Taehyung:

            “Will she be at Namjoon's?” he had asked in hope that maybe if he said it aloud—she would be there. He was worried for her, a lot. What if she cried? How much had she cried?

Yoongi hummed before answering. “I’m not sure. Jimin did say Hobi did go to her place. He may be able to convince her to show up. You know she cannot resist his happiness. Why? Are you anxious to see our princess?”

“I just want to see her.”

“Kim Taehyung, you see her every day. Are you finally admitting that you need her like we need air to survive?”

Taehyung sighed, usually he would counter it but Yoongi had made truthful points. “It's just that if I can’t see her and need to avoid her—I want to be able to talk to her and be with her when no one will be watching my every move.”

“I’ll see what I can do Romeo. For the meantime, can you stop looking so gloomy? This is the first time we’ll be seeing Jin in months.”

He was looking down thinking about Joy and how she must be feeling having seen Sungjae again. Nevertheless, once he faced Yoongi he plastered on the brightest smile. He could at least fake it—even if he was dying on the inside because his friend was telling him to keep from meeting with one of his best friends if not his best friend.

Walking in and seeing Jin was a lot more liberating than he thought it would be. He had missed his older friend who he had not seen for a long time. Kim Seokjin was someone that he always looked up to. A doctor in the making and handsome to boot. If he ever had a role model—it had always been Jin.

Taehyung could not fake it too much though but gladly Jimin even though he hated having to explain himself as to why he was taken by the appearance of Joohyun. He just was and even the girls he would occasionally kiss—hoping Joy would never find out—couldn’t compare to how it was looking at the new girl. Luckily for him, Jin spoke out about having experienced something similar to him and on that day—he felt a heck of a lot less left out that he wasn’t the only one who experienced such things.

Jin was going to leave it up to fate and Taehyung only smiled at that. Although that smile did not, last when he found out Jungkook had asked Joy out and she agreed. He didn’t even know when that took place. He was going to say something about it but bit his tongue and refrained when he realized he was about to call her his. She didn’t belong to him and somehow that was a bitter thought. More bitter than he would have liked it to be. He had to remember to let her date and then he would be less teased than before. Besides, there was the new girl Joohyun. It was now a mantra to himself.

He still didn’t like the idea of Jungkook and Joy or that he was going to hog her the day before her birthday. If that was the case, he was going to spend her birthday with her and not even Yoongi could stop him because it was tradition, and he never broke tradition for Joy.

The passcode entered sounded and he anticipated what would happen. Yoongi had been on the phone before they made it up to Namjoon's apartment. He must have done something like he had promised because Yoongi had somehow made it possible for Joy to come. He wasn’t sure what he told Hoseok or what Hoseok told Joy, but they made it.

When he saw her, he couldn’t help but automatically stand up. Her eyes were still slightly red. She had cried. Sungjae had made her cry and he wanted to hit him once again. It wouldn’t be the first time he beat Sungjae up.

Upon seeing her wave and say hi, he took steps towards her. He had tunnel vision; all he could see was Joy and no one else. He took her into his embrace and felt as she tried to push him off. He sighed, having closed his eyes.

“At least allow me to comfort you in some way, Sooyoungie. You must have been hurt and I wasn’t there again. I’m sorry.”

He felt her go soft and hug him back. He breathed in her scent and tightened his grip. She always had a faint smell of strawberry from her shampoo. It was his favorite smell, if he allowed himself to admit it. Strawberries were a comfort to her. She was a comfort to him.

“Tae, I still need to tell you something.” He could hear her whisper. She was probably biting her lip. A habit when she was nervous.

“I’ll listen. No matter what. Just know—just know you can tell me anything and I’ll always listen no matter what.”

By then he pulled back and cupped her cheeks. Her eyes shone so brightly, trying to catch his lie. When she didn’t see anything, the fear in her eyes still didn’t leave. So, he pulled her forward to place a kiss on her forehead. He could hear Jungkook complain. Taehyung ignored it considering no one else even said anything but that was because all of them were used to it. He finally pulled back and Namjoon was already dragging Jin towards them and shoving him aside.

“Joy, remember my friend I told you about? The smart one we semi met. This is him: Kim Seokjin.” Namjoon placed Jin in front of Joy.

Taehyung didn’t realize he was glaring or that he hated seeing how Joy's cheeks flushed at being in front of Jin. He was positive he did not like the words that came out of or how Jin held the hand way too long for a simple handshake and Joy just let him.

“Wow. You’re extremely handsome.” Joy blurted out and this time Jin blushed.

“I’m more handsome.” Taehyung countered.

“No, you’re not Kim Tae.” Joy countered back and that hurt—his ego was injured.

Taehyung slid up next to Joy and pulled her shoulder close him as he wrapped his arm around her. He smiled his boxy smile to his friends—again Jungkook was mumbling something under his breath—and then spoke to mainly Namjoon but everyone else by default. “Hey Joon, Joy has to tell me something—can we start the movie afterwards?”

Taehyung hoped Namjoon wouldn’t say no, and he didn’t. “I don’t care what you two do. If you’re going to talk all serious or what not you can either talk in my room or in the hall.”

He turned to Joy who mouthed “now" and he nodded. “Hall or the room?”

“Room.” She spun around out of his hold and headed to the room.

Taehyung caught how Hoseok made a gesture towards Joy and he followed behind. He only stopped when Jungkook stood up and blocked his way with his arms spread open.

“You’re just friends, right?” he nodded. “You better not lie to me about it cuz that would be a jerk move if you suddenly decide to just take her from me.”

Taehyung was confused and just walked past Jungkook to the room. How was he to take her from him? He was the one