The universe was mocking Jeon Jungkook (as it should). Scratch that. The universe was torturing Jungkook (a sweet kinda torture - boy is a masochist), that’s the only possible explanation at that point. He had planned a nice outfit for the museum date: nice and tight light washed jeans with holes in his knees (otherwise he wouldn’t be able to bend his legs with how tight it was) and a flowy black blouse (only goth es allowed) but he hadn’t had time to wiggle himself inside the jeans and he let the blouse fall on the wet bathroom floor, hence his current sweatpants and hoodie...at least it's comfortable. And to think he had packed his makeup bag (what a joke). At the very least his hair looked sort of, maybe, kind of okay all muzzled up like it currently was. To unknowing eyes it would look like he tried to go for a messy curly vibe on purpose (we know better though).

To sum up, his homeless attire was 10/10. Hobi would be proud.

As he was trying to convince himself it wasn't all that bad, Jungkook spotted Kim Namjoon.

Jungkook is a mess (it’s been knew) and Namjoon is looking very boyfriend-y with a dash of the younger’s best wet dreams material right that instant. He’s got a thing with sunglasses, but Jungkook is beginning to be too smitten to care about such little details (at least this time it’s sunny outside). 

Kim (Dreamy) Namjoon was wearing fitted dark jeans, not too tight not too loose with something that looked like a purple rope as his belt. But the actual problem laid on his upper body, for Namjoon was wearing a white button-up with a low v-neck that showed off his collarbones when he moved and also fitted him just right on his broad chest (hmm them tiddies...at least this once Jungkook managed to keep his inner thoughts to himself. JK - 1 x World - a whole lot more). Namjoon was also sporting a beaded necklace made of blue and white seeds (so organic!). His coat had a mixture of light and dark blues with brown and white and an indian sort of print. Namjoon seemed to be the epitome of fashionably cozy. The brown leather satchel he carried made him look very much professional (mayhaps Jungkook just had an episode of PTSD to his teacher-student search). 

Before he could immerse himself in a more in depth search and analysis of all the little details that made Kim Namjoon sparkle in Jungkook’s eyes, his line of vision was cut by a bouncy Taehyung who jumped to hug him and then pushed him at arms length to inspect the younger’s appearance.  

“Kookie...are you trying to audition for the the role of The Little Tramp in a new adaptation or something?”

“You’re one to talk! While cosplaying a lesbian grandma!” Jungkook playfully shoved Taehyung to the side just in time to hear a pair of feet coming closer.

“It’s called fashion” the awkward French accent Taehyung tried to apply to the last word made Jungkook pig snort (Tae shall pay for that! - more shoves were issued) “And Namjoonie-hyung gets it! Don’t you, hyung?” Taehyung was looking back and forth between the other two males “He isn’t a hot mess like you!” he sing songed to Jungkook.

“Don’t be mean, Tae.” Namjoon said as he rolled his eyes in an endearing way, scratched his neck and laughed a bit shy “I don’t deserve that much praise anyways. Some years ago I was a ing mess and now I’m a ing mess but at peace with it and with cooler fashion sense thanks to my ex”

There were a couple of things Jungkook took out of that short interaction. #1 Taehyung and Namjoon were a lot more comfortable with one another than they had any right to be. Didn’t they all meet each other approximately at the same time?! How come they already had cute pet names for one another but Jungkook couldn’t even will his remaining brain cells to make proper synapses while in the presence of the older of the three of them?! #2 Namjoon’s honeyed skin glowed with a pink shimmer when he laughed in a self-deprecating shy way and #3 the fact that he had mentioned an ex without mentioning a current, which lead to the (probably precipitated) conclusion that the mentor was single.

Game on!

Taehyung was smiling again and clinging onto Namjoon’s arm while they made their way towards the museum. There was a weird feeling in Jungkook’s stomach that he couldn’t place a name on while he brooded and lagged behind, glaring daggers at the older ones. Taehyung must have sensed someone wanting to burn his soul with laser eyes for he let go of Namjoon to go wrap himself all around Jungkook.

“Hey...don’t be mad” he whispered “I didn’t mean to embarrass you, but you can’t talk about my fashion choices when all you do is wear the same pair of sweats all week long”

The conclusion to which Jungkook had gotten was that Kim Taehyung was a human being made entirely out of love and that he needed to extern that love by getting inside everyone’s comfort zone without the smallest regard to boundaries and that was all purely platonic as far as the younger could see. 

And just like that the weird nameless knot in Jungkook’s stomach faded away while he mumbled “Is it better or worse if I tell you these aren’t the same pair?”

“Gasp!” Taehyung said “Let’s leave that mystery in the air while we strengthen our bond”

“Good call”

------- 

The Photograph Museum was a sight to be seen. Especially to architectural eyes like Jungkook’s. The ground floor’s front wall was entirely made of glass doors but the museum per se looked like a concrete block slightly shifted to the right in a way that a third of the building was held on thin air. Jungkook couldn’t wait to learn how to design such safety hazard looking buildings.

The first thing Jungkook discovered upon passing through the double glass doors was that Taehyung knew everyone inside the building in a unique way, like all things Taehyung.

 “Hi, Mr. Chew Barks” 

Jungkook tried to stifle a laugh (he failed) while Namjoon looked positively thrown out of his game.

Before Taehyung could get reprimanded, said doorman turned alight from the inside out and answered “Hi, Tannie! It’s been a while, hasn’t it? How are you?”

After a few greetings were exchanged and the three students were heading to the elevator, the important questions started to be asked.

“What did you just call the doorman?” Namjoon seemed like he was not sure of how to proceed.

“More importantly. Why did he call you tannie? No offense, but you looking like a transparent noodle that hasn’t seen a beach in ages” said Jungkook.

“How dare you, Kook? I’m beach sensitive! You’re right though...it’s been forever since I’ve been to one” Taehyung let out a sigh as he answered

“You could come to Busan with me during summer”. Was Jungkook being too straightforward and hopeful by assuming they would still be friends come next summer? He would expect not as Tae was quickly getting himself a best friend spot in his heart with each passing day.

“Yes! Yas! You are not allowed to take that back! It’s gonna be so fun! We can clap for the sun during sundown and have bonfires and go skinny dipping and…”

“Slow down, sweet summer children, it’s still not even winter yet” Namjoon was good-naturedly laughing at them and Jungkook couldn’t find it in himself to be mad about it, still he pouted. “Also you didn’t answer our questions, Tae”

“Oh, I come to this museum often and I got to know everyone that works here” Taehyung was saying as the elevator dinged and the doors opened “Hi, Mrs. Woofgang” he smiled to the woman who checked their tickets “And we are friends now, so we just call each other by our pet’s names. Tannie is my beloved Yeontan baby dog. My parents are taking care of him now”

“Do you even remember everyone’s original names?” Namjoon asked.

“My brain only retains important information, hyung” the weird kid answered while they got to the gallery.

The inside of the gallery had a modern and minimalistic design that Jungkook could appreciate. The walls were white and there was quite a bit of empty space between each photograph. Wooden benches were placed at regular intervals where one could sit and admire the paintings or just do some people watching. 

“There are multimedia guides if you're not yet broke enough to pay for them” Namjoon said “But I have already listened to them all and I’m pretty sure you have too, right, Tae?”

“Not really, no. I don’t like people telling me what I should see in art”

“Oh, alright.” Namjoon was left gaping like a fish “How do you guys want to do this then?”

“I’m gonna go say hi to Miss Scary Cuddles over there” Taehyung was already walking away before he sent a sly wink at Jungkook’s direction.

“I don’t mind you telling what’s behind the photos, hyung”. Jungkook was sure that, if they weren’t inside a quiet space, Namjoon wouldn’t have been able to hear him. 

However the dimpled smile showed him the elder had in fact heard him and thus began the tour around the museum. 

There were pictures from past wars that left a heavy feeling on Jungkook’s heart - for he is an emotionally strong (slightly constipated) person when it comes to his own feelings, but he can’t see others suffering without wanting to make it go away. 

There were also pictures of the evolution of cities around the world throughout the decades and some abstract works by which Taehyung seems absolutely entranced as if seeing a complete different universe within the picture. 

Through it all Namjoon explained the historical moments behind the pictures and Jungkook was captivated by the way Namjoon would go into large tangents while talking about things that he was passionate about. 

“I guess you should do some bit of exploring on your own, Jungkook-ah” with one phrase, the hypnotic trance Jungkook was under was broken.

“Do I really have to?” Jungkook murmured like a spoiled child, then felt his cheeks burning hot red with the embarrassment of having said that out loud. Namjoon only chuckled. 

“Cute” if only the mentor knew how much Jungkook hated being called that. “This trip is supposed to inspire you guys, to make you think of hidden meanings and such. Me explaining everything to you kinda defeats the purpose.”

“O-okay.” Jungkook could understand the whys, he just didn’t feel like parting ways with his personal walking-talking (gorgeous) encyclopedia of all knowledge of the world. “I guess I’ll go this way then and you go that way”

Jungkook hated how quickly he got bored without Namjoon’s comments that made him see more than what was on the pictures. Jungkook himself was more of rollercoasters, sky-diving, adrenaline driven kinda guy so walking around a serene place made him feel restless. 

That was until he saw a series of pictures of the sky filtering through different patches of forests bringing back memories of late night conversations beneath a starry spring sky with the smell of flowers in the air, a hand on his, a sloppy kiss on his lips and the first time Jungkook had ever thought he was in love followed pretty quickly by the first time his heart was broken when he was merely 17 and cute.

-------

Namjoon had a few hobbies he liked to engage with, like long walks on the beach (or pretty much anywhere he was), reading novels in the evening, while it rained outside, and people watching. 

It so happens that people watching was more entertaining when the subjects were so full of energy like Taehyung and Jungkook. Taehyung appeared to be like a teething puppy full of dorky lovable energy that gathered him the hearts of those around him even if he wasn’t the most expansive personality out there. 

Jungkook however was someone Namjoon hadn’t been able to place in a category just yet. The boy would shyly murmur things and furiously blush one minute to throw a snarky comment Taehyung’s way the next to look all starry-eyed and absorbed by new knowledge a second later (which made Namjoon want to share with the younger all things he knew) and then goof around the next.

However, Namjoon didn’t have much time left to observe his mentees and conjecture why they were the way they were since the museum would close in the next 10 minutes or so. Therefore, he gathered the two of them together and said “There are some pamphlets that explain the historical moment behind each picture. I’ll go get you some just in case you wanna explore those moments in history to bring out your creativity as well” 

It took Namjoon literally less than 5 minutes to walk to Mr. Fyodor Dogstoevsky’s (as Taehyung had provided) desk and back to find Jungkook giving Taehyung a piggy back ride around the abstract pictures section of the museum

“If you think about it, an octopus is just a wet spider” Taehyung’s melodiotic voice was saying.

“Or maybe, spiders are just a type of  land octopus” Jungkook was really following Tae’s line of thinking, which made Namjoon certain these two would be best friends through thick and thin.

“What are you guys talking about?!” the sheer amount of scientific inaccuracy in that conversation was grinding Namjoon’s gears “Spiders are arthropods and octopi are a late branch of molluscs. The last common ancestor of cephalopods and vertebrates existed more than 500 million years ago. So, the common ancestor of arthropods split with molluscs way before spiders and octopi ever existed.”

The blank stares he got from the youngers made Namjoon rethink the little rant he went on.

“Hyung…” Jungkook looked soft before he started maniacally laughing

“Namjoon hyung, don’t interrupt us with your so called ‘facts’ while we are making some major breakthrough in science! Better yet: having a revelation!”

The elevator was full of employees leaving the museum at the same time as the last guests. Taehyung was still hoisted in Jungkook’s back when he emitted a tongue pop.

“Anyone knows how to diffuse a bomb?”

“Taehyung?! What the ?!” Jungkook said as he dropped his friend on the ground and immediately started looking for whatever might be wrong as if he could fight evil Spiderman style. Cute.

“Huh?” To Namjoon’s utter amazement neither Taehyung nor the employees on the elevator seemed phased by the previous bomb question  “I was just wondering. It’s weird to think that only some of us would be walking out of here alive... Oh, we’ve reached ground floor. Guess we are gonna live after all”

No time to wonder about the implications of that. Namjoon had a date with a very pissed off Yoongi to discuss the issue of an dude who was keeping the older’s most prized possession (his flashdrive with his latest music project) hostage all the while sending highly inappropriate and unrequited text messages. 

“Uh, guys?” Namjoon spoke “How do you feel about meeting again next week so we can discuss and rehearse the songs you’ll be singing for the club?”

“Sounds like a plan, hyung” Taehyung saluted.

“It’s a date, hyung!” Jungkook promptly blushed after saying that and Namjoon couldn’t help it by find it adorable.

Thus, Namjoon waved goodbye to the youngers who marched to the bus stop - Jungkook once again giving Taehyung a piggy back ride. 

-------

[Same day, later - HopeKook apartment]

"You're a lying, cheaTING, PIECE OF !" Hoseok's voice was rising in volume as he screamed, face becoming red as he stood up waving his index finger in front of the other's face. 

"And you are a liar who thinks they can get away with everything they do! WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD, BABY!" Raw anger shot through Taehyung's soulfull voice.

"Get out of my house! I don't ever wanna see your face in here ever again!" Hoseok was quivering with anger and Jungkook couldn't take it any longer, his two closest friends were fighting because of something he did.

"Okay...I think we should stop now." Jungkook moved to stand between them and used that moment to pick up the Monopoly board that was resting on the coffee table, although now all the pieces were scattered across the floor “How do we keep getting into these situations?” He sighed.

“Nine years of friendship and I still don’t know, Kook”. Hoseok had got up to have some sort of height advantage (men and their pissing contests...sigh) and was stretching as he was measuring Taehyung up and down.

“I hereby acknowledge your monopoly abilities”. At least Taehyung was a gracious loser and got up as well to give a 90 degrees bow to the man before him. “I’ve been cheating since the dawn of times, but you were able to spot it every time”

“Not like it was really difficult” Jungkook scoffed “You’re terrible cheater” 

“But at least I’m a creative one” Taehyung’s face expressions and winks were his weapons of choice to confuse and distract others. It didn’t work on the two highly competitive best friends though. “Man! Minnie is so much easier to trick and seduce than you two. My pride is hurt”

Hoseok scoffed. Jungkook’s eyes rolled. They all laughed until they didn’t even remember what they were even laughing about in the first place.

“We should hang out one day. Hobi and I, and you and this Minnie person you keep referencing all the time.” Jungkook had hopes. Hopes of meeting new people. Hopes of expanding both his social circle and experiences. Hoseok and Taehyung seemed to have hit it off immediately and if Taehyung’s kindred spirit was half as nice as Tae made the other sound, Jungkook knew they could all be friends.

“That sounds like the ultimate playdate” Hoseok could be condescending when he wanted to be.

“You’re a meanie Hobi-hyung” Jungkook his bottom lip inside his mouth, chewed on it a bit and then mumbled “At least it would be a date…” 

“What do you mean by that? Kookie! Have you not been on a college date yet?”. 

Did Taehyung read minds? 

“Yes, I do read minds! And I do tarots as a side gig” Boxy grin was out in full display “Reading hands is kinda useless but I can bring the person you love back to you in 24 hours if you pay me enough and provide me with a lock of their hair and some crickets” 

Jungkook’s bright doe-like eyes bulged out of his skulls. Sad thing is, the boy wasn’t 100% sure if Taehyung was kidding or not. If there was a person who could do all those things, it would be Kim Taehyung.

“No, dummy, you were just very obvious about it” Hoseok said as he was gathering pizza boxes and soda cans from the coffee table and taking them to the trash can on the kitchen. “Which reminds me, Kookie.” Oh no! everytime Hoseok tilted his head down and smiled sideways meant he had an idea, it was often a bad one on Jungkook’s end. “How do you feel about a blind date? There’s this new acquaintance of mine...he might have been interested in you when I showed him your instagram”

“Oh...n-” Jungkook was notoriously not good at meeting new people, especially not through blind dates. Especially not now that he had just had a not-date with a certain mentor (Taehyung was there too...maybe...Jungkook’s focus had been narrow that afternoon) and not now that there was a not-date scheduled for next week. But he didn’t get to finish his negative before Taehyung was screaming.

“I dare you to accept it!”

“Oh no, you didn’t” Hoseok was back in the small living room and although the content of what he said was supposed to be apprehensive, he seemed rather excited rubbing his hands together like the Devil. “We take dares very seriously in this fam, Taetae”

“I’ll do it!” Jungkook had never been one to back away from a challenge, his competitiveness wouldn’t let him do such a thing. “What is my reward for doing it?”

“If the date is a success and you ask the guy’s number and he gives it to you by the end of it...I’ll...I’ll throw you a private puppet show!” Taehyung’s cousin reminded Jungkook of a corgi. Taehyung himself was more of an overly excited golden retriever puppy. Maybe it’s a family thing.

“That sounds like a punishment...the scary type of punishment” Hoseok has always been a scaredy cat (and Jungkook would forever give him crap because of it) and he was wary of any dolls that moved since he saw the first Saw movie. 

“My babies are not scary” Taehyung sounded dramaturgically outraged “It took too much time, effort and love from my part to birth and raise my babies for you, sir, to call them scary!”

“Wait. You birthed and raised puppets?” Thank the Lord and heavens up above that Jungkook was blessed with a beautiful singing voice, drawing skills and a general ability to be good in everything he tried. Otherwise he wouldn’t survive in the world with his 3 remaining brain cells.

“I am not gonna acknowledge that question of yours. But I do have a video of me birthing my 7 children in case you wanna see it to the amazing soundtrack song ‘Si tu n’étais pas là’ of  Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain”. Taehyung said (with his terrible French accent) as he was already pulling up his phone from the back pocket of his jeans.

“STAHP! Oh god please stop! I bet that’s like the birth scene from the Alien. Just tell us what Kookie will have to do if he fails his date”. Hoseok’s voice came out muffled for he had already buried his face on the couch in order to escape the video.

“Your lost. It was the most magical day of my life. Giving birth really changed me into a better human” Taehyung said as he shrugged his shoulders “But...Hm. Hmmm. Hmmmmmmm” Taehyung was dragging the hums out on purpose. Drama queen. “I’ll choose your Halloween outfit and you can’t say no”

“I feel like my life and reputation are being threatened right now” Jungkook knew Taehyung’s fashion sense was, for lack of a proper word, “edgy”.

“Are you gonna chicken out, Jungkookie?” a coy and patronizing smile adorned Taehyung’s face.

“NEVER!” Jungkook screamed so loudly that a knocking was heard from the ceiling, like their upstairs neighbor wasn’t happy with the amount of noise they had been making. Jungkook didn’t want to risk upsetting Namjoon, so he lowered his voice and continued “I’m gonna win this!” even if the idea of a date with someone other than Namjoon ain’t appealing at all...

“4A’s got some nerve complaining about our noise. IT’S NOT EVEN 10pm YET, !” Hoseok shouted so loudly, Jungkook was certain Namjoon had heard through the walls. Great. How to face him later on?! Would a 100 pages long apology letter on his roommate's poor behavior be enough? 

“Anyway, Tae. How come you have 7 puppets?”

“It’s my minor. The great Pupper Arts” Taehyung said as his jazz hands made an appearance “I thought about minoring in Mortuary Sciences since I had Forensics class in high school...but there were no more empty spots” Taehyung seemed really bumped by that, so Hoseok moved to pat his back but the blue haired boy continued with a smile on his face “Anyways, what would your tombstone say?”

“I’m too young and fierce to be thinking about that” Jungkook replied.

“I hope when I inevitably choke to death on gummy bears people just say I was killed by bears and leave it at that” Hoseok answered in a serious manner while holding his chin on his hand and nodding.

“Tae...do you...I mean you don’t have to, but...do you wanna sleep over? It’s getting kinda late” Jungkook said after checking his phone.

“Yes! But I’m sleeping with you! Cuddling is the fastest way to-”

Taehyung’s answer was cut short by a ping from his phone. Jungkook watched as the other unlocked his phone, frowned his brows and pursed his lips as if he was a kid who just got reprimanded.

“Sorry guys, I’m gonna have to go.” Tae said as he got up and put his phone on his back pocket “We’re rescheduling that cuddling nap for later, Kook. My assistant shall get in contact in the next 3-5 working days”

Some good byes, good nights and a night skincare routine later, Jungkook was finally ready to go to sleep as he cocooned himself in his blanket when he heard beats coming from 4A, he didn’t know the song nor the singer, but the lyrics hung heavy in the air.

What a state

I get wound up, from the ground up

And I don't know why

Turn the sound up, drown the noise out

Swallow (whoa), don't cry

Got an anxious heart, and it's stone made

Can't take paper or heartbreak

Did Billy Joel have self esteem?

Maybe Vienna wouldn't wait for me

Did Namjoon really feel the same way as the singer or did he just enjoy the melody and rhythm of it? What might have happened between the end of their museum (not) date to put him in such a mood?

I just want time in a tree

I need a place just for me

Somewhere that I can be free

Keep the faith and just be

What you'll be

Jungkook’s heart sank a bit. He’d have to find a happy song to sing to Namjoon on their next encounter.

-------

(22:37) Diminnie:

bro

I thought we were soulmates 3

but...you forgot about me :(

all day long

D:

(22:37) Taelicious:

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo 3

Minnie <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

i-i...i was just spending time with Kook and his bestie

and they invited me to stay over

(22:38) Diminnie:

eye see

u’ve already ditched me for other people T_T

(22:39) Taelicious:

how could I ever?

you know what...im omw home right now

prepare to be crushed by cuddles my bro

<3

(22:40) Diminnie:

i stay ready so i dont have to get ready bro

<3