Taehyung furrowed his brows, tilting his head slightly as he glanced up at Jungkook. "Oh, I almost forgot," he began, realization dawning on him. "Why did you call me out here?"
He had hurried downstairs from the meeting with his teammate, expecting Jungkook to have something urgent to share. Instead, he'd been caught off guard by Gyungho waiting for him outside the dorm. That encounter still left a bitter taste, but now that it was over, he focused his attention back on Jungkook.
Jungkook shifted his weight from one foot to the other, holding out a shopping bag. His expression was calm, almost unreadable, though there was a faint warmth in his gaze. "I wanted to give you this," he said simply.
Taehyung blinked, his confusion evident as he accepted the bag. "What's this?" he asked, pulling the opening apart to peek inside. His eyes widened slightly when he saw a soft, white rabbit plushie nestled within.
He pulled it out gently, holding it up for a better look. Its round, floppy ears and innocent expression made it irresistibly adorable. Taehyung smiled instinctively, though his curiosity remained. "It's cute," he admitted, running his fingers over the plush fabric. "But... why are you giving this to me?"
Jungkook crossed his arm with a nonchalant shrug. "I don't know. I just didn't like it," he teased, his lips curling into a playful smirk.
Taehyung gave him a flat look, narrowing his eyes. "Are you seriously dumping your trash on me?"
At that, Jungkook let out a laughâone of those deep, hearty ones that seemed to vibrate in the air. "No, no! I was just joking," he said, raising his hands in mock surrender.
His laughter settled into a warm chuckle as he adjusted the grey scarf wrapped snugly around his neck. "I really like this scarf you gave me," he said softly, his tone earnest now. "So, I thought I'd give you something in return."
Taehyung's eyes flickered briefly toward the scarf wrapped around Jungkook's neck before returning to the plushie in his hands. He turned it over delicately, studying every detailâthe soft stitching, the round little nose, the floppy ears that made it irresistibly charming. The quiet sincerity in Jungkook's expression lingered in his mind, tugging at an unfamiliar warmth in his chest.
Taehyung allowed a small, shy smile to grace his lips as he cradled the plushie close, treating it as though it were something rare and irreplaceable.
Breaking the silence, Jungkook cleared his throat softly. "Have you... given this sort of scarf thing to someone else, too?" he asked, his voice light but laced with curiosity.
"Hmm?" Taehyung murmured distractedly, still focused on the plushie. "Oh, yes."
Jungkook's smile faltered instantly. He blinked, his thoughts swirling. He's given something like this to someone else? The tiny drop of disappointment in his chest threatened to spread.
Taehyung, still preoccupied with the plushie, added absentmindedly, "I knitted it for Mimi."
Jungkook let out a small breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. "Oh," he said, his tone neutral, though relief flickered in his eyes.
But he couldn't resist asking more. "What about... anyone else?"
Taehyung finally glanced up, shaking his head with a faint, almost sheepish smile. "No. Just you."
For a split second, Jungkook felt the world pause. His heart skipped a beat, then took off in a wild, erratic rhythm. The shy, earnest way Taehyung said those words made them feel heavier, more meaningful, than they probably were meant to be.
His smile returned, wider and brighter than before, and this time he couldn't control it even if he tried. Heat rose unbidden to his face, spreading rapidly as he felt the blood rushing to his cheeks. He pressed his lips together in a vain attempt to suppress his grin, but it was no use.
Knowing full well that his face was betraying him, Jungkook instinctively tugged the grey scarf higher, hoping it would shield him from Taehyung's gaze.
Taehyung, noticing the sudden movement, tilted his head in curiosity. "Are you... okay?"
Jungkook nodded quickly, his voice slightly muffled behind the scarf. "Yeah, totally fine," he said, the pitch of his voice betraying the flush in his cheeks.
Taehyung's lips quirked upward as he observed Jungkook's peculiar behavior, but he didn't press further. Instead, he returned his attention to the plushie, holding it close.
Unbeknownst to Taehyung, Jungkook's heart was still pounding, his thoughts circling relentlessly around the two simple words that had completely knocked the air out of his chest: Just you. He tried to steady himself, inhaling deeply, though the grey scarf wrapped around his neck felt tighter now as if it were holding all the warmth rushing through him.
"Taehyung..." Jungkook started, his voice a touch hesitant but laced with determination.
Taehyung glanced up from the plushie, tilting his head slightly. "Hmm?"
Jungkook rubbed the back of his neck, searching for the right words. "Do you... want to go to the hot spring together?"
Taehyung blinked, caught off guard. "Hot spring?" he repeated, his tone reflecting his surprise.
Jungkook nodded quickly, his hand dropping back to his side. "Yeah. Mingyu made a reservation, but something came up, and he can't go. He said I could use the spot... so I thought maybe..." He hesitated, his gaze flitting away momentarily before returning to Taehyung's face. "Maybe you'd like to go with me instead?"
His words hung in the air, every second of Taehyung's silence stretching endlessly for Jungkook. He shifted his weight nervously from one foot to the other, his heart lodged firmly in his throat. He tried to play it cool, but the truth was painfully clearâhe was hoping, perhaps too much, for a yes.
Taehyung's brows furrowed slightly as he considered the offer. "A hot spring, huh..." he murmured, mostly to himself. His gaze dropped briefly to the plushie in his hands before lifting back to Jungkook. There was something about the way Jungkook looked at himâearnest, hopeful, like this small suggestion carried more weight than just a simple invitation.
After a moment of thought, Taehyung nodded. "Sure, why not?"
Jungkook's eyes lit up instantly, his lips curving into an uncontrollable grin. Relief, excitement, and something elseâsomething deeperâflooded his chest.
"Really?" he asked, his voice almost too eager.
Taehyung chuckled softly, amused by Jungkook's reaction. "Yeah, really. It sounds nice."
Jungkook nodded, his grin widening. "Great! I'll, uh, send you the details later." He glanced away briefly, trying to calm the fluttering in his chest, but his excitement was palpable.
Taehyung smiled softly, his gaze lingering on Jungkook for a moment. "Thanks for inviting me," he said, his tone genuine.
Jungkook looked back at him, his voice quieter now, tinged with something vulnerable. "Thanks for saying yes."
As the two stood there, the winter chill nipping at their cheeks, the moment carried a warmth that neither of them could quite put into words.