Rental [yoonmin]

26.

Jungkook sat on the empty booth as he looked down at his plate. Four pancakes were stacked on it waiting to be devoured.

He wanted to eat them but thought it was extremely rude because his date wasn't here yet.

He glanced at his watch and sighed. The bell rung and he glanced up to see a smiling man approach him.

"Jungkook! I'm glad you rented my services again!" Hoseok said. Jungkook stood up and awkwardly tried to bow. Hoseok stopped him midway and gave him a hug.

He stiffened a little because he wasn't used to being greeted this way. "Sorry, does it bother you?"

"No. Sorry I'm just not used to it."

Hoseok smiled, "Cute!"

Jungkook smiled shyly as they both took a seat. "Wow, you ordered for me? That's thoughtful."

Jungkook stopped smiling. He ordered four blueberry pancakes with a large orange juice. Taehyung's order.

He didn't even notice it until Hoseok pointed it out. Taehyung was so deep in his soul he did things for him unconsciously.

"I'm so sorry. I don't even know if you like pancakes or blueberry or—"

"It's fine. I'm not picky. I think you're great for this! Thank you!" Hoseok started to cut his pancakes and Jungkook bit the inside of his cheek.

Blueberry.

Blueberry is Taehyung's favorite.

Blueberry makes his tongue explode with flavor. At least that's what Taehyung always said.

And here he was, watching another person eat Taehyung's favorite.

"Are you okay?" Hoseok asked.

Jungkook snapped back to reality and nodded, "Sorry. I got distracted."

"It's fine. Better eat your pancakes or they'll get cold."

Jungkook nodded, "Yeah. I will."

—

"Do you like vanilla?" Hoseok asked as he shoved an ice cream cone in his mouth.

Jungkook wrinkled his nose, "I mean it's not my cup of tea. But, let's say for some odd reason every other ice cream flavor becomes like extinct or something. In that case, I'd eat vanilla ice cream. Because how could I live without ice cream itself? It's like wow! Imagine a summer without it just imagine."

"Well, vanilla is good. I mean it's not great but it's okay. I'll eat it with like chocolate sprinkles or something."

"How come you like mint chocolate? That's some hardcore shit." Jungkook said looking at Hoseok's ice cream cone.

"It's the best! How can you eat pineapple orange? That's the real hardcore shit. Mixing two fruits? Oh no."

Jungkook rolled his eyes playfully, "Says the one mixing chocolate and mint."

Hoseok shoved him lightly as he laughed. Jungkook did as well and it made warmness spread through him.

It was the first time he had laughed in weeks. And he missed it so much. He missed being happy and okay.

He closed his eyes and savored the flavor in his tongue. Hoseok took note on how cute Jungkook was.

He was simply adorable.

Hoseok finished first and then Jungkook. He smiled at how much of a messy eater Jungkook was.

He took his finger and wiped down Jungkook's crumbs around his lip. Jungkook remained frozen at the action.

Taehyung did that too.

"Thank you." He breathed.

Hoseok smiled as he cupped Jungkook's face in his hands. He planted a kiss on his cheek.

Jungkook didn't close his eyes he simply swallowed hard. Hoseok remained in front of him still cupping his face.

"You're really sweet. Thank you." Jungkook whispered.

"I'm here to love and care for you aren't I?" Hoseok responded.

Jungkook nodded, "Do you—do you think I'm a child?"

"No."

"Okay." He breathed. Hoseok let go of his face and grinned. "Shall we keep walking?"

"Yes." Jungkook responded quickly. They kept walking down the street looking around the shops.

"Have you talked to anyone about him?"

"What?"

"About him?" Hoseok asked emphasizing him.

"No." Jungkook responded.

"I shouldn't have asked. My bad."

Jungkook shrugged, "It's okay. I don't have no one to talk to so it'll be hard to talk about it, you know?" He laughed.

"You have me."

"Thanks. I appreciate it."

"I'll tell you this, he's dumb for treating you the way he did. You're amazing and I mean that. I know I'm getting paid to be your fake boyfriend but I'm not saying this because of that. I'm saying it because I mean it. You're special."

"Why can't he see me the way you do?" Jungkook wondered.

Hoseok raised his eyebrows, "Is he not gay?" He whispered.

Jungkook shrugged, "He never specified but I don't think he cares for gender. He's very liberal, very outgoing, and very different. He doesn't blend in with the rest. He stands out. In a good way of course."

"You talk very fond of him. Even if he broke your heart."

"It's not his fault. I'm not his type and I can't force him to like me. I think it was my fault in a way."

Hoseok shook his head, "What? No way. How is it your fault that you're not his type?"

"Because I never told him how I truly felt about him. I didn't know how. I feel too much for him to explain it in words. I simply wanted to kiss his lips until mine became bruised. I have so much love for him it's impossible to describe it in sentences. It wouldn't do my feelings justice. I would have to show him. But for that, he would need to love me back. Which is remotely impossible."

"So what are you going to do with all of that love bottled up inside of you?"

Jungkook shrugged, "I don't know. Just keep it in? What else am I suppose to do?"

Hoseok sighed, he tried to bite his tongue to not say what he was about to. "I know you say he helped you cope with your loneliness. Did you ever think that maybe you're the one that helped him? Did it ever cross your mind that you were making him feel good while he never gave you anything in return?"

Jungkook shook his head. "No. He wouldn't— he told me from the start he didn't love me the way I did."

Hoseok shrugged, "Sometimes we can't see how toxic people are until we breathe without them in our life."