Jungkook hurried through JFK Airport.
He was running late and prayed he hadn't missed his flight as he ran towards his designated terminal. He been so riled up from yesterday's events that he hadn't been able to sleep all night, tossing and turning as thoughts of a certain dark haired, deep voiced, handsome man assailed his mind entirely. He had somehow fallen into a fitful sleep at the ass crack of dawn and then had slept straight through his alarm this morning.
"This is the last and final boarding call for flight E10457 to Las Vegas."
A polite voice sounded through the airport speakers.
He ran faster.
Almost crashing into the check-in counter, he handed his boarding pass to the lady stationed there. She quickly stamped it and he ran through the walkway and into the flight.
Most of the passengers had already settled as Jungkook got inside. He huffed and panted as the crew checked his tickets and pass, letting him find his seat.
"Yah, Jungkook-ah!" Jin called from one of the seats a few rows down and waved at him. Jungkook grinned and walked down the aisle towards him. He saw all of them had already settled in their seats. The only empty seat was next to.....
Kim Taehyung.
God had either suddenly decided to smile down upon him or was having a good laugh at his expense.
Either way he'd rather make most of the opportunity.
He smiled widely at Tae as he pushed his backpack into the overhead bin and dropped into his seat.
Taehyung looked incredibly cool with his dark beanie and oversized headphones hanging off his neck. He cocked a shapely eyebrow at him and Jungkook gulped as he buckled up his seat belt.
"Slept in?" Taehyung asked as he settled.
"Something kept me up too late last night" Jungkook answered tongue in cheek.
Taehyung made a face. "Please don't enlighten me on your adventures."
Jungkook chuckled. "Aren't you tired though?" He asked.
"Me? Why would I be tired?" Tae frowned in confusion.
"Coz you were running through my mind all night last night"
Taehyung groaned loudly and pulled his headphones over his ears as Jungkook laughed out loud enough to pull attention from the entire flight list.
It was a six hour flight, Jungkook smiled. He was going to make Tae smile before he got off the plane. Sitting so close to him, their shoulders and thighs brushing at the slightest movement from either of them, was like a dream for Jungkook. But in this case, the reality was so much better than his dreams.
Tae shifted in his seat as the flight took off. A light whiff of musk and spice hit Jungkook's nostrils. He took a deep breath. Just like every other thing about him, Tae smelled incredible.
Jungkook sighed. If only he would take off his headphones. He tried to think of ways he could get him to take his headphones off.
~~~~~~
Tae hadn't taken his headphones off in over an hour. He had stopped playing music a little while back and was quietly staring out the window. He couldn't take them off though since Jungkook had fallen asleep a few minutes after the flight had taken off and was completely burrowed against Taehyung's side, his head lay on his shoulder and his soft snores tickled his collarbones.
Tae had been a little irritated at first, but then he remembered how tired Jungkook had looked and let him sleep. He looked down at him, his face relaxed in sleep was so boyish and innocent that it made him want to pinch his cheeks.
Or maybe kiss him?
Where the hell had that come from????
His cheeks flamed as he struggled to get a handle on his thoughts.
"Is he still asleep?" Jimin whispered softly. He had stopped by their seat on the way back from the washroom.
Tae gave him a nod.
"He looks so cute curled up like that. Peaceful." Jimin said, softly brushing away a stray lock of hair from Jungkook's face.
For some reason, Tae didn't like it. He didn't want to examine the why too deeply though.
Jimin waved at the crew and a hostess came up to him.
"Can I get a blanket for my friend here, please?" Jimin asked sweetly.
Why hadn't he thought of that?
The hostess smiled at him and quickly brought one to him.
He thanked her and placed the blanket lightly around Jungkook. "Rest well Kookie bun. You have a long weekend ahead of you." He gazed lovingly at him again and walked back to his seat.
Taehyung swallowed.
He knew there was a knot in his chest that refused to let up. He didn't know if it was because of Jimin or the lump that was snuggled into his side.
He wasn't sure he wanted to know.
After another thirty minutes, Taehyung had started to get antsy and bored. He felt a little tickle on his other arm and turned it to check. There was a little spider climbing up his arm.
Tae let out a little yelp and hastily brushed it off with his other arm. Jungkook, who was violently jostled out of his slumber, blinked questioningly at him.
"Sorry. There was a spider." Tae explained guiltily. A part of him was glad Jungkook had woken up though.
"So?" Jungkook asked, sleepily rubbing his right eye with his finger like a child.
"If a spider bites me it will make me spiderman." Taehyung giggled stupidly at his own joke. Oh God! Sleepy Jungkook was so cute, it was making him feel flustered and spout nonsense.
Jungkook stared at him for a moment and then his face cleared of all innocence as his eyes glinted with mischief.
"Will you bite me and make me your man?" Jungkook asked rubbing his shoulder against Tae's.
Tae bit down on both his lips. Hard. He looked out of the window and concentrated on keeping his breathing even. It was a close call. His nostrils flared as he took a big breath to calm himself quicker.
"I'm bored." Jungkook whined after a few minutes.
Such a child.
"You literally just woke up." Taehyung remarked.
Jungkook pouted. "You ruined my nap"
Taehyung shook his head and looked away again.
Jungkook couldn't believe he had fallen asleep and wasted almost two hours of this once in a lifetime opportunity. Well, he wouldn't waste another moment, he decided.
"You know what?" Jungkook asked after a few minutes of twiddling his thumbs.
"If I were you, I'd have sex with me." Jungkook smiled coyly.
Taehyung's eyes widened, unbidden images flooded his mind and heat began to rise from the back of his neck up to his ears.
"No you wouldn't. If you were me, you'd be straight." Taehyung smirked.
"Oh! You're straight?" Jungkook asked, eyes wide with mock surprise.
"So is spaghetti though, until its wet, then it bends to will, you know." Jungkook winked.
"I have a girlfriend. I make her wet and I'm still very much straight." Taehyung said curtly, uncomfortable with where the conversation was headed.
Jungkook tried to swallow the lump in his throat. Did he just say girlfriend?
"You have a girlfriend?" He asked, trying hard not to let the heaviness he was feeling, reflect in his voice. He should have known, a guy like Tae would never be single.
"Yes." Taehyung smiled. "Her name is Kate."
Jungkook slowly nodded.
"So, how long have you been together?" Jungkook fumbled with his seatbelt, unlocking and locking it again just to distract himself because he couldn't look up into Taehyung's eyes. Not when he was looking all dreamy and stupid for someone else.
It stung.
"About six months now" Taehyung answered.
Jungkook could still hear the smile in his voice. He looked up to see Taehyung smiling at his phone screen which had an image of the two of them hugging each other. She was really pretty, he thought pathetically. He looked up to see a ghost of a smile still lingering on his face.
Jungkook had been relentlessly trying for a week to get him to smile like that for him and he was failing miserably. Yet here he was, smiling at his stupid phone, with the stupid couple photo, of his pretty but stupid girlfriend.
"Do you love her?" Jungkook asked, his voice a barely audible whisper.
Shit! He was such a masochist sometimes.
Don't answer, please don't answer, he prayed silently.
"I think I do" Taehyung said flatly.
And just like that, Jungkook's heart cracked for the first time.
"Aaaah." Jungkook murmured in understanding.
He didn't understand anything at all. Why was he even sitting here in this stupid seat next to him?
He had been right before. God was playing a cruel joke on him and laughing at his misery.
"Good for you, Kim." He twisted his face into a smile but it came out more like a grimace.
He didn't feel like talking anymore so he pulled out his headphones and turned on the music. Hoping some hard rock may chase away all the unwanted thoughts in his mind.
He honestly hadn't counted on Taehyung having a girlfriend and a serious one at that. How could he have been so stupid? Of course he had a girlfriend. Who in their right mind would let a guy like Taehyung be single?
Maybe this stupid game had gone on too long. He should stop now before he got too attached to the faint blushes he saw on Tae's cheeks when Jungkook was flirting with him. He knew Taehyung had lost the bet long back, barely holding back his smiles but he had still continued because he loved to see him flustered and shy.
He should back off now, before it was too late.
Before Taehyung broke his heart.
He closed his eyes in misery. He had lost before he'd even gotten a fair chance. He would probably be cursed to always watch him from afar. Forever standing on the opposite side, never beside.
The thought was depressing and bleak. But that is exactly how he felt, like all the happiness had been sucked out of him.
All of it was just so...... Stupid!!!
He folded his arms across his chest and pouted. He knew he was being unreasonable. But he couldn't help it. Why the hell did he have to get so close? He knew Tae was straight. It wasn't his fault that Jungkook had fallen for him, he had never asked for it.
His rational mind knew all of it but his stupid heart had a mind of its own. His thoughts were in turmoil and he didn't realise when he had drifted off to sleep again with music still blaring through his headphones.
Taehyung looked over at him and saw that he had fallen asleep again. He smiled. The boy was relentless in his efforts to make him smile. He was sooo going to lose soon. He covered his face in defeat. He didn't want to let up though. It was just too much fun.
But when Jungkook had asked him about being in love with Kate, a part of him had answered instinctively. He was shocked to hear himself say he thought he was in love with her.
He wasn't.
It wasn't serious between them, never had been. They were together for convenience. He liked her, liked spending time with her and he most definitely liked the sex but he didn't love her.
He didn't love anyone. Maybe Jimin and maybe his halmeoni. But both, his best friend and his grandmother were his family, so that didn't count. He had never known any other form of love.
Jungkook's question had just triggered a defensive response from him. He honestly didn't even know why he had said he loved her. He had probably feared being judged for being with someone for so long and not loving them.
He looked over at Jungkook again, disappointed that he had fallen asleep again so soon.
Taehyung yawned. Maybe he should take a little nap too. His eyes drifted close and soon he was floating in the land of dreams.
~~~~~~
They were expected to land in another 40 minutes. Yoongi was walking towards the washroom when he decided to take a peak at the two best men and make sure they were okay. He had been worried about the two of them sitting together in a cooped up state for almost seven hours. He prayed they wouldn't break the plane. Kookie was definitely winning Tae over with his charm he knew, but tempers could rise quickly in closed spaces.
When he walked up to their row, he found the two of them fast asleep. Tae's head lay on Jungkook's shoulder and Jungkook had laid his head on top of Tae's. Both looked so content and calm that Yoongi had to hold back the need to squeeze them.
Yoongi quickly motioned Jimin to come over. Jimin skipped up by his side and Yoongi quickly put a finger on his lips. Jimin quietly stepped closer and peered over the seat.
It was a such an endearing sight, it made Jimin's heart melt and his eyes prickle. If the situation were different, if Tae hadn't been straight, Jimin was sure they would have made a great couple. Someone like Kookie was exactly what Tae needed to ground him and give him a sense of belonging. Someone with boundless energy and endless patience.
Jimin sighed. Alas, it wasn't meant to be.
"Should we wake them?" Yoongi whispered.
"We should. But I don't want to." Jimin replied. "They're so precious" he sniffed as he took a picture.
"Crew to prepare for landing"
Jungkook stirred as the captain's voice echoed through the plane. Jimin and Yoongi quietly slunk away, wanting to spare them the embarrassment of being caught sleeping like this.
Jungkook slowly opened his eyes, his neck creaking as he straightened. A slight heaviness on his side made him look sideways to find the source.
Taehyung lay on his shoulder, completely lost to the world. His face peaceful, his expression calm, the shadow of his lashes lay softly on his cheeks.
He was so beautiful it hurt to look at him.
Jungkook never wanted the moment to end. He would forever sit in this position and tirelessly gaze upon the man who had so effortlessly stolen his heart all those years ago.
Taehyung sighed softly in his sleep and his breath blew across Jungkook's neck making him melt. He wished he could stay like this forever.
The seat belt sign dinged indicating that they were almost about to land. Jungkook gently brushed the back of his fingers across Taehyung's cheek.
He was touching his face! Dear God, that mole!
His heart was beating so fast that it was echoing through him. The blood was rushing entirely to his head making him feel a little dizzy.
Taehyung stirred a little, sighed and snuggled closer into Jungkook's neck. Jungkook groaned at the sensation that burned through his body making his ears flush red.
Before it could get worse however, Jungkook shook Taehyung awake. "Wake up sleepy head. We're almost there" he said his voice thick with emotion.
Taehyung groggily woke up and looked around. He realised he was almost half out of his seat and onto Jungkook. He scrambled back into his own seat and buckled up his seat belt. He turned on his phone to check the time and saw Jungkook's eyes narrow and his mouth tighten as the younger looked at his phone screen.
He avoided looking at Jungkook for the rest of their journey. Once the plane had landed, they quickly moved to the baggage bay and collected their bags. They had booked 3 cabs for the seven of them including the luggage.
Jungkook seemed to be avoiding him too. He hadn't once looked at him or said a single word. No flirty innuendos or cheesy pick up lines. No silly jokes, no crack head laughter, no sexy smirks or knowing smiles. Just nothing.
It was like Taehyung suddenly didn't exist for him anymore.
When they got to the cabs, Taehyung expected Jungkook to travel with him. He watched Jimin and Yoongi shuffle into a cab in the middle while Namjoon and Hobi headed to the one in front.
"Hobi hyung!" Jungkook called as the pulled his trolley bag behind him and rushed towards Hobi. "Can I ride with you guys?" He asked as he reached them.
"Of course Jungkook-ah. We don't mind." Namjoon said kindly as he helped load his bag into the trunk.
Without a backward glance, Jungkook got into the cab, leaving Taehyung confused as he looked behind him. He was left to travel with Jin whom he had never once spoken to. Not that he minded of course, but he hadn't expected for Jungkook to leave him behind like that.
He climbed into the cab followed by Jin.
As the cabs moved towards their hotel, he couldn't help but wonder, had he done something wrong? Offended him in someway?
He thought back over their interactions on the plane, it had all seemed normal to him. Was it because he had invaded his personal space in his sleep?
He looked over at Jin by his side, who politely smiled at him.
For a moment he felt acutely aware of missing the bunny smile he'd rather have preferred.
Not once since they had first met in the bridal shop in the beginning of the week, had Jungkook left him alone. He was constantly by his side, like a shadow he couldn't get rid of, driving him insane with his cringeworthy lines, laughing and grinning like an idiot until Tae wanted to punch his teeth out.
Now, he had suddenly decided to ignore Taehyung completely and for the first time since this roller coaster of a wedding plan had begun, Taehyung felt completely and utterly..... lonely.
~~~~~~~~
They reached their hotel in an hour and checked in. Taehyung was thankfully staying with Jimin, at least for tonight. Jimin would move to the honeymoon suite with Yoongi tomorrow after the wedding.
He was in charge of getting the room ready with the decorations and stuff but the list had also included condoms and lube.
That was a little too much information for his already overworked brain which seemed to want to endlessly conjure some very graphic images of his best friend having sex with a man. Taehyung shuddered and felt ashamed of himself.
Jungkook was staying with Yoongi tonight which meant that once Yoongi joins Jimin in the suite tomorrow night, Jungkook would probably be bunking in with him.
He wasn't quite sure how he felt about that.
Jungkook had continued to avoid him all through the check in process, purposely finding ways to stay as far away from him as possible. It was getting on his nerves.
He hated it.
Why couldn't Jungkook just tell him what he had done wrong, scream at him for whatever and just get over it?
They decided to freshen up and meet in the restaurant for dinner. Tae cleaned up taking extra care of his appearance, hoping maybe Jungkook would start the pick up lines again.
He reached the dining hall last with Jimin to find the rest of the wedding party had already arrived and were having a blast. Jungkook was laughing loudly as Jin and Namjoon seemed to be in an intense arm wrestling match.
As their eyes met, Jungkook's laughter died on his lips giving way to a sombre expression. He didn't look at Tae again for the rest of the night, quietly observing the rest of the men have fun, while he gave half smiles and occasional high fives.
Taehyung had let him keep his distance the whole time but now he was bored and a little bit irritated. Whatever is was, Jungkook needed to get over it, he thought as he made his way over to him.
He sat down on the empty chair next to Jungkook. He was sure the younger noticed but he still continued to ignore his presence.
As Jungkook stood up to leave, citing a headache, Taehyung decided he'd had enough.
"Hey Jeon!" Taehyung called.
Jungkook turned to voluntarily look at him straight in the eyes for the first time since the flight. But there was no smile, no sight of the bunny teeth that had started to grow on Tae.
"You know what we both have in common?" Taehyung asked. It was dumb, he knew it was dumb but he didn't have anything else and for some unknown reason, he felt desperate.
Jungkook just stared at him blankly.
"We both breathe oxygen" Tae grinned.
Jungkook blinked at him, his expression as blank as his eyes. Still no smile. Boy, this was hard.
"No?" Taehyung asked, laughing awkwardly.
"If that is how you pick up girls, I'm surprised you have a girlfriend" Jungkook deadpanned and then turned around and left.
"Fuck you, Jeon!"
~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~
Author Note:
Who's going to tell poor Tae that it's not his fault and that his beef bunny is just jealous?
Disclaimer:
Names to teams / mascots / universities/ schools / education institutions have been used only to make the story more authentic. There is no malicious intent behind the usage of the name neither do my books depict or reflect anything that is even remotely real about these institutions except their names. I hold all educational institutions and providers in the highest regard. Hence no offence or malice is intended.
Any and all characters in this book are fictional, any resemblance to anyone dead or alive is purely coincidental.
Pictures/Audio/Video/Song/Lyrics Credit goes to the original source/artist/owner.
No malice or offence is intended to any race, religion or sexual orientation.
I donot promote shipping of any members in real life.
🔞 This book is meant for mature audiences only 🔞
BTS and its members belong to themselves and Bighit/Hybe. They do not belong to me. Their names and characteristics are used only for entertainment purposes.
Kim Mingyu of Seventeen doesn't belong to me either.
See you in the next Chapter😉😉
Love,
Writeria 29