Mission-Love_TaeKook

12. Turning point

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#a small time leap#

The calendar hanging in the living room mocked Taehyung with its neat squares and cruel countdown. One more day. That's all they had left of this vacation, of this pretend relationship that Taehyung had somehow convinced Jungkook to agree to.

He glanced over at Jungkook, who was sitting at the kitchen table, helping Eunji with her origami project. As the time to leave his hometown, drew near, Taehyung's heart clenched with an aching twist.

This month had been everything to Taehyung, more than he'd ever expected. The dates they had gone on played in his mind like a montage.

As Taehyung stood on the porch beside Jungkook, his gaze lifted to the stars scattered across the night sky. Memories of their month together flickered in his mind like a movie reel.

He smiled faintly, remembering their trip to the zoo-how Jungkook, despite being the elder and so uptight, had transformed into a completely different person around the animals. Taehyung had been left trailing behind, grumbling to himself as Jungkook excitedly fed the giraffes and cooed at every furry creature he encountered. Later that night, still sulking, Taehyung had stubbornly taken Jungkook for ice-skating. Taehyung could still hear the sound of Jungkook's rare laugh as Taehyung slipped and flailed on the ice, his hyung's warm hands steadying him every time.

Then there was the cooking class—Taehyung’s idea, of course. It had ended with a burnt tongue, Jungkook’s cool lips soothing it, and an awkward tension that left Taehyung grinning for hours. When their dish was called “surprisingly good" <they even got a third price for it, Jungkook’s faint blush said more.

The evening picnic by the riverbank, where they'd shared a blanket and watched the fireflies dance in the twilight. Jungkook had surprised Taehyung by pulling out a thermos of hot chocolate he'd made himself.

The late-night stargazing on the rooftop, where Taehyung had brought a telescope and tried to impress Jungkook with his knowledge of constellations. Jungkook had laughed, gently correcting him when he mixed up Orion and Ursa Major. "You're hopeless," Jungkook had teased, but his voice was full of fondness.

And the quiet mornings spent at home with Taehyung's family. His parents adored Jungkook, always praising his manners and how respectful he was. Eunji had practically adopted him as her big brother, constantly dragging him into her playful schemes. Even Taehyung's rarely-seen younger brother had given a thumbs-up before disappearing into his room.

But through it all, Jungkook had maintained a careful distance. He smiled, he laughed, he played along, but there was always a line he wouldn't cross. A barrier Taehyung couldn't breach.

Now, as the vacation drew to a close, Taehyung felt that line looming larger than ever.

~*~

That evening, the family gathered for dinner. Taehyung's mom had made Jungkook's favorite dish-her way of thanking him for being such a wonderful guest. The table buzzed with laughter and conversation, but Taehyung barely touched his food.

After dinner, he found Jungkook on the front porch, staring out at the quiet street. The moonlight cast a soft glow on his face, making him look almost ethereal.

"Hyungie," Taehyung said, his voice gentle as he joined him.

Jungkook turned, his lips quirking into a small smile. "Hey."

For a moment, they stood in silence, the night air cool against their skin.

"I don't want this to end," Taehyung blurted out, unable to hold back any longer.