At exactly midnight, Jeon Jungkook's phone became unusable.

It wasn't unexpected.

He had been watching the clock.

Actually, everyone had been watching the clock.

"Five!"

Jimin was already laughing.

"Four!"

Hoseok had his phone pointed directly at Jungkook's face.

"Three!"

"Why are you filming me?" Jungkook complained, immediately hiding behind both hands.

"Two!"

"Hyung!"

"ONE!"

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

The room exploded.

Jungkook barely managed to uncover his face before Jin appeared from somewhere behind him and shoved a ridiculous pair of sparkling glasses onto his nose.

They were shaped like rabbits.

Of course they were.

"Yah!"

Jungkook tried to take them off.

Namjoon stopped him.

"No. Keep them."

"Why?"

"For the memories."

"For blackmail," Yoongi corrected from the couch.

"Same thing," Namjoon said.

Jungkook laughed.

Then Jimin wrapped himself around Jungkook from behind, Hoseok started singing a deliberately terrible version of Happy Birthday, Jin attempted a harmony nobody asked for, and Namjoon somehow knocked over an empty plastic bottle despite standing nowhere near it.

It was chaos.

Familiar, comfortable chaos.

Jungkook loved it.

His phone vibrated continuously on the table.

Messages.

Notifications.

Posts.

Calls.

ARMYs around the world were already celebrating. His name was probably trending in twenty different countries. There would be birthday projects, advertisements, café events, videos, compilations, edits, letters.

Jungkook knew all of that.

He knew how loved he was.

Sometimes the scale of it still overwhelmed him.

But right now, inside this room, he wasn't Jungkook of BTS.

He was simply the youngest member being attacked by six older brothers who had decided his birthday gave them permission to embarrass him.

Well.

Five older brothers.

Because one of them was suspiciously absent.

Jungkook glanced toward the hallway.

Jimin noticed immediately.

Naturally.

Jimin noticed everything.

"What?"

"Nothing."

Jimin's smile became dangerous.

"You looking for somebody?"

"No."

"You sure?"

"Hyung."

"Because Taehyungie said he had to leave earlier."

Jungkook turned toward him.

"He left?"

Jimin's smile widened.

Jungkook narrowed his eyes.

"You know something."

"I know many things."

"Tell me."

"No."

"Jimin."

"Birthday boy!"

Hoseok suddenly appeared between them and dragged Jungkook away before the interrogation could continue.

Twenty minutes later, Jungkook had survived two cakes, three songs, several hugs, one birthday live, countless comments, and Jin insisting that because he was older, Jungkook technically owed him a birthday present.

Eventually, everyone started leaving.

Yoongi went first.

Namjoon followed.

Hoseok hugged Jungkook again before disappearing through the door.

Jin shouted another birthday greeting from the hallway.

Jimin was last.

He slipped on his shoes and looked back at Jungkook.

"Don't stay up too late."

Jungkook stared at him.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Why are you smiling like that?"

"I'm happy."

"You're suspicious."

"Happy birthday, Jungkookie."

"Hyung."

Jimin only laughed and shut the door.

Silence.

Jungkook stood in the middle of the room.

Then his phone buzzed.

Taehyungie 🐻

Come home.

Jungkook blinked.

Another message appeared.

And don't call me.

Jungkook immediately pressed the call button.

Taehyung declined it.

Jungkook grinned.

He called again.

Declined.

A message arrived.

Jeon Jungkook.

Jungkook typed back.

Kim Taehyung.

Three dots appeared.

I mean it.

Why?

Because you're ruining the surprise.

Jungkook laughed out loud.

You just told me there's a surprise.

There was a long pause.

Then:

I hate you.

Jungkook's smile softened.

No you don't.

This time Taehyung answered immediately.

Unfortunately.

 

 

Thirty minutes later, Jungkook unlocked the door.

The apartment was dark.

"Tae?"

Nothing.

He stepped inside and removed his shoes.

"Tae?"

Still nothing.

Jungkook frowned.

Then he noticed the light coming from the kitchen.

Not the overhead light.

Candles.

Small ones.

Dozens of them.

"Oh."

Jungkook stopped.

The kitchen table had been transformed.

There was food everywhere.

Not expensive restaurant food.

Not catering.

Not some elaborate celebrity birthday arrangement.

Food Jungkook liked.

Ramyeon.

Fried chicken.

Tteokbokki.

A bowl of strawberries.

Banana milk.

And in the middle of everything sat the smallest birthday cake Jungkook had ever seen.

It was slightly crooked.

The frosting wasn't smooth.

There was a tiny rabbit drawn on top.

At least Jungkook assumed it was supposed to be a rabbit.

It looked vaguely like a rabbit that had experienced significant hardship.

Behind the cake stood Kim Taehyung.

Barefoot.

Wearing loose pajama pants and one of Jungkook's oversized black shirts.

His hair was messy.

There was frosting on his cheek.

Jungkook stared.

Taehyung spread his arms.

"Surprise."

Jungkook looked at the cake.

Then Taehyung.

Then the cake again.

"You made that?"

Taehyung's expression became defensive.

"Don't judge him."

"Him?"

"The rabbit."

Jungkook stepped closer.

"Tae, it looks like a bear."

"It is obviously a rabbit."

"It has round ears."

"I had difficulties."

Jungkook bit his lip.

Taehyung pointed at him.

"Don't laugh."

That destroyed him.

Jungkook doubled over.

"Yah!"

Taehyung grabbed a napkin and threw it at him.

Jungkook caught it while laughing.

"I'm sorry!"

"You're not."

"It's cute!"

"You laughed at him!"

"I love him!"

"Too late."

Jungkook walked around the table.

Taehyung tried to maintain his offended expression.

He lasted approximately two seconds.

Jungkook wrapped both arms around his waist.

Taehyung immediately melted against him.

"Happy birthday," Taehyung whispered.

Jungkook buried his face against Taehyung's shoulder.

"Thank you."

"You're old now."

Jungkook pinched his side.

"Ow!"

"You ruined it."

Taehyung laughed.

Then he pulled back enough to look at him.

For a moment, neither said anything.

Jungkook noticed little things.

The flour on Taehyung's sleeve.

The frosting on his cheek.

The tiredness around his eyes.

The fact that he'd obviously spent hours preparing everything.

Jungkook reached up and wiped the frosting away with his thumb.

"You really made the cake?"

"Mm."

"By yourself?"

Taehyung hesitated.

"Mostly."

Jungkook raised an eyebrow.

"Jin hyung helped."

"Ah."

"Only on video call."

"Ah."

"And I called him six times."

Jungkook laughed again.

Taehyung pushed him toward the chair.

"Sit."

"Why?"

"Because it's your birthday."

"So?"

"So today you listen to me."

"I never listen to you."

"I know."

Taehyung sighed dramatically.

"One of the great tragedies of my life."

Jungkook sat.

Taehyung placed the cake in front of him and lit one candle.

"Only one?"

"Electricity is expensive."

"Tae."

"Fine. Because putting all your candles on there would destroy my beautiful cake."

"My cake is barely bigger than my hand."

"Exactly."

Taehyung turned off the remaining kitchen light.

The candle flickered between them.

"Make a wish."

Jungkook looked at him.

Taehyung pointed sternly at the candle.

"Not me. Candle."

Jungkook smiled.

He closed his eyes.

For several seconds, he stayed still.

He thought about everything he already had.

Music.

His members.

ARMY.

A career he'd once been too young to fully imagine.

A life larger and stranger and more beautiful than anything fifteen-year-old Jungkook could have predicted.

And Taehyung.

Always somewhere nearby.

Laughing too loudly.

Stealing his clothes.

Sending him songs at impossible hours.

Taking photographs when Jungkook wasn't looking.

Falling asleep on his shoulder.

Holding his hand beneath tables.

Waiting for him after schedules.

Making terrible rabbit cakes at midnight.

Jungkook opened his eyes.

Taehyung was watching him.

"Did you wish?"

"Yeah."

"What?"

"I can't tell you."

"I'll guess."

"You won't."

Taehyung leaned closer.

"You wished for me."

Jungkook snorted.

"Confident."

"Obviously."

"I wished for a better cake."

Taehyung gasped.

Jungkook blew out the candle before Taehyung could attack him.

Darkness swallowed the kitchen.

Then Taehyung's hand found his face.

A second later, Jungkook felt soft lips against his.

The kiss was brief.

Warm.

Familiar.

Home.

When Taehyung pulled away, Jungkook chased him.

"Again."

"It's your birthday, not Valentine's Day."

"Again."

"Greedy."

"Birthday privilege."

Taehyung kissed him again.

Longer this time.

Jungkook smiled against his mouth.

When they separated, Taehyung rested their foreheads together.

"What did you really wish for?"

Jungkook's hands settled around Taehyung's waist.

"I didn't."

"You didn't make a wish?"

"No."

"Why?"

Jungkook shrugged.

"Didn't need one."

Taehyung went quiet.

Jungkook could almost hear the gears turning in his head.

Then Taehyung's ears turned pink.

Jungkook grinned.

"Are you blushing?"

"No."

"You are."

"It's hot."

"The lights are off."

"Global warming."

Jungkook burst out laughing.

Taehyung shoved his shoulder.

"Eat your cake."

At two in the morning, the birthday dinner had moved to the living room.

At two fifteen, Taehyung stole Jungkook's chicken.

At two sixteen, Jungkook retaliated by stealing Taehyung's blanket.

At two twenty, Taehyung declared war.

By two thirty, they were tangled together on the couch under the same blanket anyway.

Some old movie played quietly on television.

Neither was watching.

Jungkook lay with his head on Taehyung's chest.

Taehyung's fingers moved slowly through his hair.

Jungkook's phone buzzed somewhere across the room.

He ignored it.

Another notification.

Ignored.

Another.

Taehyung looked down.

"Your phone is going crazy."

"Mm."

"Probably birthday messages."

"I'll answer tomorrow."

Taehyung smiled.

"ARMY will think you've disappeared."

"They know I'm alive."

"How?"

"I posted."

"Good."

Silence settled again.

Comfortable.

Taehyung continued playing with Jungkook's hair.

Jungkook's eyes became heavier.

"Hyung."

"Hm?"

"Thank you."

"For what?"

Jungkook gestured vaguely toward the kitchen.

"Everything."

Taehyung shrugged.

"It's just food."

"No."

Taehyung's fingers stopped.

Jungkook lifted his head.

"For making it normal."

Taehyung looked at him.

Jungkook struggled to explain.

Birthdays had become enormous things.

Millions of messages.

Cameras.

Hashtags.

Projects.

Expectations.

Love, yes.

So much love.

More than Jungkook could ever properly repay.

But sometimes he missed birthdays where the biggest concern was whether someone had remembered to buy candles.

Taehyung seemed to understand without Jungkook needing to finish.

He usually did.

Taehyung touched Jungkook's cheek.

"You deserve normal things too."

Jungkook leaned into his palm.

"Like ugly cakes?"

Taehyung immediately removed his hand.

"Sleep on the floor."

Jungkook grabbed his wrist.

"No."

"Floor."

"Baby."

Taehyung froze.

Jungkook smiled innocently.

Taehyung stared at him.

"That's manipulation."

"Is it working?"

Taehyung sighed.

"Unfortunately."

Jungkook laughed and settled back against his chest.

Several minutes passed.

Then Taehyung spoke quietly.

"Jungkook-ah."

"Hm?"

"I'm glad you were born."

Jungkook opened his eyes.

Taehyung wasn't looking at him.

He was staring at the television, pretending the sentence hadn't been important.

Jungkook knew better.

He reached under the blanket until he found Taehyung's hand.

Their fingers intertwined.

"Tae."

"Hm?"

"I'm glad you found me."

Taehyung finally looked down.

For once, there was no joke.

No teasing.

Just that soft boxy smile Jungkook had known for more than half his life.

"Always," Taehyung said.

Jungkook squeezed his hand.

Outside, Seoul was still awake.

Somewhere, his face was probably glowing from giant birthday advertisements.

Fans were celebrating.

Messages were still arriving.

Tomorrow there would be schedules and calls and responsibilities.

Tomorrow he would be Jungkook of BTS again.

But tonight, he was barefoot on his couch.

Full of homemade cake and ramyeon.

Wrapped in a blanket with Taehyung.

Loved quietly.

Loved ordinarily.

Loved completely.

Jungkook pressed one last kiss beneath Taehyung's jaw.

"Best birthday."

Taehyung hummed.

"Because of my cake?"

"No."

"Take it back."

Jungkook laughed.

"Okay. Because of your cake."

"That's better."

"And you."

Taehyung's arm tightened around him.

"Mostly the cake."

"Mostly you."

"Seventy-thirty."

"Ninety-ten."

"Eighty-twenty."

Jungkook tilted his head up.

"One hundred."

Taehyung stopped.

Jungkook smiled.

"One hundred percent you."

Taehyung stared at him for three seconds.

Then pulled the blanket over Jungkook's face.

"Go to sleep."

Jungkook laughed beneath it.

"I love you too."

"I didn't say that."

"You didn't have to."

And beneath the blanket, Jungkook found Taehyung's hand again.

He held it until they both fell asleep.

His phone continued buzzing across the room.

Millions of people were celebrating Jeon Jungkook.

But the first morning of his new year began exactly where he wanted it to.

At home.

With Taehyung.