Fake || a kth and jjk ff

|| twenty-two ||

On the way to the tux rental shop, Gran talked nonstop about her drawing of Taehyung's backside, her research into nudist colonies in Belize, and the dress Jungkook's mother was making her wear—a very conservative pink suit paired with pearls. Knickers had seen the Queen Mother of England wear something similar and insisted it fit perfectly with the scheme.

"I'd rather strip down to the pearls before I walk down the aisle," Gran said. "But I'm afraid it would give your mother a heart attack and that would ruin your wedding."

Jungkook's eyed bugged out.

"That's what would ruin this wedding?" Taehyung murmured without his usual humor. He looked behind him to make sure Gran hadn't heard him, but she'd moved on to the cake Knickers had ordered.

Jungkook nodded and uh-huhed every so often, but most of his attention was fixed on Taehyung. Something had happened while he was reading his emails in his father's office. He was withdrawn and distant. Did he regret what they'd done? But surely that wasn't it. There was no way he could fake so much happiness and playfulness. Jungkook reminded himself that their fake engagement wasn't his only concern. In fact, it was probably a small fry compared to whatever impending decision he faced. Tae had told him someone would be hurt no matter what he decided, so if he'd received information leading him toward one of the options, it was bound to bring him down. Kim Taehyung was a good man. Hurting people wouldn't sit well with his soul.

Jungkook reached over and slipped his right hand under Tae's, lacing their fingers. He didn't respond at first, and the younger almost pulled away, but then his fingers curled over his, squeezing tight.

Taehyung was still silent when Jungkook parked outside the store, though he helped Gran out of the back. The older woman shook him off as soon as she was on her feet. "I can walk on my own."

"I wouldn't dream of helping you," Taehyung laughed, but it sounded forced to Jungkook's ears. "You could probably run laps around me, Gran."

"Damn straight," she muttered as she made her way to the door.

Taehyung started to follow her, but Jungkook snagged his hand and pulled him back.

Jungkook looked down at their linked hands, then up into his troubled eyes. "Tae, I know you have bigger issues than my stupid wedding. I want you to know that if you need to bail to take care of your business, you're free to go. Don't let me stop you."

The elder studied him for a moment before pulling the younger into his arms and crushing his lips with his. One arm encircled Jungkook's back while the other dug into his hair, holding the younger firmly against his mouth.

The intensity of his kiss scared Jungkook. Was Tae telling him goodbye?

But he pulled back and slid his hand down to Jungkook's cheek, the corners of his lips turning up with a hint of a smile. "I have a job to do here first. Let's go get a tux."

Taehyung put an arm around the younger's back and led him into the shop. Gran had already wandered in and found a chair to sink into.

As if Jungkook were a heat-seeking missile, he instantly spotted his mother in the back of the store. Jimin and Jin were with her, and they looked like two bucks ready to butt antlers. Apparently Jimin held the same animosity for both of the Kim brothers. But Jin was holding his own. Jungkook figured Jin was the type of guy who could be dropped into a camp of cannibalistic pygmies and come out of the incident revered as a god.

His mother gave him a disapproving frown as he approached. "Jungkook, I'm glad to see that you could manage enough responsibility to bring Taehyung to pick up his tux for your wedding tomorrow." She puckered her mouth. "Let's hope you can show up for your own wedding. I didn't spend sixty-five million won just to throw it all away."