let's bet on it | kim taehyung

3.6

"i can't believe you forgave that jerk again." seokjin snapped, making areum flinch from across the table. they were having a lunch date, something they've started doing since summer vacation started and it was absolutely going downhill today. as soon as she told him about taehyung, the mood turned sour. "he'll hurt you, he always does. that's what he does. he's the type of guy to only care about himself. if he doesn't need you, areum, he'll throw you away." his words stung a bit, she admits. she had no supporters when it came to taehyung. maybe her brother, but only because he didn't know about how taehyung and her started dating because she was a bet. it was a little disheartening to hear the same words she's head from everyone else come from seokjin. he's her best friend and that's why she takes his words more seriously. she hated to think that taehyung could leave her again.

"i'm trusting taehyung again." areum started carefully, her eyes flickering up to meet seokjin's. they were cold, harsh even, and it wasn't often that they were directed at her. "i hope it doesn't come down to him hurting me again-"

"me either but-"

"but i hope if it happens, you'll be there for me. i know that i've hurt you, jin. you don't know how much i wish i could take it back. everything. sometimes i wish i had fallen in love with you long before taehyung came into my life, but he did. and i love him... but... you're my best friend, jin. i don't want to lose you because of my boyfriend." seokjin stared back at areum for a moment before letting out a long sigh.

"i'll always be here for you. you know that. i just... i don't want to see you hurt again. don't let that guy push you around, okay? i'll kick his ass if he hurts you a third time." areum nodded and smiled at him before reaching over to grab his hand. "i love you, areum." she should have just said it back and thought of it as a best friend kind of love, but she could hear something in his voice. she could hear the tremble in his voice and the way his eyes softened when he looked at her, sort of broke her heart... so instead, she nodded and slipped her hand away from his. "areum-"

"one second, jin. my phone..." areum mumbled, hearing the sound of her phone buzzing. she sifted through her bag and pulled it out before pressing it to her ear. "hello?"

"areum. where are you? i'm at the apartment and there's only a stupid kid here." taehyung's voice came over the line, making her smile.

"i'm with seokjin. we made plans a couple of days ago." she responded and frowned when the line went quiet. "hello? tae?"

"why are you with seokjin?"

"um, because he's my friend, tae? why? is there a problem?"

"yeah. he has feelings for you. i don't really think it's a good idea to be going out with him." areum could hear the anger laced in his voice and it almost made her laugh, because she could not believe he was picking a fight with her over her friendship with seokjin.

"well, it isn't really your choice who i hang out with, taehyung. i'm hanging up. i'll talk to you later." she snapped into the phone before angrily ending the call and shoving it back into her bag. she ignored the way it continued to buzz and looked over at seokjin.

"he told you that you couldn't be around me, huh?" seokjin chuckled and shook his head. "he's not good for you, areum. you're in a not-so-healthy relationship. it isn't going to end well, you know?" 

"it's fine. he can't tell me what to do and he'll have to learn that. i'll talk to him when i get home." areum argued back, before pushing the topic aside. "let's order."

―

"this guy has been sulking for the past two hours. will you stroke his ego and make him leave before i strangle him?" jungkook said as areum opened the door to her apartment. she scowled at him, slamming the door shut, before heading to the kitchen - ignoring the glare she was receiving from the man sprawled out on her couch. "is he moving in or what? this apartment is too small for three-"

"jungkook, here." she placed some money in his hand and waved him off toward the door. "go out and buy some milk. you're the only one that has to eat cereal every morning and also has to have three cups of milk a day."

"can i keep the change?"

"whatever." areum rolled her eyes as he grabbed his coat and left the apartment - leaving just her and taehyung there.

"areum." taehyung finally spoke, pulling himself off the couch and making his way to the kitchen. she was weak to taehyung, but she wasn't going to let him win this time. he had no right to tell her who she could or couldn't hang out with. she wasn't going to let him push everyone she cares about out of her life because he has jealousy issues. she turned her head away and continued to give him the cold shoulder as she made her way to the bedroom. "that's mature." he scoffed, following her as she entered her room. she flung her coat off and went about changing and cleaning her face while pretending to be oblivious to taehyung's presence. it probably wasn't the best way to go about things and it really was going to make him even more mad, but why should she let him control her? jin is right. what they have right now isn't healthy at all and even though she loves tae - so, so much - she wasn't going to end up broken trying to please him.

taehyung watched her from the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes narrowed. "seokjin says you aren't good for me, tae, and i'm starting to think that he's right. we've been back together for what? a week now? and already you're picking fights with me over stupid things and trying to tell me what to do." areum finally spoke, getting right to the point.

"i'm not controlling you. but honestly? that guy had feelings for you, areum, for fucks sake! i don't like him." taehyung growled, stepping all the way into her room. she lifted her head, her eyes finally meeting his for the first time since she got home. "we can't make things work if you've got different guys everywhere. you live with one, you're best friends with one. it's a bit much, don't you think?"

"i didn't ask for your opinion but thanks." areum scoffed, shaking her head. she couldn't believe this. why couldn't they just be happy? why was there always something? "i'm pretty sure we talked about jungkook already and ended that discussion. on the seokjin topic, i knew him even before i knew you. i'm sorry, but if you think i'm going to boot him out of my life because you don't like him, you're sorely mistaken, taehyung."

"it's me or him."

"what? you can't be-"

"i'm telling you right now. choose. me or seokjin." areum felt her heart drop. she literally could not be happy. the world wouldn't allow it. how unfair. "it shouldn't be a hard choice." she could physically feel the tears coming at the thought of losing either of them. how could taehyung ask this of her?

"taehyung, don't do this to me. w-why are you always doing these things? who messed you up so much that you have so little trust in the people you care for? that's it, isn't it? you don't trust me." areum argued and when he didn't respond she knew she hit the target. a part of  her just wanted to break it off with the guy - she's been through so much and she's sick of it. just break up with him and never see him again. the other part of her wanted to heal this broken man and understand why he had so little faith in the people around him though - why he was so jealous and felt so much distrust.

"areum..." taehyung murmured and took a step forward, his hands reaching up to grab areum's face. "pick me or seokjin." his words went through one ear and out the other. he was set - determined.

which part of areum outweighed the other?