"Do you even eat anything aside from cup noodles?"

Jungkook blinked at me as a sheepish smile formed on his lips. He did not need to answer my question as it was crystal clear.

With a small sigh, I pulled my hair into a bun and turned the stove on as Jungkook peeled the potatoes.

I wasn't sure if I should call it mere coincidence that I saw Jungkook by the convenience store near my old apartment building and found out later on that he had recently moved in. Such a small world, I might comment.

But then it wasn't pleasant to see him at all with his pushcart stuffed with nothing but different flavors of cup noodles. I dread for this kid's health.

"Your eating habits scare me," I thought aloud as I searched for a ladle in one of the drawers.

Jungkook told me that Jimin and Hoseok were coming over, hence the cup noodle haul, and I thought that since I had time, I'd cook for them. At first, Jungkook was really hesitant about it. Turned out he didn't actually have a stove in his unit which then confirmed my presumption that he ate nothing unless instant was written on it.

As a result, we had to use the stove in my apartment.

"Noona, how should I slice the potatoes?" asked Jungkook and I looked at him over my shoulder.

"Just slice it in three parts."

Jungkook hummed as a response and did as I had told him.

Sprinkling salt and pepper, I started to season the meat on the pot. Since Jungkook told me that the two would be coming over in two hours, I decided to make beef stew as I would have enough time to cook it.

Most of the time spent cooking had been silent. But it wasn't awkward at all. Just plain silent. Even when I had first met Jungkook, he already had this aura around him where you could immediately tell he did not talk a lot, but at the same time, his presence would not make you feel out of place.

After we were done, I transferred the beef stew into medium sized lunch containers, and we went down to Jungkook's apartment unit which was three floors away from mine.

As we entered his unit, I felt my phone vibrate on my pocket and I fished it out.

"Kyungmin-noona, hyung told me they're on their way." I heard Jungkook inform me while I read the message Taehyung had sent me.

"Actually, I think I won't be able to stay," I told him with a frown.

Slight disappointment etched on Jungkook's face as he gaped at me with round eyes.

"But you spent time to cook for us, noona," he thoughtfully said.

"It's fine, don't worry about it," I assured him. "I just need to go now. Tell Jimin and Hoseok-oppa I said hi."

I adjusted my sling bag and wiped off the non-existent dust on my pants. Before I opened the door, I glanced at Jungkook over my shoulders.

"And you can keep the containers, or just return them whenever," I told him.

"Bye noona. Take care!"

~*~

Taehyung's message seemed urgent. Hence, upon going inside his apartment, I immediately looked for him.

"Taehyung?" I called out, wondering where he could be. With a small frown, I dropped my sling bag on the couch.

Not even Aeri was in her crib.

Just as I was about to check the kitchen, Taehyung went out of his room whilst carrying Aeri on one arm and a bundle of plushies on the other. He was talking with Aeri with a goofy smile on his face, as if they were enjoying an actual conversation.

After putting Aeri back in her crib and surrounding her with the plushies, he turned to me. His expression stoic.

"Where have you been?" questioned Taehyung.

"I was with Jungkook. He also lives in my old apartment," I responded, as a matter of fact. "I offered to cook; poor boy only eating cup noodles." My lips curved into a frown upon remembering.

But come to think of it, I remember sending Taehyung a message that I would be with Jungkook.

"Why you?"

Huh? I tilted my head to the side. "Well, because why not me?"

"And with Jimin?"

My eyes slowly rounded, staring at nowhere in particular. I mentioned about Jimin and Hoseok visiting Jungkook as well.

Why was he even asking questions he already knew the answer to?

"Supposed to be," I said, and quickly added, "And Hoseok as well. I mean, you messaged me to go home already so I left and didn't see them."

"Does that disappoint you?"

I scratched the bridge of my nose, bemused. Now what could Taehyung be shooting at?

"Yeah...? I mean, I don't know." My voice held annoyance, like in a 'why are you even asking me this?' tone. I honestly wanted to question him why we were even talking about this, when it seemed like he had told me to go home for certain reasons—which we should be talking about right now.

But just as I attempted to shift the conversation, Taehyung spoke up again.

"It doesn't change the fact that..." he trailed off.

"The fact that what?" I pressed on, waiting for him to continue. We were both calm. But totally not making sense.

"I'm probably gonna regret this," he said almost too inaudibly, though I was able to catch it.

Taehyung glanced at me briefly before huffing to his side. What? Why was he making a fuss over this? I shut my eyelids close, rolling my eyes upwards as I tried to be at my most rational and confined myself from starting an argument with him.

But Taehyung did the unthinkable of leaning closer, too close that in a split second, I had to confirm for myself what he was about to do.

Whilst he closed his eyes, mine widened in shock. Still baffled, it took a solid second for me to realize what was really, actually happening.

Taehyung's hand on the small of my back; the other running through my hair. His soft lips pressed against mine into a kiss.

It didn't take long until I responded, kissing him back.

As my soul drifted off my body, I closed my eyes shut, clutching on the fabric on his chest, and he pulled me closer deepening the kiss. There was a surge rushing inside of me, throwing me in and out at the same time.

Was it his heart beating on his chest I could feel or was it the pulse from my fingertips? I wasn't sure anymore. But what I did know was that my insides felt so vulnerable, a tingling sensation tickled me from within causing a little moan to slip in.

Shit.

Just before my mind completely lost it, Taehyung broke the kiss. With his face still close to mine, my eyes wandered everywhere, catching my breath as I tried to avoid his gaze. He slowly let go of me, taking a small step backwards. A blush evident on his face and ears.

Although that didn't change the fact that mine were burning up so bad.

Taehyung heaved a heavy sigh.

"I'm sorry because I don't feel apologetic for kissing you at all." He then stormed out, slamming his door shut and left me, who could barely even stand still, whilst I tried to process everything.

It's not like I regret kissing you back either, stupid.

— ✿ —