Bobba Tae

🧋2 ☕

The moment Jungkook laid eyes on Kim Taehyung up close, something in his chest shifted. It wasn't the nervous flutter of anxiety anymore, but something soft, like a warm blanket wrapping around his heart. Taehyung was... beautiful. Even with his face half-covered by that black mask, there was an undeniable magnetism about him. His eyes were dark, deep, and captivating - like they could see right through Jungkook's usual nonsensical chatter and into the parts of him that were... real.

Jungkook's heart did a little leap, and before he knew it, he was blurting out, "You're so pretty."

Taehyung blinked, clearly taken aback. He didn't respond right away, just stared at Jungkook with those piercing eyes, as if trying to decide whether to laugh, run away, or vanish into thin air. Jungkook's cheeks immediately flamed red, realizing what he'd just said out loud.

"I-I mean, not that you care about that or anything!" Jungkook babbled, flustered. "Not that you need anyone telling you that! I bet you already know. Wait, no, maybe you don't like people saying that? Uh, do you? I should stop talking."

To his shock, Taehyung's lips twitched slightly under the mask. Was that... a smile?

Jungkook stared in awe. He had never seen Taehyung smile before - or, well, almost smile. Even behind the mask, the tiny movement felt like a victory, and Jungkook's heart soared.

"Boba."

Taehyung's voice, low and smooth, brought Jungkook back from his daze. He blinked in confusion. "Huh?"

Taehyung tilted his head slightly, his gaze flicking to the cup in Jungkook's hand. "You... always have boba."

Jungkook glanced down at the nearly-empty cup of bubble tea he was still holding, and his eyes widened in realization. "Oh! You mean this?" He lifted the cup, shaking it slightly so the few remaining pearls bobbed around. "Yeah! I love boba. It's like... my thing. I drink it, like, every day. Sometimes twice a day! Or more, depending on how stressed I am. You know? Like, today was kind of stressful, but then I got dared to talk to you, so it's all good, because this is fun, and-"

"You talk a lot."

Jungkook froze mid-sentence, his mouth hanging open. "Oh," he said softly, feeling a bit self-conscious. "Sorry... I just ramble sometimes."

But Taehyung didn't seem annoyed. In fact, there was something almost... amused in his eyes. He studied Jungkook for a moment longer, then quietly said, "It's fine."

Jungkook's heart skipped a beat. Did that mean Taehyung didn't mind him? Did that mean... maybe they could actually be friends? Or more than friends? Wait, why was he thinking about more than friends?! They had barely spoken!

The silence stretched between them, but it wasn't awkward. It felt peaceful, like Taehyung was okay with Jungkook just sitting there, even if he was bouncing in his seat like an overexcited puppy. Jungkook chewed on his straw, watching Taehyung's fingers glide over the iPad again, sketching something new.

"You're... really talented," Jungkook said after a while, his voice soft, genuine. "Like, crazy talented. I can't even draw stick figures properly."

Taehyung didn't look up, but there was a quiet, "Thank you."

Jungkook's grin returned, brighter than ever. "We should totally hang out more, you know? I mean, I'm not saying that just because of the dare, but because I think we'd get along really well. I talk a lot, and you... well, you don't. It's a good balance, right?"

Taehyung glanced up, his eyes lingering on Jungkook's face for a moment before flicking back to the screen. Jungkook took that as a yes, because why not? He was a glass-half-full kind of person, and Taehyung hadn't run away yet. That was a good sign!

As Jungkook prepared to ask another question, Taehyung spoke again, this time surprising him with a question of his own. "Do you always... drink boba?"

Jungkook blinked, caught off guard. "Huh? Oh! Yeah, pretty much. I told you, I love it! It's like... my one true love. If boba was a person, I'd marry them in a heartbeat." He paused, then scrunched his nose. "Actually, no, I wouldn't. That'd be weird. I'd marry someone who also loves boba, though. Like a boba soulmate! You know what I mean?"

Taehyung just stared at him, his expression completely unreadable behind the mask.

Jungkook fidgeted with his cup, a nervous laugh bubbling up. "Sorry. That was dumb, huh? I just say random stuff sometimes."

But Taehyung didn't seem to think it was dumb. In fact, there was a subtle shift in his posture, something that made Jungkook feel like he wasn't being judged. Instead, Taehyung simply asked, "What flavor?"

"What flavor?" Jungkook echoed, tilting his head. "Oh! Of boba? Today's is classic milk tea, but I love trying new flavors. Strawberry, matcha, taro, chocolate... You name it, I've probably tried it. Why? You thinking of trying some?"

Taehyung's eyes flicked away for a split second, almost like he was embarrassed. "Maybe."

Jungkook gasped, his eyes going wide with excitement. "Oh my gosh! You totally should! We can go together sometime! I'll introduce you to all the best places in Seoul. There's this one place near campus that makes the best taro milk tea. You'll love it! I promise!"

Taehyung's gaze returned to Jungkook, and for the briefest moment, his eyes softened. "Maybe."

Jungkook's heart fluttered. It wasn't exactly a yes, but it wasn't a no either. He was making progress!

Feeling bold, Jungkook leaned forward slightly, resting his chin on his hands. "You know, you're not as scary as everyone says. People call you 'the mask boy' like you're some kind of ghost or something, but I think you're just... cool. Quiet, but cool."

Taehyung's fingers stilled over his iPad, his eyes meeting Jungkook's. There was something unreadable in his gaze, something that made Jungkook's stomach flip in the weirdest, most exhilarating way. He hadn't expected to feel like this - to be so drawn to someone who barely spoke, but here he was, practically swooning over every subtle look Taehyung gave him.

"Why do you... talk to me?" Taehyung asked quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.

Jungkook blinked, caught off guard by the question. "Because... I want to?" he said simply, his tone sincere. "I don't really know why, but you seem interesting. And now that I've talked to you, I think I was right."

Taehyung's eyes flickered with something Jungkook couldn't quite place, and for a moment, the library seemed to grow quieter, as if the world had paused just for the two of them.

Before Jungkook could say anything else, Taehyung glanced at the clock on the wall and stood up, gathering his things. "I have to go."

"Oh! Uh, okay." Jungkook quickly got to his feet, still holding his half-empty boba cup. "But... can we hang out again? I mean, only if you want to! No pressure or anything. I just thought... it'd be nice."

Taehyung paused for a moment, his gaze lingering on Jungkook before he nodded. "Maybe."

And with that, Taehyung turned and walked away, leaving Jungkook standing in the library with his heart racing and his mind buzzing with excitement.

As Taehyung disappeared around the corner, Jungkook couldn't help but grin to himself, his cheeks flushing pink. He'd done it. He'd actually talked to Kim Taehyung, and it hadn't been a disaster. In fact, it had been... kind of amazing.

Jungkook plopped back down in his chair, taking a victorious sip of his bubble tea. "I'm so calling him 'Boba' from now on," he mumbled to himself with a giggle.

Little did he know, on the other side of campus, Kim Taehyung was thinking the same thing.

The boy named Boba.

And for the first time in a long while, Taehyung didn't mind the idea of getting to know someone. Especially if that someone was a cute, bubbly boy with a love for boba tea and an even bigger heart.