the three men seemed to be enjoying dinner together often, as of late. previous weeks, tae had spent the night at jungkook's, oblivious to the fact that namjoon was practically a third roommate in the tiny one bedroom home.

"can you pass the salt?" the eldest motioned to the standing shaker on the table.

"here..." tae passed it over, the lack of eye contact making it apparent that the awkwardness of their last conversation still lingered.

"tae applied to a job in greenland! there. i said it!" jin held a hand to his chest, "i feel so much better having that off my chest."

"in greenland?" joon raised an eyebrow, "why- what?"

nobody was quite sure how silence had taken such a sharp turn but tae was not exactly happy with his cousin spilling his potential future plans, "nothing is official- i just applied to an assistant teaching position over there. it's a really great opportunity!"

the grape-haired boy seemed to be pondering deeply, the inside of his cheek puffed out as he searched for the right words to say, "alright..."

both of the other boys looked at him, concerned and anxious over the way he was fidgeting.

"i didn't want to say anything so soon but, jungkook wants to release the song you guys wrote together..." a sheepish smirk lined his features, "that's why i convinced you to play that bit for me the other day."

"you mean you didn't just want to hear me play?" tae raised a brow.

jin intercepted, "can you lay this out in super basic terms. what does this mean?"

"if the song becomes a hit, taehyung will obviously get some money and the potential for more writing and performing opportunities especially if jungkook chooses to add you as a feature which between you and me, is highly likely." namjoon huffed like he had just been holding his breath, "feels good to get that off my chest!"

jin leaned forward, his body practically on the table, "so when do we know? what do we know? joon! we need more information!"

"i'm bringing it to him for review tomorrow morning actually and-,"

"can i come with? can i bring it to him?" tae glanced up from his pile of food, scanning for a reaction.

namjoon and jin shared a knowing look. it didn't go unnoticed by the younger but he chose to ignore it, waiting impatiently for an answer that seemed to be taking way too long to come.

"why don't you just bring it yourself- go tomorrow morning and then i'll swing by and visit jungkook later in the afternoon to get his final thoughts on it, sound good?"

taehyung couldn't believe his ears. playing the demo for jungkook alone felt like a distant dream, "t- thank you joon."

"it'll be good to hear it from you. it will be good to for him to hear from you!"

taehyung blushed at that. he was aware his level of communication with the younger had been lacking- he felt confused by jennie's visit, confused by his own career. the crossroads of his life at the moment had left him an anxious wreck, strapped to the couch with reruns on replay.

he'd have to apologize for his failures, the way he had discarded each letter jungkook sent, ignored every phone call. it had only been three weeks but he was sure that to jungkook that felt like a lot longer.

taehyung excused himself from dinner, cleaning dishes and settling in, overly aware that tomorrow his alarm would buzz and he'd be in the midst of a moment he could have only imagined.

he wondered what jungkook looked like- it hadn't been that long and yet it felt like a lifetime. was he thinner? plumper? was his skin back to its usual milky white shade or were his cheeks flushed pink from the mass amount of outdoor walks he was having to take?

it seemed that tae's eyes had closed and yet no sleep came. he tossed and turned and waited and envisioned what he should wear and how he should act all beneath the veil of his eyelids that begged to stay shut until the familiar blaring indicated that he could finally get up.

it was hard to move slow, unlike most mornings he was anxious, his twenty minute shower switching to five as he let the strands of hair fall wherever they wanted.

"you're up early?" jin greeted him with a to-go cup of tea, "want me to drive you?"

"i was just gonna take the bus." tae smiled sweetly, "gives me time to read!"

"time to dwell and think as well?"

"maybe a bit of that!" his hand reached into the fridge, grabbing a container of fruit which he tucked under his arm, "i'll see you later! have a good day at work."

jin watched his cousin bounce down the hall, glad to see his bubbly persona slowly returning and hoping it wasn't all for nothing.

it had been too long since some good news had come his way.

taehyung didn't even notice the lingering stare from jin as he left, his body waltzing down to the edge of the street where he waited patiently at the bus stop. he had taken it a million times before, enjoying the quiet that morning transportation brought.

he always felt that it gave him a moment to stop and look at the city, to watch the buildings go by, and because it never made direct stops he always got to walk a ways which gave him some exercise he might not otherwise get.

he liked this route best because it took him into the country a ways. he was able to see nature that the city never offered and in a way, he envied that jungkook got to wake up to a site like this each morning. it was far more tranquil than the angry businessmen and drifting cigarette smoke that downtown had.

"stop seventeen!" a voice hollered overhead, motioning to the labeled vestibule that he had just called out.

taehyung smiled, politely thanking the driver as his feet hit gravel- a far cry from a side walk as he made his way down the walk until the center came into view.

it was just as pictured on the website. a tranquil ranch with large glass windows and luxury gardens, dripping with flowers in bloom up the entire path to the front entrance.

taehyung took a minute to smell each one, stalling from what may be inside the oversized front entrance.

it was odd to think that on the other side sat jungkook, putting together a puzzle, drinking tea in the garden- they were closer than they had been in weeks.

"can i help you?" the women at the front desk had a sweet smile, ears a bit big for her head which was only amplified by the band she wore to hold her bangs in place.

"my name is kim taehyung and i'm here to visit-,"

she cut him off, "jeon jungkook, right? follow me." her petite frame stood from the rolling chair, opening the double doors to an extended hallway that had rooms lining each side, "last room on your right."

tae bowed in appreciation, his steps echoing against the tile before reaching the end.

the door was cracked, a small guitar visible along with the tattooed hands of the man he had missed most. even the sight of that left tae's heart racing, amplified once the mop of raven hair coating the most perfect facial features came into view.

he swore time stopped- swore the world stopped as he just listened for a moment.

"are you going to stand there or come in?" jungkook finally turned his head, that familiar cheeky smile laced with curiosity beckoning for tae to sit on the other side of him.

tae attempted a come back, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water as he tried to find words worthy of being spoke.

"i missed you." jungkook figured if the older wouldn't come to him, he'd make the move, "why didn't you call? or write?"

"i don't know." it was a pathetic thing to say but all he could think of, his hand wrapped around the younger's forearms in a bid to verify he was really standing there.

"did you miss me too?" jungkook let his hazelnut orbs fall on the boy's lips, scanning for a sign that he should stop himself or pull away, waiting for some type of response.

taehyung could only nod to that sentiment. he had really fucking missed jungkook and he had barely been aware of it.

that was enough, the younger leaning in slowly, his hands resting between brunette locks and toying with each strand.

tae returned the embrace, lips dancing amongst one another until they were desperate for air. his eyes stared past jungkook, examining the room in front of him and although bleak, it wasn't as bad as anticipated.

"come in!" jungkook noticed the lingering stare, the distaste on tae's face, "i'll give you the tour." it was clearly a joke, the whole room no bigger than his master bedroom at home but the older cracked a smile regardless.

"this is where i sleep and where i sometimes eat!"

he pointed to the bed first, before directing his hand to the desk, "that's where i journal my feelings each day."

"what are you feeling?" tae had gotten comfortable on the small loveseat that was pushed into the corner, against a window that overlooked a bushel of hydrangeas.

jungkook rolled his eyes playfully, "it's a secret."

their interactions felt oddly comfortable despite the terms they left on, instantly falling into a rhythm, "has jennie seen your room?" he didn't want to bring it up. he had bit his tongue a thousand times already but staring at jungkook, he was green with the envy that somebody else might have been here first.

the younger flew to his side, trailing to the other end of the couch, fingers lacing in between the brunettes, "jennie came but, she didn't see my room. is that why you've been distant?"

tae felt suddenly embarrassed but jungkook was quick to alleviate it, "because nothing is happening between us. she mentioned getting back together and i said no."

the older felt a weird bubble in his stomach about that, "w- why would you say no?"

"tae, babe, are you serious?" jungkook wasn't sure he was being coy or he was truly clueless, "why would I get back with jennie when i was just getting to know somebody who i already felt a thousand times more connected with?"

the left him palpitating, overly excited with the anticipation of a future- was it possible? could they date? could they try?

"i'm sad you felt that way." jungkook pulled the older to his side, snuggling into the scent he missed so much, "because all i have been doing here is thinking about you, talking about you, dreaming of you- if only you knew."

"i brought something." taehyung wanted to change the subject, guilt gnawing at him as he thought about jungkook spending all hours wishing for a call or a letter that never came all because the older had been too childish to just communicate.

"the demo?" he grabbed tae's phone, pulling a small blue tooth speaker for a drawer as he set it all up, "have you listened to it yet?"

the brunette shook his head, "nope. i only found out about all this last night!"

"then we're both in for a surprise." jungkook smirked before hitting play.

it was everything, the minute it was spilled from the speakers. the vocals, the melody, and each other. they recalled the last few months, moments together as they sat on the couch staring and observing. neither reacted with more than a glance but, both felt so much more.

jungkook knew that this was different, unconventional even. he knew that namjoon was probably less than thrilled upon hearing the finale but, it didn't matter.

because life and success and happiness weren't equivalent, they didn't play on the same field.

the younger hit replay, this time assessing it from a less personal stand point which he found near impossible. he was enchanted by it- not a care in the world if nobody listened to it or loved it because he did.

it was the only song he'd ever want to highlight this comeback, this new era- the old stuff he did, it wouldn't make sense anymore.

tae was itching to ask, noting the way jungkook rocked his head back and forth, "well?"

the younger nodded, "it's perfect!" his oversized hands gripped tae's cheeks, fingers looping through his hair he pulled him in closer, "be my boyfriend?" it was impulsive to some but not jungkook, who each night highlighted how his ultimate destiny was to find his happiness.

he knew that he had found it in the almond orbs of kim taehyung. having to be without him for even a moment more, a minute without it being official, that would be grounds for failure.

taehyung was taken aback, stunned by the question he had been longing to hear, "wh- what?"

"my boyfriend. be my official boyfriend?" he had fire in his eyes, passionate pecks being planted along the older's jaw as he stumbled for an answer. with each kiss and second it seemed more daunting, the desire for a yes stronger than any sip of whiskey-

not that it wasn't obvious what tae would say, after weeks of pining and dreams haunted by jungkook, it really felt like the raven-haired boy was the missing puzzle piece in the series of what tae's life could

be. he was the center of the picture, the only thing that was needed for everything else to fall into place. if he could scream yes from the roof, he would. if he could publicize it to the world, he would.

his voice came out a tad less confident, still shocked, existing in a state of disbelief as he prayed that this wasn't some cruel prank from the universe, "i mean... yes, yes, of course!"

the younger had never looked as radiant as he did in that moment. the lids of his eyes squished to crescents, his nose scrunched in delight as the sweetest giggle erupted. he was beyond beautiful and tae could only sit in shock that jungkook was now officially his.

"is it too soon to say i love you?" the brunette expelled the words before he could even think them through, the compulsion to speak them more than his body could suppress, "you don't have to say it back. you don't have to feel it, but i just wanted you to know how crazy i am about you."

jungkook had to bite his lip to stop himself from erupting with happiness- it was all he had longed for.

his dream come true.

"is it too soon for me to say, i love you too?"