Taehyung meets Seokjin outside of his apartment after receiving a message saying that they've been requested to join their parents at dinner that evening.

It was Monday, Taehyung hadn't seen Jeongguk since Friday and he was looking forward to his library visit.

"What the actual fuck?"

"Don't make a huge deal."

Seokjin's eyes never leave Taehyung's hair as the younger walks round to the passenger side of the car.

"Are you having some sort of breakdown? Or did you mean to dye your hair that color?" He asks as they climb inside the car. "You look ridiculous."

"I did it on purpose. And I don't care if you think it's ridiculous, I like it," Taehyung says buckling his belt. "I guess your father never taught you that if you had nothing nice to say, to say nothing at all."

"My father taught me to speak my mind." Seokjin drives out of the apartment complex. "Your skin looks great by the way, is it make up?"

"Yes. I wanted to cover my blemishes," Taehyung says, he'd gotten up extra early to perfect his hair and makeup just the way Jeongguk insisted he did every day.

Taehyung:
I won't be at the library this afternoon, dinner with my parents this evening :(

Ggukie: that's fine! don't forget about your diet regimen! avoid carbs, they're the enemy!! ;)

Taehyung smiles at the message before locking his phone.

"Who is she?" Seokjin asks suddenly.

"Excuse me?" Taehyung asks, looking over at him.

"The lucky girl, who is she?" The older says with a smile. "I see you smiling at your phone, you dyed your hair, you're wearing make up. There's someone you're trying to impress, isn't there?"

"No. I'm doing this for me," Taehyung says shaking his head.

"Yeah right. Well when you do find a girl, if you already haven't, you have to tell me. That'll be the day." Seokjin laughs.

"I'm afraid that day will never come, hyung." Taehyung says, keeping his eyes focused outside.

"Don't be so pessimistic. There's someone for everyone," The older says. "You're always so negative about everything."

"That's not what I meant," Taehyung says. "Of course there's someone for everyone, I just don't think my someone is a...a-a girl."

"What are you saying? You're gay now?" Seokjin asks, his tone making Taehyung upset.

"No I'm not gay now, I've always been gay. It's not a sometimes thing," He says, rolling his eyes. "I guess I should've kept it to myself."

"Calm down, no one's judging you. I don't care who you fuck. Or who fucks you I guess." Seokjin laughs, looking over at him for a moment before focusing on the road.

    "I guess that's just another thing you can add to the 'everything wrong with Taehyung' list."

"I'd like to see that list." He snickers. "But seriously, Tae. I'm your brother, I'm here for you and I support you one hundred percent. Stop being so guarded around me all the time."

"Maybe if you weren't so mean~"

"Mean? Really? Are we twelve again?"

Taehyung sighs, falling silent for a moment. "You can be mean. I don't know why and I don't want to know. I just want you to stop making me feel like a total failure all the time."

"I want you to be better, Tae. I don't want to be mean but you don't seem to respond to anything else," Seokjin says, shrugging indolently.

"I'm just an easy target for you I guess. But I won't be for long."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Ggukie: just to let you know, i went without my earbuds today thinking you'd be here but you aren't and now i can't focus on my readings >:(

Taehyung:
i'm sorry i didn't tell you sooner :(

Ggukie: it's okay lol,,, i miss you Tae

"Who are you texting?"

"No one."

The rest of the ride to their parents house is silent, neither of them doing anything to break the silence.

Taehyung braces himself for his mother's reaction when she sees his hair, it's as over the top as he expects it to be which is why ten minutes later she was still going on about it.

    "I still don't quite understand why you made such a drastic change so suddenly. I mean I'd understand if you gradually lightened it but this huge jump~"

    "Mother, please," Seokjin says as they sit down for dinner. "He's an adult."

    "He's still my baby," Mrs. Kim says, kissing Taehyung's cheek before she sits down. "Boys, you'll have to tell us how school is going when your father comes down."

Taehyung hums in acknowledgement, looking down at his phone as another message from Jeongguk pops up.

Ggukie: did you know that a shot of expresso has less caffeine than a cup of coffee ??! what a scam...

Taehyung:
caffeine is bad for you anyways

Ggukie: even dark under eyes and acne can't keep me away from caffeine

Taehyung:
shouldn't you be in class?

Ggukie: shouldn't you be having dinner with your family ??

Taehyung:
touché

Ggukie: you're bilingual ?? sexy ( ͡ᵔ . ͡ᵔ)

    "Look who's balls deep in their phone again," Seokjin says as he pours himself a glass of wine.

    "Seokjin," Mrs. Kim scolds. "you're mouth is so awful."

    "Aren't you going to scold Taehyung for using his phone at the table, Mother?" The older asks, purposefully being childish.

    "Phone down, Tae. Come on we haven't seen each other in weeks and you're looking at your phone?" His mother admonishes. "Let's have a conversation, okay?"

    "About what?" Taehyung asks putting his phone down and grabbing the bottle of wine.

    "One glass for you," Mrs. Kim says. "How are classes?"

    "Fine." Taehyung shrugs, his grades were the same as they always have been.

    "Taehyung's on the dean's list, mother. The dean contacted him personally," Seokjin says. "Hardly any freshmen ever make the deans list."

    "Wow, Taehyung." Mrs. Kim smiles proudly. "I'm so proud of you."

    "It's not~"

    "What are we proud of?" Mr. Kim says appearing in the kitchen.

    "Taehyung's on the dean's list," Seokjin says, sipping his wine.

    "It's not a huge~"

    "That's great, Taehyung," Mr. Kim says. "Congratulations."

Taehyung glares at Seokjin who smiles and raises his glass to him.

Another message from Jeongguk pops up on his screen and Taehyung smiles at it a little.

Ggukie: when do you come back, taetae ??

Taehyung:
later tonight, we probably won't be able to see each other today

Ggukie: :(

    "The phone again, Tae," Mrs. Kim reminds with a smile as the cook brings the food to the table.

    "So, Taehyung, why the new hair?" Mr. Kim asks, finally saying something about the change in his appearance.

    "I just wanted to do something different." Taehyung sits his phone down and grabs his wine glass.

    "Seokjin you were telling me something over the phone about going to graduate school?" Mr. Kim asks after they start to eat.

    "Yes. I want to take my education further. I'd get better job opportunities with better pay and I don't have to worry about ever being unstable financially. I think it's a good idea."

    "That's good, son."

    "I'm so proud of you, Seokjin. You're such an overachiever."

They continue to praise Seokjin for a while and Taehyung almost rolls his eyes. Who knew parents could get so excited about having to pay even more money to send their child to school.

The entire dinner Taehyung mostly keeps to himself, not really commenting or joining the conversation.

It always felt forced when he tries to have a conversation with everyone. No one tries to engage him, so he figures it's better off if he stays quiet.

He checks his phone and there's not another message from Jeongguk, he would much rather be with him than with his family.

He feels like Jeongguk understands him in a way no one else ever has.

☁️☁️☁️