"I'm going to be completely honest with you. I didn't catch a single word you just said."

Slumping his shoulders, Jungkook sighed."I could tell. That's why I started talking about the uses of magnesium citrate. You know, to see how long it would take you to snap out of your little daze."

At that, Yoongi crinkled his nose."Kook, that is not an appropriate topic, considering our location." He subtly glanced around at the customers in the Burger Palace lounge, making sure no one had heard Jungkook's choice of topic."Why would you talk about that here?"

"That's not important. What is important is what I was talking about before that. You know, the stuff you didn't hear because you decided to daydream while I was talking to you, which is totally rude by the way." Jungkook propped an elbow onto the table and rested his chin on his palm."Anyway, I was trying to tell you the reason why Jimin-hyung didn't come to work today."

That was definitely something Yoongi wanted to know. It wasn't normal for Jimin to miss work."Oh, right. Do tell." He hoped nothing was wrong.

With a slight smile on his lips, Jungkook repeated his explanation."Jimin-hyung and Chaeyoung spent the whole afternoon together yesterday. They've really become close friends. They shop together, go out for lunch together, go to the salon together, and even sometimes have rom-com movie nights." He loved the fact that his best friend and girlfriend got along so well now."Anyway, they were out longer than they said they would be yesterday. I called Chaeyoung to see if anything was wrong. Sure enough, Jimin-hyung hurt himself while they were out."

"Jimin hurt himself? Is he okay?" Yoongi pulled his phone out of his pocket, ready to text Jimin.

"He's okay, Hyung. He just sprained his ankle." Jungkook thought it was funny that Yoongi quickly showed such worry. Though, he wouldn't admit that he had panicked and scrambled to get to Jimin upon finding out he'd gotten hurt."Apparently, he fell down a couple of the stone steps right outside the mall. Chaeyoung went back into the mall and bought an ice pack for him."

"I'm still gonna text him." There was no way Yoongi was going to just not text Jimin after finding out he was hurt. Sending a quick text to ask how Jimin's ankle was feeling, he frowned."He'll probably miss work until his ankle heals. But he's the best we've got for prepping the line. Who's gonna take his place for the next week?"

"Okay, so this is what I've been wanting to ask you." Jungkook cleared his throat before continuing."Will you hire Chaeyoung? She can be trained to do Jimin-hyung's job. And when hyung comes back, she can be trained to take orders at the front register or something. What do you think?"

That summoned a soft chuckle from Yoongi."You really are out here trying to be boyfriend of the year, aren't you? You compliment Chaeyoung constantly, buy her gifts, spoil her, and now you're being her Burger Palace job wingman?"

"It sounds weird when you say it like that but yeah." Peering directly at Yoongi with big sparkling eyes, Jungkook was even willing to plead for this."Please, Hyung? Can Chaeyoung work here? Please?" He would do anything to be able to work with his beloved girlfriend every day.

"Is there something going on in your relationship I should know about?" Yoongi asked with a perked eyebrow."It's not like you to be this desperate."

Jungkook knew he had to be honest. He felt pathetic for this, but he couldn't help it."I want Chaeyoung to move in with me, but she says she's not ready for that yet. I just want to be around her more than I am now. I know you understand. You wanted to be around Hoseok-hyung more, and that's why you two started living together. Please let Chaeyoung work here so I can be with her more." As much as he wanted to spend all his free time with his beautiful girlfriend, he had to spend so many hours at work instead. He could solve that problem if Chaeyoung worked with him.

"Does she want to work here?" Yoongi couldn't just hire her as a favor to Jungkook. Chaeyoung needed to want it. If she was hired and didn't actually want the job, it could cause issues.

"Yeah, Hyung, she--"

The sound of a loud tune interrupted the conversation, coming from Yoongi's phone. Grabbing his phone, Yoongi cocked his head a little to the side when he saw that Taehyung was calling."One second, Kook." he said before answering the call."Taehyung, everything okay?" Taehyung usually only called during work hours if he needed help with something.

"Hyung, what am I supposed to do?!" Taehyung sounded completely nervous.

"Calm down, Taehyung. What's the issue?" Leaning back a little in his seat, Yoongi hoped this wasn't anything serious.

After taking just a couple seconds to calm his nervous a little, Taehyung spoke again."Jin-hyung wants to work here. Just part-time because he still has his job at the cafe, but I don't know if I can hire him."

Not seeing the issue or cause for panic, Yoongi was confused."Why can't you hire him? Don't you need more people?"

"I do need more people, but Jin-hyung can't work here." Taehyung's voice was trembling a little from his nervousness."Yoongi-hyung, I like him. Remember?"

"Oh! Right. I forgot." Yoongi hadn't really asked Taehyung about his status with Jin after finding out that the two were working on becoming closer as friends following Taehyung's confession."You think that will get in the way of work?"

"It'll definitely get in the way." Taehyung was completely sure of that."Hyung, he and I have been getting so close. I don't want to get my hopes up and think he's been flirting with me, but lately, it's felt like that, and I don't think that's good for the workplace. I mean, I'd be his boss."

This made a lot of sense now to Yoongi. This was exactly why he refused to hire Hoseok when his boyfriend asked to work for him. Hoseok had insisted that he could do simple tasks, like wiping off the tables or taking the phone calls, but Yoongi downright refused. He knew he couldn't hire Hoseok. That would be a conflict of interests because he was fully aware that he would give Hoseok more privileges than anyone else, and that wouldn't be fair."If that's the case, I agree that you shouldn't hire him. But be honest with him when you tell him why he can't work there."

"Okay. I'll tell him." This was part of what made Taehyung so nervous."But, Hyung~" he whined."You mean I have to tell Jin-hyung that I feel like he's been flirting with me~?"

"You said it, not me." Before Taehyung could whine more, Yoongi hung up on him and looked at Jungkook."You were saying?"

It took every ounce of Jungkook's willpower to not laugh at Yoongi's little bout of rudeness. Anyone who was close to Yoongi had come to expect such things. It was just in his nature. They all knew it was just his tough love. It was never done with the intention of actually being rude. It was done to make them handle their problems without pushing those problems onto him or anyone else. They were all quite thankful for it."As I was saying, Chaeyoung and I have already talked about this. She wants to work here."

With a sigh, Yoongi didn't see a reason to reject this."Alright. She can work here." As soon as he saw Jungkook about to celebrate, he reached across the table to grab the younger man's wrist."But remember. She has to focus on her tasks. No smooching at work. Try to keep the flirting to a minimum unless you're on break."

Jungkook felt absolutely giddy."You won't regret this, Hyung. She'll do a great job. I know she will."

---

Taking in a deep breath through his nose, Taehyung let it back out slowly, trying to calm his nerves. How could he possibly tell Jin that he felt like the older handsome man was flirting with him recently? It had been a few months since they started hanging out more frequently, and Taehyung couldn't help but feel like Jin was making moves on him. It started with little things, like sharing popcorn at the theater and "accidentally" bumping their hands together as they walked side-by-side.

It was starting to make Taehyung's heart pound to the point that he thought it would fly out of his chest whenever Jin would give him a compliment or say that he enjoyed his company. Taehyung used to be the first one to text each day, but lately, Jin was texting first. These were such little things, but it all meant so much to Taehyung. Those little things showed that Jin liked being around him and possibly had more interest in him than before.

These thoughts kept Taehyung from knocking on Jin's front door as he stood in front of his house, nervous as hell. He fidgeted with his fingers for a moment, raised a hand to knock, chickened out, fidgeted again, and frowned."How am I supposed to do this?"

"You start by knocking."

Taehyung was startled by Jin's voice on the other side of the door."How did you even know I'm here?!" he asked with red cheeks.

"I have a doorbell cam. Remember?" Jin answered."It sends an alert to my phone whenever it detects someone at my door."

"Well then, open the door."

"Nope. You gotta knock first. That's how this works." Surely, Jin just liked to tease Taehyung.

With a small huff, Taehyung lifted his hand and lightly knocked on the door."Okay, I knocked. Happy now?"

Jin opened the door and smiled at his guest."Yep, but you don't seem to be. What's wrong? Want to come inside?"

Taehyung gave a nod and stepped into Jin's home. He had been in here only a couple times before. They usually spent time together elsewhere or at Taehyung's apartment."Hyung, I hope you won't be upset, but I came to tell you that I, uh...I can't hire you."

Despite being a little hopeful for the part-time job, Jin had somewhat expected this."I understand. Is it because of how close we've become?" Something in him felt triumphant when he saw Taehyung's cheeks pinking at that question.

"Well, yes. I, um..." Taehyung didn't know how to say this. Every way he could say this sounded so awkward in his thoughts. He had to say it though, didn't he?"Jin-hyung, I would love to hire you. Really, I would, but I can't because lately, it's been feeling like you're flirting with me." Immediately after saying that, Taehyung wanted to kick himself."Oh my god. That came out so much more awkward than it sounded in my head." His attention was grabbed by the sound of Jin chuckling heartily."What's so funny?"

"Tae, it feels like I've been flirting with you because I have been flirting with you." Jin admitted honestly.

"Wait, what?" That certainly took Taehyung by surprise. Despite feeling like Jin had been flirting with him, he didn't think it was actually real. He had thought it was just his hopeful imagination.

Gently, Jin grabbed hold of Taehyung's hand."You've been really good to me for the past few months. Ever since things were resolved between me and Jimin, I didn't think I was ready for another attempt at dating, but you've been super patient with me. You've been so thoughtful, and I think that's a very attractive trait."

"Jin-hyung, what are you saying?" Taehyung's heart was beating so fast, and his thoughts were whirling around in his head at such a high speed that he couldn't sort them out."That you--That I--What?" The words 'brain malfunction' were never truer.

It was easy to see that Taehyung was having some sort of emotional roller coaster, so Jin just smiled and pulled him into a tender embrace, hugging him close."I'm saying that I like you, Tae."

"You mean...Do you want us to be..."

"Boyfriends. Yes, I do."

"So we're gonna..."

"Date. Yep."

"Is this even..."

"Real? Absolutely."

"Now I definitely can't hire you." Taehyung mumbled as he wrapped his arms around Jin to return the hug.

Jin couldn't help but chuckle."That's okay. Instead, you can meet me at that barbecue place across town tomorrow evening at eight o'clock."

The pinkness in Taehyung's cheeks darkened to a rosy red shade."Will it be our..."

"First date? Only if you say yes."

"Yes."

Just as Taehyung tried to pull away, Jin tightened his arms around the other man."Wait a minute. I need to hug you for a little bit longer. This feels nice."