Chapter Text
Jungkook could not say that he was overly fond of limos. He found them pretentious and stuffy and egregiously expensive and not worth his dime or his time. He especially did not like them when they were stuffed with twenty-three other people, crammed into the space like sardines in a can, their shoulders and knees bumping against each other as small talk and the tinny sound of pop hits filtered out of the speakers by the floor.
Jungkook was just glad that he had a view of the window, focusing his mind on the passing streets of Los Angeles, the glowing skyscrapers and outlines of darkening palm trees, instead of the heady perfume of the girl next to him-vanilla much?- and the rough fabric of the guy next to him wearing a goat costume.
Jungkook had no idea how that was going to score the guy winning points with the Bachelor of 2020 but who knew. Jungkook certainly didn’t. He hardly knew anything about the new bachelor, one Kim Taehyung, and was almost rejected from the auditions until he had “accidentally” lifted his shirt up to wipe some stray water off of his chin and suddenly the casting directors seemed much more friendly and hundred times more interested.
Vultures.
The system disgusted him, but it would get him and his voice what they wanted so it was a road he was willing to drive, an ends justifying the means type of situation.
Jungkook didn’t care about Kim Taehyung, but he did care about his music and after several failed attempts to get his career launched and eating ramen straight for a month since that was all he could afford after recording and producing his EP (it was a total bitch to counteract that amount of sodium in his system while going on his runs) he had finally given in to this last resort: the Bachelor.
He had never seen a single episode of the show until two months ago when he happened to glance at it during a commercial break and then he was doing his research. He was astounded to find how many people got famous from this preposterous endeavor, thousands of followers on Instagram, marketing partnerships, podcast deals, acting gigs, stints on Good Morning America and Ellen.
It was ludicrous and so completely fake and yet...people gobbled it up like they were starving. And Jungkook, while muscular, wasn’t stupid. He understood how hard it was to crack into the music industry, understood the dog eat dog mentality of the people in Hollywood and Los Angeles as a whole.
So he used the next best thing at his disposal: his looks and his body. Jungkook wasn’t a successful singer, not yet, but even he could realize that he was good looking. Perhaps his nose was a bit too big and he had a scar on his cheek that was a little off-putting, but he also had smoldering eyes and thick hair and a six-pack so he felt like that more than made up for any imperfections.
So, after binge-watching the last five seasons of The Bachelor, writing and practicing some new songs, and working out at the gym until he came home exhausted and bleary eyed, Jungkook auditioned, barely made it, and now found himself stuck in a limo with a horde of people and a cockamamie gameplan ready in his mind.
Now just to convince this Kim Taehyung guy to get on board.
The limo lurched to a smooth halt and the noise of the people inside became jittery, like nervous insects, the buzz of chatter and inane comments like, “What a nice view!” or “I can’t wait for a drink” dying down as people craned their necks towards the window to catch a glimpse of the man they were all trying to win over.
Jungkook swallowed down a scoff and shifted over to give himself more room. An intercom from the driver’s seat filtered on and some no-face goon explained that each of them would be called up one by one to get out of the limo and meet Kim Taehyung. They said they each had a minute for a first impression and to make it count, this was a chance at true love here, people.
Jungkook did scoff at this but no one around him seemed to notice, too busy fixing their lipstick or their hair or their suit jackets in desperate preparation.
The intercom voice then explained that they would be filmed, interviewed, and then sent to the house where they would await the rest of the contestants until all were done before beginning the cocktail party segment.
Jungkook grimaced when they announced that the cocktail party was often a long night and to be prepared for several hours of filming. They announced that some snacks would be provided as well as some alcohol. Several people seemed cheered by this fact, but it just made Jungkook more disgusted.
In his opinion, if you needed alcohol to make a first impression you shouldn’t be here anyway. After all the announcements, they called out the first name: Park Jimin.
Jimin was, hands down, one of the most beautiful people in the limo, perhaps even one of the most beautiful people that Jungkook had ever seen, period. He was feminine but also oozing masculinity, dark eyeliner adorning his lids and silvery powder on his cheeks, his hair slicked into a perfect sheen and his clothes glimmering as he was adorning a shimmering suit that reminded him of a mermaid. Damn. Jungkook couldn’t help but lick his lips nervously.
He knew already, that if there was competition, it would be with this guy.
Several other people in the limo seemed to come to the same conclusion as their looks toward Jimin veered from awed to envious to downright hostile.
Jimin smoothly, with all the grace of a dancer, shifted out of the limo and outside, the door closing almost immediately after him so that the people left inside the limo wouldn't be able to hear or clearly see his interaction with Kim Taehyung.
Jungkook watched through heavily tinted car windows as Jimin briefly spoke with a producer, straightened his back and then walked confidently up the walkway, disappearing from view and behind a cluster of red rose bushes.
After about three torturously long minutes, the noise inside the limo strangely subdued, the intercom was announcing the next name and the door was opening briefly once more, a girl with pink lips and long curls stepping out of the car in a long red dress that hugged her curves in all the right places.
She seemed smug and a little too confident seeing as she hadn’t even met with the Bachelor yet and Jungkook watched again with a strangely heavy feeling as she left the limo and the door closed once more.
Jungkook closed his eyes and tried to keep the fluttering nerves in his stomach at bay while more and more people were called out by the intercom, the door opening and closing, opening and closing, the limo getting roomier and more vacant with each passing minute.
It’s silly to be nervous, he told himself, you’re not here for love. But he was here for his music, his career. This was his last resort, the thing he had resigned himself to. He wasn’t sure what he would do if even this didn't work out.
He didn’t want to think about it. It had to work out.
Eventually, and with the dawning understanding of horror, Jungkook belatedly realized that he was the only remaining person left in the now spacious limo. It seemed obscenely large now that there was only one body in it and he distracted himself from his spiraling thoughts by instead running the pads of his fingers over the soft leather of the seats, pretending that they were the strings of his guitar instead.
His guitar. That actually wasn’t a bad idea. He couldn’t reason why he hadn’t adequately thought of that before.
This Kim Taehyung guy probably liked music right? Who didn’t like music?
Jungkook nervously shifted in his seat, awaiting the moment the door would finally open and it would be his turn.
Thump, thump, thump.
He couldn’t believe how nervous he was, but there was a lot on the line. His whole future was on the line. He couldn’t fail. It wasn’t acceptable.
Heart beating in his ears, his mind still swirling with ideas of guitars and music, the door opened and before Jungkook could overthink it, he slid out of his seat and stood up, straightening his suit once he was outside that godforsaken limo.
Outside the air was balmy, summer in full swing even in Los Angeles, and the Mexican tiles of the driveway had been watered down by a hose to give it a glimmering, magical look. Several cameramen and people with headsets were milling around, capricious white vans situated around the driveway, but would no doubt be hidden artfully from the camera when this was aired in the fall.
Jungkook swallowed and was waved over by a jubilant looking man near an array of bright lights and what looked like a standing mirror. Jungkook timidly shuffled over.
“Hello! I’m Hoseok. What’s your name?”
“Jungkook,” he said slowly. Where was the Bachelor-Kim Taehyung?
“You’ll see Taehyung in a minute,” Hoseok said cheerfully, grabbing him by the shoulders and forcing him to sit on a stool situated in front of the lighted mirrors, as if he could read his mind.
“Oh. Okay.”
“I’m a stylist,” Hoseok explained cheerfully, grabbing some brushes and some other products that Jungkook didn’t know the name or the purpose of, “just think of me as your personal beautifier.”
Jungkook grimaced. He didn’t know he would have to wear...makeup. “Do I have to?” he asked, shifting uncomfortably on the padded chair.
Hoseok laughed and Jungkook thought it could power an entire city with the energy behind it. He had a really beautiful smile when he laughed, an open, trustworthy face.
“No, but it makes me feel more important.”
Hoseok brushed his face with some powder before going to work on his eyebrows.
“You actually have really nice features,” Hoseok said conversationally, “Really expressive big eyes and good bone structure too. I’m jealous.”
Jungkook wasn’t sure what Hoseok had to be jealous of. He was gorgeous and by no means a troll. Hoseok just laughed more when Jungkook told him so. He was starting to like Hoseok.
“Plus, everyone here is beautiful. That’s kinda the whole point of The Bachelor.”
Hoseok wagged a finger at him, taking a moment to pull back from fixing his hair. “Doesn’t count if you’re not beautiful in here as well.” He poked Jungkook in the chest and he scoffed. However, he couldn’t help his cheeks growing warm. God, he hated how easily he blushed.
Hoseok just raised his immaculate eyebrows at him but didn’t comment. After another minute of messing with Jungkook’s hair he proclaimed him done.
“Beautiful! Voila!”
Jungkook couldn’t help but give him a small smile in return.
“Good luck! I’ll bet you’ll kill it.”
Jungkook’s smile grew despite his gnawing nerves. “Thanks, Hoseok.”
“Alright, head towards the right. Just follow the path and your knight in shining armor Taehyung awaits you.”
Jungkook grumbled his thanks, wanted to reach out and ruffle his hair out of nerves but didn’t want to displace all of Hoseok’s work, so he quickly nodded at the other man and retreated.
The walkway was lined with cameras but no one was talking to him. Gulping, he strutted forward and came around the bend of hedges.
A large, luminous house loomed up before him, easily three stories and the same Mexican style as the title outside. There was a large gurgling fountain that created a tinkling sound that was much more cheery than Jungkook was currently feeling. The house loomed enormous and bright, the ground shimmering below, the soft tinkle of music and the dark sky overhead, an almost full moon sitting heavy and incandescent above him. It was all very beautiful and took Jungkook’s nerves up another notch.
He swallowed heavily, tucking his hands inside his pockets so he wouldn’t fidget with Hoseok’s hard work.
A man with a headset impatiently waved him forward, and Jungkook nervously stepped up to him. He breathily asked for his request, the man seeming annoyed at how last minute it was, rejection clear on his face, before someone was barking something into the headphones and it smoothed over reluctantly.
“Fine,” the man said, shooing some assistant away to fetch what Jungkook had requested. They came back quickly, Jungkook’s item in hand and he grasped it fondly, feeling the familiar wood and texture under his fingers.
Jungkook pivoted, ready now. It was now or never.
Amongst the rose bushes, red, white, and pink, stood Kim Taehyung. He was taller than he appeared on screen, at least the same height as Jungkook if not a few inches taller. He was slim but toned, his skin a glowing honey. His dirty blonde hair shone under the glowing lights from the house and all the roses made his cheeks look pink and sultry. He was wearing some long dangling earrings and a white suit that brought out the tan of his skin and the sheen of his hair.
God, this would have been so much easier if he had been ugly.
Jungkook took a deep breath, shifted his guitar and strode up to Taehyung with a smile.
Taehyung smiled back, his pink lips quirked as he looked Jungkook up and down appraisingly.
“A musician, huh?”
His voice was deep, surprisingly deep, deeper than Jungkook recalled from the promotions he had seen of him on television and it made something in Jungkook’s chest quiver.
“The name’s Jeon Jungkook, actually.”
Taehyung laughed easily, the sound escaping his throat like he did this often, his stance easy and relaxed as he jut forward one hip, his head slightly cocked as he took Jungkook in.
“Nice to meet you, Jeon Jungkook. I’m Kim Taehyung.”
Jungkook couldn’t help himself from being sarcastic. Taehyung made him feel more at ease than he would have imagined. “I know. You don’t have to tell me.”
Taehyung laughed easily again and Jungkook decided that it was a melodious sound, a pleasant sound. He understood why the producers had picked him to be the next bachelor.
Taehyung fell silent, an expectant rise to his eyebrows as he gestured towards his guitar.
Jungkook suddenly decided that honesty would be the best policy here. Bachelors tended to go for people who seemed more genuine. And Jungkook’s whole plan hinged on Taehyung being willing to trust him.
“I didn’t prepare anything,” he admitted. “I actually just requested this a second ago. I’m actually a pretty shy person,” he said, lowering his eyes briefly for effect before raising them back to Taehyung’s face, “and nothing makes me feel more at home than music. I hope you’ll feel at home with me, Kim Taehyung. Can I play you a song?”
Taehyung seemed taken aback, but pleasantly so, like when you went shopping and realized the most expensive thing you decided to buy was on sale.
Taehyung nodded, his brown eyes serious and molten as they took Jungkook in.
Jungkook raised the guitar strap up and over his head, ruffling his hair but uncaring, and raised his guitar to his waist, placing his hands delicately on the strings.
He decided to play “Yellow” by Coldplay, one of the first songs that he had ever learned on the guitar when he was twelve years old. Instead of worrying about Taehyung, or about his career, or about the several cameras that were suddenly way more ostentatious and intrusive, he just let himself feel the music. He allowed himself to close his eyes briefly, before connecting them with Taehyung’s, crooning out the lyrics that made him equally sad and equally full of emotion.
Taehyung seemed captivated, his eyes never leaving Jungkook’s as he played softly, his voice sweet and meaningful. Before Jungkook wanted it to be done, he finished the song, realizing belatedly that he had gone way over the appointed minute for first impressions but shrugging it off. No one had stopped him. That had to be a good sign.
He slowly lowered his guitar and cleared his voice. “I look forward to talking to you inside, Taehyung.”
Taehyung inclined his head gracefully, blonde bangs sweeping across his forehead. “Very much so, Jeon Jungkook.”
Jungkook gave him a shy smile and walked away before he could do anything stupid. That had gone well, incredibly well. Jungkook always spoke better using his music rather than his words and not only that but he was able to put him and his voice out there already. Even if he went home tonight, he had already gotten some exposure. That had to count for something.
He walked away from the heady rose bushes and towards the mansion, stepping inside the large front door and being directed to a sitting room to the right. Inside, was an entire interview set-up. There were burning candles, roses put into vases, dimly lit lights for added effect, and a stool situated in front of a large camera and light refractors.
Nervously, Jungkook handed his guitar off to an assistant that said he would place it with Jungkook’s other meager belongings and he stepped forward, situating himself in front of the obscene camera and all the bright lights.
The man operating the camera was tall with artfully styled white blonde hair. He introduced himself as Namjoon and when he smiled, deep dimples erupted on his cheeks that made Jungkook settle just the smallest bit.
Sitting in a director’s chair, almost a lazy gait to the way he was sitting with one elbow propped up on the arm rest was a petite man with deep eyes and button features. He had silver hair and a growling kind of voice as he introduced himself as one of the producer's-Min Yoongi.
Jungkook muttered a quiet hello back to them when they explained that Jungkook would be seeing them often for interviews and questioning after most major events like cocktail parties, rose ceremonies, group dates, and one-on-ones.
He sat gingerly on the stool and tried not to wince as Namjoon shifted the lights to get a clearer picture on Jungkook’s face.
“So,” Yoongi started, his voice sounding bored, but his eyes were wide and alert as they studied Jungkook. “What is your first impression of Kim Taehyung?”
Jungkook gave him some spiel about how Taehyung was beautiful and graceful and how lucky Jungkook felt that he was the bachelor. Yoongi seemed bored with his response, he had probably heard a lot of the same thing all night, and continued asking him questions.
Most of them were basic, what did he do for a living, why was he here, what was he most excited for, blah, blah, blah. The next question, however, gave him pause.
“Who do you think will be your biggest competition?”
Jungkook stared at him with wide eyes. “How am I supposed to know? I’ve barely talked to them.”
He saw Namjoon’s cheeks quirk up in amusement, but Yoongi’s eyes were hard and insistent as he waved his hand forward to urge Jungkook to keep talking.
“But if you had to pick someone?”
Jungkook mulled that over. “I don’t know. Park Jimin, I guess.”
Yoongi seemed satisfied that Jungkook gave him an answer, leaning back against his seat as he studied Jungkook carefully. He could tell Namjoon was zooming in on his face, capturing his reaction.
“Why do you say that?”
“Because he’s beautiful. Probably the most beautiful person here.”
“Are you calling Taehyung shallow? That all he cares about are good looks?”
Jungkook’s face turned to shock. “What? Shallow? I didn’t say he was shallow. I wasn’t even talking about Taehyung. What I said had nothing to do with Taehyung. I was just calling Jimin good looking.”
Yoongi seemed overly smug and pleased with Jungkook’s answer and something hot and heavy sunk into his stomach. He didn't like that look at all.
“You’ve been great, Jungkook, thank you.”
Uneasy, Jungkook stood up from the stool and walked quickly out of the room. Some camera people told him to go wait in the living room with the rest of the contestants and handed him a flute of champagne. Hoseok came around the corner, dabbed at his shining cheeks, and then shooed him on his way.
Mind a little cluttered-what even was that?-Jungkook entered the living room to find the other twenty-three contestants all situated around the elongated ‘u’ shaped couch, with a few people standing behind it. His cheeks heated with all the burning gazes on him and he heard a girl grumble as he passed and sat down on the middle right of the couch per a cameraman’s orders.
“Why did he take so long? Everyone only got a few minutes. He’s been gone for like, ten.”
The girl next to her agreed, eyes dangerous as they roved over Jungkook. He forced himself not to look in their direction or at the many eyes burning holes into his skin and instead stared at the auburn bubbles in his glass.
Jungkook saw Namjoon and Yoongi enter the room from his periphery, several other cameramen in the room as well, shooting from all angles to get all the reactions.
The producers were suddenly calling for everyone’s attention and announced that the cocktail party would officially begin in a moment once Kim Seokjin came in first followed by Kim Taehyung.
Jungkook didn’t understand why someone had to come in and announce that this was a cocktail party, but whatever. It wasn’t for his benefit anyway. It was for the viewer in case someone happened to come across the channel at the time. Jungkook shifted nervously and felt sweat bead at his temples.
At least the attention was off him for now.
A few seconds later, the man Jungkook recognized from television named Kim Seokjin was entering the room. He was essentially the host of the Bachelor and Jungkook was stunned by how beautiful he was. It made sense why he was the host. He was like the living embodiment of a rose itself.
“Hello ladies and gentlemen.” His voice was smooth and gentle, eased with many years of practice. “Welcome to the Bachelor! Tonight is the first night of many in the journey to find love, to win over the heart of Kim Taehyung. Will you go on to find love with Taehyung or will you leave tonight? Broken hearted and given no chance?”
Jungkook had to stop himself from laughing out loud. How did people believe this nonsense ?
“We have twenty-four lovely ladies and handsome men. Will Taehyung find love with one of them? Tune in to see.”
Kim Seokjin then turned to address the contestants, roving his eyes over the crowd as he pointedly displayed the rose on the table.
“As you know, there will be a first impression rose given out tonight. A rose that Kim Taehyung will grant to the person who makes the first memorable connection. Good luck to all of you. To love!”
“To love!” they all chorused back. Jungkook saw several others practically downing their drinks. He took a very small sip before resting the bottom on his thigh. Getting drunk would ruin his chances faster than talking to Yoongi would.
“Now, the person you’ve been waiting for-our bachelor, Kim Taehyung!”
A few moments later, Taehyung was striding around the corner, seeming to shine and glow under the lights. His white suit was wrinkle-free and it showed off the slimness of his waist and the powder on his cheeks. Jungkook felt his mouth go a little dry and took another small sip of champagne.
He accepted his own glass of champagne from Kim Seokjin, gave the other man a firm handshake and then took center position, several cameras trained on his face and body while the others were trained on the audience. The girl next to Jungkook immediately perked up, a too bright smile adorning her face as soon as Taehyung was present.
It made Jungkook want to barf.
Instead he took another minuscule sip of champagne, eyes glued to Taehyung like everyone else.
“Hello, everyone.” He smiled graciously, a nice, almost rectangular looking smile that brightened his whole face. “Being on the Bachelor is hard. Trust me, I would know.” He took a dramatic pause to let his words soak in. “Being on Jihoon’s season last time made me learn a lot about myself and a lot about this process.” He swept one long, tan arm out theatrically, taking in the interior of the mansion and the rose placed strategically on the table. Jungkook noticed Namjoon’s lens focusing in on it directly.
“But I’ve also learned that while this process can be difficult, it can also be really, really rewarding.” He turned his warm gaze on the twenty-four of them and Jungkook’s stomach swooped when they made eye contact briefly before Taehyung was moving on.
“I’m here to find love. I’m here to find the person I want to spend my forever with. I’m here to find someone special.” Taehyung swallowed and Jungkook watched the small rise and fall of his Adam’s apple bob. “I’m here for something genuine and something real. And if you’re not-” Taehyung paused again, licking his lips- “you can walk out the door right now and not look back.”
The girl next to Jungkook gasped and several others shifted from foot to foot, perturbed and preening as the cameras focused on them. Jungkook frowned. God, he hated these people.
“Great!” Taehyung said exuberantly, a rectangular smile returning when no one so much as twitched a muscle. “Then I look forward to talking to you, getting to know you, and for you to get to know me.”
He raised his hand, holding his champagne flute loftily, his cheeks glowing and his eyes filled with fervor. “To love!”
Jungkook reluctantly raised his hand. The whole group parroted back at the bachelor.
“To love!”
Immediately after the shoot, the producers stopped everyone and asked certain people to shift. Confused, Jungkook watched as people shifted around and as Yoongi directed Namjoon to get certain angles on certain people's faces.
Ahhh, so they were retroactively going to edit in people's frowns or disturbed poses not in real time. He supposed it made sense even if it did want to make him chuck his champagne flute into the producer’s smug face.
The camera angles took more time than Jungkook anticipated. Finally, the director gave the go ahead and everyone’s eyes returned to Taehyung’s sheepish face.
The girl next to him, the girl with the fake smile and the bubble gum lips and the fire-engine red dress immediately stood up and extended a small hand.
“Walk with me, Taehyung-ah?”
Taehyung seemed a little frazzled as the rest of the group twittered angrily, some guy to Jungkook’s left going so far as to glare and cross his arms petulantly as Taehyung nodded, enclosing his hand in the girl’s as they stepped out of the room.
Immediately the camera’s were back on them and Yoongi’s voice was filtering into the room. “How did that make all of you feel just now? Was that fair? Do you think Rose will get the first impression rose?”
Almost instantaneously, people were turning to their neighbors to discuss this abhorrent and completely predictable turn of events.
“Can you even believe the nerve?”
“That girl is just asking for an x on her back.”
“Poor Taehyung didn't even get the chance to decide for himself who he wanted to talk to frist! It could have been me!”
“How inconsiderate to not even take in what the rest of us wanted to do-”
Jungkook immediately tried his best to tune out all the complete and utter idiots around him. Didn’t they see that they were falling right into this whole show’s trap?
Aggravated beyond belief and antsy enough for his legs to bounce erratically, it took him a minute to notice a burning pair of eyes on him.
He turned his head to the right to take in the sultry stare of Park Jimin himself. Now that he had more time and wasn’t constrained in a goddamn limo he was able to take in Jimin’s features more closely. Black shiny hair, crescent eyes, plump lips, cherubic features, muscular arms but a small frame. He really was beautiful.
Jimin gave him a small smile and scooted over the now empty space on the couch so that he was perched next to Jungkook.
“Hello,” he said with a bright smile. His voice was higher than Jungkook anticipated, like bells. It made him all the more alluring.
“Hi,” Jungkook responded shortly.
“You seem uncomfortable,” Jimin stated, leaning back against the cushions as he studied Jungkook inquisitively.
Jungkook didn’t know why Jimin had pegged him out of the crowd as someone he specifically wanted to talk to, but thankfully most of the other contestants still seemed preoccupied with the conversation starter Producer Min Yoongi had so artfully conducted. Most of the cameras were trained on the groups vehemently complaining and not on Jungkook and Jimin, and it made a small, relieved breath escape him.
He wasn’t dumb enough to think he was in the clear, he was in a Big Brother 1984 style situation- voluntarily- he needed to remind himself- do it for the music- but they were still wearing microphones. Even if the cameras weren’t directly doing a close up focus on their faces, this moment and his words were still being captured and monitored. He couldn’t forget that.
“I am uncomfortable,” he responded honestly, “that girl didn’t do anything wrong. Isn't that why we’re all here? That producer is just trying to cause a stir.”
“Well, yeah,” Jimin agreed, “of course he’s trying to cause a stir. No drama on the Bachelor equals less ratings. It would be like a dried up lake.”
Jungkook raised his eyebrows at him. “So you don’t think that girl was in the wrong?”
“Rose? Nah, she seems brave to me. It’s hard to make yourself a target this early in the game.”
Interesting that Jimin perceived this whole process as a game.
“A game?” he prompted.
“Isn’t love always?” Jimin responded cheekily, giving Jungkook a wink before he was downing the rest of his champagne like it was tepid water, straightening his mermaid like suit and promptly leaving the room. Jungkook stared after him, bewildered, the bubbles in his champagne still popping as he saw Yoongi alerting Namjoon and they hurriedly followed the beautiful man out.
Well. That was interesting.
Jungkook spent the rest of the terribly long and terribly tedious evening trying not to listen to people’s asinine conversations and mostly failing since they were purposefully so loud and avoiding getting sucked into all and any drama.
Several girls approached him and asked him what he thought of Rose and how inconsiderate she was to which Jungkook just snorted and left immediately. The guy with the crossed arms and the pissed expression came over and demanded to know why Jungkook’s introduction took so much longer than everyone else to which Jungkook avoided the topic all together by asking the dude about his workout routine. That had easily become the longest fifteen minutes of Jungkook’s life (although he would have to try that bicep routine that he mentioned).
Finally, when Jungkook could tell that the night was winding down-how many hours had it been?- he set out to look for Taehyung. It seemed as if most people had gotten to talk to him at this point, but Jungkook had wanted to wait. Firstly, because all the people that jumped on Taehyung in the beginning had much higher chances of being interrupted sooner by other contestants, and Jungkook absolutely did not want to be overheard.
Secondly, if Jungkook’s plan backfired miserably at least he would go home right after and not have to sit through the painful uncertainty of how it was going to play out. At least he had thought that far ahead.
He found Taehyung eventually, in a secluded corner of the enormous gardens as a part of the mansion’s sprawling backyard. There were a few people milling by the pool, their voices saturated and elevated with alcohol and they paid him little to no heed as he passed them purposefully.
Taehyung had a fuzzy blanket situated over his lap and one of his elbows was leaning back against the cushion of the seat, his head resting on the curve of his palm, his hair falling into his eyes and his amber gaze illuminated by the warmly lit fire situated next to him in the outside marble fireplace.
Jungkook could tell that Taehyung was trying his hardest to appear interested and alert, but there were already lines of exhaustion lining his face, his head leaning a little too heavily into his palm, his eyelids half-lidded as he listened to some goon drone on and on about God knows what.
It was time.
As he stepped forward, smoothly interrupting their conversation, Taehyung’s head immediately perked up as Jungkook made his appearance, he noticed several cameramen and producers behind one of the pillars. He had no doubt that they had a perfect view of whatever shenanigans Taehyung got up to but at least they tried to award him the illusion of privacy.
Try being the key word here.
Well, he knew going into this that what he was going to say to Taehyung would be captured on film anyway. He crossed his fingers and hoped that the internet wouldn’t absolutely despise him after this if it all went to shit.
The nameless goon seemed disgruntled, but reluctantly got up, kissing Taehyung on the hand, and childishly marched away, his shoulder “accidentally” bumping into Jungkook’s as he went by.
“What a dick,” Jungkook remarked casually as he sat down, not touching Taehyung’s thigh with his own but only a hair’s width apart. He lifted a corner of the blanket Taehyung wasn’t using and settled it on his own legs. It was downright cold in California at night when the sun went down. They didn’t show you that in all the Hollywood movies.
Taehyung’s smile seemed amused, but slightly closed off, his eyes guarded as he raised his own gaze to Jungkook’s.
“I was wondering when you were going to come find me, music boy.”
Jungkook grinned, showing his teeth, and could practically feel the lens of the camera burning into the side of his face. “Sorry it took me so long.”
Taehyung just grinned and shook his head, dislodging his perfect hair as he leaned back and assessed Jungkook. He plucked his champagne flute off the side table and took a small sip before putting it back. Jungkook appreciated that Taehyung had enough tolerance and control not to be a drunken mess after dealing with a night like tonight.
He certainly didn’t know if he could do the same if he were in Taehyung’s position.
“So tell me about yourself, Jeon Jungkook, other than that you obviously have a good voice and that your smile makes you look like a bunny.”
That gave Jungkook pause. “I-you.” He coughed. “Bunny?”
Taehyung just laughed and it made Jungkook’s skin tingle. It was such a throaty, deep laugh, genuine and carefree.
“No one’s ever told you that? Your eyes scrunch up and your teeth…”
Jungkook covered his mouth with his hand, suddenly embarrassed. He could tell his cheeks were heating up in a blush. Damn, he loathed that he got flustered so easily.
“I know, I know. My teeth are huge.”
Taehyung laughed again, eyes apologetic. “No, no, they’re cute! I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything. Please don’t cover your mouth.” He leaned his hand over and gently clasped Jungkook’s in his own, pulling it down and away from Jungkook’s mouth so that it was resting on his blanket clad lap instead.
Jungkook swallowed. Oh. So him and Taehyung were holding hands. Okay. Not according to plan, but okay.
Taehyung gave him an encouraging smile and squeezed his hand, and Jungkook let out a breath and steeled his nerve. It was now or never. This was either going to launch his music career or end it. There was no turning back.
“So, about that. I have a proposition for you, Kim Taehyung.”
Taehyung’s eyebrows shot up and Jungkook could tell that he wasn’t expecting that. He shifted slightly so that more of his body was facing Jungkook’s. At least he was already more engaged in this conversation than he had been with that other guy.
“Like,” Taehyung trailed off and then cleared his throat, “like a sexual proposition?”
That made Jungkook blush even harder. “What! No, no, definitely not a sexual proposition, what-why would you think that?”
Taehyung gestured at their hands and the blanket over both of them and the cozy, romantic fireplace merrily crackingly away. “Because we’re here, and you look like that, and we’re on the Bachelor.”
Jungkook’s brain was getting stuck and he was having a hard time focusing.
“Well, that’s not what I was going to say, what I was going to say-wait. What about how I look?”
Now it was Taehyung’s turn to blush. A lovely pinkish hue rising to his cheeks. Jungkook couldn’t help but admire how good it looked on him.
“You’re hot. You have to know that. Bunny smile and all.”
Jungkook’s face must have been a tomato. A strawberry. A blistering sunburn. Why were his thoughts so scattered around the Bachelor?
“Oh. Well, that’s nice...thank you.”
He could tell Taehyung was struggling to hold back laughter, his eyes dancing merrily, the reflection of the flames framing his pupils. “You’re a master conversationalist, aren’t you?”
Jungkook choked on his own spit and Taehyung leaned forward to pat him on the back. He took a second to collect himself.
“That’s not-that’s beside the point. Can I get back to my non-sexual proposition?”
Taehyung’s mouth pressed together in mirth but he nodded.
“Of course, of course, I’m sorry.”
Jungkook blew out a breath. “Right.” He took another few seconds to collect himself and clear his mind. “Okay, so you asked for honesty and genuinity, right?”
Taehyung’s smile immediately lessened, the guarded look already back in his gaze. “Yeah?”
“Right. Well, then I want to be honest and genuine with you. Because you seem like a nice person and I think we can help each other.”
“Where are you going with this, Jungkook?”
Gone was the teasing lilt to Taehyung’s voice, the merriment on his lips, the crinkle in his eyes. Now he just seemed guarded and weary, too tired after a long night of small talk and cameras and people ogling him.
Here goes nothing, he thought.
“I’m not here for love,” he managed to blurt out. “I have no interest in love. I don’t want to get married and I certainly don’t want a family right now. I’m here because I’m passionate about my music and despite my best attempts for two years now, nothing has gotten me off the ground running. All I need is a shot, some recognition. I thought this would be a good way to get it, get my face and my voice out there. I don’t need to be famous or anything, but you know- a small record deal, maybe a few thousand instagram followers-”
Taehyung finally raised his hand, effectively silencing Jungkook’s tirade. There was the oddest expression on his face, like he had bitten into something extremely sour. He slowly pulled his hand out of Jungkook’s. Jungkook immediately missed the warmth and curled his now empty hand into a fist.
“Let me get this straight,” his voice was flatter than a board. He pointed to himself. “You’re not here for me. You’re here for your music career?”
Jungkook nodded emphatically. “Exactly.”
A muscle in Taehyung’s jaw twitched. Jungkook abstractly realized that Taehyung had a very nice jawline.
“And how, pray tell, does that help me?” His voice was positively icy. Jungkook had to refrain from flinching back. So far, not so good. He willed himself not to start sweating nervously.
“So from what I can tell,” he began breathily, trying to earnestly meet Taehyung’s gaze. “Most bachelors or bachelorettes have a hard time figuring out the truth of some people.”
Taehyung just stared at him.
Jungkook hurried to explain. “Take last season for example, the season you were on with Jihoon. Everyone in the house knew Jake was a complete asswipe, but the people that mentioned this to Jihoon got kicked off because she couldn’t figure out who was lying. Were they lying because they were jealous and insecure? Was Jake lying and manipulating her? Every season there’s always someone who toes the line and it often gets the whole house involved. The bachelor then has this huge issue of who to trust since everyone has ulterior motives. You don’t know who is looking out for themselves or their friends or who is actually being honest.”
Now Taehyung just seemed confused and skeptical. He was still staring at Jungkook as if he had grown a second head.
“What does that have to do with anything?” His arms were crossed defensively and his jaw was tight. God, Jungkook hoped this turned around. He could see the angry tweets already lining up in his messages.
“I can be your mole, Taehyung. Since I’m not interested in love or marriage, I have no reason to deceive you. I can tell you who’s lying, who’s not, and where people’s loyalties lie. If something comes up I can get to the bottom of it so that it doesn’t turn into a fat mess that you’ll have to clean up. I can be your insider so that you can focus on finding that special person that you’re looking for so badly.”
Jungkook finished with a big breath and then let it out. Taehyung’s face was unreadable when Jungkook finally mustered enough courage to glance up at him under his lashes.
“I-I know it sounds crazy,” he continued, his heart beating erratically, “but this is it. This is me. I have no ulterior motives. If you keep me, I’ll get the attention I need for my music and in return I can tell you about everyone else so that you can find love. True love.”
“How do I know you won’t lie?” Taehyung finally asked, his voice low and his eyes turned to this side. His body was stiff and unforgiving and Jungkook could read the rejection all over him.
“Why would I?” Jungkook asked quietly. “I would have absolutely no reason to. I would trust you and you would trust me. It would be the perfect quid pro quo situation.”
Jungkook fell silent and Taehyung didn’t move and didn’t talk. They both sat there, breathing quietly and Jungkook’s heart eventually evened out. He had done it. He had said his peace. It would be up to Taehyung now. He was pretty sure he knew his answer already, but there was still the Rose Ceremony to go.
Jungkook stood up, took the extra blanket and gently laid it on Taehyung, who huffed but didn’t comment.
He walked a few strides before turning around.
“I know it’s weird, and I know it’s obviously not what you thought would come from this conversation. But regardless if you keep me or not, and I understand if you send me home, I thought you should know that I was talking to Shayne earlier.”
Taehyung hesitantly looked at him, mouth turned down. The champagne flute was back in his hand. His lips glistened with the fluid.
“Shayne?”
“Yeah,” he said slowly. “I was talking to him earlier in the kitchen. He’s super attractive obviously, but he was bragging that he was the first one to kiss you and that he would be the first one to bone you too.” Taehyung’s eyes widened and his cheeks went red. “Went into pretty graphic detail, actually. Said you were something he had his eyes on and that he never backed down from a challenge. Kinda made it seem like he had placed some bets back home on it. Just thought you should know.”
Taehyung’s mouth was agape and his eyes were big and lonely and confused.
Jungkook turned around and began walking.
“Wait, Jungkook!”
Jungkook turned to find Taehyung halfway out of the loveseat, one leg still curled and one leg standing up. His face looked frantic. A bit of his champagne sloshed over the side.
“Why would you tell me that? I didn’t agree to the deal.”
Jungkook shrugged. “I know. Just because I’m not looking for love doesn’t mean that I don’t think you should find it yourself. Shayne is a dickhole and you deserve better.”
Taehyung’s shoulders rose defensively as his eyes narrowed. “You don’t even know me.”
“I know you deserve better than Shayne,” he answered honestly. “Everyone deserves better than a guy going into explicit detail about how he could fuck you against the counter if he could and how loud you would moan.”
Taehyung’s mouth dropped open again and Jungkook gave him an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry. For everything. I really do wish you the best.”
And with that he walked away, leaving Taehyung alone and glowing next to the fire, his face crestfallen and his eyes hard.
***
Jungkook was unsurprised to find that the first impression rose went to Jimin. When producer Min Yoongi gathered them all back into the main sitting area so that Kim Seokjin could come back in and moronically explain what the single, stupid rose signified followed up by a guarded looking Taehyung, Jungkook couldn’t help the uncomfortable squirming in his chest.
He was going home. He had failed. His music career was more than dead. It was underground, buried and cold and full of worms. He would never become famous, never live out the life of music that he had envisioned for himself. He had promised his parents that if he wasn’t somewhat successful by this December that he would go back to school and finish his Business degree.
When he had persuaded them to let him temporarily drop out of college in order to pursue music, they were obviously less than thrilled. Two years of playing on street corners and no name dingy bars and spending most of his savings on an EP he was pretty sure about a grand total of seven people had listened to filled him with such a complete sense of failure that it was almost debilitating.
It was crushing. Jungkook felt raw with humiliation. He couldn’t wait for the Rose Ceremony to occur so that he could at least go home and sleep in his own bed before making that dreaded phone call to his parents.
God, his father was going to be unbearable.
In his miserable state, Jungkook missed the way Taehyung was studying him as Kim Seokjin explained what the rose meant. He did, however, catch the delighted blush on Jimin’s cheeks when Taehyung asked him to follow him outside.
Jungkook watched as they retreated, saw how Rose glared daggers fit enough to draw blood at Jimin’s back while the girl next to her, Jennie, simply looked sad and put out, but determined, a kind of fire in her eyes that Jungkook wished he possessed himself.
Absentmindedly, Jungkook realized that Jimin and Taehyung would make the perfect couple, with Taehyung’s smooth golden honey skin and Jimin’s dark hair, their sizable height difference, and the way that Jimin’s much smaller hand seemed to be comfortably engulfed with Taehyung’s long fingers. He could see the viewers already shipping them, gobbling up their time together voraciously.
Jungkook could feel the ghost of those fingers against his own and grabbed another flute of champagne. God, he couldn’t wait until this night was officially over. He needed a good cry, a hot shower, and the comfort of his own sheets and pillow.
Jimin and Taehyung were gone for about fifteen minutes. During that time, several producers called contestants over for interviews and questions. Jungkook tried his best to avoid all eye contact, even going so far as to hide out in the kitchen next to the spinach dip, but alas, Hoseok managed to find him.
“Ah, there you are! Can you please come with me for a second so I can touch you up before your interview?”
Jungkook shoveled spinach dip into his mouth as Hoseok watched him with sad eyes and turned down lips.
“Why bother? I’m going home anyway.”
Hoseok stared at him. He reached one hand out and rested it on Jungkook’s shoulder. “You sure? You never know. Taehyung is pretty unpredictable. You might want to look your best.”
Jungkook scoffed and a bit of chip fell out of his mouth. Both him and Hoseok stared at it dejectedly as it fell with a plop onto the countertop.
“Well,” the makeup artist trailed off, his face full of pity, “if you’re sure. I’ll be around touching up other people if you change your mind.”
Jungkook nodded but didn’t answer verbally. There was nothing else to say.
He thought he had managed to escape Producer Min Yoongi and the cameraman that seemed assigned to him, Kim Namjoon, but his luck seemed to have vanished the second Taehyung took his warmth with him, his eyes cold and desolate as he listened to Jungkook explain how he didn’t want him.
God, he was such an idiot. A pathetic, desperate musician.
“Jungkook, a quick word before the Rose Ceremony, please?” His stature was small but he radiated power and control. Namjoon gave him a small smile over Yoongi’s shoulder as Jungkook followed them back to that horrid side interview room from the beginning of the night.
He gingerly sat back on the stool, the candles almost burning too low now, and couldn’t help the wince as Namjoon fixed the light refractors and adjusted his camera direction.
“So, Jungkook. ‘Here for the right reasons’ is a popular saying on the Bachelor. It means that you’re here for love, to get married. You made it very clear that you’re not here for that. Is that correct?”
Jungkook felt no need to lie. “Yeah,” he croaked.
“You propositioned Taehyung with being his confidante if he kept you on the show. How did you think that conversation was going to turn out?”
Jungkook shrugged and picked at a loose string on his suit pants. “I wasn’t sure. Obviously, I know it’s not ideal, but I needed to try.”
“For your music career, yes?”
“Yeah.”
Yoongi seemed satisfied with his answers so far, his brown eyes intelligent and calculating as they studied him. Jungkook tried his best not to squirm under his gaze and was mostly sure he failed since Namjoon had to keep shifting the cameras.
“What do you think will happen at the Rose Ceremony tonight?”
Jungkook glared at him, his hand petulantly falling from his thigh. “I’ll be going home obviously. Taehyung wants to find love. I don’t blame him.”
He could have sworn Yoongi’s eyes gleamed. “So, you’re not angry?”
Jungkook blew out a frustrated breath. “Of course I’m angry. But it’s anger at myself rather than at Taehyung. He’s just trying to do what this show is ‘supposed’ to do,” Jungkook bit out, air quotes and all.
“What do you mean by that?” Yoongi asked smoothly and Jungkook suddenly got the impression that he was treading on some very thin ice.
“Nothing,” Jungkook scowled. “I don’t have anything else to say.”
Yoongi tried to coax a few things out of him to which Jungkook stared staunchly back. Eventually, Yoongi signaled Namjoon and he turned off the camera. Jungkook gave a sigh of relief and leapt from the stool. He could practically feel his sheets calling his name at this point. That and a very large pint of cookie dough ice cream that would set his gym routine back a week.
Jungkook was about to leave the room, head low, when Yoongi spoke up.
“Hey, kid.”
He paused and turned around, eyebrows quirked in confusion. His eyes darted to the camera and the blinking red light was still off. Namjoon was in the corner guzzling a bottle of water and paying them no attention.
“No hard feelings, yeah? It's my job to get under your skin. Doesn’t mean I enjoy it all the time. For what it’s worth you did a good job.”
Jungook held back a growl as he crossed his arms, Yoongi’s eyes earnest as they bored into Jungkook’s. “If you don’t like it, then why do you do it?”
“It’s my job,” Yoongi explained simply. “There’s a lot more of why I’m doing what I’m doing, but I’m not going to get into that. I just wanted to tell you that you did a good job. And I think Taehyung could be good for someone like you.”
Jungkook laughed sardonically and Namjoon looked up from his now empty water bottle from the side at the sound. “I’m not here for love, Producer Min.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Yoongi said, waving Jungkook’s words away impatiently. “I’m just saying. Also, don’t call me producer. That makes me want to puke. Just call me hyung since I’m older than you.”
“Well, I’ll be leaving tonight so I won’t be calling you anything.”
Yoongi gave him a calculating look before waving him off. “Whatever, get out of here. The Rose Ceremony is going to start soon.”
Grumbling under his breath, Jungkook waved at Namjoon before he could stop himself-just cause he wanted to punch Yoongi in the face didn’t mean Namjoon should suffer from poor manners- before stalking out of the room. What the hell was that? The producer had seemed nothing but sneaky and manipulative, but just now...he seemed real. So real and kind that it made Jungkook’s heart squeeze tightly in his chest.
Well, whatever. It didn’t matter anyway since he would be leaving regardless.
True to Yoongi’s words, the crew gathered up the rest of the contestants shortly after so that they could all congregate in one room for the Rose Ceremony. They took about ten minutes to arrange them all carefully in some order that Jungkook could not figure out the purpose of while Hoseok sporadically went from contestant to contestant, reapplying lip gloss and fixing hair and pampering cheeks and foreheads with powder.
Despite his protests, Hoseok ran his fingers through Jungkook’s hair, dashed a bit of powder on his nose, gave him a brilliant smile, and then dashed off again. Jungkook hid his smile into the collar of his suit and observed as everyone else got into place. Jimin was slightly over to the side, rose pinned perfectly to his mermaid lapel, and his lips seemed plump and cherry red. Like they had been kissed. Possibly by Taehyung.
The thought made him tremble for some reason so he looked away.
Yoongi stepped up, explained the process and then signaled the countdown to start. Everyone moved around him, straightening their backs, clearing their throats, shifting their feet. Eventually, Yoongi counted down to one finger and the flashing red lights of the cameras were rolling.
Kim Seokjin, resplaid in a stunning baby blue suit now with a white rose pinned to his lapel, announced the bachelor and Taehyung rounded the corner, seeming much more relaxed and calm, the sparkle back in his eye as he took in the room and then stopped a few feet away from them, right next to the end table inlaid with a silver tray that was holding fifteen roses, the sixteenth already hanging proud and beautiful on Jimin’s chest like a trophy.
That meant eight of them were going home. No doubt Jungkook being one of them. There was something especially humiliating about going home the first night, it was in everyone’s eyes, how they held themselves, how desperate they were to stay and prove their character.
At least Jungkook wouldn’t have to deal with all the cameras constantly in his face soon enough.
Taehyung cleared his throat and all eyes invariably turned to him. It wasn’t difficult. He was beautiful, the lights shining overhead so that he appeared like a beacon. His lips were soft and pink and his eyes were tired but kind as he smiled at them, forming a rectangular grin.
“So, I know tonight was a roller coaster. Remember that I’ve been in your shoes,” he gently grinned, “I remember how long and tedious these nights can be, how painfully awkward and exhausting. So, I want to thank you for being here, for knowing that I’m worth it and that I’m waiting to get to know you, that I want to find love just as badly as you do. And that you are good enough, no matter what happens.” He smiled again and Jennie all but swooned next to Jungkook on the right. Tehyung could definitely be a charmer then.
“However,” he continued, a bit of an edge entering his deep voice, “also know that I’m not here looking for someone to waste my time. I’m looking for something real and something special. I told you at the beginning that I want nothing but genuine sincerity and honesty. Most of you gave that to me.” His eyes twinkled dangerously. “But some of you still seem like you’re playing games. And I’m done with games.”
With that, Taehyung smiled at them angelically and picked up the first rose, almost too perfect in shape and color. Jungkook briefly wondered in the back of his mind if they were fake flowers.
“Rose.”
Haughtily, Rose muttered a saccharine ‘excuse me’ to another contestant before making her way over to Taehyung, lips and eyes smug as she swayed her hips over to the bachelor.
“Rose, do you accept this...rose?” Taehyung said with a stifled giggle, eyes bright.
Jungkook held back a snort. Taehyung was kind of a dork.
Rose either didn’t understand the pun or didn't care as she leaned forward and embraced Taehyung a little too tightly after he had pinned the rose to her dress. “Of course,” she said sweetly, before making her way back to the stands, her body undulating with each step.
This went on for quite some time. Jungkook didn’t even bother learning some of the people's names as Taehyung called them forward, asking if they would take his rose before they inevitably accepted. He could see the cameras shifting every which way, moving left to right, right to left, up and down in order to capture everyone's expression, the darkening faces on people as Taehyung got all the way down to two roses.
Taehyung seemed to hesitate for a moment, scanning the crowd before picking up the second to last rose. “Jennie,” he said softly.
Jungkook gave her an encouraging smile as she stepped down next to him to go greet Taehyung. She seemed nice. Jungkook would root for her and Jimin once he was watching this show in the spring, eating potato chips from the bag on his couch and no doubt being suffocated under the business homework he would have no question had been assigned.
He repressed a shudder.
Once there was only one rose left and Jennie returned to her rightful spot, Kim Seokjin came back into the picture, his eyes wide and dramatic as he clasped his hands together. He seemed to be enjoying himself immensely.
“This is the final rose of the evening, ladies and gentlemen! If you do not receive a rose, you will be going home.” He turned and beckoned Taehyung to continue. “Taehyung?”
Taehyung nodded, and took back his place. Jungkook couldn’t help but roll his eyes at the ludicrousness of the whole predicament. Everyone could see the single rose with their own eyes, they didn’t need to announce it like they were kindergarteners. Dramatic bastards.
Everyone held their breath as Taehyung slowly and carefully picked up the last rose. He seemed troublingly contemplative, twirling the short stem around in his lithe fingers. He blew out a breath and lifted his head, looking into the faces of the nine remaining people, letting his eyes linger from one face to the next.
He paused and his eyes landed on Jungkook’s.
Jungkook stared back. Time seemed suspended as Taehyung opened his mouth.
“Jeon Jungkook.”
Jungkook just stood there numbly, looking into Taehyung’s eyes from across the room. No. There was no way. Taehyung didn’t accept the deal. He seemed very clear on how he felt about it actually. What was happening? Why had he changed his mind?
It wasn’t until Jennie nudged his side with her pointy elbow that he stepped down from the step with the grace of a baby giraffe and walked stiffly over to Taehyung. Taehyung’s eyes were huge and murky as they stared into Jungkook’s own, his face as smooth as alabaster.
Jungkook couldn’t read him, didn’t know what was happening.
“Jeon Jungkook,” he whispered, and Jungkook felt the shift in the room as the cameras zoned in on them, on Taehyung’s soft voice. “Do you accept this rose?”
Jungkook felt like he had lost the ability of speech. His throat seemed sticky with molasses, unable to process words with his vocal chords. His heart was about to beat out of his chest and the gazes of all the people behind him was making the back of his neck tingle.
He stared at Taehyung, looking for answers and finding only more questions.
But this was it, the chance he had been looking for. Who knows how long it would last or why Taehyung changed his mind, but Jungkook was being given a golden opportunity. This was his time to shine, to make himself into the musician he wanted to be.
He swallowed down the molasses and stared straight back into Taehyung’s unreadable depths.
“I do.”
Taehyung pinned it achingly slowly onto his suit jacket and they exchanged the briefest, most tense one sided hug before Jungkook was scrambling back to his position. Jennie gave him a smile and a thumbs up and Jungkook focused on not trying to faint or throw up.
Oh my god. Oh my god , he was staying.
Holy shit he might just become a musician and not have to call his parents and finish a degree he didn’t want after all. He focused on his breathing and his rib cage seemed suddenly able to expand twice the size.
He felt optimistic and himself again. Now just to figure out what the hell was going on and what it meant for him and Taehyung.
The eight remaining contestants who did not receive a rose said fake, weepy goodbyes to people they barely knew and probably hated now before making their way over to an apologetic looking Taehyung. Some exchanged hugs and some just gave each other nods of acknowledgement and a simple goodbye.
Soon enough the remaining contestants were gathered into a circle and more flutes of champagne were passed around. Jungkook grumbled when someone stepped on his foot and someone else spilled on him, but he was still here .
He still had a chance.
They gave a toast with Taehyung leading the cheer and then clinked glasses. Jungkook brought the flute to his mouth, and amongst the jubilant chatter and the hum of cameras and the bark of cameramen and producers in the background, all Jungkook could focus on was the heated eyes of Taehyung’s amber gaze over the translucent lid of his glass boring into his own.