"Do you think he has a partner?" Taehyung sighed as he rested his head on Jimin's shoulder, resulting in a few affectionate head pats, and watched the river flow lazily and slowly reflect the riot of colours of the twilight sky

"I don't know, Tae..." Jimin replied

"To be honest-," Jungkook said, pausing from wolfing down his ice cream, "-with a face like that? I'd think he has a partner. Or maybe multiple partners."

Taehyung sighed again, more heavily this time, and lay on the grass with his arms tucked under his head, now observing the tufts of wool that gradually sailed across the sky.

"But he's not like that," Taehyung protested.

"Not like what?"

"You know, to have multiple partners. Use his face at his advantage."

"And how do you know?" Jungkook raised an eyebrow.

"Well, we used to talk here and there during uni," Taehyung recounted bashfully as he fidgted with his many bracelets.

"Tae, you have it bad," Jimin deadpanned before yawning and leaning against Jungkook who did not miss a moment to pull the older on his lap and leave a chaste kiss on his cheek.

"You guys have it bad," Taehyung retaliated before turning to his side to save his eyes from his best friends' disgusting display of affection.

"You're just jealous," Jungkook said in a childish sing-song voice.

"No, you guys are- ew, didn't Jungkook just eat with that spoon?"

"Yeah, so?" Jimin asked as he took another spoonful of Jungkook's icecream.

"His germs-"

"Hyung, we have our tongues down each other's throat every single day," Jungkook announced shamelessly and received a light, flustered blow to the back of his back by Jimin.

"Jungkook what the fuck- I didn't need that image-" Taehyung gasped suddenly and sat upright in a flash.

"What?" The lovers asked in sync before following their friend's eyes.

"Oh my god," Jimin gasped.

"Dude, he looks exactly like the photos? I thought he was using some sort of Snapchat filter,"  Jungkook remarked in awe.

"He looks busy," Taehyung commented, a little disheartened.

Seokjin was indeed busy. He towered over his sister and her lover who were previously sitting on the grass, tangled in each other's arms and giggling without a care in the world. Sure, it made Seokjin guilty to interrupt their sweet time together but he was too furious to care.

"Jin-ah, listen-"

"No, I am done listening to you. Do you even care about anyone at this point?! Eomma and Appa has been ringing since morning and I had to run around to find some wall that didn't make it obvious that I was back because they wanted to see me for mental peace or whatever and then they tell me that they can't get a hold of you since yesterday. Fine, I understand you don't want to talk to them but you didn't pick up my calls either?! A small text- like, "Jin-ah, I'll be busy with my girlfriend today," would've been enough! Did you know how worried I was?! And do you even clean your apartment?! When I went there it seemed like someone had broken in because of all the clothes and make up and-"

"Seokjin hyung!" Seokjin stopped in his tracks and turned around, only to have his anger melt away rapidly as he watched Kim Taehyung jogging towards him with a smile so bright that he could have mistaken him for the sun.

"Tae," Seokjin greeted, his voice instantly softening as his tongue shaped the name.

"Shit," Seokjin heard one of the girls mutter.

"Hey-" Taehyung narrowed his eyes for a moment before exclaiming, "Kang Sarang?!"

"Who are you?" Hyejin asked as she looked back and forth her girlfriend and the stranger who had just arrived.

"Uh..." Taehyung looked at Seokjin for help. "I'm his...friend?"

"Yeah! He's- uh, yeah, friend." Seokjin had never wanted to dig a hole and vanish inside it this badly before.

"... right," Hyejin said with eyes full of suspicion.

"Let's just leave," Sarang said, standing up and pulling Hyejin in the process before lowering her cap to hide her face as much as possible.

"Hey-" Taehyung started. "But we're like- we're cool, right? Like, I know you weren't into the date and neither was I-"

"Jinnie, catch you later bye!" Sarang placed a kiss on Hyejin's cheek and dashed off suddenly, leaving the remaining three perplexed.

"What just happened?" Seokjin demanded from his sister.

"I don't know! We were- it must've been you!" Hyejin accused Taehyung whose eyes grew wide as he shook his head, and Seokjin couldn't help but compare him to an innocent puppy, or a fluffy little tiger cub or a small bear cub or-

Seokjin, focus!

"What does he have to do with any of this?" Seokjin shot back.

"She was all fine before he showed up!"

"He has a name. Don't blame Tae for your girlfriend's weird behaviour. Oh, and let me guess- It was her plan to turn your devices off, right?!"

"So what?! Can't we be left alone for once?!"

"That doesn't mean you have to be irresponsible-"

Taehyung felt like he was watching a fierce match of table tennis. From the doe shape of her eyes and the cupid's bow of her lips, Taehyung could tell that she was related to Seokjin, and the way they were throwing words like two cats  slashing their blunt claws at each other, Taehyung was sure that they were siblings. While making the connection, something else clicked inside Taehyung's brain which made him blush a tiny bit; Seokjin was defending him like his sister was defending Sarang.

Seokjin was so red that Taehyung had to tame his weird urge to wrap him in his arms and kiss his ears. He fidgeted with his finger as he waited for the siblings to settle down and his eyes wandered off.

He gasped.

He realized why Kang Sarang took flight suddenly.

Seokjin and his sister were too deep into their argument to notice Taehyung's meltdown. Taehyung decided to text Seokjin later before he began to speed away while he tried to decide if he should rush to his mother who was progressing down the hill of the park or if he should sprint to Jimin and Jungkook who were kissing like there was no tomorrow.

He was too late.

His mother had already came to the trembling halt as she looked at his friends' direction. Taehyung couldn't make out her face clearly but judging at the pace she was approaching them after overcoming her shock was enough to warn him about the catastrophe that was about to come.

"EOMMONI!" Taehyung howled to get her attention and he was sure that half of the park had heard him.

Taehyung jogged towards her and watched his best friend spring away from each other and jolt on their feet from the corner of his eyes.

"My baby!" Taehyung was engulfed into a life-crushing hug.

"My poor, poor baby. It's okay. It's alright, okay? Eommoni will get you through this, okay? These scoundrels- YAH! You two right there!"

Taehyung prayed to every god that was available right then as he tried to keep up with his mom who was sailing towards Jimin and Jungkook who stood there with bright red faces, looking like deers caught at headlights.

"Eommoni- Eommoni listen-"

"How dare you cheat on my boy?! I've known you for years, Park Jimin, and you cheat on my baby with that- is it that waiter from my cafe?Such a disgrace! Both of you! I just knew something was off when you looked at the waiter that day! How can you-"

Come on Taehyung think.

"Eommoni we're dating!"

"He cheated-"

"All three of us!"

Silence.

There was absolute and utter silence for the next minute. His mother looked like she just narrowly missed getting hit by a freight train, Jimin looked like he wanted to cut off their red string and Jungkook looked like he would throw up any moment.

"What... son, exactly what do you mean?" Taehyung's mother asked catiously.

"Eommoni, we..." Taehyung shot a quick apologetic glance with at his friends who were holding their breath, fearing for the worst. "...we are dating- um, all three of us...are dating...each other."

"You..." Mrs. Kim stumbled and lay all of her weight on a frantic Taehyung.

"Eommoni?! Eommoni!"

"I'm fine...I'm..." Mrs. Kim opened her eyes slowly and stood on her own, taking in her surroundings for a moment before firmly stating, "I don't believe you."

"Then let's- let's talk about this at home," Taehyung insisted as he began to push his disoriented mother up the hill. He looked back at his friends whose eyes told him that he messed up big time. His eyes searched for Seokjin but he was no longer where he previously stood with his sister.

"Three...? All three? How..? Strange... All lies... Wretched generation..." 

Taehyung sighed as he guided his mother and listened to her aimless muttering.

_____________

"It doesn't make sense!"

"That's how things are nowadays, Eommoni!"

"Three people? How do you even- it's just nonsense! You're just making one thing after another to escape going on blind dates!"

"Eommoni, what's wrong with dating two people at once? We're not hurting anyone!"

"You're hurting your mother! I let you follow your dreams! I let you live far away from your family! I let you do everything you ever wanted and all I ask for is a grandchild! All I ask for is my son to be happy with his own family!"

"Why do I need my own family to be happy? Why do I need kids?! I'm happy just the way I am right now!"

"You are not!"

"How are you so sure?!"

"I am your mother, Kim Taehyung!"

"You know what?" Taehyung turned his back to his mother and placed his hand on the doorknob to exit his mother's room. "I don't care. Think whatever you want."

"But I care and I'm calling Sunhwa to let her know that my son is very much single!"

Not having the energy to fight anymore, Taehyung stormed out of the room and entered his own bedroom, immediately landing on the bed and closing his eyes for a while before reaching out for his phone.

Taehyung: I'm really sorry guys :(.

Taehyung: I just really freaked out and fucked up:(.

Taehyung: I know you're mad at me :(.

Jungkook: hyung that was plain stupid

Taehyung: I know :(.

Jimin: Tae, she now knows you're gay

Jimin: So it shouldn't be a problem to tell her the truth

Taehyung: You don't get it. 

Taehyung: She'll think everything is a lie.

Taehyung: She already thinks so.

Taehyung: She's already setting up another blind date.

Jimin: Already?

Jungkook: so we go by Plan B now?

Jimin: Yeah I'm afraid so

Taehyung: Wait.

Taehyung: You guys will..?

Taehyung: REALLY?

Jimin: Yeah whatever but you owe us

Jungkook: big time

Taehyung: I LOVE YOU.

Taehyung sighed in relief. At least his friends weren't out for his blood.

Ting

Seokjin: hi •ᴗ•

Taehyung screeched a little and rolled to his side, only to realize there was nothing on his side so he fell on the floor, but the smile of a fool still remained.