“We’re starting Shakespeare next week,” Jungkook says one weekend as he and Taehyung were eating breakfast.

“No offense, but I don’t like reading Shakespeare’s plays. They’re so long and boring. They’re also written in really, really old style of English,” Taehyung scrunches his nose as he remembers the time he saw how thick those books were.

Jungkook laughs softly and shrugs his shoulders. “While I’d prefer if you read the actual play, we’ll be focusing more on analyzing the stories instead of reading them since most of his works are already general information to the common man like yourself.”

“I, a common man, really only knows the gist of Romeo and Juliet, and not much else. Not everyone is obsessed with literature, Sir Jeon Jungkook.”

“That movie adaptation with Leonardo DiCaprio does not count, Taehyung.”

“Well, maybe you can tutor me,” Taehyung scoots the chair closer to the table to face Jungkook more loosely. “Doesn’t he also write poems or something? Like bonnets?”

Jungkook bursts out laughing. “Taehyung, it’s sonnets. I don’t know if you’re kidding right now or you actually thought they were bonnets.”

“Ohhh, right. Psh.  I was going to say that,” Taehyung waves it off. “Five-seven-five right? See, I still know my poetry!”

“That’s a haiku,” Jungkook groans partly out of frustration and out of delight.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Taehyung laughs at himself. “Okay, I admit. I suck. I don’t like reading. I know nothing about literature. I only know Romeo and Juliet through a movie adaptation. I don’t even know how accurate that is. But, hey, it’s the weekend and we have nothing to do. Why don’t you tell me what it really is all about?”

“Taehyung, don’t you have other school work to do? Why are you suddenly so interested in this?” Jungkook skeptically raises an eyebrow as he clears the plates.

Taehyung puts his arms up in surrender. “Fine, I’ll admit it. I think it’s hot when you go full nerd about literature. I don’t even know half of the shit you’re talking about in class but when you’re the one saying it, it’s like it’s the most important thing in the world and I like watching you like that. So, can you please tutor me now?”

Jungkook crosses his arms over his chest. “You’re not going to get VIP treatment, you  know. You actually have to answer my questions.”

“I promise, I promise. Isn’t this great? I get to be educated and spend time with you at the same time?”

“Tae, I’m literally your teacher. That’s basically what we do in class.”

***

“Let’s start with paradox─”

“What does that have to do with─”

“Are you the tutor here?”

Taehyung shuts his mouth and shakes his head no.

“Do you know what paradox is?”

“Um, I think so?”

“Okay, um, how about opposites?”

“Jungkook, I’m not that stupid.”

“Well, okay. Paradox is about opposites and there is a lot of that in the story.”

Taehyung hums in understanding and nods his head almost religiously.

“Let’s start with the title. Most people know it as just ‘Romeo and Juliet’ but the full title of the play is─”

“The Most Excellent and Lamentable Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet,” Taehyung reads from Jungkook’s laptop screen. “How can a tragedy be excellent? What the f─”

“It’s supposed to be like that. Opposites, remember? Aside from being a tragedy, it’s also a love story─”

“That ends in tragedy.” Taehyung finishes for him.

“Well, yes. So, that’s the first. Moving on, how did the story start?”

Taehyung truly has no interest in literature whatsoever. It’s one thing Jungkook can complain about him. But whenever he sees Jungkook get so serious like this, his initial indifference somehow melts into interest. He already knows what Romeo and Juliet is all about. He’s not really keen on analyzing it, but Jungkook becomes incredibly serious about it and it’s difficult not to find that attractive.

“Well, there was beef between the two families.”

“Right. Montagues and Capulets.”

“Yeah. To be honest, I don’t even know If Romeo’s a Montague or Capulet, though,” Taehyung admits while laughing.

“He’s a Montague,” Jungkook confirms.

‘How is he nerding out and still look hot?’ is what's going on in Taehyung's mind.

“Thanks. So, Romeo and Juliet met in a party or something. Like a ball. And it was, as they say, love at first sight. I mean, does that even actually happen?”

“I don’t know, but when I saw you in my class I knew I couldn’t take my eyes off you.”

Taehyung hits Jungkook’s arm in surprise. “You can’t just say that! You know I’m easily flustered! God, now I’m blushing like some stupid…”

Jungkook steals a kiss while Taehyung was mumblimg to himself. “Well, you were right about the plot and about you blushing. Romeo and Juliet fell in love with each other even though they weren’t supposed to. In Act 2, Scene 2, also known as the balcony scene─”

“Oh Romeo, Romeo!” Taehyung makes a comical impersonation. “I know that scene. Was it an important scene?”

“It is, because Romeo and Juliet talk about each other, telling us how they feel about each other. Look,” Jungkook points at the laptop. “This is a part of what Romeo said.”

O, that I were a
glove upon that hand,
That I might touch
that cheek!

Taehyung reads it in monotone. “Well, that’s creepy.”

“I mean, I guess,” Jungkook admits. “They are forced to love each other from afar that he wishes he could be her glove so he could touch her face.”

“I didn’t know Romeo was that thirsty. It doesn’t sound so romantic when you put it like that.” Taehyung bites his lip. “How do people find that romantic.”

“Well, it’s written in verse, so the words and rhythm give it its appeal even though the actual meaning is a bit… uh… weird.” Jungkook explains and Taehyung nods almost immediately. “Anyway, this is what Juliet says to him.”

Deny thy father and refuse thy name;
Or if thou wilt no, be but sworn my love,
And I’ll no longer be a Capulet.

“What do you think about it?” Jungkook asks.

“I think… Juliet loves Romeo so much she’s willing to not be a Capulet so they could be together…?”

“Yeah, exactly. For them, the beef – as you call it – between their families mean nothing if it means they could be together without everyone freaking out and saying they can’t.”

“Oh…” Taehyung pouts gloomily. “Well, same. Sometimes, I wish we met in different circumstances. That way, we can be together without worrying about what my family would say or worrying about you losing your job and license.”

“What’s in a name?
That which we call a rose,
by any other name, would smell as sweet.”

“Jungkook, I was having a moment and you answer with that. What does that even mean?”

“Juliet says that a rose, if given another name, would still smell the same. It would still have the same qualities; only the name will change.”

“So, like, it doesn’t matter what their names are? It doesn’t matter if Romeo is a Montague or whatever because she would love him all the same?”

“Yes, you’re right. She will. Just as I will, so stop worrying about us,” Jungkook looks at Taehyung in the eye. “We’re fine. We just didn’t meet in an ideal situation.”

“You’re right. I’m sorry, that was really silly.”

“Moving on with the story. Romeo got exiled from Verona because he got involved in a bloody argument. Of course, their families’ rivalry also had something to do with it. While he was exiled, Juliet’s parents wanted her to marry a man named Paris. Obviously, she didn’t want to do it because she was in love with Romeo.”

“So she made that dumb plan to fake kill herself?”

“Well, not exactly. She told Friar Laurence everything about her and Romeo and about not wanting to marry Paris, so Friar Laurence made that ‘dumb plan’ in order for them to be together without all the troubles. Can you tell me the order of that plan?”

“Sure. Juliet will drink a sleeping potion. People will think she died. The friar will send a message to Romeo explaining what happened. She wakes up and lives with him happily ever after without anyone going after them.”

“And, everyone’s favorite part, what happened next?”

“Romeo didn’t get the letter, believed that Juliet died for real, and killed himself. Then, Juliet woke up and sees Romeo dead and kills herself. Jesus. That was tragic. I don’t know if I want to feel bad for them or to laugh at them.”

“Right. Then, their families saw their bodies and realized their feud was just not worth Romeo and Juliet’s lives. So they made peace with each other in the sake of their children’s love,” Jungkook finished. “So, paradox. Opposites. What parts of the story showed opposites?”

“Well, the title. Their love and their family’s hate. Um, life and death?”

“Right again. And that’s what made it all so… intense. They want to be together even though everything and everyone in their world tells them they’re not supposed to be together. They’re willing to just end their lives if living meant they couldn’t be with each other.”

“Well, I don’t think I’d be willing to go that far,” Taehyung says and laughs.

“Well, I hope you learned a lot. This doesn’t give you an excuse to slack in class, by the way.”

“Wow, thanks for explaining all this to me. Honestly, I only watched the movie because of Leonardo DiCaprio. You were so hot, though, while you were on your professor mode,” Taehyung bites his lip and tries to hide his grin.

A/N: I don't know if this is good or what. I haven't written like this in years! This is actually a 9th grade lesson but whatever. I just typed this down and finished it before I could get a chance to veer off again, so sorry for any mistakes.

Also, I'm tired of calling this Untitled. Do you have any suggestions?