In which Taehyung owns a pet shop and Jungkook is really clumsy

*

Taehyung sighed inwardly as yet another possible customer walked straight past his pet shop

These days, everyone was too busy with things like technology

The young faces that used to be pressed up against his pet shop window were now pressed against the window of the apple store. The footsteps he heard around the shop were replaced with steady ones and the sound of the newest game on the app store

He still made enough money to be comfortable but he misses conversing with different kind of people. Nowadays, he only got visits from old cat ladies (who seemed to adore him) and the occasional parent

He strolled away from the counter and did his hourly round to make sure all his animals were okay before he stopped in front of his favourite pet...

'Hello, squishy! How's my favourite bunny today?' He cooed sweetly as he picked up the furry creature and rocked it gently in his arms, 'shall we go get a snack for you? Shall we?' 

Taehyung finished checking up on all the animals and then quickly checked the street before skipping into the back room where all the pet food was

 'Okay, I gave you 3 carrots yesterday...so today...I'll give you 4! This means that no one will want to buy you because you're too chubby so I can keep you forever!' He squeezed the rabbit adoringly before grabbing a few carrots from his inventory

He was about to start feeding them to squishy when he heard a loud yelp followed by a crash coming from the shop

Setting down the carrots and picking up squishy calmly, he rushed into the shop to find a boy on the floor as well as a few bird cages that had been opened due to the crash, meaning that some of his budgies had escaped

'YAH!' He cried out as he set squishy down on the counter and ran towards the boy, half helping him up and half yanking him up, 'What the hell is wrong with you?!' 

The disorientated boy looked around dizzily before making eye contact with Taehyung, 'Sorry, mister...I didn't mean to let your birds escape...' 

As he looked closer at the boy, Taehyung couldn't help but find him really cute. But this may have been because the boy reminded Taehyung of squishy with his bunny teeth and round eyes.

'You know you'll have to pay for everything you've broken, right? And judging from this mess...' Taehyung looked at the broken cages to the broken corner of the countertop, 'it will come up to around ₩800,000'

The boy's face contorted with anger, 'JEON JUNGKOOK! Why the hell are you so clumsy, huh?! Your mother's gonna kill you! You still have those stupid student loans to pay off!' The boy finished shouting at himself and Taehyung awkwardly cleared his throat, 'I'm sorry about this, kid...but I have to make a living, too...'

Taehyung was just about to go get a piece of paper to give the boy his bank number but was stopped by the boy clinging onto his leg, 'Please let me off the hook, ahjussi! PLEASEE' 

'YAH, PUNK, GET OFF ME!' He tried to shake the boy off but failed miserably

'I'LL DO ANYTHING! JUST DON'T MAKE ME HAVE TO TELL MY MOTHER!

'Kid, how old are you?' He asked

'I'm...22...' he whispered and Taehyung burrowed his eyebrows in confusion

How the hell is this kid 22?!

'Are you kidding?'

'No!' The boy exclaimed, finally letting go of Taehyung's leg and standing in front of him, 'I'm Jeon Jungkook, fresh out of Seoul University. I was born in Busan on the 1st of September 1997 a-'

'Look, I don't need your life story, I just want to make sure that you're gonna pay me back and then I want to go look for those goddamn birds'

'If I help you find the birds will you pleaaaaase let me off the hook?' The boy got hold of Taehyung's hands and held them in his own, 'Pretty please?'

Taehyung scoffed. 'Those budgies are 8 inches long and this city is 605km squared...you aren't going to find them' 

'I was part of the Boy Scouts when I was younger and I excelled in navigating'

'Well I excelled in finger painting in kindergarten but I'm no Picasso...just give up kid and pay me' Taehyung quickly wrote his bank number down and handed the piece of paper to the younger boy, 'take it'

'Just give me the rest of the day' the boy persisted, looking up at the older with puppy eyes which contrasted with his bunny teeth

'Fine. But I'm coming with you but only because I don't want any of them to die when you try to hold them'

'Thanks hyung!'

'Yah, why are you being so informal?!'

'Because I like you, hyung' Jungkook cooed as he gave the older a hug

'YAH!' Taehyung cried, pushing the younger away and walking out of the store to prevent jungkook from seeing his reddening cheeks

*

Taehyung had spent approximately 2 hours with the boy and he had taken a...liking to him. That was all. It most definitely wasn't a developing crush...or at least that's what Taehyung tried to tell himself

'Ahjussi...I'm hungry!' Jungkook whined and Taehyung rolled his eyes

'I bought you some odeng earlier! And stop calling me ahjussi...I'm only 2 years older than you!' 

'Really? I thought you were waaaay older!' 

'Okay, just to clear everything up, My name is Kim Taehyung - Not ahjussi. I was born in Daegu on the 30th of December 1995 and I own the pet shop you recently wrecked'

'Well then...hyunggggg, I want japchae and bulgogi'

'Fine. But we're giving up on searching for the budgies...I'm exhausted from walking'

*

'I really am sorry for losing your budgies, hyung. I'll just man up and tell my mother. But just know, if I die in her hands, it's your fault' Jungkook pouted as Taehyung chuckled slightly, 'Hyung! You just laughed!'

'So what? I laugh all the time' he said as he reached forward and placed more noodles on his plate and also separating the beef between the two of them

'Yeah but not with me'

That's because I'm trying to deny how much I actually like you...

'Anyway, you look really cute when you smile, hyung' Jungkook whispered quietly

Taehyung could feel his cheeks reddening for the 14th time that afternoon and murmured a 'shut up and eat, you punk' to the younger before looking down at the table to hide his smile

*

'Well, hyung...thanks for the food and for spending the day with me! Taehyung hyung, you're the best!' Jungkook gave him a cute thumbs up before turning on his heel and walking away

Taehyung bit his lip nervously as he thought through his plan again and again

'JEON JUNGKOOK!' He shouted after the boy before he could stop himself, 'HOW ABOUT YOU START WORKING AT MY SHOP TO PAY OFF YOUR DEBT?' 

Taehyung could just see the bunny toothed smile appear on the younger's face 'IT'S A PLAN, HYUNG! I'LL SEE YOU TOMORROW!' Jungkook gave an excited little wave and Taehyung turned away shyly, unable to take the smile off of his face as he thought about seeing Jeon Jungkook each and every day