Chapter 14

✨

Author's Point of View

Sunshine Café | 16:45

Taehyung and Yoongi arrived at the café earlier than planned since they had finished their work sooner than expected. As their car came to a stop, both stepped out.

Just as Taehyung was about to walk inside with Yoongi, his phone rang. He checked the screen and saw an important call. With a sigh, he gestured for Yoongi to go ahead while he stayed back to answer it.

Yoongi nodded and stepped into the café.

—

Jungkook reached the café precisely on time. Parking his car, he unbuckled his seatbelt before turning to Aera.

"We're here, angel," he said softly, running his fingers through her hair.

Aera, who had been excited throughout the drive, clapped her tiny hands. As Jungkook opened the car door, she hopped down, grabbing his hand.

As they approached the entrance, Aera’s eyes lit up.

"Meow Unkie!" she squealed happily, spotting Yoongi inside.

The moment she saw him, she let go of Jungkook’s hand and ran toward Yoongi with her little arms outstretched.

Jungkook smiled, watching her run, but he continued at a slower pace, letting her enjoy the moment. However, just as he was about to step inside, someone hurried out of the café, eyes glued to their phone, completely unaware of their surroundings.

Before Jungkook could react, their shoulders collided, making him lose balance. His body tilted forward, and he braced himself for the inevitable fall.

But it never came.

Instead, strong arms caught him—one hand firm on his waist, the other supporting his back.

For a moment, Jungkook kept his eyes closed, his breath stuck in his throat. The warmth of the hands holding him felt strangely comforting, safe.

When he opened his eyes, he was met with deep, monolid eyes staring right into his own.

His heartbeat faltered.

The world around him blurred, as if time had slowed, leaving only him and the man who had saved him.

—

Taehyung had just finished his call and was walking toward the entrance when he saw the scene unfold.

He noticed Jungkook walking toward the café, looking at Aera, completely unaware of the man rushing out. The next second, Jungkook stumbled from the sudden push. Without a second thought, Taehyung surged forward, catching him before he could hit the ground.

Their eyes met.

For three whole minutes, neither moved, neither spoke.

Jungkook’s lips were slightly parted, his chest rising and falling with deep breaths, as he remained frozen in Taehyung’s hold.

Taehyung didn’t look away either. His grip was steady, his eyes unwavering.

Everything else faded—the café, the noise, the people.

Just then, a deliberate cough broke through their moment.

"Are you both done staring?" Yoongi's amused voice snapped them back to reality.

Jungkook’s eyes widened, and he quickly pulled back, his cheeks turning an adorable shade of pink. Taehyung cleared his throat and looked away, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck.

Yoongi smirked. "If you're both done blushing, let’s go."

That only made things worse.

Jungkook lowered his head, pressing his lips together, while Taehyung glanced at Jungkook for the briefest second before they both walked inside, still flustered.

The moment Aera saw Taehyung, she lit up like a star.

"Dada!" she squealed, her tiny legs running toward him.

Taehyung’s face softened instantly. "My baby!" He bent down, scooping her into his arms effortlessly. A wide smile stretched across his face as he kissed her chubby cheeks, making her giggle.

Jungkook, who was watching, felt his heart melt. Taehyung, despite his strong and composed aura, looked so gentle with Aera, so full of love.

They all took their seats, and after a while, Jimin arrived, bringing even more energy into their gathering. As they talked, they decided to go to the amusement park the next day, making it a surprise for Aera.

Around 6 o'clock, Hobi closed the café for the day.

Though he met his friends daily, he rarely got to spend quality time with them due to work. Jungkook helped him in the evenings, but it meant they hardly had free time together.

Aera was happily playing with Jimin, Hobi, and Yoongi while Taehyung sat at the table, sipping his coffee, watching them with a relaxed expression.

Jungkook, on the other hand, had disappeared into the kitchen.

Taehyung frowned. He hadn’t seen the younger for some time now. Curious, he stood up and quietly made his way toward the kitchen.

—

Upstairs, Jungkook was decorating a plate of freshly baked cookies. His brows were furrowed in focus, his lips slightly pursed as he carefully placed the last cookie.

Taehyung leaned against the doorway, observing silently. The way Jungkook’s fingers moved so delicately, the small pout he made when adjusting the placement—it was...

Cute.

Jungkook sensed someone’s presence and turned around. The moment his eyes landed on Taehyung standing there, watching him, his heartbeat quickened.

"Wh-what are you doing here, Hyung?" Jungkook stammered.

Taehyung took a step forward, his voice deep yet calm. "What are you doing, Kook?"

Jungkook, still flustered, simply lifted the cookie he was holding, wordlessly answering.

Taehyung glanced at it before locking eyes with Jungkook again.

"It looks delicious," Taehyung mused. "Can I have a bite?"

Jungkook opened his mouth to reply but stopped mid-sentence when Taehyung suddenly leaned in.

Before Jungkook could react, Taehyung took a bite from the cookie in his hand, all while keeping eye contact.

Jungkook froze.

"You didn’t answer, so I took that as a yes," Taehyung said smoothly, chewing. Then, with a small smirk, he added, "It’s really good. Make more for me next time."

Jungkook’s face turned an even deeper shade of pink. He could barely think straight.

Just when he thought he couldn’t get more flustered, Taehyung leaned in close to his ear and whispered, "You look even cuter when you blush, Bunny. Come fast, I’m waiting."

Jungkook squeezed his eyes shut, feeling like his heart was about to explode.

Meanwhile, Taehyung walked away, completely satisfied with Jungkook’s adorable reaction.

Left alone in the kitchen, Jungkook took a deep breath, placing a hand over his chest. His heart was racing.

Then, with a shy smile, he whispered, "Kim Taehyung, I will surely take revenge..."

—

Later, while they were all eating cookies, Taehyung's phone started buzzing repeatedly with notifications.

Sighing, he checked his screen before looking at Yoongi. "Hyung, will you get me a new SIM card tomorrow?"

Yoongi raised a brow. "Again, Tae? You should find a permanent solution."

"What else can I do other than block her? It’s irritating. She already messaged me this morning, and now again," Taehyung huffed.

Jungkook, noticing Taehyung’s frustration, asked, "Hyung, is something wrong?"

"It’s a long story," Jimin interjected.

Jungkook hesitated but then said, "You can tell me if you’re comfortable, Hyung."

After a pause, Taehyung nodded and explained everything.

Jungkook listened attentively, then said, "I can help you."

"You can? How?" Taehyung asked, curious.

Jungkook smiled. "You’ll see."

"Hobi Hyung, can you give me your laptop for a sometime?" Jungkook said to Hobi.

"Sure Kookie" Hobi replied.

After working on Hobi's laptop and Taehyung’s phone for 20 minutes, Jungkook handed it back.

"Now, she won’t know if you’ve seen her messages or if she’s blocked. And you won’t get notifications unless you want to," Jungkook explained.

Taehyung was impressed. "How did you do that?"

Jungkook grinned. "Let’s just say, I’ve dealt with something similar before."

Taehyung smirked. "Interesting."

With that, they all headed home, ready for their next adventure—the amusement park.

────┈┈┈┄┄╌╌╌╌┄┄┈┈┈────

ᴛ ᴀ ᴇ ᴋ ᴏ ᴏ ᴋ

Preview ~

Next Morning