☾Trial & Error☽ → kth | jjk

XIII

Hello, this story is not dead, I'm just suffering from massive writers block and a case of my-dog-is-very-large-and-trying-to-sleep-on-my-lap

The next morning, Jungkook had hoped Taehyung would be back to normal. He'd rather have Taehyung throwing useless flirts at him than be pissed. 

But when Taehyung walked right past him on his way out the door without so much as a glance, Jungkook knew that Taehyung hadn't slept it off. In fact it seemed like it got worse. At least last night Taehyung was talking to him. 

Jungkook silently hoped it was just because he was in a rush. 

Taehyung didn't talk to him that evening either, though. He stayed in the shared bedroom while Jungkook watched TV (specifically the show Taehyung was watching last night, hoping it would bait some conversation). It didn't. Jungkook thought he saw Taehyung kind of glare at him when he got home and saw what Jungkook was watching, actually. 

"Goodnight, Taehyung." Jungkook had said later that night as he turned off his lamp and got under his covers. 

The only response was the shuffling sound of Taehyung's bed. 

-

"I thought you hated him." Jaehyun laughed as he took a sip of his iced tea. "You were complaining last week that he wouldn't shut up and now you're upset that he finally did?"

Jungkook stabbed at his salad with the fork absentmindedly, eyebrows knit together into a confused scowl. "I guess." He muttered, pushing around a piece of tomato. 

It was the three of them at lunch that following Sunday; Jungkook, Jaehyun, and Dowoon, who, as always, was quietly listening to their conversation. Jaehyun found a well-priced cafe that he'd stop by for quick sandwiches and salads during the week, and invited his two friends to join him today. They were sitting at one of the tables outside the cafe, along the sidewalk.

"Then confront him." Jaehyun raised an eyebrow. "It's not like you haven't done it before."

Jungkook rolled his eyes and set the plastic fork down. He leaned back in his chair and looked at street, finding the people on the other side suddenly more interesting than this discussion. 

"I can't." He sighed. Before Jaehyun could question him, Jungkook continued. "I hit a pretty sensitive topic for him, I think, and- I don't know. He was really upset- like really upset, and I don't know that a confrontation would make it any better." 

Dowoon finally set the iced coffee he had been sipping on for a while down on the table and gazed at Jungkook. "Maybe you should apologize."

Jaehyun scoffed as he took a bite of his sandwich, shaking his head at the proposal. Jungkook almost did as well, but he stopped himself and looked at his half-eaten salad. 

"Maybe." He said quietly and shifted awkwardly in his chair. He felt Jaehyun's and Dowoon's gaze heavily set on him. Jungkook took a deep breath. "Yeah. I should." 

- 

While Jungkook was out with his friends, Taehyung was cooped up in their dorm surrounded by stacks of paperwork. His supervisor thought he'd get the best internship experience being 'fully immersed' into the business world and Taehyung wasn't enjoying it. 

He piled all of the papers up and dropped them onto the floor so he could lay down on his bed freely, then covered his eyes with his forearm. 

It was hard to focus on important things when your heart ached, wasn't it? Taehyung thought so. It wasn't even just his heart feeling like it was physically aching, but his stomach and chest felt tight, too. Sometimes he wished that the term 'heartbreak' didn't feel so literal. 

This was pathetic. He shouldn't be so heartbroken over this. What even was 'this'? Was it the argument or was it just Jungkook? Maybe it was also because he knew deep down this was his fault. If he hadn't been such an ass in the first place, maybe things would have been different. Hell, he'd maybe have a slight shot with Jungkook but at this point any chances of that could be kissed goodbye.

At this point, Taehyung had found this trip to LA had taken a turn for the worst and there was no point in continuing. His father would give him the company whether he went through with this or not. Maybe if he called his father and asked, he could get a ticket to fly home. 

"Tae? Are you here?" A voice- Jungkook's voice - interrupted his inner pondering. 

Taehyung sat up in his bed and watched the bedroom door open, revealing a very nervous looking Jungkook. He wasn't sure what to say, so he acknowledged him with a nod and a quiet 'hey.' 

"Great, um, I need to talk to you." Jungkook shut the door behind him and walked over to Taehyung's bed. "I know you're basically giving me the silent treatment and I totally deserve it, but you don't have to say a word. I'm just going to say what I need to say, deal?"

Taehyung stared at him and then looked at his lap. He shrugged awkwardly. 

Jungkook took that as his sign to start talking. 

"So basically, I realized that what I said to you that night was completely rude and out of line, I shouldn't ever assume things about you like that and- basically I'm saying sorry. I'm sorry for the stupid things I've said to you and how rude I've been to you and for always blowing you off like a complete jack-ass. Can we start over?" Jungkook sucked in a breath as he waited for Taehyung's response- whether verbal or not. 

Taehyung was a little wary. He kept his head low and his gaze on the bed, although he was hyper-aware of Jungkook shuffling his weight anxiously just a foot or two away. 

"And... I actually do like your red hair." Jungkook coughed. "It- You suit it well."

Said red-haired male slowly lifted his gaze at this odd compliment and eyed Jungkook. Eventually he sighed, nodded, and held his hand out. "Apology accepted."

"On one condition-" Jungkook clasped Taehyung's hand. "No more pet names."

Taehyung managed a lopsided smile. "Not even Kookie?"

Jungkook rolled his eyes. "Fine, but just the one. Deal?"

"I suppose."

The two shook hands and Jungkook smiled, saying something along the lines of "I'm glad we talked" and then left the bedroom. That was easier than he thought, wasn't it?

Well, not exactly in Taehyung's case. Now he wasn't so much heartbroken as he was confused as fuck. He really liked Jungkook to begin with, then the argument happened, a week of childish moping, and now... friends?

With a deep sigh and a flop into the pillows, Taehyung decided to call it a day. 

There was no way he was getting that paperwork done.

this chapter was v confusing, v rushed, and v messy but I'm trying to direct it to a particular plot thing ????? maybe ???? who knOWs