When they got back into the car, Taehyung told Jungkook that he'd changed his mind. He wanted to get a phone after all.
Jungkook told himself it didn't mean anything, but somehow, he sensed it did.
Nevertheless, Tae's earlier distance was gone. Jungkook stopped at a phone store next to the shopping mall and stayed with Taehyung while he picked out his replacement. The elder touched him nonstop—either holding Jungkook's hand or putting an arm around him. And the younger teased Tae about how he'd told Jungkook earlier in the morning that he was going to be the attentive boyfriend the younger would either love or hate.
"And which is it so far?" Taehyung asked with a genuine boxy grin.
Jungkook lifted his eyebrows playfully. "I'll let you know later, but I have no complaints so far."
The elder snaked an arm around Jungkook's back and pulled the younger close, searching his eyes.
"You two are so cute," the sales girl gushed. "It's so wonderful to see couples in love."
Jungkook expected Taehyung to pull away or protest, but he only pulled him closer and placed a sweet kiss on his forehead.
In love? It was too soon to make that kind of pronouncement, yet there was no denying that Jungkook was heading there fast. What if they didn't go past tonight? How would he live with that? But something told the younger that focusing on the future would be a mistake if it meant missing out on the present.
They left the store, and Jungkook drove Tae to a crummy little strip mall, refusing to tell him where they were headed until he parked. "Don't let the exterior fool you," the younger said, pointing at the sign. Faded cartoon characters adorned the sign. A man on a horse carrying an Italian flag was next to a man with a huge mustache tossing a huge pizza pie. A third man was about to slurp up a big forkful of spaghetti. "Three Amici has the best Italian food I've ever eaten."
"You don't have to sell me on it. We're already here. And I'm starving, so let's go get a table."
Fifteen minutes later, their orders were in, and they had fallen back into their lightheartedness from earlier when Jungkook's phone rang. "It's probably my mother making sure I haven't run off again," he said, faking a cringe. But when he saw the name on the screen, his smile fell. Why was Taehyeon calling him again?
"Is it your mother?"
Jungkook silenced the ringer and stuffed it back into his pocket. "It doesn't matter. You were telling me a story about your brother scratching your name in the side of your mother's car with a key when you were kids."
Taehyung studied the younger for a moment, and Jungkook wondered if the elder suspected something, but Tae resumed his story.
They had finished their lunch, and they were sharing fried ice cream when Taehyung pulled his phone out of his pocket and glanced at the screen. He set his spoon on the table. "It's Jin. I better take it."
"Sure. Of course," Jungkook said, but he wasn't prepared for Tae to leave the table and go outside.
Why couldn't the elder talk to his brother in front of him? But before Jungkook could think it through, his own phone rang again. He pulled it out, planning to take advantage of Taehyung being outside so he could tell Taehyeon to take a flying leap. But it wasn't him at all; it was Namjoon.
Jungkook answered, his tone sweeter than usual, "Hello, Namjoon-hyung."
"Please tell me you've changed your mind."
"About what?"
"The rehearsal dinner." Jungkook could tell Namjoon was trying to be civil.
"I suggested pasta, but my mother insists on chicken, and you know Knickers, so no changing my mind about that."
"Very funny." Namjoon's sarcasm was heavier than usual. "Seriously, Jungkook. Just how far are you planning to take this?"
"This is going to end tonight, hyung. Calm down. It's under control."
"Calm down? You're sleeping with a man who's lying to your parents about his name... a man you've known for less than three days. Not to mention the fact that you're asking me to come to a rehearsal for a wedding that's not even taking place. Why should I calm down?"
"Who said I was sleeping with him?"
"Please. Don't insult me. I can hear it in your voice."
No wonder Namjoon was such a great divorce attorney. He was like a human lie detector. "My sex life is no one's business but my own."
"Maybe so, but it's my job as a friend to point out when you're being irresponsible."
Jungkook remained silent, worried about what he'd say if he didn't give himself a second to calm down. Several seconds of silence passed, but he still didn't trust herself. "I think I better hang up before I say something I'll regret."
"Kookie." Namjoon's tone softened, but it wasn't enough to appease Jungkook.
"The rehearsal is at six at Western Chosan. Come or don't come. I'll understand if you don't." Jungkook hung up before Namjoon could respond. He stared at the phone, wondering if he was being too hard on his friend. What would he do if their roles were reversed? Probably have Namjoon admitted for a psych evaluation.
Taehyung slid into his seat, not looking much happier than Jungkook.
"Everything okay with Jin?" Jungkook asked.
Tae scowled, but tried to force a smile. "Fine. Just a brother thing."
He was obviously hiding something from the younger, but what business was it of his?
Taehyung gestured toward the phone in Jungkook's hand. "Another missed call?"
The younger shrugged. "Namjoon-hyung."
"I take it that it didn't go well?"
"Once again, he's made it abundantly clear that he doesn't approve of what we're doing."
Tae was silent for a moment. "You can't really blame him, can you? He's trying to be a good friend."
"Whose side are you taking?" It was a complete turnaround from his previous attitude toward Namjoon.
"I'm not taking anyone's side. But you've been friends with him for what? Ten years?"
"Over fifteen."
"Don't throw that away on an asshole like me."
Jungkook gaped at him. Where was this attitude coming from? "What did your brother say that bothered you so much?"
"Nothing." Taehyung pulled his wallet out. "Shouldn't we get going? We need to get a marriage license."
Jungkook dug inside his own wallet and pulled out a credit card. "I said I'd pay for lunch, Tae."
"Jungkook, will you just let me pay for it. Please." His tone was shorter than he'd used with the younger before. What did Jungkook really know about Tae, though? Maybe this was normal for him.
No. Jungkook may have only known the elder for a short period of time, but he knew something was up. And it had to do with that phone call.
"Fine. I need to go to the restroom anyway."
Jungkook went to the restroom and checked his phone again. Namjoon hadn't called him back, but he felt a sudden urge to talk to Hoseok.
"Hey, Hobi-hyung," Jungkook said when he answered. "I just needed to hear a friendly voice."
"Is Knickers that bad today? She must have been furious after your disappearing act last night. She was fit to be tied when she couldn't find you two. Poor Jin got the third degree. And Knickers was even more furious when Jin couldn't reach Taehyung's phone."
"Sorry to leave you with such a mess on your hands. And thanks for taking care of Jin."
"Hey, if you ran off with Taehyung and had a good night, it was well worth it. And there's no taking care of Jin. He's a player, plain and simple."
"So there's nothing between you?"
"What? You know I like someone else."
"I know, but..."
"No, Jungkook. There's nothing between us. We're just friends."
"Is someone like Jin capable of being just friends with someone?"
"That's pretty judgmental, Knickers Junior."
"I know you're right, but you have to admit that you've met more than your fair share of men like him?"
"You hardly know Jin. He's more into Namjoon than me anyways."
"So I pegged him wrong?"
Hoseok paused a beat, then laughed. "No. You have him exactly right. But before you say anything else, I'll just say our friendship is based on an alliance."
"What alliance?"
"The goal of keeping you and Taehyung together."
"I'm not pinning any hopes on a future just yet."
"Why?"
"Look, today I'm just living for the moment. That's the gift I was granted. I admit that I want more with him, but there are just too many variables in play for me to count on anything. And at the risk of beating a dead horse, we can't forget how my mother's going to react to all of this. You remember the mess with my Uncle Kiha."
Hoseok sighed. "Damn. I forgot about him. You're in deep shit."
"I know," Jungkook said in defeat. "But it doesn't matter. Tae has been wonderful all morning—even sticking up for me with Knickers—but he just took a call from Jin and now he's acting cold and distant. I can't help thinking Jin said something to make Tae have second thoughts about me."
"Impossible. Jin wants you two together."
"That's weird, don't you think? Jin doesn't seem like the type of guy to play matchmaker."
"It's his kid brother and he knows you make him happy. That's all it is. Quit being so suspicious or you'll start to sound like Namjoon."
"Very funny."
"He likes you, Jungkook, and you like him too. I see the way you look at him. I've never seen you so taken with a guy, and Jin says the same is true of Taehyung."
"It's all just happening so fast, hyung. What am I supposed to do?"
"Just go with it for now. Fate put you together in the first place. It will keep you together. The fortune teller said so."
Hoseok had always been the dreamer, while Namjoon was invariably the voice of reason. Both qualities were constantly at war in Jungkook. He wasn't so certain fate would work everything out—and he definitely didn't believe some fake fortune teller—but this one time he really hoped Hobi was right.
"Go have fun with him. Just enjoy the ride, Kookie. Stop stressing. It'll all work out."
"Well, fate only has until tonight."
"Don't throw this away," Hoseok said, taking an uncharacteristic serious tone. "If you do, I have a feeling you'll regret it for the rest of your life."
That's exactly what Jungkook was afraid of.
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A/N: thank you all for the support recently! and happy 4th anniversary to the boys; hope they all continue to grow in the next year!