"Please? Yoojung-ah - please? Please, please, pretty please? Just help me out this one time, alright? Please? I'll be nice to you for the rest of our lives... Please? Yoojung-ahHhHhHhhhHh!" Taehyung begged over the phone that night.
It was already midnight, and Taehyung had yet to find a partner to come with him to his mom's birthday party the next day. Their family was well-to-do, so they lived in a decently huge apartment and threw parties often. It was a tradition that a party be thrown for every single birthday of each member in the family - that means, his dad, his mom and Seokjin and his combined.
In the past, for their own parties, they would of course invite the F5. For their parents' birthdays, it had always just been their family and a few of their parents' friends. However, this changed when Seokjin invited Byulyi to his party last year. Their parents had taken an immediate liking towards Byulyi and asked her to come for their birthday parties as well. Taehyung didn't mind at all either, after all he got along just fine with Byulyi.
But ever since Seokjin and Byulyi had broken their friendship, Seokjin decided to take the opportunity to bring Jisoo to meet their parents for the first time. Taehyung was not particularly fond of Jisoo, and didn't really want to be the third party amongst the youngsters, so he decided to invite someone along as well.
The only problem was... he couldn't find someone.
Byulyi had been his first choice, as he was intending to take the chance to patch things up between Seokjin and her, but ever since their friendship took a skydive, he knew things would be awkward for Byulyi, so he didn't want her to feel obliged.
Next in line was Jennie, his crush ever since he met her more than a year ago. She had gotten a boyfriend and split up so many times the whole time, making Taehyung go through a countless number of terrible heartbreaks, but he had never once given up on her. This time, she was single once again. It was his opportunity. It was too bad she wasn't free... Or so she claimed.
Then he wanted to ask Jieun, but Jieun got injured right at the wrong moment, making him lose hope once again. Now he was down to Yoojung, his best friend of 10 years... Perhaps she'd agree, for the sake of their precious, decade-long friendship?
"No."
Short, sweet and brutal.
"Yoojung-ahHhhhhHhhhh, whyYyyyYyyyyYyYyy?" Taehyung whined over the phone.
"Because I'm pissed you asked three whole people before asking me, Kim Taehyung." Yoojung sighed dramatically over the phone. "I'm so disappointed. Here I am, cherishing you as my best friend of 10 years. How could you even put me in as 4th place? Like, I feel so betrayed I don't even know what to-" Yoojung started fake sobbing.
"I'M SORRY, ALRIGHT? IF THAT'S THE REASON I CAN TOTALLY EXPLAIN- YOOJUNG, PLEASE-"
"Shut up, you're damaging my eardrums!" Yoojung yelled over the phone. "I'm just kidding, alright? I already told you this afternoon - I'm not free!"
"Weren't you lying to get out of it? I could see it in your eyes - you don't like me, right? You hate me right? I knew it! For all these 10 years, the sincere way I've treated you-"
"Stop trying to guilt-trip me, Tae." Yoojung muttered nonchalantly. "You know it won't work."
"Just tell me one thing - you're actually free, aren't you? You were lying this afternoon, weren't you?"
"That's actually two things, but alright, fine. I was lying this afternoon-"
"SEE I KNEW IT- CHOI YOOJUNG YOU SON OF A-"
"Let me finish, you idiot-"
"Okay, okay- Carry on-"
"I was lying but I'm actually really not free tomorrow afternoon."
"Wha-?"
"This afternoon I indeed lied to escape going with you but I really have a good excuse right now."
"Really?" Taehyung asked curiously. "What is it? What is it? Tell me!"
"I'll tell you if you call me noona-"
No hesitation required.
"Yoojung-noona! What is it?"
Yoojung laughed over the phone. "I was reading the post they just posted about Jungkook and Jieun today... then I saw a link and clicked it... and I ended up in this Jieun anti fanclub page on Facebook! Seems like they were the ones behind the rotten egg accident that time, too."
"So?"
"I purposely joined the group using a fake account and..."
"Keep going, noona. I'm listening."
"Tomorrow they're meeting at a cafe near school, so I was thinking..."
Taehyung gasped over the phone. "Goodness me, Choi Yoojung. What do you have up your sleeves this time? You're gonna do something, aren't you?
"Tomorrow," Yoojung grinned evilly. "I'm gonna teach them all the biggest lesson they're ever gonna learn in their lives."
~
"What? Jimin? Why Jimin?" Taehyung asked.
Yoojung had just turned him down on coming with him to his mom's birthday party tomorrow, but just suggested to ask Jimin to go with him. But going with another guy... that would be so weird.
"Why not Jimin? It's not like you're inviting your lover, are you?" Yoojung laughed. "Which means... I got into your list- OhhHhhHh, Kim Taehyung!"
"Stop, Yoojung." Taehyung sighed. "I can't think. Why did I immediately think I was supposed to invite a girl? I could invite Jimin - you're right! It'd be a bit weird, but it's better than hanging out with them alone, I guess."
"Anything you need to say to me?" Yoojung asked expectantly.
"Oh, um, I'll borrow your Jimin for a day, then!" Taehyung said cheekily. He was still desperately trying to get his two friends together, despite him knowing that it was almost impossible at this point. Too many opportunities were missed.
"YOU-" Taehyung could hear the restraint in Yoojung's voice. "I meant 'thank you', you idiot! I didn't agree to go with you, but I helped you think of an idea, okay?"
"Thank you, dear Choi Yoojung-ssi." Taehyung groaned into the phone. "Happy?"
"Better," Yoojung smiled. "Have fun tomorrow, Tae. Regardless of whether Jimin agrees to go with you or not."
"How..." Taehyung sighed. "How, Yoojung? It's gonna be so awkward. And I don't like the fact that Jisoo is going to be my future sis-in-law, not Byulyi..."
Yoojung paused for a while. "It's gonna be fine, Taehyung. Maybe if he doesn't come along, it's a blessing. You know what I mean? Just try to get to know Jisoo more, for all you know you might get to like her more after talking more with her? That's always how people get close, after all."
"I'll try," Taehyung sighed. "But I still hope Jimin comes along."
Yoojung chuckled. "I noticed we didn't think of asking Jungkook."
Taehyung laughed as well. "You're right. But... I kind of am less scared of him than I was a few months ago."
"Jieun really changed him, huh."
Taehyung smiled. "Jieun really has something about her. I feel like..." Taehyung paused to think. "I sometimes feel like... I'm starting to change because of her too."
"Oh-?" Yoojung seemed surprised. "How?"
"I don't know exactly..." Taehyung paused. "But it's just like she's so kind... and kind of pure? Makes you want to strive to become a better person, too. I don't really know. It's just kind of a feeling I get? She's funny too, don't you think?"
Silence on the opposite end.
"Yoojung?"
"Taehyung, are you sure you aren't falling for Jieun?" Yoojung teased. "You actually sound like you are."
"What?!" Taehyung laughed, but weirdly enough, he felt blood rushing to his cheeks. "What are you talking about, Choi Yoojung? Did you drink? Jieun is totally a bro, okay? Just like you. Forever my bro. The person I like is Jennie." Taehyung smiled.
"I got it, I got it." Yoojung said nonchalantly. "I was just pulling your leg. But... if you talk about Jieun like that, and she's just a bro like me, you had better be talking to others about me this way, you hear me?"
"Yes, madam." Taehyung laughed.
"Anyway, it's getting late now." Yoojung yawned. "I need to wake up early for that mess of a anti fanclub meeting tomorrow. I need energy to wreck the whole meeting. Wish me luck, Kim Taehyung."
"Fighting!" Taehyung yelled into his phone.
"Fighting!" Yoojung whispered back. "I just realised my whole family's sleeping." She giggled softly. "It was nice talking to you, Tae. All the best for your birthday celebration tomorrow, too! Fighting! Help me tell your mom 'Yoojung says hi' too, okay? Goodnight!" Yoojung put down the phone.
"Goodnight, Yoojung." Taehyung whispered, smiling slightly. "Thank you for always listening."
~
"Hello?" A groggy voice spoke on the other end. "Taehyung?"
"Oh, Jimin! You finally picked up!" Taehyung exclaimed excitedly. "You free to talk?"
"It's 1 am and you just woke me up but-"
"Yeah, I just wanted to ask if you were free tomorrow morning!" Taehyung interrupted. "Are you?"
"It's your mom's party, isn't it?" Jimin yawned. "You still haven't found someone?"
"Yeah..." Taehyung's shoulders drooped.
"But why me? You know I don't exactly enjoy parties..." Jimin groaned. "Why don't you ask Jieun or like... Yoojung?"
"Byulyi, Jennie, Jieun, Yoojung... I've asked all of them." Taehyung sighed. "All can't come. Tomorrow's a Saturday, I know you don't have anything on. Can't you do your best friend a favour?"
"I'd love to, Taehyung. But-"
"OH YES THANK YOU!" Taehyung stopped short. "But what?"
"But I really can't." Jimin yawned again. "I've gotta wake up early tomorrow for something."
"What thing?" Taehyung whined. "What is more important than saving your best friend from insane awkwardness and-"
"I'm really sorry, Tae," Jimin said apologetically. "You know how I haven't been that close to Jieun, right? Whereas Yoojung, Jungkook and you are..."
Taehyung frowned. "How's that even relevant?"
"You see..." Jimin explained patiently. "For the past few days I've been searching of a way of how to get closer to her and today, I happened to find a Jieun anti fanclub. Can you believe it? I'm gonna go for their meeting tomorrow morning and shut it down. Then maybe we'll get closer after that."
"Oh, that's such a coincidence! Yoojung also-" Taehyung paused abruptly. Wait a second.
"What about Yoojung?"
"Wait, what did you just say?" Taehyung's eyes widened. "Jieun's anti fanclub? Meeting tomorrow? Where's the meeting at?"
"It's at this cafe near our school," Jimin said nonchalantly. "I was gonna call you to go with me, but I know you have that party and you know, I kind of wanna do it alone."
That was it. It was the same meeting. And it would just be Yoojung and Jimin alone. Two of them.
"No, no, no!" Taehyung grinned. "Not at all! I'm more than happy for the two of- I mean, you, Jimin. Go teach them a lesson, pal!"
"Thanks, Taehyung," Jimin sighed. "Now, I've gotta go back to sleep. You sleep soon too, okay? Tomorrow you have a long day."
"Goodnight, Jimin. Sleep well," Taehyung said, before putting down the phone.
My, my. This was getting interesting. Even if Taehyung didn't have a partner to go to the party with, he didn't mind at all. Maybe if he had the chance, he would even try to sneak out and see how the meeting went. The meeting between Yoojung and Jimin, I mean.
Taehyung chuckled. He had to share this good news with someone. He picked up his phone and dialled a number.
Ring, ring. Ring, ring.
"Hello?" A familiar voice appeared on the opposite end.
Taehyung smiled. "Jieun, why aren't you sleeping yet? I was just trying my luck."
"Thinking about a lot of things." Jieun sighed. "Anyway, even I was in a deep sleep, I'd still get woken up by your call anyway."
"Oops, sorry." But Taehyung didn't sound that sorry.
"Anyway, what's up?" Jieun asked nonchalantly.
"Oh, right-" Taehyung laughed excitedly. "I wanted to tell you that you just brought two people together."
"Me?"
"Yes, I don't wanna tell you what right now, but when you find out in a few days you'd be so pleased with yourself."
"Really? Well, okay."
Taehyung frowned. This wasn't the response he expected. Especially not from Jieun, who was usually bubbly and responsive.
"Is anything wrong?" Taehyung asked carefully. "You sound... dead."
Jieun sighed.
"Is this still about the... Jungkook issue?" Taehyung took a wild guess.
Jieun gasped. "How did you know?"
Taehyung chuckled. "You kind of don't ever worry that much about your own problems. Even that time with the eggs, you were more concerned with how that might impact us, rather than yourself."
A short silence.
"I've experienced this with Yoojung, Jieun." Taehyung sighed. "When she was in a very dark point in her life, all she thought about was what others think of her and how her actions might affect others. It was always just self-blame, self-blame, self-blame. Nothing else. Watching her be that way really pained me."
"Really?" Jieun asked softly. "How did she get out of it then?"
"It took her months." Taehyung sighed again, thinking about those days when Yoojung looked so lifeless and done with life. He very much preferred the current Yoojung - the one he could quarrel and argue with all the day. "She went to see a lot of doctors and took a lot of medicine, but they all didn't help much. I would say the most important thing is surrounding yourself with a group of reliable friends."
Another momentary silence.
"I guess you're right." Jieun sighed. "I don't know why but I'm always blaming myself over small things. I've visited so many doctors over this too, but I haven't improved much. It was these few months of school that has impacted me the most significantly. I'm so fortunate to have you guys."
Taehyung grinned. "No problem, Jieun. We'll always be here for you."
"Thanks, Tae." Jieun sighed. "I'm so sorry for making this all about me. I'm sure you called me to tell me about that fun little piece of news but I made it so heavy."
"There you are again." Taehyung chided. "Apologising for something that you shouldn't need to apologise about. Stop it, Jieun. I'm gonna help you, but you need to want to help yourself too."
"Oh, I'm sor-" Jieun stopped herself before she almost said it again. She sighed. "I'm not sorry! I wanna share my problems with you too so you should listen!"
"That's the spirit," Taehyung chuckled. "From now on, no more apologising, you got me?"
"Yes, Taehyung. Thank you," Jieun smiled, her heart was bursting with gratefulness towards Taehyung.
"Don't mention it." Taehyung grinned as well. "Remember - always be unapologetically you."