Work Text:
It was nearly nine o'clock by the time Yoongi made it to the front door of his apartment. He keyed in the lock code and stumbled inside, only half-surprised to see that no lights were on, meaning Seokjin had it worse than him tonight and was still stuck at work.
They had both known after graduating and receiving a much welcomed job offer that it would be like this for the first few years. Endless nights of grunt work that would maybe pay off one day and they could slowly move up the ranks and then it could be them delegating menial work to the incoming new graduates.
But knowing what it would be like versus acting living it were two different things.
Yoongi and Seokjin had been roommates during the last two years of university and kept up the arrangement when they both entered the job market. It was hard finding good roommates anyway and Yoongi liked Seokjin a lot. They had similar schedules and living styles, they took turns cooking when they had the energy for it, and split up the other chores without fuss. It was going to be a bummer if Seokjin ever asked to move out.
It was almost ten when the door beeped and Seokjin stumbled in. Yoongi had already showered and changed into pajamas and was in the kitchen making ramen. A terrible excuse for dinner, but it was the only thing he had energy for. He poked his head out. "Hey, you want some?"
Seokjin loosened his tie and tossed his bag onto the futon. "It's fine, I'm just going to heat up some leftovers." He joined Yoongi in the kitchen and grabbed one of the cartons of instant rice they kept on hand and threw it into the microwave, then stuck his head into the fridge, sighing. "We're out of eggs again?"
"Yeah, I ate the last one this morning," said Yoongi, turning off the stove. "I'll pick up some tomorrow on my way home."
A few minutes later, the two of them were huddled around their dining table just big enough for two. Yoongi had his ramen while Seokjin had his rice and leftover jjigae that they had ordered in last night. Between them was a large container of kimchi Seokjin's mother had dropped off a couple weeks ago. They ate in complete silence, too tired and too hungry to make conversation. There wasn't much to talk about anyway. They both knew each others' work gripes already and when they weren't at work, they were here, together.
"We told Hoseok and Namjoon we'd get brunch with them on Saturday," said Yoongi later as he washed the dishes.
"Oh. Right." Seokjin went into his room for a couple minutes, then came out in just his underwear, headed for the bathroom. "It would be bad to cancel, right?"
"It would be bad." They became friends with Hoseok and Namjoon their last year of university, underclassmen then who were now graduating in just a couple of months. When Yoongi and Seokjin had left, they promised they would still meet up, not yet knowing just how difficult it would be to do so with their 60-70 hour weeks. This Saturday would be the first time they'd see the other two in almost two months. So yes, it would be very bad to cancel.
Seokjin nodded and continued on his way.
By eleven, they said good night and disappeared into their rooms. In eight hours, they would start the cycle all over.
+
It took almost an hour for Yoongi and Seokjin to get to the restaurant Hoseok and Namjoon picked out. By the time they stepped out of Hongik Station, Yoongi already wanted to go back to bed. But the restaurant seemed nice, small and cozy with lots of sun. Hoseok and Namjoon were already there, huddled in the waiting area watching something on Namjoon's phone.
Hoseok looked up first and jumped up. "Hyung!" he said, hustling over to hug Yoongi and Seokjin, patting them on the back just short of too aggressive. Out of the four of them, he was the one who initiated physical affection the most. Or, the only one who really initiated any. Yoongi couldn't remember the last time he hugged either Seokjin or Namjoon. When he graduated, probably.
"It's so hard to see you two," said Hoseok as they sat down. "I feel like I'd have an easier time getting a meeting with the President."
"Well, I am much more important than him," said Seokjin, opening the menu.
"What have you guys been up to where you're so busy that we have to schedule brunch two weeks in advance?" said Namjoon.
"Work," said Yoongi, and Seokjin nodded.
"What he said."
"Sounds rough," said Hoseok, not sounding the least bit sympathetic, much more absorbed in the menu options. "Oh, Seokjin-hyung, let's split the banana pancakes."
"Okay, whatever you want."
They ordered too much food probably and Yoongi already knew they were going to foot the bill, but it was fine. An extra dish wasn't going to break the bank and it wasn't like Yoongi and Seokjin were going to spend it on themselves.
"You guys are making us nervous about graduating in the spring," said Namjoon once their food came. "Anytime we get a hold of you, you say you're working."
"We are working," said Seokjin, stabbing at the salad and eating it without any reaction whatsoever. It was like he didn't even like food anymore. "It's called being adults. Earning a living."
Namjoon snorted. "Okay."
"What, what is that noise for?"
"Oh, come on, hyung," said Namjoon, picking up the knife to cut up some waffles. The way he held it made everyone else at the table nervous, the three of them pausing to watch Namjoon the entire time just in case he looked like he was about to slice off a finger. Hoseok and Seokjin each made aborted attempts to offer to cut it instead, but Yoongi was more in the camp of letting people deal with the consequences of their actions if they're going to learn. "Every time we text, your excuses—"
"—They're not excuses—"
"—are so lame. Hyung and I have to clean the apartment. Tonight is laundry night. We have to go to the store because we ran out of eggs."
"People run out of eggs all the time," said Yoongi. "It's faster to do chores together."
Hoseok laughed. "You two were already kind of like an old married couple in school, but now you're really like an old married couple."
"What?" said Yoongi and Seokjin at the same time.
Hoseok froze with a piece of banana pancake halfway to his mouth. He glanced sidelong at Namjoon who gave him A Look and A Shrug. "Come on," he said, sitting back. "You're going to look me in the eye and tell me you're not practically married?"
"We don't care about that," said Yoongi.
"Then what?" said Hoseok, eyes widening a second later as he burst out in laughter. "Wait — the old part?"
"We're only a year above you!" said Seokjin. "How dare you call us old!"
Hoseok only laughed harder, covering his mouth with the back of his hand. "You two have been old for as long as we've known you."
"When you're not griping about work, you're talking about all your neck and back pain," said Namjoon. "My parents don't even complain as much as you."
"One day you're going to wake up and not be able to turn your head to the left either," said Seokjin with a threatening shake of his fork. Neither Namjoon or Hoseok looked threatened.
"I can't believe you're so caught up about this," said Hoseok. "You guys have always channeled grumpy old men. It's like, your charm."
"Grumpy, yeah," said Yoongi, fine with accepting that. "Old, no."
Hoseok put down his fork. "You hate loud noises and refer to anyone younger than you as 'the youths'."
Yoongi looked at Seokjin and they both realized all the accusations held merit. "We're old."
"We can't be old, we're literally only 26! There has to be young people things we still do."
"Drink until you can't even walk," said Namjoon.
"No, who can deal with the hangovers?"
"Stay up all night."
"I didn't even do that when I was still a student," said Yoongi.
"Can you just admit it, then?" said Namjoon. "Your lifestyle is closer to my grandma's than a university student."
It wasn't literally the age thing he and Seokjin were objecting to, Yoongi thought. Of course they both knew that while some people preferred making dubious decisions as students, they were more responsible. And there were plenty of people like them who prioritized doing well in school to being reckless. There was always time later to being reckless, except Yoongi realized, the hard work of graduating with top honors and securing a job at well-known companies, that was all done and over with. There was no reason why he and Seokjin had to keep it up, yet their day to day continued to be exceedingly bland.
"Unacceptable," said Seokjin, hitting the table next to Yoongi's elbow. "We're doing something stupid and dangerous today."
"You can, I'm not," said Yoongi. Despite how he felt, he still had every intention of crawling straight into bed once they got home.
"You sound like you think you need to bungee off a building or something," said Hoseok. "There's other things you can do."
Namjoon perked up. "Why don't you come out with us for New Year's?"
Yoongi's face twisted up before he could stop it. Seokjin's face wasn't doing much better, mouth drawn into a terse line. Going out with them meant a tour of nightclubs and on a holiday like that, even more people will be out.
"This is what we mean!" said Hoseok, amused more than anything. "Just two grandpas. Stay at home then. Go to bed at nine on New Year's Eve."
If Hoseok was looking for a specific reaction, he probably got it. Seokjin grabbed Yoongi's arm. "We're going," he said, pointing a finger in Yoongi's face. "We're going to get plastered and dance on tables and do whatever else the youths do."
"You could start practicing now and stop using the word 'youths'," said Namjoon.
"You know what?" said Seokjin, stuffing a piece of waffle into his mouth with a fervor Yoongi has missed seeing. "Be quiet and learn how to hold a knife properly."
Yoongi munched silently on some bread and purposely did not think about all the ways this attempt to be hip and with it would backfire on them.
+
A couple days later, and a couple nights before the party, Yoongi looked over at Seokjin and said, "The married thing isn't great either, right?"
Given the holidays, it was a rare evening where both of them were home before eight o'clock. They still had changed into pajamas as soon as they could, but instead of going to bed immediately were now huddled in front of the TV watching a variety show which featured an idol group Yoongi had never heard of. Seokjin, somehow, knew all their names and birth years.
"Huh?" Seokjin barely glanced at him. "What's wrong with being married to me?"
"I don't want to be."
"Well, I don't want to be either," said Seokjin, making it sound like being with Yoongi would be some sort of punishment.
Yoongi didn't care whether Seokjin felt that way, but the handful of relationships he's had in the past did make him feel sometimes like being with him was a chore. His longest relationship had only been six months and toward the end it felt like his boyfriend resented him. When they broke up, he had been told that if he wanted to be with someone, maybe he should act like it. Seokjin had been more offended on Yoongi's behalf than Yoongi had been.
The way they've both been living though, Yoongi didn't know where he would meet someone even if wanted to. He wasn't going to go out to a bar and would never ask anyone to set him up.
"2020 will be our year, Yoongi-yah," said Seokjin, hitting Yoongi's thigh, as if he could hear all of Yoongi's internal monologue. "We'll get a divorce, just you wait."
+
It was winter in Seoul, so the cold weather was expected, but Yoongi still cursed when he stepped out into the frigid air. "We don't have to—"
"Be quiet," said Seokjin, pushing Yoongi up the street. "We're here already. We've committed."
"You committed," Yoongi said under his breath.
The streets were already filled with people, most out for food or drinks before they headed out to their real destination. Yoongi and Seokjin were doing the same, meeting Hoseok and Namjoon at some bar.
That there would be other people with them should have occurred to Yoongi. But it didn't and he froze at the entrance of the bar when he heard Hoseok's distinct laugh and followed it to a group much larger than two huddled around a table.
"What?" said Seokjin, nearly colliding with Yoongi's back.
There were three other guys with Hoseok and Namjoon that Yoongi didn't recognize. "Did they say they were inviting other people?"
"I think we're the other people," said Seokjin, bypassing Yoongi and calling out Namjoon's name.
Yoongi followed a couple beats later and caught Hoseok's eye over Seokjin's shoulder as they hugged. "Hyung!" Hoseok said, ducking around to greet Yoongi just as excitedly. "Come here, let me introduce you guys."
The five of them made room for Yoongi and Seokjin to squeeze in. This close, they all seemed to tower over Yoongi, which made him want to shrink down even more.
"So this is Jimin, Taehyung, and Jungkook," said Hoseok, pointing at each one in order. They all waved back and gave little nods. "Guys, this is Yoongi-hyung and Seokjin-hyung. They're our favorite sunbaes."
"Oh, it's nice to finally meet you," said Jimin. Even in the dim lighting, Yoongi could make out the carefully smudged liner around his eyes. His hair was dyed blonde and seemed meticulously tousled. It served as a clean contrast to his black leather jacket, fitted just right. Yoongi used to want a leather jacket, even researched where he would get it from, but even though he could afford one now, he's put it off not knowing when he would even wear it. "Hoseok-hyung and Namjoon-hyung talk about you sometimes."
Hoseok-hyung? Namjoon-hyung? Were these three even younger?
Seokjin caught it too and said, "You're not in the same year?"
The one named Taehyung shook his head. He was standing across from Yoongi, but it was hard to look at him directly. Yoongi didn't know what it was. Maybe the sudden discomfort at being thrown into a group where half of them were strangers or the jolting discovery these guys were at least two years younger, which shouldn't make a difference but felt like it did right now. Or maybe, and this Yoongi wanted to linger on the least, it was that Taehyung looked like he just walked off the set of a fashion photoshoot. He was about the same height as Seokjin and his hair was wavy and just long enough for the sides to be tucked behind his ears. But his jawline — Yoongi was pretty sure he could cut glass with it.
"Jimin and I are a year below Hoseok-hyung and Namjoon-hyung," said Taehyung, then slapped the third one's shoulder. "Jungkook here is the real baby, he's only in his second year."
"Hyung, don't call me a baby!" said Jungkook, but in a way that was definitely reminiscent of a child.
"Is this like a strategy?" said Seokjin, turning to Namjoon, who laughed.
"Force you to hang out with people even younger?" said Namjoon, then shook his head. "But, maybe you can each partner up with one of them to be your guide on how to rediscover your youth."
"Shut up," said Seokjin, at the same time Jungkook said, "Partner up for what?"
"Jungkook-ah," said Hoseok, slipping an arm around Jungkook's shoulders. "When you reach a certain age—"
"Fuck off," said Yoongi, then glanced around at the bar. "I'm getting a drink."
"Get me one too," said Seokjin.
Yoongi left and fought his way through the crowd which seemed to have doubled in just the past five minutes. He lucked out and squeezed into a spot right in front of the bartender and got himself a whiskey neat, a vodka soda for Seokjin. Getting back to the table was as annoying and as he popped up next to Seokjin, sliding his drink over, he said, "Remind me why we're doing this again?"
"If you don't want that divorce after all, let me know."
"Divorce?" said Jimin, looking at Yoongi. "Hyung, you're married?"
Yoongi covered his face while Namjoon and Hoseok snickered. Seokjin stood up straight and slung his arm around Yoongi's shoulders. After Seokjin took that single acting elective in their last year and was the professor's favorite, he hadn't stopped taking advantage of any opportunity to flex his chops.
"Yoongi and I have had our ups and downs, but we're trying to practice true open communication," said Seokjin, resting his face against Yoongi's head. "We're seeing a marriage counselor and last week she said we're making promising progress, on the road to forgiveness after I betrayed our union by sleeping with the delivery boy."
There was silence, except for Hoseok and Namjoon doing a fairly good job of stifling their laughter, and Yoongi felt his entire face, ears especially, go red.
"That was a joke, right," said Jungkook slowly, a tinge of fear at the end.
"Yes!" said Yoongi, unable to suffer any longer. He threw Seokjin's arm off. "We're just roommates."
"Is that like roommates or 'roommates'?" Taehyung said, drawing air quotes the second time. Yoongi started making a face and Taehyung waved his hands. "No, I mean! Not that there's anything wrong with being more than roommates! We're all very — I mean, I'm bi! So!"
Whatever irritation Yoongi felt disappeared. He felt bad actually after a quick glance at Hoseok and Namjoon confirmed Taehyung just revealed something they didn't know. It wasn't something that would matter to them, but he wasn't sure if Taehyung had necessarily wanted them to know or announce it like that.
"Shit," said Yoongi, dragging a hand through his hair. He elbowed Seokjin's side and felt little satisfaction when he winced. "Look what you did."
"What did I do?" Seokjin hissed.
Taehyung scratched his chin and leaned in to say something to Jimin, who gave a shrug and seemed very cold suddenly.
"We're just regular roommates," said Seokjin finally. "Nothing scandalous or racy. In fact, just incredibly boring."
"We call them a married couple because they're so domestic together," said Hoseok. "But I don't think I've heard them say a single affectionate thing to each other since I've known them."
"We're not all you, Hoseok," said Yoongi.
"So you're just friends?" Jungkook said.
"Supposedly," Yoongi said. He needed more of the whiskey in him.
"Oh. Cool. Great."
Jimin and Taehyung gave him a look, but Jungkook either didn't care or didn't notice because he proceeded to down the rest of his beer in one go, eyes wide over the rim of the glass.
Seokjin slapped the table. "Enough about us. What's the plan for tonight?"
Namjoon shrugged and checked his phone. "It's only ten," he said, and Yoongi resisted the urge to challenge the implication that ten was early somehow. "There's a few clubs we wanted to go to, but we wanna be at Rose for the countdown."
Yoongi nodded as if he recognized the name. Namjoon leaned back and glanced at Yoongi's outfit. "What?" said Yoongi.
"Yeah, you'll probably want to hang out at the back," said Namjoon. "We'll let the hoobaes get us in." His eyes shifted to Seokjin. "And Seokjin-hyung."
"If needed, I'm prepared to show my forehead," said Seokjin.
Yoongi didn't think what he was wearing was that bad. It was simple, sure, just fitted black jeans with a black button-up, but he thought he looked decent. Semi-fuckable even, if he messed his hair up a little. At the very least surely better than whatever Namjoon was wearing, which he couldn't see but also couldn't say for certain wasn't khakis.
"I'm getting us shots!" said Hoseok, already stepping away. "Then we're gonna fucking go!"
Yoongi pursed his lips at not even being able to enjoy his whiskey properly. As he took another sip, he thought he caught Taehyung watching him from across the table, but when he blinked Taehyung was smiling and telling Jimin something that made him double over with laughter.
Great, Yoongi thought, it was "only" ten, he wasn't even drunk and already he was imagining things.
+
Yoongi was told the name of the first club they were going to, but it went in one ear and out the other. Something French. Inside was about what he expected. It was loud, dark, and smelled like a mix of the smoke from the fog machines and everyone's collective body odor.
Was it really so bad to be considered an old man stuck inside the body of a 20-something?
Seokjin had already ditched him. Yoongi couldn't tell if he was taking Namjoon's previous suggestion seriously of pairing up, but he had already gravitated toward Jungkook. Or maybe Jungkook gravitated to him. On the way here, they had walked in front of Yoongi, arguing about Pokémon or possibly all anime in general — Yoongi hadn't been able to keep up. He had lingered in the middle of the pack with Hoseok and Jimin behind him who had also been in their own world talking about dance.
Tagging along tonight hadn't even been his idea and Yoongi wasn't sure if he was in a position to be annoyed already at everyone else pairing off. He was here because Seokjin had wanted to prove something, so there was no reason for him to care how the night went.
Jimin somehow secured them a table and Seokjin surprised everyone by ordering bottle service. Except Yoongi who had always suspected Seokjin came from more wealth than he let on.
Hoseok, and Yoongi suspected he was going to do this all night, ordered another round of shots in addition to that. Yoongi had never thought of him as the shots guy, especially since historically Hoseok's tolerance level was pretty low. But historically Hoseok has always forgotten his tolerance level was low, so Yoongi predicted within half an hour he might find Hoseok sitting in the corner quietly spiraling into an existential crisis.
Until then, Hoseok stole the three youngest and dragged them onto the dance floor. They quickly were lost in the crowd and Yoongi turned his attention to the champagne in his hand, knocking it back in one go.
"Hey, I paid a lot for that," said Seokjin, but topped Yoongi up immediately. "Are you already being a hermit? You usually get chattier and cuter when you drink."
Yoongi's cheeks were getting warm. He slouched in his seat and glared sideways when Seokjin scooted closer, leaning down to talk without as much yelling.
"I think tonight is off to a good start," he said. "Let me know when you want to dance on the table."
Yoongi rolled his eyes and was in the middle of thinking up a killer retort when Jungkook suddenly popped back and stood in front of Seokjin.
"Hyung," Jungkook said, then glanced wide-eyed at Yoongi and Namjoon like he hadn't expected them to still be sitting there. "Um, Hoseok-hyung wants to ask you something."
"What? Tell him to come back then."
Jungkook shook his head. "No it — it can only be asked while he's dancing."
Next to Yoongi, Namjoon snorted. "It's like watching a fawn walk for the first time."
Yoongi didn't know why he didn't see it sooner. The odd shift in Jungkook's body language and speech when he was around Seokjin was obvious now. If Seokjin noticed too, it was impossible to tell. No one had a better poker face than him.
"What are you doing?" said Yoongi, practically rolling Seokjin off the couch. "Go talk to Hoseok before he crashes."
"What are you—" But before Seokjin could finish, Jungkook grabbed his hand and pulled him into the sea of bodies.
"Young love," said Namjoon, clinking his glass with Yoongi's. "I'm kind of jealous."
Yoongi snorted. "Which part, exactly? The awkwardness? The sweaty palms? Saying cringey things before you can stop yourself?"
"Please," said Namjoon, nudging Yoongi's arm. "Where's the inner romantic I know you're hiding?"
"Retired," said Yoongi.
"Come on," said Namjoon. "Yeah we joked about you two being old, but you're not even in your late 20s yet. Why are you acting like you've already been through it all?"
"I'm too high maintenance for relationships."
"Bullshit."
"Don't talk to your senior like that."
Namjoon stared a little too closely for Yoongi's comfort. "Hyung," he said, voice gentle somehow even in the din of EDM blaring. "You still hung up over Sunghoon?"
Yoongi dragged his hand over his face. "No," he said, but the alcohol was really settling in now and he sounded convincing to no one.
"We told you what he said when you broke up was garbage," said Namjoon. "Just because you two were incompatible doesn't mean you're doing something wrong."
New Year's Eve in the middle of a nightclub seemed the worst place to suddenly argue over whether Yoongi was good or bad at relationships. He sat up and finished the rest of his champagne, setting the glass down carelessly. "I'm going to go dance," he said, standing up.
"Really?" said Namjoon, presumably because Yoongi would rather do about a hundred other things over dance in public. But having a Namjoon-style heart-to-heart about himself was not in that list.
Yoongi squeezed his way onto the dance floor until he found a spot that was only mildly claustrophobic. He closed his eyes and swayed with the music, raising his arms in the air. When he opened his eyes during a lull in the music, just a line of heavy bass vibrating through him, his eyes landed on Taehyung watching him from a few feet away, the strobe lights garish but also striking against his stupidly chiseled cheekbones.
This time, Yoongi wasn't imagining anything and his usual defenses were relaxed enough that he found himself feeding the attention. He wasn't going to see Taehyung after tonight anyway, so if he stared back as he danced, if he allowed himself to imagine going up to Taehyung and asking him to dance together, it was all harmless.
For a moment, Taehyung began to make his way toward Yoongi, but someone else grabbed his attention. A second later, Jimin's face popped up over Taehyung's shoulder, saying something into Taehyung's ear and laughing with him. They looked too close to be just friends and Yoongi's suspicions were more or less confirmed when Jimin spun Taehyung around and they danced so close they might as well have been sharing the same breath.
It didn't matter. Yoongi turned away and went back to his own little world, dancing until he was sweating, until his mind was blank. When he finally headed back to the table, he caught a glimpse of Seokjin with Jungkook, the latter pulling off all sorts of intricate dance moves and earning himself a small audience. Yoongi wanted to pull Jungkook aside and tell him he didn't have to go that approach, that pinning down Seokjin required a more subtle hand, but he assumed either Jungkook would figure it out himself by the end of the night or it wasn't meant to be.
By the time they gathered everyone, there was a little more than half an hour to midnight. Hoseok seemed to have danced off most of his inebriation and was still in good spirits, though he also had lipstick smears all over his mouth. No one seemed to care and Yoongi kept his mouth shut too.
Seokjin grabbed Yoongi's elbow as they pushed their way toward the exit. "Is it offensive to put money in someone's shirt after they dance?"
Yoongi didn't know how to dignify that with an answer, but said, "You should try and let me know how it goes."
The air outside was welcome after being stuck in a room with thousands of other people. It was cold, but refreshing, and Yoongi took a deep breath, shoving his hands into his pockets as he felt the tip of his nose already start to go pink.
Jimin ran past, jumping and latching onto Namjoon's shoulders. "Hyung, I'm going to get you to dance with us before the night is over."
"Ah, Jimin-ah..."
"Don't underestimate me!"
Based on what Yoongi had seen so far, he knew Namjoon was no match for someone like Jimin.
Yoongi was still a bit tipsy and meandered back and forth as he followed the group to wherever they were going. He didn't notice someone next to him until he nearly ran in them and a pair of hands steadied him by the shoulders.
"Careful, hyung."
Yoongi peered up to find Taehyung smiling at him and it was difficult not to smile back. "Hi."
Taehyung seemed to be a little surprised that Yoongi replied. Yoongi didn't know why. "Are you having fun? Hoseok-hyung told us why they invited you and Seokjin-hyung out tonight."
Yoongi groaned and covered his face briefly. "That's embarrassing."
"No, it's not," said Taehyung, but the tiny laugh he let out had Yoongi mock glaring at him. "Sorry, sorry. Really, I'm not judging."
"It's going okay so far," said Yoongi, answering Taehyung's original question. "There's still time for something to go wrong, I guess."
"Don't think that like that! Think positively. Think, there's still time for something great to happen."
Yoongi wasn't as convinced, but didn't have the heart to disagree. "How's your night been?" he said instead, biting his bottom lip. "Sorry, by the way, for earlier."
The spot between Taehyung's brows scrunched up. "Earlier?"
"When you all thought Seokjin and I were married and you thought you had to defend yourself. I felt bad. You hadn't told Hoseok and Namjoon, yet right? That you're bi."
"Oh." Taehyung laughed a bit. "No, hyung, don't worry about that. If I didn't want to say it, I wouldn't have."
Yoongi looked at Taehyung to make sure he was telling the truth, which seemed to be the case. "You and Jimin are good together," he said, kicking at the loose gravel in the street. Other groups passed them by, some yelling out random nonsense and another had stopped by the side while a peer vomited into a nearby trash bin.
"What? Together?"
"Aren't you and Jimin dating? I saw you dancing together back there."
Taehyung laughed, loud and sharp, the air in front of him forming little clouds of white. "No, we're not dating. Lots of people think so, but we're just, I don't know, those kinds of friends, I guess. No sense of personal space. Jimin has a girlfriend, actually."
"Oh." Yoongi felt a bit embarrassed for making assumptions. A very, very small amount of something similar to hope gathered in his chest, but he snuffed it out as soon as it sparked. "Sorry."
"No, no, it's okay. Like I said, you're not the first."
An awkward silence fell between them. Yoongi wondered how much further they still had to walk.
"Um," Taehyung said again, mirroring Yoongi and slipping his hands into his pockets too. "Hoseok-hyung said you studied architecture?"
"Mhm." Yoongi nodded.
"That's really cool. Isn't Hongdae number one for that?"
"Yeah," said Yoongi, nodding again. Small talk was always his weakness. He didn't understand what the point of it was and it was the one thing his brain was terrible at doing no matter how much he focused. And right now, focusing was difficult.
"I'm doing photography," said Taehyung. "Well, and economics because it made my mom feel better to know I have a backup major."
"The photography program is really selective too," said Yoongi. He only knew from word of mouth, most of his art friends being in music or dance.
Taehyung smiled and a gust of wind blew through the alley they were walking up, making his hair fall into his eyes. Yoongi very quickly looked away. "I don't know, I feel a bit lost some days, wondering what I'm doing there."
"I'm sure you deserve to be there as much as anyone."
"Thanks, hyung," said Taehyung. "That means a lot."
The cold didn't do much to stop the way Yoongi's cheeks flushed. Thankfully, he was saved by Hoseok giving a holler behind them and then the impact of Hoseok running between them, arms slinging over their shoulders.
"Friends, are you ready to really party?"
Taehyung whooped with Hoseok while Yoongi managed a small grumble.
"Taehyung, go," said Hoseok, giving him a little shove. "We need you to get us in."
Yoongi expected Taehyung to run off to catch up to Jimin and Jungkook who were loitering near the front of the line, heads craned back to search for Taehyung. And Taehyung did do that, but not before grabbing Yoongi's wrist first to bring him along. Yoongi was too surprised to even say anything and stumbled a bit to keep up with Taehyung's sudden long strides.
"Yeah, Yoongi-hyung!" Hoseok yelled after him, which Yoongi didn't understand what he meant by it.
Yoongi still had the sense that Jimin didn't quite trust him, as evidenced by the sharp look he gave Taehyung when they caught up, which Taehyung completely missed. But maybe it was never meant for Taehyung to see. It irked Yoongi somewhat, not knowing why Jimin had something against him when he hadn't done anything, but he didn't dwell on it too long.
Despite that weirdness, it was still impressive to see Jimin wield some sort of power over the bouncers to get them in. Even on a random weekday, getting a group of seven guys into a club wasn't easy, but here they were on New Year's Eve, getting into what Yoongi assumed was one of the more trendy clubs without hardly lifting a finger. Taehyung and Jungkook still deserved special mention, bookending Jimin with their broad shoulders and perfect proportions.
Yoongi was just fine hiding behind them.
"Come on, hyung!" said Taehyung, once they got waved in. Again, he took Yoongi's wrist and they entered the club, passing through a nearly pitch black hallway until they emerged on the other side into something that felt way out of Yoongi's comfort zone.
From the outside, the building hadn't looked that big, but inside the ceilings seemed to soar overhead, multiple chandeliers hanging from it. Pillars ran floor to ceiling around the perimeter of the room, each one wrapped in vines with flowers twisted in between the tendrils. The lighting bathed the room in a dark pink hue, presumably leaning into the club's namesake.
It was certainly the kind of place to ring in the new year, even if it was not where Yoongi would have ever pictured himself.
Sometime between when they left the last club and now, Seokjin really did change his hair. Where he got hair gel, Yoongi had no clue and didn't really care to find out, but the front of his hair was now styled up and left his entire forehead exposed. It was the first time Yoongi had seen him that way and he wasn't surprised when a table magically freed up for them after Seokjin exchanged words with someone in a suit.
"Meet back here before midnight!" said Hoseok, after they'd ordered another round to keep them going. Jungkook immediately grabbed Seokjin without a word and dragged him away. Hoseok signaled for Jimin, who in turn grabbed Namjoon and Taehyung, but Taehyung shook his head. The two of them shared some nonverbal conversation before Hoseok grew impatient and Taehyung diverted his attention to helping Jimin get Namjoon out of the booth. And suddenly, within seconds, Yoongi was sitting there alone with Taehyung who turned to him with a smile too innocent for a place like this where there were half-naked women dancing in life-sized terrariums scattered throughout the floor.
"Hyung, would you like to dance with me?"
"I can't," said Yoongi. "I'm not very good."
Taehyung rolled his eyes good-naturedly and this time took Yoongi's hand. "There's no way I'm letting you sit here by yourself and I saw you dancing at the other club, so come on."
Yoongi was pulled up with barely any effort. They squeezed their way through the sea of people which was even more crowded than the last place. Taehyung's fingers linked with his after they nearly got separated.
They were right in the middle of the huge crowd when Taehyung finally stopped and abruptly spun around. Yoongi had barely kept from crashing into Taehyung's back which meant their faces were now mere centimeters from each other and the pink lighting made Taehyung look prettier than he had any right to be.
"Hey," said Taehyung, as if he wasn't the cutest guy Yoongi had ever seen, as if Yoongi wasn't absolutely suffering right now from being in such close proximity to the cutest guy he'd ever seen. To make matters worse, he looped his arm around Yoongi's waist so effortlessly that Yoongi didn't notice until he felt the warmth of Taehyung's palm through his shirt. "Sorry about that."
Yoongi cleared his throat. His natural reaction was to move away, but they were packed in on all sides. Someone actually knocked into him from behind and closer to Taehyung, which didn't seem like it should be possible, but Yoongi found them pressed flush together from head to toe.
Taehyung rolled his eyes. "Drunk people are the worst."
"I'm drunk," said Yoongi.
Taehyung grinned. "I didn't want to say anything, but your face is very red."
"That's just the lighting," said Yoongi, even though he had a very good idea of what he looked like when he's had more than a glass. "We're not dancing."
Taehyung's eyes widened comically. "We should fix that immediately."
The music was nothing recognizable, just a blended haze of bass and techno. It was the kind of music good for a specific kind of dancing, close and slow, almost not dancing at all and just an excuse to touch in ways they normally wouldn't. Yoongi was still in the mindset that whatever happened tonight would stay here, in a bubble that Yoongi would leave behind with the year. So it didn't matter if he decided to be forward when usually he might be cautious, if he leaned in even more and put his arms around Taehyung, the cutest guy he's ever seen, when usually he didn't make the first move, if he was the one who lead them in swaying back and forth when usually he would pick being horizontal and motionless over most everything else.
Yoongi still didn't know Taehyung enough to say what kind of person he was, but the way he immediately reacted felt natural, like this was what Taehyung did all the time.
The heat of Taehyung's body was something Yoongi wanted to stay close to even though he tried not to think about the stuffiness of the room sticking to his skin. Whatever cologne Taehyung wore had melted and mixed headily into his skin and Yoongi brought his nose as close as he dared, taking a deep breath as they danced. He still wasn't very inconspicuous about it and caught Taehyung's small smirk.
The touch of Taehyung's hand directly on his waist, no fabric in the way, was unexpected but not unwelcome. "You could lose a hand that way," said Yoongi anyway, returning the touch by sinking his hand into Taehyung's hair just above the nape of his neck.
"Would be worth it," said Taehyung, allowing his other hand to creep just under Yoongi's shirt too.
Underneath the gaudy lights and surrounded by the bass-pulsing tide of strangers who Yoongi would never see again, including the person in front of him, he wanted to kiss Taehyung very badly. He liked kissing, liked it as much as he liked holding hands and hugs, but also like those he was very bad at admitting he wanted to kiss someone.
Taehyung looked like he would be a good kisser. Yoongi stared at his mouth, studying the lines and fullness of his lips, breathing out slow when Taehyung licked them, but inhaling sharply through his nose when Taehyung leaned down.
Yoongi felt almost cheated, then, when the anticipation inside him was met with Taehyung's head angling away and going further to press his mouth against the curve of Yoongi's neck. But the contact was still good, still sent something sharp and hot zipping down Yoongi's spine.
"Hyung," said Taehyung, his voice low and warm right next to Yoongi's ear. "Can I—"
Whatever Taehyung wanted to say was drowned out by an overly excited announcement by the deejay that it was five minutes to midnight. It shocked Yoongi out of the moment and he put some space between them.
"We should head back," said Yoongi, not quite making eye contact.
"Right," said Taehyung, but he smiled and placed his hand on Yoongi's back to lead him back to their table.
Hoseok, Jimin, and Namjoon were already there when they pushed through the crowd. Seokjin and Jungkook showed up a minute later and Yoongi didn't miss how there seemed to be a mark on his skin right where the collar sat.
Jimin was pouring out glasses of champagne, drinking a whole flute himself halfway through. He yelled for everyone to take one as the 30-second countdown was called out.
"Hyung," said Taehyung, having to yell over the increase in noise. "Do you already have a resolution already?"
Yoongi shook his head. "Do you?"
"Yeah."
"What is it?"
"If I tell you, it won't happen."
Yoongi made a face. "Resolutions aren't like birthday wishes."
Taehyung simply clinked his glass against Yoongi's and mimed zipping his lips shut.
The crowd began counting down around them and Taehyung joined them with his deep, booming voice. Yoongi was already working on his drink. The club burst into noise and color when they reached zero, confetti and streamers exploding from the ceiling. From where they stood, Yoongi watched the crowd below celebrate, couples or perhaps strangers kissing each other — some going further than that.
Yoongi's attention was pulled away when Hoseok and Namjoon sandwiched him in for a hug, yelling in his ears and nearly making him spilling his champagne. He didn't deny that it was better to be celebrating the New Year here with friends than whatever he would have done. Not that spending an evening at home in his pajamas was anything to be ashamed of, but even if the surroundings were uncharacteristic of him, the company was good. Even the new ones he's just met.
"Hyung." Taehyung was still there once Hoseok and Namjoon went off to smother someone else. Yoongi thought he would have gone to Jimin and Jungkook. He looked at Yoongi like he wanted to say more, but just ended up drinking his full glass of champagne in one go. The way he coughed after told Yoongi he didn't do it as much as Jimin, who might be able to drink Yoongi and Seokjin under the table.
"Are you okay?" said Yoongi, hitting Taehyung's back.
Taehyung nodded and straightened back up, eyes a bit red. "I just need a second," he said, voice still hoarse.
Yoongi smiled, finding this version of Taehyung who wasn't flirting or have all the right lines more endearing than the person he danced with earlier. This version of Taehyung he almost wanted to keep knowing after tonight. This version he wanted to kiss and also ask out for a coffee.
"Why did you do that?" said Yoongi, doing his best to hide a laugh. Taehyung took it in stride, smiling back as he cleared his throat, but his expression changed with a blink of the eye, turning serious as he exhaled.
Taehyung stepped closer until Yoongi had to look almost straight up. Yoongi was tempted to make a comment about height discrimination, but was shut up before he even opened his mouth when Taehyung cupped his face.
"You said it wouldn't be bad luck, so," said Taehyung, taking a nervous, deep breath. "My resolution is to suck it up and not be a wimp and tell any cute hyungs I meet that I think they're cute and I would like to kiss them."
Yoongi blinked. Then, as if suddenly waking from a dream, he said, "Wait, me?"
That seemed to relax Taehyung a bit, who laughed and brought his face closer. "Yeah, I want to kiss you. Is that all right?"
Any reasonable person might answer the yes or no question with an actual "yes" or "no". And normally Yoongi was a reasonable person, but he didn't answer at all. Instead, he grabbed Taehyung's shirt and leaned up on his tip-toes and pressed his mouth to Taehyung's. It was messy and uncoordinated, Taehyung stumbling back a bit as he moved one hand to Yoongi's waist to steady them.
Taehyung kissed better than what Yoongi could have imagined, annoyingly so. And maybe it was the liquid courage, but it was far from the kind of first kiss Yoongi would usually give. There was heat to it, their tongues meeting shy at first, before deepening. It made Yoongi light-headed, but hungry for more. He didn't know how far he would have pushed it had they not been interrupted by their friends catcalling at them.
Yoongi stepped back and actually wiped his mouth, too disoriented to bother with being inconspicuous. Taehyung rubbed the back of his head, a bit sheepish, but his eyes were bright and happy. Earlier Yoongi had thought about the possibility of not keeping Taehyung solely as a part of tonight's memories. Now he thought about why he couldn't know him more, if he really wanted to spend another year doing his and Seokjin's laundry on Thursday evenings, or if it might be okay to invite some chaos into his life if it were in the shape of Taehyung.
"I have a resolution," said Yoongi before he lost the nerve.
Taehyung looked at him. "Yeah?"
"Yeah. Ask a cute dongsaeng if he wants to get coffee with me this weekend."
Taehyung grinned. "I don't drink coffee, but I will say yes to some hot chocolate."
Relief filled Yoongi. He smiled back, but felt a little awkward after his burst of confidence. He racked his brain for something to fill the silence, but was saved by a sudden burst of noise from the other side of the table.
Yoongi peered around to see Seokjin with his eyes wide because Jungkook's lips were attached to his. He had missed how much force Jungkook attacked him with, but it was enough for Seokjin to lose his footing and a second later both of them went down, falling onto the lounge sofa behind Seokjin. It wasn't enough to stop their kiss.
Taehyung joined in and started cheering. Yoongi covered his face in secondhand embarrassment, but his shoulders shook with laughter.
The night seemed to be far from over, but Yoongi was happy to admit that his expectations of the evening had been very, very wrong.
+
Twenty-four hour coffee shops were a lifesaver. It was nearly three in the morning and Yoongi was on his 20th hour, but he also had a coffee in front of him and that was all he really needed. Ironically, Hoseok and Namjoon were passed out napping in a corner booth while he and Seokjin were still going strong with the younger ones.
"Interesting development," Yoongi said when Seokjin collapsed into the seat next to him. "You."
"Speak for yourself. At least ours didn't have tongue all over the place."
Yoongi rolled his eyes and sipped his coffee to avoid answering. He was surprised when Jimin dropped into the seat across from them, then less surprised when the energy radiating from him was similar to that of an overprotective parent.
"Look," said Jimin, glancing over his shoulder at where Taehyung and Jungkook were throwing puff snacks across the room into each others' mouths. "Those two are idiots, but they're my idiots. If you two are just experimenting or whatever, some New Year's fling that you're just going to ghost and forget about in a week, then you can stop now."
"One, I'm going to pretend you said hyung," said Seokjin, and Jimin did look a bit admonished about that. "Two, experimenting?"
"You responded pretty negatively at the beginning of the night at the connotation you two were married."
Yoongi sighed, suddenly getting the misunderstanding. "We're only against the idea of each other, not men. That part we have no negative feelings about."
Jimin's stare was shrewd at first, but warmed up at whatever he saw in Yoongi's expression. "All right, well. I'm watching you two."
"Jimin-hyung!" Jungkook and Taehyung ran up to them, collapsing into the neighboring table. They had somehow procured two cups of grapes. "You can be the judge."
Neither of them said judge of what, but it was quickly apparent when they both started stuffing grapes into their mouths to see who could fit more. Their expressions were so serious even as their cheeks bulged out and made them look ridiculous.
"Good god, that is disgusting," said Seokjin, when Jungkook started to drool a bit. "I'm so turned on."
"You're disgusting," said Yoongi, but he looked at Taehyung who was treating the contest with the same seriousness and concentration as an Olympic race. The Yoongi of last year might have found it childish, but the Yoongi of this year was endeared somehow and hid a smile behind his palm.
Maybe Yoongi really would get that divorce this year. He was looking forward to it.