"A nervous
silence loosens tongues."
— Jacqueline Carey

Taehyung POV

The words stared back at me as my thumb hovered over the screen, multiple thoughts running through my mind in seconds as I tried to think of every outcome to this.

Talk to Jungkook about his medication. The text was typed already, it was the first thing I did after the mentioned boy pushed open the door to his apartment. And Jimin's name sat at the top of my screen waiting for the message to be sent, but I couldn't think of a good outcome to telling him that I suspect somethings wrong.

Jimin would get too worried, ultimately wanting to see him and abandoning any chance of his best friend getting hurt. That includes admitting how he wasn't sick, because the poor boy is too sweet to feel guilt. And it would most likely lead to me being the bad guy, even if I would be the one to tell Jimin in the first place.

So my phone was in my pocket next, nothing sent and nothing received.

Only the sound of Jungkook dropping his backpack on the floor and his back hitting the couch cushions shortly after, a heavy groan escaping from the impact. "I'm stuffed for the next four months."

I nodded in agreement and walked over to his small living room, kicking my shoes off in the process and leaving them somewhere in the middle of the floor.

Jungkook glared at them and then up at me, "This is how you behave when I invite you into my home?" If it wasn't for the subtle sparkle of amusement in those doe eyes I may have thought he was genuinely annoyed.

I nodded, "Now scoot." I nudged his thigh with my knee, wanting him to make room for me on the couch but not particularly waiting. Instead, I laid down anyways half on top of the groaning boy and laying my head comfortably on his shoulder with one arm hanging off the couch and the other draped lazily over his chest. "How much did you eat, you pig?" Jungkook huffed from underneath me, propping my chin up on his chest to look up at the other.

I grinned and brushed his hair back from his forehead, tucking a bit behind his ear in the process, "Aren't you suppose to thank me for paying?" I tilted my head to the side a bit, halting the movement of my fingers through his soft locks, "Don't be a disrespectful shit."

The stubbornness shown through once again, accompanied by that insistent need to make everything a competition.

"Next time I'm taking you somewhere so much classier and it'll be my treat." he fantasized, "Some arcade with unlimited tokens or maybe even that pottery class with the karaoke."

I hummed in acknowledgement, shifting my head back to lay against his shoulder as my palm rested on his chest. Jungkook kept talking about whatever ideas kept popping into his mind and I could barely keep up with it. The hectic jumble of possibilities was a nice distraction from what occupies my own mind before, but also a hidden reminder.

"Hey Kook," the black haired boy quieted once I spoke up, "Maybe just staying in doing something simple is just as nice."

There was some silence, and I couldn't see his face to guess what he was thinking.

Only when he replied, a quiet voice in the quiet apartment, "I guess so."

We laid like that for some minutes in a comfortable silence, neither one of us inclined to speak since the pleasant quietness and comfort enveloped us both. It was like a hug we both wanted and needed.

Life's a balance. One side tipping towards the good while the other tips to the bad, but eventually it all evens out and gets better, meeting in the middle. But in order to get better things must fall down into the bad end. That's usually what happens when I decide to open my mouth.

"So about what happened at the diner-"

Jungkook didn't give me the chance to finish, that quick whit of his always working fast and obviously not numbed down by the topic of my choice. "The burgers? Yeah I was not disappointed, they tasted like perfection smushed beautifully between two buns."

He sounded okay, like he was trying to be fine. But I could feel his arm tense over my shoulder, his fingertips no longer tracing random patterns between my shoulder blades. I didn't realize his touch gave me shivers and made my heart quicken just a bit until he stopped, the absence cold.

"No, that's not what I was referring to." I said. This wasn't a time to be all cute and distracting. He certainly wasn't getting that message however.

Jungkook shifted on the couch and I pushed myself off him and into a sitting position, he did the same and leaned back against the cushions, eyes intently staring at me. There was a subtle smile on his face that made me uneasy, especially since I almost expected him to being cold like he did at the diner.

"You didn't take your medication." I stated plainly.

Jungkook nodded at the fact, eyes not leaving me and expression unwavering. He made no efforts to respond verbally and I couldn't hold back the sigh that begged to be released.
"So why haven't you?"

It was there, subtle but still noticeable. The slight clenching of his jaw as he thought of some bullshit excuse to try and get past me.

The boy took my hand instead of speaking first, his index finger tracing the back of my hand moving carefully over each knuckle and outlining the few rings. I watched his movements, the action soft and sweet in a way, exactly how his voice was. "I was having a good day, I didn't feel the need to."

"That's not how it works baby," I smiled softly at him, this time my hand taking his and giving it a light squeeze. Jungkook looked up at me and that amusement was gone, just a slight shrug showed. "Just follow it from now on please?" I added.

There was a nod and his black bangs bounces along with it, the smile on my staying fondly. The moment he's quiet and almost shy, Jungkook suddenly seems so much younger. But that shyness didn't last long, because when I opened my mouth to ask him again, all he did was shake his head and push his lips to mine.

The kiss was surprising and caught me off guard, only taking a second for me to push back and run the tip of my tongue over his bottom lip. Those pink pieces of flesh turning upward in a smile and Jungkook pulled away with a smirk, "You're so easy to silence."

I could feel my cheeks heat up and I could guarantee that eve the tips of my ears had turned a light shade of pink. My hand leaving his just to shove him a bit as he laughed at my embarrassment, "Shut up brat."

And then we were laughing and smiling, talking about dumb things that were random and unimportant but meant a lot right then and there. Each thing revealing things about the other. I was caught up with this seemingly wonderful boy in front of me without even realizing the perfection he possesses of manipulating situations to benefit himself. A common trait we've both shown to have.

• ♡ •
hit that little star
for more updates