A Way To Your Heart - Chapter 23: Chapter 23

It was midnight and Jungkook was having a very peaceful sleep until his head fell on the mattress as if something pulled his head back. He half opened his eyes only to find his pillow was no more under his head. He looked at the floor thinking it might fell down since he was sleeping by the very edge of the bed, not to get closer to Taehyung who already took over half of the huge bed, but the pillow wasn't on the floor either. He furrowed his eyebrows and turned back just to find his pillow in Taehyung's arms. Taehyung was literally hugging Jungkook's pillow.
But when did he take it? Did Taehyung just snatch the pillow from Jungkook's head?
"Yah..! Give me my pillow."
Jungkook poked Taehyung's shoulder but got no response.
"Taehyung. You're holding my pillow. Give it back."
He shook Taehyung's shoulder but the other just whined and hugged the pillow even tighter.
"Taehyung. Give it back."
He tried to take the pillow but Taehyung clutched onto the pillow and kept whining.
He finally snatched it but before he could move away, Taehyung wrapped his arm around his waist.
Not again. It's the same as when they were in Malta. Jungkook couldn't take that arm off from himself and now, Taehyung was literally hugging him in his sleep.
"I'm not your pillow Taehyung."
Jungkook sighed but closed his eyes, still letting the other hug him... just like before.
But who will remind him the moment of how he wished to be a lucky pillow?
‐
It didn't take more than a few hours for the dark night sky to be painted with shades of blue by the morning sunlight.
Jungkook opened his eyes but the first thing they landed on was Taehyung's hand on his chest, with the wedding ring perfectly wrapped around his beautiful finger, it did looked mesmerizing to look at.
Taehyung was still in his arms, sleeping peacefully with a cute pout and his long fluffy messy hair. Jungkook could clearly say the other really did gained some weight from his face that got chubbier.
Jungkook slowly brought his hand and caressed the hand on his chest before trying to remove it from him so that he can get up but Taehyung whined at the touch and snuggled himself closer to him. He just sighed and stayed on the bed for few minutes since it was still a bit early, then he managed to get up when it was already time for his morning jog.
Taehyung finally woke up from his sweet sleep but found the other side of the bed empty. He check the time but it was still early, well, more like earlier than his usual wake up time. But Jungkook wasn't in the room.
"Taehyung. Are you up?"
Taehyung turned towards the door when his mother entered.
"Get freshened up and come down. I'll make breakfast for us."
Mrs. Kim smiled as he walked out of the room after getting a nod from her son.
Taehyung thought Jungkook would also be in kitchen with his mother but he still couldn't see him even in the kitchen when he went down.
"Searching for Jungkook?"
Mrs. Kim said when she noticed her son roaming his eyes around.
"Huh? Uh... Yeah."
Taehyung cleared his throat as he sat on a chair.
"He's not back yet."
Mrs. Kim said with her hand still busy making pancake.
"Not back? Did he go somewhere?"
Taehyung tilted his head. Where must he go early in the morning?
"He went out to jog. I met him by the stairs when I woke up and he told me he's gonna go jogging."
Mrs. Kim said as she kept herself busy in her cooking without turning back.
"I gotta say you're really lucky to get someone like Jungkook. He's handsome, polite, has a good job for himself, he's such a gentleman and I think he takes good care of you, doesn't he? It's hard to get someone like him nowadays."
"Woah. He even woke up early and go jogging today? Trying your best to look like a good guy in front of my mom huh? Good work big bunny."
Taehyung scoffed at his own thoughts.
"Do you know when he usually comes back?"
"Huh? Uh..."
Taehyung didn't know what to answer. He never saw Jungkook going for jog before.
Just then, their front door opened, revealing Jungkook in his black oversized shirt and shorts, drenched in sweat as he removed the airpods from his ears, catching his breath.
"Oh You're back? Go and take a bath. I already made breakfast."
Mrs. Kim said when she saw Jungkook.
"Why did you have to make it Mom? You're our guest here. I should've return earlier and make it for you."
Jungkook said looking at the pancakes she made.
"You can make it for Taehyung when I'm not here anymore. Let me make it for you while I'm here. So come down here after your bath. Let's eat together. You'll be late for your work."
Jungkook nodded with a smile as he run upstairs.
"He's so sweet."
Mrs. Kim cooed at Jungkook while Taehyung rolled his eyes, making sure not to be noticed by his mother.
After they had their breakfast, Jungkook was getting ready for his work.
"I gotta say you're really doing great. You even went out to jog today? Trying your best to impress my mom huh?"
Jungkook stopped his hand that was combing his hair when he heard Taehyung's voice from behind.
"Me? But I jog every morning."
"Every morning? How come I never know about it?"
Taehyung crossed his arms as he sat on the edge of the bed.
"Because you always wake up late everyday."
Jungkook kept the comb inside the drawer and turned back but tried so hard to control his laugh when he saw Taehyung's face, he left him speechless because it was the truth anyway.
"Well... ahem... Mom said she'll cook the lunch so you don't need to come back and cook today. So... come at lunch time, we'll eat together."
Taehyung said as he stood up and followed Jungkook who nodded and walked out of the room.
"You're going Jungkook?"
Jungkook had to turned back from opening the front door when he heard Mrs. Kim's voice.
"Yes Mom."
He smiled when she patted his head.
"Take care when you drive ok?"
"Yes Mom. I will."
He bowed at her as he turned towards Taehyung who was standing beside her.
"Wait for me ok? We'll have lunch together."
Taehyung was about to fake a smile but Jungkook suddenly wrapped his arm around his waist and gave him peck on his cheeks.
"Bye baby."
Taehyung stood there, stunned by how Jungkook did that so smoothly as if they do it everyday. It looked so casual but it's actually the fact that it was the first time Jungkook peck his cheeks.
His mother was squealing beside him, but all he could think at the moment was about the way Jungkook just went away after what he did... he couldn't ignore the way his cheeks gradually start burning up.
‐
"Yah! Park Jimin! I'll kill you if you move even for an inch from there."
Jimin face palmed himself and turned back.
"Yoonji. I don't want to go."
"No. You have to go to my house today. My brother is not in home now."
"It's not because of him."
"Then why?"
Yoonji crossed her arms but Jimin didn't say anything.
Yoonji didn't get to hang out with Jimin the previous day after Taehyung went home, Jimin insisted saying he don't want to go without Taehyung. But when they asked Taehyung if they can hang out together the next day, Taehyung couldn't come since his mother stayed over and he had to stay with her.
And now that Taehyung couldn't come, Jimin tried to escape again but Yoonji didn't plan to let her friend leave her alone this time.
"You don't have any reason right?"
Yoonji took a step forward when Jimin didn't answer.
"Jimin. If you've really moved on from him like you said, you wouldn't have tried to run away from him like you're doing now. You should be thinking he's no other person but just your friend's brother. I understand it might be hard for you to forget what happened in the past, but I know you still can't move on from him. Right?"
Yoonji sighed when Jimin just stood there in silence.
"Jimin, I'm not in the place to say these things to you but as your friend, I just wanna say you shouldn't run away from your heart. Don't lead your heart Jimin, let your heart leads you. And I'll support whatever your heart wants."
Jimin held his head down, biting his lower lip and fidgeting his fingers but Yoonji held them in her hand, caressing it gently.
He took a deep breath as he looked up at Yoonji and smiled at her.
"Thank you Yoonji."
Yoonji sighed in relief when she saw her friend smiling again and brought him to her home.
Jimin hesitated before taking his step inside the house, the same door where he left the same house six years ago.
Yoonji held his hand, giving him an assuring smile. He took a deep breath as he took his step forward.
"Mom and Dad aren't home now. Let's go to my room. Come."
Yoonji dragged him towards her room and that's when he could finally breathe out the air that lumped in his throat as he surpassed a particular room.
"Look. I changed the settings of my room. I thought it would be more spacious and better to place the bed by the window. Isn't it better now? We can sit and watch movies sitting here too."
Jimin chuckled as he watch his friend showing her room. The door was closed so he felt relief that no one would come inside and... he won't see anyone.
"It would've been more better if Taehyung was here. He would've literally run around and would've turn the whole house into a mess."
Yoonji said as she stuffed her mouth with popcorn, eyes still on the movie played on TV.
"Yeah. I remember how we made a whole mess in the kitchen while cooking ramen and Taehyung dropped that big glass bowl and we all got scolded by Yoongi hyu--"
Jimin cut himself off and breathe in.
Yoonji was right. He always say he already moved on from his past, but whenever that name comes up, all of his past return back and chase him to somewhere he couldn't save himself.
"Wanna eat something? Let's make kimbap. I learned making it while I was living with my grandma. So help me out. Come on."
Yoonji tried to change the subject after seeing Jimin's expression.
Jimin nodded as he followed Yoonji to the kitchen. He was so into making the kimbap that he almost forgot all the thoughts he had in his mind for the time being.
But his cleared mind wasn't for long time when he heard a familiar voice from behind.
"Yoonji. Have you seen my---"
The male who walked inside the kitchen cut himself off when his eyes fell on a certain pink haired guy looking at him.
"Ji-Jimin?"
Jimin felt chills all over his body when his name come out from those lips.
That's the moment he realized himself, realized that the black haired male in front of him still has the same effect on him just like it used to have. The six years he spent to move on, it all gone in vain just in a few seconds. It looks like he had run enough and can no longer hide from him.
"It's been a while, Yoongi hyung."
Jimin tried to pulled up a smile.
"Yeah. How are you?"
Yoongi took a step forward but Jimin took two steps backward, like always.
"I'm doing good Hyung."
It was the only thing he said before turning away from the other's gaze.
Yoonji just stood there between the two. The air in the kitchen seemed dense, filled with the awkward silence, which she's not a fond of.
"Well... We were making kimbap. Oppa, will you please show the house around to Jimin? It's been so long he hasn't come here. He might forget the surroundings."
She broke the silence but it didn't look like a good idea anymore as Jimin went out of the kitchen saying he don't need to, leaving only the two.
"Why are you still standing here? Go after him."
She pushed her brother.
"But he said he doesn't need it."
Yoongi dropped his shoulders.
"I've never seen such an idiot like you."
She shook her head.
"What? How could you say that to your brother?"
Yoongi pulled his sister's ear to which she hitched in pain.
"Then who is the idiot here? You're not just an idiot but a coward too."
She crossed her arms but just when Yoongi was about to say something, she continued.
"I brought him here with so much effort just for you so that you can clear out the things that happened before. But look at you. Please don't try to do the same mistake you did six years ago."
Yoongi sighed at her words. He admit it, that was his fault and he want to fix that. But...
"What if he doesn't like me anymore like he used to?"
Yes. That was the only thing that scares him the most in these years.
"He does. I can see it in his eyes. That's why I brought him back to you."
Yoonji gave her brother an assuring smile.
"Oppa. You said the same thing before too. You were always scared if you would scare him out by confessing him, if he won't like you back. I know it was all messed up that day and didn't turn out the way we all wanted, maybe because all of us were young and didn't know much about relationships, but you can make it right this time. Right? Please say you will. Hmm?"
Yoongi took a deep breath and looked at his sister.
"I will."
He smiled and patted her head before going towards the way Jimin went, towards the backyard.
Yoonji let out a relief sigh, hoping everything goes well with the two. She already had watch enough of the one sided love race between them and it was hard for her to just watch them getting hurt by themselves while she knew how they feel for each other.
A proud smile rose up in her lips, feeling like she has finally done something for them to have each other another chance.
Jimin didn't stop his feet until he reach the backyard of the house. Of course he know every single area of the house. Why not when he literally used to play and stay 24/7 in the same house before?
He used to go to Yoonji's house to hang out together with her since Taehyung always goes back home just after their school ends because of his overprotective parents, not that it affected their friendship but those little distances between them made their friendship more stronger.
Yoonji didn't have much friends other than Jimin and Taehyung. She would always keep herself busy doodling something on her notepad while other girls in the class were busy talking about their new cosmetics and dates. Other girls didn't talk to her because she wasn't interested in their stories. She was arrogant, cold, and didn't talk to others much, she was different. No one understood her until Jimin and Taehyung met her at arcade, they played a game together and the two males were impressed with her skills. From that day, as if they were put together in a single jar, they fit perfectly and get attached with each other eventhough all three of them were with whole contrast characters and that's when they became friends. She was thankful to the two males for understanding her and the two were thankful for getting such a sweet and caring friend.
Since she didn't have friends, she always asked them to hang out with her but Taehyung only get to go with them if it's holiday or weekends after numerous pleadings to his parents. So she would drag Jimin to her house everyday after school and that's how he got to know Yoongi.
Yeah. The one who moved his heart for the first time with the beautiful melodies of his piano, gentle and soft... just like him. With every sound that comes out when the strings strikes everytime his fingers pressed the keys, it made his heart dance to the rythm of the melody.
Everything was perfect and beautiful until that day comes, the day everything changed. But who would've even imagine a day will come when he feel awkward being near to the same person?
Jimin noticed the backyard door slowly opened. He flinched a little when someone approached him, he knew who it was just just from the sound of the grasses with each footsteps and he also knew how the other kept a distance of a meter between them when he flinch.
Sometimes he knows so much than he should, and 'the someone' understands so much than he should. And it annoys him.
Jimin took a quick glance by his side while sitting on one of the small swing as the other sat on another beside him. An awkward feeling was still in their air.
"Jimin?"
That voice, deep and husky yet so calming, whenever that voice calls his name, he always used to feel so peaceful. And it still does, even at that moment, even after 6 years.
He thought he'll never get to hear that voice again but when he heard it, a sudden relief rushed into his spines, loosening his stiffened body a bit.
"Yes Yoongi Hyung."
He turned towards the other, pulling up a smile.
"When did you come back from Canada, hyung?"
He need to sound normal. The other shouldn't know what his heart was voicing out from his chest. Eventhough Yoongi was always gentle to him, cared for him, he did that because to Yoongi, he's just a friend of his sister. Right?
"Umm... two months back."
Yoongi replied.
"Two months? So... you were here in Seoul for two months and..."
Jimin lowered down his voice, more like murmuring.
"...and I didn't know?"
He let out a faint smile and looked up.
"So... how's your work there?"
"Pretty good."
Jimin nodded and the backyard was silent again. He knew Yoongi don't speak much usually but, answering with only a few words? Is that really all he had to say to him after not seeing each other for 6 years? Did all these years ate up all his words? Doesn't he want to ask him anything?
These things were crowding up Jimin's head until Yoongi stood up suddenly.
Why did he stand up? Does he want to leave already? Did he make it more awkward between them?
But all his questions vanished at the moment when Yoongi crouched down in front of him and grabbed the swing chain with his hand, smiling at him.
"You got more cute now."
Jimin couldn't believe it was really Yoongi who said those words to him. He couldn't even look at him that he let his eyes roam around the backyard except at the male in front of him. He tried so hard to think of the fact that Yoongi might say it as a big brother, but he couldn't stop his burning cheeks.
"T-thank you."
He tried not to stutter. Well, at least he tried, failing isn't that important... yeah.
"And... you became more handsome now."
Jimin really wanted to cut his tongue and throw it away when that sentence slipped from his tongue.
"Well. Thank you."
Yoongi smiled again as he get up.
"Do you remember I used to do this for you?"
Jimin couldn't even say anything before Yoongi pushed the swing for him. He screamed in shock at the sudden action while Yoongi kept staring at him wearing a wide smile on his face.
"Hyung, Please stop this. This is too much."
Jimin whined and Yoongi quickly grabbed the chain, stopping the swing.
He smiled when Yoongi fixed his messy hair.
They laughed together, without any words, just by looking at each other.
Their eyes never left each other as if one will go away if they blinked even for a second.
The awkwardness between them was long gone and that's when they realized how much they missed each other.
Eventhough they never know how the other feel for the other, their eyes tell everything, the way they longed for each other.
Even if it's not, they just want to believe it is... at least just for this moment.