TAEKOOK | NOT HERE TO BE LIKED!

friend; my fuckin best friend

No matter how much he promised himself that he wouldn’t let his dad, Jeongguk, or anyone ruin these coming days for him, Taehyung turns up at work on Monday in a sour mood.

He tries his best to push it away, force a smile, and order everyone around politely. He thinks he’s doing a good
job since the atmosphere at the office is friendly and not at all affected by the ugly feeling that settles at the bottom of his stomach.

But even if he manages to fool most of them, there’s someone who doesn’t buy the happy act.

Taehyung is back in his office, sitting behind his desk, when he hears a knock on the glass door.

Looking up, he sees Jimin on the other side of it. “Come in,” he calls, wondering the reason behind his visit.

“Good morning, Taehyung,” Jimin greets him again, for the second time this morning.
..
“Good morning, Jimin,” Taehyung says back, straightening a little in his seat and gesturing at the chair in front of him, inviting Jimin in. “Sit down, please. Is there anything wrong? Need any help?”

“Oh, no, no, no,” Jimin rushes to reply as he takes a seat, vigorously gesturing with his hands.

“There’s nothing wrong—well, not with me or with the job. Nor with anyone else. I just… maybe it’s invasive of me since I realize that we haven’t known each other for long and maybe you don’t consider us friends yet, but… you seem a little off. So I wanted to ask if everything was okay.”

“Oh!” Taehyung says, eyebrows shooting up. It comes as a surprise to him that Jimin has caught onto his change in mood. “Well, that’s—I didn’t think you’d notice. It’s just that I’ve had a…stressful weekend, to say the least.”

Jimin nods then, sitting back a little. “I won’t ask what, since I don’t want to seem pressuring or invasive,” Jimin says. “But I know you mentioned you don’t have a lot of friends since moving
back to Seoul, nor people to talk to outside of your family, so… if you ever need someone, or a helping hand and someone to listen to you, I’m here. And I’ll be happy to help.”

Taehyung lets a wide, bright smile spread across his face as he listens to the words.

Jimin was right earlier, they haven’t known each other for very long, but that won’t stop Taehyung from considering them friends.

Maybe not long-term friends, of course, but Taehyung has a good feeling
about this and how things have gone with Jimin so far. He seems reliable, trustworthy.

It makes Taehyung not only think that it will lead to a great friendship, but also makes him feel like he could be someone to confide in. And… well, maybe he hasn’t known Jimin for long. Maybe he has always been wary of people who overshare with strangers, but Taehyung feels lonely.

He and Seokjin can’t seem to arrange a time to meet, and Seungjin has barely had time to talk these days.

Everyone else seems to be in love with Jeongguk, so it leaves very few options.
Maybe that’s exactly what pushes Taehyung to spill, right there and then. Maybe it’s loneliness, maybe the fact that he trusts Jimin, maybe a combination of the two.

Whatever it is, he ends up telling Jimin everything—from the failure of getting into SNU, to the run-in last night at the
parents. He makes sure to mention how frustrated he feels, how he feels betrayed, and how he can’t stop feeling like his dad replaced him with his high school best friend. His fucking best friend.

“Oh, Taehyung,” Jimin tells him, giving him an empathetic look as he covers Taehyung’s hand with his smaller one. “Come here. You could do with a hug right now.”

Taehyung hasn’t known Jimin for long, no. But the moment Jimin pulls him in for a hug, one of the tightest and most comforting ones Taehyung has ever received, Taehyung just knows.

He knows he’s going to become one of the best friends and the support he needs in his life.