Breakfast was usually noisy. Jokes flying, someone laughing too hard, spoons clattering against bowls. But this morning there was a subtle difference, one the members didn't put words to right away.
Taehyung and Jungkook had arrived late together, slipping into the kitchen side by side. Jungkook carried two mugs of coffee, one already prepared the way Taehyung liked it, and set it in front of him without saying a word. Taehyung accepted it casually, like this was normal. Like this had been happening for years.
Namjoon's eyes flickered briefly from his cereal to the scene, then back down. His mind worked quickly, analyzing without speaking. Seokjin, sitting across the table, noticed too. He opened his mouth, ready to make a teasing remark, but stopped when he saw the softness in Taehyung's expression. Something told him this wasn't the time for jokes.
Jimin, on the other hand, was less subtle. He leaned his chin on his hand, openly staring. "You two are acting weird," he said.
Jungkook looked up, startled. "What? No we're not."
"You are," Jimin pressed, narrowing his eyes. "You're… different."
Taehyung chuckled lightly, stirring sugar into his coffee. "Maybe you're overthinking."
But Yoongi, half-asleep with his hoodie pulled over his head, let out a small hum. "He's not wrong. There's something." His voice was groggy but sharp enough to land.
Silence settled over the table for a few seconds. Chopsticks paused mid-air.
Hoseok glanced between them, frowning, though not unkindly. "It's not a bad thing. But we notice things. Especially with you two."
Jungkook shifted uncomfortably, fingers drumming against the table. Taehyung, though, seemed calmer. His gaze remained steady, a quiet confidence in his eyes that hadn't been there before.
Namjoon finally spoke, his tone level. "We've always known you're close. That's not new. But lately… it feels like more than that."
Jungkook's throat tightened. He looked at Taehyung quickly, searching for guidance, but Taehyung only gave him a small, reassuring smile. That smile seemed to say, It's okay. We don't have to hide anymore.
Jimin leaned forward, not letting it go. "So? Is it true? Are you… together?" His voice dropped slightly at the last word, more careful than before.
The question hung heavy in the air. No one breathed for a moment.
Taehyung set his coffee cup down gently, his hand brushing against Jungkook's under the table in a subtle motion of comfort. He looked at the group, eyes steady, unflinching.
"Yes," Taehyung said softly.
The room stilled. Then Seokjin exhaled loudly, leaning back in his chair. "Finally. I thought I was going to die of secondhand tension."
Jungkook blinked, his mouth falling open. "You… you're not mad?"
"Mad?" Hoseok laughed, shaking his head. "Why would we be mad? You're both adults. You like each other. That's it."
Yoongi tugged his hood back, his lips quirking into a faint smile. "If anything, it explains a lot. All those late-night whispers, the way you looked at each other like the rest of us were invisible."
Jimin grinned suddenly, the weight lifting from the air. "I knew it. I told you guys something was going on. You owe me, Hobi."
Hoseok groaned. "You were betting on it?"
"Of course," Jimin said proudly. "It was obvious."
Namjoon, still calm, leaned back and studied Jungkook and Taehyung carefully. "What matters is that you're honest with each other. And now, you're honest with us. That's all I care about."
Jungkook felt heat creep up his neck, but the tightness in his chest eased. He looked at Taehyung, who still hadn't let go of his hand beneath the table. For the first time, Jungkook realized he wasn't scared anymore. The secret was out. The world hadn't ended.
Taehyung smiled faintly, his voice steady as he spoke again. "Thank you. For accepting us."
Seokjin smirked. "Accepting you? Please. We've been waiting for this drama to resolve for months."
The table erupted into laughter, and though Jungkook's ears burned red, he laughed too. Because for the first time, their love wasn't a secret heavy with fear. It was out in the open, and the people who mattered most were still sitting right there with them.