"You. You like Taeun, don't you?"

Silence for a good 20 seconds until Jimin flung to the other side, away from Taehyung with his eyes wide opened.

"Where did you get that from?"

"Why? Were you jealous when Taeun talks about Jungkook? Do you like her? Hmm?" Taehyung took a step closer with a sneering smirk when Jimin tried to dodge him.
"No need to find excuses, we're both men. Let's have some man to man conversation. Is this, perhaps, some 'unrequited one-sidedly secretly in love with your bestfriend' kinda thing? I'm excited. Come on, tell me."

Rolling his eyes at the way Taehyung was looking at him with expecting excited eyes, "You seriously–Don't ever say anything stupid with that face."

Because all he see is Taeun's face and to hear something like this from the same face, it's just... weird.

"Why? Is this the face you fell for? I mean, I get it. This face is gorgeous." Taehyung put his palm below his chin elegantly, a little pout on the lips while flipping the long hair away from his shoulder. And that actually lead Taehyung to laugh so hard at the face Jimin made at him.

"Why aren't you saying anything? Does your silence means I'm right?"

And yeah, Taehyung still didn't give up with his teasing, he's so enjoying the face Jimin gave him the whole time.

"Let's stop this, alright? Taeun is like a younger sister to me. And I'm not jealous of anything or anyone here, okay?" Jimin finally gave in, and with a little pause,

"And yeah, I'm not interested in women. I have a boyfriend."

"Huh?!"
Taehyung was dumbfounded would be an understatement because he didn't expect it, like at all. Well, yeah, he already knew Jimin isn't like that with Taeun, he was just fooling around teasing him but what he never expected was Jimin actually dating a man.

"Why? Now that you know I'm dating a man, you don't wanna be friends anymore? Are you one of those people who thinks gender matters in love?"

Taehyung didn't waste a single second from shaking his head in disagreement because he sensed some disappointment in Jimin's tone because of his shocked response. But more than Jimin thinking he's some homophobe, he was more afraid he might've made Jimin to disparage himself because of him and he never wanted that.

"No, no. It's nothing like that. I was just taken off guard a bit. That's all. You're already an amazing person, whatever you are, it's not gonna change anything. And don't worry. I also have a co-worker who's dating a man so I'm used to it. I have no problem with anything regarding this. I'm open minded."

"Glad to know you're fine with it. Then..."
Jimin just smiled as he open the passenger seat door, gesturing Taehyung to get in the car. "I'll drop you. It's late."

And just when Taehyung gave him a grateful smile after getting inside the car,

"After this, don't even try to say any stupid nonsense again with that face, okay?" Jimin warned as he held on the door just to get a nod from Taehyung with a smile and somehow, that smile made him smile too. "It seemed like you enjoyed teasing me so I just went along with it a bit. But well, thanks to you, I could see a wide smile on her face today after such a long time. So I'm letting you off with it this time."

Taehyung couldn't help but smile at the way Jimin tried to sound intimidating with the last sentence before closing the door for him.

"Wow, so fierce."

And he's sure Jimin heard him with the way the other scoffed at him following a smile before going to the other side of the car.

‐

The days passed by quickly enough for them to become two weeks already in a blink of an eye.

Jungkook quit two of his part-time job that used to occupy his weekends and that definitely helped him get some time for himself. Taehyung's been going to the cafe daily without creating much trouble with the two sweet ladies helping him.

While they spent the days on their own, the nights were filled with their laughters and little late night talks about each other's day—which Taehyung find it amusingly entertaining for some reason.

Is it because the stories Jungkook tell are exciting and fun? Or is it exciting and fun since it's Jungkook who told the story?

Because why would he laugh so hard when Jungkook told him about when he went for a home delivery and how an elder man mistaken Jungkook for his daughter's fiancee who was supposed to meet him for the first time?

Why did he find it amusing when Jungkook excitedly told him about a cute dog he saw on his way back home protesting in the middle of the road by sleeping upside down refusing to go home with it's owner?

Even now, while Jungkook is telling him about how a drunk man came to the convenience store he works at and tried to buy all the ramen cups and how they all tried to stop him and how it was all a mess there, he still find it adorable how Jungkook narrates the whole story with his big doe eyes wide open, not to forget the pout on his lips.

It's all simple things yet it amused him enough to make him smile uncontrollably while watching the younger with his chin resting on his palm.

Their time together at night is like a constant routine—with Jungkook being the one to speak more and Taehyung being the one to listen all his stories. It's the same pattern almost everyday yet so different, it never bored him in any way and he felt like he could do this for his whole life. Jungkook is someone who is fun to spend time with and Taehyung loved his company, he enjoyed his humor—which made him think again maybe that's why even a person like Taeun fell for him. I mean, anyone can fall for a person like Jungkook.

"I like how you're laughing more nowadays. Do you know how glad I am to see you like this?"

Taehyung didn't realize he's been smiling and laughing the whole time until Jungkook mentioned it.

Even Jimin mentioned about seeing Taeun's smile after a long time, and that made him really rethink just how much more Taeun had to went through apart from losing both of her parents in young age to not even smile a bit for a long time that everyone around her is relieved to see a single smile on her face now. Of course he has a bit idea about how her aunt treated her, he even experienced it himself a bit, but what he knows might be just a tip of iceberg.

The thought haunted him the whole night until he finally opened the box with Taeun's belongings that he got from the orphanage the next day. Yeah, he kept it untouched this whole time since he was still reluctant to touch her things. But not anymore. He really wants to know everything about her now because when he look at the people who loved her and cared for her, a storm of guilt hits him everytime he recieve something from them. He thought, at least, knowing about her more and giving the love she could've given them was the only way to repay to her soul lying helplessly in his body.

Jungkook went out to get some groceries and he's alone in home, it's the perfect time to gather his thoughts too—if there's anything in that box that could be triggering.

His mind was prepared to take whatever it would be, but to his surprise and a bit of disappointment, there was nothing much in the box—just some handmade greeting cards from the kids along with some few clothes.

It was until he took out the clothes from the box, there was a file on the bottom below the clothes. His eyebrows frowned as he picked it up.

"What's this?"

Taehyung couldn't believe what he just found from the file—it was a paper about Taeun's father giving all his property including the house to his daughter, and another paper was a bit crumbled but that's what almost made Taehyung to gasp in disbelief—it said Taeun has to work as a housemaid until she completely pays off her father's debt and it was signed by Taeun too.

"What nonsense is this? That evil bitc** woah, I can't believe this. Seriously?" Taehyung cussed at the name on the paper, Kim Hye Soo, and he immediately knew who that is—it's the aunt.

All this time, he thought the debt Taeun had was the price for raising her as per what he heard from the aunt before. But it's even more confusing now that there's also a thing about her father's debt in that signed paper as well. What kind of debt her father had to this evil woman for her make his daughter work for them? That too, a housemaid? In her own house?

Nothing is being solved yet, the puzzle pieces are still lying aimlessly everywhere but he's trying to put them all together in their place slowly—though a big piece is still missing somewhere.

It was just at the time he found another envelope inside the file when he heard the door bell. It might not be Jungkook since he won't ring the bell of his own house.

He put the file back to the box before going to the door only to be wrapped in the arms of an unknown man.

"Excuse me?! What the hell are you doing?"

Taehyung quickly pushed the man away and glared at the man in disgust—though he's a man himself and has no problem to be hugged by a man, he's in a woman's body right now and it's his duty to protect the body at all cost, he can't let a nobody touch her in any way.

"Yah! Is that a way to greet your brother?"

"Brother?"

Taeun has a brother? He thought she was the only child? Where did this brother came from?

Guess he really needs Taeun's family tree chart now at this point.

"Yeah, yeah. Your brother. I came all the way here to see you and you're not even gonna ask me to come inside your new house?"

That's when he realized they were still by the door.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. Please get—"

"Hyung!"

Taehyung perked his ears up when he heard a familiar voice just as he was about to let the brother get in and before he could process to whom the voice called "hyung"—

"Jimin-ah? What are you doing here?"

"Ahh Hyung, I told you to wait for me so we can go together."

"And I told you you didn't have to come with me if you're busy."

"And I told you I would be free by evening."

"And why would I wait for you to go and see my own sister?"

"I told you I also want to meet her."

"You brat! You always go and meet her by yourself. Why do you want to tag along with me that much?"

Taehyung just stared at the two bickering with each other in front of the door. He had to quickly let the two drag inside since they were so loud that even the old lady from next door came out to check on the noise.

"Were you startled to see him?"
Jimin sneaks a question, whispering while the brother was busy taking out the stuffs he brought from his bag.

"Of course. He even hugged me suddenly out of nowhere when I opened the door. I almost cussed at him y'know." Taehyung whispered back.

Both of them were standing by the window, far enough for the brother to hear their whispers, of course.

"Really?" Jimin widen his eyes followed by a chuckle. "His brotherly instinct is always like that. But Taeun have always liked the way he treats her so just try to go with the flow."

"But you should've told me she has a brother too. I thought she was a single child?"

"Ah, that, I'm sorry about that. I should've told you before. But you're right about Taeun being a single child. He's not her biological brother, he's the son of the aunt you met last time. His name is Seokjin and we call him Jin Hyung. Remember this much for now. I'll tell you more later."

Taehyung gasped, "what? That wicked devil lady who beat me up that day? That's his mother?"
He let out a incredulous sigh when Jimin noded. "Then, can we trust him? He's not like his mother, right?"

Jimin sighed, it's understandable for someone to doubt the son after knowing how malicious of a person the aunt is.
"We can. I know him very well. He's a good person, a complete opposite of his mother. So don't worry about him."

"But won't he realize I'm not his sister? I mean, even you did in a minute. That's her brother afterall. I can't let any more people know who I am. It's dangerous for both of us."

"You two! What are you murmuring there by yourselves? Come out and sit here with me."

Taehyung gasped with a flinch and ran towards the couch when he heard Seokjin calling them while Jimin followed behind him.

"Where is Jungkook? I don't see him?"

"He went out to buy some groceries. It's been a while so he'll back by now."
Taehyung turned towards Jin to make his answer sound as normal as possible.

But maybe the awkwardness of trying to speak to a complete stranger was way too visible that Jin is now frowning and sighing as he look at him. Even the way he sits looked awkward so he's wouldn't be surprise if Jin notice the difference as well—which is not a good thing at all.

"So, how is everything going on? Do you like living here with him?"
Jin smiled as he pat his sister's head gently when Taehyung only nodded as an answer.

"Taeun-ah, I'm really sorry for everything, yeah? I didn't know it'll turn out to be like this. But you're still my little sister and you'll always be. You can still nag me to give you what you want, you can still ask me for help whenever you need anything. Just remember I'll always be there for you no matter what."

That was such a sweet thing to hear from a brother, Taeun would've loved to hear that but it's Taehyung. He appreciate the brother's caring sweet words but he didn't know what to response or react to it neither he understood the apology. He didn't want to say anything else that could make himself exposed for nothing so he just give him a smile while his eyes were begging for help to Jimin who gestured him to just go along.
Well at least it was kinda a bit of relief that Jin didn't notice what he was scared of.

"Oh! What day is today? Looks like everyone is here?"

It was just then when Taehyung heard a familiar voice from the door and he never felt so relieved and thankful to Jungkook for taking Jin's attention who left the couch to give him a hug, and for finally giving him a chance to breathe his anxiety off his chest.

The day felt so long to Taehyung with constantly being cautious around Jin every minute, even while having their meal together. He tried to act normal by helping in cooking, serving the dining table, laughing along the conversations—he really did try. But don't know how normal it looked in the eyes of others, he has no idea how Taeun used to act around them.

He was always careful around Jungkook too, of course, as he should be, but never this much. Is it because he kinda felt more comfortable around Jungkook? He don't even know the reason.

Standing in front of the mirror after excusing himself for washroom for the nth time by now since Jin arrived to avoid any conversation with him, the face on the mirror staring back at him with the same gaze, it looked exhausted.

It's hard trying to be someone he's not and hiding who he really is while constantly worrying how far and how long he can pull this without exposing himself to anyone before he can go back to his own body. Though no one would believe if he actually told the truth, anyone would just laugh it off as a joke. But still, two years is a long time, anyone or at least someone or two would notice the difference—just like Jimin did. It's just a matter of time with a reckless unheeding moment of bad luck.

After composing himself enough for another few minutes inside, because he can't guarantee how many minutes it'll last this time considering he had to excuse himself every 15-20 minutes earlier too, he held the knob to open the door and that's when he heard what he was most scared of—

"Don't you think our Taeun is acting quite different?"

***