Sky Full of Stars | Taekook

10. Crush

Jungkook was cautious, guarded, "I guess," he muttered, reluctantly following Taehyung into the restaurant.

It seemed like a bit of a challenge. Could he be an adult and have a conversation, or would he run away?

As they got inside, Taehyung stumbled, trying to decide where to go. Jungkook caught the back of his sweatshirt to make sure he didn't fall, but then quickly brushed by him and over to the bar.

Taehyung felt like he had stepped into another universe, one that felt exactly like the universe they lived in five years ago. It was so convincing that when the bartender came over and looked at them expectantly, he couldn't help himself.

"A hummingbird and I'll have a Stella, I guess," Taehyung blurted out before realizing his mistake. His mouth popped open in a silent gasp, glancing over at Jungkook to see if he was going to be in trouble.

"Is that still, uh, what you drink?"

Jungkook gave a minuscule nod, "Sure," he mumbled, feeling prickly, allergic.

"Sorry," Taehyung stammered, "I wasn't thinking."

He was having a really difficult time thinking straight at all, from the wedding up until now.

Jungkook only shrugged, "It's not a big deal. I'm mostly surprised you remember," he supposed, trying to cram any feelings back down inside.

Taehyung didn't have a good response. He just ordered some cheese pizza and quietly waited.

He drank nearly his entire beer in silence before he could figure out what to say, still puzzled by the whole thing when Jungkook turned to face him.

"What did you want to talk about?"

Taehyung bit his lip, brows pulling together, trying to sort out how to answer Jungkook's question in a normal way.

He exhaled, forcing himself to meet the younger's eyes. When he did, it felt like a thunderclap. Jungkook was looking back at him, as though he weren't angry, weren't heartbroken. Just looking at him with clear eyes and question marks.

"I guess I was hoping to just understand whether you want me to pretend like I don't exist for the rest of the time I'm in town," Taehyung murmured, figuring that was the easiest way to put it.

He picked up a piece of pizza and removed his gaze from the younger, who looked mystified.

"What do you mean?" Jungkook squinted, unsure of what this might look like in real life.

Taehyung shook his head slightly, swallowing, putting the pizza down, "Whether you want me to leave you alone and keep to myself. Pretend like I'm not here," he clarified with a brief gesture, "That kind of thing."

He went back to his pizza, missing the way Jungkook frowned and tilted his head.

Internally, Jungkook was still tangled. This was the same question that he'd already been asked and hadn't been able to answer.

What did he want?

"I don't know, Tae," he murmured, eyes down, "It's not an easy answer."

Taehyung nodded, feeling inexplicably concerned, though he couldn't put a finger on why.

"Is there a hard answer, though?" He wondered aloud, studying the way Jungkook's eyelashes looked as he blinked.

He wasn't sure he wanted to know the hard answer, but, here they were.

Jungkook lifted one shoulder, "The hard answer isn't that I want you to leave me alone, it's that I want you to go back in time," he let slip without a clue how to account for it.