The... landscape photo wasn't a landscape photo. It was a... a really cute picture of Jungkook smiling and side-hugging an also smiling Taehyung. With a lot of landscape behind them. Only the landscape part showed through the window, but there they were, hidden by the cardboard when the book was closed. The photo had probably been taken by Jimin during one of their photo outings. Taehyung looked up from the book to stare at Jungkook in pure confusion.

"What?"
"Hey, don't stop at the cover. Come on. I want to know your honest opinion!" Jungkook encouraged him with a cheeky smile.

And so Taehyung looked down, and turned the page. That one was a picture of Taehyung lying down and trying really hard not to shake while shooting an absolutely tiny flower that was down into the grass. The background of the photobook was black. There was white text underneath the almost full-page photo. "Patient" was the word written there.

The next page had the same kind of layout, this time with a photo of Taehyung turning around looking like a surprised puppy, except not as cute - in his opinion. He remembered that one. Jungkook had called out his name and he had turned, only to be greeted with Jungkook shooting that reaction. The word underneath the photo this time was "adorable".

As Taehyung went through the book page by page, he found more photos of himself, each with a word to accompany it. Sweet, funny, thoughtful, grateful, authentic, respectful, perseverant, humble, reliable, responsible, smart, honest, fragile, hurt, broken. And although Taehyung winced at the last few ones and the pictures that came with them - showing him being vulnerable, and in one of them he was in Jungkook's arms, accepting a comforting hug -, he still looked to the page that was right next to the last picture, and found more text. No picture this time. Just text.

"This is what I know about Taehyung Kim, the cutest, kindest man I know. You're an amazing person. You don't always believe me when I tell you that you have great qualities, but I'll make sure to repeat it until you do. You have flaws too, probably, but for some reason I couldn't find any! Being fragile, hurt, broken, those are not flaws. They're elements of your past that I understand. And I'm here to help you heal.

I know that you're patient because of the way you accepted all my dumb questions when I started out with photography and came to the store to seek help from you. I know that you're adorable because DUH, I have eyes. I know that you're sweet because you do all these little things to try and be a good person, even when they're not necessary because you're a good person even without those. I know you're funny because I laugh all the time when I'm with you and you allow yourself to joke around. I know you're thoughtful because you always make sure I'm okay with whatever you want to do, and you always say that doing it is no obligation (which I know! I do it because I want to). I know you're a grateful person because you give me a hundred times everything I give you, and I don't mean this in a material way, . I know you're respectful because you never ask rude questions, and when you accidentally poke at more sensitive things you assure me that it's fine, that I don't need to talk about it if I don't want to. I know you're perseverant because although I could have hurt you so many times, you still hoped that I wouldn't, you trusted me, even if you were hurt so many times before, even if you were scared, you held on and accepted to let me try to help you heal. I know you're humble because you never brag about anything, you keep quiet even when you could boast, and you congratulate people - in this case, Jimin and me - even if you can do so much better than them. I know you're reliable - and responsible, actually! - because you're never late to anything we do, you always show up when you're supposed to, and I never have to wonder if something happened to you when you happen to be a bit later than usual because you make sure to text me so I don't worry. I know you're smart because , you just are. I know you're honest because you just don't lie about anything, and if you can't tell the truth you keep quiet, and you look really sad when you have to tell even a half-truth.

And you're fragile, and hurt, and broken. You were hurt before. You were hurt your entire life. I'm hoping to be a balm on those wounds, to be there for you when nobody else is. People are really mean sometimes, and you were on the receiving end of it too many times. You don't dare say what you think sometimes to avoid being hurt again. You smile quietly when things happen, but you don't take sides so that nobody can hold it against you. And so, I was thinking..."

There was a little arrow at the bottom of the text, pointing the way to the back of the page. He turned it and stopped breathing.

There was a picture of Jungkook smiling widely at him, looking the happiest Taehyung had ever seen, with his hand extended towards the camera like he was waiting for someone to take it.

"I was thinking that it's only when I'm around you that I'm truly happy. This picture only happened once I imagined you being in my arms and then accepting to take my hand so we could go out together.

I know you're afraid. Just know that I'm as afraid to lose you as you are to lose me. Please let me be there for you for all times. Please let me be your boyfriend so that I can make sure nobody ever hurts you again."

Taehyung's gaze snapped up from the book to look at Jungkook, and he shook when he noticed the intensity of Jungkook's eyes on him. He could see hope, and warmth, and- oh lord.

"Taehyung."

Jungkook's hand moved towards him, across the counter. Why had he stayed behind the counter for this? He still took that hand, acting on instinct. Jungkook brought it to his lips, and pressed a slow kiss on his knuckles. A gentle, gentle one, like the touch of a feather.

"I found out a little while ago that I just can't live without you anymore. I wake up eager to see you, dream about your laughter, smile when I imagine you smiling. When you text me I jump on my phone to reply, and I once got caught doing it in class but it was totally worth it. So, what's your answer? Will you be my boyfriend?"

Taehyung shook as he nodded slowly. Boyfriend. This had to be a dream. He still had to nod, because why would he not? That was Jungkook. Jungkook had asked him to-

"Can you come over to this side, Tae? I can't go behind the counter."

He shook himself and did exactly that, and suddenly he was surrounded in warmth, lost in the midst of Jungkook's muscles. He closed his eyes and felt incredibly peaceful in that one moment. Until he remembered that he was at work, and his eyes snapped open.

"Kook. I gotta-"
"No worries. Just about everyone here knows I'd come here today."
"Wait, what?"

Jungkook giggled as he pushed Taehyung back just a bit, just enough to be able to look at him in the eyes.

"I came here a day you weren't working with a book I made and turned into a PDF file. I handed it to the lab directly so that you wouldn't see it on the server. And I told them when I'd come and get it so that your manager could make sure you'd be working. And Jimin helped me with some of the photos, obviously. And I told your boss so that nobody would scold you for temporarily not working."
"You told my-?!"
"Tae."

Jungkook leaned forward, and pressed a very sweet, very gentle kiss on Taehyung's lips. Just like that. Taehyung let out a little whimper, and Jungkook hugged him tightly, making Taehyung hide his face in Jungkook's neck once they broke the kiss.

"I love you, Tae."
"I... I love you too."
"Let me protect you?"
"O... okay. Kook."
"I'll be there for you."

Jimin giggled from where he was, somewhere in the store, and Taehyung smiled a bit as he was calming down. That had to be a dream, but it was such a nice one, he didn't have the courage to try waking up from it.

They kissed again after that, and damn Jungkook's lips were soft, and he looked so good with makeup, and woah-

"Jungkook?"
"Yeah?"
"Did you put makeup on just for this?"

Jungkook's bashful smile gave him the answer. Taehyung smiled back at him and hugged him. That was one of the reasons why he liked Jungkook so much. Him doing little things like that for him... that was so cute and sweet.

Eventually though Jungkook had to go, and Taehyung had to work again, but he was floating on a cloud, and he was pretty sure he exuded happiness from every pore of his skin. He greeted customers with a happier smile than before, and was more patient with each one than he had been in the past. He wanted to be worthy of what Jungkook thought of him. And when he doubted, he took a look at the photobook since Jungkook had given it to him. That last page, with Jungkook's beautiful smile, kept him going all day.

And once he was home that evening, he finally looked at all the text messages he had gotten from Jungkook. They were full of worry, but mostly filled with sweet words of reassurance and comfort, and there was one last text message, one that was sent minutes after Jungkook had left earlier.

"i miss u :( wish i could've stayed longer but u had to work :("

Taehyung chuckled as he read that message. What a cutie. He sent Jungkook a picture of himself hugging his pillow.

"I miss you too. Thank you for today. That was just... you know. Really cute. It made my day."
"anytime handsome ;) when are u free? we gotta go on a date"

Go on a date with Jungkook. Wow. Taehyung smiled to himself. He felt more at peace with himself than he had ever felt before. Things finally felt right.

"I don't work this Friday."
"friday it is! where would u like to go?"

With Jungkook?

"Anywhere as long as you're with me."
"cheesy ;) i'll research good places and come back to u about it. love u!"
"Love you too."

***

They went on a date on Friday. And another one on Monday. And another on Tuesday, because the one on Monday hadn't been long enough. And on Thursday, and on Saturday as well, and soon enough they were going out regularly, practically surgically stuck to each other in the best way possible. They still went on photo outings with Jimin, and they didn't spend those times looking at each other because heck, Jimin was there too and they didn't want him to feel like the third wheel, so they made sure to do the same as before, treating everyone equally. A while later, Taehyung felt okay meeting up with all the guys from the New Year's Eve party, and he learned then that he hadn't ruined the party at all but had rather made a lot of bets find their conclusion - and apparently Namjoon had gotten rich from those, that evening. Jungkook had been let in on the plan later the same night, and that was when he had stopped texting worried but sweet messages to Taehyung, figuring that it would be enough to just show up at his job and reassure him that everything was all right.

They had a party at Taehyung's apartment at some point, and Namjoon fell in love with Taehyung's rats, which made Taehyung really happy. He now had someone to talk to about his boys! Later on, he got comfortable enough with the others to let them know his opinion more, and they all reacted more or less like Jungkook did: by listening to him, sometimes agreeing, sometimes not agreeing, but in every case they accepted his opinion and didn't make him feel like an for thinking the way he did. At some point, he even felt good enough around them to tell the guys the real reason he had gotten pets in the first place. That evening ended with a giant collective hug around him, and Taehyung had spent a good amount of time crying in relief that he had found such amazing people to be with.

And years went by.

***

Taehyung smiled when the whole gang joined Jungkook and him at the restaurant. They were celebrating his birthday that evening - he had only told them when it was months after their first party together, and he had gotten a bunch of belated birthday gifts as a result because they had all been upset that he hadn't told them his birthday had been the day before said first party - and they were going to have everyone present, including the others' girlfriends or boyfriends. Usually Taehyung would have preferred having just their close group, but he was going out with Jungkook and Jungkook was a wonderful balm on his old emotional wounds. Taehyung was slowly getting better with other people, slowly learning to trust others to not be total to him. He might never fully heal, but he knew Jungkook was there to help him.

He greeted everyone, shook hands with the men, offered courteous kisses on the women's cheeks. They sat and spoke, and ate, and had a lot of fun, and Taehyung only smiled when he saw that Hoseok was all over Jungkook, his arm draped around Jungkook's back and his head leaning on Jungkook's shoulder. He smiled, because he knew he had no reason to fear that this would go wrong. He smiled, because he knew Jungkook wouldn't leave him.

He smiled, because he knew he would never lose Jungkook.

After all, they were getting married in a few months.