Balancing Hearts (Taennie)

Chapter IX - Full of Surprises

The next morning, Taehyung woke up early. The three of them had slept on the big couch, and his arms, used as pillows by Jennie and Ari, were numb. He slowly removed them and, before standing up, kissed their foreheads.

Suddenly, Taehyung heard the doorbell ring. Hesitant, he waited as it rang again. Without wasting any time, he opened the door, only to find three girls holding bags, followed by their boyfriends. Their eyes widened in shock, as did Taehyung's, since he had opened the door shirtless with ruffled hair.

"Hy-Hyung?!" Taehyung stammered, shocked to see Jin behind Jisoo. Jisoo was equally surprised to see Taehyung, as were the others, wondering how Jennie had brought a man home.

Jennie woke up to the commotion and stood, only to see her friends already inside. Their expressions were incredulous as Jennie stood there in an oversized shirt.

"O-M-G!" Lisa freaked out, echoed by the other girls.

"Do you mind explaining what and how this happened?" Jin folded his arms and faced Taehyung.

"I can explain, Oppa," Jennie interjected.

"When did this happen, Jennie? You didn't even bother to tell us," Rosé smirked, earning a playful elbow from Jimin.

"Guys, I was planning to tell you, but at the right time. Actually, Taehyung and I are dating," Jennie said, lowering her head and fiddling with her fingers.

Sensing her anxiety, Taehyung wrapped his arms around her shoulders to calm her down. They turned their heads to see Ari, now awake with sleepy eyes, looking at them. Her eyes sparkled as she instantly stood and ran to Jungkook, hugging him.

Taehyung tightened his embrace around Jennie, meeting Jin's intense gaze. "I promise, hyung, this isn't what it looks like. Jennie and I are serious about each other."

Jisoo, still wide-eyed, stepped forward, her eyes darting between Taehyung and Jennie. "Why didn't you tell us, Jennie? We're your friends. We should've been the first to know."

Jennie took a deep breath, her voice steadying. "I know, Jisoo, and I'm sorry. Everything happened so quickly, and I didn't want to jinx it by talking about it too soon."

Lisa, shaking her head in disbelief, chimed in, "Well, I'm still processing the fact that Taehyung is shirtless in Jennie's apartment. Did you guys have a party we weren't invited to?"

Taehyung chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head. "No, no party. We just fell asleep watching movies."

Rosé, her smirk turning into a genuine smile, nudged Jimin again. "I knew there was something more to those looks you two kept exchanging."

Jimin, rolling his eyes playfully, added, "Yeah, but I didn't think it would escalate to this point so quickly. Guess I owe you dinner, Rosé." Jin, his stern expression softening, approached Taehyung and Jennie. "Well, as long as you two are happy and treating each other right, that's what matters. But you owe us a proper explanation over breakfast."

Jennie's face lit up with relief. "Of course, Oppa. I'll make us some coffee."

As Jennie headed to the kitchen, Taehyung turned to Jennie's friends, who were now making themselves comfortable on the couch. "So, what brings you all here this early?"

Jisoo, taking a seat, replied, "We wanted to surprise Jennie with a girls' day out. Looks like we got more than we bargained for."

Taehyung laughed, "Well, you certainly succeeded in surprising us. Let me grab a shirt, and then we can all catch up."

He quickly disappeared into the bedroom, emerging moments later in a fresh shirt. By then, Jennie had already set up a tray with steaming cups of coffee and some pastries she had prepared earlier.

As everyone settled around the living room, the atmosphere shifted from awkward to warm and friendly. Conversations flowed easily, and laughter filled the apartment.

Rosé, taking a sip of her coffee, looked at Jennie and Taehyung. "So, tell us everything. How did this all start?"

Jennie glanced at Taehyung, who nodded encouragingly. "Well, it started a few months ago at my company. We had some conflicts and so on, yet he already knows I am his brother's fiancée's best-friend. A few days ago after that, Taehyung and I were working on a project together, and we just clicked. One thing led to another, and here we are."

Lisa leaned in, intrigued. "So, it's true what they say about love blooming in the workplace."

Jin, now completely at ease, added with a grin, "Well, Taehyung, you better take good care of her. Jennie's like a sister to us."

Taehyung nodded earnestly. "I promise, hyung. Jennie means the world to me, and I'll do everything to make her happy."

Jennie squeezed Taehyung's hand, smiling warmly at him. "And I feel the same way about Taehyung. We're in this together."

"Come on, Taehyung. We haven't introduced ourselves yet. By the way, I am Jimin and this is Jungkook." Jimin hyped, wrapping his arms around Jungkook's shoulders. "I bet she's your wife?" Taehyung turned to Jungkook, referring to Lisa as he noticed her baby bump.

"Not yet. She's my girlfriend and Ari's my daughter from Jennie," Jungkook blurted, causing the atmosphere in the living room to fall silent. Jennie felt guilty for not telling Taehyung sooner about Jungkook's existence as Ari's father.

"Oh, you're that guy." Taehyung smiled, surprising Jennie with his calm demeanor.

Jungkook, sensing the awkwardness, extended his hand. "Nice to finally meet you, Taehyung."

Taehyung shook his hand firmly. "Likewise, Jungkook. I guess we have a lot to talk about."

Jennie stepped forward, her voice soft. "I'm sorry, Taehyung. I should have told you about Jungkook earlier. It wasn't fair to keep you in the dark."

Taehyung gave her a reassuring smile. "It's okay, Jennie. I understand. Let's just focus on moving forward together."

Ari, sensing the tension,. "Uncle Tae, can we go to the park today with them?"

Taehyung's face lit up as he looked down at her. "Of course, sweetheart. We'll go after breakfast, okay?"

Jin, eager to lighten the mood, clapped his hands. "Alright, enough serious talk. Let's enjoy our breakfast and plan a fun day ahead."

Jennie nodded, grateful for Jin's intervention. "I'll bring more coffee and some juice for Ari."

As they all settled back into a more relaxed atmosphere, Jimin leaned in towards Taehyung, grinning. "So, Taehyung, how did you and Jennie start dating? We need all the details."