In the dim glow of midnight, the celestial canvas adorned with scattered stars, your beseeching tone echoed through the microphone to reach Jungkook's ears. A faint pout adorned your lips as you pleaded with him to accompany you, the words dripping with a hint of adorable desperation.
Jungkook, ensconced in the comfort of his silk-laden bed, sighed heavily, still half-asleep, his eyes veiled by the remnants of a tantalising dream. "Do I really have to?" He groaned, pulling the duvet over his face in protest.
"Yes!" You exclaimed, sitting upright with determination, emphasising the undeniable bond of your relationship. "You're my boyfriend, remember?"
The word "boyfriend" lingered unfamiliarly on your tongue, a testament to the newness of this connection.
"I know, I know," Jungkook acquiesced, his exhaustion apparent. "When?"
"Next Saturday," you replied, a mischievous smile playing on your lips as you sensed his reluctance slowly waning. "It's the only day they're free."
"Hmm," Jungkook pondered, leveraging the situation to his advantage. "What's in it for me?"
Your surprise was palpable. "What do you mean?"
"You refused to spend the night, and now you wake me up for a tedious request. I expect something in return," he asserted, a sly undertone in his voice.
"Like what?" You questioned, suspicion furrowing your brow.
"I'll leave that to your imagination," Jungkook teased, his voice still laced with sleepiness but undeniably enticing.
As you mulled over his request, he interjected, "surprise me. Girlfriends do that, right?"
"Well, I don't know," you shrugged, unsure of the intricacies of relationships. "You're my first boyfriend; I'm still figuring things out. I don't know how to surprise a lover."
"Neither do I," Jungkook admitted, his laughter carrying a musical quality. "That's the charm of surprises, baby."
The topic shifted to meeting your parents, a prospect he wasn't thrilled about. "Why do you want me to meet them so badly?" He inquired.
"I just want to prove I'm not some crazy, psychotic stalker," you confessed, sinking into your chair, fatigue creeping in. "They have expectations, and I've fallen short."
"But you are a crazy, psychotic stalker," he quipped, before adding with a pause, "you're my crazy, psychotic stalker."
The admission resonated with amusement, his laughter weaving a melody that warmed your heart.
• • •
Taehyung's hum resonated with an uneasy frustration, an undertone of anger threading through the melody, signalling a looming internal conflict. Jimin, well aware of the implications, found himself in the unenviable position of quelling Taehyung's ire. placating him was a challenging task, with dire consequences for failure.
"Alright," Jimin exhaled, observing Taehyung's aggressive humming in the secluded corner of a café. "Talk to me. You've been like this all day."
"I'm fine," Taehyung deadpanned, his lips forming a tight line.
"Clearly, you're not," Jimin, running his hand through his dishevelled hair, insisted. "I'm not oblivious, Taehyung. Are you still avoiding Jungkook?"
"Yes," came the sharp reply. The resentment was palpable; his once unwavering friendship with Jungkook now strained.
Jimin probed, "have you at least tried calling him?"
"I don't want to," Taehyung retorted. "I won't be the one apologising like always. He doesn't deserve that from me."
"What happened?" Jimin inquired.
"He chose her over me," Taehyung replied bitterly. The camaraderie between the two friends shattered, and Taehyung couldn't reconcile with the fact that Jungkook's priorities had shifted because of you.
Jungkook, who had always been self-centered, had never committed to anyone before. Taehyung accepted this until you entered the scene. The letters, the painful past—Taehyung knew it all. The revelation of his intense feelings for Jungkook had distorted his sense of morality, creating a love that bordered on obsession.
Jimin, caught in the middle, couldn't fathom the depth of their dispute. "Are you talking about IU?"
"No, [Y/N]," Taehyung disclosed, unleashing the truth.
Jimin's eyes widened as realisation dawned. "I knew it! She was the mystery girl at the masquerade ball—the Black Swan."
"Yeah, that's her," Taehyung confirmed, recalling the night vividly.
Jimin, shocked, muttered, "I knew he'd do something like this."
"What do you mean?" Taehyung asked, puzzled.
"I thought he'd finally settle down, maybe with IU," Jimin sighed, disappointment colouring his voice. "But here he is, being his usual womanising self. He won't change, will he?"
"This time, something's different," Taehyung defended. "I genuinely believe he likes her—[Y/N]. He admitted he never had feelings for IU from the start, but he won't say anything to her because Ji-eun and [Y/N] are supposed to be good friends."
"Why makes you think that he genuinely likes her?" Jimin probed.
"I don't know," Taehyung sighed, realising the complexity of the situation. "It's the sparkle in his eyes, the way his face lights up when he talks about her. It's different, Jimin. I've never seen him like this before."
Jimin observed Taehyung's eyes darken, his expression morphing into a sombre frown. He sensed there was more to this than Taehyung was revealing, a depth of emotions waiting to surface.
"It's like," Taehyung began, a sudden realisation dawning on him, "he's in love, but he just doesn't know it yet."
• • •
Massaging his fatigued eyes with the heels of his palms, Jungkook felt the unmistakable dryness, a consequence of an extended stare at the lecture board. Twirling the straw in an empty coffee cup, he reluctantly faced the bitter reality of having to consume the subpar brew. Seated at the topmost row in the lecture hall, strategically positioned in a shadowed corner, he shielded his eyes from unwelcome light, his focus on deciphering the notes scrawled by the seasoned professor.
Running his fingers through his tousled hair, he couldn't stifle a soft yawn, his eyelids heavy from prolonged concentration. Leaning his head against the cool desk, he allowed the fatigue to claim him for the rest of the class.
The exhaustion weighed on him, and he couldn't help but attribute it to you. The previous night, you had initiated a seemingly reasonable favour, but the conversation spiralled into an endless exchange. Your laughter, giggles, yawns, and words had cast a spell on him, and he found himself addicted. The passage of time became inconsequential as you delved into various topics, captivating him completely.
In the late hours, Jungkook forgot about the necessity of sleep, immersed in your every word. It was the first time in ages that he felt truly alive, smitten by the enchantment of your conversation. The elusive feeling manifested in a way words struggled to define.
You had injected life into him, awakening a sense of being that resonated deeply. The connection felt real, profound. Jungkook had savoured the essence of your vibrant mind, tasted the allure of your lips, and been intoxicated by the richness of your soul. Regardless of his surroundings or activities, the sweet flavour lingered in his memory.
Addicted to you, he grappled with emotions that could fill the pages of novels, a concoction of sensations that defied succinct description.