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"Did I not make myself clear when I said no earlier?"
Hoseok raises an eyebrow as he comes closer to where his friends are sitting. He chooses the empty seat beside Namjoon who was busy reading something. Yoongi, for some reason, has a scowl on his face while his younger friends, Jimin, Taehyung and Jungkook are whining beside him.
"What's going on?" Hoseok whispers to Namjoon but his friend just raises the pamphlet he was reading.
How to use the Necomimi Brainwave Cat Ears
His eyes then immediately go to the cat ears in Jimin's hand. "Oh- that's cute." he mumbles to himself but it was just loud enough for Yoongi to hear.
"You think it's cute? You wear it then." Yoongi says in the most deadpanned voice.
"Why won't you wear it?" Hoseok reaches for it and places it on his head. "It won't electricute me or something right?" he whispers to Namjoon.
Shaking his head while flashing Hoseok a dimpled smile, Namjoon answers with, "No, it will just read your brainwaves-" The ears start moving as the other listens to him with an expecting smile. "Just like that!"
"Oh!" Hoseok exclaims in excitement as he feels the ears moving back and forth. "So it just moves whenever I get excited about something?"
"Well, based on the reviews, they perk up when you are focused, they droop when you are relaxed, and-" Namjoon smiles wider when he sees the ears moving faster as Hoseok focuses on him. "They move fast like that when you are excited or happy."
"I am happy." he giggles as he takes it off and hands it back to Jimin.
"Now you've seen it work on someone else aside you three- will you please stop bugging me?" Yoongi looks away and refuses to look back at his younger friends who has now started whining beside him.
"It's Hoseok-hyung! Even without the ears, we know when he is happy!" Taehyung complains as he holds Yoongi's arm and shakes it as a way to plead before looking at Hoseok. "And that is always, btw." He smiles sweetly before going back to shaking Yoongi's arm. "Come on! I will hold your hand the whole day if you wear it!"
Yoongi's eyebrows furrow at that. "I don't like holding hands."
"See? We would've known that if you were wearing the ears." Taehyung whines a little louder."
"Then let me tell you what will happen if you make me wear that- nothing." He smiles at them sweetly. "It will probably only start moving when you leave me alone."
Jimin snorts at that. "Then just wear it then! Prove it to us! We bought this because of you!"
"I already told you what will happen- why do I still have to wear it?" Yoongi sighs. "It's already bad that you think of me as a cat- why do you even want me look the part?"
"Because! It's more fun to see it move. And because Min Yoongi Kitty agenda." Jungkook giggles as he takes the ears from Jimin. "Please, hyung?"
"Will you leave me alone if I wear it?"
The three excitedly nods as they lean closer to him.
Letting out another sigh, he shows his hand towards them but still won't look at his friends. "Fine- but just for five minutes."
They immediately start squealing in delight as Jungkook hands the ears to Yoongi and the elder puts it on him wordlessly. He then looks at his friends with the most blank face that he can.
"Oh my god-" Jimin starts sobbing into Taehyung's shoulder. "He really looks like a cat!"
"Sssh! Focus, Chim- now we get to know if he actually means what he says." Jungkook whispers. "That emotionally-constipated cat will finally be exposed to the whole world." he giggles before looking back at Yoongi. "And now to business."
"Now what?" Yoongi asks, trying to sound as flat as he can to appear uninterested but the ears move up, indicating that he is focused, making the others laugh a bit.
"I think someone is trying too hard to alter their brainwaves." Namjoon chuckles as he leans closer, finally more interested with the item itself, more than the manual.
Yoongi clears his throat and looks away, trying to avoid their watchful eyes.
"I'll start with-" Taehyung takes his hand. "This!"
They all lean closer towards Yoongi in anticipation. And then it happens- the ears move slightly up before moving down and then it stops moving altogether.
"Is that it?" Jungkook blinks.
"It was moving so much more when Hobi-hyung was wearing it, right?" Jimin looks at Yoongi all confused while the other is just trying hard not to smile.
"Hm- what if I do this?" Taehyung asks as he adjusts his hold on Yoongi's hand, interlacing their fingers together.
The ears move slightly back and forth before stopping again, earning a groan from almost everyone except Namjoon.
"Did I break it?" Hoseok asks in a small voice, turning to Namjoon. "Did I make it move too much?"
"No, I doubt that you did." Namjoon reassures him in the most gentle voice, making Hoseok smile.
"But it's still not moving as expected." Jimin moves behind Yoongi to examine it. "Is it the batteries? Does it consume that much in such a short time?"
"I don't think you can use up an entire batch of fresh batteries in just a few minutes." Namjoon answers. "Maybe Yoongi-hyung is telling the truth when he says he is not interested?"
Yoongi smiles at them triamphuntly, the ears moving slightly as he does. "See? I told you guys that it's just nonsense to—"
The door suddenly pushes open. "Hi guys!"
They all turn towards the door except for Taehyung who was still examining the ears- which suddenly started moving back and forth rapidly.
"Oh my god it's moving- IT'S MOVING!" he says in a panic, still keeping his eyes on the ears as he hits Jimin over and over to get his attention.
Everyone's eyes immediately go back to Yoongi who is now looking down, cheeks tinted pink, while the ears are still moving erratically.
"It's moving now!" Jimin claps excitedly.
"What are you guys doing?" Seokjin asks as he comes closer. "I brought you guys drinks, by the way." he smiles sweetly as he puts them on the table in the middle.
"Jungkook excitedly squeals. "O-ho! So all we needed to do was give him coffee!"
Taehyung looks at his hyung suspiciously. "Either that- or it was the one who brought us coffee." He leans closer towards Yoongi but the other just looks away. "Seokjin-hyung didn't immediately say he got drinks, right?"
"What did I do now?" Seokjin whines. "I already brought you guys coffee and this is what I get? I don't even know what is going on!"
"The ears supposedly moves back and forth rapidly when the person wearing it sees something they like or if something pleases them." Namjoon explains as he passes the pamphlet to Seokjin but he just declines it and decides to sit across Yoongi who still can't make eye contact. "But it could also be a fluke? I mean, maybe Yoongi-hyung saw the drinks in hyung's hands immediately?"
"Now the question is- which one is it? The coffee or Seokjin-hyung?" Taehyung looks at Yoongi keenly.
"I have a suggestion how we can find out." Seokjin smiles.
The ears perked up and stayed that way, the same way Yoongi's eyes looked at Seokjin, nervous as to what the other has in mind to test his little theory out.
"Someone's interested." Hoseok whispers to Namjoon but Yoongi seems to have heard it, with the way his eyes suddenly turned towards them with a glare before he clears his throat and leans back.
"It was just the fluke." he says with a straight face but his voice quivers a little making Seokjin smile.
"Okay. If that's the case, then you wouldn't mind me sitting next to you then." Seokjin says innocently as he gets up to sit beside Yoongi instead. "Right?" He asks as he leans closer to the younger one who refuses to meet his eyes again.
And then it happens- the ears perked up, and it shakes a little but mostly stays up, like a puppy who hears the crinkle of their favorite treat being opened up.
"Did our little kitty like that?" Seokjin teases, giving Yoongi a nudge- their friends quick to bite on their lips to stop themselves from laughing out loud at the sight of their hyung with cheeks dusted pink, trying to look as unaffected as he could but the cat ears continue to betray him as it shakes in position.
"I was just flustered." Yoongi clears his throat and the ears droop down. "You took me by surprise. You know that I don't do well with physical affection."
"I'm not being affectionate though." Seokjin muses. "Yet." he smiles, making one of Yoongi's ears move up as he looks at his hyung from his peripherals.
Taehyung props his chin in his palm as he looks at the two of his hyungs. "I don't know if being affectionate helps. I tried holding his hand earlier but it just moved slightly."
"Maybe it depends on who holds his hand." Jimin smiles slyly as Yoongi avoids his gaze but his ears moving back and forth slowly show that he is nervous.
Seokjin grins as he looks at Yoongi. "Yoongi-ya? Can I hold your hand?" He asks in a small voice as he leans to the side to try to meet the other's eyes.
The ears continue moving but when it finally stopped, Yoongi wordlessly gives his hand to Seokjin who gracefully takes it into his, carefully interlacing their fingers together.
The others lean in, watching the ears carefully. It doesn't move for a while and just as they were about to lose interest, the ears who were just drooping move back and forth a little, still pointing down but shaking a little, like how a puppy's tail wags a little when they are shy.
"He likes it." Jungkook nods, satisfied with the results.
"Definitely looks like someone is trying to suppress their emotions." Namjoon smiles, earning a glare from Yoongi.
"Fine- I like holding hands. I like it when people hold my hand." Yoongi confesses as he lets go of Seokjin's hand.
"Personally, I think the whose hand he holds greatly affects his preference for it." Hoseok adds as he takes one of the drinks in the center of the table.
Shaking his head, Yoongi just gets one of the iced coffee as well. "Whatever. All that matters is we have coffee now." He says before taking a sip, the ears immediately moving back and forth as he drinks.
"The ears are moving the same way as they did earlier- does that mean it really was just the drinks?" Jungkook asks, disappointment laced in his voice.
Putting his drink down a bit, Yoongi grins, satisfied. "I told you guys- it really was just-"
The ears suddenly perked up, indicating that he was surprised- and then the sustained position implies that he was focused on what he is currently seeing- which was Seokjin leaning into his drink, taking a sip from his drink, using the same straw he was drinking from.
"What why-"
"I was too lazy to get my own drink." Seokjin smiles.
"The drinks are just right here!" Yoongi exclaims as he gestures to the drinks that are just in front of them but Seokjin just shrugs his shoulders.
"While this has been fun and interesting-" Namjoon gets up as he looks at his watch. "I have a class to go to." He takes one of the drinks before getting his bag. "Thanks for the drinks, hyung. See you guys later!"
"Oh shit- I forgot I have one more class too!" Hoseok almost trips as he gets his bag.
Jungkook laughs at that. "Take care, hyung!"
"What do you mean take care? We're classmates?!"
The youngest eyes widens. "Oh right!" he jumps from his seat and races after Hoseok.
"My class starts in about 30 minutes so I don't have to run." Jimin says as he looks at the time on his phone.
"Want to take the long route while holding hands?" Taehyung whispers to him.
Jimin smiles widely. "You'll walk me to class?" Taehyung nods. "Okay. Bye, hyungs! Clean up here okay?"
Yoongi only watches the last two of his friends skip off to class as he drinks his coffee.
"Your ears have been moving back and forth in a constant speed." Seokjin suddenly notes, making Yoongi remember that there was one more person with him. "It's cute."
He chokes on his drink but he quickly recovers. "Don't you have something else to do?"
"Nope." Seokjin answers, popping the p sound. "Besides, I'm not yet done trying to get my answer."
"What more do you want?" Yoongi asks as he takes another sip. "They almost found out we are dating. Thought you want to keep this from them for now since we are still seeing where things are going?"
"Well, I want to see how you really like things." Seokjin pouts as he adjusts on his seat so he is now facing Yoongi. "Like, for example, do you like it when I play with your hair like this?" he asks as he brushes through Yoongi's hair with his fingers.
The ears slowly move back and forth even though Yoongi has maintained a straight face on, earning a satisified smile from Seokjin.
"Oh so you do, like it." he hums, smiling wider when Yoongi leans into his touch. "Little kitty likes being pet?"
"I will bite your hand." Yoongi says in a low voice but Seokjin just laughs.
"Kinky." he sticks his tongue out at him. "But seriously should I be hurt you like the coffee just as much as you like me?"
"I don't know." Yoongi takes his hand and starts playing with it- the ears moving back and forth slowly as well. "I kind of associated you with coffee since that's how we met and that's how we started liking each other. So maybe, in some way, it's still you?"
Seokjin shrugs. "I'm not convinced."
Yoongi sighs. "How should I convince—"
He was taken aback when Seokjin suddenly kisses him and he doesn't have to look to know that the ears are moving more erratically now. Seokjin gives him one last peck, smiling into his lips. "Yeah- you like me more than coffee."
"You do taste like coffee though." Yoongi laughs, earning a pinch from Seokjin.
"Oh- so it's coffee from Seokjin."
They both freeze at the sound of Taehyung's voice and they slowly turn towards the door to see where their friend is currently standing at.
"Noted- Kitty Yoongi prefers Seokjin-flavored coffee." he smiles as he nods before running back outside.
Guess the cat's out of the bag-