"My name is Taehyung."

Jungkook fidgeted with his fingers. The man had yet to say whether or not to come in. The wind chimes hanging over Taehyung's mantel tolled twelve times. Taehyung turned to face Jungkook. "Aren't you coming in? The bugs will get in."

Jungkook dipped his head forward. He practically smacked into the wall in his rush to close the door behind him. Taehyung shook his head.

Jungkook watched Taehyung disappear around the wall up ahead. His eyes landed on the stream of colorful pebbles embedded into the mantle. The cottage back home had a fireplace but Uncle was always much too stubborn to light the fire. He believed Cserx—the God of fire who granted longevity to humans during the harsh winters—was a farce.

"You're welcome to take a seat anywhere you'd like."

Jungkook thought back on Taehyung's name. Unlike his, the syllables flowed much more freely. He felt a twinge of sadness crash into his heart. Would Taehyung let him speak? Would he mind hearing his voice? If there was one thing Jungkook knew best was that you needed to have a charm of some sort to make yourself likeable. No one likes a bore. But what did he have to offer? He hadn't even a means of communication.

Jungkook pressed his fingers to his lips and blew a puff of air out through the puckered opening. What did his voice sound like to other people? He had never been able to tell because he had stopped trying to pronounce words around the age of seven.

"Are you okay with plant-based meats?"

Jungkook looked up to see Taehyung's upper half jutting out over the edge of the wall. Jungkook nodded. Truth be told, he had only ever had animal meat. Uncle would always go and buy pounds of pork or duck—lamb if it was in high demand—instead of saving the few extra Drits towards much-needed repairs around the shed. Jungkook thought about throwing Taehyung a grin but by then he had already retreated.

With slow sweeps of his eyes, Jungkook took careful inventory of the cottage as he ventured deeper inside. There wasn't much of anything to see. A wooden table whose varnish was peeling at the corners. Two stacks of books that rested on a wooden ledge set above a tiny tipi. A bar stool with a cushion whose seams were beginning to unravel and coil where the threads were thinnest. Off to his side were two windows—one on the wall connected to the fireplace and another closest to the only other visible door in the cottage.

"As you can see, my house is just the basics."

Jungkook swirled around to find Taehyung's frame blurred by a curtain of antique trinkets and colorful beads hanging from the kitchen entryway. The kitchen was sectioned off with a white brick wall that had a curved half-opening. Jungkook approached the gap. Seeing that there was a ledge connected to it on the other side, he stuck his hand in and gently rapped against the marble.

Taehyung carried the tomatoes he had been washing over to the ledge. "I don't know how to cook, either. So I apologize if what you're going to taste is horrible." Taehyung tilted his head to the side, eyes downcast on the knife that made smooth cuts through the vegetable's red flesh.

Taehyung's silky bangs flopped over to the right, revealing more of his immaculate skin. Two tiny scars cut through the corner of his left eyebrow. A small stud dotted his earlobe. Taehyung looked up. Jungkook quickly turned around. A zap of warmth shot over his face.

Placing his hands into his pockets, Jungkook ventured over to the mahogany cabinetry set up in the corner between both windows. The etching of a beautiful woman welcomed him. Long hair fell around her shoulders like silk drapes and a brocade composed of two arrowheads was pinned on the space just above her heart. Of particular interest was the tiny bird that perched on her shoulder. All of the birds he had come to approach would fly away before he could even think to greet them. How had she managed to make a bird pose for her?

Jungkook reached out to brush aside the spec of dust that hugged the frame's corner when a loud bang yanked him to the kitchen.

Taehyung was on his knees, a rag in hand as he quickly moved to dry up the water he had spilled. Jungkook dropped to his knees. Taehyung's eyes momentarily widened. "You'll mess up your clothes..." he mumbled under his breath as he slipped his apron off. Without warning, he reached over to tuck it underneath Jungkook's knees but Jungkook shooed him away.

"Stop," Taehyung said. "There's no need to make an even bigger mess of the situation."

Jungkook tipped his head forward. Even though this wouldn't be the first time he would be cleaning with his breeches, Jungkook didn't press the matter any further.

Not long after they had finished cleaning did the soup begin to boil. The smell of toasted garlic bread, fresh barley, and roasted nuts infiltrated the stagnant air. Jungkook took a seat on the hearth by Taehyung.

"You can sit at the table." When Jungkook did not budge, Taehyung added: "I'll be there as soon as this side of the tofu finishes searing."

Jungkook looked down at his bowl of tomato soup. He couldn't see his reflection. His hair must have been a mess.

"I promise."

Jungkook looked to Taehyung who was busy pressing his finger into the tofu to check for consistency. How could someone be so kind? To a stranger, no less. He hadn't done anything to deserve this kindness.

Jungkook carefully raised himself from his seat, arms outstretched to balance the bowl. He had just finished unfurling his right leg when a jolt of pain zipped through his calf. He winced. He slid his foot forward and the pain seized his muscles. He fell forward. The bowl of soup splashed against the wooden chair.

"You!" The metal pliers clanged against the stones as Taehyung rushed to Jungkook's side. "What's wrong?" Taehyung rolled him over. A new wave of blood was beginning to bloom around the splinter embedded into Jungkook's calf. Taehyung knocked on the back of Jungkook's head with a knuckle as he stood to walk away. "I'll be right back."

Jungkook listened in to the sound of Taehyung's heels clacking against the floorboards as he retreated further and further away. He bit down on his lip until the pain gave him somewhere to focus. He hated to think that he had messed up something that rightfully belonged to Taehyung. How much clumsier could he get?