Flashbacks starts
"Surprise!"
Jungkook gasped in shock and covered his face in embarrassment.
"Come on Jungkook! No need to hide that blush." Haein said from behind.
"I told you there was no need for this." Jungkook gritted under his breath.
Haein laughed huskily. "Like I would listen."
"True that." The pretty boy snickered and they entered haein's home. Everybody was here. his parents, Jisoo and Jinyoung .
"Happy twenty third birthday honey." Jungkook's mother wished him. "Jungkook i still remember those eight hours of pain and torture. They were a pure bliss." She sighed and looked somewhere else with her mind far away in those memories.
"Okay mom. No need to remember those painful times." Jungkook chuckled. "Enjoy the party."
Everybody wished him, the parents giving him their blessings and jisoo hiding behind the dining table, eating sweets. J
Jinyoung was still upset with him about that wrong number of his roommate, even though it was been weeks since that joke. He just wishes him and walked away.
Whatever. Like Jungkook could care about his wishes.
he cut his cake and then spent the rest of the night talking, eating, dancing and listening to his father speak some very embarrassing stories of his childhood. He would hide his face in his chest whenever they laugh. By midnight, his face was bright red. Everybody decided to call it a night and went back to their respective rooms. his parents occupied the guest room and Jinyoung went back to his home which was right beside this one.
Jungkook squealed when his feet were off the ground and he cling onto haein's neck for support.
"Haein! What are you doing?" he whisper yelled.
"Dunno. Treating a birthday boy maybe?"
Jungkook giggled. This was a useless question which was answered by a useless man.
"Really? Birthday boy? This birthday boy wants his feet on the ground."
"I see. The birthday boy's boyfriend wants to be all lovey dovey with him so he'll whisk his boy off his feet."
"Lovey dovey? Seriously? You could have come up with something better." Jungkook snorted,
Haein's nose cringed up. "Yeah. I realize that now."
they reach his bedroom and haein kicked open the door.
"What did that door do to you?!" the pretty boy whispered in disbelief.
"Nothing." He said nonchalantly and placed Jungkook on the bed. "I'll take the floor."
"You're leaving me for the floor?" Jungkook joked.
"How could you?!"
Haein pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "I mean that I'll sleep on the floor. You can sleep in the bed. Or do you want it otherwise?"
Jungkook chuckled. Even though they have been dating for months, they still haven't had the next step in their relationship, the love making part. The pretty boy was not ready yet .
"The floor? Why will you be sleeping on the floor?" Jungkook questioned with fake curiosity.
"You know...to...um...sleep? Yeah! That's right. Sleep. On the floor."
"Silly. Come here."the pretty boy patted the mattress.
Haein shook his head and got out of his room. Jungkook's face dropped. Where did he go?
he decided to act like a stubborn boyfriend and huffed his cheeks.
they still don't know about how they got so comfortable around each other.
Sometimes when they get bored they act like those couples on the television shows they watch together. Just for fun.
he grabbed a pillow and got ready to strike when he heard the door knock. he threw the pillow in haein's direction before he could even open the door.
"Hey." Haein peeked in his head and gave the pretty boy a charming smile which made the pretty boy swoon all over him.
"I give you a green signal to sleep beside me and you leave?! That was very rude of you mister Jung." he huffed, crossing his arms.
Haein chuckled and entered the room with something hiding behind his back.
"Is that a knife? Is my birthday also my death day?" Jungkook asked curiously.
"No, I went out to get this." Haein revealed a small cupcake in his palm. It was full of colorful sprinkles and dark brown in color with a small candle on the top.
"What's this?" Jungkook asked.
"A cupcake." He deadpanned.
"I know." Jungkook said in the same tone. "What is this doing here?"
Haein shrugged. "Considering the fact that you didn't eat a proper slice of your own cake because you think it's too sweet and too much for your liking so I made you this."
Jungkook's heart busted when he heard this. "You...you made this?" Haein nodded. "How?"
"Had help." He waved off his other hand.
"You had help or you helped?" Jungkook asked, raising his eyebrow.
"It doesn't matter. This is for you." Haein put forth his palm where the small cupcake was resting and lighted up the candle with a lighter which came out of nowhere.
"Here. Make a wish and blow." Haein whispered. The pretty boy closed his eyes and wished that every moment in his life he wants to spent with his love in a special way...
Then he blew the candle.
"Woohoo!" Haein cheered. "Now eat."
Jungkook removed the wrapper and then took a bite. he spitted it out.
Haein's face fell. "What's wrong?"
Jungkook bit his lip as an effort to try not to laugh. "Do you know the difference between salt and sugar?"
"Of course." He said. "Salt is salty and sugar is sweet."
Jungkook slapped his forehead and sighed. "Do you know the physical difference between salt and sugar?"
"Umm..." Haein scratched his hair. "I...I don't know. They kinda look the same. Why are you asking me this?"
Jungkook gave him a flat look and waited for his realization. His blue eyes widened when he finally realized.
"Well that was a waste of time.
Jungkook chuckled because Haein was looing cute while sulking like a baby,:" come and sleep now" he patted the mattress near him and haein joined after ...
"happy birthday kookie and I love you" Haein whispered yelled wrapping his arms around the pretty boy...
"I love you too haein" the pretty boy snuggled closer to Haein and drifted in to the sleep.
Flashbacks ends...
"Happy twenty sixth birthday Jungkook." The pretty boy mumbled to himself.
Another year gone by. Another year of no Haein's ruined cupcakes. It had become a ritual. Every year, he would make one cupcake and Jungkook would take a bite and had difficulties to swallow the rest away because it would either be undercooked or overcooked.
Jungkook was supposed to get one from him today. He was due to give him three cupcakes now.
Jungkook was going to keep count till he see him next time and he hoped it will be soon.
his wish was fulfilled in a way. Every minute he spent with haein was special for him, but it wasn't enough.
he got up from his bed and went into the bathroom for a shower. When he came out of it, he stood in front of a mirror. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion when he saw himself. he got closer to the mirror and pressed his finger on his cheek. It was a little soft. he pulled his cheeks to believe himself.
Yeah. It' was chubby. He didn't remember the last time he saw his cheeks so full of...fat. It was one of the traits that he had inherited from his mother and Haein used to love it. he turned back to check his other features.
It was so...full.
his butt. It was bigger than what he had two months ago. he touched them and they bounced right back.
he sighed and got out of his room, dialing Uncle kang to order his breakfast. he jumped when he heard the loud roar of thunder.
Twenty six years and he was still scared of them.
he sat on his couch, crossed his legs and started working on his laptop. He couldn't go to his office in this weather so he had been working from house for the past two days. In thirty minutes, the doorbell rang twice indicating that Kang had came with his breakfast.
Jungkook placed the boxes on the dining table, separate them for two people, draw out the chair for for someone, sit in his seat and wait.
Five minutes.
Ten minutes.
Twenty minutes.
Thirty minutes later, the elder was still not here.
Jungkook closed his eyes and sighed deeply. Jungkook closed the boxes and placed a few of them in front of Taehyung's doorstep and went back to the dining table to have his breakfast.
Things have changed between them. Jungkook did not understand what and why. It was been a week since that second incident in his study. Taehyung would not come out of his room and even if he does come out, he walks straight into the kitchen. He won't have breakfast with the elder so Jungkook placed the boxes in front of his doorstep. An hour later, the boxes were gone.
he didn't understand what actually happened.
Instead of working in his study, he sat on the sofa only to see the elder walking into the kitchen. The pretty boy was supposed to be the one who ignores him, not him to the pretty boy. He didn't even know why he was bothered so much. by it.
He ate half of his breakfast and threw the rest away and sat on the couch, working and waiting for him.
The door opened and at the exact same time the telephone rang and went into voice mail
"Hey honey, it's your mom." Jungkook heard from the telephone. The elder picked up the boxes. and was walking to the kitchen but h stopped.
"I just want to wish you a happy birthday. I'm so proud of the man you've grown into. I love you."
Jungkook kept working on his laptop. he knew that the elder was standing right there, listening.
"I know you're listening. I know that you're still mad at us, at your father, but at least talk to me."
Jungkook shut his laptop and got up from the couch.
"I got the call again, just like last year, from your highschool friends." he stopped dead on his track. "I said that you were busy. I have sent you their numbers, again. At least talk to them please."
The pretty boy simply shook his head and went back to his room. he pressed his ear on the door. and heard some muffled voice of Taehyung talking.
"...yeah...busy...listened...room..."
Jungkook understood what he was saying.
Quietly, he sat on his unmade bed an continued working.
Jimin was still down with the flu, but he knew that he will call to wish the pretty boy and cough in his ears. It was Jimin's fault. Jungkook just ordered him to get him the signed papers from the court, not to rain dance on his way to court.
he continued working, but somehow, his thoughts drifted back to the man in his kitchen.
It was almost ten at night and he was still in his room. As usual, Taehyung kept a box of cookies in his doorstep and stayed in his room and kitchen throughout the whole day.
Jimin did call him and wished him. He also sneezed seven times and coughed three times between his wishes. Jungkook also got a call from his father, wishing him and saying that he might visit him this weekend and have a proper chat with him.
Jungkook have no interest in calling any of his friends from high school and he will not be calling them any time soon. They were the ones to break all sorts of contact with him and leave.
The only person left was his therapist.
he haven't heard from him since his declaration of the pretty boy's butt being slapped by a man. Obviously, there was no way he was going to have his butt slapped by a man.
Another loud thunder made him jump in. fright and this time the lights went out.
Great.
Jungkook shut down his laptop in this total darkness and wait for a few minutes for the generator to kick in. The lights came back again and then he heard a loud. knock on his door.
He opened the door. he met with the deepest shade of brown eyes.
"Taehyung, what are y-" he stopped mid sentence when he saw the object in his palm
A cupcake.
It looked like it was made by a professional. It had a purple-colored cream on top with very few sprinkles and a candle.
What...how...
"Hi." Taehyung breathed out, bringing back the pretty boy's attention to him.
"H-Hi." Jungkook stammered. "What are you doing here?" he asked. Suddenly he realized, instead of questioning him what does he want or shooing him away, he was asking him.
Taehyung put forward his palm where the cupcake was resting, took out a lighter from his pocket and lighted up the candle.
"A cupcake for my sweetie pie." He whispered
"W-What?"
"Make a wish and blow the candle." The elder said , staring right into the pretty boy's eyes.
Jungkook's lips quivered and he bit his inner cheek to avoid those traitorous tears to fall on his face.
he closed his eyes and wished for something, something which he always wanted to have back.
Then he blew the candle.
"Happy birthday sweetie pie." The pretty boy choked on his sob.
Seeing the pretty boy crying the elder little panicked... "You're crying again. Wait, let me." He wiped his tears with his thumb.
"What are you doing Taehyung?" Jungkook asked him.
"Celebrating your birthday." The elder said nonchalantly. "Come on, have the cupcake. I made it specially for you."
Jungkook's hands trembled as he took that small sweet from his palm. he took out the candle and removed the paper wrapping.
Then he took a small bite. And coughed in distaste.
"What is this Taehyung?!" he shouted as soon as he swallowed that small piece which left a very bitter taste in his mouth. He was controlling himself to throw the remaining part on the elder's face.
"A cupcake." Taehyung deadpanned.
"Why does it taste so bad? You sure you're a baker?" the pretty boy sneered.
"It's made of orange. Orange peels to be exact and yes, I'm sure that I am a baker." Taehyung said calmly.
"Fine. Why does it taste so bad then? Were the oranges rotten?"
"No. How did it taste?" the elder asked.
"Bad! It tastes bad. You're wasting my time here Mr kim."
Taehyung shook his head. "How did it taste?" He asked again.
Jungkook licked his lips and felt that bitterness. on his tongue when he understood what the elder was asking.
"Bitter." he mumbled. "It tasted bitter."
"Good. Take another bite." Taehyung said.
"No!" the pretty boy gasped. "There's no way I'm taking another bite. It's awful."
The elder sighed. "Just take it."
Jungkook gave him one last look before he brought the cupcake near his lips. It smelled like orange, but he knew that it tasted far from an orange. he gulped inaudibly and took. another bite. he cringed as that bitter taste touched his tongue and made him want to gag on it.
Why was he even listening to this man? He could easily threw away the cupcake on his face and shut the door.
After another painful swallow, he said, "Done. Now will you tell me Mr kim?
"Eat the whole cupcake."
"Are you trying to torture me?!" Jungkook snapped. "Finally after two months of living here, you have lost your sanity!
I'm no-mhhmpff" he lost his speech when the elder shoved the whole cupcake into his mouth.
Jungkook made his run to the bathroom to spit it out but Taehyung grabbed his arm.
"Eat the whole cupcake, Jeon." He growled. A cold shiver ran down to Jungkook's spine when he said his last name.
The elder had never called him by his last name.
Jungkook shot him a glare and stayed in his position, chewing and swallowing that awful cupcake slowly and patiently.
When he finally swallowed the whole. cupcake, he unleashed hell.
"WHAT IS THIS INSANITY?! YOU DO NOT MAKE ME EAT ANYTHING THAT I DO NOT WANT!"
Taehyung remained impassive. He didn't say anything and waited for Jungkook to finish.
"Why aren't you saying anything ?! Explain your actions!"
"Okay," Taehyung said. "How did it taste?"
"What! You shove that cupcake down my throat then you ask me about it's taste? Are you out of your mind?!"
The elder gave him a small smile. "Just listen to me and answer. I swear that I'll explain everything."
"Do you swear to explain your actions?" the pretty boy said in an authoritative voice.
"I swear. Now tell me, how did it taste?"
Jungkook licked his tongue and gulped. Strangely, it tasted less bitter and there was a tint of dark chocolate and orange which brought out a certain sweetness in it.
"A lot less bitter." Jungkook said.
"I see and what else did you taste?"
"Chocolate and orange." he muttered still not understanding his questions.
"Good." The elder nodded his head. "You know when I first had a bite, I wanted to leave."
Leave? That caught the pretty boy's attention. What was he trying to prove?
"Then I had my second bite and found that there was a lot more different flavors than its bitterness. I was curious so I took another bite."
"Taeh-" Taehyung pressed his index finger on Jungkook's lip.
"Let me explain! Slowly, I got used to the bitterness. It had settled in my tongue and that's when I had an exploration of different flavors in it. I was surprised."
His finger left the pretty boy's lips and touched his cheek, taking out a tear from it. He rubbed it between his fingers. Jungkook's eyes were fixed on his and he could hear his heartbeat echoing in his ears.
"There was sourness, a lot of saltiness and a very surprising tint of spice, but what surprised me was the unexpected small taste of sugar. That is sweetness. I wanted more of the sweetness because that's what I like the most, but then I realized that it was it. I couldn't get enough of the sweetness. Then you know what I did?"
Jungkook couldn't speak. he wanted to, but there was something in the elder's eyes that stopped him.
"I came here to get more."
Some strange motion happened in the pretty boy's heart. Something strange yet so familiar.
All the anger in his mind washed out and the only thing he could feel was those brown eyes on him. It was so deep as the ocean and as vast as the forests.
Suddenly, he wanted to cover all the areas of it.
he just had to go in.
"Then what?" he said. "Did you get it? The sweetness?"
"Not yet, but I have had a fair share of the different flavors." Taehyung said.
"How about I just make it up for you? The sweetness?"
"Make it up for me? What do you mean?" the elder asked.
A foreign feeling took over the pretty boy's heart and his mind. It was so strong that it made him lose control over his body.
"Take me there, Taehyung." He whispered.
"Where?"
"Take me to the kitchen."