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4:27. Jeongguk collapsed on the couch after getting home from the airport. He’d had fun shooting for the music video and putting on a show for his fans but he was exhausted. He was also missing Taehyung, who was probably going to be home any second now. Jeongguk had been away in America for the longest time and phone calls and FaceTimes weren’t enough for him anymore; he missed Taehyung too much.
5:05. Jeongguk reached for his phone and rolled over onto his stomach, hugging one of the pillows as he scrolled through Instagram. He noticed many posts mentioning how he and Jimin had hung out in New York and how that could be a sign Jeongguk and Jimin were dating. Jeongguk chuckled to himself. It was so ridiculous, the whole ‘Jikook’ thing the fans had going on.
6:32. Jeongguk was beginning to get a bit anxious. Taehyung still wasn’t back and it was getting dark outside. But he decided to wait a little longer until really starting to get worried. Maybe Taehyung had stopped to pick something up at the studio or visit with one of the other members. Jeongguk finally pulled himself off the couch and headed into the kitchen to fix something for dinner, knowing Taehyung would probably be starving by the time he got back. Jeongguk’s phone rang as soon as he started boiling water for ramen. He picked up and heard the voice of Yoongi on the other end.
6:40. “Hey, Jeongguk. You’re back home, right?“
“Mhm.”
“Is Tae there? I haven’t heard from him all day and he was supposed to meet me and Hoseok for dinner but he never showed up.”
Jeongguk, who was digging around in the cupboard for seasoning packets, frowned.
“No. I was assuming he was with one of the other members or something but I guess not,” he replied.
“Yeah. I don’t think so. Nobody has seen him, not even our manager. Isn’t he usually home at around five?” Yoongi asked, sounding anxious.
Jeongguk was getting worried now too.
“Yeah. I just assumed he was at the store or with one of you guys.”
“I tried calling him too but he didn’t answer. Have you tried calling or texting or anything?” Yoongi questioned.
“No. I’ll do that now. Thanks for letting me know,” Jeongguk thanked Yoongi.
“Yep. Sure thing. Let me know if you get a hold of him,” Yoongi replied.
Jeongguk said goodbye and hung up before trying to call Taehyung. Almost immediately, it went to voicemail. Jeongguk tried again and again but each time he was sent straight to voicemail.
7:48. Jeongguk was about to call the police to report his boyfriend as missing when there was a knock on the door, so quiet and gentle that Jeongguk almost didn’t hear it. He hurried to answer and almost cried with relief when he saw Taehyung standing on the other side of the door.
He had been staring down at his feet, hand gripping the handle of his cute bear shaped backpack, tightly, only looking up when the door had opened. He looked like he’d been crying and Jeongguk wanted to ask why but his poor boyfriend looked so upset that he decided that question could come later.
Instead of saying anything at all, Jeongguk simply pulled Taehyung into a tight hug, hoping to offer as much comfort as he could but Taehyung just seemed to break in Jeongguk’s arms. He started to sob uncontrollably and Jeongguk’s heart ached seeing Taehyung in so much pain. He wondered just what could have happened to make his usually bright and cheerful boyfriend so upset.
Closing the door, he led Taehyung to sit on the couch, sitting down beside him, and passing him a box of tissues. After a few moments, Taehyung seemed to have calmed down a bit, head resting on Jeongguk’s shoulder, sobs reduced to quiet sniffles.
“Tae…” Jeongguk finally murmured, thumb rubbing soothing circles on Taehyung’s shoulder.
“…sorry…” Taehyung whispered in reply.
“For what?”
“Having a mental breakdown like that…after you just got back and all too.”
Jeongguk sighed and leaned against the back of the couch.
“Nobody should ever have to apologize for letting out their emotions, especially you, Tae,” he said, giving Taehyung a small smile.
Taehyung bit his lip and didn’t say anything.
“Do you…want to talk about what happened?” Jeongguk asked, hesitantly.
The room stayed quiet. Taehyung didn’t reply, choosing to stay silent. Jeongguk didn’t press for answers, although he was beginning to get extremely angry at whatever or whoever had made Taehyung break down like that.
“…I was…kinda letting the rumors get to me. I don’t know why. It sounds stupid, I know…” Taehyung finally began in a small voice.
Jeongguk leaned closer, pushing a strand of hair away from Taehyung’s face, gently.
“What rumors?”
“The…the ones about you and…um…Jimin…and others…” Taehyung muttered.
“You mean the pictures of me and Jimin hanging out and the ridiculous ‘Jikook’ party the fans are having?” Jeongguk asked, confused.
Taehyung nodded.
“…Tae…you know as well as I do that those rumors aren’t even remotely true,” Jeongguk said, gently.
“I know, I know but I saw a few posts online when I going to meet Yoongi-hyung and Hoseok-hyung and…well…one thing led to the next and before I knew I was down a rabbit hole of posts about different ships and rumors and weird stuff like that…Kooklisa and…and Jinkook…and Jikook…and it was really starting to make me upset and I didn’t know if I wanted to see anyone or come back home…I don’t even know why and-“
“Hey. Calm down,” Jeongguk interrupted, pulling his stammering boyfriend into another hug. “Do you want me to call Jimin? Do you want to talk to him for a minute?”
“…kinda…” Taehyung replied, softly.
Jeongguk nodded and pulled out his phone to call the oldest of the three maknaes.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Jimin. Are you back yet?”
“Yeah. What’s up?”
“Taehyung wants to talk to you for a second,” Jeongguk answered, glancing at his boyfriend.
“Uh…okay…but why are you the one calling me?” Jimin asked, sounding confused.
“Just…let him tell you what’s going on,” Jeongguk replied before turning to Taehyung. “Do you want the speaker off?”
Taehyung shook his head. “It’s fine.”
Jeongguk shrugged and handed the phone to him.
“Tae? You there?” Came Jimin’s voice, still sounding a bit bewildered.
“Yeah,” Taehyung murmured.
“What’s going on?”
“I…um…Jimin…are you sure there’s…there’s nothing going on between you and Jeongguk?”
“Huh?!” Jimin shouted through the speaker and both boys flinched. “Are you crazy?! I’m dating Yoongi for heaven’s sake! He’s literally hanging onto my arm right now! What are you even talking about?!”
“I know! I’m sorry! I just…I needed to know…” Taehyung replied, meekly.
Jimin grew quiet before sighing.
“Taehyung, there’s absolutely nothing going on between me and your muscle bunny.”
“Hey!” Jeongguk protested.
“Sorry, Guk, but I saw you at the gym the other day. You can’t avoid the nickname anymore,” Jimin laughed before both Jeongguk and Taehyung heard him snap at Yoongi, “Hyung, I love you but I can’t move with you clinging onto my leg like a freaking koala!”
Jeongguk and even Taehyung burst out laughing. Jimin told them to shut up but they could both tell he was flustered and blushing.
“But seriously. What happened? Why the sudden memory loss or whatever, Tae?” Jimin asked, deliberately changing the subject.
“I’ll tell you later,” Taehyung replied, hand finding Jeongguk’s and lacing their fingers together.
“M’kay. Well, I gotta go take care of Koala Yoongi so I’ll talk to you guys later,” Jimin said, murmuring something to Yoongi in the background.
“Yep. Thanks, Chim,” Jeongguk smiled, squeezing Taehyung’s hand.
“Uh-huh.”
“Bye.”
“Bye…hyung, I told you! I can’t move when-“
The line cut off abruptly.
Jeongguk hung up the phone and glanced at Taehyung who was looking back at him, sheepishly.
“Sorry, Guk…” he murmured.
“For what?” Jeongguk asked.
“You know…causing a whole fuss and being insecure and everything…”
“What fuss? Insecure? All I see is my sad boyfriend who obviously still needs some cheering up and some more reassurance,” Jeongguk remarked, cheerfully.
Taehyung finally smiled a real genuine smile and wrapped his arms around Jeongguk in a tight hug.
“Thanks, Gukie. Thanks for always being there for me,” the older boy whispered.
Jeongguk pulled away from the hug gently before closing the gap between them with a tender kiss. Taehyung gasped against Jeongguk’s lips, clearly not expecting the kiss but then practically melted into Jeongguk’s arms, hands looping around his neck, lightly. It was a fairly chaste kiss, soft and sweet, that Jeongguk broke away from after a moment, resting his forehead against Taehyung’s.
“What kind of a boyfriend would I be,” Jeongguk murmured, rubbing a thumb over Taehyung’s hand, “if I wasn’t there for my baby bear, hm?”
Taehyung didn’t answer, simply closed his eyes and smiled before murmuring a quiet “Missed you.”
Jeongguk smiled and pressed another kiss to Taehyung’s lips. The older boy giggled this time, the cutest thing Jeongguk had and ever would hear so he peppered Taehyung’s face with kisses just to hear his adorable laugh again.
8:27. “Jeongguk…”
“Hmm?”
“Why does it smell like something’s burning?”
“The ramen! Damnit!”
Jeongguk scrambled off the couch and ran to the stove. Taehyung came up beside him just as he lifted out the black crispy mess of noodles from the pot. Jeongguk glanced at Taehyung with a sheepish smile.
“You want some burnt ramen?”
Taehyung made a face.
“Maybe we should just go out to eat tonight,” he replied, backing away from the smoking stove.
“You’re probably right,” Jeongguk agreed, emptying the contents of the pot into the trash can. “Want to invite Jimin and Yoongi-hyung too?”
“I would but Jimin probably has his hands full with ‘Koala Yoongi’ right now…”
“You got a point there,” Jeongguk laughed.
“Where do you want to go? One of those late night restaurants downtown?” Taehyung asked, browsing through his phone.
“Can we please get Chinese?” Jeongguk begged, giving his boyfriend his best bunny eyes.
Taehyung laughed and nodded.
“Sure thing, babe.”