Forty minutes after the food was delivered, and after Taehyung and Jungkook had gorged themselves to the cusp of a food coma, it became very clear that buying so much food may have been a bit overboard.

No matter. They still ate a fair amount themselves and somehow do end up making the containers fit into Jungkook's fridge.

(It turned out that half the food he did have was expired so throwing those out helped with clearing space.)

Now everything is neatly stacked and easily accessible to take back out for Jungkook to offer to his guest when he awakes.

After the food is put away, Taehyung goes back to the living room, falling onto the couch with a bounce.

He's laying on his back with an arm thrown over his face, covering his eyes.

Jungkook follows behind shortly after, lifting his friends legs to lay them over his lap.

They are quiet after that, digesting their food as well as their day. It still doesn't seem quite real to either of them.

Like it was all some sort of strange dream.

But it did happen and these things, the consequences that will follow, cannot be ignored by either of them.

The air around them feels heavier the longer they sit in silence.

"I can hear you thinking," Jungkook says finally with a dry chuckle, casting his gaze to his friend.

After a few beats, Taehyung removes his arm from over his face and props himself up on his elbows to look at Jungkook directly.

He has his lips pressed into a frown and Jungkook can tell he's deciding not what to say but how to say it.

Organizing what he wants to say. What he's feeling.

"I have a plan... I've had it for a while," he begins. "Financially I'm not worried. That was the first thing I made sure to set up. I've got my own savings of money I've made myself from investments I've made on my own. I can take care of myself. I know I can."

He furrows his brows, frowning for a moment before continuing. "The actual breaking-away-from-the-family part, that I don't think I really thought too deeply about. About what that actually meant..." he raises his eyes to meet Jungkook's. "I've been the only person besides you that I could count on to take care of me for as long as I can remember. But, it's still..." he trails off, casting his eyes away from Jungkook's again.

"Scary," Jungkook voices with a sympathetic smile.

Taehyung nods, looking back at Jungkook. "Yeah. Really fucking scary."

Jungkook knows Taehyung can do it. Can be independent and live on his own. So does Taehyung. But it's still uncharted territory.

It's only been a few years that Taehyung really started to seriously think about getting away from his parent's money.

It was when his marriage was set up that he got completely serious about it.

Despite it being intimidating to think about him being completely disconnected from his parents, Taehyung has already spent the better part of his life basically on his own.

He practically raised himself but that doesn't mean this new chapter in his life is going to be any easier.

Being ignored by your parents is different than cutting them out of one's life entirely of your own accord.

Just because Taehyung spent a lot of time alone when he was a kid doesn't mean his parents didn't still provide for him. Didn't still finance his every need and want.

Now it's on him to do that. All on him for the first time.

So yes, the not knowing exactly how it's all going to pan out. That is scary.

.......

Growing up, after becoming friends with Taehyung, Jungkook couldn't help but feel like he was missing out on certain things.

His family wasn't poor by any means but they weren't anywhere near as wealthy or have the same social status as the Kim's down the street.

Jungkook lived in the smallest house in the neighborhood.

(It was still a six bedroom, seven bathroom home with a game room and a pool, but the smallest on the block nonetheless.)

His parents were well enough off and provided their three children with anything they needed. But they also made sure to teach them the value of a dollar.

Taught them to have a strong work ethic and the importance of making a name for themselves as individuals instead of relying on their parent's means or their inheritance to get by.

(If ever their children were seriously in need of money their parents were more than happy to lend them whatever amount they needed. Extending a loan also meant setting up an attainable payment plan as well though.

Nothing was given to them freely not because their parents were cruel, but because they wanted their children to be responsible.)

Growing up Jungkook and his siblings had weekly chores of cleaning the house. They were also tasked to each make dinner one night per week for the family as well as expected to get jobs during the summer when school was out.

They had a set allowance during the school year– they didn't have time with all of their after-school programs, practices and studying to have jobs on top of it all– and were encouraged to save up for things they wanted like the newest gadgets, designer clothes or the latest gaming systems or games to play on them.

Their parents would provide them with whatever they needed– such as things for school, fees for their various extracurriculars and clubs and although they had to pay for their own gas, they did each get cars when they got their licenses– but Jungkook along with his older brother and sister had to work and save their own money for the things they wanted.

He's incredibly grateful for the things his parents taught him back then now that he's an adult as those lessons helped him to be capable of taking care of himself and independent, but he was a bit resentful when he was younger.

He wouldn't mean to, but after becoming friends with Taehyung and seeing the way he was being raised Jungkook couldn't help but to compare his home life and the amount– which he now realizes was rather minor– of discipline his own parents would enforce to be nonexistent in Taehyung's home.

Taehyung had the typical rich kid upbringing of his parents always traveling for work, hardly ever being around, leaving him with debit and credit cards so he could buy whatever he wanted at any given time.

Otherwise, they didn't pay very much attention to their son.

Hell, Taehyung's nannies knew more about his interests and what things he was enjoying at whatever given point in his life than his parents did.

The way they showed any sort of acknowledgment towards Taehyung was through money and gifts.

His parents would often ship back home various packages from wherever in the world they were at the time. Things like silk scarves, designer clothes and shoes– the sizing they must have gotten from one of the nannies because there's no way they knew that information on their own– bags and jewelry.

Whatever they could buy, they would. The items were never very personable though.

Most of the clothes were things straight off the runway or things they must have seen trending in fashion editorials which if they knew anything about their son it would have been that Taehyung had a style all his own.

Sure his clothes were expensive in most cases but every outfit was put together by Taehyung himself with pieces from vintage fashion collections or lesser known Indy brands.

Their son's style was all his own.

Unmatched and not easily imitated. Much like the man himself.

(The man he raised himself to be.)

But again, they wouldn't know that. Not then and not now.

Taehyung was rebellious in his own way, breaking what few rules his parents would actually enforce frequently and the only way they could threaten him into obedience was by threatening to take his trust fund away.

Threatening to cut him off.

Taehyung knew very little about the world outside of his bubble of wealth because of the money thrown his way by Mr. and Mrs. Kim.

He'd learned more about being independent on his own away from his parents than he ever had before when he and Jungkook became friends. But even then, he was rather helpless.

He didn't really know how to clean up after himself or cook as he'd always had people to do that for him.

Once Jungkook came into his life, although a bit younger than Taehyung, he taught Taehyung how to take better care of himself.

Jungkook knows his friend has been trying to stash as much savings away as he could leading up to the wedding and then went even further with his investing after Jungkook agreed to help him.

(Taehyung knew no matter how the wedding ended, whether stopped by Jungkook or miraculously by his bride to be, money would be used as a bargaining tool to get him to either marry someone else or get back on track with the existing wedding and he wanted a fail safe just in case. Now, it's a good thing he had that foresight.)

Jungkook was so proud of Taehyung. So immensely proud and he tried to remind him of that often.

Tonight, talking to him and hearing he's scared, Jungkook feels terrible.

Terrible for his friend and terrible that he can't be of more help.

He hates not being able to help.

It feels like hours they've been sitting in silence, neither of them daring to breach the atmosphere that's surrounded them.

At this point though Jungkook is starting to feel like he has to say something. Anything.

His eyes dart back and forth rapidly as he tries to come up with something to say.

Something that can comfort his friend in any way.

As he gets wrapped up in his thoughts, wracking his brain for the best thing to say, it startles him when he hears Taehyung speak.

"This wasn't exactly the plan, you know? I think I'm still a bit in shock because of that. I'm still trying to kind of- talk myself into the belief that this is the better option. That being completely done with my parents is better than what would have happened if everything had worked out like you and I planned. It's just a little hard to do. I'm still trying to wrap my head around everything."

"Guess it's true what they say about your wedding day being a life changing day, huh," Jungkook jokes, trying to lighten the mood a bit. It seems to fall flat as Taehyung lays back onto the couch so he's flat on his back, lips still pulled down at the corners

Jungkook sighs.

"I don't know what you're going through so I can't pretend like I know exactly what advice to give or what the right thing to say is exactly, but I will tell you that I am here for you. I'll always be here for you."

Taehyung sits all of the way up on the couch then.

His expression is much softer, a gentle smile now gracing his lips.

"Thank you, Kookie. Really. That does make me feel better."

He then swings his legs off of Jungkook's lap so he can wrap his arms around him in a hug.

The angle is a little awkward because they're both still sitting on the couch but the sentiment is the same.

Jungkook pats Taehyung's back lightly. "Plus you've got all of our other friends. You'll probably never be on your own even if you wanted to. Jimin certainly wouldn't allow it. Jin either."

That does draw a laugh out of Taehyung.

"Speaking of Jin-hyung," Taehyung leans his head against Jungkook's shoulder as he sits next to him. Jungkook can hear the smile in his voice. "He and Hobi have been wanting me to visit for ages.

"If they haven't heard the news of what happened today already I can think of no better way to reappear into their boring, domestic lives than with a tale of broken runaway grooms and little Jungkookie being Prince Charming," he tilts his head up to look at Jungkook with a grin, scrunching his nose with a chuckle and Jungkook couldn't find it in his heart to tease back, disagree or give any reaction besides a smile and a giggle back.

It's true. Hoseok and Soekjin live for drama. They are going to eat up every word Taehyung says.

Probably even call Jimin over to enjoy in the cinematic storytelling.

Which means poor, unproblematic Namjoon will follow his sassy boyfriend to the impromptu reunion like the lovesick puppy dog he is.

Now that... that detail Jungkook does feel a little sorry for; that Namjoon will have to sit through all the giggling and squealing.

Poor guy.

Maybe he can save his favorite hyung. Or at least prolong his night in for a bit longer.

"You don't have to go. It's not like they're going anywhere. You can stay here tonight and we can-"

"You already have one house guest, Kookie," Taehyung smiles coyly, cutting Jungkook's sentence short. "You don't need another."

Jungkook's eyes widen as he makes an 'O' shape with his mouth.

He totally forgot about the pretty stranger in his bed!

He nods in agreement as Taehyung stands up from the couch saying he'd better get going.

Jungkook walks him to the door, bidding him good night with one last hug.

As soon as the door is shut behind his friend Jungkook lets out a sigh as he begins pacing around his living room and kitchen.

He's never been good at sitting still but especially not when he's anxious and anxious is the very largest of understatements right now.

He's more so full of anticipation but he tries to will himself to be patient. To calm down.

He decides the best way for him to do that is play some Overwatch to pass the time.

He makes his way back to his living room, readying his TV and turning on his PlayStation, getting the game pulled up and ready to play.

He grabs his controller but opts to leave his headset unused as he wants to be able to hear the man in his room if or when he needs anything.

He hopes it's soon, but he will also try his best to be patient.

He understands completely his exhaustion.

If Jungkook was in as much distress as the stranger was when Jungkook saw him he knows that he would pass out too.

He can't imagine the emotional stress one would have to be in to plead with a stranger to help you.

Jungkook hopes with all his heart that he can continue to help him.