"Kook, how are you feeling now?" Jimin secured his seat belt at the backseat while Jungkook did the same in the car which was ready with its driver for the duo.

"Yea."

"How the hell did you even dived into the pool without realizing a whole ass pool is right there?" Jimin interrogated as Jungkook rolled his eyes in embarrassment.

"I was looking at something else I suppose." To be honest, Jungkook did feel a bit dumb for not noticing the gigantic pool right beside his feet. "I suppose I'd be dead or hospitalized if it's not for Namjoon. He is truly a saver."

"Wait, Namjoon saved you? He told me before he is not a good swimmer." Jimin scrunched his brows in confusion. How can someone who claims that they are terrible in swimming will be able to save someone who is drowning?

"I suppose he probably downplayed his ability. It's Namjoon we are talking about." Jungkook dipped his head to the side knowingly. To this, Jimin nodded aggressively in agreement. "That's true, that man is a treasure chest of talents."

The duo sunk into some other topics as the car pulled up to the destination the driver was instructed to. GARDLER HQ.

"So the meeting is in our HQ today?"

"Apparently. Namjoon requested for it. I guess he likes our space better than VANTE's. That is the very crucial reason why we must make their expansion in Seoul and Sydney to look super sexy."

The raven head giggled in delight with the kind of dramatic expression the blond male was pulling while drawing some imaginary decorations in the air which Jungkook has no absolute clue about.

"Morning boss, hey Joon, Hi Jin and hello Yoongi." Jungkook was as cheerful as he ever been in months when he walked into the meeting room with all the important people for the project.

"Looking brighter than ever. We just met this morning though." Jin smiled with the younger's enthusiasm, taking an immediate liking towards a cheerful Jungkook. When the oldest of them all previously had the chance to meet Jungkook and get to know him in person, he was bombarded with all the nasty past between Jungkook and Tae.

Jin for sure feels so much better now to interact with Jungkook after knowing that Taehyung's case has been resolved. Or so he thought.

"I guess I woke up on the right side of the bed this morning."

"Correction. You woke up in the bed after nearly drowning to your dead." Jimin mocked the younger as Jungkook scoffed at him with an unsurpassable smile crawling up his luscious lips. "Or, just admit it that you've been feeling good lately due to a certain someone." The blond wiggled his brows as he assisted Jungkook with some files they needed for the meeting.

"No shit! Are you seeing someone Kook?" Jin's radar ignited for the gossips he was deprived.

"I-..."

"Yes he is. It's Lucas. Lucas Kalister." Jimin ended the sentence for his friend who turned beetroot. He can't believe he was being exposed just with a flick of an eye. "JIMIN SHI!" Jungkook yelled out of his lungs coughing to catch some air as he was also hyperventilating at the same time.

"Oh shit." Jimin's eye grew wide in horror as he strategically placed himself beside Yoongi where Jungkook might be hesitant to reach. Little did he know his heart felt the surge of betrayal when Yoongi pulled his body to his front and hugged Jimin from the waist back.

"Here you go."

"Fuck, let me go Yoongi!"

Jungkook was grinning like a devil when he found his target was being pinned in place as Yoongi continued to hold the squirming male in his grip, tightening his hold as he secretly enjoyed the position he was in.

"Not today sweetie."

"You're so done." Jungkook rolled up his shirt sleeve in an attempt to turn into a tickle monster while the rest of the older boys watched them filled with amusement and laughter.

"What's going on?"

Their scenic drama and anticipation of Jimin's struggle came to a disheartening stop as the meeting room was graced by the presence of the male whose absence was on the verge of being forgotten.

"Jimin kind of exposed Jungkook seeing this guy Lucas and Jungkook now is turning into a tickle monster." Jin said out with a huge wave of laughter following suit as he finds it pretty hilarious. He took a while to notice that only his sound of windshield laughter filled the room. "Ops." He quickly paced himself back and pulled on a nonchalant face as Yoongi loosened his grip on Jimin.

"Oh Thank God." Jimin ran towards the meeting room door as Taehyung stepped aside feeling the pairs of eyes falling on him apart from the dark onyx pair which he knows too well.

"You finally decided to make your presence known your highness?" Yoongi mocked with a gummy smile at the silver head who looked slightly uncomfortable. It wasn't a face that Taehyung usually pulls off in public.

"Why don't we start the meeting? We got delayed by 10 minutes. I'm sure we have schedules after this." Hoseok sensed the rising tension in the air and wanted to cool it off before something or someone erupts like a volcano.

"Right, I will just pull up the information we need. Give me a minute." Jungkook was quick to act as he typed a few keys into his laptop setting the screen for view. All these while, he never made any eye contact with the silver head, he didn't need to as Taehyung never averted his gaze from the younger.

The meeting went on for about an hour and Jimin did return after 5 minutes of planning his escape. Unfortunately, he knows that he can't run anywhere as he will have to return to the home which he shares with Jungkook.

"Great, we will have 3 weeks to finalize and the final week to hand down the plans. After that, it will be the construction team's work. Everything looks amazing, can't wait for it to materialise." Namjoon clasped his hands feeling glad that the project is concluding beautifully. "Great work by the Gardler team."

"All credits to Jungkook and Jimin mostly. They did a splendid job, I'm glad you guys loved it." Hoseok took the stand to receive the compliment with both Jungkook and Jimin busting their chest out in pride.

"I will have to excuse myself, Jin and Yoongi will be here to follow up. I guess dinner at my house later?" Namjoon took his briefcase and extended the invite before he strolls out the door.

"Mhm, the boys are staying there anyway, I will stop by as well." Hoseok confirmed the plan as Namjoon gladly stepped out after exchanging a few words with Taehyung.

"So, are you gonna be here or return to VANTE?" The question was directed to Taehyung by Jin when the older notice the MD of VANTE was seating idly without making any attempts to exhibit his reason of barging into the meeting. Yes, this is Tae's company and he is the boss of them all, but surely Jin thinks a little differently seeing the silver head's return after disappearing for almost a month.

"I will stay here for the follow-up. Needed some updates."

"Sure. Follow me." Yoongi stood up hastily and dragged the silver head out of the room towards a far end corner of the Gardler HQ.

"What was that Yoongs?"

"You tell me what was that Tae."

"What do you want to know?" Taehyung crossed his arms as he stands in a defending position against the mint head who was narrowing his cat eyes at him. Yoongi might be shorter by centimetre but he is never the less intimidating than the boss of VANTE.

"Where did you go after the park that night in Sydney? I tried reaching out to you and I even called Luna's grandma to check if you went to Spain."

"I didn't visit Luna for more than a month now."

"Exactly, then where the hell you disappeared to? Did you know Namjoon had to take in all the responsibilities while you're away? He has been driving himself around like a machine."

"Well then he can probably have a taste of the medicine just like how I hustle to manage the company every other day. Never seen much credit been given to me like you guys are giving to Namjoon. He has 10% of the company shares by the way and he is also a KIM of VANTE group." Taehyung wasn't being bashful but he was plainly stating what he thinks.

"Taehyung."

"Mhm."

"Are you ok? You don't look ok to me." Yoongi couldn't care less on what Taehyung said earlier, he just needed to check that his friend is doing alright.

Taehyung hesitated.

The night after he broke down at the park just outside of Jungkook's apartment in the presence of Yoongi, Taehyung packed his heart and caged them in locks while he chose a random country to fly to. The pilgrimage of his conquest took him to Paris and then subsequently to Swiss before spending the week before his return in Philippines. Taehyung wanted to be aimlessly exploring and that's what he did.

"I just wanted some fresh air to think. I'm sorry I left without saying much."

This was new to Yoongi. Not entirely new, but it's not the Taehyung he was forced to witness for the past 8 years. This Taehyung in front of him is reacting in a vulnerable manner.

"That's ok Taehyung." Yoongi waited for the younger to take his time and continue if he wishes to.

"I realized a lot of things Yoongs when I was away. I know how big of a douche I was when I acted selfishly to pick the easier path by choosing Luna. Yes, I can argue that it was for the baby and such sentiments. On the other hand, I was ignorant of the people in my past, especially someone like Jungkook. I loved him and I let him go. I could have chosen to recover and brace myself to fight for the love I embodied with Jungkook. But I let him go. So easily."

The presence of regret dripping from Taehyung put Yoongi on guard.

"Regret is a learning tool for us Tae. It should help us to move for a better future and not to stick with it in the present."

"It still doesn't change the fact that I did not fight for my love. I did not fight for Jungkook."

Yoongi is glad that the time away planted some space in Taehyung's mind for a fresh insight about what happened in the past 8 years. Maybe the silver head needed a closure within himself before he could even react towards the others around him on this matter.

"Is he...Is Jungkook seeing someone now?" Taehyung's eyes were freshly damp with his tears as the words sliced his heart into portions thinking about the possibility of Jungkook in someone else's arms.

Yoongi sighed. "I don't know for sure, Jimin was just teasing him. He might be seeing someone but I don't know about this Tae. I'm seeing Jungkook after about a month, so I can't testify for his romantic life."

Taehyung nodded. It shouldn't be an issue for him, isn't it? Jungkook chose his life and he chose to move on.

"Yoongi? Um, Jin was looking for you."

The duo who were standing at the end of the hallway by the windows did not realize the fast approaching ravenette who hesitated as he stepped closer.

"Oh Jungkook. He is? Alright, thanks. I will get going." Yoongi smiled at the younger and turned to pat Taehyung in his shoulder as the silver head looked out of the window from the 20th floor into the city's daily life trying to dry his wet eyes. "Laters Tae."

The silver head forced a thin smile on his lips as he nodded watching Yoongi leave to find Jin. He wanted to avoid his gaze and force himself from looking at the younger male but by all means, he failed.

"Hey Tae."

With that, Taehyung's heart was out of the locked ribcage, beating out of his chest as a sense of euphoric travelled through his vessels.

"Hey."

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Angst / Fluff?