froyo - tk.

thirty six.

"it's been weeks, seokjin." jungkook gritted his teeth. "it's been six fucking weeks."

seokjin rubbed jungkook's tensed back muscles. his face conveyed an expression of pity towards the ravenette. "maybe his phone broke—"

"broke?!" the ravenette's proper state of mind took a brief absence as he threw a fragile glass nearest him. "he just responded to your messages and you seriously think he broke his phone?! how is that fucking possible?"

the shattering noise of the glass echoed through seokjin's sensitive ears. he internally winced, but continued standing his ground to emotionally anchor the ravenette.

"tae probably did it for a reason. you just need time to take its course, kook."

"fuck him!" the younger sharply cried out of frustration. "i apologized, i apologized so many times, yet this is what i get? why won't he just text me back?!"

"jungkook, we both know you shouldn't be blaming him." seokjin pinched the skin of his forehead. "what happened with you and dokyeom really hurt him, and a simple apology might not have been enough."

"but what else does he fucking need? i've done all i can," jungkook complained. his eyes were glued to the ground in distress.

in response, seokjin bent down to the couch's height, wrapping his slimmed arms around the ravenette's torso.

"he just needs space, kid." the elder softly murmured in his ear. "give tae some space."

a sniffling sound escaped jungkook's nostrils as he allowed tears to dribble down his face. his conscience dictated him to stop crying and own up to his feelings like a "man," but his actions contradicted that.

"this is all my fault, man," the younger choked out. "he's never gonna fucking speak to me again."

seokjin eased jungkook's overwhelming feeling of despair by caressing his back.

"he'll be back, kook."

↴

"you're back," jungkook uttered out.

taehyung took a sharp intake of breath. "i'm really sorry."

"don't apologize." the ravenette kept calm and composed for the sake of any arguments. "it's not your place to apologize. i'm just glad you're safe."

the blue-haired male sat back on the couch, followed by the younger. they kept a reasonable distance apart from each other but the unsettling tension bonded them like superglue.

"it's just," taehyung began. "i was so, so happy when we won the case against dokyeom. i know it took over two months, but it was all worth it at the end."

the ravenette nodded.

"but afterwards, i felt like nothing could possibly fill the emptiness left in me after a situation like that," the elder proceeded. "i hated to hold things against you, i really did, but something like that was so fucking difficult to get over. it seemed like you only believed me over dokyeom because i attempted suicide, and that spoke volumes to me."

jungkook nodded, gesturing for him to continue. the profoundness of his statements exerted an impact on the ravenette, but he promised himself to comply until given the opportunity to speak.

the blue-haired male proceeded. "trust me, i know you've changed for the better. it's just, it almost seemed like there was a target painted on my back after the dokyeom situation. he was one of the most skilled players in country, and i freaking ruined that. seeing you everyday gave me remembrance to those thoughts so i just needed to end things right there and then."

the ravenette shook his head, dismissing the others claims. it upset him how taehyung found a way to blame himself for dokyeom's poor actions.

"don't ever blame yourself for what dokyeom did. it doesn't matter how good he was at basketball, you're not at fault for his fucked up actions," jungkook commanded. "none of this should ever be pinned on you."

taehyung redirected his gaze at the younger's face. jungkook's expression was so complex that taehyung could not distinguish any aspects of what he was possibly feeling.

"but i should've at least given you a heads up before leaving so suddenly," taehyung admitted. "that's one thing you deserve an apology for."

the prodding sensation of finally being able to speak to taehyung again pierced jungkook's very entrails. it was such a surreal feeling.

"i'm just glad you're okay." the ravenette shaped a sincere smile on his face for the first time in a while. "i'm really glad."

the blue-haired male fiddled with his fingers. "i kind of missed you."

"i can tell," jungkook joked. "you missed me so much you started fucking around with my teammates."

"i didn't know you guys knew each other!" taehyung swung his head the opposite direction to avoid the younger catching him midway in a blushing session. "you're acting like you don't have a billion side hoes of your own!"

a hint of shame became present in the ravenette's aura. "i actually haven't spoken to anyone or had sex in over a year."

"now you're just lying!" taehyung exclaimed. his eyes briefly scanned the younger's appearance. "you grew your hair out, got new tattoos and a tongue piercing, and you mean to tell me nobody wants to have sex with you? bullshit!"

jungkook smirked. "are you saying you want to have sex with me?"

"no, i—"

"i feel the same way," the ravenette admitted. "and your ass got fatter, didn't it?"

"maybe." the embarrassed expression on taehyung's face was quite an eye sore. "i've been doing weekly workouts."

the younger's sudden confidence was a matter for reproach. his two shining smug eyes had established dominance as he leaned forward to grab taehyung's face.

jungkook's speaking voice was of a gruff tenor. "jiwon won't be back for another twenty minutes, we could—"

"w-we can't do that." taehyung inputted. a sort of apology arose to his lips. "it's not fair on him, and we've only been talking for half an hour. i don't think it's right."

the ravenette nodded, mutually agreeing with the elder's sentiment. he had just gained the luxury of finally being able to interact with taehyung and did not want to put it in jeopardy.

though jungkook felt that way, the same question kept circulating through his mind.

"hey, taehyung?"

the aforementioned hummed.

"do you actually like jiwon?" jungkook queried. hesitation was not present in his words, yet it still seemed demeaning to ask. "do you still plan to getting closer with him, even if i'm here?"

taehyung turned his body to face the younger, and almost inclined back due to jungkook's heavy amount of eye contact. the rigidity in the atmosphere greatly thickened.

the blue-haired male sighed. "jungkook, i—"

the abrupt sound of the door opening drew the attention of the two as they eyed jiwon entering the apartment with a handful of chip bags and large bottles of soda.

"you dumbass." jungkook rose up to help him in an instant. "i told you to start using grocery bags."

"i know, i always forget!" jiwon whined. he unloosened his grip on the items and passed a few into jungkook's possession.

"d-do you need help?" taehyung quietly interfered.

jiwon repeatedly shook his head and gestured for the blue-haired male to sit back down.

"are you two getting along well?"

jungkook and taehyung exchanged brief looks before flashing two phony smiles.

"yeah, we talked about you most of the time," the ravenette informed.

taehyung rose a brow in confusion.

jungkook grinned, hinting disappointment on his face. "looks like taehyung really likes you."