EPILOG

A soft breeze drifts in through the open window, carrying the scent of early spring with it. The sunlight is pale and warm, casting golden patterns over the room and dancing on the walls like whispers of life.

Jimin lies sprawled across the bed, tangled in the soft white sheets that cling lazily to his frame. The fabric feels cool against his skin, but the warmth of the morning sun and the serenity of the moment keep the chill at bay. His raven-black hair spills messily over the pillow, a few strands clinging to his face as he shifts slightly.

He stirs, but his eyes stay closed, savoring the weightlessness of the moment. Somewhere in the distance, the faint sound of birds chirping mixes with the muffled hum of voices below, but the world beyond this room feels distant and dreamlike.

The creak of the floorboards alerts him to another presence.

Moments later, a warm hand brushes his hair away from his forehead, the touch featherlight but enough to send a ripple of comfort through him.

A familiar voice breaks the silence, low and teasing.  "Are you planning on sleeping through the whole day, sleepyhead?"

Jimin's lips curl into a lazy smile before he even opens his eyes. He lets out a soft hum of protest, mumbling, "Maybe. It's cozy here."

A chuckle follows, and then the bed dips slightly under the weight of another body. Jimin cracks one eye open to see Yoongi leaning over him, his face close enough that Jimin can see the faint remnants of a shadow on his jawline.

"Cozy, huh?" Yoongi says, his lips quirking up in a small smirk. "You're impossible, you know that?"

Jimin doesn't respond with words. Instead, he reaches up lazily, his fingers tracing Yoongi's jaw before sliding down to rest on the thick scar that runs along his neck. It is slightly faint now, healed with time, but still a reminder of the darkest moment they had endured.

His fingers linger there for a moment, his expression softening. However the scar no longer brings the sharp sting of pain or guilt it once had, but it remains a symbol—a marker of everything they had survived together.

Yoongi seems to sense his thoughts because he leans down, pressing a soft kiss to Jimin's forehead. "Hey," he whispers, his tone lighter this time. "Stop looking at me like that. I'm fine. You, on the other hand, are going to miss breakfast if you don't get up right now."

Jimin groans, burying his face in the pillow. "Breakfast can wait. I'm tired."

"Tired from what?" Yoongi teases, tugging at the sheet. "All you've done so far is snore and hog the blanket."

"I don't snore," Jimin responds, his voice muffled.

"You do," Yoongi says, standing and pulling the sheet entirely off Jimin with one swift motion. "Now get up before Jungkook and Taehyung eat all the food again."

Grumbling, Jimin finally pushes himself up, rubbing at his eyes and blinking against the sunlight. Yoongi stands by the window, looking effortlessly put together even in his casual clothes. The sight of him covered in sunlight, with that ever-present aura of quiet strength, makes Jimin's chest tighten.

"Fine," Jimin mutters, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. "But only because you're bullying me."

"Of course," Yoongi replies with mock seriousness. "It's my life's purpose to bully you."

With a playful glare, Jimin swats at him as they leave the room.  Downstairs, the atmosphere is as warm and peaceful as the morning sunlight. The others are scattered around the living room, mugs of coffee and plates of food in hand. The sound of light laughter fills the air, a melody of camaraderie and ease.

"Finally!" Jungkook exclaims, grinning as Jimin walks in. "The sleepyhead emerges."

"Good morning to you too, Jungkook," Jimin replies dryly, though a smile tugs at his lips.

"Morning?" Taehyung chimes in, glancing at the clock. "It's practically lunchtime. What were you doing, Jimin? Dreaming about Yoongi again?"

Jimin rolls his eyes but doesn't deny it. His gaze naturally drifts to Yoongi, who is already pouring him a cup of coffee. Their eyes meet briefly, and Yoongi's lips curve into a small, knowing smile.

"Here," Yoongi says, handing him the mug. His fingers brush Jimin's briefly, sending a spark of warmth up his arm.  Jimin takes the mug, his hands curling around it. As he glances down, his gaze falls to the silver band on his finger, the sunlight catching on the smooth surface of the ring. It is simple but beautiful, a quiet promise they made to each other a year ago, etched into its design—a promise of love, of a shared future, of everything they have fought for and everything they have yet to experience.

"You two are disgusting, you know that?" Jungkook says, his tone teasing but affectionate. "Always making googly eyes at each other."

"Jealous?" Yoongi shoots back smoothly, taking a seat beside Jimin.

"Of you?" Jungkook scoffs, leaning back dramatically. "Never. But Jimin, maybe."  The room bursts into laughter, the kind that comes from years of shared memories and trust.

"You know," Hoseok says after the laughter quiet down, his tone thoughtful. "You two really are something else. The perfect duo. We all saw it coming, but it's still something to see it up close." Namjoon and Seokjin also nod, agreeing to what Hoseok just said.

Jimin glances at Yoongi, their eyes meeting once again. For a moment, the rest of the world seems to fade away, leaving just the two of them in their shared bubble.

"The perfect duo," Yoongi echoes softly, his voice laced with affection. He reaches out, his hand resting lightly on Jimin's knee. "Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?"

Jimin smiles, his heart swelling with emotion. "It does."

The rest of the day passes in a blur of quiet moments and soft laughter. They spend the afternoon together, the group falling into an easy rhythm that speaks of the years they have spent by each other's sides. There is no danger looming, no urgency pressing down on them—just peace.

As the sun dips below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink, Jimin finds himself sitting on the porch with Yoongi. They sit in comfortable silence, watching as the world settles into twilight.  Jimin leans his head against Yoongi's shoulder, his hand reaching out to intertwine their fingers. The silver band on his finger catches the last light of the day, glinting softly.

"Thank you," Jimin whispers, his voice barely audible.  "For what?" Yoongi asks, his thumb brushing over the back of Jimin's hand.

"For everything," Jimin replies, his voice thick with emotion. "For staying. For fighting. For loving me."  Yoongi turns his head, pressing a kiss to Jimin's temple.

"Always," he says simply.  As the first stars appear in the sky, Jimin closes his eyes, a sense of deep contentment settling over him.

The road that has brought them here was anything but easy, but it was worth it.

They are the perfect duo, after all.

And this is only the beginning.

THE END

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thank you for reading & support this book, it was a long and not always easy journey! I think the storyline had more potential but I still hope you enjoyed it!

Sorry for taking so long to finish this book, and it may seem like I rushed the end, but it was just like I originally wanted to end the book. Sadly I hate endings, that's why I have a hard time finishing my books - I don't like saying goodbye.

I still enjoy writing and maybe I will publish another story here sometime in the future :)

Thank you for taking your time to read my goodbye to you. Will always be grateful for the love you showed me and the support you gave me, I'm thankful for every vote and every comment, it was a pleasure :)

thank you, love you!

<3