Chapter Text
Taehyung could hardly believe he was here. A week ago, Jungkook had agreed to have dinner with him and now they were sitting together at Taehyung’s favorite burger place.
Across the table, the neon lights cast a soft glow over Jungkook’s face as Taehyung talked. Even though Jungkook was quiet, Taehyung kept the energy high, determined to make the best of the evening.
“These jalapeño fries are amazing.” Taehyung said, sliding his tray closer to Jungkook. “You’ve got to try one. They add this special seasoning, it’s soooo addicting.”
Jungkook took a single fry coated in cheese sauce and jalapeño chunks, trying and nodding.
“It’s good.” He said simply, before returning to his drink.
“Right? I knew you’d like it.” Taehyung’s smile trembled briefly, but he quickly covered it with more enthusiasm. He spoke a little too excitedly, hoping to fill the silence that hung between them. “So… how’s everything? Busy with classes?”
“Yeah, pretty busy. Just trying to keep up.” Jungkook’s response was short. Taehyung nodded, leaning in as if it might pull Jungkook deeper into the conversation.
“I wish I could focus like that. I get distracted so easily. Today, I was supposed to study, but I ended up watching old Friends episodes for hours.”
“Sounds fun.”
“It was.” Taehyung grinned, though he could sense the distance between them. He wasn’t oblivious, Jungkook seemed detached, but he pushed on. “What’s your favorite show?”
“Succession, I guess.” Jungkook replied.
“Oh, I don’t really like that one.” Taehyung said, biting into his burger.
“Why not?” Jungkook raised an eyebrow. “It has like a million Emmys.”
Because it reminded him of people like his dad. But he couldn’t say that.
“I don’t know... It’s just a bit too intense for me. All that corporate drama and backstabbing, I prefer something more lighthearted.” He explained.
“I like the intensity. It’s interesting to see how far people will go for power and money, even if it means forgetting their own family.” Jungkook said, though his expression stayed neutral.
“Tell me about it.” Taehyung chuckled, thinking back to the time his father came home furious about some board members trying to outvote him. Taehyung hadn’t understood much, but he clearly remembered how mad his dad had been. “So, how’s school going?”
“You already asked that.” Jungkook said, narrowing eyes.
“You didn’t really give me an answer.” Taehyung teased, flashing a cheeky smile.
“Well, I’m failing world literature and no one has time to be my fucking tutor this late in the semester. Happy now?” Jungkook huffed, clearly annoyed. The sharp tone caught Taehyung off guard. Jungkook seemed to notice and breathed out, closing his eyes for a moment before speaking again. “Sorry about that. I’m just stressed.” He had no shame in apologizing where it was due.
“No, I get it.” Taehyung said, fidgeting with his fingers. “I’m failing ceramics too.”
It wasn’t true, he was actually the best in that entire class.
Jungkook didn’t say anything, he just watched Taehyung fidgeting with himself, not knowing what else to ask to keep the conversation going.
“How’s your shoulder? Your foot?” He suddenly asked, popping another fry into his mouth.
“They’re good. I’m very grateful for your help.” Taehyung replied, blushing a little.
”Yeah, I know.” Jungkook said, pointing to a burger. “And your laptop?”
“Good too!” Taehyung beamed, happy that Jungkook was actually talking and asking questions. “It almost messed up again, but Yoongi helped me reboot it. I’ve been backing up everything like you told me to.” He added, feeling proud of himself.
Another brief moment of silence followed.
“Uh, do you want to grab some pastries from that bakery near the dorms after this? I love their cherry stuff!” Taehyung suggested.
“I’m not really into store-bought pastries.” Jungkook shrugged. “Not in a snobbish way, but I just don’t like them.”
“Aren’t all pastries from a store or bakery?” Taehyung tilted his head.
“Not if you make them at home.” Jungkook chuckled, his smile staying a little longer. Taehyung widened his eyes. Was this the first time Jungkook had genuinely smiled at him? “My mom used to bake pastries for me every weekend when I was a kid, so she kind of ruined all the store-bought stuff for me.”
“What if a bakery is run from someone’s home?” Taehyung teased, leaning into the conversation.
“Still a no.” Jungkook shook his head. “I like when someone you love or someone who loves you makes them just for you. It’s different.”
“What if the bakery is run by someone you love or someone who loves you?” Taehyung pressed with a smirk.
“Nope.” Jungkook replied. “They’d still be making batches for other people too. No one bakes exclusively for someone in those kinds of places. Unless it’s a wedding, baby shower or birthday cake.”
“What if— Okay, you win.” Taehyung finally gave up as Jungkook shrugged with a satisfied smile.
Taehyung was about to say something else when Jungkook’s phone started ringing. The boy felt so irritated, he could’ve killed whoever was calling because they were finally starting to have actual conversation.
“I have to take this.” Jungkook muttered, standing up and walking a few steps away from the table. Taehyung watched him closely, curiosity killing him.
“Yes, hi! I’m so glad you called…” Jungkook said into his phone. “Yes, I already sent the updated outline… No, I get it… Yes, of course, but if I want this to be taken seriously, I need the funding to move forward. I can’t just rely on publicly available data, Mr. Yang. This is different… My app— right, okay. I’ll revise it and send the updated documents shortly. Thank you, sir. And about the database—”
Jungkook’s voice was calm but still with hints of anxiety. Taehyung had to strain to catch more of the conversation, but Jungkook soon hung up with a heavy breath and slipped his phone back into his pocket.
“I have to go.” Jungkook said, gathering his things. “Thanks for the burger.”
“B-But we haven’t even had dessert yet! They have amazing strawberry cheesecake—” Taehyung blinked, caught off guard.
“No, thank you.” Jungkook waved him off, already heading toward the door. “Bye.”
“Jungkook!” Taehyung called out again, his voice a bit louder than he intended. Jungkook paused, turning back with an eyebrow raised. Taehyung's heart raced, he wasn’t sure what he wanted to say or why he had stopped him. It was a choice between saying something or embarrassing himself.
“I was going to say…” Quick, Taehyung, think! “Um… I can be your tutor for world literature. I took it in my first year online and got a hundred.” He suddenly blurted. Oh no.
“You did?” Jungkook asked, looking uncertain.
“Yes!” Taehyung nodded eagerly. “I still have all my notes and everything about... um, world literature.” He stumbled over his words. Oh, he was screwed.
“I— Okay.” Jungkook paused but gave in after hesitating. “Thanks.”
“I’ll text you then, okay? I’ll ask Yoongi for your number.” Taehyung was about to explode from excitement.
“Yeah, I have to go now. Bye.” Jungkook replied quickly before leaving the burger place and leaving Taehyung a blushing mess, feeling mesmerized. That feeling would soon fade into panic when he would realize he had no idea what the hell world literature actually entailed.
♡
It had been a few days since Taehyung had burgers with Jungkook and he couldn’t shake the memory of that day. Each morning, he woke up blushing, recalling how Jungkook had opened up just a little. It was small, it was just his favorite show and his love for homemade baked goods but it was still something.
After getting Jungkook’s number from Yoongi, Taehyung texted him a few times. The first message was to confirm the tutoring session and Jungkook responded. The second and third messages, asking about his day, went unanswered. He reached out again to confirm their meetup and Jungkook replied, which eased some of Taehyung’s disappointment. He understood he had to take baby steps. Excitement built up within him for the upcoming tutoring session, he would finally get to spend time with Jungkook.
But there was a slight problem. Taehyung had lied about being in a world literature class and with midterms and a flood of assignments, he hadn’t found time to review the syllabus or read material until the night before. His first mistake was thinking the books included in the syllabus would be short.
And now, it was Monday.
Monday mornings were not Yoongi’s favorite. He was not a morning person, yet one of his required classes was scheduled for 9 AM in the furthest building from the dorm. He set his alarm for 7:30, allowing just enough time to shower and grab coffee on the way. Monday mornings always began the same way: gloomy, dark and heavy.
What Yoongi didn’t expect to see on that particular Monday morning was Taehyung on the bed, wrapped in blankets, with the darkest bags under his eyes he had ever seen. His hair was a mess, drool clung to his lip and three empty coffee mugs sat on his bedside table next to open packets of instant coffee and a pile of scattered books. It was weird, Taehyung often complained about how much he hated coffee, yet here he was, surrounded by literal store stock of it.
Taehyung being Taehyung, Yoongi thought.
“Good morning.” He said as he stretched his limbs.
“Huh?” Taehyung flinched, blinking at Yoongi with bloodshot eyes.
“I said good morning.” Yoongi repeated, yawning and barely registering Taehyung’s messy state.
“Good morrow…” Taehyung mumbled.
“What was that?” Yoongi rubbed his eyes, still half asleep.
“I prithee, fret not, for I am in good health. I’ve merely spent my hours perusing the tomes…” Taehyung replied, causing Yoongi to take a moment to process his words. He furrowed his eyebrows, looking at him.
“Are you having a stroke?” He asked.
“What?” Taehyung shook his head. “Oh, I was reading Shakespeare all night… I shall not— didn’t realize I’d picked up his language.”
“Okay…? Weird.” Yoongi shrugged and headed for the bathroom.
Taehyung had his first tutoring session with Jungkook today and he wanted to make a good impression. He had to keep reading those plays. When Yoongi walked out from the bathroom, towel wrapped around his waist, he found Taehyung in the same position, still on the bed, owl-eyed and staring at his book.
Yoongi sighed. This was painful to watch.
“Why are you reading fucking Shakespeare at 8 AM?” Yoongi asked, turning on the electric kettle. “Art majors don’t have to take that class unless it’s an elective.”
“Yoongi…” Taehyung groaned. “I messed up… big time.” He then launched into the whole story about how he panicked and lied about having the class just to spend more time with Jungkook. Yoongi listened, sipping his coffee and silently judging each word, making sure Taehyung felt his judgment. But in the end, he couldn’t fully commit to it. He felt bad for him.
“What time is your tutoring session with him?” Yoongi asked, walking over to the desk and opening a drawer after washing his mug.
“At three.” Taehyung replied, flipping open his book again. “It’s good, I just need to reread everything to actually understand what this guy is trying to say with—”
“Get some sleep, little one.” Yoongi interrupted, turning around with a notebook in hand. “And use this for the session. I took that class in my first year and actually finished with a hundred. This has all the notes, summaries and key points for everything on the syllabus, tailored to what the professor wants to hear during the exam.”
“What?!” Taehyung gasped. “Why didn’t you tell me?!”
“How was I supposed to know you’d make up a lie just to get a guy’s attention and try to read Shakespeare’s entire works in one night?” Yoongi rolled his eyes. “Take it and get some sleep, you look terrible!”
“Oh, Yoongi!” Taehyung exhaled in relief, jumping off the bed and rushing over to hug him. “I don’t even care that you’re wet and naked right now, you just saved my life!”
“Yeah and you owe me.” Yoongi smirked, playfully ruffling Taehyung’s hair. “Now go to sleep.”
Thankfully, Taehyung listened. He was out as soon as his head hit the pillow.
♡
Jungkook walked into the small campus café where he and Taehyung had agreed to meet. He wanted to go to the library’s study space, but because it was midterms, it was full. He spotted Taehyung sitting in the corner, wearing glasses and a cozy sweater. In his opinion, he looked rather cute, but Jungkook would never say that.
“Hey, Jungkookie!” Taehyung smiled when he saw him.
“Jungkook. And hey.” Jungkook replied, sitting down in front of him and opening his backpack to pull out his laptop and notebooks. Thankfully, the table was spacious and the café wasn’t too crowded, which kept the noise to a minimum.
“I ordered hot chocolate and apple strudel. Would you like something, Jungkookie?” Taehyung asked, leaning his chin on his fist and admiring Jungkook.
“I’ll get a coffee later.” Jungkook said quickly. “And again, it’s Jungkook.”
“I checked the syllabus and it hasn’t changed from what I had.” He lied. “We’ll skim through this quickly, Jungkookie.” Taehyung flashed a cheeky smile, knowing he was getting a reaction out of him.
“Don’t call me that.” Jungkook rolled his eyes. “Let’s just get this over with.”
“Sure thing.” Taehyung replied. He opened Jungkook’s syllabus on his laptop and Yoongi’s notebook. “So, we’re starting with Shakespeare’s Hamlet today. What do you know about it?”
“It’s about a guy who wants revenge for his father’s death.” Jungkook said, shrugging.
“What else?” Taehyung leaned back in the booth.
“I wouldn’t need a fucking tutor if I knew anything else about fucking Hamilton!” Jungkook rolled his eyes.
“Hamlet.” Taehyung corrected him with a chuckle.
“Yeah, that’s what I said.” Jungkook replied, confused.
“Fun fact, Hamlet has one of the most famous lines in literature — To be or not to be, that is the question.” Taehyung leaned forward. “What do you think that means?”
“Do I look like I know?” Jungkook leaned back, trying to create some distance. “Can we just focus on the main plot points? I’m drowning in essays for this stupid class and have no idea what any of these books are even about.”
“Okay.” Taehyung replied, not losing his enthusiasm. “But that line is important. It says here in Yoo— I mean, my notes… So, Hamlet meets the ghost of his father, who tells him to avenge his murder…”
As they continued, Taehyung’s attempts at flirting became more obvious and awkward. He would lean in a bit too close, stare at Jungkook’s piercings and beautiful features, let his hand stay on Jungkook’s arm when passing a paper and would make little jokes that only he seemed to find funny.
On the inside, Jungkook wanted to scream. But Taehyung actually seemed to know what he was talking about, so he had to endure it to pass the class. Plus, as annoying as Taehyung was, he was undeniably adorable.
“Why are there so many ghosts in this book?” Jungkook groaned, resting his forehead on his notebook.
“Wanna hear a joke?” Taehyung asked.
“A what?” Jungkook lifted his head.
“Why do ghosts love elevators? Because they lift their spirits!” Taehyung laughed out loud.
“I’m going to kill myself.” Jungkook said under his breath, putting his forehead back on the notebook.
“Fine, why are you so grumpy?” Taehyung forced his laughter to subside. He flipped a page in Yoongi’s notebook. “So! Back to Olivia. This poor woman… Do you think she really loved Hamlet?”
“Who the fuck is Olivia? You just said her name was Ophelia a minute ago!” Jungkook mumbled. “Is Olivia another character? How am I supposed to keep track of all these names?”
“Huh?” Taehyung squinted at the notebook. It indeed said Ophelia, but with Yoongi’s terrible handwriting, it was hard to tell! “I meant Ophelia, yes. There’s no Olivia! So, do you think she loved him?”
“Well, from what we covered, I suppose she did love him. And you mentioned she went mad after her father died and Hamlet rejected her. She wouldn’t react that way unless she had strong feelings for him. It’s sad.” Jungkook sighed again, this time with a hint of resignation.
“Yeah, it’s sad.” Taehyung nodded. “And apparently, there’s a debate about whether Hamlet really loved her back. Some say he did, but he was too focused on his revenge to show it. You know, it’s kind of like how you’re so busy with everything else that you don’t notice me.” Taehyung was surprised at his own boldness, but he felt proud of himself.
“Are you really comparing yourself to Ophelia?” Jungkook gave him a flat look. “Are you gonna go insane too?”
“Maybe just a little.” Taehyung replied with a playful grin.
“Let’s just finish this, okay?” Jungkook shook his head. “We still have to cover Macbeth.”
“Of course, Jungkookie.” Taehyung nodded, turning back to Yoongi’s notebook.
The session continued with Taehyung doing his best to keep the mood light and engaging, even if Jungkook wasn’t exactly responsive. Halfway through their study session, after two rounds of coffee and hot chocolate, Jungkook’s phone rang. He looked at the screen, a frown deepening on his face.
“I have to take this.” He muttered, standing up and walking a few steps away. Taehyung wanted to eavesdrop but he walked away too far from him. He saw how Jungkook finished talking on the phone but then went out to smoke.
When Jungkook returned a few minutes later, his expression was sour and clearly disappointed. He didn’t look like someone who wanted to continue studying Hamlet. Well he didn’t look like that before either, but now it was worse.
“Continue.” Jungkook said as he sat down, grabbing his pen and doodling aimlessly on his notebook.
“Um… okay, so, Oliv—Ophelia…” Taehyung began, but he stopped when he realized Jungkook wasn’t listening. Anger threatened to burst out of him as he gripped his pen tighter, his doodles becoming more aggressive. “Everything okay?” Taehyung asked carefully.
Jungkook didn’t respond.
“Um, Jungkook… are you—”
“It’s none of your business, Taehyung!” Jungkook snapped suddenly, slamming his pen on the table. Taehyung flinched, caught off guard.
“Sorry… I just—”
“No, I’m sorry.” Jungkook shook his head quickly. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“You don’t have to tell me what happened, but if you want to talk about it, I’m here to listen,” Taehyung said, his voice trembling slightly. “I never had friends until I came here and it turns out I’m a pretty good listener. Whenever Yoongi or Jimin want to share something, I’m all ears.” He smiled.
“I don’t think you’d be interested or understand.” Jungkook sighed.
“Try me.” Taehyung replied with a smile, leaning on his knuckles, ready to listen.
Jungkook hesitated, debating whether to open up. In the end, he decided to share.
“I’m working on an app. It’s not part of my coursework, so I don’t have any support.” He finally said.
“Support as in financial help?” Taehyung tilted his head.
“Yes.” Jungkook nodded. “It’s a specific one. It’s a mental health app. I’m building an AI model that acts like a personal therapist. I want it to be completely free for those who can’t afford professional psychological help.”
“Wow! That’s amazing!” Taehyung’s eyes widened as he whispered in awe.
“I can feed the AI millions of existing data sets on mental health, but I don’t want it to be just another chatbot that links to resources. I want it to function as a real therapist, tailored to each individual. For that, I need a team of certified therapists and that requires a shit ton of money.” Jungkook explained, fidgeting with his fingers.
Taehyung struggled to grasp the details. He understood what an AI model was. He knew it was a pain in the ass when it came to art and people misusing it, but beyond that, he was lost. Still, Jungkook was opening up and Taehyung was ready to listen to every word if it meant Jungkook would warm up to him.
“I contacted every tech giant in the country for financing.” Jungkook continued. “My last hope was SK Industries and they just rejected me a few minutes ago. I’m not even gonna apply to Kim Tech, that’s most definitely a no.”
At the mention of Kim Tech, Taehyung flinched. There was only one Kim Tech in South Korea, owned by someone he called Dad. Jungkook didn’t know that, but Taehyung had grown up hearing the words Kim Tech at least billion times a day. He had spent countless hours in his dad’s office once even breaking a printer after printing too many Disney character sheets for his room. Kim Tech felt like home and hearing Jungkook say those words felt as if he had walked in on him naked.
It was strange and Taehyung couldn’t quite explain why.
“Um… Why do you think Kim Tech would say no?” Taehyung asked.
“Are you kidding?” Jungkook chuckled. “It’s like asking Amazon to fund my app. It’s unrealistic. My only chance of connecting with Kim Tech would be if I somehow got an invitation to the Tech Forum in a few weeks.”
“T-Tech Forum?” It was so weird to talk about all this.
“Yeah, the CEO of the company is speaking there.” Jungkook shrugged. “But getting an invitation is nearly impossible.”
“Why?”
“You need to be invited by one of the companies presenting. I asked my faculty head if he could help, but he said no. So much for supporting students and their futures.” Jungkook mumbled. “Anyway, I don’t want to talk about it anymore. Go back to Hamlet.”
“Are you sure you don’t want the apple strudel? It’ll lift your spirits.” He offered, not knowing what else to say to help him.
“It’s not homemade.” Jungkook replied, not even looking up from his laptop.
“Oh. Right.” Taehyung stared at him for a moment before nodding and returning to his notebook. “So, Olivia—Ophelia! What’s wrong with me!” He groaned, as they continued studying.
♡
Taehyung signed up for a baking class that allowed students to take their creations home. Jungkook’s comment about loving homemade treats stayed in his mind for days and he found himself watching baking tutorials and exploring recipes on YouTube. There was just one problem: the dorm room had no oven. The best he could manage was pancakes. So, he searched online for ways to bake without an oven and discovered various methods, but all warned that the results wouldn’t compare to traditional baking.
He began to brainstorm how to sneak an oven into the dorm, but he didn't want to risk getting caught or, worse, burning the place down. After venting to Jimin about this, he suggested signing up for a baking class that allowed students to take their goodies home. Taehyung thought it was a brilliant idea and as a thank you, bought Jimin a chocolate pie. However, Jimin scolded him for tempting him with something he was trying to avoid while working out. Left with no choice, Taehyung ate the entire pie himself in his dorm. He considered saving some for Yoongi but the pie was too delicious to resist. Yoongi found him on his bed with a stomachache and chocolate smeared all over his face.
As for the baking class, the one on campus was full until next year and Taehyung couldn’t wait that long. He begged to be added, but they explained there weren’t enough baking stations. However, they did have one spot available in a couples baking class starting soon, but he needed a partner. They didn’t care if the partners were a real couple, but it had to be two people. Taehyung asked Jimin, but received a slipper thrown at him in response. Asking Jungkook was out of the question, he wanted to bake for him, not with him. So, the only person left was Yoongi.
Yoongi had mentioned countless times how much he disliked cooking, so Taehyung was hesitant to ask. Not wanting to hear a refusal, he made a plan. On Wednesday morning, he got dressed and made himself presentable, then began shouting at the sleeping Yoongi to wake up.
“Wh-what!” Yoongi jolted upright in bed, pale and disoriented. He rubbed his eyes, trying to make sense of the chaos. “What the hell is wrong with you?” He shouted, finally noticing Taehyung looking perfectly fine.
“We’re going to the couples baking class!” Taehyung announced, glowing with excitement.
“A what?” Yoongi blinked, still processing the information. “When did we become a couple?”
“We’re not! The only available spot was in the couples class, so you’re my pretend boyfriend.” Taehyung explained, tugging at Yoongi's arm to pull him up.
“Fuck off, Taehyung!” Yoongi groaned, hiding under his blanket.
Knowing it would take too long to persuade him otherwise, Taehyung decided on a more drastic approach. He yanked the blanket off with surprising ease, catching Yoongi off guard.
“Yoongi, please!” Taehyung knelt beside the bed, using his best puppy eyes.
“No.”
“I’m doing this for Jungkook! I’m so close to making him like me! I’ll literally die if we don’t go! Please, please, please, please, please, please—”
“No!”
“Please, please, please, please, please, please, please—”
“Fine! Okay! Fuck!” Yoongi pushed him down onto his butt. “Just shut up!”
“Oh my god, you’re the best!” Taehyung exclaimed, jumping up to his feet. “I love you!”
“I hate you. Now go away.” Yoongi groaned. “But I need a favor in return.”
“Yes! What is it?” Taehyung asked.
“I need you to be my whistleblower.”
“I don’t know how to whistle…” Taehyung mumbled, making Yoongi roll his eyes. “Why do you need me to whistle?”
“Taehyung, a whistleblower means you have to be my informant.” He clarified. “About Park.”
“Jimin? Why?” Taehyung asked, very confused.
“I need to know everything about who he’s dating, talking to, or flirting with. I need to know it all.” Yoongi’s tone was serious.
“Yoongi…” Taehyung bit his lip. “Do you like Jimin?” He squealed, reaching for his arm.
“I didn’t say that, you dumbass.” Yoongi pushed him away. “I just need to know. He keeps claiming he’s having so much fun and I don’t believe it. Park is a loser.”
“If you don’t believe it, why do you want me to give you his secrets?”
“Because I just need to! Don’t ask questions or you can kiss your baking class and your precious Jungkook goodbye!”
Taehyung giggled, shaking his head. He knew he wouldn’t spill anything to Yoongi, but he definitely wanted to stir up something for both him and Jimin.
But that could wait, he had his own boy to focus on first.
He watched as Yoongi washed his face, dressed and muttered curses under his breath, yet nothing could fade his smile.
“Come on! They’re teaching us muffins today!” Taehyung exclaimed, grabbing Yoongi’s elbow and pulling him toward the door, ignoring his protests and threats.
He was just too excited.
♡
Taehyung could hardly contain his excitement as he made his way to the study space on campus. He had just finished his third baking class with Yoongi and for the first time, they had made something actually good enough to share with Jungkook.
In their first class, they attempted muffins, but Yoongi nearly vomited after tasting them. They ended up salty because Taehyung mixed up the salt and sugar. In the second class, they tried making pain au chocolat, which turned out so dry that it crumbled in Taehyung’s hands before he could even take a bite.
Today, however, they made vanilla cream pastries. Taehyung was anxious, this was the day of his second tutoring session with Jungkook and he needed to bring something, anything! Even literal crumbs would do at this point!
As Yoongi pulled the tray from the oven, Taehyung prayed to every god he could think of, including the Greek ones. The pastries ended up looking decent, some were a bit ugly, but they had character. Yoongi counted to three before bravely taking a bite. To both of their surprise, the pastry didn’t crumble or make him feel sick. Taehyung quickly snatched it from him and took a bite himself and much to his delight, it was actually good!
He carefully packed the pastries into a cute container, leaving two of the ugly ones for Yoongi and set off to the study space where Jungkook was waiting. They were going to study Macbeth!
Taehyung almost squealed when he saw Jungkook sitting at the desk, typing on his laptop. He looked amazing. His hair, his clothes, his face… everything about him was perfect!
He skipped over to him, carefully placing the pastry container on the desk.
“Hello, Jungkookie!” Taehyung greeted.
“Jungkook.” He replied with an exhale. “Repeat after me. Jung… Kook. Kook!”
“Jung… Kookie!” Taehyung grinned, making Jungkook roll his eyes. “I brought you vanilla pastries. I baked them myself! I wanted to make cherry-filled ones because they’re my favorite, but I didn’t have any cherries.”
“The dorms don’t have ovens.” Jungkook raised an eyebrow.
“I found an oven. It wasn’t hard.” Taehyung winked. “Go on, try one!” He nudged the container toward him.
“I’m not hungry.” Jungkook said, causing Taehyung’s smile to falter. Despite his annoyance with Taehyung’s enthusiasm with literally everything, seeing him upset tugged at something inside Jungkook, something he couldn’t quite understand. So he changed his mind. “But I will try them.”
“You will?” Taehyung’s eyes sparkled, his smile returning.
“Yeah, sure.” Jungkook opened the container, grabbed a pastry and took a bite. Taehyung held his breath, hoping this one wouldn’t disappoint. “It’s good.” Jungkook said, nodding.
“It is?!” Taehyung squealed, drawing everyone’s attention.
“Yeah, just try not to scream.” Jungkook sighed. “Thanks for this.”
“I’m going to bring you so much more!” Taehyung clapped his hands. “My nanny was right, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach…” He whispered, watching Jungkook enjoy the sweet pastry as he completely missed out on what Taehyung had said.
“Can we move on to Macbeth now?” Jungkook asked. Taehyung quickly pulled out his (well, Yoongi’s) notebook and flipped to the pages of Macbeth notes. This time, he was well-prepared. He would not mistakenly call the Three Witches some ridiculous name like Three Blind Mice or something.
As they started studying, Taehyung thoroughly explained everything, simplifying the complex language using Yoongi’s notes. Jungkook occasionally grabbed pastries to munch on, sending Taehyung almost soaring in the sky from happiness. At one point, Jungkook began reading and discussing different points of the book on his own.
The study space was quiet, filled only with the soft rustle of pages and occasional whispers around them. Taehyung leaned on his hand, watching as Jungkook furrowed his brows, deeply focused on the text and played with his lip ring with his fingers. His sharp jawline clenched slightly as he read, mouth moving silently as if rehearsing the lines.
Breathing out, Taehyung rested his chin in his palm, his gaze completely moving from the play to Jungkook’s face. How can someone look so good just reading Shakespeare? He tried to concentrate on Yoongi’s notes, but his thoughts kept wandering back to Jungkook, his messy hair and the way his hands gripped the book.
“Taehyung.” Jungkook’s voice pulled him from his daze. “You’re supposed to be helping me, not staring. I asked you a question.”
“Right! Sorry. It’s just… you look really serious when you’re reading.” Taehyung replied, straightening up and blinking rapidly.
“Well, that’s because I don’t understand anything in this stupid book.” Jungkook said with a frown, clearly unimpressed by the weird compliment. “It’s not exactly an easy read.”
“True, but that’s why you’ve got me.” Taehyung grinned, tapping the book with his finger. “Let’s make this fun. How about we act out a scene?”
“We’re not doing that.” Jungkook shook his head, leaning back in his chair.
“Oh, come on, it’ll help you remember!” Taehyung sat up straighter, flipping through the pages until he found what he was looking for. “I’ll be Lady Macbeth and you can be Macbeth. The power couple!”
“Is this a circus?” Jungkook shot him a look.
“Nope, this is the Globe Theatre in London, Sir!” Taehyung pouted, widening his eyes dramatically. “Please? I promise I won’t make it weird.”
Jungkook sighed. He usually escaped these situations, but Taehyung’s puppy eyes were hard to resist right now. Plus, he had an essay to write. Stupid Macbeth couldn’t wait.
“Fine.” He muttered, crossing his arms. “Just one scene. But we’re sticking to the text.”
“Yes! Okay, here’s the part where Lady Macbeth convinces Macbeth to kill Duncan. Are you ready?” Taehyung asked, getting excited.
“Who the fuck is Duncan again?”
“You’ll remember, trust me!” Taehyung reassured him.
“Fine. Let’s just get this over with.” Jungkook rolled his eyes but leaned forward, giving in.
Taehyung cleared his throat dramatically, slipping into character.
“Glamis, thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be what thou art promised: yet do I fear thy nature; it is too full o' the milk of human kindness to catch the nearest way…” Jungkook’s lips twitched as he fought back a smile, watching Taehyung pour himself into the performance.
When it was Jungkook’s turn, he delivered his lines in his usual deadpan tone.
“If it were done when ’tis done, then ’twere well it were done quickly… ” Jungkook paused, glancing up to find Taehyung gazing at him, his beautiful eyes wide and starry. Jungkook was’t exaggerating, they actually looked like stars were shining within them. He cleared his throat. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Like what?” Taehyung asked innocently, batting his eyelashes.
“Like that.” Jungkook mumbled, a faint blush creeping up his neck. “You’re supposed to be Lady Macbeth, not… whatever you are right now.”
“I’m just getting into character! Lady Macbeth would definitely look at her husband like this.” Taehyung grinned mischievously.
“Stop it.” Jungkook’s voice was firm, but the color in his cheeks exposed him.
“Fine, fine. I’ll stop.” Taehyung chuckled, leaning back in his chair. “You’re really good at this, though. You’ve got the brooding Macbeth thing down perfectly.”
“I’m not brooding.” Jungkook insisted, his ears turning pink. “I’m just… reading.”
“Right. Just reading.” Taehyung teased, nudging Jungkook’s foot under the table. Jungkook glared at him, though it lacked any real bite.
“Can we get back to the actual tutoring?” Jungkook groaned. “I might actually lose my mind over this play.”
“Of course. What part are you struggling with?” Taehyung asked softly, feeling happy because of how he had sent Jungkook into his flustered state.
“All of it.” Jungkook rolled his eyes. “But this part… I don’t understand why Macbeth keeps doubting himself. If he’s going to do it, why not just fucking go for it? Why all the back and forth? Moody bitch.”
“It’s because Macbeth is torn between his ambition and his conscience.” Taehyung explained, trying to stay focused. “He wants power, but deep down, he knows what he’s about to do is bad. The thoughts of that decision is crushing him.” He relayed this directly from Yoongi’s notes. That dude had a real talent when it came to explaining Shakespeare.
“I guess that makes sense.” Jungkook stared at the book.
Taehyung bit his lip, watching Jungkook think it through. There was something so endearing about how seriously he took everything unlike him. To Taehyung, life was… life.
“You’re kind of like him, you know.” Taehyung said with a small smile, almost to himself.
“What do you mean?” Jungkook looked up, frowning.
“You’re always so serious and focused on what’s right in front of you.” Taehyung explained. “But I bet there’s more to you.”
“I’m not like Macbeth.” Jungkook replied, blinking in surprise.
“Maybe not. But you have a lot of layers.” Taehyung said. “I would love to unpack those layers.”
Jungkook looked away, suddenly feeling uncomfortable.
“Can we just stick to Macbeth?” He asked. “Actual Macbeth, not me as Macbeth.”
“Sure, sure. Back to the lesson.” Taehyung chuckled lightly. He leaned forward, pointing to a passage. “Okay, this part here: Is this a dagger which I see before me? This is where Macbeth starts seeing things. His guilt is messing with his mind, making him doubt everything.”
“So he’s hallucinating?” Jungkook nodded, following along.
“Yep. It’s like his mind is haunting him.”
Jungkook’s gaze met Taehyung’s and for a brief moment, the air between them felt heavier.
“You really know this stuff, huh?” Jungkook murmured.
Yeah, I spent all night reading Yoongi’s notes , he wanted to say. But instead, he just nodded and continued explaining the play.
Over the next few weeks, Taehyung and Jungkook settled into a routine. Their study sessions became regular at the library, moving from Shakespeare to Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey. At first, Jungkook remained distant, his responses short and his eyes glued to the text. Taehyung’s unbreakable enthusiasm, whether he was passionately acting out scenes from Shakespeare or dramatically recounting Achilles’ rage, was often met with sighs and eye rolls.
During their lessons on The Iliad, Taehyung would reenact the battles with exaggerated gestures, wielding his pen like a sword. Jungkook tried to maintain his focus, but he couldn’t help the occasional smirk tugging at the corners of his lips, especially when Taehyung pretended to be a sulking Achilles. Though he didn’t say it, he appreciated how Taehyung brought the ancient text to life in a way because it actually helped him memorize complicated passages better.
By the time they reached The Odyssey, something had shifted. Taehyung’s enthusiasm was still in full force and Jungkook had become noticeably more open and engaged. They laughed together as Taehyung described Odysseus’ cleverness and once, while discussing the sirens, Taehyung joked: “If I were one of them, do you think you’d resist my song?”
“Hmm… Probably not.” Jungkook muttered, glancing away with a shy grin. “What song would you sing?”
“Umm… Something by One Direction?” Taehyung said, eyes dripping mischief. “Imagine me, a mermaid, emerging from the water and singing What Makes You Beautiful!”
Jungkook snorted, but then Taehyung burst into loud, unrestrained laughter, nearly doubling over.
“That would freak me out so bad.” Jungkook managed between chuckles. “I’d kick you rather than get lured in.”
Their laughter built up, rolling out uncontrollably between them.
“Imagine me going baby you light up my world like nobody— and then boom, boot to the face!” Taehyung, still laughing, could barely get his words out.
Jungkook had lost it, imagining the situation, his eyes crinkling, nose scrunching and his shoulders shaking, as he clutched his stomach. It felt like the first time Taehyung had truly heard him laugh that hard at one of his jokes.
Though he still kept his guard up, there were small moments when Jungkook found himself smiling at Taehyung’s every action, feeling the warmth of his presence overshadow any annoyance, lift his spirits and actually look forward to the next session.
Between their discussions on Shakespeare’s moral dilemmas and Homer’s heroic epics, Taehyung would often change subject and talk about his passion for art and why he chose to study it to not overwhelm Jungkook’s mind and help him remember material better. Sometimes, between breaking down Romeo and Juliet, Taehyung would pull out his sketchbook. “I’ve been working on this…” He’d say, sliding a half-finished drawing of an abstract landscape across the table. “What do you think?”
Jungkook would glance up from his book and though he didn’t know much about art, he couldn’t help but admire Taehyung’s talent. “It’s beautiful…” He’d say, his gaze flicking back to the text, but Taehyung always noticed how Jungkook’s eyes stayed a bit longer on the sketches each time.
Occasionally, Taehyung would arrive at their sessions with several works-in-progress. “Look, this is from my painting class!” He’d say, excitedly handing over a canvas he’d been working on. Jungkook had found himself nodding in genuine interest.
“You really love this, huh?” Jungkook asked one day, eyeing a colorful sketch of a sunset that Taehyung had brought.
“Yeah.” Taehyung replied, his smile fond as usual. “Art’s like… I don’t know, it’s my way of figuring things out. I’ve always felt a bit distant from everything. I’m sure you have something like that for yourself.” Jungkook didn’t respond, but some kind of tension in his shoulders eased slightly.
It wasn’t just Taehyung’s passion for art that surprised Jungkook. Every session, without fail, Taehyung brought a neatly packed container of baked goods. The first time, Jungkook thought it was a one-off, but each time, he found himself staring down at the perfectly arranged sweets, unsure of how to react.
“Here.” Taehyung said one day, sliding the container across the table, grinning with pride. “I baked these this morning. Chocolate chip, it is your favorite, right?”
Jungkook eyed the cookies as if they were suspicious, but Taehyung’s awaiting look left him no choice.
“How did you know I like chocolate chip cookies?” Jungkook asked, taking one hesitantly.
“Everyone loves chocolate chip cookies!” Taehyung laughed, his eyes bright with excitement. Jungkook took a cautious bite and despite himself, his usual stoic expression softened.
“They’re very delicious.” He admitted quietly.
These baked goods had become highlights of his week. Jungkook didn’t ask for them, but he never refused either, quietly munching as Taehyung rambled on about Juliet’s innocence or Achilles’ tragic fate.
Taehyung noticed the shift in him. Jungkook was still reserved, still focused, but there was a lightness now. Maybe it was the way he stopped rolling his eyes at Taehyung’s silly remarks, or how he occasionally chuckled and even laughed at his jokes. Or perhaps it was how he started asking more questions, moving from conversations about the course material to topics that were completely unrelated.
Slowly but surely, Jungkook was warming up to him. And with every session, Taehyung found himself falling deeper in love.
