G E N E R A L P O V
Jungkook pushed open the door to Taehyung's cozy café, the soft chime announcing his arrival. He scanned the room until he spotted Taehyung behind the counter, immersed in brewing a cup of coffee.
Exhaustion lingered in Jungkook's eyes, a testament to the long hours he had spent preparing for his upcoming album release.
Taehyung looked up from his task, his eyes lighting up at the sight of Jungkook . "Hey, Kookie," he greeted, setting the coffee pot aside. "Rough day?"
The idol managed a tired smile. "Yeah, the final touches on the album are draining me. I could use a pick-me-up."
Taehyung nodded knowingly, his fingers expertly working the espresso machine. In no time, the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air. However, instead of a typical cup, Taehyung decided to surprise the younger.
He whipped up a quick, refreshing drink – a blend of iced tea with a splash of citrus. "Here, something to cool you down and boost your energy," The owner said, handing Jungkook the specially crafted beverage.
His fatigued expression transformed into one of gratitude as he accepted the drink. "You always know what I need, Sweetheart. Thanks."
Taehyung winked, playfully teasing, "It's my secret recipe for handling exhausted idols like you."
With the rejuvenating drink in hand, the younger took a sip and felt a wave of revitalization. "Mmm, you're a lifesaver, sweetheart."
Taehyung chuckled, locking up the café. "Let's get you home, babe. You need some proper rest before the big day."
"Babe?" Jungkook chuckled lightly, he was surprised that the older used a pet name.
Taehyung giggled and turned to the younger who had just opened the car door for him, "Do you not like it? Thank you."
Jungkook nodded with a smile before he closed the door and quickly rounded to the driver's side.
"It's not that," He argued with a smile. "It's quite the contrary. I actually love it." He turned to the older, holding his hand up to his lips and pecked it.
"Mine or Yours?" The idol asked as he turned on the car. "Yours please," Taehyung responded, trying to recover from his flustered state.
Jungkook weakly chuckled before he drove off. The rest of the car ride was in comfortable silence.
---
Arm in arm, Jungkook and Taehyung made their way into the former's apartment, the city lights shimmering around them.
As they stepped into the quiet haven, Taehyung couldn't help but admire the determination in the younger eyes.
"Almost there, love," Taehyung reassured, guiding Jungkook towards the comfort of the now shared space.
They hadn't moved in together, but they might as well with how much time Taehyung spends at Jungkook's place. However, he rarely spends the night. especially with an overprotective brother like Mingyu.
Together, they entered a world where exhaustion could be left at the door, and the promise of a new album release awaited them both.
Taehyung gestured for Jungkook to lay down on the couch, before he quickly rushed to the bathroom, before coming back with a warm towel.
He found the younger shirtless, with his eyes closed.
He smiled slightly before he quickly laid the towel on the Idol's shoulders, before massaging the tense muscles with said towels.
He grinned with pride when the younger began letting out groans of contentment. As if as he groaned, he was exhaling the fatigue as well.
"That feels so Good, Hyungie," Jungkook moaned, and before Taehyung knew it, the younger had dozed off.
Taehyung chuckled and went to re-warm the towel with hot water before now just laying it on the younger's back.
While the idol snoozed on the couch, sleeping off the fatigue, Taehyung headed to the kitchen, determined to whip up a hearty dinner for both of them.
The clinking of pots and pans filled the air as he effortlessly moved around, gathering ingredients for a comforting meal.
As the aroma of a delicious home-cooked dinner began to waft through the apartment, Taehyung's phone vibrated on the kitchen counter. Glancing at the screen, he saw that it was the older twin, Mingyu, calling.
Taehyung answered with a smile, knowing Mingyu's tendency to worry.
"Hey, Gyu! What's up?" Taehyung greeted, his voice carrying a warmth that only siblings could share.
Mingyu's concerned voice echoed through the phone, "Hyung, where are you? Are you coming home soon? It's getting late."
Taehyung chuckled, understanding Mingyu's overprotective nature. "Relax, Gyu. I'm just at Jungkook's place for the night."
There was a pause on the other end, and Mingyu's tone became more insistent. "You're staying at his place? Are you sure? Is it not too early?"
Taehyung reassured him, "Mingyu, we're just having a quiet night. Nothing more, nothing less. Besides I'll be home tomorrow morning. Do you not trust me?"
Mingyu sighed audibly, still not entirely convinced. "I don't like this, Hyungie. You're my big brother, and I worry about you."
Taehyung's expression softened, understanding his brother's concerns. "I appreciate that, Mingyu, but I'm not a kid anymore. Kookie and I are just spending time together. I promise I'll be home tomorrow."
After a moment, Mingyu reluctantly agreed, "Fine, but you better call me when you wake up, and make sure you come straight home tomorrow. No detours."
Taehyung chuckled, "Deal, you overgrown puppy. Thanks for caring. Now, go to bed and stop worrying about me. I Love you."
The call ended with Mingyu grumbling a reluctant, "I Love you too," and Taehyung returned to the kitchen with a smile.
As he continued cooking, he couldn't help but feel grateful for the family ties that added warmth to his life.
Him and his brothers have come so far in life and he couldn't help butsmile tearfully, remembering what they went through.
Remembering the reason why his brothers were ever so protective.
He's so proud of them.
He seems to have fulfilled his vow to give his brothers a better life. In fact, they did that on their own, while taking care of him.
He quickly wiped his tears and continued making dinner, which was halfway through.
By the time he was finished, Jungkook was starting to wake up.
"Well hello sleepy head," Taehyung smiled as he knelt next to Jungkook's head, running his hand through the Idol's hair.
"I just finished making dinner," he whispered, earning a grunt from the younger. "Go freshen up and come to the kitchen when you are done."
He quickly pecked the younger's cheek before he stood up and went back to the kitchen to dish up.
Jungkook groggily stood up, as he yawned and went to tje bathroom to freshen up. And in record time he was downstairs having dinner with his 'sweetheart'.
---
"I think I'm ready to tell you what happened with your hyung," Taehyung as he gathered the dirty dishes.
They had just finished having dinner and Taehyung was now tidying up the dinner table.
Jungkook's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, wondering what Wonwoo did, before he quickly recovered. Remembering that the older was referring to Yoongi.
He rushed to say, "Before you tell me. Can I ask you something very important?"
Taehyung froze in his tracks, they were now moving to the living room. And he resumed on his way and nodded.
Jungkook sat on the love-seat and patted the space next to him. Gesturing for the older to sit next to him.
Taehyung sat and before he knew it, Jungkook had pulled him and cuddled him.
"I wanted to ask this in an extravagant way or rather a special way but i can't wait any longer," He began. Taehyung's head was rested on his chest, so he whispered just about every word. With heartfelt emotions.
"I know we haven't known each other for long but I knew I had to have you by my side the moment I first saw you 3 years ago." Taehyung's eyes widened as he attempted to raise his head but Jungkook quickly tightened his hands around the older.
"I first saw you in your branch cafe, in Dong-gu. You looked so breathtakingly beautiful that I had to pause and stare for a while. Well that while ended up being a long time seeing as by the time I came to, you were already leaving and I was late for filming."
"I honestly thought you were the most divine being, I had seen you helping a cashier which I'm assuming was new? He looked like he was making so many mistakes, but you were so patient with him. I loved your patience and compassion."
Jungkook smiled, "I could write a book about the number of things I find endearing about you but I'd like to keep those to myself, can't have people falling for my boyfriend now can we?"
Taehyung quickly sat up at the last word, trying to hide the blush that was creeping up his neck," B-Boyfriend?"
Jungkook smiled widely. He looked like an overexcited bunny, "That's what I'm trying to ask you Baby. Can I be yours? Can I be your boyfriend?"
Taehyung teared up a bit a pulled himself from the youngest's embrace before turning to him. He stared straight into the idol's eyes, as if to decipher whether he is serious or not.
He did not see even a hint of doubt, let alone deception. "You promise not to hurt me?" He whispered tearfully.
"Oh baby," Jungkook muttered as he pulled the older back into his embrace. "Who hurt you, baby?" He asked rhetorically, before he continued. "I wouldn't even dream of it."
After a few minutes which felt like hours, he felt slight movement on his chest.
Taehyung was nodding.
He pulled back once again and nodded, "I would love it if you were my boyfriend." He smiled widely. Causing the idol let out the biggest smile that night.
They embraced each other for a while before Taehyung whispered lightly, "Yoongi did." And somehow, Jungkook completely understood what the older meant so, he quietly let the older gather his thoughts and continue.
"Back in Daegu, the twins and I were really poor due to being abandoned by our parents. We had nothing but the clothes on our backs and the food already in our stomach," He mentioned with melancholy.
"It was really hard for a while since neither of our family members wanted to take us in. I tried looking for jobs here and there, when I finally found one at a restaurant. I worked there for months before a guy a few years my senior started working as a delivery boy, and since I worked as a cashier, we saw and spent more time with each other. In and outside of our jobs. One could say we grew close.
"He then started to treat me to more than average lunches, outings and excursions. Unlike our usual walks in the park or lunch at a convenience store." He sighed, shifting slightly in his boyfriend's arms.
"A year later, he was still 'courting me', he didn't expressly say he was courting me, but his actions spoke louder than his silence." He laughed humorlessly. As if it was a painful memory, and he would argue that it was.
One that he would prefer not to relive, recall or even so much as talk about it. It was such a bittersweet memory, leaning more on the bitter side.
A memory that made his brothers borderline overprotective, and absolutely hate the eldest BTS rapper.
"I obviously grew strong feelings for him. Not only because he treated me like royalty, a fragile egg that is to be kept safe and away from even a threat of danger, but I was also under the impression that he was courting me. How stupid of me."
Jungkook looked like he wanted to disagree, but he had a feeling that the older needed, if not wanted, to get this off his system. Off his mind.
"I was absolutely enthralled by him and would talk about him for most of my days. He was all I could think about when I wasn't thinking about how to survive back home. My escape. That's what he was to me."
The first batch of tears finally escaped his eyes. He didn't move to wipe them or anything. He let himself mourn his first love for the last time.
He knew that it was unconventional and often frowned upon that he was talking about his 'ex' with his current boyfriend. Crying over him, to make matters work. But he hoped that Jungkook understood why he was saying all this.
He felt like he owed Jungkook even the slightest bit of truth as to why he rreacted like he did that day at the Magic Bean.
"One day, while he was walking me back home, he looked a bit distracted, so I asked if anything was wrong, and it was then that he had told me that he was scouted by a start-up entertainment company and for him to join, he had to move to Seoul.
"Obviously i was absolutely excited on his behalf and absolutely proud that he would make his dreams come true. I always knew that he wanted to be a composer and a songwriter, so I encouraged him to take the decision he thought was best. Once again, I knew he was probably thinking of taking the job."
Taehyung sighed as he stared off into space, reliving the day all this happened. And those that followed. He had a pained expression on his face.
"He took the job and promised to stay in touch, and for a few months he did. He would call once a day and we would talk about his day and all his activities. I was absolutely happy that he was finally achieving his dreams.
"Then gradually, the calls became shorter, more scarce, feeling forced, and finally they stopped.
"I always wondered what had happened, grew worried about him. A lot of thoughts ran through my mind. And it was then I realised that I was absolutely in love with him."