(back from the dead with an unedited, sloppy chapter but hey...

at least i've risen ^-^ hopefully you'll enjoy? x)

♥║ forty-six ║♥         

loml: hey guess what

taehyung: what

loml: i love you

taehyung: your head is literally in my lap

say it to my face scaredy cat

Jungkook reaches up to lower Taehyung's phone, a smirk on his lips when he says, "I love you."

Taehyung leans down to kiss him in reply.

He pulls away when he hears a disgruntled Mina grumble, "So is this what I'm going to walk in from school every day to?"

Taehyung grins while Jungkook doesn't even bother to look, lifting his hand to wave dismissively at her. "Run along, child."

Mina sets down her backpack and runs to him instead, sitting on his stomach as if he were part of the couch. She ignores Jungkook's grunt and leans over to Taehyung, asking casually, "Is there anything good on TV, Taehyungie?"

He plays along, stifling his laugh. "Hmm. I haven't checked recently. Here's the remote; you do the honors."

She smiles and nods to him, crossing her legs to where all of her weight is on Jungkook now. However, her brother never tells her to leave. He just sits up a little more on Taehyung's lap to even out the weight, giving his sister a teasingly angry look. She catches him staring and sticks her tongue out at him.

Jungkook darts up to grab her, the two of them falling onto the opposite side of the couch as he tickles her. Taehyung watches them fondly until his phone pings beside him. He's quick to snatch it up, his heart faltering before his shoulders deflate.

Just robo caller.

He doesn't realize he's frowning, or that Jungkook and Mina have stopped playing until Jungkook gently takes Taehyung's phone from him. "It's okay, hyung. You'll hear from them soon."

Taehyung chews his lip, shrugging. "I guess."

It's been a week since the "wedding," after all. You'd think someone from his immediate family would've contacted him by now. He at least expected more from his dad...

He can't let himself jump to conclusions and make false accusations. His dad isn't the type to abandon, so he's sure the old man is probably working things out with his mother. He'll hear from him soon. Jungkook is right.

Jungkook is giving him that pitied look and about to say something else when Taehyung abruptly changes the subject. "I should probably apply for some more jobs," he says, taking his phone back.

"Hyung, you know my mom isn't pushing you."

"Jungkook, I can't just stay here doing nothing. I haven't heard back from the college I applied to yet, I don't have a job... I'm not going to live off your mother's kindness."

Jungkook gives him an admiring look. "She knows that, Tae. Just don't stress yourself out over all of it, okay?"

"Where did Mina go?"

Jungkook sighs at how quick Taehyung always is to switch topics when he starts getting too uncomfortable with one. "She went upstairs almost ten minutes ago. That's how long you stared at your phone."

Taehyung pulls his knees to his chest, resting his cheek on them to look at Jungkook from the side. "Do you think I should go see her?"

"That's up to you," Jungkook admits. "In my opinion, I don't think she'll truly understand if you go to her first, though. She won't realize she's in the wrong if you keep going back." He brushes Taehyung's hair off his forehead and kisses him. "Come on. Stop overthinking everything and go get ready."

"For what?"

"Our double date," Jungkook says, quirking a brow. "Remember?"

"Oh."

Taehyung is giggling then, remembering how desperate Namjoon had looked when he dropped by earlier this week, telling them he needed help with his love life. Apparently, his feelings for Jin-hyung were getting a little too real for him to cope with on his own. The only way he managed to ask the elder out was by saying they could "join" Taehyung and Jungkook for dinner.

Jungkook says he'll take a shower first, biting back the instinctive urge to tell Taehyung to join him. The two have showered a couple times together now when no one was home--but not necessarily to do anything; just because he likes that Taehyung is no longer insecure with him over his tummy (and he's a hundred times cuter when he acts like a child, making bubbles by squeezing the shampoo bottle). Not only is his mother downstairs in the kitchen, but his little sister is across the hall from the bathroom. He doesn't want to face any humiliation were she to walk out of her room at the wrong time.

"I showered this morning when you were at school," Taehyung remarks when he sees the question on Jungkook's face. He grins. "You'll survive showering on your own."

Jungkook pouts playfully, but Taehyung merely laughs and shoves him towards the bathroom, shaking his head.

When Jungkook gets out, Taehyung has switched from Jungkook's t-shirt and jogging pants into a loose button down and jeans. Jungkook pauses a moment to admire the elder as he ruffles his hair while looking in the mirror, pouting when it doesn't do what he wants it to.

"You're so cute," Jungkook says aloud accidentally, his cheeks burning when he does.

Taehyung does nothing but grin, and that only makes Jungkook's cheeks redden more.

Jungkook's mom lets Taehyung drive her car to the restaurant, and both of them giggle when Namjoon is standing outside, pacing back and forth nervously.

"What, you didn't pick him up?" Taehyung asks. "That's not very gentlemanly."

Namjoon glares at him. "He was coming after work. I'm not in the mood for teasing."

"Aw, hyung," Taehyung gushes.

Jungkook laughs.

"Stop," Namjoon whines. "I'm having my mid-life crisis."

"It's a crush, not a divorce. Cheer up!" Taehyung pats his back.

Namjoon gives him a softer, yet serious look. "Do... do you think he actually likes me, Tae? Sometimes I think he's flirting but then it's just his personality..."

"When I first met you guys," Jungkook cuts in, "I thought you were already dating, if that's any consolation."

Namjoon lets out a breath.

"Hey, relax." Taehyung side-hugs him. "You may have a boyfriend later on tonight, who knows?"

"I don't think I can handle rejection if--"

Namjoon cuts himself off when another car pulls in, none other than Seokjin himself stepping out. He gives them a wide smile, picking up his pace.

"Sorry I'm a little late," he remarks. "Got stuck at work a few minutes extra."

"It's all good," Taehyung says, nudging Namjoon.

"L-let's go in," the hyung stammers nervously, rubbing the back of his neck as he holds the door open for the group.

Jungkook is chuckling as he follows them, feeling Namjoon's distress all too well. But look how it turned out for him... Thinking this, he looks over just in time to meet Taehyung's eyes, a smile creeping onto both their lips. Jungkook pulls the chair out for the elder, naturally taking the spot beside him.

It's almost comical how Namjoon tries to lean away from Jin without being obvious.

Conversation happens easy between all of them, as it always does. As per usual, Jin ends up laughing loudly at one of his own horrid jokes, but his laughter is contagious enough for the other three to join in, albeit none of them thought the joke was particularly funny.

Jungkook's eyes glide to Namjoon laughing, the hyung's eyes staring at Jin with such admiration it makes Jungkook's cheeks blush. Damn, he's in deep. How has he not confessed yet? Even better: how has Jin not noticed?

Jungkook leans over to tell Taehyung when Jin suddenly tsks. "No dirty talk at the table, children."

Jungkook's lips part, his cheeks especially on fire now. "I-I wasn't--"

"No flirting, then," Taehyung says calmly, giving the two elders a look.

Jin is the one to stutter then. "W-we weren't--"

"Kookie, come with me to the bathroom."

"You're not teenage girls," Jin snorts. "And you can't be that filthy."

Taehyung glares at him, standing nonetheless and Jungkook follows suit. He walks behind Taehyung until the boy darts around the corner, snatching Jungkook over with him. The two end up peering around the wall at the nervous hyungs that sit in a strange silence, fiddling with their fingers.

"They can't be that hopeless," Taehyung mutters.

"Did you see the way Namjoon-hyung looked at him?"

"Of course I did. I'll personally shove them together if I need too."

Jungkook chuckles with a roll of his eyes, though he doesn't doubt Taehyung means it.

After a few minutes, Jungkook sighs. "They aren't doing anything, Tae."

Taehyung scowls. "By the end of the night they will," he suggests with a wink.

Jungkook scrunches his nose. "Okay, ew."

The two walk back to the table, Jin instantly losing all awkwardness and perking up. "You guys didn't act like animals right?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Actually no, no I wouldn't."

The rest of the dinner goes on with more casual talk, and Jungkook watches Taehyung steadily deflate more and more the less and less the hyungs talk personally. Jungkook tries to pat Taehyung's knee assuringly, but the elder merely frowns and gives him an upset look. He's really trying hard to play matchmaker. It's cute.

When it's time to pay, a spark of hope flares within the couple when Namjoon lowers Jin's hand and says, "Don't worry, hyung. I'll pay."

"Namjoon, I'm the one with a job," Jin laughs. "I can pay for it."

"Too late," Namjoon says, sliding his (probably his mother's) credit card in the black holder, handing it to the waitress as she goes by. He gives Jin a dimpled smile. "I got it."

Jin slaps his shoulder teasingly, but there's a grin on his lips.

"Are you going to argue with me or...?" Jungkook asks, putting his own mother's card in the separate holder. It's hard being a broke high school student trying to treat your boyfriend."

Taehyung snorts. "I'm jobless and your mom is my financial support right now too, so knock yourself out."

"Aren't they romantic?" Jin teases.

"The true gentlemen sweethearts," Namjoon plays along.

Taehyung shrug. "You can only be so romantic when you're poor and already living off someone else."

He tried to play along, too, but everyone at the table catches onto the guilt and despair in his tone. Jungkook's eyes soften when he turns to his boyfriend, rubbing his knee comfortingly albeit Taehyung won't look up from the table.

The waitress comes back with their cards, all of them simultaneously standing to leave. Jungkook meets Taehyung's eyes, and the elder tries to give him a smile of reassurance, but it only looks tired and sad.

They bid a goodnight to their best friends, who Jungkook notices linger outside the front before departing to their own vehicles with shy smiles, then get into the car. Taehyung buckles and cranks up the car, but Jungkook puts a hand on his wrist to halt him from backing out just yet, their eyes locking.

"Let's go to your house," he says.

Taehyung's lips part. "What?"

"I know you miss them, Tae. They're your family regardless. And they're acting childish not contacting you, so let's go to them."

"Jungkook--"

"I mean it."

Taehyung rests his hands in his lap, clenching his jaw as he looks away. "I-I don't know, Kookie. They haven't called for a reason."

"It's making you miserable," Jungkook points out. "And it's not okay with me. So we're going to them, whether any of you like it or not. I want my smiley Taehyung back."

"You said I shouldn't go to her first," Taehyung murmurs with a scrunch of his forehead, his fingers fiddling with the hem of his shirt.

"I changed my mind," Jungkook says, patting his shoulder. "Come on. Let's go."

Taehyung looks to him, then sighs heavily in defeat and backs out, turning in the opposite direction of Jungkook's house. The anxiety is practically radiating off the elder, making Jungkook a bit jittery as well. However, he's ready to face Taehyung's parents. He's ready for his boyfriend to go back to being happy and carefree and rid of his guilt. He keeps blaming it all on himself--Jungkook can't stand it.

He doesn't want to be disrespectful, but he isn't going to be afraid of it if need be.

When Taehyung pulls into the driveway, his hands are shaking and he looks over at Jungkook with tears in his eyes. Jungkook grabs both his hands, cupping them in his own as he meets the elder's gaze.

"Hey, it's okay. I'll be right there. Or if you really don't want to, we'll leave, okay? I just want you to get the answers you need to feel good again."

Taehyung lets out a slow breath, nodding his head. He turns off the car and steps out, only to quickly jog around to Jungkook and lock their hands again. He gives himself a moment to breathe once more, then gently nudges Jungkook to lead the way to the front door. His father's vehicle is home, but not his mother's, unless it's in the garage. Maybe it's better if she isn't here.

Jungkook rings the doorbell, Taehyung's hand tightening in his.

When the door swings open, Taehyung holds his breath when his father's eyes meet his.

Then, with one little word whispered from his father's lips, he breaks down crying: "Son."