Taegchi
ok so dude guk you know how i always have genius ideas and stuff yeah

me
alternative fact

me
also it's 7 am on a saturday morning wth are u of all people doing up

Taegchi
listen hun i don't choose when inspiration strikes ok

Taegchi
*guk

Taegchi
ew autocorrect

me
tae just continue

Taegchi
right ok so u know i'm the coolest kid in school right

me
another alternative fact but continue

Taegchi
you know i can make anything fun right

me
you know how i'm gonna get bored if u don't hurry up and explain yourself right

Taegchi
ok so check it

Taegchi
you know we've got that group project do to and how steve isn't giving us much time in class for it right

Taegchi
yeah well my 40 million brain cells assembled to construct the greatest idea known to humankind

Taegchi
you jimin hoseok and yoongi all come to my house some time later today

Taegchi
we can work some on the project, get a decent chunk of it done together

Taegchi
AND we can hang out and all sleep over at my house

Taegchi
see? wut i tell ya. 40 million brain cell energy

me
taehyung

me
your poor sweet old mother

Taegchi
she's a doctress she works late anyway

me
taehyung doctor can mean male or female doctress is not a word...

me
also what about your dad

Taegchi
he doesn't care lmao he'll be watching football in his room after he gets home

Taegchi
and my sister's all about that #gamerlife she'll be in her room the whole night we probs won't even see her

Taegchi
so yeah, i know

Taegchi
genius

me
did u ask the rest of our group about this?

Taegchi
i can ask yoongi but i'm counting on u to ask jimin and hoseok

me
i don't have hoseok's number

Taegchi
get from jimin

me
and give to u got it

Taegchi
you word-twister you

me
dude i'm playing wingman this is good for u

me
brb

-

me
hey jimin sorry if it's too early :( but when u get the chance could i have hoseok's number? taehyung's asking for it

Jimin
yeah hold on

Jimin
[ contact sent ]

me
wait crap did i wake u up

Jimin
no i was up anyway

me
oh ok :) good morning btw

Jimin
morning

me
while i'm here might i ask if youuuu

me
have plans later today

Jimin
what

Jimin
why

Jimin
why are you asking??

me
lol it's tae's genius idea

me
he wants to get our group together at his house to work on the project then stay for a sleepover

Jimin
oh

Jimin
idk

me
that's ok :) just let me know i guess once you figure it out

-

me
[ contact sent ]

me
hoseok's number at your disposal ;)

Taegchi
yeah ok wtvr dude

Taegchi
did u ask hoodie boy

me
i asked him to just let me know if he had plans so idk yet

me
maybe hoseok could convince him tho

me
tae this is where u come in

Taegchi
it's early he probs sleepin

me
i mean jimin was awake maybe hoseok is also an early riser

Taegchi
yeh u right he's the sun anyway ☀️

me
ok tae ok

Taegchi
k imma text him brb

-

Taegchi
he's down and he said he'd convince jimin to go

Taegchi
and yoongi's down

me
i'm down

Taegchi
same

Taegchi
so like i'm thinking 6 or 7 is good wby

me
fine with me

Taegchi
k see you then dude 🤙

-

Being the incredibly social person that he is, Jeongguk can't help but look forward to it. And he won't deny a part of it has something to do with Jimin.

But Jeongguk has to wonder how the boy will act around him - it won't be at school, but there'll still be people around, so will Jimin still act tense or not want to talk, or will it be a more relaxed atmosphere to him and make him more comfortable with talking to Jeongguk?

Naturally, he wishes for the latter. But he can't know till tonight.

So to pass the time until the evening arrives, Jeongguk stops by the library for some resource materials - as though five teenage boys in one house are actually going to get any work done - and busies himself playing video games as well as his acoustic guitar which he hasn't taken out in a while. He learned the basics in sophomore year by joining a music club at his school. But at the start of junior year the boy's passion for sports was rekindled and thus pushed guitar as a secondary hobby.

He still holds a certain love for it, though. A soft spot for the peace that playing an instrument provides.

Late in the afternoon, as he's sitting on his bed with his guitar still in his hands, Jeongguk hears a knock at the bedroom door. "Come in."

The boy's four-year-old younger brother pokes his little head in. "Gukkie," his small voice draws a smile from the older, "Mum wants to know if you're, if you're gonna be home for when dinner is...is ready."

"No, I'm going to Tae's." Jeongguk sets his guitar down on the bed. "I forgot to tell her I'm staying over."

"You won't be home?"

"Not tonight, buddy."

"Were you playin' kitar?"

Guitar. "Yeah, I was playin' kitar, Hyun-ie."

The little boy steps into the room, bottom lip sticking out. "I wanna hear you play," he mumbles.

"I gotta leave soon, buddy." Jeongguk gives a sad smile now and walks over to Hyungi to rub the boy's head. "How 'bout tomorrow before bedtime?"

It warms Jeongguk's heart to watch as his little brother's face lights up with such genuine and innocent joy, and he nods vigorously before darting out of the older's room and pulling the door shut.

The older sighs and puts his guitar back in its case.

It's 6 p.m. now. Taehyung texted him earlier that afternoon with a finalized "any time between 6 and 7" as a good time to show up, and since Jeongguk only lives five minutes away by car, he's not in any rush. At the same time he feels strangely obligated to be one of the first, if not the first, to show up, so he grabs his book bag and overnight things and heads downstairs.

"Leaving for Tae's now?" His mother asks as she watches her son slip on his shoes by the door.

"Yup. I should be back tomorrow morning, maybe afternoon if we decide to do something else."

"Alright, well, just let me know, okay?"

"Will do."

"Bye, Gukkie!"

He waves happily to Hyungi standing at the top of the stairs. "See ya tomorrow, buddy!"

"Lub you!!"

"Lub you, too, buddy!"

Leaving his brother with one last goodbye wave, Jeongguk closes the front door behind him, gets in his car, and drives to Taehyung's while humming the last song he played on the guitar.

Five minutes later and he pulls into an empty parking spot, then approaches Tae's front door and rings the bell.

Yoongi answers the door.

"Not who I was expecting," Jeongguk blurts. "Sup, Yoongi. When'd you get here?"

"He's been here since 4!" Taehyung's voice calls from inside the house.

"I had nothing better to do," Yoongi says with a shrug, as if to defend himself. He then takes a step to the side so that Jeongguk can enter the house.

"Are Hoseok and Jimin here yet?"

"Nope," Taehyung answers, tossing his friend a bag of unpopped kernels. "Put these in the microwave for me, will you? I'm gonna take a shower. Shout up to me if Hoseok and Jimin get here while I'm still in there."

"Yup."

With that, Taehyung bounds up the stairs and leaves Jeongguk the task of making the popcorn, which the boy takes very seriously as he, for one, despised the smell of burnt popcorn.

As he's waiting for the microwave timer to go off, Jeongguk takes it upon himself to set out the salt, sugar, and honey - it's a tradition for him and Taehyung to have these three different ingredients to dip their popcorn in. Sprinkling just salt over the entire bowl simply won't do. So he gets out three small bowls from one of the cabinets.

Jeongguk also decides to clean up the kitchen a little. Judging by the mess left behind, it appears someone attempted to make cookies and failed miserably, then chose not to do anything about the used measuring cups, stained mixing bowl, and broken eggshells scattered on the counter. And the floor. But Jeongguk doesn't notice those until he hears a crack under his foot.

"Mind the eggshells," Yoongi calls into the kitchen, a second too late.

"Thanks, Yoongi..."

"No problem."

Sighing, Jeongguk leans over to take off his sock now grossly covered in egg yolk. He slips the other one off, too, shoves them in his pocket, then cleans up the mess before finally finishing what he came out here to do in the first place.

In a few minutes Jeongguk is reentering the living room now with a tray carefully balancing the large bowl of popcorn and the three smaller bowls of salt, sugar, and honey.

It's not just Yoongi here anymore. Just as he sets foot out of the kitchen, Jeongguk finds Hoseok and Jimin standing in the entryway, stepping out of their shoes after having just arrived. And Jeongguk can't stop the smile that tugs at his lips upon seeing Jimin - the boy's in an oversized sweatshirt as usual, this one baby blue in color, and the hood has small cat ears. His jeans look a little large, too, but only in length, with the cuffs completely covering his ankles and crumpling. Aside from that they fit nicely.

"Oh, Jeongguk, by the way, Hoseok and Jimin are here."

"Thanks, Yoongi, I can see that now."

At the mention of the boy's name, Jimin lifts his gaze from his feet, traveling till it finds Jeongguk's own. And Jeongguk doesn't hesitate to greet him with a wave, but Jimin does.

"Where's the host?" Hoseok asks curiously.

"Tae's in the shower," Jeongguk replies. "He should be back soon. You guys can make yourself comfortable, though. I made popcorn."

It seems Jimin didn't notice the popcorn Jeongguk's carrying until the word is spoken, and as an involuntary reaction, the boy lets out a small, excited gasp and his eyes go wide for a moment. Jeongguk fails to hold back a laugh.

"Help yourself."

He sets the tray down on the coffee table, all the while watching Jimin's adorably eager expression. Honestly, he surprises himself not dropping the tray in the process.

"There's sugar, salt, and honey here if you're interested."

"Honey?" Jimin makes an odd face. A small blush appears on his cheek appears as he meets Jeongguk's eyes again. "With...popcorn?"

"It sounds weird, I know, but it's good." As if to demonstrate, Jeongguk dips a piece of popcorn in the honey bowl and eats it. He smiles at Jimin. "Try it. You'll be surprised."

Shyly, Jimin pulls down his hood and reaches for a piece of popcorn, then dips it in the bowl of honey. Hoseok watches with intrigue.

"Can I try it?"

"Yeah, of course, Hoseok, go ahead."

At that moment, who should come descending the stairs at last but the host himself, furiously drying his hair with a bath towel which he tosses aside as soon as he steps into the living room.

"Oh, well, hello there."

"Hello, Tae." Hoseok laughs.

"Fancy meeting you here."

"You invited us."

"That I did."

"Are your sweatpants on backwards?"

"Depends. Do you want them to be?"

"Tae, dude, go fix your pants."

"Shut up, Guk, I know."

—