ᴄʀᴜᴛᴄʜᴇs || ᴊ.ᴊᴋ + ᴋ.ᴛʜ ✔️

fifteen: abstract paintings and puzzle pieces

Friday evening and Jungkook was sitting in the kitchen, mindlessly scrolling through his phone as he picked at a plate of leftover pasta. This was the usual scene on Friday nights, save those days when his teachers would assign things over the weekend. This wasn't one of those occasions, so Jungkook wasn't left with much to do. He expected it to be another boring, silent, and uneventful night.

His younger brother had other plans.

Now Junghyun, unbeknownst to Jungkook, had been observing his brother's actions for some time now. More so than he typically did, that is, and it all started with that day Jungkook had gone to the library with that boy.

Taehyung. But Junghyun didn't know who Taehyung was. He just knew him as this stranger who apparently had been spending time with his brother. And Jungkook had never mentioned about him. Not directly, at least. A week ago, Jungkook had briefly mentioned about going to a friend's house, and that that friend wasn't Jimin.

It was odd. And it bothered Junghyun, who knew absolutely nothing about this "friend" of his brother's.

He entered the kitchen casually then hovered over where Jungkook was sitting quietly at the table. Having already sensed an unpleasant mood resonating from the younger, Jungkook chose not to say anything and instead waited till Junghyun opened his mouth on his own.

"Kook, we need to talk."

"We don't," he said in reply and took another bite of pasta. "It's almost 10:00."

"So??" Heaving a sigh of frustration, Junghyun pulled out a chair and sat down at the table. "Look, I'm not kidding, Kook. I didn't say anything for a while 'cause I was kinda hoping you would, but since you don't appear to have any intent to do so, I'm demanding you tell me."

Jungkook offered the slightest side-eye.

"Who's that boy you've been hanging out with?"

He didn't respond. Again. And continued to pick at his leftovers.

"Don't shrug this off, either," Junghyun said in an almost reprimanding tone. "You only ever talk to Jimin and me. For months now. And then I notice you've gone out with this boy from school and even to his house? I just don't get it, Kook. He's not one of your old soccer buds, I know that much. So who is he, then?"

Junghyun read too much into Jungkook. The older felt this, and the intensity of the younger's words suggested he wasn't about to let this go until he received a satisfactory answer.

"Is he a new friend?"

New friend? "I don't know," Jungkook said under his breath. "I guess."

"What do you mean 'you guess'? You called him a friend before."

"It's none of your business, Junghyun. Nothing you need to get worked up about, that's for sure."

"Don't tell me that. I know you, Kook."

He was more than concerned. He was puzzled, and curious, and yes, concerned, too, but also Junghyun just wished Jungkook could have told him more himself. But since he didn't, and he most likely wouldn't, Junghyun took matters into his own hands.

Deep down he had his brother's best interest at heart. Though to some he may have sounded like a strict parent or something along those lines, Junghyun saw it as an opportunity. A good sign. A ray of light of some kind, that is, if this stranger had good intentions, after all.

Essentially, he wanted to get to know this boy who had edged his way into Jungkook's life.

"I have to use the bathroom. Don't touch my pasta."