"le'mme take you out?" jungkook props on his elbows resting on the counter, smiling at hayeon who seems to have some trouble containing her smile as well. she turns to her father, who shrugs his shoulders, leaving it on her to make a decision. jimin and taehyung stand in their spots, glaring at jungkook as they don't really know a way to have hayeon listen to them and not give in to jungkook this much.

it's still pretty new and early for her to rely on him, but something about jungkook keeps drawing her in without any fear of the waters that maybe is what taehyung and jimin are drowning in. when the girl looks at them for an opinion too, she realises that both of them don't fancy this moment, and virtually tell her to refuse jungkook's offer. she licks her lips nervously, especially since taehyung doesn't look so pleased with the way she's gotten so close with jungkook.

"is it that hard to say yes?" jungkook taps her chin gently with his middle and index finger, making her look at him rather than her boyfriend and tilts his head, smiling halfway from the side of his lip piercing. "c'mon, tell your boyfriend not to be jealous. we all are going together, okay?" he chuckles, sending a mischievous glance at the said male and straightens himself off the counter, "relax, bro. she's all yours."

hyunmin shakes his head at that, and hayeon laughs lightly, smacking jungkook's shoulder for such kind of joke. "okay great, you guys should go out and have some fun. taehyung, take care of hayeon, please." the father says.

taehyung nods quickly, forcing up a smile for him, "of course. you don't need to say it, dad. i always take care of her."

"i know, but still." hyunmin smiles, patting taehyung's arm, then glances at his daughter, "enjoy your big day." he says before heading upstairs, leaving the four in the kitchen to discuss anything more if they wanted.

"soooo, where are we going?" hayeon leans over the counter like jungkook did a few moments back, staring at him for an answer then at jimin and taehyung, "where'd you guys wanna go? clubbing or—"

"let's go an arcade?" jungkook asks, "i love games."

"i love games too!" she grins.

"great, so arcade it is. are your boys okay with it?"

hayeon giggles at the reference, making her turn around completely to face the two and leans back against the counter, "are my boys okay with it?" she repeats, letting a silent chuckle slip in between the words that earns her a displeased look from taehyung, while jimin sighs, shaking his head as though trying to tell her that whatever she's doing is bad move.

"looks like they're not." jungkook chuckles walking beside the girl and drapes his arm around her shoulders in a lazy manner, smirking at the boyfriend and his best friend.

"aw, come on! we should go—"

"get away from her." taehyung growls, not even giving jungkook the time to move as he already is grabbing the latter by his shirt and rips him away from his girlfriend. "you do not touch her, get it?"

"woah! easy there, dude." jungkook chuckles in a low voice, freeing himself from taehyung's hands and cracks his neck, "careful where you get your hands, yeah? you don't want them off your body."

"you—"

"jungkook." jimin warns, holding his arm for his friend to not do anything while he steps forward to face the forementioned male, "stop pissing us off. there's really a thin line between smartness and oversmartness. you're so close to crossing that right now."

"does it look like i care at all?" jungkook chuckles, shaking his head and turns to face hayeon, "sorry for this, princess. i think it's better if you just go with them. i don't think your birthday deserves to be ruined because of a stupid fight, because i'm not sure how long i'd be able to hold back when they keep pressing on my nerves."

"it's you, jungkook. you are the one who ruins ev—"

"stop it," hayeon mutters, pulling her boyfriend's arm to get him away from jungkook. "you don't have to be mad, tae. he just wanted all of us to hangout and celebrate my birthday."

"shut it." taehyung glares at her as well. "to your room. right now."

"wha—"

"don't make me repeat, hayeon."

hayeon looks down, gulping her saliva down for taehyung sounds too angry, his voice gets an octave deeper than the usual, sending some fear to hayeon's eyes in the form of a thin layer of tears. it's still her birthday and she just wanted to enjoy it with her boyfriend and friends. she sniffs softly, heading upstairs to her room without sparing a glance to any of the guys.

jungkook smirks staring at the girl's figure disappearing out of the kitchen and crosses his arms over his chest, "nice. that's exactly how you control your woman, kim."

"what do you want?" taehyung shoves against jungkook's chest, throwing daggers with his eyes as jungkook stumbles back, but he maintains his balance, lifting up his gaze from the floor, fixing it on taehyung's furious face with a warning glare.

"hold your friend, jimin. i won't stop if i start responding to all of these petty techniques."

"what the fuck do you want?" taehyung repeats, a step away from earlier because jimin did pull him back. not because of what jungkook said, but because they both know that doing anything weird at home is something they can't afford.

jungkook's lips quirk up in an amused smile, observing just how much taehyung despises him and loathes his sly smiles. "what do i want huh? let's assume i tell you, then what? will you give it to me?"

"how much?"

"how much what?" jungkook laughs, patting taehyung's shoulder with sympathy, "ah, do you think i want money? jesus, i feel bad for you."

"stay on my good side, jeon. you're lucky that i don't have any evidence against you, or else you'll be gone for good. again." taehyung threatens, getting another smile from jungkook.

"well, good luck trying. as i said before, i'm right here in front of you. try and get a hold of me." he muses, "and about your previous question, kim. i want you on your knees, begging me for forgiveness. i want jimin to regret every single decision he made in his bloody life. you said i took away your family, but now i'm going to take away every fucking thing you have left. keep counting days with me now."

"you won't do shit under me." taehyung declares, his hand swiftly moving up and the fingers curl around jungkook's throat, clenching painfully slow and smirks right in front of his face, "let's play like this if you want. i swear on my life, jeon, i won't give up until i get you behind the bars or kill you myself."

jungkook scoffs at that, stepping closer to taehyung and unclenches the hand around his neck. he cracks his neck, pushing taehyung away and glances back towards the stairs from where they hear a pair of footsteps coming down. it's hyunmin, wearing a much formal attire as he makes his way to the boys, "i'm sorry, kids. i need to go for an urgent meeting. if i get done early, i'll come back home to take my stuff for the buisness trip. if not, my assistant will be here to get it."

"yeah, sure. tell me if there's anything you want me to get done." jungkook says with a smile.

"what trip?" taehyung frowns.

"ah, right. i talked to jungkook about it a few days back. hayeon knows too. i've to leave for the states for a while there are a few important seminars and other stuff that needs my attention." hyunmin says with an apologetic smile, "hayeon was kinda upset when i told her about it that's why i waited until her birthday. i didn't wanna leave her sad on her special day. she probably won't like it here when i'm gone, so maybe you can take her back to seoul or something?"

taehyung face lits up with the last set of words, nodding instantly with a smile, "yeah. of course. don't worry, dad. hayeon will be okay with me."

"i trust you, son." hyunmin nods, "talk to her once. i've no problem if she wants to stay just in case, it's her house afterall. and if she wants to go with you, that's good too. whatever she's okay with." he chuckles.

"yeah, i think she might wanna go with me." taehyung is confident about it, considering that just a few days back she was crying to him on the phone, saying that she missed him, and also she has never been away from him for this long. so she might just agree on going back to seoul with taehyung, to their home much safer than this place where jungkook is.

"probably." hyunmin nods, "but if hayeon doesn't wanna leave just yet. please don't force her, okay? and jungkook, since you'll be here i'm counting on you for taking care of my daughter."

"definitely." jungkook smiles, "you can go and focus on your work. hayeon will be my responsibility."

"okay, big guy." hyunmin laughs, patting jungkook's shoulder. "and if possible, please cook for her while she's here. i know it might be a lot to ask from you, jungkook. but i just want hayeon to relax while she's here, other times she has to do the chores and all. but now that she's here i wanted to cook for her and make sure she rests for a while, but i have to go. i'm sorry if—"

"it's okay, uncle. you treat me like your son then you're hesitating with this?" jungkook chuckles, "you've done a lot for me. the least i can do is listen to you and make you happy. so, no worries, when you return from your buisness trip, you're gonna find hayeonie healthier."

"ah thank you," hyunmin goes for a hug, making jungkook laugh as he pats the elder male's back. all this, meanwhile, is like a slap to taehyung's face almost as if he was failing in taking care of hyunmin's daughter, his girlfriend. he says nothing and forces a smile as the father pulls away from jungkook, exchanging smiles with him and jimin as well before leaving.

now jungkook chuckles alone, shaking his head as he rests his elbow on jimin's shoulder, giving an amused look to taehyung, "damn, why don't you take care of hayeonie? she's such a sweet girl, taehyung. what a shame she's stuck with a man like you, who doesn't even care for her. if she was mine, i'd make her sit on the couch and fulfill all her wishes for her, like the princess she is. shame on you, man. really disappointing.

"fuck off, jungkook. she's not staying here anymore." taehyung declares, bumping shoulders with the man as he makes his way upstairs to hayeon's room.

"okay?" jungkook arches up a brow, whistling casually as he turns to jimin, "oh, why so quiet?"

"what do you want, jungkook? what do you want for real?" jimin asks calmly, his eyes hesitating to check on the end of the staircase, for he too feels unsure about taehyung's anger and how it might come out. "you're not doing this just for fun."

"of course not. why would i play around like this? i really do wanna ruin you and your friend." jungkook admits like it was most normal thing in the world. "too bad you're attached to hayeon. poor girl, being dragged into something that didn't even concern her."

"you won't lay a finger on her." jimin warns with a glare.

"i'll probably do way more than that. but okay,"

"i'll visit mom." jimin blurts out, getting a look from jungkook. the elder nods, stepping forward, but jungkook holds out his hand to maintain a distance. he gestures towards the gun that sits in it's holder hooked on jimin's belt. the latter sighs softly, taking it off and slides it across the counter, showing his empty hands to jungkook.

"your gun stays away when you're trying to talk to me. get it anywhere near me and i swear, hyung, i'll use it first on you and your friend. this very gun." jungkook promises with a deep voice, staring dead in jimin's eyes.

"i'll go see mom, and pay for her treatment as well." jimin says.

"no tricks?"

"no tricks." something about the way jimin says it, has jungkook hesitating for a second, but then even bother thinking about it and nods. that's when jimin opens his mouth again,  "but you'll have to promise me that you won't hurt hayeon. if she ever sheds a tear because of you, jungkook, it would be your head and my bullet."

jungkook doesn't spend a second into thinking and nods, "i won't hurt her," he says, "as long as you and your best friend stay on my good side. you don't get to play games, officer. this time, i make the rules and lead this shit. easy yeah?" he smirks, patting jimin's shoulder before completely withdrawing himself back and shoves his hands in his pockets, whistling casually while he makes his way up the stairs.

___________

a/n- is anyone still reading ? 😭