Tingles. [ Vkook ]

Unexpected

Jungkook had grown in the following month. He was content with his job, he was content with his home, and he was most definitely content with his boyfriend. Taehyung always encouraged him with everything and made him feel safer than he ever felt before. He'd like to say that everything was running smoothly like a fairy tale, where this was a cute little happy ending for everyone. He really wanted everything to be happy. Yet no matter how hard he tried, many things just didn't add up.

He knew that Taehyung was hiding something from him. Something he didn't want Jungkook to know about.

Jungkook knew about the texts. He knew that Taehyung was being shamed. What he found the most infuriating about this whole fiasco was the fact that Taehyung never told him about it. As if he wanted Jungkook to live in that fairy tale world, where there was always a happy ending for every resident living in it. Like Taehyung wasn't supposed to show he was suffering.

But Jungkook could see it; he was starting to figure out the younger boy. Every so often, whenever those threatening texts would presumably pop up, Jungkook silently studied Taehyung's face, and every time he did so, he started seeing what kind of hurt shown in his eyes.

Taehyung hid his emotions very well – but Jungkook's persistence kept up with it. The one trick that made Jungkook know, that makes him confirm that Taehyung is hurt, is if he tries to pin all attention on Jungkook and help him with his problems.

And that's exactly what happened, almost every single time. Jungkook hated it. He hated knowing Taehyung was hurt, yet he kept helping when he should really be talking about his problems.

... And what made Jungkook even angrier was the fact that he hadn't confronted Tae about it, either.

It will definitely bite him in the ass one day. . . It definitely will. He was a coward, after all. Even after the self-esteem boost, it seemed he was just naturally a quitter. Jungkook was an awful boyfriend, wasn't he? The absolute worst. After everything that Taehyung had done for him... Jungkook still couldn't even ask 'who's that man harassing you?'

Even now, as he worked at the library, Jungkook couldn't focus on anything. He had this strange gut-feeling that something would happen. He wasn't sure what, but he didn't like it. Everything was going too well – too well, if you knew what he meant. With a brush of his hand against his shirt, the older boy gave a longing cast to the younger boy; he was reading a book at the desk, talking to Miss Ruth like usual, and most importantly, flashing that big bright smile of his.

Taehyung looked so genuinely happy... But it really felt like there was something else to it.

He placed some books up on the upper shelves, though his gaze never faltered from the glowing boy. He knew he looked so creepy doing it but he didn't care – Taehyung's mental health was at stake and anything could happen.

Just like that, Taehyung's head perked down to his vibrating phone. He noticed the flexing in his jaw and the way his smile just very very slightly broke, but he was skillfully quick in bringing it back up again.

Maybe... Jungkook would ask tomorrow.

Maybe he can change things.

-  -  -  -

After waking up the next day and doing his morning routine of snuggling his way out of Jungkook's strong grasp, Taehyung slugged his way into the kitchen to get himself a snack. With the fridge open after he snatched the milk, he frowned because there wasn't a lot of food left. Okay, he made a mental note to go today. After his breakfast.