they drove over the rest of the bridge and through other busy streets to get to the restaurant they were driving all this way for. jungkook parked just a little down the road as it was the closest park they could find and they both got out of the car, jungkook having to skip around the front to meet jitae on the sidewalk. jungkook offered a hand. jitae took it.
the pair headed down the road, walking with one another and forgetting the unpleasantries. jungkook opened the door for jitae, the later smiling in thanks as they made their way into the mongolian barbecue restaurant. the pair were given a table, they poured themselves water, ordered drinks, then were left at the table alone.
"how does this work?" jitae asks, knowing they hadn't been given food menus. jungkook appeared to know, as right after jitae asks he stands and pushes in his chair, a stupid grin on his face.
"it's buffet, we go up and get the food ourselves." jungkook sounded a little proud, but jitae followed him as he headed to the line for their meals. they wait in line, grabbing little bowl and adding some noodles.
"do we just add what we want?" jitae asks, leaning close to jungkook who was standing the place before him in line. jungkook nods.
"yeah, then the guys cook it and put it on a plate, it's cool," he says, grabbing some meat and throwing it into his bowl. the meat was raw; beef, lamb, pork, and seafood of many different varieties were in little metal tubs under heat lights with labels telling you each flavour. further down were the vegetables, which both jungkook and jitae added some too. finally jars of sauces with little ladles to season as you wanted. jitae went a little crazy here, oh well.
they ended up with a stir-fry, watching the chefs cook their meals on a circular hotplate and moving between meals of theirs and the surrounding patrons. soon enough they were given their plates back and they headed to the already cooked food. chicken nuggets, three different kinds of fries, and a couple of soups. neither of them grabbed anything yet, maybe they would come back for more.
once again they sat at the table, their drinks there waiting for them as they say, jitae instantly picking up his coke and having a sip.
"it looks so good," jitae says, mixing his well-mixed food with a fork on his plate before he tries some. it was good, really good. at his hum of a reaction jungkook leaned over and took a little, causing jitae to huff a laugh and raise an eyebrow.
"what?" jungkook asks, eating the little bit of food he had grabbed and smiling cheekily. jitae just sighed, pausing before reaching over and taking some of the plate on jungkook's food. "ya!"
"what?" jitae retorted quickly, his tone mocking and jokey, the same smile on his face as he enjoyed the taste of the mixture of meats and dressings that jungkook had put together.
"at least i waited until you had tasted yours," jungkook whines, closing his eyes and tilting his head in annoyance before trying some of his own.
"you still could have asked," jitae challenged, copying and having his own meal, as well as sipping his drink periodically. it was nice, sitting here opposite jungkook, eating and laughing about stealing each other's food. it was fun. it was... domestic. like nothing had ever happened.
like he was normal jitae.
"okay, so, hoseok was talking to me today as well, after you had been in to grab beomgyu and yeonjun, and he was saying him and seokjin were buying a place together," jungkook begins to explain, having another small bite quickly, making sure to chew before swallowing, "so hoseok wants to know if we want to go to their house warming in a few weekends time," he says, then having more.
"okay, yeah we can go, sounds fun," jitae smiles barely, stuffing his mouth with food before he can be questioned about it. jungkook unfortunately, picked up on it rather quickly, his tone hard to miss - unexcitement bleeding from every word.
"you don't sound like you want to go," he prompts, hoping he had simply miss heard, or maybe that jitae had been planning something with the company, anything valid.
"sorry, i do, i just have something on my mind at the moment," which was entirely true. jitae didn't wish to share and make him feel bad or bring down. "i'm okay though."
"are you sure, you can talk to me if you need to, please know that," jungkook spoke softly, holding his hand out to jitae as an offer of peace. the other smiled and took the hand, letting his own rest aimlessly.
"i know, but really i'm okay," jitae reiterates, eating further until his plate was perfectly bare. jungkook ate too. jitae sat in silence for a little while, before he spoke up to ask something.
"hey, jungkook," he says quietly, stabbing aimlessly at a noodle as it dances just as lackadaisically around his plate. jungkook hums softly and smiles a little.
"yeah?"
"why were we in busan again?" jitae asks now, the other boy gets a little unsure suddenly. with a stiff swallow of an empty mouthful he looked at the table.
"well," jungkook started, hissing in thought before he answered completely, "i never knew, you never told me you just said you had to go." jungkook was obviously a little uncomfortable about talking about this but... well jitae wanted to know. "in all honesty that was the first time i had gone with you, and even then you didn't say anything about it. not a single fucking thing." jungkook smiled, but it wasn't happy.
"jungkook?"
"every time you went to go, we would fight. i was genuinely surprised when you invited me along that last time and we fought before we left but just like you said i got over myself." jungkook was visibly upset by thinking about it, so jitae put his cutlery down and reached to hold the boy before him, only to have the younger's hands recoil away.
"i'm sorry i never told you, if i knew i would tell you, me in this mindset at least would tell you everything," jitae apologized, and jungkook seemed to understand as a second later fingers intertwined.
"that means something, and hey, i'll forget it, yeah? when you remember though, you have to tell me."
"i will, i promise."
"okay, now, can we leave all the depressing shit behind? honestly i would rather like to enjoy my time here rather than be sad," jungkook laughed, though the sound was most obviously half faked. jitae nodded slowly.
"yeah, no more depressing shit."
the pair raised their glasses and enjoyed the rest of their night.
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