Work Text:
— ∞ —
"Jungkook-ah, let's go home."
Jungkook shifts his attention from the computer screen to Seokjin, the self proclaimed “Worldwide Handsome”, also his friend and co-owner of their small video game development company called Bulletproof. The older is currently leaning against the frame of his office door, the minor stress lines on his handsome face the only evidence that he is also exhausted.
He lets out a whine before he rests his elbows over the table while gently massaging his closed eyes with his palms, a weak attempt to alleviate the increasing eye strain that he is feeling. "I can’t, Hyung. Map of the Soul is still under maintenance and I want to finish solving the bug problem today so the game can resume as soon as possible."
A short moment passes before the older responds hesitantly.
"I know we've already talked about this but..." Seokjin bites his lower lip as he contemplates if he should finish his sentence before he releases a deep breath, "...we really need more staff. We can't do everything by ourselves forever, especially now that our game is starting to gain a large amount of attention."
"But we’re dealing with everything just fine so far, aren’t we?" Jungkook reasons with a frown.
They worked so hard for this game to be launched. They sacrificed a lot of sleep, money, time and energy. Literally blood, sweat, and tears (blood from nosebleeds that they experienced due to stress and overworking).
Alongside Namjoon, Hoseok and Yoongi— the four of them had survived and struggled with multiple part time jobs until they had enough money to rent a floor, upgrade their equipment to the latest models, and register their company to release their dream MMORPG that they had been making for years. Seokjin, on the other hand, voluntarily quit his high paying job so he can be the accountant and co-owner of their company.
Indeed, it's just a small company with only five staff. Five friends who have been together since college. They all have different roles and Jungkook is confident enough to say that they are all good at it, and, dare he say, more than enough for their small company to succeed.
They don't need new staff.
They can do more harm to them than help, at least in Jungkook’s opinion. They could ruin their members’ perfectly balanced dynamics, and they could potentially make a huge mistake. Like somehow doing something so idiotic that they might end up destroying their game or something, Jungkook thinks with a sneer. Just so many changes and risks that he doesn’t want to face.
Jungkook knows it's mostly paranoia talking but really, he is terrified of the idea of someone he doesn't trust handling anything related to their game. It just feels too close to leaving his innocent and fragile baby with a stranger.
"I know. But at what cost? Our health? Time? All our lives? We have plenty of easy yet time-consuming problems that could've been easily handled by a newly graduate student which would give us more time to focus on more important things, more free time for ourselves— to rest, to enjoy life. We don’t have to slave ourselves to death, Jungkook-ah. We can continue running this company and have fun with life at the same time," Seokjin says, his eyes filled with understanding but also determination.
"...but I'm scared, Hyung," Jungkook finally admits, his tone almost pleading. It's their first game, their first taste of success, and the first real source of their income. What was once just a college dream has finally become a reality, fully in their grasps.
He wants to make sure everything will continue to go smoothly, and he thinks the best way to achieve that is to do everything by themselves, the real masterminds of Map of the Soul.
"I understand you, really. I do," Seokjin walks across the room to lay a comforting hand over the younger's shoulder. "But you have to accept that all small companies, especially like ours, cannot stay small forever if we want to stay afloat. The more our game gains attention— the more complaints, e-mails, and deals we will receive that even 24 hours would not be enough to respond to them all. More problems that we cannot simply handle with just five sets of hands. We need more staff as soon as possible so we can get ready for that future."
Jungkook groans as he covers his face with his hands. His eyes burning from weeks of stress and denial. He gets his hyung’s point. He just doesn’t want to admit it yet because it feels too much like admitting defeat.
"Our game has already been featured on TV and magazines," Seokjin adds with a sigh. "We're just getting started, Jungkook-ah, but we're already drowning. Especially you, you perfectionist baby. When was the last time you went home before midnight?"
"I honestly cannot remember," Jungkook sighs.
Seokjin tutts as he shakes his head, "You need lots of rest and we need help. Please think about it."
After a moment of silence, Jungkook brings his hands down the table and reluctantly nods. "Fine, I'll think about it. But first, I have to solve this fucking persistent bug so I can finally go home.”
— ∞ —
It’s already past midnight when Jungkook comes home.
His limbs feel so heavy that even just entering the passcode on the entrance door keypad has become a struggle and he cannot help but groan once he pushes the door open. He knows the door is not heavy in reality yet it feels like it weighs a ton on his worn out arms. He is so tired he doesn’t even have the energy left to put his shoes in the storage cupboard at the foyer after removing them when he is usually the neat freak between him and his boyfriend.
The living room that welcomes him after entering their shared apartment is dark so Jungkook assumes Taehyung is already asleep. Imagine his surprise when he gets at the end of the hallway, he sees his boyfriend at their dining table nursing a cup of tea.
“Hyung, why are you still awake?” he asks as he drags himself to give the older a kiss on the forehead.
Taehyung looks up to him with disappointment, “Jungkook-ah, I understand that the company is keeping you busy but is it so hard to take the time to message me when you’ll come or about to drive home?”
Jungkook sighs as he combs his bangs away from his eyes, “I promise I’ll remember next time.”
“But that’s what you said yesterday too. And last week. This month. ”
The younger man groans as he tips his head to face the ceiling, “I have so much more important problems to think about, hyung.”
Taehyung stands and glares at him, “I’m just worried about you. Do you have any idea how many people die on their way home from work at this time of the day?”
“You just watch too many dramas, babe,” he responds tiredly as he walks across the kitchen to get something to drink in the refrigerator. He can’t see his boyfriend but he can feel his burning stare on his back.
“It’s a legitimate concern, Jungkook-ah. Even now, you look so tired. How can I not worry when you’re driving home? You don’t even eat or sleep enough,” Taehyung reasons, frustration clear in his voice.
“Please, let’s not talk about this tonight. I can’t handle anything more today,” Jungkook almost begs before picking up a cold bottle of water.
“Then when? We’ve talked about this countless times already this month and I’ve tried to give you time but at this point, we won’t ever finish this conversation.”
Jungkook chooses to drink rather than respond. He knows his boyfriend is just worried about him, but he is at his wit’s end and he feels so close to bursting. Unfortunately, his silence just serves to agitate Taehyung further.
“You know what? Seokjin-hyung is right. Why are you so stubborn? Why can’t you just admit to yourself that you need help?”
Something inside Jungkook cracks before he slams the refrigerator’s door close, “ENOUGH!”
It successfully shuts Taehyung’s mouth up.
Jungkook immediately regrets his actions when he turns and sees how hurt his lover looks and how his tiger ears appear on his head. Most probably out of shock, but a part of Jungkook fears it’s also because Taehyung’s animal part feels that his human is in danger and needs protection so it decides to get ready to show itself.
He desperately hopes he is wrong.
He is supposed to be Taehyung’s safe space.
What the hell is he doing?
They had plenty of fights before given their 10 years of relationship, with 3 years of it spent being best friends before they started dating, but they rarely raised their voice whenever they argue. When they were still platonic friends, they had never fought since they clicked so well and they were always each other’s confidants.
They had their first big fight as a couple, almost causing a rift in their relationship. To avoid it happening again, they agreed to communicate as soon as they can whenever there is something they feel worthy to talk about regarding their relationship. They also promised each other to always try to retain a calm voice and open mind whenever they have an argument.
But this time Jungkook just… snapped. For the first time.
He is aware he is at fault though since he admittedly has been running away from this conversation ever since he started going home late after their game was launched last month. He starts to open his mouth to apologize but the older is faster to respond that even the first syllable of ‘sorry’ didn’t get the chance to come out of his mouth.
“Fine,” Taehyung says with a soft resigned voice, his eyes and tiger ears looking downwards. He then goes to dump the rest of the tea in the sink before he quickly rinses the cup and the younger just looks at his boyfriend's back helplessly.
Jungkook is yet to be in the right mindset to smooth things out as of the moment, but he knows his boyfriend deserves an apology. “I’m sorry, Hyung. I’m really trying my best.”
The older just nods as he leans down to rest his hands at the edge of the sink.
Jungkook stays standing beside the fridge, unsure about what to do next. Talking is definitely not part of the option which just makes him feel stuck because it doesn’t feel right to just leave without a word either.
It seems his boyfriend realizes his dilemma and helps him out, “I’m going to follow soon so go rest, Jungkook-ah. You still have to wake up early tomorrow.”
The younger feels his eyes burn. His heart feels so heavy, but he does not have energy left to continue further. The little energy that he had was used up during his previous outburst.
Now, he just feels empty. And so, so tired.
As a last ditch effort, he drags his feet to give his boyfriend a gentle back hug and a good night kiss on his nape. When Taehyung gently pats his arms in response, it gives him just enough energy to exit their kitchen to go straight to their bedroom.
Jungkook promptly collapses on the side of his bed as soon as he takes all his clothes off sans his underwear. His last thoughts all filled with promises to apologize and ways to make it up to his boyfriend tomorrow before his mind effectively shuts down for the day.
— ∞ —
The next morning, Jungkook wakes up to an empty bed and a heavy heart.
If it wasn’t for the note that Taehyung left on his bedside table that says he went out for an early meeting with Jimin regarding his art gallery “Singularity”, he would have panicked and assumed that the older left him or wanted some space after their argument.
Along with the pressure caused by trying to keep his company afloat, the feeling of fear is starting to creep inside his mind and is quickly spreading throughout his body.
Fear triggered by last night’s unsettled argument with his lover.
He loves Taehyung so much and he is scared that there’s only so much patience the older has for him before he starts to get fed up. Jungkook, now more than ever, feels anxious and desperate. He has to accept that he needs help so he can balance his work and his private life.
He cannot sacrifice the latter anymore or else, Taehyung might actually leave him for real next time.
With the spark of determination, he quickly washes himself and gets ready to go to work.
“Aw, what’s with the long face?” Hoseok asks from his table the moment Jungkook enters the room.
The first view that welcomes them after they step foot into their private rented floor is the huge open office space for Hoseok and Namjoon, who are the ones responsible for their new characters’ designs, storyline, and events. Their space is brightly lit by natural sunlight that passes through their floor to ceiling glass wall. It is also where they usually hold their company meetings since it is the largest space in their floor.
Jungkook also has his own desktop in this space despite having his own office since he is the all-rounder of their company, and it is simply convenient to have it whenever he helps the two with their work. The main reason why their group chose to make him one of the owners of their company by name despite being the youngest is because he can practically do just about everything, except anything related to advertisement and money management, which is Seokjin’s role.
He is also the most passionate for their game even though all of them love their product the same.
His office is where the most important files and equipment are located. They made sure that the office is the most secure in their company floor— both from robbers and hackers. He shares his office with Seokjin since his work also needs utmost privacy from outsiders.
They have dubbed the room as the “CEOs’ office” just for fun.
But despite being owners by name, they all decide equally about what is best for the company and it always has to be a unanimous decision. As far as Jungkook remembers, they didn’t have any trouble unanimously voting for any major decisions. At least not until Seokjin pointed out that they might need new staff to decrease their overwhelming workload. Three of them agreed with Seokjin, one stayed neutral, and Jungkook was the only one who disapproved.
That is about to change today.
Apart from their office, they have two more rooms on the floor besides their restroom— the dining area, and Yoongi’s music studio which he named Genius Lab. No one questioned his room name of choice as it is not far from the truth, since almost all the original soundtracks that the older produced as a freelancer under the alias of AgustD before their company was made have gained recognition in the music industry. Some even won awards.
Aside from any work related to music, Yoongi is also the one assigned in managing the voice actors they temporarily hired for their game characters since he has the most connections in the industry.
Before their company was registered and they were at the stage of creating the game that they had planned and designed since college days— all of them contributed to making everything about their dream MMORPG. But now that their game has launched in the market, they have decided to assign roles to focus on to make their job much more organized.
Jungkook gives Hoseok a weak smile as he puts his bag on his chair before sighing, “Taehyung-hyung and I had a fight last night.”
“Ah, no wonder you look like that,” Hoseok says with utmost understanding.
Being friends since college, all employees of the Bulletproof company are also friends with Taehyung along with his best friend, Jimin. The seven of them have been going strong for 10 years now so the older can sympathize with Jungkook since he is one of their main supporters before him and Taehyung got together after almost 3 years of pining.
“I’m sure you guys will eventually resolve it, Jungkook-ah,” Namjoon says with confidence from behind the younger. He seems to have come from the dining area, if the cups of coffee in his hands are anything to go by.
Jungkook hurries to help and take the cups from the older. He then passes one cup to Hoseok while bringing the other one on a nearby desk, away from any gadgets or files, for Namjoon. They can’t have Namjoon tripping on empty space and spilling hot coffee everywhere after all. It’s practically a talent at this point.
If he didn’t know that Namjoon is part of the rare pure human species, he would’ve thought he is a panda shifter with how clumsy he is.
Namjoon sends him a grateful dimpled smile as he sits on one of the office chairs before he continues to speak. “We’ve known both of you for years now but despite that, I believe even a stranger can tell that the bond you guys have is not something that can break easily. It’s healthy to have an argument from time to time too. It just shows you still care. Just talk when both of you are ready and I’m sure you guys will just come back stronger after this.”
The heaviness that Jungkook has been feeling inside of his chest lessens a bit at his words. “I really hope so.”
“You guys will!” Hoseok shouts confidently before he falters. “I mean... After you suffer Jimin’s cute but deadly pecks. But I’m sure you’ll survive that too.”
That earns a laugh from Namjoon while Jungkook audibly gulps nervously.
“Who’s going to receive Jiminie’s wrath?” Seokjin asks. He just came from the "CEO's office" and it seems he was able to overhear the end of the conversation.
“Jungkookie!” Hoseok answers cheerfully as if it’s not a big deal.
For Jungkook, however, it very much is. Jimin can shift into a small songbird but damn if his persistent pecking doesn't hurt when he wants it to.
“Wait, why did you guys already assume I was the one at fault?” the younger pouts at his hyungs.
“Am I wrong?” Hoseok blinks at him innocently.
“...No,” Jungkook reluctantly responds, still pouting. “But how did you know?”
“It's all over your face.”
The youngest raises a hand to touch his face. Was he that easy to read?
Seokjin chuckles at him, “We have all been friends for almost ten years now. It would be weirder if we can’t read you just by your expression, Jungkook-ah.”
He opens his mouth to retort something before closing it. That makes sense.
Internally, he feels touched about it too. “Anyways,” he looks around the room before he asks, “Where’s Yoongi-hyung?”
Namjoon points his thumb at Yoongi’s studio behind him, “Sleeping. He apparently woke up and came to work early so he can have some more sleep without being late. Want me to wake him up?”
When the human is about to stand, the other three are quick to tell him no. All their animal ears suddenly popping over their heads from the memory of Yoongi’s wrath when someone woke him up.
“Le-let’s give him more sleep. I’m sure he has an alarm when it’s time for work,” Jungkook says with a nervous laugh. His long black rabbit ears are folding close to his head.
One does not simply disturb Min Yoongi’s sleep and come out without being traumatized.
Except when you are Kim Taehyung.
Yoongi is unashamedly biased and weak for the tiger shifter. It’s probably because they are both part of the feline shifting family. Even though Yoongi’s animal form is just a small black cat, his sharp claws are not something to be trifled with.
Shivers run down Jungkook’s spine as he remembers when he accidentally woke Yoongi up during his nap back when they were still in college.
Never again.
“I’ll just call for a meeting during lunch,” the youngest announces, successfully catching all his hyungs’ attention.
“Meeting for what?” Seokjin asks.
“WE CAN HIRE NEW STAFF NOW!” Seokjin shouts in happiness with his hands waving in the air in celebration.
The relief from Hoseok and Namjoon is also visible.
Ever since a popular and professional gamer streamed while playing their game, Map of the Soul, after it was launched— their game trended on the internet and their sales skyrocketed in the market. But along with the popularity and recognition in the game industry comes additional workload.
Numerous calls, interviews, inquiries, complaints, e-mails, sponsor meetings, and so much more that are not related to developing games were thrown at the overworked and understaffed employees. They just call them “extra BS” because they are the part of their work that they are not fond of. Most of it is under Seokjin’s responsibility, but he can’t handle them all alone so they also help him whenever possible.
Not to mention, they have to finish making the new character and his story along with a new event for the game update next month. There’s also maintenance to think about. And all of these are monthly thing which just makes their work seem endless.
Although they are having fun with developing and improving their game, it cannot be denied that having more hands will make their work so much quicker. It is therefore understandable that they feel like a boulder is being lifted from their shoulders at the thought of having more staff in the company.
Don’t get them wrong, they are very happy and thankful for the attention and recognition that their game is receiving, but it is time to admit that they need more than just the five of them to survive in this industry.
Right now, they are all in the dining area eating their chinese takeouts for lunch.
“What’s with the change of heart? Not that I’m against it, just curious,” Yoongi asks over his bowl of JJamppong. The cat shifter is the sole neutral in their group. He said it doesn’t matter to him as long as the newbie is eager to learn and has a nice personality. It’s also okay if he doesn’t have an assistant since his workload isn’t as heavy as theirs.
Jungkook finishes chewing the shrimp dumplings in his mouth first as he mulls over his response before answering, “Last night made me realize I have to do something so I can take care of both my work and private life without sacrificing either of them.”
Hoseok, who’s sitting next to him, pats him on the back. “You must be so guilty about last night. What exactly happened?”
The corners of his mouth droop in guilt and regret, “I think all of my stress had accumulated so much that I ended up snapping at him. He was so sad afterwards and we weren’t able to settle our argument properly because I was too tired to function as a decent human being.”
“You better go home early today and properly apologize,” Yoongi softly scolds.
“That’s right and not just today. No working past 6pm starting today mister!” Hoseok adds as he shakes an index finger at him in playful chiding.
Jungkook is about to argue but Namjoon beats him to it. “Leave the extra work to me and Hoseok for the rest of this week. Seokjin-hyung said that by next week, we will have more hands here so I’m sure both of us can handle just a few more days of overtime.”
Seokjin nods in agreement. “I already have someone in mind. Or five, so by next week, I’m sure we will have enough hands in here to finish all our extra work on time. You know some of them actually, from college. I’ll update you guys if they are still available for hiring.”
It warms Jungkook’s heart to see how much his friends care for his boyfriend and his well-being. He blinks to stop the tears threatening to fall from his eyes as he gives them a grateful smile. “Thank you, Hyungs. Seriously, I owe you all.”
“Don’t mention it,” Seokjin says as he fondly ruffles the youngest’s hair.
— ∞ —
Jungkook comes home early for the first time in weeks.
“Hyung, I’m home!” he announces and when there is no response, his heart beat starts to thunder in worry. After walking through the entrance hallway to their living room, he calms down when he notices that their television is on, but there is still no Taehyung in sight.
He approaches closer, wondering if the older has fallen asleep again on the couch, but when he peeks over the back of it, he is surprised to see a tiger cub staring back at him.
Jungkook immediately walks around the couch to hunch down in front of his boyfriend. “How are you, Baby?” he asks as he brushes Taehyung’s soft fur on his back with a gentle hand.
The tiger cub just minutely nods and then continues to watch the show on the TV while he rests his head over his paws.
Although seeing his boyfriend in his baby animal form is adorable as it never fails to tug at his heartstrings, the rare sight also makes Jungkook’s heart ache a bit.
Taehyung shifting into his cub form, instead of the huge adult tiger form that he usually does to welcome Jungkook into a cuddle, very seldom happens and can only mean two things— one, he just feels like being pampered or two, he feels sad and neglected, and needs to be taken care of.
Jungkook knows that this time it’s the latter and it saddens him that he is the cause.
He can count on one hand the times he had seen Taehyung in his cub form since he is not really the type to demand attention or care from anyone. His boyfriend is usually the one who loves to provide it rather than receive.
The second reason is also just something that he learned from Jimin, Taehyung’s best friend since childhood. Jungkook has never experienced it himself which just makes this even more heartbreaking for him.
He feels so regretful that it has to reach this point for Jungkook to really understand just how much he has neglected his boyfriend ever since the game was launched. He was so focused on his work that he failed to notice how lonely Taehyung had become since the older never fails to welcome him home with a tender and loving smile… until last night.
Jungkook has to look away from his boyfriend’s cub form when he feels his eyes start to burn from the incoming tears. He immediately blinks them away. He feels like being such an asshole this past month. He doesn’t deserve to cry when it is all his fault.
He realizes now that what Taehyung needs is not only an apology but also proof that Jungkook still cares for him. That the argument they had cannot be resolved with communication alone. He needs to show it with his actions.
And not just any action.
The baby form of any shifters is their most honest state. If they don’t like something, they show it without hesitation.
Their animal instincts are also much stronger. Unlike the adult form where their human is in full control— in this form, their human consciousness is taking a backseat and they just let their baby animal consciousness do whatever it wants and take whatever it needs.
They can still stop their baby animal side if they want to by shifting back to their human form, but Jungkook can sense that Taehyung will only shift back once he forgives him.
Jungkook knows he deserves this and he swears he will do everything in his power to prove to his boyfriend that he is sorry and that he still loves him very dearly.
But before that, he needs someone’s help.
“Hyung?” Jungkook says when the call connects. He is currently in their bedroom where his boyfriend couldn’t hear him.
“Stop right there. You only call me hyung when you need help,” Jimin responds dryly.
“I promise to call you ‘Hyung’ from now on. Please, I really need your help.”
“Jeon Jungkook is begging me. I never thought I’d live to see this day!”
“Honestly, me too,” the younger releases a dramatic sigh.
“YAH!”
“But for Taehyung-hyung, I will do anything,” Jungkook solemnly nods as if the older can see him.
Jimin fakes a gag, “That is so sickening to hear but as you should! Taehyungie only deserves the best. So what do you need?”
“Hyung is in his cub form right now and I have no idea where to start. I have only seen him in his cub form for a few short times so I don’t have much clue what he likes when he is in that form,” Jungkook explains, guilt apparent in his voice.
“I see…” Jimin responds and a short moment passes before he speaks again. Being Taehyung's best friend and platonic soulmate, he instantly understands the reason why the Tiger shifter is in his cub form so he threatens, “Looks like the next time I see you, I will be in my bird form.”
“Hyuuung,” Jungkook whines despite knowing he deserves the scolding, but truthfully, he would appreciate it if the older scolds him in his human form instead. His angry songbird form is really scary. Or more like his beak is. It’s very sharp.
The bunny in him is terrified.
Jimin clicks his tongue, “It’s quite a list so i’ll just text it to you instead. Good luck.”
“Thank you, Hyung!” Jungkook exclaims, relieved and grateful. “I owe you.”
“You better take care of him, Jeon Jungkook, or I’ll peck you to oblivion!”
He feels goosebumps rising at the threat. Jungkook can feel it to his bones that Jimin means it.
But even without the threat, he plans to do it either way.
Jungkook will be damned if he doesn’t do everything he can to make Taehyung feel loved and appreciated every single day from now on.
— ∞ —
Now changed into comfortable clothes and feeling much more equipped with the knowledge on how to spoil his boyfriend in his cub form, he goes to their kitchen to check if they have any food safe for tiger cubs.
When he notices that they don’t have any minced meat or milk, he walks to peek into their living room. “Baby, do you want to come with me to buy some groceries?”
Taehyung’s head perks up at the idea of going out with Jungkook but before he gets overjoyed, he shifts his attention to the closed laptop on their coffee table, his excitement visibly going down with his ears.
Jungkook’s lips droop at the cub’s sad expression. The older must have remembered how he always brought extra work with him whenever he was able to go home early. Another reminder how much the younger one has neglected to bond with his boyfriend this past month.
He feels so guilty but before his mood spirals down because of the thought of how much he doesn’t deserve Taehyung in his life, Jungkook walks and sits beside the tiger cub.
Seriously, it’s only Jungkook’s selfishness that causes him to keep on holding on to Taehyung. He just hopes the older never leaves him because that’s only when he won’t be able to stop Taehyung.
“I’m free right now, Baby. Hoseok-hyung and Namjoon-hyung have everything handled for this week.”
Taehyung’s ears rise at his words, his tail slowly starting to sway excitedly.
Enamored by the sight, Jungkook gently scratches Taehyung below his chin, something that the tiger shifter loves whether in cub or adult form. “Let’s go?”
Taehyung instantly jumps down the couch and runs to their front door, earning an amused giggle from the younger. When the tiger lets out an impatient and adorable tiny roar, Jungkook laughs.
“Okay okay, I’m coming!”
After their cart is filled with essentials and most importantly, meat and milk, Jungkook hums in thought. After looking around the shifter friendly grocery store, he turns his head towards the cub inside his cart, “Do you still have something else you wanna buy?”
Taehyung stands on his hind paws and holds onto the front part of the cart, his tail going wild with excitement.
“What is it?” Jungkook asks confusedly.
The tiger cub points to the ground with his head.
“You want to come down?”
When Taehyung nods his head with wide eyes, Jungkook can’t help but lean down to give the cub some kisses on his head, feeling so overwhelmed with his baby’s adorableness, before he gently reaches out to lift Taehyung from the cart to place him down to the floor.
Immediately, the tiger cub runs through the nearest aisle, expertly avoiding any humans with sleek movements.
Jungkook heaves a fond sigh, “Tae, wait for me!”
Thankfully, despite being far away, Taehyung didn’t stray away from Jungkook’s view, letting the younger eventually catch up to him.
When the tiger cub finally stops running, Jungkook finds himself in the middle of the fruit section. He giggles at his boyfriend’s clear love for berries and comments, “For a predator, you love berries very much.”
Taehyung huffs at him, swiftly deciding to show his impatience as he stands again on his hind paws to reach out for the various berries stored over one of the wooden shelves.
“No Baby, you can’t bite them yet. They’re still covered in plastic,” Jungkook softly chides at the excited cub before reaching down to lift Taehyung close to his body. As he secures the bottom of the cub with one arm, Taehyung is quick to hold onto his shirt with his claws and front paws.
“Oof, for a baby, you’re so heavy.”
Despite being in his cub form, Taehyung is still as big as Jungkook’s torso. He’s like an adult dog but in cat form. If the younger isn’t careful, the cub may fall off from his arms with the smallest motion.
Taehyung gently bites the younger’s shoulder for teasing him, causing Jungkook to let out a surprised laugh. He’s not used to seeing his boyfriend being so impatient and easy to tease. Between the two of them, Taehyung has a more mature and calm disposition. He usually tends to just go along with Jungkook whenever he teases him.
Who would have thought that his adorable immature sides are all just contained in his cub form, Jungkook muses with a smile as he picks up different kinds of berries, making sure to take more strawberries since it is his boyfriend’s favorite.
It never fails to fascinate him as to how they’ve known each other for ten years now, but he still finds something new about Taehyung. It just serves to strengthen his feelings and yearning to be together with his boyfriend until the end of their time in this world.
Taehyung stares at him with wide, sparkling golden eyes.
Jungkook stares back, a lone sweat cascading down his temple. “No,” he says as sternly as he can.
The tiger cub whines and lies on his stomach with his head over his paws, his eyes stretching wider than what the younger thought was even possible.
Jungkook’s eye twitches. He knows his will to fight is slowly but surely going down so before he caves in, he briskly stands up from the couch and grabs the tray filled with strawberries before running away to hide it in the fridge.
As expected, when he makes his way back to their living room, Taehyung is sulking at the corner of their couch, his back facing Jungkook.
He cannot decide if he wants to laugh or coo. He knows both will only serve to annoy the tiger cub though. Another thing he is sure of is that he will never be able to see this side of Taehyung when he is in his other forms.
When he approaches the couch, Taehyung promptly turns his head towards his direction to hiss at him in warning.
“Baby, you know eating too many berries in one sitting is not good for you,” Jungkook explains with a gentle tone. He never thought he will ever see a tiger roll its eyes at him in his life, ever, and yet here they are.
Taehyung goes back to sulking while facing the couch’s corner when Jungkook sits down behind him. The younger cannot help but release a soft fond laugh at the sassy side of the cub and it earns him a chastising tail right smack in the middle of his face.
“Ah Tae, that’s rude.”
Taehyung just huffs at him and continues to ignore his existence.
“You know what bad cubs deserve?” Jungkook starts and he notices how Taehyung’s tail slowly moves in anticipation. The younger then suddenly pounces at the cub and says, “A torture to death!”
At the sudden tickle attack, the cub tries to escape from his hold but he is only able to turn to his back, which makes it easier for Jungkook to tickle his weak spots. Taehyung yowls with his tiny cub voice and paws at the younger’s face in surrender.
“Are you ready to listen to me now?” Jungkook asks with amusement as he hovers over the cub's panting form.
Taehyung chuffs in response before licking the younger’s chin, his tiger form’s way to give a kiss.
A surge of fondness fills Jungkook’s chest, and he cannot help but attack the cub again however this time, with kisses. “You’re going to kill me. Why are you so adorable?”
Taehyung lets out a cry in offense as if to say, I am not adorable, I am terrifying.
“Yeah, yeah,” Jungkook relents with amusement before he maneuvers them so that he is the one laying down on his back on the couch and Taehyung is now the one resting over him.
He thanks his past self for exercising well because he swears if it wasn’t for his muscles, the cub will flatten him just with his weight alone.
“Tae, you understand that I’m only worried about your tummy, right?” He asks as he rubs the said soft tummy. He wants to make sure the cub understands that it is for his well-being even though he knows human Taehyung inside knows it well.
Even if they can control their animals adeptly whenever they shift, their baby forms are unique in a way that they have their own will and mind space unlike the adult forms, potentially due to how younger ones are more instinct-driven rather than being logically sound. Since their adult forms age at the same time as their human form, they basically share the same consciousness.
Although their human consciousness is still present in their baby forms— it just stays back and sits on the backseat, sort of like a bystander. They are an observer and have no control other than being able to shift back to their human forms whenever they want to.
This is the main reason why Jungkook only calls Taehyung ‘baby’, 'cub', or just ‘Tae’ while he is in his cub form since that will clarify which one Jungkook is talking to.
The cub reluctantly grumbles in affirmation to his question but stays lying on his back.
Tummy rubs are the best after all.
One thing Jungkook notices when he starts to get ready for sleep is that Taehyung seems to make it a habit of following him wherever he goes (except that one time he was sulking, he remembers fondly).
Jungkook looks down at the cub that is currently rubbing his leg with his head as the younger brushes his teeth. After rinsing his mouth and washing his face, he leans down to carry Taehyung in his arms so they are on equal level when he asks, “Did you miss me that much that you can’t take being away from me?”
Taehyung nods once before shyly hiding his face on the younger’s neck. Jungkook just knows that the older’s human form must be blushing right now.
Despite feeling happy, the guilt is still there to dampen his mood.
Jungkook hugs the cub closer to his body as he walks to their bedroom. Only when the two of them are finally lying on their bed with Taehyung’s chin resting on his arm did he decide to speak again.
“I’m so sorry, Hyung.”
The cub’s ear flicks to show that he is listening despite keeping his eyes closed.
The younger lifts his free hand to gently rub the spot behind Taehyung’s fluffy ears with his fingers. “You must have been so lonely this past month. I know you understand that it was all for my career but I still shouldn’t have neglected my time with you that way. I promise to try my best to balance my work and private life from now on.”
Jungkook assumes Taehyung is already asleep when he doesn’t respond but then he feels the older’s tail rub his thigh in comfort. He chuckles, “Why are you comforting me, it should be the other way around.”
The cub just chuffs in response.
Knowing that chuffing is akin to a tiger's happy and loving language, Jungkook thinks it means well.
For the first time since Map of the Soul had launched, Jungkook sleeps restfully all night.
— ∞ —
Ever since the night Taehyung refused to shift back to his human form, Jungkook has been making an active effort to go home on time and spend more hours spoiling his boyfriend.
They had so many tickle fights and played many tag and hide & seek games, but they spent most of it cuddling since it's something they both love to do.
It’s been three days and Taehyung still hasn't shifted back in his presence. But Jungkook is aware that the older shifts to human in the morning whenever he is at work since Taehyung also has his career to think about. Soon, his Serendipity gallery will open with new sets of paintings, all in black monochrome themes. It's the kind of art his boyfriend has been wanting to paint for years and Jungkook feels happy for him.
Before, Taehyung mostly painted just what he believed would sell the most. Considering that he has been selling his art since college and is able to save money— at present, Taehyung can finally paint what he wants.
Tonight is the fourth night, but instead of feeling impatient, Jungkook remains thankful.
He will take coming home to his boyfriend in his animal form any day rather than going home only to find it empty. Even just the thought of it brings the feeling of gigantic boulders barreling down to his stomach, because an empty home means Taehyung is fed up with him.
He is just so glad that the older has so much patience, and Jungkook wants to do everything he can so that the thread of patience won't ever snap.
Today, however, fate appears to want to test him.
Time seems to tick faster this Friday, and the shorthand of the clock is quickly approaching silver-plated number 6, signaling that it is almost time for him to go home. However, their weekly maintenance has encountered a problem and they still haven't finished solving it. They are making progress but Jungkook can tell they still need another hour to get everything clear.
He pinches the bridge of his nose in stress before he takes his phone out of his pocket.
Jungkookie 🐰
Hyung
we got a problem this afternoon and we're still not finished 😭
you can eat dinner first
BUT
I promise I will go home before 8 🥺🤚
TaeTae 🐯
It's okay 🥺
I understand
I'm just glad you remembered to message me this time
Please drive home safely! 🙏🏼
Jungkookie 🐰
I will
Thank you for understanding
I love you 💜
TaeTae 🐯
and I love you too 💜
After slipping his phone back into his pocket, Jungkook releases a determined breath before calling his friends.
"Time to get back to work. Let's get it!"
— ∞ —
Thankfully, they were able to finish before 8pm.
Since it's friday night and Jungkook has no work this weekend (his hyungs told him they can handle it and he can take a day off to spend more time with Taehyung), he decides to stop by at a shifter friendly store to buy something from the list Jimin sent him before.
When he sees that the item is still available, he drives home in a good mood.
He hopes Taehyung still loves it.
The moment Jungkook opens the door, he is welcomed with a tackle and a demand to be lifted by the most adorable cub in the world (no one can tell him otherwise).
“I’m home, Baby. Have you eaten?” he asks after securing Taehyung’s cub form close to his body with one arm. He then removes his shoes and gently pushes it to the side before entering their home.
Taehyung gives a tiny nod and then looks down at the paper bag that Jungkook is carrying on his other hand. His curiosity is piqued that he almost falls when he tries to get a closer look on what’s inside.
“Tae, be patient. You’re heavier than you look. I almost dropped you.”
The cub instantly looks up to growl at him. He just sounded like a kitten, it’s endearing.
“Don’t be offended. It just means you’re a healthy cub,” Jungkook defends and nuzzles Taehyung’s head when the older sulks over his shoulder.
Seriously, Jungkook is starting to believe that one can die from being attacked by sheer cuteness. His heart has been experiencing constant swelling and squeezing sensation for three days now. Although it’s a common thing that he feels whenever he is with Taehyung, his cub form seems to intensify that feeling exponentially.
It must be because he loves baby animals so much. Combine that love with Taehyung, it’s like he multiplied that love with infinity.
Cause of Death: Kim Taehyung’s cuteness overload attack
Seems like a good way to go, Jungkook muses half-jokingly.
Once the younger sits on the couch, Taehyung got over his sulking instantly to look for the content of the paper bag.
“Jimin-hyung told me you loved taking bubble baths in your animal form when you were kids,” Jungkook starts nervously when Taehyung finally sees the items that he bought. “I thought maybe your cub form would love to experience it again. I also tried to find your favorite brand and smell and thankfully, they are still selling it.”
Taehyung looks up at him with wonder. He then suddenly tackles Jungkook, making him lie down on the couch, before attacking him with multiple tiger kisses, his tail wagging out of control.
Jungkook laughs at the onslaught of affection and hugs the excited cub closer. “The empath in me tells me you love the idea,” he says jokingly.
The cub chuffs at him in affirmation.
“Well, what are we waiting for?” Jungkook asks with a toothy smile.
Taehyung immediately runs the next second.
"You know, it still fascinates me that there are species in the feline family who can swim and also love it," Jungkook comments as he watches Taehyung paddle effortlessly in their deep, sizeable bathtub filled with water and lots of shifter friendly strawberry vanilla scented bubbles. "Are you sure you're just not built differently?"
Taehyung huffs loudly which results in Jungkook, who is currently kneeling next to the bathtub, being ironically slapped with bubbles on the face. The cub then continues to swim around the tub like nothing happened.
Yeah, Jungkook figures he deserves that.
After the younger wipes the bubbles off his face, he pulls out his phone from his pocket to take a video.
"Baby, look here."
Taehyung turns around with bubbles all over his face and it elicits giggles from Jungkook.
"You look so fluffy now," he coos and then proceeds to add bubbles all over the swimming cub until only his ears are visible. "Look at you, you're like a baby polar bear."
Jungkook's fond laugh and Taehyung’s chuff of happiness echoes in the bathroom.
"Should I call you Taebear from now on?" he teases but when Taehyung just chuffs back at him, he realizes, "Wait. Do you actually like that nickname?"
The cub nods once and Jungkook positively melts. He glances back at his phone screen to make sure he is recording this precious moment properly. He then raises a gentle finger to caress Taehyung's cheek, "I love you, Baby Taebear."
Taehyung only nuzzles his palm in response but Jungkook doesn’t need to hear the words to know what he means and his heart swells with so much overwhelming love, he almost feels like choking.
He almost lost this, he thinks regretfully.
In this moment, he swears again to himself, he will do everything in his power to make sure their precious bond will last until their last breath. Even to their next lifetimes if it is possible.
Eventually, Taehyung was able to drag Jungkook into taking a bath with him and they had fun with the bubbles until the cub started to get cold. The younger then immediately washed and blew dry Taehyung’s fur until he was soft and warm. Jungkook also got ready for sleep.
Now, they are lying on their bed with the tiger cub resting his head on Jungkook’s chest and the lights are already off, engulfing their surroundings with purple night light that Taehyung cannot sleep without.
“Hyung, you’re listening in there, right?” Jungkook asks as he continues to rub the cub’s back. He feels Taehyung’s purr more than he hears it and it fills him with happiness that the older still considers him as his safe space.
“I just want to tell you, not to guilt you or anything. I just want you to know that… that I miss your ugly face.”
This earns him an admonishing gentle bite from the cub.
Jungkook giggles at the expected reaction and he just lets the cub nibble his hand while the other continues its petting.
“I'm kidding, hyung. I just miss talking to you, seeing you, kissing you and the moles on your beautiful face, hearing your laugh." he says as he softly caresses Taehyung’s ear with his thumb.
"I miss you, hyung. And..." Jungkook swallows when he starts to feel choked with so much feelings. Regret, guilt, but mostly love.
He already misses the older when it’s only been three days but Taehyung has probably missed being with him for more than a month now. He can just imagine how lonely he must have been, how neglected he felt.
Although Jungkook still saw Taehyung everyday, it was mostly just at night and he had no energy left so he fell asleep as soon as he came home almost every time. Even when he tried to watch a movie to bond with the older, he almost never was able to stay awake to see the endings.
Sadly, he was too focused on their game that he neglected to show how much he still loves his boyfriend. How much he appreciates him just being there to support all his dreams. For not judging his passion for games when even his parents stop supporting him because of it. For staying with him despite being practically unemployed for years.
Taehyung has always been his anchor and now he needs to be one for the older. To prove again that he is with him in a long run and that he still loves him very much.
It seems that in that short moment of silence, Taehyung can sense how emotional Jungkook has become. He stops his nibbling and nuzzles closer to his chest to give comfort.
Jungkook also raises both his arms to embrace the cub. When he feels that he can finally speak without his voice shaking, he speaks again with utmost sincerity. “Thank you for staying with me, Hyung.”
He can tell that Taehyung wants to shift back when he raises his head to look into Jungkook’s eyes but he knows there’s still something that Taehyung needs before he does that.
Something that will stop history from repeating itself.
Jungkook is aware that with the pace of popularity that their game is gaining, sooner or later, he might go back to his bad habits. He never realized how workaholic he is until now honestly. And he wants to give it to Taehyung. That proof that he wants from him.
A proof that he wants to change his bad habits himself.
He is just waiting for the signal before he can give it and he hopes Seokjin will give him that signal soon.
— ∞ —
Jungkook wakes up when sunlight suddenly attacks his eyelids.
He groans as he rubs the sleep from his eyes before squinting an eye open to find out what caused the sunlight to enter their bedroom when he is sure he closed their blackout curtains last night.
He laughs huskily when Taehyung, who’s still biting the end of their curtain, stares back at him with golden eyes filled with mirth and his tail swaying in joy. He seems happy that his mission to wake the younger up is successful.
“Good morning, Taebear,” Jungkook greets as he opens his arms with a warm and sleepy smile.
The cub didn’t hesitate to drop the curtain to jump on the bed and give him morning tiger kisses, eliciting giggles from the younger.
Jungkook then notices how good the weather looks outside, making him remember the last thing on the list that Jimin had given him. At first, the list made him nervous but then he learned soon enough that most of them are just simple which is endearing.
Taehyung is easy to please as a human. Jungkook should’ve known that his cub form will be the same. All the things in the list except for the last one are all easy to do at home. They are mostly various ways to play and bond and also lots of cuddling, bubble baths and berries.
Now, for the last thing on the list, Jungkook thinks today is the perfect time to do it.
“Are you hungry? Is that why you woke me up?”
The cub lets out an adorable tiny growl of confirmation.
“Oh is that so?” Jungkook rolls on the bed to nuzzle Taehyung’s soft tummy, earning sounds from the cub which he thinks is equivalent to human laughter. Taehyung then gently pushes his face with his soft paws. It seems his nuzzling tickles, so Jungkook settles with giving the cub’s cute paws multiple kisses instead.
The younger glances at the digital clock on their bedside table which tells him that it is already ten-thirty in the morning. “Aigoo, it’s already this late? No wonder the baby is hungry.”
Being the sassy tiger cub that Taehyung is, he nods solemnly. It is still endearing nonetheless so he cannot help but laugh at the cub’s mock serious expression.
Or Jungkook is just helplessly whipped. He’d like to think anyone would be whipped for baby tiger Taehyung though so he is not really that guilty.
“So... I have an idea,” Jungkook leans on his arms to stare at the lying cub properly.
Taehyung tilts his head in interest, his wide golden eyes focused solely on the younger.
“I can make food that we can eat in the living room while watching TV,” he starts. When the cub just looks at him with confusion since what he suggested is nothing new, he continues, “Or we can buy some food outside then eat at the park.”
At the word ‘park’, Taehyung’s ears perk up in attention. He rolls to his stomach and chuffs, his tail now swaying happily at the idea.
“So the park it is?” Jungkook clarifies with a fond smile.
The cub nods cheerfully and jumps on the bed.
The younger laughs at the visible show of excitement, “Then the park it is.”
After eating their meal, Jungkook lets Taehyung play with the other shifters in the park while he lies down on the picnic cloth that he spread out earlier before eating. His arms serving as his pillow.
Since the weather is cloudy, there’s no harsh sunlight to hurt his eyes. It allows him to rest under the sky peacefully even without any shadow to cover him. It has been awhile since he relaxed this way without any thoughts about work. He almost forgot how liberating it feels to just close his eyes and feel the breeze.
To live for the moment.
He doesn’t know how much time has passed until he senses that something is looking down on his face, evident with how the brightness from his eyelids suddenly gets dim. When he opens his eyes, a smile automatically appears on his face when sees the golden eyes looking down at him.
“Tired of playing already?”
Taehyung shakes his head before he nudges Jungkook to sit up with his head.
The younger easily follows the demand, “What is it?”
The cub motions his head to where he was playing a while ago.
“You want me to play with you?” Jungkook asks and when Taehyung nods, he gets ready to stand but before he can even unfold his legs from its pretzel formation, Taehyung growls to stop him.
Jungkook freezes and then blinks at the cub in confusion.
Taehyung huffs before he points at the younger with his nose and then proceeds to show his paw.
It takes a moment for Jungkook to process what the cub wants to say before it finally clicks. “Ah, you want me to shift like you?”
Taehyung nods energetically.
Jungkook thinks about it for a second. It’s been years since he last shifted to his baby rabbit form.
Shifting to their baby form is one the greatest stress relievers to shifters since it allows them to just follow their animal instincts without stress of thinking about real life responsibilities but Jungkook rarely does it since his baby form is shy like him and also a bit skittish because of his prey survival instincts.
Not to mention, he is so tiny.
He remembers how Taehyung was scared to hold him when he saw him shift to his baby form for the first time. The older told him that he looks so fragile and precious, it made him scared to touch him thinking he would easily break a bone or something.
He is not wrong actually but he trusted Taehyung to be gentle. Just like now. Just one look at the cub makes him relaxed at the idea of shifting into vulnerable prey in such an open wide space. “You’re going to protect me, right?”
Taehyung puffs his chest forward, showing his pride as a strong predator animal. His eyes also shine with protectiveness.
Jungkook smiles warmly before he closes his eyes and lets the magic do its work.
The next moment he opens his eyes, it is now Taehyung who is looking down at him.
As expected, his bunny instincts make him scared to move and since Jungkook’s consciousness is now taking a backseat, he can’t help his bunny to be braver but thankfully, his bunny knows that it can trust Taehyung so when the tiger cub approaches him, he didn’t run away.
Taehyung then lies on his stomach to be on the same level as him and begins to tenderly lick his tiny fluffy body to provide some comfort.
Soon enough, Jungkook’s baby bunny starts to gain confidence to hop around until he doesn’t get scared to run around the park with Taehyung by his side.
From that point onwards, Jungkook lets his mind rest and just lets his bunny play with Taehyung to its heart’s content.
Jungkook only lets his consciousness resurface when he notices that it is starting to get dark. He shifts back to his human form and it makes the cub next to him whine in complaint.
“I’m sorry Taebear but it’s almost time to go home,” he says softly as he lifts Taehyung from the grass to his arms. He then stands to go and retrieve their picnic blanket. “Did you have fun today?”
Taehyung nods but he still looks sad that they have to go home. He then rests his chin over Jungkook’s shoulder and continues to whine pitifully.
Jungkook rubs the cub’s back and nuzzles his head, “Don’t be sad, we will come back here again.”
Taehyung promptly stops whining and leans away from his chest to look at him with wide teary eyes, Promise?
“I promise,” Jungkook swears with earnest eyes.
That finally makes the cub sway his tail and his ears perk up, showing that he is now back to his good mood.
Jungkook cannot stop himself from nuzzling the cub’s tiny nose.
God help him, he is so adorable.
— ∞ —
The signal that Jungkook has been waiting for all week finally comes in the form of a phone call.
Right now, Taehyung seems to have used all his energy playing in the park so he is content to just cuddle on their couch while Jungkook feeds him some berries.
It is in the middle of an episode of Hotel del Luna when Jungkook’s phone for work suddenly rings. Understandably, it saddens Taehyung since he knows that ringtone usually means Jungkook needs to do some work at home, something that already happened multiple times this past month.
The younger immediately explains when the cub starts whimpering on his chest. “Don’t cry, Tae,” he says as he nuzzles Taehyung’s little nose. “I’m sure they just wanted to update me on something. I’ll come back after this call, I promise.”
Taehyung eventually relents and moves to sit at the free space on the couch so that Jungkook can stand. He gives a kiss on the older’s head as thanks before running to their bedroom to answer the call.
“What’s up, Hyung?” he says after accepting the call inside the bedroom. His back leaning against the closed door.
“We got them!” Seokjin excitedly answers.
Jungkook furrows his eyebrows in confusion, “We got who?”
“Yeonjunie and Soobinie!”
“Wait,” Jungkook leans away from the door in shock. “You mean the tall Choi duo? Our favorite hoobaes in college?!”
“Exactly!” Seokjin shouts.
Jungkook is speechless for a second, “But... I thought they were already working under a distinguished game developing company?”
“They were so I wasn’t expecting much when I called them but when I mentioned that YOU own the company and the others are also working with us, they agreed to resign from their jobs.”
Jungkook unconsciously raises a hand to cover his mouth out of sheer disbelief, “Why though. I don’t understand.”
“You guys are their idols, what do you mean? They said they don’t care that our company is just new if it means working with you again. You guys love working with them too, right?” Seokjin asks even though his tone suggests he already knows the answer.
“I do! We had a great synergy working with them when we made a game project back in college,” Jungkook feels his cheeks ache from how wide his smile has become. “HYUNG! I CAN’T BELIEVE WE GOT THEM!”
“Me too! I just contacted them with wishful thinking that they might want to work with us since I thought it would ease your mind if we hire someone we already know and trusted.”
“Ah hyuuuung,” Jungkook wants to cry. He loves his hyung so much but he is not sure how to show it without saying it. He is sure if he says it, his hyungs will just tease him to death.
“I know. No need to tell me anything, you punk.”
“Seriously, thank you so much for thinking about me.”
“Anytime. I hope Jihoon will also respond to my mail before I contact anyone else.”
“Jihoon?”
“Yeah, or should I call him Woozi instead? He already worked with Yoongi before and I heard they had fun and I thought Yoongi would appreciate working with someone he knows too even if it's just temporary.”
“Hyung, seriously,” Jungkook starts, his chest filling with warmth for his friend. “I hope you know how much we appreciate you. You gave up such a high paying job and even part of your savings for our company even with all the risks. And now, you do the jobs that we cannot handle. I hope you know that Bulletproof would be nothing without you.”
“Aish Jungkook-ah, don’t make me cry now. I trust that you guys will make an amazing game and I was right so I didn’t risk anything. My gut instincts have never failed me before. Also, working with you all is so much more fun than my old desk job.”
“Then I’m really glad that you are also having fun with us. Still, I just realized I never got to tell you how thankful I am,” Jungkook insists.
“Fine… just treat me to some food if it makes you feel better.”
Jungkook laughs and even though he knows Seokjin is just kidding he still says, “Sure, name any restaurant you want Hyung.”
“Aish. Anyway, I’ll hang up now before Taehyung misses you.”
The younger giggles at Seokjin's comment. “Bye Hyung.”
“Bye, see you on Monday!”
When Jungkook comes back to their living room, he crouches down in front of the couch instead of sitting on it which confuses Taehyung.
“Hyung, I need to tell you something,” Jungkook starts nervously as he looks up at the tiger cub that is now sitting straight on the couch. “Seokjin-hyung called to tell me that we got to hire two of our favorite hoobaes back in college and I am so excited that I get to work with them again.”
Jungkook just blinked for a second but the next thing he knows, a human Taehyung is suddenly on his lap and is hugging him tightly.
“Really? You’re now okay with having more staff?!” Taehyung asks with mixed disbelief and excitement. He knows how much Jungkook was against the idea after all and he understands the younger’s reasons but Jungkook can still tell that the older is very worried about him.
At first, Jungkook is too stunned to speak. When it finally processes in his mind that Taehyung has finally shifted back to his human form, his heart swells from so much elation. His then previously slacked arms raise to hug his boyfriend back.
“Yes, yes,” Jungkook answers softly as he nods before he groans with tears in his eyes, “Hyung, I missed you so much.”
“I know, Baby,” Taehyung says, his voice equally emotional. He nuzzles the juncture between the younger’s neck and shoulder. “I’m sorry but I just have to make sure this won’t happen again. I don’t want us to be distant anymore, Jungkook-ah. I understand why you prioritize your work since you’re just starting but after weeks of you only spending time at home just to sleep, I start to become afraid that you would just wake up one day and realize that you don’t love me anymore.”
“No, no, no,” Jungkook vehemently disagrees as he shakes his head. The tears that he has been trying to hold for days now cannot stop flowing down his face. “That won't ever happen.”
“I know, I can still see it in your eyes that you never stopped loving me but I cannot help but think about it sometimes. I’m trying my best to understand you so I didn’t say anything before but when you stopped texting me about your whereabouts late at night, that…” Taehyung's breath shakes. “That's when it really starts to scare me.”
“I’m so sorry, Hyung,” Jungkook sobs. “I was so scared too that you will just be fed up with me one day. Every single day that I go home to your arms, I am so, so thankful that you’re still here. I’m sorry I made you feel scared.”
“Okay, enough apologies,” Taehyung leans away to wipe all his and the younger’s tears. He sniffs and smiles warmly. “Let’s learn from this so it won’t happen again.”
Jungkook nods and smiles back. “I promise to work better in balancing my time with you and work.”
“And I promise to work better in communicating my insecurities,” Taehyung responds earnestly. He then giggles as he continues to wipe down Jungkook’s tears. “Are your tears unlimited? Please tell me its not. You know I am an sympathetic crier. We will be dehydrated, Babe!”
Jungkook laughs at his boyfriend’s attempt to lighten up the mood. He then gently cups Taehyung’s cheeks, successfully getting the older’s attention, before closing the distance between their lips.
“Thank you for always taking care of me,” he says before giving another kiss. “For understanding me.” and another kiss. “For being my biggest supporter.” and another. “For staying.” and one last time but this time, his kiss lingers.
“I love you so much, Kim Taehyung. I’m so lucky to have you in my life,” Jungkook confesses wholeheartedly as he looks at his boyfriend’s teary eyes.
“Yah,” Taehyung whines with tears as he softly hits the younger’s shoulder with his fist. “I just complained about dehydration. How can I stop crying now after all that.”
Jungkook laughs out loud before helping the tiger shifter wipe his tears, “No we can’t have that. You still have to leave some tears for when I propose to you.”
Taehyung freezes at that, “No. I am gonna be the one to propose to you.”
“I guess it’s going to be a surprise then who, between the two of us, will propose first,” Jungkook relents but his cheeks hurts from how hard he is smiling from so much happiness.
Taehyung huffs before smiling too. He then leans closer to give the younger’s lips a lingering kiss filled with passion. “I love you too and I will always choose to stay no matter what happens.”
— ∞ —
Days… Months… Years have passed and their relationship was not always smooth sailing.
They encountered various kinds of problems as they age— they talked, cried, and fought a bunch of times— but thankfully, they both persevered and always come back stronger.
Jungkook realizes along the way that no matter how much two person love each other, maintaining a relationship is still so fucking hard. It requires a lot of effort and understanding from both sides. They always have to meet half-way.
Good thing that both him and Taehyung discovered early the secret to an everlasting relationship.
The art of compromising.
At this point, he is pretty sure they both can have master's degrees about it.
To an outsider, their relationship probably looks like a rollercoaster ride. But Jungkook believes that thanks to the secret, they are mostly at the highs. And despite experiencing few terrifying deep lows, he still loves those parts because they just serve to make their relationship so much stronger.
So yes, loving Kim Taehyung is a whole rollercoaster ride and he wouldn’t have it any other way.
After all, Jungkook is confident they will always end at the top.