Hate With Benefits | Jikook

Chapter Twenty Nine • Dinner For Three Pt.1

Been a while, huh? Sorry my lovelies, I've been having a really hard time motivating myself to write :( I was able to at least put this together, though it's not a very plot-heavy chapter. More to come in the next part!

"Here."

Taehyung tips his face from the window to follow the sound of a glass being set on his table. He stares at the lemonade for a silent moment before he looks up at Seokjin, eyebrows furrowed. "I didn't order anything, hyung."

"I know," the older says. "Just consider it a nice gesture from a friend. You look like you need it."

He sits stunned as Seokjin smiles gently at him, a hand absentmindedly spinning a pen in between fingers. He almost laughs aloud. He must look truly miserable for Seokjin to take such pity on him.

"Thank you," Taehyung says, quiet as a prayer, and takes a sip of the offered drink.

He expects the older to maybe squeeze his shoulder before politely turning his back to attend to other customers, but Seokjin doesn't do that. He instead pushes back the opposite chair, pivots it to face backwards and straddles it. He has that look on his face, the same one his older brother has when he's about to ask Taehyung how he's really doing.

He sighs before Seokjin even says anything. "I'm not about to pour out all my problems onto you, hyung."

"Why not? You think I'm not a good listener?" He asks, chin resting on his palm. "Come on, Taehyungie. Namjoon isn't here, so somebody's gotta watch over you. Can that not be me?"

There is no judgment in his eyes, no hint of a teasing remark on the curve of his lips, and Taehyung knows, then, that whatever he chooses to say will not travel further than the air between them now. He scrapes lightly over the cool glass with his nails, contemplating.

"Honestly," he pauses, looking somewhere distant. "I don't even know where to start."

"You could start by telling me who's got you looking all dull and lifeless like a vampire," he half jokes. "Was it Jimin? Did you finally grow a pair and tell him you want to be his boyfriend?"

Taehyung stares at him in disbelief. "What- how- I never even told you that I-" He groans. "Gosh, does everyone know I have a crush on him?"

"You're not subtle, you know?" Seokjin chuckles. "Pro tip for future reference: if you like someone and don't want anyone to know, don't stare at them like they're the only person in the room and don't laugh at all their jokes as if they're the greatest comedian alive. Look, I'm sorry but Jimin just isn't that funny, Taehyung."

He bites at the skin on his lip, his cheeks turning blush-pink. "He's funny to me," he mutters in a low voice.

Seokjin shakes his head fondly.

"I did tell him."

"Oh? And how did that go?" He asks, tone flat.

Taehyung tilts his head, searching his face. "You don't sound very hopeful in my regard."

There is a twinge of sass in the curve of Seokjin's smile as he answers, "So sorry, am I supposed to be leaping to my feet with joy at the news? Should I have brought confetti?"

The younger chuckles. "No, no, but it would be nice if you could at least pretend like you thought I had a shot."

"Taehyung-ah, I'm not even gonna lie to you, I saw him with that Jungkook kid a few days ago and I'm sorry to tell you this but Jimin is just not having eyes for any other boy anytime soon. He looked disgustingly lovestruck, like... he's down bad for that boy."