"I don't want to force anything on you Jungkook but I can feel something between us. I thought you should know."

Taehyung released the hold on Jungkook's face as he stepped back.

"Tsk, are you not saying it as part of your plan to get what you want Taehyung?"

The older nibbled on his lower lips. "One minute you're a prey and the next second you're ready to attack." Taehyung knew he will never get bored with the younger raven head male.

"Whatever that has been happening since last night was rather interesting. I hope it won't affect our partnership with VANTE." Jungkook was still slightly afraid on the repercussion of his encounter and involvement with the young tycoon.

"Oh, not at all bun. I was about to give some amazing feedback to Hoseok about how excellent his employees are."

Jungkook raised his brow in amusement. "Fine, remember to put in some extra credits for me alright. I'll take your leave." The raven head winked at the older as he smoothly turned around and got the hell out of the penthouse before things turn south again.

The raven head was practically sprinting his way out the apartment complex and walked down the street holding his briefcase like it is his dear life.

Back at his penthouse, Taehyung was quick to stand by his living room window and looked down from his penthouse level to the street and watched the raven head walking pass all the strangers. Jungkook was moving so fast as Taehyung smirked with the thought about how nervous was the younger responding under his touch.

"I will have what I want bun. Be it the last time or this time, Kim Taehyung gets what he wants."

.

"JEON JUNGKOOK."

"Oh God." Jungkook groaned. He keyed in the Airbnb rented apartment hoping to find the house empty as it was near lunchtime and Jimin should be out for food.

Didn't we establish the fact by now that Jungkook has bloody poor luck? Of coz he didn't return home to an empty apartment. There was a human present accompanied by another fellow human.

"Boss!"

"Hoseok is just fine Jungkook. You need to stop power distancing us both you know." Hoseok said as he was sipping on a cold Sprite can.

"What are you doing here?" Jungkook dropped the key at a ceramic tray by the door and dropped his briefcase just underneath the table.

"Jeon Jungkook. I was yelling your name and you didn't seem to notice me?" Jimin was standing with hands attached to his hips, like a mother commanding her mischievous child.

"Sorry Jiminie, too short. Had to look pass."

"Fucker. I grew taller by 0.4 cm this year. I am 174 cm tall!

"I'm 178 so what's your point again?"

"Asshole."

Jungkook chuckled as he took a bottle of cold water to quench his thirst from all the walking he did from Taehyung's penthouse to his rented abode. It was a full 45 minutes walk by foot and he was done for the day getting his cardio in.

"But where were you Jungkook? Jimin told me you didn't return home last night." Hoseok was dropping by to bring the youngers out for brunch but was let down when Jimin mentioned that Jungkook isn't home.

"Precisely. Now answer him. Where were you? I didn't hear back from you after I left the office."

The raven head took out his phone and notice how it ran out of battery over the night and he wasn't able to charge it earlier as well. Moreover, Jungkook realized his mistake for not updating Jimin last night before his shower as he passed out completely after he stepped out.

"Sorry about that. Battery died."

"O-okay...but where were you?" Jimin narrowed his eyes at the younger.

"I-I was out with a friend. Old friend. I stayed at his place last night." Jungkook self consciously pulled the string of his hoodie to hide the side of his neck where the older painted shamelessly.

"You still keep in touch with your friends in NYC?" asked Hoseok.

"A couple...not many."

"Just remember to drop me a text at least if you ever decide to stay out like that. I know you're familiar with NYC and you're not a baby but I was worried about you last night." Jimin indeed was staying up late and waited for the younger. He couldn't help his exhaustion as he passed out in the couch at the living room only to be woken up by the ringing doorbell when Hoseok popped in that morning.

"Sorry, will do so next time." Jungkook apologized. It was his mistake after all. "So, Hoseokie, does the lunch offer still stands?" The younger made his best doe eyes and directed them to their boss as Jimin nodded like a kid.

"It's a lie when people think I'm a strict boss when I get bullied by my employees all the time." Hoseok growled as he emptied his Sprite can and took out his car keys, ready to go.

"But you are strict and scary when you're mad." Jimin commented. He has grown closer to Hoseok in no time but he is still pretty careful to not piss his boss as Hoseok can be quite a character when he gets mad.

"Sweet Lord Jiminie, then you better not get on my bad side. Now, brunch anyone?" Hoseok twirled the keys in his hand as Jungkook laughed out loud looking at Jimin's mortified state.

"Give me a sec, I will be out after I changed into something decent." Jungkook ran to his room and took a pair of freshly ripped denim and a plain black hoodie.

"Why even bother to dress up when you dress the same all the time?" Jimin on the other hand was ready in his denim jacket and channel belt hugging his waist with a white tee and black skinny leather pants.

Jungkook rolled his eyes at the blond and went out the door.

.

"Thanks for the meal Hoseok. We will see you next Monday?" Jimin unbuckled his seat belt as the trio was done with their hearty brunch and Hoseok was dropping them back at their apartment.

"Anytime guys. And don't have to be too formal with me alright? I know I am your boss but I'm not that old for you to be formal." Hoseok playfully ruffled Jimin's blond hair.

"Not my hair!" Jimin ducked the incoming hand and fixed his hair while Hoseok continued to laugh out loud.

Across the span of the week they spent together, Jimin has grown in Hoseok. The copper head was glad that Jungkook insisted in hiring Jimin into Gardler. It was probably the next best decision Hoseok has taken as the boss of Gardler apart from hiring young Jungkook.

"Alright, off you guys go. If you need anything, call me alright?" Hoseok said, pointing at both Jungkook and Jimin.

Jungkook just nodded as a response from the back seat while Jimin sing-song happily answering the copper head. He was surely in a good mood after getting a good brunch filled in his tummy courtesy of their boss.

Soon after, both the friends were up in their apartment as Jimin was lazying around the living room while Jungkook was back in his room working on his laptop. As he was intensely correcting some designs and preparing a safety report for their floor plan, his phone rang.

"Hello?"

For once, Jungkook did check the caller ID and it read as 'No Caller ID'.

"Hello, Jungkook?"

"Yea? May I know who is this?"

"Oh sorry for not introducing myself. It's Namjoon here."

"Namjoon?" Jungkook paused to refresh his memory. Oh! It's Taehyung's cousin Namjoon. "Hello Mr Kim. I'm sorry I don't have your number saved so I didn't know it was you who called."

"Don't worry about that Jungkook. Small matter."

"How are you Mr Kim? Anything that I can help you with?" The raven head had no clue on why is the cousin Kim calling him on a Saturday.

"I was thinking if you want to have a cup of coffee with me? You know just for a casual hangout?"

Jungkook furrowed his brow in confusion. "Sure. Do you want me to prepare any documents about the project that you wanna chat about?" The raven head assumed that it must have been about the VANTE project that Namjoon is asking for a meetup.

"No, it's not about work Jungkook. I thought of buying you a cup of coffee and just officially welcome you to NYC. We had dinner with Jimin the other day and I thought it's time we meet in person out of work too."

"Okay..."

"I'm sorry if it's too sudden and if you're not available-..."

"No, it's fine. we just came back from brunch with Hoseok and I guess I can meet you for a coffee chat in a couple of hours?"

"Perfect. I will let you know where to meet, I know a good cafe a couple of street from where you're staying right now. It's Brother's Cafe."

"Sounds good. I will meet you there then." Jungkook was a frequent visitor to the cafe since he returned to the state not too long ago hence he was happy with Namjoon's suggestion and agreed to it immediately.

Jungkook returned to his work for another couple of hours before the reminder he set in his phone indicated he should be moving right now if he were to be on time to meet Namjoon. The younger walked out to find Jimin laughing himself as he was watching the movie Boss Baby on screen.

"Jimin?"

"Yes Kook?"

"Do you want to follow me to meet Mr Kim?"

Jimin's eyes double and it was peeled away from the screen to look at Jungkook. "You're meeting the scary bear Kim?"

Jungkook scrunched his brows together in question. "What? No. It's Namjoon. The cousin brother."

"Oh Joonie! I didn't know you guys were close."

"We are not. Jimin! Have you seen me talking and hanging out with them? That's you and not me."

"Fair enough but why is he asking you out? Is he-...no it can't be, he has a fiancee and it's a girl." Jimin blabbered.

"How did you even know?" Jungkook was flabbergasted, how did Jimin find all this information?

"Like you said, I am closer to them than you are. They are a nice bunch to hang out with, apart from the boss himself of coz." Jimin shrugged at the thought of Kim Taehyung.

"Whatever, so you're gonna join or nah?"

"Nah, someone asked me out in an hour. I won't be here till night." Jimin said with a grin on his face.

"Who is it?"

"That my dear is for me to know and for you to not find out. Yet. So I can't join you guys. Have fun and enjoy your coffee, Joonie is nice to talk to. I swear his IQ is 148 and he is super adorable when he smiles."

Jungkook glared at Jimin for the useless information and said goodbye to his friend before exiting the apartment. As he was walking the blocks nearing the cafe, Jungkook can't help but wonder on why would Namjoon ask him out for a coffee?

It's just a cup of coffee after all.

.
__________________________________________
🥀
I've been recently addicted to my old habit of drinking Americano. I can't stop it.
It keeps ringing in my mind on what Tae commented about coffee.
He said it tastes like poison. lol.