State of catatonic.

That's probably the closest state of condition which Jungkook was caught up in as Jimin broke the bubbles of his obliviousness into pieces.

"You're in love with Tae, aren't you Jungkook?" The blond repeated once again. Jimin knows that there is no other explanation on why would Jungkook be so caught up in ensuring Taehyung is not having a tough time.

"I-I..."

Hoseok watched the younger stutter and couldn't make a complete sentence out to explain himself.

"Jungkook, you can be honest with us. We don't judge Kooks." Hoseok mentioned when he saw how Jungkook struggled to keep his eyes focused as it wonders everywhere.

"I don't know how to say it." Jungkook dropped his head admitting he isn't sure about his feeling towards the older. Is it too early to be in love with someone you just decided that you're attracted to? "Isn't it too soon to classify it as love?" The younger further added unsure of how he truly feels.

Jimin for a fact could read through his best friend and can sense the hesitation in Jungkook for the raven head doesn't seem to fully understand how is he feeling anyway.

Love can be a silent emotion that embeds in the oxygen we breathing providing us with a little something to leverage on to ensure our heartbeats with the promise of seeing another day. Love is what makes us truly who we are, the energy that brings us to life.

"Kook, there can never be such thing as time exists in love. When you love someone, you can feel it in a heartbeat and let it last eternally. There is nothing wrong with falling for someone you just met." Hoseok couldn't bear to see his younger friend diving deep into a conflicted mess.

"I know time doesn't matter Hobi. That's why I am being very careful in pursuing my relationship with Tae. It was only last night he said he likes me too. I can never put my love for him forward and scare him off."

"So you admit you love him now?" Jimin wiggled his eyes as Jungkook looked like a deer caught in the headlight.

"I-I..."

"Kook, I swear to God if you're gonna be stuttering when you confess to Taehyung I am gonna murder you with my bare hands." Hoseok gasped loudly as he face-palmed himself.

"I'm not confessing!"

"Then be ready to lose Taehyung." Jimin shrugged his shoulders off.

"NO!"

"Then tell him how you feel!"

"NO!" Jungkook gasped even louder. The younger felt the jitters mixed anxiety kicking in when the cat is out of the bag in front of the friends. It wasn't a puzzle for Jungkook to acknowledge his feeling for Taehyung. He didn't know saying it out loud will make it as real and as scary compared to keeping it internally.

"Jungkook, buddy, will you listen to us?" Jimin inhaled deeply before he starts speaking.

"What?" Jungkook didn't look at the older, instead, he was busy fiddling on his pillow distracting himself from the confrontation.

"You need to be honest with Taehyung."

Jungkook didn't know how he feels about being honest with Taehyung. He did not wish to scare the older off only a day after he willingly admitted his feelings to the ravenette. Jungkook still listened to the blond friend of his. Often, Jimin is a good friend who gives the best advice. Apart from Hoseok of coz.

"Kook, Jimin is right. I can't emphasize how dumb some people are by hiding how they truly feel or choose to not be honest. That's usually one of the reasons why couples fight or eventually doesn't work out. How tough it is to be truthful?" The copper head couldn't understand why people will ignore that the best policy is the honest policy.

"I don't want to scare him off."

"Factor number 2, assumptions." Hoseok shakes his head. He is the most single ass out there among all his friends yet he can give the best relationship advice compared to someone who has been dating.

"I am not making assumptions Hobi. He is already troubled by his family. I don't want to be adding another burden on him when we agreed to be exploring our feelings for one another." Jungkook added.

"Kook, you both have confessed your feelings for one another. I doubt he will reject you without thinking about it. Besides, how can you be a burden when he willingly chooses to spend his time with you?" The blond male crossed his arms speaking his opinion as Jungkook continued to fiddle at the corner of his pillow shredding the threads even further.

"I wonder if he feels the same."

"You're pretty likeable if you ask me Jungkook." Hoseok was suddenly in front of the younger as he pulled both sides of Jungkook's cheeks apart making the younger protest in annoyance.

Jimin started to laugh out loud when he noticed Jungkook regained his playful strength as the ravenette attacked poor Hoseok while they duo chased each other around the apartment like little kids. With the heavy topic turning the situation a little lighter than before, the trio spent their time playing with one another most childishly as the thought about coming clean to Taehyung continued to raise alerts in Jungkook's mind.

Will he ever loves me back?

.

"Finally! For a second I thought I lost my boss!" Jin announced dramatically when he saw Taehyung walking in.

"Can't I have a single day without having to deal with your dramatic ass?" The brown head patissier placed his personal belongings in the locker by the counter as he took out the black apron readily prepared to complete his appearance.

"Well, when you stop being an ass then I will stop being a dramatic ass."

Taehyung has nothing nice to say as he made his way to the kitchen starting his day off by preparing the ingredients for baking while Jin tanked the front section, prepping the day for business.

After what seemed like hours of labour in the kitchen, Taehyung decided to take a break and put his focus on assisting Jin at the cashier. Today, there isn't much crowd in the bakery which Taehyung is grateful for as he didn't get to have much sleep from the night he spent with Jungkook.

"Jin-...Lucas?"

"Hey brother." The sparkling smile on the silver head's face irked Taehyung. "Didn't know you'd be here today. Though you'll be with your lover boy."

Taehyung narrowed his eyes at Lucas. Over the years, not only the cousin brother of his has grown so much but he also has turned into someone who Taehyung can't recognise anymore. Lucas has shredded then baby fats and developed into a fine-looking young man. Close to 7 years of transformation which Taehyung missed in person came hitting him in the face when he took in Lucas's appearance.

"How can I help you? Here to buy some goodies?" The patissier walked towards the counter. Jin who was standing petrified with the scene scooter over as he saw his boss walking towards him with a scary-looking smile on his face.

"Sure. Is it on the house?"

"Not for you though. You can learn how to spend the money you have wisely." Taehyung mocked as Lucas came near him.

"At least I can spend my own money. Unlike someone who has to be indebted and dare to sing-song about his achievements." Lucas scoffed as he enjoyed the colour draining from Tae's face.

"That's enough Lucas. You can pack your bratty ass out of here. No pastries for you today." Jin had enough before he decides to step in. The oldest of them all has never liked the younger cousin since they were young. Something sinister about Lucas puts Jin off.

"Oh hello there Jin. Didn't notice you there. As usual always behind Tae's shadow I see."

"Pft, at least my shadow looks better than yours. Ugly ass." The older scoffed as stepped aside when he saw Taehyung giving him a look asking him to not entertain the silver head.

"So, what do you want today Lucas?"

"Just give me something from there." Lucas pointed at the glass display, unsure which one to pick as he didn't come to the bakery with the purpose to purchase goodies. He was there to aggravate Taehyung and he has not even started.

"That'd be 15 dollars." Despite his annoyance towards Lucas, the brown head still packed a good amount of delicious treats in variation knowing his aunt will get to enjoy some too.

Lucas didn't object, he took the paper bag and give a 20 dollar bill asking Jin to cash them in. "Do keep that 5 dollars for tips, who knows, your boss might be able to repay my mom faster than expected." The silver head smirked when he saw Taehyung's nonchalant face clenched. The boss looked like he is losing the cool he possesses just a minute ago.

"Lucas, can I have a word with you?"

The silver head turned back with the deep voice of his brother asking him to stay put. "What do you want to talk about?" Lucas shrugged his shoulder off without any respect.

"About Maya."

The silver head tensioned at this. It shouldn't be a surprise to him that Taehyung was put into the task to convince him about the wedding. In a way, this is exactly the position Lucas wanted his cousin brother to be in, to beg him.

"What about her?"

"You do know you're engaged with her right?"

Lucas clenched his free hand into a fist, feeling the anger boiling rapidly in him. Of coz, Lucas knows. He can't seem to run away from the fact he is always the second option for most of the things he does in life. From academic to his very own family. In the case of the wedding, he is merely a replacement for Taehyung who gets to walk off so easily.

"You don't have to say. I can remember the fact you walked out on the responsibility and put me on the spot. How noble of you Kim Taehyung." His eyes burned in red. Coming to the bakery and hearing the brown head reenact the situation irked Lucas to the core. Again he is reminded of how much he despises his cousin brother.

"Uncle Kent wants to expedite the ceremony Lucas. You should be getting ready and preparing for the ceremony instead of wasting time like this on the street. I know you just graduated, shouldn't you be reporting to the office? You should be taking over the board in another 6 months."

Taehyung slumped his shoulder as he speaks out what he was being told by Lucas's father when he was forced to meet him.

"So you're my dad's minion now?"

The brown head rolled his eyes as he sighed loudly. With tongue running over his lower lips as he chewed on his non-existence gum, Taehyung stared back at his brother with a deadly glare.

"Are you fucking serious Lucas? I walked out of the family, from your family as I wanted nothing to do with them anymore. Your father threatened to trash my dream only because I chose to not continue the directorship. As far as I know, the family stands by each other Lucas they don't pull one another down."

Taehyung was breathing heavily as he tried to control his anger.

"Fine. I will marry Maya. But I need you to agree on something too."

The brown head narrowed his eyes at Lucas. Any request coming out of the younger cousin of his can never be the sweet honey nectar that you can hope for. Taehyung is almost certain that Lucas turned more wicked than ever within the 7 years they were apart.

"What do you want?"

Lucas throws his head back with a peal of mocking laughter. How can it be so easy for him to demand what he wanted to?

"Pay the debts back and I will marry Maya. You have one week to settle the loan you took from my mother. Nothing more, nothing less Tae. One week. And then we will talk. If you refuse my condition, I can think of a worse way than to reject Maya. You don't want to hurt her fragile heart don't you Tae?"

With that said, Lucas turned back on his heel headed out pulling out his shades to cover his hazel eyes from the bright and blinding afternoon sun. At that very moment, the silver head's heart danced in joy for he not only managed to checkmate on Taehyung but he knows that demanded the loan to be repaid on such short notice will force Taehyung to appear desperate.

He will either beg Lucas to consider another option or swallow his pride by asking for an alternate loan. And who can it be from?

"My sweet Jungkook. I wish you win the upcoming competition. Let's see if you really can." Lucas spoke to himself as he adjusted his shades as he got into his mini. The sinister smile never leaving his wicked face.

Back in the bakery, time stood still for the duo.

"Bloody hell, where are you going to churn out 80 thousand dollars in a week Tae? You asked for 5 months. You can't empty your bank! You need a source to run the business." Jin pressed into his temple as he watched hatefully at a mini that drove past the bakery.

"He is doing this on purpose." Taehyung sighed for the nth time. The brown head knows he has no money to clear the loan within a week. Worse case, if he refuses then it won't end well for Maya and also the entire VANTE's reputation is on the line.

As much as he doesn't want to associate himself with the family corporate, Taehyung isn't the one to wish it bad for his father to build the empire before his sudden passing.

Deep down in the corner of his heart, Taehyung did not wish for his parent's legacy to be tarnished.

"I will have to fork out the money. No matter what it is."

"Are you seriously agreeing to that asshole cousin of yours? Sweet Lord."

"I have no other choice Jin." The patissier looked sadly at his friend, a defeated look on his face.

"Yes, you do. We know from where can you get the money Tae."

"Where?"

"Hey, Tae!" The sudden barging in sound by the door jolted Taehyung's attention as he turned back abruptly.

The saddened smile and burden on his should lift slightly with the adorable look of the bunny-like boy who hopped in with his arms spread wide caging the brown head in without any questions.

"Hey Bambi."

.
___________________________________________
🌻
I feel the tension building.
What is Lucas gonna be doing next?
Don't we all love a happy JK?
Taehyung is probably super stressed right now thinking of ways to settle the loan. That's the only option he has right now.