Chapter Text
“I’m home,” Jungkook sighs, closing the door behind him and hanging his keys on the hook next to it. “I brought us some food from the— Why’s so dark in here?”
Silence.
“Hyung?” he tries again, kicking his shoes off and heading towards the living room. “Hyung, are you home?”
There’s a heavy thud followed by a groan of pain and a swear. And then, the ceiling is covered by thousands of little twinkling dots of light. Namjoon is standing in the middle of the room, staring at him with an embarrassed smile and disheveled hair. There’s a small projector beside him.
“Surprise?”
Jungkook blinks a couple times. “Whoa. What is this?"
“I, uh, I wasn’t expecting you this early,” Namjoon says scratching the back of his head. “I know it’s been a tough month for you because of the final exams and I wanted to... cheer you up a little. The other day you said you wanted to see the stars and I thought that— I know this isn’t exactly what you meant but is the closest thing I could think of.”
He mumbles a couple more things about light pollution, and by the time he stops talking, Jungkook's eyes are filled with tears.
“This was a stupid idea, I’m sorry.” He shifts glances all around the room. “Let me put everything back in place.”
It takes three steps for Jungkook to reach Namjoon and put his arms around him. “Don’t.”
Namjoon instantly hugs him back. They stay like that for a while, just holding each other. It’s warm and safe and Jungkook feels like the luckiest person in the world.
His body trembles.
“Are you crying?” Namjoon asks softly, hand stroking the other boy’s hair.
“M’not,” Jungkook sniffs, “I haven’t cried once in my life.”
Namjoon lets out a soft laugh and wipes the tears from Jungkook’s cheeks with the end of his sleeve. “Of course you haven’t.”
“Roof leaks are pretty common at this time of the year.”
“That's probably it.”
Jungkook laughs too, pulling away from the hug, and stares at Namjoon with eyes full of fondness.
“Thank you.”
“It’s nothing, Jungkookie.” Namjoon smiles, showing off his dimples. “You’re my best friend, I’d do anything for you.”
Jungkook returns the smile.
“The food’s getting cold,” he points, lifting the bag on his right hand. “We should probably start eating.”
Namjoon grimaces. “I tried to make dinner but it didn’t go very well.”
“I knew it smelled like burnt plastic.”
“Don’t be mean.”
Jungkook chuckles and sits on the floor, patting the spot next to him.
“Tell me about your day.”
The food is already cold but Namjoon looks happy. Jungkook decides nothing else matters in that moment.
The next morning, a barefoot Jungkook drags himself into the kitchen.
“Morning,” he yawns, sitting on the stool next to the counter and leaning his head on his hand.
“Good morning, Jungkookie,” Namjoon says, looking at him from the corner of his eye. Attention focused on whatever he’s cooking on the stove. “Breakfast’s almost ready.”
Jungkook stretches his arms as he yawns again.
“Smells nice.”
“I’m not sure if it’s edible,” Namjoon admits, turning off the stove and sliding the food onto a plate, “but I have faith in myself, I guess?”
He places the plate in front of Jungkook alongside a pair of chopsticks and a cup of coffee, and stares at him with anticipation.
“There you go.”
“Let’s get it,” Jungkook says grabbing the chopsticks, and takes the first bite.
“So?” Namjoon asks, opening his eyes so wide Jungkook almost chokes. “Good?”
Jungkook swallows and contemplates for a few seconds.
“Go get the green marker.”
Namjoon pumps his fist in the air. “Yes!”
He bounces his way to the drawer and grabs a marker from inside of it. After that he heads to the fridge and draws a little smiley face on the board. He turns to Jungkook with a broad grin, looking proud of his work.
Butterflies fly in Jungkook’s belly.
“Almost all smiley faces this month, huh?” he says, taking a sip from the mug. He immediately spits it back and starts coughing.
Namjoon hurries to the sink and fills a glass with water before handing it to Jungkook.
He drinks the water in one big gulp and says, “please don’t make coffee ever again.”
Namjoon peaks his head through the door. “Hey, have you seen the remote? I can’t find it anywhere.”
Jungkook shakes his head. “Nope.”
The other clicks his tongue and leaves.
Jungkook shrugs and continues to wash the dishes, humming to some Christmas song playing on the radio.
He doesn’t realize.
“Remember today we’re having dinner at Seokjin—hyung’s,” Namjoon yells from the other room.
“Aren't we supposed to go on Christmas Eve?” Jungkook yells back, carefully drying a pan with a cloth.
“Today it’s Christmas Eve.”
Jungkook almost drops the pan to the floor.
He rushes to the living room, pan in hand and crazed look in his eyes.
“You’re telling me tomorrow’s Christmas?!”
Namjoon, who is looking under the couch, lifts his head and gives him a weird look.
“Jungkook, we decorated the tree last week.”
“Do you mean last week when you had to carry me to my room four days in a row because I was so sleep deprived I couldn't find it?”
“Fair point.”
Jungkook crashes on the couch, gaze fixed on the floor.
“What the fuck.”
Jungkook had underestimated the cold of December.
The wind hits his skin like tiny little knives and he can barely feel his face at this point, but he doesn’t want to admit it in front of Namjoon. He had warned him and he didn’t listen.
Jungkook doesn’t think he can stand a minute longer. He shifts his weight from one foot to the other, glances briefly at Namjoon and then at the road. No signs of the bus.
His teeth chatter and Namjoon sighs, turning at him.
“I can’t believe you.”
He shakes his head and pulls Jungkook closer to wrap part of his scarf around his neck. Then he grabs Jungkook’s hands and puts them inside the pockets of his coat, rubbing small circles into them.
Jungkook's mouth falls open slightly, his breath getting stuck in his throat when he realizes just how close their faces are. And suddenly it hits him.
He loves Namjoon.
It’s nothing he didn’t know before. But now, staring at him, he can’t stop thinking about it.
“Better?”
“Huh?” Jungkook winces, startled by his voice. “Yes, I— Thank you.”
“Look, here comes the bus,” he says, staring at something behind Jungkook. He wraps the rest of the scarf around his neck and adds, “keep it.”
They get in the bus, and as Jungkook leans his head against the window, he wonders if Namjoon knows.
He just wonders.
Maybe one day he'll be brave enough to tell him.