Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

If you pay close attention, you can easily find the signs that indicate that that night will be memorable, whether on the good or bad side.

First clue: it had been five months since Jungkook, Seokjin and Taehyung had seen Jimin. In such a long period of time, considering that they are very close, it is very likely that they will do what they do best to kill the longing: stupid things.

Second clue: they bought soju and beer. If sober they already manage to do things that the next day they will certainly regret, drunk this is multiplied by ten.

Third clue: Park Jimin.

It's supposed to be just a normal Thursday, Jungkook wakes up late, misses the first class, tries not to fall asleep again, and misses two more classes when he ends up falling asleep anyway. He has lunch with Taehyung who can barely eat from so much excitement wanting to see Jimin soon. Takes Seokjin out of his class and forces him to go get ice cream because it's a hot day, and then go pick up Jimin at the airport to go to Taehyung's house.

He borrows Seokjin's car, there are rare times that Seokjin lets him do that, and he only allows him this time because according to the oldest, he still needed to take a shower and prepare his spirit to see Jimin again after so much time away.

What Jungkook loves most about their friendship, is that regardless of how long they stay apart, the moment they meet, everything goes back to normal, as if they hadn't spent ten minutes without seeing each other.

With Jimin, it's no different. First the hugs, then the "I missed you so much, Kook" , then the sad face, the fluffy cheeks, and then Jimin assumes his true form and starts asking everything about Jungkook's life, as if he doesn't already said by text every day.

Jimin asks about college, about Taehyung, makes Jungkook explain with all the words how many times Taehyung expressed that he missed him, how many times Taehyung was caught wearing Jimin's shirt hidden and how many times Taehyung said he missed his best friend.

And then comes the part where Jungkook always rolls his eyes and wants to send Jimin the same way he came and not see him for another five months, when he asks if Jungkook is already dating Seokjin.

Which, if you wanna know, makes no sense to Jungkook. He can't understand why he and Seokjin look like they're about to declare eternal love for each other like some people say.

Like, Jungkook can do this, anytime, easily, but it would be totally bro style.

They've been best friends for longer than Jungkook can actually remember, he knows everything about his best friend, and Seokjin knows everything about him too. They know each other's families, are present in their daily lives as well, as are many other close friends around the world. Jungkook couldn't identify the exact point that makes a switch turn in everyone to the point of making them see Jungkook and Seokjin as a couple.

Between them everything is okay, and maybe that's why people think there's something more? He really can't tell.

"So that means you're not kissing that lips yet," Jimin says a little perplexed.

"I don't know when kissing Seokjin hyung became a topic, let alone when me not doing it became so wrong." Jungkook looks briefly at Jimin. "I swear, I don't know why you think these things."

Jimin, who is walking beside him, stops and looks at Jungkook, studying his face for something Jungkook doesn't know what it is. "You really don't know, do you?!"

"No?" Jungkook asks confused. Is it for him to know something?

"You see Jungkook-ah, sometimes we get so comfortable with certain things that we forget to look around and see there's more, you know?" Jimin smiles at Jungkook, the evil smile , Seokjin's voice pops into his head. "I'll help you see."

Jungkook tries to understand what Jimin is saying, and what it has to do with what he was saying earlier, but gives up when he leaves the airport and sees the amount of cars trying to get out all at once.

After a few hours Jungkook completely forgets what he talked with Jimin, he only thinks about how his back hurts from carrying Jimin's bags up seven flights of stairs while Jimin spends all that time hugging Taehyung.

When Jungkook notices, he already has an empty bottle of soju next to him, some beer too, Taehyung is singing a very loud song while lying on the floor of his living room and Jimin and Seokjin are arguing.

Jungkook can't even pay attention to what they're fighting about, as the new game he downloaded on his phone is taking up all his attention. But it's when Taehyung sits down and stops singing, and looks at the other two, that Jungkook realizes the talk might be interesting.

"So does that mean you didn't date him?" Seokjin asks Jimin.

"No, we barely knew each other."

"But you said yourself that you spent almost four months talking every day."

"So?" Jimin looks blankly at Seokjin. "Look, I already told you, this thing of falling in love over texts or FaceTime doesn't work for me. I need the physical thing, I need to touch, I need to kiss, I need to see the person, see how it works for me."

"By text you can get a hint," Taehyung says.

"I don't think so. I mean, yes I can even get a hint if he's fun and our conversations match, but otherwise I can't. He was a super nice guy, fun, and I hooked up with him when we saw each other in Busan, but I didn't fall in love. It didn't even have time."

"I would have fallen in love," Taehyung shrugs. "Just from the texts you showed me I would have."

"But you're not really a reliable metric, right Tae?! You  fall in love with your shadow." Jimin accuses.

Taehyung looks at him betrayed, "That's a lie."

"Last week you said you were in love with the cashier at that market we went to, yesterday you walked five more blocks just to see him and you were sad the rest of the day because he wasn't there." Jungkook reminds him and Seokjin lets out a chuckle.

"I was sad because I couldn't find what I wanted to buy, not because of the guy I only saw once." Taehyung pouted.

"Like I said, Taehyung falls in love very easily." Jimin looks at them like he knows better.

"And what about you?! You don't fall in love with anyone," Taehyung accuses back and Jimin looks at him confused.

"I do fall in love?!"

"Thinking about it... I don't think I've ever heard you talking about being in love," Seokjin says, staring into space trying really hard to remember.

"I already told you that with me I need more things than just talking. I need to have physical contact with the person and not just send five messages to someone." Jimin shrugs.

"It only happened once!" Taehyung points the finger at him and the rest of them laugh.

"It's nice to know that, because for me it's very simple and common for people to fall in love without any of that." Jungkook fidgets as he says.

"And it is," Jimin says as Taehyung pours some more soju for each of them.

"Hm, got it. I guess it's not like that for me? I just need to connect with the person." Seokjin says and Jungkook looks at him with a smirk growing.

"Like when you connected with that French guy and cried for a month when you found out he had a boyfriend?" Jungkook arches an eyebrow at Seokjin and Taehyung spits out some of his drink to laugh.

"I told you never to talk about that again!"

"It's always good to remember that you were stupid." Jungkook smirks.

"How could I know?"

"There were literally pictures of the two of them in the guy's profile, twenty seconds you looked at it and you'd find out." Jungkook says sarcastically.

"I thought I could trust it!"

"Like I said, stupid." Jungkook winks at him.

"I think that's amazing." Jimin speaks with a strange smile on his face.

"What?" Jungkook asks.

"You guys," Jimin shrugs, "Your friendship. You've been best friends for so long that you know everything about each other, I think it's cute."

"You're like that with Tae too," Jungkook says.

"Yes, but still, it's different. You're different."

"Not only you, but their whole family thinks that too." Taehyung says low and laughs.

"What do you mean?" Jimin asks interested and Seokjin takes a deep breath, probably regretting having told Taehyung that.

"Our family is sure that one day we will end up getting married." Jungkook says and Jimin widens his eyes as if he heard something that could change his life.

Seokjin nods and says, "My mom is sure I haven't told her that Jungkook is my boyfriend yet because I want to piss her off."

"Your mom is so fun," Jungkook laughs, remembering all the times she called him son-in-law. "Actually, when I came out to my family, Seokjin had already done it too, so my mom looked at me and said, does that mean you're going to date Seokjin now? I want to have him in the family. "

Jungkook says imitating his mother's voice and Taehyung and Jimin burst into laughter, it's the first time he's saying that to them..

Jungkook has lost count of how many times his family has given not-so-discreet hints about how they would like him to date Seokjin.

"That's cute. And nothing ever happened between you two?" Jimin asks interested. "Like, it's us, you can tell us, no one will judge here."

Even Taehyung looks at them interestedly as if he doesn't know exactly what their friendship dynamic is like.

Seokjin and Jungkook respond in unison, "No."

"If it had happened, there would be no reason for us to hide it from you, but we are not like that." Complete Seokjin.

"Cool." Jimin says but the weird smile is still there.

"What?" Seokjin asks suspiciously too.

"Nothing. It's just that as long as I've known you I've always seen you guys being so close, intimate you know. Physical contact and stuff, I always wondered if there wasn't something else going on there." Jimin explains. He shifts his gaze between Seokjin and Jungkook while Taehyung continues drinking, just looking at the three of them with a smile on his face. Jungkook is sure he's already drunk, he's always been lighter.

"Oh no. Hyung and I have just been like this forever." Jungkook answers easy. Because it is.

"Must be why everyone thinks we're dating." Seokjin says.

Because for Jungkook it's simple, just like one plus one, two. They've always had that kind of relationship, and they always will. It's their thing, that's how they work and it's all right. Jungkook knows that a lot of people think it's weird or even think there's something more between them (some of his ex-boyfriends are still sure of that), but Seokjin and Jungkook know what's true, and in the end that's all that matters.

"Or maybe it's because there's a whole couch for you and yet Jungkook is practically sitting on your lap while you massage him." Taehyung looks at them skeptically and Seokjin's hand on the back of his neck freezes.

Yes, sometimes, but only sometimes, they have some attitudes that don't help their case very much.

"I've had a tiring day bringing your bags!" Jungkook responds indignantly and looks back for Seokjin to continue the massage.

"And he brought me food, he deserves some." Seokjin tries to justify some more.

"See? That's what I'm talking about! You guys are so domestic and intimate." Jimin says dreamy. "If I was close to someone like that, with all that friendship, love and simplicity between you, I would definitely be in love a long time ago."

Jungkook can't help noticing the quick, discreet look Taehyung gives at Jimin.

"But you said you need the physical part to like someone." Seokjin points, and Jimin rolls his eyes.

"Huh, honey?!" Jimin looks at them like they're idiots. "Jungkook is literally in your lap right now practically moaning as you squeeze his neck."

"Hm, kinky." Taehyung mutters jokingly. He's lying on the floor, his eyes squinting and his speech slurred. Another ten minutes and Taehyung will sleep right there.

"Only because it's easier this way!" Jungkook tries to defend himself.

"And physical contact means nothing." Complete Seokjin. "I guarantee if we were more... like,-"

"Boyfriends." Jungkook interrupts.

"Yeah, boyfriends, like kissing, holding hands and stuff like that, it still wouldn't have any kind of romantic feelings. That doesn't happen to us."

"Really?" Jimin gives another weird smile, somehow it makes Jungkook think of the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland and it sends a shiver down his spine. He knows that now something is going to change.

"Oh no." Taehyung says in an alarmed tone.

"What?" Seokjin asks oblivious.

"What do you think we test that theory then?" Jimin says calmly.

"What are you talking about?" Seokjin asks cautiously.

"I'm proposing that you do this, be boyfriends, lovers." Jimin's eyes sparkle as he speaks. "Kiss each other, touch each other, prove to me that there won't be any feelings there."

"What?" Seokjin asks with a sincere laugh. 

That's the stupidest thing Jungkook has ever heard.

"You guys are telling me that you don't believe physical contact can make this happen, so…" Jimin continues.

"And why would we agree to something so stupid like that?" Seokjin asks in bewilderment, while Taehyung and Jungkook exchange glances between them. "I'm sure nothing would happen, but why put my friendship with him of so many years at 'risk' for something so stupid? What if Jungkook finds out that he's always been in love with me and decides to dump me?"

"I think it's easier for that to happen to you." Jungkook winks at him, joking too.

"It just doesn't make any sense for us to accept this." Seokjin says firmly.

Jungkook doesn't even show any reaction, he knows that everything Jimin is saying is pure madness.

But everything changes when Jungkook manages to decipher what that gleam in Jimin's eyes is, he knows that something machiavellian will come out of his mouth in a matter of seconds.

"Well, it's up to you," Jimin shrugs as if he doesn't care anymore, when it's clear all over his body how he's enjoying proposing this. "I only said that because you're so confident that nothing would happen that I wanted to see if it's true, you know. But I guess I'm right at the end of it all, at least according to the way I live. I'm right."

It's a trap. Jungkook knows this better than anyone. He knows that it doesn't matter how Jimin falls in or out of love because it's his life, and he's different from Jungkook. He knows that they are different people who function in different ways. Jungkook knows he doesn't need to prove anything to anyone.

Jungkook knows.

But. There's a part of him that he tries at all costs to keep hidden and dormant, because he knows that if it goes to the surface, he won't be able to control it anymore. Jungkook knows this very well. So does Seokjin, which is why he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath when Jungkook lifts his head and adjusts his posture in his lap. His whole body tenses and his gaze strays to Jimin knowing he's walking into a fucking trap. But he can't do anything about it.

"Jungkook… no." Seokjin tries, but it's too late, he knows.

"Okay, we'll do it." Jungkook suddenly agrees.

Taehyung, who remains silent and with his eyes closed, laughs loudly.

Seokjin sighs in defeat, "Jungkook-"

"I'm going to prove you wrong," Jungkook cuts him off. "I'm right! I'm going to win this."

"Sometimes I think you're like a demon, you know exactly where to touch a person…" Taehyung says impressed to Jimin, still looking at his best friend in awe.

"That's cheating. Even those who don't know Jungkook know that he's competitive. And again, that doesn't make the slightest sense! Each person works in their own way, and if Jimin needs something specific to fall in love with or whatever, it doesn't mean he's wrong or right, he's just different from you-" Seokjin argues, saying this to Jungkook, while Jimin just smiles at them.

"I know. And it's not that I'm competitive-"

"You are," Seokjin interrupts.

"I just think if there's an opportunity to show that I'm the best, or that I'm right at something, I'm going to do it." Jungkook justifies himself. "Even if there's no right or wrong about it."

"Do you even know what you're saying? Do you hear yourself?" Seokjin asks perplexed. "And it's literally the definition of competitive. And stupid. You're crazy!" Seokjin pinches Jungkook's waist, making him squirm in his lap, but Jungkook doesn't look away from Jimin.

"Seokjin," Jimin calls out.

"No." Seokjin answers definitively, and then Jungkook looks at him with his huge doe eyes thinking he will be able to convince Seokjin that way.

"C'mon hyung, let's do this. It's you and me! There's no feeling here, we'll just hug each other more."

"Um, no." Jimin says. "You'll have to act like real boyfriends, kissing, hugging, touching... Well, just add the kissing, but you have to."

"Okay," Jungkook agrees.

"I still don't understand why you want to do this for nothing! What about Jimin being right? It's his life, he lives one way and you another! We don't need to prove anything-"

"If you guys do this for a month, I can get you a ticket to blondie's tour." Jimin interrupts Seokjin.

"The Eras Tour?" Seokjin asks suddenly.

"Yeah." His eyes sparkle again.

"How?" Seokjin squints at Jimin, assessing the situation.

"My brother. He gets tickets, two at the most."

"Okay." Seokjin agrees too. "Tomorrow you are my boyfriend, Jungkook-ah." Seokjin smiles cutely at Jungkook and goes back to massaging his back, but before he can, Jungkook is already facing him again, outraged.

"Oh, so that's how it is?! You're going to agree so quickly just because of a ticket? What about all your speech about how we're different people and we function in different ways?"

"You were two minutes ago telling me to go along with this!" Seokjin points, speaking loud and thin.

"But you're the one who sold out just for a ticket!" Jungkook accuses him. "I'm trying to prove a point, much more morally acceptable."

Seokjin narrows his gaze at Jungkook, "Did you just say it's just a ticket?" He says slowly. "The Eras Tour?"

"No, that's not what I meant-" Jungkook says quickly.

"You bastard!"

They start yelling at each other.

"I'm starting to think this might be fun." Taehyung says, still lying on the ground.

"Oh, you can be sure it will be." Jimin says with a devilish smile. "It's going to be the most fun and interesting thirty days you'll ever see."

Day 1.

The first thing Jungkook sees is Jimin standing in front of his classroom with the same evil smile as last night, and next to him, Seokjin.

The elder's posture shows that he's nervous, his hands are behind his back, one foot doesn't stop tapping the ground, and his eyes look everywhere in a matter of seconds.

"Good morning?" Jungkook greets them, finding it odd that they're there waiting for him.

"Good morning, my love." Jimin says with a grin, shifting his gaze between the other two who don't know exactly how to act.

"What are you doing here?"

"Well, today is officially the first day of your relationship. I thought I should be present at such an important moment like this." It intrigues Jungkook how the smile is still there.

"Yeah, boyfriend." Seokjin says uncomfortable. He's already regretting having agreed to that.

Jungkook chuckles a little. He thinks it’s funny how Seokjin's ears are turning red. The way he tries his best not to meet Jungkook's gaze indicates how embarrassed he is.

For Jungkook, it doesn't need all that, in his head, all that will be just a joke. It's him and Seokjin. Things between them are easy, that will be too.

Jungkook takes Seokjin's hand and intertwines their fingers, pulling the other man towards him. Jimin and Seokjin are startled by his sudden movement, but they’re supposed to be fake dating, right?! So Jungkook is going to play it right, he won't lose.

He holds Seokjin in his arms and slowly approaches, Seokjin who is wide-eyed says, "What are you doing?"

"Kissing you?"

"What?" Seokjin practically screams and widens his eyes more, Jungkook didn't know it was possible. "Wait, are you really going to take this seriously?"

"And you not?"

"Look, Jungkook-"

"Blah, blah, blah," Jimin says impatiently. "The deal was made. Just kiss! It can be just a peck, quick thing, I'll take it."

"You don't have to take it anything." Seokjin turns to Jimin as best as he can because he's still in Jungkook's embrace.

"Yes, I can, if anyone can, it's me! I proposed the bet."

"That doesn't mean anything," Seokjin says annoyed.

Jungkook just rolls his eyes while Seokjin and Jimin argue over what can and cannot do. He just wants to go get something to eat soon because he's starving. 

Bored of it all, Jungkook grabs Seokjin by the back of his neck and makes the older one look at him.

"Can I?" He asks, and even though Seokjin's expression is still in shock, he nods and Jungkook kisses him.

It's quick, just a peck. It didn't even last ten seconds, but it is enough for Jungkook to notice how soft Seokjin's lips are.

Huh, who would've thought. He never noticed this before.

"OH MY GOD," Jimin screams.

Seokjin pulls out of Jungkook's arms and now his cheeks and neck are rosy as Jimin looks at them with his mouth open in surprise.

"That was-"

"You kissed him!" Jimin interrupts Seokjin and points at Jungkook. "Oh-oh it's really on! You can't give up anymore."

"Why are you so excited and committed to this?" Jungkook asks.

"Because-"

"Hum, guys?" A voice interrupts them, and the three look to the side to see Namjoon. He's looking at them with his head tilted to the side, seeming like a golden retriever puppy looking confused in their direction. "Are you two together?"

Seokjin, who begins to open his mouth to probably say no, is interrupted by Jimin who stands in front of them with a proud posture. "Yes, they are."

"Jimin." Seokjin calls out to him in an intimidating tone.

Namjoon stays the same for a few more seconds, still looking at them confused, trying to understand if it's true or not. Until his eyes go to Seokjin and Jungkook's hands, and only then does Jungkook realize that they are holding hands. When did this happen?

His face breaks into a huge smile and then, "Wow, really?! Finally guys!" He says happily and Jungkook and Seokjin exchange a look.

Jimin looks at them like he just proved a point.

"Hum, what?" Jungkook asks.

"Finally you've worked it out, right?! It's been a while since I noticed this thing between you. I'm happy for you!"

He says it all with a big smile, genuinely happy with the idea that Jungkook and Seokjin are dating. What the fuck?

"Wait, did you think we liked each other?" Seokjin asks slowly.

"It was pretty explicit, wasn't it?" He laughs. "But again, happy for you guys! I have to go now." 

And as quickly as he arrived, Namjoon blends in with the other students milling around them and disappears from their sight.

Jungkook once again looks at Seokjin, trying to understand what the fuck just happened, but the look on the older man's face betrays that he has no idea.

"Well, I guess my job is done for now. You're welcome." Jimin says with that mischievous smile, and says goodbye to them as well, mingling with the sea of students.

What?

"I think for me, hmm" Seokjin starts, but soon his line dies down. He's staring into nothing and eating some more of his kimbap. "Like…"

"Yeah," Jungkook agrees. "Yeah."

"You too?" Seokjin turns to him.

"Yes." Jungkook answers without thinking. "Wait, think what?"

"Do you think we show it so much that we… That you and I… That we like each other?"

"I don’t know, but after the fifth person saying they were happy for us, I'm starting to imagine it's a possibility."

"But why?" Seokjin asks a little indignantly. "What do we do that is so alarming that it gives off that impression?"

"I have no idea," Jungkook says honestly with a shrug, "Well, I mean, maybe it's because we're sitting here eating the same kimbap while I have my legs in your lap…"

Seokjin looks at the way they're sitting, and realization hits him. Maybe that's it, who knows.

He pushes Jungkook's legs hard off his lap, almost making Jungkook fall off the bench they're sitting on and that makes him laugh.

"That's no way to treat your boyfriend, Seokjin." He teases.

"Shut up," Seokjin replies, annoyed.

Jungkook laughs more and throws his head back, closing his eyes. He's enjoying that it's not a hot day and that the breeze on his skin feels good. The shadow of the tree is also pleasant and that is definitely one of the good days.

"So you want to go through with it anyway? This… intimacy thing, it's not going to be a problem?"

Seokjin wakes him from his daydream, Jungkook turns to him and sees Seokjin's frown showing how serious this really is for him.

"Jin hyung, are you bothered by this? Be honest." Jungkook straightens up on the bench, turning completely to the oldest. "Because if you are, we don't do anything. And no, it won't be a problem for me, but if it is for you, then-"

"You hate losing." Seokjin reminds him.

"But I'm not going to force you into something you don't want because of me."

"I just don't want anything to change between us." Seokjin says distressed.

"And it won't." Jungkook says sure. "This is us we're talking about, this won't get in the way of our friendship. It's just… a few kisses." He chuckles when Seokjin frowns at the reminder. "You've kissed a lot of people around and stayed friends and not made all this drama."

"They weren't my best friends. You are."

Jungkook smiles. "Cute." And he gets up, grabbing his bag. "I'm going, I have two more classes today."

"Okay."

"So, is everything alright? Shall we continue?"

Jungkook asks again. He wants to make sure he's not forcing Seokjin into anything. His competitive nature can be strong but not so strong that it harms his best friend.

"Yeah, let's do it." Seokjin says it lighter this time, a smile that makes him look like a bread appears on his face and Jungkook is sure he means it.

"Okay, so…" Jungkook crouches down to Seokjin's level and holds his face at the right angle to give him one more quick kiss.

When Jungkook walks away, Seokjin still has his eyes closed, it's for a few seconds but Jungkook thinks he looks pretty like that.

"Jimin isn't here. There's no one around."

"We have to get used to it." Jungkook decides to test the limits some more. "You know, just make sure you don't fall in love with me."

"Fuck you!"

Seokjin responds angrily and tries to pinch Jungkook's nipple, and he just runs from him and laughs.

Jungkook is sure that he and Seokjin will ace that.

Day 3.

This time Jungkook is waiting for Seokjin at the door of his class. Taehyung is with him because, according to Jimin, one of them has to keep babysitting to make sure they are sticking to the deal.

It's the third day, they've already kissed quickly five times.

Seokjin remains a bit suspicious and always gets a little alarmed when Jungkook kisses him suddenly. So today is Jungkook's day to be startled when Seokjin approaches him, pulls him by the waist tightly and kisses him. It's fast, as always. But the hand on his waist doesn't leave right away.

They go to the open area that has some benches to sit on and spend some time enjoying the sun, which is once again pleasant.

Taehyung is babbling, or complaining, about how Jimin is too quiet when he shouldn't be, and Jungkookis agreeing with everything because Jimin is really quiet at times, but he doesn't know what exactly Taehyung is referring to, and he's kind of scared to ask seeing his fury.

After Taehyung gets proof that Jungkook and Seokjin are acting as agreed, he goes to his class and they go to the older man's house. It's Friday and Jungkook has plans to sleep the rest of the day in Seokjin's big, awesome bed while the older one does some college assignments.

At night they have a party to go to. It's Hoseok's birthday, and according to the man, it wouldn't be anything big, just for the closest ones, but they should know that for Hoseok anyone who smiles at him is already considered a close friend.

So it's no surprise when they arrive at the Hoseok's apartment and see the place full of people, even going out into the hallways. Lucky for Hoseok, the residents of the building were all college students and hardly anyone really cared about noise and movement.

It's hard to get into the apartment, and even harder to find Hoseok and wish him happy birthday, but as soon as they do, Jimin and Taehyung disappear among the people there and Jungkook and Seokjin stay behind.

The whole time Seokjin and Jungkook were socializing and drinking with people they barely knew, they were close . Jimin makes it clear that that was the place to do the whole fake-boyfriend thing, and they were. 

The "I'm happy for you!", "Finally dating, uh?! Cool", and even some "I always knew there was something there!" don't stop for a while. Jungkook is already getting used to it. But it doesn't stop making them laugh until they run out of air because they can't understand what it's all about.

"What are all these people going to think when they find out we broke up in a month?" Seokjin asks.

He has to get closer than he already is, and talk in Jungkook's ear because of the loud music. His lips are cold from the drink when he brushes them lightly against his earlobe and his body shivers. Normal. Jungkook would have the same reactions to anyone else.

"I know some people who will be happy that you're single again." Jungkook responds.

He can easily notice the looks that mean the opposite of being happy they are "together." And most of them look like knives being thrown in his direction.

Seokjin smirks, winking only one eye at him. He is handsome. Like, Seokjin always looks good, but that day he looked better. He's wearing dark jeans, black sneakers and a burgundy button-up shirt. His now-short black hair is parted down the middle and his forehead is bared. Jungkook never noticed how beautiful his forehead was. Foreheads were pretty?

But it's normal, anyone with eyes could see how handsome Seokjin is. Jungkook just noticed how disconcerting it is now.

More people stopped to talk to them, and more drinks appeared in their hands without them having much idea how. Seokjin somehow always seemed to be closer .

It was only the third day of thirty, and there are already some things that Jungkook is used to, however short it may be, like Seokjin's hand on his waist always keeping him grounded, for example. They're serious about the whole pretending thing, they have to because Jungkook won't give Jimin a reason to say they didn't do enough.

They spend the whole party together, as usual, even before, when they weren't pretending, they've always been by each other's side, the difference is that now Seokjin hugs him almost one hundred percent of the time. Sometimes from behind, sometimes from the side, and sometimes it's Jungkook who can’t stop hugging him. They kiss too. Nothing much like tongue, they are more chaste and calm, just to remind everyone around that they are together. But they kiss, and that's kinda cool. 

Hoseok appears at some point, dragging them to the only couch in that apartment, which is being disputed by everyone. He gives the excuse that he’s the birthday boy, and sits on the couch when everybody leaves. Jungkook and Seokjin also sit down, but with Jungkook on the older's lap because there isn't enough room for both of them.

Jungkook is sitting sideways on Seokjin's lap while Seokjin is hugging him, keeping him tight and close. The feeling is nice, even though it's his best friend there and Jungkook doesn't feel anything more for him, it's nice to have that kind of physical contact.

As they talk, Seokjin kisses him three times. Three times calm and chaste. Three times without any tongue. Nothing too sensual or hot because there is no reason to be. But… Jungkook wants it. Not because it's Seokjin, but because he wants to kiss someone for real. And why not his best friend who is on a mission to pretend they're dating?

"Hey," Jungkook leans down a bit to speak in Seokjin's ear, interrupting his conversation with Hoseok. "Can I kiss you?"

"Didn't you just do that?" Seokjin asks, confused.

"No, you gave me a peck. I'm asking if I can kiss kiss you."

"Like-"

"Tongue." Jungkook say fast and simple. 

"You wanna kiss me with your tongue." Seokjin repeats. "Why?"

"Why not? Just these chaste kisses aren't doing anything for me."

Seokjin looks at him like he's saying something absurd. "And they were supposed to do something?"

"Uh, Seokjin," Jungkook groans and rolls his eyes. "Kiss with tongue. Yes or no?"

Seokjin takes a few seconds to respond, maybe he is looking for something in Jungkook's eyes that says that that is a joke, and when he doesn't find any, he finally says, "Yeah, I guess."

"Cool"

Jungkook circles a hand around Seokjin's neck and pulls him towards him. They kiss for real now. Tongue and all. And it's no surprise to Jungkook that Seokjin is a good kisser, but it's still surprising how good of a kisser he is. 

Jungkook feels Seokjin's hands pulling him closer to him, and he's surprised because he didn't think he had more space to go. He feels the hairs on his arms stand up when Seokjin sucks on his lower lip a little harder, totally unexpected and hot. Jungkook feels his stomach doing funny things when Seokjin takes a hand to the back of his neck and pulls his hair.

It's a good kiss. Like- a really good kiss. The kind of kiss that if Jungkook had been standing up, his legs would have turned jelly by now.

Seokjin's hand is dangerously close to Jungkook's ass, it's in the curve of his spine and Jungkook wants more than anything for him to go down just a little bit.

They kiss for a few more minutes, their breathing fast as if they've been running a marathon. Without realizing it, Jungkook's hands pull Seokjin tightly against him, as if he's afraid that at any moment Seokjin will stop that.

But it's Jungkook who decides to stop when he realizes that he's about to sit on Seokjin's lap properly to continue that.

When he pulls away, the first thing Jungkook sees is Seokjin with his eyes still closed, his eyelashes long and beautiful against his cheek. But his mouth steals all attention. It's red and swollen. Looking at that Jungkook wonders if maybe Seokjin is bothered by all the times he sucked and bit his lips, but it's impossible to look at those lips and not feel proud of what he did.

So he pulls Seokjin's head to give him one more kiss, this time more soft, and pulls away for good.

"Wow." Hoseok says in awe.

Scared, remembering only then that they are at a party with several other people around, they look at Hoseok, who has wide eyes, astonished. "You know, at first I wondered if this was real because Jimin is looking at you guys the whole night with that weird smile, but now- Yeah! Wow."

Hoseok says in that cheerful and unique tone, with a honest grin, and that's what takes Jungkook a little off the axis, because Hoseok knows them, he knows very well how the dynamics is between them, and even better, he knows very well how manipulative Jimin can be too. Then if he, Jung Hoseok, really thinks it's real, so… So Jungkook doesn't know what to think anymore.

And by the lost gaze that Seokjin gives him, Jungkook knows that he's also fucked up by this.

Jungkook doesn't leave Seokjin's lap. He's still there, having a slight existential crisis. 

It's fine cause he is starting to get a little drunk too. His head is processing a million thoughts by second, like how cows can't walk down stairs, how the black hole at the center of our galaxy lives on a moderate diet "eating" only one Earth every hundred years, how Seokjin's mouth is still red and pretty, how Jimin looks like a character from a horror movie standing across the room looking at them, and how somehow his glass is always full even though he's been drinking so much and never got up to grab more.

He doesn't know what time it is, he doesn't know if he should leave so he doesn't do any more shit like suggest his fake boyfriend slash best friend for one more kiss, but what is life if not a bunch of moments you make wrong choices, right?!

That's why when Taehyung appears in front of him like a ghost, pulling Jungkook by hand to go dance to some Twice song that Jungkook definitely knows the choreography of, he just goes.

He doesn't know how long he stands there among all those people dancing to all the girl group routines that he knows, but after a while he looks at Seokjin, searching him in that small sea of people.

And Jungkook knows that Seokjin is still on the couch and that he's talking to Yoongi now, Hoseok's boyfriend. But what he doesn't expect is to find Seokjin's gaze on him. What he definitely doesn't expect too is to see the way his eyes pass all over Jungkook's body, checking him out shamelessly. It's odd to see that kind of look in Seokjin's eyes, because Jungkook swears he knows them all. Years of friendship and he had mapped out how Kim Seokjin works, so but this is new.

"So, that kiss?" Jimin surges out of nowhere.

"What about it?"

"What the fuck was that?" Jimin asks, exasperated.

Yeah, Jungkook also wanted to know what the fuck was that.

"We just kissed. I wanted to, so did he. That's all."

Jimin stays for one moment looking at Jungkook, he doesn't know what the elder sees in his face, but it must be something horrible for him not to insist any longer and let the matter drop with a nod. It's weird, but Jungkook thanks him internally.

After what feels like an eternity, Jungkook wants to leave. He drags himself over to the couch where Seokjin is still sitting with Yoongi, and sits down on his lap.

"Hyung, let's go."

"Already?" Seokjin asks, impressed. "I'm usually the one who has to drag you home."

"I'm tired today." Jungkook laments. "Tell your boyfriend that from this day forward, I'm not talking to him anymore." He tells Yoongi, and he rolls his eyes.

"You're stupid for competing with him, the one who knows more choreographies ever."

"He's old, how was I supposed to know that he knows who NewJeans is?" Jungkook says irritably and Seokjin protests underneath him, pinching his nipple.

"Who doesn't know who NewJeans is?!" Yoongi protests.

"I thought that he didn't!" Jungkook answers loudly.

"C'mon, it was fun watching you two compete." Seokjin says trying to calm the youngest. "And it wasn't so ugly to see, normally people who do that to Hobi lose badly, you know."

"Whatever," He huffs. "Let's go?"

"Yeah, I'm tired too."

There are still a lot of people there in that tiny apartment, and some friends too, but without the slightest possibility of them saying goodbye to each one. Seokjin just has time to say goodbye to Yoongi and Namjoon, who were passing in time, and run into the bedroom and grab his coat before Jungkook drags him by the hand out the door.

As they leave and head towards the elevator, Jungkook notices the astonished look on Seokjin's face. "What is it?"

"Nothing, I just-" He starts, then cuts himself off. "I thought I saw something in the room, but I think it's the booze."

Jungkook gasps, "Saw someone having sex?!"

"Maybe?! Totally unintentional, but- I guess-  It wasn't a big deal anyway." He's still confused but only shrugs and they leave. 

It's colder than when they arrived, and obviously Jungkook didn't bring a coat because he had faith that the weather god would help him to keep the look, but in the first icy wind that hit his skin that he bitterly regrets.

"Here." Seokjin holds out the coat he hasn't worn yet and Jungkook gladly takes it.

Hoseok's apartment is close to the building they each live in, just a few minutes and Jungkook would already be in his bed under a very warm blanket forcing himself to sleep so he wouldn't think too much about things he shouldn't.

"Do you think I'm too drunk?" Seokjin asks.

"Hm, let me think." Jungkook looks around, searching for something to test Seokjin's limits. "Walk in a straight line is too easy, you’ve trained enough to do that even when you’re almost in an alcoholic coma."

"Okay, then send me a hard one." Seokjin challenges him.

A real danger because Jungkook is capable of going far for a challenge. Right now he has a "boyfriend".

"Kiss me." He says simple, chuckling as Seokin's eyes almost jump out of his face.

"What?"

"Kiss me."

"Why?"

"You once said that when you're too drunk you suck at kissing, there's a lot of tongue."

Seokjin lets his gaze wander to the empty street ahead of them. There are a few street lights illuminating the street, the yellow color hits Seokjin and does something different to him. It's like watching a sunset in the middle of the night. The middle parted hair was still doing things to Jungkook.

"You know, if I had a dollar for everytime you ask to kiss me, I'd have two dollars, which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice."

Jungkook frowns at him and Seokjin chuckles. "I told you to get out of Twitter. That app is messing with your head."

"But it's still true," Seokjin shrugs.

"It's just a kiss." Jungkook says. "No big deal."

"Yeah, you're right. But it's fun to mess with you."

"You're weird." Jungkook rolls his eyes again. 

"Come here."

Seokjin pulls Jungkook by the hand and suddenly they are kissing. Again.

For the second time that night, Jungkook has one hand on Seokjin's shoulders and the other is in his hair, trying to keep him as close as possible to make sure Seokjin doesn't go anywhere.

One of Seokjin's arms is wrapped around Jungkook's middle as his tongue causes an explosion inside Jungkook.

Sunset at midnight with fireworks.

Seokjin's right, it's weird that they're kissing for the second time, and like that, so… Hot. Because fuck, Seokjin is truly a hell of a good kisser, and nobody can take that from him. It's unexpected that it's so good and that Jungkook is so eager to have more, when in those first three days - well, now four, they'd only pecked each other. Something chaste, calm, easy, and without any danger.

Because what is happening at that very moment is dangerous. Too dangerous. Seokjin's hand is going down a little lower, and if he doesn't grab Jungkook's ass, the youngest will surely die right there imagining how it would feel.

They kiss more. With more strength than on the couch, with more will than before. With more tongue, hands and sighs too. Jungkook kisses him deep, tasting all of Seokjin's mouth and taking everything he's entitled to. 

"What's the verdict?" Seokjin asks as he pulls back the tiniest bit to get a look at Jungkook and he lets out a whimper. He wants to kiss more.

"What?"

"Am I drunk?"

Oh," Jungkook takes a deep breath. "Nope, definitely not. Or you lied to me and you're actually a really good drunk kisser."

"Hm, so I'm a really good kisser?"

"You don't need me to say the obvious Seokjin." Jungkook snorts, and get a little disappointed when Seokjin pulls away.

A second kiss, and no hand on the ass, what a waste.

"I don't need to, but it would be really cute if my fake boyfriend said that."

"Oh god," Jungkook pushes Seokjin out of his way and that draws a chuckle from the older man.

They’re almost at Jungkook's apartment. All the rest of the way they go hand in hand.

It's cool. Jungkook doesn't have deep romantic feelings or anything like that, but it's nice to have that kind of intimacy and physical touch with someone, and it's his best friends so it is a lot easier. And who knows, maybe 27 days from now when this is all over, Jungkook gets a real boyfriend for a change.

Day 7.

One week completed. 

Three weeks less for Jungkook to rub it in Jimin's face that he won, there's no feeling between him and Seokjin. 

To celebrate this incredible achievement, Jimin invited everyone to the apartment he shares with Taehyung for pizza night. Jungkook and Seokjin obviously agreed the moment he invited them, but they should have known that everything Jimin does has something behind it. Because it's obvious that he asked Namjoon, Hoseok and Yoongi to go too because that way they would have to pretend to be dating since their friends have no idea it's all a lie. 

However, it's not so bad. As everyone else had noticed except Jungkook and Seokjin, they were very physical with each other. Very tame and open to touches without any embarrassment and without awkward moments. 

Everything remained the same, the slight differences were that Jungkook now pretty much just sat on Seokjin's lap all the time, even though it had a huge couch for them. But it's not his fault if Seokjin always has his hands on him, rubbing his back, or playing with his hair. Jungkook likes physical contact, so if you look closer, you'll see that it's all Seokjin's fault, he really can't do anything.

The kisses were also a small difference in their daily lives. They didn't kiss the same way they did on Hoseok's birthday, they went back to the calm and chaste kisses.

It's cool. Nice.

But, Jungkook misses the action, he won't lie.

Seokjin is handsome, hot, his lips are nice and plump and he is a great kisser. It makes perfect sense to take what he can while that deal is up. Seokjin apparently doesn't think the same because the day before when Jungkook suggested they kiss again, for the third time, he just laughed and kissed. Yes, a chaste and calm peck and he was gone.

Now they are thrown around Jimin and Taehyung's room, while a movie is playing that only Namjoon is paying attention to. Yoongi is lying next to Namjoon, pretending to be asleep, but actually listening to what everyone is saying.

Hoseok is playing with Yoongi's hair, and Jungkook is trying to get Seokjin's attention so he can do the same to him. Jimin is discussing something with Taehyung, and Seokjin is looking at them for exactly seven minutes without barely blinking.

"If we were really dating I'd be pissed because I've been practically begging you to touch my hair for like ten minutes while you're obsessively looking at another man who isn't me." Jungkook kind of whispers in Seokjin's ear, sounding a little annoyed.

Gosh, he just wants some affection too.

"Sorry, it's just-" Seokjin winks, looking at Jungkook like he's waking up from a dream. "Wait, what did you say?"

"Give me attention," Jungkook practically whined. "I'm your boyfriend, I deserve it." 

He says it out loud, just for Hoseok to notice, and he looks at them with shining eyes as if seeing love for the first time. 

"Bastard," Seokjin whispers to him and pulls his hair hard before starting to give him the proper attention. 

"I'm having a hard time processing all of this, you know." Hoseok says, pointing at Jungkook and Seokjin. "I mean, it was right there at our faces, but still… It's amazing." 

"Yeah, amazing." Yoongi muttered. There's something about the way Yoongi looks at them that makes Jungkook wonder if Seokjin hasn't already told him everything. 

"We talked a lot, but you still haven't told us how it happened." Hoseok says excitedly, eyes twinkling and all.

"Hm, there it is something I want to know," Namjoon says interested too, even letting go of the movie and turning to face them who are lying on the floor with Seokjin still trying to find the best way to play with Jungkook's hair without his arm hurting so bad.

"Hum…" Seokjin looks from Taehyung to Jimin and finally Jungkook, looking for help.

They haven’t thought about it, of course their friends would want to know what happened for them to discover that they liked each other.

"You told me, Jungkook-ah," Taehyung says, trying to be helpful. "It was about-"

"I asked hyung to kiss me." Jungkook says simple.

Seokjin looks at him with wide eyes, probably wanting to get inside Jungkook's head and find out what he's going to say next.

"You asked Seokjin hyung to kiss you." Yoongi says, and by the tone he uses, Jungkook knows he knows something he shouldn't know.

"Yes. I asked him to kiss me."

"But- like, out of nowhere?" Hoseok asks. "Did you already realize you liked him?"

"No. One day we were coming back from a party and I wanted to know how drunk he was, then I remembered he told me once that when he's really drunk he can't kiss properly, he said he drools more than-"

"Okay, Jungkook-ah, just cut to the chase." Seokjin cuts him off.

"So I told him to kiss me to see if he was drunk or not."

"Smooth," Namjoon winks at him.

"So what? What happened next?" Hoseok asks.

"He kissed me." Jungkook answers simply, with a shrug.

"That simple?" Hoseok asks.

"That simple." Seokjin agrees. "And then - um, then I kind of realized I liked him and he realized he liked me too and now here we are."

Hoseok spends almost a full minute looking at them, his expression is a mix of disappointment and disgust because it’s not the Netflix rom-com story he’s expecting.

"You guys are boring," Hoseok mumbles and gets up, heading to the kitchen.

"Not everyone has to spend four years with repressed feelings for their neighbor before they finally work up the courage to say 'hi' and wait another four months to ask them out." Seokjin raises his voice so that Hoseok can hear him as he goes to the bathroom down the hall and gives him the finger.

"You want to piss him off, piss him off. No need to attack me in the process." Yoongi mutters and sits down. "So you didn't go through the same thing Hoseok and I did?"

"What?" Jungkook asks. He gives Seokjin a pinch on the leg as he stops playing with his hair.

"All these messed up feelings."

"No." They respond in unison.

What is strange to Jungkook is the look that Jimin and Yoongi share, and even worse is the devilish smile that Jungkook thought only Jimin could replicate, growing on Yoongi's lips.

"Why are you smiling like a psycho like Jimin?" Seokjin asks, externalizing Jungkook's thoughts. "Stop doing that, it's scary."

"I'm just thinking," Yoongi says.

"Then stop." Seokjin counters and Jungkook laughs.

He's no longer interested in seeing any devilish smiles, or looks he can't understand what they mean, or Taehyung every ten seconds squinting at Jimin like he's desperate for something, so he just settles down on the floor, laying down on top of Seokjin's leg and closes his eyes. 

And he must have been doing that for a long time because he is jostled awake by Seokjin who is crouched too close to him.

Too close for Jungkook to have any level of sanity, which is why it's obvious when he just lifts his head a little and gives Seokjin a peck.

Is fast. Chaste. And calm. But enough to elicit the exact level of desperate reaction from Seokjin that Jungkook loves.

"You are a maniac." It's the only thing Seokjin says.

Even amidst many protests, Jungkook has to get up off the ground to leave. He doesn't know where Namjoon, Hoseok and Yoongi are, they've probably left too.

Jimin and Taehyung are in the hall, if Jungkook wasn't so sleep-drunk he would have gone to ask if they were arguing. It looks very much like they are, but Seokjin doesn't give him time to think so he just pulls him by the hand towards the door and shouts goodbye before closing it.

Of course, Jungkook forces Seokjin to piggyback him to his building. Obviously Seokjin complains a lot, but he does it anyway.

Jungkook gives Seokjin a peck before he leaves just because it’s fun to see his ears turn red and him roll his eyes afterwards.

And as he watches Seokjin turn down the street, Jungkook finds himself thinking that it must be nice to have a boyfriend like Seokjin.

Day 9. 

They are at the grocery store. 

Jungkook feels that something bad is going to happen because nothing good happens in a grocery store, except for the candy section.

Seokjin is giving a lecture on why sweet wine is better than dry wine while Jungkook pretends to listen, when all he wants to do is buy the bottle that had the nicest label, when a classmate walks by and greets them. 

They automatically assume their fake-boyfriends persona and Seokjin practically throws himself at Jungkook. They don't need any of that, they don't need to pretend that they are immensely in love with each other in a grocery store, because there's no way to be happy in there with all that information, people, and expensive things. But it's nice the way Seokjin's hand circles his waist and pulls him towards him. And like every other time, Jungkook just goes.

And since it's becoming routine, Jungkook has to tease Seokjin a little more, so when the guy leaves, Jungkook pulls Seokjin by the neck and gives him a quick peck. 

What they don't expect is to hear a loud, dramatic gasp next to them, and the sound of something hitting the ground and breaking. 

It's Seokjin's brother. Of course it's. Why not, right?!

Seokjung opens his mouth comically, just like Seokjin does when he's also surprised by something and slowly takes his phone out of his pocket.

Jungkook feels like he's in a movie, seeing something terrible happening right in front of him in slow motion, but unable to do anything to stop it.

"No. Fucking. Way. Mom it's going to die when she hears about this!”

Seokjin even tries to stop him, but the flash of the photo that was taken comes next, and it's inevitable. And they are still hugging.

In less than two minutes, Seokjin's mother has already sent several crying emojis in their family's message group, saying that she can't believe what she's seeing. A minute later Seokjin's father says he's happy that his son finally became a man.

Jungkook doesn't understand what he means by that. 

Seokjung, who is just passing through and went to the market to buy some wine to go to Seokjin's apartment to spend the afternoon with him, ironically ends up seeing that scene, and forces Seokjin and Jungkook to tell him everything. From the "first" day of dating to that fateful moment. After half an hour, several questions, two more photos are taken and in one of them, Jungkook and Seokjin are kissing by pure threat from Seokjung.

Jungkook should have predicted that Seokjin's mother would call his own mother and tell her everything. Their mothers became very close since they were still teenagers discovering life, and they always had this strange dream that Jungkook and Seokjin were going to be together when Seokjin came out as bi, and Jungkook gay, back in their teenage years.

In less than an hour, the chaos is installed.

Seokjin and Jungkook are static as they stare off into space, not knowing what to do next. They've given up buying the wine and the rest of the stuff that's on Seokjin's extremely detailed list, since Seokjung is heading over to Seokjin's apartment anyway.

Now they have dinner scheduled for the following night, and another for the weekend, at their families' homes, to "make it official".

"It's a nightmare," Seokjin says quietly.

"It could be worse." Jungkook responds.

"How could it be worse?" Seokjin looks at him in bewilderment.

"I don't know! I don't even know what I'm talking about, I just-" He's lost for words. "What do we do now?"

"I don't know." Seokjin answers sincerely.

"Are we going to dinner?"

"I don't know."

"Are we still pretending to be dating?"

"I don't know."

"Or do we assume it's a bet?"

"I don't know." Seokjin responds without emotion again and Jungkook gets annoyed.

"Do you know anything?" Seokjin looks at him, his eyes are wide and the expression of fright, desperation, and helplessness is there. Jungkook feels his heart sink as he sees how Seokjin is as lost as he is, or maybe even more so. "Okay, calm down." Jungkook takes a deep breath and squeezes Seokjin's thigh through his pants to give him comfort. "One thing at a time. We'll go to your apartment, you'll talk to your brother. We'll sort this out later."

"You know that-" Seokjin breaks off, and snorts. "You know we're going to have to go, right?! You saw how excited they got. We can't run away."

"And are we going to pretend in front of them? What about when we have to break up in a month?"

Twenty-one days, to be exact. But Jungkook doesn't want to think about that right now.

"Well, we can say that- That… I don't know, that we got our feelings mixed up. That it didn't work out…"

"Yeah… Maybe…" Jungkook mutters. And then laughs bitterly.

"What?"

"Why was even our family sure that one day we were going to date? Could it be that... Is there really something that we're not seeing?"

"I don't know, Jungkook-ah." Seokjin laughs weakly. "But… I think- I think things have just always been so easy between us. We just work out."

"Yeah,"

"You know, my mother always told me that if I was going to take someone home and introduce them to the family, it had to be someone like you. I can almost imagine how she is now."

"Well, your mother always loved me so much. I'm the best."

"You're an idiot," Seokjin says skeptically.

Jungkook just chuckles, deciding not to say anything else as Seokjin starts the car and they finally pull out of that parking lot after standing there for almost twenty minutes just staring at nothing.

"It's going to be alright," Jungkook says suddenly, feeling the need to calm Seokjin down just a little bit so his hand stops tapping the steering wheel. "We always work things out, don't we?"

"Yeah, always." Seokjin smiles at him.

 
Day 10.

Jungkook is standing in front of the door to his old house, his palms sweating nervously.

He didn't expect to be so nervous, but it's very strange to be bringing a boyfriend home for the first time, and that boyfriend is Seokjin. And worse, a fake relationship that is supposed to last only thirty days.

"Why are you pinching your hand like that? You only do that when you're nervous." Seokjin startled Jungkook by talking behind him, and noticing Jungkook's state, Seokjin takes Jungkook's hand to stop him pinching, and squeezes it three times. "Everything will be fine."

"I know," Jungkook responds quickly. "It's just…don't take this the wrong way, but– I was hoping that the first time I was going to introduce a boyfriend to my family, it would at least be for real."

Seokjin laughs at him and bumps his shoulder with his. "I understand the feeling. But try to think you'll never introduce them someone as cool and hot as me." Seokjin arched an eyebrow, teasingly to cheer Jungkook up.

"Yes, hot, but at what cost?" Jungkook huffed, pretending to be annoyed.

Seokjin smiles at him and pulls him closer, circling his waist. Jungkook already said that he likes this? He hopes that when this is all over, Seokjin will keep doing it.

"Hey, it's us."

"It's us." Jungkook repeats, feeling relieved that Seokjin is trying to calm him down.

At least, of all that could be wrong in that situation, it's Seokjin there. There is no better person in the world than his best friend.

Jungkook leans forward, giving Seokjin a quick peck just so he doesn't get out of the habit of making him lose his feet, when the front door bursts open and Jungkook's mother gasps extremely loudly and dramatically.

"Oh my God, it's true!" She says it out loud and when they both look up, she has a huge smile that goes all the way up to her eyes.

"I think we should be more careful with that," Seokjin whispers in his ear and Jungkook nods with a wan smile.

Before Jungkook has a chance to respond, his mother pulls him by the arm and hugs him tight, kissing his cheek and ruffling his hair after he used Seokjin's products, got cursed at for it, and it took ten minutes to get it just the way he wanted it.

His mother releases him to hug Seokjin and do the same process with him, while Jungkook lightly punches his brother in the stomach as a greeting and hugs his father.

"I won't lie Seokjin-ah, I thought your brother was joking when he said you two were dating." Jungkook's mother says smiling excitedly as she goes to the kitchen and finishes putting the things they are going to eat on the table.

"Well, we didn't believe it either. That he told everyone." Seokjin says and Jungkook chuckles. Seokjung really told everyone they knew, a true gossip.

"Sit down, sit down, and tell me everything. I want to know why you took so long to tell us."

She makes everyone sit down, and before everyone can eat, Jungkook and Seokjin have to spill the whole fake love story between them. They change the version they told Hoseok, Yoongi and Namjoon because he doesn't think his family would want to know about them being drunk, even if it didn't happen.

Luckily they had already agreed how they were going to tell, so Seokjin stepped forward and said something about finally realizing the feelings that had always been there, but none of them took enough time to notice them, and all that nonsense.

As Seokjin tells the story, with a sweet smile on his lips and a dreamy look in his eyes, Jungkook remains silent. He seems so genuine, so real, to the point where Jungkook tries to imagine himself in that situation.

He imagines himself waking up one day and looking at Seokjin in a different way, seeing a different sparkle in his eyes that he never noticed before. Noticing how Seokjin had a unique smile for him. Noticing how Jungkook's days always seem better when Seokjin is with him, realizing that maybe it's because he feels something more than just friendship.

Maybe Seokjin is more than just his best friend.

Maybe wanting Seokjin to keep hugging him around the waist whenever they're close, or kissing him in surprise, is good and fun because there's something else there that Jungkook never noticed before.

But of course, that's all just him imagining it. Nothing is real.

He comes back to reality when his mother laughs at some joke Seokjin says. Jungkook wishes that when he is really dating and has to bring his boyfriend to meet his family, they get along as well as they do with Seokjin. Or that they like him like they like Seokjin. Which is going to be really hard, Jungkook knows.

After Seokjin has told them everything, his mother finally lets them start dinner and Jungkook and Seokjin forget about life while eating the best food in the world, Jungkook's opinion.

They don't have time to talk let alone pretend as they eat until their mouths are full to the point where they look at each other and start laugh. His dad scolds him when Jungkook accidentally spits out some of the food and Seokjin laughs louder. His mother gives him another scolding saying it's not the way to behave in front of his boyfriend, but it's Seokjin there. Just his Seokjin, it's okay.

They eat, talk, and Jungkook and Seokjin laugh at everything, nothing out of the ordinary. When his mom comes up with a dessert that Jungkook wasn't expecting but definitely has room for more, he can tell Seokjin thought the same as him just by the way the older one looks at him. Of course they laugh about it too.

"I thought because you guys started dating you were going to get more serious, or I don't know, not be so stupid, but…" Junghyun, Jungkook's brother, says looking at them judgmentally. "You guys are worse."

"I take that as a compliment," Jungkook shrugs.

"One of the best." Seokjin nods with a smile that makes his puffy cheeks look like a puppy. Jungkook always loved that smile.

After eating dessert, they go into the living room and their father puts on a movie for them to watch while they talk more. They talk about how their lives are going. His brother tells about work and Jungkook's father too.

Seokjin gets into a conversation with Junghyun about games they both enjoy while Jungkook plays with his hair. It's a habit he's had for a long time, it's normal for him. Maybe the difference is that now they sit closer to each other, or that Seokjin's hand doesn't leave Jungkook's thigh for a second.

While Jungkook thinks it feels good, he realizes he's smiling, and it makes him a little uneasy. Why is he smiling?

He then notices that while everyone is talking, his mother, who usually does most of the talking, is quiet. Jungkook looks up to see why and finds her already looking at him, with an expression Jungkook has never seen before. At least not towards him.

She's looking at them and her gaze flickers between Jungkook's hand in the older's hair and Seokjin's hand on his thigh, and her smile grows more tender. It is clear that she is happy.

Jungkook tries to go back to talking, tries to go back to laughing at the stupid jokes Seokjin is telling, but he's still a little upset with everything that's on his mind, so he gets up and goes to the kitchen with the intention of drinking some water .

His mom follows him into the kitchen as he's quickly downing the second glass.

"Are you okay, Jungkook-ah?" She asks. Her voice is calm, bathed in love. She reminds Jungkook of when he was a kid and she was ready to smooth over whatever bad feelings were inside him.

"Yeah, it's fine. I was just thirsty," He nods and shakes the glass.

She moves into the small kitchen until she's beside him at the sink, and crosses her arms before speaking, "You know, when you met Seokjin, the first day, you came home saying you'd known your best friend for a lifetime. I was a little worried because he was older, but it was just seeing you together, the way you work with each other, that I understood what you meant. Seokjin is always watching you, always in tune with you, caring for you, helping you, believing in you and accepting your ideas without asking twice, even if I still worry about it. He is your person, romantically or not. Just never forget that."

She smiles again and squeezes Jungkook's arm before heading back out into the living room again.

Jungkook stays in the kitchen for a few more minutes, thinking about what his mother said. And again, his heart does that funny, painful thing in his chest.

They are returning home. Seokjin is singing a Taylor Swift song softly while the windows are all open and the icy wind makes their skin crawl. Jungkook is quiet.

He knows that Seokjin has noticed, and that he knows something is wrong, but so far he hasn't said anything. Maybe waiting for Jungkook to open up to him of his own free will, but Jungkook knows better. At any moment he'll get impatient and want to know what's going on.

And by the way he keeps drumming his fingers on the steering wheel, he knows it's going to be soon.

"I already told you that you being this quiet is too scary for me to handle." Seokjin hums as one song ends and another begins.

Jungkook smiles knowing the eldest too well.

"One minute you're telling me to shut up, the next you're saying it's scary when I’m quiet, decide what you want," Jungkook says wryly, and Seokjin rolls his eyes.

"You've been quiet most of the night." Seokjin points. "Do you want to tell me what's going on?" He asks quietly.

Jungkook knows that if he doesn't want to talk, Seokjin won't force him. He thinks about lying, finding some other excuse for why he's been so distracted all night.

But before he can find an excuse, Seokjin says it first. "You regretted it, didn't you?!" Jungkook's eyes widen, and that's what Seokjin needed to see to know he found the problem. "I saw the way your mom was looking at us, and I saw the way you took it. Look, if you want to stop-"

"It's not that."

"What is it then?" Seokjin quickly looks away from the street to look at Jungkook, and he can see his best friend's worried expression.

"I just- My mom. She was so happy. Genuinely happy for us. I guess I just didn't want it to be fake, you know?"

"Jeon Jungkook, is this your way of saying you're in love with me and want me to be your boyfriend?"

Jungkook rolls his eyes absurdly and smacks Seokjin on the shoulder while muttering a sullen hyung . Seokjin grins at his reaction and Jungkook ends up laughing along with him. "You're such an idiot. Do you really think I would want to date someone like you?"

"You would be so lucky to date me. I'm the perfect boyfriend."

"Of course you are," Jungkook mutters.

They stay silent for another Taylor's song, and Seokjin speaks first.

"Did you really regret it? Do you want to stop?" He asks quietly.

"I just regret getting our families involved in this. They're happy for us. It's going to be hard having to end everything in a few days."

"Yeah, I understand. The way your mother looked at me all night… I felt bad too. And I know I'll feel bad when we go to my family, but-"

"What?"

"At least it is with you." Seokjin shrugs. "The whole situation is a mess and we're kind of dumb and stupid for letting Jimin bet that with us, but at least I have you. It doesn't get so hard after all."

He doesn't look at Jungkook, his ear is red and Jungkook knows he's embarrassed. Jungkook thinks it's cute how Seokjin can still be shy with him after so many years of friendship.

As they go through the streets of Seoul, Jungkook thinks Seokjin is right, he kind is the perfect boyfriend. Even if it's a lie.