Archive of Our Own

"there's just something really unnerving about seeing your boyfriend and his best friend laying up wrapped around each other like they're the ones dating," jeongguk mutters quietly, his eyes scoping over the campus cafeteria where he was supposed to be meeting taehyung for lunch.

hoseok, jeongguk's friend and fellow track runner, follows his gaze and lets out a low whistle at the sight. "are you sure taehyung knows you guys are dating?"

"he knows," jeongguk clarifies quickly but he knows that from the sight of jimin and taehyung, who are leaning into each other on the small cafeteria stools and giggling into each other's ear in a semblance of intimacy that even jeongguk hasn't experienced with taehyung just yet, makes it seem like he's lying. 

does taehyung know?

maybe it was the difference in culture because where jeongguk grew up -- busan -- people who were dating didn't cuddle and kiss other people unless it was agreed that the relationship was open. the last time he checked, he'd definitely told taehyung that he wasn't a polyamorous person so either taehyung hadn't been listening or that was the way they did it down in daegu.

"they've been best friends for so long, they probably don't even realize," hoseok pats his back in what jeongguk just assumes is meant to be reassuring. (assumes because it feels like hoseok is performing the heimlich for babies). "don't get too jealous."

jeongguk scoffs. he's been called a lot of things in his time (golden, immaculate, wunderkind, etc) but jealous wasn't one of them. he would like to think that he's more competitive than envious. the thrill of winning gave him the edge on his competitors in every sport he played in school as well as the classrooms, it was his greatest strength in school and in life. his competitive nature got him the gold medal on the track team, helped him win the basketball championship, and it is currently the source behind his disdain for park jimin.

the thing is that park jimin isn't a bad person. like at all. in fact, he is probably the most perfect human being in terms of being an all around kind and tolerable guy. jeongguk wouldn't put it past jimin to be the type of person who works really hard to get cats out of trees or offers his hand to anyone struggling to cross the street. but when jimin spends a great deal of his time cuddling up to taehyung, jeongguk's current boyfriend who he actually likes a lot, thank you very much...well, then, jimin isn't such a good guy.

he can feel eyes on him when he settles down in the seat across from his boyfriend instead of next to. because, you know, he's the third wheel in this situation.

"kookie!" taehyung exlaims, reaching over the table to throw his noodle arms around jeongguk's neck and, in the process, knocking over his chocolate milk. 

jeongguk squeezes back, a smile erasing the hard set of his features because, let's face it, he could never be mad at taehyung even if he tried. he peers over taehyung shoulder, his line of sight slipping past the bright yellow windbreaker he has on, to look at jimin who smiles widely and genuinely, his orange hair messy but charming.

it should be hard to be mad at jimin too especially when he's so cluelessly kind to everyone. but he's also really attractive and constantly hanging on his boyfriend's hip so maybe there's a reason to hate him.

when taehyung pulls back, he frowns and mutters angrily -- not really angry because it's taehyung -- that the supply of chocolate milk better be high because if he wanted plain 2%, he would have gotten it. they both watch him as he sprints down the aisle, his lavender hair bouncing along the way.

"you okay?"

jeongguk turns to jimin and sees that he's still wearing that bright, cheerful smile. he has to stop himself from rolling his eyes. "yeah. you?"

jimin nods, picking at the salad on his tray. "you just look a little upset."

"just tired," jeongguk lies through his teeth and mirrors jimin's smile. he's gotten really good at lying to jimin because if he was honest, taehyung would dump him in a nanosecond. "how's the semester treating you?"

jimin smiles and jeongguk thinks there's a hint of smugness in it. they dance this same routine every time they're forced to interact with each other, an unfortunately constant occurrence. they make empty conversation whenever they have to and, to jimin's credit, he genuinely tries to befriend jeongguk every time but to no avail. 

jeongguk laughs at one of jimin's jokes but counts the seconds until taehyung's return.

before taehyung sits, he quietly places a jello pack on jimin's tray and jeongguk wonders when he'll reach their level of nonverbal, semi telepathic communication. "seokjin-hyung is having a party tonight. you guys wanna go?"

"sure," jeongguk nods. "where is it?"

taehyung giggles, keeping his eyes on jeongguk as he hands his chocolate milk to jimin who opens it and places it back on the tray. "at his house, silly."

"oh."

taehyung continues talking about the party, about seokjin hyung -- who everyone loves and everyone, straight or not, has a had a crush on at one point in time -- and how he thinks they should stop by that one restaurant because seokjin really likes their salmon dish but all jeongguk can focus on is how taehyung has one hand spooning in his pudding cup and the other is stroking jimin's thumb.

he seethes quietly.

"we'll pick you up at 8?" jimin suggests to jeongguk who's too angry to make himself respond verbally and offers a short nod.

we, jeongguk thinks, will pick you up at 8.

if anyone asks, jeongguk has an occasional drink.  

but if seokjin asks, jeongguk absolutely does not, will not, has never, won't even think about touching a drink in this lifetime or the next one. 

so the desire to kick back a few beers and the ever appealing tequila shots is quelled every time seokjin looks in his direction. jeongguk has a feeling that, deep down, seokjin knows that he drinks but he also knows that seokjin, no matter how much he knows about jeongguk's party life, will never tolerate it in his presence.

there's a tug on his arm and before he knows it, he's being pulled into a back hug. laughter bubbles up in his throat when his the back of his neck is tickled by the tip of taehyung's nose. "are you having fun?"

"i'd be having more fun if i could have a drink," jeongguk admits bashfully. "but seokjin is watching me like a hawk."

a nip at his neck, a soft, barely noticeable bite that tickles more than it hurts. "we can get privacy, go to the back."

jeongguk shuts his eyes, trying to quiet his nerves and excitement. he swears there's a little person living in his stomach, making it do all kinds of unnatural flips whenever he's within a ten mile radius of taehyung. 

"i'd like that."

sometimes the age difference between him and taehyung is nice. he would never admit it but there's something kind of affectionate about calling taehyung 'hyung' and even having his hair ruffled (a privilege not often earned). 

but sometimes the age difference only serves as a reminder of the clear distance between the two of them and it makes jeongguk anxious.

this is one of those times -- taehyung using his over 21 status to sneak jeongguk a few drinks because he is still legally a child -- so maybe he's downing a few more drinks than he needs to. 

"is there something you're not telling me?" the wrinkle in taehyung's forehead is prominent and upsetting. 

the alcohol burns jeongguk's throat so he doesn't respond immediately and when he does, his words are already slurring. why does he have to be such a lightweight. "no, i'm fine."

taehyung watches him warily before gently prying his hands off of the neck of the beer bottle. "i think you've had enough. you think so? let's get you some water, jimin says that helps with hangovers."

taehyung grabs his arm and tries to help jeongguk to his feet but jeongguk jerks away. "i don't need any water."

but what he really means is that he doesn't need jimin's help. no matter how secondhand it is. taehyung sighs.

"you're being really difficult, jeongguk."

and jeongguk blanches, feeling a little off kilter because since the day he's met taehyung, he's been kookie. his full name is only reserved for lectures and "serious" talks (like the time taehyung sat him down to explain that, while he did like him very much, he wasn't allowed to eat all his favorite snacks whenever he came over).

"sorry," jeongguk mutters at the ground because he doesn't like making taehyung upset. mostly because taehyung being upset was the equivalent of making a puppy cry and partly because when taehyung was upset he, more often than not, sought comfort from his best friend. "i'm just a little stressed out."

taehyung nods understandingly. "uni does that. i guess i'm not helping, huh?"

jeongguk shakes his head. "you're the only good thing in my life right now."

taehyung smiles wide and boxy and jeongguk feels those flips in his stomach again. the older leans forward and presses a light kiss to his cheek. "you're cute when you're sentimental, kookie."

jeongguk smiles and, for the first time that night, he feels good. he and taehyung will be fine.

maybe not.

there's a pit in jeongguk's stomach that's deeper and hotter than the depths of hell. his breath comes out in huffs and heaves and he's seeing red. the only thing keeping from kicking the shit out of jimin is that taehyung is sleeping so peacefully and he's been trying to delve into pacifism. 

but the anger is vehement and unhinged and jeongguk can't even see straight. waking up with a hangover after throwing back your weight in alcohol can do that to a person but so can waking up to find your boyfriend and his best friend sleeping soundly in bed together.

he doesn't even remember taehyung leaving his side last night so how did he end up cuddling in bed with jimin? in seokjin's spare bedroom? what were they doing in a bedroom? they couldn't cuddle on the couch? did they just cuddle? 

his mind is running rampant but jimin starts stirring so his thoughts lull momentarily. 

jimin's eyes open slowly and he blinks the sleep away, blearily reaching out to stretch his arms. he looks at taehyung who's still sleeping soundly, tucked into his side before scanning his eyes around the room. 

when he gets to the door way, he pauses, taking in jeongguk's angry stance but he's either still drunk out of his mind or still cluelessly kind because he just smiles widely.

"how was your night?"

is this fucker gloating?

"can i talk to you?" jeongguk doesn't even bother hiding the enmity in his voice. he doesn't have the energy or patience to do that anymore. 

"sure," jimin answers surprisingly upbeat as he rolls out from taehyung. "i should get water for him anyway."

you and your fucking water.

as soon as jimin is out of the room, jeongguk shuts the door closed and pushes him against the wall in the hallway.

"what is wrong with you?" the younger fumes, eyes murderously rageful. his fingers are digging into the collar of jimin's shirt and his knuckles are turning white. 

"kookie, what the f--"

"answer the question," jeongguk pushes a little hard and jimin's head hits the wall. "do you understand that taehyung has a boyfriend? do you get that?"

jimin looks up at him curiously, panic in his eyes and jeongguk gets a sick pleasure from it. "i don't--"

"because you don't act like it," jeongguk continues. "and it's getting really fucking old. what makes you think you can do any of the shit you do with him? what in the hell about that strikes you as okay. that's grounds for me to teach you a lesson and neither one of us wants that, right?"

jimin pushes back for the first time, pretty much clawing at jeongguk's bare arms but the younger pushes back even harder. 

"do you want me to break up with him?" jeongguk asks and he knows it's a cheap angle to take but jimin freezes. "do you want me to leave him out high and dry because of you? he's pretty happy with me, don't you think? don't you want this to work for him?"

jimin doesn't speak but his thinking is loud and it's rolling off him in waves that wash over jeongguk. 

"don't you want him to be happy?" jeongguk urges. "if you do then fuck off. how can this work if you're around all the time? you're a nuisance, got it?"

the thing is that jeongguk knows he's treading dangerous ground, walking on thin ice because, as everyone knows, jimin and taehyung have been friends for a lifetime. and they both protect each other no matter what. 

either jimin will put taehyung's happiness first or he'll protect him from a guy who is coming off as dangerously jealous and violent. and jeongguk just prays that it's the former.

there's a shuffle from behind the shut door and jeongguk's hands are hanging by his side in an instant. the door opens and taehyung steps out, eyes half lidded and tired. he looks at jimin and smiles. "where'd you go?"

he looks up at jeongguk and his smile widens. "hey kookie, how was your night?"

jeongguk only smiles in response, unable to find his voice because he's too nervous. the tension swarms the room, making it hard to breathe like heat. taehyung, still sleepy and hungover, misses the mood and tugs on jimin's arm.

"you're coming with us for breakfast, right?"

jimin clears his throat, looking down at his feet. "it's noon, tae."

"lunch, then."

jimin shakes his head. "no, i...i can't. i shouldn't."

taehyung frowns. "why not?"

jimin shrugs taehyung's arm off of him, starting to walk away. "i shouldn't put off work any longer than i have to. i'll go first."

"hey," taehyung grabs his hand, suddenly more alert, his eyes piercing into his friend's. "what's wrong?"

jimin forces a smile. "nothing, babo. i drank more than you last night, i'm dizzy, now let go of me."

the teasing seems to settle taehyung's concern and he just kicks jimin as he walks down the hall. "love you."

jimin hesitates before responding. that's something else the two did, always exchanging i love yous and it always seemed innocent enough but now jimin isn't so sure. "i love you too."

when jimin is gone, taehyung turns to jeongguk. "i guess it's just you and me today."

jeongguk has to bite the inside of his cheek from smiling too wide.

everything is great.

jeongguk can't say he's ever been happier in the relationship. he and taehyung can go out to the movies, go out for dinner, go anywhere without jimin trailing behind them (or, to be historically accurate, jeongguk was the one trailing behind taehyung and jimin).

they have plenty of time to be alone without any interruptions or invasions. sometimes jimin is over at the apartment when he comes over which is to be expected since he lives there but jimin often excuses himself to his bedroom or leaves as soon as jeongguk arrives and taehyung doesn't seem to be noticing the pattern.

"kookie."

jeongguk can only hum in response because taehyung has been massaging circles into his scalp for the past ten minutes and he's having a hard time keeping his eyes open.

"do you want to go to the planetarium with me?"

"sure," jeongguk sighs contentedly, head still pillowed on taehyung's lap. "i'd love to."

"good," taehyung sighs, relieved. "jimin is usually the only person willing to go with me because no one else wants to."

"oh?"

taehyung hums. "but he says he's too busy to go. he's been busy all the time lately. maybe we should make him dinner, when he has a lot on his plate, he tends to not eat properly..."

jeongguk turns over from his position and reaches up to pull taehyung down so they're kissing albeit awkwardly. 

some part of him tells him he did it just because he wanted to kiss him but the other part know it was because he didn't want to hear anything about jimin right now.

"you two are starting to look like a real couple," hoseok comments one day out on the field shortly after practice.

jeongguk is still trying to catch his breath so he can't tell hoseok to shut up when the teasing and cooing starts. he looks to the bleachers where taehyung is sitting, his binder laid open on his lap as he does his homework. 

"it's because jimin is not in the picture," jeongguk breathes happily. "i don't look like the third wheel anymore."

"yeah, what's up with that?" hoseok asks, shielding the sunlight away with his hand. "i haven't seen them together in weeks. if i didn't know any better i'd say they weren't even talking anymore."

jeongguk shrugs. "they live together, i'm sure they talk all the time. i guess jimin's just decided to get his own life."

hoseok makes a sound between a groan and a sigh. "i dunno...i went to high school with them. that's never happened before."

jeongguk scoffs. "you're dramatic, hyung. you're just overanalyzing it. everything is great."

things could be better.

taehyung had begged seokjin to make that dinner he'd been talking about for jimin. because, and these were his words, if he made it he'd probably poison him and murdering his best friend was something he definitely did not want to do. and seokjin, either out of the kindness of his heart or some sort of pity, had agreed and cooked up a storm. all of jimin's favorite food and desserts. 

"if he's really not eating properly," seokjin had explained to jeongguk. "we really need to spoil him, right? pass me the salt."

seokjin didn't stay for dinner but told them explicitly not to eat without jimin because the meal was, for all intents and purposes, made for him. taehyung had told jimin about the dinner a week before so all they had to do was wait for him to get home from work.

an hour passed and taehyung was nervous. another thirty minutes passed and taehyung was full on worried.

"he got off almost two hours ago," taehyung had muttered, picking up his phone. "he should have been home by now."

he dialed jimin's number and jeongguk could hear the continuous ringing but no one answered. taehyung called ten more times. ten. and still no answer. 

"i'm sure he's fine," jeongguk had comforted taehyung or at least tried to but taehyung was beyond comforting, convinced that jimin was lying dead in a ditch somewhere. "just come to bed, he'll be here in the morning."

taehyung said okay and had gone to bed but jeongguk could see the glow of his phone in the dark as he sent more texts and he could hear the spring of the mattress everytime he got up to check the door.

jimin didn't roll in until the early hours of the morning and when he did, taehyung sprang up from his seat on the couch and full on sprinted to him. jimin barely kept them from falling over at impact but he kept his arms around taehyung's waist tightly.

and this time, jeongguk found, he couldn't be completely angry. not when taehyung was under the impression jimin had fallen prey to a murderer. 

"where were you?"

jimin said nothing, trying to shrug taehyung off again. 

"jimin," taehyung pressed and the wobble in his voice makes everyone a little tense. "you scared me. why didn't you answer?"

jimin stopped trying to push him off for a short moment to smile apologetically. "i'm sorry, tae. i was with someone, i slept over their place."

"that's not an excuse," taehyung sniffled, face buried in jimin's neck. "you could have told me, i was worried all night. and seokjin hyung cooked for you and it's all cold now and," taehyung hits jimin's arm. "you could have told me."

"i'm sorry," jimin repeated but his eyes stayed on jeongguk's as if he was trying to make sure he's not drawing any lines.

he shifted again and gently pushed taehyung off of him before retreating to his bedroom. the look of hurt on taehyung's face was nothing compared to what it is now.

he looks like he's just seen a really depressing ghost.

"um," he clears his throat when he starts. "do you wanna go to my parent's house for dinner?"

jeongguk raises his eyebrows. "in daegu?"

taehyung nods. "i was gonna visit them for the long weekend. jimin was gonna come but..."

taehyung's words stop when he swallows thickly. 

"he says he can't."

"i'd love to go," jeongguk smiles and pulls taehyung into a tight hug. "i'd love to meet the people responsible for the greatest thing that's ever happened to me."

that gets a laugh out of taehyung and jeongguk laughs too because they'll be okay.

later when taehyung's head is in jeongguk's lap, his feet up on the arm of the couch, and his phone squarely in front of his face, he nudges jeongguk.

"i think jiminnie is mad at me," he murmurs, staring at his phone.

"why do you think that?"

taehyung shifts on his lap. "i can't explain it. it's just different now."

the trip is nice. 

taehyung shows jeongguk where he grew up, where he used to play, the playground where he met jimin briefly over the summer, etc. and taehyung's parents are amazing, they both have the same joy of their son and it's positively overwhelming.

his younger cousins flock to him and, even though, jeongguk's always known taehyung to be great with children, it was still a pleasant surprise. the younger cousins didn't take a liking to jeongguk though and they continually asked where jimin hyung was and stated their disappointment at his absence.

the food is great and it's clear that all the skills that taehyung's parents have in the kitchen weren't passed down. there's a lot of laughter at taehyung's expense but he doesn't seem to mind.

"if jimin was here," taehyung's father starts and jeongguk fights hard to keep from rolling his eyes because what is so fucking great about jimin? "he could make that strange dessert taehyung likes so much."

"milky way shake," taehyung says, his mouth is full and his smile is wide and jeongguk thinks it's nice to see him genuinely happy again.

the name of it rings a bell as on their first date, taehyung had gushed about jimin almost instantly and how badly he wanted jeongguk to try a "milky way shake".

"what is that exactly?" he asks.

taehyung's mom smiles. "once when taehyung was sick over the summer and jimin was visiting from busan, taehyung refused to eat anything--"

"i couldn't keep anything down," taehyung defends.

"right," taehyung's mom continues. "well, jimin had the bright idea to make him this dessert. he put every vitamin in there so that tae would get his nutrients. but he made it with blue food coloring and sprinkled in powdered sugar on the sides."

"it looked like a galaxy," taehyung says and suddenly his voice is very distant. "it was really pretty."

"so taehyung drank it and i'm pretty sure that was the only reason he didn't have to be put on an IV," there's a laugh again. 

"so jimin really is like a part of the family?" jeongguk asks and he hopes he doesn't sound as uncomfortable as he feels.

"definitely," a younger cousin nods. "jimin hyung is the best."

they leave daegu with more bags than they arrived with because taehyung stuffs a great deal of his mother's cooking in a new suitcase.

"jimin loves this stuff," he'd explained beaming.

by the time they reach their apartment, taehyung is a motormouth again, not at all distant like he'd become over dinner. he's gushing about how much fun he had and how next time he should take jeongguk to that restaurant he and jimin used to go to over the summer. 

he's in the middle of trying to explain just how good their marble brownie ice cream is when he unlocks the door and steps into the apartment. 

"i dunno," he laughs. "it's like heaven in your mouth. an orgasm in your mouth...a mouthgasm!"

he looks excited like he'd just invented the word as he sets some of the plastic bags on the kitchen counter top. he opens the fridge to start storing the food inside. 

"i can't wait to tell jimin that," he mutters fondly. "remind me to tell jimin that."

he puts the food inside but hums almost confusedly. 

"what is it?" jeongguk asks.

"those gross protein shakes..." taehyung stands up, his eyebrows furrowed, biting his top lip. "i don't..."

he turns from the refrigerator and scans the apartment, mulling over the living room and everything in it. a look of concern passes in his eyes and the furrow in his brow gets deeper. a small hitch in his breath and he's stalking towards jimin's bedroom.

jeongguk hears the door swing open and a tiny gasp before taehyung is coming back to the kitchen, his eyes wide and panicked. 

"what's wrong?" jeongguk tries to touch him but he slips past his fingers.

"his stuff," taehyung frantically searches his pockets then his backpack for his cellphone. 

"wha--?"

taehyung turns away, pressing his phone up to his ear and jeongguk just stares at his back, at how tight and tense it looks. 

"jiminnie," taehyung says into the phone. "i just got back, where..."

that's when jeongguk takes a good look around the apartment and it starts to make sense. everything that belongs to jimin is gone. the disgusting protein shakes, the blanket he always leaves in the living room, his books, his backpack which usually sits on the kitchen stool. his bedroom must be completely empty.

oh shit.

"then why's all your stuff gone?" taehyung asks, no pleads, and jeongguk tries to swallow down the thick dry lump in his throat. 

jeongguk walks away, not wanting to hear the rest of the conversation or the pure hurt in taehyung's voice any longer. it's an hour before taehyung is shuffling back into the living room.

"everything okay?"

taehyung nods but his eyes are glassed over and distant. "yeah, he...he said he had a trip to take but..."

"it'll be okay," jeongguk says and as soon as the words leave his mouth, he feels stupid because things are obviously not okay. "do you want to watch a movie?"

taehyung bites his lip. "no, i think. is it okay if...i kinda want to be alone right now, i'm sorry."

jeongguk shakes his head because it's not a problem. he gives taehyung a hug that isn't returned and he leaves, telling himself that it's okay, that everything will be okay.

everything is definitely not okay.

jimin's trip turns out to be permanent and into another apartment. it's something that makes taehyung sick. like really physically sick.

his departure wasn't totally selfish and it didn't leave taehyung with more bills to pay because jimin, for some reason, is still paying his half of the rent. he tells taehyung the place he's currently staying in is giving him free room and board so he doesn't have to worry.

but the news of that just makes taehyung hate himself.

"he really hates me," taehyung had cried one night.

"he doesn't hate you," jeongguk wiped his tears away.

"he's paying for a place he doesn't even live in," the older sniffled. "he wanted to get away from me that badly."

taehyung spends a lot his time texting jimin or calling him but rarely ever getting responses. he's distracted most of the time like he situation was eating away at him from the inside out.

it isn't until a week later that jimin and taehyung actually see each other again. it's only when jeongguk takes in jimin's thin frame and his dark eyes that he realizes this is the first time he's seen jimin in weeks. and he looks like shit.

taehyung practically attacks him in the cafeteria, pulling him into a tight, aggressively affectionate hug. it isn't the reaction that jeongguk thought he'd have upon seeing jimin seeing as he'd been crying over what he thought was their broken friendship for days now. 

jimin hugs back and smiles brightly as if the distance between the two of them hadn't grown significantly in the past few months. they hold onto each other for a bit but when jeongguk catches jimin's eyes, jimin pulls away, his smile fading.

"c'mon tae," jimin breathes out. "let go."

"don't want to," taehyung's voice is a little muffled. 

jeongguk wants to tell jimin to stop, to just hold taehyung and let them be. but he doesn't and he's not sure why.

and then jimin jerks away, tears them apart and taehyung looks like he's been hurt, like the action ripped a hole through his body. 

"you can't do that, okay?" jimin says and, even though his eyes are sad, his voice is hard. 

jimin walks away and taehyung breaks.

it's not hard to find jimin.

staying in a place with free room and board? he's definitely not at his parent's place in busan. which means he's probably at his second mother's house. seokjin's house. 

the door opens and jeongguk only catches a glimpse of dark eyes and a shock of orange hair before the door is closing again. one push and a foot in the door later and the eyes are back and glaring.

"what do you want?"

the question, jeongguk knows, is meant to be harsh and thinks it would be if not for the fact that taehyung's voice has been wavering the exact same way. and that waver was nothing but heartbreak.

"i've kept away," jimin continues. "there's no reason for you to be here, i haven't bothered either of you at all--"

"that's why i'm here," jeongguk sighs, looking down at his shoes. "he needs you."

there's no response, no interruption so jeongguk continues, his sight set on the design on his sneakers. 

"i was stupid, okay?" he admits. "and i didn't realize what you guys were or what you had. i was jealous. and, you have to keep in mind, you're an attractive person. and you were always all over him and he was always over you and i guess in the back of my mind, i thought you two were doing more than just...i'm sorry."

still nothing.

"i don't know if he loves me," jeongguk starts again. "and i don't know if he ever will. but i realize that it doesn't matter. because i could be the love of his life but...you're his soulmate. and how he feels about me is worlds away from how he feels about you."

jeongguk looks up. "so forget everything i said. please?"

getting back to normal is easier than jeongguk would have thought but they do it. soon, before he knows it, they're back to cuddling and holding hands and it weirds jeongguk out to know that seeing them do that actually comforts him.

he worries though.

he worries that one day, taehyung will call him or corner him at practice and ask him why he tried to ruin the best relationship he'd had. why he tried to keep them apart. 

he worries because now he doesn't think he has a good reason. he was jealous? of what? was he jealous that jimin had taehyung to himself? or was he jealous the two of them had something that jeongguk didn't have with taehyung? 

either way, the main reason sounds a lot like "because i'm an asshole."

one night when they go to the movies and taehyung disappears because he forgot his favorite fruit snacks, jimin leans over to whisper in jeongguk's ear.

"i'm not gonna tell him," he says. "so relax."

when he pulls back, jeongguk looks up at him puzzled. 

"if you want to tell him one day," jimin shrugs. "that's on you. but, like you said, i don't want to ruin this for him."

he drops taehyung off at his apartment which really means he drops them both off at their apartment and kisses him goodnight. he gives jimin an awkward, one armed hug and smiles.

they both wish him good night and they disappear behind the door.

as jeongguk is walking away, he wonders if he should be concerned that they're sleeping in the same bed. or that they're cuddling on the sofa again. or that they're kissing on some place other than each other's foreheads, noses, and cheeks. he wonders if he should be afraid that he'll lose taehyung to his best friend.

but then he decides that trusting his boyfriend and not being an asshole is better than all of the other options.