Jungkook reached for the top shelf, centimeters away from the pasta box when a hand snatched it away.

 

He jerked his head towards the thief with a frown on his face because who does that?

 

“Hey, fancy seeing you here,” Taehyung greeted, flashing a blinding smile.

 

Jungkook sighed and held his palm out. “Can I have it?’

 

Taehyung tilted his head, looking confused. “What?”

 

“You took that out of my grasp on purpose, right?”

 

“I kid you not. I actually need it,” Taehyung said as he threw the box into his cart. “My mom wants to make pasta today.”

 

“Oh,” Jungkook replied dumbly, “Nevermind.” He quickly grabbed another pasta box and strode past Taehyung to get to the checkout.

 

When he placed the tomato sauce and pasta box onto the conveyor belt, the cashier smiled at him. “Did you find everything okay?” he asked as he scanned the items.

 

“Yeah.” Jungkook gave a smile back.

 

“That will be $3.40.”

 

Jungkook gave him $5, took the change and the items, and marched out of the store. He didn’t get very far before the sound of ruffling grocery bags and thudding footsteps followed him.

 

He didn’t have to turn around to know who it was. 

 

“So, you live here?” Taehyung started, his shoulders now touching Jungkook’s shoulders.

 

Jungkook narrowed his eyes at Taehyung, but Taehyung probably couldn’t see them anyway in the dark.

 

“So, yes or no?” Taehyung pressed when Jungkook ignored him.

 

“Why?”

 

“Just ‘cause. So. Yes or no?”

 

“Yeah,” Jungkook gave in. “I reckon you do, too?”

 

“No, I’m just following you.”

 

Jungkook stopped. “Why are you following me?”

 

“Because I can.” Taehyung stepped forward so he was in front of Jungkook. “Why can’t I?”

 

“Because that makes you a stalker.” Jungkook didn’t remember knowing anyone who had stalker tendencies. Or maybe he was mistaken about Taehyung all along.

 

“I can’t be a stalker if I’m going to be your future lover.”

 

Jungkook choked on air and froze in place. “Wh-What?”

 

Taehyung walked forward, whistling carefreely into the air. He halted and looked back. “Aren’t you coming?”

 

Jungkook blinked and rubbed his eyes. This wasn’t a dream. 

 

When Taehyung kept on walking farther and farther into the wrong neighborhood, Jungkook caught up to the other and dragged him to a small alleyway. “Not that way. It’s this way.”

 

Taehyung wrapped his free arm around Jungkook’s shoulder naturally and said happily, “That’s right. Introduce me to your parents-”

 

Jungkook silenced Taehyung with a hand over his mouth. “You’re not going to enter my house.”

 

Taehyung whined behind the hand and waved his hands about. 

 

“Promise me you won’t, and I’ll release my hand,” Jungkook said. 

 

The gray-haired man quickly nodded his head, and Jungkook let go.

 

“I won’t,” Taehyung promised. “Not today.”

 

“No, don’t come... Please,” Jungkook added for emphasis. He didn’t want Taehyung anywhere inside his house… ever.

 

The lamp post was close enough for Jungkook to see the questioning look on Taehyung’s face.

 

“Just don’t,” Jungkook said firmly, hoping that Taehyung would back off.

 

After a long silence, Taehyung nodded and said, “Okay.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

Taehyung smiled. “Anything for you, my dear.”

 

Jungkook cringed at the nickname. “Please don’t call me that,” he said, scrunching his face up.

 

“I know you like it, my dear,” Taehyung grinned mischievously from ear to ear, and Jungkook’s heart beat just a bit faster because that playful grin - he knew that grin.

 

He didn’t get to question it when the familiar house popped into his vision. “We’re here.”

 

“Where?”

 

“My house.”

 

“You live here?”
 

Standing here with Taehyung, who had an unreadable expression on his face, Jungkook saw the houses for the first time after so long. They were all small and old, the pale paint coming off in every wall. He hadn’t noticed the horrible conditions after seeing the same scene for past years. When he looked at Taehyung with his pure gray hair and model-like figure, Jungkook knew the other shouldn’t be here - shouldn’t even be breathing in the air here.

 

He gently pushed Taehyung’s arm off of his shoulder and forced a smile. “Bye,” he said before he ran to his house, unlocking and closing the door quickly.

 

With his back against the door, Jungkook shut his eyes, replaying Taehyu