Ghost Hunting. For whatever reason, Jungkook was obsessed with it. Ever since he had been a kid. Low-key though. He kept only the most basic instruments, and he hid them in his basement, so none of his friends would ever find them and embarrass him forever. And it was a really good plan, too.

 

Until Taehyung found all his .

 

“Jungkook, what the is all this?”

 

“Um, my modest collection of ghost hunting gear?”

 

Jungkook fell a little bit more in love with Taehyung when the boy smiled. “Oh great, I’ve befriended a ghost freak.”

 

-

 

Jungkook and Taehyung met in their university’s Cooking Club a few months back, bonding over their mutual age at culinary arts. Instant friendship. One complication: It only took about five seconds for Jungkook to start drooling over Taehyung, his face, his body, pretty much his entire, y, being. Taehyung didn’t notice though, and their friendship started from there.

 

Yikes.

 

Double yikes: it turned out that Jungkook was into his personality, too. And thus, Jungkook’s crush was born.

 

“So, I can come ghost hunting with you, right? You had me at the vibration detector.”

 

“It’s called Paranormal Investigation, not ghost hunting, but fine. I’ll let you join me even though you’re a noob.”

 

Taehyung sort of squealed; then he threw himself bodily at Jungkook. Jungkook was maybe a little proud that he could hold Taehyung’s whole weight. “You’re the best. When do we go? Full moon?”

 

“I sense mockery in your tone and I don’t appreciate it.” But how mad could he really be when Taehyung had his legs wrapped around his waist, snuggling him like a koala? “I’m going out this weekend. There’s an abandoned factory about an hour away where the workers were murdered.”

 

“Ooh, murder. Fun.”

 

“Get the hell off me, would you?”

 

Taehyung hopped off and gave a cute little grin. “Let’s watch a horror movie. I need to get in the mood.”

 

Taehyung ended up resting his head in Jungkook’s lap while Jungkook fed him popcorn. It was a good night.

 

-

 

“Ok, so first, we need to find the area with the most ghost activity. We use the EMF meter for that.”

 

“Aye, aye, Captain! Wait, which one is that again?” Taehyung had tried to dress for the occasion, donning a headband, a studded belt, and combat boots so that he looked “badass.” Jungkook just went with it, because Taehyung was a cutie.

 

“It’s the one that looks like a weird walkie talkie. You’re a beginner so I’ll let you off the hook this time, but I’ve got my eye on you.”

 

Taehyung giggled. “So serious, Kookie. Ok, so we just walk around?”

 

“Yeah, pretty much. I printed out a map of the floorplan, and I think we should head downstairs first. That’s where most of the murders happened.”

 

They found some sketchy stairs, and Taehyung held onto the edge of Jungkook’s jacket. Presumably, he did so just because he wanted to, because when Jungkook looked back Taehyung didn’t look scared or anything. His eyes had an almost maniacal glint of excitement in them, and Jungkook couldn't believe he’d found someone who liked ghost hunting, too.

 

He was sort of blushing. Oh crap.

 

Jungkook cleared his throat and turned away, hoping that Taehyung didn’t witness his embarrassment. “So, yeah, the first murder supposedly happened at the bottom of the stairs here. That’s where we’ll check first.”

 

At this point, Taehyung decided that he just had to see the map for himself. So he draped his entire body across Jungkook’s back.

 

“Um, Taehyung-”

 

“Can I see the map? I wanna feel all cool and official like you.” Jungkook hadn’t previously thought that his face could get this red. Well, oops, looks like he was wrong. to be him.

 

“Tae, you wouldn’t even understand it. It has a code, and all.” Taehyung’s exasperated sigh tickled the back of Jungkook’s neck.

 

“At least let me try! Jesus, stop trying to exclude your ghost hunting partner from official affairs.”

 

“It’s Paranormal Investigation!” Taehyung ripped the map out of his hand.

 

But he stayed leaning on his back. . He held the map off to the side, sure, but he continued to read over Jungkook’s shoulder. Jungkook could feel Taehyung’s entire gorgeous body pressed up against him. “Well, you said that there was a murder at the bottom of the steps, and you’ve marked that location with an ex. So that’s the symbol for a known murder location, which makes sense because most of them are in the basement, like you said earlier.”

 

“Taehyung, get off me, you’re heavy.” Taehyung giggled and blew on his neck. What an .

 

“Also, the locations with high concentrations of exes have a blue shading over them. Which probably means that you want to use the EMF meter there.”

 

Damn, foiled again. His code was so legit, how did Taehyung figure it out?

 

“This means nothing. My code was super secretive ghost business. You had a headstart because I told you stuff earlier.”

 

“Whatever you say, Jungkook.”

 

Taehyung finally got the off him, so they continued onward. The steps were pretty creaky, and to be honest Jungkook was a bit scared that they would break or something. But he was the paranormal expert here, so he had to look brave for Taehyung.

 

“Alright, if you get a hit on the EMF meter, then we take a ton of pictures in that area.”

 

Taehyung pulled his phone out of his pocket. “You got it, boss.”

 

Jungkook raised an eyebrow. “You are such an amateur, honestly. Digital cameras are ideal for capturing spectors. You won’t catch as many orbs with an IPhone camera .”

 

“Ok, geez, don’t get all high and mighty about it. I’m allowed to make a few rookie mistakes, aren’t I?”

 

Jungkook shook his head as he got his camera out of his bag. “This is what we’ll use. As in, me, I’ll use it, because you’re unqualified as .” Taehyung may be cute, but this camera was Jungkook’s baby and he wasn’t letting anyone touch it.

 

“Can I see it at least? Do you have any ghost pictures on it right now? Or, spectors, whatever.” Taehyung leaned in, and God he smelled so good. He rested his hand on Jungkook’s forearm to stabilize himself, and Jungkook’s heart was ing pounding at this point, and it was still kind of blowing his mind that Taehyung was interested in his stupid hobby. Taehyung blinked up at Jungkook, smiling. “Show me the ghouls, I know you’ve got some.”

 

“Um, I actually deleted them after uploading to my computer. S-sorry, Tae.” Was it hot in here, or was it just him?

 

“Aw, man! You’ll have to show me later, then! I’ll come over sometime. We’re bound to get some spirits tonight anyway. Like, murder? That’s the good stuff!” Taehyung wiggled his eyebrows, which was honestly a confusing gesture with what he just said, and jumped down the rest of the stairs. He was going to give Jungkook a heart attack, honestly.

 

Jungkook cleared his throat. “Ok, so, this is the scene of the first murder. Turn on that EMF meter, and let’s get started.” Taehyung had this crazy look in his eye, like he was way too into this. “If it turns red, and starts beeping, that’s when we take pictures.”

 

They started wandering down a creepy hallway. Jungkook was getting chills down the back of his neck, but Taehyung was just smiling this cute little half-smile by his side. After walking a while, Taehyung seemed to get bored, so he slipped his arm through Jungkook’s and clung onto him. “Tell me a story, Kookie! Tell me the terrible tales of this here factory.”

 

“Uh, ok. So, legend has it that back in the 20s, this factory produced textiles. But one day, there was this huge accident that wiped out all the workers! The wiring sparked and there was giant- explosion. People suspected it though, thought there was something up. Like, the health codes were probably total back then anyway, but they had replaced a lot of the wiring recently. So, like, it should have been pretty new.”

 

“Sounds like a Maltese up if you ask me.” Taehyung cracked up at his own joke, like usual. Jungkook caught himself staring a bit.

 

“Do you want me to tell the story or not?”

 

“I didn’t realize this was a joke-free zone. Please forgive me, oh mighty apparitions.” Again, how could Jungkook be mad when Taehyung was hanging all over him?

 

“As I was saying, the factory owners thought something was up. When the wreckage was investigated, it turned out that there were signs of not one, but three murders occurring right before the explosion.”

 

“So the whole thing was a coverup!”

 

“A super failed coverup, but yeah.”
 

“Well, who did it then, don’t leave me hanging.”

 

“Well, that’s the problem… They never really figured that part out.”

 

Taehyung gave him the most unimpressed look. “Wow, ok, that was literally the most anticlimactic story ever told. Thanks, Kookie.” Taehyung was so cute when he was annoyed, .

 

“But, but that’s why it’s such a good spot for Paranormal Investigation! The spirits never got their rest, right?”

 

“Kookie, I don’t think the spirits need human validation like that. They aren’t teenagers with daddy issues. I mean, despite us not knowing the murderer, they sure as hell know who killed them. So there’s no mystery there.”

 

Well, he had a point. Jungkook really couldn’t think straight with Taehyung pressed against his side like this. Like, their entire bodies were touching.

 

Jungkook ripped his arm away, and strode forward. “I’m sorry, who’s the expert here?”

 

When Jungkook turned back Taehyung was raising his eyebrow at him. He looked kind of irritated, oops. “You are. But don’t I have a point?”

 

“Who’s the expert?”

 

“You are…”

 

“That’s what I thought!” Suddenly, the EMF meter started beeping like crazy. “Oh ! Pictures! Hold this!” Jungkook shoved the map at Taehyung, who looked startled and kind of fumbled with the EMF meter as he took the map off Jungkook’s hands. He was even cute when he got jump-scared, damn.

 

Jungkook took pictures around the entire perimeter of where they were standing. He crouched down and shot some from that perspective, too. Then he laid on the ground and shot the ceiling. There was a method to his madness, but he was aware that he kind of looked like a maniac right now.

 

“Kookie, you kind of look like a maniac right now.”

 

“Shut up, Tae, I have to be thorough.”

 

Taehyung giggled. “Alright, Ghost Whisperer. Whatever you say.” Jungkook had a pretty good view of the room from down on the ground. But being able to subtly stare at Taehyung was also a plus.

 

Eventually, Jungkook dragged himself up, and clicked through some of the pictures. Taehyung promptly attached himself to Jungkook’s back. Did he ever stop trying to give Jungkook heart palpitations? “Kookie, come on, let me see!”

 

Jungkook tried to shake Taehyung off for a bit, but he wasn’t budging. Eventually, he just let him be and kept clicking through. Taehyung was apparently only capable of being quiet for a minute, because pretty soon he was yelling in Jungkook’s ear. “Holy ! Do you see that!”

 

“What?”

 

“Go back two pictures! I’ve spotted a spector!” Jungkook rolled his eyes and went back. There was no way he missed anything in his own pictures. He was the expert here, after all, and he was going to defend that title. “See! There’s the outline of a man in the corner there. Woah, that’s creepy as , I love it.”

 

There was an honest to god ghost. Right there in the frame. Holy . “Tae, do you know what that means?”

 

“Um, we’re the best ing Paranormal Investigators this side of Seoul? Is that what you’re looking for?”

 

“No! The apparition could still be here. We have to run.”

 

“What? No, way! Let’s make friends with it.” Taehyung jumped up on Jungkook’s back for a higher vantage point, almost knocking them right the over. “Come here, ghosties! We won’t hurt you!”

 

“Are you crazy? Don’t antagonize them? Let’s go, right now.” Jungkook bolted for the steps. Or, as best as he could, with a human on his back.

 

“Aw, Kookie, you’re no fun. It was just getting good!”

 

“I’ve never seen anything like that before! All I usually get is orbs and !” Taehyung clung on as Jungkook made a break for it, wrapping his legs around Jungkook’s waist as they made for the car. Jungkook threw Taehyung into the passenger seat and jumped into the car. There was no way he was sticking around for whatever the hell that was to attach itself to his soul. Or whatever the apparitions did.

 

As soon as they escaped to the highway, Jungkook peeked over at Taehyung. He had a eating grin on his face. “Were you really that scared, Kookie? It’s just a little ghost, what’s there to be afraid of?”

 

“I’m not about to let that kind of energy into my life, Tae. Some murdered guy latching onto my subconscious and coming home with me? No thank you.”

 

Taehyung poked him on the cheek. “I thought you were the expert. What’s a little ghost energy between friends?”

 

Jungkook smacked his hand away. “I am the expert, and my expert opinion was to get the out.” Taehyung laughed at him the whole way home. Jungkook was definitely blushing. Hard. The whole ride. Taehyung and his stupid cute laugh.

 

“I had a great time tonight, Jungkook. Who knew you were such a stud? Running away at the first sign of ghostly activity.”

 

Jungkook blushed harder. “Shut up.”

 

When they got back to his apartment, Taehyung gave Jungkook a little kiss on the cheek before he left. Jungkook didn’t really know what that meant, but he guessed that Taehyung really liked ghost hunting.