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The air is cold and harsh outside the bakery. Passersby walk quickly past, trying to escape the biting cold seeping into their bones. Torsos bundled up in layers, heads covered by beanies and face masks.
The soft orange glow that usually seeps through the bakery window is missing tonight. If a customer were to try the door, they'd find it locked. They might notice the small note taped above the door handle, or they might move quickly past, back into the evening. "We're closing early tonight for the show. Please come watch at Wings tonight! - Kookie." There was a small heart drawn next to the name.
Wings was a club just a few streets away from Sugakookies. The atmosphere inside was dim but inviting. It wasn't a club that felt sweaty due to bodies writhing against each other. There was a dancefloor next to a large darkened stage, but there was plenty of space around for relaxed socializing.
Kookie is easy to find, propped up against the bar, conversing with the bartender but keeping a watchful eye on the stage. He was just as bright and warm in Wings as he was in Sugakookies, and the people around him felt calm in his presence.
The bartender laughed at something Kookie said, absent-mindedly drying a glass that had been dry for a while. Kookie's eyes crinkled with laughter before pointing out the dry glass. The bartender huffed and refused to move on to a new glass.
The bartender is tall and beautiful. His lips were often stretched into a smile as he spoke to the patrons of Wings. His laugh would echo throughout the club after he told a joke. While his face was warm and welcoming, his eyes were watchful. He always knew everything going on in the club, and wouldn't tolerate mischief.
"Pick your poison, Jungkook," the bartender spoke, already knowing the response. It would be rude not to ask.
"Water, please. I can't miss any of the performance." Jungkook's eyes flickered towards the still dark stage, then back to the bartender, who sighed.
"You know it all by heart, Jungkook-ah. I would have thought you'd be bored of it by now." He finally put down the abused glass before filling it with ice water. He stuck in a cucumber, for a little flavor.
Jungkook looked offended. "Jin-hyung! I could never be tired of it. Every time it still feels like the first time."
Jin, the bartender, chuckled and put the cold water on the bar in front of Jungkook. He received a wide, tooth grin as thanks.
"Do you get tired of it, hyung?" Jungkook's voice was quiet, timid, and hard to hear over the noise of the bar. Jin managed to hear it though and sighed.
"No, Kook-ah. Joonie doesn't practice his tracks for me every morning before opening the bakery, though. I don't hear much of it outside of shows." Jin ruffled Jungkook's hair as a pink flush flooded the younger's face.
"It's a good way to pass the time while we wait for the baking to finish. Hyungie likes it when I give him feedback." He mumbled just loud enough for Jin to hear. Jin was about to tease him about how cute they were when the dark stage lit up and the crowd started cheering.
Green beams of light traced patterns along the floor and backdrop of the stage, and everyone but Jungkook moved away from the bar. Jin refused to serve drinks during the performances.
Heavy beats thumped through the air as a tall man took center stage. It was hard to tell what color his hair was in the green lighting, but Jungkook knew it was purple. He hyped up the crowd easily, bouncing around and he shouted into the microphone. He moved around the stage flawlessly, never sounding out of breath.
If anyone had been able to tear their eyes from the stage at that moment and looked towards the bar, they'd see Jin swaying to the beat with a soft smile on his face. His watchful eyes that usually scanned the bar were now focused entirely on the rapper making his way through the set. Jin had seen him perform so many times before, but Jungkook was right, he'd never tire of it.
At the end of the set, the crowd exploded into applause for the performer. Jungkook leaped up from his bar stool, and shouted towards Jin, "isn't Namjoon-hyung so cool?"
The lighting changed as Namjoon exited the stage. The green faded to blue, and the previously smooth movements around the stage stuttered every once in a while. It was unsettling, but still beautiful. The moving lights fell out of time with each other, no longer moving in unison. The beams now tripped and glided across the stage haphazardly. Jungkook held his breath.
When the shorter shadow of a man made his way into the stage, Jungkook let out a shaky sigh. All of the noise in the club faded away. He couldn't hear the clink of glasses, the shouts of the crowd, or the pounding of feet against the dancefloor. There was only one thing he could hear.
"It's Agust D" came the deep, raspy voice through the microphone, before he launched into his raps. He moved quickly around the stage, jumping and ducking and writhing with the beat. It was like he didn't have control over his own body anymore, he was just a puppet for the music. He'd told Jungkook that he felt that way sometimes.
Jungkook was starstruck. Someone who doesn't know Jungkook would assume he'd just seen his biggest hero perform for the first time. His eyes traced the rapper's movements and he mouthed the lyrics to himself unconsciously. He did know all of Yoongi's songs. Yoongi would perform them for him every morning and Jungkook was in awe every time.
Yoongi's lyrics cut right to Jungkook's soul. He could feel Yoongi in them, and he could feel himself in them as well. Yoongi was a romantic at heart, and had written many lyrics about Jungkook in their time together. These raps were both of them. When Yoongi performed, he was showing them to the world. He was saying "I'm Yoongi and that's Jungkook and this is who we are" and Jungkook reveled in it.
His set came to an end and he breathed loudly into the mic as the crowd erupted again. Jungkook collapsed back onto his bar stool as the rapper turned his way with a smirk before exiting the stage.
"Damn, he's good" came Namjoon's voice from behind the bar.
Jungkook wanted to answer, but he was still dazed, wrapped in the world Yoongi had created for them.