"Hey, Tae?"

Taehyung averted his eyes from the monitor of the playstation to his best friend sitting next to him. Jimin had the controller in his hands, playing with the buttons out of nervousness, a conflicted, unsure expression resting on his face.

"Is something wrong?" The younger blond questioned, putting his controller aside to turn his maximum attention to his best friend.

"No, that's not it, but I need to tell you something," Jimin spoke quietly, dropping his controller in his lap.

Taehyung raised an eyebrow. "Did something happen?"

Chewing on his lip, Jimin took a deep breath. "Not really, but like.. a week ago or so, when I was in the cafeteria to buy myself some breakfast, I noticed I forgot money and it was already my turn and the woman working there had already prepared everything and you know, I got really embarrassed and so on.."

That's it? Taehyung thought, a silly smile forming on his lips, but Jimin continued.

"And like, since I had no money, someone offered to pay for me.."

Taehyung's eyes widened as he saw the blush forming on Jimin's cheeks. "Oh my god, don't tell me— who was it?"

"You won't like it," Jimin mumbled. "It was Yoongi.."

And just like Jimin expected, Taehyung's smile fell. He did not expect it.

"That's nice of him.."

Jimin pouted. "I know because of what happened between Jeongguk and you, you don't like either of them, but Yoongi is actually really nice. Today he..." he hesitated.. "He asked me on a date for tomorrow."

If Taehyung wasn't stunned already, then he was now. His eyes doubled in size. "Yoongi... asked you? The Min Yoongi?" The one who is hard as stone, bored of anything, rude to everyone and unbothered as hell? That Min Yoongi?

"Yeah.." He cleared his throat. "I caught him stealing glances at me during first period."

Oh that's where Taehyung had maths, with Jeongguk sitting next to him.

"And when class ended, he approached me and asked for my number and told me that he wants to get to know me. I was surprised myself, but, I really would love to get to know him too... Please don't be mad?" The last words were almost a whisper.

Taehyung still couldn't comprehend that the Min Yoongi asked his best friend out. "Why would I be mad? I'm happy for you. I just hope he means it genuine and won't hurt you."

"That sounds as if we were in a relationship already," Jimin said, tone of his voice disgusted, although the blush on his cheeks revealed that he liked the idea.

Taehyung chuckled. "I'm just saying. He is Jeongguk's best friend, I wouldn't want you to go through the same as me.."

Jimin nodded, giving Taehyung a worried look. "I'll take care of myself."

"Promise?" Taehyung asked, smiling at Jimin, who nodded quickly.

"Promise." He hugged Taehyung tightly, burying his face in the younger's chest. "Thank you."

"I just want you to be happy," the younger blond whispered, caressing Jimin's hair.

That's what I mean when I say Taehyung's facade is almost inscrutable. He disliked the thought of Jimin getting involved with Yoongi and Jeongguk. He dreaded it.

He knows for a fact, that the two don't mean any good— or maybe he believes that himself. He never really spoke to Yoongi, but the fact he is Jeongguk's best friend tells a lot.

Although... Taehyung used to be his best friend too.

He quickly discarded these thoughts and feelings though. After all, in this case, his priorities lie with Jimin's happiness. If the older is happy, then so is he. He just fears that he could get hurt.

"You know, I've actually caught Yoongi staring a lot before too," Jimin began, letting go of Taehyung. "I just didn't think that he did it because he... might be interested in me," he mumbled.

Seeing Jimin being so flustered and all smiley and blushing has Taehyung giggling. "Is that a crush that I'm smelling?" He teased, earning an eye roll and a hit on the back of his head as a response.

"It's not a crush," Jimin defended himself. Not being born yesterday though, Taehyung knew he was lying and that he was indeed developing a fat crush on Min yoongi.

Cute.

"By the way, when are your parents home?"

Taehyung looked at the clock on his phone and shrugged. "My mom must be here soon."

As if scripted, they heard the keys dangle in the door. "Tae, I'm home!"

"Hey mom!"

"Hello, Auntie!"

With a wide smile — the same boxy smile her son inherited— she walked to the two boys who were seated on the couch in the living room. "Hey baby," she kissed Taehyung's cheek, who scrunched his nose, contrary to when she gave Jimin a kiss on the cheek too and he took it gladly with a warm

smile.

"How was school?"

"The usual, got full marks in maths," Taehyung said plainly. His mother smiled widely though.

"I'm proud of you, Tae."

"I got 87%," Jimin pouted. He was pretty average in school, some subjects suiting him better than the other ones.

Ms Kim chuckled. "I'm proud of you too, Jimin."

Then she looked back to Taehyung, who didn't say anything. Actually she just waited to hear him complain about how Jeongguk was better than him, or to brag about how he was better than Jeongguk. Seeing him having a full mark again, she was so sure he would do that.

But he didn't and for some reason this eased Ms Kim a little, but at the same time it worried her. It's unusual.

"Did someone else get full marks too?" She questioned, not because she cares, but to see if the reason Taehyung didn't mention anything was simply by the fact that Jeongguk and him got the same mark.

"Nope, not that I know."

She nodded.

Okay, okay. You all might think that she is making a big deal out of something so unnecessary.

But, like said, it was just unusual. Taehyung, ever since Jeongguk left, wanted to be better than him, show him that he can be the best and does not need him anymore.

It confused Ms Kim so much, she felt the urge to ask Taehyung about Jeongguk's grade, but let it be.

"Have fun, boys," she gave the two a smile, before leaving the room, walking to the kitchen, where she slumped down on a chair. An exhausted sigh left her lips.

She took her wallet out of her bag and opened it to pull out a picture she has been keeping inside of there for the last ten years.

She smiled sadly at the small picture of Taehyung, her and a bunny-toothed boy, building a sand castle together. It was a picture taken by Jeongguk's mother when both families used to be in good terms. Really good terms even.

Yet things have changed.

And she misses Jeongguk, her bunny, who was just like a second son to her. It was remarkable how that kid had a hold on the strings of her heart. It broke her heart to see Taehyung come home, crying, while telling her that Jeongguk was gone.

Even more did it hurt her, when Taehyung told her that the Jeons didn't move away from Seoul, like they had told her. Jeongguk attended school regularly, so they still must have been in town.

She didn't bother to contact them though. She felt betrayed, but in the end she didn't care.

From time to time, she just worries about Jeongguk. Nothing more.

But, after all, she also wishes that things could have stayed the way they were, with Jeongguk sleeping over every day. It filled her heart with joy to watch Taehyung and Jeongguk live in their small bubble of unbreakable friendship.

Unbreakable. Well, that's how everyone thought it was.

Until everything was ended from one day on the other.

And she is damn sure that something must've happened that triggered this separation between the two families.

Taking a shallow breath, she slipped the photo back in to her briefcase.

There where she would keep it forever, unless there was no hope anymore for her (and Taehyung's) Jeonggukie to come back.

You'll love her

Anyways, how are y'all?

I'm definitely going to skip school tomorrow, because I'm ✨exhausted✨