20 years earlier]
The hot sun rays burn on Jungkook's skin as he turns his face towards the cloudless sky, closing his eyes. It's a hot summer's day as he finds himself in the middle of the Korean Arts High School playing field, where a vital baseball match is taking place at this very moment.
Victory is within reach, and Jungkook could be the one who could help his team, the "Tigers", win and thus defend their title. He takes a deep breath and lowers his gaze to look his opponent, the batsman with the baseball bat, directly into the eyes. For the second time already, he managed to overcome him. On the third out it would mean the end for the opposing team.
The pitcher has it in his hand, literally. Despite the oversized throwing glove, Jungkook has enough power in his fingers to grab the ball firmly. If the ball were made of glass, it would certainly shatter into dozens of shards. He grabs so tightly that veins decorate his arm as he moves into position.
His heart is racing. It's as if the tension in his chest is crushing his lungs. He finds it difficult to breathe; the heat only makes it worse. A drop of sweat struggles its way through his eyebrow and almost gets into his eye.
With his arm already covered in sparkling beads of sweat, he wipes his forehead, which only makes his muscular arm wetter. He's nervous and afraid of failing. To not sink entirely into self-doubt, his eyes are looking for a certain person, who will make him forget these doubts immediately.
Taehyung cheers him on from the side together with the other BTS members. When their eyes meet, Jungkook can't help but smile shyly. The way Taehyung looks at him makes his heart beat faster.
© alwaysyou_vkook
It's as if they would share the power of telepathy. They can't hear each other and yet it's as if they could clearly hear their voices.
"Believe in yourself; you can do it!"
"I don't know, Hyung."
"But I do."
Taehyung's eyes reveal a lot; that he has no doubts about Jungkook's abilities and that he couldn't be prouder of his achievements. Like every time, Taehyung makes Jungkook feel better right away. No matter how hopeless a situation may seem, Jungkook is convinced that together with Taehyung he could overcome anything.
And what could be better than having a team of best friends behind him, who call themselves Bangtan Boys? The bulletproof boys, the name says it all. Jungkook has to smile. He can't fail as long as he has them by his side.
With this thought, he finally makes the decisive throw.
© Snowpeach
His eyes are glued to the ball, and it's as if it's only approaching its target in slow motion. Jungkook holds his breath, silence, until a muffled impact makes the crowd go wild. It wasn't the baseball bat; it was the catcher's leather glove. Jungkook did it. The Tigers won.
Beaming with joy, Jungkook runs towards his cheering team to celebrate the title defense. It's the force of attraction that brings Taehyung and Jungkook together over and over again like they could do absolutely nothing against it. He automatically seeks Taehyung's closeness, and even now, he's the first person Jungkook runs to.
The others from BTS are already laughing about it, saying that the two are like magnets.
© hi, spring
However, Namjoon, Hobi, Yoongi, Jimin, and Jin agree that there's something between the two young men that they're either suppressing or in the process of gradually understanding.
[Shower cubicle]
In truth, Jungkook already knows what Taehyung triggers in him. He had more or less no other choice to admit this to himself some time ago, because his body sent more than clear signals. This is one of many reasons why he no longer dares to shower together with the others and why he disappears right now into a closed shower cabin.
