Honestly, it hurts Taehyung even more seeing Jungkook like that for the past month. He didn’t want to stay away from Jungkook that long, maybe a week or two, but every time he remembers that goddamn text, Taehyung decides to just keep his distance.

It was an honest mistake, and Taehyung appreciates the fact that Jungkook admitted what he did and that he was wrong. If Jungkook had dragged it and made up lame excuses, Taehyung would have left, but maybe Jungkook is worth of second chances.

The diagnostic center is idle; the influx of patients coming to a lull, and Taehyung contemplates to go to the clinic now so he won’t be wasting any more time. He bids goodbye to his workers, leaving them some lunch money because he’s a considerate boss, and drives away.

As he runs on a red light, he gets a text from Jungkook asking if he already ate lunch. Taehyung wouldn’t answer but he really wants to, say that he haven’t had lunch yet, but then again, he drops it.  He’s been debating with himself—does he forgive Jungkook already because it’s been too long, or just pretend he’s still mad so Jungkook can get a taste of his own medicine? Taehyung isn’t completely heartless. Jungkook hurt him, Jungkook apologized, and Taehyung, after weeks and weeks of letting the damage wreck him, realized that maybe he should just accept Jungkook again and move on.

So this is their first ever major fight, he gets it, it happens. They were honestly both at fault—Jungkook cheated, and Taehyung got too immersed with his job leaving Jungkook feeling neglected. And Taehyung knows better than to keep Jungkook hung up. He’s perfectly capable of being mature at times like this so he decides that today he’ll forgive Jungkook and come back home.

As soon as he rounds the corner, Taehyung sees Jungkook waiting by the small bench outside the clinic—his now ash brown hair is hard to miss, and who looks that handsome in plain office attire? Taehyung gulps, because Jungkook is holding a bouquet of assorted flowers all in pastel colors in one hand and a paper bag of Taehyung’s favorite tonkatsu in another. From afar, the flowers look so pretty, and Taehyung will never admit that he likes them because it, quote unquote, degrades his masculinity. But Jungkook knows him better than he knows himself.

Jungkook finally notices Taehyung’s approaching car. He stands up, straightening his tie as if it was askew in the first place, looking so nervous as if he’s going on his first date. Taehyung thinks its cute.

“Hey,” Jungkook calls out when Taehyung was close enough.

“Hi.” Oh god, Taehyung is talking to him right now and he doesn’t seem angry. It was just a simple ‘hi’, but Jungkook felt too ecstatic to even reply.

When Jungkook goes back to his senses, he stutters. “O-oh, um, these…these are for you.” He offers the bouquet and paper bag to Taehyung who accepts it with a small smile.

“Thanks.” He sighs. “Jungkook, I—“ He pauses. It would be awkward to have their reunion moment now in a public place, more so Taehyung’s work place. That would be so unprofessional. He doesn’t want the moment to last for a few seconds before it’s broken again, so Taehyung decides, “I’ll see you later.”

When Taehyung goes inside without another word, Jungkook is left dumbfounded because what the just happened. It takes five seconds before it sinks in and Jungkook nearly crumbles there and then. I’ll see you later. “Tae!”

Jungkook peeks into Taehyung’s office through the open blinds. There’s a patient, but Taehyung is writing prescriptions on the pad with a smile. But it’s not just any other smile. Jungkook knows that smile, he’s seen that on many occasions—dates, movie nights, when they cuddle on a rainy evening, after , before , hospital , when Taehyung’s . It’s a special kind of smile reserved only for him, and Jungkook likes to think that they’re okay. He’s okay.

Jungkook stands there for a bit more, adoring Taehyung from afar with his heart beating madly in his chest. The patient, an old lady, says something that makes Taehyung laugh. It reaches his eyes, and Jungkook smiles to himself because one of the best things in the world for him is seeing Taehyung laugh. Taehyung leands forward to whisper something to the old lady, and Jungkook wouldn’t know what it is, but the next thing he knows the old lady is coming out of the clinic, walking towards him.

“You probably want to cook dinner tonight, young man.” She giggles and hails a cab.

The first thing Sehun says to Jungkook upon seeing him is “I didn’t know you smoked pot.” How he said that while carrying a tower of files that reaches his eyes is beyond Jungkook. Then again, maybe Sehun is the one smoking pot.

“I don’t know what you mean.” Jungkook replied, shrugging off Sehun’s lame attempt at a conversation.

“’I don’t know what you mean’ says the guy who’s been smiling to himself like a ing lunatic.” Is Sehun’s reply before he disappears to the corner where the Xerox machine is.

Jungkook wouldn’t know, but someone pointed it out so he must really be smiling to himself like a ing lunatic, as how Sehun phrased it. Maybe he needs a little more time absorbing the fact that he’s been forgiven, or not, or whatever. He can’t really be bothered by that. But they’re okay, and Jungkook has dreamt of this too many times and now it finally happened.

There are ten or so documents that he needs to read and approve, but before diving into his pile of work to do, Jungkook checks his phone and sees a Kakao from Taehyung. It’s a photo of the flowers and lunch that Jungkook gave with a series of hearts and I love you stickers. It’s so like Taehyung to talk with stickers rather than words. Jungkook smiles to himself again, the force of it nearly splitting his face in half. He’s a man in love and he’s going to remember that until the day he dies.

One mistake is all Jungkook needs. He’s so done with everything else he doesn’t need more -ups in the future, that’s for sure. He plans that he and Taehyung stay this way until time permits. Taehyung—his love, his home, his everything. That may or may not be the cheesiest Jungkook can ever think of, but Taehyung is worth a hundred and one cheesy and a thousand and one more.

Work be damned. Jungkook is sure he can take one or two overtimes for that. He proceeds to Google on how to make the most amazing three-course meal because he’s sure that’s what the old lady had told him earlier is something related with Taehyung.

The suggestions are mainly French dishes, he’s not really sure, but there are an abundance of words that are written in English and he’s pretty sure he wouldn’t understand 99% of it. Is that Russian? He doesn’t know any other skewers besides Korean streetfood, tteokbokki on a stick and that potato on a stick they sell at Namsan. Are lambs supposed to go on a stick? Jungkook wouldn’t know. He doesn’t know any other foreign cuisine besides burgers and pizza so he concludes that Googling is useless and he can’t cook for so it’s breakfast for dinner. He’s plenty sure he couldn’t up eggs, bacon, and pancakes. Taehyung loves his pancakes with bacon, blueberries, and tiny cheese cubes. It’s a weird concoction Jungkook came up with some two years ago because they ran out of supplies and Jungkook tried to combine everything in one dish. Thus, the weird pancake. But Taehyung loved it to the point where he asked Jungkook to cook it for breakfast for one straight week.

Jungkook leaves work early to go grocery shopping. Their pantry is empty for the past two weeks and needed restocking. Maybe Jungkook will buy all the unhealthy stuff Taehyung likes to eat despite knowing that it’ll up his health—Lay’s, Choco Pie, etc etc. Taehyung will be delighted because he couldn’t eat those while staying at Seokjin’s house.

Jungkook smiles to himself again, tuning out his supervisor’s protest of ‘where the hell are you going Jeon Jungkook?’ before creating a mental list of all the things he needs to buy for dinner.

Jungkook was just starting to set up the table after finishing his cooking when the door opens and in his arms is a live Taehyung. “Baby, I missed you.”

Jungkook nearly dropped the plate, because Taehyung is here and Taehyung is in his arms and Taehyung misses him. It takes a moment for Jungkook to put the plate down and embrace Taehyung back but Taehyung doesn’t notice that, too busy basking in the warmth of Jungkook’s neck. “Hi. I missed you too, Tae. So ing much.” Jungkook replies, hoisting Taehyung up so he can hold him properly.

There is silence—Jungkook breathing in Taehyung’s scent and Taehyung leaving tiny kisses on Jungkook’s shoulder.

Jungkook had pictured this moment in his head a hundred times over the past couple of weeks, but instead of this, he was thinking their reunion would be more awkward, more fragile, and Taehyung wouldn’t be all over him in an instant. But Jungkook’s mind drifts to what Taehyung said once, about one year ago during their anniversary dinner. “I think we’re soulmates. One day we’re going to part ways, you know, the inevitable. But that doesn’t matter because if that ever happened, we’ll always find our way back to each other.” And Jungkook thinks he’s right.

It takes him a second to pull away, cupping Taehyung’s face in his hands before kissing him. It felt so right, and Jungkook doesn’t hesitate to lean it for more, more because he thinks it will never be enough. Taehyung notices the desperation and kisses back with as much fervor, his arms winding around Jungkook’s neck to pull him closer. It’s been so long, really, and Jungkook didn’t know he’d miss it that much—not only the kissing, but Taehyung’s entire presence.

When Taehyung pulls away, he his lips and smiles. It knocks Jungkook off of his feet every time. “So breakfast for dinner, I see?” Taehyung murmurs against Jungkook’s lips.

“Well…this is the only meal I couldn’t possibly up. Pizza?”

“Half-pepperoni and half-garlic shrimp?” Taehyung asks, hopeful.

 But tonight, Jungkook gives Taehyung all reign, including his favorite pizza flavor because Taehyung won’t ever be satisfied with just half a box of garlic shrimp. That’s about four big slices but Taehyung has monster appetite. “How about we go full garlic shrimp tonight?”

“But you hate garlic shrimp.” Taehyung reasons.

“I don’t care. It’s all yours.”

Taehyung has this affectionate gaze, and Jungkook doesn’t think he’ll fall for any other person besides Taehyung in his lifetime.

Dinner was a very fun affair, but it’s mostly just Taehyung animatedly talking about his past month while Jungkook sincerely listens, laughing and throwing comments here and there. Besides, it’s Taehyung who has the more exciting life between the two of them. Jungkook’s desk job isn’t really amusing, so he has nothing to offer besides a few office gossips. Taehyung asks about Sehun and Jungkook replies with ‘still the same douchebag’ and Taehyung goes back to talking about little kids with bronchitis and blood samples.

They do the dishes together, Jungkook washing and Taehyung drying. Taehyung’s chatter is still not dying down, and Jungkook would rather have it this way instead of coming home to an empty apartment. When Taehyung finishes his story about the broken vending machine, Jungkook ushers them both to their bedroom, and Taehyung immediately declares that he missed their bed.

“It’s not the same without you here.” Jungkook blurts out of reflex, and Taehyung gives him a soft, warm smile before leaning in and kissing Jungkook.

“I’m gonna take a shower. You go set up the movie.”

Jungkook goes for a romcom that Taehyung really likes, something called 27 Dresses. Taehyung has watched the movie enough times but Jungkook concludes that he will never get sick of it, so Jungkook picks it up from the pile of DVDs that they own.

Taehyung emerges from the shower moments later, motioning for Jungkook to step in and take his shower.

Later when they’re cuddled up in bed and Taehyung is quietly sobbing at the end of the movie, Jungkook quietly hushes Taehyung with tiny, little kisses. Taehyung sobers up, cuddling closer to Jungkook. “That movie really—“

“Yes, I know.” Jungkook chuckles. Same, old Taehyung who likes romcoms and sci-fi but hates action and horror movies. Their movie interests are very different, but Jungkook will let Taehyung squeal and then cry over romcoms anytime if he gets to kiss him better and dry his tears.

“Babe?”

“Hm?”

“I…I want to tell you something.”

Taehyung settles in, ready to crash but Jungkook knows he’s listening. “Go ahead.”

“I…I just want to tell you that what I did was really stupid. I was stupid. I know it hurt you bigtime and I understand if your trust for me cracked in some ways. But I just want you to know that it will never happen again, because the past month has been nothing but hell without you here, knowing you were angry with me with every fiber of your being. I couldn’t stand it, and I realized that you are the best thing that ever happened to me. And I love you. So much.”

Taehyung doesn’t say anything for a while, and Jungkook is alarmed, but before Jungkook can even panic, Taehyung speaks up. “Yeah it was stupid. I honestly did not expect that from you. But it happens, Jungkook. No matter how many times I tell you that you’re perfect, you’re not. It’s okay. It was an honest mistake. I really appreciate that you did not make up lame excuses to cover up your fault. But just promise me one thing.”

“Anything.”

“Just promise you’ll always be mine.” Taehyung requests, and Jungkook gives him an ‘are-you-kidding-face’ that easily falls into a soft, affectionate gaze when Taehyung pouts.

“Silly. I’ve always been yours. Always gonna be yours.”

--

i finished it, wow