1:02 a.m.

“Y-your first love?” -Taehyung stuttered. His mind still lost in Jungkook’s words that kept on echoing in his ears. The younger nodded with a small smile, that didn’t reach his eyes.

“Actually, at first I thought that it was just a simple crush, admiration or infatuation...” -he started to narrate.

“But then once I turned 18, I understood that it was something more... something deeper than that.” -he added while staring at the void. Taehyung could still see a glimpse of gleam in his eyes, even if it was a little dull.

“I even confessed to him!” -he proceeded while giggling.

“Really?”

“Yeah! Hahah I even organized a cringeworthy candlelight dinner!” -he exclaimed while laughing out loud and face palming at the same time.

“And?” -Taehyung asked with his heart unreasonably hammering in his chest. He gulped, waiting for the response.

“And... obviously he rejected me!” -the younger one replied with a wide grin.

Sadness, bitterness and sometimes anger. Those were the emotions that someone would usually feel after being rejected. But Taehyung couldn’t see any of those in Jungkook.

‘True and unconditional love...’ -he thought while gazing at him.

“And the funny thing is that even after 4 years, I’m still in love with him!” -Jungkook admitted shyly. The blush on his cheeks was so evident that he couldn’t hide it.

2:33 a.m.

‘I’m still in love with him!’ -Jungkook’s voice resonated in the silence of Taehyung’s mind.

He found it fascinating that after all those years the younger one’s feelings didn’t change at all. Even though, as far as what he told him, Namjoon made it clear that he just saw him as a little brother.

‘How can a person love someone like that? How can they keep on loving the same person, while knowing perfectly that they don’t stand a chance?’ -he questioned himself.

Taehyung had never thought of the meaning of love before. He didn’t have time for that. But at that moment, “love” kept him away from his most desired sleep.

‘What is love?’ -he thought lastly, before drifting into dreamland.

9:54 a.m.

Taehyung and Jungkook were in charge of the shop. Surprisingly there were some clients, thanks to Namjoon’s triumphant return which made some publicity for their shop.

“Hyung, tomorrow are you up for our advertising project?” -Jungkook asked while restocking some of the musical equipment.

“Huh? What project?” -he replied quite confused. And therefore, the younger one explained that he was referring to the video that they wanted to create with Jimin dancing while Taehyung played the piano.

“Ooh I see... b-but I’m a bit shy in front of cameras.” -Taehyung said avoiding Jungkook’s big doe eyes.

“Why? You’re handsome, hyung!”

Taehyung’s mind buffered for a while because of Jungkook’s remark. He tried to hide the pink dust tinging his cheeks, as he felt his face so hot.

“Hyung? You alright?” -Jungkook asked quite concerned. He was trying to see the older one’s face, but this latter kept on avoiding him.

“Y-yeah! As I said, I’m just not comfortable with cameras...” -Taehyung replied awkwardly.

“It’s okay, hyung. I won’t shoot your face then! Does it sound good?” -the younger one still insisted. Taehyung knew that Jungkook wouldn’t surrender that fast and he didn’t want to argue with him, so he just complied. But he made him “pinky-promise” that he wouldn’t show his face on the video and that he would check it once it was done.

And just like a blink, the day became night. It was pretty monotonous, except for the fact that Jimin, Jungkook and Taehyung found themselves discussing about their project in the middle of the night and they planned to shoot it on Saturday.

“I think it would be a great strategy to post it, while people are still talking about Namjoon hyung’s success!” – Taehyung said enthusiastically, to which Jimin replied: “Yeah! Tomorrow I’ll try to work on the choreography, so that I can send you a snippet!”

And their discussion continued until midnight. Jimin was the first one to leave as he was tired for his practice that afternoon.

However, while Jungkook was about to go to his room he suddenly stopped his tracks.

“Oh my gosh!” – he exclaimed while turning to face Taehyung. His eyes were so big and his jaws fell on the floor. The older one looked at him dumbfounded.

“Namjoonie hyung asked me out for a date!” – he finally announced as he made his way back to the common where Taehyung remained motionless.

“O-Oh that’s great!” – Tae replied trying to sound as cheerful as possible. But the happiness didn’t reach his heart and he felt bad about it. Jungkook was his friend and even though they might have started with the wrong foot, they still managed to get along pretty well. And he was happy that finally he found someone he could trust. A shoulder to cry on whenever he needed. But at that moment, he couldn’t understand the reason why he felt like his heart was being crushed. He gulped down the knot in his throat.

“Actually, it’s not really a DATE, but he asked me out for lunch… so basically it’s like a date, right hyung?” – Jungkook asked with a wide grin stamped on his face. Taehyung just nodded hesitantly in response. The younger one was so happy that he hugged Taehyung while jumping up and down. And when he stopped, he buried his head in the crook of this latter’s neck, while whispering something about finally having some time alone with Namjoon and showing him that he had actually changed.

1:02 a.m.

“Jungkook-ah... h-how did you find out that it’s love?” -Taehyung asked as soon as they sat on the sofa.

Jungkook sighed before replying: “Well, it’s kind of complicated, hyung... as I told you, it took me years to find it out. But some people get it in just a few months, weeks or even days!”

“Love is mysterious!” -he then added while shrugging. Jungkook’s answer wasn’t enough to pacify Taehyung’s mind, though. So he proceeded to ask more questions about what it felt like, to which the younger one responded with so much passion.

“It’s like feeling true to yourself and feeling you’re safe whenever you’re with him...”

“Is it like when you get lost staring at his eyes, as if you’re looking at a starless night b-but everything is still so bright and you find yourself inside them?” -Taehyung interrupted him. Jungkook nodded incessantly with a big proud smile: “Yeah! Exactly like that!”

Taehyung’s heart skipped a beat, while his head just floated away to the sound of the younger one’s giggles. ‘I-I am in love with him...?’ -he thought.

“Hyung! What should I wear for tomorrow?!” -Jungkook’s voice woke him up from his reflection. Taehyung shook his head slightly as he coughed a little bit to cover up his absent mindedness. Then he proceeded to explain that it would actually depend on the location and that it would be better if he’d just dress comfortably.

“You’re right, hyung! I shouldn’t dress up so that Namjoon hyung won’t get wrong ideas...” -he said lastly, before they both decided to go to bed.

That night was particularly calm, except for Taehyung’s mind being bombarded by tons of questions. Except for Jungkook’s heart jumping around out of excitement. They both spent a sleepless night, but obviously for different reasons.

8:30 a.m.

Jungkook was already taking a shower, something that left the hyungs quite confused. So Taehyung had to explain about Namjoon’s lunch invitation, to which they all responded in unison a loud “Oooh...”

That day, it was Jimin’s and Hoseok’s turn in the shop, while Jin had an audition for a drama. Taehyung didn’t have anything to do, so he just decided to buy some art supplies. He thought that perhaps he needed to paint to relax himself, since it had been a while since he had a good sleep.

11:57 a.m.

Jungkook was all ready for his “date”. He chose an all-black outfit: an oversized black shirt with a black leather jacket on top, a pair of black ripped skinny jeans and a pair of black buckled biker boots.

When he came out of his room after hours of preparation, he only found Taehyung at the common. This latter was so busy arranging his purchases that he didn’t notice the younger one.

“Ehem” -Jungkook fake coughed to get his attention. And when Taehyung finally looked at him, his eyes widened as he almost choked on his own saliva.

“Is this okay, hyung?” -the younger one asked, while turning around to give him a 360 view of his masterpiece. Taehyung nodded continuously as fast as his eyes blinking.

“Y-yeah! You look great, Jungkook-ah!” -he managed to exclaim while admiring the epitome of perfection in front of him. Jungkook smiled at him proudly and before making his way out he said while winking: “Hyung, make me your muse!”

It took a while, before Taehyung could process Jungkook’s words. But when he finally came back to reality, he started his painting. The canvas that he bought was quite huge and he didn’t have any idea what to paint and how to fill that void. However, just a few minutes later his hands started to move on their own: squeezing the tubes, mixing colours and drawing on the vast canvas.

And just like that, his mind was finally free from the thoughts of Jungkook being in a date with Namjoon. At that moment all that mattered was himself and his brush.

“It’s been a while...” -he mumbled with a small smile of relief.

7:45 p.m.

“I’m home!” -Jungkook sang as soon as he stepped in. All of the hyungs were already sitting around the table and they looked at him with a sly smirk as they all started to about his date. But Jungkook didn’t get offended, he was obviously in a good mood.

While having dinner, they talked about their plans for Chuseok on the following week. Almost all of them had decided to go back to their hometowns and spend it with their family.

“What about you, Taehyungie?” -Jimin asked with his chin propped in his palm.

“Ehm well, I’ll just stay here... I’ll watch the shop while you’re all gone!” -he replied.

“I’ll also stay, hyung!” -Jungkook exclaimed out of nowhere. He said it with nonchalance that it caught all of them off guard.

“Why?” -Jin interrogated him, while raising his eyebrows in confusion. So Jungkook explained that his parents had a trip to Tokyo, while his hyung would spend it with his gi