy down and quickly hops off the stage to follow Yoongi to their table.
“Uh huh,” Yoongi snorts, pulling out Jeongguk’s chair for him.
Jeongguk sits down, laughing happily. “You deserved that award, hyung. I was more than happy to present it.”
“I know,” Yoongi teases, sitting down in his own seat and turning fully towards Jeongguk. “It’s about time.”
The team laughs around them. “Welcome to the awards, JK,” Miguel teases him. “Bad traffic?”
Jeongguk sticks his tongue out at him. “No, I was huddled backstage like a gremlin at someone’s request.”
“Don’t shoot the delivery boy,” Miguel throws his hands up.
“This is the last time I let Jimin dress you,” Yoongi runs his hand up Jeongguk’s thigh under the table. “How long are these awards again?”
The team laughs. “We still have the rowing awards after this, calm down.”
Yoongi sticks his tongue out at them and turns back to Jeongguk. “So… hi.”
“Hi,” Jeongguk giggles.
“You look okay I guess.”
Jeongguk laughs. “You look pretty okay too, hyung. Hobi dressed you, didn’t he?”
“Hobi broke into my room and hid all my pants except for one pair.”
Jeongguk laughs again. “I’ll miss living with him-“ he cuts himself off quickly. Shit, he almost brought up the forbidden topic: everyone moving out next year.
“What makes you think living in a different building will stop Hobi from breaking in?” Yoongi teases, resting his arm against Jeongguk’s on the table. “Thank you for being here,” he whispers.
“Oh my god, I felt so bad when you thought I wasn’t here!” Jeongguk drops his head onto the table. “I almost jumped out from behind the curtain.”
Yoongi snorts and ruffles his hair. “I’d expect nothing less.”
The awards continue, but it’s honestly pretty boring now that Yoongi’s won his award. There are a bunch of coaches’ appreciation awards, and awards for ‘Academic All-Stars’ who had top marks in their courses as well as being on a varsity team. Not shockingly, Jeongguk is not an academic all-star.
When the night seems to be winding down and the announcer mentions something about ‘the last few awards,’ Yoongi leans towards Jeongguk. “Fuck, I can’t hold it anymore. I’m gonna go to the bathroom, if the awards end before I’m back don’t leave without me.”
Jeongguk flicks Yoongi’s wrist. “You know I’ll never leave without you, hyung.”
Yoongi throws him a thumbs up before he quietly stands up and slips into the hall.
Jeongguk tries to focus his mind back on the awards, but it’s so slow, focus is not something his brain can do right now. He thinks about the rowing awards after this and how fun they’ll be with just the team, and food! Oh my god, food! He could really go for some food right now. Why are they starving the athletes? They have a room full of varsity athletes who could devour a whole whale…. Ah maybe that’s why they don’t feed them. They’d need too much food, too much money, so they make each team feed their own members. The cheapskates.
Jeongguk is pulled out of his reverie by seeing coach Steve step up to the podium. He sits up. Is this a rowing award now?
“It is my pleasure to announce this year’s rookie of the year award,” Steve beams out at the crowd. “If there was an award for most improved, this rower would also win hands down.” Steve chuckles. “This year’s winner started their year on the team with a whopping two days experience in rowing.”
Jeongguk blinks as the team laughs. He looks back at the table dumbly and they all signal for him to turn back around and look at Steve. Jeongguk turns around. What…?
“And even though he is the smallest man on the team, he is a strong and powerful rower sitting in the middle of the boat.” Steve leans closer to the mic. “Some people are just born with it. Some people need to work for it. This rower does both. He is both naturally gifted and worked his ass off to be an absolute powerhouse on the team. When he puts his all into it, you can tell. He can command the whole boat, and he was instrumental in the men’s eight third place finish at Nationals this year. I am pleased to announce that the winner of rookie of the year is JK Jeon!”
Jeongguk sits frozen in his seat for a moment, his brain taking a second to catch up. A second ago he was thinking about the price of food. Since when had they moved onto rookie of the year? He wasn’t ready???
Jeongguk looks around as Matt gives him a nudge from behind. He looks to Yoongi’s empty chair. Fuck. Well, this is probably karma for making Yoongi think he missed his award. Seems fitting that Yoongi actually misses his.
Jeongguk checks towards the door to the hall once before standing up.
He walks towards the stage as coordinately as he can, blinking in the bright lights. His heart is beating a mile a minute, but he’s been here before, he was just up here presenting Yoongi his award. This is nothing, this is easy.
He extends his hand to Steve to shake, but Steve shakes his head at him instead. “ I’m not your coach,” he tells him.
Jeongguk whips his head towards the back curtain he was hiding behind earlier to find Yoongi standing there with a wide gummy smile.
“You son of a bitch!” Jeongguk exclaims, apparently loud enough for others to hear him, because he hears some laughs from the crowd.
“Tah dah,” Yoongi grins, stepping up to Jeongguk. “I really should have seen your little trick earlier coming, considering I had planned the same one.”
“It still worked. I thought you weren’t here.”
“Gullible,” Yoongi tsks before extending his hand. “Congratulations, rower,” he tells him cheekily.
Jeongguk takes Yoongi’s hand, and he gives it a tight squeeze. Yoongi then hesitates for a second before muttering, ‘fuck it’ under his breath and pulling Jeongguk into a hug.
Jeongguk laughs over Yoongi’s shoulder and squeezes him tightly, trying and failing to hold back his tears. “I’m so glad you’re here, hyung,” he chokes out.
“You know I wouldn’t miss this for the world,” Yoongi whispers. “You deserve this, Jeongguk.”
Yoongi then pulls back, picks up a trophy, and hands Jeongguk a plaque. “I get to keep it, eh?” Jeongguk asks in a shaky voice.
Yoongi grins, “yes, you do.”
“And you have to put that trophy back on the table after the pictures,” Jeongguk recites.
Yoongi laughs again. “Yes, Jeongguk, we’re not smuggling out the trophy.” He gently wipes at the tears under Jeongguk’s eyes before he moves to stand next to him and pose for the pictures.
Jeongguk tries his best to smile nicely, but he’s sure his face is all blotchy from crying now. He probably looks like a mess. Jimin made a good decision with the waterproof make-up.
Before they leave the stage, Yoongi gives him a little nudge and whispers into his ear. “Look back at the curtain.”
Jeongguk looks back towards the curtain that Yoongi had emerged from and sees Jimin and Tae smiling at him through the crack.
Jeongguk feels the tears well up again as he waves back at them. “That’s why they let them stay,” Yoongi whispers to him. “Not to see my award, but to see yours. ”
The ceremony wraps up pretty quickly after the rookie of the year award. A few of the other teams linger around the hall, taking pictures, but it seems that the entire rowing team is of agreement that food is the utmost priority.
The rowing team collectively pushes their way through the crowd to an auditorium down the street where their awards will be held (and most importantly, food will be served).
The coaches were prepared and efficient. The food is served only minutes after the team has settled in the hall. They probably have many years of experience with hungry athletes and know not to leave them waiting.
The team is mostly silent as they eat. The men’s eight team is at one table, quiet for what might be the first time in their lives as they devour their food. They haven’t seen each other in months, but the food is more important.
Once the plates are cleared and dessert is served, conversation picks up around the group.
“So…” Nico starts. “Riley, I can’t help but notice you got a new tattoo.”
Riley looks up from his cake. “Uh, yes. And before you judge, this one’s the real deal. I can feel it.”
Jeongguk scans Riley up and down searching for his tattoo, and finally finds the blank ink at the base of each of his fingers. He has one letter inked on each finger of his right hand, but Jeongguk can’t make out the letters from where he sits at the end of the table.
“What does it say?” Matt asks him, leaning over the table to try to decipher it for himself.
Riley lifts his hand. “E, M, M, A.”
“Emma?”
Miguel chokes on his drink. “Oh my god, don’t tell me-“
“She’s amazing. I’m not going to regret this one!” Riley defends himself quickly.
Richie buries his face in his hands. “Riley my guy, don’t tell me that’s the name of a new girlfriend.”
“She’s the real deal. I can feel it,” Riley defends again.
The team groans around the table and Miguel just bursts out laughing.
“But it’s your fingers ,” Matt says in disbelief. “You and everyone else will see that name all the time, every day. Did it have to be there?”
“Riley, what did we say about tattooing names?” Chris chastises.
“I won’t regret this one, guys!” Riley insists, holding up his hands in defense.
“How long have you been dating?” Alex asks him.
“Two months.”
The team groans again, and Richie slaps Riley on the arm.
“Come on, man!” Nico exclaims, throwing his arms in the air.
“I don’t want other people to see me rowing behind you, Riley,” Miguel says. “So embarrassing. Suga, I think we need to change the positions next year.”
Yoongi looks up from his food. “Alright, tell that to your new coach.”
An awkward silence falls around the table. “Awe man, I forgot about that,” Miguel says dejectedly.
“Don’t worry, I’ll tattoo SUGA onto my knuckles next season just for you, Miguel,” Jeongguk interjects, trying to break the awkward tension.
It works, the team laughs. “That’s all I’ve ever wanted, JK,” Miguel says dramatically, wiping away fake tears.
“See now if JK tattooed Suga onto his knuckles, that wouldn’t be as bad. They haven’t been dating for only two fucking months! ” Nico exclaims, throwing his hands in the air again.
“Just wait and see guys, I won’t regret this tattoo,” Riley says, but he sounds less confident now.
“So Suga, I doubt you’ll tell us, but since this is likely our last meeting, I’m gonna try,” Matt begins, giving Riley a break and leaning towards Yoongi at the end of the table. “What are your plans now that you’ve graduated?”
“Get a job,” Yoongi replies dryly.
“Uh huh, any locations in mind?”
“Toronto.”
“Trying to have a personal conversation with you is like pulling teeth. Any particular area of Toronto tickle your fancy?”
“Well, it has to be somewhat close to U of T,” Yoongi says slowly.
“For JK?” Chris supplies.
Yoongi nods.
“You gonna continue being “ roommates ”,” Miguel makes air quotes, “next year?”
“Of course,” Yoongi replies easily.
Jeongguk’s stomach flips, he whips his head towards Yoongi and a little, “ Oh ” slips out.
Yoongi turns to him, and his eyes narrow as he scans Jeongguk’s face, “Why are you looking surprised right now?”
“Um well,” Jeongguk’s heart is racing a mile a minute, he can feel his face getting hot. He had hoped, but he had never dared voice the desire to live with Yoongi next year. Everything was so up in the air with where he would find a job, that Jeongguk didn’t dare get too optimistic. Also, who even says that Yoongi would want to live with him again next year? They are only coincidentally roommates now. Apparently, to Jeongguk’s utmost excitement, he does. “You know,” he rubs his neck, it feels hot. “I’d kinda hoped, but I didn’t really know that’s what you wanted.”
Yoongi blinks at him. “What do you mean?! We talked about this,” he sounds genuinely flabbergasted.
“When?!” Jeongguk yelps. He would have definitely known if they had discussed living together next year. He wouldn’t have been stressing out all these months if he had known!
“In January, after I graduated!” Yoongi says exasperatedly. “You said something like, ‘ha wouldn’t it be cool if you got a job close to the university? We might be eternal roommates, ’ and I said ‘yea’.”
Jeongguk gapes at him. “That’s not talking about it!”
“Yes it is,” Yoongi shakes his head at him. “I agreed. I said ‘ yea’ as in: I agree, I’ll try to find a job close to the university so we can live together .”
“I was supposed to infer that from a ‘yea’?! That’s a whole other sentence, Yoongi. You gotta actually say that out loud, not just leave me guessing!” Jeongguk throws his hands in the air and laughs, both relieved and exasperated at the same time. He turns to the team, looking for support.
“Yea, I’m on JK’s side here, Suga,” Chris chimes in. “ ’Yea’ does not automatically mean: ‘ why yes, let’s live together,’ in response to ‘we might be eternal roommates’ .”
“I thought it was obvious,” Yoongi defends himself. “Jeongguk, I’m living with you right now, why the fuck would I not want to live with you next year?” He turns to the team before Jeongguk can figure out a response to that. “And hold on, before you take Jeongguk’s side,” he turns back to Jeongguk again. “So, you’re saying that you didn’t know if we would be living together next year, despite giving up our lease and you decided to just… not bring it up? Where did you think you would live next year?”
“I don’t know!” Jeongguk yells back. “I was nervous about you saying no, and I overthink everything, Yoongi, you know this!”
“You also suck at communicating.”
“Says Mr. yea .”
“At least I said something!” Yoongi drops his head on the table in frustration. “Jeongguk, do you remember that I had a job interview right before this?”
“Did you wear the ‘fuck me’ pants to the interview?’
Yoongi groans. “Remind me to kill Hobi when we get home,” he keeps his head down on the table. “I got the job,” he says quietly.
Jeongguk leans towards him, unsure if he’d misheard, “what?”
“I got the job,” Yoongi repeats, slightly louder, “they offered it to me on the spot, and it’s right downtown. It’s great pay too. I accepted.”
Jeongguk lets out a whoop and the team around them joins in, offering Yoongi hard slaps on the back in congratulations. “Yoongi, that’s amazing! It kinda sounds like you owe Hobi for the pants.”
Yoongi raises his head, he has a light blush on his cheeks from all the attention. “They didn’t hire me because of these fucking pants.”
“But how could you know that, though?” Jeongguk teases him, bumping his shoulder.
“They hired me for my charm and great personality, obviously.”
“Yea, definitely was the pants,” Miguel grins from the end of the table.
Yoongi throws a straw at him.
Jeongguk laughs happily, pulling Yoongi into a one-armed hug. “I’m so proud of you, hyung. Job offer and MVP all in one day.”
“I also got to see you in a body chain today, so add that to the list,” Yoongi says to him quietly, as coach Steve steps up onto the stage at the end of hall, signaling the end of the meal and the beginning of the awards. “Jeongguk,” Yoongi turns towards him fully in his seat. “I accepted a good job downtown close to the university. I’ve been looking at places, and with this salary, we can afford a pretty decent one bedroom if you pay the same rent you’re paying now for Namjoon’s room, and I pay the difference. Let’s start apartment hunting soon. Please live with me.”
Jeongguk laughs a bubbly, happy laugh. Fuck, he feels like an idiot. How could he ever be worried that Yoongi would want to leave him to live on his own? “But if I pay the same price I do now, you’ll probably be paying a lot more than me.”
“Yes, and I’ll also have a good paying job, so it won’t be a problem. Just say yes, Jeongguk.”
“Yes, Jeongguk.”
Yoongi pinches his thigh, “what was that?”
“Yes.”
Yoongi squeezes his hand. “One day Jeongguk, we’ll be masters at communicating with each other.”
Jeongguk nods as one of the scullers heads to the podium for an award. “We’ll be so good; we won’t even have to speak at all. We’ll have telepathy.”
-
Jeongguk tunes in for the rest of the awards that coach Steve hands out. They are actually pretty fun. It seems like each rower gets an award: from Most Improved, to Most Motivational, to Most Likely to Join the Olympic Rowing Team. The rowers that are graduating also get to have a short little goodbye speech. Jeongguk looks at Yoongi wondering what the man could possibly say as a goodbye speech. Knowing his track record, it’ll probably be one sentence.
Next is April’s turn to hand out awards for the women’s eight team. Her awards are a lot more playful and the women laugh and cheer as they go up to accept awards like: The Cutest Stroke Technique , The Loudest Snorer , and The Splashiest Swimmer … whatever that one means. It seems like an inside joke on the team.
Once the women’s eight awards are done, the men’s eight team shift in their seats around the table. They are the last ones left to receive awards.
“And last but not least, I’ll ask Suga give out his tasteful ,” coach Steve emphasizes the word as he gives Yoongi a stern look, “awards this year, and I would also like to remind him that he needs to make a speech too. And it better be longer than one word.”
The men’s eight team chuckle as Yoongi gives Jeongguk’s hand a squeeze before standing up from the table and walking towards the podium.
Matt leans towards the rookies, “Suga’s awards are always the best. They’re hilarious.”
“I won Most Hopeless last year,” Richie says proudly, puffing his chest out.
As Yoongi stands behind the podium, he pulls out a set of cue cards from his back pocket. So he did prepare a speech...?
Yoongi clears his throat and looks out at the audience. “Before I begin, I would just like to acknowledge my win of MVP this year. It’s about fucking time.”
The team laughs.
“Like seriously, three years too late, what were you all thinking?” he gives coach Steve a playful scowl. “Now that that’s out of the way, I am going to give a speech because I’m leaving.”
Some of the other rowers, not on the men’s eight team, let out a noise of surprise.
“I know, you’ll be lost without me,” Yoongi responds dryly. This is going exactly how Jeongguk imagined his speech would go. “I’ve graduated, got a real job, and will never have to see you fuckers again.”
“Suga!” Coach Steve chastises.
Yoongi turns over a cue card. He had that written down on a cue card?! “But in all seriousness, you won’t miss me,” Yoongi says simply. “Because you don’t really know me.”
Jeongguk hears some muttering around the room.
“So, I guess now is as good a time as any to start.” Yoongi takes a deep breath. “My name is Yoongi Min, I was born in Daegu South Korea, and I recently received my masters degree in computer science.”
Jeongguk widens his eyes in shock, as the men’s eight team starts clapping. “Just let it out, Suga!” Miguel yells up front.
As Jeongguk looks around, the other rowers look just as shocked at Yoongi revealing personal information.
“When I started my undergrad at U of T, I was originally on the basketball team as the shooting guard. I love basketball. Not a huge fan of rowing to be honest,” Yoongi continues. The team chuckles. “But I had to stop playing basketball after I was in a car accident,” Yoongi soldiers on, and Jeongguk feels himself get emotional. He’s opening up to the team. “I had months of rehab, I was in a wheelchair, my knee is still fucked, and honestly, I wasn’t in a good place. Then, as I was graduating from undergrad, one of my classmates told me about the coxswain vacancy on the rowing team. He joked that I was probably small enough to fill the spot, not knowing that I had rowing experience myself.”
Jeongguk listens to Yoongi with rapt attention. He hasn’t heard the details on how he made the team before.
“So, against my better judgement, I decided to try-out for coxswain,” he sighs and the team chuckles again. “And that brings me here, three years later, about to hand out awards for my team.” Yoongi looks over to their table and smiles his real gummy smile. Jeongguk’s heart melts. “And I’ll continue my story as I hand out those awards.”
Yoongi shuffles cue cards again. “The only problem with my coxswain try-outs was that there was another man trying-out who seemed to think he was a shoe in,” he gives coach Steve a dirty look, and Steve actually looks a bit guilty. “He obviously knew the coaches and the rowers from the previous years, and spent more of his time schmoozing them up like old friends and telling them what he’s going to do when he’s coxswain than actually sitting in the boat and doing the damn job. This very much motivated me to make the team,” Yoongi laughs at himself. “I didn’t even know if I wanted to be on the team when I showed up for the first try-out, but after, I just wanted that guy to not make it. And that brings me to Chris.”
Yoongi gestures over to where Chris is sitting. “Chris was the first stroke I had placed in my boat during try-outs. We were both trying out for the team for the first time, so we both felt like we had something to prove. I was lucky to have Chris in my boat, I don’t think I would be standing here today if it wasn’t him.” Chris ducks his head shyly, and Jeongguk sees him blinking rapidly. “Chris was good. Amazing, really, and he took direction well. I could work with him easily, our boat flowed smoothly with him at it's helm. So, I kept him. Over the two days when we had to switch up the rowers in our boat, I kept Chris. I didn’t move him around, I kept him right in front of me, because I knew from day one that that was where he was meant to be.”
“Oh fuck,” Miguel swears, “oh no, Suga’s getting sappy, I’m not gonna make it out of here with my cool, manly reputation.”
“After day one, Chris and I were standing on the dock, watching that other asshole trying out for coxswain schmoozing up the coaches, and I turned to him and asked him if he’d stay with me on day two. If he’d continue to be my stroke. He said yes.” Jeongguk can see Chris genuinely blinking back tears now. “And when we both showed up to the first practice after making the team, Chris immediately cheered and pulled me into a hug when he saw me. I always remember that.” Yoongi keeps his face strong, but his voice starts to shake. “When I’m feeling particularly exhausted in the mornings, or particularly fed up with babysitting eight men, I remember Chris. The stroke who stayed with me during try-outs despite the other coxswain looking more likely to make the team, and I remember his genuine happiness at seeing me on the team with him. Before this year, I can honestly say, disappointing Chris was the fear that kept me showing up morning after morning.”
Chris drops his head into his hands. “It may shock you to hear that I’m a private person,” Yoongi says dryly, “but I could always let Chris in a bit. I could always turn to him for a good rant. When the men’s eight team was particularly fixated on my real name and would not fucking let it drop, Chris asked me if the team could make a bet on my name as a sort of bonding experience. And so began my life as a man named only Suga.”
“Chris! The reason we didn’t know Suga’s name for three years was your fault?!” Matt swats Chris upside the head.
“And when the team got carried away and wanted to bet on everything to do with me, Chris also came to ask me if it was okay first. Honestly, the weight wager was fucking stupid, but you guys got so into it, I kept it hidden so you guys would have fun.” Yoongi sighs. “Believe it or not, I did a lot of things so you guys would have fun and bond as a team.” He looks up at them and raises an eyebrow playfully. “Betting on my name and weight became a kind of initiation for the rookies, and who wants to throw a willing coxswain into the water?”
“You telling me you liked it?” Miguel yells up at him.
“No, it was fucking cold,” Yoongi glares at him. “But I might have put a little bit of extra energy into my protests. Anyway, I’m here to talk about Chris now. He really is the heart of the team, like an innocent Labrador that makes sure every member is included. I hate your friendship circles but I’m glad you do them,” Yoongi tells him. Chris has a tissue he is now holding under his eyes as he listens to Yoongi. “I hope, once I’m gone, we can still meet up. You’ll still let me rant at you, and that maybe, you consider me a bit of a friend, because I consider you one of mine.”
Chris nods as he lets out a sob. “Of course, you’re my friend, Yoongi.”
“And please look after Jeongguk next year,” Yoongi adds.
Jeongguk blushes as Chris nods again. “I will.”
Yoongi ducks his head for a moment before he says. “So, this year, Chris has won the award of: The Only Stroke I’ll Ever Row With. ”
The rowing team erupts in applause and the men’s eight team stands up as Chris heads up to the podium. Jeongguk, being Jeongguk, wipes the tears out of his eyes. He loves Yoongi so much. He had no idea he had this speech planned, but it’s so perfect.
Chris pulls Yoongi into a tight hug as he accepts the award. Yoongi hugs him back and whispers something into his ear that causes Chris to cry a little harder.
“The next award,” Yoongi continues, regaining his composure as Chris takes his seat again, “should go to our other leaving member this year, Nico.” Nico sits up straight. “Nico has held up that bow since before I was a coach. He is the only member left that was on the team before me, so he can tell you firsthand how much better it was once I was coxswain,” Yoongi jokes. Nico sends him a thumbs up. “Nico, like Chris, also had the gift of bringing a little sanity onto the team, and ensuring the rookies always felt welcome and included. I can confidently say that Nico will be another one of the members I will miss when I’m gone,” Yoongi leans into the mic and gives the men’s eight team a once over. “I’m saying this because there are definitely those who I will not miss.”
The team laughs.
“So, this year, Nico has won the award of: The Second Most Missed Leaving Member. ”
Jeongguk laughs as Nico heaves a dramatic sigh before climbing the stage to accept the award.
Yoongi steps to the side and gives Nico the podium. Nico clears his throat and looks out at the crowd a little nervously. “Since this is my last year on the team, I have to give a speech, but I want to warn you ahead of time that I’m not good at this and nothing I could do could match what Suga has done so far, so prepare to be disappointed.” He gives a nervous laugh. “I would like to start by thanking Suga for kindly awarding me second place out of the leaving members this year. I know he’s fucking with me, but he’s not wrong,” Nico glances over to Yoongi. “Suga’s absence will definitely be felt the most next year.” He turns back to the audience. “To keep this short and sweet, I just want to say that I had a blast on this team for the last four years. While getting to miss class for regattas is cool and all, the best part of being on this team has really been the team itself. As much shit as we give him, Chris is really a great leader, incredible stroke, and all around just a good human being. Matt, Chris’s lover-“
“Oh come on!” Matt yells.
“Has always been a blast to row with… even if he is seat three.”
“You won’t be missed!” Matt yells up again.
Nico laughs. “Richie, you’re a train wreck and I love that about you. Riley is really the perfect rookie for you, because as the men’s eight team has witnessed tonight, he is also a mess.”
“I won’t regret it!” Riley defends himself again.
“JK has really made this year the most memorable for the team. He’s a hell of a talented athlete on top of having the gift of bringing out a side of Suga the other members of this team have only ever dreamed of seeing.” Jeongguk feels himself blush. “Miguel will find me and terrorize me no matter where I go, so I won’t even bother saying goodbye to him.”
“You know it!”
“And finally, Alex has been a literal angel of a rookie this year, and he is honestly the moral compass this team needs. My leaving request is that you guys be good to Alex! And maybe listen to what he says now and again, because he’s nearly always right. I’ll think about you guys if I ever have the misfortune of waking up at 4 am again. Thanks to the coaches, Suga especially, for an amazing four years.” He lifts his little plastic trophy above his head to a round of applause.
Matt passes Jeongguk a tissue, because he is now truly a mess, and Yoongi has only gotten through two members.
“The next award,” Yoongi continues once Nico has returned to his seat, “is for Matt. Like Chris, he also joined the team the same year I did, though I didn’t get the pleasure of being his only coxswain during try-outs. Matt will tell you that he’s my favourite,” Yoongi’s lip quirks. “And I always let him have that, because in a way, he was. Matt became more than a regular member on the team at our first invitationals.” Yoongi looks up at Matt. “I’m sure you remember.”
Matt nods from his seat.
“I’m not going to go into details because I promised him at the time that I wouldn’t tell anyone, but I will tell you that he and I have shared experiences as East Asian men. Not all of them are good experiences. From that moment at our first invitationals, there was a kind of unspoken bond between Matt and I. A kinship. We promised to have each other’s backs. I’ve been so thankful, for these three years, that Matt is on the team with me… even though I may give him shit sometimes.” He smiles. “There was a reason I gave him Jeongguk as a rookie; I knew he would take good care of him.” Matt wraps an arm around Jeongguk’s shoulders. “And Matt, please don’t be a stranger next year. So, that comes to your award.” Yoongi clears his throat, smirking. “Matt has won the award of: Softest Lips. ”
Jeongguk throws himself on the floor as the men’s eight team dies of laughter and Matt buries his face in his hands.
Matt gives Yoongi a fake punch in the arm, before pulling him into a hug once he reaches the stage. “This award sounds really bad, but it’s not what you think it is!” Matt yells into the mic before Yoongi pushes him off the stage.
“No, it’s even better!” Miguel announces happily.
“Alright, I’ll do Miguel next then I guess,” Yoongi continues. “A little-known secret is that last year, I had to fight both Steve and Jackson to get Miguel on the team.” Miguel fist pumps, almost vibrating in his seat in excitement on what Yoongi has to say. “Now you might be wondering: why the fuck would I want Miguel to ever be on the men’s eight team? Last year, we only had one new member join the team… and Miguel was my choice. I’ll tell you my honest reason for wanting Miguel. The member he was replacing was honestly a real asshole. Chris, Matt, Richie, and Nico can back me on that.”
The veteran members of the team nod emphatically.
“There wasn’t that camaraderie on the team that there is now. Chris wasn’t captain in his first year, the team member Miguel replaced was, and he did a shit job of it. A few of the rowers got close to each other and made some strong friendships in my first year as coxswain, but not all of them. A team that gets along and communicates with each other well, rows better. But also, from my experience on the basketball team, I can tell you that being friends with your teammates just makes everything more fun. It would be a lot more bearable to wake up at ungodly hours, if you’re going to hang out with your friends. So, when try-outs were happening, this may shock you to hear, but Miguel stood out. To everyone. And not because of his rowing.”
Jeongguk smiles. That surprises him not at all.
“Miguel was loud and obnoxious, but he also made everyone around him laugh. And his humour wasn’t mean spirited, the team was more laughing at him than anything else. He was also a powerful rower that would do well in the engine room. At the end of the last try-out, I watched Miguel give up his taxi to four rowers who had a long commute ahead of them if they used public transit, and he then hung out with the remaining rowers while they waited for their rides, and only called another cab after their rides had arrived.”
“You heard Suga, I’m a saint!” Miguel yells proudly.
“You’re kind of a decent person,” Yoongi tells him directly. “And I thought having you on the team would help them bond… in exasperation over you if nothing else.” Yoongi shakes his head. “I dare say it worked?”
“I’m the glue that holds us all together!” Miguel shouts proudly.
“Yea, no, it’s the bonding in exasperation thing!” Nico yells, elbowing Miguel in the stomach.
“So, to Miguel, please for the love of god stop vandalizing my front yard. We are moving out in a few months and the new tenants will call the cops on you,” Yoongi says in exasperation. “You do not get to know my new address when we move… but if you continue to look after Jeongguk… you may, may, merit an invitation.”
Miguel fist pumps again. “Hell yea!”
“Thanks for keeping me entertained, man.”
“My absolute pleasure, Yoongi.”
“Nope. Try again.”
“My absolute pleasure, Suga ,” Miguel repeats with a cheeky grin.
“Better. So, this year, Miguel has won the award of: Chaotic Good .”
“Oh, come on!” Matt yells as Miguel runs up to accept his award. “Miguel gets Chaotic Good while I get Softest Lips ?! This is bullshit! Miguel is chaotic evil if anything!”
Miguel cackles ominously as he takes his seat again, holding his little trophy to his chest.
“The next member I should get out of the way is Richie,” Yoongi continues, effectively ignoring Matt. “I give Richie the most shit for sure. But since he was born with a silver fucking spoon in his mouth, he has more than enough confidence to take it, which I appreciate.”
Richie crosses his arms. “I’m just too nice.”
“You really aren’t.” Yoongi deadpans. “Richie also joined the team at the same time as me. Though, he was quite forgettable at the time, and I honestly don’t remember if I was his coxswain at all during tryouts.”
“Oh, come on! I had you as coxswain all of day two!”
“Ah, alright then, mystery solved.” Suga shrugs, a small smile playing on his lips. “Richie looked and acted like all the old members on the team for almost all of our first year. Real douchebag.”
“And yet you praise Miguel!” Richie complains.
“But, I’m happy to say that Richie has had character development over the three years I’ve known him, and his face has become a regular, welcome sight every morning. He’s grown on me… Like a tumour.”
“You are literally incapable of saying something nice about me, aren’t you?”
“Sorry, I’m really trying here,” Yoongi laughs into the podium. “Old habits die hard. What I want to say is that Richie has grown into a pretty decent guy, and I’m no longer embarrassed to call him my teammate anymore.”
“Still not a compliment.”
“For the decent guy, Richie,” Yoongi raises the little trophy into the air in a pseudo toast. The rest of the men’s eight team follow suit and lift their glasses towards Richie. “I present the award of: Brick Shithouse. ”
Richie claps once, “there it is!” he says happily, bounding up to the stage to shake Yoongi’s hand and accept his trophy.
That just leaves the three rookies. Jeongguk wiggles his leg nervously.
“The last three are the rookies this year, so please accept my apologies, but I won’t have as much to say…” Yoongi’s eyes shift to Jeongguk. “For two of them at least.”
Jeongguk swallows hard and feels himself blush. What will Yoongi say about him??
“I’ll present Riley’s award first. Riley takes after his vet Richie… which is unfortunate for him.”
“You’re not even on me anymore and you’re still going!” Richie complains again.
“I can’t say I know a lot about him, but what I do know worries me deeply.” The team laughs as Riley drops his head on the table. “He should definitely be banned from tattoo shops,” Yoongi continues mercilessly. “But, as a coach, I can say that Riley is a hell of a good rower, and a good team player, so for those reasons, I like him well enough.”
“Wow, so honoured,” Riley mumbles.
“I would like to thank Riley for really making my award for him meaningful today,” Yoongi quirks his lips. “Riley has won the award of: Worst Decision Maker .”
The team cheers and claps loudly as Riley trudges up to the podium, using his tattooed hand to flip off the team as he goes.
“And finally, to my second favourite rookie,” Yoongi continues when Riley returns to his seat.
“He just literally admitted that I was his least favourite rookie,” Riley complains quietly.
“Alex is a wonderful human being, and if life were fair, he wouldn’t have been brought within 100 meters of the carnage that is the rest of the men’s eight team.” Jeongguk laughs, looking over at Alex and watching his face go red. “But life isn’t fair, so we have been so fortunate this year to have such a kind, sensitive, and caring man on our team. Sometimes, Alex was more attuned to the team’s emotions than we were ourselves.” Yoongi leans forward and looks between Jeongguk and Alex. “I think Alex could tell where my heart lay right from the beginning… maybe even before I did.”
Jeongguk’s heart jumps into his throat. Alex nods shyly to Yoongi.
“And maybe, Alex might have… tried to help me out a bit on that front.” Yoongi continues, quirking an eyebrow at Alex.
Alex nods again. “I could only help you so much, you guys were literally blind.”
Jeongguk blushes. So, he was really bad at picking up on Yoongi’s flirting. Sue him.
Yoongi sighs. “I know,” he says with exasperation.
Jeongguk looks around. Jeongguk and Yoongi dating is a bit of an open secret on the team. The women’s eight team knows and the scullers who made it to Nationals also know, but there were still a fair number of rowers on the team who were in the dark. The other coaches know, and Jeongguk really needs to thank them for being so cool with it.
“Anyway,” Yoongi says, straightening up. “I echo Nico’s sentiment that the team needs to listen to Alex more and treat him well, because if you lose him, you’re all fucked.” The team laughs. “And so to Alex, who will absolutely get my new address location, and is free to call me anytime for whatever the reason, I award you: The Only Brain Cell On The Team award.”
Jeongguk laughs and claps for Alex as he goes up to shyly accept his award.
“And finally,” Yoongi clears his throat as Alex returns to his seat. “I wonder how I can word this…” Yoongi begins.
Jeongguk feels butterflies in his stomach. “You can tell them,” Jeongguk says. It’s okay now. At least half of the team knows, and if the other half doesn’t approve who gives a damn. Jeongguk has told everyone who matters in his life who he loves, and he doesn’t want Yoongi to have to truncate his speech to stay cryptic about their relationship.
Yoongi nods and just stares at Jeongguk for a moment, as though lost.
“Jeongguk,” he finally says quietly, and Jeongguk can already feel the tears fighting to return. “You know.”
“I know,” he whispers back.
“I’ve already told you in painstaking detail how I feel about you, and how you’ve changed my life from the moment you joined the team, and I will not be repeating that to these losers.” Jeongguk nods as the team chuckles around him. “But I do want to say that this season was, by far, the best season I’ve ever had, and you were the reason. I can’t regret any decision that I’ve made to get me to this point. I can’t regret ever trying-out for coxswain, because that would mean I wouldn’t have gotten to know you. Waking up every morning this year was a hundred times more bearable, because I got to do it with you. I really can’t give a speech that would give the way I feel about you any justice, so I’ll just speak as your coach.” Yoongi clears his throat. “You’re a good fucking rower, and dedicated teammate. You deserve that rookie of the year award, don’t ever question that. I’ve told you before, but you deserve to be on this team, and all the success we’ve had this year. I hope you continue rowing next year without me, and try to enjoy it at least half as much, I know it will be hard,” Yoongi jokes, and Jeongguk laughs through his tears that are truly running down his face now. “But I think you’ll be able to suffer through waking up without me, because I’ll join you for breakfast, coffee in hand, when you get home.”
Jeongguk lets out a sob, overwhelmed, not even able to explain why he’s so emotional. “Because we are finding a place together, my god!” Yoongi says exasperatedly, his eyes also looking shiny. “We will get better at communication every day, I promise,” he adds. “I just want you to know that it was an honour to get to coach you this year, and I’ll support you as you row at Nationals next year too. I love you.”
Jeongguk drops his head on the table as the team rumbles and talks around him. The men’s eight rowers start a round of applause.
“So, that comes to your award,” Yoongi says, sounding more composed now as the applause dies down. “Jeongguk, you have won the award of: Sexiest Rower .”
Jeongguk raises his head and laughs to a round of applause and some wolf whistles from Miguel.
He wipes his eyes and makes his way up to the podium. Yoongi really does give the best awards.
When Jeongguk reaches Yoongi, he pulls him into a tight hug. “I love you too, hyung,” he whispers into his ear as Yoongi leans in to kiss his neck.
Yoongi pulls away and hands him his little trophy, blinking away tears, and Jeongguk can’t help himself. He leans in and presses his lips firmly against Yoongi’s, kissing him soundly.
He can hear some yells and whistling from the team, and Yoongi laughs into his mouth as he deepens the kiss before pulling away.
Yoongi clears his throat, cheeks stained pink, and Jeongguk grins to himself, more than happy to have flustered Yoongi. “So yea,” Yoongi says into the mic. “Those are the men’s eight team awards. Don’t miss me too much when I’m gone.”
Jeongguk laughs again as Yoongi takes his hand and drags him off the stage with him, back towards their table.
“Jeongguk, I hope you are okay with us leaving early.”
“You mean right now, don’t you?” Jeongguk asks him with a laugh, scooping up his jacket.
“Yes.”
After sending a hurried wave to the team, Yoongi nearly runs towards the door, likely not wanting to face the aftermath of his heartwarming speech.
Jeongguk gives a more thorough goodbye to the team before following Yoongi out into the spring night air.
He finds Yoongi standing in the middle of the sidewalk outside the auditorium, looking out into the night.
“What are you doing, hyung?” Jeongguk asks, coming to stand next to him.
“Looking at the coast from here.”
“We should get an apartment south of the University. Closer to the water.”
Yoongi takes his hand, turns towards Jeongguk with a soft smile, “I’d like that.”