Soulmates in Disguise

A Protective Heart

As they settled into Ria's apartment, Taehyung and Jungkook could sense the lingering tension in the air. Determined to lighten the mood, they exchanged a knowing glance before turning their attention to Ria, who was still visibly shaken by the earlier events.

“Hey, Ria,” Taehyung started, his voice soft but playful. “We’re not going to let you stay in this gloomy mood. We’re here to have a good time, okay?”

Jungkook nodded in agreement, flashing her a reassuring smile. “Yeah, let’s shake off the bad vibes and just relax. You’re with friends now.”

Ria couldn’t help but smile at their efforts to cheer her up. Their warmth and kindness were like a balm to her frayed nerves. “Alright, alright,” she said, trying to sound upbeat. “But first, you two need to get out of those wet clothes. I think I have some oversized stuff that might fit you.”

She disappeared into her room for a moment and returned with a couple of large t-shirts and pants. “Here, these should do,” she said, handing them over.

Taehyung and Jungkook exchanged amused looks as they held up the clothes. The t-shirts were huge, but the pants were clearly going to be a problem. “Well, this should be interesting,” Taehyung laughed, heading to the bathroom to change.

When they emerged, Ria couldn’t contain her laughter. The sight of them in her oversized clothes was too much. Taehyung’s pants were comically short, stopping well above his ankles and giving him the appearance of wearing three-fourths, while Jungkook’s Capri barely reached his knees, no matter how much he tried to pull them down.

“You two look… adorable,” Ria giggled, her earlier sadness momentarily forgotten.

Jungkook pouted, tugging at the pants in a futile attempt to make them longer. “This is not what I signed up for,” he joked, but his playful grin betrayed how much he was enjoying making her laugh.

Taehyung struck a pose, embracing the ridiculousness of the situation. “I think I’m starting a new fashion trend,” he declared, making Ria laugh even harder.

As they moved around the kitchen, Ria insisted on cooking dinner for them, wanting to do something to repay their kindness. As she worked, Tae and Kookie hovered around, teasing and helping her in their own way.

“Do you even know how to cook, JK?” Ria teased as she watched him try to chop vegetables.

“Of course I do!” Jk defended himself, though his chopping was anything but precise. “I’m a man of many talents.”

“Right,” Ria teased back, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “Just try not to cut yourself, okay?”

Meanwhile, Taehyung was busy playing with the ingredients, pretending to be a master chef. “Watch and learn, everyone! This is how you make a masterpiece,” he said dramatically, though his cooking skills were questionable at best.

“Masterpiece or disaster-piece?” Jungkook muttered under his breath, just loud enough for Ria to hear. She stifled a giggle, but Taehyung caught on and shot them both a mock glare.

“Oh, you think you’re so funny, don’t you?” Tae challenged, wielding a spatula like a sword. “I’ll have you know that this dish will be the talk of the town.”

“I’m sure it will be,” Jungkook smirked, “because everyone will be talking about how we burned down the kitchen.”

Ria burst into laughter, the tension of the day melting away with each joke. The playful banter continued as they moved around the kitchen, occasionally bumping into each other in the small space, creating a comfortable, almost familial atmosphere.