Next To You

He walked down the narrow aisle towards where his seat should be, steps beginning to falter as he came closer and saw someone already settled into the window seat next to his. His first reaction: oh no, he's hot. A guy, seemingly around Namjoon's age, with jet black, shining hair. He was looking down, scrolling casually on his phone, but just his profile was kind of staggeringly stunning.
(or - bonsai apprentice namjoon makes an unexpected connection on his long flight home.)

Notes:

(See the end of the work for notes.)

Work Text:

Three passport scares, two long walks in the wrong direction of the airport, and one terrible cup of coffee. That had been Namjoon's airport experience so far today. This is why, when he was checking in, and the employee seemed to pause for a moment looking at the information on her screen, Namjoon was preparing himself for the worst.

When she went "oh!" and began printing something, he definitely thought there must be something wrong. He absently tapped his pocket to check that his passport was in fact still there.

"It appears you've been upgraded to first class! Here is your new ticket, please arrive at your gate thirty minutes prior to boarding time."

He would get there about twelve minutes prior instead. Not much in the grand scheme of things, but later there would be a time he'd wonder if things would have gone differently if he'd been more punctual.

---

Namjoon had little idea what to expect now, making his way through the bridge to the plane. He couldn't bring himself to let his imagination run too wild - a full lounge and in plane bedding was only in the films, right? The reality would be somewhere between the extremes of the typical economy experience and those extravagant visions in fiction.

After a warm welcome from flight staff, he made his way in. Seats were grouped in pairs, with ample but not excessive space between. They looked comfortable - even recently cleaned, which was more than enough of a luxury to Namjoon.

He walked down the narrow aisle towards where his seat should be, steps beginning to falter as he came closer and saw someone already settled into the window seat next to his. His first reaction: oh no, he's hot. A guy, seemingly around Namjoon's age, with jet black, shining hair. He was looking down, scrolling casually on his phone, but just his profile was kind of staggeringly stunning. Full lips, dewy skin. He could see a tiny bit of collarbone where the man's shirt dragged down a bit, his sunglasses hanging from the front. Namjoon had now stopped dead in his tracks, just in front of his seat.

Is this what everyone in first class looks like? He glanced around, eyes landing on a gruff looking caricature of the businessman. Okay, so clearly he's just having some sort of really fucking lucky day, right? When's the last time he's had one of those? He can't remember. It's gotta be a fluke. Maybe the guy looks nice but is actually an ass?

Before he could continue that line of thought, Handsome Mystery Man was suddenly looking at him, eyes warmer, friendlier than they have business being on what's going to be a fourteen hour flight. His first reaction was guilt for his thoughts just seconds ago. His second was to suddenly feel a bit self conscious of his appearance - he'd dressed for comfort, not for looking somehow cool in front of an attractive stranger.

"Hello, are you my seat neighbor?" He asked, voice almost melodic. Shit. He'd probably noticed him staring. Not the best introduction.

"Seems so," Namjoon replied, making an effort to match his friendly disposition despite his current disbelief. He flashed a smile as he set about stowing his bags and taking a seat without losing anything in the process. Challenge failed apparently, as a moment later he heard that voice again.

"Careful," he looked and saw the man pointing to the floor in front of his seat where his ticket had apparently fallen out of his pocket.

"Ah, thanks," he said, expression somewhat sheepish as he bent to pick it up. He thought he saw a flash of something like amusement across the stranger's face, but he was probably wrong.

It was a lot to take in - the experience of actually being there in first class. He'd already thought business class was exciting, but this? He couldn't shake the feeling like he was somehow invading. Even with how polite his seatmate was being, he was sure the man would've preferred not having someone in his space like this, even if that was a ridiculous notion because the plane had no doubt been packed. He also felt fairly certain in economy class there would be another whole seat squeezed into the space between them. Still, he kept looking around, fidgeting. Staring at the in flight drink menu in awe, experimenting with the way he could actually lean his seat back and not worry about crushing some unsuspecting victim's legs behind him.

"This your first time in first class?"

The kind voice cut into his thoughts for the third time now, and Namjoon winced.

"Am I that obvious?"

His neighbor just smiled, and Namjoon had to take a moment to gather himself in response to the sight. He shook his head.

"I was only supposed to be in business class, ticket paid for and all, but they bumped me here at the last minute."

The man just nodded in understanding.

"Ah, well I hope you'll enjoy it."

He thought back to his last flight experience, the one that brought him to New York just over a week ago. Business class, his neighbor a foreign man in his 40s or 50s who smelled like cheap alcohol and neglected hygiene, a mysterious stain on his seat. He stole another glance at this new neighbor, took in the light scent of vanilla, the pleasant demeanor he projected and the breathing space between them. A wide grin spread over his face.

"Thank you, I hope so too."

---

Some time passed after that, relatively uneventful as he immersed himself in his phone to send any last minute notifications before takeoff. When he looked up again, he noticed the other man was quietly reading. Though he didn't dare look close enough to see what, it did give him the inspiration to go ahead and pull out the book he'd brought for the ride.

Several more minutes passed. He decided it might be nice to listen to his music while he reads, so he grabbed his bag. Namjoon checked the pocket he usually shoves his earpods into - empty. What? He checked the main compartment of the bag, doesn't find it there either. Great. A day long flight and he won't be able to listen to his music?

He swore under his breath now, digging through his bag again as though they will miraculously appear.

"Something wrong?"

He turned abruptly, a bit startled that the man had noticed his sudden panic.

"Ah, just, realized I forgot my headphones. It's a long flight you know? Wanted music, but I'll be okay."

The handsome stranger seemed to consider this for a moment, then bent to slide a hand into the bag next to his feet. Seconds later he pulled out a pair of airpods - not the cheap ones Namjoon had (and apparently lost), but the real deal - holding them out to Namjoon.

"You can use these, if you want."

Namjoon thought his eyes might bug out of his head, his first thought being that those must have cost more than his last two headphones combined, at least. His second thought, was who is this guy with his sparkling smile and the generosity to offer up expensive accessories to a stranger on an airplane?

"I- are you sure? I can just go without, or-"

"I'm positive, it's no big deal. You can just give them back after the flight."

Still hesitant, Namjoon reached out to take them.

"Wow, thank you. That's...that's so kind of you. I appreciate it." He grinned, tilting his head towards the other.

"Could I...could I get your name? Since we're going to be here a while." He hoped he wasn't overstepping or bothering the man after his kind gesture, but couldn't help himself from wanting to know anything more about him.

"I'm Namjoon, by the way."

Again, he saw the man appear to look at him with careful consideration before coming to a response.

"I'm Jin. It's nice to meet you, Namjoon-ssi."

---

Even more time later, they still hadn't taken off and Namjoon's attention was beginning to wander from his book and his music to this fact. Just then, a voice filled the cabin with the unwelcome news:

"Passengers, this is your captain speaking, it appears we have a delay in takeoff - we're grounded for the moment, will update when we're given an estimate. If you have a connecting flight, please speak to one of the flight personel."

While he tried to decide how to feel about the update, Namjoon felt a light tap on his shoulder. He turned, taking out one of the airpods to greet the man he now knew as Jin, handsome, generous owner of expensive accessories.

"Did you hear that?"

Namjoon couldn't help but to smile at the thoughtfulness even as he nodded affirmative.

"I did, thank you." Then he realized the context of the conversation, and turned the dial down a bit on his cheeriness, though Jin didn't seem bothered.

"You don't have a connecting flight or anything do you?" Namjoon asked, in part wanting to return the consideration he'd been shown, but mostly excited for the conversation with him.

"Nope. Not unless you count a very important appointment with my bed, at home." Much to Namjoon's enormous enjoyment, he wiggled his eyebrows playfully. Then he covered his face with his hands.

"Oh god, I don't know why I did that. Sleep, I'm going right to sleep, in my bed, after this flight, that's it."

Seconds passed as Namjoon processed this, before he was laughing just a bit too loud for the small space. He realized himself quickly, and it was his turn to clasp a hand over his mouth.

Well that was cute, he thought. Jin responded to his laughter with some of his own now, and Namjoon was even more endeared. He felt warm. Maybe a delay wouldn't be so bad.

---

Conversation with Jin took on a whole new life from then on. From bonding over dislike of the mint chocolate candies given out with the in flight snack to shared nervous glances during the eventual rocky takeoff, Namjoon was having a better time with a random first class passenger on a plane than he has with any attempt at a bar chat-up or date in a long time. He didn't quite know what to make of that, but he certainly wasn't going to fight it.

He learned that Jin had also been in New York for work, which he described as "dabbling in lots of things" - Namjoon decided to take that as him wanting to maintain some privacy, and not that he was potentially a jetsetting con artist of some sort. They discovered that while Namjoon had gone to the Museum of Modern Arts to see a special exhibition during his stay, Jin found he was quite fond of a little dive bar down the block from the museum. In exchanging small tidbits about background, he was informed that Jin is a bit older than him - though he never would have guessed it. (Was it the glowing skin, or the general air that he could very possibly be a terribly charming vampire ensaring Namjoon this very moment and thus had no real age at all?)

He learned that Jin's picture perfect face crinkled in particularly endearing ways when he was laughing (mostly at his own jokes, on occasion at Namjoon's), and that though he hasn't opened it in at least three months he can't get himself to remove Pokemon Go from his phone. Later, he would in fact open it to show Namjoon a Charmander he was particularly fond of.

At one point during animated conversation, Jin knocked down the book that had been sitting neglected on his lap. As Namjoon bent to pick it up, Jin's voice interrupted.

"Don't laugh," he warned, piquing Namjoon's curiosity even more as he lifted the book to see what was very clearly a manga title. He bit back the grin that immediately threatened to only grow bigger on his face as he looked it over a bit closer, flipping through a few pages.

"Wait, isn't this the one with the time travel?"

The way that Jin lit up in response was a far better reward than any laughter at his expense would have been. There was something so refreshing in the way that Jin was so unapologetically himself, the more that Namjoon got to know him - he wanted to know so much more.

Hours continued to pass in what felt several blinks of an eye to Namjoon, and soon the bright skies outside the window faded into the dark, lights in the cabin lowering in turn. There was a certain intimacy to it that Namjoon appreciated, getting to take in the way Jin's features almost glowed under the small spotlight above his seat. He felt almost certain Jin must have caught his gaze lingering more than once by now, but he hadn't said anything of it, and seemed only to be increasingly comfortable with Namjoon. The feeling was reciprocated, as drowsiness reared its head and Namjoon began talking more freely about his life and his thoughts, the way he would with any friends he's had for years.

Jin seemed mostly content to let him do so, listening attentively and offering his own thoughts now and then. Namjoon found he wanted to hear so much more, to share whatever pieces of himself Jin would have, and wasn't that a startling idea to have clutch at one's heart in the middle of the sky?

---

"Okay, as much as I would like to continue hearing about all the varieties of bonsai--"

"I'm sorry! Sorry, I tend to ramble when I talk about my work-"

"I was only joking, Namjoon-ah - is that okay? Going into our what, ninth? hour of friendship I figure it works, right? I promise I would very much like to hear more about your bonsai, after some rest, so I'm going to sleep now. Feel free to use the pods if you want."

"Of course, thank you, sleep well," Namjoon replied, watching the other man as he pulled a blanket far cozier looking than the one he'd been given over himself up to the neck, eyes fluttering shut. Pretty, he found himself thinking while looking at his eyelashes, of all things. Embarrassing, but at least Jin couldn't see his flush right now at the thought. He couldn't help but to smile at the way Jin had confirmed this was a friendship now, putting the sentiment in his pocket for safe keeping.

He decided there wasn't much else for him to do but try and sleep too, but his mind felt too wired, so he popped the airpods in and put on his most relaxing playlist. He felt himself drifting towards unconsciousness when he suddenly felt a weight against his shoulder. He tilted his head to see Jin leaning against him, hair pushed up messily where his head was pressed against Namjoon's hoodie. It was an amusing contrast to how frustratingly gorgeous he still looked, even asleep, and Namjoon had to hold back a chuckle so he wouldn't wake the other. He found that he couldn't fall asleep himself now though, and realized it was because he worried the position would hurt Jin's neck. Couldn't have that on his conscience, of course.

With bated breath, he decided to gently try and reposition him at a better angle - wincing when a moment later those eyes opened again.

"Shit, sorry, I didn't meant to wake you I just wanted to adjust-"

"Oh my god, was I - was I leaning on you? That's so..." He shook his head, tugged the blanket upwards to cover his face.

"No no, I don't mind! Really!" Namjoon insisted, wanting very much to gently push down the blanket from the delicate hands holding it up but instead occupying himself with pulling out the airpods and placing them in the chair pocket in front of his seat so they wouldn't get lost.

"Are you sure?" Comes Jin's reply, laced with almost disbelief, as he finally drops his hands and regards Namjoon curiously.

"I'm sure. I really don't mind if you want to lean against me. Maybe I can um...also, lean?"

"Hm, sounds like a reasonable deal to me." He replied with a warm smile now that made Namjoon's breath hitch, just a little.

"Get comfortable, Namjoon-ah. One in flight nap for two, coming right up." He settled against him again, this time at a much better angle and also very much closer, Namjoon couldn't help noticing. His eyes shut, but just as Namjoon hesitated to lean his head against Jin's the eyes snapped back open again.

"Wait. You don't drool, do you?"

"Not....typically?" He replied, amusement crinkling into his features as Jin seemed to accept that answer.

"Good. This silky hair is a very important part of my image, I'll have you know."

"Right," Namjoon said, gaze moving to rest on the strands of said hair that were currently defying gravity in at least three different directions. Namjoon found it overwhelming when he thought about how quickly Jin had checked every box of hot and cute and kind and funny and--

He brought his meandering mind back to the moment at present. It was terribly unfair, he thought, especially as he couldn't exactly take a picture of his bedhead (did it qualify as bedhead, if Namjoon's shoulder was the closest thing to a bed he had?). Instead he tried very hard to memorize each detail, shoving aside the part of him that questioned why it felt so important anyway.

But as Namjoon's internal reflection raged, Jin had already moved on, settling into Namjoon's side with the hint of a smile still shaping his lips. Namjoon watched until those pretty lashes fell shut again. After several more long moments, he tentatively tilted his head to lean against Jin's. When the other man didn't stir, he relaxed into the position and it wasn't long before sleep finally took him.

He woke up an undetermined amount of time later to the heart wrenching realization that at some point during their sleep he has, in fact, latched his hand onto Jin's where it rests between them. And oh - oh no, Jin's hand is so very soft in his, his mind immediately noted. Just a bit smaller than his by comparison, with curved fingers he's now noticing. How soon in a friendship with someone is it acceptable to form a fondness for particular features? He wondered vaguely, a bit alarmed by how he could already list at least three for Jin when he doesn't even know his full name yet. (Ears, eyes, hands.)

Just as he was beginning to contemplate claiming his hand has a mind of its own like in one of those science fiction stories he felt Jin begin to stir. Frozen in panic, he watched as Jin woke up, brow furrowed and face somewhat puffy from sleep. He shut up the voice that wanted to remind him again - cute. Holding in his breath, Namjoon saw Jin's gaze drop almost immediately, targeting the hands in question and Namjoon had the most sudden and striking thought that maybe he should really look into becoming a crab like some of his friends have joked he might one day. If only he could hide in a shell right now.

He was apprehensive, but when Jin spoke up again his voice was soft, giving no sign of discomfort or distaste.

"Is that- oh! Well that's....huh."

"I know, I didn't- I mean I don't know how it happened honestly-"

"It's kind of nice," Jin replied quietly, and Namjoon noticed he was still looking at their hands rather than at him. Namjoon opened his mouth, closed it and Jin spoke up again instead.

"Um. Been a- a while since I've had my hand held."

"Oh," Namjoon replied, somewhat taken aback by the admission, feeling something slightly tighten in his chest. It suddenly felt like a very pressing problem that apparently Jin's hand wasn't getting held enough and Namjoon was very ready to devote himself to the cause.

"Well, we'll stay like this then," he finished with a finality that prompted Jin to finally look up at him, lips parted the slightest in wonder. He gave the hand a slight squeeze and was rewarded with the blush that seeped into Jin's skin, apparent even in the dimness of the cabin.

"You're full of surprises, Namjoon-ah," Jin declared before settling back into his shoulder, grip on his hand gentle but self-assured now. Namjoon didn't get much more sleep, but he was content to let Jin rest as he popped the headphones back in. He listened to a different playlist now, simply titled moon, as he stole occasional glances at their entwined hands.

It wasn't until some time later when Jin wanted to stand and stretch his legs that they let go. Even when Jin had first woken up, neither seemed willing to separate. Instead, Namjoon pulled one of the airpods off and offered it to Jin. Quietly listening to Namjoon's music, Jin's head still resting on his shoulder, hands still clasped. They stayed like that for - well, Namjoon honestly lost track of the time. Also, possibly reality, but he couldn't bring himself to mind.

After eventually managing to cope from the loss of contact, Namjoon decided he should probably do the same and at least give his legs a stretch. He stood, feeling heat strike him all over when he realized Jin was watching him keenly as he stretched in the aisle next to their seats. He was at least 60% confident he could tell when someone was checking him out, and that is very much what it felt like as he saw Jin's gaze seem to follow up and down his legs. It was quite a herculean effort not to have an obvious reaction, but he somehow persevered keeping cool.

"You're tall," was all Jin said as he plopped back down in his seat.

"Wow, you caught me. Can't get anything past you," he joked, earning a 'pfft' noise from the other though he was pretty sure he could see him holding back laughter.

"Anyway, so are you right?"

"Perhaps," he responded as though he was unconvinced, much to Namjoon's general amusement. He found himself making a mental note of the strange reaction, though he couldn't be entirely sure if Jin was into their seeming height difference or affronted by it.

Whatever they might have been able to say next was interrupted when a member of the flight staff came over to drop off their meals, Namjoon taking delight in the way Jin's entire face lit up at the sight of actual food.

"I hope you don't mind, she came by when you were asleep and I ordered one for you-"

"Namjoon-ah, you beautiful being, where have you been all my life?"

He knew it was a joke, but couldn't help the blush that he knew was sneaking its way onto his face.

"Well, I've probably been in Seoul for most of it, though I'm from Ilsan originally."

Jin chuckled lightly now as he unwrapped the bibimbap meal, pulling out his little in flight table and starting to dig in. Namjoon did the same, though he found himself distracted by each time Jin let out a noise as he ate. Was that an - outright moan? Namjoon took a long drink of his water and kind of wished it was maybe something stronger. He knew it was silly, the attachment he'd formed so quickly to the man enjoying his meal next to him. Part of it was attraction, sure, but somewhere between the banter and bonding and handholding something real had formed, for Namjoon. It wasn't as though anything would come of it, right?

"So Joon-ah," Jin began between bites, oblivious to the way Namjoon had nearly choked at the sudden familiar shortening of his name.

"I believe earlier you were going to tell me about your most favorite bonsai?"

He searched Jin's expression for a sign of sarcasm or jest, finding only light interest and - maybe a hint of flirtation? It seemed perhaps too good to be true. The second he felt the fluttering in his stomach, it was followed by the immediate sinking sensation that he might be doomed.

---

"Namjoon-ah, you think I look good right?"

Namjoon nearly inhaled his water (again), and he got the sense his reaction was more or less intended as Jin regarded him with challenging eyes.

"I-"

"With my natural hair?" He added innocently, almost coy. Namjoon knew he was being messed with, but also couldn't help wondering if somewhere deep down there was real insecurity being revealed here.

"My p- my friends have been trying to get me to try another color."

Namjoon furrowed his brow, as if the idea needed serious consideration. He felt certain any color hair would look good on Jin, but wasn't entirely sure if he felt ready to share that opinion.

He'd never been the best at keeping his thoughts to himself though, as he would be reminded rather quickly when-

"By the way, I think this blond really suits you."

Namjoon didn't stand a chance when Jin lifted a hand to take a small strand of hair gently between his fingers. He turned towards Jin, finding him quite close again.

"You look good," he replied, surprising even himself momentarily.

Jin made a valiant effort to come off as unaffected though Namjoon could see otherwise from the way he turned his gaze, ears a betraying shade of red. It seemed like Jin genuinely hadn't expected the response, despite his posturing.

"In your natural hair, I mean," he added with a grin.

He found himself pondering if Jin's skin would feel as heated as it looks, how else he could fluster him like this, but caught and stopped that line of thought before it could grow.

"Though I think any color would suit. Maybe you should try blond. We can match."

---

"You seem to really love your bonsai studies," Jin noted before popping a chip into his mouth. He offered the bag to Namjoon then, but he shook his head with a small thank you.

"There's just something inherently precious about it, you know? Being a part of something that's had such a rich, long history. I love it. I never tire of it, as you can tell from how much talking I've done."

"I like hearing you talk about it. You have so much passion, it's really admirable. Also precious, because your eyes really light up and-"

He cut off, skin promptly reddened as though he'd been caught off guard by his own words. Namjoon could only laugh and shook his head, bashful. It wasn't the first time he's heard similar remarks. One could call it a favorite target for well meant teasing from some select friends, but somehow it felt worlds different coming from Jin. With the way he blushed and the way he averted eye contact just for a moment following the admission.

It was a bit of a struggle to kickstart his brain back into any thinking that wasn't somehow related to Jin finding him cute and liking his hair and how it felt holding his hand. He remembered what they were discussing and cleared his throat.

"But the passion. Do you...do you have anything like that in your life? Sorry, I'm just overly curious, you don't have to answer-"

"No, I don't mind. I..." He trailed off, seeming to give serious consideration to the question. Namjoon couldn't help but to feel excited at the prospect of Jin's answer. Every small addition to the picture Namjoon was painting of who Jin was in his mind helped produce a fuller, more riveting piece. With every brushstroke, he only wanted to add more.

"I do have something, I think. Sometimes I forget how much I really do love it, so, thank you for reminding me to let myself enjoy more."

Sure, it may have been vague, but whatever Jin's reasons were for keeping specifics to himself Namjoon didn't mind. Not when Jin was looking at him like perhaps he too was working on building a picture of his own.

---

The final hour. A strange feeling of almost nostalgia had begun to sweep over Namjoon. It was as if he'd finally allowed himself to register the reality of this day and how special it had truly been to him.

"Passengers, please be aware that we are approaching descent. If you need to move about the cabin, please do so now. Again, we are approaching landing in about ten minutes."

Namjoon tried to ignore the way his insides churned at the idea of the flight coming to an end now. A long flight like this for Namjoon was typically stifling and stressful - for the first time in his life, he really didn't want this plane to land. The thought struck him so potently that he began rummaging through his bag for his phone, preparing himself to be bold, intending to ask Jin for his number, or anything really.

But just as he opened his mouth, the other spoke up first.

"Ah, I should go see if I can tame this..." He gestured to his still rather sleep mussed hair. "Before we land. Do you mind granting me passage through the great gates that are your legs here?" He paused, made a slightly scrunched up face, ears that shade of pink that was increasingly becoming Namjoon's favorite.

"That came out a little less witty and more suggestive than it seemed in my head, but the question still stands."

Namjoon simply raised his eyebrows, unsure how to respond. But when Jin began poking at his knee he sighed, stifling laughter, and stood to move out of his way. Or, about as out of the way as he could get in the narrow aisle. Jin stepped out with a bit of urgency in his step, but as he did the plane jolted just enough to throw him off balance and - like a scene from a drama he would probably have complained about - right into Namjoon's arms.

Oh.

Jin's face, his - everything, was suddenly so close that Namjoon's mind blanked, hands gripping onto the material of Jin's t-shirt as they rested just above the hipline to steady the other man. Jin's hands had landed on Namjoon's chest, where they remained as both of the laughed a bit awkwardly at the situation.

"Sorry, sorry," Jin mumbled, and Namjoon dismissed the apology with a shake of the head.

He thought he saw Jin take a glance down at his hands before letting out a small 'huh', but again, it was hard to process with his mind blank as it was.

"Careful," he simply replied, before realizing it was kind of an echo of their near first interaction.

"You okay?"

"Yeah," Jin breathed, looking up at him with an expression he didn't have the time to read before he looked away again. His hands were still on Jin's hips, and Jin's still on his chest. He definitely wasn't thinking about how easy it would be to dip his head down and touch his lips to-

"Excuse me, I'm sorry sirs I'm afraid we need to keep the aisle clear."

"Right, right of course." Jin slipped away almost instantly then, leaving only a gentle warmth on his hands and his chest behind. Namjoon fell back into his seat, stunned. He'd only known Jin for what - hours? He questioned the hold the other man seemed to already have on him, but then again he'd dated less interesting people whose total time spent with him came in under this flight length. That line of thought didn't entirely help - now he just wondered what a real date with Jin would be like.

He was still wondering when Jin returned some time later, looking refreshed and smelling of newly applied face lotion. Namjoon stood again obediently, carefully, to let Jin into his seat. He watched Jin rummage through his bag and pull out a cap, putting it on now. Namjoon wanted to mourn the view of Jin's hair, but found that Jin also looked really, really good in a baseball cap. Tragic.

They remained quiet for some time after settling back down, preparing for landing. Namjoon couldn't be sure if it was just him, but he felt a sense of somber reality wash over him. He felt almost like a kid not ready to face the end of an exciting summer and go back to school. Did Jin feel similarly at all? He stole a glance now, only to see the other man looking rather pensively out the window. Whatever that meant, or didn't mean.

Once they'd finally touched down, he heard Jin let out a sigh.

"Ah, good to be home, right?" Jin was smiling as he spoke, and Namjoon could relate to the sentiment behind the words. He wondered just how long Jin had been away, for whatever work had brought him stateside. He knew the other man's stay was a lot longer than his, just judging by the way he'd spoken of the city.

"Definitely," came his reply.

When Namjoon turned with a grin, it was a bit softened by the mixture of things he was feeling - and also a fair amount of travel fatigue setting in.

"You still looking forward to that date with your bed?" He couldn't resist asking, enjoying the other's shy reaction as he laughed.

"Oh so it's a date now? I do believe I said appointment, before."

The air felt almost electrified as Namjoon considered his response.

"Maybe a slip of the tongue, on my part, because--"

They were interrupted by the seatbelt lights shutting off, prompting everyone to start the process of unboarding the plane. Namjoon decided to convince himself his moment could wait, they just needed to step off the plane first is all. Go somewhere with less people in a hurry, maybe more food? He vaguely wondered if Jin would be willing to delay his bed appointment for a bite to eat. They could grab a meal, and maybe there Namjoon would take his chance.

He stood, moving out to get his bag from the overhead compartment, then on a moment's impulse turned back to Jin.

"Which one is yours?" He asked, head tilted up with a gentle smile once more.

Jin seemed surprised and - almost fond? in response.

"Silver with blue tags - the one with the giant Super Mario sticker on the side."

Namjoon simply laughed, without a doubt fond as he reached for the bag in question and handed it to Jin. He wanted to make another comment, to learn a bit more about whatever story was surely behind that sticker, faded as it was. Even if that story was just Jin saying that he really fucking likes Super Mario, Namjoon wanted to hear it.

As he handed the bag over however, two things happened.

One, Jin got a phone call that cruelly stole his attention away from Namjoon. Two, other passengers began shuffling behind Namjoon, encouraging him to move along. He was shamefully blocking the aisle so he could continue making eyes at Jin, after all, but who knew if he would ever get the chance again?

Still, it wasn't in him to be rude, so slowly, hesitantly, he began to move his legs. Though Jin was still wrapped up in his phone call, giving short answers to what seemed a series of questions, Namjoon gave a slight wave as he moved further from where Jin remained at their seats.

He felt a bit foolish, moving slowly with his head still turned to look behind, but that brief discomfort no longer mattered when he at the last moment caught Jin's eye. He responded with an apologetic smile for their having been separated, and saw Jin send back one of his own. But just before he couldn't hold up the line of people any longer, and he knew he would have to tear his gaze away, he saw a flash of something else cross Jin's face. He couldn't quite place it - somewhere between confusion and sadness, perhaps. That was the thought tugging on his heart as he was finally met with cool fresh air, just momentarily, before he was moving down the bridge that connected their plane to the terminal. His legs slowed of their own accord, hoping Jin would catch up any moment, even coming to a halt once when he had the sudden need to take a last glance at the plane he'd been in for the last near eighteen hours of his life.

When he finally planted his shoes down on the floors of the airport, Jin still hadn't caught up. He did notice quite a crowd of people in the arrival waiting area. The flight had been pretty packed, he supposed. Perhaps there were a lot of people waiting for other passengers. He vaguely wondered if Jin had someone waiting for him. It wasn't until someone bumped into him that he realized he was standing still again. It was a girl, probably a teenager, and she seemed dazed, clutching a piece of paper to her chest.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry!" She apologized, to which Namjoon assured her it was nothing.

"I just can't believe Kim Seokjin was on our plane the whole time!" He heard her exclaim to the other girl with her as she walked away.

His brow furrowed. That's when he noticed he cameras, and how many of them there were among the crowd of those waiting. Huh.

He found himself strangely thankful that his newfound puzzlement managed to distract him from the awkwardness of standing there like he was. As people continue to pour out of the bridge past him, he began to wonder just how foolish this was. Started to consider just leaving, the idea of going to crash on his bed at home as soon as possible not entirely unwelcome. He looked down to check his phone for the first time since getting off the plane, distracted just for a moment by the small slew of messages and notifications. That's when he heard the first shutter click. Shouts and screams followed closely behind, causing him to almost jump if it weren't for the sight before him that kept his feet firmly planted.

Jin had finally arrived.

He looked just the same as when Namjoon had left him on the plane, only with the addition of a nice jacket - obviously, an inner monologue supplied, it's only been about five minutes. But there was still a difference in his demeanor now, something just the slightest bit off as he greeted the hoards of fans and media with all the grace of someone far too used to this. It was jarring, seeing him step into the role with ease even as flashes went off everywhere. Jin seemed not to have noticed Namjoon, and he began to wonder if that was for the better when a girl next him decided to shout, "Seokjin-oppa I love you!"

Oh. Oh, now Jin turned around, looking in the direction of the voice with the gentle smile that suited his face so well. It was so very fast, barely an instant, so much that Namjoon would question whether it happened at all. But he felt fairly sure they made eye contact then - Jin's eyes widening just the slightest. That was the last he saw before security swept in and he could no longer place Jin in the sea of bodies. Then they were gone, the crowds dispersing, and Namjoon was left standing there not sure what to feel at all.

Not feeling quite ready to share the events of the day with any of his friends, he took the nearest cab home and let his mind unravel. So Jin, with his squeaky laugh and comforting eyes and soft hands was apparently "Seokjin-oppa". The more he thought about it, the more several things clicked into place - the way he avoided sharing anything too specific about his work, the papers he'd seen him stash away at one point that looked suspiciously like a script, the general perfection of his face and having a spare set of airpods to lend - wait.

Suddenly he began to pat down all his pockets, finding the object of his thought after two searches. The airpod, he hadn't even returned it. He groaned inwardly. So not only had he left without saying a proper goodbye, he'd stolen one half of his damn earphones. That wasn't it though. The more he thought about it, the more miserable he felt as he realized he had absolutely no way of contacting Jin, or even really proving that he hadn't imagined the entire thing (lonely airpod aside). He'd told the other man about at least five different bonsai designs and where he grew up but hadn't told him important things like where he actually worked or his kakao handle. Fuck.

He spent the rest of the car ride sulking, ignoring the texts that popped up on his phone from Jimin and Hoseok. He didn't know what it was that he and Jin - Seokjin - had shared on the flight. All he did know was that he hadn't been ready to let it go. He sighed, staring out the window at the familiar streets approaching his place. No way his friends were going to let him live this one down. Couldn't he just have had a normal, mediocre flight and spend the time sleeping or reading as intended? That line of thought didn't work either, because it just made him realize he wouldn't have traded that time with Jin for anything, even if it does end up being all the time he gets. One day this would just be a funny story he tells people - that time he met Kim Seokjin and held his hand and shared music and-- on second thought, perhaps he preferred to keep most of those details for himself.

By the time he finally reached home, he was in the process of convincing himself there's no way Jin is as broken up about their parting as he is. Maybe he was like this with everyone. Charming but shy, kind and attentive and a little flirtatious. It occurred to him that though he may never know Jin's feelings or intentions, there was in fact a way he could continue to learn more about the other man (even if it wasn't the way he would have most preferred).

So when he fell into his couch, he did what any self respecting individual who just spent an entire day with someone he later learned to be a highly popular celebrity would do - he pulled out his phone, and searched the name Kim Seokjin.

It was a strange process, reconciling famous actor Seokjin with the Jin he'd gotten to know over the course of their very long day together. Seokjin, who apparently had been the star of three successful dramas and just finished filming for his first international project in New Yor- oh.

The funniest thing about it, he found himself realizing as he set his phone back down for a moment to process, was his first thought in response to the information - he really, really just wanted to hear more about it from Jin himself. He sighed, dropped his head back onto the couch. He thought about Jin's laugh, and how warm his eyes looked when he listened to Namjoon ruminate on his passions.

He picked his phone back up, and kept reading. Kim Seokjin made a generous donation to the Korean Animal Welfare Association. Kim Seokjin may make return to theatre next year. Kim Seokjin expressed support for LGBT community. Kim Seokjin opens up about friendship with producer Min Yoongi. Kim Seokjin goes viral for being so handsome (again). Kim Seokjin to star alongside Bae Joohyun for second time. Kim Seokjin made surprise appearance in idol Jungkook's music video. Kim Seokjin played MapleStory with fans on VLive - watch now!

Who was he to deny such an invitation? He clicked the link, and immediately jumped as he heard Jin's loud voice fill the room. He was shouting at the game, seemingly out of frustration for the session not going as planned. Namjoon watched as Jin's character fell, and fell. He couldn't help but to be amused by Jin's whining in the background, but wasn't prepared for how overwhelmingly fond he would feel when the camera panned back to Jin, pout in full force. Great. He'd gone 24 years of life without getting roped into any celebrity fixations (like certain friends of his) and now - well, what could he call this? It felt special. It felt like a real connection. But did Jin feel the same? Now he supposed he would never know.

As the vlive clip ended, an advertisement for what he presumed was Jin's latest drama popped up. Huh.

Before he could contemplate that step, his phone suddenly began to buzz. Jimin, shit. With everything that had happened, he'd forgotten to call and let him know he was home.

"Hi, Jiminie. Yes, I'm home, yes, I took a cab, I- what? N-no...I um, I didn't. See him. Listen, I'm pretty tired, I think I'm gonna crash but we can talk more tomorrow yeah? Lunch at the usual? Yes, I'll be glad to see you guys too. Okay, night."

He was feeling pretty tired, exhaustion and jetlag growing more apparent by the minute. He found himself reminded of Jin and his date with his bed. He wondered if he was there now.

On second thought, maybe it couldn't hurt to do some light viewing before sleep.

---

"So...that thing you mentioned, about Kim Seokjin being on my same flight, are you a fan of his?"

"Yes!" Jimin said at the exact same time that Hoseok replied, "If by fan you mean he's down to fuck- what?"

Hoseok found himself under attack from both a defensive Jimin and a mortified Namjoon. He quickly threw his hands up in surrender, but Jimin's aim had already shifted from him to Namjoon.

"Wait why do you care? And- are you blushing?"

Namjoon sighed. It wasn't as if he'd though he would be able to keep the truth from his friends, or that he wanted to really, just he'd hoped to bring it up in perhaps a more subtle way.

"I knew it, you did see him! He's gorgeous right? Did you get any pictures?"

A picture. Wouldn't that have been brilliant? He had a vision of himself asking Jin if they could take a picture together. He wondered if Jin would have agreed, or if it might have scared him away. After much ruminating on the issue, he felt fairly certain Jin valued his privacy. Namjoon was fairly sure he wouldn't have even posted the picture - it would've just been nice to have. To look at maybe, for soley non-pining related reasons.

"No, no pictures," he replied, somewhat dejected as he tried to work out how exactly to explain what had happened and that it wasn't any typical celebrity encounter.

"He is though," he found himself saying, the words feeling foreign and scary said out loud for the first time no matter how many times he'd thought about it.

"Gorgeous. God."

He suddenly leaned forward over the table, dropping his head into his hands. Then everything came spilling out for better or worse.

"So I got upgraded to first class and Kim Seokjin was my seat neighbor, except I didn't know he was Kim Seokjin because he introduced himself as Jin, and he let me use his airpods - I actually still have one of them, and his laugh is as loud as mine, and-"

"Wait. Wait," Jimin interrupted as Hoseok looked on, baffled.

"You didn't just see Seokjin, you sat next to him for the entire flight? And...he seems to have made an impression."

Namjoon could only nod weakly.

"His hands are soft," he added quietly, the words slipping out of their own volition much to his misery. So much for subtle.

The next 40 minutes of their lunch was spent with Namjoon explaining most of what happened and answering a slew of questions from his friends. Did he and Seokjin hookup? (Jimin.) How long did they hold hands? (Also Jimin.) Did they really talk about a manga for an hour? (Hoseok.) Is going to show up at Jin's next premiere event and declare his love before the world, like a drama Jin could star in? (Both were pretty on board with this one - and swiftly got carried away with the scene.)

While the answer to that question was a definite no, it did make Namjoon wonder if there was anything more realistic he could do to reach out to Jin. Preferably without coming off as only wanting to do so because of the fame factor, because that was very far from the case. They may have been one in the same, but to Namjoon, the man he longed to know better was more Jin than Kim Seokjin.

After lunch they went back to Namjoon's to continue discussion - also, to finish watching the drama Namjoon had started marathoning the night prior because Jimin insisted they watch together now. It was a somewhat surreal experience, watching a drama starring the guy he may have caught feelings for with a friend who's apparently had a fan crush on said guy for a few years. It did help a bit, getting warnings before the shots that would be particularly brutal as one generally enthralled with Jin's face, though nothing would prepare him for episode 3 of season 2.

Life began to move on, though Namjoon didn't, not entirely.

He'd been checking Jin's twitter regularly. Namjoon himself wasn't much for it. He hadn't even remembered he had an account until he went to get the app and found it'd been loaded before. He kept hoping for some sign, that maybe Jin would post something to reach him. It seemed far fetched but also not at the same time, the idea that Jin could be feeling similarly, could be wanting to connect.

But so far Jin had yet to post much other than work related updates and one tweet about a meal he had that only made Namjoon feel hungry in addition to lonely.

It was after he got home from another day at the greenhouse that he pulled out his phone again to check his most frequently visited twitter account (his only visited twitter account) and saw it. Hope, born in the form of a selfie where Jin showed off his newly dyed hair. Blond. 'How do I look?' The post asked, and Namjoon quite fiercely wanted to answer. In a spur of excitement, he did all he could think to do, which was to press the follow button on Jin's account. Immediately after, he called his more twitter savvy friends over to try and understand what exactly he'd done and if Jin would see it.

The general consensus was probably not, based on Namjoon having such a small, abandoned account and Jin's being both large and verified. Namjoon wasn't sure if he felt more relieved or disappointed. Though he very much wanted to catch Jin's notice, he couldn't deny the reality of doing so made him feel a bit nervous. As things stood, if he never heard from Jin again he could assume it was because he too didn't know how to reach him. But if Namjoon did make an attempt and it was dismissed - that was the scary bit. The possibility that maybe all of this was more one-sided than he realized.

"Cheer up hyung," came Taehyung's soft voice with a pat on his shoulder.

"There's no way he could forget about you. You're way too cool, and charming!" Namjoon really appreciated all his friends, but Taehyung - he was in it to win today.

"I'll even bet on it." Namjoon shook his head, finding the whole idea too much, but his friends pushed on anyway.

"Hey, that's no fair!" Jimin complained.

"We have faith in Namjoonie-hyung too!"

Taehyung ignored his protests and kept attention on Namjoon.

"If you somehow run into Jin again in the next three weeks, he finds you or you find him, you have to let me do a full photoshoot of you at the greenhouse."

Namjoon groaned. Taehyung had been asking for ages, and Namjoon had brushed it off each time. It wasn't that he was opposed, just a bit nervous at the idea - not of him being photographed, but his trees. It wouldn't do for them to be captured as anything less than how beautiful they each were, but he figured maybe he should give Taehyung more credit as a photographer. He wouldn't let him down. He came to the conclusion this bet was more his friend giving him a slightly more fun way to regard his predicament, and he was thankful for it.

"Okay. I'll accept that deal."

Jimin continued to grumble for a bit, but seemed satisfied when Taehyung promised he could accompany them for the shoot. Namjoon thought it might've been nice to be consulted, considering he's the one who works there, but had learned long ago to pick his battles.

That night as the credits rolled on the latest of their viewing and his friends argued about the twist at the end of the crime drama, Namjoon felt pensive.

He opened up the picture again, of freshly blond Jin smiling at the camera. You look good, he thought to himself, enjoying the memory of those exchanged words. It couldn't be a coincidence. Maybe Taehyung was right.

---

"Atta girl, you're growing so beautifully," Namjoon murmured, cooing over the small new branches growing on the tree. He set down the clippers he'd been using to trim, and picked up his notebook to jot down a few notes. Today would be a slow day - not that they typically ever had fast ones in the greenhouse, tucked away from the world as it was.

He'd already checked off most maintenance for the day, so he had the rest of his day for his research, contemplation and of course playing host for any visitors they may by chance recieve. He still thought of Jin, often. It was hard not to when he'd now worked his way through two of his dramas and two episodes of a third. That was without counting all the films, too. Most of them he'd overall enjoyed, except for maybe that one with the really terrible writing not even Jin's exceptional babyface could save. Any time he thought too long about Jin beyond the fictional characters he played on screen, he felt a bit sad. He was willing to admit it now, that he was sad things had gone how they did. He fluctuated quite a bit between remaining hopeful, as Taehyung insisted, or letting himself despair. He shook his head of it, figuring at some point he'll naturally move on. What he needed now was a distraction in the mean time, and his work was perfect for that.

Pulling out the book he'd picked up on his recent New York trip, he made his way out to the garden, intending to just relax and get some reading in while he had the place to himself. He settled onto the bench with a sigh, enjoying the soft breeze and just the right amount of sun shining down. The beauty of it all never got old for him.

He'd been immersed in the text for about ten minutes when he heard the chime of the greenhouse that indicated a visitor had entered. Relatively surprised, he jumped back up and went inside, abandoning his book on the ground next to the bench. He moved towards the front door to see -

"Oh my god. Jin? You- how?"

"Namjoon-ah! It's really you, wow. Um. Hi."

Jin seemed almost shy as he stepped further into the space, as if he wasn't sure how welcomed he would be. Jin. Kim Seokjin. Was really, truly here in the middle of the greenhouse that he called his home away from home and looking at him like Namjoon would what, turn him away? The notion was so ridiculous that Namjoon was stunned speechless for several moments.

"If- if you're busy I can go, it's o-"

"No! No, not busy. Please don't go. I just - can't believe you're really here."

He let his eyes wander a bit as the reality of Jin standing in front of him again sunk in. Jin was in black jeans and a light blue sweater. He was also very, very blond, which Namjoon already knew - but it didn't make the shock any less significant when faced with his good looks in person. He himself was in a simple t-shirt and his favorite pair of loose cotton pants. Could be worse, he supposed. Yesterday he wore that one tank Jimin always makes jokes about seeing his tits in.

"I'm really here. And...honestly so happy to see you- you and your trees of course."

Namjoon smiled, mind racing with all the things he'd said he would say or do if he saw Jin again. Then a thought occured to him.

"Oh!"

He zoomed over to a corner of the room, shuffling papers and assorted clutter around until he found was he was looking for: Jin's airpod. Holding it out almost triumphantly, he walked back over to Jin.

"I swear I didn't mean to take it, I didn't even realize until I was already in the cab, so I just..."

And there it was. The sound he'd been missing terribly these weeks and thought he would only ever get to enjoy again in videos on a small screen. Jin was laughing, squeaks echoing through the greenhouse in a way that made Namjoon feel like a kid with a crush again. Perhaps a too apt comparison, but he enjoyed it nonetheless if just for how pleased Jin seemed.

"Namjoon-ah. You think I stalked your social media, then pulled strings with connections until I could find this place, figure out your hours and when it would be empty so I could get my airpod back?"

"I..." He trailed off. He really didn't know what to say to that, processing it all.

"You went through all that...to find me?"

Jin's ears were already turning red.

"I did. You know, you're really under the radar here. What kind of place doesn't have any social media presence in this age? Other than a few traces thanks to photo happy employees like you."

Namjoon couldn't help but to laugh, sheepish.

"The boss likes to keep things old fashioned. Believes the right people will find their way here without all that. Also, there's no internet here, so."

He shrugged. He still couldn't believe Jin was standing there in front of him, next to the group of seedlings he'd just watered about twenty minutes ago. With his freshly blond hair, that may or may not have been inspired by his own suggestion.

"Okay, so you're not here for the airpod," he spoke, voice low as he let the meaning of the words sink in. He shoved said airpod into his pocket. For whatever reason, he still wanted to hold onto it.

"Do...you want some tea? We have a small kitchen in the back. If you have the time, we can sit in the garden and talk." Jin's face lit up, heart speeding up of its own volition.

"That'd be lovely, thank you."

Namjoon disappeared through a door with a smile, leaving Jin to take in the space. He'd never spent much time in any sort of greenhouse setting, but it felt rewarding, being in the setting of so many stories and passions Namjoon had shared with him during their conversations. He felt proud of himself for even recognizing a few names around the room.

Soon enough Namjoon returned with two cups, and tilted his head towards a set of double doors that led out to what Jin presumed was the aforementioned garden. It really was like some sort of oasis tucked away from the rest of the bustling city. Jin found himself thinking it would be nice to spend more time there - or perhaps it was just the man sitting next to him now that prompted this particular thought. Namjoon handed him his cup, fingers brushing over each other. It felt to Jin like he'd lingered just for a second longer than necessary, but he couldn't be sure. Namjoon knew he had.

"So...the blond," Namjoon began, hiding his face behind said cup.

"It suits."

"Thank you. I'm between projects so I just thought - why not? The brown suits you. Funny though, we were supposed to match, right?"

"Ah sorry, my roots kept coming in so I decided this would be easier-"

"I should be the one apologizing," Jin interrupted, regret immediately seeping into his features at the stunned expression Namjoon wore, but he pushed on anyway.

"Namjoon. I genuinely didn't know there would be such a crowd there that day, when we arrived at the airport. That's what the phone call was about, when we landed. My manager was trying to warn me that it somehow leaked I would be there. I wanted to- to at the very least say goodbye but then the cameras were there and it just - didn't happen."

"It's okay, hyung, really."

"I just - I didn't tell you who I was because well, honestly it didn't feel necessary? We were getting along so well, and I loved hearing about you, your work so much. I was worried if I told you, that would somehow change."

Jin's gaze dropped, and he took a long drink of his tea.

"I understand, truly Jin-hyung you don't owe me any explanations. I was just happy to have met you at all. It was fun - honestly, the most fun I think I've had on a plane."

"What, no mile high club then?"

Namjoon nearly choked on his tea, just as Jin seemed to have recovered himself and winked.

"No, can't say I've ever- uh, no. So, you...?" He asked weakly, to which Jin was smug.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Boy, did he ever.

As they both chuckled, it was as if they'd instantly picked up where they left off. Comfortable, content - but never too far off from sparkling excitement. When Jin spoke again, there was an earnest edge to his voice, like he really wanted Namjoon to hear the words.

"I saw you though, you know. I'd been a bit crushed that you had left and then I turned and saw you there just before - well, I knew I had to find you again. Life got in the way a lot, but here I am, finally."

Namjoon was touched, and especially relieved that apparently he hadn't been the only one to be so affected by their time together. More than anything he felt grateful that Jin had put forth such an effort to reunite them - he wondered if he should have made more of a real attempt himself rather than resigning to pine from a distance the rest of his days, or something like that.

"So...how exactly did you find me here, anyway? You know, lack of internet presence and all."

"Well, actually...you followed me on twitter?"

Namjoon furrowed his brow, surprised. He knew very little about twitter but had been so certain there was no way Jin would notice his trivial account.

"You mean you actually saw that? I didn't think- what do I have, ten followers? Oh god, I never even uploaded a profile picture."

"Oh but you did hook up your twitter to instagram which is filled with, might I say rather nice, pictures of this handsome mug." He brought a hand up to frame cutely under Namjoon's chin. Namjoon could only shake his head as he blushed furiously in response to the sudden compliment.

"Searched your name in twitter, found that account, which led to instagram, which gave me the name of this place. From there it was just a matter of asking around, really."

Namjoon took the opportunity to grab Jin's still outstretched hand and give it a light squeeze.

"Thank you," he dropped his grip after a moment. Jin felt the loss.

"For finding me. It means- so much. You're amazing."

"Ah, so I've been told," he joked.

"Frequently in game chatrooms and the occasional generous film review."

They both laughed lightly, then let a comfortable silence follow. Jin quietly set his drink down and spoke up.

"So," he began, head tilted in curiosity.

"Are you going to show me around? I need to see this infamous Zelkova, after all."

He was reward with the sight of Namjoon positively beaming, and suddenly it didn't seem so embarrassing that he'd spent time searching names of bonsai varieties to find the one that Namjoon had mentioned so often and save it for future knowledge.

"You really remember it?" He set his drink down on the bench next to Jin's, and stood up. He offered Jin his hand.

"Of course I did," Jin replied, gladly taking the outstretched hand as he too stood. Namjoon let go a moment later, instead moving said hand to point towards a particularly large tree among those on display in the quaint garden area.

"There she is," he said, voice fond, and for one absurd second of time Jin almost felt jealous of a tree.

They stepped closer, and he could see draping layers of bright green leaves shining under the sun. Jin had never been particularly drawn to nature, or the outdoors in general, but even he could find something so magical in the art of bonsai and these majestic trees. He wondered if perhaps Namjoon's passion was infectious.

"She's lovely," he replied, reaching a hand out before hesitating.

"Can I?" He asked, gesturing towards a particularly striking leaf, and Namjoon nodded.

"Go for it."

Jin traced his hand over the leaf, smiling gently as he did. At this moment, Namjoon felt a hard tug in his chest, something warm spreading through him like he'd so often felt in Jin's presence. But it was one thing to have talked about this work that he so loves with the other, it was something else entirely more exciting to actually share it with him.

He showed him around the small space of the garden, rattling off names and fun facts. Jin asked the occasional question, his interest genuine even if he wasn't sure how much he would retain.

Eventually they returned to their seats on the bench, tea now significantly cooled but still decent enough to drink, so Namjoon took a long gulp and tried to quiet the voice in his head that remarked how much this almost felt like a date. Thinking on it now, it occurs to him that he actually doesn't typically take his dates here. Not only because yes, it's his work, but also there was always that undercurrent of uncertainty whether any individual will understand how special it is to him. He realized he didn't have that worry with Jin. It was a nice feeling. He hoped Jin felt the same with him.

"So you were in New York for fiming, right? Much longer than I was there. How was it?"

Jin seemed a bit surprised, but not upset, by the change in topic. Namjoon could see a slight shy shift in Jin, now that the attention was going his direction, towards shyness again. In a spur of the moment decision he reached out to rest his hand on Jin's knee, the touch solid and reassuring.

"Ah, it was a lot of fun. I mean, at first I was apprehensive. I tend to get pretty home sick, sometimes even when we're just filming in Gangneung, but this crew in New York, they were really welcoming. And it was a very global cast, so at least I wasn't the only one with terrible English," he laughed.

"I'm sure your English isn't terrible," Namjoon responded immediately. Jin was entertained by Namjoon's seeming genuine faith in him, but decidedly dismissed the idea.

"You're sweet," he replied, leaning forward to tap Namjoon on the nose as if that settled the matter. It was effective, as Namjoon forgot whatever else he was going to say, instead fighting a blush as he moved to hide his face again behind his cup. It was already empty now, but Jin didn't have to know that.

"Maybe we can--"

Jin never finished the thought, as at that moment they both jumped, hearing the distinct chime of the greenhouse door which meant someone else had arrived. Namjoon winced, momentarily torn between his enjoyment of talking to visitors and his perhaps a stronger word than enjoyment for spending time with Jin.

"I have to go get that, but I doubt it will be too long. I- can you wait? Please don't leave yet. Unless you have to obviously, but I really-"

"Joon-ah, go. I can wait. I won't take off again, don't worry." Would always wait, his mind absurdly supplied as he watched Namjoon nod and take off back into the greenhouse.

Jin took the opportunity to glance around again, happy imagining how Namjoon would dilligently spend his days doting on each tree there. It felt like a perfect day. Sun, light breeze, scent of flowers and greenery wafting through the air. Though he wasn't sure even rain could dampen his spirits as he considered the way Namjoon smiled at him, all the light touches that sent sparks through him. After a few minutes of solitude he began to feel restless and stood, stretching mildly.

Before he could step away, he noticed the book on the ground. He smiled, recognizing it as the same one Namjoon had pulled out on the plane - though neither of them had done much reading in the end. Jin wandered back, slowly and quietly, in the direction of the greenhouse. As he stepped inside, he could hear Namjoon's voice filling the green space. He was talking in that same enthusiastic, babbling sort of way he did on the flight. It was terribly endearing to Jin, each and every time. He set the book down on a nearby table, the same one he remembered Namjoon pulling the airpod out of.

As he moved closer he was able to see that Namjoon was with a girl, looking to be about Jungkook's age or so. Likely a student, he guessed, just by the heavy backpack on the floor next to them. He appeared to be talking about the tree in front of them, which Jin thought he remembered as being called a Juniper. The girl was taking notes in between stealing ever so sweet starry-eyed glances at Namjoon. Of course. He couldn't blame her.

Jin didn't want to interrupt or throw Namjoon off, so he kept his distance, occupying himself at a small panel that talked about how to water your bonsai. Truly riveting content - somehow he imagined if Namjoon were reading it to him, he'd be a bit less sarcastic about it. He made a mental note to ask him some time, and see if that was the case. This of course implied there would be another time, another chance, a future that involved the two of them being more than just a one-off in each others' lives. Did Namjoon want that as much as he did?

Eventually he heard the visitor departing, and Namjoon seemed surprised when he strode over so quickly.

"Oh, how long were you there?"

"Sorry, is it weird I was watching? Guess I kind of just like seeing you in your element. Also, that girl definitely has a crush on you now."

"What?" Namjoon sputtered in response, with a glance to the door as if double checking whether the girl in question had left.

"Don't be ridiculous. She's just relieved someone was here to help her so she didn't have to slug through extra research."

"Uh huh," Jin replied, unconvinced.

"Just saying. Seems like the kind of thing that can happen, after talking to you."

Namjoon brought a hand up to the back of his neck, unsure of how to respond to what seemed an admission of some sort.

Then he shrugged.

"Anyway, I should confess - I've enjoyed you in your element too. Quite a bit. I...kind of watched most of your filmography. After I found out who you are."

That prompted more of Jin's loud laughter, the kind that made Namjoon feel warm and at home. The smile on his face was instantaneous.

"Oh god," Jin groaned finally.

"Well, what did you think? You a fan now?"

"Oh, absolutely. You're a talented actor, Seokjin-hyung, though I didn't expect anything less. Though I wonder-" He cut off, uncertain about the question he wants to ask.

"Go ahead. Whatever you want to say, I'm sure I can handle it. I want to hear."

"I just...was wondering. When I asked if you had something in your life - a passion like mine, your answer. Were you referring to your work as an actor?"

Jin's smile was both a relief and a sight to behold.

"Yes, actually, you're right. Well it's - I mean, sometimes it's easy to forget you know? Since it's what pays my bills too too, how much I love it. Now that I'm acting on screens in front of millions instead of on a small stage downtown."

"I read that you got your start in theatre," Namjoon chimed in, then immediately folded a bit at the realization he'd just outted just how much time he spent fixating on Jin after their fateful meeting. Despite his nerves, Jin only seemed more pleased.

"I did, for two years, until a scout showed up one day back stage and well, I'm guessing you read the rest," he teased, nudging Namjoon with his elbow.

"I couldn't help it okay? You charmed me for a whole day then disappeared. Figured I would probably never see you again, so I definitely didn't consider you know, looking you in the face after that shower scene in-"

"Okay, okay, yeah, oh my god. I didn't even think of that- you-" He let out a pained groan, then shook his head, hands going up to shield his face in embarrassment. Namjoon couldn't help but to enjoy how flustered Jin seemed to be, that pink twinge never too far from his skin. He grinned, biting down on his lip the slightest before he reached out to softly wrap hands around Jin's wrists and guide them down away from his face.

"Hey, hey, sorry. I just couldn't resist teasing. I do hope you're not too uncomfortable now."

Namjoon bit down on his lip as Jin shook his head, expression turning the slightest bit cheeky.

"If you want I can take my shirt off now, so we'll be even?"

Jin's mouth dropped open, then he closed it, swallowed. His eyes involuntarily drifted from Namjoon's playful expression down towards his expanse of chest. Namjoon's hands were still wrapped around his wrists, warm to the touch.

The air felt charged for one, two beats -- and then they were both laughing, boistrous and carefree. Jin fell forward as he laughed, hands meeting said chest of the moment prior as Namjoon brought a hand to Jin's shoulder. They stayed like this for some time in their bubble of mirth, until eventually the laughter slowed.

Jin felt an overwhelming urge to bury his face into the crook of where Namjoon's neck met shoulder. So he did just that, turning their stance into an embrace as Namjoon, though somewhat surprised, didn't hesitate to wrap arms around the other.

"Really glad I found you," Jin mumble against shirt prompting Namjoon's smile to soften.

"Me too. God, so glad, hyung."

When they finally pulled apart again, though still very close, Namjoon seemed to seriously consider his next words, gaze landing steady on Jin.

"Do you want to see something really special?"

Jin tilted his head.

"What, you mean more special than your Zelkova?"

Namjoon smiled again, grin settling in warm and broad across his features.

"Mm, I'll have you know there's plenty of room in my heart for more than one favorite. This one, we just moved it out from the nursery to display here. It's quite a treasure."

"Oh? Lead the way," Jin replied. Namjoon woefully took a step back, and nodded.

"C'mon," he waved a hand, indicating for Jin to follow him as he moved in the direction of a short hallway. As they walked, Namjoon fought flushing the slightest as he felt a set of eyes on his legs again, remembering that moment last time.

No way he could have imagined it more than once now, right?

He did his best to look unaffected as they reached the end of the corridor and he turned around to face Jin. Clearly he wanted to ask something, so Jin stepped forward and prodded his arm.

"What? Why are we stopped here?" He asked, voice laced in amusement as he looked around at the surrounding walls. He eyed a panel about flowering bonsais.

"I was just thinking. Could make it more of a surprise reveal." He put out his hands. "Do you mind?"

Jin shook his head, not entirely sure what Namjoon was asking but finding he wasn't too concerned when the other man looked so excited. Suddenly Namjoon had moved behind him, close enough to feel warmth radiating, but still careful to leave a gap between them (unfortunately, Jin found himself thinking). Namjoon's hands covered over Jin's eyes, fingertips ghosting over skin ever so lightly.

"Okay, turn to the left," came Namjoon's voice, soft in his ear. Jin tried to do as instructed with some semblence of grace, and let himself be guided down another hallway. By the time they came to a halt again, they'd only stumbled once. Jin wasn't sure what he considered more of a victory - this fact, or the way Namjoon's hand had immediately dropped to his hip when they did. Not long after, he felt Namjoon pull away both hands, taking a few steps back.

"We're here!"

He took the signal to open his eyes then, blinking a few times to adjust. He was met with the sight of a beautiful bonsai tree, slightly larger than those in the entry room of the greenhouse but smaller than those in the garden, with elegantly sloping limbs. But the real star of the show were the many flowers blossoming across the tree, in a striking combination of whites and pinks. He could immediately see what Namjoon had meant about it being a treasure.

"Wow," Jin let out under his breath, unable to keep the word from coming out as overly fond.

"You like it?" Namjoon asked, beaming almost as if the plant were a personal achievement of his.

Jin nodded, moving in the slightest bit closer to look it over. Like earlier, he reached out a hand to trace over one of the flowers, the touch careful and near reverent. Last thing he wanted was to somehow damage Namjoon's most precious work. As he did, Namjoon spoke up again.

"A Satsuki Azalea. It...reminds me of you, you know. Striking visually, when you first lay eyes, beautiful - but increasingly so, the more you spend time getting to know it. Only then do you understand how truly rare and precious such a find is."

Jin dropped his hand.

"Namjoon-ah," he near whispered, voice heavy with emotion at the sudden sentimental words.

"Jin-hyung. I- I didn't think I would get this chance again, to tell you how much it meant to me, that day we had together. If you'll allow me...I'd like to- to do what I would have done, what I wanted to do that day, when we got off the plane..."

Jin seemed at a loss for words as Namjoon looked at him so earnestly. It almost felt like the wind was knocked out of him - he didn't know what he'd expected when he came searching for Namjoon but it certainly wasn't the way that the other man took a step forward, then gently took Jin's hand in his.

"Can I kiss you?" Namjoon finally asked.

"Please," Jin replied, voice light and airy. Namjoon watched Jin's eyes flutter shut, and found himself momentarily distracted - just like that first day - by those eyelashes.

"Well?" Jin asked, peeking an eye open at him.

"Sorry, sorry, I just, god you're gorgeous."

Jin squeezed his eyes shut again, but smiled widely. Namjoon relished the soft blush that dusted over his skin, especially potent at the ears like always. He leaned forward, and pressed his lips gently to Jin's cheek, lingering for one moment, two, before pulling away again.

When Jin opened his eyes, they were lit with amusement now, causing Namjoon to feel even more coy.

"What?"

"Joon-ah, I know you tend to lose things but I really don't think my lips are difficult to find."

Before Namjoon could respond, Jin leaned forward, tugging on his shirt to bring him closer until their lips met and oh. Oh. Though the cheek had many merits of his own, and Namjoon had no regrets over his decision, Jin's lips against his - it was beyond words, even for him. He couldn't bring himself to mind the lapse as Jin looped arms over his neck with a sigh Namjoon could feel against skin. They stayed like this for quite some time, wrapped around one another in front of the bonsai. Sometimes kissing more, sometimes just basking in each other, foreheads pressed in close. Eventually Jin broke the silence, though he didn't yet move.

"I'm gonna send a basket of flowers to the airline for upgrading you that day," Jin declares, prompting a light chuckle from Namjoon as he pulls back just enough to meet eyes.

"Possibly several."

Namjoon squeezed Jin's hand, still warm in his.

"I'll chip in for that." He paused, then furrowed his brow.

"Wait. Shouldn't I send them a bonsai? Actually, where would we even send them? And would they take care of it or just let it-"

"Oh my god. I really wanna kiss you again. Why did that of all things make me really wanna kiss you again?"

He shook his head.

"Nevermind, don't answer that right now. Just come here."

He did as requested, Namjoon closing the gap between them again, this time sliding both arms around Jin to pull them near flush together.

"If we're being completely honest, I've thought about this so much," Namjoon murmured against Jin's temple.

"What it would be like to spend more time with you. To kiss you, hold you. Thought they'd stay daydreams forever. Thought I was foolish for feeling so strongly after a day, but I couldn't shake you from my mind, hyung. Didn't want to."

Jin could do nothing more than smile as his heartrate seemed to skyrocket, then pressed his lips soundly to Namjoon's again with a small hum of pleasure. Where the first kiss was soft, sweet, this one was more exploratory, almost languid as neither seemed in a rush to push for more or break apart.

When did finally separate again, slightly breathless just from the rush of feelings, Jin smirked. He let out a slow breath.

"Take that, trees."

"I'm sorry what?" Namjoon asked as he burst into laughter again.

"They got the message," he glanced towards the bonsai before returning his gaze to Namjoon.

"You may claim to have room in there for all the favorites, but a man's gotta take a win where he can."

Namjoon's laughter only grew in response, eyebrow quirked upwards.

"Is that what this is? And here I thought you were getting along so well." He pressed lips to Jin's temple, noting that his hair smelled faintly of lavender. He lingered there until a breeze lifted said hair enough to tickle his nose, prompting him to pull away, face scrunched up. It was Jin's turn to laugh now, patting Namjoon's chest as he did. Once they'd both recovered themselves again, Jin looked up at Namjoon, eyes searching.

"Hey. I really like you. If I haven't made that clear enough yet. I definitely wouldn't have gone full drama to find you if I wasn't very interested in, well, you. Getting to know you so much more. And kissing. A lot of kissing. Though I didn't exactly know that would be at play when I planned coming here. Have to admit I may have hoped it would though."

When Namjoon didn't reply immediately, taking his time to ponder a response, Jin cleared his throat and finished with -

"Please don't leaf me hanging, Namjoonie."

"Did you really-" Namjoon cut off, eyes continuing to sparkle with amusement. He seemed to consider for a moment.

"Yep, I still really wanna kiss you after that. Maybe even more so." He shook his head in disbelief, terribly endeared.

"If I haven't made it clear yet, I really like you too, hyung. I kind of wasn't going to let you leave here today without at least asking you on a date, even if it seemed like a long shot. So. Very on board with the kissing. And spending more time with you. Feels like I could just talk with you forever and never get bored, honestly." He brought a hand to his chest and grinned.

"Might even have room for a special category of favorite in here. One of the non-green variety."

"Mm, you haven't seen me after one too many shots yet."

"Something tells me we'll be changing that."

A thought suddenly occurred to Namjoon as he looked around the room. Taehyung.

"Hey. When you say you had to ask around to find me, do you remember...who exactly told you about me in the end?"

Jin's brow furrowed as he seemed to consider.

"Hmm, I think in the end actually it was thanks to Jungkook - you'll have to meet him some time, he's kind of the worst but also I love him quite a bit. Don't tell him I said that when you do meet. Also we kind of looked at your instagram together and now I'm pretty sure he thinks you're way cooler than me. Which might be true, but also, you're lucky I like you."

Jin poked Namjoon in the ribs affectionately, and Namjoon did the same to Jin in retalliation. Both wore matching grins.

"What was the question again? Oh yeah, anyway, he asked some of his staff, I think he said it was his makeup artist, who knows this photographer who knows you? Or at least is familiar with your work here- wait, why?"

Namjoon couldn't help but to laugh.

"Nothing, just, yeah, I know the photographer. And now I know why he was so certain we would meet again."

Jin's eyebrows shot up, mouth forming a small 'oh' as he nodded in understanding.

"Maybe we'll send him some hypothetical flowers too."

"Maybe," Namjoon agreed as he leaned in for another kiss.

---

A private jet. A real, actual private jet. Apparently a perk of Jin's newest gig, a mini-series that would be filming at their destination, a group of islands off the coast. Since Jin was staying long enough to rent a place, he'd invited Namjoon to come along for as long as he can stay.

It would be their first trip together - their first flight since that fateful day they met. Namjoon was feeling a rush of sentiment at even just the notion of flying with Jin again. It'd been months since that flight now, since he lost his headphones and to be quite honest with himself, his heart all in that one day. It wasn't always easy for them - both devoted to both their work and their privacy, but the conversation and the feelings hadn't stopped flowing since that day at the greenhouse. Namjoon couldn't see an end in sight. He smiled, toying with the airpod in his hands as they prepared for takeoff.

A moment later he watched as Jin dropped comfortably into the seat next to him. Jin reached over to cup both sides of his face, then leaned forward to press his lips to Namjoon's soundly, swiftly. He pulled back, regarding Namjoon with sparkling eyes.

"Hello, are you my seat neighbor?"

Notes:

if you follow me on twitter, you know i've been babbling about this fic for quite a while and how endeared i am with it. i can definitely say that at least 75% of this fic was written with a smile, so i can only hope you will have a similar level of enjoyment as you read. if you do enjoy i implore you to drop a comment of course, or you can always find me on twt / cc ✈🌱💕💕💕

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