Chapter Text
🎸💿
June 30, 2019
Inspire.
Expire.
Inspire.
Expire.
Yoongi repeated it to himself over and over again as a way of trying to make his brain process it. He forgot how he did it automatically and had to remind his own body how to do it. His head was a complete mess. He could barely look at himself in the mirror. His knuckles were white from the strength he was using to grip the edge of the dressing room counter.
The small room in the new Cybershots accommodation reserved for the band was in complete chaos. While Yoongi tried to calm down by tapping his middle fingers on the wood in a constant rhythm, like a beat trying to find the rhythm of his own life again, Jungkook warmed up his vocal cords extremely loudly in one of the individual armchairs, Hoseok screamed completely losing his mind because he couldn't find his lucky drumsticks, Taehyung and Seokjin, despite being known as the lovebirds, argued among themselves over the last can of a soda that precisely because it was bad there were few units in the minibar.
Everything was in complete chaos, but none of that echoed in the guitarist's head, no, inside there was a completely different chaos going on. Everything in his day seemed to go wrong, one of his guitar strings had broken a few hours before, making him run all over Santa Monica in search of new quality ones, strict as he was with his guitar, he could only accept a specific brand, but the low demand made them scarce.
The little mishap cost him the hair touch-up he wanted so much, he wanted to look impeccable for the night, he wanted the most vibrant pen blue he could get, but the rush for the guitar strings stuck him with the faded mint green. Maybe his time planning was definitely not the best, as well as his solution to sudden crises since he was in the spotlight for the first time in years having an outburst.
Never in so many years had he felt so nervous, anxious, waiting for an imminent disaster. He was completely sane and calm when he submitted a request to the school office in his first year of high school for a music club, just to kill time. After all, he didn't expect teenagers to have hobbies like instruments at that time. But he also didn't despair when four more misfits joined him and suddenly they had to do something together as a club. On the contrary, he was excited to find people with whom he had a unique connection, all their hearts in one rhythm.
He didn't despair when what was supposed to be just a teenage distraction became something serious, with arrangements and harmony, with rehearsals scheduled in Hoseok's grandmother's garage, since they didn't have many choices due to the boy's drums being difficult to move, but Mrs. Jung had always been sweet even with the rebellious appearance of the young people in her garage, she would turn off her hearing aid with pleasure and bring cookies and sandwiches with a smile on her face calling all of them her grandchildren.
He was too calm during all the school performances and when they started trying to step up, playing at small festivals in the city. Even with his heart palpitations when he met Jimin, a newbie in the photography club entering his first year at school, while Yoongi was already in his last year before graduating, he was extremely calm and well, with his heart captured by the lenses of his cameras.
He was very sure of himself when he took the pen to sign a contract with a small bar to play on the weekends, so sure that he felt light, on cloud nine. On stage he felt at home, so good with his guitar that he felt like he was on fire, the spotlights did not scare him, on the contrary, they comforted him, because success was his home and comfort and not a goal, he made his home in that thought and whatever they achieved from then on was profit and pure merit.
When the band began to win over a small audience at the corner bar, bringing fame not only to the five boys and Jimin on the camera but also to the owner of the bar, who had become a great friend, placing all his few chips on the band, too young at the time but alway aiming high with a confidence that made you believe in anything. He felt like he was in nirvana, but never nervous. He knew the potential they had, he knew the connection they built in that room that smelled of mold that became the music club, the neverland club, lost in no man's land and finding themselves in music and in each other, young forever as long as they could play.
And now that they were there, opening the new location of Cybershots, a bar that had become a huge concert venue in downtown Santa Monica, he didn't feel nervous about such a responsibility, definitely not. What was causing him all that anxiety, the butterflies swirling in his stomach, the thoughts spinning and the worry that everything he had planned had gone wrong even before he got on that stage, was Jimin, with his stunning beauty and camera in his hands as he held every space in his heart that wasn't dominated by music.
Jimin, who made his heart beat so fast, who even after four years gave him chills with his tender touches and the most intimate ones, from holding his hand to the ones they exchanged in Yoongi's studio, just them, the guitar forgotten in the corner and the music sheets crumpled among their clothes on the floor. They had been together for four years, now newly graduated Park was part of the band and good friends with everyone, but not on stage. After graduation, the boyfriend of the guitarist of the great little Neverland, took professional photos for the band and the concert hall, of course with side jobs but for the band it was always him, Park Jimin was the only one capable of capitalizing on the essence of the lost boys of Neverland.
The only one who managed to capture not only the essence of each one of the members but the only one to capture the guitarist's feelings, something no one had been able to do before.
Yoongi has always been madly in love with music, he only had eyes for his guitar, sparkling cobalt blue, for his scribbled lyrics and messy music sheets that only he was able to understand, a genius living off his own genius.
The photographer was able to enter the guitarist's musical world and capture his chords, understanding each lyric and feeling each note with his heart. Even after four years of dating, they were both still madly in love with each other, unable to do anything without the other. Every chord from Yoongi made Jimin's body vibrate, and every click from Park left Min even more enchanted.
Even with totally different personalities and lifes, they learned to fit together, and each musical note that Yoongi once wrote knew how to fit together well, two puzzle pieces that despite being totally different colors were the only possible fit. The love between the two was something so tangible that it sometimes scared the friends around them, not even Taehyung and Seokjin, who had been dating since the first year of high school, transmitted something as strong as that, Hoseok used to say that it made him nauseous.
Yoongi worshipped Jimin as his great muse, just thinking about the boy made him feel inspired, he could write thousands of love lyrics and sing them all for the world to know how tamed he was by Park Jimin. Even though Yoongi preferred fiction films, he watched all the teenage romances and musicals with the photographer, if he asked him to, Min would do a camp rock duet, he would literally do anything in the world to say how much he loved and belonged to Jimin, even the duet of Demi Lovato and one of the Jonas, that he could never remember exactly which one it was but Jimin alway knew.
And Jimin couldn't ask for anything better, he felt so loved to the point of overflowing, Yoongi put him at the center of his life and constantly fed his ego, even though he wasn't very into rock, he started listening to and studying about it, he followed all the band's rehearsals and his gallery as well as the walls of his room were filled with Yoongi, whether with himself, with the band, or just being an ordinary person doing the most trivial things in the world like washing his precious Mustang.
Some say they were just too much for each other, but strangely they supported each other very well for everything they were, a balance that escaped the laws of the universe, two independent flames that together set fire to everything and everyone.
And that's why Yoongi had the brilliant idea of taking the microphone for one night, to sing to the hundreds of people there about his love for Jimin. It was the first time he had thought of something so big for an anniversary, ecstatic about the good anxiety of doing something big for his boyfriend, he forgot about the bad anxiety of doing something he had never done before, but after so many new things he had tried with confidence, he didn't expect the shortness of breath and the weight on his chest. That night had to be perfect, because it wasn't for him, it was for his love.
He loved the stage, he felt good in the spotlight, but with his guitar, shining only with solos on his instrument, singing in front of so many people was something completely different. He had always been fine with the idea of Jungkook enchanting everyone with his siren voice, he had never even thought about risking anything on the microphone, but there he was two steps away from a terrible crisis for taking reckless actions in the heat of the moment, for love.
He felt like he was going to vomit at any moment, the new feeling of anxiety and pure panic before going on stage made Yoongi despair even more. This was new, it was suffocating him, his mind was in complete chaos, a noise much more deafening than his friends being chaotic as usual, on normal days he would be sitting in the middle laughing while watching with a good can of energy drink in his hand, but this was definitely not a conventional day.
Jimin already saw Yoongi on stage countless times, he listened to his compositions sung by Jungkook a million times, but still, Yoongi was scared just by the idea of leaving his comfort zone by his own choice. Jimin was a simple person, he would be more than happy with a night of cuddling and a high school musical marathon, but Yoongi wanted to innovate, because the feeling he had for Jimin was so extensive and complex that it didn't fit in such a simple celebration.
Yoongi opened his eyes, looking at himself in the mirror, and immediately felt the nausea return, forcing him to close his eyes again, breathing harder. He tried to focus on the tapping of his fingers on the wood of the counter, trying to silence every intrusive thought. That feeling of desperation was new and he wished it was the last time he felt something like that. He hated it.
Hoseok ran his hands through his hair in agony, he wanted to break Jungkook's guitar over his head and push both Taehyung and Seokjin to the floor, none of the three moved to try to help him find his drumsticks, knowing that he wouldn't go up on that stage without that specific pair, and Yoongi was so silent that he even forgot he was in the room. He took a deep breath, clenching his jaw and staring at his friends, holding himself back from sticking a drumstick in each of their asses there.
He stopped in the middle of the dressing room, taking a deep breath and calmly looking around once more. None of the idiots would help him, and trying to unalive everyone there before an opening show wouldn't be a good idea. He finally saw the set of drumsticks in the corner of the large counter. He was sure he had looked there at least seven times before.
He clicked his tongue, going over to them and checking if they were indeed his lucky partner, luckily they were, otherwise he was two steps away from screaming loudly than Jungkook, causing even more chaos in that room. He looked to the side and saw Yoongi leaning over the counter with his head down and paler than usual.
"Yoon..." He approached slowly, touching his shoulder and seeing him shiver. "Hm guys, I think Yoongi is gonna have a heart attack.”
The chaos created by the other three quickly ceased with the mention of Yoongi, finally realizing that he wasn't part of the whole mess. Everyone quickly got up and went to their friend trying not to suffocate him. Hoseok hugged the guitarist from behind, resting his chin on his shoulder while Seokjin and Taehyung each held Min's hands on one side. Jungkook stopped in front of him, holding his face, making Min open his eyes that were shaking nervously.
"Do you want us to step away?" The vocalist asked calmly and cautiously.
"No, if you don't hold me I think i might fall to the ground." Jungkook brought the straw from his glass of water to the guitarist's lips, patiently waiting for him to drink.
"What's going on? You've never been nervous before, is it because of the inauguration?”
"No, of course not. I just don't know if I can go up there and sing for Jimin. I wasn't born to be a vocalist and I don't want to ruin our anniversary." He whined, leaning part of his weight against Hoseok, who didn't even care.
"I can't believe that the great Min, rock hurricane, Midas touch, is afraid to go up on that stage and sing for Jimin, seriously Yoongi, even if you meow he'll love it." Jungkook put his hands on his own waist, staring at Yoongi in disbelief. "Get a grip, man.”
"I know, but I want to do something cool, it has to be perfect. Please Jungkook go up there and sing, I don't want to anymore.”
"I'm not going to go up there and sing for your boyfriend, stop being crazy. Drink more water to wash down that horrible idea of yours." He brought the straw to the guitarist's lips once more.
"We saw you rehearse Gi, it's amazing, stop it." Seokjin said and Hoseok murmured in agreement in his ear, caressing his torso in an attempt to relax him.
"You have everything you need to go up there and be badass, let's work on that confidence because you have the ability." Taehyung said, squeezing his hand.
"Yeah, all that they said, all that coaching talk." Jungkook agreed, nodding frantically. " I trained you myself, those vocals are up to date and you're more than capable on the guitar with your eyes closed. You're going to go up on that stage, take that microphone and sing your heart out." The vocalist placed the glass on the counter, placing his hands on Min's shoulders. "Let's warm up those vocal cords with me, come on. Who's my champion?”
"It's definitely not me." He said with a snort.
"Shut up if you don't want to get hit right now.”
Jeon started doing the exercises, encouraging him to follow him by nodding his head and moving his hands exaggeratedly. Yoongi looked at him sideways, but seeing that he wouldn't give up until he followed him, he gave in, repeating each exercise. It turned out that the best friends' nonsense made his mind relax a little, distancing himself from all the mess, leaving it in the background.
"That's My boy, what pride, a pearl that I polished so well leaving the arms of the mother oyster.”
"Anh, I don't think that's how the oysters and pearls thing works..." Yoongi said, arching an eyebrow.
"It doesn't matter, you understand. I trained you and you'll do so well that Hayley Williams will consider you a threat. They grow up so fast." Jungkook wiped away the fake tears. "Come on, a group hug.”
Everyone quickly gathered around, wrapping their arms around Yoongi. The guitarrist didn't deny it, on the contrary, he snuggled closer to his bubble of emotional support and laid his head on Jungkook's shoulder, breathing more easily with the strong lavender cologne that the younger one was wearing. That was his family, his safe haven, the lost boys who made a neglected little room at school their neverland, together for the eternity of youth.
Three knocks were heard on the door before a gray head appeared in the crack, none of the boys let go, they remained hugged only raising their heads like curious little meerkats to see who it was.
"Guys, Marcus is a nervous wreck with the opening and asked me to check if everything was okay, you're taking a while." Jimin said, stopping at the door with his hands on his hips. "Sorry to interrupt your gay moment, but the show is about to start.”
"Don't be grumpy Minnie, come join the hug." Taehyung said, moving away a little, creating a space in the circle and calling him with his hand.
Jimin laughed and rolled his eyes, letting go of the door handle and getting into the hug. Yoongi felt complete there, in the dressing room, about to go on stage and surrounded by the people he loved most in the world. Min soon took one of the arms that were around Jungkook, putting it around his boyfriend's waist and bringing him close in the hug.
"May I know the reason for the emotional panic room-like hug around our guitarist?" Jimin broke the silence after a few minutes, whispering in the silence of the dressing room.
"Yoongi was almost having a nervous breakdown." Seokjin said almost immediately without thinking.
"Yoongi? Nervous? That's a new one.”
"I think it's time for us to go, right? Let's get the equipment ready and give the lovebirds a few more minutes." Hoseok dodged the issue by letting go of Min's waist and pulling his friends along while he placed the drumsticks behind his ear. "Yoongi, honey, I'm going to take your guitar and get everything ready, okay? Take your time but don't be late. Love yah" Everyone started to leave the room in a herd, with Jungkook being the last one with his guitar in his hands.
"AND THERE'S NO TIME FOR A QUICKIE, HURRY UP!" Jungkook shouted from the hallway, making them both giggle with a faint of pink in the cheeks.
Yoongi sighed when he heard the door click and leaned his hips on the counter, facing Jimin. At the end of the day, it was all for him, all about him. Park took his boyfriend's hands without rushing, sliding his fingers, finding their way through his palm and slowly moving up his arms, making every hair on the guitarist's body stand on end along the way.
The relatively small hands stopped on Min's face, where they left a slow caress. Yoongi smiled weakly, he always had an easy smile next to the photographer. His hands went to his boyfriend's hips, making him take a step forward, fitting between Yoongi's legs, Jimin responded with a weak laugh.
"Are you nervous? My rockstar has never been nervous before." His voice was low and calm, like a comfort to the guitarist, a lullaby soothing him.
"Sorry my love, it was all a farce to win you over." A mischievous smile took over the corner of Yoongi's lips as he touched the tip of his nose to Jimin's.
"It worked well, but it wasn't necessary, I have empathy for the poor scared little dogs, I like to take care of them.”
"Take care of me then, I think I'm going to throw up.”
"Why? Are you nervous about the opening?" The small fingers touched Yoongi's face, adjusting some mint-colored strands.
"Let's say yes ." Yoongi tried to sound as convinced as he could, it was hard to lie to someone who knew every corner of his body and soul, but it was for a good cause. "Hey!" He called softly, stealing a peck on the full lips he loved so much. "Happy four years! Sorry for keeping you here working on our day.”
"Are you kidding? Babe, this is the best anniversary ever. Being able to see you shining and rocking another stage of your life, seeing you grow and get here is all I could ask for, and having the honor of capturing it all is incredible." Jimin made an adorable pout, indignant at his boyfriend's words. "Seriously, being with you for four years is enough. I love you so much, my rockstar.”
Yoongi couldn't control the bright smile that adorned his lips, he tightened his grip on Jimin's hips, pulling him as close as possible and hugging his waist as he took his lips for himself in a passionate kiss that put him in ecstasy again, bringing him into orbit once more, away from the asteroids of anxiety that tried to bring him down, the nervousness disappearing underneath the skin, leaving only the intoxicating sensation of Jimin’s touch.
Jimin smiled between the kiss, raising his hands to the back of his neck, deepening the kiss and making Min sigh, sinking his slender fingers even deeper into his flesh, wanting to merge with his body and seal that moment with all his feelings that even after four long years swirled in his chest. The butterflies in his stomach turned abruptly when Jimin's fingers firmly clung to the strands of his hair.
Min reluctantly pulled away, keeping his eyes closed as he gave long pecks on those warm lips, so striking that they made him want to cancel the show to live in those kisses. It was incredible how something he wanted to do for Jimin had taken him out of orbit, but his presence, his sweet words, his attentive eyes and gentle smiles were the only ones capable of bringing him back to the ship, like a lost astronaut.
"Relax, okay? I know it's the opening, but just go up there and show your magic, enchant everyone with the music inside you. If you're too nervous, look at me from up there, even after four years with a bigger audience, I'm still the same, so if it's too much, just look at me.”
"Now I'm much more relaxed, I think I just needed that." And he definitely was, all the nervousness from before had gone down the drain now that he had Jimin beaming in his arms, even if he sang out of tune he would love it, and if everyone laughed he wouldn't care because it was for him and only him, the audience was a bonus. "I just needed you. And I'll remember that.”
"Shut up." Jimin gave a weak slap on his chest as his cheeks turned red. "Later I'll give you a nice massage and we can relax watching a science fiction movie this time, since you always watch High School Musical with me." The hand on his chest moved slowly until it found the necklace with its lucky pick under the fabric, held over his heart that was now beating slower. Park rested his hand there while sliding the other back to the back of his boyfriend's neck.
"Hmmm, how about Herbie? It's from Disney and I really like it, I think we both like it.”
"Perfect, that's why I love you." Yoongi melted once again, leaving another long kiss on his boyfriend's lips and squeezing his waist so tightly that he lifted Jimin off the floor for a few seconds, laughing like fools, with the same feeling as the first time they kissed in the music room, the tips of his fingers tingling and the reddish color running down from the tips of his ears to his neck.
"I love you too, so fucking much. I wanted to scream to the world how much I love you." And he would, in a few minutes.
"Stop being silly or I won't let you leave here and soon one of them will come after you, sulking and upset that they're late because you're flirting." Very reluctant, Jimin took a step back, fixing the long mint green strands he messed up earlier." That color looks beautiful on you, you actually look beautiful.”
"It was supposed to be blue, but I didn't have time to paint it today." It was Yoongi's turn to pout and Jimin's turn to melt, gluing their lips together for the umpteenth time in that short space of time they were in that dressing room.
"At home I'll paint for you, now stop being so kind and adorable or we won't leave here." Park pulled the silver necklace hidden inside Yoongi's shirt and held the pick hanging there between his fingers, bringing it to his lips and kissing it. "For your luck, go there my rockstar.”
"Capture only my best side.”
"Always." Jimin laughed weakly, finally pulling away and pulling Yoongi out of the dressing room. "I'll be there watching you from the mezzanine.”
"And I'll be up there on stage, don't forget I'm the short guitarist.”
"Hmm, I was thinking about photographing the drummer today, can you believe it? Hoseok needs a little extra attention, the guy is talented." Jimin said jokingly as his eyes smiled, almost closing.
"Shut up." He weakly pushed his shoulder. "I love you, see you in a little while." Yoongi said goodbye with a last kiss, taking the corridor to the back of the stage while Jimin went the opposite way with his camera towards the mezzanine near the stage in an attempt to take good photos.
At the back of the stage, everyone was waiting in their own little world, Hoseok was drumming his fingers on his leg, Jungkook was playing something on his cell phone and Taehyung and Seokjin didn't miss the opportunity to kiss in the corner, not caring about all the staff passing by, everyone was already properly equipped with the return in the ear and the equipment properly attached.
"You took a while, I was going to stop your fuck and drag you here." Hoseok said, keeping the rhythm of his fingers on his leg.
"I don't know what the fuck you were going to do, you nosy fucker." He clicked his tongue, adjusting his own return while one of the employees helped him and checked everything in place once more.
"At least your sour humor is back, your nervousness was scaring me, I just didn't want to show it.” It was time for Jungkook to say something, pocketing his phone.
"It was just a slip, I'm fine now." He grumbled in thanks when he received the signal that everything was ready. He went to the center of the space, drawing the attention of the others who soon came out of their bubbles and joined the circle. "I don't think I need to give any great speeches, I'm better with music than with words, or else I would have joined the literature club and we wouldn't be here." Smiles framed the faces of each of the boys around him. "So let's go up on this stage in this new phase and touch our hearts to all these people, show what we came for, do what we've always done best. Young forever.”
Yoongi placed his hand in the middle of the circle that was forming, and as usual each one followed, in the order in which they entered through that door of the music club a little over four years ago. First Hoseok, then Seokjin next to Taehyung, and lastly Jungkook. Yoongi placed his other hand over all of them, counting to three before throwing them up.
"Come on, Neverland!" Yoongi shouted the last part, clapping his hands and in an awkward chorus everyone shouted together, a stupid war cry but one that had become a tradition.
Everyone was ecstatic and radiant, eager to simply play music, because they lived for it, they breathed musical notes and fed on all the feelings they sang, it was in the blood of each one there. Taehyung adjusted his bass and Jungkook his guitar, entering the stage one by one taking their positions, except that Jungkook now positioned himself further back on the right, in Yoongi's original place, the microphone remained alone above the spotlight.
Yoongi passed the guitar's support rod over his shoulder, briefly caressing the curves of the instrument, smiling weakly, his best friend for all hours, today the cobalt blue guitar would shine under the main spotlight. He took a deep breath once more, snapping his fingers and his neck staring at the small gap in the curtain that separated him from the stage, he was definitely ready.
Everyone was in their place, Seokjin was looking at the keyboard in front of him checking every little thing, Taehyung was checking the connectors on his bass, Jungkook smiled looking at Yoongi through the curtain showing support and Hoseok was twirling the drumsticks in his fingers just waiting to start the show, ready to play the first beat that would bring the melody to life.
Yoongi took a deep breath once more, taking the necklace out of his shirt and kissing the pick just like Jimin did minutes ago. It was the first one he had, given as a gift by his grandfather on his tenth birthday, something so sentimental that it always accompanied him, a lucky charm, always kept close to his skin and strangely always lodged on the left side, close to his heart, carrying his family and his passion in his chest. He reached for the pick he would play in his pocket, turning it between his fingers, nodding to himself, ready to go up and touch his heart. He held the curtain, taking the first step onto the stage.
He walked slowly with a confident smile on his face, the screams and euphoria of the audience covered the noise of his heavy boots on the stage, the spotlight followed him until he stopped in the center of the stage in front of the microphone that had been modified precisely and solely for Yoongi, with holographic flowers in a shade of blue identical to the ones painted on the neck of his guitar, underneath the steel strings. The house was completely full, people waited anxiously and screamed at every step Min took, a large part because they knew the band, others just for the euphoria of the fun of a Saturday night.
Everything was impeccable, the new decoration shone in a vibrant and elegant way everywhere, neon lights in every corner, from the ceiling to the walls, adorned the benches and counters, the dance floor further away and the place in front of the stage, which had a wide view of the entire room, from the people in front of the stage to the bar at the back, where Joshua leaned, stopping his work with the drinks for a few minutes to honor his friends there.
Yoongi looked up at the mezzanine that functioned as a VIP area higher than the common dance floor, and there he finally found Jimin, camera in hand, eyes shining and mouth half open in shock at Min's position there. The guitarist gave his boyfriend a sly smile and a wink, his feelings from a few hours before to that moment had changed drastically, he felt on top of the world now, more than ready for the job, certain of what he wanted to do.
A signal was heard at the stop and the dry noise of Hoseok's drumsticks against each other was heard counting down to the beginning of the song. Yoongi felt the adrenaline and good anxiety run through his blood when he properly positioned his fingers on the strings playing the first chord of the song and his friends followed with perfect timing, as a band they were one and that's why they worked so well.
" Can't count the years on one hand that we've been together. I need the other one to hold you " Yoongi sang with a deep and somewhat raspy voice, giving a new air to the song originally in the female and higher voice. " Make you feel, make you feel better " Min's gaze never lost sight of Jimin, singing not for the audience but for him.
His body followed each beat, his right foot tapping along to the rhythm established by Hoseok, his body vibrating with each chord of Taehyung's bass that reverberated through each cell in his body. Usually the beats of the drums dictated the rhythm of the heart, but for Min his heart had strings, his chords combined with Jungkook's dictated how his heart beat, but when he looked at Jimin his heart lost its way, it beat faster, losing tune with the guitar, he was the only one capable of such an act.
Jimin would always come and mess with his melody, making him go out of tune, leaving his chords upside down, making him lose all the rhymes in disconnected words, completely messing with the rhythm of his existence, but Yoongi loved his musical mess inside him caused by a single person.
" It's not a walk in the park to love each other. But when our fingers interlock, can't deny, can't deny you're worth it. " Another spotlight came on, illuminating Jimin, because he was the star, made for the lights, he shone brighter than all of them.
'Cause after all this time
I'm still into you
A radiant smile adorned Park's lips, who at this point didn't even care about taking pictures, he enjoyed the serenade sung to him. Jimin sang along to the song he knew well, he felt the music with his body, Yoongi always told him that music was about feeling and not a set of notes that made sense together, and he finally understood, because seeing Yoongi there in the spotlight singing to him opened the door to his heart and let the music fully in, reverberating through every atom of his body.
I should be over all the butterflies
But I'm into you (I'm into you)
Yoongi felt free on stage, not at all intimidated by the larger audience or the main spotlight directed at him, he twirled around the stage without missing a chord and returned to the microphone at the right time, holding it with both hands like a professional, letting Jungkook keep the guitar base as the main one this time.
Let 'em wonder how we got this far
'Cause I don't really need to wonder at all
Yeah, after all this time
I'm still into you
The audience sang and jumped along, they could see one or another couple singing the song to each other, it was a classic, but their eyes never lingered too long anywhere other than Jimin singing the song with dedication up there, and by all the gods how Yoongi wanted to hear his boyfriend's melodious voice next to his own. Despite having nothing related to music besides his friends, Jimin had a beautiful voice, which Yoongi admired every time he heard him hum one of his compositions.
Recount the night that I first met your mother
And on the drive back to my house
I told you that
I told you that I loved ya
You felt the weight of the world
Fall off your shoulder
And to your favorite song
We sang along to the start of forever
And by pure coincidence, that's exactly how it all happened. Everything with the two of them happened very quickly. During some individual photos that Jimin wanted to take of the members, they ended up having their first kiss. They knocked over Hoseok's drums, which became a beast, but they were so intoxicated and drunk from the sensation of touching each other so intimately for the first time that they just apologized, laughing, while the drummer murmured sullenly, caressing the instrument and talking to it as if it were a person.
Yoongi met Jimin's parents during his own graduation. Park thought it would be a great idea to take his parents to the school graduation even though he was only finishing his first year while Min was finishing high school. Luckily, everything went well. Jimin's parents loved him, especially Mr. Park, who was a big rock fan and was immediately enchanted when he saw the band perform at the graduation.
When Jimin's parents returned home and Park got in the car with Yoongi to celebrate with the band, listening to some random song on the radio and stopped at a red light, the guitarist and his horrible timing when it comes to his own life said he loved Jimin right there, making him cry while kissing him, receiving stressed honks from the cars behind them when the light turned green and neither of them noticed, so wrapped up in each other and in what loving each other represented.
And after all this time
I'm still into you
I should be over all the butterflies
But I'm into you (I'm into you)
And, baby, even on our worst nights
I'm into you (I'm into you)
Let 'em wonder how we got this far
'Cause I don't really need to wonder at all
Yeah, after all this time
I'm still into you
All the butterflies in Yoongi's stomach were more than welcome, unlike anyone who would be nervous about the feeling of anxiety of liking someone so much, Min embraced all the butterflies. From the moment Jimin sneakily touched his shoulder at the school exit asking if he could photograph the band, he loved all the butterflies that struggled with such ethereal beauty.
He could still feel all the butterflies, as active as the first time, in every passionate look, in every subtle touch, in every intense kiss, in every breath on the other's skin, every time his lip piercing tinkled as it touched Jimin's, in every kiss they left over the tattoos engraved on his skin. All the butterflies were the same and he continued to love the tickling that their wings caused him, because Jimin's presence summoned them like a fairy lord, cultivating an entire garden just for them.
Yoongi smiled at Jimin at the end of the chorus, calling him with his hand. Park looked at him confused and the guitarist repeated the gesture, moving away from the microphone and whispering for him to come down. Even apprehensive, Jimin hurried down the stairs and onto the stage. Yoongi smiled wider, turning the guitar behind his body and taking the microphone off the stand, extending his hand to his boyfriend, who gladly accepted. Their fingers gliding over each other and fitting perfectly, viciously as they had done four years ago.
Well, some things just
Some things just make sense
And one of those is you and I
Their love had no explanation, as did the strange connection they had, because fervent passion has no explanation, not all people who love each other are compatible, love is enough to love. Yoongi sang as he lifted Jimin's hand, spinning him in place and pulling him close to his body, fitting perfectly into each other.
"Sing with me." Yoongi got close to his ear and whispered quickly away from the microphone.
Some things just make sense
And even after all this time
They sang in unison, Jimin's higher and more melodious voice complementing Yoongi's lower and huskier tone, even in music they were able to complement each other. With the microphone between them, Yoongi pulled him by the waist, their faces so close, their eyes creating sparks, they sang more than anything for each other. The bubbling feeling that was created in the little space they still had between them just for the microphone was tangible.
Jimin was not shy about the stage, he was born for them even if in a different light, each and every light fell well on the elegance of his performance, all the spotlights would not be enough to make Jimin embarrassed, he belonged to her, from the camera flashes to the spotlights on the stage singing paramore with his boyfriend.
I'm into you
Baby, not a day goes by that I'm not into you
I should be over all the butterflies
But I'm into you (I'm into you)
And, baby, even on our worst nights
I'm into you (I'm into you)
Let 'em wonder how we got this far
'Cause I don't really need to wonder at all
Yeah, after all this time
I'm still into you
The song came to an end, the audience was screaming excitedly, everyone in the band was smiling happily for both friends and for the successful opening. Yoongi reached out his hand that was holding the microphone to the stand, fitting it in any way in a hurry to take his beloved's face between his fingers and kiss him, showing everyone the tangible love that crackled and set his body on fire.
Jimin was faster, his hands quickly burying themselves in the guitarist's neck and his lips hurriedly pressing against Min's. Yoongi smiled, moving his hand up to his waist and kissing him for real, a passionate kiss sealing that feeling now for the entire audience, not that it was a secret before, whoever paid attention would know. The bodies sizzled as they touched each other, on fire, after setting fire to that stage seconds ago.
Because that's what made the two of them unique, they were both fire, a small spark but together they were capable of setting fire to everything they touched and every place they went. Such intensity that it frightened those who looked from the outside. Some at first didn't believe that two people so intense and similar would work together, but after four years they were there, sealing any doubts on the part of others, that they loved each other and would love each other for a long time to come.
In Yoongi's head they were forever, an infinite love fueled by fire, the flame would not go out as long as Yoongi loved him, and he would love, until the end of his days, he would do everything to not let Jimin slip through his fingers.
The two were interrupted by their friends' arms around them, making them laugh out loud. Yoongi was a happy mess, the representation of pure ecstasy, his mint-colored hair stuck to his forehead and neck by the sweat and his hands constantly attached to his boyfriend's, he would have to be strong to let go of him and continue the show because that was just the beginning of the night.
"Let's take a picture!" Jimin said excitedly into the microphone.
Everyone crowded together at the edge of the stage in front of the audience as Jimin adjusted the camera countdown on top of Hoseok's bass drum. He adjusted the angle properly, announcing when he pressed the button and ran to Yoongi's side who was waiting for him with open arms.
"Happy four years, my love." Yoongi whispered in Jimin's ear.
"I think we better cancel Herbie later, you look so sexy singing Paramore for me, I love you my rockstar.”
Jimin murmured back and Yoongi sealed their full lips once more and they only separated after the flash went off and that memory was immortalized in a photo that would be part of the cybershots gallery, on the wall of Yoongi's loft, in the grids full of photographs of Jimin's room in his parents' house, immortalized in a physical memory of their love.
🎸💿