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12:45 am on a Tuesday, and the train finally arrives.
Jungkook walks in tiredly as soon as the door opens and was pleasantly surprised to see just an old man and a young woman sitting separately.
Usually, no matter what time it is, until the last schedule of departure for the day, the train is a bit crowded.
Jungkook's not complaining though.
He sits as far away as possible from the two remaining occupants and jams his earphones in, turning the music up. Music is his way of relaxing, and after another long day at work, he needed it.
He dislikes it when he's assigned the closing shift at the bar he works in, especially during weekends, where he sometimes does overtime. Closing shifts mean being left behind to clean up and making sure everything looks presentable and up-and ready for the following day. Closing shifts mean seldom missing the train and waiting for infrequent night buses or expensive cabs.
His job, however, is relatively fun. Being a bartender as a part-time, firstly, has its own perks. He likes that it's in the heart of the city, and as an introvert, it has helped him confidently converse with as many clients as possible. He likes that he gets along with all his co-workers.
It's the travel to and from that he hate.
His trip across the city takes about an hour, counting all the walking to the station and back to his apartment.
So, Jungkook spends his late-night trips listening to music, sometimes falling asleep against the metal bar of the corner seats. However, there are plenty of times when he's left alone on the train car, and he stays awake.
And he sings.
Loudly.
As soon as he realizes he's the only passenger left, he belts out whatever song he's listening to at the moment, because how often are you left alone at night on the subway in a busy city like Seoul?
(More often than Jungkook expected, but like he always said, he's not complaining.)
Singing out loud and being in his own little world makes the trip faster for him. It doesn't matter how ridiculous the song is. If he knows the song his Melon plays, he'll sing it. Although, he prefers soft ballads than upbeat stadium music. The acoustics in the train makes it more...personal.
Jungkook is five songs in when the other two passengers got off at Inhadae station, and he happily takes notice that no other passenger hopped in.
This means another private concert.
Jungkook smiles and checks his watch. He's in the mood to choose a song and not rely on the shuffle feature.
He presses play when he sees "Nothing Like Us", closed his eyes and leaned his head on the window, preparing himself to sing along.
He feels the movement of the train stop, but he keeps his eyes closed.. It's way past the last trip and he figures it would be weird for anyone to use a train at this time, so he throws cautions to the wind and keeps on singing.
He didn't notice that someone walks into the last train cab where he's sitting.
When the song ended, Jungkook opens his eyes to begin choosing another, and that's when he sees a smiling stranger sitting across him. He quickly pulls his headphones out.
"I am so sorry!" Jungkook blushes. "I thought I was the only one left."
"Well, you were," the stranger grins at him, "until I got in." He slides so he's sitting right across Jungkook. "It's alright, though. You have a beautiful voice."
Jungkook grimaced, twirling his headphone around his finger. He's mortified. It isn't the first time he's been caught singing alone, but it's never been by someone who looks to be the same age as him. And, well, a gorgeous one. The stranger has blond hair, tan skin and is sporting a teasing, but kind and boxy smile.
Gorgeous, and exactly his type.
"But still," Jungkook mutters, "you must be tired from work or something. I won't be a bother."
The trains stops once again, but nobody gets on.
"No," the stranger answers with a smile. The train moves again. "I guess that this is meant to be," he continues in broken English.
Jungkook laughs with him. "You know what I was singing."
"Everybody knows Justin Bieber."
"Most people don't know this particular song though, only his main singles."
"Well, I listen to all his playlists so I'd know it's him."
Jungkook nods, nervous. Talking with strangers on a train is different from talking with customers at work. He readies to pop his headphones back in when the stranger continues talking.
"You coming home from work?"
Jungkook nods. "You?"
"Friend's house. Graduation party," he replies with a soft smile.
Jungkook can't help but be mesmerized and smile at him in return. The stranger really is beautiful.
"Do you go to college?" he asks. "I promise I'm not a stalker.. It's just you said graduation so -"
"Yeah, actually," the stranger says. "Final year in Photography and I'm free. These train rides suck. Thank goodness I only get to ride up to five stations. "
"I know, right? I work closing shifts so it double-sucks."
"Closing shift?" the stranger gasps. "Ugh, that does suck."
Jungkook nods his head. He counts off how many stops they've had since the stranger assumingly got in. He has this gorgeous stranger for four more stops.
"You stay here in Seoul?"
"Yup," the stranger nods enthusiastically. "Moved here for college from a small town in Daegu. I can't imagine how differently my life would be if I hadn't moved here." He sighs wistfully. "You?"
"Yeah, but I'm originally from Busan."
"Oh!" The stranger claps his hands. "My best friend is from Busan! He'll be so happy to hear I met someone handsome from his hometown!"
Jungkook finds himself panicking when the train begins to halt. He realizes the next stop will be the blond's stop, and he's honestly enjoying his company. The next six stops without the stranger will be so dull in comparison.
"Can I ask you for a favor?" the blond asks when the train begins to move again.
"Sure," Jungkook answers quickly. He's secretly hoping the boy asks for his phone number because his hands are beginning to sweat and he just wants his number.
"My best friend gave me this classic Polaroid camera that I don't know how to use yet, but I want to see if it works. Do you mind if I take a picture of you?"
Jungkook blinks. That isn't what he's expecting.
"Um," he hesitated. "Why not take a picture of the train or the outside?"
But the stranger grimaced and shakes his head. "I want my first photo to be something nice, and you are very nice to look at."
Jungkook blushes again. "Oh."
"Please?" The blond pouts at him, and Jungkook is stunned. He could ask for the moon and he'd give it.
"Okay," he answers after collecting himself.
The blond smiles wider and stands up, pulling the camera out of his messenger bag. "I'll sit beside you, okay?"
Jungkook nods.
The blond sits beside him, figuring out the camera. "Yup, it has film." Then he looks up at him with a cheeky grin, "I'll take a photo of the two of us. I'll click it twice so we get double copies. You can have the other one."
"I'd like that," Jungkook immediately answers and holds his breath when the blond worms his way into his arms and points the camera towards them.
"Smile."
He really is breathtaking up close, Jungkook thinks as he continues to look at him instead of the camera, not noticing that the blond has already snap two photos.
The blond yanks them from the camera and gives Jungkook one. They both shake the polaroids, waiting for their images to appear.
Jungkook feels his ears become hot when the photo develops. In the photo, Jungkook looks whipped. He's staring at the stranger in awe, while the blond is smiling so bright.
"You know what my favorite part of this photo is?" the blond turns to him, pulling away, but still sitting so close.
"You," Jungkook says, shamelessly.
The blond laughs. "No, but thank you, that's really sweet. The best part of every photo is it'll never change."
Jungkook looks at him, waiting for an explanation. The blond smiles at him and continues.
"In ten or twenty years time, I'll look different from this photo. But," he glances down at the picture in his hand, "everytime I look at this, at that moment, I'll be the same guy who kissed a beautiful, nameless stranger on the train." He looks up at Jungkook with a big smile. "I'll probably giggle, wonder what the hell possessed me, and I'll wonder what happened to him, if he sings to his special someone every night or if he remembers me from time to time. Then I'll put this in a box under my bed for another time."
"We didn't kiss, though," Jungkook points out.
The charming blond smiles knowingly.
He softly grabs Jungkook's face with both his hands and pulls him towards himself. He places his lips ever so gently on his, and Jungkook lets him lead.
It's a sweet, delicate kiss. Complete contrast from the vivavious person beside him. Jungkook is stunned when the stranger pulls away.
"My name's Jungkook," he whispers to him. He doesn't want him to go yet.
"Beautiful name," the blond stands. "It's nice meeting you, Jungkook."
"You're not going to tell me yours?"
The blond shakes his head as he steps out the train doors.
"Please?" Jungkook stands up, but the doors begin closing.
The stranger laughs, shaking the polaroid on his hand and waves as the train takes off once again.
Jungkook sighs in frustration as he goes back to his seat. He looks at the photo on his hand once again....and smiles.
"Kim Taehyung," he reads to himself aloud, looking at the school ID the blond forgot to take off on the photo, "Taehyung."
Jungkook likes the way it sounds. It fits the blond very well.
He smiles, stretches and lays out on the long row of seats. He pops his headphones back in and clicks on the song he was singing when Taehyung got in.
He still has six more stations left, but he doesn't feel like he hates it anymore.
Jungkook sings out loud again.
