Archive of Our Own ^beta

“Why do you hate each other again?” Jungkook asks in a bored voice after listening to a very detailed, very incensed rant from Jimin about how Yoongi fucking sat in my spot at the cafe and he winked at me when I glared at him! What the actual fuck?!

“Because,” Jimin begins with a heavy sigh, “he’s the world’s biggest asshole.”

“Hm, sounds a little over-exaggerated but okay,” Jungkook mumbles while continuing to edit an English paper that’s due in approximately twenty-eight minutes. It’s the first time in a while that he’s finished writing with so much time to spare before a deadline.

“You don’t understand!” Jimin exclaims, indignant, and Jungkook resists the urge to roll his eyes and say wow, here we go again because the last time that happened, Jimin nearly cut his dick off for being “an insensitive and terrible friend.” Personally, Jungkook thinks the threat of bodily harm seems rather extreme compared to his expression of annoyance at Jimin’s frequent tirades about Yoongi this, Yoongi that, but of course, that’s not quite how things look in Jimin’s book.

“He’s absolutely insufferable, from his nonexistent work ethic—”

“You know that’s not true, have you seen him working on things he actually cares about?”

“—to his idiotic sense of fashion—”

“Oh come on, I literally saw you drooling over his chest and legs that one time he wore a white T-shirt and ripped jeans.”

“—to his stupid ass habit of smirking at anything at moves—”

“Nah, I’m pretty it’s just you. Literally just you. He doesn’t waste energy moving his facial muscles for anyone else.”

“—I hate him!” Jimin practically screeches. “He’s just so—ugh. Fuck him.”

“Sounds about right. Please just hurry up and get it over with. It would save the rest of us a lot of trouble.”

“Not the time!” Jimin yells before quietly saying, “Besides, you know I don’t see him like that—”

“Really?” Jungkook replies. “Because I have receipts from the last time you and Seokjin went out for drinks and you saw Yoongi there and spent the night fawning over his—”

“Shut up!” Jimin yells again, his face turning crimson. “That was one time. Never again. I have actual standards now!”

“Sure,” Jungkook mumbles placidly while clicking on the submit button for his paper. “Whatever helps you sleep at night.”

“You know, you’re being extremely insensitive to my predicament. As one of my best friends, are you supposed to, like, hate on my enemies with me? Or at least nod along while I shit on him?”

“You know,” Jungkook says in a mocking tone, “aren’t you supposed to, like, remember that I’m literally friends with both you and Yoongi? And that I don’t feel like taking sides in your weird flirting ritual?”

“We do not flirt!” Jimin protests.

This time, Jungkook doesn’t hold back from rolling his eyes. “You say that like you won’t start dating him sometime in the next four weeks.”

Jimin sputters, but the rosy blush coating his cheeks already says too much.

Half a minute passes before Jimin gets over his flusteredness and starts speaking, at length, about the numerous and varied reasons he would never be caught dead dating one Min Yoongi.

Jungkook tunes it out and sighs quietly to himself because he knows. He knows what’s going to happen next and exactly how it’s going to unfold. Jimin is going to keep up this pseudo-feud with Yoongi until the next time he and Seokjin go drinking together, in which Seokjin, being the chaotic and entertainment-thirsty man he is, will bring Yoongi along with him. And then everyone is going to get drunk and Yoongi and Jimin will finally act on the suffocating sexual tension that’s been surrounding them for the past three months of their mutual fake hatred. And then they’ll start dating. And then Jungkook will be alone. Again.

Being in love with your flirty best friend is the worst, Jungkook thinks to himself as Jimin digresses into how utterly annoying it is that Yoongi can pull off the most bizarre hair colors because no one should ever be able to look that good with fucking green hair and it’s, frankly, an insult to humanity.

Jungkook hates how he predicted this happening before he ever even introduced Yoongi and Jimin to each other. Because he knows. He knows Jimin’s type. And although he has less of an idea about what Yoongi’s type looks like, he knows Jimin can’t be that far off because in all honesty, Jimin is basically everyone’s type.

“—so yeah. In conclusion, I would sooner cut off my left arm and eat it than think about going on a date with the likes of Min Yoongi.”

In Jungkook’s mind, he knows this means Jimin is definitely going to date Yoongi before the month is up. Maybe even sooner, since he sounds pretty desperate.

And Jungkook is just going to watch it all happen. Like he always does.

***

“How are classes?” Yoongi asks through a mouthful of lamb. “You’re keeping up with everything, right? You’re only a sophomore, can’t afford to be falling behind so early in the game.”

Jungkook makes a non-committal hum, reaching for another skewer. “Classes are fine.”

Yoongi asks him this question every week, and the answer never really changes. Jungkook thinks Yoongi keeps asking only for tradition’s sake, at this point.

“That’s good,” Yoongi says in that same drawling, disinterested tone he uses whenever there’s a lull in a conversation. “Hopefully your roommate isn’t influencing you too much and putting you in the habit of being late to every single class like he is.”

Jungkook shrugs. “Jimin is just bad at time management sometimes. He doesn’t mean to be late all the time. It just happens. He’s trying to be better about it, though.”

“Tardiness is still tardiness,” Yoongi mumbles, and Jungkook can see the hint of a smile forming on his lips.

Yeah, we get it, you have a big fat crush on Jimin; you’re not special, Jungkook feels like saying, except he knows it’s a lie because Yoongi is special. Yoongi’s special because Jimin actually likes him back. Jungkook tries not to let it sting too much.

Instead, Jungkook responds, “You know, Jimin’s been talking a lot about you lately.”

He sees the way Yoongi’s eyes light up momentarily before flickering back into a look of quiet nonchalance.

“Oh, really?” he says, sounding purposefully disinterested even as Jungkook can see his hands beginning to quiver slightly.

Briefly, Jungkook wonders what that kind of excitement feels like. What it feels like to really like someone and know your affections are reciprocated. What it feels like before everything comes together. It must be nice, Jungkook decides. It must be very nice to feel some kind of certainty mixed with muted anticipation. Jungkook stopped anticipating a long time ago.

“Yeah,” Jungkook replies, pleased with how even and indifferent his voice comes out. “I think he really likes you. He talks about you all the time.”

And maybe Jungkook deserves everything he’s got for stirring the pot like this and meddling with something that’s already well on its way to crash landing in a few weeks, but he figures a small push wouldn’t hurt. He just wants it to happen already. He wants to see it with his own eyes so that maybe, this time, he’ll be able to force himself to get over it.

Yoongi hums quietly to himself, running a fingertip around the rim of his glass of water. It’s time like this where Jungkook can see why Jimin finds Yoongi so attractive. There’s something in the slow and assured confidence that Yoongi exudes that Jungkook finds kind of beautiful. Not that he would ever admit that aloud to anyone.

“Well,” Yoongi finally says, “I’ll believe it when he tells me it himself.”

“Then you’re going to be waiting for another three to four weeks,” Jungkook answers without missing a beat. “He’s still kind of in denial, but I know him. He hates you so much that there’s no way he won’t ask you out before the month is over.”

That pulls a small chuckle out of Yoongi. Jungkook tries not to look too self-satisfied with making Yoongi laugh; it’s a gift he’s managed to pick up in the past couple of months.

“Well,” Yoongi says again, “between you and me, I would say that I wouldn’t mind something like that happening in the near future. I wouldn’t mind it at all.”

And that’s all the confirmation Jungkook needs for the suspicions he’s held for the past two months of Yoongi and Jimin’s strange rivalry.

“Good.” Jungkook swallows hard, braces himself for what he’s about to say. “I think you two would be good together.”

Yoongi grins widely. Jungkook shoves another skewer in his mouth and ignores the way his stomach suddenly feels like it’s full of lead.

***

“Well, maybe if you weren’t such a degenerate—”

“Maybe if you quit being so fucking annoying all the goddamn time—”

“Then you would know that pineapple on pizza is disgusting and an abomination!” Jimin finishes, pointing one accusatory finger in Yoongi’s direction.

“As I said just a moment ago, I don’t like pineapple on pizza, but I think it should still be an available option for those that do,” Yoongi replies, face pinched in annoyance. Jungkook kind of finds Yoongi’s grumpy face cute.

“How can someone put fruit on a pizza?” Jimin says exasperatedly, face getting progressively redder and redder as their bickering continues.

“Tomato is a fruit, and you don’t seem to have a problem with tomatoes on pizza,” Yoongi points out, arms crossed firmly over his chest.

“That doesn’t count and you know it!” Jimin exclaims. “You’re just trying to argue with me for no reason again—”

“Guys, can we please just chill out for five minutes and enjoy the movie?” Namjoon cuts in. “I’ve been wanting to see this for a while and your flirting is kind of ruining it.”

“It’s not flirting—” Jimin starts.

“What the actual fuck, Namjoon—” Yoongi says through a small laugh.

“Yeah, yeah,” Seokjin grumbles. “For the record, both of you are dumbasses and even though I love and cherish you two deeply, you’re starting to get on my nerves and I may actually commit an unspeakable crime tonight if you continue.”

“Make sure to bury the bodies vertically so the satellites can’t see them,” Taehyung says.

“And try to pour acid over them so that they’re unrecognizable,” Jungkook adds helpfully.

Hoseok looks horrified as he looks between them. “I don’t think I even want to know where you two found that information.”

“Murder documentaries are cool,” Taehyung replies. “But, you know. You can’t exactly watch them alone so Jungkook and I stay up together sometimes to marathon a couple of them.”

“I love how you two thought I wouldn’t know how to dispose of a dead body already,” Seokjin laughs, and Jungkook briefly feels both completely terrified and enamored with Seokjin. That mixture of fear and admiration is a feeling Jungkook has learned to associate with Seokjin, and only Seokjin.

Both Yoongi and Jimin look sullen after that, but they follow Seokjin and Namjoon’s wishes and don’t bicker for the rest of the night.

Jungkook glances over and catches them making eyes at each other a couple of times.

He sighs. It’s happening. Or at least, it’s going to be happening very soon.

***

It does end up happening. Less than one week after, when Jungkook comes home from classes on a chilly Wednesday night.

They’re cuddled on the couch together and talking, and Jungkook can tell right off the bat that this is it. They’re finally over their stupid fake-hatred and their constant bickering.

"Hey, Jungkook!" Jimin calls as Jungkook toes off his shoes. Jimin has a beautiful, wide smile on his face, the kind that makes his eyes disappear and his cheeks glow.

Yoongi waves, a small smile on his face as well, and Jungkook forces himself to breathe.

And then he carefully fingers the straps of his backpack before offering a smile in return. He really hopes it doesn’t look strained. If it does, he’ll just tell them he’s tired.

“I see you guys finally worked it out,” Jungkook says in a light tone. “That’s good. That’s really good. I guess I’ll just, um, leave you to it.” He smiles again, more naturally this time because he really doesn’t want to create any sort of suspicion, before quietly walking off to his bedroom.

Jimin yells good night after him and Jungkook softly closes the door to his bedroom, inhaling deeply through his nose as he tosses his backpack onto the floor and collapses in a small heap on his bed.

This is just how it is. This is just how it’s been. Jungkook knows this, and yet—

It still sucks. It always sucks.

Jungkook rolls over onto his back and briefly lets himself settle into how shitty he feels.

Then he feels disgusted by the fact he’s lying on his bed in his dirty clothes. He forces himself to get up.

He stays up late that night listening to music and working on assignments, but sometimes the sounds of Yoongi and Jimin’s giggling and talking bleed through.

Well, I better start getting used to it, Jungkook thinks to himself before refocusing on his work.

***

The next time they go out for lamb skewers, Jungkook hesitates to bring it up.

But Yoongi has such a happy smile tickling the corners of his lips the whole time that it’s almost impossible not to.

“You seem happy,” Jungkook finally forces himself to say. “Does it have something to do with a certain Park Jimin?”

Yoongi’s eyes light up at the mention of Jimin’s name. It’s cute, but it also makes Jungkook’s heart clench just a little bit.

“Maybe,” Yoongi replies cryptically. “Don’t tell him though. It’ll blow his ego up even larger than it already is.”

Jungkook laughs, but it feels a little hollow. “Don’t worry. Your secret’s safe with me.”

And then they change the subject, talking about classes and other things that don’t matter. Yoongi launches into his biweekly rant about capitalism and for the first time that night, Jungkook feels himself ease up and relax into the familiarity of it all. It’s nice to know that not everything is changing.

***

So perhaps things aren’t really changing, but Jungkook’s perceptions about them are.

Yoongi and Jungkook keep going out for their weekly lamb skewer dinner, and Jungkook makes a series of distressing revelations.

One, Yoongi is soft. Like, extremely soft beyond Jungkook’s wildest dreams.

Jungkook had always known that Yoongi had a bit of a soft spot for him, probably because Jungkook was younger and had an innocent shyness that probably reminded Yoongi a lot of himself, but slowly, Jungkook was starting to notice that Yoongi was, like, extra soft.

Between constantly buying meals and helping Jungkook out with assignments in subjects he was more familiar with, Yoongi also spent a lot of time checking up on Jungkook, almost as much as Jimin did, which was impressive given that Jimin was both his roommate and one of the most caring and warm-hearted people to ever grace planet Earth.

It all sort of came to a head one night. They had just finished up eating, with Yoongi paying as usual, and Jungkook had gone home feeling pretty tired and lonely.

Yoongi must’ve taken notice of Jungkook’s mood because within a few minutes of being back in his room while idly scrolling through his social media feeds, Jungkook receives a lengthy text message from none other than Min Yoongi.

Jungkook feels his eyes widen as he reads over the words “you’re doing amazing and i’m so, so proud of you” and “i feel really grateful to be in your life” and “i hope you know that i’m here if you ever need anything, please let me know if there’s anything i can do to help.”

And then,

“i love you a lot and i just wanted you to know that i care and that i’m here for you and i only want the very best for you.”

Jungkook reads over the last sentence several times.

i love you a lot

Jungkook feels himself exhale heavily.

i love you

Before he can chicken out, Jungkook writes back, “Hey, I really appreciate this and I’m really grateful to be in your life too. Love you too, Yoongs.”

A few seconds later, Yoongi sends back “<3.”

Two, Yoongi is pretty. Like, really pretty.

And yeah, Jungkook’s always known and understood that Yoongi was attractive and handsome and good-looking and all that, but he’d never really taken the time to notice how…delicate the other man was.

Jungkook zones out while Yoongi’s talking to him a few more times than Jungkook would care to admit, getting a little entranced by the pout of Yoongi’s pink lips, his curved button-shaped nose, his eyes that are way too adorable and alluring for his own good…

It doesn’t help that Jimin constantly vents to him about how Yoongi wore this and Yoongi said that and Yoongi’s so hot oh my god Jungkook what do I do.

Indeed, Jungkook feels like saying to Jimin. Your boyfriend might be the most attractive person I’ve ever seen, excluding you, of course.

But instead, Jungkook nods along and silently agrees with Jimin. Most of the time, he’s kind of at a loss for words, just thinking about Yoongi in that leather jacket Jimin keeps mentioning and Yoongi whispering lowly into his ear like Jimin keeps describing. And yeah, now Jungkook can definitely see why Jimin’s freaking out.

Three, maybe Jungkook likes Yoongi a little too much, considering he’s Jungkook’s best friend’s boyfriend. Maybe.

And almost immediately after he has the thought, Jungkook can literally feel his heart pounding as his thoughts grow louder and louder. He thinks about everything. He thinks about Yoongi’s perfect, gummy smile and his tiny, straight teeth and his stupidly beautiful face. He thinks about Yoongi constantly checking in with him, to the point where they literally eat together a least once a week per Yoongi’s request. He thinks about all the times Yoongi showed up at his dorm with enough snacks to feed an army right before a stressful week. He thinks about how Yoongi always smiles fondly at him while he’s talking and how Yoongi always listens, no matter what.

He thinks about the importance of Yoongi’s presence in his life, and suddenly things seem to fall into place in Jungkook’s mind.

He likes Yoongi. Fuck.

This won’t end well.

***

Jungkook takes a couple of weeks to re-evaluate his feelings.

The first thing he asks himself is if his feelings for Yoongi are replacing his feelings for Jimin.

Of all the questions Jungkook has, that one seems to be the easiest to answer. All it takes is Jimin smiling and ruffling his hair for Jungkook’s heart to race and for him to realize that yep, the feelings are definitely still there.

The second thing he asks himself is what the fuck am I supposed to do now?

And so Jungkook does the thing he does every time he’s unsure: he asks everyone else for advice.

“Oh, Jungkook, you poor baby gay,” Seokjin immediately says once Jungkook quietly explains his predicament to him. He pats Jungkook’s head in a manner not unlike how one would pet a small puppy. Jungkook appreciates how Seokjin knows exactly how to comfort him.

“The best thing to do would be to communicate and express your feelings to them,” Taehyung says as Jungkook leans into Seokjin’s touch. “You know, the old honesty trick.”

Jungkook makes a small distressed sound that effectively means I would rather eat my own foot than do that. Taehyung gives him an understanding nod.

When Jungkook has the same conversation with Namjoon and Hoseok, Hoseok has a similar reaction to Seokjin, making a quiet cooing noise while carding his fingers through Jungkook’s hair soothingly.

“That really sucks,” he says in lieu of offering actual advice.

“I know this must be very shocking and scary for you,” Namjoon says. Jungkook hums in response before Namjoon continues. “But, I mean…Have you heard of polyamory?”

“Yeah.” Because yes, Jungkook has seen a couple videos about it online, read a few articles and a few descriptions of it out of curiosity. “But I…I don’t know. I’m just trying to figure it out.”

“That’s understandable,” Namjoon answers kindly. “I’m a big fan of figuring things out.”

Jungkook sighs. “I don’t know if it really matters, since it’s pretty clear neither of them like me back or anything. I’m probably just wasting my time again.”

“Hey, don’t call your feelings a waste of time. That’s a no-no,” Hoseok scolds, massaging Jungkook’s scalp with a little more force. “Also, you can never be sure until you, like, actually talk to them about it.”

Jungkook gives Hoseok a skeptical look. “They’re literally dating each other. I don’t think I need further confirmation that they don’t see me like that.”

“You never know,” Hoseok says, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. “I mean, both of them still spend a ton of time with you, even though they’re together. That has to mean something, right?”

“It means that we’re friends?” Jungkook sighs again in frustration. “It means that they’re actually making an effort to maintain our friendship instead of being one of those cringey couples that stop hanging out with all their other friends.”

“Hm, not gonna lie, they haven’t been hanging out with their other friends,” Namjoon says. “I haven’t had an in-person conversation beyond ‘hello’ and ‘how are you’ with either of them in weeks. They’re not hanging out with their other friends. Just you.”

“It’s because I live with one of them,” Jungkook mutters. “That’s all it is. Nothing special.”

“You never know~” Hoseok sing songs again.

Jungkook closes his eyes. “Can we stop talking about this? I’ve known Jimin since I was sixteen. I think I would know if he felt differently about me. He doesn’t.”

“Well, what about Yoongi then?”

“If Yoongi really liked me, why would he be dating Jimin? I don’t know, none of it really adds up. I think I probably just found myself another unrequited crush, since my stupid heart apparently thinks one isn’t enough.”

“Aw, that’s cute. Your heart is so big to have two simultaneous crushes,” Hoseok says in a fond voice.

“No. It sucks.”

“It’s still kind of cute.”

“I resent that.”

And so that’s how Jungkook answers the second question: what he’s going to do is nothing. He just has to keep his second crush tightly under wraps like the first one, which would be easier if—

“I’m sorry, honey, but your crush on Jimin has been extremely obvious since day one,” Seokjin says when Jungkook tells him his grand plan is to continue concealing his feelings. “Like, you’re laughably bad at hiding things. You show all of your emotions on your face. You can’t even lie without pouting and looking super guilty.”

“I resent that.”

“Resent what? The truth?”

Jungkook pouts. “Well, Jimin hasn’t confronted me or kicked me out of our dorm yet so maybe I’m not as bad at hiding things as you say I am.”

Taehyung chuckles. “No, you are as bad as Seokjin says. Jimin’s just…Sometimes he can be a bit of a dumb bitch. And I’m allowed to say that since we’re soulmates; no one else is allowed to call him that under any circumstances.”

“Uh, ok.” Jungkook is a bit perplexed, but he also understands that Taehyung has soulmate privileges and he does not. “What exactly does that mean?”

“He’s extraordinarily oblivious. Thankfully, Yoongi’s not.”

“Thankfully?”

“Yeah, he definitely knows about your crush on Jimin.”

Jungkook chokes on his own saliva. “Oh my god, I want to phase out of existence?” he exclaims, his voice rising steadily in pitch and ending in a small screech.

“Sounds fun. Anyway, Yoongi clearly wasn’t too bothered by it since he started dating Jimin,” Taehyung continues.

“Wow. Thanks.”

“Just stating the obvious.” Taehyung takes a moment to ponder. “But I mean, he did text you a giant paragraph about how he loves and cares about you and all that soft shit. The most I can get out of him most days is a single ‘ok’ text.”

The information simmers Jungkook’s insides, briefly making him a little warm and giddy at the implication that he might be special to Yoongi. He quickly quashes the feeling.

“He’s just being nice. We’re friends.”

“Okay. So how often do you text your friends that you ‘love them a lot’?” Taehyung presses.

Jungkook stays quiet, and that seems like enough of an answer for Seokjin and Taehyung, who share a knowing glance and smile.

“I resent how you two do that all the time.”

“Do what?” Seokjin asks.

“Have silent conversations with each other like that. Like we get it, you two are disgustingly in love.” Jungkook wrinkles his nose to prove his point.

Taehyung laughs and presses a kiss to Seokjin’s temple. Jungkook makes an exaggerated gagging noise.

“You say that as if you’re not head over heels for not only one, but two boys.”

Jungkook flushes. “And what about it?”

Taehyung shrugs and doesn’t answer, but he has a shit-eating grin on his face as Jungkook squirms.

The third thing Jungkook asks himself is why him?

Part of Jungkook supposes it’s because he’s been in love with each of his friends at one point or another; his crush on Jimin has just been the only one to stand the test of time.

Another part of Jungkook supposes it’s because he might have an obsession with unattainable people. Because it guarantees he won’t have a chance with them, which then negates any possibility of him getting too hurt by them. It can’t hurt too much if they were never yours in the first place, right?

It can’t hurt too much if they were never yours.

***

Jungkook swears it was all an accident. He really didn’t mean to become the world’s most annoying third wheel. It just…happened. Mostly because Yoongi and Jimin keep dragging him to places.

Jungkook has a feeling it’s because both of them have noticed he’s been feeling down lately. Maybe Yoongi told Jimin about that night and the text he sent Jungkook a few weeks ago.

It kind of feels like a giant pity party, Jungkook tagging along on their dates and basking in the attention both of them feed him. It’s pathetic, that’s what it is.

Jungkook tells his other friends just as much.

Hoseok looks confused. “I mean, they wouldn’t invite you if they didn’t want you there? Sounds like they just want to spend time with you…just, like, together, instead of separately like they did in the past.”

Namjoon nods in agreement. “Yeah, both of them really care about you.”

“I know that,” Jungkook replies. “I know they care. I know that’s why they’re doing it. It’s just…I don’t know, it feels embarrassing that they feel obligated to spend more time with me than alone, like an actual couple.”

“I really don’t think that’s how they think about it,” Taehyung says gently. “They’re doing it because they want to, not because they feel bad for you.”

Jungkook shrugs. He’s pretty sure Yoongi and Jimin feel bad for him. They think he’s feeling burned out from school or something, probably. They’re just being nice by including him.

“I feel like this is obvious,” Seokjin starts out slowly. “But I think Yoongi and Jimin just like you, Jungkook. And before you start vehemently denying it again, let me just say, every conversation I’ve had with either of them recently has completely revolved around you. About how you did some cute thing or how something made you really happy and how they think you shit rainbows and glitter or something. You should see the look on their faces when they talk about you.”

“They dote on me because I’m younger than them,” Jungkook mutters. “It doesn’t mean anything.”

“Sure,” Hoseok sighs. “And I’m straight.”

“The fact that you’re cuddling with Namjoon right now very clearly says otherwise,” Jungkook responds.

“Jungkook, it’s called sarcasm. Ever heard of it?”

“I’m being serious!” Jungkook crosses his arms over his chest petulantly. “I’m sad, okay? I keep seeing them together and being happy and shit and I’m just like…there. Why do I keep agreeing to go with them? I’m such an idiot!”

“Nah, you’re just soft. You love hanging out with them,” Seokjin says. “A soft idiot.”

Jungkook doesn’t really get anything out of the conversation, and no less than three days later, he’s hijacking another one of Yoongi and Jimin’s dates at the campus coffee shop.

He’s trying really hard to just focus on his homework and not on their incessant giggling. They’re watching some video together, sharing earbuds like every single cliché couple on Earth.

That’s another thing Jungkook keeps on noticing lately. How most things come in pairs, how most things are meant to be shared amongst two people, not three. Like those fucking earbuds.

Jungkook taps his pencil against his notebook impatiently, the chatter of the other dozen or so students in the coffee shop helping to drown out the sounds of his thoughts. Fucking hell, even Kit Kats are made in pairs! Jungkook hates everything. He sinks down deeper into his chair.

He must look extra sullen because no less than five minutes later, Yoongi is sliding some sweet pastry across the table towards Jungkook and Jimin is fussing over him concernedly.

“You work too hard,” Jimin says, his brow furrowed in worry. “I think it’s time for a break. You’ve been at it for almost two hours straight.”

Jungkook shrugs. “It’s okay,” he mutters before biting into the pastry. There’s nothing like eating your feelings away.

Both of them shift their chairs around the table so they’re sitting on either side of Jungkook.

“You’re pouting while eating your pastry,” Yoongi observes. “So yeah, it’s definitely time for a break.”

“Oh, I know!” Jimin exclaims. “We should watch a video! I know Jungkook loves the ones with cute animals eating and nuzzling their owners. I always catch him watching them instead of studying for exams.”

“It’s a valid hobby,” Jungkook murmurs, fighting back a happy smile as Yoongi pulls up a compilation and sets his phone down on the table.

A few minutes in, Jimin yawns and leans in to rest his head against Jungkook’s shoulder, one of his hands gently grabbing Jungkook’s wrist. Jungkook tenses for half a second before relaxing. Jimin’s always been naturally affectionate, and it’s kind of nice to feel Jimin’s warm weight pressed against his side like this.

A few more minutes pass before Jungkook glances over at Yoongi, who has a small smile on his face and is staring at both him and Jimin. Jungkook flushes before telling himself to stop being irrational, that Yoongi is just pleased to see his boyfriend and friend getting along.

And then Yoongi laces his fingers through Jungkook’s.

Jungkook’s heart rate picks up and his face warms even more because while he’s held hands with Yoongi before, mostly because Yoongi has some sort of weird obsession with holding hands with other people in general, it hasn’t really been like this.

This, meaning with another person around.

In the past, Yoongi has reached across the table while they’ve been eating to place his hand over Jungkook’s reassuringly, or to play with Jungkook’s fingers as he waits for the other to finish eating.

It’s strangely satisfying, sitting squished in between Yoongi and Jimin and watching adorable videos of chicks cuddling in their sleep.

Jungkook relaxes into the comfort and rests his head on top of Jimin’s. Yoongi’s hand tightens over his.

***

“You know,” Jungkook says one day while the three of them are having a movie night at his and Jimin’s place. “You guys don’t have to keep inviting me to things or go out of your way to hang out with me. I’m fine, I swear.”

Jimin gives him a strange look. “What the actual fuck are you talking about?”

Yoongi clears his throat. “What Jimin means is, what gave you the impression that we go out of our way to hang out with you?”

“I…I don’t know. It just seemed like—”

“Like what? Like we’re your friends?” Jimin questions aggressively. “What are you trying to imply here? You don’t like hanging out with us?”

“No, no!” Jungkook hastily answers. “I love being around you guys! I just thought, um…Since you guys are together and all, maybe you guys would rather hang out without me? And just, like, hang out alone…” Jungkook trailed off and found a spot on the ground to stare at as his embarrassment levels rose higher and higher.

“Just because we’re a couple doesn’t mean we’re only allowed to hang out with each other,” Yoongi says. “We have other friends and other relationships to maintain too.”

“Yeah,” Jimin agrees. “Is that something that’s weirding you out? You think Yoongi and I don’t spend any time together by ourselves?”

“I…” Jungkook fumbles for words for a moment. “I just…wanted to let you guys know that you don’t need to be so careful with me anymore. I know I seemed a little off recently but, like, I’m really okay now. You don’t need to worry so much about me.”

A long silence. And then—

“Jungkook,” Yoongi says in a soft voice, “did you really think we only spent time with you because we pitied you?”

“I…well, when you put it that way…” Jungkook twists his hands in his lap awkwardly. “Okay, maybe just a little. But it’s, like, totally okay. I get it.”

“Get what exactly?” Jimin’s eyes are narrowed and Jungkook feels mildly threatened by the incensed look on his face. “What the fuck are you getting?”

“Uh…” Jungkook slowly shifts to put a little more distance between himself and Jimin on the couch. Jimin quickly shifts so that the distance between them remains the same. Jungkook swallows hard and continues inching away. Jimin follows. “I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?” Jimin repeats while slowing caging Jungkook in on one side of the couch. “Really? Don’t lie to me.”

“I don’t know,” Jungkook says again. “I guess I just figured that…that you guys don’t want me around sometimes? And that sometimes you invite me to things because you know I’m not good at putting myself out there and making plans and doing things with my friends…”

Jimin has successfully pinned Jungkook against one armrest of the couch. He's sitting up on his knees so he's staring down at Jungkook slightly. Jungkook has never felt so terrified and so turned-on at the same time. "I mean this in the kindest and most affectionate way possible, Jungkook, but you're a goddamned idiot sometimes."

“I accept that evaluation.”

“If we didn’t want to spend time with you, then we wouldn’t force ourselves to?” Jimin sighs. “I don’t know how to make it more obvious for you to realize that Yoongi and I just really like you as a person and enjoy being in your company, but that’s really all it is. There’s no lingering motive behind it. We don’t fucking pity-invite you to hang with us.”

Jungkook feels ashamed for making so many assumptions. He hangs his head to avoid staring into Jimin’s eyes, which are probably filled with equal parts concern and anger.

“Sorry,” Jungkook mumbles quietly, silently wishing he had just never said anything at all, because he knows how it looks, knows that he basically just insulted two of the most important people in his life to their faces and that they’re probably really bewildered and upset.

“Hey, no, none of that,” Jimin says, voice distinctly softer as he runs a hand through Jungkook’s hair comfortingly. “This is a sadness-free zone.”

Jimin tugs on Jungkook’s arm and gets up from the couch to reposition Jungkook in between himself and Yoongi. Jungkook rests his head on Yoongi’s thigh and his legs on Jimin’s lap.

“You’re just a big baby, huh?” Yoongi says gently while playing with Jungkook’s hair. “You want attention and affection but you don’t want to ask for it first, huh?”

Jungkook makes a minute nodding motion. Jimin flips through the movie options until he settles on the most obnoxious rom-com he can find.

It’s quiet after that, with the three of them occasionally giggling at the antics of the characters in the movie while Yoongi feeds snacks to Jungkook and Jimin.

Jungkook falls asleep like that, Yoongi’s fingers still threaded through his hair and his legs still resting on top of solid warmth of Jimin’s lap.

***

It takes a few weeks for the bubble to pop.

The reassurance that he wasn’t annoying, wasn’t intruding on them, wasn’t being dragged along out of pity, had helped Jungkook feel more at ease with hanging out with Yoongi and Jimin so often. Sometimes he even found himself being to one to make plans with the other two.

But, of course, it didn’t last.

It starts out one night when Jungkook volunteers to make the popcorn for another one of their movie nights.

He hums quietly to himself, trying not to get freaked out by the loud sounds coming out of the microwave like he always does. No matter how many times he’s tried to explain to people that the microwave just looks like a death machine, all he gets is some incredulous laughter. No one believes him. Jungkook’s just waiting for the day a microwave kills someone so he can say ‘I told you so’ to all the people who have dismissed him.

Mercifully, the microwave beeps to signal that the popcorn is finished, and Jungkook is careful to not burn himself while he removes the bag from the microwave. With light fingers, he pulls the top of the bag open and dumps the contents into a bowl, watching as steam rises from the popcorn before tossing the bag and carrying the bowl back into the living room.

“Popcorn’s ready!” Jungkook calls. “It’s that weird cheesy flavor that Jimin li—”

Jungkook nearly drops the entire bowl of steaming hot popcorn onto his feet.

Jimin gently shoves at Yoongi. Yoongi starts scrambling off of Jimin’s lap. Jungkook stares, regretting his whole existence as the image of Jimin and Yoongi making out slowly starts to burn itself onto the back of his eyelids.

“Well,” Jungkook mutters finally, “sorry for interrupting, I guess.”

Yoongi has the decency to appear a little embarrassed as Jimin laughs the whole thing off. Jungkook sets the popcorn down on the table in front of the couch and takes a seat on the floor, a healthy distance away from everyone else.

Jungkook curls up, wrapping his arms around his legs and resting his head on one of his knees.

It’s quiet during the movie. Jungkook notices that the popcorn is still mostly untouched and gets up to pull it into his lap. In the process, he also notices that Yoongi and Jimin are cuddling. Yoongi’s fallen asleep, his head resting on Jimin’s shoulder as he dozes off.

Jungkook feels a surge of unwanted jealousy as he sits back down. He’s quiet as he eats his popcorn, and he’s quiet after the movie ends and Jimin wakes Yoongi up so that Yoongi can head home.

It happens again a few days later.

They're sitting in the campus café again and Jungkook is working on a study guide for one of his classes on his laptop while Yoongi and Jimin flirt and talk. It seems that even being together hasn't stopped them from incessantly flirting every chance they get.

Jimin drops a kiss onto Yoongi’s temple, and Yoongi’s cheeks flush a bright pink. Jungkook feels his heart start to beat faster and harder.

And then Yoongi giggles and drops a kiss onto Jimin’s nose. And then Jimin giggles and drops a kiss onto the corner of Yoongi’s mouth. And then they’re showing each other in kisses and affection and oh, Jungkook’s heart isn’t feeling so good anymore.

Under other circumstances, Jungkook might’ve said something like “Get a room” or maybe “This is public space” jokingly because that’s what he’s always done when Jimin’s had someone around like this, but it just feels…different. Different because it hurts more than usual. Different because Jungkook’s not used to this level of longing and his body isn’t reacting nicely to it.

And so he stays silent, biting his lip as he continues typing on his laptop, pressing down on the keys with a little more force than necessary. If Yoongi or Jimin notice that he seems to be furiously writing about the applications of calculus in other disciplines, then they don’t say anything.

It keeps happening, though, and Jungkook feels like he's about to lose it.

It’s the small things, the quick pecks, the flirtatious looks, the cuddling and nuzzling, the way one of them looks at the other when the other one isn’t looking, the giggling and the teasing and the blushing—

Jungkook knows he’s being unreasonable, knows that he’s being unfair and that it’s stupid, but he just can’t put a lid on his own jealousy. It’s never been like this before. Before, he had been able to swallow it down and just accept it, because Jimin was his best friend and he wasn’t going to be an asshole about Jimin not liking him back.

There’s just something about liking two people at the same time that’s a different kind of soul-crushing.

The bubble pops and Jungkook remembers that an unrequited crush is still unrequited, even if it involves two people instead of just one.

***

Jungkook really didn’t mean for it to happen. He hadn’t wanted this to happen at all.

But now Yoongi looks like he was on the verge of tears and Jimin’s eyes are both glassy and furious as they bore into Jungkook’s.

Another beat of silence and Jungkook is running, leaving his own goddamn apartment for god knows where because he would rather spend the night in the cold than deal with what he just did.

It had started out like any other evening.

Jungkook was working on some assignments in his bedroom while Yoongi and Jimin were sitting in the living room, watching a TV show together.

There’s soft music coming out of his laptop speakers as he works, and he hums along quietly while typing.

There’s a round of loud laughter from the living room, and Jungkook sighs because it’s like the fifth time this evening and he really needs to finish this project tonight.

“Can you guys keep it down?” he calls out. There’s no response. There hadn’t been a response when he had asked the same question twenty minutes ago either.

Another two minutes pass by before it happens again and Jungkook abruptly stands up from his chair and heads to the living room.

“Hey,” he says, a little more firmly this time as he faces them. “I’m trying to get something done tonight and I’m having a little bit of trouble focusing right now. I would really appreciate if you guys could be a little quieter.”

Both of them look a little abashed by Jungkook’s words, and Jungkook kind of feels bad, except this project is worth a good chunk of his grade so his regret only lasts a few seconds.

“Of course, Kook,” Jimin says while turning the volume down on the TV. “No worries.”

“Thanks,” Jungkook breathes out before heading back to his room.

And true to their words, Yoongi and Jimin do stay quiet for another thirty minutes and Jungkook gets a good portion of his project done, but it’s not long before the laughter and the giggling starts right back up again.

Jungkook stuffs his earbuds in to try to block the noise out, but it’s no use and he’s always been sensitive to noise and Jimin knows this so why is he still—

Jungkook rips the earbuds out in frustration. He takes a deep, calming breath before rubbing his eyes tiredly and returning back to his project. It’s in a fit of fury and vexation that he finishes the project and slams the submit button on it.

There’s still more noise coming from the living room, both from the TV show and Yoongi and Jimin’s voices and Jungkook tries to keep his annoyance in check as he closes the lid of his laptop and heads into the kitchen for a glass of water.

“Hey, Kook,” Jimin calls as Jungkook passes by with his water in hand. “Did you finish everything you wanted to?”

“Yes,” Jungkook answers, his annoyance at Jimin and Yoongi gnawing away at him as he faces away from them. “No thanks to you two.”

“Huh? What was that?” Jimin asks, looking utterly bewildered by Jungkook’s comment.

“Nothing,” Jungkook quickly amends, although he’s sure he still looks pissed off.

“If you have something to say,” Yoongi begins, his expression equal parts confused and irritated, “then you should just say it.”

Jungkook hesitates, his jaw clenching as he debates what to do next. The reasonable part of him is urging him to just go to his room and listen to some calming music for a few minutes, but the impulsive part of him wants to just—

“You know, just because you two are together doesn’t mean you have to show it all the time.”

His impulsive side wins.

“What do you mean?” Yoongi questions, eyes narrowed and lips pursed in annoyance.

“I don’t know, it’s kind of obnoxious sometimes,” Jungkook answers, his irritation rising because of Yoongi’s own. “Like we get it, you two are a thing. You don’t have to rub it in all the time.”

“How exactly do we rub it in?” Jimin cuts in, clearly starting to get a little pissed off at Jungkook too. “Could you please explain it to us a little more?”

And Jimin’s doing that thing, where he gets extra polite and courteous when he’s really pissed off, and he knows it annoys Jungkook, because it always makes Jimin look like the more mature and more composed person in any disagreement and it always leaves Jungkook feeling a bit like a child.

“Sure thing,” Jungkook says with an exaggerated fake smile. “Would you like a bullet-point list or just a brief summary?”

“Maybe just a summary will do,” Jimin answers with an equally exaggerated smile.

“Well,” Jungkook starts, “for one, you really don’t need to be all over each other in public all the time. It’s unnecessary and disruptive.”

“Noted,” Jimin responds.

“And secondly, you guys don’t need to spend every waking moment together. Don’t you think it’s a little excessive?” Jungkook sighs loudly. “I feel like you’re going to ask Yoongi to move in any day now, Jimin, given how much time he spends here these days.”

“We’re dating,” Jimin states. “People who date tend to spend time together.”

“I understand that,” Jungkook says. “But I feel as though you guys are taking it a little too far?”

“And what exactly would you know about that, hm?” Jimin asks. “When was the last time you dated someone? The last time you went on a date?”

It stings for a moment before Jungkook quickly recovers. “At least I don’t go hopping from person to person trying to find ‘the one,’” he says defensively.

“Oh really? You think I date around too much?” Jimin says, and his anger is starting to show because his saccharine tone from earlier is quickly fading. “At least there are people who will actually date me.”

And that’s a low blow, because Jimin knows that his dating inexperience is one of his biggest insecurities, but Jimin’s serial dating was also a touchy subject for Jungkook to bring up, so maybe he really deserves it.

Jungkook goes quiet, lets the insult and the hurt marinate for a moment.

“Hey, guys, let’s all just calm down and relax,” Yoongi says after a few seconds, hands raised in a placating gesture. “It’s late and we’re all a little tired. Why don’t we all just head to bed and I’ll lea—”

“No,” Jungkook interrupts. “I think this is important. I think I would like to hear what Jimin really thinks of me.”

“Oh, Kook, he didn’t mean it that way,” Yoongi starts and it must be the hurt that pushes Jungkook to do it, because Jungkook knows better than to bring it up.

“You knew,” Jungkook starts out viciously, pointing one finger accusingly at Yoongi. “You knew all along and you still did it.”

“Did what?” Yoongi asks in confusion.

“You knew that this—” Jungkook gestures erratically towards himself and Jimin and Yoongi, “—would hurt me. I know that you knew it all along. Everyone knows, right? I’m so…obvious.”

Understanding dawns in Yoongi’s eyes. “Kook, I would never mean to hurt you—”

“But you did and you knew about it the whole time,” Jungkook hisses. “Don’t play dumb. I’m not as stupid as everyone thinks I am. I know you’re perceptive. I know you figured it out. But you still did it. I thought you cared about me.”

“I do, Jungkook, I-I swear I do,” Yoongi stammers. “I just—I…”

“If you were really my friend, you wouldn’t have done it,” Jungkook says, and he immediately feels how mean, how cruel the sentence is as soon as it leaves his mouth because Yoongi’s face crumples and Jimin is by his side at once, soothing him with a hand on his shoulder.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Jimin begins calmly after several beats of silence, “but all you’re doing is hurting everyone right now. I think you need to stop.”

Jungkook looks between them, between Yoongi’s pained expression and Jimin’s rage and hurt-filled eyes, and he knows that Jimin’s right. That he crossed the line.

And so he runs, furiously pulling his shoes on and yanking the door shut behind himself before going down the stairs two at a time, just trying to run, run, run.

His lips are trembling, because he forgot his coat and it’s fucking cold and because he has no idea where he’s going or what he’s doing and no one to talk to because he left his phone inside.

Jungkook swallows hard as he briskly walks a few blocks, hands shoved deep into his pockets for warmth as he watches his breath condensate in front of him in wisps. His feet seem to be moving of their own accord, guiding him to a familiar apartment complex.

He rubs his hands together and blows a little bit of warmth into them before knocking.

It takes thirty seconds before the door opens and there are familiar hands threading through his hair and pulling him inside.

“Jungkook?” Hoseok says. “Oh my god, what happened? Why are your lips so blue?”

Jungkook lets himself be pulled into the warmth of Hoseok and Namjoon’s apartment and settles himself onto their couch by curling himself into the smallest ball he can manage.

Namjoon emerges from their bedroom and joins Hoseok in fussing over Jungkook and all Jungkook can do is think about the hurt looks on Yoongi and Jimin’s faces, the way Yoongi said “I would never mean to hurt you,” the way Jimin said “When was the last time you dated someone?” spitefully.

The tears start rolling down Jungkook’s face before he can stop them, and he just feels hurt, hurt, hurt, even though maybe he doesn’t deserve to since he was the one who started it all.

He waves Namjoon and Hoseok away, telling them he’ll talk to them about it in the morning and that he’s sorry for bothering them this late.

But Hoseok can tell he’s crying, even though Jungkook’s got his face buried between his knees and he keeps his voice as even as possible while speaking.

“Hey,” Hoseok whispers as he brushes a hand through Jungkook’s hair soothingly. “We can talk about it in the morning but I think it’s best if you’re not alone right now.”

And so that’s how Jungkook finds himself wedged between Namjoon and Hoseok on their bed, his tearstained face shoved into Hoseok’s shoulder as he sleeps.

***

When morning comes, Jungkook feels too overcome by a wave of embarrassment and mortification to talk about it.

“I messed up” is all Jungkook can say, his face pressed into a throw pillow in shame. “I really, really messed up.”

Namjoon hums to himself quietly. “I mean, I guess the way I usually think about things is that I’m going to make mistakes, even if I try my hardest not to. And mistakes are usually okay, because what matters more than the mistake is how I handle and react to the mistake. It matters if I can take responsibility and own up to the mistake more than the actual mistake, in most cases. Does that make sense?”

Jungkook groans. “This was a really bad mistake, though.”

“But regardless,” Hoseok pitches in, “you need to confront it and deal with it, right? Maybe you don’t want our help. Fine. But I think talking it out a little might put you more at ease at least.”

“It’s just…I’m stupid, okay? I’m stupid and I say stupid stuff and do stupid things and I ended up hurting both of them because I have no self-control, apparently.” Jungkook can feel himself getting closer and closer to hysterics as he speaks. “Just…fuck.”

It’s quiet for a moment. Hoseok pulls out some chocolate and shoves it in Jungkook’s direction. Jungkook doesn’t allow himself to feel anymore embarrassment as he quickly shovels the chocolate into his mouth.

And it’s quite possible Hoseok put something in the chocolate, because afterward Jungkook finds himself softly retelling the events of the night before in a voice that shakes and wavers only slightly.

“It’s just…so embarrassing,” Jungkook finishes. “How Jimin pointed out how undateable I am and how Yoongi knew about my dumbass crush the whole time and decided I wasn’t worth it and just dated Jimin anyways. And the way I acted like a spoiled child. I feel like shit.”

“That’s very understandable,” Namjoon says kindly. “But I have to say, I feel like this all could have been avoided if you had been more honest and upfront with them in the beginning.”

“And then what? Listen to my closest friends tell me how they don’t see me like that? I told you what Jimin said yesterday. He said—”

“He said that no one has dated you, blah blah blah,” Hoseok interrupts. “But you know Jimin. You know that when Jimin feels hurt, he says whatever it takes to hurt the other person just as much.”

“But he’s right,” Jungkook mutters. “I am…undateable.”

“Jeon Jungkook,” Hoseok says sharply. “With all due respect, you’re being so fucking dense right now. You’re not undateable. Don’t you dare ever say that about yourself again. Just because you haven’t been actively pursuing a relationship or a significant other doesn’t mean that you’re not attractive, or not ‘dateable.’”

“But I’m so childish…and—”

“But you’re also incredibly kind, with the biggest heart I know,” Hoseok says. “A heart so big that you love two people at once.”

Jungkook feels tears beading along his lash line as he ducks his head. Hoseok’s there instantly, wrapping his arms around Jungkook and soothing a hand over Jungkook’s back.

“I’m gonna apologize to them,” Jungkook mumbles into Hoseok’s shoulder. “I’m gonna apologize to them and then tell them the truth.”

There’s a pause before Namjoon says, “I’m proud of you.”

“I’m tired,” Jungkook replies. “Tired of hiding and pretending all the time. I’m just gonna…tell them how I feel and then they can decide what they want to do with me. Maybe Jimin’s finally going to kick me out of the apartment.”

“You know he wouldn’t do that,” Hoseok says.

“Yeah, I know.” Jungkook’s voice cracks slightly. “But he might…he might not want to be my friend anymore. I guess that’s okay. It’s up to him, to them.”

“I can’t make promises on their behalf,” Namjoon answers, “but I really doubt that they’ll stop being your friend because of this.”

“Let me dramatic, okay? I’m sad,” Jungkook says, still crying at 9AM on a Saturday morning. “This is really hard.”

“We know, baby, we know,” Hoseok mutters soothingly. “But it’s going to be okay. You’re going to tell them everything and you guys will work things out, right?”

Jungkook hums.

And then he sits up and violently scrubs off the remnants of his crying. He takes a few gulps from the glass of water Namjoon had poured for him over twenty minutes ago and takes a couple of deep breaths before standing up.

“Okay,” he finally says. “I’m gonna do it.”

Namjoon and Hoseok offer him small smiles as he slides his shoes on and heads out, ready to release everything he’s been holding inside of him for so long.

***

The walk home is as frigid as the night before, and Jungkook lets the stinging cold caress his body and shock him awake. It feels refreshing, compared to how it had felt lonely and isolating last night.

What’s the worst thing that could happen? Jungkook thinks to himself as he starts counting his footsteps to distract himself from his growing anxiety. Okay, never mind, so many terrible things could happen but at least Namjoon and Hoseok have an open couch.

And as the different scenarios start rolling in his mind, Jungkook realizes he’s three steps away from throwing up and having a giant mental breakdown in public at literally 10AM on a Saturday morning and that’s so embarrassing and completely awful and just disgusting and—

He finds a relatively empty café and reflexively reaches down to pull out his phone, which is just great because he literally left it in his room last night.

“Hey, can I borrow your phone?” Jungkook asks the barista in a small voice. “Just for a minute or two.”

The barista narrows her eyes at him in suspicion before handing him her cellphone. Jungkook starts dialing Seokjin’s number as he finds an empty table to sit at.

“Oh my god, oh my god, please fucking pick up,” Jungkook mutters as he shoves his free hand, which happens to be shaking, great, into his pocket. “I swear on my fucking Iron Man socks, if he doesn’t pick up—”

“Hello?”

“Oh thank fucking god,” Jungkook sighs. “Oh my god.”

“Jungkook? Whoa, is everything okay? This better be good. You’re interrupting my weekly marathon of The Great British Baking Show,” Seokjin says flatly.

“Oh my god, you watch that too? Holy fuck, I hate the new hosts, the ones from the first couple of seasons were so much better.”

“Agreed.” There’s some static and shifting on the other side of the line. “I’m gonna put you on speaker. Taehyung feels left out and is pouting at me.”

“Okay. Cool.” Jungkook’s left knee won’t stop bouncing up and down. “So cool. Wow.”

“Take some deep breaths, darling,” Seokjin answers gently. “Where are you right now, by the way?”

“I dunno, some random café in between Namjoon and Hoseok’s apartment and mine.”

“Wonderful. So what appears to be the problem, dear?”

“I-I…” Jungkook’s throat goes dry. “Well, you see, that’s such a funny story—”

“Jungkook,” Taehyung cuts in, his deep voice soothing and grounding even over the line. “It’s okay. We’re here. Do you need us to come get you?”

"Nuh-No!" Jungkook sputters quickly. "It's just that…Give me a second."

Seokjin makes a humming noise and Jungkook counts to ten while taking the deepest breath he can manage.

“Okay, so guys, I think I’m gonna confess to Yoongi and Jimin? Like…right now?” Jungkook whisper-screams into the phone. “Oh my fucking god.”

“Aw, that’s so lovely,” Seokjin says. “And here I thought this Saturday was going to be disappointing and boring like the past three weeks.”

“I just—I might be in need of a little bit of encouragement? Maybe a pep talk? Motivational speech? I dunno, I’m just kind of sitting in the middle of a café on a Saturday morning whisper-shouting about my crushes into my phone and I have no idea what to do. What am I even supposed to say? ‘Please date me, I promise it isn’t as terrible and painstaking as it seems’? Is that too forward?”

“Oh, baby, you know that’s not true,” Taehyung says. “Anyone would be lucky to date you, cutie.”

“Sure,” Jungkook mumbles, even though secretly he appreciates the reassurance. “I’m just…How does one prepare for impending doom?”

“The apocalypse, you mean?” Seokjin asks. “Hm, personally, I would stock up on all my necessities, so like…food, water, blankets, all of the Avengers movies on Blu-ray and DVD, you know, all the basic things I need to survive…”

“What about the Iron Man movies?” Jungkook questions. “Don’t forget about them.”

“Sweetheart, I think I would get the Spider-Man ones before Iron Man. You know we have different taste in men.”

“That’s true.” Jungkook sighs deeply. “What was I talking about again?”

“Your impending doom?” Taehyung supplies helpfully. “You’re going to confess approximately twenty minutes from now?”

“Maybe more like ten,” Jungkook mutters. “I didn’t pick a café that far from our apartment.”

“Okay, ten,” Taehyung amends. “But you’re going to do it, right? Because it’s about damn time. The rest of us are tired of watching not two, but three people dance around each other like you three, goddamn…”

“Huh?” Jungkook interjects intelligently.

“Never mind that,” Seokjin cuts in. “What he means is that you’re taking the big leap! And that takes a lot of courage and bravery and we’re so proud of you! Not only because of this, but also because of the wonderful, amazing human you’ve matured into with only minimal guidance from us. You’re doing amazing, sweetie, and we love you so much!”

“Thank you,” Jungkook answers, feeling himself start to get a little emotional at how nice Seokjin and Taehyung are being to him. Why are his friends so nice? Jungkook’s so lucky. “That means a lot, you guys. I’m feeling way better now.”

“Hm, that’s really great. Glad you’re feeling better,” Taehyung says. “Now go confess your undying love to Yoongi and Jimin!”

“Oh my god, right. That’s happening,” Jungkook mumbles. “Shit.”

He hears Seokjin and Taehyung giggle and mutter something about ‘Oh, isn’t young love just so adorable?’ before there’s a beeping noise and Jungkook realizes they just hung up on him.

“Fuck,” Jungkook says to himself. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.”

The barista, who’s been watching him for the last ten minutes, gives him a strange look as he hastily gets up, brushes some nonexistent dust off of himself, hands the phone back to her with a quiet thank you, and then rushes through the doors to get out of the café.

And then he's running, taking the stairs two at a time once he's inside the apartment complex, and he's preparing his mini-speech as he makes a beeline for his apartment door and twists the knob.

It’s locked.

And Jungkook left his keys in his coat last night.

Fuck.

And so Jungkook soberly knocks on the door three times and resolves himself to wait.

Twenty seconds pass. And then thirty. And then forty. And then—

There are arms wrapped around Jungkook and there’s a face squished against his neck.

“Oh thank god,” Jimin is muttering as he pulls back and starts fussing over Jungkook. “Do you have any idea how worried we were, young man?” His tone is stern but his face is filled with nothing but relief. “Why would you run out like that? You didn’t even take your coat! Or your phone! That’s so dangerous!”

“Yeah, I know,” Jungkook says sheepishly. “Sorry.”

Jimin huffs and then tugs Jungkook through the doorway, shutting the door softly behind them.

Yoongi’s standing awkwardly in between the door and the living room, his eyes darting from Jungkook to Jimin. He seems to be hesitating on something as he shuffles and shifts his weight from foot to foot.

Jungkook just stares at him. Yoongi looks so distressed.

“Oh my god, just come here already!” Yoongi practically yells before shuffling his way over towards Jungkook and wrapping him in a hug. He pushes a hand through Jungkook’s unruly bedhead. “Fuck, I’m so glad you’re back. I couldn’t sleep last night, I was so worried.”

And that makes Jungkook feel bad, so he pulls back and says, “I’m sorry, Yoongi” before gently running his thumbs over the dark circles underneath Yoongi’s eyes. “You must be tired.”

Yoongi closes his eyes at the touch. “It’s fine. I should be the one apologizing to you. I feel like I have a lot of explaining to do.”

“Me too,” Jungkook agrees. “I, actually, uh, have a lot to say to you two. If you don’t mind.”

Jimin gathers them all onto the couch and Jungkook presses his lips together and starts getting ready to give his mini-speech.

And then he realizes he can’t remember a single word from said speech.

“Fuck,” he grumbles out loud. “I had so many things I was gonna say. Now I don’t even know where to start.”

“I can go first,” Jimin volunteers quickly. He looks a little bit ashamed as he sits with his hands folded on his lap and his lips pursed into a pout. “I’m really sorry about…about everything I said last night. It was really not cool of me and for what it’s worth, I really didn’t mean it. So yeah…I hope you can forgive me, because you’re like my best friend and one of the most important people in my life and I love you a lot and I just…wanted you to know that I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Jungkook replies. “I mean, I kind of deserved it after I made that comment about your dating life even though it’s really none of my business and it was super uncalled for. I’m sorry about that, by the way. I didn’t mean it either and I’m sorry for hurting you.”

“It’s fine.” Jimin offers Jungkook a small smile. Jungkook returns it with one of his own.

“Since we’re trading apologies, I guess it’s my turn,” Yoongi mumbles. “Well, uh, I guess I should do some explaining first.”

“I’m sorry about what I said to you last night, too,” Jungkook adds. “You’ve been really good to me and I’ve always considered you a close friend, despite what I said last night. I’m sorry about that.”

“I appreciate that,” Yoongi says. “And I want to apologize to you for treating your feelings really carelessly even though I didn’t mean to and uh, we’ll get to that in a minute. Regardless, it happened and I’m sorry. I know you must’ve felt very hurt and I’m sorry for not seeing that.”

“I wanted to, um, elaborate a little bit on what happened last night, if that’s okay,” Jungkook mutters and resists the urge to let his voice go small. He waits for both Yoongi and Jimin to nod before he continues. “I, well…okay so I know Yoongi already knows this but I’ve had a huge crush on you for a while, Jimin. And I wasn’t really planning on doing anything about it and stuff but then you started dating Yoongi and I realized that I liked him too?” He swallows hard. “So I guess what I’m doing right now is just coming clean about how I…I really like both of you and I just wanted to let you know. You don’t have to like…respond to it or anything. I just figured that being honest would be a lot more helpful than bottling everything up and then snapping at you guys like I did last night.”

Yoongi and Jimin share a look.

Jungkook is terrified.

And then they turn to him and smile. Jungkook reflexively smiles back, although his face feels weirdly numb so it probably looks like he’s in a lot of pain. It’s really just the nerves. What haven’t they said anything yet?

“Okay, well, that’s funny,” Yoongi finally says, and Jungkook feels his skin prickle because what the fuck is that supposed to mean? “That’s wonderful, actually. You beat me to it. I like you too, Jungkook.”

"Uh…what?" Jungkook can feel his eyes go wide with surprise.

“So I’m gonna give that explanation I mentioned earlier now,” Yoongi says with a happy smile on his face. “This is good. It’ll be less awkward now that you’ve confessed first.”

Yoongi takes a deep breath. “So like, originally I only liked you, Jungkook. To be honest, I was really hoping you’d realize after the first couple of weeks that the lamb skewer dinners were intended to be dates, but then I found out that you’ve been in love with your roommate for years so I just kind of gave up on that idea, because how could I ever compete with that?”

Jungkook just stares at him, because what the fuck, Yoongi liked him?

Sounds fake but ok, Jungkook’s mind supplies helpfully. I bet he as soon as he met Jimin he realized how much better Jimin was than me and stopped liking me.

Yoongi continues, “And then I met Jimin and maybe I was a little unnecessarily mean to him because of I was slightly bitter that you liked Jimin and Jimin still hadn’t snatched you up yet because hello, you’re a whole catch. And then the being mean to Jimin turned into teasing which turned into flirting and then I realized that wow, I like Park Jimin! Isn’t that just great?”

I know, Jungkook wants to say, it’s so easy to fall for Jimin.

He waits for Yoongi to get to the part where he stopped liking Jungkook.

Except—

“But I still really liked you, and whoa, that was a shit show.”

He gives Jungkook a moment to process. Jungkook pinches himself to make sure he’s not still in Namjoon and Hoseok’s bed, having the nicest and most vivid dream ever.

“So yeah. Then Jimin finally got the guts to tell me he liked me back and we started dating and whatever.” Jungkook tries not to wince at the reminder. “But even then, I still liked you a lot and I told Jimin about it and he was surprisingly understanding and then we both just kind of agreed that we would, like, try to include you? I don’t know, that sounds weird.”

Yoongi purses his lips in thought as he tries to rephrase his words. “Basically, Jimin was still trying to sort shit out and I, much to my own shock, was the one who actually had my feelings figured out so I suggested that we spend more time with you, all three of us together, just to see where things went. Oh yeah, Jimin has some things to tell you, but only after I finish first, I’ve waited long enough!”

Yoongi pauses to take a breath. “So I guess what I’m trying to say is that yes, I knew about your crush but I didn’t…I really thought you kind of knew about my feelings for you? And that you understood that Jimin and I were subtly dating you together for the past month or so. But I also didn’t do enough to communicate with you, and that’s on me. I didn’t date Jimin with the intention of hurting you, does that make sense?”

“Y-Yeah, I think so,” Jungkook says in a squeaky voice. “Wow, that’s a lot to take in.”

Yoongi nudges Jimin imploringly. “There’s also another thing you need to know.”

“Stop rushing me!” Jimin whisper-shouts at Yoongi. He’s blushing, a pretty pink color settled across the tops of his cheekbones. “So, um…Jungkook?”

“Yeah?” Jungkook answers dazedly.

“I like you too.”

“Oh really?” Jungkook feels like he’s floating. “Wow.”

Jimin giggles. “Are you okay? You seem, like, really spacey.”

“’m fine,” Jungkook slurs. “Just…happy, I think.” He glances between them. “You two—” he gestures at them briefly, “—like me?” He points at himself in disbelief.

“Yes, you big baby, we love you,” Yoongi says affectionately. “We wanna take you on dates and hold your hand and shower your face in kisses and all that gross shit.”

“Sounds great!” Jungkook says brightly. “Where do I sign up?”

And Jimin just giggles harder before leaning over and pressing his lips to Jungkook’s and Jungkook’s brain short-circuits because this is all he’s wanted for years.

Yoongi’s pouting as Jimin pulls away. “I can’t believe you kissed him before me.”

Jimin presses a kiss to Yoongi’s pout with a small laugh. “There. Better?”

“Hm, not quite.” And then Yoongi’s fisting Jungkook’s shirt in his hands and tugging him forwards to plant a kiss onto Jungkook’s lips. “There. Much better.”

Jungkook feels his nose scrunch up in happiness.

***

(Later that night, as they’re curled up on the couch watching Iron Man for what must be the twentieth time, Jungkook finds himself wondering what exactly they’re supposed to call themselves.

Yoongi’s fingers are threaded through his hair and Jimin’s resting his head on Yoongi’s shoulder while holding one of Jungkook’s hands between his own.

“Are we like…a couple?” Jungkook asks suddenly. “Or are we just boyfriends but with three of us instead of two? Are we a dating unit? A subunit of our friendship group?”

“Silly,” Jimin laughs. “That’s easy. We’re a throuple.”

“What the hell is a throuple?” Yoongi questions. “That sounds like either a disease or a very complex yoga position.”

“It’s a couple with three people in it,” Jimin answers. “Easy.”

“Throuple,” Jungkook repeats. “Huh.”

“Personally, I prefer Jungkook’s whole dating unit terminology,” Yoongi mutters. “Or we can call each other partners. I’ve always liked that. There’s so much ambiguity in the word ‘partners.’ Oh! Even better, maybe I can call you guys my ‘associates.’ That makes it sound like we’re running a crime ring or something. Awesome.”

“Why am I dating you again?” Jimin sighs. “You’re such a fucking dork.”

“It doesn’t really matter to me,” Jungkook says. “I’m just happy to have two cool boyfriends. Now I can flex on all the bitches who only have one boyfriend.”

“Why am I dating either of you?” Jimin amends. “What have I gotten myself into?”

“You looove us~” Jungkook sing-songs.

“Yeah,” Jimin mutters. “Guess I do. Unlucky there.”

Jungkook just laughs while Jimin presses a few kisses over Jungkook’s knuckles. Yoongi’s fingers are warm and comforting against his scalp. Everything feels good. It feels right.

Jungkook’s heart feels light and still for the first time in what feels like forever and it’s a feeling he can’t wait to get used to.)