"Did you not miss me?" The question came from Jin, who had settled comfortably with his head resting against Taehyung's lap. Taehyung looked down at Jin, meeting his gaze, and took a deep breath before looking away. "I did," he confessed, unable to hide his emotions or tell a lie.

Jin shifted slightly to face Taehyung better, his expression curious. "Really? Then why did you keep ignoring me?"

Taehyung met Jin's eyes again, "Seokjin," he began, "while there were certain things I missed about you, I didn't miss the way you talked to me sometimes, how those words made me feel small and insignificant. I realized that I didn't want to experience that again, so I decided to protect what little self-worth I had left."

The room fell silent as Jin took a moment to process Taehyung's words, simply gazing at him. After some time, he finally spoke. "I am sorry," he said, his voice low and sincere. "I think I took you for granted, believing that no matter what happened, you would always be there for me. But I've come to realize that I have a lot to work on within myself. I'm trying to improve, and I plan to put in the effort because even though I know I could seek a relationship elsewhere, the thought of being with someone else feels so unfair when you're still in existence."

Jin paused for a moment. "Your presence alone heals something inside me that I can't put into words, and just being near you brings me peace. My mind thrives on chaos, and that was all I knew for a long time, especially with my past relationships. But with you, it's different. What we had may not have been clearly defined, but you were the first person who didn't feed into that chaos. You are calm, thoughtful, caring, and kind. Everything my life lacks, and I am not.

Right now, being here with you feels like all my past struggles have faded away. I didn't realize how much I relied on you to be that calming presence for me, and in doing so, I neglected a lot and shouldn't have. I want the chance to fix that, Taehyung. I really do."

He shifted again, sitting up and moving to straddle Taehyung's lap, his hands resting on either side of his shoulders as he stared deeply into Taehyung's eyes. "I'm going to be extremely vulnerable right now," he confessed, his voice trembling slightly.

"I really like you, Kim Taehyung. I like you a lot. You've helped me through so much that you probably don't even realize. I know I've failed to show you how much I care and what you mean to me. While I understand that I won't magically become perfect overnight, I will work on improving and ask you for another chance. Please. I need it. I need you." Jin's eyes glistened with tears as he searched Taehyung's eyes for understanding.

Taehyung felt his heart race as he stared into Jin's eyes, wishing for the pounding to stop. The more he gazed, the faster his heartbeat became. Leaning in closer, he pressed his forehead against Jin's, closing his eyes to sort through his thoughts before making any hasty decisions.

Taking a calming breath, Taehyung pulled back slightly to meet Jin's gaze again. "Why don't we start by working on building a true friendship?"

Jin shook his head vigorously. "That's not going to work for me. I've realized I can't just be your friend, Taehyung."

Surprised, Taehyung raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"I just opened up to you, I told you how I feel. I like you, but not in a platonic way. I have friends already. What I want is for you to be my boyfriend. That's the only kind of 'friend'  I'm interested in.

I'm not trying to be selfish or controlling, but I know myself well enough to understand that being friends would mean something entirely different, and I can't handle that. If we try to just be friends, it'll only make you hate me more over time."

"Seokjin, I don't hate you," Taehyung interjected quickly.

"Then you must dislike me."

"I might dislike some of the things you do, but not you. It's quite the opposite, and I think you know that."

"Then why not give us a chance?" Jin asked, his expression turning into a pout that made Taehyung avert his gaze.

"It's not that I don't want to," Taehyung admitted, his fingers instinctively resting at Jin's waist. "But I'm afraid of a recurring pattern between us. You're sweet to me right now, but I can't help but wonder how long that will last. How long before you start feeling bitter and yelling at me? Those are the questions haunting my mind, Seokjin."

Jin sighed. "I understand if it's hard to trust me, but please give me a chance to prove myself. I won't promise I won't get angry or yell, but I want to work on controlling my emotions so those feelings don't overwhelm me."

"What could provoke you to yell or become angry towards me?" Taehyung asked, genuinely curious.

"Siwoo—"

"Seokjin, he's just someone I tutor. Nothing else is going on between us."

"I don't think he sees it that way—"

"Okay, I get it. Let's not dwell on Siwoo right now. I'm here with you, not with him. The moment I received Hoseok's message, I jumped out of bed and rushed here just for you, not for anyone else. My attention has always been and will always be on you," Taehyung firmly emphasized.

"Not always. You went on a date with Jimin," Jin countered.

"You were dating someone too, Seokjin. You had a relationship over the summer. Jimin and I never had an official date; I made my feelings clear to him from the start. I don't play with people's emotions or leave them feeling unwanted. I'm honest about how I feel, so let's not dwell on irrelevant details." Taehyung expressed seriously with an intense gaze as he stared at Jin.

Jin, taken aback by Taehyung's tone, swallowed hard. "I'm sorry. And it wasn't really a relationship over the summer; it was more—"

"I would rather not know, Seokjin," Taehyung interjected, his expression unreadable.

"Are you upset with me? I feel like I hear my name most when you're mad."

Taehyung inhaled deeply, then exhaled. "No, I'm not upset. I feel frustrated because I like you a lot, but it feels like liking you is a double-edged sword. You're who I want, but you aren't always good for me."

"That stings a bit," Jin replied, trying to mask the hurt in his voice.

"I'm sorry, but it's the truth," Taehyung admitted, his hands tightening around Jin's waist as if to ground them both. "However, I do like you a lot, and even though I can't predict what next month will bring, I'm willing to give us another chance. Please understand, Seokjin, I'm not the same Taehyung you once knew. I have a better understanding of who I am and what I want, and I won't let myself be disrespected or taken for granted."

Tears welled up in Jin's eyes as happiness flooded his heart upon hearing Taehyung's words. He nodded, wiping his eyes. "Thank you for giving me another chance. I promise I'll do my best to be better and show you that I care."

Taehyung gently wiped Jin's tears, his hand cradling Jin's face. "Don't cry. I believe you."

"Thank you," Jin said, leaning in and resting his head on Taehyung's shoulder. Taehyung wrapped his arms around him tightly, both cherishing the moment.

After snuggling together in each other's arms, Jin pulled back, remaining straddled on Taehyung's lap. He gazed intently into Taehyung's eyes, "Can you sleep here tonight, please? I don't think Hoseok is going to come back, and I really don't like sleeping alone."

Taehyung raised an eyebrow, "Hoseok has been sleeping with you?" he asked.

"Yes, he knows how hard it is for me to sleep alone, so he offered to keep me company."

"Okay," Taehyung replied as he processed the information.

"Okay, as in yes, you will stay here tonight?"

Taehyung took a deep breath, after a moment of contemplation, he gave a slight nod. "Sure. I will sleep here tonight."

In an instant, excitement bubbled within Jin. He began to bounce on Taehyung's lap as he clapped his hands in satisfaction. Leaning forward, he pressed a soft kiss to Taehyung's cheek. "Thank you."

Taehyung smiled back, surprised by Jin's reaction. At the same time, he instinctively tightened his grip on Jin's waist, steadying him to prevent any more bouncing. "You are welcome."

As the atmosphere shifted subtly between them, Jin swallowed hard. He paused his movements, feeling the tension. "I'm sorry," he muttered.

"It's fine," Taehyung reassured him. "Do you want to watch a movie?"

"A movie?" Jin asked, glancing at the clock on the wall. "Aren't you tired?"

Taehyung sighed softly, acknowledging the tiredness he couldn't deny, but he also realized the need for a moment of distraction before going to sleep. "I am tired, but it's become a kind of routine for me to watch a movie before I go to sleep. I would like us to watch one together," he explained, a shy smile creeping onto his face.

Jin's face lit up at Taehyung's words, "Oh, well, we can, but let's go to my room. We can watch it on the TV there."

"I like the TV out here; it's bigger," Taehyung countered as he shifted slightly beneath Jin. He then pressed gently at Jin's side, signaling that he needed to get up. "I have to get up; I need something to drink."

Immediately, Jin hopped to his feet. "What do you want to drink? Do you want me to get it?" The offer surprised Taehyung in a way he had never expected as he stared back at Jin.

"Water, but I can get it myself," He said, rising to his feet. He shrugged off his jacket and stretched his arms high above his head, his muscles flexing as he did so. Jin couldn't help but stare, his gaze moving from Taehyung's shoulders to his toned biceps. After a brief moment, he broke the silence, "Are you in competition with Jungkook?"

Taehyung paused for a second, a frown knitting his brows as he turned to Jin. "For what?" he asked, tilting his head slightly.

"With working out?" Jin clarified. "You've gotten a lot more muscle since the last time you were here."

Taehyung smiled at what he took as a compliment but modestly shook his head. "No, it's not like that. The gym has become a kind of sanctuary for me. It's a great way to clear my head, and I function much better after working out. Jungkook has been motivating, though."

"Well, I may not look like the fitness type, but I actually enjoy working out. So I'm available if you ever want to switch up your workout partner."

Taehyung's grin widened at Jin's comment. "I don't think you need to worry about working out. You look amazing without even trying."

"I could say the same for you, too, but here you are, dedicated to your fitness. But, if it helps your mind, then I guess it is worth it. I think if I worked out without Jimin, it would also be good for my mental health, too," Jin said.

"Why do you say that?"

"Well, he talks nonstop during our workouts," Jin admitted, rolling his eyes. "Hoseok, on the other hand, has mastered tuning him out. I attempt to do the same, but it just never works for me because he doesn't stop. Anyway, let's go grab your water, and we can see about the movie you want to watch."

As they walked towards the kitchen, Jin asked, "Do you usually watch movies with Jungkook, or do you watch them alone?"

"Sometimes with Jungkook, and sometimes by myself," Taehyung replied, filling a glass with water and taking a long drink.

Jin furrowed his brow, "I still don't understand how you and Jungkook got so close. You two are really different."

"Friends can have their differences," Taehyung offered with a shrug. "As long as you share some common interests, which Jungkook and I do. It's actually similar to your dynamic with Jimin."

Jin was caught off guard by Taehyung's response, almost offended. "What do you mean, like me and Jimin? Jimin and I are very alike."

Taehyung tilted his head to the side, searching for the right words. "Well, from my perspective, there are definitely some similarities, but Jimin tends to be friendlier and nicer."

Jin rolled his eyes, "Fine, whatever. I don't think I should be friendly with everyone or even like everyone."

"I never said you had to, but it does help to be friendly toward those you actually like, don't you think?" Taehyung asked. He noticed a slight pout on Jin's lips and moved closer, setting his empty glass down. "I'm not trying to offend you with my comments. I just want to help you see things from a different perspective, especially when it comes to the people you care about."

"I'm friendly to the people I like," Jin declared, crossing his arms defensively.

Taehyung raised an eyebrow, "Oh, is that so? You didn't seem that way towards me back then, did you?"

In an attempt to change the subject, Jin asked, "Are we going to watch the movie or what?" He tried to step away, but Taehyung held his hand, pulling him back into place.

"We'll watch the movie once we finish this conversation," Taehyung insisted. "Now, tell me. Why weren't you friendly to me if you are friendly to those you like?"