Work Text:
“Wow!” Jimin exclaimed upon seeing his best friend Taehyung after 3 years of working abroad. “You grew taller and your body is thicker than before!”
Taehyung chuckles, “I workout often now.”
“I missed you, soulmate,” Jimin hugs him. Taehyung pats his best friend’s head.
“Hobi hyung is with Jungkook. They are on their way to our apartment.”
Jimin claps his hands, “Ah, are they bringing that wine I want from Busan?”
Taehyung nodded before opening the door for his best friend. He has always done that ever since he was a kid, to his mom first, then siblings, his friends. Basically, he opens the door to anyone who rides his car.
“How have you been? Is Joon hyung doing okay?” Jimin asks as he gets into the passenger seat. “Your car doesn’t smell like plants anymore.”
“Next question, please.”
“Bitch! You have to tell me why, okay? I need to catch up with you, God. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to be there for you, I was busy with work.”
Taehyung was driving onto the national highway when he smiled, “Later, Min.”
“Welcome home, Jimin-ah!!!!”
The two were welcomed with confetti and balloons floating in their apartment. Jimin rushed towards Hoseok and Jungkook and hugged them.
“I missed you two!”
“Let’s eat and drown ourselves in alcohol tonight! We took a long leave for your welcome party.”
After 3 hours of catching up, and long hours of having fun, the four of them are already laying on the floor. Jimin and Hoseok are fast asleep, Jungkook is barely awake, and Taehyung is just staring at the ceiling.
He gets up and opens his phone to call someone.
[Hello?]
Taehyung smiled, “You answered.”
[...]
“I drank today with my friends because Jimin came home today after 3 years! I’m so happy.”
[I see. Yoongi Hyung would love to see him.]
“Yeah, I know. Are you home?”
[No, I’m at the studio.]
Taehyung sighs, “Did you not drink tonight?”
[No.]
“Then, you’ll be the one to remember this conversation again.”
[Yeah.]
“I miss you.”
[...]
“Hey, I said I miss you.”
[Tae…]
“Can I come see you?”
[Don’t.]
“I’ll buy you japchae and then we can hug each other even for 5 seconds.”
[Taehyung-ah.]
“Hm? I promise I won’t drive, I’ll take a taxi instead.”
He waited for a response, but the other line went silent. “I just want to see you, why are you being like this?”
[We broke up, Taehyung-ah.]
Tears flowed from Taehyung’s eyes upon hearing that. He still cannot accept it. Of course, they have been together for the last 3 years. He has already planned their future together, but it all ended with just one sentence.
[We’re already done, Taehyung. I’m sorry.]
“Wait, Joon—” before Taehyung could say anything, Namjoon ended the call.
In the past week of not seeing Namjoon, he’d always miss his embrace. He’d always cry until he’s tired and cannot think of anything.
Namjoon broke up with him a week ago because he chose his career over him. Taehyung did not question him, he even wished that Joon would rise up in the industry and become a famous rapper.
But of course, it is still painful. So painful to the point that he cannot let go of his habit.
It all started with that one night.
Taehyung was out with his friends, they were drinking in a famous club. He drank and drank until he passed out in some stranger’s arms who was about to take him home; but, luckily, Namjoon saw it and stopped it all from happening. He knew from the start that the stranger would mean harm to the drunk guy.
Namjoon did what he had to do. He asked his friend Yoongi to help him carry Taehyung to his car so he could sober up. After an hour and a half, he woke up with an aching head. The older one was surprised when he started slapping his cheeks to wake himself up.
“Who the hell are you and why am I in your car?” Taehyung asked, throat feeling dry as he hasn’t drank any water for the past 5 hours.
“I’m Namjoon and this isn’t my car. It's my friend’s. Are you awake now? Tell me because I have something important to tell you.”
And with that, Taehyung asked Namjoon if he can call him whenever he’s out drinking with his friends.
Namjoon agreed. They became friends after that, which of course led to dating one another.
Once he was done crying, he picked up his phone to check the time. It was 15 minutes past 4 am. he opened up his twitter and saw Namjoon’s recent tweet. it was a link to Jeremy Zucker’s song with Chelsea Cutler, you were good to me.
Taehyung smiled while tears were flowing from his eyes. “Yeah, I was good to you. Too good. I’ll be waiting for your success, Joonie hyung.”
Years have passed by, and Namjoon is now globally known as RM in the music industry. He has received different awards from various award shows all over the world. Of course, this has made Taehyung proud.
“He made the right choice,” is what he says every time he sees Namjoon’s label’s congratulatory tweet with lots of fans praising his ex.
“You’re watching that again?”
It was Jimin. He, for the nth time, caught Taehyung watching Namjoon receive his first ever daesang.
Taehyung immediately turned his phone off before looking at Jimin, “Don’t you have a date today?”
“I do, I’m still getting ready,” he says while putting on lip-gloss. “Can’t you see I’m still not in my best fit?”
“Whatever,” Taehyung rolled his eyes while getting up from his seat. He just noticed that he already spent exactly five (5) hours watching Namjoon content on different platforms.
He then went to his room to get his wallet and car key. Jimin raised his eyebrow when he came out from his room.
“I’m going out, too. Don’t wait for me if you come home earlier.”
“Fine, stay safe!”
He was in a mall, shopping for Christmas gifts for his friends when he received a call from an unknown number.
“Hello, who is this?”
[I drank today, can you pick me up?]
Taehyung was about to end the call because he thought it was a prank when he suddenly recognized the voice.
[Hello, Taehyung-ah? Please, my head is spinning.]
He couldn't believe it, he was too stunned to speak. That voice … oh, how he missed hearing that voice from the other line. He quickly checked if the call was still on and he felt so happy when he saw that the caller did not end it.
“Where are you?”