“Hey everyone! Remember that this Thursday night is the benefit night at Yogurtology! Bring your friends and get some froyo so we can raise money for our philanthropy! Also, if you want to stack up on attendance points, this event is worth five so be sure to try and make it! You need 20 by the end of the semester.”
Jungkook sighs at the president’s announcement as he packs his bags to leave the meeting. Joining the Art Honor Society wasn’t in Jungkook’s initial plans when he became a Studio Art major, but his counselor said it would boost his resume and also help in making some friends since he was younger than most of his classmates, having skipped all of the basic freshman year courses due to his grades in high school. So Jungkook had complied and he was accepted. He just hadn’t been aware of what joining the society actually entailed. It meant a lot of membership fees and participation in events that Jungkook’s wallet and shy personality just weren’t ready for quite yet.
Backpack slung over one shoulder, Jungkook trudges out of the meeting room and shoves his hands into his pockets as he makes his way to the bus stop. At the beginning of the semester he had told himself that he would try to go to all the earliest events so that he could get all of his attendance points early and be able to focus on his final assignments and not fall behind. This was only the second event of the semester and normally Jungkook would jump at the opportunity since it was easy and simple; all he had to do was show up at the yogurt shop, drop his receipt in the box, and sign in with the board member sitting at one of the tables. Maybe if he was really feeling it, he could chat with some of the kids from his studio class, see what they were planning to work on that semester. But alas, Jungkook’s life was not easy and simple.
Jungkook was lactose intolerant.
It had developed as he got older; Jungkook was slowly unable to enjoy his favorite childhood desserts and instead had to settle for fruits and shaved ice. He never bought any medicine for it and just avoided dairy altogether; it was easier than having to remember to take the medicine just in case before any meal. He typically was never really bothered by the fact that he couldn’t eat dairy, but he wasn’t too grateful for this sad reminder. Jungkook thought it was tragic that he could never really enjoy a true Chicago deep dish pizza. That imitation cheese could just never compare.
The bus pulls up to the curb and Jungkook climbs on, flashing his student ID at the bus driver and taking a seat in the back. He leans his head against the window and curses his stomach for not allowing him to enjoy the simple things in life, like a bowl of Rocky Road, or even nachos. He wants to support his philanthropy since they help fund art education programs around the world, but he also didn’t want to spend hours on the porcelain throne.
Jungkook pulls out his phone to text his roommate that he was going to be home soon, that the meeting ended quicker than expected and that they could have dinner together if Yoongi wasn’t busy, but all he got in response was a simple “im in the studio, maybe tomorrow” and Jungkook sighed again, but then he was hit with the perfect solution to his problem. Poor Yoongi was slaving away in the architecture studio working on his thesis project, surely he would appreciate a snack break from all of his assignments? Jungkook could go to the yogurt shop and buy a to-go yogurt for Yoongi and take it to him in the studio, like the lovely, caring roommate that he was.
Satisfied with his decision, Jungkook heads off the bus when they reach his stop and walks towards his apartment. Stopping in the foyer to put his keys on the hook by the door and slip off his shoes, Jungkook realizes that neither he nor Yoongi had gone grocery shopping that week since both of them were busy in their respective studios. Looking into the fridge, he saw some leftover Chinese food that Yoongi must have brought home the other night. Jungkook wasn’t too sure when would be the next time he would see his roommate at home, so he figured Yoongi would be fine with him eating it. He sticks the container into the microwave and sets about pouring himself a glass of water and finding clean utensils. At the beep, he takes the food out and heads to his room to watch some anime on his laptop while he eats. Jungkook turns on an episode of Haikyuu and starts munching on his noodles.
Hinata was just making another vow about not losing and finding a way to stay on the court when Jungkook slurps up the last of his dinner. He pauses his show and gets up to put his dishes in the dishwasher, then heads back to his bedroom to finish up some classwork and get ready for bed. After putting the final touches on some sketches for his Figure Drawing class, and typing up the last few paragraphs for his Art History report, Jungkook leans back in his chair and rubs his eyes. He makes sure to save everything before he accidentally lost it, then powers down his laptop and moves to the bathroom to brush his teeth and wash his face before bed. He plops down onto his bed and burrows under the covers before quickly falling asleep to the sound of the humidifier on his bedside table and the smell of lavender scented laundry detergent. That night, Jungkook dreams of macaroni and cheese, milkshakes, and Flaming Hot Cheetos.
~
Thursday night rolls around and Jungkook dutifully makes his way to the Yogurtology across the street from campus. After finding a seemingly obvious solution to his dilemma, he was feeling a lot better about the benefit night. He could simply make a cup for Yoongi and then explain to the board members that he had promised to take it to his roommate in his studio. He wouldn’t even have to stay long and make awkward small talk with people.
The bell dings overhead as Jungkook opens the door to the yogurt shop, already bustling with customers even though it was only seven at night. He walks over to the counter where the cups were, grabs one, and starts to peruse the current selection of yogurt flavors. He finally decides on a mix of brisk cappuccino and cinnamon churro (although he would’ve chosen carrot cake and chocolate chip cookie for himself, two of his favorite desserts when he was younger, this was for Yoongi and Yoongi hates carrots, the bastard). Jungkook moves on to the toppings, garnishing his creation with white chocolate chips, Cap’n Crunch pieces, and graham crackers, before continuing to the cash register and setting his cup on the scale to be weighed.
He was busy fumbling around for his wallet and lamenting about how he should have gone easy on the graham crackers when he heard a deep voice say, “For here or to go?”
Jungkook whips his head up because honestly, how can someone’s voice be that attractive. He soon realizes that was a mistake.
If this man’s voice could be considered attractive, then his face was even more so. Golden tan skin with an incredibly straight nose and eyes that were both kind and a little intimidating, all framed by soft, light brown hair. Jungkook stands in shock for a second before the man raises an eyebrow at him, and Jungkook shakes his head a bit and mumbles a soft to go please, before handing over his credit card. The man reaches out and takes his card with long, slim fingers, while also handing Jungkook a cover for his yogurt.
“Thanks for coming in tonight! Have a good day!” the man says, and shoots Jungkook an adorable boxy smile that shows all of his perfectly straight teeth. Jungkook’s whole body starts to heat up and he’s honestly surprised that the frozen yogurt in his hands doesn’t melt. His cheeks are practically on fire.
Jungkook quickly gathers up his yogurt and credit card, and drops his receipt in the fundraising bucket before bolting over to the table where the board members are sitting so that he can check in and be recorded for his attendance points. While he was standing there waiting for the secretary to find his name on the roll, Jungkook kept trying to steal glances of the boy at the cash register, only to be blinded by that bright, rectangular smile, and honestly, Jungkook’s heart stops for a second or two.
Once the girl at the table found his name and checked it off, Jungkook stumbles through an excuse about having too much homework and really having to get back to the studio. The girl just smiles at him and told him thanks for coming out and supporting the group’s philanthropy, and Jungkook takes that as his cue to leave. He tries to sneak one last glance over at the cash register to see that boy again, but was saddened to see that he had been replaced with a different boy with blonde hair and dimples. Trying to hide his disappointment, Jungkook pushes through the door and starts to make his way to Yoongi’s studio.
Jungkook has been to Yoongi’s studio plenty of times before to drop off supplies that he’s left at home, or just to bother him during class breaks. The architecture studio is a big wide open room, with exposed ceilings and concrete floors, desks scattered about that the students often rearrange every semester until they reach the perfect feng shui.
Yoongi’s desk sits in the corner by the window, and when Jungkook steps off the elevator, he can see Yoongi’s head of black hair hunched over and his hands diligently working on his design. Jungkook walks over slowly, knowing that Yoongi probably has his headphones in and hopefully won’t notice him.
“You’re not as sneaky as you think,” Yoongi drawls while still slouched over. He sits up and fixes Jungkook with an unimpressed glare and Jungkook just pouts childishly.
“But I come bearing gifts, hyung!” Jungkook says as he takes the yogurt container out from behind his back and places it on Yoongi’s desk. Yoongi glances at it, shrugs, and then picks up the container to start eating.
“And what exactly is this for?” Yoongi asks after the first bite, narrowing his eyes at Jungkook, who is busy trying to pretend that he’s really interested in Yoongi’s classmate’s design of an elementary school.
Jungkook just shrugs. “What, I can’t bring a gift over for my favorite, hardworking hyung?”
Yoongi sets the container down and crosses his arms over his chest, all the while giving Jungkook the look. Jungkook starts backing away slowly with his hands in his pockets and gives Yoongi a nervous smile.
“Also I ate the rest of your noodles you left in the fridge the other night, gotta go, bye!” Jungkook says as he turns around and starts to sprint towards the elevator.
“Jungkook!”
Reaching the elevator and pushing the down arrow, Jungkook hears Yoongi’s exasperated sigh, but he knows Yoongi would never actually come after him for something like that. “I’ll pay you back hyung, promise!”
“Doubt it, but I appreciate the sentiment,” Yoongi says, just as the elevator doors are closing. Jungkook leans against the back wall, smiling to himself, partly because he got away with noodle murder, but also because of a particularly bright boy with a particularly bright, rectangular smile.
~
Jungkook finds himself distracted for the next couple of days. He can’t seem to concentrate on his sketches when he’s in his studio and it takes him longer than usual to finish his assignments. Even Yoongi notices that his mind seems to be preoccupied.
“You seem to be daydreaming more often there Kook,” Yoongi says to him one night over a dinner of fried chicken and beer.
Jungkook lifts his head up in a daze. “Huh?”
Yoongi just drops his chicken on his plate and stares at Jungkook as if he’s trying to dissect him. It’s the look again. It makes Jungkook’s skin crawl and shivers run down his spine.
“Um. I don’t know hyung, my classes have just been a little busy I guess?” Jungkook squirms in his spot on the couch and averts his eyes. “My professors haven’t been too happy with a lot of the work I’ve turned in.”
Yoongi shrugs and says, “Maybe you just need a change in scenery. Staying in the studio for too long can be detrimental, trust me.”
“Do you usually go somewhere to take breaks hyung?” Jungkook asks, picking at his food. He’s always taken Yoongi’s advice into consideration, ever since they met each other the previous year in Jungkook’s Intro to Drawing class that Yoongi was a TA for. Jungkook respects him, as blunt and gruff as his hyung may be. Jungkook also knew that Yoongi was really just a big soft marshmallow on the inside, especially now that he’s witnessed Yoongi interacting with dogs.
“Depends on the project I’m working on at the time,” Yoongi says as he scratches at his chin. “If I’m doing some landscapes, I’ll go to the park and sit on a bench and watch ducks and just interact with nature, all that shit. If I’m doing something that deals more with people, I’ll usually go to a cafe or library and people watch, just to see how they interact.”
Jungkook thinks about this for a second as he munches on more of his chicken. The assignment he was currently working on dealt with portraits, and displaying different kinds of emotion. Jungkook says as much to Yoongi, who’s busy finishing off his can of beer.
“Just go to any of the restaurants or cafes around campus, people are always going in and out of those, you’d be able to get a good variety on any given day,” Yoongi tells him, punctuating his statement with an impressive burp.
“Nice,” Jungkook says, and responds with a burp of his own. Yoongi just smiles at him and they both settle back into the couch for a Marvel movie marathon, content to let their school work wait until another day.
~
As the days wear on, Jungkook thinks about Yoongi’s advice and tries to put it into action. He tries going to the Starbucks on the corner, but the clientele is a little too snobby for him, and he finds himself too tempted by the numerous cake pops sitting behind the glass display case. He checks out the little cafe across from the library, but the owner stares him down because he doesn’t actually buy anything except for a small soda and just takes advantage of their free wifi.
Eventually, Jungkook finds himself outside the yogurt shop from a couple weeks ago, backpack filled with his multiple sketchbooks and pens and pencils. In the back of his mind, he has a feeling he would have always ended up here anyways. Jungkook secretly knew that he was having trouble concentrating because of a certain box shaped smile that kept peeking into his mind’s eye when he was drawing his portraits. He just didn’t want to admit it.
Jungkook steels himself and walks inside the establishment, trying his hardest not to look in the direction of the cash register. He figures he might as well get some yogurt, even though he’ll probably regret it later. He wants to make sure that he looks like he’s in the shop for a reason, other than stalking a boy he saw one time a couple weeks ago.
Jungkook decides on a simple vanilla and tops it with various fruits and gummy candies and heads to the cash register. He keeps his head down as he hears that same deep voice tell him the cost of his yogurt and asks him if he needs a to go container. Jungkook shakes his head and reaches for his card when the boy hands it back to him and tries to get out of the situation as quickly as he can.
The boy dips his head down so he can make eye contact with Jungkook and says, “Thanks for coming in tonight! Enjoy your yogurt!”
Jungkook stares at him and feels his own eyes widen. The boy smiles and gives him a little wave. Jungkook is still as frozen as the yogurt on the counter, but he manages to pick up his container and straighten up, albeit a bit woodenly. He manages a small smile back at the boy and glances at his nametag. Taehyung it says, and Jungkook feels his heart lighten a little as he finally can put a name to the face that has been floating around in his head for weeks.
Making his way to a table in the corner, where he can have a good view of people coming in and out of the shop, Jungkook sets his bowl down and takes out his sketchbook and pencils. After all, he did come here to try and finish his portrait assignment. He looks down at his yogurt, a bowl of future stomachache rather than delicious dessert, and grimaces, decides he’ll try to eat only the toppings and hope that no one notices that he came to a yogurt shop and didn’t actually eat any yogurt.
Surprisingly, Yogurtology has a wide variety of customers, and Jungkook is able to draw out multiple sketches of people as he quietly sits at his table in the corner. Grandmothers taking their children out for a special dessert, college students dropping by for a treat after a long day of classes, professors sneaking in wearing street clothes hoping that no one will recognize them. By the time his uneaten yogurt is almost all the way melted, Jungkook has a good batch of portraits that he can show his professor the next day that will hopefully satisfy the requirements.
Jungkook looks over to the cash register occasionally so he can steal glances of Taehyung. The employee is consistently bright to all of the customers that come up to him, even the stuck up suburban moms who insist on using coupons that have already expired.
Jungkook is in the process of eating one of the strawberries from his bowl when Taehyung winks at an old lady paying for her yogurt. Jungkook swiftly chokes and starts coughing, pounding his chest to dislodge the offending fruit. He doesn’t notice Taehyung looking over at him with a knowing smirk, much too busy wiping the tears from his eyes.
After that, Jungkook realizes staying at Yogurtology anymore is just asking for disaster, whether in the form of the small amount of yogurt he’d managed to eat deciding to wage war on his insides, or in the form of another choking episode. He quickly gathers up his things and stuffs it all in his backpack before picking up his container and throwing it away.
Just as Jungkook reaches the door, he hears a small crash behind him and a very exasperated voice say, “Aw come on Namjoon, that’s the fifth time you’ve spilled the peanuts this month!”
Jungkook looks back and sees Taehyung glaring at the other blonde boy that Jungkook remembers working at the benefit night. There’s a mound of peanuts between them and the blonde is just rubbing the back of his head and shrugging sheepishly at Taehyung.
Taehyung must have felt Jungkook staring at him because he changes his line of sight and looks his way instead. Immediately the glare he was fixing his co-worker with is gone, replaced instead by that smile that makes Jungkook’s insides melt. Taehyung waves at him and Jungkook quickly turns around to leave. However, he didn’t realize how close he was to the door and runs smack into it, resulting in a resounding bong that echoes throughout the shop.
“Are you...” but Jungkook doesn’t hear the rest of that sentence, bolting out of there as quick as he can. Taking a moment to gather himself on the sidewalk, Jungkook takes off towards the bus stop, even though he can hear the bell above the yogurt shop’s door chime, and a deep voice calling after him.
~
Although the night ends in disaster, Jungkook has to admit that Yogurtology did supply him with a suitable variety of people to sketch for his class. He decides to go back once he gets a new assignment dealing with figure drawing. He buys a bottle of Lactaid on the way, and pops some in his mouth, just in case.
He sees Taehyung as soon as he walks in, chooses his flavors and toppings (cupcake flavored with marshmallows, animal crackers, and M&Ms), and briskly makes his way to the cash register.
“Hey there, would you like to sign up for a rewards card with us?” Taehyung asks.
“A what?” Jungkook replies, making eye contact for a second before looking down again at his shoes.
“A rewards card. You get like points every time you come in and eventually you can get a free yogurt or something. This is the third time I’ve seen you here in a month so I thought you might want one.”
Jungkook shrugs and just says, “Okay, guess it couldn’t hurt anything.”
“Great! Name please?”
“Jeon Jungkook.”
“Awesome. Phone number?”
Jungkook sputters and feels a blush creeping up his cheeks. “Wh-what?”
“A phone number,” Taehyung says, staring at him with a bit of a blank look on his face. “I need it for the rewards card, so we can like, look it up if you ever lose it.”
“Oh right,” Jungkook mutters, practically melting from embarrassment. He rattles off his number and Taehyung types it in, then hands him his new rewards card. Jungkook shoves it in his pocket with a small thanks, and continues on to his table in the corner.
Taking out his sketching supplies, Jungkook settles in for another session of people watching and drawing. He becomes so absorbed in his work that it doesn’t even register in his brain that Taehyung had actually recognized him enough times to deem it necessary to offer him a rewards card.
~
As Jungkook gets more and more sketching assignments that he needs human references for, his trips to the yogurt shop increase. He brings his sketchbooks and draws customers while his yogurt melts and condensation gathers on the table. He also goes to the pharmacy and stocks up on more Lactaid. Jungkook is pretty sure he’s the medicine’s number one customer now.
Some days that Jungkook goes into the shop, Taehyung isn’t there, which is slightly disappointing, but Jungkook tries not to let it show.
Instead, he becomes good friends with the other boy that works there, Namjoon, the one that spilled the peanuts and often breaks the yogurt machines. Jungkook learns that Namjoon is Taehyung’s roommate, as well as his co-worker, and that they met in the dorms two years ago and then decided to move off campus together.
Jungkook tries his hardest to secretly ask Namjoon questions about Taehyung, just so he can try to get to know the boy whose face is filling up his sketchbook.
“Where’s Taehyung today?” Jungkook asks Namjoon during a slow part of the night.
Namjoon pauses in his sweeping (basically the only thing he’s allowed to do at this point, since he breaks everything else), and turns to look at Jungkook in the corner. “He’s got some Calc III homework that he has to do. I don’t know how that boy handles being a Physics major.”
“Says the philosophy and English literature double major,” Jungkook scoffs. He honestly isn’t sure how Namjoon and Taehyung’s apartment hasn’t fallen apart by now, either from one of Taehyung’s failed experiments or from one of Namjoon’s tirades he goes on when he’s particularly focused on a certain existential topic, limbs flailing everywhere and feet stomping on the carpet.
“Science is much bigger than literature or philosophy. Everything I need for my major is already in my head, I just have to figure out the right way of thinking in order to find it,” Namjoon says simply.
“Right, okay hyung,” Jungkook agrees, not wanting Namjoon to divert off from the conversation and start talking about the limits of the mind, or something else that will put Jungkook to sleep. He still had to finish five more sketches.
“How’s your assignment coming along?” Namjoon asks as he finishes up his sweeping and moves on to wiping down the counters.
“Pretty well I guess. Ever since I started coming here, my teachers have started paying more attention to my work,” Jungkook answers, putting some finishing touches on a sketch of a little girl holding up an animal cracker dipped in frozen yogurt, a look of absolute glee on her face.
“Does it have anything to do with a particular employee whom I know fills up that one red sketchbook you always have off to the side?”
Jungkook sputters and snorts, trying to appear nonchalant as he tucks the red notebook away underneath his pencil case. “Whaaat, no, of course not.”
“I’m clumsy, not blind Jungkook.”
Jungkook just looks down at his fingers as they rub against his pencil, trying to hide his rising blush and sweaty palms.
He’s not sure when it happened, really. When he first started coming to the yogurt shop to sketch, he would draw out customers as they sat nearby, trying to quickly capture expressions and emotions before they faded. Soon, he found himself enthralled by the boy at the cash register instead, and began sketching him when he was finished with his actual assignments, in a special red notebook Yoongi had bought him for his birthday last year.
Currently, he’s a little more than halfway through the pages of the red notebook.
“He’s single in case you were wondering.”
“I wasn’t,” Jungkook replies, as casually as he can, but his voice cracks a little on the last syllable. Namjoon just gives him a knowing look from behind the counter.
~
Jungkook is home eating ramen and trying not to get any of the broth on his sketchbook when he hears Yoongi come home from a four day stint in the studio.
“Hey Jungkook!”
“Yeah, hyung?” Jungkook calls out as he gathers some more noodles in his chopsticks and brings them to his mouth.
Yoongi opens Jungkook’s bedroom door and stands on the threshold. “Why do you have a rewards card for Yogurtology attached to your keys?”
Jungkook whips his head up, noodles dangling halfway out of his mouth and chopsticks still raised. Yoongi grimaces and takes a minute step back while Jungkook works to swallow what’s in his mouth before speaking.
“Um, they have an ever rotating batch of flavors and hundreds of toppings?” Jungkook answers, only feeling mildly uncomfortable with the look Yoongi is giving him.
“Kook, you’re lactose intolerant.”
Jungkook fidgets with his chopsticks and avoids eye contact, feeling somewhat chagrined and shy, shrinking back into his desk chair.
“... there’s a cute boy,” Jungkook mumbles, but it comes out garbled and all smushed together, as if Jungkook’s tongue is suddenly too big for his mouth.
“Come again?” Yoongi inquires, crossing his arms and leaning against the doorframe.
“There’s a cute boy,” Jungkook says, more clearly now, finally looking up to meet Yoongi’s eyes.
Yoongi’s face breaks out into a grin. “Ah, I see. Is this why our medicine cabinet now has more Lactaid than three pharmacies combined?”
Jungkook just looks down at the red notebook on his desk, his fingers tracing random patterns on the leather. He shrugs in response to Yoongi’s question. “Sorry, did I take up all the room reserved for your bath bombs, hyung?”
“You little shit, you know those bath bombs make my skin feel like a baby’s ass, which I clearly deserve after having to deal with your nonsense everyday.”
Jungkook giggles. “You know you love me and my nonsense hyung, I’m adorable.”
“Yeah sure, whatever makes you sleep better at night Kook.”
Jungkook gives him a wink before going back to his ramen.
“So who is this boy then?” Yoongi asks.
“What?” Jungkook’s voice is a little muffled by the noodles and his eyes are burning a bit from the spice.
Yoongi leans away from the doorframe and practically tackles Jungkook off his desk chair and onto the ground.
“I said, who is this cute boy that’s got my little protégé all worked up?” Yoongi pinches at Jungkook’s cheeks, the younger struggling not to choke on the food in his mouth. Yoongi starts tickling his sides and poking his stomach, repeating who, who, who, as if he’s some sort of owl.
Jungkook eventually swallows down his ramen, no thanks to the squirming boy on top of him. “Ah, hyung stop, that tickles!” Yoongi doesn’t relent and soon Jungkook is a laughing, floundering mess on the floor.
“Okay okay, hyung, I’ll tell you!” Jungkook finally exclaims. Yoongi gives his cheeks one final pinch, but doesn’t make any move to get up.
“Really hyung? We’re just going to have this conversation here on the floor?”
“I’m comfortable, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Jungkook sighs and his head rolls to the side, arms splayed out on the carpet. “His name is Taehyung, I first saw him that night when the Art Honor Society had their fundraising event at Yogurtology. The night I brought you yogurt while you were in the studio.”
“I knew you weren’t just acting out of the goodness of your heart when you gave me that.”
Jungkook snorts and continues on. “I’ve been going to the yogurt shop to work on my sketches like you told me to, studying people for portraits and everything. And sometimes I kinda stare at Taehyung while he works...” Jungkook trails off and fixes his eyes on a stain on the wall instead of looking back up at his roommate.
“Jungkook I told you to go people watching, not people stalking.”
“It didn’t start out like that!” Jungkook huffs indignantly. Yoongi’s bony butt is beginning to dig into Jungkook’s stomach and he just really wants this conversation to end.
“So you admit that what you are doing now is stalking? It didn’t start out like that, but it is now?”
“No! Sometimes he’s not even working, but I still stay there to sketch! It’s not like I know his schedule or anything, I barely know anything about him.”
“Right yeah. What’s his full name?”
“Kim Taehyung.”
“Major?”
“Physics.”
“Year?”
“Third.”
“Hometown?”
“Daegu, but he moved here to the States when he was three.”
“Favorite animal?”
“Dogs, he wants to get one for his apartment, but the landlord won’t let him. If he got one he’d name it Tyson, after Neil Degrasse Tyson.”
Yoongi squints down at Jungkook on the floor. “Thought you said you didn’t know anything about him.”
Jungkook makes a strangled sort of sound and makes to shove Yoongi off of him, but Yoongi has surprisingly impressive thigh strength and he clings on. Truth be told, Jungkook had actually learned most of that stuff about Taehyung from Namjoon, who is very talkative when he’s not cleaning up his own messes.
Crossing his arms over his chest after his failed attempt to remove Yoongi from his person, Jungkook groans dramatically and says, “It doesn’t even matter hyung, he doesn’t know my name or anything, nothing’s going to happen, it’s just a little crush.”
It sounds like Jungkook is trying to console himself rather than convince Yoongi.
“Aw, look at my little baby, all grown up and dealing with big boy romance problems,” Yoongi says, reminding Jungkook a little bit of his great aunt that he only sees twice a year. Yoongi even completes the statement with a cheek pat and a hair ruffle.
Thoroughly exasperated by the conversation and his position on the ground, Jungkook goes for Yoongi’s ticklish spots right behind the knees, causing Yoongi to tumble off of him and onto the floor next to Jungkook. Both of them are left panting and staring up at the ceiling, the carpet scratching at their skin.
Yoongi is the first to recover. “Have you tried like, actually talking to him instead of just staring at him?”
“He’s usually really busy with work, he’s always trying to help out the customers and stuff.”
Jungkook doesn’t want to admit that his heart feels like it's in his throat everytime Taehyung so much as looks at him.
Yoongi knows that Jungkook can be shy and sees right through the excuse, but he chooses to just pat Jungkook’s hand as he turns his head to look at him. “You’ll get there Jungkook.”
“Thanks hyung.”
~
Jungkook is back at Yogurtology two days after his revelation to Yoongi. He doesn’t have a particular assignment that he has to finish this time, but he brings his sketchbooks just in case. He’s gotten used to the gentle atmosphere and the smell of vanilla that hits you as soon as you step over the threshold. It’s relaxing and calming, with it’s plain white couches and pristine glass tables. Jungkook has started to use the shop as a stress reliever as much as inspiration for his work.
He finds himself in the corner again, sketchbook already laid out and cup of yogurt on the side. Since he’s bought himself the Lactaid, he’s able to eat a bit more yogurt without actually wanting to throw up, which is nice. Tonight, he’s gotten himself some double fudge mint brownie yogurt topped with peanut butter cups and vanilla wafers.
It’s not a busy night, and Jungkook spends some time going through his sketchbook, looking through some of his recent drawings and seeing if there’s anything he can do better for the next one.
Suddenly, there’s the sound of metal scraping against tile, and when Jungkook looks up, he has the breath momentarily knocked out of him. Taehyung floats down into the chair like an angel, settling his chin on his hand as if he belongs there, as if he isn’t responsible for Jungkook’s heart palpitations.
Jungkook’s hands still on his sketchbook. He blinks at Taehyung, mouth slightly agape as he traces the lines of Taehyung’s face, from his impeccable eyebrows, all the way down to his pointed chin. Jungkook finds it difficult to locate a single flaw.
“Can you draw me?”
Jungkook swallows. “What?” He’s pretty sure this is the first time he’s having a real life conversation with Taehyung, not one that includes just a credit card transaction and practiced formalities.
“You know, draw me like one of your French girls,” Taehyung winks and Jungkook nearly dies, his heart clearly not equipped to handle the enigma that is Kim Taehyung.
Clearing his throat awkwardly, Jungkook shuffles his things around with shaking hands, practically knocking over his yogurt cup in his attempt to flatten out his sketchbook and pick up his pencil. Taehyung catches the container before it can fall.
Once he has things settled, Jungkook raises his head to look at the boy across from him. Taehyung has a small smile on his face and his head tilted cutely, like a puppy waiting for a treat. His perfect eyebrows are lifted slightly in expectation, eyes large and curious.
Jungkook shifts in his seat and adjusts the red sketchbook on the table. He’s not entirely sure how to handle the situation, but remnants of his conversation with Yoongi a couple of days ago linger in his brain. Try talking to him.
“How did you know I draw?” Jungkook asks, voice tiny in the quiet shop.
“I see you in here at the same table in the corner practically every time I’m working, head buried in your sketchbooks. I’ve seen some of them too, when you get up to go to the bathroom. You’re really good.”
“Oh,” Jungkook replies intelligently. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome! Your name’s Jungkook right?”
Jungkook gives a small nod, hands tracing random designs on his sketchbook to calm himself.
“I thought I remembered correctly from the rewards card application,” Taehyung grins with all his teeth and Jungkook is blindsided. “So, will you draw me?”
“Um, sure,” Jungkook says, still wary. “You don’t have to like stay in one pose or anything, I just sort of need your face here for reference?”
Taehyung responds with a bright, “You got it!” He brings his fingers up in a peace sign around his eyes and winks again, rectangular smile taking up almost half of his face.
Jungkook tries hard to keep his blush down as he starts on his sketch. His hands are a bit wobbly, but he manages to draw through muscle memory alone, pencil gliding smoothly across the surface of the paper, not betraying his inner turmoil at all.
Taehyung stays in his pose for a little while longer, until he can see that Jungkook has a rough outline of his face drawn out on the paper. He tries to take peeks but Jungkook shields his sketchbook from view.
“I can’t ruin the surprise Taehyung,” Jungkook tells him softly, too shy to really say anything else.
“Well you’re no fun,” Taehyung pouts and Jungkook swears if he had seen that face any other time, he would give Taehyung anything he wanted, anything to make that frown go away. He ducks his head down closer to his sketchbook to avoid giving in to the temptation. “Wait how’d you know my name?”
“You’re wearing a nametag.”
“Ah, right,” Taehyung looks down at his nametag as if he’s never seen it before. Jungkook hides his giggle in his sketchbook.
The bell rings above the door and more customers come in. They’re moving quickly through the yogurt making process, so Taehyung stands up and goes over to the cash register so that they can pay.
The stream of people doesn’t stop for a while, causing Taehyung to have to actually do his job, but allowing Jungkook to complete his sketch.
When Jungkook finishes putting the last final touches on Taehyung’s eyebrows, he looks up to see Taehyung still in the midst of taking care of customers. The clock behind him reads 9 PM. Jungkook palms his face tiredly, thinking about how he really needs to go home to shower, and maybe finish his Design Theory paper that’s due in two days.
Regretfully, Jungkook tears out his newly completed sketch of Taehyung and leaves it on the table, hoping Taehyung will pick it up when he comes by to wipe the tables down. He cleans up his area and takes his container to the trash can, leaving the shop with a small ring of the bell.
He doesn’t get to see the look of pure elation on Taehyung’s face when he sees the sketch of himself on the table.
~
“Hyung, please will you go?”
“Hard pass.”
“Pretty please?”
“No.”
Jungkook fixes Yoongi with his best puppy dog eyes. The yogurt shop is having an event for Halloween where you can get a discount for coming in dressed in costume. Jungkook is trying to convince his roommate to come with him so he doesn’t seem like as much of a loser. Since he won’t be bringing his sketching stuff with him, he won’t have anything to do to pass the time, other than stare at Taehyung, which he’s trying really hard not to do as much (he’s not succeeding).
“Don’t use those eyes on me, they won’t work,” Yoongi tells him. “I’m not wearing a costume.”
“You don’t even have to wear a costume, hyung! Well I mean, you do if you want a discount and if you don’t want to be a massive party pooper, but I’m sure it’ll be fine!” Jungkook continues with the eyes that he knows Yoongi has a secret weakness for.
Yoongi scoffs and crosses his arms over his chest. Jungkook brings his hands up in a praying gesture and sticks out his bottom lip and that’s what causes Yoongi to break.
“Alright fine, I’ll go with you so you can awkwardly stare at your little crush and have your little Halloween fun. But I’m not going to enjoy it,” Yoongi says.
Jungkook whoops and gives Yoongi a hug, which Yoongi neither reciprocates or rejects, just stands there with his arms still crossed and a bored look on his face.
They leave their apartment together and take the bus over to the yogurt shop. Jungkook is dressed up in his Detective Conan outfit that he wore to Comic Con last year and Yoongi is wearing his typical attire of black sweatshirt, black skinny jeans, and black sneakers. It’s a little cold out to be eating frozen yogurt, but Jungkook pushes through so he can support the shop that has provided him with decent drawing references for the past couple of months. And so he can see Taehyung, but that’s secondary.
There’s already people milling around outside the shop when Jungkook and Yoongi arrive. A skeleton, a lumberjack, and a hockey player are sharing a table and a witch is leaning against the wall talking to Minnie Mouse.
The roommates step into the shop where there’s even more people in costume, everything from a sweet fairy with glitter wings to a gory, bloody zombie with an axe in its head. They walk to the counter and go about deciding on their flavors and toppings and soon they’re waiting in line to pay.
Taehyung is manning the register, dressed as a vampire and honestly, Jungkook never thought sharp pointed canines and bloody lips could look so cute. There’s a bit of eyeliner around Taehyung’s eyes as well, and Jungkook goes a little weak in the knees.
Yoongi is ahead of Jungkook and places his container on the scale first with a resigned sigh, stuffing his hands in his pockets afterwards.
“What are you supposed to be?” Taehyung asks, his voice a little distorted by the fake teeth he’s wearing. “I can’t give you a discount if you’re not in costume.”
“Um. I’m a black cat,” Yoongi brings his hands up to his chest and curls his wrists. “Meow.”
“You don’t have any ears.”
“I got into a cat fight and they were chewed off.”
“Gory, I like it. $3.57”
Yoongi pays and moves on, walking over to a table by the window, leaving Jungkook alone with Taehyung.
“Hey,” Jungkook starts, and Taehyung looks up at him. His fake teeth fall out as his jaw hangs open. Jungkook is suddenly very embarrassed by the shortness of his shorts, and he tries to tug them down a bit so they cover a bit more skin.
“Are you Detective Conan?” Taehyung stares at him with eyes wide as saucers, light gleaming off of them brilliantly.
Jungkook stares back, getting lost in the planes of Taehyung’s face before he recovers. “Y-yeah. Do you watch?”
“Watch? I practically live for that show. I even watched the live action episodes, which were not worth it, but still mildly enjoyable.”
Jungkook smiles. “Yeah I definitely prefer the animation to the live action versions of any anime. The art styles are what draw me in because, you know, art major and everything.” Jungkook rubs the back of his head, a little embarrassed and worried he sounds like a total nerd, but Taehyung continues on as enthusiastic as ever.
“Ah yeah, I get what you mean! I’m more in it for the action and crime solving myself,” Taehyung explains, even adding in some ‘crime fighting moves’ and sound effects. Jungkook finds that it’s easy to talk to Taehyung about anime. He’s brilliant and engaging, and Jungkook is drawn in by his gentle countenance and bright expressions.
They talk about anime until the line backs up and Taehyung has to let Jungkook go. Jungkook is a little miffed, but proud of himself since this conversation is the most words he’s exchanged with Taehyung ever.
Jungkook wanders back over to the table Yoongi is sitting at with a dreamy look in his eyes. He sits down blindly and doesn’t even notice that Yoongi is already done with his yogurt and is looking at him with a devilish glint in his eyes.
“So when are you going to tell that boy you’re absolutely whipped for him?” Yoongi pokes at Jungkook’s side until he whines.
“I am not!” Jungkook protests, but Yoongi raises his eyebrows at him incredulously.
“Kook, you literally, willingly, put your digestive system through hell just so you can have an excuse to come here and stare at him.”
“It’s my digestive system, I do what I want!” Jungkook takes a big bite of his yogurt in pure defiance, and sticks his tongue out at Yoongi like a petulant child.
“Gross, I don’t want to see that, I don’t know where that’s been,” Yoongi shoves Jungkook away from his face and turns to the window. “But seriously, you should probably tell him. Cute boy like that can’t stay single for long.”
Jungkook whimpers pitifully and puts his head down on the table. “I know, hyung, stop reminding me of my painful awkwardness and social inadequacy.”
Yoongi pats him on the back in consolation. “As fun as it is to see you suffer, I do want to see you happy for once, and seeing you talk to that boy is the happiest I’ve seen you in a while. So I’ll be cheering you on, Kook. Hyung is here to help.”
“You’re so cheesy, hyung,” Jungkook murmurs, but he really is grateful for the silent support he can always find in Yoongi.
“Well it’s a damn shame you can’t eat cheese then. Did my cheese hurt your little tummy?” Yoongi smirks, and Jungkook can’t help but let out a snort.
The night continues on like that, Jungkook and Yoongi bantering back and forth, insulting each other like only good roommates and best friends can. Jungkook introduces Yoongi to Namjoon, and the two start talking about their shared interest in the same type of music, and Jungkook leaves them to it and quietly finishes his yogurt.
Taehyung swings by their table at one point in the night, and Jungkook is a bit timid at first, but is quickly gaining confidence the more and more that he actually talks to Taehyung.
“So do you watch any other animes?” Taehyung asks.
Jungkook hums and looks up to the ceiling, partly to give himself time to think but partly to avoid falling into the swirling night sky in Taehyung’s eyes. “I’ve watched all of Haikyuu. And Sword Art Online. But I’m a much bigger fan of the older anime art style, like Hunter x Hunter, or Slam Dunk.”
“Ah, yeah those are all classics,” Taehyung puts his chin in his hand and leans forward on the table. It’s almost enough to make Jungkook uncomfortable, but he manages to stay where he is, breathing in the same warm air as Taehyung. “I’m actually a fan of cute girl animes, like K-On! Or Love Live! They just always look like they’re having fun. Makes me forget about all the schoolwork I have to do.”
Jungkook gives a nervous smile. “Yeah, it’s easy to get lost in those worlds sometimes.”
“Wow, I can’t believe you’ve been coming here for so long now and I’m only just now learning how much of a weeb you are.”
Immediately, Jungkook’s cheeks burn and he ducks his head down. “You like anime too! There’s nothing wrong with it!”
“You’re right, there’s not. It’s nice to learn things about you.”
If possible, Jungkook’s cheeks turn even more red, as red as the strawberries still sitting in his yogurt cup. He’s at an utter loss for words, but luckily, he’s saved by Namjoon, who has finished his conversation with Yoongi and is trying to get Taehyung’s attention so that they can start closing up the shop for the night.
“Hey Tae, come on, we gotta clean up. Seokjin’s going to kill us and never put us on shift together if we leave everything a mess again.”
“Ugh, why does our manager have to be such a wet blanket,” Taehyung throws his head back dramatically.
Yoongi stands up and stretches. “We should get going anyways. You ready Kook?”
Jungkook averts his eyes away from Taehyung’s exposed Adam’s apple and shifts his focus over to Yoongi. “What hyung?”
Yoongi just laughs a little and pokes his forehead with a little more force than necessary. “I said, are you ready to go home?”
“Oh, yeah, sorry hyung. Let me just help them…” Jungkook goes to pick up their containers from the table, but sees that Taehyung has already cleaned everything off and is moving to mop up the floor where yogurt has spilled.
“We got it Kookie! Don’t worry!” Taehyung waves at him and smiles, eyes sparkling and shining.
“Oh, o-okay then,” Jungkook stutters and Yoongi practically drags him out of the shop and onto the sidewalk.
“Kookie, huh?” Yoongi snickers, and Jungkook shoves his shoulders with a soft shut up, hyung as they walk towards the bus stop.
~
“Oh my god, where is it?” Jungkook is frantic as he searches through his backpack, shifting through textbooks and folders and random scraps of paper, almost getting cut by his Xacto knife when its cap slips off.
Jungkook has just arrived in his studio to work on one of his larger projects that he couldn’t take home, a series of giant paintings that took up most of the floor. He had been searching for his layout design that he had prepared earlier when he noticed that one of his notebooks was missing. His red notebook. With all the drawings of Taehyung in it.
Dread started to fill Jungkook’s stomach as he thought about all of the places he had visited within the last couple of hours. He was sure that he had it with him when he left his apartment, and he saw it when he went into his bag to get his wallet to pay for lunch, and when he was putting his materials away at the end of his last Art History class. So that only left one possible place where it could be.
The yogurt shop.
He had gone there to hang out with Namjoon for a bit after classes, since it was on the way to his studio, and to get some last minute sketches in, for fun. He must have left it on his table in his haste to pack everything up to get to the studio in time to talk to his professor before office hours were over.
Jungkook buries his head in his hands and runs his fingers through his hands in distress. The dread inside of him transforms from a slow bubbling to a full on storm, and Jungkook tries his hardest not to pass out.
“Okay, everything's fine, it’s chill, Taehyung totally isn’t going to find your notebook full of creepy stalker drawings and think you’re borderline insane or anything, it’s all good,” Jungkook tries to convince himself, but it only causes him to think more about all of the possible things that could happen if Taehyung were to get his hands on that notebook. It was bad enough that Jungkook left that sketch of him on the table for him to keep a couple weeks ago - at least Taehyung had asked for that one. He didn’t ask for an entire notebook of them.
Quickly, Jungkook packs everything back up and races out the studio door, startling a freshman girl with his near hysterics and almost causing her to drop the gallons of paint she was carrying.
Jungkook sprints his way across campus, dodging skateboarders and pedestrians alike, ignoring any sounds of protest or outrage. His mind was buzzing and he was only focused on getting to the yogurt shop as fast as he could.
Out of breath, Jungkook bursts through the glass doors of the shop, taking in lungfuls of that sweet vanilla air. He imagines he looks something like a psychotic anime character, feet spread out and hand splayed on the door frame, eyes wide as they searched the small shop for his red notebook. Jungkook finds it, right on the corner table he was sitting at half an hour ago, right in the hands of -
Taehyung.
Jungkook squeaks, breath caught in his throat as he rushes over to the table where Taehyung is sitting, perusing the contents of Jungkook’s red notebook. Jungkook snatches it out of Taehyung’s hands, and he almost feels bad about the surprised look in Taehyung’s eyes when he looks up at Jungkook.
Jungkook hides the notebook behind his back instantly, and stands there staring at Taehyung like a deer caught in the headlights, but doesn’t say anything.
Taehyung is the first to speak. “Are those all - “
But he doesn’t get to finish before Jungkook cuts him off. “Nope, I don’t know what you’re talking about, wowee look at the time, I really gotta go, bye!”
Jungkook swiftly turns on his heel and hightails it out of there, not looking back at Taehyung who is still sitting at the table with a rather stunned expression on his face. Jungkook doesn’t stop power walking until he reaches the bus stop, breathing harshly, chest stinging with the coolness of the early November air. He leans against the nearest street sign and wipes his hands down his face.
“Good job Jungkook, I think you avoided that particularly embarrassing moment nicely, definitely did not make a fool of yourself at all,” Jungkook says to himself. It doesn’t do anything to appease the mortification brewing in his stomach.
The bus pulls up and Jungkook trudges on, content to go home and bask in his humiliation rather than go back to the studio where he knows he won’t get any work done thanks to his current state. Jungkook sags against the window and hopes with all his heart that he didn’t entirely mess up his chances with Taehyung.
~
Jungkook takes a break from going to the yogurt shop for a few days after the notebook debacle. Instead, he sits in his bedroom with all the lights off, eating pretzels and drinking Dr. Pepper and lamenting about his fate.
Yoongi finds him on day four of his shut in, wrapped in a layers of blankets like an overstuffed burrito, hair greasy, and bloodshot eyes focused on his laptop screen that’s playing episode 829 of Case Closed.
“Kook this is getting ridiculous,” Yoongi says as he’s attempting to rip the blankets from Jungkook’s body. Jungkook holds on.
“This is my home now hyung, you can’t make me leave. I’m one with the blankets,” Jungkook’s voice is muffled by his comforter as he rolls all the way over to the wall, out of Yoongi’s reach.
“Jungkook this isn’t even a big deal. So you left a notebook filled with creepy stalker-like drawings of your crush, who hasn’t done that once or twice in their lives?” Yoongi reasons, but Jungkook just turns his head and glares at him from his blanket fort.
“I can never show my face in that yogurt shop again hyung, I’ll just stay here in my bed where no one can embarrass me anymore.”
“I don’t know, this is a pretty embarrassing sight to be honest,” Yoongi says as he picks through the snack wrappers and empty soda cans on the bed.
Jungkook groans from underneath his mound of blankets, but pokes his head out when he feels the bed dip with Yoongi’s weight as his roommate makes to lay down beside him.
“Jungkook, you’ve done far more embarrassing things in your life and gotten over it without any problems, no hesitation,” Yoongi levels with him. “Remember when you danced to Girls' Generation that one karaoke night at the bar last year? Actually, now that I think about that again, it was kind of impressive. How did you even know that entire dance?”
“I had a lot of free time one summer,” Jungkook mumbles, not making eye contact with Yoongi.
“Still,” Yoongi sighs. “You’ve never been one to worry about what other people think. What makes this time so different?”
Jungkook shrugs, picking at his fingernails and fidgeting in his blankets. “I don’t know, hyung. Taehyung is just so cute, like have you seen his smile? When it takes up half of his face and his eyes disappear?”
Yoongi just hums and keeps running his hand through Jungkook’s bangs, even though Jungkook hasn’t showered in a while and smells a bit funny.
But now that Jungkook is talking about Taehyung, there’s no stopping him - he steamrolls ahead, words tumbling out of his mouth faster than his mind can keep up, saying things he never even voiced out loud to himself, let alone to his roommate.
“And he’s so kind, I always see him helping out the old ladies in the shop that can’t pull the lever on the yogurt machines, and the little kids that are too short to reach the spoons for the toppings. He’s so funny, and he watches some of the same animes as me, and we listen to the same kind of music. And he’s intelligent, and curious, always thinking of new things to research for his physics lab. He’s hardworking, sometimes I see him doing his homework behind the cash register at the shop. Do you know how difficult physics is, hyung? I’m pretty sure it’s actually just another language, not math. And did I mention he was cute?”
Jungkook pauses to catch his breath, feeling warm after his rant and from all the blankets. Yoongi gives him a fond look and pats his head.
“Did you ever think to tell Taehyung any of this?”
Jungkook falters. “Of course not, hyung, he probably doesn’t even like me that way.”
Yoongi gives an exasperated sigh and fixes Jungkook with the look. “Jungkook, I’ve only really seen you two interact a couple of times, but whenever I see the two of you talk, you are so absorbed in each other its like you completely forget about everything around you. One time, Namjoon and I had a contest to see which of us could stack more cookies on our respective roommate’s hand. I won, by the way.”
Jungkook shies away from Yoongi’s glare. He wondered why he found cookie crumbs in his sleeve one night.
“Jungkook the two of you are so fond of each other it’s honestly sickening to witness.”
Jungkook’s face burns, but inside a spark of hope ignites in his chest. “Do you think so hyung?”
“I know so Kook,” Yoongi says, flicking Jungkook in the forehead. “So get it through that thick skull of yours, man up, and ask him out.”
“Ouch hyung, damn, how did you have so much finger strength? You’re so skinny, do you just have all your muscles in your fingers?”
“Piano,” Yoongi replies callously, as Jungkook rubs at the red spot on his forehead. More pokes to the stomach follow the finger flick and soon Jungkook is gasping laughing, pleading Yoongi to stop.
“Ah, okay I get it hyung, I’ll ask him out, please stop tickling me,” Jungkook wheezes. Being a blanket burrito was hard work.
Yoongi beams and stops his attacks. “Great! Let’s go!”
“What?” Jungkook looks at his roommate in shock.
“Let’s go to the yogurt shop so you can ask Taehyung out,” Yoongi says plainly.
“I can’t go right now! I haven’t showered in like, five days!”
“You’re right, you smell worse than that bum that sits outside of the student center sometimes,” Yoongi scrunches his nose. “You can shower, but then we go!”
Jungkook slumps in defeat, and nods meekly while Yoongi struggles to get out of Jungkook’s bed.
“Chop chop! You’ve got a boy to woo,” Yoongi slaps Jungkook on the ass once they’ve both extracted themselves from Jungkook’s blanket stronghold. Jungkook yelps, but quickly starts picking out clothes to change into and making his way into the shower.
Twenty minutes later, a freshly washed and shaven Jungkook is standing in front of Yoongi, ready to receive the greatest pep talk of his life.
“Alright, so like, don’t fuck it up, okay?” Yoongi pats him on the shoulder and gives him a thumbs up.
“Encouraging, hyung, thank you,” Jungkook says. The two leave their apartment and embark on the journey that could make or break Jungkook’s social life.
The shop is quiet tonight, which Jungkook is both simultaneously grateful for and upset by; he could’ve used it as an excuse to get out of the situation if the shop was too busy, but at least this way, if he gets rejected, not many people will be around to witness his failure.
Taehyung is standing at the cash register and Jungkook tries to control his breathing.
Yoongi gets in line and pays first, Jungkook lagging behind, trying to stall for time. Yoongi gives an obnoxious cough, a poor attempt at covering up his just do it. Jungkook takes in one final breath as his places the last gummy bear into his cup and steels himself for the worst. His hands are shaking so much he almost drops his container before he gets it on the scale to be weighed and priced.
“That’ll be $3.85 will you be paying with cash, credit, or a date with me on Friday?”
“...what.”
“Do you wanna go out with me on Friday?” Taehyung looks at him with hopeful eyes. Jungkook is frozen, arms awkwardly held out from his body as he falters in the act of getting his wallet out of his back pocket. He’s pretty sure he hasn’t taken a breath in the last thirty seconds.
Taehyung just continues as if Jungkook is not currently a living statue. “I think you’re cute and funny, and you’re a really good artist and I’d kinda like to see you when I’m not wearing this dumb white polo and smelling of artificial cherry syrup.”
Somewhere in the background, Namjoon can be heard sadly mumbling I thought we used real cherries, but it doesn’t register in Jungkook’s mind. The only thing going on in his mind is Taehyung thinks I’m cute.
“So… do you wanna?” Taehyung looks sheepish, and gives Jungkook a small smile while looking at him with those bright, big eyes of his. The smile is what finally kicks Jungkook’s ass into gear.
“Holy shit yes.”
Jungkook does a weird fist pump hop combo and actually does make his yogurt fall onto the floor this time, but he’s too elated to care.
Namjoon cares, however, and let’s out a sad groan and a I have to clean that you know.
Taehyung’s small smile has now transformed into his full on box one, and Jungkook is quickly running around the counter to hold onto Taehyung’s hands.
“You’re serious right? This isn’t like some hidden camera joke?” Jungkook asks, looking around the yogurt shop for a blinking red light that will tell him everything’s a lie.
“Ah, no, I am completely serious, you are very much so the cutest person I’ve ever met and I would love to date you and your adorable bunny smile.”
Jungkook squeals, and Yoongi yells from the corner, “Okay yeah we get it, you’re both whipped for each other, can we move on now?”
Jungkook and Yoongi hang out in the shop until closing time, although Jungkook and Taehyung can’t stop staring and smiling at each other, and Yoongi and Namjoon both fake disgust at their heart eyes.
After the yogurt shop is cleaned, Jungkook waits for Taehyung outside on the sidewalk while Yoongi and Namjoon chat quietly off to the side, not wanting to get involved with the love fest.
“This is so crazy, I was actually planning on asking you out tonight,” Jungkook says as Taehyung is locking the front door.
“Oh, really? I must have really good timing then,” Taehyung stuffs the keys into his backpack and turns to face Jungkook.
“The best,” Jungkook is grinning so hard his cheeks hurt, but it’s worth it.
“You’re the best.”
“No you’re the best.”
“Alright can you guys stop before I puke up the pound of gummy worms I ate earlier?” Yoongi interjects.
“Hyung, you know all the things you steal from the counter comes out of our paychecks right?” Namjoon asks.
“Namjoon you literally spill everything at least twice every shift, I’m sure you can sacrifice for a few gummy worms,” Yoongi says with an unconcerned look.
Namjoon pouts and scruffs the toe of his boot on the ground. “Okay fine. Only because we’re celebrating. But can the celebrations end now? I have literature homework I have to do.”
“Oh sorry Namjoon,” Taehyung says, but his eyes still don’t leave Jungkook’s. “I’ll see you on Friday then?”
“See you on Friday,” Jungkook answers, swaying their intertwined hands back and forth. They stand like that for a while until Yoongi and Namjoon force them apart and walk them in separate directions towards their respective bus stops.
“Bye Kookie!” Taehyung shouts, feet dragging as Namjoon pulls him along.
Jungkook waves back. He feels free, floaty even, as if someone had injected him with helium and cut his ties with gravity. He can’t wait for Friday.
~
Friday arrives slower than Jungkook wants it too. Taehyung had asked him out on a Tuesday. He only had to wait three days, but it felt like an eternity and a half. Going through classes for the rest of the week honestly felt like trudging through molasses. Jungkook was antsy.
They had decided that Jungkook would pick Taehyung up from his shift at the yogurt shop when he got off around six, and then go out to dinner and a movie. A standard first date, but Jungkook couldn’t remember ever been so excited for something before. Not even when he was finally admitted to his dream university, or when he went to go see Epik High in concert, or when there was a sale at Target for white t-shirts. Nothing.
Jungkook is jittery as he waits outside for Taehyung. It’s a little chilly and Jungkook pulls his denim jacket closer to his body, beanie low over his ears to protect them from the wind.
A bell chimes and the door to the yogurt shop opens.
Jungkook’s jaw drops when he sees Taehyung in his casual clothes instead of his Yogurtology uniform for the first time.
Taehyung looks soft, wrapped in a warm knitted sweater and plain navy slacks, light brown hair falling into his eyes as he turns his attention to Jungkook. Taehyung smirks and Jungkook snaps his mouth closed.
“Ready to go?” Jungkook asks.
“Yepp!” Taehyung responds with enthusiasm and they head off in the direction of the restaurant that Taehyung had picked out earlier.
When they arrive, however, Jungkook doesn’t feel so excited anymore. In fact, he’s in a bit of a state of panic.
The restaurant they’re outside of is a pizza parlor. Where they sell pizza. With cheese on it. A dairy product.
Jungkook didn’t take his Lactaid.
“This place is amazing, honestly the best margherita pizza I’ve ever had. You’re gonna love it!” Taehyung smiles brightly. Jungkook has a quick internal debate with himself as to whether he should tell Taehyung about his lactose intolerance and decides against it; Taehyung’s smile blinds Jungkook to all logic and reason. He just hopes the movie doesn’t last too long and he can get home before anything happens.
“Ah, yeah, I’m sure it’s great,” Jungkook says. His stomach is already feeling queasy from nerves, and adding dairy into the mix probably won’t help things, but Jungkook wants to make Taehyung happy on their first date and if this damn margherita pizza will make him happy, then so be it. Jungkook will sacrifice.
They walk in and are seated by the hostess, ordering the pizza right away. They chat while they wait, about classes and final exams coming up, roommate troubles, and of course, anime. Jungkook doesn’t remember most of it but he’s sure it must have gone well, since the smile doesn’t leave Taehyung’s face. Jungkook is satisfied for the time being.
When the pizza arrives, Taehyung’s face lights up even more, if that’s possible, eyes wide and mouth opening in awe.
“Wow, it smells so good, I can’t believe I haven’t been here in months. Pizza like this should be eaten for every meal,” Taehyung says.
“Ha, yeah, wouldn’t that be something,” Jungkook murmurs, taking a slice for his plate. He looks down at it with dread, gearing himself up for the torture to come.
“Go ahead and eat Jungkookie!” Taehyung already has a mouthful, grease dripping down his chin. He looks expectant, waiting to see Jungkook’s reaction to the best margherita pizza.
Jungkook takes a tentative bite. It is good, tomatoes and basil working perfectly in sync. Jungkook gives Taehyung a thumbs up and chews slowly. Even though it tastes good, when he swallows, it feels like rocks dropping into his stomach, and Jungkook fights to hold back his grimace.
They manage to finish all of the pizza within half an hour, although Taehyung mainly eats all of it while Jungkook picks at the two pieces he has on his plate.
Jungkook pays, since Taehyung had offered to buy the movie tickets later, and they leave the restaurant for the theater. Jungkook’s stomach churns the whole way.
Taehyung buys their tickets for the new cop buddy comedy that came out recently, and they make their way to their designed theater and find seats in the back row. Jungkook starts wriggling in his seat as soon as they sit down.
The previews are still on so they talk about the upcoming movies, and it helps distract Jungkook from the storm brewing in his stomach, until the movie actually starts and he doesn’t have Taehyung deep voice to soothe his aches.
The movie is mediocre at best, Jungkook can’t concentrate on it since the cramps in his stomach have gotten so bad he can’t see straight. He makes it halfway through the movie before he decides to give in and go to the bathroom.
He tells Taehyung as much, and Taehyung looks concerned by the strained look on Jungkook’s face, but Jungkook does his best to mask it with a smile and a thumbs up, and then he makes his way down the stairs and into the lobby.
Jungkook stumbles his way to the men’s bathroom, hands clutching at his stomach and face twisted in pain. He slams open the closest stall door, unzips and sits, and lets go.
Luckily, no one else is in the bathroom with him, so Jungkook is free to moan and groan all he wants, head down in his hands as he mourns the simultaneous death of his insides and his first date with Taehyung.
Fifteen or so minutes pass with Jungkook stuck in his stall crying, when he hears the bathroom door open. Thinking it’s a random stranger coming in to use the facilities, Jungkook quickly wipes his face and stops his whining, not wanting to embarrass himself anymore.
“Jungkookie?”
Taehyung’s voice echoes in the empty bathroom and Jungkook whips his head up. “Taehyung?”
Jungkook hears Taehyung’s shoes squeak against the tile, and then sees them in between the floor and the stall door.
“Is everything okay?”
“Ah, yeah everything is fine,” Jungkook responds, but his voice wavers and some snot falls from his nose and he has to suck it back up, which totally does not sound fine, so Jungkook figures now is the best time as any to come clean. “Actually, no it’s not, not really. I’m um, lactose intolerant. And we had…”
“Pizza… Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry Jungkook, you should have told me! We could have gone some place different!” Taehyung exclaims. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“You just looked so happy to be able to eat that margherita pizza, I didn’t want to upset you,” Jungkook answers, humiliated by the current circumstances. He was talking to his date through a bathroom stall door, what could be worse?
“I would never be upset about something you couldn’t do because of a medical condition, goodness Jungkook, I’m not heartless.”
Jungkook doesn’t say anything for a minute, trying to compose himself enough to face Taehyung again.
“Do you need anything?” Taehyung’s voice is meek from outside the stall.
“A new digestive system probably,” Jungkook says and Taehyung snorts, tension finally lifted. “But also probably some water. And Lactaid, or Tums.”
“Gotcha! I’ll be right back!”
Taehyung’s shoes disappear and Jungkook can hear the bathroom door open and close with a bang. He cleans himself up and goes to wash his hands and splash some water on his face so he doesn’t look like a complete mess by the time Taehyung returns.
Which Taehyung does in record speed, bursting back into the bathroom with a plastic bag full of medicine and bottles of water.
“You’re alive! And moving!” Jungkook just nods and keeps his head down while Taehyung fusses about. “I didn’t really know what exactly to get, so I got you any medicine that had the word stomach on it.”
Taehyung hands Jungkook the bag so he can sift through it and find the necessary medication. “Taehyung, you bought kids medicine too.”
“It had a picture of a cute tiger on it. Look, he’s wearing a nurse’s hat.”
Jungkook just laughs at the ridiculousness of the situation, and at the ridiculousness of Taehyung. This boy who he’s been enamored with for the past couple of months, who just made him like him even more with both his kindness and absurdity.
“Is this why your yogurt cups were always filled with more gummy worms than yogurt?” Taehyung asks.
“Oh, yeah,” Jungkook rubs at the back of his neck. “I eventually bought some medicine to help, but I still couldn’t eat a whole lot of dairy. But I still wanted to see you so…” He trails off, unsure of how Taehyung will take the news of his borderline stalking.
“Aw Jungkookie, you’re so silly,” Taehyung says. “Putting your stomach through all that just for me. I would’ve talked to you even if you weren’t buying our yogurt. Seokjin may have been upset since you were in our shop without paying anything, but I wouldn’t have minded.”
“Sorry I didn’t tell you.”
“It’s okay, at least I know now. And I can properly plan for future dates!”
Jungkook stops fiddling with the handles of the plastic bag and looks up at Taehyung. “You want to go on more dates with me?”
“Yeah duh, you’re cute as hell, even if you can’t eat dairy.” Taehyung smiles at Jungkook, and Jungkook smiles back. Content, happy, elated, all of the above. “Do you want to go back to my apartment and watch Case Closed instead of going back to the movie? I’m pretty sure we missed most of the plot by now.”
Jungkook doesn’t hesitate before answering, “Yes.”
“Come on, I’ll buy you some dairy-free ice cream,” Taehyung winks and offers his hand out for Jungkook to take. Jungkook intertwines their fingers as they leave the bathroom. He thinks that even though he can’t eat sweet things like milkshakes or frozen yogurt, it’s okay since he has the sweetest boy by his side.