Work Text:
Yoongi glanced at his watch. Shit. It was already 11:24 and he had to be at the BigHit building in six minutes. Weaving around the bustling streets of Seoul, he nimbly dodged passersby while muttering a quick, ‘sorry’ to each before scurrying away.
The meeting he was rushing to was important. The design team, the marketing team, and the producers were meeting to discuss the image they wanted to project for their newest boy band, Tomorrow X Together, commonly known as TXT. The group had debuted only a few months prior and this meeting was absolutely critical to the group’s success as it would be the first full album they would be releasing after their rookie album. Ultimately, it was a big deal, and Yoongi absolutely could not be late.
He gripped the strap of his briefcase tightly and crossed the road, not even bothering to look both ways as a wave of people walked the crosswalk. His brisk pace broke out into a flat-out run, and Yoongi was sure he looked like a madman── hair ruffling wildly in the wind, jacket lapels flapping aimlessly. In that exact moment, he regretted not taking a taxi.
After what felt like hours, he reached the building. Stopping briefly to catch his breath, he fished his keycard out of his pocket and waved it impatiently in front of the scanner. A faint ‘click’ was heard, and the large doors swung open to reveal a luxurious, but modest sitting area. Yoongi rushed to the elevator and jammed his finger into the button repeatedly, staring up at the illuminated bar that showed which floor the elevator was currently on. He tapped his foot impatiently, silently demanding the elevator to move faster. Precious seconds ticked by, and Yoongi grew increasingly frustrated, clicking his tongue. He glared at the closed doors with utmost hatred, when he suddenly noticed a sign taped to the
doors.
It read, “Due to some technical difficulties, this elevator may be experiencing some slight issues, so we best advise riders to take caution when using the elevator──”
The message did not register, Yoongi’s mind wandering while he read. He didn’t finish reading as the elevator suddenly emitted a loud, ‘ding’, yanking the producer back to his bleak reality.
I’m going to be late. I’m going to be──
The elevator doors slid open agonizingly slowly, and Yoongi stumbled in, nearly tripping over his own feet as he desperately punched the buttons on the elevator, not even noticing the person standing next to him.
“Nice to meet you too,” the stranger beside him chuckled.
Yoongi jumped, though only slightly.“I’m going to be late,” he answered tightly, focusing on the elevator’s panel of buttons. Frustration frayed the edges of his voice.
The stranger only offered a warm smile and a hand to shake. “I’m Jung Hoseok. And you are…?”
Yoongi forced himself to tear his eyes away from the buttons as the elevator began to slide up its shaft too slowly for his liking. Of course, the meeting room had to be on the top utmost floor.
The producer turned around sharply, and gratefully took “Hoseok’s” hand, shaking it a few times before pulling away and rolling up the sleeves of his jacket for the sake of accessibility to his watch.
“What do you do around here? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you around.” A pause, then, “A face like yours, I would definitely remember.”
Yoongi scoffed at the flirtation in the other male’s voice. “I’m a music producer,” he answered in a clipped tone and crossed his arms, fingers tapping restlessly against his forearm.
Hoseok crossed the tiny space and casually leaned against a wall of the elevator, facing away from the door. “Got somewhere to go?” he asked breezily.
“Yes. I have a producers’ meeting in about──” he shook out his arm and consulted his watch quickly, “──six minutes.”
“Ohhhh. So you’re one of the big guys, then,” Hoseok smirked, and Yoongi resisted the urge to glance at the other male. The way the male’s cockiness flared, god that was so hot──
Not right now, Min
Yoongi huffed out a silent breath, trying to rid himself of any impure thoughts he was impossibly close from having. There were more important things to focus on. The meeting for example──
All at once, the elevator shuddered violently, screeched, and skidded to a halt. Both Yoongi and Hoseok were thrown to the ground instantly, the force of the movement too intense for Yoongi to remain standing.
It took the producer a second to register what was happening, and a wave of panic instantly overcame him.
This cannot be happening right now
Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit──
The room seemed to suddenly shrink in size, and the temperature was getting hotter by the second. Loosening his tie feverishly, Yoongi wiped at his forehead and turned to Hoseok who was groggily raising himself off the ground. “Is it just me or is it hot in here?” he asked.
“Umm,” Hoseok paused for a second, “I… think it’s just you…”
“Okay, whatever,” the producer brushed it off nonchalantly, while his chest tightened and his heart began to beat irregularly. He wiped beads of sweat from off his forehead again. “Is it really just me though…? Because it is so hot in here.”
Hoseok looked at him uncertainly, concern sliding over his features. Worry danced in his eyes. “You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine,” his answer was short and rehearsed.
Everything is fine
Everything is fine
Keep it together, Min
The task before him was easier said than done, and Yoongi scoffed to himself.
“Something wrong?” Hoseok asked from his position against the elevator panel.
“No, no,” he said, too quickly. Hoseok only raised an eyebrow in suspicion.
“Listen, if you need help, you can talk to me. I’m a pretty good listener. I know you don’t know me but──”
“I’M FINE! OKAY? EVERYTHING IS GREAT!” Yoongi yelled exasperatedly, throwing his hands up in the air. Eyes darting around on the ground, he began to pace.
Hoseok visibly flinched but if his feelings were hurt, he didn’t let it show. Crossing to the other side of the small space, he inserted himself in the back corner opposite the elevator doors. Yoongi flicked his eyes up to the panel and noted all the buttons were lit up. This could not be happening right now.
A wave of anger surged in the producer, and he tugged at his hair, letting out a small, frustrated yell before speaking. “I just want to get to my floor but you’ve pressed every button on the elevator and now we’ve broken down. Thanks a lot, and be prepared to be reprimanded until the fire department comes.”
Yoongi began jabbing his fingers at the buttons uselessly. Yelling out in frustration, he hit the panel with a clenched fist, and he felt the other male behind him flinch. Breathing in a deep breath, he attempted to stabilize his emotions as he turned around to face the other.
Across him, Hoseok looked at him with wide eyes, apology and a hint of shame written all over his face. “Sorry,” the dancer whispered quietly, seeming to shrink in size with every tick of the clock.
Yoongi’s anger dissolved in an instant. “No, no,” he sighed, I’m sorry,” the producer muttered. “Sometimes I get a little caught up in the moment,” he explained, running a hand through his hair exhaustedly.
“It’s okay,” Hoseok said quietly. “Some things are hard to control.”
“I know, I know. It’ s hard, but it doesn’t mean it’s impossible. That’s actually one of the things I’m working on right now.” Yoongi didn’t know why he was telling a complete stranger, of all people, this, but in an odd way, it was liberating. “Chungseo, my counselor, is helping me.” He wasn’t sure if his words were supposed to comfort him, or Hoseok.
“Oh yeah?” Hoseok said not unkindly. “How’s that going for you?”
Yoongi looked up from his folded arms, his eyes softening. “It’s going better than I expected, actually.”
“Good for you. Tell me more about your counselor.”
“Well, first, she has the brightest smile I have ever seen. It’s quite serotonin-inducing, actually. Two,” Yoongi held up two fingers absentmindedly, “she is one of the kindest and most compassionate person I have ever met, and three, she helps me work out most of my problems.”
Yoongi wasn’t sure if Hoseok was intentionally trying to distract him from his anxiety, but whatever it was, it was working.
“What are 5 interesting facts about her?”
Yoongi stopped pacing and slid down the sides of the elevator onto the cold, tiled floor, gazing up at Hoseok. The air between was weird─ strained and slightly awkward, but Yoongi could feel it slipping away quickly.
“Umm… okay. She’s about sixty, she has 3 kids and 2 grandchildren, all of whom she loves dearly. Uhh─ she’s been a therapist for about 30 years, her favorite color is purple, and she loves to wear flare pants with a blouse. She actually dresses quite up-to-date. She is amazing, and I love her,” he said casually. “If you’re ever looking for a counselor, I’d be more than happy to give you her number and her office.” Yoongi uncrossed his arms just as Hoseok walked up to him and sat down gingerly on the floor beside him.
“If I ever need a counselor, I know where to ask now,” Hoseok quietly smiled at Yoongi, who fought the weird urge to blush. “Thanks, Yoongi.”
“Anytime, Hoseok.”
Yoongi turned his head to the side to face Hoseok. “That’s your real name, right?” he asked skeptically.
“Of course it is,” Hoseok rolled his eyes lightly. “Do you think I would lie to you?”
Yoongi took a second to think. “No,” he said slowly, “but there have been incidents where someone I dated once lied about his name and identity, and… I found out later he was a convict, an escaped one, no less,” Yoongi regretted his words, worried he said too much. “Ah, sorry for burdening you with all my problems,” he huffed.
“No, it’s alright, truly. I’m happy to listen.”
Yoongi continued. “I eventually left him, but soon after, I looked up his name, and he was on multiple blacklists, Hoseok. Multiple."
“Damn…” Hoseok was speechless. “That’s… awful. I’m sorry he happened to you,” he finished.
“Thanks. I’m sorry too,” the producer admitted, laying his palms face-down on his knees and rubbing them. “However, I think it’s helped me grow as an individual, and it reminds me to be wary of the people before I trust them fully,” he shrugged.
“I agree. That’s… a good takeaway. Just don’t be too skeptical,” Hoseok smiled playfully.
Yoongi chuckled quietly before suddenly becoming painfully aware of all the places their shoulders touched. The pair sat in comfortable silence until Yoongi broke it.
“Actually, I don’t know what occupation you hold, although you do look a little familiar,” Yoongi said, quizzically examining Hoseok’s face.
Hoseok chuckled. “I’m a dancer,” he explained, gesturing to his casual attire in which Yoongi had not noticed until now. He was wearing light grey sweatpants and a white, loose, button-down. Staff usually dressed semi-formally and wore earpieces, however, Hoseok’s attire did not reflect any of that.
“What genre of dance do you dance?”
“I’m best at hip-hop but sometimes I’ll do street jazz and maybe experiment with modern.”
“So you’re quite a well-rounded dancer, then.”
“Well...” Hoseok paused uncertainly, “I wouldn’t say that,” he huffed a laugh and rubbed the back of his neck.
“Aish,” Yoongi swatted at Hoseok’s shoulder playfully, “you seem quite talented. I would love to see you perform one day.”
Hoseok raised his eyes to meet the producer’s. “You mean that?”
“Of course! It would be a nice change of pace in my schedule,” Yoongi’s lips twitched upwards.
“Thank you… that means a lot, even if I just met you,” Hoseok mumbled, a smile creeping onto his face as he averted his gaze to his legs resting on the floor.
“Anytime.”
A comfortable silence wove itself between the two like a heavy, draping, blanket. Minutes ticked by, the silence swallowing the duo until Yoongi lifted his head.
“Thank you… for helping me get out of that ‘episode’ I had,” Yoongi said quietly, using air quotes. “If your peppering me with questions was intentional or not… it helped me a lot, so thank you,” he said quietly, smiling a soft smile at the other.
Hoseok smiled warmly, and Yoongi had a strange, sudden urge to rest his hand on the other’s cheek. “You’re welcome.”
Yoongi reciprocated Hoseok’s smile. “Do you have a phone on you? Mine’s dead, unfortunately.”
“Yeah, sure.” Hoseok whipped out his phone. “Let me see if I have a signal here.”
Yoongi fiddled with his fingers while the dancer swiped on his phone a couple of times, before turning it off and declaring, “No reception here.”
The producer groaned and tilted his head back to rest against the wall of the elevator. “This day could not get any worse,” he complained.
“Care to share?”
Yoongi turned to face Hoseok. “Would you mind if I went on a bit of a rant?”
“No, not at all. Go ahead,” Hoseok reassured him.
“Thanks. So early in the morning, when I woke up. I got up to make myself coffee and breakfast, and as I was carrying my breakfast to the table, I dropped it and the bowl crashed to the ground.”
Hoseok grimaced.
“And of course, I just had to happen to have cereal that day, so the floor was a mess of cereal, milk and glass. Not to mention, as it dropped, I probably flinched or something and coffee splashed all over my newly-cleaned shirt.”
Beside him, Hoseok winced. “Ah.”
Yoongi made a face and continued on with his story. “After I cleaned that mess, which, mind you, took a little longer than most messes, as I had to dispose of the glass properly and whatever,” Yoongi waved a nonchalant hand, “and wipe up the milk─ long story short, it was a whole ordeal.”
Hoseok nodded silently beside him.
“After that, I went to my gym to work out because I was quite angry and wanted to dispose of my anger in more productive ways,” he scoffed a little at the last bit. “I did that, and then I went back to my apartment to shower, and guess what?”
Yoongi’s question was a rhetorical one, and Hoseok just looked at him with wide eyes.
“My shower was broken─” Yoongi rolled his eyes “─and on top of that, I was all sweaty and gross and─ ugh.” Yoongi shook his head and scrunched up his face, trying to dispel the physical feelings the memory evoked. “So I had to call the electrical company to come fix it while I showered at my friend, Namjoon’s place. That’s how I ended up nearly being late, which I believe─” Yoongi shook out his wrist and glared at his watch half-heartedly, “─I am.”
“That’s rough, buddy.”
“Ugh. I know,” Yoongi huffed out on an exhale. “But, it is─”
“─what it is,” Hoseok finished for him.
Yoongi laughed a startled laugh and looked at Hoseok with wide, startled eyes.
“That was my catchphrase back in uni. I was famous for that line,” the other chuckled and raised his head to the ceiling, seemingly lost in nostalgia.
“Ahh, I see.”
Hoseok hummed.
“Where did you go to uni?” Yoongi asked.
“Oh! That’s an easy one,” Hoseok grinned. “Seoul National University,” he answered proudly, grinning.
“No way!” Yoongi exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air.
“What?” Hoseok’s eyebrows were furrowed in question.
“I went there too!”
“Oh really? What year?”
“Class of 2016”
Hoseok gasped loudly. “No way!”
Yoongi put a hand over his mouth to cover his excitement. “You too?”
The dancer nodded enthusiastically, excitement lighting up his already-radiant features.
“Wait… that’s why you look so familiar! Were you in Professor Kang’s class for literature 101?”
Hoseok’s jaw dropped to the floor. “Yes, yes!” he nodded enthusiastically, pointing at the producer. “I remember you now! You were the quiet, scary kid who sat in front of me. Your notes always looked amazing!”
“So that was you, huh? I remember catching you trying to sneak a peek at my notes once and I told you off,” Yoongi smiled devilishly.
Hoseok laughed loudly, his features lighting up. “Yep, that was me. It’s all coming back now.”
“Do you remember how the prof would always stumble in late, with a book in hand, and without fail, say, ‘Sorry guys. I’ll try to be more on time tomorrow,’ but he never did?” Yoongi laughed.
The dancer grinned. “Remember that one day when he did come in late and promised to buy everyone a box of donuts if he was late again the next day?’”
Yoongi cackled at the sudden recollection. “Yes! And he actually brought in donuts in the next day, and said, ‘these donuts are a peace offering for you guys because whether you like it or not, you’re going to have to deal with my lateness for the rest of the semester, so, eat up!’”
Hoseok positively giggled. “I still think back on that from time to time.”
The producer chuckled. “He was good at teaching, and funny,” he added as an afterthought.
“He was,” the dancer agreed, smiling fondly at the warm memory. “Wait, what year were you born?”
“1993.”
“So you’re older than me. May I ask, why did you graduate a year late?”
“Ah,” Yoongi chuckled quietly and smiled at his legs before returning his gaze to the dancer. “The infamous question.”
“Sorry, hyung.”
“No, don’t be. And you don’t have to use formalities with me.” Hoseok smiled appreciatively at that.
“I took a gap year before uni. I wasn’t in a very good headspace, to put it lightly. My parents and I both agreed I needed a bit of a break. Besides, college could wait.”
“Oh,” Hoseok mused. “When are you enlisting? You’re 28 now, right?”
“Yes. I plan to enlist later this year. I want to delay it as long as I can,” the producer laughed quietly.
Hoseok huffed a laugh. “We all do, I’m sure.”
An easy silence ensured the both of them, dipping and flowing until a loud yawn suddenly broke free from Yoongi, who was, quite frankly, just as startled by it as Hoseok was.
“Tired?” he asked.
“Surprisingly, yes. It’s probably because I slept at 3 last night, but not that you asked anyways,” the older laughed quietly, as if enjoying a private joke.
Hoseok’s eyes comically went wide. “Really? What time did you wake up?”
“Around 6-6:30-ish.”
“Oh my god. That’s─” Hoseok quickly did the mental math. “─3 hours of sleep?!?”
Yoongi hummed in agreement.
“No wonder you’re so tired!” the younger proclaimed.
“Yep,” Yoongi mumbled, sleep suddenly threatening to overtake him. It became a continuous struggle to keep his eyelids open.
His eyes started to close.
Maybe if I just slept here─
His thoughts were rudely interrupted by Hoseok. “Hey,” he said, patting the producer’s shoulder. Taking off his own jacket, he placed it on his lap and arranged it to resemble something of a pillow. He patted it. “You can sleep here since you seem so tired.”
Yoongi was too tired to even question it. “Thanks,” he mumbled sleepily, scooting impossibly closer to the younger. Resting his head on the other male’s lap, he let out a quiet little sigh and could have sworn the other cooed quietly.
Hoseok leaned forward and reached for his toes, simultaneously flexing his thighs in an attempt to stretch. Yoongi was a little squished, but it was okay. It was an odd way of stretching, for sure, he thought, but had no further thoughts about it. The last thing his consciousness allowed him to sense was Hoseok humming a soft tune before sleep claimed him swiftly.
Yoongi awoke to the dancer gently shaking his shoulders. “Hey,” the other whispered, “we’re moving again. The elevator is working again.”
It took the older a few seconds to fully comprehend his surroundings and the dancer’s words, but when it clicked, his eyes flew open. He bolted up, and whipped his head toward the other male. “What time is it?”
“It’s 2:13.”
Any hopes of arriving to his meeting on-time were immediately dashed. If he didn’t attend this meeting, he would surely get kicked off the team, then lose his job, and─
Hoseok’s voice yanked him from his listless reverie. As if reading his exact thoughts, he said, “At least you got an extra 2 hours of much-needed sleep.”
Leave it up to Hoseok to find the good in anything.
“Thanks,” the producer smiled gratefully, a rare feat.
“No problem,” the younger returned the smile and Yoongi found his eyes glued to the bob in the dancer’s throat.
The elevator let out a loud ‘ding’ and both males scrambled up from the floor. Straightening his jacket, Yoongi looked at Hoseok gratefully. The elevator doors slowly slid open, and the dancer turned to leave, but Yoongi gently stopped him. “Is there any way I can thank you?”
Hoseok winked at him. “Call me,” he said, patting his pocket and looking pointedly at Yoongi before leaving, leaving the other just as flustered, if not more than before.
Yoongi patted his jacket pockets before slipping a note from his right-hand pocket. Unfolding the note, he read it.
It was nice meeting you again. Thank you for letting me be your personal pillow. I personally think it’s cute that you snore when you sleep. Yoongi looked up horrified, a blush creeping onto his face. He snored?
The note continued on.
I can’t wait to catch up with you again. Here’s my number: +82 2 xxx xxxx
Call me ;)
Yoongi was now blushing in full force. “I will,” he whispered to the note, before carefully slipping it back into his pocket and striding confidently out the opened elevator doors where a seemingly new day eagerly awaited him with a smile.