As time passed, Taehyung's presence eased its way to the back of Jungkook's mind as he buried himself in the piles of homework. If I could do it senior year, he thought to himself, then I can do it now. Jungkook was often the one to lock himself away in his room while Jimin constantly pounded on the door to come for dinner. Mina, Yoongi and him had secured their studies and were living in the whimsical pleasure of their senior year. Jungkook was oblivious to the outings Jimin invited him to just so that he could keep his mind off of Taehyung. He believed what he was doing was not only good for him, but for his friends not to hear about his past.
However, Jungkook did take into account the more frequent visits of Nari and her friend Anvy to their apartment, and how he could hear Nari asking for him, only to be turned down by Yoongi. At one point, Nari swayed past Yoongi and Mina's nose kisses in the kitchen and knocked on Jungkook's door. She entered without him finishing his response of "Come in."
"Jungkook. . . " were the words that left her lips. Just his name. He scrunched his nose and raised his eyebrows, waiting for her to go on, but she just stood there, like a deer in headlights. Of course, Taehyung had told her the details of their dispute, that's why she was there. But Jungkook wanted to know what she'd get out of the exchange they were about to have.
"Nari, what is it? I'm trying to do homework." Jungkook threw his crossword puzzle book into a drawer and plastered on a studious face.
"It's Tae." Her voice was persistent and wavered, almost like her brother had been hit by a truck. She approached the desk. "You need to see him."
"Nari, seriously? Did he tell you tell me that?" Jungkook felt like he was caught up in foolish girl drama. "We already agreed it would be best for us not to see each other anymore." Nari nodded, but rubbed her hand on his palm. Jungkook didn't move, slightly comforted by the warmth.
"No, he didn't, but I know you guys should be friends," she said. "He told me he just wanted to be friends."
"That's not what it sounded like when he pushed me against an alley wall," Jungkook retorted. Nari was quick to counter that.
"He said you compared him to our father." A bullet hit Jungkook and he fell silent, completely aware of his words back then. "You knew our father quite well, and that's what made him lash out like that. And he just wants to be friends." She keeps on saying it, Jungkook thought. "He said you said that back at the coffee shop. That you guys could be friends, but nothing more."
"Look, Nari, I don't know," Jungkook muttered, pushing his chair back. He stretched his arms high above his head and took another glance at an insistent Nari. "I'll talk to him."
"You will?" She gasped with excitement. Jungkook had merely said it for Nari's satisfaction, but he nodded sincerely. "Thank you!" She skipped out of the room and Jungkook followed her into the kitchen. Mina and Yoongi were spread out on the couch while Jimin was trying his very best to impress Anvy with his macaroni and cheese making skills.
". . . and then you just pour the pasta in. . . " Jimin explained, dumping the contents into a large pot. Anvy had a smile on her face and was intently watching Jimin spill the pasta everywhere on the countertop.
"You better clean that up!" Yoongi called, hearing the bits rattle on the floor.
"Anvy probably knows how to make mac n' cheese," Jungkook stated as he wiggled past the two of them to the sink.
"Jimin said he had an interesting way of cooking them," Anvy reasoned. "But so far, it's the same as I make them."
"Be patient, it changes," Jimin repeated for the hundredth time. Anvy hadn't stopped saying how the method was exactly like hers. And Jimin had fully admitted it was the same method in his mind, but he planned to add some spices to the pasta to give it a little flavor and dazzle. He was on the road to a relationship with Anvy, despite the fact he was graduating this year.
