A week has gone by and BTS, together with their "tour guides", have experienced the beauty of Gurye. They explored nature trails, visited some temples, went to picnics and even dipped into the healing waters of Surak Falls. They all felt reinvigorated after.
After all the group activities, today is Jungkook and Taehyung's couple day. Taehyung has been looking forward to it as he and Jungkook will be bonding over something they both like to do — painting and photography.
Taehyung is the one driving this time as he didn't want to tell Jungkook where they're going.
"Are we there yet?" Jungkook asked.
"I swear, Jungkook if you ask me one more time, I will stop the car and leave you in the middle of nowhere." Taehyung said.
Jungkook laughed at how cute pouty Taehyung looks. So, he decides to tease him more. "Well, can you blame me? You told me that the place is 45 minutes away from the house. It's been an hour."
"I told you, I love driving leisurely."
"Fancy way of saying slow driving, huh?" Jungkook chuckled.
Taehyung glared at his boyfriend. "Shut up and be patient. Patience is a virtue."
"But, I'm not very virtuous."
"That explains why your mind is filled with impure thoughts most of the time."
"Oh, I don't think that has anything to do with me being virtuous or not, but more of how hot my boyfriend is."
"You are unbelievable." Taehyung shook his head while blushing.
A few moments later, they arrived at their destination.
"We're here!" Taehyung announced. "This is The Thousand Juniper Forest. I usually come here to paint. I love the smell of juniper and seeing greenery just relaxes my mind." Taehyung said.
"You paint too?!" Jungkook was getting amazed with all their similarities, making him more and more enamored of Taehyung.
"Yes!! So, that's first in the agenda for the day!" Taehyung said.
They got off the car and Taehyung opened the trunk to get the painting materials.
"Come, help me with the stuff. You can carry the easels." Tae said.
"Are we setting up in the middle of the forest?" Jungkook asked with raised brows.
"No, silly. There's a cafe in the garden so we can set-up there."
"Taehyung!" yells someone.
"Eun-woo!" Taehyung greeted the person as they hugged.
"How are you? It's been two months since you last visited. It's getting lonely here without you." Eun-woo said.
Jungkook wasn't very pleased with the interaction. Seeing Taehyung getting hugged by this tall good-looking fella earned a tongue poke from Jungkook. Taehyung immediately saw it so he stepped back a bit from Eun-woo.
"Um, Eun-woo, this is Jungkook. My boyfriend."
Eun-woo turned to Jungkook.
"Woe, Jeon Jungkook?! YOUR boyfriend?!"
Taehyung nodded.
"Man, I am such a huge fan of yours. Wait until you meet my boyfriend. He will freak out!" Eun-woo said.
Jungkook started to relax. A big bunny smile replacing his sour expression. This made Taehyung giggle. He reached out for Jungkook's hand and affectionately tightened his hold on it.
"Hi, nice to meet you." Jungkook said.
"How? When did this happen exactly?!" Eun-woo still shocked.
"I'll tell you all about it inside." Taehyung said.
The three carried the painting materials to the cafe. Once inside, Eun-woo led Jungkook and Taehyung to a table and helped bring the painting materials in the garden area.
"Why don't you check out the menu first and I'll just go set up your painting materials, Taehyung. I'll go call Binnie to get your order." Eun-woo said.
"Thanks, Eun-woo." Taehyung said. Eun-woo left leaving Jungkook and Taehyung alone.
"Are you okay?" Taehyung asked, smiling at Jungkook.
"Yeah. I am now."
"You were about to burst out there."
"Hey, can you blame me? You look so beautiful today. And, Eun-woo is quite handsome too. You two looked so comfortable with each other."
"Of course we're comfortable with each other, we were dorm mates in college. His boyfriend, Binnie, was in the same course as I was. And, he may be handsome, but you're gorgeous, hot and perfect in my eyes." Taehyung said as he leaned forward to give Jungkook a peck on the lips.
Jungkook flinched. "Tae, we're in public."
"Oh, sorry." Taehyung looked disappointed.
"I saw that!!! And, I am so freaking jealous!" Binnie said coming out of nowhere. Teahyung shrieked almost forgetting his disappointment.
"Binnie!" Taehyung jumped from his chair and hugged the new comer. The two were giggling like crazy and Jungkook was amused by them.
"You are full of surprises, my friend. I knew that you'd end up with someone handsome, but THE Jeon Jungkook?! I'm gonna faint." Binnie said.
"Well, I don't really know who THE Jeon Jungkook is, but I'd like you to meet Kookie. Kookie, this is Binnie, my college bestie." Taehyung said with a tone of sarcasm.
Bin noticed the tension so he decided to control his Army heart and treated Jungkook like a "normal" person.
"Hello, nice to meet you." Bin said.
Jungkook reached out and offered a handshake.
"So, what can I get you two?" Bin asked.
"I'll have whatever coffee for the day you have and a mugwort cheesecake. How about you, Kookie?" Taehyung said.
"I'll just have the same." Jungkook said.
Just as Bin left to get their orders. A group of girls arrived and occupied the table behind Taehyung and Jungkook. Tae's back facing them.
A few minutes later, two pretty girls from the said group approached their table.
"H-hi Jungkook. S-sorry to disturb you but can we get a selca with you." One of the girls said.
"I'm sorry, but I'm on vacation. I hope you understand."
"O-ok but can we get your autograph instead?"
"Look, he just said that he's on vacation. Can you please respect that?" Taehyung said in a friendly tone.
"Who is he, Jungkook?" The other girl asked.
"He's my cousin." Jungkook said.
Taehyung was taken aback by Jungkook's answer.
"Yeah, I'm his COUSIN. Now, can you please excuse us?"
With that, the two girls left and went back to their table.
"Tae, you didn't need to snap at them." Jungkook said, trying to calm Taehyung.
Taehyung got irritated. "Can we just go home?"
"Tae, we can still stay." Jungkook said.
"And, what? Risk other people seeing you with me? All the things I planned for you today are in public places, Jungkook. So, let's just go home." Taehyung stood up and went to the garden to get their stuff. Jungkook followed right after.
"Eun-woo, don't bother setting up we're going home." Taehyung said.
"What? Why so soon?" Eun-woo asked?
Taehyung picked up the box of paints and turned to Jungkook.
"Why don't you ask the GOLDEN MAKNAE over here." Taehyung said and left.
Jungkook sighed.
"What happened, Jungkook?"
"Some girls recognized me and went to our table. They asked who Taehyung was and I had to say that he's my cousin."
"Oh. Just talk to him later. I'm sure he'll understand if you explain where you're coming from. While I understand your predicament, Taehyung might have taken it the wrong way."
Eun-woo and Jungkook gathered all the stuff and went to the car. When they got there, Taehyung alteady started the car and was sitting on the passenger side. The two boys loaded the things inside the trunk.
Bin appeared with a brown paper bag with him and went straight to the passenger side. Taehyung briefly told him what happened on his way out of the cafe earlier.
Taehyung rolled down the car window.
"Thanks, Binnie. It was really nice seeing you again." Taehyung gave Bin a small smile, but sadness can still be seen on his face.
"Hey, it was nice seeing you too. Hope you can drop by again soon. If not here, visit us in our apartment. We should catch-up." Bin said. "And, Tae, don't be so harsh on him. I'm sure it's difficult for him too."
Taehyung nodded.
Jungkook said his goodbyes to Eun-woo and Bin and hopped inside the driver side.
They drove off.
Jungkook wanted to talk to Taehyung, but when he saw the latter reclining his seat with his back turned towards him, he just decided to keep quiet.
Taehyung napped all throughout the drive back home.
***
When they arrived at the house, Taehyung was already awake.
"Tae..." Jungkook started to talk, but before he could even continue, Taehyung got off the car and went inside the house.
Jimin was in the living room when Tae entered.
"Hey, Tae! Back so soon?" Jimin asked.
"Yeah. Sorry, I'm going to my room." Taehyung said.
Jungkook entered the front door. "Tae, let's talk."
Taehyung ignored him and went to his room.
Jungkook was getting upset and was going to follow him, but Jimin grabbed his wrist.
"Kook, let him cool down first. Tell me what happened." Jimin dragged Jungkook to the living room.
Jungkook told Jimin everything. From Taehyung kissing him in the cafe and telling him off, to the incident with the girls.
Jimin thought of what to say and then remembered his conversation with Min-ho about Taehyung.
"I asked Min-ho about Taehyung when we were at the Kim's and based on what he told me, Taehyung seems like he's the type who would go against the norm. He's very expressive as well. I don't think he likes it when others dictate on what he can or cannot do. It's his first time to be in a relationship so he's very excited about it. So, imagine what he could have felt when he kissed you only to be told that he can't? And when you introduced him as your cousin, he was surely hurt.
For him, you're just Jungkook. He has no context of you being an idol. Again, he doesn't even know or understand yet the reality that we live in. It's going to be hard, Kook, but you have to make him understand that and at the same time make him feel assured that you're in this relationship with him. You have to let him know that you're willing to fight for it, for HIM, because I think that he would do the same as well. Right now, he might be feeling that you're not into it as much as he is."
Jungkook sighed. "I don't know what to say to him, Chim. I love him. I really do. And as much as I want to shout that out, I can't. There are so many factors to be taken into consideration."
"Then tell him that. And, just take it one day at a time. For now, just let him be. I'm sure he will talk to you when he's ready." Jimin said.
Jungkook groaned, scared of the thought that his relationshop would end as quicly as how it started.
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I hope you liked this chapter.
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