Taehyung shook his head, trying to dispel Jimin's teasing voice that echoed persistently in his mind. The thought of doom wasn't helping his already frazzled state. With a quiet sigh, he set the glass of water back on the table in front of the couch, glancing at Jungkook, who was now leaning heavily against the armrest.
Something about the way Jungkook lookedâa mix of disheveled and oddly endearingâmade Taehyung's gaze linger for a moment longer than necessary. That was when he noticed Jungkook's ears, flushed a deep, noticeable red against the pale glow of his skin.
Curious, Taehyung leaned in, gently brushing his fingers against Jungkook's ear. "Why is your ear so red?" he asked, his tone light but laced with genuine concern.
The moment his fingers made contact, Jungkook flinched as though he'd been burned. His hand shot up, swatting Taehyung's away with surprising force.
"Don't touch me," Jungkook muttered, his voice gruff and petulant.
Taehyung blinked, momentarily stunned by the reaction. His lips parted in disbelief before snapping shut into a thin line. He straightened, crossing his arms over his chest. "Excuse me?" he said, his tone low and incredulous.
Jungkook didn't respond, choosing instead to sink further into the couch, his pout deepening as he hugged the pillow closer.
Taehyung's mouth twitched in irritation, his patience wearing dangerously thin. "I'm taking care of your drunk ass," he muttered, mostly to himself, "and you're giving me this attitude?"
He let out a sharp exhale and stood, casting a glance toward the guest room down the hall. The realization hit him like a brick: I still have to drag this drunk person all the way there.
Rubbing the back of his neck, Taehyung stared at Jungkook, weighing his options. He could leave him there on the couch, but knowing Jungkook's tendency to sprawl, he'd probably end up on the floor within an hour. Letting him sleep in his current state wasn't ideal eitherâhe hadn't even had water yet.
"Great," Taehyung muttered sarcastically. "Just great."
With a resigned sigh, he knelt down beside Jungkook again, patting his cheek lightly to get his attention. "Hey, you're not sleeping here," he said, his voice firm. "Get up. We're moving to the guest room."
Jungkook let out a low, incoherent groan, burying his face deeper into the pillow. "Don't wanna..."
Taehyung rolled his eyes, his irritation mingling with an inexplicable fondness. "I don't care what you want right now," he said, grabbing Jungkook's arm. "Come on, you big baby."
It took an embarrassing amount of effort to get Jungkook to sit upright. The boy was deadweight, his head lolling onto Taehyung's shoulder as he grumbled something unintelligible under his breath.
"You're heavy, you know that?" Taehyung gritted out, his arms straining as he pulled Jungkook to his feet. "Seriously, what do you eat? Cement?"
Jungkook let out a soft chuckle, his warm breath brushing against Taehyung's neck, making him freeze for a fraction of a second. "Tae... you're so loud," Jungkook mumbled, his voice softer than before, almost affectionate.
Taehyung's heart skipped a beat, but he quickly shook it off. Focus. He's drunk.
With one arm slung around Jungkook's waist and the other supporting his shoulder, Taehyung began the slow, awkward journey to the guest room. Jungkook leaned heavily against him, occasionally stumbling and forcing Taehyung to tighten his grip.
"Why do I feel like I'm babysitting a giant toddler?" Taehyung muttered under his breath, earning another quiet laugh from Jungkook.
"You're... nice," Jungkook said suddenly, his words slurred but sincere.
Taehyung paused mid-step, his heart giving a traitorous flutter. He glanced down at Jungkook, whose eyes were half-closed but filled with a hazy warmth. "What?"
"You're nice," Jungkook repeated, his voice a soft murmur. "Be always... nice to me."
Taehyung felt a strange tightness in his chest, but he quickly masked it with a scoff. "Yeah, well, don't get used to it," he said, resuming their slow trek down the hallway. "Next time, I'm leaving you on the couch."
Jungkook hummed in response, his head resting against Taehyung's shoulder. "You wouldn't..."
Once they reached the guest room, Taehyung was beyond relieved. His arms ached, his patience had worn thin, and his mind was racing from the odd mixture of frustration and affection that Jungkook seemed to effortlessly evoke.
"Alright, you're here. Bed's right there," Taehyung muttered, more to himself as he guided Jungkook toward the mattress. Carefully, he tried to lower him down, but Jungkook's deadweight shifted unexpectedly, throwing Taehyung off balance.
It happened in a split second. Jungkook fell back onto the mattress, and Taehyung, unable to stop his forward momentum, toppled with him.
He landed awkwardly, his palms braced against the bed on either side of Jungkook's head. Their faces were impossibly close, Jungkook's warm breath brushing against Taehyung's cheek. Then, as if fate wanted to make things even more unbearable, Jungkook shifted slightly, and his lips grazed Taehyung's cheek.
Time froze.
Taehyung's heart slammed against his ribcage, his mind going utterly blank. His cheeks burned, and he could feel the exact spot where Jungkook's lips had touchedâsoft and fleeting but enough to send his senses into overdrive.
"Ahâ" Taehyung scrambled back, nearly tripping over himself as he stood. "IâuhâI'll go get... something..." He didn't even finish his sentence before bolting out of the room, his movements rushed and clumsy.
Jungkook, who had remained motionless during the entire ordeal, cracked one eye open as the sound of Taehyung's footsteps faded down the hall. A sly smile curled at the corners of his lips. So he's flustered, huh?
Though he'd been pretending to be drunk all evening, Jungkook hadn't anticipated this turn of events. His heart fluttered as he recalled the look on Taehyung's faceâa mix of shock, embarrassment, and something else he couldn't quite place. He let out a soft chuckle, feeling oddly giddy.