Melting Softly [[Taekook]]

Chapter 5

"koo... did you just laugh?" Yoongi asked, his voice trembling with emotion. His smile spread across his face, so wide that it was practically a beam, as if he were witnessing something so precious, so rare. He reached out to Jungkook, pulling him into a tight hug.

Jungkook, still in shock, froze for a second before his arms instinctively wrapped around Yoongi. His face buried itself in Yoongi's neck as he pressed his cheek against him. A flood of emotions surged through him. He had laughed for the first time in eleven years without any worries-something he thought was lost forever. He couldn't believe it.

Tears welled up in his eyes, not from sadness, but from a release he hadn't even known he needed. He clung to Yoongi, as if afraid to let go, as though hiding from the whirlwind of emotions that were now overwhelming him. He didn't want to show anyone how deeply it affected him, so he stayed hidden in Yoongi's embrace.

Yoongi, holding him tight, felt the weight of all those years Jungkook had carried silently. His heart swelled with relief, and his gummy smile stretched wide, one of pure joy and love. "It's okay, Kookie," he whispered softly, rubbing his hand up and down his back. "You don't have to hide anymore. It's okay to laugh. It's okay to feel happy."

Jungkook squeezed him tighter, his body shaking with the release. He didn't know when he'd last felt this vulnerable, but with Yoongi, it felt safe. The burden of all those years seemed to lighten just a little.

Meanwhile, Taehyung and Jimin stood awkwardly, watching the scene unfold in front of them. The warmth between Jungkook and Yoongi was undeniable, but the more they watched, the saltier their mood grew.

Taehyung shifted on his feet, breaking the silence with a dramatic sigh, looking at Jimin. "Well, this is awkward." He wrinkled his nose as he glanced back at the hugging duo. "I didn't think we'd be the third wheel again."

Jimin rolled his eyes, crossing his arms. "Not the first time, not the last," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "How much longer are we supposed to stand here, watching them hug it out? You're just gonna let them have their moment?" He mimicked a theatrical gasp. "How dare they steal the spotlight from us, Tae?"

Taehyung raised an eyebrow, looking at Jimin with a dramatic smirk. "I don't know, Jiminie. This is such a heartwarming scene, it's like something out of a drama. Are we the jealous exes now?" He fanned himself, pretending to faint. "Oh no, I'm so heartbroken," he exaggerated, his voice dripping with mock drama.

Jimin chuckled at his antics, shaking his head. "Yeah, yeah, keep it up, Tae. I'm sure someone in the universe finds this entertaining."

They both turned their attention back to Jungkook and Yoongi, still locked in their emotional embrace.

But despite the dramatics, both of them felt a pang of discomfort watching the closeness between Yoongi and Jungkook. It was a simple, yet complicated, feeling they couldn't quite put into words.

Taehyung couldn't take it anymore. He threw his hands in the air with an exaggerated sigh, his patience clearly at its limit. "I can't take this anymore!" he exclaimed, marching forward like he had just been hit with a sudden burst of energy. "You guys are killing me!"

Jimin, who had been standing awkwardly, glanced over at Taehyung with a mix of confusion and bitterness. His eyes narrowed as he watched Yoongi still holding onto Jungkook, who seemed completely enveloped in the older boy's embrace.

Jimin wasn't sure why, but the sight made his stomach churn. His crush on Yoongi had always been harmless-at least, that's what he told himself-but seeing Yoongi so gently comforting Jungkook like this... it was making him feel things he couldn't quite explain. He then looked back at Taehyung, who was staring at them with a mischievous grin, and raised an eyebrow.