Aera's P.O.V

"What will we do when you graduate?" Jimin asked me.

"Can we not talk about the future?" I asked laughingly. "I'm having enough trouble as it is with the present."

"Aera..."

"I have no idea, Jimin," I said honestly, at the sound of his voice.

I could feel his eyes on me, so I turned my head to look back at him. The sad and confused look on his face made me force a half smile. He returned the half-hearted smile, but sighed. It seemed so  perfect. The gentle breeze, the soft grass we laid on, the distant noise of traffic, reminding us how far we were from the real world at the moment. But if it really were perfect, why were we so sad?

"We should get away from here. When your done, I mean," he said after a bit, turning to face the sky again.

"Where would we go?" I asked, doing the same.

"Wherever you want. I've been almost everywhere, really," Jimin told me thoughtfully.

I was silent, thinking for a moment.

"We should go to your home. I want to see where you came from," I told him softly, after a few seconds.

"Aera..." Jimin repeated.

I looked up, guessing I knew what he was to say.

"Jimin, do you have a home?" I whispered before he could answer.

It seemed like an eternity before he replied. We laid there with each other, not even thinking. Just being.

"Yeah," Jimin finally said.

So quietly, I almost didn't hear. I turned to look at him again in slight surprise.

"Where?" I replied.

Jimin looked back at me, so our eyes were locked.

"My home, Aera, is wherever you are. I only feel at home when I'm with you," he said.

I watched him for a second, before lightly punching his shoulder.

"Since when were you so smooth?" I asked teasingly.

Inside, though, my heart was melting. I didn't have to tell Jimin for him to know he was my home too.

"Yah! Why are you ruining the moment?!" He whined.

I rolled my eyes and sat up.

"You're such a kid," I told him.

"Is that really what you think of me?" He asked with wide eyes, sitting up with me.

"My boyfriend is just a kid," I said with an exaggerated sigh.

"Boyfriend?" Jimin suddenly asked.

I sent him a frown.

"What do you mean, 'boyfriend?'?" I asked.

"I thought..." he trailed off, his cheeks turning pink, before finishing quietly, "I thought we were more than friends."

"Jimin, do you know what a boyfriend is?" I asked.

"A friend that is a boy," he replied like it was obvious. "It's not like I've never heard the word before, Aera."

"Do you kiss people who are just friends?" I continued.

"Well...no..." he said.

"Then explain this," I said, leaning in and pecking him on his soft lips.

When I pulled away, his already pink cheeks had turned a dark red.

"Yah!" He suddenly yelled, jumping up. "You can't just do that!"

"I'm your girlfriend!" I replied, also jumping up.

"No! We're more than that!" He argued.

"Did I not just explain that's not what boyfriends and girlfriends are?!" I retorted, unsure why we were still yelling.

"Well, I guess so!" He replied.

I realized we were both grinning at this point.

"Well...good," I said at a normal tone.

"Yes. Good," he agreed.

Without warning, Jimin reached over and grabbed my hand.

"Seems like I'm not the only smooth one in this relationship," he commented as we started walking again.

"Well, of course not," I agreed.

•••••

Our light-hearted mood was gone by the time we got back to the dorms. We had gotten to a point where Jimin couldn't stay in Laurel and my dorm room any more. It wasn't allowed, and if anyone found out we would get in serious trouble with the school. So Jimin and I had to separate now. It would be my second night without him since he first returned.

"I'll see you tomorrow," I said quietly.

"I'll be here as soon as the sun rises," he said with a slight smile.

"Nah, get rest," I told him.

"I don't know if I can without you," he said with a sigh.

"I thought we were done with the cheesy lines," I teased him.

"Good night, Mok Aera," Jimin said with a smile.

"Good night, Park Jimin," I replied.

He started to back away.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you, too," I told him.

I waited till Jimin was out of sight completely, long as it was because of how much he would turn around to glance back at me. When he had finally disappeared into the descending dark; that's when I felt the loneliness again. With a sigh, I turned and headed into the looming dorm building. Jimin wasn't out of my mind until I was entering my room, and Namjoon suddenly popped into my head.

The conversation I'd had with him was like a dark cloud over my head. I wondered if he still wanted to be friends with someone as needy and selfish as I was. With a shake of my head, I threw myself onto my bed. I wondered how true happiness could be achieved again. Was Jimin and my happiness just the absence of Jungkook? Or was Namjoon's forgiveness also a part of it? I knew the second thought was true. I wouldn't be okay until Namjoon was okay.

I frowned at the thought of his stubbornness. Then, with a sigh, turned to my side. I knew Namjoon and Jimin would probably never become actual friends, but, would I really have to choose one over the other?