Jinkook Short Stories: My Roommate

10

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••••••
Their friendship was slowly mending, with each small moment-an inside joke, a lingering glance-drawing them closer together again. Jungkook had promised himself he would respect the boundaries they'd set, focusing on rebuilding trust with Jin as a friend.

But that promise was put to the test when Jin casually mentioned over breakfast one morning that he'd be meeting up with Taehyung.

"Taehyung?" Jungkook repeated, his tone more clipped than he'd intended.

Jin, busy pouring his coffee, nodded, oblivious to Jungkook's tone. "Yeah, you know him. He's that writer I've been raving about. He's got this incredible new book out, and he agreed to meet up to chat about it. Can you believe it?"

Jungkook felt his jaw tighten as he watched Jin's face light up. He'd heard about Taehyung a lot over the past few months. Jin admired his work deeply, and Jungkook knew he had every reason to be excited to meet someone he looked up to. But the mere thought of Jin spending time with Taehyung, especially with that gleam in his eye, made Jungkook's stomach twist uncomfortably.

"That's... cool, I guess," Jungkook muttered, staring down at his breakfast with more intensity than was necessary.

Jin glanced at him, raising an eyebrow. "You guess? It's amazing! He's like... the reason I even started writing myself. His work inspired me."

"Right." Jungkook forced a smile. "Sounds like you'll have a lot to talk about."

Jin smiled back, but Jungkook could see the confusion flickering in his eyes. He didn't want to ruin Jin's excitement, so he clamped down on the envy building up inside him.

---

Later that evening, Jungkook waited in the apartment, pretending not to check the time every few minutes. When Jin finally walked through the door, his face was flushed with happiness, eyes sparkling as he set his things down.

"Hey," Jin greeted, his voice bubbling with excitement. "You should've seen it, Jungkook! Taehyung was everything I imagined-and more. We talked for hours. He even signed my favorite book of his!"

Jungkook grunted a response, trying not to let his irritation seep into his expression. "Sounds like you had a good time."

Jin didn't seem to notice his tone as he continued talking, recounting every detail of the evening with a bright smile. The more Jin gushed, the tighter Jungkook's chest felt. He wanted to be happy for him, but the thought of Jin looking up to someone else with such admiration clawed at his insecurities.

"What's so special about him anyway?" Jungkook blurted out, unable to keep the bitterness out of his voice.

Jin stopped mid-sentence, blinking in surprise. "What do you mean?"

Jungkook bit his lip, regretting his outburst but too frustrated to back down now. "I mean, you've been talking about him non-stop for months. It's like he's all you think about."

Jin frowned, clearly taken aback. "Jungkook, he's my favorite author. Meeting him was a dream come true. It doesn't mean anything beyond that."

Jungkook crossed his arms, feeling defensive. "Right. But the way you talk about him... it's like you're... I don't know, obsessed or something."

Jin's expression softened as he studied Jungkook, a hint of understanding dawning on his face. "Are you... jealous?"

Jungkook scoffed, but his cheeks warmed under Jin's gaze. "No. Of course not. Why would I be jealous?"

A small smile tugged at Jin's lips. "Jungkook... Taehyung is just someone I admire. He's talented, but that doesn't change anything between us. You're the one I trust, the one who knows me better than anyone."

Jungkook's defenses crumbled at Jin's words, and he found himself looking away, feeling foolish. "I guess... I just didn't like the idea of you being so excited about someone else."

Jin's smile grew, and he reached out, giving Jungkook's hand a gentle squeeze. "Don't worry. No one can replace you. Not in my life."

The tension in Jungkook's chest eased as he looked into Jin's eyes, his jealousy melting away in the warmth of Jin's reassurance. They stayed like that for a moment, a comfortable silence settling over them, and for the first time, Jungkook felt like maybe, just maybe, he could be honest with his own heart.

"Thanks, Jin," he whispered, squeezing Jin's hand in return. "I... needed to hear that."

Jin's smile was soft, understanding. "Anytime, Jungkook."

••••••

Jin gave Jungkook's hand one last gentle squeeze before letting go, his smile still lingering as he settled into the couch beside him. They sat in silence for a few moments, and Jungkook found himself stealing glances at Jin, heart hammering as he replayed Jin's words in his mind.

"So, tell me more," Jungkook blurted out, surprising even himself.

Jin looked up, raising a brow. "About Taehyung?"

"Yeah," Jungkook said, though he could already feel his jealousy returning. "I mean, if he's that important to you... I guess I want to know why."

Jin's face softened, and he seemed to consider Jungkook's words carefully. "Taehyung... well, his writing makes me feel things I didn't think words could. It's like he has this way of turning emotions into poetry. When I read his stories, it's like he understands parts of me that I didn't even know were there."

Jungkook's stomach twisted again, but this time it was different. It wasn't just jealousy; it was admiration. Jin's passion, the way his eyes sparkled as he spoke about what he loved, drew Jungkook in more deeply than he cared to admit.

"I get it," Jungkook said softly, nodding. "You've always had this... way with words too, you know? I mean, you don't need some famous author to show you how to feel things. You're amazing at that all on your own."

Jin blinked, clearly taken aback, a faint blush creeping up his cheeks. "You... think so?"

Jungkook felt his own cheeks warm as he realized how honest he'd been. "I, uh... yeah. I do."

A silence fell between them, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Jin's gaze softened as he looked at Jungkook, his eyes filled with something unspoken, something that seemed to bridge the distance that had grown between them over the past few weeks.

"Jungkook," Jin murmured, voice barely above a whisper. "You know... even though I admire Taehyung's work, it doesn't come close to what you mean to me."

Jungkook's heart skipped a beat, his throat tightening as he struggled to find words. He knew he should look away, but Jin's gaze held him captive, and in that moment, everything else faded away-the jealousy, the confusion, the hesitation.

"Jin..." he started, but his voice trailed off, his words tangled with emotions he wasn't ready to face.

But Jin didn't push. Instead, he reached out, gently brushing his fingers against Jungkook's hand, their touch warm and familiar, grounding Jungkook in a way that made his heart feel steady and wild all at once.

"You don't have to say anything, Jungkook," Jin whispered, his voice carrying a tenderness that made Jungkook's chest ache. "Just know... I'm here. And I'm not going anywhere."

Jungkook managed a small smile, squeezing Jin's hand as he felt a sense of calm settle over him. For the first time, he didn't feel the need to hide, to run from his own feelings. With Jin by his side, he felt like he could face anything-jealousy, fear, love... whatever the future held.

"Thanks, Jin," he murmured, voice soft but full of meaning. "For everything."

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