PART 3: EARTH

~12:00~

You stare at the friendship bracelet tied around your wrist and sigh, looking out the window. You're all cried out, there's nothing more you can do. You're on your way back to Ganymede. Yes, the crew decided to leave the Ring around three hours ago when it was declared there was nothing more that could be done for the injured. Seulgi got properly stitched up, and speaking of the girl, she's sitting next to you in the co-pilot's seat.

Baekhyun went to the Moon with Jin, piloting it through the Ring while the rest stayed on the Hestia. Those five members that replied to Jimin are onboard as well, so at least five crewmates survived. There's that. Anya is in critical condition in the medbay. Luckily no one else has shown signs of being infected, but you're also keeping your distance from each other. Hoseok and Jimin are in the medbay with Anya, and she's trying to write down the steps to installing enhancements so she could live as well. It's going to be difficult, but maybe they can at least extend her life by a little bit. It's going to be a full week until they reach Ganymede anyway.

You're not sure what to do, so you sit here, silent. Seulgi doesn't know what to say to you. Jimin made her acting Executive a few hours ago. You can't even begin to imagine what he's going through. Losing his best friend, helping Hoseok with surgery of all things? You wish there was something you could do.

"How's the shoulder?" you ask, not wanting this silence anymore.

"It hurts, but it's nothing compared to my emotional pain. How... are you?" she asks cautiously.

"I'm... I don't know. I honestly don't. I can't even say I'm like drowning cause I'm not. It's like I'm floating, if that makes sense. I have no destination, but I have no idea where I am either. I don't know what way to turn or if I even want to turn. I don't know if I have the motivation to open my eyes anymore." She sadly nods in understanding. "Until I get a 'he's dead', I feel like I'll be here forever. It's been so long since he passed out, and each second that ticks by I just..."

You break off to sniffle, holding your breath in an attempt to calm yourself. "I don't know what to do anymore. I'm tired of not knowing. I'm tired of going through this constant pain. When does it end?" you ask.

"I don't know," she whispers back. You bite back your tears, refusing to cry.

"I don't want to be scared of loving people, but I am. If Yoongi didn't step in, Jimin would be dead. Would Jimin have gotten as lucky as Yoongi? He doesn't have intelligence enhancements, so probably not. My lover would be dead. I would be left alone, and..." You pause. "I thought about it, when Yoongi came back. I thought about what would happen if it was Jimin instead. If he went into that airlock but didn't come out. I genuinely wasn't sure how to react. And that's what scares me. I wouldn't know what to do with myself. How would I move past him? Joon, my family, Kai... I know I can get past them, even if it hurts like hell, but him?" There's a beat of quiet while you think. "I always thought I was a failure. I thought I was useless, but he showed me I wasn't. Ever since the Silver Angel, when I got him out of that interrogation room, things have been different. God, I love him so much I forgot what hating and doubting myself felt like. I started to love myself, but only because of him."

"Y/N... wow, I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything, Seul. I just appreciate you being here and listening to my ramblings."

"I like your ramblings, if I'm being honest," she says.

Despite the somber mood, you find yourself smiling. "I like your ramblings too, especially when you get all flustered and stutter over your words. Most of the time that happens when you're talking about Hoseok."

"He is a common topic for me."

"How are you two holding up?"

"We're doing okay so far. We haven't had too much alone time with everything going on. Convenient time to get together, huh?" she asks with a snort.

"Well, the Ganymede portion wasn't too bad. We had a good three weeks before anything crazy happened."

"Yeah, it could be worse I guess. We could've been like you and Jimin."

"What's wrong with us?" you ask.

"Other than the obvious?" At your sour look, she chuckles. "You guys got together the day we went to Triton. That's what's wrong with you. Maybe that's why you guys are meant to be: you got together as soon as the most traumatic shit happens."

You fluster at the thought of you and Jimin being meant to be, but you force it down. You're about to reply when Seulgi winces in pain. "You good?" you ask.

"Yeah, just my shoulder." She places her hand over it, you frowning.

"Need painkil-"

"No!" she interrupts, abruptly standing. You stare at her in shock, then your eyes fall to her arms. The arms she's covering while she trembles before you.

"Ah shit. I'm sorry-"

"Don't be sorry, it's something I should probably get over. Pills won't hurt me as long as I'm careful. I... I think I'm just gonna go wash up."

"Go ahead, I'll make sure the autopilot is still working."

She gives you a grateful look. "I'll be back soon." You watch as she walks away, exiting the room. You frown, missing her presence already. She's a good friend; you look forward to hanging out with her more often.

You turn to the controls, bringing up the autopilot and noticing it's working as intended. That was easy, now you can go back to your thoughts. You gaze out at the stars, the minutes ticking by as you watch the area closely. There's nothing of note really, but being out in space is truly astonishing. Sometimes just sitting in front of pilot's controls makes you want to burst with happiness. For your entire life, you were told you would never be able to do this. And now? You're doing it often.

It's been a good five minutes since Seulgi left, but you should probably head back too. The autopilot's on, nothing will happen. You deserve a break; you know that's what Jimin would say, so you might as well take one. You stand and turn around, quickly going over to the door and opening it. The hallway awaiting you seems bland and colorless, but you don't even care. You trek down it, navigating the twists and turns until you reach the living wing. All the quarters are on this side, yours included. You sigh as you keep your eyes on the ground, your hands at your hips. Your room isn't too much farther away. After another minute of strolling, you peek up and see your room.

You notice the door, then your eyes widen. Your breath gets caught in your throat, your skin goes cold. The bland hallway comes to life, the colors exploding out at you as your heart starts to beat for the first time in hours. In this moment, your entire body seems to start moving again. Every single one of your cells rejoices at the sight. The relief washes over you like a giant wave, and you can't help but let your tears fall.

Jungkook stands right outside your door.

You don't even speak; you rush forward. He snaps his head up at the sound of footsteps, and he breaks out smiling. You ugly cry as you jump into his outstretched arms. He picks you up and twirls you around, his strong arms keeping you steady. You laugh, your tears falling onto his shoulders as you squeeze him harder than you've ever squeezed anyone in your life. He's alive. He's okay, he's actually okay.

"B-Bunny," you mutter as he places you back on the ground.

You refuse to pull back. Jungkook keeps you in his arms, the two of you rocking back and forth as his warmth fills you. You can't bring yourself to say anything more yet, so you just enjoy the moment. He doesn't say anything either. He brings one hand up to the back of your head, guiding your face to meet his well-built chest. You admire this man so much. He's really risked, and lost, it all. He's the greatest friend you could ask for, and even the thought of losing him brings tears to your eyes.

A full three minutes tick by of the two of you just hugging, refusing to speak or let go. You're scared that if you let him go, he'll slip out of your grasp again. Six months. That's all he has left. Six months. You're going to enjoy each and every day. You finally pull away, meeting his beautiful brown eyes. Your words get caught on your tongue. His face is beautiful, even when it's pale and covered with sweat. He's still recovering, but you find him beautiful. Strong. Courageous. Determined.

"I love you," you whisper, and he busts out a bunny grin.

"I love you too." And just like that, he hugs you again. You sniffle, clinging to his back like your life depends on it.

"I thought you were dead. I really, really thought you were dead."

He nods against the top of your head. "I thought I was too. When I saw that man hitting you, I felt a rage I've never felt before. It was like I couldn't stop myself. My vision went black and white, I couldn't see straight. It was like I unlocked a new part of my powers. I was able to move so fast I felt weightless. I thought I could destroy the entire ship with my bare hands."

"If you didn't pass out, I'm sure you would've," you reply, your voice slightly muffled by his chest.

He pulls back, meeting your eyes. "I couldn't control my anger. I'm so sorry, maybe we wouldn't be in this situation if I calmed down."

"Shh, come on Kookie, don't say that. You saved my life and Jimin's... and Taehyung's... and Jin's..."

"Wait, Jin's alive?"

Your eyes widen. "How much do you know?"

"I just woke up and ran here."

"Did you see Jimin and Hoseok?" you ask.

"They were in the room next door talking to someone I couldn't see."

"Oh gosh, that means you still don't know."

"Know what?"

You brush your thumb over his cheek. "Yoongi's alive, Kook. He's okay."

His eyes nearly burst out of his head. "What?!"

You laugh, taking a small step back. "He's alive. He's banged up, he took five gunshots like a champ, but he'll pull through."

"Remind me to buy him a drink."

"You and me both," you reply with a small chuckle. He continues to stare at you. You stare back. You rest your hand on his cheek, and he snakes an arm around your waist. "This may sound like a dumb question, but how are you?" you ask, wincing as you say it.

"I'm actually okay. Look at my leg." He motions to it, his bodysuit still partially ripped. It's definitely scarred, but it's not black anymore. His skin looks slightly wrinkled, a little discolored too, but nothing too crazy. It's noticeable, that's for sure. Neither of you care though. What matters is he's alive. "My enhancements somehow hurt even more, but my body feels fresh again."

"Did you see Taehyung?"

"I saw him laying on the bed, he wasn't awake. His entire face was covered in bandages, but I was too scared to move them. Is he alright?"

You bite your lower lip. "Uh, Taehyung got infected with you."

He staggers back as if he got shot. "What?"

"Yeah... your enhancements are hurting since in order to get rid of the disease, she had to um, give both of you enhancements. She gave you two doses to make up for the fact that you have them already."

A single tear falls down his cheek. "No," he whispers.

"I'm sorry, Bun."

"He wasn't supposed to be involved in this. Why him?"

"I don't know, Kook. I'm so sorry," you whisper.

He places his forehead against yours. "Not him. Of all people, he's the boy I love."

You sniffle, nodding. "I know." You stay close, closing your eyes in-sync with him. His breathing matches yours, his breath hitting your lips. If you two were a couple, this would look completely different. But you're just so glad he's okay.

"Jungkook?"

You and him jump apart and turn to see Jimin standing there, eyes wide. His eyes aren't on you: they're only on Jungkook. "J-Jimin?" Jungkook asks. The Captain beams. He starts to run, his short legs carrying him to his Executive. Jungkook smiles and laughs as Jimin embraces him. You stumble back, laughing in disbelief as you watch your boyfriend and best friend hug tightly.

You respect their space, taking a few steps back and staring at the two refusing to part. "You're okay, you're okay," Jimin whispers. He's using the same tone he would on you. Cute. He must really care about Jungkook. You don't blame him, you care about him too. A lot. Maybe more than you should, but how can you not? Jungkook captures everyone's hearts.

Jimin squeezes him tighter, never wanting to let go. However, after a full fifteen seconds of them bro-hugging, Jimin sighs. "Come on, let's gather the crew," Jimin murmurs, pulling back.

Jimin glances over at you and shoots you a smile that fills your heart with ecstasy. "So does this mean Anya's okay?" you ask.

He nods. "She'll live. I think we did it okay, it was mostly Hoseok with me watching and handing him tools. His hands are surprisingly steady. He did a great job and followed the steps well." Jimin pauses to press his comm. "I'd like everyone to gather in the bridge. I have something for everyone." He turns off his comm and looks at you again. "As far as we know, no one else is infected. We would have shown symptoms by now, but we're still being careful okay?"

You hum. "Got it boss."

"Boss? That's a new one," he mutters, approaching you.

"Oh God, I didn't wake up just to see you two having sex," Jungkook says in a groan.

"No fear Kookie, I made a no sex rule for two weeks," you proudly say.

"You said that last time, then we fucked the first day you said that," Jimin replies.

"Is that true?" Jungkook asks, bewildered.

"Maybe," you mumble as Jimin's hands meet your waist.

Jimin kisses your lips softly, causing you to smile. "Gag," Jungkook says from behind the two of you. You fling him off and lean into Jimin's kiss. When he pulls away, you stare right into his eyes.

"Thanks for not dying on me," you murmur.

"Thanks for not getting infected," Jimin replies in a whisper.

"I get you're having a moment, but I'd like to see my crew now," Jungkook says with a huff. You laugh, shaking your head.

"Riiiight. Okay Jungkookie, let's do it."

~12:24~

Jungkook already did all his hugs, the entire crew surrounding him. Baekhyun and Jin commed in to say hi, which Jungkook is grateful for. The entire crew is here. Jimin, Y/N, Seulgi, Hoseok, Yoongi, Baekhyun, Jin. They're gathered around in a little circle, Baekhyun and Jin on the command panel's comm. Jungkook reveals one of his bunny smiles as his crew slightly sways to the beat Jimin's playing. By playing, Jungkook means the Captain rigged the command panel to play some random Earth music while they talked. That man is really talented.

Jungkook approaches Hoseok, who turns to him. "It's good to have you back, sir," he says, and Jungkook softly smiles.

"Good to be back. You holding up okay?"

Hoseok eagerly nods. "Believe it or not, I'm thrilled. We got out alive. All of us. We're a bit of a mess, but we made it. I feel like I should be a Medic instead of an Agent."

Jungkook raises a brow. "Do you want to be?"

Hoseok fiddles with his fingers. "N-No, I don't think that'd be right. I've been an Agent my entire career."

Jungkook stares right through to Hoseok's soul. "If you want to be a Medic, I'll make you one."

"You will?"

"Of course I will. You've done a great job as our medic. You take care of us in more than one way. You're nicknamed sunshine for a reason, right?"

Hoseok smiles enough that it forms a heart shape. "I guess that's true."

Jungkook pats the man on the shoulder. "Then let's make you a Gold Medic instead, eh?"

Hoseok beams, nodding rapidly. "Thank you thank you thank you-"

"You're welcome," Jungkook interrupts with a laugh. "Now come on, let's have a dance off."

Jungkook grabs Hoseok's hand and drags him to the center of the room. Hoseok adjusts immediately, starting to move naturally to the beat. "Okay dancer Hoseok, let's see what you got," Jungkook says, smirking.

"Don't test me, I've been dancing my whole life." Jungkook nods in acceptance. Hoseok may have been dancing his whole life, but Jungkook is the most competitive bastard in the entire world. He never loses unless it's a calculated loss that will lead to a later success. Bam. Loophole. Like losing his virginity. Led to later success with Taehyung. Calculated. Maths.

The two go back and forth with their dance moves, and Jungkook has to admit: Hoseok's pretty good. He moves his body in such a way that even the most basic dance moves look special. They look so... good. Pleasing. Satisfying, if that makes sense. He manages to hit the beat so effortlessly. Good news for Jungkook is that he's the same way. Not as good, but he's up there. He's keeping up well enough to be convincing.

Jimin saunters over, eyeing the two. "My two boys dancing without me?" Jimin asks. Jungkook snickers in response. "Guess I have to show you some real moves," Jimin teases before joining in. The three dance together, laughing and smiling as the music fills their ears. Jungkook has never felt so at peace. After the day they've had, they deserve it. He wants a moment alone with Yoongi, but he also loves being here with his whole crew surrounding him.

He sways some more, continuing to follow the beat until a loud 'thud' is heard. Jungkook and Hoseok freeze, looking over and instantly panicking. "Jimin?" Jungkook asks, kneeling next to him. Jimin looks shocked himself. He's just sitting there, staring off into the distance.

"Min?" Y/N asks, rushing over from the other side of the room. She sits by his side, shaking his shoulder. "Baby, what's going on?" she says, causing him to peek over at her.

He dryly chuckles. "I guess I really can't dance again." Jungkook's eyes jump upon hearing that.

"Min," she whispers, but he grunts

"Does this place have a bar?" he asks.

Jungkook nods. "I think so."

"Let's go find it, oka-"

"I'm going alone," Jimin interrupts in a grumble, standing and storming away. Y/N watches him go, Jimin leaving the room. Pain fills her expression. She glances back at Jungkook, who motions for her to go.

"He needs you, even if he won't admit it." She nods gratefully, trekking forward and quickly embracing him.

"Thank you," she whispers.

"Go get your man, L/N," he says, and she smiles before rushing out after him. "Well, that was..."

"Interesting," Hoseok finishes, causing Jungkook to hum.

Jungkook peers around at the crowd, then, he sighs. "I have something I've been hiding, and I think I need to say it. To everyone."

"I'll turn off the music then," Hoseok says, causing Jungkook to shoot him a grateful nod.

"You're a great person, you know that, Hobi?"

"I'm just doing what anyone would."

"You performed a surgery you've never done before to save someone's life. That's not out of kindness. That's because it's you. You're the embodiment of all things good and it's honestly so refreshing. What I'm trying to say is thank you, Jung Hoseok." The new Medic nods, softly smiling.

"You're welcome, Jeon Jungkook."

Hoseok turns the music off a beat later. Jungkook steps up to the command panel and stares down at the crew. They look at him in concern. "Everything alright?" Baekhyun asks over the comm.

"No, no it's not. I've been hiding something from you all. Jimin, Taehyung, Y/N, and Yoongi know, but I wasn't sure how to tell everyone else. Now that everything's changing, I need to say it. It's the right thing to do." The crew stays silent, staring at Jungkook. He gulps. "The infection was deadly, of course. I may be cured, but even before the infection I was a dying man. After, I'm dying even faster. The enhancements Jackson gave me are slowly killing me. At first it was a max of two years, but now? It's six months. I have six months left." As soon as the words leave his mouth, the crew goes silent. Baekhyun and Jin are too stunned to speak on the other line, and the ones in front of him don't say anything either. However, that changes when he feels someone back hug him.

Jungkook turns his head to see Hoseok behind him, holding him close wordlessly. Seulgi approaches and does the same, hugging him tightly. Yoongi comes in as well. A small group hug is formed. "Group hugs are nice," Jungkook mutters.

"I wish we could be there to be part of it," Jin replies.

Jungkook chuckles. "You guys being here at all is more than enough." After a few more seconds of the hug, they pull back and shoot Jungkook a smile.

"We're going to make this the most memorable six months of our lives," Seulgi says, catching Jungkook off guard.

"You guys," Jungkook starts, but Yoongi shakes him off.

"You deserve it. You deserve the best life you can get, even if it's only for a day. We want to make it worth it." Jungkook gazes around at the three faces and finds that all of their eyes are saying the same thing. Jungkook sniffles, taking a small step back. He smiles brightly, on the verge of a grateful laugh.

"That's the thing, Yoons..." He eyes each crew member carefully, trying to ignore the tears streaming down their faces. "It already is."

~12:30~

"Min wait!"

Jimin never thought he'd see the day where he's ignoring his girlfriend, but he kind of has to. He embarrassed himself back there. He fell right on his ass doing simple dance moves. What kind of fool is he? He can't even do basic things right. How is he supposed to face her right now? He has to push everything away for now. A drink is exactly what he needs. Yeah, that's a great idea.

"Chim, slow down," she calls, but he doesn't. He turns down the hall and notices at the end of the corridor there's a door. The sign above it says 'pub'. Jimin has never been happier in his life. He storms inside, not bothering to close the door behind him. With a grunt, he goes behind the bar and grabs the closest glass. Jimin digs inside the coolers, looking for something up his alley.

"Min, what are you doing?" she asks when she comes inside, closing and locking the door behind her.

"What I should have done a while ago," he mumbles back. He selects a can and places it on the counter, then peeks up at her. "Want one?" he asks as she sits down across from him. She opens her mouth, then thinks about it. With a sigh, she shrugs. He takes another one and places it in front of her. "Want a glass?"

"Sure," she says. He grabs yet another glass and gives it to her. He pops his can open and tilts his glass, pouring the substance into it. Jimin peeks up and sees her pouring it in straight on, making him chuckle.

"Not a big drinker?" he asks.

"Seeing as my parents locked everything down, no."

He places his glass and can on the counter. "Here, I'll teach you how to pour," he says.

"There's a specific way to do so?"

Jimin nods. "I sucked at pouring champagne for the longest time, but I was great at popping it. Now I'm somewhat okay with pouring. You have to tilt the glass." He demonstrates, pouring it inside at an angle.

"Woah, that's it?" she asks, her cute eyes going wide.

He hums. "Pretty simple, then here. As the beer gets closer to the top..." He slowly straightens the glass. "Put it back to normal. Voila!" He places the glass in front of her. "Perfect pour. Less foam, more enjoyment."

"What if I like the foam?" she teases, causing him to smile.

"I didn't take you for a beer drinker."

"Oh I'm not, I just haven't gotten wasted in a while."

"It's been way too long," Jimin says in his classic dramatic demeanor, kissing his can.

She playfully rolls her eyes. "You're such a dork."

"Your dork."

"For now. Careful, that can change."

He fakes a look of hurt. "You would never, not with our two months only eight days away."

She looks mildly impressed. "You remembered?"

"How could I forget?"

"Thanks, Min. I appreciate that."

"What, did Jungkook forget?"

She groans, burying her face in her hands. "All. The. Time." Jimin laughs, motioning for her to elaborate. "I had to take his banana milk to get back at him. He eventually learned his lesson and started writing it down." There's so much of her past he still doesn't know. So, he continues to pour his drink and stares right at her.

"What's your favorite memory with him?" he asks, raising a brow.

"No jealousy?"

"No jealousy."

She gives him an unconvinced look but shrugs nonetheless. "Our one year anniversary. He threw me a whole surprise party, except it was a party of two. He took me to the edge of the city, and we had a good time together. We talked and shared our dreams and childhood stories. We just... ate snacks and watched the stars." She gazes at her drink with a longing look in her eyes.

"I told him that's how I wanted to be proposed to. Under the stars, the thing I value the most," she says. Jimin mentally writes that down. "After that, I took him back to my house, and we had dinner with my family. Maybe that's why I liked it so much. Even my family was good. We were joking around, having so much fun. Jungkook was bonding with Jasmine and my dad so well. Alisha wasn't even hitting on him. It was like, just for one day, everything was normal. I lived the normal life I've always wanted."

She closes her eyes, replaying the night in her mind. He wishes he could give her a night like that. He leans forward, entwining his hands with hers. She opens her eyes at that, meeting his stare. "Y/N, I swear this isn't jealousy talking, but can I tell you something?" She nods. He softly sighs, giving her hands a squeeze. "I told you back on our first date just what I liked about you, but that list grew."

He pauses, pursing his lips in thought before continuing. "More than I thought it would. You ran after me even when I completely blew you off, I can't thank you enough for that. You're truly just the greatest thing ever. The greatest gift to me." He looks down, praying he won't get shy. "I feel like we're some cheesy high school relationship sometimes when I say things like this, but you said you wanted the promotion speech." Her eyes widen as he looks back up. "I told you I rehearsed it. So, this is it."

He brushes his fingers over her skin, leaning forward. "You, Y/N L/N, are the craziest person I've ever met." She laughs. "No really, you are. Whenever I hear about how happy Jungkook made you, I can't help but wonder if I'm making you just as happy."

Her eyes jump open. "Min-"

"Shh, hang on," he softly interrupts, causing her to nod. "I don't even feel anger when you talk about Jungkook, only guilt. Will I ever be good enough to give you that happiness? The happiness you deserve? Whenever I think of the two of you, I get upset at myself for ever getting angry at you that one day."

He means every single one of his words. He's always honest around her. She deserves the truth, after all. He regrets blowing up at her when she spent the night at Jungkook's. That was pretty stupid of him. He's not saying he didn't have justified anger, but he handled it wrong. They both did. They make mistakes, and they've learned from them.

"I feel so much better around you. I see you and it's like I'm back in middle school with my first crush. These feelings? They're insane, if I'm being honest. I can't even put them into words anymore," he says. She grins as he lets out a shaky breath. "Just... thank you. Thank you," he repeats, staring right into her curious, beautiful eyes.

"You're welcome," she replies, squeezing his hands. "And you want to know the truth Min?" He rapidly nods, keeping his gaze on her. She chuckles at his cuteness. "I love Jungkook. He's my best friend. But..." She lets herself trail off, warmly smiling before saying the words that melt his heart.

"You make me feel like the happiest person in the system."

~8 Days Later || 9:33~

Ganymede's a mess.

The crew got back two days ago and they're already overwhelmed with how much there is to do. After the news about Kai's passing spread, life got hectic. Jimin was suddenly thrown into the Governor position, which shocked the living fuck out of him. He's a Captain, not a politician. They guaranteed it would only be until Ganymede is all cleaned up, but Jimin isn't sure how long that would be. The only reason why he even agreed was because he wanted to honor Kai's memory. He deserves to rest well knowing Jimin will handle everything.

Kai's wife and daughter stopped by the office several times to grieve, and Jimin respected their wishes. He didn't move anything in Kai's office. It would've broke his heart to do that. Instead, Jimin worked around it. For now, Jimin hasn't done much. The dome is fully repaired, the other cities are still a mess, but there's no hope for them. At least the main city is alright. So far they've made yet another broadcast to the solar system talking about their discovery. Earth has already stepped forward and asked to arrange a meeting with Jimin, which is what he's waiting for now.

He has the hologram open, him sitting at Kai's desk with Jungkook pacing around the room. Poor boy hasn't gotten much rest. Taehyung is still in and out of consciousness. From what Jungkook remembers, enhancements takes a good month to adjust to, and a good two weeks to even wake up from. Apparently the entire body gets rebuilt, so it's a process. Double what Jimin had to go through when he woke up from the coma. Actually, it's more like triple or quadruple what Jimin went through.

The meeting loads, and soon enough, a young girl is on his screen. He politely smiles, slightly dipping his head. "Hello, this is Governor Park Jimin of Ganymede, I hope that you're well all things considered." Wow. Saying that is weird as fuck.

The woman returns his gestures. "It's good to finally meet you. I don't know if you remember me, I sent you a message a while back."

He forces himself not to display his shock. "Park Chaeyoung, correct?"

Her grin gives him his answer. "I heard about the whole Ganymede and Ring mess, please do elaborate on what Earth can do to help."

As much as he wants to beg her to send all available ships his way for help, he needs to keep up appearances. He can't be weak in front of her. Ganymede can't be weak in front of her. "Ganymede cleaned up well after the chaos. There are no more Goliaths near the main dome, and every day we're sending more and more teams out to combat the ones in the other cities. We're slowly turning the tide thanks to both my men and yours. Thank you for the help, by the way."

She hums. "It was my pleasure. I hate that it's such a surprise to receive help nowadays. If Mars wasn't down our throats, I would have sent more." He genuinely smiles. Finally some sense. He was scared she'd be another uptight politician who had her own agenda. It feels good to have a conversation. Granted, Jimin's mentally freaking out over the fact that he's talking to the God damn leader of Earth, but other than that he's perfectly fine.

"Is there any sign of infection amongst your crew?" she asks, which snaps him out of his thoughts and amazement.

He shakes his head. "For the whole six day journey, we showed no symptoms. I believe the last of the infection died in the Ring. We sent many ships over to guard the entrance. I apologize for the state of the Hestia, only five of her crew survived."

"I wish I could go back in time and send more. I'm so sorry Mars did that to you. Your crew must have fought hard, we appreciate that more than you know. I can't even begin to imagine how much pain that must have caused you."

"We came out alive. We may have a lot of physical and emotional scars, but we're alive. That's what matters," he says, and it's the truth. They suffered massive consequences, but they're alive. Broken, but alive.

"I'm glad we agree. The solar system would have lost her guardians if you died on that mission." His heart skips a beat. The crew is the solar system's guardians? He can't help but feel ecstatic "What caused the Goliath breakout, if you don't mind me asking?" she asks.

He bites back a scowl. "Someone on the inside."

"The inside?"

He grits his teeth, doing his best to contain his rage. "She let them out and even created a special serum to enhance them."

She goes quiet for a moment, her jaw wide open. "Has the serum been disposed of?" He nods. "Good, we don't want any more of them breaking out. Who was she?"

"Her name was Alice. Just like the serum, she was disposed of."

"By one of your crew, I assume?"

"Y/N."

She nods in understanding, her smile a bit tighter this time. "Once again, Ganymede, and the whole solar system at this point, is in your debt. How about what happened in the Ring? You said Mars caused that, right?"

"They refused to stand down even when I presented solid evidence that the alien creatures would not only survive their attack but invade our galaxy."

Chaeyoung huffs. "Stubborn as always. I'll send a few battleships over to help protect the Ring."

"Are you sure? Battleships aren't exactly easy to spare."

"Mars hasn't attacked since the news broke out about the Ring. We're hopeful we can sort out some kind of peace negotiation. We won't attack again unless we deem it necessary. Until then, I'd like to provide Ganymede all my support."

Although he's slightly suspicious of her true intentions (if she has any), Ganymede needs all the help she can get. "Thank you. Let us know any updates or changes," he replies, and she agrees.

"Of course. Thank you for taking the time to talk with me. If you ever come to Earth, please feel free to stop by my office. You've been through a lot, and Earth wants to help you. I want to help you. I mean it." At her determined tone, Jimin finally believes her.

"Thank you," he repeats.

"Keep Ganymede in line. They need a strong leader like you."

Without another word, she cuts the connection, making Jimin sigh. "You trust her?" Jungkook asks.

Jimin shrugs. "Enough to let her send a few battleships? Yeah. Enough to leave her alone with Y/N? No."

"Oddly specific example."

Jimin chuckles, standing and approaching Jungkook. "You holding up okay?"

Jungkook brushes Jimin's concerns away. "Just uh, y'know..."

"Anxious?"

Jungkook's shoulders slump. Seconds later, he lets out a sigh that feels like it's been inside him for years. "Yeah, you could say that."

"Tae's a fighter. He'll make it through," Jimin is quick to reply.

Much to Jimin's amazement, the Executive manages to muster up a soft smile that shows off his chestnut irises. "I know. I wish I could do something until then." They fall into a short silence, causing Jungkook to speak up. "You know what today is, right?"

Jimin smiles, raising a brow. "Are you testing me, Jeon?"

The Executive chuckles. "I am the best friend, I need to make sure you're a perfect fit for her."

"Yeah cause you totally remembered all your anniversaries," Jimin says, giving the man a smug smile that has him stiffening.

He goes pale. "Shit, she told you about that?"

"She mentioned stealing your banana milk to help you remember."

He groans. "Okay it was like... two... three... only a couple times!"

Jimin laughs. "Which ones did you forget?" Jungkook grumbles to himself, kicking at the ground. "What was that?" Jimin teases, leaning closer.

"The second, the fourth, the sixth, the seventh, and the tenth."

Jimin lets out a 'pffft' noise and shakes his head. "I'm surprised you're still alive."

"S-Shut up!"

"Aww, little Kookie's embarrassed."

"Hasn't he had enough?" a new female voice says from the doorway.

Jimin turns around, and his jaw drops. She stands there, leaning against the doorframe. She's wearing a nice sweater, black leggings to match, natural face and black heeled boots. He stares for a few seconds, causing her to laugh.

"Where'd the sass go, Captain Park?" Y/N says, approaching him.

"Aaaand that's my cue to leave before I see something I don't want to," Jungkook says in a groan. The Executive rushes out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Jimin leans against Kai's desk, watching as she walks up and enters his personal space. "Hey baby boy," she whispers, and he smirks.

"Hey baby girl, come here." She does, she wraps her arms around his neck while his hands instinctively find her waist. She kisses him, and he smiles as he kisses back. It's a rather sweet kiss, nothing too crazy yet. They'll save that for the night times. He pulls back first to meet her eyes. "And stop calling me Captain, I really don't want to get a boner every time Jungkook calls me that too," he whispers.

"Why specifically Jungkook?"

"Anyway. I have something for you."

"Yeah?" she asks, raising a brow. "You just have it on you even when you're dicking around in Kai's office?"

"I have it in my pocket, actually."

"If you whip out your di-"

"Shhh," he interrupts, causing her to smirk as she takes a step back. He clears his throat, pulling a black box from out of his pocket.

"Park Jimin-"

"I'm not proposing!" he yelps, causing her to burst out laughing. God this girl, always thinking he's about to propose. "One day I'm actually gonna propose and you're not gonna believe me," he says with a pout and a whine.

"Oh yeah, that's happening and it'll be hilarious." He softly smiles before handing the box to her. She takes it. "I swear if you got me another promise ring and a whole speech-"

"I didn't," he says with amusement in his tone.

"Okay good, cause it's like nine thirty. My heart can't handle that right now." He chuckles to himself as she opens the box, and her expression instantly softens. "Aww, Jiminie," she says, pulling out the rose gold necklace with a heart pendant. "It's beautiful, and it matches my ring."

"Open it," he replies, motioning to the heart.

She looks puzzled. "It opens?"

"Wouldn't be much of a locket if it didn't."

She playfully rolls her eyes, then does as she's told. She takes a few moments to figure out how to open it, but she eventually does. When it snaps open, she peers at it in awe. "Min, how did you..."

"Jungkook of course. Before the whole Ring drama, Taekook were helping me since they love cameras so much."

She smiles brightly, going over to him. She leans on the desk next to him, and together, they look at the two pictures inside the locket. "Your picture is beautiful," she whispers. On the right side there's a picture of him, a little bit younger, around when he was twenty-one. And on the left, one of her. It's more recent, only about a year and a half ago. It's one Jungkook took of her. Of course he still had it.

"So is yours," he mutters back, kissing the top of her head. She leans against his side, staring at the two pictures.

"You know what I like about them?" she suddenly says, and he hums. She peeks up into his eyes. He stares back. "We both look genuinely happy." He smiles, leaning down and kissing her again. He forms a slow pattern over her lips, not wanting the kiss to end. Jimin brings one hand to her cheek, gently hovering over the skin there. He kisses her passionately, squeezing her hip. One of her hands is on his shoulder while the other clutches the locket tightly.

After another few seconds, she pulls back and meets his eyes. "Thank you," she whispers.

"Happy two months, baby."

"Best two months of my life." He stares right into her beautiful eyes, completely under her spell. She stares back, her expression getting much more serious. There's silence between the two as they stand there staring, their breathing in-sync, their faces inches apart.

He glances down at her lips, then flicks his eyes back to meet hers. Without a second thought, their lips crash together, and she desperately claws at his shirt. He grabs the locket from out of her hand and places it on the desk, not wanting it to get in the way. His hands grab her thighs and she hops up, causing him to guide her over to the nearest wall. Her back hits it moments later. She gasps, allowing him to slip his tongue inside her mouth.

Within an instant, their sweet moment is overshadowed by their need for each other. He explores her mouth, letting his tongue go in circles. He pulls back to switch sides, but she stops him. "Jimin," she whispers, and he gazes at her. She stares back with pain in her eyes, which has him freezing for a beat. She sniffles, placing both of her hands on his cheeks. "I love you." That was not what he was expecting. "I need you, so so much," she adds, nodding rapidly while tears threaten to spill from her eyes.

"Hey," he mutters, unsure of what to do. "I love you too, but what's going on, honey?"

"Nothing, I just... the whole Ring deal made me realize I could lose you at any moment." She brushes her thumb across his cheek. "You almost sacrificed yourself. I never felt so much fear and pain in my life." His eyes start to well up with tears at her words. He kisses her hand, closing his eyes. "So I wanted you to know," she whispers. He nods, opening his eyes again and peering at her and only her.

"I love you," he whispers back, praying she can feel how much he means it.

And without any hesitation, she leans forward and kisses him again.