“Dude, Chloe’s here,” Taehyung announced, swinging open the apartment door. He gestured the petite girl inside.
“Hey, Tae,” Chloe offered, a smile playing on her lips as she glanced up at him. Her lashes were dark and fluttered with a subtle grace.
Taehyung returned a tight-lipped smile. He couldn’t shake a lingering unease around his best friend’s almost-girlfriend. He hadn’t spent much time with her, admittedly, but he found himself wary whenever she was near.
“I’m in the living room, Chloe!” a voice called from deeper within the apartment.
Chloe shook her head, a wry smile tugging at her lips. “Doesn’t even greet me at the door.” She offered a practiced smile and walked past Taehyung, her figure receding into the apartment’s dim interior. He watched her go.
He retreated into his bedroom, running a hand through his dark brown hair. The strands curled slightly, falling across his eyes. He knew he was overdue for a haircut. With a few quick motions, Taehyung pushed the hair back into place. He glanced in the mirror, noticing a small stain on his white button-down shirt.
“Shit,” he muttered under his breath, deftly unbuttoning the shirt and tossing it onto the bed. He opened his closet and stared at his options, unsure what to wear. Clothes were crammed onto the right side, the left side empty.
His bedroom door opened behind him, but he didn’t bother turning around. He knew it was Jungkook.
“How long until you go meet Shireen?” Jungkook asked, watching his friend’s back as Taehyung reached for a black shirt. His movements were fluid and graceful.
Taehyung shook his head with a wry smile. “I’ll be out of here shortly, so you can have your alone time.”
Jungkook rolled his eyes. “I wasn’t asking *because* of that.” He watched as Taehyung smoothed the shirt over his lean frame. “A t-shirt? Really?”
Taehyung tucked the shirt into his black jeans and looped a leather belt through the loops. “Is this too casual?”
Jungkook scanned him from head to toe, his gaze lingering on Taehyung’s features. “No. I really like it.”
Taehyung nodded, checking himself out in the mirror one last time. “I don’t know why I’m so nervous,” he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.
Jungkook moved further into the room, settling onto the queen-sized bed. “You’ll be fine. You have nothing to worry about.”
“What if she says –”
“She won’t say no. You guys have been together for what, two years now?” Jungkook smiled, a hint of warmth in his eyes. “Tae, it’ll all work out.”
He smiled back, relief washing over him. “Thanks, Kook. And thank you for agreeing to all this.”
“Yeah, yeah. You two just better not keep me up in the middle of the night.” Jungkook arched an eyebrow, earning a playful shrug from Taehyung.
“Consider it payback for me having to deal with you and Chloe’s antics. And if it gets too loud, I can recommend a great brand of earplugs.”
Taehyung ducked as a pillow was thrown at his face. “Hey! Don’t mess up my hair.”
“It needs to be cut.”
“Look who’s talking,” Taehyung retorted, pointing to Jungkook’s head. His jet-black hair fell to his jawline. “You look like a mushroom.”
Jungkook scooped his long hair into two pigtails. “But a very sexy mushroom.”
“What am I going to do with you?” Taehyung asked, a fond smile playing on his lips. “You’re just such a fun guy.”
Jungkook groaned. “A mushroom joke, Tae? What are you, twelve?”
Taehyung laughed, the sound genuine and bright. “Sometimes I feel like it.”
Jungkook smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Me too. Now get going, give Shireen my best, and tell her she better be the most considerate roommate ever. Or else.”
Taehyung waved him off, grabbing his keys and heading out the door. His heart hammered in his chest, but he felt better after Jungkook’s pep talk.
Back in the living room, Jungkook joined Chloe on the couch.
“What was that all about?” she asked, her voice laced with curiosity.
“Tae is asking Shireen to move in.”
“Oh.” She paused, then her gaze shifted to Jungkook, a playful glint in her eyes. “When are *you* going to ask me to move in?” She ran her hand along his thigh, her touch lingering.
“We’re done with questions for tonight,” he replied, capturing her hand and placing it where he wanted it most. “No more talking either.”
Chloe complied, and Jungkook leaned his head back against the couch. There was no better Friday night than this.
• • • • •
Kim Taehyung and Jeon Jungkook met when they were fifteen and thirteen years old, respectively. They were placed on the same competitive track team—Taehyung due to his age, Jungkook due to his exceptional talent. Jungkook was a running prodigy, quickly surpassing his peers and earning a reputation as one of the best runners in the county.
Despite his skill, Jungkook was a shy teenager, afraid to talk to the older boys and generally avoiding direct conversation. But Taehyung, a social butterfly, refused to let the younger boy remain isolated. He brought Jungkook into his friend group and helped him open up. Jungkook was still shy, but he had friends he could rely on.
All thanks to Taehyung.
The boys became the best of friends, Taehyung often paving the way for Jungkook. When he got his first girlfriend, he filled in the blushing Jungkook on everything he learned, in meticulous detail. He also helped the younger take his schooling more seriously, ensuring his grades were as good as they could be.
When Taehyung and his other friends left for college, Jungkook counted down the days until he could join them. And finally, when he graduated, he went to the same university.
These boys were his family, and Taehyung his closest brother.
After his freshman year, Jungkook moved off campus into an apartment complex with Taehyung. His other friends lived in the same building, making it easy for them all to hang out daily.
Jungkook had won the lottery when it came to his friends, his family, and he’d never take them for granted.