Call me HYUNG!

Perfect Boyfriend

The weekend arrived faster than Jungkook would have liked. He had spent the days leading up to it trying to prepare himself, trying to convince himself that he could handle seeing Taehyung with someone else. But as the moment drew closer, he felt the familiar knot of anxiety tightening in his stomach.

Jungkook stood outside the small café where they had agreed to meet, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. He had arrived a bit early, wanting to gather his thoughts before seeing Taehyung and his boyfriend. The last few days had been a blur of emotions, and he still wasn't sure how he was going to face this without breaking down.

The café was a cozy little place, with large windows that let in the afternoon sun and potted plants hanging from the ceiling. Inside, a few patrons were scattered around, sipping on coffee and chatting quietly. It was the kind of place Jungkook might have enjoyed under different circumstances, but today, it only added to the weight on his shoulders.

He spotted Taehyung approaching from down the street, a smile on his face, and beside him was the person who had been occupying Taehyung's thoughts-his boyfriend. Jungkook's heart clenched painfully as he saw them together. They walked side by side, Taehyung laughing at something the other boy had said, his eyes crinkling in that way Jungkook had always adored.

For a moment, Jungkook felt frozen, his feet rooted to the spot as he watched them. But then, Taehyung caught sight of him and waved, his smile widening. "Koo! Hey, you're here early!"

Jungkook forced a smile onto his face, his stomach churning with nerves. "Yeah, didn't want to be late," he said, trying to keep his tone light and casual.

As they approached, Taehyung gestured to the boy beside him. "Koo, this is Jimin. Jimin, this is Jungkook, my best friend."

Jungkook's eyes flicked to Jimin, taking in the boy's appearance. He was shorter than Taehyung, with soft features and a kind smile that seemed genuine. There was a certain warmth about him, something that made him easy to like, and Jungkook hated it. He hated how perfect Jimin seemed, how well he fit beside Taehyung.

"Nice to meet you, Jungkook," Jimin said, extending a hand.

Jungkook took it, gripping it a bit tighter than necessary, though he kept his smile in place. "You too, Jimin," he replied, trying to keep the bitterness out of his voice.

Taehyung didn't seem to notice anything amiss, his attention already shifting back to Jimin. "Let's go inside," he suggested, leading the way into the café.

They found a table near the window, and Jungkook took the seat opposite Taehyung and Jimin, feeling like an outsider intruding on something private. As they settled in, the conversation flowed easily between Taehyung and Jimin, their dynamic natural and effortless. They talked about shared interests, laughed at inside jokes, and occasionally Taehyung would touch Jimin's arm or lean in close to whisper something, making Jimin blush and smile.

Jungkook tried to join in, tried to be the supportive friend he had promised to be, but every word felt forced. His heart ached with every glance Taehyung spared for Jimin, with every laugh that wasn't meant for him. He felt like he was watching his worst nightmare unfold right in front of him, unable to do anything but smile through the pain.

As the minutes ticked by, Jungkook found himself retreating into his thoughts, the noise of the café fading into the background. He tried to focus on anything else-on the way the sunlight filtered through the windows, on the hum of the coffee machine, on the chatter of the other patrons-but his mind kept drifting back to the sight of Taehyung and Jimin together.

This was it. This was what Taehyung wanted. And Jungkook knew that no matter how much it hurt, he had to accept it. Taehyung was happy, and that was all that mattered, even if it meant Jungkook had to watch from the sidelines.

But that didn't make it any easier.

The conversation continued around him, but Jungkook's responses became more and more automatic, his mind elsewhere. He nodded when he was supposed to, smiled when he needed to, but inside, he felt numb. It was like he was on autopilot, just going through the motions, trying to get through this without breaking down.

At one point, Taehyung turned to him, a teasing glint in his eye. "So, Koo, what do you think? Isn't Jimin great?"

Jungkook's heart sank, but he forced himself to nod. "Yeah, he seems really nice," he said, his voice steady despite the turmoil inside.

Jimin smiled warmly at Jungkook, oblivious to the conflict raging within him. "Thanks, Jungkook. Taehyung talks about you all the time, you know. It's nice to finally meet you."

Jungkook managed a weak smile in return. "Yeah, same here," he muttered, though the words felt hollow.

Taehyung beamed, clearly pleased that his two favorite people were getting along. "See, I told you, Koo's the best," he said, nudging Jimin playfully.

Jungkook's chest tightened at the sight of them together, but he swallowed down the pain. "Yeah, well, you're stuck with me, Tae," he joked, though it felt like the words were cutting into him.

As the afternoon wore on, Jungkook continued to play the role of the supportive friend, even as his heart broke a little more with each passing moment. The more he watched Taehyung and Jimin together, the more he realized that this was something he could never compete with. Taehyung had found someone who made him happy, someone who could give him everything Jungkook couldn't.

When they finally left the café, Taehyung hugged Jungkook tightly, thanking him for being so understanding. Jungkook returned the hug, clinging to Taehyung just a little longer than usual, as if trying to hold on to what they once had.

"Thanks for coming, Koo," Taehyung said as they pulled apart. "It means a lot to me."

"Of course, Tae," Jungkook replied, his smile still in place despite the ache in his chest. "Anything for you."

As Taehyung and Jimin walked away, hand in hand, Jungkook watched them go, his heart shattering with every step they took. He stood there for a long moment, feeling the weight of his emotions threatening to overwhelm him, but he refused to let the tears fall.

Not here. Not now.

With a deep breath, Jungkook turned and walked away, his mind a whirlwind of emotions. He had done what he needed to do, had been the friend Taehyung needed him to be. But as he walked away, he couldn't shake the feeling that he had lost something precious, something he could never get back.

And for the first time in his life, Jungkook felt truly, utterly alone.

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Love hurts.