"Jungkookie, I'm heavyyyy" I whine sleepily, blinking at the bright lights of the elevator that we just entered.
"You're not" Jungkook laughs.
"I can bet all my life savings I weigh more than you." I groan, hitting his shoulder lightly. "Put me down"
"I'm sure you don't but so what if you do, you're still as light as a feather to me." He smiles brightly. "And no, I like you like this. In my arms."
Jimin fake gags. "Gross, get a room losers."
"Or you can get out." Jungkook bites back.
I groan, nuzzling my face in Jungkook's neck. A tiny ploy just so I can breathe him in a little more. "Can you two fight quietly, please?"
"She sounds like Yoongi hyung, huh?" Namjoon chuckles.
We exit out of the elevator and if I thought Jungkook would just seat me in the car, I am very wrong. He slides in, putting me right on his lap.
"Comfy chair" I hum, "I don't remember it being this comfortable when we were heading here."
Jungkook just chuckles, pressing his face into my neck and wrapping his arms tightly around my body. Our height difference doing nothing right now because I'm still just barely leveled with his face. He places his hand on my lap and I take it, tracing his tattoos.
—
I knew seeing Taehyung was gonna be inevitable. I guess if you count all the times we've said at most two words to each other before Jimin or Jungkook stepped in, I think we're getting along well. It was definitely better than the zero words spoken to me before.
Still, standing in the door way of the private room and getting a clear view of where he's seated at is as daunting as the last time we saw each other. The other 3 are already in the room, standing when we walk through it.
"Taylor!" Hobi shouts, walking over to me with his arms wide open. "What are you doing here!"
"I bought front row seats to Jungkook and Jimin's arguments" I hug him.
"Fun," He chuckles sending vibrations to my head that's pressed on his chest. Why are these men all so damn tall?
Hobi lets me go and I'm greeted by Jin and Yoongi. A series of, "Hey kid" and "Hi little one" sounding from them at the same time. The "hey kid" comment coming from Yoongi as he pats my head, seemingly enjoying being 7 inches taller than me. It's only when I greet him back with a "Hi grandpa" that he moves his hand away, a sly smirk on his face at my come back.
Jungkook guides me further into the room, a comforting hand on my back to where Taehyung is standing.
"Hi Taylor" he says, sporting the boxy smile that I'd recognize anywhere.
"Taehyung-ssi" I bow my head politely.
His smiles falters slightly as he takes the seat directly in front of Jungkook with Jimin seated to the left.
A familiar anxious bubble builds in the pit of my stomach. It's short lived when the moment I sit down Jungkook is dragging my chair so that I'm right next to him. Which should make me feel more anxious since Taehyung is right in front of me now, but Jungkook's warm hand finds its way right to my thigh rubbing random shapes in my leggings.
—
Once all the food makes its way to the table, it's every man (or in my case woman) for themselves. These men are quick, taking as much meat on their plate as they can. Fortunately and unfortunately for me, my appetite is just as big as theirs. So I rush to grab the last piece of meat in the bowl on our side of the table. And just my luck, so does Taehyung.
"Ah sorry, you can take it." Taehyung says, pushing the bowl towards me.
"Thank you, Taehyung-ssi." I bow my head again, not meeting his eyes.
"Just Tae is fine." He says, causing my eyes to shoot up at him. What. There's a closed mouth smile right on his face, as if reassuring me that it's okay. What am I supposed to do with that.
I hum, grabbing the piece of meat. Suddenly so interested in the bowl of rice that's in front of me. If he takes the hint or if I see Jimin's leg move under the table most likely to kick him, I don't say anything.
Jungkook does a real good job at distracting me. Every other bite he's putting meat on my plate. I'm almost sure he took the most amount of meat and he's put half of that on my plate already. We've all got down to the last bit of food and I genuinely can't eat anymore. Every piece Jungkook sneakily slides onto my plate while I'm talking to Jimin is just picked up with my chopsticks and fed right back to Jungkook. Who doesn't protest one bit. His left hand still warm on top of my thigh, which I've been busying myself with tracing over his knuckles and outlining his tattoos.
"How was your flight?" Taehyung speaks suddenly. All eyes sneaking glances between us. Except for Jungkook, who I can see through my peripheral staring right at me. Eyes never leaving my face. His hand tightens on me, the tracing turning into light taps of his finger.
"Good" A simple response. One that doesn't invite more conversation. It's good, it's safe.
"That's really good." Taehyung mumbles. He breathes out a loud sigh, running his hands through his hair. "Tayl-."
"That food was so good, I think a smoke break is much needed. I'll be right back" I say smiling at the guys, patting Jungkook's hand on my thigh and rushing out.
The cold air hits my face once I'm out. Fishing in my pocket for my vape, I take a long drag once I walk to the side of the entrance. I close my eyes and lean my back against the wall. I hear the footsteps on the pavement and I'm not entirely sure who I'm expecting. And I'm not exactly prepared for anyone, so I just take another hit praying that I don't have to have another hard conversation again. But then I hear it. His heartbeat. My eyes fly open and he's standing right in front of me. Apologetic eyes shining above his mask.
"I'm sorry" I blurt, wrapping my arms around his middle and putting my forehead on his chest.
"For what?" His hand goes up to run through my hair.
"All of that" I sigh. "Being like that to him. I know, it's been months. He's your bandmate, your hyung. I shouldn't just walk out like that and everyone else must think I'm some bitch and I—"
"Hey. Hey hey hey" Jungkook pulls me in closer, hand firm on the back of my head. "Stop"
"But I—" I try to let go of him, but he holds me tighter. Hands coming up to the sides of my face.
"Baby, baby. Hey." He glides his thumbs over the apples of my cheeks. The first time he's ever used that pet name, and it locks me right into this spot. My feet may as well be melted into the concrete. "I get it." He whispers, completely oblivious to my brain turning into mush.
He puts his forehead on mine, thumbs still rubbing my cold cheeks. "Nobody is mad at you for being weary of Tae. Nobody at all, okay? We know what happened. We don't expect you to just be his best friend all of a sudden."
"But then I also feel like I should forgive him. Hear him out. Is that stupid? I keep feeling like I deserved better than that. But I've known this other version of him for so long that it feels almost weird not to forgive him" I say in almost a whisper.
"You do, you do deserve better than that. But I can't tell you how to feel. Baby steps, maybe? I won't force you either way." He responds.
I unconsciously let out a shaky breath, that fans over Jungkook's face. His eyes flutter open and he pulls away, slightly tilting my head up just a bit. His eyes shifting between my eyes and down towards my lips which has me instinctively biting them nervously.
And I should be one with the ground at this point because Jungkook lifts a slender thumb to my mouth. Pulls my bottom lip out from teeth and runs his finger over the bottom of it softly. "I really wanna kiss you right now."
He moves his face closer to me, I can practically feel his breath on my face through his mask. I don't know if it's the cold weather or him being this close to me, but it has the hair on my skin standing. My body shivering in his hold.
"You're cold." He notes, immediately moving to take off his heavy coat. "I should've asked you to change into something warmer before we left."
A pout on my lips when he drapes the coat around me, helping me shove my arms in it. Leaving him now in just a hoodie and sweatpants. "I don't have anything warmer than this."
"We can go tomorrow to buy you new clothes." He says rubbing his hands up and down my arms, tucking me right into his side. "And don't pout, I'm fine. I'm used to the cold, and this hoodie is much thicker than the one you're wearing."
"Maybe I should steal that one too then." I throw a cheesy smile at him, walking as he's guiding me back to the restaurant with an arm around my shoulders.
"You can steal anything of mine you want, baby." He chuckles, pulling me in closer.
Going back into the room, there's a layer of tension in the air. A thick layer. Taehyung is now sitting on the complete opposite end of the table, in between Jin and Hoseok. They're all in a light conversation about this new dance that Hobi saw on tiktok. Jungkook pulls me in, exactly the way he did when we first sat down. Except this time, he puts his arm around my shoulders again pressing me comfortably into his side.
"So what do you wanna do first while you're here?" Hobi asks once his eyes settle on me.
"Oh yeah, where do you wanna go first? I can clear up my schedule." Jimin pipes up, tapping his fingers on the table excitedly.
"I cleared mine up too last night" Namjoon voices.
"I have some studio time tomorrow in the morning but I can join you guys after" Yoongi nods, taking a sip of water.
"I didn't really have a schedule for tomorrow so I can come wherever." Jin smiles.
"You guys don't have to clear anything up for me, I don't wanna interrupt your schedules" I shake my head at them.
"We want to, promise" Jungkook says, pressing a light kiss into the side of my head.
"Taehyung-ssi?" My voice comes out small. Barely audible. Not as nonchalant as I try to make it. "Are you free tomorrow?" Baby steps. It's okay to forgive people just as much as it's okay not to. Baby steps.
"I uh, y-yeah. Yeah. I'm, I-I'm free tomorrow" He sets his wide eyes on mine to which I immediately break contact to look at Jungkook.
"Great, do you guys have any recommendations?" A smile on my face as I glance between Jungkook and the rest of them.
"There's a couple of museums we could go to!" Namjoon says first.
"Lotte World!" Jimin says right after, almost cutting him off.
"Yes!" Jungkook perks up next to me.
Yoongi and Hobi snicker at their maknaes.
"Lotte World sounds good too." Namjoon says chuckling, "What do you think Taylor?"
Jungkook turns to me with pleading eyes.
"Lotte World sounds fun, but wouldn't that be a little too public for you guys?" I ask, looking between him and Namjoon.
"I'll get it figured out, don't worry about it." Namjoon nods his head.
"Okay should we head out?" Jin voices, starting to get up.
"Yeah, Taylor is probably really tired." Yoongi smiles warmly my way.
"Awwww I wanted to do karaoke and drinks at my place." Jimin pouts.
"Maybe tomorrow." Jungkook says, pushing my chair in once I get up. But Jimin's face tells me he really doesn't want this to end, and I'm not too tired anyway.
"I could go for some drinks." I shrug, looking up at Jungkook. My acceptance causing a chorus of "Okay"s and "We'll meet you there"s from the other guys.
Jungkook turns to me, "Jimin's karaoke nights can go on forever, I don't want you to be tired." He leans in close to my ear, voice dropping so only I can hear. "My baby needs her rest." And ohhh fucking hell he's trying to send me into an early grave isn't he.
"Stop that!" I say, already feeling the heat on face. Jungkook's smirk not making it any better. In fact, it effectively makes my legs feel weak and I grab onto his arm a little tighter, "I'll be fine, I wanna hang out a little longer."
"Okay love birds, you guys are riding with me. Let's go!" Jimin calls before walking out with his arm looped with Taehyung's.
"I'm coming with!" Hobi says, walking out with Namjoon.
—
"Sooooo, who's your bias?" Hobi asks 15 minutes into the drive. I shrug at him. "Oh come on Taylor, just tell me!" Hobi pesters, a smile on his face.
"You" I say with a smile matching his.
"Really?" Hobi lights up. "Hah!" He pokes Jimin's side.
"Don't fall for it!" Jimin chuckles looking at me through the rear view mirror. "She told Yoongi hyung the same thing like a week ago when we were on a call."
"Traitor" Hobi sends a teasing glare my way.
"I like you all" I respond through a laugh.
"Jungkook?" Hobi looks over at him.
"I couldn't find anything in her room. It's pretty equal with the merch" Jungkook throws an arm around my shoulders.
"That's because I put away my shrine, you bunny." I jokingly say and boop his nose. Jungkook catches my wrist before I could pull it away and brings me forward planting kiss after kiss on my cheek while simultaneously tickling my sides.
"Okay okay, big tough bunny." I say through giggles.
Jungkook just hugs me to himself, fixing the hair that fell over my face and chuckling deeply.
"Cute" I hear Hobi mumble quietly, probably thinking we couldn't hear.
I pull out my phone, still huddled into Jungkook's side and I scroll through my tiktok.
"You know any dances?" Hobi asks after hearing some dance challenge songs that I scroll through
"Mm some" I respond.
"Which ones? I can learn them and we can do them together!" Hobi says excitedly. I go to my profile and scroll through the many videos I post for fun, just for the people following me to see. So really only Malia and Alex, and a couple people from school and work. I hand my phone over to him.
Hobi scrolls through the dance ones, watching them all. "You dance so good!" He exclaims.
"Please" I snort. "Compared to you guys, no way."
"Let me see" Jungkook reaches out to grab the phone from Hobi.
"I wanna see" Jimin says, glancing back through the rear view mirror.
"No, drive" Hobi says, pushing his head to the road. Which immediately earns him a scowl from Jimin.
"I'm serious Taylor!" Hobi turns his attention back to me. "Have you taken classes before?"
"Not unless you count Malia and I staying up till 3am learning choreography on Youtube." I laugh, looking through my videos Jungkook is scrolling through.
"My girlfriend is multi talented" He beams, a cheesy smile on his face before he hands my phone back to me.
A groan coming from the front of the car, "There he goes with the my girlfriend thing again." Hobi says, laughing.
The rest of the ride is filled with soft music from the radio, and Jungkook and I watching tiktoks quietly.
———
A/N
did i say this last time? :/// merry christmas and happy new year everyone!!
im off from work today, so here's a short update. oh alsoooo, if you aren't following me on twitter then you missed it. but, i posted a short preview of tae and tay's confrontation. just a short one, literally like 30 words. but they do talk, eventually. sooo! go check that out, @madselliewrites on twitter. i don't have many people over there so i don't post as much. but maybe with more people, i can post more previews and drabbles and stuff.
i hope you guys had a fun and safe holiday season. more updates coming soon! and as always, interactions are really really appreciated. my motivation to write stems a lot from your responses to the chapters. so 🥲 please let me know what you think!