The morning greeted you with a touch of sunlight. You woke up with a smile on face. You hadn't opened your eyes yet, but your hand was already searching for the pleasant warmth beside you. To your surprise, the bed was empty. You sat up, still sleepy, with a slight pout on your face. Sounds of conversation echoed from the depths of the apartment, so driven by curiosity, you put on an oversized Kook's shirt and tiptoed to the kitchen, tousled.

"Tae, let me go, I told you I need to hurry because I won't have time to prepare anything for her!"

"And I told you I want to help, why are you so stubborn?!"

The sight before you completely amused you. Tae was literally hanging on Jungkook's back, trailing behind him step by step like a little boy. They looked utterly ridiculous. Kook was trying to get rid of him at all costs, shaking him off like some autumn leaf. And even though he appeared annoyed from the side, in reality, both of them were in great spirits. "Such friendship is a treasure," you thought, not taking your eyes off them. Giggling, you entered the kitchen.

"Hi Kookie, and good morning, Taehyung," you mumbled when they finally focused their attention on you. Jungkook flashed you one of his most beautiful smiles, muttering a greeting under his breath. Tae stood there, staring at you, wordless, as if someone had frozen him in place. Finally, Koo nudged him with his elbow, and he blinked several times.

"Huh?" he uttered, finally waking up from the somewhat awkward trance.

"You said you'd help me," Kook said, almost offended, handing him a plate full of cut goodies. Tae hastily took it from him, placing it on the table right in front of you. You tried not to lift your eyes to him, focusing your attention on Jungkook instead.

"So, Tae suggested..." Jungkook suddenly began, cheerfully adding more dishes to the table, "that we prepare dinner for everyone today. You know, for the whole rest of our band. A little... party from us." He pointed at himself and you. "Since we moved in together, you know... housewarming?

"That's a great idea. I'll invite Sang-hee too," you chimed in, delighted, taking a seat at the table first, like a princess. And before Kook could add anything...

"I'll feel much more comfortable if there's at least one more woman in this group of guys than just me. Besides, I think Sang-hee has already gotten used to the fact that I'm in a relationship with a member of BTS. Don't you think so?" you laughed when Kook raised his hands in a gesture of surrender to your wish.

The rest of the morning passed with a shared breakfast. Well, it was more like Kook and Tae eating the breakfast, as you sat with your eyes wide open, incredulously watching how they devoured the meal. It wasn't even eating; it was devouring, absorbing everything like a black hole. No trace of manners. Who would have thought they were famous and wealthy when they almost killed each other over the last piece of their favourite meat...

"Savages," you muttered, holding back a burst of laughter. Both of them looked at you with their big eyes, like two hungry puppies to whom you would forgive absolutely anything. Cheeks full of food like hamsters.
You glanced at the clock. 9:15 am.
"I'm going to Sang-hee," you sighed and lazily got up from the table. "I'll have breakfast with my friend. Because here is just a battlefield," you murmured, and when Kook pouted that he prepared everything specifically for you, you silenced him with a kiss on the cheek. He didn't expect such a display of closeness in the presence of his friend, so he just blushed and returned to eating.

Before you left, you only heard Tae calling out,
"Don't forget to invite your friend; today, we're having a game night."

Night? You hoped it was just an evening that would end quickly, and you could have some alone time with Jungkook. In reality, you didn't get to fully enjoy the fact that you started living together. It seemed like you had to postpone that.

***

Breakfast with Sang-hee turned out to be just as chaotic. It was partly your fault; you should have informed her about the evening plans later. Since she found out about the invitation to the game night with the entire BTS team, she couldn't contain her excitement. She chattered on like a sparrow, persistently hovering around you, even though she had finished eating long ago.
Yearning for some earplugs, you responded with smiles, no longer paying much attention to her enthusiasm or her wardrobe dilemmas for the night. You just wanted peace and quiet, a moment alone with Jungkook. The realization hit you that, despite moving in together, you couldn't even enjoy a private morning.
You even joined her for shopping just to survive the day. After a few exhausting hours, you returned home, and instead of heading to Jungkook, you found yourself in your old apartment. It was a new experience, living with Jungkook. You collapsed onto the couch, and before you knew it, you had fallen asleep like a child.

You were awakened by a soft noise and a sweet yet tangy scent. You slowly opened your eyes, sleepily looking around, not recognizing where you were.

"Sorry. I really tried to be quiet," Jungkook's voice reached you. You sat up in bed and only then realized you were in his apartment.

"But I..." you began, trying to remember how you ended up here.

"I brought you here a few hours ago when I couldn't reach you on the phone, and eventually, I went to find you, thankfully starting from your apartment. What were you doing there, baby?"

"Nostalgia," you lifted the corners of your mouth in a carefree smile.

"I thought I was the one you were most nostalgic about," he murmured, nuzzling his nose into your neck.

His scent soothed all your senses. When he was around, you didn't need anything else. You pulled him closer by his sweater, cuddling him like a teddy bear.
"You could've woken me up," you mumbled into his ear, feeling a slight shiver run through him. "I would've spent more time with you..." you continued. "You know, just the two of us," you added teasingly, sensing his entire body tense, as he took a deeper breath.

"Should I cancel everything?" he chuckled softly, trying to calm himself. You were playing a dangerous game, and he was ready to go all in.

In one quick, nimble move, you pushed him off the sofa and effortlessly landed on your feet.
"No, Kookie. I need to get ready. The whole group will be here in a moment, and I look like I just escaped from the jungle," you explained and before he could even comment, you disappeared into the bathroom.

***

That evening, Sang-hee was the first to arrive at your doorstep. She stood there shyly, holding a beautifully wrapped huge gift, even though you had asked her not to bring anything.
She smiled a little, not quite sure how to behave when Jungkook opened the door. Perhaps she expected you to join her, but you were busy preparing yourself and helping Kook with other tasks. Even though you appeared shortly, it didn't make much difference because right after her, Hoseok and Namjoon entered your apartment. Seeing them, Sang-hee was completely speechless. You, too, found yourself momentarily staring at Hobi like he was a work of art. It was probably the first time you had seen him so elegantly dressed. He always had a sporty style with those overly large and extravagant caps and bucket hats, but today, in a white shirt and a long coat, he looked like he just stepped out of a k-drama set.

Neither arrived empty-handed, of course. Hobi handed you a massive bouquet of sunflowers, pulling you into a tight hug like an old friend. In your hands, there was another small package, while Hobi looked at you expectantly.
You weren't a fan of opening gifts in front of others, but you couldn't resist Hobi's eager gaze this time. With a smile, you set the sunflowers down and gently unwrapped the present.

As your eyes fell upon the elongated velvet box, you already sensed it wasn't just an ordinary gift. With caution, you lifted the lid, and after a moment, a small gasp escaped your lips.
"Hobi..." you murmured, shocked. "You really didn't have to..." You turned the golden bracelet with a four-leaf clover in your hands-the same one he always wore.

"You're my friend, I wanted to have something we could share as friends," he said, winking playfully as he stepped further into the apartment. You chuckled softly, accepting this too expensive yet beautiful gift.

Namjoon slipped past you like a ghost, handing some documents to Jungkook. You weren't even sure if he greeted you. You wondered why he had come at all, especially since he seemed to dislike you so much. Wasn't this supposed to be a welcome party for you too? After all, Kook had been living here for a long time.

"Hyung, you really didn't have to!" you heard only from your boyfriend's lips. "Did you see?" Finally, Jungkook approached you. "Namjoon gave us one of the most beautiful paintings I've ever had the chance to admire in his collection. They're going to bring it tomorrow morning. Believe me, it's wonderful."

You sent a gentle smile Namjoon's way, but he averted his gaze.
"I don't know what I've done to upset you so much..." you thought sadly.

The rest of the guests burst into the apartment like crazy. They showered you both with everything imaginable - flowers, a weekend getaway to a luxurious spa, perfumes, a collection of vinyl albums with mood-setting music, and a whole array of Mr. & Mrs. gadgets that seemed the sweetest of all to you.
In an instant, the atmosphere became loud and joyous, and even Sang-hee seemed to relax amidst their jokes.
But even with the support of your friend and Jungkook's presence, you still felt Namjoon's gaze on you. You tried to return it, somewhat questioning, hoping that maybe something between you two would finally change.

"I'm a bit jealous, Jungkook-ah. I need love too, I'm lonely," Jimin's sudden confession caused Hoseok to burst into loud laughter.

"Jiminssi, look," Kook chuckled, pointing to your friend. "You have Sang-hee here. Maybe you have a chance with her."
You almost choked and all eyes turned to Jimin, but he didn't back down. A huge smile spread across his face.

"Yaah! Sang-hee-ssi... just so you know..." he began. "I'm single. And I'm here. All you need to do is come to me."

"I didn't know you were so direct," Sang-hee immediately retorted, causing a shocking silence to fall over the room. Jimin was embarrassed in the same second, not expecting to be shut down so quickly. Jin decided to break the awkward moment.

"I'm really glad one of us finally decided to take the first step."

Most nodded in approval, but your attention was now focused on the two of them: Jungkook and Namjoon. Your man was scrolling through something on his phone, and from your observation, Namjoon seemed to have noticed exactly what it was and became visibly upset. Now, various scenarios were playing through your mind. What could have irritated him so much? His jaw was clenched so tightly that he could probably break bones with it.

"A lot has changed..." Jimin continued after Jin, unaware of the tension building around.

"Mhm. We've been through a lot, but most of it is behind us. Changes, changes," Jin said, giving you a smile. Jungkook also focused all his attention on you.

Finally, you heard a voice you wouldn't have expected, and it was directed straight at... you.

"And who's to blame for all these changes?" Namjoon, attempting a playful tone, pointed at you with the chopsticks from the noodles he was eating.

"Yah!" you retorted immediately. "I'm not a troublemaker!"

"No one's calling you that," Yoongi said, sitting next to you and wrapping a friendly arm around you. You smiled weakly, grateful for the sudden comfort.

Hobi settled closer to you both, squeezing in between you and Jungkook.

"You look happy," he murmured to him, stuffing his cheeks with meat.

They were all the same... you thought amused.

"Eat, sweetheart," Kook pushed a portion towards your mouth, and shocked, you obediently ate it all. His bunny smile made up for everything. Hoseok watched you both like a picture.

"You are so whipped, Jayyykaaaay!" he laughed loudly, seeing how he doted on you. Jungkook didn't deny it, and you were just as blindly in love as he was.

***

"Yah! Taehyung is cheating again!!!" Namjoon shouted, throwing cards like a little boy.

"At least he's not wrecking cards like you, hyung!" Jungkook commented sarcastically, causing Hobi to collapse on the floor laughing. Indeed, Namjoon destroyed everything in his path. And he seemed to be the wisest of them all. Apparently, it didn't go hand in hand with his attentiveness.

After twenty more minutes of card games and shuffling, J-Hope won, and he was over the moon about it. You and Sang-hee exchanged a glance, wondering what could possibly excite someone who seemingly had everything.

Just as you were about to quietly slip away to the kitchen, Tae swooped in, pulling you both back into another round of some board game with rules that made no sense. It was chaos: laughter, shouting, accusations of cheating, and everyone running around the apartment, all fuelled by the rapid disappearance of bottles of soju.

You stepped out onto the terrace, seeking a bit of cool air because that's all you needed at the moment. The night was lovely, but you craved some silence. Leaning against the railing, you closed your eyes, feeling the gentle wind relax you like nothing else.

"Feeling tired?" A low, soft voice right behind your ear startled you more than it should have. Slightly alarmed, you turned toward the source of the voice, losing your balance in the process due to the sudden movement.

Tae swiftly caught you around the waist just in time, preventing you from falling. With your face so close to his, he nervously swallowed.

"Are you okay?" he asked, still holding onto you tightly.

"I..." you coughed, slipping out of his slightly awkward hug. Taehyung quickly took a step back.

"Sorry, I just wanted to catch you. Didn't mean to..." he chuckled nervously, unsure why he was even explaining himself. The whole situation was kind of ridiculous.

You both laughed, lightening the mood a bit. This short moment meant very little to both of you, but it bothered Jungkook a bit as he turned back to the apartment, glass in hand, and saw the two of you.

After that day, he wondered several times whether he should ask if what he saw was what it seemed, or if perhaps he had just had too much to drink that evening and his mind was playing tricks on him. But he didn't ask, and soon after, he began to regret even thinking about it because everything happened so quickly, turning his whole world upside down...

***

Eventually, it was time for a series of concerts across Korea: Ulsan, Daegu, Busan, and finally Seoul. The last concert fell on the anniversary of your relationship.
You had been planning a surprise for a while, but it was hard to come up with something for someone who seemed to have everything they wanted.
It had to be special, something that would symbolize your connection. Like matching tattoos or couple rings, but you didn't want it to be too obvious.
And a few days before the final concert, you finally had the perfect idea.

It's just a shame you didn't know how bad it would all end...

________________

Author's Note:

Hi there!
I'm sorry it took me so long to write this chapter, but I've been incredibly busy over the past few months. I'm back now, so expect the next one much sooner!