Coffee Love #8 - Jihoon Hyung
Word Count: 4,358

Date in Chapter: 2016 November 22

Note: Jihoon’s birthday chapter~ (Even though it’s not his birthday, we’re posting this.) Next is Jitae’s one year anniversary. This chapter is majorly Jihoon focused.

Jihoon’s POV

        If there were an award given out to the best boyfriend, Jihoon is positive that Jungkook would win it. There are times when Jungkook is a little unsure of his choices, and he always thinks he can do better, and maybe that’s just what Jihoon loves the most about him. Jungkook always thinks Jihoon deserves better. No matter how hard Jungkook works to do something special, and no matter how much Jihoon appreciates it, Jungkook always thinks that he could have done better. That’s not to say that Jihoon expects a lot. Jungkook could just give him cuddles as a birthday present, and Jihoon would be fine with that. It’s just that it’s nice to have someone think that he deserves all the best things in the world instead of just settling for mediocre gift ideas and celebrations and passing it of as ‘the best he could do, but it’s the thought that counts.’

“Jihoon hyung! Happy birthday! Looks like you are older than me again. Well, being 19 together was fun while it lasted. There is school and work today, but I have something special planned for this evening. Work hard, Hyung, but don’t stress yourself out! I love you! ~Tol.”

The sticky note that Jihoon finds in his portfolio when he takes it out this morning is only proof of how fantastic of a boyfriend Jungkook is, and it has Jihoon smiling in the middle of his Costume Design for TV, Film, and Entertainment class. Jihoon hates costume design, but he knows that he should love it. He hates Minwoo for being able to go on the trips with the J-Hopeful dance crew where he gets to be with Jaejoon, but Jihoon doesn’t get to be with Jungkook. The note from his boyfriend is really just what he need to get himself through two hours of class.

Before even paying mind to what the instructor is saying, Jihoon opens the messaging app on his laptop. Since they’re allowed to use their laptops in class, it’s easy to get away with texting that way. He shoots Jungkook a text message: “Thank you for the note. It was really sweet.”

Despite Jungkook also being in class, it only takes a moment for a message to come back. “Happy birthday, Hyung. Don’t text in class.”

Jihoon smiles, and he closes the app out before his instructor comes by. The last thing he needs is to get kicked out of class on his birthday. While he hates this class, he can’t afford to keep missing it.

Seokjin’s POV

        “Do you want to watch a movie this weekend? Or do something else?” Hoseok asks Seokjin during their lunch date.

“It’s been a while since we’ve gotten everyone together as a whole group, so I kind of want to do that.” Seokjin says.

“We can do that.” Hoseok agrees. “So…movies or something else?”

“Movies will do,” Seokjin decides. “But you know Jungkook is going to want to watch something scary.”

“He always does.” Hoseok says with an unamused face. “Anyway, did you ever introduce Namjoon and Joonmyeon like you said you were going to?”

“Sort of?” Seokjin says, recalling the events from a few days before. “I mean, Namjoon came to the cafe, and he met him then, but they didn’t really say anything to each other.”

“Is he okay with you talking to him?” Hoseok asks.

“Yeah, I guess.” Seokjin says. “He hasn’t been as distant lately.”

“I know. That’s why I asked.” Hoseok says. “He seemed more comfortable this weekend, and he was looking at you like he always has.”

“Really?” Seokjin asks, a faint smile on his face and blush on his cheeks.

“Yeah, it was nice to see. I don’t like it when you two aren’t getting along.” Hoseok says.

Seokjin sighs. “You’ve been married to Yoongi for a year now,” He says. “How do you two keep it up?”

“You mean…”

“Just…the relationship.” Seokjin quickly clarifies. The last thing he wants to hear is about Hoseok and Yoongi’s life. “How do you make sure that…it still feels…I don’t know…”

“Exciting?” Hoseok offers, and Seokjin nods. Hoseok shrugs. “Did you and Namjoon ever have something particularly exciting? I mean, you two just always seemed so comfortable and content with each other rather than being immature and stuff.”

Seokjin purses his lips in thought. “Well, we haven’t always been comfortable,” Seokjin says. When he and Namjoon first started dating, Namjoon was a mess, and Seokjin’s still surprised he was able to handle it well enough to make it this far with him. “But yeah…I guess I get what you’re saying. It’s just…we’re going to have a baby soon, and I don’t want him to get tired of me.”

“If anything,” Hoseok says. “You two seem to be having a baby at the perfect time. I think it’ll really help your relationship.”

“I hope so.” Seokjin sighs again.

Jihoon’s POV

        Lunch time rolls around quickly, and Jihoon meets Taehyung in the cafeteria. Now that Jimin is graduated and going to work full time, Taehyung usually has lunch at the school, so he and Jihoon end up having lunch together a lot. “It’s your birthday, right?” Taehyung asks when Jihoon sits down.

“Yep…” Jihoon says.

Taehyung picks up his bag, and he goes through it, as if he’s looking for something. “I had to make sure. I didn’t want to give you your gift if it wasn’t your birthday.” Taehyung says. Honestly, Jihoon didn’t expect Taehyung to get him anything. Neither he nor Jungkook got Jimin anything for his birthday, so a gift from Taehyung is kind of unexpected.

He pulls out a small gift with a horrible wrapping job, and Jihoon accepts it. “Happy birthday.” Taehyung says.

Jihoon opens the gift to reveal a book of many different y styles that are guaranteed to ‘make your man happy.’ Honestly, it seems like a gift that Yoongi would give to someone, but Jihoon thinks it’s cute.

“It’s for girls, I know,” Taehyung says. “But I figured since Jungkook likes the way girls clothes looks, and you’re a designer, you could do something with it.”

Jihoon smiles. “Thank you, Hyung.” He says. “I’ll make good use of it.”

*

Since it’s his birthday, Jihoon really wants nothing more than to spend the day with Jungkook. When he finishes up all of his work at school, however, he has no time to drop by the apartment before he has to go to Suga Styles for work that day.

He shows up just on time, which is good for him because he doesn’t want Yoongi to have another fit about him being late. Not on his birthday. He’s trying really hard to have a good day today. When he enters the studio, Yoongi seems to be doing some paperwork. Fantastic. Yoongi is never in a good mood on days that he has to do paperwork.

“Hyung,” Jihoon says, hesitant as steps further into the studio.

“What are you doing here?” Yoongi asks when he offers Jihoon a brief glance just to look right back at his papers.

“I’m…um…supposed to be working?” Jihoon answers, standing there a little awkwardly.

“I decided to give you the day off because it’s your birthday.”

Jihoon will never understand Yoongi. One minute he tells Jihoon that he needs to work harder, and he can’t expect to get free days off all the time. Another minute he tells Jihoon that his birthday is a reason for him to have a day off…

“Okay, but…” Jihoon begins. He’ll gladly take that free day off, but he still has something to talk to his brother about. “I talked to my advisor today. Since I’m graduating next semester, I’m supposed to get an internship for my last stretch of required credit hours, and she wants me to start applying for them before the middle of December, which is the deadline for most applications. I told her that I’ve already been spending a lot of time working with my mentor, and she said—”

“I’m not your mentor.” Yoongi cuts him off. “If I were your mentor, I wouldn’t be paying you. You were an intern here from day one.”

That, Jihoon isn’t really sure how to respond to, so he doesn’t. he just continues with what he was going to say. “Anyway, she told me that I could intern with you,” Jihoon carries on. “But you would have to sign on with the school for it to count toward my credits.”

“Is that all?”

If there’s one thing that Jihoon learned about Yoongi early on, it’s that he’s hard to read sometimes. Like now, it’s difficult to tell if he is willing to help Jihoon out. If he doesn’t, Jihoon won’t have a choice but to quit working here because he won’t have time for an internship, completing his portfolio, and working here on top of that.

“Umm…yeah.” Jihoon’s words come out cautious and slow.

“Consider it done.” Yoongi still has his full attention on the papers before him, but he looks up when Jihoon doesn’t leave—the younger one just standing there. “If that’s all, you should go home now.”

“Oh…okay.” Jihoon says.

Yoongi really doesn’t seem like himself today. He doesn’t seem upset or anything. Just different. Like he didn’t want Jihoon to be there, but it wasn’t that he was upset with the younger one. Jihoon can’t figure it out as he leaves from the building.

Seokjin’s POV

        “,” Is the first thing Seokjin hears when he walks through the door of the house. It comes from the kitchen, and he knows that can’t be a good sign. He pushes past Latte, who makes sure to greet him at the door everyday when he returns home from work, and he hurries to the kitchen without even thinking to take his shoes off at the door.

“Namjoon?” He says as he walks in to find Namjoon leaning against the the counter with his mouth around the bottom of his finger like he had burned himself and he’s trying to ease the pain. There’s something cooking on the stove, but Seokjin can’t even begin to tell what it is with the smell of something burning. “What are you doing?” He asks, his voice full of affection filled amusement.

“I was trying to fry some noodles, but I burnt myself on—”

Seokjin sighs, but it’s an affectionate kind of sigh. He comes to Namjoon’s rescue by turning the stove off and removing the pan with the charred noodles in them, and he takes care of disposing them before dropping the pan in the sink. “You know, you’re actually quite dumb for someone so smart.” Seokjin says, pulling Namjoon’s hand away from his mouth and placing a kiss where he can see the obvious red spot on his hand. “You can’t fry dry noodles.”

“Did you just kiss my hand?” Namjoon asks, looking Seokjin dead in the eyes.

Seokjin didn’t even think about it when he did it. “Yeah,” He says as if it’s completely normal and he can’t see why Namjoon is so shocked about it.

“You actually kissed my hand. The palm of my hand. The dirtiest part of the human body,” He looks down at Seokjin’s feet. “And you’ve still got your shoes on while standing in the kitchen. I don’t know whether to be concerned or really right now.”

Seokjin smirks, and he places his hands on counter on either side of Namjoon, and he kisses him. “If you’re really right now,” He says. “We might be able to do something about that.”

“Right here?” Namjoon asks, his interest spiking.

“Right now.” Seokjin whispers.

“,” Namjoon breathes, and he grabs Seokjin’s hips to switch their positions so that Seokjin is the one with his back to the counter. “Now I’m more than .”

Yoongi’s POV

        Yoongi pulls into the driveway to see both sides of the garage open—his side because he just opened it, but Hoseok’s side because the younger one is in there. He’s sitting cross-legged on the hood of his car, phone in his hand and earbuds in his ears. He’s dancing, one of those cute dances that people do when as they remain sitting, and he just looks really adorable. As he sees Yoongi pull in, he removes his earbuds and jumps off the car.

“Why the hell are you sitting out here?” Yoongi asks as he gets out of his car, shutting the door behind him.

“If you try to go in the house, you’ll find out.” Hoseok says, and it takes Yoongi by surprise when the younger one pulls him into a hug. “But I’m so glad you’re home. My hero.”

With those last two words, Yoongi’s already got it figured out. “Spider?” He asks.

Hoseok doesn’t say anything. He just nods, but it gets Yoongi curious to find out why a spider is keeping Hoseok outside. Even if it’s on the door, he could just walk right past it. Still, Yoongi takes Hoseok’s hand and leads him out of the garage after closing both of the doors. It’s when he gets to the porch that he finds out why a spider is keeping Hoseok from going in. It’s one of those large garden spiders with the wide, colorful legs, and it has it’s web spun right across the entrance. There’s no getting around it.

“Can you kill it?” Hoseok asks, tightening his grip on Yoongi’s hand.

Yoongi looks around from something that he could use to at least move the spider. Having it’s web spun across the entrance like that is a way to keep even Yoongi from going inside, and he easily decides that spiders are s. Yoongi grabs one of the fallen tree branches from the yard, and he takes down the web while getting the spider to crawl on that, and Hoseok backs away as he caries it out to the yard only to have the younger one glaring at him when he returns.

“It’s gone.” Yoongi says.

“Yeah, but he’ll come back if you don’t kill him.” Hoseok says.

“No he won’t,” Yoongi assures the younger, taking Hoseok’s hand again and pulling him closer. “Spiders won’t put their webs back where they were taken down from. They know that’s not a place for them to be.”

“Whatever.” Hoseok says. “At least I know you’ll be here to protect me if he shows back up.” He gives Yoongi a quick kiss on the cheek before pulling him into the house.

“By the way,” Hoseok says, sitting at the table after putting his keys into the bowl. “There’s something I want to ask you.”

“You don’t need my permission to ask me things,” Yoongi says, sitting across from him.

“When I went to the studio earlier, they had some ads for a couple’s dance off.” Hoseok says. “And I want to do it, but I can’t if you don’t.”

Yoongi eyes Hoseok for a moment before looking away. He can’t refuse Hoseok’s requests when he’s giving him that look like he really wants to do something. “Why don’t you just ask Jimin or Jungkook to do it with you?” Yoongi asks. “I’m not really that good, so we wouldn’t win anyway.”

“I can’t ask them,” Hoseok says. “It’s for professional dancers with non-professional dance partners. Both Jungkook and Jimin have danced professionally, so they can’t do it. Even if they could…I want you to dance with me. Besides, we’ll need matching outfits…so there’s something in it for you. You know, since you always want to make us couple things.”

Yoongi sighs, but there’s a small smile on his lips as he does it. “All right,” He gives in. “It depends on when it is, though.”

“It’s on the weekend,” Hoseok says. “December 17th, so there’s plenty of time to prepare. We just need to choose a song and a team name.”

It’s cute how quickly he got excited just after hearing that Yoongi is willing to do this with him.

“Yoonseok.” Yoongi suggests the easiest team name he could think of.

“No,” Hoseok says. “It has to be something more creative than that.”

Yoongi gives it another moment’s thought. “Sope.” He says.

“Soap?” Hoseok questions, raising his eyebrows. “Why would we be Soap?”

“You know, for Suga,” Yoongi says, pointing at himself. “And J-Hope.” He points at Hoseok.

The smile that Hoseok gives then is the cutest, and it has Yoongi smiling as well. “Sope,” He says. “Sope. Yeah, I like it.” And they both laugh.

Jihoon’s POV

        Jihoon sighs when he gets to the front door of their apartment, and he sees that there’s a note on the door. It’s one of those melon shaped sticky notes that Jungkook had stole from Jihoon to write the little note he gave to the elder this morning. Jihoon pulls the note off the door to read it. “Sorry, I’m not home right now. I promised that I have something special planned, and I really do. You’ll just have to find out on your own. ~Tol”

That’s all that’s written on there. If this is supposed to be some kind of game, Jihoon doesn’t really get it. He pulls out his keys and unlocks the door to enter the apartment, and he walks in. Maybe it’s a scavenger hunt? The idea excites Jihoon as he’s never done a scavenger hunt before, but there was no clue on where to look for the next note.

Jihoon goes to the room and drops his bag next to their bed. It’s a habit that he’s had forever, and, no matter how many times Jungkook tries to tell him to put his back up once he gets home, Jihoon still doesn’t do it. He lies on the bed and looks up at the ceiling to find another note stuck up there. Jihoon smiles, and he stands up on the bed, struggling a little to get the note down.

“Sorry I put this one almost out of your reach, shortie, but this was the only place I knew you were guaranteed to look. Don’t forget to hang your bag up in the closet. ~Sasquatch.”

Jihoon rolls his eyes, more fond than he should be right now. He picks his bag up off the floor, and he goes to the closet to hang it on the hook inside. In the closet, he finds a big box with another sticky note on it.

“Where we’re going, you’ll need to wear something comfortable, so I bought something for you. Put this on, and you’ll find the next clue at the bottom of the box.”

Seriously. Jungkook is just so extra sometimes. Jihoon grabs the box and opens it up to find a plaid, flannel shirt inside with a pair of wrangler jeans. Below that was a pair of riding gloves and another box that had boots in it. “Jeon Jungkook…” Jihoon breathes, already seeing where this is leading to.

Inside the shoebox is the next note, and Jihoon only looks at it when he gets changed into what Jungkook had prepared for him.

“Now that you’re all cute in the clothes I bought for you, go to the place we first met. ~JK.”

That one’s easy. It’s the cafe.

Jihoon expects to meet Jungkook there, but he’s no where to be found when Jihoon arrives. Solbin, however, is there, and she gives Jihoon an Americano when he walks in, telling him that Jungkook is the one who bought it for him, and she gives him the next sticky note.

“I realize now that I actually at this, so…I think you’ve already figured it out by now, and you probably know where to go…so…just go there. ~Kookie”

A few months after Jihoon’s horse passed, Jihoon had mentioned wanting to go to the stables outside of the city. That was almost two months ago, and he only briefly mentioned it. He’s kind of surprised that Jungkook took note of it at all, doubtless that he remembered it for this long.

The stables are where Jihoon decides to go, and, sure enough, he finds Jungkook’s car in the parking lot when he gets there. Jihoon gets out of his own car, and he starts to walk up to the building. “Hyung,” He hears Jungkook’s voice behind him, and he turns around to find Jungkook approaching him on the back of a gypsy horse. Jihoon had never seen Jungkook on a horse by himself before, and, considering the fear the younger used to have, he couldn’t be more proud right now.

“You made me go through all of that so that we could go horseback riding?” Jihoon asks as Jungkook hops off the horse.

“No,” Jungkook says. “I made you go through all of that so I could get you a horse for your birthday.”

Jihoon feels his heart skip a beat, and he looks at the horse Jungkook had brought over here. “This one?” He asks.

Jungkook shakes his head. “This one is mine.” Jungkook tells him, and Jihoon looks at him curiously. “Yours is still in the stable.”

“You…”

“Well, I figured if we’re going to ride together, it only makes sense if we both have one.” Jungkook tells him. “Besides, these ones are really…” He pauses, looking at Jihoon. “I’m sorry. Did I do the wrong thing? Is it too soon?”

Jihoon laughs and he shakes his head. “No, Jungkook,” Jihoon says. “This is perfect.”

He can see all the tension and worry leave the younger with an exhale, and he holds out his hand for Jihoon to take. “Come on, then,” He says. “You need to meet your horse.”

He helps Jihoon onto the back of his horse, and he climbs up as well, in front of Jihoon. “You know we aren’t going to be able to bring them home, right?” Jihoon asks as he wraps his arms around Jungkook’s waist.

“I know,” Jungkook says. “I talked to your dad about it, and he said that he’ll come and take them to the farm if you want him to. Or we can keep them here so that they’re closer. Whatever you want to do.”

“You talk to my dad?” Jihoon asks, resting his head on Jungkook’s shoulder.

“Sometimes.” Jungkook says, and the rest of the trip back to the stables is silent save for the clopping of the horse’s hooves on the ground.

Jungkook hops off and rushes in before Jihoon can even get off of the horse. By the time Jihoon gets to the ground, a man is coming out of the stables with Jungkook, and he has the horse on a lead. It’s a gypsy horse like Jungkook’s, but it’s a little bigger. “Her name is Stormy,” Jungkook tells him as he takes the horse from the handler and brings it over. “Unless you don’t like it, you can change it.”

“Did you pick it?” Jihoon asks, and Jungkook nods. “I thought so. I like it.”

“I know she’s not as big as Misty was, but they didn’t have any of Misty’s breed anywhere in the city,” Jungkook says. “I looked to the ends of Seoul, and I couldn’t find any Shire Horses.”

“Jungkook,” Jihoon says as he puts his hand up to introduce himself to the horse. “She’s perfect. Thank you.”

Jihoon’s thoughts of Jungkook winning an award for being the best boyfriend…they still remain. No one has ever done anything like this for Jihoon, and Jihoon is certain that a lot of people would love to have someone like Jungkook as their boyfriend. He’s just…like stated earlier, so extra sometimes.

“I’ll help you up,” Jungkook says, and he pulls Jihoon to the side of the horse.

Jihoon steps in the palm of Jungkook’s hands when he puts them down to lift Jihoon up, and he easily settles on the back of Stormy. He doesn’t actually need Jungkook’s help. He got on Misty without help, and she was bigger, but the gesture is really romantic, so Jihoon doesn’t refuse. “And there’s one more thing,” Jungkook says, and Jihoon’s breath is taken away when he looks back at the younger one.

Jungkook still stands on the ground, but he’s holding a ring in his hand. “How did you…” Jihoon can’t even finish that question because he goes breathless again.

“I know that it hasn’t even been a year,” Jungkook says, “But…I think that, by the time you graduate, we’ll be ready for this…” He gets all shy and stuff, just like he used to in the beginning of their relationship and before they started dating. “So I have to ask now. Jihoon hyung…will you marry me?”

Jungkook nibbles on his lip, nervous, and Jihoon is in too much of a state of shock to answer right away. He hadn’t seen that coming at all, and he doesn’t even know how or when Jungkook even pulled that ring out. It was just like magic, and, as cheesy as it is to say, it just made the event all that much more magical.

Jihoon could say no. He could say no because it’s too soon. Because they are still too young. Because they should focus on school. Because Jungkook is too young. He could say no and hope that Jungkook would ask him another time, but—

“Yes,” Jihoon says, and Jungkook smiles. He takes Jihoon’s hand and slips the ring onto his finger, and he presses a kiss to Jihoon’s knuckles.

Jihoon says yes because he knows that this is what he wants. He knows that the two of them will be great together. He says yes because the proposal was too special and magical to refuse, and it just wouldn’t be the same if Jungkook had to ask again another time.

“Now let me get on my horse so that I can actually give you a proper kiss.” Jungkook says, and he rushes over to his horse, excited, and Jihoon just rolls his eyes with a smile on his face.