One shots | Kim Taehyung

My bestfriend | KTH

Fairy lights cast a warm glow on the rooftop, the city a glittering sprawl beneath us. Taehyung hummed along to the music, a carefree melody that felt a world away from the storm brewing inside me. We were celebrating his upcoming wedding - him and Jessica, a perfect match according to everyone, including, apparently, him.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Taehyung sighed, resting his chin on the railing. The moonlight sculpted his face, highlighting the laugh lines etched around his eyes, lines etched by memories we'd built together.

"Yeah," I mumbled, forcing a smile. The city lights blurred through the sting of unshed tears. "It really is."

Taehyung nudged me playfully. "Come on, Y/n. Don't be a party pooper. This is supposed to be a happy occasion!"

"I am happy," I lied. It felt like a betrayal, this lie lodged in my throat. "For you, Tae. Really."

He ruffled my hair, a gesture so familiar it ached. "You better be. You're my best friend, remember? You have to be the happiest one there."

Easier said than done. Taehyung and I had been best friends since kindergarten, two peas in a pod through scraped knees, teenage heartbreaks, and countless cups of ramen noodles. We knew each other better than anyone, or so I thought.

Lately, though, a new layer had settled on our friendship, a layer I couldn't quite name. Butterflies erupted in my stomach whenever he held my hand a little too long, and his laugh, once just a comforting sound, now sent shivers down my spine. But I'd buried those feelings deep, convinced they were one-sided, a foolish fantasy. He was marrying Jessica, the dream girl with the perfect smile and the perfect life. What did I have to offer compared to that?

"Hey," Taehyung said, concern creasing his brow. "Are you alright?"

I blinked back tears. "Yeah, just... thinking about the wedding. Can't believe it's almost here."

He squeezed my shoulder, the warmth seeping through my jacket. "Me neither. Feels like yesterday we were stuffing toilet paper down Principal Park's office door."

A laugh bubbled out of me, a genuine one this time. We spent the next hour reminiscing, a bittersweet cocktail of shared memories. As the night deepened, the temperature dropped, and I shivered.

"Cold?" Taehyung asked, noticing my goosebumps.

"A little," I admitted.

Without a word, he draped his jacket over my shoulders, the familiar scent of his cologne washing over me. It was an unspoken comfort, a silent language we'd perfected over the years.

"Thanks, Tae," I whispered, the words thick with something beyond gratitude.

He gave me a sidelong glance, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes before he looked away. "Don't mention it."

The silence stretched, heavy and charged. A single tear escaped my eye, tracing a warm path down my cheek. I wiped it away furtively, praying Taehyung hadn't noticed.

Suddenly, he spoke, his voice low. "Y/n, can you promise me something?"

My heart hammered in my chest. "Anything, Tae."

He hesitated, then continued, "No matter what happens, promise me we'll always be best friends."

The air caught in my throat. It was the last thing I wanted to promise, knowing the truth of my feelings. But I couldn't lie to him, not now.

"Always," I choked out, the single word a dam breaking within me.

He gave me a ghost of a smile, tinged with sadness. "Good."