"You're here today?" Taehyung leaned back, adjusting his posture as Jungkook stayed seated on a chair in front of him. The duo has retrieved back to the kitchen while Jin tanked the front of the shop ushering in the customers.

"I missed you."

The brown head's heart swell. His smile appeared in a boxy fashion when he notices Jungkook was swaying from left to right as he stays seated. The younger looked tiny and adorable, almost like he can pocket the ravenette in his heart forever.

"You want to have dinner with me today?"

A huge grin plastered across Jungkook's face. "Thought you'd never ask."

"Is that why you came?"

The younger blinked his eyes and tried to act obliviously. "Maybe?"

"Come here, you said you miss me didn't you?" Taehyung extended his right hand for the younger to hold in which Jungkook gladly obliged without a protest. With arms tangled in one another, Jungkook felt his lover boy's arm around his frame inviting him in with so much tenderness and care.

"What do you want to have for dinner Bambi?" Taehyung adjusted his chin on the younger's shoulder. One of the perks they get to be each other's bigger spoon is because they share similar heights.

"Cook at your place?"

"Sure." Taehyung pulled the younger in a little tighter feeling Jungkook relaxing further into his touch.

"Excuse me. This bakery doesn't tolerate PDAs." The loud banging on the glass window separating the front counter and the kitchen could be heard with the sound of Jin resonating painfully high in the air.

Just like being electrocuted, Jungkook yanked himself off Taehyung's arm turning into beetroot as he cursed himself forgetting the fact that you can see everything through the window if you're at the front counter.

"For the first time, I regret renovating this bakery to a modern-chic style with window displays." Taehyung sighed for the lack of privacy he seems to have with Jungkook.

"Don't worry, we can continue at home later." The younger winked at Taehyung as he quickly pecked the stunning brown head before rushing out of the door in sweet giggles.

"Damn." Taehyung pressed his right palm over his heart allowing the blood to rush up his face. Jungkook will be the end of him.

.

The sound of clattering plates resonated as Jungkook was in charge of the dishes while Taehyung cleaned the table. It was a good meal shared by the budding love birds in which Taehyung cooked and Jungkook offered to clean the dishes. Pretty domestic if you ask me.

"Do you want to watch a movie or something?" Taehyung cleaned off the last bit of dirt on his marble table as he turned to the ravenette who completed the dishes.

"Nope. I want to cuddle and talk."

"Cuddle?" Taehyung's smirk was evident miles away as Jungkook realise what was running through the older's mind.

"STOP." He held out his hand to stop the older from approaching which he failed and had to run for his life directing himself to the room when he felt a strong grip around his waist. "Tae, let me go!"

"You said you wanted cuddles Bambi." Taehyung attacked the younger to the bed and started to tickle the younger as Jungkook was tearing up with laughter erupting like a flash flood from him.

"Stop. I legit meant cuddling, nothing sneaky kay? I wanna talk to you." Jungkook said with whatever ounce of energy he could have mustered as Taehyung stopped being the tickle monster he is at the moment.

Taehyung noticed the partial seriousness in Jungkook's tone and he knows his Bambi boy wants to say something and discuss it. It wasn't long since the two connected but Taehyung can almost read Jungkook like an open book.

"Sure, let's get comfy. I promise I won't say anything or do anything else. Unless you want me to." Taehyung winked at the younger who rolled his eyes playfully as they snuggled deep with another.

With rows of blankets enough to bury them against one another, Taehyung took Jungkook in his arms as he laid down gently with the raven head still hugged tightly in his arms.

"You want to tell me something important?"

Jungkook widened his eyes as he docked his head a little further up. As usual, he wants to be seeing the brown head as he speaks further.

"You knew I wanted to say something?"

"Mhm, you're pretty obvious if you ask me. We just had a long ass chat last night and you came in today pretty early and wanted to spend the time with me. Unless you have something urgent in your mind, you won't even be missing your training at this hour."

Taehyung bopped the younger's nose as Jungkook's jaw dropped.

"You're so good at reading my mind. Damn it."

Taehyung laughed out loud looking at how annoyed Jungkook looked at himself. Jungkook is seriously a man child and Taehyung adores it.

"So tell me what is it Bambi."

"I want to repay your loan with Aunt Sara."

It feels foreign for Taehyung to be hearing the offer. It didn't strike the brown head fully until he took a moment to digest what was Jungkook offering. The younger wants to repay the loan for him?

"W-why do you want to do so?"

"I can't bear to see you're stuck with Uncle Kent's command like a puppy when you have walked out of the family Tae. It's not fair for them to say or force you when you have dusted the relationship with them. A loan or burrowed money or whatever it is shouldn't be the blackmailing factor a family member possess on you. That's mean."

Jungkook couldn't understand how could Kent Kallister behave so pettily when Taehyung was his own family. Sure enough, he is not blood bonded with Taehyung but the fact that the Kim's trusted him enough to look after Taehyung irked Jungkook. He can't look past the fact that they are all taking advantage of Tae.

"You don't have to Kook."

"I want to. I will train hard and win this competition. I will then have enough money to settle the loan for you. I need a week, that's all Tae."

Jungkook pressed his palm to the older's cheeks, feeling the trembling of his skin as Taehyung fight the urge from breaking down.

"You can't and you won't. This is my debt Kook. You have nothing to do with this. Whatever happens, I will bear it."

The brown head was pretty clear with his words. He has mentioned since the beginning that he wishes Jungkook to stay out of his family business. It was purely out of care and love for the younger in which Taehyung did not want to mingle with his pot of mess.

"But Tae I want to help."

"Jungkook, it's not a small amount. You saved your money hard-earned from all the ridiculously tough won competitions. I know your dream Kooks and I can never be the someone who takes it away."

Jungkook sulked at the older. He knows convincing Taehyung will be a tough job but he didn't think of it as impossible. It is looking like one right now.

"I discussed this with Jimin and Hoseok. I am clear that I want to help and I do not mind. You can take it as a loan from me too. You can repay me later on? You have all the time. It's a win-win situation coz I am going to intern with VANTE for a year, I will get my allowances and salary."

The raven head tries to rationalize things with Taehyung saying he won't be financially burdened as Namjoon clarified that Jungkook is entitled to an allowance and a small basic as goodwill from the scholarship talent program he was in.

Upon calculating his expenses, Jungkook knows he can still get the month pass by without having to starve. Besides, upon completing this upcoming competition, he won't have to go on a special diet or pay for training anymore.

"No Jungkook, I won't agree to it."

Taehyung grew a little frustrated as he reluctantly let the younger go. He could hear the painful sigh of the ravenette as he stepped out of the balcony to take in the fresh air while he contemplated what Jungkook said.

Surely, taking the loan from Jungkook will be an easy way out. Taehyung knows that Jungkook is a selfless person and with the relationship, they have committed to exploring, the younger will not hesitate to help Tae out with a single heartbeat.

But, the brown head knows that he will never be taking advantage of others, especially on Jungkook.

"Tae?"

He remained quiet as his eyes chased the patterns on the sky connecting the dots of the sparkling stars. At one point, he thought he managed to trace a pattern on an angel when he felt a pair of arms securing his waist, breaking his concentration apart.

How can Taehyung ever stay mad at Jungkook? It's almost like the ocean bleeding dry.

"Tae, are you mad at me?" The younger's sound muffled as he hides behind the older's nape with arms secured around the older scared that he might lose the man he just got hold of.

Taehyung sighed. "How can I ever be mad at you Kooks?" Slowly, he turned to look at Jungkook who had a worried look on his face. Immediately, Taehyung felt the guilt crawling in. He shouldn't have acted so abruptly. Jungkook is learning to open up and the last thing Tae needs right now is triggering him back to his insecurity.

"I didn't mean to sound offensive though. I wanted to help and I know winning this competition will help you."

"I don't want you to win this for me Kooks, you need to win it for yourself. I can manage my family." Taehyung said with a bitter smile, hiding the fact how Lucas threatened him to pay back the cash in a week or he will not proceed with the wedding.

You may ask what Taehyung has to lose if he chose to ignore Lucas? He has not tied with the family anyways.

Thinking about this might aggravate you but Taehyung did not want to be the person who carries the responsibility of tarnishing the image of VANTE by causing the cancellation of the wedding. Even more so, Tae has no clue what will Lucas do to create a mess if he did not obey the request.

The older is stuck at a crossroad and he can't afford to make a decision.

"You will have to suffer for 5 months Tae. That's not fair." Jungkook was referring to the information he had, completely oblivious to the new threat being made by Lucas.

"I know. I'll manage." Taehyung pressed a soft kiss on Jungkook's forehead. His kiss straightened out the wrinkles on the younger's face as Jungkook broke out his bunny grin with a satisfied hum.

"My offer will stand for you Tae. I will win this for you."

"I know you will win regardless of what it takes Bambi. Now how about we return to the cuddling you wanted initially?"

Like an excited lost puppy, Jungkook nodded his head aggressively as he pulled Taehyung to the bed climbing in it as he pushed Tae to the side. The night was another day spent together with a little step taken to bridge them closer as the moon hung on the sky witness the soft snores of the raven head and the deep sigh of the older who settled in the night with different emotions.

"I will never allow you to lose what you have Bambi. It's a promise."

Taehyung was the last to sleep as he pressed a kiss on the raven head he sees clinging to him as he lost consciousness into his dream which did not give him a peaceful night of rest.

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So, how mean should Lucas be?
JK surely won't give up so easily in convincing Tae right? They need the money.