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Are You Sure - Ep. 1&2

My ‘I should just wait but I can’t and won’t’ - thoughts.

Disclaimer: I don’t like being defensive or playing safe, because I’m on my blog and it should be obvious to everyone that what I write on it is coming from a personal - yet trying to be as much objective and rational as possible - perspective. If you want to read this, and the following posts I’m *willing* - easier said than done, uh? - to make after each episode, kindly keep it in mind. I’m opened to discussion as long as it’s confrontational, respectful and useful. The only thing I’m asking you, if you want to read, is to read it all and then discuss🫶.

So here I am. Nobody asked but my brain is like knocking at my temples, asking me *girl, what are we gonna do? Can I have my moment now?* and I feel bad for denying him that. I’m assuming that by the time I’m posting this, everyone who might read has watched the episodes. If you haven’t, scroll past this post, because there are gonna be spoilers involved and reflections, observations and thoughts that could either influence your own or the way you’ll watch and perceive the show. Also I’m not gonna unfold the entirety of the episodes, but I’m just gonna include what I need for my ted talk. This is so random and felt but still: is gonna be long. I feel like this one is for the “my fingers hurt after writing that” section of the archive. But we haven’t even started yet.

The car talk

The first episode starts in an unexpected way. We’re at Jimin’s place, he’s getting up to leave for America. Jikook meet for dinner at the Antoya restaurant - that beautiful place they were spotted at on July 14th, with flowers and BBQ that Jikook love - and what immediately caught me was the fact that we have almost no footage from that dinner, except for a few seconds of Jimin being really close to Jungkook, touching him a lot, getting physically close with his chair next to the other’s.

I even remember people saying they went to the restaurant twice, the second time being by themselves, but that just doesn’t match with the episode’s timeline so I’m assuming it was false/misunderstood.

Later on they’re in the car. The first put your glasses on and pay attention - conversation happens and it starts with a playful, light vibe but ends… somewhere else. Jimin starts by saying they haven’t gone somewhere together in a while, and Jungkook replies that they were supposed to have a drink together. The drink I’m assuming JK proposed him over and over on live and maybe even privately.

What we had been saying all along - their schedules don’t match often - gets confirmed by Jungkook. “When you were working I was free but I never called” - which sounds like a contradiction, to me, considering how Jungkook was acting when he missed Jimin in early 2023, even telling him “I miss you” when they actually met 2 days prior with the members - “and when I was working but you were free you never called”. Keep in mind that with working here, I think Jungkook is referring to the solo paths. And his own solo path… had just started.

Jimin corrects him. “That’s not true, I called”. And explains how he and Tae struggle with meeting up because plans never end up somewhere concrete and stay words and wishes. They laugh, the realization is funny, but immediately Jungkook says that without this trip they probably would have never met either, “bro you laugh but that’s fucking serious” kinda vibe, due to his strict upcoming schedule, I’m assuming.

Jimin says, here: “That’s why I came here”. Stares at Jungkook, literally glared the shit out of him - and we saw how important shit was through these first episodes - to the point that even the subtitles had to point that out. I felt tension, there, for whatever reason, but I’m not gonna say why yet because okay being in a rush and letting thoughts out, but some things need time to be better understood and explained.

What matters to me during this interaction is Jungkook’s reaction. He immediately says “I know. You’re here, [in english]finally”. Now that’s what I wanna talk about, because people are taking this moment as proof of whatever, as them admitting they haven’t met at all, they’re distant, this or that, and I’m not judging those opinions because I’m sure half tumblr won’t agree with my personal ones that I’m gonna share in this post: none here is better than others. But, if you pay close attention to it… the conversation reveals the entire point and core of Jikook’s bond: their need to be together. Quality time, closeness, moments, memories.

You - general you - see them distant and apart, I see Park Jimin who flew 14 hours straight from Korea to NYC just to be with Jungkook and keep their relationship healthy and alive. Because I’m telling you, something could’ve broke there if he didn’t. You see what happened before, them meeting less often, being busy as fuck, probably just working eating sleeping and repeat, I see what’s happening now - past-now, it’s July 15th 2023 - : Jimin set priorities and took those two or three days available as a chance, a chance to travel, meet up, be together.

That whole interaction showed how fucked up that was, not being able to meet as they used to. We saw how that fucked up Jungkook himself. How he felt, the smile on his face when Jimin popped up in the comments, the silver day live. There’s something, there, that they nurture in a special and attentive way.

To the point that they needed THAT conversation: “we need a trip together, our bond matters to me, let’s do something about it”. That’s intense, y’all. I saw that as special. Jimin made very fucking clear that he went there to be with him, to be together: that’s commitment, effort. And notice how I’m not mentioning romantic involvement at all. The effort you make to be with someone you love and don’t wanna lose. The effort you make with someone you wanna enlist with and… don’t know what’s gonna happen about that yet.

We know Jikook travel when things get tough. We saw it with their first Tokyo trip, we read it in the book. When they struggle for whatever reason - be it work, private life, individually or together - they move. Make experiences, shake things up, share special adventures. And with adventures I mean an amusement park, a kayak ride, grilled meat… they don’t need distractions anywhere in the world, they need each other and far away from their dehumanizing routines.

So yeah, at least these first two episodes, promoted a playful and entertaining vibe but the fact that Jimin flew there and decided, together with JK, to find a whole justifiable reason to be with him, like a travel show they didn’t even have a name for, is a bit more serious. Because evidently something serious is involved, and some fried chicken at their place was not enough anymore: they needed to spend time, quality time, together. For real though. They didn’t know what they were doing, they just knew why, and accepted the challenge just for the sake of their bond.

You focus on the fact that “Vmin video called each other more often, they kept in touch, Jikook didn’t”, I focus on the fact that Vmin kept in touch but never ended up meeting, while Jikook went through it and planned 3 seasons to spend together to fix that. Do you see the exclusive dynamic? But we’ll go back there later.

Something - Jungkook - was… off?

I think a big part of this discourse comes from either people who haven’t really watched Jungkook closely through the years or haven’t really tried to contextualise his behavior in these first episodes of Are You Sure?!. If you wanna know: I did notice a shift in his actions and attitude, but not in the dramatic and tragic way some fans did.

I noticed very very often the funny and teasing Jungkook we all now, the one who does not throw himself all over Jimin - hugs, kisses, caressing, don’t you know at least how Jungkook’s average love language works? - because we know that’s not how he usually acts, let alone on camera. Oh, and if you’re thinking “but he was touchy and physically close during their last live, after the Japan trip”, you’re smart. We’ll go there later too…

So the first reason were cameras, 100%. I saw them recording the car’s dashboard a couple of times and that was full, full, full of stuff, bigger camera two gopros wires that was a mess I could never bear with. Being used to have those things pointed at you is one thing, having them pointed at you while you’re filming something - you don’t even know what you’re filming, what you’re supposed to do, how it will all turn out, and it’s obvious to everybody that you’re doing it just to be together, from the staff and the company to the strangers who see you around and widen their eyes- while you’re with your bro is another.

The second reason is that he was not feeling at his best, throat hurting, coughing, cold and running nose. He’s human, he doesn’t even let his feelings out that much - didn’t hear him complaining about it ONCE -, he had a lot to do in the next days and an overall uneasy schedule to come. Wear his shoes. He was still lovely, smiled quite often, playful, he wanted to enjoy the view and the nature and the food, he was having a good time. And you can see him - in those clips that made it to the final cut and were not edited out - slowly getting more comfortable with the cameras and going for Jimin’s thighs, body, butt, legs, feet. Filming something you know nothing about means also not knowing how far you can go with letting yourself go.

Last reason I’d mention is that Jungkook, among all the members, had one of the most “closing up I don’t wanna talk about it” - reactions ever regarding the military service. We saw him struggling on live because of it, such a huge and forced change shaking up his life, and by the time they were in NY they had no idea they were gonna enlist together. The applications for the companionship opened in August. They were still wandering, so I’d get if he was a bit more lost in his thoughts, I get that he looked angry and defensive to Jimin - his own words - and I get people noticing a certain detachment.

What I saw there was him probably being trapped in his own head and, as a consequence, acting “different”. Again not in the tragic way some people depicted it, nah not at all… he still was a sweet boba ball and I enjoyed him to the last crumb. I wanted to squeeze his face and slap the back of his neck all the time. And then cooking for Jimin, telling him his food was fine and tasted good, that it was okay if he dropped it, telling JM to don’t mind him and go clog the toilet with his explosive diarrhea if he had to. Joking about his curse with water, falling in water, laughing at the majority of Jimin’s jokes, looking for twinkies (the snacks) and guacamole at Walmart. He kept saying he had to put himself on a water only diet after the trip but god forbid Jimin hinting at starving himself.

How can you not see that, how can that not make your watching experience amazing… he’s so authentic.

I agree: he was not at his best. But it could be due to everything I said above and even more. Every human is different and we all react differently to life phases. You never, never, ever know what’s crossing someone’s mind. Just be rational and aware when you state something: would he ever spend days and nights together with someone he doesn’t love or care for anymore? If you noticed such a drastic cold and different way of being from him, ask yourself if he was really having a problem with Jimin or if he was more of… going through it with himself. No?

He was there, he chose to be there. Not anywhere else, not with anyone else. The same Jungkook who was kicking his feet during the Suchwita episode while telling Yoongi what happened in America. “It was so funny after Jimin came”.

And Jimin himself was still drawn to him, close to him, lovely, and kept traveling with him till the choice to enlist together. Reflect on that <3.

Special dynamic - from 0 to 100

Now that we put the toughest points aside, as I was saying their dynamic is unique - not “every friendship is different” unique but “something’s going on” unique - to the point that they leave you speachless.

You see them having fun on that boat, bickering about the parking, boxing at the cashes, relaxing on the yacht, flirting about butterflies and mosquito bites, touching ass, feet, legs, thighs, hands. And you can’t help but wonder both how they act when they’re not being recorded and how -what people- they’d be if they could do that more often, when they want to, waking up and going for a trip, with no worries about weirded out-homophobic looks or fans spotting their hang outs. They looked free, genuine, in tune…they were together. Really present with each other, in those instants.

They go from walking apart at the shops to goofing around, from sleeping in different rooms to being all over each other, no boundaries or self space at all: there was a lack of balance.

And, in my personal and casual opinion, that’s because they were struggling with setting a tone for the suddenly made up-show. You can see them going from holding back everything, even looks and glances, to Jimin riding Jungkook’s hip and threatening him of shitting his pants on his stomach, a gift right from his own guts. And Jungkook’s wide smile while that was happening… that’s a healthy bond. A bond where you can mention diarrhea over and over or even menace the other with sharting on them just to end up laughing about it.

They match each other’s freak.

this pic god Jungkook was so comfortable and happy and Jimin was so spontaneous and lightful I could die

They go from sitting and smiling at each other to Jungkook touching Jimin’s foot, leg, knee, back, teasing him with “bite marks” when he just wanted touch, comfort…he wanted his attention and to give JM his as well.

And talking about feet…

The way Jungkook grabs Jimin’s ankles in the first pic - while they’re brotherly-coded brushing teeth on the bed - is so domestic and adorable. Just like the second picture, where he starts looking for mosquito bites from Jimin’s toes but somehow - after a not noticeable at all cut - ends up facing him and touching his legs.

And we could talk about cuts and deleted parts too but why would we hurt ourselves like that… the jikookery that ends up in the garbage, thrown away like a good sweater no one likes anymore. I’d wear it, m’am, give it to me.

But going back to the brushing teeth picture, something I noticed a lot in these first two episodes is Jikook’s way of pushing each other away just to end up giving the fight up and get all over each other.

They push - or pretend to - the other away, but in the end they surrender - or pretend to - and hug, touch, play, smile.

Just like this moment here… you all know it, right?

Jimin wanting to elbow jungkook back, his revenge right there failing with Jungkook overpowering him (editors, own, words, believe, me, or, not). Jimin turning around, leg forward with the NNNNYYYYAAAASTY arch, and Jungkook goes for the trophy. Smacked. Right there. A cute sound in the background to cover the thickness of it all🫶

Not to talk about the actual elbowing moment, when you can hear Jimin’s grunt but immediately before Jungkook’s loud, very loud snoring. The more I think about it the more I smile, because Jimin shared a bed with him - and chose to share it for 18 months - despite Jungkook being a loud sleeper (if you ever slept with someone who snores you know what we’re talking about…).

We got Jimin being pretty and perfect in every angle every state tummy bug or nose elbowed sleeping next to that loud wardrobe shaped man. What a duo they are.

What would we not do for love, though? Getting explosive repetitive diarrhea, your ankle smashed, your nose hit, mosquitoes eating you alive, falling when waking up and chronic fatigue could not stop two hearts from connecting with each other.

The plague hit my boy Jimin 10 misfortunes fell right on his head but… he made it.

They’re down to earth people

No, the fact that they can get explosive diarrhea did not automatically lead me to this conclusion. The two things are not linked 🙄.

While watching the episodes I could not stop thinking that those two men, who hit incredibly high levels of duality, hotness, power, energy and beauty on stage are actually simple humans who want to be together, live their life and their youth, be themselves, eat yummy food and are clumsy as fuck.

Jimin was so much fun for me. He’s full of life, he kept the mood of the show very high, always smiling and laughing - even when I wouldn’t have - and entertaining us in such a heartwarming manner. He would be the perfect individual to travel with for me and my mild, moderate personality. Finding someone who you feel comfortable traveling with for days and in multiple places is not easy. When you do, it means that your characters get along and compensate each other. But mostly, it means that everything is allowed. Discussing, silence, complaining, being yourself.

And they seemed to have found a beautiful partner for that, to the point that Jungkook wants to do it for 12 seasons till they’re 50…

And have I already mentioned Jimin’s ass imitation of his 50 years old self taking the smile away from Jay Kay? No but like, literally. Jimin’s butt left Jungkook speechless.

😔 sad moment coming.

That one though being one of the cutest things ever because what do you mean you wanna travel with me till we’re 50. What does it mean what does it😟mean.

Jungkook enjoyed that trip so much. He needed it, he wanted it, he felt it. And that’s what leads us to one of the last points…(hoping you’re not bored or annoyed and made it till here with ease).

We - I - should wait

As I said previously, a lot of people are focusing on and overthinking that car talk as if Jikook ended up hating each other when, in reality, that’s how we saw them the last time they showed on live:

Jungkook touched and caressed Jimin’s neck and back maybe 12 times. I have a whole ass post about it. About how much JM was holding back, stopped himself from shaking JK’s hand a ridiculous amount of times, gave life to an overall awkard vibe while talking about the trip, the MMA incident (pay attention to that: RM knew, they were so excited they talked about it with the members as well) and the “I’m used to your snoring now and we’re gonna make it through 18 months of sleeping together” part. Jungkook constantly rubbing, checking if what he was gonna say was okay with his feelings, resting his head on his tummy after teasing him, wanting him to eat well and don’t feel hungry.

Watch the live instead of clips. Watch it all. Those Jikook happened after whatever you’re interpreting these episodes as. I get your opinions and povs, but at least if you wanna stand by that and prove your point, go for a “relationship’s ups and downs, a phase, a moment”, and not for “they stopped meeting they got distant Jungkook’s not the same”. Please.

Sapporo will hit different. I don’t know what I can look forward to with Connecticut - the vibes with the sunset, the cuddles, the big villa, the I am you, You are me in the pool are promising - , but I know that Japan will be way more emotional and profound because that’s the last trip before the enlistment they KNEW, finally, they were gonna share, that’s the last trip before the comfort cute and touchy live I mentioned above.

Not to mention when they were FACING each other on a moving walkway at the airport, and Jungkook rested his head on Jimin’s chest, while the latter was pulling him closer by his sweatshirt.

If I was a parent, I’d be happy. If my kid found someone to spend his time with and traveled with him, wanted to, felt listened to and stimulated by, I’d be happy. And I’d be happy they’re sharing that privately showing the cameras just a small surface (I know slapping ass is not surface, but that’s not what I’m talking about now), leaving everything else they chose not to film, share or edit for… themselves only. There’s a lot, a lot mega lot, that we just don’t get to see.

Final moments I enjoyed

They’re couple coded. None can change my mind. Jungkook telling Jimin to buy the same clothes is couple coded FIGHT WITH ME.

The butterflies one. That gave me 🦋 as well.

The bickering for the parking part. They know how to handle each other and I’m still wondering what Jimin was referring to during that infamous live stating “he can handle” Jungkook’s half naked body.

Finally, this so so so tender moment that nobody noticed because it was subtle, heartfelt and authentic.

The way they must have missed each other… have I underlined that enough? No? I will for the rest of my life just wait for this show to drop…

And so many, little more. Jimin walking while holding onto Jungkook’s shirt, the “your skin tone looks like my mom’s when she wears foundation”joke, the drive and Jungkook playing “My You”, two hours worth of content and yet… so much feeling left out, cut, gone missing.

A lot of birds and trees recording, food, activities…it’s really improvised. Well done but still improvised. And you can tell it was not mainly meant for us. No, not at all. We’re the side hoes, again.

I feel like recognizing them their courage and their ability to handle a possible different and challenging moment for their bond in such a committed and caring way. I want to recognize them how good they tried - and cmon, they kinda made it - to handle cameras everywhere and to match them, the staff presence, the drones and the eyes pointed at them, with the willingness to spend time together after a long time. I can’t wait for the next episode, so that I can eventually reblog this and correct myself, reflect, add things, enjoy it all. Let’s enjoy it, always, till the last drop.

They’re special, precious. You don’t miss someone so much you take a 14 hours flight to see them, and you don’t miss someone so much you feel relieved (“finally”) when they show up, unless you love them.

Never question these two’s love for each other, because they chose to go from New York to Jeju to Japan to the gates of hell, up in the mountains in that military base, together.

Together.