Even the mere idea of hanging out with someone felt a bit odd to Taehyung. He hadn't spent time with a friend - or, really, with anyone - since he moved to Busan for college. The day before he moved, he and Yoongi had spent the entire day together, from going out for breakfast to staying at Yoongi's for lunch, then heading back out to kill time until dinner, after which the two went to see a movie. They crammed everything into one day, as much as they could, to make up for all the time they wouldn't be able to spend together in the coming years.

Taehyung knew himself well. Which was precisely why he had never imagined himself being able to make friends with another person besides Yoongi. And to an extent, he still believed that, because whatever Jungkook was to him felt vague. He couldn't say friend. But he couldn't not say that, either. More than likely, Tae told himself, it was his own stubborn nature in action.

Whatever the case be, it didn't really matter to him. What mattered was that for a change, Taehyung had been the one to make plans with someone, rather than that someone attempting to do so with him. Yoongi would for sure be astonished once he found out. After all, Taehyung never did tell his dear friend about Jungkook.

At first, it had been a choice. But recently it had just slipped his mind. Jungkook became a part of his life in a strange way and he still didn't know what to think of it.

It wasn't bad. At least he didn't think that way anymore.

Because it happened to fall on a day when the two only had one morning class, both Jungkook and Taehyung went into the Fermata Pavilion at noon at Mr. Oh's request, performed for a couple hours till Taekwoon came in, then set out for their little hangout, which Jungkook had been thinking about the entire time they were on stage. He wasn't good at hiding it, either. That excitement of his. The childish side of him battled with the urge to latch onto Taehyung's arm and jump up and down.

Instead, he showed his enthusiasm through bright smiles and frequent questions.

"So where are we going first?"

They had just stepped out of the cafe. Taehyung turned to the other, lifting his gaze to the sky for a moment as he thought. "Don't know. The mall, I guess. Unless you had another idea-"

"Nope! Mall is fine," Jungkook blurted.

He honestly didn't care where they went. What mattered to him right now was that he actually had this chance to be with Taehyung, and to waste but a second of it was not an option.

That being said, Taehyung made no arguments and drove to the nearest mall, where they both agreed to find some place to eat.

"What do you want?" He asked upon their arrival to the food court. The boys were surrounded by fast-food, pizza, sandwiches, a noodle house, just about everything they could possibly want to eat, all in this one place. Taehyung, for one, already had his eyes set on the Chinese takeout place close by. "If you don't have money on you, it's fine, I'll take care of it."

Jungkook's eyes went wide at the offer. Straightaway he began shaking his head violently in disapproval. "No, no, no, I could never ask you to do that, I just need a minute to think-"

"Aren't you broke?"

He shut his mouth.

"It's fine. If you continue to work at the cafe you'll get paid at the end of next week anyway," Taehyung said. "So if you're insistent on it, you can pay me back then. Now what do you want to eat?"

"...pizza."

"Just pizza? You practically ate a buffet when we had breakfast that one time."

Jungkook shrunk into himself, hands digging into his pockets. "Just pizza is fine."

"A whole pie?"

"N-no, like, a couple slices."

"You sure that's enough?" Taehyung furrowed his brow in disbelief. "Look, if you're holding back just 'cus it's my money, I really don't care. Here."

Next thing Jungkook knew and Tae had placed ₩30,000 (about $25) into his palm and gestured at the pizza parlor.

"Left foot, right foot. I'll meet you at this empty table right here once I order my takeout. Got it?"

For a good minute Jungkook could only stare at the money in confusion.

"...Kook."

He raised his head suddenly. "Left foot, right foot. Got it."

As Jungkook made his awkward way over to get his pizza, Taehyung stepped in line for his Chinese food, the aroma of seasoned chicken and rice already making his mouth water. As he waited in line he allowed his gaze to wander. Around the food court, eyeing all the different shops and at the strangers in the seating area, some happily enjoying their food with one another, while others sat alone with their phones occupying their full attention. After he had nearly reached the front of the line, Taehyung looked across the court at Jungkook, who had conveniently just stepped up to the counter to order.

The boy was looking down at the money in his hand. He squinted at the menu, laughed for some odd reason, then appeared to ask the cashier some questions about said menu before finally placing his order.

So he can be all cheeky with me but a shy baby with strangers...thinks he's cute, I'll bet...

"Sir?"

It suddenly struck Taehyung that the person standing in front of him was no longer there. Clearing his throat, he stepped up to the counter to order.

Five minutes later and he had his food already boxed up and in one hand, along with a soda in the other. Coincidentally, there he saw Jungkook walking away from the pizza parlor counter with a box and soda of his own.

They both sat down at an empty table.

And Jungkook smiled, immediately holding out his hand to give to Taehyung the money he hadn't spent. Tae shook his head.

"Just hold on to it. We'll probably end up going somewhere else you can spend it."

"Can I spend it on anything?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Okay. I'm spending it on you, take."

The boy took hold of Taehyung's wrist, forced open his hand, then dropped the change before he could be scolded. He got scolded anyway, though.

"Kook, you brat, just take it, it's not even a lot of money-"

"I love that you're still calling me that."

Tae scoffed. "What, 'brat' ?"

"Yeah, what a turn-on."

Needless to say, it earned him a reprimanding slap to the shoulder, but it was worth it. Getting Taehyung to blush again, seeing that pretty face of his light up in a lavender hue. It wasn't much this time, just a slight bit of color in his cheeks but that didn't make a difference to Jungkook, who giggled at the sight.

"You're so cute when you're flustered..."

"You're so cute when you're homeless..."

"Wh-" Jungkook drew his head back, words escaping him for a moment as his complexion grew pale. "I-...I'm not..." He swallowed his breath. "...are you kicking me out already...?"

"Still thinking about it," Taehyung teased.

"T-Tae, please, just the other day you told me it was okay, that I didn't need to rush, and-"

"Shut up and eat your pizza."

The boy did shut his mouth, but he hesitated at taking the first bite of his food, instead watching as Taehyung opened his own box and broke apart a pair of cheap chopsticks. He started to eat.

"...is that any good?"

"Wouldn't be eating it if it wasn't," Taehyung remarked, not looking up. "How's your pizza?"

"In a box."

"Well, it should be in your stomach. Eat."

"Do you wanna try some?"

"I know what pizza tastes like. I'm fine, thanks."

"Okay..."

He sounded so disappointed, which gave Taehyung the urge to look at him, dismayed to find the boy pouting as he slowly opened both his styrofoam box and his soda. Then, he proceeded to stare at the pizza for what felt like an eternity before finally reaching out to pick it up.

"For goodness' sake," Taehyung sighed. "Are you actually going to eat or do I have to feed you?"

"Would you?"

Another all-too-excited glance that almost made Taehyung blush again. He tried to show annoyance at the comment, but strangely it was becoming more difficult to do so with each joke Jungkook cracked.

"Think you're funny, don't you?" Tae sneered.

"Hilarious," Jungkook replied.

"Fine, give me your pizza, Mr. Cheeky."

He didn't wait for permission or even for a proper reaction - with the intent of "giving Jungkook a taste of his own medicine", Taehyung carefully picked up one of the boy's two pizza slices and positioned it in front of his face.

"Take a bite, brat."

Jungkook visibly froze up.

"...what's wrong, I thought being called 'brat' was a turn-on."

"I was, I was kidding!" The boy whisper-yelled in protest, face turning beet-red. "That's not fair, you're...you're putting me on the spot, this is embarrassing..."

"Cheese is gonna fall of the pizza, better hurry."

Now the table had been turned, and it was Jungkook wanting to be mad at Taehyung for the teasing comments, but struggling to do so. As he shifted his eyes over to the boy holding up the pizza, a slight, knowing smile on his face and his eyebrows raised, as if waiting, Jungkook suddenly felt less embarrassed, and more happy.

Although, as he gave in and took a bite of the pizza, he still felt shy, but not in an uncomfortable way.

"There. That'll teach you to say those sorts of things, huh?"Taehyung set the pizza down again so that he could continue eating his own food. He felt proud of himself. "Cheeky, you're so cheeky..."

For a while, the two boys ate in comfortable silence, with occasional remarks about this and that being made, until at last they both finished their food. Taehyung felt the need to ask if Jungkook had gotten enough to eat. And again, the boy stressed he was okay with what he had gotten.

"We can always get ice cream or something later," the boy added eagerly.

"If you say so."

"So what now?"

Taehyung shrugged. "Why don't you decide? Why's it gotta be up to me?"

"Because this was your idea."

"Well, it's my idea to let you choose."

"Can we go see a movie?"

As it just so happened, they were standing near to the theater at the time. Or perhaps that's exactly why Jungkook asked. Either way, looking at it, Taehyung was instantly reminded of the last time he and Yoongi properly hung out. They saw My Neighbor Totoro. Tae remembered it vividly.

"What do you want to see?" He asked Jungkook. "Anything in particular?"

"They're playing Spirited Away here." The boy pointed to the movie poster, then turned to Taehyung with a sparkle in his eyes. "I've always wanted to watch it."

That's my favorite film.

"Tae?"

"We can see it. The next showing time is in twenty minutes. C'mon."

So they bought tickets - well, Taehyung did - and hunted down the theater to get their seats.

The duration of the movie was roughly two hours, but to the two boys, it didn't feel nearly as long. They both became engrossed in the film, every aspect of it from the soundtrack to the unmatched animation, gorgeous and unique in every way. Taehyung had seen it numerous times but it always filled him with joy, like a comfort food, but in movie-form. Then there was Jungkook, seeing it for the first time and being unable to tear his bright eyes from the screen.

At one point during the movie, however, Taehyung did manage to look away from the screen. He looked at Jungkook, partially curious to see if the boy was enjoying the movie as much as he always did.

Evidently, the feeling was mutual. His fixated smile and twinkling pupils spoke volumes.

They ended up watching it again.

Afterwards, as neither cared to choose what they did next, the boys ended up taking a shopping trip that unexpectedly lasted until the mall closed, despite neither really buying much.

Ten p.m. and Jungkook and Taehyung exited the mall. Seeing as the sky had grown dark, they decided it wouldn't be a bad idea to go home and so made their way across the parking lot to get to Tae's car.

Once they had both climbed inside, silence settled.

Jungkook turned slightly to gaze at Taehyung. He found the boy with his own head hanging a bit, a vague, somewhat concerning expression now plastered on his face. "Is...everything okay?"

"Yeah," Tae responded. "That's what's weird."

"...meaning?"

"I had a really good time today. This wasn't planned."

Jungkook couldn't help but chuckle, relieved to know it wasn't anything serious. "Wasn't planned, huh?" He bit back his smile. "Sorry, did you want to have a bad day?"

"No."

"Well, that's good. I'm glad, in that case."

"Mm. Thank you for this."

It wiped the smile clean off his face. Puzzled and touched by the sudden tone of sincerity, Jungkook took a moment to scan Taehyung again. He hadn't expected the other to make eye contact. It gripped Jungkook's full attention and trapped him in some sort of atmosphere he doubted he'd ever be able to escape, until, that is, Tae would look away. But for the time being he held his gaze.

"For today, thank you."

A tender voice. Low, music to Jungkook's ears.

"With everything I've been going through lately, I need something like this. You can be a real brat, with all your cheeky comments and stupidly bold behavior and everything, but really...I need someone like you."

It struck his heart, melted around it and formed together again like soft clay.

Especially those last few words. Like feathers, they tickled Jungkook's ears, his fingertips, too, which curled on his lap.

Taehyung still had him trapped in his gaze, in this atmosphere.

Beautiful, mesmerizing Taehyung.

And it seemed that Taehyung had also been trapped, at least to some degree, realizing his own change of heart and not knowing what to do next in this moment.

Neither of them noticed the other leaning closer until their lips were centimeters apart.

Then they were touching.

A soft, warm feeling that flooded their entire being like the world's gentlest tsunami, crashing a second time as they parted their lips for but a moment only to connect them again. Then once more.

Then it must have hit his brain all at once, shattering the atmosphere his heart had crafted all on its own without any supervision. Taehyung tore himself back, fastened his seat belt, and drove off without saying a word.

Silent, all the way home, save the rapid beating of Jungkook's heart begging to be free from its cage.

The kiss was too short, he thought with some regret, but so sweet.

He worried, though. At that silence that followed.

Clearly, neither of the two had planned for that to happen. It just did. And Jungkook so badly wanted to say something but he couldn't bring himself to speak again.

In the end, after arriving back at the apartment, Taehyung insisted he was tired and chose to sleep in his own room for a change. As this was Tae's place, Jungkook wasn't about to argue. The obvious avoidance of what happened in the car did, however, leave him disappointed.

He said good night and lay down on the couch. 

It took a while for him to fall asleep.

Tae's lips.

He felt warmth envelop his face.

Did that actually happen?

Taehyung's voice from the other room broke his train of thought.

"Don't leave the light on overnight, Jungkook."

"Right. Turning it off."

It did. It did happen.

*
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end of chapter sixteen.