Chapter 13

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Their walk to the library was surprisingly comfortable. Jungkook bought some books for studying and Jimin bought that one really klischee romance novel he'd been wanting to read for months now. Jungkook did his fair amount of judging, but shut up when Jimin warned that he would call Taehyung and ask him for embarrassing details about Jungkook.

Overall they did have quite a lot of fun. It was only on their way back when Jimin repeated his offer to Jungkook. "You know... I could seriously help you with studying. I actually already took the course you're preparing for... and I think I'm somewhat alright in helping others study properly."

Jungkook shook his head. "You're already suffering enough with your own courses. I seriously suck at studying and can't focus so it would get frustrating real quick." he grabbed a lighter from his pocket, spinning it around his finger. "It's better if I study alone because I'll get uncomfortable too if I feel like I'm wasting your time. And when I'm uncomfortable I get irritable and I think that would be just an awkward experience for both of us."

Sad thing was, that was by far the most Jungkook had ever opened up to him. Jimin was hardly used to such honesty from Jungkook or even that he talked that much. Sure, they spent a lot of time watching movies and Vampire Diaries together, but that didn't mean talking. Mainly Jimin explaining things, but hardly ever actually conversation.

"If you don't want to that's okay, but I really wouldn't mind. I'd gladly spend more time with you, not just watching TV all the time." Jimin offered, hoping Jungkook would accept. Before Jungkook could deny he quickly added. "And, I mean, we can always stop. It's not like just because we decide to do this, we have to keep going. If it really doesn't work, that's okay too. I just really wanna try?"

At this point it almost sounded like he was asking Jungkook for a favor.

After another few seconds of silence Jungkook sighed, dropping his shoulders. "Alright. We can... but if I get frustrated, I'm not the one at fault." he quickly added.

Jimin chuckled contently, linking his arm with Jungkook's as he pulled him towards their shared apartment. "Yeah. That sounds great."

It wasn't until about ten meters further down the road that he realised that maybe that hadn't been a good idea.

For maybe a minute neither of them said anything. Just walking next to each other a bit stiffly... acting like their interlinked arms weren't anything extremely unusual and didn't make everything kind of awkward. Jimin wasn't willing to let go, because that would have made things even more awkward. Instead he acted like it was totally normal and he wasn't even thinking about it.

Jungkook was the first to break the silence, after clearing his throat. "So... when should we start? I should get to studying soon since I have an exam in about two weeks."

"How about today?" Most of his day would have been spent reading that way too lovey dovey romance book he had just bought anyways, so studying with Jungkook did sound kind of fun. Especially because he was curious to see Jungkook do anything else but sitting around for once. It was so weird, because Jimin knew he wasn't just doing that. He knew since Taehyung often talked about a Jungkook Jimin didn't seem to know a lot.

A Jungkook that was really good at whatever he set his mind to do, a Jungkook that was warm and caring and, as Taehyung called him sometimes, an amazing, grumpy housewife. The only time Jimin had really seen some of that was the night Jimin had opened up to Jungkook about his stepdad. Jungkook had been really sweet then. So maybe if they spent more time together, talked more, maybe then Jungkook would show that side of him more often. Once he felt comfortable around Jimin.

"I mean... why not?" Jungkook muttered, not sounding the most... enthusiastic, but that Jimin could work with. He was used to that kind of attitude when it came to studying. He was sure that he could change that. That he could break Jungkook's unwillingness to study.

"I told you it's actually easy." Jimin giggled as he ticked the answer Jungkook had written down. He handed Jungkook back his block, pointing at the one mistake he had made. "You just mixed up the second derivation and the first one. Aside from that you got everything right."

Jimin was grinning just as widely as the smiley he had drawn on the bottom of Jungkook's notes was. Sure, they still had a long way to go, but Jungkook was a quick learner and he understood most of the concepts quicker than Jimin had when he had first started learning about them. Some part of him was jealous, but for the most part he was just happy that Jungkook was doing such a great job.

"Seriously?" Jungkook looked pretty impressed, before contently working through the next couple of tasks Jimin had written down for him, while Jungkook had gone through the previous ones. The atmosphere was more than comfortable. They were sitting in the living room, Jimin playing on his phone, while Jungkook worked through his assignment.

Taehyung still had to come home, but Jimin knew he'd be late today since he always ended up chatting with the professor of his last lecture because he was somewhat of a fan.

Which was why he didn't think much of it when it was already about eight pm when Taehyung finally unlocked the door of their apartment. At first Jimin only heard the keys, then the footsteps as Taehyung slipped out of his jacket.

Letting Jungkook continue his work, he got up and slipped through the door to the hallway, carefully closing it behind him. In the hallway he found Taehyung in the act of placing his coat on a hanger before the other turned around.

Even though he was smiling, Jimin could tell right away that something was off. His smile didn't reach his eyes as it usually did and once he started speaking his voice sounded a bit too rough. Not like it was normally. Just rough. "Hey. You're home? Is Jungkook here too?" he asked softly, still with that fake smile on his lips.

Jimin nodded. "Yeah, Jungkook is here. He's studying." Jimin considered offering that he could go get Jungkook... Taehyung seemed like he maybe needed him, but he felt like that would only make Taehyung uncomfortable. He was putting an effort into acting like he was happy, which meant he didn't want Jimin to know about whatever was going on. And Jimin was okay with that... as long as he could help in some way.

"Jungkook? Studying?" Taehyung chuckled, slipping out of his shoes. "I have to see that."

Jimin almost felt like he was preying when he followed Taehyung into the living room, standing there by the door as he walked over to Jungkook. Squatted down. Asked him about how things were going. Just the way they talked to each other. Something about it felt so intimate. Once they had exchanged a couple of words Taehyung ran his hand through Jungkook's hair, kissed him on the top of his head once before whispering that he should continue being so diligent and getting up again. As he walked out of the room he quickly smiled at Jimin once again before disappearing towards his room.

Confused Jimin sat down on the floor again, watching as Jungkook continued working, completely relaxed. Jimin wasn't sure whether he had been too focused on studying to notice that something was off with Taehyung or maybe he just didn't care, even if Jimin doubted that.

"Is everything okay with Taehyung?" Maybe it was stupid to ask but Jimin was pretty worried. He hardly ever saw Taehyung in a bad mood.

Surprised Jungkook glanced up. "I think?"

"You think?" Jimin repeated, confused at how... surprised Jungkook seemed about the question. Weren't they dating?

"I think. Why are you asking?" Jungkook sat up properly and just for once Jimin wasn't distracted by... everything about him. There was something else he was focused on.

"Because he seemed a bit off... maybe you should go talk to him." Jimin suggested, feeling weird talking to Jungkook like that. He felt like he was butting into things he shouldn't, because this was Jungkook's and Taehyung's thing. They had their own ways of dealing with things and here was Jimin, acting like he knew anything about relationships.

For a couple of seconds he got almost no reaction from Jungkook as the boy stared at him, as always with that piercing gaze of his that Jimin had realised didn't mean anything but that Jungkook was currently looking at him.

"I... Tae and I hardly talk about things. I mean, we do, but usually not when we're sad or something. I usually leave him alone for a bit and then I'll go to his room and we might have sex or something." Jungkook shrugged his shoulders and, for the first time since Jimin had gotten to know him, actually avoiding his eyes.

"Seriously? Why not?" Maybe Jimin should be holding back, but he was genuinely curious.

Jungkook groaned, rubbing at his eyes. "We just... don't. It's just how things have been for a while. It's not like I'd even know how to help."

Jimin frowned. "You helped me. When I was sad... you really made things look way better." He really had no idea how Jungkook could feel like he wasn't capable of helping Taehyung.

"That's... nice." Jungkook genuinely sounded like he meant that. "But I think that Taehyung prefers being alone when he's feeling off."

As if the talk was over he got up from the floor, stretching. "Thank you for helping me out. You seriously made things a lot easier for me." A tired yawn came from him as he closed his eyes a few seconds before turning back to Jimin. "I've had enough of studying for today... wanna watch Vampire Diaries with me?" This was the first time Jungkook had been the one to suggest they do something together. Usually he simply joined Jimin when he was already watching it, or when he asked Jungkook whether he wanted to.

"Yeah sure."

A/N

Small heads up. Chapter lengths are gonna be rather irregular since as some of you already know this story is three super long chapters just split up in a bunch for wattpad. And I usually don't try to cut off scenes so some chapters might seem really short some really long.

Even so have fun!