Jungkook blinked his eyes open as sunlight flooded his face. He squinted, grumbling, Who the hell left the windows open? He groaned, slowly realizing that he had fallen asleep on the couch after an exhausting day.
His vision was still blurry, but he caught sight of a figure moving near the TV stand. Tall legs, thick thighs, slim waist...Jungkook’s brain started to wake up as he focused more. The figure bent over to grab something, then glanced at him before quietly heading out.
Jungkook frowned. Ten minutes later, after some serious stretching and yawning, it hit him. That was Taehyung! He shot up, blinking at the clock.
"Oh no, I'm late!" He scrambled off the couch, hastily pulling on a shirt and stumbling toward the bathroom to freshen up.
---
Meanwhile, Taehyung was in his car, Bluetooth earpiece on, furiously ranting to Jimin as he drove.
“Jimin, I swear, I can’t do this. Last night, I barely got any sleep! Do you know what this man did?”
Jimin’s laughter came through the car speakers. “What did Jungkook do now?”
“He blasted the TV with some awful, trashy... steamy scene right in the middle of the night! As if I wasn't already having a bad day!” Taehyung threw his hands in the air, though Jimin obviously couldn’t see that.
“Wait, wait, wait... he did what?” Jimin cackled. “That’s hilarious! Oh, come on, Tae. It’s like living in a sitcom.”
Taehyung groaned. “Jimin, you don’t understand. I nearly strangled him with his own tie this morning.”
“Well, at least he’s trying to... communicate?” Jimin teased, still laughing.
“He’s trying, alright... trying to give me high blood pressure.”
---
Back in the apartment, Jungkook was on the phone with Yoongi while trying to salvage what was left of his morning by making some breakfast.
“Yoongi hyung... you wouldn’t believe what happened last night. I tried to get Taehyung to leave, and the guy slammed the door in my face. Then I tried to mess with him, but he stormed out.”
Yoongi, in his usual nonchalant tone, replied, “Why are you like this? You sound like a high schooler messing with your crush. You’re being childish, Jungkook.”
“I’m not childish!” Jungkook protested, flipping an egg dramatically.
“You blasted a TV to annoy him. That’s literally something a five-year-old would do.”
Jungkook paused. “Okay, maybe that wasn’t my finest moment, but you didn’t see his face! He was so...”
“Annoyed? Angry? Ready to kill you?” Yoongi deadpanned.
“Yes, all of the above!” Jungkook sighed. “I need a drink. Let’s meet up later.”
---
Later that evening...
Yoongi and Jungkook sat in a dimly lit restobar, nursing drinks as the evening passed by. Jungkook, now a couple of shots in, leaned back in his chair, already feeling the effects.
“I don’t get it, Yoongi... why is he so... difficult?” Jungkook slurred slightly.
Yoongi raised an eyebrow. “Maybe because you’re making his life difficult? Just a wild guess.”
Jungkook groaned, head in his hands. “I’m trying to make this work. I even... told him to go home.”
Yoongi’s lips quirked into a smirk. “And how did that go?”
Jungkook threw his hands up. “He said ‘no’ and slammed the door on me!”
Yoongi shook his head. “Sounds like you two are destined for chaos. Maybe you should embrace it. You’re acting like a lovesick teenager.”
“Lovesick? Me? Never.” Jungkook took another swig, clearly more drunk than before.
Yoongi sighed. “Okay, that’s enough for tonight. You’re starting to sound like a rom-com protagonist, and it’s cringy.”
---
Back at the apartment...
Yoongi practically dragged a drunken Jungkook to his front door, pressing the doorbell. Taehyung opened the door, eyes half-lidded with exhaustion. He was still in his work scrubs, looking like he’d just run a marathon.
“Sorry about this,” Yoongi muttered sheepishly as he propped Jungkook up.
Taehyung sighed, stepping aside to let them in. “Why am I not surprised?”
Yoongi half-dropped, half-tossed Jungkook onto the couch, giving Taehyung a small, apologetic smile. “He’s all yours. I’m out. Good luck.”
Taehyung watched Yoongi leave with an exasperated sigh. “Great. Now I’ve got a drunk idiot to deal with.”
Jungkook, still hazy from the alcohol, stumbled to his feet, mumbling. “I’m not... an idiot.”
Taehyung rolled his eyes. “You’re a walking disaster, that’s what you are.”
Jungkook, wobbling, moved toward the kitchen. “I’m fine. I just... need water.”
Taehyung watched him, arms crossed, but didn’t move to stop him. *Let him stumble around,* he thought. *Maybe he’ll knock some sense into himself.*
Crash!
Jungkook tripped over the coffee table and sent a glass vase crashing to the floor. The loud sound made Taehyung flinch, but something changed in his posture. His eyes widened, and his hands began to shake. He took shallow, erratic breaths.
Jungkook, despite his drunken state, immediately noticed the change. “Taehyung?” he called out, stumbling toward him. “Tae, what’s wrong?”
Taehyung was trembling, clearly having a seizure. Jungkook, panic rising, rushed forward as much as his drunken state would allow. His mind raced, but thankfully, his instincts kicked in.
He spotted a heavy iron idol on the shelf and grabbed it, gently placing it in Taehyung’s hand. “Here, hold onto this,” Jungkook murmured, trying to stay calm. “Focus on it.”
As Taehyung gripped the idol, Jungkook fumbled for his phone, calling an ambulance. “Hello? I need an ambulance right away. Someone’s having a seizure.”
Though his words were slurred, Jungkook’s actions were careful and precise. He held Taehyung steady, whispering soft reassurances as they waited for help to arrive.
“You’re okay, Tae. I’ve got you,” Jungkook murmured, his drunken bravado fading into genuine concern.
For the first time, Jungkook felt his cold exterior crack, just a little. Maybe this wasn’t the nightmare he had thought it would be.
YOU ARE READING
Cold Hearts, Warmer Ties
RomanceJeon Jungkook and Kim Taehyung are thrust into an arranged marriage they never wanted. Both have built cold walls around themselves, scarred by past heartbreaks. Taehyung's father, aware of his son's pain, hopes this union will help him heal. As two...
