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Taehyung doesn’t quite understand why rom coms get such a bad rep.
He also doesn’t really know why he likes them so much. Maybe it’s because he likes to laugh at the cheesy dialogue and shallow characters and overused cliches. More likely though, it’s because his roommate Jeongguk laughs at them with him, and said roommate makes his heart go boom boom.
It’s Friday night and Taehyung is diligently avoiding the 10 plus assignments that are due Monday. Instead, he’s curled up on the couch with an oversized bowl of popcorn and Jeongguk on the other side. They’re watching some stupid rom com that he picked out and can’t for the life of him remember the name of, but he laughs anyway at something the girl says. Jeongguk laughs along with him.
It’s a thing of theirs, to clear a night every few weeks and pick a rom com and pig out on popcorn and candy. Taehyung isn’t quite sure how it started, but he’s decided it’s a much needed break from the horrors of university. The fact that it’s Jeongguk doesn’t hurt.
Jeongguk stands suddenly, gesturing at the near-empty popcorn bowl in Taehyung’s lap. He hands it over wordlessly, and Jeongguk takes it to the kitchen. Taehyung sinks into the couch and sulks over his lack of a love life.
Jeongguk comes back with two beers in hand. Taehyung knows this is likely a very bad idea. Taehyung being drunk around Jeongguk, that is. Also, just Taehyung being drunk.
He sits up and grabs a beer.
He’s still kind of undecided on the appeal of beer. It’s something he generally finds pretty nasty, but he also relishes in the taste of bad decisions. Occasionally, he’ll have one or a few when he’s feeling edgy. Jeongguk always keeps them in stock. He takes a sip and grimaces, trying to hide it.
Jeongguk laughs at him anyways.
“Shut up,” he mutters lowly. Jeongguk opens his beer and takes a sip as well, but he does so with much more grace and he doesn’t grimace like some underage child.
Taehyung rolls his eyes.
The movie progresses in a series of fluffier and fluffier events. They drink together at a bar. They share an almost-kiss, but Taehyung is sure the first kiss won’t come until the very end. Eventually the drama inevitably comes and the girl is reduced to tears on her apartment floor. Taehyung deeply relates to this scene.
He doesn’t laugh, because the movie is kind of depressing this time around even though it’s still a rom com and the music is way too dramatic and the girl is over acting. Taehyung glances over at Jeongguk to see his reaction and he’s lit up by the artificial glow of the screen and he’s as breathtaking as ever.
The taste of beer lingers in his mouth and he frowns. “Jeongguk,” Taehyung whines.
Jeongguk glances over. His eyes look so soft in light of the screen. Taehyung loves the feeling of them on him, even if they’re not really that soft and there’s no situation in which Jeongguk would actually look at him like that. Jeongguk gives a small smile. “Taehyung?”
“I’m sad,” Taehyung pouts. He’s so fucking drunk and he knows for a fact that sober Taehyung will scream at him for this. “Come cuddle me.”
Jeongguk chuckles. Taehyung doesn’t want to be chuckled at. He holds his arms out. Jeongguk scoots over and presses himself against his side, still smiling. His fingers come out to brush Taehyung’s chin. “You’re drunk, Tae.”
Taehyung ignores him and focuses back on the movie. He’s aware of Jeongguk’s breath brushing his ear, even though at the angle they’re sitting he shouldn’t be able to feel his breath unless Jeongguk’s face is turned towards Taehyung.
It smells like mint. He must have had a piece of gum.
The girl is now eating ice cream with the obligatory best friend and crying her heart out. Taehyung also relates to this, even though he’s sure Jimin would be deeply offended if Taehyung compared him to the obligatory best friend. She’s kind of a bitch.
There’s a knock on the girl’s apartment door and the girl and best friend both look up, surprised, as if everyone didn’t see this coming. The guy’s voice calls out, asking to speak to the girl. The best friend and the girl exchange glances. The best friend goes to the door and tells the guy off. He causes a ruckus in the hallway, screaming the girl’s name, as if humiliating your love interest in front of her apartment door is romantic, and is promptly kicked out by the super.
Taehyung snuggles into Jeongguk’s shoulder. “Idiots, all of them,” he mutters. Jeongguk chuckles. Taehyung can feel his chest rumbling.
“90% of rom coms would have no plot if the characters weren’t so blind,” Jeongguk says.
“90% of rom coms already have no plot,” Taehyung points out. Jeongguk laughs again.
Taehyung once again mourns his lack of love life. This feels entirely too domestic for his health and he’s slightly worried his alcohol-addled mind won’t be able to differentiate fantasy from reality.
The girl takes an internship in Paris.
She’s running from her problems, Taehyung can tell, because he relates to this as well. It’s kind of concerning how much of this romcom girl he recognizes in himself.
She goes to the airport with the best friend and they say goodbye to each other, teary eyed. Well, the girl is teary eyed. The best friend seems kind of unmoved. Taehyung still thinks she’s a bitch.
The girl turns to board the flight. She hands her boarding pass over to be checked. She gives one more glance back, acting as if she’s moving away and not leaving for a three month internship. Taehyung can practically feel Jeongguk rolling his eyes and he reciprocates.
The girl’s name is called and everyone turns to look. The guy is causing another ruckus, in the hall of the airport, as if the girl’s apartment building wasn’t bad enough. The girl drops her luggage in shock, as if everybody didn’t see this coming.
Jeongguk shifts beside him. Taehyung looks over at him.
He’s already watching Taehyung, and he still has those soft goddamn eyes, and Taehyung’s health .
The guy begins to give a speech that is probably meant to be heartfelt but likely sounds copy and pasted. Taehyung tunes him out. Jeongguk’s lips are much more interesting.
He leans closer to Jeongguk. He can feel Jeongguk’s mint-scented breath on his lips.
The girl wraps her arms around the guy’s neck. Jeongguk inclines his head.
They kiss.