tae's birthday celebration is a day early because they wouldn't be able to celebrate it easily on their off days. if you haven't noticed by now, this fic is canon compliant and i try as much as possible to match their actual schedules xD

also I don't get why but ppl still don't understand that the chapter before this one was an april fools joke lol. so that's that. izza joke

this is so poorly written. sorry for the hiatus. unbeta'd  because I wanted to publish this asap, so there are still some parts I am not satisfied with and is subject to change

--

"Hey. Hey, Taehyung. Wake up," He feels a warm hand on his shoulder, gently pulling him away from his slumber. "Taetae, come on. Wake up," the mellow voice whispers.

Taehyung had always dreaded having to wake up, knowing that it will be another day of no breather. But this soft voice, this comforting presence, makes it all the more bearable.

"Jin hyung?" he opens his eyes in a groan, looking around the dark, unlit room. "Eh? It's..." he glances towards his phone and sees the time. "It's midnight, hyung. Is there anything wrong?"

"Nah. You don't get it?" Seokjin chuckles and Taehyung wonders what he was supposed to get.

"Get what?"

The older grins cheekily. The room was too dark and Taehyung wonders how Seokjin could still be so beautiful.

"We agreed to make it a day earlier, right? Well it's December 29, 2015. 12:03 A.M. Happy Birthday, you dork." Seokjin pulls on Taehyung's nose, hard.

"Ow, Nin hyung! Met go! Hurts!" Taehyung whines at the massive pain. Seokjin lets go of the poor nose and gives the younger's forehead a light kiss.

"Okay, I'm done. Go back to sleep," Seokjin stands. He makes to leave until he feels a gentle tug on his shirt.

"What is it, Tae?" Seokjin faces Taehyung once more to ruffle his bedhead even further.

The younger blinks at him sleepily, "It's..." he slurs, "..You just look like you have something more to say,"

Taehyung sees the obvious hesitation cross Seokjin's visage and he was now even more awake.

"Nah, I don't have anything more to say. What are you talking about? You really need sleep, huh? I'll go now," The older denies quickly and Taehyung desperately holds onto Seokjin's wrist to keep him from escaping.

"Hyung," Taehyung's voice was low and warning, "It's my 'supposed' birthday,"

"Uh, yeah?" Seokjin his lips, "I was the one who greeted you first, remember?"

"It's my birthday," Taehyung frowns, "So I can wish for you to tell me whatever's bothering you, right?"

"Taehyung, I--"

"Jin hyung, please."

"Fine," Seokjin sighs, "But I'll say it later, okay?"

Taehyung raises a skeptical eyebrow towards him but nods regardless. "Okay,"

Seokjin smiles at him and tucks him into his My Little Pony blanket.

"Good night, Tae." The older waves before hastily closing the door.

Taehyung continues to frown, this time blankly staring at the ceiling. Truth is, he kinda has a hunch on what's bothering Seokjin.

It was him.

He was bothering Seokjin.

He lies on his side, sighing deeply. He feels guilty for being an additional burden to Seokjin by carelessly throwing him his feelings and expecting the other to catch them, but it was impossible to contain. It wasn't enough for Taehyung. Being hyung and dongsaeng is not what he needs, wants, craves for.

He wanted to be as special to Seokjin as much as how special Seokjin is to him.

How selfish.

--

"Happy Birthday to you~" Jimin jumps on Taehyung who was still resting on his bed, "Happy Birthday to you~"

"You're heavy," Taehyung groans, hiding his smile with a huff of annoyance with Jimin putting all his weight on him.

"Happy Birthday, sweet Taehyung~" Hoseok runs and decides to jump on him, too. The added weight was starting to hurt.

"Happy Birthday to you!" Jungkook, of course, adds his weight in as well and Taehyung whines in pain with the mesh of sharp bones stabbing him everywhere.

"Thank you. Now please go away," He slaps a cheek (he didn't know whose) and they get up one by one. Taehyung stretches, rubbing his eyes to wake himself up further. When he did open his eyes, he sees the three boys, unlike him, grinning, fully awake, and... dressed properly.

Taehyung gasps before bolting for the bathroom, "WHY DIDN'T ANYONE WAKE ME UP?!" he screams.

"We let you sleep in!" Jimin shouts back, "Happy Birthday, Taetae!"

After a few rushed minutes of Taehyung frantically getting his together, they enter the van.

"You look fresh," Seokjin teases him. Taehyung's heart skips a tiny beat at seeing Seokjin smile so brightly. He rolls his eyes at him.

"Less fresh than you who didn't even bother to wake me," he pouts and the other members cackle at his sulking. Seokjin reaches his hand out to try smooth out Taehyung's bedhead. Taehyung does his best to will away his blush at the sweet gesture and he clears his throat as he takes a seat beside the eldest.

Taehyung sweats, willing away the weird, bold ideas wreaking havoc in his mind. He doesn't know if he should take the opportunity to flirt. He glances at Seokjin's shoulder which was inviting to lean his head on.

"Jin hyung," Taehyung his dry lips, "Do you know how to count shoulders?"

"Uh, what?" Seokjin frowns at him in confusion.

Taehyung grins, "One," He taps his own right shoulder, "Two," He taps his own left shoulder. "Three," He taps Seokjin's right shoulder.

"Aaand," Taehyung puts his arm around Seokjin to reach the older's left shoulder, "Four,"

A beat of silence and Seokjin snorts.

"Taehyung-ah, I swear," Seokjin rolls his eyes at the arm situated comfortably on his shoulders. "Be thankful that it's your "supposed" birthday. Try doing that to me next time and my elbow won't hesitate to stab your side,"

Taehyung giggles, giddy at the fact that Seokjin didn't slap his touchy arm off and move away. "So I can do more because it's my birthday?"

Seokjin elbows him and Taehyung hisses in pain.

"You said you won't hurt me because it's my birthday!" He whines childishly while massaging the attacked part of his tummy.

"I promised no such thing," Seokjin says coldly, but the tiniest upturn of the corners of his lips gave him away.

"You're no fair," Taehyung pouts, nervously succumbing to the temptation of resting his head on Seokjin's broad shoulder.

"Hmm," Seokjin hums as if disinterested, but he was still smirking.

Seokjin didn't push him away.

Taehyung so loves birthday privileges.

--

"10 minute break!"

As soon as those words were announced by their instructor, the members immediately scrambled for the water dispenser.

"Here," Seokjin hands Taehyung his water jug. The younger raises an eyebrow at the bottle but accepts it anyway.

Seokjin hasn't even drank from the jug yet and he wanted Taehyung to drink first. It wasn't unusual, but such a caring gesture from Kim Seokjin directed towards Kim Taehyung isn't really a norm nowadays.

It must be because it was his birthday.

"I love my birthday," Taehyung muses out loud, remembering how the members promised him that they will give him gifts tomorrow because of their tight schedule for the day. They have an awards show in the evening and they were doing last rehearsals before driving to the venue.

"You okay?" Seokjin asks, snapping Taehyung out of his thoughts.

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