a/n: And so I broke my promise and did not meet the dealine. Sorry. :(

“Happy birthday, Jungkook!” the members yelled as he blew the candles. It was his 20^th birthday. He was finally coming of age. Old enough to get a driving license. Old enough to enter a club without needing a fake ID. Old enough to drink alcohol without having to sneak around secluded areas where the others wouldn’t see him. And definitely old enough to get a tattoo. The birthday boy already had images of tattoo designs in his mind.

“Jeon Jungkookie,” Jimin called in a sweet voice, “Come and give hyung a kiss, Kookie-ah.” Jimin made his way towards Jungkook, he made a kissy face with hands reaching out in a child-like manner. Jungkook chuckled lightly at that. He wondered who the older one between them was.

“Hyung, you’ve been asking for the same thing on my birthday for the past three years… aren’t you tired of getting the same answer every year?” he raised his brow, amused that Jimin didn’t even look slightly defeated at the hint that he was going to reject Jimin’s ‘request’. He didn’t know whether he should be happy or worried about Jimin’s determination.

“Well, I’ve always been persistent when it comes to you. Especially when it comes to you. If you’re so bothered about it,” Jimin smirked before he continued “Just give me a kiss and I promise no more of it on your next birthday.” He didn’t forget to wiggle his eyebrow at the younger.

Jungkook scoffed at that. Even a deaf person would know Jimin was lying. He’d probably ask for more than a kiss next year. “As if.” He spat.

“What’s a big deal about it? It’s just a kiss. There’s noth–”

“Okay, okay, enough of it.” Namjoon cut Jimin’s sentence off and the said boy pouted at the leader. Namjoon couldn’t stand the push and pull act. It happened almost every day and the fact that it was Jungkook’s birthday wasn’t helping either. It only seemed to encourage Jimin even more.

“Let’s just eat before the food get cold, yeah?” Jin said, smiling sweetly as he handed out the plates.

“Ah, we need to upload this on twitter!” Hoseok took out his phone and tapped the camera app. “Smile everyone!” He took several pictures before he busied himself with the phone, uploading the picture with cheesy hashtags and emoticons.

Soon, they all began to enjoy their small feast. They had a small talk and laugh every now and then when someone cracked a joke or brought up some embarrassing moments, but Taehyung had to ruin that, of course. He suddenly screamed for everyone to stop everything they were doing in the middle of eating, mouth full and few small of pieces of whatever he was chewing spurting out of his mouth. Disgusting indeed. Yoongi scowled and pushed Taehyung’s face away from him. Taehyung then stood up from where he was sitting and came running towards Jungkook. He sat beside Jungkook and pressed his check unnecessarily close to Jungkook’s. He made a silly face before snapping a picture.

“We need to celebrate!” Taehyung exclaimed to s. He had a big grin plastered on his face as if he’d just made the most life-changing discovery in human history. He was practically glowing more than usual. The rest of the members just remained silent. Trying to figure out what the boy actually meant.

“Taehyung, we are celebrating” Jin said as he gestured with his chopstick to the table full of home-made food.

“No, no,” Taehyung then got up. “We need a bigger celebration!” He said as he clapped his hands. His eyes held a glint of eagerness and mischievousness.

“Kid, sit your down. Be grateful with what you have. Even Jungkook doesn’t demand anything more.” Yoongi said with a scowl on his face. Taehyung pouted, successfully making Yoongi felt almost guilty for saying that. Almost.

“No, hyung, listen. Jungkook is officially 20 years old.” Taehyung said sternly but the rest of the members didn’t look so amused at that. Taehyung pouted even more when no one seemed to get where this was going.

“Taehyung, you’ve been saying the most obvious things the whole time.” This time it was Namjoon, face perplexed as he tried to figure out what Taehyung actually meant. Sometimes Taehyung (or rather Taehyung’s words) could be a little tricky to decipher; shrouded in mist. It was almost like Taehyung was on a different frequency. In which Namjoon was more than happy to figure it out.

Taehyung whined and stomped on his feet a few times. His inner childish side was showing. It was adorable but none would admit it. At least not to Taehyung. “Our Jungkookie is 20 years old now. He can drink! We all can drink together!” said Taehyung, eyes filled with excitement.

What Taehyung said triggered something in Jungkook’s mind. He suddenly remembered an almost long-forgotten promise. A promise is a promise, forgotten or not. He broke into the widest grin and whipped his head towards Yoongi’s direction. The older didn’t seem to notice the gaze directed at him. You promised me, hyung.

Unfortunately (except for Seokjin, Yoongi and Namjoon), the birthday ‘party’ ended without any of them getting a sip of alcohol. Yoongi was the first one to decline Taehyung’s idea of including alcohol on the table; he didn’t even need to justify his words because Seokjin did just that the next second. He nagged about how Jimin would giggle non-stop at everything when he was drunk. He nagged about how Taehyung would be even more ridiculous than he already was. He nagged about how Hoseok would be 10 times louder. He didn’t have anything against Namjoon getting drunk but that didn’t stop him from rejecting the idea. Before Seokjin could say (see also: criticize) anything about Namjoon being drunk, the leader himself said he wasn’t up for it. So that meant Seokjin, Yoongi and Namjoon were in “NO DRINK!’ team while Hoseok, Jimin and Taehyung were in the ‘yes, driNK!’ team.

However, being in maknae line, Jimin and Taehyung had no say in this matter. Hoseok was alone in this. He didn’t want to give up without putting a fight. “Aww, come on, hyung. Just this one night. We all drink together.” It was a weak try and he was at disadvantage seeing how Jimin and Taehyung’s words weren’t taken into account. That basically meant it was 3 against 1. He was outnumbered but if he could get the birthday boy on his side…

“Plus, it’s Jungkookie’s birthday, isn’t what he wants what matters in the end?” Hoseok stated. It was a dirty move and he smirked at the end of his words. He knew he hit the bull’s-eye when Seokjin looked worried. Worried that he was going to lose.

Seokjin knew there was nothing he could say to turn the tables around. So, he did what he deemed would be good enough to avoid trouble. He bargained. “Okay, how about this, we all drink,” he paused. He could already see how Taehyung was about to cheer so he quickly continued with his words. “But another day. Another day when we don’t have a 3 days music video filming the following day?”

Then, all eyes turned to the birthday boy himself, expecting which side he would take. Jungkook gulped. “Uhh,” He looked between the members who wanted to drink and the members who would rather not. He really did want to drink. A sip would be enough.

“I guess next time it is.” Jungkook whispered.

Hoseok, Jimin and Taehyung immediately groaned and Jungkook couldn’t help but felt guilty but what amused him the most was how Seokjin sighed in relief as if he just prevented the doomsday. Was getting drunk really that bad? They continued eating and that was how the celebration ended soon enough without any of them getting drunk.

***

It was when Yoongi was making his way to his shared room when the maknae grabbed his arm to stop him. He turned his head to look at the said boy expectantly. The boy hadn’t changed into his sleepwear yet. “Maknae-ah, why aren’t you in your pyjamas? Is there anything you need?”

The said boy looked shy for a moment before a small smile made its way to his face. “Hyung,” he called with a small voice.

“Hmm?”

“You promised,”

Yoongi furrowed his eyebrows at the young boy– man, now. He tried to make sense of it and tried to recall any promises he had made to the maknae. He came out with none. “I promised what?”

The grip on Yoongi’s arm tightened slightly. “You promised to take me to drink with you when I’m finally legal.”

Yoongi eyes widened at that; he was shocked. Not only because the promise itself sounded ridiculous but because he finally remembered that he, indeed, promised that to the younger. .

“I don’t remember anything of sort.” He stated lamely. Maybe if he played dumb Jungkook would give up.

“You promised, hyung. On my 19^th birthday, when we were eating lamb skewers, I asked you what I would get from you when I come of age. You said you would take me to drink with you!”

No, that wasn’t what really happened. Yes, you did ask me what would I get you for your 20^th birthday but I said it should be your turn to treat your hyung. Then, you gave me that damn pout. Of course, I couldn’t resist! Only then I said I would take you to drink with me. Yoongi sighed dejectedly. He knew there was no way out of it.

“I had to wait for three weeks after my 18^th birthday to get you to treat me those lamb skewers, hyung” Jungkook whined.

“Then, how about you wait for two months before I buy you a drink?” It was meant to be a joke but it seemed like Jungkook didn’t think the same because the moment Yoongi finished his sentence, Jungkook glared at him. The younger let go of his arm and walked to his shared room; slamming the door behind him.

“Damn it,” Yoongi muttered. He got into his own shared room and changed his clothes. A black beanie to cover his hair, a dark denim jacket over his thin white shirt, skinny jeans and he made his way to Namjoon and Jungkook’s room. He knocked the door before twisting the doorknob.

“Jungkook-ah,” he called in a hushed tone before peeking into the dark room. Slowly, he made his way to the younger’s bed and sat on the bed.

“Kook-ah, I know you’re not asleep yet. If you wanted me to take you to drink that much then come, I’ll take you.”

“Oh, it’s okay, hyung. I can wait for two months; it’s not that long anyway. Or you can tell me to wait forever and but never make it happen. Yeah, that’s pretty cool and of course I’ll be fine with that.” His words were thick with sarcasm and it angered Yoongi a little but he knew he could only blame himself.

“Look, hyung was just joking, okay? I’m s–”

“Is that what I am to you, hyung? A joke?” It surprised Yoongi when Jungkook shot him that question because Jungkook sounded so hurt. Guilt was slowly eating Yoongi up.

“What? No, Jungkook. Stop making this worse. I’m sorry, okay? Let me make it up to you.” It was quiet for a few seconds. Jungkook still refused to look at him. Yoongi sighed softly; he really didn’t know what else to do or to say. He placed a hand on the younger’s shoulder and felt how Jungkook tensed at his touch before finally relaxing. He caressed the shoulder and carefully formed his words. “Come, before Seokjin hyung and Namjoon wake up and stop us.” He persuaded gently.

Jungkook stayed still for a few moments as if he was considering the offer when it was all his idea in the first place. He tossed the blanket away and sat up. He and looked at Yoongi through the darkness. “Okay,” he whispered and Yoongi smiled warmly although he wasn’t sure whether Jungkook saw it or not.