“WHAT THE ?”

Jungkook almost jumped in surprise when Yoongi yelled from nowhere. He emerged out of nowhere and Jungkook had no idea where the he came from. All the eyes in the bakery turned to them and Jungkook could feel his cheeks getting red from embarrassment.

“What the .” The shorter male hissed as if the first one wasn’t enough.

“Yoongi—“ Seokjin opened his mouth but Yoongi continued to glare at the younger.

“I’ll explain!” Jungkook panicked, looking back and forth from Seokjin to Yoongi. He saw Taehyung mouth ‘oh my god’ before he took out his phone, probably to inform Jimin about the situation.

Yoongi continued to glare at him and if looks can kill, Jungkook would be brutally murdered by now.

Jungkook needed to say something quick to save his . What was he thinking, asking Seokjin out on a date?

“I just—There’s this girl that I wanna ask out and I have no idea what to do so I thought I’ll ask Jin hyung for help,” He said without any pause, words are forced from his mouth and he had no idea what the he just said but by the look that Yoongi is currently giving him, it must be really stupid.

“That was stupid,” he said.

 “Oh.” Seokjin laughed. “You should have made it clear from the start so Yoongi wouldn’t cause a scene.”

“You ing believed that?” Yoongi asked, pointing an accusing finger to Jungkook.

“Hyung, please. I’m kind of desperate here.” Jungkook frowned.

“Then you can go out with me instead. Why does it have to be Jin-hyung?”

No. No. No. Jungkook’s jaw dropped.

“He’s not yet comfortable with you.” Seokjin turned to look at Jungkook. “Do we have to go now?”

The younger bit the inside of his cheeks to stop his smile from spreading. “Yeah, you’re leaving tomorrow so…”

“Alright, I’ll go get changed.”

“No need, hyung. You look fine.”

Jungkook forgot his wallet at home so Seokjin had to pay everything for him. It’s an understatement to say that he’s embarrassed. He’s humiliated. He asked Seokjin out so he should at least pay for him. It may not be that much, considering that he’s only fifteen and his allowance significantly dropped by fifty percent but it’s something.

“I’m so sorry, hyung.” He took a sit next to the window when they got in the bus and Seokjin smiled at him.

“It’s fine.”

Before he could even respond, Seokjin placed an earphone to his left ear. Confused, he glanced at Seokjin who is wearing the other half of it on his right ear.

“The ride would be an hour. You might get bored.” Seokjin explained.

He was tempted to say he wouldn’t, as long as Seokjin is with him but he figured that’s something that should just be buried on the ground.

He watched Seokjin play a song in his iPod.

“Oh.” Jungkook’s eyes widened. “This song is from Eunseo’s favorite group.”

Seokjin blinked before he stared at Jungkook with an unreadable expression. The younger never saw that look on Seokjin before and he’s not sure how he’s supposed to react to it.

“Eunseo?” Seokjin smiled. “Is that the girl that you like?”

Jungkook’s chest tightened as he forced out a reply.

“Yeah.”

“I like this group too.” Seokjin turned his head away from Jungkook, staring at the head of the person sitting on front of them.

And the rest of the ride was quiet, save from the music playing from Seokjin’s iPod.

Seokjin took him to a park. A park that is an hour away from their place.

“This place is way better than what we have in our town.” Seokjin explained. “I go here with my friends before when I was in high school. We will feed ducks and fight pigeons.”

“Also, it’s the best season to come here. September, the start of autumn season. The weather is nice so you should take advantage of this.” He continued, grabbing Jungkook’s wrist to drag him somewhere. “When you go out for a date you should greatly consider the weather. If it’s cold or rainy season, I recommend you to go to a movie theatre. A lot of people would disagree to me, but I think it’s the best choice. You can enjoy each other’s warmth and you have a legitimate reason to hold hands without feeling awkward.”

He let the older male take drag him. He followed Seokjin’s steps, mimicking it. Even though the weather is nice, there are only few people in the area.

“We should eat first.” Seokjin turned right. Jungkook followed.

They went to a small restaurant that was located near the lake. The restaurant looked old but it looked warm and home-y. He noticed the old worn out couches inside the restaurant instead of the typical chairs, the round wooden tables, the large grandfather clock in the corner, frames with black and white photos hanging on the wall, and the restaurant itself smelled like an old closet.

They took a seat next to the grandfather clock and Jungkook took a mental note that the couch is soft and comfortable. He could sit here all day. As soon as he was done staring at the photos on the wall, a woman around Seokjin’s age approached them. She was wearing a white button up long sleeved shirt. The sleeve is rolled up until her elbows, a black knee length pencil skirt, and light brown hair tied into a messy bun.

“Welcome, I’ll be your waitress for today.” She smiled and gave each of them a menu.

“Thanks, Yoonhee-yah” Seokjin smiled and opened the menu.

The woman, Yoonhee bowed before she went back behind the counter and Jungkook stared at her for at least five seconds before he turned his head back to Seokjin who is now looking at the menu like it was his newborn child.

“You know her?”

“She was my classmate before, her grandma owns this place.”

“I see.” Jungkook looked at the menu. “Do you think we can get discount?”

Seokjin laughed. “Seriously?” A pause. “Well, she could give us a free dessert.”

“Sounds nice.”

Seokjin, as expected, ordered a meal that is good for three while Jungkook was happy and content with his meal set for one. Seokjin talked a lot while eating, sometimes he made groaning sounds that indicates that he liked what he just shoved to his mouth. He even clapped when he ate a flavored fried chicken.

“After this we can go out and buy those really cute cotton candies.”

“You can still eat after…” Jungkook points at the food in front of him. “that?”

“You sound like you don’t know me well.” Seokjin laughed.

“Fair enough.” He shrugged.

“But I’m not really sure if they still sell those. It’s a cotton candy on stick with different colors. It looks like a flower or something. It’s cute and it really tastes good. I hope they still sell it, though. It’s been a while since I went here.”

“I’m sure they still do.” Jungkook grinned.

He heard a soft ding and Seokjin dropped his chopsticks on his plate. “Sorry, it’s mine.” He smiled and took out his phone from his pocket.

Jungkook watched him with curiosity as he unlocked his phone and squinted at the screen.

“It’s from Yoongi,” Seokjin said, “he’s asking, I quote, where the are you.”

The younger male tried his best not to roll his eyes but it seemed that he failed to do so because Seokjin gave him the look.

“I know what you’re thinking. He’s nice, you just need to crack his hard shell that he covers himself with to make up for his short height.”

“I didn’t say anything, hyung.”

“Your face says a lot.” He murmured as he typed a response to Yoongi.

Jungkook waited until Seokjin kept his phone back to his pocket before he opened his mouth to ask something.

“Why him?”

That question caught Seokjin’s full attention as he stared at the younger with an eyebrow raised. “What do you mean?”

“Why are you dating him, hyung?”

“Why not?”

Because there are better people out there and he acts like an . Jungkook wanted to say. Because I liked you longer than he did and if you could just wait for three more years I can catch up to you.

“He doesn’t look like your type…that’s all.” He glanced at his empty plate. “I don’t have anything against him.”

Seokjin smiled. “I was surprised too. But he’s really charming in his own way. You should get to know him, I’m sure you’ll get along with him.”

“Yeah right.” Jungkook huffed and Seokjin ruffled his hair.

“You’re so cute. Are you jealous?”

Jungkook accidentally bumped his knee on the table, causing the glass of water to lose its balance. His mind registered the cold sensation on his crotch and , the water spilled on his pants. On the crotch area. Right in the middle.

Seokjin let out a surprise gasp and he stood up. He grabbed napkins from their table and moved next to Jungkook’s seat.

“Did you hurt yourself?” He asked and knelt down next to Jungkook.

Before he could even respond, Seokjin was already dabbing the tissues on his crotch.

Jungkook’s eyes widened and his cheeks felt like it’s on fire.

“HYUNG!” He yelled. Several eyes made its way to their direction and Seokjin put up his hands up in the air in defense, his eyes are equally wide.

“I…” Jungkook stuttered. “I can wipe it myself. Thanks.”

The older male’s cheeks turned pink as if he just realized what he just did. He murmured an apology before he went back to his seat.

“Sorry…” He said, for the second time.

“Hyung…it’s uh…it’s fine.” The younger managed to grin as he tried his best not get a ing right there. He dabs his pants with the tissue and prayed to the gods to make him forget that Seokjin’s hands were literally on his crotch just few seconds ago. Oh god.

Not here not here not here. He murmured to himself.

“I forgot you’re growing up already….” Seokjn’s voice snapped Jungkook out of his dilemma. “It’s weird. I was so used at seeing you as a small child. I remember you would always grab my hand when you’re scared. Or cling to my side when strangers talk to you.”

The younger swallowed hard. “Yeah, I’m growing up.”

“You don’t do those anymore. You don’t cling to me anymore when you want a snack, you don’t whine at me when I have to leave your place, you don’t grin at me anymore after you brush your teeth at night….it feels weird. When I stepped in your house and saw your nose bleeding the first thing that came to my mind was to hug you and tell you to stop crying because I’ll kiss the pain away.” A laugh. “You weren’t crying though, you looked like you were so close to killing Taehyung more than anything else.”

“You were gone for a while.” Jungkook searched Seokjin’s eyes for something. He doesn’t know what he’s looking for though.

“Yeah…I was. I didn’t see you grow up. Maybe that’s why… I missed a lot of things, didn’t I?”

A nod. “You did.”

“I really liked looking after you though. I just have this strong sense of need to take care of you.” He shook his head. “Do you still need me, Kookie?”

Jungkook felt like the world just stopped. He felt like his heart stopped beating and he stopped breathing. The childish name that Seokjin would always call him sounded different. It doesn’t sound like he actually called him. It sounded foreign, as if he’s talking to someone else. Not him. Not the Jungkook in front of him.

Maybe…he’s desperately calling for the Kookie that didn’t grow up. The Kookie who would desperately cling to his hyung for snacks or bed time stories.

Jungkook bit his tongue before he replied with a “No.”

He doesn’t need Seokjin to look after him anymore. He’s trying to convince himself that he doesn’t need Seokjin anymore. He doesn’t need those warm smiles, hugs, and everything else that is Kim Seokjin. He desperately wanted to stop thinking about him. To stop needing Seokjin.

Seokjin looked like he was about to cry but maybe it was just Jungkook being delusional.

Jungkook wanted to hug him and tell him how much he needed the older male but he doesn’t do that. Not when he’s trying to get his together and to stop chasing after him.

“I see.” Seokjin smiled and that ended their conversation.

Yoonhee did give them a free dessert. It was a flavored shaved ice with ice cream on top. Jungkook chose chocolate and Seokjin chose vanilla.

After Seokjin paid for the food they went outside to look for the cotton candy stall. They found it and Seokjin looked happy, like he was twelve years old.

The older male handed him a stick of the cotton candy with a big grin on his face. As if the conversation earlier never happened.

Or maybe Seokjin is just a good actor.

The walked side by side and talked about a lot of things. With Seokjin asking him what the girl is like and Jungkook flat out saying that it’s a secret. Seokjin whined and pouted like a child but his mood was lifted when he saw a dog.

“You act like you’re younger than me.” Jungkook said after Seokjin was done petting the dog for almost ten minutes.

“You think so?”

“I think so.”

“Can you do me a favor?”

Jungkook raised an eyebrow but he nods.

“Don’t grow up so fast.” Seokjin ruffled his hair again. “I know you’re growing up but don’t grow up so fast.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I did that and I regret it. I had to act like an adult because I need to look after Taehyung, Jimin, and you. I don’t know what it feels like to be young.”

The younger male was confused.

“You’ll understand it when you get there. Do you want to ride a bike? We can rent one.”

And Seokjin grabbed his hand to pull him somewhere else. His hand felt warm and he squeezed the older male’s hand. His hands aren’t smooth unlike before. It’s rough, especially his fingers but it’s fine. It was perfect.

As soon as they reached their destination, Seokjin asked him what kind of bike he wanted to use and the younger interlocked their fingers together. He searched at Seokjin’s face for any objection but as he turned to looked at Seokjin’s face, the older male looked like he was in pain.

“I hope Eunseo takes a good care of you,” Seokjin said and removed his hand from Jungkook’s, “You’re really important to me.”  

Twitter: @tsoookie