SUMMER; June

Friday -- Evening

The car ride back to Jungkook’s house had awkward written all over it. Jiyoo and Jungkook didn’t speak, only giving short answers when prompted about their night. Most of the guys in the car figured that they just felt guilty for lying. Only Suga watched their behavior curiously from the reflection in his phone. He knew they were acting much too awkward for just getting into some trouble. There was something more- and he was going to get to the bottom of this.

As soon as they’d gotten home, everyone piled out of the car and through the front door. Jiyoo took the longest to take of her shoes because they were high tops. Suga could see Jungkook waiting near the end of the hall for her, though he didn’t dare make a move to help her, nor look in her direction. That’s when Suga got an idea.

Waiting for Jungkook to inch a bit closer, he pushes the latter down. “Ah, sorry.”

Suga stifles a snicker as Jungkook flailed his arms. He’d fallen directly on Jiyoo, who’d shoved him off with all of her might. Their faces were colored with red flushes and Suga couldn’t be happier. Not only was Jiyoo doing a decent job and protecting herself, but she wasn’t releasing pheromones either. That may or may not have been because it was Jungkook that was making her embarrassed, but still. It was a start.

“Yah! Be careful you two.” Jimin grumbles from below.

Not like Jimin was that short. He was just crouched down below and almost got squished by the two when Jungkook had fallen. Jimin was taking his time rearranging the shoes to make them all facing the same way. He wasn’t always such a neat freak, but seeing the abundance of shoes piled near the end of the hall always bothered him when he came over to Jungkook’s house.

Jiyoo scurried into the living room, leaving behind Jungkook who slowly trudged the same way shortly after.

“What’s wrong with them?” Seokjin asked worriedly.

Jimin shrugs, his eyes only focused on fixing the mess they made. “I’d be shocked if Jungkook’s fatness fell on me too.”

“I heard that hyung!” Jungkook calls from the living room.

“Good!” Jimin yells back.

Everyone went into the living room and took to their respective spots. It was only Jiyoo and Jungkook that sat out of place. Jiyoo sat near the rocking chair so that she could have a view of everyone in the room while Jungkook was the one partially hiding himself behind the side of the couch, as if he didn’t want to be seen at all.

“Yah yah..” Jimin sighs exasperatedly, “Why are you guys acting like that?”

“We’re not doing anything.” Jungkook grumbles, kicking the carpet with his heel.

“This is why you guys shouldn’t have gone to see the movie!” Jimin whines, “I knew this would happen. You guys are too young-”

“We’re only two years younger than you.” Jiyoo grunts, her voice barely reaching over a whisper. Jimin still heard her and pulls himself to a stand.

“Then why can’t you guys understand what you did wrong?” Jimin stomps his foot, hands on his hips as he stared at the two.

Jiyoo and Jungkook refuse to say anything, only causing Jimin to get even more upset. Seeing that they weren’t going to talk, Taehyung decided to get a bit closer to Jiyoo. He slid next to her and poked her cheek with his pointer finger. The action shocked Jiyoo, but didn’t completely make her heart jump out of her chest.

“Go away Taehyung.” Jiyoo whines, scooting closer to the rocking chair as Taehyung continued to move towards her. “Go away!”

For a second, Jungkook’s body tenses up, as if to stand. But instead, he freezes, watching Taehyung continue to bother Jiyoo. Taehyung enjoys his moment even if Jiyoo wasn’t cooperating with him. He takes some strands of Jiyoo’s hair and tugs on it, throwing her hair in all sorts of different directions until she’d gotten really pissed.

Funny thing that in that moment, she’d remembered Taehyung specifically didn’t like it when she hurt herself.

Bringing her hand up, Taehyung’s eyes shut as he giggles, waiting for the smack that never came. For him at least. He heard it in the air, but instead of feeling it, he’d opened his eyes to find a red mark on Jiyoo’s leg. She’d hit herself out of spite.

“Yah! What are you doing?” Jungkook yells. He rushes over to Jiyoo and moves her hand, watching as the skin around her leg almost seemed to swell a little. His eyes carefully looked over the area to make sure she didn’t get any dangerous injuries. With her hand still in his own, Jungkook looks up to find Jiyoo’s face just as flushed as the spot that she’d hit on her leg.

They both pulled away from each other instinctively. Hoseok watched the awkward interaction and sighed internally. He was upset that Taehyung hadn’t realized he was bothering Jiyoo. The kid rarely understands when enough is enough. Seeing that Taehyung was still in shock left Hoseok to do his thing- make an awkward situation even worse.

“Damn Jiyoo.” Hoseok whistles, earning her attention. He covers the smirk on his lips and looks at her doubtfully, “I didn’t think the movie would’ve made you like that kind of stuff.”

“I-I don’t!” Jiyoo sputters, her eyes wide as she takes Hoseok’s joke seriously. “I just- Taehyung was bothering me and making me mad..”

Suga caught on to Hoseok’s mischievous joke and decided to join in. “Yeah Hoseok, they already know all of those kinds of things. Right Jiyoo?”

Jiyoo is caught between saving her pride or admitting that she shouldn’t have watched the movie. While being stuck in her dilemma, not far away is Jungkook who’s beginning to realize something else.

He’d never seen Jiyoo as a girl before. She was his best friend day in and day out. It was only after the movie that he felt awkward with her because she was a girl. She had periods. She had s. It wasn’t as if Jungkook could deny it either since he’d seen her practically grow up. The thought of what was underneath her clothes was embarrassing enough- He was beginning to be interested in those kinds of things and it made him flustered knowing that he could possibly be a ert.

For Jiyoo and Jungkook, it wasn’t the movie itself that made them afraid to touch one another. But instead, it was the fact that their platonic relationship could evolve into something much more heated is what was embarrassing to them.

Looking at how close they were, it wasn’t a surprise why others thought they were a couple. They did couple things. The two held hands, had sleepovers. Jiyoo and Jungkook slept in the same bed with one another for crying out loud.

“Okay, okay. Knock it off.” Namjoon finally says. Hoseok and Suga shrug. They still had smug looks on their faces, not caring that Jiyoo and Jungkook’s friendship was at the brink again.

Looking at the two, Namjoon motions for them to stand up and come near him. “We’re going to play a game.”

“What kind of game?” Jiyoo asks curiously, her eyes peeking over to make sure she had enough space in between her and Jungkook.

“It’s a truth game.” Namjoon says.

Once Jungkook was close enough, Namjoon releases his pheromones over Jungkook. The latter froze in place, not understanding what he had done wrong to be put under such circumstances. When Namjoon was sure that Jungkook would stay put, he motions for Jiyoo to move forward.

“Hold his hands Jiyoo.” Namjoon proceeded. He was aware that Jiyoo clearly wasn’t on board with the idea, but he didn’t put Jungkook under his Alpha pheromones for nothing. “Jiyoo, hold his hands now.”

He couldn't have his Alpha pheromones make her sick again, so Namjoon could only hope she would listen. Jiyoo was a good girl though. Stepping up to Jungkook, she holds his fingertips between her own, eyes locked on the floor.

“Okay now, Jiyoo you have to say one truth about Jungkook.” Namjoon says with a small smile. Things were going more smoothly than he'd predicted, especially with Jiyoo’s obedience.

Jiyoo grits her teeth together and manages to look up at Jungkook. Their eyes meet, stares making the entire room feel secondhand awkwardness. It was now or never, and Jiyoo just wanted to get rid of the roadblock in their friendship.

“I'm grateful that you always protected me over the years.” Jiyoo mumbles, “You were like my hero.”

Jungkook feels his heart swell. His hands moved forward and automatically grabbed Jiyoo’s hands fully.

“Namjoon hyung must've released his pheromones while she was talking..” Jungkook thought, almost forgetting that it was his turn to speak. Not wanting to appear more defeated than he already looked, he clears his throat and puts on a brave front. He didn't want Jiyoo to look at him like he was a kid anymore.

Jungkook was a man. And he was going to get Jiyoo to see it whether she liked it or not.

“Sometimes I only protected you because I hated seeing other guys around you.” Jungkook says sternly.

“But you still protected me. Technically.” Jiyoo shrugs.

Jungkook was still being honest and it was a truth. The sincerity in his words just weren't there, causing Namjoon to frown. “Nice truths. Try again.”

It was Jiyoo’s turn and she already knew who Jungkook had in mind by ‘other guys’. “I know that Yugyeom is two faced around me and you. But I didn't say anything until now because you always protected me.”

Namjoon is surprised Jiyoo mentioned Yugyeom in their game of truths. He can see the way that Jungkook tensed up at Yugyeom’s name, but that wasn't the thing that surprised him. It was the fact that Jiyoo knew she relied on Jungkook and yet just went with it because he did everything for her. Namjoon finds himself looking at Suga, who realized the same thing in that moment. It was just as Jinyoung’s sister had said; Jiyoo was able to be fully independent, but because Jungkook did everything for her, she just chose to be protected, which stunted her growth in the long run.

“I hate Yugyeom.” Jungkook grumbles, causing Namjoon to go back to being mediator.

“Knock it off.” Namjoon warns again, “This is the last time I'm going to say it. Your turn Jungkook.”

“I don't like Joohyun.” Jungkook quipped.

“Me neither, ugh.” Jiyoo quickly agrees before Namjoon could yell at Jungkook again.

Since she was so quick to protect Jungkook, Namjoon had no space to intervene. He just sighs and motions for Jiyoo to speak since it was her turn. She looks at Jungkook and a smile appears on her face, but it wasn't any ordinary smile. Jungkook knew what she was about to do, already beginning to grin himself.

“You know.. It all.”

Namjoon and the others were unaware of what Jiyoo meant. They looked for some sort of deeper meaning, but only Jungkook knew what it really stood for.

“You're my best friend.” Jungkook says, moving his hands so that their fingers interlocked.

“아침은 다시 올 거야~” They sang together.

It was only after Jiyoo and Jungkook started to laugh uncontrollably did the others realize they were just playing around now. Since they weren't taking the game seriously, Namjoon gave up. He went to go sit down on the couch, pinching the bridge of his nose from the stress gained from the group’s maknaes.

Jiyoo and Jungkook sat next to each other after finally shedding their awkwardness. It was as if they hadn't seen the movie at all.

Seokjin rolls his eyes, “See? I told you guys you shouldn't have watched the movie.”

Jiyoo and Jungkook apologize once more before going back to talking about the same movie they were banned from seeing. The others thought that they were just growing up a little, and they did, but not in the way they expected.

Jiyoo and Jungkook both knew that they would have to mate someday, whether it be together or with someone else. In their minds, letting fate do its work is the best option. They were best friends after all; And that meant that they were going to enjoy their lives without worrying too much.