-', ❝(010: 𝘁𝗲𝗻) ꒱ ↷👽🛸❞

"열"

OVER THE YEARS, JIN HAS made himself far more than comfortable simply strolling through her house, dropping by unannounced to "grace her with his presence". Aspen made a grave mistake giving him a key because now, he could come in at any moment. There was one time he came to her house and stole a bottle of wine at 2 in the morning.

Like today, he simply unlocked the door with the key Aspen had given him for emergencies but it seems he uses it for everything besides emergencies. He strolled through the front door, greeted by Yeontan running around his feet.

"Hey Tannie." Jin murmured to the small dog, walking past him and out into the living room to see Taehyung's curly, black hair peaking over the side of the couch. Gumball still played on the TV, in the middle of an episode, though it seemed as though Taehyung was asleep.

As Jin get closer, he saw that Taehyung wasn't lying on the couch alone. On top of him was Aspen, fast asleep with her head tucked under his chin and his arms secured around her, holding her close.

Jin gushed at the sight, the two of the curled up with each other as he had taken notice that the house was very cold. He wondered why they didn't just turn up the thermostat.

Yeontan came around and jumped up onto the couch as well, lying down beside Taehyung with his little head on top of his tiny paws.

"Not dating my fat ass." Jin murmured to himself at the sight of them cuddling. Tae shifted a bit, his arms tightening around Aspen's waist and his leg was brought up over hers.

Aspen had her face buried his chest, hands clinging to his shirt, seeming very comfortable where she was. Odd for someone who supposedly doesn't like the person she's getting cozy with.

It was cute to see.

Jin was very happy. A grin spread in his lips as he pulled out his phone to take pictures of them, most likely to use it as blackmail against Aspen.

He took as many pictures as he deemed necessary before walking away, going into the kitchen to find some food and make himself at home as he often did when he came to Aspen's house.

At the sound of cabinets opening and closing, Taehyung slowly woke up, his hearing far better than Aspen's so even the smallest sounds could wake him.

His eyes fluttered open as he let out a heavy, tired breath, looking around at his surroundings before he looked down at Aspen.

Taehyung smiled lightly, closing his eyes as he was ready to go back to sleep when the sound of the fridge door being opened entered his ears.

His eyes shot open as he sat up slightly, causing Aspen to stir in top of him. Taehyung shifted beneath her, moving from under her and placing her down on the couch and standing up to his full hight.

Tae walked over to the kitchen to see who was there, moving swiftly without a sound in case there was danger.

Thankfully, it was just Jin, making a bowl of cereal.

When Jin turned around to put the milk away, there was Taehyung, standing there, looking at him curiously. The older man jumped at the sudden sight of him, knowing that he was asleep just seconds ago.

"Holy shit!" Jin yelped before putting his hand over his chest. "Boy, don't do that. My heart almost stopped!"

Taehyung sighed. Why must he keep scaring people to the verge of death? We're human hearts so weak? "Not again." He murmured scoldingly to himself, mentally kicking himself for almost killing another person. "My apologies." He apologized to Jin, bowing slightly with sincerity.

Jin waved it off, scooping up his cereal with his spoon. He had more important matters to focus on. He leaned against the wall, looking to Taehyung with a smirk. "So you and Aspen?" He spoke, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

Taehyung tilted his head to the side with confusion, his brown eyes wide with innocence. "Me and Aspen?" He repeated, not understanding what Jin was trying to say.

"Yeah, aren't you two..." Jin clicked his tongue as if that was supposed to clear everything up. Taehyung was just left even more confused. "What?" What kind of human euphemism was that? Was clicking your tongue some covert secret language tht humans had?

Jin put down the bowl on the counter and made a hand motioned that referenced the act of having sex, though, of course, Taehyung didn't know that.

"I have no idea what you're trying to say." Taehyung was completely in the dark on this one, just like most things.

Jin let out a groan of frustration. What wasn't clicking for this fool? "Are you and Aspen dating? Boyfriend and Girlfriend? She told me that you two weren't actually dating, but it looks to me like you are."

Taehyung finally got it, his lips forming into an 'oh' as he understood. "No!" He said quickly, putting his hand out. "I am not courting Aspen. We are...friends." He was unsure if Aspen would actually call him a friend, but he had to make up an excuse.

Jin cocked a arched brow. "Friends don't cuddle like that. I've known her for years and we have never cuddled like that." They have, however, fallen asleep on his couch with each other's feet in their face.

Taehyung opened his mouth to speak, scratching his head through his messy hair with no excuse coming to mind.

"I don't have a problem with it if you two are interested in each other. You two would be cute together." Jin shrugged, going back to eat.

Taehyung didn't know how to tell him that it wasn't like that without telling him the entire truth, so he just remained silent as Jin walked past him and into the living room to sit down.

He sat at the far end of the couch while Aspen was still dead asleep next to him, her arm hanging off the side of the couch and her feet tucked between the couch cushions to keep them warm.

"Do you think she's pretty?" Jin asked Taehyung who just sat in the armrest as there was no space for him in the actual couch. He looked down at Aspen, admiring her soft features that were normally harder and more stern when she was awake. She looked far more peaceful asleep.

Taehyung did think she was pretty, very pretty. He didn't normally notice things like this on his home planet as there was no real relationships. They were like dogs, the most useful were bred together to make better children. Children who were defective were put to the side like the runt of a litter of puppies.

Taehyung doesn't have much recollection of his mother or father. The fathers are taken away after he impregnated the mother and the child his taken away when they no longer need the mother. From then on, children are kept in a sort of daycare center until they are old enough to begin working.

"Yes," Taehyung murmured. "I think she is very pretty." His face became red hot at his own words as he looked away with embarrassment. "But that does not mean I am romantically interested in her. I can tell when someone is attractive or not."

"Sure." Jin scoffed with disbelief in his words. He really did think that Aspen and Taehyung would make a good couple. From what Jin could tell, Taehyung was a good person, maybe a bit strange, but good nonetheless. Far better than her past boyfriends in comparison.

Aspen...was very lonely. Jin could tell. She was always cooped up in this house by herself, diving nothing but work and drinking coffee. Her voice as always emotionless and bland, her heart was constantly broken.

But now that Taehyung was here, she was different, more, alive, energetic. Something had sparked within her that Jin hadn't seen in a long time.

And it made Jin happy that she was happy.

"Jin..." Taehyung spoke after a few seconds of silence between them, the only noise coming from the TV which he had failed to turn off.

Jin hummed, looking over to Taehyung.

Taehyung decided that now wouldn't be the best time to ask, so he shook his head. "Nevermind." He muttered, scratching his head before getting up abruptly. "I gonna go take a shower."

Jin watched as Taehyung make his way upstairs to go take a shower before finishing off his cereal and putting the bowl down on the coffee table. He was glad Aspen was choosing someone different this time around. In a way, she simply keeps dating the same guy over and over.

"A, wake your lazy ass up." Jin sighed, slapping her calf to wake the woman. Aspen did awake, her eyes narrowed and her lips pulled into a frown as she looked back to see Jin grinning at her. At this point, she wasn't even surprised anymore, she just kicked him in the leg and lied back down.

"No, get up!" Jin whined, shaking her erratically. "I wanna talk about you and Taehyung."

The piqued Aspen's attention. She got back up, turning back to look at him once more. "Me and Taehyung?" She asked, rubbing her eyes with a sleepy yawn.

Jin nodded. "You two were so cute. I even got pictures of you two sleeping together." He teased, waving his phone in her face but snatching it away before she could take it from him.

Aspen sat up, kicking him once more. "Delete it. I'm not letting you use that against me." Jin shook his head. "Never, this is too good. I'm happy for you A, you finally got yourself a good boyfriend."

"He's not my boyfriend." Aspen spoke shyly, looking away from him, only making Jin gush even further. "But you like him."

Aspen scoffed. "Shut up. You don't know what you're talking about." She denied it. Jin just grinned on her nudging her enough her her to slap him on the leg. "Stop before I take your key and throw you out of the house."

"Alright, alright! I'm done. I promise!" Jin chuckled, though lying straight to her face. He'd never let his go.

He was happy for her.

€

Aww, look at Jin being a supportive bestie. I didn't want him to have a crush on her because I feel as though it was just mix up the book and make it more dramatic than it needs to be.

Thank you all for reading and I hope you guys enjoyed. Don't forget to have a great day!

사랑해

~Kay ( ꈍᴗꈍ)