UNWANTED BUTTERFLIES | VKOOK

18

Chapter 18: Epilogue

Taehyung tightens his hold on his tie, tilting his head to the side against the reflection on the mirror. He smiles. It's probably the fifth tie he's tried in a row, and he is starting to worry about this becoming a bit of a pattern; he getting nervous about every single thing in his life that involves Jungkook one way or another. But he can't help himself, after all, his boyfriend is fucking finally getting published. This is big, huge . He can't be prouder, he can't be happier. This is everything Jungkook has been working for during the last two years. And he got lucky, or at least that's what he says whenever people ask him about his book. 'I got lucky, ran into an amazing agent in the middle of the street.' And yeah, maybe that was luck but the fact that the guy looked over Jungkook's writings and absolutely loved them, wasn't. He'd been discouraged by then, after being told no so many times, he really thought he should give up. But he didn't because he believed in himself and his words and his passion and this happened and now Jungkook is proving everyone wrong.

"Are you ready to leave yet?" Jimin asks from downstairs. Taehyung can overhear his discussion with Yoongi as they both fight over the stupid swear jar. Jimin had thought it'd be an awesome idea to get one since Yoongi couldn't stop swearing every time he opened his mouth. And of course, Yoongi being the stubborn guy he was, accepted the challenge under the idea that Jimin himself would lose more money than him. Turns out the jar was filled the next time Taehyung went over to visit them and they both refused to talk about it when asked. So it's really no surprise they're fighting over it yet again.

"In a minute!" he answers as he nods approvingly at his reflection before hesitating, shaking his head and throwing the tie away, leaving only the pristine white button-down shirt. After applying some cologne and a bit of gloss to his lips, he walks down the stairs and finds Jimin holding the swear jar like a trophy, arm raised into the air and chin pointing to the sky. Meanwhile, Yoongi is looking even more like a toddler as he tries to reach said jar standing on his tiptoes. "Well, this is sad," he comments, leaning against the wall with his eyebrows raised.

"I want my money back!" Yoongi is saying, pathetically straining his entire body into an awkward position to get to the precious object. To no avail, of course.

"This is more mine than it is yours!"

"Oh, so you admit defeat, then?" the older smirks, dropping his arm to cross it in front of his chest instead, smugly.

"Are you kidding me? I kept paying because you wouldn't!" Jimin accuses and Yoongi stares at Taehyung's surprised expression out of the corner of his eye as he thinks of a reply; quickly his face morphs into one of victory as a light bulb seems to lighten up in his head.

"You were the one who suggested turning the swear jar into a sex jar," he says with a devilish glint to his dark eyes.

"Woah, what?" Taehyung asks, arms raised in confusion, palms up defensively. He isn't sure if he really wants to know what's going on between his friends any longer but his curiosity is an itch dying to be scratched.

Jimin turns towards him then, eyes wide and hands tightening as if he hadn't noticed him there before (even though he was the one to call for him in the first place). He lowers the jar but just barely, aware of Yoongi still eyeing the bills. "Oh, Tae. You ready to leave?"

"Yeah...what is a sex jar, though?" he inquiries, unable to help himself.

His best friend giggles fakely, waving a hand carelessly in his direction as he hugs his blazer around his frame and holds the jar against his chest like a treasure. "Just Yoongi saying stupid ass shit."

Yoongi points at him desperately, eyebrows hiding behind his fringe. "See?! You swear all the time!"

Jimin glares at him as he replies through gritted teeth, "Shut up."