It was pure chaos.
Everyone except Jimin and Jeongyeon was panicking.
Taehyung was almost close to a nervous breakdown from all the anxiety he was feeling ever since Namjoon barged into his house during breakfast and all but snatched his phone away (at the risk of getting his hand chopped by Jeongguk).
He didn't understand what was happening, he didn't understand why there were suddenly so many bodyguards out of his house, he didn't understand why so many of the company's staff were at his house, he didn't understand why there were lawyers in his living room, trying to sue the owners of the karaoke room they had gone to the previous day.
In all the chaos, people didn't care about his tiny, double-palm-sized Yeontan falling under their feet and it almost gave him an aneurysm until Jeongguk had enough of it and all but threw Yeontan into his 'house' and locked him in.
After a while, he heard two of the staff discussing the misfortune among themselves and ever since then, he had pulled almost forty hair strands out.
After a little more while, Jimin and Jeongyeon joined them, looking as cool as ice, and it drove Taehyung up the wall.
How on earth could Jimin be so cool?! There was literally a video of him kissing Jeongyeon circling around!! What was he going to do about it?!
"Why should he do anything about it?" Jeongyeon asked. She never understood the whole secrecy that Taehyung and Jimin always maintained outside their houses. She didn't understand what the matter was about letting everyone know who their partners were.
"Because he is gonna lose his fans if he doesn't!!"
Jeongguk frowned and looked up. Jimin was going to lose fans? "Can't he buy new ones?"
Taehyung's eyes almost fell out of their sockets. "B-Buy fans?" he asked.
"Hmm," Jeongguk nodded innocently and looked back up at the ceiling. Why was Taehyung reacting so adversely to buying fans?
"J-Jeonggukie, my baby," Taehyung called, his voice dripping with false honey.
"What?"
"Are you talking about the ceiling fans?"
Jeongguk frowned and tilted his head slightly to his side in confusion. "Yes?"
Taehyung burst out laughing. "Oh, my darling," he laughed, totally ignoring how red Jeongguk's face became because of that. "My followers are also called my fans. They are all people who like me."
"I see," Jeongguk nodded slowly. "Does that mean I am your fan?"
Taehyung's eyes widened for a second before he calmed down and smirked smugly. "Does that mean you like me?"
"Yes. Am I your fan?"
"Hmm...let's see...do you like me because I'm an actor or do you like me becau-"
"I like you because you are mannerless but sweet, notorious but thoughtful, rude but kind, indecent but beautiful-"
Taehyung, whose mouth had fallen open, shut his mouth and lunged forward to slam his hand on Jeongguk's mouth before any of his staff heard him further. "Okay, okay, I get it, now shut up."
"So am I your fan?"
"No, you just like me. You are an exception."
"You have very crooked definitions of words and too many exceptions for them."
"I didn't ask, but thank you," Taehyung deadpanned.
"You are welcome. But like you said, fans are people who like you because you are an actor. Who you like should be none of their business," Jeongguk said and walked away, towards the gym that Taehyung had gotten installed in his house just for Jeongguk.
The discussion had started the other day with Taehyung casually commenting how Jeongguk had lesser muscles now compared to the first time he saw him.
Jeongguk got so mad at him for the comment, Taehyung almost witnessed death right the next second.
He realized later that Jeongguk was already becoming self-conscious about all the muscles that he was losing and that Taehyung had hit a very sensitive nerve with that comment.
Feeling bad for him and wanting very badly to help and impress him, he ordered expensive gym equipment and got them installed in one of his free rooms.
It took a couple of days to cool Jeongguk and get him into the room, but once he did, it became difficult to get him out. It became his go-to address.
"TAEHYUNG!!"
Taehyung flinched and looked at the caller. "It's okay, don't worry too much. We'll figure something out," Namjoon said sympathetically.
Taehyung's eyes widened as he realized that Namjoon was under the impression that Taehyung had zoned out worrying about the current predicament. A huge smile crept up his lips as he realized that Jeongguk had unintentionally cleared a huge worry in his mind with his little wise comment.
"I'm not worried about it, hyung. Not anymore," he said with a grin and patted a surprised Namjoon on his shoulder before skipping towards the gym to give a sweaty Jeongguk a tight hug.
Jeongguk just chuckled at him and freely wrapped his arms back around him.
"Are you here to improve your body?" he asked.
Taehyung's face immediately turned sour as he pulled away from Jeongguk and gave his chest a tight slap.
"My body is perfectly alright, thank you very much. I came to tell you that I love you. Bye," he said and all but ran out of the room. He knew Jeongguk might not understand the complications behind that phrase, but Taehyung felt the need to say it.
"Oh? You are suddenly glowing. What's up?" Jimin asked him when he skipped into the dining room to get himself something to eat. All the staff were in the living room and the dining area was free of people.
"I just told harabeoji I love him," Taehyung chuckled.
Jimin gasped first and laughed next. "Go-"
"What?!" Taehyung became defensive. "Why are you laughing?! You can go to any lengths to get your girl but I can't tell my man I love him?!" he whisper-yelled.
"Chill, Volcano. I was about to say 'good job'. I don't know about anything else, but I can say one thing for sure. Jeongguk might behave like a tough rock, but he is actually a very sweet kid," Jimin said.
"Yeah, of course you would know all about that kid," Taehyung rolled his eyes but left the kitchen with a grin. He was happy now. No article could bring his mood down.
Yes, he might lose his fans because of this article, but it would at least tell him who all had liked him for his acting and who had liked him for his looks.
Above all, he just let something huge out of his heart. Jeongguk might not know wha-
He bumped into Jeongguk's chest and stumbled back with a loud yelp. "Ouch!" he reached up to rub his forehead but Jeongguk held his arm and yanked him back close before wrapping his other arm around his waist.
"You love me?" he whispered.
Taehyung couldn't speak. His throat was dry and his eyes were wide and his mind was blank. What on earth was happening?!
"Tell me, Taehyung-nim. You love me?" he asked.
"Y-Ye-"
"Well, good for you, I love you too," Jeongguk said and with that, he leaned down to press his lips down on Taehyung's lips.