last hope

Chapter 12

'I didn't kiss anyone,' Jungkook mumbles, rubbing the back of his neck as he desperately avoids making eye contact.

'That's bullshit,' Yoongi grins, leaning forward on the sofa. 'Who was it? Was it that girl from your class?'

Jungkook glances at Taehyung and Jimin briefly. It's the smallest of movements, but Hoseok narrows his eyes. They know something.

'Fine,' Jungkook sighs dramatically, collapsing on the sofa beside Hoseok. It's a tight squeeze, but Jungkook doesn't seem to care. 'Yes, I made out with the girl from my class. Are you happy now, hyung?'

Yoongi looks satisfied with himself, leaning back again and giving Jungkook a smug smile. 'So, was it good?'

Hoseok swats at him. 'Leave him alone, hyung.'

'What?' Yoongi grins, 'I want to know why he ended up in the bath and not his own bed. I can't see how that would have happened, if the make-out was any good.'

Jungkook's cheeks turn a painful shade of red. Hoseok frowns sympathetically.

'It was good,' Jungkook nodded quietly. 'I just, I mean I, uh-'

'He went for a shower after, and passed out before he could finish getting undressed.' Taehyung finishes for him, but the words are too rushed, and his cheeks are also flushed as he leans closer into Jimin.

'And left the girl behind?' Yoongi laughs, and Hoseok melts at his gummy smile. 'That's low, even for you.'

'What the hell is that supposed to mean?' Jungkook snaps. He's still squinting, rubbing his temples as he glares at Yoongi.

Hoseok sighs, getting up to grab the poor boy a glass of water. 'Leave the kid alone, he's had a rough night.'

'I bet it was,' Yoongi smirks, as Jimin laughs and leans over to give him a high five.

'I hate you guys,' Jungkook pouts, and Namjoon leans over to give him a small nudge. 'Except Namjoon hyung.'

'Hey, what did I do wrong?' Seokjin frowns, sitting up a little from where he's still draped over Namjoon.

Hoseok pads back into the room, handing Jungkook the glass of water. He takes it, downing it before handing it back without a word. Hoseok hovers, staring at the glass.

'I think Kookie is fighting for your position as the biggest brat,' Taehyung grins, earning him a swift kick that leaves him sprawled over Jimin's lap.

'This is all your fault anyway,' Jungkook snaps, glaring at him. Something flickers in the way the two look at eachother and Hoseok frowns.

'No way,' he interjects, placing the glass on the coffee table and moving to sit on Yoongi's lap. Yoongi wraps his arms around him, propping his head on Hoseok's shoulder and eliciting a disgruntled groan from Jimin. 'That's my title, and nobody can take it away from me.'

Jungkook is still glaring at Taehyung, who looks both guilty and embarrassed. Jimin seems totally oblivious as he plays with Taehyung's hair, the other's head still across his lap.

Tension hangs heavy in the air as they sit in silence, nobody knowing quite what to say.

'I'm hungry,' Seokjin announces, standing up and checking his watch. 'Let's go out for lunch. It's not often I get a half-day, let's make the most of it.'

'Fine, but you're paying, hyung.' Jimin stands, pulling Taehyung to his feet.

Seokjin just rolls his eyes, nodding. 'Come on, I'm starving.'

*

Hoseok snuggles deeper into his coat as they walk to the restaurant. It's raining slightly, not hard enough for them to run the few minutes down the road, but enough to make him shiver.

'You okay?' Yoongi whispers, putting his arm around Hoseok and squeezing lightly. Hoseok inhales sharply. He's going to have to get used to Yoongi touching him so casually. It still makes his heart race.

Hoseok nods, trying to relax into the side-hug as they keep walking. 'Something's going on,' he nods at Jungkook up ahead.

Yoongi snorts. 'No shit, what do you think really happened?'

'I don't know,' Hoseok remembers the way Jungkook had glared at Taehyung. "This is all your fault," he'd said. 'Do you think Tae and Jimin set him up with someone?'

Yoongi shrugs. 'Maybe. I get the feeling it wasn't the girl from his class though.'

Hoseok nods. That much is obvious.

They make it to the restaurant, piling in through the small door and making their way to a large table at the back. The low lighting is warm and cosy, making it feel much later in the day than it actually is.

They settle into their seats, chatting as they order their food and drinks. Hoseok shuffles his chair closer to Yoongi's and pretends not to notice when the corner of the other man's mouth turns up.

'How's revision going?' Hoseok asks, leaning his elbows on the table as he turns to Yoongi. 'I guess I haven't really asked, what with,' he gestures vaguely. 'Everything that's happened.'

Yoongi laughs. 'It's fine, my exam isn't until Wednesday so I have a few days left. How's rehearsals?'

Hoseok pulls a face, running a hand through his hair, still damp from the rain. He wipes his hand on his jeans.

'I know it's more work than you anticipated,' Yoongi sighs. 'That can't have helped, with everything else that's been going on.'

Hoseok gives him a soft smile. 'It's fine. The undergrads work hard, they're making a lot of progress.'

Yoongi smiles, reaching up to take Hoseok's hand. He rubs soothing circles against his palm.

'Are you still doing a solo?' Yoongi asks, his eyes lingering on Hoseok's hair as a drop of rain water falls from his fringe onto his nose. Yoongi wipes it away with his free hand.

'Yeah,' Hoseok nods, 'I've been practising as much as I can.'

'Is that what you were doing that night?' Yoongi grins, 'Before you ran away to Namjoon's place?'

Hoseok frowns. 'I didn't run away,' he shakes his head. 'But yeah, the dancing helped to calm me down.'

Yoongi squeezes his hand. 'It's okay that you ran away, I get it.'

Hoseok is about to reply when a chair scraping draws his attention. He's suddenly aware that he hasn't been paying attention to anything that's been going on at the table. His drink is in front of him. He didn't even notice anyone bringing it over.

The chair scraping against the tiled floor is Jungkook's. Hoseok watches in shock as Jungkook stalks away, pulling his hood up as he heads out into the rain.

Yoongi shifts beside him, and Hoseok looks around the table in confusion.

'I wish you'd all stop being a pain in the ass for five fucking minutes,' Seokjin snaps, 'I don't have the energy for this.'

Taehyung is looking at his feet, and even Jimin looks slightly ashamed of himself. Hoseok looks to Namjoon for an answer.

'Winding him up,' he whispers, shrugging.

Hoseok glances at Taehyung and Jimin. There's more to this than they're letting on.

What the hell happened last night?