A world for two

Grocery shopping was the usual weekly nightmare. But the shelves and cupboards were empty in his house, as well as his refrigerator. So after work instead of riding straight at home, as his weary limbs suggested, he had instead stopped in the first supermarket down the road.

"Vote the new law for the legal couple. On May 10th, vote yes.”

The advertising screen was so big and bright that it almost completely hid the façade of the supermarket. Jungkook braked. The sound of brakes screeching on the asphalt startled the passersby.

He snorted. They had been terribly smart to place the screen in front of a supermarket—that supermarket being the largest and most central of the city. As if the continual bombardment on TV was not enough. Jungkook tied the bicycle to a pole. His back was to the ridiculous television screen, like that advertisement was a personal offense. According to Jungkook, it was. He threw one last scowl, wishing, not for the first time, to possess some super-like magic that would have disintegrated it. Obviously, he wasn't Superman.

The supermarket doors automatically opened as he passed. He’s already got a bad mood, if possible, worse.

Jungkook, smile. Smile.

The voice of Taehyung echoed in his head. Number 2’s are always smiling! Jungkook tried to smile. It was strange that Taehyung spoke like that, since he himself was a number two. But, his best friend has always been over the top. Jungkook was glad he had remained the same, always free, always eccentrically himself. Jungkook thought he could not bear this reality without his best friend by his side.

Anyway, Taehyung was damn right and so Jungkook printed a smile on his face—his smile for the public. He then took a basket and went straight to the biscuits and snacks section. Except for a pack of biscuits, most were package promotion buy one get one free. Jungkook shook his head and took one of the packages on promotion. It meant that the following week he wouldn't have to return for the cookies. The same thing happened in almost all areas of the supermarket. Although, for his luck some individual products remained for him. They were the worst and cheapest brands, but he had only one bike and couldn't afford to bring too many bags.

Keeping his smile seemed more and more difficult. It was to be expected. Since it was proposed the new law, there had been a crescendo of products and services for two. Soon, single products would no longer remain. A chill ran down Jungkook's back.

After taking all, he headed for the cash register. He couldn't stand that place and wanted to leave as soon as possible. The cashier gave him a big smile. Jungkook had to hold back from rolling his eyes.

Obviously a number two.

Jungkook began to put the products in the bag when he was surprised by thrilling sound.

"I cannot believe it! Congratulations boy! You are the customer number 20,000!”

The people next to him, started cheering. Jungkook stood frozen, bewildered. A man who had to be the manager came up to him. He too had a large smile on his face, and shook his hand, delivering a big coupon. Jungkook looked down. His knuckles turned white and he didn't know whether to cry or to laugh.

He had just won a weekend for two.

It was a sleepy Saturday morning and Jungkook would have happily stayed at home to play video games or read some random story, but he had promised Taehyung to have breakfast together. So, he woke up fairly early, 10 a.m., and ran towards the coffee shop. Of course when Taehyung had said "Let's have breakfast together,” he was including his number one. Here they were, sitting at the window, immersed in their own world. He shouldn't be angry he told himself, as he furiously tied his bicycle. It was normal and he liked the number one of Taehyung.

But that morning he wanted Taehyung and Taehyung only.

However, when he went in and was greeted warmly by the two, Jungkook failed, as always, to really be mad at them. And really, Jungkook defied anyone. It was impossible to stay angry, because Taehyung and his number one Jung Hoseok probably represented everything that could be beautiful in the number 2’s.

“Kookie! Kookie come here soon!" Taehyung called him with his ridiculously low voice that made fists with that boyish face. For the record, Taehyung was 24 years old. Jungkook shrugged.

"Jungkook hi, how are you?" Hoseok greeeted him flashing one of his huge smiles. Jungkook had to blink a few times before answering. "Mmm, good?" He answered trying to sit. The chair squeaked painfully on the floor as if to underline how much this was a big lie. The smile of Hoseok wavered for a moment. Hoseok was bright and positive but also terribly sharp and sensitive. Jungkook felt an open book in front of him and wondered if this would always be the effect of being in the presence of someone so disinterested and good as his hyung. Taehyung's number 1. His best friend looked at Hoseok then he moved his big brown eyes on him. Taehyung had known him for some time that there was something wrong. Jungkook returned the look, remembering to smile.

"Jungkook, if you tell me what you want I can go to the counter and ask,” added Hoseok.

“Oh, a coffee, but I can go there, don't worry hyung."

"Nah, stay here, I'm going.”

And that was the nice way for Hoseok to let them have a bit of alone time. Jungkook was thankful. Some part of him wanted for Hoseok to just go away. He might as well be honest, but he had been told how difficult it was for the number 2’s to be separated, moreover for couples like Hoseok and Taehyung who had stayed away from each other for so long. They were now practically glued with super glue.

"Jungkook," Taehyung said, his hair. It was a gesture so Taehyung-like. He did it since they were 15, when Jungkook had realized what meant being a number zero. Jungkook closed his eyes for a moment and when he reopened, Taehyung had stopped combing his hair, but he looked at him carefully. You could say anything about Taehyung and Jungkook more than once about how much his best friend was unbearable (and then of course he joined him in whatever crazy activity), but not that he didn't care for his friends.

"I saw an advertisement yesterday,” began Jungkook.

Taehyung looked at him confused. Jungkook sighed. "I was going to the grocery store, you know, to buy a carton of milk and cookies, no big deal. I wasn't committing any crime. I never committed any crime. Did you know they put an advertisement display that covers the entire façade(front?) of the supermarket? ‘On May 10th, vote yes!’” Jungkook repeated with mock cheer. "How do you think I felt?”

A boiling rage lurked below the surface. It had been accumulating for years, from his high school days so far and had become more intense and bold and Jungkook wondered when, when, the exterior façade, that fake smile with which he faced the outside, would shattered and release the beast. He was sure it would be ugly.

"Jungkook," Taehyung said, taking his hand, squeezing into a fist on the table.

"You know that I love you? That we love you?”. Taehyung had never been good at understanding him. Jungkook, for years, had thought it was a lack of effort on his part. But, his best friend honestly wasn't able to. He lacked empathy but, after all, Taehyung wasn't his best friend because he could understand him. No. Taehyung was his best friend because he was not afraid to tell Jungkook when he was wrong. Because he listened, even when he did not understand. And because he had been, and still was, the best part of his day. Nevertheless, there were still situations where Jungkook was frustrated by this inability of Taehyung, who seemed convinced that saying, "everything will be fine,” was enough to heal a wound.

"I know,” Jungkook replied frowning and retracting his hand. Taehyung looked hurt by the gesture. He and Jungkook had held hands in the past even when only number 2’s did it. It was a way for Taehyung to reassure Jungkook that he wasn't alone (although technically he was).

Jungkook immediately felt guilty.

“Kookie, you must be careful. I agree with you, you know. I wish I could fix this world, but I cannot. So promise me you won't do anything stupid. And smile, please. You were the one who said it's not the number that decides whether to be happy or not, right? Therefore, be happy."

Jungkook wanted to say ‘it's easy for you,’ but Taehyung was right. They made a promise years ago that Taehyung would never abandon him, even when Jungkook wasn't his number one and Jungkook would show the world how much you could be happy being a zero number.

God. They were only ten years old then.

"You. You've become an adult, "Jungkook finally answered, looking away but genuinely smiling.

"I grew up well, hmm? It 's all thanks to Hoseok!" Taehyung exclaimed, bursting into enthusiasm.

Jungkook shook his head.

"What is my doing?" asked Hoseok materializing behind Jungkook.

“Kookie, here's your coffee! Taehyung, I brought you another muffin! Just so you know, I had to fight to get it, it was the last with blueberries left.”

If possible Taehyung brightened more. "Thank you so much!" he said. And when Hoseok sat down, Jungkook was sure that the two were holding hands under the table. Those were the times when Jungkook felt small and out of place.

Taehyung and Hoseok were far from being one of those awful pairs of number 2. All kisses and caresses, as if to flaunt their status at every turn. Jungkook had never seen them kissing or hugging, and the most romantic thing they had ever done in his presence had been holding hands. And it had happened twice. But every time Taehyung looked at Hoseok and back, it was like the dawn flare in a dark night. Jungkook knew for years that he would never have anything like that. He accepted it, really. Unlike many that committed suicide or tried arranged marriages between zeroes, Jungkook was able to live alone. He wanted to live alone. He had decided with force and with tears, that if he was destined to a life of loneliness, it would be a great life. That people could consider it less, but no one could ever take off the rest. He would have had a life full of goals to be achieved. A fulfilling life.

He was ready. He was pleased.

But he wasn't ready to be deprived even of this because of a law.

On May 10th, vote Yes.

Jimin read the flyer that a volunteer had given him. He expected to turn the corner before throwing it away. It does not change anything he thought. He was and always would be a number zero. Jimin's mother came from a family of number zeroes, so when Jimin result was a number zero, his parents were sad, but not surprised. There was a 25% chance that the second child of parents with histories of zero numbers, contracted the features. And his parents were prepared for this possibility at the time of their marriage. 26 years had passed and Jimin wasn't yet used to the idea.

Proposal

1: All zeros of marriageable age, if not of their choice by state designation, will marry before reaching 25 years of age.

2: All zeros will live in a zero zone and will have services and schools to suit their requirements.

Jimin was sick, but unfortunately he wasn't surprised. Number zeroes were already being discriminated against.

This proposed new law gave people the right to do it.

The number 2’s had created a peaceful society without distinction of race, creed, color and ual orientation. The community was living in harmony. But the hard truth was that not everyone was meant to be a number 2. Yes, the system had eliminated a huge amount of problems. It had created others though: those were the number zeroes. The decision to call them that was in itself offensive, as if not being number 2’s meant not even be anything. The number 2 campaign insisted that they had eliminated the differences, that love was available to everyone. Of all those who were destined to have a soulmate. Only if you had a soulmate you could be happy. If you had a soulmate, you had achieved your purpose in society. Jimin understood it, because humans were not plants, they were not made to live alone. But unfortunately, there isn't an equal number of humans on earth, and there will always be someone unpaired. This gap, were the number zeroes. You were born as number one and then when you meet your soulmate, together, you become number 2’s. Or, you could become a number zero. Because if you don't have a partner, you are equivalent to being nothing.

Zero.

Jimin closed his eyes.

Sometimes he felt it, really. An infinite sequence of zeros. The void of nothingness. It was not fair, he had cried in the nights after a bad breakup. It was not fair. Jimin didn't care if he was a zero. He simply wanted to love and be loved. It was enough, he thought. It would have been enough. However, given the discrimination that zero numbers already suffered, that certainly would not encourage them to go out. Most of them tried to integrate and pretend to be something they were not, arranging marriages and making them pass as soulmate love (when the pressure wasn't too much and drove them instead to fly from a building). He could not recognize them because his peers didn't go around carrying a sign with the number zero written in large letters pinned on their chest.

And, after all, luck was never on his side. He happened to be in the 25%, and Jimin obviously had done nothing but fall in love with number 1’s that had a soulmate.

It hurt. Every damn time.

So when his parents had come to visit him that day, announcing his engagement, Jimin felt relief. He was 26 years old and he was soon turning 27. He had reached the point where he was not ashamed to admit that he wanted a company. The company of anyone. His mother, seated in the living room, was holding a cup of tea, looking at him worried; his father, instead, silently waited for his answer.

"Okay," said Jimin.

He wasn't even sad or angry. His parents were sensible and loving people, they had definitely chosen someone suitable. Jimin would never be like his older brother. He would never help his father in the business, or start a family with lots of dogs, three daughters and a beach house. His parents loved him though, had never failed anything and had raised and loved both of their children equally. But it was logical that they had seen, with growing concern, the condition of number zero of Jimin and he was sure his father certainly didn't go around talking about his status during business meetings when asked ‘how's the family?’

"You will like him, I'm sure. He 's young, intelligent. Talented. If you ask me, also very attractive." His mother said, trying to be positive. But Jimin was aware of her being tense. Jimin cocked his head. His father seemed relieved of the positive response from Jimin and he could not blame him. In the past, Jimin's angry mood would move mountains

"Young?" Jimin asked suddenly. Please let him be at least 20. Jimin could accept that his parents choose for him a companion, but not a child to be educated.

"23," his father said. "But I know his father, and I know the boy. He's really smart."

"He's a good guy,” said his mother.

So his partner would be a boy of 23. It could be worse. Jimin vaguely wondered if this was what the number 2’s felt when it was revealed to them their soul mate.

But no.

They weren't a number zero. Soulmates were about number 2’s.

"Dad, Mom, I told you it's okay. I am 26 years old and… I understand." Jimin wanted to bring up the new law but did not want to hurt his parents.

The ‘if not of their choice by state designation,’ still rang in his head as if he had the flyer under his hands. They probably wanted to spare him much worse. His mother visibly relaxed and his father smiled.

"Good! I guess you want to know everything about your partner," his mother said, finding her positivity. Once, he thought he had inherited that trait from her.

"Of course, what's his name?"

That night, Jungkook went back to the supermarket and threw a stone, smashing the big screen. But his satisfaction was short. Just in time for a half-smile before the alarm cut the silence of the night. Jungkook, scared as hell, fled as quickly as possible from there. Out of breath, but safe behind the door of his apartment, Jungkook slid behind it.

He bursted into hysterical laughter. But then he realized there were tears falling from his eyes.

Taehyung would kill him.

Author's note: I woke up with this plot in mind some weeks ago.
Somehow I think I want to comfort all the lonely souls out there.
Thanks to the person that suggested jikook. If it weren't for you I would be stucked.
Hope you enjoyed! Please send me some feedback, I'm nervous(first time with jikook) XD