Hold My Hand - A Taekook Love Story.

25 - Lack Of Courage..

“Kookie.”

“Hmm?”

“He's here again.”

Jungkook sighed. He already noticed the presence following them from a distance. “Just ignore him, hyung.”

Jimin tried, he really did, but it was so hard. Especially when Taehyung didn't even try to be discreet. It was as if he wanted them to acknowledge his presence. Well, neither Jungkook nor Jimin had the slightest desire to do that.

“Why is he following you like this? What is he trying to do?”

Jungkook shrugged his shoulders. For the past two weeks or so, he's been seeing Taehyung literally everywhere. Taehyung accompanied his father to work thrice, under the guise of having shoulder pain. One look at Namjoon's confused face was enough to let Jungkook know that it was a lie. But for some reason, Namjoon entertained it, all three times.

Then Taehyung was seen a few times with Seokjin, the local bakery owner, and also the unofficial owner of Namjoon's affection. Seokjin and Namjoon had been stuck in a silent courting-from-far process for god knows how many years now. A glance here, a little bit of flirting there, but neither daring to take the next step. As a part of this unofficial courting process, Jin delivered food to Namjoon's place, two-three times a week, and Taehyung had accompanied him in the last few turns.

Jungkook didn't ask, for he really didn't care enough, but Namjoon voluntarily provided the information that Jin and Taehyung are distant relatives. And that Taehyung never came to the medical center before.

Latest development was the following when Jungkook was coming back from work. When Jimin got to know that, he started to come to Namjoon's place in the evening.

Taehyung never bothered Jungkook, just silently made the former aware of his presence. Hence Jungkook couldn't complain, even though it was kind of starting to become uncomfortable.

The confrontation happened when Taehyung came to Yoongi's workshop, on a day both Jimin and Jungkook were helping there. Jimin saw him first, and hissed under his breath.

“For God's sake!”

Jimin slammed the tool he was holding on to the work table and took a step towards Taehyung but Jungkook was quick enough to stop him.

“Hyung.”

Jimin calmed down a bit with that whisper, and glared back at Taehyung. “What are you doing here?!”

“I-” Taehyung moved his eyes away from Jungkook, whom he had been staring at all this while, and looked at Jimin. “I came to meet Yoongi.”

“Yoongi-ssi is not here. So leave and come back later!”

“Will he be late? I think I'll wait for him here. It's not an easy distance to travel twice.”

“He will be very late, so why don't you-”

Jimin stopped what he wanted to say when Jungkook placed a hand over his shoulder again.

“Are you really here to meet him? Or someone else?”

Taehyung's answer came with a few seconds delay. “Yoongi.”

Jimin snorted. “Yeah, right.”

“That's the truth.” Taehyung shrugged his shoulders. “I don't have the courage to talk to either of you. Nor you are willing to listen, even if I had any.”

“Is that why you've been following Kookie around for two weeks? Because you're being a coward?”

“No, that's-” Taehyung paused for a second and gave a soft smile. “That's because I miss him.”