15 - Final chapter

“I look stupid.” 

Jungkook peeks over his shoulder. Namjoon keeps running his fingers through his newly dyed hair, brows furrowed so deeply it looks like he’s trying to solve a math equation.

“It looks good, hyung,” Jungkook replies, turning back to his phone. Namjoon groans and reaches for the hair gel placed next to the mirror. “Don’t put too much, it’s heavy stuff.”

“, is this too much?” Jungkook snorts when Namjoon holds up two fingers completely engulfed by the white gel. “What? , okay, don’t panic, Joonah. Let’s just remove some. There, this is better.”

Jungkook turns back around on the bed and quickly replies to Seokjin’s text, telling him that they might be a few minutes late because Namjoon wants to look extra good for him. He is rewarded with a bunch of surprised emojis in addition to a smug looking one. 

He then checks his chat with Taehyung.

No replies yet, but he knows the boy is working on his thesis, which he decided to turn in during the spring semester instead. Jungkook had felt relief on his behalf, because December is barely a month away and Taehyung would never be able to make it before the first deadline. 

Jungkook bites his lip and sends him another text message. 

don't worry about replying, focus on your thesis. best of luck, tae

He has barely sent the text before he receives a notification from Jimin. 

“Jimin said they’re already at the restaurant, hyung.” Jungkook gets to his feet and walks over to where his boss is struggling to close the lid on the hair gel. He easily slides it shut for him and receives a sheepish smile in return. 

“Thanks. Okay, , we gotta hurry then.”

Jungkook sighs as he leans against the wall next to the mirror and watches stress eat his hyung up. Namjoon notices him staring but doesn’t comment on it. His cheeks turn a light shade of pink, though.

“I think you’re good, hyung,” Jungkook says, an amused grin on his face, and Namjoon groans and nods.

“Okay, okay, just let me quickly-.” Namjoon grabs his comb and rapidly runs it through his hair before throwing it away. He then fidgets with the collar of his shirt and nervously his lips. “Uh, has-has Seokjin hyung arrived, too?” 

Namjoon is trying hard not to look too interested as he pats his black hair in place, and Jungkook bites back a smug smile and hums. 

“Hoseok and Yoongi are there, too. Jackson texted that he might be late, said he has some business to settle with Jinyoung first.”

Namjoon groans loudly and Jungkook snickers. “That’s Jackson talk for ing.”

“I mean, it’s about time, no? They’ve been dancing around each other for a while now.”

There’s an underlying message to his words, but if Namjoon notices he doesn’t show it.

The team leader finally decides his hair looks presentable enough and nods in determination before leaving the room. Jungkook peeks a quick glance at his own reflection and realizes he looks a little overdressed. Well, Seokjin did say it’s a casual dinner meet-up. 

For Seokjin, casual equals Dior suits and Rolex watches. 

“By the way, why did you call me for help with this when you’ve got a whole Jung Hoseok a phone call away?” Jungkook asks, deciding not to dwell too much on his outfit. Namjoon has finished putting on his coat and shoes, brows furrowed as he checks his phone. 

“He was busy helping Yoongi hyung.” 

Jungkook arches an eyebrow, snorting. “Didn’t realize Yoongi wanted to impress Jimin that much.” 

Namjoon huffs and shakes his head.

"They've been dating for what? Two weeks? And Yoongi is acting like he's gonna wed him or something."

Jungkook slips on his coat, grinning. "I guess Hobi hyung has decided to take on the single gay wingman role after all."

"Only problem is we're gonna be hearing all about his worryingly many ual escapades for a while moving forward," Namjoon sighs and Jungkook laughs. And then they leave the apartment and start their trek down the stairs. 

It’s cold outside, courtesy of it being the first week of November, and Jungkook shivers as he pulls his coat tighter around his frame. It’s only four in the afternoon but the sun has started to leave the sky already, painting it a myriad of red hues. 

“I’m gonna get wasted tonight,” Jungkook comments, jumping into the passenger seat of Namjoon’s cruiser. Taehyung’s lack of replies today might be one of the many reasons why, but Jungkook pretends it’s mostly because he wants to celebrate closing up that bull of a case. 

Namjoon snorts and turns the heat up full blast before clasping his seat belt shut. 

“You should,” he says as he pulls away from the parking space, “you deserve it for solving that case.”

Jungkook hums in reply and stares out of the window next to him. It’s been a month now, but people still talk about it, whether it be in online discussion forums, or in the precinct’s breakroom. 

Namjoon had gotten a lot of praise for leading such a successful unit, and when he had tried to put Jungkook’s name on the trophy, the detective had simply waved it off. 

Jungkook had realized it halfway through. This case is not like any of the other cases he has solved. It is not another addition to his list of achievements. 

His interest in Taehyung had gone from pure attraction to something much deeper, and Jungkook has spent nights wondering why and how that happened. But one thing he knows for sure is that his interest is still there, bubbling hot underneath his skin and clinging to his every cell like an incurable fever. 

Mr. Kim received a doubled twenty-seven year sentence for voluntary manslaughter. He hadn’t smiled nor had he frowned during the trial, and Jungkook had made sure to stay close to Taehyung and Mrs. Kim during the whole ordeal. 

The press had naturally caught onto them and the whole entrance ground of the building had been swarming with journalists and photographers. Mr. Kim left the building in cuffs, an angry scowl on his face as Namjoon and Jackson escorted him to the cruiser awaiting them while a dozen guards pushed the hungry journalists away. 

After handling a bit of paperwork with Seokjin and the other attorney, Mrs. Kim and Taehyung had finally gotten the chance to breathe, and Jungkook had quickly taken them out through a backdoor that Seokjin had guided them to.

Turns out, returning to the house where you grew up with an abusive father who just admitted to having murdered your sister isn’t as easy as one would have thought. 

Taehyung had broken down the second Jungkook had parked the car in front of the suburban house, and Mrs. Kim had wordlessly reached forward from the back, tightly gripping her son’s shoulder. Jungkook felt immense relief during that moment, because Taehyung had someone. 

He might have lost half of his world, but he still has someone left. And Mrs. Kim, now that her husband is out of the picture, seems like the best thing for Taehyung and the new chapter he’s about to start. 

In the end, Jungkook had helped them pack and dispose of everything belonging to Mr. Kim. Mrs. Kim had cried but relief had been evident in her eyes, and Jungkook had found himself wondering how on earth she had managed to hold on for so damn long. 

After sharing a quiet takeout dinner with them, and after making sure to add their neighborhood to Jackson’s patrol list, Jungkook had decided to let the family grieve in peace. 

“How’s Taehyung?” 

Jungkook snaps out of his thoughts and looks over at Namjoon. The man is carefully watching the road, but his lips are twitching slightly, as if he’s holding back a smirk. 

“He’s okay,” Jungkook mutters, trying not to roll his eyes. 

The team naturally caught onto whatever is going on between Jungkook and Taehyung. Jimin had been the first one to notice, but everyone had been voicing their suspicions behind Jungkook’s back, and Hoseok that piece of had placed the cherry on top of the icing and spilled the real tea. 

But Jungkook doesn’t mind, really. He has never been in a proper relationship before, so this is as new and exciting to him as it clearly is for his hyungs. If anything, it’s better if he’s got their support in case something goes wrong and he needs help from people with experience. 

The only issue is how smug they’re being about it, as if Jungkook is their little brother and they’ve just found out he’s got a fat crush on someone cute. 

Jungkook realizes in defeat that the comparison he just made is one hundred percent his case.   

“You talked to him today?” Namjoon asks, pulling off the highway, “you know, aside from the usual stalking.”

“I don’t stalk him.” 

Namjoon snorts. “You’ve been joining Jackson on his patrol shifts.”

“And?”

“You hate patrol shifts.” 

Jungkook doesn’t comment on that and purses his lips as he stares out of the window. They’ve entered the busy streets of the city now, traffic slowing them down. Jungkook watches people on the sidewalk a couple of feet away from them, and he briefly wonders if Taehyung has eaten yet. 

“We think this might be good for you,” Namjoon says. 

“We?” Jungkook questions. 

“Your hyungs.” Namjoon’s dimples are on full display and Jungkook ignores the fuzzy feeling in his abdomen. “Maybe it’s time you experience something different.”

“Sure, as long as you guys don’t annoy me about it,” Jungkook mutters, crossing his arms over his chest. Namjoon chuckles and reaches over to playfully ruffle Jungkook’s hair.

“Of course we’re gonna annoy you! It’s our right as your hyungs and we intend to use it to its fullest.”

“I hate it here,” Jungkook snaps half heartedly, and Namjoon laughs louder. 

They eventually manage to make it through the horrible traffic, and after responding to fifteen texts from both Hoseok and Seokjin, the boys finally rush to the five star restaurant Seokjin had chosen for the meetup. 

“I hope he’s paying the bill,” Jungkook comments as Namjoon whistles at the interior of the fancy restaurant. One of the workers walk up to them and ask if they have reserved a table, to which Jungkook just has to say Seokjin’s name before the lady smiles and quickly ushers them further inside. 

People dressed to the nine are prettily eating their miniscule meals, and Jungkook shares a look with Namjoon. 

“Mr. Kim is dining in here, your orders will be taken shortly,” the waitress instructs as she stops in front of a closed off private booth. “Enjoy your meal.” 

The lady leaves and both boys quickly enter the booth.  

“Finally!” Hoseok all but yells in exasperation, “we’ve been starving here! How the does it take you forty minutes to get-”

“Traffic,” Namjoon quickly says as he walks over to the table, and Jungkook skillfully slips past him to claim the seat next to Hoseok so Namjoon has no choice but to sit next to a smirking Seokjin. 

“That’s not what I heard,” the lawyer mutters against his glass, but Namjoon doesn’t catch it as he’s too busy patting his hair in place, cheeks pink. “Hey, Kook, how does the full course sound?” 

“Sounds great, I’m starving.” 

“Yeah, me too,” Jimin mutters from across the table, a small scowl on his face, “you better be glad you two aren’t the only ones affected by the traffic. Could’ve ruined the whole plan.”

Jungkook frowns. “What do you mean?”

“You remember how Mark kept complaining about the amount of writing he has to do for our unit?” Jungkook looks over at Yoongi who looks too smug to just be discussing a discontented fellow employee. 

“He said he needed assistance because it was too much work for one person, yeah, what about it?” Jungkook says, feeling his skin itch because now that he thinks about it, everyone looks smug. Like they’re planning something. 

“Well,” Namjoon says, arms crossed over his chest and lips stretched into a lopsided smile, “we did some research and decided that we’ve found the perfect candidate for the position.” 

Jungkook stares at him. And stares some more. And then he shakes his head. 

“No,” he says, and Namjoon snorts while the rest of the boys laugh. “No, no way, he doesn’t have the degree-”

“He doesn’t technically need one for this specific position,” Seokjin clarifies, but Jungkook has already gotten to his feet.

“I don’t care, I just don’t want him to suffer you guys.”

“Excuse me?” Seokjin gasps just as Hoseok chokes on his wine, eyes wide in shock. 

“No offense, but you guys are crazy and I’m glad I’m the only one who has to deal with you,” Jungkook says, shaking his head, “but also, seriously, we should rethink this. What if it’s too soon? Especially with the whole case that just went down, I’m pretty sure he just wants to ing breathe, you know?” 

“Jungkook,” Yoongi says, lips twitching into a small smile, which is very unlike Yoongi and only serves to make Jungkook ten times more nervous, “he wanted it himself.”

Jungkook blanks. “What?” 

“Yes, Kook.” Hoseok reaches over from his seat and grabs Jungkook’s wrist before pulling him back down to sit on his chair. “He called Jimin and asked if there was anything he could do to pay us back. Apparently he wants to do what we do. Help people.”

Underneath the buzzing of his nerves, Jungkook feels his heart swell with pride and bites his lip. Of course he’d wanna do that. Of course he’d want to help people the second he found out there was an opportunity for him to do so. 

“So this is a job interview?” Jungkook asks. 

“Yep,” Hoseok says, grinning. “Kinda. Unofficial, but still an interview.”

“You guys are stupid,” Jungkook mutters, shaking his head in disbelief, but he can’t help the smile that claims his lips. 

They’re obviously doing this for him. Or partly, but the incentive is still there. Jungkook feels his love for his hyungs expand and he quickly reaches for Hoseok’s glass of wine to occupy his mouth before he says something really ing sappy. 

The door to the booth then opens and Jungkook instantly catches a whiff of vanilla when someone rushes in.

“I’m so sorry I’m late, there was crazy traffic out there and I- oh.” 

Jungkook is sitting with his back to the entrance but tingles spread throughout his body just from hearing Taehyung’s voice, and he bites back a smile as he turns around in his seat. Taehyung’s eyes suddenly land on him and surprise crosses his face for a second before his cheeks turn pink. 

“I-I thought I was only meeting Kim Namjoon-ssi,” he mumbles, suddenly looking ten times more nervous than he initially was, and Hoseok jumps to his feet and pulls the boy over to the table.

“You’re gonna be working with us,” he says, “it’s better if you meet the whole team so you know what you’re getting yourself into.”

He gives Jungkook a pointed look at that, but the detective ignores it and instead scoots to the side so Taehyung can take the chair between him and Hoseok. 

“Hey,” he greets when the boy sits down.

“Hi,” Taehyung shyly mutters back, and Seokjin coughs into his fist, trying to keep back his laughter. Namjoon is red in the face, Jimin and Yoongi both have suddenly found crazy interest in the decoration on the table, and Hoseok shamelessly watches the whole spectacle, a eating grin on his face. 

“How’s your mom?” 

Taehyung smiles and nods. “Good. She’s, uh, she’s started attending dance lessons now.”

“What?” Hoseok eyes widen in surprise. “She dances? Your mom likes to dance?” 

“Yes,” Taehyung smiles shyly, “she did ballet before she met my father. Jungkook recommended this one studio downtown. They do hip-hop mainly, but they’ve got ballet classes, too.”

“Wait, are you talking about Hansang studio?” Jimin asks, also interested. Yoongi gives him a small look, intrigued by his partner’s reaction. “I used to dance there!”

“I actually taught classes there,” Hoseok says, eyes still comically wide, “it was before I joined the unit, just for fun, but damn did it keep me in shape. Also got me laid, like, every ing d-”

“No,” Seokjin loudly says, fear in his voice, and Hoseok throws him a teasing wink but mercifully shuts up.

“That’s actually really nice to hear.” Jimin grins. “I wonder if I could join her once in a while.”

Yoongi frowns in surprise. “I didn’t know you danced.”

“Used to,” Jimin says, “haven’t in a while but I think I could squeeze in a session or two a week if I rearrange my schedule.”

Yoongi has a thoughtful look on his face, but he looks pleased by the new information. “You do know how to move your hips when-”

Seokjin slams his hand against the table, sending everyone’s cutlery rattling. “One dinner. One normal dinner is all I ask for.” 

He looks like he’s in pain, and Namjoon seems to share the sentiment because he runs an exasperated hand down his face.

“You’ll get used to it,” Jungkook sighs, shaking his head, and Taehyung who had been watching the whole spectacle with wide eyes slowly nods. 

As if right on cue, the door to the booth opens and a bunch of waiters enter with trays of food. 

Jungkook and Taehyung are finally no longer the centre of everyone’s attention, and soon the table erupts into a bunch of loud discussions during which Taehyung only seems to charm everyone with his replies and comments. Jungkook keeps his fingers interlocked with Taehyung’s, their hands resting on his thigh, and he occasionally gives the boy a reassuring squeeze when faced with some of the more intimate questions Hoseok tipsily throws their way. 

Towards the end of the night, after going through a long round of twenty questions that in no way consisted of twenty questions, Namjoon grins as he announces Taehyung has been accepted as the new addition to their unit. 

“What?” Taehyung sputters, frowning in disbelief, “are you sure? I mean, don’t you guys have to go through this with your boss first?”

“We do, but he’s definitely gonna say yes,” Namjoon explains, “plus, it’s easier if we as a unit recommend someone compared to him having to arrange for a whole search party.” 

Seokjin snickers at that and Namjoon’s cheeks turn pink, but he’s still grinning, clearly tipsy from all the wine he has consumed. 

“I- wow, thank you so much! I promise you won’t regret hiring me.” Taehyung gets to his feet and makes a ninety degree bow, earning a series of coos and chuckles at his cuteness. “I look forward to working with you!”

Jungkook watches as everyone starts clapping loudly, cheeks pink and eyes filled with adoration and joy.

Hoseok keeps whooping, Jimin joins him and then suddenly the whole table is a loud mess. Taehyung is blushing furiously, and Yoongi gives him a sympathetic grin, shaking his head when Jimin and Hoseok start a dance battle from their seats.

It only goes crazier from there when Seokjin drunkenly joins them, his squeaky laughter contagious.

Jungkook has to hold his stomach from how hard he’s laughing, and Taehyung’s nerves seem to have disappeared because he’s giggling against his palm, his chair much closer to Jungkook’s compared to mere minutes ago.

“Guys, they’re gonna throw us out, you’re all so bloody embarrassing!” Yoongi loudly yells over the noise, and Namjoon jumps to his feet, accidentally knocking down both his and Seokjin’s thankfully empty wine glasses, before pointing at the forensic team leader.

“Yoongi used to rap back in high school and his name was Gloss!”

The noise dies down in an instant, the booth so quiet they can all hear the more civilized chatter from the restaurant outside. And then, Hoseok makes a loud, screeching sound that sounds more like a dying cry than a laugh. Seokjin joins him, Jimin too, his face a perfect picture of surprise, and then the room erupts into chaos once more. 

Yoongi has Namjoon in a headlock, Seokjin making zero effort to pull him off, and Hoseok literally looks like he’s dying where he’s rolling on the floor. Jimin is crying from how much he’s laughing, and he turns away to calm down.

And Jungkook watches them all, eyes wide in disbelief but mouth stretched into a huge grin. And Taehyung is also grinning, his fingers somehow having found Jungkook’s, his skin warm and soft. He suddenly looks up at Jungkook, eyes shining brilliantly with joy and something else, something more soft and fond, and Jungkook can’t help himself when he leans in. 

This kiss is soft. It’s gentle and all kinds of comforting, full of promises of more to come. 

"I was nervous," Taehyung whispers against Jungkook's mouth, "didn't want to tell you about this in case it went down the drain and I didn't get the job."

Jungkook presses his lips against Taehyung's, softly, and smiles. "I don't think anyone would be able to turn you away, Tae."

Taehyung laughs, shaking his head slightly, and Jungkook wouldn't have been able to stop himself even if he wanted to when he once again captures the boy's addictive lips, his heart warming at the soft sigh that is breathed into his mouth.

Jungkook gently rubs a finger against Taehyung's neck, feeling the chain of his necklace. He doesn't have to look to know that it's the small, yellow star. His lucky charm, Taehyung had claimed when Jungkook first had brought it up a few weeks ago. 

And Jungkook, instead of flinching, had felt his heart flutter every time the yellow met his eyes. His past traumas keep getting switched out with new data that all seems to pertain to Taehyung and Taehyung only.

And Jungkook thinks that he couldn’t have been happier, that he wouldn’t have it any other way, no matter how strange it all seems. No matter how new this is to him. 

The feeling only intensifies when he leans back and Taehyung stares at him with rosy cheeks and genuine warmth in his eyes.

Yeah, maybe Namjoon was right.

Jungkook might have quite literally saved Taehyung from a miserable and hopeless life, but the boy in return has given Jungkook something he never really realized that he needed. 

Maybe a little love doesn't hurt after all?

---

Thank you for reading.