Chapter Text
Jungkook sighed in exasperation and flopped onto his bed face down.
“For the last time, I don't. Want. A date.”
Taehyung pouted.
“But Jungkook,” he whined, drawing out the vowel sounds, “You haven't dated in like, years.”
“I dated that girl, like, 8 months ago remember? Minjee? Besides, why do I need to? Maybe I'm happy being single.”
“I've set you up with this guy!” Jimin excitedly announced from the next room over.
Jungkook groaned. “Unbelievable.”
“He's called Yoongi. He's one of Namjoon's friends.” Jimin walked into his room, a ridiculously big smile on his face.
“Don't care.” Jungkook rolled onto his back staring blankly up at the ceiling. “I'm not going.”
“Come on, why are you so against it?”
“I know it's not because you're ‘happy being single’ or whatever,” Taehyung added.
Jimin nodded. “They say you're most honest when you're drunk, and well, drunk you said it all.”
Jungkook grabbed a pillow and smacked it on his own face, keeping it pressed there as if it would solve his problems. “That wasn't me. That was… my twin.”
“Right, of course it was.”
“Anyway, it's this saturday at 12. I'm going to forcibly drag you there if you refuse, so don't even think about it!” Jimin warned. “It's at our usual café. Trust me, you’ll enjoy it once you’re there. Yoongi’s lovely.”
Jungkook sighed in defeat. It looked like he was going to have to go on this date then.
Saturday arrived and Jungkook unwillingly got ready for the stupid date. Honestly, he didn’t put much effort into his outfit, just put on a t-shirt and jeans as he always wore. He didn’t care what this Yoongi person thought of him, and he would most likely never see him after today, so what was the point? He announced to his two flatmates that he was leaving before grabbing a jacket and heading out the door. He had a sneaking suspicion that Taehyung and Jimin were following behind him at a safe distance, but he didn’t bother to confirm it or call them out on it, just let them do their thing.
He entered the cute café, his vision immediately filled with the pretty pastel coloured decorations around the shop. He scanned the seats for Yoongi - Jimin had said he had “bright mint hair; trust me, you can’t miss him.” Finally, his eyes spotted a shock of mint colour that wasn’t part of the shop, in the far corner of the shop by the window, his back towards Jungkook. The mint kind of matched the décor of the place. He made his way over slowly, rehearsing in his mind how he was going to explain to the other man that he did not want to date him. Sure, maybe he had let slip to his friends that he wanted to experience romance that one time when he’d had a few too many drinks, but that didn’t really mean anything. He’d rather not have to deal with a relationship, to be honest. He was perfectly fine on his own.
“You’re Yoongi right?” Jungkook asked upon reaching the mint haired man's table, hardly even sparing him a glance.
“Yeah. Jungkook?”
“That’s me.” Jungkook ran a hand through his hair. He took a seat opposite his ‘date’, remembering that his two idiot friends were probably hiding in the bushes outside the window, watching his every move through binoculars, or something equally ridiculous. “Look, the thing is, I don’t really want to be here, alright? I only came because my friends made me. I just don’t really care much for dating right now, so, yeah. I’m 99% sure my friends are currently stalking me to make sure I did actually come here, so if you could just pretend like we’re actually on a date and then just go our separate ways at the end of the day and pretend it didn’t work out, that would be great.”
Jungkook finally looked at Yoongi’s face after finishing his little speech and immediately regretted doing so. There was clear hurt on his face for a moment, along with a hint of disappointment and maybe sadness? Jungkook didn’t really know, but it made his heart clench. It was gone as soon as it was there though, his expression returning to a more neutral one.
“Oh. Okay, then. That’s fine.”
Jungkook felt guilt settling in his chest and rising up his throat.
“What do you want to drink? Or eat?” Jungkook asked. “I’ll pay.”
“That’s okay, I can pay for -”
“You came here for no reason because of me. I’m sorry our friends set you up with me, it’s not fair on you. So, I’ll pay.”
Yoongi seemed to give in to that. “I’ll have an Americano, please. And the darkest chocolate cake they have.”
Jungkook cracked a small smile. “Not got much of a sweet tooth, huh?”
Yoongi just shrugged. “Too much sugary stuff makes me feel sick.”
“You’re gonna just love what I’m about to order then,” Jungkook laughed, getting up to place their orders at the counter. He missed the way Yoongi’s smile fell as soon as he had walked passed him.
He felt bad for Yoongi, he did, but he didn’t ask for this set up. It wasn’t his fault. Yoongi wouldn’t be too hurt anyway, right? It was just one date, and then they would part ways and that would be that. Jungkook would continue to live his life alone like he wanted, and Yoongi could go out and find someone if he wanted to.
He returned to their table with a tray of their food - Yoongi’s bitter ass Americano and dark chocolate cake, and Jungkook’s sickeningly sweet vanilla and cinnamon hot chocolate with an extra shot of caramel and chocolate plus whipped cream and sprinkles, with strawberry shortcake. Yoongi scoffed at Jungkook’s choice and Jungkook just grinned.
“How do you even drink that monstrosity?”
“The real question is how do you drink that gross ass bitter Americano?”
“Excuse you, Americanos taste amazing. That abomination you have just tastes like liquid diabetes.”
“AKA liquid heaven.”
Yoongi shook his head, a soft smile on his lips. Huh, his smile was kind of pretty. Wait, what? Jungkook immediately dismissed the thought.
“Just taste it,” Jungkook said, offering his admittedly ridiculously sweet drink to Yoongi. The mint haired man hesitated before leaning forward and taking the smallest of sips from the mug still nestled in Jungkook’s hand. Jungkook just watched, wide-eyed, having expected Yoongi to, you know, take the mug before drinking from it. Yoongi hummed a little at the taste. When he sat back Jungkook noticed there was a tiny smudge of whipped cream on his nose. His really cute, little, button nose. Huh.
“Yup, liquid diabetes.”
“See? Isn’t it so much better than yours?”
Yoongi chuckled. “Not a chance. I don’t know how you can drink a whole venti sized cup of that.”
Jungkook smiled, genuinely. He grabbed a napkin from the table and finally wiped at the little smear of cream on Yoongi’s nose, startling the poor boy in the process.
“Sorry, you just had -”
“I figured, I’m just jumpy, sorry.” Yoongi then wiped at his nose again, making sure it was all gone. He tried looking at his nose, going cross-eyed in the process and Jungkook couldn’t help but smile at how cute the mint haired man looked.
“It’s all gone, don’t worry.”
Yoongi wiped at it once more with an adorable sweater paw before finally believing Jungkook and leaving it alone. He took another sip of his drink, holding the cup with his cute little sweater paws. Jungkook kind of half registered that he was staring but did nothing to stop, just watched as Yoongi’s soft pink lips slotted themselves over the rim of his mug as he tentatively tipped the mug back, being careful not to pour too much of the hot liquid in his mouth so as not to burn himself. And okay, Yoongi was cute. So what? Jungkook still didn’t want to date just because he thought this random guy who happened to be a friend of a friend was cute. Being cute didn’t solve all the problems that came with dating. And for all Jungkook knew, Yoongi could have an awful personality. (Although he doubted that given the fact that he was friends with Namjoon. Namjoon was an excellent judge of character.)
Jungkook finally blinked out of his trance and ate a strawberry off his cake instead. At that, Yoongi held out a hand (no longer covered by his fluffy white sleeves). Jungkook just stared at it, confused.
“Strawberry.”
Jungkook scoffed. “Stealing my food now, are we?”
“No, I’m asking for your food. There’s a difference,” Yoongi smiled cheekily, hand still outstretched.
“Say ‘please’.”
Yoongi rolled his eyes but obliged nonetheless. “Fine. Pweease,” Yoongi whined cutely, and fuck, Jungkook didn’t ask for him to do fucking aegyo but here we are. Jungkook always thought he hated aegyo anyway, but found himself frozen, staring at Yoongi’s wide, pleading eyes as he batted his eyelashes cutely. What the fuck. What the fuck.
Jungkook finally tore his eyes away from that pretty pink pout and chucked a strawberry nonchalantly into Yoongi’s hand. Yoongi grinned widely, all gums and teeth and fuck, Jungkook thought Yoongi couldn’t get any cuter but here we fucking are.
Jungkook cleared his throat, hoping it would clear his mind too.
“So, you’re a friend of Namjoon’s?”
“Yeah, we’re both actually in the same course.”
“No way, you study music too?”
Yoongi smiled sheepishly. “Yeah, do you?”
“Yup. I’m a first year though. I’m guessing you’re in third year like Joon?”
Yoongi nodded. “Joon didn’t tell me you were a music student.” He paused. “You know what, he didn’t really tell me much about you at all. Just said ‘he’s a friend, he’s really nice - you’ll love him.’”
Jungkook stared at Yoongi, not sure what to say to that.
“Um, I’m sorry he got your hopes up?”
Yoongi smiled but it didn’t show his gums this time, didn’t reach his eyes.
“So, what do you play?” Jungkook asked, desperate to change the subject. “As in, music.”
“Piano. And I rap, but uh, I don’t think I’m all that good.” One of Yoongi’s hands came up to play with his ear. He had very big hands, Jungkook noticed. Really long fingers. Hm. “Joonie’s definitely better than me.”
Jungkook had no idea what Yoongi sounded like but he felt the need to deny that statement. He didn’t because it might come off as pitying or something considering he’d never heard the older boy play or rap before.
“What about you? What do you play?”
“Ah, I sing.”
“Another damn singer. So unoriginal,” Yoongi teased.
Jungkook snorted softly. “I could say the same to you. Everyone and their mother plays piano nowadays.”
“Do you?”
“Touché.”
Time went on and Jungkook pretty much forgot that he was supposed to just chat for a bit and then end it, no hard feelings. He forgot to the point that they started getting looks from the café staff, indicating they had been there too long without ordering anything, their original food long finished. So Jungkook bought another slice of cake - chocolate cheesecake this time. Yoongi took more convincing to get another slice, but eventually caved and let Jungkook buy him a slice of black forest gateau. Jungkook tried hard not to stare as Yoongi picked the glossy red cherry from on top of his cake slice and wrapped his pretty pink lips around it in a way that was entirely too seductive, but paired with those innocent eyes and that innocent look on his face, Jungkook knew he wasn’t trying to be suggestive. Not intentionally.
Jungkook learnt more about Yoongi as they talked, like how he almost permanently lived in sweaters and hoodies because he was always cold and they were comfy; how at first he had been worried his parents wouldn’t let him pursue music but then they eventually realised the extent of his passion for it and that it was the only thing he could even consider doing so they agreed; how his favourite animes were Slam Dunk, Piano no Mori, Ouran High School Host Club, and Princess Mononoke; how he hated horror movies; how he loved to play basketball but never tried out for the team; how he loved plushies, and especially loved Kumamon; how he was as sweet as the sugar he didn’t eat. He wasn’t sure how some of the topics even came up, but he sure as hell wasn’t sorry he learnt the answers to those questions he never realised he had.
Hours had gone by by the time Jungkook and Yoongi left the café. They stood outside for a few moments, Yoongi hugging himself against the cold. Jungkook was conflicted; he wasn’t sure if he should offer to take Yoongi somewhere else or just call it a day. He’d already established to start with that he wouldn’t be staying for long, wouldn’t be getting attached, but look where he was now. Yoongi was surely expecting him to just go. But Yoongi was standing there looking so cute with his sweater paws and mint hair and shivering against the cold - wait. Jungkook remembered his manners and immediately shed his jacket, placing it around the smaller boy’s shoulders. Yoongi jumped at the contact, causing Jungkook to recoil his hand a little.
“Sorry. Just jumpy.”
Jungkook smiled and adjusted the jacket around Yoongi. The latter seemed content for a moment until a look Jungkook couldn’t recognise flashed across his face and he quickly removed the jacket, holding it out for Jungkook to take back.
“I’m guessing your friends are long gone by now, so, you can go home and…” Yoongi didn’t make eye contact, staring blankly at his mint coloured trainers instead. Jungkook only just noticed them. They matched his hair.
Jungkook hesitated, and in his hesitation Yoongi draped the jacket over Jungkook’s arm and turned away, walking away quickly. Jungkook may have imagined it, but it looked like Yoongi wiped at his eyes as he went. It took Jungkook another few moments, staring after the retreating figure before reality caught up with him.
“Yoongi!” he called, jogging after him, “Yoongi, wait!”
For someone so short, Yoongi really could move fast.
“Yoongi!”
Jungkook finally caught up with Yoongi, slightly out of breath. He ran in front of Yoongi and spun around to face him, spreading his arms out to block Yoongi’s path. And, ah, what now? Jungkook looked at Yoongi, who was staring somewhere at Jungkook’s torso, no sign of that adorable gummy smile on his face anymore, and there were definitely the beginnings of tears in the corner of his eyes.
“Jungkook,” Yoongi said simply, “What are you doing?”
“I…” Jungkook was still confused. He didn’t know what he was doing or why. He only knew that Yoongi was the prettiest and most adorable person he had ever seen, and he genuinely enjoyed talking with the older boy. That he would willingly spend another few hours or more talking with him. That hell, he would kiss those pretty pink lips if Yoongi would let him. Oh. Oh. “Don’t go yet.”
Yoongi shifted, a hand coming up to play with his ear again. Huh, he had really pretty earrings. Jungkook hadn’t noticed them before. He didn’t know how he hadn’t - Yoongi had five piercings on his ear, so they weren't exactly subtle.
“Why not? Your friends surely aren’t still here so you don’t need to pretend for them. I don’t want to keep you any longer if you don’t want to be here.”
Jungkook sighed, letting his arms drop back to his sides. “I know what I said at the start of today, but please forget that. Please.”
“Why?”
“Because -” Jungkook started, but the words got stuck in his throat. Because what? He liked Yoongi? Surely not after just one date of a few hours. “Because I want to spend more time with you.” Jungkook let his head drop.
“You, do?”
“Yeah,” Jungkook replied, voice small, “I was just so against dating and I hated my friends setting me up on dates without my permission all the time I guess, but then it was you and you’re so fucking adorable and sweet and I don’t know, but I want to spend more time with you and get to know you better.”
“O-oh.” There it was again, those long, pretty fingers playing with the top of his ear, and a hint of a pink blush on his cute cheeks. Jungkook wanted nothing more than to squish and kiss those cheeks. Wait.
“So, don’t go. Please. Not like that.”
Then it was Jungkook’s turn to jump (though not quite as literally as when Yoongi did), as Yoongi let himself fall forward so his head was resting on Jungkook’s shoulder. Slowly his arms wound themselves around Jungkook’s waist, and Jungkook was just frozen in shock. Once he shook himself out of his stupor, he hugged Yoongi back and marvelled at the softness of his oversized sweater beneath his hands, of his pastel hair beneath his cheek.
“S’cold,” Yoongi mumbled, and Jungkook laughed, breaking their hug to once again wrap Yoongi up in his jacket.
“Come, I’ll walk you home,” Jungkook offered.
Yoongi looked up at him, cat-like eyes wide with disbelief, as if he still wasn’t sure Jungkook was telling the truth. Cat-like. Yoongi did remind Jungkook of a cat, or rather, more like a little kitten - curious, playful, cute, and so soft.
“Come on. Lead the way,” Jungkook said.
Yoongi nodded, a smile returning to his face. It was close lipped, but just as pretty as the big gummy smile.
They fell into conversation again, and Jungkook took Yoongi’s hand in his own. Yoongi didn’t jump at the act, although he did look up at Jungkook, startled.
They finally reached Yoongi’s flat, and Jungkook felt… disappointed? Yoongi turned around before heading inside, giving Jungkook that signature smile again. Jungkook wanted nothing more than to kiss him then, and the thought scared him. He repressed the urge. It was far too soon. Still, he wondered if Yoongi would taste like the bitter chocolate and coffee flavours he preferred, or if he would instead taste as sweet as he in fact was.
It wasn’t until Jungkook was halfway home and shivering that he realised two things: one, that he’d left his jacket with Yoongi, and two, that he’d forgotten to get Yoongi’s number.