Jeon Jungkook was pissed off.
He was about to enter the mall. Late announcement that their closest neighborhood friend's daughter was turning 8 the next day and the fact they haven't had any gift yet to the toddler (so his family asked him to buy one) was what infuriates him. He didn't even know what the girl likes, heck, he hasn't even remember what she looked like. He just marched towards the supermarket determined to finish this errand at an earlier time for he had other plans for the night when his phone beeped. He fished for it inside his coat pocket and read what's in the message.
It came from an unknown number.
From: 0172xxxxxxxx
Hi! I don't usually do this. No... actually i never do hahaha... but i just met your wonderful mother and she gave me your number. 😁
At first glance his eyebrows knitted, but after rereading and digesting the text, his fury immediately rose to the next level.
To: 0172xxxxxxxx
Omg she's crazy. I'm so sorry!
In less than a minute he received a reply.
From: 0172xxxxxxxx
Lol i would've said the EXACT thing. My dad tries to do the same thing to me tho hahaha. But i'm actually quite intrigued by it...
To: 0172xxxxxxxx
Wait a sec.
Jungkook exited the message then scrolled through his contacts. After he found the name he's looking for, he pressed the call button. Three rings and then it answered.
"MOM! What the heck—"
"Language young man, what is it?" Her mother answered in a very calm tone, completely opposite to his son's agitated voice.
"Mom, you don't get to give my number to... to some strangers I clearly don't have any association with!?" He exclaimed all while strolling at the market for a possible gift.
"What are you talking about?" She talked sounding nonchalant.
"Don't play it cool mom, we know for a fact you're bad at acting even through your voice it manifests. That person - whoever the hell is - just started texting me! Great game you have, you literally sold your son to somebody that I don't used to know." He blabbered. His eyes caught a cute artful tumblr nearby and decided to go with it. He paid for it and requested to wrap it presentably enough to make a child bounce in her seat when she sees it.
"Oh that? I hope you two talk well. I'm a bit busy here. Call you later honey!" She sounded somewhat chuckling before she ended the call.
"Wait— toot toot toot"
"Urgh." He crumpled his already messed hair, something he habitually do out of frustration. He swore his mom will be the death of him. He went back to the stranger he's texting to.
To: 0172xxxxxxxx
I had a talk with mom. Sorry you must've been weirded out hehe. Sometimes she could be impulsive and tactless. Gtg. I really hope you had a great day today. 🙂
Sent. He expected that would be the end of the conversation, but his phone screen lit up again telling him it wasn't. The stranger seemed persistent.
From: 0172xxxxxxxx
Would u mind if perhaps may I know where you are rn?
To: 0172xxxxxxxx
Mall. Y did u ask?
From: 0172xxxxxxxx
Cool! Im here too! Alone. Can we meet? Starbucks. Ground floor. Sorry my phone's battery is 3%. Might be dead bat any minute now. Will be waiting for you there. See you! 😉
"Holy guac! Is this for real!?" He exclaimed, jaw-slacking. "You don't get to unilaterally decide whether to meet up or not pabo-ya! I have to have a say to this too!" He shouted through his phone. People from his surroundings gave him a look, as if to suggest that he'd lost his mind. He meanwhile noticed it and gave a little apologetic bow to them, all of them, closing his eyes real tight and cursing the ground to open up and eat him alive.
A tug-of-war suddenly occurred inside Jungkook's head. If he didn't come, that person would look like a fool waiting for someone who wouldn't come, which in any way Jungkook didn't want to happen ('cause he was in the equal footing before and he must say its abrasive). Yet again... so what!? The person's merely an arbitrary. Batch party later at Jimin's pad sounded much more significant than going into an eyeball. More logical. Was it?
Crap.
He shut his eyes. Its in this situation of confusion that he would play a little game. The result of this game was to entrust his fate into the hands of circumstances. A toss coin is an example but since he ran out of coins and borrowing to people would be too embarrassing so he thought of an alternative. The alternative: first thing that he needs to see should be of color like pink - the color that he hates the most (and mostly the reason why him and Seokjin argues a lot. Too girly, he says). Anything, but pink. And if his sight caught one, he will go and see the one sending the text. Otherwise he will walk away and move on to his boring life.
Shortly after the count of three, he slowly opened his eyes. First item he saw: the dark pink ribbon that's laying neatly above the pink wrapped-carton of the tumblr he had bought for a gift being handed to him by the smiling saleslady. And his reaction? No reaction. His mind went buffering. He hadn't seen it coming. Its as if the universe conspired to make a single thing happened.
True to his game, he walked his feet with hesitation.
Will I really do this? Aish I must be crazy... well fuck it, I'm crazy but taking chances!
He made his way to the Starbucks. Every step lead to louder thumping of his heart. He could feel it would burst at any second as he was nearing towards the coffee shop. He had never felt this feeling before.
When he was inside, another problem occurred to him. He did not know who among those atleast 15 people inside the shop whom he's texting to. And that sucks because the other person's phone might be dead right now and he had no other means of communication except for that. But he'd still hope it wasn't the case and started dialing the number but was interrupted by a low voice.
"You must be Jung-kook?" The man said. He had flashed him his toothy grin. Jungkook hadn't seen such a fine man as the person he was meeting eyes with.
He blinked. "Y-ye-yeah. How did you know m-my name... ahjussi?"
The person couldn't help but laughed at the younger's address to him. He was dressed in a suit and tie and wouldn't you be that intimidated 'cause Jungkook was shaking in the inside.
"I met your mother. She told me about you."
The latter's eyes went the size of Christmas balls. "Y-You were that person!?"
"Yes, its me. Taehyung. Sender of the text messages. Sorry if it creeped you out." He scratched the back of his head and looked away, getting shy from. "Mind if I sit?" He politely asked pointing at the seat across Jungkook's without removing his big smile.
"N-No way!" Jungkook shouted at an impulse. The older man seemed shocked from the sudden act.
"O-Oh okay, I'll just uhm, stand here. In front. Of you. H-ehe."
"Oh my god! I'm sorry, that's not what I meant. Ahh... sure, have a seat please. Mianhe." The latter hesitated at first but later followed the instruction of the younger. Jungkook bit his lip, letting him get settled first before he spoke. "What I mean is, I... I don't understand?"
"I met your mother at the company building where I work at. She was crossing the street with lots of paperbags and were too heavy for her age so I offered to help. I assisted her all the way at the parking lot and she shared me her life stories in return. Indeed I don't fathom how she could summarized everything in just 10 minutes or so. She's really cool and all. She thanked me and before we took separate paths, she scribbled some numbers on a note and handed it to me, informing me she had a son. Only son. And said to give it a try..."
"Y-You really are... S-She knew it. I can't believe it. She knew all along..." Jungkook trailed off, feeling dumbfounded. He had dissolved in small sobs as hot tears streamed down on his face. The man faced to him panicked.
"H-Hey, are you crying? Did... did something h-happen?" He took careful steps beside Jungkook. He looked so soft. So fragile. Right then and there, it pained his chest seeing the younger cried for some unknown reasons.
No words could be heard at the both as the younger continued sobbing. Taehyung let him be, drawing circles from his back as way of comfort.
"Nothing happened. Sorry haha, I appeared emotional. Its just this... overwhelming happiness I couldn't contain."
The man's eyebrow creased at his statement. Jungkook looked at him.
"The thing is, you texting me is far from my expectation. I expected to meet a woman here. A lady that should be. Haven't known any ladies that could kill a suit and tie outfit like you did." The younger grinned. But the look Taehyung gave him was serious, yearning for more clarification.
"I'm not out to my parents. I've ben hiding in the closet ever since. The concept of a homosexual son to a normal family of hardworking parents scared me to the bones. All along I thought I was a disgrace, but then mom made this, whatever this was, to happen. She knew my sexual preference even though we never had a proper talk about."
The tears continued to roll down his cheeks like a river runs from his eyes. The guy beside him was speechless at first. It was replaced by sweeping blissfulness. He reached some tissue on the table and wipe aversely the younger's eyes.
"Aigoo, stop crying. I see Nymeria with those puff eyes."
"Who is Nymeria?" Jungkook pouts.
"My pet. A rabbit."
"Don't know if it's a compliment or an insult." Jungkook cackled lightly while Taehyung's still had a glint of glee that never seemed to disappear. Their eyes met again and the younger was warned of the closeness of their faces. A hand that rested on his waist caused his cheeks to get red all of a sudden.
There goes again his heartbeat racing. He coughed a little and backed away. He's afraid the older might hear the drumming inside his chest. He put sight at his Timberlands firmly as if its the most fascinating thing in the world. This is awkward.
"You look cuter than in the pictures." Taehyung uttered bluntly. It was a slip from the tongue. It comes out rather unconscious just by staring at the 21-year old boy with red eyes, red cheeks, and red lips.
"Huh?"
"Oh that, she showed me your pics in her phone. Birthday pics, graduation pics, and lots of hilarious pics. And I must say you are really cute." It takes a good self-control not to pinch his cheeks right now, swear.
"God, that's so embarrassing. Ugh mom why!" Taehyung laughed at his reaction.
"So, uhm, can I ask a question?"
"If you can date me? Not so fast, Mister Kim." Jungkook kidded, glancing down at his i.d.
Seconds passed when he heard nothing, he looked up. "Omg, are you serious? I was just kiddin—"
"I read a passage in a book and it marked tremendously to me. It goes like this 'Sometimes all you need is five seconds of insane courage, just literally five seconds of embarrassing bravery. And I promise you, something great will come of it.' So here I am, embarrassingly and bravely asking you... can I date you?"
Jungkook blinked so many time. His thoughts came crashing to him. He kept telling himself that this be better not a dream. This is not a dream. And he's right, its fucking real yet the feeling was surreal.
Somehow he retrieved his courage to speak. "Uhm, depends..."
"On what grounds?" There's a challenge. He didn't know Taehyung likes o be challenged.
"If you make me laugh. C'mon humor me." He put on his best poker face.
"Tch, piece of cake. Do you know what's the difference between you and a goddess?"
Jungkook thought for a moment. "The fact that I'm not a woman?"
"Ani. They're in the sky but you..." Taehyung brought Jungkook closer to him. "You're in my arms." And squished him in an embrace.
"Yah!" He buried his face in the older's body, secretly preventing himself to smile like an idiot where deep inside he kinda find it funny. Taehyung's smile went bigger, if that's counted since he's all smile from the very beginning he had laid eyes on the younger.
"Do you know what date is today?"
"December 15."
"Do you know what kind of the day the same date next year?"
"Still December 15."
"No I asked you what kind of day is that day."
"I don't know. What is it?"
"Our one year anniversary since were together."
"Pfft—" And Jungkook couldn't contain anymore his laughter. He slapped the older's arm and the other hissed in pain.
"You've been practicing that before haven't you!?"
"Ani. Awesomeness is spelled in my DNA. No need to practice, babe."
"Babe your face, old man!"
"Woah, I'm only 23! The old man you're calling might be the husband you've been waiting in the altar."
"Shut up!"
Jungkook learned two things in that day, (1) his mother knew him so well and for him she's the best and (2) batch party isn't really interesting, being with someone's arm really is!
—End
Happiest birthday to the most beautiful man of 2017!
#WePurpleUTaehyung
#Veautiful_DAY
#HappyTaehyungDay