Chapter - 3 (ʘᴗʘ )
YOONGI
(Leaning back on the sofa, strumming lazily on his guitar)
TAEHYUNG
(Sat across from him, but instead of working on the melody they were supposed to finalize, he was… watching videos on his phone)
YOONGI
You’re not even pretending to work anymore
TAEHYUNG
[not looking up] Shh… I’m busy
YOONGI
[peering at the screen] Are you… watching videos of people waving their hands?
TAEHYUNG
[grinning] It’s Korean Sign Language. I’m learning
YOONGI
[snorts] Learning for what? Oh wait— let me guess. Jungkook
TAEHYUNG
If I want to talk to him, I can’t just… keep handing him my phone to type
YOONGI
You’ve known him for five days
TAEHYUNG
And I want to know him for five hundred more
YOONGI
(Rolled his eyes but smirked despite himself) You’re ridiculous
[Evening – Outside Apartment 306]
TAEHYUNG
(Stood outside Jungkook’s door, rehearsing a phrase he’d practiced all morning)
When the door opened, it wasn’t
HOBI
(Holding a mixing bowl and whisk)
TAEHYUNG
[signing awkwardly] Hello. Is… Jungkook… home?
HOBI
(Brows shot up) You’re learning sign language?
TAEHYUNG
Trying. Can I… see him?
HOBI
(Glancing back into the apartment. Then she stepped outside and shut the door behind him)
HOBI
Look, Taehyung, right?
HOBI
Jungkook’s… not like everyone else. He’s had people come into his life and leave when things got too… inconvenient
TAEHYUNG
[gently] I’m not going to leave
HOBI
[sighs] Everyone says that
HOBI
(Voice softened) He’s my best friend. I just… I don’t want him hurt again. So if you’re just curious, if this is just some ‘oh, he’s different’ fascination—
TAEHYUNG
[firmly] It’s not
They held each other’s gaze for a few moments before Hoseok nodded slightly
HOBI
Fine. But don’t rush him
HOBI
(Opened the door wider)
JUNGKOOK
(Seated at the coffee table, sketching something)
JUNGKOOK
(He looked up when Taehyung entered, a little surprised but not displeased)
TAEHYUNG
(Grinned, walked over, and sat down across from him. Then, slowly, he signed)
TAEHYUNG
{Hello. How are you?}
JUNGKOOK
(Brows lifted in surprise, and for the first time, his eyes lit up in genuine amusement. He signed back)
JUNGKOOK
{Slow down. You’re doing it wrong}
TAEHYUNG
(Laughed) Teach me, then
Taehyung sitting beside Jungkook at the building’s rooftop garden, struggling to sign a sentence while Jungkook shakes his head, hiding a smile
In the elevator, Taehyung tries to say “Good morning” in sign but accidentally signs “Egg morning,” making Jungkook laugh silently
Taehyung bringing coffee to Jungkook and signing “Drink,” but doing it wrong so it looks like “Die,” making Hoseok choke on her juice
[One week later – Yoongi meets Hoseok]
Yoongi was coming back from the convenience store when the building’s elevator opened and out stepped Hoseok, juggling a dance bag and two bubble teas
YOONGI
[holding the door] You live here too?
They started walking toward their apartments. Hoseok glanced at the bubble tea in his hand.
HOBI
You want one? My student bailed today, so I have an extra
YOONGI
[blinking] You’re giving free food to a stranger? Dangerous habit
HOBI
[grinning] I’m a good judge of character
YOONGI
Then you’ll know I’m the dangerous kind
HOBI
(Laughed and handed him the drink)
It was the beginning of something neither of them realized yet
[Later that night – Rooftop]
Taehyung and Jungkook sat under the warm glow of rooftop lights
While Taehyung tried again to sign a phrase
TAEHYUNG
[signing] {You… are… amazing}
JUNGKOOK
(Tilted his head, amused. Then he signed back)
JUNGKOOK
{You… are… annoying}
TAEHYUNG
(Laughed) Close enough
They stayed there a while — not talking, just sharing the quiet
For Jungkook, it was strange… but comforting
For Taehyung, it was the start of something he didn’t want to end
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