Something New

8

Interlude - Jeon Jungkook

To put it bluntly, Jeon Jungkook liked Kim Taehyung.

 It was oh so simple. It started as harmless wonder and awe of the confidence and respect he commanded from a crowd. And though that was the persona Taehyung had put up for his audience, he was a pretty nice person when alone with familiar people. And that was a genuine statement. He was respectful, kind and honest. A really good friend that Jungkook really admired.

And sure enough, over the past year, as their friendship grew, the awe became admiration. And the admiration became attraction. The one thing he couldn't understand was why Taehyung was so hung up on his ex Kim Seokjin. 

The day Seokjin had picked them up, he felt the warm presence of his newly found hyung, he expected indifference or awkwardness from Taetae. But he never expected Taehyung to start forming a blooming redness to his face, his wide smile after his forgiveness spiel to Jin-hyung, linking arms with the bewildered older.

Jungkook liked to think that he was good at observing people, but at this he was just confused. Was Taehyung really attracted to Seokjin, or was his crush blurring out his perspective? 

Furthermore, why was Taehyung so obsessed with getting back with Seokjin? The obsessive behavior baffled Jungkook, because he had truly never seen it coming from his friend. But the more they stayed in Taehyung's old environment the more he seemed to be obsessed with regaining Seokjin's love.

He was a little jealous of Jin-hyung for being the block between his relationship with his crush, but he was more curious. It brought up more questions and quite frankly, that line of mystery was tempting to drag Jungkook deeper into the depths of Taehyung's secrets.

To put it bluntly, Jeon Jungkook liked Kim Taehyung. But this new side of his friend really caught him off guard. And he wasn't sure if he liked it or not.

.....

"Hyung!" Taehyung was practically trilling as he softly rapped at the door, the sound of wood vibrating through the long corridor.

Seokjin opened the door to a glowing ray of Taehyung who frollocked in looking quite chipper. Seokjin stifled a smile as he realized how much he missed the younger. Almost made him forget about what had happened the last time Taehyung put on a happy front. Almost.

Wary of the handsome ex, he quickly stepped into action.

"Hey Taehyungie," he beamed, returning a smile to the now seated boy who put his head in his hands, pouting. They sat there in silence for a few moments before Taehyung spoke up.

"Hyungie," he drew out, cheeks a little flushed, "can we go out for dinner?" he quickly corrected himself as he sat a little straighter, the flush growing darker "I- I meant," he chuckled, "as friends, just to catch up! I'd love to get to know you again." he gave a redeeming smile, "A lot has changed," he slowly crept his hands to Seokjin's fingers, the ghost of memories flurrying over the familiarity of Tae's fingers. How they would clasp, how they would rub Seokjin's knuckles, for warmth or for comfort.

Seokjin let in a shuttered breath to answer, but as Taehyung's fingers reached a hair's width away from Seokjin's, Namjoon padded into the living room muttering a small hey rubbing his hair with the towel Seokjin had lended to him.

"Hyung- oh." he puttered to a stop as he saw a flash of different emotions across Taehyung's face. Seokjin couldn't tell the face Namjoon was making but it must not have been pretty, because Namjoon quickly took a few steps back. Taehyung whipped back around with a questioning look.