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His major concern in life sounds dumb, he's perfectly aware. Still he can't help it, humans are stupid creatures anyway. Which is why his life mission is to become an alien.
The only thing that stops him is that outer space is even further away from the one he likes the most.
worlds apart.
Taehyung's been brought up on a diet of fairy tales and cheesy romantic flicks. They are so sweet, and there's always a happily ever after, no matter whatever people have to overcome to get to a perfect ending. He finds it so beautiful,the way two individuals become one and complete each other.
Hoseok calls him a sop. He's probably right, but Taehyung doesn't care. He's spent a good sixteen years not giving a damn about society and isn't going to suddenly start caring about what people think. After all, he's just an awkward teenager with occasional acne outbreaks and dreams of a sweet relationship. He thinks he's completely entitled to living a little in fantasy land before real issues-like feeding himself- become part of the picture.
Hell, he doesn't even actually like anybody yet. He sucks at math, but the odds are clearly not in his favour. There are seven billion people in this world over -- countries.
Finding the one he likes the most seems so impossible, considering they could literally be worlds apart.
minds apart
It first occurs to Taehyung soon after freshmen year- that the odds are more in his favour than he first thought. So many girls and boys around him hooking up, indulging in puppy love so cute he wants to squeal (although some are downright disgusting and wants to sock some people in the jaw). And even though he's grown of his bad acne and terrible haircut, deep down he still feels like an outcast. He's supposedly cute, and it's partly because he's silly when he thinks differently from the "normal" people. Hoseok tells him not to think too much into it, but it continues to nag at him.
He's different, he realises, and the way he thinks just isn't ordinary. Some people will never understand him but still follow him because he's cute, and no matter how much he wishes to think like a normal person he just can't.
Conceptually,he understands that stuffed lions are not the normal items high school boys leave on their table. But at least Lili's cleaner than the muddied footballs and dirtied basketballs the boys casually dump on the table as a status symbol.
But not everyone is as understanding as Hoseok when it comes to this, and what if the one he likes the most doesn't like him the way he is?
years apart
Okay, he exaggerates. It's only one year apart, but it might as well be the world.
He still remembers the fourth day of school after the new freshmen came in, at exactly nine seventeen in the morning. A guy with black hair that browns towards the end accidentally walks into his geography class, and he remembers his cute confusion and the way he so sincerely apologized for the disturbance, the adorable fluster on his face and his remarkable self assuredness despite it.
Later, through Hoseok whom really deserves a Best Friend Forever medal, he discovers that said guy is a certain Jeon Jungkook. A freshman. He wants to cry, even though he's already guessed so since there is no way he had not noticed him in this school for so long.
It sucks so much. Why can't they e the same age so he could maybe one day hope of studying in the same class as him and maybe get to know him better than "that adorable freshman whom I have a giant crush on who doesn't even know my name". He can't even randomly go up to him in the cafeteria to say hi when they have literally nothing in common.
Taehyung continues to lament his bad luck, but secretly agrees with Hoseok that he'll never have a better best friend so he'll have to deal with it. Win some, lose some.
walls apart
He has no idea how Hoseok can maintain a long distance relationship when it already kills him to be separated by one single granite partition. It's his luck, it must be, that everything he sucks at Jeon Jungkook aces it and whatever he can do ( Geography) is the only class he doesn't take in higher set. Even when he finally, finally got his first A on Chemistry, he realises that his teachers will never put him in the higher set because it has to be a fluke. Kim Taehyung doesn't get A's in anything but Geography.
So now he's stuck studying in a room just next to his, a mere partition away that divides their worlds. Sometimes he's lucky enough to spot him along the hallways and that completely makes his day, but that's literally all the interaction they share. Jungkook is always surrounded by friends like the popular guy he is, and they definitely seem more sincere than the girls who sometimes trail him around squealing.
And even when Taehyung stare so hard that he could burn holes in Jungkook's checkered shirts, that guy is still blissfully oblivious. His four friends on the other hand, have figured him out a long time ago. The two short and annoying ones (Suga and Jimin) derive great pleasure from making fun of him, the too smart (Namjoon) for school one dishing out relationship advice (when they don't even have a relationship, unless absolute strangers is one) and the people-think-is-cute-but-Jungkook-is-cuter-one (Jin) has stalked out all his social media platforms that even he has forgotten about and prints out terrible "get your crush to notice you" advice from clearly ill-advised girl teen magazines. They're nice enough, trying to get an oblivious Jungkook to notice the guy obviously staring at you in the hallway everyday, but it's a sad failure. Either he's too absorbed in making sure that his shoelaces are tied and Jimin doesn't drag his sneakers on the ground, or he's tired after studying for the next exam two months later.
Even without a wall, there’s still plenty that separate the both of them.
tables apart
He hears the news from Jin first, informing him that Jungkook's probably going to get into the higher set for Geography this year. His immediate response is wild celebration, followed by careful negotiations with Hoseok to make sure the seat next to his is empty. It took a couple of scares and awkward explanations, but finally Jungkook does end up sitting next to him. Taehyung is delighted.
Except that Jungkook really does live up to his OCD studious guy descriptions that Suga so fluently conveys, even when he thought there must have been some kind of exaggeration somewhere. For someone famously known for not having boundaries or an idea of personal space (Hoseok's beanbag=his beanbag, Hoseok’s room=his room), normal social interaction is a challenge. One would have thought that after eighteen years of social awkwardness, he would have finally learned how to interact with other human beings. Not quite. Not only does he get on his nerves when he left his bag outside to reserve the seat, he gets snapped at when he tries to help. All in less than an hour. His life sucks.
Even when Jungkook stops snapping at him irritably every five minutes, it’s as clear as day that he’s unwanted. Maybe sitting next to him wasn’t such a good idea after all. And if all Jungkook wants is distance, Taehyung can do that. He finally digs out the timetable issued at the start of the year, leaves a post-it in his pencil case reminding him to tidy all of his things before Jungkook comes in lest his veins stick up.
Pathetic. He really is, the way Jungkook treats him with less importance than the terribly analyzed slides on the issue of the global distribution patterns of pineapples which was clearly rephrased of Wikipedia. He would know, he did his reading before coming to class. He’s pathetic, because that doesn’t stop him from liking him any more than he already does. Far too much.
The most pathetic thing is that he doesn’t really want to lose these feelings towards Jungkook, even though he never ever sees the nice side of him that his friends are so familiar with.
stuffed toys apart
He’s a lucky guy, after all. He’d like to think so, even though he’s pretty sure Hoseok’s frustration and the way he had “something to do” during lunch has something to do with the sudden attitude shift. He just hopes Hoseok hadn’t gotten upset to the point of violence. He’s learnt that Hoseok is someone you do not want to anger over these years. He’s sort of unstoppable.
Still, Jungkook is playing around with Lili and generally tolerating the stuffed lion, rather than complaining about dust or germs (like Jin said he definitely would). He’s really nice nowadays, smiling and sometimes laughing when he’s being particularly dumb and if even possible Taehyung likes him even more than ever. His smile is just so cute and when from tolerating his occasional singing to actually humming along Taehyung finds it so adorable. He finds him so adorable. There is nothing about Jeon Jungkook that he dislikes, even his OCD barely counts as a flaw.
He figures (apart from Hoseok) it must be a time factor, perhaps he’s the type to mellow down to people after a while, the type of person to act all cold and chic the first time but melt down to a puddle of goo after a while. Jungkook is nice, tolerating Lili intruding on his desk space ( which he finds out from Namjoon is a Big Thing), sometimes helping him do small things like staple worksheets when he leaves his stapler at home because he’s stupid like that. He uses blue staples. Taehyung has never seen cuter coloured staples before.
Sometimes he worries, especially when he looks tired in class but continues pushing, opening his eyes wide as if the knowledge will filter in better like that. Maybe it’s because he’s been working too hard that his face seems permanently red recently, and the way his reactions seem to be delayed when they have hushed conversations right before the teachers starts teaching. So he hovers around worriedly, offering to take notes so he could catch a short nap or head to the sick bay or something. Sometimes he wants to offer him the Panadol he’s been stashing in the front of his bag since the first time Jungkook looked unwell, but he’s always stops right short of it. He’s shameless, but the courage is still hard to find. And he’s always worried that with one wrong move, Jungkook is going to revert back to ignoring him.
He’s already happy with being next to Jungkook, even though something in the pit of his stomach tells him he won’t be satisfied until he gets a lot more.
words apart
His fears come true.
Just out of the blue, the words “Don’t touch me” appear and burn him. Everything was so good until then, but now Jungkook’s goodwill must have finally come to and end. The tears sting at his eyes, but he reminds himself not to cry. No one is really going to really believe that he’s abruptly crying unprovoked in class, and the last thing he wants Jungkook to get called out for suspected bullying or something. Although that’s exactly what he is, a bully who treads all over his heart leaving it hurt and bruised. It’s not his fault, he can’t think of a single thing he’s done wrong. It hurts, it hurts so much.
But this is the last time, he doesn’t want to have those feelings of hope only to have them trodden all over again, doesn’t want to feel the pain again. He really wants to feel that happiness again, but he can’t stand the way Jungkook is completely evil, so nice to everyone but him. He’s dumb to think that it’s going to end up well, that maybe it’ll all be worth it in the end. Stupid to think that maybe, just maybe his feelings would be reciprocated. The hope made him so happy.
So stupid.
worlds apart.
If distance is what Jungkook wants distance is what he gets, Taehyung realizes. It's too much for his heart for them to be so close yet so far, and Taehyung can't deal with Jungkook being just out of his grasp. It's like taking candy from a small child, jungkook being so nice and suddenly reverting back an becoming worse.
It freaking hurts.
He can deal with a lot of things, but that is clearly not something he can.
He wants to go back, back to when it seemed so impossible to find somebody he liked and it was just a pretty idea he longed after. Then he was so happy even without anything, just the promise of maybe someday.
The first tear breaks through his defences, and instinctively he reaches for his phone. He dials a one, hearing a familiar ringtone but waiting for his favourite voice in the world ever since Jungkook became disgusting again.
"V~V~ what's up?"
It's his voice that really does it, that causes the shift from sniffling to bawling out loud. He's safe here, he knows. No matter what ever happens in this world Hoseok is always on his side, always kind and caring. Sometimes he wishes he fell in love with Hoseok instead, because it would be so much better.
Hoseok is forever so nice, the best medicine to any pains or heartbreak. So why is the one he likes the most such a jerk? Why does he want to kiss Jungkook when Hoseok exists? Not that he'll ever break Hoseok and his girlfriend up, but the thought causes him to cry even more. He's not even rational, his heart only knows how to love Jungkook.
"Who do I need to kill."
"Just-just stay here."
He says between tears, and he listens to Hoseok comforting him while he cries his heart out. Everything hurts, and nothing is right in this world apart from Hoseok. He can't stop himself from blubbering out all of his emotions messily, listen to soft assurances that everything will be okay. They’re a phone call away, but somehow Hoseok feels nearer than Jungkook even when they were sitting so close to each other. It’s not the physical distance, it’s completely an emotional distance.
And that tires him, wears him down. He's sick and tired of this. His heart can’t take any more of Jungkook’s jerk behavior.
He's going to move on. There must be someone as nice as Hoseok out there, someone who's going to treat him well rather than being mean to him on a random basis.
His heart still sadly rejects that, so he goes to their shared classroom to sit at his chair with Lili. It's the last time, he promises himself. Tomorrow Hoseok is going to sit next to him and stare Jungkook down if necessary, tomorrow he's going to leave all his stuff lying around on the tables, tomorrow he's going to sit Lili facing himself only.
Still he cries, because it hurts. He had so much hope, compounded during the time where Jungkook was so nice, so sweet, so kind. He doesn't want it to end like this, but he doesn't have a choice. A one way love never goes far, because no matter how much he chases or how close he gets, they'll never be close enough.
It's about time to stop, to rest and let Jungkook move even further away.
His anger multiplies when Jungkook comes in. Who does he think he is, coming and going as he wishes to play with his feelings and toy with his emotions. The warmth lingers where his palms touch his skin, but Taehyung hits him away just like he did.
“Don’t touch me.”
The words don’t work, because it obviously doesn't sting the same way in his heart. He doesn't even feel the petty thrill of revenge, all he wants is for Jungkook to disappear. From his world. Entirely.
" I'm sorry. I really am."
What the hell is a sorry. It's just five letters placed next to each other, one forced word with no meaning. He rages, speaking faster than he can think. The truth tumbles out of his mouth, and he can't even stop himself. He cries even more, crying because when he looks up next all he'll see is complete disgust, distaste so deep nothing could save it. He wonders if Jungkook would even care to stay, or simply walk out leaving nasty rumours circulating around the school compound.
He's too tired to care. Nothing can hurt more than what he feels now.
Warm arms surround him and he suddenly goes all weak. The soft grip traps him and the scent of soap engulfs him. Unwilling he stays there, the touch somehow healing the hurt even when he knows it shouldn't.
"I'm an idiot who likes you too."
" But there's no way-" There can’t be one. Simple. He pushes all of his hopes down. Ignores the way his heart screams and cheers for the knowledge, wants to say yes yes yes I like you so much,
"Of course there's way I like you. Who doesn't? You're sweet and smart and adorable and even though you're older than me I just want to cuddle with you and do gross cliché things that I never thought I wanted to do before until I met you. It's because of that I acted like that; I'm a coward with no guts to confess. It's all my fault, hate me all you want. But I like you. I really do. I like you so much"
He wants to trust him. He really wants to.
“Yeah you can hate me all you want and slap me and scream at me but I don’t know please don’t say you don’t like me either I’ll go mad when I’m around you I don’t even make sense anymore like I am now and I like to think I’m smart but maybe I’m dumb and all I know is we should go out and do gross cliché stuff like hug and kiss and I don’t know, be together? Please?”
Surely, having a little hope won’t hurt, right?
“…Okay.”
They fall silent, only the sounds of the pounding hearts filling the room and a sense of anticipation and hope bursting out.
heartbeats apart
He can see the red flush clearly, the same shyness that he thought only he had, the sound of their hearts beating too fast and the way they inched forward, just the tiniest bit more each time.
He's wrong. He's been wrong all along.
From the beginning, there never was any distance between the both of them, just two dumbasses running away from each other.
Now they just need to close the final tiny gaps between the both of them. The distance is tiny, just-
breaths apart
“GOD DAMN HE SAID OKAY NOW GO KISS OR SOMETHING I’M GETTING BORED.”
They come in, teasing with nothing but the best intentions. He's lucky, he really is. Right until Hoseok sends him the final thumbs up, they stay close, and the desire to close the final gap swelling up in his heart.
He decides to do it, to take that final step. They're both young and stupid, but Jungkook is younger and stupider. He's not going to regret this, not now, not ever.
When their lips bridge the final gap, everything feels right. His heart seems to piece itself back together, and it's perfect all of a sudden.
The cheesy romantic films are 50% right. The fireworks were a complete lie, but the rush of happiness he feels is definitely real.
They walk out together, holding hands and blushing bright red when their friends start cat-calling. Jungkook say they're not one to talk when they're much worse, and Taehyung can only smile stupidly. He's happy. So happy.
Love wasn't that far away after all.
never apart
"Must you go I'll miss you." Taehyung whines as he helps Jungkook drag his luggage downstairs, knowing better than to help him with packing. Some lines are just Do Not Cross territory and it’s taken a good amount of screwing up to figure out. It’s okay when he makes mistakes now, and now he goes on without the fear of messing up. There’s nothing a sincere sorry can’t solve, even when Jungkook reorganizes his table for the tenth time because he (again) get never get the placement of the pens quite right. He still gets praised though, because apparently he’s improving.
“Don’t pout now, it’s only three days. I’ll be back before you know it.” Jungkook says with that voice reserved for him- and him alone ( okay so maybe he’s actually very possessive but if Jungkook doesn’t mind why should he? At least he’s not the OCD one!)
“But it’s so fa~ar. Call me when you get there okay?” He’s still pouting, but more because Jungkook finds that adorable than he’s actually upset. He’s actually ridiculously calm about the whole thing, because the rational part of him says nothing bad will happen and he’s just being clingy.
“Yes, yes. Of course, Taehyungie.” Jungkook always indulges in his childishness, something that he really likes. Sometime’s he’s not even sure why Jungkook isn’t the older one when he likes spoiling people that much. Totally unlike his cold guy image that girls go crazy for.
“But what if I get lonely?” He’s saying nonsense now, just playing along with the mood as the taxi heads off to the airport.
“Don’t be. I’m right here you know?” Jungkook taps at the left side of Taehyung’s chest twice, and he smiles so widely. He’s right, he’s definitely right. Nothing is going to happen, he’s not going to feel lonely at all.
The one he likes the most can never be far away, because he’s settled down in a spot deep inside his heart. Where they’ll never, ever be apart. Jungkook is a part.
It's really ironic, that when Taehyung is so near he wants him to get further away and when he's far away all he wants is for Taehyung to be near. He pants, resting his hands on his kneecaps. He's searched the entire ground floor but Taehyung is still nowhere to be seen. He can't bear to wait, the gravity of the words firmly latched to his chest and dragging him down like a deadweight. It causes him physical pain to stay another minute without him knowing, even worse than the fatigue that has overtaken his body. Where is he, where. Someone just-please-help him. He wants this more than good grades on his tests and the thought of that alone disturbs him.
Unless, just maybe-
Nah. He's just being stupid.
But there's no harm trying right?
He runs at full speed, the lights in the room giving him hope. He hesitates. What if Taehyung isn't there, that would just crush him. His grip on the doorknob trembles, and he stands rooted there.
Then a gust of wind blows past, an he catches a familiar whiff of cherry. With a sudden burst of strength, he pushes the door open.
There he is.
Taehyung is sitting at the table next to his, hugging his stuffed lion. His eyes are red and puffy, and jungkook wants to kill whoever did this to him. Even if said person was himself.
He flinches, burying his face in the soft fur of the stuffed lion and curls himself up. Jungkook moves over,sitting on his seat. Taehyung turns away, refusing to meet his gaze. His heart feels like it's been stabbed by knives, but he totally deserves it.
Hopefully he still has a chance to set things right.
"Taehyung-" he starts, tapping lightly on his shoulder.
"Don't touch me." Taehyung lashes out, jerking his arm away and the hurt is so clear in his glistening eyes. It hurts. Why?
"Get out of my sight. Do you think it's funny?" His voice rises after every word, and if he weren’t so determined he'd probably run cowering out of the room. He continues, and the stabbing pain in his heart only grows. But it's okay because Taehyung is right in front of him, and that's all he needs now.
Because Taehyung needs to know. And he needs, really needs to tell.
"No. I'll never make fun of you. And I'm sorry. I really am." He means it, he really does.
"Don't lie. One day you're so nice to me I could cry and the next day you're so bad to me I actually cry. Stop playing with me. My heart can take all the pain." His voice trails off. "And it wouldn't hurt so much if I didn't like you."
Taehyung likes him. He likes him. He lets the beauty of that statement hang on his tongue for a blissful split second before it sinks in. Taehyung is like this, crying and broken because he’s an idiot who can’t control his own feelings or be honest with himself. This is all, 120% his fault.
He needs to set this right even more than before, if even possible.
"I'm sorry. I don't mean to be a jerk."
Taehyung just continues ignoring him. Is that how Taehyung felt when he was ignoring him? Because it hurts like crap and he'll never forgive himself for making Taehyung feel the same way and why hadn’t he been honest earlier. He’s disgusting.
"Can you just look at me? Please." Now he understands how Namjoon feels when Jin and him fight over the stupidest things and stop talking. Who needs something as fragile as pride when what you really want is right in front of you? He latches onto Taehyung's hands, refusing to let go even as he trashes around blindly.
Finally Taehyung opens his eyes to wrench his hands out and Jungkook knows he sees. Sees the complete red blush take over his face, see the uncertainty and apology in his eyes.
"You-"
"I'm an idiot who likes you too." It's embarrassing to say out loud, but it feels so good to get off his chest. There's a light feeling, something a little like flying.
"But there's no way-"
"Of course there's way I like you. Who doesn't? You're sweet and smart and adorable and even though you're older than me I just want to cuddle with you and do gross cliché things that I never thought I wanted to do before until I met you. It's because of that I acted like that; I'm a coward with no guts to confess. It's all my fault, hate me all you want. But I like you. I really do. I like you so much."
It tumbles out, and he gasps to catch his breath at the end of it. He's said it, and meant what he said. It doesn’t matter that Taehyung is a little weird or calls himself V or doesn’t know how to properly pack pencil cases- he’s perfect that way. Still his heart seems to stop beating because what if Taehyung just leaves right now and never forgives him because he’s a jerk and he knows it and if he was Taehyung he’d probably slap him ad ignore him for the rest of his life but no, Jungkook does not want to accept that reality.
He can’t.
“Yeah you can hate me all you want and slap me and scream at me but I don’t know please don’t say you don’t like me either I’ll go mad when I’m around you I don’t even make sense anymore like I am now and I like to think I’m smart but maybe I’m dumb and all I know is we should go out and do gross cliché stuff like hug and kiss and I don’t know, be together? Please?”
Silence.
“…Okay.”
Jungkook blinks.
Silence.
He can feel the hope drifting around the room and he’s full to the brim of it. There’s so much he wants to do, so so much and the possibilities alone are endless.
“GOD DAMN HE SAID OKAY NOW GO KISS OR SOMETHING I’M GETTING BORED.”
He turns towards the door only to see his four so-called “friends” (with the main disruptor being Park Jimin, he is so going to get it) and Hoseok hovering around the doors with wide grins on their faces. And a familiar pink phone case that Namjoon recently bought. God no.
“Get out.” He growls, shoving them back out into the hallway.
“Okay, we’ll leave you two to your lovey-dovey couple time!” Jin coos.
“ If you hurt V again I’ll kill you Jeon Jungkook, mark my words.” Hoseok acts fierce, before dropping the scowl. “Pretty sure you’ll treat him right when you’re not being a dumbass though.”
“You guys are gross my toes are cringing can’t you confess better?” Suga whines at how his poor language skills makes him want to throw up, and he gets a prompt whack on his head.
“Okay kids playtime’s over let’s let them do whatever the heck they want to.” Namjoon mercifully herds everyone out and the classroom becomes silent again, with just the soft breathing of the both of them.
“Really?” Jungkook says, a little hesitant and he really doesn’t want to hear a no.
“Yeah. Can I try something?” Taehyung says, his voice soft and Jungkook nods. It’s impossible to speak when Taehyung is getting closer and closer to him.
The kiss is short, sweet and there’s a tinge of cherry on his lips. Taehyung giggles after that and there’s a red blush on both their faces, awkward yet comfortable.
“Was that okay?”
“More than okay.”
He was wrong from the start. Kim Taehyung is his lucky charm after all. He's someone with the amazing ability to make one small word, one little action, affect him and brighten up his day so much.
A/N: sorry for the delay was trying to make this better sine you guys have stuck around so long <3 I really really appreciate you spending your time to read this (even when it's kind of crappy :<) Thank you for all your love and support it’s really nice and means a lot to me ^^.
Special shout-out to all exo fans ( I know there’s a couple of you around here) please stay strong and be happy no matter what happens next there are people who love and care for you just as much as you love and care for them <3
It's very disturbing, considering this is coming from Suga. Suga who laughs at people, regularly plays tricks on them and gets amusement from the misery of others. He most definitely looks like hell right now. It has to be really bad if his devil friends are actually concerned.
"Did you even sleep at all."
Jimin says, placing a cup of black coffee on the table. Muttering a thank you, Jungkook slumps on Jins jacket. It's really difficult to sleep when his mind is so preoccupied with Taehyung and everything he is, his smile and eyes and fairy dust and-oh god- the hurt expression when he moved the lion back to his table. That one haunts him, refusing to let go even when he immerses himself in calculus and geography. All night long every single geography class replays like a infinity tape in his head, on and on in disturbing clarity.
Jungkook remembers everything, sadly.
He doesn't know what to do, what to say or how to react to Taehyung anymore. So impossible, when all he wants to do is smile dumbly and forgive all his cute but annoying personality traits. He wants to spend longer than what is socially acceptable between friends doing disgustingly pointless things. He also wants to see him be all smiley and happy and to know- that the reason behind why Taehyung smiles is because of him.
Those feelings-aren't his anymore. He can't control them. Anything Taehyung-related just bypasses his mind controls and really, he's going crazy.
Mindlessly he drinks the coffee. The things that commonly annoy him like sitting at the outermost seat can't even seem to bother him today, his mind is occupied with thoughts on Taehyung and the fairy dust the confuses him.
He wants Taehyung to like him back, he really really does. He'll even give up whatever pitiful pride he has left to say so, but right now it's hopeless. Taehyung hates him, and rightfully so. Why would anyone even like a grumpy barely-cute Jeon Jungkook, anyway. He doesn't even meet nice guy status, he's a stubborn asshat and really, Taehyung deserves much much better than him. The best person, really. Someone who'd find his small habits more endearing, his personality more adorable, who'd treat him better. Someone who isn't him.
It doesn't even start to surprise him when the cloth around his neck tightens, Hoseok's hand around his collar like a death grip. Namjoon tries to yell at him to cool off, but Jungkook keeps his hand there. He deserves this, he does.
"Do you know what the hell you've done." Hoseok hisses, venom dripping from the edge of his voice. It's the first time he's heard Hoseok curse in public, the first time he's seem the calm and friendly Hoseok get really mad. He would be shocked, but after being kept up the whole night nothing can shock him anymore.
“You. Broke. Him. V was crying over the phone the whole night. Stop playing with him.”
The grip around his neck tightens but his head doesn’t get any clearer. Why the hell would Taehyung cry the whole night, and how was he playing with him- all he did was be a jerk. And it hurts, when he hears that Taehyung has been crying the whole night. Hoseok goes on, only stopping to catch his breath. He’s completely fuming, red in the face from anger.
“If you don’t like him then tell him straight in the face. Don’t play around with his feelings you asshole.”
What.
He most definitely likes Taehyung, like like likes him so much that he wants to go out on pointless dates to dust-filled restaurants and hug and kiss and do gross sweet things. The only reason why he won’t go ask him out is because obviously Taehyung deserves much better than some OCD brat, and Taehyung doesn’t like him back-
Wait.
Maybe, just maybe-
He screwed up. So bad. Didn’t think clearly, the way anything related to Taehyung just completely messes his head up.
But maybe he can hope. Maybe that’s why Taehyung was so hurt when he lashed out at him, the reason why he spent the last night crying.
Somewhere deep in his heart he hopes, desperately, the maybe Taehyung likes him back too.
He has to go find him. Ignoring Hoseok’s angry words, he pushes the hands off his collar and tears down the corridors. Looking around like a madman, half-crazed trying to spot a familiar figure. There’s so much he needs to say, so much that Taehyung needs to know. That he’s sorry. That he’s an idiot. That he likes Taehyung. He likes him so, so much.
He doesn’t know where to look, but it doesn’t matter. He’ll find Taehyung. He needs to.
“What the hell.” Hoseok blinks, watching Jungkook tear down the hallways. His fist his suddenly empty, and he glances back at the rest of the guys sitting around the table.
“Relax. Jungkook is going to right some wrongs. He’s a dense idiot, but I think it’s finally clicked in that peabrain of his that he’s not the only one with a crush.” Suga drawls lazily, before taking another bite from his sandwich.
“You mean he didn’t know?” Hoseok kind of screams, face reverting from his angry expression to the typical cute blur one.
“YES.” The four of the chime, before laughing at their perfect timing. It’s totally amusing and kind of sad at the same time to watch Taehyung crush on Jungkook and Jungkook crush on Taehyung without either of them realizing that they liked the other. Adorable, really.
“I feel kind of bad now.” Hoseok pouts, before sitting down at the table. Really, does love need to be that complicated, sometimes.
In terms of poor life decisions, Jungkook prides himself for making a laughably low number of them.
But his poor life decisions tend to be exceedingly poor, as he sits sandwiched between Suga and Jimin who are excitedly digging at his ribs while Namjoon hones his interrogation skills. Friends, he scoffs. What are they? He doesn't have any, it seems, as the four put on devilish grins.
"So what did you let V put on your table?"
"Lili?"
"Ooooh they're on first name basis now aren't they." Jin coos and Jimin jabs him particularly hard. He'd flex his abs in retaliation, but school causes him to slack off exercise.
"I'm talking about Taehyung's freaking stuffed lion."
"And I'm talking about how you called it whatever the hell its-name-is-lily?"
"Lili. It's lion lion twice without the o and n."
Suga cackles. Jungkook tries to wrestle his left arm out from his grip but Jin pushes down on his shoulders so hard he's almost certain to shrink a centimeter. Screw friendship, this is more like bullying. He struggles, but Jimin clings onto him with a "this is for your own good you idiot" and it's a little difficult to protest when he sees Namjoon giving him a Very Serious expression.
"Mhmm. So you let V leave his germ-infested what's-it's-name Lili lion on your table? That's against everything Jeon Jungkook stands for."
What does he stand for again?
Oh, right. He's anti-stuff toy because they're dust-filled germ-infested death traps, he's anti stuffed toys for grown men and he makes damn clear to Jin that fairy princesses are for sissies (but they can still be friends), he's anti intrusion of personal space because it's his.
Well, said stuffed lion isn't as bad as he thinks. For one, it sits between both their tables and doesn't take up an obnoxious amount of space like Suga’s headphones do. It's almost kind of cute, the soft brown eyes and the furry tail, and it always smells of like the hard candy Taehyung constantly eats during class. He's almost gotten used to the cherry smell coming from his mouth and the artificial red dye on his tongue when he talks. Almost. Sometimes he worries for Taehyung's health and it's not because he's concerned, he simply doesn't want him to suddenly collapse on him during geography class. Because blood is Not Pleasant, not because he’s actually squeamish and afraid of it.
Taehyung also isn't as bad as he thought; he's actually a pretty decent seat mate. For one he actually understands what the geography teacher says when she goes on a mile a minute, and he's very useful when it comes to pairwork. With his help it's not that much of a struggle to understand geography, and although he won't say, he's grateful. No, not even park Jimin on truth or dare can get that out of him (he tried, and Jungkook can still remember the sting on his throat from whatever cancer-causing concoction he forced down. Disgusting.)
It also doesn't hurt that Taehyung is practically a walking world map + geography textbook in a cute guy bundle, and Jungkook may or may not have a soft spot for his face. That's just because he's only a superficial human being and who doesn't like cute faces? Certainly not Jeon Jungkook, especially when cute face has an amazingly adorable smile that makes him want to pinch his cheeks and coo for hours. Sort of what Jin does to him sometimes, sparking Namjoon’s anger.
"Hello? Earth to Jeon Jungkook, are you receiving?"
"Too busy thinking about a certain alien." Suga says, and the whole table roars with laughter. Jungkook can't even bring himself to protest, because it's true. But not in that way. Nope, not at all. Just a momentary lapse of concentration. Those kind of things happen, don’t they? (but not to him).
"And so?" Namjoon asks, putting on his best serious face again while Jimin continues his uncontrollable laughter. Boy needs to learn some self-restraint.
"It's... okay?" He doesn't know what to say, really. It's somehow okay when it shouldn't be and conceptually he knows he's supposed to protest and rage against Taehyung but that's just not what he wants to do. It sort of feels nice, right even, to see Lili sit on his table and Taehyung sometimes absent-mindedly stroke at it’s fur or play with it randomly. Super sweet that it causes cavities.
“Oh my god. Are you guys getting this on camera?” Jimin says, laughing spell broken.
“Wait let me film this. Hold there. Suga, you’re not in the frame. Okay good.” Jin says, handphone emerging from his jeans pocket as he assembles everybody in front of his pink Maplestory phone case.
“What.”
“Nope nope, go back to stupid Jungkook mode. It’s so rare to see you so dumb. May 5th, 3:17p.m. Jeon Jungkook for the first time since birth is dumb. Okay, Namjoonie go on.”
“And what does this mean?”
“That it’s somehow okay and my blood pressure isn’t rising?”
Namjoon lets out a world-weary sigh. Jungkook wonders what he’s done wrong. Normally it’s the two of them complaining about the idiocy of everyone else, so the only logical conclusion is that now he’s the idiot. Which doesn’t even make any sense. Still, it’s the only thing that can explain why everyone is making a Bid Deal about this.
“You like him.”
“Excuse me?”
Because that is not true, this is not happening and somehow his ears-to-brain contraption isn’t working very well and Namjoon didn’t say you like him, he said something else completely different and his brain is just not computing and yes he must be going a bit mad-
“Oh my god did you catch his blush!” Jin sort of spazzes while holding his camera perfectly straight, because his so-called friends are all terrible that way.
“He’s so dumb I cannot.” Jimin shakes his head.
“You. Lack. Swag.” Suga drawls.
“Okay for your sake let’s say this really slow okay? You. Like. Kim. Taehyung. Or V. Or whatever pet name you have for him in that convoluted mind of yours.” Namjoon speaks to him like a child (or Suga when he’s being particularly stupid. Jungkook feels very insulted.)
“I what.”
There is some serious case of misunderstanding and miscommunication here. He most definitely does not like like Taehyung, that is not in his ten-year plan for the future.
“And he calls us dumb!” Jimin whines
“Love makes people dumb, he says, but he’s dumber than all of us combined now!”
“I most definitely do not like him my brain has never-“
“Do you want to see your face right now.”
Suga shoves a camera angled for selfies and for the first time he realizes how red his face is. Now that he thinks about it, his cheeks are a little hot. Which is to be expected. Such false accusations are embarrassing, are they not?
“I’m just embarrassed-“
“You’re not just embarrassed. You’re embarrassed because it’s true. If it wasn’t you’ll shoot it down calmly with no fear because that’s just who you are.”
That.
That makes too much sense.
Wait.
That cannot make any sense.
He most definitely does not like Taehyung or V or whatever he chooses to call himself (and he thinks Taehyungie is a very cute name) but he’s behaving like he does-
"V wanted to call in sick you know? That guy was whining to my throughout lunch."
Jungkook nods.
"Then after he stained your uniform he begged me to help him buy full body armour because he heard you learnt martial arts."
Jungkook nods. What martial arts though, was he listening to stupid Suga and Jimin or something?
"He's so terrified of pissing you off that he wanted to leave his stuffed lion at home but of course I forced him to bring it we can't have him breaking down in tears in the hallways."
Jungkook nods- wait. Did he say crying in hallways without that dumb stuffed lion?
"And of course you don't care but that stuffed lion is like his best friend or some shit and like I don't even compare so do whatever just don't do anything to the stuffed lion I don't want to deal with a crying V."
"...okay."
Jungkook nods.
Really, does everybody think he's completely unreasonable or something? Sure, he's a little (or a lot) OCD and he does get upset at the smallest thing, but doesn't make him completely lack compassion. What do people think of him, really? Even the too nice Hoseok thinks he's a terrible human being. Maybe he should take Jimin’s suggestion to commit ritual suicide for general jerk behavior seriously. So terrible, really.
"Glad you understand!"
And when he sees that stupid smile packed full of teeth and gum he reconsiders his decision. Really, it is Not Right for somebody to be angrily ranting about something before suddenly going all Mr Nice Guy. Definitely unnatural. Jungkook is now convinced that Hoseok is minimally bipolar. Minimally. He’s convinved there must be possessed by a devil when he was ranting on and on about poor dear darling V. Speaking of which, he had better make amends to. He did not want all the girls in the campus to suddenly think of him as the world’s biggest jerkhat. (Although come to think of it, did he ever care about what the girls thought about him?)
----
He arrives to Geography early, given that only Jin shares the same lunch block with him today and he's in one of his Moods. Meaning that the phone case he really really wanted ran out of stock in the colour pink and now he has to wait two weeks for the pink colour to come out again. Can you believe it? Two. Whole. Weeks.
Jungkook makes a mental note to ask Namjoon to take him out on a date or something. Or put his high IQ to good use and get his hands on that pink case somehow. He has learnt not to doubt Namjoon’s supernatural abilities when it came to his darling boyfriend. Or how if you needed Suga to shut up you just asked Jimin assuming he wasn’t in on the prank. Love makes people stupid.
He sees Taehyung sort of flinch when he enters. He hurriedly sweeps the sweet wrappers off his table, removing the mess of worksheets from under his desk. God that guy is messy. He can feel his blood pressure shoot up, but remembers what he's here for. Suga is going to laugh at him for forever if he ever realizes how soft he is going nowadays. What happened to the bow-down-to-me-you-mortals mentality he had in middle school?
"You can leave the lion there." He says, readjusting the lion to the original position. The fur is really soft, and it smells like baby powder. Like how he's totally a baby despite his stupid playboy behavior in school if Hoseok isn't joking about his affection to the lion.
“Really?”
His eyes widen, and he looks ridiculously cute. Which is not a descriptor one should use on eighteen-year-old boys, but damn is Taehyung an exception. He'll never tell, but Jin deserves his school cutie pie title revoked if Taehyung looked like that 24/7. Pity that face had to reside on a dumbass.
“Yeah.”
This is making him sort of regret being so mean about the lion ( although it still gets on his nerves), because it sorts of makes him feel like he’s stolen the favourite toy of the baby or something even though Taehyung is a grown-ass man and older than him, for crying out loud.
"Lili says thank you!"
"Lili?"
"Yep, that's what my lion is called!"
Jungkook bites back a that's dumb what kind of terrible naming convention do you have are you six years old do you have any self respect in exchange for a simple "That's nice." Don't judge, Jungkook, don't judge. Jin likes pink and Suga abuses the word swag like there's no tomorrow. They're still your friends.
"...."
Taehyung is looking up at him now, glancing above his long eyelashes( wow they are long does he use mascara or something they're like a girls) with this stupid look on his face that Jungkook wants to slap him (self-defense) and hug him (too cute). What on earth happened to him, as he retracts his palm and pulls it to his cheek. He's thinking his mortal enemy and everything he can't stand all in one is cute.
"Are you tired? Don't hit yourself to keep awake, I'll just take notes for you."
Now Taehyung is clinging at his wrist and oh god oh god what is this his heart cannot take all this physical contact and Taehyung giving him that cute smile and cute upward glance all at once. No, I was just trying to knock myself up so I won’t have to deal with you or the world. He bites that back in favour of heat rushing up to his cheeks ( and at this very moment he is sincerely grateful none of his so-called friends are in this Geography class. They would never let him live that down.)
What is the world coming to.
Jeon Jungkook just let something furry and 90% germ-infested sit at the corner of his table. His head is starting to spin. He’s going crazy.
“Are you sick? Don’t push yourself too hard!”
Taehyung’s hand brushes against his forehead ( and musses up his neatly arranged bangs). His face just heats up faster and why is his entire body betraying him, why can’t he put on that scowl and push the hand away and snap back with a snarky reply. There’s no edge of his tongue, and he concentrates on messed-up pencil cases and germ-infested stuffed toys to distract himself. It’s really difficult, when Taehyung is staring up at him with that face that makes him want to pinch at his cheeks, to coo and never let go. His concern is so nice and he looks so sweet andhe kind of wants to kiss those puffy lips-stop.
“I’m fine.” He says bluntly, grateful for the Geography teacher finally coming into class. The heat of his cheeks doesn’t go away any time soon, as Taehyung keeps bouncing and smiling throughout the lesson and it’s distracting. But a good kind of distracting.
What are you saying Jeon Jungkook. There is no good kind of distracting.
