Y/N:

After loading the last of your things into your car, Jimin whacks the door closed and turns to look at you leaning against the side of it with your hands behind your back. He steps in front of you, a hand on each side of you on the roof of the car, and you flatten yourself further against the metal, pretending to be flustered. He chuckles and moves closer to you, bringing his face near. He steals a frustratingly quick kiss and looks around.

“Oppa!” You cry, tugging his shirt, “You have to stop doing that.”

He sighs and narrows his eyes at you, without another word swooping in and kissing you sweetly.

You kiss him back and when he tries to pull away you whine, imploring your tongue’s entrance and he coyly lets you in. You lace your fingers into his soft, black locks and he mumbles something against your mouth, his hands pressing you eagerly to him as he leans more heavily into you. Not once do your lips leave his as you pour yourself into the fiery kiss and before long, he’s hoisting you up and wrapping your legs around his waist, using the poor car to maintain balance while your mouths continue to dance a hot and passionate, but still sweet and playful dance.

The front door to the house bangs closed, warning the two of you to stop but the sound seems distant as you’re wholly wrapped up in each other and only when Taehyung clears his throat loudly, do you move apart. Your head is filled with the scent and taste of him as he sets you on your own two feet and you’re sure you look a little dumb, your brain foggy and lips still tingling as your best friend speaks to you. Despite how hard you try, knowing all too well his dislike of your relationship, you struggle to hear even a word he says, distracted by Jimin’s now extra pink, kiss-swollen lips which he makes a show of slowly dragging his tongue over, most surely for your amusement and you scold yourself for giggling.

“Oh my gosh, just get in the passenger’s seat, will you?” Taehyung exclaims, exasperated.

He finally catches your attention and you protest, “No, no. I want to drive.”

“Too bad. Just say goodbye and let’s go.” He commands, climbing into the driver’s seat.

Jimin steps toward the driver’s door, wanting to yank it open and defend you but you quickly reach up to and deeply kiss your boyfriend, smiling as he sighs into the brief moment before you pull away and let him hold you tightly as he whispers, “I’ll see you in a week, uh, Angel?”

You nod into his chest and he presses his lips to the top of your head. You peck his cheek and climb into the car, waving with both hands and twisting your body to see him as Taehyung pulls out of the driveway.

“You know, it’s not like you’ll never see each other again.” Taehyung grumbles, grimly eyeing the boy in the rear-view mirror as he waves back, staying until the car turns into the next road, “It’s just a holiday.”

“I know, but he’s just so…” You sigh, facing the front again, “You know…”

“Annoying? Dumb? Clingy?” He offers.

You hit his arm, “No, he’s sweet and caring and I really like him.”

He rolls his eyes, “I really don’t see why.”

“Well you must have at some point, given that you tried to set us up.” You remind him, peering out at the dull, grey sky, “It’s really all because of you that we’re even together.”

“Thanks for the reminder.” He mumbles sarcastically.

“Argh…Just wake me when you feel tired.” You give up, rearranging yourself in a semi-foetal position, quickly slipping into dreamland.

~

You awake surrounded by a comfortable darkness, warm and satisfied as you pull your duvet closer around you, snuggling into your pillow. Its scent is all too familiar and you grin happily to yourself, feeling oddly like a little girl again. It’s not long before you fall back asleep and when you arise next, dull rays of silver sunshine peek through the curtains, casting light on the cosy walls of Taehyung’s bedroom.

Stretching yourself out on his bed, you know you must have been asleep for very long and realise your last memory is of watching Taehyung drive as you surrender to the call of sleep. You’re aware that you’re alone in the small bed and roll yourself up in the blankets, not wanting to lose their warmth as you go in search of your friend.

Yawning, you stumble out of the bed and trip over his foot, falling on the floor beside him with a thud. You want to whack him but his peaceful demeanour won’t let you and you sigh, checking the time. It seems the sun’s just about risen, so rather than wake the whole house, you lie down next to him instead. For a moment, he seems troubled, knitting his brow and mumbling something incoherent, so you his head, tenderly massaging his scalp, smiling as his expression smooths out. The floor is cooler than his bed, and he feels slightly cold to the touch, so you add your blanket to the mix of his and crawl underneath them, napping while you wait for him to wake.

When he does, he pokes you in the side and asks what you’re doing on the floor. Groggily, you open your eyes and scold, “Did you sleep here all night? It’s ing cold.”

He rolls his eyes, “Well I can’t very well sleep with you, now can I?”

“Why not? You always do, anyway.”

“You completely freaked when I saw you in your underwear yesterday.” He reminds you.

“Yeah, but you know why that was.” You dismiss and thinking you can catch him out, ask, “So, who changed me into pyjamas?”

He sighs and shakes his head, “You’re still wearing the same clothes, hun.”

You lift the blankets, checking, “Oh...”

You know you should be relieved that he’s trying to behave ‘appropriately’ now that you have a boyfriend but his distance feels alien and sits funny with you.

“Is my stuff still in the car?” You ask.

“Yeah, but there’s still a bunch of your clothes if you want to go shower, oh and your old vanity is over there somewhere.” He gestures toward his cupboard with heavy lids and you let him nod back off to sleep.

Getting up, you open his cupboard and find it as it always is, messy with items of your clothing muddled among his, and you try to pull some of your clothes from the chaos without letting anything fall. You go over to his drawers and find a stash of your underwear beneath your vanity case and you chuckle to yourself. Ducking into the bathroom, you grab a towel from the cabinet and quickly climb into the shower, trying to evade the cold. Your teeth chatter as the water takes its time warming up, but once it does, you melt beneath the scalding heat, enjoying it thoroughly.

Afterward, you get dressed in your comfy clothes and nearly bump right into Taehyung’s mother as you close the door behind you.

“Omonie!” You greet, seeing the woman for the first time.

She looks at you questionably but smiles, “Did you rest well? You were sleeping so soundly when Taehyungie carried you in yesterday afternoon, you didn’t even stir at the smell of the delicious food I made.”

You laugh, “Ah, I wish I did.”

“You must be so hungry by now, come to the kitchen and we can make breakfast together.”

You help the woman cook and Taehyung’s brother comes along to set up the table, hugging you tightly before asking if you hurt yourself. His mother clucks her tongue at him and you wonder what it’s all about. Soon enough Taehyung emerges from the room and rubbing his face, greets as he plonks himself down.

“Did you get hurt too?” His brother giggles as he asks and Taehyung freezes when he sees you. You realise what all the weirdness was about and blush, your hands going to your face.

“It’s not like that.” You say, about to apologise for your hickey’d up appearance.

His mother giggles, her eyes flitting between the two of you, “It’s not like what?”

Her response confuses you and she smiles, “Why don’t you go cover up, uh? And take him with you before his father joins us.” She gestures at Taehyung.

You can only imagine what she must be thinking but she doesn’t let you get another word in, so you sheepishly head off to the room with her son and awkwardly sit on his bed, digging foundation and concealer out of your handbag.

Matching the colour to his skin tone, you apply and blend the make-up on his neck as he sits stiffly, waiting for you to finish.

“I guess my mother is still our biggest shipper, huh?” He says, chuckling timidly.

“It would seem so.” You smile up at him, before moving to his mirror to do your own face. The marks are much easier to cover than the day before, having faded substantially.

He watches your reflection with an odd expression and you wonder if he’s thinking of the days when covering each other’s markings in this room was routine.

“How come so much of your things are already unpacked?” You ask, trying to make conversation.

“Oh, I came home a few weeks back and thought I’d bring some stuff up, so it’s not too much to do now.”

“I could have come up with you.” You pout.

“It was a spur of the moment decision.” He answers quickly, scratching the back of his head, “I thought you would be too busy studying.”

“Oh, okay.” You answer, seeing that the topic is only making him more uncomfortable. “Hidden?” You ask, turning to face him.

He quickly looks you over and nods, “You’re good to go.”

“Yay! I’m starved. Let’s go eat.”

~

The day, like most Sundays, passes with a lazy ease and in the evening, when Taehyung’s parents wind down for work the next day and his siblings head off to bed, you sit with beer and popcorn, easily decimating him with whatever game you play and he eventually gives up with a sigh, resigning himself to his drink. The two of you flip through the channels for a while, but nothing catches your attention and you end up looking at each other, for the first time not knowing what to do in the other’s company. It still being too early for bed, you can’t even make that excuse and scratch the back of your neck.

“You wanna go for a stroll?” He asks after some time.

You nod and pile on a couple more layers of clothing before quietly heading out into the nippy night with him. Walking a familiar route around the neighbourhood, you don’t need to talk, instead marvelling at how little the area has changed as you’ve grown up. You go up to a nearby park and sit side by side on the same swing set you’ve been sitting on for years, the still silence following you here too. A warm, orange glow makes you glance over at Taehyung and you double-take at the sight of him lighting up a cigarette.

“Since when do you smoke?” You ask in a voice more squeaky than you would like.

Looking up at the stars, he chuckles softly and takes a deep drag, his eyes fluttering closed as he slowly exhales through his nose, savouring the cool, subtle burn of the white menthol smoke as it travels through him and dissipates into the air.

“Relax Babe, I’ve had this box for ages.” He says coolly, flipping the top open to show the almost full container as he pulls on it again. “Want one?” He offers with the lit cigarette between his lips.

Quite honestly, you find the minty harshness of its scent oddly refreshing, but shake your head, gesturing for him to go on.

He pops a sweet into his mouth on the walk back home and once inside, you both head straight for bed and when he starts making up the floor, you surprise yourself as you feel a surge of anger and, unable to stop yourself, start scolding, “Don’t be stupid Taehyung! You’re going to catch a cold sleeping on that floor. It’s sweet of you to do but you’re making me uncomfortable. Now, get into this bed and stop acting like a stranger.”

“It makes me uncomfortable to share a bed with you when you’re dating someone.” He retorts, hesitating before adding, “You should feel that way too.”

“Why? It’s not like I want to spoon or anything,” You roll your eyes, pointing at the opposite end of the bed, “We can lay the way we did as kids. I will sleep with my head on that side.”

“But still-” He starts and you interrupt him.

“Are you really gonna sleep like that for the next two weeks?”

He sighs, “You know, most people would be grateful that I’m doing this out of my own?”

“But you’re being weird and I don’t like it.” You mumble, turning your back to him.

“Well, you can’t have everything, hun.” He mutters, his pillow crunching under his head as he throws himself down.