Chapter Text
For someone who has been in a lot of relationships—constantly, might one add—Jeon Jungkook has never celebrated Valentine’s day. Kind of pathetic, he thinks, and kind of funny too but he makes jokes as a trauma response so he’s not really sure about the ‘funny’ part.
However, he makes himself laugh, which counts for something, right?
He also makes himself cry a lot. Oftentimes by overthinking, many other times by imagining himself in unrealistically high-standard scenarios and then moping around because it’s obviously a brain child of his own miseries.
So this New Year, as many people do, Jungkook makes a resolution. But as many people do not do, the resolution he makes is about celebrating Valentine’s day for real, doesn’t matter how, doesn’t matter with whom. And as the New Year high comes down to mid-January, Jungkook is getting desperate because, a.) he does not have a boyfriend or even a boy for that matter, and b.) February is so so close. His hyungs have been trying to get boys towards him, and not like he’d have any difficulties in getting one. But does he want them? Nah, nope, no.
Don’t get him wrong, he isn’t picky. He’s just a little . . . set-minded. He has a type—a very set and constant type—bold, wicked, older, and someone who’s mean and caring. So yeah, maybe he is a little picky but you’d never catch him admitting to it. And he knows full well what type he attracts, the one who wants to be dominated by his big muscles and tattoos. He doesn’t really blame them, and he’d probably switch, but so far, there hasn’t been much progress with it.
He remembers talking to Jimin about it, his hyung jesting over how he’d grab a random guy from the streets and pay him to spend a day with him at this rate.
It wasn’t the sanest piece of statement Jimin could have used in front of a reckless Jungkook, and he would probably smack him senseless if he knew Jungkook would take his words quite literally.
Because right now, he stands outside their eldest hyung’s apartment, his lower lip being harassed by the relentless chewing on it as his fingers play with the barbell pierced across his eyebrow while the other is hugging his own waist.
It’s been a total of five minutes of him contemplating every single moment that has led up to this situation. In all honesty, he’d gladly step back and never show his face to anyone if only someone were to grab him by the ear and tell him what a moronic idea it is. Though, no one’s gonna be doing that at . . . Jungkook checks his phone—2:47 in the morning. He sighs, letting his arms fall limply by his side.
He did not think this through at all. Impulsively getting out of his bed, still dressed in his baby blue furry pj’s and purple full-sleeve tee scattered with white polka dots. To make everything worse, he didn’t even bother to tidy his hair, the soft, black strands sticking out in every possible direction and Jungkook has half the mind to just ram head first into a wall.
He groans, running his hands over his face and through his hair—sleepy and jittery.
What was he thinking? He could have at least waited till morning, dressed appropriately for it? But again, he isn’t actually asking hyung out, right?
Right.
He stands there in the hallway, listening to crickets chirp before unlocking his phone.
Jungkook:
Hypothetically speaking…
Taehyungie Hyung:
Do it
Jungkook:
I didn’t even say anything
And why are you awake?
Jungkook pinches the bridge of his nose, watching the chat bubble appear and disappear. He low-key wished he’d get out of this dilemma if Taehyung was asleep.
Clearly nothing goes his way.
Taehyungie Hyung:
You’re one to talk, hypocrite
Besides, does your hypothetical situation lead to eventual death of yours?
Jungkook blinked owlishly at the screen.
Jungkook:
Obviously not hyung
Taehyungie Hyung:
Then do it
At least you won’t die with the uncertainty of whether people laughed over what you did or not. You can be alive and know that for sure.
Crickets.
A pause.
Jungkook hums in the empty hallway.
Jungkook:
Fair enough
Taehyung’s right, weirdly so, but right nonetheless.
With hyung’s inspiring words fiery in his heart, Jungkook rings the doorbell, and waits.
He waits for a solid five seconds before his adrenaline-induced false sense of confidence starts to melt into cold shivers of panic.
A few more seconds pass, and even in the silence of the night, he doesn’t hear a movement inside the apartment.
A few more seconds, almost a minute and Jungkook is frowning at the door because how dare Seokjin hyung not be awake at half past 2 in the fucking morning.
His toes peeking from the sandals wiggle in anticipation, fingers drumming against his thighs.
Okay, no response and it’s been more than a minute. Jungkook rings the bell again.
Out of all of his friends, it’s evident who follows a diligent sleep schedule (side eyeing Hoseok, Jin and Yoongi hyung) and who frowns and goes, ‘Sleep schedule? What that?’ (side eyes to Taehyung, Jimin, Namjoonie hyung and himself). He wishes he was mildly attracted to not one of the diligent sleepers, and perhaps someone of a nocturnal breed as him, or maybe not Seokjin hyung who has an affinity to cause Jungkook troubles even unconsciously. Or maybe just someone who is not the only single friend in the group.
Luckily though, he does hear a faint click of a door inside and soft shuffling of feet reaching the door. He straightens his posture as if it’d help him in any sort of way, and takes a deep breath.
Metal clinks, Jin putting the chain on the door before it jars open with a soft creak. A puffed face, half-open eyed Jin peaks out, squinting angrily at whoever psychopath graced his home with their humble presence.
And Jungkook almost runs for his life before Jin’s eyes open as much as they can and he makes a sound of confusion and hurries to unlock the door.
“Jungkook-ah? Wh-What . . .” He opens his arm, inviting Jungkook to him while the other keeps the door open and ushers him inside with a soft hand to his back.
“I’m sorry for coming over so late—”
Jungkook doesn’t get to finish his sentence before two warm hands grab his face, tilting his head in every angle. “Are you hurt? Did something happen? Do you have a fever? You’re warm--Like hot hot, and I do not mean in looks--which you are, but you get the poi--”
“Hyung,” Jungkook chuckles, gently prying Jin’s hand from his face and keeping them in his hold between them. “I’m fine, totally alright. Nothing happened.”
Jin blinks. “Then why are you here disturbing my precious sleep, you moron.”
Jungkook gasps offended as the hyung walks out of his hold and to the kitchen on the right, grabbing two glasses and a bottle from the fridge.
“You were so concerned, like, two seconds ago!” He voices his surprise in a gentle rage.
Jin gives him a look which very well conveys the obvious, “That was before I knew you were okay. Now,” He pushes one glass towards the edge of the kitchen island, Jungkook waddling in his loose clothes and reluctantly drinking the water.
“What brings you here, and it better be a damn good reason JK-ah.” Jin sips his own water, still staring at the younger and raising his eyebrows.
Jungkook’s thoughts trip over one another. Why is he looking so continuously? Does he not know Jungkook’s been double thinking everything since the past three sleepless hours!
And Jin looked fine as hell even after getting out of bed in his white tee and grey sweats, not a hair out of place, which is more than what Jungkook can say for the angry nest on his head. He’s a little conscious, so to say.
A soft clink of glass being put back on the marble countertop brings him out of his reverie.
“Hyung.”
“Yes, Jungkook-ah?” Jin says carefully, gentle nonetheless.
Jungkook fiddles with his glass. “You see, I wanted to propose something.”
“Uh huh.”
“Not propose—” Jungkook’s irises shift upwards as he pouts and waves his hand in dismissal. “More like ask—one friend to another, one sexy mind to another—”
“Sit.”
Jungkook’s knees buckle negligibly, however a shocking realisation shoots to his brain over how he almost kneeled on Jin’s command.
Jim gestures at the stool with his head, taking his own seat across from him.
Horrified at himself, Jungkook gulps down the rest of the water, and hurries to sit.
“Look at me.” Jin says, and Jungkook sheepishly does. “What’s wrong? Something’s bothering you, what is it?”
“Promise me you won’t get mad, or laugh at me.” He says quietly.
“Did you wet your bed?”
Jungkook splutters, scandalised. “Why would you say that-?!”
“I don’t know, why are you being so cryptic-?!”
“Gosh!” Jungkook groans, dropping his head into his arms. “You’re an idiot.”
Jin scoffs. “Careful what you say to the man you woke up mid-sleep.”
“Right, sorry about that.” He lifts his head, rubbing his face aggressively. “It’s just . . . whatever reason I came here with now seems a bit stupid in my head.”
Jin gapes. “You know what else would look real stupid? Me hanging you out on the balcony from your toes.”
Jungkook stares horrified, “Upside down?” He whispers.
Jin leans forward, like he just made the greatest threat possible. “Upside down.” He iterates.
The younger one visibly shivers. “Cruel. And no, you won’t do that, you love me too much.”
“Out with it.” Jin says wryly.
Jungkook purses his lips and enlarges his eyes comically, entwining his fingers over the marble as he did so. Jin does not humour him in his preparations, staring flatly as he gets done with his theatrics.
Jungkook exhales sharply, “So as you know I have no boyfriend currently—”
“Boohoo.”
“AndI had resolved to spend Valentine’s day with someone.” Jungkook makes his point forcefully after being interrupted. “But February’s approaching and I have no one yet.”
Jin’s eyes move around as he blinks rapidly. “I seem to have missed the part where it concerns me.”
He snatches Jungkook’s glass from in front of him and refills it and keeps it back rather haughtily.
Message received, Jungkook gulps.
“See, that’s where you come in.” He chuckles nervously, grabbing the glass with feeble hands.
“I kinda wanted to ask you if you’d spend it with me?”
Jin chokes on air.
And Jungkook gingerly offers his glass to him with an uncertain smile, which he takes while coughing.
He drinks it up, Jungkook is about to say something but stops when Jin lifts an index finger between them.
Jungkook snaps his mouth shut and sinks back in his seat.
Is it that bad of an idea that he deadass choked?
Jin breathes through his nose, setting the glass back down and closing his eyes.
“Did you just ask me out?” He says, his pointer finger is still there, a very threatening finger in Jungkook’s opinion.
“No! No, Gods no.” Jungkook hurries to clarify. “I just . . . instead of looking for a relationship which I have no certainty of whether it will end or not, if it’ll be something of a bitter memory or not and to avoid all those . . . feelings, I thought why not spend it with my lovely Seokjin hyung, like playing pretend!”
“There's so much to uncover—” Jin rubs his temples. “So like, a platonic date?”
Jungkook hums, unsure . “Not quite. More like, you’d give me a . . . boyfriend experience till 14th so I have one of those instagram core memories, no strings attached of course.”
“Oh no-o-o, I was so worried I’d fall head over heels for you.”
“Well, I am quite charming, adorable and hot and sweet and nice—”
“And yet you’re asking hyung for a date since you have no boyfriend, Mr. Charming, adorable and hot and sweet and nice.”
Jungkook splutters, “Okay first, you remembered all of that in order? Just how obsessed are you with me?”
Jin makes a weirded out face, raising his hands questioningly and is about to counter before Jungkook continues.
“And uhm hello? I have people lined up to date me, it’s me who doesn’t want to date them.”
“But you’d ‘date’ me.”
“I mean,” Jungkook shrugs nonchalantly, suppressing the urge to blush. “You’re the only one I felt comfortable asking, so . . . I just, it’s okay if you had other plans, I just wanted to ask. It could be fun? I’d even pay you.”
He dares peer through his fringes, trying to analyse the thousand thoughts screening on Seokjin’s face and hoping he didn’t just make things weird.
“'Pay' me? Excuse me?”
“It’s just an incentive!”
“So let me put it in a nice little nutshell, alright?” Jin folds his hand in front of him, smiling politely and Jungkook hides his face behind his palm dreading the incoming summary bomb.
“You came to my house, at 2:45 in the morning, rang my bell two times--”
His face snaps up from his hand. “You heard the first one and didn’t open--?!”
“To ask me to hangout—no, give you a boyfriend experience till Valentine's day because you have no partner.”
Jungkook clears his throat, embarassed. “If you put it like that.”
“There is no other way to put it, JK-ah.” He smiles sweetly. And Jungkook knows it’s anything but sweet.
“Haha?”
Jin’s smile drops. “I’ll murder you.”
He lunges from his seat towards Jungkook and Jungkook squeals, staggering down the stool and running for the living room.
“Stop running, you punk ass bitch!”
Jungkook gasps. “Hey! Why the fuck are you swearing?!”
He rounds the couch, Jin coming from the opposite side and both of them stopping across from each other, panting.
“At least don’t kill me before Valentines.” Jungkook whines.
Jin squints hard. “You better look out if I poison your food on the 14th.”
“Yeah?” Jungkook sasses back with an obnoxious sway of his head. “Well you better look out for—wait did you just agree?”
Jin rolls his eyes, dropping his predatory stance and coming around the couch and plopping on it. Jungkook stares down at him, confused.
“Would you rather I not?”
“No!” He yells, clearing his throat and shifting his weight from one leg to another. “I just didn’t expect you to agree so fast.”
“I can play hard to get if you want.” Jin winks up at him, and Jungkook gags and kicks his shin before throwing himself beside him. “Besides, you’re my friend, of course I’d want you to have a great Valentine's day.”
Jin ruffles Jungkook’s hair from where he dropped his head on the elder’s shoulder. “But did you really have to—” He yawns, loud and big. “Come over right now?”
“I’m sorry,” Jungkook yawns as well, “I was jittery and panicked.”
Jin huffs lazily, a passing chuckle. “You think way too much, slow down, Jungkook-ah.”
He hums back in response.
It’s a comfortable silence as Jin presses a button on the side and the footrests pop up under their feet and they both sigh, relaxing on the plush material.
It’s silent, save for their soft breaths.
Jin turns his head down, Jungkook sensing the motion looks up at hyung from his shoulder.
“About you paying me, how much?” He teases and Jungkook shoves him lightly with a laugh, accepting Jin’s arm going around his shoulders and cuddling him close.
After that, neither of them speak any more as the silence lulls them into a deep slumber.
♡♡♡♡
“You did what?!” Jimin screeches, much to Taehyung’s amusement who lays unbothered in his lap, eating grapes.
“I don’t know why you’re shocked, everything turned out amazingly well.” Jungkook contends, full pout and frown, scrolling through pinterest and watching cute date ideas (cue dramatic sigh).
“Amazingly well? He literally threatened murder three times in your whole conversation.” Jimin deadpans, and Taehyung snorts, sighing when Jimin’s fingers run through his hair.
“I have read enough stories to know where this takes us.” Taehyung nods at Jungkook, amusement glinting in his smiling eyes. “It’s classic bullshit you’re feeding us. I bet you and hyung are gonna eat each other's faces in some time.”
Jungkook stares them down over his phone, pupils shifting between the duo. “You know you two are like this very annoying combo of insanely hot gremlins who I can’t really be mad at but still want to throw my super heavy phone at?”
“Thank you for perceiving us, we shall now rest for an eternity as our souls have sought the recognition they deserved.” Taehyung announces, a hand to his heart and solemn expression on his face.
Jimin rolls his eyes with a smile, “That’s very descriptive of you. Both of you.”
“We are men of culture Jimin-ah, you should read our tweets.” Taehyung looks up at him, eyes sparkling and face bunched up in a mischievous grin.
“Uh, he did.” Jungkook gives a flick of his wrist and lifts his finger. “And that’s exactly why he has us blocked.”
Jimin sticks out his tongue at him.
“Wait, you have us blocked?!” Taehyung gets up from his lying position and faces the oldest of the three with betrayal painting his features. “That’s literally so rude, what about all the drunk confessions I’ve made in your memory?”
Jimin scoffs. “Ah well—I’m sorry if I don’t want to see you two getting off on fighting school kids online? What’s with all that bullying?”
“They are obnoxious, a threat to society. I don’t like them.” Taehyung scrunches his nose in distaste.
“And one of them called Tae hyung a hag.” Jungkook feeds with a hand over his mouth, like whispering a secret and Taehyung makes a loud sound of protest.
“I told you that in confidence, Kook-ah!”
“You didn’t tell me shit, it happened online, for everyone to see!” Jungkook mimics his tone, earning a throw pillow in his face.
“Aye, control your man.” Jungkook throws the pillow to Jimin.
“Aye, my man, be controlled.” Jimin slaps Taehyung’s back playfully, who sinks into the couch with a huff.
“Okay but back to you and Jin hyung—”
“No. No, that topic is d-o-o-one. At least with you two.” He points between them, an indignant string of protests thrown at him in return.
“How’s it gonna work, like, is it sort of like escort services? Don’t tell Jin hyung I said that.” Taehyung adds immediately after hearing his own words, petrified.
“Your words,” Jungkook shrugs. “And no, agh how do I even explain this.”
Jungkook falls to his side, blowing his cheeks as he scratches his nose. It had been an impulse-slash-rash decision which spawned in a particularly lonely night, and the first person to come to his mind was Jin hyung, and why won’t he. He’s good-looking, he’s fun, he takes care of Jungkook, and he’s one of his best friends, so why not. Escort services did come to his mind, yes, just before he rang Jin’s doorbell, it made an appearance. But the fear of spending time with a complete stranger for something like Valentine’s day got the best of him and he let the thought rot away into nothing.
Now he has two extremely nosy best friends sitting eager and waiting with their big eyes and raised brows and he has half the heart to run to his room and lock himself inside forever.
“I just wanted to feel special with someone who actually cares about me.” He says quietly. “And I wanted to make them feel special too, you know, like kind of a gratitude for being there with me? It’s love right? Love can be anything, no? Like I love you guys. So why not him.”
Taehyung and Jimin exchange a long look before turning back to Jungkook, eyes downcasted and suppressed smiles on their faces.
“That’s . . .” Taehyung starts, glancing at Jimin.
“That’s really sweet, Jungkook.” Jimin finishes, releasing a small chuckle and finally looking back at him. “We knew you’re a hopeless romantic but you’re also grossly cute and--oh hold me Taehyung I will eat this sweet little munchkin.”
“Little munchkin who?! Hey, no--” Jungkook shuffles back as much as he could into the couch as Jimin skips to him giggling evilly. “Hyung, stay away—!”
Taehyung laughs from behind. “I'll help you!”
He jumps over the coffee table, and joins Jimin as the two squish Jungkook in hugs and kisses all the while teasing him with ‘cute’, ‘baby’, ‘softy asshole’, and Jungkook just screams and laughs as they tickle him into submission.
♡♡♡♡
It was on 17th of January that Jungkook received a call from Jin at around 2 in the afternoon. He was at work, in the middle of drafting a new project stratagem for the interns under the data analytics department when his phone vibrated, buzzing through the ivory walls and desk of his cubicle. He cleared his throat, feeling parched since he got too carried away in his work and forgot to drink water. He picked the phone, grabbing the half filled water bottle from the corner of his desk.
“Hey, hyung.”
“Ah, Jungkook-ah, what’s up, what are you doing?”
Jungkook hums in thought while chugging the bottle empty. He groans in satisfaction once his thirst is quaffed. “Work, scheduling, planning.”
“Boo, boring. Come down to Calico’s, will you?”
“Don’t you have work? I’m busy right now.”
“It seems like the functionalities of a normal human are lost on you, but it’s lunch time, you know. Lunch—food, nutrition to keep our body worki—”
“Okay, okay, I get it. You’re so funny.” Jungkook makes a face even though Jin couldn’t see him but the tone is enough to make Jin laugh. “I-uhm, hold on.”
“Mm hm.”
Jungkook holds the phone between his shoulder and ear. He heard a few passing vehicles from Jin’s end as he scrolled through his upcoming schedule and to-do’s.
“Yeah, I’m free, I guess.”
“The fact that you even thought otherwise wounds me. Come soon, I’m waiting.”
“Yes, hyung.” Jungkook sings monotonously, locking the phone and putting his laptop to sleep. Getting up, he suppresses a moan as his back finally cracks into place and thighs get the stretch they deserved, taking a deep breath as he collects his car keys and mobile phone.
It’s not the first time Jin has suggested an impromptu lunch. Their offices being in the same cyber hub of the city, it only takes them a car ride through a few streets here and there to meet up and take a break. However, ever since Jungkook’s stunt of pulling up to his house in the dead of night, he really hasn’t given a thought to what he asked of Jin and the consequences of them.
P.S. consequences as in, what experience the hyung has planned for him and will he be able to go through this arrangement without laughing in Jin’s face?
Their relationship has always been bubbles of laughter and arrows of taunts, if the cupid tried to shoot his shot, it’ll get lost somewhere in between. Even when they are being serious, or sharing something deep or personal, it’d quickly get sorted once either of them would crack a joke.
It was physically impossible for them to not mess around.
So as Jungkook stands there, sleeves of his black turtleneck rolled to his elbows and a grey overcoat slung behind his chair--contemplating whether he should wear the coat, or should he sling his over his arm or should he leave it here--he realises, he’s giving thought . . . to his outfit . . . when he’s just meeting Jin.
The same person at whose house he turned up looking like a fried broccoli.
“Oh fuck this.” He grumbles under his breath, aggressively grabbing the coat and rushing out of the office.
No second thoughts are going to affect him today, no sir.
The drive to Calico’s takes a little longer than usual, given all the office rush is out for its break. He slings the coat over his forearm before entering the tinted doors of the restaurant.
Another great epiphany he had the moment he walked through the doors is that he’s insanely hungry. The fragrance of mixed cuisine made his stomach tickle with excitement. That's how hungry he is.
He mentally thanks Jin for calling him down.
They have been visiting this place for a long time, and it has become an unsaid treaty between them and the manager that the corner booth by the window is theirs to occupy.
Then again, they tip fancily so the staff is extra grateful towards them.
Jungkook spots Jin’s broad back as he walks to him, brushing his hand against it to notify him of his presence.
“Oh boy, you look exhausted. Where do you work again, a construction site?” Jin chuckles when Jungkook huffs, throwing his coat inside the booth and sitting down with a sigh.
“I wish I was, at least these beauties would be getting the workout they deserve.” He crosses his arms over the table, flexing them a little to make a point.
“Enough with the manscaping. I ordered some samgyeopsal and naengmyeon, hope that’s fine with you.”
Jungkook gives an impressed smile, delicately placing his face in his palms. “I see the man already knows my favourites. How sexy.”
“You’re disgusting, never do that again.” Jin points out, “Also, you mention pork belly, just around a million times a day so it wasn’t really hard to remember.”
“What can I say, hyung--”
“Nothing.”
“Ouch, you’re really coming for my soul today aren’t you, you devil.”
Jin tilts his head, giving a thought. “That ‘you devil’ was very personal, I felt my nipple tingle.”
“Hyung!” Jungkook whines, covering his ears before joining Seokjin into unnecessary laughter. “Gross, Jesus, you’re so weird.”
“And yet you asked me on a date. I guess you like weird.” He says with cockiness dripping from his demeanour.
Just as the topic arises, Jungkook’s mind automatically shifts form. This Jeon Jungkook is going dark, the Jeon Jungkook who had a dilemma over his clothes before meeting Jin is taking over.
Speaking of clothes, Jungkook takes note of how Jin glows with the slate blue coat over his white tee-shirt, it compliments his doll skin so perfectly. One thing about him, he surely knows how to play with the colours and bring out the best-looking part of him. Which is every part, and that’s Jungkook’s point precisely.
“Earth to Jungkook, I know I’m pretty but c’mon man, make it less obvious.” Jin smirks, breaking a piece of bread and popping it into his mouth.
“Like you don’t love the attention, hyung, don’t be so modest.” Jungkook shakes his head, averting his eyes and cracking his knuckles.
“Are you sure, though?”
Jungkook turns his head back with a small ‘huh?’, and Seokjin smiles, endeared.
“About the boyfriend experience?”
A smile tugs at the corner of Jungkook’s lips. “Is that what we’re really calling it?” He laughs under his breath. “Yeah, obviously I’m sure. Did the late night visit not convince you enough?”
“It convinced me to never open my doors for you, if that matters.” Jin nods innocently, taking another bite of the bread.
“This is not how you’re going to woo me.” The younger splays his tattooed hand over his heart, feigning fright.
Jin rolls his eyes goodheartedly, shaking his head. “I’m not wooing yo—oh, hello.”
He greets the waiter who carries two plates of steaming food, and Jungkook nearly comes on the spot—samgyeopsal for Jungkook and naengmyeon for Seokjin. They both thank him before grabbing their chopsticks and poking around blowing into the food.
“Right, how do you suppose to woo me—”
“I’m not wooing you—”
“And take me through quote unquote the boyfriend experience.” He smiles cheekily, dimples appearing as he did so, and Seokjin can’t help but keep tracing his eyes back to them in admiration.
“I don’t know, Kook-ah. What would you want me to do?” Jin asks, seemingly interested and enthusiastic for this arrangement.
And just like that, Jungkook suddenly doesn’t know what he wants.
“I—erm, Well, you see uhm, that—uhh.” His tongue prods the corner of his lips, eyes wide and searching Jin’s. “I-I forgot what I was gonna say.”
“You forgo—Oh, wow what am I getting myself into?”
“I mean—I don’t know either! What would you do if you were my boyfriend?”
“Huh.”
Jin mindlessly stirs his noodles in the broth, turning to stare out the window as Jungkook stares at him, waiting for further response.
“Okay, yeah. Okay.” Jin mumbles, nodding to himself and slurping his noodles.
“Care to share with the class?”
With his cheeks full of food, Jin manages a ‘no’ and Jungkook lets his head fall downwards. As he looks back up with a forced smile, pushing away the fringes falling on his forehead with his pinky, he blinks rapidly at the older.
“Stop doing that.”
“Answer me.”
“With what?”
“Are you kidding me?”
“Okay listen.” Jin keeps his chopsticks on the plate, joining his fingertips in front of his lips. “You want a boyfriend subscription? Fine, I’ll give you because I’m nice like that and I’m a damn good boyfriend. But. But,”
Jungkook nods, gesturing to him to go on.
“But, we’re gonna play by my rules. You do as I say and you won't ever regret coming to me for help.”
The younger one chews slowly, looking at his hyung sceptically. “O-kay?”
“So you agree?” Jin raises his brows.
“Yeah, why not?”
“Good. Ground rules,” He slaps a napkin between them from the holder.
Jungkook looks at the tissue. “Ground rules? What is this, an escort service?”
“Wanna say that again?”
A shiver runs down his spine, his shoulders pushing back as the tingles raise goosebumps on his arms. He dares to look up at Seokjin who’s eyes seem even more slanted when he looks up from the napkin.
Wordlessly, he gets back to writing and Jungkook involuntarily squeezes his body into himself. Damn him and his bipolar ass personality, giving Jungkook’s stance the beating of its life.
He leans forward, his hands between his thighs when Jin turns the napkin for the both of them to read.
Jungkook’s eyes rake over the text. “‘No disobeying you, no disclosing the plans, no kissing, no catching feelings’. This seems very one-sided.” Jungkook flattens his eyes. “What about you disobeying me?”
“That won’t be a problem.” Jin hides a yawn behind his fist.
“Why not?”
“Because you like being controlled, not in control.”
If it was possible, Jungkook’s eyes would pop out of his sockets and roll over the tables like marbles because what in the name of all the fresh fucks did Seokjin just imply.
He opens and closes his mouth to say something, but nothing comes out and he lets out a strangled voice at the comeback-less defeat. He screws his lips and nods.
“Al-right, I didn't know it was perceiving hours already! Haha . . .”
Jin shrugs. “So, tell me about yourself.”
“What.”
“Tell me about yourself—”
“No, that was a ‘what.’ with a full stop. I heard you, I just don’t understand why I heard you.”
“And here you said I’m the one coming for your soul, who’s jabbing who now.”
“Wait—” Jungkook raises his hands mid-air, panicked, eyes constantly moving around as he seems to calculate in his head. “Wait, are you—Is this a date?”
“If we’re going to push you in a stimulation, why not do it the right way?” Jin allows his lips to curve up. “You trust me, right?”
“Of course.” He answers without a beat.
“Hm, good. Now, tell me about yourself.”
Jungkook blows air through his cheeks. How is he supposed to answer that when the person asking it already knows almost everything about you?
“Let’s see, I’m the head data analyst at Talon Co.? And I-I uhm I like music too, I was in the university band and we did some of our own gigs and—well, what else . . .”
“Really?” Jin smiles, a professional yet charming smile that gives Jungkook a momentary whiplash. “A band, that’s like, super cool. What kind of songs did you do?”
“Mostly R&B, sometimes erm hip-hop as well, yeah . . .”
This is bad, Jungkook hasn’t looked at Seokjin and he very much feels the intensity of his eyes on him. He knows it’s Seokjin, oh for God’s sake it’s his best friend. What is he—Oh he knows. Jungkook knows it’s those goddamn eyes of his that are throwing him off the edge. The way they try to read him, just like you would do to someone you like, someone you wish to know more. Someone you are on a date with.
He gathers some courage, gulping the clog in his throat. “Why—Why are you looking at me like that?” He whisper-yells, asking as a friend, trying to break out of the role of it being their ‘first date’.
Jin looks down, a side smile garlanding his pretty face before he looks right into Jungkook’s eyes. “‘Cause you’re really beautiful.”
“Oh,” Jungkook squeaks, burying his face in his palms, a sheepish laugh rippling out of him. “Shut up, please, Seokjin-ssi.”
He simmers down to a smile but when Jin licks his lips, pursing them as he did so and watches Jungkook with an amused state, they couldn’t help but fall into another fit of giggles—Jin’s deep and rough, Jungkook’s throaty and continuous.
They sounded like dorks, and as the laughter died down and they took the last remaining portions of their food, they had fallen into a comfortable conversation about their early life, pretending to hear it all for the first time, trying to perceive each other for the very first time with all the ‘Jungkook-ssi’ and ‘Seokjin-ssi’.
It was just those 45 minutes that they spent, which seemed like hours, with the exhaustion of playing pretend. It was fun though, as they left the restaurant and Jin offered his arm in the most dramatic ways possible and Jungkook took it with a barking laugh, covering his face with his hand, shy.
“I think we should do this again.” Jin says, voice controlling the laughter that dared to slip past his lips.
“Mm hm, totally, Seokjin-ssi. I really liked today.” Jungkook says in total seriousness.
They reach the parking lot, Jin escorting Jungkook to his car, talking about their next meet up before he stops abruptly.
“Oh, and one more thing,” Jin grabbed him by his sleeve, pulling him a little towards himself.
Jungkook waits for him to speak, watching the way Jin looks at his face, like ingraining every inch of him in his memory. And he does the same, it happens naturally. The dim yellows of the parking lot soften Jin’s features even more, making him look like one of those renaissance paintings made with warm hues and skilled hands.
Jin’s hand comes to his face and Jungkook’s stops breathing for the moment, fearing any movement, even a touch would pull them back into reality. Jin tucks his hair behind his ear as Jungkook inhales his sweet, lavender fragrance from where his palms brush against his cheek, a spark.
“Call me hyung.” He says quietly, like a secret meant just for the two of them. “Jin hyung, okay?”
The younger one doesn’t remember since when hyung’s voice seemed so melodic and lulling, but it did. And he nodded in a trance.
“Hyung . . . Jin hyung.” He tries, feeling different as he spoke it this time.
Jin smiles crookedly, patting his cheek. “Good. I’ll see you soon, yeah?”
Without thinking, like swimming in a high, Jungkook nods again, a wistful expression on his face as Seokjin walks away to his own car.
Once his car rolls away, Jungkook catches himself stupidly smiling even after five minutes, his mouth falls open and eyes widen as he leans his forehead on the cool car door, realising how hot his face had gotten.
Jin really is good at this.