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A while after Taneeya left Jungkook alone, he heard the door open again, following by the sound of footsteps.  He immediately recognized them being Taehyung's.

"I realized you skipped lunch," Taehyung said bluntly.  "We had lunch without you."

"Oh... yeah.  It's okay.  I wasn't hungry anyway."  Jungkook responded, thinking to himself that it was probably for the best.  He didn't want the family to feel awkward around him.

Without facing the older, Jungkook could hear the sound of Taehyung throwing himself on the bed, yawning.  He doesn't seem to realize the situation yet as he murmured.  "You think my parents are gonna give us separate rooms now?"

Jungkook bit his lip, a little hurt Taehyung didn't notice anything off.  But then again, he couldn't blame him.  He knew Taehyung had trouble recognizing emotions.  "Maybe."

The older chuckled to himself.  "Surprised mom didn't yell at me.  Normally she'd rage at the smallest shit ever."

The boy forced a laugh for Taehyung.  Internally thinking that Taehyung's mother must be more upset than angry at them.  Was it too late to fix things right now?  Or is it better to just go back home to their apartment?  Now that Jungkook thought about it, he should probably move out of Taehyung's before it brought any more misunderstandings-

Jungkook internally got jump scared as he felt a hand ruffling his hair.  Taehyung's deep voice softly murmured behind him.  "I might be terrible at reading your expressions and stuff.  But I've lived with you far too long to know when you're upset."

The younger tensed, mind still in shock.  "Hm?"  His stomach suddenly grumbled, exposing the fact that he was starving.

Taehyung chuckled.  "Let's first get you something to eat for dinner, okay?  Just you and me."

"I'm not hungry." Jungkook insisted.  Plus, he sensed it might go awkward with just the two of them.

"Sorry, we're going out to eat and you can't stop me." Taehyung abruptly opened the closet, picking some clothes from it.  He flung a couple of them on top of Jungkook.

"Hey!" Jungkook cried, getting them off his head.  He realized its an outfit Taehyung picked for him.  Is he picking my clothes... for a date?

The younger finally whipped his head around to face Taehyung, who smiled fondly at him.  "Wear it.  Think it'd suit you well.  I'll see you in a bit, okay?"

Jungkook tried ever so hard not to smile back.  He was supposed to be sulky, but he couldn't help but feel excited for whatever Taehyung has ready for him.  Reluctantly the boy got up to his feet, slipping off his shirt while curiosity filled his head.

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Looking into the mirror one last time, Jungkook smiled at his outfit.  He was wearing a suit similar to Taehyung's.  Jungkook brushed away the possibility that they were going on a date.  Taehyung was just offering me food cause I skipped lunch.  There's nothing special to it.  Jungkook reminded himself for the hundredth time, adjusting his collar.

"See?  What did I tell you?  You look great."  Those were the first words Taehyung said as soon as Jungkook went out.

Jungkook fought the urge to blush.  "Thanks."  Though, he couldn't help but ask.  "Why are we wearing suits though?  Is it a special occasion?"

"You'll see, you'll see," Taehyung smirked, eyes twinkling.

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Jungkook and Taehyung walked towards the elevator from the dark car park.  The younger could barely see where they were in pitch darkness, lightly placing his arm on Taehyung's shoulder for guidance.  At last, there was some light as the two stepped into the elevator.  The elevator seemed fancy as the walls were decorated with gold.

Before the younger could sense what was up, the elevator door arrived at the ground floor, opening up.  Jungkook gasped as Taehyung glanced at his expression with a fond smile.

"Holy shit.  This place is huge!" Jungkook remembered the last time he'd seen such a big and glorious room was Taehyung's house.  Forget about that.  The restaurant was way extravagant than that.  There were greek sculptures that towered the people all around the corners of the space.  In the very center, was a fuckin' water fountain.  The floor was paved with red carpet and filled with huge tables.  Even the people were dressed extravagantly, fitting to the environment.  All the men wore suits and the women wore gowns and dresses.  It was hard to imagine Daegu had a place like this all this time.

"Figured you'd be starving since you've skipped lunch.  So I brought you here for steak."  Taehyung squeezed Jungkook's shoulder, knowing very well he'd impressed the younger.

"B-but I didn't bring enough money for this..."  While a waiter guided the two to their seat, Jungkook glanced at the tables that were filled with food he was sure he couldn't afford.

Taehyung raised his eyebrows "Did you really think I'd expect you to pay?  C'mon, I'm not that mean."

"Y-you're paying for this?" Jungkook realized he raised his voice as a couple of heads turned at him.  He covered his mouth, whispering.  "You're paying for this?"

The two sat down on their seats, facing each other.  Taehyung chuckled, responding to Jungkook's shock.  "I'll admit, we don't really go places like this often.  But just for this once I'll treat you with something decent."

Jungkook narrowed his eyes.  "THIS?  This is a whole new level of decent."

Taehyung looked away in thought.  "It's nothing.  I mean... our family does get a discount since we're VIPs..."

"This is a fuckin' castle!"  Jungkook whispered loudly.

The older rolled his eyes. "Darn, you whine a lot.  Most people I take here just take the advantage and eat."

Jungkook frowned, folding his arms.  "Alright... I'll eat."

"That's more like it." A side of Taehyung's lips twitched to a small smile.  He called the waiter.  "I'll have whatever you recommend.  And he'll have the same.  Thanks."

The younger glanced at Taehyung, finding it weird that Taehyung brought him to a place like this.  Normally Taehyung never flaunted his wealth to anyone.  Jungkook's thoughts shifted away from the possibility of a date.  Maybe he was feeling sorry for Jungkook?  Or maybe he was distracting Jungkook from the fact that his whole family wanted to avoid dinner with him.  Jungkook fell into the rabbit hole of those negative thoughts again.

"Jungkook?"  Taehyung searched for Jungkook as the younger realized he spaced out.

"Sorry, what?" Jungkook snapped away from his thoughts.

"Think it'd be cool to mindread cars, don't you think?" Taehyung pursed his lips in thought.

The younger couldn't help but laugh at the strange question.  "Sure.  If cars have minds, to begin with."  That's the Taehyung he knew.  His mind was always out of the ordinary.

Taehyung leaned into the table, eyes wandering in thought. "You think... if cars had thoughts... it would be a gift than a curse right?"

"A gift...?" Jungkook repeated the words in his mouth.  His eyes shifted to the Christmas decorations on the walls.  "That's it!"  An idea suddenly struck the younger.  "I'll get them Christmas gifts!  The BEST Christmas gift they each will ever receive."

Taehyung raised his eyebrows.  "Wait... you wanna give Christmas gifts to... my family?"

Jungkook's eyes twinkled, genuinely proud of himself for thinking about that idea.  "Yeah!  So that they'd forgive me."

The older's body sulked a little.  "Sounds like a lot of work..."

The raven-haired younger shook his head, his mind fully into his plan.  "I owe them that.  I have to do it to win them back."

"Pretty sure they still like y-"

"What do you think Taesuk would like?  Is he too old for legos?"  Jungkook blurted, his head racing to think about what to get them.

Taehyung sighed as if he's given up convincing Jungkook his family wasn't mad at him.  "How am I supposed to know?"

Jungkook was too occupied writing a list on the napkin to listen to Taehyung's response.

Abruptly, Taehyung pulled Jungkook up to his feet, startling the younger.  "Shit.  Jungkook.  We gotta hide."  

Jungkook's heart pounded, his mind still processing.  "Wait why?"

Before Taehyung responded to the question, he quickly dragged the younger to the bathroom.  The two panted, catching their breaths as soon as they close the door.

"What's going on?  Are you being chased or something?"  Jungkook said between breaths.

"No..." Taehyung panted.  "I just saw my family.  I think they're here to dine as well... coincidentally..."

Jungkook tilted his head.  "Shouldn't we go say hi, then?"

"No!  It's embarrassing."  Taehyung blurted.

The younger felt hurt by those words.  "I'm embarrassing?" 

"No!  Fuck.  I mean it's weird for us to meet my family here."  Taehyung corrected himself, yet his words weren't so convincing.  He quickly brushed away those thoughts.  "Anyway, I'll pick another place for dinner."

"No, wait."  Jungkook stopped, an idea striking him.  "We should use this chance to figure out what everyone likes."

Taehyung furrowed his eyebrows.  "That's a terrible idea..."

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After a quick and unnecessary argument, Taehyung had no other choice but to follow Jungkook.

The two snuck up to the kitchen, where it was filled with sounds of clanging dishes and the raging fire from the stoves.  There were also shouts coming from the chefs.  It was orderly but loud.  Just as the two wanted it to be as they easily sneaked to the wardrobe section.

"Wait.  Why do I have to go under the serving trolley and you get to be the waiter?" Taehyung complained as he slipped his glasses on Jungkook while the boy tied his hair.

"Because.  Your family can instantly recognize your face.  And your face stands out."

"Cause it's so good looking?" Taehyung smirked.

"No, cause it's so crackin' hideous." Jungkook joked.

Taehyung eyebrows furrowed at the joke.  "Hey, but I can at least act pretty well.  You know that."

"From mimicking mafia scenes or drama shows in the shower yeah.  We're not in any of those, are we?" Jungkook mocked.

"Well, I'm starting to think we're in a big fucking drama show at this point," Taehyung mumbled, checking on Jungkook's disguise one last time.  "Hey, You don't look too bad with my hair tied.  Maybe you should grow your hair out someday."

Jungkook whipped his head around to check the mirror.  Something about Taehyung's eyes wandering around Jungkook's face made the younger shy.  "Hmm... maybe i should."

"Yeah, you should." Taehyung convinced again.

Jungkook giggled, trying not to go sidetracked.  "Are we ready to go?"

"Hold on."  Taehyung stared closely at Jungkook for a while as the younger held his breath.  The suspense and curiosity were killing him.  At last, the older spoke.  "Sorry, it's your damn lips."

Jungkook tried his best to sound calm. "What do you mean?"  He isn't actually gonna...?

"You gotta wear a mask.  I think that'll make you unrecognizable now."

The younger internally let out a breath of relief.  For a second he thought Taehyung was complimenting his lips.  There's no way he's flirting with me.  I'm just overthinking again.  Jungkook reminded himself, slipping a mask on.

"Okay, we're ready," Taehyung said, hiding under the trolley cart.  And the two went out of the kitchen.

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"Here we go, here we go," Taehyung whispered from under the sheets of the trolley.  Jungkook swallowed as he steered the trolley to Taehyung's family.

"Greetings, Kim family." Jungkook lowered the tone of his voice, adjusting his glasses.  "Are you ready to order?"

"I'll have the chocolate chip cookies!" Taesuk yelled all of a sudden.

"No, Taesuk.  Not until you've had your main course." Taehyung's mother scolded, before apologizing to Jungkook.  "Sorry.  We'll have everything in the elite menu."

"It's alright, ma'm." Jungkook smiled, taking his chances and squatting low to Taesuk.  "You like cookies, huh."

"Yeah!  The ones here are really good." Taesuk beamed, not showing any suspicion to Jungkook.

"What else do you like?  You like legos?  My neice likes legos too."  Jungkook decided to stretch the question a little further.  Sure, it might seem a bit strange to ask.  But it could just pass as a friendly conversation with a kid, right?

Taesuk shrugged, "No... I-"

"Waiter, uhm... if you don't mind.  We're in a bit of a rush here."  Taehyung's mother interrupted, eyes glaring at Jungkook.

"Oh, sorry!  Everything in the elite menu coming right up!"  Jungkook hurriedly rushed back to the kitchen before remembering about Taehyung.  The boy clumsily ran back, pushing the trolley.

As soon as the two got to the kitchen and hid from the other chefs and waiters, Taehyung peeked out of the trolley.  "That was a terrible idea!"

"Too late, Taehyung.  What did you get?"  Jungkook asked, face dripping with sweat.

"Nothing!" Taehyung exclaimed.  "All I got was Taesuk and his love for the damn choco-chip cookies.  That's it."

"What about the others?"

Taehyung scoffed.  "What am I?  A god?  I can't read that many at once.  Not when I'm crouched under a friggin blanket."

"We gotta think of some other way then."  Jungkook scratched his head in thought.  "How do we get info on what everyone likes..."

"Just ask them as yourself?" Taehyung raised his eyebrows, giving Jungkook an it's-not-that-difficult face.

"But... they probably hate me... Plus, it needs to be a surprise!"  Jungkook rejected the idea quickly, thinking.  The younger widened his eyes.  "OH.  New plan."

Taehyung crossed his arms.  "This better not involve me hiding under a trolley again, Jungkook."

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"Ladies, gentlemen, and non-binary fellows!!" Jungkook stood at the side stage of the restaurant, wearing a cheesy magician robe and a face mask.  "It is I, Justin Seagull the Charmer!"

"Sorry.  That's a terrible magician name." Taehyung complained in irritation through an earpiece connected to Jungkook from under the trolley.  Jungkook lightly kicked to silence him.  They were lucky Taehyung was a VIP in the restaurant, as he made a strange deal with the boss to conduct a magic show.

Jungkook looked around the room filled with the people dressed in glam and riches.  Their faces were lit with curiosity.  "Today, I will shock your eyes with astounding magic that will leave you in the question of reality."

There were murmurs around the room, including Taehyung's family.  Which, in Jungkook's hopeful thoughts, was a good thing.  Jungkook's arms danced unnecessarily, acting professionally.  "First of all, is there a table that would like to volunteer to participate?"

Luckily, Taesuk's hands raised quickly and Jungkook immediately caught him.  "Ah, the table right there.  Perfect."

The spotlight lit Taehyung's family's table.  Taneeya glared at Taesuk just as Jungkook was approaching them with a trolley.  "Taesuk... what do you think you're doing?"

Taesuk stuck out his tongue.  "I just wanna see some magic from Seagullnim."

Jungkook smiled, adjusting his mask to reassure his disguise was there.  "So, for my first trick, I'd like to see whether I can read each of your minds."

"Oh!  Taehyung hyung can do that too." Taesuk blurted out.  Jungkook pretended not to hear those words.

"Okay, so since Christmas is coming soon, I'd like my volunteers to think of their wishes this Christmas.  And I, Justin Seagull, will try to guess them."  Jungkook flashed a glance at the Kim family, who hastily nodded back.

Jungkook went around the table, starting with Taesuk.  "Hmm...."

"He wants a fuckin' playhouse the size of a castle," Taehyung murmured through the earpiece Jungkook's wearing.  "Why can't the kid just wish for a PS5 like the other kids?"

"Uhh..." Jungkook stuttered.  "M-maybe pick something realistic?"

Taesuk frowned, his eyes rounded as if he was about to cry.  "What?"

"UHm!  Nothing!"  Jungkook took back what he said immediately.  "Your Christmas wish is to get a huge playhouse.  Am I right?"

"Yes!" The little boy pounced from his seat in delight as the audience clapped.  "You're just like hyung!  You should meet my brother someday."

Jungkook kindly moved on to the next person, Taneeya.  "Hello, young lady.  Have you thought of your wish?"

Taneeya nodded, starting to think.

"Oh fuck."  Taehyung cursed.  "Her wish is for you and me to get along with each other."

That's far too personal... Jungkook thought to himself, starting to panick.  "Uh... you're hoping for a smooth relationship for your brother?"

Taneeya gasped.  "E-exactly what I'm thinking!"

"Geez... there's no way we could get them those wishes."  Taehyung sighed through the earpiece.  "This is a bad idea, Jungkook."

No, it's not over yet... Jungkook pushed himself, giving it another go.  He headed towards the next participant, Taehyung's mother.  The younger knew he owed her the most, as she seemed the most hurt by the news.  If only he could grant her wish this Christmas...

"Oh no... Jungkook.  We have to go." The older's shaky voice spoke.  "My mom's suspecting us..."

The younger tensed as his eyes met Taehyung's mother's.  There's no way Tanalyn recognized him... did she?  After all, Jungkook was wearing a full face mask.  "Your wish..."

"Jungkook!  We NEED to go.  Mom is starting to recognize your voice..." Taehyung warned again.

The raven haired boy bit his lip, waiting for Taehyung's response.  Hurry up, Tae....

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?  END THE SHOW NOW." Taehyung sternly demanded Jungkook.

Jungkook squeezed his palms.  Words bursting out his lips.  "JUST DO IT, TAEHYUNG."

The second he said those words, the whole family whipped their heads to the boy.  Their jaw dropped in shock.  Taehyung's mother, who was the closest, let out a squeak.  "Jungkook?  Is that you?"

"I-uh..." Jungkook stepped away, flustered.  

He tripped on the trolley, causing Taehyung to yell in pain.  "OW!" The older tumbled out of the trolley, exposed to everyone in the family.

"Taehyung?" Taesuk yelled.  "What are you doing here?"

The entire restaurant went quiet as all the customers were watching the weird incident.  Jungkook swallowed hard before deciding to take off his mask.  He sighed.  "Yeah...it's us...  We were spying and figuring out what Christmas gifts to get you guys."

Taneeya raised her eyebrows.  "You realize you don't have to get us anything right?"

Jungkook bursted.  "I know!  But I felt so bad about lying and you all probably hate my guts and I'm probably making the whole family reunion awkward and-"

"Jungkook! Calm down.  We don't hate you at all!" Taehyung's mother cried.  "You're overthinking, son.  We know you're just helping Taehyung avoid dating and we appreciate the kindness.

"So... you don't hate me?" Jungkook tilted his head in shock.  "B-but..."

Grandma Tana rested her hand on Jungkook's shoulder.  "No one understands Taehyung more than you do, Jungkook-ah."

"Yeah.  And you're a delight to the family." Grandpa Taewon beamed in delight.  "We love to have you here.  If it weren't for you, Taehyung wouldn't have visited us so often!"

"Hey... I visit often..." Taehyung defended halfway before Taneeya kicked him to shut up.

Jungkook blushed, admitting.  "Well... I suppose so."

"Y-you're always part of the family, Jungkook." Taehyung's father finally spoke.  Shocking everyone in the table.  The man immediately slumped back in shyness.

"T-thank you everyone..." A tear slipped down Jungkook's eye.  His heart warming to the words of Taehyung's family.  Grandma Tana was the first to hug Jungkook, before the rest of the family followed.  It felt warm and cozy, having a group of loving and caring people by his side.  As Jungkook's senses cleared, he realized the audience cheering from their tables.

"Well, that was a weird ending to our magic show." Taehyung muttered, making Jungkook laugh and look apologetically at the crowd of confused but touched people.  The family invited Jungkook and Taehyung to their table to eat with them.  And all went well for the younger... until...

"Just to be clear though.  Have you ever considered dating our Taehyungie at all?"

Everyone briefly whipped their heads to Tanalyn, not expecting Taehyung's mother to ask such a question.  

"M-mom?" Taneeya stuttered in disbelief.  Who would've thought mom shipped them?

Tanalyn blushed in embarrassment.  "What.  Just curious."

"I'd like to know too." Grandma Tana admitted as she was a well-known shipper of the two.

"Uhmm...."  Jungkook frantically searched for Taehyung.  Their eyes met and Taehyung's eyes waited patiently for the younger's answer.  For a second, it almost seemed as if Taehyung was curious as well.  Perhaps it was just the younger's imagination.  Jungkook internally took a deep breath before answering...

"I have."

The second he said that the sounds of jingling bells filled the room as it turned midnight.  It was strange how Christmas day occurred at such a coincident timing.  Little did Jungkook know, it was that Christmas that changed his entire life forever.

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