Five stages of grief; taegguk

and the sun shines

"Jimin--"

"No."

"I didn't even say anything yet, dude."

Pressing the button so he can cross the road, Taehyung's feet come to a stop on the sidewalk so the other people can pass him by, and the sound of his best friend actually rolling around with laughter makes his lips curl into a tiny smile. Jimin has definitely had a one too much glass of mimosas and now he boldly thinks bullying Taehyung over the phone is a muss. 

Not feeling any spike of annoyance whatsoever, Taehyung concludes it's a little bit funny. Not as funny as Jimin is trying to sell it as, per se, but funny.

"Jiminie, are you drunk?" he questions quietly, pausing enough so he can hear a loud distressed insulted intake of breath on the other side, "Isn't Hoseok-hyung there with you? Why hasn't he put you to bed yet?"

The smaller male sounds nothing less than incredibly provoked for some reason the next time he speaks, words slurred together and mischievous: "How could I possibly go to sleep if you're not even here yet? My best friend, my soul mate, my-- Oh god, 'm gonna throw up."

Taehyung receives a few pointed looks as he laughs.

"Hey, hey, where is Hoseok?"

Jimin doesn't answer for a few pending seconds (judging by Taehyung's experience, he's probably looking for a flower pot to puke into), but after he does, there's an unmistakable voice of someone else beside him, reminding the male on the other side that he has a party to attend.

He starts walking faster.

"Hoseok is--" Jimin disappears from the line and then comes back moments later, even more cheerful (so he just downed another mimosa, great), "He's in the backyard with Nari. She started crying real loud all of a sudden."

At the mention of Hoseok's daughter, Taehyung's shoulders relax, and the small smile on his lips blossoms into a large happy grin, taking up all space of his face at once. Truth be told, he was a little bit disappointed when it was revealed that the doctors were wrong and their little boy is actually a little girl, but having the absolute blessing to meet and love the little bundle of joy, Taehyung wouldn't have it any other way.

Even if he did already buy every single gift meant for a boy, and not for a girl (yes, he is now broke).

"Is she cute today?" he questions, chuckling when Jimin sighs adorningly, the exasperated tone to his voice making it known just how cute the girl is once again.

"She's so cute, Tae," he whines loudly, bordering to an admiring cry, "Her fists are literally this big! This big!"

Taehyung wonders if he's sober enough to realize he can't see him.

"I can't wait to see you guys."

It hurts because it's true - ever since he got accepted to the art academy, Taehyung has been seeing less and less of Jimin, Hoseok and his girlfriend Gaeun, and even fewer of little Nari. They understand, of course they do (Taehyung chooses his friends educated) but as much as they don't let him apologize for it, he beats himself up more every time he's late to another birthday party (like today). 

"You better," Jimin muses, a gentle smile to his voice that turns into playfulness even before he continues, "You're missing big things right now, young man. Like your brother offering body shots out of his bellybutton."

Taehyung gapes, almost tripping on his shoelaces, and he reminds himself he needs to be cautious of his surroundings or he'll get killed.

"Seokjin's there already?"