The way it used to be - Taekook ✅

Chapter 60 - The bets

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"Tae, finally! Hi, Seojoon!" Jungkook said, standing up to greet Tae's best friend.

Seojoon bowed to everyone and they all said hi.

Tae looked around the table and saw Namjoon looking down, not meeting his gaze.

He's not comfortable seeing me either.

Jungkook took Tae's hand and pulled him down on the bench next to himself, but when doing that, he also moved in closer to Jimin. Now Jungkook and Jimin sat so close their legs were touching and Tae didn't like that at all, even if Jungkook put his arm around Tae's shoulders.

I'll just have to ignore that. Jungkook is mine now.

Seojoon sat down next to Tae. He looked relaxed and leaned back in his seat as if he was about to watch a movie.

"We were just telling Jimin and Hoseok what happened yesterday. Or rather, Jin was telling his version of it." Jungkook explained.

"Uhu." Tae mumbled in response, not wanting to look at anyone.

"So..." Jin said. "After that, me and Koo did that dance-thing we planned, and then Namjoon interrupted us... and said something like he wouldn't take it anymore and that I belonged to him."

"Ha!" Hoseok said.

"What do you mean 'ha'?" Jin said.

"I won. I betted on you and Namjoon. Jimin was sure Jungkook would manage to get Tae first." he said, hitting Jimin's shoulder.

"I don't get it... Taehyung was always in love with Jungkook, I'm sure of it! Wasn't I right about that, Taehyung?" Jimin said unceremoniously, as if it was just any normal question.

Tae blushed heavily from being addressed by Jungkook's former boyfriend on such a sensitive topic.

"Ehrm..." he started.

Tae saw out of the corner of his eye that Namjoon was now looking in his direction.

And Tae plucked up his courage, he couldn't get away, he had to meet Namjoon's gaze now. So he looked up into Namjoon's eyes.

Namjoon held his gaze steady. Maybe he had decided he couldn't get away either.

For a few seconds they looked at each other in silence.

"Is this true, Taehyung?" Namjoon asked.

He didn't sound accusing, but he looked rather serious nonetheless.

Tae knew he had to tell the truth, that he should have told him the truth already from the beginning. He could sense the others holding their breaths, waiting for his answer.

"It is true. I was always in love with Jungkook." Tae said in a low voice.

Namjoon scoffed and shook his head. 

"I asked you so many times if there was someone..." he said.

"I know. And I should have told you." Tae said, feeling ashamed of himself.

"So when you were worried about your best friend seeing those pictures, it was about you not wanting Jungkook to see them. Am I right?"

Tae nodded, his face red from embarrassment. Jungkook stroked his shoulder in a comforting manner, and it helped a little.

"I'm really sorry, Namjoon." Tae said.

Tae looked pleadingly at Namjoon, who looked a bit annoyed at first. But then Namjoon shrugged his shoulders and sighed.

"I'm sorry, too, Taehyung. I'm sorry about yesterday. I was an asshole to leave you like that." Namjoon said.

Tae felt the tension decreasing a bit.

"Well, I guess you were, but honestly I didn't really notice. I had other things on my mind." Tae said, nodding his head indicating Jungkook by his side, not able to hide a small smile.

"Yeah... I guess we both had other things on our minds... so... are we good then, Taehyung? Still friends?" Namjoon asked, now also with a small smile.

Tae nodded.

"Still friends."

The others, who had sat there silently listening to Tae and Namjoon, drew a collective sigh of relief. Hoseok even clapped his hands enthusiastically.

"Great, guys, now that is sorted and everyone's fine, right?! And I won the bet, do you admit it, Jiminie?" Hoseok exclaimed happily.

"I just want to hear Kookie's version of what happened first..." Jimin said sulkily.

"I'm sorry, Jimin, I have no other version. Tae was super slow, to be honest. I have to thank Namjoon here for giving in, so I could get Tae to understand I wasn't with Jin for real." Jungkook said.

"Alright then, I admit you won, Hobi." Jimin said with an overly dramatic sigh.

"Wait, what did you bet? What did he win?" Jungkook asked.

"Breakfast in bed, the next four weekends... I guess I'll be really good at making American pancakes a month from now..." Jimin said, with a cute pout.

"Ah, American pancakes made by pretty Jimin, I'm really looking forward to that. Do they come with hot chocolate too? And a kiss?" Hoseok asked with a happy smile, squeezing Jimin's shoulder.

"Don't push your luck, Hobi, I'm warning you, or you'll get a dry cracker and a glass of water..." Jimin said, folding his arms demonstratively over his chest.

But Hoseok pulled him in and gave him a kiss on the cheek, and the others chuckled at the two boyfriends' fake quarrel.

"That reminds me..." Jin said.

"Oh no." Jungkook said.

"Oh yes. We had a bet, too, remember?" Jin said.

"Right." Jungkook said, biting his lip.

"Come on, then!" Jin said expectantly.

Jungkook sighed. Then he let go of Tae, stood up on the bench and called out loud and clear.

"KIM SEOKJIN IS WORLDWIDE HANDSOME, THERE IS NO ONE AS HANDSOME IN THE WORLD AS KIM SEOKJIN!"

Then he sat down again, blushing a bit, while everyone around the table, along with many of the guests in the restaurant, laughed.

"I'm sorry, Tae, you know I didn't mean that." Jungkook whispered in Tae's ear.

But Tae just laughed with everyone else. He was so relieved that everything was sorted out now.

And of course he knew Jungkook didn't mean it.

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