Take My Hands Now

Epilogue 1 - Close the Door Now

"You could do this a little less reluctantly...", you grumbled at Jungkook who is looking like he would pay a hundred bucks to not be following you right now.

He used to do this day in day out, you could even call it his natural habitat, although now he knows it wasn't really because he enjoyed it. He just never knew what it was like to enjoy anything and such settings had the facade of 'enjoyment', at least.

"That's because I really couldn't be more reluctant. Can we not just watch a movie? Or go to your place? Your mom makes such good food. Why do we have to be here??", he gripes like a ten year old being dragged to school.

"Are you for real? It's Hoseok's birthday today and you want to skip the party?", you let go of his hand and crossed your arms at him.

"Yeah about that", he wiggled his index finger at you, "our friendship goes beyond this, I don't have to be at the party to celebrate with him. We have our own way of celebrating...", he narrowed his eyes cheekily.

"Playing Overwatch for three days straight don't count as celebration... OK then...", you snatched the fancily-wrapped present out of his other hand and turns to walk towards the familiar manor, "... I'll just go on my own!"

His eyes jumped around, catching up with your swift actions, first from the parcel that left his hand and then to you walking off towards Hoseok's house.

"Are you kidding me?", he rolls his eyes and huffs, before giving chase after you.

—

"Hey Jungkook, haven't seen you around!", if you didn't know better, you'd think this guy was chummy with your boyfriend. But you knew better, Jungkook hated his guts, not sure how far that feeling went mutually though.

"Hey Casper", Jungkook very, very unwillingly acknowledges him.

"It's Jasper... dude...", he sounded irritated.

"Oh, Jasper... guess you are less friendly than I remembered you to be", Jungkook said with a sharp lift of his left brow, and a half-assed smirk.

You forgot how rude Jungkook could actually be since he was always so sweet to you but this is starting to bring back memories. After all, the first time you met him was right here, in this gigantic living room, surrounded by the same kind of people, under the cover of the same kind of music. Nothing seems to have actually changed, but everything is different.

You felt his recognisable grip on your hands as he pulls you away from the pack of frat boys.

"Can we just get the present to Hoseok and leave?", he insisted. Seeing his constant reluctance, you agreed.

—

Turns out Hoseok wasn't doing that great on his own birthday. Jungkook could tell with one look and followed him around asking "what's wrong", until Hoseok caved and answered that "she called".

You eyed Jungkook to take Hoseok somewhere quiet for a while, and so your boyfriend lugged the birthday boy back to his bedroom after telling you to wait somewhere safe for him. He had mouthed the words "guest room" to you while dragging Hoseok away.

You had killed about ten minutes wandering around in the human-packed living room, then strolling along the chlorine-stenched poolside and even getting yourself a drink from the bar counter. You bumped into a few friends and noticed a few girls staring you down amongst the forest of people. And now here you were, sitting around in the guestroom, intriguing yourself with the number of figurines Hoseok had collected in his glass cabinet.

"You hiding from the party or are you hiding from your boyfriend's ex-es?", a tacky voice suddenly made you jump.

"Oh hi Jasper", you tried to appear collected.