"Kim Taehyung, I was hoping to talk to you!"
Taehyung looked up and saw one of their managers walking up to him.
The look on Jimin's face behind him, gave away that is was nothing good.
"The media has been going crazy. I get messages every few minutes, the news are full of it"
"Still? But it was a one time thing!"
"I'd advise you to listen to me and follow my lead."
"Sorry."
"I was thinking, that maybe we could get you a relationship, so that the media calms down a little. And after a few months, you can 'break up' again so then they'll leave you alone."
Taehyung nibbled on his lip.
"We have found a woman", the manager continued "who is willing to fake-date you. I'm sure you'll like her. Maybe you'll even fall in love with her after all, who knows."
"And I'm supposed to make it look like, I'm dating her."
"Yes."
"How?"
"Just hold her hand in public, maybe sneak a kiss in between, more won't be necessary, I think."
Taehyung nodded.
What would Jungkook think of that?
"It's stupid."
"I know, but I can't really do anything about it! Maybe it's for the better, because then, the media will finally calm down again."
"You don't know that", Jungkook said and crossed his arms.
"It's only for show. It's not real."
Jungkook scoffed.
"How would you feel, if the person you like, which you're dating by the way, holds another person's hand in public?"
Taehyung looked down.
They were standing in Taehyung's room, back at their dorm.
It was night.
"It's fake, Jungkook. I'm faking it."
"Are you faking us too?"
"What? No!"
Tae wanted to grab Jungkook's hand but he pulled it away.
"Come on, this isn't fair", Taehyung said.
"I just- what if you end up liking her?", Jungkook asked and looked at him.
"I'm not going to", Tae said.
"You don't know that."
"Yes, I do."
"Oh really? How? You can't predict the future, Tae."
"My feelings for you are too strong. They're not just gonna pass away over time."
"Cheesy."
"You asked for it."
Silence.
"I'm just scared", Jungkook admitted.
"You don't have to be. Do you trust me?"
The younger nodded without hesitation.
"I trust you."
"Do you want to stay here? Til morning?"
Jungkook nodded again. "I'd like that."
In the morning, this woman, Taehyung was supposed have a fake-relationship with, arrived and introduced herself.
Her name was Yong
She was 21 years old, and a Kpop star at Bighit entertainment herself.
She was really pretty. Maybe a bit too pretty, Jungkook thought.
It turned out, she wasn't that nice. Towards everyone else, she was kind and polite but something made her dislike Jungkook.
Maybe it was because he was much better looking than her and she just couldn't stand it.
But Taehyung was sure, he'd get around with her, which was most important, since he would be the one who'd have to hold her hand.
Since Jungkook's birthday was today and it was Taehyung's job to get the cake, she came with him.
Taehyung thought that she was okay. No one to spend 24 hours a day with, but for the time they had to spend with each other, it was averagely fine.
Masks down on purpose and no hood on, they walked through the streets to get to the bakery, where he had ordered the cake a few days ago.
On the way there, they were holding hands. As they were supposed to.
Only minutes later, someone with a camera and a microphone walked up to them.
She took a pictures and held the microphone directly underneath Taehyung's nose, asking if she was the girl, he had kissed in the alley that night.
Taehyung nodded and explained that they had been dating for a some weeks and also told her that they had now decided to go official with their relationship. It went exactly how it was supposed to.
Yong was hinting him to kiss her to make it look more realistic but he acted as if he didn't get it.
In the bakery, they picked up the cake, locked hands again and walked back to the entertainment building. As easy as that.
The second they entered the Bighit building, Taehyung let go of her hand.
He didn't need to continue holding it. Her grip was either too strong or too lose.
Jungkook was already doing his birthday livestream and Taehyung and the rest of the members prepaired themselves to go into the room and surprise him.
Jimin, who was standing next to Taehyung whispered something.
"Is Yong okay? Is she behaving politely?"
"Of course. Why are you asking?", Taehyung whispered back.
"I'm just saying. Jungkook seemed a bit off lately and I think it might be because of her. Maybe he thinks that she's a rival."
Taehyung chuckled. "She can try but it's not going to work."
"You better tell her that, because I think she's interested", Jimin said.
Tae looked over his shoulder. Yong was standing somewhere in the back, looking directly at him, twirling a strand of hair around her fingers and smiling widely as she noticed Taehyung's eyes on her.
"I don't think so", Taehyung replied to Jimin.
"You don't know anything about women, do you?"
Tae just shrugged his shoulders.
Then they walked into the room, the candles already lighted, all of them singing 'happy birthday' in harmony.
Jungkook hugged his members, one after the other. Taehyung was up last.
Jungkook always thought that the best thing comes at last.
He went up to him and greeted him with a happy smile which immediately lifted his mood. He felt like he'd never need anything else but his smile. There was beauty.
Taking him back to reality, Jungkook wrapped his arms around the older and Taehyung pressed himself against Jungkook's body.
He inhaled, to breathe in his scent before he'd have to let him go again. It's been way too long since he had last hugged him like this.
God, how he had missed his touch.
Just his presence made time stop.
Not really though. They've been standing like that, longer than a few seconds but as Jungkook went a step back, Taehyung grabbed him and pulled him into his arms again.
"Not yet", he whispered into the maknae's ear.
Jungkook smiled and he cuddled his head on Taehyung's shoulder.
It was warm.
Not the itchy sweaty kind of warm, where the skin was sticky, no.
No, the kind of warmth you feel, when you are happy. That moment when you lay in the grass and the sun smiles into your face and strokes your skin.
He let his fingers stroke the back of Jungkook's hand. And then took his hand inside of his own. Jungkook's grip wasn't too strong nor too loose. This was how it was supposed to be.
"You need to let me go, it's getting suspicious", Jungkook mumbled through Taehyung's hair.
So Tae did.
After they left Jungkook alone again with army on the livestream, Yong was already waiting for Taehyung outside.
"What was that?"
"What was was?"
"You know what I'm talking about."
"No?"
Somehow their atmosphere had changed into something cold and awkward now.
And Taehyung could do whatever he wanted, he didn't have to explain himself to her.
Normally she seemed to know the ground of being professional and aware that they were only dating for show.
But apparently that ground seemed to blur in her eyes now.
"Why did you hug him so long? You never hug me. And let alone like that."
Taehyung shrugged his shoulders.
"Jungkook and I have been friends for a long while. I've only known you for a few weeks. It's normal that Jungkook and I are closer because we've known each other longer."
"But you and I are dating."
"We're fake-dating, Yong. There's a difference."
With those words he walked past her and into the kitchen.
She followed him.
"I know, but we should still have some kind of connection with each other. Otherwise people would be able to tell that it's not real."
"I guess."
"So we should hug too! Do more things together, know each other better! Get closer to each other!"
Taehyung sighed inwardly.
Just an hour ago, he was okay with being around her but now she just seemed annoying.
"We could go on a date, for example!"
Taehyung frowned. A date?
"A real date. To get to know each other. What do you think, Tae, hm?"
She called him Tae.
She shouldn't call him Tae.
Jungkook could say that to him buy not her.
"Please don't call me Tae."
"Why?"
"I don't like it."
"What about babe then?"
"That's even worse", he said and took the cup of tea he just made and walked back to the other members.
She followed him.
"So what about the date then?"
"I'm sorry but I can't."
"I didn't even pick a day yet!"
"Jimin! I heard you asked for me", Taehyung said and fastened his steps to get to him.
"I didn't-"
"About that thing- um what you said yesterday. Your song! I should help you with your song right? Let's go", he said and pulled Jimin after him before he had the time to say anything else.
"Sorry, Yong, I guess we'll have to talk later!"
"Uh, sure."
"So it's not going great is it?", Jimin asked smirking.
"Help me! She doesn't leave me alone!", Taehyung whined.
"How about you tell her you need space? Because all of this has been going a bit too quickly for you and you'd have to get used to it first?"
"No. She'll only say that we could get used to it together. She wants to go on a date, did you hear that?!"
"So what? Just go on a date and she'll leave you alone."
"No! Also: let me refresh your memory. I'm dating Jungkook."
"I know but-"
"Period."
"Don't you think, it would be rather wise if you start hanging out with her?"
"No."
"You have to deal with her anyway. Might as well have fun while doing so."
"No. She's not fun."
"Taehyung, hear me out. The world doesn't just work how you want. You have to fit in there somehow. We all know here, that your relationship with Yong isn't real."
"But-"
"And Jungkook knows that too, believe me. It's only some weeks and then you can break up with her again. Officially. And then she'll back off, trust me."
Taehyung gritted his teeth.
"But until then you have to get along with her. Might as well go on a date in a fancy restaurant and let her pay for the meal", Jimin said and with that, the topic was done for him.