ha. haha. hahHhahahahhaaha

---

They just looked at each other. The shock quivered in both of their gazes, yet it was out of sync as it was more intense in Taehyung's eyes than in Jungkook's. Taehyung's breathing was quickening, and his hands began to tremble. What had he just done? "I-I'm sorry," he choked out, and before Jungkook could even reply, he was bolting towards the door.

And for some odd reason, the younger couldn't find it in him to stop him.

He stood there, completely stone still for a long, long time. His mind was just empty. For some reason, he couldn't even begin to process what had just happened, and so he thought nothing. It wasn't until he finally began to recover that the gears in his mind started turning, and when they did, he was angry. Not at Taehyung, but at himself for not stopping him, and telling him how he really felt.

He raked his nails down his arm, growling in frustration. Why couldn't he do anything right? "," he groaned, flopping down on the couch. He had to do something, but what? He knew he couldn't just sit around like he had before, but he couldn't think of what else he could do to fix things.

Then, something hit him. He had made Taehyung wait for him before. It had been a while, too. Far too long. But Taehyung had done so willingly, patiently, until he finally decided to show. For all he knew, he might have come into that coffee shop every single day, just waiting to see his face again.

And so, he would do the same, because Taehyung deserved that, and for once, he needed to give him what he deserved.

For the time being, he needed to make something right.

He slowly rose from his spot on the white couch, holding his head for several seconds after he was on his feet because of a dizzy spell. After he'd regained his balance, he trudged to the door, slipping on his shoes lazily and then yawning as he walked out into the hall. Admittedly, he almost passed the door on accident, but he stopped just before he did. He straightened himself as much as he could, and knocked, slightly nervous as he imagined the possible scenarios that could play out if the door even opened.

But it did, and a cautious Seokjin poked his head out.

The second he saw Jungkook, his face immediately softened, and he inhaled sharply at the skeleton of a boy in front of him. "Kookie!" he cried out in shock and an uncertain relief that the boy in question had never really heard in a voice before. The older threw his arms around him, causing him to freeze, stunned by the dramatic reaction.

Seokjin raised his hand up and began to pet the back of Jungkook's head through the hug in a wave of protectiveness. "Oh my god, I thought...I thought..."

"I know," Jungkook replied quietly, reaching up to return the hug. "But I'm okay now, and I'm sorry."

Seokjin moved away suddenly to take another disbelieving look at Jungkook's current state, hands still gripping tightly to his shoulders, and the younger gave him an odd, crooked half-smile that looked a little bit like a cringe.

"You're so...Have you eaten tonight?"

"Yeah, Taehyung made a big fuss and bought all this food, so we made a huge meal together."

"T-Taehyung? So...you guys are talking again then."

"Yeah."

Seokjin smiled, nodding softly. "Good. I was kinda worried for a while that you guys wouldn't make up, so I'm glad to hear that," he told him.

"I'm...sorry, again. I shouldn't have scared you like that. It was mean and inconsiderate and I just..."

He was blushing again in embarrassment at the realization of the pain he'd caused in just a month. Man, had he made a fool out of himself.

"Don't worry about it. All that matters is that you're okay now." He paused, before pulling a hand away to hit him on his left shoulder with more force than expected. Jungkook winced, whimpering and jerking in the opposite direction.

"And that you never do it again."

"Ow! What was that for?" Jungkook cried out in a betrayed tone.

"For scaring me. You could have given me a heart attack, at my old age."

"Oh, whatever, you're not old at all."

"Whatever you say, Kookie. You're bony as hell, by the way. I'm glad my little brother stuffed your tummy," he joked, poking Jungkook's stomach with a grin, who giggled in response. But his face became somewhat serious after a moment.

"Well, I still have to...patch things up a bit."

Seokjin raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"I think that I..."

Jungkook trailed off, not able to look Seokjin in the eye.

Should I tell him?

He pushed away his hesitation. He was going to tell the truth.

"I think I'm...in love with him...and that...maybe he has feelings for me too."

Seokjin's eyes widened, and he took a small step back, but a weird smile spread onto his face.

"That's great. It's...really great."

His eyes were watering, his breathing was unsteady, and Jungkook's eyes clouded with confusion and worry. "What's wrong?"

"He's just been through a lot. I'm happy he has someone like you. That's all."

"Are you sure?" Jungkook asked, face twisting slightly in concern. Seokjin nodded quickly, though Jungkook was still not completely convinced.

"You go get some sleep, okay? The bags under your eyes are so dark," Seokjin told him. His voice was unsteady, and he was trying weakly to keep tears from spilling. Jungkook wanted so badly to get him to tell the truth, but he knew that his older friend was right. He should get some sleep. Plus, he felt that pressing further now would be stepping onto sensitive grounds. Into a place where he shouldn't be.

"Okay, Jinnie," he replied, trying to get his friend to smile again.

Seokjin's heart skipped a beat. He stepped forward, and wrapped his arms around Jungkook just like he had minutes before.

"Sorry. Just...for a little while," he murmured, and Jungkook brought his arms up to hug back once more. And suddenly, listening to Seokjin's breathing and feeling his tight, almost desperate hold around him, he knew.

When they pulled apart, Seokjin smiled at him sadly. "Rest well."

And for whatever reason, Jungkook leaned forward, and placed a long kiss on his cheek.

"I will," he whispered into is ear gently, trying to empty the pity from his tone.

And then he left.

Seokjin immediately shut the door behind him, his back pressed up against it as if he were cowering from the truth. He let out a broken exhale, sliding down slowly so he sank to the floor. His heartbeat had not slowed, not even a little bit.

Because Jungkook knew.

But he couldn't love him back.

*****

It was Tuesday. Jungkook sat alone again, at that same table but without a drink in hand, staring off out of the window at nothing in particular. It reminded him of the bright summer, when he'd always sat alone when he came here. But now it felt foreign and gloomy.

Wednesday, it was sunny for once, making it seem less like winter though the freezing weather remained. The view through the window was pleasant, and just like the one that he'd seen on the day that Taehyung had come to sit with him for the first time. He smiled at the memory.

Thursday, the clouds appeared again. A suggestion of snow floated in the air, but he thought back to a particular rainy day, the first time he'd stayed with Taehyung through one of his raging headaches. Coincidentally, that same pretty barista stared at him wistfully that day.

Friday, she was there again, and couldn't seem to take her eyes off of him. For some reason, he felt a sense of obligation towards the situation, one that he'd left as is for a long time. His heart beat quickly; he hadn't started a conversation with someone he didn't really know on his own before. But he pushed his nerves away, and made his way up to the counter. He ordered his usual, and then shyly, with a profuse blush, apologized for his rudeness all those months ago.

"That's okay," she told him. "I'm sorry for trying to be a flirt," she added with a smile, face also red. He shook his head. "It's alright."

She introduced herself as Hyeri, and he would file her down in his mind as a girl who seemed to have changed her attitude towards the world a bit. He liked it.

Saturday, she wasn't there any longer, but he tried his best to flash bright smiles to people that day. Maybe he'd made their afternoon a little better. Perhaps another cloudy day could become a little sunnier for a random stranger with just a small gesture of benevolence. Though he felt empty, he knew he didn't have to look so.

Sunday, he felt more lonely then he'd ever imagined he could feel. Every happy face that passed by the window seemed to mock him.
Every person with another walking beside them intensified the dull pain in his chest. He tried to distract himself by drawing, but the little doodles that were meant to numb him all just turned into Taehyung. But he wouldn't give up faith. He wouldn't.

Monday.

He came in early on Monday. Almost a half an hour early. It'd been a week since he'd last saw him, and the nerves were swirling through his body viciously. There was just something, something about Monday.

And in the end, he was right. There was something about Monday.

Because when the time did come, Taehyung stumbled through the door.

---

well then

okay who could tell before that Jinnie had feelings for Kook I'm curious

I really hope this was good bc I made you guys wait a long time again. I redid this chapter so many times it's not even funny. Oh yEs thank you for 16k and all the sweet comments on the tag too kbejsjwbebej. Ily all <3 See you soon! c: